Winter solstice

Looking at the iron rod in his hand, then at the sweat on Zhao Changhe's brow in the depths of winter, Instructor Sun knew how much bitter effort the young man had poured into that single strike. This was no matter of talent. For more than twenty days, apart from eating, sleeping, and occasionally sneaking out for a bath, the fellow had spent every moment training.

He had only lost focus that one day, then punished himself with three thousand repetitions.

Instructor Sun had trained countless cultists and bandits over his lifetime, yet he had never seen an attitude like this... It felt as though a tiger were chasing the young man, and he was running for his very life.

In barely twenty days, a person's appearance should not have changed much beyond a little dark stubble. Yet Zhao Changhe's face had clearly grown more resolute and composed, a sharp glint lurking in his eyes, occasionally revealing a vicious ferocity.

His muscles had grown firmer too, their powerful contours sharply defined, brimming with masculine beauty.

That was precisely the mountain stronghold's standard of attractiveness. Add the scar on his face, which accentuated his fierce masculinity, and Zhao Changhe was practically the undisputed most handsome man in the North Mang Mountain stronghold...

By contrast, nobody thought much of the fellow surnamed Luo in his room. He looked like a pretty boy kept for pleasure. If he had not been living with Zhao Changhe, someone might well have tried teasing him. Naturally, nobody dared now, though some muttered behind their backs that he was Boss Zhao's private pet and had probably been played with already.

Almost every bandit in the Mountain Stronghold who refused to accept Zhao Changhe had been beaten up, including some veteran cultists who had come looking to bully him. In any case, Instructor Sun backed him whenever someone higher up came to make trouble. By now, the fellow was a little tyrant running rampant through the Novice Village, with a gang of lackeys gathered around him.

Because of that sort of thing, he had learned some punches and kicks as well as saber techniques. After all, he could not draw his saber every time he fought someone on his own side.

Just look at the wine gourd on his waist... He no longer needed Luo Qi to replenish his wine. Every day, it was filled with offerings from his underlings. Unlike him, the others were not wanted men unable to venture out, so of course they went into town to enjoy themselves. Plenty resorted to cheating, swindling, or robbery when they had no money. Zhao Changhe might now have been the only one who had never left the mountain.

Watching him tip his head back to drink, elated at having passed the test, Instructor Sun could already see something of a bold, heroic air about him.

Instructor Sun greatly admired men like this. Their temperaments were simply too well matched. "Changhe, you're about ready. When you go back tonight, try breaking through the First Layer of the Blood Baleful Art and see whether you can reach the first heaven. I've already explained the essentials. I trust you remember them."

Zhao Changhe cupped his fist excitedly. "I remember."

"This pill will help your breakthrough." Instructor Sun handed him a pill with a meaningful look. "Off you go. Hopefully, you'll be able to start learning the Blood Baleful Blade tomorrow."

"Oh, our handsome little tyrant, you're back?"

When he returned to their room, Luo Qi was already there early for once. He made a show of dusting off a chair and invited Zhao Changhe to sit like an obsequious lackey.

Zhao Changhe sat down with his legs planted wide and laughed. "What good news have you had now? Tell me so I can enjoy it too."

"How do you know it's good news? It might be bad."

"You only clown around when you're in a good mood. When you're in a bad one, you pull a long face as if I owe you eight million. How could I not know you by now?" Zhao Changhe unfastened the wine gourd from his waist and poured Luo Qi a drink. "Come on, try this. Someone gave it to me today. This wine has a kick."

"So you're saying the wine I bought you didn't have enough of a kick?"

Zhao Changhe gritted his teeth. "Senior. Brother!"

What he meant was, stop giving me the woman's routine. I want the male version, please.

"Hmph." Luo Qi acted petulant, but as his gaze passed over the wine gourd, a smile lingered at the corners of his mouth.

Whatever wine he put inside it, the gourd itself had always been the one Luo Qi had given him that day, the most ordinary, cheapest gourd. He had never replaced it.

"What good news could there be?" Luo Qi snorted. "I heard people saying I'm your private pet again. Is that fun? What the hell is wrong with this place? We're obviously both men. How can they still think of that sort of thing?"

Zhao Changhe lowered his head and sipped his wine.

This is nothing. You've never joined a readers' chat group back in the modern world. You'd hear far more there.

"Besides, why does a boor like you get called handsome?" Luo Qi slapped the table indignantly. "Look in a mirror. Do you deserve it?"

Zhao Changhe answered honestly, "I did this morning. My good looks woke me right up."

