Chapter 74

Chapter 74

As soon as the city lord spoke these words, the myriad thoughts swirling in Rong Yu’s mind was instantly doused as if by a bucket of ice water, frozen solid.

He stood stiffly in place, staring incredulously at the city lord, stood stunned for a long moment, thought to himself: ...Impossible? This absolutely can’t be true, right?

He had originally thought he was just in a relationship with his senior brother, never expecting it could actually be his disciple. Yet, hearing the city lord’s explanation, he felt an inkling of recognition in his heart, with no unfamiliarity or resistance at all...

Could it be he had really laid hands on his own disciple? That would make him worse than a beast...

Rong Yu was completely stunned, devastated, when the city lord pointed at the jade ring on Rong Yu’s forehead and said, “To be honest, I didn’t dare believe it at first either. I’m getting old and my memory for people isn't what it used to be, but I have a deep impression of this jade ring on your forehead, which is why I recognized you immediately. Speaking of which, this jade ring seems to hold special meaning for you—you never part with it.”

Jade ring? A thought flashed through Rong Yu’s mind. He recalled what happened with the jade ring in the illusion and the fragments of memory that had resurfaced because of it.

He raised his hand absently, gently touching the jade ring. The cool touch felt both unfamiliar and familiar. In that moment, he vaguely remembered something.

He seemed to see himself sitting on a couch, holding a bronze mirror in his hand, muttering in puzzlement: “This jade ring... is this really the character from that trashy novel? Rong Yu? Taiqing Elder of the Taixu Sword Sect? This dream keeps getting more absurd...”

Then he was sitting on a high platform when he suddenly saw a child in the distance, surrounded by people on the mountain steps, thin and frail, collapsed in the rain, a pitiful sight. In the surrounding discussions, the name “Lu Shitu” was mentioned repeatedly. At that moment, a thought arose in his mind, more determined than ever before: I have to help this child. I want to see him return to his peak.

Then came scenes from all over the mountain. In these moments, the little disciple who followed him gradually grew up—from a frail child to a bright-eyed, handsome youth, and later into a mature and steady man.

And then... beneath the abyss, the world was dark and gloomy. Someone screamed “Shizun” with heart-wrenching agony, and then everything abruptly ended.

In a flash, Rong Yu remembered everything. He stood rigidly in place, momentarily overwhelmed by the flood of returning memories, completely unaware that Lu Shitu was tightly gripping his hand.

The city lord continued emotionally, “No wonder when my subordinates received news about you, they mentioned that the two Immortal Masters from West Lu looked somewhat familiar. I didn’t think much of it at the time and didn’t look at the portraits. I never expected it to really be old acquaintances... It's wonderful to see you, Immortal Master Rong. Back then, you instructed me that if anyone was infected by the miasma, I should come find you. A few years ago, as soon as I heard someone was infected, I immediately started inquiring about you, only to learn that you were the Taiqing Elder rumored to have fallen many years ago... I’m not afraid of you laughing, but I even burned some paper money for you, though someone of your cultivation level likely doesn't concern themselves with such things...”

Rong Yu was struggling to process the returning memories, his head aching from the city lord’s incessant chatter. Just as he was about to ask him to quiet down, he suddenly remembered something from what the city lord said. Seizing on this, he quickly asked, “By the way, Lord Liang, back then, did I also ask you to inquire about that Jiang family child—from the household where the miasma first appeared? Do you have any news?”

The city lord was momentarily taken aback, then said joyfully, “You remember? Yes, I did find out a little back then: that child wasn’t like the rumors said, using the need to seek medicine as an excuse to abandon his mother and never return. He really did go to the Taixu Sword Sect to seek medicine, but something seemed to go wrong. Not only did he fail to get the medicine, but he also started acting delusional. He later returned to Mistwater Town, going on about things like ‘I saw the Creator,’ ‘I can communicate with the gods,’ ‘I am the child of destiny,’ and so on. Not long after, his mother passed away, and he went back to the Taixu Sword Sect. It’s said that he’s still living well there now, you could say fate spared him.”

