CHAPTER 25 But he is already dead.

“Fellow Cultivator Fu.” Qin Yan lowered his eyes when he heard those words. He reached out to touch that tea cup, watching the reflection of a person in it. And then slowly, he said, “These words of yours, I do not understand.”

His eyes veiled the emotions in them. Fu Changling smiled. “It doesn’t matter if you don’t understand.”

“Is Fellow Cultivator Fu also trained in the art of foresight[5]?”

Qin Yan took a sip from his tea and lifted his head. “You seem to know a lot of things normal people would not.”

“The art of foresight?” Fu Changling heard commotions coming from a distance. It should mean that they are closing in to Clear Water Town. He turned and slowly said, “I did learn a little bit. But this knowledge comes with a price.”

“So it does.” Qin Yan nodded his head. “Aside from those spoken before, what else did Fellow Cultivator Fu discover?”

“Not presently.” Fu Changling shook his head.

Having achieved these words, Qin Yan placed the tea cup down and spoke courteously, “Then please rest here for the time being, Fellow Cultivator Fu. Once we arrive at Clear Water Town, Patriarch Fu will receive you. Of what you have mentioned, I will report them swiftly. I will also explain to the elders about the wounds you’ve sustained. The Heavenly Palace of Hongmeng will try their best about the matters regarding your golden core. There is no need for you to worry too much.”

Fu Changling said nothing. He was drinking tea, his mind never stopping thinking about what Qin Yan meant.

Once they arrived in Clear Water Town, he would be following his father back to the Fu Manor. However, presently, he didn’t want to go back to the Fu family. All he wanted was to follow Qin Yan.

He didn’t know about the things Qin Yan endured later on. Considering present Qin Yan and his relationship with his shifu, it was impossible for him to hate Jiang Yebai simply because of giving him up to the Golden Light Temple to be punished, so let alone killing him. There are surely a lot of things hidden behind it. Presently, he wasn’t too assured about letting Qin Yan return alone.

After a brief ponder over it, before Qin Yan bowed farewell to him, he suddenly said, “Fellow Cultivator Qin, there is something I want to ask of you.”

Qin Yan was a little surprised by the request, but he still said, “What is it?”

“That, uh...” Fu Changling pondered over it for a while and shyly said, “Do you have any empty positions that you might need someone to fill in?”

Qin Yan was startled. Fu Changling then immediately added, “What I meant is that… does the Heavenly Palace of Hongmeng need more disciples? You see, my golden core is useless now. My home is a place of senseless quarrels. I am imperiled in the Fu family. Could you bring me back to the Heavenly Palace of Hongmeng? Give me something to do by your side. When others hear of your name, they wouldn’t dare bully me.”

“You should inform Patriarch Fu of these matters.” An instant rejection came from Qin Yan upon hearing those words. “He is, after all, your father. He will come up with a solution for you.”

“What solutions could he come up with?” Fu Changling made a disgusted look. “Yue Sihua scares him to death.”

“Patriarch Fu is not such a person.”

“That’s because you don’t understand him!” Fu Changling quickly twisted Qin Yan’s trail of thoughts. “Don’t be deceived by how clamorous he behaves outside. He doesn't even have a position worth mentioning at home. My stepmother is fully in control of my home and a bastard like me is finding it difficult to live. Qin Yan,” Fu Changling began begging, “Please rescue me until the end. Do the full set. Help me, please?”

Qin Yan didn’t bother with him. He got to his feet and calmly said, “This inferior one doesn’t find it appropriate to meddle in your family affairs. After we’ve arrived in Clear Water Town, Patriarch Fu will receive you in person. When that time comes, take care of yourself.”

“Wait!”

Seeing that Qin Yan had made up his mind, Fu Changling grabbed his sleeve and made himself look very wrong and undeserved. “At the very least, we are friends. Don’t be so heartless. Look at how pleasant your life at the Heavenly Palace of Hongmeng is; just find me something to do. I don’t want to use your sect’s resources. I can even give you resources! Oh, I’m not only rich, I’m also obedient. I could pour you tea, sweep your floors, cook your meals. As long as I can remain close to you, there is nothing I’m not willing to do!”

Qin Yan quietly looked at him and said nothing. His pair of eyes were like a clear mirror, glimpsing into the depths.

“Why do you want to stay close to me?”

“It’s because,” Fu Changling shyly smiled, “I want to use your name to scare other people. If I remain by your side, everyone would know that we are good friends and they wouldn’t dare beat me up. Relax,” Fu Changling swore, “I would not be troubling you for too long. As long as I am free from danger, I will leave immediately.”

