Qiu Yun stood outside the Jade Peach King grove, frowning at the withered peach trees.
“Manager Qiu,” Mu Yun called out.
Qiu Yun turned and glanced at him coldly. “Fellow Daoist Mu, you’re here again? Good—saves me the trouble of tracking you down. Here’s your bill—the list and value of all the spirit plants you destroyed. I’d appreciate prompt compensation so I don’t have to personally visit the Lingyao Sect to collect.”
Mu Yun accepted the bill with an apologetic nod. “My deepest apologies.”
“I’ve managed this Medicine Garden for years, and in one outburst, you ruined half of it. You’re practically a walking disaster. Given your condition, wouldn’t it be better for everyone if you just stayed in your ice cave forever?”
Mu Yun smiled bitterly. “Perhaps.” He hesitated before continuing, “How have you been all these years… Yishu?”
Qiu Yun’s fists clenched. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. But you should leave. If you have another episode here, I won’t be able to handle it. The North District Medicine Garden can’t take any more of your… visits.”
As Qiu Yun turned to leave, Mu Yun grabbed his wrist. “I’m sorry.”
Qiu Yun glared. “Let go.”
Mu Yun released him, his gaze lingering on Qiu Yun’s icy expression. “Yishu, I just wanted to ask—have you been well?”
Qiu Yun scoffed and stepped closer, staring directly into Mu Yun’s eyes. “You know exactly how it feels when the fire poison flares up. So tell me—do you think I’ve been well?”
“You… could’ve come to me. I waited for you all these years, but you never came.”
Qiu Yun laughed coldly. “Come to you? For what? You couldn’t even cure your own poison—what help could you be?”
Mu Yun’s lips pressed into a thin line. “I’m sorry. I failed you.”
“Are you apologizing now because you want the antidote from me? You must’ve realized I’ve advanced to Golden Core—my fire poison is already cured.” Qiu Yun crossed his arms, his gaze sharp with suspicion.
Mu Yun’s smile was pained. “Is that what you think of me?”
Qiu Yun tilted his head. “What else should I think? With your precious Xie Wanran by your side, your time must be precious. If not for the poison, why else would you keep coming here?”
“Xie Wanran and I—there’s nothing between us.”
“Nothing? You protect her like she’s your lifeline. If there were something, you’d probably enshrine her.”
“I swear, there’s nothing.”
“Oh, I know there’s nothing. You’re still a virgin after 200 years! For the sake of forming a Nascent Soul, you can’t touch anyone. Seeing Xie Wanran must be torture—too bad all that restraint led to a Qi deviation instead. Now forming a Nascent Soul is a distant dream. But after holding out for so long, giving up now must sting, huh?”
“I’ve given up on forming a Nascent Soul. Seeing you again is enough. All these years, I’ve wanted to apologize—about the incident with the drug…”
Qiu Yun’s eyes flashed. “You still think I drugged you? Mu Yun, I admit I once admired you, but not enough to resort to such underhanded tactics.”
“I wasn’t in my right mind back then. Later, I realized I might’ve misunderstood.”
“Enough. It’s too late for any of this. My grandfather is dead. The spirit plants he painstakingly cultivated now belong to the sect. And you and Xie Wanran probably helped yourselves to his Medicine Garden after his death, didn’t you?”
“I didn’t.”
Qiu Yun’s expression darkened. “Just leave. Go back to the Lingyao Sect. Seeing you makes me sick.”
Mu Yun: “…”
—
As Qiu Yun and Mu Yun spoke, Xiao Xiaofan and the others arrived, accompanied by a newcomer—Chen Xu.
Qiu Yun recognized him as Xiao Xiaodong’s friend but was surprised to see him at the Qingyun Immortal Sect. Old Man Chen doted on this grandson, yet he’d sent him here to be with Xiao Xiaofan’s group. He must trust them deeply.
“Xiaodong, what brings you here?” Qiu Yun greeted.
“Chen Xu just arrived! We’re throwing him a welcome hotpot feast and wanted to buy some spirit fruits from you,” Xiao Xiaofan explained cheerfully.
Qiu Yun nodded. “Sure. Follow me—you can pick some.”
Xiao Xiaofan glanced at the damaged Medicine Garden. “Manager Qiu, what happened here?”
Qiu Yun shot Mu Yun a glare. “He burned it.”
Xiao Xiaofan’s eyes sparkled with admiration. “Senior, you’re amazing!”
Xiao Xiaojin nodded. “Yeah! Senior is really amazing!”
Chen Xu blinked. “Because he destroyed the Medicine Garden?”
“Senior, you wrecked the Medicine Garden and didn’t even get beaten up! If it were Dad, he’d be dead by now!” Xiao Xiaofan said excitedly.
“Because Manager Qiu can’t beat Senior Mu!” Xiao Xiaojin added.
Xiao Xiaodong: “…”
Mu Yun: “…”
“Enough chatter. Come with me,” Qiu Yun said, leading them away.
“Okay!” Xiao Xiaofan skipped after him.
Qiu Yun glanced back at Mu Yun. “Fellow Daoist Mu, stay here. Don’t cause more trouble.”
