The breeze was warm and the bamboo leaves green and translucent around Suihan Lodge. Summit City from a distance looked like a thousand li of emerald hues, just like a fairyland beyond the mortal realm.
Within Suihan LodgeâŚ
âHuh, Iâm not sick or injured, what are you channeling spiritual energy for?â Xie Zhiwei looked doubtfully at Mu He as the latter pressed a palm against his back to slowly funnel in spiritual power.
The two of them had just eaten Black Wolf blood-laced mooncakes and were hot from inside out. They should be using their spiritual energy to reduce the effects of the drugs, not doing direct channeling that would just make them hotter and hotter, okay?
Mu He said in a small voice, âI was afraid that shizunâs body couldnât take itâŚ.is shizun really okay now?â
Xie Zhiwei looked at his melancholy expression and reached out to touch his head. âDonât say nonsense. Master was soaked in the spiritual springs for four years, so everywhereâs fine now.â
âEverywhereâs fineâŚâ Mu Heâs voice grew lower and lower before his eyes swept downwards on Xie Zhiweiâs body.
Seeing his odd expression, Xie Zhiwei followed his gaze to the end before black lines appeared on his head. Mu Heâs eyes seemed to be burning as they stared at the spot between his legs.
He wanted to top him.
It wasnât Xie Zhiweiâs fault for being slow. Only a few days had passed since he returned to this world, but Mu He had treated him so carefully, with one hundred cares, as if he was someone made of tofu who would melt with a single touch or soften with a single poke. That kind of exercise was intense and would hurt him, so Mu He never dared to bring it up again. Even if he acted spoiled once in a while, he never meant it seriously.
But after ingesting Black Wolf blood, Mu Heâs blood was boiling. Moreover, heâd held back for so many years he probably couldnât stand it. After all this time had passed, seeing Mu He wanting to eat him made Xie Zhiwei really feelâŚ
A little happy.
What the hell???
Even if he didnât have to hold up the divine image of Bixu zhenren anymore, he couldnât enter the queer persona that soon, right? Furthermore, after being done to death and back again in Mu Heâs illusion last time, it was unbearable to look back on those three days and three nights!
ButâŚhis body was so hot.
Moreover, he did feel something at the start of those three days three nights. Mu He was an exquisite stud capable of doing a hundred women a night, but focused all his attentions on him, one personâŚ
Xie Zhiwei gave a start and suddenly covered his forehead. What the heck was his brain thinking, ah?!
Mu He nestled close to him. âShizunâŚâ
That voice sounded off. Why did he sound so choked up? Xie Zhiwei looked up to see Mu Heâs red-rimmed eyes already filling with tears.
He quickly asked, âDisciple, youâre crying? Whatâs wrong?â
It was better not to ask, because the question made Mu Heâs tears overflow. âShizun, I really hate myself. I promise I wouldnât hurt you again or force you to do anythingâŚbut I really want shizun right now, I canât control myselfâŚIâm outrageous, arenât I?â
Xie Zhiwei gave a jolt. âNo, ah. You havenât done anything yet, right?â
Dammit youngster, youâre too gentle.
What to do, this bro is hot too ahâŚ
The girls in the original novel all cried and begged for him to top him. He couldnât very well do the same, right? Even without the System to maintain his personality, he still had his own dignity to consider!
Mu He furiously shook his head. âI didnât do anything, but I shouldnât think improper thoughtsâŚshizun treats me so well, I shouldnât be always demanding things.â
Xie Zhiwei only gaped at him. At last he said, âThis isnât demanding things.â
Mu He was slightly stunned.
Xie Zhiwei bit the bullet and declared, âI ate Black Wolf blood too, and Iâm very hotâŚbut I donât want to use spiritual power to dissolve its effects. Do you understand? I want you toâŚâ
Mu He couldnât believe it. âReally? Shizun wonât feel forced?â
Xie Zhiwei saw that he was still hesitating and simply went all out in his own style: as violent as thunder, as fast as the wind, he undid Mu Heâs belt.
