Ch18 - Budding feelings

Mu He was taken aback. Was Senior Nie Ting joking? He couldn’t even touch shizun? Before he could react, his body had already avoided Xie Zhiwei of its own accord—Nie Ting was controlling his movements from Black Lotus.

Xie Zhiwei wasn’t really genuine with his worry, but Mu He’s reaction made him unhappy. As expected, this brat was planning something. Why else would he evade me if not from a guilty conscience? It’s rare for this bro to kiss ass, but I got rejected.

No good. The hero has a plug-in that’s hard to repel. If he secretly takes revenge on Shen You solo, won’t this trip be in vain?

I need to think up a more foolproof plan.

Mu He was determined to get close to Xie Zhiwei and was naturally displeased by Nie Ting. But the chilly aura released by Black Lotus gave him enough rationale to understand that the specter spoke sense. Still, Xie Zhiwei’s disappointed expression made him uneasy and subconsciously rub his hands. “Shizun, disciple…disciple probably caught a chill.”

“I think so too,” Xie Zhiwei shook his head with a sigh. “You didn’t listen to shizun and went to soak in cold water. See what it cost you?”

Mu He was about to reply when his eyes fixated on Xie Zhiwei’s collar. After practicing inedia for many years, Xie Zhiwei’s body was naturally lean. Although his crow gray robes weren’t transparent, they were thin enough to trace the shape of his collarbone.

Once again, a strange sensation rose in Mu He’s heart.

“Get out already!” Nie Ting urged.

Mu He squeezed his eyes shut and said between gritted teeth, “Shizun, disciple knows my wrongs.”

“Master is also thinking for your sake,” Xie Zhiwei said sincerely.

“Don’t be long-winded, hurry off,” Nie Ting repeated, voice filling his ears.

Mu He ruthlessly tore his gaze from Xie Zhiwei and lowered his head. “Disciple thanks shizun, disciple shall take my leave.”

Xie Zhiwei scrutinized Mu He’s expression and felt that there was a huge contrast between now and earlier. Mu He clearly wanted to talk, but now he was simply going away? Nie Ting had to be calling him from his consciousness.

The old bachelor’s already dead but still wants to turn the hero into an emotionless prick? No can do! Nie Ting could pass on after his revenge was done, but the hero still had to conquer tens of thousands of girls. He can’t always incite him. The hero has to listen to me now. Only I know what the protagonist wants! Only I know how to make him happy, alright?!

Wait, that sounds off for some reason?

…never mind, I can’t be bothered to think too much!

“Wait a minute,” Xie Zhiwei called to Mu He.

Mu He’s lips quirked up unconsciously as he obediently turned back. “Does shizun have any other instructions?” In the span of two lines, more sweat dripped off his forehead.

Xie Zhiwei said, “You really worried Master tonight when you rashly went down the mountain.”

Mu He gave a start before looking ashamed. “Disciple won’t run around in the future.”

“That’s not what Master means.” Of course you can run about. I have no objections if you go tumble in the hay with a girl somewhere. I’d even send you flowers as congratulations!

There was a jade vase on the table containing a bouquet of willow branches. Xie Zhiwei pulled out a stem and plucked off its leaves, which scattered to the ground. Two stuck to his robes as if floating on a dark pool. Mu He was only staring at them before he realized Xie Zhiwei had an unclothed torso beneath his single layer of robes.

He clenched his fists.

Suddenly he seemed to understand why Nie Ting wanted him out of this room, much less have Xie Zhiwei touch him. All of his abnormalities could be traced to this person!

Xie Zhiwei had already finished plucking off all the leaves. Only a slender length of willow branch remained in his hands as he beckoned to Mu He. “Come here.”

Mu He’s ears were already ringing as he shuffled towards Xie Zhiwei like a log. Surprisingly, Nie Ting didn’t stop him this time. After he stood still, Xie Zhiwei said, “Hold out your hand.”

Mu He did so mechanically, his eyes staring at Xie Zhiwei’s lips. Although they were very thin and light, they looked riper than a red cherry.

I want to bite them and make sure.

The thought scared him.

In a flash, the willow strand had already been entwined around Mu He’s wrist. Xie Zhiwei nodded and said, “This willow branch is infused with Master’s spiritual energy. In the future Master will be able to sense you no matter where you go. If something like tonight happens again, I can reach you at the first sign of trouble.”

So don’t worry! Look for girls all over the mountain if you want! Bro will protect and escort your ships!

Mu He only stared at Xie Zhiwei’s moving mouth and abruptly recalled the day of his death. When Bai Yu and Cheng Daoxiu had tangled together in his room, their lips had been locked together…

Just recalling those images used to make him gnash his teeth. It was only with difficulty that he resisted the urge to cut them down right then and there. But this time, his first reaction was guilt towards his master.

He actually wanted to try what Bai Yu did to Cheng Daoxiu, on shizun.

In an instant, the droplets on his forehead turned into cold sweat.

Absolutely not!

He was no Bai Yu and shizun definitely wasn’t Cheng Daoxiu! He couldn’t think like this in the future, and anyone who disrespected shizun had to be eliminated too.

—

Xie Zhiwei watched Mu He remain silent and ashen-faced and assumed that Nie Ting was frightening the kid to do this do that again. But compared to developments in the original novel, this was pretty good. According to the script, the original hero arrived at Ashen Cloud Sword Sect one day late because he was greedy for a night alone with Tantai Meng. Nie Ting was so furious that he had Black Lotus release a massive amount of hostile qi that caused the hero pain worse than death.

