The delicate fragrance of freshly brewed tea drifted through the courtyard, mingling with the earthy scent of morning dew. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows across the cobblestone paths. In the pond, koi fish flick their tails gracefully, sending ripples that disturb the reflections of overhanging willows. Water cascaded softly over a cluster of moss-covered rocks, where frogs sat motionless on dewy lily pads, their eyes half-closed in tranquil observation.
At a low, polished table beneath the shade of a plum tree, Xue Laohu and Lord Mao sat across from each other, their faces set in grave contemplation. Between sips of tea, they exchanged words in hushed tones, discussing the troubling pattern of young girls disappearing from the coast village of Toubiao.
Despite countless attempts to cool his tea, Lord Mao somehow always managed to burn his tongue. With a slight grimace, he waved his hand in front of his mouth, trying to soothe the sting as he began, "There have been recent disappearances in Toubiao, a village nearly a thousand li from here. They've requested our assistance."
Xue Laohu gazed down into his tea, his mind drifting. The system had already notified him of his next mission: Echoes of the Fallen: Gong ML's Forgotten Past. He could almost feel the screen flickering in front of his face, its title flashing insistently. With a sigh, he swiped the screen away, clearing his view.
Lord Mao, still nursing his burned tongue, muttered, "Well, are you up for the challenge?"
"Yes, of course," Xue Laohu replied with a respectful bow. But as he turned to leave, a furrow formed between his brows. Wasn't Shudu's past already revealed? Could there really be more to his story?Questions tumbled in his mind, their weight lingering even as he walked away.
"Hey, yo, system," he called internally, his voice laced with irritation. Instantly, the screen flickered back into view, its words sharp and bold.
ECHOES OF THE FALLEN: GONG ML'S FORGOTTEN PAST
GONG ML MUST OVERCOME PAST HARDSHIP. WORTH: 300 LIFE POINTS
"Well, can't you tell me a little more?" he demanded, arms crossed as he stood on the dark, featureless plane of the system's interface, his foot tapping impatiently against the abyss below.
The system's response was a blunt, raspy echo that scratched in his ears: NO FURTHER DETAILS AVAILABLE.
"Fantastic," he muttered, rolling his eyes with a touch of sarcasm. He gathered his two disciples, Li Zhameng and Xue Tuzi, to brief them on the new mission.
As the two knelt before him, Xue Laohu paced slowly, the swish of his robes brushing the ground with each step, his fan flicking open and shut in his hand. "So there you have it," he began, his voice sharp yet calm. "Young girls have gone missing. Rumor has it they're being sold and smuggled to foreign lands."
Li Zhameng glanced up, his gaze meeting Xue Laohu's piercing eyes. "Shizun, are we going undercover?" he asked, curiosity sparking in his tone.
Xue Laohu tilted his head thoughtfully, fanning his face as he considered the question. "Hmm… no," he replied, a glint of mischief in his eyes. "None of us are familiar faces there, so we can pose as potential clients without any disguises. No need to overcomplicate things." His fan fluttered, sending a breeze through his wispy bangs as he spoke, casting a shadow across his handsome features.
Xue Tuzi lowered his gaze, his fingers clutching the hem of his robes tightly as he hesitated. "Shizun…" he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. "You're not going to bring that… insect along, are you?"
Xue Laohu's eyes widened at the question. Of course he needed Shudu on this mission, but he had no idea how to approach him about it. He closed his fan with a snap, running a nervous hand through his shaggy hair as he searched for words.
Before he could respond, a voice cut through the tension. "If Grandmaster Xue requires this venerables presence then he shall come, bitch."
"What did you just call me?" Xue Tuzi growled, his voice tense with irritation. He yanked the ribbon from his hair, whipping it toward Shudu, who sat perched atop a plum tree, a straw clamped between his teeth as he chewed it nonchalantly. With a quick, agile movement, Shudu dodged the ribbon's flick, leaping down and landing gracefully behind Xue Laohu, forcing Xue Tuzi to skid to a halt.
"You're offended because it' applies," Shudu replied smoothly, his voice laced with amusement. He leaned forward, eyes narrowing as he continued, "Besides, there's a place I need to pay my respects to." For a moment, his smile faltered, a shadow of something unspoken flickering in his gaze before he reached out, grasping Xue Laohu's hand. "There's no need for Grandmaster Xue to beg this venerable one to come. I shall join you," he added, flashing a mischievous grin, his sharp canines glinting in the light.
Xue Laohu felt the weight of Shudu's gaze and the electric tension between his two disciples, already sensing that this journey would be anything but peaceful. This place… it must be tied to Shudu's forgotten past, he mused, realizing that if Shudu could overcome whatever awaited him there, he'd earn the coveted 300 points.
They set out on the long, grueling journey, but Xue Laohu soon found himself at his wit's end as he constantly intervened to break up skirmishes between Shudu and Xue Tuzi. Despite the purpose of their mission, the two couldn't resist competing for his attention, each trying to outdo the other with words that cut as sharply as blades.
Shudu was relentless in his flirtations, often leaning close to Xue Laohu with a smirk and a glint in his eye, his voice a low purr that left Xue Tuzi seething. Meanwhile, Xue Tuzi would glare, fists clenched, his voice rising in frustration as he spat, "You're a good-for-nothing, blood-sucking leech!"
Shudu would simply smirk, brushing off the insult with his usual charm, only to stoke Xue Tuzi's ire further. The two of them clashed on nearly every matter, their differences as vast as the endless hills and valleys that they traveled.
As they finally approached the coast, the ocean stretched out before them, a vast, shimmering expanse that gleamed beneath the sun's golden light. The salty, misty air filled their lungs, refreshing and invigorating, while the steady rhythm of waves crashing against the shore echoed like a soothing melody. Above, birds of prey soared, their wings cutting graceful arcs against the endless blue sky.
