Dreaming with My Aloof Master - Chapter 5

The disciple had no choice but to keep his Master bound to his side day and night, never letting him…

The next morning, warm sunlight slanted across the room, but the windows of Yuqing Residence remained closed.

Early that day, a report arrived: Shangguan Yi had died in the Spirit Prison. Zhao Hao, who had witnessed the entire event, had been driven mad by the shock.

The circumstances were suspicious. However, the disciple found Shangguan Yi’s Image-Recording Pearl in the cell, and the footage played out scene by scene.

Only Shangguan Yi and Zhao Hao were in the cell. Shangguan Yi declared, “My crimes have been exposed, and I am consumed by shame. To avoid bringing dishonor to my family, I seek death.”

Immediately after, he struck himself with a burst of spiritual energy.

After watching the recording, Xiao Xuanqing’s face flashed through Lu Qinghuai’s mind. He quickly shook his head. The Xiao Xuanqing of this time hasn’t grown up yet. Besides, Shangguan Yi’s Image-Recording Pearl is specially made; no one in the world can alter its contents.

Still, Shangguan Yi’s death served as a warning. The plot was already diverging from the original story, forcing Lu Qinghuai to take the future of Arrogant Immortal Venerable more seriously.

[Quest 2 Issued: Bring Xiao Xuanqing to West Mountain.]

[Host’s Current Life Limit: Two Days.]

Lu Qinghuai walked to the table, unfurled a scroll, and took up his brush.

After a long time, the rice paper spread across the desk was covered in neat rows of characters.

The information he received from the System was less a full novel and more like a detailed outline. Lu Qinghuai’s ink was still wet as his eyes scanned the lines. Xiao Xuanqing’s tumultuous life unfolded before him like a scroll.

Just as his gaze fixed on the last word, there was a knock at the door.

After receiving permission, Elder Li entered the room. “Senior Brother Sect Leader, there are strange noises coming from West Mountain. Something is stirring and has even broken Grandmaster’s seal. Shall I go investigate first?”

“I will personally look into the strange noises on West Mountain.”

Lu Qinghuai silently placed the wolf-hair brush on the green jade brush stand. On the slightly yellowed paper, the words “Demonic Beast Riot” had been circled in red ink.

He pushed open the window. Outside, the magnolia branches hung low, nothing more than withered and decayed remnants.

A person was sweeping the courtyard outside. Seeing Lu Qinghuai, he greeted him respectfully, “Master.”

Lu Qinghuai looked up at the dead magnolia tree and murmured to himself, “I wonder when I will see it in full bloom.”

With a wave of spiritual energy, the withered magnolia petals automatically gathered. “Xuanqing, you are on the same path as I am.”

Behind him, Elder Li’s voice transmitted directly into his mind, filled with disapproval:

[Senior Brother Sect Leader, Xiao Xuanqing has not yet been initiated into spiritual energy. Taking him out to gain experience prematurely is dangerous, and it also breaks the rules, which will cause controversy among the disciples.]

[I will protect him. He is my disciple, and he was never meant to be like the other disciples. What harm is there in setting this precedent?]

Xiao Xuanqing’s sweeping motion paused for a moment before quickly returning to normal as he continued his work.

******

The towering trees cast long, shifting shadows. Lu Qinghuai looked up, but the canopy was so dense he couldn’t see the treetops. The leaves blocked out the sunlight, plunging the forest into a dim, unnatural twilight.

As he scanned his surroundings, a thick mist began to blur his vision. Even the figure beside him became a mere silhouette.

“Master,” Xiao Xuanqing’s voice broke the silence. “I have a red string here. We can use it to tie ourselves together.”

Lu Qinghuai frowned as his sight grew even more obscured.

The Demonic Beast Riot in the original novel had nearly killed the original owner of this body. Elder Li, whose cultivation was weaker than the original owner’s, would only be another casualty if he came along. In the entire Yunqiong Sect, Lu Qinghuai was the only one who could even remotely stand a chance.

Lost in thought, Lu Qinghuai glanced at Xiao Xuanqing. He could only make out the man’s vague outline, unable to see his expression. With no spiritual energy of his own, Xiao Xuanqing must be completely blind in this mist.

The white fog seemed to shield Lu Qinghuai’s emotions, and a flicker of something stirred in his cold eyes.

The System’s mission seemed simple on the surface, but in reality, Xiao Xuanqing had no spiritual energy. Lu Qinghuai would struggle enough to fight the demonic beasts himself, let alone protect the other man. This place could easily become Xiao Xuanqing’s grave.

Even if there was only a sliver of a chance for survival, Lu Qinghuai was determined to keep Xiao Xuanqing by his side.

