章 40: What bombshell?

Zhang Wang thought he was reeling and grabbed hold of the young woman's shoulders out of shock. "What system? What debugger for your system?" The words tumbled out of his mouth like a broken dam.

Ariunbayar was shocked by his sudden action, her head bobbing like a toy. "Stop that!" She eventually huffed and shoved him back. "You indecent person," she huffed and crossed her arms in front of her chest. "This is the first time someone has been this disrespectful to me."

"Sorry," Zhang Wang sighed but also narrowed his eyes, "But you can't just expect me to react normally when you drop a bombshell like that!"

But Ariunbayar was confused and just tilted her head. "What bombshell? No one has ever reacted this weirdly to me before! I usually just say whatever they just smile and nod along the way. You're a total weirdo."

"I- what?" Zhang Wang blinked. He had way too many things to say! But instead, he just groaned in frustration. "Never mind, I need you to tell me more about this system and debugger thing."

Before their conversation could continue, a tall figure joined Zhang Wang at his side. "What's going on?" Yu Yanlin's calm voice sent chills now his spine, rumbling next to him so suddenly.

"Don't startle me like that--" Zhang Wang hissed and blinked a few times at Yu Yanlin before turning back to the Princess of the Steppes, "Anyway, we really need to talk!"

"What's there to talk about," she complained, "I don't want to! I was only asking about helping me with the worm…"

But Zhang Wang had already zeroed in on the words that had left Ariunbayar's mouth. He couldn't allow her to get away! "Sorry, sorry Yan-" almost making a mistake he corrected himself the last second, "Bai Hu. I need to talk to the cute and lovely Princess of the Steppes here, can you give us a minute?"

"...Of course. You only need to ask."

"Good, good!"

And it was such, Yu Yanlin was kicked out of Zhang Wang's room while Zhang Wang was in there alone with the Princess of the Steppes.

It was only after that Zhang Wang realized his mistakes and how it was a dumb dickish move on his part.

In the moment, he had no such guilt and instead only drilled Ariunbayar with questions. "A system, so you're saying you have a system? What is it like?"

Ariunbayar was confused at first and a little startled that Zhang Wang seemed like he knew what he was talking about. She was also weirded out by the fact that the Immortal of a Thousand Blossoms had apparently kicked out his own lover. Just what was that even about?

"A system is a system. How am I supposed to know? And yes I have one, but I can't even use it properly because you lost my debugger!"

"What exactly is this debugger?" Zhang Wang was pacing around back and forth, flailing like a baby kitten. Princess Ariunbayar might have thought him cute if he wasn't annoying. "It has something to do with your system, doesn't it?"

"Didn't I already tell you?" She rolled her eyes and plopped down casually on his bed, unconcerned about the scandalous implications that it might cause. "I need my debugger to use the system properly. It has nothing to do with you, so I don't understand why you're so interested."

Zhang Wang threw up his arms, "Of course I'm interested, how can I not be interested! I have a system too!"

This time it was Ariunbayar's turn to be shocked. Her wide eyes went even wider, "Huh!? Why didn't you say so earlier!?"

…

Yu Yanlin was left outside by himself.

This wasn't the situation he ever imagined himself to be in, stuck in the middle of one the surviving major sects, at risk of being found out and killed.

If he had to admit, it was a little bit thrilling.

What wasn't so thrilling was being kicked out of Zhang Wang's room while he was inside talking to the Princess of the Steppes about something that he wasn't privy too.

And though Yu Yanlin didn't find that so thrilling, he had no idea why the situation grated him either. So he only stood there, marveling at his own emotions for a moment, before finally being snapped out of his stupor. He could feel eyes on him, silent but judgemental, probably thinking that he could not feel their glares.

He didn't care, but he also did not wish to attract too much attention for Zhang Wang's sake. Most of he did nowadays seemed to be for Zhang Wang's sake. How strange.

He strolled the halls leisurely.

Though he could not see any of the vibrant murals or decadent decorations, he tried to enjoy the calming sounds and scents enveloping him. His entire life was one lived within narrow confines of regulations that he followed without questioning.