Rong Yu’s expression grew more serious as he listened. He was almost certain that this child was Jiang Ziliu. In the original novel, Jiang Ziliu was supremely confident, believing himself to be heaven's chosen, blessed by destiny. And what he called the “Creator”... Before, Rong Yu would have dismissed such talk, but now he couldn’t help but think of his experiences in the three-dimensional world.

This so-called “Creator”—the one who created the world—could it possibly refer to the author of this novel?

He pushed that thought aside for now and recalled the city lord’s earlier words, when he suddenly remembered something else important: Right, when he descended into the abyss back then, he had been chasing after Wang Yi. What had happened to Wang Yi? And what about Jiang Chengxue, whom he had seen after descending?

“Lord Liang, do you know how the former number one expert in the world, City Lord Wang Yi of West Province, is doing now?”

This time, before the city lord could respond, Lu Shitu slowly released Rong Yu’s hand and spoke softly, “Shizun... my condolences. Senior Wang Yi... he fell. That day... he fell in the Changhen Abyss.”

A chill ran through Rong Yu, followed by sorrow and shock. Clenching his teeth, he asked, “What exactly happened at the Changhen Abyss?” Wang Yi should have retired long ago to live out his remaining years in peace. The reason he had stayed guarding the Changhen Abyss and ultimately encountered danger there was, in the end, because he was standing in for Rong Yu’s duties.

The Changhen Abyss had been quiet for a long time, so such a major incident occurring suddenly—even if the barrier had deteriorated over time—Wang Yi had inspected it regularly before. It shouldn’t have come to this. There must be something wrong.

What exactly happened??

Lu Shitu quietly reached out again, gently covering the back of Rong Yu’s hand, offering support and comfort. He gazed calmly at Rong Yu, waiting for him to calm down.

Rong Yu instinctively looked up at him. Meeting Lu Shitu’s gaze, Rong Yu suddenly realized that Lu Shitu had also regained his memories.

Right, and Lu Shitu... Speaking of which, he had clearly returned to the three-dimensional world before. What exactly happened after that? He only vaguely remembered hearing Lu Shitu’s voice, then being pulled by someone, followed by losing consciousness. When he woke up, he was back in this world.

So, had he actually traveled back and forth between the two worlds?

Lu Shitu’s lips were pale, but his eyes were soft and gentle, as if brimming with boundless tenderness, yet also restraining something intensely. He said softly, “I know what Shizun wants to ask. Later, I will explain everything to you in detail.”

Rong Yu caught the unmistakable deep affection in his eyes and immediately averted his gaze, feeling somewhat uncomfortable. His mind was in turmoil, unable to analyze the situation logically anymore.

He instinctively thought back and was surprised to realize that, in fact, long ago, the way Lu Shitu looked at him had already been like this. But he had been too careless, never once considering it from that angle, and had never noticed.

Rong Yu cursed himself inwardly for being despicable, then frantically realized the current situation between them: He remembered what he had done to his disciple in the illusion, and he remembered what he had done last night...

If he could turn back time, Rong Yu would rush to his past self and slap him hard across the face. This was the child he had raised with his own hands since childhood! And he had ruined him like this! What a sin...

Rong Yu closed his eyes, his mind filled with four words: Let me be alone...

Seeing that they had fallen silent, the city lord cautiously spoke after a moment, “Then... would you two immortal masters consider coming back to Mistwater Town with me to take a look? Right now, the miasma is rampant in East Lu. Starting from Mistwater Town, many cities and villages have been abandoned, swallowed by the miasma. The people are truly suffering... It would be wonderful if you could just come and see.”

Rong Yu nodded absently, agreeing to the city lord’s request. He had intended to return to East Lu anyway.

Pleased with their promise, the city lord happily went out to make arrangements.

Rong Yu remained seated, frowning deeply, his expression grim. Seeing him like this, Lu Shitu felt a pang of heartache. He stepped forward, took the jade ring from Rong Yu’s hand, carefully fastened it for him, and then gently massaged his temples.

Rong Yu didn’t speak, seemingly accepting this gesture, and his frown gradually eased. Lu Shitu felt slightly reassured, and his own complexion improved a bit.

Lu Shitu had indeed regained his memories. In fact, even back in the illusion, brief, meaningless images had often flashed through his mind, each scene featuring the person before him. He had long had a premonition that his memories might soon return.

