BW Chapter 161

Dark Domain (3)

 

Ning Xiu and Ge Yunxi were troubled about how to arrange so many people into their small room, while the young head teacher watching them nearby had already started snoring softly.

 

“Xiao Shan~ I can see my big brother~” Ge Yunxi said happily.

 

Ning Xiu was concentrating intently on looking down at the small wooden house, “Ya~ Xiao Shan also sees Mu Mu inside~”

 

“Big brother~ really~” Ge Yunxi stood up and swayed as she walked toward the bushes beside the sandy ground.

 

Ning Xiu stood up and followed behind her, taking hold of her hand, “Ah Song~ don’t let run around~ Xixi~ come back~”

 

Ge Yunxi pointed at the bushes in front of her, “I can see~ big brother come out~”

 

Ning Xiu looked at the bushes in front of him with a blank expression, “No~ people~”

 

Hiding in the qiankun cloth, Ge Yunyang strangled Xie Changming’s neck, “Why did you kick me just now? Yunxi saw me!”

 

“Hey hey hey, are you trying to strangle me!” Xie Changming struggled desperately.

 

“You two, that’s enough——” Xie Chang’an turned his head to glare at them in warning, and the next instant was kicked in the back by a foot. The three people hiding behind the bushes all rolled out of the qiankun cloth together.

 

“Ya~” Ning Xiu was startled and pulled Ge Yunxi back a step.

 

“Who kicked me!” Xie Chang’an roared lowly.

 

Xie Changming and Ge Yunyang scrambled to get up from the ground in a panic.

 

Ge Yunxi was so frightened she shuddered. Ning Xiu bravely blocked in front of her, tensing his little face and saying, “Can’t~ be fierce~”

 

“Stinky brat, let go of my little sister.” Seeing him holding Ge Yunxi’s little hand, Ge Yunyang kept glaring at him.

 

“Big brother~” Ge Yunxi’s eyes curved as she threw herself into his arms, “You came~ to see Xixi~?”

 

“Mm, passing by to take a look.” Ge Yunyang picked her up, “Let me see if you’re being good.”

 

His little companion was suddenly taken away, and Ning Xiu stood in place feeling a bit dazed.

 

“Yo.” Xie Chang’an squatted down and poked his cheek, smiling as he said, “Cui Xiu, do you still remember me?”

 

Ning Xiu looked at him blankly, “Cui Xiu~ is who~”

 

Xie Chang’an was stunned for a moment, “Oh, you’re called Cui Shan.”

 

Ning Xiu tilted his head and looked past him to find Ge Yunxi, “Xixi~ come back~ find Ah Song~”

 

Ge Yunxi hugged Ge Yunyang’s neck and wouldn’t let go, “Xixi~ wants big brother~”

 

Ge Yunyang was completely satisfied holding his little sister and wouldn’t let go either.

 

Ning Xiu muttered quietly, “Xiao Shan~ also has big brothers~ two~”

 

Xie Chang’an squatted behind him poking his shoulder, “Little kid, what’s your name really?”

 

Ning Xiu turned his head around, and although not very happy, still said very politely, “Xiao Shan~”

 

“Hahahaha, then I’ll call myself Da Shan.” Xie Chang’an laughed mercilessly and mockingly.

 

Ning Xiu became even more unhappy, but Ah Song had taught them to be polite children. He looked toward Ge Yunxi and said in a sweet childish voice, “Xixi~ Xiao Shan is leaving~”

 

After saying this he turned and walked away, but after walking for quite a while he was still in the same place without moving. He looked down in confusion and saw his little feet suspended in mid-air, making a strange “eh” sound.

 

Xie Chang’an was holding him up by the back of his collar with a grinning smile, “Yo, these little short legs are quite strong.”

 

Xie Changming looked around alertly, “Brother, the head teachers are all inside, and that person surnamed Song is there too. We should hurry and leave, it’ll be bad if they discover us.”

 

“What’s there to be afraid of? We’re inside the qiankun cloth now. Even Old Man Hao couldn’t detect us, let alone them.” Ge Yunyang said while holding his little sister.

 

Xie Changming sighed and looked at Ning Xiu, “Brother, quickly put him down. He’s about to cry.”

 

“Not crying~” Ning Xiu had two pools of tears in his eye sockets, but he stubbornly held them back, puffing out his cheeks angrily and saying, “Xiao Shan will tell father~ father fights~ the best!”

 

They were bullying Xiao Shan, so father should spank their bottoms!

 

Seeing this, Xie Chang’an quickly put him down, saying incredulously, “I didn’t even hit you, I was just playing around with you.”

 

Ning Xiu looked at him angrily, then suddenly froze in place.

