The Cannon Fodder Also Has a Will to Survive [Rebirth] - Chapter 27.3

Nearby, the Priest’s chanting ended, and the teleportation array flickered to life. The Yao citizens were immersed in celebration; no one would be using the array tonight. Han Zhong gripped An Jiu’s wrist tightly to prevent any escape attempts.

An Jiu truly didn’t want to go back, but he didn’t understand the danger of the two forces in his body. He felt he had just returned to being a normal person. He had survived as a mortal for a long time in his last life; even if he died of spiritual conflict, it probably wouldn’t be as painful as starving to death.

But with Han Zhong watching him like a hawk, escape was impossible. He followed Han Zhong into the array. A flash of light followed, and the two vanished.

The Great Priest watched the guests leave. As he turned around, he heard a wave of gasps.

“Whoa! Someone’s lantern fell!”

“The first one of the year. Did they make too heavy a wish?”

“Maybe some youngster from a minor tribe thought it was a game and asked for something impossible.”

The lanterns were effective because of the Priest’s blessing, but if a wish was too difficult, the lantern would fall or provide a “compromise” fulfillment. For example, at the last festival, a girl wished to get back with her ex, but he was already bonded to another. Her lantern fell first. But because of the blessing, she eventually met a man with the same name during her travels and fell in love with him. A ridiculous yet logical way of granting a wish.

The Priest, curious, walked over. Others were still discussing it. “No one is claiming it.” “It’s a pinkish-purple lantern. Whose was pink-purple?” No one came forward.

The Priest’s footsteps faltered. If he remembered correctly, the little beauty the City Lord was interested in had taken a pinkish-purple lantern.

Han Zhong brought An Jiu back to the Wan-Yan Sword Sect without alerting anyone. He took him straight to see Si Xuanye. He had sent a message via talisman upon arrival, so Si Xuanye was waiting in the Main Hall of Dongqi Peak.

Nearly three months had passed since An Jiu was abducted by Lin Jingyuan.

Si Xuanye sat at the head of the hall, looking no different than usual. However, on the table beside him was a potted Welcoming Pine, and he glanced at it from time to time but that meant nothing. It was just a decoration; he was likely just bored.

When Han Zhong led An Jiu inside, he looked at his Senior Brother and felt that, for a moment, the man looked exceedingly lonely. But he quickly dismissed the thought. He had known Si Xuanye since they were boys; in hundreds of years, he had seen the man’s character clearly he was a true sword, heartless and without desire. He was a man who had truly achieved the union of man and blade. Such a man would only focus on his duties and wouldn’t be swayed by personal desires. He was the Sect Leader; he was the person least likely to have a “self.”

Sometimes Han Zhong thought the burden was too heavy, but more often, he like everyone else felt Si Xuanye was born for this path. It was his personality and his choice.

“Senior Brother,” Han Zhong called.

Si Xuanye lifted his eyelids slightly. A coldness that ignored everything swept over the two below. Han Zhong thought: The ‘loneliness’ just now was definitely an illusion.

An Jiu’s reaction was more direct: he hid behind Han Zhong. Though he had reminded himself to stay away and not expect anything, facing the powerful Si Xuanye made him instinctively shrink back. A month of travel had cultivated a physical reliance on Han Zhong.

Just as An Jiu felt a wave of annoyance at himself, a chill ran down his spine. He peeked up and met Si Xuanye’s gaze. His heart panicked, and his legs felt weak. Si Xuanye’s eyes were usually void of emotion; the only time An Jiu had seen such coldness was when the man had extracted his spiritual root in his previous life.

An Jiu’s breath hitched. Just as he was about to collapse and beg for mercy, Si Xuanye spoke.

“An Jiu, has your Master not taught you the meaning of etiquette?” The man’s voice was like ice that hadn’t melted for a thousand years. To think An Jiu had once been obsessed with this voice, foolishly hoping for the day it would soften and speak sweet words to him.

Now, it felt like an ice blade carving into his skin. An Jiu forced himself to stand out from behind Han Zhong, bowed, and gave a weak “Master.”

