“Sheng Jiao has deep-rooted feelings for me. He’s brilliant and mighty, the first in the Thirteen States…”
“Love token!”
“…The possessive Sect Master Sheng… holding my corpse and wailing, in his fury killing you to accompany me in death…”
“…At Tianyan Academy we even shared beds, loving each other inseparably.”
The words he had fabricated to save his life now came back like boomerangs from the horizon, “whooshing” into Xi Jianlan’s ear ornaments that could hear all things, making his brain numb and cold.
“Thousand-year vinegar jar,” “dao companion,” “Sheng Jiao lusts after my body,” “going wild, trying to defile my purity”—a pile of outrageous words flew around his head like countless birds, chirping around his ears.
Xi Jianlan’s whole body violently shuddered.
He had imagined the scene of reuniting with Sheng Jiao—nothing more than drawn swords, fighting with blades, or unsuccessfully running away only to be pierced through the heart. In any case, it would be tragic and accompanied by hatred and killing intent.
But he hadn’t expected…
Facing Sheng Jiao’s face that made Xi Jianlan wake up from nightmares, his first reaction wasn’t fear of being killed, but overwhelming embarrassment and shame that spread from his feet through his entire meridians.
Unable to obtain, love turning to hate.
Forceful seizure, domineering… forced submission…
And the phrase that shattered his skull—My heart is not cold stone, feelings grew over time, I admire Sheng Jiao!
Xi Jianlan: “………..”
Xi Jianlan suddenly wanted to die.
Sheng Jiao still gripped Xi Jianlan’s restless hand. His tall frame almost trapped half of Xi Jianlan’s body in his embrace. When his cold, hollow eyes looked down, they carried intense, heart-stopping pressure.
Like a dying young beast falling into a hunting pit, powerless to resist and only able to be slaughtered.
Xi Jianlan’s ears turned red as he met Sheng Jiao’s gaze, his waist nearly going weak.
He felt like he wasn’t leaning against a living person, but a cold stone that could easily freeze him into ice shards. The contrast between hot body and cold touch was like ice and fire.
“Bro-brother.” Xi Jianlan held his breath, his whole body tense as he forced out an obedient smile. “Long time no see. Is your muteness cured?”
Sheng Jiao: “…”
Could this mouth of his ever say anything human?
Seeing his identity exposed, Sheng Jiao’s face darkened as he pulled out the Binding Silk.
Now Xi Jianlan had no time for embarrassment and shame. He quickly pointed at the nearby Xiangwen paintings, his tongue working rapidly as he babbled, afraid that being a step too late would get him caught in that sunless prison mustard seed.
“Xi family Xiangwen—Ying Qiao’er must be connected to those who massacred the Xi family six years ago. Xiezhi Sect has wronged me for years. Now that you’ve finally found a clue, there’s no need to use me, a pitiful victim, as a suspect to make up numbers and salvage Sect Master Sheng’s reputation for Xiezhi Sect.”
While Xi Jianlan begged for mercy and confessed, he also made cutting remarks, making listeners angry.
Sheng Jiao was long accustomed to his way of speaking, turning a deaf ear as he fastened the Binding Silk around his wrist.
“Sheng, Sheng Jiao…”
Xi Jianlan seemed stunned by his cold, ruthless actions. Without struggling, he let him wrap the Binding Silk around his wrist. After a while, he said softly: “Sheng Jiao, you… don’t treat me like this.”
Sheng Jiao’s fingers paused while tying the Binding Silk.
Xi Jianlan’s fingertips, slightly red from being hit by the Tianyan pearl earlier, trembled finely. His skin was already snow-white, and with his chronic weakness, his pale wrist was directly bruised by Sheng Jiao’s grip.
“Xiezhi Sect’s sect elders still include people from the Qu family.” Facing Sheng Jiao, Xi Jianlan didn’t even have the courage to run. He seemed to finally know fear, his voice carrying a barely perceptible trace of terror.
“If I enter Xiezhi Sect, he definitely won’t let me go.”
Xi Jianlan rarely showed his panic in front of others. Even though he tried hard to hide it now, he couldn’t conceal the fear in his eyes.
He was afraid of that Qu family elder.
Sheng Jiao suddenly raised his hand to grip his chin, forcing him to lift his head.
Xi Jianlan’s eyes were clear and bright, as if tears would fall with just a blink of his eyelashes, with unease and fear deep in his gaze.
