n

n

n

nEditor: Casey

nIn the dungeon, Shi Qing scrutinized every inch of Gu Qiushu.

nGu Qiushu couldn’t move, so he could only fume silently with closed eyes as this utterly shameless Steel Bones Sect Master ran his hands across his body.

nHis ears were already completely red, but the guy was still muttering stuff like, “Is this not stimulating enough for you? Your heart isn’t beating as fast as before…but how could that be? Xianzhang, why aren’t you saying anything? Xianzhang? Xianzhang?”

nGu Qiushu refused to open his eyes as he mentally recited his mantras.

nBut this time, Shi Qing didn’t threaten him with the little disciples of the Heavenly Derivation Sect. He shrugged and got up after seeing Gu Qiushu ignore him. He even took a moment to stretch his back. “Alright then. People of high seniority really are no fun. I might as well visit those little disciples after all. They’re younger so at least they’ll show some reaction to things.”

nGu Qiushu thought he was threatening him again. His eyes snapped open, all the cold and aloofness in them replaced with rage. But Shi Qing didn’t have a pleased smile on his face this time. Like he really had lost interest in Gu Qiushu, he pushed the door open and left.

nThis was a completely unexpected turn of events for Gu Qiushu.

nAfter all, Shi Qing’s threats before have always been just for show. But now that Shi Qing was leaving while he was cooperating, Gu Qiushu immediately jumped to the conclusion that this person was actually going to do something to the disciples. His clear, cold eyes immediately filled with a sense of urgency.

n“What are you trying to do here?”

n“I’m warning you, if anything happens to a disciple of my Heavenly Derivation Sect, you will make an enemy of us all.”

n“Come back–”

nThe Steel Bones Sect disciples waiting outside the door saw Shi Qing come out and hurried over to greet him. Then they saw their lunatic of a sect master lean against the wall with a smile on his devilishly handsome face.

nHe asked them, “Listen to what’s being said inside. Gu-xianzhang isn’t even willing to be polite at this stage. He’s obviously the one begging me to go back to treat him, but he’s ordering me around like I’m a disciple of his sect.”

n“Aiyo. I’m certainly not going to stick around for this.”

nInside, Gu Qiushu could hear him clearly.

nEven if he was cold by nature, those words almost made him curse in rage.

nHe grit his teeth and eventually spat out for the sake of the Heavenly Derivation Sect’s disciples, “Please.”

nHe would definitely return the humiliation he suffered today in the future.

nAnd yet…

n“Oh, he begged me? Aiya, just like I thought. I do like listening to people beg me more.”

nShi Qing waved his hand. “Let’s go see how those juniors are doing. This Sect Master can’t wait to treat them, ah.”

nNo one here thought he was actually going to treat those disciples.

nThe Steel Bones Sect disciples were too afraid to speak up. Gu Qiushu, on the other hand, genuinely believed Shi Qing was going to do something to those disciples. He couldn’t move his body, but his eyebrows were furrowed tightly.

n“If you want to do something, do it to me. Why go humiliate those juniors?”

n“Do you hear me?”

n“Do you hear me, Shi Qing?!”

nShi Qing leaned by the dungeon door, watching the man look up and speak to the ceiling because he couldn’t move anything else. His smile widened. “Give this dungeon a good makeover. Make it look like a guest room. How can we mistreat someone of such immortal bearing like Xianzhang?”

n

n

n“Oh, and also bring over some good dishes and wine. He’s a guest of our Steel Bones Sect, so we should show him how hospitable we can be.”

nThe disciples of the Steel Bones Sect: “&#k2026;”

nWas the Sect Master being sarcastic??

nThey cautiously peeked up at Shi Qing. “Sect Master, should we add anything to the dishes and wine?”

nShi Qing narrowed his eyes in thought. “Add extra chilies. Gu-xianzhang looks pretty with flushed cheeks.”