But... he had thought he would recall that this person was truly his dao companion. He never expected to hear, “This is your disciple.” Immediately after, as he touched the jade ring, he truly remembered that the person before him... was his shizun.

He remembered many years ago, that first glance before the Mirror Platform, when that person walked toward him bathed in light, a faint cyan glow flashing between his brows. He remembered the first time that person tied the jade ring around his neck, how he carefully tucked it close to his chest, a coolness against his heart.

He remembered how his shizun had supported him as he grew up and grew stronger, how he had left for eight years, and how Lu Shitu had forcibly pulled him back from another place.

During those eight years without his shizun, after awakening from his pain, Lu Shitu couldn’t help but meticulously recall his shizun—his words, his actions—drawing traces of his presence from every crevice of memory, reconstructing every detail from the faintest clues.

He gradually came to understand all of his shizun’s pain, all his inner conflicts, all his struggles. His shizun seemed carefree on the surface, acting as he pleased, often appearing indifferent to many things, but in reality, he carried a heavy sense of responsibility. How could such a person allow himself to lead the disciple he had raised astray?

After Lu Shitu’s confession, his shizun wasn’t so much troubled as... filled with self-blame. Shizun must have felt he had failed, must have felt immense guilt, but he internalized it all. When facing his disciple, he remained gentle and guiding, like a spring breeze nurturing rain.

What he had said back then—“The one you like is someone else”—couldn’t possibly have been a harsh attempt to shirk responsibility or a dismissal of his feelings. It was probably the gentlest way he could think of to help Lu Shitu return to the right path.

Lu Shitu couldn’t stop thinking about it day and night. The more he thought, the closer he felt to that person. It was as if he could already touch that person’s heart—so soft, so warm.

During those eight years, for some reason, he often found himself repeatedly recalling an old memory: the first time his shizun took him sword flying. The sword soared high in the sky, and he was terribly afraid, his face as pale as paper, lips pressed tightly together, but he didn’t dare tell his shizun, only daring to secretly clutch his sleeve from behind.

The sword flew swiftly. He thought that in such a short time, the immortal who always seemed somewhat cold wouldn’t notice. But that person soon turned his head, looked at him with slight surprise, then hesitated before pulling him in front, sighing, “The wind is strong ahead. I originally wanted to block it for you... Never mind.” As he spoke, he wrapped his sleeve around Lu Shitu, holding him in his arms until they landed.

Shizun never seemed to remember to cast a barrier when sword flying. Back then, Lu Shitu thought, in the future, he would cultivate diligently and create barriers for his shizun for a lifetime.

Even if he couldn’t cultivate, he wanted to stand before his shizun and block the wind for him forever.

His feelings were so simple back then. But later, at some point, his feelings toward his shizun changed. He was always anxious, always afraid, always suppressing, always in pain.

And in the end, he even said such a heart-piercing thing to his shizun.

From love arises worry; from love arises fear...

So that’s how it is.

Lu Shitu gazed silently at Rong Yu, his eyes soft and clear.

It’s been eight years, Shizun. You told me to accept myself. I didn’t understand then, but now I do. If love is a sin, I am willing to bear that sin and move forward. I will no longer torment myself, and I will strive not to... torment you either.

He quietly massaged Rong Yu’s temples, feeling a long-lost sense of peace, yet an uncontrollable, faint ache persisted, as if some suppressed, mad desire was tearing at him.

Having tasted the marrow, now even just looking at his shizun, he could almost smell the scent emanating from his shizun’s faint sweat, hear his shizun’s near-breaking sobs, feel his shizun’s trembling, damp skin...

Those memories were driving him insane...

Stop thinking about it, Lu Shitu. Let it be. From now on, just watching over him well is enough, isn't it?

After both of them had calmed down, Lu Shitu began to explain to Rong Yu everything that had happened before.

Thinking back to that time, a hidden pain still lingered in his heart. Suppressing it, he lowered his eyelashes and began speaking with a calm expression: "Back then, Master descended into the Changhen Abyss and didn’t return for a long time. Everyone said Master had perished, until Jiang Chengxue came to Poshan Peak."

