“Shen Tanqi.”
“Breath.”
The originally bustling crowd suddenly fell into a deathly silence. Everyone stared in shock at the scene before them, occasionally letting out a few low gasps.
“Why would Senior Brother Yu save him…”
“How can Senior Brother be here? Wasn’t the boat that was supposed to take Senior Brother out of the mountains already here?”
“This Shen Tanqi, please don’t delay Senior Brother’s time…”
The loud buzzing in his ears gradually subsided, caused by the pressure of the water.
Shen Tanqi, who had been stunned for a long while, seemed to finally regain consciousness, gasping for a breath of fresh air. His lungs gradually resumed functioning, uncontrollably coughing up water, and the surrounding sounds finally became clear.
But in his mind, there was only an image of that wrist as fair as frost, set against the pool of pink lotuses, radiating a soft, gentle glow.
It’s a pity that he had just zoned out, he couldn’t even savor how melodious the other person’s voice was—like Zhu Bajie eating ginseng fruit, only catching a single word: ‘Breath.’
Shen Tanqi half-crouched on the ground was soon surrounded by a group of senior brothers who came to care for him. He could only watch as the person picked up the sword from the ground and, as if nothing had happened, indifferently walked away from the crowd.
Well, he was about to thank him. Looking at how well-dressed the person was, he was probably a modern-day Lei Feng, doing good deeds without leaving a name.
Good people live peacefully; a heart of gratitude, thank you, Lei Feng.
With that, the bit of regret in Shen Tanqi’s heart dissipated, and he peacefully fainted.
Rongyun Pavilion.
The white crane pecked at its feathers, and the incense burned out at its side. A serving disciple took a fresh stick of incense from a jade box and lit it again.
“Not waiting until the Lotus Festival is over to leave the mountain?” an aged voice came from behind the hanging curtain at the top of the pavilion, as the two attendants finished changing the incense, slowly drawing the curtain.
Behind the curtain was an old man meditating with closed eyes, with a solemn face, quietly listening to the laughter and playfulness of the disciples outside the window.
In the center of the pavilion, the person who had previously saved Shen Tanqi’s life while wearing a draped hat was kneeling.
Lowering the brim of his draped hat, he leaned over and said, “It’s time to leave. The area around Jiangdong is often disturbed by the demon clan, making life unbearable for the people. After the disciple eliminates the demons, he will return.”
As soon as he finished speaking, the old man’s beard trembled a few times. Suddenly opening his eyes, he angrily glared at the young man kneeling on the ground, cursing loudly, “Do you realize how dangerous it is there? You’re just a fledgling brat. If something happens to you in Jiangdong, do you want this entire Rongyun Sect to be handed over to the Shen family, you incompetent fool!”
“I dare not.”
Although he said he didn’t dare, he straightened his back, not bending even an inch more.
The old man was infuriated to the point of seeing black, waving his hand furiously. “Go, and if you leave, don’t ever come back.”
The young man smiled, “But I’ll have to come back.”
“You!” The old man glared at him with clenched teeth for a while but eventually swallowed the burst of anger in his throat.
It doesn’t matter, he’s just setting himself up for trouble!
Fine, the wings are hard now.
Outside the window, the voices of young boys and girls sounded like melodious orioles. The new disciples were immersed in the joy of the Lotus Festival, unaware of the heaviness here.
The man in white robes glanced at the drifting clouds outside, the setting sun on the verge of descent, then quickly withdrew his gaze, softly saying to the old man, “Take care, Master. I’ll take my leave.”
Just as he was about to rise, the elderly voice from the top of the attic spoke up again.
“Wait,” the old man rubbed his throbbing forehead, looking at the young man meaningfully, “I heard you saved Shen Tanqi today by the lotus pond.”
At these words, the man in white robes hesitated slightly, offering no reply.
However, the old man seemed to have found an opportunity to retort, sarcastically saying, “Haven’t you always hated that young master’s attitude? How come you’re willing to lend a hand now?”
The man in plain clothes glanced at him, lightly chuckling with a hint of helplessness. In an instant, the young attendants in the building froze in place, holding fans.
The small door of the pavilion closed slowly, and the sound of footsteps on the wooden ladder grew increasingly distant. Outside the window, the disciples seemed to have finally determined the outcome of their competition, with some celebrating in excitement and others sighing in disappointment.
However, only the old man in the room sneered and shook his palm-leaf fan slowly, his heart filled with myriad emotions.
Shen Tanqi, you’re lucky to have encountered my obedient disciple, your good Junior Brother—
“Even if he’s not good, he is still my senior brother, who I bowed to three times when I joined the sect.”
“I saved him, it’s only right.”
When Shen Tanqi woke up again, there were only Fang Wenxun and Xiao Qingyu by his side.
Seeing that he was awake, Xiao Qingyu quickly handed him water, and Fang Wenxun helped him sit up.