He extended his wrist. “Alright.”

Soon, Xiao Xuanqing’s skin touched Lu Qinghuai’s. It was freezing, like a snake crawling over him. The sudden chill made Lu Qinghuai flinch, but before he could pull away, Xiao Xuanqing gripped his hand firmly.

Only then did Lu Qinghuai realize that Xiao Xuanqing was not only taller than him but also had much larger hands.

In the white mist, Xiao Xuanqing focused intently on Lu Qinghuai’s wrist. “Master, I cannot see clearly. I must do this. Please bear with me.”

A red thread was tied around Lu Qinghuai’s slender wrist. Xiao Xuanqing didn’t tie the other end to his own hand. Instead, he used the mist as cover to wrap it around a jade figure.

A smear of blood appeared on the jade figure’s forehead, and it quickly transformed into a miniature version of Xiao Xuanqing.

“Master, with this red thread, we will not get separated in the mist.”

As he spoke, their skin parted. Lu Qinghuai’s hand felt cold, but the lingering warmth of Xiao Xuanqing’s touch remained.

Lu Qinghuai nodded slightly. “Let’s go.”

A faint sound came from the side, then quickly fell silent.

The two walked deeper into the forest. No one spoke along the way. Occasionally, demonic beasts could be seen fleeing from the woods.

At first, most of the demonic beasts were gentle and timid, avoiding the master and disciple as they fled. But the deeper they went, the more aggressive the beasts became.

“Roar!”

A massive demonic beast burst through the white mist, trying to bite Lu Qinghuai’s neck.

The next moment, Hibiscus-Purple spiritual energy slammed into the demonic beast’s soft belly. The creature rolled several times, only stopping after crashing into a tree.

The beast roared viciously at Lu Qinghuai, blood and saliva trailing on the muddy ground. Realizing its opponent was not someone it could easily provoke, it relied on its animal instincts to hide behind a nearby tree, even as its body writhed with agitation.

“You’ve lost your mind and attacked another. I know this wasn’t your choice.”

Hibiscus-Purple spiritual energy rained down in tiny specks. The demonic beast instinctively covered its head, but instead of the expected pain, a soothing warmth spread through its body, and its wounds began to heal.

It felt as if a gentle hand were stroking its fur. The beast’s inner rage instantly vanished. “Chirp, chirp?”

“Go on. Don’t get caught up in this.”

“Chirp.”

The demonic beast shook its head, the light purple fur on its crown fluffing up. It glanced at Lu Qinghuai and then scurried away.

The jade-like man beside him turned his head, lost in thought.

Lu Qinghuai, however, paid no mind to the incident and continued walking forward.

Soon, the number of demonic beasts grew exponentially. Even after being struck by Lu Qinghuai, they continued to charge at him in a frenzy.

But the more this happened, the more he realized he was approaching the center of the Demonic Beast Riot. Once he eliminated the source affecting the beasts, the creatures of West Mountain would no longer attack people.

After walking for an unknown amount of time, the forest suddenly felt severed from the outside world, transforming into a completely different realm. Thick white mist flowed through the air like a tangible substance.

Lu Qinghuai’s immense cultivation allowed him to sense the change. He stopped and extended the red threads of his spell, no longer restricting his movements.

“Xuanqing.”

“Master, I am here.”

Following the sound of the voice, Lu Qinghuai erected a spiritual barrier around Xiao Xuanqing. “Xuanqing, I will go investigate the disturbance. Stay here.”

The jade figurine’s forehead flashed.

At the same moment, Xiao Xuanqing, who was fifty li away, retracted his demonic energy.

Boom—

A demonic beast as large as a mountain crashed to the ground. Xiao Xuanqing approached with an expressionless face.

He sliced through its fur with a dagger, exposing its internal organs.

Pshhh—

Warm blood splattered across Xiao Xuanqing’s brow. His dark eyes glowed with a crimson light as he stared at the still-beating monster core. “This disciple’s cultivation is shallow. I will obey Master and not wander.”

The jade figurine repeated the same words, and Lu Qinghuai felt reassured. The spiritual barrier he had set up could at least repel ordinary demonic beasts. Now, he only needed to find the source of the Demonic Beast Riot.

He walked alone through the white mist. The surroundings were so quiet that he could clearly hear his own steady heartbeat and the faint snap of twigs underfoot.

Lu Qinghuai focused his mind, his Hibiscus-Purple spiritual energy ready to strike at a moment’s notice. He didn’t relax for even a second.

Thick white fog swirled around him. Lu Qinghuai narrowed his eyes. A figure appeared ahead.

Before he could even react, the figure seized his waist and yanked him forward. The man’s strength was immense, and Lu Qinghuai slammed hard against his chest.

