When I Mistook My Arch-Rival for My Dao Companion - Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Everyone has those few friends. Once upon a time, he had a close friend he couldn’t wait to cut ties with.

The guy once ran out in the middle of the night to find him for a drink, only to end up breaking his leg and extorting a year’s worth of Fu Guzhou’s saved spiritual stones to pay for the healing. Another time, the guy tried to play the hero saving a beauty, but ended up being beaten; the name he reported to the attackers, however, was Fu Guzhou’s. Whenever the two encountered danger, this friend was always the one who ran the fastest. How on earth had he not broken off this friendship with such a fair-weather friend by now? What kind of heaven-moving, earth-shaking brotherhood was this?

Most importantly, how did this creature suddenly become one of the top ten most handsome men in the cultivation world after all these years? He was even in the top three of the “Male Cultivators Most Desired as Dao Companions” list. If it weren’t for the identical name, Fu Guzhou would have doubted if they were the same person.

After all, even Fu Guzhou himself was only ranked 108th on that same list.

Driven by a certain refusal to believe in such a “miracle,” Fu Guzhou arranged a meeting with this friend.

Immortal Venerable Yuxue, Xiao Jingyu.

Speaking of Xiao Jingyu, he had left a heavy, colorful mark in Fu Guzhou’s blurred seventeen-year memory. Aside from the countless times the guy had scammed him, it was because this third young master of the Xiao family had practiced a specific technique since his youth: the Xiao family’s secret art, the Cold Ice Heavenly Heart Formula. This kind of technique was hard to see results from in the early stages, but once a Core was formed, one could suppress many other genius cultivators of the same generation. However, Xiao Jingyu was born with a weak constitution, making it difficult for his body to endure the technique. Consequently, although he was a true successor of a prestigious clan, the Fu Guzhou who was two years younger than him back then could truly make him collapse with a single sword strike.

Besides, in those early years, Xiao Jingyu didn’t even use a sword much.

Fu Guzhou sat waiting for this frenemy who suffered from body-chill due to his cultivation and used to wrap himself up like a ball. Before he could even finish a cup of tea, he felt a bone-piercing chill. This chill was so intense it nearly provoked him to summon a sword to defend himself.

A powerhouse of the Venerable Realm!

An icy frost that seemed capable of freezing everything spread toward him. Then, the sound of footsteps rang out.

Dressed in white with long hair, a man walking barefoot on ice slowly arrived. His aura of extreme cold was terrifying.

The man’s ice-like indifferent gaze softened into something more human the moment it landed on Fu Guzhou. From a distance, he asked, “What urgent matter do you have to seek me out so suddenly?”

Fu Guzhou was slightly stunned, surprised by Xiao Jingyu’s transformation.

How did the Little Tyrant of the Xiao family, the guy who wrapped himself into a ball even in summer, turn into this?

He recalled the world’s evaluation of Xiao Jingyu: Immortal Venerable Yuxue, brilliantly talented, the number one master of snow manipulation, and the current head of the Xiao family. Not only was he young and handsome, but his Jade Snow Sword had made his reputation soar, causing countless female cultivators to be obsessed with him. But compared to the image in his memory, the change was simply too vast!

“Little Goldfish?” Fu Guzhou tested the waters.

It wasn’t that Fu Guzhou no longer cared if his amnesia would be exposed; it was that seeing his once-best friend change from an improper dandy to a profoundly serious sword cultivator made him feel a sense of estrangement and trepidation.

He was terrified—was he really just suffering from amnesia? Was he still himself?

And were the people he was familiar with still the people in his memories?

Take his Senior Brother, for example. The Senior Brother seemed not to have changed much, but that was exactly what scared Fu Guzhou the most. Could someone truly remain the same after a thousand years?

Over a thousand years had passed. He, who had lost over a millennium of memories, was likely the one who was truly out of place.

The name “Little Goldfish” made Xiao Jingyu freeze for a moment. He quickly retracted the smile at the corners of his mouth, revealing the half-dead expression Fu Guzhou was most familiar with. “Why call me that? Is it because you suddenly realized my cultivation has reached great heights and you’re scared?”

