Chapter 2

Last night, while Jiang Chu Ting lay on the rooftop gazing at the night sky, he was still in a daze, thinking that Zi Que’s child should be sixteen by now.

Unexpectedly, today he saw the real person. He knew the child’s name was Lin Zhi. In the Lin family, the children took their mother’s surname, as the family respected the mother.

Lin Zhi probably believed Lin Xuan’s words and the rumors outside, so he harbored great hostility towards him.

Jiang Chu Ting covered his wound, blood dripping down through his fingers, and slowly stood up. Although he was injured by him, he had no intention of retaliating. After all, he was Zi Que’s son.

Jiang Chu Ting straightened his body and said slowly and softly to Lin Zhi, “The events of that year were not as you think.”

Yun Zi Que was the son of a servant in the Lin family. He grew up with Lin Xi, and they developed feelings for each other. Lin Xuan took charge, leading to the so-called engagement.

Yun Zi Que extremely disliked the Lin family’s atmosphere, did not love Lin Xi, and was unwilling to agree to the marriage. However, his ancestors had been loyal to the Lin family for three generations, and his parents respected the family head, obeying every command. His refusal to marry the Lin family’s young lady was like touching their reverse scale, causing them to fly into a rage, scolding him for being ungrateful and unappreciative, and even confining him for a period to reflect on his actions.

Yun Zi Que, feeling oppressed, eventually found a way to escape from the Lin family, and Jiang Chu Ting met him while he was on the run.

Yun Zi Que was handsome and charming, gentle and cheerful, often liked to tease him, and always smiled at him. Jiang Chu Ting, new to love, had a simple mind and couldn’t see the pain and unspoken words behind that smile. When he later learned that Yun Zi Que was engaged, he couldn’t believe it.

Because he was born a servant of the Lin family, even if Yun Zi Que escaped, as long as the Lin family pursued, he would always be hunted by the authorities. Trapped by his identity and pressured by his parents, he was eventually forced to compromise after being captured and brought back to the Lin family.

Jiang Chu Ting was not yet seventeen at the time, stubborn and headstrong, unwilling to be left behind like that, and wanted to rescue him from his predicament. So, taking advantage of a banquet at the Lin family, he successfully sneaked in alone amidst the crowd and chaos, found Yun Zi Que, and tried to take him away.

Yun Zi Que was overjoyed to see him but firmly refused to leave with him, anxiously urging him to leave quickly.

Jiang Chu Ting wouldn’t listen, planning to knock him out and drag him away. Yun Zi Que deliberately said some heartless words, making Jiang Chu Ting feel wronged, disappointed, and angry, turning away with red eyes.

Originally urging him to leave, Yun Zi Que suddenly, for some reason, caught up with him in two steps, embraced him silently, tears falling, and gently kissed his lips.

That kiss seemed to carry an indescribable meaning.

Jiang Chu Ting was momentarily shocked and confused, his mind in chaos, not noticing the approaching footsteps outside.

Suddenly, the door was broken open from the outside.

In the courtyard stood Lin Xuan with a cold face, Lin Xi pale, and many guests attending the banquet. They all saw the two men embracing intimately, their faces suddenly separating, and immediately understood what had just happened. The guests, all from the martial world, recognized one of them as Jiang Chu Ting, who had recently made a name for himself at the martial arts conference, and there was an uproar of discussion.

If Jiang Chu Ting were a woman, it wouldn’t be so shocking. But he was a man, a rising star in Nine Heavens, admired by peers and praised by elders, yet he came to seduce the fiancé of Lin Xi, a childhood sweetheart, on the eve of their wedding. It was truly scandalous, shameless, and disgraceful!

Lin Xi fainted at the time, and upon hearing the servants’ exclamations, everyone learned that she was already pregnant. This made her seem even more pitiful, and Jiang Chu Ting’s actions were increasingly condemned and despised.

The Lin family let the matter escalate, and the rumors grew more distorted, from secret meetings to adultery, caught in the act, vividly described as if everyone had witnessed it.

Jiang Chu Ting’s reputation was ruined, known throughout the martial world for his scandalous behavior.

Regardless of whether Yun Zi Que and Lin Xi’s engagement disregarded personal wishes, those two words alone put him at a disadvantage. Even if he explained, to others, it was just his shameless sophistry.

