I Don’T Want To Be This Master For A Day Anymore. Chapter 24

Was this what it felt like to be moved?

After dinner, Qiu Yin’an and Wan Qiongju went to check on Yao Ye. Coincidentally, Yao Ye woke up for a short while when they arrived. Yao Ye grabbed Qiu Yin’an and asked about his sister’s condition. Fearing that Yao Ye would become agitated, Qiu Yin’an did not tell him that Yao Yu had been poisoned by black magic. He only said that Yao Yu was fine but needed rest, which was why she wasn’t by his side. Yao Ye breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this, then quickly fell back asleep.

Hai Di said, “Young Martial Uncle, rather than letting Young Lord Yao stay awake, it’s better for him to sleep. Rest is better for his body and mind while he sleeps.”

Qiu Yin’an replied, “Alright, I understand. I’ll trouble you to continue looking after Yao Ye. I will have the Elders of Jiuling Mountain take turns guarding him here. Feel free to instruct them if there is anything they can help with. Also, regarding the research for Yao Yu’s antidote, I am counting entirely on you.”

Hai Di smiled faintly and answered, “Young Martial Uncle, please rest assured. My Master instructed me that Young Lord Yao is like a brother to you, and I must be diligent in treating both Young Lord Yao and Venerable Lord Yao. Hai Di will certainly follow Master’s orders.”

The three of them left the inner room and sat down at the round table in the outer hall. Qiu Yin’an asked, “Where is your Master?”

Hai Di replied, “He came earlier, took just a glance, and then returned to Qingxuan Peak.”

Qiu Yin’an said, “He went back to Qingxuan Peak?”

Hai Di hummed in affirmation, then asked, “Master looked unwell? Did you two have a quarrel, Young Martial Uncle?”

Qiu Yin’an rubbed his forehead and sighed, “Oh, it was nothing. What did he tell you?”

Hai Di shook his head. “Master didn’t say much, but he instructed me to examine my junior martial brother’s hand injuries.”

Qiu Yin’an felt a touch of surprise. “Your Master, ah—I really don’t know what to say.”

Hai Di said, “Master’s feelings for Young Martial Uncle have always been like this. In the eyes of the disciples of Wanyun Pavilion, Master and you truly make a good pair.”

Hai Di’s lips curved slightly upward as he looked at Wan Qiongju, who was sitting next to Qiu Yin’an. He asked, “Junior Martial Brother, what do you think?”

Wan Qiongju answered Hai Di with a cold expression, “Virtuous Venerable Lin Yu is not good enough for my Master.”

Qiu Yin’an turned his head and glared at Wan Qiongju. “Don’t talk nonsense.”

Wan Qiongju grumbled into Qiu Yin’an’s ear, unconvinced, “I’m just telling the truth.”

Qiu Yin’an ignored Wan Qiongju and said to Hai Di, “Since you have time now, please examine your junior martial brother’s hand injuries. Yesterday, I applied some of the medicine you previously gave Yao Ye and bandaged the wounds.”

Hai Di glanced at Wan Qiongju’s two hands, which were heavily wrapped in gauze, and covered his mouth to stifle a laugh. “Young Martial Uncle’s unique bandaging technique is truly remarkable. If it had been warmer a few days ago, he would surely have developed heat rash.”

Qiu Yin’an coughed awkwardly twice. “Just take a look at him quickly.”

After unwrapping eight feet of cloth, Hai Di saw the gruesome wounds on Wan Qiongju’s hands.

Almost every one of Wan Qiongju’s fingers was sliced open from the tip, with the wounds extending all the way to the base of the finger.

The medicine had excellent pain-relieving and healing effects, but Wan Qiongju’s wounds were deep, and Qiu Yin’an’s bandaging was poor. As a result, the adjacent flesh had adhered imperfectly. If they continued to heal this way, Wan Qiongju’s hands would look like those of a crudely stitched rag doll—terribly unsightly.

Qiu Yin’an saw Hai Di’s tightly furrowed brow and suddenly felt panicked. Hai Di’s medical skills were superb; if he was struggling, wouldn’t Wan Qiongju’s hands be ruined? “What is it? Can’t it be treated?”

Hai Di said, “It’s not that it can’t, but Junior Martial Brother will have to endure some pain. The flesh has stuck together in a crooked, messy way. We need to reopen the wounds and stitch them up. I cannot guarantee that these hands will be as flexible as before.”

Qiu Yin’an blamed himself. “It’s my fault. My bandaging technique was too poor.”

Hai Di said, “Young Martial Uncle, don’t blame yourself. His wounds are not only long but also winding. Anyone else bandaging them would have the same result. Even if I had bandaged them, I might not have been able to align them perfectly. The difficulty in restoring his hands is due to the depth of the wounds, not the way Young Martial Uncle bandaged them.”

