bafflinghaze

Thank you to TheUnimportantLittleOne, and Kitty, and MCJohnston for the kofis! 🥰 Now onto chapter 101:

Sun Fuyu soon ran out of calming stones.

“Come back next week,” he told the waiting cultivators. When he saw that some of them were about to protest, Sun Fuyu added, “If not, I’ll only sell them through the Golden Sun Sect’s auction house next month.”

Mouths closed. One smart cultivator bowed. “This cultivator understands. Have a good day, Cultivator Sun.”

After the polite farewells, the cultivators wanting spiritual stones left. The remaining crowd consisted of cultivators with missing pets and cultivators who wanted to “speak” with Wen Zhihao.

“With so much money on your hands, how about you pay up for stealing my demonic pet?” the same livid cultivator from earlier swaggered up to Sun Fuyu. Although his outer robes were dark blue, Sun Fuyu could see a sliver of the black layers underneath. It was as though he wanted to intimidate Sun Fuyu with the fact that he was a demonic cultivator.

Sun Fuyu gave the cultivator a condescending look. “If your demonic pet liked you, then why would it come here? There were many other cultivators with pets. I don’t see them here.”

“How would we know what kind of magical treasure that Disciple Wen has to lure our demonic beasts?” another cultivator scoffed. “Is the Golden Sun Sect so covetous of others’ demonic beasts?”

“Wen-shixiong doesn’t need any magical treasure. You are all simply jealous that Wen-shixiong doesn’t employ coercive means.”

“Why you—!”

Ignoring the angry looks, Sun Fuyu continued, “As for any other seniors who want to speak with Cultivator Wen, he is not accepting any meetings, regardless of your popularity or seniority. If it is truly important, then you may liaise with the other talisman cultivators.” —Wen-ge’s peace is more important!

“Indeed, please refrain from bothering Disciple Wen.”

Elder Liu Ru’s clear voice rose from behind the crowd. The other cultivators cleared her way: she was an entire level stronger than them.

“Now please disperse. If you wish to stay at the Sect, then you may apply for accommodation at any of the offices at the gates.”

Under Elder Liu’s stern expression, the remaining crowd departed with dark expressions.

Once the last cultivator left, Elder Liu stepped through the barrier, as did Sun Fuyu.

Sun Fuyu greeted respectfully. “Good afternoon, Elder Liu.”

“Good afternoon, Elder Liu,” Hu Jingyan echoed.

Elder Liu inclined her head. “Disciple Hu has worked hard. I have just strengthened the barrier: you can leave now.”

Hu Jingyan nodded. “Many thanks, Elder Liu.”

Elder Liu then turned to Sun Fuyu. “Disciple Sun, I’m here to speak with Disciple Wen. Has he awoken?”

“En, he has.”

“Hm.”

Elder Liu Ru walked into the building and through to the main courtyard. Sun Fuyu followed behind her.

At that moment, Wen Zhihao was seated in the middle of the courtyard with the children. He was showing Xiao Bai how to write a basic talisman to generate light. The other children were drawing and scribbling on their talisman paper, having already lost interest in writing talismans. The animals lazed in various positions around them.

Wen Zhihao rose to his feet. “Good afternoon, Elder Liu.”

The children also rose to their feet, bowing. “Good afternoon, Elder Liu,” they echoed.

“Children, take a seat,” Elder Liu Ru said kindly. “Disciple Wen, let us speak in Senior Cultivator Liu Zhongmin’s office.”

Wen Zhihao patted children on the heads and stepped over sleeping cats. “Xiao Yu—”

“En, don’t worry,” Sun Fuyu nodded.

While Sun Fuyu remained behind with the children and animals, Wen Zhihao followed Elder Liu to Liu Zhongmin’s office. There were even more swords in the office since Wen Zhihao was last here.

Wen Zhihao sat down at the table, opposite Elder Liu Ru.

