Chapter 117

Chapter 117

"Is that true?"

Meng Changqing set down his teacup mid-sip. The news from Mo Xingchen gave him serious pause.

Mo Xingchen replied, "Of course it's true."

He'd left some things unsaid—like the fact that the Lingyuan Whip had actually struck him twice. Naturally, he wouldn’t mention such an embarrassing matter.

Liu Feiyun slammed the table and stood up, splintering one corner of it. Yu Hong, as their host, shot a glance at the damage and rolled his eyes at Liu Feiyun.

Liu Feiyun exclaimed, "How could Eldest Brother give the Lingyuan Whip to him!"

He sat back down angrily, downing his tea in one gulp. "Eldest Brother is far too good to that puppet!"

So good it was downright jealousy-inducing.

And to make a puppet so exquisitely beautiful—how could anyone not suspect what Eldest Brother intended to use it for?

The four fell silent, bound only by their shared resentment and suspicion.

Meng Changqing picked up his teacup again. "With that puppet around, Eldest Brother probably won’t have any room left in his heart for us, his junior brothers, anymore."

He glanced at Liu Feiyun, the most hot-headed of them. "That day, Eldest Brother even punished you because of that puppet. Who's to say the puppet doesn't hold a grudge? From the looks of it, he even seems like the tattling type."

He sighed. "Ah, he’s trouble. Third Junior Brother, you should keep your distance from now on."

Liu Feiyun snorted. "That puppet can’t be allowed to stay."

His words were met with similar looks from the other three. In truth, they all felt the same—they were just waiting for someone to say it aloud. But none of them would voice it themselves, lest they be held responsible later.

Meng Changqing even added, "Third Junior Brother, don’t be too impulsive."

Liu Feiyun ignored him and asked Mo Xingchen, "What else did he do?"

Mo Xingchen glanced at Yu Hong.

Yu Hong grew wary. "Why are you looking at me?"

All four were aware of each other’s feelings for Eldest Brother, so their relationship was far from cordial. They often clashed openly and schemed behind each other’s backs. Yet, because they understood each other’s motives, they sometimes united against outsiders.

Their dynamic was complicated, to say the least.

Mo Xingchen recalled the absurd request Chen Zui had made—one so ridiculous he wondered if Chen Zui had lost his marbles. He had pondered it carefully afterward.

"He asked me to check whether you have—" His eyes trailed down, toward what the table hid. "—a penis."

His words left the other three gaping. They'd reacted just as he first had.

After a moment, Yu Hong, red-faced, said coldly, "Senior Brother, stop joking!"

Mo Xingchen had no interest in such jokes. "That’s the truth."

Yu Hong was mortified, but the others weren't bothered. Liu Feiyun, never one for tact, asked, "What's that supposed to mean? As if Yu Hong wouldn't have one?"

"Enough!"

This time, it was Yu Hong who slammed the table, shattering it completely. The teacups became collateral damage.

Though Yu Hong was furious, the other three's minds were still racing. Mo Xingchen looked at Meng Changqing, figuring the smart one would catch the implication.

Meng Changqing was indeed thinking. He was sure everything that puppet did had a purpose.

Perhaps Yu Hong really didn’t have one. But if he didn’t—whether due to a congenital defect or later circumstances—he'd be out of the running for Eldest Brother's favor.

Yu Hong said, "It’s late. Please leave, senior brothers."

Furious, his androgynous face flushed red, he practically threw them out.

Meng Changqing glanced at Mo Xingchen.

A look passed between them, and an understanding was reached.

Liu Feiyun declared, "That puppet is completely indecent! We can’t allow someone like that to stay by Eldest Brother’s side!"

Meng Changqing said, "Junior Brother, there’s no need for such rage. But the puppet’s request is quite intriguing—it piques curiosity."

Yu Hong sensed the shift in his tone and frowned. "Second Senior Brother, have you lost your mind over that puppet? We’re dancing to the tune of a mere puppet, being played for fools. Isn’t that laughable?"

