In that distracted moment, the gold chain flew over, wrapping around Gu Changhuai's waist several times. He bent down to dodge Xuan Yao's extended hand: "Just bickering a bit. I'm not even angry. What are you angry about?"
However, Xuan Yao said nothing, pulling the gold chain to yank him over.
The gold chain was no ordinary item but an upper-grade immortal artifact. The rich spiritual power it contained forced his body to lift off the ground. Gu Changhuai's eyes sharpened. Borrowing the force, he spun in midair, instead grasping one end of the gold chain and landing to stabilize his form. Only then did he avoid being pulled over by Xuan Yao.
Probably really angry. He was somewhat helpless. Between his fingers, two beads appeared in his hand, throwing them at Xuan Yao: "Catch!"
The beads flew at his face. Xuan Yao frowned, raising his hand to catch them. His palm hurt. Opening his palm, inside lay the red and green twin-born magical artifacts he'd recently lost.
Xuan Yao's expression was greatly shocked as he looked at Gu Changhuai: "You..."
Gu Changhuai casually said: "Found them. Giving them to you!"
Taking advantage of this moment, he broke free from the gold chain wrapped around his waist and fled.
Can't provoke, but can avoid.
He transmitted to Hua Mei: "Remember to clean up the trap's tail."
Hua Mei saw Gu Changhuai disappear before his eyes like a shooting star and also wanted to run. Just as he turned, the gold chain flew over, wrapping around his throat several times.
Hua Mei: "..."
The hostage is actually me.
Xuan Yao's expression was displeased: "Don't move. I'll ask you a few questions."
As he spoke, his expression wandered, his tone unlike the previous tenseness. He coughed twice, carrying a few traces of unspeakable shyness: "That Attendant Gu just now—does he have a Dao companion?"
"?"
Instantly, Hua Mei's eyes changed. His charming eyes floated with a smile as he pinched his voice: "Brother, you should have said so earlier. In this world, probably no one understands Official Gu better than this slave."
_____
After slipping away from the mountain path, Gu Changhuai first went to find Zhao of Book Study. Ten Directions Court's Book Study sign was large, with an endless stream of people at the entrance.
He directly stormed up to the second floor, charging before Zhao of Book Study. At that moment, Zhao of Book Study was counting spirit stones until his hands cramped. Gu Changhuai ignored the staff's obstruction, kicked the door open, entered the room, closed the door—all in one smooth motion. Getting straight to the point: "There's a small favor I need your help with."
Zhao of Book Study, seeing the visitor was Gu Changhuai, originally panicked to flee but his form suddenly paused. Putting on airs, he straightened his collar: "All ears."
Gu Changhuai stroked his chin: "Can you write exciting fight scenes? Best if bloody, evenly matched, mainly depicting the hardship within."
His previous letters weren't vivid enough. Zhao of Book Study's ability to invert black and white was strong enough. Finding him to ghostwrite was best—preferably depicting his image as more arduous... This way the Demon Venerable would know he was diligently on duty and watch with peace of mind.
Zhao of Book Study clapped his hands. "Easy, easy. It's just this..." He rubbed his hands, his scholarly face taking on a merchant's philistine expression.
Gu Changhuai smiled shyly: "The matter of you profiting greatly using me and Qing Lian Immortal Lord—I think the Immortal Lord should extract some compensation. What do you think?"
Understanding Gu Changhuai's implication, Zhao of Book Study's expression changed drastically. Very sensibly: "Such a small matter is no problem. How many pieces do you need? When do you want them?"
Gu Changhuai thought: "Best if you give me one tomorrow first. Afterward, when I need them, I'll find you in advance."
Zhao of Book Study: "Easy to say. With our relationship, I'll complete this task very well."
After a pause, he coughed: "...Then the Immortal Lord's side probably won't extract compensation, right?"
Gu Changhuai's expression was serious, making a sealing gesture.
Zhao of Book Study similarly nodded solemnly: "Good brother, it's a secret!"
...
Leaving Ten Directions Court, Gu Changhuai casually handed the letter he'd written at Stone Long Platform to the cold crow. Within three days see blood—the blood was seen, so the report should keep pace.
The sun was setting in the west. The dusky afterglow illuminated the lake of fire lotuses with colors deeper than before. Walking along the shore was like viewing a sea of fire lit in the water. The lake surface sparkled with rippling light. The fire lotuses glowed brilliantly, yet the atmosphere was extraordinarily harmonious.
