Ch66 - Looking Forward and Back

So stimulating.

Su Hansheng even wanted to grab some sunflower seeds to crack and eat.

Ying Jianhua and Ying Zhijin obviously had old grievances. When the two met, they were like fire and oil, treating all the spectators like kindling and burning with great enthusiasm.

…They’d completely forgotten that today they’d come for Su Hansheng’s elder meeting.

Su Hansheng avoided getting beaten and could watch a good show. Crouching there, his amber eyes were practically glowing. Only after a long while did he vaguely sense a strange gaze.

He looked up in confusion and saw Chongjue sitting properly in a nearby chair, holding a teacup and watching him expressionlessly.

The full cup of tea had grown cold, yet he hadn’t taken a single sip.

Su Hansheng hadn’t gotten beaten, so he could barely lift his head in front of Chongjue. He pretended to be composed as he stood up and straightened his robes, raising his chin with undisguised smugness.

“My Big Senior Brother and Senior Brother have raised me for many years. No matter how much trouble I cause, they’ll always tolerate and indulge me. They never beat me.”

The implication—unlike you, who had to pin me down and beat me over a few nonsensical words.

Chongjue’s hand gripping the teacup was applying slight pressure, his tone cold: “Would you dare say those words to Ying Jianhua?”

Su Hansheng immediately choked.

Wouldn’t that be asking for a beating?

But somehow he always felt Chongjue had become much more cutting. Usually, no matter how he provoked him, he would only remain silently speechless, not stooping to his level.

Was his pride wounded this time?

Su Hansheng rarely saw Chongjue at a disadvantage, so he immediately pushed his luck, raising an eyebrow: “No matter how my Big Senior Brother treats me, he’s still the registered elder on my disciple token—but as for you, World-Honored One, I haven’t asked yet: what are you doing at the Disciplinary Hall today?”

Chongjue: “…”

Seeing Chongjue remain silent, Su Hansheng pushed his nose to his face, grinning: “Could it be the World-Honored One thought the Disciplinary Hall was calling for you as my elder?”

As soon as the words left his mouth, Chongjue moved his finger and without warning flicked a book at his face.

Su Hansheng made a “mmph” sound as he was hit squarely, casually catching the book.

—It was actually a Buddhist sutra.

Chongjue coldly set down his teacup, cold tea splashing from the cup and falling onto his sleeve.

Whether Su Hansheng had gotten too carried away, he always felt the usually dignified and proper World-Honored One was rarely somewhat disheveled.

“World-Honored One?”

Chongjue suddenly stood up, saying coldly: “Didn’t you say in Banqing Prefecture that you’d copy the Buddhist sutras three times?”

Su Hansheng was stunned.

He’d long forgotten about saying he’d copy sutras. How did this person still remember, and was he deliberately using this to save face?

Su Hansheng was about to strike again when he saw Chongjue directly sweep his sleeves and leave, his entire form turning to smoke and suddenly disappearing on the spot.

Su Hansheng: “…”

Em-embarrassed into anger?

Su Hansheng held the Buddhist sutra scented with bodhi flowers, standing stunned for a long while before he couldn’t help but chuckle quietly, quite pleased with having scored a victory.

Before, he’d always been the one fleeing in shame and anger. This time it was finally Chongjue’s turn.

Su Hansheng contentedly curved his lips.

Suddenly, the Chief Enforcer nearby said gravely: “Enough. Everything you say is flowery lies. I won’t believe you anymore.”

Having said this, he removed his glass lens and left with reddened eyes, sweeping his sleeves.

Ying Zhijin quickly stopped him: “Darling, darling! I’m just playing around with them. They’re the ones who keep pestering me. Darling?”

Darling ignored him, leaving heartbroken.

Ying Zhijin sighed helplessly, took a puff of smoke, and muttered quietly: “Men are such trouble.”

Everyone: “…”

Su Hansheng couldn’t help giving Second Senior Sister a “so impressive” gesture.

What an amazing sister.

The ghost clan youth was also teary-eyed, probably wanting to ask what rank he held, but upon hearing that mutter, quickly swallowed his words and stood dryly to the side without speaking.

