Yan Jianlan spent a rather distinctive birthday.
From the hour of the rat onward, he remained in a daze throughout—fainting and waking, waking and fainting. Eventually he even grew embarrassed and angry, wanting to bite Sheng Jiao, yet his entire body was powerless, left only to endure Sheng Jiao’s “punishment.”
From excessive exhaustion, Yan Jianlan didn’t dream once all night.
Upon waking again, candlelight still flickered and danced.
Yan Jianlan stared at the shadowy candlelight beyond the bed curtains for a long time, momentarily unable to tell if he was dreaming.
Had he slept only briefly, or had night fallen again?
That wasn’t right—the last time he’d lost consciousness, the sun had been high in the sky already.
Yan Jianlan: “……”
Yan Jianlan angrily punched the bed in irritation, but the slightest movement caused his body to ache. He immediately trembled, miserably burrowing into the brocade quilt, nearly groaning aloud.
Yan Jianlan had been flipped back and forth and “enjoyed” by Sheng Jiao countless times, wishing he could draw his blade and cut someone down.
Yan Jianlan raged: “Sheng Jiao! Sheng Wuzhuo!”
No one answered him.
The inner chamber was empty—had Sheng Jiao eaten and run?
Yan Jianlan was about to faint from anger again. He rubbed his brow and panted for a while, struggling to get out of bed, but his legs were so soft he couldn’t even stand, only managing to lie on the bed edge cursing bitterly while waiting for the soreness to pass.
Sheng Jiao had disappeared to who knows where. The rhino horn lamp nearby flickered with faint light.
Yan Jianlan made an effort to reach the rhino horn lamp and raised his hand to touch it.
Yu Tuishan’s voice came through: “Listen’er hahaha come see the good show! What a grand spectacle it is—some wandering cultivator discovered that Tianyan can resolve the ‘Abandoned Immortal Bone,’ and actually wanted to extract a prestigious family disciple’s mysterious-level xiangwen! Hahaha cough cough!”
Yan Jianlan’s brow furrowed slightly. He checked the time Yu Tuishan sent the message—the hour of the rooster.
It was only the hour of the dog now.
It seemed Sheng Jiao had gone to handle this matter.
Yan Jianlan didn’t bother going to watch the commotion either. He raised his hand to extinguish the rhino horn lamp and was about to put it back when a black cat jumped through the window, cautiously asking: “Jianlan? Meow meow?”
It was testing whether Sheng Jiao was present.
Yan Jianlan lay sprawled on the bed, speaking weakly: “Come in, he’s not here.”
The black cat immediately darted in like a shadow, fiercely pouncing and jumping onto Yan Jianlan’s waist and belly.
Yan Jianlan couldn’t help it—he directly covered his mouth and retched once.
The black cat nearly jumped up, transforming into human form in panic and crouching at the bed’s edge, asking nervously: “What’s wrong what’s wrong, what did he do to you last night?! There’s a barrier outside—I couldn’t get in at all!”
Yan Jianlan’s stomach—whether trampled by the black cat or made uncomfortable from being stretched last night—made him lie listlessly against the soft pillows, unwilling to recount: “Don’t mention it.”
“You!” The black cat saw his dispirited face and even sensed he wanted to retch. His scarce common sense made his cat pupils flicker, and he asked timidly, “You……you’re carrying kits?”
Yan Jianlan: “……”
The two stared wide-eyed at each other.
Yan Jianlan said darkly: “While I’m not yet angry, apologize to me, apologize to the kits.”
Could two grown men produce kits?!
That was disrespect to the kits!
The black cat spoke dryly: “S-sorry.”
Yan Jianlan closed his eyes sickly, unwilling to pay him attention.
Since the black cat gained an independent body, he’d grown increasingly dependent on Yan Jianlan. He propped his two paws on the bed’s edge, speaking to try amusing Yan Jianlan.
“It’s quite lively outside—there are lots of people on the main street. A wandering cultivator and a prestigious family disciple fought just earlier, and the one with the mysterious-level xiangwen had blood drawn from the back of his neck.”
Yan Jianlan didn’t open his eyes: “Which family?”
“Seems like a branch line of the Heng family? Anyway, just some unvalued mysterious-level cultivator, only thirty-something years old and barely achieved Nascent Soul.”
For ordinary cultivators, achieving Nascent Soul at thirty was extraordinary talent, but for those with xiangwen, it was mediocre aptitude, unworthy of use.
Yu Tuishan had spread the word that Tianyan spiritual power could resolve the “Abandoned Immortal Bone,” making these low-level xiangwen cultivators without self-defense capabilities easy targets.