 

Xie Chang’an was stunned, “What’s wrong?”

 

“Hey, little kid?” Xie Changming waved his hand in front of his eyes.

 

After a moment, Ning Xiu looked at the three of them as if suddenly understanding, saying slowly, “Remember~ now~”

 

“Remember what?” Xie Changming was completely confused.

 

“Tall grass~ tall~ two big brothers~ sugar pills!” Ning Xiu’s eyes grew brighter and brighter as he pointed at Xie Changming and Ge Yunyang, “Long long~ time ago~”

 

Xie Changming said with delight, “I thought you had forgotten everything, but you actually still remember. That’s not easy.”

 

Ning Xiu nodded seriously, “Remember~”

 

It’s just that sometimes, he had to slowly remember.

 

Xie Chang’an crossed his arms and stared at him unhappily. Ning Xiu pointed at him and said in his sweet childish voice, “Fierce~ big brother~ big sea~ saved Xiao Shan~”

 

Only then did Xie Chang’an’s expression change from cloudy to clear, “At least you have some conscience.”

 

Ning Xiu looked well-behaved, “Need to~ slowly remember~”

 

Xie Chang’an picked up the qiankun cloth from the ground and stood with his hands on his hips in a big brother manner, “Alright, knowing that you’re still alive puts my mind at ease, Cui Shan.”

 

“Huh?” Ning Xiu stood there blankly.

 

Who exactly was Cui Shan?

 

Xie Chang’an wanted to say more, but several children suddenly came swaying out of the room, with Head Teacher Song following closely behind. Xie Changming was shocked, “This is bad, brother, Yunyang, quickly return the children!”

 

“Big brother don’t go~” Ge Yunxi hugged Ge Yunyang’s neck and started crying, “Want big brother!”

 

“Ah Song~” Ning Xiu’s eyes lit up when he saw head teacher Song, and he pulled Xie Chang’an wanting to go out.

 

“If we let these two out now, won’t we be exposed!” Xie Chang’an scooped up Ning Xiu, “Quickly draw a teleportation array in the qiankun cloth and run!”

 

“I’ll do it!” Xie Changming efficiently finished drawing a teleportation array, and the qiankun cloth along with the people wrapped inside instantly disappeared from that spot.

 

A gentle breeze blew past, making the bushes beside the courtyard rustle. Head Teacher Song looked up in confusion but saw nothing. After walking forward two steps, his expression suddenly turned stern.

 

“Where are Ning Xiu and Ge Yunxi!?”

 

The young head teacher who had been dozing nearby suddenly woke up with a start.

 

However, before Head Teacher Song could interrogate further, a servant hurriedly pushed through the door from the entrance, “Head Teacher Song, this is terrible! Many cultivators from the Chongzheng Alliance have come and completely surrounded Wanxuan Academy. Dean Shang sent word saying we must keep a close watch on the children from Chenguang Island!”

 

Head Teacher Song flew into the air on his sword and saw in the distance a dark mass of cultivators in the high sky. Their numbers were so vast that for a moment he couldn’t tell how many there were. They scattered the leisurely floating clouds in the sky, creating an appearance of blocking out the sun. The pressure from high-level cultivators pressed down heavily, and various kinds of divine consciousness spread and intertwined, firmly trapping the island group where Wanxuan Academy was located.

 

In the silent stillness, the salty and cold sea breeze swept across the rippling sea surface, making him feel a chill down his back.

 

“Quickly! We must find those two children before they get closer!”

 

****

 

“Aiyo, that bump almost killed me!” Xie Changming’s knee made a crisp sound, and he cried out in pain.

 

Ge Yunyang stood up from the ground holding Ge Yunxi, looking around at the gray tiles and white walls in confusion. “Where is this? It doesn’t look much like Wanxuan Academy.”

 

“Is this a pomegranate tree?” Xie Changming rubbed his knee, asking in confusion, “Can pomegranates still grow in this season?”

 

Ning Xiu struggled down from Xie Chang’an’s arms, his small boots stepping on the bluestone-paved road. He looked down at the shallow little puddles and couldn’t help but lift his foot to step on one.

 

Ge Yunxi had had enough of her big brother and also came down to step on little puddles with him.

 

The air after the recent rain was somewhat humid, still carrying the unique scent of earth and vegetation. Xie Chang’an looked around and discovered they should have landed in a courtyard, and judging by the climate here, it was obviously tens of thousands of miles different from Wanxuan Academy.

 

“Xie Changming, how did you draw that teleportation array?” Xie Chang’an asked.

 

“I, I just drew it according to what the dean taught,” Xie Changming said somewhat guiltily, “Brother, you know that in class I either sleep or daydream…”

 

Xie Chang’an raised his hand to hit him but was stopped by Ge Yunyang, “Brother Chang’an, Changming certainly didn’t do it on purpose. We should first figure out what this place is.”

