Faceted Jade a.k.a Carven Jade [ENG Translation]

CHAPTER 48

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I shall travel a thousand lǐ through thorns and thistles to pick the flowers and bring the wine before coming home.
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This question stumped Fu Changling. After a brief respite, he responded after some thought, "Shīxiōng, there's no need to think too much. People get injured all the time at the Cliff of Ten Thousand Bones due to its inherent danger. I'd also have to trouble Shīxiōng to take care of me if I were injured."

"But why is it me?" Yun Yu turned his head and stared at him, his eyes slightly reddening. "Why is it just me?"

Fu Changling didn't know how to answer. Yun Yu pushed himself up and looked at him, snivelling. "If you don't dare to say it, I will. Because I'm a poor learner, because I'm incapable, because I'm dumb and lazy!"

"I've been in the Hongmeng Heavenly Palace for ten years," Yun Yu said, lowering his voice. "How come everyone is better than me?"

As Fu Changling listened to Yun Yu's words, his heart slowly came to understand.

Yun Yu gave off the impression of being optimistic and easy-mannered, but inside, he was no different from any other person. He'd feel envious, depressed, and ashamed.

In spite of the fact that he was better than Yun Yu, Yun Yu could still feel better about himself because Fu Changling had spent eight years alone at the foot of the Cliff of Ten Thousand Bones and had had other fortuitous encounters along the way. However, even Shangguan Mingyan was much more competent than him, and it was a disgrace for Yun Yu as a Senior Brother.

The closer people are to one another, the harder it is to accept changes in connections. Fu Changling pondered over the matter before slowly saying, "Yun Shīxiōng, the path of cultivation is a long one, and we can't compare ourselves to others. If you compare yourself to others, your heart will no longer be in your own hands."

"I'm not comparing, either." Yun Yu's voice trailed off as he appeared to feel that he, too, was mistaken in thinking that way. A little less confidently, he added, "I just feel that as a Shīxiōng, not only did I fail to help you guys, but I had also dragged you guys down."

Fu Changling smiled without saying anything. Naturally, he knew that this was Yun Yu's cover-up, but he chose not to disclose it either. Yet after a while, Yun Yu continued, "And I feel that I'm going to get left behind."

"Dà Shīxiōng is your Shīxiōng," Yun Yu glanced up at Fu Changling and said seriously, "Xie Shījiě is Shangguan Mingyan's Shījiě, and I'm all by myself. I'm nothing."

"Shīxiōng," Fu Changling stared into his eyes as he calmly said, "Dà Shīxiōng isn't my Shīxiōng, and Xie Shījiě isn't Shangguan Mingyan's Shījiě, either. They are theirs, and you are yours. As a cultivator, you must belong to yourself."

"Eight years at the bottom of the Cliff of Ten Thousand Bones," Yun Yu giggled, "you truly have learned a lot. What about you? Is your heart your own?"

"No, it's not." Fu Changling slovenly laughed along with Yun Yu. Yun Yu took it as a joke and rolled his eyes. "You're not fooling me. Given your nature, to whom does your heart belong if not to yourself?"

"Do you still need to guess?" Fu Changling unfolded his fan to cover half of his face, cast a charming glance, and said with a squeeze of his voice, "Of course to Shīxiōng. His heart isn't mine, but mine is his."

Yun Yu appeared to be irritated by him and shuddered a little. He hugged his own shoulders and rubbed his arms, shivering as he said, "You're so disgusting. I don't want to talk to you."