Chapter 61

Chapter 61

Moonlight bathed the green mountains, the deep night silent. Only scattered starlight illuminated Rifu Mountain. It should have been the hour for deep sleep, yet Qi Wuyu was too excited to rest, fidgeting and shifting about until Liu Nanzhou, unable to bear it any longer, pushed him away with a somewhat hoarse voice: "If you're not sleeping, get out."

Qi Wuyu felt rather aggrieved: "Others usually get cold after they get dressed. How come you're rejecting me even before getting yours on?"

Liu Nanzhou couldn't be bothered with him. All he wanted now was to sleep, too tired to even open his eyes. He truly hadn't expected Qi Wuyu to be so restless.

It seemed all that extra life experience Qi Wuyu had over him was applied to matters like this... Totally ridiculous, really.

He lifted his hand from where it was resting on Qi Wuyu's face, pressing a finger against those lips that still seemed ready to speak: "Shh."

Qi Wuyu's Adam's apple bobbed. He looked down at the finger by his mouth, then grasped Liu Nanzhou's wrist. The bright red talismanic markings stood out starkly against the smooth skin of the forearm. Qi Wuyu stared at them for a long moment before finally bringing the wrist to his lips for a kiss, pulling the man close and holding him tight: "I won't bother you anymore."

Liu Nanzhou seemed to unconsciously nuzzle closer into his chest. The night passed without dreams.

The next morning, Qi Wuyu rose and noticed the half-piece of jade pendant that had fallen from Liu Nanzhou's clothes the day before. He picked it up, rubbed it between his fingers for a while, then carefully tucked it into his own robes.

By the time Liu Nanzhou woke, it was nearly noon. Qi Wuyu, brimming with energy, had already prepared a variety of dishes for him. Liu Nanzhou felt a bit strange, as if he'd been 'drained to replenish another'—an odd illusion.

Liu Nanzhou first took a sip of porridge to clear his throat, then asked: "What did you all discuss yesterday? It took so long to return."

"Still matters concerning Dan Cangke."

"Any plans?"

Yesterday, they had also contacted Yang Zhen and Zhuang Yanming. The group had discussed extensively, reaching a basic estimate of the demon clan's current strength. Their analysis suggested the demon clan's power was far weaker than it had been in the past. With their full effort, killing a single Dan Cangke shouldn't be difficult.

Time, however, was pressing. Dan Cangke was certainly also thinking of escaping. They didn't have much time, yet preparation had to be thorough.

If a fight broke out, the area affected would inevitably be large. As a precaution, they needed to relocate the common people within a hundred, even a thousand *li* around Lei Abyss first.

"There aren't many people right near Lei Abyss, but within a thousand *li*... that's certainly not few. Where can so many commoners be moved to?"

Qi Wuyu tapped the table slowly with a finger: "Each sect will take in as many as they can. The rest will be sent to Yingchi Island."

"Yingchi Island is quite large and sparsely populated, so it would be a good place. But will the demon clan agree to such a sudden influx of people?"

"That's why Sect Leader Si and I are going there tomorrow. Want to tag along?"

Liu Nanzhou nodded: "Why not go today?"

Qi Wuyu gave him a look that said 'you know very well why': "Wasn't that to let you rest a bit?"

"..."

*That really wasn't necessary.*

Qi Wuyu peeled a grape for him, smiling: "Muyun doesn't visit often, and she was busy until so late yesterday. Let her rest. Zhao Mingye and the others have already returned."

Liu Nanzhou nodded: "Mm."

The next day, they set out and saw Chen Qianyu already waiting at the mountain's entrance. Chen Qianyu bowed to Qi Wuyu, who was somewhat surprised: "When did you arrive? Why didn't you come in?"

Chen Qianyu: "I just got here too. My master was in a hurry to leave, and there were still some minor matters at the sect, so I was delayed. I figured I'd just wait here."

"I see. Let's go together then."

Si Muyun took out a palm-sized woven vine sedan chair. She tossed it to the ground, and upon landing, it transformed into a normal-sized sedan. Inside, however, it was a world of its own, not only with a main hall but also separate rooms for rest.

Qi Wuyu exclaimed in surprise: "Wow, truly worthy of being the boss. So extravagant."

Chen Qianyu lifted the door curtain: "Please."

Si Muyun tilted her head: "Come in, our great hero."