âI understandâŚâ Mu He murmured as his gaze grew deeper and deeper.
Xie Zhiwei had just finished undoing his belt when he heard something tear. Looking down, he saw that his crow-gray robes had been torn in half. Before he could react, White Lotus light swept over him and pulled him into Mu Heâs embrace.
Mu He lifted his own white robes and wrapped Xie Zhiwei in them before both of them fell on the bamboo bed. White Lotus light spread out beneath them, soft and elastic as the Simmons bed Xie Zhiwei had slept on in another world.
âThank you, shizunâŚâ Mu Heâs eyes were still teary, but he was smiling.
âNo need for thanks between us. BesidesâŚyouâre helping me too,â Xie Zhiweiâs ears burned as his speech grew stuttered. He swore he was a weathered old man who had witnessed all sorts of things. Last time Mu He topped him for three days and three nights, but he still flushed when mentioning it. Now was different because he liked Mu He.
(Unspeakable contents go here)
After a short while, the bond formed by Black Lotus dissipated as Mu He picked Xie Zhiwei up in his arms. The latter still had his eyes shut, still tired after being tossed by Mu He for an hour.
Mu He kissed him between the brows and waited for Xie Zhiwei to regain his senses before placing him back on the layer of White Lotus light, but this time face-down. Xie Zhiwei looked up somewhat cautiously. âWhatâŚwhat are you doing?â
Mu He froze slightly. âIâm helping shizun relieve the Black Wolf blood.â
Xie Zhiwei froze as well. âJust then, didnât weâŚâ
âBlack Wolf blood is fierce, how could one time be enough?â Mu He mumbled. âOr did I hurt shizun again just then, so shizun doesnât like me anymore?â
Xie Zhiwei vaguely saw a layer of tears rising in Mu Heâs eyes.
How worrying, heâs going to cry again.
He sighed and obediently lay flat. âUgh..I like you, so come on then.â
â
Night fell as a full moon hung over Yujing Sect, reflecting the clear, bright skies. The celebration atop One Step Cliff had just begun as ten thousands of disciples gathered in Ascension City and filled it with joy.
But the two main guests of the event didnât show up.
Yan Zhifei furrowed his brows. âI didnât expect Zhiwei to be even more unreliable than before after coming back this time.â
Xia Zhiqi suggested, âPerhaps second senior brother was delayed by something?â
Yan Zhifei shook his head. âThis celebration was held just for their sakes. Even if there was something monumental at stake, couldnât they send me a message?â
Xia Zhiqi thought it over. âSecond senior brother has not returned to Summit City for a long time and should be reminiscing with Martial Nephew Mu He at Suihan Lodge right now. Sect leader senior brother please wait, Iâll have someone invite them over.â
Chu Zhishi was walking over with a few sticks of fireworks when he happened to overhear the conversation and quickly cleared his throat. He drew close and said, âAs I see it, itâs better not to disturb them. You both know what second senior brotherâs like. He never liked hustle or bustle in the past, so we can celebrate if we want, but itâs no fun if we force him to join in.â
Xia Zhiqi felt that made sense. âSect leader senior brother, itâs not that second senior brother doesnât support this, but that heâs introverted and canât stand too much fuss. If he really wanted to distance himself from us, he wouldnât have come back to see us today.â
Yan Zhifei was so determined to get Xie Zhiwei and Mu He to join in the celebrations that heâd been a bit impatient. Hearing Chu Zhishi and Xia Zhiqi now, he nodded. It was true, if Xie Zhiwei didnât have Yujing Sect in his heart, he wouldnât have come back at all. The sincere feelings that Xie Zhiwei expressed at their meeting today was enough to touch his heart, which was why he decided to welcome him with this celebration in the first place.
