Chapter 76: Don't let you disciple manhandle you

Han Yu nods in acknowledgement and follows after the disgruntled disciple, but his expression remains aloof.

Either this sect leader disappears a lot, or Han Yu doesn't really care for him. 

"That's a good guess," Ni Ni says, and Xi Zirui doesn't think he's imagining her singsong tone.

Xi Zirui doesn't even bother probing her for answers.

As they walk through the sect grounds, crossing several walkways and pavilions suspended over the water, Xi Zirui gets the impression that most sect members give him only a passing once over. Not really recognizing him.

He wonders why that is. The original didn't stay in seclusion for so long  that his own sect brothers and sisters could forget about him.

Han Yu walks with purpose, cutting a swath through everyone in his way and ignoring any attempts to catch his attention. 

Once he reaches the stretch of buildings built over land, he enters the tallest of them, the tiles of its sweeping roof shining under the noon sun.

Inside the sect leader's pavilion, several Heavenly Dragon sect members are clustered around a blood splattered piece of teal silk.

"This can only be the work of the Blood Crane sect," a man says, brandishing the piece of silk in the air. 

A woman snatches it out of his hand and flutters it under her nose. "It's true! I detect hints of demonic qi!"

The man right next to her pries the piece of silk from between her dainty fingers and brings it up close to his eyes for closer inspection. "This is part of the set of robes sect leader wears to bed! He prefers them to sleeping in his inner robes."

Xi Zirui chuckles behind his fan. How do you know that, old man?

Everyone else must have had the same thought because they all shoot the man confused looks. 

The man, clearly no flower in the bloom of his youth, flushes an ugly red under his whiskered cheeks. "I mean, this one often attends to sect leader while he works at night, and knows he prefers doing so wearing these robes."

Han Yu finally grows tired of the chattering of the elders and coughs loudly, announcing their presence.

He claps his hands in front of his chest. "This disciple greets the sect elders. This disciple's Shizun has risen from secluded cultivation."

He steps away so that his taller frame no longer hides Xi Zirui who steps forward and into the circle of gathered elders.

"Shixiong! We didn't expect you for another year!" says the woman who can smell demonic qi.

"How fortunate that isn't the case, though, given the present circumstances," the man next to her says, elbowing her on the side.

The man everyone suspected of having an affair with the sect leader breaks into a huge, relieved, grin and pulls Xi Zirui forward by the elbow so he can join them in inspecting the tattered piece of silk.

"What does Master Xi think?" the man asks, holding up the silk so Xi Zirui can inspect it.

Xi Zirui doesn't think anything. What's he supposed to infer from a torn piece of silk?

Do they expect him to smell it too?

Was it even the work of this Demonic Sect they're accusing? Those are always to blame for everything. It's very convenient. Hai Yaomei the beleaguered character he played in the first world can attest to that.

Ni Ni chimes. "In this case, it really was the Demonic Sect!"

Oh, ok then.

Xi Zirui clears his throat and waves Sorrow Untold in front of his face. "It's obvious this is the work of Blood Crane," he says, with a haughty lift of his chin.

A hum falls over the gathered group of senior cultivators, all of them nodding in agreement. "Those lowly dogs, of course it could be no one else but them."

"What do they expect to gain by taking sect leader?"

"Do they intend to harm him?"

"You idiot, why not just kill him here if that's the case?"

"Sect Leader is a powerful cultivator, maybe they want to use his body as ingredients for their vile talismans and pill making?"

Xi Zirui grimaces behind his fan. How gruesome. These people are terrible. He chances a sideways glance at Han Yu who looks bored out of his mind. Completely uncaring of the fate of his sect leader.

'Su Xueyi is the sect leader, right?' Xi Zirui thinks the question at Ni Ni.

Her answer doesn't tarry. "He is."

Figures. Who else's life would Han Yu show such should blatant disregard over?

It's almost a little charming, how he can't help the little furrow of distaste between his sharp brows as his elders fret like headless chicken. 

Xi Zirui too is tired of their clucking. He clears his throat. "This Master will take his disciples and rescue sect leader." If nothing else it sounds like a good opportunity to increase their admiration and cultivation level.

The silence that follows his words could have been cut through with a sword.

Clearly not everyone thinks Xi Zirui's idea is as solid as he does. Including Han Yu whose little furrow of distaste has become a furrow of confusion.

Su Xueyi's not bed warmer, is the first to break the silence. "Uhm...is Master Xi sure he wouldn't rather take more accomplished disciples with him?" His triangle eyes dart briefly towards Han Yu, and he grasps Xi Zirui's billowy white sleeve, raising himself on his tiptoes to whisper in his hear. "This one's eldest disciple is showing great pro-"

Xi Zirui slaps his impudent fingers away with his folded fan. "Nonsense. This Master's disciples are perfectly capable of assisting him." 

How dare this slimy little man talk about Han Yu like that? As if he's lesser than anyone else?

Xi Zirui could throttle him for the offense.

He points at Han Yu with his folded fan. "My disciple is more capable than half the people here!"

Han Yu's eyes widen in obvious, unguarded shock, his mouth doesn't hang open but it's a close thing.

Xi Zirui hears a familiar, and portentous chime. "Congratulations Host! Han Yu's admiration up by +2 points. Now at 12 of a possible 100 points."

