Reborn As The Short-Lived White Moonlight of the Tragic, Powerful Male Lead - Chapter 37

Chapter 37

So I Really Am Lusting After His Body?

Xie Lanting regretted the words the moment they left his mouth because the atmosphere became incredibly awkward.

Even though he was drawn by the scent of blood, as far as the process was concerned, he had indeed “nibbled” on the man… The mouth-to-mouth in the secret realm didn’t count; that was life-saving.

Xie Lanting apologized honestly: “I’m sorry.”

Gu Yunqi: “It’s no matter.”

The secret guards had already retreated silently to give them space. Xie Lanting realized a serious problem: “We’re living together. What if I sleepwalk and attack you again?”

The small house was fixed anyway. Should they reassign the sleeping arrangements?

Gu Yunqi seemed to sense his thoughts and interrupted in time: “It is fine. If the Immortal Lord has symptoms again, it indicates your body is unwell. Living together makes it easier for me to look after you. Besides, it doesn’t cause me any real harm.”

A drop or two of blood was completely non-issue.

Xie Lanting thought about it and agreed. If the young boy, Tong-er, saw him sleepwalking in the middle of the night, it would probably scare him to death. He couldn’t leave the kid with childhood trauma. He nodded and added: “If I really sleepwalk to nibble on you again, you can wake me up.”

Gu Yunqi: “I will decide based on the situation.”

With the protagonist’s guarantee, Xie Lanting went to sleep peacefully. After the lights were out, a screen still separated their beds. The secret guards hiding in the shadows began communicating via mental transmission.

Chu Qi: “Based on my observations, the Young Master has been acting a bit strange lately.” “Did you know? Regarding the fact that the Immortal Lord likes his blood, the Young Master actually thinks it’s great!”

Chu Yi asked blankly: “Is it not great?”

Chu Er and Chu Qi gave him a long, silent look. Chu Yi, full of innocent confusion, felt weird: “What?”

“Forget it, go eat your candy,” Chu Er said. “We’ll discuss this properly when Chu Shi-wu returns.”

Chu Qi: “But by the time he returns, we’ll have to set off for Mt. Cangxing immediately.”

Chu Er: “There’s plenty of time ahead. We can observe more.”

…

As it turned out, Xie Lanting didn’t sleepwalk every day. Perhaps it was because he had “drunk his fill” of blood; for at least two days, all was peaceful.

The weeds in the small courtyard were cleared and replaced with beautiful flowers to improve the scenery. Xie Lanting brought Tong-er back from Nanlin City. Living in a space only as large as a corner of the main house, the group felt quite relaxed. Occasionally, when passing the main residence, they could hear the impotent roars coming from Gu Jingping’s room.

His voice hadn’t gone hoarse after all these days; he must have taken plenty of restorative tonics.

For the upcoming Sword Discussion Assembly, Gu Bo intended to lead the group personally. As the departure date approached, Gu Jingping’s outward rage turned into a gloomy darkness. Those serving him, who used to hide in advance, were now even more terrified, fearing that one wrong word would trigger a psychotic break.

Before leaving, Gu Bo paid him one last visit. He said: “As the Young Master of the Gu family, look at yourself now.”

Gu Jingping’s right hand still couldn’t move. He smirked: “Look at this state?”

“If your hand truly cannot be healed, it means your skills were inferior to others.” Gu Bo gave him a verbal slap first, then softened his tone: “I have sent invitations to several famous doctors and dispatched people to find reclusive medical cultivators.”

These words finally brought a spark to Gu Jingping’s eyes. Gu Bo continued: “You’re only missing one assembly. Cultivators have plenty of time; you’ll have many opportunities in the future. Don’t show your weakness to others. Practice left-handed swordplay during this time; your cultivation must not slacken.”

Gu Jingping’s chest heaved. After several deep breaths, he finally calmed down. Not daring to be too insolent with his father, he lowered his head and said: “…Yes.”

But he had anger in his heart and needed an outlet; torturing others was the best way. He said: “Have Gu Yunqi come over. He will spar with me for the next few days.”

Gu Jingping never considered that the assembly had anything to do with Gu Yunqi. His eyes were predatory: I’ll torture him to death. Maybe I’ll just ruin one of his arms too. We’re brothers, aren’t we? We should match.

Gu Bo wore a subtle expression: “You’re too late.”

