After swindling some benefits, the tiredness Fan Yi had felt from the night before had completely dispersed. Seeing his lively expression, Sect Master Zhong can only sigh in his heart.
Jie, did I owe this little devil in my last life?
With a dismissive wave of his hand and a promise to send all of Fan Yi’s requests to Screeching Sparrow Sect at a later date, Sect Master Zhong finally managed to send off Fan Yi.
By the time Fan Yi had returned to the inn, he found the disciples eating on the ground floor of the inn. Wu Lingtian sat a table with Li Qing and the other disciples. His expression remained passive as he listened to the others speak. Once in a while, he would nod and say his piece, but otherwise he treated his words as if they were gold. Seeing this, Fan Yi’s smile grew broader. He squeezed in beside Wu Lingtian and snatched Su Han’s breakfast.
“Shizun,” Su Han frowned.
“I’m hungry,” Fan Yi protested weakly. “Your shizun has been running all over today. Let me have a bite, alright?”
Su Han wrinkled his nose in displeasure and stood to order another dish.
“What’s wrong?” Wu Lingtian asked Fan Yi.
“Nothing’s wrong,” Fan Yi smiled. He looked around. “Where’s Xiewen and Yizhou?”
“Shizun and Shibo said that they were too tired today, so they won’t be coming to the competition,” Hua An’ting wrinkled her nose.
“Ah,” Fan Yi chuckled. “Well, no matter, today’s the hunting competition. It’s not as if we can watch you at any rate. Even if your shizun doesn’t go, there’s nothing their missing out on.”
Seeing Hua An’ting and Liang Jun’s depressed expressions, Wu Lingtian couldn’t help but reach out to pat the back of their heads. “Aren’t Sect Leader and I here? We’ll watch you.”
The response was immediate. The two disciples happily began stuffing their face again, seemingly completely forgotten about their previous misgivings. Fan Yi glanced at Wu Lingtian and nudged him.
“How are you so good with kids?”
Wu Lingtian had successfully coaxed Li Qing to his side with a matter of a few interactions. Wen Yi, who was normally calm, began going to Wu Lingtian whenever problems cropped up as well. There wasn’t even a need to mention Hua An’ting and Liang Jun, who had been sticking to Wu Lingtian more than their own shizun.
“A talent,” Wu Lingtian replied seriously.
Unconsciously a smile bloomed on Fan Yi’s face. “My dear Yu Lan, you sure have many talents. What else are you keeping from me?”
“What else do you want me to be talented in?” Wu Lingtian raised a brow inquiringly.
Fan Yi leaned in closer with his voice lowered. “Is there anything else I should know about?”
Su Han coughed loudly as he put down a bowl of beef noodles in front of Fan Yi. “Shizun, eat.”
“Oh, thank you,” Fan Yi sat up properly and began eating.
Wu Lingtian tugged at his red ear and took a sip of tea.
Wen Yi and Su Han glanced at each other from across the table. Wen Yi shook her head and Su Han shrugged. Li Qing, catching these motions, refrained from asking any questions and simply bowed her head to finish the rest of her breakfast.
With the absence of two of the Pillars, Wu Lingtian was able to sit down in a proper seat since the start of the conference. Fan Yi took his seat beside him and overwatched the festive scene with a wooden expression. Beside him was the unmovable magnolia tree, carrying an expression of disinterest.
The two men exuded an unapproachable aura, scaring off any cultivators who even thought to make conversation with both men. Sect Master Zhong shook his head from where he sat but soon turned his attention away without making a comment.
On the other hand, Situ Hong had already tugged up his sleeves and was preparing to head over when a hand latched onto the back of his robes and pulled him back.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
“To talk to Yu Lan,” Situ Hong replied innocently.
Situ An glared at his son and knocked a knuckle against his forehead. “Last night you were out so late, only to come back in the morning. Now you want to run off? You sure have it easy.”
“Father, you were the one who told me to make connections to better the sect. Are you biased? Whether they’re from Jianshi or Xianping, they both have their merits.”
“Don’t use your sharp tongue to talk to me like I’m in the wrong,” Situ An scolded. “What kind of person is Wu Lingtian right now? If you go over there, you’re just showing that we’re taking his side!”
Situ Hong flourished his fan. “Father, when have my actions ever been reflected on the sect? Since long ago, people have already learned that I do things of my own volition.”
