"Zhai... Fellow Daoist." Nie Shiyun’s thoughts spun through his mind, but he couldn't find a more suitable form of address.
Zhai Bairong was dressed as elegantly and simply as ever, but his expression lacked its former high-spirited mettle, appearing somewhat weary instead. Nie Shiyun glanced behind him and saw no one else; it was clear the man had come alone. Recalling the various rumors he had heard during his travels, Nie Shiyun realized the gossip hadn't been exaggerated.
Zhai Bairong stood frozen, unsure whether to enter or retreat. If he turned and left now, he would lose face. Steeling his nerves, he stepped into the shop.
"What a coincidence. Why are you running a shop here? Has the Yunqing Pavilion’s business extended all the way into the demon race’s territory?"
Zhai Bairong maintained a relaxed facade, wandering around the shop as if inspecting the various magical treasures on display, while secretly sizing up Nie Shiyun. After several years, Nie Shiyun’s cultivation had actually broken through to the Golden Core stage. Truly, the wheel of fortune had turned; back in the secret realm, Zhai Bairong’s cultivation had suppressed Nie Shiyun’s, but now he was the one stuck at a bottleneck. The thought was disheartening.
"Not exactly. I just grew bored at home and came out to seek opportunities. I happened to see a business opening here, so I opened a shop."
Zhai Bairong was surprised to hear this. He had assumed Yunqing Pavilion had some commercial partnership with the demon race, not that Nie Shiyun had come here alone. Everyone knew the demon race often viewed humans with a mix of fear and hostility. Although Wanhua City was a major hub, it was no easy feat for a human cultivator to run a thriving business here.
After failing to advance to the Golden Core stage last year, Zhai Bairong had been in low spirits and began traveling, hoping to find an opportunity to help his cultivation reach the next level.
On the other hand, he also wanted to escape the pointing fingers within his sect. Although Master Qu and the sect elders told him that setbacks were natural and not to worry, promising to keep the matter a secret, there was no such thing as a wall that didn't leak air. Rumors of his failed advancement had eventually spread.
Furthermore, Xu Yehua and Rong Lü had both advanced one after another. Even Duan Mingyu, who was closely associated with them, had seen his cultivation soar, and had now surpassed Zhai Bairong as well.
Thinking of how Duan Mingyu had gripped his hand with a face full of worry before he left, telling him, "Senior Brother, don't worry, I will definitely find a way to help you," Zhai Bairong felt a bitterness he couldn't voice. His failure to advance was due to being haunted by inner demons, and the root of those demons was Duan Mingyu himself. Yet, Duan Mingyu had even invited him to go to Lingfeng Mountain before his departure—wasn't that just asking for more suffering?
"Fellow Daoist Zhai?"
Nie Shiyun’s voice interrupted Zhai Bairong’s reminiscence.
"It seems you didn't just happen to pass by, but sought this place out specifically. I wonder what you need? Don't be fooled by the shabby appearance of my shop; I can handle most things related to artifact refining."
"Ah, yes. I do need some repairs. I began traveling through demon territory a few months ago and encountered danger several times. My Willow Sword sustained significant damage." Zhai Bairong hesitated mid-sentence. The Willow Sword was a weapon he was accustomed to using. Come to think of it, Nie Shiyun had seen it before—not only seen it, but it was the very sword Zhai Bairong had used against him last time.
Seeing Nie Shiyun merely nod, signaling for him to continue, Zhai Bairong went on: "The journey back to human territory takes too long, so I thought I’d try to find an artifact refiner locally. Recently, Fellow Daoist Nie’s shop has become quite famous among the demons... You might not know, but most demon artifact refiners have terrible tempers and mediocre skills. I visited a few before, but with no success. I heard this shop in Wanhua City was run by a human, so I came to investigate."
Nie Shiyun thought of the demon shopkeeper who had treated him so poorly before and thought, *Indeed.*
He wondered if that shop had gone out of business since he started his own.
"I should be able to fix it. But let me see the item first to assess the situation," Nie Shiyun said modestly, though he was quite confident.
"Then... I shall trouble you." Zhai Bairong pursed his lips. The last time he and Nie Shiyun had parted, they had nearly come to blows, and their relationship was quite strained. However, Nie Shiyun did not mock him for falling behind in cultivation, which made Zhai Bairong feel a bit more at ease.
