Xi Jianlan stuffed “Yinhua Rao” into his sleeve, grabbed the two and was about to jump out the window.
Lezheng Jiu said in a deep voice: “Don’t leave yet, I want to look around.”
Xi Jianlan casually threw the skull mask on the table and asked in confusion: “Look at what?”
“I always feel that Yu Tuishan is very strange.” Lezheng Jiu’s eyes under his hood were like a hunting eagle, staring intently at Xi Jianlan. “And… you don’t seem to have told me the truth.”
Xi Jianlan’s pupils contracted slightly, asking innocently: “What truth? I swear to heaven, ever since I reunited with you all, every word I’ve said is true.”
Feng Yu said: “Ugh.”
Xi Jianlan: “……”
“True my ass.” Feng Yu said quietly. “What about Sheng Jiao being deeply infatuated with you, wanting but unable to have you, even forcing himself on you and turning your world upside down? If that’s not the biggest lie, how can you say ‘every word is true’? As far as I’m concerned, the only true thing you’ve told me is about your rebirth.”
Xi Jianlan: “…………”
Xi Jianlan looked at his good brother with pity.
Lezheng Jiu was impatient: “If you want to leave, then leave. I need to find out the truth about Yu Tuishan.”
Xi Jianlan didn’t want to get involved and weakly said: “I… I have no cultivation now. I’ll leave first to show respect, so I don’t hold you back. You can investigate slowly.”
Lezheng Jiu nodded: “Bushu, you take him to find Sheng Jiao.”
Feng Yu originally followed Lezheng Jiu to watch the fun and instinctively wanted to refuse, but after thinking about it, following Xi Jianlan and Sheng Jiao would be more interesting, so he nodded in agreement.
Lezheng Jiu’s black hood disappeared into the darkness like a ghost, silently floating away.
—Even Feng Yu’s fierce ghost couldn’t hide as well as him.
Xi Jianlan’s eyes flashed a golden pattern. He squatted by the window and looked down: “So high, do I just jump like this?”
Feng Yu impatiently grabbed his collar: “Stop nagging. As long as you don’t die, it’s fine.”
Xi Jianlan: “……”
Sooner or later, he’ll die at the hands of his good brother.
Just as Xi Jianlan hesitated whether to jump, Yu Tuishan’s door suddenly was broken open.
The two looked back in confusion, seeing Lezheng Jiu suddenly float over like being chased by wolves, kicking Xi Jianlan and Feng Yu down one by one: “Go!”
Xi Jianlan, Feng Yu: “???”
A feeling of weightlessness instantly hit. Xi Jianlan’s long hair was blown into his face. He hurriedly brushed it aside, and when his vision cleared, his pupils contracted sharply.
Lezheng Jiu jumped down without hesitation, his black robe fluttering.
Behind him, the water mirror was like a barrier, mixed with purple smoke of “Abandoned Immortal Bone” like poisonous smoke, weaving a vast net straight at them.
Xi Jianlan stabilized his posture amid the intense weightlessness, incredulously saying: “What the hell is that?!”
Feng Yu suddenly spread his arms and fiercely hugged Xi Jianlan’s slender body, roaring: “I told you! That bastard is very sinister! Lezheng Jiu, are you crazy? How did you lead him here?!”
Lezheng Jiu angrily said: “Who knows how he came and went? Don’t touch the water mirror, or you’ll be dragged in!”
Feng Yu shouted: “You’re so useless!”
Lezheng Jiu: “Less nonsense, give it to me!”
Xi Jianlan was still wondering what “give” meant when Feng Yu suddenly picked him up and threw him forcefully into Lezheng Jiu’s arms.
He gave Xi Jianlan to him.
Xi Jianlan: “……”
Then the three fell heavily into the mirage of Evil Qi Road.
Feng Yu immediately summoned countless fierce ghosts. The ghostly blades roared fiercely, slashing hard at the water mirror pressing down on them.
Tianyan spiritual power clashed, slashing the water mirror and splashing water marks to both sides, revealing a dark, twisted void.
Lezheng Jiu carried Xi Jianlan and ran, saying: “Bushu, it’s up to you!”
Feng Bushu angrily said: “Isn’t covering the rear always Sheng Jiao’s job? Why is it left to me?! I can’t fight!”
Lezheng Jiu said: “But you’re tough.”
Feng Yu: “……”
Feng Yu cursed as he swung the ghostly blade, trying to let the two escape before the water mirror came down.
