Chapter 22
Meanwhile, completely unaware of everything that had happened, Qin Youzhou was still diligently matching wits with Dai Yang.
Only after confronting Dai Yang face-to-face as himself did he truly understand how difficult this person was to deal with.
Dai Yang’s intelligence remained consistently terrible, while his emotional intelligence fluctuated unpredictably between high and low.
He clearly possessed the ability to make a group of people like him, and he could speak very sweetly when he wanted to, yet he somehow behaved as though he could not understand a single kind word.
Give Dai Yang the slightest kindness, and he would become excessively confident. Treat him coldly, and he would instead become somewhat more polite.
Qin Youzhou had repeated “my Shizun” so many times that he had become numb to it. And because he genuinely disliked Dai Yang, the things he said were becoming increasingly outrageous.
When Dai Yang suggested going to the sect plaza to watch their fellow disciples release river lanterns, Qin Youzhou replied, “My Shizun said that today is unsuitable for going there.”
When Dai Yang hinted that they should descend the mountain and visit a sweet soup shop, Qin Youzhou said, “My Shizun has said that the sugar used in the sweet soup outside is unhealthy, and it is also too cold. It should be eaten sparingly.”
Dai Yang finally could not endure it any longer.
“The library pavilion is too stuffy. I want to go outside and talk with Senior Brother for a while. Surely even that isn’t a problem?”
He was both angry and aggrieved.
He had turned down invitations from many senior brothers specifically to come and meet Qin Youzhou.
If Qin Youzhou refused to treat him gently, there were naturally plenty of other people willing to do so. He had never lacked affection since childhood.
Had he not been stubbornly determined to make Qin Youzhou change his opinion of him, Dai Yang would have abandoned the entire matter and left long ago.
“Wait a moment.”
Qin Youzhou looked serious.
“I did not report this to Shizun beforehand. I need to write him a letter and inform him before I can accompany you elsewhere.”
Dai Yang already had a psychological fear of Ying Weiye. Hearing this, he hurriedly shook his head.
“…For such a small matter, I don’t think there’s any need to disturb Elder Ying!”
Qin Youzhou had originally intended to continue refusing, but he noticed a fellow disciple carrying books in the distance, while Dai Yang’s voice was growing louder with every sentence.
“This is the library pavilion. Please speak quietly.”
Following his principle of not troubling others, he stood.
“Let’s speak outside.”
To make it easier for cultivators to comprehend the Dao, everlasting lamps hung around the library pavilion throughout the year, making the area much brighter than elsewhere.
The sky had only just begun to darken. Illuminated by the lamps, the surroundings remained exceptionally bright and spacious, without even the slightest trace of romantic atmosphere.
“Senior Brother.”
Dai Yang fidgeted bashfully before taking out a small fox woven from grass.
“I spent a long time making this. There’s only one, and I want to give it to you.”
The little fox was delicate and adorable, lying softly on its stomach.
Dai Yang looked at Qin Youzhou with sparkling eyes, confidently awaiting his reaction.
Whenever he had given them to other people, they had all praised his skillful hands and said that the fox was as adorable as he was.
“Forgive me, but I cannot casually accept gifts.”
Qin Youzhou did not move.
“Did you buy this from that old craftsman below the mountain?”
His eyesight was naturally nowhere near good enough to distinguish where a grass figure had come from.
He only knew because this had appeared in the original novel.
In the original story, Dai Yang had casually selected one from a large pile of woven foxes he had bought below the mountain simply because he found them amusing, then given it to Qin Youzhou.
Although Qin Youzhou clearly knew Dai Yang had not made it himself, he still accepted it with a smile. Later, he personally wove an even larger fox for Dai Yang.
The scene was even considered highly “iconic” and was used to demonstrate Qin Youzhou’s profound affection and indulgence.
Dai Yang’s face alternated between green and white, and aggrieved tears instantly filled his eyes.
He instinctively lied out of stubbornness.
“…I merely learned a few techniques from a craftsman below the mountain. Senior Brother saying that is clearly trampling on my sincerity.”
“If Senior Brother doesn’t want it, then forget it!”
Dai Yang angrily pulled back his hand.
“The herbs used to repel insects and preserve the grass are the same mixture used on the woven figures I previously purchased below the mountain,” Qin Youzhou said calmly. “Since Junior Brother made it yourself, do you know which medicinal herbs were used?”
“Well…”
Dai Yang choked.
After a long while, he lowered his head awkwardly.
His face had turned so red it was nearly purple.
“…I bought it below the mountain. I was afraid my hands weren’t skillful enough, but I did reweave part of it myself. I prepared it for a long time.”
“I-I didn’t intend to be perfunctory toward Senior Brother.”
