Gu Yunkai, a man who seemed emotionally detached and unfeeling, had indeed put great effort into raising Lu Ran, his disciple. However, if someone showed such deep affection towards him, even if it were a man, it wouldn’t be impossible for him to accept.
The culture of the demon race was open-minded and they always followed their hearts when it came to love and emotions. It was quite the opposite for the cultivators in their immortal sects, where strict moral codes and rigid rules could be suffocating.
Gu Yunkai paused for a moment and said, “The things between us can’t be explained in a few words.”
Duan Chongque wore a thoughtful expression on his face. After a while, he said, “But can Master Gu really tolerate his disciple turning into a full-fledged demon? Isn’t your Floating Light Sect known for its mission to eliminate evil and uphold justice?”
Duan Chongque had already realized that even though Lu Ran seemed indifferent to the title of Demon Sovereign, his deep-seated hatred had not diminished in the past few centuries. He had not initiated any conflicts with the immortal sects since Gu Yunkai’s death, but his inner grudge remained, with Gu Yunkai being the sole exception.
However, Gu Yunkai was different. Even though he was willing to sacrifice his life for Lu Ran, he couldn’t believe that Lu Ran would give up his path and his beliefs for him. So, ultimately, even if Gu Yunkai woke up, there would be an unbridgeable gap between them.
Gu Yunkai spoke calmly, yet his words carried a hint of melancholy. “If I couldn’t tolerate it, I wouldn’t have taken him as my disciple. Not everything in the world is just black or white. I’ve made many mistakes in the past, which led him to become so extreme and stubborn.”
Gu Yunkai sighed deeply and continued, “He is inherently pure, and I should have believed that he could face all of this on his own instead of arrogantly keeping secrets. In the end, I owe him a lot…”
Duan Chongque listened in astonishment. He had initially thought that if Gu Yunkai woke up, considering Lu Ran’s current identity, they would be on opposing sides, and it would result in a mutually destructive outcome. However, he didn’t expect this kind of response from Gu Yunkai.
Duan Chongque’s fantasy was shattered, and now he wondered if Lu Ran’s answer had anything to do with Gu Yunkai’s purity.
“Gu Yunkai, I think you’re not interested in romance right now because you’re solely focused on cultivation and haven’t experienced the wonders of it,” Duan Chongque pulled up a chair and sat in front of Gu Yunkai. “In your immortal sect, female cultivators are all reserved and dignified, maybe your cold nature doesn’t appreciate that. But we in the demon clan have various different styles; you can explore and appreciate…”
Gu Yunkai was taken aback by how the conversation had shifted to this topic. He quietly advised, “Please, let’s not talk about this.”
Duan Chongque continued, seemingly unfazed by Gu Yunkai’s reaction, “What do you think about someone like Vice Sect Master Ye? When I was the Demon Sovereign back then…”
However, before he could finish his sentence, his expression abruptly changed. His reminiscence shifted into something more intense, and his gaze became focused. Without warning, powerful pressure descended, causing Duan Chongque to recall the hardships he had endured under Gu Yunkai. In an instant, he decided to follow a single word—escape!
But this time, Lu Ran’s anger was even greater than before. He wore black attire and locked his piercing gaze on Duan Chongque, as if he wanted to tear him apart. Without saying a word, he sent a sword strike directly at Duan Chongque, who had barely reacted. The forceful aura emanating from the sword knocked him back.
Duan Chongque felt a sharp pain in all his organs, and he couldn’t help but collapse to the ground, coughing up three mouthfuls of blood. However, despite the ferocity of Lu Ran’s strike, Duan Chongque wasn’t afraid at all. For the past few hundred years, every time he had come to provoke Lu Ran, his opponent had only given him a severe beating and never tried to take his life. Aside from the intense anger in Lu Ran’s icy gaze at that moment, his overall demeanor could be described as relatively refined and easygoing.
