Translator: transcendentwings
Editor: teaff
That night, Qingjing-jun was overwhelmed by the alcohol and returned completely plastered.
When Xu Xingzhi carried Qingjing-jun back to the gates of the sect, he failed to keep an eye on the drunk and muddled Qingjing-jun, allowing him to climb up onto the Tongtian Pillar at the gate of Fengling Mountain and use his “Yuanjun” sword to carve words onto said pillar.
Halfway through the engraving, he turned around to ask Xu Xingzhi: “Xingzhi, Xingzhi, what is your surname?”
Xu Xingzhi tugged at the end of the other’s robes, not knowing whether to laugh or cry: “Shifu, come down quickly. When Guangfu-jun sees it later, he will punish me again.”
The drink-addled Qingjing-jun was still able to speak decently and gently: “As long as I’m here, he dares not. If he punishes you, I’ll beat him. . . . What is your family name?”
Xu Xingzhi: “Shifu, why are you asking this?”
Qingjing-jun laughed so hard that his dimples manifested and continued in a low and mysterious voice: “Shifu will engrave your name on the Tongtian Pillar. In the future, if your Shifu obtains divinity and ascends to the upper realm, Fengling Mountain will be handed to you at that time.”
Xu Xingzhi was scared out of his wits: “Shifu! My dearest Shifu! I’m begging you don’t! If this Fengling Mountain was given to me, wouldn’t I bring it to ruin?”
Qingjing-jun stubbornly insisted in a warm tone: “It won’t be ruined. It’ll be very good.”
Xu Xingzhi felt his head ache terribly: “Shifu, let’s stop making trouble, let’s retire to our rooms and rest ba.”
The bell on Xu Xingzhi’s wrist jingled with a dingding dangdang as if they were startled, attracting Qingjing-jun’s attention.
He drew his willow leaf-like eyebrows into a somewhat melancholic arc then reached out to clasp Xu Xingzhi’s wrist: “Come. I’ll remove it for you.”
Xu Xingzhi grinned: “. . . But this was what you gave me back then. What, you can’t bear to part with it anymore la? You still want to take it back?”
Qingjing-jun stared steadily at Xu Xingzhi and stated: “. . . Not good.”
“What isn’t good? Now you should obediently follow me back to wash up and sleep, everything will be alright.”
It was a frightening affair whenever Qingjing-jun becomes obstinate, he repeated: “No good.”
Just when Xu Xingzhi was feeling helpless, he abruptly heard Guangfu-jun’s suppressed roar from below him: “Xu Xingzhi! What are you doing on the Tongtian Pillar?”
Although it was the middle of the night, this drunken fit of Qingjing-jun failed to alarm but a mere few disciples, however Guangfu-jun’s wrath was surely provoked like a strike of thunder and lightning as he punished Xu Xingzhi to go back and copy the texts The True Classic of Simplicity and and Vacuity, Book of Changes Cantong Qi, and Inner Writings of Baopuzi and hand them in the following morning.
The first task Xu Xingzhi, who successfully overcame the tribulation and joined the ranks of the Nascent Soul cultivators, had to complete was to transcribe scriptures, something which was rarely done even by lower-level disciples. His situation could be described as being utterly miserable.
“. . . Why does he always have me transcribe texts ne.” Xu Xingzhi collapsed on top of the desk in the study, feeling very depressed, “Guangfu-jun could have even punished me to remain in a handstand in front of the Qingzhu Pavilion overnight ah.”
Jiu Zhideng was off to the side grinding ink and replied softly after hearing those words: “Shixiong, don’t worry. I will aid you, it will be completed before dawn breaks tomorrow.”
Meng Chongguang smiled brightly, his eyes shone with purity like stars, easily able to captivate everyone’s gaze: “I’m also here ah.”
The Meng-Jiu pair, sat on either side of him, causing some unknown emotions to gush from his heart.
He lifted his hands to press on the back of their heads respectively and rubbed them affectionately: “Two silly kids.”
Xu Xingzhi’s tone of voice was very pleasant, and the way he uttered “children” was hoarse and extremely charming. Naturally, Meng Chongguang was overjoyed to be called so, yet Jiu Zhideng looked straight at Xu Xingzhi and pointed out: “Shixiong, I’m not a child anymore.”
Needless to say, Xu Xingzhi wouldn’t muse about it in any other direction and declared with a smile: “In Shixiong’s eyes, you both will always be children.”
