Chapter 121: Master Qin Haoran
This time, Yu Le’s departure from Hanya Peak wasn’t for anything major. He had received a message from Senior Brother Meng Qing and had grown tired of the cold, desolate peak, so he decided to go have some fun with his senior brothers and sisters.
They had arranged to meet at Senior Brother Meng Qing’s Xiaoyao Peak.
Meng Qing was of the wood-fire spiritual root, and as an alchemist master, his Xiaoyao Peak was lush with greenery and filled with spiritual herbs, a breathtaking scene of everlasting early summer.
The herbal boys on the peak saw him arrive and came forward to lead the way, guiding him to a bamboo pavilion.
Senior Brother Meng was there, drinking tea.
It was rare to find Senior Brother Meng away from his alchemy furnace. Yu Le greeted him with a smile, “Senior Brother, you seem relaxed today.”
Meng Qing chuckled, “I’ve been waiting for you. You’ve stayed at Senior Brother’s Hanya Peak for two months without coming down. I had to call for you to get you out of there. You’ve really changed.”
Bai Feishuang arrived behind Yu Le and added, “Junior Brother Meng was worried you’d be trapped on the peak by Senior Brother and wouldn’t be able to get any freedom, so he specifically sent that letter to give you an excuse to come down. He wanted to see if you were worn out.”
Meng Qing chuckled and joined in with her teasing, “Exactly! But I can see that you’re in good spirits, and your complexion is rosy, so I worried for nothing.”
Yu Le feigned surprise, “What? So the part in your letter about enjoying a feast of spiritual delicacies was just an excuse? I won’t accept that!”
“Senior Brother at Hanya Peak doesn’t let me eat anything. I’ve been starving, counting on you for a good meal!”
Meng Qing couldn’t stop laughing. “Don’t worry, I know how much you love good food. You won’t miss out on any delicacies!”
Unlike Mo Cunzhi, who preferred solitude, Meng Qing was well-liked among his fellow disciples and knew many of his peers. Whenever he hosted these small gatherings, disciples from nearby peaks would always join in the fun.
After the three of them chatted for a while, other disciples started arriving one by one, soon filling the bamboo pavilion.
At the feast, no one spoke of cultivation matters. Instead, they idly chatted about interesting stories and recent major events.
The topic most frequently discussed during the feast was the upcoming Zhongzhou Sword Tournament.
Disciples from various sects were expected to attend, and among the cultivators of the Immortal Path, most practiced swordsmanship. Even those who specialized in other weapons knew how to wield a sword, making each tournament a grand and lively affair.
At the feast, several fellow disciples were planning to participate, including Bai Feishuang and Meng Qing.
Though Meng Qing was an alchemist, alchemists also needed to know how to fight. He had reached a bottleneck in his alchemy cultivation and intended to improve his swordsmanship at this event.
Yu Le listened quietly, and his mind drifted to the original storyline.
In the original plot, the female and male protagonists were meant to reunite at this sword tournament.
The return of the Demonic Path Master had caused the conflicts within the Demonic Path to subside. However, many of the demonic factions that the male protagonist had previously purged fled to the Immortal Path, causing further chaos.
Some new and rebellious Demonic Path forces, unwilling to submit to the male protagonist, even sought to challenge the Immortal Path. Others acted on their own, planting demonic spies with the intention of causing trouble during the sword tournament.
In the original plot, the eldest senior brother, who had accidentally killed innocent people, did not participate in the tournament. He had been imprisoned by the sect master in the cold cave on Hanya Peak, where he was tormented by his uncontrollable demonic energy.
But now, thanks to Yu Le’s interference, the plot had fallen into disarray. The male protagonist would not appear, but Mo Cunzhi might.
During the feast, a disciple happened to mention, “Do you think Senior Brother will attend this time?”
“Senior Brother took first place at the last sword tournament. If he goes again, there’s no doubt he’ll be first again.”
“Among his peers, Senior Brother is unbeatable.”
While some praised him, others were less impressed.
One disciple, already drunk, said, “That’s not necessarily true. There are powerful people outside as well. The princes of the Lingxie family and the Sword God of Wuwang Valley didn’t attend last time. If they do, who knows who will come out on top?”
No one echoed his words, and the disciple, noticing the awkward gazes of those around him, felt a wave of embarrassment and frustration.
What? Was he wrong? Did he have to praise Senior Brother like the rest of them?
“Can we go now?”
The disciple shuddered at the sound of the voice, sobering up instantly. He blinked in disbelief and turned to look behind him. On the dimly lit path, under the faint glow of lanterns, stood a figure dressed in black.
His arrival seemed to bring with it a chill, as if the cold of ice and snow had washed away the warm fragrance of the lush greenery.
