BW Extra 10

Chu Linyuan × Sang Yun

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Before the Battle of Chenyue Mountain, Sang Yun made a trip to Wushi Sect.

Chu Linyuan was wiping the Gentleman’s Sword in his hand when he heard Shen Xi come to report that Sang Yun had come to visit.

When an old friend came to visit, especially at this time, it naturally called for some solemnity.

After all, this might be the last time they would see each other in this lifetime.

Sang Yun’s health had been poor for the past few hundred years, and her temperament had become much more steady, but today she seemed particularly fond of smiling.

“What are you laughing about? So happy?” Chu Linyuan asked.

“All of this is finally coming to an end. I’m happy.” Sang Yun raised her wine cup and gently clinked it with his.

Chu Linyuan raised his wine cup and drained it in one gulp. After a long silence, he said, “At this point, tell me the truth. When your body suddenly developed problems back then, what was the real reason?”

Sang Yun looked at him with calm eyes, but didn’t immediately answer his question.

“Was it… was it because you glimpsed too many heavenly secrets?” Chu Linyuan frowned, the lingering wine on his tongue tasting slightly bitter.

“I suppose so.” Sang Yun lowered her head to pour more wine.

“You’re hiding something from us.” Chu Linyuan patted the table. “Yan Jinzhou is also hiding something from us! The most detestable one is Ning Xingyuan!”

Sang Yun felt that this Immortal’s Intoxication wine was truly potent, capable of making Chu Linyuan, who had always had a large drinking capacity, become this drunk.

“That fox Ning Xingyuan… he actually arranged everything long ago… he did it on purpose…” Chu Linyuan was both angry and aggrieved. “He wouldn’t let me tell anyone! No one at all! He wouldn’t even let me tell you all!”

Sang Yun sighed softly. “You know, he also didn’t let me tell you all.”

“Can we talk about it now?” Chu Linyuan asked.

“No.” Sang Yun shook her head.

Chu Linyuan was stunned for a long while, then returned to being that steady and measured Sect Master Chu. He drank cup after cup, and only after a long time did he say: “Did you know early on that we would face the worst possible outcome?”

Sang Yun didn’t answer.

“So back then—” Chu Linyuan didn’t continue speaking, only gazed steadily at her.

Sang Yun smiled at him. “I think it’s very good the way things are now.”

Chu Linyuan watched Sang Yun leave. The wind on the mountaintop was rather strong, and the wine from earlier was rising to his head, making Sang Yun’s retreating figure blur in his vision.

****

Chu Linyuan didn’t know when exactly he had fallen in love with Sang Yun.

Perhaps it was after they had known each other for a long time, or perhaps from the very first moment he saw her, he had carefully and tenderly placed this lively and beautiful young girl in his heart.

The yearning and fantasies of youth always carried some indescribable ambiguity.

Their group of people were all heaven’s favored children. What they lacked least was arrogance and pride, yet they also cherished each other as kindred spirits with shared interests. Every day was fresh and interesting.

Competing fiercely in their studies, using every means to skip classes, secretly badmouthing that old stick-in-the-mud Hao Zheng behind his back, traveling around with full confidence… they always had endless things to do.

At the age when romantic feelings first awakened, they would naturally notice the people around them.

Ning Xingyuan was aloof and self-possessed. Though he was the young master of the first family, he was like a flower on a high peak—one could only admire from afar but not dare to defile. In reality, he spent all his time clinging to his companion vine, so even if the female cultivators had intentions, they were powerless. Mingsang wore a bald head and a handsome face that looked like he had seen through worldly desires—even mother toads wouldn’t want to get close to hear him recite sutras. On the contrary, Chu Linyuan was handsome and had a cheerful, smooth personality. He was good at making friends, so there was never a shortage of female cultivators pursuing him around him.

Sang Yun was always teasing from the sidelines.

“Don’t laugh!” Chu Linyuan tugged at her round hair bun.

Sang Yun covered her hair bun and made faces at him. “Oh my, this is already the thirteenth one you’ve rejected! I think that body cultivation junior sister from the neighboring courtyard is quite nice!”

“My future dao companion must be gentle, virtuous, and beautiful, not someone like you who only knows how to fight and kill!” Chu Linyuan said with a grin.

“Hmph, then go find your good senior sisters and junior sisters.” Sang Yun snorted coldly, turned around and left.

Once she was gone, Chu Linyuan felt there was no point to it anymore. He would avoid those chattering girls and run in front of her again, asking for trouble.

They were all young girls of about the same age, but only Sang Yun showed him no courtesy. Even when she was scolding him, he found it pleasant to listen to.

If they encountered Hao Zheng losing his temper and wanting to punish them, Chu Linyuan would rush to protect Sang Yun.

Mingsang performed a Buddhist salute to him and said slowly, “Amitabha, benefactor Linyuan, we are all brothers. Why don’t you protect this poor monk? Just now Dean Hao nearly pulled this poor monk’s ear off.”

Chu Linyuan snorted coldly. “Who’s protecting her? You filthy monk with impure thoughts, all you do is spout nonsense all day long.”

