{"id":405,"date":"2022-07-24T23:31:59","date_gmt":"2022-07-24T15:31:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/amarukei.com\/?p=405"},"modified":"2022-12-02T22:37:27","modified_gmt":"2022-12-02T14:37:27","slug":"mhm-chapter-13","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/amarukei.com\/?p=405","title":{"rendered":"MHM Chapter 13: Just Two Guys In A Tub"},"content":{"rendered":"

Old Niu and Auntie Ma stood by the door, crutches and bamboo staff at the ready.<\/span><\/p>\n

A knock came on the door and they stiffened up.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s me,\u201d came a familiar baritone.<\/p>\n

They heaved a sigh of relief and opened the locked door.<\/p>\n

Di Mie walked in and swiftly closed the door behind him.<\/p>\n

\u201cValley Lord Di, thank the heavens you\u2019re here,\u201d said Old Niu. \u201cRong Jing\u2019s men outside our door looked ready to going to barge in.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t worry about it,\u201d said Di Mie.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re finally here. Please talk to Ah-Li,\u201d said Auntie Ma, worried. \u201cHe\u2019s been fussing over the sword he took from the Phoenix Manor and won\u2019t tell us anything.\u201d<\/p>\n

Xie Li was sitting on the floor, with talismans and paper strewn around him. He was trying to finish drawing a seal with a sword in his lap.<\/p>\n

Taking off and setting his veiled hat on the table, Di Mie sat down next to Xie Li on the floor.<\/p>\n

\u201cShizun, what are you doing?\u201d he asked, in a gentle voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cActivate this,\u201d said Xie Li, holding up the sword he\u2019d covered in talismans.<\/p>\n

\u201cSure,\u201d said Di Mie, following his instructions.<\/p>\n

Xie Li tentatively let go of the sword and observed for a minute.<\/p>\n

Satisfied that the sword was sealed, he relaxed and felt the weariness course through his body. His back felt wet and sticky, the cuts on it throbbing with every breath he took.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe floor is hard, come sit with me on the bed,\u201d said Di Mie.<\/p>\n

\u201cMn.\u201d<\/p>\n

He steadied Xie Li, who wobbled as he got to his feet.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m pretty sturdy. You can lean on me,\u201d suggested Di Mie once they both sat down.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo. Your shoulder armour is hard,\u201d said Xie Li.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, how about I lean on you?\u201d said Di Mie.<\/p>\n

Xie Li reached behind him and pulled out two well-stuffed cushions, showing them to Di Mie.<\/p>\n

\u201cUse these.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you make this?\u201d said Di Mie, marvelling at how well-stuffed they were.<\/p>\n

\u201cReady-made covers. I just needed to sew up this edge,\u201d said Xie Li.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat did you stuff it with?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSheep wool.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou kept the wool from last time?\u201d grinned Di Mie.<\/p>\n

Xie Li nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cShizun made this, isn\u2019t it amazing?\u201d said Di Mie, holding up a cushion and showing it off.<\/p>\n

\u201cThs handiwork is pretty good,\u201d said Old Niu, impressed.<\/p>\n

\u201cIndeed,\u201d said Auntie Ma, looking a little confused. \u201cDid you do the stitching? It\u2019s pretty even. To think you can\u2019t hold chopsticks but you can sew such a neat stitch\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease sew your obedient disciple a handkerchief,\u201d grinned Di Mie.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t you already have one?\u201d asked Xie Li.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s old. I want a new one.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMn.\u201d<\/p>\n

Old Niu and Auntie Ma began to relax after seeing how Di Mie and Xie Li bantered. They took a seat at the table facing the bed and formed a little discussion circle.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo Xie Li just wanted to seal this Jiutian sword?\u201d said Old Niu. \u201cThe Rong Clan is huge and full of strong cultivators; surely you could\u2019ve left it to them to settle it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey don\u2019t have the ability. Their barrier around the sword was breaking. They\u2019ll probably die so I picked up the sword,\u201d said Xie Li.<\/p>\n

