After Sheng Jun Chapter 56 (Part 2)
Translated by Sylver (ko-fi)
Chapter 56 Heaven-Sent Omens (part 2)
Jiang Xingzhi's hair was ruffled into spikes, like his head was forced to grow lumps. He raised his hand to press the lumps down: That can't be right, there'll definitely be problems.
"What if I ignore it and my heart hurts again?"
"Then I'll——"
"You'll what?"
"......" Zhong Ming stopped mid-sentence. "I'll feel sorry for you." He said while changing the subject, pulling out pots and clusters of spiritual plants and immortal herbs from his storage bag. "Come on, let's go plant flowers."
Jiang Xingzhi glanced at him a couple more times: Still planting flowers.
This leisurely attitude was somewhat rebellious.
"Come on, let's go quickly." Zhong Ming pulled him up, wrapped him in spiritual power, and walked down the mountain carrying clusters of flowers and plants.
****
At the foot of the mountain where the spiritual spring flowed, there was an open space suitable for planting spiritual plants.
As Jiang Xingzhi planted flowers, he asked Zhong Ming, "How did you ask Palace Master Ying for the flowers?"
Zhong Ming carefully arranged the "Magpie Bridge Immortal" into a heart shape. "I just said I wanted to buy some spiritual plants to bring back, and Palace Master Ying gave them directly."
"Oh." After Jiang Xingzhi said "oh," he sensed something was off and turned his head sharply. "Then why were you gone so long?"
The heart shape went crooked.
Zhong Ming steadied himself and adjusted the shape back. "Of course I couldn't just take them and leave. I stayed to chat for a while."
Jiang Xingzhi studied him. "Since when have your social etiquette skills become so accomplished?"
Zhong Ming's brow furrowed at these words, as if bearing a great injustice. "In your heart, am I such an unreasonable person?"
After he spoke, seeing Jiang Xingzhi's face clearly showing "Isn't that so?", he choked for a moment and immediately brought out a comparison. "Even that demon Su You, you praised him for being reasonable. Who exactly is your future dao companion!"
"It's you, it's you..." Jiang Xingzhi smoothed his feathers. "You're the most reasonable. I've never seen anyone as good at handling people as you!"
The excessive praise sounded like sarcasm.
Zhong Ming suppressed the subtle feeling in his heart and hummed in acknowledgment. Seeing Jiang Xingzhi's attention drawn back to the flowers and plants, he relaxed slightly.
He indeed hadn't only gone to buy flowers and plants. He had also gone to find Lord Minshuang, asking if there was any way to conceal the divine consciousness. But in the end, he only got one straightforward suggestion: Rather than concealing the divine consciousness, why not first pay attention to mental health issues?
"......"
Zhong Ming took a deep breath thinking about this.
Before he could finish the breath, Jiang Xingzhi beside him suddenly stopped planting flowers.
"No good."
Zhong Ming temporarily set aside the divine consciousness issue and turned his head. "What's wrong?"
Jiang Xingzhi touched his heart. "I keep feeling restless inside, like someone's urging me to go do something. Could it be... we still need to quickly resolve the Demon Realm matter?"
As he spoke, he put down the spiritual plant in his hand and shook out his sleeves, making as if to go out and catch Yuwen Gong.
Zhong Ming's temple throbbed, and he raised his hand to stop him. "I'll go, I'll go find him. Someone still needs to stay at Kunlun."
As soon as he spoke, Jiang Xingzhi found he wasn't anxious anymore: What was going on? Could it be that as long as either he or Xu Jian could resolve the matter, it would be fine?
"I..." Jiang Xingzhi was about to say he should go himself when he looked up to see raging flames burning in Zhong Ming's eyes again! The words that were about to leave his mouth took a turn on his tongue and slid back down his throat. "Mm."
Those flames were burning so fiercely—if not vented, something would happen.
Zhong Ming shoved the spiritual herbs into his hands. "You continue planting flowers. I'll go catch the person."
Saying this, his gaze turned grim as he turned to leave.
Urging, urging, urging—and doing it behind his back!
Pushing the progress so fast—how desperate were they to see him unhappy?
His robe fluttered through the air with a "whoosh," the flexible fabric carving a sharp arc. The poised figure seemed to carry flames as he instantly left Kunlun with heaven-breaking momentum.
Jiang Xingzhi planted the seedling in the soil and looked in the direction Zhong Ming had departed.
That momentum... didn't look like he was going to find someone, but like he was going to fight.
****
This flower bed was just behind the mountain, not far from Wujie's courtyard.
