Chapter Twenty: Sharing a Bed with My Master

The town was bustling with activity that evening. It was probably because the opening of Linglong Pavilion was approaching, and the city at the foot of the mountain was also benefiting from the festivities. There were vendors hawking their wares along the streets. Ye Chi wandered around for a while, filled his stomach, and aimlessly strolled back to the inn. Only then did he suddenly remember why he had come out.

I wonder if those two have reached an agreement yet...

Thinking this, Ye Chi sneaked up and stopped in front of Ya Feiyu's door. He looked around and, seeing no one, pressed his ear against the door to try to hear what was happening inside.

Hmm... It's all quiet, there's no sound of conversation. Yi Fengchun must have left already.

Thinking this, Ye Chi felt a sense of relief. He straightened up and prepared to knock on the door—

"What is Senior Brother doing standing in front of Master's door in the middle of the night?"

Shi Bai's voice came faintly from behind.

The boy's voice was already soft, and it carried a gentle, almost suffocating quality. It suddenly rang out just as Ye Chi was feeling guilty, causing him to shudder. He turned around, his voice filled with anger, and said, "You almost scared me to death in the middle of the night..."

Shi Bai tilted his head, his face expressionless: "I couldn't sleep, so I thought I'd go for a walk. What's wrong, Senior Brother?"

Ye Chi secretly rolled his eyes, thinking to himself, "You can't sleep my ass! Your ears are drooping and you're still telling me you can't sleep." But on the surface, he put on the appearance of a caring senior brother: "I have something to ask Master. On the contrary, you, junior brother, if you can't sleep, you can go to Xu Miaomiao for spiritual medicine. Her sleeping pills are very effective."

I wonder how far things have progressed between that girl and the male lead, but having Shi Bai go and disturb them is exactly what he wanted.

Unfortunately, the quick-witted Shi Bai did not readily believe his senior brother's words. Instead, he took a few steps back, his ear feathers bristling with alarm.

"If you have anything to say, please come see Master tomorrow. He should be asleep by now."

—Haha, a junior disciple who's only been a student for a few days dares to pretend to know a lot about Ya Feiyu's habits in front of him? Doesn't he know what it means to show off one's skills in front of Guan Yu?

Just as Ye Chi was about to speak, he suddenly felt a shadow fall from above.

Ya Feiyu's voice was cold and emotionless, seemingly tinged with annoyance at being woken up in the middle of the night: "Why are you making such a racket in the middle of the night instead of sleeping?"

Oh no, I forgot that Yafeiyu has good listening skills.

Ye Chi scratched the back of his head. He was genuinely guilty, but Shi Bai, who was just passing by, was not as self-aware as him. He said, "I'm sorry, Master. My senior brother was squatting in front of your door for a long time. I only talked to him out of curiosity."

Ya Feiyu paused, looking at Ye Chi. He had almost forgotten that this kid seemed to have something to discuss with him. Although he had already been dismissed by Yi Fengchun once, the fact that he had returned while she was gone... it must be something important, right? Thinking this, he felt inexplicably guilty, but he was determined not to let his disciple see it. So he put on a profound expression and said, "...Alright, Ye Chi, if you have something to say, come in and say it. Shi Bai, if you have nothing to say, go back quickly and get some rest to conserve your energy."

A hint of darkness flashed across Shi Bai's eyes. He nodded very lightly and slowly, his voice still soft and harmless: "I understand, Master."

After saying that, he turned and left, and for some reason, his back view revealed a sense of dejection.

Ya Feiyu stared blankly for a moment, but Ye Chi finally called her back to her senses: "Master, what's wrong? Is something strange?"

“…It’s nothing.” He turned around, creating a slight breeze. “Close the door.”

Ye Chi obediently closed the door and skipped over to Ya Feiyu. Ya Feiyu not only had a room to herself, but the layout of her room was also better than that of the younger disciples. There was a small round table next to the bed, which could seat two people. The bed was also a large double bed, but only one side of the sheet was wrinkled, so it seemed that Ya Feiyu was a good sleeper... No, why am I thinking about this?

