Chapter 55 Old Friend
Let's shift the blame to others. Qing Bai had been thinking about going to the incense and candle shop again. It was because Boss Hong was too slippery. He couldn't get any information from him online. He always said he would keep nine points and the remaining ninety points had to be guessed. When he was anxious, he would just send a magical conch emoticon.
Before, Qing Bai had the patience to take his time. After all, his life was long and he had nothing to do, so he had plenty of time to waste. But now, he couldn't. After finally finding a new way out, he always wanted to play it safe.
Then all those strange things that were ignored in the past must be clarified one by one.
Jiu Nian has always been decisive and efficient in his work. Once he got the location, he wanted to go out through the window. The key point is that judging from his actions, he didn't intend to take Qing Bai with him.
This definitely won't work. Qing Bai was quick-witted and quick-handed. He jumped into the air and grabbed the tip of Jiunian's tail.
Facing Jiunian, who turned back in confusion after feeling the weight, Qing Bai, relying on his beast form and not caring about his image, continued to climb while kicking his legs and urging him in a calm and confident voice, "Hurry up, it's almost noon, don't miss lunch."
"..." Jiu Nian really didn't expect there would be such a thing, so he didn't dare to move. He waited until Qing Bai had firmly climbed up with all four paws before he carefully curled up his tail and carried it onto his back.
This means agreeing to take him with you.
Qing Bai's movements suddenly became more aggressive. No longer content to be placed on the back, he began to find his own position. Although the Nine-Year Cat's body was small, Qing Bai was even smaller. In a few steps, he ran to the back of the black cat's neck and curled up, motionless. He sighed inwardly that some cats looked furry, but under their fluffy long fur, they had a lot of muscles. They walked very flexibly and steadily, but he said, "Let's go!"
He looked like a primary school student on a happy spring outing, which was quite consistent with his current "beast" image in Jiunian's eyes.
…
It was daytime now and his eyes were not covered. Qing Bai finally had some understanding of the speed of nine years - he closed his eyes and opened them again, and he arrived at the station.
Looking at the familiar cobblestone alley in front of him with dazzling white light under the scorching sun, Qing Bai suddenly realized that he was feeling a little carsick.
Then he felt even more dizzy the next second... Jiu Nian jumped lightly onto the top of the wall. The lowest part of this area was made up of old buildings that were hundreds of years old. In the past, the world was not peaceful, so the walls were built high, and every household was connected together, which was very imposing.
However, the feeling is naturally different at different angles. When standing in the alley and looking along the way, it only feels ancient and heavy, but when standing on the narrow wall and moving, the blue-black stone wall in your eyes is like a long black snake winding and crisscrossing. Jiu Nian is worthy of being a spiritual beast of the cat family. He can still walk on the wall as if it is flat ground. It's just that Qing Bai on his back has a hard time. He is dazzled and dizzy all the way. There is also a problem with the position where he stops at the end. He didn't even see the shadow of the shabby facade of the incense and candle shop.
Qing Bai forced himself to stay alert, pulled the cat's fur on the back of its neck, and reminded it weakly, "Not here, the incense and candle shop is a little further ahead..."
Jiu Nian tilted his head along the almost negligible force on the back of his neck, but he didn't dare to tilt his head too much because Qing Bai was lying there. After thinking about it, he used his fluffy and flexible tail, which gently covered Qing Bai like a cloud. It had no weight at all, but it protected Qing Bai tightly, leaving only a furry little head exposed.
"I sensed that there was no one in the incense and candle shop. Instead, there was an extremely heavy... yin energy here."
Yin energy? Qing Bai was so lost in the soft fur that his thoughts slowed down a few beats. A breeze blew in from nowhere, carrying cool water vapor and the fresh fragrance of lotus. Qing Bai's mind was startled and he woke up instantly. Only then did he see clearly that the wall they were standing on was a little unusual.
...So-called wealthy families probably start their grandeur from the walls, right? Qing Bai peered down at the bluestone path and the shimmering emerald waters of the lake below, half-suspecting they'd gone in the wrong direction and arrived at a Jiangnan garden, perhaps a 5A scenic spot at that... After all, an ordinary family's garden wouldn't have a lake this large.
