Back To When The Demon Lord Was A Beggar - Chapter 26

Zhi Shiyi spoke up, “I have come this time to ask a favor. I hope Young Master Yun can lend a hand.”

Hearing this, Yun Guitu propped his face in his hands and let out a low chuckle. “Naturally. However, I also have a request: after your troubles are resolved, you all must stay to help me settle a complication of my own. I have to get some benefit out of this, don’t I? I can’t help for nothing.”

He tapped the tabletop lightly and continued leisurely, “The trouble on my end is no easier than yours. Since you are friends of A-Li, I imagine your identities are quite significant. That is one of the reasons I want your help.”

Even without him saying it explicitly, they understood what this “trouble” was. Ever since the brain-stealing incidents began at the Yunshan Sect, the sect had only managed to strengthen its defenses; they hadn’t caught the culprit. It wasn’t that they didn’t want to, but rather that they couldn’t. To solve this once and for all, they had to strike at the root. What Yun Guitu wanted was for them to help unmask the mastermind and bring the killer to justice.

After a moment of thought, the group nodded almost in unison.

“Let’s get one thing straight, I’m not helping because I want to. I just want to quickly make a name for myself so I can give my Master an account of my progress,” Lin Fengye added. This matter technically had nothing to do with him.

Yun Guitu arched an eyebrow, looking intrigued. “Then tell me, what kind of name do you intend to make for yourself?”

Lin Fengye lifted his head with pride and raised his hand high. “To be famous throughout the world!”

As soon as the words “famous throughout the world” left his mouth, some of those present couldn’t help but stifle a laugh. In the past, Lin Fengye always thought that making a mark meant being a cold-blooded assassin whom others feared. Wasn’t being legendary a form of success? Later, however, he realized he couldn’t manage the “cold-blooded” part. If a person is heartless and cannot feel the warmth or cold of the world, how can they be called “human”? As long as one is human, it is impossible to be truly heartless. So, he changed paths, choosing to prove his way by eliminating demons and evil from the world.

“Why are you laughing at me? You should be bold while you’re young. If not now, then when?” Lin Fengye spread his hands and rolled his eyes toward the ceiling. “Am I supposed to wait until I’m old and can’t walk? By then, forget about flying on a sword, I probably won’t even be able to lift my own life-bound blade.”

Yun Guitu was stunned for a moment, then narrowed his eyes with a smile. “Young Master’s words make sense. They are exactly like what Sect Leader Zhongshao said back in the day.”

Lin Fengye looked at him with suspicious eyes, asking cautiously, “How do you know I’m from the Zhongshao Sect? I don’t recall introducing myself.”

Wuxiang said speechlessly, “Is the token at your waist just a decoration? Or do you think people are blind?”

Choking on Wuxiang’s words, Lin Fengye finally remembered he had a token. However, Yun Guitu’s answer was, “I guessed.”

From start to finish, he hadn’t glanced at the token once. Yun Guitu explained, “A long time ago, my Master told me that when the Zhongshao Sect Leader was young, he loved traveling across the land, claiming he would become the world’s number one sword cultivator and be famous throughout the world. So when you said that, it was the first thing that came to mind. I took a bold guess, and it turned out I was right.”

I didn’t realize Master used to be that kind of person. A look of astonishment flashed across Lin Fengye’s face. At the thought of how his Master was now, his eyes darkened, and he said no more.

Zhi Shiyi placed his hand gently on Chu Nanzhen’s shoulder and spoke, “Young Master Yun, the favor I ask is for you to check Xiao Chu’s pulse.”

“I can do that. Stretch out your hand.” This wasn’t much of a trouble, though there were very few people who could get him to personally check a pulse. Yun Guitu could bring someone back to life who had been dead for fifteen minutes; diagnosing a living person was effortless for him. In this world, there truly weren’t many illnesses he couldn’t cure.

Chu Nanzhen frowned slightly, feeling a bit reluctant. If some illness was actually found, it would cost money to treat. Even though Zhi Shiyi had given him plenty of silver, he was still stingy at heart. This was likely a bad habit developed from his past.

After hesitating for a moment, he reached out his hand. As he took the pulse, Yun Guitu’s brow visibly furrowed. Chu Nanzhen immediately felt an ill omen. It couldn’t be a terminal illness, could it…

Yun Guitu asked Zhi Shiyi, “Which sect is he from?”

Zhi Shiyi answered seriously, “Xiao Chu is not a member of any sect. He lives with me. Young Master Yun, please speak plainly. Money is not an issue.”

This has absolutely nothing to do with money!

Turning his gaze toward Chu Nanzhen, Yun Guitu’s eyes were filled with pity and sympathy. He lightly held Chu Nanzhen’s hand and asked, “Young Master Chu, does this person often mistreat you at the manor?”

“Huh?”

“What does Young Master Yun mean by that…”

Chu Nanzhen was clearly confused. During those few days at the manor, he either slept until noon or just ate and drank. Where did this talk of mistreatment come from?

Yun Guitu let out a soft sigh and shook his head. “If you can’t get enough to eat in the future, you are more than welcome to come to the Yunshan Sect to find me. As long as I have a meal, you will have one too.”

Usually, what he hated most were people who mistreated others. Young Master Chu’s body was almost collapsing from hunger before they brought him to be treated. How was this any different from keeping someone alive just to torture them!

Hateful! Shameful! Despicable!

Zhi Shiyi: “?”

