Ch56 - I Can't Believe You Started Without Me

Editor: Sahloknir

When Jiang Yinghe woke up, a pair of snow-white kitten paws were in front of him.

The cat patted the back of his hand and circled around him before lowering its head to lick his fingertips a few times.

Jiang Yinghe drew back his hand and got up to wash before fixing his collar. Just when he wanted to comb his long hair, he discovered a fine knot in it.

Jiang Yinghe turned to Qin Jun, who was holding the kitten by the scruff of its neck. He tried to untie it with his hand but to no avail, so he said, “Jun-er?”

Qin Jun looked up and tossed aside the cat in his hand. He leaned in close to pick up the long strands of hair, letting them fall between his fingers. “Let me do it.”

“Don’t you think you’re a little childish, Patriarch?” Jiang Yinghe helplessly said.

Qin Jun didn’t like being called that by him, but at this moment he didn’t find it as harsh. The other party’s voice was clear, slightly lazy and husky. Like a butterfly, it alighted on before lightly sweeping over his heart.

Qin Jun turned his head to the side while tying his hair to stare at Jiang Yinghe’s fair neck. He quietly said, “I always want to do something to you because Shizun is too good-looking.”

Jiang Yinghe startled. Some unhealthy images came to mind, making him cough before saying, “…Then you should continue to be childish. I’m not quite ready to accept such a mature disciple.”

A low chuckle reached his ears, and a hot breath spilled slowly onto his neck. The sensation was a little ticklish. Jiang Yinghe allowed him to tidy his hair. Just as he was about to remind Qin Jun about personal space, he was bitten by sharp teeth.

Well, it wasn’t really a bite because Qin Jun didn’t have any intentions of breaking skin, nor did he want to lick his blood or smell his soul like when they had first met. This was more like he was making a mark, branding Jiang Yinghe’s slender neck with an eye-catching hickey.

Jiang Yinghe lifted his hand to touch it, experiencing Qin Jun’s deep need to show off and provoke his rivals. He subconsciously adjusted his coat upwards. “Is your horoscope the dog…?”

This kind of softly spoken reproach was more like another kind of indulgence. Qin Jun’s heart pounded as he buttoned Jiang Yinghe’s collar. He then reached for his slender waist and asked with a smile, “Does Shizun still remember what he said to Jun-er last night?”

Before Jiang Yinghe even started thinking about it, the little white cat next to him pounced over vigilantly and piled into his Shizun’s arms.

However, Jiang Yinghe was occupied with recalling if he had spoken last night and didn’t catch him in time. So the little cat then rolled all the way down the front of his clothes and narrowly landed on the ground. It pitifully rubbed its tail against the edge of his Shizun’s robe.

“…What did I say?” Jiang Yinghe really couldn’t remember. He vaguely recalled dreaming of Qing Jing Peak as it had once been last night, with the sound of rain as cranes flew through the sky… He didn’t remember what he had promised.

As Qin Jun’s arm wrapped around Jiang Yinghe’s waist, he took the opportunity to measure the circumference with his hand. He slowly brought this dense wisp of cloud that was like a fragile treasure into his arms.

“Shizun, you said that you want to be on top?”

His reminder jogged Jiang Yinghe’s memory. Although he was inexperienced, he had a great imagination. After all, he was a citizen of Earth and a child of China with five thousand years of cultural accumulation! Now that he was in such an inclusive era, he must know more than them, right?”

“Yes.” He nodded with an extraordinary seriousness.

Neither of them had a high body temperature; one was a natural-born wraith while the other had an ice cultivation root. Only his chest that was touching Jiang Yinghe’s back was scalding hot. The air he exhaled occasionally was also filled with tender warmth

He finished fastening the buttons of the coat.

Qin Jun slightly loosened his grip and said, “Shizun also agreed to one of Jun-er’s requests, remember?”

What a rhetorical question. Of course Jiang Yinghe didn’t remember.

