CH 81

Su Yang stepped forward, picked up the paper and carefully read it twice.

He could probably understand from guessing that the first eight words were not something good, but the meaning of the last eight words were very clear.

“It means, I…” Su Yang raised his eyes to Luo Yu and asked, “…won’t be able to live past to the age of the crowning*?”

(* TN : twenty years old)

Luo Yushen released a profound breath without replying. He merely said: “You’re nineteen this year?”

Su Yang nodded: “Yes.”

Luo Yu asked again: “Your birthday is in summer?”

Su Yang : “Yes……the fifth month.”

Su Yang paused for a while, then asked:” Just now you mentioned that the curse needs the Devil—my closest kin’s life needs to be included in the curse?”

Luo Yu was silent for a while. He took the paper with the curse written on it from Su Yang’s hand and tossed it into the lantern to burn it.

“It’s nighttime.” He sidestepped Su Yang’s question, “The disciple outside the door will show you to the guest house to rest. You should spend more time with him from now on.”

Hearing these words, Su Yang abruptly recalled that Gu Feidi had already seen what was written on his back.

Su Yang thought back to Gu Feidi’s expression earlier and a layer of hurt and bitterness combined with heavy  worries and anxieties emerged. He didn’t probe whose life was sacrificed for this curse. Instead, he hurriedly bid Luo Yu farewell and turned to run out of the room.

As he rushed into the guest courtyard, Su Yang’s gaze was drawn to Gu Feidi, who was waving his sword beneath the light snowfall.

Gu Feidi was dressed in white. The long sword in his hand reflected the lamplights and fine snowflakes, scattering glittering, translucent sparkles and sending the snowflakes swirling into disorder all over.

Su Yang seemed to sense an awe-inspiring killing intent from the radiance of his sword in the midst of the confusion.

Gu Feidi perceived Su Yang’s figure almost at once and instantly sheathed his sword. He took wide steps forward and embraced him.

“It’s chilly outside.” He said softly in Su Yang’s ear, “Let’s go in.”

With that, he laced his fingers with Su Yang’s and led him back to the room.

After closing the door, Gu Feidi stared at Su Yang’s eyes. After a long silence, he seemed to have plucked up the nerve to open his mouth.

He asked: “What did Elder say? Your body… is it alright?”

Su Yang forced himself not to avoid Gu Feidi’s gaze. He displayed a reassuring smile: “It’s a problem with the methodology, therefore I would be more susceptible to the cold…… At the moment, I can’t practice exercises on the Snow Mountain, can’t simply manoeuvre my internal strength and only……require…… some time to recuperate.”

He didn’t want to deceive Gu Feidi saying that he was alright, but he also didn’t want to break Gu Feidi’s heart, so he gave an ambiguous answer.

Gu Feidi was not swayed and confirmed again: “Are you truly alright?”

Su Yang was at a loss for words.

Just then, he wrapped his arm around Gu Feidi’s waist. He leaned forward and softly touched his forehead and nose to his. After that, he closed his eyes, joined his lips to Gu Feidi and quietly kissed him.

Sensing Su Yang’s slightly cool lips, Gu Feidi looked at Su Yang’s eyelashes. The crow-feather-like dense eyelashes quivered slightly in the dim candlelight and cast a dark shadow onto his eyes.

Gu Feidi swallowed and gradually closed his eyes to completely conceal the profound anguish within them.

He raised his hand to hold the back of Su Yang’s neck and the tip of his tongue entered Su Yang’s mouth to deepen the kiss.

Their breaths mingled for a long time and they lightly pecked several time to slake their longing for each other. Then, they both stopped kissing and held each close.

“I want to be together with you forever like this……” Gu Feidi whispered, “I don’t want to be apart from you…regardless if it’s in life or…” 

Ultimately, he couldn’t withstand it. His voice was choked with sobs, but he couldn’t bring himself to utter the two words ‘in death’.

Su Yang internally let out a sigh.

He patted Gu Feidi on the back and spoke softly: “I asked the Divine Doctor to read the words on my back just now.”

Gu Feidi shivered but didn’t move from Su Yang’s shoulders. He continued to hold him in his arms and stayed still.

Su Yang stroked Gu Feidi’s hair and said, “…It’s just a curse, so you don’t have to worry too much.”

Gu Feidi still didn’t speak.

