Editor: Sahloknir
—So it is really Xu Shuangtze.
But what the hell did he build this place for?
Does anyone else know that this is not forbidden ground, but a prison?
While Gong Wei’s mind was spinning, Sheng Bo thought his Shidi, who was infamous for his idiocy, was scared out of his wits and he frowned angrily, “Get up! You’re trespassing! Follow me back to the Xuanji Palace to see the Sovereign!”
“…” Gong Wei dropped his hand and stared at him dumbfounded, saying a moment later, “Sheng Shixiong, I’m sorry.”
“Why?”
“I couldn’t counter your sword just now, so I dodged it, and the sword glare broke the painting of the ‘Ghost Prince Welcoming His Bride’ that the Sovereign hung on the wall.”
Sheng Bo: “…”
“Shixiong’s swordplay is amazing!” Gong Wei had a face of admiration and clapped hard, “The wall now has a big crack made by Shixiong!”
“…”
Sheng Bo’s already pale face was now even paler, his pupils quivering for a long time. Finally, he grabbed Gong Wei’s hand, and forced out a trembling smile, “What sword glare? What is this painting of the ‘Ghost Prince Welcoming His Bride’? You’re confused, you’ve never even entered the hall, how do you know what painting is hanging on the wall?”
“But I—”
“Any trespassers will be killed, how can Shixiong bear to see you killed by the Sovereign? From now on, you must not tell anyone about this Forbidden Palace, and I will keep it a secret for you as well, do you understand?”
“But—”
Sheng Bo grabbed and shook him frantically by the shoulders, “No buts! If you talk, you’ll die! Just pretend that nothing has happened today, do you understand?”
Gong Wei’s bright eyes blinked a few times, and he finally obediently said “Oh, I understand.”
Sheng Bo breathed a sigh of relief, and hastily pulled him up, “Hurry up, I’ll lead you down the mountain!”
Sheng Bo was extremely famous in the Xuanmen, but even the fiercest star was afraid of Xu Shuangtze, so even if he had borrowed the courage of a hundred and twenty guts, he wouldn’t dare to enter into the palace to check out the damaged painting and wall.
With fear and trepidation, he could only send Gong Wei across the bridge and back to Xuanji Palace grounds. Before leaving, he took Gong Wei by the ear and warned him time and again, forcing him to swear that he would never tell anyone about what had happened today.
Gong Wei rubbed his red ears with resentment and took a long detour to avoid Xu Shuangtze’s main hall, returning to his own quarters in the side hall. He dropped flat on his bed and thought about everything he saw in the Forbidden Palace earlier.
The oppressive domed-roof, the heavily locked doors, the thousands of confinement charms carved with every stroke…And the unreal hall full of gauze veils, high beds and soft pillows… Countless images swirled in his mind, and finally, that festive painting of a little red fox playing a suona came into focus.
And that dried blood splatter on the painting.
Not being able to pinpoint what, but Gong Wei felt that there was something vaguely different about Xu Shuangtze this time.
Underneath that majestic, distant, condescending face, there seemed to be some kind of violence—hidden like an undercurrent at the bottom of a deep pool. One that was strong enough to tear everything apart.
But he didn’t know what it was.
Gong Wei was deep in thought, but his body could not support his powerful spirit, and his consciousness gradually blurred. In a trance, he seemed to have walked out of a door, his soul drifting in mid-air. Suddenly he came to a vast platform. Wide, white-jade bricks, without a trace of colour, were beneath his feet. The area was paved as far as the eye could see. In the distance, between the mountains and the rivers, stood a huge jade stele, with the big words inscribed in seal script: Ascension Platform.
Ascension Platform?
Gong Wei’s pupils instantly constricted, and he turned his head…
The next moment there was a sharp pain in his left side as a sword pierced into his chest!
“…” He grabbed the sword in a deathlike grip and trembled, “Xu Shuangtze…”
Xu Shuangtze stood tall, his high, deep brow bones were etched in shadows, it was impossible to see his expression, with only his thin lips visible.
