Chapter 100: Disaster Out of Nowhere
At those words, Lin Jin’s heart skipped a beat.
From the corner of his eye, he noticed Han Ao pause mid-motion with his chopsticks. The relaxed expression he’d worn all evening stiffened slightly. Though his gaze remained fixed on the hotpot and he ignored Yao Fang, Lin Jin could still see the flicker of unease in his eyes.
They had finally managed to cheer him up at noon, helping him forget all those unpleasant things. Everyone had been happily eating together all night—so why did some clown have to show up at the very end and ruin everything?
Han Ao had always cared deeply about that matter, and now this “big rooster” had seized the chance to mock him and rub salt in his wounds.
Lin Jin frowned, about to snap back on Han Ao’s behalf—but someone else beat him to it.
To his left, Hua Nanzhi slammed her chopsticks onto the table and shot to her feet.
Pointing straight at Yao Fang’s nose, Miss Hua snapped without holding back:
“Who the hell do you think you are?! What gives you the right to shout at us like this? People from Yanyu Mountain aren’t for you to mock! I’ve had it with you for a long time. What was your punishment from your senior sister yesterday not enough? You came running over today just to get scolded again?! Let me tell you—drop the attitude, you ugly, obnoxious rooster! You’d better pray you don’t draw me as your opponent in the Sword Trial, because I won’t give you a chance to surrender. I’ll cut you down piece by piece until you beg for mercy!”
“….”
After being cursed out so thoroughly, Yao Fang’s expression darkened.
He had assumed that after the boy who forfeited to him made such a fool of himself today, embarrassing himself so badly, his master and fellow disciples would be displeased with him. A few sarcastic remarks shouldn’t have stirred much reaction—maybe he’d even get some agreement.
Who would’ve thought this group from Yanyu Mountain was so strange? They could tolerate even such a coward, protecting a spineless weakling like a treasure. Completely absurd.
Could it be that this kid had some powerful background?
And this girl—what was her deal? Ever since yesterday, she’d been jumping in his face nonstop, calling him an arrogant rooster. Why didn’t she take a look at herself? She was like a mother hen guarding her chicks!
Still, with several seniors from Yanyu Mountain present, Yao Fang could only keep those thoughts to himself. No matter how arrogant he was, he didn’t dare say them out loud.
But he couldn’t swallow this anger either. His eyes shifted slightly as he looked at Hua Nanzhi, the corners of his lips curling up.
He quickly suppressed the smile and said:
“My apologies. I spoke out of turn and disturbed everyone’s peace. I’ll be leaving shortly. But from what I can see… are you operating a forging furnace here?”
Hearing that, Jiang Lou covered his face in exasperation.
Lin Jin raised a brow. “And if we are?”
“Well… in Piaomiao Pavilion, lighting a furnace without prior approval isn’t allowed. Even guests must follow this rule. So—would one of you mind coming with me to report it and explain the situation? Otherwise, it puts us in a difficult position.”
“…?” Lin Jin glanced at the hotpot on the table.
“We’re not forging anything. We’re just cooking. That’s not allowed either?”
“No matter the purpose—if there’s a fire and a furnace, it’s not allowed.”
Yao Fang said this with absolute certainty.
“That’s ridiculous. Then just have a hard time, I guess. We’re not reporting anything. What are you going to do about it? Honestly, Piaomiao Pavilion has way too many rules—not allowing spirit beasts in, and now not even letting people light a fire—”
“Hua girl.”
Before she could finish, Mo Yuzhi cut her off.
With a look, he signaled for her to stop, preventing the conflict from escalating. Then, clearing his throat with the air of a senior, he said:
“Since it’s their rule, and they’ve made it clear, refusing to comply would make us seem unreasonable. Xiao Mo, why don’t you go with this young friend and handle it?”
“Alright.” Lin Jin didn’t argue. He nodded and stood up—but just as he was about to leave, another voice interrupted:
“Wait!”
Qi Xiaolang downed another cup of water and waved his hand.
“I’ll go! I’m done eating anyway. Senior brother, you stay—I’ll go with this senior brother. After that, I’ll head straight back to my room. Won’t delay anything.”
“Huh?” Lin Jin watched as Qi Xiaolang hurried away from the spice-filled table, sucking in breaths as he went. Guilt flooded his heart.
“How about I make you something light later and bring it to you?”
