CH 5

The honeydrop’s sleeping wasn’t sweet at all, though.

When Chi Ning woke up the next day, he found a little head pressed to his chest.

Half of Gu Lingxiao’s body was on top of Chi Ning’s, and he buried his face in the latter’s collar, sleeping peacefully. 

This little kid’s foot had even kicked Chi Ning’s belt loose. His neckline was a little loose, and revealed skin as smooth and lustrous as jade.

The corner of Gu Lingxiao’s mouth sometimes bumped up against his master’s clavicle, but he was lost in dreamland and completely unaware, so he even affectionately rubbed it. The warm breath sprinkled against the body below him. The limp Chi Ning who felt he was being offended stiffened up.

Chi Ning knitted his brows at a loss, afraid that Gu Lingxiao would open his mouth and bite the side of his neck, those  orderly teeth closing around a piece of flesh as he rubbed evilly.

Gu Lingxiao, that bastard, loved doing stuff like this the most in their previous life.

Why was his younger self also so bothersome?

Chi Ning quietly became that kid’s pillow for around fifteen minutes. Only then did Gu Lingxiao unhurriedly wake up, blinking his long and slender lashes towards Chi Ning as he showed a smile.

Chi Ning didn’t give his disciple time to be sleepy, picking him up by his back collar and lifting him away a little, saying, “You should get to your morning classes.”

Sleeping with the other was his limit. Chi Ning rubbed at his burning hot cheeks. It seemed he didn’t like being too close to others.

He couldn’t let Gu Lingxiao climb on his bed in a moment of weakness anymore.

Gu Lingxiao speedily washed his face, brushed his teeth, and went to his morning classes. Chi Ning sat before the mirror to tie his hair. In the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of a figure standing at the door.

That man tested the waters and took a step forward, yet immediately retreated back by two. His tall and mighty body cowered, like a fledgeling leaving its nest for the first time.

Chi Ning couldn’t help but speak. “Come in, Zong Dai.”

Zong Dai was Chi Ning’s eldest disciple. His physique was big and tall and his face was honest, giving the impression of being honest and well-behaved. When Chi Ning was too lazy to manage Alkaid Palace’s trivialities, he would hand them over to this disciple to take care of.

Zong Dai laughed ‘hehe’ and entered the room, asking, “Master, you’re not angry anymore?

“Who would I be angry at?”

“Junior Brother Gu. Yesterday, he had a dispute with Martial Uncle Qi’s disciple, and injured a fellow disciple named Tao Yu. Master gave him the punishment of copying a sutra a hundred times.”

Chi Ning knew now.

This incident was because Tao Yu taunted Gu Lingxiao, saying he was young and had poor talent, and that despite being the Cloudless Arahant’s direct student, his cultivation couldn’t match that of Tao Yu, a normal disciple.

Gu Lingxiao didn’t intend to argue with him, but Tao Yu wouldn’t give up. He pushed and shoved Gu Lingxiao until the jade pendant at his waist fell off, knocked against a stone, and shattered to pieces.

In his last life, Gu Lingxiao raised his chin and refused to give in or apologize. Chi Ning had no way of knowing what really happened, and could only punish his disciple to make up for it.

When Zong Dai saw Chi Ning wasn’t responding, he continued, “I asked around today. That Tao Yu seems like a good person, but Junior Brother Gu has always treasured that piece of jade… Huh? Master, where are you going?”

Chi Ning was shrouded in plain satin with cloud and crane patterns, his outer garment of snow-white shark silk. His clothes seemed to float, overflowing with brilliance and splendor. He calmly exited Alkaid Palace.

He shook his sleeves. “To demand justice for your junior brother.”

Gu Lingxiao’s mother gave him that jade pendant. It was his only memory of his relatives. 

Before, Chi Ning didn’t know the whole story, and wrongfully punished Gu Lingxiao. It definitely hurt his disciple’s heart a lot.

The crowd outside Jade Foliage Hall was very serious in their orderly formation. The disciples were taking turns practicing moves with the leader.

