Chereads / The Realm Between Us / Chapter 54 - Chapter Fifty Four

Chapter 54 - Chapter Fifty Four

"Senior brother, you've returned. Young master Jiang." "En, where's master?" Gao Chang first acknowledged Jiang Tengyi who was in a rush to leave them after dropping off his troublesome senior brother before answering. "Master entered the east courtyard and has yet to leave." When he said this, he peeked up at Da Chuanli's expression for any changes but Da Chuanli seemed to have no special reaction to this. Even lifting his arm to rub the head of a shocking familiar snake they both knew very well. "Is that so?" "Senior brother that snake-" Gao Chang swallowed his question when he looked up at Da Chuanli's face once more. Even when Da Chuanli turned to give him a soft smile "Hmm?" Gao Chang didn't dare mention the forbidden name of the girl who haunted the inner courtyards.

Seemingly not noticing the conflict on the young man's face, Da Chuanli made to enter the sect with that smile still hanging on his face. "What are you so shocked for? I'll report to master first, come to my room this afternoon I have something to discuss with you about your time in my absence." "Senior brother!" Gao Chang calls out in a strained voice, to which Da Chuanli finally yet briefly acknowledged calmly in comparison to Gao Chang's agitation. "I'm aware of your concern, wait till after I confirm with master. That's all, Gao Chang." Heart racing with both fear for Da Chuanli's mental state, and the sudden reanimation of the once immobile spiritual weapon of Wang Lan Biyu. He could only take a deep breath, before firmly saying to the outwardly calm senior of his "Senior brother, though as children we never were close, I am still your junior brother and will always be so in the future." 

"Pfft-Haha!" Da Chuanli covered the bottom of his face laughing thinly due to his sudden declaration appearing like an average soft gentleman standing under blossoming peach trees. Like a real human being. His eyes of gold glimmering faintly over his shoulder as he spoke "What is this? Naturally as the eldest I will be the senior brother, don't worry too much. Things of the past shall stay in the past we cannot linger too long in places where we do not belong anymore." Saying so, his hand somewhat methodically rubbed the top of Chi's head, the little snake staring at him from start to finish with her clear gaze. "Enough reminiscing, we will continue our talk once I confirm some things with Master." 

Gao Chang although he had been ridiculed hesitated to stop Da Chuanli again, worried he may incur his seniors ire in mentioning something too sensitive for their superficial relationship. He had treaded the line carefully for so long, in the end this was the furthest he could go chasing after his senior brother's trust. Wang Lan Biyu was a forbidden topic. Not just for their master, but for Da Chuanli too. Now, her spiritual weapon had awaken once more without anyone knowing why, who can believe the two of them were as calm as they pretend to be? Watching as Da Chuanli leisurely made his way out of his line of sight, he stood still at the entrance for a very long time alone before heading towards the center of the sect with a determined expression. 

Even if they will not listen to others, there is one person even his master and senior brother will always listen to. A knock on the pillar beside the closed eyed immortal draws his attention over to the his smiling disciple holding onto a ignorant little white snake who was strangely curled up in his palm in a docile manner. Seemingly unsurprised by the two of them being together, Wang Minglan who was in a strangely calm state within the old pavilion gestures for Da Chuanli to come forward. With practiced ease, the two shared not a single word as the little snake was placed onto the center of the table while Da Chuanli familiarly prepares a pot of tea for his master. Unlike a long time ago, the young man was so familiar with the tools in his hands he could do it in his sleep now. 

Unlike Wang Lan Biyu who carried the elegance of a lotus, he only had a steadiness about him that made one feel he was confident in what he was doing. However, that was only if one didn't know him and weren't the ones being served. "Master." Minglan took the offering quietly, carefully bringing the cup to his mouth and taking a cautious sip. "....." After wiping his mouth and setting the cup down with no more intentions of drinking it, the man gave Da Chuanli a solemn review. "How many batches of leaves do you plain to butcher?" "Naturally as many as Master is willing to provide for this negligent disciple." Minglan's expression sours and he scolds the laughing Da Chuanli as Chi peers into the steaming cup of strange water. Purely out of interest for the familiar shaped object her master used to frequently play with. 