Yan Jianlan’s brow furrowed, and he pressed his lips together.
The black cat was still recounting the excitement when suddenly a bone-chilling, forbidding atmosphere pressed against its back.
Light footsteps echoed from outside, like an evil ghost descending.
The black cat’s fur immediately stood on end. It transformed into a black cat with a “meow” and leapt to the window, hissing angrily at the doorway.
It was rather fierce now, but the moment Sheng Jiao lifted the pearl curtain and revealed half his face, the black cat immediately became like a dog that had been struck with a stick, whimpering “woof woof” with its tail drooping as it frantically fled.
Yan Jianlan: “……”
Such shame.
Sheng Jiao quickly handled the dispute between the wandering cultivator and the family disciple, returning to find Yan Jianlan awake. He walked slowly forward and skillfully handed him newly bought osmanthus cakes.
“I trouble the sect master,” Yan Jianlan said, his pale face forcing a false smile after being flipped and folded all through the night. “Six years ago you’d buy me congee early in the morning after indulging. Now that you’re tired of it, you’ve started perfunctory dismissals—just giving me this stuff. How considerate of you.”
Though Sheng Jiao had expected Yan Jianlan would certainly make a fuss after being tormented all night, he was still caught off guard by this barbed sarcasm, furrowing his brow: “Want congee?”
Yan Jianlan maintained his polite smile, continuing to jab: “No, I’ve served Heavenly Dao’s lord all night. Though I fainted and woke four or five times, I’m so robust I’m not hungry, thirsty, or tired at all. A piece of osmanthus cake without even water—if it chokes me to death, I’d still have to thank Heavenly Dao’s lord for his generosity.”
Sheng Jiao: “…………”
Sheng Jiao frowned, taking back the osmanthus cake to go make congee.
“Never mind,” Yan Jianlan said, chattering away to vent his anger, finally expressing his resentment and tormenting Sheng Jiao further. Speaking without good grace: “My stomach feels like there’s something still in it—I’ve no appetite for anything.”
His five viscera felt like they’d been shoved out of place.
Sheng Jiao silently walked to the bed’s edge and sat down. He slipped his warm, broad hand under the brocade quilt, condensing a mass of spiritual energy that he placed over that slender waist and belly.
Yan Jianlan lay weakly in Sheng Jiao’s embrace, reaching up to touch his ear.
Sheng Jiao understood and pulled out an earring from his sleeve, fastening it to Yan Jianlan’s ear with one hand.
Yan Jianlan could finally hear clearly again. Leaning against Sheng Jiao’s chest, he’d originally expected to hear that deep, unchanging cracked-scorch sound from over a decade, but unexpectedly, silence surrounded his ears.
Yan Jianlan furrowed his brow, holding his breath to listen.
Sheng Jiao reached over and pulled his ear, speaking coldly: “Don’t listen to me.”
Yan Jianlan pouted: “I’m used to it—don’t speak, let me listen one last time.”
Sheng Jiao reached to cover Yan Jianlan’s ear, but it was already too late.
“……”
He heard only a faint sound—like a tender sprout breaking through cracked earth, resonating silently through Yan Jianlan’s ears.
The cracked sound and the sound of flowers blooming were both gone, replaced instead by new shoots breaking through soil.
Yan Jianlan blinked and tilted his head to look up at Sheng Jiao.
Sheng Jiao was too obtuse about emotions and didn’t realize the change in his own heart. He replied coldly: “What?”
“Nothing,” Yan Jianlan said, a smile curling his lips. “Sheng Wuzhuo, you’ve grown up.”
Sheng Jiao pressed him back onto the bed, whispering: “Nonsense.”
Sheng Jiao’s anger finally dissipated. Yan Jianlan, seizing the moment, grabbed his hand as it tried to withdraw and placed it on his waist and belly, muttering: “Keep going, I’m feeling awful.”
Sheng Jiao silently continued massaging his waist and belly.
He seemed to enjoy these quiet moments, just the two of them in a small, enclosed space, as if all grievances, love, hatred, and responsibilities were shut out.
Nothing could ever separate them again.
The hanging bed curtains fluttered in the wind, opening a small gap.
Yan Jianlan finally felt a bit better. He pulled Sheng Jiao onto the bed, lazily burrowing into his arms, savoring the faint scent of frost and osmanthus around him, as if he’d finally found his home.
“How’s it outside?” he mumbled.
