Zanxing (Retranslated)

Chapter 224 - The Star Hairpin (1)

This night was livelier than usual.

The tense and solemn atmosphere that had lingered since the moon’s last visit on the mountain seemed to have dissipated considerably because of the feast on the Duluo Platform. There were no demon clans, no Xiao Yuan Pearl, and no bad news from various places. It felt as if these peaceful and good times could last forever.

The evening breeze illuminated the fireflies by the Changchun Pool. Mu Cengxiao stood up and said somewhat awkwardly, “I’ll be right back.”

“Going to the bathroom?” Tian Fangfang patted him on the shoulder. “Hurry back, we’re waiting for you.”

Mu Cengxiao left the table, and Zanxing, seeing this, thought for a moment and said, “I’ll go out too.” She quickly followed.

At this moment, the people at the table were drinking and having a great time, not paying much attention. Instead, Men Dong, holding a wine cup, leaned over to Gu Baiying and nudged him. “Martial Uncle, why aren’t you following them?”

Gu Baiying turned his head, his voice emotionless, “Why should I follow them?”

“It seems that Yang Zanxing still has lingering feelings for Mu Cengxiao,” Men Dong said with a sigh. “Although you now have the Sacred Tree Fruit and no longer need to rely on the Qinchong Seed, theoretically, Yang Zanxing’s double cultivation with anyone else shouldn’t concern you. However,” he changed his tone, “look at this dark and quiet night, a solitary man and woman. If they make a mistake, it will be hard to clean up. I promised to help Brother Mu pursue Sister Meng, so how can I just stand by and watch them make a mistake? You go and stop them.”

“What does it have to do with me?” Gu Baiying looked at him coldly. “You go.” His hand, hidden under the table, couldn’t help but clench slightly.

“I’m just a kid,” Men Dong said seriously. “If I go at the wrong time and stumble upon something inappropriate, it would be quite awkward, and it would be too obvious if I went.”

“Wouldn’t it obvious if I go?”

“Of course, you’re an elder. No one would believe you have any ulterior motives.” Men Dong nudged Gu Baiying. “Martial Uncle, go on, hurry up. If you go too late, it’ll be too late to fix things.”

Unable to endure his persistent nagging, Gu Baiying stood up impatiently and threw out a single word: “Annoying.” He ultimately went after them.

Men Dong clapped his hands, watching Gu Baiying’s departing figure with satisfaction, and sighed, “Good thing I’m here.”

Tian Fangfang gave Men Dong a meaningful look and said, “Junior Brother, you’re really something.”

*

Mu Cengxiao had just finished washing his hands after leaving the bathroom and was about to head towards the Duluo Platform when he saw someone leaning against a tree in front of him. The person greeted him as he came out, “Senior Brother.”

Steadying himself from nearly stumbling, Mu Cengxiao looked at the woman in front of him. “Junior Sister, what do you want?”

Zanxing looked at him. “You don’t need to act so warily. I’m not going to hurt you.”

“I…”

“Here, take this.” Before he could finish, Zanxing tossed a box into his arms.

Mu Cengxiao was taken aback, opened the box, and saw a golden fruit lying inside—it was the Sacred Tree Fruit that had been returned by Ziluo.

“Junior Sister, what is the meaning of this?” Mu Cengxiao asked in confusion.

“I thought about it, and I don’t need this fruit, so I’m giving it to you,” Zanxing replied straightforwardly.

Mu Cengxiao didn’t expect Zanxing to say this. After hesitating for a moment, he shook his head and pushed the box back towards her. “No, this is too valuable. I can’t accept it.”

Their group had only obtained four fruits from the treasure location. Three of them were used by Gu Baiying to refine pills, and the remaining one was incredibly precious. Even for Gu Baiying, who had serious spiritual vein issues, it took only three pills to fully repair them, demonstrating the efficacy of this pill. It was surprising that Zanxing so casually gave such a valuable item to someone else. Even if she was generous, this was not the way to show it.

“What’s so valuable about it? It’s just a fruit,” Zanxing said, pushing the box back to him. “To me, it’s not as precious as the substitute talisman you gave me.” She had previously inventoried the items in her Qiankun Bag. Apart from that seemingly ridiculous Peerless Heart Sutra, she hadn’t found any remarkable opportunities. However, the begonia in her palm was becoming increasingly vivid, which made Zanxing feel uneasy.

Today, with Ziluo returning the golden fruit, Zanxing could not dare to accept it. Who knows if accepting it would make the flower grow directly from her palm by tomorrow? The conditions for this flower’s growth were quite inexplicable. After much thought, she decided to return this opportunity to Mu Cengxiao. After all, in the eyes of the Heavenly Dao, Mu Cengxiao was the one with great fortune, capable of handling any kind of spiritual treasure.

The speaker may have been indifferent, but the listener was attentive. Gu Baiying, who had just arrived, heard this remark.

The Sacred Tree Fruit was obtained with much effort by their group when they ventured deep into the treasure site. Yet, in Zanxing’s eyes, it was not as precious as the substitute talisman Mu Cengxiao had given her. Perhaps for her, anything given by Mu Cengxiao was inherently special compared to what others gave. She must really like Mu Cengxiao, as she repeatedly gave away things considered precious by the world, just as she had with the Xianyu Lingzhi before and now with the Sacred Tree Fruit.