“I…like you,” Gong Wei heard his own gasping voice say, “you-you can’t do this to me…”
—Why was the pain and despair all so real?
Why were the visions that had already been experienced once under the Mirror Art repeating themselves now?
Xbcu Qfl mbeivc’a tfiq yea klvfc tlr fsfr, jcv tf rjk We Vtejcuahf olcjiis ifjc vbkc rilutais, gfnfjilcu atbrf mbiv, qlamt-yijmx qeqlir jcv yibbvrtba fsfr. Lfktlrqfgfv lcab Xbcu Qfl’r fjg, “Tbe vbc’a ilxf wf, Xbcu Qfl. Tbe’gf pera…”
C nlbifca klcv revvfcis gbjgfv qjra, vgbkclcu bea tlr reyrfdefca kbgvr.
At the same time, Gong Wei’s eyes gazed past Xu Shuangtze, and the tragic situation unfolding behind him.
Dozens of sect masters had fallen to the ground bleeding, turning the entire Ascension Platform into a blood-stained hell. Groans and screams could be heard, but many more had simply fallen onto the cracked ground, or leaning against the bloodied golden pillars, motionless and dead.
Not far away, a man leaned against his sword, barely standing up. There was a sharp weapon which had pierced through his abdomen, with blood soaking through the eagle-back brown Sword Sect’s robe. It was the Sword Master Yuchi Rui!
Gong Wei, now neck-deep in a nightmare, didn’t have time to notice who had injured his friend. He saw Yuchi Rui gritting his teeth and pulling out his sword with all his might, slashing towards him like a titanic mountain…
Clang!
Xu Shuangtze didn’t even look back, but raised his hand to block the attack.
The sword slammed into his arm and was stopped in mid-air!
As a loud sound echoed, Yuchi Rui spurted a mouthful of blood, spluttering on Xu Shuangtze’s sleeve. He had exhausted the last ounce of his strength and fell down to his knees, “No…don’t…”
Gong Wei gasped, on the verge of death, only to see Yuchi Rui look past Xu Shuangtze at him, saying each word with great despair, “Can’t…let him…”
Can’t let him what?
What the hell happened on the Ascension Platform?!
Gong Wei had a splitting headache and suddenly his eyes fluttered open and he sat up straight on the bed, almost hitting the nose of the person in front of him, “—Ah!”
The dream silently faded away, and the moon was shining brightly outside the window. Peach blossom petals swirled in the night sky, blown by the breeze, and the large luminous pearl at the corner of his bed was glowing. A crisscrossing summoning formation appeared in mid-air, at the centre of which was a person who should not be here at this moment.
Gong Wei rubbed his temples, trying to get rid of his splitting headache, “Yuchi Xiao?”
Yuchi Xiao froze at the corner of his bedside, his handsome face was in fluster, probably because he failed at his attempt to be unnoticed. After a short while, he decided to strike first, “Why are you calling Lord Xu’s name in your dreams?”
“…” Gong Wei asked in return, “Why did you appear in my room in the middle of the night?”
“What did you just dream about?”
“You specifically stood at the foot of my bed to spy on me sleeping, right?”
“I did not!” Yuchi Xiao was so annoyed that even his ears turned red, “I just suddenly remembered something and came over to ask you about it, and I happened to see something under your pillow, so I was just curious!”
Gong Wei looked down and saw the corner of a blue-sealed book pressed under his jade pillow, and he pulled it out and looked at it.
‘The Underworld: A Story of Undying Love’.
On the book cover was a handsome immortal in a white robe with a golden crown and a sword, holding the hands of the handsome and fair young man in front of him. They stared into each other’s eyes with deep affection but also sorrow.
An indescribable silence enveloped the entire room.
Gong Wei stuffed the book back under the pillow and calmly said, “I brought it back from Linjiang City, just didn’t find the opportunity to toss it.”
