After Sheng Jun Chapter 67 (Part 1)
Translated by Sylver (ko-fi)
Chapter 67 Sustained Effort (part 1)
Zhong Ming was still obsessing over how to start their romance anew.
After leaving the Xuantian Sword Sect, he turned to ask Jiang Xingzhi, "Have you decided where you want to go play?"
Jiang Xingzhi saw the same mischievous glint in his eyes as Bai Mu had, yet his surface still maintained the composed appearance of Xu Jian Sheng Jun. The words he had just thought of got stuck in his throat for a moment.
Indeed, love cannot be hidden. Love's little disguise is the same.
Seeing him remain silent, Zhong Ming immediately grew nervous, "You're not having second thoughts, are you?"
"No, I'm just thinking about where to go." Jiang Xingzhi thought for a moment and suggested, "How about Penglai?"
Penglai was located on a small island east of the Jiuzhou, known as the "Immortal Realm." Every year during the spring equinox, it would open most of the island to the public, inviting people from the Three Realms to come compose poetry, sing songs, and enjoy spring outings. These days happened to coincide with the spring equinox, perfect for joining the festivities.
Zhong Ming said, "Penglai?"
Jiang Xingzhi nodded, "We'll go for a spring outing."
Zhong Ming's sensitive nerves were immediately triggered. He frowned: Spring outing? Wouldn't that mean everything would be lush and green everywhere! Just thinking about it made him feel anxious.
"You don't want to go?" Jiang Xingzhi leaned closer to examine his furrowed brow.
His brow suddenly relaxed, and Zhong Ming said gently, "I don't mind going. Let's go."
Never mind whether it's green or not. This was the first date between Xingzhi and his "Xu Jian" persona—he couldn't let people think he was more troublesome than "Bai Mu."
……
Penglai Immortal Island.
With tourists arriving these past few days, the ethereally beautiful island seemed to have gained more human warmth.
Looking at the white mist surrounding the immortal island, Jiang Xingzhi couldn't help but think of his own Kunlun—he wondered what Kunlun would look like now with his and Xu Jian's participation?
He really wanted to find time to go back and take a look.
Thinking this, he looked again at Zhong Ming beside him: The prerequisite was to quickly remove this person's disguise so they could revisit their old haunts together.
The two soon landed on Penglai Island and, as expected, attracted another wave of curious gazes. Jiang Xingzhi was already used to it and raised his hand to point at Zhong Ming, "Let's take that path up the mountain."
One side of Penglai had low hills, while the other was flat land. The mountain ridges during spring equinox were lushly green with birds singing and flowers blooming—quite suitable for spring outings.
Zhong Ming glanced around: It was indeed quite green, but with the spring breeze on their faces, the atmosphere was quite nice, even more beautiful than the environment when they went boating on the lake.
He was satisfied, "Good."
The two slowly walked up the mountain path, occasionally nodding and greeting acquaintances they encountered.
In such a pleasant atmosphere, Jiang Xingzhi began thinking again about how to shed the Xu Jian disguise. After walking for a while, with fewer people around them, he reached into his storage pouch.
"Xu Jian, I have something to give you."
"What is it?"
Jiang Xingzhi pulled out a pile of Qisui Day commemorative items from his storage pouch. The familiar little trinkets caught Zhong Ming's eye, and his eyes widened slightly.
These were what Jiang Xingzhi had specifically bought for him. Even after traveling through a thousand years to the present, they were still in pristine condition. The scene of Jiang Xingzhi carefully counting the gifts that night flashed through his mind—expectant and joyful, making his heart feel as sweet as if honey had been poured into it.
Jiang Xingzhi cupped all the gifts and placed them in Zhong Ming's hands, "These are Qisui Day commemorative items I bought. Do you like them?"
His rough fingers traced the smooth knots and silk ribbons. Zhong Ming said, "I like them very much."
Jiang Xingzhi guided him, "Aren't you going to ask me what 'Qisui Day' means?"
