I Faked My Death After Choosing the Wrong Protagonist - Chapter 11

Shen Qingzhuo took the fruit, but his gaze remained fixed on the youth.

“You’re giving it all to me? What about you?”

“I’m not hungry,” Qi Ye replied.

Cultivators generally have lower nutritional needs than ordinary people, but they aren’t entirely beyond the need for sustenance especially Qi Ye, who currently lacked any profound energy to sustain himself.

“If you give it all to me, I won’t be able to finish it anyway. Eat the other one yourself,” Shen Qingzhuo said, his voice softening into a gentle, coaxing tone. “Don’t you want to taste your own cooking? It really is delicious.”

He added with a playful wink, “If I’m the one roasting it next time, you’ll probably be eating charcoal.”

Shen Qingzhuo tore off a piece of meat and held it to the boy’s lips. “Come on, open up.”

Qi Ye’s heart gave a violent jolt.

Looking at the meat so close to his face, he felt trapped between a desire to accept and a paralyzing shyness. Ultimately, he yielded, opening his mouth to take a small bite directly from Shen Qingzhuo’s hand.

He wasn’t sure if his lips had brushed against Shen Qingzhuo’s fingers, but in that moment, he felt a strange, overwhelming sensation. His heart hammered as if it might burst from his chest; he couldn’t think straight. As for the taste of the meat or whether it was actually good, he couldn’t tell, he swallowed it mechanically, his mind a complete blank.

Shen Qingzhuo was baffled. How does someone get a face that red just from eating a piece of meat?

He gestured toward the fire. “Eat up, or it really will turn into charcoal.”

Qi Ye finally snapped out of it and picked up the second rabbit for himself.

Before they could finish their meal, the air was suddenly pierced by the shrill, panicked cries of birds. Then, a rustling sound erupted from the surrounding brush as a large group of cultivators armed with blades and swords began to close in.

Shen Qingzhuo set his food down, slowly drew out a handkerchief to wipe his hands, and stood up with a light, confident smile to meet them.

“Is this the extent of your ambition? Instead of vying for the prizes within the Secret Realm, you’re here playing at ‘waiting for a rabbit’?”

“Enough talk! Meeting us is just your bad luck!” The attackers were visibly stunned for a moment. They weren’t from Cloud City and had never seen Shen Qingzhuo or Qi Ye, but even they could see the beauty of the two. Shen Qingzhuo’s status as the “Number One Beauty” spoke for itself, and though Qi Ye was often overlooked because of his gloomy expression, his features were actually quite striking when one bothered to look.

The men felt a wave of regret as they looked at Shen Qingzhuo, their lecherous eyes nearly bulging out of their heads. What a waste to have such a beauty die beneath our blades.

As swords swung from all directions, Shen Qingzhuo intended to pull Qi Ye toward him, but there was no time. Seeing that Qi Ye hadn’t moved, he took several swift steps to shield the boy with his own body.

The attackers brandished various spiritual tools, but Shen Qingzhuo used nothing but his hands. A surge of pale blue profound energy effortlessly neutralized and redirected their attacks.

In an instant, the attackers’ pupils dilated with horror.

The “average” beauty they had intended to rob was actually a master of the Sky Profound realm!

The gap in power was absolute. The men were sent flying by the backlash of their own energy, crashing to the ground with shattered ribs and internal injuries. They lay in the dirt, coughing up mouthfuls of dark blood.

These men were career criminals who made their living through robbery and murder. Given their own cultivation levels, they never expected such a total defeat. They hadn’t counted on running into a Sky Profound master in the outer perimeter.

The leader, a man with a ferocious, blood-stained face, knelt on the ground and spat out a glob of gore. “Who, who are you people?!”

Shen Qingzhuo didn’t answer. The smile had vanished from his handsome face, replaced by a cold, detached expression.

“I don’t enjoy taking lives. Next time you decide to do something like this, make sure you know who you’re picking on.”

Some of the men were filled with terror, others with silent curses, all certain they would die today. Seeing that Shen Qingzhuo didn’t intend to finish them off, they scrambled to their feet, terrified he might change his mind.

They fled in a desperate scramble, believing they had escaped. They were wrong. Before they had gone far, an invisible force pierced through their hearts. Not a single one of the dozen men survived. They died instantly, unable even to cry out, their eyes wide with disbelief.

When Shen Qingzhuo turned back to Qi Ye, he saw a fierce flicker in the youth’s eyes.

Assuming the boy was shaken by the violence, Shen Qingzhuo opened his mouth to offer comfort, but Qi Ye spoke first: “The roast meat is dirty now.”

Shen Qingzhuo was caught off guard; he hadn’t expected that to be the boy’s first concern.

Qi Ye looked down dejectedly. “This place is dirty, too.”

He was looking at the scorched earth and bloodstains from the fight. He looked up at Shen Qingzhuo, his expression somewhat vacant. Perhaps the sudden interruption had truly soured his mood, but he remained shy and earnest. “I’ll roast more for you.”

Shen Qingzhuo shook his head, feeling a surge of relief. He had worried the ambush would traumatize the boy.

He reflected on the reality of their world. If one wasn’t among the strongest, every day was a struggle against such constant fear. He felt a deep sympathy for Qi Ye the boy had been a genius once. To fall from such heights meant that even more people would want to trample him. What kind of life has he been living these past three years?