Duan Chongque seethed with hatred but also felt that he had wasted his own extraordinary cultivation. If he possessed such power, he would have dominated the Three Realms, making everyone bow down before him. Then, what could a mere figure like Gu Yunkai amount to?
Lu Ran cast a cold glance at Duan Chongque, sheathed his hidden blade, and cleanly uttered a single word, “Go.”
For a gentleman, seeking revenge may take a decade or longer.
Duan Chongque gritted his teeth and uttered a final remark to Lu Ran’s departing back, “You just wait.”
Lu Ran turned his head, giving him a questioning glance. He half-drew his concealed blade as if in anticipation.
Duan Chongque hesitated, his speech faltering, and then, without further ado, he quickly disappeared from the Demon Palace.
*
“Master…” Lu Ran looked at Mystic Frost placed before him, his face reflecting a stunned expression that he couldn’t hide, and his gaze was filled with astonishment.
Gu Yunkai nodded and said to Lu Ran, “This is the sword my master gave me all those years ago. With my current lack of spiritual power, this sword is nothing but a piece of scrap metal in my hands. I’m giving it to you now.”
Lu Ran listened to his master’s words, and he couldn’t help but feel a surge of bittersweet emotions welling up inside him.
“Master, don’t worry… this unworthy descendant will find a way, and I’ll make sure you recover to how you were before,” Lu Ran assured.
However, Gu Yunkai shook his head and fixed his gaze on Lu Ran. “Don’t you understand, my actions are for a particular hope I have for you?”
Under the moonlight, with the starry sky overhead and the distant mountain breeze brushing past, everything around them seemed to become tranquil.
Lu Ran was taken aback by the warmth and tenderness in his master’s gaze, which was filled with expectations. It reminded him of his childhood, and it was a look he would never forget.
Gu Yunkai saw that Lu Ran had finally accepted Mystic Frost. At first, he had a solemn expression, but then he seemed to hesitate and looked at Lu Ran with bright, eager eyes, as if he wanted to say something but couldn’t find the words.
Lu Ran hesitated for a moment but then spoke, “Master… Since you’ve given me Xuanfrost, how about I leave Hidden Edge in your care?”
Gu Yunkai looked at him curiously and asked, “Why?”
Lu Ran realized his master’s intent and paused for a moment. Then he continued, “Because it belongs to you, Master. I think it’s more fitting to keep Hidden Edge with you.”
Gu Yunkai expression stiffened briefly before he said, “Don’t have such thoughts. Keep Hidden Edge for yourself. I don’t need it.”
[Why is he rejecting it? This was supposed to be a solemn sword-transmission ceremony.]
[Why is he calling himself “unworthy descendant”?]
[Master is so dedicated to you. Bravo! But why does he want to be called “dad”?]
[That’s impossible. Don’t you think it’s time for our host to forget about his character?]
Gu Yunkai stood up and said to Lu Ran, “Cultivation, whether it’s in the path of Dao or the path of Demon, ultimately comes down to choices. As long as you remain steadfast, I believe you can find your own way. I hope you remember this and never disappoint me.”
Lu Ran nodded and replied, “Master, I will never disappoint you again.”
Finally, Gu Yunkai reached out and gently stroked Lu Ran’s head. His touch revealed that Lu Ran’s hair was unexpectedly fine and soft. “Well.”
“It’s been a long time since we had a drink together, my disciple,” Gu Yunkai said as he poured a cup of wine for himself, took a sip, and then looked at Lu Ran.
Gu Yunkai had delicate features, a straight nose, and thin eyelids. Though he usually appeared cold and distant, under the moonlight, Lu Ran felt his heart race as his master simply gazed at him.
Lu Ran quickly took a sip of the wine and noticed that Gu Yunkai’s gaze had become unfocused after three rounds of drinking. Gu Yunkai’s usually cold, pale face now had a faint blush. Some strands of disheveled hair clung to his cheek, and his eyes were half-closed. It was evident that he was getting tipsy.
Lu Ran hesitated for a moment, then walked over, bent down, and whispered, “Master.”