Nie Shiyun temporarily closed the shop and asked Zhai Bairong to produce the Willow Sword. There were several visible cracks on the blade. While it didn't yet affect its use, the spiritual energy of the treasure would gradually leak out. Over time, the sword would revert to a common mortal weapon.
He asked Zhai Bairong if he remembered the raw materials used for the blade. Zhai Bairong looked troubled; he had received it from a sect senior and had never asked for details. Originally, though he found the weapon handy, he had expected to gradually replace it after reaching the Golden Core stage. He never imagined he would still have to rely on this treasure for so much longer.
Thinking of this, Zhai Bairong felt his spirit stifle, and he let out a sigh.
Nie Shiyun looked at him and said tentatively, "Fellow Daoist Zhai seems to have a lot on his mind."
Zhai Bairong gave a faint smile. "There's no need to play dumb. My situation has likely become common gossip by now."
His smile was self-deprecating. Nie Shiyun didn't know how to respond, so he gave a forced smile and returned to inspecting the Willow Sword.
The repair wasn't difficult, but the material of the Willow Sword was likely Thousand-Year Willow Wood, which was hard to find. Usually, when seeking repairs, the client was expected to provide the materials. However, it was obvious Zhai Bairong didn't have any spare Willow Wood, which made things difficult.
However... there wasn't a lack of substitutes. Nie Shiyun thought of the Ink Crystal he had found six months ago. He had used a little for practice, but most of it was still in his storage bracelet. That material was extremely precious and would significantly enhance a weapon if used as a refining component.
Nie Shiyun wavered between "this is a chance for a big sale" and "this guy is still part of Duan Mingyu’s faction; wouldn't upgrading his weapon be shooting myself in the foot?"
"Is there some difficulty?" Zhai Bairong asked, unable to help himself when he saw Nie Shiyun freeze for a long moment.
Nie Shiyun gave an "mm" and looked up, meeting Zhai Bairong’s furrowed, worried face.
Setting everything else aside, the man’s face was truly beyond reproach.
Nie Shiyun’s mind wandered for a split second.
"Fellow Daoist Zhai is an alchemist; the rules should be the same on your side, right? Even the cleverest housewife cannot cook without rice. If someone asks you to refine pills, they have to provide the herbs, correct?"
"That is the way of it. But I currently do not know what to use for the repair," Zhai Bairong said, shaking his head. He remembered the treasures the group had given Nie Shiyun to repair in the Misty Secret Realm; it seemed the other had provided the materials then, which felt particularly embarrassing in hindsight... though he had given extra spirit stones in the end.
Nie Shiyun didn't immediately mention the Ink Crystal. He only explained that Thousand-Year Willow Wood was hard to come by, but he didn't outright refuse Zhai Bairong either. Instead, he said, "However, it’s not as if there are no substitutes. Give me a few days to look around."
Repairing it with ordinary wood was possible, but the final result would be greatly diminished. Zhai Bairong was still reluctant to part with this sword he had used for many years. Seeing that there was hope, he left it with Nie Shiyun for the time being.
Seeing him so straightforward, Nie Shiyun was a bit surprised. "Aren't you afraid I'll take the item and run?"
"It is merely a damaged treasure; it wouldn't be worth it." Zhai Bairong didn't look the least bit worried.
Nie Shiyun didn't dislike Zhai Bairong’s bluntness and accepted the item for safekeeping. He couldn't decide whether to use the Ink Crystal to fix the Willow Sword and resolved to consider it alone later.
With the business concluded, Zhai Bairong stood up, and Nie Shiyun followed suit. Zhai Bairong thought he was seeing him out, but when they reached the storefront, Nie Shiyun didn't flip the sign back to "Open."
"The business is done. Since there’s nothing else to do, why don't we go catch up?"
Nie Shiyun hadn't mentioned personal matters at all until now, maintaining a polite attitude. Zhai Bairong had thought the other had no intention of associating with him, which he felt was for the best. He hadn't expected Nie Shiyun’s attitude to shift the moment they left the shop, his entire aura becoming much more approachable.
*We aren't exactly close, are we?* Zhai Bairong thought. *In fact, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say we have a grudge.*
"Very well. I’ve just arrived and am unfamiliar with the area. I’ll have to ask Fellow Daoist Nie to lead the way," Zhai Bairong replied with a smile.
