Speaking of the book No Demons on the Grand Dao, Jiang Xing couldn’t actually remember many details in it clearly. He had even forgotten many of the characters’ names. After all, the whole book had over a thousand chapters, and he only glanced at it a couple of times every day after finishing his classes.
However, he vaguely remembered that there were spells in it for taking other people’s spiritual power, though he couldn’t remember those convoluted, mouth-twisting names.
“Spells to take other people’s spiritual power?”
Zishu Bai frowned, quickly dismissing his idea. “Those are forbidden arts, and I have never practiced any similar spells either.”
Jiang Xing gritted his teeth and could only speak roundaboutly again: “Then is there the kind of spell that borrows spiritual power from others? Just borrowing—I’ll return it.”
Of course he wouldn’t return it, but if he didn’t say it this way, Zishu Bai would definitely never teach him that kind of spell.
Seeing his eager-for-quick-success-and-instant-benefits expression, Zishu Bai sighed softly. Picking up that cultivation manual on the desk, he said in a gentle tone: “You are more suited to start learning from this book right now. Don’t worry, wherever you don’t understand, I will teach you.”
With only three days left before the Inner Sect Assessment, where would he find the time to read a book?
Jiang Xing snatched the book without the slightest hesitation and flung it far away to the side. “There’s no time! I must break through to the Foundation Establishment stage within three days. Do you truly have no way at all?”
Cultivation shunned taking shortcuts the most. In the teachings Zishu Bai had received since childhood, cultivation required taking things one step at a time, comprehending the Dao and training in a down-to-earth, earnest manner. One must never dream of achieving success overnight; otherwise, it was extremely easy to suffer from a qi deviation and stray onto the wrong path.
Thus, after pondering for a moment, he shook his head with a troubled look.
Jiang Xing took a deep breath, almost swearing out loud. For what on earth had he put on an act and wasted his breath on this fool, only to end up with no way out after all?
Aren’t you the protagonist? Don’t you have a halo? Turn on a cheat code!
“Get out.” Jiang Xing showed no mercy as he drove his guest away, sitting back down by the desk to pick up that shabby book and continue reading. “Three days later, you’ll get to see me kicked out of the sect. At that time, you can set off two strings of firecrackers with Yan Zhun to celebrate.”
Hearing his self-abandoning words, Zishu Bai hastily explained: “Yan Zhun and I would never do such a thing. We genuinely want to help you.”
Jiang Xing was too lazy to listen any further, simply standing up and pushing the man out the door.
Just as the door was about to shut, Zishu Bai urgently pressed against it again.
This trick again? Is there no end to this?
Just as Jiang Xing was about to curse at him, he heard Zishu Bai say anxiously: “Actually… there is one way.”
His movements snapped to a halt. He stared suspiciously at the other person, sizing him up for a moment before speaking coldly: “Speak.”
However, Zishu Bai acted as if he were a thief, the tips of his ears turning red. He looked left and right with a deeply guilty conscience, whispering softly: “I… I want to go inside to talk.”
Jiang Xing rolled his eyes in his heart, flinging the door wide open to let him in.
It had better be a truly useful method; otherwise, he was going to kick this fool right out.
Zishu Bai entered the room and stood somewhat uneasily in front of Jiang Xing. His expression hesitated, yet his face grew redder and redder.
“Speak up.”
Jiang Xing’s patience was very limited.
For a long while, Zishu Bai still showed no intention of speaking. Just as Jiang Xing was about to lose his temper, he finally uttered in a low voice—a sound so faint it was barely audible. Jiang Xing, who was only half a meter away, couldn’t hear a single word clearly.
“The method is…”
“Is what?” Jiang Xing leaned his ear over, almost suspecting if he had gone deaf. “Louder. Are you mute?”
They were even closer now. For some reason, Zishu Bai always felt that Jiang Xing didn’t guard against him in the slightest.
Although he was always very fierce and hot-tempered toward him, Jiang Xing trusted him more than anyone else.
Was he really going to say it?
To help Jiang Xing advance into the inner sect, to prevent Jiang Xing from being kicked out of the sect, and so that Jiang Xing’s parents wouldn’t beat him anymore… he should say it.
Zishu Bai bit his lip, his eyes flickering. Afraid that his heartbeat would be heard, he could only brace himself and force those words out of his mouth.