“A purchased grass figure is not an embarrassing gift. Why lie and claim you made it yourself?”
Qin Youzhou frowned slightly and spoke directly.
“I would not accept the gift, but had someone believed you, you would have been trampling upon their sincerity.”
When a mild-tempered person encountered something they genuinely detested, their words could become frighteningly blunt.
After only a few sentences from Qin Youzhou, Dai Yang was so aggrieved that his eyes became red and swollen.
“If Junior Brother invited me out without any proper business, then I will return.”
Seeing that the opportunity had arrived, Qin Youzhou gave him a polite yet distant smile and refused to remain even a moment longer.
“Wait! I still have something I want to ask Senior Brother.”
In his panic, Dai Yang stepped in front of Qin Youzhou and blocked his path.
Although he did not understand why Qin Youzhou had suddenly agreed to meet him, since he had agreed, Dai Yang could not let him leave so easily.
After all, if Qin Youzhou had agreed to come, then in a certain sense, it meant he considered Dai Yang different from everyone else somewhere within his heart.
The more Dai Yang thought about it, the more confident he became.
He took a deep breath and finally summoned the courage to ask the question he had been holding back for several hours.
“Nearly every sentence you speak mentions Shizun… Was this truly not something Elder Ying ordered you to do?”
As he spoke, he blinked at Qin Youzhou.
He had always believed Qin Youzhou must be under Ying Weiye’s control.
Perhaps Ying Weiye had used a spell, or something even more extreme, such as implanting a gu in him.
Otherwise, how could a hundred-year-old cultivator with an excellent reputation outside—someone who had previously appeared completely normal—behave like a child who could not speak three sentences without mentioning Shizun?
As Dai Yang asked his question, the vegetation not far away trembled faintly.
A pair of dark green eyes stared ominously at the two of them from within the darkness.
After discovering that Qin Youzhou had secretly run away, Ying Weiye had arrived surrounded by murderous hostility. His long hair was tied carelessly, and despite his striking features, he still resembled someone who had just crawled out of a pit filled with vengeful ghosts.
He stood behind a locust tree. Even the leaves had curled inward in terror from the resentment leaking from his hands.
Youzhou had truly grown capable.
Ying Weiye ground his canine teeth, which had sharpened due to his demonic transformation. Bitter venom seeped uncontrollably into his mouth.
Reason and emotion tore violently at one another, nearly driving Ying Weiye mad.
On one hand, he wanted to see why Qin Youzhou had hidden this secret meeting with Dai Yang from him.
On the other, he wanted to drag him away immediately, lock him inside his room, and confine him for another three years.
Just as his emotions were about to spiral completely out of control, he heard Qin Youzhou speak.
“Shizun did not order me to mention him. Shizun and I have depended upon one another since I was young. I cannot be without him, so I often mention him unconsciously.”
Ying Weiye: ?
His sinister green pupils widened slightly.
Although he did not know why Qin Youzhou was saying this…
In the middle of his fury, Ying Weiye genuinely felt a small surge of pleasure.
A cool breeze swept past, and Qin Youzhou suddenly felt an inexplicable heaviness on his shoulders.
…It felt as though someone was nearby.
But the gap between his cultivation and Ying Weiye’s was too great. If Ying Weiye remained farther away and deliberately concealed himself, Qin Youzhou would find it extremely difficult to detect him.
Unable to identify the source of the pressure, Qin Youzhou could only suppress the strange sensation and continue fully committing himself to his absurd persona.
“Shizun is a very important person to me.”
Every word came sincerely from his heart.
“That is why I am also willing to listen to Shizun.”
The pair of green vertical pupils widened further, while the towering resentment contained within them actually faded somewhat.
Ying Weiye felt even better.
Dai Yang was also stunned.
He stared at Qin Youzhou for a long time before finally daring to confirm that his mind was indeed perfectly clear.
Qin Youzhou appeared somewhat dull, but he truly was beautiful.
Even with such a personality, Dai Yang somehow found him slightly interesting.
For the sake of that handsome face, Dai Yang did not want to endure it, but he endured it anyway.
He forced a smile.
“So that is how it is. Senior Brother truly… respects his teacher and values the Dao.”
The system felt utterly helpless.
The host had behaved so extremely, yet Dai Yang still did not seem to have lost interest in him.
It appeared there was only one final method left.
Qin Youzhou silently apologized to Shizun once again before his expression cooled slightly.
“From Junior Brother’s tone, it appears that you have an objection to my Shizun.”
“If that is the case, then Junior Brother and I have nothing more to discuss.”
According to the system, this was the defining line of his chosen persona.
In summary—
My father doesn’t approve, so there can be no future between us.
