After Sheng Jun Chapter 27 (Part 1)
Translated by Sylver (ko-fi)
Chapter 27 Great Sky Illusionary Realm (part 1)
Jiang Xingzhi was so angry that tears nearly fell from his eyes.
After all his efforts, what happened to his enormous Guixue Sect? How did it suddenly become Kunlun?
Wu Jie was still diligently sprinkling gold dust, "Hmm? Isn't it Kunlun? This poor Daoist recently heard the Sect Master say this mountain was renamed 'Kunlun'."
He maintained a completely composed expression, while the two characters for "Kunlun" glowed increasingly bright above his head.
"That was a joke!"
Tears welling in his eyes, Jiang Xingzhi lunged forward, trying to grab Wu Jie's shoulders to shake him vigorously! As his sleeves fluttered through the air with a "swoosh," an arm intercepted him midway.
"Easy now." Zhong Ming caught him with one arm. "Don't get excited. We don't want people outside to hear us gods arguing."
Jiang Xingzhi, "......"
He cast a sound barrier spell, then continued "wuwuwu" as he tried to lunge at Wu Jie!
Wu Jie quickly jumped back a step.
Zhong Ming softly comforted him, "It's alright, not a big problem, don't be angry."
Jiang Xingzhi was on the verge of tears, "My Guixue Sect has turned into Kunlun! How is that not a big problem?"
Zhong Ming nearly laughed but held back considering the consequences. He steadily gathered the still-flailing Jiang Xingzhi in his arms, patting his arm, "It's just a name. From today forward, our Gui….Kunlun will become famous, customers will flood in, wealth will pour in, we'll look down upon all beings......"
The phrase "wealth will pour in" seemed to strike a nerve with Jiang Xingzhi. He finally calmed down a bit and followed Zhong Ming's train of thought:
Changing the name probably wouldn't affect his ability to make money.
And since there wasn't actually a Kunlun right now, they had the only one—at least all this effort hadn't been for someone else's benefit.
Zhong Ming saw him lower his eyes and become still, and stifled a laugh, "Still angry?"
A tired hand waved dismissively toward Wu Jie, who stood as straight as a pine tree two steps away. "Forget it!"
Wu Jie breathed a sigh of relief, putting his palms together, "Thank you, Sect Master."
When Jiang Xingzhi regained his composure, he realized Zhong Ming's arm was wrapped around him from the front, almost holding him in a complete embrace.
He quickly straightened up with determination and pushed the other man away. "That's enough."
Zhong Ming looked at him for a few moments, the corner of his lips bearing a slight smile.
Jiang Xingzhi turned his head to meet the other's expression—that smile conveyed indulgence and ease—as if getting the sect's name wrong wasn't a big deal at all.
His half-blocked heart suddenly loosened.
He patted Zhong Ming's arm, "Hurry up and let go, won't you?"
Zhong Ming released him, stepping back half a pace, and lifted his chin to gesture outside. "Qijue Tower has withdrawn."
Jiang Xingzhi followed his gaze to look outside and saw that the people from Qijue Tower had already departed. The representatives from various other sects who had been invited were still looking in their direction, trying to glimpse the divine miracle.
"Why did Qijue Tower leave?"
"Don't you remember?" Zhong Ming gently reminded him, "When you were particularly agitated earlier, you gathered a rather large ball of spiritual energy in your hand and threw it out with a 'whoosh.'"
That onomatopoeia sounded somewhat playful coming from Zhong Ming's mouth, but the three bystanders—Zhu Yan and the others—shuddered as if recalling something.
Jiang Xingzhi, "And then?"
Zhong Ming, "The Tower Master of Qijue Tower was just charging forward with renewed vigor."
Jiang Xingzhi understood: so the latter was sent flying with a "whoosh."
He glanced at Wu Jie standing opposite him, thinking to himself that he was still kind-hearted—even wanting to hit someone, he instinctively knew to throw his spiritual energy outward.
As if knowing what he was thinking, another layer of Wu Jie's gold dust sprinkled down, meaningfully saying, "God loves all beings."
Jiang Xingzhi, being magnanimous, didn't dwell on it further.
****
Having achieved the goal of gaining fame, Jiang Xingzhi led everyone back to the mountaintop.
