PID Chapter 100

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Once again Thank you Pixi for the kofi<3

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The spiritual lamps cast long shadows of Chu Jinglan and Xiao Mo across the room. In the warm glow of the light, Chu Jinglan’s shadow moved first.

 

He tore his gaze away from Xiao Mo’s delicate, pale wrist, restraining himself from looking again. “Rest for now. If you need anything, call for the sword puppets—they’re stationed nearby on standby. I’ll be staying in the room next door.”

 

Without waiting for Xiao Mo to respond, Chu Jinglan turned and left. His steps were steady and appeared calm, but inside, the beast within him was roaring. Only he knew how hastily he had fled from that room.

 

Xiao Mo’s words caught in his throat, but by the time he could speak, Chu Jinglan was already gone. Holding the storage device in his hands, Xiao Mo sighed helplessly.

 

The items inside were far too valuable. In the past, Xiao Mo had accepted their arrangement of splitting everything evenly without hesitation because he knew that whatever he took would eventually return to Chu Jinglan anyway—it didn’t feel burdensome. But now? He had barely prepared one gift for Chu Jinglan, and before he could even give it, Chu Jinglan had already given him a mountain of treasures in return.

 

How am I supposed to show my special feelings like this?

 

No—this wouldn’t do. He needed to come up with something else. Besides the sword tassel he was planning to make, he had to think of something more meaningful.

 

As Xiao Mo pondered this, his gaze wandered around the room again. When they had first arrived here via teleportation, he had noticed that there was a powerful defensive formation outside—it could repel intruders and also included a confinement array. The confinement array wasn’t active at the moment; it seemed designed to trap enemies who entered this place like fish in a barrel.

 

However, the aura of the confinement array wasn’t concealed at all. If anyone dared to intrude, they’d likely be scared off immediately rather than caught. Was it just meant to intimidate people?

 

Xiao Mo spread out his spiritual consciousness as he thought about these things, simultaneously mapping out the surrounding layout and routes so he wouldn’t get lost if he needed to leave.

 

At the base of the mountain stood a stone stele engraved with its name: Du-E Mountain. The eighty-one peaks of Du-E Sect were said to surround this main peak, but there weren’t any grand halls or towering structures here—only a courtyard with several buildings. The courtyard seemed equipped with everything one might need: a library pavilion, cultivation rooms, pavilions, and winding corridors. To Xiao Mo, it faintly resembled their resting place on the ninth floor of the Nine Secret Treasure Tower.

 

Most of the surrounding peaks were protected by restrictions that made them difficult to investigate with spiritual consciousness. He also didn’t know where Qiuqiu had flown off to and couldn’t summon it back to ask about Chu Jinglan’s life over these past years.

 

After all, both his and Chu Jinglan’s spiritual signatures were now completely distinct—two separate individuals. Whether it was spiritual treasures or contracted beasts, once they recognized a master, they wouldn’t respond to both anymore.

 

Unless… they formed another Dao companion bond.

 

Xiao Mo glanced at the storage device in his hand and finally decided how he would handle its precious contents. He put it away and lay down on the bed.

 

With all the emotional ups and downs of today, sleep seemed like a better way to recover than cultivation tonight. Although the warm jade bed was firm by nature, it was covered with high-quality silk bedding that made it soft and comfortable. Xiao Mo preferred softer beds; while Chu Jinglan himself didn’t care much about such things, after spending time outside with Xiao Mo as a inner demon, he had developed a habit of making sure their bedding was always soft.

 

Chu Jinglan didn’t have many personal preferences—but over time, Xiao Mo’s preferences had become his habits.

 

Xiao Mo’s cheek sank into the plush pillow as he couldn’t resist reaching up to pinch it lightly. Everything about this room—every detail—was tailored perfectly to him…

 

Hugging the blanket tightly against himself, Xiao Mo thought: Chu Jinglan really is too good.

 

Xiao Mo let out a soft sigh as he lay in the bedding. Come to think of it, he still hadn’t properly said to Chu Jinglan: I’m back.

 

Even between close brothers, a simple “I’m back” accompanied by a hug should have been natural, something that came easily.

 

But from the moment they reunited, Chu Jinglan’s attitude had inexplicably suppressed what would have been the most appropriate words. Calm and composed, his demeanor seemed to stifle any deeper emotions.

 

Chu Jinglan’s actions had flowed so seamlessly that Xiao Mo had been unconsciously drawn into his rhythm. At the time, it hadn’t felt like much. But now, alone and reflecting on their reunion, Xiao Mo realized something was missing.

