Chapter 54
The next day, thinking about Qilin, the two prepared to return to Qishan after breakfast.
Xia Yi’s mother stood in the courtyard, holding Xia Yi’s hand, her eyes turning red. Xia Yi quickly comforted her, “Mother, I’ll come back again soon. Don’t be sad.”
“Who’s sad? I can’t wait for you to stop bothering me,” she said, but she still held his hand tightly, unwilling to let go.
Seeing Xia Yi glance toward the house, she sighed, “Just go, your father will feel better in a while. Don’t bother him now and make him upset.”
Xia Yi nodded and replied softly, “I understand.”
Gu Wenzhu had already summoned his magical spear in the air. Xia Yi released his mother’s hand and was ready to board the magical weapon.
“Wait,” Xia Yi’s mother suddenly called out.
She pulled a palm-sized square wooden box from her sleeve and handed it to Xia Yi, giving a glance toward Gu Wenzhu’s direction. “Give this to him.”
“What is this?” Xia Yi asked, curious about the simple yet heavy box, about to open it, but his mother quickly stopped him.
“It’s for him. Let him open it himself, and don’t meddle.”
Xia Yi tucked the box into his robe, hugged his mother, and lowered himself so his head rested on her shoulder, gently swaying like he did as a child. “Mother, I’ll be off then. Please talk to father and tell him not to be mad. I’ll come back to visit soon.”
“Go, go, don’t waste any more time,” his mother urged impatiently, but she secretly turned away to wipe the corners of her eyes with her sleeve.
“Mother, we’re leaving now. In a little while, I’ll bring Xiao Yi back to visit you,” Gu Wenzhu said loudly, pulling Xia Yi onto the spear.
Upon hearing this, Xia Yi’s mother stiffened her face.
Gu Wenzhu, seeing her lack of response, could only give a helpless smile as the magic weapon began to slowly ascend.
“You’re the daughter-in-law, do you understand? Stop calling yourself ‘son-in-law’ all the time,” Xia Yi’s mother suddenly shouted toward the sky as the weapon rose higher. “I’ve already given the family heirloom for daughters-in-law to Xiao Yi. He’ll give it to you.”
Gu Wenzhu froze for a moment, then broke into a wide grin. “Got it, mother-in-law!”
His voice was loud and clear, full of energy.
As the magic weapon ascended further, Xia Yi remembered the box from earlier. He quickly pulled it out from his robe.
Carefully opening the lid, he found a crimson velvet cloth beneath. Lifting it revealed a jade phoenix hairpin, used by women to tie up their hair.
The jade was clearly of the highest quality, smooth and flawless, with an internal glow. The intricately designed phoenix held a pearl the size of a longan in its beak, radiant in the sunlight.
“Wow… My mother really went all out. This must be a family heirloom,” Xia Yi exclaimed, reaching to take out the phoenix hairpin to examine it more closely, but Gu Wenzhu snatched the box from him.
Gu Wenzhu gently placed the velvet back over the hairpin, closed the lid, and tucked it securely into his robe. After ensuring it was safe, he patted his chest to make sure it wouldn’t fall out.
“This is a gift from mother, and I need to take it back and keep it safe.”
Xia Yi couldn’t help but laugh. “It’s for the daughter-in-law, aren’t you going to wear it?”
Gu Wenzhu laughed too. “How could I wear it? It’s a symbol of mother’s love. We’ll keep it until our son gets married, and then you can hand it down to our daughter-in-law.”
Xia Yi’s face instantly fell, his expression turning blank as he stared at the ground.
By now, they had risen high enough that the buildings below looked tiny. But Xia Yi, with his enhanced vision, could see two familiar figures in the courtyard of his family’s mansion, struggling to lift their heads and look up at the sky.
It was his father.
Xia Yi’s nose tingled, and his eyes began to water.
Although he knew they could only see a small dot from the ground, he still waved energetically and shouted, “Father, Mother, I’ll come back to visit you soon!”
Gu Wenzhu pulled him into his embrace, gently patting his back to comfort him.
The magic spear rose higher into the clouds, the city below disappearing from view. The weapon accelerated, flying toward the Qishan Sect.
They didn’t rush back, taking their time, stopping occasionally when they encountered beautiful scenery.
As they left the plains behind, towering mountains filled the landscape.
