The Handsome, Powerful, and Tragic Master Has Been Reborn [Transmigration] - Chapter 2

Yue Wuji stared at the face gradually leaning closer, his pupils shrinking violently as a flash of icy coldness flickered through his eyes.

Just as those vivid, thin red lips were about to brush against his own, Yue Wuji spun around. His hand remained clamped around Jun Lianyi’s, pulling him along as he took large strides away. “You’ve practiced your swordplay all day. Go back and rest early!”

Caught off guard, Jun Lianyi stumbled behind him, looking at Yue Wuji’s solitary, cold back with a trace of bewilderment.

Was that… a rejection?

A moment of doubt flickered, but as he felt the grip on his hand tighten, Jun Lianyi lowered his gaze to their joined palms. Suddenly, his eyes lit up.

Are you… shy?

His heart hammered against his ribs. Jun Lianyi broke into a radiant smile and squeezed back, offering a silent response of his own.

Yue Wuji’s hand stiffened. He didn’t look back until they reached their residence, where he abruptly shook off the boy’s hand and vanished into his room alone.

Jun Lianyi tried to follow, but Yue Wuji slammed the door so fast that only Jun Lianyi’s quick reflexes saved his nose from a collision.

Rubbing his nose sheepishly, he looked at the shut door. His brow furrowed briefly before smoothing out as he recalled the original novel’s description of Yue Wuji.

He was cold by nature and possessed peerless beauty. Throughout his life, he rarely allowed his inner emotions to show, except for when he was shy. In those moments, he would lose his composure slightly, his earlobes would flush, or he would simply flee the scene.

So, just now… he really was being shy, wasn’t he?

The corners of Jun Lianyi’s mouth tilted upward. He looked up at the moon rising in the sky, his heart racing even faster. Since his Shizun was so bashful, then as the “Gong,” he would simply have to be more proactive.

Recalling various plot points from the original book, Jun Lianyi decided to “take the essence and discard the dregs.” He followed the novel’s lead and soon set his sights on Yue Wuji’s favorite treats.

In the original story, Yue Wuji didn’t care much for the pleasures of the palate, but due to certain childhood events, he had a particular weakness for a pastry called Hibiscus Cake. The original protagonist had used this knowledge to gain a significant amount of favor.

Quickly settling on a plan, Jun Lianyi cast one last lingering look at Yue Wuji’s closed door before heading down the mountain in high spirits.

At this point, he hadn’t yet learned how to fly on a sword, but perhaps because this body had an excellent foundation, he could walk with incredible speed. It took very little time to reach the pastry shop described in the text.

It was currently the hour of the Rooster; the peak time for customers.

{8:00 PM to 10:00 PM is the hour of the Rooster}

Jun Lianyi was in no rush to stand in line. Instead, he found a seat in a nearby tea house and watched the flow of people at the shop. Once the rush passed, he left a low-grade spirit stone on the table and stepped inside.

The shopkeeper immediately greeted him with a beaming smile. “Customer, what can I get for you?”

Jun Lianyi pulled a high-grade spirit stone from his robes and handed it over, smiling slightly. “I would like to…”

*****

Jun Lianyi had left at dusk; it was now the hour of the Rat by the time he returned.

Seeing that the light in Yue Wuji’s room was still burning, Jun Lianyi crept closer and knocked softly. “Shizun, are you asleep?”

After a moment of silence, Yue Wuji’s cold, indifferent voice drifted from within. “Come in.”

Jun Lianyi pushed the door open eagerly. He looked up and asked with a smile, “Why hasn’t Shizun rested yet?”

Yue Wuji was reading by the desk. At the sound of his voice, he slowly set down his book and looked up. His eyes remained as calm as still water. “Is something the matter?”

Jun Lianyi nodded repeatedly. He walked over to Yue Wuji’s side and produced the pastries he had been hiding in his robes, spreading them out before the man with an expectant look. “Would Shizun like a taste?”

Yue Wuji looked down at the cakes. His hand, hidden within his sleeve, instinctively clenched into a fist, and his gaze turned slightly cold.

Seeing him hesitate, Jun Lianyi assumed he was moved. He knelt down, resting his arms on the desk to meet Yue Wuji’s eyes directly. “Does Shizun not like them?”

Yue Wuji immediately retracted the coldness in his eyes. He reached out, took a piece, and placed it in his mouth. After a small bite, his brows began to knit together.

“Is it bad?” Jun Lianyi knew him too well; he could read the man’s heart from even the slightest expression. He hurriedly snatched the pastry back and gave it a sniff.

Yue Wuji closed his eyes and shook his head, pushing the remaining cakes back toward Jun Lianyi. After a long silence, he finally spoke. “It tastes different from the ones you usually bring back.”

Jun Lianyi’s face flushed slightly. He looked away, feeling quite embarrassed. “Is it… far worse than what you’re used to?”

Looking at his expression, Yue Wuji seemed to daze for a moment. He reached out instinctively, but his hand stopped dead just before it could stroke the boy’s head.

