Chapter 73: Junior Brother, My Mother’s Family Is in Lian City

Qi Miancheng said, “Junior Brother, do you know the art of divination?”

Ning Mingmei replied, “Not very well. Senior Brother, tell me about it.”

Qi Miancheng said, “Due to a lack of confidence in their own abilities, people often turn to divination when they are uncertain whether their strength is enough to defy fate and achieve their desired outcome. They use it as guidance for their next steps or as a means to glimpse the will of heaven.

“Among those skilled in astrology and divination, the Ice Quenching Pavilion of the Great Wilderness is one of the best. Often, they rely on divination to determine whether their techniques will work. Hundreds of years ago, they foresaw the massacre of the Great Wilderness at the hands of Jiang Duo, yet they were still unable to prevent the death of their Deputy Pavilion Master.”

Qi Miancheng’s perspective on divination was rather unexpected for Ning Mingmei.

It didn’t sound like something the steady and composed sect master of the Supreme Clarity Sect would say. Due to the existence of heavenly tribulation, most cultivators believed in destiny and achieving immortality required following the flow of time and fate. Just like Wen Siheng, Ning Mingmei’s eldest disciple, who would wail and act as if mourning a great loss even if asked to do something as simple as trimming someone’s hair.

As the sect master of the Supreme Clarity Sect, the foremost sect in the world, Qi Miancheng should be upright and impartial, adhering to the doctrine of moderation and setting an example for all cultivators.

Yet, he said that seeking guidance from fate stemmed from a cultivator’s lack of confidence in their own strength.

Qi Miancheng added, “Of course, sometimes divination can be used as a tool.”

Ning Mingmei frowned. “Senior Brother, are you saying that before I set off, you performed a divination and discovered that I was in danger?”

Qi Miancheng replied, “Mm. But in truth, my arrival by your side had nothing to do with divination. That alone is enough to prove that divination is unreliable.”

Ning Mingmei: …

Then what was the point of that whole speech?

“I placed more than just protective spells on the sword I gave you,” Qi Miancheng continued. “I also left another enchantment so when the sword is about to break, I will receive a signal.

“I sensed the sword being severely damaged while I was on my way, which is why I arrived in time.”

Ning Mingmei asked, “Then why were you nearby in the first place?”

The sword just happened to break while Qi Miancheng was nearby? And he just happened to arrive in time to save him? So many coincidences, was he messing with him?

“Because I was originally on my way to the Lian family in Lian City,” Qi Miancheng explained. “The Lian family is my maternal family. I was invited there to sort through my mother’s belongings and to check on this generation of Lian family disciples. Before reaching Lian City, I stopped by the Ice Quenching Pavilion for a while. While traveling westward, I ran into your situation.”

Belongings.

So that meant Lian Tingyu had already passed away?

Ning Mingmei said, “My condolences.”

Qi Miancheng replied, “It’s fine. My mother passed away many years ago. I’ve long since gotten used to it. Haha. Junior Brother, though our bond as fellow disciples runs deep, you shouldn’t empathize too much and grieve for me. If you do, it will disrupt the flow of your true Qi within your body.”

Ning Mingmei: ………

On the surface, it sounded like he was being considerate. But coming from Qi Miancheng, it didn’t sound like a normal thing to say at all.

It was more like a fundamentally cold creature pretending to be human with a smile.

As they sat facing each other in meditation and conversed with their eyes closed, the temperature in the cave seemed to rise. His inner garments were soaked with sweat, clinging uncomfortably to his body.

Gradually, Ning Mingmei felt that it wasn’t just his clothing sticking to him.

There was also Qi Miancheng’s gaze.

That gaze seemed to trace over every inch of his skin, from the strands of his slightly damp hair clinging to his white jade-like neck to the faintly flushed skin made dewy by sweat. Ning Mingmei’s complexion was extremely pale, so when the heat surged from his Dantian, every exposed part of his body turned a soft pink.

His fingertips, earlobes, the tip of his nose, and every place where the soaked fabric clung to his skin.

Yet, every time he opened his eyes, Qi Miancheng appeared composed and his eyes closed in meditation. The white-robed cultivator sat across from him with his face serene, as if he were fully focused on healing.

Ning Mingmei asked the system, [Is he secretly watching me?]

The system said, [I didn’t notice anything. Isn’t the atmosphere between you two quite nice?]

Clearly feeling watched but seeing no obvious actions, it was truly frustrating to have no proof to call it out.

Ning Mingmei never believed in overthinking things. So, he opened his eyes and looked straight at Qi Miancheng who was meditating with his eyes closed. “Senior Brother, you specifically gave me a sword and even added two enchantments. That really moves me. To me, this is a sign of deep brotherhood.