Si Xuanye gave a “Mhm” and told him to come closer. An Jiu took two steps, then glanced back at Han Zhong the chilling feeling in his back returned. He quickly lowered his head and walked to Si Xuanye’s side.

“Give me your hand,” Si Xuanye said. He didn’t specify which one, so An Jiu’s brain stalled, and he held out both hands like a criminal waiting for handcuffs.

Han Zhong wanted to defend him but knew Si Xuanye was just checking the boy’s condition, so he held his tongue. Seeing An Jiu acting like an idiot, he knew the boy was just terrified. He couldn’t help himself; he stepped up behind An Jiu and placed a hand on his shoulder. “One hand is enough.”

“Oh, oh, oh!” An Jiu quickly dropped his hands, hesitated, and then mournfully held out his left hand, as if saying goodbye to it forever.

Han Zhong let out a muffled cough, trying to stifle a laugh. He found An Jiu’s “muddled” state to be quite cute. The other two did not share the humor.

Si Xuanye shot a flat glance at Han Zhong. An Jiu watched Si Xuanye nervously. Finally, Si Xuanye seized his wrist, and An Jiu squeezed his eyes shut as if facing his execution.

Si Xuanye, holding his disciple’s hand, was displeased. His tone grew even colder. “Observe your decorum before your elders.”

An Jiu was forced to open his eyes, looking at his Master with a hint of grievance. Master never cared this much about etiquette before. He truly just couldn’t stand the sight of him, could he?

Si Xuanye proceeded to inspect the issues in An Jiu’s body. Last time, he hadn’t looked closely; he only knew the blood An Jiu spat was toxic waste. He hadn’t looked into the cause, assuming it was just a quirk of the Heavenly Spirit Root. Now, he saw the real problem.

His face turned grim. Like Han Zhong, he could see the source of that spiritual energy, but he knew more than Han Zhong.

That morning, when An Jiu had left the Qinghui Pavilion, his clothes were disheveled and there were suspicious marks on his neck and lips. Everything pointed to what had happened.

Si Xuanye closed his eyes and recalled the details of that day. He quickly identified the target.

“Hmph.” After figuring out the cause and effect, he let out a resentful cold snort, drawing a surprised look from Han Zhong.

“Is there a problem?” Han Zhong worried it would be hard to solve.

Thinking of that person’s identity, Si Xuanye forced himself to swallow his rage. “It is nothing. The seal just needs to be broken.”

Han Zhong pressed, “Then I must trouble Senior Brother to do it as soon as possible.” Every day the seal remained was a day of risk.

An Jiu also looked at Si Xuanye expectantly, wanting to see if he would save him so decisively.

“Not in a hurry,” Si Xuanye said, withdrawing his hand and rejecting Han Zhong. “Did Lin Jingyuan not say he would compensate me with a Catalyst Bone?”

His intent was that since Lin Jingyuan had abducted his disciple, the Catalyst Bone was a fair compensation for his recklessness. But An Jiu misunderstood: he thought Si Xuanye was weighing his life against the bone that he would only be saved in exchange for the treasure.

Han Zhong said, “Lin Jingyuan showed it to me; it is indeed a Catalyst Bone.”

The two men talked, failing to notice the light in An Jiu’s eyes fading.

“I have sent Fang Yuhe to prepare pills. An Jiu needs two more days of conditioning before the seal can be broken.” If broken directly, his meridians would be hit by a surge of energy from that person’s “essence.” That man’s cultivation was too high; the energy was too pure. A sudden surge would be impossible to absorb and would cause injury. Furthermore, An Jiu would risk a breakthrough, which would summon heavenly lightning a death sentence for the currently injured boy.

So, Si Xuanye had Fang Yuhe prepare pills to widen his meridians and supplements for the breakthrough. But being a cold man, he was never good at explaining himself. He didn’t know his brevity would cause such a massive misunderstanding.

After making the arrangements, he told An Jiu to return to the disciple’s quarters. An Jiu gave a listless “Oh” and prepared to leave. But Han Zhong caught his shoulder again.

“Senior Brother, I want to bring An Jiu back to Fengyuan Peak.”