Chapter 57: Call me Grandmaster.
Given that neither of them was very good at cooking, they ultimately did not participate in the activity of buying chickens.
The winter snow covered the ground. The trees, having shed their green leaves, revealed their bare branches, which looked like they had been drawn with ink in the snow, with a unique sense of distant desolation.
The two of them walked side by side. Neither of them suggested teleporting directly to Lingyun City.
Liao Chen’s hand swayed by his side, his wide sleeve occasionally brushing against his. Yan Jingyu’s fingers curled slightly, and he moved his hand slightly back, then gave up halfway, letting it hang casually at his side. “Do you think we’ll starve to death in the future?”
Liao Chen came back to his senses. “Starve to death?”
“Look.” Yan Jingyu said with a straight face, “You can’t cook, and I can’t cook. What are we going to do for three meals a day?”
His expression was innocent, as if he were seriously discussing this problem. Liao Chen nodded. “I don’t need to eat. If anyone’s going to starve, it’ll be you.”
“…” Yan Jingyu sneered. “Aren’t you afraid of falling from your realm and becoming a mortal one day?”
“I still have the feather jade.” Liao Chen said, “Even if I really do fall and become a mortal, I will still have an external spiritual sea. Back then, I survived by robbing people weaker than me. I can do the same in the future.”
His expression was calm, as if he didn’t think there was anything wrong with this at all. Yan Jingyu was sullen for a while. Liao Chen seemed to have finally reacted and curved his lips. “Don’t worry, I’ll remember to rob a share for you too. I won’t let you really starve to death.”
Yan Jingyu glared at him. “Haven’t you ever thought of being self-reliant?”
“Robbing others is much more dangerous than cooking for myself. My head is always on the line. Isn’t that much harder than so-called self-reliance?”
Yan Jingyu gritted his teeth. “That’s still petty theft.”
“I will kill people.” Liao Chen laughed, he didn’t know if it was on purpose or if he was amused by his expression. He chuckled. “It’s not some petty theft…”
Yan Jingyu kicked the snow on the side. Unfortunately, Liao Chen was too close. Before the snow could hit his face, it was blocked by his sleeve. On the contrary, Yan Jingyu himself was splashed in the face by the snow brought up by his toes. He clenched his fists in anger and embarrassment. The snow silk in his neck was icy cold. He said in a huff, “Liao Chen—!”
“This isn’t my fault.” Although he said that, he still walked over, took off the scarf around his neck, shook it, and then used his spiritual energy to dry the snow water on it, his eyes always full of smiles. “You see, what would you do without me?”
“It’s a good thing I’ll die before you!”
“Yes, yes, yes.” Liao Chen said, “You’ll die well, you’ll die wonderfully.”
“…” Yan Jingyu tilted his head and frowned. Liao Chen raised his hand and straightened his head, then put the scarf back on for him, glanced at him, and said casually, “Why is it that some people look so good even when they’re angry?”
“…” He was still silent, but his ears quietly turned red.
Liao Chen touched his face. Yan Jingyu turned away and walked straight over. Liao Chen, with his lips curved, chased after him with light steps and took his hand.
The moment their palms touched, the speed of the air flowing seemed to slow down.
By the time they reached the official road, their clasped hands had already become intertwined fingers.
Liao Chen’s fingers pulled his fingers out, and his index finger rubbed back and forth on the pad of his index finger. His thumb was also restlessly fiddling with his thumb. This action seemed to make the slow air flow again. Yan Jingyu shot him a sideways glance. “Behave.”
“Your hands are so smooth.” Liao Chen said, “It’s all thanks to this Lord’s good raising.”
“Just that chicken feed you gave me this morning, and you call that good raising?”
“I raised you well before.” Liao Chen said, “But during this time you’ve been living on your own, you’ve gotten a little rough. You should still eat more of the food Mo Xia sends recently. That’s all good stuff, hmm?”
The words Yan Jingyu had been about to refute were swallowed back because of the last “hmm,” which carried a hint of care and a request for his opinion. He slowly nodded.
