Chapter 19: History Repeats Itself

While Duan Fengyun and Youruo were each asleep, on the other side, Bu Jingyun and Kong Ci were repeating history.

At dusk, Bu Jingyun went to Kong Ci's room and gave her a wooden carving he had been carving for a long time.

This wooden carving was modeled after the rabbit Kong Ci had kept ten years ago.

Back then, a young Bu Jingyun had accidentally caused the death of Kong Ci's rabbit, and Kong Ci had been heartbroken for several days.

In fact, the wooden carving Bu Jingyun had thrown at the fat man who was bullying Kong Ci ten years ago was also a wooden rabbit.

Kong Ci looked at the wooden carving before her, then looked at Bu Jingyun; she had not expected that after ten years, he would still remember.

Bu Jingyun, a terminal case of a "straight man," did not say a single word of true feeling at such a critical moment, but instead turned and left.

Kong Ci watched the departing Bu Jingyun and smiled; ten years had passed, and Bu Jingyun was still as cold as ice on the surface.

As a return gesture, Kong Ci specially went to the kitchen to make a few of her signature dishes and sent them to Feiyun Hall.

Seeing that Bu Jingyun was not in the hall, Kong Ci prepared to leave. Just then, Bu Jingyun happened to return, looked at the table behind Kong Ci, and said to her:

"I have no appetite eating alone; let's eat together."

Thus, the two sat at the table together, and Bu Jingyun brought out a pot of fine wine he usually couldn't bear to drink, sharing it with Kong Ci.

After three rounds of drinks, Kong Ci saw that it was getting late and prepared to leave.

Bu Jingyun looked at the slightly tipsy Kong Ci before him, and fueled by the courage that wine gives a coward, he grabbed the departing Kong Ci and pulled her into his arms.

Holding Kong Ci in his arms, Bu Jingyun told her of his feelings for her, saying that he had liked her since the first time he saw her ten years ago.

Bu Jingyun stood up, domineeringly picked up Kong Ci, and walked toward his room.

At the moment Kong Ci shed her tears, she completed her transformation from a girl into a woman.

The next morning, Kong Ci disregarded the pain after her first night, got up from the bed early, dressed, and left.

As luck would have it, Kong Ci, leaving Bu Jingyun's room, was just spotted by Wen Chou Chou, who was heading to Lianqi Hall.

Wen Chou Chou looked at the departing Kong Ci, then craned his neck to look at Bu Jingyun in the room, and gave a wicked smile.

Xiongba, in the Lianwu Tang, looked at the wickedly smiling Wen Chou Chou and asked:

"Chouchou, it's early in the morning; what is there to make you smile so happily?"

Wen Chou Chou immediately stopped his wicked smile and replied:

"Congratulations, Sect Leader, congratulations, Sect Leader."

"Oh? What is there for me to be congratulated about?"

Xiongba asked curiously.

Wen Chou Chou continued to explain: "Your subordinate just saw Kong Ci walking out of Hall Master Bu's room. This must be some good news, right? Hall Master Bu's good news is the Sect Leader's good news, which is why I congratulate the Sect Leader."

Xiongba was stunned for a moment, then confirmed with Wen Chou Chou:

"Are you sure you didn't see wrong?"

After receiving Wen Chou Chou's affirmative reply, a poisonous scheme formed in Xiongba's heart; he wanted to sow discord among the four and make them kill each other.

With a strategy in mind, Xiongba immediately had Wen Chou Chou send someone to summon Kong Ci to the Lianwu Tang.

He then instructed Wen Chou Chou to notify everyone in the sect that a grand assembly would be held at the Practice Field tomorrow, as he had a major announcement.

After receiving the order, Wen Chou Chou left, skipping along.

A few minutes later, Kong Ci arrived at the Lianwu Tang. Xiongba looked at Kong Ci and said to her with a look of concern:

"Kong Ci, have you been doing well in the World Sect all these years?"

Kong Ci replied tremblingly: "Thank you for your concern, Sect Leader; Kong Ci has been doing very well in the World Sect."

Xiongba smiled and continued: "What a delicate and charming young woman. No wonder my four disciples and my daughter are all praising you. I only have one daughter, Youruo, and I would like to adopt you as my foster daughter; I wonder if you are willing?"

