Reborn As The Short-Lived White Moonlight of the Tragic, Powerful Male Lead - Chapter 33

Chapter 33

Did Something Happen in the Secret Realm That We Don’t Know About?

Gu Yunqi never expected that one day he would be frantically rummaging through his spatial storage just to find a pair of pants for someone else.

Fortunately, he had bought some high-quality new clothes a few days ago, so he didn’t have to give the Immortal Lord rough fabric for this emergency.

As he searched with his spiritual sense, Gu Yunqi’s hands felt like they had nowhere to go. He had used his spiritual power to steam away the moisture from both of them. Xie Lanting was nestled in his arms; to prevent his feet from touching the ground and getting dirty, Gu Yunqi had to hook his arms under the other’s knees and lift him slightly.

However, reaching out like that meant it was easy to touch skin directly… strictly speaking, he had already touched it just now.

Xie Lanting’s legs were straight and slender, with well-defined muscles. They weren’t just beautiful to look at; the skin naturally felt quite good to the touch. That unintentional brush was enough to make Gu Yunqi’s ears turn beet red.

Gu Yunqi finally pulled a pair of pants from his storage. He was slightly taller than Xie Lanting, so the clothes wouldn’t fit perfectly, but they would do for now. The pants were, of course, brand new and unworn.

To put them on him, he couldn’t help but look down. Gu Yunqi muttered a silent “excuse me,” barely daring to let his eyes linger as he quickly pulled them onto Xie Lanting. He finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Finally, he wouldn’t have to endure that particular torture anymore.

Afterward, he put shoes and socks on Xie Lanting and summoned his secret guards. Several had followed them to the vicinity of the secret realm to stand watch.

In no time, Chu Qi and Chu Er arrived. They were quite surprised to see Gu Yunqi.

Chu Er asked, “The secret realm hasn’t closed yet. Young Master, why did you come out early?”

Chu Qi added, “I’ll bandage the Young Master.”

Gu Yunqi wasn’t unscathed. During the encounter with the Saber-Toothed Demon Tiger Fish, he had sustained several cuts. Although the heavenly lightning had tempered his body and the bleeding had stopped, the wounds weren’t fully healed.

Gu Yunqi said, “Minor injuries are no matter. Check the Immortal Lord first.”

Only after Chu Qi began checking Xie Lanting’s pulse did Gu Yunqi answer Chu Er’s question: “I advanced to the Yuan Ying (Nascent Soul) stage. The secret realm rejected me.”

Chu Er was ecstatic. “Congratulations, Young Master!” He was incredibly excited. “A twenty-year-old Nascent Soul! In the entire continent, you are absolutely the first! Even Immortal Lord Lanyue, who was called the genius of his generation, only reached Nascent Soul in his twenties!”

Gu Yunqi looked down at Xie Lanting’s sleeping face, his expression softening. “Mhm. The Immortal Lord is very impressive.”

Chu Er: “…” I was praising you, not him.

Even in his coma, Xie Lanting’s body occasionally spasmed from intense pain. Holding him, Gu Yunqi could clearly feel the tremors. When Chu Qi finished the diagnosis, Gu Yunqi asked urgently, “How is he?”

“No new injuries. It should be a flare-up of his old wounds combined with extreme exhaustion.” Chu Qi pulled out a bottle of medicine. “Being unconscious actually spares him some suffering; the pain is hardest to endure when awake. This medicine can soothe his exhaustion and make him feel a bit better.”

Chu Qi uncorked the bottle and tried to feed the liquid to Xie Lanting, but found his jaw clenched tight from the pain. He couldn’t get it in.

Gu Yunqi took the bottle. “I’ll do it.”

Gu Yunqi drank the medicine, holding it in his mouth. He disliked bitterness, and the liquid was extremely bitter, yet he didn’t even flinch. To the astonishment of Chu Er and Chu Qi, he leaned down, lifted Xie Lanting’s chin, pressed his lips against the other’s, pried open his teeth, and fed the medicine through.

The entire maneuver was practiced. It was clear this wasn’t the first time they had kissed; he even knew the exact angle to pry open the teeth.

He lifted his head, frowning slightly at the bitterness in his mouth, only to meet the expressions of Chu Er and Chu Qi.

Gu Yunqi: “…What’s with those looks?”

The two snapped out of it and shook their heads frantically, though their eyes remained wide. After shaking their heads, they went back to staring at him.

