/
The steam evaporated.
Ye Yunlan closed his eyes and leaned on the tub, as if all the exhaustion accumulated in the day has dissolved in this pool of hot water.
He was drowsy. Only thinking about Shen Shu who was still waiting for him in the room, did he barely lift his eyelids up. His lowered eyes saw his hair on the surface of the water like black algae. It reflected a face that had been tainted with heat.
He looked like his mother.
This face was really similar to his mother.
Countless times, Ye Yunlan hoped that he didn’t have the ability to remember.
In this way, he would no longer be entangled by those complicated nightmares for such a long time. Those memories that he had finally suppressed would no longer be triggered by casual words of others. Familiar scenes that he occasionally sees would no longer make those nightmares all become clear again in his eyes, lingering.
He watched the inverted figure in the water, then he stretched out his hand to disperse the water. He got up and walked out of the tub. He dried his long hair with a bath towel, and returned to the bedroom with good clothes.
A faint candle was lit in the room.
He stepped lightly. Before he reached the bed, he saw the boy poking his head out of the bed and blinking at him.
His heart softened, and the anxieties accumulated in his chest became much less.
“Have you waited for a long time?” Ye Yunlan asked softly.
“No.” Shen Shu still looked very energetic, “Master is not here, so I can’t sleep. I was just practicing… the chant given to me by the Immortal Lord.”
Ye Yunlan’s eyes were soft, but his mouth slightly rebuked, “You are at the age of growth, if you do not get enough rest, beware that you won’t be able to grow tall in the future. You might regret it later.”
“…but if I’m too tall, I can’t rest in the arms of Master.” Shen Shu seriously said, “This way. ……is fine.”
“Nonsense.” Ye Yunlan tapped his forehead with his finger, “If you meet someone you like in the future, would you want to nestle in the arms of that girl and ask them to spoil you and indulge you? Instead, shouldn’t you hold her and protect her?”
Shen Shu pursed his mouth and said dully : “I don’t want a girl, I just want Master.”
Ye Yunlan laughed helplessly, “I forgot, at your age, you still don’t understand this. You’ll understand when you grow up. In this world of love, how can you refuse it and say you don’t want it.”
He stopped mentioning it. He sat on the side of the bed and rubbed the boy’s head, “Hurry up and go to sleep. Master… will be here.”
Shen Shu rubbed against his hand and closed his eyes obediently.
He lowered his eyes to stare at Shen Shu for a moment. Seeing that the boy was really asleep, then did he take out his queying sword by the head of the bed. He put it on his lap, and began to wipe it slowly.
Wiping the sword was his daily homework.
Taking care of a sword was a sword cultivator’s life. He must communicate with it frequently. Even if Ye Yunlan had mastered his sword dao to great success, he couldn’t leave out this little effort.
After wiping the sword, the boy was already in deep sleep. He was lying on his back, very quiet.
Moonlight came in through the window, and the sea of flowers swayed outside the window.
Before his rebirth, Ye Yunlan would never have thought that in this life he would still be able to get along with people at such a close distance, even…sleeping together.
It doesn’t feel that bad.
After the bath, his slightly damp hair was already dry. He slowly retracted the sword into its sheath, then lay sideways on the bed, moving very lightly.
Since the injury, he had always been very tired and lethargic. After a while, he fell into a dream.
There was a faint cicada cry outside the window.
The house was quiet and peaceful.
Shen Shu, who should have fallen asleep, slowly opened his eyes.
He turned his head and looked at the sleeping face of the person beside him.
In the past few days, he has already discovered that when this person was asleep, his eyebrows were always frowning. He would toss and turn, as if he was always entangled by nightmares. He couldn’t help but want to reach out to smooth his frown.
But he didn’t dare to stretch out his hand for fear of awakening the other party. He could only slowly trace this person’s face with his eyes.
After tracing it several times, it was still not enough, so he raised his head with his elbow and began to count the other’s eyelashes one by one.
