After Sheng Jun Chapter 39 (Part 1)
Translated by Sylver (ko-fi)
Chapter 39 Testing Step by Step (part 1)
The tassel pendant hung between the two of them. Zhong Ming's gaze was fixed tightly on it, but he didn't reach out to take it. "For me?"
Jiang Xingzhi: "Mm."
"This isn't..." Zhong Ming's throat moved, "Isn't this bought for your Xu Jian?"
Jiang Xingzhi threw his words back at him. "He already has so many anyway, might as well give you one." Seeing that the other hadn't moved for a while, he made a gesture to take it back. "If you don't want it, then forget it."
"I want it." Zhong Ming grabbed it and put it away in one swift motion.
He rubbed his thumb delicately over the tassel. The feeling of giving himself his own gift was somewhat subtle... but he just couldn't refuse it.
Seeing that Zhong Ming didn't put it on immediately, Jiang Xingzhi didn't urge him. He pulled the door shut with one hand. "I'm going to sleep. You should head back quickly."
Zhong Ming's gaze moved from the tassel back to him. "Mm. Good night, Deng Deng."
"Good night, Bai Mu."
The door creaked shut with a "squeak," cutting off the foot-wide strip of moonlight on the ground.
...
The next day, Jiang Xingzhi pushed open his door and stepped out.
A line of rose-gold appeared on the horizon—it looked like another beautiful day.
His gaze wandered, but caught sight of another shade of pale yellow, even more eye-catching and dazzling than the sunrise on the horizon.
Jiang Xingzhi turned his head to see Zhong Ming standing in front of the courtyard, with a tassel pendant hanging conspicuously at his waist—hanging alone, in exactly the same position as Xu Jian wore it in his dreams.
His heart suddenly skipped a beat.
He knew that some feelings came without basis. Even if it hung in the same position, it couldn't really prove anything—after all, that was just his own dream...
But could there really be such a coincidence in this mysterious world?
Jiang Xingzhi's gaze was too intense. Zhong Ming turned his head and, seeing him staring fixedly at his waist, immediately showed off to him. "Deng Deng gave it to me. I specially hung it up."
"Why hang it there?" Jiang Xingzhi was still staring.
"Hanging it here makes it conspicuous, so everyone can see it." Zhong Ming spoke with a somewhat gloomy tone. "Especially Zhu Xu."
Let's see if he dares to look at him with pitying eyes again.
Jiang Xingzhi: "......"
Zhong Ming tried to read his expression. "Doesn't it suit me?"
Jiang Xingzhi looked him over a few more times. The man before him wore all black robes, giving off an aura of stern killing intent, yet a rather adorable tassel hung at his waist—at first glance, it was quite jarring.
But perhaps because Xu Jian in his dreams also wore it this way, which made his heart flutter, Jiang Xingzhi didn't find it strange. Looking at it... there was a kind of contrasting cuteness.
He said, "It's fine."
Zhong Ming smiled at him.
Jiang Xingzhi coughed. "Are we leaving or not?"
"Mm, you brought the thing, right?" Zhong Ming reminded him. "The red spider lily."
"I brought it." Jiang Xingzhi had kept it tucked in his chest the whole time. Hearing this, he lowered his head and opened his robe to check.
As his clothing shifted, it revealed a section of his collarbone. The fiery red spider lily showed through, making the skin above his collar appear even whiter. Zhong Ming's gaze fell on that small patch of skin, and his heartbeat quickened slightly.
Jiang Xingzhi had just confirmed it and was about to tuck it back when his hand was suddenly grabbed—smack.
Jiang Xingzhi: ?
Zhong Ming looked down. "Put it in your storage pouch."
If they reached Piaomiao Palace and Jiang Xingzhi kept fumbling around like this, wouldn't other people see it?
Jiang Xingzhi said, "There's too much stuff in the storage pouch, it's hard to get things out."
Zhong Ming pulled out the red spider lily and stuffed it into his storage pouch, coaxing gently, "It's easy to get out, easy to get out... You can use spiritual power to specially partition off a space for it, and it'll even stay fresh."
"......"
Meaningless struggling would only waste time.
Jiang Xingzhi stopped fussing and went along with his wishes, stuffing it into the storage pouch.
****
After making preparations, the two set out together toward Piaomiao Palace.
Piaomiao Palace was located in the north of Jiuzhou. True to its name, the palace halls towered among nine layers of cloud seas, like a fairyland.
When Jiang Xingzhi and Zhong Ming arrived, Palace Master Ying Liuxian personally came out of the sect to greet them. A crowd of disciples waited around them—mostly female cultivators in the sect, all wearing gauze skirts with silk scarves draped over their arms, with clear and beautiful appearances.
The single male cultivator was particularly eye-catching.
"Palace Master Ying." Jiang Xingzhi greeted her after landing.
Ying Liuxian bowed to both of them. "Divine Lamp Daren, Lamp Holder Daren." After speaking, her gaze wandered and landed on the quite conspicuous tassel pendant at Zhong Ming's waist.
Her eyes focused slightly: ...What kind of new Three Realms fashion trend is this?
Sensing the appraising gaze from across, Zhong Ming took the initiative to speak. "Deng Deng gave it to me."
Ying Liuxian reacted extremely quickly and praised, "It really suits you."
Zhong Ming rarely curved the corners of his lips when speaking to others. "Mm."
The rising intonation revealed several notes of pleasure. Jiang Xingzhi looked at him deeply and began to reflect on whether he shouldn't have given away the tassel...
In the silent scene, Ying Liuxian coughed lightly to draw everyone's attention back and introduced the male cultivator beside her to Jiang Xingzhi and Zhong Ming. "This is Lord Minshuang."
Jiang Xingzhi temporarily withdrew his gaze and turned it toward the person in front.
Lord Minshuang had an indifferent expression with very pale pupils. His whole person seemed even more ethereal than Piaomiao Palace itself. "I've met the two elders." He met Jiang Xingzhi's gaze. "Is this daren the one who needs medicine refined to nourish the soul?"
Jiang Xingzhi appropriately lowered his transparency a bit. "Mm."
Zhong Ming glanced sideways. "......"
Lord Minshuang looked at Zhong Ming again. "Then what illness does this daren have?" His whole demeanor was one of transcending worldly matters and not understanding external affairs—even his choice of words wasn't tactful.
Ying Liuxian was startled and hurriedly glanced toward Zhong Ming's expression.
Jiang Xingzhi didn't think there was anything wrong with it. Bai Mu did seem quite ill lately.
Perhaps because his earlier praise of the tassel pendant had won Zhong Ming's favor, his expression showed no displeasure.
Ying Liuxian breathed a sigh of relief and explained, "Lamp Holder Daren came along as accompaniment."
Lord Minshuang was even more puzzled. "Why accompany?"
Ying Liuxian whispered, "Because they're a matching set."
"......"
Jiang Xingzhi's divine light flickered as he interrupted their not-so-quiet whispering with a polite question. "Palace Master Ying, can we go in now?"
Ying Liuxian quickly stepped aside. "Of course, please come in, both of you."
Inside Piaomiao Palace, wisps of clouds drifted and celestial music played softly.
Jiang Xingzhi and Zhong Ming followed Ying Liuxian into Chunjun Courtyard, which was maintained with exquisite elegance. Although it was now autumn, the entire Chunjun Courtyard remained as vibrant as early spring.
As Jiang Xingzhi walked and admired the scenery, Zhong Ming's voice drifted lightly into his sea of consciousness. "Do you like this kind of thing?"
"Mm, it makes one feel good just looking at it."
"Kunlun could be like this too."
"......?"