Sheng Jiao stared at those eyes for a long time, then suddenly moved his thin lips slightly.
“The Qu family elder died in the Southern Border three years ago, his bones scattered to the wind.”
Xi Jianlan was stunned.
“And you, Xi Jue.” Sheng Jiao said coldly, “Three years ago you stayed at a Southern Border brothel for half a year.”
Xi Jianlan: “…”
“I… what does that have to do with me?” Xi Jianlan’s eyes were full of confusion and shock that couldn’t be faked. “I was forced by your Xiezhi Sect’s arrest warrant and had no choice but to go to the Southern Border brothel as a courtesan to avoid pursuit—who knew that a dignified Xiezhi Sect elder at such an advanced age would still be so improper as to visit brothels? How can you blame that on me?”
Hearing the words “courtesan,” Sheng Jiao’s eyes moved slightly.
Knowing he wouldn’t tell the truth, Sheng Jiao coldly raised his hand.
The Tianyan pearls that had been thrown out of the painted boat and were pitifully circling Evil Qi Road shot back like a stream of light, breaking through the window with a “whoosh.” With several crisp clinks, 107 Tianyan pearls obediently wrapped around Sheng Jiao’s wrist.
—Each Tianyan pearl was a gift from Heaven’s will, one pearl even more precious and rare than an entire Tianyan spiritual vein.
Almost the instant the Tianyan pearls appeared, Xi Jianlan’s face turned deathly pale. He nearly tumbled out of Sheng Jiao’s embrace, his left hand desperately pressing his right shoulder as he couldn’t help but groan in pain.
The brand on his shoulder was like boiling lava, bursting through that red mole from his bones and meridians, suddenly flashing a blue thunder pattern forming the character “Burn.”
The 107 Tianyan pearls also responded with “sizzling” sounds, crackling with beautiful, brilliant lightning.
The brand’s instant activation made Xi Jianlan breathe rapidly. Covered in cold sweat, he still smiled with difficulty, panting as he said: “What, is Sect Master Sheng also going to blame me for the Qu family elder’s death in the Southern Border? That’s fine too. I already have countless crimes to my name—I don’t mind carrying one more life on my back.”
Sheng Jiao silently flicked the Tianyan pearls with his finger.
The restless Tianyan pearls instantly quieted, each pearl spinning rapidly in mid-air with crisp clicking sounds.
Xi Jianlan remembered this sound.
—When he had entered Xiezhi Sect years ago, Sheng Jiao had used the Tianyan pearls this way to determine if he was guilty.
Back then, of the 108 Tianyan pearls, only one had shown “Execute.”
Because of that “Execute,” Xi Jianlan had nearly died in Xiezhi Sect and had been hiding and fleeing for years, barely surviving.
Six years later, Sheng Jiao was again using the Tianyan pearls to judge his crimes.
Xi Jianlan wanted to laugh, but the burning sensation from the brand on his shoulder spread throughout his body, making him so hot that sweat dripped down. Soon he was drenched in cold sweat, his black hair wet and clinging to his face.
This burning sensation was too uncomfortable. Xi Jianlan didn’t even notice that a warm current slowly flowed through his meridians, which had been battered by “Abandoned Immortal Bone,” slightly reducing the pain.
The Tianyan pearls stopped spinning one by one, thunder patterns colliding like burning blue ghost fire.
Xi Jianlan looked up at the Tianyan pearls, immediately spotting that familiar pearl that hadn’t moved from the beginning.
It was the “Execute” pearl that had condemned him six years ago.
Xi Jianlan had an excellent memory and remembered that pearl had a beautiful white pattern like amber coloring, very attractive.
—Only for some reason, after six years, that pearl looked weathered and worn, gray and shabby, completely out of place with the other pearls.
Even so, it still stubbornly displayed “Execute.”
Stubborn to the end.
Sheng Jiao coldly watched the Tianyan pearls stop one by one.
When silence returned and he casually looked down, his pupils trembled.
Of the 107 Tianyan pearls, only one should have shown “Execute,” but this time, for some reason, four trembling pearls clustered together with the gray one, displaying bright red…
“Execute.”
Sheng Jiao’s hand trembled.
Xi Jianlan stared directly at those five pearls, his purple eyes like twisted whirlpools, moving slightly.
For a moment, neither spoke.
The atmosphere around them was tense to the point of suffocation. Sheng Jiao and Xi Jianlan stared coldly at each other, lips moving slightly.