Zhong Ming followed his lead and asked, "What does 'Qisui Day' mean?"
"'Qisui Day' is a folk festival for praying for favorable weather throughout the year. It existed a thousand years ago, but has now disappeared." Jiang Xingzhi explained while observing the other's expression.
He deliberately made his explanation full of holes, silently urging: Hurry up and question him, then accidentally let something slip and gently shed this disguise!
He stared intently at Zhong Ming's lips. His lips moved, and Zhong Ming praised him, "You know so much."
Jiang Xingzhi: "......"
While Jiang Xingzhi fell into silence, Zhong Ming had already lowered his head to carefully examine the commemorative items in his hands—knots, carvings, and semi-circular tassels... Xingzhi had specifically chosen these for him, and they had finally reached his hands.
Just as he was happily cataloguing them, Zhong Ming suddenly paused, remembering another tassel pendant in his storage pouch.
His bright mood was suddenly clouded: He had almost forgotten that one piece from this pile of gifts had been given to "Bai Mu" in advance.
The love given to his "Xu Jian" persona was missing a piece!
Zhong Ming's heart churned for a moment, then he casually asked, "Is this exclusively mine?"
Jiang Xingzhi emerged from his silence, "I also gave some to friends."
Zhong Ming asked, "Only friends?" No certain lamp-holder person?
Jiang Xingzhi's heart stirred: An opportunity to shed the disguise had come.
He seriously said, "Apart from you, everything else was given to friends who shared them among themselves."
He deliberately emphasized the word "you," then looked at Zhong Ming expectantly: Why don't you quickly understand the hint!
Zhong Ming's anger instantly shot to the top of his head: Lies! He had clearly also given one to his "Bai Mu" persona, and the evidence was quietly lying in his storage pouch right now!
Thousands of words surged to his throat, only to be forcibly suppressed.
Zhong Ming's eyes grew dark. Seeing him like this, Jiang Xingzhi felt it didn't seem like he had understood the hint, so he tentatively began, "You..."
"I'll put it on." Zhong Ming pressed his lips together and lowered his head, picking through the pile of commemorative items. Never mind, Bai Mu only had one, while his Xu Jian persona had a whole pile—he still won in terms of quantity.
He selected the semi-circular tassel and instinctively moved to hang it at his waist, then paused and defiantly hung it on his sword hilt instead.
Jiang Xingzhi watched his confusing behavior, "You're not hanging it at your waist?"
Hang it at the waist! Jiang Xingzhi was indeed thinking about "Bai Mu." Zhong Ming took a deep breath and firmly tied the tassel to his sword hilt, even tugging it forcefully, "Hanging it at the waist is ugly. Only people with no taste hang things at their waist."
Jiang Xingzhi: "........."
Xu Jian was truly formidable—when ruthless, he would even step on himself.
****
After putting away the gifts, the semi-circular tassel fluttered in the wind on his sword hilt.
Zhong Ming deliberately adjusted the Tinghan Sword's angle so others could immediately see the light-colored tassel.
His show-off attitude was as consistent as ever.
As Jiang Xingzhi walked up the mountain path with Zhong Ming, he wondered inwardly: Where did this person get the confidence that he wouldn't be exposed? Even without the previous Night Crossing River incident, with this identical demeanor, it was only a matter of time before his identity was discovered.
Walking from the foot of the mountain to halfway up, the view suddenly opened up.
Under the warm spring sunshine, the rest platform on the mountainside had cultivators who had come in groups scattered near and far.
Next to the rest platform was a large orchard planted with Penglai's unique fragrant mulberries, their sweet fruit fragrance filling the air. Jiang Xingzhi took a breath, and his gaze immediately fell on the fragrant mulberry trees.
"Want to eat some?" Zhong Ming saw his eyes practically glowing and raised his hand.
"Don't, don't..." Jiang Xingzhi half-pushed and half-yielded as he pressed down his hand, "We're at someone else's place—how embarrassing~"