Both of them looked extremely tense, as if something enormous had happened.
Before Shen Tanqi could speak, Fang Wenxun interrupted his words, “Sh-Shen, Junior Brother Shen, please don’t tell the elders about this incident. I’ve already punished the disciple responsible for building the Lotus Pavilion by making him reflect in front of the Enlightenment Stone. They are all new children, please don’t blame them. If you have to blame someone, blame the Senior Brother for not discovering that the railing of the lotus pond pavilion wasn’t fixed…”
Shen Tanqi tried to speak several times, looking at the anxious expressions of his senior and junior brothers, realizing that this was his chance to clear his name.
He cleared his throat and said, “Senior Brother, you don’t need to blame yourself. It’s my own fault for not paying attention while walking. It’s my fault. Please bring that disciple back. The alternating cold of day and night in the summer is severe, and it’s not worth it to freeze one’s body.”
After Shen Tanqi finished speaking, he glanced at Fang Wenxun once more. The other party’s face was filled with despair, as if Shen Tanqi had said something terrible again.
“I understand, Junior Brother,” Fang Wenxun covered his chest and said, “Are you planning to hand that disciple over to the Shen family for handling?”
Shen Tanqi: …
He never mentioned the Shen family.
It seemed that this kind of thing had happened frequently in the past. Shen Tanqi sighed and said, “I’ve said it before, my illness burned my brain, so I accidentally fell into the pond. The matter ends here. You don’t need to worry.”
After hearing this, the two of them seemed to have relieved a bit of their burden, but their eyes remained curious and confused as they stared at Shen Tanqi.
Shen Tanqi looked outside the door, where the lively and noisy sounds seemed to have vanished. He was puzzled, “Has the Lotus Festival ended?”
Xiao Qingyu hurriedly came closer to him and replied, “It’s Senior Brother Yu.”
Senior Brother Yu?
Who was Senior Brother Yu? The name sounded somewhat familiar.
“Senior Brother Yu is leaving the Rongyun Sect today to travel outside. Senior Brothers and Sisters are all rushing to see him off, but I…” Xiao Qingyu had only said half of it when Fang Wenxun gave him a strong warning with his eyes.
After a while, from their exchange of glances, Shen Tanqi understood something. This Senior Brother Yu probably was someone who couldn’t be mentioned in front of the original body.
Could it be the male lead?
According to the plot development, he remembered that the male lead seemed to leave the Rongyun Sect on the day of the Lotus Festival for an outside journey.
This is a great thing.
Shen Tanqi felt a bit excited and asked, “Why aren’t you both going to see him off like everyone else?”
Fang Wenxun and Xiao Qingyu exchanged a glance, and Fang Wenxun spoke, “Elder Shen said you were shocked and should rest well these days. He instructed me and Junior Brother Qingyu to take good care of you.”
Elder Shen seemed to be the uncle of the original owner, and also Shen Tanqi’s greatest support in Rongyun Sect.
“Ah, I see.” Shen Tanqi sat up and was about to get out of bed to meet the male lead who was traveling far away, but was hurriedly pressed back by Xiao Qingyu.
“Sorry, Senior Brother!” Xiao Qingyu quickly realized what he had done and in a panic, blurted, “I just… I just heard the doctor say you shouldn’t get out of bed, so I…”
Shen Tanqi was stunned. The setting sun’s rays shone through, giving Xiao Qingyu’s hair a faint glow, and he once again noticed that this little junior brother seemed to be really good-looking.
Totally his type.
“It’s alright,” Shen Tanqi gently took Xiao Qingyu’s hand, speaking affectionately, “Junior Brother’s concern warms my heart.”
Xiao Qingyu hesitated, trying to pull his hand away, but Shen Tanqi held it firmly.
Although the matter of a man marrying a man had become a social norm after the Fengtian era, he had long been interested in a young lady!
Seeing the stiffness on his face, Shen Tanqi also felt embarrassed for grabbing someone’s hand without permission. He let go of him and said softly, “I got too excited. Please don’t take it to heart, Junior Brother.”
Shen Family’s young master, the most arrogant and unruly one in the entire Rongyun Sect, was surprisingly speaking in such a gentle manner. Both Fang Wenxun and Xiao Qingyu were taken aback.
Until night fell, Fang Wenxun took care of Shen Tanqi and put him to sleep, then looked at the already weary Xiao Qingyu with a serious expression.
“Junior Brother.” Fang Wenxun spoke solemnly.
Xiao Qingyu had a vague idea of what he was going to say and sighed softly.
Fang Wenxun shook his head, looking at Shen Tanqi who seemed to have fallen into a deep sleep on the bed, and said, “I really thought he was crazy at first, but it turns out his heart had opened.”
When Shen Tanqi changed from his previous arrogant and unruly attitude. Even refrained from blaming anyone after the unfortunate incident of falling into the water, he felt something was wrong. Later, when he spoke to them both with a gentle tone, and thanked them sincerely, his eyes were warm.