Upon hearing this, Kong Ci immediately knelt and said: "This servant, how could I be worthy? Thank you for your great kindness, Sect Leader."

Xiongba waved his hand and said: "Eh, why do you still call me Sect Leader?"

Kong Ci immediately changed her words: "Thank you, Foster Father."

Xiongba laughed heartily: "Good, good, good! I, Xiongba, have gained another daughter today. You go down and prepare; I will hold a sect assembly tomorrow to announce this happy event to everyone."

After Kong Ci left, Xiongba stared ahead with a sinister expression, his eyes filled with murderous intent.

Xiongba muttered to himself: "After tomorrow, let's see if you few can still remain as close as brothers. You are destined to be played in the palm of my hand."

Kong Ci, having left the Lianwu Tang, went to Bu Jingyun's Feiyun Hall and told Bu Jingyun that from tomorrow on, she would no longer be able to serve them.

Bu Jingyun thought something had happened to Kong Ci and hurriedly asked what was wrong.

Kong Ci told Bu Jingyun about Xiongba adopting her as a foster daughter, and Bu Jingyun smiled instantly upon hearing this.

He held Kong Ci and said: "I had thought that our difference in status was too great, and I was afraid that if we were together, you would be gossiped about. Now that you have been adopted by Master as his foster daughter, I will propose to Master tomorrow."

Kong Ci could not refuse Bu Jingyun's enthusiasm and could only silently listen to his rambling.

After listening, she told Bu Jingyun that she had to go back and prepare, as Xiongba was going to announce this at the sect assembly tomorrow.

Thinking that he could propose to Xiongba tomorrow, Bu Jingyun readily agreed to Kong Ci.

When the next day arrived, the Practice Field was packed with people, and Duan Fengyun and the others stood at the very front.

Duan Fengyun asked Youruo: "Eldest Miss, do you know what major announcement the Sect Leader has? What kind of major event is worth making such a big deal out of?"

Youruo replied: "I am also completely in the dark. I only heard the servants say last night that a sect assembly was to be held today."

Bu Jingyun looked at those who didn't know the inside story, a faint smile rising at the corner of his mouth.

While Duan Fengyun and Youruo were questioning each other, Xiongba walked out.

Then the members of the World Sect began to shout again:

"The Sect Leader is wise, his literary and martial virtues are supreme, for a thousand autumns and ten thousand generations, he shall unify the Jianghu."

Xiongba waved one hand, and the crowd stopped shouting, waiting quietly for Xiongba to speak.

Seeing this, Xiongba immediately began his speech.

"Today, I announce a happy event to everyone: I am taking Kong Ci as my foster daughter; from now on, when you see her, you must address her as Eldest Miss."

After Xiongba finished speaking, he clapped his hands, and Youruo, dressed in graceful and luxurious attire, was supported out by two maidservants, while Nie Feng and the others cheered below.

But seeing this scene, Duan Fengyun felt as if he had been struck by a bolt from the blue; the thing he worried about most had happened after all, and Kong Ci had still become Xiongba's tool to sow discord among them.

Just as he had expected, Xiongba immediately began to speak again:

"Seeing everyone so happy, I shall announce another joyous occasion. I have decided to betroth my foster daughter to my disciple, Qin Shuang; ten days from now, I will hold a grand ceremony for the two of them."

After making the announcement, Xiongba left, leaving behind the crowd with their varied expressions.

When Bu Jingyun heard the first sentence, saying that he would betroth Kong Ci to one of his disciples, he was overjoyed, believing that this disciple must be himself.

But when he finished listening, he looked incredulous. How could Master betroth Kong Ci to the Senior Brother? Anyone with eyes could see that he liked Kong Ci.

It was in vain that he had been so overjoyed just a moment ago; in the end, the clown was none other than himself.

On the other side, Nie Feng was still congratulating Qin Shuang, and since Qin Shuang also liked Kong Ci, he happily accepted Nie Feng's blessings.

Duan Fengyun looked at Bu Jingyun to the side, then looked at Qin Shuang and Nie Feng, and he could not help but feel a headache coming on.

Now that history was repeating itself according to the original work, he had to find a way to salvage the situation and change history.