Shuangluo

The disciples knew that Ying Wuchou’s health was deteriorating and understood that he stayed in Hidden Valley to prepare for his end. No matter how Ying Wuchou described his condition, they believed him unconditionally. 

However, the fake Ning Chengying clearly didn’t believe it that much. He showed an expression like “you were so precise when picking up peanuts just now” and carefully observed Ying Wuchou’s eyes. 

After just a moment, it seemed like his soul was sucked into those amber eyes. “Ning Chengying” immediately lowered his gaze and stepped back, as if just being looked at by Ying Wuchou felt like being teased. 

Reflexively, he averted his eyes and retreated. 

“Ning Chengying” quickly realized that as a respectful disciple, hearing about his master’s discomfort, he shouldn’t react that way. He forced himself to look at Ying Wuchou again, showing a face of heartache and pity, worriedly saying, “Master, your eyes…”

Ying Wuchou naturally took in all of his actions. 

Still so inexperienced, both in disguise techniques and in character, unable to hide his emotions. Ying Wuchou silently analyzed the fake Ning Chengying’s personality, becoming increasingly curious. 

With such poor acting skills, where did this fake Ning Chengying get the confidence to impersonate Ning Chengying? What was his purpose, and how did he ensure he wouldn’t be discovered? 

Most importantly, wasn’t he afraid of the real Ning Chengying showing up? 

Unless he was certain that the real Ning Chengying couldn’t meet Ying Wuchou anytime soon, even if Ying Wuchou found something suspicious and secretly sent a message, Ning Chengying wouldn’t be able to receive it, let alone reply. 

That sounded like Ning Chengying was already dead. 

When Ying Wuchou was unconscious, only Ning Chengying was left in Hidden Valley. The only one with time to plant flowers and grass was him, and the greenery everywhere must have been his doing. 

Seeing the mountains covered in bamboo and orchids, Ying Wuchou already had the thought of teaching Ning Chengying a lesson. 

If the fake Ning Chengying skinned his little disciple, making him suffer some physical pain, Ying Wuchou would actually be grateful to the fake Ning Chengying. After all, as a master, he was limited by his status and couldn’t be too harsh. 

In the past, he rarely dealt with his disciples personally, instead using the fact that his seven disciples didn’t get along, letting other disciples act on his behalf. 

The other disciples didn’t have any face concerns and would always beat their senior brothers mercilessly, which made Ying Wuchou very satisfied. 

But if Ning Chengying were truly killed, the punishment would be a bit too severe. 

In an instant, Ying Wuchou’s attitude towards the fake Ning Chengying changed several times. In the end, he decided to stay put and first figure out the other party’s purpose before deciding how to deal with him. 

At this time, the fake Ning Chengying was racking his brains on how to show his heartache and concern for Ying Wuchou, his expression particularly complex. 

Seeing him struggling to act, Ying Wuchou couldn’t help but feel a bit sorry for the person’s intelligence and decided to take the initiative to help resolve the issue. 

“Chengying, you may not know this, but I rely on external objects to see. Without them, I can’t see anything.” Ying Wuchou removed the gel from his eyes and took “Ning Chengying’s” hand, placing the gel in his palm. 

“Ning Chengying” saw the soft object in his hand, with a transparent outer ring and an amber center. 

Looking at Ying Wuchou’s eyes again, they had turned deep black, dull and unable to reflect even his own image. 

“Master, can you really not see?” “Ning Chengying’s” voice trembled slightly, this time not feigned but genuinely worried. 

“Indeed.” Ying Wuchou’s expression was calm, unable to see anything, but he could observe “Ning Chengying” through the gel in his palm, though the angle was somewhat inconvenient. 

“The fact that you’re blind and none of the disciples know is truly outrageous!” “Ning Chengying” blurted out. 

After saying that, he realized his words were inappropriate and quickly tried to remedy it: “It’s Chengying’s fault, Chengying deserves to die.” 

Ying Wuchou didn’t miss the loophole in his words. He originally thought the fake Ning Chengying was only familiar with his seventh disciple, but he didn’t expect this person to know all his disciples. 

