Chapter 3: Speaking of male-male relationships, was Wen Tingshu into men?

There were two palaces on Hengxue Mountain, connected in the middle by an arched bridge. Master and disciple each lived in one. Meng Baixu’s side had a carved dome, a wide courtyard, and jade steps, like a wealthy mortal palace. Wen Tingshu’s side, on the other hand, was filled with nothing but upright righteousness, with only the simplest decorations.

Wen Tingshu was standing in the central square. Viburnum flowers fell onto the top of his head, and the jade-colored bricks and tiles reflected the clear morning light, coating him in immortal air.

“Shizun,” Meng Baixu called out honestly.

Wen Tingshu said, “Circulate the qi of your heavenly cycle and use your Golden Core as the foundation to nourish your blood and qi.”

Meng Baixu pretended to be taught. “Oh. I don’t seem to be that hungry anymore.”

Wen Tingshu said, “Let’s go.”

Wen Tingshu sent Meng Baixu to school every day, but only as far as the snow line of Hengxue Mountain.

Above it was the warm human realm that Wen Tingshu had created. Below it was the natural mountain path. The melted snow fell like a waterfall of pearls, and the deep-black rocks on the cliffside were sharp as if carved by blades and axes.

The pearl-like waterfall reflected flowing light onto Meng Baixu’s beautiful, fair jaw. His face still carried a faint flush from having slept well, like red apricots and blooming peaches, monopolizing the spring light alone at this bitterly cold snow line.

Meng Baixu lowered his head and saw that Wen Tingshu was standing exactly on the snow line, not an inch off.

—He had never seen such a sheltered young lady from a noble family, so rigidly self-restrained and bound by rules.

What exactly was trapping Wen Tingshu, making him never go down the mountain?

Meng Baixu pretended his foot slipped and suddenly grabbed Wen Tingshu’s hand.

Wen Tingshu remained unmoving as a mountain. “Don’t be late.”

Meng Baixu pretended nothing had happened and timidly left.

When he betrayed the sect in the future, it would be wonderful if he could pack Shizun up and take him along, imprisoning him in the Fuguang Sect as a pastry chef.

From shifu as master to shifu as craftsman—for Wen Tingshu, who had no desires and no wants, life would still be lived the same way.

Meng Baixu sighed. This was even harder than a poor scholar seducing a noble young lady into eloping with him.

At least the poor scholar had literary talent. He had none. Shizun was always telling him to read more books.

He wanted Shizun to enter an illusion realm, but Hengxue Mountain had no entrance to one, and Shizun refused to go out. So he could only arrange for Liu Xishi to use the flying kite to pull an illusion realm over.

“I’m going to school.”

On the afternoon of the first day of bigu, his fellow disciples were all so hungry that they were limp and weak. Even the voices calling “Da-shixiong” on the road were three parts lower than usual.

Meng Baixu was infected by their gloom. Though he was not hungry, he was craving food. He dragged his feet all the way back to Hengxue Mountain.

When he climbed the heavenly stairs to near the snow line, Meng Baixu lay down on the spot, sticking limply to a place seven or eight steps away from the snow line like a soft ball of dough.

The skirt-like hem of his robe spread open. Looking down from above, he resembled a snow lotus growing on a steep cliff.

“I’m hungry. I can’t walk.” Meng Baixu secretly glanced at Shizun, who had appeared, with a voice as faint as a thread. “I’m not walking anymore. There’s no food even if I go back anyway, so I’ll just lie here for a while, then go back down for class later.”

“Come here.” Wen Tingshu looked down at his shameless disciple. Helplessly, he put on a stern face, and his usual cold expression became dignified.

“My stomach is hungry.” Meng Baixu turned his body slightly, deliberately facing away from him.

Wen Tingshu looked at his disciple with helpless eyes and fell silent. He seemed to have no way to deal with him.

Meng Baixu hummed.

If he were not afraid that Wen Tingshu would notice something wrong, he would have secretly eaten long ago.

At that moment, two young cultivators dressed in black appeared below the heavenly stairs. Each of them held a carved wooden box as they climbed step by step.

There were as many as eight thousand steps leading to the peak of Hengxue Mountain. Meng Baixu had always ridden his sword up and only walked the last few steps when he was almost there.

But these two cultivators climbed one step at a time. Clearly, it was to show respect for Wen Tingshu.

Who were they? Guests?

Meng Baixu propped himself up slightly and watched the people below get closer and closer. When he saw the flame pattern on the jade pendants at their waists, his expression darkened.

They were from the Xie family.

In the cultivation world, there were top sects, and there were also long-standing aristocratic families. The Xie family belonged to the latter. They possessed their own spirit mines, scriptures, and prefectures, with countless collateral and branch lines. Among their descendants, the one with the greatest talent for cultivation would be chosen as the family head and raised with the family’s resources.

