With a smile, Yun Xie said to Jiang Xunyi, âYour name is so useful. Once you shout it, it will immediately attract a lot of people.â
Jiang Xunyi flexed his wrists, seemingly smiling. âI found that you canât give me a good face. Yun Xie, if you want to die, you shouldâve said so earlier.â
Seeing that the two were about to fight again, the nearby cultivators who were looking for them had already surrounded them. Jiang Xunyi temporarily retracted his hand, and Yun Xie greeted them with, âAfter one night of not meeting, everyone looks haggard.â
However, the first person who arrived was neither Wanderer Zihui nor Feng Xue. Yun Xie looked at the familiar faces in front of him and raised his eyebrows in surprise.
âIsnât this your right-hand man Yan Qixin?â said Jiang Xunyi. âEven the people of Solar Envy Sect have rushed over. It seems that this time the incident is not small. I really have face.â
âOf course, who dares to look down on Master Jiang,â Yun Xie replied with a smile, his tone intimate. Then he turned his eyes to Yan Qixin, but there was no trace of a smile in his eyes. âQixin, I really couldnât tell. Turns out you are a person who loves to join in the fun and bring your brothers to see the big show.â
Yan Qixin heard the faint displeasure behind Yun Xieâs tone, and he knelt on the ground. He shouted, âQixin took it upon himself to bring all his brothers down the mountain, may the sect master please allow him to atone for his sins.â
Yun Xie was not very old. Although he was the sect master of Solar Envy sect, he wasnât the eldest disciple. According to seniority, Yan Qixin was still his senior brother, so it looked bad for him to kneel outside. Jiang Xunyi frowned, and after seeing Yun Xie had no intention of speaking, he said, âSenior Brother Yan, Yun Xie doesnât blame you. Letâs stand up and talk.â
Yan Qixin hesitated then said, âThank you Junior Brother Jiang.â His eyes, however, were looking at Yun Xie.
Whenever Jiang Xunyi spoke, no matter what Yun Xie personally thought, he wouldnât refute him, so he followed with, âStand up. Tell me, what are you all doing here?â
It was alright before he asked this question, but once the words left his mouth, the people who had just stood up in front of him knelt down again.
Yun Xie: ââŠâ
Yan Qixin said, âSect Master, please return to the mountain with your disciples!â
Yun Xieâs face sank for a moment, and he was unhappy in his heart, but he teasingly raised his sword eyebrows instead. âI havenât finished my business yet, why would I back to the mountain? Yan Qixin, are you three years old? Canât live without me?â As he spoke, he didnât forget to add a sentence aimed at Jiang Xunyi. âAâXun, if the one speaking these words were you, how good would it be.â
Jiang Xunyi ignored him, frowning as he asked, âDid something happen to Solar Envy sect? Yun Xie, why donât you go back and look over it first? Iâll solve the matter here and then go to you.â
Yan Qixin looked at him with a trace of shame on his face. âThere isnât a problem.â He hesitated a little, and then lowered his voice to Yun Xie slightly. âSovereign, when master was alive, he often said that you were extraordinarily smart from birth and perhaps a prodigy was born. How can you not understand that in this world, itâs impossible to dictate what is right and wrong? I know that you and Junior Brother Jiang are close to each other and you donât believe he could do such a thing. To be honest, I donât believe it either! But how would this change anything? Out of those people, how many of them are concerned about whatâs true or false? They just want kick someone when theyâre down and pull down the famous Dual Jades of the Spirit Stage, which has been in the limelight these past few years. The Hidden Spirit Sect has split and canât be saved, but Sect Master, Solar Envy Sect still needs you! You have diminished these days, and you must have suffered. Itâs best for you to go back to the mountain with me!â
His remarks came from his heart and his feelings were justified. He just happened to say aloud Jiang Xunyiâs deepest worry. Although he has long been aware that Yun Xie is the protagonist of this world, with Jiang Xunyiâs ability, he does not need to rely on anyoneâs halo to survive. He can dig at the wall of the system without guilt, but he is extremely reluctant to involve Yun Xie. He didnât want to cause Yun Xie to lose the favor of destiny because of his actions.
So by saying that he now wants to clear his dirtied name, deplete the power of the system little by little, and change the world, isnât he also changing Yun Xieâs originally easy life?
In contrast, Yun Xie himself was terribly calm. He didnât have a slight touch of emotion on his face. He still spoke with his usual lazy tone. âYan Qixin, I havenât seen you in so long and your eloquence has grown. If one day your mind grows as fast as your eloquence, then this Sect Master will be most pleased. You said yourself that people canât stand the Dual Jades of the Spirit Stage, not just Jiang Xunyi alone. How long would I be able to hide? When you were a child, you read so many books, havenât you heard of the concept that the teeth will be cold without the lips?â
Seeing that Yan Qixin didnât give up and still wanted to say something, Yun Xieâs smile suddenly disappeared and he sighed, âDo you still need me to say the order again? Take the others and go back to the mountain!â
âItâs alright, just stay,â Jiang Xunyi finally said lazily. He was upset, but he was merely wondering if he would have an impact on Yun Xieâs fate by destroying the system. He didnât agree in the slightest that he would drag Yun Xie down by needing protection everywhere as Yan Qixin said â through this idiotâs mouth, Jiang Xunyi almost felt that he was described as a mischievous demon concubine.
