Jin Se

Chapter 80.1 (EXTRA)

When Shi Wuduan was young, he'd mistakenly drank Liufeng Dew, and nearly lost his life because of it. Later, perhaps because he was destined to commit dastardly deeds, he accidentally came back to life, albeit, with the problem that he was extremely sensitive to cold. When winter came, he was easily susceptible to colds and coughs.

Then, he grew up and did so many bad things that he got struck by lightning, almost losing his little life again. Perhaps, because he was still destined to be a disaster, he accidentally came back to life again. He'd swiped a root of the divine tree from the sect master and gotten himself a new body. From then onwards, he was afraid of both cold and heat. He pretty much turned into a real plant, never leaving his house in the hottest days of summer or the coldest days of winter.

Bai Li was once very concerned about him, and had specially made a trip to Bodhi Mountain and carefully observed the divine Bodhi tree. He found that the tree wasn't scared of cold nor heat. In the summer, it flourished just the same as any other plant, its leaves lush and fragrant. In the winter, even when the mountain was sealed by snow, it was still lively and green.　 　　

Thus, he was extremely confused and asked the sect master what was going on, "Why is it that in winter he's always very cold?"

The sect master replied, "When it's winter, you'll feel very cold as well."

Thus Bai Li asked, "Then why is it that he's so lethargic in the summer?"

The sect master replied, "People are just lethargic in the summer."

Bai Li thought for a moment, and decided that it made sense. But he still had misgivings and said, "But he wasn't this delicate before."

The sect master replied succinctly, "Three days without a beating and they'll start untiling your roof."

Bai Li glanced at him, then thought of his advice last time to weave a straw doll, and determined that the only thing this old coot knew how to do was con people and talk out of his ass, so he left.　　

Before, it couldn't be said that Shi Wuduan had a lot of freedom, but now that he was finally free, he wasn't scampering about to the ends of the earth as one might expect of him. On the contrary, he started living like a shut-in. When it was cold, he'd stay inside; when it was hot he'd stay inside. If it was rainy or windy, he'd stay inside.

It had to be a calm, sunny day, and the sun couldn't be too harsh, before he'd lazily creep out of his courtyard halfway up the mountain like a shell-less turtle(王八) and take a stroll around the back mountain.

As if to him, "freedom" was no more than a type of feeling.

In his own words, it'd be, "Well it's like this, if I was locked in a room, I might risk my life every day thinking of ways to escape, preferring to risk it all if it meant getting out. But if it's like this, where I can go wherever I want to, I might just think about it, and when I'm done thinking, I'll take a look around, see that it's too hot out, and get too lazy."

As said those words, he laid side-by-side with Bai Li on the roof, a round moon hanging above their heads and a half-finished pot of wine between them. It was mostly being hogged by Bai Li, but Shi Wuduan didn't quibble with him over it. At any rate, it was mild, and hardly intoxicating.

After hearing his words, Bai Li said, "Then, move over a bit."

Shi Wuduan turned his head to look at him. Bai Li flipped over on his side, reached out, and looped an arm around his waist. Then, as if he was playing coy, nudged up against him. Then, he frowned and mumbled, "Mmnn."