Xie Liufeng sighed and asked him: “Have you been like this since you were little?”

Chu Xinghui replied with a soft “Hmm.”

Xie Liufeng thought for a moment and nodded: “Alright, I understand.”

Chu Xinghui didn’t know exactly what he understood, but the anxious feeling he had just now suddenly calmed down.

Xie Liufeng reached out and rubbed his head: “You know you’re sensitive to cold. Last time when I tricked you into going to the Cold Pool, why didn’t you tell me?”

Chu Xinghui answered honestly: “I’m used to it. I can endure it.”

He thought for a moment, then added: “Besides being a bit sensitive to cold, there’s no other harm usually. Besides, it’s summer now, so it hardly affects me.”

Suddenly, Xie Liufeng stood up.

Chu Xinghui instinctively raised his head to look at him.

A long, strong hand pressed on his shoulder, and Xie Liufeng instructed him: “Don’t move.”

Xie Liufeng held Chu Xinghui’s shoulder with one hand to prevent him from moving, and with the other hand touched his forehead.

Chu Xinghui was not used to being restrained like this, nor to being so close to someone.

He instinctively struggled slightly, then looked up and saw Xie Liufeng’s face very close to his, and obediently lowered his eyes.

He felt the warmth of the other person’s fingertip moving on his forehead for a while, seemingly drawing a talisman.

At last, Xie Liufeng lightly tapped his brow and handed him a stack of communication talismans, saying: “If you encounter any unexpected situation you can’t handle, remember to burn a communication talisman.”

Chu Xinghui couldn’t help but touch his forehead.

The lingering cool spiritual energy passed through his skin and slowly seeped into his texture, the pattern on his forehead disappeared.

Holding the communication talismans, Chu Xinghui softly asked Xie Liufeng: “If I burn the talisman, will you come to save me?”

Xie Liufeng answered in a lazy tone, correcting him: “It’s an unknown kind-hearted person who will come to save you.”

Chu Xinghui felt a light, neither heavy nor light, knock in his chest.

He didn’t understand what this sudden feeling was, so he just lowered his eyes and nodded gently: “Okay.”

Xie Liufeng chuckled and pushed him: “Alright, go play.”

Chu Xinghui looked up at him once, seeing that he truly seemed to have nothing else to do, and then left as told.

*

After getting rid of Chu Xinghui, Xie Liufeng rummaged through his storage pouch and finally found a stack of quite old communication talismans.

Every craft had its specialty. Although he was a genius and had lived for hundreds of years, dabbling in many fields, he still needed professional help for specialized matters.

He examined the talismans for a while, unsure if they had expired, so he first burned one to test.

Fortunately, a clear female voice came quickly from the other side: “This is Xie Tinglan from the Danding Sect. Orders for this ye

f urgent, look for other alchemists…”

Xie Liufeng interrupted her formal speech: “Cousin, long time no see.”

There was a pause on the other side, as if confirming who was sending the message, and after a moment, she exclaimed in surprise: “Big Brother Xie, you’re not dead?”

Xie Liufeng clicked his tongue: “Listen to that. What kind of saying is that? So unlucky.”

Xie Tinglan gradually recognized the familiar tone and began to show some disdain: “Cut the crap. What do you want? I’m busy.”

Xie Liufeng started teasing: “Let me guess, your little apprentice is lost, right? I think his name was Cheng Yu?”

Xie Tinglan asked suspiciously: “How do you know?”

Xie Liufeng slowly adjusted his sleeve: “By coincidence, he ended up here.”

After a moment of thought, she happily decided: “Alright, since he’s with you, I won’t bother looking for him. Just keep an eye on him and don’t let him die.”

Xie Liufeng felt it wasn’t quite right: “Your apprentice plans to drag my apprentice into the secret realm, and you’re not going to protect them?”

Xie Tinglan doubted: “Since when did you have an apprentice?”

Xie Liufeng cleared his throat: “Don’t ask whether I have one or not, just ask if he dragged him or not.”

Xie Tinglan was thousands of miles away and couldn’t verify whether he was telling the truth, but she used his words to corner him: “Right, your apprentice went into the secret realm with mine. Aren’t you going to protect him?”

Xie Liufeng sighed and gave up his pride: “Fine, after your apprentice comes out of the secret realm, I’ll keep him hostage.”

Xie Tinglan finally understood his purpose and didn’t want to acknowledge this troublesome brother: “…Alright, just say it. What’s the matter?”

Xie Liufeng finally got to the point: “I want you to come and help treat someone’s illness.”

Xie Tinglan thought for a moment and agreed: “Okay, but I can’t leave during this time, one month.”

Xie Liufeng was satisfied: “Good, I’ll be waiting.”

Because it was her own apprentice, Xie Tinglan still felt a bit uneasy and reminded him again: “…Don’t forget to watch Cheng Yu carefully for me. He’s young and not very smart. He’s easily deceived.”

This time Xie Liufeng promised generously: “No problem.”

Being easily deceived was good — he admired people who were easy to deceive the most.

The deal was made, and just as they were about to end the communication, Xie Liufeng suddenly remembered another matter and said seriously: “By the way, I remember the wife of the Lingxiang Sect leader was injured before and asked one of your Danding Sect elders for help? Check it for me. I want to know exactly what kind of injury she had back then.”

Xie Tinglan subconsciously connected the two matters: “Is it related to the person you want me to treat?”

Xie Liufeng lowered his eyes and poured himself another cup of tea, expression unchanged: “How can these two things be related?”

