Reborn As The Short-Lived White Moonlight of the Tragic, Powerful Male Lead - Chapter 30

Chapter 30

The Two Reach a Consensus: Mess With Him!

The Water Spirit stayed in Xie Lanting’s palm, completely daring not to move.

People all around were vomiting; the smell was quite pungent. Xie Lanting moved a bit further away. As a perennial patient, his spatial ring didn’t lack medicinal herbs; he pulled out a sweet medicinal leaf, tucked it into his mouth, and patiently waited for them to finish.

He tried using his transmission jade, but found it didn’t work either, so he gave up.

Fortunately, in the cultivation world, fasting (bigu) was the norm, so they didn’t have much to actually throw up. Once Chen Zhushu finished retching, he pulled some water from his spatial ring to rinse his mouth.

Xie Lanting handed Chen Zhushu a medicinal leaf as well. Chen Zhushu thanked him, popped it into his mouth, and said muffledly, “No wonder my dad doesn’t like fish. Being in the water is such a trial.”

In the world they currently inhabited, the sky was blue and the ground was blue. Unlike the rare patches of water they’d seen before, this place seemed to be made of water; even the air was extremely damp.

Looking around, there was a small puddle every three steps and a large pool every five. Some pools were deep enough to reach the waist. Dry land suitable for footing was scarce.

They couldn’t fly, and two legs were inconvenient in such an environment. However, tails were very handy; with just a flick, they could glide across the water’s surface, crossing any hollows as if they were level ground.

The Gu family disciples had already exhausted a lot of energy moving the mountains earlier. Now, dizzy and seeing stars from the whirlpool, it was a testament to their physical fitness that they hadn’t fainted on the spot. Consequently, no one noticed Xie Lanting cupping the Water Spirit in his hands and whispering to it.

Upon entering the lake, the Water Spirit had actually already sensed treasure—and more than one piece. It could have dashed straight toward the most precious item immediately. However, Xie Lanting told it to stay away from the most valuable things—the further, the better.

In all its years of being a Water Spirit, this was the first time it had heard such a “refined and unconventional” request.

When the Gu disciples finally regained their composure, Gu Jingping scanned the surroundings. “Another world layer. Is the treasure here?”

Xie Lanting released the Water Spirit and drew their attention with his voice: “Perhaps. The Water Spirit is still here.”

Gu Jingping naturally noticed they had been separated from the others. Seeing the Water Spirit right before his eyes, he couldn’t help but laugh loudly: “It seems the lucky encounter is mine!”

The Water Spirit really wanted to roll its eyes, but unfortunately, it had none. In your dreams!

It still remembered this guy being mean to it!

Everyone prepared to rest in place before moving on. The energy spent moving the mountain was too great; if they didn’t rest, they might not be able to handle any sudden dangers.

Xie Lanting walked to the water’s edge and found that the water didn’t reflect his own image. He immediately thought of that dream where his reflection was missing from the lake, and his heart tightened.

Chen Zhushu didn’t stick to the Gu family; he only clung to Xie Lanting. He followed him over. Xie Lanting looked down and saw that Chen Zhushu had no reflection either, and only then did he breathe a sigh of relief.

“What is the Immortal Lord looking at?”

Xie Lanting pointed. “This water doesn’t reflect things.”

“That is strange.” Chen Zhushu reached out cautiously to touch the water and tested the depth with his tail, but found no other issues. “Aside from that, it doesn’t seem special.”

Xie Lanting: “Perhaps it is. Regardless, in a secret realm, it’s best to be more mindful.”

…

Meanwhile, on the other side, Gu Yunqi, Ge Wen, and a portion of the Gu disciples had fallen together.

Gu Yunqi’s first reaction upon realizing Xie Lanting wasn’t there was to pull out his transmission jade.

Logically, being separated from the Immortal Lord should have made it easier for him to ditch this group and find a quiet place to undergo his tribulation. Yet his first thought wasn’t relief, but worry for Xie Lanting.

Given Xie Lanting’s personality, there was no need to fear him losing out in social dealings, but his safety was another matter. The dangers of the secret realm were unknown, and he carried an old injury. If it flared up, wouldn’t that be troublesome?

After Gu An finished vomiting, he realized Gu Yunqi was there while that eyesore Xie Lanting was missing. He was instantly overjoyed—this was his chance to gain some favor!

He pressed his hand to his head. “I’m still a bit dizzy. Come support me, Yun…”

Before he could finish saying “Yunqi,” a sycophantic disciple immediately grabbed his hand. “Senior Brother Gu An, are you alright? I have spiritual medicine for dizziness here. Want some?”