The comments section for that chapter had cursed a whole day at the damned old ghost for ruining a good time. This time the hero hadn’t delayed his revenge quest, so Nie Ting had no reason to bar the hero from his peach blossoms (love interests). What could he be brewing up?

Xie Zhiwei couldn’t figure it out, much less ask, so he only said, “Rest well. With this willow branch, Master can look after you anytime.”

Mu He was struggling between his self-loathing and self-contradicting when he heard the words. He didn’t know whether to take it as a loss or a reprieve. Eventually, he muttered an affirmative and left the room with difficulty while enduring the fire in his body. There was no need for Nie Ting to urge him.

Xie Zhiwei lifted his hand, locked the door, and prepared to go to bed. Abruptly, there was a ding in his head: Gallant Hero’s chat window was flashing at him. Xie Zhiwei arched his brow and simply closed the prompt.

You ignored me yesterday, so today is payback! So the plot’s all wrong, huh? You want to know my progress, eh?

Xie Zhiwei silently ‘heheh’d’ in his head and even disconnected the System before plopping down to sleep.

—

Mu He held onto the railings as he walked along the corridor, head darting looks back at Xie Zhiwei’s silhouette through the window until he blew out the lights. At the end of the walkway, a few figures appeared carrying lanterns while exchanging words: some female disciples returning from their nightly patrol of the mountains. Mu He remembered Nie Ting’s reminder and quicked ducked his head, darting to the sidelines. There was no time to hide, so he could only stand and look docile.

“Stay still and don’t move,” Nie Ting lost no time reminding him.

Because of the dark colors of Mu He’s robes, the female disciples didn’t notice him until they were almost next to him. They shrieked a couple times before one asked strangely, “Why is there someone here?”

Mu He bowed in discomfort and murmured, “This one is the disciple of Yujing Sect’s Xie zhenren. Master just finished lecturing me in his quarters, so I was on my way back to my room when I startled these big sisters. My apologies.”

He was young to begin with and also thin, which made him look small and weak. Still, his way of speaking was decidedly old-fashioned. The female disciples couldn’t resist their smiles before one said, “So it was Xie zhenren’s disciple. It’s all right. You should rest early.”

Another added, “Something happened in the rear mountains, so don’t run about.”

Mu He knew exactly what happened but only replied with an affirmative. Although his insides were still burning, he looked serious and showed full respect and courtesy. It wasn’t until the girls left the corridors that he began to walk again. “Looks like Senior was too worried. The disciples of your sect aren’t so unreasonable.”

It was a while before a single reply issued from the Black Lotus: “Oh.”

At last Mu He reached his rooms. By the time he sat down on the chaise, he all but deflated.

“Youngster, you all right?” Nie Ting asked.

Mu He took a couple of breaths before waving his hand. “It’s fine.” Then he felt his nose itching and rubbed it, only to end up with bloody smears on his hands.

“A nosebleed…” Nie Ting sighed. “You had it hard.”

Mu He took a plain silk handkerchief to wipe the blood away, but more kept coming out. It wasn’t until the handkerchief was soaked in bloodstains that the flow died to a bare trickle.

“Just what’s going on?” Mu He murmured. “Senior must know, right?”

The Black Lotus remained silent for a while.

Mu He sat up doubtfully. “Is it difficult for Senior to say? Something very serious?”

“That depends on you,” Nie Ting replied. “Perhaps…on Xie Zhiwei as well.”

“Senior, I don’t quite understand,” Mu He was lost.

“You’re just a kid, of course you won’t understand…I’ll tell you one thing. The black wolf that went crazy tonight is the unique spiritual pet of Ashen Cloud Sword Sect. Although it can’t survive outside this region, it’s not a rare beast in our lands. They have mid-rank spiritual energy and are usually used for guarding homes and families.

“Centuries ago, a nobleman came to Ashen Cloud Mountain to live in seclusion and accidentally lost his way in the mountains. He was attacked by a black wolf and fought hard to kill it, then ate raw wolf meat when he was starving. After he was rescued and went home, his wives and concubines gave birth to heirs.”

Mu He listened even as the story seemed to go off track. “May I ask Senior what eating wolf meat has to do with his wives having children?”

“He could never manage bedroom matters in the past. In other words…black wolf blood has aphrodisiac properties.” Nie Ting was so blunt that even someone as inexperienced as Mu He understood.

His eyes widened. “So my reaction now…is because the wolf blood…”

“After that incident,” Nie Ting continued, “the effects of black wolf blood spread among the gentry. For a time, many people came to request black wolves from Ashen Cloud Mountain. They were almost hunted to extinction before Ashen Cloud Sword Sect stepped in. The sect spent thousands of taels to save a few of the animals. When Xie Zhiwei stabbed the black wolf to death tonight, you got its effects for cheap.”

Mu He was stunned. “But shizun was covered in wolf blood too, so why…”

“How can you compare to Xie Zhiwei? He has a half-immortal body and the blood only stained his clothes. Since it didn’t reach his skin, he was fine.”

Mu He’s body began to heat up again as his nosebleed threatened to restart. He rubbed the willow branch bracelet on his wrist while pressing against his nostrils. “Shizun really is powerful. One day I want to be a master just like him.”

Nie Ting fell silent.

Mu He grew nervous. “Senior, is that just a hopeless dream?”

Nie Ting’s tones were flat. “Right now I’m more concerned over why you reacted to Xie Zhiwei after being drenched in wolf blood.”

Mu He’s hands shook as the silk handkerchief fell from his fingers.

“Typically speaking,” Nie Ting continued softly, “You should have reacted towards the group of female disciples.”

—

Translator’s Note: Some choice replies from the Chinese comment section below