Taking advantage of his monopoly in the area, Nie Shiyun decisively skipped work.
Since parting in the Misty Secret Realm, he had distanced himself from Duan Mingyu and lost track of the protagonist's group. The various rumors he’d heard along the way made him uneasy, unsure of how the main plot might change. Now that a source of firsthand information had walked through his door, Nie Shiyun naturally wasn't going to let the opportunity slip by.
The two went together to a restaurant in the center of Wanhua City. Although Nie Shiyun didn't care for the demon race’s taste in spiritual food, something was better than nothing, and he had no other choice at the moment.
Along the way, one was pondering how to start the questioning, while the other didn't take the initiative to speak. They arrived at the restaurant in silence.
Although neither mentioned it, they had, after all, shared a night of passion once. The atmosphere was bound to be a bit awkward. Such a unique situation was something one might only experience a few times in a lifetime; it wasn't easily forgotten.
Since coming to the cultivation world, Nie Shiyun had focused solely on his training. Because he was barely able to protect himself, he didn't want to involve others, so that had been his only sexual encounter. Although cultivators were more detached from worldly desires than mortals, humans were still humans, and they still had urges. It wasn't as if he hadn't accidentally dreamed of that scene, though he didn't take it too much to heart.
Did Zhai Bairong occasionally think back on it? Nie Shiyun didn't know; perhaps he did. But compared to himself, Zhai Bairong was plagued by so many troubles that he likely had no leisure to dwell on it.
They took their seats in the restaurant, ordered some spiritual food at random, and asked for two jars of the most expensive spiritual wine. Finally, they began to talk.
"Then I shall follow the host’s lead."
The atmosphere was stiff at first, but after a few rounds of drinks—and since both had spent a long time alone in demon territory without speaking to their own kind—the conversation gradually opened up.
Nie Shiyun took the initiative to describe his rise over the past six months. He described how, after breaking through to the Golden Core stage, he felt his cultivation hit a bottleneck, so he decided to come out to clear his head. He told of how he established himself in Wanhua City, going from barely covering the rent to having a steady stream of business.
He spoke eloquently, and Zhai Bairong gradually became engrossed. Previously, he had thought Nie Shiyun was just a talentless scion of a cultivation family, but after their clash in the Misty Secret Realm, he knew everyone had underestimated this man. Thus, seeing the other quietly making a fortune here didn't seem too unbelievable.
In the spirit of reciprocity, since Nie Shiyun had said so much, Zhai Bairong also recounted his travels over the past year. In the cultivation world, news—both good and bad—traveled fast. In human territory, he could hear gossip about himself wherever he went. Distressed by the constant harassment, he had simply come to this remote gathering place of demons. Unlike Nie Shiyun, however, he wandered between various towns without a fixed residence, taking things one step at a time without a plan for the future.
It was clear that Zhai Bairong’s Dao heart was completely in disarray. Purely as a bystander, Nie Shiyun felt it was a great pity.
"Fellow Daoist Zhai, your inability to break through... it must be due to an inner demon, right?" Nie Shiyun tested.
The hand Zhai Bairong used to hold his wine cup trembled slightly, but he didn't stubbornly deny it. "Yes."
"Is it because of... Duan Mingyu?"
"...Correct."
A few years ago in that secret chamber, he had been so afraid of exposing his inner thoughts to an outsider, not wanting to lose face. Now, he seemed to have adopted a "broken jar" attitude—or perhaps it was just that he felt there was no need to put on an act in front of Nie Shiyun.
Zhai Bairong was amiable and polite to almost everyone around him, yet now, in front of the only person he had truly had a falling out with, he was actually able to speak these words.
"Duan Mingyu’s nature is such that he is destined not to be a fish in a small pond. If Fellow Daoist Zhai cannot bear to share a lover with others, it would be better to withdraw early and be at peace." Nie Shiyun was in a position to say this. After all, the original owner of his body had once madly pursued Duan Mingyu, only for Nie Shiyun to decisively give up after taking over—a textbook example.
As he spoke, he seemed to be savoring the wine, but his eyes never left Zhai Bairong’s face. He watched, wanting to see if Zhai Bairong would waver.
