Less than ten days remained before the sect’s grand competition began, and disciples from various sects had already started arriving at Kong Hou Mountain. Inns at the foot of the Rongyun Sect’s mountains were packed to the brim.
The system had been increasingly attentive to Shen Tanqi these past few days, constantly reminding him to successfully complete the plot tasks.
“Host, last time I told you to get Xiao Qingyu to change the disciple list. Did you do it?”
Shen Tanqi remembered that day when he and Xiao Qingyu had been drinking and enjoying themselves at the Yaoting Pavilion. Unfortunately, they had been caught red-handed by Yu Ce. He scratched his head nervously and casually replied, “I didn’t change it. I had a bit too much to drink at the time.”
The system jumped onto his knee urgently, saying, “How could you not change it? There isn’t much time left now. If Yu Ce doesn’t encounter a strong opponent and wins too easily, where’s the excitement in the plot?”
Shen Tanqi nonchalantly picked it up and placed it on the desk beside him, comforting, “It’s fine. With his leisurely days spent with the kids, even if he doesn’t encounter a strong opponent, he’ll still face some challenges.”
Upon hearing this, the system understood, “So that’s your plan, Host—you’re taking a roundabout approach.”
Shen Tanqi: …
He didn’t really think that far ahead; he was just dealing with the situation at hand.
Not only did he need Yu Ce to work hard in cultivation to win the sect’s grand competition, but he also couldn’t let him win too easily. How could anyone manage that balance?
“Also, Host, you’ve been getting too close to Yu Ce lately,” the system frowned, surveying the Yaoting Pavilion. Yu Ce’s clothes were hung on the rack, his bed was neatly made beside Shen Tanqi’s, and snacks he had bought were placed on the table. Even the flowers in the vase were picked by Yu Ce.
Shen Tanqi casually picked up a book and hid his face behind it, pretending to read attentively, “Really? I don’t think so. We’re not that close.”
System: ?
Put down the book in your hand before saying that.
Shen Tanqi rubbed its head with a wry smile and said, “Don’t worry, I’ll figure something out. Isn’t it just about keeping him away from me a bit?”
The system looked at him suspiciously and said, “Host, are you not wanting to go back?”
Before, Shen Tanqi wasn’t like this. Since the last illusionary realm experience, the system always felt something was off.
Shen Tanqi shook his head and replied, “Why would I not want to go back? Where else can I go?”
Just then, there was a knock on the door of the Yaoting Pavilion, and the system immediately fell silent.
Shen Tanqi raised his voice towards the door, “Who is it?”
A trembling voice of a junior disciple came from outside the door, “Senior Brother Shen, I am from the Fu Feng Peak. The elder sent me to deliver the results of your last illusionary realm trial.”
He had completely forgotten about this.
Shen Tanqi got up to open the door slowly. A few junior disciples stood timidly outside, led by one who cautiously handed over a thin piece of paper.
He took it and read the blunt words written on it: “Spent one hour in the illusionary realm, scored grade C, still needs improvement.”
He had indeed spent too long last time, so this score was reasonable.
Shen Tanqi smiled and took the paper, inviting them inside, “Since you’re here, come in and rest for a bit.”
The junior disciples’ faces suddenly changed, as if they had heard something earth-shattering. They trembled and waved their hands, saying, “No need, Senior Brother, you’ve received it. We must immediately return to the disciples’ dormitory to deliver these lists, we can’t stay long.”
Seeing they had urgent matters, Shen Tanqi didn’t press further. He smiled and returned inside, taking out a handful of snacks and fruits, which he stuffed into their hands. “Alright, it’s hot today, have these on your way.”
As the door closed, the junior disciples looked at each other, each holding the gifts from Shen Tanqi in their palms.
