Cultivation Retirement Plan (BL)

2. Adrift, Afloat

Nan Wuyue's motives were simple, because he had nothing to lose. Either his master would throw him off in a fit of rage, exposing his temper in front of the sect leader and losing enough face to take him away, or the sect leader would show up first, see him hugging his master like a human popsicle, and cause Mo Yixuan enough embarrassment that he'd whisk them both away.

In any case, it was a tried and true fact that Mo Yixuan prided himself on appearances and abhorred things that placed him in awkward positions. He worked hard to maintain the image of a cool and distant immortal despite having little of the qualifications; it'd taken Nan Wuyue a while to unmask him in his previous life because he'd been naive, but he was too keen to fall for the same old tricks now. So he simply clung on and waited for the inevitable, glorious fallout.

Mo Yixuan jostled briefly, but when that yielded no results, he simply gave up and stood still as a matter of habit. If you couldn't beat the flow, better to let it wash over you until it passed. Like most unpleasant things, the strange teen was shoved to the back of his head as his gaze drifted to the flying cultivators in the air. Would he be strong enough to carry the extra weight if he flew? Could he even fly, if he didn't have his sword handy? Where was it, anyways...

Even the clamor of his three other disciples went blissfully over his head as they shouted threats at the boy holding him fast. Thus was this scene that sect leader Fei Chenling and his companion happened upon as they caught up with the crowd.

Seeing his youngest junior brother stare peacefully into the distance brought Fei Chenling nothing but unease, but the sight of Nan Wuyue holding him captive only incensed him.

"Rascal, release your master this instant!" With a roar, he stepped forward and bodily dragged Nan Wuyue aside.

Behind him, Mo Yixuan's senior brother Ouyang Che (歐陽澈) was quick to signal the other disciples to go, leaving the three of them standing on the path with Nan Wuyue sprawled painfully on the ground.

"Sect leader..." Nan Wuyue mumbled.

"Fool! Can't you see that your master's just emerged from the qi refining pool?" Fei Chenling snapped. "Leave him be!"

Nan Wuyue mentally sneered even as he widened his eyes. "Shizun submerged himself in the waters? But that's dangerous!" Tch, it's more likely he splashed himself with water before walking right out!

"I've heard about this one. Nan Wuyue, aren't you?" Ouyang Che stepped forward, looking unimpressed. "You were personally chosen by Peak Lord Mo at the last disciple selections, but you've brought him nothing but trouble and disappointment. From what I've heard, you were the reason he went to the qi refining pool in the first place!"

Fei Chenling's eyes narrowed at those words. "A burden upon his master and a bane upon the sect? Why haven't we driven him out yet?"

"In the end, he's still Peak Lord Mo's disciple..." Ouyang Che reasoned, although he looked none too pleased.

Nan Wuyue's gaze darted quickly between them both before resting on Mo Yixuan. Why isn't he reacting yet? Banishment from the sect would affect both of their reputations, but Mo Yixuan was supposed to care more about such things. He should have spoken up by now!

Mo Yixuan simply brushed his sodden robes as he listened impassively to them all. Apparently the clingy teen was a personal protégée. He met gazes with the battered boy, taking in his intense stare below glancing away again. What kind of master was this Mo Yixuan to take in someone so pathetic? Or if not pitiful, then someone he couldn't even discipline properly? If even the cultivator close to the sect leader knew of his mishaps, then what was Mo Yixuan still doing keeping Nan Wuyue around?