What kind of person was Chu Mingwei?
In the previous life, Xiao Lingyu had heard from others that Chu Mingwei was a prodigious talent, composed and magnanimous in character, upright in action, and insightful in dealings with people. His peers heaped every possible praise upon him, only to sigh in lamentation at his untimely death.
In this life, after spending time with Chu Mingwei, Xiao Lingyu realized that beyond the virtues praised by others, Chu Mingwei was also gentle and attentive. At least, when it came to taking care of him, every detail was meticulously considered.
Xiao Lingyu thought that was all there was to him. Yet, when Chu Mingwei looked at him and smiled, saying, “When you’re not by Lingyu’s side, Lingyu is unafraid. But when Lingyu is not near me, I am terrified. I worry that if anything happens to Lingyu—even the slightest injury—I cannot bear it. I hope to guard you all my life,” his eyes serious and his smile sincere, Xiao Lingyu was speechless. This was the first time he had seen Chu Mingwei like this, and he could not find the words to respond.
Xiao Lingyu understood the meaning behind Chu Mingwei’s words: he intended to propose. Yet, Chu Mingwei’s eyes shone too brightly, and before that gaze, Xiao Lingyu could not utter a false refusal.
With just a few simple words, Chu Mingwei stirred something deep in Xiao Lingyu’s heart. Instinctively, he avoided the topic and turned his head in silence.
The old spirit in his mind sighed long and low, “Xiao Yuzi—”
“Shut up!”
Xiao Lingyu cut off the old spirit sharply. His heart was in turmoil. Scenes from his reborn life flashed before his eyes: the gentle Chu Mingwei, the flamboyant Chu Mingwei, the Chu Mingwei who smiled at him… for ten years of his life, aside from Master Wu Yunzi, it had been all Chu Mingwei.
Xiao Lingyu took a deep breath and tried to banish Chu Mingwei’s image from his mind. He was not the Xiao Lingyu who needed Chu Mingwei to protect him. He would not stray from the righteous path of his rebirth for a fleeting warmth.
The old spirit fell silent, sighing deeply.
Chu Mingwei watched the young disciple beside him remain silent, feelings of joy and disappointment alternately rising in his heart. He was glad that his feelings were understood, yet disappointed that they were being avoided. Seeing the silence, he reasoned that perhaps Xiao Lingyu had always regarded him as a reliable older brother, and it was normal that he couldn’t accept these feelings immediately. After all, no rejection at all was still a good sign. He had an entire lifetime to accompany the young disciple. Thinking of the ill-intentioned “little black” already near Xiao Lingyu, Chu Mingwei resolved to find a way to keep them apart. As for whatever pretense “little black” had about accompanying Xiao Lingyu to Chu City, Chu Mingwei could handle that on his own.
Thus, Chu Mingwei, silently plotting to keep Xiao Lingyu close, walked alongside Xiao Lingyu, who was silently planning to distance himself from Chu Mingwei.
Meng Fan and Su Wan, who had been eavesdropping, exchanged puzzled glances. The senior brother had been teasing the junior, and then suddenly became quiet. Unable to contain his curiosity, Meng Fan cautiously probed with his divine sense, only to encounter an invisible barrier. Cursing the sly senior brother for using a separation spell, Meng Fan grimaced at Su Wan and muttered that they might as well focus on guiding the group seriously instead of gossiping.
“Xiao Yuzi!” the old spirit jumped out again. Xiao Lingyu instinctively wanted him to shut up, but the spirit blurted, “This is serious, not about your feelings! Haven’t you noticed something abnormal along the way? Even if you couldn’t reach the mountaintop, there hasn’t been a single monster—don’t you find that strange?”
The old spirit’s words made Xiao Lingyu’s heart tighten, and he instinctively directed his irritation at Chu Mingwei. Because of him, he had grown dependent. Despite being warned by the old spirit before, he had failed to notice this anomaly.
Just as he was about to speak to Chu Mingwei, boundless green mist suddenly rose from the rocks by the path. Xiao Lingyu swiftly summoned his Lüxi Umbrella, and in the next instant, he found himself wrapped in a familiar embrace. Chu Mingwei’s voice rang in his ear: “Lingyu, hold onto me. Don’t let the green mist separate us.”
