Mo Lin was Jiang Chuting's only disciple at the time.
He disguised himself so well that he was always respectful to Jiang Chuting and did nothing wrong. So much so that even after teaching him kung fu for four years, Jiang Chuting never realized that his little apprentice actually hated him.
Until one time, when Mo Lin fell ill, Jiang Chuting was worried and got up in the middle of the night to check on him, putting the blankets back on after he had kicked them off.
Unexpectedly, just as he was about to reach out to check if his forehead was still hot, Mo Lin suddenly opened his eyes, sat up abruptly, and retreated to the far corner of the bed, glaring at him with a wary and hateful expression, as if he were not a master who cared about his disciple, but a jackal and tiger that could devour human flesh.
Jiang Chuting felt a pang of pain in her heart from his gaze and stood there stunned for a moment.
Mo Lin coldly questioned him, "What are you doing in my room in the middle of the night? Trying to grope me while I'm asleep? You finally couldn't resist those filthy thoughts in your heart, could you?!"
Mo Lin had never spoken to him in such a tone before. After his initial shock, Jiang Chuting silently rose. Mo Lin was intelligent and quick to understand, and Jiang Chuting genuinely liked him. Although they were only nine years apart in age, he treated him almost like a younger brother, diligently teaching him swordsmanship for several years. Apart from that, he had absolutely no romantic feelings for him.
It turns out that Mo Lin had always regarded him as a despicable person with ulterior motives.
A chill ran through Jiang Chuting's heart, and her face paled as she said to him, "You're sick, so I came to see you. Don't worry, I care about you..."
"You're talking nonsense!" Mo Lin roared, interrupting him, then gritted his teeth and said hatefully, "Who in the martial world doesn't know the shameless things you've done? Shameless homosexual! You even prey on your own disciple! You really think I don't know? You always deliberately touch me and peek at me! I'm disgusted to death by you!"
The only contact Jiang Chuting could think of was when he was teaching him swordsmanship and correcting his movements. As for peeking, he couldn't even imagine when he had ever done so.
How much must one loathe and reject someone to be so sensitive?
Jiang Chuting was so sad she almost laughed, and asked him, "If you think of me like this, why did you become my disciple? Why didn't you leave?"
"You think I wanted this?" Mo Lin reached for the sword lying beside his pillow. He was ready to go all out and said fiercely, "If it weren't for learning your swordsmanship, who would want to become your disciple? And who would want to endure your harassment?! Leave? Of course I'll leave! But before I leave, I must vent my anger!" Before he finished speaking, he drew his sword.
The apprentice's kung fu skills are no match for his master's, but his ruthlessness is far superior.
That night, Mo Lin stabbed him in the shoulder blade and injured four disciples on night duty. He then betrayed his sect and was never seen again.
Jiang Chuting never expected that after more than seven years, Mo Lin would actually come back on his own initiative and even call him master.
Jiang Chuting was puzzled as to why Senior Brother Chonghua hadn't simply kicked the man out. He looked up at the person at the head of the table, and Chonghua, who had been keeping a straight face, finally spoke, saying in a deep voice, "Chuting, this rebellious disciple is your responsibility."
Mo Lin straightened up, knelt on the ground, and looked at Jiang Chuting with his dark eyes.
Mo Lin had shed his youthful naiveté, his features were now more defined, and he had become more profound and reserved; Jiang Chuting almost didn't recognize him.
However, this former apprentice loathed him to the extreme, so his sudden return couldn't possibly be out of a guilty conscience, offering himself up for him to deal with.
Jiang Chuting couldn't help but glance at the poisoned boy in the chair next to her, and vaguely guessed what was going on.
There is a natural medicinal spring on the back mountain of the Nine Heavens. It cannot cure extremely potent poisons, but soaking in it for half an hour every few days, for one to three months, has a remarkable effect on curing chronic poisons. It seems that Mo Lin came here for this reason.
Jiang Chuting then said to Mo Lin, "If you have something to say, just say it."