“The method is… spiritual sense blend with someone else’s. I read a book before, and it said that doing so allows two people’s cultivations to increase rapidly at the same time.”
Jiang Xing finally heard his words clearly, yet he didn’t understand.
Spiritual sense blend how come this phrase had never appeared in the book? Where did Zishu Bai learn it from? He actually had zero impression of it.
He stared suspiciously at Zishu Bai’s face, which was flushed completely red, and said in a calm voice: “Did you make it up yourself?”
Zishu Bai shyly lowered his eyes and shook his head: “No.”
Regardless of whether it was made up or not, Jiang Xing had a premonition that spiritual sense blending was definitely not a good method; otherwise, how could Zishu Bai be feeling so guilty?
Glancing across at the thick book on the desk, he pinched his forehead and still asked: “Can spiritual sense blending allow me to successfully reach the Foundation Establishment stage within three days?”
Hearing his words, Zishu Bai’s voice sank even lower: “It… it depends on whose spiritual sense you blend with.”
“Yours.”
Jiang Xing said without the slightest hesitation.
Who else could he choose? Could he possibly choose Yan Zhun or Qin Shangyan?
Zishu Bai had not expected that the first candidate he would name was actually himself. Stunned for a brief moment, the red at the tips of his ears quickly spread across his entire body, burning intensely.
He still had to make it clear, or else Jiang Xing would misunderstand that he had ulterior motives.
“Spiritual sense blending is not an evil art, but it also has some bad side effects.” Zishu Bai shifted his gaze away and said softly, “Once blended, your and my spiritual senses will become incomparably familiar with each other. You might often dream of me.”
Dreaming.
What kind of side effect was that supposed to be?
Jiang Xing narrowed his eyes, clearly not believing it was that simple. “What else?”
“And…” Zishu Bai whispered, “The process might be very intense. After it ends, the body will have some strange reactions.”
“What reactions?”
“I don’t know either. I’ve never tried it. I only read about the related spell in a book when I was little.”
Jiang Xing stared straight at him. After a long while, he spoke crisply and decisively: “Let’s do it.”
Even if there really were some side effects, Zishu Bai wouldn’t fare any better. If it was a reaction that even Zishu Bai could endure, then he could too.
Seeing him so decisive, Zishu Bai’s breathing paused slightly, and he immediately added: “I might still not have made it clear… Spiritual sense blending is a very private matter. Usually… usually only Dao companions can do it.”
Hearing this, Jiang Xing raised his eyes in disbelief. “What did you say?”
No wonder it was dreaming of him and strange reactions turns out it was a dual-cultivation spell for Dao companions!
What was this fool doing reading this kind of stuff when he was little?
Jiang Xing felt as though someone had caught him off guard and stuffed something into his mouth, only realizing after taking two careful bites that it was shit.
No, even eating shit wasn’t this disgusting!
Seeing Jiang Xing’s expression abruptly change, a faint gloominess appeared in the depths of Zishu Bai’s eyes. He said softly: “I had better still teach you how to cultivate. Although three days won’t get you to the Foundation Establishment stage, there will definitely be some results.”
However, Jiang Xing grabbed him by the collar, gritting his teeth as he said: “Within three days, I must reach Foundation Establishment.”
Zishu Bai was stunned, speaking tentatively: “But you and I are both men…”
“What about men? This matter is known by Heaven, known by Earth, known by you, and known by me.” Jiang Xing leaned closer to him with a sinister aura, speaking eerily, “If you dare leak half a word of this out, I will absolutely never spare you.”
It wasn’t as if he were the only one disgusted—wasn’t Zishu Bai going to be disgusted right along with him?
Zishu Bai: “…I understand.”
He lightly patted Jiang Xing’s hand that was tightly gripping his lapels, subconsciously licking his lips, and whispered: “Don’t be nervous. I won’t do anything to you. You just need to release your spiritual sense.”
The more Jiang Xing listened, the more awkward he felt. What did he mean by “don’t be nervous” and “won’t do anything to you”? What did he have to be nervous about?
To enter the inner sect, he could accept the necessary sacrifices; a side effect of this degree was nothing to him at all. What’s more, spiritual sense blending didn’t involve physical contact, so strictly speaking, it shouldn’t even be called dual cultivation.