 

It’s my fault for not expressing enough, Xiao Mo thought with some regret. Certain things lose their meaning if not said at the right time. Still, reunions are like wine—they can be brewed anew. He just needed to think carefully about how to make this cup of wine rich and memorable, without leaving it empty and full of regret.

 

—

 

In the room next door, separated by only a wall, Chu Jinglan sat in darkness. He hadn’t lit a lamp; as someone at Return to Void stage, he could see perfectly well without light. In fact, he found it easier to calm himself in the dark.

 

What Xiao Mo didn’t know was that beneath his room lay a confinement array—one that had been set up and dismantled repeatedly. Not long before Xiao Mo’s return, the array had been reactivated.

 

Every time Chu Jinglan set up the array, he made no attempt to hide its presence. The dark and dangerous aura of the formation was left entirely exposed, as if he wanted to lay bare his twisted claws and fangs for a certain someone to see.

 

He wanted Xiao Mo to witness the snarling beast within him—the decayed and venomous claws, the torn and agonized heart.

 

And yet… now that Xiao Mo had returned, he had pulled everything back into the shadows. His claws rested on the edge of the abyss, twitching restlessly but never daring to cross the line.

 

Daring not… afraid… These were words no one would ever associate with Chu Xianzun.

 

He was now someone who could turn clouds into rain with a flick of his hand—unstoppable in all things. What could he possibly fear? What could he fail to achieve? The rattling chains in his storage device were pulled out into his hands as he gripped them tightly, pressing each segment down one by one.

 

And yet… there was that figure standing in his path—blocking his fearless advance.

 

Chu Jinglan’s hand pressed harder against the chains, veins bulging across the back of his hand.

 

He could act recklessly if he wanted to—he could charge forward without hesitation. The confinement array beneath Xiao Mo’s room could be activated in an instant, and with Nascent Soul cultivation alone, Xiao Mo would have no way of escaping it. So why was he sitting here in this dark room, gritting his teeth and doing nothing?

 

Is there really no way? No… there isn’t.

 

Because the figure standing in his way was holding his heart in their hands.

 

Chu Jinglan loosened his grip, letting go of the heavy iron chain. It fell to the ground with a loud clang, its sound echoing through the room. Thanks to the soundproof barrier he had set up earlier, no noise reached Xiao Mo in the next room.

 

The night on Du-E Peak was long and dark. Tonight, however, one room remained lit with a warm glow. Through the window, Chu Jinglan’s pitch-black eyes fixated on that light just within reach.

 

He didn’t look away—not even when the lamp was extinguished and Xiao Mo fell asleep.

 

Only when all traces of emotion faded from his gaze did Chu Jinglan feel some of the chaos within him subside. Finally withdrawing his gaze, he sat cross-legged on the floor and began meditating to regulate his breathing.

 

At dawn, Xiao Mo woke up early, breathing in the crisp, spiritual energy-rich air of the mountain forest. It filled him with a refreshing sense of vitality.

 

He stretched his muscles and loosened his joints. The room next door was still quiet, but even from outside, he could feel the flow of spiritual energy—it was clear that Chu Jinglan was still cultivating. As expected of someone at Return to Void stage, his influence on the surrounding spiritual energy was unmistakable.

 

Xiao Mo walked around the courtyard for a bit before deciding to head to the base of Du-E Sect’s mountain. He had heard that Yan Chun, Chu Xia and Mo Zhi were stationed there. Since he couldn’t find Qiuqiu, asking them would suffice—they were close enough to Chu Jinglan to know far more about him than any storyteller at a teahouse.

 

As Xiao Mo spread out his spiritual consciousness and searched for a path, he moved smoothly through the sect grounds. Outside the sect gates, he found a small courtyard with three houses encircling an open space. When Xiao Mo arrived, all three individuals turned to look at him simultaneously.

 

Having guarded the entrance to Du-E Sect for years, they could immediately sense that Xiao Mo had come from inside the sect.

 

If someone hadn’t entered through the main gate yet emerged from within Du-E Sect, it could only mean one thing—they were someone personally brought into the sect by Xianzun himself.

 

The three children of yesteryear had now grown up completely. Yan Chun was as graceful as jade; Chuxia carried an elegant charm; and Mo Zhi exuded bold and heroic vigor. Though traces of their former appearances were faintly visible, the changes over time were significant enough that Xiao Mo took a moment to carefully recognize them.

 

Meanwhile, they were also sizing him up.

 

It was Yan Chun who first spoke politely: “I am Yan Chun. May I ask who you are?”