Gu Yunqi couldn’t take it. “Say what’s on your mind.”

Chu Qi elbowed Chu Er in the ribs. Chu Er let out a sudden yelp and, under Gu Yunqi’s gaze, rubbed his nose. He looked like he was dying to know but too embarrassed to ask. “Uh, Young Master… did something happen between you and the Imm—the Young Madam in the secret realm?”

“We joined forces to accomplish some things.” Gu Yunqi’s answer was very formal. He paused for a moment before continuing, “My cultivation level has been exposed to him.”

In the past, Chu Er and Chu Qi would have been extremely nervous, jumping three feet in the air and frantically brainstorming solutions for Gu Yunqi. But now… they probably didn’t need to worry.

After all, their Young Master had just kissed the man right in front of them without batting an eye.

Even feeding medicine is a kiss! It’s not like mouth-to-mouth is the only way to give medicine—there are plenty of other methods.

Chu Er rubbed his hands. “Oh… then what should we do?”

Gu Yunqi grasped Xie Lanting’s wrist, using his own spiritual energy to soothe the other’s meridians. “I’ve thought about it. It might be fine to tell him some things.”

Chu Qi asked, “Has the Young Master decided?”

These people had watched Gu Yunqi grow up. Naturally, they hoped he could return to a normal life after his revenge. One cannot stay trapped in a swamp forever; that would be too painful. They wanted him to have friends and someone to open his heart to, instead of constantly plotting and walking on thin ice.

Unfortunately, over the years, even with well-wishers around, Gu Yunqi hadn’t found a confidant. Xie Lanting’s arrival was an accident to all of them.

Currently, it seemed Xie Lanting had no connection to Gu Bo. The guards had been in the Gu family for a long time, and the news they usually heard about Xie Lanting was—

“Wow, they say Immortal Lord Lanyue appeared somewhere today and cut down something incredible!” “Yeah, someone saw him from afar, and it seems the Immortal Lord has become even more handsome.”

Things like that. Later, when his cultivation dropped and he retired to the Sword Sect, they hadn’t heard much else. If he could truly befriend Gu Yunqi, it wouldn’t be a bad thing. If Xie Lanting turned out to have ill intentions, they would be the Young Master’s final line of defense.

“Whether as ‘Wenren Yun’ or Gu Yunqi, he treated me the same.” When danger came, Xie Lanting was always in front of him. Gu Yunqi lowered his eyes. “I only fear that he will be disappointed in me.”

After all, Xie Lanting seemed to treat him like a destitute, helpless, pitiable person and took great care of him. If he found out this “pitiable person” was actually a cold-blooded killer who didn’t need sympathy, would he still be so good to him?

Chu Er hurriedly said, “No, no! Young Master, you are so outstanding! Besides, it’s not like you chose this path voluntarily. It’s all that turtle-bastard Gu Bo’s fault!”

Chu Qi nodded fiercely. “It’s all Gu Bo’s fault!”

Regardless, they would have to wait until Xie Lanting woke up to see.

Gu Yunqi composed himself. “How many people are still guarding the exit?”

“Three of ours, and people from other families,” Chu Er reported. “Everyone saw the lightning clouds of the Tribulation. It’s best if people don’t know you were rejected early by the realm; it would arouse suspicion.”

Gu Yunqi nodded. “The Immortal Lord and I will recuperate here for a bit before going out.”

With business concluded, Chu Er tried to lighten the mood. “I noticed the Young Madam is interested in food. Hey, Chu Qi, do you have any medicinal recipes to nourish his body?”

Gu Yunqi thought it was a great idea and wanted to start immediately. “You have your alchemy cauldron with you, right? You can make a pot now.”

Chu Qi: “…Young Master, as you said, that is an alchemy cauldron, not a cooking pot.”

Chu Er hooked his arm around his shoulder. “The use is about the same. Actually, we used your cauldron to roast sunflower seeds in secret before.”

Chu Qi’s veins throbbed. He grabbed Chu Er’s neck and shook him. “Fantastic! I knew it was you! No wonder my cauldron smelled like five-spice powder that day!”

Gu Yunqi pulled his attention back. “Medicinal feast.”

Chu Qi, still gripping Chu Er’s neck, made a final struggle: “I don’t have enough ingredients, Young Master. I have spirit plants and herbs, but to really help the Immortal Lord, we need meat that is rich in spiritual energy and easy to digest.”

