On account of Zhou Fuxue’s remark, Ming Zhu did not speak a single word to him until the three of them reached the nearest small town on the border of Rizhao to settle in for the night.
Zhou Fuxue had originally only meant to say that Ming Zhu had filled out a bit compared to five years ago; he was no longer as excessively thin as before, and at the very least, carrying him didn't feel like being poked by a bundle of bones. He hadn't meant it as a slight.
But Ming Zhu acted as if a nerve had been struck. No matter how Zhou Fuxue tried to explain, he simply refused to listen. With a blank expression, he hopped down from Zhou Fuxue’s back and stumbled forward a few quick steps to catch up with Lu Qingkong, ignoring his junior brother entirely.
Zhou Fuxue, who was usually composed and capable in all matters, tasted the bitterness of being at a loss for the first time. He had never been a man of many words; in his interactions with Ming Zhu, it was always Ming Zhu who chattered incessantly. In all these years, there had never been a situation where Ming Zhu ignored him.
Even as the group entered the small town, where cooking smoke curled into the air, Zhou Fuxue still hadn't figured out how to explain himself.
The town was situated in a remote area, yet there were many travelers passing through. As dusk approached, the streets were filled with people coming and going. The bustling atmosphere was far livelier than anything on Rizhao Mountain.
Ming Zhu, who hadn't seen the clamor of the mortal world for years, grew excited instantly. He quickened his pace and squeezed into the shoulder-to-shoulder crowd, his red robes fluttering as he quickly vanished from sight.
Zhou Fuxue and Lu Qingkong were both cold by nature and disliked crowded places, so they followed from a distance, unafraid of Ming Zhu getting lost.
Although Lu Qingkong disliked Zhou Fuxue, he remembered that his purpose for descending the mountain was to assist his junior brother in his worldly trials. Taking advantage of the moment, he asked nonchalantly, "Where do you plan to go for this journey?"
Zhou Fuxue’s gaze remained fixed on that flash of red in the crowd as he answered distractedly, "Shuoyu City."
Rizhao Mountain had never been strict with rules; calling this a "trial" was more like an excuse for a pleasure trip. Shuoyu City was the most prosperous city in the Kingdom of Ximu. Countless people passed through its gates every day; it was a place of extravagant luxury where gold seemed to pave the streets. It was indeed a fine place for a pleasure... trial.
Lu Qingkong said, "From Rizhao to Shuoyu City, it’s at least a thousand miles. Even by Sky-Kite, it will take two days. Are you sure Eldest Shixiong can endure it?"
Zhou Fuxue finally retracted his gaze and gave Lu Qingkong a cold look. "What do you mean by that?"
"It is common knowledge throughout Rizhao that Eldest Shixiong tries to break through the mountain gates every so often. After all these years, he has finally gotten his wish and escaped the cage that confined him. You can't truly be so naive as to think he’ll just play house with you in Shuoyu City and then obediently return to Rizhao without doing anything else, can you?"
Zhou Fuxue’s heart sank.
He was no longer the child of five years ago who believed whatever people told him. Over the years, Ming Zhu had been very indolent and pleasure-seeking, yet he would still attempt to break through the mountain gates like clockwork. Even though every attempt ended with him being repelled by the mountain's powerful barrier and subsequently punished by a furious Master Guining, it did nothing to deter his suicidal persistence.
Zhou Fuxue believed he understood Ming Zhu’s temperament thoroughly, yet this was the first time he had seen him so stubborn and headstrong about anything. Once, he had followed him in secret and saw Ming Zhu—who was usually as gentle as a spring breeze—look upon those transparent shackles with an expression of such ferocity and malice, even if only for a fleeting second.
Seeing Zhou Fuxue’s pale face, Lu Qingkong felt a strange sense of satisfaction. "You brought him out this time, but are you certain you can make him follow you back to Rizhao? If he would rather die than return, how will you answer to Master?"
Zhou Fuxue stared at him coldly, seemingly wanting to retort, but he felt that Lu Qingkong’s words were not without merit.
