Zanxing (Retranslated)

Chapter 194 - The Self-Cultivation of the Clown (3)

“I’m here to keep you company, Seventh Uncle,” Men Dong said, looking at the spiritual artifact in the giant tree. “I can sense that there’s plenty of spiritual energy under the tree roots, but… with so many cultivators’ artifacts here, is it really dangerous?”

“What’s there to be afraid of?” The young man glanced at him. “Even if there is danger, I’ll protect you. As my only disciple, I’ll rely on you to help with my corpse when I grow old and die. Don’t worry, I won’t let you fall here.”

Men Dong: “…” That wasn’t exactly reassuring.

The child sighed, deciding not to dwell on the grim topic, and changed the subject. “By the way, Seventh Uncle, how’s your friend doing lately?”

Gu Baiying was confused. “What friend?”

“The one who was forcibly kissed, who doesn’t want to take responsibility, and who’s wallowing in self-pity and despair, doomed to be abandoned?”

Gu Baiying: “…”

His face darkened. “Who told you he’s wallowing in self-pity and despair? How do you know he’s doomed to be abandoned?”

“That’s obvious, isn’t it?” Men Dong spread his small hands.

“Get lost.”

“Seventh Uncle, don’t be angry. I know you, as a friend, wouldn’t want him to be so miserable. Since your friend is my friend too, I’ve specially prepared a magical artifact for him, just in case it might be useful one day.”

Gu Baiying looked at him with suspicion. “What magical artifact?”

Men Dong glanced around sneakily, and when he saw no one was watching, he pulled out a book from his Qiankun Bag. “Take a look at this!”

It was a tattered book with a very old cover, as if it had been thumbed through thousands of times. The title on the cover read: The Self-Cultivation of the Clown.

Gu Baiying raised an eyebrow. “Clown?”

“You see, when we travel around and listen to storytellers in inns, they often recite tales about heroes rescuing beautiful women and all that old stuff, and so many people still love it. In these stories, there’s usually a hero, a beauty, and a villain.”

Gu Baiying: “Yes.”

“Besides the hero, beauty, and villain, there’s often an important character who is either the beauty’s cousin or childhood friend, someone who seems to have a close relationship with the beauty, but in the end, gets nothing. Seventh Uncle, can you guess why?”

“… Why?”

“Because he’s the clown! His role is to highlight the hero! Think about it—those clowns in the stories are always attentive and caring toward the beauty, but in the end, the beauty still falls for someone else.”

Gu Baiying tried to control his irritation. “What exactly are you trying to say?”

“Seventh Uncle, your friend right now is like the clown in those stories. Ideally, it would be best to advise him to move on and let go. But from what I gather, your friend is deeply in love with the beauty and isn’t ready to let go just yet. If that’s the case, then perhaps this book can offer him some help.”

Gu Baiying was highly skeptical. “Just this?”

“Don’t underestimate it. This book has been read by countless troubled senior brothers in the library. It teaches how to maintain a steady stream of affection, how to excel in the details, such as when to silently care, when to quietly withdraw, when to offer timely help, and when to avoid disturbing. There was a senior brother in our sect who followed its teachings for ten years and finally won his senior sister’s heart.” Men Dong tried to push the book into Gu Baiying’s hands. “Take it and show it to your friend, it will be very beneficial.”

The young man waved his hand impatiently. “What nonsense. I’m not reading it!”

“Seventh Uncle, don’t be skeptical. This book is quite popular in our Taiyan Sect. Even Sixth Uncle used to read it secretly.” Men Dong tried to persuade him further.

As they argued, a hand reached in and took the book away. Mu Cengxiao’s voice came from the side. “If Seventh Uncle isn’t going to read it, then let me borrow it.”

Gu Baiying: “…”

Mu Cengxiao had apparently approached them from behind. Without hesitation, he stuffed the book into his Qiankun Bag, trying to act nonchalant.

“What do you need this for?” Men Dong stared in surprise. “Yang Zanxing and Miss Liu are still devoted to you. You’re not a clown, you’re the hero of heroes. This is purely unnecessary!”

“Junior Brother, don’t speak nonsense,” Mu Cengxiao hurriedly defended himself. “My relationship with Junior Sister is just one of mutual respect within our sect. Yunjin, I only see her as a sister.”

Men Dong sneered. “Ha, your words sound no different from those of a heartless man. So, what do you need this book for? Are you interested in Senior Sister Meng?”

Mu Cengxiao’s face flushed, and he did not refute.

Men Dong was astonished. “You really have your sights set on Senior Sister Meng!”

A hand covered his mouth. “Be quiet!”

Men Dong struggled to push Gu Baiying’s hand away, mumbling, “Seventh Uncle, you should discipline him. He’s involved with three different young women. How can our sect tolerate someone so unfaithful? Seventh Uncle, you’re still protecting him!”

“Shut up!” Gu Baiying whispered urgently. “The seal is moving!”

Men Dong was taken aback. “Huh?”

Mu Cengxiao’s expression changed slightly as he tightened his grip on the God-Slaying Sword.

A wind had started blowing from somewhere on the ground, different from the wind on the way down the mountain. It was not cold against the face but caused the spiritual artifacts on the tree to rustle as if they might fall at any moment.

The seal that Gu Baiying had previously unsealed showed no unusual signs, but now, golden spiritual energy was gradually leaking from the seal. The power of the confinement was weakening, and though no one had tampered with it, the seal was on the verge of breaking.