Reborn As The Short-Lived White Moonlight of the Tragic, Powerful Male Lead - Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Xie Lanting: Let Me Tell You About My Fiancé

Gu Yunqi had spent the last two days cramming knowledge about Xiao Qingfeng, only to find that he was an even more mysterious person than Xie Lanting. Xiao Qingfeng was like a dragon whose head was seen but never its tail; most mentions of him were “hearsay.” Out of ten topics concerning him, eight were related to storybooks—and were actually true—while the remaining two were half-truths mixed with public speculation.

Some guessed he was a hidden master, while others suspected he was merely a fame-seeker who relied on storybooks to beautify his image, possessing no real ability.

Gu Yunqi said in a deep voice, “Rumor has it that Immortal Lord Qingfeng is a hermit master. Seeing you today, it turns out you are not only skilled in divination but also in the medical arts?”

The moment he spoke, the eyes of the other two snapped toward him. Xiao Qingfeng’s gaze held a hint of amusement, while Xie Lanting asked, “You know of him too?”

Usually, those who didn’t read storybooks or chat about such topics wouldn’t care about a figure like Immortal Lord Qingfeng.

Gu Yunqi wouldn’t admit that he still had two volumes of The Clear Breeze Brushes the Bright Moon tucked away in his spatial ring. He replied, “Once you enter Dongyang City, it’s hard not to know of him if you so much as glance at a bookstall.”

True. The reputation of Dongyang’s “fragrance of books filling the city” was no exaggeration. It was perfectly normal to browse bookstalls and hear people recommend storybooks. Xie Lanting accepted this explanation.

Xie Lanting was indeed shocked to hear the word “poisoned,” but he quickly calmed down. Following Gu Yunqi’s lead, he said, “A physician relies on observation, listening, questioning, and pulse-taking. I’m wearing half a mask; can you tell just by looking? Or was this also calculated?”

Xiao Qingfeng waved his fan. “It wasn’t calculated this time. Though I excel at divination, I am actually a proper medical cultivator. I observed the complexion of the visible half of your face and the state of the spiritual energy around you to determine that the poison has reached your vitals. However, to know exactly what poison it is, I must ask you to extend your wrist for a closer look.”

Xie Lanting placed his wrist on the table quite bluntly. “Please.”

A faint light flickered at Xiao Qingfeng’s fingertips as he rested them on Xie Lanting’s wrist. Gu Yunqi watched without blinking, his entire body radiating wordless defensiveness. After a moment, Xie Lanting felt a wisp of spiritual energy travel up his wrist; it was weak and non-aggressive. He suppressed the urge to withdraw his hand and sat steadily.

Xiao Qingfeng spoke slowly, like a true doctor: “There are old injuries in your body. Because of the poison, your old wounds must have been especially painful lately.”

So that’s it, Xie Lanting thought. I thought it was simply because the injuries hadn’t healed properly.

Xiao Qingfeng withdrew his hand and delivered the diagnosis: “The poison is called ‘The Departure Powder’ (Qu Shi San). It is a chronic poison that doesn’t kill instantly. It flares up three times, and one must take three doses of the antidote to be cured. Judging by your condition, you have been poisoned for over six months. The first flare-up is imminent.”

Xie Lanting lowered his sleeve as he listened. Six months—that was before he had transmigrated. He had a good idea of who would use such a poison. In front of them, Xie Lanting pulled out a communication jade slip. This was the first time since his “runaway wedding” that he had taken the initiative to contact the Sword Sect.

With a flick of spiritual energy, the jade slip lit up instantly, as if the person on the other side had been waiting desperately. An angry, anxious roar erupted from it, teeth-grittingly sharp: “Xie! Lan! Ting! You finally remembered to look for me!?”

Fortunately, the voice from the jade slip could only be heard by its owner. Thus, Liu Qifeng’s shouting only tormented Xie Lanting’s ears without vibrating anyone else’s. Xie Lanting dared to communicate in front of Xiao Qingfeng and Gu Yunqi precisely because they could only hear his side of the conversation.

As for the rest, let them guess.

Xie Lanting’s cold voice stood in stark contrast to Liu Qifeng’s fury. He cut Liu Qifeng off: “Great Elder, I always thought our relationship was one of bickering and small traps. I didn’t think it would go as far as taking my life?”

Liu Qifeng’s incessant complaining stopped instantly. After a moment, his voice leveled out. “You found out?”

“If you are referring to ‘The Departure Powder’ in my system, then yes, I found out.”

Liu Qifeng remained silent. Xie Lanting confirmed that he was indeed poisoned and that Xiao Qingfeng wasn’t lying. He let out a breath, having figured it out. “I see. If I hadn’t taken the betrothal gifts and dowry with me when I fled, you probably wouldn’t have come looking for me. As long as the precious gifts remained, you could have just sent someone else to marry in my place. As for me, it wouldn’t matter if the poison killed me out there, would it?”

Gu Yunqi’s brow furrowed at these words. Although he couldn’t hear the other side, he knew Xie Lanting’s true identity. Just by hearing Xie Lanting’s words, he could piece the truth together. The Immortal Lord’s life in the Sword Sect was even harder than he had imagined.

