CHAPTER 288: CHAPTER 288: SO MANY SENIOR BROTHERS

Even if Duan Xiayou performed the Heavenly Cloud Sect’s basic techniques and took out a Jade Pendant resembling the Sect Leader’s token, Tuanzi remained vigilant.

She had a good reason to suspect him.

And that reason was his outfit.

It was ancient clothing, no doubt, but the dynasty she had visited before never allowed such attire, and its popular style was completely different.

Unless this person had traveled from another world into her master’s world and back here, it wouldn’t make sense otherwise.

"But then wouldn’t the era master lived in become a sieve?"

[Ancient Martial System: It is theoretically valid. Different eras, the same world; this world is indeed a sieve]

Now, even the system acknowledged the notion of a ’sieve.’

The probability of such a rare occurrence happening was so small that it could only concede.

"Ah," Duan Xiayou’s gaze shifted from the coffee in front of him to Tuanzi’s chubby little face, "I did travel through time—it should be said—I traveled to the world of my master."

Tuanzi blinked, maintaining her vigilance, "Miao... I’m very clever, don’t try to fool me."

"Then let me tell you about my experience."

Duan Xiayou didn’t talk much about being rejected by his father, excluded by his stepmother, or the schemes of others.

In short, he was initially the Heir of the Marquis, but shortly after his biological mother passed away, his father promoted a concubine, turning the concubine’s child from a son into the legitimate heir.

However, as long as he didn’t make mistakes, respecting the hierarchy, he wouldn’t lose his title as the princely heir.

Then shortly after, rumors emerged in the capital about him being a jinx star, followed by a land dragon’s flip (an earthquake), prompting his father to actively tell the emperor he was unfit to raise a son, seeking to remove his heir title.

Previously, each time there was an earthquake, either the emperor prayed to the heavens for forgiveness, or some important minister would resign, admitting their virtues didn’t match their position, angering the heavens.

Frankly speaking, when such a disaster occurred, someone had to bear the blame. It used to be the emperor or ministers; now, coincidentally there was talk of a Marquis Mansion heir being a jinx. The emperor didn’t want to sacrifice a minister; he was just a princely heir who hadn’t yet become an official. His biological father also agreed, so sacrifice it was.

Thus, he was stripped of the heir title and sent by his father to confinement at a Taoist temple.

At this point, Duan Xiayou paused and reached for the coffee.

He was a bit thirsty and genuinely curious about this dark yet fragrant beverage.

Tuanzi looked at him sympathetically, "Your dad is terrible, and that emperor isn’t good either. Isn’t an earthquake natural? Even if he doesn’t understand, confessing to the heavens won’t truly strip him of his emperor’s throne."

Simply put, Duan Xiayou was weak in power, his father didn’t care, his mother wasn’t around, and his younger brother was eyeing him, making him a scapegoat.

Tuanzi was about to offer some comfort when she saw the handsome man’s face scrunch up.

His upbringing prevented him from spitting out the coffee on the spot, but his face suffered.

"Bitter, so bitter."

Tuanzi immediately turned away to snicker, "Hehe."

Swiftly, she turned back and pushed a slice of strawberry mousse over.

"Try this. You might find it rich if you’re not used to it, but it pairs well with coffee."

Duan Xiayou took a bite of the strawberry mousse, and his eyes lit up.

"I like it."

"See, who doesn’t like desserts in this world?"

Tuanzi looked as if she’d found a kindred spirit besides Gu Mo, stealing a glance at the silent Gu Cheng.

Duan Xiayou leisurely ate a piece of mousse, and even when Tuanzi looked at him eagerly, he didn’t tell his story.

Still, with the little junior sister’s greedy look, it’s hard to say if she’s eager for the story or the mousse.

Once he’s full and satisfied, he finally talked about the main point.

"I met an old Taoist in the temple who was reportedly helped by my mother during a disaster year, repaying her kindness by gifting me a Spirit Jade."

His gaze fell on Tuanzi’s small hands.