“…” Yuchi Xiao asked sternly, “You know that if this book was found, you would be cut up by Lord Xu himself and fed to the dogs, right?”
Gong Wei sneered back, “You know that if you were discovered spying on the disciples of the Cang Yang Sect sleeping in the middle of the night, you would also be cut up and fed to the dogs, right?”
“I said I didn’t!”
“Then you’ve come to peep at this book!”
“That’s pure slander!” Yuchi Xiao almost lost control of his voice. He then immediately gritted his teeth and lowered his voice to a whisper such that only two of them could hear, “I just remembered something and came over to ask!”
“What is it?”
Yuchi Xiao looked as if he wanted to wave his hands and leave, but for the burning question, which forced him to remain still instead. After a moment of forbearance, he said stiffly, “You said that last time.”
“?”
“You said spying on me wasn’t as convenient as spying on Lord Xu.”
“…”
Yuchi Xiao reprimanded, “Although you always behave inappropriately like this, and can’t walk away whenever you see a decent looking passerby—but the outer disciples of the Cang Yang Sect live far away from the Xuanji Hall, so how can you spy with convenience? And you have moved quarters? Why?”
In the silence of the night, Gong Wei stared long and hard at Young Master Yuchi with a peculiar expression, as if he was meeting him for the first time today, before he slowly said, “Your ardent concern for me is truly impressive, Young Master Yuchi.”
“I am not concerned! Yunfei said that Lord Xu had a long-standing hatred for Chief Gong and he was afraid that he would show disdain for you as well when you returned to the Cang Yang Sect. You’re a little shit and nobody cares if you die anyway, Yunfei just wants me to check if you are alive every now then then!”
That was a pure slander, the word ‘little shit’ would never come out of the lips of a gentleman like Meng Yunfei in his lifetime.
Gong Wei dragged an “Aww—” sound, smiled and replied, “You worry too much, Young Swordsman. This chief…I am so popular with people and have countless admirers and followers. Since I left Lingjiang City, Lord Xu has a good eye for talent and not only did he immediately let me move into Xuanji Palace, he also personally taught me the Cang Yang Sect’s secret arts. He even promised to take me as his disciple… surprised?”
Now it was Yuchi Xiao’s turn to stare at Gong Wei for a long time with an unfamiliar and unusual gaze, as if he knew him for the first time today. He said after a long time, “Stop joking around and get serious.”
Gong Wei put one hand on his cheek and winked slyly, “Who’s playing with you? This little mei demon’s life is also a life, and whoever wronged the little mei demon before will pay the price one day.”
He often spoke so half-heartedly, like a playful child. But for some reason when he heard these words, Yuchi Xiao instinctively felt a slight difference.
The change was so subtle and disappeared so quickly that he couldn’t tell if it was an illusion. Gong Wei turned towards him and asked with a smile, “By the way, Young Swordsman…”
“What?”
“I heard you say last time that to activate the summoning formation you must first call out the name of the person being summoned, and then say the relationship between the two…”
Yuchi Xiao froze suddenly.
“So what did you just call me?”
“…”
The air seemed to be still, Gong Wei gave a look of mockery, and Yuchi Xiao’s expression froze.
Halfway through, he stammered, “I-I just, I only…”
Knock! Knock!
Suddenly, there were two heavy knocks on the door, which interrupted the latter part of Yuchi Xiao’s sentence, followed by someone unceremoniously pushing the door in.
Gong Wei and Yuchi Xiao both turned back and almost immediately, their hearts stopped. A man in loose robes stepped in, the moonlight cast a soft light on his handsome, icy face. It was Xu Shuangtze!
“—What’s all this noise in the middle of the night?”
Gong Wei stumbled and slid out of the bed, while Yuchi Xiao hurriedly bowed, “Greetings, Sovereign! This humble junior pays his respects to Lord Xu!”
The only thing the duo could think of at this moment was: How can you even hear us?
