Chapter 11: Thoroughly Holding Shizun in His Grasp

Meng Baixu ate the flower roll while staring straight at Shizun.

Wen Tingshu looked good in white, so he wore the same clothes as Shizun. But last night, he discovered that Wen Tingshu also looked good in red.

After seeing him in red, then seeing Shizun again in white robes whiter than snow, he still looked good.

What was going on?

Since childhood, the storybooks Meng Baixu read all had heartless men as the protagonists. He did not read stories about virtuous men and women.

Naturally, he knew the tricks of heartless men very well. Once he slept with Shizun, he would definitely grow tired of the old after enjoying the new, and the immortal air around Shizun would disappear.

But when he woke up and looked, Shizun was still so heart-stirring.

Wen Tingshu moving through firewood, rice, oil, and salt made Meng Baixu want to abduct him to the Fuguang Sect even more. Storybooks said that imprisoning Shizun was every disciple’s innate skill.

Meng Baixu tilted his head. When Wen Tingshu rolled up his sleeves to pull noodles, Meng Baixu discovered a bite mark above his arm!

This sect leader had bitten it.

Wen Tingshu had been so busy restoring his disciple’s body that he had not even dealt with the marks on himself?

He had just opened his mouth when Wen Tingshu seemed to notice something wrong as well. That bite mark instantly disappeared under Meng Baixu’s eyelids.

He had already seen it, and Shizun still wanted to deny it?

“Shizun, don’t hide it. I saw it. Who bit you?”

Wen Tingshu thought for a moment. “You.”

Meng Baixu asked, “Why did I bite you?”

Wen Tingshu’s expression did not change. “Because I wanted to take you away, but you were under an illusion and thought I was a bad person.”

Meng Baixu was dissatisfied with Shizun’s selective wording, which made him sound like a little dog.

“I wouldn’t randomly bite people. Shizun must have done something to me. Did you hit my butt?”

Wen Tingshu silently gathered the pulled noodles into a coil, waiting to cook them at noon.

Meng Baixu saw this and discovered that whenever there was a question Wen Tingshu could not answer, he would pretend to be very busy.

He had grasped Shizun’s lifelong weakness!

For the first time, Wen Tingshu did not dare look into his disciple’s lively, vivid eyes. Seeing him was like seeing spring, when grass and trees began to grow. Before this, both he and the place where he lived had been flat and plain through all seasons, like ten thousand years of winter.

Wen Tingshu changed the topic. “Tomorrow is the Double Ninth Festival, which is the Hengxue Sect’s family visitation period held once every three years. Guests will come from all directions, and the people will be mixed and complicated. Help Head Zhongli carefully. Learn from him as well. In the future—”

“I’m not going. Why would I learn that?”

Meng Baixu immediately became unhappy. Wasn’t it just teasing him a little? Was Shizun already trying to send him away?

Why should this sect leader help you manage the Hengxue Sect? He did not even handle the trivial affairs of the Fuguang Sect. He came here to steal skills, not to work for the Hengxue Sect.

Moreover, he and Zhongli Yun did not get along either.

Wen Tingshu said, “Then just follow behind him and look. During the visitation period, there are many lively things to see. When you return, tell me about them.”

This was not false.

As the number one cultivation academy, the Hengxue Sect gathered cultivation geniuses from all under heaven. Every cultivator here might be the outstanding member of their family and hold speaking authority.

If a family matter could not be decided, it would be brought to the Hengxue Sect for judgment. Or those who had suffered injustice might take the chance to make a scene at the Hengxue Sect in hopes of receiving the fairest handling.

Ordinary cultivators could also come to the cultivation academy of their dreams and see what it was like.

The visitors’ purposes were all different. This was the period when Zhongli Yun was most overwhelmed. The Hengxue Sect turned into the Ministry of Justice for settling disputes, and everyone pointed at him to act as the upright official under the clear sky.

It was one thing for Wen Tingshu not to appear himself, but he even threw his spoiled disciple to Zhongli Yun to bring around!

Zhongli Yun registered and verified the visitors, while Meng Baixu chattered endlessly beside him.

“Why did you arrange for this family to stay in the most remote place? Is it because they’ll conflict with anyone they meet?”

“When that man passed by just now, Head, you frowned. Do you dislike him?”

“Xie Jing’s mother and two aunts came too? These are honored guests. I’ll pay for them and Xie Jing to stay at the large inn at the foot of the mountain.”

The Hengxue Sect could not accommodate so many people surnamed Xie.

Meng Baixu followed Zhongli Yun around busily for an entire day. Every cultivator had someone come to visit. Even those without relatives had friends.

Usually, only cultivators passed through the heavenly stairs between the major peaks. Today, they were like the riverside during a mortal festival, where lanterns were released—whole families everywhere.