Seeing Qin Youzhou’s face darken and his tone lose its gentleness, Dai Yang, who responded well to kindness but poorly to force, became angry.
Qin Youzhou usually pretended to be such a refined gentleman, yet in private he was truly this boring and spineless.
Once today ended, Dai Yang would definitely tell everyone else about Qin Youzhou’s true face!
Dai Yang retorted angrily, “Does Senior Brother mean that you intend to spend your entire life with Shizun, remaining together whether you ascend or perish?”
In Dai Yang’s understanding, a master was merely a tool that helped him climb higher, a passerby who supported him for one section of the road.
Naturally, he could not comprehend the profound bond between Qin Youzhou and Ying Weiye.
Qin Youzhou kept saying “Shizun, Shizun” now, but after he formed a Dao companionship in the future, was he planning to bring his Dao companion and Shizun into the same bed?
If he ascended and his Shizun died, would he follow Shizun into death as well?
Dai Yang thought disdainfully.
Qin Youzhou had lived within the sect for a long time, and regarding his relationship with Shizun, his thoughts were simple to the point of purity.
Without the slightest distracting thought, he answered seriously, “Shizun and I will naturally always remain together.”
They had never been separated.
Even when they disagreed, they should not part.
As for whether he would eventually have a Dao companion or ascend, those were distant, uncertain matters—opportunities beyond the foundation of what already existed.
Within the trees, the dark green eyes could widen no farther.
After all, no matter how much phoenix-shaped eyes stared, they could never become perfectly round.
They would always remain together.
Qin Youzhou had said it himself.
In that instant of distraction, Ying Weiye could no longer suppress the spiritual energy he had tried so desperately to conceal.
Creak—
As distorted spiritual power spilled outward, the curled leaves on the trees could no longer bear the pressure and fell rustling to the ground.
Qin Youzhou reacted even faster than the unfortunate trees. He abruptly raised his head and stared into the dark forest, his usually gentle and tranquil face displaying a wealth of emotion.
There was guilt, along with a faint trace of relief.
“…Shizun?”
He asked tentatively, though he already knew the answer in his heart.
Dai Yang jolted all over and followed Qin Youzhou’s gaze, but saw no figure.
“Senior Brother, there should be a limit to how much you revere your Shizun.”
He tried to calm himself.
“He isn’t a ghost. How could he possibly—”
He had only spoken halfway when a chilling presence appeared behind him.
Spiritual energy far colder than that of a Nine-Tailed Fox, yet carrying a burning pain like fire, swept over him from all directions.
A mirage flood dragon ranked below a Nine-Tailed Fox, yet Dai Yang’s legs still went weak.
He collapsed heavily onto his knees, facing Qin Youzhou directly.
Light surrounded them on all sides, yet Ying Weiye stood precisely beneath the shadow of a tree.
“Youzhou.”
He smiled at him. His voice was very gentle, yet it resembled the stillness immediately before a violent storm.
“Won’t you introduce me to the martial nephew you came to meet today?”
Chaotic spiritual energy swirled around Qin Youzhou, but unlike the force directed toward Dai Yang, it was not sharp. It merely carried an icy pressure.
Upon closer examination, it also contained a measure of anger at being deceived and…
Grievance.
Qin Youzhou was still carefully considering how to answer when Ying Weiye continued on his own.
“Forget it.”
“Return to the peak with me. We will discuss everything else later.”
With a lift of his hand, Dai Yang finally regained enough strength to stagger upright.
After processing Ying Weiye’s words, confusion first appeared on Dai Yang’s face, followed by delight.
Qin Youzhou had come to meet him without Ying Weiye’s knowledge, and Ying Weiye was clearly extremely displeased.
That meant the things Qin Youzhou had said earlier—the so-called rules established by Shizun—might all have been against his true wishes!
Qin Youzhou must have been controlled by his Shizun.
Otherwise, how could anyone love their Shizun this much and still come to meet him?
Dai Yang’s mind grew hot. With courage from some unknown source, he raised his eyes toward Ying Weiye.
“Elder Ying.”
“Forgive me for speaking frankly.” Believing himself righteous, he said stubbornly, “You should not interfere excessively with your disciple.”
Qin Youzhou was already a hundred years old.
How could a mere Shizun still interfere with whom he befriended?!
Ying Weiye had originally been too lazy to acknowledge him, but upon hearing the second half, he turned around with interest.
“This venerable one naturally must interfere.”
He looked at Dai Yang with a smile that did not reach his eyes.
“Martial Nephew cares greatly about Youzhou. You sent him a pile of letters and invited him out during the Qixi Festival. It appears you interfere quite broadly yourself.”
“What is it? Could you perhaps be in love with Youzhou?”
