Chapter 3 – Every day the protagonist wants to capture me

(Translator’s note: The footnotes are mainly about the translation, like literal meanings or metaphors. You can skip them if you are not interested in the Chinese language.)

Chapter 3 – Cheap Master

Listening to Chu Yu’s threats and evil words, Xie Xi felt relieved and quietly stroked his goosebumps.

He had never intended to tell his master anything so he just quietly nodded, agreeing to what Chu Yu said.

Looking at this obedient, rosy-faced, little teenager with tears in his eyes Chu Yu held back his evil hand’s impulse to touch him.

This is the protagonist, this is the protagonist, this is the protagonist.

The future brother, the future golden thighs, the future path!¹

He mulled over these thoughts in his heart several times then left triumphantly, chin in the air.

Xie Xi relaxed. When his tension drained away, he found that there was something different about his body. His desolate body had always been empty, but now there was an unexpected spiritual power circulating through it.

He spaced out for a long time. When he snapped back to his senses, his numb hands and feet, having fallen asleep, twinged painfully as they suddenly woke up. Promptly entering meditation, he started practicing the Qi technique that he knew by heart but had never been able to use before.

He circulated his Qi 7 x 7 times in his body. His whole body felt extremely comfortable, like he was submerged in warm water. Xie Xi sighed in contentment while spitting out a breath of impure air.² He then looked down at his hands.

He can cultivate.

Before today, he had always felt that there was something blocking the flow of Qi in his meridians. Now that it was unobstructed, practicing for even a short while doubled his power. ³

What happened?

Xie Xi frowned for a long time, deep in thought. Suddenly he remembered the coma he entered after Chu Yu handed him that fruit to eat. It seems that after eating that poisoned fruit, his body had broken free from its shackles …

Was Chu Yu helping him?

Goosebumps emerged again. Xie Xi’s face was ugly as he jumped out of bed. He saw the white robes on his bedside and carefully examined them before putting them on.

How could Chu Yu help him?

These past three years, the person who ruthlessly bullied and insulted him the most was Chu Yu!

Chu Yu even wanted to kill him!

Xie Xi’s face was indecisive. Now he is able to cultivate. Once he has made some achievements, he will make those people regret what they have done to him.

While sitting in his room, Chu Yu suddenly sneezed.

“Strange… Can a cultivator catch a cold?” Chu Yu murmured as he rubbed his nose.

As he was meditating, Chu Yu suddenly remembered that today he received a few negative comments. He hurriedly asked the System: “007, How many points do I have now?”

007 System’s cheerful voice sounded in his ear: “Today you received a total of 14 negative comments ~ Total deduction of 28 points ~ Your current points: 72 ~”

Chu Yu stared at the points and felt faint, a deep pain in his chest …

***

Early in the morning of the second day, the master, Lu Qingan, came back.

Jiao Xia has three big sects headed by Tian Yuan sect.⁴ There are seven elders in the sect, each with their own Immortal’s Cave.⁵. Spirit caves in this world are hidden but beautiful places.

Lu Qingan and his disciples follow the way of the sword and practice sword techniques. In the Yuan Chen Peak, Chu Yu and the other disciples have not yet mastered the flying sword technique. Looking at Lu Qingan as he flew in from afar, a lot of the waiting disciples are watching with awe and envy. Qi Qi bowed down: “Master, welcome back to the sect.”

Chu Yu stood at the front and looked carefully at this late-stage cheap master.

Lu Qingan looked the same as he did in the original Chu Yu’s memory. His face was solemn, his white clothing floated in the air, and he was the very picture of an immortal. But if one were to observe carefully, they would notice that while Lu Qingan looks very handsome and refined, if you ignored his eyes that showed a depth of experience⁶ he looked just like a gong zi (son of a noble family).

But…… In fact, Lu Qingan is more than 200 years old already.

Lu Qingan landed on the ground, his sleeves fluttering, his temperament cold. Glancing at his disciples, he nodded, and cast his eyes on Chu Yu, saying: “Yu-er, it’s been hard on you.” ”

Startled, Chu Yu’s body trembled.

Yu-er, Yu-er, Yu-er … (The “er” literally means “son” but it’s just a suffix that older people call a younger person, especially children. Sometimes close friends use it. It’s considered cute and a term of endearment.)

