AVL Chapter 42

“Shixiong, calm down!”

 

“Shixiong! Don’t!”

 

Sheng Jiao and the other two were blocked on the floor below by Ying Zhuo’s puppet. Fortunately, though this level wasn’t as luxurious as the top floor, it was still much more refined and comfortable than other riverboats, with nothing to complain about.

 

Lezheng Jiu finally deigned to pull off his wide cloak, and was about to toss it aside when he heard Ying Zhuo’s alarmed cries from the top floor.

 

“What’s happening?”

 

Feng Yu hurried forward to watch the drama, but before he could get close, a hand roughly pushed him aside as Sheng Jiao strode forward with a dark expression.

 

Ying Zhuo’s puppet immediately blocked him.

 

Sheng Jiao didn’t even make a move—the Tianyan pearls just emitted a trace of lightning, and the puppet instantly froze, its body mechanisms seeming to jam as it trembled with vacant eyes.

 

Sheng Jiao walked up the steps expressionlessly, thinking Ying Zhuo was using his old tricks to scheme against Xi Jianlan again. When he reached the top floor, he was stunned for a moment.

 

Xi Jianlan had gone mad for some reason and was clinging to the window frame, struggling to jump down.

 

Ying Zhuo was desperately pulling him back to no avail.

 

Sheng Jiao frowned.

 

When Xi Jianlan inadvertently saw Sheng Jiao, he wanted even more to jump from this ten-thousand-zhang height.

 

Death would be better.

 

Sheng Jiao approached with an icy expression, using one hand to forcefully grip Xi Jianlan’s waist and drag him down from the window frame, restraining him and pulling him toward the lower floor.

 

Ying Zhuo shot Sheng Jiao a disgusted look, then silently turned to close the window properly, preventing Xi Jianlan from going mad again.

 

Sheng Jiao could easily restrain him with one hand. Xi Jianlan struggled twice while being held by the waist, then reluctantly let Sheng Jiao carry him down from the top floor.

 

Seeing Xi Jianlan being carried down like a misbehaving cat, Feng Yu snickered: “What are you making a fuss about now?”

 

Xi Jianlan hit Sheng Jiao’s waist a few times, his toes touching the ground as he was finally set down.

 

He felt inexplicably guilty and didn’t dare look at Sheng Jiao, randomly running his hands through his hair and squeezing between Lezheng Jiu and Feng Yu to sit down, pretending to be calm: “What are you doing? Playing cards or not?”

 

“Playing, playing.”

 

Lezheng Jiu pulled out a pile of cards from his pouch. These jade cards were made from the “Exchange for Bright Moon” glass jade slips that Heng Yudu had used and discarded—crystal clear, finger-sized glass pieces each carved with one of the sixty-four hexagrams.

 

The three sat cross-legged on the ground.

 

Feng Yu moved over a small low table from the inner room, saying as he carried it: “Xi Jue, look at this little table.”

 

Xi Jianlan asked puzzledly: “What about it?”

 

Feng Yu said: “It’s so short.”

 

Xi Jianlan: “……”

 

Xi Jianlan grabbed a nearby candlestick: “I’ll kill you!”

 

Feng Yu laughed heartily.

 

Naturally, Sheng Jiao wouldn’t join them in playing cards. He’d already skillfully sat cross-legged beside Xi Jianlan in meditation, the Tianyan pearls on his wrist showing traces of lightning as he entered cultivation.

 

The three sat there shuffling jade cards, the tinkling sounds not disturbing the Sect Master’s concentration.

 

Everyone was used to it.

 

Every time the Zhuxing Zhai group played cards, Xi Jue would forcibly drag Sheng Jiao over, even if he didn’t play, he had to sit nearby.

 

“We’re one short,” Xi Jianlan said casually while counting cards. “Where’s Qiao’er? Qiao’er, come down and play cards.”

 

Ying Zhuo had been sitting alone on the top floor steps, peering down through the gaps in the wooden railings with an eerie, cold expression, wishing he could slaughter all those people surrounding his shixiong.

 

Hearing his shixiong call his name, he immediately smiled and ran down three steps at a time.

 

“Shixiong, I’m here.”

 

As if Xi Jianlan calling his name was a gift.

 

Lezheng Jiu mouthed to Feng Yu: He’s shameless to death.

 

“Sit.”

 

Xi Jianlan didn’t even look at him, his eyes only on the cards.