Yan Zhifei said, âVery well, let him do as he pleases. Weâll just send him our thoughts and feelings.â
Chu Zhishi exhaled in relief and used his inner strength to holler down One Step Cliff. âThe celebration begins!â
Amidst the cheers, countless fireworks were ignited to explode in the air, flooding the night skies with colors. Earthly Moon City and Heavenly Sun City disciples might have kept their distance as males and females, but that didnât stop them from shouting across One Step Cliff at each other. Some promised to compete against each other at the end of the year trials, some took advantage of the situation to introduce themselves to various senior sisters or junior sisters, others looked red-faced at the male disciplesâŚit was a happy, harmonious scene.
Chu Zhishi got into the fun by putting fireworks on the ground himself before picking one out to light.
Fshhhhhhhhhingggg!
The rich and colorful flowers bloomed over One Step Cliff, filling in the black sky instantly with smoke and flaming colors. Chu Zhishi was almost100 years old, but still got excited playing with fireworks, no different from a teenager.
âHe doesnât act like a Master ought at all,â Xia Zhiqi was scornful of him as always.
Yan Zhifei had long grown used to it and glanced towards the crowd of Earthly Moon City disciples to ask, âCommandery Princess Yin didnât come?â
Xia Zhiqi sighed. âNo.â
Chu Zhishi turned around. âDid that little girl lose her wits after playing female daoist at Earthly Moon City? Sheâs been close to that brat Mu He since she was young, so she should be thrilled to meet them. But she isnât even showing her face.â
âWhat do you know?â Xia Zhiqi looked askance at him. âWhen I told her the news, she said with a bitter smile that chanting four years of sutra scrolls could only bring back a Xie zhenren, which meant her heart wasnât sincere enough. Then she continued to chant scriptures behind closed doors.â
âOhâŚâ Chu Zhishi continued to set off fireworks, their flashing luster akin to a person opening and closing their eyes.
He heard Yan Zhifei sigh and say, âNo one else will be coming back. Itâs already been so long.â
Itâs already been so long.
Those sorrowful, painful yesterdays would never return. Those regretful, tragic memories would also gradually fade with time.
But the future had countless tomorrows ahead.
TomorrowâŚwill Mu He still be able to get off the bed?
Chu Zhishi gave a start. Heâd clearly been lamenting life, but why did he suddenly go off track a thousand li?
Well if Iâm gonna go crooked, might as well go crooked to the end. His eyes narrowed as he looked towards Summit City. I never expected someone with a body as weak-looking as second senior brother could be so fierce. It really is retribution. Who told Mu He to put no one in his eye? In the end, wasnât he still âcleaned upâ by second senior brother with full acceptance?
â
Xie Zhiwei was still sleeping drowsily when he heard the sound of explosions outside.
ââŚwhatâs that sound?â He realized his voice was a little hoarse when he spoke.
Mu He draped his clothes around him as he got up and said lightly, âThe celebrations at Ascension City have started. If shizun thinks theyâre too noisy, Iâll seal off the sound with a boundary field.â
âCelebrations?â Xie Zhiwei gave a start before he leaped up like a carp, only to suck in a cold breath at the pain in his waist and legs.
Distressed, Mu He quickly went to support him. âShizun be careful. Where does it feel uncomfortable? Disciple will help you massage it, okay?â
Seeing Xie Zhiwei knitting his brows without being able to speak, he began to test with his fingers. âHere, orâŚhere?â
When his fingers were about to go into forbidden territory, Xie Zhiwei quickly held them down. âIâm not uncomfortable, Iâm just wondering how to explain things to your eldest martial uncle.â
How could he think about kissing and hugging at a time like this? At last Mu He had stopped pampering his body. If he let the man start kneading him again, heâd probably be stuck in Suihan Lodge for over three days.