His blindness was indeed unknown to the disciples. But since the disciples didn’t get along, they didn’t know each other’s thoughts. How did this person know? 

Ying Wuchou rarely took interest in anything, becoming even more eager to know the true identity and purpose of the fake Ning Chengying. 

He slowly smiled, “Chengying, no need to blame yourself. Help me put the gel back on.” 

Ying Wuchou grasped at the air a couple of times, pretending he couldn’t see and needed help. 

“Ning Chengying” hurriedly stepped forward, carefully picking up the gel and trying to place it in Ying Wuchou’s eye. 

In the worlds Ying Wuchou had experienced, when people first encountered contact lenses, even putting them on themselves was difficult, let alone helping someone else. 

“Ning Chengying” fumbled clumsily, failing several times to put the gel on, gradually becoming anxious. 

Ying Wuchou took this opportunity to secretly cast a spell. When “Ning Chengying” attempted once more to help Ying Wuchou put on the gel, he missed, and the gel fell to the ground. When he picked it up, it was already cracked and broken. 

Staring at the split gel, “Ning Chengying’s” expression was very complex. 

“Why aren’t you helping me put it on?” Ying Wuchou asked knowingly. 

“Master…” “Ning Chengying” said with difficulty, “Your disciple is useless, I’ve broken the gel.” 

He lowered his head, waiting for Ying Wuchou’s punishment. 

Why does he look a bit obedient? Ying Wuchou’s fingers twitched slightly, resisting the urge to pat his head, and said calmly, “No matter, it’s just an external object. If I can’t see, then I can’t see, it’s just lost.” 

Saying this, he tore a strip of white cloth from his sleeve, covering his eyes, and cast a spell to link his vision to the white cloth. 

This way, he appeared unable to see, but in reality, he could see clearly. 

Since he couldn’t figure out the fake Ning Chengying’s purpose, Ying Wuchou decided to show weakness. 

When facing a weak opponent with no ability to resist, people often reveal some flaws. 

Once the fake Ning Chengying believed he couldn’t see, his actions would become more casual, making it easier to expose his purpose. 

Of course, Ying Wuchou wasn’t strong now and might not be a match for the fake Ning Chengying. Showing weakness was also a protection for himself. 

He needed to quickly find the scale piece in the small town to restore his power and stand invincible. 

So Ying Wuchou reached out to the fake Ning Chengying, “Come, support me.” 

“Ning Chengying” held his hand, looking very puzzled, “Master, aren’t you angry with me? Aren’t you going to punish me? Shouldn’t you be furious for me breaking your treasure?” 

“Why would you think that?” Ying Wuchou asked in surprise, “How could that be considered a treasure compared to you?” 

These were Ying Wuchou’s true feelings. It was just a gel that could be easily replaced, unlike the flowers in the valley, the carp in the clear pond, or the little snakes in the bamboo forest. 

“Ning Chengying” showed a confused expression, as if it was the first time in his life someone had forgiven him, the first time someone had accepted him. 

“Master, where did this treasure come from? I’ll go get a new pair right away.” He gripped the flute at his waist, speaking earnestly. 

There’s no need to get it from anywhere, replacements are everywhere. 

Ying Wuchou couldn’t let “Ning Chengying” escape like that; he still had many questions unanswered. 

He reversed his grip on “Ning Chengying’s” hand and smiled, “It’s not a hard-to-find item. We’ll talk about it when your power increases. Chengying, I haven’t seen you in a long time. What level is your power now?” 

“Ning Chengying” didn’t seem happy, as if he would rather Ying Wuchou beat him up. He said dejectedly, “Golden Core Great Perfection, just one step away from advancing to Nascent Soul.” 

This matched Ying Wuchou’s estimation of Ning Chengying’s strength, indicating that this person really knew Ning Chengying well. 

“Did you return to the sect to find a place rich in spiritual energy to close up and cultivate, aiming to advance to Nascent Soul stage?” Ying Wuchou asked. 

“Ning Chengying” shook his head, “No, I just missed Master and wanted to come back and see you.” 

With Ying Wuchou “blind,” “Ning Chengying” no longer tried hard to disguise his expressions, appearing much more relaxed, making it easier to observe his true thoughts. 

