Chapter 11

Ning Shiting immediately noticed that his desk had been disturbed. He paused and asked, "Who has been here?"

Ning Shiting returned very late.

Snow was already falling, and though it was early autumn, the weather was freezing.

He had worn too little when he went out, and by the time he returned, his ears were red from the cold.

Ting Shu had already gone out three times with a lantern to look for him but feared that if he wandered too far, he might miss him. In the end, he returned and waited anxiously at the door.

When he finally saw Ning Shiting coming back, Ting Shu quickly tiptoed up to him, draped a cloak over his shoulders, and placed a warmed hand warmer into his hands. "Why are you so late today, Gongzi? Usually, when you go out to buy incense materials, you’ve never returned after sunset."

Ning Shiting said, "I saw some lively events outside, which I haven't seen in a long time, so I stayed a bit longer."

The refined young man pulled a sealed packet of pastries from his sleeve and lightly touched the child's cheek with it. "I brought you some immortal honey cakes. They're warm. I didn't put them in my storage ring; I kept them warm and brought them back. Eat quickly, ba. Stop nagging me. For someone so young, you’re more of a chatterbox than anyone.”

When Ting Shu saw the pastries in his hand, his eyes lit up. He happily tucked them into his arms.

He carefully broke off a small piece of honey cake, tasted it, and his eyes curved into a smile. Then he quickly tucked the rest into his arms like a treasure and supported Ning Shiting as they walked into the house.

"Gongzi is still the same as before, loving lively scenes but not liking to go out much. Once you do go out, you don't want to come back."

Ting Shu said, "But Gongzi, you're not familiar with Xizhou. You've never been here before. Next time, take me with you. I stay cooped up in Qing Wang's mansion all day, organising your books and tidying the rooms. I'm about to get mouldy from boredom."

Ning Shiting indulged him and said, "Fine."

The study door opened, and the wind blew in through the window lattice, rustling the pages on the desk.

Ning Shiting immediately noticed that his desk had been disturbed. He paused and asked, "Who has been here?"

Only then did Ting Shu remember and pat his own head, saying, "Aiya, the Shizi came looking for you! When I came back to get your cloak, he was still here. But just as you returned, he was gone. I asked him, but the Shizi didn’t say what he wanted with you."

Ning Shiting turned back to look at his desk.

His things had been moved around, pushed to one side, leaving a half-opened miscellany.

That miscellany was something he had brought back from the army. It had accompanied him through many intertwined winters and blizzards at the borderlands of Dongzhou. Sometimes, he would read it before bed during breaks from cleaning his gear, getting so absorbed that he would forget to cover himself, ending up with a cold several times.

"If the Shizi came looking for me, there must be something important. I'll go see him after I freshen up. Ting Shu, pack this miscellany along with tomorrow’s medicinal herbs." 

"Are you giving this book to the Shizi too? You care more about the Shizi than me," Ting Shu grumbled.

Ning Shiting lightly tapped Ting Shu’s head with the book in his hand.

Ting Shu obediently went to prepare the items.

After freshening up and changing into winter clothes, Ning Shiting took the items and headed to the Shizi’s residence.

He had already heard that today, Gu Tingshuang uncharacteristically went out and even spoke to the servants.

This was a good sign.

Those memories from his past life that often turned into illusions and returned to his mind were still imprinted on his heart like a brand. Over ten years, he couldn't remember when Gu Tingshuang from his previous life had emerged.

One day, he suddenly saw that child moving his wheelchair, waiting for him by the door. The young boy had a silent demeanor, with a few snow-white pear blossom petals resting on his shoulder.

Since then, every time he returned home, he could see Gu Tingshuang waiting for him. Even though Gu Tingshuang never said anything, and despite Ning Shiting asking each time if he wanted to go out with him, he would always refuse.

On an autumn night with heavy snowfall, broken silver ginkgo leaves and goose feather-like snowflakes fell together, quickly covering the path in front of the courtyard.