“You—”
The silk robes slipped through Situ An’s fingers. He watched helplessly as his son jogged across the grassy field towards Wu Lingtian and Fan Yi.
The cultivators all watched with baited breaths as the great Feng Ling Immortal stopped in front of Wu Lingtian. In front of everyone, Situ Hong squatted down and smacked Wu Lingtian over the head with his folding fan. When the other man looked up, the air seemed to tense.
However, instead of sensing any danger, Situ Hong grinned. “Awake?”
Wu Lingtian nudged Situ Hong over with the inside of his foot. He sat straighter and frowned at him. “What are you doing here?”
“Everyone here’s acting like you two can unhinge your jaws and eat people. I came over because I wanted to see how you would eat me,” Situ Hong said.
“Sorry, my jaw isn’t wide enough to eat your big head,” Wu Lingtian said.
Fan Yi choked back a laugh.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
“Ck, Te Ojc, vbc’a yf ilxf atja,” Vlae Lbcu ktlcfv. Lf rabbv jcv rja tjio bo tlr yftlcv bc atf jgw bo Qe Olcualjc’r mtjlg. “Lbk jybea atlr? Ofa’r ub lcab atf obgfra jcv tjnf rbwf oec obg begrfinfr?”
“Lbk biv jgf sbe? Ktlr lr j mbwqfalalbc obg atf peclbgr ab qgbnf atfwrfinfr, cba obg sbe ab ub jgbecv jcv wfrr klat atfw,” Qe Olcualjc rjlv.
“Go or not? If you’re going, stop saying so many useless words,” Situ Hong tilted his chin challengingly.
Wu Lingtian stood. “Go.”
He turned to look at Fan Yi with a humbled expression. “Sect Leader.”
“Go, go, go,” Fan Yi smiled gently. It was nice seeing Wu Lingtian so lively. “I can go talk to Sect Master Zhong if I get bored.”
Wu Lingtian nodded and followed after Situ Hong. He tugged at the man’s sleeve. “Hey, let me borrow your sword.”
“What? You don’t have a sword yet?” Situ Hong quirked a brow and reached into his sleeve to pull out his sword for Wu Lingtian.
“Haven’t had the chance to get a new one,” Wu Lingtian tied the sword to his waist as if it were the most natural thing to do.
The cultivators who were waiting for Situ Hong and Wu Lingtian to start fighting were shocked into speechlessness. Zhou Ying’an pursed her lips to hold back her laughter. These two men would always sneak out quietly when they were younger. Now that they were older and had a bit of reputation, they could now do it out in the open and strut around in front of everyone as they left. There was no sense of shame at all.
She didn’t have to glance to her right to know just how colorful Li Ran’s expression was right now.
“Where are you going?” Sect Master Zhong called out just before the two men stepped into the forest.
Situ Hong announced, “Supervising.”
“Observing,” Wu Lingtian replied.
Thinking that Sect Master Zhong was going to stop the two men, the sect and clan leaders sat on the edges of their seat in trepidation. But, to their utter disappointment, Sect Master Zhong only showed an indulgent expression that one would show to the younger generation and waved his hand.
“Don’t bother anyone. Don’t scare anyone.”
“How could we scare anyone?” Situ Hong asked as he sauntered into the forest.
Wu Lingtian was still a bit more polite. He bowed to Sect Master Zhong before turning to follow Situ Hong.
“…Have I gone blind? Or am I dreaming right now?” a cultivator asked.
On the other side, Situ Hong laughed brightly once he and Wu Lingtian had escaped further into the woods. He clapped Wu Lingtian on the back and ignored the man’s irritable gaze.
“Did you see their faces?” Situ Hong fanned himself. “They all looked like they couldn’t believe in life anymore. Ah, you’re still the best, Lingtian! Whenever you do anything, you end up leaving people in awe.”
Wu Lingtian’s lips quirked up at the edges as he watched Situ Hong bask in the chaos. He lowered his gaze for a moment before looking back up at his childhood friend. “Thanks.”
“Hm? Thank what?” Situ Hong looked at Wu Lingtian with a hint of confusion. “I haven’t done anything?”
“…You know what you did.”
Situ Hong frowned and shook his head. “I really don’t. My dearest friend, please enlighten—ah! Why are you using your hands to talk!?”
Wu Lingtian rolled his eyes. “You’re annoying.”
