Feng Ci walked out of the teleportation array. The disciple standing guard inspected his passage token and shot him a sympathetic look.
Feng Ci: “?”
Just what kind of devil's lair was this LinXian Terrace?
The teleportation array wasn’t actually placed on LinXian Terrace. Rather, it was only beneath a long flight of stairs. In order to reach LinXian Terrace, Feng Ci still needed to climb over a hundred stone steps.
The location of LangFeng city was at the summit of Kunlun. It’s a bitter cold place that’s frozen for thousands of miles. The view was a vast endless snow. However, on top of the snow, a majestic cultivation paradise was built atop the groundless foundation, looking like a bejeweled palace from the world of deities.
The LinXian Terrace was located at the apex of LangFeng City.
Climbing up the LinXian Terrace, not only can you overlook LangFeng City, you can observe a panoramic view of the entire Kunlun mountain range.
But Feng Ci only felt 5 words.
It’s lonely at the top.
After ascending the stone steps, a towering palace appeared before his eyes.
The door of the hall was tightly shut. The surroundings were so quiet it was scary. Only the branches of the winter plum trees in front of the palace trembled in the freezing wind.
Even though he was supposed to sweep the floors, actually there wasn’t anywhere that required sweeping on LinXian Terrace. The ground was spotless. Not even half a piece of fallen leaf could be seen on the ground. If you must nitpick, there was a small amount of unmelted snow accumulating in the corner.
Feng Ci cast a spell casually over the broom that he brought. The broom stood up merrily and started to sweep the accumulated snow.
During this time, Feng Ci stepped forth and knocked on the door to the palace.
There was no response.
Feng Ci actually didn’t really know very clearly what the sweeping disciple needed to do. Those young disciples of the outer sects only listened to Cheng Bo. No one dared to teach him. But since he needed to sweep LinXian Terrace, then the only palace present here… should count as well, right?
Feng Ci pushed open the door.
A sinister cold wind rushed outward from inside the palace. Feng Ci frowned and understood where this place was now.
Such a heavy and sinister demonic(妖) aura. Besides his family’s Xiao Hei, it couldn’t be anyone else.
No wonder that youth named Song Zhou had such a complicated expression just now when he found out that Feng Ci was coming here.
However, this arrangement was actually exactly what Feng Ci wanted.
Right now, he really wanted very much to understand Pei QianYue better. Even if he couldn’t see the person, seeing the other’s usual residence wasn’t bad either.
Feng Ci stepped into the palace hall.
And then instantly halted.
The inside of the palace hall was not illuminated by lights. He could see books, scrolls, and magic items scattered all over the floor. The entire room was so messy, there was no place to put his foot down.
Especially those magic items, Feng Ci swept his gaze over there, any one of those were deeply embedded with spiritual power. Clearly they were extremely rare treasures, yet they were just casually thrown onto the floor.
The sight made Feng Ci’s scalp numb.
He raised his hand and waved. The candles within the hall started burning spontaneously.
The furnishing within the big hall was extremely minimal, without any excess decorations. The space was permeated with a desolate and quiet cold air, empty and filled with solitude, without even a hint of life.
Only the chaotic mess covering the entire floor showed traces that someone lived here.
Feng Ci sighed and bent over to pick up the magic items and books. As he retrieved them, he walked deeper inside.
A table was placed front and center of the big palace hall. Books and papers were also scattered messily on top of it. Meanwhile, on the wall behind the table hung several paintings.
Holding an armful of things, Feng Ci stopped walking and looked at the paintings one by one.
These drawings… all depicted the same person.
A young man in plain clothes standing within the paintings, either wielding a sword and exterminating evil or resisting the great heavenly flood, or teaching and preaching knowledge and wisdom, and at last, casting away his mortal shackles and ascending.
— It was the entirety of Feng Ci’s life.
But the strange thing was, every painting was missing a face.
