In the end, the night passed by peacefully.
When the two men woke up, they were still in their own allotted spaces. Though, as for who had gotten closer in the cold night, neither of them were petty enough to argue over it. It was just, when Wu Lingtian was getting ready, he had a gloating air about him, while the usually proud sect leader woke up well-rested but annoyed.
Situ Hong and his subordinates arrived to find Wu Lingtian dutifully feeding Fan Yi. The sight was rather blinding.
Situ Hong’s expression puckered. He waved his subordinates off and immediately threw his legs over the bench and sat down across from Wu Lingtian. He tapped his folding fan against the table.
“What is all this?”
“I explained it in the letter,” Wu Lingtian looked up at his friend, unamused.
“Yes, but how come you stumbled into this? Of all people!” Situ Hong exclaimed. “You were the one who said you were retiring, but now you’re the one to finally dig up a lead.”
Wu Lingtian glanced at Fan Yi’s bowl. Upon seeing how full it was, he finally put his chopsticks down and turned to Situ Hong. “It’s because the person behind it has a special interest in me. I’m afraid even if I try to avoid them, they’re going to continue to drag me into it.”
“T-then, what are you doing to do?” Situ Hong asked.
“Face it head on. What else can I do?” Wu Lingtian shot back. He rested his chin against his palm. His slouched form completely obscuring the gentlemanly aura he normally exuded. “Situ Hong, tell everyone that Wu Lingtian has joined your Frost Cliff Pavilion. Spread it as far and wide as you can. It’d be great if even the ghost cultivators know this news.”
“But you didn’t want to join us before.”
“This is the only way to let them know I’m joining their little game. Otherwise, they’ll start causing trouble with the people I care about.”
Fan Yi coughed. He held up his hand when Wu Lingtian offered him a cup of tea. He turned his head to the side in an attempt to control his coughing, but Situ Hong’s gaze had already settled on Fan Yi. He slowly looked back to Wu Lingtian. His eyes widened and he tilted his head slightly to the sect leader.
Wu Lingtian smiled and only raised a brow in response.
Situ Hong softly inhaled. “Alright, I understand. I’ll spread it far and wide. I’ll make sure even the children know that Wu Lingtian is with our Frost Cliff Pavilion.”
“Good. But I want to make one thing clear.”
“What is it?”
“Don’t look for me for anything.”
Situ Hong stared at Wu Lingtian. “Then, how is that you playing the game!?”
“I’ll only be involved with this case. And once this case is over, I’m quitting.”
“But—”
“Those are my terms. I’ll be your figurehead only until this case is solved,” Wu Lingtian said. He straightened. “I still want to live my retired life, lazing around the sect.”
“…Who told you that’s what you do in my sect?” Fan Yi glanced at Wu Lingtian.
“I still want to live my retired life, sleeping in trees and accompanying Sect Leader,” Wu Lingtian corrected himself.
“Forget I said anything,” Fan Yi turned back to his breakfast.
Wu Lingtian returned his attention to Situ Hong. “And there was one last thing.”
“What else?” Situ Hong asked dejectedly.
“Find Xiao-xiong,” Wu Lingtian said. “This situation has to do with souls. I’m not sure how they’re using it, but I have a suspicion they’re using hun to power their puppets.”
“…Hun to power their puppets?” Situ Hong frowned. After another moment of contemplation, he nodded. “Though, I’m not sure if it’ll be easy to contact him now. If Wuma Qiongling successfully reached him, then he’s probably on the run or busy entertaining him.”
“Even if Wuma Qiongling reached him, he still has his daughter. He won’t be running anywhere,” Wu Lingtian pointed out. “He might even be grateful for this chance to escape that demon lord.”
“That’s true,” Situ Hong mumbled. His head suddenly snapped up when he thought of something. “Hold on, why does it sound like you’re handing these matters over to me?”
“Why wouldn’t I be, Captain Situ?”
“No, no, no,” Situ Hong stood. “You—are you running away from your responsibilities again?”
“If I were running away from my responsibilities, I would have left a note and then fled,” Wu Lingtian reasoned. “Aren’t I sitting here with you now?”
“But you—where are you going after this?!”
“My disciples are still out there running around to complete their examination. I’m only here because I had the misfortune of being toyed with,” Wu Lingtian said. “Afterwards, I’ll be going with Sect Leader.”
