After Sheng Jun Chapter 25 (Part 1)
Translated by Sylver (ko-fi)
Chapter 25 Master of the Hidden Sword Pavilion (part 1)
Jiang Xingzhi buried half his face against Zhong Ming's chest, his lips pressed firmly against Zhong Ming's heart.
For a moment, Zhong Ming's mind went blank. All surrounding sounds disappeared, leaving only the sound of his own heartbeat, growing increasingly rapid, echoing in his ears. Thump, thump...
Until a dreamlike murmur came from the lips pressed against his heart, "Xu..."
His hand suddenly tightened.
"Mmph!" Jiang Xingzhi abruptly found his face gripped by a large palm, his mouth squeezed into an "o" shape. His eyelashes fluttered open, and Zhong Ming's face appeared in his vision, mere inches away.
His pupils contracted, his mouth still squeezed, "Oh?"
Zhong Ming lifted him out of the water with a splash, breathing rapidly, "What did you just say?"
"What?" Jiang Xingzhi was completely confused and tried to recall his dream following the other's question... Xu Jian?
Holy crap! Xu Jian.
In his dream, he had replaced Bai Mu with Xu Jian. How could this happen?
The calloused hand still brushed against his cheek, causing a tingling sensation. Whether due to the steamy heat or not, Jiang Xingzhi's face was burning hot.
How should he explain? "Xu Jian"? Bai Mu didn't even know who Xu Jian was. Besides, calling out Xu Jian's name while falling into Bai Mu's arms was wrong no matter how you looked at it.
He pulled his face from Zhong Ming's hand, "I said..."
"What?"
"Shh, don't disturb my sleep."
"..."
They were very close, and Jiang Xingzhi realized his hair was still tangled around the other's wrist, strand by strand, impossible to cut through or untangle.
He quickly reached out to retrieve it, his heart pounding.
Zhong Ming took in his expression—flushed face, red ears, even the corner of his eyes tinged with spring-like crimson. Who knew who he was dreaming about, or what he was dreaming.
Though standing in water, Zhong Ming's throat felt extremely dry.
He asked, "What were you dreaming about?"
What dream? Jiang Xingzhi couldn't possibly answer that.
In his dream, Xu Jian had touched his face, called his name, and looked at him in such a way... Damn! Just thinking about it made his entire body flush with heat. He felt utterly shameless.
"I dreamed about making a fortune," Jiang Xingzhi looked down at the water's surface, where rippling light reflected in his eyes.
"Making a fortune?"
"Mm." Thinking of that beautiful dream, he couldn't help but let out a sincere sigh, "I made an absolute jackpot..."
A light snort came from above, unclear whether belief or disbelief.
By now the sun had set, with only thin rays of light slanting through the golden leaves into the forest.
The surroundings had cooled down, creating two distinct temperatures above and below the water's surface.
Their clothes clung to their bodies, soaking wet. Zhong Ming asked, "Still want to soak?"
Jiang Xingzhi temporarily lost interest in soaking in the hot spring, only wanting to return to his room and recite some heart clear mantras.
He shook his head, "Let's go back."
Zhong Ming made an affirmative sound and turned around, stepping out of the water ahead of him with a splash. Water droplets fell at his feet, wetting the golden fallen leaves and soaking the smooth pebbles through the gaps between the leaves.
Jiang Xingzhi looked up to see two straight, long legs wrapped in trouser legs, revealing the muscles underneath.
The water vapor instantly evaporated from his body. Zhong Ming didn't turn around to face him, just slightly turned his head to show half his face, "I'll head back first, take your time."
His voice carried a slight huskiness as he stepped over the withered yellow leaves and quickly disappeared among the trees.
The dark figure vanished among the woods in an instant.
Jiang Xingzhi patted his face and rose from the pool, pat, pat.
The cold air cleared his mind. He slowly exhaled, realizing that perhaps he was the one who had been bewitched.
…..
Back in his room, Jiang Xingzhi didn't light a lamp.
