Villainous Junior Chapter 2
Translated by Sylver (ko-fi)
Chapter 2: Junior Brother
"Meng Chen?" Elder Yu of Yuhua Peak was also a bit surprised, "Why are you here?"
As everyone knew, Meng Chen from Tianji Peak had always been fond of tranquility, rarely venturing out, just like his master's temperament. Except for necessary sect ceremonies, he seldom appeared in lively occasions. Why did he come here today?
"On my master's instructions, I'm here to accept disciples on his behalf," Meng Chen bowed to the elders, then walked directly towards the line of new disciples under everyone's gaze.
"Junior brother," he stopped in front of the black-clad youth at the end of the line, and then asked amidst countless shocked gazes, "Would you like to join our Tianji Peak?"
Everyone was too stunned to react.
Tianji Peak was actually recruiting new disciples!?
Even Yu Nian was dumbfounded for a moment, then came to his senses and asked, "Has Immortal Lord Zhongli returned?"
"He hasn't," Meng Chen replied, turning his face slightly, "It's just that Master has been traveling abroad for years. He instructed me long ago that if there was someone with exceptional talent, I could accept them into Tianji Peak on his behalf."
The elders had heard about this matter.
Zhongli Jing was an elusive person, always either in seclusion or traveling. The Sect Leader of Taixuan suggested that if he couldn't return to recruit disciples himself, he could entrust this task to his disciple.
So Zhongli Jing handed this matter over to Meng Chen.
However, for so many years, Meng Chen had never exercised this right to recruit disciples on behalf of his master. People only knew that he himself was incredibly talented, so naturally his standards would be high. They didn't expect that today he finally found someone he approved of.
The other elders didn't dare to compete for a promising seedling that Tianji Peak had set its sights on, and could only reluctantly withdraw their gaze. Meanwhile, everyone else present, whether new or old disciples, focused their envious and eager gazes on the black-clad youth, wishing they could be in his place at this moment.
That was Tianji Peak!
That was Meng Chen!!
What incredible luck this kid had, to have such tremendous fortune!!
The black-clad youth also seemed dazed by this sudden stroke of good fortune. He remained silent for a long time, only clenching his fists and staring wide-eyed at the young man before him without blinking. Seeing this, the crowd burst into kind-hearted laughter. Who among them hadn't been dumbstruck like this when they first met Senior Brother Meng Chen?
A rather sassy senior sister from Cuixia Peak called out to the youth with a laugh. "Junior brother, snap out of it! If you're not willing, this senior sister will take your place!"
The disciples laughed even more merrily, urging him from all sides.
"Hurry and agree, Junior brother! This chance won't come again!"
"I'm dying of anxiety! Junior brother, I know Senior Brother Meng is handsome, but can't you join Tianji Peak first before you look!?"
Meng Chen paid no attention to his fellow disciples' teasing, only quietly looking at the black-clad youth before him.
In his previous life, he wasn't present when the new disciples joined. He only heard later that there was a disciple with outstanding aptitude, whom the elders of both Wuzhao Peak and Yuhua Peak had set their sights on. However, that disciple politely declined, stating that he would join no peak other than Tianji Peak. Everyone mocked him for not knowing his own limitations, and the two elders shook their heads and left. But that disciple refused to give up, and actually knelt down right in front of Taixuan Sect's gates, kneeling for half a month straight.
During this half month, regardless of wind or rain, thunder or lightning, the youth's knees never moved even half an inch from the bluestone slabs. In the end, it was the Sect Leader of Taixuan who came personally, moved by the youth's aptitude and character. He sent a message to inquire with Immortal Lord Zhongli, who was traveling abroad, and accepted him into Tianji Peak.
At that time, when Meng Chen heard about this, he only admired the other's tenacity. Now thinking about it again, he felt somewhat heartbroken.
He didn't intend to let the other suffer like this a second time.
His expression softened further as he extended his hand, opening his palm as white as jade before the youth, and repeated his earlier invitation. "Junior brother, would you like to join our Tianji Peak?"
****
Tianji Peak was at the highest point of Taixuan Sect, requiring some time to walk up.
Meng Chen led the way in front, while the black-clad youth named Xue Lang followed far behind. After staring at his back for a while, he suddenly called out. "Hey."
Meng Chen stopped and turned to look at him. "What is it?"
"Let me make this clear," Xue Lang stared at him coldly. "Although you let me into Tianji Peak, I won't be grateful to you. I came here to become stronger, and I'll surpass you sooner or later."
After a pause, a hint of subtle mockery appeared on the youth's handsome face. "Besides, I've long heard of your reputation. I always thought you were some extraordinary genius, but now that I see you, you're nothing special."
If anyone else were present, they would surely fly into a rage, pointing at the youth and cursing him as an ungrateful wretch. If not for Meng Chen's appreciation, he would never have had this chance to rise straight to the top and join the universally admired Tianji Peak. Having received such an enormous benefit, not only was he ungrateful, but he even spoke sarcastically with veiled insults. If it were anyone else, they would have already expelled this ungrateful disciple from the sect!
Meng Chen looked at him for a moment, then stepped towards him.
"What are you doing, want to fight?" Xue Lang's expression tightened, then he sneered, "Bring it on, you think I'm afraid of you... Wait, what, what are you doing!?"
Meng Chen summoned his sword, took the youth's arm and brought him onto the blade. With a slight mental command, the sword slowly rose into the air.
"I forgot you just participated in the selection trial, climbing the long stairs would probably be quite tiring," Xue Lang heard the person behind him say gently. "It's still some distance to Tianji Peak, let me carry you on my sword."
