Li Lanxiu cast him a sidelong glance and said casually, "Chu Yue, this is the holy maiden of Jademaiden Sect, Lady Jing Mei."
Chu Yue kept a hand pressed to the spot where the slave mark had been. The joy of breaking through to the Golden Core stage faded. He should have known—the slave mark could only be placed by someone whose cultivation surpassed the recipient’s. Otherwise, its existence would defy reason.
Jing Mei’s gaze shifted between them before she said coolly, "Daoxiong, there’s no need to call me ‘Lady.’ Just Jing Mei will do. We are wanderers of the jianghu. No need for such formalities."
Li Lanxiu chuckled lightly in acknowledgment. "This is Chu Yue," he introduced.
But he did not add, "He is mine."
Chu Yue looked at Jing Mei with an impassive expression. She was, as expected, a stunning beauty. He gave a slight nod. "Miss Jing Mei."
Jingmei glanced at the hilt of the blade peeking out from behind his waist. "You practice with a blade? Not bad. Would you spar with me?"
Chu Yue shot Li Lanxiu a glance before shaking his head. "No."
"Why not?" Jing Mei frowned. Her eyes were sharp. "Your blade is a fine weapon. Keeping it sheathed is a waste of its potential."
Li Lanxiu had no interest in how their conversation would unfold. He slipped on his shoes and socks, stood up and was about to leave when Chu Yue caught up in a few strides. "I'm going back with you."
"You’re not sparring with Miss Jing Mei?" Li Lanxiu raised a brow.
Jing Mei lowered the veil of her hat, her voice turning cold. "If you won’t spar, I won’t force you. But missing the chance to witness my original sword technique is your loss."
Li Lanxiu thought to himself, Mm, your loss.
Chu Yue stared at him intently. "Do you want me to spar with her?"
Li Lanxiu had no interest in getting involved between the two of them. He shrugged. "Do as you please."
Chu Yue’s lips curled slightly. "Let’s go back."
Li Lanxiu could offer no help. If anyone was to blame, it was Chu Yue for being so slow to understand. He gave Jing Mei a slight nod, then turned and walked ahead.
Jing Mei watched as the two left, one following behind the other. When they had gone a good distance, the young man called Chu Yue glanced back at her. His gaze was deep and unreadable.
In the valley, where mountains stood distinct and waters ran bright, a gentle breeze drifted past. Now and then, a bird called out in a long, lingering note.
Chu Yue walked behind Li Lanxiu, staring at his slender figure.
They walked in silence for a long while before Chu Yue touched the spot on his neck where the slave mark had been. "Young Master."
Li Lanxiu paused. "Hm?" His voice was light, as if the disappearance of the slave mark was of no concern.
Chu Yue hesitated, then said, "I’ve reached the Golden Core stage."
Li Lanxiu turned to glance at him. Behind the mask, his gentle, languid voice carried a dullness. "I forgot to congratulate you."
Chu Yue’s fingers slowly curled into a fist inside his sleeve. He stated plainly, "The slave mark is gone."
Li Lanxiu nodded. "That’s how it is. A slave mark can only be placed on someone with a lower cultivation than the caster. Now that we are both at the early Golden Core stage, the mark naturally disappeared."
"You never told me that before." Chu Yue’s voice was steady.
Li Lanxiu tilted his head to look at him. He reached out, lifted Chu Yue’s chin and let out a quiet chuckle. "Back then, you only wanted to kill me. Why would I tell you? Seeing you like this, humiliated and indignant, is far too amusing."
Chu Yue stepped forward half a step and pressed Li Lanxiu’s hand against his throat, the gesture more intimate than hostile. "Young Master seems to enjoy watching others suffer."
That was true. One of Li Lanxiu’s favorite amusements was precisely this—so long as both parties were willing. If someone refused to endure his torment, they could always leave. There were plenty of others eager to take their place.
He traced his fingertips over the thin skin of Chu Yue’s throat and deliberately asked in a cold voice, "When have I ever caused you pain?"
