After Sheng Jun Chapter 34 (Part 2)
Translated by Sylver (ko-fi)
Chapter 34 He Is Not Happy (part 2)
If this conversation had happened a day earlier, Zhong Ming would certainly have felt bitter again. But listening now, he only felt his heart was as sweet as honey, which practically healed the "heartbreak" he had suffered recently.
He had never seen Jiang Xingzhi be so honest before.
The two of them had spent hundreds of years putting on thick armor, awkwardly finding various excuses to get closer to each other. Let alone confessions, this person had never said a moving word in front of him.
These words, in the past, he wouldn't have dared to dream of.
If, if he hadn't rescued Jiang Xingzhi…
These words would probably have disappeared forever in the thunder tribulation, never to reach him.
Zhong Ming's hand suddenly paused while peeling pine nuts as he remembered something else.
"Jiang Xingzhi, you said before you... before you left, you left a large sum of money for the person you like. What was that about?"
Didn't Jiang Xingzhi leave money for that Sword Sect fellow?
It was precisely because of that statement that he had misunderstood for so long.
Mentioning this, Jiang Xingzhi suddenly became shy: this was his initial confession, the only sentiment he could convey to Xu Jian himself.
"I bought insurance. If something happened to me unexpectedly, I asked a friend to give that money to him as an expression of my feelings."
Finally, he let out two shy yet expectant laughs, "Hehe~"
"........."!!!!!
Zhong Ming almost spilled the small mountain of nut kernels!
Jiang Xingzhi...! This person Jiang Xingzhi was really...!
Zhong Ming pressed one hand against his forehead, his chest heaving several times, making a great effort to suppress the emotions that nearly burst forth.
If he still didn't understand what that money was, he would truly be stupid—funeral expenses! How could Jiang Xingzhi think of using funeral expenses to confess his feelings?
"What's wrong, Bai Mu?" Jiang Xingzhi worriedly leaned closer, "Can we still not talk about this topic? I told you earlier we should change the subject, but you insisted on asking."
"Jiang Xingzhi." Zhong Ming's knuckles turned white from clenching, "Is your brain..." Is it filled with floodwaters?
Seeing his emotional reaction, Jiang Xingzhi accommodatingly followed his lead and said, "Yes, yes, my brain is rather slow. Let's not talk about him anymore."
Zhong Ming rested his forehead on his hand for a while to compose himself.
After a moment, he raised his eyes from above his distinctly knuckled hand and gave Jiang Xingzhi a deep look…
He had originally thought he would reveal his identity after hearing a few more sweet words of affection from Jiang Xingzhi.
But now he has changed his mind.
He wanted to discover just how many more little surprises this person had that he didn't know about.
……
The leisurely afternoon was interrupted by a round head emerging from the mountain steps.
Wu Jie climbed the steps in the afternoon mountain breeze, looking toward the two in the courtyard. "Sect Master, Protector Bai."
Jiang Xingzhi turned to see that gold-dusted bald head, and his gaze immediately sharpened! He rose and said softly, "Master..."
Wu Jie seemed unaware of the resentment in his eyes and walked into the courtyard with flowing sleeves. Jiang Xingzhi stared at those bottomless sleeves and felt as if all his spirit stones had been wasted.
Wu Jie's divination wasn't accurate at all!
Saying things like "your destiny is right before your eyes" and "half your wishes will be fulfilled on this journey"—none of it came true!
Jiang Xingzhi stood up to question him, "Your divination for me was inaccurate. Can I get a refund?"
Wu Jie glanced at the steadfast Zhong Ming sitting behind him. "How was it inaccurate? Protector Bai, you must do me justice."
"What did you have him divine?" Zhong Ming stood up and asked Jiang Xingzhi. "Tell me, I'll mediate."
Jiang Xingzhi said, "You'd better not hear it." Having just experienced emotional trauma, hearing it would only hurt more.
An inquiring gaze fell on Wu Jie.
Under pressure, Wu Jie maintained half his professional ethics, saying vaguely, "Nothing much, just a divination before entering the secret realm."
This was almost explicit. Zhong Ming immediately understood.
His gaze softened, and upon careful observation, there was a hint of a smile. He pulled back the militant Jiang Xingzhi with one hand and comforted him kindly, "Perhaps it's just a matter of time. Don't be anxious."
Hearing this, Jiang Xingzhi looked down at the Tingxue Sword at his waist.
The sliver of opportunity from Tongtian Hall had been brought out and stored in the Tingxue Sword—the voice in the chaos had told him to "wait."
Perhaps there was still a turning point.
He steadied himself and spared Wu Jie for now. "Alright, we'll wait and see."
Wu Jie sighed in relief, casting a grateful glance at Zhong Ming through his eyelids.