\u201cUh\u2026could you elaborate?\u201d asked Old Niu.<\/p>\n

Di Mie chuckled.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think what Shizun meant is that after some observation, he concluded that the Rong Clan disciples couldn\u2019t seal the undead properly. They had sealed the Jiutian sword in a barrier about to break. More people were going to die so he stepped in to do something about it,\u201d said Di Mie. \u201cIs that right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMn,\u201d said Xie Li, looking at Di Mie and adding, \u201cin the worst case, I\u2019ll flash two cannons. Dead aura is in Border Mountains\u2019 purview.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat does that mean?\u201d said Auntie Ma.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe said that in the worst-case scenario, he\u2019ll just use me and Big Bro Lingfeng to get them to back off. Incidents involving dead spirit gates and dead aura are within the Border Mountains Sect\u2019s purview after all,\u201d said Di Mie.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh my, Ah-Li, I didn\u2019t realise you had thought that far ahead,\u201d said Auntie Ma. \u201cWhy didn\u2019t you say anything?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAh, actually, I think he might have tried but we didn\u2019t understand what he was saying,\u201d said Old Niu.<\/p>\n

\u201cAiyah, I was so worried I forgot that Ah-Li has problems speaking sometimes,\u201d said Auntie Ma, doing a little blep.<\/p>\n

\u201cYour nephew is too shy,\u201d said Old Niu.<\/p>\n

\u201cShizun is actually pretty talkative,\u201d said Di Mie, taking Xie Li\u2019s hands to warm them, but saw his palms were smudged with blood from popped blisters.<\/p>\n

Auntie Ma watched as Di Mie carefully treated Xie Li\u2019s blisters and wondered how it was possible. The Xie Li she knew wasn\u2019t tactile. To be frank, he was downright touch-averse to everyone. Yet young master Di seemed like the exception, easily getting in close time and again.<\/p>\n

Then again, he was the Fallen Leaves Valley Lord, thought Auntie Ma. Anyone would say yes to the most popular cultivator of all seasons. She would\u2019ve said yes to those board shoulders and that handsome face in a heartbeat.<\/p>\n

She glanced over at Old Niu, who had a look of envy written all over his face.<\/p>\n

Yes, she was sure that Old Niu himself would jump at the chance to have a passionate Shizun-disciple roleplay with the young master Di\u2026<\/p>\n

\u201cUncle Niu, Auntie Ma, tell me what happened at the Phoenix Manor,\u201d said Di Mie.<\/p>\n

They recounted what they saw, describing as much as they could remember of the revenants that were sealed. They also overheard the disciples recognise the undead that were summoned; that they were all people who Rong Yaozu killed.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf that\u2019s the case, then it\u2019s likely that all the undead used to be people who were killed by the Jiutian sword,\u201d said Di Mie.<\/p>\n

\u201cOnly people?\u201d asked Xie Li.<\/p>\n

\u201cAh, there were beasts as well. What caught our attention was a pack of foxes,\u201d said Auntie Ma.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow many?\u201d said Xie Li.<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe around seven or eight?\u201d said Auntie Ma.<\/p>\n

\u201cI counted ten,\u201d said Old Niu, stroking his chin.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you suspecting that it\u2019s linked to Huahu Island?\u201d said Di Mie, catching onto Xie Li\u2019s line of questioning.<\/p>\n

\u201c…I don\u2019t know.”<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll ask Cloudrest Peak to investigate it,\u201d said Di Mie.<\/p>\n

Old Niu stroked his sparse beard and wondered aloud, \u201cSo, if this Rong Yaozu was summoned as well, does it mean he was killed by his own sword?\u201d<\/p>\n

They were interrupted by someone banging on the door.<\/p>\n

\u201cLooks like they couldn\u2019t wait anymore,\u201d said Di Mie, getting up and putting on his veil. \u201cI\u2019ll go deal with it.\u201d<\/p>\n

After a while, he came back with Qing Lingfeng in tow.<\/p>\n

\u201cSect Leader Qing,\u201d Old Niu stood up and greeted out of habit as a former disciple.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have informed the Rong Clan that the Jiutian sword is officially in the possession of the Border Mountains Sect,\u201d said Qing Lingfeng. \u201cWe\u2019ll bring the sword to the conference for them to sort it out among themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRong Jing\u2019s men aren\u2019t that eager to pick a fight with the Border Mountains Sect over a cursed sword they don\u2019t want to touch,\u201d said Di Mie.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell then,\u201d said Qing Lingfeng, looking a little doubtful at Di Mie. \u201cWhere\u2019s the sword?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s right there,\u201d said Di Mie, pointing to a wrapped-up sword among the mess on the ground.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd how is he?\u201d said Qing Lingfeng.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe seems to be fine\u2026wait\u2014\u201d said Di Mie, rushing over when he saw Xie Li slumped over the cushions.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs there something wrong with Ah-Li?\u201d asked Auntie Ma, concerned.<\/p>\n

