Applaud for Happiness - Chapter 84 & 85

 

Chapter 84

Shen Qi had always been puzzled about how Ru Deng, who spent all day meditating in his cave, could know about the outside world. He was especially curious about how Ru Deng managed to track Zhuang Shan and Sang Yunyan without being noticed, despite watching him 24/7. Later, he discovered the truth: it was all because of Zhen Heng.

For the cultivators of the Nine Provinces, besides obtaining free paired true artifacts from the Thousand Layer Tower, they could also forge their own magical tools. After all, not everyone's true artifact was of the highest quality, nor could it satisfy every cultivator. Thus, various magical tools became popular.

One such tool was the puppet. This type of magic was always considered heretical and was mostly controlled by demonic cultivators. However, Ru Deng had secretly acquired the method to forge puppets and created Zhen Heng.

If it were an ordinary puppet, it wouldn't be a big deal. Ordinary puppets, although they looked human, lacked self-awareness and were not as agile. They could only follow their master's commands, performing one action at a time. Zhen Heng, on the other hand, was different. Apart from having a weak presence, he was like an independent, normal person.

This was because Ru Deng had split his own consciousness, or rather, his soul. In this world, there was no concept of a soul, only spiritual consciousness. He used some unknown method to divide his spiritual consciousness and created Zhen Heng from the separated part. As a result, Zhen Heng had basic self-awareness but still completely obeyed Ru Deng's commands, making him a perfect clone.

When Shen Qi learned the truth, he was amazed by Ru Deng's ingenuity and boldness. He marveled at how ruthless Ru Deng was to himself, let alone to others. Splitting one's soul was extremely dangerous and could have unimaginable consequences.

At least Shen Qi understood why Ru Deng was so indifferent to emotions. Soul splitting didn't just cut off part of the soul. However, he also knew that persuading Ru Deng to stop was impossible. Ru Deng needed Zhen Heng to handle matters he couldn't deal with personally. Moreover, Zhen Heng was now publicly known as Ru Deng's first disciple, making it even harder to retrieve him.

Fortunately, Ru Deng understood the risks and didn't create a second Zhen Heng. According to him, he would eventually reclaim Zhen Heng. Shen Qi didn't dislike Zhen Heng; in fact, he liked him a lot. Although Zhen Heng was also Ru Deng, he was cuter and often in a dazed state, appearing to outsiders as a cultivation fanatic who ignored everything else.

Since they were essentially the same person, Zhen Heng could see Shen Qi even when he wasn't visible to others. To avoid exposing Zhen Heng's identity, Ru Deng arranged for him to live with them. Whenever Ru Deng went into seclusion, Shen Qi would occasionally take Zhen Heng out to play.

"Quick, catch it, catch it!" Shen Qi pointed at a spirit cat running swiftly in the distance. Zhen Heng darted out and, in a flash, returned with a snow-white spirit cat in his hand. He handed it to Shen Qi, saying, "Here you go."

The little spirit cat, held by the scruff of its neck, trembled all over, its blue eyes filled with fear. Shen Qi took it with a smile and gently tapped its forehead. "Pretty little thing, you'll follow me from now on."

The spirit cat immediately calmed down, snuggling into Shen Qi's arms and even nuzzling his chest affectionately. Stroking the cat's white fur, Shen Qi said to Zhen Heng, "Zhen Heng, you're amazing. Thank you."

Zhen Heng stared at him without blinking. "You're welcome. As long as you're happy, Xiao Qi."

Look at that expression, that posture, and those words. Ru Deng could learn a thing or two about being likable. Shen Qi sighed inwardly, looking at Zhen Heng with even more warmth. "Since Zhen Heng caught it, he should name it."

Zhen Heng tilted his head and thought for a moment. "Let's call it Ah Heng."

"Ah Heng? As in Zhen Heng?" Shen Qi laughed.

"Yes," Zhen Heng nodded. "That way, when you see it, it'll be like seeing me!"

Listen to that! So honest and endearing. Shen Qi felt that all the frustration he experienced with Ru Deng could be made up for with Zhen Heng. For the first time, he thought Ru Deng's decision to split his spiritual consciousness was the right one.

He teased Zhen Heng with a smile, "Why?"

Zhen Heng poked the little spirit cat, causing it to shrink back into Shen Qi's arms in fear. He looked at Shen Qi and said matter-of-factly, "Because I like Xiao Qi!"

After saying this, he lowered his eyes, looking a bit unhappy. "I like Xiao Qi, but Master doesn't like that I like Xiao Qi. I want to see Xiao Qi all the time, but I'm afraid Master will be unhappy."

"But I like Xiao Qi because Master likes Xiao Qi. Why would Master be unhappy?"

He seemed utterly confused by Ru Deng's thoughts, his face full of bewilderment.

Silly child, it's precisely because he likes you that he's unhappy.

Shen Qi chuckled and tapped his bald head. "If you can't figure it out, don't think about it. Just know that Zhen Heng likes me, and I like Zhen Heng too."

Zhen Heng was a part of Ru Deng's spiritual consciousness. He honestly reflected Ru Deng's feelings towards people and things. Zhen Heng liked and was close to him because Ru Deng subconsciously liked him. Ru Deng might hide his emotions, but Zhen Heng wouldn't.

"As long as our Zhen Heng is happy every day, that's all that matters," Shen Qi said with a smile.

If he saw Ru Deng as a teenager, he saw Zhen Heng as a child.

He had traveled through many worlds, especially with his new mission, living a full life in each one. His mindset had become that of an older person, even though he looked like a teenager. So, he viewed Ru Deng, even the 300-year-old Dragon Chi, as a junior.

He considered himself the elder, so he habitually tolerated his younger lover, as long as his bottom line wasn't crossed. Being an old monster of unknown age, why bother with a child who wasn't even a fraction of his age?

So, whether it was Ru Deng's initial wariness or later manipulation, he didn't mind. After all, to Ru Deng, he was just a stranger. He couldn't expect Ru Deng to suddenly fall madly in love with a stranger. If that happened, he would have to reconsider if he should change partners.

He now understood that feelings required mutual effort. If he didn't put in the effort, how could he expect to receive the other's affection?

Moreover, he came with a mission to make the other person happy. It was his job to take the initiative. Expecting to complete the mission while maintaining his pride and waiting for the other to pursue him was unrealistic.

Taking the first step wasn't a big deal. It wasn't a matter of life and death. Besides, he wasn't the one who took the first step; the other person did. Otherwise, he wouldn't have received this mission. He just didn't know what the other person had done to make their leader willing to set up this mission specifically for him.

Thinking about the leader's behavior before he entered the mission, it seemed the benefits were significant enough to make him very satisfied, at least satisfied enough to let go of his top subordinate.

Shen Qi brought Zhen Heng back to the cave from the back mountain. Ru Deng had already awakened from his meditation. This was his third seclusion since entering the Shendong Realm, to consolidate his realm. After this, he would need to go out and seek opportunities for enlightenment.

Seeing the two of them walk in together, Ru Deng frowned and directly instructed Zhen Heng, "You go first. I'll call you if I need anything."

Zhen Heng reluctantly glanced at Shen Qi before turning to his small courtyard.

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Ru Deng's cave was no longer the small courtyard it used to be. It had been replaced with a larger mountain. A temple was built halfway up the mountain for the servant disciples to live in and for a few disciples to chant and worship. Ru Deng lived at the top, like Master Pu Zhi, directly opening up a cave and digging out five chambers. The middle one served as a reception hall, with two on each side, divided into a pill room, a refining room, a storage room, and a bedroom.

Shen Qi didn't like it. Despite his cultivation advancing, his living conditions worsened. So, when Ru Deng was in seclusion, he either stayed in the Rushi Laiqu Map or went to Zhen Heng's small courtyard next door.

He didn't expect Ru Deng to come out of seclusion today. Shen Qi was delighted and approached with the little spirit cat in his arms. "Why did you finish early? Is everything okay?"

Based on his calculations, Ru Deng should have had two more days before waking up. He hoped nothing had gone wrong.

"It's fine," Ru Deng said, pulling him onto his lap. "I just had an early realization." His gaze paused on the spirit cat in Shen Qi's hands.

Shen Qi followed his gaze and brought the spirit cat closer, smiling. "It's a spirit cat. I had Zhen Heng catch it for me. Isn't it beautiful?"

Ru Deng squinted at the cat and said nonchalantly, "It is beautiful. Do you want to keep it?"

"Yes." Shen Qi stroked the spirit cat's white fur, his fingers emitting spiritual energy. The cat purred contentedly, its eyes half-closed, looking extremely cute. "Since I have nothing else to do, keeping a cat will keep me entertained." He couldn't help but pinch the cat's little nose. "Ah Heng is so cute."

"Ah Heng?" Ru Deng's long fingers touched the cat's tail, causing it to tremble.

"Yes, its name is Ah Heng," Shen Qi said with a smile. "Because Zhen Heng gave it to me."

Ru Deng's expression darkened. Suddenly, he picked Shen Qi up in their familiar position. Shen Qi, caught off guard, was startled and clung to Ru Deng with one arm while holding the cat with the other.

"It's my fault." Ru Deng grabbed the cat by the scruff and tossed it aside. The cat landed gracefully, quickly hiding in a corner.

With an apologetic look and gentle eyes, Ru Deng stroked Shen Qi's cheek. "It's my fault for making you feel bored."

"I'm very sorry." His fingers moved down, his thumb brushing Shen Qi's lips, his index finger tracing his neck, finally grabbing his robe's tie. With a gentle pull, the wide red robe slipped off, draping over his arm before sliding to the ground.

Holding Shen Qi, Ru Deng walked towards the cave entrance. "It's my fault. I'll make it up to you. From now on, I'll make sure you never feel bored again."

The red robe scattered along the way.

"What are you doing?" Shen Qi frowned. Was Ru Deng really so jealous that he lost his mind? Was he planning to take him to Zhen Heng like this?

Ru Deng, displeased, stopped at the cave entrance and pressed Shen Qi against the wall, biting his lip with a hint of grievance. "I just want to apologize and correct my mistake." He paused, surprised. "What did you think I was going to do?"

