AVL Chapter 10

Xi Jianlan touched the cheap dangling earring and completely relaxed.

 

Feng Yu had a competitive nature and immediately said coldly: “Eighty thousand.”

 

Xi Jianlan was deeply moved. He lifted the bamboo curtain wanting to admire Young Master Feng’s heroic display of spending lavishly for him, his slender fingers extending outside and casually fluttering twice.

 

Sheng Jiao suddenly pulled the Binding Silk with a cold face.

 

Xi Jianlan’s hand was suddenly dragged back, the cold Binding Silk once again touching the mark on his wrist, making him h

 

iss in pain—he had probably tried to cause trouble but failed, secretly glaring at Sheng Jiao.

 

The chime had already sounded below, but Sheng Jiao showed no intention of bidding higher.

 

As if his earlier bid was just a whim.

 

After three chime sounds, the Yutan flower went to Feng Yu.

 

 

Feng Yu snorted with laughter, as if he had won a battle: “Dare to compete with me?”

 

At this moment, a beautiful, gorgeous ghost floated back and said: “Just now when you were bidding, a pair of hands reached out from the third floor dharma hall making a strange gesture…”

 

She didn’t understand the meaning, so she gestured with her pale hands.

 

[Help—]

 

Feng Yu: “?”

 

The chime fell silent.

 

Sheng Jiao suddenly stood up, and Xi Jianlan was forced to raise his hand as the Binding Silk on his wrist moved, looking at him in confusion.

 

“Sir?”

 

Sheng Jiao moved his finger slightly, and the Binding Silk actually came off his wrist, floating in mid-air.

 

Xi Jianlan’s heart jumped.

 

Sheng Jiao handed the Binding Silk to Juan Xunfang: “Don’t believe a single word he says.”

 

Juan Xunfang hurriedly took it, almost swearing to heaven and earth: “Sir, rest assured, I will definitely not be deceived again!”

 

He had already been fooled once by this person’s tears. If he believed this person’s nonsense again, he wouldn’t deserve his surname Juan!

 

Xi Jianlan propped his chin with his fingers, looking completely innocent: “Sir, I’m so wronged.”

 

Sheng Jiao said coldly: “If you try to escape again…”

 

“I wouldn’t dare.” Xi Jianlan coughed dryly, rarely showing guilt: “Most of those who came to Guchangsi Temple for the excitement of this painting probably have grudges against me, against the Xi family. I have no cultivation—if I escape rashly, I might not survive.”

 

After thinking it over, although he wasn’t free here, at least his life wasn’t in danger.

 

Xi Jianlan cherished his life.

 

Sheng Jiao looked at him indifferently, not knowing whether he believed him or not.

 

He probably had urgent business and left without a word.

 

Xi Jianlan rested his chin on his hand, lazily watching Sheng Jiao’s departing figure.

 

Only after the figure completely disappeared in the corridor did he curve his lips in a slight smile.

 

Juan Xunfang watched him warily.

 

Xi Jianlan tilted his head, smiling like a poppy flower—beautiful yet dangerous.

 

“Lord Juan.”

 

***

 

After Guchangsi Temple’s auctions, young monks usually delivered the spiritual objects to the dharma hall private rooms.

 

Feng Yu held his ghost blade with a frown, looking at the young monk leading the way ahead, and couldn’t help asking: “Who exactly is the flower seller?”

 

Why such airs, making the buyer come personally?

 

The young monk didn’t speak, respectfully bowing to him and pushing open the carved wooden door on the fourth floor.

 

“Please.”

 

The fourth floor of Guchangsi Temple wasn’t like the lower three floors with individual private rooms separated by screen magical devices. The vast dharma hall was completely open, with a jade Buddha statue of some unknown venerable placed in the center.

 

The fragrance of Yutan flowers permeated the surroundings.

 

Feng Yu was naturally fearless, holding his ghost blade and striding directly inside.

 

But just as he stepped in, several Spirit Transformation realm cultivators appeared like ghosts, their ice-cold sword blades silently falling on Feng Yu’s neck.

 

Feng Yu didn’t take those blades seriously either, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow with a half-smile: “Well, well, who do we have here? So it’s Heng Zhangyuan, quite the grand setup.”

 

The sound of wooden wheels scraping against the ground came faintly from behind a screen. A man in white crane and magnolia-patterned robes sat upright in a wooden wheelchair. His features were delicate and handsome, with several crystal-clear blank jade slips floating around him like birds.

 

It was Heng Yudu.

 

The Zhuxing Zhai of Tianyan Academy in the Tianyan Hai year was extremely special, because among the young cultivators who enrolled that year, there were actually four with Spiritual level Xiangwen, shocking all Thirteen States at once.

 

Xi Jue, Sheng Jiao…

 

Heng Yudu was also one of them.

 

Heng Yudu had a gentle and ethereal temperament, like a blue orchid standing in the wind on a mountain peak. He said lightly: “Feng Yu, what do you want the Yutan flower for?”

