Villainous Junior Chapter 3
Translated by Sylver (ko-fi)
Chapter 3: Vicious Dog
Meng Chen and Yin Chi were senior and junior brothers who had lived together closely for three years.
Yin Chi was seventeen years old when he entered the sect. Meng Chen had brought him back while traveling in the mortal world after breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage. Yin Chi was an orphan who had been wandering in the mortal realm since childhood. He had heard people say that immortals never went hungry, so he went around everywhere seeking to become a disciple and learn immortal cultivation. However, there weren't that many real immortals in the mortal world. Those he encountered were all frauds. He was sold back and forth several times, nearly losing his life on multiple occasions.
Later, he finally met an "immortal", but unfortunately it was an evil cultivator. The evil cultivator tested several potent poisons on him, torturing him until he was on the verge of death, then set up a hot cauldron, intending to boil him alive to eat.
When Meng Chen passed by, he saw the youth covered in purple-black marks with blood flowing from his seven orifices, writhing and trembling on the ground like a gutted fish on the verge of death. His gaze had already begun to blur, yet he still used his last bit of strength to pull out a dagger hidden behind his waist, inching bit by bit towards the evil cultivator who had his back turned while boiling water.
Meng Chen brought him back to Taixuan Sect, and Yin Chi became the third disciple of Tianji Peak.
Zhongli Jing was rarely seen, and Pei Yuze wasn't the type to care about such matters, so Meng Chen took it upon himself to look after his junior brother. Yin Chi had suffered too much hardship while wandering outside. He didn't look seventeen at all, being short and small with barely any flesh on his body. His face was so gaunt it was almost unrecognizable - people would have believed it if told he was only thirteen or fourteen.
Meng Chen felt pity looking at this child. Every day, he urged him to eat on time, brought him various spirit pills and supplements, helped him regulate his meridians, and taught him a set of martial arts to strengthen his body, personally accompanying him to practice every morning. After three months of this, Yin Chi's body gradually improved. Combined with the nourishing environment and abundant spiritual energy of Tianji Peak, Yin Chi finally began to grow rapidly like spring shoots. Not only did he quickly surpass Meng Chen in height, but his face also became increasingly radiant and beautiful. Those peach blossom eyes of his were especially alluring, secretly capturing the hearts of many junior and senior sisters from Cuixia Peak.
Perhaps because of Meng Chen's attentive care, Yin Chi was particularly close to him, calling him "Senior Brother" in an especially sweet voice. Even after coming of age, he still acted like a child who never grew up. When he got a blister on his finger while practicing swordsmanship, he would run over to act coquettishly towards Meng Chen.
Meng Chen's background was similar to his, with no attachments left in the mortal world. In this life, the closest people to him were his master, senior brother, and junior brother who lived with him on Tianji Peak. Although Yin Chi loved to cling to people, Meng Chen didn't find it annoying. He even thought Yin Chi was innocent and adorable, so he always indulged and pampered him, treating him like his own younger brother.
However, ironically…
He had never seen his junior brother's true face.
Seeing that Meng Chen remained silent, Yin Chi directly went up and hooked his arm around the young man's right arm, shaking it affectionately twice. "Senior Brother, what are you thinking about?"
Meng Chen pulled his arm out of Yin Chi's embrace.
Yin Chi blinked slowly. "Senior Brother?"
"There's ash from the banana leaves on my hand. Be careful not to dirty your clothes," Meng Chen said in a flat voice, lowering his gaze. His long eyelashes cast an arc of shadow as he switched the watering can to his right hand and continued watering the banana leaves.
"Oh." Yin Chi responded glumly, staring at the young man without blinking.
Usually when he acted this way, the young man would have already stopped what he was doing, smiling while patting his head and indulgently asking "What's wrong now?". But this time, the young man seemed completely unaware of his unusual behavior, not even glancing in his direction once, as if the banana grove in front of him was something ten thousand times more worthy of attention than his junior brother.
Yin Chi frowned slightly, coldly glancing at the banana plants before finally asking impatiently. "Senior Brother, I heard you took in a new disciple today?"
Meng Chen finally put down the watering can, turned and walked to the courtyard pond to wash his hands.
"Mm," he responded faintly, "What about it?"
Yin Chi followed closely behind. He saw the clear pond water flowing over the young man's palms. Those hands were almost transparently white, with long fingers like a jade carving, adorned with crystal-clear droplets of water, so beautiful one couldn't look away.
Yin Chi stared at those fingers, his Adam's apple bobbing as he suppressed the anxiety and anger in his heart. He asked casually, "Is that disciple very impressive? I heard Senior Brother personally invited him to join Tianji Peak. I don't think I've seen such an honor bestowed on any other disciple."
"You call this an honor?" Meng Chen seemed to find it amusing, his lips curling with a hint of mockery, unclear if he was mocking Yin Chi or himself. "Then how would you describe me practicing swordsmanship with you every day all these years?"
Yin Chi didn't notice anything unusual and smiled at these words. His features were exceptionally beautiful, and when he smiled, there was a breathtaking radiance, as if pear blossoms were blooming all over the garden. "How can a new disciple compare to me? Senior Brother naturally cares for me the most."
He said with a grin, then continued. "I just went to take a look at that new junior brother earlier. Xue Lang, right? His aptitude is passable, but his character remains to be seen. Tianji Peak isn't so easy to enter. I told him to meditate under the Cold Sky Waterfall for an hour. If he can't endure it, he might as well pack his bags and go home early."
Meng Chen's expressionless face finally changed. He suddenly looked up at Yin Chi. "Cold Sky Waterfall?"
For some reason, that gaze suddenly carried a hint of killing intent, making Yin Chi's heart tremble. He discreetly clenched his fist, his lips still curled in a careless smile.