Chu Er pried his hands away and finally said something sensible for his companion: “If there are no ingredients, there’s nothing we can do. I mean, who carries dried meat around with them? Hahahaha!”

Amidst the laughter, Gu Yunqi pulled out two food boxes. When he opened the lids, a thick aroma of meat wafted out. It wasn’t dried meat; it was fresh meat, cooked by electricity.

Chu Er’s laughter stopped abruptly.

Gu Yunqi: “Meat from a century-old Saber-Toothed Demon Tiger Fish. Can it be used?”

Chu Qi: “…Yes.”

The ninth heavenly lightning had blasted open the fish’s body, filling the water with the scent of cooked meat. Gu Yunqi figured Xie Lanting might like the taste, so he had scooped up two pieces and put them in his food boxes.

Chu Qi never imagined that someone would think about foraging for food amidst the cruel struggles and temptations of a secret realm. He tearfully took out his cauldron, started a fire on the spot, and began cooking the medicinal feast.

Xie Lanting woke up to a wonderful aroma. Although the pain from his old injuries was usually unbearable, it rarely knocked him out. This time, he had been electrocuted several times as well, and the combination had done him in.

He regained consciousness quickly. There was a bitter taste in his mouth, suggesting he had been given medicine. Finding himself in Gu Yunqi’s arms, he sat up hurriedly.

“Thank you… what smells so good?”

Gu Yunqi: “A medicinal feast. Do you feel better, Immortal Lord?”

Xie Lanting nodded. The flare-up had stopped, and he felt quite refreshed after the sleep. He looked at his surroundings and felt something was wrong. “We’re out? The Water Control Technique… did you get it?”

That was one of Gu Yunqi’s major “cheat codes.” He couldn’t let it be lost to the butterfly effect.

At this, Gu Yunqi looked apologetic. “I’m sorry, Immortal Lord.”

Xie Lanting’s heart sank. He didn’t get it?!

Gu Yunqi continued: “The Water Control Technique is with me.”

Xie Lanting: “…It’s a good habit not to take such long pauses when you speak.” He had nearly had a heart attack.

Gu Yunqi raised his hand. With a thought, a glowing blue blob appeared out of thin air and sat in his palm.

Xie Lanting was surprised. “The Water Spirit?”

Gu Yunqi nodded. “It turns out it is the companion spirit of the Water Control Technique. Only after it acknowledged me as its master did I gain the aptitude to practice the technique.”

After leaving the realm, Gu Yunqi had put the Water Spirit in his sleeve. He had wounds on his arm, and the spirit had touched his blood. Combined with its existing favor toward him, they had unintentionally fulfilled the two conditions for ownership. The Water Control Technique had been poured directly into Gu Yunqi’s sea of consciousness; that was how he learned the truth.

“It can practice the technique too? Incredible.” Xie Lanting poked the Water Spirit. It shook its body proudly, clearly enjoying the attention.

It seemed that whether it was the Merman’s Tear or the Water Spirit, the merman’s inheritance had its vessels. Once bound, the Water Spirit could be stored in Gu Yunqi’s sea of consciousness. As expected of a protagonist, the greatest treasure had essentially delivered itself to him from the start.

Xie Lanting: “Then why did you just apologize?”

Gu Yunqi: “I thought you wanted the Water Control Technique…”

“As long as you got it, that’s what matters. Don’t apologize for that.”

Gu Yunqi’s heart stirred slightly as he smiled.

Xie Lanting felt a weight lift from his heart. He pointed at the two men in black by the… alchemy cauldron. He guessed they were the secret guards.

But pretending he didn’t know, he said to Gu Yunqi, “You should have other things to tell me, right?”

Gu Yunqi nodded. He scooped a bowl of the medicinal feast and handed it to him. “Eat first, Immortal Lord. I will explain slowly.”

Xie Lanting took the bowl and suddenly realized something was wrong. “Wait… these pants and shoes… they aren’t mine!”

Chu Er, who was stirring the cauldron with a ladle hoping for a bowl himself, was so shocked he dropped the ladle into the pot with a “clatter.”

What do you mean the pants aren’t his?! What on earth did you two do in the secret realm?!

When they were alone, Gu Yunqi’s ears had been hot and his heart had been racing, but now he was very calm. “When your legs changed back, you had no covering. So I gave you mine. They are the new clothes you helped me pick a few days ago. Don’t worry, I haven’t worn them yet.”

