Chapter 45: Does He Even Treat You Like a Brother?

Xie Tongchen’s questioning left Wen Tingshu wishing the earth would swallow him.

It was a feeling he had never experienced in five hundred years.

Even when his puppets had been framed, cursed, and chased countless times in the past, Wen Tingshu had always remained composed. If the world could not recognize his true face, he would simply forget both coming and going.

Yet even amid Xie Tongchen’s disbelief, he still addressed him as “Brother Wen.”

That title came from four hundred years of unwavering trust and understanding toward Wen Tingshu. That was why Xie Tongchen was both furious and heartbroken.

Wen Tingshu had failed his brother.

He examined himself three times every day and night, but at this point, even reflection had become meaningless.

“Brother Xie, Lanshe and I met in Yongzhou. I did not know he was the Demon Sect Leader, nor did I know he was your son. I love him simply because he is Lanshe.”

Wen Tingshu’s direct and sincere confession stunned Xie Tongchen.

Meng Baixu thought Wen Tingshu was unbelievably handsome for saying that directly to his face.

The most difficult part of obtaining Shizun had always been Shizun’s own stubborn moral principles. Once someone broke through their personal bottom line, no obstacle was worth fearing.

He had now completely won Wen Tingshu over!

As for Meng Fuguang, his father had even sent Shi Wumi to infiltrate Qingyun Sword Sect. He would certainly support him.

“Lanshe? Why give him a name like that?” Meng Fuguang curled his lips.

A noble gentleman, pure as an orchid and fragrant as musk—it did not suit the Demon Sect’s atmosphere at all.

Which subordinate had thought of it?

Xie Tongchen did not understand. “Lanshe has an auspicious meaning. It clearly shows how deeply he was treasured.”

Meng Fuguang rolled his eyes at him.

They truly could not understand each other. Xie Tongchen had more in common with whoever chose that name.

Meng Baixu said, “Lanshe is the courtesy name Shizun gave me. My name is Meng Baixu. He Shangxian chose it.”

Xie Tongchen choked.

Meng Baixu curiously stared at the two small houses where Xie Tongchen and Meng Fuguang lived. “Why are there houses here?”

Xie Tongchen said, “I built them from yellow sand.”

The secret realm had been far too crude. There were neither roof tiles above nor beds below, so Meng Fuguang could not peacefully carry the child.

Xie Tongchen discovered that the lower level of the secret realm consisted entirely of endless yellow sand. Following the direction of the mist, he drew up handfuls of sand from below and studied methods of firing bricks.

Hard work eventually paid off, and he finally built the houses.

Had Meng Fuguang not insisted that cultivation was more important, Xie Tongchen would have constructed an entire castle by hand.

Meng Baixu said, “Let’s leave first and talk afterward! I brought in a couple who fled their wedding. Apparently, this secret realm prefers people who elope. We can leave the houses for them.”

Xie Tongchen frowned. “It is good that we can leave, but how can we allow others to take our place?”

Meng Fuguang said, “Stay if you want. I’m leaving.”

Wen Tingshu had agreed, yet Xie Tongchen was raising objections here.

Had he seen a flaw in his brother’s morality and decided to compete with Wen Tingshu for the position of the world’s greatest saintly father?

Meng Baixu said, “They were being hunted outside anyway. They might as well remain imprisoned here. This place was originally meant to imprison mortals. They won’t starve, and they won’t age.”

Wen Tingshu explained further, “With my cultivation, I may be able to forcefully break through this secret realm. At worst, I can destabilize it, and it will gradually dissolve after several years.”

Meng Fuguang said, “This sect leader can occasionally send people to bring them food and entertainment. Stop wasting words, Xie Tongchen. You’re merely afraid they’ll go hungry.”

Xie Tongchen: “…”

How had he become the outsider?

As they spoke, the thick mist surrounding the secret realm seemed to divide into factions and gather in three separate locations.

There were now three couples present. Which pair best matched the secret realm master’s obsession and would be forced to remain was as difficult to discern as flowers seen through fog.

Wen Tingshu lent the East Wind Dance Divine Sword to the unarmed Xie Tongchen. He himself tightly held Meng Baixu’s hand and observed the secret realm’s weaknesses along the direction in which the mist flowed.

United, it was difficult to break. Divided, there was an opportunity.

The three groups were evenly matched, causing the secret realm’s spiritual power to split into three streams.

Meng Baixu said, “When I entered with the Left Protector, we could leave whenever we wished. The secret realm didn’t stop us.”