“Scared of your sister!”

Fu Guzhou’s fists tightened.

Why the hell are you acting so cool for no reason? You made me feel sentimental for a moment.

Xiao Jingyu was truly no saint. Every beating Fu Guzhou had received in his early years had been made worse by this guy’s contributions. However, the two of them shared a life-and-death bond. In some ways, he trusted this man even more than his own Senior Brother.

Seeing his friend acting all dignified in front of outsiders while revealing his true colors before his brother, Fu Guzhou almost blurted out the truth about his amnesia. But then he remembered he still had an important task to finish, so he bit his tongue.

After Xiao Jingyu downed the tea prepared for him in one gulp, he suddenly said, “It’s starting.”

Starting what?

Just as Fu Guzhou was confused, the chill thickened once more. A longsword unsheathed, its tip heading straight for him. The movement was like it was covered in ice and snow; for a split second, Fu Guzhou even felt like he couldn’t move.

The air solidified, a layer of frost covering his body, as the Heaven-rank treasure, the Jade Snow Sword, arrived before him.

A sharp glint exploded in Fu Guzhou’s eyes. His previously lazy sitting posture changed instantly. His figure became as straight as an unsheathed blade, his aura suddenly becoming so powerful it even suppressed the surrounding chill.

Silver light flashed rapidly, and the sound of swords clashing rang out. In just a few breaths, the two had exchanged hundreds of moves.

Then, a gust of sword-wind whipped past, and a strand of Xiao Jingyu’s hair was severed!

Xiao Jingyu wasn’t surprised by this. Fu Guzhou was originally much stronger than him. After these few brief moves, he confirmed that Fu Guzhou was fine. He simply frowned and said, “Why did you suddenly use that nickname? It hasn’t been used for many years. I thought your seclusion failed, your body was ailing, and you were specifically begging me for mercy.”

Fu Guzhou: “…”

To be honest, the fact that this guy can enter the top three of the ‘Most Desired Dao Companion’ list must be due to a misunderstanding by female cultivators.

“However, you are indeed a bit different today compared to before.”

To avoid being misunderstood as having been possessed, Fu Guzhou quickly used his frigidly detached character voice to explain, “After this seclusion, I lost some of my memories.”

“That explains it then,” Xiao Jingyu let half of his heart rest. “You told me before your seclusion that it might be dangerous. But what kind of danger involves losing memories?”

Fu Guzhou didn’t offer much explanation, mostly because he knew nothing himself.

He changed the subject: “Asking you something serious. Do you remember if I have a Dao companion?”

Hearing this, Xiao Jingyu brushed back his hair, which was slightly messy from the fight. “You even forgot that?”

Fu Guzhou nodded.

Judging by the guy’s words, he indeed had a Dao companion.

The next second, Xiao Jingyu continued what he hadn’t finished saying: “Dao companion? What a joke. Fu Guzhou, you really have no self-awareness at all.”

Fu Guzhou remained silent, feeling the sword tucked away in his storage space.

He really did have a Dao companion.

However, the only thing he could be sure of was that Xiao Jingyu was likely not that person—unless the guy had amnesia just like him.

Without speaking, Fu Guzhou confidently brought out the proof of his status: the longsword engraved with “Gift to Beloved.”

As soon as this sword appeared, the previously arrogant Xiao Jingyu went silent. He looked at the sword, appearing to hesitate.

The hand Fu Guzhou had hidden beneath his sleeve trembled slightly. Did I really strike at my own close friend? Otherwise, why would he react like this?

Since waking up, the only thing Fu Guzhou had learned was to maintain a calm face in any situation. So, he simply asked calmly, “Is there a problem with this sword?”

Xiao Jingyu shook his head repeatedly. “No problem. How could there be a problem?”

Fu Guzhou: “…”

The more the guy acted this way, the more Fu Guzhou felt there was a problem.

So, did I eventually lay a hand on my close friend? Maybe it was even ‘forced love.’ Why else would my friend attack me the moment we met, hurriedly deny I had a companion once he heard I had amnesia, and then have such a massive change in expression upon seeing the sword?

It hurts!

Just how far gone was I?