Ya Feiyu sat at the table by the window. It wasn't cold that day, but he had already put on a cloak. In the moonlight, the boy's face could be seen clearly. He cleared his throat and asked, "Is there something important?"

"Not really." Stared at by those eyes, Ye Chi felt inexplicably guilty, scratching the back of his head repeatedly. His voice trailed off, as if he realized that disturbing his master's rest over such a trivial matter was somewhat disrespectful. "It's just... I'm worried that the weapons in the Linglong Pavilion won't be interested in me, so I've been cultivating all night these past few days. I wanted Master to help supervise me..."

Seeing his disciple's ambition, Ya Feiyu was naturally delighted and overjoyed, let alone angry. His expression softened. "Is that so? I am very pleased that you have such awareness. Come here and sit on the bed."

The bed was big enough, and since they were all men, Ya Feiyu couldn't possibly be interested in a teenager like him. Ye Chi took over the bed without any guilt, sitting cross-legged on the outside of the bed, recalling Ya Feiyu's last lesson, and gradually assuming the correct posture.

After observing for a while, Ya Feiyu nodded in satisfaction: "Not bad, you have made progress. You should cultivate diligently. Your master is going to rest now."

Ye Chi was taken aback: "Master, where are you resting?"

As if asking a question that Ya Feiyu already knew the answer to, he raised his eyebrows and pointed out the unoccupied space on the inside of the bed.

"this."

Ye Chi: "...??!!"

This was the first time in his life he had shared a bed with someone else, and it was with a man!

And she's a character from a novel!

He never even let his roommates sit on his bed when he lived in the dorms in college, and now he's actually going to share a bed with Ya Feiyu...

Although it can't be considered sharing a bed, or even sleeping together.

For a fleeting moment, Ye Chi considered storming out, but he quickly dismissed the idea, forced to endure the strange sensation and temperature beside him and concentrate on his cultivation.

He tried to adjust his posture so that Ya Feiyu could sleep more peacefully, but his knee accidentally brushed against Ya Feiyu's waist. The latter visibly shuddered and looked at Ye Chi with a hint of coldness in his eyes.

Ye Chi was startled and froze on the spot like a corpse, not daring to move an inch, for fear that if he moved, he would disturb this great Buddha. If he accidentally angered him, things would get interesting.

So he tried to close his eyes tightly, pretending nothing had happened. The person next to him paused, seemingly observing whether he was really meditating, making Ye Chi feel extremely uncomfortable. Five minutes later, his gaze slowly disappeared, followed by the sound of Ya Feiyu turning over.

For some reason, a thought suddenly occurred to him, and he squinted his eyes and looked over.

Ya Feiyu was sleeping on his side. His sleeping space was really small. Ye Chi moved a few times carefully and found that he actually had some room to move. Ya Feiyu had rolled up all the thick quilt on the bed, making himself into a huge white unidentified object. But like a long-haired cat, he looked round and plump. In reality, if you removed that thick layer of fur, what was left was thin and shriveled. He was not as big as he appeared on the surface.

Ye Chi couldn't help but observe for a while, and an idea popped into his mind.

When this person sleeps... does he curl himself up?

He was genuinely curious about this and wished he could pull back the quilt covering Ya Feiyu to find out what was going on. Unfortunately, his wicked curiosity was not yet satisfied. Ye Chi was only slightly curious about it and quickly abandoned the idea that might cost him his life.

He wouldn't dare until he had figured out the villain's personality.

They had no choice but to give up.

The rest of the night passed peacefully. Ye Chi had thought that, given Ya Feiyu's proud nature, she might not have slept long before she got up and threw him out of the room, but that didn't happen.

On the contrary, when he came out of his meditation and opened his eyes, he did not see Ya Feiyu beside him.

He paused for a moment, about to call for help, when he suddenly heard the sound of water behind the screen.