Jiang Yinghe slotted the long hairpin into the crown embedded with a piece of spiritual jade holding up his hair and waited for Qin Jun to continue.

But the other party wasn’t forthcoming. He simply said, “I’ll tell you later. You’ll be very tired if you do it like that the first time.”

Jiang Yinghe blinked. “…Very tired?”

“Yeah.” Qin Jun’s hand paused on his waist and duly withdrew, “It’ll hurt your back.”

Jiang Yinghe blinked again. “…”

He didn’t know what was said yesterday, but he had a very bad feeling about this.

They got off the carriage when they arrived at Luo City.

Luo City was adjacent to the Ying Zhou Sect’s compound, but there were also many smaller sects around it. There were fortune tellers and merchants everywhere that all spoke in a mysterious way. They referred to Luo City as a staircase that reached the clouds for those who wished to follow the path of immortal cultivation, because there were often immortals that visited to experience the mortal realm.

But in this kind of place, there were rich merchants who were willing to offer exorbitant sums for the “elixir of immortality”. In addition, there were talented people from the Jianghu that entered the city by night to search for immortals, and poor and disabled beggars who came here to try their luck as well…

It was called the ‘Cloud Staircase’, but it appeared to simply be a normal bustling city. Maybe there were actual cultivators among them, but many of them were just deceitful scam artists.

Evil cultivators were abundant in a chaotic place like this.

When Jiang Yinghe carried the white cat into the inn, there was still a lot of noise in the lobby. But, one by one, the people within fell silent as they caught sight of him.

They looked up, only to fall into a staring stupor.

The person in front of them was in light-colored robes with pine, cypress and bamboo embroidered on the edges. His hair was held in place by a jade crown, and his dark eyes seemed to hold stars within. His skin was as translucent as cold jade, giving off the lustre of frost beneath the moonlight.

His appearance was not the only thing that stunned people. It was the fact that, despite holding a cat in his arms, he still radiated an aloofness that placed him thousands of miles away from others. He was distant and pure to an extreme degree, like the thin layer of ice that hadn’t yet melted on a spring day.

“Which sect is this cultivator from… Could he be a rogue immortal cultivator?”

Someone swallowed dryly, “What a strong aura of immortal energy. Those sect cultivators from a few days ago knew some tricks, but they’re nothing compared to him.”

“But I think…” the first person who saw him smacked his lips, “although he seems exceptional, he doesn’t look particularly strong.”

Jiang Yinghe had a subdued air about him, and he had already concealed his cultivation as much as possible to prevent others from being impacted by his impending heavenly tribulation, making it difficult for the mortal eye to perceive the truth.

Only some of the inn’s bellhops who were closer to him could sense the faint and cold fragrance of his body.

Li Huanhan had already arranged a room and the innkeeper took him upstairs. Qin Jun would follow later as he went to store the carriage.

Jiang Yinghe acted like he hadn’t heard the discussions, but after he had taken a few steps upstairs, he suddenly paused and looked down from the railing.

Those two were still talking animatedly when he looked over.

“… Did you see that person? The temperament of the one just now is similar to that Peng Lai Elder I saw once!”

“Wait.” another lowered his voice, “Has the Peng Lai Immortal Sect really come to Luo City to recruit disciples?”

“There’s no doubt about it!” the man was very pleased with himself, “This is going to spread like wildfire in the city, truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity…”

Jiang Yinghe stood at the railing for a moment, puzzled.

What branch of Peng Lai are those two from? How come I don’t know about my own sect accepting disciples?

Although he seldomly participated in the Peng Lai disciple selections, he knew that most of the disciples accepted were talents educated from a young age from families with a history of cultivation. Others, like Li Huanhan, were orphans brought back by Peng Lai disciples. They had to wait until they started their training before they were officially part of the Sect.

Jiang Yinghe didn’t stop too long. He asked the bellhop beside him, “This little brother, do you know what they’re saying about the Peng Lai Sect accepting disciples?”

