In that instant, Xi Jianlan’s face showed complete bewildered innocence, as if he didn’t understand why Sheng Jiao would say such a thing.
—Even if Xiezhi Sect’s most skilled interrogator were here, they probably couldn’t detect any abnormality in him.
Sheng Jiao pressed that fang hard again, his finger brushing against Xi Jianlan’s pale lips as he withdrew it, revealing the black poison pill on his fingertip.
The evidence was conclusive.
Xi Jianlan remained confused: “What are you saying, sir? How could I repay kindness with enmity and harm you?”
Sheng Jiao’s eyes seemed to contain frost as he coldly watched to see how he would fabricate an explanation.
Xi Jianlan sighed silently, cupping Sheng Jiao’s hand and gently leaning forward, extending his hot tongue to lightly lick Sheng Jiao’s fingertip, rolling the black poison pill into his mouth.
His Adam’s apple moved slightly as he swallowed it.
Sheng Jiao watched expressionlessly as he “destroyed evidence” right in front of him.
“That’s a spirit pill I use to sustain my life,” Xi Jianlan explained. “…It allows this waste of a person to gather some spiritual power to escape in critical moments. If you don’t believe me, look.”
He raised his hand and moved it lightly. His meridians, which had been completely devoid of spiritual power, actually produced a ball of spiritual energy that floated in his palm, emitting a snow-white glow.
Sheng Jiao didn’t know whether he believed it or not. He shook off Xi Jianlan’s hand, letting the wound burst open and bleed profusely.
On the winding mountain steps through the dense forest, countless fierce ghosts caught the scent of fresh blood and came from all directions, their dead eyes staring directly at the fresh flesh and living soul.
Xi Jianlan looked at his hideous wound with heartache.
“Sir, your wound has opened again. Do you really not need me to draw out the sword intent for you?”
Sheng Jiao didn’t need it. He raised his hand, and overwhelming spiritual power rushed out with the howling cold wind.
Bang bang.
That spiritual power was like a zigzagging thunderbolt, wildly sweeping along the thousand-layer mountain steps, actually smashing the group of fierce ghosts into powder wherever it passed.
A series of shrill screams, and half the ghost forest’s fierce ghosts instantly turned to ash.
The wild wind howled, blowing Xi Jianlan’s disheveled long hair into chaotic flight across his numb face.
Xi Jianlan: “…”
Damn it, why was each person from Xiezhi Sect more vicious than the last?
Sheng Jiao said nothing and climbed the steps.
Xi Jianlan had even used his beauty but still couldn’t kill this person. Vaguely knowing this person was a ruthless character no less than Sheng Jiao, he could only lick the poison pill hidden in his other canine tooth and obediently follow.
He only hoped that with such a commotion, Feng Yu would quickly find him and rescue him from this predicament.
Xi Jianlan slowly climbed the mountain steps, watching Sheng Jiao’s broad back, plotting who knows what mischief.
Suddenly, footsteps came from behind.
Xi Jianlan’s heart leaped with joy.
Feng Yu came so quickly?!
If he was rescued this time, Xi Jianlan decided not to deceive Feng Yu for three days as repayment.
Xi Jianlan suppressed his wild joy and calmly turned to look.
But with just one glance, his face immediately fell.
The person who came wasn’t Feng Yu.
The two Xiezhi Sect “Black and White Impermanence” who had previously tried to capture him at Shi’er Ju clinic came flying over, their robes fluttering, reaching them in an instant.
Juan Xunfang saw the two people from afar and immediately knew his Sect Master had succeeded.
He was about to step forward and bow when Sheng Jiao suddenly turned sideways to give him a cold look and transmitted a secret message.
Juan Xunfang was stunned. His knees, which had almost bent down, instantly straightened. His gaze inadvertently fell on the Xiezhi Sect outer robe Xi Jianlan was wearing, and he drew a light breath.
The Sect Master’s crane cloak?
Why was it on a criminal?!
“Sir?”
Sheng Jiao looked at him.
“This Xi Jue is sinister and cunning. It’s best to put him in the prison mustard seed to avoid complications.” Juan Xunfang said, “Six years ago he had the ability to escape from Xiezhi Sect—we can’t be unguarded.”
The sinister and cunning Xi Jianlan blinked innocently.
Sheng Jiao frowned.
As Juan Xunfang spoke, he took out the capture warrant, about to confine Xi Jianlan in the prison mustard seed.
As soon as the capture warrant appeared, the brand on Xi Jianlan’s shoulder that had finally faded surged back, burning him so badly he almost knelt down directly.
“Calm down.”
Xi Jianlan had already lied so much, he didn’t mind lying to a few more people. He raised his hand in a “stop” gesture: “Your Sect Master Sheng has already proposed marriage to me. If he knew you were treating me so harshly, he’d definitely make you experience all sixty-two torture methods of Xiezhi Sect.”
Sheng Jiao: “…”
Hearing this “marriage proposal,” Juan Xunfang and Shang Yuan’s eyes nearly popped out.
“…What?!”
“What nonsense are you spouting!!!”
