CH 83.1

Translated by Xiao Wu

Edited by Yuki

Those black shadows approached Lu Qingjiu, forcing him back until something in the grass around his ankles caused him to trip and take a tumble.

He lowered his head and saw the thing that tripped him was a stone shrine. It looked like a small pavilion with a human statue inside. If he had the chance to better inspect it, he would have noticed that the sculpture somewhat resembles Yin Xun’s appearance.

Lu Qingjiu looked at the shrine and didn’t know if it was just his imagination but the sculpture looked extremely realistic despite the rough skills that went into it, as if it would turn into a real person and walk down from the shrine.

Lu Qingjiu heard light footsteps from behind him. Turning around, he saw Ao Run standing not far from him, with a calm expression on his face. His eyes were closed, but he seemed to be staring at Lu Qingjiu. The shadows that had forced Lu Qingjiu to this spot had also disappeared, leaving only a gentle breeze which moved through the grass, making a rustling sound.

“What do you want to tell me?” Lu Qingjiu said, “Or do you want something from me?”

He was not afraid of Ao Run. Maybe it was due to the blood in his body, when he saw that dragon that had been punished beyond recognition, there was no fear in his heart, only pity and doubt remained.

Watching Ao Run opened his mouth. Lu Qingjiu thought he was going to speak, but he only uttered a few hoarse syllables. He looked helpless as he approached Lu Qingjiu, and similarly to the last time, beckoned Lu Qingjiu to hold out his hand.

Lu Qingjiu did so.

Just now when he saw the tablet at Yin Xun’s home fell, Lu Qingjiu remembered a small detail that he had forgotten before. When they had last met Xuan Yu and Yin Xun had been turned into a straw man, in the end, it had been Bai Yuehu who had hurried over to help Yin Xun replenish the incense. Looking at his familiarity, he obviously knew how to replenish the incense. With Bai Yuehu’s life span, he might even know Lu Qingjiu’s grandmother, but he never mentioned that his mother’s tablet was one of those in Yin Xun’s house… And the word “Leave” written in the palm of his hand by Ao Run who had managed to avoid Bai Yuehu.

Why did Ao Run want him to leave? What was he afraid of? Shuifu village or Bai Yuehu?

Lu Qingjiu didn’t want to suspect the cute fox in his home but he felt that Bai Yuehu was keeping too many secrets.

Or perhaps, not knowing was better for him since he was just a weak and ordinary human. However, his original purpose for returning to Shuifu was to discover the truth. Now he knew that his parents didn’t die due to a landslide, but was unable to find any other clues and wanted to know the real reason.

Ao Run slowly wrote in his hand. “I don’t want anything. I only want you to leave this place.”

“Because of Bai Yuehu?”

Ao Run hesitated before nodding.

Lu Qingjiu’s heart chilled. He licked his lips and asked hoarsely. “Did…he do something?”

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Lu Qingjiu closed his eyes for a moment to digest it all. “So, he’s seen my mother?”

Ao Run wrote: “Yes.”

“He also knew what happened that year?”

Ao Run hesitated: “No. He only knows a part of it. There’s still some part he is unsure of.”

“Which part?”

Ao Run wrote: “The truth behind your parents’ death.”

Once they touched on this subject, Lu Qingjiu’s heart sped up. This was the first time he felt so close to the truth. He wanted to know what this seemingly gentle village was hiding. “How did they die?”

Ao Run wrote: “I ate your mother.”

Lu Qingjiu froze.

“It’s true.”

Ao Run had admitted it before but Lu Qingjiu hadn’t wanted to believe it then. He didn’t want to believe that the gentle-looking grandfather would do something like this. Moreover, Bai Yuehu said before only corrupted dragons would not be able to control themselves from eating their most treasured person. “Did you do it because you were forced to?”

Ao Run no longer wrote anything. He gently touched Lu Qingjiu’s head, his expression full of tenderness and sorrow. Then, facing Lu Qingjiu’s disappointed gaze, he shook his head.

Lu Qingjiu was speechless… this was different from what he had imagined

Ao Run wrote: “Although I ate her, she didn’t die. Those who have been corrupted will never die, their souls will continue to exist and continue to corrupt others. That’s why I can only suppress their souls. Have you seen those tablets? They belong to the people whose souls have been corrupted.”