“En.” Meng Chongguang leaned his head against the space between Xu Xingzhi’s right shoulder and neck. Despite being taller than Xu Xingzhi, he completed this coquettish and overly intimate gesture very smoothly, “As long as Shixiong doesn’t disdain Chongguang, Chongguang is willing to spend his lifetime by Shixiong’s side.”
Xu Xingzhi’s tone was gentle: “Foolish words.”
Jiu Zhideng peered at Meng Chongguang with a strange expression.
He couldn’t figure out why a demonic spirit cultivator could deceive Shixiong so guilelessly and also couldn’t understand where these faint emotions of envy and longing in his own heart emerged from.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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Jiu Zhideng himself was of the opinion that he couldn’t act so shamelessly with Shixiong like Meng Chongguang does. Despite the fact that both of them are from the demonic sects, they were ultimately not the same.
In any case, Shixiong was a leading figure of the younger generation and no one would be his equal any longer. In the future, he would definitely become the rightful successor of Fengling Mountain. Neither Meng Chongguang nor himself had the qualifications to be paired with Shixiong.
Thinking about it in this way, Jiu Zhideng felt more at ease and felt that the way Meng Chongguang tangled with Shixiong wasn’t as displeasing to the eye as it was before.
Shixiong was Jiu Zhideng’s only light, even if he were to get scalded if he got too close, he only wanted to follow behind his Shixiong. If Shixiong could occasionally spare him a warm glance, he would already be content.
He didn’t dare to wish for more.
Deep into the night, copying scriptures was a most tedious and exhausting task. The three of them sat shoulder to shoulder and chatted idly without purpose.
Meng Chongguang fixed his bright eyes on Xu Xingzhi as he leaned his cheek in his hand and bit the end of the brush. In the dancing clear candlelight reflected in his eyes, there was only room for Xu Xingzhi to reside: “Shixiong, if you were reborn as a regular mortal, who would you like to remain by your side?”
From the corner of his eye, he vaguely caught Jiu Zhideng’s figure, who had his head bowed, focusing on the task before them, a smile seemed to twinkle in his eyes.
He had once asked Xu Xingzhi a similar question and at the time Xu Xingzhi had chosen himself. Now he wanted Xu Xingzhi to repeat this answer that had made him secretly feel sweet inside for a long time in front of Jiu Zhideng.
Xu Xingzhi stopped writing and pondered it for a while: “. . . Me? I want a father like Shifu, also a little sister like Ruzhou, and that would be enough.”
“. . . What about me?” Meng Chongguang’s expectations suddenly fell through as he tugged on the end of Xu Xingzhi’s clothes, unwilling to overlook or spare him easily, “Shixiong, and me?”
Jiu Zhideng didn’t speak and just looked at Xu Xingzhi intently.
Xu Xingzhi kicked Meng Chongguang under the table: “Scram. Being reborn and you still expect me to be a father and a mother?”
Meng Chongguang suddenly felt very discomfited in his heart. Sniffling, he complained petulantly: “Shixiong, you’ve said before that you only wanted me.”
Xu Xingzhi was so pestered that there was no other way: “Ok, fine, yes, I want you, okay ba? I want you all, Beinan, Xuechen, Qu Chi, Shifu, Ruzhou, Pingsheng, Xiao-Jiu, and you. If I live a new life, I will take all of you with me, not one left behind.”
When Meng Chongguang heard that so many people would be tagging along, he was extremely displeased and pouted as he turned to look away from Xu Xingzhi.
On the other hand, Jiu Zhideng secretly raised the corner of his lips when he heard that his name was included.
As they continued to scribble and write, the two little ones beside Xu Xingzhi couldn’t help but start to nod off.
After the bitter battle with the nine-tailed serpent yesterday, Jiu Zhideng was anxious and frightened for a long time. Later, he combed through the mountains with great devotion to search for Xu Xingzhi and waited for the other to return to Fengling Mountain without a smidgeon of rest. Thus, he really couldn’t keep his eyes open now.
Meng Chongguang was similarly worn out due to the injuries he had sustained and drifted off into sleep at the desk before he could even make it halfway through the transcription.
Xu Xingzhi glanced at either side of him with a smile.
There was a soft divan in the study for people to rest on. Xu Xingzhi picked up the two and placed them side by side on it, then brought over a warm cloak to drape over the both of them together. Finally after patting both of them on their heads and the back of their necks respectively, he chuckled softly and returned to his spot by the window under the bright moonlight, sorting through and merging the three separate documents that radiated with a clear and bright hue. Just as he was about to pick up his brush to resume his task, he suddenly heard three soft knocks on the window lattice from the outside.
