My Best Friend Said He Loves Me - Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Shen Yun-jian stared at him, radiating the resentment of, “Oh, you, Zhou Qingyu! You’ve really outdone yourself, you have time to be ‘Little Yu Senior Brother,’ but no time to reply to my spiritual message.” Zhou Qingyu stiffly averted his gaze, finding it a headache. He had only just managed to gloss over the spiritual message issue yesterday.

He cleared his throat, deciding to tackle the issues one by one: “Regarding Zhuoyu…”

“Zhuoyu?” Shen Yun-jian, who had moved to stand beside him, gave a sarcastic ‘hmpf’: “Such an intimate way to call him, ‘Little Yu Senior Brother’?”

Zhou Qingyu’s eyes held a hint of helplessness. He tilted his head and pulled at Shen Yun-jian’s sleeve. As Shen Yun-jian looked over, he negotiated gently: “Don’t be difficult. I’ll explain to you later, okay? Yun-jian, Senior Brother Yun-jian, Senior Brother Shen, Immortal Lord Shen?” He ran through all the titles and then said: “Which one of them can answer me?”

This was a trick he’d used since childhood, and yet Shen Yun-jian still fell for it. Shen Yun-jian looked down at him for a long time and said, “Shen Yun-jian answers you.”

Zhou Qingyu knew this meant he was temporarily off the hook. Although he couldn’t avoid a barrage of complaints later, being able to take a breath now was excellent. He relaxed and started explaining the origin of “Little Yu Senior Brother.”

He dared not call him Zhuoyu again, saying only: “Junior Brother Luo was originally the son of the Luo family in Pingshui…” Shen Yun-jian keenly noticed this and his mood instantly shifted from cloudy to sunny, the corners of his lips turning up.

Zhou Qingyu continued. “When I was eleven or twelve, I returned to the mortal realm Zhou family with an elder. I saw Junior Brother Luo once. At that time, Junior Brother Luo, due to his naturally outstanding spiritual power but lack of self-preservation ability, easily attracted demons and monsters in the mortal realm.”

Of course, besides these low-level spirits, he also attracted the Ghost King of the City of the Netherworld, one of the Four Extremes of Heaven and Earth. Zhou Qingyu’s gaze subtly swept over Luo Zhuoyu’s shadow, but he didn’t speak that last sentence aloud.

“The Luo family was acquainted with the Zhou family. After learning of the situation, we descended to the mortal realm. They immediately asked someone to invite us to check on Junior Brother Luo’s condition. After understanding the cause, I taught him the Spring Xi Heart Method, which everyone in the Three Thousand Realms knows, to let him learn to restrain his spiritual power and stop attracting the coveting of spirits.”

“Because of this, we exchanged names. Although Junior Brother Luo is around the same age as me, he has been constantly harassed by spirits and, coupled with being overly spoiled at home, he doesn’t know many characters. The character ‘fish’ just happens to be one he knows. Since my name contains ‘yu, he mistook ‘yu’  for ‘fish’  and has always called me ‘Little Yu’ Senior Brother.”

“Speaking of which, it’s been a long time since I last saw Junior Brother Luo.”

Luo Zhuoyu smiled obediently upon hearing this: “Little Yu Senior Brother, long time no see.”

Zhou Qingyu acknowledged him and concluded: “That’s the backstory of my acquaintance with Junior Brother Luo.”

Liu Cong suddenly said “Oh” in realization: “I knew it. Zhuoyu was only brought back by Master last month. How did he suddenly become so intimate with Qingyu?”

Shen Yun-jian sneered when he heard the word “intimate,” provoking Zhou Qingyu to pull his sleeve again.

Shen Yun-jian gave him a slight glance and finally restrained the unfriendly look in his eyes. He wouldn’t go so far as to be dissatisfied with Luo Zhuoyu just because Zhou Qingyu had kept some things from him. However, as soon as he stepped onto the Outer Peak just now, something repulsive flashed by, disturbing his peace of mind. The invisible threads of “fate” were frantically warning him, but a discreet sweep of his spiritual consciousness yielded nothing. Caught between the two, he found his irritable emotions hard to control. This is not good, he thought.

