Chapter 5 The Scheming Disciple and the Charming Master 5

Chapter 5: The Cunning Disciple and the Charming Master 5

Seeing the assorted pastries wrapped in oil paper, Qin Du's cold demeanor thawed slightly.

In truth, he wasn't really angry at Lin Huaiqing—after all, those two were the real master and disciple. He was nothing more than a thief who had stolen someone else's happiness.

What he truly worried about, what he feared, was that once Lin Huaiqing had Mu Yunting, he'd stop caring about him or needing him.

"Master... I was reckless today. Please punish me!"

"It's fine. Just get along with your junior brother, and I'll be at ease." Relying on his spiritual sense, Lin Huaiqing patted Qin Du's head.

Watching his master's retreating figure, Qin Du felt a pang of loss. The sense of crisis Mu Yunting's appearance brought him was far from over.

He'd only taken a few bites of the sweet pastries when he suddenly sensed movement outside the door.

Could his master not have left yet?

Qin Du hurried to open the door, only to find the person he least wanted to see in this lifetime standing there.

"What do you want?"

Qin Du was on guard, but he wasn't sure if this Mu Yunting also carried memories from his past life.

"Why don't you invite me in for a seat?"

Once inside, with the door firmly shut, the atmosphere in the room was tense and charged. Neither was willing to make the first move.

In the end, it was Mu Yunting who couldn't hold back and spoke up:

"Qin, how did you trick my master into taking you as his disciple?!"

The moment Mu Yunting opened his mouth, Qin Du knew the score. This kid was just as impatient as he was—he'd already figured out that Qin Du was also reborn.

"Deceive? Poor choice of words. I just got to know Master five years earlier than you!"

Qin Du deliberately emphasized "five years," making it sound like a brag.

"Bullshit! He was already my master in the past life!"

"But in this life, he took me in first! When I became his disciple, you weren't even a blip on the radar!"

Mu Yunting's pale face turned bright red with anger at Qin Du's words.

In his past life, after he'd personally eliminated Qin Du, a sudden heavenly anomaly appeared and sucked him into an abyss thick with demonic energy.

He'd thought it was a trap set by the demon clan. He didn't know how long had passed, but the demonic energy gradually faded, and he crawled out of the abyss through sheer willpower.

Only then did he realize he was back to looking seventeen or eighteen.

That's when he realized—he'd been reborn.

The first thing he thought of was rushing to the Xuantian Sect to find his master.

Even if his master in this world didn't recognize him, he was dead set on becoming his disciple.

But without a letter of introduction, he couldn't get into the Xuantian Sect at all.

He waited for the Xuantian Sect's Immortal Destiny Conference, only to find that by the time he saw his master, his master had already taken this demonic creature as a disciple.

Qin Du admitted he was in the wrong here, but facing Mu Yunting, he refused to back down.

He kept up the stubborn act: "So what?"

"So what? I'll go tell Master right now you're a demonic creature, and see if he still keeps you around!"

Mu Yunting was certain his master abhorred evil and would show no mercy to demons who committed atrocities.

Once he learned about Qin Du's background, he'd definitely make things hard for him!

But Qin Du didn't seem fazed.

"Go ahead! If you do, I'll tell Master you've got improper feelings for him!"

"You're lying!" Mu Yunting's eyes went wide in shock as he stared at Qin Du lounging in the chair.

"Don't think I was blind to the way you two were all tangled up in your past life. On the surface, it was all master-and-disciple harmony, but behind closed doors, don't tell me you never had impure thoughts about him?"

"How dare you slander what I have with my master—I'll kill you!"

"Come on! Strike right here! Where's your spirit sword? Kill me, and you'll have just joined the sect only to slay your senior brother. See if Master will have you executed on the spot!"

Mu Yunting was ultimately all talk and no action. Not to mention his life-bound spirit sword was still buried beneath the secret realm.

Even if it were in his hand right now, under these circumstances, if he killed Qin Du, his master would never forgive him.

"If you're not going to strike, then get the hell out! Don't bother your senior brother's sleep!"

With that, he picked up a pastry from the table and took a couple of bites, acting all nonchalant and smug.

"What are you looking at! Master went down the mountain himself to buy these for me! None for you!"

With a "bang," the door slammed shut.

Qin Du, inside the room, nearly burst out laughing. God, he loved seeing Mu Yunting get put in his place.

It was even more satisfying than winning a fight against him!

The next morning, Qin Du got up early, washed up, and headed to the bedchamber to wake his master.

But the moment he walked in, he saw Lin Huaiqing, attended by Mu Yunting, already washed and dressed, and starting his morning meal.

Catching the provocative look in Mu Yunting's eyes, Qin Du gnashed his teeth in frustration!

"Master... why are you up so early?"

"Xiaodu's here, come sit and eat. Try what your junior brother made."

Cultivators were supposed to have transcended the need for food, but the dishes were so much to his liking that Lin Huaiqing couldn't resist a few extra bites.

Though Qin Du was annoyed, he didn't dare act out in front of Lin Huaiqing.

After the meal, Mu Yunting took the initiative to ask Lin Huaiqing:

"Master, this disciple wishes to go down the mountain to train!"

Lin Huaiqing frowned. "You've only just joined the sect. Going down to train now might be dangerous."

"Ding-dong! Main quest updated: Accompany the protagonist down the mountain for a journey of growth and ensure his safety. Seek the important item: Qingyu Sword. Upon obtaining it, the protagonist's attack power increases by 1000, happiness +10, and mood +50. Host must complete the task."

The system sure picked a good time to release this task.

So this was why the young protagonist was so eager to head down the mountain—to find his life-bound spirit sword.

Lin Huaiqing pivoted, "Then let I, your master, and your senior brother accompany you down the mountain!"

Mu Yunting's eyes sparkled, "Great! Thank you, Master!"

If only that fiend Qin Du weren't there, and it were just him and his master going down the mountain for training, it would be even better!

Qin Du was equally thrilled to hear he could go down the mountain too.

But the moment he met Mu Yunting's equally delighted gaze, both of them, as if by unspoken accord, wiped the smiles off their faces.

Being blind, Lin Huaiqing naturally couldn't catch the subtle shifts in their expressions. He had already started planning what to pack for the next day's trip.

Before dawn, Chu Xiuyuan escorted the master and his two disciples down the mountain.

Before they left, Chu Xiuyuan made sure to remind Lin Huaiqing to be careful and watch his step in everything.

At their first stop, the trio arrived at a nearby town, rented a carriage, and bought some essential travel supplies.

Since Lin Huaiqing was blind and neither Qin Du nor Mu Yunting had a spirit sword they could control, traveling by carriage was the safest option.

However, there were some inconveniences.

They quickly fell into a dispute over who would drive the carriage and who would sit inside with their master.

Annoyed, Lin Huaiqing said coldly, "Stop arguing. Both of you sit outside!"

Finally, they quieted down.