Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation: I Have Acquaintances in the Heavenly Realm - Chapter 36

Before Wei Wuxian even reached the mountain gate, he saw someone standing in the distance, sword in hand. The figure stood with hands behind his back, facing away from him. Clad in a suit of blue, the hem of his robes and the tails of his forehead ribbon fluttered gently in the wind.

The man’s posture was tall and straight, standing as firm as a pillar. He looked forward with an expressionless face, not appearing the least bit surprised by the presence of someone behind him—or rather, it seemed he had been waiting for this person all along.

Wei Wuxian was momentarily stunned before he smiled. Indeed, his little schemes were becoming increasingly ineffective against Lan Zhan; the man truly understood him better than he understood himself.

Since that was the case, there was no need to be coy. Neither of them wanted the other to come to harm, and neither wanted the other to face danger alone. The best solution, naturally, was to face it together.

Wei Wuxian ran joyfully toward Lan Wangji, shouting loudly, “Lan Zhan!”

Hearing the voice, Lan Wangji turned around. Seeing Wei Wuxian sprinting toward him, the corners of his mouth twitched upward slightly, though his expression quickly returned to its usual composure.

As Wei Wuxian drew near, Lan Wangji spoke faintly, “Running is prohibited in the Cloud Recesses. Shouting is prohibited.”

Wei Wuxian’s smile widened. He leaned in close to Lan Wangji and whispered, “I’ve broken the rules. How about Second Brother punishes me properly tonight?”

Lan Wangji replied, “Shameless.”

Wei Wuxian leaned even closer. “What is ‘shame’? I’ve never known what that thing was since the day I was born. Can it be eaten? Is it as delicious as Hanguang-jun?”

Lan Wangji said nothing more and turned to exit the mountain gate. Wei Wuxian immediately followed him with a grin, calling out as they walked, “Lan Zhan~”

As soon as they descended the mountain, they once again saw Wen Ning waiting at the foot of the slope.

Wei Wuxian was surprised. “Wen Ning? Why are you here?”

Wen Ning replied, “I sensed… that Young Master had awakened. I thought… you would surely go to… Biling Lake, so…”

Wei Wuxian asked, “So you just stayed here waiting?”

Wen Ning nodded.

Wei Wuxian asked, “What if I woke up and didn’t go to Biling Lake?”

Wen Ning seemed to have never considered that possibility. Faced with the question, he looked utterly dazed for a moment before thinking and adding, “Wait.”

Wei Wuxian patted Wen Ning’s shoulder helplessly. “Wen Ning, I’ve said this before: you don’t have to be like this. You can go and do the things you want to do; you don’t have to follow me. You are free, do you understand?”

Wen Ning nodded and said, “I know, but… I want to go.”

Since that was the case, one more person meant one more chance of success. Wei Wuxian said no more and simply stated, “Let’s go.”

Above Biling Lake, the zither and flute played in harmony. At times, the sound was like a small bird lightly brushing against the lake’s surface, creating ripples; at other times, it was like a violent storm sweeping through, fiercely striking the bottom of the lake.

Wei Wuxian played Chenqing with agility while Lan Wangji plucked his strings with elegance. The two faced each other, with only each other in their eyes.

Waves of resentful energy from the lake surged forward, only to be dispersed wave after wave.

In the lake, Wen Ning drove the resentful energy toward the center to be absorbed. The energy within him swelled, more and more being taken in until he was on the verge of losing control.

Wei Wuxian shifted his melody on Chenqing to soothe Wen Ning, while Lan Wangji summoned the zither spirit and used the Chord Kill Technique to strike the lake bottom. Instantly, the entire surface of the lake resembled boiling water, bubbling with black mist.

After this effort, most of the resentful energy in Biling Lake had been cleared. Their strength nearly exhausted, the two set up a barrier, left talismans around the perimeter, and departed.

Every day thereafter, the two went to Biling Lake together to perform their duet. Finally, seven days later, the Water Abyss of Biling Lake was completely eradicated.

Caiyi Town finally returned to normal. The number of boats traveling across the lake increased once more. The young girls selling loquats resumed sitting by the edges of their boats, chatting and laughing as they watched the passing vessels.

When passing the boat of a girl selling loquats, Wei Wuxian couldn’t help but ask, “Lan Zhan, do you want some loquats?”

Lan Wangji stood at the bow of the boat with his hands behind his back. Without turning his head, he replied faintly, “Mn.”

