I Might Be a Big Shot — Chapter 71 [extra 1]

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 After putting on one last performance as a worldly-wise recluse before the crowd, Changkong Zhuoyu left with Li Xinglun. To an outsider, it looked as though they were both riding the clouds away together, but in truth, Li Xinglun was pulling his master along, eager to escape those who were interrupting their time alone.

"Disciple," Changkong Zhuoyu said while flying, already making plans for the future, "the cultivation world lies in ruins. Since I intend to retire, I won’t show myself in the cultivation world again. The greatest seclusion is to hide in plain sight, so we’d best go live among mortals. This catastrophe didn’t harm the mortal realm much — the red dust is still prosperous. Ever since I took human form, I’ve been running around because of the catastrophe and never had the chance to properly train my mind in the mortal world."

Li Xinglun: "…"

You mean you never had the chance to go sightseeing, right? He remembered well how the Heaven-Mending Stone once longed for the human world, secretly listening to the stories the breeze brought every day.

"But I don’t have any change of clothes," Changkong Zhuoyu said, tugging at the slightly oversized red robe he wore — Li Xinglun’s robe — and looking a little embarrassed. "I’m still wearing your robe, disciple, without even an undergarment."

The thought of his master wrapped only in his own outer robe made Li Xinglun’s blood surge. He would have liked nothing better than to pull Changkong Zhuoyu aside and… but no, not yet — they hadn’t reached their destination.

"And…" Changkong Zhuoyu continued awkwardly, "I don’t have any mortal silver to buy clothes. Disciple… well, you’ve been gone for two thousand years; you must be penniless too."

He felt a twinge of guilt. He was a very poor master — after all these years, he hadn’t saved up anything for his disciple.

"How could Master wear mortal clothes? Even if we’re training in the mortal world, our garments should at least be magic tools. If we wear mortal clothing, it will be torn apart by our own true essence even during cultivation, let alone in combat — buying clothes with money is impractical," Li Xinglun replied.

"That’s fine. I can weave formations into ordinary clothes to make them passable as spiritual tools," Changkong Zhuoyu said. As a master of formations, he didn’t mind inferior base materials — only the lack of money concerned him.

"But there are almost no ready-made clothes in the mortal realm now. Most families buy cloth and sew their own. Can Master tailor clothes?" Li Xinglun asked.

Changkong Zhuoyu: "Then… am I to wear your robes forever?"

That seemed so… He looked down at his bare calves and feet, feeling it was rather improper. He was always a dignified figure, impeccably dressed. In the past, with the white mist around, he could conjure whatever outfit he wanted — now, without the mist, he finally understood the troubles of mortals.

"Don’t worry, Master," Li Xinglun said, squeezing his hand reassuringly. "Even without my memories these past two thousand years, I still couldn’t help hoarding some resources. Before going to the demon realm, I hid them in a safe place — more than enough for us to live extravagantly for a while."

Changkong Zhuoyu’s eyes lit up, and he let Li Xinglun lead him into the deep mountains to see the treasure Xue Qianjie had left behind.

"…This is where you hid it?" Changkong Zhuoyu stood outside the formation, dumbfounded.

To ordinary eyes, it was just a barren desert. But Changkong Zhuoyu could see through the formation Xue Qianjie had laid — it sealed away an oasis, and in its center stood a magnificent palace!

"Don’t worry, Master," Li Xinglun explained. "I didn’t hide any well-known oasis — that would have doomed travelers searching for it. This one I created myself, by transplanting land from a remote wasteland. Once the palace was built, I moved it here to an uninhabited desert so no one would find it. With my mastery of formations and high cultivation, no one’s broken it in a thousand years. Our palace is still here."

He opened the formation and led Changkong Zhuoyu inside.

The palace was dazzling; even the floors were paved with top-grade spirit stones. If anyone had stumbled in, just prying off a piece of wall would make them rich, never mind the treasure vault.

Li Xinglun had traveled the human realm for a millennium, collecting beautiful things for the Kunlun artifact he adored. Piece by piece, he built this palace.

"This is Master’s bedchamber," Li Xinglun said, leading him straight to the bedroom instead of the vault. "The bed is made of ten-thousand-year jade marrow — it calms the mind and wards off demons. The mattress is only heavenly silkworm silk. I meant to make a sheet from phoenix feathers, but never gathered enough, so I only managed a pillow."

Changkong Zhuoyu: "…"

Ten-thousand-year jade marrow sounded unremarkable, but in the current cultivation world, a nugget the size of a fist could protect a cultivator from heart demons until ascension — a supreme treasure. And Li Xinglun had somehow amassed enough for a bed three meters wide. Anyone who saw it would faint.

He was suddenly overwhelmed by his disciple’s wealth.

Li Xinglun pressed him down onto the bed, letting him feel the silky sheets and soft pillow. Then, lying beside him, arm around his waist, he asked, "Does Master like this bed?"

"Very much!" Changkong Zhuoyu admitted frankly. The sheets were smooth without irritating the skin, the bed cool but not cold, perfect in any season, and the pillow was warm and soft, making him want to rub his face against it.