****
The clear wind brushed past their ears, gently tousling their hair. Green mountains and white clouds rapidly receded on both sides, while in the distance, steep peaks pierced straight into the sky, their summits too lofty to be seen.
Fearing Xue Lang might lose his balance and fall, Meng Chen slightly extended his arm forward, shielding the youth's side.
Xue Lang's entire body was as taut as a bowstring. From the corner of his eye, he could see a section of sky-blue sleeve fluttering in the wind beside him. At the cuff, a white crane was embroidered in silver thread, so lifelike it seemed it might take flight on the wind at any moment.
Moreover, he caught a faint, delicate scent of orchid grass.
...It was the fragrance of the person behind him.
The youth's body immediately stiffened further. He held his neck rigidly still. After a moment, the sound of wind in his ears stopped as the flying sword finally landed steadily on the ground.
Xue Lang instantly jumped off, retreating three steps, and glared fiercely at Meng Chen while gritting his teeth. The wind had tousled his black hair somewhat, and beneath the sideburns, one could faintly see the tips of his ears turning fiery red.
Though the youth's behavior was full of hostility and antagonism, Meng Chen didn't mind his attitude. He led him to a courtyard. The yard was spacious, with a large pine tree planted inside. The tree trunk was thick and the branches lush, probably several hundred years old. Under the tree were stone tables and benches, and further in were two residential buildings.
"This is Luosong Residence. You'll live here from now on," Meng Chen stopped without going further in and instructed him, "Bedding and daily necessities have been prepared. If you need anything, just ask me. I'm in Qixue Residence across from you." He moved his fingertip, and a snow-white paper crane fluttered its wings and flew up, slowly landing on Xue Lang's shoulder. "This is a communication talisman. Tap it three times and speak to it, and I'll hear you."
Xue Lang wasn't grateful at all, and even sneered coldly. "Mind your own business!"
Meng Chen still didn't get angry. The corners of his lips seemed to lift slightly before he turned and left.
Only the youth remained in the courtyard. He stood motionless for nearly the time it takes an incense stick to burn before suddenly coming to his senses. He hurriedly walked to the courtyard gate and looked out with a tense face.
No one was there.
He let out an almost inaudible sigh of relief, then turned his face to look at his shoulder. He reached out with two fingers and very gently pinched the paper crane off his shoulder, placing it in his palm. The paper crane obediently flapped its wings, then lowered its head and lightly pecked his palm with its beak.
Xue Lang was stunned for a moment. The tips of his ears beneath his black hair turned even redder, almost bright enough to drip blood. He cupped his hands, holding the paper crane as he walked into the room. He found a clean and beautiful storage bottle, held his breath, and very, very carefully placed the paper crane inside.
****
In the courtyard of Qixue Residence, a patch of banana trees was planted.
Banana trees stay green all year round. In spring and summer, they are lush and verdant; in autumn, their green leaves climb up to the windows; in severe winter, snow presses on the remaining leaves. All are poetic and beautiful scenes. Meng Chen liked them very much and had personally tended them for many years.
As he picked up the watering can from the nearby windowsill and watered the banana leaves, he thought again of that fierce-looking youth from earlier, and a smile involuntarily appeared in his eyes.
In his previous life, he had hated that youth to the bone.
Xue Lang was the last to join, the fourth disciple of Tianji Peak, and also his junior brother. He originally had a good impression of Xue Lang, who was extremely gifted and willing to work hard, which was quite admirable. But after interacting for a while, Meng Chen discovered that Xue Lang had an inexplicable hostility towards him, always looking at him with cold, disgusted eyes, often mocking and ridiculing him, and even verbally abusing him.
He didn't understand what he had done to displease this junior brother. After failed attempts at communication, he stopped trying to get along with him and simply avoided him. Unexpectedly, Xue Lang wouldn't let him go, behaving increasingly badly and even going so far as to slander and frame him. If he hadn't reacted quickly to prove his innocence, he might have truly been expelled from Taixuan Sect.
Even with Meng Chen's good temper, he couldn't tolerate Xue Lang's various misdeeds. Their relationship completely froze over, to the extent that when he was falsely accused of being an evil cultivator and about to be purged by the elders, he had once suspected that Xue Lang was the one who framed him.
As the ugly truth was finally revealed later, he finally understood that those who seemed good to him weren't necessarily truly good, and those who seemed bad to him weren't necessarily truly bad.
Xue Lang didn't hate him. That youth was only trying, in his helplessness, to use this method to keep him away from the sect and away from that filth.
He was using all his lonely courage and sincerity to desperately save his life.
As memories of his past life flashed before his eyes, Meng Chen recalled the scene just before his death in his previous life: the youth, covered in blood, kneeling on the ground with a broken sword, crying and shouting at him. His eyes couldn't help but grow slightly warm.
He truly owed Xue Lang a great deal.
The past could no longer be remedied, but this time, he would treat his junior brother well.
Just as he was lost in thought, footsteps sounded outside the courtyard. Meng Chen thought it was Xue Lang coming to find him and looked up, but saw another youth in sky-blue uniform hurrying in. Seeing him, the youth's eyes brightened, his peach blossom eyes curving into crescents as he smiled and ran towards him:
"Senior Brother!"
The youth's voice was clear and bright, carrying an intimate, coquettish tone that went straight to one's heart.
As Meng Chen watched the person running towards him, the warmth gradually disappeared from his eyes. His fingers holding the watering can tightened little by little, a chill seeping out from within.
Standing here among the banana leaves, his memories uncontrollably returned to a dark, sunless prison. Back then, the youth had also used such a naive, sweet voice to coquettishly whisper in his ear:
"Senior Brother, this is the most potent love Gu in the world, called 'Silk Entwining'. I went to great lengths to find it specially for you."
"Do you like it?"
