Ch42 - Acknowledging relations

The raging spiritual power around Mu He suddenly receded like the tide while Qiu Chongyun’s eyes flew open in shock. A while later, Mu He forced his lips into a smile. “Is shizun joking with this disciple?”

Xie Zhiwei placed a hand on his shoulder and looked him in the eye. “Master wouldn’t joke with you about these things.”

Then he unsealed Qiu Chongyun’s acupoints with a nudge at the air. “Just then this maiden must have heard my disciple speaking to his father. His mother’s name is Zhaoshui, don’t you find it familiar?”

Qiu Chongyun had been studying Mu He’s face ever since opening her eyes. A firefly happened to float by and illuminate his features. Eyes widening, she said, “I thought it was just the same name…now I see traces of my older sister in his gaze.”

Mu He knit his brows in silence as his look filled with doubts.

Xie Zhiwei patted him a couple times and continued, “Your father has already explained the meaning of your He name. As for Mu (穆), it’s a metaphor for the ‘right side’ (右边). Your mother Qiu Zhaoshui was the Right Order Saintess, so perhaps she got your name from that.”

Abruptly, Qiu Chongyun said, “Release me.”

The firefly flew away, leaving Mu He’s face in darkness once more. He slowly lifted a hand and the White Lotus’ mesh net vanished. Qiu Chongyun rubbed the flame phoenix’s head and had it obediently wait in place. She then straightened up her clothes, made her hair very neat, and revealed a rare dignity.

Aren’t you being superfluous? Xie Zhiwei thought. You’re all dressed up in front of the hero now, but you’ll still strip for him in the future.

Qiu Chongyun took a deep breath before taking a hairpin out of her head to prick her finger. The blood of the Demonic Sect differed from ordinary humans and was especially repellent against the imperial clan. This was one way to ascertain Mu He’s origins. She waved the hairpin at Mu He and said, “Do it yourself, or let me help you?”

Xie Zhiwei’s eyes brightened. Of course let her help you!

Mu He only said, “I’ll do it myself,” and bit his finger.

“….” said Xie Zhiwei. Whatever makes you happy.

The two of them dripped their blood in the same place. There was only a brief repulsion before the droplets congealed into one. Qiu Chongyun chewed on her lip before she ripped open her collar to reveal a red lotus mark at her collarbone.

Mu He’s gaze saddened at the sight as his voice lowered. “This mark, my mother had it too.”

Qiu Chongyun’s eyes filled with tears as she walked to Mu He’s side. Xie Zhiwei proactively yielded his spot next to his disciple, but Mu He suddenly grabbed his arm with surprising force.

Eh eh eh, this…what’s this for? ?

Mu He looked up at Qiu Chongyun. Although he wasn’t hostile as before, he wasn’t as enthusiastic as Xie Zhiwei hoped. At least, he didn’t look like he was “filled with thousands of words to say after meeting each other so late.”

Qiu Chongyun and Mu He stood facing each other before the former laughed. “We didn’t know each other before we fought, but it turns out you were my nephew. Not bad at all.”

What “we didn’t know each other before we fought?” And what the hell is this “nephew?” You’ve even stopped referring to yourself as “nujia?”

Where are the lines from the original novel? Aren’t you supposed to call the hero “little naughty-naughty, little annoyance?”

Xie Zhiwei had no time to complain. His strong divine sense could already feel many figures hurrying their way. In a deep voice he said, “The people from my daoist sect are coming.”

Mu He nodded and looked at Qiu Chongyun. “You should leave quickly.”

Qiu Chongyun muttered, “What ‘you?’ I’m your elder, all right?” She snapped her fingers and the flame phoenix rose to its feet, lowering its back so she could climb on.

“Maiden,” Xie Zhiwei called out. “Although you’re from the Demonic Sect, I hope that for your sister’s sake the matter of Black Lotus…”

“Nujia knows what to do. This time, nujia didn’t discover anything on my trip.” Qiu Chongyun winked at them with her fluttery eyes before she tapped her heel and leaped onto the bird.

Xie Zhiwei silently turned aside.

