Chapter 142: MINI EXTRAS

Evening, criss-crossing wind and snow, daylight fading.

Travellers bunched into the roadside teahouse for shelter, if only they could shrink inside a bit further, away from the piercing glacial winds making contact with their skin.

Only one person remained sitting in his seat by the roadside, completely at ease.

The teahouse owner walked over, in all kindness: "This langjun, the wind and snow is relentless, you should take cover for now!"

That person shook his head, and sighed: "I'm afraid that when he arrives, he won't be able to see me."

The owner, surprised: "Who?"

The man looked at him: "My sweetheart."

It turned out to be one of those lovestruck fools, no wonder under his hat his hair was all white, was it from pining after his wife?

The owner was sympathetic, at the edge of his peripheral vision, he saw that the cup the other was holding in this snowstorm appeared to be steaming.

The owner paused, for a while he could not decide if the steam was from the liquid freezing over, or from the cup's temperature.

If the latter…

He couldn't help looking at the other one more time.

Under the hat his profile was unexpectedly handsome, and not as wizened as he had first assumed.

Before the owner had time to react, on the main road a steed appeared galloping, approaching fast.

The horse stopped at the teahouse, its rider took off his hat, and walked over.

It was a Daoist.

It was a celestial-drifting, exquisite-looking Daoist.

It looked like this langjun was going to be disappointed, the owner thought to himself.

Who knew the man smiled instead, in high-spirits, from his robes he took out a small wine flask, and waved towards the Daoist.

"Qiao come quick, this wine I've warmed with my body, take a sip to counter the cold!"

The owner: "…"

[2]

In his life, there had never been the word regret.

That year leaving the Xie family this was the case.

Changing his name to "Wushi" this was the case.

Later the fight with Cui Youwang this was also the case.

The wide sky the wide earth, no lord no father no teacher.

The wide sky the wide earth, no one had been able to leave a mark on his heart.

Shen Qiao would not be the exception.

When he met Shen Qiao for the first time, for Yan Wushi he was merely the personal pride, disciple of "Qi Fengge".

The residual feeling from those years ago fighting Qi Fengge, perhaps could be found with Shen Qiao.

But he discovered quickly that he was wrong.

This blind man, wugong mostly nullified, even if you tossed him to the streets, passerbys wouldn't give him an extra coin.

The Xuandushan zhangjiao of old, was completely gone.

Yan Wushi laughed coldly to himself, he had a malicious inclination.

Qi Fengge, brilliant all his life, didn't have that good of an eye when it came to choosing disciples.

Since he couldn't be a rival, then he could only be a toy.

A zhangjiao of high moral standing, if his hands were stained by the fresh blood of the innocents, could he still uphold his loftiness?

Probably not.

It was no more than a diversion where the outcome was inevitable, Yan Wushi thought.

How boring.

He didn't expect, there would be a time where he could anticipate wrongly.

That blind man actually once and once again persevered.

Towards the betrayal by his own shixiongdi, Yan Wushi looking at the other's expression, almost expected him to cry.

But Shen Qiao didn't.

"Everyone says it was your fault, your closest family all betrayed you, don't you feel the futility?" He asked Shen Qiao.

That blind man did not reply, he turned his head to the faint rain falling outside, in the rain the delicate, fallen flowers.

But Yan Wushi knew, the other could not see.

"No way to advance, impossible to retreat, the enemy sounds in all directions, might as well die cleanly." Yan Wushi whispered, looking to the blind man, "Don't you agree?"

"No." The blind man sighed quietly, this sigh actually sounded compassionate. "When in the wrong, one can change. But I won't die, sorry to disappoint Yan-zongzhu."

Really? Yan Wushi chuckled silently.

That's only because you haven't been pushed to true desperation.

That year in the fight with Cui Youwang, Yan Wushi's taihua sword was taken by the other, now many years later, he hadn't taken it back.

After Cui Youwang's death, it naturally fell into his disciple Sang Jingxing's hands.

But Yan Wushi's wugong had long since taken a different route, to him whether he had taihua sword or not meant nothing.

Sang Jingxing did not realize this, he assumed that losing his sword, was to Yan Wushi a great humiliation, and sent word that he would exchange taihua for .

Yan Wushi wouldn't accept of course, but he thought of a better idea: using Shen Qiao — the previous zhangjiao of the number one Daoist sect under the heavens in exchange.