“Xi Jue…”
Before he could even finish these two words, Xi Jianlan suddenly summoned his black vine whip without blinking, the tremendous spiritual power of “Abandoned Immortal Bone” rising again from his meridians, directly reaching the Void Return realm. With two “crack” sounds, he lashed at Sheng Jiao who was right in front of him.
Sheng Jiao was stunned. The Tianyan pearls instantly scattered, forming a thunder pattern barrier to block that merciless vine whip.
“Crack—”
A crisp sound.
Xi Jianlan had already taken advantage of this strike to roll out of Sheng Jiao’s embrace, light as a swallow as he retreated, showing none of his previous dying appearance.
His slender wrist flicked the vine whip to coil around a wooden pillar of the painted boat, pulling slightly.
The vine whip, twisted like a swimming snake, suddenly went taut!
With a muffled bang, Xi Jianlan’s body that had been forced backward stopped, his bare feet planted on the wooden floor, his jade-like toes turning pale.
Sheng Jiao stood alone there, 107 Tianyan pearls surrounding him with overwhelming killing intent, coldly watching him through the wild lightning.
When the Tianyan pearls showed “Execute,” the previously calm Sheng Jiao seemed to have been stuffed with nowhere to place his killing intent, even his pupils becoming coldly sinister.
Like a merciless, emotionless killing god.
Even knowing those “Execute” pearls would make Sheng Jiao mercilessly slaughter him, when Xi Jianlan met that suddenly cold gaze, he still rarely froze for a moment.
But quickly, he smiled with curved lips, as if that moment of distraction was just an illusion. His posture was casual as he carelessly arranged his black hair, his alluring face flamboyant and brilliant.
“Lord Heaven’s Will, this is no fun—the Xi family Xiangwen clues are laid out in the open, the real culprit is clearly someone else, yet you still won’t let me go. If this continues…”
Sheng Jiao expressionlessly cast a silence spell.
Xi Jianlan flicked his vine whip with a “crack,” shattering that spiritual power, and finished his sentence with a smile.
“…I might really think the dignified Xiezhi Sect Master has deep-rooted feelings for me.”
Those five Tianyan pearls seemed to have consciousness, crackling menacingly at Xi Jianlan with bared fangs.
Sheng Jiao glanced down at them.
The Tianyan pearls instantly behaved, except for that stubborn one still releasing small lightning bolts.
“Heaven’s will above.” Sheng Jiao was obviously accustomed to his provocations, saying indifferently, “The Xi family massacre is related to you.”
When others said “Heaven’s will above,” it was always with reverence and respect, but Sheng Jiao’s tone was calm as still water, as if the Tianyan spiritual veins revered as deities by all the Thirteen States were nothing more than ordinary mountains to him.
Without any reverence.
Xi Jianlan smiled, the vine whip floating beside him like a swimming dragon, intimately brushing against his blood-stained cheek.
Since they had torn off all pretenses, there were only two paths ahead.
Either, within the effective period of “Abandoned Immortal Bone,” make Sheng Jiao die here.
Or…
Xi Jianlan’s purple eyes contracted as he swung the vine whip, whistling as it lashed toward Sheng Jiao—such a long vine whip was perfectly suited to his hands, the tip not even touching the falling snowflakes.
“Clang!”
The vine whip collided with lightning, actually producing the sound of metal striking stone. Purple spiritual power and blue thunder patterns crashed together, filling the entire painted boat with spider-web-like fine light.
“Third Watch Snow” fused with the painted boat made creaking sounds.
Void Return realm against half-step Great Ascension—the false Tianyan spiritual power of “Abandoned Immortal Bone” enhanced by Xi Jianlan could actually fight Sheng Jiao to a draw.
The painted boat shook violently like thunder, one after another.
Xi Jianlan casually removed his ear ornament and tossed it aside, his toes pushing off the curved vine whip in mid-air, using the momentum to rush forward through the silent thunder like an arrow toward Sheng Jiao.
Sheng Jiao didn’t even blink, the Tianyan pearls immediately about to strike down fiercely.
Xi Jianlan suddenly shouted: “Winter Snow—!”
As soon as he spoke, the Winter Snow sword hidden at Sheng Jiao’s waist instantly appeared.
With the Tianyan pearls, Sheng Jiao rarely used this Winter Snow sword to fight.
