Where is Our Agreement to be Each Other’s Arch-Rivals?

Early the next day, Gu Feidi accompanied Su Yang across the cable bridge at the rear of Lesser Jade House to the Veiled Pearl Pavilion to pay their respects to Shizun.

When both of them had reached the outside the Veiled Pearl Pavilion, Qingbo instructed Gu Feidi to leave first as she wanted to talk to Su Yang alone. Despite being slightly uneasy, Gu Feidi had no choice but to honour Shizun’s command and withdrew to stand guard at the top of the cable bridge outside the valley.

Su Yang walked the whole way to arrive at the entrance of the Veiled Pearl Pavilion and coincidentally came across Di Ling pushing out the door from the inside.

Upon hearing Su Yang’s footsteps, Di Ling paused a little and nodded: “You’ve come.”

Su Yang replied with a “ng”, cupped his fists and made his salutations to Di Ling. Di Ling stepped aside to let them enter. After considering briefly, she followed behind Su Yang into the Veiled Pearl Pavilion.

Qingbo turned round and saw that both of them had entered the house at the same time. She asked in surprise: “Di Ling, you have another matter?”

Di Ling cast her gaze downward and replied respectfully, “Yes, Shizun. Your return date for your current travel is undetermined, perhaps a few years or a few decades. This disciple lacks the confidence to attend to Lesser Jade House alone. Now that Su shidi and Gu shidi have returned, it would be better for them to accompany me to manage it and gain experience.”

When he heard this, Su Yang couldn’t help being startled, not understanding why.

Qingbo’s gaze fell upon him for a moment. She smiled and said, “That’s fine, both of you are young and promising. It shouldn’t be hard for them to assist you in the supervision and running of Lesser Jade House.”

Having received Shizun’s consent, Di Ling straightaway expressed her thanks, bowed and asked to be excused.

Su Yang had become thoroughly discombobulated by the dialogue between the two. Once he saw that Di Ling had walked some distance away, he turned to Qingbo and said, “No, I sought you out to make my wish. Why did you spontaneously entrust me with an assignment?”

“Your origins are peculiar, so of course you’ll need to be more hardworking since you are more capable.” Qingbo laughed and said, “You’ve already decided what you want to wish for so soon?” 

The subject was unceremoniously deflected. Su Yang gave a light cough and said : “……Oh, ng, I’ve decided.”

Qingbo smiled: “Your wish wouldn’t be to resolve the curse on your body, right?”

Su Yang said: “That’s right aaa, I want to eliminate this curse.”

Having said that, he noticed Qingbo’s wary expression and instantly became anxious. He probed: “What’s wrong? Is it not possible?”

Qingbo raised her hand to tease the little green bird perched on her shoulder and smiled: “There’s originally no issue with the curse on your body. Although this world has many settings which differ from reality, they are always viewed in a martial arts context. Curses and that sort of thing; if you believe in them, they exist. If you don’t, then they don’t. Fei Fei has already found a counteracting solution to your body’s issues, so of course the curse won’t be fulfilled.”

After speaking, she emitted a light laugh, “Besides, Su Yang didn’t die from the curse in my novel, or don’t you remember?”

Only when he heard Qingbo words did Su Yang remember that the Devil Sect’s Young Saint in the original story didn’t meet his death due to this Ghost Blood Life Curse. Ultimately, it was Gu Feidi who rescued him.

After going round and round, the Gu Feidi in the original storyline also managed to acquire the White Firework Gu. He couldn’t bear to look on helplessly as the Devil Sect’s Young Saint died from suffering the extremely cold internal force. Consequently, he secretly practiced the Flawed Phoenix Craft Fire. Soon after, their circumstances were similar to Su Yang’s and Gu Feidi’s at present——both of them had to continue to dual cultivate in order to inhibit each other’s extreme internal forces so that they would be able to live on together.

“Therefore, you can change your wish.” Qingbo cut off Su Yang’s train of thought, “If you can’t come up with something today, you can go back and think it over slowly. Just tell me before the crowning ceremony.”

Upon hearing that, Su Yang frowned and asked: “Why does it have to be before the crowning ceremony? Didn’t you say that if I don’t believe in the curse, it doesn’t exist?”

