Chapter 42: CH 42

Translator: transcendentwings

Editor: teaff 

Translator’s Note: Update 1/2, I’m so sorry with the lateness of recent updates, it’s been an eventful couple of weeks at work and in life, gomen~

Translation note: Also I will be using “elder brother” for 兄长 (more formal and respectful)  and “older brother” for 哥哥 (more informal and casual) to differentiate the two in translation

Xu Xingzhi was silent for a long time.

When Jiu Zhideng was almost under the assumption that he had already fallen asleep, the other commented breezily: “Hai, what’s the big deal, how is that possible.” 

Jiu Zhideng frowned slightly: “Shixiong. . .”

“Who would dare to expose my secrets? Are they not afraid that I would knock their brains out?” Xu Xingzhi replied casually, “I was just unlucky, don’t think too much.”

Jiu Zhideng stated softly: “Since Shixiong doesn’t want to mention it, then I won’t either.”

Xu Xingzhi was silent.

“But Shixiong should know,” Jiu Zhideng added, “Not everyone deserves Shixiong’s sincerity.”

Xu Xingzhi was amused: “I know, I know. You brat can lecture me now. . . Ai!”

The medicated oil flowed into the wound and started to work its magic, hurting Xu Xingzhi so much that he broke out in a cold sweat: “F*ck! Wen-baimao that b *stard. . . En—”

He curled his body up, the exquisite lines outlining his muscles rippled, contracting uncontrollably, rubbing back and forth against the palm of Jiu Zhideng’s hand. 

If it weren’t for Jiu Zhideng by his side, he would definitely open his mouth to scold Wen Xuechen’s eighteen generations of ancestors.

Jiu Zhideng was sweating profusely in distress and even his eternally steady voice also wavered a lot: “Shixiong. . .”

He couldn’t help but soothingly pat Xu Xingzhi’s body over and over as the muscles at the other’s waist and abdomen contracted repeatedly. It originally depicted a man full of vitality and strong tenacity, but now this image only made Jiu Zhideng’s face gradually turn red and his ears warm.

His fingertips slowly slid down Xu Xingzhi’s back, landing on the mark of the Silver Ringed Snake Rune. 

After so many years, the seal was still eerily distinct, as if it were only branded yesterday.

The injury seemed to be innocuous, but Jiu Zhideng knew that it was more serious than the criss-crossed bloody lacerations currently on Xu Xingzhi’s body.

It could be said that the most serious injury he ever suffered anywhere to his body was this circular fiery red snake brand.

Since the injury, Xu Xingzhi’s cultivation progress had slowed down a lot. Although he never mentioned it and lived life happily every day, the impact of this old injury should not be underestimated. 

He no longer swam or horsed around with the shidi he was close to, nor would he undress in public. In fact, he just didn’t want others to find out about his injury.

Jiu Zhideng knew in his heart that if Xu Xingzhi confessed to Shifu and Shishu that he was injured that year, then he would not necessarily have been invaded by the cold poison and the root of sickness would not have been planted.

However, if he chose to report it to the elders, then based on the fondness and pampering attitude Qingjing-jun had for Xu Xingzhi, then they would unavoidably investigate to find and hold the culprit accountable.

He, himself, was originally from the demonic path, his identity already wasn’t clean, but he brought such trouble upon Shixiong without preamble. He would definitely be punished severely and would perhaps even be sent back to the demonic sect, continuing to live a life that wasn’t fit for a human or ghost. 

Jiu Zhideng was the son of Nian Zai, the current leader of the demonic path.

He was the youngest among all of Nian Zai’s sons and still had not awakened his demonic bloodline by the age of seven.

In the eyes of the demonic practitioners, Jiu Zhideng was just useless waste. Living in the demonic sect for numerous years, the only thing that gave Jiu Zhideng warmth was his biological mother, Shi Pingfeng.

Shi Pingfeng was neither Nian Zai’s wedded wife nor his beloved, only a concubine who was dispensable. She was useless, dull, and disliked, but fortunately she was gentle enough. 

Twenty years ago, Nian Zai led his subordinates to launch a counterattack against the righteous path, provoking the four sects. That year was the first year of the hunting campaign and was known in history as the “Hunting Catastrophe”.

In this clash and invasion, Fengling Mountain’s new leader Qingjing-jun’s nascent soul achieved a pinnacle, perfected state. With unstoppable force, he took the lead, brandished his blade and eliminated Nian Zai‘s tyrannical and ruthless younger brother, Sa Luo, and heavily injured Nian Zai.

After the cleansing his blade’s edge wrought, fear was instilled in the demonic while the ghostly cried as the world returned to tranquility.