Wei Wuxian smiled, picked up a loquat, and handed it to Lan Wangji. Lan Wangji glanced down at it before returning his expressionless gaze to the front.

The girl selling loquats smiled and said, “Our loquats are very delicious! Young Master, hurry and try some.”

Wei Wuxian peeled the loquat and removed the pit. “Sister, you are so beautiful; I don’t even need to taste these loquats to know they are good.”

The girls’ faces reddened slightly at the compliment. “Your mouth is certainly sweet! Hurry and try one, and give one to him too—he is even more handsome.”

As they spoke, they pointed toward Lan Wangji.

Wei Wuxian pouted. “Am I not good-looking?”

The girls covered their mouths and giggled. “Good-looking, good-looking! But he is even more handsome.”

Wei Wuxian sighed. “What a pity. Such a handsome man is mine; you sisters don’t have a chance. But as for these loquats, I’ll take them all!”

Just as he spoke, Wei Wuxian felt something heavy in his hand. Looking down, he saw it was Lan Wangji’s money pouch.

He turned to look at Lan Wangji, who was still standing expressionless at the bow, as if the pouch had grown legs and run over on its own.

After paying and moving two baskets of loquats onto the boat, Wei Wuxian sat by the edge of a basket, holding up a loquat and waving it. “Lan Zhan, come and try one. They’re really sweet—even sweeter than my mouth.”

Lan Wangji gave Wei Wuxian a faint, sideways glance but did not speak or move.

Wei Wuxian stood up, patted his seat, and walked over to Lan Wangji. Tilting his head to look up at him from below, he said, “Lan Zhan, you just said you wanted to eat, so why aren’t you eating now? Could it be that you want me to feed you?”

Lan Wangji replied faintly, “Fine.”

Wei Wuxian smiled. “How should I feed you?”

Lan Wangji looked down. “How do you want to feed me?”

Wei Wuxian said, “What I want doesn’t matter; it only matters what Hanguang-jun wants. Tell me, how does Hanguang-jun want me to feed him?”

Lan Wangji watched Wei Wuxian silently, saying nothing.

Wei Wuxian could no longer contain himself and began laughing, slapping his thigh. “Hanguang-jun, oh Hanguang-jun! If you have something on your mind, you have to say it. If you don’t say it, how would I know? I certainly wouldn’t know—and even if I did, I’d have to pretend I didn’t.”

Looking at Wei Wuxian, who was laughing so hard he was nearly leaning against him, Lan Wangji reached out and took the piece of loquat Wei Wuxian had half-eaten. He placed it in his mouth. “Mn. Very sweet.”

Seeing Lan Wangji’s serious expression while doing something so un-serious and saying something so un-serious made Wei Wuxian’s heart itch. He couldn’t stand that upright, formal manner and lunged, pinning Lan Wangji down onto the boat.

Straddling Lan Wangji, Wei Wuxian ran a hand through a lock of the other’s hair and smiled. “Lan Zhan, just now they said you were good-looking and I wasn’t. Tell me, am I good-looking?”

Lan Wangji did not speak, his glass-like eyes staring intensely at Wei Wuxian.

Wei Wuxian continued to himself, “Actually, I think they have quite good taste. I also think you are more handsome. Hanguang-jun, why did you have to be born so handsome? You’re attracting ‘bees and butterflies’ everywhere for me.”

Lan Wangji said faintly, “You also know about attracting ‘bees and butterflies’?”

Wei Wuxian leaned in close to Lan Wangji with a smile. “Of course I know. If I didn’t attract them, how could I have caught a Hanguang-jun like you?”

Lan Wangji turned his head away, his earlobes tinged with a faint red.

Satisfied with Lan Wangji’s shy reaction, Wei Wuxian leaned toward his ear and whispered with warm breath, “Second Brother looks even better when he’s shy~”

After saying that, he immediately sat up between the two baskets of loquats, propping one hand on the edge of a basket and looking at Lan Wangji with a beaming smile.

Lan Wangji: “…”

Wei Wuxian was enjoying teasing Lan Wangji more and more. “Flirt and run” was the secret to survival.

Lan Wangji sat up, tidied his slightly messy hair, and straightened his forehead ribbon.

Wei Wuxian patted one of the baskets. “This basket of loquats is for Lord Wind Master. The remaining one is for you. How about it, Hanguang-jun? Is this basket enough for you?”