Reborn As The Short-Lived White Moonlight of the Tragic, Powerful Male Lead - Chapter 29

Chapter 29

I’m Not a Human, but You Are a Real Dog (2-in-1)

Gu Yunqi leaned close to Xie Lanting’s ear and whispered via mental transmission: “Immortal Lord, the Merman’s Heartless Tear?”

Xie Lanting understood his meaning immediately. “It’s with me. The others know about it too.”

He was the first to emerge from the secret chamber, so the news couldn’t be hidden. However, when he informed Chen Zhushu and Ge Wen, he omitted the detail that “the master can be changed after death.” Some treasures can change owners after a blood bond, others cannot; to avoid trouble, there was no need to reveal that much.

Gu Yunqi: “As long as it’s with the Immortal Lord, that’s good.”

Chen Zhushu watched the two of them whispering so closely and cupped his face. “Wow, so much love!”

Xie Lanting and Gu Yunqi almost simultaneously thought of the scenes they saw in the illusion. They both let out a dry cough and pulled apart, pretending to be nonchalant. Chen Zhushu said with regret, “You don’t need to mind me when you’re showing affection! Treat me like air. Don’t worry about blinding me with your love—the more it flashes, the more I love to watch!”

We really don’t have any affection to show— but those words couldn’t be said. After all, Xie Lanting still had to play the part of a love rival in front of Gu An. If others knew they didn’t actually have feelings, how could he keep up the act?

The Shell Merman finally found a chance to butt in: “The inheritance has ended. May we never meet again.”

With that, the shell began to close slowly. He seemed to think the closing speed was too slow, as he actually reached out and manually pulled it shut.

Chen Zhushu was puzzled. “Did we do something? He doesn’t seem to like us much.”

Xie Lanting flicked his tail. “I don’t know.”

The moment he said it, Gu Yunqi and Ge Wen thought back to his recent series of “grand achievements” and fell silent. It was definitely something you did, right?

The Water Spirit flew around the merman, reluctantly leaving the shell. The merman’s expression softened as he looked at it, whispering, “Go on. Take care.”

The shell finally closed completely, and the Water Spirit returned to Gu Yunqi, sticking to his shoulder with a “paji” sound.

Xie Lanting asked, “The merman tear has been found. Where are the other two treasures?” He was still thinking about the Water Control Technique. He poked the Water Spirit. “Do you know?”

Given that the Water Spirit could communicate seamlessly with the merman, it clearly possessed a high level of intelligence. Although they couldn’t understand its language, it should be able to understand them.

The round ball-like Water Spirit swayed left and right on Gu Yunqi’s shoulder, shaking its head to say it didn’t know.

So we have to search the secret realm blindly and rely on luck again?

Xie Lanting patted the shoulder of this world’s “Child of Destiny,” Gu Yunqi. “Come, you pick a path. We’ll follow you.”

Gu Yunqi chose a direction at random. After just a few steps, he frowned. “The Gu family is catching up.”

He raised his hand to show them a mark on the back of his hand that was flashing. Chen Zhushu said, “I know that! A Disciple Mark. Usually, when entering a secret realm or special situation, one is left behind so that separated members can find each other.”

This meant Gu An and Gu Jingping could have used these marks to gather the Gu family members much earlier, but they chose to find the Coral Palace first. They didn’t particularly care about the lives of others; they only used the marks when they had a personal need.

Gu Yunqi checked the mark. “They’re close. They’ll be here soon.”

Xie Lanting: “Quick, let’s get away from the giant shell first.”

The four sped up. Xie Lanting reached out and snatched the Water Spirit off Gu Yunqi’s shoulder, coaxing it like a child: “You like Gu Yunqi, right?”

The Water Spirit did a happy spin and made a joyful “puji” sound toward Gu Yunqi.

Xie Lanting continued to bait it: “You want to stay by his side, right?”

The Water Spirit grew even more excited, bouncing up and down as if nodding frantically.

Seeing it take the bait, Xie Lanting felt relieved. “Then listen to us. Coordinate with us and act a little later. If you understand, do a spin.”