Qi Wuyu made a polite, supporting gesture for her to enter: "Don't tease me. Let's go."

With that, he held up the curtain for Si Muyun and Chen Qianyu to enter first, then pulled Liu Nanzhou in after them.

The vine sedan rose into the air, as steady as if on land. The four chatted idly along the way. Neither Liu Nanzhou nor Chen Qianyu were talkative, chiming in only occasionally, yet the atmosphere remained quite pleasant.

Later, Liu Nanzhou and Chen Qianyu each went into a room, leaving only Qi Wuyu and Si Muyun sitting by the Go board in the main hall.

Si Muyun held a Go stone in her right hand, rotating her left wrist slightly: "Zhao Mingye sometimes speaks without thinking. Don't stoop to his level. He didn't mean to target you specifically."

Qi Wuyu merely offered a polite smile, toying with a seashell he'd produced from somewhere: "Muyun, hearing you say that makes it hard for me to look favorably upon him either."

"I know. You can treat him however you like. Even scold him a couple of times if you're really angry, it doesn't matter." Si Muyun said, "Actually, I should have come to see you these past two years, but I never found a suitable time. Then I heard you were often nowhere to be found, so it got delayed."

"Come to see me for what? To apologize on his behalf?"

"After the things he said, any resentment you hold is his own fault."

Qi Wuyu chuckled, shaking his head as he captured one of Si Muyun's stones and set it aside: "You're overthinking it. For irrelevant people, I can't be bothered to spare a single thought. No one wanted what happened two years ago. All debts, I will settle with Dan Cangke."

"Alright then. You haven't changed."

Si Muyun placed her stone, capturing two of Qi Wuyu's pieces. Qi Wuyu quickly waved his hands: "No, no, I'm not playing that move here."

Si Muyun looked at him in shock: "No way, Qi Wuyu. Have you no shame?"

Qi Wuyu brazenly cheated in broad daylight. Si Muyun threw down her stone: "I'm not playing anymore."

"Perfect timing. I'm a bit hungry. Do you have any food here? Get me something."

Si Muyun: "..."

Chen Qianyu, hearing the commotion, peeked out slightly from her door crack. The person in the main hall no longer seemed like her mature and steady master. Watching the two bicker like children, she silently pulled her head back in.

The vine sedan was swift. Amidst chatting and bantering, they reached Hibiscus Town in a single day. The Wen Sea shore had long since regained its former bustle. Just as Si Muyun was about to ask a boatman by the shore, Qi Wuyu said: "We're not taking that boat."

Before his words faded, a boat slowly approached the shore. A Yanlu Demon appeared behind them: "Taoist Priest Qi, Sect Leader Si. The Clan Leader requests your presence."

Si Muyun glanced at Qi Wuyu, who nodded. Si Muyun and Chen Qianyu boarded the boat, followed closely by Qi Wuyu and Liu Nanzhou. The boat merged into the water, vanishing without a trace in an instant.

Liu Nanzhou asked quietly: "How did you contact Clan Leader Han?"

Qi Wuyu felt the question sounded a bit sour. He pulled out the seashell from his robes: "Clan Leader Han left this with me when she departed last time."

"How come I didn't know?"

Qi Wuyu blinked: "Well... I thought it probably wasn't of much use, so I just casually left it in the room. I'd actually forgotten about it until I remembered we had this thing when we were about to come." He secretly squeezed Liu Nanzhou's fingers. "Jealous?"

Liu Nanzhou shook his head: "No."

Qi Wuyu ruffled his hair and tucked the seashell into his embrace: "You keep it then."

They soon reached the bottom of the Wen Sea. The surroundings were vastly improved compared to Qi Wuyu's last visit. Han Sheng had arranged the seabed quite properly, even getting herself a more comfortable chair. She was already seated, waiting for Qi Wuyu and the others. "Clan Leader Han, it's been a while. I trust all is well?"

Qi Wuyu's voice preceded him. As he and Si Muyun approached the hall, Han Sheng said, “Taoist Priest Qi, Liu Nanzhou, you’re here!” She looked at Si Muyun. “And this must be Sect Leader Si?”

“Clan Leader Han, I am Si Muyun, the current sect leader of Chaowu Tian,” Si Muyun introduced herself. “This is my disciple, Chen Qianyu.”

Chen Qianyu bowed. “Greetings, Clan Leader.”