Rather than feeling offended, Situ Hong’s eyes seemed to sparkle at that moment. “You’re right, I’m annoying. I’m the most annoying!”
Wu Lingtian watched Situ Hong helplessly as he laughed. “You didn’t take your medicine before leaving the house, did you?”
Situ Hong threw his head back and clapped his hands together. “Ah, Lingtian—you haven’t insulted me so refreshingly in such a long time. Come here, give gege a hug!”
“How could you be my ge?” Wu Lingtian held out his elbow to prevent Situ Hong’s oncoming movements. “I’m obviously older than you by a few months. It should be me who’s your ge.”
“Alright, alright, you’re right. Then, give didi a hug, how about that?” Situ Hong advanced again, only to be pushed aside.
“I don’t have a little brother as ugly as you,” Wu Lingtian murmured before walking ahead again.
Situ Hong whine coquettishly and caught up with Wu Lingtian. “So domineering—so cool! I just knew leaving Drifting Clouds Mountain Sect was a good thing to do! Haven’t I been telling you for years? They don’t even respect you as a person and use you like they would a mule or an ox. See? Isn’t it much better to leave and join a sect like Screeching Sparrow!”
Wu Lingtian frowned and glanced at Situ Hong. “When have you ever said that?”
Situ Hong showed a blank expression. “A lot. Whenever we go drink with Xiao-ge.”
“Xiao-ge?” Wu Lingtian’s steps slowed to a stop. “I haven’t seen Xiao Xunrui in five years.”
“What do you mean? We saw him a few mon—”
The sound of a hawk crying in the sky interrupted their conversation. The thumping of feet was rapidly heading in their direction. Wu Lingtian’s reaction time had always been faster than Situ Hong’s. Before Situ Hong could make heads or tail of the situation, Wu Lingtian had already grabbed the man by the collar of his robes and flown to the highest branch, far from the approaching disciples.
Situ Hong hugged Wu Lingtian around the shoulders to steady himself as the pair looked down at the ground. He clicked his tongue with a shake of his head.
“Kids now a days. Look at them! They’re so aggressive!” Situ Hong released Wu Lingtian before he could be shoved off and stood off to the side. “It’s just a bird—why are they deploying such methods?”
On the ground below, Liang Jun had finished weaving his net. His grip tightened, pulling the golden threads taut around the bird. The Screeching Sparrow disciples cheered happily as the fire hawk stopped struggling and fell to the ground with a plop.
“Shixiong is the coolest!”
Liang Jun laughed sheepishly and picked up the fire hawk. He was about to throw it into his Qiankun pouch when a dissatisfied voice sounded.
“He saw that Xiu-shijie and we were chasing after the hawk and then set up a trap on his own. What’s so good about that?” a new voice asked.
Liang Jun paused and turned around. He narrowed his eyes at the turquoise robes the other party was wearing and smirked. He held up the hawk that was bleeding about its neck. “Young Miss Xiu, do you want this? Seeing that your Drifting Clouds Mountain Sect is performing so poorly that you’re this desperate for points this year, I’ll hand over the hawk that I personally caught.”
“You—!”
“How could your words be like that?!”
“What? Am I wrong?” Liang Jun stepped forward with a cocky tilt of his chin. “Obviously, my sect was the one who saw the hawk first and it was you lot who chased after us. Just because you were too slow and unskilled, you ended up losing face because you couldn’t snatch up someone else’s prey—now you’re berating and calling us unfair?”
His eyes trailed over the group of Drifting Clouds Mountain Sect disciples. “You might be used to having the world at your feet, but the present isn’t comparable to the past. You’ve already made yourselves a laughingstock with how you handled the situation of Lord Immortal Yu Lan—no need to lose more face over a petty competition.”
Liang Jun’s gaze landed provokingly on Xiu Lan, who stood behind the crowd of other disciples. But his gloating expression froze.
Xiu Lan’s head was lowered and her complexion was paled. It was nothing like the hotheaded, irritating girl that Liang Jun remembered. Upon closer inspection, there was also faint bags under her eyes, exposing her horrendous sleeping patterns for the past few days.
“Hey, are you—”
“Step back! What are you even doing, trying to get so close to Xiu-shijie?” one of the disciples snapped.
