Chapter 34 – Confrontation

“Shixiong, Hao-dage, go to bed early.” Fang Yang said his farewells to Feng Ye and Hao Chen when they reached the dormitories.

Feng Ye nodded. “Good night,” he said.

Hao Chen followed suit: “Good night.”

With that, Fang Yang turned toward his residence and went back to sleep.

Feng Ye and Hao Chen remained standing there. Although they also lived in the same area, their rooms were in different directions, one to the left and one to the right.

It was getting late, and all beings were asleep aside from the bats. They should have parted ways at this point, but neither of them intended to be the first to leave.

Feng Ye folded his arms and waited silently for a while. Seeing as Hao Chen still didn’t speak, he could only take the initiative to prompt: “If Fellow Daoist Hao Chen has something to say, he might as well say it now.”

Hao Chen’s eyes glittered. He looked at Feng Ye as if he wanted to say something, but stopped. It was unknown what he was holding back, and Feng Ye sent him a puzzled look.

Hao Chen was slightly taken aback by his words, and his lips curved into a smile: “Fellow Daoist Feng Ye understands me the best.”

Leveling him with a steady look, Feng Ye proceeded to say bluntly: “No, I don’t understand you.”

He didn’t even know who Hao Chen was, and also didn’t understand why he was following him around.

Hao Chen raised his eyebrows: “Why? Am I difficult to understand?”

He shook his head as he spoke, with a hint of sadness at not being understood: “Am I not easier to understand than that two-faced shixiong of yours? After all, my deep affection for Fellow Daoist Feng Ye comes from the bottom of my heart. I haven’t concealed anything.”

Feng Ye had noticed Xue Ren’s change of expression, and so had Hao Chen. Among the three of them, only Fang Yang was completely unaware.

“I turn my heart to the bright moon, but it only shines upon a ditch.”^[1] Hao Chen grew increasingly sorrowful as he spoke, and even recited a poem.

Feng Ye: “……”

He had only spoken one sentence, but Hao Chen said so much in response without getting to the point at all.

Seeing that Hao Chen was addicted to poetry recitation and was about to say a couple more lines, Feng Ye turned and left.

Hao Chen was forced to break off his poem: “Where is Fellow Daoist Feng Ye going?”

Feng Ye said without even turning his head: “This ditch is going to bed.”

Hao Chen: “……”

After a moment of silence, he quickly caught up with Feng Ye and kept pace with him, saying: “Fellow Daoist Feng Ye, don’t be in such a hurry to leave.”

Feng Ye had no intention of slowing down, because he knew that if he didn’t do this, Hao Chen would never get to the point.

Sure enough, this strategy of retreating in order to advance was successful. Hao Chen finally got to the point and repeated his previous words: “Does Fellow Daoist Feng Ye require a little…..assistance?”

Although he couldn’t openly show off his wealth, Hao Chen couldn’t help but reveal a hint of his hidden riches. If Feng Ye could lower his head and beg him, that would be the best. 

Feng Ye finally came to a stop. Hao Chen had been hesitant to speak the whole way, but it turned out that he still wanted him to bow his head and beg for help.

He couldn’t help but scoff: “Is Fellow Daoist Hao Chen referring to the Ice Grass?”

Hao Chen shook his head with a smile, saying: “No, Jianmu.” Although he didn’t know Feng Ye’s identity, the man could definitely obtain something like Ice Grass.

Hao Chen had blind confidence in Feng Ye. After all, this was the person he fancied. Therefore, he switched the bait to Jianmu, which Feng Ye had mentioned repeatedly.

This was likely the real reason Feng Ye had come to Lingxiao Sword Sect. Hao Chen didn’t actually have any clues about Jianmu. In fact, it was from Administrator Zheng that he had learned that this legendary sacred tree actually existed.

But even though he had no information at all, Hao Chen was still very confident in his power and abilities, and was certain that there was nothing he couldn’t do if he put his mind to it.

And as it turned out, his guess was correct – Jianmu was indeed Feng Ye’s purpose for coming here.

The instant the word “Jianmu” was spoken, Feng Ye’s expression went cold. The smile on his face vanished in a flash, leaving only two tightly-furrowed sword-like eyebrows.

At this moment, he transformed into the man in the ring, destroying the opponent in seven blows while leaving him with no avenue for retreat.

Just looking into his eyes gave one the chilling sensation of having a knife pressed against their throat.

However, Hao Chen was only a little surprised when he saw his expression. His heartbeat lost its rhythm again, beating wildly in his chest and clamoring to fight his opponent without any regard for the consequences.

Feng Ye looked at Hao Chen coldly, and his tone was just as cold as his eyes: “You need to stay out of this.”

This was almost a threat.

If he wasn’t entirely certain that Hao Chen had nothing to do with the disaster in his dream, his words wouldn’t have been a threat, but a death notice.

He knew that Hao Chen had only mentioned Jianmu to test him, but he wasn’t going to fool around with Hao Chen regarding this matter, and gave him a clear warning not to interfere.

Unfortunately, his threat didn’t make Hao Chen back off. Instead, Hao Chen took a step forward. The two of them were already standing close, and with this step, their noses nearly brushed.

Feng Ye always took care to keep a distance from Hao Chen, and would lean back slightly when Hao Chen leaned in to whisper to him.

But Feng Ye didn’t retreat at Hao Chen’s sudden approach. He stood there without evading, maintaining his grave expression as he regarded the other person coldly.