Usually, he would never dare to look at him this presumptuously, lest he expose what he hid in front of this person. Only after nightfall would his suppressed mood be slightly indulged.
Twisted black shadows spread from the ground, climbing on the bed frame of the carved bed, shaking and swaying with Shen Shu’s breath.
His eyes darkened.
He thought: this person was usually cold and lonely, like a lotus blooming silently on a distant mountain. Even if his body was stained with blood, he would still appear noble and taintless, withdrawn from worldly affairs.
…But he was calculative and deliberately poured out lies.
He did not tell the truth about many things. The most important one was his physique.
That person only knew that he was a semi-finished demon puppet and that there was still an opportunity to reverse it. What he did not know was that he was not only a demon puppet, but also a natural…monster.
The shadow on the bed frame squirmed frantically.
If this person knew the truth, would he still treat him like this?
Probably not, he thought.
Master.
He whispered this word and moved closer. He lowered his head to sniff the cold and gentle fragrance of the other person’s body.
Master.
He chanted again from the bottom of his heart, then his pale face slowly showed a full smile.
——
Morning dawn.
In the open space in front of the bamboo building, Ye Yunlan was teaching Shen Shu the sword.
The filthy energy in Shen Shu’s body has not been removed, so he couldn’t practice shifting his qi yet. But, if he only learned the sword, it wouldn’t hurt.
“Sword Dao has five realms, namely qi release, solidified intent, great success, inferior immortalization, and immortalization.” Ye Yunlan recounted.
“Master,” Shen Shu questioned, “You told me before…there are nine realms in cultivation, and now you say that there are five realms in sword dao. I don’t understand. The realm of cultivation and the realm of sword dao, which is… more important?”
“Practicing the nine realms represents the process of cultivating the cultivator between the heavens and the earth and detaching himself from the mortals. The five realms of sword dao represent the depth of the cultivator’s understanding of sword.”
“If you ask which one is more important….” Ye Yunlan said lightly, “Cultivation is the foundation of everything. A mortal body is just a hundred-year-old skin bag without tempering. However, if you want to shed a mortal’s flesh body and ascend to become an immortal, it is not enough to just accumulate cultivation.”
Shen Shu’s look was still a little confused.
“I’ll give you an example.” Ye Yunlan said, “Sky Sect Sect Master Qiyun Jun… is now in the transcendence realm. Before he reaches the transcendence realm, his sword dao must first reach immortalization, otherwise, he will not be able to smoothly go through his mortal catastrophe.”
Shen Shu then realized: “I understand.”
Ye Yunlan: “That’s good if you understand. Now, let me see your sword.”
Shen Shu nodded and did as he said.
Ye Yunlan was watching. He had already experienced Shen Shu’s sword as early as in the medicine house, but the light was dim at that time. Now seeing it closer, he saw more problems.
Even though Shen Shu’s movements were swift and powerful, he really hadn’t held a sword before.
“When cultivating the sword and holding it, it requires tranquility and concentration. Imagine that the arm and the sword are connected, and the heart and the sword are one. This is an introduction to sword dao.”
“When holding the sword, the web between the thumb and forefinger of a hand needs to be on the edge of the sword, with five fingers tightened, and clasped on the hilt… like this.”
Ye Yunlan walked behind Shen Shu. He leaned over to hold his hand, and carefully adjusted his posture.
Shen Shu stiffened slightly, “Master…”
Ye Yunlan was leading his five fingers to fasten the hilt of the sword, and turned his head to look at him, “What.”
The face that had the complexion of untouched snow was in front of him. The distance was only half an inch. His skin was immersed in the morning light. He was almost glowing.
His long eyelashes were thick and fluttering.
“It’s nothing,” Shen Shu said dumbly, “I just want to… know when I will be able to have skills like master’s excellent swordsmanship.”
“Sword dao is mainly in hardwork, then secondly in enlightenment.” Ye Yunlan said, “When I just started learning the sword, I swung the sword ten thousand times a day without feeling it was hard work. You can start from there.”
As for enlightenment, he couldn’t teach Shen Shu.
