Chapter 57: A Male Phoenix Courts his Mate
Twenty-nine days after the war started, commander Wang returned to the second legion.
Her clothes were covered in blood, and her silver armour was full of scratches.
However, her demeanour was still heroic, and her aura penetrated every inch of the island.
On the second day after her return, the sea beasts fell back, and everyone sighed in relief.
No one cared why the war had suddenly come to an end.
Everyone was just relieved that it had come to an end.
Jiang Yue and Yu Nianzhen were no different.
In the beginning, everyone was filled with heroism, and willing to fight to the death to protect the human territory.
However, they had all realised that the sea beast war was not such a battlefield.
It was not a battle for ideals, but a war to cull sea beasts and weak cultivators.
"Let’s go back." Yu Nianzhen said.
"Mmmh."
It was late afternoon, and the evening was quickly approaching.
However, the two did not want to stay any longer.
They collected their belongings, reported to the army, and then flew to the edge of the island.
This was where the teleportation arrays were located, and when the two arrived, thousands of disciples were already waiting.
Unlike when they first arrived, all the disciples looked dispirited.
Although they had earned contribution points and collected sea beast corpses that could be exchanged for resources, they had also lost a lot.
Some had lost their friends and peak mates.
Others were seriously injured, and recovery would require more resources than they earned from the war.
The remaining were disillusioned, just like the two boys.
"Who is Yu Nianzhen?" Someone who was in the mood to gossip asked their friend.
"Who knows."
"How can an unknown disciple top the list."
"I know who he is." Jiang Yue said.
His mouth curled in a mischievous smile, and he looked at Yu Nianzhen before he revealed everything in a conspiratorial manner.
"Turns out he is the disciple of supreme elder Yang." One of the disciples said after listening to Jiang Yue.
After fulfilling his purpose, Jiang Yue did not continue to speak.
Instead, he turned to Yu Nianzhen who sighed before speaking.
"You didn’t have to do that."
"Fame is a good thing."
"Not that."
"What then?"
Yu Nianzhen did not answer and instead rubbed Jiang Yue’s hair.
When it came to attacking, swordsmen had an absolute advantage compared to other cultivators.
However, Yu Nianzhen was only at the fifth level of the origin forging realm.
Even if Jiang Yue lacked enough attack methods, he was better than the current Yu Nianzhen.
That Yu Nianzhen had topped the list was because Jiang Yue had let him win.
It wasn’t because Yu Nianzhen had to win, but because Jiang Yue wanted to lose.
These things, Yu Nianzhen kept in his heart.
’Wait a little longer, and I won’t let you down.’ He looked at Jiang Yue, and the other seemed to understand.
’I am waiting.’
Soon after, the two got on the teleportation and returned to the sect.
Half an hour later, they arrived at Yang Mountain and went to the south courtyard to greet master Yang.
"You are back." Yang Xu said as soon as he saw them.
"We are back." The two bowed toward master Yang.
"You don’t have to be so disappointed." He said when he saw the disillusioned looks on their faces.
"Are you disappointed in the sect?" He asked.
The two looked at each other before Yu Nianzhen spoke.
"This disciple is not disappointed."
"Really?" Yang Xu was not convinced, and his eyebrow lifted in question.
"This war was a reminder that lack of strength is a sin."
Yang Xu did not say anything else.
Instead, he allowed the two to return to the west courtyard while he returned to his own courtyard.
’Indeed, weakness is a sin.’ He thought and sat cross-legged in his cultivation room.
On the other side, Jiang Yue and Yu Nianzhen arrived in the west courtyard.
"Are you hungry?" Yu Nianzhen asked.
"I am."
They had collected a lot of sea beast corpses during the war, but they hadn’t had a chance to eat any.
"Okay."
Yu Nianzhen held Jiang Yue’s hand and led him behind the courtyard.
They walked a few metres and arrived at a minor peak.
The peak was covered in grass, and the sky looked closer than at many other places on Yang mountain.
Without a word, Yu Nianzhen started a fire, and Jiang Yue removed several corpses from his storage bag.
