Sheng Jiao sheathed his sword, quickly stepped forward, and pulled Yan Jianlan to his side. Frowning, he examined the ear injured by the spiritual fluctuation.
Yan Jianlan’s hearing was fused with his xiangwen. Though his meridians and xiangwen weren’t hurt, his ear had suffered severe damage from the spiritual fluctuation, blood dripping from his pale earlobe.
Sheng Jiao’s face darkened as he reached to heal him with spiritual power.
Yan Jianlan dodged Sheng Jiao’s hand, casually putting away the Spring Rain Sword as if nothing had happened: “It’s nothing serious. You go take care of things.”
Sheng Jiao: “You…”
Yan Jianlan’s eyes curved, and he grabbed Sheng Jiao’s hand, placing a kiss on his palm. The red mole at the corner of his eye seemed to slowly stain with blood.
“Don’t worry.”
After enduring so many hardships for over ten years, struggling between two sides and making difficult choices didn’t change Yan Jianlan’s heart at all.
Just as he said before, even if he faced swords with Sheng Jiao during the day, he could still merge seamlessly with him at night.
His registration with Sheng Jiao wouldn’t affect his relationship with Yu Tuishan in the slightest.
Yan Jianlan was eerily clear-headed.
Sheng Jiao frowned, but still reached out to pour a torrent of spiritual power into Yan Jianlan’s meridians, soothing his ear injured by the spiritual shock.
The blood finally stopped flowing. Sheng Jiao wiped a drop from Yan Jianlan’s earlobe with his finger, finally murmuring, “Let’s go back.”
Yan Jianlan nodded: “Mm.”
The massacre of the Qu family wasn’t the work of just a few people—perhaps a group of desperadoes from Evil Qi Road. Xiezhi Sect had already sealed off Central State overnight, sending all enforcers to search. Most of the perpetrators would likely be captured before dawn.
Yan Jianlan didn’t want to trouble Sheng Jiao. He turned, grabbed the stunned Lezheng Jiu, and quickly left the Qu family estate.
Lezheng Jiu finally snapped out of it, frowning as he checked his ear. Seeing nothing serious, he breathed a sigh of relief, then turned pale again. “You two… what’s really going on?”
They’d just drawn swords against each other, yet still talked about registering?
His earring broken, Yan Jianlan hadn’t heard Lezheng Jiu’s words. He turned and said, “Brother, you go back to Medicine Sect first.”
Lezheng Jiu frowned: “Where are you going?”
Yan Jianlan didn’t reply, only nodded slightly and left, riding the wind away.
He’d already planned his move, heading straight for the Xi family in the rain.
The Xi family was already a pile of ruins. In the desolate wreckage, only the sound of rain falling could be heard, like the wailing of ten thousand ghosts.
Yan Jianlan landed silently. Trapped in the Xi family’s net for eight long years, even after so much time, he remembered every path clearly.
As his steps led him toward the Tianyan ancestral hall, the surrounding abandoned houses seemed to rise from the ground, time flowing backward as scenes from ten years ago flashed past him—back to when the family was at its peak.
Yan Ling’s first visit to the Tianyan ancestral hall, hidden by the “Sound of Leisure” barrier, he’d only just approached when he faintly heard voices.
Yan Ling froze.
Xi Jue’s spirit sense was still in Yan Ling’s consciousness, cheerfully saying, “Why are you scared? Wen Gubai taught you all the concealment techniques. Don’t worry, they won’t find you.”
Yan Ling frowned: “I still think it’s risky. If we’re found, neither of us will be spared.”
Xi Jue was still normal back then—just a carefree wastrel. If he’d been sensitive, he’d have broken down and gone mad long ago.
“Come on, come on,” Xi Jue urged Yan Ling. “I just want a piece of pastry to satisfy my craving. Just throw it in while they’re out of the ancestral hall.”
Yan Ling grimaced, clutching a still-warm pastry in his clothes, but obediently nodded.
Xi Jue reassured him: “Even if we’re found, we’ll just get beaten up. They won’t dare kill us. Don’t worry.”
Yan Ling’s face turned green: “Beaten up?”
How many beatings had he endured? Why could he speak of it so casually?
“As long as we don’t die,” Xi Jue said with a grin, “I don’t want to die. I just want to live well.”
Yan Ling was about to say something when he suddenly heard Lady Zong’s voice from the ancestral hall.
“…Completely merge into the Tianyan earth veins?”
Yan Ling instinctively held his breath.
Lady Zong’s voice was calm, like the calm before a storm: “Why?”