Xu Shuangtze stood still, but no one could see his gaze fall on Gong Wei while not giving so much as a glance at Yuchi Xiao on the other side. A moment later, he slowly opened his mouth, but spoke not to Gong Wei.
“Young Master Yuchi.”
“Yes.”
“What matter do you have, coming unannounced at this late hour?”
After a moment’s hesitation, Yuchi Xiao said, “Replying to the Sovereign, this junior is acquainted with your disciple, Xiang Xiaoyuan. Since leaving Linjiang City, we have not heard from each other, therefore—”
His words stopped abruptly, his pupils reflected Xu Shuangtze’s sudden movements.
Xu Shuangtze bent down towards Gong Wei’s waist. Hanging around the young man’s sleeping robes was a blood-red jade pendant. With a tug, Xu Shuangtze pulled the silk ribbon off.
“A Qilin pendant,” Xu Shuangtze said indifferently.
The jade pendant glowed faintly under the moonlight because it was responding to the activation of a summoning formation. Xu Shuangtze’s expression was not one of joy or anger, and he fondled it carelessly for a moment, before finally looking at Yuchi Xiao.
“My disciple is too young and heartless—not worthy of the Golden Gate’s Sword Sect family.”
Yuchi Xiao’s expression changed.
Xu Shuangtze continued, “I think we should forget about this engagement.”
The next moment, Yuchi Xiao blurted out, “How can we just forget about it?”
A month ago, when Yuchi Xiao went up Cang Yang Mountain, he was resolute in dissolving the engagement and exposing Xiang Xiaoyuan as a half-demon and an ‘inhuman thing’ in front of the crowd.
Now that he had gotten what he wanted, he was not delighted, but instead, a wave of anger surged to his head and he said, “Lord Xu is too impetuous, our union as cultivation partners has already been announce to the Immortal Alliance, even if you wanted us to break it off today, we can’t let you do so lightly…”
“I can’t?” Xu Shuangtze asked in return.
Yuchi Xiao was speechless, and looked at Gong Wei with a start.
Gong Wei was already kneeling on the ground behind Xu Shuangtze, cold sweat rolling down his face but he didn’t dare to reach out to wipe it.
Yuchi Xiao, “?”
“Go, go back and get help!” Gong Wei mouthed, “Get your uncle to help! Hurry!”
The next moment Xu Shuangtze’s eyes glanced at Gong Wei who instantly froze up, only to hear him ask indifferently, “What is the opinion of my beloved disciple?”
Gong Wei said meekly, “This disciple will do as Shizun wishes.”
Yuchi Xiao’s expression immediately changed, “ Lord Xu please do not jest, when have you accepted any disciples? Even Wen Xiuyang—”
Without letting him finish his sentence, Xu Shuangtze nodded his head and said, “Very well.”
He then flicked his thumb on the Qilin pendant.
The faint light on the jade pendant suddenly went out, and at the same time the summoning formation in mid-air also dissipated. Before Yuchi Xiao could say anything more, he turned into countless specks of light and disappeared in a swishing wind!
Darkness returned to the large hall, and the frozen air pressed heavily overhead, with only the moonlight reflecting the two figures standing and kneeling on the floor.
Gong Wei lowered his head even more, but felt a chill on his lower jaw as he was lifted up by Xu Shuangtze’s cold, strong hand, while he spoke one word after another, “Lo-tus-Im-mortal.”
There was a buzz resounding in Gong Wei’s head, and his heart lifted to his throat.
______________________________________________________________________
Sahl: Um… *small voice* Sorry ‘bout the cliffhanger, guys. *runs away*
…
But also ‘cause Chansie is awesome and agreed to my pleas – you can go straight to the next chapter as a special double release (‘cause cliffhangers are good, but only when you have the option of instant relief!). Once per week releases will commence again next week.
Takeaways from this chapter: Gong Wei and Yuchi Xiao bickering over who is more inappropriate…
Xu Shuangtze calmly ending their engagement ‘on behalf of the rest of the world’.