After he’s freed from danger, whether he truly lets him go or not would be an entirely different matter.

Fu Changling schemed and plotted in his heart even though Qin Yan had promised him nothing. He turned his gaze to Fu Changling’s hand gripping onto his. After a long time, he said, “Fellow Cultivator Fu, allow me to remind you of two things.”

“Hm?”

“The first, I originally came in Wenji’s stead. It was not my intention to protect you, neither was it mine to kill you. You and I are simply people whose paths have intersected by chance. Now that all matters are resolved, we should not dally in each other’s presence. You and I are not friends.” He lifted his cold gaze to quietly look at him. “Previously, we never were. Neither are we presently.”

Hearing these words, Fu Changling felt his heart twisted sourly. He quickly tried to save the situation, “But…”

“The second,” Qin Yan glared at him. “About why you wish to stay by my side, no one but yourself knows the truth. A mirage of the moon is not the moon itself. There is someone you missed in your heart, but it’s not necessary to envision that person into this humble one Qin.”

“You…” Fu Changling hardly managed to squeeze a smile onto his face when he heard those words. “What do you mean?”

Qin Yan pursed his lips. He seemed to be pondering over for a while but finally decided to say, “Your Excellency seems to be searching for someone. Regardless whether it was that heart demon ‘Yanming’ previously or me, Your Excellency seems to be looking for someone in us.”

Fu Changling finally couldn’t hold up his smile. Qin Yan observed his expression and bore pity from his gaze, but he continued, “I don’t know what happened between you people, but those are matters between yourselves. If there is something you want to tell him, you should tell him. If there is something you want to do for him, then do it for him. Your Excellency should not be searching for his shadow in other people.”

“What if he’s dead?”

Suddenly, Fu Changling spoke.

Qin Yan fell into silence, but after a long while, he said, “Then you should let go.”

“My feelings are not mine to choose.” Fu Changling lifted his head, staring at Qin Yan dead in the eyes. “Would that be my fault?”

Qin Yan met his gaze, but his gaze was not the same as Qin Yan’s. Qin Yan’s gaze was forever enveloped in sheets of ice. Regardless of how turbulent his emotions were, they could manage to remain steady and calm.

But Fu Changling was different. His eyes reflected love and hate like searing flames, holding none of them back.

He could see love from his gaze, but he could also see hatred. He didn’t dare to look anymore, so he turned his gaze down and said, “Yes.”

After he finished saying, Qin Yan pulled his sleeve away from Fu Changling’s hand, turned and left.

Fu Changling fell limp to the ground the moment he watched him walk out.

He sat on the ground for a while, then reached out to take a cup of water. His hand was shaking and upon touching the cup, only then did it stabilize itself. As he held the cup, after a while, he poured it all into his mouth. Cup after cup he drank.

He originally wanted to find something to do. As long as he had something to do, he didn’t need to overthink. After a while, the commotion outside died down and he finally stopped his movements.

Did he not understand what Qin Yan said? He understood.

The Qin Yan he loved was the one who had stunned him, who had left him aghast, who had fought him for life and death, who was now separated from him through love and hatred. Presently, this Qin Yan had never done what he did in his previous life. They had no strife. He was like an empty shell wearing Qin Yan’s look and Qin Yan’s name, or perhaps he was the life of the previous Qin Yan prolonged.

He is Qin Yan, but he wasn’t the Qin Yan that Fu Changling loved. He wasn’t the Qin Yan that Fu Changling owed, the Qin Yan that he couldn’t let go.

How could he have ripped apart such matters so cruelly to him, leaving him no leeway at all?

After all, Qin Yan from that year was dead.

The sorrys he wanted to say, the things he wanted to make up for, the debts he wanted to repay; if he couldn’t give them to this present life Qin Yan, who else was he going to give them to?

He inhaled deeply and felt his eyes growing sour. He felt miserable. He wanted to smile to sooth his own emotions, but his muscles refused to obey him. The few times he tried to tip the corners of his lips, they refused. He finally gave up when an overwhelming sense of defeat surged up from his chest, burying his face into his hands as he sat in a room empty of people. He emotionally swept away the tea cups atop the table and quietly whispered, “Nonsense.”

