CH 37

Later that day, Feng Ci went to say goodbye to old Master Xue and Xue Wei.

Currently, the Xue family wasn’t actually part of the cultivation world. They didn’t receive news from the cultivation world as quickly so Feng Ci didn’t reveal too much to old Master Xue. He only said that during the Wanhai Bazaar, he had arranged a meeting with Sect Leader Xiao and needed to visit Broken Sword Manor to select a magic item. 

Surprisingly, when old Master Xue heard that Broken Sword Manor had sold a magic item in Wanhai Bazaar, his eyes brightened slightly: “Are they selling any other magic items?”

Feng Ci: “……Ah?”

Old Master Xue said: “This old man has heard about the former Master of the Broken Sword Manor. It’s said that while he was alive, he loved to gather and collect all sorts of different treasures. This old man has coveted…… no, admired him for a long time.”

Feng Ci understood. 

Old Master Xue possessed a great interest in the various treasures and magic items of the cultivation world. He was eyeing these people’s treasure trove here.

However, the sale of the Phantom Spirit Cauldron wasn’t actually done under the permission of the Manor Master. Allowing Feng Ci to visit his sect and select a magic item was also only compensation from the Manor Master. Feng Ci didn’t really think that the Broken Sword Manor would willingly sell their treasures to others.

However, Feng Ci still said: “When I reach Broken Sword Manor, I will ask for old Master Xue.”

Old Master Xue’s face blossomed into a smile: “No need for such troubles. Immortal Master, since you’re going, we can all head over—”

Before he finished speaking, he was interrupted by Xue Wei: “Enough already, dad. What’s the point of buying so many magic items from the cultivation world? It’s not like you know magic.”

“Little brat, is that how you speak to your father?” Old Master Xue reprimanded sternly.

As he spoke, he raised his hand as well. Xue Wei hastily hid behind Feng Ci: “Did I speak wrongly? The ones inside the storage house have already gathered a layer of dust. Are they not enough for you to toy with?”

Feng Ci: “……” 

Old Man Xue looked somewhat awkward and embarrassed. Feng Ci hastily comforted: “Right now, we still don’t know if Broken Sword Manor plans to sell their treasures. Visiting rashly might seem rude. Why not allow this one to go make some inquiries first. If they are, I only need to deliver a letter back and you can send your esteemed son over.”

It was impossible to find any flaws to Feng Ci’s suggestion. Old Master Xue could only agree.

He then asked Feng Ci: “Immortal Master Pei, has he…… already left? He’s not going to Broken Sword Manor?”

During these days inside Gusu, these two people have always been inseparable. Yet right now, only Feng Ci was here to bid farewell. Pei QianYue was nowhere to be seen. 

Xue Wei also felt it was very strange: “That’s right. How come the City Master is not here?”

Feng Ci subconsciously tugged on his sleeve and said unruffled: “En, my Shizun had some urgent business and left the estate ahead this morning. Broken Sword Manor…… perhaps he will visit later on.”

“But I don’t think I saw him leave……” Xue Wei scratched his head and sighed, saying: “As expected of the City Master. His cultivation level is so high. The City Master had once taught me some basic techniques too. Unfortunately, I was unable to grasp the knowledge despite attempting many times. Ai, looks like I’m destined to be a salted fish.”

Old Man Xue scolded: “What nonsense are you saying now? What’s wrong with being a human? Why do you want to be a fish?” 

Xue Wei attempted to explain: “……Dad, that’s not what I mean.”

“You shut your mouth.” Old Master Xue reprimanded and then turned to say to Feng Ci: “The Broken Sword Manor is not far from Gusu. It can be reached within half a day just following the flow of the river. It’s the fastest traveling method. This old man will have my young son arrange a ferry for you to escort you over. How’s that sound, Immortal Master?”

Xue Wei: “Dad, he can travel by flying sword……”

However Feng Ci didn’t decline: “Many thanks then, old Master Xue.” 

Flying by sword naturally would be much faster than a ferry. However, Feng Ci has never been to that place. Even if he reached GuangLing, he would need to waste time asking around for directions. Why not be a little lazy and have people from the Xue family lead the way for him. It’d save a lot of trouble.

Old Man Xue smacked Xue Wei on the back of his head: “What are you waiting for!”

“Ai ai ai, I got it! If you’re going to hit me, you can’t aim for the head alright? There goes my braincells……” Xue Wei mumbled and grumbled, but he didn’t dawdle and quickly exited the door.

Looking at the retreating view of his back, Feng Ci suddenly felt somewhat awed. 

Xue Wei’s soul had accidentally fallen into this world. Feng Ci originally thought that this person would find it very uncomfortable to live here.

However looking at him now, it seemed like he was adapting very well.

Much better than Feng Ci.

When Feng Ci had gone to the other little worlds, he also found recently deceased bodies to possess temporarily. 