The moment those words left his mouth, Qin Youzhou looked at him in astonishment.
Shizun clearly had not known anything, yet his guess was far too accurate.
Still, Qin Youzhou did not believe Dai Yang liked him.
At most, Dai Yang was curious and treated him as an amusing toy precisely because he could not obtain him.
If Qin Youzhou truly began caring for him, Dai Yang would return to that arrogant demeanor in which he looked down on everyone.
“I-I’m not!”
Dai Yang’s face reddened again.
He muttered softly, “The letters I sent him… How could you open them without permission?”
Had this scene appeared in a novel, Dai Yang’s “righteous objection” would have made him seem both pitiful and brave, like a pure white lotus unstained by the mud.
In reality, it simply looked foolish.
Ying Weiye reacted as though he had heard a joke.
“This venerable one is the peak master of Xuanxing Peak. Why can I not open letters sent to Xuanxing Peak under Qingyue Peak’s name?”
“Or perhaps…”
He turned toward Qin Youzhou, the smile on his pale face deepening.
“Does Youzhou object to this?”
He had not agreed to allow Qin Youzhou to seek a Dao companion or become a cut-sleeve. Not even a male grasshopper could hop into Qin Youzhou’s room.
“Of course I do not object,” Qin Youzhou answered calmly.
“Good.”
Ying Weiye’s phoenix eyes curved slightly before returning to Dai Yang.
“Martial Nephew had best harbor no other intentions. I remember that you are a newly admitted disciple of Qingyue Peak, and Qingyue Peak did not permit new disciples to leave the peak during this year’s Qixi.”
Dai Yang’s face turned slightly pale.
He had begged a senior brother to help him sneak out.
If the matter was reported back to the peak, he would probably be unable to avoid punishment.
He knew his reputation was already mixed. If more rumors spread, it might genuinely become terrible.
Ying Weiye did not care what Dai Yang thought of him and continued acting like a harsh, unpleasant elder.
“Youzhou’s cultivation path is austere, and he has no interest in romance. Martial Nephew should not trouble him.”
His lips curved slightly, each emphasized word sharper than the last.
“After all, he is a personal disciple. His future prospects are entirely different from yours.”
Dai Yang’s face became frighteningly white.
Struck precisely where it hurt most, he clenched his fists, his face filled with resentment and unwillingness.
Because Qin Youzhou was a personal disciple, a favored child of heaven, someone was always there to admire him.
Shizun would forever stand behind him to protect him. He could freely enter every part of the sect and was respected wherever he went.
But Dai Yang was no longer a personal disciple as he had been in the novel.
He was merely an outer disciple crowded together with five other disciples, someone who might not see his own Shizun throughout the entire year and worried every day about whether he could secure a place rich enough in spiritual energy for cultivation.
They were already as different as clouds and mud.
Perhaps Qin Youzhou would inevitably be punished after returning home, but before outsiders, Ying Weiye’s favoritism was unmistakable.
Qin Youzhou must be good.
Qin Youzhou must be right.
The one in the wrong must always be someone else.
“Shizun.”
Sensing that Ying Weiye’s emotions were extremely unstable, Qin Youzhou said softly, “Come back with me. I’ll decoct medicine for you and brew some tea.”
Ying Weiye looked at him with a complicated expression.
For once, he could not determine what Qin Youzhou was thinking.
Had Qin Youzhou said this to rescue the embarrassed Dai Yang from the situation, or because he genuinely intended to prepare medicine for him?
But he still nodded gently.
Because he had noticed Qin Youzhou’s worried gaze resting on his tightly clenched hand.
His palm had already been torn into a bloody mess by the chaotic spiritual energy. Blood dripped steadily from it, and Qin Youzhou had noticed before he did.
Ying Weiye’s agitated thoughts calmed somewhat, though his heart continued beating restlessly.
“Junior Brother, I will leave with Shizun first.”
Qin Youzhou politely nodded toward Dai Yang.
“In the future, unless there is urgent business, please do not send more than ten letters searching for me within half a month.”
Dai Yang trembled beneath the pressure of the mirage flood dragon’s spiritual energy and fell to his knees once again.
He no longer dared argue and could only nod stupidly.
By the time he recovered, no one remained before him.
Dai Yang’s legs gave way, and he collapsed onto the ground, tears and snot covering his face.
He angrily pounded the ground, then found it dirty and frantically wiped his hands clean.
A personal disciple.
It was all because Qin Youzhou was a personal disciple and he was not.
Sooner or later, he would also become a personal disciple and make Qin Youzhou look at him differently!
…
Qin Youzhou was uncertain how much of Dai Yang’s date and favorability he had ruined.
