Chapter 42: Xie Tongchen: “Brother Wen, Have You Been Well?”

Meng Baixu had discovered the benefits of puppetry. Outside, Shizun took care of him—clothes brought to his hands. Back home, his sons took care of him—food brought to his mouth.

Meng Baixu had decided to hurry on without stopping along the way, so his qiankun pouch was filled with plenty of dry rations. Wen Tingshu, however, insisted on stopping the carriage to find somewhere he could make Meng Baixu a steaming bowl of noodle soup.

Meng Baixu’s qiankun pouch was filled with magical treasures, making him look like a young master out on a journey. Wen Tingshu’s contained only ingredients and cookware, making him look like an impoverished rogue cultivator.

Firewood, rice, oil, and salt were arranged in a row. Meng Baixu sat beside the road, with neither village nor inn in sight, watching Shizun set up a stove on the spot.

Propping up his chin, he watched without blinking.

Had Shizun done the same thing back then—setting up stoves in advance along the route Meng Baixu was bound to take during his travels, waiting for him to pass so he could cook for him?

“Why are you even simmering meat sauce? That will take a long time.”

Wen Tingshu said, “It doesn’t matter. You like beef sauce with your noodles.”

“But we’re in a hurry!” Meng Baixu narrowed his eyes at Shizun’s unhurried movements. Wen Tingshu did not seem concerned about their travel time at all. “Wen Tingshu, are you deliberately delaying us?”

Wen Tingshu denied it. “No. I am merely making amends. Last time, I did not reveal the puppet’s identity, so you refused to taste much of the food I made.”

Meng Baixu immediately remembered the embarrassing time when he had clearly found the street vendors’ flavors familiar, yet stubbornly gnawed on dry buns instead.

Had he looked like some bitter, lovesick abandoned wife in Wen Tingshu’s eyes?

“When something is abnormal, there must be something suspicious. This sect leader was simply vigilant.”

Wen Tingshu said, “I know. It was my failure to notice. The things I made did not suit your tastes during pregnancy.”

Meng Baixu said, “Exactly.”

Wen Tingshu finished the meat sauce, boiled water, and added the noodles. He lifted them out together with the vegetables, poured the meat sauce on top, mixed everything with chopsticks, and pushed the bowl toward Meng Baixu.

While Meng Baixu ate, Wen Tingshu sat beside him shelling peanuts, planning to fry some for them to snack on during the carriage ride.

After two bites, Meng Baixu put down the noodles. Wen Tingshu picked up the bowl and scooped up some soup.

“Drink another mouthful of soup.”

Meng Baixu’s expression became complicated. “Wait. Nangnang is feeding me too.”

As a beginner at puppetry, his control was not good enough to fully attend to both sides at once. Whenever he was with Wen Tingshu, the puppet on Hengxue Mountain lay asleep in bed and occasionally responded to the children.

When Wen Tingshu’s puppet accompanied his disciple, his original body on Hengxue Mountain had likewise remained asleep.

Meng Baixu could split his attention enough to talk with his sons, but he could not eat in both places simultaneously. It always made him feel too full.

On Hengxue Mountain—

The two filial sons, Meng Nangnang and Meng Wowo, crouched on either side of Daddy’s shoulders. One stuffed steamed buns into Daddy’s mouth, while the other shakily fed him soy milk with a plump little hand.

Daddy had been poisoned by eating poisonous mushrooms and loved sleeping all day. Baby had to take good care of Daddy.

Meng Wowo reached out and tugged the blanket over Daddy’s shoulders. Meng Nangnang pulled open Daddy’s eyelid. The eye was clearly divided between black and white and looked the most like their original Daddy.

Meng Baixu coughed and sat up, gathering his two filial sons into his arms.

“Your daddy is at the Transformation realm. I can go without eating.”

“Wowo, did you study with Shi Wumi-gege today?”

Meng Wowo shook his head. “Shi Wumi-gege is very busy, oh.”

Busy with what?

Shi Wumi understood best what kind of grandsons Meng Fuguang would like. He could make a last-minute effort to transform Wowo and Nangnang. If Meng Fuguang liked his grandsons, then Wen Tingshu would also become more pleasing to his eyes.

After all, Wen Tingshu had beaten Meng Fuguang before. Given the Demon Sect’s petty, grudge-holding nature, his father might very well reject the marriage.

Meng Baixu said, “Then study with Liu Xishi-gege.”

Meng Wowo and Meng Nangnang nodded. “Okay, oh.”

Seeing the two little cubs staying beside his “sick” self constantly, Meng Baixu could not bear it.

“Go outside and play. There are many people outside. Just let Daddy sleep. You’ve both seen mushrooms before, right? They like quietly staying in places without sunlight.”

Wowo and Nangnang said, “Okay.”

Meng Baixu watched the two cubs climb off the bed and open the door. Only after hearing He Shangxian calling their names did he lie back down in relief and return ninety percent of his attention to his true body.

Shizun was waiting for him too.

