"Three Brothers Fight the Tiger" was written by Xun Fang Zhen Ren and is currently up to its third volume, with more to come.
The story revolves around a good-hearted, lovable talisman cultivator who, upon his initial venture into the world, befriends a cold yet scheming sword cultivator and a flirtatious demon cultivator in a secret realm. After they defeat a Nine-Lives Tiger together, they evolve from rivals who couldn't stand each other to sworn brothers, adventuring and upholding justice.
Xun Fang Zhen Ren's writing is exceptional, elevating this simple adventure story into an emotional roller coaster. With alluring demonic beauties and treasured mythical beasts scattered throughout, it's a tapestry of masculine romance. Each character is vividly portrayed, and the scenes where they set aside past grievances and toast to their friendship are written with boundless enthusiasm.
Nestled in his blanket and illuminated by a glowing pearl, Song Qing Shi found himself unable to put the book down, ignoring the vine that tightened around his foot a few times as a signal to sleep.
At last, he understood the joy of reading storybooks.
In the story, the talisman cultivator suffered grave injuries at the paws of a demonic tiger, only to be heroically rescued by the sword cultivator. On Chang Feng Mountain, a myriad of swords were unleashed, delivering brutal strikes that were breathtaking...
Song Qing Shi was engrossed in the narrative when something cold and wet brushed against his foot. Pulling back the blanket, he found that Hao Long had slithered over, attempting to bite off the bothersome Blood King Vine, eager to reclaim its territory.
Its teeth were incredibly sharp, leaving multiple gashes in the Blood King Vine.
"Stop it," Song Qing Shi quickly separated the snake's fangs from the vine, picking up Hao Long and scolding it. "This is not a mere rope; you can't just bite it willy-nilly."
Hao Long instantly coiled around his waist, nuzzling close to his chest, refusing to leave.
"You've gained weight," Song Qing Shi said, amused yet slightly annoyed. "Fine, you can stay tonight." He then shook his foot lightly and commanded, "Wu Huan, don't wrap so tightly; I'm fine."
The Blood King Vine slowly loosened its grip, lingering lightly around his ankles.
Song Qing Shi wondered why Yue Wu Huan always insisted on having the Blood King Vine wrapped around him instead of placing it at the bedside. When he asked about it, Yue Wu Huan seemed hesitant, unable to articulate. He guessed that after caring for him during his ten-year coma, Yue Wu Huan might feel anxious being apart and used the vine to seek reassurance.
If his little angel had quirks, they were quirks to be indulged.
What's the big deal about a single Blood King Vine? If he wanted to wrap seven or eight around him, that would be no problem!
Patting Hao Long's head, Song Qing Shi resumed reading. He even took notes with a charcoal pencil, enthusiastically underlining important points and sharing his thoughts with Hao Long. "The characters in this storybook are so well-written, quite relatable! I think Yue Wu Huan is the kind-hearted and lovable talisman cultivator, An Long is the flirtatious demon cultivator, and I am the aloof and cunning sword cultivator! We started with conflicts, but through adventures..."
Yue Wu Huan, eavesdropping via the Blood King Vine: "???"
An Long, eavesdropping via Hao Long: "???"
Song Qing Shi quickly formulated a plan for the future: he would drag the two on an adventure, deepening their brotherly bonds through a series of interesting experiences. He remembered that the nearby Nan Hai City was currently celebrating its Flower Festival. Although small, the city was abundant in beautiful women and strong liquor, catering to An Long's tastes. Rare gemstones were often sold there, which would interest Yue Wu Huan, and it was also the season for Wu Shou flowers, so he could collect some medicinal herbs on the way.
Visiting such a marvelous place, even if the plan failed, no one would be unhappy. Before leaving, however, he'd have them read the storybook, so they could appreciate the depth of brotherly affection he was aiming for.
The next day, Yue Wu Huan obediently accepted the storybook, saying, "If Master says it's good, it must be."
"I've read that book before," An Long, who had been puzzled and restless the whole night after overhearing yesterday's conversation, couldn't help asking, "Why do you think he's the talisman cultivator and you're the sword cultivator?" Where was the kind-hearted and lovable part in that demonic trickster? Where was the aloof and cunning part in his naive Master?
Song Qing Shi answered confidently, "Because the sword cultivator, being the oldest, is the responsible one and therefore the older brother; the talisman cultivator is the youngest and needs care, thus the younger brother. Among the three of us, I am the oldest, you're next, and Wu Huan is the youngest. Is that not correct?"
His answer was logical and well-supported.
Astonishingly, An Long couldn't find a point to refute.
"How did you know about all this?" Song Qing Shi sensed the flaw in An Long's words and realized he was referring to something he'd said when alone at night. After investigating Hao Long and discovering a tiny eavesdropping bug hidden in its scales, Song Qing Shi was infuriated. A blaze of alchemical fire ignited in his hands as he yelled, "So you're eavesdropping on my sleep-talk again!"
He'd done this before—spying on him as he slept, making fun of how he hugged his blanket and mumbled medicinal verses, suggesting he should instead embrace something warm, like a man's arms!
He wasn't a girl; why would he embrace a man?
This was a blatant mockery, implying he acted like a woman!
The more Song Qing Shi thought about it, the more incensed he became. His Lotus Flame burned ever brighter. There were still days left before their departure; he wouldn't mind if An Long had to recover from injuries alongside him!