Winter Snow and Spring Rain were forged from the same spirit sword stone, their spiritual power connected. When Xi Jianlan suddenly called out to it, Winter Snow flew out from Sheng Jiao’s waist in confusion, landing in Xi Jianlan’s palm with a “slap.”
Xi Jianlan didn’t even blink, a soul-stirring smile appearing on his gorgeous face as he gripped the sword and struck!
Sheng Jiao: “…”
How dare he?
Xi Jianlan dared.
Taking advantage of Winter Snow’s delayed reaction, he instantly broke through the lightning that could shatter heaven and earth. Just as he was about to reach Sheng Jiao’s face, his five fingers slid harshly across the blade, blood covering the entire sword edge.
Winter Snow sword finally realized it was being used to attack its master again and hurriedly struggled to escape.
But Xi Jianlan gave it no time. That blood seemed poisoned, flashing with bloody light as he decisively slashed at Sheng Jiao without any mercy.
Winter Snow’s sword spirit screamed: “Ah—!”
Sheng Jiao’s pupils moved slightly. He raised his hand and beckoned, the five pearls showing “Execute” instantly blocking in front of him, suddenly colliding with Winter Snow sword.
“Clang!”
A drop of blood from Winter Snow’s blade fell on Sheng Jiao’s cheek. With a “hissing” sound, it actually corroded a circle of hideous red marks on his face.
Even Xi Jianlan’s bones and blood were poisoned.
But Sheng Jiao didn’t even blink, his large hand shooting forward at a speed the naked eye couldn’t catch, grabbing Xi Jianlan who hadn’t yet had time to retreat.
A muffled bang.
Sheng Jiao’s strength was unimaginably great and irresistible. Almost coldly and ruthlessly gripping Xi Jianlan’s neck, he slammed his thin body hard to the ground.
Winter Snow sword had returned to his palm, cold light flashing as the sword tip fell straight toward Xi Jianlan’s heart.
Caught off guard, Xi Jianlan was like a butterfly with broken wings, easily pinned down. His back hit the ground, nearly choking up blood.
Just as Winter Snow was about to fall, he suddenly spread his five fingers to form a mass of spiritual power blocking the ice-cold sword tip.
Sword tip pressing down, barrier blocking.
Both using all their strength to fight, hands trembling.
“Boom!” Xi Jianlan exerted force and flung it away, the force so great that Winter Snow sword flew from Sheng Jiao’s palm, falling to the ground in embarrassment.
Sheng Jiao’s face was grimly cold, the hideous blood mark on his cheek slowly healing. His hollow, emotionless eyes carried killing intent, speaking word by word like an avalanche raging on snowy peaks, earth-shaking.
“Xi, Jue.”
“Cough… haha.” With his vital point gripped, Xi Jianlan was still laughing. He laughed until his whole body trembled, his fingers struggling to reach forward, bit by bit grasping Sheng Jiao’s clothes.
Sheng Jiao looked down at him from above, his powerful and stern form giving off an ice-cold oppressive feeling.
He coldly gripped Xi Jianlan’s hand that was making some unknown small movement, his words like ice: “If you dare again…”
Xi Jianlan suddenly said: “Sheng Wuzhuo.”
Sheng Jiao was stunned.
Xi Jianlan suddenly ignored the deadly hand at his neck, forcefully pulling Sheng Jiao’s clothes as he raised his neck, also pulling half of Sheng Jiao’s body downward.
Sheng Jiao was momentarily dazed by being called by name.
When he reacted again, a “butterfly” carrying the scent of osmanthus had gently landed on his lips.
Sheng Jiao’s pupils contracted sharply.
Xi Jianlan gave Sheng Jiao a lingering and intimate kiss.
…Even using his blood-stained tongue tip to pry open Sheng Jiao’s tightly closed lips, their rapid breathing intertwining, bringing an ambiguity of fighting to the death even amid drawn swords.
Violent buzzing in his ears.
The sound of blood rushing through his body like flowing water, coursing through every inch of meridians, even his fingertips tingling.
Winter Snow sword was stunned, directly playing dead on the spot, wishing it could die.
The 107 Tianyan pearls were like broken beads, frozen in mid-air for a moment before clattering to the ground.
At the same time, Heng Yudu and Feng Yu finally boarded the painted boat.
Feng Yu babbled: “They wouldn’t really fight, would they?! Love and hate intertwined? Damn, that’s exciting!”
