Feng Zizhang blew out the candle, then crouched down to complete the final stroke of the formation in the room, enclosing the entire room in a barrier. He then took out an unremarkable small porcelain bottle from his storage ring.
The little mushroom trembled its cap while perched on his shoulder.
Feng Zizhang gently stroked it and whispered, “Don’t be afraid, he can’t harm us now.”
After speaking, he silently recited an incantation, and his entire person disappeared from the room, leaving only a small porcelain bottle standing quietly on the table.
The space inside the porcelain bottle was about the same size as the room Feng Zizhang was currently staying in, but it was completely empty except for a blood-covered person lying half-dead on the ground, his limbs firmly pinned to the floor by talismans emitting golden light.
Feng Zizhang carefully approached him, then heard a hoarse laugh.
“You’ve finally come to your senses?” Chu Xin struggled violently, causing blood to slowly seep out from his wounds again.
Feng Zizhang didn’t dare to get too close, watching him vigilantly, “Come to my senses about what?”
“About killing me.” Chu Xin stared at him with dark eyes, “I’ve tried to take your life multiple times. Last time, if it weren’t for this stinking mushroom suddenly appearing, you would already be a waste with no spiritual root or dantian. Even after all this, you still don’t plan to kill me?”
Feng Zizhang unconsciously touched his neck again.
Earlier, he had been controlled by Chu Xin and nearly had his spiritual root extracted, but the little mushroom had somehow found the courage to block an attack for him, even losing half of its cap in the process. He had fainted from the pain but woke up shortly after, and decisively imprisoned the already severely injured Chu Xin in this unknown magical artifact.
He had originally planned to confess this matter to his father, but for some unknown reason, he hesitated to speak out, and while he carefully hid this porcelain bottle and Chu Xin inside it along the way, neither his father nor the Venerable had discovered it.
“I don’t want to kill you,” Feng Zizhang shook his head slowly in response to his question.
Chu Xin let out a cold laugh, “You want to torture me to death slowly? As expected of someone who accepted a great demon as his father.”
Feng Zizhang frowned, “I don’t intend to torture you.”
“Then have the courage to release me!” Chu Xin struggled forcefully again, his face contorting in pain.
“I don’t have that courage,” Feng Zizhang shook his head. “If I release you, you’ll definitely kill me.”
Chu Xin shouted in exasperation. “If you won’t kill me or release me, what exactly do you want!?”
Feng Zizhang shook his head in confusion, “I haven’t decided yet.”
Chu Xin’s face went blank for a moment, then flew into a rage, “Feng Zizhang, you coward! You don’t even dare to kill! You fool! Coward! Useless waste!”
Feng Zizhang grabbed his throat in one swift motion, veins bulging on the back of his hand, an ice spike formed from spiritual power pointed directly at Chu Xin’s forehead.
Chu Xin gritted his teeth tightly, but wore a mocking smile on his face.
Feng Zizhang stared at him with bloodshot eyes, then suddenly released his hand, causing the ice spike to instantly dissipate.
“…You’re right, I am useless.” Feng Zizhang looked down at him, his handsome face filled with dejection. “I’m indecisive, stupid, and cowardly. I’m always trying to be a good person at inappropriate times, but I only end up dragging others down. Apart from having better luck than others, I’m completely worthless.”
“I don’t even dare to kill you.”
Chu Xin curled the corner of his mouth, “All your fellow disciples were killed by your Master Wen Heshen. Anyone with a bit of backbone wouldn’t hide like a turtle. Now that Wen Heshen has had his spiritual root destroyed and been thrown into the mortal realm, don’t you want to avenge your fellow disciples with your own hands?”
Feng Zizhang’s expression froze.
“Oh, I almost forgot, you don’t even dare to kill me, let alone Wen Heshen?” Chu Xin sneered, “A coward who accepted a demon as his father to save his own life—
Feng Zizhang, a heartless person like you probably doesn’t even know what heart demons are, do you?”
****
Jiang Yizheng had just finished tidying up the room and was preparing to go to bed when someone knocked on the outer door.
“Sister Xiao Jiang, are you asleep?” Yang Lingzhu’s voice came from outside.
Jiang Yizheng put on clothes, got out of bed, opened the door, and indeed saw Yang Lingzhu standing there.
She quickly pulled Yang Lingzhu into the room, felt her hands, which were indeed cold.
She then hurriedly closed the door, led her to sit on the bed, and asked, “What’s wrong? Is something the matter?”
Yang Lingzhu pursed her lips, her fingers twisting together with her sleeves. Finally, as if gathering courage, she said, “Sister Xiao Jiang, I have to leave.”
Jiang Yizheng was stunned and after a long pause replied, “Why are you suddenly leaving? Father said we would be staying here.”
Yang Lingzhu shook her head, “Sister Xiao Jiang, this is your home. My home is in Medical Immortal Valley, but there’s no one left there, and all the spiritual veins have been divided among other sects… I heard from Brother Zizhang that Ning Fan has been killed by your father, I—”
Her eyes reddened, and she clutched her sleeves tightly. “Before Martial Aunt passed away, she gave me the sect master’s seal of Medical Immortal Valley. I need to go rebuild Medical Immortal Valley.”