The Water Spirit drew a perfectly round and cute circle in the air, indicating “no problem!”

But before Xie Lanting could detail the “acting” plan, the Gu family caught up, accompanied by Gu Jingping’s roar.

“Gu Yunqi—! Stand right there!”

They had the advantage of numbers and immediately surrounded the four. It took some skill for so many Gu family members to escape the earlier chaotic battle. Losses varied among the families, and the Gu family hadn’t emerged unscathed. Gu Jingping had thrown out many dharma treasures that he couldn’t retrieve; his heart ached for the loss.

His fury was aimed entirely at Gu Yunqi.

“You brat! How dare you use us as bait! I’m going to— Hey, Gu An!”

Before Gu Jingping could finish, he was shoved aside by Gu An. Gu An wore a warm smile, his eyes sweeping over Gu Yunqi and the Water Spirit. His smile deepened. “It’s alright. Yunqi, we’re family. I know you were thinking of the big picture.”

He spoke very skillfully, first asking with concern, “Are you injured anywhere?”

Gu Yunqi bowed politely. “Thank you for your concern, Senior Brother. I am fine.”

Gu An looked genuinely relieved. “That’s good. This Water Spirit has been leading the way for you, hasn’t it? You two…”

Xie Lanting lightly tugged at Gu Yunqi’s sleeve. Gu Yunqi caught the hint: “Yes, we’ve been following it all along.”

Xie Lanting also smiled. “Indeed. You all arrived at the perfect time. It must have been hard work buying us time earlier. Let the Water Spirit lead us; we can all go find the Merman’s Heartless Tear together!”

Realizing the merman tear hadn’t been claimed yet, the Gu family members sighed in relief. Gu Jingping’s expression softened slightly.

Only the Water Spirit froze in mid-air.

If it had eyes, it would be glaring at Xie Lanting in disbelief: You’ve already merged with the Heartless Tear! Where do you want me to find another one?!

Xie Lanting looked at the Water Spirit with a gentle and humble gaze. “I’ll trouble you to lead the way.” He looked as if he were truly waiting for it to bring them to a precious treasure.

Water Spirit: “…”

If it could talk, the first thing it would shout at this beautiful-skinned, black-hearted man would be:

I’m not a human, but you are a real dog!

But it really wanted to stay by the side of the Child of Destiny with the exploding luck… Wuwu, why is being a Water Spirit so hard!

Xie Lanting didn’t forget to mention to Gu Jingping: “I see the Water Spirit really favors Yunqi. If he’s not around and the spirit gets upset, it might just fly away, and no one will get the treasure.”

What else could be done? It had to cooperate! The Water Spirit circled Gu Yunqi a few times, meaning: “Yes, what this human said is true!”

Gu Jingping had to swallow his anger and temporarily put the grudge aside, planning to settle accounts with Gu Yunqi after the major business was settled.

Forced into the role, the Water Spirit spun rapidly in the air and then, with no other choice, began “leading the way” in the direction Gu Yunqi had originally pointed. The group followed hastily, afraid of losing the trail.

Xie Lanting wasn’t worried about them discovering the ruse. According to the tropes of a “Long Aotian” (OP protagonist) story, any direction the protagonist points will inevitably lead to a treasure. They would just play it by ear. Since the Gu family members had delivered themselves as free bodyguards, it would be a waste not to use them.

Gu An moved closer to the group of four. He noticed Chen Zhushu and Ge Wen. “Yunqi, who are these two?”

Gu Yunqi: “Fellow cultivators we met on the road. We helped each other and decided to travel together for now.” He didn’t ask how they knew Xie Lanting; as long as the Immortal Lord was being careful, it was fine.

“Oh…” Gu An’s eyes caught Xie Lanting’s fingers still tugging at Gu Yunqi’s sleeve. It was an eyesore. His voice remained soft: “Immortal Lord, if you hold onto Yunqi like that, it makes it difficult for him to move.”

Xie Lanting conscientiously played his “love rival” role. Upon hearing this, he didn’t let go; instead, he grabbed Gu Yunqi’s wrist, tilted his head, and asked him, “Does it? Do you feel it’s inconvenient?”