Editor: Sahloknir
—So it is really Xu Shuangtze.
But what the hell did he build this place for?
Does anyone else know that this is not forbidden ground, but a prison?
While Gong Wei’s mind was spinning, Sheng Bo thought his Shidi, who was infamous for his idiocy, was scared out of his wits and he frowned angrily, “Get up! You’re trespassing! Follow me back to the Xuanji Palace to see the Sovereign!”
“…” Gong Wei dropped his hand and stared at him dumbfounded, saying a moment later, “Sheng Shixiong, I’m sorry.”
“Why?”
“I couldn’t counter your sword just now, so I dodged it, and the sword glare broke the painting of the ‘Ghost Prince Welcoming His Bride’ that the Sovereign hung on the wall.”
Sheng Bo: “…”
“Shixiong’s swordplay is amazing!” Gong Wei had a face of admiration and clapped hard, “The wall now has a big crack made by Shixiong!”
“…”
Sheng Bo’s already pale face was now even paler, his pupils quivering for a long time. Finally, he grabbed Gong Wei’s hand, and forced out a trembling smile, “What sword glare? What is this painting of the ‘Ghost Prince Welcoming His Bride’? You’re confused, you’ve never even entered the hall, how do you know what painting is hanging on the wall?”
“But I—”
“Any trespassers will be killed, how can Shixiong bear to see you killed by the Sovereign? From now on, you must not tell anyone about this Forbidden Palace, and I will keep it a secret for you as well, do you understand?”
“But—”
Sheng Bo grabbed and shook him frantically by the shoulders, “No buts! If you talk, you’ll die! Just pretend that nothing has happened today, do you understand?”
Gong Wei’s bright eyes blinked a few times, and he finally obediently said “Oh, I understand.”
Sheng Bo breathed a sigh of relief, and hastily pulled him up, “Hurry up, I’ll lead you down the mountain!”
Sheng Bo was extremely famous in the Xuanmen, but even the fiercest star was afraid of Xu Shuangtze, so even if he had borrowed the courage of a hundred and twenty guts, he wouldn’t dare to enter into the palace to check out the damaged painting and wall.
With fear and trepidation, he could only send Gong Wei across the bridge and back to Xuanji Palace grounds. Before leaving, he took Gong Wei by the ear and warned him time and again, forcing him to swear that he would never tell anyone about what had happened today.
Gong Wei rubbed his red ears with resentment and took a long detour to avoid Xu Shuangtze’s main hall, returning to his own quarters in the side hall. He dropped flat on his bed and thought about everything he saw in the Forbidden Palace earlier.
The oppressive domed-roof, the heavily locked doors, the thousands of confinement charms carved with every stroke…And the unreal hall full of gauze veils, high beds and soft pillows… Countless images swirled in his mind, and finally, that festive painting of a little red fox playing a suona came into focus.
And that dried blood splatter on the painting.
Not being able to pinpoint what, but Gong Wei felt that there was something vaguely different about Xu Shuangtze this time.
Underneath that majestic, distant, condescending face, there seemed to be some kind of violence—hidden like an undercurrent at the bottom of a deep pool. One that was strong enough to tear everything apart.
But he didn’t know what it was.
Gong Wei was deep in thought, but his body could not support his powerful spirit, and his consciousness gradually blurred. In a trance, he seemed to have walked out of a door, his soul drifting in mid-air. Suddenly he came to a vast platform. Wide, white-jade bricks, without a trace of colour, were beneath his feet. The area was paved as far as the eye could see. In the distance, between the mountains and the rivers, stood a huge jade stele, with the big words inscribed in seal script: Ascension Platform.
Ascension Platform?
Gong Wei’s pupils instantly constricted, and he turned his head…
The next moment there was a sharp pain in his left side as a sword pierced into his chest!
“…” He grabbed the sword in a deathlike grip and trembled, “Xu Shuangtze…”
Xu Shuangtze stood tall, his high, deep brow bones were etched in shadows, it was impossible to see his expression, with only his thin lips visible.