Night had fallen without anyone noticing, and Mo Cunzhi, clad in black, had arrived without anyone realizing it.
The disciple who had spoken moments earlier, having been overheard by Mo Cunzhi, didn’t dare make a sound.
Meng Qing stood up to greet him, “Senior Brother, you’re here. We were just having a feast with our fellow disciples. Would you like to join us?”
“That won’t be necessary,” Mo Cunzhi replied, his gaze shifting to his junior sister and junior brother seated together. “I’m here to pick up Junior Brother.”
Yu Le had already stood up and dusted off his clothes. With a calm expression, he addressed his fellow disciples, who were staring at him with odd expressions, “I’ll take my leave now.”
He even made a point to turn to his senior sister and say, “Senior Sister, I’m heading off.”
As the two of them disappeared down the path, the group exchanged bewildered glances before the lively atmosphere returned.
Someone couldn’t help but ask, “Senior Brother actually came in person to pick up Junior Brother? What’s going on? Are they that close?”
“You’ve been in seclusion too long and don’t know. Junior Brother has already moved to live at Senior Brother’s Hanya Peak.”
“I knew that, but I never thought Senior Brother would care so much. He even came to fetch him!”
.
Their surprise mirrored Yu Le’s own.
As he walked down Xiaoyao Peak’s path, idly plucking a leaf of grass, he glanced at Mo Cunzhi walking silently beside him.
“Why did Senior Brother come to pick me up?”
“You mentioned wanting to rest tonight. It’s already late,” Mo Cunzhi replied.
Yu Le insisted on going to bed at the same time every night and even demanded that Mo Cunzhi accompany him, claiming it was better for the baby’s development.
Hearing this response, Yu Le’s expression turned a bit strange, amused by the idea. Was Senior Brother really that obedient?
With a sigh, Yu Le said, “I was planning to stay the night at Senior Brother Meng’s place tonight.”
Mo Cunzhi stopped in his tracks. “You didn’t tell me.”
Yu Le replied, “I didn’t think Senior Brother would mind something so trivial.”
He had assumed that if he left for three days, Mo Cunzhi would simply continue practicing his swordsmanship at the peak without concern. Given how often he tormented Senior Brother, Yu Le figured that Mo Cunzhi would enjoy the break and might even prefer him staying away longer.
Mo Cunzhi responded, “Next time, let me know in advance.”
Yu Le couldn’t help but chuckle. “Senior Brother is really keeping a close watch on me. Do you think something might happen to me at Senior Brother Meng’s place?”
Mo Cunzhi fell silent.
He often did this—falling into silence midway through a conversation. Whether he disagreed, didn’t want to talk, or simply had nothing to say, Yu Le could never tell.
Sometimes Yu Le grew frustrated and would half-jokingly imagine prying open Mo Cunzhi’s chest to see what words he kept locked away inside.
“Senior Brother, are you going to attend the sword tournament this time?”
“I am.”
Their conversation meandered, with Yu Le casually chatting while Mo Cunzhi responded to each question. Though Mo Cunzhi didn’t speak much, he always answered. Whether Yu Le teased him or tried to provoke him, his replies remained calm and steady.
How utterly boring.
It seemed like after spending a day alone in the freezing snow, Mo Cunzhi had regained his composure and was ready to face him again.
Yu Le smiled with renewed interest.
His feelings toward this Senior Brother constantly shifted between finding him dull and amusing.
As they returned to Hanya Peak, Yu Le walked ahead, with Mo Cunzhi following behind him.
The steep mountain steps were covered in snow and ice, making them slippery. Yu Le intentionally wobbled as if he were about to fall backward, and Mo Cunzhi swiftly caught him by the waist, steadying him.
“With your cultivation level, how could you fall in a place like this?” Mo Cunzhi said, as if he had seen through Yu Le’s little act of intentionally causing trouble.
“You’ve been cultivating at the peak for two months, and your cultivation hasn’t improved in the slightest.”
It sounded like he was accusing Yu Le of indulging in pleasure instead of focusing on his cultivation.
Since Yu Le had switched to demonic cultivation, his spiritual cultivation naturally hadn’t progressed.
Without missing a beat, Yu Le fabricated a lie. “Because the male body of the Phoenix bloodline has a unique pregnancy, my cultivation will remain stagnant until the baby is born.”
“And unlike a regular child, its development will be very slow. I’m going to become weak soon.”
One sentence, and Senior Brother would end up guilt-ridden in the middle of the night, slapping himself in remorse.
“…Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” As expected, Mo Cunzhi’s tone became low and serious.
“Do I have to tell Senior Brother everything? You don’t tell me your business either,” Yu Le replied dismissively.
Suddenly, his body felt lighter as Mo Cunzhi lifted him up. Like a shadow, Mo Cunzhi carried him swiftly and steadily along the long mountain path.
