Chapter 79 - Papaya Flavored Senior Brother Gong (17)
Translated by Hua Li ^_~
Wumo city.
Having spent several months in the desert, the righteous martial artists still couldn’t locate the headquarters of the Devil Cult, and the clues were scarce. This naturally caused frustration and irritability, especially when the Central Plains martial artists struggled to adapt to the desert climate, facing problems like nausea and diarrhea.
On this day, the people from the martial world who were inquiring about the Devil Cult’s whereabouts at the Bai Xiao Tower received messages through carrier pigeons—one person knew the exact location of the Devil Cult’s headquarters!
That person was none other than Yue Qian, the former top disciple of the Nanshan Sword Sect!
With smoke, there’s usually fire. Besides, the information came from Bai Xiao, Sect Master Xia and others, immediately sought out Situ Zhangtian.
After Gou Liang was exposed as the leader of the Demon Sect, even though Yue Qian voluntarily left the Nanshan Sword Sect, the sect still faced marginalization and neglect from the Righteous Path Alliance due to their close a.s.sociation with Gou Liang during a brief period. The other sect leaders refrained from discussing important matters with Sect Leader Situ, fearing that he might secretly be in contact with his precious apprentice and leak information to the Demon Sect.
However, the current situation had changed, and they now hoped that Situ Zhangtian and Yue Qian would reestablish communication.
Upon hearing their intentions, Situ Zhangtian pondered, “Fellow leaders and junior sisters, as you all know, since Wudi—Yue Qian left Nanshan, we have had no contact. Oh, two months ago, my son saw him in the city once, but Yue Qian knew that he couldn’t face his master, and my son still resents Bao Jiu for killing his wife and my poor grandson, so… Well, I haven’t heard any news about him since then.”
What he said was true.
Pavilion Master Ye replied, “Brother Situ, honesty is the best policy. Yue Qian used to be Nanshan’s first disciple, and the heads of each sect had special means of communication with their first disciples. If it were me, I wouldn’t hesitate to ask for help. We can arrange for him to appear and meet everyone within a day, which won’t take much time. If Senior Brother Situ is willing, he will surely find him.”
“I dare not compare with Fanyin’s secret technique of transmitting sound over thousands of miles. Yue Qian and I used flying pigeons to send messages before, but everyone knows that flying pigeons can easily get lost when leaving this desert-free city and entering the desert… I will try my best to attempt it, but I must be honest; I’m afraid this method won’t work.”
As Situ Zhangtian spoke, he looked helpless, and the truth was that he had already cursed Bai Xiao Tower’s ancestors in his heart.
If Bai Xiao Tower could find out that Yue Qian knew the exact location of the Devil Cult’s headquarters, they must have also found out where the Devil Cult’s headquarters was.
The reason why Bai Xiao Tower dared not speak up was because they was afraid that the righteous martial artists would turn back and raid the Devil Cult’s lair, and that would lead to the annihilation of their sect also. After all, the headquarters of Bai Xiao Tower were quite easy to find.
However, Bai Xiao Tower was reluctant to lose this business opportunity and wanted to shift the blame to Situ Zhangtian’s disciple. This was a huge grudge!
Hearing Situ Zhangtian’s words, the leaders of the various sects felt disappointed. They understood that Situ Zhangtian was telling the truth. However, after spending almost half a year in the Desolate City, if they still couldn’t exterminate the Devil Cult, they would have to live like in previous years—living in fear of having their sects wiped out and treasures looted any day.
They were not ordinary individuals. They had the courage, unity, and determination to face such difficult situations. After hesitating for a while, they were finally close to having a clue, and they couldn’t easily give up.
For a while, the hall became quiet, and everyone was thinking about countermeasures.
At this moment, Xia Xinya, who accompanied Sect Master Xia, spoke up: “Senior martial uncles and aunts, Xinya has a plan. Although Yue Qian has betrayed us, everyone knows that he deeply respects Senior Martial Uncle Situ, and their master-disciple relationship is profound. Why don’t we set up a trap to make him appear voluntarily? We can pretend that Senior Martial Uncle Situ was severely injured because he was expelled by the righteous—”
Before she finished speaking, Sect Master Xia stood up and turned around, fiercely slapping her!
“Outrageous!”
Sect Master Xia scolded her sharply.