“I…like you,” Gong Wei heard his own gasping voice say, “you-you can’t do this to me…”
—Why was the pain and despair all so real?
Why were the visions that had already been experienced once under the Mirror Art repeating themselves now?
Xbcu Qfl mbeivc’a tfiq yea klvfc tlr fsfr, jcv tf rjk We Vtejcuahf olcjiis ifjc vbkc rilutais, gfnfjilcu atbrf mbiv, qlamt-yijmx qeqlir jcv yibbvrtba fsfr. Lfktlrqfgfv lcab Xbcu Qfl’r fjg, “Tbe vbc’a ilxf wf, Xbcu Qfl. Tbe’gf pera…”
C nlbifca klcv revvfcis gbjgfv qjra, vgbkclcu bea tlr reyrfdefca kbgvr.
At the same time, Gong Wei’s eyes gazed past Xu Shuangtze, and the tragic situation unfolding behind him.
Dozens of sect masters had fallen to the ground bleeding, turning the entire Ascension Platform into a blood-stained hell. Groans and screams could be heard, but many more had simply fallen onto the cracked ground, or leaning against the bloodied golden pillars, motionless and dead.
Not far away, a man leaned against his sword, barely standing up. There was a sharp weapon which had pierced through his abdomen, with blood soaking through the eagle-back brown Sword Sect’s robe. It was the Sword Master Yuchi Rui!
Gong Wei, now neck-deep in a nightmare, didn’t have time to notice who had injured his friend. He saw Yuchi Rui gritting his teeth and pulling out his sword with all his might, slashing towards him like a titanic mountain…
Clang!
Xu Shuangtze didn’t even look back, but raised his hand to block the attack.
The sword slammed into his arm and was stopped in mid-air!
As a loud sound echoed, Yuchi Rui spurted a mouthful of blood, spluttering on Xu Shuangtze’s sleeve. He had exhausted the last ounce of his strength and fell down to his knees, “No…don’t…”
Gong Wei gasped, on the verge of death, only to see Yuchi Rui look past Xu Shuangtze at him, saying each word with great despair, “Can’t…let him…”
Can’t let him what?
What the hell happened on the Ascension Platform?!
Gong Wei had a splitting headache and suddenly his eyes fluttered open and he sat up straight on the bed, almost hitting the nose of the person in front of him, “—Ah!”
The dream silently faded away, and the moon was shining brightly outside the window. Peach blossom petals swirled in the night sky, blown by the breeze, and the large luminous pearl at the corner of his bed was glowing. A crisscrossing summoning formation appeared in mid-air, at the centre of which was a person who should not be here at this moment.
Gong Wei rubbed his temples, trying to get rid of his splitting headache, “Yuchi Xiao?”
Yuchi Xiao froze at the corner of his bedside, his handsome face was in fluster, probably because he failed at his attempt to be unnoticed. After a short while, he decided to strike first, “Why are you calling Lord Xu’s name in your dreams?”
“…” Gong Wei asked in return, “Why did you appear in my room in the middle of the night?”
“What did you just dream about?”
“You specifically stood at the foot of my bed to spy on me sleeping, right?”
“I did not!” Yuchi Xiao was so annoyed that even his ears turned red, “I just suddenly remembered something and came over to ask you about it, and I happened to see something under your pillow, so I was just curious!”
Gong Wei looked down and saw the corner of a blue-sealed book pressed under his jade pillow, and he pulled it out and looked at it.
‘The Underworld: A Story of Undying Love’.
On the book cover was a handsome immortal in a white robe with a golden crown and a sword, holding the hands of the handsome and fair young man in front of him. They stared into each other’s eyes with deep affection but also sorrow.
An indescribable silence enveloped the entire room.
Gong Wei stuffed the book back under the pillow and calmly said, “I brought it back from Linjiang City, just didn’t find the opportunity to toss it.”