Lu Qingjiu: “So you wanted to extinguish those candles to let their souls out?”

Ao Run laughed dully. Since he couldn’t see Lu Qingjiu, he could only use his fingers to feel the outline of Lu Qingjiu’s face, to feel the only living person related to him left in this world. “Do you know, only after being corrupted did I realise they were wrong.”

“Wrong?” Lu Qingjiu was stunned.

Ao Run wrote: “When the protector dies, dragons will not become corrupted.”

Lu Qingjiu was frozen. He remembered Bai Yuehu saying such a thing. When the protector dies, a dragon has a very high chance of becoming corrupted. But why was Ao Run so confident that their deaths had nothing to do with the dragon’s corruption?

“It’s a beautiful misunderstanding.” Ao Run wrote. “Everyone believes that when the protector dies, surrounding dragons would become corrupted but it isn’t true.”

Lu Qingjiu listened in a daze.

Ao Run wrote: “Actually, all the corrupted dragons have another similarity.”

Lu Qingjiu was surprised. “What, what do you mean?”

Ao Run wanted to continue but he seemed to have suddenly detected something. He slightly turned his head and his hair turned red. Then, he leaned in close and spoke in a voice that only they could hear. “Bai Yuehu likes you. What about you?”

Lu Qingjiu: “…”

“What do you think? My cute grandson – Lu Qingjiu.”

When Lu Qingjiu looked at Ao Run again, his hair was completely red. Compared to when his hair was black, there wasn’t any gentleness from before. His entire being seemed evil and insolent. He could speak but the words he spoke made Lu Qingjiu feel cold.

“Do you feel anything special for him? Do you want him? Will you feel jealous?” His words were like a curse. “I’m looking forward to it.”

After speaking, he abruptly leapt away. In the next moment, a sharp weapon charged towards where he had been standing.

“Get away from him!” Unknown to everyone else, Bai Yuehu appeared on a mountain path. It seemed that due to him using his power, his long black hair had grown back again, now rising with the wind, like a black wing. He looked at Lu Qingjiu with worry in his eyes and beckoned, “Qingjiu, come here.”

Lu Qingjiu could hear from Bai Yuehu’s tone that he was afraid of being discovered. Bai Yuehu was actually worried, afraid Lu Qingjiu would refuse to come over. He was also sure Lu Qingjiu had learnt more about past events from Ao Run, and knew he had been his grandmother’s tenant.

“Don’t go. You will die because of him.” Ao Run’s voice was hoarse.

Lu Qingjiu looked at Ao Run and didn’t hesitate to go towards Bai Yuehu.

Ao Run gritted his teeth and gazed at Lu Qingjiu’s back. “Lu Qingjiu, you’ll definitely regret it!”

Lu Qingjiu didn’t turn back. He had always been a person who was sure of what he wanted, otherwise he wouldn’t have left his job so decisively due to a vague reason to return to the village. Everyone had a path for them, Lu Qingjiu didn’t mind having another person accompany him on this journey.

Bai Yuehu watched Lu Qingjiu return to his side and visibly let out a sigh of relief. He wanted to say something but when the words reached his lips, he didn’t know how to articulate.

Ao Run’s face was cold. The corrupted him was obviously filled with hostility towards Bai Yuehu. In the end, he left without a word.

Lu Qingjiu watched him leave and asked, “Aren’t you going to chase after him?”

Bai Yuehu shook his head. “That’s not my job.”

“But…”

Bai Yuehu interrupted him, “If it wasn’t for Yin Xun calling me, you would have been taken away. Why didn’t you tell me before coming here?”

“Because I believe the one who tried to extinguish the candles wouldn’t want to kill me.”

“How do you know?”

Lu Qingjiu laughed, “Yin Xun and I are weaklings. Does he need to wait until I leave to make a move? Moreover, extinguishing the candles is enough, why bother messing with the tablets? That person clearly wanted me to see my mother’s name.”

Bai Yuehu frowned. “This is only your guess. What if it’s wrong?”

Lu Qingjiu blinked. “If I’m wrong, I still have you.”

Bai Yuehu: “…”

“Alright, don’t be angry. I was just a little impatient.” Seeing that Bai Yuehu no longer said anything, he continued, “Let’s talk on the way back.”

Bai Yuehu nodded.

T/n: Lu Qingjiu flirting skills… to get himself out of trouble