Guide sur le vent et la fumée

Chapitre 44

"She's beautiful, I hate her, and I want to turn her into an ugly monster like me, is that not allowed!" Qianjun said angrily.

The woman before him had a face full of pockmarks, and her eyes flashed with deep resentment and unwillingness—her expression was utterly terrifying. However, Shen Yao stared blankly, vaguely sensing a familiarity with her demeanor. He inexplicably softened his tone: "Appearances are all superficial. No matter how beautiful or ugly, a hundred years later we're nothing but a pile of bones. Why bother, young lady? Besides, you… aren't bad-looking."

The last sentence was spoken in a very ethereal tone, as if the person in front of you was speaking to someone else.

Those around them turned their heads in surprise, and even Tan Shiyao couldn't help but show a look of astonishment.

Should we say that their senior brother is too kind and good at comforting people, or should we say that he is good at lying through his teeth?

Qianjun chuckled and winked at Mu Tou: "You're such a nice person."

Shen Yao snapped out of his daze, realizing his earlier lapse in composure, and immediately became solemn: "Miss, you haven't said who you are yet?"

Qianjun thought for a moment: "I used to be a bad person, but now I've been moved by you, you blockhead, and I want to turn over a new leaf. I want to join your Yuanqing Sect and become a righteous person from now on. Will you give me a chance, you blockhead?"

Hearing her call him "blockhead" repeatedly, even using the same tone as that other person, Shen Yao was so disturbed that he lost his composure and stared at her in a daze.

Seeing her senior brother suddenly freeze as if possessed, Tan Shiyao immediately warned him warily, "Senior brother, this ugly woman's origins are unknown. Don't be fooled! She clearly already possesses martial arts skills, how could she possibly join our Yuanqing Sect!"

Qianjun immediately said, "I want to be a good person, but I've been expelled from my original sect. You're a kind person, Mutou, please help me."

"You..." Shen Yao hesitated, then composed himself and finally made up his mind, "Okay."

The simple word "good" conveyed a sense of determination, as if trying to make up for or hold onto something.

Those around were shocked and tried to dissuade him: "Senior Brother! We don't even know this person's background, how can we be so hasty?"

Tan Shiyao was completely unconvinced: "Senior brother, she just tried to harm me, how could you let her stay by my side?"

Shen Yao, who was usually gentle and humble, unexpectedly waved his hand and said, "It's alright. I will be her teacher from now on, and I will personally keep an eye on her."

Seeing his insistence, the others had no choice but to remain silent. Since their master's passing, the virtuous and talented eldest brother had been acting as the sect leader, and he had never made a mistake in his actions. Now that things had come to this point, it was really difficult for everyone to refuse him, so they could only secretly think that they would be more careful for their eldest brother in the future.

Only Tan Shiyao remained dissatisfied, shouting, "Hmph, forget it, you're just an ugly woman, I doubt you can pull any tricks!" With that, she turned and went back into the house. Seeing this, the others quickly dispersed.

Qianjun pretended to keep her head down and remain silent, but inwardly she was grumbling. "Hmph, so you think you're some kind of fairy, huh? Do you think I'm as easy to bully as that ugly girl? Just you wait, once I've managed to get close to Mu Tou, I'll play with you slowly from now on!"

But if she becomes Mu Tou's apprentice, won't she be a generation younger than Tan Shiyao? And she'll have to call her "Shishu" (a term of respect for a senior female disciple), which seems a bit unfair.

Just then, two slender, fair hands reached out. Qianjun looked up and saw Shen Yao untying her. She exclaimed in surprise, "You blockhead! Aren't men and women supposed to be more intimate?!"

Shen Yao said calmly, "You are my disciple, so it's alright."

Huh? There are such benefits to being Mu Tou's apprentice? Qian Jun immediately beamed with joy, and his resentment at being younger than Tan Shiyao instantly vanished.

Shen Yao untied her and continued, "From now on, you have to call me Master. By the way, I haven't asked you your name yet?"

"Good master!" Qianjun's eyes shone brightly as he answered cheerfully, "Um, my name is... my name is Ahua!"

Hehe, Huamu, Huamu, are Ahua and Mutou a couple?

Qianjun became happier and happier as he thought about it. Facing the rising dawn in the east, he devoutly murmured: "I'm sorry, you old hag, you've always hoped that I would marry well. Now, your disciple is going to switch sides for the sake of my ideal husband!"

After thinking it over, she happily ran over and took Shen Yao's arm: "Good master, good blockhead, where will I live from now on? With you?"

Shen Yaojun blushed and angrily retorted, "How could we possibly live together? Let go of me..."

"Huh? Didn't you just say that there's no distinction between men and women in the relationship between master and disciple?"

"Let go... the situation just now and the situation now are completely different."

"What do you mean? Does it mean that only you can touch me first, and I can't touch you first?"

"How dare you... Let go of me first..."

The two voices faded into the distance, while the sun rose slowly behind them, finally illuminating a new round of blooming flowers and lush trees.

39. Xia Yun's Side Story: Hand in Hand

Xiao Chan stumbled along the mountain path, her steps uneven. Suddenly, she lost her footing and was about to fall backward. Luckily, a pair of strong arms reached out from behind and caught her in a tight embrace.

"Look at you, you're so stupid." Xia Yi scolded while looking around. "Why did we even come to help that old man gather herbs?"

Xiao Chan pushed him away in dissatisfaction: "Mr. Hu saved us, so it's only right that we do something for him."

Xia Yi snorted and pointed to the bamboo basket on his back: "You talk a good game, then you carry this thing yourself." It makes him look like a country bumpkin, which is really damaging to his image.

It was the height of summer, and Xiao Chan noticed the fine beads of sweat on his forehead. She nodded and said, "Okay, come and carry me."

Seeing that she was actually reaching out to untie the bamboo basket on his back, Xia Yi quickly grabbed her hand and said awkwardly, "Alright, let's hurry up and go. Can't you see how many dark clouds there are? If we don't finish picking soon, it'll rain."

He had barely finished speaking when a muffled clap of thunder suddenly sounded overhead, followed by a torrential downpour.

"That damn Xia Yi, he really has a jinx." Xiao Chan muttered in dissatisfaction after being drenched in the cold.

Xia Yi covered her with her sleeve: "Let's find a place to shelter from the rain first."

There are many caves on Mount Fusheng, and the two randomly chose one and went inside to take shelter from the rain.

However, no matter how hard Xia tried, the wet wood branch she had casually broken off wouldn't light. Frustrated, Xia kicked the firewood away and began to grumble, "Xiao Chan, do you really want to stay in this wretched place with me for the rest of your life?"

Xiao Chan was busy wringing out the water from her skirt, and without looking up, she replied, "Isn't it good?"

"It's not that it's bad..." Xia Yi sighed, "I'm just afraid of making you feel wronged. Now that my skills have been restored, we don't need to be afraid even if we are recognized after leaving the valley."

"No, please." Having gone through so much hardship to finally have this moment of peace, Xiao Chan was already very content. "It's fine here too."

"What's so good about this remote mountain forest?"