This tea was originally made for Chu Xinghui, but now it seemed he couldn’t give it to him for the time being.

Xie Tinglan was half-doubtful but still trusted Xie Liufeng when he spoke seriously, so she didn’t ask further and agreed to the matter.

*

Chu Xinghui didn’t know that Xie Liufeng was trying to hold his little companion hostage for him. After leaving Xie Liufeng, he went as usual to the place where he practiced sword techniques.

He had just taken out his spiritual sword when he suddenly caught a glimpse of something from the corner of his eye.

A black bird feather hung on a roadside shrub. The color and shape of the feather looked vaguely familiar.

Since the area was full of plants and trees, finding a bird feather wasn’t strange at all. At first, he didn’t pay much attention and closed his eyes to review the sword moves in his mind.

Halfway through his mental exercise, Chu Xinghui suddenly opened his eyes and looked again at the feather.

He stared at it for a while and completely remembered.

Chu Xinghui held his spiritual sword and walked over to pick up the feather. Following the aura on the feather, he calmly cast a tracking spell.

He found the owner of the feather near the cliff where he had fallen before.

The familiar, mischievous black bird was hopping and flying around the cliff like a lively monkey, seemingly searching for something.

Chu Xinghui observed it for a while, picked up a small stone, and accurately hit it on the head.

The black bird, startled by the attack, finally noticed someone behind it whom it hadn’t seen before.

It turned around and saw Chu Xinghui.

The black bird tilted its head, examined him for a moment, and gradually showed a look of surprise in its eyes.

Chu Xinghui looked at it expressionlessly, then drew his spiritual sword.

The pure white blade reflected in the bird’s bean-sized eyes.

After a moment, the forest echoed with the black bird’s terrified cries.

…

That night, Xie Liufeng waited but never saw Chu Xinghui come home.

Chu Xinghui rarely stayed out overnight. Even when he occasionally went to nearby places to train for a couple of days, he would inform Xie Liufeng in advance.

Xie Liufeng stood with his hands in his pockets, glanced toward the door, wondering whether to ask where Chu Xinghui had gone or to give the growing boy some freedom, when he suddenly heard movement at the door.

Chu Xinghui entered silently, carrying something in his hand.

Xie Liufeng raised his hand to light the lamp under the eaves and saw Chu Xinghui’s disheveled appearance.

Chu Xinghui looked rather messy.

His clothes were all ruffled, covered with grass and dirt, and two claw scratches stained his pale face with blood.

Xie Liufeng walked over and touched the wounds on his face, half amused and half exasperated: “Where did you go to get like this?”

“Xie Liufeng,” Chu Xinghui said expressionlessly, holding up what he carried: “How about we eat this tonight?”

Xie Liufeng was stunned, then noticed what he held.

It was a simple birdcage, and inside was the familiar black bird.

The bird’s feathers had been half plucked off, and it desperately clawed at the cage bars.

Xie Liufeng: “…”

He looked at the boy and the bird, and for once was silent.

Chu Xinghui already walked to the kitchen.

Xie Liufeng hurried after him.

He tried to inquire indirectly about the grudge between the boy and the bird: “How did it provoke you?”

Chu Xinghui stopped and sharply sensed something was off: “You know it?”

Xie Liufeng who was unsure of Chu Xinghui’s mood, replied vaguely: “Ah, I met it when fishing before. It looked unusual, so I fed it a few times.”

Fearing Chu Xinghui would suspect he was in cahoots with the black bird, he emphasized: “I only fed it some cheap rejuvenation pills. No deeper relationship.”

Chu Xinghui calmly repeated: “Rejuvenation pills.”

Xie Liufeng felt a slight murderous intent under that calmness and spoke more cautiously: “Yeah. At first, I tried a few times and found it only ate things with spiritual power. I had some rejuvenation pills lying around unused for a long time, so…”

So that was why the bird took his rejuvenation pills as food.

Chu Xinghui had completely pieced together the cause and effect: “Alright, I understand.”

He handed the birdcage to Xie Liufeng: “Help me hold this.”

Xie Liufeng felt something was wrong: “What are you going to do?”

Chu Xinghui had already gone to get a broom and glanced at him coldly: “Go help you clean the room.”

Xie Liufeng instinctively felt this matter was closely related to him. Standing in the yard with the bird, he didn’t dare say a word.

Not only did he not dare speak, but he also had to dutifully help Chu Xinghui as an assistant.

When Chu Xinghui reached the door of Xie Liufeng’s room with the broom, he suddenly stopped.

He looked back at Xie Liufeng.

Xie Liufeng didn’t dare say anything.

Chu Xinghui quietly looked at him for a while, took a deep breath, and softly said: “Forget it.”

The boy stood under the eaves, the lamp light casting a warm glow on his otherwise cold features.

He put the broom back and walked back to Xie Liufeng, saying: “If it weren’t for that bird, I wouldn’t have met you.”

Chu Xinghui lowered his eyes and opened the cage in Xie Liufeng’s hands: “I temporarily forgive it.”

The black bird looked a little incredulous, tilted its head at Chu Xinghui, and cautiously stretched a foot outside the cage.

Seeing that Chu Xinghui really wasn’t going to bother it, it quickly flew out and disappeared into the night.

Xie Liufeng was stunned for a moment and then smiled quietly.

He ruffled Chu Xinghui’s hair gently and spoke softly: “Come on, I’ll apply medicine for you.”

 

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