Cultivation Retirement Plan (BL)

22. A Drop of Sunshine, A Touch of Ice

After witnessing Shi Feng's dramatic exit, Ouyang Che had turned to meditating to recover from the shock of dealing with the half-immortal's aura firsthand. Nan Wuyue managed to join him after struggling into the sitting position with some difficulty. But then things had taken a strange turn.

Fei Chenling finished his treatment almost half-an-hour early—not by choice, but via force in a terrible backlash of qi that had broken through his seal from the inside out. By the time Ouyang Che and the helpers from Mt. Luojia entered the inner chambers, the sect leader was already unconscious on the floor. He had also lost over half of his internal cultivation to Jun Zhen's body.

Fei Chenling cultivated a special Way in the path of the phoenix thanks to his special bloodline, a remnant of a now extinct royal clan. His powers had strong yang properties well suited to treat the yin chill of Jun Zhen's frozen legs. Unfortunately, Jun Zhen himself had regressed to his most confused, child-like state by the time Ouyang Che questioned him, leaving them with no clues about what had happened. The current Fei Chenling was still sleeping to heal from his internal injuries. According to Mu Yelian, he would wake up in a week's time if there were no complications.

Thanks to Shi Feng breaking the wards and Jun Zhen's disciple running for help, it wasn't long before word spread around Star Pavilion Sect that something big had happened at Mt. Linglong. Fortunately, Ouyang Che managed to suppress any specific details, but what leaked out was enough to make the Four Peaks Alliance restless.

"The outside story is that you and the sect leader were discussing cultivation matters before you suffered an episode of qi deviation. When Fei Chenling tried to help you, he was affected by the backlash and fell unconscious," Ouyang Che finished.

"The Qi Refining Pool?" Mo Yixuan guessed and Ouyang Che nodded. After all, qi deviation didn't just happen out of the blue. They required an impetus and he had the best excuse for one after soaking in its mysterious waters.

"You'll have to excuse me for using a convenient excuse to push you into the spotlight," Ouyang Che said.

"That's just the kind of person you are," Mo Yixuan said indifferently.

"What kind is that?"

"Someone who thinks for the good of the sect, what else?" Mo Yixuan arched a brow. "And seizing advantages whenever you see them."

Ouyang Che didn't deny it. "After this, they'll focus efforts on me and Yelian instead so you can rest easy," he patted Mo Yixuan on the back. "It's just sect politics, nothing more."

"You don't have to go out of your way to reassure me," Mo Yixuan sighed.

"Aren't you the one who's been jumping off cliffs and digging out your own heart?" Ouyang Che retorted. "My dear junior brother, I'm worried you'll really succeed at offing yourself one of these days if we trigger you too much. How will the rest of us survive Fei Chenling's fallout then?"

Mo Yixuan simply ignored the topic entirely. "Why was the elder and Peak Lord Ji here?"

"To check if you were really as injured as I claimed," Ouyang Che followed his change in topics without complaint. "The Four Peaks Alliance has been more aggressive in taking a stance since our master's death. If this keeps on, Star Pavilion Sect might as well split in half and start a separate sect!"

"Wouldn't that solve your problems?"

"Hah! After they followed master and studied his teachings all these years?" Ouyang Che scorned. "Who knows what kind of havoc they could wreck in the Lower Realms with the Celestial Sublime Sword Style? The last thing we need is troublemakers staining our master's good reputation for their own fame and gain. In any case, since you're back we should go to Mt. Luojia," he urged. "It wouldn't hurt for Yelian to look at you one more time."