The skin over Chu Yue’s Adam’s apple tensed. He stared at Li Lanxiu and spoke softly, "Young Master granted me the kindness of recognition. I am endlessly grateful."
"At least you know your place." Li Lanxiu patted his cheek lightly, then turned and continued walking forward.
Chu Yue touched the spot where Li Lanxiu had brushed his face. He closed his eyes briefly, savoring the moment, then strode after him.
At that moment, in Cloudwater Hall of Conundrum Sect. The spacious hall was paved with black stone. A massive landscape painting hung from the domed ceiling, accompanied by layers of white gauze curtains, lending an air of elegance without diminishing its immortal grace.
Twelve chairs were arranged down the sides of the hall. Elder Shen of Cloudwater Hall sat at the central seat, rubbing his forehead as he let out a long sigh.
The various peak lords held either tea or wine, their expressions ranging from cold indifference to warm smiles as they conversed. The topic of discussion was the young man who had slain the black jiao lord—specifically, which peak he should belong to.
According to an unspoken rule of the sect, any disciple admitted through recommendation was already considered a member of their peak lord’s faction. They were placed in the outer sect to train, and when the official apprenticeship ceremony arrived, it was a mere formality—one that allowed them to return to their rightful place.
This rule had existed for hundreds of years, never changing, never questioned. Everyone simply turned a blind eye and let it be.
But now, the young man who had reached the ninth level of Qi Refinement in ten days and single-handedly slain the black jiao lord had made certain peak lords open their eyes. Suddenly, they found the rule unreasonable and had brought it up repeatedly for discussion.
Xue Wujiu stood up, his voice heavy with concern. "Our sect has around three to four thousand inner disciples, but our outer sect has nearly ten thousand. Among them, some have spent decades in the outer sect, their hair turning gray, yet they still haven’t entered the inner sect. Please consider this—if they learn that some disciples are already pre-selected by the inner peaks the moment they enter the outer sect, wouldn’t that chill their hearts?"
"Indeed, Xue-xiong makes a good point."
Peak Lord Han of Surfoot Peak nodded and sighed. "This rule of recommending disciples into the sect takes away opportunities from those outer disciples who have worked hard in cultivation. It never should have existed and ought to be abolished."
Li Yanbi narrowed his eyes slightly and sneered without speaking. How could he not see through their ploy?
Among everyone seated, he alone had never recommended a disciple for direct entry. The rest all had their hands dirty, yet now that he was about to have his first recommended disciple, they wanted to abolish the rule. Wasn’t it just because they had their eyes on Chu Yue’s astonishing talent? They wanted to take him in as their own disciple, but since they all cared about their reputations, they couldn’t say so outright. Instead, they had to come up with a grand-sounding excuse.
Peak Lord Zhou of Resonance Peak was a straightforward man. He said, "This is a serious matter. Aside from Peak Lord Li, everyone here has recommended disciples. These disciples are exceptionally gifted and form the backbone of our sect. If we abolish the recommendation system, it might shake the sect’s very foundation."
"I think Peak Lord Zhou makes a good point."
Xue Wujiu seized the moment and addressed the crowd. "The recommendation system should not be abolished. In my view, it should be revised to better fit our current situation."
He paused, deliberated for a moment, and continued. "I suggest that recommended disciples be allowed to choose their own master, just like outer disciples, instead of being bound by this rule. What do you all think?"
"That makes sense! Whether they are your disciples or mine, they are all disciples of our sect."
"When should this take effect?"
"No time like the present…"
Li Yanbi flicked his sleeves and stood up. He could no longer bear to listen. He swept his gaze over the ones who had just spoken, let out a cold laugh and strode out of the hall.
"Elder Shen, look at him. He’s at it again…"
Elder Shen rubbed his aching forehead. He could no longer hold back from exposing their little schemes. "Chu Yue is indeed promising, but do you all need to fight over him like this? The recommendation rule has always been this way."
"If you refuse to accept it, then wait for the sect master to return and take it up with him!"
Everyone exchanged glances. It seemed that was their only option.