Gu An immediately pulled his hand back and gave a thin smile. “Thank you, no need. I’m fine now.”

What a pity. He wasn’t alone with Yunqi. Ah, well—in a secret realm like this, more people meant more pawns.

Gu An was the son of the First Elder and had people sucking up to him. Naturally, there were others who couldn’t stand it. A disciple of another elder sneered, “So fragile. And you’re supposed to be the leader?”

Gu An replied with a needle hidden in silk: “It is a duty entrusted by the Clan Head and the First Elder. I wouldn’t dare disobey.”

Ge Wen wasn’t familiar with the rest of the Gu family and silently stood by Gu Yunqi. “I’m going to find my junior brother.”

Gu Yunqi: “I need to find the Immortal Lord too.”

The two might be together, or they might not. For now, they could cooperate to find them.

They also chose to rest first. During the break, perhaps because it was too noisy, Ge Wen finally spoke: “I really cannot compliment the ‘fellow-disciple camaraderie’ of your Gu family.”

Although Gu Yunqi detested Gu Bu and his lot, he didn’t hate the entire Gu family. As the son of the former Clan Head, he felt it necessary to salvage the family’s image. “Not everyone is like this.”

In the future, when he took out Gu Bu and became the Clan Head, he would definitely purge the unhealthy atmosphere within the clan.

Gu An, having finished his passive-aggressive exchange with the others, leaned toward Gu Yunqi again. “Yunqi, the Water Spirit seems to have disappeared. Do you have a way to find it?”

“Senior Brother,” Gu Yunqi stated the facts, “it found me of its own accord. I don’t have the ability to sense it.”

A flash of disappointment crossed Gu An’s eyes, but he quickly masked it. He said, “You are the only Foundation Establishment cultivator among those who came this time. It’s fine; I will protect you. If things get too urgent to manage, remember to protect yourself.”

Gu Yunqi recalled the scene in Purple Flower Town where Xie Lanting stood in front of him and said, “With me here, I will surely protect you with all my might.” His lips couldn’t help but curve up, and his voice softened considerably: “Okay.”

Don’t worry. Being with you lot, I will definitely protect myself well.

His gaze left Gu An momentarily dazed.

Gu Yunqi had always been polite and courteous to him, rarely showing any great emotional fluctuations—except perhaps that first time Gu An had helped him and Gu Yunqi thanked him with that incredibly sincere look.

Gu An had only helped because the boy was pretty and pitiful; he’d done it on a whim, but Gu Yunqi had been truly grateful.

That look had made Gu An feel smug; he loved the feeling. Unconsciously, he had categorized Gu Yunqi as “his,” a possession that could make him happy.

But at some point, the sincere gratitude in Gu Yunqi’s eyes when looking at him had vanished, replaced by a perfectly measured politeness that never overstepped boundaries.

He assumed it was because Gu Yunqi understood the world of difference between their statuses and was wise enough not to cross the line. But after a while, it felt a bit dull.

That gaze just now had stirred that feeling in his heart again.

Very well. Since Xie Lanting wasn’t here, if they encountered danger, he would show off in front of Gu Yunqi and protect him. Maybe then he could “loosen the soil” a bit.

Unfortunately, he was being sentimental; that look wasn’t meant for him at all.

…

After resting, they set off again. Without the Water Spirit, they could only find their way by chance. Gu An didn’t even think to use the disciple seals to find those who had been separated—he was just that realistic and cold-hearted.

Everyone also noticed that the water didn’t reflect shadows. Initially, the merfolk tried to avoid the puddles like everyone else, but it was too troublesome. Eventually, the merfolk boldly waded through, which was much more comfortable.

This place was heaven for merfolk; it was practically tailor-made.

Dry land was scarce, and it was impossible to avoid the puddles entirely. As Gu Yunqi passed a puddle, he caught a flash of silver light in his peripheral vision. He looked over—it seemed… it seemed like the tip of a tail had just passed by?

Gu Yunqi paused, then began picking a path close to the water without drawing attention. After chasing through dozens of pools, he finally saw a complete figure gliding through the water. Who else could it be but Xie Lanting!

Gu Yunqi hurriedly sent a secret transmission: “Immortal Lord!”

As soon as he said it, he felt a bit annoyed. Although secret transmissions couldn’t be overheard, across water and unknown space, he didn’t know if Xie Lanting could hear him. It might be useless.

Just as he thought this, he saw the figure that was about to disappear from the puddle pause, leaving only the tip of the tail behind to give a little wag.

Gu Yunqi: …It actually worked?

