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Jiang Chao Ge was stupefied momentarily, ferociously pushing Zhi Xuan, wanting to flip over. Yet Zhi Xuan was annoyed, firmly pressing Jiang Chao Ge down not allowing him to move, lips pressed against Jiang Chao Ge’s lips. Because Zhi Xuan used too much force, the two pairs of lips pressed together, teeth knocked against teeth. It didn’t feel like a kiss but rather a match of strength. Jiang Chao Ge didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He had never felt such a forceful, uncomfortable kiss in his entire life.
However, it seemed that Zhi Xuan was actually very interested. After pressing lips together he didn’t know what to do next, so he remained that way looking at Jiang Chao Ge with wide eyes. Their breaths fanned across each other’s faces, warm and ticklish. Zhi Xuan felt his heart pound slightly. He had never tried this kind of feeling before. Although it was a bit strange, it was actually….. pretty good. He couldn’t help but stretch out the tip of his tongue, licking Jiang Chao Ge’s soft lips. He’d wanted to know what it tasted like here last time.
Jiang Chao Ge stiffened. It was the first time he’d ever kissed a man in his life. He didn’t feel disgust or discomfort but rather helplessness. Even if it was adult form Zhi Xuan, in his eyes his personality was no different to a child’s. Zhi Xuan didn’t know what was awkward or shameful and was only curious, wanting to try everything. He unfortunately had become the human closest to him and so would be forced to allow him to ‘experiment’.
However he also couldn’t continue to allow Zhi Xuan to play around like this.
Taking advantage of the gap made by Zhi Xuan licking to his heart’s content, he finally had the opportunity to speak. He pushed Zhi Xuan a few times: “Zhi Xuan….. enough.”
Zhi Xuan’s movements paused and he said with dissatisfaction: “You’ve kissed other people before right?”
“Eh…..?”
“Then why am I not ok? Don’t tell me I’m no match for lowly humans?”
“That isn’t the same.”
“How isn’t it the same thing?” Zhi Xuan glared angrily, “You are my servant. You belong to me. I can do whatever I want with you.”
Jiang Chao Ge began to get annoyed, but thinking about his lousy situation, he angrily shouted ‘patience’ in his heart. He logically persuaded himself to remain calm and then said patiently: “Zhi Xuan, you misunderstand. Kissing is something done between lovers. You know lovers right? We’re not.”
Zhi Xuan froze, face suddenly flushing, leaping up abruptly yelling: “Absurd, how can I become lovers with a lowly human.”
Jiang Chao Ge let out a breath.
Zhi Xuan looked at his expression of obvious avoidance, flames of fury surging in his heart, “What kind of expression is that? Don’t hope to become my lover, you are only my servant!”
“Yes yes yes, that is right.”
Zhi Xuan humphed heavily, turning around with his back to Jiang Chao Ge. Because his breathing was too heavy, his shoulders heaved up and down.
Jiang Chao Ge knew that he could become very angry, although right now, it was becoming increasingly difficult for him to understand the reason of Zhi Xuan’s anger. This should be the difference between man and beast he thought sarcastically. Jiang Chao Ge decided not to provoke him at this time, shrinking towards the wall, laying with clothes on.
The sound of Zhi Xuan’s heavy breathing emitted from the dark and quiet room, making one feel somewhat uncomfortable hearing it. Jiang Chao Ge couldn’t fall asleep because of the sound. Keeping in mind the journey ahead full of thistles and thorns he sighed endlessly in his heart.
After a while, Zhi Xuan turned around luminous golden eyes extremely bright in the darkness becoming somewhat scary, Jiang Chao Ge couldn’t pretend to be asleep even if he wanted to because Zhi Xuan would find out. He could only say: “Can’t sleep?”
“Rare beasts don’t need sleep in the first place.”
No need to eat, drink, sleep, inexhaustible and immortal. As long as they had spiritual power, rare beasts could maintain a state of perfect health. Only rare beasts had followed humans for so long, they’d become accustomed to eating and sleeping along with them.
“Then….. I’m going to sleep?”
“No.”
“Then what do you want to do?”