Ying Jianhua expressionlessly stroked the snow ferret in his arms that seemed to have fainted from anger, saying coldly: “Ying Zhijin, do you still want Separate Years to continue operating at Old Talisman Ridge?”

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Su Hansheng was stunned, saying quietly: “Please don’t trouble Senior Brother and Senior Sister. I… I can actually take care of myself…”

He was already seventeen, and the threatening Qi Jianyi from his past life was dead without a trace. He wouldn’t be tricked into falling to Infinite Hell in a place unknown to his sect like last time.

Before he could finish saying he could take care of himself, Ying Jianhua suddenly waved his hand. A stream of spiritual power wrapped around Su Hansheng’s waist as he cried out in surprise and floated backward.

Ying Jianhua lifted Su Hansheng by the back of his collar like picking up a cat, saying coldly: “You take care of your own… lovers. Xiaoxiao won’t trouble you to worry about him.”

Having said this, as if he couldn’t stay any longer, he strode outside carrying Su Hansheng.

Ice spread all the way out.

The spectators outside quickly scattered like birds and beasts, lest the Dao Lord notice and crush them.

Su Hansheng dangled in the air, flailing his paws and trying to bargain: “Senior Brother, Senior Brother, put me down. I… I can walk myself.”

Ying Zhijin watched with a half-smile, saying leisurely: “Xiaoxiao, I’ll be staying at the Disciplinary Hall these few days. If he beats you, come find me and Senior Sister will get revenge for you.”

Su Hansheng quickly said: “Thank you, Senior Sister… mmph!”

Ying Jianhua suddenly activated his spiritual power, bringing him to instantly disappear from the spot.

Su Hansheng only felt the world spinning. His feet unsteady, he plopped down on a daybed, nearly falling head over heels.

Ying Jianhua didn’t know where Falling Parasol Lodge was, so he simply brought him to Xu Nanxian’s Four Illuminations Hall.

Su Hansheng thought Big Senior Brother was going to close the door and beat him, so he quickly crawled under the daybed and knelt on the ground with a thud.

But before he could cry to heaven and earth, Ying Jianhua didn’t even look at him. He waved his hand to send out spiritual power that shook all the dust from Four Illuminations Hall away, then sat on the spotless daybed stroking the snow ferret that had finally regained consciousness, asking with a dark face:

“That Chief Enforcer at your Disciplinary Hall… what’s his background?”

Su Hansheng was stunned.

Huh? The Chief Enforcer?

Seeing Ying Jianhua had no intention of beating the child, Su Hansheng quietly breathed a sigh of relief and hugged Ying Jianhua’s knees, sprawling against them, too lazy to get up.

“Not too clear. I only know he’s gentle-natured, a good old man. It seems the Vice Dean specially invited him to oversee the Disciplinary Hall.”

Ying Jianhua impatiently stroked the snow ferret: “What about that ghost clan member?”

Su Hansheng answered honestly: “I don’t really know about that.”

Ying Jianhua snorted coldly and suddenly brushed him off his knees: “Then what use are you to me?”

He looked furious, but the snow ferret on his knees was listlessly sprawled, like an eggplant hit by frost, completely wilted.

Su Hansheng sat cross-legged on the ground, looking up at him.

How strange.

When Su Hansheng was young, Ying Jianhua visited Yingxu Sect quite frequently, either criticizing him or punishing him to cultivate and memorize mental techniques—strict and cold. He’d always been terrified of this Big Senior Brother.

This was the first time he’d seen Big Senior Brother, who usually strategized and could decide with one word whether he’d get beaten or go play, in such an agitated state.

Was it because of Ying Zhijin?

When Ying Jianhua first arrived at the Disciplinary Hall, he was imposing and dignified, but the moment Ying Zhijin came, he instantly lost his composure, even neglecting Su Hansheng’s embarrassing behavior.

Su Hansheng secretly took out his disciple token and messaged Xu Nanxian.

“Senior Brother, did you arrive safely?”

Xu Nanxian quickly replied: “Just got off the spirit boat. How is it? You didn’t get beaten, did you?”

Su Hansheng: “Nope, nope! Senior Brother truly predicted accurately—as soon as Second Senior Sister came, Big Senior Brother immediately had no time to beat me.”