Most of these bodies had families and friends. Their worlds did not contain the concept of body possession so they never even suspected Feng Ci’s identity. They continued to treat him very well.

However, regardless of how others treated him, Feng Ci always felt it was really very hard to assimilate.

Because he knew that this kindness never should have belonged to him.

Therefore, he could only avoid those emotions, until in the end, he simply chose corpses of people who spent their lives alone to avoid getting too deeply involved. 

Yet doing this made it even harder for him to assimilate.

When residing in a foreign land, there’s no family or support.

Feng Ci lowered his head and subconsciously adjusted his sleeve.

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Who let Pei QianYue court disaster this morning and annoy Feng Ci slightly.

Feng Ci ended up teaching him a lesson. Not only did he smack this bastard back into his original form, he also didn’t allow Pei QianYue to change back, forcing the other to turn small to stay by his side.

Whenever the little snake learns to behave is when he’ll turn back into a human. 

Right now, the little black snake was no more than a thumb’s thickness. The body of the snake loosely wrapped three times around Feng Ci’s wrist, looking like a black jade bracelet with beautifully carved patterns.

It quietly concealed itself on Feng Ci’s wrist, only raising its head to Feng Ci’s touch.

And quietly rubbing against Feng Ci’s fingertips.

—So now he knew to be very well-behaved and adorable. 

Feng Ci really enjoyed this act of his. Feeling pacified and internally at ease, Feng Ci placed his hand inside the sleeve and stroked the little black snake on the head.

In actuality, even after returning to his original world, the place where he was born, Feng Ci didn’t have much of a sense of belonging at first.

3000 years have passed. His old friends had already passed away. Many things were completely different to what he had known. For Feng Ci, this place was no different than an unfamiliar world.

The only person that dragged him back and made him feel like he had a connection to this world was Pei QianYue. 

This world has changed. In the end, only this little snake that he had casually saved by the roadside, still remained by his side.

Naturally, he couldn’t tell this to Pei QianYue directly.

With Feng Ci’s current conduct, this asshole bastard was already lawless and undisciplined. If he learns of the truth, who knows how cocky he’d become.

To travel around the region of JiangNan, a ferry was much more convenient than a horse carriage. Convinced to stay put temporarily in the Xue estate by old Master Xue, Feng Ci just finished drinking a cup of tea when Xue Wei returned from making the arrangements. 

The ferry was stopped at the pier. Feng Ci declined old Master Xue’s offer to send him off and only allowed Xue Wei to bring him over.

Halfway to the pier, Feng Ci finally couldn’t resist asking Xue Wei about his thoughts on residing in a foreign world.

“Ai, so you know about this. Here I thought only the City Master would believe me.” Xue Wei didn’t seem too surprised that Feng Ci knew the truth. On the contrary, he was very frank: “It was indeed very hard to adapt at first. This ancient era… uh, this time period has way too little to play with and there are so many rules. It’s really very troublesome.”

He paused and then said: “……But after staying long enough, I slowly got used to it. Passing the days, you know, it’s the same everywhere, right?” 

Feng Ci said: “You have a rather flexible personality.”

“Is this called flexible? Perhaps.” As they spoke, they rode in a horse carriage heading to the docks. Xue Wei lifted a corner of the curtain and looked outside.

White vapors rose from the steamers of the breakfast shop by the roadside. A scholar held up a scroll, reading leisurely. A young child ran by swiftly.

People came and went. Peaceful and harmonious, a place full of life and excitement. 

“Did the City Master tell you? I came here after I died. In the past, my head was filled with only working and making money, trying to live the good life. However, just look at the result. I died from overworking and before I knew it, I was here.” Xue Wei sighed: “Thinking about it now, I wonder what was the point? I should have just enjoyed life back then. Fortunately God felt that my life shouldn’t have ended and gave me an opportunity to start all over again.”

Feng Ci asked him: “In other words, you actually don’t want to return?”

He remembered that Pei QianYue had said: Xue Wei had stopped going crazy and agreed to pretend to be the Xue family’s son only because Pei QianYue had promised to help him find a way to return to his original world.

Bringing up this topic, Xue Wei felt somewhat hesitant. 

“About this……” He lowered the curtain and said quietly: “I’ll be honest with you. Don’t tell the City Master.”

“……”

Feng Ci could clearly feel the ice-cold tail wrapped around his wrist giving him a soft pat. He thought briefly and quietly casted a spell with his hand that was hidden inside the sleeve.

A transparent shield invisible to the naked eye enveloped the little black snake, isolating him from the noise of the outside world. 

Instantly, the snake tail smacked him more ferociously.

Feng Ci stroked the snake’s head with his finger repeatedly to pacify it. With a calm face, he replied: “Okay.”