Even Head Zhongli had a nephew come to see him.

Meng Baixu belatedly realized that in the whole sect, only he and Wen Tingshu had no one visiting them.

For him, it was because people from the Fuguang Sect could not show their faces. For Wen Tingshu, it was because… all his relatives and friends were dead.

It was so lively outside, but Shizun’s place was cold and empty.

For one second, Meng Baixu forgave Wen Tingshu for being good brothers with Xie Tongchen. After all, once someone had no family, they had to make some friends.

It was just that his choice of friends was a little unfortunate.

It was fine. With him here, Wen Tingshu would not make those righteous path friends anymore.

He was becoming worse and worse now. He really could not bear to see Wen Tingshu be even a little good to other people.

Meng Baixu turned to Shen Luoyan and said, “Shen-shidi, I’ll trouble you to lead the night inspection. I have something to do and need to go back to find the Sect Master.”

He had not seen Shizun for an entire day.

Zhongli Yun had arranged twenty-seven small teams for night inspection, corresponding to the twenty-seven peaks. They would inspect each other. Shen Luoyan was from the Third Peak, and their team was patrolling the Seventh Peak, which happened to be where Xie Jing was staying.

Shen Luoyan thought Meng Baixu had proper business and hurriedly said, “Da-shixiong’s matter is more important.”

Meng Baixu thought that actually, it was not that important. It was just that Xie Jing and his family were inside. If he went in and accidentally showed a bad expression to the Xie family, or accidentally cursed at someone, he would only cause more trouble for Shizun.

During night inspection, everyone had to verify their identities again. At this time, the Xie family members were all awake, standing at the door and waiting. They saw two young cultivators leading the team in, but in the end, one of them turned around and left.

Xie Jing’s eldest aunt looked at Meng Baixu’s side profile and nudged his second aunt.

“That child, with his proper appearance and straight back—don’t you think he looks like Tongchen?”

Second Aunt Xie glanced over but only saw his back. “He doesn’t.”

Xie Tongchen had died young. Their sisters naturally felt grief in their hearts, but they could not say every beautiful and righteous-looking young man resembled him.

Back then, they had arranged a marriage for Xie Tongchen, but Xie Tongchen said he had no interest in love. They had also advised Xie Tongchen not to fight that demon to the death, but Xie Tongchen said it concerned the great Dao.

Xie Tongchen was the family head who said one thing and meant it. There was nothing they could do about him.

***

“Shizun, I’m back!”

As soon as Meng Baixu reached the snow line, he nearly ran straight into Shizun’s arms.

Wen Tingshu really was an old-fashioned man. Could he have been standing here waiting for Meng Baixu to return according to the usual time school ended?

He had already said that there would be night inspection tonight and that he would be busy until very late.

“You’re back this early?” Wen Tingshu held Meng Baixu steady.

Meng Baixu said, “The liveliness outside is meaningless too.”

Wen Tingshu tightened his grip on Meng Baixu’s wrist. “Mn. Our Lanshe doesn’t like joining the bustle.”

Meng Baixu had lost both parents, and the only friend he knew, Li Hengnian, had also “died.” During the Double Ninth Festival, no one would come to the Hengxue Sect to find him.

Wen Tingshu regretted letting him go watch the liveliness today.

“I made cold fish soup for you. Come eat.”

Meng Baixu suddenly produced a pot of wine. “It’s still the Double Ninth Festival, so I want to drink with Shizun! This is huadiao wine Qi-shidi brought me!”

Qi Feng had gone home to handle family matters and rushed back to the Hengxue Sect today. To thank Da-shixiong for his generous help, when he passed by an old wine shop, he bought Meng Baixu a gift.

Wen Tingshu asked, “Qi-shidi?”

Meng Baixu said, “Yes. Shizun, you can’t tell Zhongli Yun that he secretly brought wine back.”

Meng Baixu took two bowls, unsealed the wine jar, and poured until they were full. One bowl for the sect leader, one bowl for the Sect Master. He pushed Shizun’s bowl over and noticed that Shizun’s expression seemed to say he did not like drinking wine.

Old-fashioned. He did not even drink wine. The cultivation ban on alcohol must have been issued by Wen Tingshu.

Meng Baixu brought the bowl to his lips and was just about to drink freely when he suddenly remembered that he was at the critical stage of getting pregnant. He had to avoid alcohol.

Drinking carelessly could easily produce a baby who was not clever. A little fool could not be a villain.

Meng Baixu silently put the wine down and pushed all of it to Wen Tingshu.

“Shizun, drink. I won’t.”

After speaking, he picked up the cold fish soup.

Eating fish was good. It could help produce a cunning, scheming little villain cub.

Wen Tingshu looked at the huadiao wine that all belonged to him now, and his brows eased slightly. “You’re still young. Drink less alcohol.”

