After Sheng Jun Chapter 61 (Part 2)
Translated by Sylver (ko-fi)
Chapter 61 Wrapping Up and Settling Affairs (part 2)
Leaving Yuhua Sect and traveling north, he soon reached Xuantian Sword Sect.
You Suqing had abundant financial resources, and in just half a month, the entire sect had taken initial shape.
When Jiang Xingzhi arrived, You Suqing showed him around their mountain gate without any reserve - the current layout wasn't unfamiliar to Jiang Xingzhi, since a thousand years later, he was still a regular visitor to Xuantian Sword Sect.
As he toured, he offered suggestions, "Pavilion Master You, I think that empty space would be perfect for building a pond."
Opening his folding fan with a flutter, You Suqing thought to himself: Brother Jiang's suggestion must have deep meaning.
He readily agreed, "Then we'll do as Brother Jiang says!"
Jiang Xingzhi nodded with satisfaction: A thousand years later, he and his friends would finally have a place to listen to opera and bask in the sun.
After wandering around the mountain gate, Jiang Xingzhi asked about You Suqing's future plans. You Suqing waved his folding fan and said, "Now that the mountain gate is built, it's time to recruit disciples. By the way, that young man who caught Yuwen Gong last time... was his name Liu Chuan? I see he's a natural sword cultivator - might as well recruit him to my Xuantian Sword Sect!"
Huh???
Jiang Xingzhi's gaze shifted: You Suqing, how dare you try to steal people from his Kunlun?
"He's already one of Kunlun's people." Jiang Xingzhi used an objective and neutral stance to persuade, "Everything depends on fate - Pavilion Master You's master-disciple fate lies elsewhere."
"Sigh, Brother Jiang speaks truly. In this vast Jiuzhou, where should I seek my final disciple?"
"When fate arrives, there will naturally be one."
You Suqing looked thoughtful, "Could it be that Brother Jiang knows something?"
Jiang Xingzhi imitated Wu Jie's mysterious smile. As he smiled, his heart felt that familiar sensation again: poke poke. In his mind flashed that hand resting on the long handle of a wooden ladle.
In the dim forest, slender finger bones, leisurely tapping: tap tap. A seemingly familiar rhythm.
"What's wrong, Brother Jiang?" You Suqing's voice came from beside him. Seeing Jiang Xingzhi suddenly start frowning halfway through his smile, his heart jumped.
"Nothing." Jiang Xingzhi temporarily reined in his thoughts, suppressing the subtle feeling that had surfaced in his heart. Seeing that the time was about right, he turned to take his leave, "Pavilion Master You, the mountains are high and the road is long - may we meet again if fate allows."
"Brother Jiang?" You Suqing felt this phrase didn't sound like a temporary farewell.
Before he could ask further, he saw Jiang Xingzhi instantly leave Xuantian Sword Sect. He stared blankly in the direction of the other's departure, his gaze suddenly pausing as the hand waving his folding fan stopped.
The folding fan turned, flipping to the back side.
On the snow-white fan surface, at some unknown time, a surname had been written: Lin.
****
Jiang Xingzhi visited each of the great sects one by one, settling affairs with each, until finally only his own Kunlun remained.
As the sun set in the west, he finally returned to Kunlun.
Passing by the mid-mountain area, he saw the Kunlun disciples sparring with each other on the training ground: Luo Chu was guiding Liu Chuan's sword techniques, while Liu Chuan generously shared his cultivation insights with them.
Seeing this, Jiang Xingzhi felt gratified. He then silently passed through the training ground and landed on Kunlun's back mountain. Under Wu Jie's transformation, all of Kunlun had formed a dragon vein, and where he now stood was the center of the dragon's spine.
The crimson Moon-Holding Pearl was taken in hand.
Jiang Xingzhi drew out his spiritual power, and a drop of phoenix blood slowly separated from the Moon-Holding Pearl. Ancient aura burst forth instantly! And in the next moment was locked within a small space by Jiang Xingzhi.
Raising his hand and taking position, he formed an array on the spot.
His peak Mahayana spiritual power transformed into a mountain-protecting formation array out of thin air. The ancient phoenix blood served as the array's core, and a Heaven-rank formation that no one could break was deeply branded into the mountain body - from this moment on, divine light would forever protect Kunlun.
The instant the Heaven-rank protective formation was branded into Kunlun, all living beings on the entire mountain seemed to sense something: spiritual springs gushed forth, spiritual plants unfurled; birds cried out in alarm and leaped from the forests, and everyone sparring on the training ground stopped and turned to look toward the back mountain.
"What happened?"
"Look, divine light shrouds Kunlun!"
"Has some deity issued a decree?"
Zhu Yan spoke to calm everyone, "We'll go consult with the Divine Lord."
Everyone bowed, "Thank you for your trouble, Divine Envoy."
