Juan Xunfang had been very troubled lately.
The sect master didn’t come near Xiezhi Sect’s door all day. Even Qingcheng Tower was transformed into a spirit mustard seed and taken to Yan Family Mountain. All of Xiezhi Sect’s accumulated work was piled on Juan Xunfang alone.
“Shang Yuan!”
Finally one day, Juan Xunfang really couldn’t take it anymore and roared: “Go ask when the sect master is coming back to Xiezhi Sect?!”
Shang Yuan had a one-track mind—couldn’t handle complex affairs, could only do fighting and killing.
She sat on the window frame playing with leaves, turning back blankly: “Huh? The sect master just bonded. If I make him come back to the sect now, I’ll definitely get scolded. Why don’t you ask yourself?”
Juan Xunfang sneered: “You think I dare?”
Shang Yuan: “…”
And I dare?
Juan Xunfang was mentally and physically exhausted by the pile of affairs, saying in pain: “Then can’t you use the rhinoceros horn lamp to ask indirectly?”
Seeing he was about to pull his hair out, Shang Yuan said “Oh” and obediently took out the rhinoceros horn lamp to transmit to Sheng Jiao.
Juan Xunfang was still making requests: “Be tactful, so the sect master doesn’t think I’m incapable of managing Xiezhi Sect—oh right, don’t say I wanted to ask.”
Shang Yuan nodded and transmitted: “Sect Master, when are you returning to the sect? If you don’t come back soon, Juan Xunfang is going to stage a coup and completely take over Xiezhi Sect.”
Juan Xunfang: “???”
Juan Xunfang froze for a moment. The message had already been sent. He slammed the table with a “bang” and roared: “Shang Yuan!”
“You said so.” Shang Yuan looked puzzled. “Tactful, saying you’re very capable.”
Juan Xunfang: “…”
Juan Xunfang was dumbfounded, wanting to rush over and throw Shang Yuan out.
Shang Yuan was among the last batch to enter Shen Tianshe. After being rescued by Sheng Jiao, her brain seemed to be missing a screw—carefree and single-minded. No matter how angry Juan Xunfang was, he couldn’t hold it against her.
Juan Xunfang held his forehead with a splitting headache, saying weakly: “If the sect master expels me from Xiezhi Sect, the first thing I’ll do is drag you out too.”
Die together—no one gets to live.
Shang Yuan blinked in confusion.
***
A thousand li away at Yan Family Mountain.
After bonding, the Zhuxing Zhai people stayed several more days before gradually leaving.
Having been so lively before, suddenly being empty felt quite lonely. After being dejected for two days, Yan Jianlan started instigating Sheng Jiao to smile for him again.
Sheng Jiao still wouldn’t smile.
Yan Jianlan, defeated time and again, lay listlessly on a soft couch sunbathing.
Just as he was bored, Sheng Jiao’s rhinoceros horn lamp on the table lit up.
Yan Jianlan raised his hand to summon the burning flame over, pressing his fingertip lightly to break it. Shang Yuan’s voice came through.
After listening, Yan Jianlan was delighted, sitting up enthusiastically as a scheme came to mind.
At Xiezhi Sect.
Juan Xunfang handled official business while trembling with fear, waiting for the sect master’s response, cold sweat nearly forming.
Soon, the rhinoceros horn lamp transmitted a manifestation technique, silently appearing in front of Juan Xunfang’s desk.
Juan Xunfang froze.
The next moment, Sheng Jiao in Xiezhi Sect’s black robes appeared expressionlessly in the manifestation, his gaze coldly and indifferently sweeping over, looking directly at Juan Xunfang, appearing extremely displeased.
Juan Xunfang… Juan Xunfang directly knelt in reverent greeting to the sect master!
Sheng Jiao said indifferently: “Stage a coup?”
Juan Xunfang’s cold sweat flowed down profusely, stammering: “Sect Master, wise judgment—I have no such intention.”
Sheng Jiao slowly walked toward Juan Xunfang.
Step by step approaching, Juan Xunfang trembled even more violently, nearly wanting to drag Shang Yuan over to share this terrifying fear.
Those steps finally stopped before Juan Xunfang, carrying intense oppressive force.