Sheng Jiao ran his fingers through Yan Jianlan’s disheveled black hair, and at the question, his hand paused, gently pressing Yan Jianlan’s head before replying softly: “No one died, but the commotion was big. Many wandering cultivators who rely on the ‘Abandoned Immortal Bone’ for spiritual power have started targeting the xiangwen disciples of prestigious families.”
Yan Jianlan nuzzled Sheng Jiao’s robe, murmuring: “Are you going back to Xiezhi Sect?”
Sheng Jiao countered: “Will you come back with me?”
Yan Jianlan laughed, opening his eyes: “Aren’t you afraid I’ll conspire with Yu Tuishan to scheme against you again?”
Sheng Jiao looked at him indifferently, then suddenly ran his hand over Yan Jianlan’s nape. A faint lightning pattern seemed to seep from his fingertips, instantly making Yan Jianlan’s whole body go numb and limp.
“I-I was wrong.”
Yan Jianlan realized he’d said the wrong thing, his arms and legs weak as he begged for mercy, finally prompting Sheng Jiao to remove his hand from his nape.
After a brief silence, Yan Jianlan spoke again: “Are you planning to subdue Yu Tuishan first?”
Sheng Jiao didn’t hide it: “Yes, the source of the ‘Abandoned Immortal Bone’ is him.”
Yan Jianlan “oh”ed, then added: “Then when are you going to capture Yu Tuishan? Take me along.”
Sheng Jiao held back, then couldn’t help but retort coldly: “Take you along, so you can join him in scheming against me?”
“How can that be called scheming?” Yan Jianlan argued. “It’s just a difference in stance. But let’s make a deal—if you lose, you can’t make up for it in bed tonight. Acting on impulse like you did yesterday just won’t do.”
Sheng Jiao: “……”
Yan Jianlan’s twisted logic left the always-by-the-book sect master stunned for years.
Seeing him about to chatter on again, Sheng Jiao cupped his chin and bit sharply at his thin lips.
When Yan Jianlan was still confused, the Heavenly Dao lord remained silent for a while, then suddenly whispered: “You and Yu Tuishan……”
Yan Jianlan asked, puzzled: “What?”
A flicker of barely perceptible regret flashed in Sheng Jiao’s eyes, as if he realized he’d asked a foolish question. He silently pressed Yan Jianlan into his arms and said coldly: “Sleep.”
“I’m not sleepy,” Yan Jianlan insisted, feeling like he’d missed something. He pushed against Sheng Jiao’s chest and pulled back, surprised. “What did you want to say? What about me and Yu Tuishan?”
Sheng Jiao replied indifferently: “Nothing.”
Yan Jianlan studied Sheng Jiao’s expression.
Sheng Jiao instinctively covered his ears, not wanting him to hear.
Yan Jianlan pouted, thinking that even if he listened, he wouldn’t hear anything from Sheng Jiao except the sound of sprouts breaking soil.
Wait.
Suddenly, Yan Jianlan’s eyes lit up as if he’d realized something. If Sheng Jiao had nothing to hide, why would he be wary of his “Sound of Leisure”?
“Hehe!” Yan Jianlan suddenly grinned mischievously, tugging at his collar and leaning in, his eyes sparkling with amusement. “Heavenly Dao lord, can’t you smell it? Such a strong scent of vinegar—makes me feel sour all over.”
Heavenly Dao lord: “……”
Sheng Jiao didn’t want to respond to his teasing, but as he reached to press Yan Jianlan into his arms, Yan Jianlan, for the first time, realized Sheng Jiao could actually be jealous. He laughed so hard his whole body trembled, but his self-inflicted pain made his sore waist twinge, and he winced, his face pale yet still laughing.
Sheng Jiao’s brow furrowed, as if he wanted to silence him, but seeing the unguarded joy in Yan Jianlan’s eyes, he remained silent and didn’t stop him.
Being carefree was actually quite good; otherwise, how could he have endured those painful years?
After Yan Jianlan finished laughing, Sheng Jiao took his hand in his warm palm and slipped a string of spirit beads, glowing with spiritual energy, onto his slender wrist. His wrist was so thin the beads hung loosely, as if they’d fall off with the slightest movement. Sheng Jiao magically removed two beads, making the size just right.
He put the other two beads away, planning to replace the old spirit beads on the earrings another day.
Yan Jianlan was startled, looking at the spirit bead string that clearly cost a fortune.
Sheng Jiao’s expression was indifferent, his words brief and to the point.
“Birthday gift.”
***
**
(advanced chapters available on kofi)
Sam Williams On TYMIMA Chapter 152
Thanks for the chapter ❤️