Mo Lin's apology to Jiang Chuting was solely at Chonghua's behest. With anyone else, he might have used his status to pressure them, and would never have bothered with idle chatter. But Chonghua was incredibly stubborn, unyielding, and unreasonable; he wouldn't necessarily yield. Having only come to borrow the medicinal spring, it was best to keep a low profile and avoid making a scene, so Mo Lin swallowed his pride and did as he was told.
Jiang Chuting clearly didn't want to pursue the matter further, which suited him perfectly. So he immediately explained his intentions.
Mo Lin said, "As long as Master is willing to forgive me, the Sect Leader will agree..."
Chonghua's cold voice rang out: "I told you, this rebellious disciple, to be punished according to the sect rules. When did I ever say I would agree to that? The medicinal spring is only for the direct disciples of the Ninth Heaven. Outsiders are not allowed to approach it."
Mo Lin's gaze suddenly darkened. He slowly stood up and turned to look at Chong Hua. A thought flashed through his mind, but he didn't want to clash with him. He said with a forced smile, "Since the sect leader says so, then let Xiao Jiu also become my master's disciple. Only then can all the problems be resolved." He didn't mention anyone else, because he knew that only Jiang Chuting was easily swayed. Besides, this so-called apprenticeship was just a formality, just like his own in the past.
Upon hearing this, Ji Chun scoffed, "Mo Lin, do you really think that becoming a disciple in the Nine Heavens is as simple as walking into a vegetable garden? You think you can just do whatever you want?"
The boy who had been replaced by Xiao Jiu by Mo Lin seemed to have a bad temper. After waiting for so long and seeing that he still hadn't finished, his breathing became slightly heavier. He lifted his eyelids and glared at him impatiently, saying, "I... I don't want to become a disciple! Mo Lin, stop dawdling. If they don't agree, just kill them all!"
He was young and his voice was still a little weak, but there was a ruthlessness in his words that came from the bottom of his bones.
Jiang Chuting turned to look at him, paused slightly, and said to Mo Lin, "I will not accept him as my disciple."
His tone was gentle yet firm. Xiao Jiu's eyes widened immediately, and she sat up from her slumped chair, glaring at him and gritting her teeth, "What did you say?!" This guy has some nerve, daring to look down on him?!
"If they won't listen to reason, are you going to try force?" Mo Lin's lips twitched slightly, a sinister glint in his eyes. His fingers rubbed the hilt of his sword, plotting his next move. Jiang Chuting calmly said to Chonghua, "Senior brother, let them stay. Once the poison is neutralized, let them leave as soon as possible."
Judging from Mo Lin's behavior, this boy named Xiao Jiu is clearly his master. Despite his young age, his imposing aura is not something that can be formed overnight. Mo Lin is an arrogant person, and the one who is so loyal to him after being recognized as his master must be someone of extraordinary status.
Moreover, the pseudonym Xiao Jiu has a profound meaning.
If he hadn't spoken up, Mo Lin would probably have already taken action. They must have brought reinforcements with them. To avoid bringing trouble to the Nine Heavens, taking this step back was the wise move.
Senior Brother Chonghua should also know some of the inside story, which is why he didn't kick the two people out at the beginning.
As expected, after he said that, Chonghua did not object anymore, but he still looked stern and said to Molin in an unquestionable manner: "The medicinal spring can be borrowed, but the premise is that the rules of the Nine Heavens cannot be broken. You, this rebellious disciple, have deserted without permission and injured Chuting and four of my disciples from the Nine Heavens. If you set foot here again, you will have to go to the Discipline Hall to receive the punishment you deserve."
Mo Lin had been to the Nine Heavens, and he knew that these consecutive offenses would be punished with at least two hundred strokes of the rod, meaning to beat someone to death. One hundred strokes in the Discipline Hall could be fatal.
