Cultivation Retirement Plan (BL)

15. The Courtyard in the Snow

Talking origami?

Mo Yixuan was momentarily flummoxed as he stared at the construct floating in mid air. Meanwhile, the paper crane waited for a while before it got no answer, and flapped its wings again.

"Peak Lord Mo, come to the sect leader's hall immediately!"

Nan Wuyue was surprised too, but recovered faster than his master. "Shizun, you should reply."

Reply like how? Talk to it?

Mo Yixuan was still staring at the crane. When it didn't hear his answer a second time, it flapped its wings and prepared to repeat itself once more. This time, Mo Yixuan reached out to pinch the creature just as Nan Wuyue cried out.

"No, wait—!"

Something akin to an electric current shocked him where his fingers made contact before a flaming sensation sped up his arm. There was a flash of light before the two figures floating above the hot springs vanished into thin air.

—

As the maelstrom of fire and wind finally settled down around Mo Yixuan, he was struck by their new surroundings and the strong scent of wood.

Before then stretched a vast and open hall made of unpolished wutong wood, open to the elements and snowy grounds outside. Curiously enough, no snow reached nearer than three feet from the building, and the entire room was comfortably warm. The golden hues of the timber and tatami mats beneath reminded Mo Yixuan of a traditional teahouse he'd once visited during a company meeting, understated but elegant.

The peaceful scene was soon shattered by an unhappy voice that triggered Nan Wuyue to tighten his grip on his master's waist.

"Mo Yixuan!"

Without preamble, Mo Yixuan turned, clingy disciple and all, to face the tall, stern-faced man standing at the end of the hall. Star Pavilion Sect Leader Fei Chenling was looking at him incredulously, his eyes roving up and down his wet robes and sodden hair.

"Wet again? Has your soak in the qi refining pool addled your brains into thinking you're a fish?!"

Mo Yixuan opened and closed his mouth a few times. Technically, this time his disciple pushed him in first. "The crane," he said instead, "It brought us here?"

"If it's sect business, of course we'd meet in the sect leader's hall!" Fei Chenling sputtered before stalking forward. "And you!" He snapped at Nan Wuyue, "What did I say last time about clinging to your master? Hmph!"

With a quick wave of his hand, he knocked Nan Wuyue aside with pure power, causing the boy to stumble out of the way. Of course, that left Mo Yixuan's blood soaked chest in full view of the ornery sect leader.

Half sputtering, half indignant, Fei Chenling strode right up and became the second person of the day to pull Mo Yixuan's robes open. He didn't calm down until he saw the uninjured skin, but was quick to shoot a glare between Nan Wuyue and his master.

"What nonsense are you up to now?!"

Mo Yixuan firmly shook himself free and straightened his clothes, unperturbed. "It's only training." To be honest, Fei Chenling's quick tempered blustering reminded him awfully of his first boss. He was all bark and no bite, and had helped Mo Yixuan get his bearings in the industry, so the memories were fond ones.

"You call this training?!" Fei Chenling jabbed a finger meaningfully at the blood. "Don't think you can fool me, I know these bloodstains are from a stab wound!"

Mo Yixuan was impressed, if only because he thought the soak in the hot springs had washed away most of the obvious signs. Outwardly he shrugged and said, "It's already healed."