n

n

n

nEditor: Sahloknir

nGu Qiushu was trying to force open his acupoints when Shi Qing suddenly touched his cheeks like that. His eyes snapped open as he glared at the person in front of him.

nThank goodness the spiritual energy in his body was being suppressed. Otherwise, Gu Qiushu would’ve spat out blood after being angered like this while forcing open his acupoints. But even though that didn’t happen, his expression still didn’t look too good. In fact, he seemed like he wanted to run Shi Qing through with his sword.

nShi Qing touched his hard-looking but actually tender cheeks with a smile. “Do you not like me touching you? Just tell me and I promise I’ll stop.”

nBut before Gu Qiushu could respond, he heard him add, “But if you don’t let me touch you, I’m going to touch those little disciples of your Sect, ah. The one just now was simply adorable. He sobbed and sobbed when he was dragged out and even said he would rather die. Do you know his name?”

nThe white-robed Xianzhang’s expression immediately cooled. “What did you do to him?”

n“What did I do to him? Nothing.”

nGu Qiushu had already lost his patience with this always smiling Steel Bones Sect Master who wanted to be seen as kind even as he behaved utterly shamelessly.

nHe had been a senior member of the Heavenly Derivation Sect even as a child. His shixiong, the Sect Master, had no time to look after him, and his juniors, the disciples, were too intimidated to approach him.

nNo matter. He was used to being alone by now.

nBut then this shameless, thick-faced guy appeared and insisted on sticking to him like glue. Gu Qiushu was uncomfortable and irritated, but he couldn’t manage to act as cold and distant as he usually did.

n“Death or dismemberment. Your choice.”

nShi Qing snickered and came in for a sniff. He raised an eyebrow. “Xianzhang, are you mad? Why can’t you believe that I don’t have any bad intentions? If I really wanted to do something to you all, I could’ve just killed you. Why would I go through all this trouble?”

n“Besides, you possess such immortal bearing. I can’t bear to kill you. In fact, I want us to get to know each other better.”

nShi Qing took advantage of Gu Qiushu’s immobility. Like he was teasing a kitten, his long, well maintained and delicate fingers slid around the man’s cheeks.

nHis fingertips were tender, soft and smooth. While fuming, a thought came to Gu Qiushu’s mind.

nWhy can’t Shi Qing just touch his own hand? Why torment me?

nHe wanted to close his eyes and calm down, but that tender, smooth hand refused to let him off that easily. It cheekily stroked his face again and again. The furrow between Gu Qiushu’s eyebrows was growing tighter.

nFinally, he reached his breaking point. “What in the world do you want!?”

n“I just wanted to chat with you. Why be so mean to me?”

nShi Qing seemed quite aggrieved. His hand poked the man’s lips repeatedly. Only when the white-robed Xianzhang’s earlobes reddened again did he stop with a pleased expression. He laid down beside Gu Qiushu and regarded his ethereal side profile.

n“Hey, can’t you pay a little more attention to me? It’s so lonely talking to myself.”

nGu Qiushu aloofly replied with shut eyes. “That’s your problem.”

n“Xianzhang.”

nShi Qing cheerfully poked his cheek again. “Did you forget? Those shizhis of yours are still in my hands. I don’t really want to use them to threaten you, but you’ve got to work with me here.”

n

n

nNoting how Gu Qiushu’s eyelashes trembled a bit, Shi Qing deliberately recounted vaguely the events that just transpired. “Your Heavenly Derivation Sect has a little disciple that looks only about fifteen or sixteen, right? He’s quite cute with those chubby cheeks and big eyes of his. He likes to eat a lot but is also quite timid. When I ordered for him to be brought out, he cried until his nose became red. Oh, and his eyes were wide open with fright when he fell over. What a cutie.”

nHis words had incredible potential for misleading people.

nGu Qiushu stiffened. His eyes opened wide in disbelief.

n“You killed him?”

n“Wu.”

nShi Qing’s hand tapped the man’s lips before moving to his chest to feel that rapidly beating heart. He laughed. “How can you call it killing? I saved him from a lifetime of pain. He should be thankful for that.”

nEven though he denied it, his careless and ambiguous words could easily lead people to think he really did kill that little disciple. And not only did he kill, he actually thought he was morally justified for doing so.

nGu Qiushu’s eyes gradually turned red.

nShi Qing: “Oh right. I’ve been meaning to ask you something. What was his name again?”

nSeveral seconds passed in silence before Gu Qiushu bitterly responded in a hoarse voice. “He’s called Ye Zi. I brought him back to the Sect.”

n“You did? But you don’t look much older than him, ah.”

nShi Qing laid on top of him, feeling how low the other’s body temperature was, due to his fractured meridians. He asked like they were just having a casual chat, “What’s your relationship with him? Is he a little disciple to you or a junior?”

nGu Qiushu’s eyes were bloodshot. “To me…he was a little brother.”

nAnd Shi Qing killed Ye Zi.

nLike always, Shi Qing’s hand fell on the other’s chest, feeling his heartbeat continue to increase.

nThe System was screaming into his ear: AHHH! Host, his animosity value is skyrocketing!!!

nAfter unscrambling its code, the System reported: Ding! Gu Qiushu’s animosity value: 1000

/100

nShi Qing was still as cool as a cucumber. Hey, a new record. Nice.

nThe System: …

nShi Qing smiled as he pushed himself up, so he was now looking down into Gu Qiushu’s murderous eyes.

nIf anyone else was in his place, their heart would skip a beat as a chill rose up their spine.

nBut Shi Qing wasn’t intimidated in the slightest.

n“Your heart is beating so fast, Xianzhang.”