Who knew the air outside the battlefield and towering palaces could be so refreshing? Despite being powerless now, he was wrought with neither depression nor despair.

Only a childish giddiness. Foolish folly. Yu Yanlin wanted to laugh. Had he experienced death, or was this a rebirth instead?

He didn't know. And found that he did not care.

Without the weight of responsibility, he did not need to care about anything…

Aside from Zhang Wang. Yes, after all, that Immortal of a Thousand Blossoms' soul was not entangled with their own, their fates now tied together.

Perhaps Yu Yanlin should have been more concerned. And yet it was just another spark that tickled a flame inside his heart he never even knew existed. Entwined fates, he thought with a secret smile, how romantic.

He had wandered to where the air was fresh, a soft wind tinkled his cheeks with a cobbled path beneath his feet. Yu Yanlin could hear the subtle trickling of water. There was the singing of birds, wings fluttering when he walked, fearful of his approach.

His leisurely walk was interrupted by a familiar voice, a lyrical humming tone, "Does Master Bai enjoy my humble garden?"

Judging from the surrounding birdsong, Yu Yanlin could tell they were rare species from faraway lands and would not have been easy to transport them to this place. Though it might not have compared to the exuberant lifestyle that Yu Yanlin had lived, he had a feeling this man was far from humble either.

"It is nice. Comfortable," Yu Yanlin said truthfully. He heard encroaching footsteps and soon Sikong Yong's presence was uncomfortably close.

"And what has you wandering around on your lonesome?" This close, Yu Yanlin could smell the sharp whiffs of citrus and sugar. It stung his nose and made him want to back away. "Since you're alone right now, why don't you join me in Nestling Pheasant Pavilion? Let's have a cup or two, why don't we?"

"Hm," the demon king remembered Zhang Wang's words and thought maybe this would not be a good idea. Then again, he was supposed to join this man for dinner anyways. Yu Yanlin was the last person who skilled at coming up with excuses. Before he could even come up with ideas, a hand had slid to his arm, wrapping around to usher him forward.

Yu Yanlin suppressed the urge to tear the man's hand off the joint of his wrist and followed until the cobbled path turned to wooden stairs. There was the sweet scent of exotic flowers that surrounded him, their fragrance dizzying in abundance.

"So, Master Bai. You hail from Xianggu?"

Xianggu was a city bordering the Dark Kingdom, having being occupied by both demons and humans off and on throughout history. Yu Yanlin had been there once, for several months, and Zhang Wang had thought it was the most natural lie that would form the foundations of Yu Yanlin's fake identity.

His heart sped up. An uncomfortable pressure began to build.

Ah, he was going to mess up for sure. Fighting to keep his expression still, Yu Yanlin nodded. "Yes."

"Tell me about yourself. You've already displayed such impressive feats that I keep hearing rumors about, and yet this is the first time in my life that I've heard or met a Master Bai from Xianggu."

Yu Yanlin nodded again. "My parents were rogue cultivators and master martial artists. They left me with the skills to stay alive and keep a low profile." The words were parroted from Zhang Wang's lips, simple but common along the borderlands.

Or would have been typical for someone that didn't display such absurd abilities and strengths. Yu Yanlin however, was not aware of his mistake.

Sikong Yong raised a brow, "I'm dumbfounded how a hero such as yourself could keep a low profile in an era as rife as this. If you have joined the war, surely there would me many singing your name in praise, no?"

Would it be awkward to answer that he had long been part of the war? "My parents did not think it wise." This was also another answer that Zhang Wang prepared for him.

"Ah," Yu Yanlin could hear a subtle hum, "Such is the story of many young ones nowadays. Zhang Wang's parents have long left the world as well." Yu Yanlin could pick out the sharp sting of pain that came from behind his voice. But the sect leader soon recovered and continued, "How was your relationship with your parents before they died?"

Yu Yanlin sat stiffly. Ah! This was an oversight on Zhang Wang's part. He hadn't prepared a generic answer to this question! Across from him, Sikong Yong observed his guest with a keen eye as he waved the servant over to pour them each a full bowl of wine.

This Master Bai was taking his time to answer, but Sikong Yong wasn't going to relent either easily.