Pressing his fingers to Xie Li\u2019s neck, Di Mie frowned when he felt Xie Li\u2019s erratic pulse.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m fine,\u201d said Xie Li, brushing his hand off.<\/p>\n

\u201cUncle Niu, Auntie Ma, we\u2019ll examine him, so please leave the room,\u201d said Qing Lingfeng.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome, Ma Erniang, don\u2019t you worry,\u201d said Old Niu, pulling Auntie Ma with him out of the room. \u201cLord Di and Lord Qing are skilled in medicine. Let\u2019s leave it to them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Once the door was closed and a barrier cast, Di Mie took off his veil and helped Xie Li sit up.<\/p>\n

\u201cCheck the flow in his meridians,\u201d said Qing Lingfeng.<\/p>\n

Di Mie pressed his hand on Xie Li\u2019s chest but was pushed away.<\/p>\n

\u201cShizun, let me just check which acupoints are blocked,\u201d coaxed Di Mie.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo need,\u201d answered Xie Li. \u201cIt\u2019ll clear out after a while.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot letting us check means they\u2019re all blocked,\u201d concluded Qing Lingfeng. \u201cYou overexerted yourself again, didn\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

Xie Li did not refute him.<\/p>\n

Di Mie sighed and took Xie Li\u2019s hands, channelling his aura through the jade bangle to ease the blockage.<\/p>\n

\u201cI should\u2019ve locked you up before I left so you wouldn\u2019t go around picking trash off the ground,\u201d said Di Mie.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not too late,\u201d said Qing Lingfeng. \u201cMaybe we should bring him back to the Border Mountains.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have a point,\u201d considered Di Mie. \u201cWith Sister Ye and Suiyu keeping an eye on him, we wouldn\u2019t have to worry even if he hibernates for the winter.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t want to go there,\u201d said Xie Li.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s probably the safest place for you to stay,\u201d said Qing Lingfeng.<\/p>\n

Xie Li pulled his hand away from Di Mie and narrowed his eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, it\u2019s okay,\u201d said Di Mie. \u201cIf you don\u2019t want to go there, no one\u2019s going to make you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnyway, the story coming out from the Phoenix Manor was that the Border Mountains disciples took the sword from some worker who picked it up,\u201d said Qing Lingfeng. \u201cNo one\u2019s seemed to have noticed you, which is good.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI guess dressing like a waiter worked out for you,\u201d said Di Mie. \u201cYou\u2019re all dusty, though. You should wash up and change.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t walk,\u201d said Xie Li.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll carry you~\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou two, ugh,\u201d groaned Qing Lingfeng. \u201cPlease wait for me to leave first\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLingfeng,\u201d said Xie Li.<\/p>\n

\u201cHm?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHuh\u2026\u201d said Qing Lingfeng. \u201cValley Lord Di, you\u2019d better check if he has a fever.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t\u2014\u201c tried Xie Li.<\/p>\n

\u201cWill do,\u201d saluted Di Mie. \u201cSee you, Big Bro Lingfeng~\u201d<\/p>\n

Qing Lingfeng all but ran out of the room.<\/p>\n

After a while of Di Mie channelling aura, Xie Li began to cough. He covered his mouth with his sleeve and it came away red.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are a lot of blockages. Just let it out,\u201d said Di Mie, sighing and rubbing Xie Li\u2019s back.<\/p>\n

The pressure on his stinging back made Xie Li choke and the blood went into his nose instead.<\/p>\n

\u201cSee? You\u2019ll choke if you don\u2019t let it out,\u201d said Di Mie, grabbing some water for him.<\/p>\n

Xie Li felt his nose itch and wiped it with his other sleeve. Looking at his bloodied sleeve, something he read came to mind and then he concluded:<\/p>\n

\u201cI think I\u2019m horny.\u201d<\/p>\n

Di Mie dropped the cup and choked on his own saliva.<\/p>\n

They both coughed together for the next five minutes.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2014cough\u2014trashy booklet did you read this time?\u201d said Di Mie.<\/p>\n

