After Sheng Jun Chapter 24 (Part 2)
Translated by Sylver (ko-fi)
Chapter 24 Dreaming of Him (part 2)
The feng shui renovation began work the very next day.
Jiang Xingzhi had already contacted Tianyan Sect for Wu Jie, and the latter had already gone off to his first batch of clients. Only Zhong Ming, Zhu Yan, and Zhu Xu remained on the mountain.
Zhong Ming was particularly enthusiastic today, taking the lead in all water diversion and canal projects.
Jiang Xingzhi watched his tall figure moving as if carrying the wind, his robe edges fluttering as he walked. When Zhong Ming emerged from the forest for the fifth time, he called out to him, "Are you under some kind of spell?"
A strand of hair fell across Zhong Ming's forehead, crossing his brows and eyes. "You're overthinking it."
"Your enthusiasm scares me."
"The sect is my home, building it depends on everyone."
Jiang Xingzhi was shocked—how could the proud Bai Mu say something like this!
After speaking, Zhong Ming pulled him aside to sit down. "Stay here. Standing at the junction is blocking the way and delaying progress."
"........." He was definitely under some kind of spell.
With Zhong Ming's participation, the sect's renovation progressed at an almost miraculous speed.
The mountain's layout had completely changed. On a whim, Jiang Xingzhi flew up to survey it from above and was surprised to discover that the place had subtly formed a "dragon vein."
The left water channel represented the Azure Dragon, the right path represented the White Tiger. The front clearing represented the Vermilion Bird, and the mountain at the back represented the Black Tortoise. The dragon's lair was in the center—perfect timing, perfect terrain, perfect harmony.
A ring of white mist surrounded it, like immortal clouds drifting about.
Jiang Xingzhi looked left and right: this mountain corner looked quite similar to what would be called the "Capital Under the Emperor" of Kunlun a thousand years later.
It was basically a budget version, might as well rename this hill "Little Kunlun"! Haha!
He was amused by his own budget replication and was still giggling when he landed back on the mountain. This drew sideways glances from Wu Jie, who had just returned to the sect, and Zhong Ming, who had walked out from the forest.
Zhong Ming sighed, "Jiang Xingzhi, don't laugh so......"
Jiang Xingzhi kept giggling, "What?"
Zhong Ming, "Sneakily."
Jiang Xingzhi was in a good mood now and didn't mind his choice of words, generously sharing the new name he had given to the mountain. Zhong Ming's eyes flickered, "Why 'Little' Kunlun? Where's the big one?"
The giggling stopped abruptly. Jiang Xingzhi suddenly remembered that there might not be a Kunlun on the maps yet.
He said, "Then forget the 'Little,' just call it Kunlun."
After all, he was just calling it that privately, it wouldn't affect anything.
****
After several days of work, the feng shui renovation was complete.
Wu Jie's business was also booming, bringing considerable income to Guixue Sect.
Everything was falling into place.
Jiang Xingzhi had planted a patch of immortal herbs in the courtyard and was watering them with spiritual spring water drawn from the newly dug canals. A slender white wrist extended from his wide sleeve, turning as it sprinkled rolling droplets that reflected the sunlight with crystalline clarity.
The water droplets mirrored fragmented silhouettes.
Jiang Xingzhi turned his head and saw Zhong Ming leaving the adjacent courtyard. The latter had been frequently going down the mountain lately. Before, he would always tell Jiang Xingzhi where he was going, but now he left without a word, his dignified manner concealing a furtive quality.
He couldn't help but call out, "Bai Mu, where are you going?"
Zhong Ming stopped, "For a walk. Want to come?"
"I'll pass." Although Jiang Xingzhi was curious, he still wanted to maintain distance. After he finished speaking, he watched as the other man nodded nonchalantly and promptly disappeared from sight.
...Could he really be under some spell?
Jiang Xingzhi put down the water ladle and frowned thoughtfully: and it also seemed that Bai Mu's money pouch was getting flatter day by day?
Out of responsibility for his sect member, Jiang Xingzhi thought it over and decided to secretly follow him.
There was only one path from the mountaintop down. He concealed his presence and followed closely, but as the stone steps descended layer by layer, he lost sight of that familiar figure.
A little further ahead was Wu Jie's courtyard. Jiang Xingzhi stopped and peeked cautiously. Just as he was looking, a voice suddenly fell close to his ear, "Following me?"
