"Brother Ye, I’ve come to see you. This is a three-year-old goose head from the south. It’s a real rarity here in the north." Wang Buku said with a smile as he walked to the door.
"Ah, Buku." The door creaked open. Ye Han stood there, looking at Wang Buku with a smile.
Ye Han had dark circles under his eyes, as if he hadn’t slept well.
Wang Buku handed over a food box. "I bought this especially for you."
"It’s been a long time since I’ve had a southern goose head. You’ve gone to a lot of trouble, Buku." Ye Han seemed like a different person, humble and polite. He took the food box, opened it for a look, sniffed gently, and praised, "Thank you, Buku. Among us brothers in misfortune, you’re the most loyal and true."
"We’re brothers. This is what we do for each other." A great weight lifted from Wang Buku’s heart. It seemed Ye Han had finally calmed down.
Ye Han put down the food box and asked, as if casually, "I heard you were taken to the Ministry of Justice?"
"Yes." Wang Buku nodded with a sigh.
A look of concern crossed Ye Han’s face. "How was it? They didn’t give you too hard a time, did they?"
"There was some light torture, but they were measured about it. Still, they never would have expected it to be a blessing in disguise for me. I obtained an Upper-Grade cultivation method, my power surged, and I advanced to the Seventh Grade," Wang Buku said.
Ye Han froze for a moment. His expression darkened, and he sighed. "You’ve always progressed faster than me. I didn’t expect you to beat me to it again. It’ll probably take me a few more days to reach the Seventh Grade."
"You had a rough childhood, but since we became adults, your Qi Fortune has always been better than mine. Don’t worry," Wang Buku said.
Hearing Wang Buku mention Qi Fortune, Ye Han couldn’t help but recall their experience in Deceit Village. The image of Li Qingxian’s smiling face surfaced in his mind, filling him with disgust.
He craned his neck to look past the courtyard gate. "Did you come alone?"
"Yes." Wang Buku looked puzzled.
Ye Han clapped Wang Buku on the shoulder. "Buku, you’re getting too formal with me. When you landed in trouble with the Ministry of Justice, why didn’t you send someone to tell me? Even if I couldn’t get you out, I could have found a way to lessen your suffering. That you went to Li Qingxian for help first... I never would have expected that."
"I didn’t, I..."
Wang Buku tried to explain, but Ye Han cut him off with a smile. "It’s understandable. After all, I’ve been confined these past few months, unable to even protect myself. Coming to me for help would have been a futile effort. If I were in your shoes, I wouldn’t think the Ye Han locked up in this courtyard could be of any use either. After all, I couldn’t even hold on to my own Qiankun Ring."
"I really didn’t! I was locked up in the Prison Department, I couldn’t find anyone to deliver a message." Wang Buku was never one for words, and Ye Han’s misunderstanding made him even more anxious.
Ye Han waved his hand dismissively. "Still trying to hide it from me? It’s all over our circle of friends. I heard Li Qingxian went to great lengths for you, even diverting a small-scale attack to strike the Prison Department and trading a blow with the Bone Filth Child. I never imagined you two were so close."
As he finished, Ye Han held his smile and stared directly into Wang Buku’s eyes.
Wang Buku grew even more frantic. "It was just a coincidence, he..." Wang Buku was about to say that it was on account of the Fate Master notebook he had given him, but remembering Ye Han’s reaction last time, he quickly changed his story. "He did it purely because he despises the Demon Sect, and just happened to save me along the way."
"So I suppose it was also a coincidence yesterday when he helped turn your bitterness to sweetness?" Ye Han asked, still smiling.
"You know the King of Jiangcheng has old ties with my family. He heard I suffered at the hands of the Ministry of Justice and was worried they would frame me again, so he’s kept me by his side these past few days. It’s to let everyone know he’s protecting me and to make the Ministry of Justice back off. Yesterday was a gathering of Martial Cultivators, and I had no idea Li Qingxian would be there," Wang Buku explained.
"I also heard you praised Li Qingxian so much that the King of Jiangcheng is thinking of taking him on as a son-in-law?"
