Chapter 11: Brothers through thick and thin

(TN: The t.i.tle is 你夠兄弟，我講義氣 – meaning if you treat me like a brother, I will reciprocate.)

This chapter is by Windyday of BC Novels.

After returning to the Heavenly Sword Sect, Yi Xichen and Zhangsun Zijun went to find Yao Budu.

Yao Budu made a hammock out of vines in his refining hall. Normally, when there isn't much to be done, he would doze off on it. As a gentle breeze blew by, the hammock would sway back and forth. The pill refining cauldron is placed next to the hammock so that when the scent of medicine would wake him up from his dreams, a new batch of pills would have also been finished.

Yao Budu stretched comfortably and opened his eyes just in time to see Zhangsun Zijun and YiXichen walk in.

"You came at the right time." Yao Budu came down from his hammock and scooped a couple of pills out of the cauldron, "Zijun, have you been better recently? This master of yours refined some new medicine that can energize the mind and body."

Zhangsun Zijun's expression went stiff. Is it too late now to turn around and pretend that he has never walked in?

"Come here." Yao Budu waved his hand.

Zhangsun Zijun can only obediently walk over, "Master, I've already recovered from my illness. There's no need for more medicine."

"Really?" Yao Budu turned his look of interrogation towards Yi Xichen.

"Master, don't listen to his lies." Yi Xichen squatted down next to Yao Budu with a dog-like posture and stuck his furry head over, indistinguishable from a domesticated puppy, "Zijun has been saying nonsense every day. You have to increase the amount of medicine."

If killing intent can materialize, Yi Xichen would have already been ground to sand by Zhangsun Zijun's gaze.

Yi Xichen fearlessly glared back at him. Ever since he was young, it had always been him that angers others into spitting out blood. But ever since Zhangsun Zijun was affected by the magical illusions, he can anger Yi Xichen to cough up blood at least 3 times a day! If he doesn't get revenge for this then he isn't a man!

Yao Budu couldn't help reaching out a hand to rub Yi Xichen's head and then immediately turned to give Zhangsun Zijun's head a pat. "Don't hesitate to seek medical attention! Xichen, you have to watch him take his medicine every day and come tell me only when he has completely recovered."

"You don't have to worry, Master!"

However, Yi Xichen didn't manage to remain smug for long before reality struck again.

Yao Budu took out another bag of pills and tossed it over to Yi Xichen, "This is your medicine. This Master thinks that cultivation is taking a toll on your body. Recently, your face has become pale so take these to supplement your energy."

Yi Xichen's smile also stiffened.

Zhangsun Zijun silently accepted the medicine bag, "Master, you don't have to worry."

Yi Xichen, "……"

To prevent Yao Budu from taking out more medicinal pills, Yi Xichen quickly bought out the spoils that he got today, "Master, is it possible for you to fix this?"

Yao Budu looked at the shattered firestone in his disciple's hand, a little astonished, "Firestone? Where did you get this?"

"This disciple got it by maintaining peace and justice."

"You stinky brat, could you have gotten it through tricks and deception1!" Yao Budu picked up the firestone, looked over it meticulously and said, "Fixing it shouldn't take too much effort. It's just the right thing to make it into a spiritual object."

Medicinal cultivation is not like sword cultivation in that it doesn't follow a bitter training path. After all, many medicinal cultivators master the art of intuition. Yao Budu is one of those masters.

Yi Xichen became anxious, "Master, I was planning to take this firestone to make a betting table to earn money in the market."

"You're a sword cultivator so stop distracting yourself with those stray paths!" Yao Budu glared and unceremoniously confiscated the firestone, "Let your Master make a useful spiritual item and gift it to you."

Yi Xichen wanted to say something more, but seeing that Yao Budu had fire in his eyes, he could only swallow his words. When one is cultivating, especially those with high reputation, most of the time, they have very little emotional fluctuations. However, Yao Budu was someone with an aggressive temperament, glaring and huffing as soon as he is provoked. At the Heavenly Sword Sect, he is an elder with the lowest standing, but there isn't a single disciple that isn't scared of his explosive temper.

Except that Yi Xichen and Zhangsun Zijun knew that their Master is the kindest person in the whole world.

Since the medicinal pills were distributed and the firestone was taken away, Yao Budu shooed his two lovable disciples out, telling them to scram and not disturb his peace and quiet.