Gu Jingping had been carried out of the secret realm and had stayed in his room nursing his injuries ever since, wallowing in self-pity. He hadn’t cared about anyone else and didn’t know what had happened afterward.

“He received an invitation from the Demon Race. He set off for Mt. Cangxing with his Dao partner three days ago.”

The Demon Race?? Gu Jingping finally realized he had missed a massive amount of the story.

Xie Lanting and Gu Yunqi had indeed left the Gu family three days ago, but they weren’t on the road to Mt. Cangxing yet. They had gone to the Xuanji Pavilion to hitch a ride on their transport. In the world of cultivation, although everyone can fly, most choose a vehicle for long distances. Why eat the wind in solitude when you can lie down, sit, and enjoy the ride?

Xie Lanting brought Tong-er along this time to broaden his horizons. “This child’s foundation is average, and his cultivation progress is slow, but he has a talent for alchemy and medicine,” Xie Lanting said when he brought him. “Chu Qi is a medical cultivator, right? Could you guide him when you have time?”

Gu Yunqi had no objections, and Chu Qi was quite willing. When Tong-er first returned, he was shocked to find Gu Yunqi was actually a “pig eating a tiger,” but he had since accepted it—having followed Xie Lanting for years, his heart was well-trained.

The Xuanji Pavilion sent fifty people this time, which wasn’t many compared to the big sects. The assembly had different arenas based on cultivation levels—from Qi Refining to Soul Transformation. Many great clans brought over a hundred people to show off their best talents. However, everyone viewed the Xuanji Pavilion as being there primarily to gather intelligence, so it was normal for them to send fewer participants.

Gu Yunqi’s secret guards were mixed into the group. With the Pavilion Master’s orders, everyone here was under his command.

Despite only sending fifty people, the Xuanji Pavilion brought out a massive flying boat capable of holding hundreds. The hull was entirely gold, perfectly matching Yuanqin’s aesthetic and letting everyone know: We in intelligence are just this wealthy!

Standing before the boat, Xie Lanting was nearly blinded. Xie Lanting was wealthy, but his clothes and items were luxurious yet subtle. Yuanqin, however, directly plated her ship in gold. Looking at the patterns from afar, Xie Lanting thought they were talismans. Up close, he realized they were images of silver notes, gold ingots, and gold coins.

He felt a slight urge to retreat from boarding this vessel. Gu Yunqi understood him perfectly: “The interior is not like this. Immortal Lord, please go up and see.”

Xie Lanting boarded skeptically but found the interior was indeed different. If the outside was coarse and loud, the inside was elegant and magnificent. It used high-quality materials, but the layout was delicate and sophisticated. Xie Lanting’s eyes lit up: “Why is the difference between the inside and outside so huge?”

The decoration styles were completely fragmented.

“The Master insisted on the outside, saying it signifies ‘wealth and treasures coming in,'” Gu Yunqi said, half-laughing. “I heard that years ago, she wanted to change the pavilion’s iconic red lotus symbol to a gold ingot, but everyone managed to talk her out of it.”

Xie Lanting laughed. Yuanqin’s reputation for loving gambling and money was well-earned. “This boat is quite good. How much does one cost?”

“The pavilion’s boats include defensive arrays, so they are more expensive.” Gu Yunqi quoted a number. Xie Lanting listened and said: “That’s fine. Not expensive. I’ll buy one later. Not this big… one that holds a few dozen people is enough. It’ll make traveling more convenient.”

A member of the pavilion happened to be bringing in tea. Hearing this, he couldn’t help but look at Xie Lanting in shock. Not expensive? Even as a high-level member who had worked for years, he couldn’t call this boat “not expensive.” Was Immortal Lord Lanyue this rich?!

And Gu Yunqi actually agreed with him: “Alright.” His tone was as casual as if they were buying a small toy.

The man retreated in shock. A companion walked past and saw him counting his fingers: “What are you counting?” “Counting how many years I have to work to buy this ship.”

…

They officially set off on the same day as the Gu family. Above Nanlin, the golden boat of the Xuanji Pavilion and the Nine Heavens boat of the Gu family rose almost simultaneously. Gu Bo, standing at the bow, saw the glittering ship and his mouth twitched. He ordered: “Stay away from them.”

Everyone felt the same.