Everywhere they looked, they saw soaring peaks, lush green trees, and layers of unique terrain.
In some places, rain had recently fallen, and water droplets on the leaves reflected the sunlight. As they flew over the mountaintops, the dazzling light sometimes forced them to squint.
When the light became too bright, they simply landed and walked hand in hand for a while.
They traveled like this, walking and exploring, until night fell, and they were only halfway to their destination.
Deciding to rest for the night, they found a dry and open spot to camp, planning to continue their journey the next day.
Gu Wenzhu told Xia Yi to sit and wait while he ventured into the nearby forest. Not long after, he returned with two wild chickens and a rabbit.
There was a small, clear stream not far away. Gu Wenzhu took the chickens and rabbit to the stream, plucking and cleaning them.”
He transformed the hoe into a spear and gently drew a circle on a large rock. After removing the center portion of the circle, the stone turned into a clean stone pot.
Returning to the clearing, he lit a fire and placed the stone pot over it. Gu Wenzhu began to boil the wild chicken to remove any gamey taste, skillfully preparing the dish.
The rabbit was skewered on the spear and slowly roasted over the fire.
He then pulled out a porcelain bottle, typically used to store elixirs, and after removing the stopper, sprinkled its contents into the stone pot.
“Brother Zhu, what did you pour in?” Xia Yi asked curiously.
“Before we left, I packed some seasonings. I was worried you wouldn’t like the bland taste of wild meat in the wilderness,” Gu Wenzhu replied while turning the rabbit.
“I’ll go see if I can find some wild mushrooms or vegetables to cook with the chicken. It’ll taste even better.” As Gu Wenzhu stood to search, Xia Yi quickly stopped him.
“179, take out two Heavenly Spirit Fruits and some Mokugela roots. I want to cook the chicken,” Xia Yi said to the system.
“Huh?” The system was stunned for a moment before realizing he meant carrots and onions.
As the wild chicken simmered, releasing an enticing aroma, Xia Yi handed the carrots and onions to Gu Wenzhu. “Brother Zhu, no need to find wild vegetables. Use these.”
Gu Wenzhu took them and examined them closely, hesitating. “Isn’t this the rare Mu Ge root Elder Liu talked about? It seems valuable.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Xia Yi said while turning the rabbit over the fire. “We have plenty at home. You even sold a whole cart of them to the army last time.”
“A cart sold to the army?” Gu Wenzhu was puzzled and continued to inspect the onions. “But I don’t remember selling anything like this or ever seeing it elsewhere.”
Seeing that Xia Yi remained silent with a mysterious smile, Gu Wenzhu suddenly had a revelation. “Are these vegetables the one we grew ourselves, and they transformed in this world, like Qilin?”
“Smart!” Xia Yi praised. “These are our homegrown onions.”
He couldn’t help but laugh out loud. “Our onions have become some legendary Mu Ge fruit here.”
“Where do you keep all these things?” Gu Wenzhu asked, his eyes curiously scanning Xia Yi.
Xia Yi playfully knocked him on the head. “What are you thinking? Don’t you know my body can’t hide anything?
“But don’t ask. It’s a secret.”
“Alright, alright, no more questions,” Gu Wenzhu smiled and dropped the matter.
179, inside Xia Yi’s mind, let out a relieved sigh.
Using just his fingers as a blade, Gu Wenzhu gently sliced the carrot into pieces, which fell apart neatly, then tossed them into the pot to simmer with the wild chicken.
He cut the onions into chunks and stuffed them inside the rabbit’s belly as it roasted.
Before long, both the rabbit and wild chicken were ready. The two sat around the stone pot, enjoying rabbit meat and sipping chicken soup.
The chicken soup was incredibly rich, with a hint of carrot sweetness. The rabbit was roasted to perfection—crispy on the outside, tender inside, with a golden-brown crust.
Before they knew it, they had finished off all the meat, soup, and even the carrots and onions, leaving nothing behind.
By the time they were done eating, the last bit of sunlight had disappeared over the mountain, and night had fully fallen.
Sometime during their meal, a light drizzle had begun to fall. As the rain gradually intensified, dampening Xia Yi’s hair and shoulders, Gu Wenzhu stood to search for large leaves to shield them from the rain.
Xia Yi quickly pulled him back. “Brother Zhu, no need. I have a house.” After glancing around, he hesitantly pulled out the half-finished winter melon from his pocket.
