Chapter 82
Notes: Hi! Sorry for my absence. Had to deal with a few things at work. But we're now back on track!
For the next three days, Shen Qi and Ru Deng followed Zhuang Shan to learn about Youzhou. Their focus was mainly on the cultivation world of Youzhou, as the mortal world was of no concern to cultivators. It's similar to how wealthy people wouldn't pay special attention to the conditions of impoverished mountain areas. Many cultivators even regarded mortals as insignificant as ants.
There were about a hundred families in the cultivation world of Youzhou. The northern part, close to the grasslands, was mostly occupied by the Wushen Sect. For safety reasons, major families rarely established their bases there, opting instead to send branches. Therefore, the north was mainly home to small and medium-sized families, with the most prominent being the Ye, Zhao, and Sun families.
These three families formed a tripartite balance of power, supported by branches of the top ten families and disciples sent by the three righteous sects and nine factions. This alliance managed to fend off the Wushen Sect's invasions, ensuring the safety of the north. Fifty years ago, they even captured some of the Wushen Sect's territory in a battle, allowing the people of Shuangyue City to venture into the grasslands.
Zhuang Shan first took Ru Deng to visit the righteous sects stationed in Youzhou. Except for the usual arrogance of the Lingxiao Sect, the other sects were very welcoming. The families also sent invitations to Ru Deng, eager to meet him. If he were a disciple of another sect, he might not have received such special treatment. However, Ru Deng was a disciple of the three sects, a favored student of Master Pu Zhi, and had great potential, making him a valued guest.
Ru Deng did not refuse these invitations. Although the Wanfo Sect practiced Buddhism, its disciples were first and foremost cultivators, and then monks. They had no qualms about fighting and killing if necessary, so these social interactions were trivial.
Another reason for the families' enthusiasm was Zhuang Shan, a disciple of the Lingxiao Sect. Zhuang Shan naively believed that people would accept his claim of being an ordinary disciple. However, he hadn't changed his name, and these families were shrewd. It didn't take much effort for them to discover his true identity.
Only Zhuang Shan continued to insist on his ordinary disciple persona. It was likely that Sang Yunyan initially approached him because of his identity, but she eventually fell for him.
Even the smartest demonic cultivator couldn't resist the charm of a kind and upright righteous cultivator.
Ru Deng and Zhuang Shan attended a banquet, but Shen Qi did not join them. As a small rogue cultivator, he didn't show up but stayed hidden by Ru Deng's side as a true spirit.
After the banquet, it was time for Shen Qi and Ru Deng to bid farewell to Zhuang Shan and report to the Wanfo Sect's base.
Zhuang Shan, who had come to regard Shen Qi and Ru Deng as friends, was reluctant to part with them. He repeatedly promised to visit them at the Wanfo Temple once his tasks were completed.
Ru Deng naturally welcomed this.
After packing their things, Ru Deng and Shen Qi left for the Wanfo Temple at the border of Youzhou in a rented flying car, under Zhuang Shan's watchful gaze.
"Are we really leaving just like that?" Shen Qi asked anxiously. It was clear that Zhuang Shan's task was to meet Sang Yunyan, and he didn't want to miss such a great opportunity.
"Don't worry," Ru Deng said calmly, holding a scripture. "I have my ways of finding out what I need to know."
Shen Qi looked at him skeptically. Did Ru Deng have secrets he didn't know about? When Shen Qi chose to become a true spirit, one advantage was being able to see all of the other person's past in the Thousand Layer Pagoda. However, he hadn't discovered any special skills in Ru Deng's memories.
Ru Deng smiled without explaining. "When the time comes for you to know, I will let you know."
Shen Qi's expression turned a bit sour.
Ru Deng sighed softly, put down the scripture, and pulled Shen Qi into his arms. The carriage had a barrier, so there was no need to worry about the driver outside hearing their conversation. He lifted Shen Qi onto his lap, gently nudging his knee to make him straddle him. This was a position Shen Qi was very familiar with.
"There are some things I really want to tell you, but since you haven't been obedient, I can't," he said, gently stroking Shen Qi's cheek with a tone of regret, as if it was a great pity.
Shen Qi couldn't help but roll his eyes and pout. "If you don't want to tell me, then don't. I'll find out eventually."
Ru Deng smiled, leaned in, and kissed the corner of his mouth. "I'll wait for you to discover it," he said warmly.
Shen Qi had spoken casually, but hearing Ru Deng's confident tone that he wouldn't find out, he became determined. He bit Ru Deng's lip lightly. "Fine, you wait. I'll definitely find out."
He didn't believe it. He spent 24 hours a day by Ru Deng's side, watching closely. He was sure he could uncover his secret.
Ru Deng reached out and touched the boy's eyes. He loved this lively look, even though Shen Qi usually appeared lazy and indifferent. But when those eyes looked at him, they were always bright and full of life.
Since he had chosen to indulge his affection, he leaned in and placed a light kiss on the boy's eyes. "I like your eyes," he said.
This was the first time Shen Qi had heard the word "like" from Ru Deng's mouth. His eyes widened in surprise and joy. He stared at Ru Deng's smiling face, feeling a surge of emotions. It was like taking the first step on a long journey or finally seeing people after walking through a snowy wilderness for a long time. For the first time, he felt the ups and downs of love and understood the difficulty of winning someone's affection. Love, he realized, was not just joy; it also had its share of pain and sorrow.
He vaguely understood why the other person chose this world. Ru Deng and his former self were somewhat similar. Perhaps it was because he had always been so focused on his career and kept others at a distance that Ru Deng didn't dare to express his feelings directly. Instead, he chose this way.
