After the Stand-in Hugged the White Moonlight's Thigh Tightly - Chapter 35

Chapter 35: When Will You Become My Dao Companion?

Ruan Mingyu grabbed Song Chenxi’s hand, limping as he walked toward where Qiu Shi lay.

Qiu Shi, seeing Ruan Mingyu approach, thought there was still hope and reached out for him.

“I was wrong about everything I did before. I hope you can forgive me. I’m sorry… don’t go!”

Ruan Mingyu’s face was cold. He threw a bottle of medicine in front of the man.

“You poisoned me, and I stabbed you with a sword. We are even now.”

Qiu Shi pleaded hoarsely: “Impossible!”

Ruan Mingyu didn’t spare him a glance, turning around without hesitation. He walked with difficulty. Seeing his state, Song Chenxi wrapped one arm around his waist, preparing to lift him into a bridal carry.

Ruan Mingyu didn’t want to be carried and quickly said: “Senior Brother, can you give me a piggyback ride?”

Song Chenxi nodded, bent down, and hoisted him onto his back.

Ruan Mingyu leaned his lips close to Song Chenxi’s ear and said: “Senior Brother, let’s go home.”

Song Chenxi hummed in affirmation: “Hold on tight.”

Ruan Mingyu rested his head on his shoulder. It felt comforting to know that, in his most lost and helpless moment, someone was willing to help him. This feeling of reliance allowed a sapling to sprout from his desolate heart.

Ruan Mingyu sniffled, suppressing the urge to cry. He kept his head buried, not saying a word.

Song Chenxi sensed his unusual mood and said: “Cry if you want. I’ve seen all your sides.”

Hearing this, Ruan Mingyu stopped his tears instead.

“I won’t cry. I don’t want to be that pathetic.”

Song Chenxi just smiled without comment.

He carried Ruan Mingyu along the mountain path. The path was steep, but Ruan Mingyu didn’t feel much jostling.

As they walked, Ruan Mingyu began to doze off.

But his sleep was restless; he felt something was missing. It wasn’t until he touched his sleeve that he realized his money pouch was gone.

This was more upsetting than losing his life.

He quickly called for a stop.

“Senior Brother, I lost something! I have to go back and look for it.”

Song Chenxi didn’t stop walking: “No going back. Whatever you lost, I’ll replace it for you.”

Ruan Mingyu: “It was a huge bag of spirit stones!”

Song Chenxi: “Greedy Little Sparrow. I’ll reimburse you when we get back.”

Ruan Mingyu: “Really?”

Song Chenxi: “Definitely.”

Seeing that he didn’t seem to be lying, Ruan Mingyu had never found Song Chenxi so agreeable. He smiled widely: “Senior Brother, you are so kind.”

Song Chenxi asked him: “Are you happy now?”

Ruan Mingyu concealed the sadness in his eyes: “Being with Senior Brother truly makes me happy.”

Hearing this, Song Chenxi paused, then seriously said: “Then when will you become my Dao Companion? If we become Dao Companions, you can be with me every day.”

Ruan Mingyu stiffened: “This matter requires careful consideration…”

He immediately shut his mouth, vowing never to say anything like that again.

Song Chenxi gave him no room to breathe: “Didn’t you say your heart only holds me? If you don’t want to enter into a contract, then we can have a simple ceremony like mortal couples.”

Ruan Mingyu: “Senior Brother, I’m tired.” He burrowed his head into Song Chenxi’s shoulder, pretending to sleep.

Song Chenxi was displeased but did not press the issue further. He continued carrying Ruan Mingyu back to the sect. Senior Sister saw Ruan Mingyu being carried by Song Chenxi from afar, covered in blood.

Senior Sister was shocked: “What happened to you two?” She went over to help Ruan Mingyu but suddenly frowned. “Did you encounter a demon?”

Logically, the blood shouldn’t still carry a trace of the demonic aura after being on them for so long.