Still stiffly, “Oh.”
Lingyun City was overcrowded at this moment. Yan Jingyu could also see with his own eyes that this place was much more prosperous than before. It was also the first time for both of them to celebrate the new year in the mortal world. They bought whatever others bought and bought a lot of snacks that could be eaten directly. But for food that needed to be cooked themselves, the two of them had a tacit understanding and chose to avoid it.
Yan Jingyu didn’t expect Liao Chen to really be able to fiddle with those things for three meals a day. He couldn’t even do it himself, let alone the other.
Besides, the chicken feed this morning was really terrible! He didn’t want to eat it again in his life!
Although Little Mo Xia was a Taotie, she was really a dazzling treasure in the Demon Palace, a living bodhisattva who saved the suffering.
After walking all the way and strolling around the city, Yan Jingyu soon became a little tired. The two of them stopped at a noodle shop. Liao Chen casually used his spiritual energy to clean the table and chairs and sat down on one side. His gaze suddenly saw two people walking past outside in a hurry.
Yan Jingyu called the waiter and ordered food. Liao Chen’s divine sense, however, went straight after them.
Qi Mufang had been dragging Ming Zelin all the way to an alley behind the noodle shop. After looking left and right, he let out a breath. “Good, Brother Ming, you’re still alive. You also escaped.”
Ming Zelin’s face was pale. “What’s the use of me escaping… That Guardian Yin from the demon’s side personally went to the Jianying Mountain. My entire sect has been captured!”
“…If they were just captured, it would be fine. The Demon Realm has sent out word that those who surrender will only be imprisoned, and those who resist will all be killed. I imagine that Immortal Lord Dufang has probably already returned to the ruins.”
“You’re still thinking about your Immortal Lord Dufang at a time like this? I don’t know what that demon lord is planning. He says that as long as we are well-behaved, he will let everyone out after a while. But now, besides Lingyun City, there are almost no cultivators to be seen anywhere else! His purgatory has already imprisoned at least a million cultivators! And that’s not even counting the nameless sects!”
“What I mean is, if the Immortal Lord were still alive, he would definitely not allow him to do such an evil thing…”
“Lingyun City also, for some reason, has not become a target. But in the past two days, Lingyun City has also started to prevent cultivators from entering. I imagine it’s because too many people have come to seek refuge, and the city is about to be overcrowded.”
“There has been no reaction from Hutian so far?”
“What reaction? Lord Qin disappeared after that day. Immortal Aunt Ling guards her dying husband day and night. Perfected Being Zeng is probably at his wit’s end now, but he is no match for Liao Chen either…”
“Has the city lord of Lingyun City said what to do?”
“A few days ago, it was said that he was going to gather cultivators to crusade against the demonic race… In the past two days, for some reason, he suddenly changed his mind, and even the people have disappeared. Someone privately revealed that that demon lord may have come to Lingyun City…”
The last sentence, he pressed very low. But Qi Mufang was quietly gazing at his back. Ming Zelin said in a low voice, “Do you think that demon lord has really come?”
“…Yes.” Qi Mufang’s face was pale. “He, has come,” he stammered.
Ming Zelin suddenly reacted, and with a backhand, he threw out a thunder talisman. He turned his head and wanted to run, pulling Qi Mufang along, but there was no sound of the thunder talisman exploding from behind. The two of them also suddenly drilled out after a brief earth escape, but found that they had only escaped from the head of the wall to the tail of the wall.
The two of them leaned against the dead end behind them, their faces ugly as they looked at the black-clothed man with his hands behind his back and a smile on his face.
His eyes held a hint of disdain and contempt, and also the playfulness of a cat toying with a mouse, as well as a hint of admiration and relief. “I didn’t expect that even at a time like this, you can still think of him.”