He looked as if he was about to laugh but he didnât. âItâs just a few weak pimples following behind us making a reckless clamor. Look how scared Senior Brother Yan is. Yun Xie, if you donât let these people in your sect stay and get some experience, how would you be good in the future?â
Jiang Xunyi was cynical and acrimonious, but Yun Xieâs eyes were full of love and he smiled. He replied to Yan Qixin, who was still kneeling on the ground, âThen get up and donât talk, just stand behind me. In a bit, Iâll let you understand⊠the Dual Jades of the Spirit Stage never need to hide its head and tail.â
Jiang Xunyi said, âIsnât that right. The one who hides his head and tail⊠Isnât it someone else?â
As he spoke, his sword was drawn with a whistling sound, the silver-white sword-light[1] flashing in a semi-circular arc. The grass moved slightly, and several people jumped out from the side covered in leaves, an embarrassed look on their faces.
With a flick of his wrist, Jiang Xunyi returned the sword to his sheath. âStill playing hide-and-seek at your advanced age? You seniors are very interesting.â
âAmitabha.â Without waiting for the others who were forced out to speak, a Buddhist phrase had been introduced into his ears.
The Hidden Spirit Sect has always believed in Buddhism. Although Jiang Xunyi had transmigrated over from modern times, he had already been in this world for so many years. He felt a natural sense of closeness with anything related to Buddhism. But he had just seen Master He Deng, so after hearing the phrase, his mind conjured a chicken leg involuntarily.
Jiang Xunyi: ââŠâ
The person who walked towards them from far away was not He Deng but was instead Master Wu Shou, the head of Yan Xiang Temple.
It is said that Master Wu Shou had not left the temple for a hundred years. Although there are many people who have heard of his name in the world, few have seen his face. Even Yun Xie and Jiang Xunyi had only met him when they followed their respective masters to visit Yan Xiang Temple at a very young age. They knew that despite his not astonishing appearance, this old, dark, and thin monk had amazing spiritual power. He was outstandingly virtuous and a true monk.
The two exchanged a look. With a respectful look on their faces, they came forward to salute together. Yun Xie said politely, âJunior Yun Xie and Jiang Xunyi greets the master. I did not expect that after a hundred years of meditation, we would be able to meet here. It is truly a surprise.â
It is rare for him to speak so seriously. His matchlessly elegant appearance seemed like a person acting like a dog[2] as he behaved like the perfect gentleman. Master Wu Shou looked satisfied. He looked at Jiang Xunyi on the side and praised, âAlthough I have not left home for many years, I have heard the names of you two. I knew at a glance that both of you are extraordinary and good children. What is the reason for the trouble these days?â
His appearance is serious, but he is very kind when he speaks. Yun Xieâs master had passed away earlier, so there are very few people who talk to him with the tone of an elder. His heart of stone was moved. He couldnât help but feel warm when he heard those words and suddenly felt close to the old monk in front of him. He complained, âMaster, my brother Jiang Xunyi and I have been working hard since childhood, and we are determined to eliminate evil spirits and save the world. But there are always so many people who like to bully others. I donât know which malignant person we provoked, but a pot of dirty water was inexplicably thrown onto AâXun. When we explain, no one listens. We canât escape, either. We really have nowhere to go. I hope the master will arbitrate for us!â
Jiang Xunyi was determined to maintain his expression, but he still blushed â he felt embarrassed for Yun Xie.
He suddenly felt that the words Zihui cursed towards him were more appropriate if directed towards Yun Xie â itâs hard to imagine that there are such brazen people in the world!
Before he could deal with the shameless Yun Xie, he saw Master Wu Shou look over, and quickly pulled out a smile and cupped his hands. Without unnecessary nonsense, he simply said, âMaster, I was not the perpetrator of the previous incidents.â
Master Wu Shou stared at Jiang Xunyiâs face, who looked back neither humbly nor arrogantly, his back straight.
He was beautiful, but unlike Yun Xieâs more elegant appearance, Jiang Xunyiâs facial features were more delicate. His sword eyebrows and lips are thinner, which made him look more indifferent and sharp, but his figure was slightly thin, causing him to look as if he were an fragile icicle under the warm winter sun that stubbornly persists. At a glance, his most radiant quality was his cold and serene temperament, which was particularly eye-catching.
Master Wu Shou stared at him for a moment, his eyes gradually softening. His hands twisted over his prayer beads, and he sighed softly. âExcessive love is bound to end, and the strong are bound to be humiliatedâŠâ
The words were like ominous proverbs. Yun Xieâs eyebrow twitched, and he said, âMasterââ
Jiang Xunyi grabbed him and stopped Yun Xieâs words.
There were more people around, not only because Jiang Xunyi was here, but because they wanted to pay respect to Master Wu Shou, who had not left the temple in a long time. Feng Xue was at the forefront. He originally couldnât find an opportunity to interject, but when he heard Master Wushouâs appreciative tone towards Jiang Xunyi, he became anxious and shouted, âMaster, my daughterâŠâ
[1] ćć â sword-light is a powerful energy attack
[2] äșșæšĄçæ · â saying that someone is pretending to be someone they are not