Therefore, the remaining possibility was…

Ruan Mingyu’s heart pounded. He was different from Song Chenxi. Song Chenxi could control his demonic energy freely, but because Ruan Mingyu had drunk his blood, he also carried the demonic aura. What if he was mistaken for a demon?

In the immortal sects, any disciple found to have succumbed to demonic cultivation would face the death penalty and eternal damnation.

Song Chenxi stepped forward, subtly pushing Ruan Mingyu and Senior Sister apart.

He said solemnly: “We just had a bloody battle with the demon who infiltrated the sect last time. We haven’t had a chance to rest.”

Senior Sister didn’t ask further: “Then go quickly and clean up.”

After the Senior Sister left, Ruan Mingyu quickly pulled Song Chenxi into his own room.

He closed the door and asked Song Chenxi: “Did Senior Sister notice anything?”

“What if she did?” Song Chenxi sat on a chair and poured himself a cup of tea. “The worst outcome is being hunted by the entire sect.”

“…Easier said than done. How could we survive that?” Ruan Mingyu said angrily.

Song Chenxi glanced at him and chuckled: “Don’t worry. If that day ever comes, I have the ability to take you away.”

“I don’t want that day to come,” Ruan Mingyu said.

Ruan Mingyu had a sense of belonging to his sect. Unless absolutely necessary, he would never leave. The problem was that he still hadn’t successfully refined the pill to cure the “delusion.” If he truly went mad, as the book described, his fate wouldn’t be good.

Ruan Mingyu was overwhelmed. He pulled a long face, rested his hands on his cheeks, and sat opposite Song Chenxi.

Song Chenxi poured him a cup of tea as well.

“Have some water, Little Sparrow. Worrying won’t help.”

Ruan Mingyu sighed with his hands on his cheeks: “Alas, you’re right. I’ll go back to refining pills. Maybe I can invent a universal antidote to cure all our chaotic issues. Why am I so unfortunate? Just when I’m rid of one poison, I get infected with a new one. Can life ever be peaceful?”

He was extremely frustrated. Saying this, he pushed open the door to head to the pill room. As he stood up, Song Chenxi called out to him.

“What is it?” Ruan Mingyu asked.

Song Chenxi tossed a large pouch to him. Ruan Mingyu opened it and saw it was full of spirit stones.

“Feeling a little happier now?” Song Chenxi asked, leaning back in his chair with a smile.

Ruan Mingyu held the money pouch, a blend of tears and laughter on his face.

He unceremoniously put the spirit stones away.

“Senior Brother, I will definitely succeed in refining the pill. Neither of us will die,” Ruan Mingyu declared.

“Refine it if you can. Take it easy,” Song Chenxi took a sip of tea.

Ruan Mingyu thought he was trying to comfort him, but the next moment, he heard him say:

“It doesn’t matter if we die anyway. I’ll accompany you on the road to the underworld.”

Ruan Mingyu stopped in his tracks, looking back at him: “I don’t need your company.”

Since his return last time, Ruan Mingyu hadn’t left the sect for several years, genuinely fearing Qiu Shi would track him down again. Moreover, he was infected with the “delusion.” He and Song Chenxi were now in the same boat. If he went down the mountain and lost his sanity again, like last time, no one would be able to save him.

During these days, Ruan Mingyu was constantly refining pills. He consulted countless ancient texts and combined them with Zhao Ziping’s alchemy manual. He finally discovered the issue: one ingredient in his pill formula was inappropriate. Replacing it with either the Rahu Immortal Fruit or the Elk Immortal’s Essence Blood might work.

However, the former was said to be on a solitary island overseas, guarded by an ancient ferocious beast. As for the latter, it was something that only appeared in myths.

The progress of refining the antidote was once again at a dead end.

Somewhat surprisingly, he hadn’t seen Song Chenxi much lately. Usually, no matter how busy he was, he would still come to see him. Ruan Mingyu figured he must be preoccupied and didn’t bother him.

After so many years here, Ruan Mingyu’s concept of “home” had gradually faded. Only when he received letters and local products from Aunt Man and his cousin each year would he vaguely recall the existence of “home.”