It turned out it was all because he took a liking to their newly arrived Junior Brother, Xiao Qingyu!
Xiao Qingyu couldn’t express the indescribable feeling in his heart. To be noticed by such a spoiled young master, he didn’t know if it was a blessing or a curse.
“In the future, you must be careful,” Fang Wenxun earnestly advised, “He’s the kind of person who won’t give up on what he wants. You must not provoke him.”
Xiao Qingyu suppressed his emotions and nodded gently, “It’s not safe to speak about it here, Senior Brother.”
“Don’t worry, he falls asleep like a log every time he attends classes. No one can wake him up.”
“…Alright.”
Seeing Xiao Qingyu in this state, Fang Wenxun felt even more concerned, “It’ll be fine when Junior Brother Yu returns, just endure a bit longer.”
“Junior Brother Yu?” Hearing this name, Xiao Qingyu’s eyes lit up slightly. If he hadn’t been suddenly assigned by Elder Shen to take care of the fallen-in-water Shen Tanqi, he might have been able to see Senior Brother Yu off today.
Fang Wenxun nodded heavily, somewhat emotional, “You’ve just arrived and may not know, Junior Brother Yu is like a celestial being untainted by the worldly affairs. Unfortunately… on this journey to the east to eliminate demons and guard the way, the road is long and uncertain. We don’t know when he’ll return.”
Not only did everyone in Rongyun Sect hold him in high regard, but whenever Senior Brother Yu’s name was mentioned in the world, it was like bringing a radiance as clear as the moonlight.
Xiao Qingyu, having wandered outside since childhood, had heard quite a few rumors and knew a thing or two. Senior Brother Yu was the reason he had traveled a thousand miles to join the Rongyun Cloud Sect and learn martial arts.
He couldn’t help but look forward to the day when he could finally meet Senior Brother Yu, and finally address him as ‘Senior Brother.’
“When I was sixteen, Senior Brother Yu accompanied our master to the city where I lived to eliminate demonic threats and by a twist of fate, he saved my life.” Xiao Qingyu lowered his gaze, extended his hand, and gently poured tea for Fang Wenxun, “My parents and siblings were all killed by the demon clan. I was the only one left, standing in the courtyard, crying loudly…”
Fang Wenxun looked up in surprise, and the tea in his hand rippled slightly.
“At that time,” Xiao Qingyu took a deep breath, trying to relax his tone, “Senior Brother Yu wielded his sword and killed the last demon, his white clothes stained with blood, standing in front of me. Normally, people would comfort me at that moment.”
He suddenly chuckled, “But Senior Brother Yu just gave me a cold look, and then sheathed his sword and left.”
It was pitch-black at that night, and my heart was ice-cold.
“I knelt on the ground and begged him to take me along. I wanted to avenge my parents and exterminate all the demonic beings in this world.”
“But the senior brother just said, ‘Do you think anyone can wield a sword?'”
After speaking, Xiao Qingyu clenched his fist inside his sleeve, suppressing the trembling and spoke softly, “He said, ‘Carrying this sword, one day you will die by another sword. Your parents and siblings sacrificed their lives to protect you, and you should cherish that.’”
“’I was born without a father or a mother, without ties, without worries. If I die, I die. It’s no big deal.’”
At the same time, Shen Tanqi, who should have been asleep, suddenly opened his eyes, and what he saw was a little chick swaying back and forth. The little thing was already shedding tears.
“Wow, our book is so touching.”
“Shut up.”
“Yes, master.”
Shen Tanqi felt an indescribable feeling in his heart, especially after hearing the male lead’s words about being parentless and indifferent to death.
People only saw him as the shining and unyielding figure, making demons tremble, but no one asked if he was afraid, if he missed home.
Sigh, it’s quite pitiable.
“I believe that Senior Brother is blessed; he will surely return safely,” Xiao Qingyu lowered his gaze and softly said, “When I have accomplished something in the future, it’s not too late to meet Senior Brother again.”
Hearing this, Fang Wenxun, fearing that he might fall into pain, quickly changed the subject and cheerfully patted Xiao Qingyu’s shoulder, “Good, be ambitious. You must take care of yourself for Senior Brother Yu’s sake and let him rest assured.”
“I will!”
Xiao Qingyu and Fang Wenxun glanced at each other, but neither of them spoke.
Finally, both of their shocked gazes fell simultaneously on the smiling Shen Tanqi lying on the bed.
“Sorry, I just got here, and I’m a bit unfamiliar with the bed, so I couldn’t sleep.”
Hello, everyone ヾ(＾∇＾). I hope you enjoyed the story! If you’re feeling generous, please buy me a coffee, share/comment on my translated works! Check out the link below for early chapters. (๑>ᴗ<๑)
