Chapter 38: Tu Buyu (2) (2/2)

“Only one person like that…” Nan Huairen quietly laughed.

After hearing the response, Li Qiye sighed in relief and walked toward Tu Buyu: “When did Junior Tu come back? Did master come back with you?”

“Dear big brother, this young brother came back alone. I only…” Tu Buyu said in a serious manner and an exposing kind smile.

Li Qiye immediately interrupted him and said: “Younger brother, you are sixty; please don’t be so courteous, you are shortening my life.”

“Dear big brother, I am only one thousand six hundred and seventy-five years old this year.” Tu Buyu, while keeping his amicable smile, seriously answered.

“Cras.h.!.+” Li Qiye staggered, almost falling over after hearing the answer. Not only him, but even Nan Huairen couldn’t stand straight.

“Could, could you repeat that…” Li Qiye was almost choked to death by his own saliva. A one thousand year old man called him big brother. Dear heavens, does one really need a younger brother this old?

“This young brother is one thousand six hundred and seventy-five years old.” Tu Buyu slowly repeated without changing his tone.

Li Qiye glared at Nan Huairen, and Nan Huairen could only innocently smile; he, himself, didn’t know that Tu Buyu was so old.

“Big brother, are you okay? Do you want this young brother to get you a cup of water…” Seeing Li Qiye’s choking expression, Tu Buyu kindly offered.

Li Qiye recovered and broke Tu Buyu’s words mid-sentence: “Grandpa, please stop calling yourself young brother, I’m getting gooseb.u.mps. First, I am only thirteen years old, you are above one thousand; you calling me big brother is only shortening my life. Second, this is the main point, why are you trying to be cute in front of me, calling yourself young brother? Are you implying that I am really old compared to my age? Do I look that old? Huairen, do I look that old?”

Li Qiye crazily spoke nonstop, Nan Huairen was smiling on the inside. This was the first time he had seen this senior unable to hold onto his calm emotions.

However, under the killing glare of Li Qiye, Nan Huairen could only smile and pretend to look elsewhere.

“If this is big brother’s command, this young brother… no, I will respectfully obey.” Tu Buyu was receptive, with a smile on his face.

“Such a brilliant decision, young brother Tu.” Li Qiye nodded his head approvingly.

Tu Buyu smilingly replied: “When it comes to heavenly brilliance, I am not your equal.”

Tu Buyu’s words silenced Nan Huairen. He used to think that he was smooth and slick, good at reading other people’s mind, but this old man was even faster at flattering than he was. It seemed that Nan Huairen had met his match.

Li Qiye only smiled and certainly did not mind this. One could see that Tu Buyu was an interesting and wily person; a person living for one thousand years like him could call a thirteen-year-old boy “big brother” in their first meeting. This type of person, if he wasn’t an insidious mastermind, then he would be a person who could read the circ.u.mstances, knowing what to do in each situation.

Of course, no matter what type of person he was, he could not escape from the eyes of Li Qiye. He had seen many people; when it comes to reading people’s thoughts and characters, very few could hide their intentions and nature in front of him. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to cultivate the invincible Min Ren.

Li Qiye and Tu Buyu only just casually talked for a little bit, then they said their goodbyes. In fact, Li Qiye didn’t really care for Tu Buyu’s purpose in coming back to the sect, so he didn’t bother asking; this wasn’t a big deal to him. Li Qiye only had one goal; that was to make himself powerful, rebuild the Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect, and kill anyone who tried to block his steps, leaving no survivors!

***

If the appearance of Tu Buyu yesterday was strange and funny for Li Qiye, then the news from Nan Huairen the next day was unexpected to him.

The next day, Nan Huairen and his master, Protector Mo, went up to the peak. They reported to Li Qiye, giving important news: Tomorrow, Li Shuangyan, the princess of the Nine Saint Demon Gate, will be coming to the Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect.

As the person in charge of the marriage between the two factions, Protector Mo was the first to be informed regarding Li Shuangyan’s arrival by the Nine Saint Demon Gate.

“Coming is fine, it is best to come after thinking it through completely. But if not, it doesn’t really matter.” Li Qiye was quite surprised. He thought that the Nine Saint Demon Gate would wait for eight or ten years, he didn’t expect that Li Shuangyan would be coming in less than a year.

Of course, if the Nine Saint Demon Gate was to wait for ten years before making a move, then Li Qiye wouldn’t open his door for them. By then, his wings would have become full-fledged so there was no need for the Nine Saint Demon Gate to come. What he needed right now was a timely ally, not someone who would “embroider flowers on cotton cloths.” [1]

Protector Mo was too hesitant to personally ask Li Qiye, so he winked at Nan Huairen. Nan Huairen understood his master, and had to bite the bullet to ask: “Senior, if Princess Li actually wanted to stay at our Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect, would you really let her be a sword maid?”

[1] Basically giving help when it is no longer necessary, cotton was considered expensive/high-cla.s.s in the era where this phrase originated from.