But for what reason had Xie Lanting been pushed to this point? Did no one remember his past contributions?

Why did good people always end up like this? Just like his own parents. A surge of indignation rose in Gu Yunqi’s chest, but he couldn’t show it now. Using a fake identity, he had no standing; he could only swallow his own bitterness.

Liu Qifeng took a deep breath, forcing his tone to soften. “We didn’t want to harm you. It was just a precaution, a hope that you would stay safely within the sect. We planned to tell you a few days ago and give you the first antidote. You see, everything was fine—why did you have to leave home?”

“Oh, so it’s all my fault then.” Xie Lanting tossed the jade slip onto the table and clapped his hands. “Your logic is self-consistent, but to me, it’s total bullshit. You’re the ones who poisoned me. Tell me, how many days until it flares up?”

Liu Qifeng: “Five days. Rest assured, as soon as you return, I will give you the first antidote and guarantee your safety.”

Xie Lanting sneered. “Fine. Just you wait.”

He didn’t listen to any more of Liu Qifeng’s nonsense and extinguished the spiritual light on the jade slip. He toyed with it in his hand, his expression flickering between shadow and light. For a moment, no one else spoke, leaving him to his thoughts. Xie Lanting played with the jade until it was practically a blur in his hands before he finally looked down and spoke: “Doctor Xiao, can you cure my poison?”

“I can, but you cannot afford to wait,” Xiao Qingfeng said directly. “Leaving aside that the ingredients for the antidote are rare, even if they could be gathered immediately, several of them require specific processing. By my observation, your poison will flare up in five or six days. You cannot wait for the first and second doses of my antidote.”

Xie Lanting caught the key point: “The third dose can make it in time?”

Xiao Qingfeng didn’t dare be too certain. “I can only do my best.”

Xie Lanting’s expression relaxed slightly. “I would like to ask you to prepare the antidote for me. I wonder if you are willing? Whatever you require in exchange, just say it. Whether it be treasures or tasks, as long as it is within my power, I will do it.”

Some medical cultivators took gold and treasures, some traded for favors, and others acted purely on whim. Xie Lanting wasn’t sure what Xiao Qingfeng wanted, but Xiao Qingfeng smiled faintly. “I said before, I wish to befriend you. You are a person of noble standing; surely you can assist me in the future.”

“I do indeed owe you a favor. I will remember it.” If Xiao Qingfeng hadn’t pointed out the poison, Xie Lanting wouldn’t have even had time to worry about his list of enemies—the poison would have finished him.

Furthermore, he had left himself some wiggle room; the phrase “as long as it is within my power” was intentional. Xie Lanting wouldn’t do anything immoral.

Xie Lanting thought for a moment. “In the future, when you come…”

“I know where to find you.” Xiao Qingfeng’s “mystic mode” was back online. “If the subsequent doses can be ready in time, I will personally deliver them to your hand.”

Whoa. Hearing him say that, it was clear he had already calculated who Xie Lanting was and knew “Qu Liushang” was a fake name. Could a diviner really know this much, or was he exceptionally gifted? Regardless, it seemed Xiao Qingfeng held no hostility toward him for now. As for what came next, he could only wait and see.

“When will the people chasing me withdraw?”

“The third quarter of the Hour of the Ox (approx. 2:45 AM).”

Xie Lanting nodded and pulled out a pitch-black stone. “Divine Calculator, you are well-traveled. Take a look—what is this?”

The black stone was the object that had dropped after the Skinner turned to ash. It looked like a crystal, semi-transparent. Xiao Qingfeng took the stone, and his usually composed expression actually shifted for once, his brow furrowing slightly. After a moment, he put the stone back. “The secrets of heaven cannot be revealed yet. Keep it for now.”

Xie Lanting couldn’t discern the origin of the stone either, so he found a box with a sealing spell in his spatial ring and put it away. Xiao Qingfeng clapped his hands, and a book-servant stepped out. “You two should wait until after the third quarter of the Hour of the Ox to leave. You may rest here for a while.”

Xie Lanting looked up at the tiers upon tiers of bookshelves and chuckled. “Read books here all night?”

Xiao Qingfeng: “It’s not out of the question. I have many good books here besides storybooks. Oh, by the way,” he suddenly remembered something and unfurled his fan to hide the curve of his lips, “actually, many of the ‘Clear Breeze Brushes the Bright Moon’ storybooks were written by people commissioned by the Dongyang Book Bureau.”

Xie Lanting / Gu Yunqi: “…”

The words were on the tip of Xie Lanting’s tongue, but since he needed the man’s help, he could only manage: “Then you certainly are… a man of great leisure.”

Xiao Qingfeng said that to his face while clearly knowing who he was—he must have done it on purpose.

Xiao Qingfeng laughed out loud. “I am very idle indeed! However, since Immortal Lord Lanyue is about to be married, it is no longer appropriate to write storybooks about him and me. I’ll have to change my approach in the future.”

Gu Yunqi couldn’t help but ask, “Change to what approach?”

Xiao Qingfeng gave him a meaningful look. “Naturally—the path of destiny.”

