After Sheng Jun Chapter 81 (Part 2) End
Translated by Sylver (ko-fi)
Extra: Origins in Water (part 2 )
It had only been two or three decades since the last breakthrough to Soul Separation. Was Xu Jian some kind of monster?
No time to think further, he reached forward with one hand, grabbing Zhong Ming's collar. His other sword-wielding hand thrust the blade backward into the cliff wall. Under this buffering force, both of them plunged together into the cliff bottom—
Splash! They fell into the ice-cold bone-chilling pool.
Pool water surged from all directions. The creatures at the pool bottom seemed to sense the new intruders and moved toward them one after another.
Jiang Xingzhi released spiritual power to shield around them both, then hugged Zhong Ming's solid body and swiftly swam toward the pool edge.
Zhong Ming had already been passively drawn into the breakthrough, hazily only feeling two hands embrace him. He subconsciously raised his arms and pressed the flexible waist into his own embrace.
Jiang Xingzhi finally dragged Zhong Ming to the shore. He had just surfaced when the person hugging his waist dragged him back down.
Glub glub...... A few bubbles emerged from the water surface.
Jiang Xingzhi stared at the person leaning on his shoulder and wordlessly dragged him out to shore.
Splash! Two bodies emerged from the water, collapsing on the shore.
Zhong Ming's body pressed down. Jiang Xingzhi leaned back, suddenly feeling something warm land on his collarbone.
The breath exhaled between lips made him shiver.
He quickly realized what this was, his face instantly flushing red! Jiang Xingzhi froze in place for a moment, then reacted, pushing away the person on top of him in embarrassment and anger.
Thud, Zhong Ming was flipped to his side.
Jiang Xingzhi's heart pounded rapidly as he looked at this oblivious handsome face. The latter's thick lashes were wet with water, like crow feathers dampened and drooping heavily.
Probably feeling pain from spiritual power washing through his meridians, those crimson thin lips pressed together then relaxed, releasing a hoarse muffled groan: "Mm..."
The spot on his collarbone that had been touched suddenly burned hot again.
Jiang Xingzhi cursed with a red face, looked at the person collapsed beside him, and finally still helped him sit up properly. He then magnanimously began protecting Zhong Ming's cultivation from the side.
5.
When Zhong Ming woke again, five days had already passed.
As a trace of sky light appeared in the sky above the steep cliff overhead, he suddenly opened his eyes, a trace of refined and restrained purple qi passing through them.
He had finally successfully broken through to Divine Transformation.
Before he could examine the situation in his sea of consciousness, a voice fell from nearby: "You're awake? Now that you're awake, I'm leaving."
Zhong Ming turned his head to see Jiang Xingzhi leaning against a tree not far from him. Half of his tied-up long hair fell on his shoulder. He had his arms crossed, looking over, his complexion faintly revealing some fatigue.
"......Jiang Xingzhi?" Zhong Ming asked: "Why are you here."
"???"
The tired person suddenly perked up! Jiang Xingzhi whoosh stood up, looking quite angry: "You don't remember anything?"
Zhong Ming looked at him uncomprehendingly: "What's wrong?"
"What's wrong? You—" Jiang Xingzhi's words stopped short, his face gradually flushing. His eyes were bright and clear, the depths seeming to burn with fire, along with reddened eye corners and cheeks like diffused sunset glow.
Zhong Ming's gaze involuntarily stopped at his cheeks, somewhat unable to look away: "What are you angry about?"
Jiang Xingzhi stared at him for several breaths, then suddenly turned and left, revealing two red ears between his hair: "Nothing! Just wait, I'll soon surpass you too."
After speaking, his form flashed and disappeared from the deep pool's edge.
Once the person left, the surroundings seemed empty. Zhong Ming's heart also felt empty, his eyes still seeming to flicker with that touch of red. He thought: What exactly was Jiang Xingzhi angry about, his face turning red from anger.
Could it be because he broke through before him, making him angry?
While thinking this, he stood up to straighten his slightly disheveled clothes. His divine consciousness probed within his body, and every detail starting from the battle also slowly replayed in his mind—
They fought and fought, he accidentally fell off the cliff. The forcibly suppressed spiritual power uncontrollably broke through the bottleneck, and then...... it seemed like Jiang Xingzhi jumped down and grabbed him. They both fell into the pool, he was protected in Jiang Xingzhi's arms and brought to the pool shore.