Seeing him in a daze, Ru Deng kissed him again and sighed slightly, "So happy?"
"Yes," Shen Qi snapped out of his thoughts, wrapped his arms around Ru Deng's neck, and his smile grew wider. His eyes shone brightly. "Happy, very happy. I'm so happy I don't even know what to say!"
He licked his lips and felt excited all over: "Let's do it!"
Ru Deng was slightly stunned and wanted to refuse, but looked around the car, changed his mind again, and nodded gently. "Okay."
"Don't move." Shen Qi was very excited. Hearing the word "like" from Ru Deng's mouth gave him a great sense of accomplishment. He had a desire to conquer, so he wanted to take the initiative, and let Ru Deng follow him.
Ru Deng raised his eyebrows, with a smile in his eyes. He simply spread his hands and leaned back, as saying he won't move and let you do it.
The corners of Shen Qi's eyes turned red. He rushed forward and took off the monk's snow-white robe.
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This encounter couldn’t be concluded in one go. The journey from Zhuang Shan's location to Wanfo Temple took nearly two hours, almost half a day. Ru Deng expressed his feelings for the first time, which made Shen Qi more excited than ever. Given that Ru Deng was a cultivator, two hours felt like nothing.
Especially since Shen Qi was completely in control. Ru Deng remained still whenever Shen Qi said so, letting him take charge the entire time, which made it particularly thrilling for him.
Today, he finally got what he wished for.
When the flying car landed, they hadn't finished yet. Ru Deng had to hurriedly put on his monk's robe, feeling somewhat unsatisfied as he got out of the car. Fortunately, the robe was spacious enough to cover him, so he wasn't afraid of being discovered.
Shen Qi watched him fumble around, a rare sight that almost made him double over with laughter.
As they walked into the Ten Thousand Buddha Temple, Shen Qi, knowing no one could see him, mischievously slipped his hand inside Ru Deng's robe.
The monks at the Ten Thousand Buddha Temple were mostly ordinary monks, with a few cultivators among them. Most were seniors with no hope of further advancement. The abbot, a cultivator of the Tai Xu realm, was three levels higher than Ru Deng. Although not as esteemed as the elders of the Ten Thousand Buddha Sect, he was still a respected senior. In the Nine Provinces, reaching this realm was considered quite impressive.
Although Ru Deng was treated as an honored guest by the noble families, he was just an ordinary monk to the cultivators of the Ten Thousand Buddha Temple. They were all close to the end of their lives and didn't care about such formalities. The abbot didn't even show up, sending a young monk with a gift instead.
Shen Qi clung to Ru Deng, teasing him incessantly in front of everyone. It was particularly thrilling, and Ru Deng seemed to enjoy it. Far from being intimidated, he became even more spirited.
After the pleasantries, a young monk led them to a cave dwelling. As soon as the monk turned around, even before he had walked far, Ru Deng grabbed Shen Qi by the waist, flipped him over, and pressed him against the fence.
The young monk, holding deep admiration for the Buddha's disciple, couldn't help but sneak a glance back. He saw the disciple standing by the vine-covered fence, seemingly admiring the blooming flowers. He couldn't help but marvel at how the disciple still had the mood to appreciate flowers even in such a place.
However, he couldn't shake the feeling that the flowers and vines seemed to be trembling. He chalked it up to the wind and hurried away, not daring to look any longer.
The days that followed for Shen Qi and Ru Deng were quite wild.
The Ten Thousand Buddha Temple was not like the Ten Thousand Buddha Sect. Ru Deng didn't get a mountain to himself, only a small courtyard. Even though he chose the quietest one, there were still other courtyards nearby.
As the beloved disciple of Master Pu Zhi and a Buddha's disciple, Ru Deng's first task was not to maintain security or slay demonic cultivators, but to teach and resolve the doubts of the monks at the Ten Thousand Buddha Temple.
He had shown remarkable talent in Buddhist teachings from a young age. Despite his young age and insufficient cultivation, he was already considered a master.
The announcement that the Buddha's disciple would be giving a lecture instantly drew the attention of all the monks in the temple. The cultivators weren't very interested, but for the ordinary monks, it was a rare opportunity.
On the day of the lecture, the hall was filled with monks, each one like a child eager to learn, staring at Ru Deng seated beneath the Buddha statue.
Shen Qi also found a seat among the monks, watching Ru Deng. Draped in a snow-white monk's robe, Ru Deng smiled gently, exuding kindness and holiness. His voice was warm and soothing, like a spring breeze. The giant Buddha statue behind him seemed to serve as his backdrop, making him appear transcendent.
Shen Qi squinted, knowing it was all an act, but it still made him uncomfortable.
When the lecture ended, Ru Deng turned to face the Buddha statue, leading everyone in chanting scriptures. Shen Qi floated in front of him, squatted down, and gently lifted his robe.
"Shh—"
He straddled Ru Deng, his long hair spreading out over Ru Deng's white robe, creating a striking contrast.
He cupped Ru Deng's face, avoiding his chanting lips, and lightly licked his Adam's apple. His eyes gleamed mischievously, and the red mark on his forehead was vivid. "Just focus on chanting. Leave the rest to me. Don't move."
Ru Deng's Adam's apple bobbed, his gaze dark, but he didn't push Shen Qi away. His chanting didn't falter, and he gave Shen Qi a glance before closing his eyes.
Shen Qi smirked, glancing at the monks below who were also chanting with their eyes closed. Accompanied by the sound of Buddhist chants, he lowered himself.
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