The Jiu Zhideng at that time never personally witnessed the might of Qingjing-jun with his own eyes. He only knew that one day after his father was seriously injured and returned to his lair, he was inexplicably called to the great hall for the first time. 

He wasn’t even able to see his mother one last time before he was sent to Fengling Mountain, the leading sect among the four, by his father’s leading disciple, Liu Yunhe, to accept Qingjing-jun as his shifu.

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Prior to meeting Qingjing-jun, Jiu Zhideng had imagined countless times what kind of man Qingjing-jun, this infamous man with his solitary blade, would be like.

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A white-robed youth stormed into the main hall like a gust of wind, wrapped in a faint aroma of wine: “Shishu, Shifu is in the rear hall asking for you ne.”

Guangfu-jun, who was originally waiting formally clothed, stood up indifferently and came up to the young man. The youth leaned forwards and whispered into Guangfu-jun’s ear: “. . . Shishu, hurry forth ba, Shifu is drunk and is painting graffiti on the statue of the previous lord in the rear palace ne.”

The color of Guangfu-jun’s face transitioned from being blue in the face to pale white as he scolded: “Don’t you know to stop it?”

The teen muttered: “. . . Shishu, how could you say that, would I be able to hold Shifu back?” 

Guangfu-jun was about to depart posthaste when he caught the whiff of a particular scent and frowned fiercely: “. . . You also drank?”

The young man proudly declared: “Shifu didn’t beat me at drinking.”

Guangfu-jun shot daggers at the youth’s face with his eyes: “Wildly inappropriate! In two hours, go to the discipline hall to receive punishment!”

After sending off Guangfu-jun, the teen didn’t take the matter of receiving discipline or not to heart. Holding a brand new folded fan and bathed in the incoming light, he ambled forward, as Jiu Zhideng waited in the center of the hall, staring at him blankly. 

That was the first time he saw Xu Xingzhi.

“So you’re the young disciple sent by the demonic sect? What’s your name?” Xu Xingzhi squatted in front of him and brushed the tip of his nose with his fan.

He shrunk back and didn’t even utter half a syllable.

Xu Xingzhi skillfully rolled up his sleeves and picked him up: “Call me Shixiong.” 

His look of anticipation made Jiu Zhideng terrified out of his mind. Even his mother had never hugged him like this in front of other people before, fearing that there would be rumors that the youngest son was being spoiled which would make Jiu Zhideng even more disliked by his father.

Xu Xingzhi held the stiff Jiu Zhideng in his arms and procured a spiritual fruit from his lapel: “This fruit is very delicious, it’s the crispy spiritual fruit grown in Yingtiangchuan. . . . Do you want to eat it?”

Jiu Zhideng’s small body was as stiff as a coffin board.

Xu Xingzhi coaxed him: “Address me as Shixiong. If you call me Shixiong, then I will let you eat it.” 

Jiu Zhideng contemplated it seriously, and then slowly spit out only two syllables: “Mother.”

Xu Xingzhi: “. . .”

Jiu Zhideng gathered all of his courage and explained in an orderly manner: “My mother doesn’t know that I was sent here. She must be anxious.”

Xu Xingzhi’s joy faded a little. He put the child down and gazed into his eyes: “They sent you over here directly? Are you happy to be able to stay here?” 

“Whether I am happy or not, I still can’t go back.” Jiu Zhideng was aware of this in his heart and his eyes were so calm that they didn’t seem to be like a child’s.

He knelt down in front of Xu Xingzhi: “I just want to ask. . . you, to help me send a handwritten letter back home so that my mother can feel at ease.”

Xu Xingzhi hauled him to his feet: “Don’t be so long-winded. Where is the demonic practitioner who sent you here?”

“. . . Gone.” 

Xu Xingzhi brought him to the side hall, retrieved a brush, ink, and bamboo slips then slapped them before him and whirled around, stalking out the door.

Despite being separated by a long distance, Jiu Zhideng could still hear Xu Xingzhi’s hollers: “Qu Chi!! Wen-baimao!! Fatty Zhou!!! Who will accompany me to the main palace of the demonic sect!”

Although Jiu Zhideng at the time was still young, he was already very mature, but he still couldn’t have imagined how much trouble that letter reporting his safety would bring to Xu Xingzhi.

The demonic sect and the four sects reached a temporary truce and even sent their youngest son to be a hostage, which could be labeled as being utterly disgraced and also led the righteous cultivators to be proud and boastful. Who would have predicted that the head disciple of Fengling Mountain would take the initiative to show goodwill to the demonic cultivators and send a letter from their hostage to his hometown, leading to a fierce debate in the righteous sects. Did it represent that the blood debt between the demonic cultivators and the four sects was really written off just like that, as if nothing ever happened? 

