In their youth, the Sect Master of Jinchan Sect and his wife had been arrogant and overbearing, offending many.
As a result, their clever and lively only son was tragically abducted.
In the years that followed, although the couple treated their adopted daughter and son as their own, they had never once given up searching for their biological child.
And now, the young master had finally returned home.
The couple wished for nothing more than to make up for all the lost years in a single instant, to pour everything they had into him!!!
Ever since Yin Xuanlin returned to Jinchan Sect, his life could only be described as soaring to the heavens in a single step. It was far more than merely having clothes handed to him and meals served without effort.
The palace he resided in was built atop a top grade spiritual vein. The floors were paved with warm jade that nourished the meridians, the window gauze was embroidered with patterns impervious to both water and fire and even the water he used to rinse his mouth each day came from a century old spiritual spring.
The sect’s treasury was piled high with rare treasures and exotic artifacts. Magical tools and medicinal pills were arranged in dazzling abundance. Every day when he opened his eyes, he found himself troubled,
Should he first consume the thousand year snow lotus, or start with the precious Zhenfu immortal herb? Should he wear the robe that automatically repelled dust, or drape himself in the radiant, flowing garment that shimmered with light?
Even the daily family banquets were extravagance taken to its absolute peak.
At the table, his parents’ eyes were filled with unconcealable guilt and affection. They wished he could make a hundred wishes a day, just so they could fulfill each one without hesitation, giving him their full support in everything.
His elder sister, Jiang Qianxue and his younger brother, Jiang Qiansi, were no less excessive.
At the very least, what their parents gave him were still relatively conventional, ten thousand year ginseng kings, gold and silver treasures, property deeds and estates but the things his siblings gifted him were far more… imaginative.
A dancing teapot, an invisible brush, a mirror that specialized in exaggerated praise, a hiccup inducing conch, a portable little cloud, a puppet that cursed people on your behalf… all kinds of bizarre and incomprehensible curiosities.
The two of them had also suffered hardship in their early years. It was only after being taken in by Jinchan Sect that they learned this playful, eccentric and exuberant nature from their parents.
And as for the true young master, he truly resembled his parents. Even after so many years away, his bold, unrestrained temperament, his clear cut likes and dislikes, had not changed in the slightest.
No wonder when they first met during the Tianyuan Trial, they had felt an immediate sense of familiarity and closeness.
This was the power of blood ties.
And now, at the grand recognition banquet held in the Cloud Top Heavenly Palace,
Jiang Qianxue let out a soft, mocking laugh. “My, my, surely not? A dignified elder of the Medicine Sect from the Tangdi Immortal Clan and you don’t even recognize the Seven Glow Dancing Lotus?”
With a graceful flick of her slender hand, a radiant lotus appeared in her palm.
The Seven Glow Lotus, of peerless quality, shone brilliantly. Seven streaks of iridescent light flowed across its petals, dazzling so intensely that the Medicine Sect elder could barely keep his eyes open.
“Well, I suppose that makes sense~ After all, the expensive medicinal herbs your esteemed sect purchases have always been… somewhat different from those of our Jinchan Sect~”
“Even something like your ‘Thousand Year Fire Ganoderma’ seems rather… unique in quality. Ah, what a pity. In our Jinchan Sect’s treasury, we only have those ordinary ones that are completely crimson in color. As for those grayish, elongated Fire Ganoderma specimens… this junior would truly love the chance to broaden her horizons~”
“Oh, right, right, your young master’s Soul Devouring Art… has his recent cultivation been going smoothly?”
“Side paths are fine, of course! But forbidden techniques tend to damage one’s foundation. If you ever require medicinal herbs to regulate the meridians, feel free to ask. We’ll definitely give Elder… a five percent discount!”
After completing her elegant yet cutting performance, Jiang Qianxue left behind the father and son, whose faces had turned a mixture of green and red and turned away with poised grace.
Immediately afterward, Jiang Qiansi made his entrance.
Jiang Qiansi arrived together with Yin Xuanlin.
Of course, he should now be addressed publicly as Jiang Xuanlin.
The newly acknowledged eldest young master of Jinchan Sect was dressed in a dark robe woven with gold and embroidered clouds. As he moved, it seemed as though hidden streams of light flowed beneath the fabric, exuding an air of incomparable luxury.