But Qiu Chongyun suddenly said in a serious voice, “Morning, seven days from now. Nujia will be waiting at the stone arch bridge for this daoist in the Flying Flowers Township at the base of the mountain. There’s something important to tell you, so I hope this daoist and my nephew can both come. It involves the survival of your righteous sects.”

Xie Zhiwei only heard “survival of your righteous sects” before saying “yes” on reflex.

“A gentleman keeps his word, oh~” Qiu Chongyun laughed lightly before turning to Mu He with a dashing air. “Nephew, remember to call me Aunt Yun the next time we meet, understand?”

“Mhm…” Mu He replied. He had little affection for Qiu Chongyun, but since she was keeping his secret for his mother’s sake, he could show mercy to her for the same reason. After all, Qiu Chongyun’s attitude towards shizun was revealing. If she knew what was good for her, then fine. Otherwise…

Mu He looked back at Xie Zhiwei only to see him spacing out and looking rather down. He couldn’t help calling softly, “Shizun? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Xie Zhiwei recovered his senses. “Let’s go back.”

“We’re not waiting for the daoist sect members to head back together?”

“No,” Xie Zhiwei waved a hand. He was about to take out his sword but put it back and started heading up the mountain on foot. “Come take a walk with Master.”

—

A summer breeze was blowing, the moon and stars were high in the sky, and the sound of birds and insects filled the mountain with harmony. Xie Zhiwei walked very slowly, not caring if his robes were stained with dew and mud from the grass.

Right now he really wanted to cry.

After all that effort to keep a girl, the emotional drama ended up more outrageous than the plot and directly avoided multiple routes. If Gallant Outlaw saw this, he’d definitely say, “What kind of trash is this, I didn’t write it!”

But this was reality.

Xie Zhiwei couldn’t understand why Qiu Chongyun and the hero’s lines didn’t match the original novel at all. Why couldn’t the hero’s gaze on Qiu Chongyun match the intensity of Mu He’s gaze at him? He even dragged Xie Zhiwei to his side while recognizing her as his aunt. This gave Qiu Chongyun the impression that he was a good little boy, so it was no wonder the woman wasn’t interested in him.

Xie Zhiwei suddenly became aware of a massive mistake. For the sake of hugging the protagonist’s thigh, he had overprotected him. The original novel’s hero fought through thorns to forge his final form. A little flower in a greenhouse like Mu He had no chance to temper himself at all.

He had to find a way to reverse this.

After a long while of sullen strolling, Xie Zhiwei heard Mu He murmur behind him, “Thank you, shizun.”

Xie Zhiwei felt depressed and didn’t look back. “Why did you say that?”

“When shizun was sharing your opinions on the Demonic Sect, this disciple thought you were referring to the demo—Aunt Yun, but it turns out shizun had long guessed this disciple’s origins. Those words were for this disciple’s sake.” Mu He bolstered his courage and asked, “Shizun, is it really okay for me to have the Demonic Sect bloodline?”

Xie Zhiwei paused in his steps. “You can’t decide your birth origins, but you can choose what kind of person to be in the future.”

Mu He stopped as well, vaguely guessing Xie Zhiwei’s meaning between the lines. For a while, he was speechless.

“Your father is King of the Nine Provinces, so you know what it means for your future,” Xie Zhiwei said as he turned, just in time to meet Mu He’s somewhat puzzled look.

His heart lurched. Crap, he’s confused at the most important juncture of his life? Is this still the hero who’s determined to win everything?

Xie Zhiwei asked, “Your royal status has been recognized and you have a splendid life before you. But why don’t you seem very pleased?”

When Mu He heard the words “splendid life,” his eyes brightened, but only for a second. However, he seemed less lost than before when they dimmed. He studied Xie Zhiwei before asking softly, “Shizun, if disciple is really as you say…that, then can disciple still come back in the future?”

His words were stammering and very slow, but his gaze was firm and filled with strong yearning. Xie Zhiwei felt the hairs on his nape rise up one by one.

B…back? What for, you’ll be deep into your blackened mode by then. You want to find me to…play battle royale or something?

Xie Zhiwei’s reply was ambiguous. “That depends on whether you can satisfy Master.”