Tuanzi was carefully pinching the cracked Jade Pendant.

"Then one night, the Spirit Jade glowed, and before I knew it, everything was spinning. When I regained consciousness, I was falling, with a bamboo forest below and a knight practicing martial arts."

Tuanzi’s eyes brightened, "Was that knight the master?"

"Yes."

Mentioning the master brought a smile to Duan Xiayou’s eyes.

"Even knowing I was an outsider, the master was willing to take me as a disciple and teach me martial arts."

Those years were his happiest.

"Seeing the wonder of the Spirit Jade, master secretly investigated and found a giant Spirit Jade, crafting many like mine."

"How many?"

It’s the first time Tuanzi learns how the Sect Leader’s token was created.

She was quite alert; how many aimed to seize the Sect Leader’s position?

"Around ten?"

Duan Xiayou recalled, "Master seemed to make marks; mine was hard to mark, but indeed, it was the first—I’m the senior brother."

His implication was strong, but Tuanzi pretended she didn’t hear.

Tuanzi carefully recalled, ensuring master only had one piece of Spirit Jade left; what number might it be?

She tapped her little head, "I can’t remember which it is! Oh, my brain!"

Tuanzi tapped a bit hard, soon clutching her head and crying in pain.

Gu Cheng helplessly rubbed her head and asked Duan Xiayou, "How did you return later?"

"Well, one night, the Spirit Jade glowed. I searched for the master, and he said perhaps my rightful place was in the original world."

Reluctant to leave, yet the Spirit Jade took him away.

Upon return, he realized he spent years in the new world but only a night in the temple.

Not long after, his half-brother became the princely heir.

Later, those people still targeted him as an eyesore, even with his father tacitly approving their animosity.

Duan Xiayou was merely lazy, not without temper, and swiftly retaliated, causing chaos in Marquis Mansion, implicating even his father, stripped of his position, left only with a title.

Perhaps soon he wouldn’t even hold onto the title.

"Well done!"

Tuanzi clapped fiercely, "Payback is a must!"

Duan Xiayou smiled, "After that, he severed our father-son relationship. The next day, assassins pursued me. While fleeing, the Spirit Jade glowed again. Supposedly, I should land near the master, but the Spirit Jade took me away, and master directed me to find you."

He arrived in this world, but the Spirit Jade cracked. He vaguely felt he might never return.

Tuanzi thought, rubbing her chin.

A minute passed.

Ten minutes passed.

Gu Cheng poked her head, "What are you thinking?"

Tuanzi looked serious, "Master made so many spirit jades; did he give them all to his disciples? The one he had should have been meant for me, right?"

Duan Xiayou also said, "Perhaps mine is the original, my feeling is stronger. I sensed the jade in my hand has been used many times. The others, at most, twice."

He used it thrice; others only once or twice.

No matter if other junior brothers traveled through time or belonged to the master’s era, gaining Spirit Jade, if only used once, it’s a return without hope; twice means a chance to return. Whether back to master or visiting the junior sister.

"Junior sister," Duan Xiayou asked curiously, "Traveling itself is mystical, never mind how you arrived by master’s side. But without Spirit Jade, how did you return?"

"Uh..." Tuanzi’s eyes wandered.

Because she had the system!

The system itself could detect temporal changes. Even without changes, gathering energy could still bring her back.

"Wait, maybe master discovered something, hence he didn’t give me Spirit Jade."

Other disciples needed Spirit Jade to leave, but she didn’t.

Initially, master told her it was the Sect Leader’s token, letting her become the Sect Leader and promising to give her the token. Yet when she left, she didn’t receive it. He must have noticed her peculiarity over the years.

"If that’s the case, master could use that Spirit Jade himself!"

Tuanzi jumped excitedly, "Why isn’t he using it? Use it now!"

Her small paws fiercely pounded the table, with such strength Gu Cheng suspected she might break the wooden table.

"Miaomiao, calm down," Gu Cheng reasoned, "What you say now, he cannot hear."

Tuanzi: (〃＞皿＜)