The instant the mist appeared, all the clashing sounds of activated treasures, the brothers’ calls to each other, Meng Fan shouting to the senior brother, Su Wan urging the Xuan Kun Sect disciples to cast secret spells, even the deafening roar of the Lei Han Mirror, were drowned out. Amid all the noise, Xiao Lingyu heard only Chu Mingwei’s voice: “Lingyu, hold onto me. Don’t let the green mist separate us.” Instinctively, he reached out and hugged Chu Mingwei, feeling a profound sense of security.
“Little pig, you scared me!” Zhu Yurun’s voice came from below. Xiao Lingyu noticed her clutching his robes tightly. He waved and summoned her back into the spirit beast pouch. For the first time, Zhu Yurun cooperated swiftly, jumping in with a look of lingering fright.
The green mist had appeared so suddenly that no one had time to dodge. Just a moment ago, Xiao Lingyu could hear Meng Fan and Bai Qian calling to Chu Mingwei; the next moment, only boundless green mist and the man holding him tightly remained.
The Lüxi Umbrella cast a faint light above them. The Shuiyue Wheel floated silently by Xiao Lingyu’s side. The Lei Han Mirror’s sparks kept the mist at a distance, forming a protective ring around the pair.
Xiao Lingyu gently disengaged from Chu Mingwei’s embrace and summoned the Wuying Sword. Chu Mingwei, though disappointed, said nothing, simply shielding Xiao Lingyu closely. They surveyed their surroundings cautiously. The mist swirled and formed tendrils that lunged toward them. Chu Mingwei struck the Lei Han Mirror, sending dozen-thick bolts of lightning to hit the tendrils. The green tendrils trembled and reverted to mist.
Xiao Lingyu stood behind Chu Mingwei with the Shuiyue Wheel, frowning slightly. The mist, though capable of forming shapes, merely returned to mist when attacked. Without finding the mist’s true body, they would remain trapped until their spiritual energy was depleted.
Chu Mingwei clearly considered this as well. He naturally took Xiao Lingyu’s hand, “Follow me. Let’s find the mist’s core.”
Xiao Lingyu paused but did not refuse.
They cautiously emitted their divine sense, only to find it vanished like a stone thrown into the sea. Green mist kept forming tendrils to ambush them. Xiao Lingyu’s spiritual energy drained rapidly; after a short time, he had only half left, as if something were absorbing it.
“Xiao Yuzi, left behind!” the old spirit suddenly warned. Xiao Lingyu reacted instantly, hand forming a seal. The Shuiyue Wheel transformed into a massive form and struck fiercely in that direction. Chu Mingwei immediately followed with the Lei Han Mirror, lightning exploding around the target, letting out piercing cries behind them.
They attacked repeatedly toward that direction. The mist churned violently in the southwest, revealing a shadowy figure. Chu Mingwei pinpointed the figure and struck with the Qinglin Sword, sending a streak of light directly into the black shape within the mist.
“Aaargh!”
A massive shadow, wrapped in green mist, charged them. Chu Mingwei struck the Lei Han Mirror again, unleashing a storm of lightning. The shadow shuddered violently as tendrils of green mist flailed in every direction.
Xiao Lingyu performed hand seals, the Wuying Sword and Shuiyue Wheel intercepting the mist’s tendrils. The shadow approached, and Chu Mingwei stepped forward. Amid flashing lightning, the shadow’s form gradually became clear.
Xiao Lingyu was shocked: it was a gigantic, grotesque human face. Even the old spirit did not recognize this monster. Fortunately, Chu Mingwei’s lightning techniques countered such evil, allowing them to match the shadow for the moment.
Chu Mingwei held strong, but Xiao Lingyu began to falter. In the mist, spiritual energy drained especially fast. Despite sixteen years of cultivation in this life, he could not match the toll. The shadow, noticing Xiao Lingyu’s weakening, sent countless tendrils to trap him. Two tendrils lunged at his chest.
Chu Mingwei, noticing the danger, abandoned the shadow momentarily, sending lightning to intercept the tendrils before they reached Xiao Lingyu’s heart. The shadow snapped its jaws, shooting a green beam at Chu Mingwei. He twisted just in time, taking a hit, ignoring the rest. Chu Mingwei rushed to Xiao Lingyu’s side, channeling all his remaining energy into the Lei Han Mirror, shouting, “Heavenly Thunder Web!”
Lightning erupted, wrapping the shadow completely.
The shadow howled, retreating rapidly. The surrounding green mist withdrew, and the scene gradually cleared.