"Just a bit too red," he added, thinking Li Xinglun’s blood cultivator’s fondness for the color explained the scarlet bedding.

Li Xinglun smiled meaningfully and moved on. "Master, do you remember saying that whether you were a demonic sect lord or a righteous leader, once you regained your memory, I’d have everything I wanted — endless pills and treasures?"

Changkong Zhuoyu: "…"

Awkward. He was poor now and had to rely on his disciple.

Blushing, he glanced at Li Xinglun, who was clearly enjoying teasing him. "I’ve heard in mortal tales that when men get rich, they turn bad and abandon their wives. I thought that would never happen to me, but it turns out that once you’ve got a fortune, even my usually well-behaved disciple has changed!"

"Yes, I’ve changed," Li Xinglun admitted at once. Sliding a hand inside his robe, he murmured, "I became your disciple because of all you promised me, but now you have nothing and need me to support you."

Changkong Zhuoyu felt as though Li Xinglun’s palm was burning him — the Heaven-Mending Stone, impervious to Samadhi True Fire, undone by a touch. He pressed his hand to still it. "Then… you can’t regret it. Once a master, always a father."

Li Xinglun intertwined their fingers. "I’ll pass on the father part — but once a master works for me."

Changkong Zhuoyu: "…?"

Somehow he felt there was a deeper meaning here he couldn’t grasp.

"No!" he said. "I am your master — you must respect and love me."

"Of course," Li Xinglun said softly in his ear. "But Master promised me many things — how will you make good on that?"

"Well…" The closeness made his ear itch, and he rolled away to put distance between them. "No problem. My magic is great — whatever you want, even from the heavens or the underworld, I can get it."

"Good," Li Xinglun said, pulling him back into his arms and kissing his neck. "I want Master."

"Hm? I’ll always be your master."

"Not that kind of want." Unable to bear his innocence any longer, Li Xinglun flipped him onto his back. "I want you as my Dao partner, to dual cultivate with me, for all lifetimes."

With that, he loosened his belt, and the red robe slid from Changkong Zhuoyu’s shoulders.

Red robe, red sheets — a mortal wedding chamber. Changkong Zhuoyu froze.

"Can’t I?" Li Xinglun’s eyes were full of a yearning suppressed for two millennia. Even so, he didn’t take another step, waiting for his answer.

"According to mortal and cultivation ethics, masters and disciples can’t do this," Changkong Zhuoyu said hesitantly. "If we forced it, we’d be…"

He faltered. Punished by elders? Which elders? Kunlun? Jade Pool? Everyone there was gone, and in Kunlun, no one dared claim to be his elder. Who could control the Star Lord of Tribulations, first among the Nine Divine Artifacts?

"No one will interfere, as long as you’re willing," Li Xinglun said, gaze locked on him. "Are you willing?"

Was he? Changkong Zhuoyu touched that flawless face, dazed by the passion in his disciple’s eyes.

If he refused, would Li Xinglun leave in sorrow? Or suppress his feelings and live in silent misery?

He didn’t want either outcome — and truthfully, he didn’t want to refuse. His disciple was handsome (most important), powerful enough to avoid the Five Declines, willing to stay by his side, obedient, speaking to his heart, and now rich enough that they’d never lack for anything.

Counting the advantages, he realized Li Xinglun was the perfect Dao partner. Others would fight for him.

Li Xinglun waited patiently, never pressing.

After much thought, Changkong Zhuoyu found no reason to refuse, so he blushed and nodded.

He was willing.

The hope in Li Xinglun’s eyes turned to starlight, joy enveloping him. What could be better than being loved in return?

He kissed him deeply. Changkong Zhuoyu gripped the silk sheets and slowly closed his eyes.

Even though no one was around, Li Xinglun still laid a formation around the bed to block all intrusion.

When he removed it, three years had passed. {XD I knew it!}

Changkong Zhuoyu: "…"

His gaze was vacant, a lock of hair sticking up, looking dazed.

Li Xinglun hugged him from behind, kissed his ear, and murmured, "What is Master thinking?"

"I’m wondering… do ordinary people’s wedding nights last three years?"

Three years — ordinary couples could have two children in that time! But cultivators had too much stamina. Three years, three hundred, three thousand — Li Xinglun could go on.

"You’re overthinking it. We cultivators can spend decades in seclusion. This was just cultivation — only three years," Li Xinglun said, pinching his cheek. If not for his master’s refusal to continue, he’d have happily stayed in seclusion another century.

"That’s true," Changkong Zhuoyu said with effort. "But besides cultivation, we must also experience the mortal world. Let’s go out. It’s been three years — I wonder how the realms are now."

"Very well." Li Xinglun rose, and with a thought, draped a pure white robe from the vault over him. "Let’s see the world — and leave some legends for the future."

Changkong Zhuoyu’s eyes lit up. Once dressed, he asked, "Disciple, did you bring the money pouch?"

"Everything’s ready. Don’t worry, Master."

"Good. Let’s go at once."

Li Xinglun smiled and took his hand. Together they left the palace.

With Master by his side, anywhere was paradise.

~ Chapter End ~

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