Master’s Discontent and Disciples’ Devotion

The two of them strolled along a mountain path within the sect.

“Senior Disciple Brother, aren’t you indulging her too much?” Nan Jiumu questioned, his brows subtly furrowed.

“It’s fine, isn’t the entire sect thriving now, all thanks to Guest Elder Yun?” Gu Bei chuckled, patting Nan Jiumu’s shoulder. “A little indulgence for someone capable is hardly an issue; it’s inconsequential.”

“But we weren’t starving before Yun Qingyi arrived either,” he countered.

“True, but your Senior Disciple Brother here has limited abilities; I could only ensure you weren’t hungry. I couldn’t make the sect flourish as Master hopes, but Guest Elder Yun can.” Gu Bei smiled warmly, stroking his junior disciple’s hair reassuringly, seeing the injustice his junior disciple felt on his behalf.

“Alright, it’s early morning; let’s not dwell on such matters. Junior Disciple Brother, don’t you find the mountain breeze and the morning glow on the horizon utterly beautiful?” Gu Bei said, gazing into the distance at the rising sun, which was gradually illuminating the world from behind the lush green mountains. “Our sect is flourishing, and that in itself is wonderful.”

Gu Bei inhaled deeply, a hint of intoxication in his appreciative breath of the crisp air.

To be honest, since his transmigration, the mountain breeze was the only thing that truly satisfied him.

Each breath filled his lungs with an invigorating freshness.

Stepping out the door in the morning and taking that deep breath was simply too comfortable.

Nan Jiumu watched her Senior Disciple Brother, who was lost in thought, with a complex expression.

Her gaze was a mixture of respect, admiration, and a touch of loss.

Nan Jiumu harbored a secret that only her Senior Disciple Brother in the entire sect was unaware of.

Her biological and psychological gender were both female.

However, when her Senior Disciple Brother had rescued her and brought her back to the sect, he had mistakenly believed her to be male.

She had wanted to correct this misunderstanding with Gu Bei a long time ago, but one day, after Gu Bei returned from drinking and socializing with several deacons from a local sect, he had drunkenly uttered a phrase that had forever remained etched in her memory.

– ‘Jiumu, when you’re a little older, you’ll be able to help your Senior Disciple Brother share the burden. It’s a good thing I picked up a little young gentleman; if I had picked up a little girl back then, my pressure would have been immense…’

At the time Gu Bei spoke those words, there were only three people in the sect: her, Gu Bei, and Mu Qingsi. Being so young, she couldn’t distinguish between a jest and a drunken utterance; she took it as truth, as a responsibility to bear.

In reality, Gu Bei himself didn’t remember saying those words after he sobered up the next day.

Her Senior Disciple Brother treated her exceptionally well, or rather, he treated everyone in the sect exceptionally well.

Her life itself had been saved by her Senior Disciple Brother, and to her, his wishes were her own.

Yet, despite her Senior Disciple Brother’s initial words about her sharing the burden, he never actually allowed her to interfere with any miscellaneous tasks.

Nan Jiumu sighed softly, inexplicably.

This sigh drew Gu Bei’s attention from the distant rising sun to him, standing beside him.

Just one glance, and he found himself struggling to maintain his composure.

‘What’s going on? My junior disciple brother’s furrowed brow and sigh carry a touch of Xizi holding her heart (TL Note: A classical Chinese idiom referring to the legendary beauty Xizi, who was said to look beautiful even when clutching her chest in pain or sorrow, implying a delicate, captivating sadness).’

“What is it?”

“Nothing, Senior Disciple Brother, but shouldn’t we hurry a little?”

“Why hurry? Isn’t it nice to just enjoy the mountain breeze—”

“Senior Disciple Brother! Come quickly and spar with your Junior Disciple Sister!” A crisp voice and a petite figure charged forth in unison. “This time, Junior Disciple Sister has learned new moves, and I’m sure to win a round!”

Gu Bei’s expression froze once more.

Nan Jiumu, with an ‘I told you so’ look, shook his head and pressed a hand to his forehead.

Wenren Qingluan, Gu Bei’s youngest junior disciple sister, was also the youngest in the entire sect.

Despite her youth, her talent was exceptional; having cultivated for only three years, she was already just one minor realm below Gu Bei, the senior disciple brother.

“Alright, alright, you’ve caught me. First, go pay your respects to Master, and then your Senior Disciple Brother will spar with you.”

“Is Senior Disciple Brother telling the truth?” Wenren Qingluan twitched her delicate little nose, her beautiful almond eyes on her round face sparkling with suspicion.

