79. I’m sorry!

Zhou Sheng stared down at the cowed form of Lin Yijun. He had a sense of unreality. Was this just another weird ‘dream’?

But the scene remained unchanged. Lin Yijun was kowtowing to him. Lin Yijun was apologising to him.

Zhou Sheng squashed down the fluttering feeling in his chest and sneered instead.

“What do you want from me?” he said sharply. “Lowering your head to demonic cultivator trash? Oh, if your parents saw you now, they would be so disappointed.”

Lin Yijun’s eyes soured as his chest tightened. He raised his head, looking up at Zhou Sheng’s harsh eyes. “No, no. You’re not trash. You’re far from it! Zhou Sheng, we were friends before, it wasn’t something you thought wrongly. It was I...I who did not help you as a friend should have. I’m sorry.” Lin Yijun lowered his head to the ground again. “You don’t need to forgive me, but I hope I can earn it.”

With his eyes to the ground, Lin Yijun couldn’t even see Zhou Sheng’s boots. He could only comfort himself with his awareness of Zhou Sheng’s aura and the breathing and rustling sounds.

But after a long time, Zhou Sheng remained silent.

Lin Yijun cautiously raised his head again. Seeing Zhou Sheng’s glare, Lin Yijun’s heart skipped a beat. “Zhou Sheng...Zhou-shidi…”

“Don’t call me that!” Zhou Sheng’s polearm banged on the ground.

Lin Yijun lowered his head once more. “I didn’t listen to you when you were struggling. If you want to return to the Golden Sun Sect as a blood cultivator, as a senior cultivator, as an inner disciple, I will make it happen. You are still eradicating slave-traders, I will accompany you to help—”

“You…” The accidental soft word was cut off with gritted teeth. Zhou Sheng coarsened his tone. “Why would I want to return to the Golden Sun Sect? You’re so privileged, Lin Yijun.”

Lin Yijun reflexively wanted to deny it, but he swallowed those words and said instead, “I’m sorry.”

Zhou Sheng snorted. “I bet you don’t even know. From the very beginning, you were born into money, family, influence. You did nothing, and yet you started up high in the sky! And what was I? Some trash you picked up from the streets, who couldn’t even reach the Golden Core stage. Don’t tell me you didn’t know what they said about me.”

Lin Yijun’s eyes prickled.

“They said I climbed into your bed! That I was trying to corrupt you! That you would be better off throwing me back with the scum. They said I was hugging your thigh! Fucking hypocrites! Either you knew they were saying that and you let them—so of course, they’d continue!—or you were too self-absorbed to know at all!” A sharp breath forced its way through Zhou Sheng’s gritted teeth.

Lin Yijun swallowed. The truth was that he had heard those rumours. But he had dismissed them as beneath him...he hadn’t considered the fact that they impacted Zhou Sheng a lot more than they affected him.

“I’m sorry. I’ll stop any such rumours. They’re not true. If anything, I unfairly spent time with you...you were the only one I...” The words caught in Lin Yijun’s throat.

“What?”

“The only one I liked to spend time with…” After speaking the words, Lin Yijun suddenly felt that they were very ambiguous.

Zhou Sheng’s heart inexplicably fluttered. He turned his head away slightly.

“I was...actually worried when you suddenly disappeared,” Lin Yijun said.

“...I didn’t tell you.”

“You were right the first time. I am...was...your friend. I was a bad one,” Lin Yijun said softly.

Zhou Sheng’s worldview flipped again. His past perception of Lin Yijun hadn’t been wrong. Lin Yijun had considered him a friend. It hadn’t all been in his head.

It was just that Lin Yijun was awkward...and Zhou Sheng was too. They didn’t talk about these things, not in this way…

“We were both each other’s first friend?” Zhou Sheng said quietly.

“En.”

Silence descended. Both their faces had turned slightly red, and both of them were glad that the other couldn’t see.

Finally, Zhou Sheng took a step closer to Lin Yijun, his shadow falling over Lin Yijun’s head.

Black, red-rimmed boots came into Lin Yijun’s view, as did the metal-capped bottom of the polearm.

“Probationary,” Zhou Sheng said.

Lin Yijun raised his head in confusion. “Ah?” He made a face when the bottom of Zhou Sheng’s polearm tapped his hair bun.

“Get up. If you are willing to speak to a demonic cultivator, then who am I to stop you?”

Lin Yijun slowly rose to his feet. “I will take your goodwill seriously.” The corner of his lips curled into an unfamiliar smile shape. “Thank you, Zhou Sheng.”

Zhou Sheng made a face. “Don’t be so polite, ba.” Seeing a smile on the serious Lin Yijun’s face was very disconcerting.

“These are for you.” Lin Yijun politely presented a small jade bottle of high-grade healing pills and a talisman that created a barrier capable of blocking a Late-Stage Nascent Soul attack.