He then looked enlightened, as if realizing Shen Qi had misunderstood him.

Shen Qi was speechless.

Ru Deng sighed, seemingly helpless. Reluctantly, he said, "If you insist, I... can try."

"No, thank you!" Shen Qi gritted his teeth. "Either do it or let go!"

Of course, Ru Deng wouldn't let go. He pressed against Shen Qi, glancing at the figure standing at the cave entrance. With a steady gaze, he bit Shen Qi's white shoulder.

________________________

Chapter 85

Shen Qi never expected Ru Deng to be so "crazy." He didn't send Zhen Heng away but ordered him to wait at the cave entrance, listening to everything clearly.

He underestimated Ru Deng's desire for control and possessiveness. Even if Ru Deng had no feelings for him, he wouldn't allow anyone else to touch what was his, not even his own clone!

Moreover, Ru Deng did have feelings for him. If he didn't, the happiness value wouldn't have increased over the past ten years. Although it only increased by ten points, it was much better than the previous five points, which were always on the verge of turning dark.

Ru Deng's desire for control wasn't just directed at Shen Qi but also at Zhen Heng. He couldn't allow Zhen Heng to deviate from his planned path. Since there was no precedent for splitting spiritual consciousness, he had to be extra cautious.

Ru Deng never underestimated emotions, so he wouldn't allow Zhen Heng to develop extra feelings and escape his control.

Shen Qi didn't realize this at first, but after spending ten years with Ru Deng, he became familiar with his every expression and movement. Once he recovered from the initial chaos, he quickly sensed something was wrong.

"You..." He widened his eyes in shock and reflexively pushed Ru Deng. "Zhen..." The word "Zhen Heng" was on the tip of his tongue but stopped abruptly. He turned to look outside the cave and indeed saw a piece of clothing.

Ru Deng raised an eyebrow, smoothly grasping his hand and pinning it against the wall. Their fingers interlocked as his other hand tightly encircled his waist. “How about this?” he asked.

Shen Qi furrowed his brows and lowered his voice, “Send Zhen Heng back!”

Ru Deng's hand around his waist tightened, and a muffled groan escaped from Shen Qi's throat. His legs softened and he slid down. Ru Deng kissed the corner of his lips, and kissed lightly along his cheek. He turn to his ear, licking and biting bit by bit. His actions brought out the ambiguous sound of water, and his low and hoarse voice carried an undeniable determination: "No!"

"You are mine. Like Zhen Heng? Ha, you clearly said you only liked me. Yet, in the blink of an eye, you tell someone else you like them. Isn't your affection a bit too generous?"

Shen Qi's voice trembled, "Zhen Heng... uh! Zhen Heng is you... you both, um, you are the same person..."

"The same person?" Ru Deng's chest shook, and he smiled sarcastically. He finally let go of Shen Qi's ear, turned to his lips, and took a hard bite, "Can he do this to you?" The tip of his tongue opened his mouth and reached in. It was an almost suffocating kiss, as if he was going to suck out Shen Qi's soul.

After what felt like an eternity, he finally let go of him, breathing heavily. "Is this still the case with you"

He gripped his hand tightly. "Is this still the case?"

"Or..." His expression suddenly darkened. "Are you actually hoping he would do these things to you? Hmm?"

Shen Qi hadn't yet recovered from the suffocating kiss. He gasped for air, shaking his head unconsciously.

"Do you want me to call him in?" Ru Deng's face, usually angelic, now looked like a tempting demon's, dark and sinister. His deep, black eyes glinted with a strange light. "Let him see what you look like now, see what we're doing. Or maybe let him treat you the way I do. Don't you think we're the same person? If we're the same, why refuse?"

"Look, don't you like this?" He glanced down at Shen Qi's waist, a cryptic smile on his face, his voice hoarse. "Should I call him in?"

Shen Qi was on the verge of breaking down, but fortunately, he hadn't lost his sanity. The more provoked he was, the clearer his mind became. He gritted his teeth and kicked at Ru Deng. "No!"

"Shut up!" He glanced outside the cave, lowering his voice as much as possible. "Quickly, send Zhen Heng back."

"Why?" Ru Deng looked innocent and confused. He leaned down and kissed Shen Qi's lips. "Don't you like Zhen Heng? You like him, and we are the same person. Why send him back?" He curled his lips into a slightly malicious smile. "Since that's the case, why not call him to join us... wouldn't that be better?"

There was a two-second pause between "join" and "us." He didn't say it out loud, but his eyes conveyed his meaning.

Shen Qi's expression finally darkened.

Ru Deng's pupils slightly contracted.

This was the first time in ten years that Shen Qi showed him such an expression. He frowned uncomfortably, feeling a strange sensation in his heart.

The boy's face, as white as snow, now seemed frosty. Even the red mark between his brows had lost its luster, revealing a hint of coldness. His gaze was calm. "I'll say this once. I like you, in a romantic way. I like Zhen Heng as a brother, as a junior. I don't like what you just said. Don't say it again, or else..."

He paused, restraining himself from finishing the sentence. However, his eyes clearly conveyed the unspoken meaning.

After speaking, he pushed Ru Deng away and walked naked to the scattered clothes. He bent down, grabbed the fiery red robe, and disappeared.

Ru Deng stood there, stunned. After a moment, he came to his senses and laughed softly. His smile grew wider, and his laughter louder, as his once dark eyes sparkled with a dazzling light.

"Happiness +10."

________________________

For the first time in ten years, Shen Qi and Ru Deng had a cold war.

To be precise, it was Shen Qi who was giving the cold shoulder. Ru Deng acted as if nothing had happened. He was even more affectionate towards Shen Qi, as if trying to make up for the time they missed while he was in seclusion. He kept Shen Qi by his side at all times, chatting with him whenever possible.

Shen Qi remained indifferent, not saying a word to him.

Previously, Shen Qi could tolerate everything Ru Deng did, but this time was different. Ru Deng had crossed his bottom line, and forgiving him wouldn't be easy. Besides, it was time to teach him a lesson.

Shen Qi refused to acknowledge Ru Deng. When Ru Deng spoke, Shen Qi acted as if he didn't hear him, making Zhen Heng the messenger between them.

Even though the three of them sat face to face, it felt like they were in three different worlds.

"Baiyan Island will open in a month. I plan to go there to seek opportunities and will leave in three days," Ru Deng said as he brewed spiritual tea, pouring three cups and placing them in front of Shen Qi and Zhen Heng. Since Shen Qi had expressed his feelings towards Zhen Heng, Ru Deng no longer treated Zhen Heng like a subordinate but more like a true disciple.

Zhen Heng held his teacup, nodded to show he understood, and turned to Shen Qi. "Master said he plans to go to Baiyan Island in three days."

Shen Qi pushed the teacup aside, took out a wine flask, and poured himself a cup. Seeing Zhen Heng's curious gaze, he said gently, "This is wine. It's not suitable for you. You should stick to tea."

Although Zhen Heng didn't understand why it wasn't suitable for him, he always obediently followed Shen Qi's words. "Oh."

Satisfied, Shen Qi glanced at Ru Deng, his expression turning cold. "Tell your master that whatever he does or wherever he goes has nothing to do with me. He doesn't need to inform me. I'm just his true spirit."

As his true spirit, he followed him everywhere. Did Ru Deng think he wouldn't know if he didn't tell him? It was unnecessary.

Zhen Heng immediately repeated Shen Qi's words to Ru Deng.

Ru Deng looked helpless, took a sip of tea, but only tasted bitterness instead of the tea's fragrance. He frowned and sighed. "This time, when I go to Baiyan Island, I will deal with Zhuang Liang. So I'm telling you in advance. No matter what happens, don't be surprised."

Shen Qi's eyes flickered.

It was finally happening.

The journey to the Baiyan Island secret realm marked the beginning of Ru Deng's revenge. In the original timeline, this year saw the exposure of Sang Yunyan and Zhuang Shan's affair. Ru Deng had no choice but to kill Sang Yunyan himself. Using the opening of Baiyan Island, he took the first step in his revenge.

Yes, the first step.

Unlike Sang Yunyan, Ru Deng didn't see Zhuang Liang as his only enemy. To him, the entire righteous path was flawed. The corrupt system and the unfairness from top to bottom made Zhuang Liang merely the most direct person responsible. The righteous path, which allowed Zhuang Liang to view mortals as ants and kill them at will, was the true culprit.

Moreover, over the decades, Ru Deng had seen and learned about hypocrisy and falsehoods, even within the Wanfo Sect. Other sects were no different.

So, what he wanted was to change the world.

It might sound a bit idealistic, but that's what he believed.

In his mind, there was no distinction between the righteous and demonic paths. As long as he ruled the entire cultivation world, there would be no such division.

He wanted to create a utopia of his own vision.

Shen Qi had nothing to say about this. Villain bosses always had their own twisted logic. Convincing them with words was never easy. This wasn't a TV drama where the protagonist's speech would make the villain surrender at a critical moment. If Shen Qi tried to argue with Ru Deng, it would be futile. Ru Deng had studied Buddhist scriptures for years. He could make you cry and join his cause in minutes.

So, Shen Qi didn't bother commenting on Ru Deng's dreams. Dragon Chi had no dreams, but Ru Deng had too many.

Shen Qi didn't know the specifics of what would happen on Baiyan Island. He only knew that during this trip, nearly two-thirds of the disciples from the three righteous sects and nine factions, including Zhuang Liang, would perish. Only a handful would come out unscathed.

Those who could enter Baiyan Island were cultivators at the Shendong Realm, considered the backbone of their sects. In some small sects, the strongest were at this stage.

Training a cultivator to the Shendong Realm wasn't easy. Those who entered the three sects and nine factions were exceptionally talented. Losing so many at once was a heavy blow, even for the largest sects.

This incident led to the outbreak of the righteous-demonic war.

Baiyan Island was just the beginning. Ru Deng orchestrated a series of events that followed, each one escalating the conflict between the righteous and demonic paths, leading to the war.

In the end, Ru Deng became the ultimate victor, crushing the righteous path, leading the demonic path, and unifying the entire cultivation world.

