Forty-eight Life-saving Graces
To put it bluntly, this story is like a forced melon is not sweet.
Dongfang Yu wasn't Master Dongfang's own disciple. She practiced in a sect called the Hidden Moon Sect, and her master would occasionally bring her over to visit. Lu Yinche thought the name was oddly familiar, but couldn't recall it for a moment. He waved his hand and asked Lu Denglian to continue.
Initially, Lu Denglian was completely unfamiliar with this person. His talent and performance within the sect were average, not particularly impressive, and he was also a friendly person. Although fellow disciples would occasionally tease him about the latest ancestral legends, they generally got along well. That was until Dongfang Yu took a liking to Lu Denglian and insisted on practicing dual cultivation with him—not necessarily a partnership.
Lu Denglian was naturally unwilling and even backed away.
But Dongfang Yu, under the guise of "a woman chasing a man is easy to get," remained relentless, secretly stalking him, publicly displaying his affection, creating opportunities for solitude, and even paying him precious spiritual stones. He tried everything, just to get closer to Lu Denglian. He claimed that he had discovered countless shining qualities in Lu Denglian and was hopelessly in love with him, believing that they were destined to have no other love. Her background was not simple, which inevitably led to some resources being tilted and favored. Over time, people in the sect would gossip about her and even gang up on her, making life difficult for Lu Denglian. To say she was struggling was an understatement.
Until the life-saving grace that Dongfang Yu mentioned, that is, this time when he was injured in the secret realm. Sensing the earth-shaking majesty of the beast guarding the secret treasure, the rabble of Dongfang's disciples immediately scattered, no one caring about Lu Denglian who had been trapped by them. It was only with the help of Dongfang Yu, who had been tracking his whereabouts, that Lu Denglian, who had lost both legs, was able to save his life.
The framing by her fellow disciples wasn't a trap deliberately set by Dongfang Yu. If one hadn't been so envious of Lu Denglian, how could he have been envied if Dongfang Yu hadn't favored him? But if Lu Denglian had simply agreed to her offer, leaving Dongfang's sect and joining the Hidden Moon Sect, wouldn't all this have happened?
Lu Denglian didn't deny the fact of saving his life, he just said that there was no secret marriage. That was unilaterally announced by Dongfang Yu, but he was already engaged and could not help but feel remiss.
When Lu Denghe heard this, he interrupted and said, "Brother, the one from the Wei family came over and said that you don't need to get married. Their eldest sister is going to marry into the Yang family in Dongzhou. She'll be able to climb up the social ladder, so you're free."
He was also straightforward, not considering what would happen if his brother fell deeply in love with his freely chosen fiancée and was determined to stab her in the chest. Fortunately, Lu Denglian didn't have such emotions. He first confirmed the accuracy of the news, then sighed softly: "Well, in my current state, I would be a burden to anyone I get together with, let alone a lifelong marriage."
"Maybe it can be cured." Lu Denghe said, "Brother, do you prefer Dongfang or the Wei family?" Lu Yinche flicked him and said, "You don't allow your brother to have other sisters-in-law outside?"
Lu Denglian looked embarrassed: "Miss Wei and I have never met, let alone have any personal relationship, but it is also a difficult matter now."
Lu Denghe immediately understood what he was going to say: "You're not really thinking of repaying that Dongfang with your body, are you? However, she didn't despise our family's poverty. She chased after you when you were injured. It's just that she's a little strong. Uh, I heard that some men like strong objects, and I heard that they like to use whips..."
Lu Yinche coughed heavily: "What storybook is this from?"
Lu Denghe warned: "Grandfather, please don't burn my book. It's very rare and out of print."
"Check it out for me later." Lu Yinche returned his gaze to Lu Denglian. "Are you so responsible? Repaying a life-saving favor with one's own body isn't a given. There are many ways to repay a favor, such as tying a knot or a ring."
"Yes, yes, it's true that she saved you, but there's no reason to force anything to happen." Lu Denghe agreed.
"That's what she wants, after all." Lu Denglian sighed. "Dongfang is a bit outspoken, but she's not a bad person and hasn't done anything excessive. I've always seen it. Actually, I hesitated before. I couldn't make the decision while she was engaged, and now that things have turned out like this, whether she can be cured or not, I can't delay her."
Lu Yinche disagreed. He said, "Regardless of everything else, feelings are the only thing that can't be taken lightly. You think marrying her out of gratitude is what she wants, but I don't think so. She only says she wants to be with you, but what she really wants is your true love. Are you sure you can give her that?"
"I know." Lu Denglian smiled bitterly, "I have no way of telling whether my feelings for her are love or gratitude."
What he said makes sense.
Feelings are not like martial arts that can be categorized. A sword is a sword, and a talisman is a talisman. You can say that you are happy or sad, but can you really clearly explain the cause of your emotions and what their nature is?
"I always tell myself I can't be ungrateful, but I also want to say she's a good girl. But the moment I say that, am I not also convincing myself? Is this really what I truly want, what she truly wants? Even now, I can't tell the difference in my heart."
People's sincerity is a really big problem.
"Ancestor." He raised his head and looked into Lu Yinche's eyes. His expression seemed to be one of seeking the truth, but it was much deeper than Lu Denghe's usual curiosity. "What do you think? I don't mean to offend, but when you asked the Sword Saint to become your Taoist partner, how did you determine whether he was in love with you, or just holding it back?"
