The Fuluo flower was taken.
Ning Chengfeng felt he had finally evened the score, and stared triumphantly at the pair of eyes behind the mask.
He had always thought those eyes were beautiful, clear and indifferent, with a hint of blue-gray in the sunlight, especially deep when looking at people.
He looked at Chu Jun and challenged, “I’ve fully repaid the debt of saving my life. From now on, I won’t go easy on you anymore.”
The eyes behind the mask seemed to smile for a moment, but perhaps the smile was too brief, or perhaps the sun dazzled his eyes. Ning Chengfeng wasn’t quite sure.
But he was certain that he would feel justified in making this annoying person suffer terribly from now on.
Chu Jun suddenly reached out and patted his head lightly, touching it briefly, which left Ning Chengfeng stunned in place.
The door closed in front of him.
After that day, Chu Jun disappeared from Wanxuan Academy.
“Elder Jinghe has left on business. Other elders will take over the upcoming sword technique classes,” Hao Zheng announced this news to them.
Ning Chengfeng sat below, looking slightly bewildered.
Chu Jun left?
He actually left without even saying goodbye?
Then he began to feel angry. He had gone to great lengths to find a Fuluo flower for him in the Fuluo Realm, and Chu Jun took it without a word of thanks. Now he just left without saying anything!?
He remembered the last time they met, when Chu Jun caught him off guard and patted his head. He felt both angry and annoyed, feeling he had lost face. He had already thought of more than ten ways to get revenge in class—
Ning Chengfeng listlessly crumpled up the talisman he had stayed up all night to draw, and casually tossed it into the wastebasket.
Chu Jun had taught them for barely a year, and Ning Chengfeng hadn’t realized that he had been revolving around Chu Jun during this time. He only felt that with Chu Jun gone, classes seemed to have lost their meaning.
There was a strange feeling of emptiness, invisible and intangible, yet it occasionally tickled him like a kitten’s paw. Sometimes he hated it so much his teeth itched, and other times he felt lost.
In any case, Chu Jun had successfully displaced Hao Zheng to become the top of Young Master Ning’s most hated list.
However, the hearts of youths change quickly. Ning Chengfeng was depressed for a while because of Chu Jun’s departure without notice, but soon Hao Zheng recaptured his attention, and he returned to the previous chaotic daily life at Wanxuan Academy.
He completely forgot about that strange, gloomy, and ugly mask.
In early winter, because he, Cui Ci and Wen Zaiye successfully stuck three small turtle talismans on Hao Zheng’s back, they were sent home by the furious Dean Hao to reflect on their actions.
When he returned to Danhui Courtyard, it happened that Ning Xingyuan was at home. Snow was falling outside, and his brother was leisurely brewing tea under the corridor. After probing a few sentences and realizing his brother wasn’t going to lecture him, he immediately relaxed and got into a fight with that annoying green vine.
He stayed at home to reflect for ten days, either fighting with Ning Hao and others or with the green vine. Afterward, he went with Cui Ci and Wen Zaiye to tour the Dark Realm before leisurely returning to Wanxuan Academy.
Cultivating, attending classes, skipping classes, doing homework, tinkering with talismans and arrays, getting scolded, copying books… Young Master Ning always felt these unchanging days were very boring, and he tried every means to find amusement. Occasionally, when he thought of Chu Jun, he would curse angrily. Chu Jun had taken his flower and then ran away. When he went to Wushi Sect in the future, he would definitely have to teach Chu Jun a lesson to vent his anger.
As usual, they spent the New Year at Wanxuan Academy. It was lively and bustling. He, Wen Zaiye, and Cui Ci stole and drank Hao Zheng’s 300-year-old spirit wine. Hao Zheng chased them from the east end of the island to the west end, and they nearly blew up half of Wanxuan Academy with fireworks.
Just after the New Year, he received a letter from Ning Xingyuan, urgently summoning him back to Ning City in Xun Prefecture. So he hurriedly packed his things to go back.
Cui Ci curled up on the bed, playing chess with Wen Zaiye.
“Chengfeng, didn’t your brother say why he’s calling you back?” Cui Ci reached out to take a few of Wen Zaiye’s black pieces.
