When Lu Qingkong returned to the inn where they were staying, he clutched the Linglong Jade in his hand, still feeling a sense of unreality. He kept turning the jade over and over, holding it up against the candlelight to inspect it.
Beside him, Zhou Fuxue sat in meditative cultivation to recover, his face still somewhat pale.
Shang Yanfeng frowned. "So, Fuxue just crippled his own cultivation without a second word? And you just stood there watching, not lifting a finger to stop him?"
Lu Qingkong pointed at Zhou Fuxue. "Him! Just look at him! With a stubborn temper like that, do you honestly think I could have stopped him? Before I could even react, he’d already cleanly severed his own cultivation. How was I supposed to intervene?!"
Everyone knew of Zhou Fuxue’s stubbornness and tenacity. Shang Yanfeng rubbed his brow, feeling a headache coming on. "He was born without spirit veins to begin with. It took years of arduous cultivation just to barely reach the late stage of the Nascent Soul realm. Now that his cultivation is gone, if he ever wishes to train again, it will be difficult beyond measure."
Lu Qingkong replied, "Fuxue knows what he’s doing; we don’t need to worry for him yet. Right now, I really want to know what happened with you two earlier. Didn't you say you ran into Nalian?"
Recalling the event, Yan Xueyu also looked puzzled. "We did indeed encounter Nalian in Shou’an City. His cultivation is a level higher than Yanfeng’s; killing the two of us would have been as easy as flipping a palm. But for some reason, he didn't strike. He merely trapped us in a pocket dimension and suddenly released us a few days ago."
Lu Qingkong looked thoughtful. "Nalian doesn't seem like the benevolent type. Why would he do that?"
The group was equally perplexed.
At that moment, Zhou Fuxue finished adjusting his internal breath. He slowly opened his eyes and suddenly asked, "Fifth Senior Brother, did you see Eldest Senior Brother in Shou’an City?"
Shang Yanfeng was taken aback. "What?"
Upon hearing this, Lu Qingkong’s tongue began to wag. He once again regaled Shang Yanfeng and Yan Xueyu with the tale of how Eldest Senior Brother had descended like a god at Changye Villa to rescue him from fire and water. Back at Rizhao Mountain, he had told this heroic tale to everyone he met, repeating it eight hundred times a day. Consequently, a rumor was now spreading throughout Rizhao that, following the crazed Second Senior Brother Yi Fuju, the Ninth Senior Brother seemed to have also lost his mind.
After hearing the whole story, Shang Yanfeng remained silent for a long time before saying with difficulty, "Is he truly Eldest Senior Brother? You didn't mistake him?"
Ever since seeing the reactions of Ming Fuhua and Gui Ning, Zhou Fuxue could least tolerate such a question. Hearing it now, he immediately gripped his sword, intending to come over and prove he hadn't been mistaken. However, having lost his cultivation, his body felt incredibly heavy. He struggled twice but couldn't even sit up, so he could only glare at Shang Yanfeng with reddened eyes, waiting for an apology.
Shang Yanfeng immediately raised his hands to show he meant nothing by it. He knew Zhou Fuxue’s temperament best; you could point at his nose and curse him all you liked, but you must never say a word against Ming Zhu, or he would surely fight you to the death.
Lu Qingkong said dejectedly, "So you didn't see him then. Sigh, I really don't know what Master and Eldest Senior Sister are thinking, insisting that Eldest Senior Brother is an ominous monster. They even say they've never heard of anyone returning from the dead. But just because no one has heard of it doesn't mean it’s impossible. Isn't Eldest Senior Brother alive right now?"
Since Ming Zhu had left without saying goodbye, Zhou Fuxue had never been at peace. Now that they had found the Linglong Jade, he was even more restless. If his body weren't temporarily unable to withstand the journey, he likely would have rushed to Shou’an City already.
After some discussion, they decided that Lu Qingkong and Yan Xueyu would return to Rizhao first to deliver the Linglong Jade. Shang Yanfeng would head to Shou’an City again to search for Ming Zhu and try to bring him back. Meanwhile, Zhou Fuxue, who was heavily injured and unable to travel long distances, would stay in Shuoyu City for a few days to recover before returning to Rizhao.
The next day, the three of them parted ways at the Xingyuan Platform.
