Dawn rose.
Lezheng Jiu leaped down hastily from the airship. It had rained all night. Mountain mist swirled white, his black robes fluttering as if falling into snowy clouds.
This was Lezheng Jiu’s first visit to Yan Family Mountain. Seeing late autumn yet everything revived—towering trees lush and verdant across the mountain—his brow furrowed lightly.
Just as he was about to land, he suddenly seemed to hit a barrier mid-air, nearly bouncing off with a “bang.”
Lezheng Jiu: “…”
Lezheng Jiu struggled to stabilize himself, maintaining his inscrutable image. Face grim, he landed at Yan Family Mountain’s entrance and viciously kicked that familiar Great Ascension barrier.
“Let me in.”
A barrier laid down with a Great Ascension cultivator’s life-essence spiritual power connected to their core—to forcibly break it, one could only kill Sheng Jiao himself.
Lezheng Jiu’s face was terribly sour.
Though knowing Yan Jianlan was fine, he still couldn’t completely relax without seeing him.
Soon, at the barrier entrance, the void faintly flashed with a flamboyant “Zhuo” character thunder sigil. The spiritual power, sensing Lezheng Jiu, silently opened a small gap, indicating he should squeeze through.
Lezheng Jiu: “…”
Lezheng Jiu smiled without warmth: “I think Sect Master Sheng hasn’t quite understood—if you truly want to bond with Jianlan, you need Medicine Sect’s approval.”
Regardless of Medicine Sect’s actual wishes, at minimum appearances must be maintained, since Madam Wan was no ordinary person to Yan Jianlan.
The barrier quieted for a moment, then the gap slowly expanded outward, forcibly transforming the barrier entrance into an enormous, imposing illusory gate.
Lezheng Jiu’s brow furrowed.
This manner…
Didn’t quite seem like something Sheng Jiao would do.
Lezheng Jiu didn’t think much of it, sneering before stepping into Yan Family Mountain.
After Sheng Jiao entered Yan Jianlan’s nightmare, Lezheng Jiu rushed toward Yan Family Mountain non-stop, traveling day and night to finally arrive.
Yan Jianlan and Sheng Jiao should have returned to Yan Family Mountain not long ago. Lezheng Jiu had expected the mountain to be a chaotic ruin after so long without inhabitants, but the higher he climbed, the denser the surrounding spiritual power became.
Overnight, Yan Family Mountain was no longer the somber, water-like ruins of years past, but an excellent cave abode rich with dense spiritual power.
That spendthrift Sheng Jiao… actually used his own source spiritual power to create a spirit-gathering array across the vast Yan Family Mountain.
Lezheng Jiu clicked his tongue in wonder, thinking Sect Master Sheng truly had invested heavily.
The mountain steps were covered in moss, vibrant emerald green from the spiritual power, adding an ancient charm instead of the previous desolate bleakness.
Lezheng Jiu climbed the thousand-layer steps and finally reached the top of Yan Family Mountain.
Completely different from imagination, Yan Family Mountain had been rebuilt—an elegant cave abode with abundant spiritual power. Looking closer, it wasn’t actually a spirit mustard seed, but spiritual tool buildings with restrictions torn away, directly placed on foundations.
Silver screens and golden houses, jade carvings and carved railings.
—Sect Master Sheng had probably spent half his life savings building this osmanthus palace and orchid pavilion for Yan Jianlan.
Lezheng Jiu looked around in surprise. If he didn’t know what Yan Family Mountain had experienced before, he’d think this was an ancient, elegant cave abode from roughly Medicine Sect’s era.
Suddenly, the sound of water came from not far away.
Lezheng Jiu looked toward the sound to see Sheng Jiao in black brocade robes, long hair combed without a strand out of place, aura still cold and austere, face grim as if deciding others’ life and death.
Distinct, slender fingers wide and powerful, as if all things were controlled in his palm.
Sheng Jiao’s posture cold, every movement like a painting—he reached out as if gripping a sword, grasping a water ladle and sprinkling a ladleful onto a newly planted osmanthus tree.
—Sect Master Sheng was watering plants.
Lezheng Jiu rolled his eyes. After all these years, he still felt Sheng Jiao loved putting on airs. Only Yan Jianlan was completely fooled by this aloof flower’s exterior.
