TM CH6

Chapter 6 Superficial Harmony

Rong Qi knew that Gu Yunxing had found out.

This left him feeling quite irritated. He could almost predict what Gu Yunxing was going to say next. It would surely be something along the lines of making him work like an ox or a horse, with no room to refuse.

“If we don’t leave now, we’ll really freeze.” Contrary to his expectations, Gu Yunxing didn’t seize the opportunity but instead changed the subject, dropping the matter altogether.

As if to echo Gu Yunxing’s words, the surrounding wind picked up significantly, carrying a piercing chill that seeped into their bones.

Rong Qi shivered. He was actually reaching his limit. He hadn’t eaten for days, and had barely slept the night before. Exhausted, hungry, and cold, he was only managing to hold on with sheer willpower, but it wouldn’t last much longer.

At that moment, the hand that had been gripping his wrist let go.

The next moment, he felt a weight on his shoulder as Gu Yunxing draped his arm over it. Not only that, but he shifted his body weight onto him.

Quite heavy.

Rong Qi stood there expressionlessly.

“I’ll lead the way.” Gu Yunxing’s voice came from beside him, so close that he could feel his warm breath.

Rong Qi stayed silent for a long time, then, with obvious reluctance, took a step forward.

When they got back to the cabin, Rong Qi blocked the hole with the wooden table, then sat down, arms crossed. The cabin was still chilly. Although the largest hole had been covered, there were still small ones scattered all around. But it was much better than the raging winds in the mountain forest.

Gu Yunxing, however, didn’t stop.

In the darkness, all that could be heard was the sound of rustling.

Rong Qi frowned. “What are you doing?”

At this point, he no longer bothered to hide his night blindness. It had already been discovered, so there was no point in pretending.

Gu Yunxing chuckled. “I thought Right Protector Rong isn’t willing to speak to me.”

Rong Qi: “……”

It seemed that Gu Yunxing had come closer. The next moment, something was shoved into Rong Qi’s hand.

He paused, running his finger over it for a moment, and it felt like the leaf of a plant. After a few pokes, he found… a pheasant leg? Rong Qi was a little surprised. Although the pheasant leg had long since cooled in the cold wind, his stomach was empty, and he wasn’t picky. He dug in without a word.

“Does the Right Protector not fear this humble Gu may have poisoned it?” Gu Yunxing asked.

Rong Qi ignored him.

After another round of rustling, Gu Yunxing said, “Once you’re done, come lend me a hand.”

Rong Qi: “What exactly are you working on?”

Gu Yunxing: “Canvas. I found it by the shore. If we hang it up, it might block some of the wind.”

Rong Qi: “Even without the wind, it’s still very cold at night.”

Gu Yunxing: “So it’s best if we find a cave. At least we can make a fire to keep warm.”

The cabin was made of wood, and without any proper tools, starting a fire directly inside was definitely not feasible.

Rong Qi quickly finished the pheasant leg and said, “I circled through the forest today and checked the small hills behind it. I didn’t find any caves.”

He stood up and groped his way towards Gu Yunxing’s direction.

Suddenly, Gu Yunxing called out, “Be careful!”

“Bang—”

It was too late. Rong Qi tripped over something sticking up from the ground and unexpectedly slammed into the cabin wall.

The cabin was silent for a moment.

Right Protector Rong quickly steadied himself, a surge of annoyance rising within him, his face extremely grim.

Gu Yunxing: “Nevermind, this humble Gu will do it.”

His movements were slow and clumsy, and hanging the canvas took considerable effort, but at least he was more nimble than a “blind man.”

Rong Qi didn’t say anything. He turned and felt his way back to sit down.

Gu Yunxing continued moving for quite a while, and Rong Qi began circulating his internal energy to dispel the chill in his body.

After a moment, Gu Yunxing sat down beside him.

Noticing how close Gu Yunxing was, Rong Qi tensed and asked warily, “What are you doing?”

Gu Yunxing grabbed Rong Qi’s injured right hand and suddenly exerted force.

Rong Qi: “Ah!” He had thought that Gu Yunxing wouldn’t twist his wrist anymore, but here he was!

Gu Yunxing: “During the day, this humble Gu will trouble Right Protector Rong to look after me, but at night, this humble Gu will take care of you. How does that sound?”

“???”

Rong Qi tentatively moved his wrist and was surprised to find that Gu Yunxing wasn’t trying to break it but was actually setting the bone. For a moment, his feelings were complicated. “I won’t thank you for this.”

After all, the injury to his wrist was inflicted by Gu Yunxing. As for the pheasant leg, he was the one who caught that pheasant. Rong Qi had kept a clear account of these things in his mind.

Gu Yunxing smiled. By now, he had figured out some of this demon’s temperament. No matter the situation, his words would never be forgiving.

“There’s no point in overthinking. Just sleep.”

Rong Qi: “……”

Gu Yunxing closed his eyes.

Rong Qi’s expression was complicated. After a brief pause, he gritted his teeth and said, “Let go.”

Gu Yunxing’s uninjured right hand remained draped over Rong Qi’s shoulder.

“Don’t you feel a bit warmer like this?”

Rong Qi clenched his fists, and said indignantly, “Circulating internal energy to ward off the cold is enough. There’s no need for this!”

Gu Yunxing: “We’re trapped on this island, and we don’t know how long we’ll be here. Are you planning to stay awake every night? Moreover, if we’re talking about huddling together for warmth, we should remove our clothes and embrace tightly. I’m merely putting my arm around the Right Protector’s shoulder.”

Gu Yunxing’s words weren’t unreasonable. Rong Qi knew that, but he still couldn’t accept it.

“This venerable one is not used to having someone so close.” Especially someone who posed a threat to him. “It’s even harder to sleep like this.”