Zhou Fuxue forced himself to see them off. He walked slowly back into the city from the platform. Not long after entering, he spotted a familiar figure in a bustling market.
Bu Hui was dressed in white, sitting in a wooden wheelchair. Though it was already early spring, he was still wrapped in a thick cloak, with a heavy scarf wound around his neck multiple times, covering half his face and making his complexion appear even paler.
His aura was too unique; even in the middle of a crowded market, he possessed a crisp, cold air that seemed entirely out of place with the world around him.
There was no one tending to him. At that moment, he was looking down, staring blankly at a barrier stone in front of him.
To prevent carriages from accidentally entering the market, the roads of Shuoyu City were partitioned with stones about ankle-high. An ordinary person could simply step over them, but for someone with mobility issues, they were no different from a mountain blocking the path.
The demonic cultivator, rumored to be capable of destroying a city with a single palm strike, looked sickly and frail. He hesitated for a moment before reaching out from beneath his cloak to gently turn the auxiliary wheels of the wheelchair. He quickly retracted his hand, seemingly afraid that using too much strength might hurt himself.
Sitting upright in the wheelchair, he looked increasingly lost.
Zhou Fuxue thought to himself, *A man like him—if he so desired, Nalian would personally hand him anything he wanted. If that’s the case, why is he so pathetically trapped in a corner, unable to move an inch?*
Zhou Fuxue had seen Bu Hui’s wretched state when he had cried and begged Nalian to kill him over a mere scratch on his arm. Seeing him now, reaching out to touch the wheels only to pull back in fear, Zhou Fuxue felt no surprise.
He sighed softly in his heart, stepped forward, and slowly came to a stop in front of the man.
Because of his intimidating aura, even if people wanted to help, they didn't dare approach. Ming Zhu was somewhat surprised to see someone stop before him. He slowly raised his head and met Zhou Fuxue’s cold eyes.
Ming Zhu froze.
Zhou Fuxue didn't maintain eye contact. He walked around to the back of the wheelchair and asked, "Where are you going?"
Ming Zhu hurriedly turned his head to look at him, seemingly afraid he would simply walk away. Only upon hearing the question did he let out an imperceptible sigh of relief. He pointed to a stall not far away and said, "There."
Zhou Fuxue braced his toe against the wooden wheel and pushed the handles with force, steadily lifting the wheelchair over the barrier stone and heading toward the stall Ming Zhu had indicated.
It was a sugar figurine stall. The old man making the figurines saw Ming Zhu and smiled. "What kind would the young master like?"
Ming Zhu was still thinking about the sugar figurine Lu Qingkong had bought him before. He pointed at himself and said, "Like me..."
Before he could finish, he paused. After a moment, he pointed at Zhou Fuxue and said, "Like him."
Zhou Fuxue: "..."
The old man: "Coming right up!"
Soon, a sugar figurine that bore a striking resemblance to Zhou Fuxue was placed in Ming Zhu’s hand. He seemed to like it very much, twirling the bamboo stick to look at it from every angle.
Zhou Fuxue was not used to a stranger staring incessantly at a sugar figurine made in his likeness. He turned his head slightly and pushed the wheelchair toward a less crowded area. "Where is the person taking care of you?" he asked.
Ming Zhu carefully shielded the sugar figurine in his hand. "He supposedly ran into an old friend and went to catch up. He’ll be back soon."
Zhou Fuxue asked, "How long were you waiting there?"
Ming Zhu replied, "An hour."
Zhou Fuxue: "..."
That was quite a long "catch-up." The other person might have forgotten about him entirely, yet he was still waiting there like a fool.
For some reason, Zhou Fuxue felt a sense of speechlessness. He didn't know where this feeling came from, but he didn't reject it. After spending these days around him, he could finally see that even if this person’s words and actions were a facade, he truly harbored no ill will toward them.
Recalling how Shang Yanfeng had misunderstood his own wary movements a few days ago and struck this man with a sword, Zhou Fuxue felt a twinge of guilt. He took the initiative to say, "I’ll take you back then. It’s on my way."
Ming Zhu glanced back at him, then quickly turned away and nodded gently. "Thank you."