The crowd of onlookers from various sects outside watched for a long time without figuring anything out, and left in twos and threes—carrying the news of "divine descent upon Kunlun."
Wu Jie was about to slip away via a small path when his drifting figure was immediately locked onto by Jiang Xingzhi. He turned around to meet the latter's gaze, and suddenly had a moment of inspiration, "This poor Daoist will go prepare a monthly membership card for the Sect Master, with fortune-telling discounts from now on."
His gaze suddenly softened, and Jiang Xingzhi gently urged, "Go quickly then."
Wu Jie's fortune revived, and Zhu Yan and Zhu Xu also turned to prepare various matters for upcoming recruitment.
Only Jiang Xingzhi and Zhong Ming remained on the mountaintop. Jiang Xingzhi remembered his newly acquired "Tingxue Sword" and said to the latter, "I'm going to check on that sword."
Zhong Ming said, "Let's go together, I'll look too."
His words were ambiguous, unclear whether he meant to look at the Tingxue Sword or the Ancient Evil Sword. Jiang Xingzhi pointed to the path leading into the forest behind the courtyard, "Let's go sit by the hot spring pool to look."
He remembered that place was comfortable and beautiful.
He instinctively felt that the Tingxue Sword would also like such a place.
The two walked through the forest to the mirror-like pool. A few gold and red leaves had fallen on the water's surface, with steam curling around them.
Jiang Xingzhi removed his shoes and socks, sitting by the pool with his feet in the water, and placed the Tingxue Sword on his knee.
Zhong Ming stood beside him, looking down at a pair of beautifully shaped feet entering the pool water, with robe hems gathered at the knees and legs. The slender Tingxue Sword illuminated Jiang Xingzhi's features, like looking into a mirror.
His heart stirred, and he softly called out, "Tingxue."
The person sitting by the pool suddenly looked up.
After a moment's reaction, Jiang Xingzhi looked back at the sword in his hand, "I thought..." I thought you were calling me.
Zhong Ming raised his eyes, "Thought what?"
His tone was calm and unruffled, as if that low call filled with emotion was truly just naming the sword.
"Nothing. What do you think of the name 'Tingxue'?"
Zhong Ming met the expectation in Jiang Xingzhi's eyes and suppressed a smile. "It sounds nice."
Jiang Xingzhi immediately became delighted, "I also think it's quite pleasant to hear."
The Tingxue Sword in his hand hummed continuously.
Who knows if it was pleased by the compliment like him, or satisfied with the peaceful surroundings.
Sensing the Tingxue Sword's excitement, Jiang Xingzhi rose from the water and performed a sword dance.
Amid the light sword sounds, the air swept by the pure cold sword energy frosted over, and the pool water rippled in several circles.
The light blue figure danced across the water's surface, like a blooming snow lotus.
After three sword movements, the black-robed man standing by the pool suddenly moved—Zhong Ming darted toward Jiang Xingzhi's side like a swift swallow, meeting the other's sword technique with his bare hands.
Palm closing on wrist, hand blade angling toward ribs.
In their exchanges, neither cared about distance being too close or too far—Zhong Ming pressed forward, approaching behind Jiang Xingzhi, one hand gripping the other's sword-wielding wrist, his head tilted so that his lips almost touched that translucent ear tip.
"Let me test the sword with you."
The magnetic, deep voice vibrated against his eardrum.
After a moment of surprise, Jiang Xingzhi quickly adapted, breaking away from the restraint behind him with a backhand move. The two figures began to intertwine on the water's surface.
.......
One cup of tea's time later.
Zhong Ming grasped Jiang Xingzhi's waist with one hand, restricting the latter's movement. As the Tingxue Sword came slashing in at an angle, he met it precisely with his injured right hand.
The sword's momentum halted!
Jiang Xingzhi was startled, "Bai Mu, what are you doing?!"
The next moment, he was gripped by the waist and spun back to the pool's edge. Both figures landed simultaneously—bang! The fallen leaves beneath their feet were blown up in reverse, creating a momentary explosion of gold and red.
After steadying himself, Jiang Xingzhi looked up and met the gaze of the man before him through the fluttering leaves.
The light of Tingxue reflected in the latter's eyes, then was cut into tiny specks of starlight by the shadows of falling leaves.
