After Sheng Jun Chapter 37 (Part 2)
Translated by Sylver (ko-fi)
Chapter 37 Growing Suspicions (part 2)
The two of them found a nice inn. The staircase was conveniently located by the main entrance. Zhong Ming asked Jiang Xingzhi to wait for him there, saying, "Last time you paid for the room, this time I'll handle it."
After speaking, he walked over to the front desk.
Jiang Xingzhi waited at the staircase for a moment before Zhong Ming returned and led him upstairs. When Zhong Ming took out the key to open the door, Jiang Xingzhi realized something was wrong. "You only booked one room?"
"It saves money, and there's enough space," Zhong Ming stepped aside to reveal the interior. "Besides, I won't fight you for the bed."
Jiang Xingzhi glanced inside and saw that it was indeed spacious. He entered and closed the door behind him. "Alright."
Once inside, he looked down and noticed he was still covered in golden paper flowers. He shook himself with spiritual energy, causing them to fall to the floor. Zhong Ming's eyes revealed a hint of regret. "Why did you shake them off?"
They were so sparkly and cute.
"I'm going to get in bed."
Having shaken himself clean, Jiang Xingzhi climbed onto the bed and bundled himself in the blankets. Zhong Ming stood by the table without moving, his gaze fixed on Jiang Xingzhi.
Jiang Xingzhi shrank his head under the stare. "Why are you looking at me?"
Zhong Ming teased, "What else should I look at? Should I check if there's a bathtub big enough for me?"
Jiang Xingzhi: "......"
He quickly changed the subject, avoiding this argument he couldn't win. "Why did you insist on sharing a room with me? It's not like you can't afford your own."
Zhong Ming candidly admitted, "Indeed."
Jiang Xingzhi gave him a piercing look. "Then why squeeze in with me?"
With fingers lightly resting on the table, Zhong Ming replied, "Because I like you, of course. It was love at first sight."
Jiang Xingzhi choked a bit, unable to hold back his curiosity. "But don't you... don't you have someone you loved who ascended?"
Zhong Ming almost laughed in frustration. "Who told you..." He suddenly stopped mid-sentence, his fingers freezing on the tabletop.
The room fell silent for several breaths. Seeing how the other suddenly lowered his gaze without speaking, Jiang Xingzhi's heart skipped a beat:
Oh no, so there really was someone. Should he not have brought it up?
Just as he was thinking this, Zhong Ming turned to look at him again and softly urged, "Are you tired? Do you want to sleep?"
Jiang Xingzhi quickly said, "Extremely tired. Going to sleep right now."
After he spoke, he turned over and curled up under the blanket. Just then, the candles in the room went out, and the room was suddenly plunged into darkness.
The bed curtains cast faint shadows on the wall, flickering mysteriously.
Jiang Xingzhi stared at the shadows, thinking that he should avoid asking such questions in the future to prevent touching on Bai Mu's painful memories.
With these thoughts, he closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.
As the sound of breathing gradually became even, Zhong Ming stood by the table and glanced at the bed. Through the bed curtains, he could see the cute outline under the bulging blanket.
After a long while, the slight vexation that had built up in his heart slowly dissipated.
Yes, there had been an ascension.
But he had already snatched the person back from the King of Hell's hands.
…..
The next morning, Jiang Xingzhi was awakened by a delicious aroma.
He opened his eyes to see the man's silhouette bathed in morning light, mixed with the fragrance of food—tall and sacred.
Jiang Xingzhi swallowed with a "gulp," and heard a voice from ahead, "Awake? I bought some breakfast, should be what you like."
"You noticed I woke up just by me opening my eyes?" Jiang Xingzhi got up in amazement.
Zhong Ming casually went about his business. "The sound of you swallowing was too loud."
"......" Alright, no need to say more.
The breakfast he had bought was steaming hot and deliciously soft. There were both savory and sweet options, making it impossible to get tired of eating.
Jiang Xingzhi indeed enjoyed it, nearly wiping out all the food on the table. Probably feeling a bit embarrassed about eating so much, he politely asked Zhong Ming, "Why aren't you eating?"
Zhong Ming saw through his true nature and laughed. "I don't want any."
Jiang Xingzhi then finished the last bite as well. "Then I'll eat it. Mainly because wasting food isn't good."
"Mm, your morals are truly admirable."
After feeding this human-shaped lamp with a massive appetite, Zhong Ming left the inn with him. "What are your plans?"
Jiang Xingzhi had initially thought of returning to the sect, but paused his steps. "First, let's go to the pawnshop."
He was almost out of money. He had spent too many spirit stones at Wu Jie's place recently, and yesterday he had bought many souvenirs. It was time to cash in.
"Let's go then," said Zhong Ming.
The two flew toward Xunyang City, arriving at the pawnshop's entrance moments later.
Zhong Ming followed Jiang Xingzhi into the pawnshop. When the shopkeeper saw Jiang Xingzhi, his eyes lit up, but when his gaze shifted to Zhong Ming beside him, he immediately showed signs of wariness. "This customer..."
Seeing the shopkeeper's entire body screaming "caution," Jiang Xingzhi appreciated his own wisdom—it was good he hadn't brought Bai Mu along the first time.
"He's my friend, accompanying me," he explained.
Another jade stone was handed over, and the shop assistant skillfully calculated the price to exchange for spirit stones. During the short wait, Jiang Xingzhi suddenly asked, "What kind of person is the buyer?"