It was clear there was a misunderstanding, so Chu Nanzhen hurriedly waved his other hand in denial. “I was on my own before. I was always hungry and cold, which is why I have these underlying health issues. It has nothing to do with Zhi Shiyi!”

Hearing this, Yun Guitu understood. Only then did he take back the “hateful, shameful, despicable” thoughts in his mind. He said calmly to Zhi Shiyi, “Young Master Zhi, since you live under the same roof as Young Master Chu, take better care of him. If he keeps going hungry, he really will starve to death one day.”

Before Zhi Shiyi could even nod, Chu Nanzhen grabbed Zhi Shiyi’s arm and slammed it onto the table with a small thud, making the table vibrate slightly.

Everyone: “?”

“Young Master Yun, please take a look at this one too. He had a sudden onset of illness a few days ago, and it was quite severe,” Chu Nanzhen said.

Zhi Shiyi: “…Next time, phrase it differently.”

Otherwise, it sounded like he was the type of person who suffered from uncontrollable fits of madness.

A wave of low laughter broke out among the group.

Yun Guitu placed his fingers on the pulse, feeling it for quite a while before finally withdrawing his hand. He asked, “Young Master Zhi, why don’t you first describe how the illness manifests?”

Because he had checked for a long time and found absolutely nothing, he even suspected the two were playing a prank on him. Zhi Shiyi, as if he had already expected this, answered calmly, “Full body pain, sweating, and vomiting blood.”

Chu Nanzhen nodded vigorously and added, “He was even shaking while he was leaning in my arms!”

Yun Guitu: “?”

A strange look darted back and forth between the two. He had guessed a certain outcome, but it was the kind of thing that was a bit embarrassing to say out loud in public.

Sensing Yun Guitu’s hesitation, Chu Nanzhen said anxiously, “Young Master Yun can just say it directly!”

“…”

He thought to himself, Do I really have to say it directly? Shouldn’t I leave them some dignity?

Seeing the determined look in Chu Nanzhen’s eyes, Yun Guitu couldn’t hold back anymore. He pursed his lips with a look of difficulty and said, “The main reason is simply poor technique. Young Master Zhi isn’t actually physically weak. In the future, when doing that sort of thing, just be a bit gentler.”

“I did consider that you two might be ‘cut sleeves,’ but I didn’t expect Young Master Zhi to be the one on the bottom… Truly, one cannot judge by appearances.”

As soon as these words came out, quite a few people were stunned. It took a good while before Lin Fengye shouted a shocked “Holy crap!”, startling everyone.

He sprang to his feet, pointing at the two of them and shouting in surprise, “I knew you two seemed suspicious, so you really are cut sleeves!” Realizing his words might be improper, he hurried to explain, “I don’t mean any discrimination against cut sleeves! It’s just my first time seeing it…”

Chu Nanzhen’s face turned bright red, and he couldn’t say a thing. After all, the marriage contract with Zhi Shiyi still existed; denying it was useless. But he still wanted to shout that they hadn’t actually consummated anything!

There were actually many “cut sleeves” around, but for those in cultivation sects who rarely went down the mountain, it was indeed rare to see.

Wuxiang felt Lin Fengye was making a mountain out of a molehill. He transformed into his human form, crossed his legs, picked at his ear, and said, “Just a cut sleeve, look at you acting so worthless. I used to have long sleeves, do you want to be shocked by that too?”

Yun Guitu narrowed his eyes and said, “I noticed earlier that you were a cat demon, but I didn’t expect you to have reached human form. Your cultivation must be quite high.”

Wuxiang turned his head away with a “hmpf” and said, “Well said, my cultivation is very high indeed.”

Lin Fengye suddenly asked, “What are ‘long sleeves’?”

To be honest, he knew what a “cut sleeve” meant, but “long sleeve”—he had never heard of that.

Wuxiang looked at him like he was an idiot, frowning. “Aren’t the sleeves on your clothes long sleeves?”

At this, everyone fell silent.

Lin Fengye burst out laughing, raising an eyebrow. “Stupid cat, you have no idea what ‘cut sleeve’ actually means, do you?”

Wuxiang blinked his large, bewildered eyes and asked, “Doesn’t it just mean a sleeve got cut off? What’s there to ask about? If it’s broken, just patch it up when you get back.”

Shen Shangli was highly amused by their antics and explained, “The meaning of ‘cut sleeve’ is when a man likes another man, and two men are together.”

Wuxiang: “?”

He hadn’t read many books or attended school, and in all these years, he had rarely been to places where people lived. Thinking about it, it was normal for him not to understand. But what did it matter if they were cut sleeves or not? As long as Shiyi liked it, it was fine.

Suddenly, someone outside shouted, “Senior Brother Yun! The Sect Leader wants you to bring the people who entered the sect today to the Yunshan Hall!”

Yunshan Hall was the place used by the Yunshan Sect to receive guests. It was located in the middle of a pond, with a simple yet elegant layout. Golden wind chimes hung from all four sides, ringing softly whenever the breeze blew. When the group arrived, they clearly saw a woman sitting inside. This was likely the Sect Leader of Yunshan.

Her hair had turned quite grey, and her face looked somewhat weathered and weary. When she saw them arrive, a hint of a smile appeared on her face. She made a “please” gesture, inviting them to sit. The table was set with many dishes, their colors vibrant, looking unlike anything Yun Guitu would have made.

“I heard today that disciples from the Qianshan Sect were visiting. I didn’t expect City Lord Zhi to be among them. Please forgive my lack of a proper welcome.” The Yunshan Sect Leader gave a simple salute, her voice sounding a bit raspy.

Support