Xia Xinya covered her face in astonishment, feeling wronged. She tried to explain, “Father, why did you hit me? It’s just a pretense—”
“Enough! Who taught you to be so disrespectful to your elders!” Sect Master Xia scolded again before turning to Situ Zhangtian and apologizing, “Brother Situ, my daughter doesn’t know her place. Please forgive her for speaking out of turn. I will discipline her properly when we return! Xinya, why haven’t you apologized to your senior martial uncle yet!”
“Senior Martial Uncle Situ, Ya’er said something wrong in a moment of impatience, please punish me.”
Situ Zhangtian and Cao Gengwu, standing beside him, wore displeased expressions, and Cao Gengwu even spoke on the spot, saying, “Uncle Xia, there’s no need for you to lecture your daughter in front of my master, and Miss Xia, there’s no need for you to apologize either. However, it seems that in Miss Xia’s eyes, our Nanshan Sword Sect is now considered despicable and in league with the Devil’s Sect. She believes we should withdraw from this alliance, and I don’t think we deserve this gift from you!” His words came out with a tone that didn’t sound like a momentary impulse!
Situ Zhangtian shot him a reproachful look.
Though Cao Gengwu’s face still displayed dissatisfaction, he humbly bowed and said, “Uncle Xia, this nephew was overzealous in defending the teacher, and he spoke out of turn. Please forgive his words and don’t take them to heart.”
Sect Leader Xia felt taken aback by Cao Gengwu’s remark about “talking but not meaning it,” so he could only force a smile and say it was alright. He then turned around and coldly reprimanded Xia Xinya, “You have no right to intervene in the elders’ discussion. Step back!”
“Father…”
Xia Xinya’s face was swollen, and she ran out in tears, feeling aggrieved and not even bothering to say goodbye.
Head Xia paid another salute to everyone present and let out a sigh.
The other heads and disciples, apart from those directly involved, were moved by Xia Xinya’s emotional outburst.
After a moment of contemplation, Pavilion Master Ye took the lead and said, “Although Miss Xia acted impulsively, it’s understandable. However, we shouldn’t let this incident affect the unity of our alliance. We have always had a harmonious relationship among our five major factions, and it wouldn’t be wise to spread rumors implicating Demon Sect’s leader. Besides, they have been attacking our comrades in Wumo City recently, haven’t they?”
Zhang Jiaozhu of Three Purity Sect added, “I’ve known that child, Yue Qian, since he was a kid. He has a deep affection for Junior Brother Situ and respects him as his teacher. If he hears that his teacher is in trouble, no matter what misunderstandings they had before, he will definitely come to meet with him.”
Master Tang said, “I personally heard Yue Qian’s words about eradicating the demons. He will never forget the teachings that Brother Situ imparted. Now that he knows the location of the Demon Cult’s main altar, it’s likely that he will act impulsively and put himself in danger. Brother Situ, you might as well find him and let all the righteous sects join forces. This way, the chances of him losing his life for nothing will be greatly reduced.”
“Amitabha”
The abbot of Shaolin Temple chanted a Buddhist mantra and said, “According to my understanding, what Sister Ye, Brother Zhang, and Brother Tang said makes sense. Although I was not present at the scene that day, my disciple has told me about it in detail afterward.”
His chief disciple behind him quickly bowed in respect.
“Although Yue Qian obstructed you all from chasing Bao Jiu at that time, it was just a moment of impulsiveness, driven by righteous indignation. Seeing things from one’s own perspective, it’s a natural human reaction. Such a mistake shouldn’t be judged too severely.”
“The Buddha once said, ‘The sea of suffering is boundless, but the sh.o.r.e is near.’ He also said, ‘Put down the butcher’s knife, and stand immediately as a Buddha.’ From what I have observed, Yue Qian’s actions have been just and righteous. During these days, he has slain far more demons than any of us here, which shows his unwavering determination to eliminate evil. Why not give him a chance to make amends? At that time, Brother Situ can officially accept Yue Qian back, and we can all be joyous about it.”
“Joyous?” Inwardly, Situ Changtian sneered, but on his face, he put on a façade of sudden realization and surprise. After pondering for a moment, he reluctantly agreed.
Just moments before the news reached Yue Qian, he was sitting there with a gloomy expression, his eyes fixed on Gou Liang- particularly, the young boy beside him.
