Brothers who fought side by side could cut through metal. After years of living and cultivating together, Xu Ziyan and Zirong had developed perfect coordination. Teaming up, ganging up on someone, fighting two against one? Xu Ziyan had no qualms about any of it.
“Let’s go see just how strong that Wei Qing really is,” Xu Ziyan said.
Zirong nodded indifferently. To the Blood Demon Lord, Wei Qing was just a brat at Great Perfection of Qi Refining. Even with a true-dragon bloodline, he could not possibly match Zirong. He might pose a challenge to Xu Ziyan, but was barely worth Zirong’s attention.
The brothers turned to leave, only for the Yu Hao they had left hanging behind them to cry, “At least let me down!”
Xu Ziyan turned abruptly and fixed Yu Hao with a penetrating stare. Yu Hao shrank back and gave a nervous chuckle. “Uh… never mind. You don’t have to.”
“Of course we will! Why wouldn’t we?” Xu Ziyan smiled. Zirong lifted his hand, and the vine net opened. Yu Hao dropped from the tree with a pained yelp.
“I almost forgot.” Calculation gleamed in Xu Ziyan’s eyes. “If you planned to follow us through the valley, you must have collected enough pendants already, right?”
Yu Hao wanted to slap himself. Why couldn’t you keep your mouth shut? Why ask them to let you down? Couldn’t you have waited until they left and cut yourself free with your dagger? Why call them back?!
“Come on, don’t hide them.” Xu Ziyan extended his hand and gave him a look that said you know what I mean.
Feeling utterly defeated, Yu Hao dug four red jade pendants out of his pocket. “Here! These four are all I have! Wei Qing already took mine, so I got these from other people.”
Xu Ziyan smiled and nodded. “Thanks. I’ll treat you to a meal someday if we get the chance.”
“Forget it. Just my bad luck,” Yu Hao grumbled. “I hope I never run into you again.”
Xu Ziyan took no offense. He simply led Zirong away.
Soon after the brothers left, Yu Hao’s dejected expression vanished. He glanced around and quietly disappeared into the dense forest…
“Big Brother, he should still have other pendants. Why didn’t we take them all?” Zirong asked, puzzled.
Xu Ziyan patted his head. “When you can spare someone, do it. He isn’t very strong, but his movement skills are excellent. There’s no reason to drive him into a corner.”
Zirong nodded without entirely understanding. This was the Flowing Light Sect, not his Blood Demon Palace. Overwhelming someone with strength was convenient, but could leave future problems. The Blood Demon Lord could simply kill an enemy and destroy the evidence, but killing was forbidden in this examination. Leaving people a way out would make life smoother for the brothers in the days ahead.
Xu Ziyan and Zirong moved quickly. They encountered other candidates, but almost all fled as soon as they saw the brothers.
Pursuing them would waste time, and those candidates might already have lost their pendants. Catching them could bring no benefit.
After nearly two shichen, the brothers finally reached West River Valley the following morning.
From a distance, the cliffs along the valley were not especially high. On the tallest boulder sat a figure in robes trimmed with gold.
Xu Ziyan took Zirong’s hand, pointed at Wei Qing and asked solemnly, “Zirong, do you know what that’s called?”
Zirong shook his head in bewilderment.
Xu Ziyan ground his teeth. “That’s called acting like a [beep]. And as the saying goes, people who act like [beep] get struck by lightning! Never do anything that stupid, understand?”
Xu Zirong: =。=
“Watch. Big Brother will show you what getting struck by lightning means.” Xu Ziyan marched toward Wei Qing full of fighting spirit, but first instructed Zirong, “Once we start fighting, run, all right? As long as you get the pendants across, we win.”
Xu Zirong: …
Yes, Xu Ziyan was shamelessly going to challenge Wei Qing without carrying a single pendant. In truth, he was not entirely confident about the fight. According to the original owner’s memories, Wei Qing was extremely formidable. If he had not died while exploring a secret realm later in the story, the people who eventually dominated the Xuanyu Domain might not have been Bai Hua and his companions.
Wait. Xu Ziyan suddenly recalled that Bai Hua had explored that secret realm too. He had encountered an immensely powerful man who coveted his beauty. With Mo Ziyuan’s help, Bai Hua tricked the man into a dangerous demonic beast’s lair, then killed him after he and the beast had injured each other.