“But you’re still so young, how will you rebuild it?” Jiang Yizheng disagreed. “Even if you want to rebuild it, shouldn’t you wait until you’re a bit older?”
A look of confusion flashed across Yang Lingzhu’s face, “I don’t know now, but I’ll find a way somehow.”
“I shouldn’t stay here and disturb you all.”
Jiang Yizheng shook her head repeatedly, “No, no, we all welcome you here. Father looks fierce, but he’s actually very kind. When Zizhang and I clung to him and refused to leave, he didn’t really drive us away. And the Venerable, though he seems cold, is actually the most gentle and has never looked down on us.”
Yang Lingzhu pinched the corner of her clothes and said softly, “I know, Ning Buwei always secretly puts medicinal pills and talismans in my storage ring.”
She had discovered this many times but was too embarrassed to ask.
Jiang Yizheng nodded, “Father just likes to do that. He’s afraid.”
Yang Lingzhu was puzzled, “Afraid of what?”
How could a powerful demon like Ning Buwei be afraid of anything?
“Afraid that we might get injured and have no medicine to save our lives.” Jiang Yizheng smiled and blinked hard.
“But I’m a medical cultivator, I have many pills,” said Yang Lingzhu.
“But those are from him.” Jiang Yizheng reached out to stroke her head. “Zizhang, me, and Huan Huan are just like you—all picked up by him. He only gives medicinal pills to his own children.”
Yang Lingzhu was stunned.
“I’ve always said that Father has a soft heart.”
****
On the rooftop.
Chu Jun stopped Ning Buwei’s hand as he reached for wine.
Ning Buwei seized the opportunity to grab his wrist, and looked down at it in the moonlight.
Chu Jun’s wrist was slender, with slightly protruding wrist bones. His entire hand had distinct knuckles, fair and elegant. Just looking at it was pleasing to the eye.
Ning Buwei slowly traced his finger bones; the touch was warm and clear. Having drunk, his mind was obviously a bit slower, and he vaguely remembered promising never to touch alcohol again.
However, he rarely kept his word.
Chu Jun seemed to see through his thoughts and said, “Are you thinking of leaving on your own again?”
Ning Buwei looked up at him, then guiltily averted his gaze. A moment later, he turned back to glare at him defiantly.
Chu Jun first admired his mercurial expression, then quickly asked, “What wine did you drink?”
A small stream of spiritual energy supported the wine jar, silently hiding it behind Ning Buwei.
Chu Jun: “…Immortal Intoxication from Shiji Winery?”
“I only had a few sips,” Ning Buwei stated firmly. “Just a slight buzz.”
Chu Jun disliked drinking, so he asked with some confusion, “Does this wine taste good?”
Ning Buwei frowned, not nodding, but instead asked, “Would you like to try it?”
Chu Jun was about to say it wasn’t necessary when Ning Buwei grabbed his collar and pulled him forward forcefully.
The tiles beneath their boots made a subtle scraping sound. The scent of wine with hints of pear blossom spread between their lips and teeth, sometimes fierce and domineering, sometimes lingering and tender, finally leaving only a sweet bitterness. The warmth traveled from the throat, winding its way into the heart.
Like being branded with a hot iron.
Ning Buwei was extremely close to him, close enough to see another Ning Buwei reflected in his eyes.
So close that when Ning Buwei moved slightly, their noses touched.
Ning Buwei’s hand gripping Chu Jun’s collar had turned somewhat white at the knuckles from the force, but he didn’t let go. He tried to make his voice sound calm, “I’ve never given flowers to anyone before.”
Whether it was the rare Fuluo flowers or common wildflowers from the swamp, not even a blade of foxtail grass.
“I actually… quite like you.”
Ning Buwei, emboldened by the alcohol, spoke out, then felt anxious about being so direct.
Due to his lack of experience in these matters, he wanted to appear nonchalant to maintain his demeanor as a great demon, but when he met Chu Jun’s eyes, he inevitably became nervous.
“That Dao contract, I found a way to break it. Do you want to break it?”
Although he often couldn’t understand Chu Jun, and although he didn’t dare hope for any outcome with him, he still cared deeply about Chu Jun’s answer.
Rejection, acceptance, or casual disregard.
Chu Jun’s response was within his expectations.
Chu Jun first appeared stunned, then asked in return, “Do you want to break it?”
Ning Buwei narrowed his eyes in displeasure and pushed him back while still gripping his front collar. His tone was somewhat sharp, “I asked you first. Just say whether you want to break it or not.”
Chu Jun’s gaze deepened, “You formed the contract yourself, and you said… you like me, so why look for a way to break the Dao contract?”
Ning Buwei was stumped by his question, opening and closing his mouth, “I was drunk at the time, didn’t get your consent. After the Dao contract was formed, we have to share karma, we—”
It’s not necessary.
There’s no need.
It hasn’t reached that level.
“I’ve known how to break a Dao contract for hundreds of years,” Chu Jun sighed softly. “I’ve also never received flowers from anyone.”
Ning Buwei felt his mind working slowly. The words from Chu Jun’s mouth circled around several times before he barely understood, looking at Chu Jun as he blinked slowly.
Chu Jun’s voice curled in the cool evening breeze, circled around him, and then leisurely fell into his ears.
“Ning Chengfeng, I won’t break the Dao contract.”
“I actually… quite like you too.”