“Where’s Jianlan?” Lezheng Jiu didn’t want to exchange pleasantries with Sheng Jiao, getting straight to the point.
Sheng Jiao set down the ladle, cold eyes looking at him indifferently: “He’s fine now.”
Lezheng Jiu frowned: “You really have guts. Weren’t you afraid Jianlan’s illusion would truly collapse, trapping you inside forever?”
Sheng Jiao wasn’t afraid.
When he asked Yan Jianlan “Does living make you feel pain?” and “Do you want release?”, if Yan Jianlan had given him an affirmative answer without hesitation, Sheng Jiao would have silently remained with him, wandering the darkness together for eternity.
Lezheng Jiu looked at him coldly, thinking how utterly mad.
But fortunately, with Sheng Jiao’s madness, Yan Jianlan could be forcibly dragged back from the abyss.
Lezheng Jiu headed toward the heavily restricted and warded Genglan Pavilion that Sheng Jiao indicated. Glancing sideways, he saw Sect Master Sheng again solemnly and seriously watering the small osmanthus tree with his little ladle.
An inexplicable emotion welled up in Lezheng Jiu’s heart.
After all these years, the two had finally ended up together.
Lezheng Jiu turned and strode through the door.
In Genglan Pavilion’s courtyard bloomed a medicinal garden. Uncertain what spiritual herbs to plant, Sheng Jiao hadn’t interfered much, waiting for Yan Jianlan to plant them himself whenever he felt like it.
Under an osmanthus tree, Yan Jianlan lay on a rocking chair wearing a black crane cloak, falling asleep while breathing in the surrounding osmanthus fragrance.
Late autumn mountains were cooler; morning sun added warmth. Yan Jianlan had probably been sleeping a while—a light layer of fallen osmanthus flowers covered his black crane cloak.
A bamboo basket beside him collected osmanthus flowers falling from branches.
Lezheng Jiu looked at the peace and relaxation in Yan Jianlan’s brows, finally silently releasing the breath he’d been holding.
“Jianlan?”
Yan Jianlan frowned slightly, turned on his side in the rocking chair, mumbling: “Noisy, go away.”
“Stop sleeping.” Lezheng Jiu had rushed here day and night—not to watch Yan Jianlan sleep. He reached out to pinch Yan Jianlan’s nose: “Sleeping all morning—will you be able to sleep tonight?”
Aside from Lezheng Jiu, no one else could do something like pinching someone’s nose to wake them by suffocation.
Yan Jianlan swatted Lezheng Jiu’s hand away randomly like a cat. His consciousness cleared slightly, but he didn’t want to open his eyes, mumbling: “Brother, I don’t want to move.”
“What do you mean you don’t want to move?” Lezheng Jiu tugged at him. “Is this your Yan Family Mountain’s hospitality?”
Yan Jianlan couldn’t hold back and laughed with a “puchi.”
He finally opened his eyes. The emptiness in them had vanished, seemingly returning to his previous carefree, flamboyant brightness.
Yan Jianlan stretched lazily on the rocking chair, eyes squinting with a smile: “What can I do? I was even thinking of having my ‘guest’ cook me a medicinal meal.”
Lezheng Jiu glared at him: “You have some nerve?”
Yan Jianlan kept laughing.
Seeing all the gloom and shadow gone from his face, without the madness and despair glimpsed in that hasty look before, Lezheng Jiu felt somewhat relieved and reluctantly agreed to be a “guest following the host’s wishes,” going to cook medicinal food for him.
Yan Jianlan laughed so hard he nearly fell off the rocking chair. His desire for a nap completely dissipated.
He got up from the rocking chair and layered the collected osmanthus flowers with sugar, making a pot of candied osmanthus.
Lezheng Jiu carried a bunch of medicinal ingredients, even pots and pans. Without ceremony, he forcibly commandeered an empty room as a kitchen, bustling about making medicinal food for the sickly one.
Yan Jianlan moved over a small stool to sit, propping his chin as he watched Lezheng Jiu bustle around: “Brother?”
“Spit it out, don’t beat around the bush.”