Mo Lin's eyes were sinister. Agreeing would mean certain death; refusing meant his master needed capable men and wouldn't punish him immediately, but would leave a mark of disloyalty in his heart. Chong Hua deliberately feigned retreat, intending to make him pay.
Mo Lin still remembered how to determine the sentence, so Jiang Chuting certainly knew even better. Jiang Chuting knew that Chonghua was holding onto Mo Lin to avenge him, but so much time had passed that he hadn't really cared anymore.
It wasn't that he still had any master-disciple relationship with Mo Lin, but Mo Lin was different now, and taking his life like this was probably not appropriate.
However, he couldn't directly refute Senior Brother Chonghua's words in public. After a moment's thought, he realized that the most severe punishment for Mo Lin was for injuring his master, so he said, "If he injures a disciple of the Ninth Heaven, let him go to the Discipline Hall to receive his punishment. As for injuring me, I will punish him personally." In this way, Mo Lin would at most be beaten with thirty-odd strokes, but even that would be enough for him to endure.
Before Jiang Chuting could finish speaking, Chonghua glared at him fiercely, but after a moment of contemplation, he still agreed, "Let's do it your way."
Jiang Chuting glanced at Mo Lin, who was also looking at him. When Mo Lin saw Jiang Chuting looking over, he looked away with an ambiguous expression.
"Senior brother, if there's nothing else, I'll take my leave now." Jiang Chuting was about to leave when the boy named Xiao Jiu suddenly said, "Wait a moment."
Jiang Chuting stopped and looked at him with her dark eyes.
Xiao Jiu slightly raised her chin at him, scrutinizing him with an arrogant gaze. Her voice was soft but forceful: "The sect leader is right. The rules of your Nine Heavens cannot be broken. Since only direct disciples can use the medicinal spring, then I will reluctantly become your disciple."
After Jiang Chuting returned to his wooden house, Wei Jiadu finished eating and went to take a nap on his tatami mat. He didn't have much of an appetite, so he didn't eat and instead brewed tea by the wooden window.
Mo Lin arrived shortly afterward.
Jiang Chuting noticed him come up the stairs and into the room. He picked up the small clay teapot, poured tea into a small teacup, lifted it with his slender fingers, slowly blew on the steam, took a sip, and then said, "I didn't really mean to punish you. You can go now."
His expression was indifferent, polite yet distant. Mo Lin, however, seemed not to hear him, kneeling down opposite him at the small table and scrutinizing Jiang Chuting for a moment.
Over the years, he felt he had changed a great deal. Occasionally, when he saw his own face in the water, it felt increasingly unfamiliar. Yet, time seemed to have stood still for him; he remained unchanged, showing no signs of his original age. Perhaps he wasn't planning to practice swordsmanship today, for he wore a wide-sleeved blue robe, his jet-black hair tied back with an antique wooden hairpin. He calmly brewed tea by the window, looking less like a dashing and unrestrained swordsman and more like a refined and elegant young master.
Over the years, Mo Lin has often reflected on those days, and he admits that he was indeed impulsive, sensitive, and overly sensitive in his youth. Later, after witnessing things a hundred times more sordid and filthy, he no longer found Jiang Chuting's feelings for him back then to be anything to be surprised about.
Therefore, when he came to see this person, he took the initiative to sit opposite him. And as it turns out, now when he sees him or gets close to him, he is not as repulsed as he used to be.
Jiang Chuting was naturally unaware of his shifting thoughts. Noticing his gaze, she couldn't help but feel strange and raised her eyes to ask, "Young Master Mo, is there anything else?"
Upon hearing this address, Mo Lin paused almost imperceptibly. Just as he was about to speak, a boy of about ten years old suddenly ran out of the room. It was Wei Jia. Still half-asleep, he spotted Jiang Chuting and asked, "Master, did you call me?"
Jiang Chuting chuckled and said gently, "No, you can go back to sleep."
Wei Jia said "Oh," and without paying attention to why there was an extra person, ran back.
