Editor: Sahloknir

The situation was still quite awkward.

Shi Qing had already called off the song and dance, but the fruit and melon skins all over the floor and tables, the half-eaten feast, and the drunken disciples that flushed and smiled nervously when they saw their elders, were not things that could be so easily removed.

These immortal sect masters, all of whom were very famous in the cultivation world, were at this moment in clothes easy to move in and armed to the teeth with weapons and talismans.

Uninvited, they appeared at the entrance of the Steel Bones Sect’s main gates.

Facing off against them were the juniors who had been having the time of their lives just a second before.

The sect masters were all very solemn.

The juniors greeted them, but they dared not approach their elders due to the murderous expressions on their faces.

Shi Qing was the first to recover. He got up with a smile and asked congenially, “Sect Masters, are you here to visit my Steel Bones Sect? What impeccable timing, ah.”

The Sect Masters: “…”

What were they supposed to say at this point?

They came here all riled up, ready to fight to the death to save their disciples, but said disciples were perfectly fine and even enjoying themselves to their hearts’ content.

There was no reason to fight, and it was too humiliating to scold their juniors here in front of everyone.

As for retreating, how were they supposed to retreat when everyone’s already seen them?

In the end, the one with the highest prestige, the Heavenly Derivation Sect Master, opened his mouth to ask, “Sect Master Shi has invited my Sect’s disciples to be your guests? Why didn’t you inform us beforehand? We’ve been searching for them these past few days.”

Shi Qing shrugged. “I just invited them here on a whim. Informing their elders was the last thing on my mind.”

“Besides, you guys didn’t ask either, ah.”

The Sect Masters: “…”

That was technically true.

After all, they zeroed in on the Steel Bones Sect after failing to find their disciples anywhere else.

And since the Steel Bones Sect didn’t get in touch with them before taking their disciples away, of course none of the sect masters thought they had good intentions.

In that case, why would they even bother asking?

All that would serve to accomplish was tipping off the Steel Bones Sect that the jig was up.

It was better to take them by surprise.

Yet unexpectedly, the Sect Masters ended up the ones surprised.

All of their tense, long meetings, their prepared weapons and talismans, their determination to put their lives on the line…

In the end, these disciples were fooling around??!

There was a moment of silence.

One Sect Master was smiling, but it was more of a not-smile. With gritted teeth, he glared at his only son. “San Hua, why didn’t you send word to Father if you were going to be a guest of the Steel Bones Sect.”

The young disciple who was named: “…This son, this son forgot…”

The death ray emanating from his father’s eyes intensified.

The other young disciples didn’t have it much better.

At this moment, all of the Sect Masters had pretty much the same look on their faces.

With constipated expressions, they coldly stared down their disciples, apprentices, grandchildren, and

/or great-grandchildren.

All of you forgot too?

The disciples: “&#k2026;”

You really couldn’t blame them for this.

They did intend to send word to their elders requesting rescue when they were first captured, but that was impossible to do within the confines of the dungeons. Talismans would fail as soon as they touched the walls.

Later on, they were so busy eating and drinking well and being cured of their illnesses that they forgot all about it.

And today? Well, Shi Qing said he was going to send them back today, hence this grand feast. Everyone was too busy watching the performances, snacking on fruits and having fun to send word back.

Of course, Shi Qing was the main one at fault here.

After all, it was because he said he was sending the disciples back home that none of them bothered. They would be going home soon anyway.

The group of disciples looked at their elders cautiously. None of them dared to make so much as a peep.

They felt both scared and embarrassed. Unbeknownst to them, their elders were even more embarrassed than they were.

After all, they had just snuck their way in through the main entrance of another sect in broad daylight! Without sending word first even!

This was so humiliating!

Some of them were even considering entering seclusion for the rest of their lives.

At least their fellow Sect Masters were here to share in the shame.

It was easier to bear since everyone was suffering together.

Although the Sect Master of the Heavenly Derivation Sect also felt humiliated, he still suspected something wasn’t right here.

If the Steel Bones Sect wanted to invite guests, they should have just sent out invitations. Why did they just silently snatch up all these young juniors? This was very suspicious.

He looked at Shi Qing with slightly narrowed eyes.

Shi Qing was the Steel Bones Sect Master. Even if he was a mortal, he was still someone of equal rank. The Heavenly Derivation Sect Master cupped his fist. “Sect Master Shi, since this is all just a misunderstanding, can we take our disciples back now?”

“Of course. They can leave any time they want.”

Shi Qing laid lazily across his seat and made a sweeping gesture.

The disciples who were counting on him to help them plead for mercy all had crestfallen expressions. They lowered their heads and approached their sternly frowning elders.

The male elders were alright. They didn’t act on their anger right here and then even though they were furious.

But a female sect master immediately grabbed onto her disciples ear and twisted, scolding her as she cried out in pain, “Don’t you know how worried I was? Were you trying to scare your master into an early grave?!”

“Shifu, Shifu I was w-wrong! Aiyo, Shifu, please let go already! My ear’s going to fall off!” The female disciple shouted while directing a pleading look at Shi Qing.