His sword dao had been completely destroyed once. According to common sense, he would never make an inch of improvement in sword dao in his life.
The reason why he was able to follow the death nirvana dao was because he had suffered hundreds of years of hardship. Suffering in the Buddha Pagoda, he finally realized it in his endless pain.
….Later, he finally succeeded in sword dao to the great success realm. But it was after that man died.
He was scorned and feared by the world throughout his life. Even though his swordsmanship was respected, he was always alone.
Shen Shu was young.
He shouldn’t follow him on that path.
After hearing his words, the young man said without hesitation: “Okay.”
Knowing his stubborn temperament, Ye Yunlan could not help but remind him, “It is not easy to wield the sword ten thousand times. At the beginning, you can start with three thousand times a day, then accumulate more little by little. Adapt slowly.”
Shen Shu nodded earnestly.
Ye Yunlan added: “The foundation of swordsmanship is basic movements such as stabs, chops, slashes, and swipes. If you can find the most accommodating power when you draw your sword during your continuous sword exercises, then you can be considered to have a solid foundation for swordsmanship. Look at me.”
He drew out his queying sword and held it in his hand. He stabbed it diagonally in the air.
The robes of his clothes fluttered. The narrow and indifferent eyes of his revealed a hidden force. The blood-red tear at the end of his eyes leaped like flames.
Stab, chop, slash, and swipe, the queying sword seemed to lose weight in his hands. It was obviously the most simple and unpretentious sword technique, but it was completely flawless.
When the wind blew, countless petals fluttered around him.
When the dust returned to earth, it separated into two neat sections.
While using the sword, Ye Yunlan’s cold voice sounded.
“When the long sword is pierced forwards, the wrist does not move. The arm exerts strength and the heart is combined with the sword. Qi moves at will; when it is slashed vertically, the elbow is raised. When the qi intent is frozen…”
He was explaining the main points, then frowned. He retracted the sword back into the sheath and said to Shen Shu: “Wait here for a while to digest everything I said. I will be back soon.”
Shen Shu slowly recovered his senses and said in a low voice: “En.”
Ye Yunlan turned and walked straight through the sea of flowers and walked into the bamboo forest.
He had already noticed that there was someone in the bamboo forest, but he didn’t bother to pay attention to them. However, when he used the sword, their gaze was too heated to be ignored.
Ye Yunlan could think of only one person who would come to his remote residence.
Rong Ran.
He furrowed his eyebrows and held the queying sword in his hand. Suddenly, he heard a voice from the bamboo forest in front of him.
“There are beautiful women dancing in the distance. It is suspected that Luoshen has landed on earth. Fortunately, I had an encounter and now my heart and soul are eager to be immortal…” (Luoshen = goddess of the river known for her utmost beauty and tenderness)
Ye Yunlan: “…”
Being able to recite such greasy poems, it shouldn’t be Rong Ran.
He stepped over and saw a young man in a brown cloth robe hidden by the bamboo leaves, squatting on the ground. He did not know what he was doing.
This person should be the source of that hot gaze just now.
“What are you doing?” Ye Yunlan asked.
Chen Xianyu was taken aback. He raised his head to look at Ye Yunlan, his expression was stunned. He said blankly: “Luo Shen…”
“Luo Shen?” Ye Yunlan frowned.
“Luo, no, that’s not right, Junior Brother Ye…I, I was painting just now.” Chen Xianyu stammered a little.
“Painting?” Ye Yunlan’s voice was still cold.
“Yes, painting, I’m painting…” Chen Xianyu looked around, “Bamboo! I’m painting the bamboo here!”
Ye Yunlan looked at Chen Xianyu expressionlessly. He remembered that he had seen this person at Wendao slope. He had also helped him pick up his picture book.
He didn’t look at him carefully at the time, but now he realized that this person was quite familiar.
——Similar to someone he didn’t want to meet again in this life.
His tone couldn’t help being more indifferent, “Since you are just painting bamboo, why are you sneaking around here?”
