Translator: transcendentwings
When he woke up from his dream state this time, Xu Xingzhi didn’t feel any obvious discomfort, just like rousing from a dream.
He turned over and sat up, an outer robe that still retained some lingering warmth that was thrown over him slipped down along with his movements.
The light outside the cave was as usual, dark and gloomy, but unlike normal, he could discern the sounds of pattering rain echoing in his ears.
This time it took him much less time to sort through the memory segment than before as only half the night had passed and everyone was still asleep. Those that were meditating were cultivating in concentration, those that were sleeping peacefully were slumbering away, even Meng Chongguang was curled up beside him in a light snooze, his eyelids twitching slightly as if he hadn’t slept peacefully in a long time.
Either way he was wide awake, placed in a spot closest to the campfire, as such after sleeping for so long, he felt like he had been completely roasted dry, so Xu Xingzhi just simply got up, draped a robe over himself and walked away.
Ducking out of the cave, Xu Xingzhi stretched his arms and took a deep breath.
The air baptized by the rain was so fresh that one’s heart felt refreshed and the surrounding scene was like a meticulously painted picture: the clear white rain generated bubbles on the ground, the bigger ones were the size of fists while the smaller ones were like sunflower seeds, the rock was crow black, the soil was ochre yellow, from near to far, it was well-textured with a few unknown ostentatious flowers as the finishing touch. A touch of scarlet flashed in a bundle of jade green leaves, just like the red jade hairpins that women loved to use, only that it had been beaten by the rain until they trembled and a few crimson petals had already been cast into the mud.
Xu Xingzhi morphed “Xianbi” into an umbrella, exited, picked up a wooden stick, and used it to push the green leaves aside, making sure that there were no insects crawling over it before he plucked off all the flowers and returned to the cave.
Xu Xingzhi sat on the ground, shook the rain droplets off the umbrella and placed it on one side. When the water droplets were all gone, he morphed it into a pair of scissors then a spool of cotton thread in that order. Listening to the sounds of the rain, he arranged the flowers and fiddled with one of the most brilliant flowers to make it appear fresher and lovelier.
He used the thick cotton thread to tie a knot on the polished branch and fashioned it into an au naturale floral hairpin.
The moment he turned “Xianbi” back into a folded fan and was holding the floral hairpin between his fingers to admire his work, he broke out in an amused chuckle as he heard the hurried footsteps that resounded behind him.
Having been entangled with the other for three, four, five, six times already, how could he not guess who those footsteps belonged to?
However, this time when Meng Chongguang lunged at him, the rhythm of his breaths were somewhat chaotic and his palms which were roaming all over him were even covered in a thin layer of sweat. Xu Xingzhi couldn’t help but restrain his laughter at the sign of these abnormalities: “Are you alright ba?”
“. . . Not fine.” The heated breath from Meng Chongguang’s mouth slowly sprayed over Xu Xingzhi’s earlobe, “Shixiong, I had a nightmare just now. I dreamed of you. . . You suddenly didn’t want me anymore, no matter how I called for you from behind, you never turned back.”
However aggrieved his tone could become was how petulant it really was: “When I woke up again, Shixiong was already no longer by my side. What did you want me to think. . .”
Xu Xingzhi frowned slightly: “Did you always have such episodes of insomnia paired with numerous dreams?”
As if something were exposed, Meng Chongguang mumbled coquettishly: “It’s not exactly insomnia. . . Looking at Shixiong makes me feel at ease and I don’t really need sleep.”
Xu Xingzhi stopped talking.
This made Meng Chongguang assert that the other was angry, so he didn’t dare to speak with such overly embellished words anymore and could only confess truthfully: “. . . I really can’t sleep and will wake up every quarter of an hour and only when I see Shixiong beside me when I rouse will I be able to feel at ease.”
Xu Xingzhi: “. . .”
No wonder Meng Chongguang’s robe still retained some residual warmth when he woke up, Meng Chongguang must’ve gotten up not too long ago and draped it over him.
He patted his own crossed legs helplessly: “Come here.”
Meng Chongguang obediently laid against his legs, his eyes bright as he called: “. . . Shixiong.”