Whoa! Jiang Xingzhi was startled and turned around, leaning backward.
A hand quickly wrapped around his waist, pulling him forward. Thud! A muffled sound. Due to the height difference of the stone steps, Jiang Xingzhi's nose bumped directly into a solid chest.
"Hiss..." He pushed against Zhong Ming's shoulders and looked up. In the forest shade, the latter looked down at him, seemingly with a smile in his eyes.
Jiang Xingzhi had been secretly following him and was already feeling guilty. Added to that, the other's appearance was completely without warning—he was probably the first person whose presence Jiang Xingzhi couldn't detect. Under this double shock, his heart pounded furiously.
"Why are you here?"
"Where should I be?" Zhong Ming stepped down to be level with Jiang Xingzhi. "Should I be in front, within your line of sight?"
"......" Jiang Xingzhi removed his arm. "According to our departure sequence, that would be logical."
"So why were you secretly following me?"
"I was also coincidentally going down the mountain."
Zhong Ming laughed. Jiang Xingzhi vaguely recalled that more than a month ago, at this same mountain, the former had followed him using the same excuse.
He changed the subject, glancing at Zhong Ming's money pouch, "Protector Bai, have your expenses been a bit high lately?"
Zhong Ming smiled, "Hmm, I'll be more careful in the future."
Jiang Xingzhi was caught off guard; the way he said it... as if Jiang Xingzhi had any right to manage his money. He explained, "I'm just afraid you might fall into some consumer trap, like buying some longevity pills or instant ascension health products."
"I'm not that senile yet."
"Really?"
Afraid of further questioning, Zhong Ming discreetly glanced at Wu Jie's small courtyard and changed the subject, "Speaking of which, how long has it been since you last harvested?"
The word "harvest" was an inside reference. Jiang Xingzhi smacked his forehead, successfully distracted!
He flicked his sleeve and turned to leave, "You're right, I'll head to Xunyang City."
…..
Appearing once again at the merchant's pawnshop, the shopkeeper's eyes lit up instantly!
He greeted him with enthusiasm tinged with urgency, "Sir, you've finally come."
Jiang Xingzhi placed a piece of jade on the counter, "I had some matters to attend to recently."
The shopkeeper called an assistant to calculate the price and fetch spirit stones, his eyes crinkling with a smile, "The customer who's buying the jade has already come twice. I was afraid you wouldn't return."
"How could that be." Jiang Xingzhi casually asked, "Is it the same customer making the purchase?"
"Since it's a complete set, naturally it's the same person buying. Splitting it up would greatly diminish its value, wouldn't it?"
Jiang Xingzhi smiled, "Indeed."
Soon the assistant brought the spirit stones. Jiang Xingzhi weighed the pouch—the price was already twice what he had expected. As usual, he left with a parting "keep up the good work" and headed out of the pawnshop.
As he rounded the screen, he came face to face with a customer entering.
The person was dressed ordinarily with unremarkable features, possessing some cultivation but with a strange, furtive quality.
Their shoulders brushed for just a moment before Jiang Xingzhi withdrew his gaze and stepped out of the pawnshop. The bright midday light shone down from above as he narrowed his eyes: it seemed to be a demonic cultivator.
****
Having made a rare trip into the city, Jiang Xingzhi browsed around and bought some snacks before returning to Guixue Sect.
When he returned, the sun was setting. Zhong Ming was sitting in the courtyard, dressed in a black robe with a silver waistband, standing at an impressive seven feet tall.
The roses beside him had flourished under recent nurturing, blooming like an undying flame. He turned his head upon hearing movement, and the golden remnants of daylight outlined him with a dazzling golden edge, the interweaving of two colors as rich and intense as a painting.
"Gone so long, what did you browse?" Zhong Ming extended his long legs and stood up.
Jiang Xingzhi took out some snacks from his chest and shared a few with him, "Bought some stuff to munch on."
Zhong Ming accepted them, tossing two pieces of sugared hawthorn into his mouth and crunching them, the sweet and sour taste spreading through his taste buds. His tongue swept away the sugar particles from his teeth. "The hot spring is ready now. Want to try it out?"
Jiang Xingzhi's eyes lit up, looking at him with appreciation, "You work so fast!"
"......" Zhong Ming suppressed certain subtle feelings and rubbed his brow. This person's unfiltered mouth and incredibly thick skin—when would they ever be cured?