However, this year, he hadn’t received any letters. Their communication seemed to have abruptly stopped.

Ruan Mingyu decided to find some time to go back and check on their situation.

Without further delay, Ruan Mingyu planned to set off in the next few days. He had wanted to inform Song Chenxi before leaving but couldn’t find him, so he went down the mountain alone.

Ruan Mingyu had only been back to his home in the mortal world once. Fortunately, his memory was good. Although he took many detours, he eventually reached the location of the Ruan family.

After so many years, the Ruan family residence had changed hands several times. Ruan Mingyu stood at the entrance, and no one recognized him. The Ruan family gate had been newly painted, but beneath the glossy exterior were traces of weathering by time.

The guard at the gate asked him: “Who are you looking for?”

Ruan Mingyu said: “Ruan Liquan.” His cousin’s letters stopped even earlier than Aunt Man’s. He wondered if something had happened to him.

The guard went inside to report. Soon, a girl about Ruan Mingyu’s age came out. There was a touch of melancholy between her brows, lacking the carefree spirit of youth.

She said: “Who are you? Why are you looking for my father?”

Just by looking at her, Ruan Mingyu blurted out: “Are you Yun Niang’s daughter?”

Yusheng nodded. She examined Ruan Mingyu and asked: “Are you my little maternal uncle?”

The baby who was just learning to talk back then had grown into a graceful young woman. Ruan Mingyu couldn’t help but be filled with emotion. He realized that he had given her her name back then.

Yusheng said: “I’ve heard Father talk about you. Come in with me.”

Stepping into the Ruan family gate again, Ruan Mingyu felt a sense of unfamiliarity. He hadn’t been here in too long.

“Where is Aunt Man?”

A hint of sadness flashed in Yusheng’s eyes: “Aunt Man went back to her hometown last year.” Aunt Man was old. How could she return to her hometown alone? The implication was clear.

Ruan Mingyu fell silent immediately.

He sighed helplessly.

Life was short, fleeting like a moment.

“I want to go see her,” he said.

Yusheng led him to the ancestral hall. The memorial tablets of the departed relatives were neatly arranged. Some of the names were familiar to Ruan Mingyu, some were not, but all had turned to dust.

Ruan Mingyu searched and found Aunt Man’s tablet in a corner. Her inclusion in the ancestral hall as a non-family member spoke volumes about her dedication to the Ruan family over the years.

Ruan Mingyu lit three incense sticks for Aunt Man, a complicated mix of emotions in his heart.

The letters had ceased along with the loss of life.

He felt involuntarily lonely.

“Where is Cousin?” Ruan Mingyu asked.

Yusheng said: “Father became a monk a few years ago.”

“A monk?”

“After Mother passed away, Father never remarried. Two years ago, he said he had seen through the mortal world and went to a temple to become a monk alone. He told me not to look for him again.”

Yusheng suddenly pleaded: “Little Maternal Uncle, can you help me find Father? I haven’t heard from him for a long time. I don’t necessarily need to see him, but I’m truly worried about his safety. Last time, he went to Cangzhou. I heard there was a plague there, and the route to Cangzhou has been cut off. I really don’t know how to find him.”

Ruan Mingyu patted her shoulder and comforted her: “Leave it to me. I’ll set off for Cangzhou today.”

Yusheng wiped her tears and said: “You just returned. Won’t you stay for a few days?”

“No, I’m leaving soon.” Ruan Mingyu stood in the center of the Ruan family courtyard for a moment. The people he wanted to see were gone. What reason did he have to stay here?

Before leaving, he said to Yusheng: “Yusheng, don’t worry. I will bring your father back, no matter the outcome. Take good care of yourself.”

After bidding farewell to the Ruan family, Ruan Mingyu traveled west, journeying day and night. Halfway through his journey, someone blocked his path.

Ruan Mingyu instantly became vigilant, reaching for the sword at his waist.

Then, a familiar voice came: “Mingyu, where are you going? Why didn’t you take me with you?”