Every moment, Juan Xunfang felt as if his heart was being fried in hot oil, wishing he could just die. Struggling to maintain consciousness and open his eyes, he inadvertently glimpsed that “Sect Master Sheng’s” feet were actually bare, with beads strung on red cord around the ankles.
Juan Xunfang was stunned.
His brain, frightened silly by “Sect Master Sheng’s” intimidation, couldn’t process this for a moment.
“Sheng Jiao’s” cold voice came from overhead: “Lift your head.”
Juan Xunfang struggled to steady himself, slowly lifting his head to meet Sheng Jiao’s imposing, frost-cold face.
Suddenly, “Sheng Jiao” gave him a mischievous smile.
Juan Xunfang: “???”
Juan Xunfang was horrified, nearly fainting.
Yan Jianlan laughed heartily, squatting down to place his paw virtually on Juan Xunfang’s shoulder, silently changing back to his original appearance, laughing until he stumbled.
“Hahaha!”
Juan Xunfang: “…”
Juan Xunfang said in embarrassed anger: “Yan Ling!”
Yan Jianlan laughed until he coughed: “Sorry—cough cough sorry, I just… hahaha Sect Master Sheng’s prestige really is useful!”
Juan Xunfang wanted to rush up and beat him. Supporting himself on the table to stand, the flush on his face not yet faded, he feigned sternness: “What are you doing here? Where’s the sect master?”
“Fishing.” After laughing enough, Yan Jianlan got up, following Juan Xunfang with a grin. “Lord Juan really wants to stage a coup? How brave! What are your plans? Conspire with me—I’m willing to make Sect Master Sheng ‘never hold court early again’ to cover for you.”
Juan Xunfang: “…”
Juan Xunfang rolled his eyes: “You’re so spendthrift. If the sect master doesn’t remain Xiezhi Sect’s master, what will he use to support you?”
Yan Jianlan was amazed: “Who said I’m spendthrift? Heaven and earth can attest—I’m so frugal. Yesterday Sect Master Sheng said he’d buy the mountain to the north of Yan Family Mountain too. I sternly refused.”
Juan Xunfang looked at him suspiciously.
“…I firmly said to buy the eastern one—facing the sun, good feng shui.” Yan Jianlan said. “Though it’s twice as expensive as the northern one, since Tianyan disappeared, spiritual power at the border between Central State and Northern Border is gradually reviving. Spiritual plants and beasts are increasing. In the future, it’ll definitely be a blessed land. Then I’ll resell it at ten times the price—that’s hundreds of thousands of spirit stones in pure profit!”
Juan Xunfang: “…”
Juan Xunfang momentarily didn’t know if this person was spendthrift or a shrewd merchant.
“Move, move.” Juan Xunfang continued sitting at his desk handling the pile of scrolls, saying irritably: “It’s such a waste you’re not in business—since you’re here, ask the sect master later when he’s coming back to Xiezhi Sect. There’s still a pile of major matters waiting for his decision.”
Yan Jianlan propped his chin on the table, saying lazily: “Alright, I’ll tell him later. Business—Yan Family Mountain isn’t suitable for business. Airships can barely land. Wuyin City is very suitable though. That long river can accommodate ships. Tsk, I need to get Fu Man in on it, have him make me some thousand-li-a-day ships.”
Juan Xunfang was about to roll his eyes again.
This person really knew how to make money—could think of every profitable scheme.
Juan Xunfang saw Yan Jianlan being so cocky and really couldn’t resist giving him a fatal blow.
“Yan Ling.” Juan Xunfang said coldly. “Your one thousand seventy-eight medical books—how many have you finished reading?”
Yan Jianlan: “…”
Yan Jianlan looked at Juan Xunfang in disbelief, lips trembling: “Lord Juan, am I no longer the sect master’s wife you most respect? No grievances between us—why hurt me?!”
Juan Xunfang sneered: “Madam Wan will be testing you next year.”
Yan Jianlan’s smile instantly vanished. He glared fiercely at Juan Xunfang and stormed off angrily.
Juan Xunfang finally felt satisfied.
Yan Jianlan came out from the rhinoceros horn lamp. Looking back at the pile of books, he grimaced for a long while before finally raising his hand to summon one and start reading.