Zhai Bairong frowned slightly, his expression looking confused. He didn't seem repulsed by the words, but rather lost in a deep state of bewilderment.
Clearly, in the matter of Duan Mingyu, Nie Shiyun should have been the "defeated party," yet he had admitted it readily and let go cleanly. Now, standing alone, he instead seemed like the victor, possessing an air of ease.
"When Mingyu went to Red Cliff, I actually went to find Rong Lü once," Zhai Bairong said, tilting his head back to drain his cup. He shouldn't have told Nie Shiyun these things, but perhaps because he had bottled them up for too long with no one to talk to, he spoke anyway. "I asked him, if it were just us, that would be one thing, but with Xu Yehua added to the mix, was he truly content?"
"But he said that as long as Mingyu is happy, he is happy."
"In that case... am I the one being selfish?" Zhai Bairong’s eyes were no longer as clear as before.
Nie Shiyun thought to himself: *The wine doesn't intoxicate the man; the man intoxicates himself.* This was likely such a case.
"How could that be? No one’s love is selfless. Why should you, the talented and handsome Zhai Bairong of the Moon-Reflecting Sect, wrong yourself so?"
"Talented and handsome... yet now my cultivation falls behind everyone else's. Among those people, I am the one dragging them down," Zhai Bairong said, his gaze turning vacant as he spoke of the matter. "If I can find a way to break through on this trip..."
Nie Shiyun couldn't help but lightly pat his arm, whispering a reminder: "Fellow Daoist Zhai, you are becoming obsessed."
Zhai Bairong snapped out of it as if waking from a dream. He realized he had indeed become fixated. If he accidentally fell into the demonic path because of this, his entire cultivation would be destroyed. He felt a lingering fear.
Noticing Nie Shiyun’s hand resting on his arm, Zhai Bairong cleared his throat. Belatedly, Nie Shiyun let out a short "ah" and withdrew his hand.
"So, what did Duan Mingyu and the others... say about your cultivation?" Nie Shiyun asked.
"He said he would also think of a way for me, and told me absolutely not to be anxious."
"Ah..."
Evidently, Duan Mingyu’s words had only made Zhai Bairong more anxious. He had no idea about Zhai Bairong’s inner demon.
After this small interlude, Zhai Bairong returned to his drinking, sinking into thought.
Nie Shiyun was in no hurry. He occasionally dropped a comment, appearing to stand up for Zhai Bairong while actually fanning the flames. He felt that with the conflict between Duan Mingyu and Zhai Bairong intensifying, and with the others far away, it would be a waste of a good opportunity if he didn't sow some discord.
"Speaking of which, since you obtained an exotic fire, your path in alchemy must have reached some level of success."
"Indeed. But alchemy, just like artifact refining, is closely tied to one's cultivation. Without crossing this hurdle, my alchemy has also stagnated."
"Fellow Daoist Zhai needn't be discouraged. My shop is open anyway; if you have pills you wish to sell, you can place them in my shop. If they sell, just give me a thirty percent commission."
Zhai Bairong hadn't considered this. He did have extra pills on him and had no intention of doing business himself. Feeling it was a fair deal, he agreed immediately.
Nie Shiyun thought to himself: *Regardless of whether you reconcile with Duan Mingyu’s group later, it’s best to drain your stock of pills before the Great Cultivation Assembly. I won't let those people have them for cheap.*
***
**Glossary**
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
--- | --- | ---
墨晶 | Ink Crystal | A rare and precious material used in artifact refining.
千年前杨柳木 | Thousand-Year Willow Wood | A high-grade wood material, specifically from a willow tree.
道心 | Dao Heart | A cultivator's resolve and mental state regarding their path to immortality.
修仙大会 | Great Cultivation Assembly | A major event or tournament in the cultivation world.
映月派 | Moon-Reflecting Sect | The sect Zhai Bairong belongs to.
赤岩崖 | Red Cliff | A specific location mentioned in the story.
异火 | Exotic Fire | A rare, powerful type of flame used for refining or combat.
破罐子破摔 | To smash a cracked jar | An idiom meaning to give up on a hopeless situation or act recklessly because one has nothing left to lose.
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Transmigrated into a Total Shou Novel as a Cannon Fodder, but Ended Up 1v1-ing the Male Lead | Chapter 18 | A Chance Encounter | Novela.app | Novela.app