Within moments, Zhou Fuxue had delivered him back to Lveyue Mansion. Upon receiving the news, Nalian rushed out from inside, holding a jade token. Seeing that Ming Zhu had returned unharmed, he let out a long sigh of relief.
Nalian reached out to feel his forehead. "You’re still running a high fever, why did you have to go out? Was it something urgent?"
Ming Zhu held up the sugar figurine. "Use your spiritual power to freeze this for me. It’s about to melt."
Nalian: "..."
Nalian looked at the sugar figurine with an indescribable expression, then looked up at the expressionless Zhou Fuxue, and finally sighed, freezing the sugar figurine for him.
Nalian was a man who kept clear accounts of gratitude and grudges. He said to Zhou Fuxue, "My thanks for bringing him back."
Zhou Fuxue didn't speak, merely nodding slightly. He was about to turn and leave when his peripheral vision caught a few words on the jade token in Nalian’s hand.
*Shang Yanfeng...*
He froze instantly. Recalling Shang Yanfeng’s words about Nalian showing them mercy, his gaze toward Nalian became strange.
Nalian was currently crouching on the ground, lecturing Ming Zhu. "Next time you want to go out, tell me. I’ll go with you. If Little Yu’er runs off halfway again, you won't even be able to get back. What if you encounter danger?"
Ming Zhu listened half-heartedly, his eyes darting toward Zhou Fuxue every now and then.
After wasting more breath, Nalian shook the jade token in his hand. "I’ve been asking who wounded you, but you refuse to say. So, I had someone look into it."
Ming Zhu started, his head dropping guiltily.
Nalian said, "Why are you lowering your head? Look at me."
Although there weren't many people in the inner courtyard of Lveyue Mansion, guards or servants might pass by. Ming Zhu didn't want anyone to see the embarrassing sight of him being scolded. He raised his head and said, "Fine, didn't I already say it’s no big deal? You just have to investigate, investigate, investigate. Do you have nothing better to do?"
Nalian gave a half-smile. "If I’d known, I shouldn't have let Shang Yanfeng go. But it’s not too late. He’s currently on a Xingyuan heading for Shou’an City. What do you say if I have someone blow that vessel right out of the sky?"
Zhou Fuxue, listening from the side, felt his expression turn cold.
"They treated you like that, nearly killing you, and you can still tolerate it? Bu Hui, is there a screw loose in your head?"
Ming Zhu pursed his lips and said coldly, "Am I dead?"
Nalian: "..."
"No one can kill me. It was just a small injury, it doesn't matter."
Nalian: "..." *Then who was the brat who cried until his eyes nearly went blind earlier?*
Zhou Fuxue could no longer hold back. He spoke up directly, "Shang Yanfeng is my fellow senior brother. It was a misunderstanding that he injured your Excellency. I am willing to take full responsibility. I only hope your Excellency will not make things difficult for my senior brother."
As soon as he finished, Nalian’s gaze toward him turned peculiar.
Fearing Nalian would trouble Zhou Fuxue, Ming Zhu immediately said, "It’s nothing like that. Don't listen to his nonsense."
Nalian looked at him with a playful smile. "If you want me to leave Shang Yanfeng alone, it’s not impossible..."
Seeing that mischievous glint in his eyes, Ming Zhu internally cried out that things were going south. Before he could stop him, Nalian spoke languidly.
"Then, until Bu Hui’s illness is cured, you shall be responsible for taking care of him."
Ming Zhu: "..."
Zhou Fuxue: "..."
***
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 行鸢台 | Xingyuan Platform | A platform for launching or landing flying vessels (Xingyuan). |
| 行鸢 | Xingyuan | A flying vessel or kite-like transport used by cultivators. |
| 阻拦石 | Barrier stone | Stones used to block paths, specifically to prevent carriages from entering certain areas. |
| 辅轮 | Auxiliary wheels | The smaller wheels on a wheelchair used for stability or manual maneuvering. |
| 糖人 | Sugar figurine | A traditional Chinese snack/art where melted sugar is blown or molded into shapes. |
| 掠月楼 | Lveyue Mansion | "Moon-Seizing Mansion," the residence/base where Nalian and Bu Hui are staying. |
| 玉令 | Jade token | A command token or identification tablet made of jade. |
| 一力承担 | Take full responsibility | To bear the entire burden or consequence of an action alone. |