Mu He scoffed. âItâs all youngest martial uncleâs good work.â
Xie Zhiwei wasnât happy to be set up by Chu Zhishi either. âEven so, we canât use him as an excuse. After all, what you and I just didâŚâ
Mu He thought it over before grinning to whisper something in Xie Zhiweiâs ear. Xie Zhiwei nodded and grinned back. âThen itâs settled.â
The two of them finished their plot and couldnât help going out to see the fun. Obviously they couldnât go to Ascension City in their state. Mu He took out Qingping Sword and brought Xie Zhiwei to fly out of Suihan Lodge before they stopped at the very peak of Summit City. This was only 10 li away from Ascension City where fireworks were in bloom above the skies as they sparkled and faded in the night. Standing at the summit, it was hard to tell whether they were being showered in streams of light from flowering trees or the Milky Way spilling its stars into the world.
The wind rose to flutter the pair of crow-gray and white robes. Under the shimmering light, the several square feet atop the mountain became its own little world with only Mu He and Xie Zhiwei in it.
There was no one and nothing else to distract them, no impurities that coud enter their realm.
A sharp-eyed disciple from the daoist sect suddenly pointed towards them. âLook, isnât that second martial uncle and Senior Brother Mu He!â
At once, chaos broke out.
âIt really is second martial uncle! I saw the living second martial uncle!â
âThey came! Even someone who hates bustle as much as second martial uncle came to watch the celebration.â
âI have to say, even though theyâre both men, theyâre reallyâŚreally a perfect match!â
âWeird, I get chills when I see other men together, but only second martial uncle and Senior Brother Mu He makes me feel yearning instead of disgusted.â
âAhhhhhh could you beâŚhey, keep your distance from me!â
âShut up shut up, looking at second martial uncle is more important!â
âŚ
The wind carried the sounds of clamor into Earthly Moon City.
At the edge of the city, the door to a small courtyard opened as Yin Wushuang slowly walked out to look in the direction of Summit City. Soon enough, her gaze settled.
It really is them.
It really is like what those disciples were yelling and describing.
After a single glance, Yin Wushuang returned to her rooms and the low sound of chanting faintly came out from the window screens and door.
Four years ago, they parted with death in the ruins left by the sea of flames. Four years later, they reunited alive beneath the bright moon and fireworks.
How wonderful.
Although she would never meet them again, an ending with a trace of regret was also fulfilling in its own way.
â
The celebration lasted until the latter part of the night. Xie Zhiwei and Mu He finished watching the fireworks before descending the mountain on foot via Yujing Sectâs small pathways. They passed through the bamboo grove of Summit City, the valley beneath One Step Cliff, the small bridge over the moat that surrounded Ascension City. With the bright moon shining above the flowing waves of water, Xie Zhiwei saw a white-robed figure standing on the bridge. It definitely wasnât Mu He, because the latter was still holding his hand.
When he drew closer, he discovered it was actually a girl. Her hair was long and swept past her waist, her figure graceful as she stood alone on the bridge like a white hibiscus removed from the world.
âMengâŚâ Xie Zhiwei changed his words mid-speech. âMiss Tantai?â
Tantai Meng had stunning looks. When she wasnât smiling, she carried a trace of frost, but her lips curved up after Xie Zhiwei called out, as if snow had melted to reveal spring, making her much more amiable. âBenefactor.â
Xie Zhiwei quickly walked forward a few steps. âYouâre still alive? Thatâs wonderful!â
Tantai Meng only smiled at him without saying a word.
After Xie Zhiweiâs surprise faded, heavy guilt surfaced in his heart. âMiss Tantai, IâŚam sorry for you, it was all my fault you got hurt.â
If he hadnât entered this world, the story wouldnât change and Mengmeng would never have died such a tragic death. If he could have held on longer, perhaps Gallant Outlaw might have reported things to the System and saved Mengmengâs life.