Meng Changqing replied, "Ah, if Little Junior Brother has nothing to hide, why get so worked up?"

Liu Feiyun glanced at Yu Hong’s lower body, a spark of curiosity lit in his eyes as it dawned on him that if Yu Hong were lacking, he’d have one less rival.

Yu Hong’s face turned icy. He glared at Meng Changqing, who'd been calmly stirring the trouble all along, and raised his hand. A sleek, gleaming sword appeared in his palm.

"Second Senior Brother, don’t push me to disrespect my seniors."

Mo Xingchen added, "That puppet seems clever. His question must have deeper meaning. Little Junior Brother, why not humor us?"

Yu Hong tightened his grip on the sword. He hadn’t expected even Mo Xingchen to join in this absurdity. Then it struck him—they were probably hoping he *didn't* have one.

He saw through their scheme. In a real fight, he stood no chance.

Liu Feiyun, the last to catch on, cracked his knuckles and advanced toward Yu Hong. "Little Junior Brother, please prove it to us."

Meng Changqing and Mo Xingchen also rose from their chairs. The three formed a surrounding circle, closing in on him slowly but relentlessly. As the youngest junior brother with the lowest cultivation level, Yu Hong knew even a desperate struggle wouldn’t save him.

Mo Xingchen warned, "Little Junior Brother, better not make a scene. No one benefits if this gets out."

Yu Hong shrank back, humiliated and tense, as the three men closed in with ill intent. He backed into a wall, trapped.

Liu Feiyun made the first move. Yu Hong instinctively resisted, but Meng Changqing and Mo Xingchen acted simultaneously—one casting a soundproof barrier, the other helping Liu Feiyun restrain Yu Hong.

Panic flashed across Yu Hong’s beautiful, androgynous face.

"Don’t…"

——

Ao Tian said, "Lately, something feels off. Even though we don’t know who the ‘gong’ is, it definitely can’t be Wang Qianjiao. Why do I feel like you’ve been trying to get his attention?"

Chen Zui replied, "Here’s my thought: the ‘gong’ is still unknown. Even if we could take on all four, three of them aren’t the one—wouldn’t that be letting them off too easily?"

Chen Zui added, "We’re here to complete a mission, not work as free prostitutes."

Ao Tian thought he made a good point—how could someone chosen by their Dark Transmigration Bureau be so easily taken advantage of by others!

Chen Zui: "The final 'gong' will definitely be confirmed eventually. Before that, let's stick close to Wang Qianjiao, build up our strength while staying with him. That way, when the mission target is revealed, at least we won’t be outmatched in a fight."

Ao Tian nodded along. It made sense, really made sense.

Ao Tian felt that working with this host, he had nothing to worry about. He just had to ask for whatever he needed, and as for everything else, this host could handle everything.

He really enjoyed working with a host like this, making him his second-favorite host.

Ao Tian: "Right, this way we can also watch over Wang Qianjiao and keep others away from him."

Chen Zui: "Wow, I didn't even think of that."

Chen Zui: "You’re so clever."

Ao Tian couldn’t hold back his laughter: "Hehe, not really...hahaha!"

Overjoyed, Ao Tian promoted Chen Zui to his 1.5 favorite host, secretly cheering him on: just half a point more and you’ll be my number one favorite host!

Chen Zui looked up into the mirror at Wang Qianjiao, who was doing his hair, tying up the small braids he'd done with careful, focused movements.

It was as if he were an artwork in his hands.

Once the braids were done, Wang Qianjiao picked up small accessories one by one to pin into Chen Zui’s hair, not showing any impatience.

When everything was finished, Wang Qianjiao looked into the mirror.

Their eyes met unexpectedly in the mirror, and he thought he saw a touch of tenderness in those dark eyes.

Chen Zui suddenly spoke: "My wife."

Wang Qianjiao looked puzzled.

"Brother is like my wife, doing my hair like this."

Wang Qianjiao thought to himself, 'Weren't you the one calling me 'mom' with your mouth just a while ago?'

He hadn’t taught him anything, yet every day Chen Zui seemed to know more and more.