But Yu Hu was really sinister, silently appearing from the water mirror with an indifferent expression, coldly saying: “No one escapes.”
Feng Yu saw the real body appear and immediately flew forward to strike heavily.
But Yu Hu’s body was like the surrounding water mirror. Although slashed diagonally at the neck, it was like sword intent entering water, splashing two water marks apart.
Feng Yu’s pupils contracted.
This sinister person… is the water mirror itself?!
Yu Hu raised his eyes, and the vast “Abandoned Immortal Bone” smoke formed a fierce mist, heavily crashing Feng Yu away.
Boom—
Feng Yu fell like a shooting star, landing straight in front of Lezheng Jiu.
Fortunately, Feng Yu’s body protections blocked the blow, or he would have been killed or seriously injured.
Lezheng Jiu: “……”
Xi Jianlan: “……”
The three stared at each other.
Feng Yu jumped up and grabbed Xi Jianlan’s ankle, pulling him towards himself: “Switch! You go get beaten!”
Lezheng Jiu held Xi Jianlan tightly, not letting go: “Get lost! My xiangwen is an indiscriminate attack, do you want to be poisoned along with him?!”
Xi Jianlan: “……”
Xi Jianlan looked utterly hopeless, wishing he could just go get beaten.
While the two were arguing, a sudden white lightning flashed from the sky, twisting the water mirror that had almost trapped the three, turning it into white mist that rose silently like steam.
Everyone was stunned.
In the dust and chaos, a black figure holding a sword walked slowly, moving as fast as lightning and arriving in an instant.
—It was Sheng Jiao.
Lezheng Jiu and Feng Yu paused their struggle over Xi Jianlan.
At the moment Xi Jianlan bit through the chains, the heart-binding ribbon was restored.
Sheng Jiao’s face was like still water, 106 Tianyan pearls scattered around, lightning patterns seeming to summon thunder punishment, radiating an intimidating aura that made people shiver.
Yu Hu coldly met Sheng Jiao’s gaze, his eyes flashing with ruthlessness. The water mirror instantly shattered into countless broken glass pieces, flying through the void towards Sheng Jiao.
Earlier, he hadn’t seriously attacked Lezheng Jiu and Feng Yu, but somehow Sheng Jiao had offended him. The coldness and killing intent from the broken glass pieces almost overflowed.
Lezheng Jiu and Feng Yu, seeing their savior, grabbed Xi Jianlan and quickly hid behind the reliable Sheng Jiao.
“Sheng Jiao, save us!”
Sheng Jiao was already used to this, coldly glancing at Xi Jianlan.
In broad daylight, Xi Jianlan, feeling guilty for scheming against Sheng Jiao, buried his head in Lezheng Jiu’s black robe, playing dead and silent.
Yu Hu coldly said: “Sect Master Sheng, you came uninvited. What is your business?”
Sheng Jiao silently held Winter Snow sword, shielding the three cowards behind him, saying nothing.
“These three trespassed into my Evil Qi Road and stole the spirit herb ‘Yinhua Rao’.” Yu Hu said. “Sect Master Sheng’s arrival is timely, saving us the trouble of reporting to Xiezhi Sect.”
Sheng Jiao frowned and looked at the three behind him.
Feng Yu argued: “How can it be called stealing? It was clearly given to us by you personally.”
Yu Hu: “……”
The Tianyan pearls did not move.
Sheng Jiao coldly raised his sword at Yu Hu, signaling to fight.
Yu Hu’s pupils contracted, the water mirror around twisted and boiled.
Suddenly, he seemed to discover something, frowning deeply, hesitating.
Soon, Yu Hu closed his eyes slightly, and the water mirror calmed, the surrounding barriers silently retreating from the air.
Sheng Jiao coldly looked at him.
Yu Hu said: “I take my leave.”
He did not inquire further, nor did he try to take back ‘Yinhua Rao’, disappearing silently like a wisp of smoke.
The mirage around also dissipated.
The four seemed to leave the void and suddenly return to Nine Heavens City.
The tense atmosphere finally dissipated.
Feng Yu sighed in relief: “Sect Master Sheng’s name really works.”
Xi Jianlan buried his face in Lezheng Jiu’s wide robe, like an ostrich avoiding reality, silent and unwilling to move despite Lezheng Jiu’s pushing, wishing he were dead.
Until a faint osmanthus fragrance slowly approached, Xi Jianlan stiffened.
Sheng Jiao coldly reached out and grabbed Xi Jianlan’s nape, like picking up a cat, forcibly pulling him out of Lezheng Jiu’s arms.
