Chapter 38 : Tu Bu Yu 2 (2/2)
“How many more older disciples do we have here at the Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect?”
Li Qi Ye glanced at Nan Huai Ren and asked. Imagining a scene where a bunch of old men gathered around him and respectfully called him “big brother,” Li Qi Ye could not stand it.
“Only one person like that…”
Nan Huai Ren quietly laughed.
After hearing the response, Li Qi Ye sighed in relief and walked toward Tu Bu Yu:
“When did junior Tu come back? Did master come back with you?”
“Dear big brother, this young brother came back alone. I only…”
Tu Bu Yu said with a serious manner and an exposing kind smile.
Li Qi Ye 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 Bu Yu, while keeping his amicable smile, seriously answered.
“Crash!”
Li Qi Ye staggered, almost falling over after hearing the answer. Not only him, but even Nan Huai Ren couldn’t stand straight.
“Could, could you repeat that…”
Li Qi Ye was almost choked to death by his own saliva. A one thousand year old man called him big brother. Dear heaven, does one really need a younger brother this old?
“This young brother is one thousand six hundred and seventy five years old.”
Tu Bu Yu slowly repeated without changing his tone.
Li Qi Ye glared at Nan Huai Ren, and Nan Huai Ren could only innocently smile; he, himself, didn’t know that Tu Bu Yu was so old.
“Big brother, are you okay? Do you want this young brother to get you a cup of water…”
Seeing Li Qi Ye’s choking expression, Tu Bu Yu kindly offered.
Li Qi Ye recovered and broke Tu Bu Yu’s words mid-sentence:
“Grandpa, please stop calling yourself young brother, I’m getting goosebumps. 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? Huai Ren, do I look that old?”
Li Qi Ye crazily spoke nonstop, Nan Huai Ren was smiling on the inside. This was the first time he had seen this senior unable to to hold onto his calm emotions.
However, under the killing glare of Li Qi Ye, Nan Huai Ren could only smile and pretend to look else where.
“If this is big brother’s command, this young brother… no, I will respectfully obey.”
Tu Bu Yu was receptive, with a smile on his face.
“Such a brilliant decision, young brother Tu.”
Li Qi Ye nodded his head approvingly.
Tu Bu Yu smilingly replied:
“When it comes to heavenly brilliance, I am not your equal.”
Tu Bu Yu’s words silenced Nan Huai Ren. 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 Huai Ren had met his match.
Li Qi Ye only smiled and certainly did not mind this. One could see that Tu Bu Yu 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 circumstances, 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 Qi Ye. 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 Qi Ye and Tu Bu Yu only just casually talked for a little bit, then they said their goodbyes. In fact, Li Qi Ye didn’t really care for Tu Bu Yu’s purpose in coming back to the sect, so he didn’t bother asking; this wasn’t a big deal to him. Li Qi Ye 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 Bu Yu yesterday was strange and funny for Li Qi Ye, then the news from Nan Huai Ren the next day was unexpected to him.
The next day, Nan Huai Ren and his master, Protector Mo, went up to the peak. They reported to Li Qi Ye, giving important news: Tomorrow, Li Shuang Yan, 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 Shuang Yan’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 Qi Ye was quite surprised. He thought that the Nine Saint Demon Gate would wait for eight or ten years, he didn’t expect that Li Shuang Yan 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 Qi Ye 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.”
(TL: Basically giving help when it is no longer necessary, cottons was considered expensive/high class in the era where this phrase originated from.)
Protector Mo was too hesitant to personally ask Li Qi Ye, so he winked at Nan Huai Ren. Nan Huai Ren 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?”