 

“Because I want to, because I have money. Does this also violate academy regulations?” Feng Yu sneered, “But I’m not your student. Even if I bought it to skip stones for fun, what can you do about it?”

 

Heng Yudu explained gently: “That’s not what I meant.”

 

Feng Yu rolled his eyes, thinking here we go again.

 

“Although the Yutan flower is a spiritual object, its petals are highly poisonous.” Heng Yudu, with the heart of a worried mother, said softly, “I’m not questioning you, please don’t misunderstand.”

 

“Stop explaining, isn’t it annoying?” Feng Yu said irritably, “When I asked you yesterday, you said you couldn’t find any Yutan flowers. How is it that today there’s one, and it’s being auctioned at Guchangsi Temple?”

 

Heng Yudu said again: “Please don’t misunderstand.”

 

Heng Yudu, probably due to his Xiangwen, carefully considered every sentence he spoke, fearing others would misunderstand him.

 

Whenever he felt any word or sentence had the wrong tone, he would spend a great deal of effort explaining, supplementing, and patching things up. His opening phrase was often: “Ah, please don’t misunderstand.”

 

Feng Yu automatically ignored his tedious explanations, saying in surprise: “You’re not planning to use the Yutan flower to lure Xi Jue, are you?!”

 

Heng Yudu raised his hand.

 

The guards finally withdrew the sword blades from Feng Yu’s neck and instantly disappeared.

 

“You really did see Xi Twelve.” Heng Yudu was cunning like a demon, saying lightly, “Among Zhuxing Zhai, you’re the easiest to deceive. He must have said something to you to make you willingly spend lavishly on a Yutan flower for him.”

 

Feng Yu: “…”

 

Feng Yu didn’t like talking much with him, saying impatiently: “Quickly give me the Yutan flower, I won’t pay.”

 

Heng Yudu said gently: “Tell me Xi Jue’s whereabouts.”

 

Feng Yu had a violent temper. Seeing they couldn’t reach an agreement, he turned to leave.

 

Heng Yudu suddenly said: “Stop.”

 

In an instant, those ordinary two words carried the force of a thousand jun. The jade slips flew like birds, thunderously suppressing Feng Yu’s limbs and even his Xiangwen, forcibly making him stop in place.

 

Feng Yu: “…”

 

This was Heng Yudu’s Spiritual level Xiangwen—”Exchange for Bright Moon.” If his cultivation were higher, two words could scatter someone’s soul.

 

Feng Yu angrily said: “Heng Yudu!”

 

Heng Yudu, as if those two words had exhausted all his spiritual power, covered his mouth and coughed a few times before saying gently: “I just want to know where Xi Shi’er is.”

 

“He’s a waste person who won’t live much longer if left alone. What do you want with him?” Feng Yu said coldly, “Or is it that because Rang Chen’s vow of silence was broken and his cultivation ruined, you all think Xi Jue did it on purpose and want to kill him for revenge?”

 

Heng Yudu was silent for a while, then said: “I don’t believe he would intentionally harm Rang Chen.”

 

“Then you…”

 

“I just want to know how Xi Shi’er’s Spiritual level Xiangwen was really lost.”

 

Feng Yu frowned tightly: “This matter is known to everyone.”

 

Six years ago, Xiezhi Sect was controlled by the Qu family of Central State.

 

The Qu family had always been at odds with the Xi family. After the Xi family’s disaster, the then Sect Master of Xiezhi Sect harbored resentment and randomly pinned the crime of “Spiritual level Xiangwen going out of control and massacring the entire clan in madness” on Xi Jue, capturing him in Xiezhi Sect.

 

Xi Jue’s Spiritual level Xiangwen was destroyed in Xiezhi Sect.

 

Heng Yudu shook his head: “You really believe this story?”

 

Feng Yu didn’t understand what Heng Yudu was getting at: “What else? Xi Jue’s Xiangwen was indeed destroyed. He’s now half-dead—could this be fake?!”

 

Heng Yudu sighed silently.

 

After sighing, as if afraid Feng Yu would misunderstand, he explained: “I sighed only because you’re indeed the most gullible as Xi Shi’er said. If I were him, I’d also pick you as the sucker.”

 

Feng Yu: “…”

 

Feng Yu’s face turned green.

 

Just then, the door beside them was suddenly pushed open.

 

The person who entered was dressed in black, as if stepping from an ink-like abyss. His disguise gently receded like a tide as he took a few steps forward, ripples spreading across his body, instantly revealing a face as cold and stern as snow on mountain peaks.

 

Feng Yu was stunned, his face full of shock.

 

“…Sheng, Sheng Jiao?”

 

But Heng Yudu had expected this, saying lightly: “So it really is you. You finally found Xi Jue?”

 

Sheng Jiao’s lips didn’t move, but his ice-cold voice echoed in both their ears.

 

“What matter.”

 

“Hand Xi Shi’er over to me.” Heng Yudu didn’t beat around the bush with Sheng Jiao, getting straight to the point. “Tianyan Academy suspects the Qu family’s incident is related to Xi Shi’er.”