Chen Xianyu faltered.
Ye Yunlan: “This place is not far from where I live. I am a sword cultivator. I don’t like to be disturbed by other people when I practice my sword. This bamboo forest is very vast. Can I bother you to find another place to paint?”
Chen Xianyu frowned upon hearing this.
“Junior Brother Ye, although there are many bamboos in this bamboo forest, there is only one phoenix bamboo with such a beautiful posture. It teaches people to forget the vulgarity of life. If I go elsewhere, how can I find such a bamboo to paint?”
Phoenix Bamboo is the sacred product of bamboo. But it was already extinct ten thousand years ago.
This person was obviously talking nonsense.
“Where is the green-tailed phoenix bamboo in this green bamboo forest?” Ye Yunlan said coldly.
“Junior Brother Ye, can’t you hear it?” Chen Xianyu’s face was slightly red. He decided to break the jar (reveal the truth), “What I originally painted was not the bamboo, but…but you, Junior Brother Ye.”
“Since I saw you at WenDao slope that day, I have not forgotten Junior Brother. I waited here for many days before I saw you come out, so I couldn’t help but paint a portrait of you.”
“My name is Chen Xianyu. My nickname is ‘painting craze. I often paint for Senior Brothers and Sisters, I’m not…not a sneaky person.”
Speaking of painting, Chen Xianyu spoke more fluently, “Junior Brother, do you know Xu Qingyue, the first beauty in the cultivation world? Back then, he was famous for his Yaotai sword dance. I always thought that no one in the world could surpass it, until today, I saw Junior Brother use a sword and I knew I was wrong.”
“If Junior Brother can let me paint a complete picture of you, when your portraits spread, I am afraid that the name of the first beauty in the cultivation world will change hands. There will be countless people who will become crazy for you…”
“I don’t want to leave any portraits in the world.”
Ye Yunlan’s words were like a bucket of ice water that woke up Chen Xianyu. “Why?”
“It’s meaningless.” Ye Yunlan said indifferently.
Chen Xianyu: “How can it be meaningless? Being in the world, who doesn’t want to leave a trace of themselves. In this way, living in this world would not be in vain…”
Ye Yunlan: “I don’t want to.”
“But…” Chen Xianyu still wanted to try to persuade him.
Ye Yunlan only said: “Brother Chen, please go back.”
Chen Xianyu saw the fed up appearance of the person in front of him. He knew that he had completely annoyed the beauty and no amount of persuasion could be achieved.
He wrinkled his face bitterly.
But if such a beauty can’t be included in his book of beauty, he was afraid he wouldn’t be able to sleep peacefully in this life.
When Ye Yunlan returned to the bamboo house, he saw Shen Shu making gestures with a wooden sword.
“What did Master do?” Shen Shu asked curiously when he came back.
Ye Yunlan said indifferently: “Chased off an annoying bamboo rat.”
Shen Shu blinked without asking much.
Ye Yunlan looked at the sky to see it was not too early: “Come, I will teach you a few swordplays.”
Shen Shu’s eyes lit up, “Okay.”
Ye Yunlan searched out the basic swordplay practiced by Sky Sect disciples from his memory.
He hadn’t used this sword technique for more than two hundred years, so he was a little rusty. It took a few moves to be smooth.
But Shen Shu next to him eagerly followed him to learn the movements. After just a while, he was able to learn 70-80 percent of it.
Ye Yunlan realized that it was not only formation techniques. Shen Shu might also have an excellent talent in sword dao.
Facts have proved this.
As long as he demonstrated the swordplay once, Shen Shu would be able to learn most of it. After a few minutes of in-depth explanation, there would be no defects.
Teaching and teaching, Ye Yunlan was suddenly interested in fighting against each other.
After teaching a set of sword techniques, he did not pull out his querying sword. Instead, he bent over and picked up the flowers on the ground.
“Want to try a newly learned swordplay?”
Shen Shu nodded, his eyes sparkling, “Yes!”
Ye Yunlan had a slight smile in his eyes, “Then make your move.”