"Yes. What's wrong?"
Meng Chen didn't speak again, his form immediately disappearing from the spot.
Yin Chi looked at the empty courtyard, the smile on his lips finally fading, the warmth in his eyes cooling degree by degree.
With a "crack" behind him, a banana plant was severed at the stem, falling silently into the soil.
****
The Cold Sky Waterfall was one of the wonders of Tianji Peak, and also a sacred training ground for disciples.
The waterfall's water was thousand-year-old cold water, capable of building foundation and tempering the body, extremely beneficial to cultivators. However, not everyone could touch it. Ordinary people would have their flesh melted and bones corroded by even a drop. Low-level cultivators' bodies also couldn't withstand the power of the thousand-year cold water. To cultivate under the Cold Sky Waterfall, one needed to reach at least the Golden Core realm.
The Taixuan Sect was full of talented individuals, with many Golden Core realm disciples. However, few dared to try the power of the Cold Sky Waterfall, because the experience was simply too unbearable. The water was bone-chillingly cold, feeling like knives cutting the skin where it dripped - let alone having the entire waterfall pour down on one's body. Even if their physical bodies could withstand it, their willpower certainly couldn't!
In the entire Taixuan Sect, apart from the elders, probably only the Tianji Peak disciples dared to cultivate under the Cold Sky Waterfall. This was also why other disciples admired them so much.
Xue Lang arrived at the deserted Cold Sky Waterfall. The waterfall looked like a flying white silk ribbon, or like an avalanche from a high mountain, plunging straight down from the top of the cliff. The thunderous sound raised thousands of waves in the pool below. Just looking at it from afar made one want to retreat.
But he didn't back down. He quickly took off his outer robe and upper garment, then leaped onto a black rock in the pool under the waterfall.
The waterfall’s water poured down mercilessly, like a thousand-pound boulder, nearly knocking the youth unconscious. Xue Lang was plunged into the pool under the waterfall, his throat tasting of blood. He opened his mouth and spat out a mouthful of hot blood.
Although his talent was high, he had not yet formed his Golden Core. How could a Foundation Establishment cultivator withstand the power of the Cold Sky Waterfall? Xue Lang floated on his back in the water, feeling as if every bone in his body had been crushed inch by inch, his skin feeling like it was being stabbed by thousands of needles. He swallowed the remaining blood in his mouth, wiped the corner of his lips, gritted his teeth and moved his arms, seemingly trying to swim back under the waterfall.
If anyone else had been there, they would have thought his actions were suicidal. But Xue Lang didn't hesitate, actually returning under the Cold Sky Waterfall and sitting cross-legged.
After enduring under the waterfall for an unknown amount of time, just when he felt he was about to be pulverized and couldn't continue, a figure rushed into the waterfall beside him and pulled him out.
Meng Chen's face was frosty as he grabbed the outer robe left aside and tightly wrapped the youth in it, while quickly pressing several acupoints on his body. The youth's face had turned blue from the cold, his teeth chattering uncontrollably. After a good while, he slowly opened his eyes.
"You... you..." Seeing clearly who was in front of him, Xue Lang's eyes filled with shock. He had just stuttered out two syllables when Meng Chen stopped him.
"Don't speak." Meng Chen took out a porcelain bottle and extracted a red pill, bringing it to the youth's lips. But the youth didn't react, staring fixedly at the face before him, as if he had been completely frozen stupid.
"Open your mouth." Meng Chen had to remind him verbally. Seeing the youth still motionless, he pinched the youth's cheeks with his fingers and forcibly stuffed the pill in.
The effects of the Blazing Sun Pill manifested quickly. Meng Chen could feel the ice-cold body in his arms gradually warming up. A moment later, Xue Lang blinked slowly, finally coming to his senses. Realizing the position he was in, his eyes immediately widened in shock, and he tumbled out of Meng Chen's embrace.
Seeing that he could move freely, Meng Chen felt slightly relieved and asked, "Are you still cold?"
Xue Lang clutched his outer robe tightly, his face completely red, even his ears flushed with color, staring at Meng Chen from about ten feet away.
It seems he's not cold anymore, Meng Chen thought with satisfaction. Young people's bodies really do recover quickly.
"Why did you have to interfere?" Xue Lang suddenly exploded, his voice full of anger. Like an ungrateful little vicious dog, he bristled and barked at him furiously, "I was cultivating just fine, why did you interrupt me? Ha, I know! You must be afraid I'll surpass you, so you're deliberately holding me back! What a vicious mind!!"
Meng Chen calmly watched this little wolf pup bark wildly.
In his previous life, his good intentions were always misinterpreted and even resented by Xue Lang like this. Over time, his heart had grown cold, and he no longer interfered in the other's business. But now, knowing the truth behind it all, hearing this little vicious dog's ranting again didn't spark any anger in him. Instead, he found the youth's blustering, furious appearance to be…
Quite adorable.
"Cultivation should progress step by step," he said good-naturedly. "You haven't formed your Golden Core yet. If you force yourself recklessly, it will only backfire."
"That's none of your business!" The youth appeared completely unreceptive, retorting viciously, "My master is the Immortal Lord Zhongli. I only listen to him, you can't control me!"
"I can," Meng Chen said calmly. "If I find you secretly coming to cultivate at the Cold Sky Waterfall again..."
Xue Lang glanced at him sideways, putting on a sneering "what can you do about it" expression while discreetly pricking up his ears.
"...I'll have you move to Qixue Residence to live with me, so I can supervise you daily."
Xue Lang froze. In the next instant, not only his face and ears, but even his exposed neck suddenly turned bright red.