However, before her tongue could flicker out to taste it Da Chuanli conscientiously and shamelessly taught her while holding her up and away from the cup with a genial smile. Treating the beverage as if it were Minglan's blunder. "Don't drink it, it's poison." "..." Wang Minglan observed his audacious actions and words with black lines all across his fine features. Feeling even more anger in his heart when his cheeky disciple returned his glower with a blinding smile. Without feigning tolerance for his less than stellar pot of tea Minglan scowls at him impatiently "Sit, do you plan to force your own master to look up at you the entire time?" Pretending to be obedient Da Chuanli sat across from him setting Chi back down with a chuckle. 

Though feeling upset for being teased by his black hearted disciple, Minglan's heart naturally softened hearing Da Chuanli's laughter. Even if it were at his own expense, Da Chuanli rarely laughed now and days. Eyeing the white snake who had curled up into a knot and stared up at Da Chuanli without a care in the world Minglan's heart felt a pang. "...So she really did return with you." Seeming to not understand his words, Da Chuanli rubs Chi's chin resulting in the tiny thing closing her eyes seemingly out of minor bliss. "Did master leave her on purpose?" Avoiding the obvious line of questioning, the two walked careful circles around each other. The source of their probing, Chi was still innocently unaware what troubles her actions had caused for the two. 

Minglan taps the cup of inedible tea for a moment, no one could see behind the dark curtain in his eyes as he became seemingly distracted by his own thoughts. Who knows what conclusion he had come to before sighing under Da Chuanli's observant gaze "It is not uncommon for sentient weapons to reopen their seal by their own will. However, one with such a temperament like Chi will rarely do so out of loyalty to their owner." He adds after a few moments of struggle "-Whether their owner is dead or alive, that will not change." Brushing his finger across her scales, Minglan drew Chi's attention. She actively withdrew herself from his touch as if dreading the powerful man's hold.

Minglan did not blame the petty creature, for he was the one who forcefully removed her from Wang Lan Biyu's original resting place and long knew the spiritual weapon held a grudge. But for her to favor Da Chuanli after reawakening, Minglan felt it were a bit strange. As Ling Da Chuanli's master, he was naturally aware of the unmatched temperament and nature of his disciple. A creature which craves warmth would not favor such a cold hearted man. At least, not out of their own personal preference. The only time in which spiritual essence and weapons react positively to others outside of their own owner would be due to the affection and affinity shared between said person and their owner. But Chi's owner, his Wang Lan Biyu, had long passed onto the afterlife. 

Even before death, her disdain for Da Chuanli was obvious to all despite Da Chuanli's fondness for her. "Have you tried using her?" The finger rubbing Chi's chin paused for a fraction of a second before the young man responds neutrally under his Master's scrutiny "This disciple feels there's no need to do such a useless thing." What use would he have for her sword? His sword style was not fit for the cold blade. Whether he could wield her or not wasn't an issue, no matter the result he would never use the sword she had once held so dear. Just as his master would never allow others to touch her guqin or listen to others play. Understanding his insinuation Minglan dropped the topic pulling out a cracked piece of jade and directly placing it beside the little snake. 

"Do you recognize this at all?" Da Chuanli removed his golden eyes from Chi to the piece of jade, though cracks ran all along it's body he could still clearly see the insignia carved into it's surface. Reaching for the piece he studies it carefully, trying to recall if he had seen it in the past before shaking his head much to Minglan's expectations. Dark emotions brewing beneath he did his best to sound calm when he spoke next "It was given to me by Chi, the day she reawakened." *SNAP! Perhaps, the two were just as alike as people said they were.

For the moment Minglan said this, the jade was completely snapped into fours between the fingers of his heartless disciple. Both watched with cold eyes as the jade fell to the table in pieces, as if looking down at garbage along the roadside. "Master's meaning?" Though he guessed it already, it didn't stop him from reconfirming. Something in his gut birthing into a flickering flame only growing larger and larger the more his thoughts wondered the maze of confusion. Speculation from the past becoming confirmation for the future full of long lasting regret. Minglan's lips pull into deep frown before he hoarsely spoke again "Xiao Biyu's death, was no accident."