Qiu Yin’an’s mouth drooped as he sighed in self-reproach. “Yao Ye’s Cloud-Riding Bell is with me. I was too busy with everything yesterday and forgot. If I had taken him back to Qingxuan Peak to find you immediately, he wouldn’t have to suffer this ordeal today.”

Wan Qiongju blinked and smiled at Qiu Yin’an. “It’s alright, Master. I’m not afraid of pain.”

Qiu Yin’an gently tapped the back of Wan Qiongju’s hand a few times. He asked Hai Di, “Is there really no way for his hands to recover completely? He cultivates the art of Talismans. If his hands aren’t flexible, it will greatly affect his cultivation. Can you think of another solution?”

Hai Di said, “There is a way. Has Young Martial Uncle ever heard of Dragon Tendon Silk?”

“Dragon Tendon Silk?” Qiu Yin’an asked, “Where can one find such a thing?”

Hai Di explained, “Three fingers below the neck of a Water Abyss Clan cultivator, there is a tendon as thin as a strand of hair. That is called Dragon Tendon Silk.”

Hai Di continued, “Dragon Tendon Silk has miraculous effects on repairing meridians and healing wounds. If we use that to stitch Junior Martial Brother’s wounds, I guarantee his hands will be as flexible as before, without even leaving a single scar.”

“Dragon Tendon Silk is inside a person’s body. How can it be obtained?” Qiu Yin’an pondered. He couldn’t just kill a few cultivators to obtain Dragon Tendon Silk, could he? Wouldn’t that make him as brutal as the Demon Race?

Wan Qiongju’s hands couldn’t be left like this. He was so talented. Qiu Yin’an had to obtain the Dragon Tendon Silk for him.

Hai Di asked, “What is Young Martial Uncle thinking about?”

Qiu Yin’an replied, “I’m thinking about how to obtain the Dragon Tendon Silk.”

Hai Di said, “I traveled down the mountain last year and was fortunate enough to acquire some.”

“That’s wonderful!” Qiu Yin’an excitedly slapped the table. “Use the Dragon Tendon Silk on Wan Qiongju. You can pick anything you want from West Mountain Hall.”

Hai Di chuckled. “Is Young Martial Uncle serious?”

Qiu Yin’an affirmed, “Absolutely.”

Hai Di said, “I would like Young Martial Uncle to return the cultivation manuals and texts from Xuanji Pavilion.”

Qiu Yin’an’s face immediately darkened.

Hai Di continued, “Venerable Lord Chen Liang has punished my Master quite a bit over this matter. Has my Master not mentioned this to Young Martial Uncle?”

Qiu Yin’an replied, “No.”

Hai Di said, “Young Martial Uncle, please don’t be angry. I only wish to alleviate my Master’s worries. I hope you can understand.”

Qiu Yin’an’s expression was stern. He lowered his gaze for a moment before answering, “I will give them to you. Use the Dragon Tendon Silk on Wan Qiongju.”

Hai Di’s eyes widened. “Young Martial Uncle agrees just like that?”

He had expected Qiu Yin’an to hesitate, consider it for a while, or negotiate back and forth. He never imagined that Qiu Yin’an would agree so readily after just a few sentences. Hai Di was overjoyed. He stood up excitedly, bowed, and saluted. “Thank you, Young Martial Uncle. Hai Di will dedicate all his effort to restoring Junior Martial Brother’s hands.”

The three of them used the Cloud-Riding Bell to return to Qingxuan Peak. As promised, Qiu Yin’an returned the texts, and Hai Di stitched Wan Qiongju’s hands.

Perhaps as a reward from Chen Liang, when Hai Di came to perform the stitching, he also brought Wan Qiongju a pair of unique, secretly crafted white snakeskin gloves for recovery.

With the texts moved out, Qiu Yin’an stood in the empty secret chamber, lost in thought.

Wan Qiongju reached out and tugged at Qiu Yin’an’s sleeve. “Master.”

From the moment he saw that the items Hai Di wanted were locked in the secret chamber, Wan Qiongju had been trying to persuade Qiu Yin’an not to sacrifice so much for him. But Qiu Yin’an insisted on getting the Dragon Tendon Silk for him. Now, watching Qiu Yin’an stand alone in the chamber, looking at the two empty rows of shelves, a relentless guilt surged in his heart.

Qiu Yin’an held Wan Qiongju’s hand over the glove. “Does it hurt?”

“It doesn’t hurt. With these gloves on, I don’t feel anything, just like when I wasn’t injured.” Wan Qiongju clenched his fists twice to show Qiu Yin’an.

Qiu Yin’an said, “Then it was worth it.”

Wan Qiongju held Qiu Yin’an’s hand back. “Master, I’m sorry.”

“What do you have to be sorry for? This was my decision.” Qiu Yin’an sighed. “It’s just that your birthday gift is gone.”

Wan Qiongju asked, “My birthday gift?”