"Yi Xichen."

Yi Xichen was walking towards the exit when he heard his Master call his name and suddenly came to a stop. Yao Budu scarcely calls his name so seriously. But as long as he does, it means that he has done something again to make Yao Budu very angry. Everything was fine just moments ago. What happened?

"Out of all of my disciples, you are the one that goofs around the most." Yao Budu frowned, his tone was inexplicably agitated, "This time, it is also your fault that Zijun's body was invaded by the miasma."

Zhangsun Zijun wanted to speak up for Yi Xichen, but a single glare from Yao Budu was enough to make him shut his mouth obediently.

"The other elders from the various halls have come to me many times asking me to drop you as a disciple, but I've always stopped them. Not to mention, you've done many things that harm both yourself and others, but you don't seem to learn from your mistakes. Your Master has told you many times, the places that you aren't supposed to go, don't go there: the things that you aren't supposed to do, don't do it: the people that you aren't supposed to provoke, don't provoke them. Just cultivate obediently then you can go down the mountain to get some practical training after this year. If I find out that you've stirred up more trouble again……"

"Kacha." Yao Budu shattered the medicinal vial held tightly in his hand.

Yi Xichen instinctively ducked down his head.

"Scram!" Yao Budu waved his hands before closing his eyes and continuing his rest.

This time, the cause behind Yao Budu's tirade was mysterious. Yi Xichen and Zhangsun Zijun looked at one another, unsure of what to do following the outburst, and left sullenly.

Outside of the refining hall, Yi Xichen was confused the whole way back.

"Zijun, what do you think is the meaning behind Master's words just now?" Yi Xichen raised his hands to his chin, "Is he blaming me for dragging you to the Miasma forest? And causing you to be influenced by the miasma?"

"That wasn't your fault."

Yi Xichen wrinkled his nose, bitterness rising in his heart, "Master is biased. Ever since we were young, he has always given the good stuff to you. And even when we work together to do something bad, it doesn't matter whether or not it's my fault, it's always my fault."

"Hmph." Zhangsun Zijun held his nose, wanting to stop himself from 'hmphing,' "He definitely didn't give me to you. Hmph."

Yi Xichen was stunned. He already got used to listening to Zhangsun Zijun speaking opposites so he naturally knows what he meant. Now his heart wasn't bitter but his nose felt stuffy.

Although the Medicinal hall had a little more than ten disciples, ever since they were young, it didn't matter what they did, Yao Budu would always pair Zhangsun Zijun and Yi Xichen up. At that time the junior disciples didn't have their own rooms, so the other disciples had to sleep three to five people to a room. Only he and Yi Xichen got to sleep in the empty room in Yao Budu's hut. Eating, sleeping, doing ch.o.r.es, picking medicine, and cultivating – they were inseparable through it all, so, naturally, their relations.h.i.+p was better than anyone else's.

Whenever Yao Budu got something good, he would keep it to give to Zhangsun Zijun. Zhangsun Zijun's natural talent was good so none of the other disciples could protest. But as long as Zhangsun Zijun had something, he would certainly give half of it to Yi Xichen. This was also known by Yao Budu but he has never spoken up against it so it was probably his intent for this to happen.

But he gave me to you. A simple sentence from Zhangsun Zijun was the most heartwarming confession——no matter what trials or dangers or obstacles, they face will share their fortunes and burdens with one another.

Yi Xichen's heart was melted into a pile of goo. But in the next moment, he remembered the weird thought process that Zhangsun Zijun had nowadays and thought to himself that his emotions are still too tender and inexperienced.

"Zijun."

"En?"

"You really good to me. I remember all of that in my heart and I'm really happy."

"There's no need……"

"But you should give it up. No matter how good you are to me, I won't give birth to your children."

"……Hmph, I wasn't thinking of that……hmph……"

"Weiweiwei! You're telling me that you aren't thinking of that so what exactly is the meaning behind that look of disappointment! I've told you a hundred times that I can't give birth! If you have the ability to do so, why don't you let me see you give birth to one!

That night, Yi Xichen had a dream. He dreamt of something that was buried deep in his memories.

His father and mother were burning in the middle of a roaring flame. The sound of skin being scorched, pili pala, and the smell of meat charing overwhelmed his senses. Waves of nausea made him throw up seemingly everything in his stomach.