Meng Baixu found his puppet extremely comfortable to use. Compared with Wen Tingshu’s puppets, which were constantly framed and insulted, his stayed inside the restricted area Wen Tingshu had prepared, needing only to face two worried little cubs.

On Hengxue Mountain—

Dongyang had been ordered to come up the mountain at mealtime and accompany the two cubs while they ate.

In his imagination, the two cubs would be waiting eagerly at the table for him. In reality—

Dongyang was startled by the liveliness on Hengxue Mountain. The mountain, which had always been cold and deserted, was now even more crowded than the cultivators’ dormitories!

Every single one was a demon. The only righteous person present was an insignificant Golden Core cultivator.

Had Hengxue Mountain changed masters?

Dongyang was about to flee when sharp-eyed Meng Wowo spotted him.

“Dongyang-gege!”

The ten eyes surrounding the table all turned toward him in unison.

Liu Xishi had been undercover in Hengxue Sect for twenty years and naturally recognized Dongyang’s veil. He immediately said, “He Shangxian, move over. Make space for Peak Master Dongyang!”

“Peak Master, come quickly. We’re eating sliced meat from a copper hotpot for lunch.”

Eating together was one thing, but they even had to cook their food in the same pot!

Dongyang said, “I…”

“I seem to have arrived at a bad time and interrupted your meal.”

A cool voice came from behind him.

Dongyang felt slightly reassured. It was Zhongli Yun. At last, someone from the righteous path had arrived.

Dongyang said, “You discuss your serious business. I’ll take my leave—”

Zhongli Yun said, “Dongyang, listen with us.”

Dongyang: “…”

With that, the number of righteous cultivators and demons at the table became balanced. They sat opposite one another, with the two little cubs conveniently separating them.

Jia Liance and He Shangxian discussed methods of enjoying old age while eating. He Shangxian advised Jia Liance to dye his hair white too. That way, when he called himself “this old man” or “this elderly one,” he would not get mocked.

Shi Wumi was absent-minded, while Dongyang’s soul had seemingly left his body.

Liu Xishi stared at Zhongli Yun for a while before admitting defeat. “I offer Acting Sect Master Zhongli a toast. I caused you trouble in the past.”

Zhongli Yun raised his wine cup. Since the Sect Master intended to form a bond with the Demon Sect Leader and erase all previous grudges, the conflict between him and Liu Xishi no longer had any reason to continue.

Zhongli Yun said, “I came to discuss the young Sect Masters’ studies with everyone. Even while the Sect Master is absent, their lessons cannot be neglected.”

Wowo and Nangnang were competing to gnaw corn and had no time to listen to the adults.

Liu Xishi said, “Please address them respectfully as the Holy Sons.”

Zhongli Yun said, “I believe the young Sect Masters should receive the righteous guidance of Hengxue Mountain. Aside from cultivation, they should also take classes in cultivation ethics.”

Liu Xishi said, “Before the Sect Leader left, he already arranged for Shi Wumi to teach them. There is no need for Acting Sect Master Zhongli to worry. Isn’t that right, Shi Wumi?”

Shi Wumi snapped back to his senses. “Huh?”

Zhongli Yun said, “Mister Shi does not appear to be in the mood to teach.”

Liu Xishi had had enough of Shi Wumi failing at the critical moment. “I can teach them too. Don’t think you can turn both of our Holy Sons into saintly fathers. Wowo and Nangnang will inherit their father’s profession and become demons in the future.”

While gnawing corn, Meng Nangnang casually added, “Baby is a demon!”

Liu Xishi rubbed Meng Nangnang’s head. “Good boy.”

Zhongli Yun asked, “Inherit their father’s profession? Are you certain Meng Baixu is a demon?”

Hiss!

He had openly spoken such an outrageous statement! What would happen if the Sect Leader heard it?

Liu Xishi argued forcefully. Being a demon was inherently a state of existence. If Zhongli Yun claimed Meng Baixu was not one, how could he prove it?

Zhongli Yun sneered. “Two different kinds of people cannot sleep beneath the same blanket. Sect Master Wen is good, so your Sect Leader cannot possibly be bad.”

Liu Xishi had no response.

He could not defeat Zhongli Yun in an argument. The Holy Sons’ educational rights were in grave danger!

They needed the Left Protector for arguments!

***

After Meng Baixu and Wen Tingshu finished eating and extinguished the fire, they prepared to continue their journey. Suddenly, a man and a woman rushed down from a distant mountain.

The man wore red, looking like a bridegroom. The woman wore mourning white and was still within her mourning period.

They fled in a panic, looking around as they ran. Beyond the bend in the mountain, the faint sounds of pursuit could be heard.

Running away from a wedding?

Meng Baixu hurriedly pulled Wen Tingshu into hiding.

He had searched everywhere without success, only for the wild mandarin ducks he needed to appear before him!

The pursuers soon appeared. Only a river separated them from the man and woman. The person leading them looked highly respected, his voice strong and resonant as he began shouting from across the river.

“Qi Jiashu, today is your joyous wedding day with the Wang family’s young lady! You abandoned your wife and eloped with a widow. Where does that leave the Wang family?!”