The strong affection contained in these mere two characters dyed Xu Xingzhi’s ears in crimson: “What?”
“I wanted to call for you.” Although Meng Chongguang had laid down, he remained restless as his gaze wandered about. He discovered the floral hairpin long ago and a radiant smile had gathered at the corners of his lips, “Shixiong’s fingers are truly very nimble.”
Xu Xingzhi poked the other’s forehead: “Close your eyes and have a good rest.”
“If I close my eyes, can Shixiong personally insert the flower pin for me?” Meng Chongguang cheekily solicited for his gift.
Unexpectedly, Xu Xingzhi countered: “. . . Who said this flower was for you?”
Meng Chongguang sat up and stared down at Xu Xingzhi: “Then who is that for?”
Xu Xingzhi just found it amusing: “Why would you think that I made it for you? This is worn by girls, would it make sense for you to be adorned with a flower?”
Coincidentally, as soon as Xu Xingzhi’s words fell, Yuan Ruzhou’s clear voice echoed from behind: “Shixiong and Meng-shidi awoke so early ah.”
Xu Xingzhi smiled and beckoned: “Ruzhou, come here.”
Yuan Ruzhou approached cluelessly as Xu Xingzhi flipped the flower hairpin over in his palm, a smile etched into the space between his brows and contained in his eyes: “Nuo.”
After all, Yuan Ruzhou was still a maiden so she instantly fell in love with the exquisite hairpin at first sight: “Is this for me?”
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.
“Not entirely.” The floral hairpin was indeed made for Yuan Ruzhou, but Xu Xingzhi was afraid she wouldn’t accept it so he joked, “Either for you or Ah-Wang. In short, it’s a reward for the good kid who gets up early.”
Yuan Ruzhou reached out for the flower pin with her thin, bony hand: “Shixiong still tries to coax me as if I were a child.”
Probably because of Wutong, Xu Xingzhi did treat Yuan Ruzhou as a member of the younger generation and indulged and pampered her like a younger sister: “Wear it. Let Shixiong take a look and see if it looks good.”
Yuan Ruzhou smiled: “Shixiong, with my current appearance, what is there to look pretty about?”
Xu Xingzhi clicked his tongue: “What nonsense are you saying ne. Quickly put it on.”
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Meng Chongguang on the side muttered sourly: “Yuan-shijie, this isn’t suitable for you to wear.”
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Yuan Ruzhou had a clever mind and understood what Meng Chongguang was grousing in regard to, however, she also wasn’t someone who could be trifled with. She purposely played with the petals in bloom that hung over her temple on purpose and loudly declared: “I think it’s quite fitting. Many thanks, Shixiong.”
Zfcu Jtbcuuejcu’r ojmf aegcfv qjif klat jcufg jcv jr rbbc jr Tejc Eehtbe ifoa, atfc ktlqqfv jgbecv jcv rajixfv jkjs, vfabeglcu ab j rwjii obgx lc atf mjnf’r qjat, rdejaalcu vbkc vffq lc atf mjnf klat tlr yjmx aegcfv abkjgvr We Wlcuhtl.
Xu Xingzhi trotted after him, not knowing whether he should laugh or cry: “. . . A mere flower and it wasn’t even made for you in the first place, do you have to be so stingy.”
Meng Chongguang remained silent.
Xu Xingzhi went over and crouched down next to him, poking his back: “Ai, you’ve really become mad la?”
Meng Chongguang sniffled: “I’m infuriated to death.”
Xu Xingzhi couldn’t hold back his snort of laughter.
Meng Chongguang glared at Xu Xingzhi with a silent accusation and grumbled, seething: “. . . Only you dare to provoke me so.”
Xu Xingzhi didn’t make another sound, slipped Meng Chongguang’s robe that was originally draped over his shoulders off and tossed it over the other’s head.
Meng Chongguang, who assumed that Xu Xingzhi would continue to cajole him: “. . .”
The moment he tugged the robe off, he whirled around and wanted to tackle Xu Xingzhi and knock him over to teach him a lesson, but before he could make the first move, he was so shocked by the scene in front of him that he couldn’t utter another word.