Xu Xingzhi looked up suddenly and saw Xu Pingsheng standing beyond it. His entire body bathed in the soft glow of the moon and the stars as he held his long-lost folded bamboo fan.
Xu Xingzhi was overjoyed and tiptoed to exit the room. He couldn’t help but peer backwards toward his elder brother even as he was still preoccupied with closing the door: “. . . Pingsheng.”
Xu Pingsheng had once strictly ordered Xu Xingzhi not to call him elder brother when they were within the gates of the sect. Xu Pingsheng brought him up single-handedly, so even if Xu Xingzhi felt that doing so would be disrespectful, he could only obey.
Xu Pingsheng returned “Xianbi” to him: “Shishu retrieved it from the top of the nine-tailed serpent’s skull and entrusted me to return it to you.” After saying that, he couldn’t help grumbling, “. . . Throwing things around left and right, behaving recklessly, how can you become an authoritative figure.”
Xu Xingzhi was quite delighted: “Elder brother’s scoldings are right.”
Xu Pingsheng clicked his tongue and Xu Xingzhi instantly recalled his mistake, but didn’t apologize, just fixed his gaze on Xu Pingsheng with a slight grin: “Pingsheng, thank you for worrying about me.”
Xu Pingsheng was stared at until goosebumps broke out all over: “. . . I’m leaving.”
“Pingsheng.” Xu Xingzhi remembered the way Xu Pingsheng had looked at him before he left with his Shifu. As soon as the thought arose, he reached out to hold Xu Pingsheng’s arm, “Yuan-shimei and I. . .”
“There’s no need for you to explain anything.” Hearing this name, Xu Pingsheng seemed to have recalled something unpleasant and his slightly softened expression instantly became terse again. He interrupted Xu Xingzhi’s words and spoke with mildly veiled sarcasm, “. . . It was hard on you to keep avoiding Yuan-shimei for my sake for so many years.”
Xu Xingzhi didn’t expect Xu Pingsheng to utter these words and remarked with astonishment: “Towards Yuan-shimei, I’ve never. . .”
Xu Pingsheng turned his face away and shook his hand off with a flick of his sleeves: “I already said that you needn’t explain further. At the same time, I haven’t fallen to the point where I need you to take a step back in every matter. Please don’t talk about me in front of outsiders in the future, thank you.”
Xu Xingzhi felt somewhat regretful.
A conversation that was still rather peaceful was messed up by him. If he had known that not mentioning Ruzhou would’ve preserved the other’s pleasure, perhaps he could’ve even pulled his elder brother into sitting and chatting with him for a while.
Fortunately, he was broad-minded enough that nothing would ever weigh on his mind for more than a quarter of an hour.
Xu Xingzhi had obtained the physique of a Nascent Soul practitioner, albeit due to his reckless behavior. This was a grand event for Fengling Mountain that was sure to be celebrated.
Merely two days after Xu Xingzhi stayed up overnight to transcribe the texts, Qingjing-jun held a celebratory ceremony for the sake of Xu Xingzhi alone. Danyang Peak and Yingtianchuan both sent congratulatory gifts, while the commendatory gift from Qingliang Valley was personally sent by Wen Xuechen.
A few days ago, when Xu Xingzhi encountered the lightning tribulation, he failed to find Xu Xingzhi and then his heart condition flared up so he was escorted back to Shangfeng Temple by the Qingliang Valley disciples before he was rushed back to the Valley for treatment. After the past two days, his condition was better so he took this opportunity to come pay a visit to Fengling Mountain.
According to Wen Xuechen’s words it was: “To see if you were dead or not.”
Xu Xingzhi changed into the formal brocade robes that would only be worn during grand ceremonies at Fengling Mountain. The close-fitting auspicious clothing outlined his extremely smooth and thin waistline, with a jade ornament hanging from his waist, and the bell looped around his wrist. It was impossible for the pure white color of the garments to suppress his sharp look and handsome countenance by three points.
As long as he didn’t open his mouth, he would be the unparalleled white jade-like young master in this world.
Seeing that Wen Xuechen had come, he smirked and waved his fan around: “Wen-baimao, what are you giving me ya.”
“A pair of coral jade arbors, more than a dozen kinds of elixirs, and a pair of jade cicada cauldrons.” Wen Xuechen glanced up at him, frowning slightly, “Bend down. Your collar hasn’t been straightened out, a most improper display.”