“No need! I’ve already been fasting anyway—whether I eat or not doesn’t matter.”
Qi Xiaolang smiled at him, then jogged over to Yao Fang.
“Senior brother, I’ll go with you. Please lead the way.”
“Mm. Fine.”
Yao Fang gave him a once-over, clearly unimpressed, his lips pressing down slightly.
Still, he said nothing more. After bidding the others farewell, he turned and left the courtyard with Qi Xiaolang, even closing the door behind them.
“What kind of disciples does Piaomiao Pavilion even teach? No manners whatsoever. What nonsense was that just now? Who does he think he is, judging our people? It’s infuriating.”
After Yao Fang left, Liu Xun snorted coldly, fanning himself.
Jiang Lou chuckled. “Oh, now you’ve got something to say? Why didn’t you speak up earlier?”
“That’s a stupid question. He’s an outsider, and a junior at that. What would it look like if I kept him here just to lecture him? Embarrassing, that’s what. Matters between juniors should be handled by juniors. Hua girl—you did great just now!”
Liu Xun shot Hua Nanzhi an approving look. She clenched her fist in encouragement, clearly ready to keep it up next time.
“Oh, now you care about saving face? When your Xiao Mo roasted your chicken and you made such a scene with a junior, where was your dignity then?”
“Jiang Lou, are you looking for a fight?! Is your own kid the same as someone else’s? Go try beating someone else’s kid when you visit their house and see what happens!”
“Not bad, not bad. Looks like you’ve learned about boundaries. Liu Xun’s grown up.”
“You’re asking for it!”
Even without Qi Xiaolang, the table remained lively. But Lin Jin couldn’t shake the feeling that, despite Han Ao insisting he didn’t care, he wasn’t as cheerful as before after Yao Fang left.
They ate hotpot late into the night, until the table was cleared of dishes. Lin Jin stayed behind to clean everything up before heading back to his room.
By the time he returned, it was very late. Not a soul was in sight. He walked leisurely across the long bridge from Springwater Ravine back to Qiuyun Terrace. Along the way, he felt like he had forgotten something—but couldn’t quite recall what.
He thought about it for a long time. Only when he pushed open his door did the answer finally hit him.
The wooden door creaked open. The room was dim, lit only by a small candle in the corner.
As the faint light illuminated his view, he looked up—and saw a tall, black-haired man standing with his arms crossed like a wall in front of him. A pair of faintly glowing teal eyes fixed on him coldly.
Oh no.
Lin Jin sucked in a breath.
He’d been so busy enjoying hotpot that he completely forgot there was still a “big dark guy” waiting in his room!
Xiao Lanqi stared at him, irritation simmering beneath the surface.
Seeing Lin Jin’s guilty expression, he let out a cold laugh.
“Take a look at the time. You still remember to come back?”
“I…” Lin Jin was at a loss.
Wait—why was this guy asking like that? He was the one taking shelter here. Lin Jin was the host! What did it matter when he came back? Why did he sound like a nagging spouse checking in?!
Before Lin Jin could think of a response, Xiao Lanqi suddenly leaned in close.
Startled, Lin Jin instinctively stepped back—but Xiao Lanqi grabbed his arm, stopping him.
He didn’t do anything else. He simply leaned in toward Lin Jin’s neck and sniffed lightly.
Lin Jin froze, not daring to move.
For a moment, he genuinely worried the man might just bite him.
But Xiao Lanqi soon pulled back and asked:
“What’s that smell? You ate something? What was it?”
Lin Jin didn’t think he owed him an explanation.
But he answered anyway.
“…Hotpot.”
“Hotpot?” Xiao Lanqi tilted his head. “What’s that?”
“It’s just a pot of broth where you cook ingredients.”
“What kind of flavor?”
“Spicy. Smells great.”
“…Why haven’t I had it before?!”
Xiao Lanqi suddenly looked furious.
“Why didn’t you let me try it?!”
…Brother! You’re a demon—why would it be strange that you’ve never had hotpot?! Why are you asking me?!
Dealing with him was exhausting.
Lin Jin couldn’t keep up with his logic, so he tried to calm him down:
“I was eating with my master and friends this time. Next time… if there’s a chance, I’ll make some for you.”
Xiao Lanqi narrowed his eyes. “Really?”
“Really.” Lin Jin sighed. He walked to the table and poured himself some tea. As he drank, something suddenly clicked.
