A Man of Unbreakable Will Part 1

The Qinggang Mountains were shrouded in mist and fog. When the five arrived at dawn, they stood atop the highest peak, gazing into the distance. It truly had a sense of "distant mountains stretching long, clouds and mountains in disarray, dawn mountains turning green".

Seeing this majestic and magnificent scenery, Luo Fuchun felt a hint of poetic inspiration rising within him. Just as he started with the line "Frosty fog like silver sand", Feng Rugu interrupted his elegant mood.

He poked his sleepy head out from the monk's robe: "We've reached Qinggang?"

Before Luo Fuchun could respond, Feng Rugu heard a rather cold acknowledgment beside his ear: "Mm."

When Feng Rugu realized it was Ruyi carrying him on his back, he let out a puzzled nasal sound: "...Oh?"

He clearly remembered that after leaving Qingliang Valley last night, despite being drowsy, he still wanted to hurry through the night to find Ruyi and borrow his back for a nap.

Who would have thought that Ruyi, who had just played a game of chess with swords with him yesterday, would suddenly become so stingy, not even allowing him to set foot on the "Nature of All Beings" sword.

Feng Rugu reprimanded him: "Weird temper."

Ruyi didn't look at him. He threw out his sword, stepped on it with his Buddhist shoes, and rubbed the sole against the blade: "Lord Yunzhong has his own disciples, so why do you always come to this poor monk to borrow a sword?"

Feng Rugu raised an eyebrow, too lazy to bicker with him further. He turned his head and called out: "Fuchun--"

Ruyi, who had his back turned and thought Feng Rugu would linger with him a bit longer, stiffened his back. After a moment's hesitation, as if wanting to hold him back, he ultimately hardened his face and heart, no longer paying him any attention.

Halfway through, Feng Rugu felt a bit petty. He turned back, deliberately stepping on the hilt of the "Nature of All Beings" sword, then ran off, leaping onto Luo Fuchun's back, nearly causing Luo Fuchun to stumble.

Feng Rugu couldn't figure out how, after sleeping for a while, he had ended up back on Ruyi's back.

He turned his head and glared at Luo Fuchun.

Luo Fuchun felt quite wronged.

Last night, when his master fell asleep on his back, Luo Fuchun was quite pleased.

These days, his master had been treating that Ruyi far too intimately. Luo Fuchun had never seen him care so much about someone, almost recklessly treating him well.

Although Luo Fuchun didn't consider himself a petty person, seeing this still inevitably made him feel sour.

Therefore, after his master fell asleep, he specifically carried him to find Sang Luojiu to show off.

Luo Fuchun said softly: "Master is sound asleep."

Sang Luojiu gently responded with an "Mm", while slightly increasing his sword speed to get closer to Ruyi, ensuring he could hear their conversation.

Luo Fuchun caught up to him to brag: "Master is more well-behaved when asleep than awake."

Ruyi's back had been tense ever since he refused to let Feng Rugu on his sword, his neck and shoulders completely rigid, as if relying solely on willpower to maintain an indifferent appearance.

Sang Luojiu laughed and replied: "Master is very obedient when asleep."

Luo Fuchun carefully adjusted Feng Rugu's position on his back, half complaining: "It's just that when he's lying there, he keeps blowing in my ear, it's quite ticklish."

As soon as he finished speaking, a clear figure abruptly halted his sword and turned to block his path.

Ruyi reached out his hand, the cotton sleeve full of wrinkles from gripping: "...Give him to me."

Luo Fuchun didn't catch on at first: "Ruyi?"

"He is my..." Ruyi paused, then added, "...He is the responsibility my adoptive father entrusted to me."

Luo Fuchun backed away a little: "No need to trouble you, Ruyi. He is my master and also my responsibility."

However, Ruyi didn't budge, stubbornly and silently blocking his way.

Ruyi had a reputation in Hanshan Temple. Although the same age as Luo Fuchun, in terms of status in the Dao, he was a notch above Luo Fuchun.

After a standoff, Luo Fuchun had no choice but to concede.

Luo Fuchun wasn't sure if it was his misconception, but when Ruyi took over Feng Rugu, his stiff expression and posture seemed to soften. His movements in taking him on his back were so gentle that it didn't even wake the usually light sleeper Feng Rugu.

Feng Rugu was completely unaware of this handover that occurred last night. After glaring at Luo Fuchun, he contentedly wrapped his arms around Ruyi's neck, finding his flushed red ears quite interesting: "Weird-tempered monk, did you sleep well last night?"

Ruyi had been teased by his deep and shallow breaths all night, his right ear blown red and hot, in stark contrast to his fair complexion.

But he couldn't see his own abnormal state, so he could still put on a stern face and feign indifference: "Awake?"

Feng Rugu's drowsy tone made it hard to tell if he was joking or complaining: "What's going on? You dislike me, Fuchun also dislikes me."

