“Da shixiong?!” Gu Congxing looked at Lan Jue’s gloomy expression and couldn’t help but exclaim in surprise.
He wanted to take a step back, but his wrist was gripped even tighter. A red mark appeared on his fair skin, looking like a sign of abuse.
“Hey! Lan Jue, let go!” Gu Congxing said, becoming somewhat angry.
“…Sorry…”
Seeing that red mark, the sharpness in Lan Jue’s eyes suddenly faded, and he hurriedly released his grip.
“Sorry, Congxing, does it hurt a lot? Here is some spirit-herb ointment.”
He took out a high-quality spirit medicine from his storage ring, intending to apply it for Gu Congxing directly, but his hand paused; in the end, he only handed it to Gu Congxing.
Gu Congxing silently observed Lan Jue. Seeing the apologetic look in his downcast eyes, his anger instantly dissipated. He sighed softly and took the ointment.
“I was indeed distracted just now… I was thinking of my elder brother, Gu Mingting. You and he are somewhat alike in certain respects.”
Gu Congxing opened the jade porcelain lid and applied some of the translucent ointment to his wrist.
“However, I have never treated you as a substitute for him.”
“You are special.” You are my one and only Senior Brother.
As the red mark faded and Gu Congxing’s words fell, ripples spread across the lake in Lan Jue’s heart.
“…Is that so.”
He responded softly, letting out a silent sigh of relief.
“To have some resemblance to that eldest young master of the Gu family is my good fortune.”
Lan Jue raised his head again, his face returning to its usual refined and gentle smile.
Seeing him return to normal, Gu Congxing felt relieved as well.
He hadn’t forgotten the warning from the Dream Demon, but he wasn’t naive enough to treat its words as absolute truth. Perhaps it was just trying to deceive him? If he deepened his entanglement with his Senior Brother, would he truly die?
However, whether it was true or false, he had already prepared himself for death the moment he accepted the System’s redemption mission.
But he absolutely did not want to see his sect members become unrecognizable due to a change in fate.
“Then I shall return to rest first.”
Gu Congxing bade farewell to Lan Jue and returned to his room to meditate and regulate his breathing.
Lan Jue’s gaze followed the upright, sky-blue figure until it disappeared behind the door.
He touched the ice-blue sword scabbard and stroked it slowly.
“Forgetting Love (Wangqing), huh…”
The group departed from the southwestern border of Luoxi Prefecture and arrived in Zhongyu Prefecture a decade later.
During this period, under Lan Jue’s protection, Gu Congxing successfully broke through to form a Nine-Turn Golden Core.
Although there was a lightning tribulation for the Golden Core stage, it was the least powerful version thirty-six bolts of lightning. Moreover, having passed through it in his previous life, Gu Congxing was already quite familiar with the process.
However, for safety, he still chose to face the tribulation alone on a mountain peak.
When he finished and looked back, he found that Lan Jue was standing not far away.
Even though he knew there was no real danger, he would still silently guard him.
During this time, not only Gu Congxing but the other disciples also gained inner insights, allowing their cultivation to advance.
The last one to advance was Lan Jue, who had been protecting the other disciples.
He officially stepped from the Great Perfection of the Golden Core into the Nascent Soul realm.
On the day of Lan Jue’s advancement, the spirit boat anchored at the border of Zhongyu Prefecture for a day, because the Nine-Heaven Lightning Tribulation had arrived.
Compared to the Golden Core tribulation, the Nascent Soul lightning tribulation was far more perilous, consisting of forty-nine bolts of heavenly lightning.
When the blue-purple lightning descended with a roar, the Qingxuan Sword Sect disciples held their breath, silently gazing at Lan Jue in the midst of the lightning.
His moon-white figure stood as straight as a bamboo. When the lightning dissipated, he was surrounded by a spiritual glow, his radiance contained he was now a Nascent Soul cultivator.
The Qingxuan Sword Sect disciples cheered and crowded around him, but those clear, autumn-water eyes moved past the many figures and locked directly onto Gu Congxing.
In that instant, Gu Congxing suddenly recalled that in his previous life, Lan Jue had also taken the inner sect disciples to the Wumeng Villa for a mission, but he had not been in the sect at that time.
When he returned to the sect, he heard that three disciples had perished in that mission, and Lan Jue had been severely wounded, remaining in seclusion afterward with his cultivation stagnant at the late Golden Core stage.
After that, Lan Jue voluntarily resigned from the position of Head Senior Brother, but he became even more reckless in protecting the sect, as if he were atoning for a crime.
“System, why did Senior Brother perish in the previous life?” Gu Congxing asked softly.
[Lan Jue died by sacrificing himself to save others. More specific details can be queried after the host’s points exceed 200, by activating the “8D Reading Original Novel” function.]