For Shen Qiao, not only was this extremely dangerous, it was also an extreme humiliation, the esteemed Xuandushan zhangjiao, was not even worth the have-have-not taihua sword.

Yan Wushi's finger rested on Shen Qiao's forehead, gently wandering to his chin.

His pale complexion spoke to his illness, his graceful neck looked like it might snap under a little force, but the person under all of this, had a marrow of grit and steel.

He understood Sang Jingxing, understood what the other might do faced with this kind of Shen Qiao.

So, Shen Qiao, what would you do?

This would be a very interesting choice.

The moment Yan Wushi knocked on Bailongguan's doors, he was pondering the answer to this question.

Shen Qiao, would you choose to submit, or rather accept becoming broken jade?

Night moon.

Shen Qiao stared icily at Yan Wushi, and at Sang Jingxing who was standing close by.

Perhaps it was not an icy stare, only the moon spilling silver upon the other's face, making his face appear cold.

Looking at his even expression, Yan Wushi suddenly felt a thread of regret.

But this regret was not enough for him to change his mind.

"You're too weak, Qiao." He bent down, gently tucking the other's hair behind his ear, tender as spring willow. "Weak people will never become anything, have even less reason to be my rival."

Shen Qiao merely looked at him, unspeaking.

"I hope you can live." Yan Wushi smiled, "But, if you become Shen Qiao at death's door, pleasing others against your will, then you'll have thoroughly been reduced to a commoner, any last particularity will be gone?"

He tossed shanghetongbei into the other's arms, clapped Shen Qiao on the shoulder: "Good luck."

Then, he rose, and left.

His qinggong could shrink the largest distances, but today he did not use it, he departed step by step.

Behind him was the sound of Sang Jingxing's laughter directed at Shen Qiao, it carried heavy ridicule and disrespect.

Yan Wushi did not turn back again.

[3]

1

Shen Qiao discovered a jar of wine in the back mountains of Xuandushan.

There was no name written on the jar, even after asking around all of the Xuandushan disciples no one claimed it.

After unsealing the jar, encountering the wine's familiar fragrance, Shen Qiao knew, this wine was one personally brewed by his master.

The life of Qi-daozun, known throughout the lands for his wugong, and having the reputation of Xuandushan zhangjiao, but few people were aware, he could also sew clothes make shoes, brew wine, cook, in all this he was very adept, when his personal disciples were young and their clothes needed mending, it was shifu who sewed.

This jar of wine jolted Shen Qiao's memory, and reminded him of how much he missed shizun, so with Yan Wushi's encouragement and coaxing, the two of them finished the jar.

The next morning on waking, Shen-zhangjiao had a splitting headache.

He didn't expect the wine left behind by shizun to be so strong, enough to knock him out, and on holding his head and thinking more closely, his memory seemed to be awash with multiple instances of being called "little scoundrel", as if someone pointed a finger at his nose and cursed at him.

The entirety of Xuandushan, who else would dare scold him?

Shen Qiao went to ask Yan Wushi.

The latter sighed, looking at him tenderly: "When you're clearheaded you're so aware of your comportment all the time, I didn't expect drunk you to chase after the past, so introspective, you thought I was your shifu, refusing to let go of my leg, until I gave you a scolding, what could I do? I could only satisfy your request."

Shen Qiao: …

He felt he was incapable of doing such things, but his memory of last night was fragmented, he could only accept the other's nonsense.

Yan Wushi: "After I scolded you, you cried and sobbed, saying shizun was so right, from now on you will certainly listen, if ordered east will definitely not go west, if asked to chase out the dog will not chase the chickens."

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Saying this the other waved Shen Qiao over, like calling over a lost small deer or small goat.

"Come, let me hear you call me shizun."

2

That year, Bian Yanmei was cultivating his martial arts, Yan Wushi brought him to a grove of bamboo behind the residence, ordered him to observe closely, reflect, break through the training bottleneck.

The young and naïve Bian Yanmei opened his two eyes lantern-wide and carefully regarded every grass and tree in his surroundings, not even neglecting a single mosquito, finally discovering a clue.

He discovered that in this grove the positioning of each bamboo, followed where his footsteps landed, in a widening circle.

Between each circle, the distance was about the same, quite precise.

Bian Yanmei felt there must some meaning here, that shizun wanted him to divinate, but couldn't say outright.