The Fuguang Sect just so happened to have a feud with the Xie family.

Meng Baixu’s father, who had died early, was named Meng Fuguang.

Twenty years ago, the previous head of the Xie family, Xie Tongchen, had pursued and killed Meng Fuguang in the name of defending the Dao. In the end, the two fought at Xiling Mountain and died together.

At that time, Meng Fuguang already had a child in his belly. After desperately giving birth, he wrapped the little sect leader in the Silver Kite and sent him to Guiye City.

Guiye City was the demonic sect’s old nest. The people guarding the nest were both shocked and furious when they saw the little sect leader. The Silver Kite was Meng Fuguang’s life-saving magic treasure. It could carry a person away from any formation or ultimate attack. The sect leader never let it leave his side. Now that it had been transferred to the little sect leader, it could only mean the situation had reached the critical point of choosing whether to save the adult or the child.

The Silver Kite only recognized those with Meng family blood as its master.

Although the sect members did not know when Meng Fuguang had become pregnant, nor who the child’s father was, that did not affect them recognizing the little sect leader.

Meng Baixu had only two goals in coming down the mountain: ruin the Hengxue Sect’s reputation and take revenge on the Xie family.

However, the Hengxue Sect and the Xie family were on good terms. Xie Tongchen and Wen Tingshu had once been close friends. If one side was in trouble, the other would definitely offer support.

He had to make Wen Tingshu too busy to look after himself first, then make a move against the Xie family.

While he was thinking, the two Xie family members arrived before them. Seeing Meng Baixu lying on the ground, they did not know his identity. They stopped and bowed, then respectfully bent toward Wen Tingshu.

“By order of the family head, we present birthday gifts.”

The current person in power in the Xie family was Xie Tongchen’s younger brother, Xie Shouzhuo.

The two opened the boxes. Inside were Cassia Pearls and a letter.

If a cultivator only broke through to the Golden Core stage in old age, then even if they gained longevity, they could only show themselves with an elderly appearance. But one Cassia Pearl could make a cultivator’s appearance grow one year younger, making it extremely precious and rare.

The Xie family had given a whole at once. It seemed they were full of sincerity in wanting to continue their good relationship with the Hengxue Sect.

Wen Tingshu picked up the letter, glanced at Meng Baixu, whose ears were pricked up, then said to the two of them, “Please follow me.”

The Xie family cultivators were slightly stunned.

In previous years, Wen Tingshu had not accepted birthday gifts. He would only say, “I have received your intentions.” They had never even stepped above the snow line. This had caused the family head to often worry that Wen Tingshu wanted to break the alliance with the Xie family.

Meng Baixu watched the backs of the three people and alertly rolled to his feet.

Did they think this sect leader was dead? Could he allow a prestigious family and a righteous sect to flirt and collude right under his nose?

Driving a wedge between prestigious righteous families was also his mission.

Meng Baixu’s stomach was no longer hungry, and his legs were no longer weak. With a whoosh, he flew in front of the two cultivators and stiffly separated them from Wen Tingshu.

While asking, “Shizun, who are they?” he turned his head and stared at the Xie family members with unfriendly eyes.

Unfortunately, the Xie family cultivators were properly staring at the ground and did not receive the hostility from Wen Tingshu’s beloved disciple.

The corner of Wen Tingshu’s mouth curved slightly. “People from the Xie family of Zhongzhou.”

When they reached the palace at the top of the mountain, Wen Tingshu sat beneath the viburnum tree, unfolded the letter paper, dipped his brush in ink, and said to the two cultivators, “Please rest in the side room.”

The Xie family cultivators said, “We would not dare, we would not dare. Being able to see the Sect Master is already as shocking as seeing a celestial being. The family head only hopes to form an everlasting friendship with the Hengxue Sect.”

Meng Baixu inwardly mocked them.

Then why didn’t they send over a young lady for a marriage alliance?

Wen Tingshu still said, “Please rest for now.”

The two cultivators heard the implication in Wen Tingshu’s words. Presumably, he had something he wanted to discuss privately with his disciple, so they respectfully accepted.

As soon as the outsiders left, Meng Baixu immediately pointed at the Cassia Pearls on the table and said, “Shizun, the Xie family is mocking you for being old. Sending such heaven-defying, appearance-changing things means their intentions are improper. They cannot be deeply associated with. Besides, you are in the prime of your elegance and youth. You have no use for them. I guess they sent the gift expecting you to return it.”

Wen Tingshu removed the qiankun pouch from his waist and poured the entire world-rare Cassia Pearls into Meng Baixu’s pouch.

“Mn. I have no use for them. You keep them.”

Meng Baixu froze.

