Sheng Jiao’s xiangwen was named “Worthy of Heavenly Dao”—already one of the few existences in the entire Thirteen States that could be called a “Child of Heavenly Dao.”
And this “Kan Tianyan”…
Just thinking carefully about this name was enough to make one’s hair stand on end.
Sheng Jiao turned his head to avoid Xi Jianlan’s kiss, saying coldly: “Can ‘Kan Tianyan’ give birth to xiangwen?”
Xi Jianlan unhappily cupped his face and forcibly turned it back: “Why are you still asking? Didn’t I say I’d only answer that one question?”
Seeing his impatience, Sheng Jiao frowned and pressed the back of Xi Jianlan’s head, forcibly deepening what had been light kisses like a bird pecking at water.
Now Xi Jianlan was completely satisfied, but satisfied to excess. He struggled to push against Sheng Jiao’s shoulders, nearly unable to breathe, frowning as he mumbled: “Do you… know how or not?”
Other people’s kisses shouldn’t be like Sheng Jiao’s—either not kissing at all, or when he did kiss, acting like he wanted to suffocate him, right?
Sheng Jiao tucked a strand of Xi Jianlan’s loose hair behind his ear. Despite having just kissed so intimately, his eyes remained cold.
“Xi Jue, don’t let me discover you’re scheming something.”
“Keep bragging,” Xi Jianlan panted and scoffed. “Even if I told you the twelfth xiangwen’s name, you still couldn’t guess what I want to do.”
Sheng Jiao stared at him for a long while, then pushed him onto the bed with a dark expression and left with a flick of his sleeves.
Xi Jianlan smiled coquettishly as he watched Sheng Jiao’s departing figure, almost storming off in embarrassed anger. He pillowed his head on his hands, lazily listening to the faint sounds by his ears.
“I roam freely through heaven and earth, idly listening to the sounds of all things,” he hummed as if reciting poetry. “Thunder, flowers blooming…”
As Xi Jianlan spoke, he suddenly smiled, his eyes curving as he murmured: “Even a heart with withered, scorched earth can bloom flowers?”
The surnamed Sheng scorched earth left with a gloomy expression. Moments later, someone knocked on Qingche Zhu’s door.
Juan Xunfang came over with a sickly pale face, reluctantly saying: “The Sect Master told me to channel spiritual power to you.”
Xi Jianlan hugged his covers while lying on the bed, saying lazily: “Don’t want it. Tell him to come himself.”
Juan Xunfang said quietly: “You’ve sealed the Sect Master’s spiritual power—what could he do if he came? Let you mock him?”
“How strange,” Xi Jianlan said, holding back laughter. “It was clearly your Sect Master who used the Heart-Binding Ribbon to trap me at Xiezhi Sect. How has it become me mocking him?”
Juan Xunfang walked forward irritably: “Extend your paw, I’ll give you spiritual power.”
“Don’t want it.” Xi Jianlan curled up in his covers with a grin. “Tell Sect Master Sheng to come himself. Say ‘I miss Sheng Wuzhuo.'”
Juan Xunfang’s face twisted slightly. He wanted nothing more than to drag him up and beat him, but since he was the Sect Master’s precious treasure, he couldn’t be rough. He could only suppress his anger and go to the study to find Sheng Jiao.
Sheng Jiao was flipping through scrolls in a sea of books, his expression extremely gloomy. Even without the spiritual power of “Worthy of Heavenly Dao,” he emanated a cold aura that made people afraid to approach.
Juan Xunfang steeled himself and walked in.
Sheng Jiao frowned: “How did it go?”
“He, he refused,” Juan Xunfang said hesitantly. “Said he wants the Sect Master to go personally.”
Hearing this, Sheng Jiao knew Xi Jianlan was acting up again. With a dark expression, he continued flipping through Tianyan-related scrolls in silence.
Juan Xunfang held his breath, unsure whether he should leave.
Sheng Jiao looked down at the scroll page but didn’t move his eyes for a long time. After a while, he said coldly: “How did his complexion look?”
Juan Xunfang thought, “How would I know?” But his brain was unusually sharp at this moment. Seeing Sheng Jiao’s fingers nearly crushing the jade scroll rod, he had an inspiration: “Very pale, quite awful-looking. He was also complaining about feeling unwell.”
Sheng Jiao’s breathing seemed to pause.
Juan Xunfang tentatively said: “Sect Master, would you like to go see?”
Sheng Jiao’s face was like ice as he continued looking down at the scroll, his words and actions all saying “ignore him.”
But Juan Xunfang could see that his Sect Master hadn’t read a single word.
Somehow, he remembered Xi Jianlan’s last words and said in a pinched voice: “Xi Jue also said he misses Sheng Wuzhuo.”
Sheng Jiao: “………..”
Wuzhuo was Sheng Jiao’s courtesy name. Though he could remain unmoved when anyone else called this name, when Xi Jianlan said “Sheng Wuzhuo” with a honey-sweet smile, it seemed to forcibly drag him back to that rainy night when water droplets hit the tree leaves.
