Thanks to Xie Zhiweiâs years of cultivation, his true qi automatically moved to shift his body from any attacks. Only his clothes were splattered in blood, but he himself was all right, all things considered. In comparison, Mu He was drenched from head to toe. The stench of blood filled his nostrils and almost choked him. For a second, he almost saw it as the blood of his enemies Bai Jianzhu and Bai Yu, causing his heart and soul to burn.
One day he would make that fantasy a reality!
Xie Zhiwei hated the sensation of his soggy robes all stuck together, but couldnât express it outright. Yet when he glanced back to see the âblood-manâ Mu He, he instantly felt better. âAre you alright?â he asked pleasantly.
âDisciple is unharmed,â Mu He nodded. Seeing the stains on Xie Zhiweiâs robes beneath the moonlight, he added, âShizunâs robes got dirtyâŠâ
I know even without you reminding me!
Xie Zhiwei grinned. âNo matter.â Sh*t itâs filthy, Iâm taking a bath when I get back. Why is this black wolf blood so acrid and stinky? And why does Mu He look like heâs enjoying being drenched through? No wonder heâs the brutal bloodthirsty hero! Too strong!
He continued to question the mystery youth, âI donât know why this little friend is causing us trouble?â If not for the Systemâs OOC rules, I wouldâve killed you by now!
The boy had already put away his bow and started sauntering away, but turned to roll his eyes at them. âIâll tell you: this young master is the young lord of Immeasurable Manor.â
Immeasurable Manor (æ éć±±ćș) seemed to have shown up in the original novel. Xie Zhiwei recalled that it was a soy sauce sect filled with members who couldnât even qualify as soy sauce characters. The leader of the sect was surnamed Lu just like Bai Yuâs late mother. Manor Lord Lu happened to be Bai Jianzhuâs brother-in-law.
After identifying himself, the youth was even more brazen. âYou think youâre all that just because my uncle gave you some face. In the future you have to circle around me when you see me, understand?â
Youngster, youâre already dead after saying those words. A tiny grasshopper like him who didnât even have his name show up in the original novel was showing off. Do you have any idea whoâs standing behind me?!
Mu He had already turned murderous. The road to the enemy was narrow indeed if this was Bai Jianzhuâs relative. Xie Zhiwei didnât even interact with the mundane world but was now stained in blood thanks to him. He would make him pay a hundred times for masterâs sake in the future.
For a moment, his emotions threatened to break free. He restrained the evil gleam in his eyes and said respectfully, âShizun, it seems that this daoist has hearing problems.â
Xie Zhiwei pretended to be oblivious. âWhat do you mean?â
Mu He lowered his gaze and said smoothly, âWhy else would he say so much when shizun only asked one thing? None of them even answered the question.â
The youth lost his temper and lifted his bow again. âBastard, what did you say?!â
Xie Zhiwei was about to âreprimandâ Mu He when those words froze the smile on his face. Crap, thatâs a serious insult. This bratâs already earned the ire of the hero tonight, but if he keeps courting death heâll die even sooner.
Mu Heâs eyes were already wide with rage. Such humiliation wasnât aimed at him alone, but at his dead mother and no-show fatherâŠ
Xie Zhiwei placed a hand on the heroâs head and gave him a comforting look. Mu He clenched his fists as his shoulders shook. Xie Zhiweiâs eyes filled with self-condemnation as he muttered, âLeave this to your master.â
Before Mu He could reply, Xie Zhiwei shook his sleeves at the youth. The wide-eyed show-off suddenly grasped his throat and opened his mouth to yell, but only empty breaths came out of his lips.
âYoung lord, what is the matter?â his subordinates exclaimed.
The boy pointed angrily at Xie Zhiwei before remembering his bow. He picked it up to shoot, but Xie Zhiwei simply waved his sleeves again. This time, the weapon dropped to the ground, leaving the youth with no choice but to stand there like a log and glare at him. None of the subordinates had ever witnessed such a thing. When they recovered their senses, two of them went to shake the young lord while the other two went to approach Xie Zhiwei and his disciple. But a cool breeze suddenly blew through the gorge, strewing leaves on the bodies of the black wolf and dead girl. By the time it settled down, both master and disciple had disappeared.
â
Xie Zhiwei was holding Mu Heâs wrist even as his heart balked at the action.
Is it okay to hold onto him all the way back? But how do I restrain him? Someone tell me a better way, ah!
Heâd gone to desperate measures to maintain the integrity of the plot and character settings. The hero seemed to be acting off for some reason. Although he only started out by trembling in fury, his entire body was now raging hot. The Black Lotus in his consciousness was akin to a ticking bomb. If the hero experienced cultivation deviation, it would be bad news.
Luckily there was a refreshing breeze as they flew back by sword. Xie Zhiwei purposely put Mu He in front to feel the wind and kept consoling him with words. Instead of making things better, however, the heroâs body seemed to get hotter.