As memories returned, an indescribable feeling welled up in Zhong Ming's heart: like two people who had always been at odds, with one side suddenly owing the other a favor, would naturally feel somewhat constrained and unnatural.
But Zhong Ming didn't feel constrained at the moment. Instead, he felt some joy and satisfaction. Along with that came realization: no wonder Jiang Xingzhi was angry at him just now—it was because he had saved him, yet he didn't remember.
Next time they meet, he should still say thanks.
After straightening his clothes, Zhong Ming raised his hand to pull up the Tinghan Sword stuck in the ground. The sword body entered its sheath, flashing a trace of clear bright light.
The sword light flickered, instantly illuminating some hazy corner of his mind. Forgotten details surfaced in his consciousness.
In the deep cold pool, he had embraced Jiang Xingzhi's waist. When they both collapsed on the shore, he had pressed down on top of Jiang Xingzhi. A slender neck enlarged before his eyes, and soon his lips gained a delicate, slightly cool sensation.
Thump! His heartbeat violently struck his chest cavity. Zhong Ming froze.
He had kissed...... Jiang Xingzhi's neck hollow.
His usually calm and composed face instantly felt like wildfire spreading, burning hot all over. Unfamiliar emotions impacted his heart. That momentary image replayed over and over in Zhong Ming's mind. His throat moved, unconsciously gripping the Tinghan Sword in his hand tighter, closing his eyes.
The earlier anticipation to meet, the persistence arising during sword practice, and the irritation from seeing those intimately close to Jiang Xingzhi all seemed to receive explanation at this moment, rushing toward the same answer.
Those confused and muddled emotions gradually clarified.
Zhong Ming suddenly wanted to see Jiang Xingzhi. He had something he wanted to confirm.
6.
But whether Jiang Xingzhi was angry and deliberately avoiding him, or truly as he said, in seclusion cultivating to catch up to him, Zhong Ming searched for Jiang Xingzhi many times, but the other avoided seeing him.
When they met again, over half a year had passed.
Half a year's time was but a fleeting moment in a cultivator's long cultivation career, but for the first time, Zhong Ming experienced what it meant to feel days pass like years.
Almost every day, Jiang Xingzhi's figure would flicker through his mind, along with what happened that day in the pool. Day after day, thinking about it constantly.
So when he inadvertently spotted that leisurely and casually wandering figure entering a pleasure boat, he couldn't help instantly appearing before the person: "Jiang Xingzhi."
Jiang Xingzhi seemed startled: "Xu Jian?"
Zhong Ming stared at him. Clearly refusing to see him, yet still having time to come here to watch these warblers and swallows play music and dance: "Didn't you say you were in seclusion cultivating? What are you doing here again?"
Jiang Xingzhi guiltily looked away: "Hmph, what business is it of yours what I do."
Lin He and the others' gazes moved back and forth between them uncomprehendingly. Zhong Ming paid no attention to others' gazes, eyes only on this person who made him toss and turn thinking about day and night.
His words carried jealousy he himself hadn't noticed: "Coming every few days—have you fallen for some pretty girl's dancing?"
Jiang Xingzhi raised his chin: "That's right, and I've also fallen for some delicate young man's poetry recitation."
A nameless fire surged up Zhong Ming's chest. He didn't even know what he was angry about: "Jiang Xingzhi! You really are—"
One hand "smack" gripped Jiang Xingzhi's wrist. Zhong Ming pulled him past the hastily yielding Lin He and others, parted the crowd of pleasure-seekers, strode out of the pleasure boat in large steps, heading toward a place with few people outside the riverbank.
"What are you doing, Xu Jian!" Jiang Xingzhi loudly complained behind him, finally muttering: "Such rough hands......"
Zhong Ming subconsciously loosened his grip on the hand, as if afraid of making the person uncomfortable.
They reached a deserted place before stopping. Zhong Ming turned to face Jiang Xingzhi. The latter whoosh pulled back his hand and glanced at him: "What, want to fight again? Let's skip it today, I already made plans with friends to go have fun."
He was better off not mentioning it. Once mentioned, Zhong Ming thought again of the pretty girls and delicate young men on that pleasure boat. Zhong Ming gritted his teeth: "What's so fun about it?"
After a pause he said again: "Didn't you say you'd surpass me—was it just casual talk?"
"Of course not, I've been seriously cultivating when I should." Jiang Xingzhi glanced at him, then looked away again: "So... why did you drag me out here?"
Getting to the point, Zhong Ming thought of his purpose in coming this time.
