Chapter 99: Chapter Two: Gao Yang

At the sight of that warm smile, Pei Ye’s lips couldn’t help but curve up; for the first time since descending Wangxi Slope, his face, stiff and tense, relaxed slightly.

Two men who had forged a brief yet profound bond in utter despair—last night one lay gravely wounded and near death, the other possessed by a divine seed, with no glimmer of hope amid internal and external calamities.

They had exhausted themselves trying to stop the divine seed, even staking their lives, not knowing who might survive another second, never once believing they could live.

Yet twelve hours later, they met again beneath the lantern light of the county office.

Pei Ye had always assumed Zhu Gaoyang was dead, and when Zhu Gaoyang awoke, hadn’t he likewise believed the boy had perished in Xin Cang Mountain?

After all, he was so weak.

“How did you survive?”

“How did you survive?”

They looked at each other and smiled. Zhu Gaoyang said, “I don’t know how I survived—I just woke up on this bed.”

Pei Ye walked to his bedside, pulled over a chair, and sat down. “I was saved by Ming Qitian.”

“...She really came?” Zhu Gaoyang sat up slightly. “Did you see her fight?”

“I did.”

“How was she? Powerful?”

“Very powerful.”

“Hmm... how much weaker am I than her?” Zhu Gaoyang tilted his head and smiled. “Just compare it to that one sword I swung at the purple robe in the woods.”

“...” Pei Ye frowned, lost in thought.

“That sword was far from my peak, but the essence was still the same. You understand swords—don’t judge by power alone,” Zhu Gaoyang added. “It’s about meaning and cultivation, understand? Don’t use your crude old way of measuring strength by the Crane and Duck Scripture alone.”

Pei Ye looked at him, recalling the feeling each of their swords had given him.

“Full moon and candlelight,” he said.

“...Are you even listening?” Zhu Gaoyang sat up again, gesturing earnestly. “That sword was swung when I was near death—not at my peak. You have to raise the bar for me.”

“Then it’s an oil lamp.”

“...” Zhu Gaoyang leaned back against the pillow.

Pei Ye gently patted him.

“Sigh.” Zhu Gaoyang sighed, picked up his tea, drank, and set the cup down—his dejection vanished, replaced by a smile. “Did you see that [Heart-Slicing Glass]? By the way, is she really as beautiful as they say?”

Pei Ye paused, turning to Xing Zhi.

Xing Zhi, pouring tea, said, “She just woke up—not even left the room yet.”

“Oh.” Pei Ye leaned forward to take the cup, then turned to Zhu Gaoyang on the bed. “Can’t you move your legs? She’s right here in the office—across the courtyard.”

“...” Zhu Gaoyang turned slowly to Xing Zhi. “Really?”

“Really.”

“You didn’t tell me.”

Xing Zhi turned and placed the teapot back on the stove. “Why would I tell you?”

“I haven’t even met her yet!” Zhu Gaoyang said. “Our Long Jun Cave and Yunlang Mountain—are we not allies? And isn’t she traveling the realm seeking sword challenges? She must want to meet me, her senior brother of the Sword Line.”

“She already met you,” Xing Zhi said coolly.

“When?”

“When we entered the office—you were lying naked under the pear tree. We all saw you. Including Ming Qitian.”

“...”

Pei Ye watched Zhu Gaoyang’s pale face turn even paler, then bluish, his thin lips pressed tight.

“No,” Pei Ye couldn’t help but comfort him. “You weren’t completely naked—Old Man Chang covered you with a small red floral blanket. About...”

He placed one hand at his thigh root, the other at his navel. “This much was fully covered.”

“...” Zhu Gaoyang shot him a look, unimpressed.

“Hahaha.” Pei Ye burst out laughing.

“Enough,” Xing Zhi laughed too. “She didn’t even notice you. Don’t overestimate yourself.”

Zhu Gaoyang let out a long sigh. “You’re enjoying this now, but when she comes to Long Jun Cave to challenge me, I might already be mentally defeated before the fight even begins.”

“It’s not like you’re losing much anyway,” Xing Zhi said.

Zhu Gaoyang fell silent, then handed Pei Ye a jade pendant. “Here. Take this.”

Pei Ye recognized it immediately—it was the one Zhu Gaoyang had entrusted to him in the mountains.

“What’s this for?”

“In our Chu custom, new friends exchange jade.”

“I don’t have jade to give you.”

“Then owe me one.”

Pei Ye didn’t take it, pushing it back. “I only have ordinary jade. Give me an ordinary one too.”

Zhu Gaoyang insisted harder. “I only have this to give you now. You’ll repay me with something better later.”

They stared at each other in silence. Zhu Gaoyang pushed the pendant toward him. “Take it. It’s convenient. Don’t be so stubborn.”

Pei Ye yielded first, sighed lightly, and took the storage jade pendant.

He didn’t know its value, but since he’d never heard of such a thing before, it must be rare; and as something carried by the senior brother of Long Jun Cave, its quality was obvious.

Zhu Gaoyang smiled in satisfaction. “What are your plans now? If you want to learn swordplay, want to join Long Jun Cave as my junior brother?”

Before Pei Ye could answer, Xing Zhi spoke up. “He can go to Yunlang Mountain.”

“...” Zhu Gaoyang stared at him as if he’d lost his mind. “How are you so good at climbing the ladder?”

Pei Ye said nothing. Zhu Gaoyang suddenly remembered something and grew serious. “Do you know? Right now, all sects are exchanging disciples for short-term training. If you go to Yunlang Mountain, you could try arranging an exchange with Long Jun Cave...”

Xing Zhi said, “Do you really want to go to Yunlang Mountain? Shall I ask my senior uncle’s opinion?”

Zhu Gaoyang said, “You’re annoying. I’m being serious.”

Pei Ye smiled. “I won’t go to Yunlang Mountain. I want to go to Shenjing.”

“Hmm. Noble ambition.”

After more conversation, Pei Ye’s mood lifted somewhat. As darkness deepened and their talk dwindled, he took his leave.

Xing Zhi had planned to stay and care for him, but Zhu Gaoyang insisted he was merely weak, not paralyzed, and drove them both out with coaxing and shooing.

“What’s Zhu Ge’s condition now?”

Walking with Xing Zhi through the second courtyard of the office, Pei Ye frowned, noticing the worry that had instantly returned to her brow the moment they stepped outside.

Xing Zhi was silent for a moment. “No serious danger left. The Purple Micro Lord checked him—his spirit realm is stable. Once back at the cave, further treatment will restore him fully.”

“But?”

“But his heart... now resembles that thing,” Xing Zhi whispered. “It has devoured a significant portion of his cultivation. And the Purple Micro Lord said he may never be rid of it.”

“...” Pei Ye’s throat tightened at the grim news. After a long pause, he asked, “What effect does it have on his body?”

“The details are still unclear, but for now...” Xing Zhi raised her clear eyes, deep with worry, to the boy. “Every bit of true qi or xuan qi he gains, that heart takes away a significant portion. At the same time, he must expend vast amounts of true qi just to suppress it. In total... whether in strength or cultivation speed, he retains roughly one out of four.”

One out of four.

“...Does Zhu Ge know?”

“He knows. The Purple Micro Lord told him face-to-face—half an hour ago.”

(End of Chapter)