In order to quell public opinion, Qu Chi, who went with Xu Xingzhi, was punished to return to Danyang Peak and reflect on himself in isolation for three months.

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Xu Xingzhi, on the other hand, received twenty strikes from the Xuanwu stick before Qingjing-jun sobered up and was unable to alight from bed for a month.

On the day Xu Xingzhi restored his mobility, he climbed onto the roof and captured the Jiu Zhideng that had no time to escape: “Are the stars outside my hall more beautiful than the ones elsewhere?”

Jiu Zhideng sported a cold expression but his face was flushed all the way to the base of his neck: “I. . . wanted to give you my gratitude.” 

Xu Xingzhi trapped the other in his embrace and teased him with a smile: “You haven’t made up your mind even after a month?”

Jiu Zhideng squirmed, trying to free himself from Xu Xingzhi’s arms: “Shixiong. . .”

“That’s right ah.” Xu Xingzhi grinned, “Say it again.”

Jiu Zhideng turned around to look at him, wondering why he cared so much about this form of address. 

Xu Xingzhi placed his chin on the crown of Jiu Zhideng’s head, rubbing against it contently as he responded with a smile: “I have an elder brother, but since I became the leading disciple under Shifu, I haven’t spoken with him in a very long time. I wanted to find someone to accompany me to just chat, but the outer sect disciples all respect and look up to me too much, and as for Zhou Beinan, Xuechen, and Quchi. . . Even if we get along swimmingly, we can’t hang out together all of the time. . .”

He lowered his head to look at Jiu Zhideng, his eyes filled with genuine joy: “So I was very happy when I heard that Shifu wanted to accept another inner sect disciple.”

Jiu Zhideng exposed his sore spot mercilessly: “I’m a demonic cultivator.”

“So what?” Xu Xingzhi was baffled, “Does your identity as a demonic practitioner not make you my shidi anymore?” 

Children have higher body temperatures in general and Jiu Zhideng was rendered shy by his words, so his temperature rose even higher. As soon as he tried to struggle, he heard Xu Xingzhi whisper: “Don’t move, stop moving, Shixiong’s back hurts.”

Jiu Zhideng was finally obedient.

He called out softly: “Shixiong.”

. . . Shixiong, Shixiong. 

Xu Xingzhi was so excited that his eyes lit up: “Call me that again.”

Jiu Zhideng was silent, but Xu Xingzhi didn’t mind and hugged Jiu Zhideng, looking up at the sky full of rivers of stars with him.

The glow of the silvery ocean was broad, the twinkling stars shimmered. The starry sky over Fengling Mountain has always been clear and bright, it was the best among the four sects.

Xu Xingzhi tilted his head and pointed at one of the soup spoon-shaped constellations, questioning: “Do you know what that is?” 

Jiu Zhideng answered: “I know. The Tianshu Star.”

He was used to being alone since young, so stargazing had always been one of his pastimes.

Xu Xingzhi choked. However, he had always been big-hearted, and still looped his arms around his newly acquired xiao-shidi, conversing with him: “Then you tell Shixiong about the stars ba.”

Jiu Zhideng nodded and raised his finger to point at the boundless, vast heavens. 

After squatting on the roof of Xu Xingzhi’s palace for a whole month, Jiu Zhideng only realized today that the stars here were countless times more exquisite than the stars above the main palace of the demonic sect.

Four years later, Meng Chongguang entered the sect.

From that time forth, Xu Xingzhi never hugged him to observe the stars again.

Because Meng Chongguang didn’t understand horoscopes, or Purple Star Astrology, and even if it were explained to him, he would forget. As such, Xu Xingzhi had to lecture him on it repeatedly with great patience in order to assure that he’d pass the exams year after year. 

Now, Jiu Zhideng was much taller than Xu Xingzhi, and it was no longer possible for the latter to hold him in his arms like he did when he was a child.

If he were to return to his childhood, Jiu Zhideng wasn’t sure if he would imitate Meng Chongguang’s behavior, pretending that he didn’t understand everything, pestering Shixiong to teach it to him night and day.

. . . Probably not ba.

No matter how he has been thus far, he was still a member of the demonic sects, which was fundamentally different from Meng Chongguang from the start. A demonic cultivator, who is too close to Shixiong, wasn’t it plainly smearing dirt onto Shixiong’s name ma. 

After this bout of pain subsided, the feeling of fatigue became more and more severe for Xu Xingzhi. Lying prone on the bed, Xu Xingzhi gritted his teeth, feigning ease as he comforted Jiu Zhideng: “It’s fine, much better now.”

After the discomfort, he was slightly dizzy as well making Xu Xingzhi rest on Jiu Zhideng’s arm drowsily.

