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Ye Chuanze accompanied Hongjun for a while longer, drinking. He glanced at the sky and pondered that it was time to leave. He had come to Purple Cloud Palace at the behest of Di Jun to inquire about the demon clan's construction of the Heavenly Palace, and now he had received a satisfactory answer. There was no need for him to stay any longer; it was time to go. However, based on Hongjun's past behavior, he feared that Hongjun would speak up to keep him there for a couple more days.
He turned over his thoughts and recalled that last time Hongjun had told him to come back in a hundred years. Since that century had not yet passed, he had arrived at Purple Cloud Palace early. He did not want to make another trip back here in a few decades, so he said to Hongjun, "Master, you once told me to come find you at Purple Cloud Palace after a hundred years. May I ask what for?"
Hongjun glanced at him and replied calmly, "The hundred years have not yet arrived." The implication was clear: he had come too early.
"It doesn't matter if it's just a little time. Master, please don't be cryptic; just tell your disciple directly!" Ye Chuanze insisted.
"Wait until the time comes, and then you can ask me."
"Master..."
"Calling me Master won't help. When the time comes, you can come find me, and I will naturally tell you."
"...Alright."
Seeing that Hongjun was being so tight-lipped and showed no signs of softening, Ye Chuanze dejectedly gave up. He truly did not want to keep coming to Purple Cloud Palace for no reason. For some reason, he seemed reluctant to see Hongjun, even though he often thought of him. It felt as if he was afraid or anxious about something. Ye Chuanze always felt that his feelings toward Hongjun were extremely complicated—admiration, respect, closeness, yet also fear.
Since Hongjun achieved harmony with the Dao, these feelings had intensified. To this day, when he recalled the cold and intimidating Hongjun he had seen in Purple Cloud Palace—his eyes hollow and devoid of any emotional fluctuation—he couldn't help but feel a chill in his heart. He had to admit that he was afraid; afraid that one day Hongjun would become like that, looking at him with those empty eyes and a cold gaze.
He could not accept such a Hongjun; he could not bear the thought of Hongjun looking at him with such indifference. It would make him feel as if he had lost something very important. Just thinking about the possibility of Hongjun becoming like that left an emptiness in his heart that was difficult to bear.
Ye Chuanze fixed his gaze on Hongjun, unmoving. It seemed that since that one time, Hongjun had returned to his former self without any change. He remained indifferent in expression but treated Ye Chuanze gently; his voice was cool yet kind and tender as before, showing no signs of change. Ye Chuanze even doubted whether that day had been merely his illusion—that perhaps Hongjun had always been like this and had never changed at all.
Hongjun looked up at him and asked, "What's wrong? Why are you looking at your master like that?"
Ye Chuanze lowered his gaze and replied, "It's nothing."
Hongjun stared at him in silence, saying nothing.
Ye Chuanze was reminded of those troubling matters, and his mood became less than pleasant, leading to a moment of silence. Hongjun also remained quiet, and both fell into a state of silence.
"You can do as you wish; I will always be here for you," Hongjun suddenly said.
Ye Chuanze looked up at him, surprised by his sudden words.
Hongjun continued, "You always forget what I say; worrying unnecessarily only burdens yourself."
Ye Chuanze remained silent.
Hongjun glanced at him and placed a hand on his head, giving a reassuring pat. "No matter what, I will always be your master. As long as you are my disciple, no one will dare to insult you. I will be your eternal master." The condition is that you must not betray the sect. Hongjun slightly lowered his gaze; Rahul's presence still worried him. The connection between Ye Chuanze and Rahul was deep, and it seemed likely that it would lead to complications in the future. Ye Chuanze's temperament and principles aligned closely with the style of the demon realm, and Hongjun feared that one day he might be lured into the demonic path by Rahul.
After a long pause, Ye Chuanze finally said, "Disciple understands."
He took his leave from Hongjun, who merely glanced at him without trying to retain him as he usually did. After a long silence, Ye Chuanze finally uttered the words "Go!" Without looking back, he turned and left.
After he had taken a few steps, he suddenly heard someone behind him say, "Wait! Stay and finish this game of chess with me before you go!"
Ye Chuanze halted in his tracks. Out of Hongjun's sight, he lowered his gaze and pressed his lips together; this time he did not refuse. He turned back toward Hongjun, telling himself that he would finish this game of chess with him, and then he would leave.
The chess game continued until nightfall, with the sun setting in the west, the silver moon hanging high, and stars densely scattered across the sky, enveloping everything in darkness.
Ye Chuanze pressed his lips tightly together, his expression heavy as if facing a formidable enemy. His gaze was fixed on the chessboard, as if he could see through it with his eyes. At that moment, he regretted his impulsive decision to stay; he was indeed seeking punishment! He felt like he was about to be crushed by Hongjun, his heart shattered into pieces. True to form, he was as terrible at chess as ever; if he continued playing with Hongjun, he might just chop off his own hands!