—Xu Xingzhi’s neck had been entangled with layers of silver chains at some point, while a flower was held in his mouth, and his clothes weren’t worn properly, revealing several patches of wheat-colored skin that invoked countless fantasies.
He held one end of the silver chain in his palm, fiddled with it for a while, then lifted his hand and threw it to Meng Chongguang, saying vaguely: “This is your gift.”
Meng Chongguang snatched up the silver chain in his hand, but still couldn’t recover from the seductive masculine allure. He just stared dumbly at the glittering silver chain in a daze.
Xu Xingzhi moved his neck, feeling awkward, then removed the blossoming flower from between his lips: “You don’t want ah? If you don’t want it, I’ll just take it away.”
After he finished, he grasped the “gift” in his palm, turned around and walked off. Only then did Meng Chongguang come back to his senses, pinning the connecting chain against the wall with one hand to trap Xu Xingzhi in place.
“Atta boy.” Xu Xingzhi stopped and grinned. Turning back around, he spread open his arms and ordered simply and forcefully, “Come here.”
A short while later, soft murmurs and the rustling of fabric came from this small fork in the cave path.
Meng Chongguang had set up a simple array here: from the outside, it seemed calm and deserted at a glance, but the two inside the formation could clearly see every move of the people outside.
Xu Xingzhi was cross and amused at the same time as he tugged at his clothes which only had its collar left: “You wastrel, can you stop tearing the clothing?! I don’t have many sets left in my storage ring ah, for you to ruin like this!?”
One of his two well-proportioned and well-muscled long legs was pushed against the stone wall opposite the narrow passage, and the other was lifted high, causing his muscles and bones to ache.
The person who captured his leg answered righteously: “Aren’t gifts meant to be opened?”
Xu Xingzhi scoffed as he scolded: “Little b*stard.”
“Chide me ba, Shixiong.” Meng Chongguang kissed him, “Only Shixiong can rebuke me. . . I like it when Shixiong admonishes me more during times like this, I won’t become infuriated.”
Yet how could Xu Xingzhi still have the strength to castigate the other.
When Yuan Ruzhou ventured out to retrieve some water for the sake of washing up, the others resting in the main cave roused in twos and threes, with some getting dressed, some chatting, some ambling about on their two feet. Even if they were aware that the other couldn’t hear the noises generated from this side, Xu Xingzhi still gritted his teeth in order to suppress his muffled hums as he rolled in the damp soil when he couldn’t handle it. The person before him was entangled with him, entwined, sunken in a bouyant feeling.
. There by the stream, fish were present. The stream was deep and the fish were fat, swimming upstream, lackadaisically, as if they were on their way home.
Due to the continuous rain, the group of them stayed in this location for another two days, and only set out on the road again after the waterworks subsided.
When Xu Xingzhi emerged from the cave, he was limping so badly that even Zhou Wang noticed that something was amiss: “Xu-shixiong, what’s wrong with you?”
Meng Chongguang was busy rolling up his own garments into a ball to stuff around Xu Xingzhi’s waist, hearing this, the two of them answered in unison: “Twisted the waist.”
Zhou Beinan next to him sneered coldly.
“What are you laughing at ah,” Xu Xingzhi squinted at him, “Like you’ve never sprained it?”
He pondered it for a while and then continued cheerfully: “Oh, it seems that you really haven’t before. . . . How pitiful.”
Before Zhou Beinan exploded, Meng Chongguang glanced at him indifferently then strode forward, dragging on Xu Xingzhi’s arm, his face pale with distress: “Shixiong, why don’t you rest for another two days?”
Xu Xingzhi saw through his calculations almost immediately: “Take another two days’ rest and let you mess with me again? In your dreams.”
Meng Chongguang rubbed his arm with a smile and murmured softly: “Shixiong obviously also felt very comfortable ya.”
Xu Xingzhi pinched the flesh on the inside of Meng Chongguang’s arm: “Such a degenerate, aren’t you.”
After walking for more than ten days, the bunch of them finally reached the edge of Huawai Territory.