 

Even the discarded “Exchange for Bright Moon” glass jade slips still moved like birds according to one’s will, with sixteen jade pieces floating and swaying in front of each person.

 

Xi Jianlan was looking at hexagrams when his foot accidentally kicked Feng Yu across from him. Probably remembering his comment about being short, he suddenly kicked him hard in retaliation.

 

The two kicked each other under the small table.

 

Feng Yu looked at hexagrams while casually saying: “Xi Jue, your birthday is on Qixi, right? Not to criticize you, but you’re clearly several months older than us—how come you just won’t grow? Did the Xi family starve you of food and spirit pills?”

 

Xi Jianlan said coldly: “If you can’t make conversation, don’t you know to shut up?”

 

He hadn’t touched hexagrams in too long. Holding one piece, he frowned and studied it for ages, but really couldn’t remember, so he gave up thinking. Skillfully leaning back, half his body nearly resting against Sheng Jiao’s chest, his jade-white fingers held the card and waved it, casually asking: “What hexagram is this again? I forgot.”

 

Sheng Jiao didn’t even open his eyes: “Ming Yi.”

 

“Oh.” Xi Jianlan sat up straight again and continued arranging cards.

 

Ying Zhuo’s eyes turned green as he gripped his jade card tightly, nearly crushing the glass jade slip to powder.

 

Though Lezheng Jiu couldn’t stand Xi Jianlan and Sheng Jiao being so intimate, he disliked Ying Zhuo even more. Seeing this, he immediately sneered: “These are our ‘Exchange for Bright Moon’ glass jade slips. Can you afford to pay if you break them?”

 

Ying Zhuo withdrew his gaze from Sheng Jiao with a dark expression, looking at his cards with a blank face.

 

The riverboat flew at high altitude, perhaps hitting a mass of dark clouds. The enormous vessel shook and swayed violently, accompanied by faint thunder.

 

Despite the turbulence, all five people remained seated, acting as if nothing was happening.

 

“Kan, Li, Wu Wang.” Lezheng Jiu threw three hexagram cards onto the small table, staring intently at the cards in his hand while saying absentmindedly, “Is it thundering outside?”

 

“Gu, Gu, I want that card!” Feng Yu didn’t look up. “Thunder? Seems like it.”

 

“Shi He hexagram.” Lezheng Jiu played another card, then suddenly formed a hand seal and cast it over, “—Soul-fixing spell!”

 

Xi Jianlan hadn’t even played his card when the soul-fixing spell knocked him backward, his long hair scattering.

 

Feng Yu: “Qian hexagram—Soul-fixing spell!”

 

Xi Jianlan had just gotten up when he was knocked backward again, falling straight onto Sheng Jiao’s thigh.

 

Xi Jianlan: “……”

 

Xi Jianlan silently got up, grinding his teeth hard.

 

The thunder outside was probably several li away, not even as loud as the glass jade slips hitting the table. After being hit by several soul-fixing spells, Xi Jianlan nearly wanted to remove his earring and fight them to the death.

 

But thinking carefully, if Feng Yu knew he was deaf, his fake rebirth would definitely be exposed.

 

With this in mind, Xi Jianlan swallowed his anger, struggled to sit steady, and endured several more soul-fixing spells.

 

His soul was about to be fixed to death in this body.

 

The thunder clouds kept rumbling. After taking a pile of soul-fixing spells, Xi Jianlan could barely continue playing, saying irritably: “You all play by yourselves, it’s so annoying.”

 

“You’re the one who’s timid, yet you blame others?” Lezheng Jiu skillfully scolded him. “It’s just the first time seeing someone killed. Do you have to scare yourself into soul-lightness? Your soul leaves your body at the slightest thunder—what little courage you have.”

 

Ying Zhuo, who had been silent, suddenly frowned: “What killing? Soul-lightness?”

 

Lezheng Jiu snapped: “None of your business, play your card.”

 

Feng Yu sneered: “You’re not admitting defeat, are you? I’ll tell you, the loser has to let the winner do whatever they want…”

 

Before he finished speaking, Ying Zhuo threw his jade cards onto the table, saying calmly: “Da You, Lin hexagram—you lost.”

 

Feng Yu: “……”

 

Lezheng Jiu: “……”

 

The glass jade slips floating in front of them fell like birds with broken wings, clattering to the ground.

 

Everyone looked at each other.

 

“The winner can do whatever they want, right?” Ying Zhuo looked at Feng Yu with a half-smile.