Yu Le was speechless.
So easy to deceive, so easy to manipulate—could someone like this really be a villain?
“Senior Brother, I’m getting weaker. You’ll protect me, won’t you?” After stabbing him with his words, Yu Le then asked pitifully.
“I will,” Mo Cunzhi said, holding his troublesome little junior brother close. He reassured him, “You don’t need to worry.”
There was still some time before the sword tournament began, and Yu Le originally planned to stay on Hanya Peak.
But then his master summoned him after emerging from seclusion.
His original master, Qin Haoran, was the Peak Master of Nanyue Peak. His cultivation was second only to the sect master and the grand elder. Qin Haoran was kind-hearted and a good-natured man.
After the original owner’s family was destroyed, leaving him the only survivor, it was Qin Haoran who had taken him in and raised him, making their relationship especially close.
After Qin Haoran came out of seclusion, it was no surprise that he immediately called his most cherished little disciple to see him.
When Yu Le arrived, Senior Brother Meng was already there, talking to their master.
Qin Haoran looked exactly as he did in the original owner’s memories—kind-faced, with fine lines at the corners of his eyes when he smiled. His presence was unique, making him appear both young and old at the same time.
“Yu Rui, come here. Not bad, you’ve already broken through to the Spirit Refining stage.”
Qin Haoran looked pleased. “I’ve heard everything from your senior brother. You’ve started to show ambition, venturing into the Meishou Mountain secret realm and even working with your senior brother to eliminate demons.”
He praised him for a while, then asked Yu Le whether he had encountered any difficulties or injuries, showing concern like a father.
Yu Le, playing the obedient role of the original owner, answered politely.
Qin Haoran beckoned him over, saying, “Come, let Master take a look and see if there’s anything wrong with your body.”
Between a close master and a trusted friend or partner, it wasn’t uncommon to use spiritual energy to directly check the body. In the past, Qin Haoran would often do this for the original owner, as spiritual probing provided a more accurate assessment.
Yu Le hesitated, feeling awkward. “Master, I’m already an adult. Now that I can handle matters on my own, why does Master still treat me like a child? Senior Brother doesn’t check on me like this anymore.”
Though confident that the demon core wouldn’t be detected, the blood-born fetus inside him would be difficult to explain, so it was best to avoid the inspection.
Qin Haoran, assuming that his little disciple was simply grown up and concerned about appearances, withdrew his hand with understanding. “Very well, but don’t hide anything from Master. When cultivating, make sure to pay attention to even small pains and injuries, lest they become a bigger problem.”
After showing his concern for his disciple, Qin Haoran added, “I hear you’ve been living with your senior brother lately?”
“Yes, Senior Brother has taught me many things.”
“If you need guidance, why trouble your senior brother? You’re welcome to stay with your Senior Brother Meng at the Xiaoyang Peak, or even with me.”
Yu Le knew why Qin Haoran didn’t want him to get too close to Mo Cunzhi—because, like the sect master, Qin Haoran was aware of Mo Cunzhi’s half-immortal, half-demonic heritage.
However, Qin Haoran was kinder than the sect master, and he felt compassion for Mo Cunzhi. While he allowed his disciples to interact with him, deep down he remained cautious, not wanting them to grow too attached.
Feigning ignorance, Yu Le playfully said to his master, “Living with Master or Senior Brother, neither of you would ever push me too hard. But Senior Brother Mo doesn’t hold back. It’s only because of his strict teaching that I’ve made such progress.”
“Don’t worry, Master. Senior Brother Mo doesn’t feel bothered by me at all. I’m even thinking of having him help me with my swordsmanship so I can test my skills at the sword tournament in a while.”
As expected, Qin Haoran’s attention shifted to this new topic. “You’re planning to attend the sword tournament too, Yu Rui?”
Yu Le responded with confidence, “Of course! If all the senior brothers and sisters are going, how could I not?”
Seeing his determination, Qin Haoran didn’t try to stop him, but instead offered more words of advice: “It’s good that you’re motivated, but don’t push yourself too hard. Whatever happens, Master will always be here for you. I’d rather see you at ease and happy than too driven.”
…
On his way back to Hanya Peak, Yu Le reflected on Qin Haoran’s words and actions, a playful smile appearing on his face.
He found Qin Haoran’s attitude toward his little disciple overly indulgent. Recalling the original owner’s memories, it seemed that from a young age, this master had always emphasized that Yu Rui needn’t practice too rigorously.
He allowed the little disciple to slack off and placed no demands on him. Rarely urging him to cultivate, Qin Haoran’s teachings were lenient to the point of indulgence.
As a result, the original onwer’s cultivation level was the lowest among his peers.
