Chapter 50 Just Friends
The two were almost back at the Xiao residence. Xiao Zhiyu, who had been silent the whole way, seemed to have finally mentally prepared himself. He spoke in a hoarse voice, asking, "You agreed?"
Ren Yi nodded.
He knew, of course, that Xiao Hanzhou agreed to become Daoist partners in order to break the soul contract, and that Bai Jinliu's words earlier were merely a vague and deliberate attempt to guide him. The true love of this chosen one was not so simple. But knowing this did not prevent Ren Yi from deliberately cooperating.
Bai Jinliu needs to obtain the spiritual root, while he wants to put the matter back on track. There's nothing wrong with both of them getting what they need.
To be honest, Ren Yi would be incredibly grateful if the people on the other side could cooperate like Bai Jinliu every time the story unfolds.
On the other side, in the courtyard where Ren Yi had just left, Bai Jinliu was still staring blankly.
The sudden relaxation after being tense left him with a heart still pounding rapidly, but he also felt a sense of unreality, as if he were in a daze.
It's done? It really is done?
Although Bai Jinliu had already made that plan, things were going too smoothly, like a dream.
He had a vague feeling that the other person was deliberately cooperating with him.
But what are the benefits of cooperating with him?
Losing one's spiritual root is the very foundation of a cultivator's practice!
He was actually willing to go to such lengths for Xiao Hanzhou!
Bai Jinliu covered his face and laughed out loud, but his laughter was hoarse and even a little creepy.
Of course he should be laughing and happy right now.
His cultivation can be saved! He won't have to become a cripple!!
But the laughter grew deeper and deeper until he could no longer laugh.
His eyes were half-closed, his heavy gaze falling on the ground to his side. He seemed to be lost in thought for a moment, but his expression twisted involuntarily, and his eyes revealed undisguised jealousy.
Shouldn't he be jealous?
That person was the legitimate young master of the Xiao family from birth, doted on by his parents and surrounded by servants. He was pampered from the very beginning, and his future was filled with flowers and brocade. But what about him? He was just an illegitimate son who was ostracized by the Bai family, bullied by the servants, and beaten and scolded like an animal by the legitimate young master of the Bai family.
Born into the same prestigious family in Tianhuan City, the difference between them was like heaven and earth.
So when the high and mighty Young Master Xiao fell into the mire and struggled to survive, out of some condescending pity, he helped the man out of Tianhuan City. Besides that "pity," this action actually carried a hint of unspeakable malice. Did he really think everything would be fine once he left Tianhuan? This pampered Young Master Xiao probably hadn't seen how people outside struggle to survive, had he?
Bai Jinliu wondered how long the young master Xiao, who had escaped, could live—a day? Ten days? A month? In any case, less than half a year.
He even prayed that the man would live a long time.
Only those who live long enough will realize that when it comes to survival, so-called dignity and integrity are worthless... one can even fight with a dog for a bite to eat.
Time passed, and so much time had gone by that Bai Jinliu had long forgotten his youthful prank. But then, Xiao Hanzhou suddenly returned—with his newfound cultivation, and one by one, he killed his enemies from back then.
Bai Jinliu was eager to know what had happened. Because of the "help" he had given Xiao Hanzhou when they were young, Xiao Hanzhou was not on guard against him. Bai Jinliu easily learned about his experiences over the years and also learned about that person from him—Ren Yi.
Upon hearing about those past events, Bai Jinliu couldn't help but question the injustice of Heaven. How could anyone still reach out to him when he had already fallen to such a state?
Having experienced more, Bai Jinliu could tell that the person was not just "reaching out".
He pulled the man from the mud, wiped the filth off his body bit by bit, and pieced his shattered pride back together.
What's even more ridiculous is that this young master Xiao took it all for granted, enjoying the wholehearted kindness that another person showed him.
It's happening again!
Things he wouldn't even dare to ask for became commonplace in Xiao Hanzhou's eyes!
Bai Jinliu couldn't help but think, what if someone were that good to him, even if they only wanted half of it...
