85 - The Cannon Fodder is Prepared to Divorce

Banxia Novel Chapter 85 Turn on the Light Small Medium Large Previous Chapter: Chapter 84 Adults Do Not Want to Roam. Next Chapter: Chapter 86 Chapter 85 Last night, Yue Bai stormed out in anger after being relentlessly pestered. Ji Wu Nian tidied up the bed, picked up the clothes scattered on the floor, and meditated for an hour until dawn. At this hour, the young disciple should have been awake, preparing breakfast for Qin Shuang. But when Ji Wu Nian stepped out of the main hall in fresh clothes, the courtyard was empty. Even Wan Wan was nowhere to be seen. She easily guessed that Yue Bai wouldn’t wake up so soon, so Ji Wu Nian quietly opened the door to the adjoining hall. Little Qin Shuang occupied half of the bed, her snow-white hair cascading behind her, her delicate face serene. Her mouth slightly open, she breathed with the unique sound of children. As for the young disciple... Ji Wu Nian touched her nose, feeling as if she understood where the marks she had left had disappeared. Ye Er was sleeping curled up on her side, wearing only her undershirt, exposing her neck and a small section of her collarbone, dotted with red and purple marks. She seemed restless in her sleep, her brows furrowed. Ji Wu Nian, fully clothed, lay behind her, the space a bit cramped but sufficient to hold her securely in her arms. She infused her spiritual energy into Ye Er, slowly calming her. Yue Bai didn’t sleep well, partially opening her eyes. “I’ll handle breakfast,” Ji Wu Nian kissed her cheek, “you sleep a bit more.” Yue Bai was half-awake, her mind foggy with sleepiness. “Thank you, Master.” Perhaps Ji Wu Nian’s soothing worked; the person in her arms gradually fell into a peaceful sleep, her breathing steady. Ji Wu Nian kissed her cheek again and, after some thought, decided to remove the marks from her body. A bit of a pity, but there’ll be a next time. “Mmm…” A small whimper came from nearby. Little Qin Shuang turned over in her sleep, her little hand groping around but finding only the empty bed. “Mmm…” Her childish brows furrowed, her eyelashes fluttering in unrest. Ji Wu Nian reached over Ye Er, letting Qin Shuang grasp her hand. Little Qin Shuang’s hand could only hold one of Ji Wu Nian’s fingers, but this seemed to comfort her, stopping the fluttering of her eyes. Not long after, Qin Shuang slowly opened her silver-gray eyes, her gaze illuminated with light. “Deity…” The child’s words were almost a murmur, making Ji Wu Nian focus to hear them. She chuckled softly, “Little Shuang, good morning.” Qin Shuang, still groggy, turned towards the sound, but saw only darkness. The light in her eyes didn’t extend to the warmth in her hand. She blinked, speaking quietly again, “Wu Nian…?” “Hmm.” Ji Wu Nian carefully climbed over Ye Er to Qin Shuang’s side and spoke softly, “Little Shuang, are you awake?” Qin Shuang rubbed her eyes with her other little hand, becoming a bit more alert, and nodded. “The deity is still sleeping. Let’s not disturb her, okay?” Qin Shuang’s body shook, her tiny hand reaching forward before another warmth caught it. “Little Shuang?” The child hung her head, trembling with fear. “Will… will the deity wake up?” Ji Wu Nian froze for a moment, then hugged Qin Shuang gently, her tone soft, “She will. She was just tired last night. Once we finish our lunch, she’ll wake up.” “Really?” The tiny fists clenched, the child’s head lowered, trembling a bit. “Really...” The one sleeping beside them suddenly spoke out, Yue Bai flipped over, her face tired but smiling. She patted Qin Shuang’s head, “Little Shuang, be good. Go have breakfast with the Master. I might sleep a bit longer.” The little head nodded up and down, and Qin Shuang relaxed, “Okay, Deity, sleep.” But where she couldn’t see, Yue Bai’s cold gaze was directed at Ji Wu Nian, a clear accusation in her eyes. Ji Wu Nian, however, took the hand Yue Bai had lifted from Qin Shuang’s head and gently kissed her fingers. Jiu Yi, who had just emerged from a small dark room, burped. Tch, this dog food is really filling. *** Yue Bai really slept until the afternoon. When she woke, she sighed and was immediately teased by Jiu Yi, “Overindulgence is harmful to the body.” Clearly, she wanted to be restrained, but the other’s stamina was just too good. “Didn’t you say your body would gradually get better?” Jiu Yi was genuinely concerned. “You still seem to end up unable to get up every time...” “It has gotten better.” Yue Bai moved her neck. Sometimes she didn’t understand why she would get so exhausted. With her current physical condition, she should be able to handle staying up all night without needing a nap. But this kind of thing is hard to pinpoint, so she decided to blame Ji Wu Nian – it was all due to her relentless pestering. Although she