“I see.”

Xie Lanting felt incredibly lucky they had come out early. Otherwise, if everyone had been spat out of the realm together, the scene… Xie Lanting lowered his head and took a sip of the feast, celebrating his narrow escape. Compared to being embarrassed in front of a crowd, being seen by Gu Yunqi alone was nothing.

Seeing Xie Lanting relax, Gu Yunqi finally entered the confession phase: “I practiced a secret technique of the Gu family that can hide my aura and true cultivation level. That’s why outsiders think I’m at the Foundation Establishment stage.”

Xie Lanting nodded over his bowl. “But I heard that the Gu family secret technique is only passed to successive patriarchs, and after Gu Bo took over, it was lost.”

Gu Yunqi’s fingers tightened on his knees. “My father met with a disaster and died a violent death. He did not pass the technique to him.”

Xie Lanting sighed inwardly and continued, “The world says the previous Patriarch was assassinated by the Xu family of Huaian. His brother, Gu Bo, took command in the crisis and assumed the position. To avenge his brother, he rallied various factions to condemn the Xu family, which led to their near-extermination and decline.”

Gu Yunqi pulled at the corner of his mouth. “But my parents did not die at the hands of the Xu family.”

Xie Lanting watched him quietly.

Gu Yunqi said word by word: “They died at the hands of Gu Bo.”

A branch in the fire nearby snapped loudly. It was burning itself out, even if only ashes would remain.

“Gu Bo wanted the patriarch position and the secret technique. He searched the entire family and couldn’t find it, which is why he spared my life, suspecting my father had given the technique to me.”

The flickering flames were reflected in Gu Yunqi’s eyes. His voice was cold. “I have survived in this world, unwilling to give up this life, solely so that one day I can personally take his head and bring it to my parents’ grave to make him kowtow and confess.”

For this, he could endure any hardship and any humiliation. Year after year, he let those people ride over him and treat him like trash. Trash was good; it wasn’t conspicuous. It made things easier to handle. When he moved in the shadows, they didn’t even deign to suspect him. He was gathering his strength bit by bit. One day, the truth would come to light.

“No wonder you stayed in the Gu family despite how badly they treated you.” Xie Lanting put down his bowl. “Do you have evidence?”

Bitterness spread through Gu Yunqi’s heart. Rationally, without evidence, it was possible Xie Lanting wouldn’t believe him; after all, talk is cheap.

“No.” Gu Yunqi felt the taste of the medicine hadn’t left his mouth; it was so bitter his tongue felt numb. “I saw him kill my parents with my own eyes. I have no evidence to present.”

“I see…”

Xie Lanting picked up the empty bowl, filled it with hot medicinal feast, and pried open Gu Yunqi’s clenched fingers one by one. He pressed the bowl into his palm and looked up. His autumn-water eyes were filled with a smile that seemed to envelop Gu Yunqi.

“I will help you find it.”

Gu Yunqi’s fingers twitched on the bowl. Although the porcelain was at the right temperature, he felt it burning into his heart. It burned so much it made his throat tighten, yet he couldn’t let go.

“You are only twenty, yet you are already a Nascent Soul—the first in a thousand years. Why worry about not being able to accomplish great things? After being together for so long, I don’t believe you are someone who would turn against kin without cause.”

Xie Lanting said, “I saw clearly how Gu Bo and Gu Jingping treated you. Since he kept you for his own purposes, he will eventually show his hand.”

“Don’t be afraid. I am here too.” At this, Xie Lanting couldn’t help but laugh. “I almost forgot, your cultivation is higher than mine now. From now on, I’ll be responsible for coming up with ideas and spending money. I’ll leave the fighting to you.”

For a moment, Gu Yunqi really wanted to hold Xie Lanting’s hand, but he forced himself to refrain. The gloom and coldness on his face vanished, and he became the Gu Yunqi who usually faced Xie Lanting.

“Alright,” he said. “In the future, I will be in front. It’s my turn to protect you.”

At Purple Flower Town and the Merman’s Endless Sea, Xie Lanting had stood in front of him to keep him safe. He would remember that kindness for a lifetime.

Chu Er let out a tiny sob. Chu Qi, not wanting to break the moment, sent a mental transmission: “What are you crying for?”