Juan Xunfang’s most respected person in life was Sheng Jiao. Hearing this person dare to slander the Sect Master, he immediately abandoned his calm demeanor, directly summoning his weapon and shouting sternly: “Talking nonsense! I’ll kill you—”
Shang Yuan was greatly shocked: “The Sect Master actually proposed marriage?!”
Juan Xunfang: “He’s lying, don’t believe him!”
Xi Jianlan quickly hid behind Sheng Jiao, saying fearlessly: “If you don’t believe it, you can ask Sheng Jiao. We even shared a bed at Tianyan Academy, loving each other without distinction between you and me.”
Sheng Jiao: “…”
Juan Xunfang: “?!”
His first reaction was to look at Sheng Jiao.
But Sheng Jiao had always kept his emotions hidden, so nothing could be read from his face.
Shang Yuan gasped: “The Sect Master actually slept with Xi Jue…”
“No!” Juan Xunfang slapped Shang Yuan’s head, “Do you believe whatever anyone tells you?!”
Juan Xunfang’s eyelid twitched as he raised his hand to use the capture warrant to confine this demon.
But Sheng Jiao, who had been silent all along, raised his hand in a beckoning gesture, and Juan Xunfang and Shang Yuan’s capture warrants instantly appeared in his palm.
With a light twist of his five fingers, the jade tokens instantly crumbled.
The brand on Xi Jianlan’s shoulder turned back into a red mole, the burning sensation immediately disappearing.
Juan Xunfang said urgently: “…Sir!”
Seeing Sheng Jiao protect him so much, Xi Jianlan became even more certain this person definitely believed the nonsense about “Sheng Jiao has deep-rooted feelings for me.”
However, one person at the Spirit Transformation realm was already more than he could handle, and now there were two more.
Could Feng Yu fight three at once?
Xi Jianlan inexplicably felt like he had crashed into an inescapable net.
He needed to escape quickly.
The bell of Guchangsi Temple suddenly rang throughout the mountain steps and ghost forest.
Noon had arrived.
Xi Jianlan walked two steps, then suddenly reached out to grab the semi-transparent Binding Silk hidden in the air, twisting his wrist several times to suddenly tighten the Binding Silk connecting the two of them.
“Sir.”
Sheng Jiao was pulled so that his wrist dropped backward. He frowned and turned back to see what mischief he was up to now.
Xi Jianlan’s face was pale, gasping continuously, saying weakly: “I… I can’t walk anymore. Guchangsi Temple doesn’t start bidding until the hour of the dog. It’s still early—can I rest for a while?”
Sheng Jiao said nothing, but Juan Xunfang coldly interjected: “A mere prisoner—what right do you have to rest?”
Juan Xunfang had followed Sheng Jiao since he was sixteen and thought he understood him extremely well.
Such obviously annoying pretentious words would definitely earn a heavenly thunder strike from the Sect Master…
Before he could finish thinking, he saw Sheng Jiao say calmly: “Today’s bidding is at noon.”
He was actually explaining to a prisoner?
Most importantly…
Juan Xunfang looked at him in shock.
Everyone in Xiezhi Sect said Sect Master Sheng Jiao had taken a vow of silence and only used spiritual power to transmit sound year-round. Now…
He was actually speaking aloud?
Shang Yuan said dumbly: “Sir actually isn’t mu… mmph!”
Juan Xunfang quickly covered her mouth.
Xi Jianlan didn’t notice the two’s abnormality, frowning as his thoughts raced.
Noon?
Since Guchangsi Temple was established, spiritual objects had always been sold at the hour of the dog on the first and fifteenth of each month. This was the first time bidding would start at noon.
It seemed this spiritual object was indeed special.
“What spiritual object is Guchangsi Temple selling today? Why start bidding at noon?”
Sheng Jiao: “A painting.”
Guchangsi Temple regularly sold rare treasures.
The painting being auctioned today wasn’t of flowers, birds, fish, insects, scenic beauty, or beauties, but a plain and unremarkable painting that looked like ancient tree roots intertwined in dark, eerie patterns.
Anything that could be auctioned at Guchangsi Temple was naturally no ordinary object. Just as everyone was speculating about which master’s drunken “masterpiece” this might be, the artist’s name was noted below the painting.
—Xi Qingfeng.
All the Thirteen States were shocked.
Xi Qingfeng was the eldest son of the Xi family’s branch line, who had once served in Chengshe Academy. No one had heard of him knowing any painting skills.
Moreover, it was well known that Xi Qingfeng had died without remains in that cruel massacre six years ago.
Everyone looked at each other, and only upon closer inspection were they horrified!
That painting wasn’t an ordinary painting at all—it was actually a spiritual root Xiangwen that had been peeled off while the person was alive!
Sheng Jiao had been stationed at Xiezhi Sect for many years. This rare trip to the northern border of Chang River was because of this painting.
The person selling the painting, if not the culprit who massacred the Xi family, was definitely someone connected to it.
This was the only clue in the six years since the Xi family’s disaster, apart from Xi Jianlan.
Xi Jianlan asked: “What painting?”
Sheng Jiao didn’t answer.