Gu Congxing stared at Lan Jue’s figure, clenching his fists silently.
Shidi, this life is already different.
This time, I will be the one to save you.
The spirit boat arrived at the barrier of the Qingxuan Sword Sect. The disciples guarding the sect were both surprised and delighted to see the seven returning disciples; they immediately sent word to the main peak and eagerly gathered around.
“Shidi Lan! You’ve finally returned!”
“We heard you were in danger! The sect sent three elders to rescue you, and even Sword Venerable Zhuoguang almost mobilized!”
Gu Congxing and Lan Jue exchanged glances, both looking surprised.
Their Master managed the seal of the Wuji Cliff; every time he came out of seclusion, he would spend at least a month reinforcing the seal without fail.
It seemed he had indeed been worried this time.
“Shidi!!”
A loud call came from behind. As soon as Gu Congxing turned around, he fell into a warm embrace.
The youth brought with him the scent of grass that had been basking in the sun, mixed with fresh morning dew reckless and vibrant.
“Shidi…”
Gu Congxing rubbed the youth’s fluffy hair, letting him nuzzle against his neck, which brought a ticklish sensation.
“Wuwuwu, Da Shixiong, I missed you so much!”
Zhong Ming held Gu Congxing tightly, his warm breath falling against Gu Congxing’s ear.
Gu Congxing’s lips curled upward. He patted the youth’s back as he usually did, but suddenly realized the person in his arms had grown a bit taller than before.
He was almost as tall as him now.
Just as Gu Congxing was about to let Zhong Ming go, a gentle voice tinged with coldness sounded from the side: “Junior Brother is indeed still a young boy, being so clingy.”
Gu Congxing turned his head and saw that Lan Jue’s face still held his usual smile, but there was a chill in his eyes.
“I! I am not a child!” Upon hearing this, Zhong Ming immediately let go of Gu Congxing, frowning and retorting hurriedly.
“Is that so?” Lan Jue narrowed his eyes. “Since that is the case, I still need to report the mission with Congxing. Junior Brother, perhaps you should return first.”
Zhong Ming puffed out his cheeks and was about to nod, but immediately realized something and asked Lan Jue: “Senior Brother, what did you call Second Senior Brother just now?”
“Congxing. Why, does Junior Brother find it inappropriate?”
Lan Jue’s smile was leisurely.
Zhong Ming’s brow furrowed again.
Something was wrong. He thought to himself.
Although it was not rare for the Senior Brother to call the Second Senior Brother by his name, he intuitively felt something was different.
The Da Shixiong had never been this close to the Second Da Shixiong before.
A sense of crisis surged from the bottom of his heart. Zhong Ming looked directly into Lan Jue’s eyes, but the man opposite remained calm and peaceful.
Gu Congxing looked at the two of them staring at each other and couldn’t help but feel confused.
His Da Shixiong’s expression was as usual, so why was his Junior Brother’s look so hostile? What were they competing over?
“Alright, Shidi. I will go to the main peak with Senior Brother to report first; we can talk about anything else later.”
Gu Congxing patted Zhong Ming’s head and turned to leave with Lan Jue.
Lan Jue’s smile widened. His wide sleeves brushed against Gu Congxing’s, and he reached out his fingertips to hold Gu Congxing’s hand.
“Da Shixiong ?” Gu Congxing became even more puzzled.
“It will be faster if we go together.”
Saying this, he had already summoned his Wangqing sword and, taking Gu Congxing by the arm, stepped onto the long sword.
“Second Da Shixiong!”
Zhong Ming’s call came from behind. Gu Congxing looked back and saw the youth’s dark golden eyes fixed upon him, his voice urgent.
“Tomorrow is the final match of the sect tournament! You must come to watch!”
Gu Congxing had not expected the sect tournament to have already begun. He nodded without hesitation: “That goes without saying.”
The Wangqing sword rode the wind and departed. Zhong Ming watched the ice-blue arc of light gradually disappear, his black curly hair blowing in the wind.
Dark gold light flickered in his eyes, and with a surge of spiritual power, vertical pupils like those of an exotic beast appeared for an instant.
“Ugh…” Unaware, Zhong Ming clutched his head and closed his eyes to adjust his spiritual aura.
Lately, he always felt his own spiritual power was unstable and his blood was boiling. What exactly was going on?
Could it be that he fought too fiercely in the first two matches?
When he opened his eyes again, they had returned to their pure luster.
Zhong Ming returned to Zhuoguang Peak and practiced the Heart-Cleansing Mantra taught by Gu Congxing until his spiritual power was stable once more, then stood up to wield his sword again.
His steps were like rippling waves, his sword stance like a rainbow!
When Gu Congxing returned from the main peak, the sun was setting.
After parting with Lan Jue, he didn’t stop and went straight to the small courtyard where Zhong Ming lived.