Xu Nanxian: “Hahaha, it’s always like this. Back then, Senior Sister used to chase after Big Senior Brother’s tail bouncing around. I heard she even confessed publicly at a Wendao Festival one year, but Big Senior Brother cultivated the Heartless Way and was like an unwarmed stinking stone…”

Su Hansheng was happily reading when suddenly a hand reached out of nowhere and snatched away his disciple token.

Su Hansheng was stunned. Looking up, he saw Ying Jianhua’s slender fingers holding the disciple token, his face dark and ugly.

Su Hansheng was immediately terrified.

Oh no, oh no!

Big Senior Brother saw all that gloating nonsense between him and Senior Brother!

Given Ying Jianhua’s explosive temper, wouldn’t he hang both of them from trees and beat them day and night?

Su Hansheng was so scared his little face went paper white. Trembling, he wanted to snatch back the disciple token but didn’t have the courage, so he could only resign himself to fate, closing his eyes and shrinking his head, waiting for the beating.

After Ying Jianhua grabbed the disciple token, he showed no interest in Xu Nanxian’s tiny scrawl. With a dark face, he tapped onto the message wall, scanning rapidly.

He seemed to be looking for news about Ying Zhijin.

Su Hansheng quietly opened one eye to look. Seeing Ying Jianhua absorbed in the message wall, he silently breathed a sigh of relief.

His life was temporarily saved.

Wendao Academy students loved watching excitement most. They could imagine ten parts of drama from one part of actual events, and they’d been babbling nonsense all over the message wall.

Ying Jianhua saw something unknown and suddenly gripped the disciple token with force.

The snow ferret angrily bristled and screeched.

Su Hansheng watched helplessly as his magpie-patterned disciple token turned to powder in Big Senior Brother’s hands.

“Senior… Senior Brother…”

Ying Jianhua looked over coldly.

Su Hansheng quickly shrank back: “Nothing, please continue.”

The entire Wendao Academy, even the vast Magpie Ridge, seemed shrouded by the Dao Lord’s gloomy aura. Within moments, torrential rain poured down.

Big Senior Brother and his snow ferret were still going crazy.

Su Hansheng originally wanted to return to Falling Parasol Lodge, but the storm was pouring and his phoenix bone detested it extremely. He became listless along with it, sprawling on Ying Jianhua’s leg with his head nodding.

He didn’t know when he fell asleep. The scent of rain soaking the soil filled his nostrils.

Hazily, Ying Jianhua seemed to gently lift and place him on Xu Nanxian’s bed, taking the angrily chittering snow ferret outside—perhaps to kill someone.

Su Hansheng listlessly opened his eyes, only glimpsing Ying Jianhua’s back before his eyelids completely drooped and he sank into deep sleep.

He had another strange dream.

Without beginning or end, Su Hansheng found himself standing under a towering giant tree, tilting his head slightly upward to see only a black shadow shooting into the clouds, completely unable to see the top.

Wild wind and violent rain—the pitch-black sky seemed torn open, with tidal waves of rain pouring down furiously. Compared to this scene, humans were as tiny as ants.

Su Hansheng always rejected rain and instinctively wanted to find shelter.

Rumble—!

A deafening thunder suddenly struck down. Silver lightning wrapped in earth-shaking spiritual power split the ground directly into an abyss-like chasm.

Heaven and earth seemed to overturn in this thunderclap.

Su Hansheng was terrified, his whole body rigid as he stared at this hell-like scene.

Suddenly, someone screamed amid the thunder:

“The Ninth Heaven Shrine! It’s broken—!”

Su Hansheng was stunned.

The Ninth Heaven Shrine?

Wasn’t that the Heaven-Reaching Gate used to suppress the Fuli clan in Infinite Hell?

What did “broken” mean?

With heaven collapsing and earth sinking, Su Hansheng stood confusedly in the heavy rain, feeling this dream made no sense.

Angry roars still echoed in his ears.

“Who are you?! Quickly report to Dao Lord Ying! Someone has opened the Ninth Heaven Gate… ahh—!”

Su Hansheng’s consciousness seemed ungrounded, confusedly looking in that direction.

Rumble.

Lightning mercilessly shattered the surrounding darkness into ghostly pale—eerie as the underworld.