Qingbo smiled: “When you are crowned, the storyline in this world will come to an end as far as I’m concerned, and I’ll have to leave. If you don’t make your wish before that, you won’t have any opportunity to see me again in the future.”

Su Yang suddenly understood.

The storyline of the original novel ended when the Devil Sect’s Young Saint’s crowning ceremony was concluded. Even though Qingbo emerged here as the author, she would undoubtedly be limited by its regulations. Once the storyline ended, she had to leave.

It was also due to this that Di Ling had earlier spoken of the temporary transference of Lesser Jade House. Though it was said to be temporary, Qingbo should in fact have already deemed Di Ling as the succeeding Lesser Jade House master.

“Then……isn’t it possible for the author to grant any type of setting for the characters they’ve created?” Su Yang asked, “If I want eternal life, can it be realised?”

“Sure.” Qingbo said, “But I don’t recommend that you choose eternal life. I can’t alter Gu Feidi’s setting. If you choose eternal life, then you will be stranded forever in this world, watching him grow old and die, watching everyone around you fade away. Eventually, you will suffer a lot.”

Su Yang nodded: “I was just asking to see what kind of scope you can achieve.”

Qingbo smiled: “Theoretically speaking, I can realise it so long as it’s a setting that can materialise in literature. Even if you want to be magical, it’s possible.”

Su Yang thought about it and asked: “Mind reading, for instance? Turning stones into gold? Bringing the dead back to life?”

Qingbo spread her hands and said, “If you’re certain you want these abilities, no problem.”

“Then what if I want to bring Gu Feidi back to the modern era?” Su Yang asked again, “Or perhaps you could let me bring his soul across different worlds?”

Qingbo: …

After a moment’s silence, Qingbo stretched out and patted Su Yang’s shoulder, “Young man, don’t be overly greedy.”

Su Yang curled his lips and asked, “Why? Can’t it be done?”

Qingbo said, “I’m just an author. I might have control over the characters I’ve created, but your wish spans two worlds. How could I possibly do it? Moreover, you were dragged into this world by accident……Even I don’t understand how you managed to come here.”

Su Yang let out a sigh, realising that this wish was truly somewhat Herculean.

But he genuinely desired this sort of capability, so he implored: “You can give it a try first, give it a try…… If it doesn’t work, then let it be. I will go back and consider another wish.”

Qingbo nodded helplessly and said: “Then I’ll try it for you. If it uses up your wish and fails, then there’s nothing I can do about it.”

Upon hearing this, Su Yang chewed on his lip and pondered for a moment. Finally, he replied determinedly: “Ng, try it.”

Qingbo closed her eyes a little, then fully shut them. 

After a period of time, she opened her eyes, then looked at Su Yang and asked, “Are there any changes?”

Su Yang was stunned and shook his head: “What kind of changes should there be?”

Qingbo heaved a sigh, “It appears to be unworkable. This wish of yours transverses worlds. If you want it realised——”

Before she’d finished speaking, the little green bird that had been perched calmly on her shoulder immediately hopped up and flew, hovering before Su Yang’s eyes, flitting up and down as if it was somewhat anxious.

Su Yang was still a little confused and subconsciously lifted his hand to cup the bird in his palm. He looked at Qingbo: “What’s going on?”

Qingbo also eyed the little bird suspiciously. Before she could venture a guess, they saw the little bird flap its wings in Su Yang’s palm, and then……“puff” laid a round, pearl-like, white bird egg as tiny as a little finger tip.

Su Yang: ……

Qingbo: ……

After that, the little green bird flew back to Qingbo’s shoulder and perched there calmly, as if nothing had happened earlier.

Su Yang silently examined the bird egg in his palm for a moment, then asked Qingbo: “What does this mean?”

Qingbo regarded the bird egg pensively. She hesitated for some time: “I’m not sure at the moment, but your wish had indeed been used up. Therefore, this egg is definitely exceptional…… Xiao Cui’s* origins are miraculous. Once this egg hatches, it should be able to yield a result.”

(*TN : xiao = little, cui = green)

Having said that, she stretched out her finger to point at the bird egg. In a split second, a red silk string flew out to weave around the bird egg like a net, turning it into a pendant.