Zhou Sheng didn’t move his hands. “No need.”

“Don’t be polite,” Lin Yijun said. “These items cannot make up for all the times I didn’t protect you. You are not indebted to me. It is I to you.”

Zhou Sheng’s eyes lowered slightly as he accepted the jade bottle and the talisman. “I’ll take them since that’ll make you feel better,” Zhou Sheng mumbled.

With the same politeness, Lin Yijun presented the food box. “And this was entrusted to me by Disciple Wen to deliver to you.”

Zhou Sheng’s lips twitched. “...Wen Zhihao told me to talk to you.”

“He told the same to me,” Lin Yijin said.

Their two eyes met as they shared a moment of commiseration and grudging gratitude to Wen Zhihao.

Lin Yijun broke the silence. “Where are you going? I’ll accompany you.”

“I’m going to catch some mortal scum,” Zhou Sheng said idly. “There will be blood.”

Lin Yijun didn’t flinch. “I’ll accompany you.”

Zhou Sheng shrugged. “Suit yourself. If you can keep up with me.” He released his polearm, the weapon falling into a horizontal position. With a light jump onto the staff, Zhou Sheng rose into the air.

Lin Yijun followed a split second later and the two of them flew away from the sect, one golden-robed, one black-robed.

Lin Yijun guiltily sent a message back to the Sect of his sudden unavailability, but another part of him was as light as the air that brushed past him and Zhou Sheng. The anxiety and stress that had been rummaging in his chest and stomach had started to fade away. He was tentatively friends with Zhou Sheng again. He would not meet Zhou Sheng on the battlefield this time around.

Perhaps his rebirth wasn’t to defeat the demonic sects in the future war but to change his fate with Zhou Sheng.

The Heavens rumbled right at that moment, but whether it was in agreement or discontent, Lin Yijun did not care to decipher: Zhou Sheng had sped up now that Lin Yijun finished sending his message, and Lin Yijun had to fly faster.

“...If the children do become sword cultivators, then they could attend the Sect’s school,” Wen Zhihao was musing. “That would save time on travel.”

“En.” Sun Fuyu hesitated. “Um, Wen-ge….”

“Hm?”

“Can I see your sword? I know you’re no longer a sword-cultivator, but I was thinking…”

Baffled, Wen Zhihao took out his sword from his spatial ring, which meant taking out the flying cart it was attached to.

“Can I?”

“Go ahead,” Wen Zhihao said, still confused.

Sun Fuyu nodded and untied the sword from the cart. “All magical swords need maintenance. Since Wen-ge is no longer a sword-cultivator, Wen-ge hasn’t learnt about what needs to be done when your cultivation rises.”

“Ah.” Wen Zhihao smiled sheepishly. “Then I’ll entrust Xiao Yu to help me.” Then he remembered something else. “Xiao Yu, you maintain your sword. Then you also upgrade it as your cultivation increases?”

“En. Shifu Liu has taught me basic techniques.”

“Wouldn’t it be easier to simply buy a new sword that is, say, made specifically for a Golden Core cultivator?”

The sword at Sun Fuyu’s side vibrated slightly. Sun Fuyu patted the hilt. “I like my sword. It has grown stronger with me. It feels like a part of me.”

Wen Zhihao smiled secretively. I see...

Sun Fuyu reached out to Wen Zhihao’s sword’s spirit. Most weapon spirits had some level of violence, as was their nature, and Sun Fuyu knew that many of them would never listen to their wielder’s command to pull a mortal cart.

However, this sword had been alongside Wen-ge even more than Sun Fuyu had been. It had become easygoing and had even thoughtfully blunted its blade edge, completely accepting its new life as a flying sword rather than a fighting sword. It peacefully let Sun Fuyu examine it.

Even though Sun Fuyu was happy that the sword accepted him, it also made him even more worried for Wen-ge. Sun Fuyu needed to cultivate, but then during those times, who would protect Wen Zhihao? If the sword remained tied up with the cart, then Wen-ge wouldn’t even be able to use the sword at all!

“Wen-ge, you don’t need to use your sword to pull the cart. It is possible to manipulate and circulate qi directly in the cart to allow it to fly like the sword.”

Wen Zhihao blinked. “Xiao Yu, you’re so smart!” he praised. “This way, I can stand in the cart with the children. Let me practice right now!”

Sun Fuyu secretly signed in relief as Wen Zhihao jumped up.

And so, while Sun Fuyu conducted maintenance of Wen Zhihao’s sword, Wen Zhihao practised manipulating the cart.

At first, Wen Zhihao stood at the center of the cart, and then at the edge of the card. With a bit of experimentation though, he figured out how to pilot the cart while sitting down—this would be very useful for long flights because he could sit down instead of standing the entire time! Unfortunately, lying down while flying would be very irresponsible...