Twe-Twelve points? 

Xi Zirui flicks Untold Sorrows open in front of his face again to hide his dismay.

He'll win Han Yu's love as many times as it takes, but he would be lying if he said it doesn't hurt to have those familiar eyes bore into him with such a calculating look.

"Ni Ni wants to remind Host that admiration isn't the same as favor, and that relationships between masters and disciples are extremely taboo."

Xi Zirui knows that. That's why there isn't a 'peerlessly beautiful' Shizun who doesn't end up with two or three disciples trying to hump them. It wouldn't be such a popular trope if it wasn't taboo. 

Of course Xi Zirui would have the bad luck of being the only Shizun with a handsome disciple who doesn't want to fuck him!

Well, he's nothing if not determined.

"This Master will be leaving at once to ensure sect leader's quick return," Xi Zirui says, bowing to the sect elders and turning on his heel.

"Master Xi has just come out of seclusion, maybe someone else-" the woman with the demonic qi sniffing nose says, before being summarily cut short by Xi Zirui:

"Secluded cultivation has sharpened my senses, my unity with the Dao is unparalleled and so is my skill," Xi Zirui says, fanning himself leisurely. He raises his eyebrows at her from above the arch of his fan. "This Master will be leaving at once."

This time, no one tries to argue with him.

---

Han Yu follows him out of the pavilion, which only now Xi Zirui notices is called Pavilion of Humility.

Something Su Xueyi possesses very little of, ironically. 

"Shizun, shijie has gone to practice in the forest and still hasn't returned," Han Yu says, as he leads the way to what Xi Zirui assumes is his own pavilion. 

'Shijie' must be Xi Zirui's other disciple. He could ask Ni Ni about her identity but he would rather be pleasantly surprised.

Or appalled, if she turns out to be Bai Mi.

He thinks he hears the distinct sound of Ni Ni snickering in the back of his mind. He avoids thinking about what that could mean and follows behind Han Yu, admiring the sleek line of his back and the trimness of his waist.

Not long ago he had his legs wrapped around that waist while Han Yu fucked him mercilessly on their couch, the bed still out of limits due to having been claimed by Little Thunder.

He almost starts smiling about the memory before his chest seizes painfully. Now that that life is gone, even the sweetest memories turn sour on his tongue.

"Shizun? Shizun?"

It takes a moment for Han Yu's voice to permeate through the fog of his mind, but once it does Xi Zirui realizes he's been trying to get his attention for some time.

"This disciple asked Shizun if he wants to wait for shijie or if he wants to go now and leave a message for her to meet us somewhere?"

"No, no, we'll wait for her, it's best if the three of us go together," he says, shaking his head as if trying to dislodge the memories out of his mind.

This is a cultivation world, they probably have a pill for that. 

Han Yu has led him to a beautiful wooden pavilion over the lake, connected to shore by a charming viewing bridge. 

Through the open archway of the entrance Xi Zirui can see the inner courtyard; a water garden of lotus flowers and water lilies. 

He feels the sweet fragrance of burning incense as soon as he takes off his boots and steps into the wooden building, and just follows it to its source; a low table with an already steaming pot of tea on top.

Xi Zirui takes a seat,Han Yu sitting down across from him. "This disciple told the younger disciples to make Master's rooms ready for his return when the juniors warned him master had come out of seclusion."

"My disciple is very attentive," Xi Zirui says, pouring a cup of tea for Han Yu, and then himself.

He offers the cup to Han Yu with what he hopes is the smile of a Master who is glad to see his disciple after a prolonged absence. 

Han Yu accepts the cup from Xi Zirui's hands. The brief point of contact between their bare fingers sends a shiver down Xi Zirui's spine.

"How have you been this past years?" Xi Zirui asks, taking a sip of his tea to disguise his furious blush.

It's humiliating, the effect Han Yu has on him, and how addicted he has grown to it.

Despite his polite smile, Han Yu isn't quite relaxed, his shoulders remain tense and drawn up.

"I've been well, I've studied the cultivation manuals Shizun recommended."

Xi Zirui hums thoughtfully. "That's good, that's very good."

What isn't good is this terrible, stilted conversation, but unfortunately Xi Zirui has no idea how to get out of it.

Han Yu must have even stronger feelings about it because he smashes his porcelain teacup over the tabletop and launches himself at Xi Zirui.

He falls backwards, just barely managing to catch himself on his elbows, with all of Han Yu's weight thrown over him, one of his hands clasped over his mouth, and the startling coil of a whip around his neck.

"Who are you?" Han Yu asks, his eyebrows drawn towards his temples and his eyes shining with suspicion. "My Shizun didn't give any instructions regarding my training before he entered seclusion. And he would never have served me tea."

Xi Zirui wiggles his eyebrows, trying to communicate some trustworthiness through their movement.

It doesn't work, because the vicious coil of the whip around his neck only grows tighter.

---

Usual disclaimers for cultivation settings: shi- (sect something) shijie - older sect sister, shixiong - older sect brother. Shizun, for those who don't know - Esteemed Master (the esteemed makes it hornier idk, it just sounds sexier than shifu, which also means master, but reminds me of those old bearded martial arts masters)