“Don’t go to the trouble. We still have the fruit; I’m happy to eat that.” Shen Qingzhuo gathered the lotus leaf full of wild fruit. He used his profound energy to stow the tent back into his spatial ring and looked back with a trace of concern. “Last night ”

Qi Ye didn’t let him finish, interrupting with a firm, hurried tone: “No one came last night.”

Shen Qingzhuo was skeptical. If there were attackers during the day, it was highly unlikely the night had passed in total peace.

He scrutinized the youth. Qi Ye looked pristine in his dark robes slender and frail, yet nearly as tall as Shen Qingzhuo despite being two years younger. He wouldn’t turn seventeen for another two months.

Seeing no injuries on the boy, Shen Qingzhuo relaxed. Perhaps they really had just been lucky during the night.

But Qi Ye was still a mortal. “Even so,” Shen Qingzhuo proposed, “you didn’t sleep at all last night. Let’s find a new spot. This time, I’ll keep watch while you sleep for a while.”

Qi Ye shook his head stubbornly. “I’m not tired.”

Shen Qingzhuo wouldn’t take no for an answer, his brow furrowing slightly. “No. You must rest.”

Qi Ye searched for another excuse. He couldn’t help Shen Qingzhuo; how could he allow himself to be a burden? He wanted to say he had pills to ward off fatigue, or that he had actually rested during the night, but as he met Shen Qingzhuo’s eyes, the lies died in his throat. He couldn’t remember a single one of them.

Because, he caught that scent again the clear, cedarwood fragrance of Shen Qingzhuo.

Seeing his hesitation, Shen Qingzhuo offered a gentle reassurance: “You don’t have to be afraid. I’m right here. I’ll watch over you while you sleep; if any bad people come, I’ll know immediately.”

Hearing that Shen Qingzhuo intended to watch him sleep, Qi Ye felt his face grow hot once more. He turned away and, after a long pause, gave a slow nod.

“I am a burden to you,” Qi Ye whispered as he lay on the low bed, facing away from Shen Qingzhuo with a dejected expression.

Shen Qingzhuo was confused. “Hmm? What burden?”

He had been sitting at the head of the bed, preparing to read, but he set his book down at the boy’s words.

“If it weren’t for me,” Qi Ye muttered softly, “you wouldn’t be delayed.”

“Then… would you rather I leave?” Shen Qingzhuo teased.

Qi Ye’s eyes widened in pure terror. He sat up abruptly, clutching the blankets, his eyes darting away in panic. As I thought, he finds me a nuisance and wants to get rid of me.

“I’m sorry,” Qi Ye whispered, his spirit crushed. “I, I can go.”

He hung his head, looking devastated, and moved to get out of bed.

Shen Qingzhuo hadn’t expected the boy to be so unable to take a joke. He quickly set his book aside and pressed the boy back onto the bed. He realized he had to be serious; the protagonist was far too prone to overthinking. If he actually scared him away, how would he ever get him back?

“You stay right there and get some sleep. You’re not going anywhere,” Shen Qingzhuo said sternly. “If I thought you were a burden, I wouldn’t have come with you in the first place. There’s no such thing as being ‘delayed.’ On the contrary, if you wear yourself out and get sick, then I’ll really have to spend time looking after you.”

Shen Qingzhuo leaned over to tuck the boy in, making sure both his hands were under the covers. Only then did he straighten up, return to his seat, and pick up his book.

Throughout it all, Qi Ye remained dazed. The scent of cedarwood was overwhelming now. Beneath the blankets, he clasped his hands together, feeling his palms burn. He desperately wanted to smell the hand Shen Qingzhuo had just touched to see if it carried the man’s scent.

He was dizzy with happiness. Not only does he not dislike me, but he actually cares about me.

His sleepiness vanished entirely, replaced by a restless energy. He even found himself wishing he would actually fall seriously ill.

Reason, however, told him that was a terrible idea. If he got sick now, he really would be a burden. Even if Shen Qingzhuo didn’t leave him, he would feel forced to leave on his own.

He turned away, afraid that tossing and turning would disturb Shen Qingzhuo’s reading, and squeezed his eyes shut. Though it was broad daylight, the tent was incredibly silent. He could hear only the frantic beating of his own heart and the occasional, soft rustle of Shen Qingzhuo turning a page.

After a long time, Qi Ye finally opened his eyes and turned back to face Shen Qingzhuo.

The man was focused on his book. The white of his robes made him look cold and pure—a noble, untouchable being. Yet his eyes were warm and gentle; he didn’t seem as detached from the world as his appearance suggested. Occasionally, he would frown or smile at the contents of the page.

Eventually, Qi Ye couldn’t help himself. He sat up and asked in a small voice, “What are you reading?”

Shen Qingzhuo looked up and handed the book to him. Qi Ye saw four characters on the cover: Miscellaneous Tales of the Nine Provinces.

He had a vague idea of what the book was about. He turned to the page Shen Qingzhuo had just been reading, and his breath hitched.

There is a class of people in this world born with a “Demon Seed.” Anyone who approaches them will meet with misfortune.

Being a demon, they are destined to bring chaos to the Nine Provinces. Everyone has a duty to hunt and kill them.

Shen Qingzhuo, unaware of exactly what the boy was looking at, saw him staring intently at the page. “Are you interested in reading it?”

Qi Ye didn’t answer. He didn’t move. He just stared blankly at those two lines of text.

Realizing something was wrong, Shen Qingzhuo got up and walked over to see what he was looking at. Qi Ye’s gaze was dark and hollow as he asked, “Is it true, that some people are born as mistakes?”