After Sheng Jun Chapter 23 (Part 1)
Translated by Sylver (ko-fi)
Chapter 23 Half-Revealed Heavenly Secret (part 1)
Even when the figure in his peripheral vision approached, Jiang Xingzhi's heart was still in turmoil—could he really be falling for someone else?
Impossible, definitely incorrect!
He wasn't the type to be fickle!!
"What are you discussing?" Zhong Ming sat down beside him.
Jiang Xingzhi was panicking internally; with the other's keen hearing, he definitely would have heard at this close distance.
Just as he was thinking about how to explain, he saw Wu Jie's lips move slightly, with a voice light as a feather, "Personal fate, cannot be spoken of."
Jiang Xingzhi was momentarily stunned, then realized: what Wu Jie said during the divination could only be heard by the two of them. No wonder Chu Yun sat nearby without deliberately avoiding them.
He secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Zhong Ming frowned at him, "Did he divine for you?"
Jiang Xingzhi looked away, "Just a small divination."
"About what? Your expression looks like you've been struck by lightning."
"......" Nonsense, speaking as if he'd seen him struck by lightning before. Jiang Xingzhi composed himself, "Financial fortune."
Zhong Ming raised an eyebrow, "And how was it?"
"Flourishing with vitality."
Nearby, Chu Yun displayed a look of impressed confusion, seemingly not understanding how this term connected to "financial fortune."
In Zhong Ming's mind flashed an image of a vast field of green leeks.
The topic was quickly shifted elsewhere, and with Chu Yun mediating the conversation, the chat flowed smoothly.
Only Jiang Xingzhi, harboring this shocking divination in his heart, was somewhat distracted, gradually responding with perfunctory "good, good" replies.
After Chu Yun said something about "the righteous and demonic paths may again cause conflict," Jiang Xingzhi's emotionless "good" finally made everyone pause.
Several gazes fell on him, hesitating to speak.
Zhong Ming reached out a hand and gently tugged at his hanging sidelock, "Come back to your senses, Deng Deng."
"........." Jiang Xingzhi was speechless.
The banquet was set to begin at noon, and as the time approached, Chu Yun stood up.
Jiang Xingzhi pondered the timing, "Is Sect Master Chu also seeking auspiciousness?"
Chu Yun's movement faltered for a moment, recalling the superstitious Kouyue Sect. A perfectly good time suddenly becoming inauspicious... he quickly clarified, "No, it's just that the noon light is good, saves on lamp oil."
Jiang Xingzhi: "?"
How he wished he could let Jiang Langhao hear this—this was the style of a wealthy sect.
Wu Jie stood nearby, his eyes expressing approval of Chu Yun.
The topic of no further discussion value ended there. Jiang Xingzhi glanced at Zhong Ming, "Let's go pick up Jiang Langhao first."
"Alright."
Temporarily parting from Chu Yun and Wu Jie, the two figures turned toward the Library Pavilion.
****
Returning to being alone together, Jiang Xingzhi began to feel uncomfortable again. Wu Jie's words lingered in his ears, making it difficult for him to face Bai Mu properly.
Although he had firmly rejected Wu Jie's prediction at first, a trace of doubt always remains in one's heart. Like a strand of hair caught beneath clothing—though tiny, it occasionally brushes against the skin, asserting its presence.
"Seems your financial fortune is fraught with danger," Zhong Ming's voice interrupted his thoughts.
Jiang Xingzhi turned his head, "Why do you say that?"
"Since the divination, you've been acting like you're constantly wary of stepping into some river."
"......"
When would this person stop reading minds?
Jiang Xingzhi turned his head back, "Not at all, you're overthinking." He casually changed the subject, "Did you run into Liu Chuan when you were at the Library Pavilion earlier?"
"No, I didn't." Zhong Ming's gaze darkened slightly, "Are you very concerned about him?"
"Not really, just that natural-born sword cultivators are rare." Jiang Xingzhi suddenly remembered, "By the way, are you also a natural-born sword cultivator?"
Zhong Ming's lips parted slightly, "......No." The natural-born sword cultivator was Xu Jian, what did that have to do with him, Bai Mu?