Xue Wei finally said: “In the beginning, I really did want to return very much. My real biological parents are still on the other side. If they learned that I died, they’d definitely feel very sad. But now I can’t abandon my dad on this side either.”

The Madam of the Xue family had died of a severe illness when Xue Wei was young. Old Master Xue still loved her after all these years and didn’t remarry. He focused wholeheartedly on running the family business, as well as educating his only son with Madam Xue. 

This was also why when he suspected Xue Wei to be cursed, he had searched for well-known doctors everywhere and even found his way to LangFeng City unhesitatingly.

“……If I leave, wouldn’t his son be dead? My parents on that side still have my younger brother, but my dad on this side only has me left.” Xue Wei shrank back, saying: “Please don’t tell these words to the City Master. He seemed to have spent quite the effort researching the other world. If he learns that I actually don’t really want to return, he’ll probably kill me.”

Feng Ci was speechless.

The biggest reason for Pei QianYue’s investigation of the other world was not to send Xue Wei back, but rather to find news regarding Feng Ci. 

So this actually wasn’t that big a deal.

Without waiting for Feng Ci to say something, however, Xue Wei already started wailing over there: “Ahhhhhh, it’s really very hard to make this kind of decision. My real biological parents raised me for so long, if I stay here directly, doesn’t that make me very unfilial? But my dad over here treats me very well also, I can’t be unfilial to him either, right?”

Feng Ci opened his mouth and closed it.

He wanted to say, although theoretically, he was indeed capable of bringing someone’s soul out of this world. To travel through time and space required an extremely high amount of soul power, in other words, cultivation. 

When Xue Wei came here, he had accidentally fallen between a gap in space. But if he wants to leave, it’s practically impossible if he doesn’t have a high cultivation level.

As for exactly how high his cultivation needed to be, Feng Ci didn’t even know himself. However, even if it’s not as high as Feng Ci’s, he needed to be at least around the same level as Pei QianYue.

A level that’s practically approaching ascension.

With Xue Wei’s current cultivation level, it’s way too early to even consider leaving or not. 

Not to mention, even if they found a way in the future that could allow Xue Wei’s soul to successfully return to his original world… First— He was already dead in his original world. It’s uncertain whether his physical body still existed in that world. Second— The passage of time flowed differently between different worlds. It’s uncertain if his parents in that world would still be alive.

Therefore, considering the current circumstances, it didn’t seem very possible for him to return to his original parents’ side.

However, Feng Ci didn’t want to shock him so he stopped talking about it.

The two people very quickly arrived at the ferry dock. A ferry was already waiting by the river bank. 

Xue Wei had already died once. He was very easy-going regarding all frustrations. Very quickly, he tossed what happened inside the carriage to the back of his mind. He delivered Feng Ci onto the ferry and then gave the ferryman detailed and meticulous instructions, telling him to be extremely careful and bring Feng Ci to Broken Sword Manor as soon as possible.

Feng Ci only felt like laughing at hearing this: “Young Master Xue, I’m at least a disciple of LangFeng City. Are you afraid I’d get sold off mid-journey?”

“You still need to be careful.” Xue Wei said: “If something happens to you, the City Master will definitely peel my skin.”

Feng Ci was already pretty certain that Xue Wei has definitely misunderstood something. 

He pinched his brows and said exasperatedly: “What kind of relationship do you think I have with the City Master?”

“Master and disciple, of course.” Xue Wei answered very straightforwardly. He even comforted Feng Ci: “Don’t worry. I’ve seen plenty of your kind of relationship. Don’t be concerned with the opinions of the secular world. Be brave. The light novels, cough, the folk stories all say this.”

Feng Ci: “……”

How come he has never read such a shockingly offensive folk story? 

“You are mistaken.” Feng Ci still felt like he needed to defend the reputation of the grand and majestic LangFeng City Master for a moment: “We’re really not how you imagine.”

Xue Wei displayed a ‘do you think I’m blind’ expression.

“The City Master looks like he practically wants to devour you. How could—” Reaching here, Xue Wei paused slightly and looked towards Feng Ci in astonishment: “You said ‘not how I imagine’…… does that mean what I think it means?”

“?” Feng Ci didn’t understand: “What do you think it means?” 

“Just, just you know……” Xue Wei gestured for a while with his hands, looking a bit too embarrassed to say it out loud: “…… It’s not actually older Gong, but younger Gong?”

Feng Ci didn’t understand what he was saying at all.

Although in the past, he had also visited worlds similar to Xue Wei’s , he didn’t have such a deep knowledge of those worlds. A lot of Xue Wei’s words, even he couldn’t comprehend.

Feng Ci sighed and resigned himself to fate: “If you think so.” 

Xue Wei: “Oh!”

He patted Feng Ci on the shoulder and said secretively: “Don’t worry. I will definitely keep it confidential.”

Looking at this youth’s resolute face, Feng Ci instinctively felt that he had made things even worse than before with his explanation.

