Chapter 108

Yan Wushi's repeated teasing, day-by-day shift in attitude, Shen Qiao wasn't oblivious to it, but from the bottom of his heart, he really couldn't see himself as having any sort of appeal.

For a person living in the world, moral character was the most important, appearance was secondary, women dressed up for their beloveds, even Zou Ji, Song Yu, those beautiful men paid attention to their appearance, but as a cultivator distant from the world, Shen Qiao did not have this habit, so he could not understand at all what part of him Yan Wushi liked.

And because of these doubts, he read Yan Wushi's attitude as a "passing storm", after all there was a precedent, if he left himself open, who knew if he'd be sold again, Shen Qiao in matters of cunning was no match for Yan Wushi, deep in his heart he was still afraid, there was still doubt, he would not trust so easily.

In the end, Yan Wushi did this to himself.

That day Shen Qiao clearly already considered him a friend, sincerity in a jade flask, reflected in heaven and earth, but he scoffed at it like throwing away a pair of old shoes, on the surface he smiled and talked, but behind the scenes he had already contacted Sang Jingxing, in the blink of an eye he had delivered the person personally, hurled Shen Qiao's pure heart onto the floor and stomped it into a million pieces, to want to redeem this was like wanting to complete a broken mirror, recover overturned waters, maybe he should count himself lucky that the person he liked was Shen Qiao, if it was anyone else, after experiencing that event, their temperament would change, everyday they would plot their revenge, at the very least towards Yan Wushi they wouldn't reserve any trust or good feeling.

But Shen Qiao was an exception, this person treated everyone earnestly, if someone was kind to him in one part, he would have to return it ten or twelvefold.

Outside Tuyuhun's capital city, Yan Wushi due to severe injuries manifested multiple personalities, and then because of Chen Gong, Yan Shen the two of them fell deep underground in Ruoqiang, inevitably things grew more entangled between them, later during Hehuan Sect's pursuit, Yan Wushi was willing to act promptly, use himself to draw away the cruelest of them Sang Jingxing, to give Shen Qiao breathing room to escape. Although Shen Qiao was aware that with Yan Wushi's shrewdness, he couldn't have gone in completely unprepared, still watching the other leave, how could his heart not be affected?

That ordeal, when Yan Wushi reflected on it later, he was quite pleased with himself.

Shen Qiao had a place in his heart, so this person's temperament, behaviours, inside out he had to excavate thoroughly.

If it was anyone else, hearing Yan Wushi's mocking, frivolous words, even if they managed not to erupt in rage, then they would at least think about how to escape far from Yan Wushi's side, end things cleanly between them, the farther the better, but Shen Qiao had not.

For Shen Qiao, Yan Wushi had just rescued him on Qingchengshan, first was this debt; Puliuru Jian requested aid, if Shen Qiao wasn't aware then he could overlook it, but knowing he would have to make the trip, their objectives were aligned, this reason was second.

These two reasons together were more important than "not wanting to be caught up in the other's words and actions", so Shen Qiao was able to put his feelings to the side, and focus on the task at hand.

This type of earnest seriousness, a little more would appear old-fashioned, a little less would be hypocritical, but for some reason on Shen Qiao, many people felt it was only natural, and wasn't the least bit contradictory.

This person when he was Xuandushan zhangjiao was the opposite of famous, when people mentioned him, at most would tack on "Qi Fengge's favoured disciple", and nothing else, now as he wandered the jianghu, people thought of him first as Shen Qiao, before anything else.

Yan Wushi was proud that as he lived no one could sway him, doing as he pleased, whatever he desired, he never thought that one day it would all fall to this one person.

He considered people inherently evil, never believed that there could be true kindness, if it existed, in his eyes, it became a weakness.

For some reason Shen Qiao was an exception, Yan Wushi's tendency to compromise for no one, when it came to Shen Qiao he was willing to give way.

Someone who all the world believed to be good, if Yan Wushi disagreed, he wouldn't give them a second glance, but if it was someone that Yan Wushi believed to be good, and the world agreed, he would of course have to make his move fast to snatch them away, whether by force or as the rain that has no need to explain its results, he must first gather the person in his arms, then teach them the finer details, so the other was also willing.

Overall, the trajectory so far was more or less successful.

Leave it to Yan Wushi to be proud of himself in this situation: this venerable one has traversed the jianghu for decades, discounting wugong and position, the men and women sliding over were numerous, this is the first time in my life I've spent so much effort and intention on one person, if he still doesn't come easily, then the first part of my life I've surely wasted, might as well just die now.

So when Shen Qiao brought up basic rules, "treat each other with respect, propriety, no salacious actions, etc." Yan Wushi put up no dispute.

This straightforward response, instead made Shen Qiao a little suspicious, but since the other had already agreed, if he still didn't let it go, then it would appear petty on his part.

The next morning, the two of them set out on their journey, by nightfall if by chance they passed a city or town, they would seek shelter there.

People in the jianghu could survive on a meal of wind and dew, spending a night in the countryside was not unusual, but if they had the choice, everyone would prefer a warm, comfortable place to rest, unless circumstances dictated otherwise, even wugong masters would prefer an inn.

Yan Wushi and Shen Qiao were no exception, the two of them set out at a fast pace, and within two days had reached not-far-from-Chang'an Xining City.

With Chang'an within sight, they could slow down, more or less could plan to enter the city tomorrow, Yan Wushi also said: "Puliuru Jian is in a dangerous position, but not to the point that no moment can be spared, it's already evening, let's rest here for now."

Shen Qiao was aware that he paid attention to his appearance, everytime he made an entrance, he was stately dressed, with a commanding presence, behind the scenes who knew how much effort was required, to let the impressive Huanyue Sect zongzhu enter the city battered by the dust of his journey, Yan Wushi certainly would not be willing, so he agreed.