The system said the results would not be calculated until the following morning, so he could only wait.
Compared with Dai Yang, he was currently much more worried about Shizun.
Shizun’s complexion was frighteningly pale, and his lips had turned faintly purple.
His condition had clearly not been this terrible when Qin Youzhou first saw him earlier.
“There’s no need for medicine. I’ll recover after a while.”
Ying Weiye himself did not seem concerned.
He had long understood the pattern.
Whenever he used spiritual energy to intimidate Dai Yang, he would inevitably suffer punishment.
It was just like when he ordered the snake to bite Dai Yang’s demon servant and nearly suffered cultivation deviation afterward.
Absolute fairness had never existed, and this cultivation world was particularly biased.
Yet seeing Dai Yang kneeling miserably before Youzhou made even a heavier punishment worthwhile.
That kneeling was something Dai Yang owed Youzhou for speaking disrespectfully during the Winter Sacrifice.
Ying Weiye’s throat moved as he swallowed the metallic sweetness of blood in his mouth.
“Shizun!”
Qin Youzhou became anxious. He hurriedly opened his medicine case and began lecturing again.
“The stagnant energy must be cleared. I—”
“Xiao Zhou.”
Ying Weiye signaled for him to be silent.
“Don’t concern yourself with me yet. I want to know why you concealed this from me and went to meet him.”
“Shizun, I was wrong.”
Qin Youzhou counted the medicinal ingredients while softly admitting his fault.
“I don’t need you to admit your mistake.”
Ying Weiye stared steadily at him.
“I want your reason.”
“…”
Qin Youzhou’s hand trembled, causing him to take one qian too much medicine.
He hurriedly weighed all the ingredients again from the beginning, yet remained silent.
【Host, if there’s truly no other choice, just tell a lie.】
Seeing the atmosphere becoming increasingly oppressive, the system grew anxious.
【Your Shizun isn’t blaming you. He only wants a reason. Just say Dai Yang forced you!】
Dai Yang was not a good person anyway, and Ying Weiye already hated him.
There would be nothing wrong with pinning a little blame on him.
But Qin Youzhou still did not speak.
A lie would certainly be exposed, and Dai Yang had never committed such an evil act. Qin Youzhou should not deliberately slander him.
If something had not happened, then it simply had not happened.
“Youzhou.”
Ying Weiye’s voice remained light and drifting, but his breathing grew heavier.
“You have secrets now that you cannot tell Shizun?”
Qin Youzhou clearly appeared unchanged.
He still had peach-blossom eyes and a fair, handsome face.
Yet at some unknown point, another side of him had emerged—one that made Ying Weiye feel unfamiliar.
Today’s Qin Youzhou looked exhausted. The young cultivator’s face, which usually carried a faint smile, was filled with heavy guilt.
He clearly did not appear to have gone out for a secret romantic meeting, yet he stubbornly refused to explain.
“It was this disciple’s fault.”
Qin Youzhou could only clumsily admit his mistake again, unable to reveal the reason.
“Please punish this disciple, Shizun.”
Ying Weiye’s heart throbbed painfully.
He had always been reluctant to punish Qin Youzhou.
But he had to punish him.
Qin Youzhou absolutely could not end up with Dai Yang.
“I indulged you too much before.”
Ying Weiye’s voice abruptly turned cold.
“Youzhou, you truly no longer take Shizun’s words seriously.”
“You decide for yourself. How should you be punished?”
Qin Youzhou stood before him and looked at the deathly pale Ying Weiye.
He had caused Shizun, who was currently shedding his scales, to become frightened and anxious because he had failed to conceal his movements properly.
Had any other disciple done such a thing, it would have been considered profoundly unfilial and worthy of severe punishment.
But when Shizun spoke this way, he was giving Qin Youzhou an easy way out and intended to punish him lightly.
Shizun always indulged him too much.
But Qin Youzhou did not intend to let himself off.
He took a deep breath, bent his knees, and prepared to kneel straight down.
Before he could truly do so, two hands forcefully pushed against his shoulders.
Ying Weiye gripped him and refused to allow him to kneel.
The strength in those hands was so great that they seemed ready to sink through his clothes into the flesh of his shoulders.
“Qin Youzhou!”
Ying Weiye’s eyes were filled with shock and anger.
“I have told you countless times that you do not need to kneel before anyone. Who taught you these rules?!”
Everyone in Yinxiao Sect knew that even among the personal disciples, Qin Youzhou was special.
He did not need to kneel before anyone.
He could refuse to attend gatherings he disliked.
He could borrow any book he wanted.
Because he had a Shizun who cared for him beyond measure.
When he was young, he could sleep in Shizun’s arms while Ying Weiye remained in the same position for half a day.