Gu Yunqi naturally followed his lead: “No.”

Xie Lanting smiled at Gu An, his eyes conveying: See?

Gu An felt even more stifled. He didn’t give up: “But, in public like this, shouldn’t you two be more mindful…”

“We are cultivation partners. What’s wrong with holding hands in public?” Xie Lanting looked genuinely confused. “Even if you want to see us kiss, we wouldn’t show you. That’s something for behind closed doors.”

Gu An: “…”

Nobody wants to know about your closed-door business, thank you!

Gu An was defeated but continued to stubbornly stay by Gu Yunqi’s side. Xie Lanting concluded: Low level, but high courage. Compared to the “tea” skills of Shudao back in the day, this was nothing. Green tea is always better when it’s aged.

The Water Spirit walked in a straight line aimlessly for a long time. Eventually, a disciple couldn’t help but speak up: “Why aren’t we there yet? At this speed, even if others don’t have a guide, they might beat us to it.”

The Water Spirit flicked its tail in boredom: Is it my fault? Not only had someone beaten them to it, but Xie Lanting was already pondering what tricks he could play with his illusions.

Gu An, however, remained calm. “Since the merman gave us this lead through the Water Spirit, it must be very useful. Without it, we might not even be able to access the opportunity.”

The Water Spirit bounced its body proudly: Correct! Without me, the shell wouldn’t have opened at all! But so what? It cast a secret, resentful glance at Xie Lanting: Cunning human! Then it looked at the others: Ah, stupid humans! Well, suddenly it felt kind of fun.

The Water Spirit led everyone for another half-day. The light in the sky didn’t dim; there was no distinction between day and night. Most people had lost track of time, but Gu Yunqi had been counting the time in his head since entering the realm.

As the Water Spirit floated along lazily, it suddenly paused and spun around. The exhausted crowd perked up—at last, a change! Had they reached the destination?

A mile further, after rounding a multi-colored hill, a massive lake gradually revealed itself. It was like a dazzling gemstone set in the earth, the surface calm and without a ripple. This was the first large body of water they had seen since the entrance.

The Water Spirit flew a circle over the lake, came back, and settled on Gu Yunqi’s shoulder.

Gu Jingping: “Is the Heartless Tear in the lake?”

The Water Spirit ignored him, staying still.

Gu An approached the water cautiously. The more he looked, the more something felt off. He raised his sword and poked at the surface with the scabbard, only to hear a “thump.” There was an invisible shell over the water, blocking the sword. No wonder it looked strange.

The disciples stepped forward too. “Is this real lake water?” They crouched to inspect it. Looking closely, the water beneath the transparent shell moved slightly occasionally. It was a real lake, but to reach it, they had to break through this shell.

The Gu family disciples tried various methods: slashing with swords, blasting with spiritual energy, even throwing explosive treasures. But the shell didn’t budge; not even a crack appeared.

Gu An frowned. “It seems force won’t work.”

Gu Jingping, who had fought and traveled without rest, was exhausted and snapped at Gu Yunqi, “Throw that ‘thing’ on it and see!”

The Water Spirit was furious: Who are you calling a thing?!

Xie Lanting: “Hey, show some respect. What if you make it angry and it stops helping?”

Water Spirit: … You really have a nerve saying that. However, Xie Lanting’s words smoothed its feathers, and it decided to reconcile with him.

Gu Yunqi held the Water Spirit in his palm and lowered it to the lake. The spirit touched the surface and bounced back to his shoulder—nothing happened.

Since opportunity was at hand, Gu An, as the leader, had to make a decision. Everyone was exhausted and irritable. He forced himself to stay calm and gave orders. “Everyone is tired. Let’s rest by the lake first. Treat your wounds and meditate. Once we’ve recovered, we’ll search the area for clues on how to break the shell.”

Though they were eager for the treasure, the word “rest” allowed their physical fatigue to overcome their excitement. Sentries were posted, and everyone took turns resting.