Mu Yun hesitated but nodded. “Alright.”
“Manager Qiu, did Senior Mu Yun have an episode here yesterday?” Chen Xu asked curiously.
Qiu Yun nodded. “Yes.”
“Senior Mu is… pitiable,” Chen Xu murmured.
Xiao Xiaojin tilted his head. “Why pitiable?”
Xiao Xiaofan raised his hand eagerly. “I know! Because he’s over 200 and still a virgin! Maybe even at 500, he’ll still be a chicken!”
Xiao Xiaojin blinked. “What kind of chicken is a virgin chicken?”
Xiao Xiaodong: “…”
Lei Xuan scratched his head. “A virgin chicken isn’t actually a chicken…”
Xiao Xiaojin nodded thoughtfully. “Ohhh. No wonder I’ve never cooked one before—I’ve made tea-flower chicken, fighting chicken, five-black chicken, lucky chicken, dwarf chicken, reed-patterned chicken… but never a virgin chicken.”
Xiao Xiaodong massaged his temples. “A virgin chicken isn’t for cooking. Stop talking nonsense.”
Xiao Xiaojin pouted. “Okay.”
Xiao Xiaofan leaned in. “Big Brother, do you think Senior Mu needs… virility pills?”
Xiao Xiaodong glared. “Shut up unless you want to die.”
Xiao Xiaofan: “…”
Xiao Xiaojin tiptoed closer to Xiao Xiaofan. “Second Brother, Big Brother is so mean.”
Xiao Xiaofan nodded sagely. “Yeah. So mean.”
Xiao Xiaodong: (Why are my brothers all idiots?)
“Chen Xu, why did your grandfather let you come?” Qiu Yun asked.
Chen Xu’s expression dimmed. “My cultivation progress at home was too slow. Grandfather thought a change of scenery might help.”
Qiu Yun nodded. “A good idea. Locking yourself away only leads to stagnation.”
Chen Xu smiled. “That’s what I thought too.” (The past decade, he’d buried himself in cultivation under his grandfather’s watch. Life had been… dull.)
“I heard your engagement to Qiao Xiang was canceled?”
Chen Xu nodded. “Forced melons aren’t sweet. Qiao Xiang has a single spiritual root—he might even reach Nascent Soul one day. I’m just a triple spiritual root—forming a Golden Core would already be a miracle. We weren’t suited.”
Xiao Xiaodong looked at Chen Xu and said, “Don’t say that. Cultivation isn’t just about talent—other factors matter too.”
“I know.” Chen Xu smiled.
—
When the group emerged with armfuls of spirit fruits, they found Mu Yun and Xie Wanran still waiting.
Qiu Yun sneered. “If you want to flirt, pick a better place. After turning this area into a wasteland, you still linger? How shameless.”
Xie Wanran’s eyes flashed with resentment.
Xiao Xiaofan, oblivious, grinned at Qiu Yun. “Manager Qiu, thanks for the fruits! Want to join our hotpot feast?”
Qiu Yun nodded. “Sure.”
Mu Yun stepped forward. “Where are you all headed?”
“Senior, wanna come? You’re invited too!” Xiao Xiaofan said brightly.
Xiao Xiaodong glanced between Qiu Yun and Mu Yun. (Idiot! Why invite both?)
He stared at Mu Yun, mentally pleading: Decline. Just decline.
“Thank you for the invitation,” Mu Yun said warmly.
Xiao Xiaodong: “…” (Wasn’t Mu Yun supposed to be aloof and unapproachable?)
“May I join as well?” Xie Wanran asked sweetly.
Xiao Xiaodong: (Now there’s a third freeloader.)
—
Back at the feast preparations, Xiao Jingting and Xu Mu’an froze when they saw the group approaching—with Qiu Yun, Mu Yun, and Xie Wanran in tow.
Xiao Jingting whispered, “What’s happening?”
Xu Mu’an shook his head. “No idea. This is trouble.”
“Well… it’s just three extra mouths. We’ll manage.”
Xu Mu’an forced a smile. “Hopefully.”
“Ah, Seniors and Miss Xie! Welcome! Please, have a seat!” Xiao Jingting greeted with strained cheer.
The table was already set. Xiao Jingting seated Qiu Yun, only for Mu Yun to immediately take the spot beside him. Qiu Yun shot him a glare but didn’t protest.
Xie Wanran sat next to Mu Yun, completing the awkward trio.
Xiao Xiaofan brandished his chopsticks. “Dad, can we eat now?”
Xiao Jingting: (This kid only thinks with his stomach!)
“Go ahead, go ahead.”
As the meal began, Xiao Xiaodong politely served Chen Xu meat, earning an indignant cluck from his flower-patterned chicken.
Mu Yun seemed about to do the same for Qiu Yun but was met with a glare that made him retract his chopsticks.
The atmosphere was… tense.
R : This.. is so awkward …..
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Wait a second…. is Xiaodong…… INTERESTED?!?!?!?!?
How old is he now? 12? 15? Its qhite hard to keep up with the flow of time here.