Luo Qi: "?"

Like hell you looked in a mirror this morning. When you woke up, I was clearly lying in the crook of your shoulder, and you grabbed me and hauled me aside.

Bandit!

Zhao Changhe quickly remembered that his actions that morning might not have been entirely appropriate, and hurriedly changed the subject. "It's the winter solstice today, a holiday. Any festive plans?"

Luo Qi started to speak, then stopped.

You're asking me what our holiday plans are? Am I your wife?

The most infuriating thing was that he really had made plans.

Muttering something under his breath, Luo Qi took a bowl of tangyuan from the cupboard with a stony face. "Bought these in town today. Boiled some water when I got back and tossed them in. Anyway, the custom at Luo Family Manor is to eat tangyuan on the winter solstice. It should be the same in your Zhao Cuo, right?"

Zhao Changhe asked curiously, "From the sound of it, you know the customs elsewhere too? How many places could you have been to?"

"Can't I hear other people talk about them? They eat dumplings. Too much trouble to make." Luo Qi crossly served him a bowl. "I don't think you like eating dumplings anyway. You're probably more interested in your sister-in-law."

Zhao Changhe: "?"

I haven't offended you today, have I? Why do you sound like you've swallowed gunpowder...? I haven't even thought of eating you, so what's this about a sister-in-law...?

Oh, right. I did offend you this morning... Never mind. Just keep quiet and eat the tangyuan.

Luo Qi shot him a sidelong look and grew even more irritated.

It was not really a matter of taking offense. The real problem was that he felt deeply uncomfortable with this sense of celebrating a holiday as a family. Yet Zhao Changhe was utterly oblivious, acting as though it were only natural, without so much as a word of thanks.

Am I your fucking wife?

Then, while eating his tangyuan, Zhao Changhe really did start talking as naturally as a husband discussing work over dinner with his wife. "I passed my basic saber technique test today. Instructor Sun intends to teach me the Blood Baleful Blade, but my cultivation needs to catch up. Otherwise, even if I learn it, I won't be able to bring out its power. It'd be pointless. Instructor Sun thinks I can try breaking through to the first heaven tonight."

Far too much like a married couple.

Luo Qi grew even more vexed. More infuriating still, this bastard was reaching the first heaven in a month!

Was he going to leave anyone else room to live?

"Why are you learning the Blood Baleful Blade so soon?" Even Luo Qi could hear the sourness in his own voice. "Shouldn't you normally learn an introductory saber style first?"

"The instructor said that, with how hard I work, I already know how to train. An introductory saber style wouldn't do much to improve me anymore. That kind of step-by-step routine is for mediocre people..."

Luo Qi's slender brows shot up.

Zhao Changhe raised his hands in surrender.

"Then break through. Why tell me? I can't help you." Luo Qi chewed his tangyuan and said stiffly, "Anyway, circulate your energy while you're still warm after eating. It'll help. I'll take advantage of the warmth too and go have a bath."

Zhao Changhe finally stopped eating and looked up at him, hesitating.

Luo Qi said with a stony face, "What? If you've got something to fart out, fart it out."

Zhao Changhe said hesitantly, "I've been thinking you shouldn't go bathing alone anymore. What if someone stumbles across you...?"

Luo Qi snapped, "Who goes to the pool in the middle of the night? I think you're the one looking for a chance to do something..."

"Would I even need to wait for a chance like that?" Zhao Changhe interrupted. "Just because you haven't run into anyone before doesn't mean you never will. I'll keep watch for you from now on. I can cultivate anywhere anyway."

Luo Qi poked a tangyuan with his chopsticks, but it slipped away without being skewered.

He kept stabbing at it crossly. "I'm a man. What does it matter if someone sees me? Besides, what fucking business is it of yours?"

This damned prickly little thing. Zhao Changhe thought for a moment and tried another angle. "Just think of it as helping me."

Luo Qi gave him a puzzled look. "Helping satisfy your curiosity about watching men bathe?"

"Fuck." Zhao Changhe said helplessly, "The Blood Baleful Art is a demonic art, after all. Breaking through carries risks, even if it's only the first layer... So if we're beside the cold pool and you see any sign that I'm losing my mind, just kick me into it. Problem solved..."

Luo Qi finally speared the tangyuan. He lifted it on a single chopstick and popped it into his mouth, his mood much improved. Smiling, he said, "You should've said you were asking for my help in the first place. In that case, I'll reluctantly lend you a hand."