Xu Xingzhi grinned: “Your tone is really like my father.”
Wen Xuechen didn’t play along and respond to his provocation, just smiled faintly, and sized up this person who was younger than him by two years, loyal and high spirited, prestigious and rambunctious. After so many years, he was still such a free and easy person with a youthful demeanor that garnered envy.
The ceremony went very smoothly. Xu Xingzhi grasped the wat and held the fan, stepped onto the high platform within Qingzhu Hall, and received the jade crown and accepted the jade stole. Qingjing-jun wrapped the jade stole over his neck, then gently clasped his wrist, taking the silver bell tied to his wrist into his grasp as well as he pulled the other to his feet.
Xu Xingzhi was somewhat taken aback: “. . . Shifu?”
Guangfu-jun, who was originally sitting comfortably on his seat, felt that this formal gesture was a little over what was appropriate and felt very puzzled. However, seeing Qingjing-jun’s solemn actions, the confusion in his heart was cleared up by six points.
. . . Could it be that Shixiong wants to take this opportunity to name the person who will inherit the sect master’s seat of Fengling Mountain in the future?
Xu Xingzhi? How could it be Xu Xingzhi?
Wen Xuechen, who sat in the guest seat, however, took it calmly.
Qingjing-jun had always loved and favored Xu Xingzhi and those of the four sects were well aware that now that his Nascent Soul physique was formed, the sect master seat of Fengling Mountain would be his without a doubt.
This result was within his expectations, thus he personally came to laud him. At the same time, he also wanted to see Xu Xingzhi’s stunned and speechless expression as it would definitely be a sight to behold.
When Qingjing-jun displayed such a staid posture and led him towards the middle of the platform, Xu Xingzhi also thought of this possibility.
To be precise, Xu Xingzhi had predicted that this day would come sooner or later the moment Qingjing-jun engraved those words upon the Tongtian Pillar that night.
He whispered: “Shifu, you mustn’t. I really can’t bear the position of master of Fengling Mountain. With Guanfu-jun in the position he occupies, it should be he that. . .”
Qingjing-jun answered softly: “Shidi is suitable for assisting, but too old-fashioned to be the leader. Besides, if I can take on this position as master of the sect, why can’t you.”
Xu Xingzhi was not interested in the position of sect master, but he had already been brought forth onto the high platform and had no means of retreat. Even Guangfu-jun, who seemed to be quite critical, showed an expression of “accepting fate” amid several changes in his expression.
Xu Xingzhi saw that this monumental event was about to be set in stone and could only sigh softly, his line of sight naturally falling to those below him and just so happened to be met with Meng Chongguang’s eyes.
The unreserved and undisguised admiration and adoration in Meng Chongguang’s gaze made his heart tremble slightly, making Xu Xingzhi smile at him in return unconsciously.
If he were to become the sect master in the future and be able to guard and bless Meng Chongguang and Jiu Zhideng with a lifetime of peace and joy. . .
Just as he thought of this, there was a sudden commotion from the audience. Xu Xingzhi cast his eyes towards the source of the disturbance and the expression on his face couldn’t help but change.
—Jiu Zhideng, who was originally in the ranks of his fellow disciples, turned pale at some point and knelt down on one knee unsteadily. He covered his forehead and began to gasp uncontrollably.
Blood vessels were scattered across the whites of his eyes as they dyed them with a crimson hue, coiling about, igniting those indifferent black pupils into a sea of pain.
An unidentified disciple called out: “A demonic cultivator! Jiu Zhideng’s bloodline from the demonic path has awakened!”
Xu Xingzhi’s heart shook violently then heavily dropped into a black abyss.
For more than twenty years, the demonic blood in Jiu Zhideng had not awakened, yet on this day it actually. . .
Xu Xingzhi shook off Qingjing-jun’s hand, leapt down from the high platform and embraced the writhing Jiu Zhideng into his arms.
Jiu Zhideng’s body was like cooking oil embroiled in raging flames, his bones and flesh cackling in it with a zhizhi. He leaned into Xu Xingzhi’s hold, his neck bared upwards at a harsh angle as he screamed and struggled.
He had always been someone who bottled everything up and just endured. If it wasn’t a situation where the pain was truly unbearable, he would never lose his composure so completely like he did now!
The bloodline of the demonic path, a severely twisted consciousness, born as karma, was something that those of the demonic way possessed by nature. However the reason why Jiu Zhideng was regarded as a useless being by the demonic cultivators and was sent to the righteous sects for many years was exactly because though he was Nian Zai’s true son, he had yet awakened his demonic inheritance for many years.