Shen Qi had no interest in what Ru Deng planned to do. He watched coldly as Ru Deng manipulated the righteous prodigies entering Baiyan Island, making them fight to the death over so-called spiritual medicine that could double their cultivation.

Zhuang Liang, who received special attention from Ru Deng, suffered twice as much. Betrayal, humiliation, and the loss of his cultivation led to his silent, miserable death.

Then Ru Deng appeared, smiling, and collected his body, turning him into a puppet. He even recited two sutras for him with a look of pity.

"Too bad I can't fully control him," Ru Deng said regretfully, his gaze falling on Zhen Heng, as if considering something.

Shen Qi's face turned cold. "Zhen Heng, let's go."

Zhen Heng looked at Ru Deng, then at Shen Qi, and instinctively moved towards Shen Qi.

Ru Deng's expression was a mix of amusement and helplessness. "Don't worry, I don't have that intention. No matter what, I won't become like Zhuang Liang."

Shen Qi ignored him, took Zhen Heng's hand, and said, "Stay by my side."

Without looking back, they left the cave.

The smile faded from Ru Deng's face. With a crack, Zhuang Liang's puppet arm shattered into powder.

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Applaud for Happiness - Chapter 83

 

Chapter 83

In the grand hall of the Wanfo Temple, under the watchful eyes of many, the one most affected this time was not Shen Qi, but Ru Deng.

After Shen Qi finished and left, Ru Deng sat cross-legged in front of the Buddha statue, eyes closed. He didn't open them until the fierce red in his eyes faded.

This incident was indeed a bit much, and both needed some time to recover. They took nearly half a month to do so. Shen Qi watched Ru Deng closely for 24 hours but found no trace of him monitoring Zhuang Shan and Sang Yunyan, nor any signs of contact with outsiders.

While Shen Qi was puzzled, Ru Deng's expression suddenly changed. He was copying scriptures at the time, and his hand paused, causing the ink to smudge.

With a serious expression, he put down the brush and said, "I need to go out."

"What's wrong?" Shen Qi, who was drawing with a brush nearby, looked up in surprise. Seeing Ru Deng's expression, he realized that Ru Deng must know about Zhuang Shan and Sang Yunyan. He tentatively asked, "Is it Zhuang Shan?"

"Yes." Ru Deng's face was grim. He picked up the page he had just ruined, and as it left the table, it caught fire. Watching the flames, he said, "Zhuang Shan is with my second sister."

Shen Qi showed appropriate surprise and then pretended to guess, "Your second sister wants to use Zhuang Shan..."

The paper turned to ashes. Ru Deng watched the floating ashes in silence, but his expression indicated that the truth was different.

Shen Qi raised an eyebrow but said no more. Regardless of the situation, his task was complete. He didn't need to interfere further; Ru Deng would handle it.

However, seeing Ru Deng's unpleasant expression made Shen Qi happy. In the past, Ru Deng would never show his true emotions in front of him. He would quickly adjust and return to his calm demeanor. But now, he didn't hide his displeasure. This change, perhaps even unnoticed by Ru Deng himself, was Shen Qi's greatest gain.

Shen Qi truly didn't interfere with Sang Yunyan's matters anymore. He even ignored Zhuang Shan. His lazy nature meant he only spent time with Zhuang Shan to make Ru Deng discover the affair with Sang Yunyan. Now that it was exposed, he couldn't be bothered to deal with it. When Ru Deng confronted him, he didn't even show up.

He silently observed the events that followed.

Sang Yunyan had indeed fallen for Zhuang Shan, though not very deeply yet. Initially, as Shen Qi had guessed, she wanted to use Zhuang Shan to get close to Zhuang Liang for revenge. But she didn't expect Zhuang Shan to be completely different from Zhuang Liang, and she fell for him.

Ru Deng's appearance flustered Sang Yunyan. "Brother, I..."

Ru Deng's face was expressionless as he said calmly, "I always remember what you told me when we were young. You wanted me to remember, to never forget, to avenge, and to kill the entire Zhuang family."

He still remembered the look on his second sister's face when she secretly came to see him after he was recognized as the Buddha's child. It was fierce and full of hatred, not towards him, but towards their enemies. She gripped his arm tightly, repeatedly telling him to avenge, fearing he would forget. She made him swear to recite it a hundred times every night before sleeping, or else he would never see her again.

When he was just five years old, he lost his parents and clan. His second sister was his only family. He believed her words, fearing he wouldn't see her again. Every night, he recited what she told him to say, over and over, until he fell asleep.

Year after year, hatred etched into his bones, becoming an obsession. But the person who planted this obsession in him now told him she regretted it. She didn't want revenge anymore.

How ironic.

He almost wanted to laugh.

Shen Qi sighed and silently held his hand. A notification sound chimed in his ear, and the five happiness points he had painstakingly earned instantly dropped back down.

"I..." Sang Yunyan avoided his gaze, biting her lip. "I'm sorry."

She was very beautiful. As Ru Deng's sister, she naturally shared his good looks. However, unlike Ru Deng's restrained and gentle appearance, her beauty was bold and striking, like a wild rose blooming in a field.

At this moment, she frowned, looking sorrowful, evoking pity.

"So?" Ru Deng asked calmly, his face expressionless. "What do you plan to do?"

Sang Yunyan was not a weak woman. She had risen to the position of the Holy Maiden of the Wushen Sect not just because of her beauty. Taking a deep breath, she said, "I will leave the Wushen Sect and start anew with Zhuang Shan in a place where no one knows us."

A hint of sarcasm flashed in Ru Deng's eyes. "Are you sure Zhuang Shan is willing to give up everything to go with you?"

Sang Yunyan couldn't help but defend Zhuang Shan. "Zhuang Shan is not like Zhuang Liang. You know their relationship isn't good. Zhuang Shan's talents don't match Zhuang Liang's, and Zhuang Zhiguan prefers Zhuang Liang. He's suffered a lot since childhood. He's different from Zhuang Liang and the rest of the Zhuang family."

She was very certain. "Zhuang Shan will go with me. He came this time to persuade me to leave the Wushen Sect with him. He's already made arrangements, and I'll help. There won't be any problems."

Shen Qi raised an eyebrow. If that's the case, why were they discovered in the outline? It means Zhuang Shan didn't arrange things well and still attracted attention.

But that's not right. In the original timeline, they were supposed to leave ten years later. By then, Zhuang Shan was a rising star in the Lingxiao Sect. At this time, he was just average, and people tried to win him over more because of his father.

Something must have happened in those ten years to elevate his status and gain attention. Given his personality, he would likely procrastinate, leading to complications. Zhuang Liang might have played a significant role in this.

This time, he wasn't valued yet, and Sang Yunyan had only been the Saintess for a few years. If handled well, they could still retreat safely.

Ru Deng's face remained expressionless, without even a flicker in his eyes. "I hope you won't regret it."

Sang Yunyan didn't respond, but her eyes said it all.

________________________

Half a month later, news spread that the Saintess of the Wushen Sect was beheaded by the disciples of the Wanfo Sect, her body destroyed. At the same time, no one noticed that Zhuang Shan, the youngest son of Zhuang Zhiguan, the head of a peak in the Lingxiao Sect, disappeared and was never seen again.

Far away in the East Sea, an uninhabited island welcomed a man and a woman. They settled there, living and multiplying, year after year, until they died.

The death of the Saintess shook the Wushen Sect, causing outrage. The sect leader was furious and vowed to sacrifice Ru Deng in blood.

To ensure safety, Ru Deng was ordered to stay in the temple and was forbidden to go out.

Originally, Master Puzhi sent a message asking him to return to the Wanfo Sect, but Ru Deng refused.

Ru Deng shut himself in to copy scriptures. Shen Qi knew he was in a bad mood, so he didn't disturb him and silently accompanied him in copying scriptures.

Scroll after scroll, Ru Deng's expression finally softened. Suddenly, he looked at Shen Qi and asked, "If it were you, what would you do?"

Caught off guard by the question, Shen Qi was stunned. "Do you mean Sang Yunyan or yourself?"

Ru Deng seemed surprised by his own question. After a moment of silence, he said, "Both."

Shen Qi thought for a moment and said, "If it were Sang Yunyan, I might do the same. But if it were you..." He rested his chin on the brush and looked at Ru Deng. "I probably wouldn't do as well as you. Even if I didn't oppose, I wouldn't help her."

As well as you...

Ru Deng paused in folding the rice paper. After a while, he looked up at Shen Qi. "Xiao Qi, would you lie to me?"

Shen Qi was taken aback and shook his head. "No."

Ru Deng couldn't help but stroke his snow-white cheek, his eyes shining with a strange light, but his tone was very gentle. "Then would you leave me?"

Shen Qi's eyes flickered, and he replied, "No."

Ru Deng smiled, cupping his face and planting a kiss as light as a feather on the corner of his lips. He whispered, "That's good."

Shen Qi lowered his eyes, hiding his emotions.

________________________

Time flew by. For cultivators, time was both the most lacking and the least lacking resource. In the blink of an eye, ten years had passed. Ru Deng's training mission in Youzhou had long ended, and he returned to the Wanfo Sect.

Although ten years had passed, Shen Qi and Ru Deng had spent less than half of that time together. Ru Deng spent most of his days in seclusion, especially in the last three years, during which he hardly woke up.

Finally, one day, a phenomenon appeared in the back mountain of the Wanfo Sect. Spiritual light and celestial music filled the air. Ru Deng had finally broken through from the Lingxin Realm to the Shendong Realm.

Reaching this realm meant Ru Deng had ascended to the higher levels of cultivation. It was known that after the Shendong Realm, there were only four realms left, or rather three, as no cultivator in this world had reached the final realm for a long time.

Ru Deng's master, Master Puzhi, was in the second-to-last realm but hadn't broken through in a thousand years. If he couldn't reach the final realm within a hundred years, he would exhaust his lifespan and pass away.

Ten years to go from Lingxin to Shendong wasn't the fastest, but it was within the range of genius. Naturally, Ru Deng received much praise, and the young monks of the Wanfo Sect looked at him with even more admiration.

Upon reaching the Shendong Realm, Ru Deng could expand his cave and accept disciples. For half a month, visitors came in an endless stream.

