After Sheng Jun Chapter 28 (Part 1)
Translated by Sylver (ko-fi)
Chapter 28 Same Dream in Different Place (part 1)
Blood rushed to his brain in an instant!
Zhong Ming's heart pounded violently, his breathing completely disordered. He suddenly grabbed Jiang Xingzhi's face roughly, his gaze locked—the person before him was bold yet initiative, with a hint of youthful innocence.
His thumb irresistibly rubbed against the other's rosy lips. "What did you dream about me doing to you?"
The soft lips deformed under the pressure of his thumb, tongue and teeth partly visible.
Darkness settled in Zhong Ming's eyes. "Tell me, and I'll give you everything."
Jiang Xingzhi's eyelashes trembled and closed briefly, as if finding it difficult to speak. A strong arm suddenly clamped around his lower back and pulled him forcefully, pressing their bodies tightly together.
Zhong Ming's breathing deepened as he leaned down toward that seemingly consenting face. His thumb moved away from the lips, waiting for something else to replace it.
Their breaths intertwined, separated by mere millimeters.
From below came a faint whisper, "We can't..."
The movement stopped. Zhong Ming opened his half-closed eyes to look at Jiang Xingzhi, his voice terribly hoarse, "Why not?"
Jiang Xingzhi said, "Won't be able to leave."
"..."
Reason slowly returned, and Zhong Ming finally remembered: this was an illusion.
The Great Sky Illusionary Realm—if one became lost in it, even an immortal would be trapped here forever.
The beautiful dream finally became clear.
He frowned with a headache: lust had clouded his judgment, and he had nearly fallen into this illusory trap.
But at such a critical moment, the illusory Jiang Xingzhi could still so unromantically remind him that they "won't be able to leave"—that was quite realistic.
The feeling of holding him in his arms was too alluring. Zhong Ming even thought for a moment that he might as well die trapped in this illusion. But his remaining rationality called him back to his senses—
He couldn't be trapped here, because the real Jiang Xingzhi was waiting for him outside the illusion.
Zhong Ming looked at those lips just inches away. If he truly kissed them, he feared he wouldn't be able to stop.
He bit his lip, firmly closed his eyes, and said, "Jiang Xingzhi, you really know how to torment a person."
After speaking, he released his restraining hands and stepped back. One palm gathered the Great Void sword energy, and with steeled resolve, he slashed diagonally—crack!
The illusion shattered like a broken mirror.
In the final moment before exiting, Zhong Ming couldn't resist opening his eyes and giving one burning look at the illusory Jiang Xingzhi.
….
Meanwhile.
After a white mist dispersed, Jiang Xingzhi was surprised to find himself standing on a familiar mountaintop.
This was the main peak of Xu Jian, Fu Qing Mountain.
Although the outside world claimed that the main peak of the Xu Jian Sheng Jun had numerous prohibitions and was impenetrable, Jiang Xingzhi reckoned that with his strength, he had always entered openly and freely.
Therefore, when this scene appeared before him, he could instantly recognize it as the small front courtyard of Fu Qing Mountain.
Jiang Xingzhi was somewhat delighted: had he returned to a thousand years later?
And this illusion was so thoughtful, directly transporting him to Xu Jian's main peak, saving him the trouble of searching!
"Xu Jian!" With a flick of his sleeves, Jiang Xingzhi excitedly ran toward the forest where Zhong Ming usually practiced swordsmanship.
Having finally returned, this time, this time he would be bolder!
The indigo figure hurriedly passed through tall, straight trees, with slanted sunlight casting shadows through the forest.
In the thin mist, a sword-like silhouette appeared faintly.
Jiang Xingzhi slowed his pace, his heart suddenly racing, feeling a sense of homesickness. The person ahead turned around at the sound, revealing that face he had been longing for day and night.
Jiang Xingzhi steadied his nerves: this was an illusion, it didn't matter, he could be even more unrestrained.
Just like in a dream! He could do this and that to the person~
Thinking this, he rushed forward quickly, but as he approached, he noticed that Xu Jian's expression wasn't as cold as usual.
While he was observing, the other's Adam's apple moved, and he called out softly, "...Jiang Xingzhi."
Jiang Xingzhi's heart fluttered at this call. Suddenly, a hand rose to cover his face, just like in that dream, gently caressing it twice. "Who did you dream about?"
Boom! Heat surged up instantly.
Illusions grew from the sea of consciousness, and his dream was exposed transparently before "Xu Jian."
Jiang Xingzhi steeled himself, then buried his face in the other's chest like an ostrich, tightly hugging Xu Jian's firm waist.
The other embraced him in return, his slightly hard chin rubbing against the side of his head. His deep, pleasant voice sounded by his ear, "Who did you dream about, to make such an expression?"