Because he felt too much guilt, he didn’t even stop Xiao Jingyu as the man sneakily made his exit.

Fu Guzhou entered a state of self-isolation.

Before he had even been isolated for an hour, he saw his own disciple. His disciple was originally coming to report something, but upon seeing the sword in his hand, his expression shifted violently, his face hiding a look of disbelief.

Hmm?

Why does my disciple have such a strange expression when seeing this sword too?

Could it be that my companion isn’t my friend, but my disciple? Did I use the guise of the master-disciple relationship to do this and that to him, never taking responsibility, and now I’m finally going to give him a status? That’s why he looks so incredulous. And Xiao Jingyu knows about this, which is why he hesitated so much after seeing the sword.

After all, master-disciple romances were a minority. In this era that emphasized respecting the teacher and the Dao, his actions were far too avant-garde.

Well, that makes sense. It fits. But if I apply this logic back to my friend or my Senior Brother, it also seems to fit!

In the end, he still hadn’t figured out who the companion was.

Just as Fu Guzhou planned to spend more time with these three suspects to determine who the companion was, his good disciple snapped out of the shock of seeing the companion sword and didn’t forget to continue his report: “Master, the seal on Wuying Mountain is fluctuating. I fear it won’t hold much longer. Sect Leader Uncle asks you to come and discuss a strategy.”

Fu Guzhou was very calm. It’s just an unstable seal. Minor issue, minor issue.

However, once he arrived at his Senior Brother’s place and the man started talking about “Demon Venerable Wenren Qian” and how Fu Guzhou had originally sacrificed his life-bond spiritual sword to seal the guy, Fu Guzhou went numb.

He wondered why, since he woke up, he couldn’t feel his life-bond spiritual sword being nourished in his sea of consciousness. He wondered why just a few moves with Xiao Jingyu forced him to nearly mobilize all the spiritual energy in his body. It turned out that to seal someone, he had sacrificed his own life-bond sword and sustained significant injuries himself.

Fu Guzhou cut through the knot: “So, Senior Brother, what is your meaning?”

“Currently, the only one capable of fighting him is you. Furthermore, your life-bond spiritual sword is with him. You are the most suitable person for this trip.”

Fu Guzhou really wanted to say he didn’t think so.

Setting aside the fact that he was currently amnesiac and possessed a body full of power he didn’t know how to use, his life-bond sword was in the opponent’s hands! Without his life-bond sword, was he supposed to catch the opponent’s blade with his bare hands?

“Senior Brother, I think this matter…”

“Does Junior Brother also feel that only you can solve this?”

“…Not necessarily.”

“Guyang, if it were possible, I really wouldn’t want you to go. But the lives of this world can only depend on you.”

Fu Guzhou swallowed the words “we need to plan this further.” Wearing the high hat of responsibility and keeping a stiff face, he asked: “Could it be that currently, there is no one else in the Immortal Sects who can answer the challenge besides me?”

“One thousand two hundred years ago, there were. One thousand two hundred years later, there is indeed no one but you who can fight.”

Fu Guzhou recalled the history books he had read to understand what major events had happened during his amnesia. One thousand two hundred years ago, in the Changyuan Secret Realm, nearly 90% of the cultivation world’s outstanding disciples were lost. Countless famous seniors also perished. Since then, the Immortal and Demon sects had been silent for years, while the longer-lived and more powerful demons almost monopolized the resources of the entire cultivation world during that time. This was recorded as the “Changyuan Blood and Tears.”

Fu Guzhou, who had initially been somewhat resistant to suddenly shouldering a great responsibility, fell silent. In this moment, he finally understood what his Master meant by “with great power comes great responsibility,” words that were often on his lips.

“Does Junior Brother not want to go?” asked Gongsun Chen, noticing Fu Guzhou’s expression.

“No, Senior Brother,” Fu Guzhou looked up, meeting Gongsun Chen’s eyes squarely. He said seriously, “What I want to say is… leave this matter to me.”

Gongsun Chen was stunned, then smiled with relief.

Fu Guzhou: “…”

Even though I said I’d go, why does it feel like I’ve been scammed by my Senior Brother?

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