Ru Deng did not refuse and soon accepted six disciples. However, to everyone's surprise, none of these six disciples became the senior disciple. Ru Deng's first disciple was someone he brought back from outside.

It was a seventeen or eighteen-year-old boy with very ordinary looks. In a crowd, he was unnoticeable. Standing still, one might almost think no one was there unless he spoke.

Such an almost invisible person became the first disciple of the Buddha's child, attracting much curiosity. Fortunately, the other six disciples were young and did not show much rejection towards their senior brother.

The boy was ranked according to his generation, and Ru Deng gave him the Dharma name Zhen Heng.

Outsiders only knew that Zhen Heng was a child Ru Deng rescued in Youzhou and later quietly brought back to the Wanfo Sect. No one expected this unremarkable child to become Ru Deng's first disciple.

Only Shen Qi knew that Zhen Heng was actually Ru Deng.

Or rather, he was a clone of Ru Deng.

________________________

Author's Note:

For those who think Shen Qi is being overly accommodating, that's not the case. First, he carries memories and has experienced so much. From his perspective, he views Ru Deng and the fire spirits in each world with the tolerance of an elder. Therefore, he doesn't blame Ru Deng for his initial wariness and harm. Moreover, because he likes him, he is willing to be accommodating. In previous worlds, he easily succeeded in his strategies. Only in this world did he face a small setback, which is nothing to him.

Shen Qi is not naive. He won't always be unconditionally accommodating. The initial efforts will require double the return later. He knows this well. This world is slower-paced, being a fantasy world where time spans hundreds or thousands of years. The pace will pick up later, and everyone will understand Shen Qi's intentions.

No matter how cunning Ru Deng is, he can't outsmart Shen Qi, the old monster.

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Applaud for Happiness - Chapter 82

 

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.

________________________

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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Applaud for Happiness - Chapter 81

 

Chapter 81

Shen Qi felt thoroughly provoked this time.

From start to finish, Ru Deng hadn’t expressed any opinion about the matter with Zhuang Shan. Yet, his actions spoke volumes: he didn’t like it, and he was very unhappy.

Shen Qi understood that his displeasure wasn’t related to romantic feelings — perhaps just a hint of it — but more about things being beyond his control.

However, Shen Qi had no choice. He wasn’t a true spirit; he needed Ru Deng to see him as an equal. In his eyes, he was akin to an intelligent robot from the future — capable of complete control, hence naturally looked down upon.

So, he had to make Ru Deng aware of his independence. He wasn’t entirely dependent on him, nor would he blindly follow his orders. He had his own personality, his own thoughts, and things he wanted to do.

He gritted his teeth and accepted Ru Deng’s “punishment.” The flying vessel had restrictions: cultivators couldn’t use their divine senses to observe others. Otherwise, what was the point of separate rooms? Even without divine senses, cultivators were still sharp-eared and keen-eyed. A slightly louder sound behind a wooden wall would give them away.

When it was all over, Shen Qi felt almost drained. His previous upright stance, leaning against the table, had transformed into him slumping over a round stool. Ru Deng held his waist with one hand, occasionally retrieving items from storage pouches and pretending to rearrange them, masking the final intense collision and sticky sounds.

As the flying boat was about to touch down, Ru Deng hadn’t finished yet. From outside, Zhuang Shan kindly reminded them, “Master, Shen Qi, the flying boat is about to land.”

“Respond to him,” a deep voice echoed in Shen Qi’s ears. 

He straightened his waist, trying to maintain a normal tone, and replied, “Almost there.”

“Understood,” Zhuang Shan replied without noticing anything amiss.

Finally relieved from Ru Deng’s grip, Shen Qi stood up with his help. Ru Deng gently adjusted his disheveled clothes. Shen Qi remained lost in the recent excitement, his gaze vacant, and he made no resistance.

The young man was unusually compliant. Ru Deng lowered his head and lightly kissed Shen Qi’s lips, his gaze warm. “Xiao Qi is so obedient. Will you continue to be this way in the future?”

Startled out of his daze, Shen Qi responded almost reflexively, “No.”

Ru Deng’s gaze darkened.

Shen Qi raised his gaze to meet the other’s eyes, revealing a sincerity that seemed to stretch infinitely. In a soft voice, he said, “Rest assured, I swear I will never do anything harmful to you. You can trust me completely.”

The other person’s expression remained calm. “I like you, and I think you know that. So, I would never harm you. Even if you can’t fully trust me, you can still use my feelings for you. I won’t object or mind. I just hope you can trust me. Can you give me a chance?”

These words were already pushing his limits. After saying them, he couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. He hadn’t yet probed the depths of Ru Deng’s boundaries, but he himself had repeatedly broken his own.

The young man’s eyes sparkled with astonishing sincerity and hope. The intensity of that gaze made Ru Deng’s heart skip a beat, almost rendering him unable to meet it directly. He even took a step back involuntarily.

Realizing what he had just done, he stood frozen in place, struggling internally. His rational side urged him to accept quickly — this was a good thing. With emotions as a binding force, Shen Qi would go to great lengths to help him. All he needed to do was offer a smile or a few coaxing words. Besides, he had willingly allowed himself to be used, so he bore no burden.

Yet, emotions tugged at him, albeit for entirely different reasons. They urged him to comfort the young man, to kiss him, to assure him that he harbored no ulterior motives. To tell him…

He had developed feelings for him.

Yes, feelings.

As this sudden realization washed over him, Ru Deng’s pupils dilated dramatically, leaving him stunned.

Turns out, he actually liked Shen Qi. 

He wasn’t foolish — quite the opposite, he was remarkably intelligent. Swiftly, he analyzed the reasons that led to this conclusion.

In the Nine Provinces, there were more than a few instances of cultivators and spirits sustaining their connection through love. He had heard about many such cases, so the concept didn’t surprise him. What did surprise him was that it had come to involve him.

Being human, he was subject to emotions and desires. Moreover, he was acutely aware of his strong need for control and possessiveness.

Apart from Shen Qi’s occasional disobedience, everything else aligned perfectly with his inclinations. Their constant companionship naturally fostered a fondness.

And with fondness came affection.

So, this was entirely normal.

But what did liking someone change? He wasn’t heartless; disliking someone didn’t automatically mean he would like them. He had anticipated this, but even if he liked Shen Qi, it wouldn’t hinder his quest for revenge or his pursuit of strength. Besides, Shen Qi’s presence didn’t pose an obstacle; in fact, it could even be an advantage.

Shen Qi was his spirit vessel, destined to follow him and remain by his side. And yes, they had already shared their most intimate moments.

Considering all this, perhaps liking or not liking made little difference.

As long as Shen Qi didn’t become an impediment or a hindrance, allowing himself to like him seemed reasonable.

Having coldly analyzed the situation, he had no intention of revealing his thoughts to Shen Qi. He simply met his gaze and responded to his earlier words: “Alright.”

Shen Qi observed the subtle change in his expression and visibly relaxed, a bright smile gracing his lips.

Due to its geographical location, Youzhou wasn’t particularly large compared to other provinces. Mortals inhabited the entire realm, ruled by the city of Frostmoon. While there were several sects of cultivators, most were small or medium-sized. The Wanfo Sect didn’t operate within Youzhou’s boundaries, but due to the presence of the Wushen Sect, they maintained outposts throughout the region to safeguard peace.

The Wanfo Sect, dedicated to aiding the suffering, naturally held the frontline position near the border between the Wushen Sect and Shuangyue City.

The Twelve Cities, though they're called cities, were comparable in size to ancient kingdoms. Shuangyue City alone covered over five million square kilometers, yet it wasn’t the largest among the twelve.

Having settled matters with Zhuang Shan, Shen Qi and Ru Deng boarded a flying vessel to accompany him. It seemed Zhuang Shan was committed to maintaining his facade as an ordinary disciple of the Lingxiao Sect; he hadn’t produced any personal transportation. Instead, he rented a flying carriage, leading them on the journey to his secluded abode in Youzhou.

Throughout the trip, Zhuang Shan enthusiastically explained various aspects of Youzhou.

And so, Shen Qi learned that Youzhou boasted no fewer than forty sects of varying sizes. However, the aristocratic families held sway over the cultivation world here, rendering the sects relatively insignificant. Especially the smaller ones, which experienced rapid turnover. For well-off cultivators with family support and bloodline connections, why bother joining a sect at all?

Only commoners or those from impoverished backgrounds are sought after by sects to join them. However, these sects are too diverse and small in power. No matter how they cultivate, they can’t catch up with the deeply-rooted noble families.

Therefore, most of the spiritual veins in the Youzhou region are held by noble families, which hinders the prosperity of the sects.

However, with the increase in noble families, competition naturally arises. Coupled with blood relations, it leads to the inability of noble families to unify, forming the current situation.

As for the Shuangyue City where mortals reside, it’s much simpler. The city lord, similar to an emperor, governs the entire city. The city is divided into prefectures, counties, townships, and villages, managed by subordinates appointed by the city lord. Various sects or noble families would send cultivators who are unable to build a foundation or have no hope of further promotion to help, acting as guest officials. They provide protection and assistance to the city lord, which can also be considered a form of indirect surveillance.

Zhuang Shan’s cave dwelling is located in the northeast direction of Youzhou, not far from the grassland border occupied by the Wushen Sect. It belongs to the Ye family, a cultivator noble family.

In order to make money, noble families would offer some of their spiritual veins, build cave dwellings on them, and collect a certain rent for cultivators to live in.

Zhuang Shan’s cave dwelling was rented in this way. He paid ten years’ rent in one go, and only five years have passed.

For an ordinary disciple of the Shenxiao Sect, this move is normal. However, both Shen Qi and Ru Deng know that he is not an ordinary disciple. Concealing his identity and quietly arranging a secluded cave dwelling is suspicious no matter how you look at it.

Shen Qi knows that he did this to facilitate meetings with Sang Yunyan. Ru Deng doesn’t know, but it doesn’t prevent him from having doubts and wanting to resolve them.

