chapter 60

Yun Xie closed his eyes and suppressed the sadness in his heart as he pulled Jiang Xunyi into his embrace. “Be absolutely careful!”

Zhuo Zhengfan, who was standing on the side, was almost unable to tolerate this anymore, but it was difficult to speak, so he just let out a dry cough.

Jiang Xunyi shoved at Yun Xie’s shoulder, so he let go reluctantly before fiercely glaring at Zhuo Zhengfan. “Zhuo Zhengfan, did you choke on chicken feathers?”

The difference in treatment was too obvious. Zhuo Zhengfan’s heart felt slightly congested, but at least he finally had the chance to intervene. He endured and got back to business. “It’s not like Xunyi is going into a sea of ​​swords and fire. You don’t have to be like this; I lived in the sect for ten years, aren’t I still alive?”

Zhuo Zhengfan paused for a while, and then continued, “But these days, I happened to be sent out to teach the outer disciples. Brother Yun, we will be close.”

Exchanging Jiang Xunyi for Zhuo Zhengfan was an unspeakable loss for Yun Xie. His face darkened, but there was nothing he could do.

Zhuo Zhengfan was also disgusted. “Yun Xie, don’t forget that I am now your brother. Can you wipe that expression off your face? I would rather look at your hypocritical smile.”

Yun Xie replied, “I can’t laugh. Since you’re going to stay in the outer sect, why shouldn’t I also show off my skills, then go in to accompany A’Xun?”

He spoke as if entering the inner door was like a walk around his own garden. Zhuo Zhengfan felt light-headed. “No, there is still a purpose behind keeping you here – I received new information, which I was originally going to tell you this today. It is said that the Flame Gate had recently secretly destroyed some small sects, and they kidnapped all of the high-ranking disciples and brought them to the mountain. It seems that they intend to use them to refine high-level living corpses. When I heard that, I knew they were probably held somewhere near here.”

Yun Xie said, “You want me to join you to save them together?”

Zhuo Zhengfan nodded. “I don’t personally have very great ability, not to mention that I have stayed here for so long that my hands are no longer clean. I am afraid that even if I find them successfully, but they will not be willing to follow me. With your title as the Dual Jades of the Spirit Stage, it will be very different.”

“Okay, Yun Xie will help you here. I’ll enter the inner sect to see what the hell is going on with this Flame Gate.” Jiang Xunyi looked at Zhuo Zhengfan and made a decision for them directly. “I suspect that there is something wrong with the buns they give to the outer disciples. This mutation probably happened through the influence of drugs. Song Yu’s surprised expression when he saw the monsters was fake. I observed that all the monsters fell down after he twisted his fingers. The two of you had better not eat.”

Zhuo Zhengfan smiled. “Relax, if I can survive this long, the experience I gained was definitely not a waste.”

Jiang Xunyi paused again. Song Yu gave him time to allow him to pack things, but Jiang Xunyi had nothing. There was really nothing worth cleaning up, and he could just lift his legs and leave. However, without knowing why, he paused and turned to Yun Xie. “Be careful, don’t get hurt.”

The enthusiasm Yun Xie worked so hard to suppress came back in full force by those few words. After clenching his teeth for a long time, he didn’t reach out to stop him. He smiled and replied. “I understand. A’Xun, don’t go hooking up with anyone behind my back.”

He didn’t realize then that he really had a crow’s mouth[1].

“Get out of here,” Jiang Xunyi said.

He didn’t stay this time, and gave Zhuo Zhengfan a salute before turning and walking away without even turning his head.

Zhuo Zhengfan glanced at Jiang Xunyi’s disappearing back and then at Yun Yun. He smiled suddenly, shook his head and sighed, “Ah, I didn’t expect that you really could bear it even after so many years. Brother Yun, you have always acted decisively, so why is this so painful? In the mind of Xunyi, you have always been his closest brother, and you two share very deep feelings. How could anything destroy your bond? Since this is the case, why not try to confess?”

The corner of Yun Xie’s lips twitched, but his smile did not reach his eyes. “It is exactly because he regards me as a brother.”

Zhuo Zhengfan was stunned, and he quickly looked away.

As brothers, they could laugh and mess around together, but couldn’t be affectionately intimate[2]. They could fight side by side, but couldn’t stay together forever[3]. With a barrier as high as Heaven, where were true feelings supposed to go?

The outer disciples were placed at the foot of the mountain, and only the inner disciples could only climb up the mountain. Jiang Xunyi entered the yard and found that everyone here lived in a separate home, with their own nice areas to take meals. It was so different from the bottom of the mountain that it made sense why people would kill for the spot.

He thought of Yun Xie, who was probably still suffering from the mountain wind and gnawing on the wall at this time. He couldn’t help letting out a gloating smile. However, before the smile had formed, he glanced to the side and saw that the little fellow who led the way did not leave. He immediately coughed, then said lightly, “Yes, you can go.”

The little fellow bowed. “Young master, I was sent to serve you.”

Jiang Xunyi listened to his voice and felt that it was familiar, but he couldn’t remember where he had heard it.