An all encompassing blue-green swamp which seemed to cover the sky and the sun appeared before them. The surrounding scenery was unveiled before their eyes, where the sky and the water were of one color with no end in sight. The damp atmosphere dyed the tree bark growing in the vicinity into a moldy black and countless small snakes and water spiders could be spotted in the blue colored fog rising from the muddy mixture.
Despite knowing that the location of the key fragment may be hidden in a dangerous place where dragons and tigers lurk, Xu Xingzhi wasn’t nervous at all.
This emotion was entirely derived from Meng Chongguang’s presence.
He distinctly recalled that when they approached Hutiao Ravine, Meng Chongguang’s reaction revealed some apprehension. Especially when they entered the mist, the hand that clasped his was sweating slightly.
However this time, the more they closed in onHuawai Territory, the more relaxed Meng Chongguang became, as if what was in store for them was not some bizarre monster, but a home prepared with hot soup and greeting relatives.
Meng Chongguang walked at the forefront and led them along the perimeter of the deserted swamp for a long time.
Xu Xingzhi felt more and more puzzled as they advanced, so he simply quickened his footsteps to catch up and whispered in the other’s ear: “Exactly where are we going?”
“Shixiong, trust me.” Meng Chongguang murmured back, “What I’m bringing Shixiong to see is something that you’ll definitely like.”
While Xu Xingzhi was thoroughly puzzled until his skull swelled as if he had grown two heads, Meng Chongguang stopped abruptly, spun around and pointed to the blue-green pool in front of him that appeared no different from other swampy patches: “We’re not walking anymore.”
Zhou Beinan was already annoyed by their trek: “That’s right ah, if we keep this up when is this going to end? Why don’t you just tell me to go down and take a look.”
Lu Yujiu hesitated: “Have you go down?”
Zhou Beinan: “Of course it’ll be me, Yingtianchuan faces the sea. I grew up with the sea since I was a child. If I don’t venture down, can it be that you, a landlubber who grew up inland, that would be the one to take a dive? Besides, after entering this swamp, there will only be mud, other than me who doesn’t need to breathe, which of you can guarantee not to drown?”
Tao Xian nervously stammered: “No, let’s not ba, what if there’s something down there. . .”
“What did I grow this pair of legs for? Even if there were something lurking underneath, can’t I just run?” Zhou Beinan turned to Meng Chongguang, seeking for the other’s directive, “How about I jump down there?”
Meng Chongguang nodded, expressing his acquiescence.
Zhou Beinan stripped in two or three quick movements, then armed with only a pair of underwear, he handed his clothing to Lu Yujiu for safekeeping.
Lu Yujiu couldn’t conceal his worried expression. Amidst the hideous phantom mask, there was a heartwarming watery glimmer in his eyes.
Taking note of his expression, Zhou Beinan could take a few guesses. He stretched out his hand to swipe the other on his nose bridge and comforted jokingly: “. . . Look at you. Make sure to take good care of my clothes ah.”
After saying that, Zhou Beinan whipped around like the body of a kite and plunged into the turquoise swamp like a ribbon of snow white silk, slipping into the sludge-like quagmire smoothly and quietly without even a string of bubbles emerging in disturbance.
Lu Yujiu hurried forward a few steps, but couldn’t even catch a glimpse of the disappearing figure.
Ever since Zhou Beinan was injured, he had never let Zhou Beinan out of his sight before. . .
Even Zhou Wang could tell that Lu Yujiu’s mood had hit an all time low. She stepped forward without prompting to comfort Lu Yujiu: “Auntie, don’t worry too much, Uncle will be fine.”
Lu Yujiu was so startled that he couldn’t even speak eloquently anymore: “You, what did you call me?”
Zhou Wang was puzzled: “Auntie ah.”
“Who. . .” Lu Yujiu felt waves of heat rush towards his head from his back and was so ashamed that he wanted to tuck his face into the garments that he was holding in his hands, “Who told you to call me that ya.”
Zhou Wang instinctively turned towards Xu Xingzhi, but Xu Xingzhi just secretly gestured to her, pointing at the place where Zhou Beinan just hopped in from.