Upon discovering that the baby boy was Situ Bai’s son, Yue Qian was overjoyed and filled with happiness. As he observed the child closely, he noticed a resemblance to his teacher’s wife in the baby’s eyebrows. Although he couldn’t dare to admit it due to Gou Liang’s dominance, he couldn’t help but grow fonder of the child. Jiang Suxi had caught a cold a few days ago and couldn’t breastfeed the baby, so Yue Qian took it upon himself to catch a few ewes and provide milk for the child.
However, the baby proved to be quite a challenge.
Being picky by nature, he rarely showed a smiling face even to his own mother. He would cry when Yue Qian held him, cry during breastfeeding, and even cried when he smelled Yue Qian’s scent, reaching a point where he would cry inconsolably.
Yue Qian’s enthusiasm was dampened by this behavior.
Fortunately, the baby was quite attached to Gou Liang. He would always be affectionate and cling to him, especially at night. Yue Qian couldn’t help but feel a little envious as the baby would only sleep when held by clothes that smelled like Gou Liang!
At that moment, Gou Liang held the baby with one hand, sitting obediently by his side while feeding him goat milk with a small spoon. The baby looked at Gou Liang with big, clear blue eyes, sipping the milk and making happy sounds. However, to ensure the baby drank well, Yue Qian had to sit far away.
After the baby finished drinking and was taken away by Gou Liang to Jiang Suxi, Yue Qian expressed his dissatisfaction with a snort.
Seeing this, Gou Liang gave him a knowing smile. He understood the situation all too well.
Gou Liang knew that the baby’s attachment to him was due to the use of soul-condensing potion and soul-returning gra.s.s juice to save his life when he was born. These items bore Gou Liang’s imprint, which had a natural affinity with the baby’s soul. This affinity often surpa.s.sed that of the relationship between a child and their biological parents, creating a sense of security around Gou Liang.
However, the baby’s rejection of Yue Qian’s soul and body was inexplicable; it didn’t seem like hatred, but more like fear.
Gou Liang attempted to remedy the situation. He mixed a drop of soul-returning gra.s.s juice into the goat’s milk, but the baby still refused to drink it.
Noticing the hidden grievances in the baby’s cold eyes, Gou Liang suppressed a laugh, pretending to pour water but instead subst.i.tuting it with the remaining soul-returning gra.s.s juice, which the baby had accepted before, and offered it to Yue Qian to drink. He called it his “exclusive secret recipe,” and Yue Qian took a sip and found it a bit sweet but with a hint of bitterness.
Curious about the taste, Gou Liang licked his lips, confirming it was a bit astringent.
Yue Qian playfully chased after Gou Liang, who pinched his face and teased him, suggesting that he was jealous of the baby. However, Yue Qian quickly rea.s.sured him, not wanting the baby to suffer. Gou Liang couldn’t hold back his laughter, kissed Yue Qian’s mouth affectionately, and encouraged him to drink again, asking how it tasted.
Yue Qian found the green juice to be very sweet, with a slight “sandy” taste, reminiscent of fruit puree. He said with certainty that it was delicious.
Gou Liang kissed him again and proclaimed, “It’s really sweet.”
At this point, Yue Qian was interrupted by a report from Nian Nujiao, who hurriedly entered and relayed information they had gathered in Wumo City.
Seeing Yue Qian frown, Gou Liang silently put away the concoction in his hand. Wasting such delicacies would surely incur heavenly punishment.
“Master, how should we respond to this information? Should we make preparations for battle in advance?” asked Nian Nujiao.
Yue Qian turned to look at Gou Liang for an answer.
Throughout his solitary journey, he had been closely monitoring the situation of the Nanshan Sword Sect, so he was well aware of the sect’s predicament in the orthodox world. He felt deeply guilty about it. Now, the orthodox forces were trying to lure him out by making his master pretend to be injured. On one hand, he feared that the orthodox forces might genuinely harm his master. On the other hand, he worried that his master might do something dangerous to prevent him from coming.
Sitting on Yue Qian’s lap, Gou Liang lifted his hand to ma.s.sage Yue Qian’s brow and said, “Of course, we need to make preparations for battle. You should make an agreement with Bao Qi and Bao Yi, informing them that anyone who dares to pull any tricks during the confrontation between the righteous and the demonic factions… it’s best not to be discovered by me. Otherwise, their fate will be the same as Bao San’s.”
