Chapter 102: This Is the Utter Depths of One’s Misery (Third Update)

Traveling on foot had its own advantages, chief among them the chance to enjoy the scenery along the way.

For the brothers, everything beyond Taixi County was a source of wonder. In all their lives, this was only the third time they had ever left the county.

Yan Mu’er had finally let loose and was skipping about with delight, while Ye Li was far more composed, walking quietly beside Ye Kun.

At that moment, however, Ye Kun spotted two figures kneeling by the roadside not far ahead.

Seeing the black and white robes, Ye Kun’s mouth twitched. He suddenly remembered those two from yesterday.

Dong Ci, Da Ci.

He had nearly forgotten about them.

“Darling, come look... they’re selling themselves,” Yan Mu’er called, waving to Ye Kun.

“Brother, this is way too strange,” Ye Qin said with caution. After all, when one was away from home, every matter called for care.

Ye Kun could understand his younger brother. In such a desolate place, for two people to be offering themselves for hire out of nowhere, any normal person would be suspicious.

When he reached them, Ye Kun discovered something else: they had actually become younger.

They now looked like teenagers. What did that even mean?

Dong Ci and Da Ci had reached an agreement: they would work together to find a way to break through, share intelligence, and so on.

Why had their master chosen youthful bodies?

The reason behind it was likely profound, but when they thought of how important state of mind was to cultivation, the two of them seemed to understand at once.

Their own hearts had grown too old and stale, robbed of vigor. How could they possibly break through like this?

In any case, following the master was surely the right answer.

“They look so pitiful,” Yan Mu’er said softly.

Ye Kun was speechless. A disciple of the Heavenly Sovereign, truly someone second to none, unmatched by the multitudes.

“They do look a little pitiful,” Ye Kun said, stroking his chin. He had to go along with Mu’er’s thoughts.

Dong Ci said miserably, “Young master, look at my clothes. They’ve got such a huge tear in them. I’m so pitiful!”

He figured that no matter how miserable a person was, it would probably amount to something like this.

Ye Kun looked at the tiny hole in Dong Ci’s sleeve. If you didn’t pay close attention, you really would miss it.

Are you here to be funny?

Then he looked at Da Ci beside him, who was clutching her long hair. “My lords, look at my hair. It isn’t even silky anymore! Tell me, isn’t that tragic?”

“So tragic,” Yan Mu’er said with sympathy.

Ye Kun felt that Mu’er was truly innocent. You believed that too?

Kind girls were always easy to deceive.

Ye Li, standing nearby, thought to herself that Yan Mu’er was clever indeed, showing unmatched kindness before her husband.

“Darling, Li’er thinks they truly are miserable.”

Ye Kun and Ye Qin were both speechless inwardly. For a moment, they even began to doubt their own idea of what counted as tragic. If this was tragic, then with my lack of hair, wouldn’t I be beyond all sight of pity?

“But we don’t have any money to buy you.”

“We don’t want money, young master.”

Could you two stop being so eager? It only makes people suspicious.

“That’s great. We don’t have any money either, and they can help us with the work,” Yan Mu’er said happily. If they hadn’t shown up, she would have been the one doing the labor herself. They were practically her saviors.

Ye Li understood Yan Mu’er’s meaning, and on this point, they were in full agreement.

In truth, for Ye Li and Yan Mu’er, whether the two had some hidden motive did not matter. After all, their own strength was right there for all to see. What they really wanted was simply two extra hands to do the work.

“Darling, let them follow us,” Yan Mu’er said.

Ye Kun was defeated. He simply could not make sense of his wife’s thinking.

“All right,” he said softly.

Dong Ci glanced at Da Ci, as though to say, See? My method was absolutely reliable. With barely any effort at all, we’re already staying by the master’s side to learn from him.

Still, the master’s changes were indeed quite striking. He had brothers now, and even two mistress figures by his side. Could this also be one of the things one had to cultivate?

Da Ci and Dong Ci exchanged a look.

Want to be brothers?

“Brother, why do I feel like those two are off?” Ye Qin whispered.

Ye Kun replied in a low voice, “Let’s watch a little longer.”

“Mm. If they mean us harm, then I’ll hold them off while you take the sisters-in-law and run,” Ye Qin said very seriously, without the slightest hint of joking.

Yet among the six of them, three could be considered invincible, two nearly so, and only Brother Qin remained the weakest.

It even felt as though the other five were all swindlers, while Brother Qin was simply too honest.

Dong Ci and Da Ci followed behind their master, watching every movement closely. If anything important happened, they would record it at once.

As night fell, Ye Kun decided it would be best to eat something and restore their strength. As for what to eat, that would depend on Dong Ci and Da Ci.

Having two underlings was at least somewhat useful.

Dong Ci and Da Ci were more than willing to serve their master, and the two hurried off to bring back some wild game.

“Brother, look over there. There seems to be a fire,” Ye Qin said, pointing into the distance. There really was a fire, not too far away.

“Darling, shall we go take a look?” Ye Li suggested. If they ran into someone in trouble, she could display her kind side and win her husband’s favor, making him lower his guard around her.

“All right.”

Brother Kun had spoken, and the group headed toward the fire.

By the roadside stood an overturned carriage. The horse was gone, and two figures sat by the flames, their backs looking utterly forlorn.

“Yuan Zhen! Feng Dian!” Ye Qin cried out in shock, never expecting it to be them.

Ye Li and Yan Mu’er were both astonished as well, especially when the two turned back with swollen, battered faces, as though they had been beaten senseless.

“Brother Kun!!!” Yuan Zhen and Feng Dian looked as though they might cry. After leaving Brother Kun, they had run straight into bandits.

Their horse had been stolen, along with some of their belongings. Damn those bandits—they were probably sent by Brother Kun himself.

Looking at their miserable state, Ye Kun asked with curiosity, “What happened to you two?”

Yuan Zhen and Feng Dian, filled with grief, told the whole story.

Ye Qin let out a long sigh. “When you’re out in the world, don’t flash your wealth. The outside world isn’t as safe as Taixi County.”

Ye Li and Yan Mu’er, on the other hand, felt oddly satisfied. Weren’t you both showing off earlier? Well now, you’ve met bandits. Serves you right.

Teasing my Brother Kun? This was just a little revenge from heaven.

“Brother Kun, can we follow you and cultivate together?” Yuan Zhen asked through the pain in his chest. Brother Kun was not someone who could be so easily dealt with.

Feng Dian also looked at him hopefully. Only by staying with Brother Kun could they feel safe.

“All right. Since you’re all from Taixi County, it’s only right that we look out for one another,” Ye Kun said, not at all stingy. After all, judging by the clothes they were wearing, they were quite likely to get robbed again.

Why was it that no one ever came to rob him?

Just as Ye Kun agreed, Yuan Zhen and Feng Dian were almost ready to rush forward and hug him.

At that moment, Dong Ci and Da Ci returned. In order to conceal their strength, they had put on a little act.

A tiger carving.