Jade Foliage Peak was number one of the top righteous sects, after all. Its power was outstanding and its background was profound, incomparable with the other immortal sects. Its three Immortals were all widely known: the Jade Foliage Lord Xie Jiuze, the Second Peak Lord Qi Yuge, and the Cloudless Arahant Chi Ning.

Chi Ning didn’t like people calling him the Third Peak Lord, thinking that bearing this name meant he’d have to look over ledgers and take in new disciples. How exhausting.

He loved leisure, and wanted to be as free and unfettered as the drifting clouds and wild storks. 

“Hey, look, isn’t that Immortal Chi?”

A keen disciple noticed Chi Ning, and couldn’t help but shout this in surprise.

With this exclamation, all of the drowsy disciples who were slacking off miraculously became lively. Grabbing their swords, they rhythmically began to perform every strike and form of the sword dance.

The disciples were all pretty afraid of Chi Ning. Although the peak lord was firm, he would still speak with those below him. The second peak lord had the best temper, and was humoured and friendly, without any sign of arrogance. 

Only Immortal Chi was cold and cheerless, reticent. His appearance that was beautiful as a woman’s only seemed suitable for viewing from afar. The closer one stepped and the more words they spoke to him, the more terrified they would be of this god banished to earth.

“Immortal Chi really is beautiful by birth. If only you would smile more.” A round-faced youth was bold enough to yell.

At the round-faced disciple’s side was another who was tall and thin, who said, “At last year’s New Year’s Eve banquet, Immortal Chi was tickled pink by one of the Second Peak Lord’s jokes, and laughed with his wine cup at hand. That sight was like, like, a person straight from the nine heavens. Gu Lingxiao, isn’t that…”

He turned around to talk with Gu Lingxiao, only to see that the spot at his left was empty. “Strange, Gu Lingxiao was there a second ago. Where is he?”

The round-faced disciple breathed a sigh for Gu Llingxiao. “He’s done for. He was punished last night, because he…”

He motioned forward with his lips.

Coincidentally, Tao Yu was standing before them, and turned around to gloat. “Gu Lingxiao, that blockhead, even dared to skip the morning classes.” As if that weren’t enough, he went on, “He’s both dumb and useless.”

Tao Yu seemed to have completely forgotten that he was the one at the disadvantage, who had been injured. His face still carried a blue and purple bruise. 

Right after he said that, a slip of fine white damask wrapped around Tao Yu’s wrist. He shouted in surprise as he staggered and was dragged out of the formation.

Chi Ning’s thin lips were pursed, his porcelain-pale finger manipulating his magic, his expression as snowy as the ice during the coldest of the winter days.

“What did you just say?”

“I-Immortal Chi.” Tao Yu trembled and his legs went weak as he fell to his knees. If the gap between two peoples’ cultivations was large enough, when the stronger released the pressure of their might, they could endlessly torment the weaker one.

As if the air had been poured with lead, Tao Yu was crushed until he could barely breathe. He hadn’t thought Chi Ning placed any importance on his disciple Chi Ning, which was why he acted so unscrupulously, but it seemed…

“Please spare me, Immortal Chi… I was wrong… I won’t do it again…”

Chi Ning’s voice was icy as he only noted, “You should tell that to Gu Lingxiao.”

The Spirit Grass Garden was quiet in the morning. Gu Lingxiao, who sat cross-legged beneath an ancient tree, could hear what Shen Qiuting said at the foot of the mountain.

There was nothing new. This world was pretty much the same as the last one.

Gu Lingxiao cheerfully gnawed at the tanghulu in his hands. One bite, two bites, three bites. 

When he was about to take his fourth bite, Gu Lingxiao was suddenly lifted by his back collar like a puppy.

The Demon Lord was utterly flustered. Who dared to be so disrespectful to him?!

They’d better be ready to suffer the consequences!

When he turned around, he came face-to-face with Chi Ning’s cool eyes. 

His eyebrows were like a painting, and his eyes were clear and bright.

How beautiful.

The Demon Lord panicked for a moment. His little hand loosened and his tanghulu fell to the ground with a clunk, rolling in the dirt and grime. 

Gu Lingxiao scrunched up his face, feeling extremely wronged. “Sob! Give me back my money! I want my tanghulu!