Meng Baixu was not frightened. He was even somewhat excited.

He hoped more mist would surge toward him and Shizun, proving they were a match made in heaven.

“Brother Xie, now.”

The instant Wen Tingshu spoke, all four of them attacked simultaneously.

Although Xie Tongchen and Meng Fuguang had lost considerable cultivation after having their child, twenty years of undistracted cultivation had allowed them to recover to the verge of the Questioning Heaven realm.

Meng Baixu was young, so his cultivation was lower than that of his two fathers. Even so, he ranked among the top ten cultivators in the world. When he joined forces with Wen Tingshu, they were invincible beneath heaven.

Fighting side by side with Shizun felt incredible!

Boom, boom, boom—

Explosions and humming vibrations repeatedly echoed throughout the secret realm. A tear opened in it, and spiritual energy continuously leaked outward.

The dense mist struggled to cope.

Most things in the world pursued benefit and avoided harm. When the mist discovered that these two couples’ determination to break free was unshakable, while the mortal couple did not oppose it, it paused.

Then it abruptly withdrew its remaining spiritual energy and gathered around the mortals.

The secret realm master’s beloved had also been a mortal.

It had been deceived by those two pairs of affectionate cultivators!

With a thunderous crash, several people fell from among the dense clouds onto the yellow sand below.

For the first time in many years, Meng Fuguang felt solid ground beneath his feet. His vision was filled with dazzling gold, and the world shimmered brilliantly.

While trapped inside the secret realm, Xie Tongchen had been the only color in his entire world. Meng Fuguang had been forced to find even a righteous cultivator pleasing to the eye.

Meng Fuguang glanced at his son and Wen Tingshu. The two of them had held hands throughout the entire ordeal without tiring of it.

He walked over, pulled his son away, and frowned. “His hair is already white, and you still wanted him?”

Meng Baixu released Wen Tingshu’s hand and only then noticed that his palm was damp. He could not tell whether it was Wen Tingshu’s sweat or his own.

“His hair turned white because of me.”

Meng Fuguang said, “With such a cold face, can he truly treat you well?”

Meng Baixu said, “Shizun treats me extremely well.”

Meng Fuguang did not find the situation as difficult to accept as Xie Tongchen did.

His son had won over the strongest cultivator in the world. That proved his son was capable enough to throw the entire cultivation world into chaos.

He was more worried that his son was not wicked enough and, being too young, might be deceived in body and heart by a five-hundred-year-old man.

The righteous path excelled at false appearances.

An elder needed only to grant a young man a little kindness, and the inexperienced youth would treasure it as though it were everything, believing it represented complete sincerity when it was merely one hair from nine oxen.

Meng Baixu said, “It’s not just one hair. It’s all his hair.”

Wen Tingshu, that stubborn old ox, had turned every strand of his hair white. How could it be called merely one hair from nine oxen?

Meng Fuguang coughed lightly. “You saw it yourself just now. Wen Tingshu’s feelings for you are nothing remarkable.”

Meng Baixu looked at his father’s brows and eyes. The curve at the end of Meng Fuguang’s brow looked exactly like his own reflection.

“What did I see?”

Meng Fuguang explained, “Earlier, the more perfectly matched and sincerely in love a couple was, the more thick mist gathered around them. The mist around you and Wen Tingshu was not much greater than the mist around me. Don’t you understand?”

Meng Baixu said, “Oh?”

Meng Fuguang clearly stated, “Xie Tongchen and I are merely passing acquaintances with a fleeting affair. Wen Tingshu’s love for you is therefore no deeper than that.”

He did not avoid speaking in front of Wen Tingshu. He deliberately wanted Wen Tingshu to hear.

Vows of eternal love meant nothing. The secret realm had been a mirror revealing demons’ true forms. Let them see how Wen Tingshu could argue against that.

Wen Tingshu thought for a moment and did not argue.

Sure enough, the next moment, Xie Tongchen solemnly said, “Meng Fuguang, my feelings for you are profound. I will never abandon you in life or death. How can you call it a fleeting affair?”

Meng Fuguang said, “You’re even explaining things for Wen Tingshu now.”

Xie Tongchen said, “I am not explaining for Brother Wen. I am defending my own reputation.”

Meng Fuguang said, “You still call him Brother Wen. Does he even treat you like a brother?”

Xie Tongchen: “…”

That damned secret realm.

The more he insisted that he loved Meng Fuguang, the more it proved that Wen Tingshu was also hopelessly in love.