Just as Lu Qingkong was about to twist the knife further, a sudden commotion erupted from the bustling crowd ahead. Someone was shouting strange things like, "An immortal has descended to earth!"
Zhou Fuxue glanced over and immediately had a bad feeling. He didn't have time to bicker with Lu Qingkong; he pushed through the crowd regardless of decorum, squeezing for a long time before finally reaching the center of the throng.
As expected, Ming Zhu’s bewitching face was completely uncovered, suffering the stares of the local rustics who hadn't seen much of the world. However, he himself didn't seem to care about the noise around him. He was squatting in front of a stall, picking through items and occasionally asking the red-faced stall owner for prices, looking utterly oblivious.
Upon closer inspection, the people lingering around were mostly men. To Zhou Fuxue’s astonishment, a man who looked somewhat respectable cleared his throat, fanned himself, and squatted down beside Ming Zhu, saying softly, "Young lady."
The "young lady" raised his head in confusion, paused for a moment, and then pointed a finger at himself with a look of utter bewilderment.
Seeing Ming Zhu’s face up close, the man’s eyes flashed with amazement. He playfully closed his fan and used it to tilt Ming Zhu’s chin up, saying suggestively, "Fate brings people together across a thousand miles. Meeting you here is destiny. Might this humble scholar know your esteemed name?"
Seeing someone dare to flirt with his Eldest Shixiong right under his nose, Zhou Fuxue flew into a rage. Just as he was about to rush forward and teach this man that having his legs broken today could also be called "destiny," Ming Zhu suddenly gave a soft laugh.
Ming Zhu had likely realized that the man before him had mistaken him for a woman. Usually, a man encountering such a thing would either be mortified or enraged, feeling his masculine dignity insulted. But Ming Zhu was born different from others—at the very least, his skin was much thicker.
He maintained the posture of having his chin tilted by the fan handle and deliberately blinked his eyes with feigned tenderness. Lowering his voice to a delicate pitch, he said softly, "This humble girl’s surname is Zhou, and my given name is Fuxue. May I ask the gentleman’s honorable name?"
Zhou Fuxue: "..."
The blind man couldn't tell at all that Ming Zhu was a man just like him. He became instantly excited and rattled off his family history for three generations in one breath.
Ming Zhu seemed to have become addicted to the act. He looked at the man with eyes brimming with tears and admiration. He handed the items he had selected to the stall owner, patted his waist, and suddenly let out a soft "Oh!" He acted panicked and said, "I left home in such a hurry that I forgot to bring money. I'm afraid..."
The man, thinking with his lower half, didn't even wait for him to finish before pulling a coin purse from his robes. With eyes red with eagerness, he said, "I shall pay for the lady!"
Ming Zhu immediately beamed and thanked him repeatedly, then shamelessly selected several more valuable trinkets before getting up to bid his farewell with satisfaction.
Zhou Fuxue: "..."
Zhou Fuxue watched with his own eyes as Ming Zhu walked away with a pile of goods without spending a single cent, using his silver tongue to dismiss those clinging to him in just a few words. Only then did Ming Zhu walk over to him, grinning broadly.
Ming Zhu seemed to be enjoying the role of a woman; even his gait and posture carried a natural allure. If Zhou Fuxue hadn't known better, he might have joined those foolish men in mistaking him for a woman.
When Ming Zhu reached his side, the fun he’d just had made him completely forget his earlier grudge about Zhou Fuxue calling him fat. He said with a radiant smile, "Hahaha, coming down the mountain is so much fun! They actually took me for a woman. Am I really that beautiful?"
As he spoke, he blew a finger-kiss toward a man who was still peeking at him. The man’s face turned bright red, and his steps faltered so much he nearly walked into a pillar.
Zhou Fuxue: "..."
Lu Qingkong, who had been waiting for a while, casually placed a bamboo hat with a black veil over Ming Zhu’s head. He said flatly, "Don't cause unnecessary trouble. Let's go. We’ll find an inn to rest for the night and head to the Sky-Kite Station tomorrow morning."