“As a matter of fact, you’re aware,” Su Yang smiled, “My background… I am not the actual Devil Sect’s Young Saint, so this curse may have been effectuated earlier on. That’s how I……was able to become who I am now. “

This statement was also reasonable. Gu Feidi frowned and considered it for a while. He then straightened up and stared into Su Yang’s eyes.

Su Yang grinned, “You see, those words were inscribed much earlier on, so they should be cursing this body’s original soul. The Devil Sect’s Young Saint……has in fact already died once and the curse has been effected. It shouldn’t be applicable for a second time, right? Besides, I’m not some kind of wandering ghost*, I feel.….. that curse shouldn’t have any power on me.”

(*TN : ghosts without living descendants, family or friends to pray for them)

Gu Feidi raised his hand and gently caressed Su Yang’s cheek. He spoke in a low voice: “But I’m worried what if…”

In truth, Su Yang also wasn’t sure if he really wouldn’t be on the receiving end of the sixteen-word curse.

After all, he’d transmigrated over and the storyline belonging to the Devil Sect’s Young Saint actually ended that winter. He didn’t know whether or not the rules of this world allowed him to remain.

Moreover, the Cold Pond Ice Spirit and triple cold techniques in his body were indeed life-threatening to him.

But Su Yang was unwilling to be remorseful as a result.

He laughed, “Even if ‘what if’ happens, we can’t change anything…… It’s better to seize every moment we are together, fulfill more wishes and create more memories.” 

He finished speaking and leaned forward to kiss Gu Feidi’s mouth, “If you have anything you want to do with me, you must tell me earlier.”

Gu Feidi stared at Su Yang for a long time, the corners of his tugged up and finally revealed a wry smile.

“I have too many things I want to do with you,” he said, “but they’re not terribly pressing. No matter what we do, it’s wonderful to have you by my side. If there’s anything you want to do, let me know. I’ll accompany you.” 

Su Yang said: “Me aaa, of course there’s things I want to do. But…”

Gu Feidi stared at him intently, waiting for his next words.

Su Yang narrowed his eyes and smiled: “But wait for me to eliminate the blood Gu first. When that time comes, you can’t turn me down.” 

Gu Feidi said, “I won’t turn down any of your requests.”

Su Yang hugged Gu Feidi’s neck, tilted his head and smiled, “Truly?”

Gu Feidi replied: “Truly.”

All of a sudden, Su Yang remembered some terms of endearments he had read on the Internet. He blinked his eyes and said: “Then, love me for four days, alright?”

Gu Feidi didn’t comprehend: “……Four days*?”

(*TN : 天 tian = sky/day/ season/period/ weather, etc…)

Su Yang nodded, “Spring, summer, autumn, winter*.”

(*TN : 春天 chuntian = spring，夏天 xiatian = summer，秋天  qiutian = autumn，冬天 dungtian = winter)

Gu Feidi was taken aback and immediately, he smiled.

Before he had a chance to say something, Su Yang spoke again, “Perhaps three days is possible.”

Gu Feidi silently waited for Su Yang to reveal the answer.

Su Yang: “Yesterday, today and tomorrow*.”

(*TN : 昨天 zuotian = yesterday，今天 jintian = today, 明天 mingtian = tomorrow)

Gu Feidi laughed and nodded: “Fine.”

Su Yang said to himself: “In return, I will love you for two days…”

Gu Feidi revealed a knowing expression and didn’t interrupt Su Yang’s articulation. He merely smiled at his lively countenance with a gentle and affectionate gaze.

Su Yang continued: “…During the day and night*.”

(*TN : 白天 baitian = daytime, 黑天 heitian = nighttime) 

Gu Feidi smiled and said, “That—”

“Don’t interrupt me or I’ll only love you for one day!” Su Yang raised his eyebrows and feigned anger.

“Everyday*, right?” Gu Feidi asked.

(*TN : 每一天 meiyi tian = everyday)

Su Yang: …

Indeed irritating! It was just too anticlimactic to have his bubble busted right when he was fooling around with cheesy pick-up lines and wordplay before the ancients!

“Where did you learn these words from?” Gu Feidi asked.

Su Yang was rather disgruntled: “Why must I have learned it? Couldn’t I have thought of it myself?”

Gu Feidi smiled, “The drop of ink in your stomach* probably couldn’t have come up with these words.”

(*TN : based on your IQ)

Su Yang: ……

Su Yang was incensed: “You literally laughed at me! Ah, Gu Feidi, let me tell you that our friendship boat has capsized! The boat has capsized!”