There was only empty space where the facial features should have been. Under the flickering of the candlelight, this seemed especially eerie.
“…… Do they look good?” A voice suddenly spoke up behind Feng Ci.
Feng Ci froze. When he turned his head, Pei QianYue walked around the folding screen with the flowing clouds and out of the darkness of the inner hall.
He wasn’t wearing the luxurious apparel of the City Master again. Instead, he was wrapped up in loose black robes, long hair scattered downwards leisurely, which made him seem a bit more indolent.
Feng Ci frowned faintly.
When he came in just now, he had clearly inspected the area. There was no presence of another person within this palace.
Pei QianYue’s cultivation has already reached such a high level?
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.
Pei QianYue slowly walked in front of Feng Ci. As he moved closer slowly, a burst of cool wind appeared out of nowhere within the hall and extinguished a large amount of the candles that Feng Ci had lit up just now.
“Zs gbbw vbfrc’a gfdelgf atlr wjcs mjcvifr.” Ufl HljcTef rjlv: “Kbb ygluta.”
Mfcu Jl ibbxfv ja tlw, cba gfqislcu.
Coafg gfjmtlcu j mfgajlc meialnjalbc ifnfi, meialnjabgr cb ibcufg vfqfcvfv rbifis bc atf 5 rfcrfr. Snfc lo atfs mbeivc’a rff klat atflg fsfr, la kbeivc’a joofma atflg qfgmfqalbc bo atf bearlvf kbgiv.
Nevertheless, it was still not the same.
This type of extraordinary sense was even more keen than the visible eye, allowing him to feel the sunrise and sunset and the flickering of the candle flames. However, he can never see the multi-colored radiance of the endless horizon during a sunrise or sunset, can’t see the splendid glory of a blazing flame.
For a brief moment, Feng Ci felt a myriad of emotions. During this time, Pei QianYue already walked up in front of him.
“You examined this for a long time.” Pei QianYue lowered his head and asked: “Are you very interested in Grandmaster QianQiu?”
He was very close, so close that Feng Ci could smell the cold fragrance on him again.
Feng Ci imperceptibly backed up half a step and said calmly: “Grandmaster QianQiu saved the world and passed on the ways of Dao. He made countless contributions. Naturally, this disciple admires him greatly.”
“Admire.” Pei QianYue chuckled softly: “You sure admire a lot of people.”
He suddenly grabbed Feng Ci’s shoulder and gave him a hard shove.
The magic tools and books in Feng Ci’s arms scattered to the ground once again as his back touched the ice-cold surface of the table.
Pei QianYue pressed Feng Ci down against the table and leaned over him. The black silk covering his eyes dangled downward and swept across the side of Feng Ci’s face.
He asked quietly: “Then between me and him, who do you admire more?”
Feng Ci: “……”
Right now, he could completely understand why the LangFeng disciples were all terrified of Pei QianYue like he was a ferocious beast or something.
With such a volatile and unpredictable City Master, who even fell ill from time to time, who wouldn’t be scared?
…… really a complete waste of such a good looking face.
Gazing at Pei QianYue’s peerlessly handsome face, Feng Ci really had a very hard time connecting this person to the little tiny thing back then, who would climb into his bed in the middle of the night and softly nuzzle his fingers, the little black snake who wanted to sleep together with him, snuggling in his arms.
Such an obedient and sticky little snake, how did he grow up so crooked?
Feng Ci thought melancholically.
As he thought this, he suddenly felt an ice-cold thing touch his wrist.
When he turned his head and looked down, however, he didn’t see anything.
But this sensation wasn’t made up. In the darkness, there seemed to be an invisible small snake that was slowly climbing up his wrist and into his sleeve.
That ice-cold sticky feeling made Feng Ci instantly feel goosebumps all over.
“You……” Feng Ci frowned faintly. The other man continued to maintain the posture of pressing him down on the table; his sharply shaped lips curved upwards in an extremely shallow arc.