Although he knew that he would be called this, he still couldn’t help getting goosebumps!

He tried to control his facial expression in order to hide his reaction and respectfully bowed his head: “For this disciple to help master with the sect, is not a hardship.”

Lu Qingan: “Ah.” Looking behind Chu Yu to where Xie Xi was, Lu Qingan’s eyes flashed with a trace of pity: “Xi-er.”

Xie Xi stepped forward: “This disciple greets Master.”

The disciples in the rear began to sweat and look at each other nervously, greatly fearing that Xie Xi would say something.

Lu Qingan walked to where Xie Xi was standing and put his hand on his disciple’s shoulder. After a long time, his face showed amazement, and then he smiled but said nothing.

Chu Yu took the opportunity to speak: “Shizun,⁷ Sect Master Martial Uncle⁸ sent his greetings yesterday and requested that you go to Ping Yuan Peak to speak with him.”

Lu Qingan nodded, and turned his eyes to Chu Yu, saying: “Yu-er, come with me.”

After he spoke, Lu Qingan and Chu Yu immediately left, using the flying sword to go to Ping Yuan Peak. Seeing that the master was gone, the disciples looked at Xie Xi’s back and started gossiping in whispers.

“Why did Shizun smile?”

“I thought Master looked surprised. Maybe he’s laughing at that trash for not making any progress for three years?”

“What kind of person do you think Master is? How could he be so frivolous?”

“Then why was Master smiling?”

……

Xie Xi glanced coldly at the chattering disciples and went back to Chu Yu’s yard.

The group of disciples couldn’t help criticizing him.

“What are you so proud of? Just because the master returned!”

“He dares to look at us like that, next time we should blind his eyes!”

“He is not even able to cultivate! That useless trash is just a smelly beggar that master picked up from the roadside and stayed here for a few years, really annoying.”

“Psssssssssssst, that superior attitude, does he really think that since he lives in eldest brother’s courtyard, he will be reborn?”

“Wait until the master leaves, then we’ll make this boy look good!”

“… You’ve said a lot. If Xie Xi had said something to the master about what you have done, you would not be able to stay in Yuan Chen Peak.”

Everyone slowed as Qi Qi spoke and all the disciple obediently closed their mouths. In twos and threes, they went to the woods to cultivate.

***

The Tian Yuan Sect has a total of seven peaks, each of which is ruled by an elder. Ping Yuan Peak is where the Sect Master resides as well as the main peak of the Tian Yuan Mountains.

In this peak is a majestic hall with twelve arches that gives one the feeling of “fresh, pure water.”⁹ This is the elders’ discussion hall.

Lu Qingan led Chu Yu into the hall where the other peak elders were waiting.

In terms of strength, Lu Qingan can be compared favorably with the Sect Master Song Yuanzhuo. As Lu Qingan entered the hall, the elders sitting on both sides of the hall smiled and cupped their hands to greet him.

Lu Qingan nodded slightly at them then sat down on the sect master’s left side. Chu Yu quietly stood behind Lu Qingan, enlightened.

The original Chu Yu’s extremely noble and glamorous attitude……… was learned from Lu Qingan!

Sitting in the sect master’s seat in the middle of the hall, Song Yuanzhuo smiled and said: “Junior Martial Brother Lu, we haven’t seen you for three years. I see that you have been diligently cultivating virtue.”¹⁰

Lu Qingan lifted an eyebrow in a noncommittal manner.

Song Yuanzhuo was snubbed but he didn’t feel embarrassed. He looked around the hall and said: “Today I summoned the elders because there is something we need to discuss.”

“I ask the sect master to get to the point quickly.” One of the elders was impatient and could not stand the suspense.

Song Yuanzhuo face remained dignified as he said: “Do the elders remember the man-eating evil spirit insect?”

Lu Qingan leaned to the side: “Weren’t all of the evil spirit insects exterminated ten years ago?”

“Recently, there have been traces of the insects in area of Jiao Xia near the border.” Song Yuanzhuo shook his head. “They should be the insects’ remaining eggs. As you know, there are no methods to destroy the eggs until they begin hatching. We have had news that in about three years, the eggs will hatch and hurt many lives.”