Lu Denghe was extremely nervous.
But Lu Yinche didn't find the question offensive.
He found some of the past, guided by the dreams of the deceased, but that was a partial observation of the past through his current identity, dwelling in the soul of the past. It wasn't entirely the same as recovering memories, let alone past thoughts and feelings, which left no trace. He only vaguely realized that Yan Yanshu's relationship with him was far more than the popular rumors of favors being demanded.
At least it wasn't as simple as rescuing Yan Yanshu from a critical situation in a secret realm. Lu Yinche had found Yan Yanshu when he was very young, led him away from the Buddhist sect, and served as his guide and companion in his growth. In other words, this was also a favor, but one that lasted longer, a favor that was neither good nor bad.
How could one accurately define their relationship? Was it truly, as he had told Dongfang Yu, a mutual affection? Was Yan Yanshu seeking a return of favor, mixed with some misplaced family affection, or was he truly a lifelong lover?
Lu Yinche said: "You ask me? I'm not him."
Lu Denglian smiled: "Grandmaster, I don't know either. I think I will still agree to her. Maybe one day I can convince myself and truly love her."
Lu Yinche would not make decisions for other people's lives. When asked this question, since Lu Denglian had her own ideas, that was enough.
"Tell me more about the Hidden Moon Sect." He was quite interested in this. He felt like he had heard of this sect somewhere before, but he had no memory of it. He felt that this name must be very important.
Lu Denglian nodded. "This sect is located near the cape. I heard from Dongfang Yu that it's located in a fairyland on the sea, very secluded. This sect was founded only three hundred years ago, and has about a dozen disciples. Their mindset emphasizes following one's heart and following one's desires. They are not just evil cultivators, but also disciples who can be called righteous cultivators. There are both children of wealthy families and poor children, all of whom practice suitable techniques. They have achieved great results in the sect competitions in recent years."
"Who is the founder? He can also be said to have no discrimination in education." Lu Yinche commented.
"You might know him. He's from the Longshan Gong family. He's the brother of Master Gonggu who was separated from the family when they split up a few years ago."
Lu Yinche frowned: "Gong Jue?"
"It's probably the name you mentioned." Lu Denglian was not sure, she just heard Dongfang Yu mention it.
Lu Yinche's impression of Gong Jue was still that of a little brat who followed Gong Jin around—not entirely. He wasn't very attached to his brother, seemed a bit stubborn, and reportedly had a bad temper. But every time Lu Yinche visited the Gong family, the little guy would come running over as soon as he got the news. He'd hold a cup of tea like a little adult and insist on taking a seat next to Lu Yinche, pretending to participate in their hand-talking, regardless of whether he understood or not. At these times, Lu Yinche would take care of him, asking for some tea or snacks.
Later, when Lu Yinche and the others reached the age to travel, I saw him less often. I vaguely knew that he had grown into a handsome young man. After all, he was Gong Jin's biological brother from the same father and mother. If Gong Jin could grow up to look like an immortal, his younger brother would not be much worse.
Lu Denghe added, "Old Ancestor, you may not be fully aware of this. The previous split of the Longshan Gong family was quite devastating. The two Masters, Gong and Gong Zhenren, left on their own, taking away many of the elders' assets. This incident caused quite a stir in Nanjun. Everyone thought the Gong family would fall into decline after this blow, but who knew that Master Gong Gu was so clever? The one from the Hidden Moon Sect, on the other hand, has been much more low-key, focusing solely on training disciples and rarely showing up in public. Consequently, there are very few conversations about him, and they are mainly between brothers."
It would have been fine if he hadn't added that last sentence, but after he did, Lu Yinche almost choked on his tea: "Sooner or later, your industry will be shut down. We're brothers, how dare you write anything?"
"Old Ancestor, what are you thinking about? That's brotherhood, not a romantic story." Lu Denghe said. What he didn't say was that you forgot that you are the chosen protagonist in the storybook world, the true heartthrob. If there are romantic stories, they are most likely related to you.
For example, this Master Gong Jue is best known for his book, "Falling in Love with My Brother's Best Friend, Only to Discover He's My Sister-in-Law—Traveling Thousands of Miles for Love, Even My Own Brother Can't Stop Me." It's a long title, but the sex scenes are incredibly erotic. It's a good read, and even those who aren't gay will enjoy it. When you give the storybooks to my ancestors, be sure to bring this one along.
What a pity, half of the good story books in the world have ancestors as the protagonists.
Lu Denglian watched his brother and the ancestor get along so well, a faint smile on his face. He should have been a gentleman, not a man sitting in a dusty room.
"Dongfang Jin's technique isn't suitable for you," Lu Yinche said. "I'll think of a solution for you later. At worst, you can go find Yan Yanshu. He's been a sword master for many years, so he should have some experience."
As he was talking about this person, the sound transmission spirit stone that Lu Yinche carried with him flashed: "Where is Ah Che?"
Lu Yinche knew that the other party couldn't see him, but he still smiled brightly and said affectionately: "You have placed your location in my sea of consciousness. Don't think I don't know. Come here quickly, I need you."
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