Liang Jun glared at the disciple and gestured towards Xiu Lan to speak when he was nudged out of the way by the other Screeching Sparrow Sect disciples. He rubbed at the back of his neck when the two groups began bickering, but his gaze remained concentrated on Xiu Lan. He looked at the fire hawk in his hand and rounded the group stealthily.
“Hey.”
Xiu Lan looked up. A flash of irritation passed through her eyes. She rolled her eyes. “I don’t want your stupid hawk, they were just making a big deal out of nothing because they were embarrassed about the thing with my martial uncle.”
Liang Jun was a bit surprised by her straightforwardness, but he held out the hawk nonetheless. “I’m giving it to you.”
“I don’t want it.”
“Take it. Have you even caught anything? You look about as dead as this thing,” Liang Jun waved the dead hawk in her face.
Xiu Lan came from an affluent clan of cultivators spanning for several thousand years. She had seen the corpses of animals brought back from hunts and had even gone on missions multiple times in the past few years, so seeing the corpse being flung in her face didn’t shock her too much. Just the fact that the blood was dripping grotesquely through Liang Jun’s fingers made her stomach stir.
“I said I don’t want it,” Xiu Lan glared at Liang Jun. “And I’m fine. I don’t need you to worry about me.”
“Oh, you don’t need WuYe trash to worry about you,” Liang Jun nodded in understanding. He tossed the hawk at her feet and pulled off his canteen of water to rinse his hands. “Take it or don’t take it—my mood’s been spoiled, so I don’t want it.”
“…Petulant,” Xiu Lan murmured. She glanced at the group of bickering disciples and then at Liang Jun’s retreating back. “Hey.”
“What?” Liang Jun turned and looked back at Xiu Lan. “Still want to pick a fight?”
“No. Just…WuYe seems nice,” Xiu Lan said.
Liang Jun quirked a brow. He looked Xiu Lan up and down and smirked. “If you ever decide to come over, I’ll give you a tour.”
Xiu Lan gave a noncommittal hum and stuffed the hawk into her Qiankun pouch.
Liang Jun glanced at the group and sighed. “What are you lot still arguing about? Let’s go!”
The Screeching Sparrow disciples gave the Drifting Clouds Mountain disciples one last glare before jogging after Liang Jun.
“Shixiong, did you actually give the hawk to her?”
“What? Are you nervous? We can just catch more beasts. It’s not like we’re lacking anything,” Liang Jun waved his hand.
“No, but she and her sect aren’t anything good. Why do we have to concede?”
“It isn’t a matter of conceding, it’s,” Liang Jun’s words stopped. It was just because he felt a bit bad that Xiu Lan appeared so haggard. But these words couldn’t be said out loud. He turned to the other disciples. “It’s just because I’m not that petty of a person! It’s just one hawk, what’s to argue about? We can catch more hawks and other beasts no problem.”
The disciples felt that Liang Jun’s words were right, but it still irritated them to no end that Xiu Lan was able to get the prey Liang Jun had expended effort to catch.
Situ Hong gave Liang Jun’s attitude two thumbs up. “I like this kid. For the heart of a maiden, what’s wrong with expending a bit of effort?”
Wu Lingtian glared at Situ Hong with a hint of disapproval. “Do you think he’s like you? Liang Jun is a pure child. At most, he probably saw that A-Lan wasn’t feeling well and didn’t want her to suffer too miserably.”
“A-Lan,” Situ Hong flourished his fan. “You’re still so close with your enemy’s disciple?”
“We aren’t enemies. Even if we are, A-Lan has no part in the matter. She’s still a child,” Wu Lingtian turned and hopped from the tree.
“She’s already seventeen—how could that be considered a child?” Situ Hong said. “I’ve always said you dote on the juniors far too much. They’re going to be thirty and you’re still going to be calling them children.”
“They’ll be younger than me no matter what. As seniors we should be taking care of them,” Wu Lingtian said.
“Right, right, right. Your heart’s the softest, you’re the kindest teacher,” Situ Hong smiled. He fanned himself and thought back to Liang Jun. “But do you really think that Little Golden Boy doesn’t have any thoughts about your family’s A-Lan?”
“Like I said,” Wu Lingtian poked Situ Hong’s chest. “He isn’t you.”
Situ Hong let out a long, harrowing sigh as he snapped his fan shut. “Let me say this first and foremost—where do you have experience in relationships between men and women? First off, you like men, second, you’ve never even experienced things like love. How would you be able to pick up the flirtatious subtleties of a man and a woman gradually beginning to realize their feelings for one another?”
