Chapter 131: The Hardening
The two brothers Bushuo and Buzuo were joking around when an old voice echoed gloomily outside the door. It was difficult to tell if the voice belonged to a male or a female. The voice answered Wen Xiaoyi on behalf of them, “I was the one who disallowed them to speak recklessly from now on!”
Wen Leyang was stunned. He shouted in surprise, “Fourth Grandpa!” He hastily opened the room’s door, Fourth Elder Wen was standing outside the door with his hands behind his back. He squinted his eyes slightly, remaining as icy-cold as always. Other than Fourth Elder Wen, the three other family elders came as well.
Bushuo and Buzuo knew that the four family elders were coming. Hence, they made arrangements to welcome the few family elders. As the room was rather small and there were too many people in the room now, the moment the family elders entered, there was no s.p.a.ce for all of them to stand. Wen Buzuo pointed to his bed and smiled hospitably, “Four elders, how about all of you sit on the brick bed?”
The four elders of the Wen family cast him a dirty look in unison. They bent over and removed their shoes, stood in a line and stacked themselves onto the bed. There was still no standing s.p.a.ce in the house.
The junior disciples saluted them in a great bustle. Grand Elder Wen smiled as he shook his head, “Dismiss the courtesy, dismiss the courtesy, we can barely stand up here. All the young masters and misses, don’t bother bending over and saluting anymore.” As he was saying that, he picked up an elegant alb.u.m from the nightstand and gave a ‘huh’.
The alb.u.m belonged to Wen Xiaoyi, who got it as a brochure when she visited the City G.o.d Temple of Shanghai. Wen Bushuo used it to hold all the shopping receipts, for him to report their expenses after they returned home.
Grand Elder Wen flipped through the alb.u.m, conveniently peered at the receipts for a few times. His eyelids immediately started throbbing. He shoved the alb.u.m into the chatterbox Wen Buzuo’s arms, “You are truly a spendthrift!”
Wen Buzuo’s expression was filled with injustice but he could not betray his brother either.
It was unknown where the Three-inch Nail got his intelligence. His eyes were filled with euphemism as he stared firmly into the eyes of his chatterbox brother. In the eyes of those aware of the situation, his gaze was used to plead for mercy. In the eyes of those unaware of the situation, he appeared to be complaining.
Wen Buzuo held the alb.u.m when he suddenly covered his stomach, “Stomachache, I need to use the toilet…” He turned around and ran into the toilet.
Aware of the situation, the zombie corpse supported the giant pangolin Po Tu and left the room. The room immediately became slightly more s.p.a.cious. Wen Leyang respectfully served tea to the four elders of the Wen family. Surprisingly, Grand Elder Wen shook his head, “Change this, the tea you steeped is a failure.”
Wen Leyang was stunned. He did not understand the First Grandpa’s intention. After a while, he was finally enlightened. He was shy and coy as he peered towards Wen Xiaoyi that was even more shy and coy than him.
Grand Elder Wen burst out laughing. He pointed towards Wen Xiaoyi, “Little girl, you don’t want the red packet anymore?”
Wen Xiaoyi blushed so much that she turned into a red apple. The corners of her eyes and her brows were penetrating with shyness and happiness. She received the tea from Wen Leyang’s hands in exchange for the heavy and huge red packets from the four elders of the Wen family.
The four elders savored their tea but did not speak. Their gaze alternated between Xiaoyi and Wen Leyang’s faces. Their old eyes were filled with smiles. Even the usually gloomy Second Grandpa, Third Grandpa and Fourth Grandpa appeared like some old perverts.
Wen Leyang felt as if he was almost cracking under the four elders’ stare. He hastily created a topic of conversation out of convenience, “Why did the four grandpas come to Shanghai?” He deliberately asked the question despite knowing the answer. One could even guess the answer with his sleeves that the four elders of the Wen family dashed over for the whereabouts of the grand master Chang Li.
Unexpectedly, Fourth Elder Wen’s smile vanished abruptly. He placed the teacup on the table. His tone of speaking was still gloomy and possessed not an ounce of warmth, yet the words he spoke were baffling, “The grand master Chang Li, Cone Nail from the Gold-consuming Nest, the marvel Lue Luo from two thousand years ago and the Leyang family from Painting Town, these people were involved in the whereabouts of our grand master Tuo Xie. The grand master Tuo Xie was always a legend in the past, which was why we were not overly concerned. Now that there are more and more clues pointing towards him, we must investigate regardless.”