In an instant, a bright green winter melon house appeared on the ground. Gu Wenzhu looked at it in astonishment. “Xiao Yi, what is this? Your magic weapon?”
Xia Yi felt embarrassed comparing his winter melon to Gu Wenzhu’s powerful treasures, reluctant to speak. He mumbled, “It’s not exactly a magic weapon. It’s more like a tent—a movable house.”
But as soon as the winter melon house appeared, the rain stopped.
The moon hung high in the sky, and the autumn insects began their chorus.
Leaning against Gu Wenzhu, the two sat on a large rock at the cliff’s edge, embracing.
Xia Yi closed his eyes, feeling the gentle breeze on his face, and listened to the sounds of the night.
It was as if his perception had been greatly amplified. Besides hearing the wind, water, trees swaying, and various animals and insects, he could even hear the plants.
He heard the roots of the grass and flowers rustling beneath the soil, bursting with vibrant life.
It was as if he could sense all sorts of waves—from the sky, the ground, nature, and even space—strange signals from everywhere.
Amazed, Xia Yi slowly opened his eyes.
Just as he was about to tell Gu Wenzhu about this extraordinary experience, he was struck silent by an even more astonishing sight.
All around them, countless points of light floated gently in the air, surrounding them like twinkling stars.
It was as though they were enveloped by millions of glowing specks of stardust, or like a gathering of fireflies.
He didn’t know how long these light particles had been floating around them, but they had formed a glowing stream, slowly revolving around the two of them.
Wherever he looked—the cliffs, the ground, the trees, the flowers, even the mountains and rivers—tiny glowing specks rose and drifted toward them.
Xia Yi stared at the breathtaking scene in stunned silence. He was about to call out to Gu Wenzhu when he realized something was off.
By now, Gu Wenzhu should have noticed the anomaly, but he remained silent, still holding him close.
Xia Yi quickly turned to see Gu Wenzhu sitting calmly, eyes closed, and let out a sigh of relief.
His chest rose and fell steadily, his breathing slow and deep, as though he were either resting or meditating.
But soon Xia Yi noticed something strange. The glowing light particles surrounding them seemed to be drawn by some unseen force, spinning and flowing into Gu Wenzhu’s body.
Gu Wenzhu’s robes fluttered even without wind, billowing as if filled with air.
His sleeves flapped wildly, as though they had caught the wind.
“179, 179, what’s happening to Brother Zhu?” Xia Yi asked the system in panic. “Please check on him quickly.”
“Host, don’t panic. Gu Wenzhu has unconsciously entered a state of deep meditation, absorbing the spiritual energy of the world and converting it into his own,” 179 reassured him. “Don’t disturb him; just stand guard and protect him.”
Cultivation—this was true cultivation.
Xia Yi felt both excited and uneasy. Hearing that he shouldn’t disturb Gu Wenzhu, even the voice in his mind, as he communicated with 179, became softer, almost a whisper.
“179, are these light particles spiritual energy, powering Brother Zhu as he ascends to godhood?”
“Ah, no, it won’t affect his kidney function.”
“I’m feeling conflicted—part of me wants him to absorb more, but part of me wants him to finish quickly.”
“Premature discharge is even less likely.”
179 replied seriously, also in a whisper.
Xia Yi was stunned. What on earth was this system thinking all the time?
More and more light particles rose from the mountain valley, even distant beams of light stretched across the sky toward them. Xia Yi began to feel a growing unease.
Gu Wenzhu was like a massive vacuum, endlessly drawing in all the light, and the speed was increasing.
Xia Yi stared intently at Gu Wenzhu’s face, determined to catch any sign of discomfort.
If Gu Wenzhu showed any sign of pain or distress, Xia Yi wouldn’t hesitate to rush over and shake him awake.
Even if it meant disrupting his cultivation or risking him going berserk, it was better than having him explode from absorbing too much spiritual energy.
However, Gu Wenzhu’s face remained calm and peaceful, with a faint glow. He seemed more handsome, his high nose bridge and sharp features becoming more defined in the soft light.
Xia Yi didn’t have time to admire this beauty, his heart filled with anxiety as he waited for Gu Wenzhu to wake from his meditative state.
He didn’t know how much time had passed, only that the sky was gradually brightening, with the first light of dawn appearing.