"What do you want to eat?" He asked as he examined the different corpses.
"Let’s eat the class two beasts and sell the class one beasts to the sect."
"In that case..."
Jiang Yue removed a seagull from a storage bag.
This seagull was a low-rank class two beast that was killed by Yu Nianzhen.
It was two metres long and had a wing span of three metres.
Although it didn’t look very tasty, it was the first class two beast that Yu Nianzhen killed, and it suited the occasion.
"It’s a pity that you didn’t collect the corpse of the mid-rank class two spear-wielding squid that I killed." Jiang Yue complained and glared in good measure.
"I thought it was a little more urgent to take you back to the array than collect the squid."
"Hmm." Jiang Yue bumped the other but didn’t continue to complain.
While Jiang Yue was maintaining the fire, Yu Nianzhen took the chance to prepare the seagull.
He used his sword to remove the feathers and cleaned it with water from a gourd.
After that, he rubbed salt on its body before using a stick to roast it above the fire.
"We should buy spices and herbs when we have a chance."
Jiang Yue had long been dissatisfied with the bland food in the Cangxing world.
Now that Yu Niaznhen was out of seclusion, he no longer had a reason to endure.
"Good." Yu Nianzhen immediately agreed.
The meat roasted over a slow fire, and the two watched without speaking a word.
Both were immersed in their own thoughts, but the silence was relaxing.
It was the kind of silence that did not come from loneliness but instead gave comfort.
"It’s done." Yu Nianzhen said after a long time.
Jiang Yue looked at the meat and swallowed.
The meat was a golden brown, and its scent filled the area, making him hungrier than before.
"Be careful, it’s hot." Yu Nianzhen warned when he saw the greedy look on the other’s face.
"Yes, mother." Jiang Yue rolled his eyes, but he was very careful when he handled the meat.
Although he was a cultivator, and this level of heat wouldn’t affect him, he still took care.
The two ate in companionable silence and drank from the gourd that hang from Yu Nianzhen’s waist.
"What kind of wine is this?"
"It’s bamboo wine."
"Did master Yang give it to you?"
Yu Nianzhen was silent for a moment.
"I found it hidden under a bamboo tree."
"I see." Jiang Yue chuckled and took a few more sips.
"Azhen, I want to play the pipa. Will you listen?"
"I will listen." Jiang Yue smiled when he heard that, and a pipa appeared in his hand.
He held it in his arms and leaned his head sideways as if holding a lover.
In the silent night, an ethereal song accompanied by pipa notes floated in the air.
"This..." Yu Nianzhen recognised the song as soon as he heard the first line, and his face turned a brilliant pink.
However, Jiang Yue only smiled and continued to play.
.....
"This male phoenix has returned to his old home,
from roaming the four seas searching for his mate.
Time was not yet ripe, there was no way to meet him;
then what a surprise: this evening I come up to this hall,
and there’s a dazzling man in the men’s quarters.
The room is near but he is far: this poisons my guts.
How can we entwine our necks like mandarin ducks?
How can we flutter about, and together soar?"
"Male Phoenix, male phoenix, come with me and nest,
be supported, live with me, forever be my husband.
Exchanging affection in a physical way will harmonize our hearts;
at midnight if you follow me who will know?
Our wings together will rise, fluttering as high we fly.
If you are unmoved by my feelings, it will cause me misery."
.....
After he finished the song, the music lingered in the air.
For the two, the stars looked a lot brighter, and the world was a little more beautiful.
"What do you say?" Jiang Yue asked after he put the pipa away.
He looked as usual, but his heart was beating faster.
In fact, he hadn’t planned to propose.
However, they had gone through a ridiculous war, and the night seemed strangely fitting.
"Feng Qiu Huang..." Yu Nianzhen chuckled, and Jiang Yue blushed.
There were many ways to propose, but for some reason, he thought of this classic way, and he couldn’t help it.
"You are not willing?"
Yu Nianzhen pulled Jiang Yue towards him and kissed him lightly.
"How could I not be?"