The courtyard gate closed, and Ning Shiting descended from the back of the crane, gently knocking on the door.

No one responded, so he pushed the door open and walked in, seeing the courtyard blanketed in snow. The residence was lit with warm yellow lanterns and candlelight, but it was empty and deserted, with no one in sight.

Holding an umbrella, Ning Shiting walked in and stopped under the outdoor corridor, noticing that even the little wolf didn’t come out to greet him as it usually did when it sensed his presence.

He pushed the door open and softly said, “Yinbing, I’m here.”

Yinbing was the courtesy name given to Gu Tingshuang by the Wangfei. According to tradition, the Shizi should be given a courtesy name upon coming of age by an elder. However, when the Wangfei was gravely ill, she seemed to foresee the kind of life her son, unloved by his father and having lost his spiritual roots, would endure.

Still, there was no response.

Ning Shiting pushed the door open and entered.

There were still traces of someone having been there; the candlelight hadn’t gone out, and there was a bit of spilt water outside the inner chamber. Ning Shiting took a look, knowing that it was probably Gu Tingshuang who, while washing himself, had one hand on the basin and the other driving the wheelchair, making it unsteady.

He didn’t plan to enter Gu Tingshuang’s inner chamber, knowing the young man had his own privacy. Instead, he found a silk cloth to clean up the spill at the door. But as he reached the doorway, he saw that the inner chamber was also lit, yet the bed stood neatly in place, with no one lying on it.

His hearing was good, and he could tell that there was no one inside.

Gu Tingshuang had just returned from his mansion not long ago, but now there was no one in the residence. Where could he have gone?

A gust of cold wind blew in through the door to the back courtyard, causing the wooden door to clatter noisily.

In the midst of the courtyard's heavy snow, Ning Shiting noticed this sound and left the house to walk outside. He saw that the door leading from the Shizi's residence to the Spirit Mountain at the back had been opened at some unknown time.

The old iron gate was heavily rusted, and the magical seal was in a state of disrepair.

Spirit Mountain was a taboo place that no one in the Qing Wang residence dared to speak of.

The spiritual energy in Xizhou was profound, and rare and exotic beasts abounded. The term "immortal" in "immortal citizens" was due to their innate connection with the five elements of heaven and earth at birth. Spiritual beasts became such because they awakened to spiritual awareness, understood human speech, and comprehended reason, making them useful to the people of the immortal realm.

Spirit Mountain got its name because, within its five hundred li, every step contained deep spiritual energy. The flora and fauna had awareness, as did the mountains, lakes, seas, even the stones underfoot, the wind and snow, and the sunlight shining through.

The transformations of heaven and earth were left untouched, making the creatures within Spirit Mountain amoral and unpredictable. Some had entered Spirit Mountain safely and returned unharmed, boasting of their ability to connect with all spiritual energy.

But when they ventured in a second time, they vanished without a trace, not even leaving their bones behind.

It was an extremely dangerous place. The reason the Qing Wang residence was built at the foot of Spirit Mountain was that the first thing Gu Feiyin did after being granted control of Xizhou was to seal the entrances and exits of Spirit Mountain, thus relieving the immortal citizens of its troubles.

Ning Shiting looked at the broken seal for a moment, then breathed into his hands to warm them. He walked over, exerting effort to move the iron gate aside, and proceeded up the desolate slope leading to the mountain.

He had already placed all the things he brought in Gu Tingshuang’s room, leaving only an umbrella and a nearly extinguished small hand warmer with him.

Spirit Mountain had no definite boundary, as the entire mountain was mysterious and unpredictable. Sometimes even the boundary markers would mysteriously shift several hundred li, and no one could say for sure where it began or ended.

The higher he climbed, the deeper the snow became. Ning Shiting watched his steps and slowed his pace.

When he reached a slope made slippery by the piled snow and ice, a half-palm-wide crack appeared in the centre.