Rong Yu’s gaze sharpened. He had encountered Jiang Chengxue at the bottom of the Changhen Abyss, and Jiang Chengxue had been in that state again, as if he knew something. Rong Yu felt there was definitely something wrong with the situation. Sure enough—

Lu Shitu continued: "Jiang Chengxue said that the Changhen Abyss had been tampered with, causing a spiritual energy riot. Senior Wang Yi perished because of it... And Master was nearly killed as well, but at the time he was wearing my jade ring. The jade ring is part of the Twelve Floors, with spatial divine energy attached to it, so Jiang Chengxue faintly sensed that Master seemed to have gone to another realm. Later, he didn’t find Master’s... body, so he guessed Master was elsewhere and came to Poshan Peak to find me."

The information in this passage was overwhelming. Rong Yu’s heart skipped a beat: The jade ring was actually part of the Twelve Floors? And it could sense that he had returned to the third dimension? But this also explained the connection between the jade ring and the Twelve Floors, as well as the jade ring’s function.

"At the time, he said the Twelve Floors could bring Master back from that place. I am the only person left in the world who possesses a jade ring, so I was most likely the destined one for the Twelve Floors. Once I reached the Tribulation Stage, there would be a glimmer of hope to break through the Twelve Floors’ barrier, retrieve the Twelve Floors, open a passage between the two realms, and bring Master back."

He said it lightly in just a few sentences, but Rong Yu immediately grasped the peril involved. Just the barrier of the Twelve Floors alone—even if the entire sect joined forces, they wouldn’t dare claim they could break through it unscathed... The Tribulation Stage, in just a few years—how was it possible to reach? And such an absurd matter, with only this faint hope—did he really go all out to do it?

Rong Yu almost frantically scanned Lu Shitu worriedly, seeing that he was indeed unharmed, had truly reached the Tribulation Stage, and even seemed to have a stronger physique than before. Only then did he feel relieved.

Still, he hardly dared to imagine how this child had managed through those years...

Lu Shitu’s expression remained unchanged. Seeing Rong Yu’s tension, he smiled at him before continuing: "But it seems I am not the destined one for the Twelve Floors. It... did not acknowledge me. Relying on my cultivation and what seemed to be a faint connection with it, I wrenched it out, took it to the Changhen Abyss, and then, guided by Jiang Chengxue, used it at the place where Master disappeared. And then... I truly saw Master."

As he said this, his eyes unconsciously brightened, and his expression softened slightly, which made Rong Yu’s heart ache a little.

"Probably due to the counter-force from the Twelve Floors, when I tried to bring Master back, the Twelve Floors disappeared, and the passage developed some problems. We almost became lost within it. Later... was after Master woke up."

Rong Yu pursed his lips and reached out, placing his hand over Lu Shitu’s hand on the table. He couldn’t bear to see the expression Lu Shitu had just shown.

Lu Shitu seemed to stiffen for a moment, as if he hadn’t expected Rong Yu to do this, then seemed to understand Rong Yu’s feelings and smiled at him again.

Next, Lu Shitu explained Jiang Chengxue’s identity. Rong Yu was stunned for a moment, his expression gradually darkened.

After thinking for a while, he frowned and said: "When I first met Jiang Chengxue, it was near the secret realm of the Twelve Floors. At the time, there were a few demonic cultivators who seemed to have lost their minds chasing him. Thinking back now, those were probably mirage-qi-infected demonic cultivators. And Jiang Chengxue was probably there to investigate matters related to the Twelve Floors. He followed me and became my disciple for this purpose."

Lu Shitu seemed to instantly discern Rong Yu’s thoughts and said gently: "But even if Master hadn’t given silent permission, with his abilities, the sect couldn’t have stopped him. Master also didn’t provide him with any help, so there’s no need to blame yourself."

Rong Yu was taken aback and looked at Lu Shitu with some surprise, but he was indeed comforted, his expression improving slightly. He pondered for a moment and suddenly realized something: "Wait, you said he had a jade ring before? How did that happen?"

Lu Shitu paused, as if he hadn’t planned to tell him now, his expression hesitant. After a long while, he said: "He stole my jade ring and used it to—open the barrier between the front and back of the continent." Seeing Rong Yu’s face instantly turn extremely grim, Lu Shitu hurriedly added, "This matter was due to my negligence in guarding it, allowing him to steal it. It absolutely has nothing to do with Master."