These words were said to Qi Mufang. Qi Mufang’s lips moved slightly, and his two eyes were already red. “Immortal Lord Dufang, is he really…”
“No, he’s not dead yet.” Liao Chen’s tone was what could be called gentle. Qi Mufang’s breathing suddenly tightened, his joy overflowing. He heard him say again, “But he’s about to die.”
Qi Mufang’s face, which had just recovered its color, turned pale again.
“Interesting.” Liao Chen observed him thoughtfully. “It seems you have a deep obsession with him.”
“Naturally.” Qi Mufang slowly stood up straight, his expression complicated. “If it weren’t for Immortal Lord Dufang, I wouldn’t be where I am today. If it weren’t for him, even the homeland that raised me would have been destroyed by you. Back then, in order to force him to fight you, you leveled mountains and slaughtered cities, not even sparing the mortals! And if he hadn’t fought with you, how would he have been seriously injured, how would he have been seized the opportunity to have his entire clan annihilated… and how would he have ended up in such a state?!”
“Liao Chen, all of this is your fault! You harmed him!” The more Qi Mufang spoke, the angrier he became. The longsword behind him suddenly came out of its sheath. “Since I can’t escape today, then this junior will follow the Immortal Lord’s example and boldly commit an evil deed, and fight with you, this giant demon!”
He threw an earth escape talisman at his friend’s feet and flew straight at him. Ming Zelin reflexively wanted to help him, but his feet suddenly sank. When he popped out again, he was still in the same place. And Qi Mufang had directly crashed into the wall beside him, his lungs shaking, and he coughed up blood repeatedly.
“You are too weak.” Liao Chen shook his head. “Your aptitude is too poor, a pity…”
“Don’t you bully people too much!” Ming Zelin hadn’t expected him to mock him after beating him. He couldn’t help but also take a step forward. Liao Chen was slightly surprised. “You also want to fight with this Lord?”
“I…” If he had a choice, of course Ming Zelin didn’t want to. His expression was hesitant, but he still stepped forward and stood in front of Qi Mufang, saying righteously, “This junior also admires the Immortal Lord’s high righteousness. Even, even, if my heart is still timid… today, I will also stroke the tiger’s whiskers and fight with you to the death!”
He had finished speaking, but his two legs were still trembling, his face extremely ugly, and he still did not dare to step forward.
Liao Chen looked at him calmly. After a while, he laughed out loud. “What a straw bag.”
“You—” Ming Zelin’s face turned cold. He suddenly raised his sword and rushed at him. The next instant, he was sent flying just like Qi Mufang, also crashing into the wall, causing ripples in the barrier, and falling to the ground with Qi Mufang.
Liao Chen stepped forward with his hands behind his back, tilting his head slightly to look at their ferocious, resentful, yet powerless expressions, and shook his head. “Your aptitude is a little poor, but… still somewhat useful.”
As soon as his voice fell, and without seeing him make any move, Qi Mufang’s figure was suddenly grabbed up from the ground by a force. He glared at Liao Chen, his expression filled with strong unwillingness and humiliation. “You demon, you will surely not have a good…”
“Do you want to become his apprentice?”
Qi Mufang’s voice came to an abrupt halt. The rest of his words were suddenly swallowed, and he choked and coughed.
He looked at Liao Chen in disbelief. Ming Zelin on the ground also suddenly looked up, his expression dazed and astonished.
“This Lord can persuade Yan Qi to take you as his apprentice.” As his words softened, Liao Chen steadily put him down. As soon as Qi Mufang landed, he swayed a little. He supported himself with his scabbard and still stared blankly at the demon lord in front of him. It was Ming Zelin who reacted first. “With you? How can you make decisions for the Immortal Lord?!”
“This Lord indeed cannot make decisions for him.” Liao Chen said, “But I can try to persuade him. He is already a dying man. If his cultivation techniques can find a successor, it would be for the best.”
Qi Mufang also came back to his senses and said warily, “How can you be so kind?”
“Guess, why is it that in the entire world, only Lingyun City is a safe zone?”
The same answer appeared in both their minds. Before they could speak, Liao Chen had already said softly, “Because he is here.”