Tantai Meng lightly shook her head. âBenefactor doesnât need to be like this.â
âBut IâŚâ
Tantai Mengâs gaze was clear. âI would like to ask Benefactor a few questions, is that okay?â
âOf course it is,â Xie Zhiwei would answer anything. âIâll answer without hesitation.â
Tantai Meng asked, âDare I ask Benefactor, how the world is doing now?â
Xie Zhiwei thought it over and replied, âThe times are clear and the world is peaceful.â
âHow is Shizi Mu He doing?â
At this, Xie Zhiwei squeezed Mu Heâs hand, drawing immeasurable comfort from the warmth. âHeâs already set down his hatred and learned how to be tolerant.â
Tantai Meng nodded. âThen, how is Benefactor doing?â
How?
He never gave this careful thought before.
Eight years ago when he came to this world, his goals were clear. But he was so muddled about everything else that he took a wrong path and lost many chances to salvage the situation. Four years ago, he came to his sense in a sea of flames and realized what was most important to him.
Now that most important thingâŚwas already grasped in his hands.
Xie Zhiweiâs heart had never felt so calm. He looked at Tantai Meng. âForgive me for not daring to determine, but I hope that I can forever stay in this world by my discipleâs side.â
Tantai Meng quietly met his gaze. After a moment, her smile brightened.
She nodded and said, âIf thatâs the case, then itâs enough.â
A breeze fluttered past, sprinkling a few bamboo leaves on Xie Zhiweiâs face. The rustling sound woke him up to his senses. The bridge before him was empty with only the river flowing ever onwards. He looked over and saw that he was holding Mu Heâs hand. Together, they had fallen asleep beneath a tree by the bridge.
So it was a dream.
But the Mengmeng inside the dream looked even prettier than before. She still speaks with the same tricky style as always.
Mu Heâs eyelashes trembled slightly before he opened his eyes. âLast night we walked halfway before shizun fell asleep against my shoulder. I was afraid to wake you up, so I decided to pass the night here.â
Xie Zhiwei slowly rose to his feet. âYou must be tired too. Letâs sleep back in Suihan Lodge.â
But Mu He lightly took his hand and asked, âDoes shizun know why I chose to come back with you last night?â
âWhy?â Xie Zhiwei gave a start.
Mu He hugged him from behind. âDoes shizun still remember what day it is today?â
âToday?â Xie Zhiwei thought seriously. âItâs the second day of the celebration.â
ââŚâŚâ
âWhat kind of expression are you making,â Xie Zhiwei knitted his brows and pulled him up. âHurry back. Didnât you want to tour the rivers and mountains with me? Pack up and weâll say goodbye to your senior martial uncle and the rest.â
Mu He didnât give up. âShizun really doesnât know what day it is?â
Xie Zhiwei slapped his head. âOh right, your Aunt Yun is coming to see us today. Then we better clean up meticulously, thatâs meeting with your elders.â
ââŚ..â
âWhat expression are you wearing now?â Helpless, Xie Zhiwei simply took Qingping Sword from Mu He and prepared it for flight. Mu He was still stunned when Xie Zhiwei forced him on the sword with their positions reversed: Xie Zhiwei at the back, Mu He in front. This was identically to their swordflying positions eight years ago.
Mu He turned back slightly, his voice shaking. âShizun, you really donât remember that today isâŚâ
âQuiet! Focus on hurrying back.â
ââŚâŚ.â
â
Qiu Chongyun came to the daoist Yujing Sect with full aplomb. She was now the mother of the nation, with a status so prominent that even a sect leader like Yan Zhifei had to treat her with courtesy. But she didnât put on any airs and was all smiles as she faced Xie Zhiwei and his disciple with âsir daoistâ and ânephewâ tumbling from her lips.
âItâs been a few days since weâve met, but Daoyaoâs grown up already.â
âIs Wushuang still refusing to come out? Thatâs fine, Iâll go enlighten her later.â
âSir daoist grows more and more immortal by the day. If I didnât already have His Majesty, Iâd definitelyâŚthatâs right, you have my nephew too.â
âEh? Why does nephew look so listless? Sir daoist, did you hit or scold him?â
In the end Xie Zhiwei didnât know whether to laugh or cry, while Chu Zhishi was skittish as well. âWhy donât you take a good look at who my second senior brother is? Bixu zhenren Xie Zhiwei, the most well-tempered man in all of Yujing Sect. This bratâs his heart, so how could he beat or scold him? But then againâŚâ
âThen again what?â Qiu Chongyun asked doubtfully.