Xi Jianlan: “……”
Xi Jianlan was very flexible, turning into a charming hero, skillfully acting coquettish.
“Gege is truly wise and mighty, the strongest in the thirteen provinces. When you appear, no demon or ghost can hide. I can’t repay your life-saving grace, so tonight I’ll warm your bed.”
Sheng Jiao’s eyes were full of coldness.
Xi Jianlan knew this was serious and couldn’t be as casual as before. His eyes darted around, desperately thinking of how to get through this.
Sheng Jiao stared at Xi Jianlan’s little finger, seemingly wanting to break it.
Xi Jianlan’s eyes moved.
Sheng Jiao skillfully caught the fleeting slyness in Xi Jianlan’s eyes, knowing he was up to mischief again, and coldly watched to see how he would deceive.
But for some reason, Xi Jianlan’s expression suddenly changed, and he covered his mouth, spitting out a mouthful of dark purple blood, as if all his vitality was drained by the blood. His face instantly turned pale.
Even though he was prepared, Sheng Jiao was still burned by the scorching blood and instinctively supported Xi Jianlan.
Xi Jianlan trembled against Sheng Jiao, continuously spitting out poisonous blood. He seemed to struggle to speak but was choked by the blood, coughing painfully.
Sheng Jiao was stunned and immediately poured spiritual power into Xi Jianlan’s dried meridians.
Lezheng Jiu hurried over anxiously, probing Xi Jianlan’s wrist, his expression instantly changed.
Xi Jianlan was completely unaware of the outside world. His eyes were unfocused, as if immersed in a dream he could never wake from, smelling faint osmanthus, slowly closing his eyes.
“Endless Period” would poison once a year. Xi Jianlan had planned to refine Yutan flower into a spirit medicine after things settled, but too many things had happened in these few days, and he was so busy he forgot he hadn’t taken the Yutan flower.
Even if he wanted to take the Yutan flower from the black cat’s storage ring, he had no time and could only let himself fall into the increasingly dark abyss.
His body kept falling.
Like a bottomless pit, countless noisy voices were gradually stripped away until only a few people were softly speaking.
“Spiritual-grade xiangwen are the hardest to resist. If you don’t say what your xiangwen is, if you suffer backlash, we won’t be able to save you.”
“What is it?”
“Thunder, I heard two thunderclaps.”
“…You killed your parents. If it weren’t for you, would they have died so tragically?”
“Xiangwen!”
“Your xiangwen! What is it, exactly?!”
Hearing the furious roar right beside his ear, Xi Jianlan actually felt a flicker of amusement.
Everyone kept asking him what his xiangwen was, yet no one had ever asked him even once—
whether he wanted this xiangwen at all.
What use were Heaven’s grace or Tianyan’s favor?
Xi Jianlan had never believed that possessing a **spiritual-grade xiangwen** was anything to preen over.
Rumble-rumble—
A soft roll of thunder sliced through the endless howling, jolting his muddled mind into a brief moment of clarity.
In that haze, an arm drew him gently into an embrace.
Xi Jianlan’s dazed eyes fluttered open.
Sheng Jiao bent down; the chill scent of sweet-osmanthus brushed close. Like a dragonfly skimming water, he pried Xi Jianlan’s lips apart. In an instant, the fragrance of Yutan-flower flooded their mouths.
Xi Jianlan resisted on instinct, whimpering, shaking his head, trying to escape.
Sheng Jiao steadied his jaw, and the tip of his tongue slowly pushed a Yutan-scented lingdan into his mouth.
The teeth Xi Jianlan had clamped shut were forced apart; the pill slipped down, his Adam’s apple bobbing.
The moment the Yutan-flower lingdan entered his body, the searing pain raging through his meridians was pressed down. He coughed, muffled; a hand brushed the sweat from his brow.
He slumped back onto the soft pillow, vaguely aware of a faint rocking beneath him—he seemed to be on a river barge.
Sheng Jiao, who had forced the medicine down his throat, was already gone.
Drenched in cold sweat, sticky and uncomfortable, Xi Jianlan struggled upright and reflexively formed a cleansing seal—yet after pinching the seal for half the day, he didn’t feel the slightest relief.
Suddenly, someone else cast a cleansing spell on him.
His body and robes dried in an instant. He exhaled in relief and looked, disgruntled, toward the newcomer.
Lezheng Zhen sat at the bedside, two fingers on Xi Jianlan’s wrist, taking his pulse. “You slept a full day and night,” he remarked off-handedly.