“What is the second step of making love?”
Jiang Chao Ge choked on a clot of blood in his throat, almost suffocating himself. He said cautiously: “What do you want to do?”
“Just want to know.”
“It’s uncertain, everyone is different.”
“Then what about you?”
“I……” Jiang Chao Ge discovered that Zhi Xuan’s every question stumped one to the point they wanted to flip the table. Even someone like him who was clever and eloquent didn’t know how to answer. Because Zhi Xuan’s personality was strange and fiercely arrogant, it was hard for him to predict how he would respond to an answer.
Zhi Xuan looked at him, eyes flashing, “Is it also different between each person? Did you do it with many people before?”
Jiang Chao Ge regarded himself as one that didn’t indiscriminately make love. He only had the demands of a normal man. Although he never had a proper girlfriend, he had truly been with a few woman. But he somehow felt that if he admitted it, Zhi Xuan could eat him. He could only hide his conscious and say: “Not many.”
“How many is not many? One? Two? Three? Four?”
Jiang Chao Ge scalp crawled, really not knowing how to answer.
Zhi Xuan saw his lack of speech, eyes becoming even more piercing. He said ferociously: “I hate all humans, including you!” He pushed Jiang Chao Ge forcefully, flipping out of bed and leaving with a slam of the door.
Jiang Chao Ge froze for a while before resignedly getting out of bed to chase after Zhi Xuan. If Zhi Xuan ran around at this time and caused trouble it’d be disastrous. After all, Ruan Qian Xiu was still an assassination target.
After exiting the house, he discovered that Zhi Xuan had only walked underneath a huge tree in the courtyard and was staring blankly.
The leaves and branches of that huge tree had long since fallen, leaving only a bare tree trunk. Thick white snow carpeted the ground, reflecting specks of sparkles under the light of the moon. A single trail of footprints in the snow led right up to the tree. Zhi Xuan’s long hair spilled all over the ground, black body almost fusing together with the tree. Amid this desolate snowscape, he appeared especially lonely.
Jiang Chao Ge looked at him for a moment, hesitating for a long time before finally walking towards him.
Zhi Xuan didn’t even lift his head, looking only at the accumulated snow on the ground.
Jiang Chao Ge crouched down beside him, lifting his hair and saying softly: “Your hair will be dirty.”
Zhi Xuan snatched back his hair: “No need for your concern.”
“What are you unsatisfied with? Say it directly.” Jiang Chao Ge silently repeated the phrase ‘a leader can submit or stand tall as required’ several times. He then took a deep breath and said in a particularly sincere tone: “I can change.”
Zhi Xuan said in an commanding tone, “You aren’t allowed to make love to others in the future. You aren’t allowed to kiss anyone either.”
Jiang Chao Ge annoyance flared and he almost died of restraining it. He really wanted to pinch Zhi Xuan’s ear and shout ‘it’s none of you goddamn business’ but he didn’t dare and only said: “Understood.” If he could return to his own world someday, he definitely won’t bring Zhi Xuan. At that time, all he wanted to do was to bid farewell to everything unrelated to his own world. Right now, he could only bear with it.
Zhi Xuan’s face seemed to relax somewhat. He glanced at Jiang Chao Ge: “Who allowed you to come out. Aren’t you cold?”
It was only then that Jiang Chao Ge realised he wasn’t wearing a coat. A gust of cold wind blew past, making him tremble.
Zhi Xuan hugged him: “My body is warm.” His lips wittingly or unwittingly brushed across Jiang Chao Ge’s cheek. Only Jiang Chao Ge was frozen stiff and couldn’t feel it.
Jiang Chao Ge sighed lightly. When he really had to leave one day, would he be hesitant of leaving Zhi Xuan?
After resting for a day, Jiang Chao Ge recovered his vitality and once again began to cultivate around the clock.
Because Yu Ren Shu was injured and had so much free time it was boring, he watched over Jiang Chao Ge’s swordsmanship. Although Yu Ren Shu was used to using a Jian, being a prince that practiced martial arts from childhood, he naturally knew everything. He could even give a few pointers for Long Xiang’s halberd skills.