After all, Zhuang Shan’s surname is Zhuang. His elder brother, Zhuang Liang, is the one who ordered the massacre of Ru Deng’s entire clan. When Sang Yunyan went to the Shenxiao Sect to become a disciple, she recognized her enemy through the same clothes. Before Ru Deng reestablished contact with her, he also knew her background. Because they are both righteous, he found Zhuang Liang faster than Sang Yunyan.

The three sects and nine schools of the righteous path have always been led by the Shenxiao Sect, the Yujian Sect, and the Wanfo. The Yujian Sect has the fewest disciples, but the strongest combat power. The Wanfo Sect, after all, carries the word “Buddha” and advocates compassion, not competing with others. Therefore, the three sects have always been led by the Shenxiao Sect.

The Shenxiao Sect has twelve peaks, each with a peak master. The father of Zhuang Liang and Zhuang Shan is one of the powerful peak masters.

Therefore, if Ru Deng wants to take revenge, he must do it without anyone knowing. Otherwise if he beats the small ones, the old ones will come. A peak master is not something he can currently compete with. Even if he has the power to compete, killing a peak master, the Shenxiao Sect will not let him go. Not only the Shenxiao Sect, once he is exposed, the entire Righteous path will not let him go.

Shen Qi couldn’t help shaking his head and sighing. This level of challeng... no wonder he ended up being the ultimate boss.

Now that he has met Zhuang Shan, Ru Deng will naturally not miss this opportunity.

The cave dwellings in the outside world are naturally much more luxurious than those in the Wanfo Sect. It’s more appropriate to call it a separate courtyard rather than a cave dwelling. Moreover, it’s two stories high. There’s even a small garden in the courtyard, with bamboo, water, and rockeries, which is very elegant.

Zhuang Shan opened the door with a specific array key and warmly invited them in. He took them on a tour and was pleased to see the lush flowers and plants in the courtyard. “I haven’t been here for a year. I didn’t expect these flowers and plants to grow so well. It seems that the management here is quite responsible.”

Upon entering the small building, he introduced, “There are two floors here. The first floor has a pill refining room, a tool refining room, and a seclusion room. The second floor is the bedroom. I have always lived on the west side. How about you two live on the east side?”

Ru Deng put his hands together in thanks, “In that case, I’m imposing on you, Brother Zhuang.”

Shen Qi also expressed his gratitude, but he needed to return to his room quickly. He didn’t have much time to appear in his current form and was about to collapse. He had to hurry back to his room to avoid Zhuang Shan.

So, he put on a tired expression. Zhuang Shan was very understanding and arranged for him and Ru Deng to rest first. The small building had plenty of rooms, so he gave one to each of them. Shen Qi raised his eyebrows and chose a room to go in. Once Zhuang Shan left, he decisively returned to his true spirit form and went back to Ru Deng’s side.

Ru Deng was sitting on the edge of the bed. Seeing him come over, he waved him over, “Come.”

Shen Qi floated over, “What are you planning to do?”

He was asking about Zhuang Shan.

Ru Deng pulled his hand gently and pulled him into his arms, seriously, “Do it lying down.”

Shen Qi choked, speechless, “I mean Zhuang Shan. He must have something to do coming to Youzhou. Perhaps we can make a breakthrough from him.”

He got to know Zhuang Shan, brought him to find him, and pushed him in front of Ru Deng. This was to get his attention and then take this opportunity to discover his and Sang Yunyan’s affairs. As for what to do after the discovery, he believed that Ru Deng would know what to do. It’s always better than making a fuss until he has to personally end his own sister.

“Don’t rush.” Ru Deng gently pushed his shoulder and pushed him down on the bed. Then he pressed down, gently stroking his cheek, his tone casual, “Since he’s here to do something, he naturally won’t leave in a hurry. He will always find the reason.”

His voice changed, becoming low, his eyes smiling, “Was it comfortable this morning?”

Shen Qi’s mind immediately floated up to the scene on the bed. His body trembled and he couldn’t help but cough, “Cough, cough, it’s okay…”

But he was a little strange in his heart. This was the first time Ru Deng had discussed this kind of thing with him. What was he thinking…

He couldn’t help but observe his intentions.

Ru Deng heard his words and raised his eyebrows. He seemed not very satisfied with his statement, thoughtfully, “It seems that it’s not enough…”

What’s not enough? Not enough of what?

Shen Qi subconsciously swallowed, feeling a bad premonition.

But Ru Deng just smiled and didn’t seem to want to do anything further. He lay down next to him and said softly, “Rest well.”

Is he really not going to do anything?

Shen Qi was skeptical, but seeing him really close his eyes as if he was going to sleep, he also closed his eyes, even though he didn’t need to sleep.

But why does he have a vague feeling that something is not quite right?

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Applaud for Happiness - Chapter 80

 

Chapter 80

Note: I do not read cultivation novels, so if you see any mistakes in the terminology I used, I apologize. T_T

Shen Qi only received an outline of the story, so he wasn’t clear about how Sang Yunyan fell in love with that rookie from the Righteous Path. He could only infer from the text that the two should have met by now, but he didn’t know the details. If he wanted to prevent it, this trip to Youzhou was a good opportunity.

Youzhou was separated from Leizhou by Bingzhou. Wanfo Sect advocated asceticism and did not encourage extravagance. Therefore, the disciples of the sect did not have flying boats or flying pavilions as personal transportation tools like other sects. Once they left the sect, they could only display their divine powers. Either they spent money to hire transportation, or they used divine powers related to movement. As for those without money and relevant divine powers, sorry, they could only walk.

As the beloved disciple of the chief elder, Ru Deng certainly wouldn’t lack money. He chose to hire transportation, went to the station specially for cultivators, paid money to ride the public flying boat, and went to Youzhou with many independent cultivators and disciples of small sects.

Ru Deng, in a snow-white monk’s robe, was obviously a disciple of the Wanfo Sect. There was only one Wanfo Sect in the Righteous Path, while the Demonic Path was divided into three sects. However, anyone could tell that Ru Deng was undoubtedly from the Righteous Path by his face and temperament.

Soon, there were those who recognized him and came to greet him. Ru Deng smiled and returned the greetings one by one, then went into his room and didn’t come out again.

It took seven days to travel from Leizhou to Youzhou by flying boat. Ru Deng took this time to familiarize himself with the divine powers he obtained from the secret realm. Shen Qi was bored, so he simply went out to play. He could now be separated from Ru Deng for about ten meters. The flying boat was not very big, but at least it allowed him to move around on the deck.

Due to the restrictions of being a monk, the flying boat rented by Ru Deng was only of medium size. Therefore, there were mostly independent cultivators and disciples of small sects on it. There were very few cultivators wearing the uniforms of the Ten Righteous Sects. Of course, it didn’t rule out that some people didn’t want to expose their identities and changed into ordinary clothes.

At this time, it was afternoon. After lunch, many people came out to walk and digest on the deck.

Shen Qi hid on the deck, watching the various cultivators. Some had cast shielding spells so he couldn’t hear what they were saying. Others were carefree and talked about interesting experiences and knowledge.

After making a round and basically observing everything that should be observed, he prepared to go back. Just as he turned around, he suddenly heard a name.

“Brother Zhuang Shan! Is it Brother Zhuang Shan?!”

Shen Qi stopped and turned around. He saw a green-robed youth excitedly waving at a purple-robed youth. The green-robed youth had a look of surprise, while the purple-robed youth looked somewhat confused.

Shen Qi immediately locked his gaze on the purple-robed youth. He had an eight out of ten in looks, seven in physique, a clear and upright temperament, and clear eyes. At first glance, he was the kind of good and simple person, and extremely upright. His forehead was just short of writing four big characters: Righteous Path.

He raised an eyebrow. If he remembered correctly, the name of Sang Yunyan’s lover was Zhuang Shan.

It was like finding something without even looking for it. He didn’t expect that the son of the head of a major sect would hide his identity and ride such a small flying boat. Shen Qi’s mind was filled with various speculations.

The green-robed youth was very excited and quickly walked up to Zhuang Shan. “Two months ago, in the Li Xian Cave, thanks to Brother Zhuang’s help, my senior brother and I were lucky to survive. Brother Zhuang left in a hurry that day, and my senior brother and I didn’t have time to thank you. I didn’t expect to meet you here today. It’s really fate. I’ll call my senior brother over.”

Zhuang Shan quickly waved his hand. “No need, no need. We are all on the righteous path and should support each other. Besides, I just did what I could. It’s not worth mentioning.”

However, the green-robed youth was very enthusiastic and insisted that Zhuang Shan wait here for a while so that his senior brother could come and thank him. Zhuang Shan had to talk him out of it and quickly left with an excuse.

Shen Qi stroked his chin and followed in a different direction.

Worried about the green-robed youth’s entanglement, Zhuang Shan walked hurriedly. As he turned a corner, he bumped into Shen Qi, who had revealed his form.

“I’m sorry.” He immediately apologized and looked up at Shen Qi, stunned.

Shen Qi didn’t plan to reveal his true spirit identity. He changed his clothes and demeanor to match those of the cultivators. He said gently, “No harm done. I was the one who was in a hurry.”

Zhuang Shan stared at him until Shen Qi spoke, then he looked embarrassed. “Brother, your demeanor is extraordinary. I was momentarily entranced and didn’t mean to offend. I’m truly sorry.”

Shen Qi’s face showed the usual gentle expression that Ru Deng had when facing outsiders. Even his demeanor was somewhat similar. He said with a smile, “With such praise from you, how could I be petty?”

Zhuang Shan looked slightly embarrassed. “I didn’t mean to flatter…”

“Just a joke, don’t mind it.” Shen Qi waved his hand and then introduced himself with a bow, “I am Shen Qi, just an independent cultivator.”

Zhuang Shan breathed a sigh of relief and laughed. “I am Zhuang Shan, a disciple of the Lingxiao Sect.”

Shen Qi looked envious and his tone became respectful. “So you are a senior from the Lingxiao Sect. Please don’t mind my earlier rudeness.”

Zhuang Shan quickly said, “No, no. I’m just an ordinary disciple of the Lingxiao Sect. You don’t have to be like this.” He seemed to have a good impression of Shen Qi and directly said, “I’m a few years older. If you don’t mind, we can call each other brothers. Seeing you is like seeing an old friend. I’m very happy. I hope you won’t refuse.”