“But if it were someone else, it would seem more like surveillance.”

What the hell! Why did he just say it outright?!

Ning Mingmei told the system, [Hesitation leads to chaos. There’s no reason to let the atmosphere remain vague and ambiguous.]

The mood took a sharp turn. The system was startled.

Qi Miancheng, still with his eyes closed, said, “Junior Brother, do you think I am monitoring you?”

His words made the cave’s atmosphere even colder.

Ning Mingmei said, “Senior Brother, I would never think that. I am a noble and unattainable flower, pure of heart. How could such thoughts ever cross my mind?”

…

How could a ‘noble and unattainable flower’ call themselves a noble and unattainable flower? The system nearly coughed up blood.

But with that one sentence, Ning Mingmei pulled the mood back. The system saw Qi Miancheng’s lips curve slightly.

He smiled. That meant he was going to smooth things over, right? The system sighed in relief.

Qi Miancheng said, “Because ever since Junior Brother emerged from seclusion, your personality has drastically changed. It’s completely different from when you entered seclusion ten years ago. How could that not be suspicious?”

!!

The temperature in the cave dropped to freezing. The system started screaming internally.

Was this really happening? He was exposing everything now? Had he noticed all along? Was his approach just a test? Was the sword actually for surveillance? And now he was confronting him without even pretending otherwise?!

A thousand thoughts condensed into one. I knew it! Qi Miancheng figured you out ages ago!

You didn’t even try to pretend!

Ning Mingmei said, “Oh? And what suspicions do you have? Tell me.”

He leaned forward slightly.

In the dim cave, Ning Mingmei couldn’t see how he looked at the moment. A beauty draped in damp inner robes, leaning forward with eyes wide, reflecting the figure of Qi Miancheng across from him.

It seemed like an innocent question but in reality, it was the precursor to an attack.

Qi Miancheng said, “Junior Brother, right now, it’s just the two of us weathering the storm together. This is the time to focus on healing. Isn’t this conversation inappropriate?”

Then, without even pausing for an interruption, he continued, “But since we’re talking, it doesn’t matter. After coming out of seclusion, Junior Brother’s heart has been with me.”

He said ‘inappropriate’ but didn’t leave a single gap before continuing. Clearly, he never intended to drop the topic.

Wait.

That was the end of his sentence.

Junior Brother’s heart has been with me.

Junior Brother’s heart has been with me??

Qi Miancheng said, “Ever since our master entered the blessed land of Heavenly Cave for seclusion, the Supreme Clarity Sect has only had the six of us left. Though I am the sect master, I cannot hold everything up alone. On many quiet nights, I have often thought that if the six of us could be truly united and support one another, wouldn’t that be wonderful? When Junior Brother emerged from seclusion, you did not seek out the others first. Instead, you came to see me, calling me ‘Senior Brother.’ That made me truly happy.”

You came to him to claim your land.

Ning Mingmei said, “Actually, I met with the eighteen disciples first.”

And those eighteen graduate students didn’t count as people?

Though, to be fair, sometimes graduate students really didn’t seem like people. But this was a bit too blatant.

Qi Miancheng said, “The eighteen disciples don’t count as people. After that, Junior Brother personally volunteered to go to Yaochuan City and Ye Province to resolve troubles for me. Such deep brotherhood is the tradition of the Supreme Clarity Sect. Since you have shown me kindness, I must return it in kind.”

The eighteen disciples don’t count as people.

Qi Miancheng, that was way too fast.

“For example, right now, Junior Brother and I are exchanging encouragement through our gazes,” Qi Miancheng suddenly said. Then, he opened his eyes and looked directly into Ning Mingmei’s.

Qi Miancheng’s eyes were deep and warm, like a vast black sea that could contain everything. At that moment, he said, “Junior Brother, you look very hot. Your sweat has soaked through your inner robes and is clinging to your body.”

Ning Mingmei: “…What exactly are you trying to say?”

Qi Miancheng said, “In a moment, you can take off your clothes. Since your shoulder is injured and movement is inconvenient, I can help wash them for you. If you don’t wish to be bare in front of me, that’s fine too. Junior Brother, my spiritual root is a fire-mutated wind spiritual root, which means I can blow warm air for you.”

A human hairdryer, huh, Sect Master Qi.

Qi Miancheng continued, “Also, Junior Brother has stopped calling me ‘Senior Brother’ and is now just saying ‘you.’ This makes me feel how close we’ve become.”

Ning Mingmei: …

Qi Miancheng: “Apologies, Junior Brother. Have I made you feel pressured? Did I carelessly reveal my true feelings to you?”