His body hurt almost like every bone in his body was broken. The power of the fire burned within him, it hurt, but at the same time, it gave him the power to remain awake and alive. He tried to move towards the corpses in the flame and he crawled for a long time. The journey of a couple of meters appeared to take years to complete.

Finally, his fingers were just about to touch the scarlet flames. He wanted to pat the flames out. Even if he had to lure the flames onto himself, then at least he would be able to help distribute his parent's pain. Just as he was about to succeed, a pair of strong arms lifted him up from the back.

"Child, don't touch!"

He had already touched it. What kind of fire was this? Although it didn't hurt, it had the ability to melt the power of life. Only a light touch with the tips of his fingers was enough to make him weak and confused. If it wasn't for the person behind him hauling him up, he would have slept just like that. Peacefully. Forever.

When he regained consciousness, he saw that there was a blood-red mark from the fire on the tip of his index finger. And then he turned around and saw a young man with a goatee. Although his expression was unkind, his eyes were clear, having the ability to make people have faith in him.

"Your parents are gone." The man with the goatee said, "Child, my name is Yao Budu and I'm your parents' friend. I'll take you with me and starting from now, I'm your master."

Time flew and he grew from a child to a young man in a flash.

"Wait for me here." He told a young man that looked a little unhappy, "If Master comes back, think of a way to stall him. I'll come back as soon as I found the herb."

"Oh."

He sneaked into Yao Budu's refining hall. Even though the garden looked like it was only a square meter, after going through a portal, there were endless fields of herbs. He had invented some new things but he couldn't find the required medicinal herbs so he could only steal from his Master's field. But the field was larger than he thought it would be and he couldn't find what he needed.

Seeing that he was running out of time, he thought of Zijun who must be getting agitated. Since he couldn't find it he could only leave. However, as soon as he turned his head, he saw Yao Budu standing behind him, glaring and huffing.

"You stinky brat, you seemed to be tired of living!"

As punishment for sneaking into the medicinal fields, Yao Budu made him face the wall and think of his actions. Plus he couldn't go out. In the medicinal field, there was a pond near the south side. His punishment was to kneel next to the pond. Through the reflection of the pond, he could still see the world outside of the portal.

Zhangsun Zijun didn't know that Yao Budu didn't need to walk in from the front door to be able to reach the medicinal fields. He also didn't know that his accomplice had already been caught, so at the moment, he was still standing guard outside.

He knelt for seven days and Zhangsun Zijun also stood guard outside for seven days.

On the first day, he thought in his heart that Zijun is really loyal for staying outside for so long. On the third day, the thought in his heart that Zijun was way too dumb. A long time had pa.s.sed and he still hasn't gone out which meant that he had to have been caught so why isn't Zijun going back, is he not afraid of being caught and be punished along with him? On the fifth day, he couldn't bear to watch any longer and begged Yao Budu to tell Zijun to go back and rest, it didn't matter if he kneeled a couple more days. Yao Budu didn't agree to it.

On the seventh day, he finally reached the end of his punishment. As he was pus.h.i.+ng on his knees to stand up, Yao Budu appeared next to him. Looking that the wood-like person's reflection on the clear pond, Yao Budu thoughtfully said, "You've found a trustworthy friend."

He stumbled out of the refining hall. When he saw Zhangsun Zijun still standing there, he lunged over, punch him on his shoulder and said with a smile, "Moron, did you know that I was caught by Master and was punished to kneel for seven days?"

"I've guessed that."

"Then why didn't you leave?"

"I'm an accomplice. When Master punished you, he was also punis.h.i.+ng me."

"Smarta.s.s!" Although he said this, a huge smile was already spreading across his face. He sighed. "Then if Master punished me by telling me to kneel for a year, you would wait a year too?"

"En."

"Then how about a hundred years?"

"I'll wait."

"Would you wait for a thousand years? Ten-thousand years? Aren't you scared that you're going to stand till you turn to a rock?"

"Then you would have also kneeled till you've become a piece of wood."

"Hahahaha, why do I like hearing that so much! Don't worry, since you treat me like a brother, I will reciprocate in full! In the future, no matter what kind of mistakes you make, I'll accompany you too!"

Reika's Notes:

Actual translation, “stealing chicken and feeling dogs.” Basically underhanded means.