Xi Ze said coldly, “Ever since Heng Yudu awakened ‘Exchange for the Moon,’ no one in the Central State has awakened spirit-level xiangwen in recent years. ‘Kan Tianyan’ is controlling the Tianyan spiritual power, preventing anyone else from awakening spirit-level xiangwen.”
Xi Jue didn’t understand, wondering who “Kan Tianyan” was—how could someone be so powerful as to prevent others from awakening spirit-level xiangwen?
But soon he let out a dry “Ah,” whispering, “…So it’s me.”
He was no longer Xi Jue, but the spirit-level xiangwen “Kan Tianyan.”
Xi Jue no longer remembered how many years he’d been tortured in the Tianyan earth veins. Telling time was a luxury. Only when Lady Zong and Xi Ze called him “Kan Tianyan” so distantly did he feel a strange sensation in his chest.
It was like blocking his breath, causing his heart and lungs to ache with a dense, unrelenting pain.
“…From the day ‘Kan Tianyan’ entered the Tianyan earth veins, he was no longer our Jue’er. Everything has gone back to the way it was.” Xi Ze sat on the chair, closing his eyes slightly, saying softly, “Rather than let him suffer daily from the pain of extracting Tianyan, it’s better to…”
Better to completely merge “Kan Tianyan” into the Tianyan earth veins, generating Tianyan spiritual power endlessly.
No longer needing “Xi Jue’s” physical form, sparing him additional pain.
Yan Ling understood the meaning behind Xi Ze’s words, silently sucking in a breath.
They wanted to erase “Xi Jue’s” existence. Once “Kan Tianyan” no longer needed a supporting identity, he wouldn’t have to play “Xi Jue” anymore.
Yan Ling was no longer as naive as he’d been as a child. He knew Xi Ze’s character, who could even use the excuse of “sparing him pain” to kill his own son, let alone someone like him who knew all the Xi family’s dirty secrets.
The day Xi Jue died would also be the day his soul was scattered.
The ancestral hall fell silent for a long time before Lady Zong finally spoke, her voice trembling: “Sect Master Xi, where is your heart?”
Only Xi Ze in the Thirteen States could speak of murdering his own son so sanctimoniously.
Xi Ze replied: “And what about you?”
Lady Zong fell silent.
“You indulged him to the point of lawlessness. Years of torment have made him resent you,” Xi Ze said coldly. “Even if you want a well-behaved son now, it’s too late.”
If Lady Zong had made a choice when Xi Jue first escaped to find her, she wouldn’t be in such pain now.
After a long, dead silence, Lady Zong swept her sleeve and left.
Her silence was always a choice.
Yan Ling watched coldly as Lady Zong left without looking back.
Even as they discussed, Xi Jue rarely showed any reaction. If not for the lingering spirit sense in Yan Ling’s consciousness, Yan Ling would have thought Xi Jue was no longer with him.
Yan Ling patiently waited for Xi Ze to leave the ancestral hall, then silently entered the Tianyan earth veins using his spirit-level concealment technique.
The earth veins hadn’t been visited for years, covered in thick dust. Yan Ling dared not leave footprints, using spiritual power to silently float to Xi Jue’s side.
Xi Jue faced the golden Tianyan spiritual river, countless fine chains piercing his body and deeply rooted in his meridians, constantly drawing Tianyan spiritual power from his “Kan Tianyan” xiangwen.
The usually cheerful youth’s eyes had lost their light, sitting blankly and staring vacantly at the spiritual river.
Yan Ling landed quietly beside him, squatting to take out the now-cooled pastry from his chest and handing it over.
“Eat.”
This was the first time Xi Jue had seen the pastry he’d longed for during his years locked in the earth veins.
But now he was dazed, staring blankly for a moment before saying dryly: “My father…”
Yan Ling leaned in to listen.
“My father is the Sect Master,” Xi Jue managed a smile, but it looked more like a grimace. “He’s always wanted to be at the top, revered by all. But he only awakened a heaven-level xiangwen as a youth, so he put all his hopes in me.”
Xi Ze had always been strict with Xi Jue, but Lady Zong was too indulgent, never letting him suffer, making young Xi Jue think Xi Ze’s strictness was wrong and Lady Zong was right.
He should be pampered by his mother, not forced to practice swordplay and cultivation.
Because of this, Xi Ze and Lady Zong argued endlessly when Xi Jue was young.
Later, Xi Jue learned Xi Ze wanted to train him to save the declining Xi family.
He didn’t want the Xi family to fall and be swallowed by other clans, nor suffer extermination because of the Tianyan earth veins.
“Yan Ling,” Xi Jue suddenly said softly.