Ruyi wanted to deny something, but the words caught in his throat. In the end, he just let out an ambiguous "Hmph".

Feng Rugu rested his chin on Ruyi's shoulder, wearily saying: "Am I really that annoying?"

Whether Ruyi agreed or disagreed, it would go against his heart. So he simply kept his mouth shut.

Having just woken up, Feng Rugu couldn't restrain his tongue, softly asking: "I know I have many faults. So tell me, and I'll change."

Ruyi felt he really should have returned Feng Rugu to Luo Fuchun before he woke up.

The love-testing spell on him was still unresolved, and it brought about this trouble, needlessly disturbing his heart. It was truly asking for hardship.

Ruyi covered his heart, carefully hiding that little secret, casually responding: "Hmph."

Feng Rugu curiously poked his lip with a fingertip: "Tell me, besides 'Mm', 'Hmph', can this mouth make any other sounds?"

As soon as the words left his mouth, Feng Rugu felt they seemed inappropriate, with an indecent implication.

Sure enough, with that poke of his finger, Ruyi's face from his lip to his cheek flushed red. He coldly said: "Lord Yunzhong, don't mess around."

Feng Rugu had misbehaved again. He dejectedly slumped against Ruyi's back, intently listening to his heartbeat. He bent his finger and lightly tapped on Ruyi's back to the rhythm of his heartbeat.

He didn't consider this teasing, just felt the tapped-out rhythm was inexplicably getting faster and faster.

Before he could figure out the reason, Ruyi somewhat forcefully set him down from his back. With his back to him, he said coldly: "We've arrived at Qinggang. Lord Yunzhong, what do you plan to do?"

"Uncle Sa Si probably hasn't arrived yet." Feng Rugu had long gotten used to the cold treatment from Ruyi. Checking the time, he muttered to himself, "Let's first find a nearby Daoist temple to stay. I remember there seems to be one nearby, called something like Qingyang..."

Ruyi was still more concerned about how to solve the matter of the Jade of Testing Love: "Will Lin Xuejing come?"

Feng Rugu curiously asked in return: "You're anxious to see Lin Xuejing, is there something the matter?"

Ruyi forced himself to deny it: "Nothing, just asking casually."

...

Upon receiving the name card delivered by Lord Yunzhong, there was a small commotion up and down Qingyang Mountain.

Qingyang Mountain was managed by a pair of young brothers.

These two brothers were the rising stars of the Dao Sect. One was in charge of civil affairs, the other martial affairs. They had not seen Feng Rugu before, nor had they received his grace in the mortal world, but they respected his title of "Lord".

The older brother Guan Buyong had a steady temperament. Upon learning that Feng Rugu was visiting, he was not in a hurry to go out to welcome him. Instead, he groomed himself while talking to his younger brother Guan Buzhi: "His coming is nothing more than about the matter of the Dao Sect disciples being killed in Qinggang. The Tang saber killer must not have stayed in Qinggang, and has probably fled to somewhere else long ago. We'll quickly explain the situation and send him away, saving ourselves the trouble."

Guan Buzhi was a proud youth. Even the Confucian hat and sash could not hide his arrogance: "The Dao Sects all say this person performs favors only to demand repayment; that he is ostentatious and arrogant, a mad scholar, a heretic of the Dao. I'd like to see what kind of demon king could make the various Dao Sects so fearful."

"Don't cause trouble." Guan Buyong frowned, not forgetting to straighten his younger brother's Confucian hat, "Compared to Fengling, we are just a small sect. Entertain him for a while, then send him away safe and sound."

Regarding the rumors about Lord Yunzhong, there were many versions in the Dao Sect.

Originally, there were both good and bad rumors about him, but based on the principle that good news doesn't leave the door while bad news travels a thousand miles, what reached the ears of the Guan brothers was mostly not good.

Based on these impressions, before even meeting Feng Rugu, the two brothers had already pieced together a vague and rather detestable image of him.

After getting ready, the two brothers hurried to the front of the hall to greet their guest.

There were four people standing in front of the hall.

The first to catch their eyes was Ruyi, who had a transcendent bearing like jade.

A monk with such an otherworldly demeanor was born to be eye-catching. Guan Buyong saw his elegance from afar and secretly exclaimed in admiration. He saluted him, then searched the crowd for Feng Rugu.

The two monks were naturally not the Lord Yunzhong they were looking for. Besides them, there were two people dressed as Daoist lords. One was gentle as jade, not quite matching the image of Lord Yunzhong in the rumors; the other had a dignified bearing, with a bit of youthful recklessness, somewhat similar to the rumors.

The appearance of cultivators could not be judged by common sense. So, Guan Buyong cupped his hands towards him and bowed, about to prostrate: "Lord Yun..."

As the youth was startled by Guan Buyong's grand ceremony and took a step back, a hand was raised from behind the two young Daoist lords: "Over here."

The owner of the hand lowered his arm, covered his mouth and yawned, then stood up.