Zhu Yan and Zhu Xu quickly followed the direction of the spiritual power and found Jiang Xingzhi on the back mountain, "Sect Master, what happened?"
Jiang Xingzhi had just finished his work and hung the Moon-Holding Pearl back around his neck, "Nothing much, just set up a mountain-protecting array. If there's any danger in the future, you can stay in Kunlun."
Zhu Yan and Zhu Xu were delighted, "Yes, Sect Master!"
Jiang Xingzhi took several magical artifacts from his storage pouch and handed them over, "Your cultivation levels aren't very deep - these magical artifacts can be used for self-defense. But magical artifacts are only external force - if you want to establish yourself in the Three Realms, you still need to advance your cultivation and improve yourselves."
"This subordinate will remember, thank you Sect Master."
Seeing that Kunlun's affairs were mostly settled, Jiang Xingzhi prepared to return to the mountain peak, "By the way, I wasn't in the sect today - did Protector Bai ever leave the mountain gate?"
Zhu Xu fell silent, "......"
Jiang Xingzhi saw something subtle in his expression, "What's wrong?"
"No, nothing." Zhu Xu stammered, "Protector Bai never went out."
Jiang Xingzhi narrowed his eyes, "Zhu Xu, you're acting strange."
Zhu Xu nervously swallowed, looking away, "In... in any case, Protector Bai should have been waiting on the mountain peak for Sect Master for quite a while now."
From the sound of this, it seemed like Xu Jian had something to find him about. Jiang Xingzhi thought: But if there was something, why hadn't he sent a message? Seeing Zhu Xu acting like a little frog, jumping every time he was poked, he decided not to waste time questioning him here.
When he returned to the mountain peak to see Xu Jian, he would naturally know what it was about.
Jiang Xingzhi hummed in acknowledgment and swept his sleeves, flying back to the mountain peak.
….
As soon as he landed on the summit, he saw Zhong Ming sitting by the desk in his courtyard.
Between his slender fingers was a small book. Jiang Xingzhi's gaze swept over it briefly: it looked somewhat familiar... but didn't seem to be the book Su You had given him?
"Ah Zuo, I'm back!"
The hand holding the book tucked the booklet back into his embrace. Zhong Ming turned to look at the person who had run up to him in just a few steps. When the person came close, he stretched out his long arm and pulled him into his embrace, "You're back."
Jiang Xingzhi was caught off guard by the grab and naturally ended up straddling Zhong Ming's legs. He cupped the other's face with a "clap," "Zhu Xu said you were waiting for me - did you miss me?"
But then he saw Zhong Ming's eyes were deep, and a pair of strong arms embraced him tightly from behind, holding him captive in the embrace. Zhong Ming leaned down, "I missed you, and I have something to ask you."
"What... mmph!" Before Jiang Xingzhi could react, his lips were caught, and overwhelming kisses fell down on him. He pressed his hands against Zhong Ming's chest, breathing rapidly, "Hah..."
This kiss was even more lingering and intense than usual, as if trying to prove something to him. Zhong Ming's lips and tongue teased him, almost swallowing his very breath.
Too, too intense... Jiang Xingzhi was kissed until his heart pounded wildly, both delighted and startled.
Zhong Ming pressed one hand against the back of his neck to prevent escape, while the other pressed against his lower back, sliding downward as they kissed.
Haah...! Jiang Xingzhi's breathing trembled, his tailbone suddenly going numb with sensation. Unable to bear it, he lifted his leg and pressed his knee against Zhong Ming's waist, signaling him to let him catch his breath.
The man kissing him finally pulled back slightly and raised his head.
Jiang Xingzhi was kissed until even the corners of his eyes were moist. He gripped Zhong Ming's clothing, steadying his breathing. His lowered gaze fixed on the other's lips, which were equally reddened from kissing, "You... what are you doing?"
The large palm pressed against his lower back tightened a few degrees.
The man's breath completely enveloped him. Jiang Xingzhi was suddenly lifted a bit higher, his gaze moving up to meet Zhong Ming's burning and aggressive eyes. His heart skipped a beat, and the hand gripping the man's clothing clenched with force.
With a soft thud, the small booklet in Zhong Ming's embrace fell out.
The pages opened to that heavily pressed paper page. Jiang Xingzhi looked down and saw written there in neat handwriting:
[The future is long - between Protector Bai and me, who tops whom is still undecided!]
Holy sh*t! Jiang Xingzhi's whole body shivered, suddenly understanding.
A sense of crisis shot straight up from his tailbone. He whipped around to look at Zhong Ming, "Wait, what I meant was..."
A rough thumb pressed against his lips, cutting off his words. Zhong Ming rubbed his lips, his gaze locked tight, "One kiss and your legs go weak - what exactly did you want to do?"