Perhaps because he had grown up pampered, he dared to enter the wolf’s den alone, and even sleep soundly under his watchful eye without any guard.
Usually all teeth and claws, never settling down for a moment, yet unexpectedly docile when asleep.
He had originally planned to visit the Fuluo Secret Realm again today, but after Ning Chengfeng’s forceful visit, he suddenly lost interest in treasure hunting and began to meditate instead.
Since his Dao heart was destroyed, his sensitivity to spiritual energy had greatly diminished. However, because his spiritual energy was extremely Yang and strong, he was particularly sensitive to certain Yin and evil energies. A strange aura lingered faintly around him, and Chu Jun suddenly opened his eyes.
Everything around seemed normal, except for Ning Chengfeng sleeping on the couch.
The nine-petaled lotus family mark between his brows flickered in and out of visibility. His whole body was curled up in a cold sweat, unconsciously whimpering in discomfort.
Chu Jun pulled his hand to check his pulse. Ning Chengfeng opened his eyes groggily to look at him, a flash of red passing through his eyes.
It wasn’t a nightmare, but rather seemed like a sign of a heart demon taking over, about to cause cultivation deviation.
But when he looked closer, that strange aura suddenly disappeared again.
Ning Chengfeng must have been in great discomfort. The blanket wrapped around him was a mess from his struggling, as he tried to move away.
Chu Jun held the back of his neck and injected some spiritual energy. Black markings appeared on the side of his neck. His gaze focused, and he pulled open Ning Chengfeng’s collar. Before he could take a closer look, the door was suddenly pushed open from outside.
“Jinghe, I heard Ning Chengfeng came to find you—” Hao Zheng looked at him in shock, stammering, “What are you… What are you two…”
He wrapped the sweat-soaked Ning Chengfeng in a blanket and said seriously, “Is something wrong?”
Hao Zheng was taken aback, then looked at him painfully, as if looking at some beast in human clothing. “He’s still a child.”
Chu Jun said, “…He has a heart demon.”
Hao Zheng was stunned for a moment. “A heart demon? I’ve watched this child grow up. His dao heart is firm and his mind is pure. How could he possibly have a heart demon?”
Chu Jun shook his head. “It’s not an ordinary heart demon. It’s more like someone forcibly put it in him, at least ten years ago.”
Hao Zheng’s face changed. After carefully examining, he said gravely, “Is there any way to remove it?”
Chu Jun shook his head.
“We must tell the Ning family about this.” Hao Zheng turned to leave.
“How can you be sure this heart demon wasn’t planted by the Ning family?” Chu Jun said expressionlessly.
“But the Ning family treats him extremely well—” Hao Zheng said.
“Both his parents are dead. No matter how well his family treats him, it’s hard to guarantee no one would harbor ill intentions,” Chu Jun said. “This heart demon seems to have fused with him, planted over days and months.”
Hao Zheng frowned, disapproving. “Do you plan to use this heart demon to break your fate tribulation?”
If Ning Chengfeng went berserk and died from qi deviation, Chu Jun’s fate tribulation would naturally be broken, but this was truly despicable.
“We’ll see,” Chu Jun said calmly.
Hao Zheng’s hand moved a few times in his sleeve, apparently calculating something. After a while, he suddenly gave him a meaningful look and snorted, “You’d better.”
With that, he left without even caring about Ning Chengfeng, flicking his sleeve as he went.
Chu Jun was puzzled. He looked down at Ning Chengfeng, who kicked him disdainfully, showing none of the respect the former deserved as a Way of Bloodshed.
Ning Chengfeng slept until the sun was setting in the west. Probably because he had slept comfortably, he stretched lazily on the couch and was about to continue sleeping.
“You should return to the disciples’ quarters,” Chu Jun reminded him.
Ning Chengfeng seemed startled. He looked at him with sleepy eyes, mumbled something unintelligible, and covered his head with the blanket to continue sleeping.
He had to walk over and lift the blanket. “Go back to your room to sleep.”
Half of Ning Chengfeng’s face still had red marks from sleeping. His eyelids drooped languidly, and his voice still carried traces of sleepiness. “I’m not taking up your bed, I’m just sleeping here.”
Chu Jun thought of Hao Zheng’s look earlier and frowned. “This is improper.”
Ning Chengfeng hugged the blanket, refusing to let go, and mumbled perfunctorily, “Head Teacher Chu, Elder Jinghe, Brother Chu, Chu Jun… please be kind.”
Chu Jun thought of the heart demon in him and made a rare exception. “This won’t happen again.”
Ning Chengfeng, with his eyes closed, curved his lips at him, then flopped back onto the couch.
Chu Jun didn’t understand why he had so much sleep to catch up on. Seeing that he was still curled up on the couch with no intention of waking even when the moon had risen, he walked over and awkwardly picked him up.
He had noticed before that Ning Chengfeng’s body was cold. Although he looked lively, his body was actually not good, just like when he was born. Holding him felt like holding a small block of ice.
Probably feeling that his body was warm, Ning Chengfeng reached out to hug his waist and even nuzzled his head against his chest.
Chu Jun froze on the spot.