Rong Yu clenched the teacup in his hand tighter and tighter, closing his eyes fiercely. Slowly, he said: "If I hadn’t invited the wolf into the house, he wouldn’t have had this opportunity. The mirage-qi, the demonic cultivators—they appeared because of this, right? I... I never imagined that the world's calamity actually started because of me."

Lu Shitu lost his earlier composure, almost panicking: "No, no, Master, don’t think that way... Even if Master hadn’t given silent permission for him to join the sect, he came for this purpose and had sufficient ability. He would always find an opportunity to open the barrier. He would have done it eventually; it’s not Master’s fault..."

Rong Yu shook his head tiredly, signaling him to continue.

Lu Shitu watched him uneasily for a moment before continuing: "...Regarding the incident of the spiritual energy riot in the Changhen Abyss, Martial Uncle and I have been investigating who was behind it. We found no clues at the Changhen Abyss. The only useful piece of information is that just before the incident, the Sect Leader and Elder Lingxiao went into seclusion in the forbidden area together. The Sect Leader was there to recuperate, but Elder Lingxiao’s presence was somewhat suspicious. Moreover, at the time, the only disciple allowed to enter and exit the forbidden seclusion grounds was Jiang Ziliu."

Rong Yu’s eyes snapped open, filled with a cold light. After a long moment, he sneered: "The Sect Leader’s illness... how very convenient..."

Lu Shitu had finished explaining everything he needed to say. Rong Yu’s expression was heavy as he lowered his gaze, lost in thought. Lu Shitu silently watched him. After a long while, he slowly asked: "Master... all those years, where did you go? That place seemed completely different from here, and Master seemed to be..." His voice grew softer and softer.

Rong Yu hesitated for a moment and looked up at him.

He had actually been thinking about this question for a long time. Should he tell Lu Shitu everything? How should he say it? Should he share his speculations or the original version—like, perhaps he was just a novel character?

Lu Shitu had the right to know the truth. But what to say, and how much would be good for him? Would he even believe it?

He remained silent for a very long time, while Lu Shitu simply kept smiling as he gazed at him, his eyes bright but with a hint of faint nervousness.

Well, at the very least, Lu Shitu should know the truth about why he saved him. He had actually made a deal; he didn’t deserve such gratitude.

Rong Yu took a deep breath and decided to explain everything from the beginning, exactly as it happened. He recounted how he had read such a novel, how he had agreed to such a deal after dying in a car accident, how he had been saved by the world's will before and sent back to his original world, and how he had been rescued by Lu Shitu a few days later.

Throughout the account, Lu Shitu remained very calm, showing neither excessive shock nor any sign of disbelief. He just unconsciously pursed his lips, opening his mouth a few times but saying nothing. Rong Yu hadn’t expected him to be so calm; it was as if he didn’t care about these matters at all, which made Rong Yu glance at him a couple more times.

A long time later, Rong Yu guessed he had digested the information well enough and concluded lightly: "So, Shitu, you don’t need to be so grateful to me. In truth, I did all these things just for myself."

Hearing this, Lu Shitu suddenly laughed. Rong Yu looked at him, puzzled, and heard him sigh almost as if defeated, saying softly: "Master is always like this. How could I not... like it?"

Rong Yu: ???

Lu Shitu smiled, slightly troubled as he frowned in thought, as if he already had an absolutely certain answer in his heart and was just considering how to explain it to Rong Yu. Then, gazing at Rong Yu, he said gently: "No matter who else might have done this, they could never have achieved what Master did. Besides... didn’t Master say that while reading the book, you really liked my character?"

Rong Yu felt his face heat up. When he said it, he was just being truthful, without any ulterior motives, but hearing Lu Shitu say it so tenderly and affectionately made him feel that his words were too suggestive, almost like a confession.

Lu Shitu continued asking: "Master, do you think that if it weren’t for this, why would the world's will bring you here?"

"Master... you came for me."

Rong Yu’s breath caught, feeling somewhat embarrassed by these words, yet as if bewitched, he raised his eyes to meet Lu Shitu’s gaze. Lu Shitu’s gaze was as calm as the sea, with vast golden light shimmering on the surface, full of deep affection.

