Since meeting Chu Xinghui, Yue Yao had fallen silent again, seemingly truly focusing on healing.

Fang Yan deliberately brought new news from Hanshui Marsh to test her, Yue Yao only expressed hatred toward the black-robed men and willingness to unite with Beiyue Sword Sect against them, but did not take any substantial action.

Qin Suyun, after learning Yue Yao was “visiting” within the sect, tried various ways to encounter Yue Yao several times, but Yue Yao showed little interest in conversing with her publicly and quickly brushed her off.

*

That afternoon, Chu Xinghui went to the city as usual to restock some commonly used supplies.

He bought everything on the list, then also helped bring some things for Xie Liufeng, and finally went to his usual stall to buy candied hawthorn.

Since he was pursuing Xie Liufeng lately, he decided to buy two portions, so he could give one to Xie Liufeng after returning.

If Xie Liufeng didn’t eat it, no problem—he could eat both.

Chu Xinghui stuffed two packs of candied hawthorn into his storage bag and was about to leave when he suddenly sensed two strange but familiar auras.

He stayed calm, slightly turned his face, and looked at the two people who had just brushed past him.

A young man and woman of similar age, looking youthful.

They were two unfamiliar faces, the male cultivator seemed to have just completed Foundation Establishment recently, and the female cultivator was at the peak of Qi Refinement.

Chu Xinghui showed no reaction and naturally turned into the alley ahead, attaching several concealment talismans on himself, then came out and followed the two.

The two were also in the city to shop, purchasing many daily necessities.

The quantity was large, it seemed either they had many people to consume or they needed it for a long time.

Judging by their walking route, the two seemed unfamiliar with the city’s environment.

Chu Xinghui hid in the shadows and followed the two out of the city.

The two walked to a secluded place, and seeing no one around, the female cultivator finally couldn’t hold back. She threw what she was carrying onto the ground and complained: “It’s been such a long time, why do we have to keep working for them?”

No one had ever made her do menial chores since she was little.

The male cultivator’s voice sounded a bit impatient: “Pick it up.”

The female cultivator got angry and turned her face away, refusing to listen: “No! I want to go home!”

The male cultivator’s voice seemed to reach the limit of his patience: “Didn’t I tell you to pick it up?”

The female cultivator pointed at his nose and scolded: “Are you even my brother? I said I want to go home!”

She pushed the male cultivator a few times, and after a moment, a sharp scream suddenly came from nearby.

Chu Xinghui looked up and saw the male cultivator grabbing the female cultivator’s neck, speaking viciously: “Mu Lingxuan, stop acting spoiled like you always do. This is not home. You’ve caused so much trouble lately that you’ve exhausted my patience. I won’t keep indulging you forever.”

The female cultivator seemed frightened and couldn’t say a word.

After a while, the male cultivator loosened his grip and watched as the trembling female bent down and slowly picked up the things she had just thrown on the ground.

He snorted coldly, ignored her, and continued walking forward.

The female cultivator cried softly as she followed him.

Hearing their conversation, Chu Xinghui finally understood why the vague familiarity he felt earlier existed.

He hadn’t seen these two siblings by blood for a long time, and now it seemed their situation wasn’t very good.

These two had a high status in the Lingxiang Sect and had always shown a good sibling relationship before, so how… did it end up like this?

Moreover… why were these two sneaking around and coming to Beiyue?

The two walked silently to a nearby quiet village and stopped in front of an unremarkable house.

Hearing the siblings’ voices, a hand reached out from inside to let them in, then tightly closed the door.

Chu Xinghui hesitated about whether to wait for them to come out or get closer to observe but suddenly felt something was wrong.

Someone was standing behind him without him knowing when.

Chu Xinghui’s heart tightened, he slowly distanced himself from the person and turned, thrusting his sword.

The newcomer was very familiar with his moves, easily deflecting his attack in a few moves and grabbed his wrist.

Chu Xinghui suddenly realized and looked down to see the hand so familiar it couldn’t be more so, he stopped resisting and let the other take him away from that area.

Once in a safe place, Chu Xinghui called out the person’s name: “Xie Liufeng.”

Xie Liufeng no longer hid his aura and removed his disguise.

Chu Xinghui found it strange to meet him here and asked: “Why are you here?”

Xie Liufeng casually teased him: “I saw you hadn’t come home for a long time, so I came to pick you up.”

Chu Xinghui didn’t really believe it but still walked over and naturally held his hand.

Xie Liufeng chuckled and explained: “I sensed a strange aura in the city and came to check.”

He shook their joined hands: “But saying I came to pick you up isn’t wrong. Look, I did pick you up, didn’t I?”

Chu Xinghui grudgingly accepted his explanation and tugged his hand, telling him about his earlier encounter with the Mu siblings.

Xie Liufeng poked his head and first gave him a safety lesson: “Since you knew those two were suspicious, how did you dare to follow them alone?”