After a moment of thought, Shen Yun-jian put on his usual dazzling smile. He first apologized frankly to Luo Zhuoyu: “I apologize, I was inexplicably impatient just now, and my tone was a bit harsh towards Junior Brother Luo.”

Luo Zhuoyu waved his hand, his cheeks slightly flushed: “No… it’s fine.”

Shen Yun-jian stared intently at him, still feeling that this “Junior Brother Luo” was somewhat strange, yet he looked like a perfectly ordinary new disciple on the path to immortality. Fearing that staring too long would arouse suspicion, he subtly changed the topic: “Senior Sister still hasn’t said why Junior Brother Luo is accompanying you here?”

The topic suddenly shifted to herself. Liu Cong wasn’t surprised and smoothly picked it up: “Oh, look at my memory! I got distracted by Zhuoyu’s ‘Little Yu Senior Brother’ right after the introduction and forgot to mention why we’re here…” She had a certain unspoken understanding with Shen Yun-jian. Knowing his suspicion, she cooperated and explained: “Junior Brother Zhuoyu has been at the Outer Peak for over a month. I’m following Master’s instructions to show him around the Su-Xian Sect. It just so happens that as soon as we came out, we saw you two…” As she spoke, she paid attention to Zhou Qingyu’s expression. Her bright, spirited eyes blinked. What’s wrong with Qingyu… why did his face suddenly turn so pale? And Yun-jian? Why is Yun-jian staring at Luo Zhuoyu and not Qingyu? A wave of dizziness washed over her. She felt like the shadows of the three people in front of her suddenly doubled.

“Senior Sister?!” Shen Yun-jian’s anxious call came from her ear. Finally, everything began to spin and contract before her eyes. Zhou Qingyu’s look, clearly mixed with annoyance and worry, flashed across her mind. So it wasn’t an illusion. She really was feeling dizzy.

“Ugh…”

Liu Cong woke up groggily from a nightmare filled with black and red colors. Cold sweat beaded on her forehead. The echo of fear from the dream lingered in her heart. She panted a few times. After calming down, she heard deliberately lowered discussion coming from the side.

“…Senior Sister Liu Cong is fine…”

“…It should be the demonic energy mixed with spiritual power that backfired… during the Abyss of Hidden Demons…”

“Strange, this injury should have healed quickly… in a place with sufficient spiritual power…”

“Why would it…?”

“The Medical Hall… checked her and said her soul was too light… and the spiritual power couldn’t suppress it…”

“Soul too light?”

“What about the others…?”

“We asked. Most of them are fine…”

Having roughly figured out the context of her fainting, Liu Cong stared blankly. Her first reaction was not to wonder why she showed signs of “soul detachment,” but to think about how she might miss the excitement of the wedding banquet two days later…

Footsteps approached. The curtain surrounding the bed was gently lifted.

“Senior Sister? You’re awake… how do you feel?”

Liu Cong met Zhou Qingyu’s slightly anxious eyes. If Qingyu was here, then the other person must be nearby… She glanced to the side and, sure enough, saw the pair of light-golden eyes that followed. She was amused by her own boredom, and the corners of her pale lips slightly curved upwards.

Liu Cong comforted Zhou Qingyu: “I’m fine, I just… feel like I had a nightmare…” Seeing the worry in Zhou Qingyu’s eyes deepen after hearing her words, she quickly called the other person waiting nearby: “Yun-jian! Come quickly and talk some sense into Qingyu, he looks like he’s about to cry!”

“Really?” Shen Yun-jian placed his right hand on Zhou Qingyu’s shoulder, turning his body without question. He leaned in to examine the face that looked surprised by his action, and whose anxious clouds had somewhat scattered. He said seriously: “He does look like he’s about to cry.”

“Look at those crystal-clear tears, they’re practically swirling around his eyes!”

After he finished speaking, the distance between the two widened again, and Zhou Qingyu finally realized that Liu Cong and Shen Yun-jian were teaming up to tease him.

“You…!”

Shen Yun-jian handed a cup of water to Liu Cong, who was sitting up and leaning against the headboard, and then looked at him: “Senior Sister Liu is a bit weak, but you’re acting as if she’s about to die. It’s too exaggerated.” After teasing him, he said, “Zhou Qingyu, don’t be so tense.” When this line came from his mouth, it felt both like a warning and comfort.