But that could not stop him from speaking badly about the Xie family. He squeezed onto the same bench as Wen Tingshu.

“Shizun, were you and Xie Tongchen very close?”

Wen Tingshu said, “Like sworn brothers.”

It was the answer he had expected, but Meng Baixu still felt unhappy after hearing it.

They were actually close enough to become sworn brothers?

If he had been born five hundred years earlier, what place would Xie Tongchen have had? With him as Wen Tingshu’s disciple, he absolutely would not have let those two hypocritical things become sworn brothers.

He tirelessly attacked the Xie family.

“He used every means possible to annihilate the demonic sect at Xiling Mountain. He was too extreme. Shizun often says that the highest goodness is like water, and flowing water can turn and adapt. How could you swear brotherhood with such an extreme person?”

Wen Tingshu said, “Brother Xie had an upright nature and valued justice above all. He was definitely not someone who would kill the innocent indiscriminately. There may have been hidden difficulties behind the battle at Xiling Mountain.”

Meng Baixu did not accept this reason.

Wen Tingshu was brothers with the person who killed his father, so he was not a good thing either.

Looking at it from another angle, if Xie Tongchen had not killed Meng Fuguang, perhaps Wen Tingshu would have been the one to act. After all, these two old things shared the same ideals.

Then don’t blame me for parting ways with you.

“I’m going to class.”

Meng Baixu was full of anger.

Honestly, Wen Tingshu did not even tell him it was his birthday, yet Xie Shouzhuo, who was far away in Zhongzhou, knew?

Fine, fine, fine.

Since Xie Tongchen’s younger brother was sending you birthday gifts, then he would not foolishly force his warm face against a cold butt and celebrate Shizun’s birthday.

“…”

Wen Tingshu was silent for a long time. Then he sealed the letter, placed it into the box, and summoned the Xie family cultivators.

“How does your Xie family raise and teach its children?”

The Hengxue Sect only had masters and disciples. It upheld the belief that strict teachers produced outstanding disciples. It was unlike the Xie family, which had many descendants and deep blood ties.

The two cultivators looked at each other. No matter how hard they thought, they could not imagine that the dignified Sect Master was asking for advice on how to get along with a rebellious disciple.

They recalled and answered, “Those with spiritual veins are given high expectations and strictly urged to cultivate. Those without spiritual veins and unable to cultivate are given a property, monthly allowance, guards, teachers, and physicians. We only hope our children, even if dull, may live without disaster or hardship.”

Wen Tingshu carefully learned about the Xie family’s caring strategies toward ordinary children, then said unhurriedly, “Xie Shouzhuo has been somewhat lax with his children’s studies.”

Although Xie Shouzhuo could not compare to his older brother Xie Tongchen, who had been a heavenly genius, his own talent was still considered first-rate. However, his son’s talent was somewhat lacking. He most likely would not be able to become the next family head.

So Xie Shouzhuo simply sent his son, Xie Jing, to the Hengxue Sect to study, hoping his son would become successful.

Xie Jing’s cultivation was average, but his food, clothing, and daily necessities were anything but average. Among all the disciples of the Hengxue Sect, aside from Meng Baixu, who held an extraordinary status as Wen Tingshu’s first disciple, Xie Jing was the most conspicuous.

Wen Tingshu knew that one mountain could not hold two tigers. Meng Baixu and Xie Jing did not get along very well, and this extended to hostility toward the Xie family.

As long as Wen Tingshu had any contact with the Xie family, Meng Baixu would watch him every step of the way. It was a somewhat childish possessiveness.

The problem still needed to be solved from the source.

This was the Hengxue Sect. Naturally, Wen Tingshu’s disciple was far more important than Xie Tongchen’s nephew.

The two Xie family cultivators looked at each other and heard the warning in Wen Tingshu’s words.

It must be that their spoiled young master had affected the school atmosphere and caused Sect Master Wen’s dissatisfaction. This was a serious cultivation academy, not a place for young masters to enjoy luxury.

The two cultivators looked young, but in truth, they were elders who had worked under the previous family head, Xie Tongchen. They had a certain amount of authority within the clan. After privately discussing it, they decided to cut eighty percent of the young master’s food and clothing expenses so that he could focus on cultivation.

***

“On what basis?!”

Xie Jing, who had suddenly heard the terrible news, looked at his two clan uncles.

“I haven’t done anything wrong recently!”

One clan uncle said, “Not making progress in cultivation is the greatest wrong! With fewer external possessions, you can calm your heart and cultivate.”

***

Meng Baixu arrived at the classroom cursing Wen Tingshu in his heart.

As soon as he entered, he saw Xie Jing, who usually wore brocade clothes every day and flaunted top-grade spirit stones sewn onto his robes. Today, Xie Jing was dressed in plain clothes, looking miserable and pitiful.