“Sheng Wuzhuo”—these three words had become a private intimacy that only the two of them understood.
Sheng Jiao held the scroll for a long time before expressionlessly taking several books to Qingche Zhu.
Juan Xunfang: “…”
Juan Xunfang’s expression was very complex.
On one hand, he still couldn’t accept that their cold-faced, cold-hearted Sect Master was devoted to that lying little swindler Xi Jue. On the other hand, he felt comforted and moved to finally see Sect Master Sheng show genuine emotions.
Juan Xunfang pondered for a long time before suddenly realizing that before reuniting with Xi Jue, Sheng Jiao had been like a cold stone on a mountain peak—without human warmth, towering and unmovable.
Though this was admirable for Xiezhi Sect’s case judgments, the more Juan Xunfang interacted with him, the more he felt…
Only when encountering Xi Jue did Sheng Jiao seem like a truly living person.
Shang Yuan happened to come looking for books and saw Juan Xunfang alternately throwing punches at the air with a twisted expression, then smiling like a loving mother. Puzzled, he asked: “What’s wrong?”
Juan Xunfang silently wiped tears from the corners of his eyes, sighing: “You wouldn’t understand.”
Shang Yuan: “…”
Men were so strange.
After nightfall, it began raining again.
Xi Jianlan lazily listened to the sound of falling rain. He was so absorbed that he only noticed when Sheng Jiao came over with scrolls and sat down.
Sheng Jiao placed a pile of Tianyan scrolls on the bed, arranged his Xiezhi Sect robes, and sat properly on the bed’s edge. He placed a pearl filled with spiritual power in Xi Jianlan’s hand for him to hold and absorb.
Xi Jianlan: “…”
Xi Jianlan stared dumbfounded at the pile of books, watching Sheng Jiao actually begin reading seriously. He said incredulously: “Sheng Wuzhuo, don’t tell me you don’t understand what I called you back here to do.”
Sheng Jiao frowned: “Don’t mess around.”
“Mess around your ass!” Xi Jianlan kicked his books under the bed and angrily said: “Go read your books outside!”
Anyone else with a temper would probably be driven mad by Xi Jianlan’s unpredictable moods. Fortunately, Sheng Jiao had a good temperament. He indifferently picked up the books and quietly read by candlelight.
Xi Jianlan lay back down with a dark expression, but soon dragged his covers like a silkworm and inched over to Sheng Jiao’s side, pillowing his head on his thigh and saying sullenly: “Sheng Wuzhuo.”
Sheng Jiao looked down at his book, ignoring him.
Xi Jianlan said: “If I died, what would you do?”
Sheng Jiao’s hand holding the scroll paused slightly as he looked down to meet Xi Jianlan’s eyes.
After a while, he said: “You won’t.”
“What if?” Xi Jianlan said. “What if the Xi family slaughter really was my doing? When the truth comes out and all the Tianyan Pearls turn to ‘Execute,’ even if you’re at Great Ascension stage, you probably couldn’t stop Heaven’s punishment, right?”
Sheng Jiao frowned and covered his mouth, forcibly making him shut his crow’s beak.
Xi Jianlan made muffled sounds at him.
Sheng Jiao said indifferently: “I will save you.”
Xi Jianlan pulled away his broad palm, deliberately being contrary: “What if you can’t save me?”
“If you confess everything,” Sheng Jiao said coldly, “I can save you.”
Xi Jianlan impatiently buried his face in his embrace, not wanting to deal with him: “Going to sleep. Don’t talk to me.”
Sheng Jiao: “…”
Xi Jianlan’s body, having just freed itself from the Endless Period, urgently needed spiritual power to nourish meridians that had been withered for years. He grasped the pearl, letting spiritual power slowly seep into his body like a gentle stream. Too lazy to actively absorb it, he soon fell asleep in a floating sensation like stepping on clouds.
In his daze, he vaguely felt a warm hand gently clasping his wrist, channeling abundant spiritual power into his meridians, nourishing them like a babbling spring.
Xi Jianlan thought drowsily: “Isn’t Sheng Jiao bound by spirit-binding? Where does he get spiritual power?”
But this thought had barely emerged before he could think further when he fell into swamp-like darkness and slept deeply.
A dreamless night.
Xi Jianlan slept until the sun was high before waking. Sheng Jiao was long gone from the bed.
Yawning and wrapping his outer robe around himself, he got up and found a small box full of spirit pearls on the desk. A note was pressed under the box with Sheng Jiao’s bold calligraphy.
“Spirit pearls, for the earring.”
Xi Jianlan held the note and clicked his tongue repeatedly.
If he fixed the Yingluo clasp earring, he couldn’t pretend to be deaf anymore. Sheng Wuzhuo had calculated well.
But the intermittent sounds were truly annoying. After washing up, Xi Jianlan casually tied back his long hair and sat at Sheng Jiao’s desk, squinting as he repaired the earring that helped him hear all things.
The Tianyan Pearl was dim and lightless. Xi Jianlan used it and tossed it aside, disdainfully picking it out and placing it to one side, selecting several appropriately sized spirit pearls to put in instead.