Xue Wujiu thoughtfully stroked his chin and suddenly said, "I remember that Chu Yue never had his spiritual root tested when he entered the sect. How about we test his spiritual root when he returns? Elder Shen, what do you think?"
Elder Shen had no objections on this matter. He too was curious about Chu Yue’s spiritual root and nodded in agreement.
The trial period was nearing its end, and Chu Yue didn’t have many opportunities to be alone with Li Lanxiu. Li Lanxiu had been gathering herbs and hunting beasts for yao cores with the disciples of Violetstage Peak, always surrounded by people.
Chu Yue spent his time absorbing the profound martial arts from the true-intent jade slips while also seizing every chance to practice against the magical beasts of the Azurerain realm.
It wasn’t until the trial ended and the return journey to the sect began that the large flying vessel descended into the valley they had come from. The ship’s body was intricately carved with vivid floating clouds and celestial cranes, and several soft lanterns glowed on either side, emitting an ethereal aura.
The deck was filled with bustling disciples in white robes, chatting in small groups.
Li Lanxiu stood alone, leaning against the railing on the second floor. His red sleeves stood out against the sea of white.
Chu Yue spotted him immediately. He took a few steps up the stairs, but just as he reached the corridor, a group of Violetstage Peak disciples appeared, surrounding Li Lanxiu, calling out, "Xiao-Shidi, Xiao-Shidi!"
"Shidi, the spirit herbs you gathered for us were abundant and of excellent quality. The disciples of Thousandchance Peak were so jealous that their eyes turned red. They kept asking where you gathered them..."
"Xiao-Shidi, when we return to the sect, do you want to join us for a task? Shijie will protect you."
"Xiao-Shidi, have you ever been to Soulmartial City? There's a tavern there with a celestial brew that’s unparalleled..."
Li Lanxiu tilted his head, seemingly talking to them. The crowd shielded him completely, and Chu Yue stopped in his tracks, crossing his arms as he leaned against the side, waiting for the crowd to disperse.
"Chu-shidi! You’re Chu-shidi, right?"
A surprised call came from behind, and Chu Yue turned around to see Lian-shixiong smiling as he walked up to greet him. "It really is Chu-shidi! Let me introduce him to you all. This is Chu Yue, the shidi who single-handedly killed the black jiao lord!"
The disciples following him looked at Chu Yue with admiration and curiosity, asking, "Chu-shidi, how did you kill the black jiao lord? Could you tell us about it?"
Chu Yue wasn’t interested in answering their questions. The Violetstage Peak disciples around Li Lanxiu had just left, and he was about to stride over when suddenly, the disciples Lian-shixiong had brought surrounded him, blocking his path. They all called out, "Chu-shidi, don’t go!"
"Chu-shidi, how do you usually cultivate? What kind of sword techniques have you learned? Could you tell us about them?"
"Where did you buy your sword, Chu-shidi? Could I observe it?"
Chu Yue furrowed his brows and spoke in a low voice, "Sorry," as he pushed past the disciples blocking his way. The brief delay allowed two more figures to appear by Li Lanxiu’s side.
They were Jiang Jiusi from Thousandchance Peak and Chuxuan-shixiong. They stood side by side in front of Li Lanxiu, bowing slightly and smiling as they spoke calmly.
Li Lanxiu lazily leaned against the railing, tilting his head in a way that made it clear he wasn’t paying much attention, occasionally nodding in response.
Chu Yue suddenly halted. There were always people around Young Master Li. He instinctively touched the place where the slave mark had been on his neck.
"Congratulations, Chu-shidi, on regaining your freedom!" Lian-shixiong was the first to notice the disappearance of the mark, clasping his hands in congratulations.
"Wow, you’re in in the early stage of the Golden Core? Now you don’t have to be a slave anymore. What a good thing!"
"Congratulations, Chu-shidi!"
Everyone clasped their hands and congratulated him.
Chu Yue said nothing, his gaze fixed in Li Lanxiu’s direction. The continuous calls of "Congratulations" rang in his ears, stirring up a restless feeling in his heart.