Third Elder Wen also gave a rare long-winded speech, “Nineteen from One Word Palace is still in the village, we do not know what is she seeking; the Jilong Sect is vengeful and complicated; the Eyang Sect embarra.s.sed themselves in the Wen family village, so they would not let go of the matter easily; there is also some information at home about the important personage, who is significant to the destiny of the right and evil path of the cultivation world. For the first time in two thousand years, the disciples of Wen Bucao were caught in a f*king storm in the cultivation world. Moreover, we were right at the tip of the wind and waves.”
Wen Leyang’s expression turned solemn. He stood in silence in front of the bed. He dared not even exhale a loud breath.
When Third Elder Wen was done speaking, Second Elder Wen continued, “Whether it is to investigate the whereabouts of the grand master Tuo Xie, or to help the grand master Chang Li to find out the mystery personages that killed demons and extracted its vitality, or to deal with that group of enemies of the cultivation world that is unfavorable to the Wen family, these are all matters that are extremely dangerous. The Wen family is one of Tuo Xie’s sects, and there is only you that stand a chance to fight for us.” As he was saying that, his gaze firmly pinned onto Wen Leyang, his tone of speaking was entangled with some helplessness, “Whether it is the four of us old coffin pulps or the Wen family’s Death Trademark, what we can do now is to help you in a fight. When the time comes for you to fight hard against the enemy, you must still depend on yourself!”
Wen Leyang’s expression was greatly startled, “Second Grandpa…” Grand Elder Wen immediately interrupted him.
“Earlier, it was us that disallowed Bushuo and Buzuo from talking on your behalf. Otherwise, every time a situation comes up there will always be someone considering on your behalf, anyone can become lazy because of that!” The First Grandpa’s voice was kind yet determined.
The four elders’ expression was rather unpleasant. The Wen family reigned over Chuan region for two thousand years, they were the only family capable of bullying others, there was not once that they suffered losses, and every generation’s family elder was conceited to its highest extent. It was not an easy thing to speak those words earlier out loud.
Grand Elder Wen continued, “The matter in Shanghai is on you now. Both Wen Bushuo and Wen Buzuo will return with us. If you still can’t locate the grand master Chang Li’s whereabouts, it is best that you don’t return to the Nine Peaks Mountain.”
Wen Leyang was rendered speechless. He felt an entanglement of uneasiness and determination in his chest that was suffocating, such that he could not speak a word. He could only nod his head strenuously. His gaze was firm yet bright, as he looked towards his four elders. Wen Xiaoyi’s mouth moved as if she wanted to say something, but she did not speak eventually.
The smile returned to Grand Elder Wen’s face, he looked towards Wen Xiaoyi as he laughed, “Little girl, did you mean to ask me, why did I bother to send Bushuo Buzuo as Wen Leyang’s companion in the first place?”
Wen Xiaoyi nodded fearfully before hastily started shaking her head. Her small face was penned up with so many questions that she was thoroughly blushed. She could not find a suitable lie all of a sudden so she aimlessly took out four carrots from the bag.
The four elders gazed into one another’s eyes in astonishment before bursting out in laughter. The First Grandpa laughed so hard his body was shaking, but his tone of speaking did not carry a strand of a smile. He sounded sonorous and forceful, with the determination akin to a sharp blade that could cut through steel, “Before Wen Leyang left, he was just a child. He is a man now. When the child disciple of Wen Bucao becomes a man, of course, he ought to take on a man’s responsibilities!” Upon saying that, he roared towards the toilet, “Wen Buzuo, did you grow into the toilet bowl already?”
Wen Buzuo ran out of the toilet in a great bustle. Yet, the expression on his face was odd and peculiar, akin to surprised, amazed and a little unwilling, “The great master, we will leave after we complete this matter on hand. After all, Wen Leyang had only entered the society for a short period of time, the grand master Chang Li’s whereabouts is also a vital matter…”
Before Wen Buzuo could finish his sentence, Second Elder Wen scoffed once, “If all of you guard next to him all the time, he will never learn anything even if he were to spend more time out in the society!”
Third Elder Wen’s voice carried no intonation or rhythm. Every word he said was akin to being polished by a sandpaper, “Any other matter that he has to handle from this day onwards will never be a small matter.”
Fourth Elder Wen watched Wen Buzuo for a moment until he was at a loss what to do. Only then, Fourth Elder Wen asked dully, “After you are done using the toilet, didn’t you flush it?”
Grand Elder Wen did not speak. He jumped off the bed and waved his hand once, “Bye! You stay behind in Shanghai and put your whole heart into locating the grand master Chang Li. the rest of the matters we shall discuss after you have returned! Wen Xiaoyi… shall stay here with you!”