Ning Shiting observed it for a moment, then set down his umbrella and prepared to step over it. However, just as he took the step, the crack suddenly widened to the height of a person!

With nothing beneath his feet, Ning Shiting didn’t even have time to make a sound before he tumbled down the bottomless slope. His slender figure and large chunks of broken snow fell through the air, down to an unseen depth covered in pure white snow.

His consciousness blanked out for a moment. 

...It was so cold.

On the Jiaoren Coast, a thousand kinds of poisons boiled and poured over him, and then he was thrown into sand mixed with ice.

Among the sand was a brightly coloured scorpion, whose sting was the most painful. When the sting no longer caused pain, they brought in the Jiaoren Sea Snake.

The snake venom invaded his body, making him feel ice-cold as if even his heart was freezing. When he lifted his eyes, all he could see were fragments of snow on the Jiaoren's coast, drifting and transforming before his eyes like fleeting petals.

His life slowly ebbed away.

Then, someone...picked him up and held his hand.

"Ning Shiting, are you cold, ah?"

He fell onto the broken snow, with a small silver wolf pressing against his chest, using its head and paws to clear the fine snow covering him. The clever wolf avoided touching his exposed, frostbitten skin.

Ning Shiting exhaled the cold air from his chest and forced himself to sit up.

He found himself at the bottom of a shallow snow pit. When he looked up, what he saw was— 

The edge of the pit was filled with pale, candle-like eyes glowing in the dark.

At a quick glance, it would seem as if a circle of flickering night flames surrounded the snow pit.

Countless wolves, all white, with massive bodies and jaws capable of snapping the waists of five or six adults pressed together. Their icy eyes surrounded him from above, scrutinising him like prey, tails raised high, poised to strike.

The snow's glare dazzled his eyes. In the moonlight, the wolves retreated, making way for a young man in a wheelchair.

Gu Tingshuang appeared outside the snow pit, looking down at him calmly from above.

The nearest wolf growled lowly, scratching at the snowy ground, ready to leap down. But at that moment, Gu Tingshuang's cold voice commanded, "Return. This person is my prey. Do not eat him."

The huge white wolf reluctantly glanced at Ning Shiting, then leapt back to Gu Tingshuang's side.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

Ning Shiting replied, "I came to find Shizi. It's late, and the snow is heavy." 

"I've told you not to meddle in other people's business, Ning Shiting."

Gu Tingshuang looked at him.

The young Jiaoren had soft features, under the moonlight appearing even paler and more delicate than usual, perhaps with a slight hint of dishevelment from the fall. Even now, there was no hint of anger in his demeanour; he simply looked at him with gentleness.

Snow fell on his hair, mingling with strands of his silvery-blue locks, blending with the snowflakes like fragments of jade.

Those eyes...

Like a newborn wolf cub, with eyes wide open, glistening with innocence.

For some reason, Gu Tingshuang felt a bit annoyed.

He averted his gaze, not looking at him directly, and said coldly, "Just now, the snow spirits and earth spirits were playing a prank on you; they didn't intend to harm you. If they did, the moment you fell, the ground would have sealed, and you would have been shattered into pieces, beyond the reach of even the most powerful immortals. It was the little wolf who found you."

Ning Shiting glanced down at the little wolf. The wolf wagged its tail, seeking praise and reward.

He thought for a moment, reached into his sleeve, and pulled out the remaining corner of honey cake—leftover from the bag he had given to Ting Shu in the afternoon, half of which Ting Shu had returned to him, insisting he eat it.

But his taste buds had long been ruined by poison, unable to taste sweetness, so two pieces were left.

The little wolf took one bite, happily wagging its tail against him. Then it turned around, a tiny wolf cub growling softly at the adult wolves eyeing Ning Shiting menacingly, its fur bristling, showing its tiny teeth.

The wolves backed away one by one.