So he stayed in this bamboo grove for three days and three nights, and fed the mosquitoes for three days and three nights, the shrivelled mosquitos became so overfed they couldn't move, finally reaching the limit of his patience, scalp itching he escaped this place, went to ask shizun directly.

Yan Wushi after hearing his question had a surprised expression: "The real scroll that can resolve your martial arts bottleneck is buried under a bamboo in the third circle, buried under the other bamboo are all fake scrolls, I had you carefully look for which bamboo marked the real scroll, what were you looking at these last three days?"

Bian Yanmei, both eyes glazed over, dark circles: "Then why was the bamboo grove so meticulously designed, not an inch out of place, a circle encircling the next, like a spiritual array?"

Yan Wushi raised an eyebrow: "Don't you feel it looks better this way?"

Bian Yanmei: …

Several years later.

Bian Yanmei brought Yu Shengyan to the bamboo grove behind the residence.

"You should observe closely, carefully reflect, if you're lucky you can break through your wugong bottleneck."

Bian Yanmei clasped his hands behind his back, looking very much like a dshixiong.

[4]

1: Obsessive Compulsive Tendencies

If you're human, you'll have a temperament.

Some like to fight, some are more even keeled, some like to leave it all behind, some are miserly.

After interacting for a long time, Shen Qiao towards Yan Wushi's temperament had some understanding.

His character was just and calm, what he could tolerate, he would do his best to embrace.

And yet Yan Wushi had an inclination, that even the magnanimous Shen-zhangjiao, sometimes could not stand.

For example —

The two were out eating a meal.

A bowl of noodle soup was brought over.

Yan-zongzhu looked at it, his chopsticks stopped.

Shen Qiao seeing this: "What?"

Yan Wushi: "There's scallions in the soup."

Shen Qiao: "Do you not eat scallions?"

Yan Wushi acknowledged this.

Shen Qiao: "Then take it out."

Yan Wushi: "But the taste of the scallions remains?"

Shen Qiao wasn't willing to see others waste food, he took the bowl, picking out each floating scallion bit, until the bowl was pristine.

"Eat." He said.

Yan-zongzhu forced himself to look into the bowl, "Why is there also sesame?"

Shen QIao: "…There's only three, four seeds."

Yan Wushi: "That I also do not eat."

The meaning being, take the hint.

Pa! Shen-zhangjiao slammed his chopsticks onto the table.

"Then don't eat anything at all!"

2: Character

When it comes to character, under the heavens you won't find two more different than Yan Wushi and Shen Qiao.

But these two, had their own way of getting along.

When he saw the road uneven, the weak suffering, not only would Shen Qiao immediately extend a hand, he'd also follow them secretly to make sure the person stayed well.

If it were Yan Wushi, he'd be certain to be indifferent, watching coldly, see just how much suffering could befall that person, whether they would struggle against death, bravely resist, perhaps he'd even poke the person with a stick like you would a cricket, as entertainment.

One person's character had always been kind, one person's character had always been bad.

Tracing things to its origin, it was only that in Yan Wushi's decades of arrogance, there were now two additional words "Shen Qiao", for him he was willing to hold back a bit.

But for others, his attitude was unchanged.

Guang Lingsan looked at the weiqi board before him.

Half a step behind.

Only half.

But a loss was a loss.

He sighed quietly, not hiding his disappointment, according to their agreement, he had to provide the other with one piece of intel.

"In all likelihood, the new crown prince will be Lord Jin."

Yan Wushi raised his eyebrows.

He also had eyes and ears in the capital, but Fajing Sect had a closer relationship with the inner courts, some things they would learn before even the officials themselves.

Guang Lingsan seeing his reaction was suspicious.

"I recall, Huanyue Sect has a good relationship with the emperor, everyone knows that Lord Jin is someone who doesn't use the brakes, the current situation is unlikely to bring advantage to Sui in the future, for the emperor, it may not bring fortune, so how come you look happy?"

Yan Wushi laughed: "Change, brings chaos, chaos, ushers the new, a new generation replaces the old, in the Yangtze the tides keep pushing to shore, if the Sui dynasty is not stable, under the heavens forces will gather and rise again, when the time comes, won't it be another fantastic piece of drama?"

Guang Lingsan had nothing in reply.

He had almost forgotten this old scoundrel's character.