Various chaotic thoughts flashed through Jiang Xing’s mind, making him irritable and uneasy.
“Calm your mind.”
A warm fingertip suddenly tapped lightly on his forehead, magically sweeping away all those messy thoughts in his heart.
Zishu Bai’s breath was scalding hot as he pulled over a small stool beside him, speaking as if coaxing and guiding: “Sit over here.”
Jiang Xing closed his eyes and sat down opposite him.
His eyelashes drooped down like crow feathers, casting a faint blue shadow on his pale face. When he wasn’t frowning, Jiang Xing looked very soft, without that sharp, cold, and unapproachable demeanor.
Zishu Bai was slightly dazed, as if he had suddenly caught a glimpse of another side of him—another Jiang Xing who would never easily show himself in front of others.
He truly trusted him so completely, not worrying at all that anything unexpected would happen. Where on earth did this unconditional trust come from?
He couldn’t think of an answer.
“Gather your spiritual energy at your forehead and release your spiritual sense.”
“How do I gather it?”
Zishu Bai choked for a second, then explained patiently: “Imagine your spiritual energy as threads scattered all over your body. Pull those threads and tie them to your forehead.”
It was very straightforward, but Jiang Xing wasn’t sure if he could do it.
He tried hard to imagine it for a while, tiny beads of sweat seeping from his forehead. Fortunately, this body seemed to be able to use that spiritual energy skillfully, and soon Jiang Xing found the threads Zishu Bai had mentioned.
It was a truly marvelous feeling. Those threads actually moved according to his will, guided by him to his forehead.
He could even do something so abstract; maybe he really had a bit of talent for cultivation?
“Release those threads from your forehead.”
Zishu Bai’s voice was very slow and gentle, like the tone of a yoga instructor in class. Jiang Xing involuntarily followed his guidance, releasing his spiritual sense from his forehead.
Suddenly, he felt that thread being gently entwined by another thread.
His entire body shuddered for a moment. Jiang Xing hadn’t known that spiritual sense was such a sensitive thing. He subconsciously wanted to flee, only to be bound even tighter by that thread.
It felt as though his body were completely controlled by the other party, no longer belonging to himself. Every single place was laid bare before the other person without any reservation or concealment.
Out of instinct, Jiang Xing evaded and resisted, yet he could do nothing. He couldn’t make a sound even if he tried to yell, and his body was entirely unable to move. An inexplicable sense of panic surged over him.
Thread entangled tightly with thread, penetrating everywhere, seamlessly blending together in a manner that was gentle yet refused to be rejected.
Stop!
Stop it!
Damn Zishu Bai! Damn Zishu Bai!
He was going to kill Zishu Bai!
After an unknown amount of time had passed, the entangled and sticky threads finally unraveled, leaving each other reluctantly and returning into their respective bodies.
Drenched in sweat all over, Jiang Xing collapsed weakly onto the desk, the tips of his ears red enough to bleed.
Zishu Bai was likewise panting heavily, his heart beating frantically in his chest. It was an unprecedented feeling—novel, thrilling, a pleasure he had never obtained from anyone else.
It was as if for a moment just now, the person in front of him had been stamped with a mark belonging to him.
So spiritual sense blending was such an interesting thing…
His Adam’s apple rolled slightly. Before he could speak, he heard Jiang Xing, who was lying face down on the desk, utter a muffled voice.
“Get the hell out.”
He pursed his lips tightly, his eyes filled with the sight of Jiang Xing’s earlobe—flushed red as if steamed through, tiny and delicate, looking very soft and scalding hot.
He really wanted to take a look at the expression on his face.
Zishu Bai held his forehead, slowly steadying his breath, and said softly: “I’m sorry.” He didn’t know why he should apologize either, only feeling that under the current situation, he ought to say so.
The sandalwood incense had long burned out, and the room was so quiet that a pin drop could be heard.
Unable to set his mind at ease, he instructed softly: “If you still need it during the next two days, you can come to the North Palace to find me.”
There was still no response. Zishu Bai swallowed hard and could only rise to leave.
With a creak, the room door opened and closed again.
Jiang Xing finally raised his head, his face ash-green. He clenched his fists and smashed them heavily onto the desk.
After a long while, he stood up, stripped off his clothes, and changed into a brand-new, clean pair of undergarments.