Below the Heaven-Reaching Tower, a person in blue robes had countless talismans woven into dense nets surrounding him, blocking countless attacks outside and exploding them into brilliant fireworks.

In the firelight’s reflection, Su Hansheng saw that person’s face clearly, his eyelids jumping heavily.

It was actually Zou Chi?

Why was he dreaming about the Vice Dean?!

Zou Chi’s face no longer held its usual scholarly gentleness and timidity. The talismans on his blue robes that only glowed in sunlight suddenly blazed brightly, their golden light illuminating his features with an eerie quality…

Looking closer, his face suddenly transformed into a death mask with blood flowing from seven orifices and ashen pallor.

Su Hansheng was startled: “Vice Dean?”

Zou Chi was drenched in rain, his golden talismans emitting brilliant light. His bloody dead pupils stared straight at Su Hansheng, his grotesque death face showing a strange smile.

“Long time no see…”

Su Hansheng didn’t understand.

But soon he realized Zou Chi wasn’t looking at him, but through him toward the slowly opening Heaven-Reaching Tower in the distance.

Above the Ninth Heaven Shrine that shot straight into the clouds from Infinite Hell was the Heaven-Reaching Tower of the three realms.

Creak.

The doors of the Heaven-Reaching Tower, covered with barrier talismans, were completely overgrown with vines and moss, opening heavily inch by inch.

A beam of light poured out from within.

Someone walked out from inside.

Su Hansheng tilted his head in confusion to look.

The overwhelming rain curtain suddenly froze in mid-air, as if everything around had stopped at that instant. The falling lightning was stuck in mid-air, and the cultivators guarding the Heaven-Reaching Tower in the distance maintained eerie poses, motionless.

Time came to an abrupt halt at this moment.

In the vast space, only the breathing sounds of Zou Chi and Su Hansheng remained, along with…

That person’s casual footsteps.

Su Hansheng didn’t quite understand why he was having such a strange dream. Those strange footsteps seemed to step on his heart—tap, tap—his heartbeat seemed to grow more urgent with the sound, almost jumping out of his chest.

“Mm, it hasn’t been that long.” That person said lazily. “Even across the heavenly chasm, I can sense the three realms and know you saved Half-Green Province’s wine for me.”

Zou Chi smiled. The talismans on his body quietly settled, his grotesque death mask also disappeared, and he returned to his timid appearance.

All around was dim. Zou Chi took out a lamp from his pouch, faintly illuminating the surroundings.

Light poured forth. Su Hansheng’s eyes stung slightly from the glare. He felt Zou Chi seem to pass through his phantom body, walking slowly to that person’s side and reaching out to embrace him.

Su Hansheng stared blankly, following the movement with his gaze.

As Zou Chi lowered his hand, the lamplight brightly illuminated the small area, finally revealing that person’s appearance clearly.

That person had a tall, imposing figure, wearing loose black robes, with a strange broken jade hanging from his waist sash. Following the lamplight upward, above his slender neck…

Were thin lips and half a face covered with black silk.

Zou Chi frowned slightly: “This body won’t support you for long. I need to find dragon blood again to reconstruct your physical form—fortunately, Zhuang Lingge is at Wendao Academy, so it won’t cost much effort.”

That person casually brushed aside his dripping wet hair. At first, Su Hansheng thought what was dripping from his body was rain, but when the lamplight revealed it, he realized it was actually sticky scarlet blood covering his entire body.

“No need,” he said lazily. “I want to return to my original body.”

Zou Chi frowned: “Mirror Jade, you still have bone chains on you.”

That person said casually: “Can’t I just shatter them?”

“Don’t you want your cultivation anymore?” Zou Chi was startled. “You should know better than I what those bone chains are. Once forcibly shattered, your life would be in danger, and even if you return to your body, you temporarily won’t be able to merge with ‘him.'”

That person’s thin lips curved into a smile as he said lazily: “It’s just death anyway. ‘He’ is just like you—looking forward and back, worrying about this and fearing that, so even after more than ten years he hasn’t broken free of that broken chain.”

Zou Chi fell silent.

Su Hansheng stared blankly at that person’s appearance, listening to the familiar yet crazed words, completely stunned.

Chong… Chongjue?

***