He looked at Xiao Lanqi, still standing there, confused.
“…Were you waiting for me?”
“Who was waiting for you?!”
Xiao Lanqi snapped.
“Then why are you still standing there this late instead of resting?”
“I like standing. Got a problem with that? You were out eating with others—you couldn’t even see me. Why do you care whether I’m sitting or standing?”
He stomped over to his bedding, grabbed his blanket, and lay down.
“I’m going to sleep now! What, are you going to control that too?!”
…Right.
This guy really was aggressive.
Why did everything he said get shot back at him like a machine gun?
What exactly had he done wrong?
Holding back tears, Lin Jin finished his tea. As he passed by Xiao Lanqi to go to bed, he couldn’t help but add:
“You didn’t have to wait for me. I left you a communication talisman. If I’m late, you can just use it to ask.”
“I told you—I wasn’t waiting for you!!”
Xiao Lanqi kicked the blanket and turned his back to him.
“Didn’t you say those talismans would bother you and be rude?! Yesterday I sent dozens and you didn’t reply—today I send none and now you’re asking? What kind of person are you?!”
“…?” Lin Jin almost laughed.
So it wasn’t aggression—it was embarrassment after being exposed. A stubborn, awkward tsundere.
For a brief moment, Lin Jin realized this “big dark guy” wasn’t actually that scary.
He was… kind of cute.
“One message won’t bother me. Didn’t I say yesterday—if you ask, I’ll reply? Just maybe not immediately. Next time, send one if you need something. But only one per question.”
Lin Jin sat on the bed, looking at him gently.
“….”
Xiao Lanqi quietly glanced back at him—then quickly turned away again when he noticed Lin Jin watching.
“There won’t be a next time! Come back or don’t—it’s none of my business!”
“Alright, alright.”
Lin Jin suppressed a smile and lay down.
Pulling up his blanket, he said before closing his eyes:
“Good night, big guy.”
“Hmph!” This time, Xiao Lanqi didn’t correct him. He only sneered:
“Someone who comes back late from eating out without a word deserves nightmares!”
It sounded childish—like a sulking kid. Lin Jin had to fight hard not to laugh.
He knew it was just an offhand remark.
But whether by coincidence or not, he didn’t sleep well that night.
His dreams were chaotic—Han Ao questioning whether he really wanted to go home, the people around him turning into corpses…
But worst of all, he dreamed he woke up back in his empty apartment. On his phone was the ending of Proud Immortal Record, and all the people he cared about had become cold lines of text. As if everything had just been a dream—and waking up meant being alone again.
He knew it was just a dream.
But he was still terrified.
He struggled to wake up, to escape—but it was like sleep paralysis. No matter what he did, he couldn’t break free.
“Hey.”
A voice called out beside him.
“Idiot?”
…Who was that?
Why were they insulting him?
Annoyed, Lin Jin reached out and grabbed the person’s wrist—feeling a body temperature far higher than normal.
With sheer willpower, he forced his eyes open.
The first thing he saw was a pair of beautiful teal eyes.
After recognizing him, Lin Jin slowly calmed down, pushing away the lingering fear from his dream.
Yet for some reason, unease still lingered in his chest.
“You were having a nightmare?”
Xiao Lanqi frowned, scanning him over. He seemed about to say something—but suddenly his expression sharpened.
“Someone’s coming.”
“…?” Lin Jin immediately sat up and glanced around the room.
“Go hide behind the screen?”
Xiao Lanqi nodded. Before hiding, he even quickly rolled up his bedding.
The moment he concealed himself, footsteps sounded outside—and someone kicked the door open.
Only one person would make an entrance like that.
Lin Jin looked up—and sure enough, it was Hua Nanzhi, her face pale.
Seeing her like this, a bad feeling rose in his chest.
He rubbed his aching temples.
“What’s wrong? Why the rush?”
“….”
Hua Nanzhi took a deep breath, swallowing hard.
She was trying to steady herself—but her voice still trembled:
“Something happened.”
“What?”
“Qi Xiaolang.”
“What about him?”
Lin Jin frowned, confused why she couldn’t just say it outright.
At his question, her lips trembled.
Her eyes turned red instantly, tears welling up.
“…He’s dead.”
For the first time, fearless Miss Hua spoke with a choking voice:
“Lin Jin… Qi Xiaolang is dead!”
Sam Williams On TYMIMA Chapter 152