Yan Ling sat beside him, coldly watching the living, pulsing Tianyan spiritual river.
Xi Jue said, “I don’t want to die.”
Yan Ling was silent for a long time, murmuring, “I know.”
But Xi Jue didn’t understand what he’d done wrong to deserve this. From that moment, a twisted regret surged in his heart.
Maybe he was a mistake from the moment he was born.
If he’d never existed…
That would have been better.
Ten years apart, the once innocent youth who wanted to live no matter the pain, now gradually became someone who longed for death after being abandoned by loved ones.
A madman.
Yan Jianlan reached the ruined Tianyan ancestral hall, waved his hand to remove the wooden cover at the earth vein entrance, and skillfully opened it, descending the steps.
Yu Tuishan was indeed in the empty earth veins.
Half of the earth vein had collapsed. That faintly glowing figure sat cross-legged just as he had for eight years, his back unchanged.
Though the chains and spiritual lines that tortured him were gone, his back seemed burdened with even heavier shackles, barely holding up.
Yan Jianlan sat beside him, taking out a pastry from his chest.
“Eat?”
Xi Jue never ate that pastry back then, but this time Yu Tuishan happily took it, swallowing the palm-sized treat in one bite.
“This place is really small,” Yu Tuishan licked the crumbs from his fingers, saying vaguely. “Why didn’t I feel it was so small before?”
Yan Jianlan smiled: “Our hearts are different now.”
Back then, this little cave and the entire Xi family seemed endless, like a net he could never escape.
Yu Tuishan finally finished the pastry, grinning as he tilted his head: “Sheng Jiao didn’t fight with you, right?”
“No.”
“Good,” Yu Tuishan put his hand on Yan Jianlan’s shoulder, as if boasting, “I was so angry just now but I didn’t kill him. Am I impressive?”
Yan Jianlan laughed, pushing him away: “Stop fooling around.”
Yu Tuishan wound a lock of Yan Jianlan’s hair around his finger, bored: “He really won’t take it out on you? Are you still registering?”
“Of course,” Yan Jianlan tilted his head at him. “I don’t care if you two fight at my registration ceremony. It’s just a formality anyway.”
“Amazing, Ling’er.”
Even a madman like Yu Tuishan couldn’t help but marvel at Yan Jianlan, since no one else could remain so close and intimate when their positions were utterly opposed.
But Yan Jianlan could do it.
“How long are you going to stay in this ghost place?” Yan Jianlan frowned at the dusty ground. “Let’s go back to Medicine Sect.”
Yu Tuishan shook his head: “No, I have urgent business to attend to.”
Yan Jianlan’s lips twitched.
With the Qu family incident as a warning, Yu Tuishan’s urgent business was definitely nothing good.
“What urgent business?” Yan Jianlan asked.
Yu Tuishan grinned at him: “I won’t tell you. You’ll run straight to Sheng Jiao as soon as I say.”
Yan Jianlan: “…”
Yan Jianlan rolled his eyes, feeling stuck in the middle was too hard.
Though he’d never revealed secrets to either side, he was still treated like a real spy.
“This time it’s too big,” Yan Jianlan sighed silently, knowing he shouldn’t advise but couldn’t help adding, “How many wandering cultivators did you bring to Central State?”
Yu Tuishan giggled: “Guess.”
Yan Jianlan saw he wouldn’t say, so didn’t press further. He stood up, brushing dust from his clothes, and said, “I’m leaving first.”
Yu Tuishan blinked: “Hey, you’re really not asking?”
Yan Jianlan didn’t look back: “Too lazy to guess.”
“I’ll tell you,” Yu Tuishan got up and chased after him, circling Yan Jianlan. “Ask me anything. I’ll tell you, really.”
Yan Jianlan glanced at him: “Give it a rest.”
Yu Tuishan spread his arms, blocking Yan Jianlan’s path, as if about to say something, but hesitated, suddenly saying, “Hug me.”
Yan Jianlan was taken aback: “What?”
“Wait for me to come out,” Yu Tuishan said, his eyes twinkling like an innocent child. “When I come out, Yan Ling, hug me.”
Even if embraced, the body formed from his soul was as cold as frost, unable to be warmed.
Yan Jianlan’s eyes trembled slightly. He lowered his gaze, hiding the fleeting shimmer in his eyes with his thick lashes, his tone still lazy as he casually pushed him away: “Are you still a child? Hug a ghost? Get off, you’re blocking the way.”
Yu Tuishan, even as he was pushed away, continued to smile as he watched Yan Jianlan leave.
Only after the stone door closed automatically did Yu Tuishan’s smile vanish as if a mask had been removed, the suppressed evil aura rising to his eyes and brows.