had no restraint, her conscience was still intact enough to help relieve Yue Bai afterward. Yue Bai moved her shoulders and looked down at her snow-white collarbone, not saying much. She put on fresh clothes and stepped out of the room. As soon as she opened her door, a voice called out, “Deity.” “Little Shuang,” Yue Bai hurriedly stepped forward, allowing Qin Shuang to take just two steps before jumping into her arms. The child grabbed her lapels, her white hair tied in two adorable buns. She blinked cutely, “Deity, am I cute?” Yue Bai touched the little buns and smiled, “Very cute.” “Little Shuang,” Ji Wu Nian approached, kneeling down and smiling at Yue Bai, her eyes sparkling, “let’s let the Deity eat something. It’s afternoon already, and she must be hungry.” “Okay.” Qin Shuang nodded towards the sound, her little hands pushing Yue Bai forward, “Deity, eat something!” “Alright,” Yue Bai kissed Qin Shuang’s forehead and then said to Ji Wu Nian, “Thank you, Master.” Jiu Yi wanted to roll his eyes at the “Master” remark, “You two are really… drama queens.” “You’re welcome,” Ji Wu Nian smiled at her, “Go and eat something. We promised Little Shuang we would go to listen to the opera later.” “Listen to the opera?” Yue Bai was puzzled, “At Qu Ren?” “There’s a village in the mountains,” Ji Wu Nian explained, “an old man there is celebrating his hundredth birthday with a traditional opera performance. We can listen from a distance.” “But Master, aren’t you…” being punished with confinement? “It’s at Luyi,” Ji Wu Nian reminded her, “the same place we watched the dragon dance during New Year’s.” Yue Bai recalled, “Oh.” “Go ahead and eat something first,” Ji Wu Nian urged her, finding her adorably silly at times. Although Ye Er wasn’t as stunningly beautiful as Yue Bai, during such moments, Yue Bai’s face seemed fitting. “Deity, eat something.” Qin Shuang also urged her. “Alright.” Yue Bai stood up, placing Qin Shuang’s hands into Ji Wu Nian’s, “Master, I’ll go eat something first.” “Go ahead.” Ji Wu Nian watched her back, feeling an urge to laugh for some reason. If Yue Bai ever came to her, forcing her to call her “Master”… “Wu Nian?” Ah, no, no. Not in front of the child. Ji Wu Nian kissed Qin Shuang’s eyelids and played with her gently. *** Last time, when they watched the dragon dance, Ji Wu Nian hadn’t taken Yue Bai deep into the village, but this time, with Qin Shuang along to listen to the opera, they needed to get closer. The village wasn’t far from Sanqing Gate, but deep within the mountains, comprising no more than thirty households. This time, because of the centenarian’s birthday, they would hold a village opera and a grand feast to celebrate. “Doesn’t Sanqing Gate look after them?” Jiu Yi asked, “Considering they’re just next door?” Nestled at the foot of the Immortal Mountain, even the nearby Qu Ren was particularly prosperous. How could there still be such an isolated village in the mountains? “It’s said that their ancestors left instructions to live in seclusion,” Ji Wu Nian laughed, “which aligns well with Sanqing’s principle of ‘remaining detached from the mundane.’” ...Ji Wu Nian? “Remaining detached from the mundane”? “...I can’t even be bothered to comment.” Jiu Yi said. The three of them flew on their swords. Qin Shuang had to stay close to Yue Bai, so Yue Bai held her in front. Qin Shuang’s small hands clutched a few of Yue Bai’s fingers, making her feel secure enough to turn back and smile at her deity. “Little Shuang is so happy?” Yue Bai booped her on the forehead. Qin Shuang always asked questions of the heavens like that, so Yue Bai learned to mimic her. “Mm-hmm.” Qin Shuang nodded, her silver-gray eyes unable to meet Yue Bai’s precisely, but she found the source of the voice, conveying her happiness, “Likes… stories.” Her brows curved, all childish innocence. Seeing Qin Shuang become more cheerful, Yue Bai felt her efforts in raising her weren’t in vain. She patted her on the head. Ahead, a distant valley appeared in sight, an open space where the village stood, smoke curling upwards. As the feast began, each family would bring their best dishes to share. Women bustled in the kitchens, men set up the stage and tables, and children ran through the crowd, while the honored elder sat at the head of the main table, smiling at his descendants. Ji Wu Nian cast a protective barrier over the three of them, concealing them from the view of the ordinary villagers below, allowing them to watch the performance and share in the joy. On stage, a large “Longevity” character hung prominently. An old man portrayed an immortal, wandering the world, meeting great waves and transforming into a golden dragon to calm the storm; then encountering endless divine fire from the earth, he became a phoenix to suppress the flames. Collecting divine