\u201cSomething at the bottom of that pile,\u201d said Xie Li, pointing to a stack of gossip booklets at the end of the bed. \u201cIt says you get a nosebleed when you\u2019re horny.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell then, are you? Horny, that is,\u201d said Di Mie, his lips twitching like he was about to laugh and cry at the same time.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d said Xie Li, nasal and sniffling. \u201cAm I?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI wish,\u201d muttered Di Mie to himself.<\/p>\n

\u201cHm?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThese gossip booklets are just using a nosebleed as a figure of speech,\u201d explained Di Mie.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs that so\u2026\u201d said Xie Li, pouting ever so slightly as he looked at the blood on his sleeve.<\/p>\n

\u201cWait,\u201d blinked Di Mie. \u201cDid you want to be\u2026horny?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cForget it. Seems like I got it wrong,\u201d said Xie Li, using the last inches of his clean sleeves to the blood off his face.<\/p>\n

And then Di Mie realised he had a much bigger problem\u2014<\/p>\n

\u201cWait, does that mean you\u2019ve never felt horny before in your entire life?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI never needed to,\u201d replied Xie Li casually.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCome on, let\u2019s get you cleaned up,\u201d said Di Mie, giving up and taking off his outer garments. Leaving his undertunic on.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you want to bathe, you should go first,\u201d said Xie Li.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can bathe together to save time,\u201d said Di Mie.<\/p>\n

\u201cHm.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCome on,\u201d said Di Mie, helping Xie Li strip down to his undertunic and scooping him into his arms before he could refuse.<\/p>\n

He dropped a few heating talismans into the water to warm it up quickly and stepped in, slowly lowering Xie Li into the tub with him. The water rose to their shoulders with the both of them sitting in it.<\/p>\n

Xie Li hummed, feeling the warm water ease the deep aches in his core acupoints.<\/p>\n

\u201cTake your top off before it dirties the water,\u201d said Di Mie.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI promise not to look at your back.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Di Mie sighed and sat up, pulling off his tunic, leaving him in only his dudou.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can put this on.\u201d<\/p>\n

Xie Li nodded and made to remove his own tunic.<\/p>\n

Di Mie slowly peeled the undertunic sticking to Xie Li\u2019s back, keeping his eyes away as he pulled off and tossed the bloodied garment out of the tub.<\/p>\n

Xie Li tensed up as the stinging came back with a vengeance. He draped Di Mie\u2019s white undertunic over his shoulders to cover his back.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know you want answers, but I can\u2019t tell you now,\u201d said Xie Li.<\/p>\n

Di Mie sighed and leaned back on the tub, pulling Xie Li down with him.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve already waited seven years, what\u2019s a little while more?\u201d said Di Mie.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re angry, I\u2019ll let you kick me a few more times.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t regret it later,\u201d said Di Mie, raising a brow.<\/p>\n

\u201cMn.\u201d<\/p>\n

Xie Li played with Di Mie\u2019s hair, swishing the silver locks in the water and watching how the silver caught onto the light falling upon the water.<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you go out to see the world all this time?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI’ve had more than enough time to see everything twice,\u201d said Di Mie.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought you preferred to stay in the big cities, so why did you go back to the Border Mountains? Did you run out of money?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRun out of\u2014\u201d Di Mie snorted a laugh and shook his head. \u201cNo, money wasn\u2019t a problem. I\u2019ve stayed in all the big cities for a time, from Chongjin City in the west to Bainiao Lake City right here. Yet they pale in comparison.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCompared to? The Border Mountains?\u201d said Xie Li, tilting his head.<\/p>\n

Di Mie shook his head and smiled.<\/p>\n

\u201cCompared to being in this bathtub with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not a metaphor, is it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, not at all,\u201d said Di Mie.<\/p>\n

\u201cI read that Chongjin City is famous for its beautiful brocades and their brothels,\u201d said Xie Li. \u201cHave you visited them?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUh,\u201d said Di Mie, finding himself a little lost for words at the sudden mention. \u201cMaybe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe I should go visit Chongjin City soon,\u201d said Xie Li, looking around.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know what a \u2018brothel\u2019 is, don\u2019t you?\u201d ventured Di Mie, sitting up and shifting them to a more comfortable position and passing him a wash towel.<\/p>\n