Traveling from Nanlin to Mt. Cangxing at a leisurely pace took about three days. Xie Lanting finally regained his status of having a private room. The ship had everything. Before leaving, Gu Yunqi had ordered several tables’ worth of food from a restaurant. He used spells to preserve them so Xie Lanting could eat during the trip. He hadn’t forgotten the snacks, either. The others were shocked; they hadn’t seen anyone prepare so much food for a trip after reaching Bigu (fasting) stage.

Tong-er didn’t need to serve him all the time and spent most of his time learning with Chu Qi. On the second day of the flight, Tong-er excitedly brought an incense burner to Xie Lanting’s room.

“Immortal Lord! Try the calming incense I made!”

Chu Qi followed behind with a helpless face, saying: “Immortal Lord, I suggest cautious use.”

Xie Lanting was confused: “Why?”

Chu Qi pointed at Tong-er: “This child is gifted in medicine, but he goes off the beaten path too much… I’m not saying one must follow the rules, creativity is good, but he often makes strange things.”

Seeing Chu Qi’s expression of trauma, Xie Lanting seemed to understand: “Did he prank you already?”

“Not yet,” Chu Qi said. Meaning it was possible later?

Tong-er pouted: “I just want to make things that can be used in different situations. It’s not strange. This is just a slightly improved calming incense; it’s mainly to nourish the spirit.”

Xie Lanting, a long-time patient turned self-taught doctor, recognized many herbs. He pinched the incense and identified the ingredients—they were all common materials with no medicinal conflicts. He patted the boy’s head: “I was just about to sleep. Help me light it.”

Tong-er was happy: “Okay!”

Wisps of smoke drifted from the burner, smelling light and pleasant. It seemed like ordinary calming incense. Tong-er chatted with him for a bit before leaving with Chu Qi.

Xie Lanting took a comfortable bath in the tub provided in his room, changed, and fell into a cozy sleep amidst the calming scent.

And then… he had a dream that couldn’t pass censorship.

In the dream, he was in a pool—likely the one he had just used. The water temperature was perfect, the splashing sound rhythmic. The heat made his whole body go soft; he curled his toes in comfort, his heart trembling along with his body. He couldn’t tell if it was the temperature of the water or the temperature of the person on top of him. Xie Lanting opened his mouth, and a lingering kiss was immediately offered, making him hum in his throat… it was too comfortable.

Mist rose from the water. Xie Lanting could see his own legs being lifted and shaken, but he couldn’t see the person’s face. He reached out instinctively, wanting to see who it was. Droplets of water from the person fell onto his collarbone, forming a small puddle that slid down with every movement.

Lanting…

Xie Lanting reached out passionately to embrace him: “I’m here…”

The person sighed with satisfaction in his ear: “Immortal Lord…”

“!”

Those two words snapped Xie Lanting out of the erotic dream. He opened his eyes abruptly, forehead covered in sweat, throat dry. He panted and looked under the covers, a blush creeping onto his cheeks. He couldn’t remember the last time he had a dream like that.

Blushing, he went to the back room to the pool. When he came out, he immediately covered the incense burner. Tong-er… that kid really is gifted. Only at Foundation Establishment stage and he can get a Golden Core cultivator? Even with ingredients I personally verified?!

His face still carried the afterglow of passion. He sat at the table and gulped down several cups of cold tea to calm himself down. Having a dream like that was one thing, but the “Immortal Lord” at the end was clearly Gu Yunqi’s voice!

This was terrifying! He had previously claimed he only lusts after the guy’s face, but now the dream told him: No, you’re not. You’re lusting after his body too!

Xie Lanting tried to convince himself: Gu Yunqi’s face really hit his mark, his voice was nice, and the person in the dream might not have been him—it was just possible because the voice was so similar…

But really, a person shouldn’t overthink. He imagined Gu Yunqi’s face onto the person in the dream—and slammed his teacup onto the table, warning his brain to stop. Otherwise, the cold tea was for nothing and he’d have to run back to the pool.

He figured it was because he’d been celibate for too long… unfortunately, they weren’t from the same world. If he met Gu Yunqi in modern society, he would have probably chased him already. Why did the guy have to be his type in every single way?

Fate is a cruel mistress.

Xie Lanting sighed and opened the window to let the wind blow out the remaining incense. The night was quiet. As soon as he pushed the window open, he saw a green figure jumping onto the flying boat quite openly.

Xie Lanting: “…” Well, well. Aerial hitchhiking?