"Oh, so you achieved it through hard work."
"Absolutely."
….
As they chatted, the eaves of the Library Pavilion came into view.
As Jiang Xingzhi and Zhong Ming approached, they saw people arguing at the entrance of the Library Pavilion, including two very familiar figures.
Liu Chuan was standing in front of Jiang Langhao, facing a thin middle-aged man. The man wore a long gown and had a small goatee, his sunken eye sockets giving him a somewhat sinister appearance.
"Since it's an ownerless artifact spirit, what does it have to do with you? Step aside quickly."
Liu Chuan placed a hand on his sword hilt, "It's unwilling."
Jiang Langhao trembled appropriately, like a maiden being forcibly abducted.
Jiang Xingzhi's eyelid twitched at the sight: what a disgrace.
Hearing this, the long-gowned man sneered, "Treasures have always belonged to those with the ability to claim them. Do you ask permission when picking spirit herbs?"
"Sophistry!"
A crowd of onlookers gathered around, and Jiang Xingzhi stood among them, about to step forward when Zhong Ming held him back.
A voice transmitted into his sea of consciousness, "No rush, let it witness the treachery of human hearts." To prevent it from being too naive.
Jiang Xingzhi thought for a moment and agreed. Even if the other party made a move, weren't he and Bai Mu there?
In the scene, Liu Chuan and the long-gowned man were still in a standoff.
The latter smiled maliciously, "Meddling requires knowing your own capabilities. Step aside quickly, or don't blame this old man for being impolite!"
Jiang Xingzhi sized up the long-gowned man, "He must also be a talented guest coming for the banquet. What do you think his talent is?"
Zhong Ming replied flatly, "Talent for courting death."
"......"
As the two speculated, the long-gowned man had already made his move. He raised both hands, his fingertips flipping to form a seal. A talisman appeared out of nowhere, shooting straight at Liu Chuan—
Jiang Xingzhi spoke up, "Gu curse."
He raised his hand to block it for the other person, only to realize that Zhong Ming's hand was still on his wrist. The other's movement was so natural, such contact not uncommon; his body had already grown accustomed to it.
In this moment of hesitation, the person beside him sent out a wave of spiritual power.
Bang! An invisible barrier appeared in front of Liu Chuan, bouncing the Gu curse straight back, rapidly piercing into the long-gowned man's brow.
"Argh!"
The long-gowned man screamed and fell to the ground unable to move, shocking everyone present.
Jiang Langhao was the first to react, quickly turning to look into the crowd, and indeed saw Zhong Ming and Jiang Xingzhi. Its fur bristled with excitement, "Ance—"
Jiang Xingzhi stopped its public acknowledgment with a look.
Jiang Langhao cut off mid-word, slowly rising from behind Liu Chuan, glaring at the paralyzed and confused long-gowned man opposite, and said in a soft voice, "Laozi will end you."
"........."
The commotion quickly drew the attention of the sect's patrol disciples, who rushed over and quickly stabilized the situation.
They also took away the long-gowned man who had been incapacitated by his own rebounded curse.
Before being taken away, he cast a deep look at Jiang Langhao floating in the air: to be able to return his soul-fixing curse, it truly was a powerful artifact.
He needed to find a way to get his hands on it.
The scene dispersed, and the onlookers also left in small groups.
Jiang Xingzhi glanced at Zhong Ming—he noticed that the latter seemed to dislike Jiang Langhao and Liu Chuan on a daily basis, but surprisingly had taken the initiative to save them.
His gaze was too intense, and Zhong Ming lowered his head to look back at him, "Your eyes are too easy to read."
"What do you understand from them?"
"Like you're watching a criminal instantly becoming a buddha."
"......"
Jiang Xingzhi withdrew his gaze, righteously indignant, "You've misunderstood."
****
After everyone dispersed, Liu Chuan brought Jiang Langhao over to express gratitude. Jiang Langhao hopped onto Jiang Xingzhi's shoulder, nuzzling affectionately, "Ancestor~"
Zhong Ming reached out, picked it up, and stuffed it into Jiang Xingzhi's sleeve.