He will definitely treat that person with all his heart.
Instead of being like Xiao Hanzhou, who was completely oblivious!
...
Bai Jinliu lowered his eyes, thinking about how Xiao Hanzhou had sent him out of the Xiao residence this time.
He was certain that Xiao Hanzhou had wavered before, but suddenly changed his mind. Was it because he finally realized that Xiao Hanzhou was the person he should cherish?
Bai Jinliu's eyelashes drooped low, concealing the malice surging in his eyes.
How could he have realized it at that moment?
—Did he suddenly realize his mistake and reconcile with his former friend?
Bai Jinliu's lips curled up slightly, revealing a gentle and warm smile, yet it inexplicably carried a chill.
Young Master Xiao always gets what he wants; isn't that a bit too unfair of Heaven?
Since it's already so unfair, it wouldn't hurt if he added some more suffering for the other party, would it?
Xiao Zhiyu had been feeling depressed ever since he returned from Bai Jinliu's place.
He recalled Ren Yi's nonchalant agreement and felt a tightness in his chest, a feeling that threatened to choke him.
He was furious with Ren Yi for his "unscrupulous methods".
What's so good about a Daoist partner obtained through exchanging spiritual roots? Is such a partner even a Daoist partner?!
He even blurted out, "Have you thought this through? Mortals only live for a hundred years. When you die, the family head can just go find someone else!"
Xiao Zhiyu regretted his words as soon as they were spoken. The meaning behind them was far too cruel, and he wondered how the other person felt after hearing them.
Before he could say anything to make amends, he heard a soft laugh, "Are you worried about me?"
Xiao Zhiyu!
He was furious and ran away in a panic... no, he was clearly angry at the man's ungratefulness!
Xiao Zhiyu tried to justify his actions in his heart, but he couldn't suppress the unease he felt. He was even distracted during the sparring session. Finally, amidst the horrified cries of his junior brothers and sisters watching from the training ground, the longsword pierced his abdomen, and blood gushed out.
A brief silence fell over the training ground, and even Xiao Zhiyu's opponent showed a look of surprise.
With Xiao Zhiyu's cultivation level, even if he was distracted, very few of his junior brothers and sisters could hurt him. However, the one he was sparring with at the moment was not any junior brothers or sisters, but Jiang Zhaoyu.
Among the spectators, someone snapped out of their daze and shouted, "Quickly, call a healer!"
After that shout, the martial arts arena, which had seemed frozen in time, finally came back to life, and everyone finally started to move.
After a period of chaos, Xiao Zhiyu was settled in a courtyard next to the training ground to rest.
Injuries are common in sparring among disciples. Although they hold back, swords have no eyes, and injuries are inevitable. The reason Xiao Zhiyu went to such lengths this time, even nearly alerting the family head, was because of the location of his injury. The longsword grazed his dantian, almost shattering it.
Xiao Zhiyu knew he was alright before he could adjust his posture to avoid it. Before he could adjust his posture to dodge, the sword's owner forcibly deflected the sword, avoiding the Danfu.
Xiao Zhiyu wasn't a petty person. He knew that getting distracted during the sparring was actually his fault. Moreover, his opponent had forcibly stopped his attack at the end, probably causing him considerable internal injuries. If it were someone else, Xiao Zhiyu would have thanked them by now.
But this person is Jiang Zhaoyu.
Given Xiao Zhiyu's complicated feelings towards Jiang Zhaoyu, he ultimately couldn't bring himself to speak, and simply turned his eyes away, refusing to look at her.
Seeing this, the junior brothers and sisters who were surrounding him assumed that Senior Brother Xiao was injured and tired, and dared not disturb him any further. After saying goodbye, they all quietly withdrew.
But Jiang Zhaoyu didn't leave.
Xiao Zhiyu "..."
Realizing that only he and Jiang Zhaoyu were left in the room, Xiao Zhiyu felt increasingly uncomfortable, even more so than before.