Was the Xie family going bankrupt?!

Meng Baixu immediately became happy.

He deliberately picked a seat next to Xie Jing and sat down. Tilting his head, he admired Xie Jing’s fallen appearance and provoked him.

“Just now, your honored father sent the Sect Master Cassia Pearls as a birthday gift. The Sect Master transferred them to me. Shidi, remember to pass along my thanks to your honored father.”

When Xie Jing heard this, he nearly fainted from anger.

His father had sent his clan uncles here, offering precious treasures to Meng Baixu, then turned around and deducted his own son’s meal expenses!

What nonsense about hardening his will and starving his body? How did Meng Baixu get to live so well?!

He glared at Meng Baixu.

Meng Baixu also secretly glared back. His beautiful eyes were full of provocation.

Xie Jing was furious.

Look! This was the true face of your kind Da-shixiong! He had been glared at by Meng Baixu for three months, and even if he said it out loud, no one would believe him.

“Ah! She fainted!”

Xie Jing thought, I didn’t faint from anger though.

When he turned his head, he realized that it was a female cultivator who had fainted.

Meng Baixu reacted quickly, casting a spell to hold the shimei’s body in place and prevent the back of her head from hitting the ground. He flew over and pressed his fingers to her wrist to take her pulse. Then he froze.

“What happened to Bingyu-shimei?” another female cultivator asked as she supported her from the other side.

Meng Baixu said, “Special constitution. She fainted from hunger during bigu.”

“Ah?” The people around them were all surprised. After all, cultivators’ bodies were different from mortals’. Going three days without eating was no problem at all.

Meng Baixu stretched out his hand toward Xie Jing. “Give me a piece of candy.”

Xie Jing said, “Are you joking? It’s the fasting period right now. How could I possibly carry candy with me?”

Meng Baixu said, “You have some.”

Xie Jing was still far from the Golden Core stage. Right now, he was purely accompanying everyone else in starvation. A pampered young master like him would definitely have secretly hidden food.

Xie Jing bristled. “I don’t.”

Meng Baixu said, “Hurry up. Shimei has already fainted.”

Unwillingly, Xie Jing pulled out a candy that he had gone to great lengths to hide, originally planning to eat it at night. The discipline team had been too strict. They had actually invented a food-clearing spell, leaving no chickens or dogs behind in the entire Hengxue Sect.

After the female cultivator took the candy, she gradually woke up. The medical cultivator also happened to arrive and took her away.

With one student gone, class continued as usual.

Meng Baixu rested his chin on his hand, but what he was thinking about was the pulse he had just felt. It was clearly a pregnancy pulse.

Bingyu-shimei had not realized she was pregnant and had rashly undergone bigu. That was why she had fainted.

Pregnancy was a relatively rare thing in the cultivation world.

Firstly, everyone pursued the Dao and sought longevity, so they were not attached to having children.

Secondly, during pregnancy, a female cultivator’s cultivation would not advance and would instead regress, making it easy for enemies to take the opportunity to ambush her.

Thirdly, those born with spiritual veins were one in ten thousand. The child born to a cultivator would most likely also be an ordinary person. Without spiritual veins, they could not cultivate. How cruel would it be for cultivators to watch their own children grow old before their eyes? In terms of returns, it was far less worthwhile than accepting a disciple and carefully cultivating a child with excellent talent.

Would Bingyu-shimei keep the child?

The Hengxue Sect did not discriminate against pregnant cultivators. They would even give her three thousand spirit stones to compensate for the regression in her cultivation.

But under normal circumstances, female cultivators would not do such a losing deal.

Male-male relationships were also very popular in the cultivation world.

In response to demand, the cultivation world’s abortion techniques were excellent. One pill would do, with no side effects.

Speaking of male-male relationships, was Wen Tingshu into men?

It did not matter if he was not, because this sect leader was not either.

Meng Baixu tapped his fingers against the desk.

Since the Fuguang Sect was called a demonic sect, it naturally had its evil cultivation aspects.

If Meng Baixu gave birth, the child would one hundred percent have spiritual veins. Moreover, the fetus would directly inherit part of his and Wen Tingshu’s cultivation.

Meng Baixu had been born at the Golden Core stage, which indirectly proved that Meng Fuguang and his unknown father both had very high cultivation—at least top five in the current world.

The leader of the Fuguang Sect had never looked favorably upon weaklings.

In other words, if Meng Baixu became pregnant with Wen Tingshu’s child, Wen Tingshu would wake up one day and discover that his cultivation had inexplicably dropped by a large chunk.

Shizun’s expression would definitely be very interesting.

Unfortunately, Meng Baixu would not be able to see it.

Because once he succeeded, he would have to run away, lest he be caught and dragged off for an abortion!