Shi Qing didn’t betray her expectations. He opened his mouth to say, “Sect Master Yan shouldn’t take it to heart. It’s natural for little kids to lose track of time while having fun.”

The female disciple: “…”

Wuwuwuwuwu. Sect Master Shi, are you trying to add fuel to the fire??

Lin Xingzhi led the Heavenly Derivation Sect disciples over to their Sect Master and saluted. “Shizun.”

“Are all of my Heavenly Derivation Sect disciples here?”

“Yes, they are all—”

Lin Xingzhi suddenly stopped mid-sentence and looked back. “Where is Ye Zi?”

“Coming, coming! Shizun, I’m here.”

The young boy with a chubby face completely missed the stern, scathing look on his shizun’s face as he jogged over with an armful of grapes. Ye Zi smiled ingratiatingly at his shixiong and shizun.

“These grapes are delicious, so I’ll take some back to plant.”

The Heavenly Derivation Sect Master: “…”

My sect is so unfortunate…How did we raise such a glutton of a disciple??

Just as he was about to retreat, the Sect Master suddenly frowned. His eyes swept over the assembled disciples. “Where is your little shishu?”

Little Shishu?

Lin Xingzhi was also taken aback. Indeed, there was no sign of Little Shishu when he took a look around. He quickly turned and saw that Gu Qiushu hadn’t moved from his original spot. He stood there, looking over at them with sword in hand.

Gu Qiushu’s eyelashes trembled slightly, but he was still expressionless as he stepped forward and saluted his shixiong.

Compared to his own disciples, the Heavenly Derivation Sect Master’s expression eased significantly as he looked at this extraordinarily talented shidi of his. A smile even appeared on his face.

“Shidi, are you alright?”

One sentence was all it took for the events of the past few days to flood Gu Qiushu’s mind.

Being taken to the dungeons after capture, being teased, being forcibly treated…

And then, watching that seemingly unrestrained, fearless and show-off of a Steel Bones Sect Master simply give up on life so easily.

Like he was tossing away a small flower picked in a fit of fancy.

After that came those very brazen, shameless words.

Like a flower in full bloom, that person brazenly and openly spread his crisp fragrance everywhere, hoping to entice others to his side.

Shi Qing said he wanted to spend the rest of his life together with a man.

Gu Qiushu never said a word in response. He just silently stood there.

The Heavenly Derivation Sect Master didn’t find this behaviour strange.

He had long since become used to his shidi’s behaviour.

As long as he’s alright.

“Okay. Since everyone’s here, we’ll discuss this further back at the Sect.”

The disciples all sensed their elders’ intention to teach them a lesson later. They lowered their heads, but no one dared to object.

One by one, the Sect Masters led their disciples out.

Finally, it was time for the Heavenly Derivation Sect to depart.

Gu Qiushu stayed where he was, watching Lin Xingzhi, Ye Zi and the last Heavenly Derivation Sect disciple leave.

His shixiong noticed he wasn’t following suit. He turned around at the main gates with a puzzled expression. “Shidi?”

The white-robed Xianzhang gazed back at Shi Qing, who was still sitting where he originally was.

The previously lively hall was now empty, as if the previous festivities were but an illusion. And Shi Qing, the master of the Steel Bones Sect, was still sitting where he was, idly toying with a wine cup.

When he saw Gu Qiushu looking over, that familiar wicked smile flashed across his face.

“Xianzhang, I’ll see you later if our paths cross again.”

Gu Qiushu did not reply to him, nor did he turn around and leave.

He just continued to stare fixedly at Shi Qing as his shixiong looked on uncomprehendingly.

Shi Qing told him that he wanted to find someone to keep him company.

He didn’t get it at the time, but now he seemed to understand.

In this hall full of wreckage, everyone was gone except one.

It looked inexplicably desolate and lonely.

Gu Qiushu suddenly thought back to the beginning, when Shi Qing had first captured them.

He had always come to tease him, saying again that the little disciples were more fun than him.

Was it possible that Shi Qing, who had been the young master of the Steel Bones Sect from birth and who had been left with only puppets to keep him company after his father’s death, captured these people not only to treat them?

Was he also looking for companionship?

And now, everyone who came to keep him company was leaving.

“Shidi? What are you standing there for?”

The Heavenly Derivation Sect Master didn’t know what his shidi was thinking about and urged him.

Without saying a word, Gu Qiushu suddenly turned back to face him.

“I’m not leaving.”

The Heavenly Derivation Sect Master: “???”

“What did you say?”

“Shixiong, I’m not leaving.”

Gu Qiushu’s voice was a little more resolute the second time. A hint of determination seemed to colour the coldness in his eyes.

The Heavenly Derivation Sect Master looked on like he had seen a ghost, as Gu Qiushu walked over to Shi Qing and sat down by his side.

“I want to stay in the Steel Bones Sect and let him treat me.”

The Heavenly Derivation Sect Master: “…”

He looked at Shi Qing, who everyone in the cultivation world knew to be mortal, and then at his own slender and well-faced shidi, who seemed to be in good health at first glance.

Treat you???

For what? Your brain? Shidi, have you lost your marbles??

Author’s Corner

Randomly sending out red pockets! Good night!