Nian Nujiao shuddered secretly and respectfully acknowledged.
Gou Liang, making the Jiang mother and child come back to life, hadn’t shocked his followers for too long. Because immediately after that, he brought Bao San back from the brink of death, then tossed him into a snake’s cave, only to rescue him again before he completely perished, sending him back to h.e.l.l.
The repet.i.tion of such events did not desensitize anyone; it only deepened their fear. It was said that the previous left guardian, Bao San, had attempted suicide many times, but none had succeeded.
Indeed, seeking life but unable to obtain it, seeking death but unable to achieve it.
Previously, Bao Yi and the others were reluctant to accept their situation, causing a lot of trouble by trying to force Gou Liang to “step down and give way.” However, after Gou Liang had a conversation about life with everyone, they no longer needed reminders from him. Now, all of them remained as quiet as quails, afraid of causing any trouble.
“By the way,” Gou Liang recalled something and looked at Nian Nujiao, who tensed up, awaiting his instructions. “I heard that there is a charming ghost in your Hehuan Sect who is interested in both men and women?”
Nian Nujiao nodded, not knowing why he brought up this infamous philandering thief from the Jianghu.
Gou Liang touched the corner of his mouth and chuckled, “Go find him and bring him here. I have something important to a.s.sign to him.”
For some reason, seeing this smile, both Nian Nujiao and Yue Qian felt a tightness in their hearts.
*
“Senior Sister, Senior Sister?”
Xia Xinya hadn’t come out of her room, and a fellow junior sister from the Beiyuan Sect, worried, pushed the door open and screamed in shock.
Soon, all the martial artists in Wumo City learned that Xia Xinya had been seduced by the philandering thief. Regardless of how Xia Xinya denied any disgrace, no one, not even her mother, Lady Xia, believed her.
“Mother, I didn’t do it, really, I didn’t.”
She felt nothing, physically or emotionally, and her body was fine. However, the chast.i.ty symbol, the Shougong Sand on her arm, had somehow been wiped off, leaving her speechless. And that d.a.m.ned philandering thief had taken away a personal item, the bellyband she had worn last night. He would undoubtedly hang it in the most conspicuous place with poetic verses as evidence. The thought made her feel ashamed and furious.
As noon approached, there were twice as many people as usual at the city gate of Wumo City.
They wandered aimlessly, occasionally glancing up at the city tower engraved with the three large characters “Wumo City.”
Undoubtedly, this was the most eye-catching spot in Wumo City.
“Have you heard?”
People whispered and shared information in hushed voices, and the beginning of their conversations turned into this sentence.
“Rumor has it that the philandering thief will commit the crime and pick both male and female flowers tonight. But who is the male flower besides that young lady?”
Another person said, “When it’s noon, the philandering thief will hang out the bellyband and loincloth, along with poetic verses as evidence. If one can decipher the hidden meaning, they will naturally know the ident.i.ties of the two flowers he has picked.”
Both of them exchanged a knowing look.
At noon.
When a sharp arrow flew through the air and pierced into the city gate, Beiyuan Sect’s Master Xia Jiu immediately took action to collect the loincloth and bellyband. He then burned them, along with the banner tied to the arrow.
Everyone knew that the victim had a daughter, and seeing Master Xia throw the arrow to the ground angrily, the onlookers realized they couldn’t watch the excitement anymore. They were also intimidated by his authority and quickly scattered.
At this moment, a burst of powerful internal energy laughter echoed from afar, followed by the words:
“Flowing swiftly, falling straight for three thousand feet, she’s lonely, and I’m charming!
Highly respected, well-known disciple, there are eight hundred of them, while I have a thousand hairs, he is without a single one!”
The crowd in front of the city gate of Wumo City listened to this voice clearly. Master Xia and the others attempted to pursue the thief again but couldn’t capture the philandering thief or the demonic thief who used internal energy to speak.
Everyone knew that with just the words “Flowing swiftly” and “lonely,” it was undoubtedly Xia Xinya. However, who was the male flower? “Highly respected, well-known disciple, eight hundred of them…” The names of several male sect leaders quickly flashed through their minds but were wisely suppressed.
n.o.body knew who it was until one day when Lady Xia accidentally pushed the door open while Master Xia was changing clothes—she saw that his “thing” was as smooth as a meadow.