After Crossdressing and Provoking Long AoTian

Yu Qingtang: “...”

He had always known he was not exactly a man of iron will, but he had never imagined that, faced with beauty, his resolve would prove this fragile.

He shut his eyes in anguish. Still, a nod once given was like water already spilled. There was probably no taking it back.

Yu Qingtang drew a deep breath. “When are we slipping away? You’d better do it before I change my mind...”

“Forget it.” He sank into the water in surrender. “Even if I do change my mind when the time comes, you can just throw me over your shoulder and carry me off. It’s not like I can beat you anyway.”

Ye Chenyan chuckled. “Then we’ll leave early.”

“Don’t worry. I’m not going to drag you away recklessly. I’ll find people to help us.”

Yu Qingtang looked over curiously. “Who?”

“If we want to leave Nanzhou, we’ll naturally need Starwatch Pavilion’s help.” Ye Chenyan raised an eyebrow. “It won’t be easy to hide it from Senior Sister Tianxin. If she’s willing to help, all the better.”

“And there’s one more person... the old Fox King.”

“The old Fox King?” Yu Qingtang asked curiously.

“He loves joining in on nonsense like this, so he’ll probably be happy to get involved. But what do we need his help with?”

Ye Chenyan laughed. “Did you forget? Madam Xueyao, the woman we met today, does business with Fire Cauldron Sect.”

“She’s delivering medicinal herbs to them. If everything goes smoothly, we can blend into her group and travel with them.”

“Oh—” Realization dawned on Yu Qingtang. “That makes sense!”

“Give me a moment to sort this out.”

He closed his eyes and began reviewing how this part had unfolded in the original plot.

For Ye Chenyan to break through to the Out-of-Body stage, there was no getting around that pill from the old Pill King.

In the original story, after completing the demon race’s trials in Nanzhou, Ye Chenyan entered Great Wilderness Mountain and challenged the demonfolk there to temper himself. It had not begun at the auction house, but he had still turned the entire region upside down.

It was during that period in Great Wilderness Mountain that he first met Senior Brother Du Heng. Together, they dealt with several heretical cultivators. Each found the other’s temperament agreeable enough, so they traveled together for some time.

Du Heng claimed to be a wandering pill cultivator, but in truth, he had followed one of Fire Cauldron Sect’s inner disciples there.

That disciple had originally studied under the old Pill King, and Du Heng had trusted him deeply. Yet after the old Pill King entered seclusion, the man gradually began ingratiating himself with the acting sect master, the Tianyuan Pill King. In the end, he even turned traitor, falsely accused Du Heng of bullying his fellow disciples, and had him expelled from Fire Cauldron Sect.

Du Heng had followed him all the way to Nanzhou partly to extract information from him and partly to take revenge.

Conveniently, Fire Cauldron Sect’s grand disciple-recruitment ceremony was not far off. Du Heng also intended to disguise himself as a newcomer and infiltrate the sect again. To prepare, he needed to find unusual medicinal ingredients in Nanzhou and refine pills that differed from his usual work.

Though as far as Yu Qingtang was concerned, Du Heng’s greatest identifying feature was probably the chili flavor that could never be removed.

Du Heng knew how to disguise himself. At the time, Ye Chenyan had also wanted to leave Nanzhou, but the demon race refused to let him go.

Back then, he had not known that breaking through to the Out-of-Body stage required a certain pill, nor had he understood why they were keeping him there. Unwilling to remain trapped, he disguised himself with Du Heng and secretly slipped out of Nanzhou. Together, they traveled to Fire Cauldron Sect in Yunzhou and helped Du Heng rescue his master.

That was how the original plot had gone.

Now, though, the story had veered so far off course it might as well have crossed the entire world.

They had met Senior Brother Du Heng far earlier than they should have, and then met him a second time on top of that. Ye Chenyan had also completed the trials ahead of schedule, which meant he had entered Great Wilderness Mountain earlier too—and happened to run into the Mountain-Shaking Ape King’s funeral feast, an event the original story had never even mentioned.

As for Senior Brother Du Heng...

He might be somewhere in Nanzhou.

He might be near Great Wilderness Mountain.

Or he might not have arrived yet at all.

In other words, anything was possible.

Yu Qingtang lifted his head wearily and stared at the brilliant night sky.