Ning Mingmei: “Just blow the air if you’re going to.”

Ning Mingmei closed his eyes. The system observed him and thought it was the first time it had ever seen his eyebrows twitch like that.

He looked… speechless.

Sure enough, warm air began to blow over Ning Mingmei’s body, drying his soaked clothes while a cleansing technique assisted in the process.

Qi Miancheng said, “Junior Brother doesn’t seem nervous at all. You trust me completely. That’s wonderful. My father used to lull me to sleep this way when I was a child.”

Ning Mingmei: “I heard that the old patriarch of the Qi family had a fire spiritual root?”

The patriarch had no wind spiritual root. So… was he roasting his son to sleep?

Qi Miancheng: “Hmm, something like that. My father would recite the Qi Family Patriarch’s Rules to me before bed. It was also a kind of gentle guidance.”

…So one of you feels the air while the other recites family rules. Where exactly is the similarity? The gentleness?

Ning Mingmei told the system, [This Qi Miancheng talks like a random nonsense generator.]

The system replied, [It’s rare to see you criticize someone like this.]

Ning Mingmei: [But he serves me well. Might as well take advantage of it.]

As the warm air enveloped him, though his eyebrows still twitched, his body instinctively relaxed. The warmth was soothing, making his cheeks slightly flushed and his damp hair fall softly. His half-lidded eyes gave him a lazy look.

It would have been perfect. If only Qi Miancheng hadn’t spoken.

“Junior Brother, how do you feel?”

Ning Mingmei opened his eyes, his gaze instantly cooling, as if the person who had just been basking in the warmth wasn’t him at all.

“Senior Brother is severely injured, yet your control over the Qi remains so precise. The Supreme Clarity Sect truly is full of hidden talents,” Ning Mingmei said.

Qi Miancheng smiled but fresh blood dripped from the corner of his lips. “I forgot my wounds weren’t fully healed and kept blowing air for you. Careless of me. I’ve coughed up blood again. Junior Brother, don’t mind it.”

…What kind of lunatic…!!

Ning Mingmei fell silent.

Qi Miancheng said, “Apologies for showing you my weak side, Junior Brother.”

Ning Mingmei: “Senior Brother, it’s fine. Just turn your back to me next time you cough up blood. I’ll feel bad for you.”

Qi Miancheng turned around and sat in meditation. Ning Mingmei, sitting on a rock, stared at his back.

Like a cat staring at something strange.

The system was also stunned. After a long moment, it said, touched, [Qi Miancheng is really a good person. Look, even while injured, he’s still drying your clothes for you.]

Just… a bit unsettling. Almost like he was AI-generated.

Ning Mingmei’s only comment was, [He should eat something nutritious.]

Qi Miancheng’s voice drifted over at that moment. “Junior Brother, don’t worry. I won’t leave you behind.”

…

Ning Mingmei had nothing to say.

He closed his eyes and continued meditating. The effects of the Osmanthus Tree were indeed miraculous and the heat flowing through his body was healing all his wounds.

A truly great thing.

The only issue was that the heat wasn’t just circulating his body. It was gradually settling in his lower abdomen. That part was harder to make sense of.

Ning Mingmei told the system, [When we return, have Lin Heting study this tree. If it can be propagated, Misty Peak will become a whole osmanthus forest.] |33|

The system: ?

For a moment, it was hard to decide whether to complain about the pun or about Ning Mingmei still thinking about another man at a time like this.

Seeing that Ning Mingmei still had the energy to exploit people, the system gradually felt relieved.

It quietly glanced toward the depths of the cave. Qi Miancheng was still sitting with his back to them, meditating.

On the third day, the rain finally stopped. Although their injuries had yet to fully heal, the two had already packed their belongings. Ning Mingmei glanced at Qi Miancheng, who was digging the Osmanthus Tree out of the deep hole, and thought he would never return to this place for the rest of his life.

Perhaps because of the prolonged rain, it remained a dull gray even though the sky had cleared.

Ning Mingmei turned to Qi Miancheng and asked, “Where are we now?”

Since escaping from the mine, Qi Miancheng had been the one flying the entire way. At the time, Ning Mingmei was seriously injured and had no memory of the route.

Qi Miancheng stood beside him, looking down at the landscape below. “Junior Brother, my mother’s family is in Lian City.”

Ning Mingmei responded, “Mm.”

Qi Miancheng continued, “But I don’t know where I’ve flown to. In other words, I’m lost.”

Ning Mingmei: “Isn’t your mother’s family supposed to be here??”

Damn it.

Just as Ning Mingmei was about to speak, he suddenly sensed something and instinctively curled up.