The master and disciple fought each other in the open space in front of the bamboo building. Two statures, one tall and one short, intertwined.
The young man using the sword had a tinge of madness to it. Although there were still many flaws, it made him feel a sense of oppression that he hadn’t felt for a long time.
After a long time, the two people stopped.
Shen Shu’s face was flushed with sweat, his eyes were still filled with excitement.
Although Ye Yunlan had not used all his strength, his back was soaked with sweat and his clothes stuck to his back.
Sweat dripped down his cheeks. He panted and tried to steady his breathing.
Seeing that Shen Shu wanted to continue, he had no choice but to shout:
“Stop.”
Shen Shu stopped. “Master?”
“I’ll stop here for today.” Ye Yunlan raised his sleeve to wipe the sweat on his face.
He felt a faint pain in his chest, but he didn’t show any signs on his face. He only said: “There are 17 flaws in the sword technique you just used. I will explain it to you carefully.”
Shen Shu looked at the person in front of him. With a sweaty shirt and tired appearance, he decisively said: “How about…I’ll go boil water for Master first. Master will rest for a while, then talk to me. It just so happens that I am also very tired.”
Ye Yunlan muttered to himself. He was indeed exhausted, “Okay, let’s do that, but you don’t need to boil water. I remember that there is a hot spring in Yanhui Peak. Soaking in it has the effect of loosening the muscles and bones. It’d be perfect for you and me to soak together and talk.”
“Soak…and talk?
Shen Shu froze.
Seeing that he did not respond, Ye Yunlan asked, “What?”
Shen Shu returned to his senses.
“No, it’s nothing Master….. let’s go.”
——
Chen Xianyu wobbled back to his cave dwelling. He walked along and recited the poems of Luoshen that were recorded in ancient books.
“…like a light cloud covering the moon and snow that floats in the wind. The shoulders are narrow, and the waist is raw silk. The neck is stretched, the quality exposed…”
Suddenly he heard a soft halt: “Chen Xianyu! In broad daylight showing such a wretched expression on your face, which Senior Sister did you bother?”
Chen Xianyu instinctively hugged the picture book in his arms, and said bitterly: “I didn’t do anything, Senior Sister Xiaowan, just let me go. What’s more, I am not bothering them, I am just painting. Do you understand the dao of painting? Haven’t you seen Senior Sister Yin and the others view my paintings, then praise me for being a painting craze.”
“Pei (sound of spitting), what painting craze, you are clearly just a love-struck fool!” Lin Xiaowan said angrily. She narrowed her eyes, “I can see that you are ill at ease since seeing Junior Brother Ye last time. Were you disturbing Junior Brother Ye?”
“How could I?” Chen Xianyu stammered, then he stepped on his gaspedal, “I’m in a hurry to go back to my cave dwelling to do something, I will see you later Senior Sister.”
“You p*rvert, stay still for me! “Lin Xiaowan behind him called out.
Chen Xianyu ran wildly.
After finally returning to his cave, he wiped the sweat from his head and slumped on his seat. His mind was full of the person he had finally seen today.
He sighed. It would be great if he could draw the other party…
Suddenly, he took out a piece of gleaming spirit jade from his arms.
After reading the news from spirit jade, sweat oozed from the corner of his forehead. His hands formed a seal and a secret technique was used.
A water mirror unfolded before his eyes.
A man in white gradually appeared in the water mirror.
The man sat in a pavilion with a pond of green lotus behind him.
He was playing chess with one hand. He was playing against himself and did not turn his eyes towards Chen Xianyu.
Chen Xianyu bowed his head and shouted respectfully, “Brother.”
Time passed.
Chen Xianyu’s forehead sweat gathered more and more.
It was not until the end of the game that the man looked sideways towards the water mirror.
It gave birth to a handsome face that looked like a banished immortal, that also closely resembled Chen Xianyu.
——If you ask Chen Xianyu which person he feared the most in this world.
That would be his elder brother.
Chen Weiyuan.