As Qing Bai thought about this, he almost guessed where this was.
"Princess's Mansion, this is Princess Yining's Mansion."
The Princess Yining Mansion, which had been quietly hidden in a folk alley for hundreds of years, was promoted to a cultural relic protection unit along with the entire alley once the dust of history was shaken off.
It is said that there are descendants living there...
At this thought, Qing Bai's mind suddenly flashed to the vivid face of Boss Hong. For no apparent reason, Qing Bai instinctively felt that the "descendant" living here was the mysterious Boss Hong from the incense and candle shop, even though he didn't look like someone with ancestors... This wasn't a mockery or insult; Qing Bai simply felt that Boss Hong was more like that "ancestor."
"Shall we... go in?"
Qing Bai was conflicted when asking this question. It wasn't because he didn't have confidence in his nine years of experience and his intuition, but rather because their current situation was quite embarrassing, as they were sitting on the fence.
Just go in, it's trespassing.
But they came to investigate the offline "nest", and it felt weird to knock on the door seriously, as if they were just guests... Sometimes having too strong a sense of morality is not a good thing, as it restricts everything you do.
Qing Bai was like this, judging others by himself, and felt that Jiu Nian was the same. What's more, in his heart, Jiu Nian was an upright gentleman who was indifferent to the mundane world. He attached great importance to justice, good and evil, and justice was before good and evil... Letting such a person climb over the wall and break into the house is embarrassing for both the person doing it and the person watching it.
He stood on the wall for nine years without saying a word, the sunlight pouring down, sprinkling on his satin-like fur without a single spot of color. The flickering light and shadow were like ripples on a lake, with golden light floating on the surface. His pale golden eyes vaguely looked down at the lake of clear lotus below, and his eyes moved as if the wind was blowing on the lotus and rippling the water... He was more tranquil than the lake.
Qing Bai didn't know if Jiu Nian was sensing something again, but the sunshine was so bright, his tail was fluffy, and the lotus fragrance was so faint. This brief silence made Qing Bai's troubled heart relax. For a moment, he even forgot what they were here for... In such good weather, they should lie down in the sun to dry their fur...
Just as I was thinking this, I suddenly heard a clear tinkling sound in my ears. The sound was faint, sometimes near, sometimes far away, as if it was next to my ear, and sometimes in the distance that I could not see. It was as if it was there and not there, like the collision of gold and bronze, but it was extremely frightening.
The second after the voice rang out, Qing Bai's mind went blank, and only instinct remained. He almost blurted out: "Get out of the way——"
The moment he uttered the word 'hide', Jiunian moved. Before the final syllable of 'open' faded away, Qing Bai had already fallen into darkness. The last thing he saw was a pitch-black sword cutting through the air, the copper rings on the blade's spine throbbing, and the crisp sounds seemed to be urging death.
Despite losing his sight, Qing Bai didn't panic. The feeling under his claws was very familiar. He thought that Jiu Nian had transformed back into human form the moment he sensed danger and placed him in his sleeve... No, Qing Bai moved his claws in the darkness, but what he felt was not the soft touch of fabric, but the familiar softness...
However, the situation outside did not give Qing Bai the opportunity to feel it carefully. In just a short while, the sharp sound of weapons clashing had already gone on for several rounds. Even if he could not see it, he could imagine the fierce battle at the moment.
Qing Bai was worried and didn't dare to move, for fear of distracting Jiu Nian. He had to hold his breath and carefully stick to the cloth to try to hear more of the noise outside... but to no avail.
Not to mention Jiunian, he was never a talkative person, but the man who suddenly drew his sword and started the fight was particularly calm. Not to mention talking, there was not even a sound of breathing. It made people wonder if the person on the other side was alive, or in other words, whether the person on the other side was a human, or whether there was anyone at all...
The sound of copper rings clashing was incessant, not only filled with murderous aura but also disturbing one's thoughts. Qing Bai looked, but could not see, and listened, but could not hear. He could only silently count the dense clash of weapons outside. When he counted to ninety-nine, a gentle male voice with surprise suddenly interrupted the crisp or dull sounds of fighting: "Master Jiunian?"
