The Transmigrator’s Cultivation

Arc 20: Affairs of Frozen Snow Plains | Chapter 376: Zhuang Wei's Thoughts

Once the initial excitement of their reunion faded, Xu Ziqing and Zhuang Wei, both calm and composed individuals, found themselves sitting together, exchanging glances but unsure how to begin the conversation.

Zhuang Wei, being the elder, smiled first and said, “Ziqing, this is the second young palace master of the Bingxue Immortal Palace, the one I have long admired, Le Zheng Hezhi.” He then turned to the young man in purple, adding, “Hezhi, this person in the fiery red cloak is my friend from the lower realm, Xu Ziqing, and the one beside him is his dual cultivation partner, Yun Lie.”

Upon hearing Zhuang Wei’s introduction, Le Zheng Hezhi initially furrowed his brow, seemingly displeased, but his expression softened slightly at the mention of “long admired.” He casually acknowledged the introductions that followed, not appearing overly invested but nodding in acknowledgment to show he was not disrespectful.

Xu Ziqing noted all these reactions and found them somewhat amusing. He smiled and said, “Greetings, Palace Master Le Zheng.”

After the introductions, Zhuang Wei seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. Looking at Xu Ziqing, he continued, “I didn’t congratulate you at your wedding; I truly feel sorry for that.”

Xu Ziqing chuckled, “I couldn’t even find you, nor did I send an invitation, so how could I blame you?”

Zhuang Wei, however, was quite serious. “Now that I have only you as a friend left, such a significant event must be held in my heart.” He paused for a moment before adding, “Over the years, I’ve saved up a bit. Let me carefully select something to serve as a belated gift.” When Xu Ziqing began to decline, he pressed on, “Since we have the fortune to meet again, we should spend more time together. You and Yun Lie should stay here for a while; it’ll give us a chance to catch up.”

Xu Ziqing felt a warmth in his heart upon hearing this. However, after some contemplation, he shook his head. “It’s not that I don’t want to, but the rules of my sect are strict. I have to return in just three months, and time is already running out without finding what I need. I can’t afford to delay, so I must turn down your kind offer.”

Zhuang Wei was taken aback for a moment before responding, “What is it you’re looking for? If I have it, I can offer it as a gift.”

Xu Ziqing smiled and explained, “That item is exceedingly rare; I’m afraid it might not be obtainable.” He went on to describe the Nanrong Extreme Water and its relevance to the Frozen Snow Plains, even mentioning his request to borrow the Yingbo Ox from the Feng family. If Zhuang Wei happened to have what he needed, he’d gladly trade for it instead of accepting a gift. If not, any information would be quite valuable.

After reflecting on Xu Ziqing’s words, Zhuang Wei felt a hint of regret. While he possessed many good items, he indeed didn’t have this specific Yang Extreme Divine Water. Given his long time in the icy wilderness, he was unaware of any related news. Turning to Le Zheng Hezhi, he sought help.

Noticing Zhuang Wei’s earnest gaze, Le Zheng Hezhi coldly remarked, “I don’t have any divine water here, but the Yingbo Ox is nothing significant. I’ll have someone send word to the Feng family; just wait a few days, and the family head will be happy to meet with you.”

The Feng family’s allegiance to him made this a minor issue.

Xu Ziqing was surprised; he hadn’t expected Le Zheng Hezhi to step in. However, it showed the depth of Le Zheng Hezhi’s regard for his friend Zhuang Wei. With this, he and his Shixiong wouldn’t have to negotiate with the Feng family themselves.

He would also remember this gesture of friendship in his heart.

Zhuang Wei, feeling grateful, looked at Le Zheng Hezhi and said to Xu Ziqing, “Since Hezhi has offered, the Feng family head will certainly come forward. Ziqing, you and Yun Lie should stay here; it will be much more comfortable than with the Feng family.”

Xu Ziqing smiled and did not refuse any longer. “In that case, I shall accept your kindness.”

Staying with friends was indeed more pleasant than in an unfamiliar place.

The two continued their conversation for a while, while Yun Lie sat quietly beside them, saying nothing. Le Zheng Hezhi’s attention was solely on Zhuang Wei, remaining equally silent. One was cold, and the other aloof, but both were simply accompanying their companions.

After about half an hour, someone outside sent word in. Le Zheng Hezhi, appearing displeased, stood up and went out to attend to matters.

Logically, Zhuang Wei should have accompanied him, but Le Zheng Hezhi asked him to stay and entertain the guests.

Although they were master and servant in name, their interaction hardly resembled that of master and servant.

Once Le Zheng Hezhi left, the atmosphere between Xu Ziqing and Zhuang Wei became more relaxed.

Xu Ziqing chuckled and sighed, “That Palace Master Le Zheng really exudes an extraordinary aura.”

Zhuang Wei’s expression turned slightly embarrassed as he replied, “Hezhi’s temperament is like this; he’s actually a very good person.”

Xu Ziqing raised an eyebrow, looking at Zhuang Wei with a teasing glint in his eyes. “Brother Zhuang, it seems you have some… feelings for that Palace Master Le Zheng.”

Zhuang Wei’s face flushed. “Hezhi and I are friends; I owe him much for where I am today. I indeed admire him. However, a talent like Hezhi deserves a stunning immortal maiden by his side. I’m content with just being able to spend time with him daily; I have no other thoughts.”

Upon hearing this, Xu Ziqing couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.

Regardless of the type of person, anyone who has a crush experiences a mix of nervousness and a myriad of emotions.

Zhuang Wei’s current feelings were reminiscent of Xu Ziqing’s own sentiments from years ago.