Xie Lanting wasn’t in a hurry. Although his journey was easy, Gu Yunqi and Ge Wen had used a lot of mental energy in the previous trial and needed rest. As they meditated, Chen Zhushu guarded them, sensing the friction between Xie Lanting’s group and the rest of the Gu family. Xie Lanting studied the illusion techniques in his mind while observing his surroundings.

The area around the lake was open and the water was wide. His spiritual sense detected nothing special within five miles. He thought about what he might have missed. The colors here were too magnificent; everything was different from the outside world. Being immersed in it, one might naturally assume everything should be unique, making it easy to miss clues.

Everywhere the same, yet everywhere different… Xie Lanting pondered and looked at the ground. The ground was made of fine sand mixed with glittering bits. He scooped up a handful. The texture was the same as the four hills they had passed on the way.

Looking at the floating light motes everywhere, Xie Lanting narrowed his eyes. He said to the idle Chen Zhushu, “Look at the sky above the lake. Are there three light clusters that are different from the others?”

Chen Zhushu looked closely. Countless motes floated over the lake, all looking the same at first glance. But since Xie Lanting said so, he scanned them with his spiritual sense. Finally, he found the anomaly. “Yes! Three light spots are completely stationary!”

Other motes floated slightly like dust, but those three were as steady as rocks. Xie Lanting traced the trajectory connecting those three spots in the air, then thought of the hills they had passed. “I have a bold idea.”

Once the others had rested, Xie Lanting shared his hypothesis. Gu An was stunned. “Connect the hills on the ground with the spots in the sky to form a Big Dipper trajectory?” Indeed, only those three spots were stationary. But to move a mountain, the mountain must be moveable.

The group went back to the four small hills to investigate. They weren’t sure if there were joints at the base, so they tried to see if they could push them. Since they weren’t massive peaks, a combined effort of spiritual power should work.

However, not everyone was willing to jump into manual labor.

Gu An wouldn’t let Xie Lanting off: “Immortal Lord, since you proposed it, why don’t you try first? If we confirm they can be moved, we’ll join you.”

Xie Lanting raised his voice in mock disbelief. “I found the clue and guided you out of the maze, and you still need an injured person like me to provide labor? I’ve done the brain work and you want me to do the physical work too? What are you all here for?”

“Besides, didn’t we say back at the Gu residence? This is primarily a trial for you juniors. I’m just here to take a walk with my partner. I shouldn’t have interfered, but I saw you were stuck so I said a few words.” Xie Lanting continued, “No way, no way… I heard you are all elite disciples of the Gu family?”

His gaze swept over them as if asking: Where are the elites?

Young people are prideful, especially this talented group that was used to being pampered. You could not tell them they were “incapable”! Immediately, some rolled up their sleeves to show him what an elite looked like. Gu An was frustrated, thinking, How can you fall for such a simple provocation? Fine, he would have to lead.

Gu An was about to counter-attack verbally when Gu Yunqi stepped forward. He bypassed everyone and struck one of the hills with his palm—

The hill didn’t move.

Gu Yunqi retracted his hand and said apologetically, “Sorry, Senior Brother. I’m only at the Foundation Establishment stage. I can’t do it.”

Gu An swallowed a mouthful of blood and forced a smile. “It’s fine… Let your Senior Brother handle it.”

A disciple stepped forward and shoved Gu Yunqi aside. “Loser, get out of the way! If you can’t do it, stand aside!”

Gu Jingping also stepped up. “Immortal Lord Lanyue has been at the Sword Sect for too long and perhaps hasn’t seen the young talents of other families. This is a good chance to show you.”

Xie Lanting was delighted. “Oh, good. Please, open my eyes.”

Gu An never knew that these arrogant disciples would one day fight over manual labor. But he had already made big claims in front of Gu Yunqi, so he joined the mountain-moving team. The Gu disciples pushed together at the base. To their surprise, it really moved. “There’s a mechanism!”

Seeing results, they pushed harder, chanting a rhythm to synchronize their power. “One, two, three!”