Heavenly Dao, you are working hard, aren’t you? Even if Ye Chenyan completed the trials early, you must have found some way to rush Senior Brother Du Heng to Nanzhou at top speed, right?

Ye Chenyan waited a while before asking, “Sorted it out?”

“More or less,” Yu Qingtang replied uncertainly.

“When I mention Fire Cauldron Sect, does anyone come to mind?”

Ye Chenyan raised an eyebrow. “The Tianyuan Pill King.”

“Cangzhu.”

Yu Qingtang reminded him, “The strangely shaped one.”

Understanding dawned on Ye Chenyan. “Oh—the chili-flavored one!”

Yu Qingtang nodded quickly. “Yes, yes, him!”

Ye Chenyan’s eyes curved with amusement. “The one who secretly crawled into your room in the middle of the night.”

Yu Qingtang: “...Huh?”

Ye Chenyan gave a soft snort of laughter. “We saw him in Qingzhou before. No idea where he is now.”

“If we happen to run into him in Yunzhou, that would be perfect. But...”

“Barring any accidents,” Yu Qingtang said with a sincere nod, “he should be in Nanzhou. Why don’t we have people look for him first?”

Ye Chenyan knew Yu Qingtang had read that book. He knew Yu Qingtang was aware of many things he did not, and he also knew that because of the Heavenly Dao’s checks and balances, there were some things Yu Qingtang simply could not say.

He did not press for details and merely nodded. “All right. We’ll have Pleasure Sect post a notice, and we’ll ask Starwatch Pavilion for help too.”

“But he disguises himself all the time. Even if we meet him, we might not recognize him.”

“Exactly.” Yu Qingtang chuckled. “That’s why we need him to come find us. Just write: ‘Seeking a pill cultivator capable of making every pill taste like chili peppers. We have missed you greatly since parting in Qingzhou.’”

“If he isn’t stupid, he should realize it has something to do with us.”

“All right,” Ye Chenyan agreed. “I’ll send Candle Nine Yin a transmission later.”

“I haven’t had Pleasure Sect do anything for me since becoming its sect master. This is the perfect chance to put them to work.”

He suddenly reached out and poked Yu Qingtang’s cheek. “Have you been soaking too long? Your face is all red.”

Yu Qingtang touched his cheek. “Hm? It’s not that bad.”

“We didn’t stay in this long last time...”

He reluctantly sank a little deeper into the water. “But we’re leaving soon. I want to enjoy it a little longer.”

Ye Chenyan turned to look at him. “You’re reluctant to go?”

“Not that reluctant.” Yu Qingtang blinked. “But now that I know we’re leaving, I do feel a little sorry to go.”

He turned his head. “I’m going to eat two more scorpions.”

Ye Chenyan laughed. “You like them that much?”

“Mm.” Yu Qingtang held a scorpion between his teeth and answered with complete confidence.

Ye Chenyan sighed. “Then I’ll head out first. Don’t stay too long. You can bring the food inside to eat.”

“Mhm, mhm.” Yu Qingtang nodded perfunctorily.

Ye Chenyan suddenly pointed off to one side. “Look over there.”

Yu Qingtang turned his head instinctively—and was kissed on the cheek.

“Mm!” With the scorpion still hanging from his mouth, Yu Qingtang’s eyes widened. He tried to speak, but all that came out was a muffled, “You...”

He had actually fallen for such a primitive distraction!

Ye Chenyan flicked the scorpion between his lips and sighed. “It’s not just your heart that has no room for me. Your mouth is full too.”

Yu Qingtang: “...”

Thank you, scorpion.

Otherwise, it would not have stopped at a kiss on the cheek. He would have been kissed on the lips, and that really would have been going too far.

...

Early the next morning, Scholar Xiao stood outside chatting with Nobody-Likes-Me, looking thoroughly refreshed.

When he saw the two of them emerge, his eyes lit up. “Good morning, you two!”

“Morning!” Yu Qingtang stretched.

He was just about to tell Scholar Xiao that the two of them planned to leave Nanzhou when Scholar Xiao spoke first.

“I just received a transmission from Brother Chi. He said he made quite a haul in the dragon-lineage treasury.”

His delight was entirely genuine.

“Brother Chi even remembered his promise to forge me a chessboard. Then he said that since we are all brothers, he could not favor one over the others, so he intends to make treasures for both of you as well.”

Yu Qingtang froze. “We get something too? What kind of treasures?”

