Ehh? How did he know I was here? Seems like he has improved a lot over the years, the person thought.
Yet, the person still did not move. They had a mission to complete and didn't have the time to entertain anyone else. Hoping that Feng Zhiyu would think he was mistaken and leave, the person kept as still as possible. However, he did not leave. Instead, he continued.
"If you don't come out, I'll cut down every single tree around here til you show up."
"!! He's not serious, right? Does he plan on destroying his family's front gate!"
Thinking that it was an empty threat, the person stayed put. To their surprise, Feng Zhiyu pulled out his sword and let it run wild, striking down the trees all around. In an instant, the tree where the person was hiding was struck down, causing them to fall out of the tree and lose the talisman in the process.
THUD!
Landing in front of Feng Zhiyu, the person looked up and saw him staring down at them. Slowly getting up, they hugged their body and yelled.
"What are you doing! That hurts!"
The person then held their hand out in front of Feng Zhiyu and said.
"Give me my compensation!"
"Okay, follow me back."
Stunned, the person stared at Feng Zhiyu. Who would have thought that he would actually agree? Still, the person shook their head.
"I don't want to follow you back. I want it now!"
At that moment, the disciples returned with the person's horse. Excited to see their steed, the person asked the boys to return the reins to them. However, the boys did not move and stood behind Jingfeng Jun.
"Hey, I just helped you guys out earlier. Is this how you repay me?"
The boys all felt guilty but had to follow orders.
"Xia gongzi, we do want to repay you. Why don't you come back with us, and we will-"
Before Feng Huiyi could finish, the person interrupted and said.
"I don't want to follow you guys back. I just want my horse-"
Feng Zhiyu became impatient of waiting for the person to come with them, so he released a binding rope to tie up the person. Handing the rope over to Feng Huiyi, he turned and headed back in.
As they all headed back in, the person constantly yelled and begged, doing their best to escape from the disciple's hands. However, to no avail, they could not break free from the ropes. In a desperate attempt to leave, the person devised a plan. One that could just push them over the edge and actually make them a madman.
"You guys really don't want to take me back with you guys. I swear."
Feng Huiyi turned back, smiled at them, and said.
"Xia gongzi, we promise we won't cause you harm. Jingfeng Jun just wants to ask you a few questions."
"That doesn't matter. You really don't want me near your people."
Curious about what the person was rambling on about, Feng Chunlei asked.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, you see. I have a habit. When I see handsome men, I will pounce on them."
All the disciples stopped in their tracks and looked back at the person. A few of them even took a step back.
"You... you mean, you're a-"
"Cut-sleeve? Yes. Yes, I am."
This time, all the disciples jumped back. Being a madman was already bad, but being a cut-sleeve at the same time was even worse. All the disciples wanted to let the person go but were afraid of getting into trouble, so they steeled their nerves and continued on.
Surprised that the boys didn't let them go, they continued on and on to scare them. However, they still weren't set free by the time they made it to the front gate of the clan. Stopping at the front entrance, Feng Zhiyu turned back and saw that the person was now doing their best to hold onto their horse.
"Jingfeng Jun, where would you like us to bring Xia gongzi to?" Feng Huiyi asked.
"Autumn pavilion."
Everyone was stunned into silence when they heard the name, but no one dared to say anything. They only bowed as Jingfeng Jun left.
After separating the person from their horse, they took them to the Autumn pavilion and locked them inside.
"Hey! Let me out! You can't keep me here!"
The person pounded on the door, but no one answered. Looking around the room, the person saw multiple shelves full of books, a small desk to sit and work, and a table to have tea at. Towards the back of the room, a beaded curtain separated the sleeping chamber from the front. However, the room was divided in half by a door. Although the person did not open the door, they assumed it was a meditating room.
I need to get out of here. If I stay any longer, I might get exposed, the person thought.
After taking a minute to think of a plan, the person remembered that members of the Feng clan all had a travel token that allowed them to freely move around the clan. If the person could get a hold of one and a set of clothing, then they would be home free. Using the little spiritual power they had left, the person cast a spell to break the seal cast on the door. Once the barrier broke, the person quietly snuck out and made their way to the hot springs.
The spring was divided into two areas, one for males and the other for females. Seeing as they were dressed as a man, the person headed towards the men's side. It had been many years since the person last came to the area, so it took some time to find the correct location.
When they finally arrived at the hot spring, they saw a set of clothes and a travel token on the pond's edge. Not wanting the person to be completely naked when they came out, the person only took the outer robe and the travel token. As they collected the items, their eyes trailed forward and saw the back of the clothes's owner. The owner was definitely someone who spent years training, but what shocked the person was the scars on the man's back. There were easily over a hundred whip scars on their back. Though they seemed old, it was still painful to look at.
