105. The Invincible Big Fool

He arrived at a spring and Xie Wuji had changed into fresh clothes. He was relieved to learn that Dongmen Jianyun was still young and had no idea what had just happened; if the truth were known, it would have been mortifying.

He splashed water on his face to steady his nerves.

Just then, Xie Wuji caught the faint scent of something sweet and familiar. As a man, his senses were always attuned to such things.

He lifted his head, nostrils flaring, and followed the trail until he glimpsed a white figure bathing in the distance among the spring waters.

Someone was bathing?

Xie Wuji straightened his gear and moved closer. He did not rush in, however. Instead, he watched as the figure’s hair spilled down to the waist—extraordinarily long and impossibly silky.

He watched, entranced, until his gaze fell on the back.

An ordinary back would have been nothing special. This one, however, was scarred from head to toe, turning the sight into something almost haunting.

The wounds were unmistakable. Every inch of the person’s body was marked, not a single spot of sound flesh to be seen.

Was this Bai Li Yan’er?

Xie Wuji’s mind raced. He remembered clearly that Bai Li Yan’er had not joined the team; only Bai Li Qingyan had.

“Who?” Bai Li Qingyan called out coldly.

Xie Wuji stood perfectly straight. “Yan’er, it’s me… it’s me…”

“Wuji?” Bai Li Qingyan’s eyes flew wide, her heart hammering with terror. “What… what are you doing here?”

“I was just… relieving myself. I saw you and thought you were a giant white fish, but it turned out to be you. How did you end up here?” Xie Wuji said, trying to sound casual.

“I… I…” Bai Li Qingyan faltered, every word trapped behind his teeth.

His chest felt heavy. The truth was about to come out, and he would no longer be able to hide behind the disguise in front of Xie Wuji. The pressure was crushing.

But he said nothing. Xie Wuji, ever the simpleton, declared, “I know!”

“Know what?” Bai Li Qingyan asked, wary. She had already snatched up a length of white cloth and wrapped herself tight, then turned to face him directly.

Xie Wuji felt a wave of embarrassment wash over him. He quickly looked away. This Bai Li Yan’er was lethal. The sight of her emerging from the water was breathtaking, like the seven immortal maidens descending to bathe. If only he had been Dong Yong, he could have stolen every last garment.

He cleared his throat. “You’re Yan’er. Your brother had some trouble and couldn’t make it. You two are twins, right? So… you pretended to be him?”

Bai Li Qingyan’s jaw dropped open, wide enough to swallow an apple whole. He had met fools before, but never one quite this foolish.

He had been hunting for any excuse to reveal the truth, yet here was Xie Wuji handing him one on a silver platter!

How fortunate. Bai Li Qingyan’s heart swelled with relief. He could keep pretending to be Bai Li Yan’er. “So how did you guess?”

Xie Wuji flashed a triumphant grin. “It’s simple. Everyone else has their face uncovered, but you’re veiled. Why? No beard on you, but your brother has one, so you’re hiding it, aren’t you?”

He beamed, convinced his intellect had reached new heights.

Bai Li Qingyan’s mouth twitched violently. He forced a smile, cheeks burning. “Yes… yes, that must be it. As expected… Wuji, you’re truly clever.”

“Don’t envy Brother. Brother is a legend.” Xie Wuji struck a pose he considered dashing.

“Could you… turn around, please? I’d like to change first,” Bai Li Qingyan asked.

Xie Wuji finally understood how abrupt he had been and spun away at once. “Sorry, sorry! I only saw your back!”

He let out a long sigh, imagining how much more striking the scene would have been if that chest were a fraction larger. Even so, Bai Li Qingyan’s slender waist made the figure unmistakably feminine. Some people were simply born with such contrasts, and no one could control destiny.

“Could you… help me with the medicine?” Bai Li Qingyan said quietly.

“Medicine?” Xie Wuji blinked in surprise.

Bai Li Qingyan bit his lip. “I can’t reach my back. The wounds still haven’t healed.”

“Alright, I’ll do it.” Xie Wuji’s voice was gentle, though his heart raced. “I’ll… reluctantly apply it for you.”

He poured ointment into his palm and saw the map of scars across Bai Li Qingyan’s back. A pang of pity struck him. “You took such a beating. Why did your brother still send you?”

“He was sick,” Bai Li Qingyan answered.

“Huh?”

“That’s why I came,” Bai Li Qingyan added.

“What about the competition?”

Bai Li Qingyan offered a small, confident smile. “We’ll find out. I’m very skilled, you know…”

“Fine.” Xie Wuji sighed.

Farther away, Dongmen Jianhao watched the spring. He could not have missed the figure of Bai Li Qingyan. His eyes nearly bulged from their sockets.

“What are these two boys doing? Could they… could they have a taste for other men?!” Dongmen Jianhao’s lip curled. “My sister only sees Xie Wuji as a platonic friend—a man who cares nothing for women but everything for men. Why should I worry? Wait… earlier, when Xie Wuji looked at me, his gaze was strange. Could this kid possibly…”

Dongmen Jianhao’s face drained of color.

When the time came to leave, Bai Li Qingyan had changed back into his proper attire and rejoined the group. Xie Wuji had also donned fresh trousers.

To Dongmen Jianhao, however, Xie Wuji looked utterly wrong.

“Senior brother, what were you doing?”

“Disgusting.” The sect’s foremost steel-straight man glared at Xie Wuji and spat on the ground.

Xie Wuji stared, utterly bewildered.

Dongmen Jianyun approached then. “Xie brother, where did you wander off to? We couldn’t eat together.”

“Outside,” Xie Wuji replied.

Dongmen Jianhao curled his lip. “You two sisters should sit together. Now that Xie Wuji is with you, I’m finally at ease.”

He trusted his instincts completely. Xie Wuji had clearly developed an unhealthy fixation; his own sister would remain untouched.

Dongmen Jianyun heard an entirely different meaning.

She covered her face, heart fluttering wildly. Did Brother actually approve of my relationship with Xie brother? How embarrassing… He even made a promise in front of everyone. Or… had Xie brother come to propose to my brother?

Her cheeks flushed crimson.

Xie Wuji settled onto the back of the Flame Tyrant Chicken. “Jyun, we should depart.”

“Annoying. From now on, tell me how many children you’ll give me…” Dongmen Jianyun spoke in a shy, coquettish voice and stole a glance at Xie Wuji.

Xie Wuji felt every nerve ignite. He stumbled and nearly toppled from the chicken’s back.

“Jyun, what now?”

“This time you said we were going to a competition, but actually… is this our honeymoon journey?” Dongmen Jianyun said, her voice trembling with girlish nerves.

“Honeymoon?”

“Die. I know you’re shy…” Dongmen Jianyun gave him a light tap.

Xie Wuji had no reply. He still did not understand her thoughts. In the distance, Bai Li Qingyan rode the Iron Lotus Flower, nodded once toward Xie Wuji, and soared forward beneath her veil.

Xie Wuji followed without hesitation. In the rear of the procession, the group drew steadily closer to the Kingdom of Li…