When he said this, his expression was natural, not the least bit fake. 

Really here to see me? Ying Wuchou’s curiosity grew, not understanding what was worth seeing in someone who was about to die. 

“In that case, accompany your master to do some things,” Ying Wuchou said. 

“Master, feel free to instruct me,” “Ning Chengying” replied. 

“There is a temple in this small town. Support me there,” Ying Wuchou said. 

“Ning Chengying’s” expression immediately stiffened, seemingly a bit resistant. He asked, “Master, why go there?” 

Hmm? He seems familiar with that temple? 

Ying Wuchou said, “Chengying, you may not know, but that temple has a deep connection with me. I’ll tell you about it when we get there.” 

He insisted on going, so “Ning Chengying” had no choice but to support him there. 

The small town wasn’t big, and the temple was built in the northern outskirts. It didn’t take long for the two to arrive in front of the temple. 

After many years, this temple had lost its incense, the walls were old, the plaque cracked, covered in dust and cobwebs. 

The main door was half fallen, and no one was watching over it. The two entered the temple, only to find it in a mess, the statue in the hall broken in two, the upper half on the ground, the other half missing. 

“How did it become like this?” “Ning Chengying” looked at the temple, a hint of nostalgia and regret in his eyes. 

“Become what?” asked Ying Wuchou, who could clearly see. 

“Very old, very broken, even the statue is missing half… huh?” “Ning Chengying” suddenly made a sound of surprise. 

“Master, stay here, don’t move. I’ll be right back.” 

“Ning Chengying” let go of Ying Wuchou, squatted down to pick up the upper half of the nearly meter-tall statue, wiped the dust off with his sleeve, and carefully examined the statue’s appearance. 

The statue was actually eighty percent similar to Ying Wuchou! 

“Ning Chengying’s” expression grew more puzzled, “The statue wasn’t like this originally. It was clearly a Bodhisattva carved back then. Did someone re-carve it?” 

Ying Wuchou wasn’t surprised. 

Inside the statue was a scale that once belonged to him, fused with his aura. After the jade was carved into a statue, influenced by the scale’s power, the statue’s appearance gradually changed. Fifty years later, it became more and more like him, which was normal. 

The only problem was that the other half of the statue was missing. 

At a glance, Ying Wuchou knew that the scale wasn’t in the half before him; it was hidden in the missing half. 

“Let’s ask the locals about the situation here,” Ying Wuchou suggested. 

“Ask?” “Ning Chengying” hesitated, “No need, right? What could the people here know?” 

It seemed he didn’t want anyone inquiring about the temple. 

Naturally, Ying Wuchou couldn’t let him have his way. He supported himself against the wall, taking a few steps, appearing as if he was going to find someone himself. 

“Master! Let me help you.” “Ning Chengying” immediately ran over to support Ying Wuchou, genuinely taking good care of him. 

His demeanor showed seventy percent flattery and thirty percent genuine sincerity. 

Why try to flatter me? Flatter… He’s pretending to be my disciple, indeed the easiest way to get close to me. So he doesn’t want to harm anyone, but wants to get close to me, gain my favor, and obtain something. Ying Wuchou speculated silently. 

Leaving the temple, Ying Wuchou saw a huge maple tree outside the temple wall. It was autumn, and the maple leaves turned red, slowly falling one by one. 

“Ning Chengying” reached out to catch a falling leaf, placing the five-pointed maple leaf into his bosom. 

Ying Wuchou silently noted his action. 

The two arrived at the nearest house to the temple, and Ying Wuchou knocked on the door. An elderly man, over fifty, opened it, seeing two exceptionally good-looking strangers at the door, and asked curiously, “What can I do for you two?” 

Ying Wuchou said gently, “We were passing through the town on our journey and would like to ask for some water and rest for a while.” 

When Ying Wuchou was only in his inner clothes, he seemed like a scandalous demon. But in white, he appeared ethereal like an immortal, exceptionally handsome. 

With his eyes covered in white cloth, clearly injured, he looked somewhat pitiful. 