“I don’t think Senior Brother Shen is as fierce and unreasonable as the rumors say…” one junior disciple murmured in a daze, looking at the fruits in his hand, finding it hard to articulate. “He seems kind and considerate…”
Another junior disciple chimed in hesitantly, “And when Senior Brother Shen smiles, he seems quite…”
Gentle and refined, caring and thoughtful, just like an elder brother next door.
They dared not say more, clutching the gifts from Shen Tanqi, they turned towards the disciples’ dormitory. Along the way, they coincidentally met Yu Ce returning from the dormitory.
Quickly pulling out a sheet of thick paper from their robes, they intercepted Yu Ce respectfully. “Senior Brother Yu, here are the results of your last trial in the illusionary realm. The elder instructed us to deliver them.”
They had no idea that Yu Ce had been living with Shen Tanqi at the Yaoting Pavilion, nor did they realize how close they had come to not delivering these results to Yu Ce.
Yu Ce took them absentmindedly, thanked them, but his gaze paused briefly on the fruits in their hands.
Those Bayberries…
He bought them every morning from Shuoxia City for Shen Tanqi. There was certainly no special supply to Rongyun Sect.
Narrowing his eyes slightly, he asked softly, “Did you just come from the Yaoting Pavilion?”
The junior disciples from Fu Feng Peak weren’t afraid of Yu Ce at all. They nodded eagerly, and one of them even said with excitement, “When we met Senior Brother Shen from the inner sect for the first time, we realized the rumors are completely unreliable. All these things were given to us by Senior Brother Shen.”
They had delivered to several places, and only Shen Tanqi warmly invited them in to rest, offered them water, and even gave them so many things.
Upon hearing this, Yu Ce softly acknowledged with a “Hmm,” thanked them again, and then turned towards the direction of the Yaoting Pavilion.
However, this time, his steps seemed much quicker than before.
Watching Yu Ce leave, the Fu Feng disciples looked puzzled. One of them asked, “Is Senior Brother Yu… going to the Yaoting Pavilion?”
Another nudged him, “Who knows? Maybe it’s because you were just praising Senior Brother Shen in front of Senior Brother Yu. Did you forget they don’t get along well and tend to quarrel when they meet?”
The disciple’s face changed, “Am I causing trouble for Senior Brother Shen?”
Wait, would he really cause trouble for Shen Tanqi?
Why did he think like that?
The Fu Feng disciple scratched his head and looked at the fruits in his hand. It’s probably true that you become soft-hearted when you eat someone’s food, and you feel indebted when you take someone’s money.
When Yu Ce returned to the Yaoting Pavilion, Shen Tanqi was playing chess with the little chick he was raising.
“I told you to go easy on me,” Shen Tanqi frowned unhappily, placing a black piece down. “I’ll never win if you keep playing like this.”
The system was even more frustrated. “Host, haven’t you heard? It’s harder to lose gracefully than to win technically.” It didn’t say the second half.
Not to mention, Shen Tanqi’s Go game was too poor, leaving so many flaws that were visible.
Yu Ce slowly approached, spread out his results, and placed them next to Shen Tanqi’s hand.
Without even glancing at it, Shen Tanqi pondered how to block the system’s moves in the next step, completely absorbed in the joy of playing chess.
It wasn’t until Yu Ce could no longer bear it and cleared his throat softly that Shen Tanqi’s eyelashes trembled slightly. Suddenly, he excitedly raised his arms and exclaimed, “I won, I won!”
Five black pieces connected in a row after a morning of playing, finally securing a victory.
The system was exhausted beyond words; it had purposely made mistakes, fearing Shen Tanqi might tire himself out at the chessboard.
“Senior Brother.”
Shen Tanqi looked up and saw Yu Ce take a deep breath, tapping the thin paper next to his hand.
Only then did Shen Tanqi react, reaching out to pick it up and couldn’t help but laugh, “Grade D, even I got Grade C, hahaha!”
Yu Ce remained expressionless as Shen Tanqi laughed, taking out other results from his pocket one by one.
Rongyun Sword Art, Grade A.
