Chapter 80: Jealous
The two spent the night on the mountain, and the next day, as they descended, they came across some temple disciples hanging a newly printed photograph in the exhibition hall.
It was a candid shot from the day before, capturing the moment when the temple master had forcibly shaken hands with Feng Xuexiang.
The photo was captioned, “Friendly Meeting Between Spirit Demon and Temple Master,” with the date recorded below.
Yu Shi noticed that they had even Photoshopped out the instant noodle cups that had been in the frame.
Feng Xuexiang, pulling Yu Shi’s suitcase behind him, didn’t react at all. His attention was entirely focused on Yu Shi.
Sensing Yu Shi’s slight unease, Feng Xuexiang had been treading carefully since the night before, smiling apologetically and wearing a pitiable expression as if desperately wanting to do something to make Yu Shi happy but unsure of how to go about it.
“Ashi, where do you want to go next?”
Although Feng Xuexiang had joined him, Yu Shi didn’t plan on changing his travel route.
“Next, I’ll go to Jiangchun Ancient Town.”
There was only one reason he wanted to visit this ancient town—because in his original world, there was also a Jiangchun Ancient Town.
In this world, many cities were different from those in his original world. The history and famous figures were different too. So when he saw a familiar place, he wanted to check it out.
Jiangchun Ancient Town was most beautiful during spring, and every year, spring was the peak tourist season. But since it was now summer, there weren’t many tourists.
Yu Shi had looked up some information and chatted with Feng Xuexiang about the sights to see while they were on the bus.
“There’s a lake in the center of the ancient town, connected to the rivers running through it. You can take a boat from the town entrance to the central lake. There’s a small Peach Blossom Island in the lake. Although it’s not the season for peach blossoms, we can still check it out.”
Seeing Yu Shi’s interest, Feng Xuexiang was also excited and agreed enthusiastically, “Great, I’ve never been on a boat before!”
Yu Shi smiled, “I’ve been on a boat before, and I can even row one.”
He and his brothers used to row boats in the park. Each person had their own section, and no one could slack off.
Unfortunately, when they arrived at the ancient town and were about to rent a boat, they were stopped.
The security guards blocking the way were in a bad mood and spoke harshly. Before Yu Shi could ask, they impatiently waved them off.
“No boating, no boating. Move along.”
It was a nearby shop owner who explained, “Something’s been causing trouble in the lake recently. Just a few days ago, a tourist was dragged into the lake and drowned. That’s why they’re not allowing any boats now.”
“You see those railings by the water? They’re there to keep people from getting too close.”
They hadn’t expected this. No wonder the town was so empty.
Yu Shi felt a bit disappointed, but he didn’t show it. “Let’s forget it then. Do you want to rest here for a while or take a bus to the next attraction?”
Feng Xuexiang pulled him toward the town center. “Let’s go take a boat ride.”
“If something’s causing trouble, I’ll take care of it.”
Since Yu Shi wanted to take a boat ride here, Feng Xuexiang was determined to make it happen.
At the lake in the town center, more people were standing guard. Feng Xuexiang took a quick glance and noticed two low-level exorcists who were struggling to deal with whatever was in the lake.
Judging by their uniforms, the two exorcists were from the Ming family. This likely meant that Jiangchun Ancient Town was also a Ming family property.
Feng Xuexiang asked Yu Shi to rest in a lakeside pavilion while he approached the exorcists.
Yu Shi watched from the pavilion, wondering if they would recognize Feng Xuexiang and allow him to handle the situation so easily.
But he underestimated Feng Xuexiang. When Feng Xuexiang approached, the exorcists were momentarily surprised before respectfully inviting him onto a boat to deal with the disturbance in the lake.
A simple illusion was enough to make them mistake Feng Xuexiang for a high-level exorcist from the Ming family.
Standing on the boat, Feng Xuexiang looked down at the water. Beneath the greenish surface, black shapes swirled, making the water murky.
This entity wasn’t particularly difficult to handle, but dealing with it would be a bit troublesome. A mid-level exorcist could manage, but it would take them ten days to two weeks to fully clear it out.
With Yu Shi waiting for him by the lake, Feng Xuexiang didn’t want to waste time. He squeezed a drop of blood from his finger and flicked it into the lake.
In an instant, all the shadows in the lake rushed toward the boat. Amid the exorcists’ terrified shouts, Feng Xuexiang leaned down and touched the lake’s surface. The entire lake suddenly gleamed like a mirror, emitting a soft, radiant light.
Countless delicate purple butterflies descended onto the lake, gently touching the water and devouring the gathering dark shadows.
The boat remained quiet, and the others, unable to see this scene, stared blankly.
When the dark shadows in the lake had completely disappeared, Feng Xuexiang withdrew his hand and stood up.
The others, as if awakening from a dream, saw the lake return to its clear state and began to praise him with a mix of joy and reverence.
