After Sheng Jun Chapter 12 (Part 1)
Translated by Sylver (ko-fi)
Chapter 12 A Grand Show (part 1)
One breath passed, then two...
Except for Chi Yufeng's echoing voice, the hall was completely silent.
Under everyone's gaze, the glass lamp that had been held high above his head remained perfectly still.
Has the spirit cleansing failed?
The Grand Elder carefully suggested, "Pavilion Master, perhaps the wishing posture was incorrect?"
Posture? What posture? While Chi Yufeng was puzzled, Jiang Xingzhi's ethereal form suddenly appeared above the circular pool.
With a jade-like complexion and bright eyes, he looked down with a divine pressure. Before Chi Yufeng could speak, a distant voice commanded from above. "Kneel."
Thud! His knees buckled instinctively as he knelt on the ground.
The hall fell silent as all the elders watched their Pavilion Master obediently assume a kneeling position, "......"
After kneeling, Chi Yufeng quickly realized something was wrong: the Divine Lamp had been cleansed, so why was he still the one being controlled?
From the side, Zhong Ming's gaze toward Chi Yufeng clearly said "stupid."
Seeing the latter still issuing commands recklessly while Jiang Xingzhi appeared thoroughly entertained, he suppressed his urge to intervene and simply stayed on the lamp stand—better not to interrupt Jiang Xingzhi's fun.
The massive ethereal figure towered before everyone, emanating an overwhelming pressure.
Under the stares of all the elders, Chi Yufeng felt like he was kneeling on pins and needles. Just as he was about to stand up with dignity, he heard the distant voice again, "The posture is incorrect, unable to awaken divine power."
"......" Chi Yufeng gritted his teeth, steeling himself to kneel before Jiang Xingzhi, raising the Divine Lamp high as he shouted again, "Divine Lamp, quickly display your power!"
Jiang Xingzhi nodded, "Very well."
As his words fell, he swept out his hand forcefully, and thick spiritual power surged forth, suddenly causing fierce winds to whirl through the sealed great hall!
Gusts of wind from an unknown source whipped up everyone's robes, and the candles on the lamp stands on both sides were instantly extinguished.
Chi Yufeng could no longer contain his wild joy. He stood up holding the glass lamp and burst into laughter. All the elders offered their congratulations, "Congratulations to the Pavilion Master for subduing the Divine Lamp!"
"Hahahahaha!" Amidst the laughter echoing through the hall, the winds grew increasingly sharp, even carving several cracks into the hall pillars. Several lamp stands and ornaments were blown over with clanging sounds, creating a mess on the ground in the dim light.
The Second Elder quickly spoke up, "Pavilion Master, perhaps that's enough?"
Chi Yufeng nodded and raised the glass lamp, saying, "Withdraw."
After he spoke, the fierce winds did not stop. Jiang Xingzhi's ethereal form waved his hand, and the powerful force instantly lifted the Second Elder off his feet, making him do a complete flip in the air. Plop!
Chi Yufeng's smile instantly vanished, "What's going on?"
He pointed the glass lamp at Jiang Xingzhi's ethereal form and commanded again, "Withdraw!"
Jiang Xingzhi completely ignored him and waved his hand again, sending the Third Elder flying toward Chi Yufeng. Bang! The two collided, and Chi Yufeng stumbled as the Third Elder was knocked unconscious by his defensive spiritual power.
The Second Elder cried out in terror, "The... the Divine Lamp is out of control......"
Chi Yufeng finally felt fear in his heart, "How can this be?"
He quickly knelt down again, holding up the glass lamp directly toward Jiang Xingzhi and shaking it, "Withdraw, withdraw, withdraw, withdraw!"
........
The sounds of collisions mixed with terrified voices as chaos reigned in the hall. Amidst the rising and falling commotion, Jiang Xingzhi floated above the circular pool, waving his hands as gusts of wind blew merrily: Whoosh~
Blow and blow, my proud indulgence.
As the situation spiraled out of control, someone shouted a reminder, "Pavilion Master, use the Phoenix Blood!"
Chi Yufeng suddenly came to his senses, dropped the glass lamp, turned to grab the jade bottle, and rushed before Jiang Xingzhi, "I command you to stop!"
The round bottle mouth pointed directly at him—that drop of wax containing his divine consciousness felt particularly familiar.
Jiang Xingzhi then stopped, and the wind ceased.
Seeing the Phoenix Blood take effect, Chi Yufeng breathed a sigh of relief.
Several elders also recovered their composure, straightening up and adjusting their robes. One of them raised his hand to light the lamps, illuminating the mess throughout the hall.
Chi Yufeng held the jade bottle and gave a cold laugh, "Hmph, what does it matter if you're out of control? Before my Phoenix Blood, you can only submit."
"Pavilion Master is mighty!"
