Chapter 6: Yuheng (Part 4)

The Yuheng Sect wasn’t very large, so there were only so many secluded corners where Yun Zhi and Shen Xiyuan could meet for their trysts.

He Tingtong walked with light steps, like a cat treading carefully, with Fu Fengyan following closely behind. The two moved silently through the shadows.

Having spent many years in the cultivation world, He Tingtong was excellent at stealth. He concealed his aura completely, not letting a trace of spiritual power leak out, moving like the wind from the disciples’ courtyard toward the back mountain without drawing any attention.

“A’Yuan…”

Soft sounds came from a corner. He Tingtong perked up his ears and immediately stopped, pulling Fu Fengyan close behind him as they squeezed together behind a tree.

Intimate, delicate sounds came from the grass and trees, accompanied by urgent breathing—a passionate fire burning fiercely, the sounds continuous.

After a moment, he heard Yun Zhi’s sweet voice: “I’ve already persuaded senior martial brother. He agreed to help cover for us.”

“Did he make things difficult for you?”

“No. I grew up with him, and he’s always treated me well… but from now on, I’m afraid we’ll become estranged.”

“Who’s more important, him or me…”

“Senior martial brother naturally can’t compare to you. There’s only one A’Yuan in this world.”

“Then what if I wanted to kill him?”

After a long silence, Yun Zhi’s shocked voice replied: “This is inside the sect—are you crazy? Your identity will be exposed!”

“He’s a threat. He Tingtong saw me attack and knows my identity. This is leverage he holds over us. If he uses this to blackmail us later, it’ll create endless trouble.”

“But he already promised me…”

“Who knows what he’s really thinking? I stabbed him twice—who knows how much he hates me.”

“But… senior martial brother’s cultivation is equal to mine. If we fight, we’ll both be severely injured.”

“Silly A’Zhi, how could I bear to let you get hurt? I’ll do it. Doesn’t he like that mortal? Find an opportunity to lure that mortal out…”

…

As the two seriously discussed how to silence him permanently, Fu Fengyan suddenly looked down at He Tingtong.

Despite hearing their malicious plotting and murderous intent, he paid no attention. Instead, he held a spirit communication talisman with a smile, busily writing a detailed report.

“Master, at the first quarter of the zi hour, twenty li northwest of the snow forest on the back mountain, in the small bamboo grove, junior martial brother is having relations with outer sect disciple Shen Xiyuan.”

Putting away the talisman, He Tingtong only regretted being too poor to buy a recording stone or something similar—otherwise the impact might be even greater.

After a while, the talisman grew hot, and two stern words appeared: “Continue investigating!”

The two in the grove left, satisfied.

He Tingtong stretched lazily and slowly walked out. The weather had been good these past days, with bright moonlight illuminating the path until it appeared white. The sect grounds were quiet, with a kind of desolate stillness.

Fu Fengyan followed behind. “You really hate them.”

“I used to hate them,” He Tingtong tucked the talisman into his robes. “Now I just want a quick resolution.”

If it weren’t for matters concerning the Hanshan Realm seal, he would have left this place immediately after waking from the cliff fall, just like in previous lifetimes.

These thirteen years at Yuheng Sect had been exhausting for He Tingtong.

His master didn’t particularly like him, his senior martial brothers weren’t close to him, and every day he had to follow Yun Zhi around—fanning him in summer heat, stoking fires in winter cold. The young sect leader was delicate and precious, and since He Tingtong was both his senior martial brother and the same age, he had to serve like a servant.

His time was endlessly exploited. He could only cultivate at night and didn’t dare sleep, because his spiritual roots were ordinary—any slackness meant no progress. He had to be careful during the day too, because if Yun Zhi had even the slightest headache or fever, he would be lectured and reprimanded.

Everyone said the sect had shown him kindness, that the sect leader and young sect leader’s grace was as heavy as a mountain—saving his life, introducing him to the immortal path, a debt that couldn’t be repaid in several lifetimes.

When others cultivated, it was natural. When he cultivated, it seemed every breath of spiritual power he absorbed was something he owed them, something to be repaid.

He Tingtong had already repaid them for several lifetimes and been tricked bitterly each time.

Eventually, he finally understood one thing.

Some people, some matters, were like a tangle of rotten vines wrapped around you. Gentle approaches didn’t work—they only got tighter. Only decisive action, cutting through the mess with a sharp blade, would do.

---

At the zi hour, the talisman grew hot and the sect leader awoke to see a line of small characters appear: “Today junior martial brother and the outer sect disciple discussed immortal arts at Luomei Courtyard for two hours deep into the night. At dawn, Shen Xiyuan climbed over the wall to leave.”

The sect leader: “…” Luomei Courtyard was Yun Zhi’s residence.

His disciple was still the same as before—conscientious and dutiful.

The sect leader rubbed his aching head. He hadn’t figured out the best way to handle this—he couldn’t let father and son become estranged. He only replied: “Continue monitoring.”

The next day at the chen hour (7-9 AM), characters floated on the talisman.

“Today at the chou hour (1-3 AM), junior martial brother and the outer sect disciple arranged to climb the mountain together, went to Fuling Cave, entered Tianshui Spring, and only just returned.”

The sect leader was brewing tea. Mountain spring water was the most refreshing—brewing tea and burning incense were refined pursuits, so he drank tea daily.

However, Tianshui Spring was the source of all water flows at Yuheng Sect.

The sect leader looked at his freshly brewed tea and suddenly couldn’t drink it.

“Junior martial brother and the outer sect disciple entered the second floor of the library pavilion for three hours, leaving at dusk.”