nAt that, Shi Qing left to where the little disciples were being kept without a second glance at the dungeon. Gu Qiushu had fallen silent after his words, as if too infuriated to speak.

nThe disciples of the Steel Bones Sect had always been very efficient at their tasks.

nThis efficiency only increased after Shi Qing became the Sect Master.

nAfter all, the worst disciples from other sects had to only worry about expulsion from their sect.

nBut in the Steel Bones Sect?

nJust look at their lunatic Sect Master. Immediately after coming into his position, he mercilessly captured the inner circle disciples of the other sects. If they couldn’t do what they were told to do, who knew if they would live to see another day.

nSo the orders given by Shi Qing were always carried out ASAP.

nBack with the little disciples, the table in front of them was completely filled with dishes and rice.

nMost of them had not learned how to practice inedia yet, so their stomachs were already growling after being locked up so long. With so much food in sight, none of them could resist the temptation.

nWhen Shi Qing arrived, he happened to hear one of the disciples say indignantly, “Shidi, how can you eat their food? Aren’t you afraid they’ve poisoned it?!”

nThe little disciple answered with a full mouth, “I’ll take that risk. Shixiong, I’ve been hungry for so long. Even if this doesn’t kill me, starvation will.”

n“If I’m going to die anyway, I might as well die with a full belly. Wu! This dish is so sweet. I’m going to die of diabetes.”

nShi Qing turned the corner and noted the disciple answering with a full mouth was wearing the uniform of the Heavenly Derivation Sect.

nThe disciples of the Heavenly Derivation Sect were all raised within the sect, leading to them mostly having steady temperaments. Ling Xingzhi, for example.

nAlthough few of them were as cold and aloof as Gu Qiushu, even fewer were foodies like this disciple.

nSmiling, he walked up to them and raised his voice, “Well said. Since you’re going to die anyway, poison is better. Congratulations, little Xianzhang, you’ll be the first to die of pain.”

nThe young disciple stared dumbly up at Shi Qing with two cheeks stuffed with food.

nShi Qing confirmed yet again that there really were no ugly disciples in the cultivation world.

nThis little disciple was around fifteen or sixteen years old. His chubby face seemed to still have some baby fat, and there was a childish look about him.

nIn other words, he was super adorable.

nShi Qing’s hands were itching to touch those soft cheeks and see if they were as squishy as they looked.

nUnfortunately, out of consideration for Gu Qiushu, who was back in the Heavenly Word Dungeon, Shi Qing could only dismiss this idea.

nWhat a pity.

nHe really wanted to touch it, but he already had a Gu Qiushu at home.

nHe was a very disciplined person, after all.

nThe very disciplined Shi Qing met the gaze of the dumbfounded foodie.

nThe little disciple finally reacted. He swallowed the food in his mouth before dumbly hugging the bowl to his chest and asking, “Sect Master Shi, is there really poison in the food?”

nShi Qing saw that he was afraid and smiled. “Didn’t you say you were willing to take that risk? That you would rather die with a full belly?”

nThe young disciple basically took those words as confirmation. The corners of his eyes instantly reddened as he pitifully looked down at the food. He sounded like he was about to cry. “I thought…I thought there wasn’t any…”

n“You could capture us, so you could easily kill us as well. Why go through the trouble of using poison?”

nLin Xingzhi warily stepped in front of his fellow disciple and reprimanded him fiercely, “Don’t cry! We Heavenly Derivation Sect disciple must remain brave even in the face of death!”

n

n

nThe young disciple sniffled. He hung his head, looking depressed.

nHe was obviously expecting to die at any moment now.

n“All right, all right. We shouldn’t waste this chance since you’re going to die anyway. Someone get him out. This pharmacist wanted to take a look at him.”

nAt that, all the Heavenly Derivation Sect disciples who had been quiet thus far shielded the little disciple with their swords drawn.