Outside the door, at the end of a very long corridor, Qin Yan was standing outside the windows as he watched the light flowing clouds in orange rays, spinning the scenery into varying sights. He stood there for a very long time until the sound of something shattering came from inside the room. He lifted his hand to touch the pendant all disciples of the Heavenly Palace of Hongmeng had. After long periods of fumbling it, he inhaled deeply and let it go. Picking up his sword, he turned and left the long corridor.

Fu Changling stood alone in a daze. After a long while, the flying ship began to land, and his emotions finally returned to their previous state.

Qin Yan wasn’t wrong. His sorrys were not meant for this present life version of him, but regardless of what, he wanted to remain by Qin Yan’s side.

He could not watch Qin Yan take the same road he’d taken in his previous life. The Hidden Realm of Xuanji wasn’t enough to turn him into Suiyan Mojun. Regardless whether it was for the sake of his previous life, or for the future, or for Yunze, he wanted to remain by Qin Yan’s side.

After he made his decision, he went to wash his face. A while later, the sound of footsteps came from outside. Fu Changling quickly took off his shoes and lay on the bed, covering himself with a blanket and pretending that he was in a deep sleep.

Yun Yu walked to the entrance. He first knocked on the door, then bowed and said, “Young Master Fu.”

Fu Changling said nothing.

Yun Yu continued to knock on the door. “Young Master Fu, Patriarch Fu has arrived, let us go.”

Fu Changling said nothing. He closed his eyes and pretended to sleep.

The person outside seemed to ponder over it for a while. And then, Qin Yan’s voice softly rang, “Why are you still not leaving?”

“Shixiong,” Yun Yu slowly said. “Young Master Fu seems to be asleep.”

“He wouldn’t fall asleep so quickly.” Qin Yan unhesitantly said, “Open the door.”

With these words, Yun Yu mercilessly shouted, “Young Master Fu, my apologies!”

Speaking, he kicked the door open with a thundering sound.

Fu Changling’s back was faced towards them, his heart beating a little fast. He felt as though Qin Yan had grown angry. He couldn’t help swallowing a mouthful of saliva as he encouraged himself while looking at the wall.

Qin Yan walked to the side of the bed and coldly said, “Come down.”

“Don’t think I can.” Fu Changling spun the cup, his eyes wide on the bed. He would drag every second he has as he weakly parted his lips, “I feel a little sick, I can’t walk.”

“Weren’t you perfectly fine just a moment ago?” Yun Yu stared at him, and Fu Changling closed his eyes. “My golden core is cracked, my body is riddled with heavy wounds…”

“Have someone bring a stretcher.”

Qin Yan spoke clean and clear-cut. Fu Changling knew that Qin Yan was determined to kick him out upon hearing it. He sighed and pushed himself up. Looking at Qin Yan, he slowly said, “Fellow Cultivator Qin, there are some things I need to tell you.”

Speaking, Fu Changling eyed Yun Yu. Stunned, Yun Yu’s realization came later as he quickly brought his people out.

Once only two of them were left in the room, Qin Yan lifted his gaze at him. “What more lies do you want to tell?”

“Don’t say that so leisurely,” Fu Changling quickly argued. “Since when have I lied? I have always spoken the truth.”

“Your father is outside.”

“I know.” Fu Changling furrowed his eyebrows. “But I’ve said that I wouldn’t go out. I want to remain by your side. Of course!” Fu Changling instantly raised his hand to stop Qin Yan from talking. “I do have other reasons to remain by your side, but I could control these reasons. I won’t harass you. The reason I want to remain by your side is because…” Fu Changling stood up hugging his blanket, leaning in close to Qin Yan, he said with a face full of seriousness, “I want to save you.”

“Continue making up stories.”

Qin Yan’s expression was cold. Fu Changling placed the blanket down and began walking in circles around Qin Yan. “You know that I know the art of foresight. Let me tell you the truth: your future is riddled with dangers and you might fall into the path of demonic cultivation and cause misery to the realm of Yunze. For the sake of the walking lives of Yunze, I must remain by your side to keep watch over you.”

“However, you may relax. I will pay for the meals. I can even pay extra. Look at what you’re wearing.” Fu Changling observed his clothes. “Even your sash has been washed and worn. Why don’t you buy a new set?”

“Finished?”

Qin Yan was not swayed by it. When Fu Changling heard these words, he knew that Qin Yan had listened to nothing of what he said. He instantly gave in, carefully watching Qin Yan’s gaze as he tipped a corner of his sleeve with the tip of a finger, then kindly said, “Qin Shixiong, actually, I am pretty useful. You still need to investigate what happened in the Hidden Realm of Xuanji later on, right? I can help you. My predictions are very effective and no one knows more than I about the things in the Hidden Realm of Xuanji. Let me remain by your side, and I will aid you in the investigation, alright?”

