After Accidentally Entering the Forbidden Land and Forming a Bond with the Grandmaster - Chapter 13

Chu Lanci’s pupils dilated suddenly, his breath hitched, and his entire body froze in place. He saw that Xie Zhuo’s hands were very beautiful, with well-defined joints and slender, powerful fingers. Yet at this moment, they were performing a task that left him in disbelief. He was being touched by a man.

And this man was his Master. Although he had only recently joined the sect, he was still his Master.

The point remained: it was a man.

His head buzzed as the images before him overlapped with fragments of his dreams.

Trembling, he allowed himself to be served by Xie Zhuo, and the desire he had suppressed for so many days was finally released. He finally understood where this sensation originated. He turned his head away to look at the scenery outside the boat. Fortunately, it was raining, which helped soften the awkwardness between them.

The atmosphere was thick and ambiguous.

He did not understand the cultivation world. Was this how all Masters and disciples behaved? Or was it just his situation?

With a muffled groan, the moment ended.

He bit his lower lip and looked at Xie Zhuo. Xie Zhuo’s expression was extremely indifferent, even calm. Chu Lanci did not know what to say. He simply felt that in this situation, it was best to remain silent.

“How was it?” Xie Zhuo asked.

Chu Lanci snapped back to reality. “What?” his voice was soft.

“The feeling of contact with a man.” Xie Zhuo paused, deliberately emphasizing the word man.

Chu Lanci replied, “It is hard to say.” He was unclear about his true feelings, but it was certainly pleasurable. “Have I not adapted yet?” After so many instances, he should have adapted long ago. Furthermore, Chu Lanci had said himself that he did not care who it was with.

If one is a man, pleasure is enough.

Adapt? Chu Lanci blinked his clear, innocent eyes. His train of thought clearly could not keep up with Xie Zhuo. Or rather, it never had. Whatever Xie Zhuo said, he did; whenever Xie Zhuo touched him, he complied.

His Master was powerful, calm, and held a high position.

But he still did not understand. Should he adapt to this?

“Yes, I have adapted quite well.” He followed his Master’s lead.

Xie Zhuo looked into the distance. “In a few days, once I have finished my business, we will…” Even he likely felt it was surreal. Would they really marry? Would he wed a mortal? But just now, seeing him in pleasure, Xie Zhuo had enjoyed it quite a bit himself.

In truth, he was also confused.

He only knew that after being trapped for a hundred years, he had no other desires and no attachment to life. He only wanted to be happy and follow his heart.

To marry was, for a cultivator, no different from a session of meditation. Of course, he was being serious.

“We will get married.”

Chu Lanci suspected he had misheard. Marriage? Between whom? Master and who else? He must have misspoken. Could a man marry another man? And was Master not an immortal? Did he need to marry? He must have heard wrong.

Yes, that was it.

He was stubborn in his simplicity. He could not comprehend overly complex things and needed others to speak to him very clearly. Regardless, the statement passed by.

They rowed the boat for a while longer before returning. Chu Lanci followed behind Xie Zhuo.

Although Chu Lanci felt Xie Zhuo’s behavior toward him was strange, he did not dwell on it. Instead, he felt a secret joy. He felt that this created a connection with his Master, giving him a reason to speak to him in the future.

He was simple, but he was not a fool. He knew the principle of seeking shade under a large tree. This was a survival tactic he had learned since childhood. He even felt that he was the one taking advantage of Xie Zhuo.

He was no saint. He was merely a small figure struggling at the bottom of the cultivation world. Even the lowest servant of the Thousand Mountains Sect was more successful than him, as they at least possessed a spiritual root.

He had no father or mother, and his only relative had left him years ago. He made a living selling flowers and lived a poor life. While he had enough to eat, who did not want to truly become an immortal? Who did not want to enter a great sect like Thousand Mountains?

Thus, after returning, Chu Lanci thought nothing of it and happily went to feed the little rabbits. He gave them many carrots. While feeding them, he turned around to find Xie Zhuo watching him. An idea formed in his mind: perhaps Master would show kindness and take him into Thousand Mountains.

Just as he thought it, Xie Zhuo asked, “What are your plans for the future?”

Chu Lanci seized the opportunity and said, “Master, I told you, I have always wanted to enter Thousand Mountains!”

“I already know about entering Thousand Mountains. I am talking about your goals for cultivation.”

Chu Lanci shook his head. “I have no goals.” Just entering Thousand Mountains would be enough. Even being in the outer sect was fine. He heard outer sect disciples received a salary. He would be content just to receive a regular payment.

Or, if possible, could he be Xie Zhuo’s subordinate? He was not greedy at all.

“Do you want to open your spiritual root?”

Chu Lanci let out a startled sound, feeling a slight excitement. “Is it possible to open a spiritual root?”

“Of course it is.”

“Oh, I do not know if I am capable.”

“You will only know if you try,” Xie Zhuo said. “First is opening the body and molding the root, then Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment, then Golden Core and Nascent Soul, followed by Soul Transformation and Void Refinement, and finally Body Integration and Great Ascension.”

As Chu Lanci listened, he felt these stages were far beyond his reach. He could not imagine anything that far ahead and had no concept of what the Great Ascension stage even meant.

However, he felt Xie Zhuo was wonderful for actually planning for his future. Why was his Master so good to him? Hehe.

Chu Lanci asked, “Master, how long did it take you?”

“Me?” Xie Zhuo said. “You cannot compare yourself to me. It took me about one hundred years.”

“One hundred years? That is so long. I thought it only took ten years or so. Because I always hear people talking about the Great Ascension, I thought the cultivation world was full of them. Hahaha.”