If he became even slightly ill, he could be excused from practicing swordsmanship and studying the Dao.
There had once been rumors throughout Yinxiao Sect that had Qin Youzhou possessed even slightly worse character, Ying Weiye might have spoiled him rotten.
They were standing extremely close, their noses and the bridges of their noses nearly touching.
Their hurried breaths mingled.
Even Qin Youzhou, dull as he was, vaguely felt a trace of awkwardness.
“Shizun.”
Qin Youzhou avoided his gaze and drew back slightly.
“Today was this disciple’s fault.”
Though he was normally a mature cultivator, he now resembled a child who had lost three spirit stones and believed he had caused an enormous disaster, lowering his head as he apologized once again.
Ying Weiye opened his mouth.
Qin Youzhou had committed such a serious offense, yet Ying Weiye could not bring himself to speak a single harsh word to him.
“Shizun would never harm you.”
After a long while, he gently touched Qin Youzhou’s face.
Qin Youzhou’s cheek was cold. Clearly, his mood was no better than Ying Weiye’s.
Ying Weiye stared intensely into those golden eyes.
“Why didn’t you listen to Shizun?”
Was it because Qin Youzhou found him boring and strange, suspicious and gloomy?
Did he long to spend time with young cultivators his own age…
And no longer want this Shizun who, despite not being particularly old, was already slowly decaying from soul to body?
Doubt grew like poisonous weeds when no explanation could be given.
Yet Qin Youzhou still could not provide an answer.
He could only remain silently in the same position, allowing Ying Weiye to stroke his face as he had when Qin Youzhou was a child.
Although that gesture had been completely natural during childhood, it now felt unbearably awkward.
After a long while, Ying Weiye appeared to calm down.
But Qin Youzhou knew that this was the true indication that his condition had become extremely poor.
“Xiao Zhou, do you want to celebrate Qixi?”
Ying Weiye’s eyes shifted stiffly as he suddenly asked the question without warning.
The sky outside had become completely dark, yet this was precisely the liveliest time of the night.
It was a festival for lovers, not for a master and disciple.
“Bugu…”
Jiezi struggled over with the decocted medicine balanced atop its ginseng leaves. Qin Youzhou placed the bowl into Ying Weiye’s hands.
“This disciple does not wish to celebrate it. I only want to remain with Shizun.”
No matter how curious he might be, nothing was more important than Shizun.
“But I want to go.”
Ying Weiye suddenly smiled.
“I haven’t seen a mortal Qixi Festival in many years.”
Qin Youzhou’s eyes widened slightly. He looked toward Ying Weiye and discovered that his expression was completely serious.
Ying Weiye enunciated each word carefully.
“Youzhou, accompany Shizun and take a look. All right?”
“You’re unwilling?”
When Qin Youzhou did not answer immediately, Ying Weiye curled his fingers around the edge of his robe.
“Then Shizun will go alone.”
Qin Youzhou recovered from the strangeness of his request.
“Drink the medicine first. I’ll accompany you.”
It was entirely normal for Shizun to do things beyond ordinary people’s understanding.
Even inviting his own disciple to celebrate Qixi.
Qin Youzhou was trapped by the peculiar feeling for only an instant before persuading himself to let it go.
Besides, celebrating Qixi with Shizun was far more comfortable than celebrating it with Dai Yang.
He could also descend the mountain and see whether any trouble had occurred below.
The moment Qin Youzhou agreed, a twisted pleasure rose in Ying Weiye’s heart.
He knew Qin Youzhou would definitely go.
That was Ying Weiye’s privilege as his Shizun.
Neither Dai Yang, Yu Jia, nor anyone else possessed it.
Dai Yang had already been confined to Qingyue Peak. He was currently hiding beneath his blankets and sulking, and would not disturb them for the entire night.
Ying Weiye desperately needed to confirm that Qin Youzhou still belonged to him alone and that his actions could still be predicted, even if the method of proving it would be impossible for an ordinary person to accept.
As long as Youzhou could accept it, that was enough.
He had always been an accommodating and patient child.
Before leaving, Ying Weiye openly placed a spell on Qin Youzhou.
If Qin Youzhou attempted anything unusual tonight, his body would become uncontrollable and be moved by Ying Weiye.
Qin Youzhou usually disliked being restrained this way, but at present, he simply treated it as indulging Shizun and making him happy.
Only after stepping outside did he realize he had not changed his outer robe.
Coincidentally, Ying Weiye was also dressed in green today. Their clothing appeared somewhat similar.
On Qixi, such similarity should have carried another kind of implication.
Qin Youzhou coughed lightly and forcefully suppressed the absurd thought that had flashed through his mind.