The bedroom was cold and dark, seemingly able to lower the temperature of his skin, yet also capable of stirring the heat within him.
Jiang Xingzhi sat cross-legged on the bed and began to recite the Heart Clear Mantra silently. His light blue outer robe spilled like quicksilver around him, along with his long hair cascading down his back, creating a winding streak of clear, detached color.
After reciting for a while, his mood gradually calmed.
Jiang Xingzhi let out a breath and opened his eyes. As soon as he opened them, he saw a finger-width of moonlight leaking through the window into the room, a bright streak, sharp as a sword's gleam.
Instantly, the sensation of Xu Jian's touch brushing against his cheek in the dream returned to his mind, rough and warm...
The heat that had just subsided instantly rose again.
Damn! Jiang Xingzhi tugged at a lock of his hair, making it stand up.
He blushed and pursed his lips as he jumped off the bed with a thud.
It's over, he missed him so much.
****
Late at night, there was an extra person in Wu Jie's room.
Jiang Xingzhi sat across from him, hands tucked into his sleeves, still wearing the light blue outer robe from his hot spring bath, his brows filled with melancholy, "Master."
Wu Jie sat as still as an ancient bell with his eyes closed, "Sect Master."
With a clunk, two spirit stones were generously placed on the table.
"There's someone I want to see. Please help me divine whether I'll be able to see him again?"
"Of course you will."
He answered too quickly, and the melancholy between Jiang Xingzhi's brows immediately dispersed. He sat up straight and looked at him suspiciously, "...Have you actually divined it?"
Wu Jie hesitated for a moment, "Cough, you really will."
He's right in front of you all day, sweet as honey with you. Does that even need divination?
Jiang Xingzhi chose to believe him and touched his chest, "That's good."
Xu Jian must have received his passionate "confession" by now. What would his reaction be? Surprised? Moved?
Would he transform animosity into passionate desire?
Hehehehehe...
"Sect Master." A languid voice interrupted his immersive fantasy. Jiang Xingzhi looked up to see Wu Jie sitting across from him speaking, "Please refrain from making such eerie, lecherous... low laughter in the dead of night."
Jiang Xingzhi was surprised: Oh, he had laughed out loud.
"Sorry."
"No problem, the customer is always right."
"..."
With the biggest stone in his heart removed, Jiang Xingzhi pondered for a moment before hesitantly speaking again, "Master, can you also check if I've been placed under some kind of spell?"
Otherwise, why would he keep mixing up Bai Mu and Xu Jian in and out of dreams?
Wu Jie said, "There's no such thing."
"Then why am I like this?" Jiang Xingzhi's brows knotted, and after a while, his eyes suddenly widened, "Am I engaging in some kind of stunt double literature?"
Wu Jie, "..."
Wu Jie couldn't hold back, "Haha!!"
The explosive laughter broke through the air, even making the candle flame on the table waver twice.
The shadow flickered in Jiang Xingzhi's eyes as he stared at Wu Jie, suddenly understanding Bai Mu's desire to hit someone.
Wu Jie reined in his rampant laughter, exercising restraint, "No."
They're already the same person; appearances can deceive, but souls recognize each other.
Jiang Xingzhi, "Then why do I often have these illusions? How can I stop this psychological suggestion?"
The topic had shifted from fortune-telling to psychological counseling. Wu Jie, skilled in many areas, professionally guided him after receiving the spirit stones, "Think about it more carefully, make more comparisons, explore deeper..."
Jiang Xingzhi wasn't guided at all, "Compare what?"
"This humble Daoist cannot say more."
"Alright, I'll go back and think about it some more." Jiang Xingzhi rubbed his temple as he stood up, and before leaving, he turned back to Wu Jie, "I'll come find you again next time."
Wu Jie, "..."
What a familiar farewell scene.
He pocketed the spirit stones, "Take care, no need to see you out."
…..
The door creaked open.