Wearing the hat, Ming Zhu munched on the snacks he’d bought and asked indistinctly, "Sky-Kite Station? Are we going to take a Sky-Kite?"
"Yes. The Sky-Kite is a long-distance vessel developed by the Kingdom of Shishen. It’s said that the frame at the bottom is made from the bones of deceased Great Kites. Empowered by formations and spiritual energy, it can pull tens of thousands of pounds and travel a thousand miles in a single day," Lu Qingkong explained. "If we walk from Rizhao to Shuoyu City, it would take over a month even if we rode ten horses to death. Taking a Sky-Kite will be much faster."
Ming Zhu let out an "Ah" and asked curiously, "I’ve heard of Sky-Kites. They say they’re large ships that can carry a thousand people. But as far as I know, there aren't any major rivers between here and Shuoyu City that could carry such a large ship."
Lu Qingkong raised an eyebrow. "Where did you read that Sky-Kites travel by water?"
Ming Zhu pointed at Zhou Fuxue. "He read it to me from a book before bed once. I remember the gist of it."
Zhou Fuxue pressed a hand to his forehead and said helplessly, "Shixiong, I remember I read the rest of it too. Sky-Kites *can* travel by water, but they aren't restricted to it."
"Oh, then I must have fallen asleep before I heard that part," Ming Zhu said curiously. "If they don't go by water, how do they travel?"
He laughed twice and teased, "They can't exactly fly in the sky, can they?"
The two of them looked at him in silence.
The smile on Ming Zhu’s face vanished instantly.
Lu Qingkong said slowly, "It’s called a Sky-Kite for a reason, Shixiong. I just told you the bottom is made from the bones of Great Kites. Do you think a magical artifact made from the bones of a flying Great Kite would be fitted with wheels to run on the ground?"
Ming Zhu’s face turned ashen.
With Ming Zhu’s face covered, their journey became much easier. They soon arrived at an inn and took the last two vacant rooms.
Ming Zhu was likely terrified by the brutal nature of the Sky-Kite’s operation; he was in a daze. Hearing there were only two rooms left, he instinctively chose to share one with Zhou Fuxue. Lu Qingkong was happy not to squeeze in with anyone else; he entered his room and locked the door, busy with whatever he was doing.
Zhou Fuxue brought up some of the inn’s famous dishes and snacks. Pushing the door open, he saw Ming Zhu sitting on the narrow bed, lifting his outer robe to feel his own abdomen with a solemn expression, seemingly agonizing over where exactly he was fat.
Zhou Fuxue: "..."
Startled by the sound of the door, Ming Zhu looked up at the delicacies in Zhou Fuxue’s hands. He immediately put on a cold, lofty expression that said "I have no interest in such worldly things" and rolled onto the bed, wrapping himself in the quilt.
Zhou Fuxue set the items down and urged, "Shixiong, come and eat some."
Ming Zhu had long since reached the stage of Inedia, but because he loved pleasure, he never refused food. This was the first time Zhou Fuxue had seen him refuse to eat.
With his back to the wall and the quilt pulled over his head, Ming Zhu’s muffled voice came through: "I’m not eating."
He touched his flat stomach and thought to himself, *I’ll get fat if I eat.*
***
**Glossary**
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
--- | --- | ---
说玉城 | Shuoyu City | Literally "Speaking Jade City." A prosperous city in the Kingdom of Ximu.
析木国 | Kingdom of Ximu | One of the mortal kingdoms.
实沈国 | Kingdom of Shishen | One of the mortal kingdoms, known for developing the Sky-Kite.
行鸢 | Sky-Kite | A large magical transportation vessel (Xingyuan).
长鸢 | Great Kite | A large bird-like creature whose bones are used to build Sky-Kites (Longyuan).
行鸢台 | Sky-Kite Station | A terminal for the Sky-Kite vessels.
辟谷 | Inedia / Bigu | The Daoist practice of abstaining from grain/food after reaching a certain cultivation level.