“I’ve long heard of your reputation, Sect Leader Si,” Han Sheng said. “Please, have a seat.”

Once all four had taken their seats, Si Muyun said, “Clan Leader Han, the reason for our visit is to ask for your help.”

“Taoist Priest Qi has already given me a general idea,” Han Sheng replied. “You wish to temporarily relocate some civilians to Yingchi Island, correct?”

“Exactly. Rest assured, Clan Leader Han, we’ll pay you rent, of course.”

Han Sheng thought for a moment. “Money isn’t the issue. It’s just that Yingchi Island is home to both humans and demons. Those who grew up here are used to it, but ordinary people might panic if they suddenly come face-to-face with so many demons, which could lead to chaos.”

This was a concern Qi Wuyu and Si Muyun had also been considering. Si Muyun said, “If necessary, we can use a barrier to restrict their movement.”

Chen Qianyu suggested, “Or we could leave a few disciples here to keep an eye on things.”

Han Sheng nodded. “That seems to be the only way.” She stood up. “First, let me take you over to the island to look around.”

Yingchi Island was large but sparsely populated, with only one or two small villages. There was a vast open area in the southwest, usually visited only by herb gatherers. While humans were few here, demons were plentiful. Apart from this spot, there was no other place with such ample space.

“If we use this area, it will need to be cleared and organized. I’ll remind the demons to be cautious when moving around.”

The environment on Yingchi Island was quite pleasant. Qi Wuyu found himself thinking about buying a house here, where he could bring Liu Nanzhou for a private retreat. The thought made life seem so wonderful that he couldn’t help but smile.

Liu Nanzhou looked at him, puzzled. “What are you smiling about?”

Qi Wuyu said, “Ah, was it that obvious?”

Chen Qianyu chimed in, “Elder Qi, you were practically laughing out loud.”

Qi Wuyu coughed awkwardly to cover it up. “It’s nothing. Let’s continue.”

The group spent a good while discussing matters, and Qi Wuyu had talked himself hoarse. They found a teahouse to rest and have some tea. True to their efficient nature, they began preparing the area in the afternoon—since no one had used the area for so long, weeds had overgrown the place, so clearing them was the first priority.

At first, Qi Wuyu stayed near Liu Nanzhou; he could see him out of the corner of his eye without even looking up. But at some point, that white figure disappeared from his periphery. Liu Nanzhou straightened up and glanced around, spotting Si Muyun resting nearby, massaging her wrist. On the other side, Qi Wuyu and Han Sheng were talking about something. Han Sheng looked slightly surprised, then slowly nodded.

Liu Nanzhou turned his attention back to his work. Suddenly, a bright little flower appeared before him. He looked up to see Qi Wuyu grinning playfully, a blade of grass dangling from his mouth, his silver hair gently tousled by the breeze. For a moment, Liu Nanzhou was at a loss for words.

“What’s wrong?”

Liu Nanzhou cleared his throat. “Nothing.”

He reached out, plucked the grass from Qi Wuyu’s mouth, and tossed it aside. “Isn’t that dirty?”

Restless as ever, Qi Wuyu plucked a flower petal and put it in his mouth. “It’s sweet.”

Not content with eating it himself, he tore off another piece and fed it to Liu Nanzhou. As Liu Nanzhou’s lips brushed against his fingers, a tingling sensation shot through Qi Wuyu’s fingertips.

“Alright, get back to work.”

Qi Wuyu chuckled. “As you command.”

Chen Qianyu watched them from a distance, feeling there was something odd about their interaction but unable to pinpoint it… After all, Si Muyun would never feed her flower petals.

The group worked efficiently, making significant progress and clearing a large area that afternoon. That evening, Han Sheng arranged for them to stay at an inn.

After bathing, Liu Nanzhou intended to go talk to Qi Wuyu but noticed his light was already out. Thinking he must be tired from the day’s work and had gone to bed early, Liu Nanzhou returned to his own room to sleep.

The next day, everyone except Qi Wuyu was up and had even finished breakfast, while Qi Wuyu showed no signs of stirring.

Liu Nanzhou ended up taking breakfast to Qi Wuyu’s room and knocking on the door. After a long while, Qi Wuyu finally opened it, yawning and rubbing his sleepy eyes.

“Oh, it’s you.” Seeing it was Liu Nanzhou, Qi Wuyu turned and flopped back onto the bed.