79. I’m sorry!

Zhou Sheng stared down at the cowed form of Lin Yijun. He had a sense of unreality. Was this just another weird ‘dream’?

But the scene remained unchanged. Lin Yijun was kowtowing to him. Lin Yijun was apologising to him.

Zhou Sheng squashed down the fluttering feeling in his chest and sneered instead.

“What do you want from me?” he said sharply. “Lowering your head to demonic cultivator trash? Oh, if your parents saw you now, they would be so disappointed.”

Lin Yijun’s eyes soured as his chest tightened. He raised his head, looking up at Zhou Sheng’s harsh eyes. “No, no. You’re not trash. You’re far from it! Zhou Sheng, we were friends before, it wasn’t something you thought wrongly. It was I...I who did not help you as a friend should have. I’m sorry.” Lin Yijun lowered his head to the ground again. “You don’t need to forgive me, but I hope I can earn it.”

With his eyes to the ground, Lin Yijun couldn’t even see Zhou Sheng’s boots. He could only comfort himself with his awareness of Zhou Sheng’s aura and the breathing and rustling sounds.

But after a long time, Zhou Sheng remained silent.

Lin Yijun cautiously raised his head again. Seeing Zhou Sheng’s glare, Lin Yijun’s heart skipped a beat. “Zhou Sheng...Zhou-shidi…”

“Don’t call me that!” Zhou Sheng’s polearm banged on the ground.

Lin Yijun lowered his head once more. “I didn’t listen to you when you were struggling. If you want to return to the Golden Sun Sect as a blood cultivator, as a senior cultivator, as an inner disciple, I will make it happen. You are still eradicating slave-traders, I will accompany you to help—”

“You…” The accidental soft word was cut off with gritted teeth. Zhou Sheng coarsened his tone. “Why would I want to return to the Golden Sun Sect? You’re so privileged, Lin Yijun.”

Lin Yijun reflexively wanted to deny it, but he swallowed those words and said instead, “I’m sorry.”

Zhou Sheng snorted. “I bet you don’t even know. From the very beginning, you were born into money, family, influence. You did nothing, and yet you started up high in the sky! And what was I? Some trash you picked up from the streets, who couldn’t even reach the Golden Core stage. Don’t tell me you didn’t know what they said about me.”

Lin Yijun’s eyes prickled.

“They said I climbed into your bed! That I was trying to corrupt you! That you would be better off throwing me back with the scum. They said I was hugging your thigh! Fucking hypocrites! Either you knew they were saying that and you let them—so of course, they’d continue!—or you were too self-absorbed to know at all!” A sharp breath forced its way through Zhou Sheng’s gritted teeth.

Lin Yijun swallowed. The truth was that he had heard those rumours. But he had dismissed them as beneath him...he hadn’t considered the fact that they impacted Zhou Sheng a lot more than they affected him.

“I’m sorry. I’ll stop any such rumours. They’re not true. If anything, I unfairly spent time with you...you were the only one I...” The words caught in Lin Yijun’s throat.

“What?”

“The only one I liked to spend time with…” After speaking the words, Lin Yijun suddenly felt that they were very ambiguous.

Zhou Sheng’s heart inexplicably fluttered. He turned his head away slightly.

“I was...actually worried when you suddenly disappeared,” Lin Yijun said.

“...I didn’t tell you.”

“You were right the first time. I am...was...your friend. I was a bad one,” Lin Yijun said softly.

Zhou Sheng’s worldview flipped again. His past perception of Lin Yijun hadn’t been wrong. Lin Yijun had considered him a friend. It hadn’t all been in his head.

It was just that Lin Yijun was awkward...and Zhou Sheng was too. They didn’t talk about these things, not in this way…

“We were both each other’s first friend?” Zhou Sheng said quietly.

“En.”

Silence descended. Both their faces had turned slightly red, and both of them were glad that the other couldn’t see.

Finally, Zhou Sheng took a step closer to Lin Yijun, his shadow falling over Lin Yijun’s head.

Black, red-rimmed boots came into Lin Yijun’s view, as did the metal-capped bottom of the polearm.

“Probationary,” Zhou Sheng said.

Lin Yijun raised his head in confusion. “Ah?” He made a face when the bottom of Zhou Sheng’s polearm tapped his hair bun.

“Get up. If you are willing to speak to a demonic cultivator, then who am I to stop you?”

Lin Yijun slowly rose to his feet. “I will take your goodwill seriously.” The corner of his lips curled into an unfamiliar smile shape. “Thank you, Zhou Sheng.”

Zhou Sheng made a face. “Don’t be so polite, ba.” Seeing a smile on the serious Lin Yijun’s face was very disconcerting.

“These are for you.” Lin Yijun politely presented a small jade bottle of high-grade healing pills and a talisman that created a barrier capable of blocking a Late-Stage Nascent Soul attack.

