Chapter Seventy-Six: Idle Talk on the Journey Home

Hua Yin forced down his anxiety, masking his emotions as he returned to his seat.

Now that Baili Wushuang’s soul had taken shape, it could only mean that Si You had finally made a move. He needed to find a way to get the news out as soon as possible.

Impatience flickered briefly between his brows—anyone ignorant of the situation would think it was because he couldn’t see Baili Wushuang’s soul.

A gentle light faded in Fu Qingfeng’s eyes as the Jade Fragment girl, with an impish innocence, patted her stomach and grinned sheepishly. “Um... I’m hungry. Is there anything to eat?”

Her question reminded Fu Qingfeng that none of them had eaten.

He rose to his feet. “Forgive me, I’ll go prepare something right away.”

Though they were all immortals, long since freed from the need for mortal food, habit was sometimes a formidable force.

Hua Yin shot the Jade Fragment girl a look. “Sir, saving lives must have cost you a great deal of vital energy. Let me handle this. Besides, you don’t look well either—why don’t you all rest? This girl can help me out. Since she wants to eat, she might as well lend a hand.”

The Jade Fragment girl, being close, promptly lifted her little boot with its silver tip and aimed a kick at him.

Startled, Hua Yin jumped up and laughed awkwardly, bowing his hands. “My ancestor, where did you get that thing? It’ll draw blood! Be good, don’t make trouble.”

“Hehe… Not too long ago, when you all were fighting. I didn’t get to use it then, but trying it out on you works just as well.” She smiled, her eyes curving, full of mischievous spirit.

Watching this, Que Yunzi hugged his wine jar and clapped, laughing heartily. “Good kick, well done, little girl!”

Hua Yin, of course, wouldn’t stand there and let her strike—he knew that thing was no joke. He darted away, slipping out the door like a wisp of smoke, hanging onto the doorway. “I’ll go, you needn’t trouble yourself, alright?”

“That’s more like it.” The Jade Fragment girl withdrew her silver tip and glanced shyly at the three inside. A girl’s thin skin—her embarrassment finally surfaced.

Touching her burning ears, she mumbled, “S-sorry…”

No one inside reacted.

In that instant, the Jade Fragment girl felt she could die of embarrassment. Bowing slightly, she fled with her face in her hands.

Que Yunzi was still chuckling, but straightened his posture. “Young girls are always shy. Not like us old men, growing thick-skinned with age.”

Fu Qingfeng returned to the main seat, gripping the armrest as he sat. “My apologies for the lack of hospitality.”

“Ah, don’t say that,” Que Yunzi waved it away. “I think everything’s been just fine. If anyone should apologize, it’s us for disturbing your peace. Crane boy, am I right?”

Called out suddenly, Su He couldn’t help but smile. After a few exchanges, all three were chatting and laughing, even Fu Qingfeng and Que Yunzi were starting to feel at ease, the initial awkwardness gone.

Outside, the Jade Fragment girl crept up behind Hua Yin, giving him quite a fright—his wooden ladle clattered to the ground.

“Hey! You’re just making porridge—what’s got you so absorbed? Tell me, is your conscience troubled?”

“Nonsense, you’re the one with a guilty conscience. I’m as open and aboveboard as can be.”

He picked up the ladle and rinsed it briefly.

To be fair, everything about Fu Qingfeng’s place was fine—except there was nothing to eat or drink, a life of utter simplicity. Searching every corner, Hua Yin only found a handful of rice left in the herb cottage—leftovers from their last meal. As for meat and vegetables, there was none. If they wanted greens, they’d have to go forage wild herbs on the mountain. But everyone knew that Shouyang Mountain and Suiyin Mountain were places even great immortals never returned from. There was a lake behind the mountain, full of clever fish, but none could be caught—so rice porridge it was.

Still, the rice looked beautiful and smelled fragrant, making mouths water.

When Hua Yin ignored her, the Jade Fragment girl simply squatted nearby, eyes narrowed. “If your conscience is clear, why are you so scared of me?”

“Please! Ever heard of someone being scared to death by another person?”

“No, but I have heard that if you’ve done nothing wrong, you won’t fear a knock at midnight.”

“…Hey, let me ask you. Do you really remember everything now?” If she did, he’d better find a chance to send this ancestor away—who knew what trouble she might stir up next.

“That?”

“Is there a problem?”

“There is, of course there is.”

“…” Was she serious or not?

“I’m telling you, you can’t just leave me here. I remember what happened before, but only part of what happened on the island. There are still things I can’t recall.”

As she spoke, her eyes grew misty again—like a little pup abandoned by its master.

“Alright…forget I asked.” Hua Yin focused on stirring the porridge, the wooden ladle moving gently, just like his thoughts, tumbling and turning.

A sly glint flashed through the Jade Fragment girl’s narrowed eyes, gone in an instant.

Since Hua Yin was ignoring her, she shifted her gaze to the man under the tree. She remembered her grandmother saying that among the Heavenly Lord’s four sons, His Highness of the Moon was the most remarkable. To be able to contend with the Baili family head, he had to be that man. But why had he come?

She pondered, but couldn’t figure it out, and lost interest. Her attention drifted to the flickering flames. She was like a spark in the clay stove, yearning to leap outside and see the world beyond.

Yet she’d barely begun to glimpse it before nearly being snuffed out completely…

Xian Ge Yue only pretended to rest, watching the pair beneath the eaves of the herb cottage in his leisure.

He’d seen Hua Yin before, and had secretly had him investigated—a wandering immortal, without fixed abode, but a master among his peers.