Caught between two difficulties, Xie Tongchen finally lifted the East Wind Dance Divine Sword and cupped his hands toward Wen Tingshu.

“This sword is excellent. Brother Wen, it has been many years since we practiced swordsmanship together.”

Wen Tingshu was silent for a moment. “I will lower my cultivation to the Transformation realm while exchanging moves with you.”

Meng Baixu said, “But Xie Tongchen has a sword and you don’t. That’s unfair!”

Wen Tingshu said, “It doesn’t matter.”

Meng Baixu handed Fengxing Sword to him. “Shizun, use this. Don’t lose to him.”

Wen Tingshu was amused by him and could not resist reminding him, “The man opposite me is your father.”

Wen Tingshu could only concede this match.

Meng Baixu looked as though he had only just remembered that Xie Tongchen was also his father.

These were no longer the days when he could badmouth the Xie family in front of Shizun every day. After his thoughts turned a corner, he said, “Shizun, this is the first time I’ll be watching you fight.”

The legendary Wen Tingshu whose sword could freeze the world with frost—Meng Baixu had never seen him.

No one was reckless enough to challenge Hengxue Sect, much less successfully reach Wen Tingshu.

Experts were always lonely. Wen Tingshu had lost the opportunity to fight.

Wen Tingshu tightened his grip on Fengxing Sword.

This was his disciple’s first time watching him fight. If the battle lacked intensity, Lanshe would be disappointed.

He glanced at Brother Xie.

Xie Tongchen said, “The East Wind Dance Divine Sword is superior to Fengxing Sword. You need not hold back. I also wish to stretch my muscles.”

Wen Tingshu said, “All right.”

The East Wind danced; the northern wind surged, sweeping the endless yellow sands.

Sword light pierced the clouds. Clouds fell, frost descended, and an entire region of heaven and earth froze.

The two great leaders of the righteous path fought until heaven and earth changed color and the seas seemed to surge.

Meng Baixu took out the golden ring and transformed it into a phoenix carriage. He hid inside with his father to watch the battle.

Infighting within the righteous path was this exciting!

If they continued fighting, Fuguang Sect would soon become number one!

Meng Baixu could no longer even see Shizun’s figure. He narrowed his eyes and tried to poke his head outside, but Meng Fuguang pressed his head down and pulled him back.

“Be careful. Sand might get into your eyes.”

Meng Baixu suddenly remembered something and took two red bean buns from his qiankun pouch.

“Dad, hurry and eat.”

Meng Fuguang looked at the two strangely shaped red bean buns. “Is your qiankun pouch too small? They’ve been crushed out of shape.”

A trace of cunning flashed through Meng Baixu’s eyes. “Dad, after we return, I have another huge surprise to tell you!”

The red bean buns had not been crushed.

His two eldest grandsons had made them.

He would not reveal it yet, or it would no longer be a surprise. Besides, if Meng Fuguang asked about the twins’ personalities, Meng Baixu would not know how to answer.

It was better to let his father see for himself. He would like them anyway.

Meng Baixu took out another roujiamo. “Then eat this. It has meat, although it’s cold.”

Meng Fuguang still preferred something with meat. He accepted it and condensed spiritual power into fire to heat it. The exterior became slightly burned, but that did not affect the fragrant meat inside.

“Mm. Where did you buy this? It’s delicious.”

Meng Baixu waited until he had eaten half before telling him, “Wen Tingshu made it.”

Meng Fuguang: “…”

Little demon.

Meng Baixu boasted, “See how well he treats me?”

Meng Fuguang said, “Don’t tell me you were bought over by a little food?”

Meng Baixu said, “It’s more than a little. Dad, who do you think will win?”

Meng Fuguang said, “Does winning or losing even matter? Wen Tingshu is fighting for you to watch.”

Meng Baixu habitually compared Xie Tongchen unfavorably. “Xie Tongchen is also fighting for you. Once he beats up his brother, you won’t be angry with him anymore.”

Meng Fuguang: “…”

“Remember to call him Dad later. He also cared for you before you were born.”

Meng Baixu readily agreed. “All right.”

“Dad, once this is over, come to Hengxue Sect with us. There’s something important.”

“All right, but I must stop by Guiye City first and deal with them.”

Meng Fuguang sneered. He was going back to ask Liu Xishi exactly how they had raised his child.

Meng Baixu pursed his lips.

Oh no.

None of them were currently in the sect.

Only the Left Protector remained.