“No,” Ning Chengfeng stuffed the black jade from under his pillow into his storage ring, planning to ask Ning Xingyuan to carve another paperweight for him when he got back, to match the spirit jade of Ruogu Peak that Ning Xingyuan had carved for him last time he went home.
Wen Zaiye irritably slapped away Cui Ci’s hand that was trying to take extra pieces, and looked at Ning Chengfeng, “The Ning family is so big, with many affairs. Maybe they want you to go back and help?”
“Maybe, probably nothing important,” Ning Chengfeng was used to it.
Previously, when Ning Xingyuan wanted him to come back, he would send a letter to Hao Zheng, deliberately using serious wording to make Hao Zheng let him go. This time was probably the same.
Without having to attend classes, Ning Chengfeng suddenly felt that rushing to the teleportation array wasn’t troublesome at all.
“Chengfeng, remember to bring back a roasted sparrow from Linggu Sect when you return,” Cui Ci yawned and swallowed, “I really want to eat one.”
“You want him to go from southeast to northeast and then back to Wanxuan Academy just for a sparrow?” Wen Zaiye criticized him in anguish, “Cui Ci, do you have any conscience? Chengfeng, don’t listen to him, bring back twenty, thanks.”
Ning Chengfeng slapped the clothes in his hand onto both their faces, “I might as well roast you two instead!”
Though he said that, when he entered the array, he was actually calculating how many days it would take to go to Linggu Sect on his way back, planning to take a detour to buy them when returning from Xun Prefecture. However, before he could finish his calculations, something went wrong with the teleportation array.
He vaguely remembered seeing a strange cyan light before passing out, then he completely lost consciousness.
After that, he met Wanli in the swamp wilderness.
He was severely injured and could hardly move. In the seemingly endless swamp and wilderness, there were only him and Wanli left.
The sun rose and set, each day passing long and dull, yet because there was a companion to rely on for survival, many flavors of life emerged.
The wilderness nights were cold. Leaning against a rock was never as warm as being inside Wanli’s cloak.
He took the small piece of redwood, raising an eyebrow, “Why are you giving this to me?”
“It’s cold outside.” Wanli lifted his cloak, his intention clear without words.
Ning Chengfeng had been eyeing that thick cloak but couldn’t bring himself to ask for it. Now that the other party was offering, he naturally took the opportunity and wrapped himself in the cloak righteously, immediately surrounded by warm comfort. He contentedly narrowed his eyes.
Wanli was always completely wrapped in his cloak, making it impossible to see his figure, but Ning Chengfeng always secretly held his waist, roughly gauging that he was quite thin.
For instance, now he unhesitatingly wrapped his arm around Wanli’s waist. Wanli stiffened, but he pretended not to notice and lazily yawned.
Wanli had a faint, bitter scent that Ning Chengfeng always found pleasant. He lowered his head and sniffed at Wanli’s collar, “Are you always taking medicine? You smell bitter.”
As soon as he finished speaking, someone grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him away.
“Sleep,” Wanli said in a very cold tone.
“Your tone is so similar to that Head Teacher I hate the most,” Ning Chengfeng’s gaze inadvertently slid over Wanli’s slightly opened collar, satisfyingly catching a glimpse of his collarbone, but he very gentlemanly didn’t look further and said, “If it weren’t for your voice being so pleasant, I’d almost think you were him in disguise.”
Wanli was silent for a moment before speaking, “Am I very similar to him?”
For some reason, Ning Chengfeng detected a hint of displeasure in his tone.
He thought to himself that sometimes they were indeed very similar, but out loud he said, “You’re much better than him. I despise him, but towards you—”
Ning Chengfeng suddenly stumbled over his words.
“Hmm?” Wanli’s questioning voice was close at hand, like a feather lightly tickling his heart before unhurriedly falling into his ear.
The itchy feeling intensified, yet remained elusive.
Ning Chengfeng reached up to rub his itchy ear, cleared his throat and continued, “I like you very much.”
Wanli suddenly fell silent.
It took Ning Chengfeng quite a while to realize that what he said could be misinterpreted. He wanted to explain but felt it would be like protesting too much, so he simply closed his eyes and pretended to fall asleep.
Not long after, an arm wrapped around his shoulder, pulling him closer.
Ning Chengfeng’s lips curled into a slight smile, and accompanied by the faint bitter scent, he fell into a deep sleep.