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.
“Kb vb ktja?”
“Kbq rfmgfa.”
“Dea atfc—”
“Qf’ii yf yjmx ab Vmgffmtlcu Vqjggbk Vfma yfobgf atf Rfk Tfjg’r,” Qe Olcualjc rjlv.
“Ktja’r…atja’r ralii obeg wbcatr bea,” Vlae Lbcu rjlv lcmgfveiberis. “Gb sbe atlcx atlr rlaejalbc klii kjla obg sbe obg obeg wbcatr?”
“Yo mbegrf cba. Ktja’r kts P qijmfv la lc atf mjqjyif tjcvr bo Jjqajlc Vlae,” Qe Olcualjc gfqilfv rfglberis.
Situ Hong’s fan snapped open. He fanned himself ferociously and glared at Wu Lingtian. “You—you—you’re playing hooky again!”
“Again,” Wu Lingtian repeated.
“You always did this when we were younger! When you were accepted as a guest disciple in Purple Bamboo School, you’d always sneak out at night and do who knows what!”
“I couldn’t sleep at night, so I left to take a look at the bamboo,” Wu Lingtian replied. “I can’t?”
“Two years. You were looking at the bamboo for two years, every night?”
“I couldn’t sleep for two years every night.”
Situ Hong found it incredulous. “Then, you came back at noon and you still didn’t get scolded by my father!”
“Why are you bringing up old debt now? Isn’t it just getting yelled at a little? I also got yelled at,” Wu Lingtian reasoned.
“When was this?” Fan Yi asked.
“Huh?” Situ Hong hadn’t expected Fan Yi to join the conversation. He thought for a moment. “It should be when we were…sixteen or seventeen?”
Fan Yi glanced at Wu Lingtian and slowly looked away again.
Wu Lingtian’s calm expression finally showed a crack. He stood as well. “Anyway, I don’t care what you want from me. I’m leaving with Sect Leader.”
“This is your case though!”
“It isn’t,” Wu Lingtian gripped Situ Hong’s shoulders and gave him a nice shake. “It’s yours.”
“…Are you trying to brainwash me?”
“It’s yours,” Wu Lingtian said firmly. He reached down and pulled Fan Yi up. He cupped his hands together, “Then, until next time.”
“Wait, Wu Lingtian, you—”
Wu Lingtian grabbed Fan Yi, tossed the Rui Sword into his arms, and speedily left with his qinggong. His footsteps, which were as light as magnolia petals drifting to the ground, was near impossible to catch up with. With Fan Yi still in his arms, Wu Lingtian began to use flash step towards where the disciples had last been. Only when they arrived in the town did Wu Lingtian land and release Fan Yi.
“…I can’t walk on my own?”
“My apologies, Sect Leader,” Wu Lingtian humbly apologized.
The Rui Sword was thrust back into Wu Lingtian’s arms. “We can’t fly with our swords?”
“My apologies.”
“…Shameless,” Fan Yi turned around and headed into the town.
Wu Lingtian flexed his hand and glanced at Fan Yi. For someone so well built, he surprisingly had a thin waist. A small, satisfied smile played at his lips as he reached for a communication talisman and activated it.
“Where are you all?” Wu Lingtian asked.
“Wu-shishu? We’re still out dealing with the fierce corpses south of Xiemen. Have you finished the business you wanted to deal with?”
“I have,” Wu Lingtian glanced at Fan Yi. He reached into his Qiankun pouch and pulled out a piece of candy. He nudged it towards Fan Yi as he continued the conversation, “I’ll head over to you then.”
“Alright!” Hua An’ting replied happily. “Ah, but Wu-shishu we’ve run into a bit of an issue.”
“What kind of issue?” Wu Lingtian smiled when Fan Yi finally accepted it.
“Xiemen Town is close to the border between Jianshi and Xianping. The closer we get to the border, the more of righteous sect disciples we see.”
“Have they been causing you trouble?” Wu Lingtian asked with a frown.
“Yes, Wu-shishu!” Hua An’ting whined cutely. “Wu-shishu, hurry and come get rid of them for us! They keep purposely ruining our traps and taking our prey. It’s getting annoying to death!”
“That’s right, Fourth Pillar!” another disciple’s voice rang out. “Not only that, but Liang-shixiong was kidnapped by them!”