The surroundings seemed to grow quiet for a few breaths.
An indescribable tension stretched taut between the two—it was rapport, and also an even match of power.
After a moment, the leaves piled up at their feet once more.
The view cleared, and Jiang Xingzhi came back to his senses. He stepped back, lifted the sword hilt and smacked it against Zhong Ming's shoulder with a muffled "thud."
"What were you doing just now?"
Zhong Ming let out a hiss.
If he said he just wanted to tease him—wanted to see him get anxious—would he be beaten to death?
Jiang Xingzhi's gaze was piercing, making Zhong Ming's back tense.
After a while, "You weren't trying to scam me, were you?"
Zhong Ming, "......"
Zhong Ming nodded, "Yes, I wanted to extort work injury compensation from you."
At the mention of money, Jiang Xingzhi's confidence weakened again: he still owed Bai Mu three thousand spirit stones, the other's savings for a future spouse.
And soon they would enter the secret realm—if he really returned to a thousand years in the future, wouldn't that be absconding with the funds?
He thought for a moment, then reached out to pat Zhong Ming's shoulder, "No need to extort. From now on, my income is your income, my sect is your sect."
The subtext: If I suddenly disappear, this Gui... Kunlun will be yours.
Whether he truly didn't catch the subtext or not, Zhong Ming curled the corner of his mouth and added, "Your monthly card is also my monthly card."
Jiang Xingzhi, "......"
Jiang Xingzhi, "Fine, fine, fine."
****
The day of the secret realm's appearance drew closer.
Calculating that it was about three days away, Jiang Xingzhi sent messages to various sects, telling them to bring precious materials and gather at the front of the valley, where he would lead them into Youpo Lake.
Zhu Yan and Zhu Xu would also accompany them, entrusted to the care of Chu Yun, Sect Master of Haosheng Sect. Wu Jie politely declined Jiang Xingzhi's invitation, volunteering to stay behind and guard Kunlun.
On the evening before departure, Jiang Xingzhi knocked on Wu Jie's door again.
Knock knock, two sounds.
The door opened in response. Wu Jie had already habitually prepared tea and snacks on his table, waiting for Jiang Xingzhi's arrival.
"Since getting the monthly card, the Sect Master has been coming more frequently."
"After all, I need to make full use of it." Jiang Xingzhi sat down.
"What are you asking about today?"
With one hand crunching on a spring tea biscuit, Jiang Xingzhi asked, "Will this secret realm journey go smoothly?"
"That depends on the Sect Master's definition of 'smooth.'"
"Will I get what I wish for?"
"Half and half."
How could it be half and half?
Finding the cause why the opportunity went wrong, going back to a thousand years, seeing Xu Jian again... weren't these all connected?
Jiang Xingzhi sat up a little straighter, "What should I watch out for?"
Wu Jie calculated with his fingers, the gold dust regenerating under his eyelids glittering, his pale eyebrows extending across his clean forehead, exuding a sense of love and care.
"Be careful of your safety."
The candle crackled, mixing with the aroma of baked biscuits.
Jiang Xingzhi exclaimed admiringly, "Master, you're so comforting."
"......"
While the two were still crunching biscuits by candlelight, the door was suddenly knocked on again. Jiang Xingzhi waved a palm of wind to open the door, revealing Zhong Ming standing outside.
"You're early today. I haven't finished yet."
Since their mutual understanding, the two had reached an agreement—what time Jiang Xingzhi would come, what time Zhong Ming would come. They would use a monthly card together when switching shifts, sharing the half-price discount.
Zhong Ming scanned the late-night tea party between the two, stepped forward, "We need to get up early tomorrow. Don't you want to go back to sleep?"
Jiang Xingzhi stood up, "That's true, I need to get four full hours of sleep."
He handed the monthly card to Wu Jie, waited for him to mark the account with spiritual energy, then grabbed two more biscuits on his way out.
Click, the door closed.
Wu Jie sighed, "The Sect Master is the most regular Mahayana cultivator this poor Daoist has ever seen."
Zhong Ming didn't raise his eyelids, "You've only ever seen two Mahayana cultivators."
Wu Jie closed his eyes with a smile and didn't respond, turning instead to begin today's fortune-telling session.