“A lazy man like me rarely has serious business, so I won’t stay to keep you company.” Xiao Qingfeng stood up. “Make yourselves at home. Just don’t tear down my building.”

Xiao Qingfeng strolled away, swaying his fan. Having fled for so long and just learned of his poisoning, Xie Lanting acted as if nothing were wrong in front of Gu Yunqi. “It’s a rare opportunity, so I’ll browse the book bureau. What about you, Wenren? Resting, or…?”

Gu Yunqi said, “I’ll look around too. This is the world-renowned Dongyang Book Bureau, after all.”

He hadn’t noticed earlier, thinking only that the layout was clever, but looking at it now, there was truly another world within. Gu Yunqi was naturally a book lover; he read everything from astronomy and geography to mental techniques and strategies—except for storybooks. The richness of the Dongyang Book Bureau’s collection was breathtaking. Gu Yunqi lost himself in the books before he knew it. By the time he snapped out of it, the third quarter of the Hour of the Ox had passed, and Xie Lanting was nowhere to be seen.

The Dongyang Book Bureau was the tallest building in Dongyang. Gu Yunqi found Xie Lanting on the roof, drinking alone under the moon.

Though he was “alone,” he wasn’t without company. Several ghostly blue butterflies fluttered around him. One of them flew near Gu Yunqi, but the moment it touched his sleeve, it shattered into fragments, turning into shimmering starlight that scattered on the ground.

Xie Lanting held a wine jar and smiled at him. “Just playing around with spiritual energy. I used to use them to scout enemies or send messages, but now that I’m weak, they are fragile too. They break at a touch. I only use them to stave off boredom now.”

Gu Yunqi didn’t ask why he was strong before but weak now. He carefully avoided the butterflies and sat beside Xie Lanting. The scent of wine clung to Xie Lanting, mixed with the bitter scent of medicinal herbs. In the moonlight, it brewed into an intoxicating aroma.

He isn’t as carefree as he appears, Gu Yunqi thought. Just smelling this scent made him feel a myriad of sorrows, making him feel almost drunk himself.

“Want a taste? Wine brewed with accumulated snow. It’s best drunk while looking at the moon.”

Gu Yunqi took a jar from Xie Lanting and popped the seal. A refreshing fragrance burst out. One sip was bone-chillingly cold, the pure taste of wind and snow. Tasting this kind of wine for the first time, Gu Yunqi’s tongue went numb and he shivered.

But as the wine went down his throat, a hint of plum blossom fragrance emerged from the lingering chill of the snow. His frozen tongue slowly warmed up with his blood, like red plums breaking through the snow—full of vitality.

Gu Yunqi praised, “Good wine.”

Xie Lanting sat on the roof with one leg pulled up, looking lazy. Hearing this, he smiled and tilted his head to drink straight from the jar. Gu Yunqi savored the wine fragrance on his breath. “Does it have a name?”

A butterfly landed on Xie Lanting’s shoulder, its wings vibrating gently against its master. This fragile butterfly didn’t shatter. Xie Lanting shook the jar in his hand. “The name is ‘Snow Plum’.”

Gu Yunqi took another sip. “The wine lives up to its name.”

“Xiao Qingfeng really is accurate,” Xie Lanting wiped the corner of his mouth. “After the third quarter of the Hour of the Ox, the pursuers really did vanish.”

Sitting on a roof so high one could “pluck the stars,” any pursuer could have spotted them instantly if they weren’t blind. Yet the night was exceptionally quiet. All the disturbances seemed like an illusion, passing like smoke.

The two used the moon as a side dish for their wine and quickly finished a jar. Gu Yunqi set the jar down beside him with a soft thud. “You’re going back, aren’t you?”

The alcohol couldn’t bring color to Xie Lanting’s pale face. He exhaled softly, still smiling in front of Gu Yunqi. “No choice. If I don’t get married, it’ll cost me my life.”

Gu Yunqi turned his head, looking at the half of Xie Lanting’s face visible in the moonlight. Both were bathed in the moon’s glow, draped in the same loneliness. Gu Yunqi raised his hand, touching a butterfly fluttering near his temple without catching it, letting it pass through his fingers. “I always thought that marriage should not just be the command of parents or the words of a matchmaker, but rather two people who love each other and protect one another.”

It’s only natural that you don’t want to marry a stranger. Gu Yunqi didn’t say the second half. After all, he was still pretending to be Wenren Yun; he shouldn’t know the details of Xie Lanting and his fiancé so clearly.

But if Xie Lanting went back to the Sword Sect and he had to return to the Gu family, wouldn’t their marriage be inescapable?

Xie Lanting opened another jar of wine. The silver moon was reflected in the liquid. He stared at it for a moment and sighed. “Actually, he’s quite a good person.”

Gu Yunqi: “Hmm?”

“Talking about my fiancé,” Xie Lanting counted them off for him. “Dashing and refined, an outstanding appearance, a youthful genius in cultivation, and fiercely loyal to his own people. He’s great in every way.”

Gu Yunqi’s hand jerked, nearly dropping the wine jar then and there.

Excuse me, who are you talking about???