Chu Mingwei, utterly drained, coughed up blood.
Xiao Lingyu did not check their surroundings. He supported Chu Mingwei and emptied all the spiritual pills from his storage pouch.
Chu Mingwei, despite chest pain, watched the junior disciple’s flustered care and felt it was worth it.
The old spirit noted, “Xiao Yuzi, this seems like the previous mountainside.”
Xiao Lingyu paused, looking around. Indeed, it was the mountainside where he had set an illusion to ambush Leng Hanyuan. Now it was spotless; even the bloody traces deep underground had vanished. Realizing something, Xiao Lingyu quickly reached for the spirit beast pouch. “Zhu Yurun, where is that spirit marrow from before?”
Zhu Yurun refused to come out, showing only a tiny white hoof. “Little monster, is it safe outside?”
Xiao Lingyu had no patience. He flipped the pouch, pulling Zhu Yurun out. She glanced at him, judged the situation, and scurried to a nearby rock, beginning to gnaw on it.
Xiao Lingyu’s face lit up. Impatient for her to break the rock, he swung the Shuiyue Wheel, shattering it. A milky, rhomboid crystal, fist-sized, flew out. Xiao Lingyu caught it and handed it to Chu Mingwei.
Chu Mingwei observed silently, a flash of surprise crossing his face. He studied Zhu Yurun thoughtfully, then took the spirit marrow, absorbing it immediately. Despite lingering questions, recovering his cultivation was urgent; he could not let himself become a burden to the junior disciple.
Watching Chu Mingwei absorb the energy, Xiao Lingyu’s gaze fell on the dark red blood on his chest. His expression dimmed, heart heavy with complex emotions.
As Chu Mingwei’s color improved, Xiao Lingyu relaxed slightly, his divine sense sweeping the surroundings. Where had Meng Fan and the others been taken by the green mist?
Xiao Lingyu remained vigilant. Several objects cut through the air. Shuiyue Wheel blocked incoming short daggers. Ten or so bloodied human cultivators leapt out, greedily eyeing Chu Mingwei’s spirit marrow. Cold fury flashed in Xiao Lingyu’s eyes. Right hand forming seals, Shuiyue Wheel flared, guarding both of them. He did not wish to kill before Chu Mingwei; he only hoped the wandering cultivators would leave.
One fifty-year-old man, dressed as a Taoist, first activated his treasure: “They’re young and wounded. Let’s kill them and take the spirit marrow.”
Encouraged, the others attacked as well, targeting the pair with their treasures.
“Traceless Heavenly Water!” Xiao Lingyu whispered, casting a transparent barrier. The incoming weapons were blocked outside. Coldly, he cast the Mixed Sky Ribbon, hands moving in rapid seals: “Trap!”
The ribbon expanded, ensnaring them all. Xiao Lingyu’s killing intent surged. Channeling all his spiritual energy, he unleashed “Ten Thousand Arrows!”
Countless spirit energy arrows rained down. The cultivators struggled, trapped in the ribbon, unable to escape. In moments, all were eliminated. Xiao Lingyu’s expression remained cold as he retracted the ribbon, turning to meet Chu Mingwei’s slowly opening eyes.
Their gazes met; Xiao Lingyu instinctively looked away. Turning again, Chu Mingwei was already before him.
Before Xiao Lingyu could react, Chu Mingwei embraced him. Seeing the moment the junior avoided eye contact, Chu Mingwei softened. Had he not been injured, would Xiao Lingyu have bloodied his hands?
In an instant, Chu Mingwei’s mind raced. The decisive efficiency of the junior in battle had impressed him greatly. Yet, he loved Xiao Lingyu—whether the kind, virtuous Xiao Lingyu of the sect or the cold, unflinching Xiao Lingyu now, he loved him. He was no rigid man; the former sect leader had worried the junior might be too soft. Now, the concern was gone.
Unaware of Chu Mingwei’s thoughts, Xiao Lingyu felt a fleeting guilt when killing, but also a sense of relief, as if admitting, This is who I am. Accept it or not.
He tried to resist the embrace, but Chu Mingwei held him tighter. When a gentle touch landed on his forehead, Xiao Lingyu froze, forgetting to struggle.
Chu Mingwei gazed tenderly at the stiff young disciple in his arms, lowering his head to place a gentle kiss on the forehead, whispering with love, “Lingyu…”