Wu Lingtian’s wooden expression didn’t reveal a crack. He stared at Situ Hong’s gloating expression for a moment longer and then turned and picked a random direction to walk.
“What? Speechless? I’m right, aren’t I?”
“If you were so proficient at love, why haven’t you married? You’re still single,” Wu Lingtian was provoked into letting his words slip.
“It’s a choice! If I were married, I’d have to think of the feelings of the other person, but I still want to travel and run around. Of course, you could also say I haven’t met the right person,” Situ Hong lowered his head shyly behind his fan.
Wu Lingtian grunted in response. It was useless saying too many words to this man.
“What about you? Now that you’re out of the evil clutches of that inhumane sect, are you going to find a man to cozy up to and settle down with?” Situ Hong threw his arms over Wu Lingtian’s shoulders and rubbed his face against the man’s fluffy hair.
Wu Lingtian shoved Situ Hong away. “Can you speak properly for once?”
“You know I can’t,” Situ Hong flourished his fan. “But it’s a sincere question.”
“No,” Wu Lingtian said. “I’m not even sure what my next step is.”
“You’re not sure?” Situ Hong stared at Wu Lingtian. He snapped his fan shut and pointed in a direction as he spoke. “I thought you were going back with that Fan Yi.”
“I am, but there are other things to consider,” Wu Lingtian said.
“Like what?” Situ Hong asked curiously.
“The matter of my sword,” Wu Lingtian murmured. He looked at Situ Hong. “No matter how I look at it, it seems somewhat suspicious. I do want to investigate, but the bridges have already been burnt. I’ll have to ask my shijie for some more information on that.”
“Is that all? That doesn’t seem like a long-term worry,” Situ Hong said. He stepped closer again. “Tell me what’s really on your mind.”
Wu Lingtian glared at Situ Hong. “Stand further away from me.”
“Okay, okay. Further, further,” Situ Hong took a step back. He let out a long inquiring hum. “My little magnolia flower shouldn’t have too much on his mind though—one, would be hunting evil. Two, would just be preserving peace.”
“…Do you treat me as a puppet? I can’t have other considerations?” Wu Lingtian asked.
“Then, tell me so I can understand you better.”
“The sword is a big concern of mine. As for the other…”
“The other?”
“…” Wu Lingtian wasn’t sure how to phrase it.
“You can’t still be hung up on Drifting Clouds Mountain Sect, are you? Don’t go back there,” Situ Hong said firmly.
“I’m not. It’s…Sect Leader.”
“Fan Yi?”
“Mn.”
“What’s wrong with him?”
“Nothing.”
Wu Lingtian hesitated. “He treats me well and he insists on me joining the sect. I’m grateful for his help, but I’m afraid I might burden him.”
“You? Burden him? What gave birth to this thought?”
Wu Lingtian averted his gaze. “There’s just something like that.”
“Lingtian, even without your sword, the last thing you are is a burden,” Situ Hong said. “Even if you didn’t have the martial arts skills, at least you’re handsome. No one ever dislikes a handsome face.”
Wu Lingtian felt another bout of disappointment towards this friend of his. Why did he bother thinking this man would say something reliable?
Situ Hong felt Wu Lingtian’s disdain and only smiled charmingly. “Lingtian, I’m right. You don’t have to make that kind of face.”
Wu Lingtian glanced at Situ Hong and thought up and down before shaking himself. He must have been crazy to even think about telling Situ Hong what he was troubled with.
↳ 师伯 (Shī bó) – martial uncle, but the uncle is older/of higher status than your 师尊
My favorite scenes to write are probably our little magnolia and the stupid wind chime interacting lmao
The banter between these to is hilarious. Magnolia and Wind Chime. Wuma Qiongling is a ?
Hmmm that’s a good question….WMQL is a…he would have to be a snake, right? 🤔 Some people think he’s horrifying, but some think he would be cute in a cowboy hat. That type of vibe? 😂
NOOO, they didn’t go back to the Xiao Xinrui issue!! Sus Drifting Clouds must have done something…
Wu Lingtian and Situ Hong… skipped class to go smoke behind the gym? 😂
LMAO 😭😂
Situ Hong is so cute (๑˃ᴗ˂)