“Still not awake?” Liu Nanzhou entered the room, placing the food on the table. “Everyone’s waiting for you.”

Qi Wuyu lay face down on the bed for a moment, then, feeling too embarrassed to keep the others waiting, dragged himself up with great effort. He forced himself to wash up. Liu Nanzhou leaned against the cabinet, arms crossed, watching him curiously. “Didn’t you go to bed quite early yesterday? Why are you so tired?”

Qi Wuyu seemed not to understand, looking at him blankly while holding a steamed bun. “Huh?”

Liu Nanzhou walked over and pressed a hand to his forehead. “Are you feeling unwell?”

Qi Wuyu leaned into his hand. “Just sleepy.”

Liu Nanzhou cupped his forehead and coaxed, “You can sleep on the way back.”

Qi Wuyu wolfed down his meal in a few bites, then went downstairs to join Si Muyun and the others for the return journey.

Han Sheng told them it would take about seven or eight days to prepare the area. Si Muyun now had a clearer idea of the timeline. Han Sheng personally escorted them to the shore at Furong Town.

“We’ll bring the people here in seven days, then.”

“Very well.”

“Thank you, Clan Leader Han.” Si Muyun bowed to her.

“You’re too kind, Sect Leader Si. If you need help against the demons, you can always call on me.”

“Taking care of these people is already a great help to us,” Qi Wuyu said.

“It’s getting late. We should head back.”

“Take care.”

The vine sedan rose into the air once more. Qi Wuyu exchanged a few words with Si Muyun before retreating to his room to sleep.

Si Muyun watched the closed door and asked Liu Nanzhou, “What’s wrong with him?”

Liu Nanzhou shook his head. “I don’t know.”

Si Muyun didn’t press further, but she glanced at Liu Nanzhou and pursed her lips as if wrestling with something. “Xiao Zhou, come here for a moment.”

Liu Nanzhou sat down beside her. “Sect Leader Si, is something the matter?”

Si Muyun said, “You and Qi Wuyu… you two…”

She struggled to find the right words, but Liu Nanzhou understood her meaning. “Yes.”

Si Muyun hadn’t expected Liu Nanzhou to answer so directly. It wasn’t just Chen Qianyu who had noticed yesterday—Si Muyun had seen it too.

“Sect Leader Si, I was the one who started this. I was the first to have improper thoughts toward my master. If you have anything to say, you can say it to me.”

Seeing how openly Liu Nanzhou was protecting Qi Wuyu, Si Muyun actually found it rather endearing. Though, of course, it was undoubtedly Qi Wuyu who had acted improperly first—that guy never did things by the book.

“I don’t have much to say. Ultimately, it’s a private matter between the two of you. I was just asking.” Si Muyun took a sip of tea to digest this, then chuckled softly. “I thought after that sword incident, you two would never speak to each other again. It seems he really does like you.”

Liu Nanzhou's body went rigid, the hands on his knees clenching into fists before relaxing again. He said softly, "I thought he'd never want to see me again, either."

That day, he had seen the fierce-looking scar on Qi Wuyu's waist and abdomen. With Shen You's medical skills, such a scar shouldn't have been left behind, yet Qi Wuyu had kept it.

When Qi Wuyu took his hand and pressed it against that scar, it shocked him to his core—a slender line, yet one profound enough to be etched into his bones.

Si Muyun patted his shoulder. "This is good. Don't overthink it."

After saying that, she turned and walked back to her room with her hands behind her back.

It was nearly noon when Qi Wuyu finally emerged from his room, having slept his fill. Seeing them preparing for lunch, he said, "No wonder I caught a whiff of something good."

Liu Nanzhou had saved him a seat. Qi Wuyu sat down, noticing Si Muyun looking at him strangely, as if he had done something utterly despicable. Baffled, Qi Wuyu asked, "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Si Muyun softened her expression. "It's nothing. Let's eat."

After the meal, everyone returned to their rooms. Liu Nanzhou was the last to leave, heading straight to Qi Wuyu's room.

"I went to see you last night," Liu Nanzhou said.

"Hmm?" Qi Wuyu touched his nose guiltily. "Really? I didn't hear you."

"You doused the lamp very early yesterday. You shouldn't be so worn out today. What's wrong?"

Qi Wuyu smiled helplessly and sat down beside him. "It's nothing. I just went to Molu Mountain yesterday and forgot to tell you."

"Why did you go to Molu Mountain?"