But then he thought, if he thanked them now, no one else would hear him, so wouldn't that be perfect?
However, the matter of "bowing down" to Jiang Zhaoyu put Xiao Zhiyu under heavy psychological pressure. He couldn't speak for a long time. Just as he was struggling internally, there was a sudden noise at the door.
Has someone returned?
Xiao Zhiyu tensed for a moment, then simply closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep, but unexpectedly heard a familiar voice, "Ayu, are you injured?"
Xiao Zhiyu was stunned. It was him? How did he get here?
It was Ren Yi who came over.
Ren Yi was quite free at the moment. He had already "discussed" the matter of changing his spiritual root with Bai Jinliu the day before. Next, he just needed to finalize the date and wait to run away after changing his spiritual root. However, he did not expect that he would receive a telepathic message from Jiang Zhaoyu asking for medicine for his injuries not long after he had free time.
Given Jiang Zhaoyu's personality, she usually endures her injuries, and by the time she needs medicine, it must be extremely serious.
Ren Yi couldn't immediately figure out where Jiang Zhaoyu had gotten injured while staying at the Xiao family's residence these past few days, but that didn't stop him from finding out Jiang Zhaoyu's location and rushing over. However, when he arrived, he found that Jiang Zhaoyu was perfectly fine, without missing any limbs, which puzzled him greatly.
It's certainly a good thing that there were no injuries, but it's also really strange.
Jiang Zhaoyu's answer was very brief: "It wasn't me."
Upon hearing Jiang Zhaoyu's response, Xiao Zhiyu realized that the other party had just called him "Ayu" instead of "Ayu".
The joy that he himself hadn't even realized he was experiencing was shattered before it could fully rise, and Xiao Zhiyu didn't have the mood to sort out the empty feeling in his heart for a moment.
Ultimately, his relationship with the visitor was far from close enough to call each other by name.
But what about Jiang Zhaoyu? Why is he so familiar with this person?
The question had barely surfaced when Xiao Zhiyu himself provided the answer.
That's right. Jiang Zhaoyu had already been taken in as a disciple by the family head before entering Tianhuan City. This person had an old acquaintance with the family head, so it's not surprising that Jiang Zhaoyu knew him.
However, Xiao Zhiyu soon discovered that the relationship between Jiang Zhaoyu and Ren Yi was far more than just "knowing each other".
Under Ren Yi's questioning, Jiang Zhaoyu briefly recounted how he had injured his fellow disciple during the sparring session. Although his account was rather concise compared to others, it was the first time Xiao Zhiyu had heard Jiang Zhaoyu speak such a long passage since they met.
...If only the fellow disciple who got hurt wasn't him.
Xiao Zhiyu was barely able to keep up the act of pretending to be asleep. He gritted his teeth inwardly, thinking, "This Jiang Zhaoyu is really annoying!"
Ren Yi didn't stay long. After finding out what happened, he left the medicine and then left.
Xiao Zhiyu could feel the other person's gaze fall on him for a moment, but it was only a glance before he quickly looked away without saying a word.
The man clearly realized that he was awake!
Xiao Zhiyu felt both bitter and angry. He couldn't help but wonder if he would feel the same way if Jiang Zhaoyu were the one who got hurt.
Then I remembered the concerned inquiry the other person had made when they came in.
Xiao Zhiyu gave himself an answer: No, of course not! He had just specially brought the medicine over!!
If Ren Yi knew what he was thinking, he would probably feel extremely wronged.
He rushed over specifically because he was worried that Jiang Zhaoyu was seriously injured but wouldn't say anything. After finding out the situation and seeing that Xiao Zhiyu's injuries weren't serious, he naturally left. Besides, he had just had a falling out with Xiao Zhiyu yesterday, and now the other party was clearly closing his eyes and not wanting to talk to him, so he naturally went along with the injured man's wishes.