âCough, nothing,â Chu Zhishi didnât say it outright, but he was clear in his heart. Mu He was all high and mighty yesterday but a frostbitten eggplant today. Second senior brother must have been awesome, a man amongst men.
âSpeaking of whichâŚâ Xie Zhiwei smiled coldly in his heart as he raised his voice while wearing a sad frown. âYoungest junior brother, the flavor of your mooncake last night was a bit different. It was a special kind, right?â
âRâŚright, ah,â Chu Zhishi said even as guilt filled his heart. Second senior brother is so thin-skinned, how could he bring this up himself?
âDid you put some elixir in the mooncake to enhance spiritual power? Senior brother knows you mean well, but senior brother couldnât stand it so much that my body was unwell yesterday. Thankfully your martial nephew was there to take good care of me. Still, I didnât dare attend the celebrations at Ascension City for fear of making a fool out of myself,â Xie Zhiwei said as Mu He instructed back at Suihan Lodge while cupping his hands at Yan Zhifei. âIâm sorry, eldest senior brother.â
âSo thatâs what happened,â Yan Zhifeiâs expression warmed significantly but turned seven to eight parts sterner when he switched to Chu Zhishi. âZhishi, is that what happened?â
Chu Zhishiâs heart had already lurched multiple times in the course of Xie Zhiweiâs explanation. Now he could only gape before managing to ilk out, âThisâŚI didnât putâŚâ
âThen why did Zhiwei feel unwell after eating the mooncake you sent?â Yan Zhifei would never condone such things in front of all these people. âSince it was so special, tell me exactly what you put inside it?â
âI putâŚâ Chu Zhishi looked at Xie Zhiwei with wide eyes, but he only returned the look with a smile without saying anything to defend him.
Second senior brother is definitely helping Mu He out!
Chu Zhishi wanted to cry but had no tears. He could only chuckle at Yan Zhifei and said, âI was also considering my second senior brotherâs health, that was an excellent spiritual pill found in the pill furnace room.â
âRidiculous!â Yan Zhifei slapped the table. âCan pills be taken indiscriminately? Go back and reflect on your actions in your room for three days. This is too unbecoming!â
âYesâŚâ
âGo immediately.â
âAll rightâŚâ
Chu Zhishi left with a belly full of grievances, but could only comfort himself with the fact that second senior brother had to be helping Mu He out because heâd tossed him miserably last night and now felt acute distress over it. That made Chu Zhishi feel much better.
â
âYoungest junior brother, wait.â
Chu Zhishi was almost out of Ascension City when Xie Zhiwei suddenly caught up to him with creased brows as if in pain. Chu Zhishi put on a pose and gave a tough guy look back. âWhat is it, second senior brother?â
âYoungest junior brother, donât blame senior brother for acting like that. After all, you were the one who went overboard this time,â Xie Zhiweiâs words were weighted in sincerity. âItâs rare for us to meet, so donât blame senior brother for protecting your shortcomings.â
He spoke so softly that Chu Zhishi warmed to him. âWho told that kid to put no one in his eye.â
âAish, Iâve already taught him a lesson in your place,â Xie Zhiweiâs so-called âlessonâ was just a painless verbal remark. But in Chu Zhishiâs ears, they took on a completely different meaning.
His expression instantly turned ambiguous as he lowered his voice with a chuckle. âSecond senior brother is indeed impressive, ah.â
âHahahâŚâ Xie Zhiwei didnât know how to follow up beyond a chuckle. âYoungest junior brother, since youâre in charge of the pill room now, can you give senior brother some ointment?â He had finally managed to coax Mu He to stay behind and come out just to ask Chu Zhishi for this. If they coated some of this in the future, itâd be a lot less work to do the deed. But he couldnât let Mu He know, or else 1) if Chu Zhishi was the one who gave it, and 2) Mu He found out he came to ask for it specifically, the man would definitely blame himself for hurting him with poor techniques and start tearing up again.