The bellhop was flattered to be called a ‘little brother’. He casually said, “They’re saying that a Xianjun from Peng Lai Immortal Sect has come to build a temple here and is taking in young boys and girls based on their talent. I don’t know where the info came from, but cultivation wannabes are literally fighting to get their children to the temple.”

Jiang Yinghe nodded and thanked him.

He was the only Xianjun in Peng Lai, and he didn’t eat children. Why would he ask for girls and boys…?

Only an evil cultivator with an ulterior motive would impersonate him to commit crimes… As Jiang Yinghe thought about this, he pushed open the door and immediately saw the infamous heavenly demon who was the leader of the Tian Mo School inside the house organizing books, replacing the tea, and making the bed.

…En. How nefarious.

He almost couldn’t help but laugh as he watched, so he reached out and closed the door before turning around, “Huanhan?”

“En?”

“You…do not live up to your title.”

Li Huanhan looked up at him, and his hands paused from where they were arranging the books by year. He was silent for a moment, as if he hadn’t figured out where he didn’t live up to his title. A long while later, he asked, “…How so?”

Jiang Yinghe put down the kitten and walked over to look at the books he was arranging. “Don’t you think that you’re not acting evil enough?”

Originally, these books were all works from Lan Ling Publishing House. Next to them were a collection of the rumors and news that had circulated the cultivation world over the last century, the most sensational of which was the revival of the Half-step Golden Immortal, which occupied three to five books worth of words.

Jiang Yinghe had a deep impression of this Lan Ling Publishing House. He knew it was nothing good just based on its name. He asked, “What are you doing with these books?”

“This book in particular has become popular in recent years.” Li Huanhan’s bloodshot eyes were slightly glazed, “It is a tale about the love between a shizun and his disciple.”

Before Jiang Yinghe could react, he was affected by the other party’s approaching aura. He looked up and realized he was reflected in those vivid red eyes.

“So what should I do,” he asked quietly, “to be considered an evil cultivator?”

“…Lie and cheat, be known for bullying the weak and stealing from the poor…” Jiang Yinghe thought about it and added, “Eating young boys and girls.”

Li Huanhan frowned, “What’s so delicious about boys and girls?”

Jiang Yinghe was taken aback. He didn’t know what demons considered delicious, so he absentmindedly asked, “Then you evil cultivators—”

“Is it okay to eat you?”

His words came to an abrupt end at his disciple’s question.

Jiang Yinghe was at loss for words. Li Huanhan took the opportunity to gently bring their lips together and ask in a hoarse voice, “It’s not good to bully the weak, so can I bully my Shizun instead?”

…How can you say it like that?

Jiang Yinghe’s ears were burning. He concentrated on calming down, but just as he was about to change the subject to something more serious, his lips were sealed as he was brought into an embrace.

The bloody aura that surrounded Li Huanhan’s entire body has never left, it was just hidden at times. During their kiss, it revealed itself in full force.

Sharp teeth scraped along his lips, soothed by the hot, wet press of a tongue as their kiss reached a deeper level of intimacy.

Jiang Yinghe pushed against his shoulder and panted to the side for air. He stuttered, “O-of course not, you…”

He wasn’t able to finish his sentence again.

Because the “harmless kitten” behind him had returned to being a large cat at some point. It resembled a snow white Siberian tiger, except the tail was thick and plush. The appendage wrapped itself around Jiang Yinghe’s waist and pulled him back while the big cat’s tongue forcefully licked his shoulder.

Right over where Jun-er had made the hickey.

This little bastard…

Perhaps it was because they knew of each other’s origins, or perhaps the atmosphere was simply too good, but the two insolent, bullying bastards didn’t even fight that much amongst themselves. Instead, they worked together in a weird and tacit manner as if they were one person.

…Well, they originally were one person.