Almost as soon as the figure landed, several Xuanji Pavilion members surrounded him, shouting: “Who goes there?!” Everyone was wary; they hadn’t noticed when this person approached! There was no one in the surrounding air just now, and the defensive array hadn’t moved!

Everyone was alerted. Gu Yunqi’s figure appeared on the deck. After seeing the visitor, he called out his name: “Xiao Qingfeng.”

The one who boarded halfway was indeed Xiao Qingfeng. He opened his fan, the breeze lifting his hair. “Everyone, don’t be excited. If I wanted to come secretly, I have countless ways to make you completely unaware. My open appearance proves my intentions.”

But the tone of the others changed after hearing his name. “Xiao Qingfeng? The Xiao Qingfeng that even the Xuanji Pavilion couldn’t find specific details on?” “The ‘Breeze Brushing the Bright Moon’ Xiao Qingfeng?!”

At this, everyone’s gaze swept across Xiao Qingfeng, then Gu Yunqi, and finally settled on Xie Lanting. The Immortal Lord opened his window at midnight, and Xiao Qingfeng appeared right in front of it, only to be caught by Gu Yunqi.

Chu Yi and Chu Er let out a “Wow.” Chu Shi-wu, who had finally returned to the Young Master’s side, had already pulled out his notebook and started writing: [Year X, Month X, Day X: Xiao Qingfeng boarded the boat for a midnight tryst with Immortal Lord Lanyue, caught red-handed by the Young Master. Exciting.]

Even without seeing the expressions under their masks, Xie Lanting could guess what they were thinking based on the fact that everyone was facing him. He gave them the same two words he used on himself: “Stop it.” He didn’t want to wake up to a new batch of rumors.

Xiao Qingfeng fanned himself: “It wasn’t easy to catch up. Daoist Gu, the wind is strong out here, shall we talk inside?”

The guards were teasing, but everyone was secretly on guard against the sudden appearance of Xiao Qingfeng. Not until Gu Yunqi stepped aside: “Please.” With that word, everyone quietly stowed the weapons they had gripped under their cloaks. Xiao Qingfeng pretended not to notice and followed Gu Yunqi with a natural expression.

The boat had five levels. Gu Yunqi hosted Xiao Qingfeng in the first-floor hall. Xie Lanting arrived and sat across from him: “Your entrance was truly unique.”

“I didn’t want to. I had things to do and was a bit late, so I had to catch up halfway.” To avoid being kicked off for talking too much, he got to the point: “I’ve brought you the answer.” He looked at Gu Yunqi: “Your blood can indeed heal his old injuries.”

Xiao Qingfeng hadn’t checked their pulses or blood. To say this meant he had divined it. Xie Lanting asked seriously: “What is the principle?” Gu Yunqi wasn’t a walking ginseng, and he wasn’t a blood-sucking monster. There had to be a reason.

Unfortunately, Xiao Qingfeng shook his head: “I can’t calculate it. To be honest, I’m curious too, but it’s like a fog when I try to divine it.”

Gu Yunqi looked at him: “They say the Demon cultivator, Lord Xuan-Gui, is the greatest diviner in the world, but I see your skills are no less than his.”

Xiao Qingfeng fanned himself proudly, chin slightly raised: “You flatter me.”

Xie Lanting was silent for a while, seemingly deep in thought. He then raised his hand toward Xiao Qingfeng: “I already owe you a favor. As they say, one more debt won’t crush me. If your path of divination has truly reached its peak, I would like to ask you for another reading.”

Xiao Qingfeng said generously: “Speak.”

“I…” Xie Lanting’s voice faltered. He paused before continuing: “I want to ask you to calculate… where the road to my home lies.”

Home? Gu Yunqi saw Xie Lanting’s solemn expression and realized he definitely didn’t mean the Sword Sect. In the records available to the Xuanji Pavilion, Xie Lanting was born in a village of ordinary people and taken up the mountain by the former sect leader. A hundred years had passed; his mortal ties were long severed. Where would “home” be?

Xie Lanting’s hand tightened in his sleeve. His crossing over from another world was too bizarre. He thought Xiao Qingfeng would need a long time to calculate, but this time the man didn’t even pinch his fingers. Almost as soon as the words left Xie Lanting’s mouth, Xiao Qingfeng gave him a deep look.

He closed his folding fan and pointed it across the air at Gu Yunqi: “The road to your home lies with him.”