Jiang Xingzhi had just finished planting the spiritual plants when he heard movement behind him. Turning around, he saw Wujie walking over leisurely. "The Sect Master has quite refined interests."
"Forced to have them." Jiang Xingzhi sighed.
Wujie smiled faintly, seeming to know what he was referring to.
Seeing it wasn't yet the hour of Xu, Jiang Xingzhi asked, "Why did Master return so early today?"
Wujie walked to his side and casually picked up the water ladle to sprinkle the flowers and plants. The pattering water droplets fell on the petals, reflecting both their figures. "After all, all the sects are busy searching for Yuwen Gong, so this poor daoist naturally has far fewer orders."
After speaking, his distant gaze fell on Jiang Xingzhi.
As the originator who spread the divine oracle, Jiang Xingzhi felt bashful upon hearing this and smiled with pursed lips. "Wasn't this according to Master's wishes..."
"This is not this poor daosit's wish." Wujie denied.
"How is it not..." Jiang Xingzhi's words paused. The Wujie before him had an impeccable smile, and he remembered the other's rhetoric: This poor daoist only provides interpretations.
He was stunned—indeed, it wasn't Wujie's intention.
He subconsciously looked up at the sky dome. The guidance he received today suddenly surfaced in his mind—the same scene as in Tongtian Hall, and the same voice. He hadn't thought deeply about it before, but now it was as if a bright thread flashed through his mind, connecting everything together.
Wujie said heaven would bestow great responsibility.
If all this truly was "heaven's will," he probably knew what he was waiting for.
The originally vague future suddenly became clear like clouds parting to reveal the moon, and the long road shrouded in dense fog could finally see its end. Jiang Xingzhi's heart suddenly felt enlightened, and he even breathed a sigh of relief: It was good to be able to see hope of returning.
......
Wujie beside him glanced at his expression and hung a leisurely smile at the corner of his mouth.
After contemplating for a while, Jiang Xingzhi suddenly said, "Master."
"Please speak, Sect Master."
"If someday I return, what about him?"
He still didn't know why Xu Jian had come to a thousand years ago with him. What if when the time came for him to return, Xu Jian couldn't go back?
He'd rather stay here forever than that. He didn't want to be in a world without Xu Jian.
"The Sect Master need not worry."
Jiang Xingzhi turned to look at Wujie. Surrounded by dense forest, the other's profile became distant and near again. "You came here for different reasons, so naturally the ways you return will be different."
His heart stirred. "How so?"
"Cannot be said." Wujie said while turning to leave, leaving only a floating figure disappearing into the dense forest. "Cause and effect cycle, all return to their positions. Having seen the path ahead, the time is not far..."
The forest was quiet for a few moments, with only the gurgling sound of the spiritual spring flowing nearby.
Having seen the path ahead, the time is not far?
Jiang Xingzhi savored these words, his eyes suddenly brightening: Could it be they'd return soon?
And from Master's meaning, Xu Jian could return with him too, so there was nothing to worry about! Thinking this, Jiang Xingzhi turned and excitedly flew toward the mountain peak: If they could return soon, it would be better to go back and form the contract with Xu Jian there, and they could even invite all their friends and family to a feast.
How delightful~
Maybe after resolving the conflict between the two realms, returning home wouldn't be far off. Thinking this way, even the Heavenly Dao that kept urging him to speed up progress seemed amiable.
Jiang Xingzhi was just thinking this when thunder suddenly rumbled overhead.
BOOM——!!!
He looked up to see lightning flashing across the sky dome, and as far as his vision could reach, behind the cloud layers above the nine provinces, a silver dragon seemed to flash its fangs and claws.
Jiang Xingzhi: "......"
He was certain now—Xu Jian definitely hadn't gone to find someone; he'd gone to fight.
But last time he himself had suffered heart-wrenching pain, so Xu Jian going to fight was understandable. This time, what was it for?
Jiang Xingzhi stood at the mountain steps, thoroughly confused.
…..
At the same time.
Thousands of li away in the skies above Jiuzhou, the snow-bright Tinghan Sword pierced through the blue heavens with one strike. The terrifying sword intent directly punched a huge hole in the sky dome! Wind, clouds, thunder, and lightning were all stirred by that single sword strike.
Zhong Ming stood alone among the changing thunder and lightning, the hand gripping his sword bulging with veins, his momentum piercing the heavens.
Urging, urging, urging—let you urge like your life depended on it.
From now on, every time progress was urged, he would stab the sky once.
He, Xu Jian, would protect his love with his own hands!