âOintment?â Chu Zhishi arched a brow. âItâs not the kind Iâm thinking of, right?â
âIt is the kind youâre thinking of,â Xie Zhiweiâs old face was scorching.
âNo problem. Since second senior brother said so, Iâll give as much as you want,â Chu Zhishi said and took Xie Zhiwei on his sword towards Pill Furnace City.
Since this is for Mu He, Iâm definitely gonna pick a strong one. Mix a little croton or musk into it, tsk.
â
âPlease wait a moment, second senior brother, Iâll get some for you personally.â Chu Zhishi invited Xie Zhiwei to sit once they were inside.
âNo need, Iâll stand and wait,â Xie Zhiwei had recovered with spiritual energy, but still felt some discomfort.
âWhy are you being so formal? Quick, have a seat,â Chu Zhishi simply pressed Xie Zhiwei into a chair.
Xie Zhiwei was caught off guard and sat so firmly that he hissed and sprang back to his feet.
Crap.
âSecond senior brother, youâŚâ Chu Zhishi looked at him and found it strange before he had an epiphany mid-sentence.
Second senior brother was clearly in pain, ah.
Where else could it hurt when you sit in a chair?
What else could make that place hurt besides that reason?
He had a sudden awakening.
No wonder Mu He wore such a meaningful smile when I mentioned Black Wolf blood. No wonder Xie Zhiwei was wearing a grimace when he ran after me just then.
Chu Zhishi and Xie Zhiwei stared awkwardly at each other for ages before the former forced out a smile mixed with countless sympathy and pity. âSecond senior brother, just hold on, ah, Iâll get you the best ointment right away.â
â
Mu He was still waiting in the hall after sending off Qiu Chongyun, but Xie Zhiwei had yet to return. He was only anxious at first, but it soon turned into fear. Was shizun going to abandon him again?
This speculation had hardly taken root when his thoughts began to run wild. Shizun didnât even remember what day it was today and now he was running late to return. Did he reallyâŚ
Impossible. Shizun even sacrificed his life to save me, it can be seen he loves me, so heâll never leave me out of the blue.
Did I not do well enough last night? Or is shizun tired of me?
Mu He didnât have time to bid farewell to Yan Zhifei before running back to Suihan Lodge posthaste. As soon as he opened the gates, he was stunned.
Dog was fishing for goldfish in the pond while Xie Zhiwei sat beneath the eaves dressed in crow-gray robes, a willow branch in his hands. The leaves had been pinched off and scattered before a turquoise bracelet was soon crafted in its place. Mu Heâs heart seemed struck by something. It was a long time before he managed to call out in a raw voice, âShizun.â
Xie Zhiwei looked up at him and sighed. âAnd I wanted to surprise you. Forget it.â
He walked in front of Mu He and said, âHold out your hand.â
Mu He did so in a daze and Xie Zhiwei gently slid the bracelet over his wrist. The willow branch in the past had already been burnt to ashes at King Yin Manor. This was a brand-new one that was stronger and more turquoise than its predecessor. Mu He couldnât say a word. Something seemed stuck in his throat as his heart filled with guilt.
Shizun clearly liked him so much, but he was still clinging to the significance of todayâs date. How laughable.
Xie Zhiwei bapped him on the back of the head. âStupid, I was lying to you.â
Mu He didnât react for a moment and just touched the place where heâd been hit. ââŚah?â
Xie Zhiwei smiled. âToday was the day we first met. How could Master forget it?â
So shizun remembered after all.
Just like me, he remembers everything so clearly.
Mu He bit his lip hard, but still couldnât stop the tears from streaming down his face.