The people by the lake could neither see the array that had opened in the lake nor the beautiful and surreal scene within.
…
Yu Shi was resting in a small pavilion when he suddenly heard the sound of splashing water and faintly, the cries of a child.
He stood up to check and was shocked to see a child drowning by the lake. His pupils contracted sharply, and without hesitation, he jumped into the water to save the child.
Feng Xuexiang instructed them to make arrangements for lifting the restriction, then smiled and went to find Yu Shi, intending to tell him that they could now board the boat.
But when he reached the edge of the pavilion, Feng Xuexiang’s expression darkened.
The ground inside the pavilion was covered with water stains. Yu Shi was sitting on a bench, completely soaked, with a similarly drenched child by his side.
The child was still sobbing, with murky deep green tears and a layer of grayish-white film covering his eyes.
This was a water ghost.
“Ashi… let him go first,” Feng Xuexiang’s smile was somewhat stiff, his heart boiling with anger.
Such a lowly spirit dared to target Yu Shi.
Seeing Feng Xuexiang, Yu Shi, who was rarely at a loss, relaxed a bit and said, “Just now, I mistakenly thought the child was drowning, so I saved him, but then…”
But then, seeing the way he cried, Yu Shi suddenly realized that this was probably not a human.
Water ghosts who drown in the lake cannot leave the water, but this little spirit had been brought ashore by Yu Shi.
He had died only a few days ago, still in a daze, unaware that he was dead. Once on shore, he clung to Yu Shi, refusing to let go, insisting on finding his parents.
Yu Shi didn’t know what to do.
“What do you usually do in situations like this?” he asked.
Feng Xuexiang, sensing his concern, suppressed his anger and reassured him:
“It’s okay, I can send him to a nearby temple or shrine. Once his attachment is cleansed, he will dissipate.”
“Let him go now; holding onto something like this for too long isn’t good for your health.”
Yu Shi released the child.
Feng Xuexiang raised his hand, and a butterfly flew from his fingertip, landing on the little ghost.
The crying ghost instantly transformed into a tiny point of light, which the butterfly grasped with its delicate legs before flying off past the reeds by the lake.
“You’re completely soaked,” Feng Xuexiang remarked, taking Yu Shi’s hand and frowning at the scent of the water ghost lingering on him.
“It’s nothing,” Yu Shi replied indifferently. “I’ll just take a bath and change my clothes. Is the situation in the lake resolved?”
“It’s taken care of,” Feng Xuexiang said as he carefully wiped the dark green stains from his hand. “I’ll find a place where you can wash up.”
The people by the lake hadn’t left yet and eagerly arranged a spot for them to freshen up.
Feng Xuexiang leaned against the bathroom door, waiting for Yu Shi to come out. He asked, “Do you still want to row the boat on the lake?”
“Since everything’s fine now, of course, we should go,” Yu Shi said, changing into dry clothes and heading back to the lake, where they were indeed able to board the boat.
Renting the simplest rowboat, Yu Shi led Feng Xuexiang onto it.
Skillfully, he rowed toward a small island in the middle of the lake. Feng Xuexiang sat opposite him, watching his movements intently. “Ashi, you’re really impressive!”
“Are you tired? How about I take over and row?” Feng Xuexiang suggested. “I think I’ve learned just by watching you.”
“Sure, give it a try,” Yu Shi said, handing the oar over to him and sitting to the side, ready to watch the show.
As expected, five minutes after Feng Xuexiang took the oars, their boat was still spinning in circles on the lake.
Feng Xuexiang: “…”
His smile started to falter as he glared intently at the two wooden oars in his hands. Unfortunately, these lifeless objects weren’t intimidated by his gaze and remained stubbornly difficult to use in his hands.
Watching Feng Xuexiang struggle with the oars for a while, Yu Shi chuckled and took them back. “Alright, alright, let me handle it. You sit tight.”
Having just lifted the restriction, theirs was the only boat on the lake. The water was a greenish-blue, the banks shaded by dense trees and weeping willows. A gentle breeze swept across the lake, carrying the fragrant scent of midsummer, creating a very pleasant atmosphere.
Yu Shi temporarily set aside his worries and enjoyed the beautiful scenery of the lake and the surrounding mountains.
They visited the Peach Blossom Shrine on the small island in the center of the lake, and on the way back, it was Feng Xuexiang’s turn to row. With Yu Shi’s guidance, he finally managed to awkwardly bring the boat back to shore.
After docking, they wandered around the old town before finding a nearby guesthouse to stay the night.
It was a very simple guesthouse, with somewhat old furniture and not particularly clean.
When Yu Shi booked the room, he hesitated, wondering if such a place would be suitable for Feng Xuexiang. But he quickly calmed down, thinking that if Feng Xuexiang didn’t want to stay, he could leave anytime he wanted.
After all, the ninth master of the Feng family could stay anywhere he wished.