"I told you wandering around outside would attract covetous eyes."
Jiang Langhao, knowing it was in the wrong, stayed still.
Jiang Xingzhi rubbed its fur, then turned to Liu Chuan, "It is I who should thank you."
Liu Chuan smiled, "After all, it's the spirit brush that Elder Bai brought. Moreover, even if it truly had no master, it shouldn't be forcibly taken."
Jiang Xingzhi's eyelashes blinked, and then his peripheral vision fell on Zhong Ming beside him. His peripheral vision lingered intently for a while as he stepped forward with the others toward the banquet venue.
Walking on the path, he transmitted, "Didn't you say you hadn't seen Liu Chuan?"
Zhong Ming admitted, "I did see him, but I didn't want you to know."
"Why?"
"Seeing how much attention you pay to him, I was jealous."
"......" Jiang Xingzhi choked for a moment, "What are you saying?" He emphasized again, "I won't pay attention to anyone, I'm very loyal."
Zhong Ming thought silently: there's no need to be so loyal.
It's not like he's in a relationship with that person, a little emotional shift wouldn't hurt.
The Haosheng Sect's banquet was set in a spacious area by the lakeside.
Jiang Xingzhi and Zhong Ming's seats were both in the elders' section. Probably considering that "lamp with lamp holder, a match made in heaven," Chu Yun had arranged their seats very close together.
Jiang Xingzhi marveled at the latter's unnecessary "thoughtfulness" as he lifted his robe hem to sit down.
Just after sitting, a Haosheng Sect disciple hurriedly came over and whispered to the two of them,
"Esteemed Elders, the Sect Master already knows about what happened earlier. Currently, that person is still immobilized. Once he can move, the Sect Master said to throw...escort him out."
Jiang Xingzhi nodded, glimpsing Chu Yun's attitude from the disciple's inadvertent wording. After the disciple left, he said to Zhong Ming, "As expected of one of the Six Upper Sects, they need to maintain the appearance of a major sect."
Zhong Ming was pleased, "Fortunately our sect is small enough."
Jiang Xingzhi: "......"
Zhong Ming: "When we encounter such situations, we can just throw people out directly."
Jiang Xingzhi: "........."
He gave Zhong Ming a long look: whatever makes you happy.
The invited guests from various places were gradually entering. Jiang Xingzhi quickly spotted that particularly eye-catching figure among the seats—Wu Jie sat not far away, turning his head toward them as if sensing something.
Even though the other's eyes were tightly closed, Jiang Xingzhi could somehow sense his gaze.
Wu Jie swept over their closely arranged seats and smiled slightly.
Jiang Xingzhi felt a chill: enough of these meaningful smiles!
His hand was touched, "What is he smiling at you about?"
Their tables were close together, and their hands resting on the table were very near; Zhong Ming's movement touched him. Jiang Xingzhi's fingers retracted, "Professional smile, maintaining client relationships."
Zhong Ming: "?"
He said softly, "Is that so? I saw him glance at me and thought you might have said something behind my back."
Jiang Xingzhi remained composed, "He told me to develop you into the next client."
"......"
Noon had arrived, and Chu Yun entered.
He took his seat in the main chair and nodded to Jiang Xingzhi in acknowledgment. Then after a brief speech, he waved his hand to announce the official start of the banquet.
The atmosphere became lively, with cups clinking and guests enjoying themselves.
Those invited today were all people with exceptional talents and special constitutions from across the Jiuzhou. Many took the initiative to demonstrate, and those who admired each other became friends.
Jiang Xingzhi munched on melon seeds and peanuts, spitting out the shells, looking at the various talented individuals: among them were those naturally close to spirit beasts, and those who could nurture spirit plants... he commented, "Truly spectacular."
Zhong Ming watched him finish a plate of peanuts and passed his own portion over, "None compare to you."
Every time you appear on stage, it's a grand spectacle.
Jiang Xingzhi's peanut-eating motion paused, embarrassed by the praise, "I'm not that impressive."