Meng Baixu said, “Fine, fine.”

Meng Baixu deeply inhaled the rich scent of wine in the air twice.

What a pity.

If he did not get pregnant this time, he would buy a jar of huadiao and splash it in Wen Tingshu’s face.

Wen Tingshu said, “Under your feet are buried two jars of hundred-year-old cornel wine. When you return from your training, they will all belong to you.”

Meng Baixu looked down at the ground under his feet. “Doesn’t the Hengxue Sect ban alcohol? Shizun, you’re only allowing the magistrate to set fires—”

Wen Tingshu said, “No. They were birthday gifts from Xie—friends a hundred years ago. I don’t drink, so I buried them here.”

Meng Baixu rubbed his shoe sole against the ground.

Knowing clearly that Wen Tingshu did not drink wine, yet still sending it.

“Bad friends.”

Wen Tingshu: “…”

Meng Baixu decided that tomorrow, he would pull the blue oxen over here to leave cow dung, then use the chance to dig up the wine.

He really was a great villain who loved causing destruction.

The child would definitely take after him.

Wen Tingshu finished the entire jar of huadiao and left none for Meng Baixu.

Meng Baixu observed that Shizun’s eyes remained clear and his expression was as usual. Clearly, he was not drunk. Even if Meng Baixu wanted to do something, there was nothing he could do.

He felt that his waist was a little sore today, so he said, “I’m going to sleep. Good night, Shizun.”

His clothes were stained with the scent of wine. In the night wind, it smelled rich and mellow. But once he arrived at his living quarters, Meng Baixu no longer liked the choking smell.

He took off his clothes and burrowed into bed. The feeling of his arms and back directly touching the quilt made certain memories surge up, and a layer of trembling rose across his back.

Meng Baixu quickly found a new set of clothes and put them on, falling asleep fully dressed.

But in his dream, it was full of images of himself crying endlessly. Only, it was not in the Renxu secret realm, but in the west palace on Hengxue Mountain.

Wen Tingshu was unfeeling one moment and holding him while coaxing him the next, kissing away his tears, yet stubbornly refusing to kiss his mouth, leaving Meng Baixu’s mouth with a chance to bite people.

“Shizun, I’m not doing this anymore!”

Meng Baixu sat up in shock. He looked around and discovered it was only a dream.

He stared beneath the quilt.

Had Lin Yao’s aphrodisiac pill still not completely worn off?

Next time, he would not ask Lin Yao to make medicine.

Meng Baixu calmed down for a while. Then his eyes turned, and he suddenly thought of another move.

He hurriedly grabbed his shoes and went out, heading straight for the west palace opposite. He had woken too early, so Shizun had only just gotten up to meditate and had not put on his outer robe.

Meng Baixu went up to him, wearing a flushed, sweaty face, and said openly, “Shizun, I had an erotic dream!”

Wen Tingshu said hoarsely, “That is normal, Lanshe.”

Meng Baixu said, “It’s my first time having one, so there are some things I don’t understand.”

Before accepting a disciple, Wen Tingshu truly had never considered that he would also have to answer questions about his disciple’s erotic dreams—especially not in his current state. But since it concerned his disciple, he could only put others before himself.

“Speak.”

Meng Baixu said, “I couldn’t clearly see who the person was. It was blurry.”

Wen Tingshu said, “This kind of dream does not necessarily have a clear target. It is all based on fantasy.”

Meng Baixu said seriously, “But I feel like he is a real person, and I know him.”

Wen Tingshu lowered his eyes, and guilt grew within him.

He was Shizun. He should have been stronger, more self-controlled, and more vigilant than his disciple. Yet he had fallen into the Renxu secret realm’s trap together with Lanshe. Two days of indulgence would always leave some physical memories behind in Lanshe.

Whenever Shizun felt guilty and lowered his head to reflect, Meng Baixu grew arrogant and crossed his arms.

You did it but don’t dare admit it. Then you can only endure it.

But the tone he spoke with was very sincere.

“Shizun, who do you think it could be?”

Wen Tingshu said, “As your Shifu, I have no way of knowing.”

Meng Baixu pondered. “Could it be Peak Master Dongyang? His figure seems about the same?”

Peak Master Dongyang was the master of the Seventh Peak. Like Shizun, he also had a transcendent, immortal bearing. He did not like going out, did not meet strangers, and always wore a veiled hat that covered his face.

Wen Tingshu said, “Dongyang is three hundred and twenty-seven years old.”

Meng Baixu asked, “What’s wrong with being older?”

Wen Tingshu said, “Have you seen his true face?”

Meng Baixu said, “I haven’t seen it, which is exactly why the face was blurry.”

Wen Tingshu’s tone was stiff. “It was not him.”