“…” Yuchi Xiao asked sternly, “You know that if this book was found, you would be cut up by Lord Xu himself and fed to the dogs, right?”
Gong Wei sneered back, “You know that if you were discovered spying on the disciples of the Cang Yang Sect sleeping in the middle of the night, you would also be cut up and fed to the dogs, right?”
“I said I didn’t!”
“Then you’ve come to peep at this book!”
“That’s pure slander!” Yuchi Xiao almost lost control of his voice. He then immediately gritted his teeth and lowered his voice to a whisper such that only two of them could hear, “I just remembered something and came over to ask!”
“What is it?”
Yuchi Xiao looked as if he wanted to wave his hands and leave, but for the burning question, which forced him to remain still instead. After a moment of forbearance, he said stiffly, “You said that last time.”
“?”
“You said spying on me wasn’t as convenient as spying on Lord Xu.”
“…”
Yuchi Xiao reprimanded, “Although you always behave inappropriately like this, and can’t walk away whenever you see a decent looking passerby—but the outer disciples of the Cang Yang Sect live far away from the Xuanji Hall, so how can you spy with convenience? And you have moved quarters? Why?”
In the silence of the night, Gong Wei stared long and hard at Young Master Yuchi with a peculiar expression, as if he was meeting him for the first time today, before he slowly said, “Your ardent concern for me is truly impressive, Young Master Yuchi.”
“I am not concerned! Yunfei said that Lord Xu had a long-standing hatred for Chief Gong and he was afraid that he would show disdain for you as well when you returned to the Cang Yang Sect. You’re a little shit and nobody cares if you die anyway, Yunfei just wants me to check if you are alive every now then then!”
That was a pure slander, the word ‘little shit’ would never come out of the lips of a gentleman like Meng Yunfei in his lifetime.
Gong Wei dragged an “Aww—” sound, smiled and replied, “You worry too much, Young Swordsman. This chief…I am so popular with people and have countless admirers and followers. Since I left Lingjiang City, Lord Xu has a good eye for talent and not only did he immediately let me move into Xuanji Palace, he also personally taught me the Cang Yang Sect’s secret arts. He even promised to take me as his disciple… surprised?”
Now it was Yuchi Xiao’s turn to stare at Gong Wei for a long time with an unfamiliar and unusual gaze, as if he knew him for the first time today. He said after a long time, “Stop joking around and get serious.”
Gong Wei put one hand on his cheek and winked slyly, “Who’s playing with you? This little mei demon’s life is also a life, and whoever wronged the little mei demon before will pay the price one day.”
He often spoke so half-heartedly, like a playful child. But for some reason when he heard these words, Yuchi Xiao instinctively felt a slight difference.
The change was so subtle and disappeared so quickly that he couldn’t tell if it was an illusion. Gong Wei turned towards him and asked with a smile, “By the way, Young Swordsman…”
“What?”
“I heard you say last time that to activate the summoning formation you must first call out the name of the person being summoned, and then say the relationship between the two…”
Yuchi Xiao froze suddenly.
“So what did you just call me?”
“…”
The air seemed to be still, Gong Wei gave a look of mockery, and Yuchi Xiao’s expression froze.
Halfway through, he stammered, “I-I just, I only…”
Knock! Knock!
Suddenly, there were two heavy knocks on the door, which interrupted the latter part of Yuchi Xiao’s sentence, followed by someone unceremoniously pushing the door in.
Gong Wei and Yuchi Xiao both turned back and almost immediately, their hearts stopped. A man in loose robes stepped in, the moonlight cast a soft light on his handsome, icy face. It was Xu Shuangtze!
“—What’s all this noise in the middle of the night?”
Gong Wei stumbled and slid out of the bed, while Yuchi Xiao hurriedly bowed, “Greetings, Sovereign! This humble junior pays his respects to Lord Xu!”
The only thing the duo could think of at this moment was: How can you even hear us?