However, he has already given up on continuing to bicker with this youth. Answering him perfunctorily, the two people bid farewell. 

Feng Ci embarked and followed the flow of the river.

The scenery of JiangNan was completely different from other places. Despite the approaching Winter, the mountains on the two banks of the river still remained emerald green. The canal was like a jasper ribbon, connecting the lakes and rivers of this entire coastal area.

The ferry waded through the quiet jasper river, creating ripples across the surface of the water and turning the upside down reflection of the mountains somewhat blurry.

Feng Ci stood on the deck, surveying the area. Gusu city has already vanished completely behind him. On the banks of the river, a few little farm houses with smoke coming out of their chimneys could be seen occasionally, as well as women crouched next to the river, washing clothes. 

While they did laundry, they hummed and sang a simple JiangNan tune. Compared to the jive from those Artisan Parlors, this was another kind of flavor.

As Feng Ci listened in concentration, the rowing ferryman on the other side of the boat started talking with him.

“Are you visiting Broken Sword Manor, young master?” The ferryman asked him.

“You can say that.” Feng Ci nodded and then asked: “Do you often head to Broken Sword Manor?” 

This ferryman was an old man with a head of white. He answered, saying: “I’ve been rowing this river for almost 30 years. When there are a lot of people, I’d go there every 2-3 days. Sometimes, when their disciples travel, they always ride my ferry.”

Feng Ci was somewhat bewildered.

Broken Sword Manor was a cultivation sect after all. Why would their disciples ride a ferry when traveling instead flying by air?

As if understanding his confusion, the ferryman said: “I know that you cultivators can utter an incantation and fly into the skies. Even though the Manor Master never said anything, it’s most likely that he pitied those of us who earn a living on the river. So he had deliberately created business for us.” 

Feng Ci was somewhat amazed.

He really couldn’t tell that Manor Master Xiao was such a kindhearted and benevolent person.

“However, Broken Sword Manor has been very strange recently.” The ferryman said: “Yesterday I went to Broken Sword Manor, yet their disciples came out to inform us that we should not go near the manor anymore in the future. They even gave each of us 5 taels of silver. If it weren’t for young Master Xue who came in search of me today, I definitely wouldn’t have dared to sail this journey.”

“From what I can see…… Looks like something bad is going to happen.” 

Hearing this, Feng Ci turned downcast.

The ferryman sighed: “Ai, how could us mere commoners dare ask about these things. If you are going to visit, why not make some inquiries for us. Manor Master Xiao can be considered our benefactor. We’re all very worried.”

“No need to worry.” Feng Ci said: “Nothing bad will happen to Broken Sword Manor.”

He won’t let anything bad happen to Broken Sword Manor. 

When he first returned to this world, he was only able to see the back and forth scheming and deception that occurred inside the cultivation world, and the struggles for power and profit between his successors. At that time, he actually didn’t have a very good impression of this place.

Because only he understood how much sacrifices were made back then during the war of mortals and demons(魔).

But if this were the result that they achieved after such tragic and desperate sacrifices— he didn’t feel it was worth it.

If he weren’t on a mission for the Heavenly Principles, Feng Ci wasn’t sure if he could have resisted not interfering with these things. 

Until he arrived in the mortal realm.

Seeing the common people of this world living fulfilling lives, in peace and harmony— this was what he had wanted to see the most.

Back then, they had fought not just for the cultivation world or for any specific person.

Instead, they had fought for all the bright and shining lives within this world. 

Today’s tranquility did not come easy. How could he allow some unknown entity to destroy it so easily.

Feng Ci stood facing the wind and sighed pensively: “Oh Xiao Hei. We need to get a bit more serious.”

There was no answer.

Feng Ci’s expression froze. He remembered what he had forgotten. 

Since the horse carriage, he seemed to have… forgotten to lift the seal placed over the little black snake this entire time.

Feng Ci: “……”

That prohibition seal can isolate all sound and presence of the outside world. When the little snake was first sealed off behind it, it actually protested for a while.

To pacify it, Feng Ci had been stroking it on and off. 

Later on, who knew if it was because his comforting was actually effective, or the little black snake had discovered that it couldn’t break free at all, and stopped moving. Then, there was nothing after that.

……Which caused Feng Ci to completely forget that Pei QianYue was still within the seal.

Feng Ci strangely felt somewhat guilty. He secretly lifted his sleeve slightly, revealing a slender, fair-white wrist.

The little black snake was quietly wrapped around his wrist, its tiny little head laying on the back of his hand, completely motionless. 

Even after Feng Ci released the seal, it didn’t respond at all.

In panic, Feng Ci hastily probed the little black snake with his spirit energy.

The Sea of Awareness was stable and calm. His breathing was smooth as usual.

He…… was sleeping. 

Feng Ci: “……”

You can sleep like this???