Looking at the chessboard, Ye Chuanze rolled his eyes and then pretended to stumble forward, sweeping his arm across the board. The black and white pieces were immediately knocked to the ground, destroying the game.
"Oh no! I accidentally knocked it over; the chess game is ruined," Ye Chuanze feigned innocence. He leaned over the board for a while but saw no reaction from Hongjun. Confused, he lifted his head only to find Hongjun looking at him with a smile, the corners of his lips slightly upturned.
Ye Chuanze was taken aback; Hongjun was usually indifferent and rarely showed emotions, his expressions hardly changing. In fact, Ye Chuanze had almost never seen Hongjun smile before—this gentle smile seemed like something only found in dreams.
Ye Chuanze remained bent over the chessboard for a long time without getting up. He raised his head and stared blankly at Hongjun, murmuring, "I must still be asleep, right? I must be dreaming!!"
With a sigh, Hongjun placed a piece down and then reached out to pat Ye Chuanze's head. His long, cold fingers ruffled Ye Chuanze's hair as he spoke in a tone that seemed both helpless and indulgent: "At your age, still acting like a child without any shame."
Upon hearing this, Ye Chuanze decided to throw caution to the wind and buried his head in the chessboard, muttering gloomily, "Since I'm not good at chess and have already lost face, what else do I have to fear!"
"Hah..." A light laugh escaped Hongjun's lips as he teased, "Who was it just now that claimed their chess skills were superb and unmatched?"
"That definitely wasn't me!" Ye Chuanze adamantly denied being the one who had boasted to Hongjun earlier. He felt no pressure at all about being called out for his exaggeration.
"You!" Hongjun said helplessly. "It's not good to be so fickle."
"I only act like this in front of my master; I wouldn't do this with others. My name outside is quite respectable! Master, don't worry. If you don't believe me, go ask around; everyone says that Ye Chuanze from Buzhou Mountain Cloud Marsh Cave is very fair-minded and highly praised." Ye Chuanze shamelessly boasted about himself.
Hearing him brag so proudly, Hongjun couldn't help but feel amused yet exasperated. He chuckled and scolded lightly: "What a character you are!"
"Can't get up? What does that look like?" Hongjun said nonchalantly.
Ye Chuanze, unfazed by the remark, lifted his head and straightened his posture. Suddenly, a hand brushed against his face. Ye Chuanze looked up, staring blankly at Hongjun. Hongjun's cold fingers gently caressed his face, and as they glided over, Ye Chuanze felt his heart tremble.
"Look at you, you've pressed red marks all over your face," Hongjun said in a calm tone.
So that's why, Ye Chuanze thought, feeling a sudden sense of relief. He had been puzzled by Hongjun's unexpected action; it turned out to be for this reason. It was strange—he seemed to have been anticipating something just moments ago, stirred by Hongjun's sudden odd gesture.
"It's fine; there are no outsiders here, just Master. It doesn't matter if Master sees it; you won't laugh at me anyway," Ye Chuanze said casually.
However, Hongjun paused for a moment at his words before quickly returning to normal, gently tracing Ye Chuanze's face as if nothing had happened.
"Master."
"Yes?"
"The chessboard is ruined."
"Yes."
"We can't play chess anymore."
"Yes."
"...Master, could you use a different word?"
Hongjun looked up at him and said, "It's getting late."
Ye Chuanze glanced at the starry night sky and nodded.
"Stay here tonight."
Ye Chuanze paused at the words and finally replied, "Alright."
Ye Chuanze sat on the ground, casually fiddling with the pieces on the chessboard, while Hongjun sat across from him. A breeze swept by, causing a bamboo leaf to fall. Ye Chuanze looked at the bamboo leaf on the chessboard, reached out, picked it up, and brought it to his lips to blow. It produced a melody without any sheet music, just some scattered notes that sounded beautiful and clear.
In the moonlit bamboo grove, whose enchanting music stirred the tranquil spring water.
After a long while, Ye Chuanze set down the bamboo leaf and asked, "How did I play?"
"It lacks melody."
"…Master, you can leave now. I don't want to see you again; our relationship is over, we are no longer friends!"
"However, it was still somewhat pleasant to hear," Hongjun said slowly.
Ye Chuanze snorted coldly and replied, "That's more like it."
That night, neither of them returned to their rooms; they simply sat quietly in the Pavilion within the bamboo grove.
When dawn broke and the sun rose again, Ye Chuanze said to Hongjun, "Master, I must go."
"Yeah." Hongjun looked calm and responded lightly. Ye Chuanze I glanced at his face that showed no emotion at all, stood up silently, turned around and left. As he walked out of Pavilion, he heard a burst of music suddenly coming from behind him. It was the ditty he played last night. His steps paused, just for a moment, and then he raised his feet again and walked forward without any hesitation, leaving Purple Cloud Palace. Hongjun is sitting in the Pavilion, holding the piece of bamboo leaf that Ye Chuanze played last night in his hand, putting it to his mouth, and playing the little tune that Ye Chuanze played over and over again. Before the tune is formed, there is love first. What you love is hard to understand.
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