“Just don’t leave yet, okay? In a few days it’ll be the tenth of the tenth month.” Yan Jianlan lazily swung his feet. “Sheng Jiao and I will invite friends from Zhuxing Zhai to come eat together. Oh right! I also dug up some fine wine from under the tree in my parents’ courtyard that they buried the year I was born.”
Lezheng Jiu’s hand paused. He looked at him meaningfully.
Yan Jianlan gave him an ingratiating smile.
“Little Yan Ling,” Lezheng Jiu said coldly. “Do you take me for a fool?”
Yan Jianlan looked utterly innocent, not knowing why his good brother would curse at him.
Lezheng Jiu sneered.
What “eating with Zhuxing Zhai people”—that was clearly wanting to hold a bonding ceremony.
And the buried wine—that was probably the fine wine Yan Hanque and his wife had planned to unearth on Yan Jianlan’s wedding day.
All these words, reading between the lines, were roundabout ways of saying he wanted the bonding ceremony.
“Didn’t you say you weren’t doing it?” Lezheng Jiu threw down the knife impatiently. “Why the change?”
Yan Jianlan skillfully lowered his brow, face showing a trace of sadness and embarrassment he desperately tried but failed to hide: “Before, my mind was muddled—I don’t even remember what I said or did. I’m sorry, brother. I’m too fickle and useless. Brother, punish me. I promise to take it without making a sound.”
Lezheng Jiu: “…”
Lezheng Jiu never fell for Yan Jianlan’s act. Expressionless, he gripped the knife: “Fine, hold out your paw.”
The feigned distress on Yan Jianlan’s face instantly froze. He laughed dryly: “Bro—brother, why are you also talking nonsense now?”
Lezheng Jiu reached out with a fierce grin to grab his paw and chop it off for medicine. Yan Jianlan leaped up, wailing as he rushed out of the small kitchen, running off without a trace.
Lezheng Jiu glared at that excited puppy-like retreating figure, cursing as he continued brewing the medicinal meal.
Even after twelve years, Yan Jianlan was still familiar with every inch of Yan Family Mountain’s soil. With a few leaps like in his youth, he flew through mid-air, silently landing on an osmanthus tree.
The newly planted osmanthus tree was very small—he nearly knocked it crooked.
“Sect Master Sheng.” Yan Jianlan struggled to steady himself on the small branch, drawing out his words as he smiled cheerfully at Sheng Jiao still watering below. “You’re so virtuous.”
Could repair cave abodes above, plant trees and water below—Yan Jianlan did nothing while vast Yan Family Mountain was entirely managed by Sheng Jiao alone.
Sheng Jiao ignored him, continuing to water with the small ladle.
Yan Jianlan lightly leaped down from the tree, black crane cloak and crimson robes fluttering and interweaving, blocking the water Sheng Jiao was about to pour.
Sheng Jiao finally looked up, gazing at him indifferently.
“Don’t move.”
Yan Jianlan instructed him, leaning closer to poke Sheng Jiao’s lips with two index fingers, gently pushing them upward as if forcibly creating an upturned smile.
But Sheng Jiao’s expression remained cold. His lips forcibly poked upward looked incongruous.
Sheng Jiao let him poke for a while before reaching out to stop Yan Jianlan: “What do you want to do?”
“See you smile.” Yan Jianlan muttered quietly. Unwilling to give up, he poked twice more, looking distressed: “Why is it different? This doesn’t feel right. Smile once.”
Sheng Jiao: “…”
Since Yan Jianlan woke up, those shadows and fears in the illusion were completely replaced by a riot of blooming flowers, his state of mind unprecedentedly peaceful.
The restored Yan Jianlan couldn’t stop for a moment. After being tender with Sheng Jiao briefly, he suddenly started making a fuss, demanding Sheng Jiao smile.
“Smile.” Yan Jianlan poked his own lips upward with two index fingers, revealing a brilliant, lively smile. “Like this.”
Sheng Jiao wouldn’t smile foolishly like him. He remained silent.
“Didn’t you say I should live for myself, following my heart?” Yan Jianlan had plenty of twisted logic. “Right now I’m following my heart. My heart says it wants to see my dao companion smile. Dao companion, won’t you satisfy me?”
Dao companion Sheng: “…”
**
(advanced chapters available on kofi)
wannaberecluse On SRTT Chapter 50.1