“This Lord captured people not for slaughter, but to save his life.” He said, half-truthfully, “He only has three months left to live. If he wants to survive, he needs a million cultivators to have an obsession with him. He and this Lord have always had a grudge. Those people who are imprisoned in purgatory by this Lord are surely thinking now that Immortal Lord Dufang can descend from the heavens, just like how he destroyed the Heaven-Devouring Cauldron back then, and can save everyone from the sea of suffering.”
He glanced at the sky. There was no rule warning. He knew very well that his lie had already been seen through by the rules, and they were just treating it as him talking nonsense. So he continued to make things up. “When the hopes of a million people are deep enough, close enough, there will be a chance to turn into a fire of obsession and reignite his soul-lamp.”
In their gradually understanding, ashamed, and admiring gazes, Liao Chen said calmly, “But this matter must be kept secret. If it is spread, I’m afraid it will ruin the grand plan.”
The two of them nodded at the same time. Liao Chen slowly stepped forward, his gaze fixed on Qi Mufang’s face. Qi Mufang inexplicably felt his hair stand on end, but he saw him gently pat his shoulder. His whole body stiffened. He heard Liao Chen continue, “This Lord can introduce you and let him take you as his apprentice.”
“But you must always remember that it was your Grandmaster’s help that allowed you to become Immortal Lord Dufang’s apprentice.”
Qi Mufang first nodded, flattered, then suddenly looked at him. “…Grand…?”
“Grandmaster.” Liao Chen smiled. “Call me that and let me hear it.”
“You, you’re talking nonsense… no, no, this…” Qi Mufang’s words were slurred. Liao Chen’s face turned cold. He raised his hand and sent him flying. Qi Mufang fell directly by the wall, his expression terrified and his mind blank. “No, impossible…”
Liao Chen flicked his sleeve again, directly sweeping him from the right to the left, and said coldly, “Call me.”
“Impossible…”
“Bang—”
He was whipped from the left to the right again. Liao Chen’s voice was still calm. “Call me.”
Ming Zelin’s eyeballs followed Qi Mufang’s figure, from left to right, and then from right to left. He watched as his hair became disheveled, his whole body was covered in blood from being thrown around, and his head was also hit until a big bump appeared. He was still in a daze, expressing, “Impossible…”
He didn’t know if he felt that it was impossible for Yan Jingyu to take him as an apprentice, or if he felt that it was impossible for Liao Chen to be his grandmaster, or if he felt that Liao Chen’s identity taking on a disciple for Immortal Lord Dufang was too incredible…
Or perhaps, all three things had brought him extreme shock.
Liao Chen was quite satisfied. The more pained, the more disbelieving, the more wonderful. As long as this spiritual anchor was planted, even if it were hidden, it might not necessarily be able to be pulled out.
“Don’t, don’t hit him.” Ming Zelin finally couldn’t help but step forward. Qi Mufang had already become a bloody man, with several holes in his head, and was still in a daze.
Liao Chen’s gaze fell on him. He raised an eyebrow. “Are you two friends?”
“…Yes.” Ming Zelin said respectfully, “Please, Demon Lord, spare his life. I will persuade him properly.”
“Friends…” Liao Chen looked at him thoughtfully. If both of them have the same pain, can it deepen the spiritual anchor? His gaze gradually deepened. Ming Zelin gradually became a little fearful, until he spoke softly, “This Lord’s mantle has also not been passed down. Are you willing to become my apprentice?”
Ming Zelin’s face turned pale. He suddenly knelt down. “It’s not that this junior is unwilling, it’s just that this junior cultivates the immortal path. I am really not blessed…”
“No matter.” Liao Chen’s tone was gentle. “This Lord can help you cripple all your cultivation and start over.”
Liao Chen had been out for too long this time. Yan Jingyu was about to finish his noodles when he finally came back at a leisurely pace. “I met a pair of old friends and went to say hello.”
“Old friends?” Yan Jingyu was a little surprised. “There are still old friends of yours who are alive?”