Ye Chi subconsciously looked in the direction of the sound and saw several pieces of clothing hanging on the screen. They were the nightgowns that Ya Feiyu had worn last night, which meant that the shadowy figure behind the screen... was indeed Ya Feiyu.

He realized what was happening and muttered to himself, "Don't look at what you shouldn't look at," but he couldn't help recall the glimpse of that person's graceful figure peeking out from behind the screen.

He's really not a pervert, he really isn't.

Everyone has the desire to appreciate beauty. He was just admiring his master's good looks. Yes, that's perfectly fine.

Just then, the sound of water stopped, followed by a rustling noise. Ye Chi's ears turned even redder, and he didn't even know what was wrong with him. They were clearly men, just changing clothes, not really going to do anything... Was it necessary to be so shy?

He himself was speechless at his own behavior.

"Tap, tap." Footsteps made a light sound on the ground.

Water was still dripping from Ya Feiyu's hair, flowing down from her forehead, quickly across her cheeks, and then at an ambiguous speed down her neck, finally settling between her collarbones.

Ye Chi subconsciously swallowed.

Was he the only one who had ever seen such a villain? He suddenly started to let his thoughts wander.

Noticing his absent-mindedness, Ya Feiyu looked over. His lips, which were originally pale, were now a faint pink from the steam of the hot water, glistening with moisture. His eyelashes drooped, making him appear exceptionally gentle. However, his cold voice quickly shattered Ye Chi's illusion, "Awake?"

Ye Chi quickly snapped out of his daze, suppressing all his jumbled thoughts, and forced a smile, saying, "Yes, I'm awake."

Although Ye Chi was a little stiff, Ya Feiyu didn't think much of it. He simply nodded and said, "Why don't you go take a shower first?"

As if waking from a dream, Ye Chi grabbed his clothes and rushed behind the screen: "Yes, Master!"

Ya Feiyu silently looked at the brand-new, untouched towel on the small table by the bedside.

...He seems to have forgotten to bring a towel.

In the end, it was Ya Feiyu who handed him a towel; otherwise, Ye Chi would have been soaking wet and exposed to the cold wind in this late autumn.

After several days of cultivation, Ye Chi counted the days, and finally the day the Linglong Pavilion opened arrived. He got up even earlier than Ya Feiyu; it was just dawn, yet he was full of energy, like a primary school student going on his first school field trip, unable to hide his excitement as he was the first to run to his teacher. But he remained rational, carefully listening before knocking, and only knocked when he heard movement inside: "Master—"

For some reason, the door wasn't closed, and it opened a crack when he knocked on it.

On the bed, Ya Feiyu was only wearing a robe, which was not tied tightly. The collar was loose and casually revealed most of his snow-white chest. The original book did not describe his appearance and figure in detail, only saying that he was "the number one on the list of popular figures, the most beautiful woman in the world" and "slender, but not to be underestimated". He had no fantasies about the producer, so naturally he had never fantasized about Ya Feiyu's body.

But I never expected it to be like this.

The robes hung on her body, and with each breath, glimpses of skin that were usually hidden from view were faintly visible. Ya Feiyu's skin was extremely fair, which made the scars on her body stand out even more.

On the back, shoulders, neck, and even the arms...

They were all covered with wounds, seemingly from nowhere.

Ye Chi's breath hitched. All the ambiguous, romantic thoughts in his mind vanished instantly, replaced by a sudden tightness in his chest. That feeling that could be called "heartache" resurfaced uncontrollably, almost dominating his thoughts. Ye Chi frowned, gritted his teeth, and turned to leave.

He had glimpsed a secret that should not be seen, and if Ya Feiyu found out, who knows what he would do to him.

It would be better to pretend you were never here.

Upon suddenly seeing this thing, Ye Chi's excitement about obtaining the divine artifact dissipated considerably. It was as if he was about to embark on a spring outing, only to be told that the trip was canceled. No one would be excited if they were suddenly doused with cold water when they were in the middle of something exciting.