“Kidnapped?” Wu Lingtian glanced at Fan Yi. “What do you mean?”
“He’s been bewitched—”
“Don’t listen to Huo Meng’s nonsense! Anyway, Shishu hurry and come save us pitiful disciples! We keep getting bullied!”
The communication talisman stopped closing and crumpled up in smoke. Wu Lingtian looked to Fan Yi. “Kidnapped?”
Fan Yi clicked his tongue. “Who would want to kidnap them? If anything, they kidnapped someone and now they’re holding them hostage until they get bored.”
Wu Lingtian thought about Hua An’ting and Liang Jun’s temperament for a moment. His initial anxiety faded and he nodded. This situation was definitely more reasonable.
Because of this, the two men who had rushed over took a leisurely stroll until they found the disciples. Because it was still early in the day, the disciples were sitting around with their arrays ready and set up. They sat about a camp fire, roasting some fish over the flames.
As the two men approached, they already heard Hua An’ting scolding Liang Jun about running off again. Wu Lingtian and Fan Yi exchanged a glance and moved closer.
“How could I have been running off?” Liang Jun puffed out his chest. “I was just…I wanted to see what they were doing!”
“Oh! You wanted to see what they were doing?” Hua An’ting rolled her eyes to the sky. “More like you wanted to see what Xiu Lan was doing, right?”
“Wh—what nonsense are you spouting?” Liang Jun scoffed. “How could I want to know what that petulant, bratty girl is doing?”
“Then why is it whenever you see her, you won’t stop staring at her? Young Master Liang, have you fallen for her?”
“I—”
“Who’s fallen for who?”
Wu Lingtian’s voice interrupted the conversation. The disciples immediately jumped into attention upon seeing their martial uncle. However, true fear didn’t come until they saw their sect leader behind him.
“Wu-shishu! Shibo!” Liang Jun stood abruptly.
“Fourth Pillar, Sect Leader!” the other disciples greeted them heartily.
Hua An’ting stood and bounced over. She held onto Wu Lingtian’s hand and pointed at Liang Jun, “Wu-shishu, Shibo, Liang Jun’s going off flirting every night! You must deduct points from his evaluation.”
Wu Lingtian patted Hua An’ting’s head out of habit. “I should deduct some points from everyone. How could none of you have sensed that Sect Leader and I were near?”
The disciples lowered their in with a small sense of shame.
“Even if it seems safe, you must keep your ears open at all times. This is the world of Jianghu, not our home, alright?”
“Yes, Shishu.”
“Yes, Fourth Pillar.”
Wu Lingtian’s eyes focused on Liang Jun. “Now, what is this about Lan’er?”
Although it had only been a few months, the disciples at Screeching Sparrow Sect had long forgotten Wu Lingtian’s identity as Rong Meihua’s direct disciple, thus making him Li Ran’s small shidi. Wu Lingtian was Xiu Lan’s martial uncle before he was a martial uncle for anyone in Screeching Sparrow Sect. Not to mention, rumors that the two had a close relationship were all over the cultivation world. Xiu Lan was a young miss spoiled by everyone, even the cold Yu Lan Sword Immortal and her strict shiye was also tolerant of her childish ways.
Hearing that a little rogue was vying after his precious martial niece, what could Wu Lingtian be thinking of right now?
“Nothing,” Liang Jun blurted out.
“Nothing?”
“I—we ran into Drifting Clouds Mountain Sect disciples, that’s all,” Liang Jun rushed to explain. “I—I wasn’t doing anything improper—no! No, I shouldn’t say that. I wasn’t having any improper thoughts about Miss Xiu!”
“Miss Xiu?” Hua An’ting glanced at Liang Jun. “From what I heard, you run around calling her Xiu Lan.”
“You—” Liang Jun whipped his head towards Wu Lingtian. “Wu-shishu, I assure you—no, I swear to you that it’s nothing like that!”
Wu Lingtian stared at Liang Jun steadily. “Your denial is far too sporadic. If you want to lie, you should at least learn to cover up your emotions first. If you’re too enthusiastic about your denial, then others will be convinced of the opposite.”
Hua An’ting nodded slowly. It seemed that this was also true. “Then, Wu-shishu, how would you lie?”
“About?”
“Mm…then, Wu-shishu, how do you feel about our Sect Leader?” Hua An’ting asked excitedly.