“Of course there are.” Liao Chen took out a silver ingot to pay. Yan Jingyu walked out with him and saw Qi Mufang and Ming Zelin.
The former had already used a Dust-Cleansing Pearl to clean the dirt and blood from his body, but he was still bruised and swollen. The latter, on the other hand, had a cowering and fearful expression. The two of them came to Yan Jingyu. Qi Mufang’s eyes were still dazed, as if he had been struck by dozens of heavenly thunders.
Ming Zelin, on the other hand, was very respectful. “This junior has seen the Immortal Lord.”
“So it’s you.” Yan Jingyu seemed very surprised. “To have met again in Lingyun City. We are really fated.”
Qi Mufang’s gaze fell on him, then he glanced at the friendly yet still undeniably threatening Liao Chen. Ming Zelin, on the other hand, let out a dry laugh. “Yes, it is fate…”
“What else do you want to buy later?” Liao Chen reached out and wrapped his arm around Yan Jingyu’s waist. The latter, a little uncomfortable, patted him. Liao Chen continued to hold him without caring. Yan Jingyu had no choice but to half-push, half-accept. “I want to buy another set of tea sets, and I also want to change the wine-warming utensils. I’m a little tired of the old ones.”
As he spoke, Qi Mufang’s expression finally changed a little. His gaze was shocked and dazed, bewildered and broken, and also held a hint of sorrow and unknown heartbreak.
He looked at the hand Liao Chen had placed on Yan Jingyu’s waist, then at their expressions as they talked in low voices, then at the hand again, and then at their expressions again…
Then he raised his hand and rubbed his own eyes, and looked again. Liao Chen was nodding slightly, and as he looked up, he glanced over. “Then let’s go to the artifact workshop first.”
Yan Jingyu nodded. Qi Mufang was still constantly rubbing his eyes. Not until the two of them had walked past him did he subconsciously follow, still staring blankly at the hand Liao Chen had placed on Yan Jingyu’s waist, and even subconsciously wanted to confirm if it was real…
Ming Zelin quickly pulled him back and said in a low voice, “Are you crazy? That’s the demon lord’s hand.”
“…I’m not crazy.” Qi Mufang’s eyes were empty. “I just feel that the place he put it is not quite right.”
On the other side, Yan Jingyu also didn’t like to be held all the time. He gently pushed Liao Chen, took his hand down, but did not shake it off. Instead, he held it in his hand. “On purpose?”
“You saw through me again.”
“…That Qi Mufang is just a child.”
“A child?” Liao Chen said, “He was indeed small when he was held hostage by this Lord back then, but now he’s even bigger than you.”
Yan Jingyu couldn’t help but laugh, his eyes shimmering again. “Weren’t you getting along quite well with him before?”
“We were getting along quite well.” The two of them walked side by side. Liao Chen whispered, “He is so obsessed with you. If he becomes your apprentice, he will surely never forget…”
This was mentioned so suddenly. Yan Jingyu was a little stunned and subconsciously looked back. Qi Mufang’s eyes were red, his expression full of resentment. He immediately turned his face back. Fearing that Qi Mufang would be sad if he heard, he moved closer to Liao Chen. Liao Chen also obediently moved closer to him and heard him whisper, “He is even worse than… that someone, in terms of aptitude…”
“Aptitude doesn’t matter.” Liao Chen said gently, “The important thing is character. This child looks like he will be filial to his master.”
“You’ve decided… character?” Yan Jingyu’s face was full of disbelief. Liao Chen was very open-minded. “Of course, it’s not just that.”
He stopped, looked at Qi Mufang, and said faintly, “Come here, call me Grandmaster.”
“…” Wasn’t it ‘Master’? Yan Jingyu hadn’t reacted yet, and Qi Mufang also hadn’t reacted. But Ming Zelin reacted extremely quickly and took two steps forward, respectfully facing Yan Jingyu, and said with trepidation, “Grandmaster.”
Yan Jingyu: “…?”