Xie Lanting suddenly stopped while walking, and Chen Zhushu nearly crashed into him. “Immortal Lord, what’s wrong?”

They had also finished resting and set off. Everyone followed the Water Spirit. After walking a distance, Xie Lanting’s brow furrowed slightly: he thought he heard Gu Yunqi calling him.

Immortal Lord!

The voice was a bit fuzzy. Xie Lanting looked around but saw no one.

Gu Yunqi’s fuzzy voice came through again: Water…

Water?

Xie Lanting had an epiphany. He looked down at the water’s surface but saw nothing. He wagged the tip of his tail and moved backward. When he reached the puddle he had just passed, he saw Gu Yunqi’s clear reflection in the water!

Xie Lanting was surprised. At the same time, he found that Gu Yunqi’s voice became very clear: “Immortal Lord!”

Xie Lanting hurried to transmit back: “Why are you in the water? Or is it a different space? You haven’t encountered danger, have you?”

Gu Yunqi said, “I’m fine. From my perspective, you are the one in the water. Are you alright too?”

“Yes,” Xie Lanting said. “Chen Zhushu is by my side, along with some Gu family members. Gu Jingping is here too.”

As he spoke, he pointed to the side. Chen Zhushu was close to him; logically, Gu Yunqi should have been able to see him. But Gu Yunqi frowned. “Chen Zhushu is by the water? I can’t see him.”

Xie Lanting blinked. To confirm, he pulled Chen Zhushu over to his side, ensuring he was definitely within the “frame” of the water’s surface. “What about now?”

Gu Yunqi still shook his head, while saying, “Ge Wen is by my side too.”

Xie Lanting: “I can’t see him either.”

Good grief. Only the two of them could see and speak to each other.

The Water Spirit was already acting according to Xie Lanting’s wishes. From the air, it noticed Xie Lanting had stopped for a long time, so it hurriedly braked. The Gu disciples saw it stop and their eyes lit up. “Is the treasure here!?”

The Water Spirit blew a bubble: Not yet. I’m just waiting to see if there are new arrangements.

The disciples looked around for anything unusual. Naturally, they noticed Xie Lanting standing still and looking down at a puddle. Gu Jingping asked, “Is there a problem with the puddle?”

Xie Lanting didn’t look up. “I suspect there is, so I’m studying it.”

Xie Lanting had correctly predicted the Seven Stars mechanism before; as a former Spirit Severing stage cultivator, he was more experienced than them. Hearing this, everyone put their heads down to study the puddles.

On the other side, because Gu Yunqi had stopped, he was also questioned by the other disciples: “Why aren’t you moving?”

Gu Yunqi used essentially the same line: “The water seems to have a problem. I want to look closer.”

Gu Yunqi had been favored by the Water Spirit in the secret realm, so it was highly likely he had a connection to this world. Luck mattered in the cultivation world, so people didn’t ignore what he said. Gu An also stopped and stared at the water.

They didn’t see any problems, but Gu Yunqi and Xie Lanting had already begun communicating without obstacles.

After hearing Xie Lanting’s words, Chen Zhushu also wanted to see Ge Wen, but he couldn’t. He even tried putting his tail in the water, but on the other side, Gu Yunqi shook his head—it didn’t work.

“There should be a special space; we need to see how much we can communicate.”

After Chen Zhushu pulled his tail back, Xie Lanting and Gu Yunqi simultaneously circled their surroundings, confirming the patterns of the puddles. Then, Xie Lanting signaled Gu Yunqi to move slightly away from the edge. He picked up a shell and threw it in.

After a plop of water, an identical shell appeared in Gu Yunqi’s hand.

Xie Lanting was amazed. “Living things won’t work, but dead objects can pass through?”

Gu Yunqi and Xie Lanting almost simultaneously had a bold idea. They looked at each other through the water’s surface. A curve rose on Xie Lanting’s lips. “I don’t really like your cousin, Gu Jingping.”

Gu Yunqi: “What a coincidence. I don’t like him either.”

The two immediately reached a consensus: Mess with him!

They hadn’t even discussed a plan, yet they shared a knowing smile, understanding they had thought of the same thing.

Talking to smart people saved so much trouble. It was truly magical—they had only known each other for a short month, yet they were so in sync they were practically soulmates.

Gu Yunqi’s side was noisier than Xie Lanting’s because a shell had suddenly popped out of the water. The alert crowd thought there was an attack, but relaxed when they saw it was just a shell.

Gu An swished the tip of his tail over. “Yunqi, it’s not certain if there’s danger yet. Why did you just grab it? Don’t be reckless; be careful.”