Lian-shixiong noticed the dark expression on Chu Yue’s face and asked in confusion, “Chu-shidi, you took first place in this trial, and now that the slave mark is gone, you should be in high spirits. Why aren’t you happy? From now on, the sea is wide, and the fish can leap; the sky is vast, and the birds can fly. Li Lanxiu can no longer control you. It’s truly a good thing!”
Chu Yue turned his head, scanning the few people around him. He nodded expressionlessly at Lian-shixiong, walked down the steps and left.
If it was such a good thing, why did he feel no joy in his heart?
The night sky passed by as the flying boat cut through the rolling sea of clouds, the surroundings silent and still.
Li Lanxiu sat in a chair in his room, fiddling with the rattle and wooden doll he had taken from the black jiao lord’s secret chamber.
He raised the rattle to examine it closely. It was the same size as a child’s toy. The drumskin appeared old and yellowed, the handle and drum body pitch-black, and when he held it, a chill seeped through his skin. The wooden doll was eerie, with a face of ambiguous gender, two small braids, and lips and cheeks painted with bright rouge. The doll's bulging eyes seemed vividly alive, as if it were secretly staring at him.
The rattle and doll were placed in the same box, as if the black jiao lord saw them as originating from the same source.
Li Lanxiu shook the rattle, the sound of the drum ringing out with a thud, spiritual energy being drawn from his hand, yet the rattle showed no response.
He had yet to figure out the rattle’s function, but had mostly deduced the doll’s purpose. He placed the wooden doll on the floor and casually patted the back of its head three times.
Suddenly, the doll’s arms swung, and then its legs stiffened as it took steps forward. It clapped its hands, its lips painted in red, making a "hee-hee-hee" sound, like a child at play.
It seemed to truly have eyes, as it walked around the room, avoiding tables and chairs, laughing as it went, before returning to Li Lanxiu’s side and trying to climb up his boots.
Li Lanxiu raised his foot and kicked it to the ground. The doll immediately stopped, lying motionless on the floor like a lifeless object.
It seemed to be used for exploring mechanisms, finding a way out.
There was a knock on the door, and he picked up the doll and rattle, placing them into his storage ring. “Come in.”
The door opened from the outside, and Chuxuan-shixiong, dressed in white, stepped inside. He walked over to the desk and leaned in to look at him. “Xiao-Shidi.”
“Shixiong, is there something you need?” Li Lanxiu shot him a glance.
Chuxuan leaned closer, inhaling his cool aura. “I can’t come find you if there’s nothing?”
Li Lanxiu casually pointed his finger at Chuxuan’s forehead and pushed him back a little. “No, please leave, Shixiong.”
Chuxuan’s gaze moved from the finger close to his forehead to his hand, where the loose sleeve slipped down, revealing a delicate, pale wrist.
The bones in his wrist were distinct and clear, faint veins showing under the thin skin, fragile yet beautiful, as if they could snap with just a little force.
He stared at them in a daze until a soft laugh from Li Lanxiu reached his ears, pulling him back to reality. He coughed lightly and, with a serious expression, said, "Xiao-Shidi, this trial was successful thanks to you."
Li Lanxiu tilted his head, seemingly not understanding what he was saying.
Chuxuan spoke earnestly, "You grew up under my watch. I’ve always thought of you as a mischievous child who gets into trouble, but after this trial, I can see you've grown up."
"Shixiong, are you going to...apologize to me?" Li Lanxiu asked with a bright, teasing smile, his eyes full of playfulness.
Chuxuan, knowing full well that his words were not innocent, still hesitated for a moment before replying, "That’s right. I misunderstood you earlier."
Li Lanxiu pulled his hand back, straightening up to look at him. "Is that all? A verbal apology? Shixiong, don’t tell me you’re lacking sincerity."
Even though he knew the trap was ahead, Chuxuan paused only for a moment before stepping right into it. "So what does Shidi want me to do?"
Li Lanxiu looked him over from top to bottom and, without hesitation, said, "Kneel."
Chuxuan was taken aback, a mix of awkwardness and amusement in his gaze as he looked at him. "I’ve only ever kneeled before Master. Do you really want me to kneel to you?"