An Long, singed and scurrying for cover, saw Yue Wu Huan standing idly by and immediately protested, "He eavesdropped too! Why are you only targeting me?"
Yue Wu Huan set down the storybook he was holding and smiled, "I had already reported the Blood King Vine matter to Master."
"You're trying to drag others down with you!" Angrier still, Song Qing Shi retorted, "I have mobility issues, so Wu Huan left the Blood King Vine for my convenience. Why did you send Hao Long to eavesdrop?"
An Long felt wronged, "I heard you were sharing a bed with him before your accident..."
"You've shared a bed with me too!" Song Qing Shi found An Long's complaints absurd, "When you were seriously injured and stayed at the Medicine King Valley, I took care of you beside your bed, didn't I? You're the one who moved restlessly once your condition improved slightly, which is why I changed it to separate beds."
Isn't it normal for a severely ill patient to have someone stay by their bedside?
An Long had a retort stuck in his throat, hating the countless embarrassments from his naive years, making it impossible to turn the tables.
Song Qing Shi became suspicious again, "How do you know that I was sleeping beside Wu Huan?"
An Long's spies in the Medicine King Valley had all been rooted out by Yue Wu Huan over the years, cutting him off from any information within the Valley. This was something he absolutely could not let Song Qing Shi discover, or else a relentless questioning would ensue, and he might end up blacklisted and expelled from the Valley.
Suspicion glinted ever brighter in Song Qing Shi's eyes, while the alchemical fire in his hand flickered in and out of existence.
An Long made a quick decision, grabbing the seemingly docile Yue Wu Huan standing next to him, "He told me!"
Yue Wu Huan gave him a glance and smiled.
"After we settled our past grievances, we found much to talk about and this topic came up incidentally," An Long said, his face the picture of sincerity. His fingers nearly crushed Yue Wu Huan's shoulder blade as he continued with a mixture of menace and pleading, "It was my misunderstanding; I thought you two were up to something interesting behind my back, so I sent Hao Long to eavesdrop. Right, little brother Wu Huan? That's what we agreed upon, isn't it?"
Song Qing Shi was a top-tier forensic examiner, adept at ascertaining causes of death.
He was skilled in the art of poison, and Yue Wu Huan was a master of toxins; both had methods of killing that were difficult to hide.
No one wanted to anger Song Qing Shi or leave any blemishes on their record.
Cultivators had long lifespans, so there was no need to act in haste. Even if they loathed each other enough to want to devour one another, the right timing was essential. Otherwise, even if they succeeded in killing the other, the black mark left in history would make the act pointless. Plus, if Song Qing Shi grew suspicious and started an investigation, other secrets might be exposed.
They both harbored many secrets.
An Long knew that Yue Wu Huan shared the same thoughts, which was why he was being accommodating and tolerant.
He was even more cautious and meticulous than An Long himself, never revealing his true nature.
"Lord An speaks the truth," Yue Wu Huan, cognizant of An Long's intentions, seemed unfazed by the pain in his shoulder and helped to maintain the ruse. "It probably came up casually in our conversation. It's thoughtful of Lord An to remember. I'm much better now and don't require Master's bedside care anymore, nor will we be doing anything interesting in bed. I'd appreciate it if you refrained from such actions in the future."
Song Qing Shi was confused, "What else could you do in bed besides sleeping and reading?"
Yue Wu Huan indulgently responded, "Master, you're absolutely right."
An Long looked at Song Qing Shi's innocent eyes and found his anger dissipating for some reason. His ire towards Yue Wu Huan also diminished. Perhaps it was foolish to have expectations for this heartless cultivator. Even the allure of an exceptionally charming individual like Yue Wu Huan couldn't ignite any desire in him. He was probably a lost cause.
To make him understand these matters would require extreme measures: coercion, threats, and control, forcibly instilling these experiences to help him taste the flavors of desire so that his naïveté could gradually bloom into something beautiful.
Thinking of those scenes from the illusion, An Long could barely suppress the urge to reveal his fangs and utterly shred this pure man.
But he absolutely couldn't do that; it would hurt him.
No mistakes could be made.
An Long gently closed his eyes, suppressing his inner malevolent thoughts; he couldn't afford to ruin what he had painstakingly gained.
"Lord An," the gentle voice of Yue Wu Huan roused him, "will you accompany Master on the trip to Nan Hai City?"
An Long opened his eyes, smiling at Song Qing Shi's expectant face, revealing his sharp canines, "If you're going, of course, I'll go."
Song Qing Shi had practiced cultivation for nearly a thousand years, spending at least nine hundred of those secluded in study. The rest were mostly spent gathering herbs in remote mountains or mystical realms. The number of times they had traveled together could be counted on one hand. Being proactively invited was a first and quite exciting. If he declined, wouldn't he be handing over a golden opportunity to this ethereal being?
With a gleeful smile, An Long draped his arm over Yue Wu Huan's shoulder, "What's our relationship, little brother Wu Huan? No need to call me Lord An; just call me big brother."
Yue Wu Huan nodded slightly and smiled, "Big Brother An."
Song Qing Shi was delighted, feeling that the relationship between the two wasn't as bad as he had initially thought and that their future seemed promising. He would meticulously plan their trip, consulting Ye Lin for recommendations on Nan Hai City's delicacies, drinks, and scenic spots. By engaging in various fun activities and deep conversations, perhaps they would discover each other's merits and resolve their internal conflicts upon their return.
Everyone here is academically brilliant. Why fight when we could be learning together?