Li Zhameng and Xue Tuzi's eyes sparkled with awe, captivated by the breathtaking view. Jiao Jiao, the little Gu worm, tucked his head deeper into the qiankum pouch Xue Tuzi had fashioned inside his robes. The birds gliding overhead unnerved the small creature; to them, he was nothing more than a tempting snack. Xue Tuzi glanced down and gently patted Jiao Jiao's wobbly head, offering silent reassurance.
"Tch," Shudu scoffed, arms crossed as he eyed Li Zhameng and Xue Tuzi. "Have neither of you seen the ocean before?"
"No... it's so... big!" Li Zhameng's eyes widened, still entranced by the boundless horizon and the shimmering waves.
"Remember, we're not here on vacation," Xue Laohu interjected, tapping his fan lightly against his head in exasperation. Yet as he gazed out over the water, a faint smile softened his face. Memories of his own modern day childhood surfaced—a beach outing where he'd raced toward the waves in a burst of excitement, only to end the day sunburned because he'd forgotten sunscreen. The nostalgia lingered, warming his expression.
Just then, a glimmer of red down the road caught Jiao Jiao's eye. Peeking out of his pouch, the little Gu worm sniffed the air, his nose quivering at the sweet scent of a Tanghulu stall nearby. Xue Tuzi looked down at him with a gentle smile. "Do you want some?" he asked softly.
Jiao Jiao bobbed his head eagerly, and Xue Tuzi chuckled, making his way toward the vendor. But before he left, he glanced over his shoulder at his Shizun. The ocean breeze ruffled Xue Laohu's hair, sending loose strands whipping across his face as he scolded Li Zhameng not to wander too far.
"Shizun…" Xue Tuzi called, his voice tentative. Xue Laohu turned, a wide, almost childlike smile spreading across his face, his eyes nearly closing with the warmth of it. Xue Tuzi's heart fluttered at the sight, a blush rising to his cheeks as he quickly looked away.
"I'll be back," he stammered, hastily heading for the vendor, his Shizun waving him off with a casual flick of his fan.
Since their arrival, Shudu had been uncharacteristically quiet, his gaze cast downward as if lost in a heavy cloud of thoughts. He moved with a somber air, his usual spark dimmed, as though something about this place weighed on him deeply.
At last, he broke the silence. "Grandmaster Xue, this venerable one will be departing," Shudu said, his voice low and laced with a sadness that surprised Xue Laohu.
"Eh… depart where?" Xue Laohu asked, fanning himself against the intensifying sun. Beads of sweat glistened on his brow as he squinted at Shudu, who barely lifted his head to respond.
"The Hua Brothel," Shudu replied with a heavy sigh.
"The what brothel?" Xue Laohu exclaimed, nearly choking. His fan stopped mid-air, his eyes wide with a mix of shock and confusion. "Why do you need to go there?"
Shudu forced a smile, his resilient canines showing, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "To get laid, of course," he said, his voice laced with a hollow attempt at humor. But the joke seemed forced, and Xue Laohu's frown only deepened.
The one he should be thinking of laying with is standing right over there, Xue Laohu thought, his gaze shifting to Xue Tuzi, who stood at the stall ordering tanghulu, Jiao Jiao gleefully picking out the candy coated fruit.
Shudu, sensing Xue Laohu's disappointment, leaned in closer, a coy smile playing on his lips. "But if Grandmaster Xue would prefer to bed this venerable one," he whispered, his breath warm against Xue Laohu's ear, "he would be more than happy to oblige."
Xue Laohu rolled his eyes, letting out an exasperated huff as he waved Shudu away with his fan. "The one you should be laying with is right…" he grumbled, pointing directly at Xue Tuzi. "Over there!"
Shudu turned in the direction Xue Laohu was pointing, and his gaze settled on a breathtaking beauty. Xue Tuzi stood there, his rich, earthy brown hair cascading down to his waist, catching the sunlight with glimmers of pink. The waves of his hair framed his face, giving him an ethereal glow. His skin was pale and smooth as polished jade, with a delicate blush warming his cheeks. Feathery bangs rested on his defined brows, and his large, deep brown eyes were so captivating they could almost pull one into their depths. But what caught Shudu's attention the most were those full, glossy lips, with a tiny mole adorning the corner—lips that looked dangerously tempting. He longed to taste them, even though he knew they were laced with venom.
Next to this vision of beauty, however, stood an elderly woman, her figure so hunched she barely reached the height of a broom. She was around 80, with deep wrinkles etching her face like old tree bark, her skin dry and cracked. A few stray gray hairs twisted around her thin, cracked lips, completing the picture of a crone from a tale of ancient forests.
Shudu arched an eyebrow, crossing his arms in a stance of defiance. "Grandmaster Xue can't be serious," he said, his tone laced with disbelief.
Xue Laohu chuckled nervously, whipping out his fan and hiding his grin behind it.
"Maybe if that woman were fifty years younger," Shudu quipped, casting a quick smirk in Xue Laohu's direction.
Xue Laohu nearly stumbled back, trying to stifle a laugh, but his face betrayed his amusement.
"Besides," Shudu continued, his gaze drifting back to Xue Tuzi, who was now approaching them with two skewers of tanghulu, "I only have eyes for beauties." His voice softened as he watched Xue Tuzi draw near, and a sly smile played on his lips.
Without warning, Shudu reached out, snatching one of the skewers from Xue Tuzi's hand. He took a single bite, devouring the sugary treat, savoring the sweet tang of the fruit, and then, with a mischievous glint in his eye, turned to depart.
Behind him, Xue Tuzi's indignant voice echoed, laced with curses as he watched Shudu sprint away.