CH 3

After Gu Louyin said this word, he didn’t move anymore.

Xiao Yuan straightened up, tapped Gu Louyin’s forehead lightly with his folding fan and murmured, “Master Gu, I’m sorry, I am forced too.”　

A pale yellow glimmer appeared between Gu Louyin’s eyebrows, connecting to Xiao Yuan’s folding fan. Xiao Yuan raised the folding fan, and Gu Louyin ‘stood up’ with it. “You come with me for now. Don’t worry, I will never be your Dao companion.”　

As Meng Chi said, there was a thatched cottage at the foot of the mountain that could block the wind and rain. Everything that was inside the thatched cottage could be seen with a single glance. Fortunately, the large bed was quite comfortable and there was also a quilt and a wooden box on it. Xiao Yuan opened the wooden box and found that it contained some good medicines for hemostasis and healing.

Xiao Yuan waved the folding fan, and Gu Louyin fell on the bed in the direction he waved, still wrapped in his fox fur.

The sky was cold and the earth was frozen, and Xiao Yuan had no fox fur, so he consumed a lot of spiritual power to keep warm along the way. He made a fire, and the light of the fire illuminated the dilapidated thatched cottage. In the dim light of the fire Gu Louyin’s face looked clear and otherworldly, and he really deserved the words ‘bright as the moon’.

Xiao Yuan sat down by the bed, took off Gu Louyin’s bloodied clothes, and the smell of blood rushed to his face.

Xiao Yuan thought he was miserable enough, but compared to Gu Louyin, he at least hadn’t suffered from bodily wounds. Fortunately, these wounds were not inflicted with poisoned weapons, otherwise there would inevitably be some scars left on this moon-like body.

When giving Gu Louyin medicine, Xiao Yuan felt that he was far beyond the cultivation base of his peers. It was not something that one could reach through diligence. With this cultivation base to protect his body, Gu Louyin should wake up tomorrow.

Facts proved that Xiao Yuan still underestimated the young master of Yunjian Pavilion. In the middle of the night, the wind and snow outside showed no sign of abating and the firewood crackled. Xiao Yuan was sitting by the fire, staring at his fan in a daze, when he heard a light cough.

Xiao Yuan looked towards the bed and met a pair of bright and clear eyes.

When the owner of those eyes saw Xiao Yuan, he was startled for a short while, “You…”

Xiao Yuan knew what he was going to ask and took the initiative to say: “I am Xiao Yuan, a casual cultivator who happened to pass by during my travels and saw you unconscious under a tree, so I brought you here.”

Gu Louyin nodded: “Thank you, Master Xiao.”　

Although the young man was thanking him, he felt cold and alienated.

Seeing Gu Louyin glancing down at his chest, Xiao Yuan continued: “I  had some medicine with me and I used everything I could. By the way, I don’t know the name of the young master?” He asked insightfully, “Looking at the clothes of the young master – are you from Yunjian Pavilion?” 

Gu Louyin hesitated for a moment and said, “Yunjian Pavilion, Gu Louyin.”　

Xiao Yuan pretended to be surprised: “It turned out that I saved the young master of Yunjian Pavilion?! Wouldn’t I make a lot of money!”

Gu Louyin raised his eyes, glanced at him and said indifferently: “In the future, if there is something Yunjian Pavilion can help Master Xiao with, I will definitely do my best.”　

Xiao Yuan said happily: “Is there such a good thing?”　

“Yes.” Gu Louyin sat up clutching his chest, “My sword…?” 

“Here it is.” Xiao Yuan picked up Gu Louyin’s sword from the bedside. He was a martial artist and rarely used a sword, but he could see that this sword is by all means extraordinary. “Good sword, what’s its name?”　　

“Shuang Leng (frost cold).“ Gu Louyin held his sword and tried to get out of bed, “Master Xiao, the grace of saving a life will be repaid in the future, but now I will have to say goodbye.” 

Xiao Yuan pressed him back to the bed, his hair hanging down on his chest, “Goodbye? Your injury is not healed yet, where are you going?”　　

Gu Louyin clenched the scabbard tightly, “To find my Shixiong.”