Li Huanhan’s hand opened Jiang Yinghe’s collar with dark eyes the colour of dried blood. His fingertips rubbed the hickey as he leaned close to whisper, “Did Qin Jun do this? It looks like he’s the one that’s more like an evil cultivator.”

Jiang Yinghe pressed on his disciple’s shoulder. He felt like he was losing control of the situation.

Just as the situation was getting out of hand, the door creaked.

Jiang Yinghe’s entire body stiffened. He could guess what the next rumor in Luo City…no, the entire cultivation world would be already.

That was, until he heard Jun-er’s voice.

“Li Huanhan, Chang Ye.” Qin Jun closed the door, “Restrain your internal demons and body size. It’s time to clean out the Sect’s member list.

—-

The so-called cleaning of the Sect’s member list was naturally not referring to actual members of Peng Lai.

Just as Jiang Yinghe had thought, this impostor who demanded children in his guise was indeed an evil cultivator.

Since Qin Jun was a wraith, he could sense the proportion of living souls in Luo City and even detect the intensity of resentful energy here. Therefore, he had immediately noticed that there was a ghost cultivator haunting Luo City.

In addition, Jiang Yinghe had heard about the rumor of a ‘temple being built for worship’. He was about eighty percent sure that this was a ghost cultivator disguised as an immortal who took advantage of this chaotic place and its ignorant populace to raise his own cultivation.

In order for a ghost cultivator to purify their soul and cleanse their body of miasma, they had to build a temple and rely on the faith of mortals to convert into an immortal cultivator.

So that was the situation.

Jiang Yinghe straightened his clothes and continued, “Since they have set up a place for incense and offerings, we will go to take a look. If they really are beyond salvation…then a swift exorcism would be for the best.”

The big cat’s tongue was covered in soft barbs. Even if they didn’t stand up, it still stung and irritated the skin.

As he spoke, the kitten by his legs simultaneously put on a show.

It stuck to him, acting cute and spoiled, stretching out its squishy paws to hook at his robes in an attempt to gain Shizun’s attention.

Jiang Yinghe actually hurt a little after this little bastard licked him so much. He lifted his foot and pushed the kitten away, saying with a grimace, “It seems the only thing you learned from your Shixiong is how to be shameless. Couldn’t you have chosen something good instead?”

The little white cat meowed and waved its tail in aggravation. The appendage held onto the corner of his robes.

Jiang Yinghe still remembered how strong this tail was when it grew larger, so he pushed Chang Ye even further away and turned his head. “Why are you less and less reasonable as well…”

Li Huanhan admitted his fault. “When I heard Shizun speak, I couldn’t help but… My heart was beating too fast.”

A perfect shot flew over unerringly from midcourt.

Jiang Yinghe could almost feel the sound of the ball going into the basket of his heart.

He coughed lightly to hide his embarrassment.

“Three split souls…is still too…” Jiang Yinghe couldn’t even picture what it would look like, “Let’s wait until the fusion… If afterwards…”

It was like a thorn had pierced his heart.

After the fusion, after overcoming his tribulation, perhaps that person would return to the Endless Sky Watchtower and continue to watch over the world as its guardian.

Jiang Yinghe’s thoughts paused here as his mind uncontrollably imagined the most likely ending.

His uncertain mind also drifted to his upcoming heavenly tribulation. He knew now, more than ever, that it was almost upon him… He remained buried in his thoughts for quite some time until he heard Qin Jun’s voice.

“You guys went too far just now.”

“Right?” Jiang Yinghe nodded gratefully.

“I can’t believe you started without me.” He continued.

Jiang Yinghe blinked again. “…?”

Author’s Corner

The next rumor: The aloof Xianjun is being forced to exercise with many evil cultivators at an inn! Click to view.avi

HeHe: I-I kind of can’t accept this QAQ.

Sahl:

Qin Jun: “I can’t believe you started without me.”

Sahl: *gathers three disciples in a hug*  It’s so good to see our boys getting along!