His master was always quick to speak positively, but now he was prevaricating on something so important. An anxious Mu He asked, “Then what should disciple do to satisfy Master?”

“Disciple,” Xie Zhiwei’s expression grew grave. “Don’t you have any thoughts of your own?”

“Shizun, disciple…” Mu He wanted to argue, but shut up after a few words. He had already planned out his goals after rebirth: who to kill, what to get, mapped out step-by-step. The one thing he didn’t predict was becoming Xie Zhiwei’s disciple in this life. He had vowed to get a thousand—ten thousand—more women than Bai Yu and far surpass his cultivation, but because of this man he called “shizun,” his tastes had changed. He realized that all the women in the world couldn’t compare to how well a single shizun treated him. There was no doubt that he’d get stronger and stand even higher, but how boring it’d be to enjoy these things alone without shizun by his side?

Yet how was he supposed to tell these things to shizun?

Xie Zhiwei felt that Mu He’s constant stammering lacked conviction and lost his temper. But he couldn’t show it, so he patiently broke things down with logic. “Shizun can’t take care of you for a lifetime. Eventually there’ll come a day where you have to face everything independently, understand?”

Mu He nodded and put on the face of an obedient student. “Disciple understands.”

I don’t understand.

Why can’t he take care of me for a lifetime? If shizun finds it troublesome, I can always take care of shizun for a lifetime.

Xie Zhiwei was slightly more satisfied and exhaled softly. “Your mother’s spirit in Heaven will definitely be gratified when she sees your future self.”

Mu He’s eyelashes trembled. “Shizun, do you know when was the last time I saw her red lotus mark?”

As a reader of the original novel, of course Xie Zhiwei knew. That was when Mu He was fourteen years old. Even boys in ancient times were forbidden to peek at their mothers once they reached that age.

Mu He smiled, but it was a bitter expression. “A drunk bastard ripped open her clothes. If I hadn’t smashed him unconscious with a vase, my mother would probably have… My hands were covered in sweat that day. If mother was still alive now, how great it would be…even if she had no powers, I could still protect her.”

This was probably Mu He’s first time opening up to anyone. Xie Zhiwei couldn’t help feeling strange at the realization. In the end, the current hero was still a young child. In modern times he would be just entering high school. He shouldn’t be biased against the current him just because he had He Zheng’s face, or because he would thoroughly blacken in the future.

Xie Zhiwei stepped forward and gently brushed away the wetness gathering at the corner of Mu He’s eyes. The stunned teen looked up at him as a bigger teardrop rolled down his cheek. Xie Zhiwei was at a loss before his watery eyes. When he acted with He Zheng in the past, they’d shot two crying scenes as well, but his tears didn’t jab his heart…like Mu He’s did.

I really am growing feelings from being his nanny dad.

Xie Zhiwei spread open his arms and wrapped Mu He in his arms. Years of being an actor had familiarized himself to this action when comforting overwrought female fans. By the time Mu He realized Xie Zhiwei was hugging him, a voice asked softly by his ear, “This should be a happy occasion. Why are you crying.”

Mu He didn’t move a muscle as he stood like a log.

“Disciple?” Xie Zhiwei tried, puzzled.

Mu He took a deep breath and embraced him tightly. “Nothing, disciple is just too happy…thank you, shizun.”

“You say thanks too much,” Xie Zhiwei almost suffocated in his hug and barely preserved his dignity to extricate a hand to pet his head. “No need for that, Master just hopes you grow up soon.”

Mu He nodded vigorously. I hope so too, shizun.

When the day comes where you no longer see me as a child, I’ll also become the strongest person in this world. Everything will belong to the palm of my hand, shizun included.

And I will not only claim shizun’s person, but his heart.

—

The two of them didn’t reach Suihan Lodge until the middle of the night. Xie Zhiwei urged Mu He to hurry to bed before quickly opening up the System.

“Gallant Outlaw, you there? Something’s wrong with your protagonist!”

—

Translator’s Note: Just a reminder that Qiu Zhaoshui and Qiu Chongyun are not blood-related sisters, only sisters in name. The blood test worked because of the special properties present in the blood of all Demonic Sect members! 🙂