“I don’t know when it will hatch. Wear it next to your skin.”

Su Yang strung the bird egg around his neck, then stood on the spot silently. He moved back and forth for a while and said: “Then, it’s done. Can I go back?”

Qingbo also wasn’t sure what else they were supposed to do with this egg, so she nodded: “Alright, you can go back. I’ll be staying in the Veiled Pearl Pavilion for the next few days. You can seek me out anytime if something happens to it. If I don’t happen to be around, leave me a letter. I’ll look for you upon my return.”

Su Yang was about to withdraw when Qingbo abruptly recalled something and clapped her hands, “That’s right, assist me to pass this to Fei Fei.”

With a flip of her palm, a rather aged-looking book appeared in her hand. The writing on the cover was distinctly the four words ‘Flawed Phoenix Craft Fire’.

“Since the issue has been solved, both of you can take this methodology.” She said to Su Yang with a wink and smiled, “Dual cultivate properly!”

Su Yang took the book from Qingbo’s hand and muttered something under his breath.

Qingbo narrowed her eyes and said, “What did you curse at me ne?”

Su Yang said, “No……I just find it odd. Since you can write letters in the vernacular, aren’t you afraid that you’d reveal your differences in front of them? Why is it you’re so graceful when you speak?”

When she heard this question, Qingbo placed her hand on her forehead: “It’s due to this faulty system. I’ve been wanting to complain for ages already……”

“There aren’t too many limitations when writing letters, but letters need to be exchanged in order to be used and I can’t change much. As for speaking, ng, how do I explain it? In fact, I can’t say whatever I want when I speak with them. The system will provide selections. After selecting, I must speak accordingly……what a headache.”

Having heard this explanation, Su Yang didn’t know what kind of expression he should display.

He taciturnly raised his hand and waved to Qingbo to take his leave.

After exiting the Veiled Pearl Pavilion, Su Yang swiftly returned to the cable bridge.

Seeing him return, Gu Feidi approached at once and asked, “How? Can that curse be undone?”

“Ng, no problem,” Su Yang smiled, “There’s no need to worry about the curse anymore. We shall live happily together for a long time!”

Gu Feidi was still somewhat unconvinced: “Truly?”

Su Yang couldn’t help laughing as he handed Gu Feidi the ‘Flawed Phoenix Craft Fire’ he was holding, “See, Shizun even gave me this methodology. Now you tell me if it’s true or not?”

Gu Feidi took the book, his eyes filled with exuberance. He could hardly conceal his excitement and hauled Su Yang into his arms, embracing him firmly.

“Aai Aai! Careful!”

Curiously, Su Yang didn’t conveniently hug Gu Feidi in return this time. Instead, he lifted his arm to propped him away with his elbow before gently and cautiously touching his chest.

Gu Feidi was confused: “What’s going on?”

Su Yang hooked out the string around his neck with his little finger. He let out a sigh of relief when he saw that the bird egg was safe and sound.

He dangled the bird egg over before Gu Feidi’s eyes, “This is the egg laid by Shizun’s little green bird. Shizun gave it to me for safekeeping. We need to protect it well and not break it……”

Gu Feidi eyed the bird egg doubtfully.

After a while, he said: “That little bird is remarkable and this egg must surely be extraordinary. Just now, Di Ling shijie passed by. I learned that Shizun will leave Lesser Jade House in the next couple of days and go wandering outside. Since Shizun gave this to you, is it possible that……Shizun in fact prefers for you to take over Lesser Jade House?”

Although this wasn’t the case, Su Yang hadn’t expected that it could be considered this way. However, when it came to the next candidate for Lesser Jade House’s master, Qingbo was certainly more inclined for Di Ling to be it.

So he stuffed the bird egg back inside his clothing and smiled: “Shizun didn’t say, so don’t randomly speculate what will happen from now on. Let’s see once this egg hatches. For now…… let’s return to Zhichun Garden and practice the methodology properly. Once my birthday is over, we’ll contact the Devil Sect Leader and assist him in eliminating the Gu poison.”

Gu Feidi nodded. He interlaced his and Su Yang’s fingers, and they both went home holding hands.