Wang Buku didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. "Grandpa Wu does want a son-in-law, but that’s because Li Qingxian is Mr. Gangfeng’s son and because he thoroughly embarrassed the Ministry of Justice. It really has nothing to do with me. Ye Han, don’t believe all that gossip. I came today to talk about next month’s Seventh-Grade Cyan Cloud Examination. I want to work with you and help you become the Champion Scholar. If you win, you’ll be able to leave this place."
Ye Han sized up Wang Buku with a playful yet critical eye, then sighed. "Buku, we’ve been friends for over a decade. I know you mean well. So let me ask you this: if Li Qingxian also wants to be the Champion Scholar, will you help him, or will you help me?"
Wang Buku froze. The other day, he was talking with Songg Baige and Qiu Ye about the Cyan Cloud Examination. Songg Baige had suggested they all team up with Li Qingxian to vie for the Champion Scholar title, or at least prevent the Demon Sect from taking it. Without giving it much thought, he had readily agreed to the alliance.
Now, faced with Ye Han’s question, Wang Buku didn’t know how to answer.
Seeing Wang Buku’s hesitation, a pang of bitterness struck Ye Han. ’He’s done it,’ he thought. ’Li Qingxian has finally won over my best friend.’
When he heard what happened at Wangjiang Pavilion last night, he hadn’t slept a wink, filled with regret for driving Wang Buku away and throwing the food box that day.
That one act had pushed Wang Buku right into Li Qingxian’s arms.
’If Wang Buku had answered without hesitation, I might have had a chance to win him back. But now... can I really trust this hesitant ’good friend’ of mine?’
Ye Han forced a smile. "Forget it. I won’t make things difficult for you. I’ve also had someone sign me up for the Cyan Cloud Examination; even Disciplinary Officer Songg approved it. As for helping me become the Champion Scholar... don’t mention it again. If I fail, won’t I just become a laughingstock? I don’t ask for much, only that you and I avoid each other in the examination and don’t end up as enemies."
Wang Buku grew desperate. "Brother Ye, I really do see you as my brother."
"We are brothers. It’s just that I’m not your only brother, and you’re not my only brother." Ye Han patted Wang Buku’s shoulder with feigned magnanimity.
The courtyard fell silent.
Wang Buku stood rooted to the spot, a whirlwind of emotions in his heart. He never thought things would turn out this way.
He knew how much Ye Han was suffering, but Li Qingxian had saved his life. If not for Li Qingxian, he could have been tortured by the Demon Sect’s people, maybe even had his Dantian destroyed.
He couldn’t bring himself to speak ill of Li Qingxian in front of Ye Han.
Seeing Wang Buku’s silence, Ye Han managed a faint smile. "I’ve received the gift, and I’ll be sure to finish all of it. You should go get ready. Don’t be late for your dinner with Li Qingxian tonight."
This made Wang Buku feel even worse.
"In my heart, I still consider you my brother." After saying this, Wang Buku clasped his fist, turned, and walked out of the courtyard.
「After walking for a while, Wang Buku stopped.」
This time, he almost hoped to hear the same sounds as last time—for Ye Han to kick the food box away—because that would only mean he was angry.
But after a long moment, no sound came from within.
Wang Buku lowered his head and took a few more steps, only to overhear Ye Han speaking with the Guards at the gate.
"Brother Liu, Brother Wang, you can share what’s in the food box. I, Ye Han, am used to bitterness alone; I can’t stomach the sweetness meant for two."
A chill shot through Wang Buku’s heart, spreading all the way to his fingertips.
Inside the room, Ye Han reached into his tattered, modified Qi Fortune Silver Fish Pouch, took out a small knife, and sliced off a corner of his robe, letting it fall to the floor.
’Family can’t be trusted. Brothers can’t be trusted. From now on, I can only rely on myself. I, Ye Han, swear an oath today: I will seize the title of Champion Scholar in the Myriad Phenomena Cyan Cloud Examination.’
Wang Buku walked listlessly along the road of the Night Guard Office.
Before long, someone ahead of him called out with a beaming smile, "Tiantian, you went to see Ye Han? Is he doing okay?"
Wang Buku looked up and said helplessly, "Could you please call me something else?"
"Isn’t that what you said yourself?" Li Qingxian retorted.
"You..." Wang Buku’s face was a mask of resignation.