Hao Chen also returned his gaze without evading, and the two stared at each other from such a close distance that they could hear each other’s breathing.

Contrary to Feng Ye’s coldness, Hao Chen was all smiles. This pleasure came from the heart, and he wasn’t at all displeased with such provocation.

The corners of his lips curved up, and when he spoke, his breath gusted against Feng Ye’s lips two finger-widths away. His voice was very soft, with an alluring hoarseness: “What if I don’t?”

Feng Ye stared at him motionlessly. In the face of Hao Chen’s smile, the aura around him grew colder and colder, so cold that one might think that the lingering warmth of mid-autumn had turned into winter.

The originally relaxed and casual atmosphere condensed. The peaceful moonlight held a chill, and the chirping of insects became war drums. The tense situation was on the verge of snapping.

Hao Chen’s fingers clenched tightly around his fan. Spiritual power gathered at his fingertips, but he didn’t take the initiative to attack. He waited for Feng Ye to move.

He felt that as the Lord of the North Sea, he shouldn’t bully such a junior, but he couldn’t help but fight back in the face of Feng Ye’s provocation.

So as a compromise, he gave the first strike to Feng Ye. This way, it wouldn’t be too embarrassing to tell others about it.

Although it wasn’t much better. Other than those great gods who were qualified to be his opponents, it could be considered bullying no matter who he fought.

And Feng Ye didn’t take the opening to attack, because he was still hesitating over whether or not to take advantage of the quiet night to get rid of his sticky candy Hao Chen entirely.

Although Hao Chen’s goal was different from his, having such a suspicious fellow with unknown aims around was always a hidden danger.

The only problem was that Hao Chen was likely from the North Sea, and the Kunpeng of the North Sea was said to be very protective of his people. If he really attacked Hao Chen tonight, would that Kunpeng come to cause trouble for him?

Feng Ye wasn’t afraid of the Kunpeng, but it was better to have less trouble than more. The matter he was investigating was already troublesome enough without adding to it.

There was, in fact, a permanent solution – kill Hao Chen and bury him in a hole. Nobody had to know he was the one who did it.

However, he wasn’t the villain in a story, killing anyone he didn’t like. Although Hao Chen was suspicious, he hadn’t done anything harmful thus far. Apart from flirting with Feng Ye, he could be said to be innocent.

And mere flirting wasn’t a crime worthy of death.

Even if he took action tonight, he would do the bare minimum to get his point across and make Hao Chen vow not to interfere in the Jianmu matter. When Hao Chen went back to file a complaint, that Kunpeng would definitely know.

When the time came, he would bring a large number of shrimp soldiers and crab generals to seek revenge, and there would be no way for Feng Ye to keep his identity as a junior disciple.

But he felt that if he didn’t teach him a lesson, Hao Chen would continue to push the limits even more…..

I can still just bury him….. Feng Ye couldn’t help but think, staring at Hao Chen’s punchable smiling face.

Just as his dark thoughts were stirring, the sound of approaching footsteps brought Feng Ye back to his senses.

Someone was coming.

“Tsk,” Hao Chen said softly. Tonight’s good deeds had been ruined by an outsider.

“Shixiong! I’ve still got your fan!” Fang Yang called breathlessly. He’d been curious about the earth-grade magic weapon on the way back, so he had borrowed the white jade bone porcelain fan to play with for a while and forgot to return it.

When he got back to his residence, he remembered that he still had it and rushed out to return it to his Useless Shixiong.

He just didn’t expect that his Useless Shixiong hadn’t gone back to his room like he should have, nor had Hao-dage. The two of them stood facing each other, doing who knew what.

Fang Yang rushed over to them. Seeing how their noses were almost touching, he asked hesitantly: “You guys…..”

Since fighting was no longer possible, Feng Ye took an immediate step back to distance himself from Hao Chen. He explained to Fang Yang: “We’re chatting under the moon.”

Hao Chen added in coordination with Feng Ye’s lie: “Yes, we were enjoying our chat so much that we stuck together.”

This statement was exactly the same as the one Fang Yang used last time when he saw them sleeping together.

Fang Yang had believed it the first time, and he believed it the second time as well.

He immediately nodded, then returned the fan to Feng Ye and went back to his room to sleep.

Looking at the white jade fan in his hand, Feng Ye imitated Hao Chen and used it to fan himself. Then, without even a perfunctory goodbye, he went back to his room.

Hao Chen stood there for a moment, gazing after Feng Ye’s back. It wasn’t until he lost sight of him through the door that he put away his fan and returned to his residence.

The next day, Fang Yang got up to do his chores as usual, and also met with Administrator Zhang again.

Administrator Zhang conversed with him for a while, and the conversation turned to the events of the previous night. Fang Yang recounted everything he had seen and heard word for word.

After listening to this, Administrator Zhang was silent for a long time. In the end, he ultimately gave him one piece of advice: “Next time you see something like this, don’t bother them. No matter how important the matter is.”

“Why?” Fang Yang asked in confusion.

Administrator Zhang: “……”

Facing Fang Yang’s naive eyes, he could only lament: Is there any need to ask why? A daoist couple who practice dual cultivation are chatting under the moon so excitedly that they stick together? What else could they be doing!

This silly child was always ruining others’ good deeds!

---

[1] This poem by Gao Ming means that the speaker treated the other person sincerely, but the other party was indifferent to his efforts. ⮐

---

Consider donating via Kofi here.

Chapter 33 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 35