Sang Yun linked arms with Mingsang and said indignantly, “Don’t talk about Mingsang like that. He’s the most adorable little monk.”

“Him? Most adorable!?” Chu Linyuan was shocked. “That monk’s heart is black. He and Ning Xingyuan compete to see who has the blacker heart. You must be blind!”

The innocent Ning Xingyuan and his vine, who had been named, turned their heads in unison to stare at him.

Sang Yun said, “Xingyuan is the most kind and innocent. Stop slandering people here!”

Ning Xingyuan and the green vine nodded in agreement simultaneously.

“He’s adorable! He’s innocent! So I’m the bad one then!?” Chu Linyuan was shocked.

“Playboy, wastrel son, flirt, bah!” Sang Yun stamped her foot, turned around and ran away.

“I, I—I’m a wastrel? I’m a flirt?” Chu Linyuan pointed at himself in disbelief, asking Mingsang and Ning Xingyuan, “Is it my fault that I’m good-looking and others like me?”

Mingsang pretended to be deaf and drifted away leisurely. Ning Xingyuan, not minding watching the excitement unfold, said,”Why don’t you go chase after her?”

“I won’t go!” Chu Linyuan said angrily. “She just bullies me every day, treats you all with gentle smiles, but with me it’s either hitting or scolding. I’m going to protest to her!”

The days at Wanxuan Academy were always carefree and passed quickly. Amid all the bickering and clamoring, they grew up.

“What!? Your father said he wants to marry you to Ning Xingyuan!” Chu Linyuan shouted in horror, but Sang Yun quickly covered his mouth.

“Keep your voice down!” Sang Yun said angrily, “Xingyuan and I are good friends. I don’t want to marry him!”

Chu Linyuan’s eyes darted around. “Why not? He has a good family background, looks good, has a good personality. You even said before that he’s the kindest person. How many young ladies have broken their heads trying to get through the Ning mansion’s gates.”

Sang Yun said with distaste. “I don’t want to. Xingyuan is fine as a friend, but as a dao companion, forget it.”

“Why?” Chu Linyuan was puzzled.

“Where do you get all these whys!” Sang Yun glared at him and left in a huff.

He didn’t know how Ning Xingyuan and Sang Yun discussed it or what they did, but in any case, their marriage arrangement was called off, and they continued to be happy friends as before.

Later, they went traveling together to the mortal realm, discovered the damaged restrictions and the problems with the Eight Trigrams Array, and began working to try to repair the Eight Trigrams Great Array.

A few young people gathered together, firmly believing they could save all living beings from fire and flood, arrogant yet confident.

Even later, encouraged by Yan Jinzhou, he finally gathered the courage to confess his feelings to Sang Yun.

But he forgot that the little saint of Canghai Tower could understand past and present, could see all things in the world.

“Father has arranged for me to be engaged to the Wang family.” Before he could speak, Sang Yun preemptively stopped his words, smiling. “Did you come to congratulate me?”

They were no longer the carefree young man and woman of the past. The heavy burden of sects and families pressed down on their shoulders. The Eight Trigrams Array was becoming more severely damaged each year, spiritual power was rapidly draining away, and worldly catastrophe was approaching.

Ning Xingyuan was organizing the Chongzheng Alliance, struggling to try to completely control the Ning family. Mingsang was in seclusion cultivating in the Dark Domain, unknown when he might emerge. Yan Jinzhou was traveling in the mortal realm, investigating the complex restrictions. Sang Yun was gradually taking over the large and small affairs of Canghai Tower. And he himself was also struggling within his sect…

It was already too late.

That day, he intercepted Sang Yun in front of the Ning mansion, his heart full of joy suddenly falling silent.

Ning Xingyuan became more silent each day, and Sang Yun’s health grew worse and worse, until finally she couldn’t even lift her whip.

“Where there is gain, there must be loss.” Sang Yun no longer had the lively and spirited shadow of her youth, but Chu Linyuan still couldn’t help feeling happy when he looked at her.

“The fate of countless people rests upon us. We should naturally give our all. Romantic entanglements are irrelevant.” When asked why her marriage with the Wang family kept being delayed, Sang Yun always answered this way.

They finally returned to where they started—as like-minded partners, as kindred spirits and former classmates, as intimate… friends.

The romantic stirrings of youth had long since dissipated in the long passage of time.

****

“Master, Ancestor Sang Yun has already gone far.” Shen Xi approached from behind, reminding him in a low voice.

Chu Linyuan withdrew his gaze and asked, “Is everything prepared properly?”

“Master, please rest assured, everything is ready.” Shen Xi hesitated, but couldn’t help asking, “Master, do you really plan to do this?”

“She and Xingyuan… saw it long ago.” Chu Linyuan seemed drunk, but his steps were very steady, his face showing sudden realization. “So that’s how it is.”

Having seen their ultimate ending long ago, there was no need to accept his heartfelt joy. It would be better from the very beginning to save them from those bone-deep, heart-wrenching romantic entanglements that would inevitably end in painful and tragic conclusions.

In the end, they faced each other openly, sharing two or three aged wines together.

Free and unrestrained, without any lingering attachments.

Among the countless kinds of worldly connections, tender and deep affection need not be between you and me.