Zhou Wang immediately picked up on his meaning and answered: “It was Uncle.”
Lu Yujiu kneaded the clothes that still possessed some lingering warmth in his hands, indignant and embarrassed. He bit his lip as he grumbled: “B*stard. . . Not teaching children anything good. . .”
Despite grousing about that, he didn’t dissuade Zhou Wang from calling him that.
Altogether it took an hour for Zhou Beinan to explore the depths, so long that even Xu Xingzhi, who was originally in a relaxed mood, felt his heart get caught in his throat, not to mention Lu Yujiu who was originally on pins and needles.
Hugging the clothes to his chest, he crouched down by the edge of the swamp. Disregarding the sulfuric and warm swampy fumes blowing at his face, he still tried to keep his eyes wide open, attempting to discern whether there were any shadows in the blue-green mud that planned to surface.
Just when double images began to shimmer before his eyes, at a place not too far from the shore, a wave of water abruptly splashed.
Zhou Beinan’s head popped out as he quickly shook off the aquatic plants on his head and rapidly made his way towards the shore.
Catching sight of Zhou Beinan, Lu Yujiu finally breathed a deep sigh of relief. He knelt down beside the bank and reached out a hand towards the other: “What’s wrong la? Hurry and come ashore.”
“Come up for what!?” Zhou Beinan looked visibly excited, “You come down! All of you!”
Lu Yujiu was stunned: “What? I don’t know how to swim. . .”
Zhou Beinan had already arrived by the shore and kept waving at Xu Xingzhi enthusiastically: “Xingzhi, jump in, quickly hop in!”
Xu Xingzhi stood still with his arms folded, pretending to be disgusted: “I’m not going. Do you know what you smell like right now?”
Who would’ve thought that Zhou Beinan didn’t lose his temper this time and was only focused on his elation: “Guess what I found?”
As soon as Xu Xingzhi revealed a surprised expression, Zhou Beinan took out his spear and before Xu Xingzhi could react, he caught him with the crescent shaped hook on one side, and with a burst of power in his arm, he hooked onto the other, dragging him straight into the pond.
“. . . Down with you ba!”
The overwhelming flood of water flowed towards Xu Xingzhi from all directions, but before the mud could pour into his ears, nose, and mouth, he felt as if his feet touched solid ground.
He thought it was just an illusion, but when he opened his eyes, the scene before him made his eyes widen in response.
At this time, the water below and the sky above had completely transformed and the swamp of turquoise waves was slowly surging below his feet. He tried to take two steps forward, but it was like stepping on soft quicksand.
Under his feet, covered by a thin layer of water, was the wasteland sky and in front of his eyes was a blessed land that seemed like the moonlight shining in a courtyard as clear and transparent as a pool of clear water. Above his head was an endless dark cave-like sky and a temple-like building suddenly appeared before Xu Xingzhi’s eyes.
The most important thing was that the formation, style, every detail and every bit of the palace was almost the same as the Qingzhu on Fengling Mountain from his memories.
At the entrance of the hall, there were dozens of people dressed in coarse cloth lined up along the pillars of the hall. Upon laying their eyes on Xu Xingzhi, more than a dozen people bowed and knelt down together.
“Fengling Huang Yongqi!”
“Fengling Zhao Puzhi!”
“Danyang Lin Haoxin!”
“Danyang Tu Yiping!”
“Yingtianchuan Zeng Yungu!”
“. . .”
The sound of counting off resounded layer upon layer, like a torrent of bells, the jangling of chimes, all of which made Xu Xingzhi’s eardrums tingle and the rims of his eyes sore.
After the fourteen people announced themselves, all the disciples raised their heads in unison, their voices choked with joy as they welcomed: “The disciples of the various sects, greet Xu-shixiong!”
The author has something to say:
Another sweet moment~
The day after tomorrow at the latest will be an extended memory fragment qwq
Author’s Chapter Summary:
A flowery gift, presents, seeking old friends
The translator has something to say: I wonder which one of the disciples created this pocket in space? And the mystery deepens with MCG’s two attitudes can he predict the future or is it something else?
Thank You for the new chapter (｢･ω･)｢♥