Now facing this child, it was the same logic.

Moreover, Lin Zhi was not an outsider; he was a Lin family member. Not to mention how the Lin family instilled the so-called “truth” in him, a child’s heart naturally leaned towards his parents, willing to believe that others were the ones to blame.

Over the years, he knew it was useless to say much about the rumors, so he chose to ignore them. But he didn’t want to see disdain on a face resembling Zi Que’s.

Jiang Chu Ting said with effort, “When I was with your father, I didn’t know he was engaged to your mother. The situation when I went to find your father wasn’t as disgraceful as the rumors say. Don’t believe…”

“Don’t believe others, so should I believe you?” Lin Zhi interrupted with a cold laugh.

Jiang Chu Ting steadied himself, looking at him, “Lin Zhi, don’t easily conclude on things you haven’t seen or experienced yourself.”

Lin Zhi raised his sword again, pointing at him angrily, “Who gave you the right to call my name?” His eyes flashed with mockery, “So, according to you, my father deceived you? You’re innocent?” This person really cleared himself of any blame.

Lin Zhi had heard of this person’s shameless deeds from his grandparents and maternal grandmother since he was young. Before his parents’ wedding, he came to seduce his father, caught in the act by everyone, causing a huge scandal, and almost made his mother miscarry.

His grandmother also told him that his father didn’t love that man at all, just fell for his seduction.

Everyone in the family and outside said so. Could it be that everyone went to great lengths to slander this person?

When he saw Jiang Chu Ting’s face, he was momentarily stunned because this person was completely different from what he imagined.

Even with a wound on his chest, he stood tall, with clear eyes, dressed in a blue robe, standing like a pine or bamboo, with the breeze blowing, his hair and clothes fluttering, exuding an untainted aura.

Not seductive or charming, he didn’t look like a seductive male fox spirit at all.

Originally a bit surprised, but hearing Jiang Chu Ting’s evasive words, Lin Zhi seemed to be provoked, his hatred for him growing even stronger.

Before he was born, his father had already committed suicide, and his mother had been depressed for years, often staring blankly at his father’s portrait.

His father’s death and his mother’s suffering were all because of this man!

He had never met Jiang Chu Ting before, but he had disliked him for years, always wanting to find him and make him uncomfortable. But his mother strictly forbade him from approaching Nine Heavens, not allowing him to seek him out.

He thought his mother was kind-hearted, unwilling to make things difficult for that person, but he always held a grudge in his heart. Finally, he found an opportunity to leave home, bribed a young disciple from Nine Heavens who came down the mountain, figured out Jiang Chu Ting’s appearance and attire, and had people watch the path back to the mountain. As soon as he got the news, he rushed over and attacked him.

But he denied everything, truly as shameless as the rumors said. He didn’t understand why his mother and maternal grandmother allowed this person to live until now.

Facing his questioning, Jiang Chu Ting paused and only said, “Your father had his difficulties.” Yun Zi Que indeed hid things from him back then, but now, he didn’t want to say anything blaming in front of this child.

Moreover, this child’s view of him was preconceived and deeply rooted. If he said Zi Que was completely forced to marry back then, it would be seen as sowing discord and distorting the truth.

Sure enough, Lin Zhi was impatient to hear his explanation and attacked again. Jiang Chu Ting, even if unwilling to fight, had to draw his sword.

Lin Zhi’s attacks were noticeably more ruthless than before. His swordsmanship was already quite good, but compared to Jiang Chu Ting, he was still lacking, and was eventually subdued.

Lin Zhi realized that Jiang Chu Ting had actually let him off earlier. He knew he was arrogant and underestimated this person, feeling a bit embarrassed and annoyed, but didn’t show it. He glanced at the sword by his neck, then looked at Jiang Chu Ting, only to find Jiang Chu Ting’s gentle and clear black eyes staring at him.

It was as if his face was just a thin layer of mist, and the gaze penetrated through it.

Lin Zhi suddenly understood something, unsure if he felt more anger or disgust, and growled, “Damn cut-sleeve! What are you looking at? Look again, and I’ll gouge your eyes out!”

Reckless and impulsive, truly still a child. Jiang Chu Ting wasn’t angry at his insults, his tolerance for him was exceptionally strong, and he subtly curved his lips, then, after a moment of thought, sheathed his sword and swiftly moved to seal his acupoint.