\u201cIsn\u2019t that a place where people visit to watch performances?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you read a book about it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI asked Uncle Niu and he said the brothels of Chongjin City have the best song and dance performances.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn a sense, he\u2019s not wrong\u2026\u201d said Di Mie. “Ahem. Rather than that, why not enjoy what Bainiao Lake City has to offer first while we\u2019re here? I\u2019ll bring you to a good teahouse after the conference.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been to one,\u201d said Xie Li, wiping his face with the wash towel. \u201cIt was not bad.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh? Which teahouse did you go to?\u201d said Di Mie, keeping the topic far, far away from brothels.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe tallest one overlooking the lake. I saw Rong Zhong there. Oh, he called himself Hu Xun.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou were at the teahouse with him?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMn. The food he ordered was pretty tasty.\u201d<\/p>\n

Di Mie regretted this topic.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s not talk about him,\u201d said Di Mie. \u201cAnd stay away from him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI just don\u2019t like seeing you near him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHm, all right,\u201d said Xie Li.<\/p>\n

They spent a moment in silence, Di Mie resting a hand over Xie Li\u2019s stomach, absently thumbing a scar on his right side.<\/p>\n

After a while, Xie Li sat up and turned around to face Di Mie. Straddling Di Mie\u2019s hips, he started wiping Di Mie\u2019s face with the wash towel.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, you don\u2019t have to help me wash. I\u2019m not a kid anymore,\u201d said Di Mie, but made no move to push Xie Li away.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou always forget to wash behind your ears,\u201d said Xie Li, wiping them as well. \u201cHm? They\u2019re a bit red. Is the water too warm for you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOkay, that\u2019s enough,\u201d said Di Mie, moving to get up, only for Xie Li to slip and sit right down on him.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you need to go to the toilet? You\u2019re getting ha\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease don\u2019t complete that sentence.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOkay.\u201d<\/p>\n

Di Mie took deep breaths and tried to think of Rong Zhong\u2019s punchable playboy face in an attempt to cool off. It worked, somewhat.<\/p>\n

He hastily whisked Xie Li back onto the bed and covered him in a large dry towel before marching out of the room dripping wet.<\/p>\n

\u201cI guess he really needed to go,\u201d thought Xie Li to himself.<\/p>\n

Di Mie walked out to the small open kitchen behind their room, opened the water jar, and took a cold shower in the last days of autumn.<\/p>\n

*<\/p>\n

Jianshi and Jianjin arrived at the Juxian Inn and hastily made their way to their Shibo\u2019s room.<\/p>\n

The sun had set and there was a cold bite in the air. The two young men found themselves face to face with their Di Shibo standing outside the room door.<\/p>\n

He was wearing a pair of white pants, dripping wet and holding an exquisite dudou in his hands. His long silver hair cascaded down his back and he looked pale and otherworldly under the yellow glow of the lanterns.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, Di Shibo!\u201d cried out Jianjin, falling to his knees, praying and begging.<\/p>\n

\u201cJianjin, you brat, what are you doing?\u201d said Di Mie.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know! Shibo looks like a drowned ghost\u2014mmpgghghh!\u201d<\/p>\n

Jianshi clapped a hand over his brother\u2019s mouth but it was too late.<\/p>\n

\u201cDi Shibo, sorry we arrived late,\u201d said Jianshi. \u201cWe had a bit of an issue back at the Border Mountains.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWait here,\u201d said Di Mie, rolling his eyes as he went back into the room.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s going on?\u201d said Xie Li, wrapped up in a giant towel and sneezing out flakes of dried blood.<\/p>\n

\u201cJianshi and Jianjin have arrived,\u201d said Di Mie, changing out of his wet clothes. \u201cI\u2019ll have them accompany you to the Zhuiyue Cave.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cZhuiyue Cave?\u201d said Xie Li.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs long as someone knows the Jiutian sword is at the inn, you won\u2019t be safe,\u201d said Di Mie, passing Xie Li a fresh set of clothes to pull on. \u201cI can\u2019t be by your side all the time so I want you to hide for a few days.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can go stay at another inn.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSome people have seen your face, it\u2019s not safe.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can take care of myself.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI insist.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right,\u201d conceded Xie Li. \u201cWhere\u2019s this Zhuiyue Cave?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s just east of here. To avoid being detected, you should go by wagon. You\u2019ll get there in less than two hours.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTwo hours\u2026\u201d mumbled Xie Li.<\/p>\n