Chu Xinghui reasoned with him: “If I didn’t follow, how would I know what’s strange about those two?”

Xie Liufeng: “…”

He could only change his teaching method: “Next time this happens, remember to send me a message first.”

Chu Xinghui nodded: “Alright.”

Seeing him agree, Xie Liufeng finally brought the topic back to business and continued: “You also know the people inside the house. It’s Xie Huai and the Lingxiang Sect Sect Master — but Mu Chengjin disguised himself, so anyone below his cultivation level wouldn’t recognize him.”

Chu Xinghui remembered the recent matter of Xie Huai being taken to Lingxiang Sect by Mu Zeqing. Since Xie Huai already had some odd traits, appearing in this kind of strange situation wasn’t particularly weird.

But Mu Chengjin was very strange.

Judging by Mu Zeqing and Mu Lingxuan’s behavior, the siblings seemed unaware that the one they were helping was their biological father.

Why would Mu Chengjin, with nothing better to do, bother his two children?

Xie Liufeng rubbed Chu Xinghui’s hair: “I already told the sect about this, later, someone will watch these people. Let’s go home for now.”

Since someone had already taken over, Chu Xinghui nodded.

The two waited there for a while until the sect’s people arrived, then they walked back together.

Halfway, Chu Xinghui suddenly remembered something.

He stuffed the candied hawthorn he bought into Xie Liufeng’s hand.

Xie Liufeng was startled, seemingly thinking of something, and suddenly showed a troubled expression: “Only one portion?”

Chu Xinghui blinked and looked at him puzzled.

Xie Liufeng pretended to explain: “I just suddenly felt like trying what it’s like to eat two portions.”

Chu Xinghui thought for a moment, took out the second portion he had planned to keep for himself, and gave it to him too.

Xie Liufeng couldn’t help but laugh: “Just kidding.”

He took out another portion from the storage bag and placed it in Chu Xinghui’s hand: “Now you have three portions.”

Chu Xinghui looked down at the thing in his hand and held Xie Liufeng’s hand a little tighter.

*

Time quickly arrived for the sect’s team to depart to support Hanshuize.

Every time they prepared to leave, Xie Liufeng started to worry about Chu Xinghui’s return and persistently stuffed him with a bunch of life-saving items.

Especially since this matter might be related to the man in the black robe.

But he also understood that precisely because it might be related to the black-robed man, Chu Xinghui would definitely not refuse to go.

Xie Liufeng inevitably felt even more anxious about this, so he also caught the black bird sleeping in its nest and gave it to Chu Xinghui.

Although this bird was a typical useless sword spirit, after all, it looked alive, and in an emergency, it might still be used as backup food.

Chu Xinghui: “…”

The black bird flew outside too late last night. It was sleepy when it was caught from the nest, lifted its eyelids to look at the person in front of it, pecked randomly at Chu Xinghui’s hand a few times, then closed its eyes again, resigned.

Chu Xinghui stuffed this troublesome bird into the spiritual sword.

On the day of departure, Xie Liufeng specially saw him off down the mountain and gave him final parting advice.

Chu Xinghui listened seriously, then skillfully started pulling his sleeve: “There’s one more thing.”

Chu Xinghui had been sticking to his plan these past two days, Xie Liufeng was already somewhat used to it: “What is it, still the same…”

He suddenly couldn’t finish his sentence.

Chu Xinghui pulled his sleeve, stood on tiptoe slightly, and firmly kissed his face.

They had countless intimate gestures daily, but the meaning of a kiss was different.

Xie Liufeng couldn’t explain his feelings at that moment, stood stunned as if his soul had left his body.

He looked at the person before him, barely found a sentence that sounded sensible in his mind, trying to break the moment: “You should go back.”

Chu Xinghui’s ears were still a little red, and he paused hearing Xie Liufeng’s words: “But I have to go to Hanshuize.”

Besides, wasn’t Xie Liufeng the one who came to see him off? Why was he now telling him to go back?

Xie Liufeng just realized what he had said and immediately corrected himself with another sentence: “No, I mean maybe you shouldn’t go, I’ll go instead.”

His mind was still dizzy, not quite able to judge what was going on.

Chu Xinghui was even more puzzled: “You go? Aren’t you going to find that disciple who left Bihai Taohua Island?”

Xie Liufeng still couldn’t process the information well and replied calmly in confusion: “Okay, I understand, I will be careful.”

Chu Xinghui worriedly reached out to touch Xie Liufeng’s forehead.

Xie Liufeng finally came to his senses, looked at the person before him like facing a great enemy, and forced out a proper sentence: “I’m going back.”

He nodded normally at Chu Xinghui, then on the way back, he twisted his ankle three times on the stone steps, nearly bumped into a rock by the road, and finally fled in a hurry.

Chu Xinghui felt a little regretful.

He hadn’t had time today to ask Xie Liufeng if he wanted to be his Dao mate.

Never mind, he thought, he could send a message later anyway.

 

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