Jiang Xingzhi left the room, and after a few steps, he encountered Zhong Ming approaching through the night.
The two stood at the courtyard gate, eyes meeting, "..."
So they were both victims of the same consumer trap.
An indescribable mutual understanding spread between them. Jiang Xingzhi was the first to look away, "Just taking a walk."
Zhong Ming followed his lead, "Yes, me too."
After that, they both fell silent again.
Jiang Xingzhi was still in a state of self-doubt about mixing up people and didn't stay to chat further. He quickly glanced at Zhong Ming, and when their eyes met, he pulled his slightly open outer robe tighter and hurried away with his head down.
"I'll head back first."
"Alright."
His hair and outer robe brushed lightly past his side, stirring up a breeze with the scent of forest springs.
The light blue figure quickly merged into the night, leaving only the memory of that brief glance in the darkness imprinted in Zhong Ming's mind.
Those slightly upturned outer corners of his eyes were like hooks scratching at his heart.
Those eyes were clear and bright, like the moon emerging from behind clouds.
Zhong Ming's heart stirred once more, and then he walked towards the hut where the candle was still burning, money pouch in hand.
****
The next day, Jiang Xingzhi's eyelids felt heavy when he woke up.
He had tossed and turned all night without understanding what Wu Jie meant.
Compare what? Compare Xu Jian and Bai Mu, or compare others with either of them?
For this, he had specifically summoned Jiang Langhao to inquire about the precise definition of "comparison."
But Jiang Langhao seemed to still be angry about "not being enlightened," bristling with fur and saying, "Hmph~ Since it's a 'comparison,' what do you think?~" before turning over and diving back into his storage pouch.
So for the second half of the night, his head hurt even more.
......
Jiang Xingzhi pushed open the door; the morning sun had already risen. From the neighboring courtyard came the sounds of vigorous winds.
He turned his head to see that familiar figure flipping and waving his sleeves in the courtyard, robes fluttering in the wind, arms slicing through the air, causing water from the canal in front of the yard to splash out in droplets, falling neatly onto the lush roses in the courtyard.
Honestly, it was quite a sight to behold.
As he was watching, the practicing man stopped. Seeing that Jiang Xingzhi was up, Zhong Ming walked over in a few steps, "Didn't sleep well?"
Jiang Xingzhi hadn't expected the other to notice such subtle changes in his expression at a glance, "A bit."
"Something on your mind?"
"..."
Jiang Xingzhi just looked at the instigator in front of him.
Although he still hadn't figured out why he kept mixing up Bai Mu and Xu Jian, at least he was clear about one thing: he would see Xu Jian again, and he wasn't engaging in any "stunt double literature."
—Then there was no problem.
As for the first question, he would figure it out eventually if he kept thinking about it.
He adjusted his mindset and casually made up an excuse, "Nothing much, just had a fight with someone in my dream."
"Who's so capable that they can fight with you?"
"My enemy."
His enemy Zhong Ming, "..."
Seeing the other's silence after he spoke, and fearing disbelief, Jiang Xingzhi leaned closer, "Want to hear the details?"
"No need." Zhong Ming raised his hand to push away that irritating face, and before it could affect his good mood for the day, promptly changed the subject, "Accompany me somewhere today."
Jiang Xingzhi's attention was immediately diverted, "Where to?"
"I asked Zhu Yan this morning, there's a largest Hidden Sword Pavilion in Jiuzhou. I want to go pick a sword." Zhong Ming said, his voice softening a bit, "Come with me, will you?"
The final words trailed off, as if coaxing someone. Jiang Xingzhi suppressed this strangely familiar feeling and gave him a few appraising looks, "Don't you have a life-bound sword?"
He remembered that when he was out before, Bai Mu had used his life-bound sword to carve stone steps into this mountain, and Zhu Yan had even seen that sword.
Zhong Ming said, "Yes, I do, but perhaps I won't have the chance to use it again."
Though it couldn't be said there was absolutely no chance.