"The bottom of the pool uses an array to maintain the water temperature. Go try if it's suitable. If not, I'll adjust it for you."
"Mmm, mmm, mmm."
With a swish of his indigo robe, Jiang Xingzhi happily ran back to his room to put away the snacks and prepare for the hot spring.
The hot spring in the forest was about twenty feet long and wide, not very large, but elegantly constructed. Since this was the Sect Master's bath, Wu Jie, Zhu Yan, and others naturally wouldn't share it, so it was spacious enough for Jiang Xingzhi alone.
The surrounding forest had previously been withered and yellow, but now, nourished by the spiritual spring vein that Zhong Ming had somehow diverted, it had regained its vitality. It was now autumn, and large patches of golden leaves were falling, their tips tinged with fiery red, creating a beautiful scene.
Steam rose from the clear pool of spring water. The poolside was paved with smooth pebbles, and when Jiang Xingzhi stepped on them barefoot, they were pleasantly warm.
"This feels so good......" he sighed with contentment, snow-white undergarments and light blue outer robe draped over his shoulders.
Zhong Ming stood behind him. In this golden forest, Jiang Xingzhi's graceful figure seemed like a banished immortal.
The sight that met his eyes was incredibly enchanting.
With a splash, the blue and white figure entered the water, and his dark hair spread across the surface. Jiang Xingzhi, completely enveloped in hot water, leaned comfortably against the bank and closed his eyes.
Zhong Ming walked over and knelt on one knee by the pool, looking at the face turned up toward him. "Is the water temperature suitable?"
Jiang Xingzhi's eyelashes were wet, dripping as they remained closed. His throat rolled out a vague "mmm."
Seeing him soft and relaxed from the soak, Zhong Ming couldn't help but laugh. He didn't leave but remained half-crouched nearby, lowering his gaze to look at him—from his refined brows and eyes to his cheeks pressed against wet hair, from his upturned neck to the hollow of his throat submerged in water...
Everything about him was likable.
Centuries of affection that, continuing until now, had only increased rather than diminished.
Jiang Xingzhi didn't sense the gaze from above. After responding, he closed his eyes and relaxed. In the overly comfortable environment, he leaned his head back and drowsily fell asleep.
Perhaps because his thoughts during the day influenced his dreams at night.
In his foggy consciousness, the scene from that day in the Haosheng Sect garden appeared again.
The familiar setting surrounded him, with him, Wu Jie, and Chu Yun sitting at a stone table. Wu Jie said, "This humble Daoist thinks Elder Jiang needs his romantic destiny calculated more."
He waved his hand, "No need for that. Even if this lord has a romantic destiny, it's far away."
Then he heard Wu Jie say, "Not far, right before your eyes."
As soon as the words fell, a figure in dark clothes emerged from behind the fake mountain and walked toward them. He looked up—as the newcomer approached, the blurry face gradually became clear, and it was actually Xu Jian.
Jiang Xingzhi froze in shock.
Perhaps noticing his stunned state, Xu Jian lowered his eyes and smiled, reached out a hand to cover his cheek, his fingertips gently brushing across, "What are you thinking about, Xingzhi?"
......Xingzhi.
Jiang Xingzhi's heart suddenly leaped, and he abruptly stood up!
****
"Splash!" The water's surface rippled.
Zhong Ming crouched by the pool, watching as Jiang Xingzhi moved as if startled, then his entire body slid down into the water along the edge. The water immediately covered his chin, yet the man still didn't wake up.
Zhong Ming, "........." Truly impressive.
He leaped into the water, quickly supporting the thick-skinned person before him. His palm covered the other's cheek, his knuckles braced against the back of his neck, exerting force to lift the face above the water surface.
The feel under his hand was as smooth as jade, strands of dark hair entwining around his wrist.
Zhong Ming looked down, and their positions—one above, one below—were perfect for a kiss. If he just leaned down, he could capture those moist lips in a gentle kiss...
His fingertips trembled as he woke the person, "Jiang Xingzhi."
......Xingzhi. In his confusion, Jiang Xingzhi heard a low call, and a calloused hand from sword practice covered his cheek, the sensation identical to his dream. Without opening his eyes, he affectionately turned his head.
Splash. His fine eyelashes brushed against the palm, and half his face buried itself in Zhong Ming's embrace.