Back then, he had his Shixiong in his heart, believing him to be unparalleled in the world. Just being by his side, walking the path of immortality together, felt like immense luck. Despite his desire to suppress those feelings, they lingered in his heart, deepening day by day until they became an unforgettable memory.

Yet, the bitterness of those past feelings eventually came to an end.

After enduring many experiences with his Shixiong, he realized they shared the same sentiments. After overcoming numerous challenges, they found joy in marriage and a spiritual connection.

Now, those past events had faded; their lives were intertwined, bringing them stability and fulfillment.

No matter how much pain and hardship might arise in the future, if they faced it together with a united heart, they would welcome it joyfully.

Xu Ziqing understood that Zhuang Wei’s feelings mirrored his own from back then, perhaps even more suppressed and insecure.

This wasn’t surprising; while Xu Ziqing had been far behind his Shixiong in cultivation level, he possessed decent talent and had no obstacles in his status. He only needed to navigate his own feelings without much concern.

In contrast, Zhuang Wei was just a cultivator with three spirit roots, and even among those, his talent wasn’t exceptional. Though it was unclear how he came to the Qianyuan Great World, from his earlier words, it was clear he relied on Le Zheng Hezhi’s help for both cultivation and status. This was different from Xu Ziqing’s experiences with Yun Lie, which involved other challenges that Xu Ziqing couldn’t fathom. Furthermore, Zhuang Wei’s title as a “follower” only emphasized his lower status, suggesting he was merely regarded as a valued subordinate. Given these circumstances, it was understandable that Zhuang Wei kept his feelings suppressed.

Xu Ziqing knew that if it were simply a matter of status or talent differences, Zhuang Wei might not feel this way. However, lacking both talent and status, how could he muster the courage? Yet Xu Ziqing believed that mutual affection was a private matter; love could not be controlled. Even if one tried to restrain themselves, it would only lead to unnecessary troubles. Zhuang Wei had feelings for Le Zheng Hezhi; how could he be sure that Le Zheng Hezhi felt nothing in return?

At least in Xu Ziqing’s eyes, Le Zheng Hezhi’s feelings for Zhuang Wei should not be any less than Zhuang Wei’s for him.

If it weren’t for this, how could someone as esteemed as Le Zheng Hezhi treat Zhuang Wei with such consideration? Even if he looked somewhat unpleasant, it wouldn’t escape the notice of those who were observant.

As Xu Ziqing pondered this, he felt inclined to offer a hint or two.

But between the two of them, with their mutual affection, what could outsiders say? He only hoped to see if he could gently persuade Zhuang Wei to address the matter himself.

Before that, he needed to understand how the two had come to know each other in the first place in order to come up with a suitable approach.

After a moment of thought, Xu Ziqing smiled and said, “Speaking of which, I still haven’t heard how you ended up here and how you got to know Palace Master Le Zheng. I still remember you came to the Great World with Miss Xu Ziluo back then. You two…”

He paused, recalling how deeply Zhuang Wei had cared for Xu Ziluo back then. The idea of him now abandoning her to fall in love with this Second Young Master Palace was bound to involve many untold stories.

Xu Ziluo was certainly not on par with Le Zheng Hezhi, and not only did their temperaments and charms differ, but in how they treated Zhuang Wei, Le Zheng Hezhi was vastly superior to Xu Ziluo!

Upon hearing this, Zhuang Wei opened his mouth slightly, his face becoming increasingly flushed.

Xu Ziqing found it amusing. Back when Zhuang Wei was enamored with Xu Ziluo, he hadn’t shown such an expression; now, however… it was quite different.

Thinking his friend must be feeling quite shy, he paused for a moment, then decided to start sharing his own experiences.

With that thought, Xu Ziqing turned to Yun Lie, seeking confirmation in his gaze.

Yun Lie glanced at him but didn’t show any signs of displeasure.

Xu Ziqing smiled and began recounting various events that had transpired between him and Yun Lie.

Since he had already opened his soul to Yun Lie at the time of their marriage, there were no secrets between them; all those years of subtle feelings had long been discerned by Yun Lie. Now sharing them with his friend was hardly a significant matter.

Looking back on those embarrassing feelings, he now only felt joy, with none of the bitterness from years past.

At first, Zhuang Wei felt his face heat up, but as he listened to Xu Ziqing’s past, he gradually became serious, sharing in Xu Ziqing’s joys and sorrows.

They spent a good while, over half an hour, before everything was said and done.

He noticed how, when Xu Ziqing spoke of heartfelt moments, the warmth exchanged between Xu Ziqing and Yun Lie was undeniable, evoking deep envy in him.

As Xu Ziqing finished speaking, some of Zhuang Wei’s embarrassment began to fade.

His friend shared all this for a reason; he was not a fool and understood very well. As he felt grateful, he began recounting many events from these past years without feeling hesitant.

After organizing his thoughts for a bit, Zhuang Wei’s expression calmed, but his gaze softened as he said, “When Brother Ziqing and I parted, I was solely infatuated with Miss Ziluo. Though I felt I had little capability, I would have willingly faced fire and water for her, even offering my life.”

Xu Ziqing paused, sighing in response.

It was unfortunate that Xu Ziluo, by nature, was spoiled and selfish, using him while refusing to cherish him in return.

If it weren’t for this, how could he have believed back then that Xu Ziluo would become a heart demon for his friend Zhuang Wei?

He then heard Zhuang Wei continue, “However, in the Nine Thousand Great Worlds, wonders abound. With my limited understanding back then, how could I have known that the Ziluo I cherished as a child was not this same Ziluo?”

Translator: Lynn

Translations are not 100% correct. Please let me know if there are typos/mistakes in the chapter.

Support me on ko-fi if you like what I do^^