 

Fearing this person coveted Xi Jianlan, Feng Yu slapped the low table with a heroic, death-defying attitude: “Come on, do whatever you want to me!”

 

Ying Zhuo: “……”

 

Ying Zhuo’s lips twitched: “I won, I didn’t lose.”

 

Feng Yu’s face turned green.

 

Xi Jianlan struggled to hold back his laughter.

 

Ying Zhuo said slowly: “I just want to know what you meant by ‘killing’ and ‘soul-lightness’ earlier.”

 

Lezheng Jiu immediately wanted to curse, but not wanting to welch on the bet, he could only look at Xi Jianlan with a forced smile.

 

Feng Yu was a good sport about losing. Seeing he didn’t have to “sacrifice himself,” he cheerfully asked Xi Jianlan: “Ajue, it’s your embarrassing story. Can you tell it?”

 

Xi Ajue didn’t mind either, saying sarcastically: “You already promised to let him ‘do whatever he wants’—can I say no?”

 

Tianyan Academy held a secret realm expedition every year.

 

During Zhuxing Zhai’s third-year expedition, they accidentally encountered a heinous Xiezhi Sect fugitive.

 

At the time, the eight Zhuxing Zhai youths had an inexplicable admiration for Xiezhi Sect, thinking those black Xiezhi-patterned robes looked so heroic. They volunteered to help the Xiezhi Sect adjudicator catch the fugitive.

 

They succeeded easily in the end.

 

But this fugitive was so utterly evil that the Xiezhi Sect adjudicator, who had been pursuing him for years, was probably consumed with hatred. After determining his guilt, he executed him on the spot.

 

That was the pampered young master’s first time witnessing a killing.

 

The others were also startled—some timid ones turned away, unable to watch. But little Xi Jue held his Spring Rain sword, staring dumbly at the pool of blood and the criminal who struggled desperately before dying with wide, unblinking eyes.

 

Sheng Jiao sensed something was wrong and rushed forward to pull Xi Jue’s rigid body away.

 

His tender hands covered the young boy’s wide-open eyes.

 

For some reason, Xi Jue seemed to have been scared out of his wits. Even after Feng Yu drew arrays and called his soul for half an hour, he couldn’t wake him. Finally, Headmaster Wen came to take him away.

 

From then on, Xi Jue would lose his soul whenever he encountered thunder.

 

At first, none of the Zhuxing Zhai members had learned soul-fixing spells. On thunderstorm nights when they couldn’t completely protect against it, all seven would carry lanterns and search all over Tianyan Academy for Xi Jue’s soul.

 

Ying Zhuo frowned.

 

No wonder during thunderstorms at Tianyan Academy, the Zhuxing Zhai people would act like they were seriously ill, searching through grass and corners everywhere.

 

Xi Jianlan said irritably: “I’m a pampered Young Immortal Lord—what’s wrong with being scared by blood? Not everyone is as heartless as you all.”

 

Feng Yu said: “Yes, yes, yes, the Young Immortal Lord has a heart and lungs. Back then you were so scared you burrowed into Sheng Jiao’s arms crying, hahaha.”

 

Xi Jianlan: “……”

 

Completely humiliated, Xi Jianlan couldn’t continue playing cards and found a cabin to hide in.

 

The three couldn’t play cards anymore either, so they dispersed to play with their rhino horn lamps.

 

Ying Zhuo looked around and, seeing no annoying Zhuxing Zhai members in the way, brought a pile of exquisite, delicious pastries and gently knocked on Xi Jianlan’s door.

 

Xi Jianlan’s voice came from inside: “Who is it? If you have business, speak; if not, withdraw from court.”

 

Ying Zhuo smiled: “I brought some pastries for shixiong.”

 

Xi Jianlan said gloomily: “I don’t like pastries.”

 

This was a polite refusal.

 

Ying Zhuo understood him well and didn’t dare intrude, so he left dejectedly.

 

Soon after, Xi Jianlan’s door was knocked again.

 

Xi Jianlan was extremely annoyed, thinking it was Ying Zhuo. He angrily got out of bed barefoot, yanked open the door, and kicked out: “I already said I don’t want any, disturbing my sleep you…”

 

Before he could finish cursing, he met Sheng Jiao’s ice-cold face.

 

Xi Jianlan: “……”

 

Xi Jianlan slowly retracted his foot, saying unnaturally: “Do… do you have something?”

 

Sheng Jiao handed him a piece of osmanthus cake, using gestures to ask: Eat?