Shen Qi first looked surprised, then joyful. He laughed and bowed to Zhuang Shan, “Little brother has met Brother Zhuang.”

________________________

Shen Qi, having experienced so many worlds, found it extremely simple to build a close relationship with someone if he truly wanted to. In just seven days, he and Zhuang Shan became like brothers. Zhuang Shan almost considered him a confidant. Fortunately, Zhuang Shan was a straight man and only saw him as a good brother and confidant, without any ulterior motives.

Finally, Shen Qi managed to get some information from Zhuang Shan. Zhuang Shan and Sang Yunyan met three years ago, and they already had feelings for each other. This trip to Youzhou was to meet Sang Yunyan.

Of course, this was Shen Qi’s conclusion based on the outline. Zhuang Shan only revealed that he had someone he liked, but didn’t say who it was.

Once Shen Qi had an idea, he didn’t ask any more questions. On the last day, when the flying boat was about to land, he didn’t actively look for Zhuang Shan as usual, but waited for Zhuang Shan to come to him.

A knock on the door sounded, “Brother Shen, it’s me.”

Ru Deng was reading scriptures. Hearing this, he frowned and looked at Shen Qi, who was lying on the couch bored. He wasn’t annoyed, but there was a hint of displeasure in his eyes, the displeasure of being kept in the dark.

Shen Qi slowly got up. The moment he got off the bed, his clothes changed, turning into the attire of an ordinary cultivator. He straightened his sleeves, his expression mysterious, and said softly, “Master, don’t worry. I have my reasons for doing this. As long as you remember, everything I do is for your good.”

Ru Deng raised his eyebrows and didn’t say anything more.

“I’m here.” Shen Qi raised his voice, quickly walked to the door, opened it, and welcomed Zhuang Shan in.

As Zhuang Shan entered the door, he said, “I’m sorry for coming unannounced. But the flying boat is about to land, and I’m worried that I might miss Brother Shen, so I wanted to ask what Brother Shen plans to do?”

When he entered the door and saw Ru Deng, he was surprised, “This…you…”

“Amitabha.” Ru Deng put down the scriptures, stood up and bowed, “The poor Monk Ru Deng, has met the senior.” Zhuang Shan was obviously older than them, and had already reached the Spirit Heart Realm, probably at the peak of the Spirit Heart Realm. According to the rules of the cultivation world, it was correct for Ru Deng to call him a senior.

“You are that disciple of Buddha?” Zhuang Shan had obviously heard of Ru Deng’s name. After the surprise, there was joy. He looked at Ru Deng with admiration in his eyes, “You are indeed worthy of the title of Holy Monk.”

Ru Deng smiled warmly, “Senior, you flatter me.”

Zhuang Shan hurriedly said, “No need to be so polite. We are both in the Spirit Heart Realm, so we can’t be considered seniors. My surname is Zhuang, and my name is Shan. I’m older, so you can just call me Brother Zhuang.”

Zhuang Shan!!

Ru Deng’s gaze flickered slightly, and he called out “Brother Zhuang” in a go-with-the-flow manner. Then he said, “Xiao Qi has been under Brother Zhuang’s care these past few days. He’s young, so if there’s anything inappropriate, I hope Brother Zhuang won’t mind.”

Shen Qi immediately put on a displeased expression and said, “Cousin, don’t wrong me. I’ve never caused trouble for others!” He lifted his chin and added, “Besides, Brother Zhuang is a disciple of the Lingxiao Sect, a large and prestigious sect. He wouldn’t be so petty.”

Zhuang Shan suddenly realized that Shen Qi was actually Ru Deng’s cousin.

Ru Deng also understood. It was indeed the Zhuang Shan he knew. His mind was churning, and he showed helplessness on his face. He explained to Zhuang Shan, “Shen Qi is my distant cousin. I only recognized him recently. He came to me alone, so I have to take more care of him.”

Zhuang Shan said, “Master, rest assured, Shen Qi is very intelligent and sensible. I like him very much.”

Shen Qi acted shyly as he was praised.

Ru Deng glanced at Shen Qi and said, “That’s good.”

After the pleasantries, Zhuang Shan remembered his purpose. He said, “Is this your first time in Youzhou? If you don’t mind, after the flying boat lands, you can join me. I spent two years in Youzhou during my past training, and I’m quite familiar with this place.”

Ru Deng laughed and said, “Brother Zhuang, I came to Youzhou to complete my training. If you are willing to help, it couldn’t be better.”

“Is that so?” Zhuang Shan was very happy, “I didn’t expect such a coincidence, good, good.”

He always liked to make friends with people who are high-minded like Ru Deng  and who are intelligent like Shen Qi. He met two at once, which made him very happy.

In his joy, he simply said, “I know that the Wanfo Sect’s training must go deep into the border. Master, since this is your first time here, why not stay in Youzhou City for a few days, gather some information, and know yourself and the enemy. I still have a cave house here, if you don’t mind, you can go with me, how about it?”

Shen Qi immediately nodded, “Good, good.” He smiled at Zhuang Shan, full of joy, “Thank you, Brother Zhuang!”

Zhuang Shan was taken aback when he saw his smile, and it took him a moment to recover.

Ru Deng squinted his eyes, then took out some spiritual fruits and food from his storage buckle and put them on the table. He said, “Since this is the case, I also thank Brother Zhuang.” Then he got up calmly, “There is still some time before the flying boat lands. Please rest here for a while, Brother Zhuang. Shen Qi and I have some things to sort out. It may take some time. I hope Brother Zhuang won’t mind.”

Zhuang Shan was very understanding, “I don’t mind.”

Monks inevitably have some privacy. Maybe Ru Deng was refining pills or making magical instruments in these seven days. The finishing touches naturally take some time. He could understand.

Shen Qi was a little surprised. What did they have to sort out? He was a true spirit, alone. Ru Deng was a monk, and his robe was also a magic robe, impervious to water and fire, and did not need to be washed. What did they have to sort out?

But since Ru Deng said so, he could only follow him into the room.

However, as soon as the door closed, his wrist tightened. He was pulled with a strong force, his back colliding with a wall of chest. He let out a subconscious light gasp, but the sound was muffled in his palm.

“Shh——”

A very soft sound came to his ear, accompanied by warm breath sprinkling down, making him shiver slightly.

The suppressed tone was deep and pleasant to hear. Light kisses, as soft as feathers, scattered from the root of his ear to his neck. “When did Xiao Qi learn to deceive? Haven’t I said that I hate being deceived the most in my life, hmm?”

The fingers covering his mouth curled up two fingers, lightly traced his lips twice, and then probed in.

“Um……” Shen Qi’s words of defense were choked in his throat.

“Be quieter.” The tone became even lighter, “Your Brother Zhuang is outside. What do you think he would think if he heard this?”

This was greatly stimulating.

Shen Qi didn’t expect Ru Deng to be so playful. His body trembled lightly, his throat was dry, his sensitive neck was lightly bitten, his legs softened, and he leaned against Ru Deng, barely able to stand.

“Heh, can’t take it already?” Ru Deng’s gaze was dark, his tone was teasing, but no matter how you heard it, the laughter was filled with sarcasm. “But Xiao Qi, you said it yourself. If you’re not good, as your master, I have to make you behave.”

With that, he lightly pushed Shen Qi’s shoulder, causing him to lose balance and stumble forward. In front of him was a round table. He instinctively reached out to grab the edge of the table to support his body. However, before he could react, the person behind him quickly pressed against him. One hand covered his mouth again, the other grabbed his belt, and with a light tug, his clothes were stripped off.

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Applaud for Happiness - Chapter 79

 

Chapter 79

At first, Shen Qi just wanted to tease Ru Deng. His sanctimonious chanting annoyed him, and he wanted to do something to break it. He didn’t intend to go all the way, especially since there were people outside. Even though the ruins blocked divine sense from probing in, if they were noticed, it would inevitably cause trouble and disrupt Ru Deng’s plan.

So when his clothes were lifted, he was slightly taken aback. He held Ru Deng’s hand, but he was caught along with his other hand and restrained behind him. Ru Deng’s other hand was knocking on the wooden fish, controlling him. He looked into his eyes and signaled him to proceed.

Really proceed?

Shen Qi frowned, but seeing Ru Deng insist, he laughed and did as he wanted.

At this moment, the Buddha statue suddenly emitted a bright light. The sudden appearance of light in the dim room immediately attracted their attention.

The originally kind-faced Buddha statue changed its face, or rather, the entire Buddha statue changed. It turned from one to two. The cross-legged Buddha was holding another Buddha with a slender waist and plump buttocks in his arms. The two Buddhas’ cheeks were touching, their four arms embracing each other, very intimate.

It was exactly the same as Shen Qi and Ru Deng’s movements at this time.

Shen Qi was stunned. So the key to the solution was here! It was actually the Buddha of Joy!

He immediately reacted and looked at Ru Deng. Did he have a premonition earlier, so he insisted on letting him continue just now?

He couldn’t help but frown.

Ru Deng had already stopped chanting, got up with him in his arms, and walked directly to the Buddha statue. He stared at the Buddha statue with fiery eyes, looked down at Shen Qi’s expression, hesitated for a moment, and pressed his frowning brow: “Just now, when you were helping me… I noticed the Buddha statue was moving.”

Was he explaining to him?

Shen Qi’s brows relaxed instantly. Given Ru Deng’s character, he never bothered to explain his actions. But now, he was explaining to him. Regardless of whether it was premeditated or not, with his words, these were not problems!

His gloom dissipated, and Shen Qi’s face, which had just darkened, immediately brightened. He hooked his hands around Ru Deng’s neck, his smile joyful and cheerful, which made Ru Deng pause.

This was not the first time he saw Shen Qi smile, but it was the first time he saw him smile so happily. There was no impurity, no grudge, just pure joy and happiness. And the source of this smile… was him.

There was a strange emotion fermenting in his heart, making him uncomfortably frown.

This was an unfamiliar emotion for him, and subconsciously, he felt repelled by it.

He was a human, but he didn’t like humans, whether they were the hypocritical righteous or the inhumane demons, he disliked them all.