 

Sheng Jiao looked at him, his eyes devoid of emotion.

 

But Heng Yudu and Feng Yu, having been classmates with Sheng Jiao for years, keenly detected the mockery in his eyes.

 

He seemed to be saying: “On what grounds?”

 

Heng Yudu supported himself on the wheelchair armrest, his temperament serene, every movement pleasing to the eye.

 

“Some days ago, someone broke into the Qu family’s Tianyan spiritual vein and slaughtered the Spirit Transformation realm elders who received the spiritual vein, as if looking for something.”

 

Sheng Jiao watched coldly.

 

“What?”

 

“—Xiangwen.” Heng Yudu’s words were shocking. “There are rumors in Central State that six years ago, the Qu family went mad and extracted Xi Jue’s Spiritual level Xiangwen for their own use.”

 

Sheng Jiao’s pupils contracted sharply.

 

Feng Yu said in horror: “Extract Xiangwen?”

 

Just like Xi Qingfeng’s Xiangwen painting under the bodhi tree?

 

Heng Yudu absentmindedly caressed the jade slips floating beside him: “Tianyan Academy only wants to know what Xi Shi’er’s Xiangwen is and how it was destroyed—after I finish questioning him, I’ll naturally send Xi Jue to Xiezhi Sect.”

 

Sheng Jiao’s pupils were full of cold, murderous intent as he turned to leave.

 

Heng Yudu lightly parted his pale lips: “Sheng Jiao, stop—”

 

“Exchange for Bright Moon” stirred up overwhelming spiritual power, pressing toward Sheng Jiao’s back with unstoppable force. When the spiritual power swept past Feng Yu, it was like a gentle breeze under the bright moon, softly brushing by.

 

“Boom!”

 

Sheng Jiao suddenly turned around, his eyes dry as scorched earth. Thunder patterns crackled around his body, and a string of 108 Tianyan pearls suddenly appeared on his empty wrist.

 

The Tianyan pearls moved without wind, blue thunder patterns silently coiling around his entire body like swimming dragons, making Sheng Jiao’s long hair fly wildly.

 

The Spiritual level Xiangwen “Worthy of Heavenly Dao” and “Exchange for Bright Moon” suddenly collided, silently fighting in the narrow dharma hall like a void explosion.

 

Clang!

 

A silent thunder struck down fiercely.

 

The jade slips floating around Heng Yudu suddenly shattered into powder, scattering on his clothes.

 

Sheng Jiao looked at him coldly.

 

Even at this moment, he was too lazy to speak, indifferently using spiritual power to produce sound.

 

“Want Xi Jue? Come and take him.”

 

With that, he flicked his sleeve and left.

 

Heng Yudu sat upright in his wheelchair, the gentle expression still on his face. He covered his mouth and coughed a few times, seeming unsurprised that Sheng Jiao would attack him.

 

Feng Yu was hiding in the corner, somehow having grabbed a handful of pine nuts and cracking them with glowing eyes.

 

A battle between two Spiritual level Xiangwen—you couldn’t see this a few times in a lifetime.

 

Feng Yu felt he had really come at the right time.

 

Heng Yudu: “…”

 

***

 

Sheng Jiao expressionlessly hid the Tianyan pearls on his wrist and walked down to the third floor with a dark face.

 

But before reaching the dharma hall, he suddenly seemed to sense something. His expression changed as his robes fluttered, taking quick steps and forcefully pushing open the carved wooden door.

 

Sheng Jiao had only been gone for less than half a quarter hour, but in the dharma hall he only saw Juan Xunfang and Shang Yuan with dazed faces.

 

—Xi Jianlan was nowhere to be found.

 

Sheng Jiao clenched his five fingers, his fingertips nearly digging into his palm.

 

“Where is he?”

 

Juan Xunfang’s face was dazed. Seeing Sheng Jiao’s cold face, he suddenly shuddered.

 

He seemed to have been fed some kind of love potion, finally awakening to realize what he had done, his face instantly turning deathly pale.

 

“Xi Jue said… he, he was reborn…”

 

Sheng Jiao: “…”

 

Reborn?

 

Heng Yudu wasn’t willing to give up and followed, planning to see Xi Jianlan before saying anything.

 

He was pushed to the third floor by Feng Yu and happened to hear the word “reborn” at the door, sighing silently: “Only fools would believe such nonsense.”

 

Feng Yu: “???”

 

Juan Xunfang fell heavily to his knees with a “thud”: “Sect Master, forgive me!”

 

Sheng Jiao looked at him coldly but didn’t say much. Instead, he raised his hand and lightly touched it, causing a phantom red rope to suddenly appear on his left little finger.

 

—It was another Binding Silk tied to Xi Jianlan.

 

The person on the other end of the red rope seemed unaware of the other Binding Silk’s existence, running excitedly at high speed.

 

The Binding Silk rushed outward urgently, impossible to hold back.

 

——————–

 

Author’s Note:

 

Xi Jianlan: Hahahaha I’m free!!!

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