“Master, why did you leave me behind? Were you looking for a chance to abandon me here? If that’s the case, I’ll have to tie you to my side so we’re never apart again.”

That wicked disciple!

Lu Qinghuai’s breath hitched. His breath-holding technique had been broken, and the white fog seized the opportunity to seep into his body.

He raised his hand and struck out with his spiritual energy.

“Xiao Xuanqing” vanished instantly. Lu Qinghuai’s heart sank.

Demonic Beast Miasma.

It fed on the divine soul by weaving illusions from its victim’s deepest fears. And his own deepest fear was that damned fanfiction novel.

The figure just now wasn’t the real Xiao Xuanqing, but a mirage created by the Miasma.

But it was too late. He could feel his spiritual energy draining away, leaving him weak and barely able to stand.

If he fled now, the Miasma would soon find the real Xiao Xuanqing nearby. If the protagonist died, the entire world would collapse, and Lu Qinghuai would perish with it.

His only choice was to fight to the death.

Lu Qinghuai calmly surveyed his surroundings.

One, ten, a hundred. The demonic beasts that had been hiding in the shadows gradually emerged under the Miasma’s command. They prowled closer, snarling. One by one, they leaped into the air and lunged at him.

Hibiscus-Purple spiritual energy swirled in Lu Qinghuai’s hand, condensing into a sword.

Without hesitation, he stepped forward to meet the attack. His sword flashed with sharp precision, slicing through the demonic beasts like a dragon breaking through the clouds. He dispatched them one by one with effortless grace.

Despite having inhaled the miasma, Lu Qinghuai’s posture remained elegant and untainted. He showed no signs of weakness.

As the demonic beasts fell, Lu Qinghuai’s sword dripped with blood. He sneered, “Still refusing to show yourself? You must be a coward, hiding while you send other beasts to their deaths.”

A fierce wind whipped up, gradually coalescing into the form of a Fanged Beast.

The beast spoke in a human voice, “Immortal Venerable Qinghuai, you sealed these demonic beasts here to fuel your own cultivation. I am merely doing the same. I will command these beasts to seize the cultivation of every mortal in this world.”

Lu Qinghuai remained silent for a long moment before letting out a soft laugh.

“No wonder. No wonder.”

He had always found it strange that the original owner of this body, a man known for his selfishness, would single-handedly deal with the Demonic Beast Riot. It turned out that West Mountain was nothing more than a slaughterhouse for the original owner. No wonder he had kept it a secret from his sect.

“From this day forward, I will no longer harm any demonic beasts,” Lu Qinghuai declared.

Miasma burst into laughter as if he had just heard the greatest joke of all time. “Immortal Venerable Qinghuai, are you trying to strike a deal with me? You are a villain. I do not trust you. Besides, all I want is power.”

Lu Qinghuai, who had just been insulted for the original owner’s past, laughed in sheer anger. He swung his longsword, transforming it into a streak of light that shot straight into the heavens.

“If you won’t accept it, then die.”

Miasma’s left claw instantly transformed into a poisonous vine, wrapping tightly around Lu Qinghuai’s spiritual sword.

The venom corroded the blade. Miasma watched with smug satisfaction as the sword dissolved into a thousand fragments.

But his triumph was short-lived. His expression froze as he watched the sword transform into spiritual fire, incinerating the poisonous vine in an instant.

“Mist-type spiritual energy! It’s been nearly a century since the last Mist cultivator appeared. I never expected to see it today.”

“Why so surprised?”

Without giving his opponent a chance to breathe, Lu Qinghuai summoned his hibiscus-purple spiritual energy. It condensed into an ice spike that gleamed with a cold light as it plunged downward.

Miasma reacted quickly, dodging the lethal blow. But his four claws were a split second too slow. The ice spike pinned them to the ground, and blood gushed out.

Still, he had a thousand years of cultivation. He swiftly transformed himself into a bow and arrow.

The bow was drawn to its limit. The poisonous arrow pierced through the continuous ice spikes and shot straight toward Lu Qinghuai’s chest.

Thwack—

The arrow sank into flesh. Lu Qinghuai’s face drained of all color.

“Hah.”

The lingering effects of the earlier miasma had slowed his movements. He could have dodged it, but he was too sluggish.

He wrenched the poisonous arrow out of his body. As Miasma lowered his guard, Lu Qinghuai threw the arrow back with all his might.

The arrow, fletching and all, buried itself deep into Miasma’s body. The creature’s face contorted in pain as he fled in a random direction.

Lu Qinghuai collapsed to his knees. He had exhausted his last reserves of strength.

But that direction…

I have to get back to Xiao Xuanqing, quickly!

Support