As if this was only a meaningless prank done out of boredom.
Feng Ci’s current body was still only a young man. His figure was skinny and slender. Leaning over like this, Pei QianYue practically covered him fully from head to toe.
If anyone saw this position, they’d feel it was very suggestive.
However, the reality wasn’t so.
That invisible little snake crawled up Feng Ci’s forearm, completely ignoring the existence of his clothes. It glided directly on the smooth surface of his skin, slithering up his arm and shoulder inch by inch, and finally arriving at the side of his neck.
The ice-cold body of the snake hovered around the crook of his neck, the snake tail sweeping across his collarbones. Raising its head and flicking its tongue, it sprayed ice-cold breaths behind his ear.
Feng Ci couldn’t help but shudder.
This wasn’t just a tease. The atmosphere didn’t contain any hints of suggestiveness, only an intangible threat.
Almost like if he said even one wrong word, this snake would immediately bite his neck in half.
Was Pei QianYue really a lunatic?!
Feng Ci lowered his gaze. A faint glow appeared on his fingertips which rested against the tabletop, a light that even the other did not detect.
Now that he’s lost his physical body, his cultivation might have been somewhat affected. However, it’s not so bad that he has to suffer under another’s control. For example, in yanking off this impetuous little black snake, who has affronted him time and time again, and giving him a beating, Feng Ci had more than enough to spare.
The two people remained in a deadlock like this for a moment. Suddenly, Pei QianYue turned his head: “You’re not afraid?”
Of course Feng Ci was not afraid.
If Pei QianYue really dared to touch him, he would very quickly experience the meaning of ‘a vicious beating from his Master’.
Silly child.
But Feng Ci didn’t want to make their relationship so stiff already. He thought briefly and picked an answer that Pei QianYue might not get too angry over: “This disciple only feels there’s no need to answer this question.”
“The Immortal Master has already passed. I’ve never seen him before. The so-called admiration is only illusory. Naturally the person before my eyes is even more important.”
“…… Boring.”
But the ice-cold feeling that looped around Feng Ci’s neck vanished. Pei QianYue released him.
He straightened up and leisurely fixed his loosened front collar: “The Immortal Master has already passed…… You also think he’s dead?”
Feng Ci: “Grandmaster QianQiu casted away his mortal shackles and ascended three thousand years ago. Everyone knows this.”
Pei QianYue: “He’s lying.”
Feng Ci was stunned.
Pei QianYue walked around the table and stopped in front of the paintings. He raised a hand and softly caressed them with his fingertips: “Grandmaster QianQiu is my Master.”
“Before he ascended, I was the only one who accompanied him.”
“Everyone thinks he’s dead. Only I know, he’s still alive, living somewhere within these hundreds of thousands of worlds.”
“He’s just a complete and utter liar.”
Feng Ci: “……”
Help. Why did his family’s little snake seem to hold a lot of anger and resentment towards him?
Feng Ci cleared his throat and did his best to improve their family relationship: “Even…… even if that’s the case, he must have his own reasons.”
“Reasons? What reasons?” Pei QianYue said coldly: “He was only fed up and weary.”
“Grandmaster QianQiu saved the world. Everyone reveres him, loves him, worships him as a God of Salvation, their lifelong pursuit. But those foolish mortals never knew that their God had long since grown weary of everything within this world and had abandoned them without a care a long time ago.”
“…… Don’t you think they’re very laughable?”
In that instant, Feng Ci practically thought Pei QianYue had already recognized him.
But Pei QianYue was facing away from him, half of his body completely concealed within the darkness. Feng Ci couldn’t see him clearly and thus couldn’t judge definitively.
“This disciple doesn’t think so.” Feng Ci said: “Regardless of whether Grandmaster QianQiu has died or left, it is no difference to the people today. Rather than saying they revere Grandmaster QianQiu as a God, you might as well say they found a source of mental comfort.”