Wu Lingtian turned to look at Fan Yi, who had been standing silently behind him. His expression was emotionless as he met Fan Yi’s gaze. “I hate him.”
Silence descended on the clearing. Wu Lingtian lowered his gaze and turned back to Hua An’ting. “That’s how you lie.”
Hua An’ting stared at Wu Lingtian. “B-but that felt…a little too sincere.”
“How could that be? Sect Leader is someone I’ve sworn the rest of my life and my soul to,” Wu Lingtian said with a soft smile. “I—”
“Lying is a good skill to have as well,” Fan Yi interrupted Wu Lingtian. “It’ll help you get out of sticky situations. If you have time, learn from your martial uncle. He’s a great liar and an even better sweet talker.”
Wu Lingtian closed his mouth and glanced at Fan Yi. The smile on his face grew, but he lowered his head to hide it.
The disciples glanced between Wu Lingtian and Fan Yi. Something…must have happened between them, right? It suddenly felt that the sect leader had some type of animosity towards their Fourth Pillar? However, as juniors, they shouldn’t ask too much, and only nodded their heads.
Wu Lingtian cleared his throat. “Tonight, Sect Leader and I will observe your performance. After that, you may all head back or continue what was scheduled. However, if you decide to continue, it will no longer be part of the examination.”
“Huh? Why’s the evaluation cut short?” Huo Meng asked confusedly.
“Sect Leader and I happened upon something. We need to investigate it,” Wu Lingtian explain simply. “Consider yourselves lucky this year.”
Hua An’ting frowned. “Is it something important?”
“Nothing to be worried about,” Wu Lingtian reassured them. He glanced at the fish and then to Liang Jun. “Liang Jun, where are the Drifting Cloud Sect disciples? Are they staying in town?”
Liang Jun shook his head. “They’re at a campsite not too far from here. They’re in that direction.”
“Alone?”
“Mn! Miss Xiu said that she took a few of the junior disciples down with her to clean up the border,” Liang Jun said.
Wu Lingtian nodded. He looked over to Fan Yi. “Sect Leader, I’m going to pay them a visit.”
“You even have to look over some disciples that have nothing to do with you? You sure are busy, Wu Lingtian,” Fan Yi noted.
Wu Lingtian smiled gently. He shifted a little and used his internal energy to transmit his voice over, “Sect Leader, I only want to check on Lan’er. If you want, you can also come with me.”
“Who wants to go with you?” Fan Yi glared at him.
Wu Lingtian’s smile widened. He spoke in his regular voice, “Alright, then. I’ll be right back.”
The smile melted from Wu Lingtian’s face. He nodded politely to the disciples and headed in the direction that Liang Jun pointed.
Hua An’ting tentatively looked to Fan Yi. “Sect Leader, did Wu-shishu do something wrong?”
Fan Yi smiled at Hua An’ting. “How could that be? Your Wu-shishu walks every step cautiously—he could never do anything wrong.”
Hua An’ting slowly pulled her gaze back to the fish.
It almost sounded like their sect leader wished Wu-shishu would make a wrong step so he could be yelled at.
…No, she better not ask anymore or else she’ll be the one who gets an earful.
On the other side, Wu Lingtian had briskly made his way over to the other camp. On this side, it was calm and quiet, unlike the ruckus that Hua An’ting had been stirring up. Their food was made up of things that they had packed before their journey and no one had bothered to hunt anything. Because they were eating, no one spoke a word.
Wu Lingtian stopped a few meters away, just out of their earshot. He remained there until it seemed like they were done eating and moved closer.
Xiu Lan was the first to look up. Her eyes widened and she excitedly stood up. Seeing her movements, the other disciples curiously turned and were nearly shocked from their skin upon seeing Wu Lingtian.
“Shishu!” Xiu Lan squealed happily as she threw herself into Wu Lingtian’s arms.
Wu Lingtian caught her easily and laughed. He gently patted her head. “What’s wrong? Did someone bully you? Why are you so excited to see me?”
The disciples glanced at each other, their eyes widening into round disks.
Did…did Yu Lan Sword Immortal just smile?!
Aw she must have really missed him. Fan Yi seems to have a thought on Wu Lingtian going out at night for two years as a teenager. I wonder if he knows the real reason?