Tomorrow was his Junior Brother’s final match; if he could offer a little guidance, it should be helpful to him.
As the evening breeze brushed his face and the bamboo leaves rustled, Gu Congxing saw the youth’s shadow dancing with his sword.
His robes fluttered as the youth’s figure moved with the agility of a swallow. He used the tip of his sword to borrow strength from the ground and spun into the air; wherever the sword light swept, the fallen leaves and the evening wind were sliced in two.
It was exactly the Flowing Cloud Sword Technique.
“Shidi.” Gu Congxing called out softly. Zhong Ming stopped abruptly, his eyes brightening when he turned around.
“Da Shixiong!” He ran over happily, and just as he was about to pounce into Gu Congxing’s arms, he paused.
Gu Congxing was confused, but saw Zhong Ming first cast a cleansing spell on himself to remove the sweat and dust before smiling and diving into his embrace.
“You fellow, why bother with that? I wouldn’t mind.”
Zhong Ming didn’t speak, just nuzzled his fluffy head against him again.
Gu Congxing smiled and patted him, then said: “Your sword technique has improved quickly. Let’s spar tonight; consider it preparation for tomorrow.”
“Okay!”
Zhong Ming held his sword horizontally across his chest, his eyes shining with excitement.
“Da Shixiong, make your move!”
Gu Congxing was also full of fighting spirit. He suppressed his cultivation to the early Foundation Establishment stage, summoned the Zhanjing sword, and with a flick of his wrist, struck out!
“Clang!”
“Boom”
The two fought with sword techniques supplemented by spiritual power, kicking up clouds of dust!
Every strike and stance was full of refined combat skills!
Both felt incredibly satisfied, and without realizing it, they had been sparring for several hours. It wasn’t until Gu Congxing’s sword tip sliced off a strand of Zhong Ming’s hair that the contest concluded.
“Da Shixiong is truly amazing!”
Zhong Ming was not discouraged at all; instead, his eyes brightened further, and he smiled broadly.
“Shidi has improved very fast; perhaps in not too long, you will surpass me.”
Gu Congxing sheathed his sword. Due to the intense exercise, a few beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, his cheeks flushed, making his pupils look darker and his lips redder.
Zhong Ming stared at him unblinkingly, but suddenly, the memory of those storybooks he had accidentally flipped through popped into his mind. In the illustrations, two men were pressed tightly together…
“！No! Won’t.” Zhong Ming’s cheeks suddenly flushed bright red. He looked away and stared at the ground.
He recited the Heart-Cleansing Mantra in his heart until the heat throughout his body subsided before he spoke again.
“Senior Brother went away for more than a month this time, and I have a lot I want to tell you.”
His voice was not loud, but the tone was soft, with a hint of being spoiled.
“Da Shixiong, can I chat with you tonight?”
Looking at him like this, how could Gu Congxing bring himself to refuse?
Although his Shidi was a bit clingy, it didn’t really have any impact. Besides, having not seen him for a long time, he also missed him quite a bit.
“Naturally, that is fine.” Gu Congxing smiled. “Let’s sit and talk by candlelight; just don’t let it affect your match tomorrow.”
“Okay! Then I’ll come find you in a little while, Da Shixiong!”
Zhong Ming accepted happily. Gu Congxing assumed he might need to prepare something, so he returned to his bamboo house first.
After bathing, he began to meditate on his bed, but before long, he felt a wave of sleepiness.
It stands to reason that it wouldn’t matter if a cultivator didn’t sleep at night, but perhaps he was overly exhausted lately, and being back in his residence and feeling relaxed, he was now drowsy.
Within a breath, he lay down and fell asleep.
When his Junior Brother comes, he will probably wake me up…
Gu Congxing thought to himself, his consciousness slipping into a deep darkness.
In the silent darkness, he began to dream.
Something wound its way up along his legs, lifting the hem of his loose inner robe, inch by inch, sliding into the fabric.
It was a slippery, cool sensation.
Is it a tail? A snake? Or a vine?
Gu Congxing, in his sleep, furrowed his brows, but the thing not only didn’t restrain itself but became increasingly brazen, pressing tightly against his skin and rubbing its way upward bit by bit.
Besides between his legs, an unusual sensation came from his arms as well. It wound from his fingertips upward, tightening in circles, preventing Gu Congxing’s arms from moving.
Another length rubbed lightly against his neck, tapped his Adam’s apple, and then slowly wrapped around the back of his neck, sliding along the curve of his collarbone, silently moving downward.
The tip stirred his neckline, sliding through the gaps in the fabric.
More and more of the wet, slippery things coiled upward, and its tail end even had some protrusions, which, as it slid over his skin either heavily or lightly, made Gu Congxing’s body tremble.
It danced in the silence, climbing ostentatiously, and finally arrived at that pristine territory…