“Ultimately, it’s nothing but one-sided wishful thinking. There’s no need to argue about which of us is right or wrong.”
Pei QianYue’s fingertips stopped moving.
Withdrawing his hand and placing it behind his back, Pei QianYue said in an extremely soft and slow tone: “…… You think this is one-sided wishful thinking?”
“Is it not?” Feng Ci frowned faintly, not understanding why Pei QianYue was asking a question that he already knew the answer to: “Be it revered as a God or treated as a lifelong pursuit… they’ve never even asked Grandmaster QianQiu if he wanted it or not. It’s not like they can blame him just because they didn’t receive the response they wanted. Where’s the logic in that?”
This was indeed Feng Ci’s genuine opinion on this.
Exterminating evil, saving the world, passing on the ways of Dao, Feng Ci has already completed what he needed to do 3000 years ago. Although he had tossed behind a pile of mess and left, in his opinion, this at least counted as retiring from the public after accomplishing greatness; abandoning people was completely out of the discussion.
As for those younger generations who became his followers, they were even less related to him.
Pei QianYue suddenly started laughing.
Feng Ci couldn’t see his expression. From his angle, Feng Ci could only see the other’s trembling shoulders, and hear that almost deranged, somewhat ear-piercing low laugh.
“You’re right.” After a while, Pei QianYue finally spoke. His voice carried a bit of mockery as it traveled through the dim, spacious palace hall. “…… isn’t it just one-sided wishful thinking?”
Feng Ci gazed at Pei QianYue’s back, which was practically merged into the darkness. He opened his mouth, almost like he still wanted to say something.
However, Pei QianYue didn’t give him the chance.
He turned around and sat down behind the table, saying: “This palace hall of mine does not permit unauthorized entry. Trespassers are killed without mercy. Didn’t anyone tell you?”
Feng Ci: “……”
He really didn’t know if he should call Pei QianYue too vicious or that group of little kids from the outer sect too vicious.
They were really trying to get him killed.
“However……” Pei QianYue continued to say: “It’s been a very long time since anyone has chatted with me about Master. This venerable one is in a good mood today. I can pardon your penalty.”
Feng Ci: “……”
He didn’t think Pei QianYue looked like he was in a good mood at all.
Feng Ci: “Thank you, City Master.”
Pei QianYue raised his hand and waved. A magic item flew out from under the ocean pile of books and landed in front of him.
The outer appearance of that magic item looked like a wooden decoration that’s carved into the shape of a book. However Feng Ci could tell, this was the same type of enchanted device as the one he saw that day during the Immortal Alliance’s entrance selection.
A book was lifted by spiritual energy and placed onto that device. Flipping open automatically, the book started to read out loud from the first page.
It was even in the same voice as YuChi Chu.
Feng Ci: “……”
This was a book about creating secret realms and methods to cracking them. Pei QianYue didn’t hide anything and started broadcasting it in front of Feng Ci just like this. However, that little old man’s voice was sharp and thin, and he utilized some official accent from who knew where. Listening to the noise made Feng Ci’s ears hurt.
Amidst YuChi Chu’s devil-like recitation, Pei QianYue asked: “I heard you were looking for me. What did you want to ask?”
Feng Ci naturally had a stomach full of questions he wanted to ask.
However, he didn’t expect Pei QianYue would bring it up so directly, almost as if the other was really a very good tempered Sect Leader who was open to answering all questions.
Of course, Feng Ci already knew he wasn’t— he has issues.
For a moment, Feng Ci didn’t say anything. Pei QianYue’s voice turned cold again: “If you have nothing to ask, then get lost.”
…… This attitude really made Feng Ci want to beat someone up.
But he still endured and asked the question that he wanted to know the most right now: “This disciple heard that the Immortal Alliance is currently investigating the tragedies of the different cultivation sects. May I ask if you have discovered the true culprit behind the scenes yet, City Master?”