“Disciple Wen, allow me to be direct. The Sect Leader believes that you showed great leadership at the ravine the other day.”

Wen Zhihao: “...”

Leadership? What leadership?

Elder Liu’s expression showed that she knew exactly what Wen Zhihao was thinking.

“Regardless, they have asked me to reward you suitably. I believe the Sect Leader had your promotion in mind—”

Wen Zhihao immediately shook his head. “No need, Elder Liu, no need.” Promotion meant responsibilities!

“—But I assumed that you would decline.”

Wen Zhihao cleared his throat slightly in embarrassment. “Elder Liu knows me well.”

Elder Liu’s mouth twitched in faint amusement. “Instead, you will be rewarded with your own courtyard house on this mountain. It will be lower down the mountain, but there will be many more rooms and space for you and Disciple Sun and the children.”

Wen Zhihao’s eyes brightened.

If cultivator mountains were analysed from a property-market point of view, then the prime real-estate was at the peak where the Peak Master resided, while the cheapest land was at the bottom. A room at the altitude of Liu Zhongmin’s quarters could be worth more than an entire building further down.

But for Wen Zhihao, a house closer to the bottom meant he had to do less walking/flying up the mountain.

He clasped his hands together and bowed his head. “This disciple thanks Elder Liu for the reward.”

The corners of Elder Liu’s lips curled up slightly. “The courtyard house will soon begin construction and should be ready by next month. I will later show you the location, and you can make any requests…”

After Elder Liu Ru gave Wen Zhihao the rest of the details and timeframes, Wen Zhihao thanked Elder Liu again.

There was a lightness in his step as he and Elder Liu left the office and went back to the courtyard. After he and the others farewelled Elder Liu Ru, Wen Zhihao burst into a grin.

Sun Fuyu was extremely confused when Wen Zhihao suddenly hugged him so hard that his feet lifted off from the ground. He rested his hands on Wen-ge’s shoulders. “Wen-ge? What happened?”

“Elder Liu is giving us a courtyard house! We’ll have more room for the children and the cats!” Wen Zhihao looked at the other animals.  “...And the dogs and the bear and the rabbit,” he belatedly added.

“A house?”

Wen Zhihao put Sun Fuyu down again. “Yes, Elder Liu said it was a reward for…” he trailed off sheepishly.

But Sun Fuyu immediately understood: Not everyone could do what Wen-ge did the other day. Wen-ge was so great that the Elders rewarded him personally!

“Wen-ge is great,” Sun Fuyu said.

“Xiao Yu is great,” Wen Zhihao automatically replied. He took Sun Fuyu’s hands, lips curving up. “We’ll be able to move in soon after the wedding.”

At the mention of ‘wedding’, Sun Fuyu blushed. “En. After the wedding.”

Wen Zhihao held one of Sun Fuyu’s hands and turned to the children. “Guess what Uncle has for you….”

That night, Elder Liu Ru was resting with Liu Zhongmin. At their peak-top residence above the clouds, the starry sky shone through the window. Starlight was augmented by the soft glows from various flowers.

Liu Ru sat on the bed, while Liu Zhongmin sat behind her, combing her hair.

Liu Ru took the opportunity to inform her wife about Disciple Wen’s future move down the mountain.

“...You got to see the children and you didn’t stay longer?” Liu Zhongmin grumbled.

Liu Ru huffed. “Am I not busy too? Although, Disciple Wen’s children are quite obedient.”

Liu Zhongmin stopped combing Liu Ru’s hair and poked her head forward. “You mean you like them? Can we adopt one?”

“I’m saying that they’re much more obedient than you.”

Liu Zhongmin plopped her head on Liu Ru’s shoulder. “So cruel to me, your only wife ba.”

Liu Ru reached up and pinched Liu Zhongmin’s ear. “Yes, yes, so cruel.”

In retaliation, Liu Zhongmin nibbled Liu Ru’s ear. Hm, they won’t be sleeping tonight…