The sect leader went to the library to look for books and saw water stains on the shelves.

“Junior martial brother and the outer sect disciple practiced swordplay at the training ground…”

“Junior martial brother and the outer sect disciple at the study…”

“Junior martial brother and the outer sect disciple at the ancient tree on the back mountain…”

…

He Tingtong sent reports whenever there was any movement. The reports were detailed and thorough, day and night without rest, as if he were hiding under Yun Zhi’s bed. In just five days, the sect leader had reached his limit.

He propped his head in his hands, with dark circles under his eyes, sitting in the corridor, doubting life itself.

Five days. Twelve reports.

Absurd! Indulgent! Unseemly!

He looked out at the pitifully few scenic spots of Yuheng Sect scattered among the verdant mountains. A breeze passed by, yet he felt his entire sect had been tainted.

The gate opened softly. The sect leader turned his head to see his son walking over with a smile. “Father, I’d like to ask you for something.”

The sect leader’s face was wooden, saying nothing.

These past days, Yun Zhi had seen He Tingtong and that mortal inseparable, eating and living together, extremely vigilant with no opening to attack.

If they wanted to eliminate this threat permanently, they needed to lure the two of them down the mountain. Within Yuheng Sect, with the sect leader at the seventh realm of cultivation, it would be absolutely impossible to kill He Tingtong before his eyes.

The marriage matter was an excellent lure. As long as they left Yuheng Sect’s territory, there would be countless ways to ensure they never returned.

He had also promised He Tingtong to plead on his behalf, so now it worked out perfectly—going with the flow.

But for some reason, his father’s gaze seemed a bit strange today.

Yun Zhi ignored these anomalies. He quickly stepped forward, sat beside the sect leader, tilted his head innocently: “Father, senior martial brother’s health has completely recovered. Do you remember what I mentioned last time? Senior martial brother saved my life—shouldn’t there be a reward?”

“As for his marriage with that mortal, why don’t you just agree? If we can help lovers unite, wouldn’t that be wonderful?”

The sect leader: “Lovers?”

Yun Zhi didn’t detect the suppressed anger in his tone and said worriedly: “Yes, that mortal can’t cultivate and is blind. If we send him down the mountain, how will he survive? Immortals and mortals are different—their lifespans are limited. He can’t accompany senior martial brother for many years. Why make him wait year after year, wasting his youth?”

“If people who love each other can’t be together, that’s too tragic. Why not grant them their happiness?”

“Senior martial brother will be grateful to us in the future.”

The sect leader’s cold gaze swept across Yun Zhi’s face, passing over his lips still slightly damaged despite treatment, the red marks remaining behind his ears, and the high collar pressed tightly against his neck.

With this earnest appearance, was he really pleading for He Tingtong? He was clearly pleading for himself! Pleading for a way out for himself and that outer sect disciple!

Unable to bear it any longer, the sect leader grabbed and pulled open the collar around Yun Zhi’s neck. Below the pale neck, marks were brazenly obvious—one could see how frivolous it had been!

Thinking of the talismans received day and night, seeing the marks on his son’s body and that outer sect disciple’s brazen behavior, looking at his disobedient son, the sect leader finally couldn’t hold back. With a wave of his hand, he produced a bamboo whip.

“Shameless rebellious son! Kneel down!”

Yun Zhi fell to his knees with a thud. Looking at his father’s gloomy face, his eyes were still full of confusion: “Father?”

…

The young sect leader received a severe beating—one hundred and fifty lashes. He was carried out of the discipline hall covered in blood, then locked in Luomei Courtyard under house arrest.

As for that disciple surnamed Shen, it was said he trespassed in forbidden areas, acted suspiciously, and even stole a spiritual artifact. Such a disciple with unclean hands and feet might harbor ulterior motives—Yuheng Sect absolutely couldn’t keep him!

His cultivation was stripped, and he was thrown out of the mountain, his fate unknown.

He Tingtong finally had a few peaceful days.

The wounds on his body had completely healed without a trace. Fu Fengyan no longer needed to fetch medicine from the medicine hall and nested entirely in his room. When the sun was good, he’d move a small stool outside and sit in the sun all day.

Heaven could bear witness—after confiscating all those story books, Fu Fengyan finally looked somewhat like a normal person.

But he couldn’t be happy for more than two days. The sect leader sent another message, summoning He Tingtong to the great hall.

“Yun’er is in a bad mood and hasn’t eaten or drunk for five or six days.” The sect leader sighed. Sitting in his high seat, he looked much older. “You grew up together and have always had the best relationship. You used to live together too. Right now Yun’er doesn’t want to see anyone—he only wants to see you. Starting today, pack your things and go keep him company, and try to persuade him.”

“Making such a fuss over a man, it’s really…” The sect leader pressed his forehead. After a moment, as if remembering something: “Have you dealt with that mortal? Why haven’t you sent him away after all this time?”

“Master, I can’t send him away anymore.” He Tingtong lowered his head, his tone subdued.

The sect leader’s eyelid twitched. “What?”

He Tingtong raised his head, trying to make himself appear genuinely emotional. Looking at the sect leader’s puzzled eyes, he coughed lightly: “Perhaps it’s because your disciple suddenly discovered that he’s so gentle, so kind, so obedient. Several times I tried to act but couldn’t bear it. After thinking for a long time, I finally realized… I love him. I can’t leave him anymore.”

The sect leader: “…”

The next day.

He Tingtong was thrown into Luomei Courtyard, and Fu Fengyan was kicked out.