“Shixiong?” That Shixiong Gu Louyin tried his best to protect?

Gu Louyin explained briefly: “I went on a hunting expedition with my Shixiong, but we were separated in the chaos.”　

“I understand your mood but,” Xiao Yuan pointed at the window, “it’s windy and snowy outside, and you are injured. It’s better to wait for the snow to stop and go to him after your injury is healed.”

Gu Louyin said, “This injury doesn’t hinder me.”　

Xiao Yuan couldn’t tolerate it and said, “You are the one I saved, so listen to me.”

Gu Louyin’s tone was cold: “There is no such reason.”　

“Just one day,” Xiao Yuan stretched out a finger, “you rest for a day, and I will accompany you to find your Shixiong.”

Gu Louyin considered it for a moment and said, “No, you have already helped me a lot.”　

Xiao Yuan said, “Who can do too much for Yunjian Pavilion? Just don’t forget to pay it back in the future.”

Gu Louyin looked at him for a while, “Whatever you want.”　

Gu Louyin was too exhausted and fell asleep again after a while. There was only one bed in the thatched cottage. When Gu Louyin was asleep, Xiao Yuan couldn’t sleep. Fortunately, he was not sleepy either. He put on his fox fur and pushed the door open.

It should be dawn at this hour and there was a thick layer of snow on the ground, so one could see the road clearly without a lantern. Xiao Yuan walked a few more steps and took out the earring Meng Chi gave him from his sleeve.

He didn’t have the leisure to accompany Gu Louyin to find his Shixiong in the vast snow, but judging by Gu Louyin’s attitude, he would not stop until he found his Shixiong. It was Xingtian Sect people who arranged this hunting expedition, maybe there was some news about that Shixiong from Meng Chi.

Did he want to ask? If he could ask about the whereabouts of Gu Louyin’s Shixiong, it would save him a lot of trouble. But he remembered that the other half of the nine-tone snail was in Xiao Du’s hands, which made it a bit uncomfortable.

He was not afraid of Xiao Du, he just didn’t want to get involved with him too much. That being the case, there was no reason for him not to ask about things that might be solved by asking.

Xiao Yuan, making that decision, injected spiritual power into the earring that lit up with a light blue light. He hadn’t even said “My Lord” yet, when a voice came from the other end: “Ah Yu?”　

Xiao Yuan almost dropped the earring. Was Xiao Du guarding the nine-tone snail that he replied so quickly? “Lord, it’s me.”　

“What’s the matter?”　

Xiao Yuan focused and informed Xiao Du about Gu Louyin’s Shixiong.

Xiao Du said, “I will have Meng Chi pay attention to this matter.”

“Thank you, my Lord. “Xiao Yuan paused, “My Lord, would you like to hand over the nine-tone snail to Elder Meng, so it would be more convenient.” 

Xiao Du’s tone was quite normal earlier but at this time it became cold: “Are you teaching me how to do things?”

Xiao Yuan was stifled: “I dare not.”

The light blue light on the earring disappeared and only the sound of wind was left between heaven and earth.

The next day, the snow was a little lighter. After a night of cultivation, Gu Louyin could barely get out of bed and walk. He walked outside the house without seeing Xiao Yuan’s figure. He concluded that this person had left and was about to leave when he heard someone call him: “Master Gu–”

Gu Louyin looked at the sound of the voice and saw Xiao Yuan walking slowly towards him, his crimson clothes swaying slightly with his steps, like plum blossoms blooming in the snow.

His savior was a rare beauty. The sight might be even more beautiful if his benefactor wasn’t holding a chicken in his hands.

Xiao Yuan ran the last few steps. He raised the big cock fluttering his wings desperately in front of Gu Louyin and said, “I bought a chicken from a nearby villager. Let’s eat chicken together.”

Gu Louyin took a half step back, his expression a little complicated, “Just eat it yourself.”　

“No, you are the one who is injured, you should eat more.”　

Gu Louyin wasn’t fasting, so since he hadn’t eaten for a day and a night and was injured, it was impossible to say that he was not hungry. He did not refuse again and said, “In this case, thank you for your hard work.”　

Xiao Yuan asked, “Can you kill chickens?”