Yu Tuishan sat back in his original spot, staring at the empty earth veins, his cold eyes flickering with faint golden patterns.
“Who should be next?” He pondered seriously, as if choosing what pastry to eat.
“Oh,” Yu Tuishan thought for a while, finally deciding. He raised his hand, drawing a moon shape in the air with Tianyan spiritual power, his face lighting up. “This one.”
“Chirp—”
At Tianyan Academy, Heng Yudu’s ever-presentglass bird (Liuli que) suddenly shrieked, flying around him anxiously, as if sensing danger.
Heng Yudu frowned, reaching out to gather the panicked bird in his hand and gently stroking it.
Normally, his comfort would calm the bird instantly.
But this time, for some reason, the bird continued to tremble.
As Heng Yudu puzzled over this, theglass bird suddenly exploded in his palm, its fragments embedding into his hand, instantly covering it with grotesque blood.
Heng Yudu’s expression darkened.
What danger could make theglass bird so terrified it would explode on the spot?
***
Xiezhi Sect almost emptied its ranks, finally capturing all the wandering cultivators involved in the Qu family massacre before dawn, herding them all to Xiezhi Sect in a dark, dense group.
Sheng Jiao’s Tianyan Pearl nearly spun until sparks flew, busy until dawn finally sentencing the seven ringleaders, leaving the rest to Shang Yuan and Juan Xunfang to judge.
The entire Xiezhi Sect was filled with screams and wails.
Sheng Jiao expressionlessly returned to Qingcheng Building, only noticing the familiar aura in the inner chamber after removing his outer robe.
Pulling back the bamboo curtain, he saw the thin white gauze bed curtains hanging down, concealing a faint light, gently swaying in the wind from the window.
A pair of muddy shoes sat by the bed. Yan Jianlan was lying sideways, sleeping peacefully, his brows still tinged with a hint of sorrow.
Sheng Jiao silently sat by the bed, gently touching Yan Jianlan’s earlobe. He found the bruise had been cleaned, with a cotton ball scented with medicine stuffed inside.
The Heavenly Dao lord remained expressionless, but inwardly felt regret and fear.
He should have known that if he acted, Yan Jianlan would inevitably side with Yu Tuishan, yet his mind seemed affected, completely disregarding the danger and blocking Yu Tuishan with Great Ascension stage spiritual power.
Sheng Jiao ran spiritual power through Yan Jianlan’s body, confirming the hidden injuries in his xiangwen had truly healed before withdrawing his hand.
His gaze fell on the muddy shoes by the bed.
Only the special spiritual array at the Xi family could leave such mud.
He’d gone to Xi family to see Yu Tuishan.
Sheng Jiao’s eyes grew cold. Without a word, he tucked the blanket around Yan Jianlan and turned to leave.
***
Yan Jianlan slept for two hours, his thin eyelids finally waking under a sliver of sunlight.
He buried his face in the pillow, groggy and fumbling before finally opening his eyes.
It was already daylight.
The rain had stopped, the wind was mild, the sun was bright.
Yan Jianlan rubbed his eyes, sat up, and lifted the bed curtain, wanting to see if Sheng Jiao had returned. He casually glanced over and saw Sheng Jiao, his features like a painting, sitting in the warm sunlight by the soft couch. His sword hand was awkwardly fiddling with the intricate bead clasp ear ornament, trying to replace the beads.
Yan Jianlan blinked in surprise.
Though the Heavenly Dao lord was gifted with talent and overwhelming cultivation, he’d never passed the spirit tool class at Tianyan Academy. Sometimes, after class, Wen Gubai’s spirit tool assignments were actually forged by Yan Jianlan for him.
Now, Sheng Jiao was actually repairing a spirit tool himself.
Yan Jianlan couldn’t help but laugh.
Sect Master Sheng’s hands, which could wield a sword and Tianyan Pearl to intimidate the Thirteen States, were completely at a loss with this delicate spirit tool. He’d been struggling for over half an hour and still couldn’t replace the beads.
Fortunately, he was patient, persistently continuing.
Hearing the laughter, Sheng Jiao frowned slightly. The bead he’d finally managed to set in place suddenly slipped, flying from his fingers and rolling to the side of the bed.
Yan Jianlan bent down to pick it up, suppressing his laughter as he raised an eyebrow: “Never thought Sect Master Sheng could repair spirit tools. So all those times you came to my study hall after class to have me forge spirit tools for you—was that just an excuse to play with me?”
Sheng Jiao: “…”
***
**
(advanced chapters available on kofi)
wannaberecluse On SRTT Chapter 50.1