Lin Xuanzhi frowned, somewhat dissatisfied with Yan Tianhen’s behavior.
Yan Tianhen smiled, explaining, “Dage, you’re worried that I’ll be bullied. I’m also worried that Dage will be neglected by others. I can’t help Dage with anything, so I can only feel more at ease by personally seeing you have a lot of attack and defense weapons by your side. In any case, Dage won’t make me so worried that I can’t focus on my cultivation, right?”
Lin Xuanzhi’s brows moved slightly, his heart warm. Looking at the mature expression on Yan Tianhen’s face, he realized that now, Yan Tianhen truly no longer was that small child who could only run after him and dive into Lin Zhan’s arms, crying and acting spoiled.
In reality, it wasn’t completely true to say that Yan Tianhen had matured. In the past, his thoughts were also meticulous and comprehensive, but it’s just that back then, the two people’s minds and intentions weren’t interlinked. Thus, there were some words that Yan Tianhen could only think in his heart or silently act upon but never say.
Lin Xuanzhi put those items away, then glanced at Ah Bai and Hu Po. “Let these two tiger cubs follow by your side and protect you.”
Yan Tianhen nodded. “That’s good too. Originally I wanted Hu Po to follow you while Ah Bai followed me, but that means they would be separated, so it’s not good.”
Like this, the two tigers cubs avoided the danger of being separated.
After some more exhortations, Zhan Fengting came over smiling. “I know you two brothers have endless words for each other, but no matter how reluctant, there are still times when you have to part. However, you two don’t have to be too nervous either. Our Sinking Sword Peak and Martial Uncle Huai Yu have a pretty close relationship and often have dealings with each other. If you want to meet again, you can do so at any time.”
His words held some placating intentions. In reality, even for direct disciple brothers in the same sect, their ordinary interactions could only be considered relatively frequent. After all, cultivators spent most of their time cultivating; where would they find so much time for these human interactions?
This was also the biggest reason why most cultivators were reluctant to engage in business — it was too time- and energy-consuming, and they were more willing to spend their time and energy on self-improvement.
Yan Tianhen also smiled. “Then Dage, Zhan Shixiong, I’ll go first, lest I make Teacher wait too and not want a disciple like me.”
Lin Xuanzhi nodded and lightly said, “It’s his loss if he doesn’t want you.”
Yan Tianhen laughed and turned towards the dense fog with a wave of his hand. The two tiger cubs were both smart cubs and knew that this thick fog was strange, so one ran onto Yan Tianhen’s shoulder while the other jumped into his arms. Before the two cubs left, they especially jumped onto Lin Xuanzhi’s shoulder and licked his cheek.
The figures of the person and tigers soon disappeared into the dense fog. Lin Xuanzhi stood there, gazing into the fog for a long time, before turning towards Zhan Fengting, who didn’t show any signs of impatience, “Thank you, Senior Martial Brother.”
Zhan Fengting waved his hand, shaking his head, “As I said before, you need not be so polite.”
Lin Xuanzhi’s heart warmed. “Let’s go as well.”
Zhan Fengting nodded and took out his longsword. The two people flew on the sword towards Sinking Sword Peak.
When they reached Sinking Sword Peak, Hai Kuanglang walked over and told Lin Xuanzhi, “It’s like you’re seeing him off in a procession for eight hundred miles. I thought you were going to build a grass cottage outside the dense fog illusory forest on Broken Sword Peak’s summit and live there on the spot.”
He was resenting Lin Xuanzhi for returning so late.
Lin Xuanzhi glanced at him. “Second Martial Brother really knows me well. If it wasn’t because Eldest Martial Brother had insisted on staying there with me, I wouldn’t have come back.”
Hai Kuanglang choked for a while, turning to Zhan Fengting, his expression dark, “You actually treat him so well; you’ve only known him for how long?”
Lin Xuanzhi thought, isn’t this a fool? He actually believed in such an obvious lie?
Hai Kuanglang’s sharp eyes found a single strand of white fur on Zhan Fengting’s head. His expression turned even darker. “Elder Martial Brother, did you hold those two cubs again? Didn’t I say that you’re not allowed to randomly touch demonic beasts? So smelly!”
