The gaps filled by the Ink Crystal had originally been pitch black, appearing somewhat discordant. Nie Shiyun had meticulously applied a coating to restore the sword to its original appearance; only from certain angles could one discern the unique, faint shimmer of the Ink Crystal.
Zhai Bairong was greatly astonished the moment he laid eyes on the Willow Sword, almost suspecting that Nie Shiyun had found a brand-new one to give him. Otherwise, how could its quality have actually improved after being repaired?
Upon closer inspection, Zhai Bairong noticed the subtle differences, though he could not fathom the logic behind them. Artifact forging was not a field he was well-versed in, so he candidly and humbly asked for an explanation.
Nie Shiyun had been waiting for him to ask. He naturally recounted his process with smooth eloquence. Seeing Zhai Bairong nod occasionally in sudden realization, Nie Shiyun felt a rare, fleeting sense of vanity.
"What do you think?"
"Truly ingenious. My sect has had many business dealings with the Yunqing Pavilion in the past, yet I have never heard of such a technique."
"It was just something that occurred to me on a whim."
Zhai Bairong was startled, his praise becoming even more frequent. "I originally thought being able to repair it was a stroke of luck. I never expected such an additional pleasant surprise."
What cultivator did not love spiritual treasures, especially a legal treasure that had accompanied them for a long time? Zhai Bairong held the sword, unable to put it down, examining it repeatedly. Earlier, Nie Shiyun had thought about taking this opportunity to charge an extra fee. However, seeing the irrepressible joy on Zhai Bairong’s face and the way his eyes sparkled, Nie Shiyun thought about it and decided to drop the idea of asking for more money.
"Since you're here, come inside and have a cup of tea."
"...Oh, very well." Facing Nie Shiyun's invitation, Zhai Bairong hesitated for a moment. However, having just received such a benefit, he felt embarrassed to refuse. Furthermore, it was just a cup of tea; a flat refusal might make it seem as though he had a guilty conscience.
Nie Shiyun invited Zhai Bairong into the house, seating him in an armchair by the tea table before heading back to the small kitchen to brew the tea.
After he left, Zhai Bairong surveyed the room. Although he had been here once before, he had been somewhat tipsy at first and had left in a hurry afterward, so he hadn't looked closely.
As a backyard attached to a shop, this bedroom was truly not large. The room barely fit a bed, two chairs, a small tea table, and a desk. In fact, he had noticed it the moment he entered today—even though it was midsummer outside and sweltering hot, there was no sense of stuffiness in this room at all. Looking down carefully, he saw that a cooling array had been set up at the doorway. No wonder the windows were wide open, yet the air blowing into the room carried a hint of chill, unlike the hot wind outside.
Thinking of how Nie Shiyun could integrate arrays into artifact forging, Zhai Bairong was no longer surprised. He merely marveled that the other man seemed to have endless time and energy; as a dual-root cultivator, he had mastered two sub-professions without letting his cultivation fall behind.
A moment later, Nie Shiyun returned. When he entered, he saw Zhai Bairong sitting properly in the chair, motionless, his eyes scanning the room only to snap back the moment Nie Shiyun appeared.
"Fellow Daoist Zhai truly has excellent upbringing," Nie Shiyun remarked as he sat on the other side of the tea table, setting down the small teapot and pouring a cup of tea for him.
Zhai Bairong immediately took the teacup with both hands. "I don't particularly feel that way. In what regard do you mean?"
"...In this regard," Nie Shiyun sighed.
Zhai Bairong glanced at Nie Shiyun, puzzled. He took a sip of the cold tea. This tea was also brewed with spiritual spring water; while it was a mere drop in the bucket for improving cultivation, it tasted smooth and was very refreshing to drink in the summer.
Remembering something, Zhai Bairong handed over the results of his alchemy from the past few days to Nie Shiyun. He had specifically selected the top-grade pills from this batch and packed them separately, saying that Nie Shiyun could keep those for himself, while the remaining high-quality ones could be sold along with the previous batch.
"Fire Vein Pills, Wind-Walking Pills..." Nie Shiyun read the labels on the bottles, categorizing them into his storage bracelet. "I'll tidy up the shelves another day and set aside a specific area for pills."
"There's no need to go to too much trouble; I didn't expect much from this anyway. It's just that the quantity produced is quite large and the quality isn't bad, so it would be a waste to just let them sit," Zhai Bairong said, shaking his head. He truly seemed indifferent to the matter.
Nie Shiyun nodded. "True. Now that you have the Strange Fire Remnant Soul, your alchemy should be exceptional in both quality and quantity."
Zhai Bairong took a sip of tea, but he did not show any joy at the compliment. "That is true. But if I cannot break through, no matter how much I refine, this is where my limit lies."
He swirled the teacup in his hand, murmuring with unavoidable dejection, "Had I known, perhaps it would have been better if you had obtained that thing. You might have made better use of its strengths..."
Nie Shiyun couldn't stand seeing him like this and refuted him sharply, "What nonsense are you talking?"
Zhai Bairong fell silent, staring only at the reflection of his own face in the tea. After a long while, his voice regained its usual calm. "You are right. I was belittling myself."
A cool breeze blew, lightly rattling the wooden window. The two men sat in the room, sipping tea in silence. The air remained quiet for a good while.
"Is the heart demon still there?" Nie Shiyun asked eventually.
Zhai Bairong gave a soft "mm." "Nightmares always come in the evening. I remember it over and over again."
Perhaps the initial heart demon was only about Duan Mingyu, but it had worsened later. Scenes appeared of many juniors who used to be polite and respectful to him, whispering behind his back after learning of his failed breakthrough. This was common in the cultivation world, and Zhai Bairong shouldn't have taken it to heart, but the burden of his failure added fuel to the fire, making it even harder to forget.