Almost at the moment he finished speaking, the fierce sound of weapons clashing seemed to be paused by an invisible hand, and even the copper ring on the blade of the big knife stopped making a crisp tinkling sound.
Jiu Nian seemed a little surprised. He was silent for a moment, as if trying to identify her. When he spoke again, there was a rare hint of uncertainty in his tone: "Are you... Yin Ci?"
Did he meet someone he knew? Qing Bai's heart moved, and after instinctively deciding not to fight again, he used all four claws, trying to regain the light by his own strength.
The man whom Nine Years had called Yin Ci sighed softly, but his words were not filled with sadness, but rather calm and peaceful: "Now my name is Pei Ci."
"Pei Ci..." Jiu Nian whispered the name again, and then he seemed to smile as if thinking of something. "Congratulations."
Pei Ci also laughed. Just by hearing the voice, he could guess that this was a handsome, elegant, noble and smart person... Qing Bai immediately climbed even harder.
Finally, after its front paws slipped three times and its hind legs kicked off four times, Qing Bai finally poked its little head out from the thick cloth... It was indeed handsome and noble.
At the same time, a familiar voice came from not far away: "Are there guests at home? It's so lively."
Qing Bai subconsciously looked in the direction of the sound and saw Boss Hong walking along the lakeside, picking flowers and willows.
Boss Hong just arrived, and that Pei Ci seemed to be an old acquaintance of Jiu Nian. Then who was the one who had just fought with Jiu Nian?
Perhaps because the situation was critical before, the sleeves were wide and flowing, but the sleeve pockets were not very secure. Jiu Nian found a place for Qing Bai to put it this time, which was a hidden pocket inside the shirt, right on the chest. This made it convenient for Qing Bai to "escape" and spy. However, after looking around, Qing Bai did not see the third person, but only saw a nearly two-meter-long copper ring sword floating in the air.
After seeing the knife rush forward after Boss Red showed up, and even actively rubbed into Boss Red's hand and spun around, Qing Bai instantly understood. Since people in this world become ghosts after death, it is also normal for weapons to develop spiritual consciousness and fight without their control.
Seeing Pei Ci take the long knife from Boss Hong's hand and fling it into the lake with deft, unfazed movements, Qing Bai was immediately impressed. He felt that labeling him as "handsome, elegant, and noble" was a bit stereotypical and inadequate. Just as he was about to add a few more words, he heard him say to Boss Hong, "...Let me introduce you to a friend. This is Master Jiu Nian. When I was waiting for you at the Samsara Platform, Master Jiu Nian took great care of me. He was also the first to notice that my soul was unstable. If it weren't for your help, I'm afraid I wouldn't have been able to wait for you."
Upon hearing this, Boss Hong's smile faded instantly. He raised his hand, bowed, and said to Jiu Nian with a serious expression, "Thank you, Master Jiu Nian..."
Although this was only the second time he met Boss Hong, Qing Bai could tell that for someone like Boss Hong, this thank you was not just two light words, but also a promise, a promise that would be fulfilled no matter how much time had passed... He could feel the weight of it just by listening to it.
The person being thanked didn't react at all. He simply gently lifted Qing Bai, whose upper body was almost sticking out of his collar, and while straightening his collar, he replied in a normal tone, "It's my duty. No need to thank me."
Just as Qing Bai was sighing silently, Jiu Nian dug out something from his endless memories, and a hint of guilt appeared in his pale eyes.
"...I remember that when your soul was unstable, it was during the Naihe Incident. I was eager to go and quell the rebellion, and I only had time to tell you the method of entering the reincarnation cycle. I heard from Yin Jun that your soul was severely fragmented at the time. Your soul could not stay in the house, and your seven spirits were unstable. You also hit your head when you jumped onto the reincarnation platform. Is it affecting you now?"
"Master Jiunian, don't listen to Yin Jun's nonsense." Pei Ci smiled a standard smile, but there was a chill in it. "I didn't hit my head."
It's a bit like trying to cover up something and making it more obvious... Qing Bai was just about to pat Jiu Nian on the back of his hand to tell him to say less, as he also wanted to save face, when he heard a "puff"... It was Boss Hong laughing out loud.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