Heng Yudu frowned: “Sheng Jiao’s Spiritual level Xiangwen is troublesome. No matter his true feelings, he can only follow justice in all things and cannot harbor personal feelings—I heard the Tianyan pearls insist on judging Jianlan guilty. With that commotion just now, I’m afraid the two have already started fighting in earnest…”
His words stopped abruptly.
The wheelchair suddenly braked hard, the wooden wheels grinding against the ground with a harsh scraping sound. Caught off guard, Heng Yudu nearly flew out uncontrollably.
The two stared woodenly at the distant ruins, simultaneously reaching out to cover each other’s eyes.
Heng Yudu: “…”
Feng Yu: “…”
Feng Yu suddenly turned the wheelchair around, his face red as he said: “Fight-fighting in earnest? This probably isn’t fighting in earnest. If we’d come any later, they would have gone straight to the lower three roads!”
Heng Yudu: “…”
Already startled, Heng Yudu was shocked again by Feng Yu’s brief but crude remark, covering his heart as he stared at him in amazement.
Feng Yu coughed dryly, knowing that an upright gentleman like Heng Yudu couldn’t bear such vulgar words. He quickly laughed it off and was about to push him away when he heard Xi Jianlan’s voice from behind…
“—Listen, accept, protect!”
The glass bird shrieked.
The spiritual power of “Exchange for Bright Moon” suddenly filled the entire painted boat.
Heng Yudu’s lips twitched involuntarily, vaguely sensing an ominous premonition.
***
Xi Jianlan’s lips carried a faint osmanthus fragrance as he forcibly explored Sheng Jiao’s mouth, even fearlessly entangling Sheng Jiao’s tongue. Taking advantage of Sheng Jiao’s distraction, blood suddenly seeped from his tongue tip, bringing a strangely sweet scent.
It didn’t taste like blood, but rather like…
Blooming epiphyllum.
Sheng Jiao’s whole body shook as he immediately tried to push him away.
But it was too late.
Xi Jianlan’s blood carried deadly poison. Even one drop from his tongue tip made a half-step Great Ascension cultivator like Sheng Jiao’s spiritual power stagnate for a moment.
Sheng Jiao’s pupils contracted to almost a point, his whole body rigid as stone. Though his hand gripped Xi Jianlan’s neck, he couldn’t exert any force, couldn’t even retreat to avoid him.
Though it was an intimate kiss, both their eyes held only ruthless calculation and cold killing intent.
Xi Jianlan’s kissing actually made his own waist go weak. Sensing Sheng Jiao’s rigidity, he finally released him. A flush appeared at the corner of his eyes, his pupils scattered as he panted slightly, a tear rolling down with each blink of his eyelashes.
One drop of tongue blood couldn’t restrain Sheng Jiao for long. While panting, Xi Jianlan tremblingly clenched his five fingers.
With the sound of glass shattering, he crushed the five glass jade slips Heng Yudu had given him in his hand, cutting his smooth palm.
At Tianyan Academy, Xi Jianlan had always asked Heng Yudu for glass birds to save his life.
—When he broke Feng Yu’s ghost blade and was pursued for thousands of li, he had used this “listen, accept, protect” to forcibly bind Sheng Jiao as a bodyguard, saving his life.
This time, to be safe, Xi Jianlan had asked for five “Exchange for Bright Moon” jade slips.
Now he used them all without hesitation. No matter how capable Sheng Jiao was, he wouldn’t be able to harm him for a month, and would even have to obey his commands.
The spiritual power from the shattered glass bird fell on Sheng Jiao’s chest, instantly transforming into overwhelming spiritual power that bound Sheng Jiao’s soul!
I have a glass bird that can exchange for the bright moon.
Sheng Jiao’s whole body shook as he looked at Xi Jianlan with cold, sharp eyes.
After “Exchange for Bright Moon” took effect, Xi Jianlan no longer feared for his life. He collapsed back onto the floor, his hand covering his forehead as he couldn’t help but laugh quietly.
His disheveled black hair spread across the ground, thick snow mixed with red clothes and blood traces, like black vines of blooming brilliant flowers, seemingly poisoned.
Beautiful yet terrifying to behold.
With Xi Jianlan’s current spiritual power alone, he couldn’t kill Sheng Jiao here.
This month of “listen, accept, protect” was enough for Xi Jianlan to safely go to Central State under Sheng Jiao’s forced protection to find Ying Qiao’er and locate the real culprit behind the Xi family massacre.