Alchemy Initial Test, Grade A.
Demon-slaying Mini-test, Grade A.
Formation Practice, Grade A.
Shen Tanqi looked at the row of red Grade A letters in silence and said, “Are you here to show off to me?”
Unexpectedly, Yu Ce raised his eyelids slightly and repeatedly said, “Senior Brother caused me to fail the illusionary realm trial and I have to retake it three times.”
At these words, Shen Tanqi widened his eyes in disbelief and pointed at himself, “Me? What does that have to do with me?”
Yu Ce put away the illusionary realm trial result and said softly, “Senior Brother, do you still not understand in your heart? Do you need me to remind you? That day in the illusionary realm thatched cottage, Senior Brother was sitting in my arms…”
Shen Tanqi quickly covered Yu Ce’s mouth with his hand, shaking his head and avoiding looking at the system’s expression. Through gritted teeth, he asked, “What are you trying to do?”
Turning the tables, accusing the innocent first.
This guy is becoming more and more outrageous.
Yu Ce gently removed Shen Tanqi’s hand and looked down at him, “I’m entering the illusionary realm this afternoon. Senior Brother, accompany me.”
Shen Tanqi already knew the content of Yu Ce’s illusionary realm. He really didn’t want to go again. “Are you a three-year-old child? Do you really need someone to accompany you?”
Moreover, since the last time Yu Ce effortlessly handled the illusionary realm while waiting for him to enter, Shen Tanqi could guess that as long as Yu Ce wanted to be serious, he could finish the trial in less than half an hour. Maybe just a quick stroll inside, and he would come out on his own.
Yu Ce deliberately lured him in just to do something unspeakable inside.
He wasn’t going to fall for it again.
Hearing his words, Yu Ce seemed hurt, took a step back in disappointment, and said, “Alright, then I’ll go find Senior Brother Fang.”
“Sure, sure.” Great, now Yu Ce could ask Senior Brother Fang for whatever he wanted inside the illusionary realm.
Just as Shen Tanqi was about to fully agree, Yu Ce sighed softly, “Anyway, Senior Brother will be there. It would be good for Senior Brother Fang to see how well we get along regularly, wouldn’t it?”
Shen Tanqi: ?
Threatening him. This was definitely a threat!
In the end, Shen Tanqi was still pulled into the illusionary realm by Yu Ce. It was the familiar thatched house, with its familiar wooden windowsill. However, this time his dependency period kicked in even faster.
As soon as Yu Ce pressed down on him, Shen Tanqi felt his whole body go limp.
“You’d better hurry up, or you’ll still be graded D when you come out, and I’ll go ask the elders to punish you to death!”
Yu Ce leaned down and bit his shoulder playfully, feigning innocence, “It’s Senior Brother’s dependency period acting up, what does it have to do with me? You’ve affected my results, so I’ll ask the elders to punish Senior Brother too.”
Shen Tanqi: …
This is turning upside down, really upside down!
After their passion had subsided,
Shen Tanqi trembled and climbed off the bed with shaky legs. But he felt a wave of heat inside him, and with a heart full of sorrow, he cursed. Just as he was about to lie down again, he heard Yu Ce’s puzzled voice, “Senior Brother, you…”
“My dependency period has acted up again, I know.”
He collapsed onto the bed, simply letting the other manipulate him as he pleased.
Until Yu Ce urgently held his face in his hands and said, “You’re about to break through to the Nascent Soul Stage!”
Shen Tanqi abruptly sat up, only then realizing that the intense heat inside his body came from his dantian.
What’s going on? Although he had been practicing recently, it was just casually and leisurely. How could he suddenly break through like this?
Yu Ce had never encountered this situation either. After a brief moment of confusion, he figured out the key point and hesitantly said, “Could it be… because of too much dual cultivation?”
Shen Tanqi: ?
He actually… broke through to the Nascent Soul stage through dual cultivation!
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)