Zhan Fengting wanted to knock on Hai Kuanglang’s forehead, but he was too far away, so he said, “Speak less of your cynical words over there. Did you finish copying the rules Master ordered you to? And the rules I gave you to copy as punishment, finish writing them together.”
Hai Kuanglang’s handsome face, which was originally full of charm and color, suddenly collapsed. He said sufferingly, “Elder Martial Brother, why did you have to remind me about this kind of thing? I hate copying the most. It takes me a lot of effort to write even a single character!”
The sect regulations that Esteemed Lan Yue made them copy naturally weren’t as simple as merely copying them.
Esteemed Lan Yue specially brought them some special brushes and papers specifically for punishing disobedient disciples. The pens didn’t look strange, but one would feel the problem after picking one up.
The brushes weighed over a thousand pounds and could only be lifted by exercising spiritual Qi and the strength of your wrist. After dipping it in ink, if you wanted to write on the special quality paper, you would also need to use your Qi to leave a mark on the paper.
It was impossible to copy hundreds of words without ten days to half a month of work.
Thinking of this, Hai Kuanglang suddenly became frustrated and cursed, “It’s all because of Bei Shitian, that ill omen…”
“Pa” sounded out crisply. Zhan Fengting’s slap finally fell, and he didn’t hold back his strength at all.
Zhan Fengting’s expression darkened, “Kuanglang, if you say this kind of thing again, I will certainly report to Master about how all of you secretly isolate and bully Xiao Tian.”
Seeing that Zhan Fengting was genuinely angry, Hai Kuanglang hurriedly kept silent. A grown man two meters tall showed a pitiful expression while begging for mercy. Hai Kuanglang clasped his hands together and followed closely behind Zhan Fengting, chasing after him, “Shixiong, I’m wrong. I won’t dare to do it again. Just regard my earlier words as nonsense because my brain wasn’t working, okay?”
Of course, it wasn’t because he was afraid of Zhan Fengting reporting this to Master…oh, no, he was still afraid of that, but he was even more afraid that Zhan Fengting would ignore him in a fit of anger.
Zhan Fengting glared at Hai Kuanglang, then turned to speak to Lin Xuanzhi with a pleasant countenance, “Xuanzhi, Ah Tian doesn’t have an evil heart and is a good child. His personality is just a little antisocial is all. You must not learn the bad examples set by these brats.”
Hai Kuanglang spread his hands, his expression innocent.
Lin Xuanzhi nodded. “I won’t discriminate.”
Zhan Fengting was satisfied. “In the end, Xuanzhi is more open-minded. Are you all not ashamed? What are you still hiding for? Do you think that you will not be punished if you hide behind a tree?”
Wan Yitong, who hid behind a tree after seeing Hai Kuanglang get slapped, not wanting to appear, had no choice but to come out at this time.
Wan Yitong spoke, “Elder Martial Brother, about copying those sect rules…”
Zhan Fengting cut him off, “I’ll personally supervise so that none of you can think about taking the opportunity to escape.”
Wan Yitong, “…”
Hai Kuanglang’s lips twitched. He turned towards Lin Xuanzhi, “Just now, I forgot an important matter.”
Lin Xuanzhi raised his eyebrow slightly.
“Master said, when you come back, you should go find him in Luminous Dream Pavilion.”
Lin Xuanzhi, “…”
Lin Xuanzhi asked, “When did this happen?”
Hai Kuanglang thought about it, “Either two hours ago, or four hours ago.”
Zhan Fengting suddenly slapped him on the forehead. “Oh, you!”
Hai Kuanglang rubbed his head and said, quite grieved, “I really did forget. It’s not like I did it intentionally.”
Lin Xuanzhi would be a fool if he believed him.
However, Lin Xuanzhi was still calm. “Then I will leave first and pay my respects to several senior martial brothers and sister later.”
Zhan Fengting said, “Later, Yitong will cook in person. When you join us together then, we’ll treat it as holding a welcoming dinner for you.”
Hai Kuanglang licked his lips. “You’re in luck, chancing upon such fine food. Yitong’s culinary skills are not inferior to any food cultivator in the Five Continents.”
Lin Xuanzhi looked at Wan Yitong in surprise and smiled, “Since that’s the case, I won’t be polite. When the time comes, I hope that senior brothers won’t resent me for eating too much.”