His sister thought it was because of his childhood experiences, but only he knew that it wasn’t just that. From his childhood, from the time when his parents were unharmed, he was like this.

When his parents and villagers were killed, he was also heartbroken, but deep down, he felt it should be this way. It’s survival of the fittest. If you’re not as good as others, you’ll be eliminated. If you don’t want to die, then become stronger, strong enough that no one can stop you.

Everyone said he was a disciple of Buddha, but they didn’t know that he clearly had a demon’s heart.

When he first saw Shen Qi, he was very satisfied. He could tell at a glance that this was a spirit that would become his aid, not a burden. Although what happened later surprised him, he didn’t refuse.

Although he joined the Wanfo Sect, he didn’t plan to be a monk for life. He would eventually leave. He was a man, a healthy man, and naturally had needs. He didn’t like people before, no one could catch his eye, but his spirit was different. They were his other half, they could only depend on him, be controlled by him, and wouldn’t bring troubles beyond his control. Why not enjoy it?

Especially at the moment of fusion, he felt even more that it should be this way.

Shen Qi liked him, he knew. He never hid it, and was not shy about expressing his feelings.

He didn’t take it to heart, even indulged it. For those who could help him, he was always generous in opening up his bottom line.

Especially since every time he was with Shen Qi, he also vented his negative emotions.

He was a human, and also had emotions and desires. He was not a saint who had no desires, no demands. The mask was worn for too long, and the repression in his heart was increasing more and more. The appearance of Shen Qi gave him a good outlet.

This was also one of the reasons why he was willing to indulge Shen Qi's various antics.

The more stimulating it was, the more negative emotions he could vent.

In his opinion, whether it was people or things in this world, they were divided into two kinds, useful and useless. He didn’t discriminate against feelings, nor did he look down on feelings, but he never thought it would fall on him.

Compared to these time-wasting and boring feelings, only power was his goal.

So at this moment, he just frowned, ruthlessly discarded that strange emotion, and his expression was covered again by his usual gentleness.

Shen Qi keenly caught his change at this moment, sighed in his heart, but didn’t say much, just frowned and said uncomfortably, “It hurts…”

He was leaning against the Buddha statue, and it hurt.

Ru Deng then held him in his arms, and at the same time, the light on the Buddha statue became brighter and brighter, enveloping the two of them. A golden light shot out from the Buddha statue’s forehead and entered Ru Deng’s forehead.

The entire hall began to shake, with stone bricks and wooden beams falling down. Ming Wu’s exclamation came from outside, while Ru Deng and Shen Qi were enveloped in light, unharmed.

Ru Deng closed his eyes to accept the inheritance, while Shen Qi carefully withdrew and helped him tidy up his clothes to avoid embarrassment when they met Ming Wu later.

After about half an hour, the inheritance finally ended. Ru Deng opened his eyes, a hint of joy in his eyes. Clearly, this inheritance was much stronger than before.

With the inheritance solved, the entire hall disappeared. Even the entire island began to collapse inch by inch. Ru Deng flew over the broken jade bridge and returned to the land covered by snow.

Ming Wu, who was waiting nearby, immediately came up: “Quickly, tell me how you cracked this secret realm. What’s wrong with those two Buddha statues?”

Naturally, Ru Deng couldn’t tell him the truth. He just shook his head and said, “I don’t know. I was just chanting. As I was chanting, the Buddha statue suddenly lit up, and then I received the inheritance.”

Shen Qi laughed, his arms around his neck.

Ru Deng suddenly looked down at him, a smile in his eyes.

Ming Wu scratched his ears and cheeks, frowning. He thought for a long time but couldn’t figure it out. The inheritance of divine power is everyone’s privacy, and he couldn’t ask too much. After thinking about it, he could only conclude that it might be due to individual karma. However, not being able to get a specific answer was quite regrettable.

One major divine power, four minor divine powers, were enough for Ru Deng. Any more, and he wouldn’t be able to control them. So he bid farewell to Ming Wu and left the secret realm.

When he entered the secret realm, it was the end of May. When he came out, it was already the end of June. Nearly a month had passed. During this month, many cultivators in the outside world had successfully broken through the realm of contemplation. Even in the Wanfo Sect, three disciples had broken through one after another and were also allowed to enter the secret realm. However, the secret realm was vast, and Shen Qi and Ru Deng did not meet.

Once a cultivator reached the Spirit Heart Realm, they were considered a full-fledged cultivator. It was like graduating from college and stepping into society. According to the rules of the Wanfo Sect, Ru Deng needed to be station at the edge of the boundary between the demonic and righteous paths in the Nine Provinces for five years.

This was a mission, but also a trial.

Ru Deng chose Youzhou, located at the northwest end of the Nine Provinces. It was covered by an endless grassland and was the base of the Wushen Sect, one of the three strongest sects of the demonic path.

Everyone in the Wanfo Sect felt that Ru Deng indeed had the demeanor of a saint, sacrificing himself for others, and taking the most dangerous task. However, Shen Qi knew that Ru Deng chose Youzhou because his only relative, his second sister Sang Yunyan, was in the Wushen Sect.

Back then, the entire village was wiped out, leaving only Sang Yunyan and Ru Deng. Sang Yunyan fled with Ru Deng. She was just a twelve-year-old girl who couldn’t even support herself, let alone Shen Qi. So she sent Shen Qi to the Wanfo Temple in the city. Coincidentally, he was assigned to an elder cultivator in the temple who declared him to be a disciple of Buddha, and thus, Ru Deng entered the Wanfo Sect.

At that time, Sang Yunyan harbored hatred in her heart and was determined to seek revenge. Seeing that her brother was settled, she wanted to join another sect. However, by a strange coincidence, she discovered that the sect she was going to join was the one where the murderer of her village belonged. In her hesitation, she encountered the Wushen Sect coming to snatch disciples, and they took her along with many other seedlings back to the Wushen Sect.

Perhaps Sang Yunyan was naturally suited for cultivating the demonic way. She had great talent. Over a decade later, she became the new generation’s Saintess of the Wushen Sect.

One sibling was a Saintess of the Demonic Path, and the other was a Holy Monk of the Righteous Path. No one would have thought that these two people, who were poles apart, would be siblings.

If things continued this way, it would be a story of the siblings, one black and one white, protecting each other, cooperating to take revenge and kill, and reaching the peak of life.

But things unexpectedly took a turn. If Ru Deng was walking the path of a crazed, vengeful antagonist, then Sang Yunyan was in a melodramatic love story.

Love is something that people both love and hate.

As the Saintess of the Wushen Sect, Sang Yunyan fell in love with the person she should least love. She fell in love with the younger brother of the man who killed her father and exterminated her clan.

Although this younger brother and the enemy were half-brothers and their relationship was not close, even somewhat hostile.

But without mentioning this, just the fact that the righteous and demonic ways are incompatible, was enough for them to stage an eighty-episode melodrama of “you love me, I don’t love you, I love you but have to let go”.

After a series of misunderstandings, reconciliations, more misunderstandings, and more reconciliations, Sang Yunyan chose love, gave up revenge, and decided to betray their respective sects with her lover and wander the world.

However, one was a Saintess who was the focus of everyone’s attention and carefully cultivated, and the other was the son of the Sect head, a rookie with a rising reputation. Wanting to leave quietly was not that easy.

No matter how you look at this love affair, the story of Romeo and Juliet was their ending.

The facts proved this to be true. That rookie was caught by his own father and locked up in the back mountain of the sect. Sang Yunyan escaped, but returned to save him, even knowing that this was walking into a trap. And then, she was killed by Ru Deng’s own hands.

Yes, by his own hands.

In the midst of misunderstandings, reconciliations, more misunderstandings, and more reconciliations with her lover, Sang Yunyan confessed her hatred and also revealed that she had a brother. That lover was forced by his own father to reveal everything. Originally, he was just worried that his son would leak the secrets of the sect, but he didn’t expect to find out about this.

In order not to expose himself, Ru Deng had to kill Sang Yunyan.

Shen Qi didn’t know what kind of feelings he had when he personally ended the life of his only relative. He didn’t comment on Sang Yunyan’s actions. He just hoped that this time, he could do something to prevent this tragedy from happening.

And calculating the timeline, at this time, Sang Yunyan and that lover had already met.

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Applaud for Happiness - Chapter 78

 

Chapter 78

Note: Hey guys, apologies for the delay. I've been focusing on Plug-in Delivery System (another world hopping/QT novel, if you're interested ^^), which finally ended a couple of weeks ago. Applaud for Happiness is next on my list. My goal is to get the last chapter out by the end of this month. Since we still have 34 unpublished chapters, I'll most likely be doing 1 to 2 chapter releases every day. Stay tuned! And thank you so much for waiting! 

If you want to make Shen Qi behave, one attempt won’t suffice. After all, he’s someone who has endured ten days and ten nights. The matter with Ru Deng is hardly worth considering.

However, inside the open-sided wilderness pavilion, with snow swirling outside, it’s rather interesting. Especially since Shen Qi must focus on playing chess. All in all, it’s been quite an experience.

Shen Qi secretly added another entry to the Longyang Anthology.

As their bodies moved rhythmically, piece after piece fell on the board. In their final release, Shen Qi trembled with excitement. Almost impulsively, he turned around and kissed Ru Deng.

Lost in emotion, they played their moves without regret.

Black wins.

A flash of light on the chessboard shot straight toward Ru Deng’s brow. He closed his eyes, accepting the transmission of divine knowledge. Countless symbols flickered through his mind. It felt like an eternity, or perhaps just a moment. When he opened his eyes, the chessboard began to slowly vanish, along with the entire pavilion, dissipating into the wind and snow.

His clothes were neatly arranged. Shen Qi was no longer in his embrace; instead, he leaned lazily against a pillar, gazing at the snowy scene outside.

As the pavilion disappeared, the wind and snow rushed in, causing the young man’s loose garments to flutter enchantingly. His long hair, tied at the back, danced in the air. With a crimson headband, he stood out in the white world like an otherworldly spirit.

The young man’s gaze held an unfamiliar melancholy expression, as if he longed for someone or something.