Gu Yunxing fell silent for a moment before finally releasing Rong Qi, though his body remained very close.

Rong Qi silently made up his mind. He would definitely find a cave where they could make a fire!

Maybe it was the extra canvas blocking the wind, or maybe it was the warmth of the person beside him, but he felt slightly more comfortable than he had the night before. Rong Qi had spent most of the night circulating his internal energy, and now his body was reaching its limit. As drowsiness kicked in, he stopped holding back. He figured that he could just circulate his energy again after waking up from the cold, so he emptied his mind and fell into a deep sleep.

The next morning, Gu Yunxing woke up first. A dull ache and soreness spread across his right shoulder, and he felt a soft breath brushing against his neck. Lowering his head, he saw that Rong Qi, who had refused to let him get close the night before, was now leaning against him, head tilted, completely unaware, sleeping soundly.

Gu Yunxing: “……”

Fearing that the demon would turn around and accuse him after waking up, Gu Yunxing gently straightened the other man, and then carefully examined his own injuries.

After Rong Qi left the previous day, Gu Yunxing had taken advantage of the warmer temperature in the morning to catch up on sleep in the cabin. When he woke up, he slowly moved to the stream of freshwater to tend to his wounds and found some branches to splint them. Unfortunately, he couldn’t find any suitable herbs, so recovery would take time.

Lost in thought, he suddenly became aware of an intense gaze fixed on him. He looked up to find Rong Qi already awake and watching him.

Gu Yunxing: “How was your sleep last night?”

Rong Qi pulled at the corner of his mouth. “Not bad.”

Rong Qi’s mood was a little complicated.

As soon as Gu Yunxing made any movement, he woke up. Upon waking, he noticed that Gu Yunxing was holding his shoulder, doing something he couldn’t discern. Thankfully, Gu Yunxing quickly stopped, otherwise, Rong Qi wasn’t sure how he would have reacted.

It was the third day since they had arrived on the deserted island.

After the initial two days of adjustment, Rong Qi had temporarily accepted their aliance. Neither of them mentioned the conflicts that lay between them, maintaining only the barest pretense of cooperation.

Just before leaving the cabin, Gu Yunxing suddenly called out to Rong Qi. “Right Protector Rong, please bring back some water.”

With that, he handed over a water flask.

Rong Qi turned around without a word, grabbed the flask, and didn’t ask where it had come from. Once outside the cabin, he sneered, “Do you really think this venerable one will come back?”

Gu Yunxing: “……”

With that heartless remark, Rong Qi headed into the woods, disappearing from sight shortly after.

He wasn’t actually planning to part ways with Gu Yunxing, but the certainty on Gu Yunxing’s face had genuinely irritated him. He didn’t want to let the other man feel so sure of himself.

By the time he had fetched the water, caught a wild rabbit, and gathered firewood, he returned to the cabin. From a distance, he saw Gu Yunxing, leaning on a crutch, determinedly hobbling forward despite his injuries.

“Sect Master Gu, going for a stroll?”

Gu Yunxing’s expression remained unchanged as he remained silent for a long time.

Secretly feeling smug, Rong Qi found Gu Yunxing’s reaction after realizing he’d been played deeply satisfying.

“I overestimated myself,” Gu Yunxing murmured.

Rong Qi frowned in confusion. Before he could understand what he meant, the man suddenly dropped the branch and sat down on the ground.

“This humble Gu really can’t go on any longer. Could you lend a hand, Right Protector Rong?”

Rong Qi: “……”

Gu Yunxing looked utterly exhausted. He stretched out his uninjured right hand, waiting for Rong Qi to help him up.

But Rong Qi wasn’t buying it. “This venerable one can see that you’re fine, Sect Master Gu. Yesterday, you could even walk to the stream by yourself, so I imagine you don’t need my help.” He said he would help, and so, he simply carried the rabbit and water flask, ignoring him.

Gu Yunxing coughed lightly. “Fine. This humble Gu will just make his way back slowly. I should be able to return before the sun sets.”

Rong Qi frowned. “Before the sun sets?”

It had just risen!

After speaking, Gu Yunxing propped himself up with the branch, struggling to stand. His movements were slow and laborious, like an old man trying to climb a mountain.

Rong Qi waited for a long time, holding back his impatience. He had been rushing back so urgently because he wanted Gu Yunxing to cook for him!

Since the shipwreck, Rong Qi had only eaten a little last night. It barely satisfied his hunger, and by now, he was already starving. Would Gu Yunxing really drag this out until evening?

With that thought, Rong Qi clenched his teeth in frustration. “Fine, I’ll carry you back, but you carry the stuff!”

Gu Yunxing smiled. “Naturally, once we’re back, this humble Gu will make a fire and roast the rabbit as a token of appreciation.”

Rong Qi’s face darkened, and he didn’t reply.

He threw the pile of firewood he had been holding onto the ground and shoved the water flask and rabbit at Gu Yunxing. Then he faced the firewood pile, contemplating. If he was going to carry Gu Yunxing, he couldn’t hold the firewood. But Gu Yunxing couldn’t carry everything either. After thinking for a moment, Rong Qi loosened his belt, bundled the dry branches together, and handed one end to Gu Yunxing.

“You hold this.”

Gu Yunxing cooperated readily.

Rong Qi bent down, lifting the injured man onto his back and started walking forward.

“Since your leg is injured, don’t just wander around!” Rong Qi set Gu Yunxing down near the edge of the cabin, letting him sit against the outer wall. His tone was laced with disgust. “Otherwise, you’ll just be a burden to me.”

Gu Yunxing stayed silent. Although he had been carried, he had many things hanging on him, which wasn’t comfortable either.

They exchanged a glance, both exhausted, as if they had just fought a fierce battle and left each other equally worn out.