nHowever, none of them had any spiritual energy left. The Steel Bones Sect disciples restrained them one by one, eventually dragging the one Shi Qing had requested before him. That little disciple couldn’t stop trembling in fear, his eyes were brimming with unshed tears. He looked so pitifully cute.

n“Peipeipeipei. Are all you Heavenly Derivation Sect disciples this good-looking?”

nShi Qing’s hands were itching like crazy.

nHis eyes kept turning back to the other’s face. Then he sighed with great regret.

n“Such a pity. This Sect Master loves to touch what others don’t want me to touch the most, but I already have Gu Qiushu. No matter how touchable you look, this Sect Master can’t indulge.”

nWhen the little disciple heard Gu Qiushu’s name, he looked up cautiously and happened to meet Shi Qing’s eyes. He jolted out of fright again.

nHe was so, so scared, but Ling Xingzhi’s words were still fresh in his mind. So despite his trembling body, he stuttered out, “W-we Heavenly Derivation Sect disciples will remain brave even in the face of d-death!”

nShi Qing nodded. “Got it.”

nHe rummaged around in his lapels and eventually took out a stick of incense, which he lit in front of the little disciple.

nThe little disciple looked at him warily until his legs suddenly gave out as he fainted. The puppet behind him caught him with inhuman speed and lifted him over its shoulder.

nSo now the little disciple was once again eye to eye with Shi Qing, who smiled and shook the incense in his hand. “Prepare to die then~”

nThe little disciple: “…”

nFat tears started to roll down his face.

nSeeing that he had taken the joke too far, Shi Qing coughed dryly. “Okay, okay, fine. Don’t worry, the food wasn’t poisoned. But you really are going to die of pain.”

nThe little disciple continued to cry.

nSince he wasn’t listening to a word he said, Shi Qing decided to try a threat. “Stop crying. If you keep crying I’ll kill you.”

nThe little disciple cried even harder. “I-I’m going to die anyway. Do whatever you want.”

nShi Qing almost laughed out loud at how pitiful and aggrieved the little disciple looked.

nHe imagined Gu Qiushu in his place and instantly perked up.

n“Alright, alright. I’m in a hurry so no more nonsense.”

nWith incense in hand, Shi Qing watched with an upturned chin as the person being carried gradually stopped crying. Instead, he had an intensifying expression of discomfort on his face. After dry heaving a few times, the little disciple vomited out some larvae-like bug.

nIt was very large and still writhing about when it hit the ground.

nShi Qing snapped his fingers. “Let’s clean up here.”

nShi Qing snuffed out the incense and gestured for the puppet to return the little disciple to the dungeon. Then he looked down at the befuddled people inside and coldly snorted. “You don’t even know if something got in your stomach. What did your shizhang teach you? And you even dared to cry when this Sect Master helped you out of the goodness of my heart. Hmph. How rude.”

n“Welp, this Sect Master has other matters to attend to. Amuse yourselves in my absence.”

nHe quickly went to the Heavenly Word Dungeon.

nThen, accosted by the wary eyes of Gu Qiushu, Shi Qing hastily put his hands on the man’s cheeks. “I saved your shizhi, so you should offer yourself up to pay me back”

nGu Qiushu looked cold, but his face was burning hot.

nShi Qing smiled and touched until he had his fill.

nThen he sighed at Gu Qiushu, whose cold gaze was as sharp as a knife.

n“Since I could resist touching those little pitiful disciples from your sect, I really am a very disciplined person.”

n

nAuthor’s Corner

nRandomly sending out red pockets~

nNight night!

nRain

nOn a side note, I just noticed that all the named members of the Heavenly Derivation Sect so far have names related to trees:

nGu Qiushu (顧秋樹) – His given name means ‘autumn tree’

nLin Xingzhi (林行止) – His surname means ‘forest’

nYe Zi (葉梓) – His name is a homonym for ‘leaves’. Shi Qing’s nickname for him (小葉子) literally translates to ‘little leaf’.

n

n