The next day when they woke up, the two of them packed up and continued on their journey.
“…The coursework at Wanxuan Academy is very dull. I still have four years of courses to complete.” Ning Chengfeng’s head ached at the thought of being scolded by Hao Zheng for another four years. “Wanli, I’m very good at drawing talismans, do you want to see?”
Wanli looked down at him, “You shouldn’t use spiritual power now.”
“Oh.” Ning Chengfeng reached out to fiddle with the ties of his cloak, swinging them back and forth, and looked up at him, “Do you remember where your home is?”
“I don’t remember,” Wanli allowed him to swing the ties, showing no sign of annoyance.
Ning Chengfeng’s eyes lit up, “Why don’t you come back with me to Ning City in Xun Prefecture? The main Ning family recruits many guest cultivators every year, with very generous salaries. I can ask my brother to arrange for you to stay by my side.”
“That won’t be necessary,” Wanli refused. Seeming to notice his disappointment, he paused and added, “I still have things to do.”
He had only suggested it on a whim, feeling that the position of a guest cultivator wasn’t worthy of Wanli. So he didn’t bring it up again, but his mood remained low.
When Wanli escorted him out of this swamp wilderness, they would likely part ways. The seventeen states were vast and boundless, filled with countless people. Who knew when they would meet again?
After they had been walking in this swamp wilderness for about a month, Wanli’s body seemed to develop some issues.
Ning Chengfeng belatedly realized that they had been walking slower and slower these days. Worried, he gave all his medicinal pills to Wanli, “Take care of your health first, then we’ll continue our journey.”
Wanli didn’t take the pills, but his voice was unusually reassuring, “I will get you out of here.”
For some reason, Ning Chengfeng felt an underlying unease, even inexplicably agitated. He always felt like something was going to happen. This anxiety finally made him restless, and he began to secretly cultivate at night, trying to repair his dantian.
The result was naturally disastrous. The spiritual energy ran wild in his meridians, not only nearly causing him to go into qi deviation, but also almost exploding his body. Just as he was panicking, trying to suppress the spiritual energy, a warm hand covered his forehead.
“Follow my lead,” Wanli’s voice sounded beside his ear.
Crimson spiritual energy, carrying a gentle warmth, unhurriedly flowed through his meridians, skillfully helping him repair the deep and shallow wounds, and finally stopping at his dantian, beginning to patiently and meticulously repair it.
Although Wanli was already being very gentle, Ning Chengfeng’s injuries were too severe, so the repair process was incredibly painful. He felt as if his entire being was being torn apart, crushed, and then forcibly stitched back together. His face was pale, his whole body trembling.
Wanli’s movements paused slightly. He used some unknown method, and suddenly the heart-wrenching, bone-gnawing pain lessened by more than half. Though still painful, it became bearable.
Ning Chengfeng forced himself to open his eyes, his eyelashes wet with sweat. Wanli became blurry in front of him, and he unconsciously grabbed Wanli’s sleeve.
Warm fingertips brushed across the corner of his eye, and Wanli’s deep, gentle voice became somewhat indistinct.
“It’s alright, don’t be afraid.”
He suddenly felt at ease and stopped forcing his body to stay upright. As he fell forward, someone caught him in their arms.
Ning Chengfeng drifted in and out of consciousness for a long time, often waking up due to pain. In his hazy state, he would see that wrist wrapped with a red string, and he reached out to grab it.
“Does it hurt?” Wanli lowered his head and asked.
Even at this time, Ning Chengfeng took the opportunity to caress the other’s wrist, nonchalantly saying, “It’s just a minor injury.”
Although he was in so much pain that his clothes were soaked through, once he regained consciousness, he still tried to maintain his “strong man” image.
Wanli allowed him to take advantage, “It will be over in six more hours.”
Ning Chengfeng forced himself to divert his attention, saying in a playful tone, “Only my Dao companion can enter my sea of consciousness.”
“Mm,” Wanli responded indifferently.
Despite being in excruciating pain, Ning Chengfeng was in an extremely good mood. He cleared his throat and said, “I cultivate the Heartless Dao.”
“Mm.”
“But I absolutely won’t kill my wife to achieve enlightenment,” Ning Chengfeng said firmly. “My nature has always been steadfast.”