Pei QianYue: “Don’t know.”
Feng Ci fell silent and then asked: “Then are there any clues?”
Pei QianYue: “Nope.”
Feng Ci: “Regarding the details of TianXuan Sect’s eradication……”
Pei QianYue: “No comment.”
Feng Ci: “……”
Then what did you want me to ask???
Xiao Hei, you’re really very rebellious like this.
Feng Ci took a deep breath and asked patiently: “Why did City Master allow me to stay within the Sect?”
Naturally, it couldn’t be due to the ‘admiration’ he spoke of during the selection assembly, much less a flimsy lie about how the outer sect needed a disciple.
In fact, when he and Meng ChangQing were first brought back from LingWu Mountain, he already had this question.
Why did Pei QianYue decide to keep him?
However, this person’s attitude was so elusive and enigmatic, when Feng Ci asked this question, he didn’t hold any hope.
Unexpectedly Pei QianYue actually answered: “Because you’re an orphan of TianXuan Sect.”
……This was really ‘listening to a speech, is like listening to a speech.’
Pei QianYue: “So far, 12 cultivation sects have been attacked within the cultivation world. The murdered elders and disciples add together to reach a total of 357 people. Meanwhile you and Meng ChangQing are the only two lucky survivors within these 357 people.”
Pei QianYue spoke casually but Feng Ci instantly understood the deep implication.
According to his understanding, TianXuan Sect wasn’t some big sect within the cultivation world, nor were they very high in cultivation level. However, only TianXuan Sect had disciples survive the eradication. Not to mention, they had even trekked from their Sect to Kunlun Mountain safe and sound.
If he were Pei QianYue, he’d also be interested in these survivors.
Feng Ci suddenly recalled something else.
Why… of all the people he could have possessed, did he end up in the body of one of the orphans of TianXuan Sect?
Was this only a coincidence?
Feng Ci then asked: “Why did City Master choose me and not Meng-Shixiong?”
Pei QianYue: “Picking one out of two, random selection.”
Feng Ci: “……”
Not waiting for Feng Ci to speak again, Pei QianYue suddenly raised his hand.
The device abruptly started reading faster and the recitation voice turned even more demonic.
Feng Ci: “………….”
It’s very hard to not think that this person was doing it on purpose.
The background voice really made it very difficult to concentrate. However, Feng Ci also didn’t have any more questions he wanted to ask.
He was tired.
This asshole was even harder to deal with than that group of 7-8 year old kids he encountered in the previous world.
However, actually he still had one question.
Raising his eyes, Feng Ci looked towards that person sitting within the darkness and asked quietly: “What happened…… to your eyes?”
The author has something to say:
Feng Ci: Even though my family’s Xiao Hei is both rebellious and crazy, I still love him. I’m really such a good daddy.
Thanks for the chapter ~
Why do I think that this question about his eyes would be a sensitive question
Thanks for the chapter
Cause it was the last sentence of the chapter 😀
But I feel like with this snake’s personalisty any personal question would be too sensitive XD
Someone getting punished next chapter? 😉
It’s a very good question!
Thank you for new chapter 💙
Thank You for the new chapter ( ∩ˇωˇ∩)♡
OOOOOoOoOoHhHhHh~ it’s getting juicyyyyyyyyyyy~
It’s because Feng Ci likes his eyes he hates Feng Ci so he hides them
Oof, that’s a whole lot of daddy issues!
Thanks for the update!
Pei QuanYue is so sassy hahahaha. And ooo, Feng Ci, missing your Xiao Hei’s beautiful golden eyes?
Thank you for the chapter!
Poking bear (or snake) not a good idea…
Thanks for the chapter
Lol I can’t wait for the reveal, lil disciple is racking up offenses
Feng Ci is angry and i find the whole situation extremely hilarious 😂😂
thanks for the chapter!
I’m loving this 😂