Chu Er sobbed back: “Nothing, it’s just very moving. They seem more real than the storybooks!”

Chu Qi maintained his final shred of rationality: “Logically speaking, in such a good atmosphere, even if they’re too embarrassed to kiss because we’re here, there should at least be a hug or hand-holding, right? Did you see them move? The Young Master hasn’t succeeded at all!”

“No way!?” Chu Er couldn’t believe it. “But the Young Master’s gaze is so tender it could melt water. When have you ever seen him look at someone like that!”

Chu Qi said cruelly, “Is just looking enough? Can you make a partner real just by looking?”

The two looked at each other, realizing the gravity of the situation.

“Should we gather the others to discuss this later?” “Agreed.”

Gu Yunqi proceeded to tell Xie Lanting many other things, all of which were in the original story. Xie Lanting ate five or six more bowls as he listened; there was no need to worry about the cauldron going to waste.

“The secret guards left by my parents have all pledged loyalty to me. There are fifty in total. The ones usually by my side are Chu Yi, Chu Er, Chu Qi, and Chu Shi-wu.”

Gu Yunqi pointed to Chu Er and Chu Qi so Xie Lanting could match the names. “They have practiced the concealment portion of the secret technique and usually hide in the shadows. If you need anything, Immortal Lord, you can call them out.”

Gu Yunqi handed over a jade carving. “Infusing it with spiritual energy will summon nearby guards; you don’t even need to use mental transmission.”

Xie Lanting accepted the jade. Gu Yunqi added, “One cannot practice the full secret technique without Gu family blood, but parts can still be learned. Immortal Lord, if you want to practice—”

“Stop right there, no need.” Xie Lanting knew what he was thinking. “Didn’t we say it’s only for patriarchs?”

“Rules are static, people are alive. A small change is no issue.” Gu Yunqi had already let his most trusted guards practice parts of it, effectively breaking the rules. He was suspicious and cautious, but he was truly generous to his own people.

Xie Lanting shook his head. “My own cultivation techniques are enough. Since this fits your bloodline best, you should practice it.” His actions undoubtedly made Chu Er and Chu Qi feel more at ease, boosting their favor of him.

Xie Lanting sat cross-legged. “When the people in the secret realm come out, we need to blend in. I’ll practice my illusion techniques for a bit; they should come in handy then.”

Gu Yunqi stopped disturbing him and began studying his newly acquired Water Control Technique. Chu Er and Chu Qi cleaned up the cauldron and stood guard.

Time flowed differently inside the secret realm. According to Gu Yunqi’s calculations, five days inside was roughly one day outside. After one day passed outside, Xie Lanting’s illusion skills had truly reached a new level. Truly a genius, he learned everything quickly. He focused on how to hide his presence with illusions; he could maintain it for about fifteen minutes—not long, but more than enough to sneak into the crowd.

Once prepared, they returned to the periphery of the secret realm, avoiding the guards at the entrance and waiting for people to emerge. Half a day later, the entrance began to fluctuate.

Gu Yunqi tore off the bandages from his wounds, maintaining his disheveled appearance. Xie Lanting used an illusion to hide them both as they approached. When the realm spat everyone out, Xie Lanting immediately dispelled the illusion. Thus, to the guards outside, it looked like they had emerged with everyone else.

Everyone was momentarily blinded when they left. As they regained their senses, gasps of shock erupted from the crowd—specifically because some people were missing their pants.

Chaos ensued as people scrambled to pull up their pants or looked away in embarrassment. In the mess, nobody noticed Xie Lanting and Gu Yunqi in the corner. Xie Lanting could easily claim he had put his pants on in a second. As for the guards, although they were shocked that so many people were pantless, they didn’t know the reason, so they didn’t pay special attention to Xie Lanting’s pants.

When Gu An came out, he stumbled and fell to his knees. He was badly injured and, biting his lip in shame, scrambled to put on his pants. Beside him, Gu Jingping lay motionless, one arm scorched black, his life or death unknown.

The Gu family guards rushed forward. One checked Gu Jingping’s injuries and his face changed.

As Xie Lanting and Gu Yunqi walked over, they heard him say: “This is bad. The Young Master’s right arm meridians are completely destroyed. I’m afraid—”

He swallowed the rest of his words, not daring to say it. Xie Lanting raised an eyebrow and finished it for him in his head: I’m afraid he’s crippled?

Who did this?

That person deserves a thumbs-up!