So, while the Gu family worked, Xie Lanting and Gu Yunqi cheered them on from the side. As a senior, Xie Lanting fully utilized the virtue of “guiding juniors with words, not hands.” “This way, this way! I’ve calculated the position, don’t push it crooked! I believe in you!”

Ge Wen watched for a while and finally couldn’t help saying to Chen Zhushu, “Maybe you should stay away from him in the future.”

Chen Zhushu was waving his arms and cheering in the heated atmosphere. He didn’t process the warning. “Eh? Who?”

Ge Wen: “Xie Lanting.”

Chen Zhushu: “Why? The Immortal Lord is so amazing. I truly want him to take me as a disciple.”

I’m afraid you’ll be sold and still help him count the money. Ge Wen saw that he couldn’t convince Chen Zhushu and swallowed his words. Since his friend lacked common sense, he would have to have enough for both of them.

Xie Lanting clapped. “Amazing, truly amazing! As expected of the cream of the Gu family’s younger generation. The reputation is well-deserved!” Half of the disciples pushed even harder.

After clapping, Xie Lanting turned to Gu Yunqi. “Hey, do you have any snacks in your storage that would be good for this occasion?”

Gu Yunqi actually did. He pulled out a handful of dried nuts. As he peeled them for Xie Lanting, he added in a monotone: “Senior Brothers are indeed powerful. I am put to shame.” The other half of the disciples pushed harder as well.

Ge Wen: … I was too shallow. I should stay away from both of them.

Time passed as Xie Lanting ate nuts and the young men sweated. Through the tireless efforts of the Gu disciples, the four hills were finally moved into their respective positions. Before they could catch their breath, a celestial phenomenon rewarded the puzzle-solvers.

Light spots lit up on the peaks of the four hills. A beam of light shot out from the end, connecting all the peaks and then shooting into the sky, connecting the three stationary spots above the lake.

The “Seven Stars” aligned. The earth shook, mountains trembled, and a thunderous roar echoed. A white mist rose from the transparent shell on the lake and then it suddenly shattered. The lake was finally open.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t just the shell that shattered; the lake bed seemed to explode too. Water splashed a hundred feet high. Though it was just a lake, it rose like a massive tsunami. Everyone tried to fly away, only to discover in horror that flight was restricted again!

As the waves, taller than the hills, swept toward them, they couldn’t run. Everyone used various dharma treasures for protection or tried to slash through the waves. But the waves were not simple; they crushed all the treasures and swept everyone into the water.

Xie Lanting had been holding Gu Yunqi’s wrist, but the interior of the waves was like a whirlpool. Everyone was tossed around until they were dizzy. His hand slipped—it was empty.

Xie Lanting was startled and instinctively grabbed out, but caught nothing.

When the whirlpool finally spat them out onto solid ground, Xie Lanting suppressed his dizziness and looked around. The scenery had changed. A few Gu disciples had landed near him—Gu Jingping was there, Chen Zhushu was there, but Gu Yunqi was missing.

Chen Zhushu was spinning from the force of the water. He, who never got dizzy flying, turned pale and immediately found a place to vomit. He wasn’t the only one; several Gu disciples scrambled up and vomited profusely.

Xie Lanting covered his mouth and moved away. He felt nauseous too, but could suppress it. Besides Chen Zhushu, there were ten Gu family members. He didn’t know where Gu Yunqi had landed.

The protagonist shouldn’t be a worry; maybe he was sent right in front of a treasure. Xie Lanting’s gaze slowly landed on Gu Jingping in the “vomiting army.” In this secret realm, they had been in such a rush that he hadn’t had a chance to properly “greet” the current Young Master of the Gu family.

Xie Lanting lowered his hand. He paused, feeling something in his sleeve. He reached in and pulled out a dizzy Water Spirit.

Water Spirit: “Boji?”

Upon seeing who it was, the Water Spirit had a breakdown. It was clearly chasing after the Child of Destiny—how did it end up stuck to this person?!

Xie Lanting blinked, placed it in his palm, and stroked its soft head with a beautiful smile. “Why are you with me? Well, it’s just as well. I might have some business to attend to later. If I need your help, will you cooperate?”

Water Spirit: … Help!