His steady heartbeat gradually quickened in his chest cavity. His state of mind, which normally showed no change even facing collapsing mountains and cracking earth, was now so nervous it felt somewhat at a loss.
In his eyes reflected Jiang Xingzhi's face looking up.
Every feature of his brows and eyes grew just right, straight nose bridge, soft lips. Zhong Ming stared at him fixedly for a long while, then suddenly raised his hand to cover Jiang Xingzhi's eyes.
Divine consciousness a realm higher shielded the person's vision. Jiang Xingzhi's slender lashes swept across his palm, making his fingertips tremble imperceptibly.
Jiang Xingzhi gripped his wrist trying to pry it open: "What are you doing, trying to assassinate me?"
"Stop fooling around, I won't hurt you." Zhong Ming covered his eyes, leaning down close: "I just want to confirm something."
The person opposite stiffened slightly: "What thing?"
But Zhong Ming didn't answer again. His palm was large, almost covering most of Jiang Xingzhi's face, only revealing the nose tip and slightly parted lips below.
His gaze fixed on Jiang Xingzhi's lips for quite a while, until those lips moved and Jiang Xingzhi asked: "What are you actually doing?" Only then did Zhong Ming suddenly come back to his senses, shocked to realize they were only half a finger apart.
He abruptly pulled back the distance, removing the hand covering Jiang Xingzhi's eyes.
Wanting to kiss, wanting to embrace, wanting to monopolize.
Even more wanting to become the other's most intimate person, not separating for even a moment.
Such thoughts seemed to have already given the clearest answer to the doubt in his heart. Zhong Ming lowered his lashes, concealing those thick emotions about to overflow in his eyes.
Jiang Xingzhi was still asking him: "What did you want to confirm?"
After several breaths, Zhong Ming spoke in a low voice: "Confirming you can be completely shielded by me. Indeed, you haven't surpassed me yet."
Jiang Xingzhi instantly exploded: "How boring can you be!"
Zhong Ming rarely didn't refute. Chaotic and complex emotions coiled around his heart—he hadn't completely sorted them out yet. He turned to leave, only leaving behind one sentence: "Hurry and catch up to me. I'm waiting for you."
From behind came Jiang Xingzhi's annoyed voice: "No need for you to wait. I'm afraid I might accidentally surpass you!"
Zhong Ming, with his back to him, flew away, unable to hold back a smile: No wonder he always loved provoking Jiang Xingzhi. When his fur bristled, he really was quite cute.
7.
After Zhong Ming left, he went to get several jars of wine.
Carrying the wine, he returned to his Fuqing Mountain, sitting atop the mountain. Jar after jar of strong liquor entered his throat, burning his heart hot. This was his first time liking someone, so this was what it felt like.
He didn't want to resist, probably because long ago, he had unknowingly already immersed himself in it.
Jiang Xingzhi, Jiang Xingzhi......
This name rolled from the tip of his tongue down his throat along with the strong liquor, as if deeply branded into his sea of consciousness, over and over, completely occupying all his mind and spirit.
Strong liquor emptied jar after jar, toppling at his feet.
Zhong Ming leaned against the meditation stone, gazing at the bright clear moon in the night sky, his mind full of Jiang Xingzhi's form and countenance. Happy or angry, near or far.
Finally freezing on their first exchange of moves, Jiang Xingzhi pointing his sword at his heart, yet the sword edge bloomed with tiny petals.
Jiang Xingzhi faced him with a bright smile: "Look, your heart blooms with joy!"
......
In the rich spicy wine fragrance, Zhong Ming chuckled softly: Perhaps even back then, a person's figure had already entered his heart.
He drained the last drop of strong liquor from the wine jar, leaning back to lie on the cold hard meditation stone. The reason he'd maintained for a hundred years lost its defense for the first time under alcohol. The cold and emotionless sword dao from now on also mixed with romantic love.
But so what?
Zhong Ming closed his eyes, the scene of their parting flickering in his mind: Hurry and catch up to me, Jiang Xingzhi.
A few hundred years in the mortal realm was far from enough. This first time he developed feelings, he was already thinking of the thousands and tens of thousands of years ahead. He wanted to wait for Jiang Xingzhi to ascend together, to spend the following thousands and tens of thousands of years together.
Bit by bit his heart's thoughts spread with the wine's influence.
At this time, Zhong Ming still couldn't imagine how deeply and obsessively they would come to love each other in the future, how they would cross time and space, break through life and death, keeping watch morning and evening, loving deeply without rest.
The end