nHe smiled with a hand over the man’s chest. There was nothing but simple appreciation in his expression. “Can you feel your meridians expanding? If we keep this up, you’ll definitely be cured.”

nGu Qiushu couldn’t move. He could only look at Shi Qing like this.

nHe simply asked, “Why?”

n“To cure you, ah. Why else?”

nShi Qing smiled, “I’m a pharmacist. I’m willing to do whatever it takes to cure a patient.”

n“Notice how high your heart rate is? If we can get it a little higher and keep it there for a while, you’ll be cured in no time.”

nGu Qiushu felt that the person in front of him was a madman.

nThe reason Shi Qing killed his most beloved shizhi was just to make his heart beat faster and cure him of his illness.

nMadman.

nHe’s a madman.

nGu Qiushu gritted his teeth. Suddenly, his previously stiff fingers twitched.

nHis acupoints had opened.

nHe forced himself to look down, trying to regain his calm.

nAs expected, the pleased look on Shi Qing’s face stiffened. He frowned in puzzlement and patted all over the Xianzhang’s body. “Why did it go down again?”

nThen something seemed to dawn on him. “This must not be stimulating enough, right? No problem. I’ll go find something even more stimulating right away! Don’t worry. I’m sure I can cure you.”

nShi Qing seemed to be in a pretty good mood. He hummed a tune under his breath as he left.

nWhen the dungeon doors closed again, Gu Qiushu was the only one left inside.

nExpressionless, he silently endured the agony that flooded his body after his acupoints were opened and slowly rose from the bed.

nWith downcast eyes, he drew his sword.

nThe extreme pain in his body was still present, but Gu Qiushu seemed to be numb to it all. Step by step, he walked to the door and calmly laid in wait, as still as a stone statue.

n

n

nAfter an indeterminate amount of time, the door opened again.

nAs the door slowly opened, Shi Qing’s animated voice came through. “Xianzhang, look who I’ve brought you!”

nGu Qiushu twisted sharply and whipped out his sword, laying the sharp edge against Shi Qing’s fair and slender neck.

nHe didn’t even bother to look at those Steel Bones Sect disciples who were warily drawing their swords as he coldly issued his threat.

n“Release the immortal sects’ disciples immediately.”

nHowever, Shi Qing, who was rumoured to be spoiled and pampered, didn’t seem the least bit afraid. He even laughed lightly and leaned bonelessly into Gu Qiushu’s chest. “Xianzhang, what’s all this about? Are you really going to kill me after how well I’ve treated you?”

nGu Qiushu’s eyes were cold. “You killed a disciple of my Heavenly Derivation Sect. There is nothing left to discuss.”

nBut just after he said that, a curious voice came from behind the Steel Bones Sect disciples. “What are you all looking at? Let me through, I want to see too!”

nA chubby-faced youth wearing the Heavenly Derivation Sect’s disciple uniform squeezed to the front to see what all the commotion was about. He was munching on a chicken drumstick.

nWhen he saw what was going on, his eyes widened in shock.

nShi Qing felt the man he was closely pressed up against freeze. He squirmed more and more into the man’s arms. “Little Ye Zi, why did you walk so slowly? Any later and your shishu would have my blood on his hands.”

n“I…I just saw someone delivering wine and food on the way here. They said it was for Shishu, so I took a moment to get a drumstick.” Ye Zi timidly mumbled an explanation before going silent.

nShi Qing nudged Gu Qiushu with his shoulder. “So, does Xianzhang find this stimulating?”

nIndeed, Gu Qiushu’s heart was beating extremely fast right now.

nHe frowned and withdrew his sword, pulling away from Shi Qing. “You did that on purpose?”

n“Of course not. I told you already that I was saving him. How is it my fault you insisted on believing I killed Little Ye Zi?”

nShi Qing shrugged with an innocent look on his face.

nBut Gu Qiushu wasn’t that easy to fool. “You clearly misled me on purpose. You must have anticipated my ambush just now.”

nHis frown deepened. He couldn’t understand why Shi Qing had put himself in such danger. “If I acted even a moment sooner, you would be dead by now.”

n“Dead, shmead. So what? If I die, there’ll be no one left in this world who can save you.”

nWith a smile on his face, Shi Qing walked over and covered Gu Qiushu’s large sword-wielding hand with his own. Under the man’s cold gaze, he took his sword.

n“This is indeed a fine sword. No wonder you refused to give it to me. Still, you’re way too stingy.”

nGu Qiushu gave Shi Qing a chilling look. Even though he still looked like he wanted to beat him to death, his animosity value was much more honest.

nDing! Gu Qiushu’s animosity value: 99

/100

nThe System patted its non-existent little heart and sighed in relief.

nYe Zi cautiously held his drumstick and quietly spoke up for his shishu. “Sect Master Shi, Shishu isn’t being stingy. All Heavenly Derivation Sect disciples go to pick out their sword from the sword tombs as a child. No one is supposed to touch it besides themselves and their cultivation partner.”

n“Oh!”

nShi Qing nodded. He purposely flashed a smirk at the expressionless Gu Qiushu. “Then if I take this sword, doesn’t that make me Gu-xianzhang’s cultivation partner?”

nGu Qiushu looked at him coldly, “Why did you do this?”

n“Pei. You’re really no fun, Xianzhang.”

nShi Qing went over and put the sword back into its scabbard. Then he leaned over to the white-robed Xianzhang’s ear

n“I told you already. I’m willing to do whatever it takes to cure you.”

nShi Qing reached out and grasped Gu Qiushu’s fingers under the man’s cold, stern gaze. His smile became more and more unrestrained. His voice was quiet and warm with sympathy. “Up to and including dual cultivation.”

n

n