Zhou Sheng didn’t move his hands. “No need.”

“Don’t be polite,” Lin Yijun said. “These items cannot make up for all the times I didn’t protect you. You are not indebted to me. It is I to you.”

Zhou Sheng’s eyes lowered slightly as he accepted the jade bottle and the talisman. “I’ll take them since that’ll make you feel better,” Zhou Sheng mumbled.

With the same politeness, Lin Yijun presented the food box. “And this was entrusted to me by Disciple Wen to deliver to you.”

Zhou Sheng’s lips twitched. “...Wen Zhihao told me to talk to you.”

“He told the same to me,” Lin Yijin said.

Their two eyes met as they shared a moment of commiseration and grudging gratitude to Wen Zhihao.

Lin Yijun broke the silence. “Where are you going? I’ll accompany you.”

“I’m going to catch some mortal scum,” Zhou Sheng said idly. “There will be blood.”

Lin Yijun didn’t flinch. “I’ll accompany you.”

Zhou Sheng shrugged. “Suit yourself. If you can keep up with me.” He released his polearm, the weapon falling into a horizontal position. With a light jump onto the staff, Zhou Sheng rose into the air.

Lin Yijun followed a split second later and the two of them flew away from the sect, one golden-robed, one black-robed.

Lin Yijun guiltily sent a message back to the Sect of his sudden unavailability, but another part of him was as light as the air that brushed past him and Zhou Sheng. The anxiety and stress that had been rummaging in his chest and stomach had started to fade away. He was tentatively friends with Zhou Sheng again. He would not meet Zhou Sheng on the battlefield this time around.

Perhaps his rebirth wasn’t to defeat the demonic sects in the future war but to change his fate with Zhou Sheng.

The Heavens rumbled right at that moment, but whether it was in agreement or discontent, Lin Yijun did not care to decipher: Zhou Sheng had sped up now that Lin Yijun finished sending his message, and Lin Yijun had to fly faster.

“...If the children do become sword cultivators, then they could attend the Sect’s school,” Wen Zhihao was musing. “That would save time on travel.”

“En.” Sun Fuyu hesitated. “Um, Wen-ge….”

“Hm?”

“Can I see your sword? I know you’re no longer a sword-cultivator, but I was thinking…”

Baffled, Wen Zhihao took out his sword from his spatial ring, which meant taking out the flying cart it was attached to.

“Can I?”

“Go ahead,” Wen Zhihao said, still confused.

Sun Fuyu nodded and untied the sword from the cart. “All magical swords need maintenance. Since Wen-ge is no longer a sword-cultivator, Wen-ge hasn’t learnt about what needs to be done when your cultivation rises.”

“Ah.” Wen Zhihao smiled sheepishly. “Then I’ll entrust Xiao Yu to help me.” Then he remembered something else. “Xiao Yu, you maintain your sword. Then you also upgrade it as your cultivation increases?”

“En. Shifu Liu has taught me basic techniques.”

“Wouldn’t it be easier to simply buy a new sword that is, say, made specifically for a Golden Core cultivator?”

The sword at Sun Fuyu’s side vibrated slightly. Sun Fuyu patted the hilt. “I like my sword. It has grown stronger with me. It feels like a part of me.”

Wen Zhihao smiled secretively. I see...

Sun Fuyu reached out to Wen Zhihao’s sword’s spirit. Most weapon spirits had some level of violence, as was their nature, and Sun Fuyu knew that many of them would never listen to their wielder’s command to pull a mortal cart.

However, this sword had been alongside Wen-ge even more than Sun Fuyu had been. It had become easygoing and had even thoughtfully blunted its blade edge, completely accepting its new life as a flying sword rather than a fighting sword. It peacefully let Sun Fuyu examine it.

Even though Sun Fuyu was happy that the sword accepted him, it also made him even more worried for Wen-ge. Sun Fuyu needed to cultivate, but then during those times, who would protect Wen Zhihao? If the sword remained tied up with the cart, then Wen-ge wouldn’t even be able to use the sword at all!

“Wen-ge, you don’t need to use your sword to pull the cart. It is possible to manipulate and circulate qi directly in the cart to allow it to fly like the sword.”

Wen Zhihao blinked. “Xiao Yu, you’re so smart!” he praised. “This way, I can stand in the cart with the children. Let me practice right now!”

Sun Fuyu secretly signed in relief as Wen Zhihao jumped up.

And so, while Sun Fuyu conducted maintenance of Wen Zhihao’s sword, Wen Zhihao practised manipulating the cart.

At first, Wen Zhihao stood at the center of the cart, and then at the edge of the card. With a bit of experimentation though, he figured out how to pilot the cart while sitting down—this would be very useful for long flights because he could sit down instead of standing the entire time! Unfortunately, lying down while flying would be very irresponsible...