Chapter 35: I Want You to Live

Chapter 35: I Want You to Live

Xue Youtan had intended to examine the note more closely to find some clue, but before he could look carefully, the note crumbled into fragments and vanished from his backpack.

Xue Youtan: "..."

Honestly, 2487, if you didn't want to give out items, you could've just not given them. Pulling this little stunt is just annoying, and it's killed any mood I had to open today's compensation gift pack.

"Youtan... Youtan?" A voice called out to him. Xue Youtan closed the system interface and looked directly at Feng Mingjue before him.

"What are you thinking about so hard?" Feng Mingjue stroked his beard. "Since the Top Disciple has been chosen, we should head to the main hall. The Qingfeng Sect sent such an expensive gift, we ought to go thank them properly. Let's leave this place to the younger ones to celebrate."

The Chief Disciple Assembly wasn't just about the arena competition—the banquet afterward was the main event. Cangya Mountain cultivated the immortal path, all about being detached from worldly desires, so their daily meals were usually bland—just cucumbers and plain water, nothing with any flavor. But today was different.

Today, the whole sect was celebrating together, with chicken, duck, fish, and meat all on the table. Of course, all sponsored by the Qingfeng Sect.

Speaking of which, you gotta mention Yueli's knack for securing sponsorships. His outfit alone was clearly not cheap, and convincing the Qingfeng Sect to fork over that much meant Yueli really had a silver tongue.

When Xue Youtan arrived at the main hall with Feng Mingjue and the rest, the reps from the Qingfeng Sect's external relations department were already waiting.

Xue Youtan had planned to do what he usually did—exchange a few pleasantries, then sit off to the side, quietly being a decorative vase while listening to Yueli and Feng Mingjue haggle with the Qingfeng Sect people.

The three Altar Masters of Cangya Mountain each had clearly defined duties.

Feng Mingjue managed the sect, Yueli managed the finances, and he managed...

He managed to live freely and just be fabulous all by himself.

But now, with this damn system stuck to him, not only was his freedom gone, but he had to keep a constant eye on his own life. Ugh.

Xue Youtan let out a sigh, his fingers, adorned with a mutton-fat jade thumb ring, tapping lightly on his knee one after another. Suddenly, he caught a faint whiff of demonic energy.

Just a trace—so faint it was barely there. It must've been that the person didn't hide it well enough, and the wind carried it to where he sat, which was why Feng Mingjue and Yueli hadn't smelled it.

Someone from the demon realm dared to sneak into Cangya Mountain again? Pretty bold!

Using the excuse of needing to use the bathroom, Xue Youtan left the main hall and chased after the direction the demonic aura had come from. To his surprise, he wound up at his own North Courtyard.

He took in the scene before him: grass, a hot spring, a big tree, and a half-naked man.

This scene looked pretty familiar.

Xue Youtan hid his presence and spotted a flash of bright red land, heading straight for Pei Zhi's dirty clothes on the ground.

That woman Wu Qingcheng again? So this place wasn't a hot spring—it was Pei Zhi's secret hookup spot with his main wife?

And Pei Zhi—while all the proper folks were drinking and eating meat at the arena, who'd come behind their own house to bathe in broad daylight?

Just as Wu Qingcheng's hand was about to touch Pei Zhi's clothes, a pillar of ice formed from condensed water slammed into the ground right by her foot. If she hadn't dodged fast, her bare toes would've been pierced through. The next second, Pei Zhi had already gotten out of the hot spring and dressed himself in record time.

"You again!" Pei Zhi frowned, quickly realizing, "You're trying to steal the soul-reviving pill, aren't you?"

Seeing she'd been caught, Wu Qingcheng dropped the act. "I have a friend who's gravely ill and desperately needs saving. Could you give me your soul-reviving pill, since I gave you healing medicine last time?"

"No." Pei Zhi refused without hesitation, which surprised Xue Youtan a bit.

"Then don't blame me for being rude!" Seeing that the soft approach wouldn't work, Wu Qingcheng resorted to force. Her whip cracked against the ground with a sharp snap, and after showing off its power, she lashed it straight at Pei Zhi.

Weren't these two supposed to be having a romance? How'd it turn into a fight scene?

Xue Youtan blinked, quickly getting it. Right, in this life, it wasn't the stud plot of *Emperor's Legacy* anymore—it was a danmei storyline where the protagonist shou had transmigrated. The person Pei Zhi liked should be the transmigrated Xiao Yiheng, so Wu Qingcheng had no place in it.

Watching the two fight in a deadlock—well, more like an inseparable tangle—Xue Youtan was hesitating whether to step in when Pei Zhi suddenly shouted, "How much longer does Master plan to watch?"

???

He'd hidden himself so well—how'd he get discovered?

Xue Youtan had no choice but to drop his concealment Art, his snow-white figure instantly exposed before the two.

"Xue Youtan is really here!!" Wu Qingcheng exclaimed in shock, hastily pulling back her whip and vanishing on the spot, fleeing in panic.

Seeing she'd already run off, Xue Youtan stood there without moving. Pei Zhi asked, "Not chasing?"

What would chasing do? Wu Qingcheng knew the demon realm's Binding Art—as long as she wanted to escape, she could disappear right before his eyes anytime.

Besides, compared to chasing people, Xue Youtan was more curious about how Pei Zhi had spotted him.

So Xue Youtan lowered his head and looked at Pei Zhi.

The frail youth seemed to have put on some weight; his body no longer swayed like a willow in the wind. He also seemed taller—previously only reaching Xue Youtan's chin, now he was level with Xue Youtan's eyes.

Growing this much in one month—was the male lead planning to shoot up to the sky and stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the sun or what?

"Is Master wondering how I knew you were here?" Pei Zhi voiced Xue Youtan's confusion.

Yeah, talking to smart people saved time and effort.

"It's because Master's crown is just..." Pei Zhi said, abruptly reaching out to take off the sparkling crown from Xue Youtan's head, finishing the rest of the sentence, "...too flashy. Especially when reflected in the water."

Xue Youtan: "..."

Damn, he'd worn it so long he forgot to take it off.

As the crown was removed, Xue Youtan's ink-black long hair cascaded loose, instantly captivating Pei Zhi.

Pei Zhi's Adam's apple unconsciously bobbed up and down twice, and he looked away.

After a pause, he asked, "Why did Master give me the soul-reviving pill?"

Why else? Guilt from cheating.

Of course, that was only part of it. The real reason was—

"I want you to live." After all, only if you live can I live.

Xue Youtan's voice was very soft, carried away by the wind, but Pei Zhi still heard it.

His deep eyes suddenly lit up, like a deer in the forest, and even his breathing seemed to lighten.

...

Coming back from Pei Zhi's place, Xue Youtan headed straight back to the arena.

He'd hoped to grab some food and drinks, but by the time he got there, everything had already been devoured.

Damn, he should've grabbed some food first before chasing that demon.

Feng Mingjue and Yueli had long since achieved fasting, so naturally they wouldn't have prepared food for him as an Altar Master. He'd have to go check the kitchen.

He didn't find anything to eat, but he did discover a jar of fine wine.

The wine was buried under a peach tree not far from the kitchen, and it looked like it had been buried recently, as the aroma hadn't fully developed yet.

Still, beggars can't be choosers, so he didn't complain.

Xue Youtan picked out a lush, blooming peach tree at random, leaped onto it, and propped himself against a branch to drink alone.

Though the wine was weak and he'd only taken a few sips, his head already felt heavy, as if he were drunk.

Feeling woozy, Xue Youtan seemed to hear the system's voice.

"Item loaded successfully. Sweet dreams, player."