“…no.”

“I’ll teach you.”　

Gu Louyin massaged the center of his eyebrows, “I don’t want to learn.”　

“Then look at me killing, I have a good way of killing chickens.”　

Gu Louyin: “…” He didn’t want to watch a beauty kill chickens either.

Xiao Yuan found a broken bowl, slit the neck of the chicken with his folding fan, then let the chicken bleed into the bowl and handed the bloody chicken to Gu Louyin, “Take it for me.”

Gu Louyin: “…”

Xiao Yuan urged: “Hurry up, Master Gu.”　

Gu Louyin closed his eyes, took the chicken from Xiao Yuan’s hand and held it far away, as if the chicken was not a chicken but some kind of filth.

Xiao Yuan knelt on one knee in the snow, and the folding fan in his hand started leaving traces on the snow. After drawing the last stroke, Xiao Yuan stood up, patted the snowflakes off his shoulders and said, “Successfully accomplished.”

Gu Louyin looked at the strange array on the snow and asked, “What array is this?”

“This is an array that integrates plucking chicken feathers, cutting the chicken and roasting the chicken. As long as you put a well blooded chicken in this array and wait for half an hour, you can eat a fragrant roasted chicken. Isn’t it very convenient, Master Gu?”

Gu Louyin maintained his composure: “Where did you learn such a weird array?”

“This is what my Shizun taught me. My Shizun is very good at cooking. He used to cook for me. He taught me several similar arrays.” Xiao Yuan said, his eyes somewhat gloomy, “It’s a pity… It’s a pity that I forgot to borrow salt from the villagers. It may not have much taste later. I hope Master Gu won’t dislike it.” 

Gu Louyin said, “It’s just something to fill the belly.”　

After the roasted chicken came out, Xiao Yuan and Gu Louyin ate half of the chicken each. Xiao Yuan felt guilty that he gave Gu Louyin his chicken wing.

After eating, Gu Louyin meditated routinely. Xiao Yuan felt the flow of spiritual power on the earring and when he walked away, it was Meng Chi’s voice. 

“I found him, Gu Louyin’s Shixiong should now be in Luling City, not far from you.”　

“I see.” Xiao Yuan said, “Elder Meng, did His Lordship give you the nine-tone snail? Will you be the one who transmits the information to me in the future?”

Meng Chi was silent for a long time before she said slowly: “No… the Lord is right next to me now.”

Xiao Du’s voice came: “Half a year of pampering for nothing.”

Xiao Yuan chuckled and withdrew his spiritual power without hesitation.

At night Xiao Yuan wanted to give the bed to Gu Louyin, but Gu Louyin refused. “The people of the demonic sect may still be wandering around, you go to sleep, and I will keep vigil.”

“But your injury…”

“It’s okay.”　　

Xiao Yuan thought for a while, “Then let’s take turns guarding at night, you will guard the first half of the night and I will guard the second half of the night.”　

Gu Louyin nodded: “Okay.”　

Gu Louyin did not wake Xiao Yuan up at night. Xiao Yuan slept until dawn, and while he was still half-dazed, he heard Gu Louyin say, “I’m going to find my Shixiong.”

Gu Louyin recuperated for two days and recovered 80% of his vitality. Xiao Yuan didn’t delay anymore, rubbed his eyes and said softly: “Yes, where are you going to look for him?”　

Gu Louyin said, “Nearby.”　

“Huh?”　

“Shixiong must be looking for me too.”　

“He will definitely not look for you in this wilderness. In my opinion, we should first go to a place with a lot of people to inquire. If I remember correctly, the nearest town to this should be… Luling City.”　

Gu Louyin said, “There’s no time to lose.”　

“Even if there’s no time to lose, wait for me to put on shoes and wash my face.” Xiao Yuan yawned, “Master Gu, you and your Shixiong have a good relationship. He must be your favorite Shixiong.”

Gu Louyin couldn’t answer the question: “I will do the same no matter which Shixiong it is.”　

Xiao Yuan said carelessly: “I envy the friendship of you fellow disciples. I have no Shixiong, only one shidi (junior brother in the sect). But my shidi hates me very much, although I don’t like him very much either.”