…He had merely been affected by the atmosphere.
How could he think of something so ridiculous?
Below the mountain was much hotter than Yinxiao Sect. The sprawling night market stretched along both banks of the Yao River, dazzling the eye.
A madman had acted on a sudden impulse and dragged a dullard out to celebrate Qixi.
Neither of them had made any plans whatsoever, so they could only wander aimlessly.
Qin Youzhou quietly admired the scenery on both sides while keeping an eye on Shizun in case his condition worsened.
Ying Weiye’s gaze, however, constantly rested upon him.
There were married couples walking side by side, young men and women whose hearts had only just awakened to romance, and cultivators who had merely come to watch the excitement.
The roadside stalls did not only sell tokens of affection. They also offered little toys and food children enjoyed.
As they walked, Ying Weiye continued buying things, most of them foods Qin Youzhou liked, and made him eat them.
At the end of the night market, Qin Youzhou saw familiar woven grass figures.
There were not only foxes, but also cats and grasshoppers.
One spirit stone could purchase ten of them, and that was without even bargaining.
“You like them?”
Seeing Qin Youzhou pause, Ying Weiye asked.
“They look interesting, but there is no need to buy one,” Qin Youzhou replied.
“There truly isn’t.”
Ying Weiye smiled.
“Come with me. I can make one for you.”
Qin Youzhou followed curiously.
He had never known that Shizun could make such things.
They arrived beside the river. Ying Weiye stood mysteriously at the edge of the reeds and examined them for a long time.
He selected several lush wild reed leaves and casually sat beside the river.
Faintly glowing red threads emerged from his sleeves and helped his fingers skillfully separate the reed leaves.
They were gu that Ying Weiye kept beside him.
Qin Youzhou watched his swiftly moving fingers.
Before long, the reeds had become a plump little bird.
The little bird stared blankly at Qin Youzhou with foolish eyes.
The fine red threads stuffed it into Qin Youzhou’s arms.
“There wasn’t much time, so I could only ask them to help.”
Ying Weiye lazily leaned against a tree trunk.
“If you like these little things, I’ll make another one after we return.”
Qin Youzhou held the plump bird, delight appearing on his face.
“It truly looks lifelike.”
Ying Weiye could not stop himself from laughing.
He wound a foxtail grass stem into a circle, joined two pieces together, and created the outline of a pair of glass spectacles.
Then he placed the spectacles across the plump bird’s beak.
“Now it looks even more similar.”
The plump bird lost its balance in Qin Youzhou’s palm, swayed from side to side, and nearly fell over.
Qin Youzhou: …
“Thank you.”
So Shizun had made him into a fat bird.
The smile on Ying Weiye’s face faded slightly.
“My mother taught me how to weave these. If you want to learn, I can teach you, but you must not give them carelessly to other people.”
“Your mother?”
Qin Youzhou was extremely surprised.
Shizun had never mentioned his family before and was not close to the mirage flood dragon clan.
This was the first time Qin Youzhou had heard anything concerning his parents.
“Yes. Her hands were very skillful, and she could always weave delicate little things,” Ying Weiye said lightly.
“But later, they were all destroyed.”
“Was it because they weren’t properly preserved?” Qin Youzhou asked.
When he was young and clumsy, he had also broken a pellet drum Shizun gave him.
“No. She threw them down and smashed them herself.”
Ying Weiye looked at the shimmering river, his tone completely flat.
Shizun was unusually talkative tonight, and Qin Youzhou did not know whether he should continue asking.
It sounded like a painful memory.
If she had treasured them, she could not have destroyed them so easily.
Ying Weiye did not intend to continue and changed the subject.
“You called me Shizun quite diligently while speaking with that outer disciple earlier. Now that I’m here, you’ve stopped calling me Shizun.”
Qin Youzhou lowered his head bashfully and looked at the plump bird.
“Shizun.”
“Mm.”
Ying Weiye’s mood improved further.
They had not rested for long when the faint sound of arguing came from the distance.
Qin Youzhou followed the noise and vaguely saw the familiar shape of sect uniforms.
But because of his poor eyesight, he could not see clearly.
“They’re people from the sect. Apparently, they’re pursuing evil cultivators who incite demons to eat other demons. I don’t know whether they’ve caught anyone.”
Ying Weiye casually answered his confusion, though his body began to tense unnaturally.
“Youzhou, do you want to go?”
“This disciple will not go.”
Qin Youzhou sat back down beside him.
Shizun was currently vulnerable to becoming overstimulated in noisy places. Besides, Qin Youzhou had only accompanied someone out to celebrate Qixi. There was no need to interfere with the internal affairs of another peak.