 

Xi Jianlan looked with mixed feelings at the dry, cheap-looking osmanthus cake, muttering something under his breath before snatching it and opening the door to let Sheng Jiao in.

 

Afraid eating the dry osmanthus cake on the bed would leave crumbs, Xi Jianlan curled up in a chair hugging his knees, holding it with both hands and nibbling in small bites, looking at the sky, the ground, the cake crumbs—anywhere but at Sheng Jiao.

 

He felt guilty about the courtesan name “Lan Jiaojiao” he’d come up with on a whim.

 

“But it’s not a big deal, right?” Xi Jianlan thought, deceiving himself. “I just wanted to kill that turtle-headed elder surnamed Qu. Besides, it was all three years ago. This courtesan has long since ‘reformed,’ so even if they know about Lan Jiaojiao, they won’t suspect me.”

 

Yes, very reasonable.

 

Just as Xi Jianlan had comforted himself, his face turned green again.

 

He’d almost forgotten—when arguing with Sheng Jiao, he seemed to have exposed that he’d been a courtesan at a Southern Territory pleasure house.

 

Xi Jianlan: “……”

 

It was over.

 

The Tianyan pearls would probably add several more “Execute” beads.

 

Xi Jianlan grew more agitated the more he thought about it.

 

At the time, he’d been focused on killing Elder Qu and went to Hongchen Shijun Tower without a second thought. How could he have predicted he’d one day revisit the place with Sheng Jiao?

 

He could only hope no one would mention the name “Lan Jiaojiao” in front of Sheng Jiao.

 

Lost in thought, Xi Jianlan nibbled the osmanthus cake until his face was covered in crumbs without noticing.

 

Suddenly, Sheng Jiao reached out a hand toward him.

 

Xi Jianlan was startled.

 

Sheng Jiao’s lips moved slightly: “Thunder clouds one li ahead.”

 

He gently removed the tassel clasp earring from Xi Jianlan’s ear.

 

“Oh, haha.” Xi Jianlan continued guiltily nibbling the osmanthus cake.

 

He’d thought Sheng Jiao had some important matter to discuss, but after he finished the dry cake and nearly choked, Sheng Jiao hadn’t said a word.

 

“Say something.” Xi Jianlan was thick-skinned—after feeling guilty for a moment, he was calm again, patting the cake crumbs off himself. “You don’t eat mortal food and rarely speak—what’s your mouth for? Hmm? Blockhead?”

 

Sheng Jiao: “……”

 

Sheng Jiao watched him silently for a while, then suddenly turned and left without a word.

 

Xi Jianlan was even more confused.

 

What had he come for?

 

Just to watch him eat cake?

 

Xi Jianlan didn’t think much about it. Without a rhino horn lamp to play with, he could only take off his outer robe and climb into bed to sleep away the time.

 

His health was poor and he slept deeply. He’d thought he could sleep until they reached the Southern Territory, but in his daze, he sensed someone by his bed.

 

Xi Jianlan opened sleepy eyes, looking hazily to see Sheng Jiao sitting by the bed, quietly watching him with lowered gaze.

 

“You…”

 

He wanted to ask what Sheng Jiao was doing, but when he opened his mouth, only rapid breathing came out.

 

Only then did Xi Jianlan realize it was past midnight—the aftereffects of “Abandoned Immortal Bone” were still ongoing.

 

But this episode was much milder than before. Sheng Jiao’s vast spiritual power flowed through his spiritual platform into his meridians that desperately craved “Abandoned Immortal Bone,” stopping his urgent desire.

 

“Keep sleeping,” Sheng Jiao said.

 

Xi Jianlan was covered in cold sweat, smiling weakly: “Sheng Jiao, can we find the real culprit who massacred the Xi family?”

 

Sheng Jiao remained silent.

 

“We’ll definitely find them, definitely find him.” Xi Jianlan answered himself, his forehead gently brushing against Sheng Jiao’s fingertips as he murmured: “When this matter is settled…”

 

Perhaps they could be like before.

 

Sheng Jiao was about to speak when he suddenly sensed something, frowning as he looked up.

 

Xi Jianlan also looked up, frowning slightly: “Someone’s coming.”

 

At ten thousand zhang altitude, someone had passed through the thunder clouds and silently landed on top of the riverboat.

 

Their cultivation was definitely Void Return realm.