“Has your Senior Disciple Brother ever lied to you?”

“You haven’t lied to me, but you’ve played tricks on me,” the little junior disciple sister replied honestly.

He chuckled softly, reaching out to pat her head. “Nonsense, Qingluan, you just misunderstood.”

“Even if that’s the case, is it a promise then?” Wenren Qingluan didn’t care about being teased by her Senior Disciple Brother; her only concern was whether she could exchange a few moves with him shortly.

“It’s a promise.”

“Then let’s pinky swear!” Wenren Qingluan extended her small hand towards Gu Bei.

Gu Bei found it rather amusing. “Qingluan, how old are you now? Still making pinky promises?”

“How old am I, and Senior Disciple Brother still pats my head?” The little junior disciple sister’s outstretched hand wiggled. “Come on, pinky swear! If Senior Disciple Brother lies, Senior Disciple Brother is a little dog!”

“Alright, alright…”

Gu Bei smiled with a mixture of helplessness and doting affection, extending his hand to link pinkies with her small, soft one.

****

The sect was a small place, with few inhabitants, so everyone lived quite close by. Gu Bei didn’t need to walk far to take his junior disciple sister and junior disciple brother to pay their respects to Master.

In fact, it was only a few steps.

“Good morning, Master.” (x3)

“Morning,” Mu Qingsi replied, her face devoid of much expression. Her manner of speaking, cold and detached, perfectly matched her ethereal and aloof appearance.

“You two may leave for now. I have some words to share with your Senior Disciple Brother.”

“Understood.” Nan Jiumu bowed slightly in salute.

“Okay,” Wenren Qingluan nodded in assent.

After they left, only Mu Qingsi and Gu Bei remained in her cave abode.

“What instructions does Master have?”

“I don’t like the way you speak to me now,” Mu Qingsi stated bluntly.

“This…” Gu Bei’s face showed a hint of difficulty. “Is there something inappropriate about this disciple’s manner of speaking?”

“You are too polite,” Mu Qingsi said, her delicate brows slightly furrowed, the immortal maiden herself, clad in a flowing wide-sleeved white gown with ink patterns reaching her ankles, showing a touch of displeasure. “Since when have we, master and disciple, become so distant?”

“But Master, it is as it should be,” Gu Bei replied with a faint smile.

“What exactly displeases you about me?” Mu Qingsi, discerning her disciple’s emotions, spoke coldly, a hint of confusion and indignation in her voice. “Have I ever withheld your resources, or failed to protect you?”

“Master speaks truly, and so this disciple has no dissatisfaction.”

Mu Qingsi’s expression darkened slightly. She slowly approached Gu Bei, looking at her only true disciple, who was kneeling on the ground. “This Master doesn’t know why you constantly run off, nor do I care why you associate with those ruffians (TL Note: ‘三教九流’ refers to people from all walks of life, often with a connotation of being disreputable or of lower social standing). You only need to obediently stay by this Master’s side.”

“This disciple finds it difficult to obey…” The kneeling Gu Bei looked up at his Master helplessly, meeting her gaze. “All the miscellaneous affairs within the sect require this disciple’s attention.”

“Those affairs this Master can handle,” Mu Qingsi said indifferently.

“There’s no need to trouble Master. Why use an ox-cleaver to kill a chicken (TL Note: A Chinese idiom, ‘杀鸡焉用牛刀,’ meaning to use overkill for a minor task; implying that Master’s power is too great for mundane tasks)? Master’s time should be spent on more valuable matters. You only need to continue making the correct decisions when the sect requires a clear direction forward; such trivial, petty matters do not require Master’s special attention or concern,” Gu Bei said, coaxing and deceiving her with a cheerful smile.

Mu Qingsi’s expression indeed softened slightly.

However, her lips remained unconsciously pursed.

Ultimately, she conceded. “Very well, then. Just be more intimate with this Master from now on, and you may do as you please with those other matters.”

“Yes.”

After Gu Bei bowed and departed, Mu Qingsi watched his retreating back, her delicate, pale pink cherry lips tightly pursed, and her slender hands unconsciously clenched beneath her wide sleeves.

‘He was so obedient and adorable when he was little, but how did he turn out like this when he grew up?’

‘He doesn’t listen to anything I say, nor does he show any affection towards me.’

‘Little ungrateful wretch!’

Mu Qingsi pouted, her face filled with grievance.

Not a trace remained of the aloof immortal maiden she had been just moments before.

However, Gu Bei, having already left, was fated never to witness this sight.