From Ning Shiting's perspective, he quickly realised that the pack of wolves surrounding the snow pit seemed to be divided into two distinct groups. One faction stood alongside Gu Tingshuang, obediently following his lead just like the small wolf. They exhibited a calm demeanour, clearly under Gu Tingshuang's influence. On the other hand, the second faction continued to glare menacingly. They appeared restless and on edge, as if constantly on the verge of making a move. These wolves seemed eager, almost impatient, waiting for any opportunity where Gu Tingshuang's control might falter. If given the chance, they would swiftly leap into the snow pit and devour Ning Shiting alive without hesitation.

Ning Shiting, this young Jiaoren, to the wolf pack, might be like a cat or raccoon dog stumbling upon a live fish.

Gu Tingshuang's eyes deepened like ink and seemed to gather a fiery glow as if flames were slowly igniting within them, radiating intense brilliance.

This was a display of using spiritual awareness to control living beings.

The entire pack of wolves departed, and the tense atmosphere gradually subsided.

Gu Tingshuang said, "Get up and go back."

He looked at Ning Shiting.

Ning Shiting nodded, patting off the snowflakes on his body, preparing to stand up. Just as he took a step, he stumbled and almost knelt down halfway.

He grunted and instantly his forehead broke out in a cold sweat.

He had twisted his ankle when he fell. Jiaoren typically had flexible bones and wouldn't easily break or sprain, but the snow pit was too deep, causing him to strain his muscles and tendons. Even slight movements would bring intense pain.

"What's wrong?" Gu Tingshuang's keen eyes caught it. Despite Ning Shiting quickly masking his pained expression with a furrowed brow, Gu Tingshuang still noticed that it was more than a simple stumble.

But Ning Shiting shook his head and said, "It's nothing, I just twisted it a bit."

The snow pit was large and deep, but fortunately not very steep. He slowly climbed out. The small wolf followed beside him, noticing his several bouts of weakness, using its mouth to grip Ning Shiting's sleeve, trying hard to pull him up.

By the time Ning Shiting emerged, his clothes were torn, and his silver hair was tussled, looking quite dishevelled.

Gu Tingshuang seemed somewhat pleased to see him like this, his mood was also relatively good. The aura about him today was different from his usual cold and gloomy demeanour, appearing more gentle. There was a faint smile at the corner of the young man's lips, his gaze following Ning Shiting thoughtfully.

Ning Shiting blushed slightly, "What are you smiling at?"

Gu Tingshuang replied, "I'm laughing at your hypocrisy. You're injured, just admit it instead of pretending."

Ning Shiting paused for a moment, not knowing how to respond. Suddenly, Gu Tingshuang lightly nudged his ankle with the scabbard of his sword.

The touch was gentle, but Ning Shiting flinched in pain. His face grew paler, and he almost staggered, struggling to maintain his balance.

Gu Tingshuang drove his wheelchair directly to Ning Shiting's side, swiftly pulling him close by the waist. His movements were rough yet efficient, lifting Ning Shiting to sit beside him, almost on his lap.

It was almost an intimate position.

Ning Shiting was momentarily surprised, attempting to struggle to stand up.

However, Gu Tingshuang tightened his grip, a hint of playful mockery in his eyes, "You won't leave until you sit in my wheelchair for a while. Otherwise, I'll have the wolves carry you back."

Behind them, the wolves followed silently, maintaining a subdued and protective posture.

These robust white wolves exuded a wild scent from their thick, silvery fur. Leading them was a wolf carrying a partially mutilated nine-coloured deer on its back, dripping blood that stained its fur crimson.

Ning Shiting said hesitantly, "Then let the wolves carry me..."

"But I won't allow that. Just sit here." Gu Tingshuang chuckled, his voice as cold as ever.

He expected Ning Shiting to feel embarrassed or angry.

However, the young Jiaoren merely lowered his eyes briefly, glanced at Gu Tingshuang, and then obediently tucked his hands into his sleeves, trying not to touch him and leaning away to avoid putting weight on him.