To prevent an accident below the mountain from occurring despite stopping Dai Yang from appearing, Qin Youzhou had informed Yu Jia in advance and asked him to wait near the street market Dai Yang had originally intended to visit.
At the time, Yu Jia had laughingly cursed Qin Youzhou for refusing to let him enjoy the festival peacefully, but he had still taken precautions as requested.
Judging from the current situation, they had probably gained something.
Discovering that the plot’s unique mechanisms could be used to capture criminals allowed Qin Youzhou’s mood to ease somewhat.
Perhaps next time, he could use this method to save even more people.
Only then did Ying Weiye fully relax.
The night deepened.
Ying Weiye brought Qin Youzhou to the inn where they had stayed previously.
They had disguised their appearances, but the innkeeper still looked at them inquisitively.
Two men dressed in green appearing together during Qixi could hardly have an entirely innocent relationship.
Yet unlike last time, Ying Weiye did not request a single room. Instead, he asked for two adjoining rooms, dispelling the innkeeper’s suspicions.
After all, who would reserve two separate rooms if they planned to engage in that sort of activity?
Qin Youzhou was also surprised.
He had originally intended to request one room so he could conveniently watch over Shizun, who was about to shed his scales.
But Shizun always had his reasons.
The two rooms were close together and connected by a door, so it made little difference.
“Rest early.”
Neither of them explained themselves to the other.
But because they cherished one another, they tacitly pretended that everything was peaceful.
Everything seemed to have returned to its proper course.
The faint sounds of suona horns and bamboo flutes drifted from outside, blending together discordantly.
The murmurs of lovers floated through the streets and alleys.
Qixi had not yet ended.
It seemed that nothing particularly strange had happened while celebrating Qixi with Shizun.
Qin Youzhou looked at the blurry little bird beside the bed.
He did not dare truly fall asleep, only closing his eyes and pretending to rest for a while.
In the next room, Ying Weiye likewise had no intention of sleeping.
Yet because of his scale-shedding, he was once again dragged into a brief slumber.
…
It was a rare dream filled with clear skies and gentle winds.
Qin Youzhou was reading in the study, while the little ginseng spirit slept with its head resting against the bend of his knees.
“Shizun.”
Seeing Ying Weiye arrive, Qin Youzhou smiled.
“I’m troubled by a certain question and would like to ask you to resolve my confusion.”
As usual, Ying Weiye instructed him, and as usual, Qin Youzhou learned quickly.
“Thank you, Shizun.”
In the afternoon, Qin Youzhou gathered his books and prepared to leave.
“I want to visit the medicine garden and inspect the herbs.”
“Youzhou.”
Ying Weiye called out and stopped him.
Qin Youzhou obediently paused.
“Does Shizun need something?”
Ying Weiye stood and walked toward him.
He did not want to destroy the beauty of the dream, but the uncontrollable emotions surging within him compelled him to ask.
“Will you always remain by Shizun’s side?”
At that moment, the mirage flood dragon skilled at creating illusions became trapped within an illusion of his own making.
His spiritual energy escaped uncontrollably, drawing others into sleep.
In the other room, Qin Youzhou, who had only intended to pretend to sleep so he could satisfy Shizun’s inspection, suffered an unexpected misfortune.
He was also pulled into the same shallow dream as Ying Weiye.
It was a dream filled with clear skies and gentle winds.
He was arranging medical texts, then asked Shizun to explain something he did not understand.
Shizun suddenly asked whether Qin Youzhou could remain beside him forever.
It was a strange question, because to Qin Youzhou, the answer was only natural.
Qin Youzhou froze briefly before smiling.
“I have been with you since I was young.”
“In the future, I will naturally always remain with Shizun as well.”
Was it the truth or a lie?
Ying Weiye could not tell.
Beneath the peaceful surface they had painted over everything, fear mingled with possessiveness and fermented into something even more terrifying.
He merely felt that he could no longer hold on to Qin Youzhou, who now possessed secrets of his own.
Qin Youzhou had already learned to conceal things from him and secretly leave Xuanxing Peak.
Sooner or later, he would learn to lie, learn to look at other people, learn to…
Ying Weiye’s breathing became broken and uneven.
He could not bear to continue imagining it.
What kind of relationship could allow them to remain together forever?
A relationship belonging only to the two of them.
He clearly understood that he was dreaming.
And he clearly understood that he had already gone mad.
So he gazed at the calm, gentle face of the Qin Youzhou imagined within his dream and, as though possessed, leaned closer.
It was only a dream.
Fortunately, it was a dream.
Thank goodness dreams existed.
Outside the dream, he still had to remain the Shizun, elder, father, and brother who protected Qin Youzhou.
Not a filthy madman who coveted the young cultivator he had personally raised.
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