bafflinghaze

Thank you to Kansuou, Madjellyfish, and MCJohnston for the ko-fi's!!!

After seeing Wang Li Wei’s continued stunned state, Wen Zhihao “kindly” took Wang Li Wei’s hand and helped him pet the kitten. The kitten meowed cutely.

“Yes, just like that,” Wen Zhihao coaxed him until Wang Li Wei began to automatically stroke the kitten. “That sound means that the kitten likes you.”

Wang Li Wei’s brain slowly started moving again, shifting from fear to befuddlement. N-nothing happened? He wasn’t attacked and mauled?

Due to his confusion, his qi began to naturally follow Wen Zhihao’s cadence, which in turn adjusted his breathing. Anxious and heavy thoughts flowed away, replaced with the mechanical rhythm of petting the demonic beast in his arms to ensure that it remained happy.

The soft fur under Wang Li Wei’s hands made him feel as though something soft was brushing against his heart. These small feelings were very unfamiliar.

The corner of Wen Zhihao’s lips quirked up. Aiyo, another tsundere? Don’t tell me that it’s Zhang Wu’s influence… Putting such speculative thoughts aside, Wen Zhihao asked, “Now tell me, why did Wang-shixiong seek me—a non-combat talisman cultivator—to fight?”

Wang Li Wei roused himself enough to glare. “You used to be a sword cultivator. Have you forgotten all your skills already? After that day, my friends kept asking me whether or not I have heart demons! Of course I don’t!”

Sun Fuyu gave Wang Li Wei a dark look and said, “But surely you knew that Wen-ge is no longer a sword cultivator. And still technically an outer sect disciple. Don’t you think your actions would become a dark mark on your reputation?”

Sun Fuyu had no good feelings for Wang Li Wei at all. It was only out of respect for his Wen-ge that he didn’t propose another duel to crush Wang Li Wei.

“Didn’t you say your grandfather was that Elder Wang?” Wen Zhihao recalled.

At that, Wang Li Wei’s face went pale. If he had defeated Wen Zhihao and Sun Fuyu, there would have been no problems. The Sect would look the other way at such ‘training’ duels, and his position among his friends would have solidified and he would have washed away his black history regarding Wen Zhihao.

But he had lost against Sun Fuyu. They may be both Golden Core now, but Sun Fuyu wasn’t Golden Core when they started the fight.

How poor was he that he lost against a Foundation Building¹Foundation Building < Golden Core cultivator? How poor was he that his opponent had the opportunity to cultivate during the battle?

And he knew full well that that reputation was the single most important thing in his grandfather’s eyes.

Wang Li Wei started to shiver. Would he be thrown in tortuous training? Would he be pushed aside in the family? Would his parents prefer to adopt another son than have him as their child?

Wen Zhihao’s brows creased as Wang Li Wei’s state deteriorated. In a coaxing tone, he said, “The pressure from an elder can be overwhelming, especially when they want you to be the best even though they weren’t. Don’t take their words unconditionally. Examine their own hypocrisies.”

Wang Li Wei’s eyes were red. “What are you talking about? My grandfather is one of the best cultivators! By my age, he was already at Late-stage Golden Core!”

“At your age, Senior Lin Yijun had broken into Nascent Soul,” Sun Fuyu pointed out. “Each stage is exponentially harder than the previous.”

Wen Zhihao nodded, pretending he knew who Senior Lin Yijun was.

“Everything you say will be confidential,” Wen Zhihao said. He patted Wang Li Wei gently on the shoulder. “I’ll listen carefully.”

At the soft touch and the coaxing voice, Wang Li Wei broke down. “I’m a disgrace!” His hands curled into fists, held away from the confused kitten in his lap. “Why am I so bad? My parents have been threatening to have another child! They favour my distant cousins!”

“And why do you think you’re bad?” Wen Zhihao asked.

Wang Li Wei sneered. “Look at you, still an outer sect disciple! It’s because it took me so long to enter the inner sect! My mother and father both entered the inner sect by the time they were 13. Tch, at least there is someone even worse than me...you, Wen Zhihao!” He looked between Wen Zhihao and Sun Fuyu and said, “I’m not surprised you two family-less dogs are friends.”

Wen Zhihao wanted to face-palm. Why did Wang Li Wei constantly revert to cannon fodder behaviour? There was no protagonist and protagonist halo around here to induce such thoughtlessness!

In contrast to Wen Zhihao’s exasperation, Sun Fuyu’s eyes darkened with anger. Family-less dogs?! Who’s the one without Aunty Liu Jing and Old Tang and everyone else?!! If this surnamed Wang tried to bully his ge again, Sun Fuyu wouldn’t even give him time to kneel in apology!

Wen Zhihao absently reached out and patted Sun Fuyu’s arm, having sensed the fluctuations in Sun Fuyu’s qi.

Sun Fuyu immediately sucked a deep breath, feeling very aggrieved, and grabbed Wen Zhihao’s hand. When Wen-ge didn’t shake off the touch, Sun Fuyu calmed down a little.