But after Xi Jianlan adjusted it for a long time, the magical device seemed completely ruined—no matter which pearl he used, it was useless.
“Oh well.” Xi Jianlan patiently tried all the pearls before finally giving up. It seemed he’d have to be half-deaf until Fu Man arrived.
Heh, he could pretend to be deaf and mute again.
Xi Jianlan cheerfully refastened the earring to his ear. Having worn it for so many years, it was like an ornament to him—even if useless, he could wear it for vanity.
Just then, a faint, weak sound reached his ears.
“What are you thinking about?”
Xi Jianlan was startled and whirled around to see Sheng Jiao standing there, looking down at him coldly, seemingly wanting to ask what bad scheme he was plotting while grinning to himself.
Xi Jianlan raised an eyebrow, sweet words flowing naturally: “Thinking about Sect Master Sheng, of course.”
Sheng Jiao noticed the different volume and weakness in his tone, realizing the earring wasn’t fixed. He bent down to fiddle with the spirit pearls in the box, being economical with words to ensure Xi Jianlan could see his meaning clearly.
“Useless?”
Xi Jianlan sat at Sect Master Sheng’s desk without yielding his seat, lazily propping his chin and looking up at him: “The magical device is broken. Changing pearls doesn’t work either. Here, take back your useless Tianyan Pearl.”
Sheng Jiao raised his hand and the Tianyan Pearl instantly flew back into his sleeve.
“Oh right.” Xi Jianlan touched his shoulder. “Take back the one on my shoulder too. Now that I’ve recovered my xiangwen, I don’t need the Tianyan Pearl to maintain my life force.”
Sheng Jiao remained silent.
“Hey.” Xi Jianlan was unhappy. “You really branded the ‘Burn’ character on me? What’s this called—declaring ownership? I’m not an object.”
Sheng Jiao spoke: “No, ‘Burn’ was the character this Tianyan Pearl had when it formed.”
The Tianyan Pearls were Sheng Jiao’s natal magical device. That special pearl born with the ‘Burn’ character was truly his natal pearl.
Six years ago, Sheng Jiao had fused this only character-bearing Tianyan Pearl into Xi Jianlan’s meridians to protect his life force.
Xi Jianlan blinked.
Sheng Jiao didn’t say more, tidying Xi Jianlan’s disheveled hair: “I’m going out.”
Xi Jianlan snapped back to attention: “This pearl…”
Sheng Jiao said: “When your xiangwen fully recovers, I’ll naturally remove it.”
Xi Jianlan choked, thinking that wasn’t what he was asking about.
Before his coming-of-age ceremony, he had humiliated Sheng Jiao so greatly, refusing their union registration with “you’re poor and unworthy.” Yet afterward, when he was captured and tortured by Xiezhi Sect, Sheng Jiao had single-handedly broken into the sect trying to save him.
What kind of feelings had Sheng Jiao harbored while doing these things…
Just thinking about it slightly made Xi Jianlan’s heart ache terribly.
But Sheng Jiao clearly didn’t want to discuss this. Xi Jianlan could only say hesitantly: “Where, where are you going? When will you be back?”
Sheng Jiao: “To see Director Wen.”
Xi Jianlan froze, immediately standing and grabbing Sheng Jiao: “You’re not allowed to go!”
Sheng Jiao looked back at him.
Xi Jianlan said seriously: “You, you’re still bound by ‘Exchange for Bright Moon.’ If Wen Gubai wants to harm you, wouldn’t that be dangerous?!”
Sheng Jiao gave a cold laugh.
As if the spirit-binding hadn’t been cast by this little swindler himself.
“No problem.” Sheng Jiao brushed away his hand and strode away quickly.
Xi Jianlan: “Hey! Hey wait!”
Sheng Jiao didn’t want to listen to his rambling and walked out with large strides, disappearing in an instant.
Xi Jianlan was furious, shouting: “Juan Xunfang! Where’s Juan Xunfang?!”
He had to trick Juan Xunfang into letting him out of Xiezhi Sect, otherwise that poor little thing Sheng Jiao would be devoured alive by Wen Gubai.
Soon, Shang Yuan came running over with a pretty new flower pinned to her head: “What’s wrong?”
Xi Jianlan choked.
Shang Yuan looked like she’d believe any nonsense, making her easy to deceive. But this child was single-minded, only following Sheng Jiao’s orders, and when ruthless, she’d even hit colleagues.
Getting her to let him out of Xiezhi Sect would probably be harder than fooling Sheng Jiao.
Xi Jianlan asked with a glimmer of hope: “Where’s Master Juan?”
“Master Juan went with the Sect Master to see Director Wen,” Shang Yuan said. “The Sect Master also instructed that no matter what you say, you cannot leave Xiezhi Sect today.”
Xi Jianlan: “…”
Shang Yuan asked obediently: “Do you have any instructions?”
“No, no instructions.” Xi Jianlan silently swallowed a mouthful of old blood, forcing a smile: “Haha, that flower in your hair is quite pretty.”
**
Sam Williams On TYMIMA Chapter 152
Thanks for the new chapter <3