Perhaps he'd really made something special.

He adjusted a small bell at the end of Chen Zui’s hair, looking at him through the mirror. He thought that if he had to say, it was more like he was the husband grooming his beloved wife.

"I’m going out today."

"I want to go with brother."

Wang Qianjiao had guessed he would say that, which was why he had decked him out so lavishly today—adorned with gold, silver, jade, and precious ornaments, a vision of luxury.

Wang Qianjiao’s mount was a snow-white phoenix, and Chen Zui stared in wonder for a good while.

Wang Qianjiao simply wrapped an arm around his waist and hoisted him up onto it.

With a cry from the phoenix, they were already above the ninth cloud layer. As they passed through the mountain gate, the protective barrier flickered briefly.

——

Yu Hong’s residence.

At this moment, Yu Hong lay on the ground, clothes disheveled, with even torn scraps of fabric littered around.

His wrists and legs were marked with red welts, left behind from where his three senior brothers had pinned him down. Now, with his face half-buried in the clothes beneath him and the other half obscured by his long hair, one could still see tears of humiliation silently streaming down.

The three culprits watched the scene unfold.

There really wasn’t any.

There actually wasn’t any.

Confronted with the evidence, the three of them were speechless.

But they couldn't help feeling pleased, even finding it funny—how could he still be hung up on Eldest Brother?

Meng Changqing: "Junior brother, don’t take it too hard. I'll definitely keep this quiet and figure something out for you."

Everyone knew the latter part of his statement was a complete lie.

Meng Changqing: "Then I'll leave you be."

Mo Xingchen: "Later."

The two left, clearly in good spirits. Liu Feiyun looked at the pitiful figure huddled in the pile of clothes, shrugged off his outer robe, and draped it over Yu Hong.

"Don’t be too upset."

"Even without that... thing, I'll look after you from now on."

——

Chen Zui watched the scenery rush by below and walked to the edge of the phoenix’s back. He put one foot out into open air.

He wasn't scared at all; he just stepped right off.

He plummeted, weightless, the wind roaring in his ears while he shot through the clouds. The landscape below grew larger and larger.

This was even more thrilling than skydiving.

In a flash of white light, the phoenix materialized beneath him, and he landed squarely in Wang Qianjiao’s arms. The phoenix soared upward once again.

This was already Chen Zui’s twelfth jump.

Wang Qianjiao held him tight, refusing to let him move.

"Don’t be mischievous."

Chen Zui nearly laughed at the words—as if he were being coaxed like a child.

Since Wang Qianjiao wouldn’t let him rise, he pinched a strand of hair and brushed it across Wang Qianjiao’s face.

Trailing over his brows and eyes, then sweeping past the tip of his nose—Chen Zui truly adored Wang Qianjiao’s face.

It was just a shame he wasn’t the target to pursue.

"Brother, what is my hair made of?"

"Twigs."

Chen Zui was astonished that such soft, raven hair was actually made of wood.

He pinched the ends of the hair and brushed them against Wang Qianjiao's lips.

"Brother, then what are my lips made of?" he asked.

Wang Qianjiao looked at Chen Zui's lips—they were made of fruit pulp, though certainly not from any ordinary fruit, the kind that a tree bears only once every hundred years.

So when his puppet spoke, he could even detect a fruity fragrance.

"Fruit pulp."

"Fruit pulp?" he murmured.

Chen Zui slowly licked his lips. This world was truly wondrous.

He let go of Wang Qianjiao's hair.

With his eyes sparkling, he leaned closer: "Then, brother, are you thirsty? Would you like a taste of fruit pulp to quench your thirst?"

Ao Tian: Huh? Wasn’t the task to keep an eye on him? How did this turn into seducing him?

Ao Tian thought for a moment—it wasn’t really a big deal. Although the mission was to seduce the protagonist gong, it never said you couldn’t seduce the protagonist shou too, he thought.

Chen Zui knew Wang Qianjiao merely saw him as an object.

He really wanted to know what it would look like if this person’s dao heart were thrown into chaos.