Zhong Ming nodded. "No problem. I actually think the Master's divination was quite accurate."
As he spoke, he couldn't help but exclaim, "Especially the 'united with water' part."
"What 'united with water'?" Jiang Xingzhi asked, puzzled.
"Nothing."
Wine is also water, after all. Indeed, water benefits all things. Zhong Ming thought to himself, grateful for water.
Wu Jie, seeing his settled appearance, raised his eyebrows strangely: Wait, this relationship hasn't yet reached the "united with water" stage.
He opened his mouth to remind him, "Protector..."
"Oh? Zhu Yan and Zhu Xu are back," Jiang Xingzhi suddenly looked toward the barrier outside. "Why are they lingering out there?"
Zhong Ming frowned in thought. "Is your immortal aura too strong?"
"...!" Jiang Xingzhi realized, smiling awkwardly. "I'll go greet them myself."
"I'll go with you."
The two figures left the mountain inseparably.
Wu Jie stood in place with his sleeves tucked in, gazing at the sky: Ah well, everything happens for a reason.
After all, this destiny is tightly bound. Does it matter which stage they're at now?
….
Two streaks of light flew from the mountaintop through the white mist.
Jiang Xingzhi and Zhong Ming quickly brought back Zhu Yan and Zhu Xu, who couldn't enter their own home. The latter two seemed to have gained much, as if their cultivation had advanced a level.
Zhu Yan was excited. "I wish there were secret realms like this every day."
Jiang Xingzhi said, "Rarity makes things precious."
Zhu Yan immediately conceded, "The Sect Master is right! This journey was quite fruitful; we should be content. How was the journey for you and Protector Bai?"
Jiang Xingzhi paused, "It wasn't entirely without reward." At least they had brought the opportunity out.
With these few words, they had already passed through the white mist back to Kunlun Mountain. Jiang Xingzhi instructed the two, "Familiarize yourselves with the path back to the sect, and build an alternate path as a backup in the coming days."
"Yes!"
The two brothers left first.
Jiang Xingzhi and Zhong Ming stood halfway up the mountain. Having eaten and drunk their fill with nothing else to do, he said to Zhong Ming, "I'll walk up slowly to clear my mind."
"I'll clear mine too," Zhong Ming said.
So the two of them walked up the stone steps toward the mountain.
This mountain was originally a barren patch of land overgrown with weeds. Since Zhu Yan had managed it, along with Wu Jie's feng shui improvements and Zhong Ming's spiritual spring irrigation, it had become increasingly vibrant with life.
The trees planted on both sides of the path were diverse, some already golden and red, others still evergreen.
Sunlight filtered through the mingled green and yellow leaves, casting dappled shadows on the two figures slowly ascending the mountain.
Jiang Xingzhi tilted his head slightly, closing his eyes to feel the sunlight and mountain breeze.
Under his eyelids were the delicate shadows of his eyelashes.
Zhong Ming turned to look at him, unable to shift his gaze from this person no matter how many times he looked. After walking up the stone steps for a while, Zhong Ming spoke, "You just mentioned 'clearing your mind.' Is your mood still not good?"
Jiang Xingzhi kept his eyes closed and replied lazily, "Much better. Thank you for taking me to drink and relieve my worries."
Zhong Ming smiled, "If you like it, I'll take you again."
Jiang Xingzhi's eyes suddenly opened wide, and he clutched his chest in lingering fear. "Let's not. Getting drunk is too terrifying."
Heaven knows what nonsense he had said to Bai Mu, and fortunately he hadn't gotten physical, otherwise he could have buried himself on the spot.
Zhong Ming said lightly, "Is that so? I think it was fine."
Being drunk was great—honest and adorable. If Jiang Xingzhi hadn't been drunk yesterday, he would still be jealous of himself.
Zhong Ming's thoughts paused: Wait, he not only was jealous of himself, but he also cursed himself...
His stern brows furrowed. Forget it, forget it.
"And I'm not in a hurry to go back now either," Jiang Xingzhi said.
"Why?" Zhong Ming's attention was suddenly pulled back, his heart suspended. "You don't like him anymore, don't want to see him?"
"How could that be?" Jiang Xingzhi coughed once. "I just haven't prepared myself mentally yet. If I see him, I wouldn't know what to say."
The suspended heart settled down again.
Zhong Ming felt a tickling in his heart. "Just tell him what you told me."
"That's different." In the flickering sunlight, Jiang Xingzhi's gaze wavered, the tips of his ears actually turning red. "He's a very serious person. How could I tell him my thoughts directly?"
Looking at those red ears, Zhong Ming thought to himself that he wasn't serious at all.
He stepped closer, looking down and asking softly, "What thoughts? Why not tell me first?"