Xie Zhuo remained silent. He knew Chu Lanci did not understand what he was saying at all. He had no idea what Great Ascension signified. Great Ascension meant that one’s words became law. If he said the rain must stop, the sky within a hundred miles would clear instantly. It meant the body was half-immortalized, the blood turning the color of gold and jade, the bones displaying Daoist runes, and every breath could trigger a tide of spiritual energy. It meant that if he wished, half of the mortal world would be plunged into ruin in the blink of an eye.

Knowing he did not understand, Xie Zhuo only mentioned these ethereal goals. Given Chu Lanci’s talent, reaching Foundation Establishment would be an impressive feat.

But since they were to be married, he would give him something to look forward to.

“We will work toward it slowly.”

Chu Lanci nodded with a smile and returned to tending to his rabbits.

Once Chu Lanci finished feeding them, it was time to light the lamps. He cleaned up and prepared for bed. However, the bed was currently occupied by Xie Zhuo. He said to Xie Zhuo, “Master, I want to sleep.”

Xie Zhuo moved to the side, giving up half the bed.

Chu Lanci removed his outer garment, lingered for a moment before getting into bed, pulled up the covers, and closed his eyes. He was very sleepy.

Just as he was about to fall asleep, he heard a rustling sound. Before he could react, he was pulled into a broad, warm embrace. He opened his eyes dizzily. “Master?”

Did he want to play more? But he wanted to sleep.

Then he heard Xie Zhuo say in a low voice, “Sleep.”

Chu Lanci closed his eyes and, perhaps because he was so tired, fell into a deep slumber.

Xie Zhuo, naturally, did not sleep. Instead, he stared at Chu Lanci for a long time with a deep gaze. As he watched, he eventually closed his eyes to rest his spirit.

Early the next morning, Chu Lanci opened his eyes and saw Xie Zhuo sitting by the bed. He was dressed in a dark robe, looking down as he wiped his natal sword with a calm expression.

Chu Lanci blinked, his consciousness still a bit muddled. Did Master hold him last night, or did he not? His eyes became so clear they seemed bottomless. It took him a long while to regain his senses.

“Master,” he called out.

His voice still held the soft sweetness of someone who had just woken up, the end of the word lingering slightly.

This call caught Xie Zhuo off guard. It was like a young animal exposing its soft belly. His hand paused while wiping the sword. He looked up and gave a light acknowledgment. “Did you sleep well?”

Chu Lanci nodded and smiled. “I slept very well.”

“I need to go out for a while,” Xie Zhuo said.

“Oh.” Chu Lanci thought for a moment and asked, “When can we leave the forbidden area?”

“Wait a little longer.”

Upon returning to Thousand Mountains, he would have to make arrangements, which would take some time.

“Then come back early, Master,” Chu Lanci said with a bright smile.

Xie Zhuo smiled back, a rare softness appearing in his eyes. “Walk around, but do not go too far.”

After Xie Zhuo left, Chu Lanci had nothing to do, so he gathered some vines to weave flower lanterns. He had been away from Wind Listening Village for a long time and had become somewhat lax. Once he had work to do, he became quite serious and stayed inside weaving his lanterns.

This time, Xie Zhuo did not return until three days later. In those three days, the hair on Chu Lanci’s body had grown back.

What exactly was he doing out there?

Furthermore, Xie Zhuo would return to Thousand Mountains, and he would return to Wind Listening Village. They did not seem to belong together. Why should he stay here and wait for him? He had already decided that when Xie Zhuo returned, he would speak clearly.

No matter what, the two had to part ways.

He had much work to do. Additionally, the idea of Xie Zhuo taking him to Thousand Mountains was just a thought. He felt he did not have the status to deserve an immortal taking him there. Mostly, he had nothing to give in return. Was he to rely on what they had done in the boat?

That did not seem like enough.

Unexpectedly, as soon as Xie Zhuo entered the room, he said, “We can leave tomorrow.”

“Really?”

“Really. We can return to Thousand Mountains.” That holy land of cultivation was full of geniuses and masters where competition was fierce. He did not know if Chu Lanci could adapt.

“Oh!” Chu Lanci immediately said, “It is fine, Master. You can go back, and I can return to Wind Listening Village on my own.”

Xie Zhuo looked down. “That is fine.” He had many things to handle. Returning to Thousand Mountains would inevitably meet resistance, but he would use his strength to show them he deserved his title.

There would be much turmoil. He would wait until things stabilized before bringing his little disciple over.

Hearing that he could leave, Chu Lanci felt excited. He said, “Master, I do not know if I said things I should not have said when I was drunk last time. If I did, I hope you do not mind. Rest assured, I will not speak of your business to others.”

“What business of mine?”

The tips of Chu Lanci’s ears turned a faint red. “It is about what you did for me. I have probably been alone for too long. It is inevitable. It is inevitable for someone alone for so long to be desirous.” At this, he waved his hands. “Master, I am not talking about you. You are not desirous. It is me.”

He felt he was making things more confusing. “Anyway, thank you. Master, how about I cook dinner for you tonight? Consider it a token of my gratitude.”

Even if it killed him, he could not speak ill of his Master. It was all him. He was the one who initiated the temptation. He had heard that cultivators were godlike beings without emotion or desire, who would never deign to do such vulgar and disgusting things.

Xie Zhuo listened in silence. This explanation only made things more chaotic.

Why defend him? He was desirous. Having been alone and practicing the Way of Heartlessness for four hundred years, he was incredibly desirous once the seal was broken.

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