Having successively resolved two major matters, Gu Changhuai was in quite a beautiful mood, humming a tune as he leisurely strolled back to Waterside Residence. Immediately, he encountered Rong Ye sitting in the courtyard.
Rong Ye's unfathomably deep eyes glanced over. "Come here."
At this moment, the beauty abruptly stopped. Gu Changhuai rather reluctantly shuffled over: "What does the Immortal Lord command?"
"Apply medicine." Rong Ye's voice was deep and hoarse. Slightly tilting his head to expose a fine wound mark on his neck side, he said in a low voice: "Don't tell me you forgot?"
Clearly his tone was still as coldly indifferent as always, yet it made people hear several traces of unspeakable grievance from within.
In an instant, it stirred up Gu Changhuai's guilty conscience, stammering: "Wouldn't dare forget, wouldn't dare forget." As he spoke, he pulled out a bottle of wound medicine, moving close to Rong Ye's side. "Come, come, come, I'll apply medicine for the Immortal Lord."
Grabbing Rong Ye's neck and pressing at the nape, his ring finger dipped a bit of medicine, carefully smearing it on Rong Ye's wound. Seeing the neck side reflected a bloodied fine opening, Gu Changhuai froze.
But he still quickly recovered, dotting the medicine on the wound. While applying, he felt strange. Logically, with Rong Ye's cultivation level, this bit of external injury should have healed long ago. Yet this tiny opening looked as fresh as if just cut...
Strange.
Could there be internal injuries?
Then he'd added injury to injury—wouldn't that be a sin! Gu Changhuai harbored guilt, looking at the wound with eyes instantly as if facing a great enemy. Even his medicine-applying movements lightened, rubbing especially carefully.
...
Rong Ye raised his eyes.
Because of the closeness—so close he could see clearly the fine, white down on Gu Changhuai's face and his lowered, obedient long lashes.
Currently focused intently on the wound, his handsome face filled with seriousness, his manner gentle and careful.
Perhaps because he'd just strolled back from Stone Long Platform, beneath his cold white skin still showed traces of pink. His entire body was wrapped in the faint cold fragrance belonging to Waterside Residence.
Following Gu Changhuai's excellent lip line downward, his collar was slightly loose. At his neck, with his breathing, one could see neat, clear bone structure.
As if he could be casually crushed... obedient beyond words.
Clearly an assassin sent by the Demon Clan to cause trouble, yet living comfortably and peacefully in the sect.
Rong Ye's eyes darkened.
...Wait a bit longer.
He closed his eyes, concealing the darkness within.
...
Gu Changhuai didn't know Rong Ye's thoughts. While applying medicine, he happily narrowed his eyes, sighing in his heart—the Qing Lian Immortal Lord who swept away the Demon Clan with one sword was sitting here so obediently letting him apply medicine, at such a sensitive vital area too. What tremendous face!
To the degree he could brag about it for the rest of his life after returning to the Demon Realm.
Dusk cast a layer of fine, fragmented golden light over the two in the courtyard. The air was exceptionally quiet. Until Hua Mei, panting and carrying large and small packages, emotionally charged, rushed into the courtyard: "Changhuai, Changhuai, we're rich! We're rich!"
The strange appearance attracted Gu Changhuai's attention. The medicine happened to be finished applying. He stood up, sizing up the several bundles Hua Mei brought back with two glances: "Did you go collect junk?"
Hua Mei's hand holding the bundles loosened. The cloth bags scattered, shaking downward. The contents inside dropped all over the ground. In an instant, they emitted colorful jeweled brilliance that made eyes unable to look away. There were also bottles and jars stacked together.
Gu Changhuai: "?!"
Gu Changhuai hesitated: "You went to rob? We don't do that!"
"What are you saying? The fancy peacock gave them. He said this time coming out, he didn't bring many pills and spirit artifacts. He went to Alchemy Peak and bought out everything, buying all the pills Alchemy Peak refined, saying it was..."
Hua Mei was originally chattering away. Halfway through, he looked up and suddenly saw Rong Ye behind Gu Changhuai.
Rong Ye suddenly glanced at Hua Mei... Perception of danger made Hua Mei's hair stand on end instantly. His voice gradually became smaller, closing his mouth to become mute.
That glance lightly swept over, making the air spread with nihilistic yet containing endless destructive pressure. Eyes cold and deep, at the bottom was annoyed irritation at being disturbed. The momentarily revealed sinister, violent energy was as if wanting to tear him apart.
Hua Mei froze in place, holding his breath.