Liu Cong took a small sip of warm water and agreed: “Qingyu looks really stressed lately. It’s a good thing we’re going to the Picking Dreams Pavilion wedding banquet in two days to relax…”

“Huh?” Shen Yun-jian caught the keyword and instantly redirected his focus: “Senior Sister, your complexion is terrible. Are you still thinking of going to the Picking Dreams Pavilion?”

“Give it up. A few Senior Brothers and Sisters from the Outer Peak came while you were asleep and said they’d guard your door until you’re completely recovered before letting you out,” he informed Liu Cong mercilessly.

“No way!” Liu Cong wailed in despair. After a long silence, she still spoke, unwilling to give up, trying to appeal to Shen Yun-jian’s mercy: “Just going to take a look won’t be a problem…”

“Heh, tell that to the other Senior Brothers and Sisters and see if they believe you…”

…

Zhou Qingyu’s smile froze on his lips. He stood to the side, watching them bicker, his gaze unfocused, his heart sinking deeper and deeper.

It was his fault.

Zhou Qingyu thought, he was only concerned with his own survival and the imminent drama, yet he forgot to pay attention to the fates of those outside the main characters.

Liu Cong.

The first passerby that the protagonist Luo Zhuoyu came into contact with after arriving at the Su-Xian Sect’s Outer Peak.

He recalled the plot engraved in the “Book of Heavenly Fate.”

Luo Zhuoyu was a rare Extreme Nether Body, capable of converting absorbed spiritual power into neutral ‘Yuan’ energy. The Ghost King hidden in his shadow was still severely injured and relied on obtaining the converted ‘Yuan’ energy from Luo Zhuoyu every night to repair its body.

The Ghost King was not interested in anyone other than Luo Zhuoyu, but its inherent Yin energy would weaken the connection between the souls and bodies of those around Luo Zhuoyu.

The plot initially mentioned only a female cultivator referred to by the proxy name “Senior Sister,” who, due to walking closely with “Luo Zhuoyu,” had her soul unknowingly invaded by Yin energy.

Ultimately, during a battle, internal injuries backfired, and her soul returned to the Nine Heavens.

Zhou Qingyu quietly watched Liu Cong. She was currently frowning, contemplating how to get Shen Yun-jian to relent, her complexion poor but her demeanor vibrant.

When he saw Liu Cong faint unexpectedly just now, he realized that Liu Cong was the “Senior Sister” who had initially been enthusiastic towards “Luo Zhuoyu” but unluckily lost her name and life.

A post-fear washed over him like a tide, making him feel suffocated.

Zhou Qingyu’s fingers, hidden by his wide sleeves, clenched tightly. He couldn’t hesitate any longer. He made a silent decision.

While he was in this internal struggle, Liu Cong, who had just finished bargaining until Shen Yun-jian agreed to let her go to the Picking Dreams Pavilion wedding banquet as long as she recovered more than seventy percent, suddenly remembered someone: “Where’s Junior Brother Zhuoyu? Why don’t I see him.”

Shen Yun-jian replied, “When I went to call someone from the Medical Hall, I sent him back to his residence.”

“I didn’t expect Junior Brother Luo to be the successor to the small bamboo forest courtyard I once lived in at the Outer Peak. What a coincidence.” Although Liu Cong was no longer in serious danger, the atmosphere in the room was still a bit heavy. Shen Yun-jian mentioned this discovery as a piece of interesting trivia for Liu Cong and Zhou Qingyu, hoping to lighten the mood.

To his surprise, Zhou Qingyu suddenly looked up at him after hearing it. Shen Yun-jian looked back, seeing his intense reaction, and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Thinking of a possibility, Shen Yun-jian furrowed his brow: “You’re not having soul instability too, are you?”

Zhou Qingyu couldn’t read anything suspicious from his face. He shook his head: “No, I’m just surprised that your fate with Junior Brother Luo is quite deep.”

After saying this, he lowered his eyes, trying to hide the uncontrollable sadness in his beautiful eyes. His heart, invisible to outsiders, clenched into a ball, and a bitter taste filled his chest.

That’s right.

He almost forgot.

The close friend he had painstakingly acquired… was the protagonist’s White Moonlight.