Heâs that angry? As expected of the hero, he holds grudges. But he hid himself so deeply after being reborn. What made him lose it today?
At this, Xie Zhiwei gently asked, âDisciple, where are you uncomfortable? Tell your master.â
Mu He felt like his head was exploding as he sucked in a deep breath. âDisciple isnât sure either. I just feelâŠvery hotâŠâ This was the truth. Although he had no idea what was going on, his dantian felt like it was on fire. Boiling qi circulated within his veins without escape. But he didnât dare tell that to Xie Zhiwei. He discovered that whenever his master spoke next to his ear, that mellow voice would ignite more flames within him. Shizun cared for him so much that heâd keep away so Mu He would be less uncomfortable. Yet he would willingly burn in flames to be closer to his master.
Xie Zhiwei rested a hand on his forehead to check his temperature, causing Mu He to shudder. The place where they touched felt like an electric shock. He quickly lowered his eyes to disguise the abnormal reaction. Xie Zhiwei assumed he was shying away from his hand and silently shook his head.
Whyâs he suddenly shrinking back? Is the hero feeling scared in hindsight after his burst of rage? Did the memory of the black wolf traumatize him?
Fear of wolves? What a joke, heâs the hero. If he wanted to, he could scare the wolf to death instead.
And why didnât he save that girl?! This emotionless guy, whatâs wrong with him?
Xie Zhiwei purposely asked, âAre you frightened?â
Mu He nodded pitifully. âThat big sis back then died so miserablyâŠâ
I knew you wouldnât tell the truth. At last Xie Zhiwei understood. Mu He must have felt he was way too calm back at the gorge instead of showing the helplessness a parentless youth should have. Now he was putting on a show of feeling afraid! Xie Zhiwei sighed. He could only mourn for the dead girl instead of paying his disciple any attention.
Why did Mu He become a literal ladykiller after I took over the plot?
Their time was limited. With the Ashen Cloud Sword Sect storyline already underway, the most urgent task now was to find and protect that Yang Zhuer girl. Otherwise, the hero would be doomed to be a lone star in the sky, jerking himself off for a lifetime. As an otaku reader, heâd gain no bonuses either.
Mu He saw that Xie Zhiwei didnât respond and blamed himself for mentioning something that lowered shizunâs spirits.
Moonlight scattered against the ground like water as they stood on the sword. Below them was dense forest and Ashen Cloud Sword Sect, which resembled the reflection of the Milky Way. Though Mu He was still feeling hot, his heart was less restless than before.
How wonderful itâd be to spend a lifetime swordflying with shizun?
How wonderful itâd be if I didnât have to shoulder so many blood debts?
Mu Heâs heart fluctuated before his fleeting calm disappeared.
But no one can stop my revenge. Not even shizun! To avenge myself now is to clear obstacles for a future where Iâm head and shoulders above the rest. Where I can be the only one qualified to stand by shizunâs side!
â
Xie Zhiwei sighed in relief after they landed. Mu He had stopped talking after selling his miserable act for a few lines. Although all he did afterwards was stand on the sword, gloominess emanated from his very bones.
Tonight was too odd. First, the hero ran down the mountain for no reason, then the black wolf suddenly lost control, then Bai Jianzhuâs nephew showed up to find faults with them. That black wolf shouldâve been the spirit beast in charge of patrolling Ashen Cloud Sword Sect. It wasnât especially rare, so there was no need for the hero to provoke him. Nor did the brat who shot the girl to death merit time or attention. Something else had to be going on.
Could this all be part of Shen You and Ming Kongâs trap?
Both master and disciple were full of thoughts as they walked towards their quarters. A corner of the bamboo forest had a secluded spring whose cold air poured towards them from the grove.
Mu He had an idea and quickly said, âShizun, disciple is covered in blood. Iâll wash up here.â
Xie Zhiwei refused. âYouâre burning up and still injured. Careful the cold water doesnât hurt your bones. Weâll get hot water for your bath.â
You think you accidentally ate 100 seal members or something? Will cold water purge the flames? Even if you did, this wonât help. You need a girl! A female!
Mu He knew that absolutely wonât work. If Xie Zhiweiâs warm breath was already too much to bear, then forget about touching hot water.
âItâs fine,â he said before dashing into the forest. Soon there was a splash as he dove underwater.
âWhat foolishness,â Xie Zhiwei scolded lightly while his heart rejoiced. Great, now I donât have to wait in line for a bath.
Before he crossed over, Xie Zhiwei was always running between different filming locations. Although he couldnât do much about that, he was strict with his own personal hygiene. To maintain the image of a loving master tonight, he had to pet Mu Heâs head and hold his wrist multiple times, leaving his hands smeared in blood. Then there was the bloodstained collar which stuck to his skin. Both were already more than he could bear.
He called for Ashen Cloud Sword Sect disciples to prepare some hot water and went to the side room to wash.