Gu Yunkai’s eyelids fluttered slightly, and his lips moved. He murmured, “Lu Ran…”
Lu Ran heard his name but couldn’t quite catch the rest of the sentence, finding it somewhat puzzling. He leaned closer, trying to listen more closely. What he heard was Gu Yunkai’s slightly slurred voice, mixed with the scent of alcohol, as he repeated the phrase in Lu Ran’s ear, “Call me Dad…”
Completely different from the usual coldness and solemnity, Lu Ran’s ears turned red this time as he finally heard clearly.
He lifted Gu Yunkai and carried him back to the main hall, then covered him with a blanket.
“Master…” Lu Ran looked down at Gu Yunkai, seeing that his master was sleeping quietly, seemingly without any defenses against him.
After some thought, Lu Ran changed his tone and softly said, “Master.”
These two words seemed to have a different kind of magic, spreading between his teeth and bringing a bittersweet feeling that numbed his heart. However, it was only for a moment. All the surging emotions in his eyes quickly disappeared, leaving only a calm silence.
“Lu Ran.”
Lu Ran was taken aback when Gu Yunkai suddenly opened his eyes. “Call me daddy…”
Lu Ran didn’t expect his master to open his eyes like that and hesitated. “Master…”
Gu Yunkai sat up, looking directly at him with a serious expression. “Quick, call me daddy.”
Lu Ran was puzzled, and he furrowed his thick black eyebrows for a while before asking, “Daddy?”
The plan was successful.
Gu Yunkai smiled contentedly, pushed Lu Ran away, and lay down, covering himself with a blanket. “Be a good boy, go outside and play.”
Outside to play, outside to play, outside to play…
It wasn’t until Lu Ran left the room that he realized this and smiled, then sighed and closed the door.
*
Since the Battle of Red Cloud City, several centuries have passed. Originally, the border between the human realm and the demon realm was nothing more than a remote, desolate town with scarce resources and few inhabitants. However, at this moment, the streets were lined with various shops.
In the aftermath of the Battle of Red Cloud City, the city had been left empty as the former city lord, Qin Yan, betrayed the demon race, and the demons eventually retreated after facing defeat. Despite being a significant location on the border between the human and demon realms, various sects suffered heavy casualties during the battle and had no time to manage the city. Taking advantage of the chaos, Duan Chongque decisively cleared out the internal factions of Red Cloud City and declared himself the city lord, further enhancing his position.
Gu Yunkai walked deeper into the street, he felt that several of the restaurants appeared rather dubious.
Elegant silk lanterns, a display of extravagance.
The two of them entered a restaurant, and oddly, even though it was mealtime, the place was quite empty. The innkeeper noticed that although both individuals had ordinary appearances, they exuded a strong aura. In particular, the man dressed in white had a tall and dignified stature, making his otherwise ordinary face appear somewhat attractive.
Coming here in broad daylight… Tsk…
The innkeeper found a table for the two of them and asked, “Is there anything else you would like to add to your order?”
Gu Yunkai had a premonition that this wasn’t an ordinary restaurant.
“We have four options here. The first one is the ‘Grand Opening.’ We have lovely ladies who will accompany you and enjoy tea with you to lighten the mood. The second one is…”
Lu Ran hadn’t looked pleased since they entered, and the more he heard, the darker his expression became. He had visible veins on his forehead, and he turned to look at the innkeeper, trying to control his emotions as he said, “Get lost.”
Gu Yunkai cleared his throat and said to the innkeeper, “Just bring the food.”
Lan Ran glanced at his side, “Master…”
Gu Yunkai took a sip of tea, and upon hearing Lu Ran’s praise, he said, “Well, that was very good, but next time you can be even more accommodating.”
Lu Ran had something to say, but at that moment, there was a loud crash. Gu Yunkai looked up to see a young man standing amidst the shattered table, wielding a brilliant sword, with spiritual energy overflowing around him.
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