Rong Yu felt almost drowned in that sea. He recalled the feeling of a soul-deep connection with "Senior Brother" in the illusion. At that time, Lu Shitu’s torrent of love had surged toward him like a tidal wave, instantly breaking through the last defenses in his heart.

After regaining his memory, looking back, Rong Yu belatedly came to understand what kind of love he had received from Lu Shitu.

Just like the illusion Lu Shitu had after being infected with mirage-qi—it was actually just the most ordinary days on Poshan Peak. As if his mere existence was the best dream Lu Shitu could imagine.

Rong Yu had never received such love before, nor had he ever been needed like this. It truly seemed that it was Lu Shitu... who gave meaning to his life.

Lu Shitu’s feelings were so raw and passionate. It was just that Rong Yu himself had been trapped in the plot of the original novel, firmly believing that Lu Shitu was in love with You Weiwan, never properly looking at his heart.

After losing his memory, Rong Yu no longer placed the identity of "disciple" above Lu Shitu himself, no longer looked at Lu Shitu with a parental gaze toward a child. Finally free from constraints, he could direct his gaze entirely onto Lu Shitu himself.

Thus, he saw "Senior Brother’s" goodness, saw "Senior Brother’s" charm, and fell deeper and deeper under "Senior Brother’s" advances until... he found himself in love with "Senior Brother."

Emotions are very complex. He couldn’t clearly distinguish whether this love for "Senior Brother" was influenced by his previous, pre-amnesia feelings for his disciple.

But that wasn’t important anyway. He just knew clearly that he truly loved Lu Shitu now.

When he first regained his memory, he had indeed felt extremely guilty. But since he had already taken this step and had become intimate with Lu Shitu, he would definitely take responsibility for Lu Shitu. No matter what pressure or criticism he might face in the future, he would bear it well and never retreat.

Moreover, they were mutually in love and had already become intimate; they were already mutually acknowledged dao companions.

Rong Yu forced himself to snap out of this atmosphere. He lowered his eyelashes, breaking eye contact with Lu Shitu. He coughed lightly, realizing his face was starting to burn, and hurriedly suppressed his emotions: No, now is not the time to get swept up in tenderness.

They would only have space for the two of them after these troublesome matters were resolved. By then, he still owed Lu Shitu a formal declaration.

After he lowered his eyes, Lu Shitu did not look away but continued to gaze steadily at him, though his smile faded slightly.

Author's Note: Little Lu is really like a moth to a flame, sob.

But believe me, it really won’t be angsty!

Strong recommendation for my friend’s solidly written political strategy novel "The Regent Only Wants to Usurp the Throne" by Lou Jianxi: Jiang Huaiyun transmigrated into the regent in an underdog revenge novel.

In the book, the regent was loyal and devoted, assisting the young emperor in stabilizing the imperial court, only to be betrayed once his usefulness ended and executed by decapitation.

When he crossed over, the young emperor was clutching his leg, begging for affection.

Jiang Huaiyun smiled: "Your Majesty, remember to be obedient."

If you refuse to listen and insist on taking my life, I will take your place and become emperor myself.

The Compliant Prince at court was frail and chronically ill, often confined to his sickbed.

Thinking of his past self, Jiang Huaiyun would occasionally show him kindness, but with good intentions leading to bad outcomes, he repeatedly thwarted the schemes of this seemingly gentle but secretly scheming person.

After his plans were foiled time and again, Xie Qi gritted his teeth and crushed a teacup. Dragging his ailing body, he made his way to the Regent's residence.

Jiang Huaiyun met him with a cold stare: "The medical clinic is to the east. You know the way out."

Xie Qi coughed into his fist, offering a weak smile: "I wish to have a frank discussion with the Regent."

Jiang Huaiyun: "..."

Do not disturb. I only wish to usurp the throne.

After being disturbed in the dead of night for what felt like the hundredth time,

Jiang Huaiyun angrily drew a dagger and threatened: "What exactly do you want?"

Xie Qi stepped forward with mad intensity, his voice hoarse: "I want the Regent—"

"I want the Regent’s heart untouched by others, bearing only the name Xie Qi."