“He hasn’t decided yet.” Scholar Xiao smiled and waved his folding fan. “He said the two of you are one offense and one defense...”

Yu Qingtang’s face changed dramatically. “What offense and defense? Don’t say things like that!”

“Hm?” Scholar Xiao blinked, then asked curiously, “Brother Chi meant that Brother Ye pursues the pinnacle of offense, and his spear arts are ferociously unmatched, while Brother Yu’s Lotus Realm represents the ultimate defense... Does that phrase have some other special meaning?”

Yu Qingtang: “...”

No.

I was the one who made it weird.

“Ahem.” Yu Qingtang guiltily looked away. “No, no. Nothing at all.”

“All right.” Seeing that he refused to explain, Scholar Xiao sighed in disappointment. “In any case, Brother Chi seems to be preparing to establish a cave residence somewhere in Great Wilderness Mountain and enter seclusion to refine artifacts. No one knows when he plans to emerge.”

“He only told us to go amuse ourselves. Once he comes out of seclusion, he’ll contact us.”

“We’re planning to leave Nanzhou,” Ye Chenyan said without concealing it. “We’re going to Fire Cauldron Sect in Yunzhou.”

“Oh?” Scholar Xiao froze, then his eyes instantly lit up. “Could it be that you two are also interested in the missing cultivators and mortals? Are you planning to investigate the matter to the end?”

“As expected, great minds think alike! I have considered it carefully. That mysterious pill cultivator who wanted to purchase mortals and cultivators wanted to do business in Great Wilderness Mountain. Their first choice was the Lunar Jade Rabbit clan. In that case, Fire Cauldron Sect remains the most likely connection! It is well worth investigating!”

“Huh?” Yu Qingtang blinked blankly. “That’s possible too? But we’re only going there to find the old Pill King.”

“The old Pill King?” Scholar Xiao looked even more surprised. “The old Pill King has been in seclusion for over ten years. At his level, a seclusion lasting a century would hardly be unusual.”

“Besides, everyone in Fire Cauldron Sect keeps an extremely tight lid on anything concerning him. Even if you go, you may not be able to see him.”

Lowering his voice, Scholar Xiao raised his folding fan to cover half his face and shared the gossip with them.

“The old Pill King did not enter a cave residence. He entered seclusion in his own bedchamber. Supposedly, he woke one day, was suddenly struck by a surge of inspiration, sat down cross-legged, and never opened his eyes again. Were it not for his steady aura, everyone in Fire Cauldron Sect might have suspected he had already ascended.”

“Rumor has it that the old Pill King reached the Mahayana stage long ago and may have faintly touched the threshold of immortality.”

A keen light flashed in Scholar Xiao’s eyes.

“If that is true, could he become the first immortal since ancient times?”

Yu Qingtang and Ye Chenyan exchanged a glance.

“I’m afraid it isn’t that simple,” Ye Chenyan said quietly.

If the old Pill King were truly on the verge of something as fortunate as ascension, Tianji Zi would not have looked so worried when Ye Chenyan passed along Du Heng’s message.

Yu Qingtang asked, “How do you know so much about it?”

Scholar Xiao smiled sheepishly. “Ahem. To be perfectly honest, Four Books Academy naturally could not ignore an event of this magnitude. We also attempted to get to the bottom of it, but...”

He laughed dryly.

“As I said, Fire Cauldron Sect is sealed up tighter than an iron barrel. There is simply no getting inside.”

“One of my senior sisters studied pill refining with all her might in order to infiltrate the sect. She nearly became a personal disciple of the Tianyuan Pill King, yet in the end, she still failed to see the old Pill King even once. Truly regrettable.”

“She did, however, find another path. She gained some insight into pill refining and has since become a pill cultivator of modest renown.”

“Unfortunately, the truth she failed to uncover still haunts her...”

Scholar Xiao’s expression turned solemn.

“To this day, no one knows the old Pill King’s true condition.”

“And as you know, what no one knows is precisely what Four Books Academy most desires to know. Countless students have thrown themselves into attempts to infiltrate Fire Cauldron Sect. So many, in fact, that quite a few have managed to learn the basics of pill refining...”

He clapped his hands in regret.

“Sadly, my spiritual roots do not permit it. Otherwise, I probably would have tried too.”

Yu Qingtang: “...”

Your Four Books Academy really is unbelievably nosy.

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