People were only generous to those they like, eager to present the best things in the world to them. Like Yang Zanxing, and like himself.

The youth’s gaze dimmed. After a moment of silence, he turned and walked away.

Meanwhile, Zanxing was still persuading Mu Cengxiao, “You don’t need to feel burdened, and you needn’t worry that I have any improper thoughts about you. As you know, when I was in Yuecheng, I didn’t practice properly for the first ten years. Later, I accidentally joined the Taiyan Sect, and my foundation was not well established. It’s said that one who hasn’t laid a solid foundation cannot benefit from supplements. If I consume this fruit and go astray, it wouldn’t be good. It’s better to give it to you. If you really think accepting it is a problem, just make a few more of those Decoy talismans later and send me a few.”

Mu Cengxiao laughed upon hearing this. “So you want Decoy Talismans. But Junior Sister, Decoy talismans are only used in times of danger. You’re quite safe on Gufeng Mountain. One for self-defense is enough, no need for so many.”

Zanxing waved her hand as she walked back, “Who knows? The world is full of changes. I’m afraid of death, so having a few more is never a bad thing.”

After she returned the item and got back to the Duluo Platform, Men Dong’s eyes brightened upon seeing her. “You’re back!” He scanned her up and down before sighing in relief. “That’s good.”

Zanxing was puzzled and noticed that the seat next to her was empty. She asked, “Where’s Martial Uncle?”

“He didn’t come back with you?” Men Dong was confused.

“Why would he come back with us?” Zanxing was even more puzzled.

Men Dong cleared his throat lightly. “Nothing, I was just talking nonsense.”

Mu Cengxiao sat back down next to Meng Ying. Zanxing pondered Men Dong’s words and felt there was something odd about them.

*

At the edge of Chu Hong Terrace, under the clear night sky, the dusk hung low, and the stars seemed to be falling from the heavens.

The higher up the mountain, the brighter the stars shine.

The youth sat quietly at the peak, with the mist below him swirling and dissipating. His crimson headband fluttered in the wind, like a flower blooming quietly in the long night or like distant and near heartaches.

Li Danshu’s wine was never very strong, it only carried a hint of alcohol. Even though he was clearly sober, he found himself sinking into melancholy. Over the past years, though he knew he wouldn’t live past twenty, he never let it trouble him. Life and death have their own destinies, so why torment oneself? In the entire sect, others saw him as the most carefree, the most arrogant, the most unrestrained, with emotions freely expressed. Yet in just a short year, he had also tasted the bitterness of turmoil and worry.

In their sect, a demon clan member had infiltrated. This demon was harmless and unafraid of people, smiling openly, sincere in character, fighting alongside them, joking and playing. In times of danger, she would stand in front of him, naively trying to change his fate.

And so his fate was indeed changed.

Why was such a person a demon clan member? He always felt there might be some hidden reason, perhaps she had another struggle, but every time he tried to ask, the words would get stuck.

Perhaps it was because she admired Mu Cengxiao and followed him to the Taiyan Sect, hiding her identity just to stay by the person she loved? The youth thought with sadness. If that were true, though the truth was painful, it would still be the best outcome.

The moonlight flowed over his pearl-colored robes, and the wind rustled the edges of his robe. A distant star twinkled as if it were about to dive toward him, bringing a shower of starlight.

“Ah—” That star, as it came close, fell just a few steps away from him. Gu Baiying’s brows and eyes moved, and in the next moment, he flashed forward to catch the person who had fallen.

“What are you doing?” he asked angrily.

“You scared me to death,” Zanxing said, patting her chest with lingering fear. “Using the Wuyou Staff as a flying sword really was a bit of a stretch. The Moon Soul Sword of Senior Sister Meng is much better—wider and longer, and much more stable to stand on.” She looked up at Gu Baiying. “Isn’t that right, Martial Uncle?”

The youth grasped her arm with one hand and supported her waist with the other. His gaze, briefly resting on her face, seemed to scorch him, and he quickly averted his eyes, abruptly letting go and turning away. “How did you learn the sword technique like this? How does Xuan Lingzi teach his disciples?”

“It’s mainly because I’m a bit afraid of heights,” Zanxing steadied herself and picked up the Wuyou Staff from the ground.

“Why are you here?” After a moment of silence, Gu Baiying asked.

“Didn’t you ask me to come to Chu Hong Terrace?”

He was at a loss for words, eventually managing to say, “I thought you might have forgotten.”

“I’m not that forgetful,” Zanxing blinked. “So, Martial Uncle, why did you call me here?”

Gu Baiying was momentarily stunned. He had invited Zanxing to give her a gift, but the sudden appearance and the previous commotion left him unsure of how to begin.

Fortunately, Zanxing didn’t dwell on the issue. She looked up at the dark night sky and sighed, “I often come to Chu Hong Terrace at night to practice. I never noticed before, but the night view here is truly beautiful. The stars look even better than those down the mountain, and the breeze is refreshing.” She smiled. “Gufeng Mountain is really a wonderful place.”

Gu Baiying was taken aback. After a moment, he turned to Zanxing and asked softly, “Do you like the Taiyan Sect?”