Their meridian pathways were structured completely opposite of righteous practitioners’. Their cultivation methods were all reversed and the sooner one triggered the awakening, the less one would suffer. Jiu Zhideng has been practicing for many years, his meridians have been established for a long time and the circulation of energy has been as smooth as pearls. Now, the awakening of his demonic blood at this time was definitely an extremely dangerous situation. If there was no expert at his side to instruct and guide him correctly, then all of his meridians would inevitably be reversed, going against its intended pathway, and make his circuits and meridians explode, causing his demise!
Xu Xingzhi practically didn’t hesitate at all, extraditing his innate energy to enter Jiu Zhideng’s meridians. Just as he was about to sort out the other’s meridians and guide the flow of energy for him, he heard Jiu Zhideng in his arms, who was exerting all his strength to hold his head, holler in agony: “Shixiong, I’d rather die than descend into the demonic path! Let me die— Allow me to die ah—”
His harrowing lament echoed within the Qingzhu Hall, causing all the disciples to lower their heads and look at each other blankly, unsure of what to do.
Xu Xingzhi’s heartstrings were tugged on as he lowered his hands.
He had excellent hearing and could pick up on the distress in Jiu Zhideng’s voice, he could even hear the torment he was going through as the flow of his energy was reversed.
This was the child he had raised since the other was young. He rarely made any demands for himself, yet now he proposed that Xu Xingzhi should just sit back idly and grant him death in his arms like this.
. . . This was his mournful plea.
Xu Xingzhi hugged Jiu Zhideng tightly, momentarily in a daze, then embraced the other closer and soared upwards.
After a whistle, “Xianbi” turned into a jade sword with a flowing sliver of light, supporting the two of them upon itself.
Guangfu-jun blanched as he bellowed: “Xu Xingzhi! This is your Nascent Soul ceremony, where do you think you’re going?”
. . . Not just his Nascent Soul ceremony, but also his succession rite.
The bloodline awakening of a negligent demonic cultivator should not be a reason to interrupt this ritual. If the other was left alone for a moment, the other’s meridians would be reversed and he would meet his end abruptly.
However, Xu Xingzhi just left without looking back, disappearing from everyone’s field of view in an instant. It was self-evident what he brought Jiu Zhideng away to do.
Guangfu-jun roared angrily and snapped his glare over to Qingjing-jun with mixed emotions of surprise and bewilderment: “Shixiong! Xu Xingzhi actually regards that demonic cultivator as more important than his succession rite—”
Qingjing-jun gazed at Xu Xingzhi’s back, neither surprised nor annoyed: “. . . It isn’t his fault.”
Xu Xingzhi wasn’t at fault, and neither was Jiu Zhideng to blame.
One drink one meal, if not predetermined. It was all just a result of destiny.
The author has something to say: Happy New Year little angels~ qiuqiuqiu! (づ一3一)づ ?~
Author’s Chapter Summary:
Succession, ceremony, awakening day
The translator has something to say: and so the wheels of fate turn
Our lovely editor has been sick, let us congratulate her on her recovery and welcome back dear readers to this long-awaited (I hope) update! Just wanted to say that although I haven’t been posting frequently, I have still been diligently translating, let’s finish this novel together! Also forgot to mention that chapters 46 & 47 were locked on the RAWs jjwxc site due to “forbidden” words as flagged by bots thus I had to use other resources to translate those chapters, I will mark these chapters in the future with an asterisk in the title. I do apologize if the accuracy of the content has been corrupted.
I imagined this type from ancient China, usually is layered with cushions and a comforter
exquisitely carved jade that are hung from the waist band of hanfu
cicadas were a popular motif to carve onto these jade cookware as their life cycle represented rebirth and cleanliness, these furnaces or cauldrons can be used to cook food or to create elixirs/spiritual medicinal pellets
the wat (chaohu 朝笏) or handboard was the wooden board often seen carried by officials in ancient China. They were used to make records, take notes, and represented status. The emperor’s wat was made of jade, princes’ of ivory, doctors’ of silk bamboo, higher ranking officials’ of bamboo, and lower ranking’s of wood
Thank you for the chapter! Glad to see you are both well 😊
Yayy thank you for the chapters!!!!
Thank You for the new chapter (๑°꒵°๑)･*♡ Good to hear that You are healthy again! Take care both of You ❤