Gu Yunqi said, “Senior Brother, tell our fellow disciples not to use their natal artifacts to test the water. I suspect there might be something in there.”

Gu An’s expression sharpened. “Danger, or opportunity?”

“Both are possible,” Gu Yunqi said. “Something I had just accidentally fell in. It was clearly a shallow puddle, but I couldn’t get it out. We should test it, but we can’t use natal artifacts. After all, damage to a natal artifact affects one’s cultivation.”

Gu An said solemnly, “Yes, you’re right.”

Meanwhile, Xie Lanting, in perfect sync, said the same thing on his side.

Why not use natal artifacts to poke around? Because they were all Gu disciples. If a natal artifact poked through and was recognized, wouldn’t their identities be exposed?

That wouldn’t do. They wanted to play a bigger game.

With those words, they didn’t even need to detail the plan. Xie Lanting directly transmitted: “I’ll give you Gu Jingping’s position.”

After understanding the positions on the other side, Gu Yunqi said to Gu An, “Senior Brother, let’s try throwing some basic talismans and cheap offensive artifacts first. I’ll guard this one; why don’t you go over there?”

The place he pointed to corresponded to the puddle where Gu Jingping was standing.

Gu An was a bit unhappy. Even if Gu Yunqi had some luck and he was willing to listen to him, it didn’t mean Gu Yunqi could order him around. Gu Yunqi actually knew this, so he added, “Senior Brother, is that okay?”

His attitude was very humble. Gu An was mollified again.

“Of course.”

He happily went to the puddle Gu Yunqi pointed to.

Ge Wen: Another one who’s being sold while not even knowing it.

He said cautiously, “Are you two plotting something devious again? Don’t involve Zhushu. Should I stay further away too?”

Gu Yunqi: “No, it’s better if you stand by me.”

It was safer.

Under the meticulous arrangement of Xie Lanting and Gu Yunqi, the Gu disciples on both sides simultaneously threw a wave of basic talismans and artifacts into the water. And so—

The water’s surface on both sides exploded at the same time.

Gu An and Gu Jingping spoke in unison: “There’s something in the water!”

“What kind of monster is underneath? It’s using Ice Charms!”

“It’s Fire Talismans on my side!”

Gu An: “Prepare for battle!” As he spoke, he raised his sword, glowing with spiritual energy. He didn’t poke with the sword, but prepared to strike with sword qi. “Let me see if my sword strike can break through to the bottom!”

Gu Jingping was also energized. “The Water Spirit stopped too; the treasure must be underneath! Those things just now were low-grade, proving the defense below isn’t that—WHAT!?”

A sharp sword qi brushed past Gu Jingping, slicing off a lock of hair. If he hadn’t dodged quickly, he would have lost more than just hair.

Gu Jingping: “Blast it! Maybe the water surface can be blasted open. We must get the treasure!”

So, for a while, waves rose from level ground. Artifacts and sword qi flew together; talismans and spiritual energy shared the same hue. The puddles boomed and exploded, water splashing several feet high. It was a man-made rainstorm, a truly spectacular scene.

On Gu An’s side, some disciples started to feel something was wrong as they fought. “We aren’t sure if there’s an opportunity below. We can retreat, right? Why put in so much effort?”

That made sense. So some people began to move. But as soon as they moved, the puddle behind them exploded.

The disciple gasped: “The attacks are following us!”

This was natural. Because Gu Jingping’s side believed there were treasures at the bottom, as long as Gu An led his people to move, Xie Lanting would have the Water Spirit lead his people to move too. With him and Gu Yunqi providing the positioning, the attacks were guaranteed never to miss.

Only around Xie Lanting and Gu Yunqi did the water merely splash without any actual attacks appearing. The two of them were still camouflaged, splashing the water every now and then to avoid drawing attention.

Gu Yunqi said to Ge Wen, “Follow me closely. I didn’t lie to you, did I?”

Ge Wen: “…Tell the Immortal Lord to please keep my junior brother close by his side.”

Safety first.

He watched as Gu Yunqi finally threw something into the puddle—it was no longer an empty shell. He asked, “What did you throw?”

Gu Yunqi: “A bag of almonds. In a scene like this, the Immortal Lord would probably want something to eat. I wrapped them in spiritual energy; they’re waterproof.”

Ge Wen: …I shouldn’t have even asked.

Xie Lanting reached out and snatched the paper packet that popped out from the water. With the splashing water as cover, the “secret trade” was very safe. He opened the packet and marveled as he ate.

“They truly are elite disciples of the Gu family. It’s an even match. Excellent.”