"Since we were at Yingchi Island, I had to check on Chu Yunliu. If he found out I didn't, he'd nag me to death. I also wanted to see if there were any useful artifacts I could borrow. But he insisted on drinking with me, so I got back pretty late. It's fine."

As he spoke, he took out a cloud-shaped jade pendant with a crack in the middle. Liu Nanzhou's eyes widened instantly. "You..."

Qi Wuyu put it back around his neck. "Don't go losing it again. If you do, it might not be so easy to find next time."

Liu Nanzhou was both shocked and overjoyed. "How did you get it?"

Qi Wuyu smiled and ruffled his hair. "I'm just that good."

Liu Nanzhou looked it over for a while before carefully putting it away. "By the way, Sect Leader Si talked to me today."

"What did she say?"

"She asked about us. She knows."

Qi Wuyu wasn't too concerned. "It's fine. She won't make a fuss." Then, remembering the look Si Muyun had given him during the meal, he chuckled. "Oh, so that's why she was looking at me like that during lunch."

He ruffled Liu Nanzhou's hair again. "You rest first. I'll go talk to her."

Before Liu Nanzhou could react, Qi Wuyu had already left to find Si Muyun.

Si Muyun heard a knock and opened the door to see Qi Wuyu. She let him in and asked, "What are you doing here?"

Qi Wuyu sauntered in, pretending to be here to demand answers. "What did you say to my disciple while I wasn't around?"

"I didn't say anything," Si Muyun replied, looking at him in disbelief. "And you actually have the nerve to ask me."

"Why wouldn't I?" Qi Wuyu sat down and helped himself to a cup of water from the teapot on the table.

While she couldn't say much to Liu Nanzhou, with Qi Wuyu it was different. She sat, looking utterly astonished. "What were you thinking? How could you make a move on your own disciple?"

Qi Wuyu was completely unfazed. "The feeling's mutual. I don't see a problem with that."

He made no effort to hide it, nor did he care about anyone else's opinion—otherwise, Si Muyun and Chen Qianyu wouldn't have noticed.

"Even though same-sex dao companions are somewhat accepted, with your master-disciple relationship, aren't you afraid of what people will say?"

Si Muyun added, "I don't have any objections. In fact, I'm quite happy for you. But your 'iron tree' blooming is a bit late, isn't it?"

"You're right," Qi Wuyu suddenly became serious. "You've been so busy governing Chaowu Tian all these years that you haven't had time to think about such things, have you? Do you want me to help—"

Si Muyun immediately leaned back and raised her hand. "Stop right there. You don't need to worry about that."

Qi Wuyu pouted. "Fine. I was just concerned about you. When you find someone you like, you'll realize how many wonderful things there are in this world."

Si Muyun: "...Did you come here for any other serious reason?"

Qi Wuyu's expression turned serious. "Oh, yes." He took a wrist guard from his robe and placed it on the table. "This is for you."

Si Muyun was surprised. Qi Wuyu explained, "I noticed your wrist has been bothering you these past couple of days. Wearing this should help. I got it from Chu Yunliu."

"Thank you." Si Muyun didn't stand on ceremony. She put on the wrist guard and immediately felt a warm spiritual energy seep through her skin, wrapping around her wrist bones. Her wrist instantly felt much better.

"Alright, I won't disturb you any longer. I'm off."

The vine sedan chair sliced through the clouds, heading north the whole way until it landed smoothly in front of the Tianyao Sect gate. By then, the sky had already darkened.

Xie Yongdao greeted them upon their return. After hearing about the situation at Yingchi Island, he urged them to rest quickly, as the various sects would gather the next day to assist in persuading the common people.

Qi Wuyu and Liu Nanzhou returned to Fengsheng Wutong. There was no moon tonight, and even Ling Lake no longer shimmered with its usual cold light. Instead, it was a sheet of black, so dense that its ripples were invisible, like a bottomless black hole.

-----------------------

Author's Note: (Knocking on the blackboard) Just in case there are younger readers, let me reiterate: novels are for entertainment only. Don't take them into real life! In reality, if you encounter a teacher—whether in school or even some university settings—who is significantly older and exhibits inappropriate behavior or ideas, stay away!! That's genuinely predatory!

————————

I considered splitting this chapter but decided to post it all at once for a more satisfying read. Thanks for your support [kiss] [kiss]. I'll do my best to write more soon.