In that heartbeat, hatred, regret, struggle, and agony flashed through his deep eyes. He forced his hand back and turned his head to look at the full moon outside. His tone softened slightly, though it remained distant. “No. What you made tastes much better than what is bought.”

Jun Lianyi’s face lit up with joy.

But then Yue Wuji added, “It is simply that times have changed, and my appetite has shifted. This is far too sweet and cloying. I… no longer care for it.”

“Can someone stop liking something they loved just because time has passed?” Jun Lianyi was stunned.

In the original book, it never mentioned Yue Wuji losing his taste for Hibiscus Cake. Even in death, Yue Wuji had been clutching a piece given to him by the scum gong.

Yet Yue Wuji’s expression didn’t seem like a lie. Helpless, Jun Lianyi gathered the remaining pastries and left the room feeling rather dejected.

Once the boy was gone, Yue Wuji finally couldn’t hold it in. He covered his mouth, leaped out of the window, and sprinted through the forest. He finally stopped beneath a large tree, leaning against it as he retched.

He gripped the bark so hard his fingertips turned white, as if he wanted to tear the tree apart. After a long while, he leaned weakly against the trunk, the corners of his eyes tinged with red. He looked up at the moon and let out a low, hollow laugh.

The things you love the most are the things you must never give your heart to… what a bitter realization.

******

Jun Lianyi returned to his room with the pastries, still finding it hard to believe. He smelled the cakes again and found nothing strange. Finally, he took a small bite right next to where Yue Wuji had tasted it.

It was soft and glutinous, the sweetness mild and not at all cloying, with a light floral fragrance blooming on his tongue.

While not identical to the shop-bought ones, it was very close.

“But why would Shizun suddenly stop liking it?” Jun Lianyi felt a bit gloomy, staring at the pastries all night.

The next day, Jun Lianyi dressed himself up meticulously once more. Just as he was about to head out, a sharp pain shot through his head. Suddenly, a flood of memories that didn’t belong to him rushed into his mind.

These were the memories of the original owner.

The original host shared his name—Jun Lianyi. He had a childhood friend named Rong Yu, and the two had been inseparable since they were small. The original owner had long since given his heart to him, but unfortunately, Rong Yu was sickly and needed a dragon’s heart to survive. From that moment on, the original owner had set his sights on Yue Wuji.

The world knew that Immortal Venerable Jiyue was the incarnation of a white dragon, but he was aloof and heartless; a man nearly impossible to approach. To obtain that heart, the original owner had meticulously schemed to enter Yue Wuji’s sect, spending ten years earning his trust before finally carving his heart out.

As these thoughts surfaced, a wave of phantom pain throbbed in Jun Lianyi’s chest.

He slowly held up his hands and looked at them; they were trembling uncontrollably. In the original text, it was these very hands that had personally torn out Yue Wuji’s heart.

Clenching them into fists, his eyes grew damp. But he didn’t let the tears fall. Instead, he forced a smile and sniffled. “This time, I will use these hands to protect you!”

As for the “White Moonlight” in the story…

Since the original Rong Yu had never actually supported the idea of killing Yue Wuji, Jun Lianyi didn’t hate him. If possible, he even wanted to help him, as long as it didn’t hurt Yue Wuji.

If they met in the future, he would help where he could, but that would be the extent of it.

Having made up his mind, Jun Lianyi pushed aside the bitterness. He tapped his foot against the ground and easily soared into the sky. Yesterday he had relied on instinct, but now, with the original owner’s memories, he could skillfully manipulate this body.

To his surprise, however, when he reached Peach Blossom Valley, the snow-white figure was nowhere to be seen.

Feeling a bit lost, Jun Lianyi summoned his own Natal Sword and began to practice. Yesterday’s practice had been instinctual, but today, he could feel the essence of the sword intent.

His mood improved as he marveled at the sword in his hand. It wasn’t until the sun was high in the sky that he realized Shizun still hadn’t arrived!

A sense of unease gnawed at him. He sheathed his sword and flew back to their residence, the Yueqing Villa.

Yue Wuji was solitary by nature and preferred quiet. Ever since the original owner joined the sect, he had been brought here to live on the summit of Yunmeng Mountain.

Standing before Yue Wuji’s door again, Jun Lianyi sensed the air. Once he was sure the man was inside, he knocked. “Shizun, are you awake?”

He waited, but there was no reply.

Puzzled, he knocked again, a bit harder this time. “Shizun, your disciple is here to pay his respects.”

Still, there was total silence.

His anxiety spiked. He clenched his fist and pounded on the door. “Shizun, if you don’t answer, I’m coming in!”

Still nothing.

“I’m really coming in!” Jun Lianyi’s brow furrowed. When there was still no response, he pushed with a bit of force. “Forgive me, Shizun. Your disciple is being presumptuous.”

With a creak, the door swung open.

Jun Lianyi looked inside and saw that white figure lying quietly on the bed, completely motionless.

His heart squeezed tight. He rushed forward. “Shizun!”

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