âAish, crying again.â Xie Zhiwei shook his head and helplessly wiped at the corners of his eyes.
âShizun, IâŚâ Mu He wanted to say that he was wrong, that heâd never cry again.
But even he himself didnât believe that.
When he was reborn eight years ago, he once vowed heâd never cry in his life again. That was because he didnât know how happy heâd be afterwards. He thoroughly broke his promise, but did so willingly. As long as shizun was by his side, his life would be full of surprises.
âKeep crying, keep crying, wait until youâve cried your fill and then we can go.â
âShizun, this willow branchâŚIâll wear it forever, I promise you.â
âMm, and itâll never wither again, that I promise you too.â
-The End-
â
The author has something to say: After dragging things on for ages, I can finally tag this novel as completed. I never expected the final chapter to be so long. Now I have to say after all this time I read the story from beginning to end again while editing and discovered even I canât face it outright. I let loose too much and vented myself, basically writing whatever I thought of. I canât believe there are viewers who liked it.
I feel very sorry for Teacher Xie and Mu He, because I wrote their story with a farcical attitude, so I did my best to give them some sugar in the extras. You guys wanted to see Mengmeng too, so I used this way to let her meet with Teacher Xie one more time~
For everyone else, I tried to give them the best ending in my imagination. My next book Silly Grandmaster is still a transmigrated-into-a-novel story. This time Iâll restrain myself and write properly without letting things go wild. I hope Iâll gain new experiences from it. Next after that should be This Daoist is Just an Actor which tells the story of Xie zhenren and He Zhengâs story. I also hope to give the tragic Xie zhenren a whole new life with some sweetness to taste. Iâll also explain clearly the origins of He Zhengâs little knots. In any case, thank you everyone for not abandoning or leaving the work, and I hope youâll all keep seeing me around~ *bows!*
The Chinese commenters:
I cried myself into a mess. Although it was too long for me to look at the details, it was stillâŚsuch a good read (??Ď??)?? So warm, so gentle, I really like it a lot a lot a lot⌠I always believe that thereâs another world in the book too and theyâre still acting out their story within it without par. Actually, I felt like Teacher Xie was an outsider at the start. Even if he treated the hero well, it wasnât sincere, so that was a bit awkward. Especially when Wood Box treated Teacher Xie so well. But by the endâŚmy face was really covered in tears. Not from angst, but from warmth. My heart felt warm and fuzzy (not the proper term but yeah) I felt like life was peaceful and quiet.
Although it took me less than an hour to read through the whole book, I felt like Iâve already experienced Teacher Xieâs entire life.
Ups and downs, setbacks and twists.
My mood went up and down with the plot. The people didnât just follow along with the plot, nor did the plot just follow along with the characters. It wasnât contrived. I felt these people were alive instead of just a bunch of faces. Everyone had their own story, their own experiences, their own sufferings and joys. I really like it a lot a lot a lotâŚ
Itâs the end now. I feel reluctant, I really want to write a fanfic!!! Too many things in my brain theyâre about to overflow wuwuwu (âŻ_âŻ)
(Ah, what a mess I donât know what Iâm saying (ăź_ăź)!!!)
Translatorâs Note: Annnnnd thatâs a wrap, folks! The first chapter of Too Bad Master Died Early published on March 20, 2022, which means it took us 112 days to see the 140-chapter story go live (donât forget the prologue is Chapter 0 hehe). I gotta say I dove into this story with full enthusiasm because there was something fun to translate in every chapter. I agree with the author/some readers that the middle was a bit chaotic, but the Feels were real and worth it (to me!) by the end. (My god, the last cameo with Mengmengâs soul/spirit/memory (?) made me cry again ahhh best daughter foreveeeeer)
May Xie Zhiwei and Mu He enjoy their happily ever after without us readers staring at their every move. From now on, theyâve moved beyond the novelverse to be truly themselves and free. At least, thatâs what I think. <3