However, Feng Xuexiang didn’t pay any attention to the condition of the room; he was only concerned about whether they could share the same room.
Yu Shi had considered booking two rooms, but knowing that Feng Xuexiang would undoubtedly sneak into his room in the middle of the night, he decided it wasn’t worth wasting money.
They fell asleep to the slightly musty smell of the guesthouse room. Just before dawn, Yu Shi was gently awakened by Feng Xuexiang’s soft voice.
Somehow, he had ended up lying in Feng Xuexiang’s arms, with Feng Xuexiang’s hand resting on his face. “Ashi, are you feeling unwell?”
Yu Shi suddenly realized he was drenched in cold sweat. As he sat up, his limbs ached, and his head felt heavy and foggy.
He touched his forehead and said, “It seems like I have a bit of a fever.”
He had packed some basic medication in his suitcase, so he moved to the edge of the bed to get some fever-reducing medicine. Noticing Feng Xuexiang’s worried hand reaching out to steady him, Yu Shi couldn’t help but smile. “It’s just a minor issue. Once I take the medicine, I’ll be fine. There’s no need to worry.”
He found a thermometer and checked his temperature—he was indeed running a fever. After retrieving the fever medicine, Feng Xuexiang had already brought him a glass of water.
“Thank you.”
Yu Shi had intended to tell Feng Xuexiang not to fuss over him, but seeing the concern on Feng Xuexiang’s face, he changed his tone and said, “Don’t worry, just get some rest.”
After taking the medicine, Yu Shi lay down, closed his eyes, and tried to relax, though he couldn’t help feeling a bit frustrated.
This illness was probably caused by jumping into the lake during the day and then being exposed to the wind afterward.
It had been a long time since he’d been sick.
He remembered that as a child, he was often ill, until one day his eldest brother brought home a kind of medicine that was supposed to make him healthy.
After taking it for a while, his health did improve significantly, and he rarely fell ill after that.
Even when he did get sick, it was usually something minor that could be easily treated with a little medication.
But this time, it was the first illness he had experienced since coming into this new body, and it came on with surprising intensity. Not long after lying down, his mind began to drift into confusion.
In a daze, he seemed to return to his childhood.
The truth was, he and his brothers weren’t related by blood; they had all been taken in by their eldest brother.
Yu Shi didn’t remember much about his early childhood, only that he seemed to have been abandoned and then fell seriously ill.
It was his eldest brother who carried him back home, giving him a place to belong.
In the first couple of years after arriving at his new home, Yu Shi was still frequently sick. At that time, his eldest brother was just a teenager himself, and his second and third brothers were even younger, not really knowing how to take care of someone.
When he was sick and in pain, his eldest brother would carry him around the courtyard, which made him feel a bit better.
Yu Shi drifted off to sleep, and Feng Xuexiang carefully moved his head onto his own lap. He placed his fingers on Yu Shi’s forehead, feeling for any sign of improvement, his expression dark and troubled.
Yu Shi had a “Five Yin” fate, which meant he was prone to attracting spirits and ghosts. This illness was likely caused by the little water ghost from the day before.
Feng Xuexiang was skilled in exorcising demons, killing ghosts, and manipulating people’s minds. However, when it came to dispelling evil energy and restoring someone’s health, he was powerless.
As he wiped the cold sweat from Yu Shi’s forehead, Feng Xuexiang grew increasingly anxious.
He thought, perhaps he could make a trip to the Ming family.
The Ming family’s spirit demon, Ming Tang, had the power to ward off evil and calm souls. He also possessed a talisman, a string of prayer beads that gained an additional bead each year of his life. These beads could balance yin and yang energies, making them perfect for Yu Shi.
However, Ming Tang was currently in a coma, and even if he were awake, he likely wouldn’t part with such a valuable item easily. Feng Xuexiang would need to come up with a plan…
His face clouded with worry, but then he noticed Yu Shi opening his eyes. Caught off guard for a moment, Feng Xuexiang quickly smiled and gently touched Yu Shi’s face. “Why did you wake up so soon? Are you feeling too uncomfortable to sleep?”
Yu Shi stared at him in confusion, his lips moving slightly.
Feng Xuexiang leaned in to listen and heard him say, “Big brother, carry me home.”
“Big brother, carry me.”
Feng Xuexiang remained silent. Although Yu Shi was always kind and indulgent with him, he had never spoken to him in such a familiar tone, nor had he ever shown this kind of dependence.
Whenever Feng Xuexiang tried to get closer, Yu Shi would sense it and subtly push him away.
Even though Feng Xuexiang didn’t know who this “big brother” was, the tone and expression Yu Shi used now made him feel like his heart was being gnawed away by jealousy. It was even more unbearable than being devoured by butterflies in that murky swamp.
But Yu Shi continued to look at him with that hopeful, confused gaze, so Feng Xuexiang forced a smile and said, “Alright, I’ll carry you.”