 

Xi Jianlan nestled in the brocade quilt and smiled: “It seems this Xi Minghuai lead really can uncover something. Otherwise, the real culprit wouldn’t be so urgent as to intercept us halfway.”

 

Sheng Jiao withdrew his hand, his expression suddenly turning cold.

 

In the adjacent room, Lezheng Jiu and Feng Yu weren’t sleeping in the middle of the night, playing with rhino horn lamps. Sensing an attack, their first reaction wasn’t to fight the enemy but to run outside while clutching their lamps.

 

Just as they reached the central hall, they bumped into Ying Zhuo.

 

Ying Zhuo’s face was cold as he said gravely: “It’s Void Return realm. I’ve sent puppets to deal with it. Follow me…”

 

Before he could finish, Lezheng Jiu and Feng Yu had already run toward Xi Jianlan’s room.

 

Ying Zhuo: “?”

 

Ying Zhuo frowned: “Someone’s attacking—what are you doing?!”

 

Lezheng Jiu kicked open the carved door and shone his rhino horn lamp inside, sure enough seeing Sheng Jiao sitting by Xi Jianlan’s bed, apparently up to something.

 

But he was too lazy to care.

 

“Sheng Jiao!” Lezheng Jiu said gravely.

 

Moonlight slanted through the window, dimly illuminating Sheng Jiao’s frost-cold face.

 

Sheng Jiao looked over coldly, his gaze empty and emotionless.

 

Lezheng Jiu and Feng Yu said in unison: “Sheng Jiao, save us.”

 

Sheng Jiao: “……”

 

Ying Zhuo: “???”

 

Ying Zhuo watched in shock.

 

He’d thought Lezheng Jiu had a bad relationship with Sheng Jiao—how could his first reaction to an enemy attack be to find Sheng Jiao and cry for help?

 

Actually…

 

As long as Sheng Jiao was there, even if their lives hung by a thread, the Zhuxing Zhai people were too lazy to fight—they just needed to call for help.

 

During academy expeditions when they paired up, Xi Jue always loved clinging to Sheng Jiao because he discovered that with Sheng Jiao, he only needed to be pretty—Sheng Jiao handled all the fighting without letting him even see it.

 

What should have been training turned into flower-viewing spring outings.

 

The Zhuxing Zhai members had initially strongly despised and scorned Xi Jue’s freeloading behavior, but later, due to the headmaster’s forced team assignments, everyone had trained with Sheng Jiao at least once.

 

Everyone: “……”

 

Well…

 

That was actually pretty nice.

 

From then on, Sheng Jiao became like an immovable anchor in Zhuxing Zhai.

 

Even someone like Lezheng Jiu who couldn’t stand him would lazily call for his help when in danger, experiencing the thrill of getting something for nothing.

 

Over time, all of Zhuxing Zhai developed this shameless attitude.

 

Sheng Jiao was long used to it, striding out with an icy expression.

 

Lezheng Jiu, Feng Yu, and Xi Jianlan all cast longing gazes after him, feeling that broad back conveyed two words—reliable.

 

Ying Zhuo: “…………”

 

The Zhuxing Zhai people… probably all had serious problems.

 

—Not including his shixiong.

 

The Feng family estate.

 

Above the ghost-like residence, dark clouds perpetually swirled with ghostly energy, preventing sunlight or moonlight from ever reaching the estate, making it even more eerily ominous.

 

Feng Chongyang and Heng Qinglian sat expressionlessly watching a small paper figure on the central table.

 

The paper figure was animated by spiritual power, connected to the one on Feng Yu’s forearm. It jumped and bounced lifelike, with intermittent sounds coming through.

 

“Soul-fixing spell!”

 

“Playing cards, playing cards, nothing beats playing cards.”

 

“…Come on, do whatever you want to me!”

 

“So scared he burrowed into Sheng Jiao’s arms crying, hahaha.”

 

“Hahaha Xi Jue is so embarrassing. Yudu, I’m telling you, you missed out by not coming. Sheng Jiao secretly went to Xi Jue’s room in the middle of the night—tsk tsk, sparks flying!”

 

“Enemy attack! There’s an enemy, Void Return realm!”

 

“Sheng Jiao!”

 

“Wah, Sheng Jiao save us!”

 

Heng Qinglian: “……”

 

Feng Chongyang: “……”

 

Feng Chongyang held his forehead, not speaking for a long time.

 

Author’s Note:

 

Heng Qinglian: This is the spy you sent? What kind of nonsense is he reporting???

 

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 (advanced chapters available on kofi)