This was the other path he had chosen.
Six years later, Sheng Jiao, who thought he had planned everything perfectly, was again calculated against by Xi Jianlan in the same way. His face darkened as if about to drip water, coldly looking at Xi Jianlan beneath him.
“Sect Master Sheng.” Xi Jianlan lazily opened his narrow eyes, saying with a half-smile: “I don’t like your hands. Too many sword calluses—they’re uncomfortable against me. Could you move them somewhere else?”
Sheng Jiao: “…”
Sheng Jiao’s jaw tightened, his eyes cold as a sudden blizzard.
“Xi Jue—”
“I’m here.” Xi Jianlan squinted to read his lip movements, saying with a playful grin: “But I advise Sect Master Sheng to be more polite to me. Otherwise, if I go mad, who knows what disgraceful things I might do using ‘Exchange for Bright Moon’ to defile Lord Heaven’s Will’s purity.”
Sheng Jiao looked at him coldly.
Xi Jianlan smiled, raising his hand to push away Sheng Jiao’s now powerless hand. He propped up his upper body slightly, leaning close to Sheng Jiao’s face and saying softly: “Or has Sect Master Sheng become addicted to the taste and already…”
Without finishing the crude words, Xi Jianlan leaned forward without blinking and openly kissed Sheng Jiao again.
Sheng Jiao suddenly stood up!
He was probably furious. Every scattered Tianyan pearl on the ground was trembling, yet his face remained cold as frost, his eyes dark and threatening, as if he could kill at any moment.
Xi Jianlan lay on the ground laughing heartily.
He licked the corner of his lips, feeling like he’d just chewed ice shards, his tongue tip numb from the cold.
Sheng Jiao turned and walked away with a flick of his sleeve.
Xi Jianlan watched Sheng Jiao’s back turned to him, suddenly extracting a rare piece of bloody, genuine heart from his pile of disguised rotten intentions and false emotions.
If not for Heaven’s will, perhaps they wouldn’t be like this now—meeting only with the disgusting false calculations that made him sick.
But ultimately…
Xi Jianlan thought in a daze: ‘I still have to survive.’
Sheng Jiao wiped the blood from his lips with a dark face, walking forward a few steps before noticing someone had entered the painted boat.
Heng Yudu and Feng Yu, one sitting and one standing, were covering each other’s eyes with expressions of numb “see no evil, ugh.”
Sheng Jiao: “…”
Feng Yu sensed an ice-blade-like gaze cutting him harshly. He quickly pulled down Heng Yudu’s hand, pointing two fingers to the sky with a serious expression.
“We swear we didn’t see anything. Sect Master Sheng, please don’t silence us.”
Having witnessed such great entertainment, Feng Yu was almost excited to madness, but he also knew that watching Sheng Jiao’s drama required a hard life.
The Tianyan pearls on the ground were instantly drawn by lightning, quickly connecting into a string and wrapping around Sheng Jiao’s wrist.
Sheng Jiao said nothing, only coldly glaring at Heng Yudu.
Heng Yudu hadn’t expected the “Exchange for Bright Moon” he gave Xi Jianlan would be used on a friend. Feeling somewhat embarrassed, he looked down at his toes, keeping silent with a guilty conscience.
Sheng Jiao withdrew his gaze, too lazy to even open his mouth, using spiritual power to transmit his voice.
“Hezhou City has other Xiangwen paintings. Find them all and return them.”
Regarding the Xiangwen trading in Evil Qi Road’s Hezhou City, Sheng Jiao had clearly understood he was being used as a weapon, but he didn’t mind.
Tianyan spiritual veins were monopolized by the major Central State families. If Evil Qi Road had private Xiangwen trading, it would be of no benefit to Central State families either.
Feng Yu said irritably: “Hey, you think I’m your subordinate? Where’s that little dummy Shang Yuan?”
Sheng Jiao clenched his five fingers. The Tianyan pearls around his wrist kept spinning in circles, seeming… very annoyed?
Heng Yudu understood everyone in Zhuxing Zhai’s temperament well. He carefully watched Sheng Jiao for a while, wondering if this was anger from being forcibly kissed, or rage from being calculated against by Xi Jianlan using “Exchange for Bright Moon” again.
Hard to tell.
Sheng Jiao was probably too angry to say a word, letting Feng Yu babble on.