That’s it! The novel said Bai Hua obtained a true-dragon bloodline from that powerful foe, unlocking his mysterious space and making his later cultivation proceed smoothly. Could the formidable enemy supposedly captivated by Bai Hua’s beauty have been Wei Qing?
Xu Ziyan was speechless. He had met Wei Qing only briefly, but the original memories portrayed him as extraordinarily proud. Would someone like him really attack another person merely because he admired their looks? It seemed unlikely.
Strangest of all, despite inheriting every one of the original owner’s memories, he could never see Bai Hua’s face clearly in those involving him. It was as though a thin veil of mist hid his features.
Even in the more intimate scenes that made Xu Ziyan want to wash his eyes, Bai Hua’s face remained obscured, though the rest of his appearance was clearly visible.
“Just how beautiful must someone be to have that effect?” Xu Ziyan muttered, rubbing his chin.
He genuinely did not understand. He had seen plenty of handsome men and beautiful women in the modern world. How stunning could Bai Hua be to leave three outstanding young men utterly enthralled and even willing to share the same lover?
╮(╯_╰)╭ I really don’t understand the world of multiple love interests…
“Big Brother, what are you talking about?” Zirong asked innocently.
Xu Ziyan started. Had he said that aloud? What if he corrupted his sweet little brother! No. However astonishing Bai Hua’s beauty might be, he absolutely must not let Zirong meet him.
The novel had mentioned that Zirong seemed entirely unaffected by Bai Hua, though it hinted at some private difficulty as the reason.
In other words, the story suggested it was not that Zirong was immune to Bai Hua’s charms, but that he was unable to respond.
Whether the novel was right or wrong, Xu Ziyan would take no chances. His precious little brother was now healthy and flourishing. Xu Ziyan trusted his own ability to resist Bai Hua, but what if Zirong fell for him? How miserable would that be!
He would keep the two apart, no question about it!
And he ought to introduce Zirong to some pretty girls. Xu Ziyan’s little brother had to be straight! Absolutely, unquestionably straight!
“Big Brother…” Ignored by Xu Ziyan, Zirong’s eyes darkened.
“Hm? Nothing. Just talking to myself.” Xu Ziyan patted his head reassuringly. “All right, Big Brother’s going to handle Wei Qing. You be careful.”
Watching Xu Ziyan walk away, Zirong’s expression grew ever darker.
Beauty? Alluring?
Had Big Brother encountered some beautiful person behind his back? Someone alluring?
Damn it! What woman had approached Big Brother without him knowing? Could Big Brother actually like her?
Zirong suddenly realized that Xu Ziyan had never shown special interest in any woman during the past few years, making him almost forget that his brother was now a grown young man. Xu Xiao had once arranged an attendant named Ruoqi for him, but Zirong had sent her away. Xu Ziyan had never asked for another, yet that did not mean he would never want a companion.
A trace of blood-red flashed through Zirong’s eyes. No! Big Brother could only belong to him!
He did not care whether Xu Ziyan wanted a woman or anything else. Big Brother had been given to him by heaven. Every part of his life, his thoughts and all his affections had to belong to Zirong alone!
“Who’s there?” Zirong barked, his blood-tinged eyes locking onto a thicket some distance behind him.
A gentle breeze stirred the shrubs with a rustle, but no one emerged.
“If you won’t come out, don’t blame me for what happens.” Zirong sneered, finally releasing the irritation he had been suppressing.
If someone had delivered himself as a convenient target, Zirong was not about to refuse.
With a crash, three thick vines slammed into a tree beside the bushes. These were not thumb-thick tendrils but enormous blood-red vines as thick as an adult man’s thigh, radiating a fierce, murderous aura. Over the years, Zirong had cultivated more than supportive wood-element techniques. These blood-red vines, created by combining his techniques with the Blood Sea Heart Scripture, were his true trump card.
“What the hell is that?!” The instant the blood vines struck the tree, a black-clad figure shot from its crown and landed nearby, narrowly escaping.
Zirong watched him impassively. Some of the violence surging inside him had already subsided.
He wanted to vent his anger by tearing the unlucky fellow apart, but remembered that this was still the Flowing Light Sect’s examination. A death here would be impossible to conceal.
Looking at the black-clad man, Zirong suddenly smiled coldly. He recognized the scent. Once he had injured someone, he could identify the smell of that person’s blood.