“I promise it’ll be enough, hahaha.” Wan Yitong was happy.
After Lin Xuanzhi left, Hai Kuanglang felt his chin and looked at Lin Xuanzhi’s disappearing figure. “When I first saw him, I really didn’t think that there would be a day when he could actually become my Junior Martial Brother.”
Wan Yitong added, “In fact, Master had wanted to accept him as a disciple for a long time, and he also disclosed this intention to Youngest Martial Brother before, but Youngest Martial Brother refused. Back then, Master said that there would be a day when you will enter my door.”
Surprised flashed across Hai Kuanglang’s face. He looked at Wan Yitong, “This actually happened?”
Wan Yitong raised his eyebrow. “Master understands everything under heaven and can deduce the future. What’s so strange about this?”
Hai Kuanglang gave a tsk, confused, “Why does Master value Lin Xuanzhi so much? The several of us, besides Third Martial Sister, were all people he casually picked up. I’ve never seen him actively seek out anyone.”
Wan Yitong curled his lips up in rumination. “Youngest Martial Brother had already met Master as an infant. I’m afraid that Master had already wanted to accept Youngest Martial Brother as his disciple way back then.”
Hai Kuanglang was startled. He commented in astonishment, “The more you speak, the more I feel that Xuanzhi is not an ordinary person.”
Zhan Fengting lightly cut in, “How many of us on Sinking Sword Peak are ordinary people?”
Wan Yitong and Hai Kuanglang looked at each other and became silent.
A moment later, Hai Kuanglang’s heart itched with curiosity, so he impatiently said, “Now I’m even more curious about Youngest Martial Brother’s identity.”
Wan Yitong’s gaze met Hai Kuanglang’s gaze once again. He hurriedly shook his head. “Don’t ask me. I tried my best to indirectly inquire about this from Master, but Master sent me away without even thinking every time, so I don’t know anything.”
Zhan Fengting also raised his eyebrows slightly, “Since even you don’t know, it seems that Youngest Martial Brother’s identity really can’t be casually known.”
Hai Kuanglang spoke with particular discontent, “You’ve studied divination and deduction under Master for so long; why are you still so sloppy at it?”
Wan Yitong also felt wronged. “I’m a half Daoist cultivator. The divination path is deep and profound. Those without both perseverance and innate talent cannot learn divination. Besides, I’m a sword cultivator. Where can I have the time and effort to focus on studying divination?”
Zhan Fengting replied, “These words, you can tell them to Master.”
Wan Yitong shook his head rapidly, looking like a rattle drum, “I don’t dare, I don’t dare.”
Hai Kuanglang chuckled coldly.
Wan Yitong rolled his eyes. “Since you dare to act impudently in front of Master, you go.”
Hai Kuanglang smiled, exuding demonic charm, “I dare not, I don’t want to seek death. In any case, Master doesn’t intend for me to succeed his esteemed mantle either.”
Wan Yitong cursed “Trash!” in his heart.
No one knew what Hai Kuanglang was thinking. He suddenly came closer and whispered thoughtfully, “I say, didn’t you guys find that there’s something fishy between Youngest Martial Brother and his little brother?”
“You don’t say! It’s not like I’m blind.” Although Wan Yitong said that, his eyes twinkled, burning with the fire of gossip. “Youngest Martial Brother probably sees that lil’ thing as the pearl in his eyes. When Youngest Martial Brother saw Master in the morning and heard that he wanted to send lil’ thing away, that look was as though he wanted to eat Master raw. Tsk tsk, who would believe him if he says there are no feelings between them!”
“I saw Youngest Martial Brother secretly kiss that lil’ thing.” Hai Kuanglang added, bitter and hateful. “How old is that boy? Lin Xuanzhi, this brat, could act on such a young child. Ah, he really is a beast, a beast!”
Zhan Fengting, however, was unconcerned. He couldn’t make heads nor tails of the matter, so he said, “You two think too much about this. Those two have deep feelings of brotherly affection, but somehow it became strange and ambiguous when you guys spoke.”
Wan Yitong laughed devilishly, winking at Zhan Fengting, “Senior Martial Brother, you don’t understand this matter, but it’s enough if I understand!”