He seemed docile and gentle.

His bone structure was exquisite, his silver-blue hair framing a face that seemed excessively pale under the moonlight, resembling a spirit fallen from the sky.

It was late; Ning Shiting must have come after bathing and grooming.

The fragrance emanating from Ning Shiting was no longer as pronounced as before, now subtly mixed with the scent of bathing, warm and comforting.

Gu Tingshuang could discern notes of angelica root, clove, agarwood, sandalwood, and peach blossom in the fragrance. 

At that moment, his consciousness drifted away, recalling the conversation he had overheard this afternoon—was Ning Shiting really going to participate in the Incense Competition? 

He was so easy to manipulate; that he might end up being bullied to death. The current situation was a testament to that. 

Lost in thought, Gu Tingshuang held Ning Shiting's waist, his fingers slightly stiff.

When he didn't move, it was as if he held nothing. Upon closer inspection, he could feel the Jiaoren's cool body temperature.

Two wolves pushed the wheelchair from behind.

With both of them seated, the wheelchair sank slightly into the snow, cracking the frost beneath.

Ning Shiting asked, "Aren't they leaving?" 

"Who?" Gu Tingshuang casually inquired.

"The white wolves you control with your spiritual power," Ning Shiting clarified.

He seemed unfazed by the notorious reputation of these wolves in Xianzhou, nor was he surprised that Gu Tingshuang could control them.

"Pack wolves are unruly, always fighting amongst themselves. I only control a portion of them—the ones I just sent away. Did you really think they were gone? Wolves are cunning; they've long been lurking down the mountain." Gu Tingshuang spoke nonchalantly, yet flames seemed to flicker in his eyes.

It was as if he mocked Ning Shiting's ignorance while awaiting his admiration.

Such pride was unique to youth, discovered during times of darkness, forging a path where none existed.

Ning Shiting could still recall his past memories, the rumours that reached him after leaving Qing Wang Mansion, one by one.

——The Shizi commands the wolf pack of Spirit Mountian, using its mystical energy to heal his legs."

——The Shizi can now manipulate legions of spirits with his spiritual power, commanding mountains and feng shui, he is unstoppable.

...

Even in those rumours, he imagined the young man as he was now, with forever dim and brooding eyes ignited with flames. Even when he was younger, his eyes should have been as fierce and defiant, right?

They reached the edge of the snowy slope, where suddenly the pack of wolves behind them darted forward, driving away several lurking shadows in the darkness.

The sounds of tearing, pouncing, and wolf howls echoed, resembling scenes from the underworld.

"If you tell anyone about today, next time you'll be torn apart by wolves in the snowy wilderness." Gu Tingshuang looked ahead, his expression unchanged.

"Fine," Ning Shiting softly agreed.

"You stood me up, so I'll let it go today. But if there's a next time, the little wolf will bite your throat." Gu Tingshuang continued.

Ning Shiting let out a soft "ah."

Today, he had left without informing him in advance. Did this child wait for him, or did he have reasons to vent his anger on him?

Stubbornness and arbitrariness were indeed the same.

Smiling, he sighed, "You, ah..."

He wasn't angry with him, using a gentle tone reserved for children.

Gu Tingshuang furrowed his brow slightly, feeling uncomfortable with such an approach, but he remained silent.

Ning Shiting then felt something soft and sticky thrust into his hand. Even through the paper wrapping, he could sense its warmth and the sweet fragrance of honey mixed with lotus root powder, arousing a great appetite.

Ning Shiting said, "Next time, send someone with a message before finding me."

Gu Tingshuang looked down, and the object placed in his hand was slightly crumpled from being held, still carrying the Jiaoren’s body heat.

It was a piece of honey cake.

The Author has Something to Say

I can't think of a short story today, so let's have Persimmon perform an impromptu act of choking on a cake while eating it.

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