beasts in the north, subduing poisons in the south, the immortal eventually ascended to heaven, unnoticed across ten thousand miles of the human world. Qin Shuang was delighted. Especially upon hearing the old immortal declare, “See me tame the four seas, tread nine rivers, bringing peace to the land,” she clapped her hands in excitement and tugged Yue Bai’s clothes, pointing to the source of the voice, “Deity, listen.” “Mm.” Yue Bai sat on the sword with Qin Shuang on her lap. Hearing Qin Shuang’s excitement, she nuzzled her face, “Little Shuang likes it?” “Likes.” Qin Shuang didn’t turn back, her hand still gripping Yue Bai’s fingers, her words soft, “Like Deity…” Yue Bai chuckled softly and pinched Qin Shuang's cheek. “Tame the Four Seas, Tread the Nine Rivers,” sounded like something that arrogant person would say. Ji Wu Nian stood beside them, not watching the performance. Her gaze focused on the many people at the long feast table. On one side, mischievous children snatched food; on the other, men toasted each other, full of joy and family harmony. The oldest man, currently being cared for by two other elders, had lost all but one tooth, his face full of wrinkles, and eyesight likely dim, squinting at the lively scene in front of him, perhaps unable to see it clearly. Despite his frailty, the upturned but drooping eyebrows showed that the elder was conscious and seemed content. “Master?” Yue Bai noticed Ji Wu Nian’s silence and gently called her, “What’s the matter?” She hadn’t forgotten that this was a centennial birthday celebration, and she herself had a task to “live a long life” assigned by Ji Wu Nian. Among the three of them present, Yue Bai’s situation aside, the other two, with their immortal bodies, wouldn’t consider a hundred years a significant milestone. “Just reflecting,” Ji Wu Nian said, sitting on her sword to be at the same eye level as Yue Bai, “See, one person lives a hundred years, some spending it in the mountains, day after day, yet they have children and grandchildren, living in harmony; others roam the world, experiencing new things daily, only to end up alone after seeing all the splendor of the human world. Comparing the two, it’s quite intriguing.” Jiu Yi interjected, “...She’s definitely the latter type.” Yue Bai, who saw herself as a blend of both types, didn’t quite agree but asked, “Which one do you prefer, Master?” “Us cultivators,” Ji Wu Nian tapped her forehead in her usual mischievous manner, “most likely end up living like a day lasts a thousand years, eventually alone, unlike their pleasant lives.” That sounded a bit tragic, Yue Bai thought and asked, “...Then does Master still wish to cultivate?” “I have many questions for the deities,” Ji Wu Nian smiled at her, the sunset reflecting in her eyes, “How could I not?” Yue Bai remembered what she wanted to ask. Why me? “Deity?” Yue Bai’s lapels tightened, and she turned her gaze from Ji Wu Nian to Qin Shuang, smiling. The child loved the story, asking about the dragon, the phoenix, why the waves surged, why the mountain fire erupted, earning the nickname “ten thousand whys” from Jiu Yi. Jiu Yi continued answering in Yue Bai’s mind, “The waves are due to tidal effects, the volcanoes mostly due to tectonic plate movements…” He gave a long explanation, which Yue Bai didn’t fully understand. Although it seemed reasonable, she feared Jiu Yi’s words might seem too strange to Ji Wu Nian. So, she fabricated some little stories for Qin Shuang, aligning them with the exaggerated tales she remembered from that person. Silver-gray eyes widened in surprise and curiosity, leading to even more whys. By the time the performance reached halfway, Yue Bai wasn’t sure how much Qin Shuang grasped, but they had certainly engaged in quite a few exchanges. Yue Bai was parched from talking, but the child seemed delighted. Happily engaged, Qin Shuang eventually fell asleep. The bright moon hung high, and the mountain night stayed awake. Ji Wu Nian came over, cradling Qin Shuang in her arms so Yue Bai could stand up again. She smiled and asked, “Still want to listen?” With the main listener asleep, Yue Bai didn’t want Ji Wu Nian to hold the child while keeping her company, so she shook her head, “Master, let’s go back.” They flew back to Qinglin Hall on their swords. Ji Wu Nian followed Yue Bai to the adjacent hall, placing Qin Shuang on the bed and covering her with a thin blanket. As she turned around, the young disciple was standing beside her, Ji Wu Nian smiled, saying, “Rest early.” After last night's antics, she wasn’t sure if Yue Bai had caught up on sleep during the day. “Master should rest well too.” Ji Wu Nian patted Yue Bai’s head, then turned and left. Once she heard the door close, Yue Bai sat by the bed, extending her hand over Qin Shuang’s face, probing her soul.