"In my opinion, it just needs some discipl—"
Before he could finish speaking, suddenly the jade bottle flew from his hand and met his smooth, round forehead with a dull thud: Thwack!
"........."
"Pavilion Master! Are you alright!"
Chi Yufeng was caught off guard and saw stars from the blow. Not knowing what had gone wrong with the Phoenix Blood again, his anger surged in the moment, and blood rushed to his head. His throat tasted sweet as his vision went black, and he fainted with a "thud."
The hall immediately fell into panic.
The most timid Second Elder was already beside himself with fear, muttering, "It's... it's possessed... the formation must have gone wrong, ancient artifacts indeed aren't something we can control......"
The Grand Elder was also frightened, "Quick, let's go! First carry the Pavilion Master and Third Elder out!"
The out-of-control Divine Lamp was left in the hall. The Grand Elder carried Chi Yufeng while the others lifted the Third Elder and followed, hastily fleeing the chaotic hall.
****
After everyone left, Jiang Xingzhi, having finished his performance, returned to human form and walked down from the pool platform. He shook his head, "This is why I say, why bother? If you don't court death, you won't die."
Zhong Ming landed beside him, "You went too easy on him."
"He still has his uses."
The familiar phrase appeared again—the last time he heard it was by the river in Xunyang City. Thinking about it now, they had already harvested one crop of leeks.
Zhong Ming tried not to imagine Qingfeng Pavilion's future.
Jiang Xingzhi picked up the glass lamp from amid the mess and examined it carefully, "As expected of something cleansed with hundred-year Blood Lingzhi, it's like it's been glazed."
Zhong Ming, "Indeed, it looks healthier than you."
Jiang Xingzhi, "......"
Jiang Xingzhi asked sincerely, "Brother Bai, has anyone ever told you that you're very irritating when you speak?"
Zhong Ming wasn't angry, but rather smiled. He looked down at Jiang Xingzhi, "Yes, I used to often annoy someone."
He rarely showed such a smile, his gaze tender. Such an expression, appearing on someone as cold and proud as him, even if just for a moment, was enough to make one's heart skip a beat.
Jiang Xingzhi caught his breath at the sight, then exhaled: It seems Brother Bai is reminiscing about his beloved again......
****
Qingfeng Pavilion had abundant resources, and since it was the Pavilion Master who had fainted, with both physicians and spiritual medicines employed, he quickly regained consciousness.
As soon as Chi Yufeng awoke, he tried to return to the great hall, and no one could dissuade him.
—He simply couldn't accept it. After going to such great lengths to seize the Divine Lamp's power, how could it all be for nothing!
A group accompanied Chi Yufeng to the great hall. As soon as they entered, they saw Jiang Xingzhi had materialized into physical form.
The latter's expression was peaceful, his eyes clear, holding the glass lamp while standing amid the ruins, truly untouched by dust, majestic as a dragon and phoenix.
The black-robed man standing behind him raised his eyes, emanating pressure from nowhere.
Chi Yufeng's throat began to taste sweet again.
Jiang Xingzhi looked at the people walking in from outside, showing timely confusion, "What happened here?"
Chi Yufeng now instinctively felt fear when seeing him, his heart constricting painfully, "Does Divine Lamp Daren not remember what just happened?"
Jiang Xingzhi weakly pressed his temples, stumbling slightly only to be caught by Zhong Ming beside him, "I can't remember clearly…..Lamp holder, my head hurts terribly."
(TL: JX originally called 阿座 (Ah Zuo), which should be taken from 燈座 (lamp holder), thus I simply translated it to Lamp holder :) )
Zhong Ming wanted to say something but held back.
Chi Yufeng watched his ‘willow swaying in the wind’ act while the bump on his forehead throbbed. Grinding his back teeth, he asked, "Then what does Daren remember?"
(TL:willow swaying in the wind= often describing someone who appears frail, delicate, and weak, as if they could be blown over by the wind)
Jiang Xingzhi continued his performance, "I vaguely remember having a nightmare just now."
Perhaps due to absorbing the Phoenix Blood, as he said this he was glowing with health, holding the mirror-bright glass lamp in his arms, looking positively radiant. Compared to the disheveled, haggard-looking Qingfeng Pavilion crowd opposite him, it was hard to tell who had actually had the nightmare.
Chi Yufeng's lips went white, either from anger or shock, his back trembling slightly.
"When this lord was dreaming, he nearly leveled this stone hall to the ground, and even the Phoenix Blood was affected, and launched indiscriminate attacks without any reason."
Jiang Xingzhi seemed lost in memories, then suddenly showed a pained expression and, appearing to lose control, violently waved his hand. Whoosh!
A sudden gust of wind caught Chi Yufeng off guard, sending him flying backward. Bang! He crashed to the ground, nearly rolling out of the hall's entrance.