Xia Yi sat across from Gu Wenzhu, keeping watch all night without moving or even using the bathroom.
Just as he was about to ask 179 how much longer it would take, Gu Wenzhu exhaled a deep breath of turbid air and slowly opened his eyes.
The moment his eyes opened, they sparkled with a mysterious light, a shadow flickering before disappearing.
Xia Yi was momentarily stunned before shouting, “Brother Zhu, you’re finally awake!” He leaped toward him in joy.
But his body had become stiff, his muscles sore, and his legs numb from sitting too long. His feet had lost all feeling. Instead of landing in Gu Wenzhu’s arms, he toppled headfirst toward the ground.
He braced himself for a hard fall but instead found himself caught in a warm, solid embrace.
Without Gu Wenzhu appearing to move, he had already flashed to Xia Yi’s side and caught him effortlessly.
Gu Wenzhu held Xia Yi, feeling his clothes cold and damp from the dew. He quickly used his spiritual energy to evaporate the moisture from Xia Yi’s body.
The nights in the mountains were much colder than the days, and while Xia Yi hadn’t felt the cold during his tense vigil, now that he had relaxed, the chill hit him hard, and he began to shiver.
He burrowed into Gu Wenzhu’s arms, trembling, as he asked, “Brother Zhu, how do you feel? Any problems?”
Gu Wenzhu hugged him tightly, his eyes filled with guilt.
He glanced around and, without another word, scooped Xia Yi up and carried him into the nearby winter melon house.
Inside, the winter melon house was warm and dry, with a long-pile carpet Xia Yi had laid down, and the air was filled with the sweet scent of fruits and vegetables.
Gu Wenzhu knelt on the carpet, gently placing Xia Yi down. He removed his shoes and socks and pressed Xia Yi’s icy feet against his own chest, rubbing them to warm them.
“Did you really sit there watching me the whole time?” Gu Wenzhu’s voice was stern, though his face showed concern. “You didn’t even come inside? You’re freezing; your feet are like blocks of ice.”
“Whether you watched from out there or in here makes no difference. You’ll catch a cold for nothing.”
Despite his scolding, Gu Wenzhu’s hands moved gently, and before long, warmth returned to Xia Yi’s feet, and the blood seemed to flow again.
“Brother Zhu, feel your body—see if anything’s changed!” Xia Yi’s eyes shone with excitement and anticipation.
Gu Wenzhu frowned, thinking for a moment. Then Xia Yi felt a warmth flowing into his feet from Gu Wenzhu’s hands.
It was like two small fires igniting under his feet, warm but not burning. The warmth circled his feet and gradually moved up his legs, traveling throughout his entire body.
Xia Yi felt warm all over, incredibly comfortable, and lazily shifted his position, melting into Gu Wenzhu like a lazy cat.
His voice grew drowsy. “Brother Zhu, you’re amazing—you can control water and temperature. Winter warmth, summer cool, perfect for home and family.”
He lazily opened his eyes halfway, their gaze shimmering with delight. “Feel it—see if you’ve broken through or achieved some new level.”
In the cultivation world, that’s how it worked. Though Xia Yi had never cultivated, he had read plenty of cultivation novels.
It was all a pattern, a routine.
He eagerly waited for Gu Wenzhu to check his internal changes, but instead, he felt hands wandering over his body.
Rough fingertips brushed against his skin, leaving shivers in their wake.
Damn it! I told you to check yourself, not me.
Xia Yi was about to speak, but his words were silenced by a sudden kiss.
Moments later, Gu Wenzhu’s slightly breathless voice whispered in his ear, “I don’t know how to check myself. You have to help me.”
In a hazy state, Xia Yi felt like he was drifting in waves of heat.
The heat, originating from Gu Wenzhu, flowed from his lower abdomen, spreading through his limbs and filling his entire body. Every part of him was washed clean, as if both his body and soul had been purified, leaving him refreshed.
After circulating through his body, the heat returned to Gu Wenzhu, only to be followed by a new wave of warmth.
This cycle continued endlessly.
Suddenly, Xia Yi jolted awake, realizing that this situation matched a description often found in cultivation novels. He felt a bit more alert.
Two bold red words flashed in his mind:
‘Furnace.’
No, no, that’s not right.
‘Dual cultivation!’
—