 

Xie Chang’an frowned and nodded.

 

Ning Xiu and Ge Yunxi, who were completely unaware of their current situation, were happily stepping on water. Ning Xiu caught sight of a flower out of the corner of his eye and suddenly stopped, swaying as he walked over, “Xixi~ flower!”

 

Ge Yunxi stood with him in front of the flower, saying happily, “Flower~ pretty~”

 

“Sweet~” Ning Xiu reached out to grab the petals and pulled off three pieces, stuffing them into his mouth to chew, and generously gave Ge Yunxi one piece.

 

Ge Yunxi stared at the torn flower for a moment, then immediately started crying with a “wah” sound.

 

“Hey hey hey, what’s wrong?” Ge Yunyang quickly ran over to pick up his little sister, “What’s wrong Xixi, did this little brat bully you!? Big brother will help you beat him up!”

 

“Flower~ broken wuwuwu~” Ge Yunxi pointed at the flower and cried.

 

Ning Xiu blankly swallowed the petals in his mouth and said uncomprehendingly, “Flower~ tasty~”

 

Every time father encountered this kind of pretty flower, he would feed him some. They were very sweet and tasty!

 

Ge Yunyang snatched away the remaining petals from Ning Xiu’s hand, “Don’t eat them, if you eat more I’ll beat you up!”

 

“Tsk, he’s just eating some flower petals, is that necessary?” Xie Changming walked over and pinched Ning Xiu’s little face, “Don’t scare him, if he cries you’ll have to comfort him.”

 

“He bullied my little sister.” Ge Yunyang said unhappily.

 

“Didn’t~ bully~” Ning Xiu looked at his empty little hands and felt a bit wronged as he lowered his head.

 

“It’s just two flower petals. If he likes to eat them, let him eat. Take your sister to look at flowers elsewhere – there’s a whole patch over there.” Xie Changming squatted on the ground and rubbed Ning Xiu’s little head, “Look how you scared the poor child. Be good, big brother will hold you.”

 

Ning Xiu sniffled and hugged Xie Changming’s neck as he was picked up. Xie Changming pulled off two more leaves and stuffed them in his hands, “Here, eat.”

 

“Hey Changming, whose side are you really on? Are you still my brother or not?” Seeing this, Ge Yunyang said angrily, “Didn’t you say before that my sister is also your sister? How can you turn your elbow outward?” 

 

(TL: 胳膊肘往外拐 (gēbozhǒu wǎng wài guǎi) literally means “elbow bends outward”= an idiom used to criticize someone for helping or favoring outsiders instead of their own people, such as family, friends, or teammates.)

 

“I help what’s right, not relatives.” Xie Changming raised an eyebrow.

 

“Enough, stop arguing.” Xie Chang’an put away the qiankun cloth and frowned. “Haven’t you noticed something’s wrong with this place? Don’t let him eat things randomly.”

 

Ning Xiu had just taken a bite when he found himself biting air. Xie Chang’an threw the flower leaves to the ground, completely ignoring the stunned little baby, “The spiritual energy here is thin and life force is nearly extinct, yet only these blue flowers are blooming vigorously. It’s really abnormal. We should leave quickly.”

 

Xie Changming made a simple fire control gesture, but only a few sparks came from his fingertips, followed by just a wisp of black smoke.

 

Seeing this, Ge Yunyang was shocked. “Even the fire control technique that uses the least spiritual power can’t be used. How can we draw a teleportation array to leave this place?”

 

“Let’s first get out of this mansion and find people, preferably cultivators from the Xie family or Ge family.” Xie Chang’an said.

 

As soon as he finished speaking, footsteps suddenly came from the courtyard gate ahead.

 

“Hide quickly!” Xie Chang’an said.

 

Ge Yunyang covered Ge Yunxi’s mouth with one hand, and several people pushed open the nearest room door and hid inside.

 

“Brother, there’s someone in the room!” Xie Changming called out in a low voice.

 

Xie Chang’an looked in the direction of the sound and saw a pale-faced young man lying on the bed, apparently asleep and completely undisturbed by their commotion.

 

But Ning Xiu quickly recognized the person on the bed and called out happily, “Fang Fang~ Uncle!”

 

Xie Changming quickly covered his mouth, but it was too late. The person on the bed frowned and slowly opened his eyes.

 

“Fang——” Before Ning Xiu could call out a second time, his head was covered with a strange cloth.

 

The qiankun cloth covered the three adults and two children inside.

 

Almost simultaneously, the room door was pushed open from outside, and Pei Heguang walked in with Xie Jiu.