Xi Jianlan blinked. “Huh?”
In the private cabin, Lezheng Zhen wore no hood; his severe brows and eyes looked especially forbidding.
Coldly he said, “Xi Jue, I’ll ask once more. Is your xiangwen merely hidden—swallowed by the Endless Period—or is it truly gone?”
Fresh from sleep, Xi Jianlan’s brain couldn’t keep up. “Huh? What?”
“Yu Tuishan’s identity doesn’t fit.” Lezheng Zhen’s stare was almost coercive. “I suspect he isn’t a real person at all—like your Endless Period, he’s a strand of spiritual consciousness.”
Xi Jianlan froze. “What spiritual consciousness?”
Lezheng Zhen pronounced every word: “Naturally it would be—”
“Xiangwen.”
Rang Chen’s Glimpsing Heaven’s Secrets had foreseen that the entire Thirteen States would hold only thirteen **spiritual-grade xiangwen**, yet the thirteenth had never awakened. If this really involved a xiangwen, the only one left was the twelfth—Xi Jianlan’s, which he had concealed all along.
Silence engulfed the cabin.
Breathing shallowly, Xi Jianlan met Lezheng Zhen’s eyes for a long time, then murmured, “You suspect… Yu Tuishan is my xiangwen?”
Lezheng Zhen said nothing.
Xi Jianlan shut his eyes halfway, drew a deep breath, fingers digging into his sleeve as though he’d made up his mind. “Believe whatever you like.”
Lezheng Zhen’s voice dropped. “So it’s true?”
“More or less.” Xi Jianlan muttered, “My xiangwen is indeed called Yutui Mountain; it can bend Tianyan itself to my will.”
Lezheng Zhen’s pupils compressed to pinpoints.
Outside, Sheng Jiao’s face went dark.
Xi Jianlan sighed soundlessly and rubbed his brow. “But that xiangwen is too hard to control. It keeps trying to seize my body. On the day I came of age it even turned human and slipped completely from my grasp.”
Lezheng Zhen kept staring.
Xi Jianlan’s expression was grave, tinged with bitterness—as though every word were gospel truth.
Moments later, Feng Yu pushed the door open, face the color of wilted cabbage. “Forget it. Sheng Jiao says: first of all, rule out the possibility that Yutui Mountain is Xi Jue’s xiangwen.”
Lezheng Zhen: “…”
Xi Jianlan: “…”
Only then did Lezheng Zhen realize he’d been played; fury flared, and he raised his hand to hit.
Xi Jianlan went boneless like a corpse, shameless as a “dead pig unafraid of scalding water.” “Don’t hit me—I’m barely over a serious illness. If you break me, I’ll complain to Lady Wan when we get back. Let’s see who comes off worse.”
Lezheng Zhen: “…”
Grinding his teeth, he snarled, “When will a single honest word ever come out of that mouth?!”
Xi Jianlan rolled over, answering with the stubborn line of his back.
Lezheng Zhen stormed off, still cursing with Feng Yu down the corridor.
The cabin fell quiet again.
Stretching lazily, Xi Jianlan looked around in satisfaction. A private suite on a travelling barge—clearly that penny-pinching Sheng Jiao hadn’t paid for the jade token.
That thought made him freeze. Fingers brushed his lips, his mind in chaos.
Did Sheng Jiao see the memories inside the Bone-Gazing Mirror? Would he believe Wen Gubai was the mastermind? Did anything happen to the fifty pearls of the Tianyan Bead?
Just woken, his head pounded from the questions. He wanted nothing more than to go back to sleep.
Turning over, he suddenly saw Sheng Jiao standing beside the bed-curtain—tall and cold as a looming mountain, looking down at him.
Xi Jianlan nearly jumped out of his skin, clutching his chest and wheezing. “Sect Master Sheng, trying to scare me to death?”
Sheng Jiao sat on the edge of the bed, frosty eyes locked on Xi Jianlan’s pale face. His thin lips parted.
“To settle accounts.”
Xi Jianlan blinked.
Settle… what accounts?
Did sharing a barge cabin mean Sect Master Sheng wanted to split the bill? How stingy.
His gaze slid to the Heart-Binding Ribbon on his little finger, red as spilled blood. Half-awake thoughts finally snapped clear, and he realized…
Sheng Jiao was planning to settle accounts with him for “orchestrating the fight between him and Yu Tuishan.”
**
Sam Williams On TYMIMA Chapter 152