As he spoke, he shoved heavily on Gu Feidi’s shoulder in an effort to drive him away.

Gu Feidi of course knew without a doubt whether or not Su Yang had used all his strength to push. He smiled, encircled him in his arms and kissed him on the cheek.

“It doesn’t matter if the boat has capsized,” Gu Feidi laughed. “You and I can just sink into the river of love together. Wouldn’t that be even more beautiful?”

Su Yang: ……

……Fine.

Gu Feidi curled his lips after noticing Su Yang’s petty action of slyly rolling his eyes.

He lowered his hands and entwined them with Su Yang’s ten fingers, “It’s dark now. Many things have happened today and we’ll inevitably be exhausted. Let’s rest earlier.” 

Both of them washed up, lay down on the bed and cuddled together without saying much. Su Yang soon fell into a deep sleep.

Gu Feidi hugged him tightly in his arms, closed his eyes and tried not to let the dampness fall from the corners of his eyes.

“I know you don’t want me to be heartbroken…” he murmured in Su Yang’s ear, “…then, I will accompany you with a smile…everyday.”

……

The moonlight was profound. The dark clouds that had gathered atop the summit of Yuqiong Peak finally scattered bit by bit and the snowfall ceased.

The light snowfall was a very common sight, blanketing the top of the frozen peak throughout the year and the surrounding landscape didn’t alter. In the courtyard, the vapour on the hot spring pool surface still rose quietly, obscuring the resplendent starlights scattered from the sky.

Qin Jianyue had just taken a bath and returned to the room with his hair hanging loose. Seeing Luo Yu sitting numbly beneath the lamp, he approached and asked “What’s wrong with you today? You’ve been constantly preoccupied since diagnosing Su Yang…”

Luo Yu slowly exhaled, his eyes widened and he said in a low voice: “Tell me, what’s reason enough to make a mother capable of sacrificing her life to personally curse her own child, cursing him to have an untimely death?”

Qin Jianyue sat down next to Luo Yu. He frowned and asked: “To include a life in the curse… you’re referring to Eluo Ghost Tent’s Ghost Blood Life Curse?”

“Yes, the Ghost Blood Life Curse.” Luo Yu closed his eyes slightly, “In the first place, if she didn’t want to bear his child, based on her skills and methods, she would’ve been able to find a way not to give birth to him. Since she had already delivered the child, why would she be……that heartless?”

Although these words were spoken vaguely, Qin Jianyue instantly realised what had happened after contemplating it for a while.

He frowned and asked, “Su Yang’s body bears the Ghost Blood Life Curse? Jin’er cursed him?”

Luo Yu shut his eyes and nodded.

“Since Su Yang had remained in the Devil Sect, it implies that Jin’er had never returned to the Icefield. If not, the royal court would have never let Su Yang leave.” He whispered, “Except for the Great Witch and witches of the royal court, only Jin’er, who had trained with the Great Witch, would’ve cast the Ghost Blood Life Curse… back then, she died under odd circumstances. I always thought it was Su Huaizhu who forced her…” 

As he spoke, his voice carried an indistinct tremor: “Now, it appears that she herself… would rather die and curse her child. I don’t understand why she acted this way?”

After some time, Qin Jianyue said, “It’s likely to be due to… resentment.”

Luo Yu Qing hmph-ed, it was unclear if he was being sarcastic or bitter.

He said: “I was too young back then. I only cared about my own amusements. I never concerned myself about her relationship with Su Huaizhu and Gu Ruohai. I only reflected that those two were good friends I got to know from Lesser Jade House. They bore a lot of affection for each other and should be dependable… Who’d have thought that matters would’ve drastically changed. Up until now, Su Huaizhu had never provided an explanation on why he treated Jin’er like that all those years ago.”

“Su Huaizhu’s character has always been like this, he keeps everything hidden inside” Qin Jianyue said, “In fact, it’s not too late if you go and ask him now, since you are beginning to have doubts. Regardless if there is a misunderstanding or some preposterous rationale, you ought to clear this matter up. 

After a long silence, Luo Yu heaved a sigh: “Within the coming days, I need to issue a prescription for Su Yang to see if it can assist him in suppressing the cold symptoms. Once I’ve drafted a prescription tomorrow, it just happens that I can rely on you to go down the mountain to look for medicinal herbs. Such being the case, I’ll compose a letter. Assist me to send it to… the Devil Sect branch division.”