The girl, though, seemed oddly familiar—yet he was certain they’d never met. Where, then, did this sense of familiarity come from? She clearly trusted Hua Yin, so they must be close. Perhaps, he thought, this was a thread worth following.

Half an hour later, Hua Yin’s porridge was finally ready. There wasn’t much, but enough for everyone to have a bowl.

Xian Ge Yue hadn’t expected a share for himself, and was pleasantly surprised—it was the best treatment he’d received in a long time.

After the meal, washing the dishes fell to Hua Yin again, though the Jade Fragment girl insisted on helping. He couldn’t dissuade her, so he let her.

Inside, Fu Qingfeng brewed tea, pouring cups for the other two and himself before sitting down.

“Now that Baili Wushuang has returned, what do you plan to do next?”

Su He turned, lifting his teacup. “First, I must resolve the matter of the Divine Maiden Hall. If left unsettled, it will haunt me like a maggot on the bone.”

Que Yunzi perked up at that. He’d secretly followed the group before and knew the gist of the situation, as well as the two weeks’ reprieve Fu Qingfeng had bargained for.

Indeed, if left unresolved, it would only drag Fu Qingfeng into a web of injustice.

He slurped his tea, saying, “You know the saying: the wicked fear discovery, the good want recognition. Those rascals hardly seem the type to play fair. If you go looking for them now, they’ve probably set a fine net waiting for you. Be prepared.”

Above all, never act rashly.

Of course, he himself had nothing to worry about—just an old man, after all.

Fu Qingfeng agreed. As the Jade Fragment girl had said, the Divine Maiden Hall had been rounding up sacrifices for a long time. That it erupted now only meant they were well-prepared. The delay had given their enemies time to breathe—never a good thing for their side.

“Wise words, Friend Que. The matter must be settled, but you must think thrice before acting.”

“I understand. The ancients said: where hearts are crooked, ghosts hide within. They want me dead—why would they let me catch them so easily?” It was all a cat-and-mouse game, played slowly to the death.

“Since you understand, I won’t belabor the point. When do you plan to set out?”

Su He glanced outside at the sky. “At the hour of the rat.”

Que Yunzi grasped both armrests and hoisted himself up, legs crossed. “So it’s decided?”

“Yes. But I must play the traitor this once, and beg your indulgence, senior.”

“Don’t even think about it.”

“Senior…”

“I know what you’re getting at. Did Old Bu tell you my cultivation isn’t up to much?”

“…It seems Elder Bu did mention it.”

“Pah! The old fox, still trying to set me up at the end. Fine, maybe I’m not much. But I’m good at staying alive, and don’t think you’ll get out of paying your wine debts by ditching me.”

He spoke with spittle flying, though in truth, Su He had never fetched wine for him, nor paid a single coin. The truth was, he cared for the youth as the man his old friend had died to save. He’d do anything to protect him—he couldn’t let him die so easily, or Bu Guo would truly vanish from the world.

“Senior…”

“I’m telling you, no discussion.” With that, he plucked a twig from his messy hair to pick his teeth, then realized he’d only drunk wine, eaten porridge, and had half a cup of tea—what was he picking? So, acting as if no one saw, he nonchalantly stuck the twig back in his hair.

Su He couldn’t help but smile and tried once more. “I’m deeply grateful for your intention, Senior. But the road ahead is unknown—I cannot let you take the risk.”

Que Yunzi raised a hand to silence him—enough of that nonsense, the old man wouldn’t listen.

“Senior, what if we do it this way?” If persuasion failed, he’d try another tack.

“What?”

Que Yunzi adjusted his posture, half-closing his eyes with a lazy air. Good lad, already scheming—does he think the old man’s easy to fool?

“I, Senior, and Brother Hua, could divide into overt and covert routes…”

“So, after all that, you still want to ditch the old man—am I such a burden?” Que Yunzi sniffled, his eyes suddenly red, mimicking the Jade Fragment girl’s act to perfection. Odd, since she was at the herb cottage—how did he learn it?

His sorrow grew with every word, and in the end… tears streamed down his wrinkled cheeks.

Even Fu Qingfeng, who had seen much in life, couldn’t help but laugh. He quickly raised his teacup, hiding his smile in his sleeve.

Su He was momentarily stunned, then sighed deeply, admitting defeat. “I wouldn’t dare. Suggesting we split up is a cautious decision, nothing more.”

At this, Que Yunzi stopped pretending, his manner turning serious. “What do you mean?”

“If we go together, we’re a big target—easy to catch in one net. If I go alone and you all hide in the shadows, even if there’s a trap, I won’t be left with no help.”

“That makes sense. But aren’t you worried they might plan for that too, and pick us off one by one? Sometimes, there’s strength in numbers—better to stick together.”

But Su He shook his head. “No.”

“Why not?”

“Because their target is me. They have no direct enmity with you or the others.”

“Why you?” Que Yunzi still couldn’t figure out why Su He was the focus of the Divine Maiden Hall. Clearly, they weren’t after the Emperor Stone—there was no treasure to fight for. Looking back, Su He had no mortal enemies in Yu Hai Heaven—so why him?

“It’s a long story. When I first returned to Yu Hai Heaven, I was caught in a crowd during a Double Fiend Palace outing and pushed into a residence, inadvertently ruining the Divine Maiden Hall’s plans. I suppose that’s where our feud began.”

So that was it. Que Yunzi pondered, then after a long moment, slapped his thigh and shouted, “Done!”