Wen Zhihao focused back on Wang Li Wei. Wang Li Wei seemed to constantly provoke others. He was lucky that Wen Zhihao wasn’t the protagonist of some xianxia novel, though it made Wen Zhihao wonder whether or not there really was a protagonist somewhere in the sect. Could there be another transmigrator or a reincarnator?

Well, as far as Wen Zhihao could tell, it probably wouldn’t affect him.

Wen Zhihao then jabbed Wang Li Wei where it hurt: “Wang Li Wei, your actions, behaviour, and mentality hinder your cultivation.”

Wang Li Wei’s jaw tightened. “What do you mean by that?!”

“Your emotions of anger and your inferiority complex and lack of self-awareness increases the chance of heart demons, qi-deviation, and is overall disruptive to your qi. An unstable qi control is very undesirable. Such volatile control at the foundations will only become a big pit for you in the future.”

—More importantly, it was undesirable because Wen Zhihao found it very uncomfortable. If everyone in the sect had nicer qi auras, then it’s estimated that Wen Zhihao would be able to nap for even longer, at more possible locations! Lately, Wen Zhihao felt that he was become more sensitive to smaller qi fluctuations that were further away.

“In fact, you also wasted your time running after me instead of cultivating yourself,” Wen Zhihao added. “You’ve wasted your time trying to plot against me. As cultivators, we live a long time. Don’t race through the levels, go slowly and build a stable foundation that will last you the hundreds of years.”

“And don’t go running after my ge in the future! Wen-ge can take you down with a slap of his hand!” Sun Fuyu tightened his grip on Wen Zhihao’s mighty hand.

Wen Zhihao’s lips twitched up in amusement, his heart also warm and ticklish with Sun Fuyu’s defence of him. He patted Sun Fuyu’s arm. “Don’t worry, I much rather do other things with you and everyone else.”

Sun Fuyu’s eyes widened slightly. His anger receded, replaced with soft happiness. “En.”

Wang Li Wei made a sour face. Somehow...weren’t these two people a bit ambiguous? Tch, Wen Zhihao was still an outer sect disciple! How could he slap him like that anyway?!

But then Wen Zhihao’s words echoed in his brain. Was there really something wrong with this cultivation?

“Whatever…” Wang Li Wei muttered. “As if I’d believe an outer sect disciple like you.”

“You—!” Sun Fuyu riled up again. “My ge is taking his time out to help you and you’re so ungrateful!”

Wen Zhihao shrugged. “If you don’t want to believe, then I won’t force you. Your own internal anger management—I mean qi management—is something you must analyse for yourself. Since you have just been in a duel, I recommend seeing a healing cultivator.”

Wang Li Wei went into teenager brooding/sulking mode.

Wen Zhihao let him be. He knew well that provoking teenagers often made them do the opposite thing, but he was too lazy to employ reverse psychology. If Wang Li Wei went to see a professional healing cultivator, he might be more trusting of their words.

“Remember to take deep breaths. You can come here to relax any time you want, as the cats—I mean demonic beast—are very good. I won’t let you out for another fifteen minutes,” Wen Zhihao added. “Be good and start petting the poor kitten again.”

As though it understood Wen Zhihao’s words, the little kitten meowed pitifully. Wang Li Wei’s underdeveloped empathy triggered and he uncurled his fists to pet the kitten. Soft...small...

Wen Zhihao left Wang Li Wei to slowly work out his thoughts. He now turned to Sun Fuyu, who was still stickily holding onto his hand.

“Xiao Yu can go train now if you want.”

Sun Fuyu glanced at Wang Li Wei before looking back at his ge. “I want to stay here with Wen-ge if I can…” He had no intention of leaving his ge alone with this bully!

With those soft eyes, how could Wen Zhihao reject him? “Alright. It’s good to rest some more after a duel.”

The two of them went to greet the two older demonic beasts and dispense out food bribes.

If Wang Li Wei was listening to them, he would have heard them talking brainstorming random talisman ideas and musing what desserts could be made from the fruit they had grown.

But instead, his mind was filled with all the demeaning things his grandfather and parents have said to him and all the things that Wen Zhihao had said. He didn’t know how to face his elders, but the meowing demonic beast in his arms somehow made things feel like they would be alright.

Wen Zhihao: Another transmigrator? A reincarnator? A protagonist? 🥱🥱 Has nothing to do with me.

Author: Hehehe, don't set up a flag for yourself~

Wen Zhihao: .... 

Hehehe, I forgot to say in the previous chapter, but Sun Fuyu levelling up reminds of Pokemon conveniently evolving in the middle of battle in order to turn the tide and win HAHA. Now, Wen Zhihao is in Middle Stage Golden Core and Sun Fuyu is at the very start of Early Stage Golden Core~

Also, the BL Spring Anthology is still posting~! One story I found particularly fluffy and cute is The First Cherry Blossom of Spring 🌸🌸🌸🌸