Jiang Chao Ge and Long Xiang practiced the entire afternoon and was drenched in sweat and tiredness.
When it was time to eat, Zui You filled a huge bowl of rice topped with fat slices of meat for Long Xiang, “Come, I made it. Eat lots.”
Long Xiang buried his head and stuffed several huge mouthfuls, saying I distinctly: “Yummy.”
Zui You said all smiles: “Little Xiang likes the food I make the best.”
Long Xiang nodded, “It’s truly delicious.”
Zui You pulled his face closer, saying with a pout: “Then give me a kiss?”
Long Xiang pushed his face away, “Eat properly.”
Everyone had already become accustomed to Zui You’s various actions that made ones face flush, and didn’t even lift their eyelids. However this time, Zhi Xuan stared fixedly at Zui You.
After noticing his gaze, Zui You smiled enchantingly: “What is it? Do you think I’m even more beautiful than yesterday?”
This time Zhi Xuan didn’t give him a scornful glare but rather mumbled: “What use is kissing? It’s not comfortable at all.”
Jiang Chao Ge choked, and began to cough violently.
Zui You winked, “Kissing is very comfortable. If you don’t think it’s comfortable, it must be because you used the wrong method.”
Zhi Xuan was half believing half doubting, “Really? Then what is the right method?”
Jiang Chao Ge gave Zui You a ferocious glare and said loudly: “Long Xiang, let us continue in the afternoon.”
Long Xiang gave a ‘oh’, glancing at him suspiciously. Ruan Qian Xiu smiled speechlessly.
Zui You pretended he hadn’t seen it, instead as if wishing for the whole world to be in chaos continued: “If you want to know, I’ll teach you.”
Zhi Xuan humphed, “No use.”
Zui You rolled his eyes and said purposefully: “Then that’s a pity. Kissing and making love is a pleasurable thing from centuries ago, yet you won’t be able to experience it. You are an ancient rare beast with a human form and eternal life, yet you won’t try the pleasures of the human world. Isn’t that a pity?”
It was uncertain if Zhi Xuan had been entranced by Zui You’s magnificent and somewhat coquettish voice or if he was simply interested in content of those words but in any case he glanced at Jiang Chao Ge pensively. Jiang Chao Ge immediately felt a cold sweat forming.
That afternoon, when Jiang Chao Ge entered the room after practising to the point that all of his limbs were numb, he discovered he was short on spiritual power. A already in child form Zhi Xuan and Zui You who’d transformed into child form, was discussing something facing each other.
Jiang Chao Ge was stupefied at the sight, “What are you doing?”
Zui You said innocently: “Sir Zhi Xuan wanted me to be the same as him no matter what.” Even in the form of a three year old child, Zui You could actually still give off that air of seductiveness.
Zhi Xuan said rudely: “Bullshit, how could you look down on me.”
“No, I’m asking what you’re doing.”
“We’re….”
“Not telling you.” Zhi Xuan glared at Jiang Chao Ge, “Servants don’t need to enquire into their master’s matters.”
Jiang Chao Ge had some misgivings in his heart. It somehow always seemed that being with Zui You would lead Zhi Xuan astray and nothing good would come out of it. He went up and picked Zhi Xuan up, “I’m not asking into your matters. However you haven’t washed your hair and had a bath in days. Let’s hurry and take a bath now.”
“I don’t want to. I haven’t finished chatting yet.”
“Chat another time.” Jiang Chao Ge carried Zhi Xuan away no matter how much he pulled his hair and pinched his cheeks without an explanation.
Several days later, Yu Ren Shu’s condition had recovered barely enough to allow for the experience of continuous travelling. They decided to leave for Da Liang City to find a spirit priest as well as the one called Wang Qin whom Old Meng told Jiang Chao Ge to find on his deathbed.
Da Liang City was approximately 500 Li from Shao Xian Mountain. Normally, they would arrive in a couple of days. Only now that Yu Ren Shu was injured, they speed had decreased dramatically. After walking for a full four days, they finally entered the limit of Da Liang Mountain.