The shopkeeper hesitated. "This... I shouldn't say much. Actually, I don't know clearly."
Jiang Xingzhi caught the key words. "You don't know?"
"After all, the person who comes probably isn't the buyer themselves. Judging from their attire, they might be a servant from some important person's household."
"I see."
The spirit stones were quickly exchanged. Jiang Xingzhi took them and put them in his pocket, then called Zhong Ming to leave with him. Just as they exited the pawnshop door, someone nudged his arm. "Why did you ask about the buyer?"
For some reason, the image of the demonic cultivator they'd brushed past last time floated in Jiang Xingzhi's mind. "Nothing, just caring about my clients."
Zhong Ming gave him a look but didn't press further. "Mm."
****
After exchanging the spirit stones, the two returned to the sect.
Upon their return, Jiang Xingzhi called the three sect members over to distribute gifts. There was a large stone table near the practice ground on the mountainside. He spread out the gifts on the stone table with a "whoosh." "Special products brought back by your Sect Master, come and divide them up!"
Zhu Yan and Zhu Xu arrived quickly. Jiang Xingzhi looked towards the mountain steps. "Where is Master Wu Jie?"
Zhu Yan shook his head. "He might be meditating or divining. Don't know where he is."
Jiang Xingzhi said, "Then you two pick first."
The gifts, large and small, were laid out on the stone table, a dazzling array.
Zhu Yan had been an assassin for many years; the Qisui Day souvenirs existed only in his childhood memories. Seeing them now brought a trace of nostalgia. "Thank you, Sect Master."
Zhu Xu was young and at an age when such trinkets were interesting. Seeing them, he was about to reach out to pick something. Halfway there, his hand was slapped back by his brother with a "smack." "Ahem, mind your manners. Let Protector Bai choose first."
Zhu Xu immediately stood straight like an obedient little parrot. "Protector Bai chooses first!"
Zhong Ming didn't move. Jiang Xingzhi remembered that this person had already refused yesterday, so he said, "Don't mind him. These are for you three."
Zhu Xu honestly asked, "Then Protector Bai doesn't get any?"
Jiang Xingzhi paused for a moment.
His silence fell in the eyes of the two brothers, already equivalent to confirmation.
Their gazes simultaneously turned to Zhong Ming—their looks revealed carefully concealed yet unmistakable caution and pity.
Protector Bai, actually didn't receive any gifts from the Sect Master...
Zhong Ming had originally not planned to participate in this conversation, but now being stared at by the two, especially by Zhu Xu, whose flickering gaze seemed to be composing a tortuous and bizarre love story for him...
A vein throbbed at his temple. "No need, I already have mine."
—His Lamp had bought something EXCLUSIVELY for him!
The two quickly withdrew their gazes.
Zhu Yan and Zhu Xu nodded in unison. "Mm-hmm."
Seeing that Wu Jie still hadn't arrived, Jiang Xingzhi swept his divine consciousness across the entire mountainside and quickly located the figure meditating in the forest. "This Sect Master will go call the Master. You watch over these."
With that, his form flashed and disappeared among the mountain steps.
Only Zhong Ming, Zhu Yan, and Zhu Xu remained at the stone table.
Those two gazes hesitantly fell on Zhong Ming again, seemingly still doubtful about his previous statement. Zhu Xu even tactfully suggested, "Would Protector Bai like to pick something too?"
"......" Zhong Ming tried to hold back but ultimately couldn't resist proving himself. "No need. I already have mine. They're not in this pile. Xingzhi SPECIALLY selected them for me."
The emphasis on those two words mixed with the mountain breeze, deliberately carrying a hint of showing off.
Zhu Xu quickly nodded. "Oh, I see, no wonder... no wonder..."
Zhong Ming gave a dignified "hmm."
A moment later, there was movement from the mountain steps. Jiang Xingzhi returned with Wu Jie. "Have you all chosen yet?"
Zhu Yan said, "We were waiting for the Master to choose together."
Wu Jie stood before the stone table, scanning the souvenirs with a serene smile. "The Sect Master is thoughtful."
With all three present, they began dividing up the gifts on the table in a lively atmosphere. Seeing that there was nothing for him to do, Zhong Ming said to Jiang Xingzhi, "I'll head back first."
Jiang Xingzhi was still standing there, watching his sect members divide the gifts with a loving expression. Without raising his head, he responded, "Mm."
Zhong Ming turned and left. His straight figure quickly moved away, his robes fluttering elegantly as he walked, creating a refreshing breeze before disappearing around the mountain steps.
Wu Jie turned his head only to see a dark-colored robe tail vanish from sight.
"Protector Bai didn't pick any gifts?"
Zhu Xu said, "Protector Bai doesn't need to pick; he already has his."
Wu Jie nodded. "Indeed. I imagine Protector Bai bought them last night."
Hearing this, Jiang Xingzhi suddenly frowned and turned to look.
The mountain steps were empty; the dark figure had long gone.
He thought carefully: Wait, did Bai Mu buy souvenirs yesterday? No, weren't they together the whole time?
Jiang Xingzhi was puzzled: So when he said he already had some, where did they come from?
Just as he was pondering this, he heard Zhu Xu correcting Wu Jie, "They weren't bought by Protector Bai himself; the Sect Master specially picked them out for him!"