Seeing Xie Li turn a shade paler, Di Mie chuckled and dragged the bamboo coffin over, laying a clean bedsheet in it and throwing the wool-stuffed cushions in.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust take a nap in here and you\u2019ll be there before you know it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHm,\u201d said Xie Li, looking a little doubtful.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll wait till you\u2019re asleep,\u201d said Di Mie.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s easier to just knock me out,\u201d said Xie Li, pointing at the pressure point behind his neck.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t always pick the unhealthy option,\u201d said Di Mie. He took the teapot from a little stove and added some sleeping powder into it. Adding a spot of wine to sweeten the tea, he poured a cup for Xie Li.<\/p>\n

\u201cShizun, have some of this tea,\u201d he said, playing obedient disciple. \u201cIt\u2019ll help you sleep.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t have to keep calling me Shizun. You can call me whatever you like,\u201d said Xie Li, huffing in amusement as he sipped at the tea.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis disciple just enjoys calling you Shizun,\u201d said Di Mie. He helped Xie Li put on the same soft green robes he had on this morning and combed out his hair.<\/p>\n

\u201cMie\u2019er\u2019s hair is so soft,\u201d said Xie Li, reaching a hand out to stroke Di Mie\u2019s head.<\/p>\n

\u201cAh, the medicine’s working,\u201d said Di Mie.<\/p>\n

\u201cLittle sheep has little horns,\u201d muttered Xie Li, running his fingers through the silver hair as he fought to keep his eyes from closing.<\/p>\n

\u201cSleep,\u201d said Di Mie, pushing him down onto the bed.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t want to sleep anymore,\u201d said Xie Li, making to get up.<\/p>\n

Thinking quickly, Di Mie pouted and said, \u201cBut I want to sleep.\u201d<\/p>\n

Xie Li stopped trying to get up and patted the space next to him.<\/p>\n

\u201cAh, right. You don\u2019t like to sleep by yourself,\u201d mumbled Xie Li, clumsily tucking pillows and blankets around Di Mie. \u201cI\u2019ll keep you company.\u201d<\/p>\n

Di Mie lay down on his side, amused as he let Xie Li fuss over him and stroke his head. He almost dozed off when he heard Jianshi and Jianjin complaining outside and jolted awake.<\/p>\n

He carefully tucked the fast-asleep Xie Li into the coffin with blankets and heat pouches before closing the lid. Then he fastened it tight with a thick cord and numerous seals.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome in,\u201d he said to the two waiting Mad Tiger Peak disciples outside.<\/p>\n

\u201cDi Shibo,\u201d greeted Jianshi and Jianjin.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have a job for the two of you,\u201d said Di Mie.<\/p>\n

\u201cUh, just so you know, I think my spirit aura got sealed so I can\u2019t fly on my sword,\u201d said Jianjin.<\/p>\n

Di Mie raised a brow and held up his hand. \u201cGive me your wrist.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jianjin obeyed, letting his Di Shibo take his pulse.<\/p>\n

Di Mie slapped the boy upside the head.<\/p>\n

\u201cOw! Why does everyone like to hit my head\u2026\u201d complained Jianjin.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause it\u2019s still there. You just need to unseal it by yourself,\u201d said Di Mie, saying the same thing Diao Suiyu had told them.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow??\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s something you\u2019ll have to figure out for yourself. If you\u2019re really desperate, you can ask the expert when he\u2019s awake,\u201d said Di Mie, pointing at the coffin.<\/p>\n

Jianshi looked at the coffin and worked out who was in it instantly.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs Senior Xie the expert?\u201d asked Jianshi.<\/p>\n

\u201cWait, Senior Xie\u2019s in there?\u201d said Jianjin.<\/p>\n

\u201cYour job is to escort my Shizun to Zhuiyue Cave and keep him safe for as long as he\u2019s there,\u201d said Di Mie.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, but why is Senior Xie in a coffin?\u201d said Jianjin, wondering why no one\u2019s pointing out the obvious.<\/p>\n

\u201cIsn\u2019t Zhuiyue Cave rumoured to be demon-infested and uninhabitable?\u201d asked Jianshi.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s why it\u2019s the safest place for now,\u201d said Di Mie.<\/p>\n

\n

Translator\u2019s Notes<\/strong><\/p>\n

Just two guys sitting in a hot tub\u2026<\/p>\n

RIP Di Mie.<\/p>\n

Zhuiyue Cave \u8ffd\u6708\u6d1e = Chasing Moon Cave<\/p>\n