The next day, Ning Chengfeng woke up on the couch, feeling refreshed. He bounced down and bowed to him, “Thank you, Head Teacher Chu, for taking me in.”
“Mm.” He lowered his head to read a book, responding coolly.
Ning Chengfeng opened the window and was about to jump out.
“Use the door,” Chu Jun said without looking up.
But this boy never did things the usual way. After he said that, Ning Chengfeng still jumped out of the window, smiling and waving at him. “See you this afternoon, Head Teacher Chu!”
He was like a little raccoon dog who had gotten away with something and was still acting cute.
This false impression continued until his swordsmanship class in the afternoon.
At some point, Ning Chengfeng had made up with Cui Ci and Wen Zaiye again. The three of them were standing under a tree, laughing and joking, not knowing where they had been gallivanting, with a ring of mud around their boots.
Sure enough, when he appeared, Ning Chengfeng’s eyes lit up, his eyeballs spinning rapidly, obviously plotting some mischief.
Chu Jun quietly waited. Sure enough, just before class ended, he caught a paw without looking back. The paw was holding a piece of paper with a vivid drawing of a little masked turtle.
Although he didn’t want to admit it, the little turtle did bear some resemblance to him.
For the first time, Chu Jun felt both amused and exasperated. He confiscated the little turtle drawing and took Ning Chengfeng to the Self-Reflection Pavilion.
Ning Chengfeng was dejected for half an hour, getting impatient with copying sword manuals. He sprawled on the table, looking at him expectantly. “Head Teacher Chu, why do you have to wear that ugly mask? Can I see what you really look like?”
“No,” Chu Jun said, lowering his head to read.
“Just a peek,” Ning Chengfeng leaned over the table, reaching out to remove his mask, but Chu Jun caught his wrist.
“Three more essays,” he said, releasing his hand.
“Fine, don’t show me then, stingy,” Ning Chengfeng grumbled, behaving for only a quarter of an hour before secretly trying to stick a sleep talisman on him.
Chu Jun spent the whole evening trying to read one page of his book but couldn’t finish it.
On another rest day, it was raining heavily outside. Chu Jun was meditating when he heard someone knocking on the window.
He went over and opened the window to see Ning Chengfeng waving at him, holding a paper box. “Good morning, Head Teacher Chu!”
Chu Jun was speechless for a moment. Seeing the heavy rain outside, he moved slightly to make way. Ning Chengfeng very tactfully climbed in, bringing in a damp atmosphere.
He didn’t understand why Ning Chengfeng preferred climbing through windows when there was a perfectly good door, nor did he understand why he always came to find him on rest days.
He even brought a gift, very politely.
“Chestnut pastries from the canteen,” Ning Chengfeng sat cross-legged on the couch without ceremony, pushing the small box towards him. “They’re freshly baked, try some.”
This enthusiasm made Chu Jun suspect he had poisoned them.
Chu Jun picked up a piece but hadn’t tasted it when the person opposite wrapped himself in a blanket and fell asleep.
Ning Chengfeng’s behavior was clearly not right. He called for Hao Zheng, who in turn called for Shang Nuanwei.
Shang Nuanwei diagnosed for a long time and said, “He has been planted with a heart demon, which is about to act up. Whether he sleeps or meditates, he will fall into nightmares… Looking at those dark circles under his eyes, I guess he’s been forcing himself to stay awake for ten days. He came here specifically to catch up on sleep. Tsk, this kid sure knows where to go.”
“Your cultivation method is extremely Yang and righteous, repelling all evil. It can completely suppress the malevolent energy in him, so naturally he can sleep comfortably,” Shang Nuanwei sighed. “He’s really suffering, risking being frozen to death by you just to get a peaceful sleep.”
Chu Jun looked at the soundly sleeping Ning Chengfeng.
Cultivators are human and naturally need rest. Those who haven’t established their foundation can only sleep, while those who have can meditate instead of sleeping. However, ultimately, sleeping is still better for recovering energy. Ning Chengfeng would fall into nightmares whether he slept or meditated… So where did he get all that energy to be so lively and mischievous during swordsmanship classes?
After Shang Nuanwei left, Hao Zheng said, “This heart demon in him is very fierce, and it won’t be long before it acts up. This can’t go on.”
He’s still young and doesn’t understand anything, just thinking he can’t sleep and feeling irritated, looking everywhere for a place to sleep well. He accidentally discovered that he could sleep peacefully here, and even though they don’t get along, he still comes tirelessly…
Hao Zheng asked nonchalantly with his hands in his sleeves, “Have you decided whether to break your fate tribulation through life or death?”
For the past half year, because of Ning Chengfeng, his life had been noisy yet very lively. He couldn’t say he liked it much, but he didn’t dislike it either. Whether to break it through life or death, the answer had actually been there since he first reached out to save the boy.
He looked at Ning Chengfeng sleeping peacefully on the couch, “He still has four years of courses to complete.”
Hao Zheng stroked his medium-length beard, with an expression of “I knew it” on his face. “I said this kid was likeable.”
Chu Jun neither agreed nor disagreed.
For the sake of that box of chestnut pastries earlier, it was just resolving karma. If it’s troublesome, so be it.
“Then the heart demon in him—”
“I’ll break it.”