“What does the sect master mean?” ”

“In three years, the Immortal Sword Conference will be held. The next generation of disciples lack discipline. Those who will participate in the Immortal Sword Conference may be defeated. I ask that when the eggs hatch, the elders should send a trusted disciple to destroy the larvae to gain combat experience.”

Although the larvae are not as dangerous as the adult insects, they are still troublesome and the young disciples would still be in danger.

The elders looked at each other but made no immediate promises.

Lu Qingan looked back into the eyes of Chu Yu: “Yu-er, do you dare to go?”

… Master, your eyes are so sharp, who would dare to say no?

Chu Yu silently swallowed the words “I don’t dare” as he nodded his head for his death.

Lu Qingan smiled in satisfaction and turned his head back: “In three years, my head disciple¹¹ will go destroy the evil insects.”

Song Yuanzhuo happily nodded.

Since someone had already agreed, the other elders also pledged to send their own personal succeeding disciples.

Chu Yu’s heart is full of tears. It seems that in three years he will have to cultivate well, otherwise he might as well be dead.

Come to think of it … in the novel Chu Yu went to destroy the evil spirit insect but the protagonist did not. Therefore, except for a few words, the event was not really described; there were almost no references to the evil insects.

The original Chu Yu went on this trip and returned with a serious injury. He participated in the Immortal Sword Conference but was humiliated by his opponent. On the other hand, the protagonist also attended the Immortal Sword Conference and was covered in glory, rising to prominence and making the original Chu Yu vomit three liters of blood.¹²

When they left the hall, Chu Yu’s face was calm but his heart was full of complex emotions.

Lu Qingan flew back with Chu Yu on his sword. While they were flying in the air he suddenly spoke: “Yu-er, your Second Brother’s seal has broken. My mind will now be at ease while I wander the four quarters of the world.”

Chu Yu respectfully said: “Yes. ”

“When this Master leaves, you will be in charge of guiding Xi-er’s cultivation.”

Chu Yu continued to promise, but secretly complained in his heart.

The original Chu Yu had turned a deaf ear to his master’s words and continued to despised Xie Xi. However, since Xie Xi could now cultivate, it is not good for the other disciples to continue to insult him. Though while they all expressed disdain for Xie Xi, he had been completely indifferent.

However, this is not the original Chu Yu. This Chu Yu will take good care of the young boy. This one’s sense of honour ~ makes it impossible ~ to refuse ~

The night was quiet. Chu Yu gently pushed open the door of the side room, and snuck inside. Xie Xi had spent the day cultivating and was deeply asleep.

Chu Yu cautiously moved to the bedside, pushed down the quilt, opened Xie Xi’s clothes, and looked at that small white chest. The palm of his hand pressed down; the skin there felt like warm jade to touch.

The System notification sounded: “You have a new comment ~”

Chu Yu looked.

[Reader v587: That f***er!!! This eldest brother is gay??? **** is so sick!!! Late at night he unexpectedly tears opens the clothes to paw the boy’s chest!!! -2”]

Chu Yu: “…”

Wait a minute!!!

Listen to me!!!

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1. 大道 – literally “broad road/path” but the meaning depends on the context
2. I guess he was just getting rid of impurities in his body or this is metaphorical.
3. 灵脉 is actually spiritual pulse and meridians is 经脉 but I translated it as meridians since I think readers won’t understand “spirit pulse.”
4. 天渊 Tian Yuan – literal meaning “high heaven and deep sea/abyss. Metaphorical meaning “far apart or great difference.”
5. 洞府 Dong Fu – A place rich in spiritual energy that is beneficial for cultivation. I will be using spirit cave or Immortal’s cave interchangeably.
6. profound vicissitudes
7. Master
8. The sect master is Chu Yu’s Martial Uncle and Lu Qingan’s senior martial brother.
9. 上善若水 – an untranslatable idiom. Literally “good water.” Metaphorically, it means all good things, like water that nourishes.
10. 精进 – it’s a Buddhist concept meaning to make earnest efforts to cultivate virtue and get rid of evil
11. He said 座下弟子, literally “under the seat” disciple. In this case, it probably mean the disciple directly under him, his assistant of sorts.
12. Vomiting blood is just a metaphor meaning he was extremely mad.