“Liu Yueyue, your husband only died seven days ago, and his bones are not even cold, yet you seduced another woman’s husband. Have you no shame?”

The bridegroom said, “Sister Liu and I truly love each other. One year ago, she was forced to marry a tyrant. To avoid implicating me, she deliberately cut all ties with me. My heart died, and my parents threatened me with their lives, so I agreed to marry into the Wang family.”

“Only when Sister Liu came to find me today did I learn that the tyrant beat her every day. Some time ago, he became drunk, fell into a river, and drowned. Only then was she finally freed.”

“Clan Uncle, please fulfill our wishes!”

“If we cannot remain together for life, we would rather die together.”

The eloping couple both fell to their knees and begged bitterly.

The person addressed as Clan Uncle cursed, “You could have regretted it sooner or later, yet you chose today of all days!”

Meng Baixu nodded.

Although reputation was not terribly important in the cultivation world, this pair of wild mandarin ducks had acted impulsively without considering others. They were perfect for this sect leader to capture and send into the secret realm.

If they truly loved each other, then being imprisoned there would still allow them to remain together forever.

If they were merely impulsive and had harmed innocent people, then they could remain imprisoned in the secret realm until they eventually grew sick of looking at each other.

The Clan Uncle shouted, “You refuse to repent and have brought shame upon the family! Today, I will beat this unfilial son to death!”

The eloping man and woman hugged each other as the pursuers’ clubs descended.

Meng Baixu intervened in time, seized the two of them, and appeared openly.

“This adulterous couple will be dealt with by this sect leader on your behalf.”

Only the Fuguang Sect Leader dared call himself “this sect leader” in this region.

Fuguang Sect’s evil reputation was widespread. The moment the pursuers heard this, they turned and fled, afraid that if they ran too slowly, they would also be captured.

Wen Tingshu said, “Lanshe?”

Meng Baixu told Wen Tingshu the story Dongyang had related. He had not said anything earlier because he was afraid Wen Tingshu’s saintly-father heart would act up and stop him from capturing people.

Meng Baixu released the couple.

“I’ll give you two choices. First, wait to be beaten to death by your clans or continue fleeing. Second, enter a secret realm containing only the two of you and remain imprisoned there. It will be dull and monotonous, and you will never be able to leave.”

“Immortal Venerable! We choose the second option!”

The eloping couple did not hesitate. They had no other choice. The Wang family was powerful and would not tolerate a stain on its reputation. Although the tyrant was dead, his relatives were still alive and would not show mercy to a daughter-in-law they considered unchaste.

“You won’t regret it?”

“We won’t!”

The following day—

Meng Baixu and Wen Tingshu reached the secret realm’s entrance. When he entered with Wen Tingshu, it was much easier than when he had gone with the Left Protector, and they penetrated far deeper.

Everything was still covered in white mist, but he instinctively felt that they had reached the center. He released the eloping couple.

Suddenly, Meng Baixu saw a square farmhouse courtyard within the white mist. There were only two houses, standing opposite one another.

They had found it!

Meng Baixu was about to charge over with his sword and knock on the door when Wen Tingshu wrapped an arm around his waist and pulled him backward.

“Careful. That is the center of the formation.”

Wen Tingshu threw the ordinary sword in his hand toward it. As expected, the moment the sword approached the courtyard, it was repelled and turned into a twisted piece of scrap metal.

“Take out the East Wind Dance Divine Sword,” Wen Tingshu said. “Give me Fengxing Sword. Listen for my command. Only by striking together can we break through.”

Meng Baixu said, “All right!”

The two swords joined forces. White mist surged horizontally, and the fog surrounding the courtyard grew thinner and thinner. Finally, with a bang, something shattered.

The backlash from the broken formation also threw Meng Baixu and Wen Tingshu more than ten meters away, sending them deep into the dense mist.

“Lanshe!”

“I’m here.”

Meng Baixu could not see Shizun, but judging by his voice, they were not far apart.

He was about to walk over when the courtyard door creaked open and someone stepped outside.

Xie Tongchen had spent more than ten years inside the secret realm. This was the first disturbance he had heard. He assumed it was the sound of Meng Fuguang’s tribulation after breaking through to the Questioning Heaven realm. Meng Fuguang had been cultivating diligently all this time.

He hurried outside to look, only to see someone slowly emerging through the white mist.

That face and bearing—

It was precisely the good brother he had not seen for many years!

Brother Wen had come to save him!

Once the figure drew closer, Xie Tongchen also saw Wen Tingshu’s white hair. The greeting “Have you been well?” became lodged in his throat.

Brother Wen was clearly unwell, yet he had come to rescue them despite his illness.

Brother Wen had always possessed a heroic and righteous heart, placing others before himself. Xie Tongchen had repeatedly assured Meng Fuguang of Brother Wen’s virtue, but Meng Fuguang had always scoffed.

Xie Tongchen hurriedly thought of another common greeting.

“Brother Wen, it has been a long time. Have you found a Dao companion yet?”

Wen Tingshu: “…”

“Mn.”