Jiu Zhideng silently tucked in the quilt for Xu Xingzhi and just when he was about to shut the door and exit, he suddenly heard Xu Xingzhi call out for him from behind: “Xiao-Deng.”

He replied: “What’s the matter, Shixiong.” 

Xu Xingzhi was so sleepy that he couldn’t even lift his head: “. . . Sa Si told me that the entanglement on the demonic sect’s side will not drag you into it.”

Jiu Zhideng’s eyes trembled, his lips parted slightly, but couldn’t utter a word.

This time, Shixiong also did it for. . .

“I can see that you have been somewhat restless these past few days.” Xu Xingzhi’s hair was draped over his arms, his gaze was weary, but gentle, “. . . Relax ba. Your elder brothers are fighting, but it doesn’t have anything to do with you. Just remain here properly, cultivate peacefully, do not think too much.” 

Xu Xingzhi was really completely drained, falling asleep as soon as he finished.

Jiu Zhideng only stood stationary at the threshold for a short while before hurriedly striding back to the cot. He lowered his head to observe Xu Xingzhi’s sleeping face briefly, his breathing became heavier and his eyes darkened.

He knelt in front of the bed, pinched Xu Xingzhi’s chin, and directly kissed those soft and sweet lips.

Xu Xingzhi’s lips were slightly thicker than Jiu Zhideng’s naturally thin lips, so the kiss was very sensual, unspeakably tender, so comfortable that Jiu Zhideng hated that he couldn’t just drown in it and never surface. 

While he was indulging in this secretive, unethical happiness, he abruptly heard a disturbance on the side.

What he did was originally unscrupulous thus he already was overly jumpy. Hearing the noise, his heart started as he let go in a flash, turning his head to look over—

After circling around the small house once, Meng Chongguang, who finally managed to find a place to enter, was supporting himself up on the edge of a half-open window when he just so happened to bump into this scene.

His eyes were fixed on Jiu Zhideng, gradually becoming bloodshot as a demonic light glinted within, the redness gradually bleeding into the corners of his eyes: “. . . Jiu Zhideng.” 

At the same time.

Xu Pingsheng walked out of the small chamber where Guangfu-jun was staying, and after only making it less than ten steps down the hall, a short spear came from the shadows and nailed itself to the mahogany column that was only half a step away from Xu Pingsheng!

Xu Pingsheng’s face was horrified as he took a step back. He scanned his surroundings, only to see Zhou Beinan walking out of the shade, his expression extremely cold.

Xu Pingsheng faintly displayed some anger, but before it reached the bottom of his eyes, he reigned it back properly: “. . . Zhou-gongzi.” 

Zhou Beinan had a smile that wasn’t exactly a smile on his face as he stretched out his hand to retrieve the short spear: “I’m not worthy.”

Xu Pingsheng responded, neither humble nor arrogant: “What is Zhou-gongzi looking for me for?”

Zhou Beinan was not the type to beat around the bush. Since Xu Pingsheng asked, he wasn’t disinclined to give it to him straight: “Two and a half hours ago, I saw you look for Xingzhi at the residences where the disciples retired for the night.”

The expression on Xu Pingsheng’s face changed slightly: “It was Guangfu-jun who asked me to look for him.” 

Zhou Beinan pressed on: “He was not in his room at the time. How did you report it?”

Seeing him act so rudely, Xu Pingsheng simply stopped going in circles and stated: “There was demonic energy in the room. I relayed to Guangfu-jun that there were demonic cultivators here, was that wrong?”

Zhou Beinan didn’t want to hear Xu Pingsheng act so self-righteous and couldn’t tamp down on his rage: “Weren’t you aware that Guangfu-jun has always been very strict with Xingzhi’s behavior? No matter how brash and impetuous Xingzhi is, he is aware of and maintains his bottom line with his actions. What benefits do you get for you to just run out and rat out his dealings with the demonic cultivator like that?”

The impatience on Xu Pingsheng’s face became more distinct: “Exactly what is Zhou-gongzi trying to imply?” 

The author has something to say:

“To tell on others, even maidens who are only slightly honorable would disdain it.” Zhou Beinan sneered, “Are you sure you are truly Xu Xingzhi’s biological elder brother? It doesn’t seem like the two of you came out of the same womb to me.”

Xu Pingsheng’s expression was gloomy: “If one doesn’t commit dishonorable acts, why should one be afraid of receiving punishment? Besides, from where did Zhou-gongzi find out that he and I are related by blood? I am me, and he is him, why do all of you always try to compare the two of us?”

Author’s Chapter Summary: 

Exposed, childhood, accuser.

The translator has something to say: as expected, it was the brother who can’t help but have an inferiority complex

The editor has something to say: Jiu Zhideng, run!! D:

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