He also vaguely remembered discussions within his sect about how they had misjudged him and should now urgently train other disciples. This should have only happened in his hallucinations, but after dreaming of it so much, the hallucinations had gradually merged with reality, making them difficult to distinguish.
"It was most severe half a year ago. After leaving that clamor and heading south, the nightmares have actually eased quite a bit," Zhai Bairong described calmly. "It's just that when I think about it, I am still filled with jealousy. I'm jealous that Rong Lü knew Duan Mingyu even earlier than I did, yet I was the last to find out. I'm jealous of Xu Yehua; as long as he is there, everyone's gaze gathers on him. Yet such a favored son of Red Rock Cliff also happens to be fixated on Duan Mingyu... and I am jealous of you, too."
Nie Shiyun was slightly stunned.
"Clearly just a dual-root cultivator, yet your cultivation is a step ahead of mine. You are such a genius in artifact forging and still have the energy to study arrays. There is truly no justice in heaven."
Nie Shiyun couldn't help but laugh. "Is that a compliment?"
Zhai Bairong didn't speak, quietly drinking his tea.
"To be able to admit feelings of jealousy so candidly is already rare and commendable. Who doesn't get jealous of others?" Nie Shiyun said from the bottom of his heart.
"Do you?" Zhai Bairong turned his head to ask him.
"I do," Nie Shiyun said with a smile, leaning his hand on the tea table. "I'm very jealous of Duan Mingyu. To have someone like you constantly worrying about him, even developing a heart demon for him, while he remains completely oblivious to this day. Why don't I have such luck in love?"
Zhai Bairong’s mind was clear; seeing the mirth in Nie Shiyun's eyes, he knew the man was talking nonsense.
"If you wanted it, would you lack for romantic prospects?"
If it were five years ago, Zhai Bairong might have believed him. But after their trip to the Misty Secret Realm and their several recent interactions, he absolutely did not believe it.
Having his tall tales exposed, Nie Shiyun didn't mind.
After saying things he would normally never say to an outsider, Zhai Bairong actually felt much lighter. The two continued to chat idly while sipping tea. At this moment, Zhai Bairong glanced out the window and saw the lush, green tree in the courtyard. From its trunk to its branches, it radiated vitality. Occasionally, a few leaves were quietly carried into the window by the wind. In this setting, in this quiet little courtyard far from the Central Plains, the various people and events that had happened before seemed to drift away from him in an instant.
Though it was only a momentary trance, Zhai Bairong actually felt that something which had been suppressed for a long time was showing faint signs of loosening.
Sitting to one side, Nie Shiyun turned and saw Zhai Bairong staring blankly at the scenery outside with his long, soft eyes. A few strands of hair on his forehead were blown messy by the wind, yet he remained extremely elegant. It was no wonder that when people mentioned Zhai Bairong, they felt that although he was as gentle as jade, he was also beyond reach.
Ripples stirred in Nie Shiyun's heart. He set down his teacup and leaned across the table toward him. Zhai Bairong turned his head back, and their faces were only a few centimeters apart. Even their eyelashes were clearly visible.
Seeing that Zhai Bairong’s blinking had only become unnaturally fast but he hadn't immediately pulled away, Nie Shiyun reached out and caressed Zhai Bairong’s cheek. Whether this action contained romantic love was perhaps still unknown; at this moment, he simply wanted to kiss this person.
"Fellow Daoist Nie, this... isn't right..." Zhai Bairong finally reached out at the last second, grabbing Nie Shiyun's wrist. Nie Shiyun stopped.
At such extreme proximity, Nie Shiyun looked directly into Zhai Bairong’s eyes.
Time, which had almost come to a standstill, began to flow again with the faint "creak" of the wooden window blowing in the wind. Nie Shiyun didn't say a word, then easily closed the final bit of distance between them.
Nie Shiyun kissed him gently, feeling Zhai Bairong give only a slight tremor under his palm before remaining motionless.
Indeed, things had long since ceased to be "right."
Zhai Bairong’s mind went blank. There was only the sound of clear breathing in the room and the intermittent chirping of cicadas from the trees outside. If their first time having a relationship was due to an aphrodisiac, and the second was a lapse in judgment after consuming alcohol, then what did this count as?
Their lips merely pressed together without any further exchange. Nie Shiyun pulled away quickly, then immediately kissed him again—small, brief, and unaggressive kisses. Without Zhai Bairong even realizing it, his initially conflicted, furrowed brow gradually smoothed out. This behavior clearly provided no physical pleasure, yet it made one gradually become intoxicated by it.
After a long series of kisses, the two did not go any further but retreated simultaneously by unspoken agreement.
"There's nothing wrong with it, is there?" Nie Shiyun joked. "Haven't you heard that the best way to forget one romance is to start the next?"
Zhai Bairong pursed his lips, his expression somewhat defensive after what had just happened. "What nonsense is this again? I have never heard of such a thing."
"Besides, even if I were to start a next one, I shouldn't choose you."
Nie Shiyun hadn't expected him to suddenly say that. He asked curiously, "Why?"
*Because you hide too many secrets; you are too difficult to see through.*
Zhai Bairong did not answer him. He looked elsewhere and picked up his teacup as if to cover his tracks, only to find it was already empty.
"I'll go pour some more," Nie Shiyun said.
"...No need. I'll be heading back for today."
Zhai Bairong sighed and stood up.
Nie Shiyun did not force him to stay, merely saying "Alright" and seeing him to the shop entrance.
As they were about to part, Nie Shiyun leaned closer to Zhai Bairong and said with a smile, "Come by often when you're free."
Zhai Bairong looked at him, pondered for a long time, and finally sighed. He looked Nie Shiyun in the eye and said, "I'll bring the next batch of pills over as soon as they are refined."