Qin Yan didn’t reply to him, and Yun Yu ran back in from the outside. He urgently said, “Shixiong, that… uh… Patriarch Fu. Patriarch Fu said that if Young Master Fu doesn’t show up any time soon, he will be coming to take him himself. Young Master Su let me come to urge you.”

“En.”

Qin Yan nodded, then turned to Fu Changling. At this gaze, Fu Changling hugged himself as he took a step backwards, warning everyone, “What do you people want to do to me? Let me warn you, don’t come closer! Qin Yan, please reconsider it. Even if you refuse my offer now, in the future if you want my help, I will never decline you.”

“Give me a rope.”

Qin Yan reached out with a hand. Fu Changling’s expression dropped and following after was a pained cry from the room, “Let go of me! Ah! Qin Yan, let go of me… wuu…..”

Fu Changling had been so loud that even Fu Yushu, who was standing outside, was shocked.

He looked at Su Wenji, who was chatting with him while he waited for Fu Changling, and said, “Young Master Su, did my son cry out just now?”

“Oh?” Su Wenji faintly smiled. “Did he?”

Fu Yushu pondered over it for a while. After a brief moment, his confusion was answered. He watched as Qin Yan led a group of disciples who were carrying Fu Changling down from the flying ship.

Fu Changling was gagged with a piece of cloth. He was tied all over his body and his entire person was struggling like his life depended on it, eyes full of shock.

Watching his son in this manner, Fu Yushu was stunned where he stood.

He and Fu Changling were quite alike in looks. They wore the same set of clothes—a golden guan, black robes, and a golden fan—it seemed like those were the unified attire of the Fu Clan.

As he watched Fu Changling, who was crying at Qin Yan’s feet, he instinctively wanted to ask Su Wenji who was standing next to him but Su Wenji had turned to look into the distance with his blind eyes. Fu Yushu turned and looked at Qin Yan, but Qin Yan looked indifferent. Finally, Fu Yushu looked at Yun Yu, and finally he couldn’t hold back, “That… What’s the meaning of this, having tied up my son?”

Yun Yu forced a smile. “Er, so it happened like this… Due to our excellent hospitality, Young Master Fu refused to leave. We had no choice but to tie him up.”

Hearing these words, Fu Yushu gave Fu Changling a look that spoke volumes. Then he sighed, “I understand.”

Speaking, he bowed towards Su Wenji and Qin Yan. “My son has disgraced himself. Please forgive him.”

“It’s not necessary, Uncle Fu.” Su Wenji smiled. “Brother Changling is a person of temperament, and A-Yan’s methods were too violent. We beg Uncle Fu for your forgiveness.”

As Fu Yushu and Su Wenji exchanged greetings, he waved for the people who came with him and a group of servant girls appeared. They heaved Fu Changling’s stretcher up and brought him into the flying ship. Fu Changling fixed his gaze on Qin Yan and kept eyeing him with varying looks; his mouth didn’t stop emitting muffled voices. Qin Yan behaved as though he hadn’t heard anything. Fu Yushu was smiling as he and Su Wenji went separate ways.

Fu Changling was brought to another flying ship. The flying ship of the Fu Clan was different from the ones of the Heavenly Palace of Hongmeng. It was golden in colour and at one look, one would tell that it belonged to the rare castes of the wealthy in Yunze. It repeatedly conveyed three words: I am rich. I am rich. I am rich.

These people didn’t release Fu Changling even after he was brought back. After a long time, Fu Yushu brought some people in and stopped in front of Fu Changling. He knelt and observed him.

Fu Changling felt his skin turn cold upon being stared at by his own old man’s eccentric gaze. He followed Fu Yushu’s gaze and after Fu Yushu observed him for a while, he suddenly smiled. “Look how big you’ve grown. You even know how to chase after ladies now.”

Speaking, Fu Yushu muttered, “Untie” and the rope unwinded itself away from Fu Changling. Fu Changling pulled the bundle of cloth out from his mouth and instantly got to his feet before rushing out of the flying ship. Fu Yushu slowly said, “No need to chase after them, they’re gone.”

Fu Changling’s froze on the spot. He could sense Fu Yushu’s displeasure in his words. Finally, he stopped and turned around, forcing himself to flash a smile at Fu Yushu.

“Am I still alive?”