“The past grievances are in the past. Seeking me is pointless. The acupoint will unseal itself soon, and you can leave then.” Jiang Chu Ting picked up his mask, didn’t linger, and turned to leave.

Lin Zhi could only stand there stiffly, gritting his teeth at his departing figure, “Jiang Chu Ting, don’t let me see you again, or I’ll teach you a lesson every time I see you!” Lin Zhi caught a glimpse of Jiang Chu Ting shaking his head, seemingly laughing at his overconfidence. His cheeks puffed with anger, and his gaze gradually darkened.

Jiang Chu Ting’s clothes were stained with blood, which couldn’t be hidden from others, especially not from his senior brother, Zhong Hua. He hadn’t been back at the back mountain cabin for even a stick of incense’s time when Zhong Hua brought a doctor in a hurry, and the other six senior brothers also arrived one after another, making the once spacious wooden house suddenly feel cramped.

In front of the disciples, the usually solemn and dignified masters, uncles, and senior uncles all asked him how he got injured and who hurt him.

Jiang Chu Ting took off his shirt, sat there allowing the doctor to clean and bandage his wound, glancing at one senior brother and then another, finally deciding not to tell the truth.

Because of the Lin family incident back then, Nine Heavens was very unhappy, especially senior brother Zhong Hua, who had a big opinion of Zi Que. If they knew it was Zi Que’s son who hurt him, they would definitely be furious again. Better to avoid unnecessary trouble.

So he just said he was sparring with someone and got accidentally injured.

Zhong Hua gave him a few more glances, seemingly knowing he was lying, flicked his sleeve, and turned his gaze away without saying more.

After they left, a servant brought medicine, and after Jiang Chu Ting drank it, he felt a bit sleepy and prepared to rest on the bed.

Wei Jia, knowing that the snacks Jiang Chu Ting brought for him had fallen on the road, was initially a bit unhappy, but seeing his master injured, he was more worried, as Jiang Chu Ting was the best to him in Nine Heavens. Seeing him about to sleep, he planned to keep watch by the bed.

But as he kept watch, he almost fell asleep himself, yet Jiang Chu Ting hadn’t slept. He got out of bed, took a wooden hairpin from a box, and lay on the bed, holding it and looking at it.

Wei Jia, curious, propped his chin and asked, “Master, is that hairpin so nice to look at? Let me see too.”

Jiang Chu Ting smiled and handed the hairpin to him. This wooden hairpin was carved by Yun Zi Que himself for him. After they parted, he used it almost every day to tie his hair. Over time, he feared it would wear out, so he kept it in a box. At least it was a memento.

He often took it out to stroke before sleeping, but Wei Jia, who always slept earlier than him, naturally didn’t know of its existence.

“Wow, it is quite nice, but you should stop looking at it and get some sleep so your wound can heal faster.” Wei Jia handed it back to Jiang Chu Ting. But before he could take it, his hand shook, and the hairpin fell, coincidentally hitting his wound. Not to mention the pain, the hairpin got a bit of blood from the bandage.

Wei Jia quickly wiped it clean with a cloth and returned it to him. Jiang Chu Ting took it and held it in his hand as he slept.

Perhaps because he encountered Lin Zhi today, he hadn’t dreamed of Yun Zi Que for a while, yet he saw him in his dream.

And the scene was so real and continuous, as if it had truly happened.

He was running frantically under the night sky, as if something terrifying was chasing him, his face pale, forehead covered in sweat. Jiang Chu Ting was anxious, even though he vaguely knew it was a dream, he still wanted to help him, protect him, but he couldn’t move.

He saw Zi Que hiding behind a fake mountain rock.

Lin Xuan and two sharp-eyed maids soon appeared nearby, Lin Xuan’s gaze scanning around, suddenly fixing on that fake mountain rock, a sinister look on his pale face, signaling the two behind him to go over.

Zi Que pressed his lips, not daring to breathe.

Jiang Chu Ting saw the two gradually approaching, his heart suddenly tightening.

“Zi Que!” He woke up in shock, taking a moment to realize he was already drenched in sweat.