A hint of darkness flickered in Ru Deng’s eyes. He stepped forward, following the direction of the young man’s gaze. “What are you looking at?”

Shen Qi snapped out of his daze, realizing that the pavilion was fading away. He glanced at Ru Deng and smiled. “Congratulations, Master, on acquiring your first divine ability.”

Ru Deng locked eyes with him. “What were you thinking just now?” He gently brushed Shen Qi’s cheek with his hand, his touch light. His tone softened, “Hmm?

Shen Qi drew out his words, wearing an expression of uncertainty. But when he saw Ru Deng’s eyes darken, he suddenly grinned. “Naturally, I was thinking of you, Master!”

He extended his arm playfully, teasing, “Who did Master think I was thinking about? Is Master feeling jealous?” 

“Rest assured,” his gaze softened, yet carried an unwavering determination. His expression turned serious and resolute. “You are my first master, and you will be my last. There will be no one else — only you, forever.”

Ru Deng’s pupils contracted. The usual tenderness on his face receded like a retreating tide. He stared at Shen Qi without expression for a moment, then finally relaxed his brow, revealing a faint smile. “I’ll remember your words.”

With that, he stepped forward, embracing Shen Qi tightly. They continued their journey through wind and snow. But this time, the embrace wasn’t merely protective; it was an effort to draw Shen Qi close. The oversized sleeves covered his bare feet, shielding him from the cold, even though Shen Qi hardly felt it.

Divine abilities weren’t limited to just one. While more wasn’t necessarily better, having additional means could mean an extra chance at survival.

Having acquired the divine ability from the chessboard, Ru Deng and Shen Qi pressed deeper into the mysterious realm. Along the way, they encountered three smaller relics, all of which they added to their collection.

Within this realm, day and night didn’t exist. They moved intermittently, and approximately three days had passed when they stumbled upon a grand relic.

It resembled a floating island, detached from the land beneath their feet. The small island hovered in the air, covering an area of no more than two hundred square meters. On it stood an opulent palace, intricately adorned with carved beams and painted rafters. Unlike the previous relics they’d seen, this one bore no resemblance to any Buddhist architecture — except for the scriptures engraved on the crimson pillars.

A white jade bridge connected the land to the floating island. However, the bridge was broken in the middle, revealing a massive gap. For ordinary mortals, it would be an insurmountable obstacle. But Ru Deng, as a cultivator, easily leaped across the chasm and stepped onto the floating island.

The palace gates stood wide open, with no concealment or protective formations. The interior was visible — a grand hall resembling an imperial court. At its center sat a throne, flanked by three small arched bridges. Beneath these bridges flowed water, winding around the entire rectangular hall. Nine tall pillars adorned the hall, each inscribed with intricate scriptures.

The palace lacked a signboard, or perhaps it had been destroyed.

As Ru Deng entered, he realized the interior defied spatial boundaries. The outside view doubled in size upon entry. The throne seemed farther away, the nine pillars now requiring four people to encircle. The scriptures on the pillars enlarged, and the one-meter-wide channel expanded to two meters. The entire inner space had naturally grown. Looking left and right, they noticed separate rooms on either side of the grand hall, their doors tightly shut.

This relic didn’t match any recorded descriptions. Ru Deng observed cautiously, then gently set Shen Qi down. “Be careful.”

Shen Qi couldn’t stray too far from him for now. However, he could still circle the grand hall. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary inside. The room on the right appeared normal, but when Shen Qi reached the left side, he halted and floated back. “Someone’s here.”

Before Ru Deng could react, the door on the left swung open, revealing a towering Buddha statue. Seated before it was a middle-aged monk in brown robes. The monk turned to Ru Deng, not surprised by their presence but rather intrigued. “Visualization Realm, if I calculate correctly. You’re from the ‘Ru’ generation, aren’t you?” 

“Ru Deng has met the senior.” Ru Deng bowed respectfully.

The middle-aged monk scrutinized Ru Deng, clicking his tongue twice. “No need for excessive formalities. Monastics need not be so particular. You young monks are always so caught up in rituals. I am Ming Wu, from the Ming generation. You can address me as ‘Shishu’ — that’s sufficient. How many of you from the Ru generation have entered this time?”

Ru Deng replied, “I entered alone.”

“Ah.” Ming Wu raised an eyebrow, his expression rich. He didn’t resemble a solemn monk; there was no air of a grand master. “And who is your master?”

“My teacher is known as Pu Zhi.”

Ming Wu suddenly coughed, his face alternating between pale and bluish. He pursed his lips. “So, you’re Pu Zhi’s disciple. Very well. Feel free to explore here. Since you’re Pu Zhi’s disciple and you’ve called me ‘Shishu,’ I’ll reveal the key to this grand hall. Have you seen the rooms on both sides? Each side houses a Buddha statue, and the answer lies within these two statues. I’ve spent eight years studying every inch of this hall, yet I’ve been unable to crack its mystery.” (Note: 师叔 [Shī shū] = Uncle-Master, someone of your teacher's generation, but lower in ranking than your teacher)

He chuckled. “I should have left this realm long ago, but I swore to unravel this enigma in a fit of anger. Rarely do I find someone who has stumbled upon this place. I don’t care about the lineage; feel free to walk and observe. If you can solve this puzzle, tell me the truth afterward. I can offer you elixirs or talismans in exchange. How does that sound?”

To ensure Ru Deng didn’t doubt him, Ming Wu stepped out of the room, found an empty spot in the grand hall, and sat down. “The Buddha statues are yours to study. I swear by the Buddha’s heart that I harbor no ill intentions.”

Ru Deng smiled. “Shishu, there’s no need for such assurances. I trust you.” Seeing Ming Wu’s surprise, he added more tactfully, “I’ve heard of your name from fellow practitioners.”

This unconventional master, who saw things through to the end, even if it meant losing sleep and appetite, had become a legend among the Wanfo Sect disciples. Despite vanishing for ten years, stories of his exploits persisted. Now, Ru Deng discovered he’d been hidden away in this mysterious realm.

Ming Wu seemed aware of his public image. He chuckled twice and said no more.

Ru Deng led Shen Qi into the room, searching for a breakthrough.

The identical Buddha statues on both sides puzzled Shen Qi. Unfamiliar with Buddhism, he couldn’t discern which Buddhas they represented. Moreover, names varied across different worlds, even if appearances remained the same.

According to Ru Deng, these statues depicted Guan Wen Buddha, the founder of Buddhism in this world. His image adorned the Wanfo Sect’s grand hall.

Inside the room, aside from the Buddha statue, there was only a cushion.

Shen Qi circled both statues but found nothing amiss. He couldn’t sense any anomalies. He shrugged and gestured to Ru Deng. “Anything related to the Buddha should be your expertise.” Turning away, he observed the grand hall. The court-like decor intrigued him. Could there be monks aspiring to be emperors in this world? 

In the vast temple, where enlightenment eluded the eyes of both Ming Wu and Ru Deng, the latter floated toward the grand throne. Seating himself upon it, he surveyed the expanse before him. Yet, apart from the widened vista, he sensed no discernible difference.

Ming Wu had spent eight years grappling with the enigma, but Ru Deng, devoid of any protagonist’s halo, couldn’t expect a swift resolution. Like Ming Wu, he lingered within the temple’s confines.

For five consecutive days, Ru Deng meticulously studied the scriptures inscribed on the nine pillars. Although he hadn’t cracked the code, he gleaned valuable insights. On the fifth day, a revelation struck him, prompting a three-day seclusion.

Meanwhile, Shen Qi found himself bored and trapped within the grand hall. He surrendered to the temple’s illusory realm, shaping his surroundings as he pleased to pass the time.

Weeks passed, yet progress remained elusive.

One day, Ru Deng shifted from the left chamber to the right, closing the door behind him. There, he scrutinized the Buddha statue. Meanwhile, Ming Wu sat cross-legged in the central hall, his demeanor serene. Five days had elapsed since he last uttered a word.

Ru Deng retrieved a wooden fish from a hidden compartment, hoping for progress in his meditative recitations. Despite his impatience, the very challenge that defied easy solution underscored the extraordinary nature of this mystical power. He was determined to master it.

As he rhythmically tapped the wooden fish and twirled the prayer beads — both conjured by Shen Qi — he immersed himself in the sacred task.

Meanwhile, Shen Qi luxuriated in the illusory hot springs, attuned to any disturbance. Reacting swiftly, he donned his robe as his form materialized.

This was the first time Shen Qi witnessed Ru Deng’s solemn devotion. Clad in pristine white robes, his ethereal countenance exuded an indescribable sanctity. Unaware of Ru Deng’s true identity, anyone would marvel at this revered monk.

Narrowing his eyes, Shen Qi leaned down, embracing Ru Deng’s shoulder. With a swift nip on his lips, he whispered, “Master, your demeanor is truly tantalizing.”

As Ru Deng opened his eyes, he glanced toward the door, signaling someone’s presence. Suppressing the urge to resist, he shook his head and silently mouthed, “Don’t cause a disturbance.”

Shen Qi wriggled free from Ru Deng’s grasp, straddling him. His grin was mischievous as he whispered, “Fear not, Master. Focus solely on your scriptures. This time, allow me to serve you. If you worry about being discovered, just recite your prayers silently — no other sounds.” He playfully nipped at Ru Deng’s Adam’s apple, feeling the tension in the monk’s muscles. “Surely, this minor challenge won’t fluster you, Master?”

Ru Deng’s eyes remained dark and intense. His hands continued to tap the wooden fish, unwilling to pause. If he had to stop, he’d at least finish the current passage.

Shen Qi avoided Ru Deng’s lips, choosing other places to kiss. “I am a true spirit,” he murmured. “No one, except you, can see or hear me. Relax and enjoy, Master.” His hand slipped beneath the pristine white robe, a smile playing on his lips. “But remember, Master, don’t lose control until the scripture ends — don’t disrupt your breath.”

Ru Deng’s body tensed, but the pressure of the hand on Shen Qi's shoulder gradually eased. Eventually, he surrendered, shifting upward to his scalp. Ru Deng’s five fingers slid into the soft strands of hair, and with deliberate pressure, he pressed down.

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