Fu Yushu received a cup of tea from the servant girl next to him and slowly said, “Do you even remember that I’m your father?”

Fu Changling forced a smile.

He had been incessantly running into encounters ever since he came back. At this moment, faced before Fu Yushu, only then did the truth slowly sink upon him and gradually, he got used to his identity as a seventeen year old.

He walked forwards and knelt in front of Fu Yushu. Fu Yushu meddled with the floating green tea leaves in his cup, saying nothing.

Everyone around him dispersed, leaving behind only Fu Yushu and Fu Changling. Fu Yushu took a sip from his tea then he continued, “You’ve lifted your own curse? From where did you secretly learn it?”

Fu Changling was giving him a very difficult smile. He carefully said, “What if I said… that I managed to guess it? Would you believe me?”

Fu Yushu sneered in mocking, but he obviously didn’t insist on pursuing the matter. He said, “Don’t let the elders back home know about this. Just say that it was me who taught you how. Since your golden core is already cracked, let us take this as a lesson.”

As Fu Yushu spoke, he leaned against the chair and calmly said, “Speak then, what in the world was that about?”

Fu Changling knelt and said nothing. He gave it serious thought.

Fu Yushu was actually quite nice to him.

He did everything a father should be doing, but he didn't bend backwards doing them. At least, he didn’t treat him as well as he treated his eldest, Fu Changyan—the son of Fu Yushu and Yue Sihua.

He would rather suffer the favouritism rather than cause trouble; in his last life, Fu Changling held a grudge against Fu Yushu until the day Fu Yushu died.

Fu Yushu died from illness on his deathbed.

Before he died, he had touched the spot on Fu Changling’s spine that stuck out and told him an earth-shaking secret.

It was only at that moment that Fu Changling realized Fu Yushu’s indifference towards his well-being was his form of expressing another kind of love.

At this moment, Fu Changling felt guilt looking at Fu Yushu. He sighed and finally told him everything about what had happened in the Hidden Realm of Xuanji.

Fu Yushu furrowed his brows and after Fu Changling finished speaking, he tapped his palm with his fan and said, “Qin Yan should be reporting these matters to Jiang Yebai without a single detail missed. So, don’t you go around mentioning it to other people.”

“What is father worried about?” Fu Changling watched the strange expression on Fu Yushu and couldn't help himself asking further. Fu Yushu sighed. “What I am worried about is that, if what you said is true, then this is actually a massive scheme. How would the higher authorities of Yunze not know about it?”

Hearing these words, Fu Changling nodded. “Father speaks the truth.”

Back in that year, a great number of the higher authorities in Yunze truly allied with the demonic cultivators of the Avici.

“Let us not speak of others.” Fu Yushu looked concerned. “Let’s just talk about the Hidden Realm of Xuanji alone. It’s always been kept by the Golden Light Temple. How would they not know about it when even the god of the realm had been switched out?”

Fu Changling listened to Fu Yushu’s questions and quietly gave them some thought.

Fu Yushu sighed, “So let us not get too involved in these matters. Since Qin Yan will be reporting them to Jiang Yebai, then Jiang Yebai will decide on the next steps that are needed to be taken. We would just need to,” He sipped his tea, “meddle less in them. Compared to this matter, there is something I am more curious about.”

Speaking, Fu Yushu wiggled his eyebrows at him. Fu Changling was a little taken aback. Watching Fu Yushu eyeing him with that gaze, he hesitantly blurted out, “Hm?”

“My daughter-in-law!”

Seeing that his son didn’t understand, Fu Yushu blurted out, “Aren’t you just attracted to one of their female cultivators since you were making a fuss about not wanting to leave the Heavenly Palace of Hongmeng? Who is she? What’s her name? On what level of relationship have both of you gotten to?”

“You…” Fu Changling couldn’t help feeling shy when Fu Yushu was being so forthright like that. “How did you know?”

“You are my son.” Fu Yushu glared at him. “Even when it comes to chasing after ladies, our methods are the same. Tell me, is the one you like the same one who tied you up? But I didn’t seem to catch sight of any female cultivators among the group from just now?”

“I guess you can say that….” Fu Changling smiled awkwardly. “Though it’s not really tying. They treat me quite well…”

“Alright, I understand.” Fu Yushu nodded. “How about this: since it would be dangerous for you to return to the Fu family anyways, see if you can get yourself a chance to,” Fu Yushu leaned in close and hinted at him, “blend into the Heavenly Palace of Hongmeng. Become a disciple or something, no need to come back at all?”