Mo Lin's expression immediately became indescribable, because Wei Jia was sleeping in Jiang Chuting's room.
Jiang Chuting glanced at his expression and said calmly, "No need to overthink it. Wei Jia is my apprentice. He finds my bed more comfortable, so I let him sleep here. Besides, if I like women, it's not indiscriminate of age or appearance, and I don't just love anyone I see."
Mo Lin felt as if he was being explained to him, and suddenly didn't know what to say. After a moment of silence, he handed over a thick envelope, "This is Xiao Jiu's apprenticeship gift."
Jiang Chuting didn't take the boy's words seriously at all, didn't respond, and said to Mo Lin, "I don't accept disciples."
Mo Lin blurted out, looking at him, "Is it because of me?"
Jiang Chuting remained silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled. It wasn't a mocking, cold, or disdainful laugh; it was just a simple, brief smile. She pursed her lips before saying tactfully, "That won't happen."
He meant no harm, but his clear eyes were filled with composure, indicating he wasn't lying. He had indeed still taken on that apprentice named Wei Jia and hadn't been affected in any way. Mo Lin's mind went blank for a moment, a sudden surge of awkwardness, even embarrassment, at having been presumptuous. This was an emotion he hadn't felt in years. Even he himself didn't know why he had asked that question so impulsively.
After a moment of inward annoyance, he quickly composed himself, automatically changing the subject, and said seriously to Jiang Chuting, "Go ahead and continue. The more you go against him, the more persistent he will be. He'll only be staying here for a few months anyway, and once he leaves, he won't remember you." Mo Lin knew his young master well, and his advice to Jiang Chuting was well-intentioned.
That Xiao Jiu does give off a quirky and unapproachable vibe. As Mo Lin said, his becoming a disciple was just a momentary impulse, and he wouldn't take it seriously. Well, he doesn't need to take it seriously either.
Jiang Chuting remained indifferent and did not reach out to take it, only saying to him, "Put it down."
Although Jiang Chuting didn't say it aloud, she clearly and explicitly demonstrated through her actions that she was avoiding any possibility of physical contact with him. Mo Lin's hand, which was in mid-air, froze for a moment, then he withdrew it and placed the envelope on the table.
He was still sitting there. Jiang Chuting asked, "Is there anything else?"
Despite the simple and polite four words, Mo Lin clearly understood the meaning behind them: "Why aren't you leaving yet?"
Mo Lin's eyebrows twitched twice before he said to him in a deep voice, "Xiao Jiu is now your disciple. In order to avoid being noticed and for the convenience of soaking in the medicinal spring, I think... I'd like to arrange for him to stay here with you."
Although Jiang Chuting lived in a wooden house, it wasn't shabby at all; it had six rooms in total, four of which were empty after excluding the ones he shared with Wei Jia. Since things had come to this point, Jiang Chuting saw no need to argue about such a matter, so he gave a light "hmm" in agreement.
Upon learning that Mo Lin was also going to stay here, Jiang Chuting was about to speak when Mo Lin said, "I'll just sleep in my old room."
"Your old room has been given to Wei Jia." Jiang Chuting deliberately arranged for him to be in the opposite direction from her own room, on the left, and the furthest away. If they deliberately avoided each other, they could go a whole day without running into each other.
Mo Lin's lips moved, but he didn't speak for a long time.
At this moment, the doctor from the Nine Heavens arrived with his medicine box to change Jiang Chuting's dressing, and Mo Lin finally got up and left.
The doctor opened his medicine box and caught a glimpse of Mo Lin leaving the house, turning the corner, and descending the stairs. As he took out medicine and gauze, he casually remarked, "It seems he came from the palace."
Jiang Chuting blinked gently and whispered, "Is that so?" Just as he had guessed.
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I've revised the synopsis a bit; most of the plot's clichés are in the synopsis now. I've also slightly changed the title. And one more thing: if you like it, please add it to your favorites! Adding it to your favorites is very important! Thank you everyone!
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