"Shixiong, I never asked you to kneel before me."
Li Lanxiu stared at him, his hand slowly propping up his chin as he spoke leisurely, "It’s you who wants to kneel before me to apologize. I’m not making things hard for you, am I?"
Chuxuan silently watched him, feeling his cold and ruthless aura. As expected of his Xiao-Shidi. He leaned closer to Li Lanxiu and quietly asked, "What if I refuse to kneel?"
"Then Shixiong is free to leave at any time," Li Lanxiu said dismissively.
Chuxuan only then realized he had been effortlessly cornered by Li Lanxiu. He hesitated for a moment before lifting his robe with one hand and kneeling on one knee before him in a proper posture. “Is this enough?”
Li Lanxiu’s pristine white boot lightly tapped the knee he had raised, his voice soft as he said, “Kneel properly.”
Chuxuan lifted his gaze to the faint red scar on Li Lanxiu’s jaw. After a brief pause, he slowly lowered his other knee to the ground, curious to see just how far Li Lanxiu intended to take this.
As it turned out, Li Lanxiu’s methods of torment were far beyond his expectations. He leisurely leaned back against the chair, getting comfortable, then stretched one leg forward, slipping it between Chuxuan’s knees.
Chuxuan froze at the bold movement, his cheeks immediately flushing. But Li Lanxiu merely nudged the insides of his knees lazily with the tip of his boot and drawled, “Shixiong, get down.”
“What exactly do you want, Xiao-Shidi?” Chuxuan was beginning to feel wary of him after what had just happened.
Li Lanxiu didn’t respond. He merely looked down at him, certain that he wouldn’t refuse.
And indeed, Chuxuan couldn’t refuse him. A faint blush crept up his fair face as he slowly lowered himself forward. The moment he was out of sight, a sudden weight pressed against his back—Li Lanxiu had draped both legs over him, using him as a footrest.
Beneath the robes, those legs were faintly visible—long, straight, with beautifully balanced proportions. Lounging against the chair, Li Lanxiu casually pulled out a book and began reading at his leisure.
At that moment, Chu Yue knocked on the door. When he stepped inside, the first thing he saw was this scene.
Li Lanxiu turned his head toward him, amusement glimmering in his eyes as he asked with practiced nonchalance, “Chu Yue, what brings you here?”
Chu Yue’s gaze flickered to the man kneeling beneath him. Judging by the back view, it was Chuxuan-da-shixiong—whose ears had turned a deep red the moment he realized he was being watched.
Chu Yue paused for a few seconds before stepping forward to stand before Li Lanxiu, staring at him intently. “Young Master, why have you not inquired about my cultivation progress lately?”
Li Lanxiu shut his book and tossed it carelessly onto the table. “You are gifted. I have no concerns.”
That wasn’t the answer Chu Yue wanted. He kicked a chair into position, sat down beside Li Lanxiu and fixed his gaze on him.
Li Lanxiu sat up slightly. Chuxuan seemed like he wanted to get up, but Li Lanxiu lightly patted the man’s broad back. "Don’t move."
He remained calm and unbothered, gently stroking Chuxuan’s back. "Shixiong said he wanted to be my dog slave. We’re just playing around."
Chu Yue stared at his hand moving across Chuxuan’s back, his jaw clenched tight like a drawn bowstring. He lifted his eyes and asked directly, "Am I still yours?"
Li Lanxiu glanced at the unmarked skin on his neck. "You’re free."
Chu Yue’s gaze darkened. The sharp lines of his jaw stood out, tense with clenched teeth. He said in a low voice, "I am a disciple of Violetstage Peak. Young Master sponsored my entry into the sect. I have yet to repay you."
Li Lanxiu let out a soft chuckle and said with layered meaning, "It’s not certain whether you’re a disciple of Violetstage Peak yet."
Those old foxes would go to any lengths to fight over the son of heaven.
But Chu Yue heard something else entirely. The tension in his jaw slowly eased. Suddenly, he asked with unsettling calm, "You don’t want me anymore?"
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