Gu Changhuai noticed nothing, asking: "What's wrong? What did the fancy peacock say?"
Hua Mei recovered, seeing Rong Ye had already withdrawn his gaze, turning his back to the two to continue brewing tea, as if indifferent to everything around.
...As if the previous moment's sense of world-annihilating perception was his illusion. Moreover, how could the righteous path leader Immortal Lord show such an eerie expression?
Hua Mei swallowed with lingering fear, his small face deathly pale as he turned his gaze back to Gu Changhuai, weakly saying: "...The fancy peacock said these are betrothal meeting gifts for you."
Gu Changhuai: "Huh?"
"He said you took the betrothal beads. Taking them means you're marrying him." Hua Mei pointed at the pile of spirit stones and treasures on the ground. "Also said later he'll have the manor master come to formally present betrothal gifts. Said these are meeting gifts."
Gu Changhuai frowned in confusion: "Those two broken beads?" After a pause, he turned back to ask Rong Ye: "Has the Immortal Lord heard of this?"
Might be nonsense.
Rong Ye didn't move. His low voice came: "Scarlet Feather Manor clan inheritance. Betrothal beads—one set per person, never leaving the body. Whomever's hands the betrothal beads are in and whomever's aura is on them, the betrothal bead master need only recognize it to consider it a betrothal. No need to mind."
Gu Changhuai understood. So it was Schrödinger's betrothal beads.
Because no matter who obtained them, as long as the bead owner liked them, it could count as a betrothal.
He found it hard to describe his current mood: "Scarlet Feather Manor's tradition is to stuff beads at whoever they fancy? What's the difference from hooligans?"
What betrothal beads!
Should be renamed scam beads!
Rong Ye said: "Exactly so."
"Still a bit more refined than hooligans." Hua Mei spoke up: "At least he gave meeting gifts. Quite generous."
Looking again at the pile of treasure emitting brilliance on the ground—riches dazzling to the eye. Gu Changhuai pondered: "Indeed generous. Never been this wealthy before today."
Hua Mei sighed: "Also never had someone as easy to fool as the fancy peacock. A few words of coaxing and he emptied his entire fortune... Why not just wash up and submit?"
Gu Changhuai shot him a glance. "So this is your reason for selling me out?"
Just thinking about it, Xuan Yao couldn't possibly suddenly produce so many treasures. Hua Mei definitely embellished things, contributing greatly.
"Can't quite say that..." Hua Mei looked left and right, anywhere but at Gu Changhuai.
Understanding Hua Mei's nature thus, Gu Changhuai kicked him in disgust.
Hua Mei, in the wrong, dejectedly hung his head.
Unwilling to be scammed by Xuan Yao, keeping this pile of things was like holding a hot potato. Gu Changhuai didn't dare let Hua Mei return them. These things falling into Hua Mei's hands was like a meat bun beating a dog—no telling where they'd oddly appear.
Thinking, he asked Rong Ye's opinion: "Then in the Immortal Lord's view, how should these meeting gifts be disposed of? Can you help me refuse?"
Hearing this, Rong Ye stood, saying: "Yes."
Then his long sleeve swept. The pile of things on the ground instantly disappeared completely.
Seeing the treasures painstakingly coaxed away all gone, Hua Mei opened his mouth. But the words reached his lips and he swallowed them down again. Wary in his heart, he glanced at Rong Ye. Poor with short ambitions and extremely afraid of Rong Ye, his smile looked harder than crying.
Gu Changhuai had no such feelings about this, only blinking and feeling his whole body relax now that the problem was solved.
However, the next moment, a jade seal was tossed over by Rong Ye. Gu Changhuai caught it, raising his eyes in confusion, meeting Rong Ye's dark, unfathomable eyes.
In his line of sight, Rong Ye's expression was indifferent, not speaking aloud. But by his ear sounded Rong Ye's deep, hoarse voice—a private voice transmission.
"If you like these things, you may go to the cave mansion behind the mountain and take what you wish."
_________
TL:
Hi! I'm going to stop here for now...
As in, I will go to a 1-2 chapter per week update schedule.
If there are three interested comments, I will focus on translating this. Hoping it does happen, but the world can be fickle sometimes, so we'll see. Any comment just saying interested, or please continue, or any of the sort from three people, I am happy to continue translating! If there are any series you are looking for, please DM me and I am happy to translate the first few chapters, given interest I will finish translating.
Thank you for staying with me so far! Wishing you good fortune today.