Medicine Sect’s medical texts were excellent, and Madam Wan’s annotations were easy to understand. Yan Jianlan was the kind of smart person who, once determined, would be extremely serious. From struggling through two pages at the start, he eventually became completely immersed.
One book was nearly finished in just two hours.
As the sun set in the west, Sheng Jiao finally caught a palm-sized fish. Carrying it back, his brow remained furrowed.
Yan Jianlan had just finished reading and, seeing the tiny fish fry, laughed so hard he nearly fell off the soft couch: “Hahaha Sect Master Sheng, you fished for half the day and only caught this one little fish fry?”
Sheng Jiao placed the fish in a small pond in the courtyard, ignoring Yan Jianlan’s mockery.
Yan Jianlan put down the book and bounced over with a grin: “Sect Master Sheng is so imposing and awe-inspiring, even the fish are too scared to take the bait.”
Sheng Jiao glanced at him, then his gaze fell on the rhinoceros horn lamp: “Did someone transmit a message for me?”
“Mm-hm.” Yan Jianlan, bored, used his bare feet to splash water, saying casually: “Juan Xunfang said Xiezhi Sect has major matters waiting for Sect Master Sheng to decide.”
Sheng Jiao nodded, picking up the rhinoceros horn lamp to find Juan Xunfang.
The manifestation technique appeared once again in Xiezhi Sect. Seeing this, Juan Xunfang hurried forward to bow respectfully.
“Greetings, Sect Master.”
Sheng Jiao said: “What important matter?”
Juan Xunfang quickly called Shang Yuan to have her bring over a pile of scrolls.
While waiting for the scrolls to arrive, Juan Xunfang brought over the scrolls he’d already handled, saying respectfully: “These are the ones I decided on myself. I don’t know if there are any errors. I trouble the sect master to review them again.”
Sheng Jiao lowered his eyes to look.
Since Sheng Jiao’s last tribulation, Xiezhi Sect’s affairs had gradually been handed to Juan Xunfang. Even some major matters Sheng Jiao no longer concerned himself with, showing a faint trend of transferring authority.
But Juan Xunfang had always blindly worshipped Sect Master Sheng, even to the point of foolish loyalty.
He couldn’t see this at all and had never thought of replacing Sheng Jiao as Xiezhi Sect’s master. He thought the sect master was being affectionate with his beloved while also training him.
Sheng Jiao looked for a long time before raising his head to look at Juan Xunfang. In his usually cold eyes, a faint warmth actually appeared.
Juan Xunfang froze, thinking he’d seen wrong.
“Not bad.” Sheng Jiao was concise. “Handled very well.”
Juan Xunfang was instantly flattered, stammering: “Thank—thank you for the sect master’s praise.”
Sheng Jiao looked at Juan Xunfang with a gaze that was cold yet carried an emotion different from usual, staring until Juan Xunfang felt uncomfortable all over. Timidly gathering courage, he spoke: “Sect Master?”
“Mm.” Sheng Jiao finally said: “Juan Xunfang, you’ve been at Xiezhi Sect for many years. Have you ever thought about…”
Juan Xunfang’s heart sank.
The sect master would never say these things to him, especially not in this inexplicably gentle tone.
Sheng Jiao paused for a moment before saying indifferently: “…Have you ever thought about this position of Xiezhi Sect’s master?”
Juan Xunfang instantly froze.
Even Shang Yuan beside him looked utterly confused, not understanding why Sheng Jiao would suddenly bring this up.
“Sect Master…” Juan Xunfang stammered. “Are you joking?”
“No.” Sheng Jiao said. “If you want it, when you can stand on your own, this position of Xiezhi Sect’s master will be yours.”
Juan Xunfang stared directly at Sheng Jiao.
Sheng Jiao asked: “What do you say?”
Juan Xunfang’s expression was indescribable. He took a deep breath, as if fully prepared, then suddenly raged: “Damn you, Yan Ling! You’re impersonating the sect master to trick me again! I’ll kill you!”
Shang Yuan: “?”
Sheng Jiao: “………..”
**
(advanced chapters available on kofi)
Sam Williams On TYMIMA Chapter 152