Qiu Yin’an replied, “The cultivation manuals and texts in this secret chamber were originally what I planned to give you for your birthday.”

Wan Qiongju was puzzled. “Why would Master give me so many cultivation texts? I only cultivate the art of Talismans.”

Qiu Yin’an asked, “Do you know why they wanted those texts back so badly?”

Wan Qiongju shook his head. “I don’t.”

Qiu Yin’an explained, “The texts on Qingxuan Peak are not all from our own sect’s techniques. They also include the unique secret arts of various major sects, along with their corresponding methods of counteraction. For so many years in the Cultivation World, the various sects have revered Qingxuan Peak, largely for this reason.”

Wan Qiongju exclaimed in surprise, “Doesn’t that mean whoever possesses these texts can rule the Cultivation World?”

Qiu Yin’an said, “More or less. These texts should be guarded by the successive Venerable Lords of Qingxuan Peak. The year I came of age, my father passed the key to Xuanji Pavilion to me. Later, when he ran into trouble sealing the Demon Race, Chen Liang acted as the interim leader and tricked me into handing over the key. I didn’t expect that once I gave it up, I would never be able to step into Xuanji Pavilion again. In the end, I had to resort to the undignified method of setting the pavilion on fire to move the texts out. Unfortunately, now they’ve been moved back. Otherwise, I was preparing to pass them on to you. If I ever reclaim the position of Venerable Lord, you would be the next one to sit on the throne.”

“Master, you actually—” Wan Qiongju’s eyes welled up with tears, and he hugged Qiu Yin’an. “How can I be worthy of such trust?”

“Don’t get too emotional yet. Your Master hasn’t even snatched back the Venerable Lord position himself.”

Qiu Yin’an gently stroked the young man’s back. “Besides, I didn’t actually manage to give it to you. Now the things have been taken away. You being so excited makes me feel a little embarrassed.”

“Master, I don’t know how to repay you. You took me away from Wanzong Mountain, gave me a new life, and now you’ve taken me as your disciple and taught me techniques. I never imagined I would one day live such a peaceful life.”

Wan Qiongju whispered into Qiu Yin’an’s ear, “I’m so afraid this is all a dream, and when I wake up, you’ll be gone.”

Wan Qiongju tightened his grip on Qiu Yin’an’s arm again. Qiu Yin’an was squeezed breathless. He struggled a bit and said, “I won’t. Your Master will continue to be good to you.”

“Really?” Wan Qiongju released Qiu Yin’an, but they remained extremely close. If either of them moved their head slightly, their foreheads would definitely bump.

Tears still clung to Wan Qiongju’s long eyelashes, fluttering with the rhythm of his breathing, tickling Qiu Yin’an’s heart. For a moment, he wondered if his kindness toward Wan Qiongju was truly just the affection between master and disciple. Could it be, as Bai Chengying suggested, that he had developed feelings for Wan Qiongju?

Qiu Yin’an’s Adam’s apple bobbed. His heart was unknowingly beating faster and faster. This feeling of accelerated heartbeat was not unfamiliar; it happened whenever Wan Qiongju got too close.

Wan Qiongju asked, “Master, why aren’t you answering me?”

“Ah? What did you say?” Qiu Yin’an had long since forgotten the young man’s question. Fearing he might lose control, he retreated a few steps, then said, “Let’s sleep in West Mountain Hall tonight. Tomorrow, we’ll take Hai Di and go to Jiuling Mountain together.”

Qiu Yin’an fled back to his sleeping quarters as if running for his life.

That night, Qiu Yin’an lay in bed unable to sleep. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw Wan Qiongju’s face—either smiling at him, acting spoiled, or the profile he presented while diligently cultivating. In short, his mind was filled with Wan Qiongju.

Qiu Yin’an began to reflect on whether he had ever felt this way about anyone else in his twenty years of life. He turned his memory upside down but couldn’t find a second person.

Oh no, had he really fallen for Wan Qiongju?

Qiu Yin’an sat up in shock, bewildered after realizing his own feelings.

What should he do? What should he do?

Sure enough, the rules of Qingxuan Peak were not just for show. It turned out that someone really could make the mistake of falling in love with their own disciple.

“No, I can’t.” Qiu Yin’an muttered to himself. How could he be the one to break the rules of Qingxuan Peak?

He tried to think of the young man’s annoying side, hoping to stop himself from liking Wan Qiongju. But the more he recalled, the more he realized that Wan Qiongju was genuinely good and adorable. He remembered Wan Qiongju saying to him—I want to become your most reliable helper. I am willing to go through fire and water for you, Master. Believe me, I can do it.

How could he possibly bring himself to dislike that?

Qiu Yin’an irritably scratched his hair. He flopped onto the bed, spread-eagled, and looked up at the ceiling, asking, “Why did Qingxuan Peak have to set the rule that masters and disciples cannot fall in love?”