A gust of wild wind howled over, bringing a pile of yellow paper that scattered on the mountain steps.
Xi Jianlan was still pondering when his gaze inadvertently swept over a few pieces of flying yellow paper.
The wind on the ghost forest mountain steps was like cold wind blowing from hell’s Yellow Springs, making Xi Jianlan’s thin frame stagger and kneel down directly.
Xi Jianlan instinctively pressed his hand on the dirty yellow paper on the ground, but before it could touch down, a cold hand suddenly gripped his wrist and pulled gently.
Xi Jianlan was caught off guard, his thin frame fluttering to the side like a butterfly with broken wings. The thick Xiezhi Sect outer robe swept over the thick yellow papers as he crashed into an embrace that carried the scent of ice and snow.
Juan Xunfang: “?!”
Shang Yuan: “Oh oh oh!”
Sheng Jiao said coldly: “Stand steady.”
Xi Jianlan, still shaken, smiled gratefully at Sheng Jiao: “Thank you for saving me, sir. Otherwise I would have definitely knocked my head bloody.”
His flattery and thanks were never sincere.
Sheng Jiao didn’t respond to him, still holding his hand.
“But please let go of me, sir.” Xi Jianlan said softly, “Sect Master Sheng is a thousand-year-old vinegar jar. If he knew his subordinate was holding his dao companion’s hand so intimately, tsk tsk, eek!”
Sheng Jiao: “…”
Juan Xunfang, who had just recited the Heart-Clearing Mantra dozens of times to finally calm down, became angry again: “I’ll kill you!!!”
Shang Yuan hugged him and dragged him back: “Calm down! That’s the Sect Master’s dao companion!”
Juan Xunfang struggled to kick Xi Jianlan, his head buzzing with anger: “What dao companion? Our Sect Master cultivates the Ruthless Dao—how could he be moved by mortal feelings?! You dare to spout nonsense and tarnish my Sect Master’s purity—what are your intentions?!”
Sheng Jiao was long accustomed to his subordinates’ chatter and released Xi Jianlan.
“Walk.”
Xi Jianlan said obediently: “Yes, sir.”
He deliberately drew out the ending sound of “sir,” probably having grown up in Central State, his tone carrying some warmth and softness, like a little hook.
Sheng Jiao’s steps paused for a moment before he continued forward.
Xi Jianlan watched him walk up several steps, then for some reason, as soon as he took a step, his foot slipped again and he stumbled backward.
He thought Sheng Jiao was so far away that he definitely couldn’t save him this time. Just as he closed his eyes preparing to fall properly, he felt a spiritual power wrap around him.
After a moment of spinning, Xi Jianlan’s thin body staggered, and a sense of weightlessness instantly struck.
When he opened his eyes again, he was being carried horizontally by Sheng Jiao.
Xi Jianlan: “???”
Juan Xunfang was probably too shocked, standing frozen in place like a statue, his eyeballs unable to move.
Shang Yuan covered her mouth, shocked: “They really are dao companions?!”
The crane cloak covered Xi Jianlan’s thin, emaciated frame. His knees were hooked by strong, solid forearms, and his bare feet hung uneasily in mid-air, kicking slightly as if wanting to get down.
“S-sir…”
Sheng Jiao acted as if he had done something perfectly ordinary, looking at him with indifferent eyes.
“Didn’t you say you couldn’t walk?”
Xi Jianlan: “…”
Xi Jianlan laughed dryly, struggling to get down: “No, no need to trouble you, sir. If Sect Master Sheng knew… mmph!”
Sheng Jiao probably didn’t want to hear any more about how he would “fly into a rage,” so he directly cast a brief silencing spell on him and started walking.
Xi Jianlan: “…”
Xi Jianlan stared in shock, instinctively clinging to Sheng Jiao’s shoulder to look back.
Among that pile of yellow papers that had been blown over…
Feng Yu’s little paper figures scattered everywhere looking for people were mixed in!
Feng Yu’s ghost-controlling people-finding technique was practically number one in the Thirteen States. Xi Jianlan estimated that there were probably Feng Yu’s ghosts among that group of fierce ghosts earlier, but before they could see Xi Jianlan, they were completely annihilated by Sheng Jiao.
This little paper figure stuck in the mountain step crevices was formed from Feng Yu’s spiritual power. Just touching it would immediately let Feng Yu know his location.
Watching the life-saving little paper figure get farther and farther away, Xi Jianlan’s heart went half cold.
Sheng Jiao looked straight ahead and stepped on another drifting little paper figure, pressing it into a pile of yellow papers where it couldn’t move.
Xi Jianlan: “…”
Xi Jianlan had never suffered such a major setback. With a wooden expression, he stared at Sheng Jiao’s neck and lightly licked the poison pill between his teeth.
This person was truly a tough nut to crack.
He’d have to change his approach.
——————–
Author’s Note:
Xi Jianlan: Marriage proposal, sharing a bed, dao companion, eek~~~
Sheng Jiao: ………..
Saw a comment saying Sheng Jiao downloaded the anti-fraud app, laughed so hard I split my sides hahahahahaha
##