“Raise your head.”

He saw the other person’s appearance clearly. “…Qi Shijiu?” Jiang Xunyi only remembered now. It seemed that he did not actually see him at the foot of the mountain. “How did you end up here as a servant?”

Qi Shijiu swept his eyes over Jiang Xunyi’s face and quickly looked away. He bowed his head. “There is a staff shortage, so Senior Brother Song sent me. “

After speaking, Qi Shijiu weighed this sentence several times in his heart. He seemed to feel that this was not proper, and because he was afraid of Jiang Xunyi misunderstanding, he quickly added, “I came here willingly.”

… to follow you.

Jiang Xunyi saw that he looked as if he was about to smash his head into the dirt. He didn’t want to make things difficult for a child, so he casually patted him on the shoulder. “You don’t have to be afraid of me. I don’t need you to wait on me, so you are allowed to do whatever you want.”

After he was done speaking, he took the lead in stepping into the room. Qi Shijiu’s head was still buried, but once he saw the red clothes flash out of his sight, he knew that Jiang Xunyi had left. He stared at his back in a daze for a long time before he touched the place on his shoulder that the other had touched. He quickly followed from afar.

The inner disciples of the Flame Gate have really set on the path of immortal cultivation and thus needed to practice sword training every day. It was naturally easy for Jiang Xunyi to complete this. However, after a few days, he still did not find any clues. The master of the sect didn’t show up at all, and the affairs of the school were managed only by a few senior disciples. He had no choice but to stay calm.

The night was quiet.

The sky was full of stars.

Jiang Xunyi seemed to be relaxed, but in reality, he was very vigilant in this unfamiliar place. He could not sleep well in bed and went to sleep on the roof every night. This place was well ventilated and had a wide view. Besides the vulnerable state he was in when lying down, he was very satisfied with everything else.

He rested against his arms for a while, but his mind was full of thoughts and he was sleepless. About two or so days later, he suddenly heard soft footsteps.

This step was extremely light and was hidden in the faint wind. If someone besides Jiang Xunyi was there, for them, the sound would likely not be audible.

He sat up, but didn’t go down, instead leaning against the roof, gazing intently into the dark night.

The footsteps were getting closer, and a young man’s voice rang out. “Who are you? What are you doing here?”

Jiang Xunyi smiled. This Qi Shijiu followed him wherever he went, but he never approached and only chased after him from afar. Jiang Xunyi had a cold, indifferent disposition, and after he told him to stop twice, he was too lazy to care about him again. He didn’t know what the other’s purpose was, but from what he saw, the child seemed to be truly loyal.

A woman’s voice replied, “Is Young Master Jiang here?”

Jiang Xunyi raised an eyebrow, surprised – the person who came was Rou Rou.

Qi Shijiu was very good-natured. He knew that Jiang Xunyi was in the yard, but he heard no movement. He knew that the other wanted to ignore it. He turned his head and said, “Whether he is here or not, it is not related to you. You should go.”

Rou Rou didn’t speak for a long time. She had taken the chance to secretly sneak out in the early night, so she didn’t dare to shout. The footsteps of leaving didn’t ring out. After a while, Qi Shijiu repeated, “Go quickly.”

Rou Rou didn’t say anything, but something made a humming sound.

Jiang Xunyi straightened his back.

The sound was very low and slight, and it sounded like it came from far away and yet seemed in one’s ear. It stopped after just a moment, but he felt that the sound still surrounded him.

He jumped off the roof, his coat slightly lifting, and he appeared in front of Qi Shijiu and Rou Rou. He whispered, “Shijiu, you go back to sleep.”

Without a dissenting word, Qi Shijiu bowed and backed away silently. He stood at a distance where he would never hear the two talking, but he did not return to the room.

Jiang Xunyi didn’t care. He looked at Rou Rou and asked a seemingly insignificant question. “Miss, what’s your surname?”

“My surname is Zhu,” Rou Rou whispered. “Zhu Xu is my brother “

Zhu Xu, a young hero who came here with Zhuo Zhengfan. Unfortunately, he was kidnapped along the way and turned into a refined corpse. Jiang Xunyi had even mentioned his name not long ago. When he heard this, he could not help but fall silent for a moment.

He swallowed back the meaningless words of mourning and sighed. “So you pretended to be a peasant girl in order to mix in here. Do you want to avenge your brother? Your… Where did your Marrow-Washing Jade come from? Can you show me?”

Jiang Xunyi spread his hands and slightly lowered his head to look at Rou Rou. His sword eyebrows were slightly raised, and there seemed to be a little pity in his eyes. The moonlight hit him softly from one side, turning the face that was always cold a little more gentle.

His hands were slender and white as jade, but with strength that could not be ignored. Rou Rou only hesitated a little before placing the thing she had been holding in her hand carefully in Jiang Xunyi’s palm.

[1] Crow’s mouth means jinxing something

[2] Literally rubbing ears on temples, used to refer to lovers being intimate and falling in love

[3] Refers to lovers staying together forever