Jiang Xingzhi felt his shame explode, and deciding to go all the way, he tilted his head up and kissed Xu Jian's chin.
The person holding him indeed froze.
Jiang Xingzhi half-closed his eyes, moved down from the chin, and found the protruding Adam's apple, giving it a bite.
The Adam's apple rolled twice between his teeth, and he was gratified to feel Xu Jian's rapid, heavy heartbeat.
This was a Xu Jian he had never seen before—stripped of calm self-restraint, with all emotions controlled by him.
A great sense of satisfaction filled his heart. He murmured vaguely, "I dreamed about you, Xu Jian." As he was contentedly holding the other's Adam's apple, a hand suddenly grabbed his face with some force.
"What did you dream about me doing to you?"
A rough fingertip pressed against his lips. Xu Jian lowered his eyes, with dark emotions surging, "Tell me, and I'll give you everything."
With his mouth pressed, Jiang Xingzhi couldn't make a sound.
His spine tingled at these words, and he tightened his grip around the other's waist and back.
Give him, give him what?
Not daring to think too deeply, he simply closed his eyes and let the other act.
His waist was suddenly tightened and pulled into the other's embrace. Hot breath brushed across his face, leaning down as if unable to resist any longer.
Jiang Xingzhi's hands trembled, his lips too, and just before sensing that things were about to spiral out of control, his heart skipped a beat. "No..."
The movement paused. "Why not?"
He forced himself to calm down and reminded himself, "Won't be able to leave."
Perhaps his mind cleared a bit, and the illusion before him also stopped moving. Jiang Xingzhi opened his eyes and looked up, meeting the man's fierce yet restrained expression.
"Jiang Xingzhi, you really know how to torment a person."
The words were spoken through gritted teeth, but with a completely different meaning from their usual confrontational exchanges.
Jiang Xingzhi's lower back trembled again.
He thought to himself, who is tormenting whom? You're just an illusion, while I'm the one truly experiencing all this.
After speaking, the other really released his hand according to his wishes. Jiang Xingzhi seized the last moment to stare at Xu Jian's face—
It was time to leave.
He sighed inwardly, with some regret, and released a spiritual force to break free from the illusion's entanglement. In the fragmenting scene, he took one last look at Xu Jian.
Their gazes met, and the other also looked directly at him.
The intensity in those eyes burned his heart.
****
Returning to the mist-filled forest.
The emotions in Zhong Ming's heart hadn't completely subsided. His palm still retained that slightly cool, jade-like touch, and a soft warmth with breath.
He should have kissed him.
Or at least bitten that earlobe before leaving.
After the slight regret, the heat inside him finally calmed down considerably. Zhong Ming turned and looked around, but found no sign of Jiang Xingzhi.
He hastily stepped forward, "Jiang Xingzhi!"
Not far away, behind a huge rock.
Jiang Xingzhi was squatting, holding his burning cheeks, his face flushed.
Xu Jian, that last look from Xu Jian was too...
A series of heart-calming incantations poured from his mouth. Jiang Xingzhi covered his face and muttered for quite a while until he heard footsteps approaching, accompanied by a call, "Jiang Xingzhi!"
Damn, it's Bai Mu.
He quickly patted his face to calm down, trying his best to appear normal.
Though he had thick skin, he wasn't completely shameless.
After composing himself, Jiang Xingzhi stood up and responded in the direction of the approaching person, "Bai Mu."
His voice still had a slight tremor. He sucked in a breath, nearly choking. The footsteps quickly approached, and Zhong Ming appeared.
Jiang Xingzhi glanced at Zhong Ming but saw lingering heat in those deep eyes.
He hastily looked away: perhaps he hadn't fully awakened from the illusion...
"Why did you come here?" The voice carried a subtle hoarseness.
Jiang Xingzhi's mind was still filled with the stimulating illusion he had just experienced, with no intention to delve into the other's slight oddity. He walked past Zhong Ming toward the forest exit. "I sleepwalked here in the illusion."
"Hmm."
Lost in thought, the other easily accepted his nonsensical excuse, seeming equally distracted.
Which suited him fine.
Jiang Xingzhi found a direction and hastily set off. "Let's go that way."
...
Lord Huan Ji once said: Within the Kongxuan Secret Realm, the sky is square and the earth is round.
The solid ground beneath their feet had no north or south, but the sky above had clear directions.
Jiang Xingzhi remembered that the place where he and Xu Jian sought their opportunities was in the Tongtian Hall in the north, but the entrance to this palace was located in a certain sunken desert.
"First, let's find some quicksand," Jiang Xingzhi spoke again after a long silence.