Wen Leyang’s heart was a chaotic mess. He was about to ask about the matter that Shan Duan was investigating about ‘the hidden personage on Nine Peaks Mountain capable of influencing the destiny of the right and evil path of the cultivation world’. However, when he heard of Grand Elder Wen’s instruction, he dared not say anything more. He stood in silence respectfully. Suddenly, his palm felt cold, a soft little hand bore into his. Wen Xiaoyi was standing next to him, secretively holding his hand.
This kind of little game trick could not be hidden away from the few elders. Grand Elder Wen laughed cheerfully, “As for the marriage, we will await your news. Any command from the young master and miss, we will immediately purchase. Everyone stay, no one is allowed to send us out of the room even by one step!” Within their roaring laughter, the four elders brought along Bushuo and Buzuo and left.
When Wen Buzuo walked past Wen Leyang, he seemed to want to say something. In the end, he stuffed that ‘City G.o.d Temple of Shanghai Travel Guide’ into Wen Leyang’s hands, winked at Wen Leyang, followed the rest of the people and left.
The moment they walked out of the guesthouse, the deep wrinkles on Fourth Elder Wen’s face suddenly contracted once, as if smiling. He spoke with a slightly hoa.r.s.e voice softly, “Old already?”
Grand Elder Wen burst out laughing upon hearing those words, he turned around and looked towards his old brother, “Old already? It’s been a long time! That is why the young ones need to grow up sooner!”
Second Elder Wen nodded, “Still need some hardening and sharpening!”
The four elders of the Wen family were not here to investigate the grand master Chang Li’s whereabouts, but they were here to bring back the two experienced men Bushuo and Buzuo, such that Wen Leyang could stay behind alone in Shanghai and handle the matter by himself.
Luo w.a.n.ggen is a well-behaved child, Little Chi Maojiu had a meticulous thinking but he was only ten years old after all, he could barely read a few Chinese characters. They could handle small matters, but they were of no help in the face a great matter. They failed to lure the enemy tonight and now Bushuo Buzuo had also left. Little Chi Maojiu and Luo w.a.n.ggen were both resentful. They gazed towards one another once before turning around and returning to their rooms to play Tetris block again. Wen Leyang and Wen Xiaoyi also returned to their room.
The moment Bushuo and Buzuo left, Wen Leyang felt uneasy. Other than his first trip to Mount Emei a few years ago, every time he left his home to handle his family’s affairs, he was always surrounded by helpful people. There was no need for him to use his head, he would only need to raise his fists and fight hard at the crucial moments. Now that Grand Elder Wen took away the two experienced men, he felt as he had lost someone he could rely on in a short period of time.
He was leaning against the door frame absent-mindedly when his body suddenly felt warm. Wen Xiaoyi had already squeezed into his arms. She raised her head and kissed lightly on his chin, “What are you thinking about?” As she was saying that she stretched out her body, such that every inch of her body was touching her lover’s skin, just like a cute little octopus.
Wen Leyang was still holding the alb.u.m Wen Buzuo stuffed into his hand before Wen Buzuo left. He flipped through the alb.u.m, thinking that Wen Buzuo placed a note in the alb.u.m for him. It turned out there was nothing. He lowered his head and propped his chin on Wen Xiaoyi’s forehead intimately, “I will need to take a look at this alb.u.m first.” As he was saying that he shook the alb.u.m, while his other hand slipped into Wen Xiaoyi’s T-s.h.i.+rt. Her smooth and delicate skin, within Wen Leyang’s, turned into a breathtaking pleasure capable of jolting his heart.
Wen Xiaoyi’s body turned softer than water. She held on to Wen Leyang and dared not budge. After a long while, she took out Wen Leyang’s hand limply, she said with her blus.h.i.+ng face, “I am going to take a shower!” She turned around and ran into the toilet…
Wen Xiaoyi stood under the shower, the water droplets brushed past her skin gracefully, her cheeks were still flus.h.i.+ng red. A young man and woman’s first taste of a new flavor of the human world, that sweetness that was seeping out of their bones that they could not stop even if they wanted to… Just as she was lost in various fancies and conjectures, Wen Leyang suddenly squalled once from the outside.
Wen Xiaoyi thought something was to happen to Wen Leyang, she kicked through the toilet’s and came das.h.i.+ng out. She pounced forward in the direction of her big-muzzled weapon that was leaning next to the bed earlier. To her surprise, Wen Leyang was still holding the alb.u.m, his eyes were glimmering as he stared at her. He sneered a maniacal laugh as he asked, “Are you streaking?”