The elderly man initially didn’t want to invite two grown men inside, but seeing Ying Wuchou’s gentle and harmless demeanor, he let down his guard and invited them in. 

Ying Wuchou didn’t enter the house, instead sitting at the stone table in the courtyard, accepting the water offered by the elderly man with a polite thank you. 

After drinking, Ying Wuchou instructed, “Chengying, the old man kindly gave us water, we can’t just take advantage of his kindness. Go help him fetch water and chop wood.” 

“Ning Chengying” was momentarily stunned, clearly not expecting Ying Wuchou to be such a kind person. He nodded in agreement, skillfully picking up the bucket to fetch water for the elderly man. 

“This… I feel embarrassed, it was just a ladle of cold water,” the elderly man said, feeling a bit awkward, “I should have made tea for such esteemed guests.” 

“It’s the right thing to do,” Ying Wuchou replied, “Sir, please sit down and let the young ones do the work.” 

His amiable attitude, combined with the aura of someone in a higher position, made it hard to refuse his words. 

The elderly man sat beside Ying Wuchou, and they watched “Ning Chengying” busying himself back and forth. 

Ying Wuchou took the opportunity to ask, “I passed by a temple earlier, intending to ask for water there to avoid disturbing the town’s residents. But upon entering, I found the temple in ruins. How did it end up like that?” 

With “Ning Chengying” helping with the chores, the elderly man felt obliged to converse with Ying Wuchou. 

“Sir, you may not know, but the temple didn’t house a deity, it was a demon,” the elderly man said. 

“Oh?” Ying Wuchou quickly took a sip of water to prevent the elderly man from noticing how similar his appearance was to the statue. 

Fortunately, the elderly man’s eyes were a bit blurry as he continued, “As my father told me, fifty years ago, a demon appeared in the town, enchanting the young people. The town leader invited a master to build the temple and carve a statue to suppress the demon. 

“Who knew the statue’s appearance would change, albeit very slowly, so initially, people didn’t notice. Forty years later, some elders noticed the statue’s appearance had changed, and gradually, people stopped offering incense at the temple. 

“Without incense, the monks left too. Only the Cen family’s boy stayed to clean, and a few years later, he disappeared as well, probably dead.” 

“The Cen family’s boy?” Ying Wuchou asked. 

“A child adopted by the Cen family. Eighteen years ago, under the maple tree outside the temple, a frozen baby was found, with not even a piece of clothing on. It was the season when frost fell, and the red maple leaves were covered with white frost, covering the baby. 

“The monks picked up the child, seeing he was still alive, they saved him. 

“The Cen family, childless for many years, sought out the abbot and adopted the child. 

“His name was given by the abbot, not like those common names such as Zhang Ergou or Li Fugui, but rather elegant. 

“Called… Cen Shuangluo.” 

With a “crack,” “Ning Chengying” swung the axe down hard, splitting the firewood, and the axe split in two. 

Ying Wuchou watched him, noticing “Ning Chengying’s” gloomy expression, as if recalling something he didn’t want to remember. 

“Ning Chengying” approached, saying to the elderly man, “I’m sorry, I broke your axe.” 

He placed a piece of silver on the table as compensation and said to Ying Wuchou, “Master, let’s go.” 

Ying Wuchou, however, said, “No rush, you broke the axe, how can you just throw money at it? You should buy a new one as compensation.” 

He picked up the silver, placing it in “Ning Chengying’s” hand, sending him off to buy an axe. 

“Ning Chengying” hesitated for a moment, staring at the elderly man, seemingly very unwilling for him to continue talking about the temple. 

“Aren’t you going?” Ying Wuchou asked. 

“Ning Chengying” clenched his fist, silently leaving to buy an axe, obediently going to do so. 

Only then did Ying Wuchou finally confirm that the fake Ning Chengying bore him no malice and was keen to make a good impression on him. 

Moreover, judging from his reaction just now… 

Ying Wuchou’s lips curved up as he said to the elderly man, “Could you tell me the story of Cen Shuangluo?” 

Author’s Note: 

Ying Wuchou: I always feel like he’s trying to seduce me, comply with me, be nice to me, enticing me to pat his head. 

Cen Shuangluo: …