Knowing he was in the wrong, Heng Yudu was willing to make this trip for him. He secretly tugged at Feng Yu’s sleeve, thinking he should shut up quickly.
Feng Yu didn’t understand and turned to glare at him.
“Fine, I’ll make this trip for you.” Heng Yudu said gently, “Then Jianlan…”
He wanted to remind Xi Jianlan of a few things, but since Sheng Jiao’s cultivation was higher than his, voice transmission would definitely be discovered. He could only restrain himself and say softly: “Jianlan used ‘Abandoned Immortal Bone.’ After that thing’s effects wear off, there will probably be… ten days!… of severe injury period. You should take him directly to the Medicine Sect to find Little Poison and see if they can heal him, let him suffer less.”
Sheng Jiao pointed with his hand, indicating he should leave quickly and stop being an eyesore.
Heng Yudu sighed silently, then said to Xi Jianlan who was slowly standing up and staggering back down: “Jianlan, there are still… ten days!! before Tianyan Academy stops recruiting.”
Having finally found a life-saving talisman, Xi Jianlan was in an excellent mood. He was supporting himself and slowly crawling around randomly, his hands constantly searching the ground as if looking for something.
He looked up to read Heng Yudu’s lip movements, not catching the too-subtle meaning in his words, saying with a smile: “Got it.”
Heng Yudu: “…”
Did he notice the hint or not?
“Exchange for Bright Moon” could only affect Sheng Jiao for ten days. If Xi Jianlan was completely unaware and continued courting death after ten days, then…
The scene would be rather tragic. Heng Yudu didn’t want to see it.
As the cursing Feng Yu pushed him away, Heng Yudu hesitated but still felt he couldn’t bear it. Breaking the pot and smashing it, he transmitted to Xi Jianlan.
[Jianlan, Exchange for Bright Moon only has ten days’ effect on Sheng Jiao. Be careful and remember not to offend him too much.]
Sheng Jiao coldly glared at him.
Heng Yudu pretended not to see, looking at Xi Jianlan with hope.
Xi Jianlan had previously feared Sheng Jiao would use thunder sound against him, so he had specifically removed his ear ornament. He had just found it in the corner and spent a while adjusting it before putting it on his ear.
Surrounding sounds rushed into his ears.
Sensing Heng Yudu’s gaze, Xi Jianlan asked puzzledly: “Huh? What’s wrong?”
Had he missed something?
Heng Yudu: “…”
Did he hear it or not?!
Sheng Jiao’s gaze was murderous. Heng Yudu could only leave with three backward glances.
Xi Jianlan was confused, only feeling that after six years, Old Mother Heng had become even more nagging. Looking at his departing gaze, it was like seeing him for the last time, full of reluctance and sympathy.
So loving.
With the babbling Feng Yu and the so-loving Heng Yudu gone, the cold painted boat was left with only Xi Jianlan and Sheng Jiao again.
Looking at Sheng Jiao’s tall, pine-like figure in the heavy snow, Xi Jianlan’s eyes curved as he said with a smile: “Sect Master Sheng, I can’t stand up anymore. Could you trouble yourself to carry me away?”
Sheng Jiao looked at him with cold eyes.
Xi Jianlan stared back fearlessly and arrogantly.
But his legs under his robes were trying hard to control their trembling, as if enduring pain.
Sheng Jiao took a deep breath.
If “Exchange for Bright Moon” had been used during combat, he could definitely have shattered the spiritual power and avoided Heng Yudu’s spirit word control, but this glass jade slip was completely different from the cages or glass swords used in attacks.
No matter how much Sheng Jiao resisted, his soul trapped by “Exchange for Bright Moon” still uncontrollably followed Xi Jianlan’s words.
This was the terrifying aspect of Spiritual level Xiangwen.
Sheng Jiao expressionlessly walked to Xi Jianlan, leaning down to carry him horizontally in his broad embrace.
Xi Jianlan’s face was bright and beautiful. Looking closely, there was still an unfaded red cat paw print on his cheek. When he smiled, there was a trance-like youthful innocence.
His calves hung to one side, seemingly truly unable to move.
Sheng Jiao was stunned, looking down at him.
Xi Jianlan tried hard to kick his legs, his face pale but still smiling at him: “Hehe!”
Sheng Jiao: “…”
##
![You’re Causing Chaos Again [e-sports]](https://www.freenovels.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/1sMqC2JNjIep8Ov.jpg "You’re Causing Chaos Again [e-sports]")