What have they done to deserve such punishment? If the crime was that severe, why weren't they expelled from the clan?
While lost in thought, the person accidentally stepped on a twig. The man in the pond tilted his head slightly and said.
"Who?"
Afraid of getting caught, the person quickly took the stuff and ran away. As they bolted out of the hot spring area, they ran into Feng Huiyi, Feng Chunlei, and a few other disciples. Thinking that if they were to get caught, they might as well make the best of the situation and try getting themselves kicked out of the clan.
Coming to a stop in front of the boys, the person hid the clothes behind them and made a guilty face.
"Xia gongzi? What are you doing here? How did you get out?" Feng Huiyi asked.
"Uhh...ummm... I..."
Feng Chunlei peered behind the person and saw the clothes. He then shouted.
"How come you have our clan's clothing?! Who did you steal them from?!"
Following the direction that the person came from, panic rose on the boy's faces as they realized where the person had come from.
"You!"
"I... I didn't peep on any of your people!"
At a loss of words, the boys simply stood there dumbfounded. Yet before the person could add more fuel to the fire, they felt a cold blade on their neck. Slowly turning around, they saw a half-dressed Feng Zhiyu staring at them. Nervously laughing, the person thought.
So that was Feng Zhiyu that I stole from? What bad luck.
"Jingfeng Jun," the boys greeted.
"You guys go on ahead. I will take care of this."
The boys bowed again and left the person and Feng Zhiyu alone.
Sheathing his sword, Feng Zhiyu held his hand before the person. They quickly returned the clothes and travel token to Feng Zhiyu and backed away. After putting on the outer robe and travel token, Feng Zhiyu dragged the person to the Autumn pavilion by the back of their collar.
Upon entering the room, Feng Zhiyu threw the person into a corner and went into his sleeping chamber to change his outer robe. He then proceeded to go outside and hand it to one of the disciples, who ran off with it.
He can't be so disgusted that he had them go wash it, right? The person thought.
Coming back inside, Feng Zhiyu grabbed a book and then sat down in his study area to read. Anxious to leave, the person slowly approached Feng Zhiyu and asked.
"Jingfeng Jun, are you not going to ask me any questions? If you don't, can I leave now?"
Sadly, Feng Zhiyu did not respond and ignored the person. So, for the next half an hour, the person continued to pester Feng Zhiyu, trying to get a reaction out of him. Without any luck, they gave up and sat back down in their little corner, thinking.
15 years. I've been dead for 15 years, and he has changed so much. Just what happened during all this time?
The person couldn't help but feel sad and reminisce about the past. However, before they had time to sink further into the past, Feng Zhiyu stood and put his book away. He then went over to the person, dragged them into his bed chamber, and said.
"Time for bed."
Stunned, the person had no reaction as they were thrown onto the bed. Leaving the person there, Feng Zhiyu went into the meditation room and closed the door.
Huh? What just happened?
The person was speechless. They could only sit on the bed and stare at the door in front of them. Once the person recovered, a series of thoughts flowed through their head.
Wait. His hair isn't wet. He clearly was in the water earlier, so how come his hair isn't wet? Could it be that it was someone else?
Feeling a headache rise, the person pushed the thought aside and tried to figure a way out of the room. Thinking that Feng Zhiyu wouldn't put up a barrier when he was in his own room, the person tried to sneak out. However, when they made it to the curtain, a barrier knocked the person back. Stumbling back, the person staggered a few steps to regain their balance. The person tried to draw a talisman to break the barrier. Yet, when they tried, the person realized that the body was now too weak to regenerate the spiritual power.
Thinking that there would be some blank talisman in Feng Zhiyu's meditation room that they could use, the person quietly crept up to the door and placed their ear against it to see if he was asleep. Only hearing the steady sound of Feng Zhiyu's breathing, the person carefully opened the door and entered.
Inside the room, Feng Zhiyu was fast asleep. The person proceeded to look around, hoping to find something useful.
Unfortunately, they heard Feng Zhiyu sit up and ask- "What are you doing?" -before the person could find anything.
Turning around to face Feng Zhiyu, the person laughed nervously.
"Nothing. Did I disturb your rest? I'll leave now."
Failing to make an escape, Feng Zhiyu released another binding rope and bound the person. Falling to the ground, Feng Zhiyu picked them up before placing them back onto the bed and tightly rolling them up in the blanket. Struggling to get out, the person tried to persuade Feng Zhiyu to let them go, but he did not listen and returned to his meditation room. Laying in the silence, the person soon felt a wave of exhaustion flow over them. Closing their eyes, the person soon fell into a deep sleep.