Xu Shuangtze stood still, but no one could see his gaze fall on Gong Wei while not giving so much as a glance at Yuchi Xiao on the other side. A moment later, he slowly opened his mouth, but spoke not to Gong Wei.
“Young Master Yuchi.”
“Yes.”
“What matter do you have, coming unannounced at this late hour?”
After a moment’s hesitation, Yuchi Xiao said, “Replying to the Sovereign, this junior is acquainted with your disciple, Xiang Xiaoyuan. Since leaving Linjiang City, we have not heard from each other, therefore—”
His words stopped abruptly, his pupils reflected Xu Shuangtze’s sudden movements.
Xu Shuangtze bent down towards Gong Wei’s waist. Hanging around the young man’s sleeping robes was a blood-red jade pendant. With a tug, Xu Shuangtze pulled the silk ribbon off.
“A Qilin pendant,” Xu Shuangtze said indifferently.
The jade pendant glowed faintly under the moonlight because it was responding to the activation of a summoning formation. Xu Shuangtze’s expression was not one of joy or anger, and he fondled it carelessly for a moment, before finally looking at Yuchi Xiao.
“My disciple is too young and heartless—not worthy of the Golden Gate’s Sword Sect family.”
Yuchi Xiao’s expression changed.
Xu Shuangtze continued, “I think we should forget about this engagement.”
The next moment, Yuchi Xiao blurted out, “How can we just forget about it?”
A month ago, when Yuchi Xiao went up Cang Yang Mountain, he was resolute in dissolving the engagement and exposing Xiang Xiaoyuan as a half-demon and an ‘inhuman thing’ in front of the crowd.
Now that he had gotten what he wanted, he was not delighted, but instead, a wave of anger surged to his head and he said, “Lord Xu is too impetuous, our union as cultivation partners has already been announce to the Immortal Alliance, even if you wanted us to break it off today, we can’t let you do so lightly…”
“I can’t?” Xu Shuangtze asked in return.
Yuchi Xiao was speechless, and looked at Gong Wei with a start.
Gong Wei was already kneeling on the ground behind Xu Shuangtze, cold sweat rolling down his face but he didn’t dare to reach out to wipe it.
Yuchi Xiao, “?”
“Go, go back and get help!” Gong Wei mouthed, “Get your uncle to help! Hurry!”
The next moment Xu Shuangtze’s eyes glanced at Gong Wei who instantly froze up, only to hear him ask indifferently, “What is the opinion of my beloved disciple?”
Gong Wei said meekly, “This disciple will do as Shizun wishes.”
Yuchi Xiao’s expression immediately changed, “ Lord Xu please do not jest, when have you accepted any disciples? Even Wen Xiuyang—”
Without letting him finish his sentence, Xu Shuangtze nodded his head and said, “Very well.”
He then flicked his thumb on the Qilin pendant.
The faint light on the jade pendant suddenly went out, and at the same time the summoning formation in mid-air also dissipated. Before Yuchi Xiao could say anything more, he turned into countless specks of light and disappeared in a swishing wind!
Darkness returned to the large hall, and the frozen air pressed heavily overhead, with only the moonlight reflecting the two figures standing and kneeling on the floor.
Gong Wei lowered his head even more, but felt a chill on his lower jaw as he was lifted up by Xu Shuangtze’s cold, strong hand, while he spoke one word after another, “Lo-tus-Im-mortal.”
There was a buzz resounding in Gong Wei’s head, and his heart lifted to his throat.
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Sahl: Um… *small voice* Sorry ‘bout the cliffhanger, guys. *runs away*
…
But also ‘cause Chansie is awesome and agreed to my pleas – you can go straight to the next chapter as a special double release (‘cause cliffhangers are good, but only when you have the option of instant relief!). Once per week releases will commence again next week.
Takeaways from this chapter: Gong Wei and Yuchi Xiao bickering over who is more inappropriate…
Xu Shuangtze calmly ending their engagement ‘on behalf of the rest of the world’.