They picked a reasonably sized inn and walked in, Shen Qiao was afraid he'd say something along the lines of sleep in the same bed, so when the manager asked "do you two want two rooms", he interjected "yes" before the other could.

Yan Wushi didn't disagree, he smiled as he let him decide.

The manager seeing this remarked: "Are the two of you brothers, you seem close".

Yan Wushi: "We are not brothers."

The manager said ah, then continued a little hesitantly: "Then…" father-son?

Yan Wushi didn't say anything, just threw him an ambiguous smile, then glanced at Shen Qiao, smiled at the manager again.

The manager had seen all manners of guests and travellers, at this moment he seemed to realize something.

Yan Wushi: "It's a no-go, he's still mad at me."

The manager opened his mouth, when he saw a person he spoke human when he saw a ghost he spoke ghost: "They say ten years you travel the same boat, a hundred years you something something, you two esteemed guests are dragons among commoners, your relationship must not be an ordinary one, since you have this fate, you should each give way, peace brings fortune, peace brings fortune!"

Shen Qiao: "…" What is what, you should state it clearly!

But the manager seemed to follow Yan Wushi's lead and did not speak in more detail, Shen Qiao couldn't have possibly gone ahead and corrected him, the denial became proof, like a sign that professed: no three hundred silvers here.

The manager organized their rooms, Yan Wushi also requested a private dining room, and ordered food and drink.

The room had four tables in a row to one side, the other side was for when guests could call upon musicians or dancers to perform during their meal, currently there were no dancers, so the space appeared a bit empty.

Shen Qiao sat down at the table closest to the door, Yan Wushi however didn't sit at the same one, instead he sat three tables away, at the table in the corner.

"Why does Yan-zongzhu sit there?" Shen Qiao did not understand.

"Whenever I see your face, I want to reach out and touch it, but since I promised your condition to treat each other with respect, naturally it's better if I keep my distance, in case in your mind I become an untrustworthy bad guy over and over."

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Yan Wushi's words were not just innocent, but spoken seriously, if you didn't know you would have assumed he was the one subjected to Shen Qiao's uncouth desires.

Shen Qiao was somewhat speechless, after a while he remembered what had happened earlier: "Then the words you spoke earlier to purposefully mislead the manager, what happened then to treating each other with respect?"

Yan Wushi, even more innocently: "Where did I mislead? The entire time I only said two things, you also heard it, we are not brothers, is this sentence incorrect, does Qiao want to become my brother? The second sentence you're still mad is definitely not incorrect, it was the manager's own misunderstanding, I am not at fault."

Shen Qiao when it came to verbal sparring with him already had learned his lesson, hearing this felt no energy to refute.

Yan Wushi smiled: "What you asked for, I've done it all, how come you're still unsatisfied?"

A pause, then he began again softly: "Qiao, this venerable one in this life looks favourably upon very few, those I'm willing to give way for, none, you are the only exception."

Ensconced in the softness was steel, these sweet words carried a certain force, how was one supposed to react?

Shen Qiao furrowed his brows: "I would rather not have this particularity."

That's not up to you. Yan Wushi smiled wordlessly.

Shen Qiao thought some more, then said seriously: "Yan-zongzhu's intentions are hard to gauge, unfathomable to others, I even more so, with my ordinary qualities, what part can draw Yan-zongzhu's regard? Since we are going to speak openly today, can Yan-zongzhu please tell me the truth?"

Yan Wushi: "Qiao, you have many strengths, I could talk about it for three days and three nights and still have more to say."

He had opened with a joke, seeing the other silent, smiled again: "Your kindness alone, there's no one in the world that can compare."

Shen Qiao, gloomily: "I didn't know when kindness had become a strength, I just remember Yan-zongzhu always disapproved of soft-hearted, merciful people."

Yan Wushi laughed contentedly: "Isn't that why they say beauty is in the eye of the beholder?"

Fine, after all this, he was duped again, Shen Qiao realized that he would get no answer from his words.

He felt more and more that the other's intentions were a passing storm, Shen Qiao was faced with two choices: he could wait until Yan Wushi's interest in him waned, stopped his antics, then he'd finally get some peace and quiet; or he could wait until his wugong surpassed Yan Wushi's, beat up the other mercilessly, afterwards Yan Wushi would never dare annoy him again.

Their food and drink arrived, they each picked up their chopsticks, and said no more.

Halfway through the meal, Yan Wushi drank a sip of wine, smiled: "To like a person, does there have to be a reason, when you dislike someone, seeing them you are already disgusted, but you don't know why, isn't it the same thing? You can't on account of me liking to tease you, say that my intentions are fake, how would I be able to bear it?"

This almost sounded partially sincere, but in reality it was all illogical, Shen Qiao thought, to have a honest conversation with this person, why was it so hard?

He turned the words he wanted to say in his mind several times, was about to speak when there was a small commotion at the other table, lifting his head he saw Yan Wushi spit out a mouthful of blood.

Shen Qiao's expression changed, forgetting everything else, he rushed to his side to support him: "How are you doing, was there poison in the wine?!"

Since Shen Qiao hadn't touched the wine, so quickly jumped to that conclusion.

Thinking back to his own experience being poisoned by xiangjianhuan, immediately his face looked worse than Yan Wushi's.

Only for Yan Wushi to suddenly laugh, and press him into his embrace: "You do care about me, Qiao you really don't say what you mean!"

Shen Qiao glared: "You, you haven't been poisoned?"

Yan Wushi wiped away the blood at the corner of his lips: "I just accidentally scraped my lip, maybe got too worked up."

Getting too worked up can make you spit blood?

Go tell it to the ghosts!