He then wandered aimlessly until the sun rose and dawn broke.

The inn gradually became lively. On the day Linglong Pavilion opened, the flow of people was even greater. The dining area on the first floor was densely packed with cultivators. Cen Dao and the others also opened their eyes one after another, only Ya Feiyu had not yet come out.

He took a deep breath, raised his hand to knock on the door again, this time controlling the force so that he wouldn't knock the door open: "Master, are you awake?"

A short while later, that clear, cold voice came from inside: "You're awake. You can go down now. Your master will be back in a bit."

Ye Chi paused slightly, then slowly nodded: "Alright, Master, could you please hurry?"

Ya Feiyu paused for a moment, then said, "...Try your best."

Not long after Ye Chi went downstairs, Ya Feiyu appeared on the second floor. He looked around and met Ye Chi's gaze. He paused slightly, then walked downstairs.

As he drew closer, Ye Chi couldn't help but observe him—

This person's attire remained unchanged, as if he wanted to wrap himself up tightly. Even on this slightly chilly day, few people would dress so completely without any wind. Ye Chi used to think he was simply an out-of-season fashionista, but now it seems...

Is it to prevent others from seeing the scars on my body?

That's not surprising at all. Ya Feiyu is such a proud person, yet he managed to secure the position of Peak Master of Tianxue Peak all by himself. Only he himself knows the secrets behind this. At that time, Qinglian Sect was in complete chaos, even more scheming and backstabbing than the concubines in a palace drama. Back then, Ya Feiyu was just a young man in his twenties. By the standards of cultivators who often live for hundreds or thousands of years, he was just a kid who had just entered society.

However, it was precisely this seemingly harmless "child" who, through his own means, quelled the rebellious elders, ensuring that the Qinglian Sect would enjoy peace and tranquility for the next thousand years.

He was so powerful, yet he was always alone.

Therefore, he cannot reveal his weaknesses, not even the slightest bit.

He had to let everyone know that he was invulnerable, unharmable, and unshakeable.

Exposing one's scars is tantamount to telling those cunning old foxes who are secretly eyeing you: "Look, I'm wounded, I can be seriously injured, you should quickly think of a way to surround and defeat me, then my position will be yours."

Therefore, he cannot, cannot reveal his weakness to anyone; he must present himself as an omnipotent god.

Ye Chi's feelings were complicated, but Ya Feiyu didn't notice his hesitant gaze and asked calmly, "Are you full?"

Cen Dao and the others said in unison, "We're full."

"That's good. Follow me." Ya Feiyu lowered his eyes and took a few steps, with the boys following closely behind him. Suddenly, Ya Feiyu stopped, raised his hand, and easily wrapped up the remaining pastries on the table with magic, then placed them in Ye Chi's hands. "You haven't eaten yet."

Ye Chi's heart stirred slightly. He unwrapped the package, picked up the slightly cool pastry, and took a bite.

Once it gets cold, it doesn't taste as good. The crispy outer layer even feels a bit hard on the teeth when you bite into it. Ye Chi frowned imperceptibly, ate a few small bites, and then, unable to eat any more, quietly tossed the packaging into his bag.

On the day the Linglong Pavilion opened, all the sects of the immortals gathered together.

As the head of the immortal sects, the Qinglian Immortal Sect held immense prestige. Ye Chi, as the eldest disciple, followed behind Ya Feiyu, thoroughly enjoying the feeling of being looked up to by everyone. Ya Feiyu, as the leader of this trip, stood in front of everyone and used amplification magic to ensure that his clear and cold voice reached everyone's ears. He slowly opened his mouth and said, "This trip to Linglong Pavilion will last for one month."

"Within one month, anyone with spiritual power may enter the Linglong Pavilion."

"One month from now, the next opening will be a hundred years from now. I hope you will all cherish this opportunity."