Xiao Zhiyu, of course, knew nothing of this. He was furious, and as soon as Ren Yi left, he opened his eyes, his gaze filled with hatred as if he wanted to skin Jiang Zhaoyu alive. Jiang Zhaoyu, however, showed no change in expression. He placed the medicine on the bedside table, as if acknowledging that Xiao Zhiyu had overheard Ren Yi's instructions, and turned to leave.
Xiao Zhiyu!
"etc!"
Seeing that the man was about to leave, Xiao Zhiyu quickly called out to him, blurting out, "You know him?"
At this moment, the only person Xiao Zhiyu would ask such a question to is Ren Yi.
Jiang Zhaoyu did stop in her tracks when he called her name, and turned around to reply with a simple "hmm".
Xiao Zhiyu "..."
Jiang Zhaoyu "..."
Their eyes met, and neither of them spoke. Xiao Zhiyu finally realized that the "hmm" was the only answer the other person could give.
Xiao Zhiyu "..."
He was so frustrated his face turned pale. Would saying a few more words kill him? Wasn't he talking a lot in front of that person just now?
Jiang Zhaoyu couldn't understand Xiao Zhiyu's feelings at all. After pausing for a moment, seeing that the other party didn't intend to continue, she wanted to leave. Before she left, Xiao Zhiyu called her back again, but this time before Xiao Zhiyu could continue speaking, he was interrupted by the commotion outside.
Then, fellow disciples learned of Xiao Zhiyu's injury and came to visit him.
These people were not in the training ground beforehand and only had a vague understanding of the situation. They even exaggerated the severity of the situation. When they came over, they were all pale and looked panicked. Seeing that Xiao Zhiyu was a real injured person, they looked even worse. Some of the younger ones even cried out.
Xiao Zhiyu?
After listening to his junior brothers and sisters' "condolences," Xiao Zhiyu had to explain that he only suffered minor injuries, his cultivation had not been destroyed, and his spiritual root and dantian were fine.
However, upon hearing the mention of "spiritual roots," Xiao Zhiyu couldn't help but recall Ren Yi's attitude, and his expression turned somewhat unpleasant. He said coldly, "It's just a spiritual root."
His fellow disciples thought he was trying to reassure them, but his words were too harsh. One of his junior brothers couldn't help but retort, "Senior Brother Xiao, please don't say that. Spiritual roots are extremely important to us cultivators."
The other junior brothers and sisters quickly chimed in, afraid that Xiao Zhiyu's words might have inadvertently come true.
Xiao Zhiyu knew his fellow disciples meant well, but hearing these words only made him more irritated. Look at him, even his nineteenth junior brother, who had just embarked on the path of cultivation, knew the importance of spiritual roots, yet that person treated him with such indifference!
Amidst the noisy fellow disciples, Jiang Zhaoyu remained unusually silent.
Compared to her junior brothers and sisters, she was indeed quiet, but that wasn't surprising for Jiang Zhaoyu.
Xiao Zhiyu couldn't help but think of the obviously unusual relationship that Jiang Zhaoyu and Ren Yi had previously shown.
Since the two have such a good relationship, does Jiang Zhaoyu know that the person is going to give away the spiritual root? Does she know but not care, or is she simply unaware?
Xiao Zhiyu guessed it was the latter.
The thought that "Jiang Zhaoyu doesn't know" actually eased Xiao Zhiyu's previously gloomy mood slightly. He glanced at Jiang Zhaoyu a few more times and asked, "Jiang... Senior Brother, what do you think? Is a spiritual root really that important?"
Xiao Zhiyu spoke somewhat stiffly, but still forced himself to speak.
He might not be able to persuade Ren Yi, but Jiang Zhaoyu's relationship with that person is unusual. If Jiang Zhaoyu speaks up, will that person listen?
Xiao Zhiyu was still thinking about how to explain things to Jiang Zhaoyu when Jiang Zhaoyu frowned slightly. He rarely spoke in a long sentence, but it was a bit awkward.
He said, "You don't have the Dao bone, but spiritual roots are indeed important."
Xiao Zhiyu?!
—Taoist spirit?
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