Slowly sitting up, the little disciple was already drooling in his sleep by the bed. He carried the child to his bed, put on an outer robe, sat by the bed, and examined the wooden hairpin in his hand for a while, pressing his fingers against his throbbing temples.

Why would he suddenly have such a dream?

It was so real that it made him doubt whether it was a dream.

Jiang Chu Ting’s injury wasn’t severe, but he obediently stayed in the small wooden house to recuperate, with several senior brothers taking turns visiting him for half an hour to an hour each day.

Third senior brother Ji Chun, seemingly drinking tea, kept sneaking glances at him. Jiang Chu Ting noticed and smiled, “Senior brother, if you have something to say, just say it.”

Ji Chun’s chubby face twitched, putting down the teacup, his smile carrying a fatherly affection, “It’s nothing much, just that… the senior brothers have found someone for you, about your age, not bad-looking, with a good temperament, and the parents have tacitly accepted… Chu Ting, would you be willing to meet and chat?”

Since he turned thirty, this wasn’t the first time it was brought up. Jiang Chu Ting’s long lashes lowered slightly, and after a moment of silence, he looked at Ji Chun, “Senior brother, I don’t…”

Ji Chun waved his hand, sighing, “Chu Ting, it’s been over ten years, you’re not young anymore. Whether a man or a woman, you should find someone to be with you.” He looked around the empty, cold room, saying, “So you’re not always alone, cold and lonely, it doesn’t sit well with us senior brothers.”

Cold and lonely wasn’t quite it; Jiang Chu Ting was used to this life. In Nine Heavens, he practiced swordsmanship, teased his little disciple, and in his spare time, traveled under a different identity, enjoying the scenery. It was quite nice.

But the senior brothers always took care of him. In their eyes, he had encountered such distressing things in his youth, and later had a troublesome disciple, now still alone, they felt some pity for him.

Facing third senior brother’s caring gaze, Jiang Chu Ting’s lips moved, and the words he originally intended to refuse turned into, “Senior brother, perhaps, let me think about it first.”

“Alright, alright, no rush. You think about it, as long as you’re willing to consider.” Ji Chun left with a smile.

Wei Jia, having overheard, ran in worriedly asking Jiang Chu Ting, “Master, are you going to find me a master mother? Will she dislike me for being lazy and stupid, will she scold me? Will she not give me food?”

Jiang Chu Ting, slightly dazed, patted his head without saying anything.

That day, as master and disciple were about to have lunch, Zhong Hua’s chief disciple, Yang Xia, personally came to invite him, respectfully bowing and saying, “Little master uncle, please come with me to the Jiying Hall, the sect master requests your presence.”

Jiang Chu Ting, not fully recovered, wore light clothing for convenience in changing bandages, his hair tied casually with a ribbon. Hearing this, he stood up and said, “Alright, please wait a moment.” He turned to change his clothes, replacing the hair tie with the wooden hairpin Yun Zi Que gave him, and told Wei Jia to continue eating alone, then left with Yang Xia.

As Jiang Chu Ting descended the wooden stairs, he asked Yang Xia behind him, “Do you know why senior brother is looking for me?”

Jiying Hall was a place for discussions, and he was a free spirit in Nine Heavens, usually not involved in important decisions. Moreover, if it wasn’t something special, senior brother Zhong Hua wouldn’t disturb him during lunch.

Yang Xia hesitated for a moment before saying, “You’ll know when you get there.”

As soon as Jiang Chu Ting stepped into Jiying Hall, all the senior brothers were there, each with a different expression. There were also two additional people, one a young man of about eighteen or nineteen, eyes half-open, half-closed, leaning crookedly in a chair, lips dark, seemingly poisoned. He looked weak but was dressed in fine clothes, with an extraordinary air of nobility.

The other stood a few steps away from Jiang Chu Ting, facing him.

Before Jiang Chu Ting could take a closer look at his appearance, the young man had already knelt down with a thud, kowtowing to him, forehead touching the ground, voice slightly hoarse, “Mo Lin greets Master.”

Jiang Chu Ting’s brow twitched, standing there in astonishment, momentarily at a loss for words.

Only then did he understand why Yang Xia was hesitant to speak earlier.

Mo Lin was the disciple who had left the sect over seven years ago.

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This isn’t a particularly traditional historical BL, it will have some other elements.