 

Time had indeed passed—Xiao Mo felt a wave of emotion as he smiled warmly and said: “Though the story is a bit complicated, I am truly your Senior Brother Xiao.”

 

The three stared at him in disbelief, their eyes widening in shock.

 

—

 

Not long after Xiao Mo met with them, Chu Jinglan finished his meditation on Du-E Peak and slowly withdrew his spiritual energy.

 

As soon as he regained awareness, he realized that the familiar presence in the courtyard was gone.

 

Chu Jinglan’s eyes snapped open as his aura instantly became chaotic.

 

He had barely managed to calm himself earlier, repeatedly telling himself not to overthink things—but now his spiritual consciousness spread out rapidly, searching for Xiao Mo’s presence. The moment he locked onto it, he blinked—and in an instant, his figure appeared in the small courtyard beside Xiao Mo.

 

His hand had already grabbed Xiao Mo’s arm tightly, and the entire courtyard was immediately enveloped by a terrifying pressure.

 

Xiao Mo had just finished giving a brief explanation to Yan Chun, Chu Xia and Mo Zhi about his return. The three were tearfully immersed in the joy of their reunion when Chu Jinglan’s sudden oppressive aura slammed down on them without warning.

 

Under such pressure, their heartbeats and blood flow seemed frozen in place.

 

All three were immobilized entirely—unable to move even an inch. Only Xiao Mo, held firmly by Chu Jinglan’s grip on his arm, remained unaffected by the pressure.

 

But even Xiao Mo could sense how suffocatingly heavy the surrounding atmosphere had become under Chu Jinglan’s aura.

 

Chu Jinglan’s sudden appearance startled Xiao Mo as well. Just as he was about to say something, he met Chu Jinglan’s gaze directly.

 

Those eyes—bloodshot and filled with icy anger—shook slightly within their pupils. To Xiao Mo’s surprise, amidst all that fury and coldness, he caught glimpses of panic and fear lurking beneath.

 

That look made Xiao Mo’s heart tighten abruptly.

 

Something wasn’t right with Chu Jinglan.

 

His arm was already aching from being gripped so tightly, but instead of pulling away, Xiao Mo spoke softly: “Chu Jinglan?”

 

The dazed look in Chu Jinglan’s eyes finally focused. As his gaze settled on Xiao Mo completely, something seemed to retreat from within those pitch-black eyes—while something else quietly surfaced. Though subtle and silent, there was undoubtedly a change that no one else could perceive.

 

Because after hearing Xiao Mo’s voice, the oppressive aura blanketing the courtyard instantly withdrew. Yan Chun, Chu Xia and Mo Zhi staggered back under its release—nearly falling over from its sudden disappearance.

 

Chu Jinglan’s expression remained indifferent, as if the oppressive aura he had just unleashed wasn’t his doing, as though nothing had happened. In a calm and casual tone, he asked Xiao Mo, “Why did you come here?”

 

“I came to see them and to ask about you,” Xiao Mo replied, carefully observing Chu Jinglan’s expression. His composure had returned far too quickly, unnaturally calm—almost as if everything earlier had been an illusion.

 

But Xiao Mo knew it wasn’t an illusion. Chu Jinglan’s grip on his arm had loosened slightly but still hadn’t let go.

 

In the past, when their morning routines didn’t align, they would each go about their own tasks without issue. They could always communicate through their sea of consciousness whenever needed. There was no need to leave prior notice—if one woke up and found the other missing, they’d simply ask directly in the sea of consciousness.

 

Now that they couldn’t communicate that way anymore, they had exchanged new communication jade tokens the previous day. A quick message through the jade tokens would have sufficed.

 

Xiao Mo hadn’t expected Chu Jinglan to come straight to him like this, bringing such a powerful aura with him and causing such a commotion.

 

In just a brief moment, Yan Chun, Chu Xia, and Mo Zhi were drenched in cold sweat down their backs.

 

Why did this happen?

 

Xiao Mo’s thoughts raced, landing on an explanation that seemed almost too unbelievable—but it was also the one that made the most sense in this situation.

 

Was it because I wasn’t in the courtyard?

 

He noticed I wasn’t there and didn’t even bother sending a voice transmission—he just came straight after me. Only after seeing me and hearing my voice did he manage to calm himself. Was he worried… that I’d left again?

 

Xiao Mo’s heart pounded wildly at his own speculation.

 

Could it be that the Chu Jinglan standing before him now wasn’t as calm and composed as he had appeared since their reunion?

 

 

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1 Kofi = 1 Extra Chapter