Ya Feiyu was never one to talk much, and as soon as he finished speaking, he withdrew his spell and disappeared into the crowd. The crowd silently counted down the time, until only about five minutes remained before the start time, when suddenly a dazzling golden light emanated from the depths of the mountain.

Ye Chi's gaze was inevitably drawn to it, and Ya Feiyu followed suit, saying in a tone of nonchalance, "This is a sign that the Linglong Pavilion is about to open. When all three golden lights are released, this mountain will open."

"Then I can go find my weapon?" Ye Chi eagerly replied.

"Yes." Ya Feiyu nodded slightly. "I will accompany you and ensure your safety."

Shi Bai curled his lips, revealing two shallow dimples. He had a somewhat feminine appearance, and his gentle smile made him seem both tender and harmless. His earlobes trembled slightly, and his entire aura became visibly lighter. "Master is the best."

Ya Feiyu wasn't very good at dealing with such a direct gesture of goodwill, and was momentarily stunned, even showing a rare moment of helplessness, which made Ye Chi laugh.

"Peak Master, what will we face next?" Shen Rong's cold voice interrupted the conversation. She stood tall and elegant, and for some reason, the aura around her was somewhat low. Although it was clear that she had tried her best to hide it, it had no effect. "I want to plan ahead in order to avoid risks."

“There are many demonic beasts in the mountains. Since it appeared ten thousand years ago, countless cultivators’ bones have been buried here over thousands of years. The number of demonic beasts here has probably increased and their strength has become more and more powerful.” Ya Feiyu answered truthfully.

Shen Rong's expression hardened: "Skeletons... does that mean this place is extremely dangerous?"

Her gaze toward Ya Feiyu turned hostile, and she thought she had cleverly concealed the wariness that inadvertently showed, unaware that Ya Feiyu had seen through it all.

The police found this girl... somewhat strange.

Ya Feiyu thought to himself.

“No matter how harmless a place may seem on the surface, it may harbor deadly risks.” He first pretended not to see it and looked away, gazing at the mountain peak, and said calmly, “Most of these people who lost their lives were rogue cultivators with low cultivation levels and no one to protect them. When they encountered powerful demonic beasts, they mostly had no ability to protect themselves.”

Shen Rong's complexion improved slightly: "So...we're alright?"

"If you behave yourselves."

As he spoke, Ya Feiyu took out a storage pouch hidden in his pocket, infused the token inside with silver-blue spiritual power, first gave it to his two disciples, and then handed it to her: "This contains my spiritual power. If you encounter danger, just smash it to activate it. The effect will last for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn."

"If you can't beat them, run away."

Shen Rong was startled and quickly took the token from Ya Feiyu. The moment her fingers touched the token, a wisp of silver-blue spiritual energy floated out, swiftly yet gently wrapping around her wrist before slowly disappearing.

Inexplicably, she felt as if she were bound to this token.

Ya Feiyu took out a small white storage pouch embroidered with gold thread: "Inside are some life-saving items."

Even though he wasn't the master of those disciples, Ya Feiyu was willing to go to such lengths, which showed considerable sincerity. Shen Rong lowered her guard, bowed solemnly, and said, "Thank you, Peak Master."

Ya Feiyu lifted her eyelids, glanced at her, and slowly said, "It's nothing, just a small favor, no need to thank me."

Shen Rong had no interest in continuing the pleasantries. Upon hearing this, she nodded and turned back to Cen Dao's side. Ye Chi saw her hand the small brocade pouch to Cen Dao, her ears turning slightly red, and her gaze darting away unnaturally. Originally, she had maintained that imposing female warrior image in front of Ya Feiyu, but once she was in front of Cen Dao, she reverted to the demeanor expected of a female lead.

The control of the plot... how ironic.

He gazed at it silently, then suddenly curled his lips into a cold laugh.

Just then, a brilliant golden light shone from the mountaintop, and the mountain gate opened wide.

The cultivators instinctively looked over and saw that there seemed to be dark energy coming from within the mountain gate.