Over his left eye, he wore an eyepatch, its base made of flawless white jade, intricately engraved with fine golden dragon patterns and inlaid with deep, lustrous gemstones. It was extravagantly opulent, making him appear even more unruly and imposing, radiating wealth and authority.
Meanwhile, Jiang Qiansi, long famed for his ethereal beauty and jade like grace, was willing to stand as a mere foil today.
Everyone had originally assumed that when the true and false young masters met, it would be a clash like fire and water.
Yet to their surprise, Yin Xuanlin showed no hostility whatsoever. Not only did he fully accept him but the two walked side by side, chatting and laughing as though they had known each other for years.
Immediately afterward, Jiang Qiansi stepped forward with calm, measured strides. Stopping before Xie Chen, he cupped his hands politely in greeting. “Young Master Xie, it has been a long time. I trust you have been well.”
Unlike his elder sister, who specialized in managing the family’s business affairs, Jiang Qiansi had been devoted to the martial path since childhood.
He, too, was one of heaven’s favored, born with a rare water spiritual root that appeared perhaps once in a century. Along his journey, he had almost never tasted defeat.
However, more than a year ago, Jiang Qiansi had represented Jinchan Sect in an exchange at the Tangdi Immortal Clan. In that encounter, he had ultimately suffered a narrow defeat at Xie Chen’s hands.
After returning from that experience, Jiang Qiansi had immersed himself even more deeply in study and training.
At this moment, his smile was clear and unclouded, his voice bright and resonant like polished jade. “Senior Brother Xie, today Qiansi wishes to once again seek a few pointers from you. Would Senior Brother be willing to grant me your guidance?”
Though his temperament was just as bold and flamboyant as Jiang Qianxue’s, Jiang Qiansi always preferred to maintain an outward facade of gentleness and refined courtesy.
Yet the more he presented himself as this humble, well mannered gentleman of elegance, the colder Xie Chen’s dark eyes became as they rested upon him.
The two engaged in combat once more.
Piercing streams of icy water and violent fire spiritual energy clashed and surged, colliding in a dazzling eruption of brilliance.
In truth, given Jiang Qiansi’s strength, he was fundamentally no match for Xie Chen, whose cultivation was unfathomably deep.
However, having learned from their previous battle, Jiang Qiansi no longer arrogantly relied on the conventional principle that water subdued fire. Instead, he carved out a different path,
This time, he chose to instantly condense his water spiritual energy into brittle ice with extreme cold, then shatter it with controlled, flexible force. Combined with his elusive and unpredictable footwork, he unleashed a relentless barrage of ice blades, continuously harassing and wearing down Xie Chen, whose defenses were not particularly strong.
Blood stirred.
Seizing the precise moment, Jiang Qiansi drove a surge of frigid water spiritual force straight into Xie Chen’s body. The sudden intrusion caused Xie Chen’s qi and blood to churn violently, forcing him to stagger backward several steps, swallowing down the metallic taste of rising blood.
Of course, at the same time, Jiang Qiansi himself had already been cut by sharp sword qi in countless places. Long wounds lined his body and waves of numbness spread through him.
The match ended at the point of restraint.
Neither side was able to decisively defeat the other and it was considered a draw. Even so, the process had been nothing short of spectacular, leaving the onlookers deeply impressed and enlightened.
“Wow, who would have thought the Young Master Jiang possessed such techniques!”
“As expected, Senior Brother Xie is invincible among his peers yet today Young Master Jiang was able to fight him evenly, matching him blow for blow!”
“The foundation of Jinchan Sect is truly unfathomable…”
Yin Xuanlin, of course, could see clearly that Jiang Qiansi had only managed to hold his ground this time through clever strategy and adaptability.
As expected of his quick witted, resourceful younger brother.
He hadn’t embarrassed him at all.
Feeling pleased, Yin Xuanlin couldn’t help himself. Growing smug, he strode forward with hands on his hips and darted right up to Xie Chen.
“So, there are always greater people beyond and higher heavens above, did Junior Brother get a good look today?”
“I told you long ago to cultivate both offense and defense but you wouldn’t listen! See? Now you’re injured, aren’t you?!”
“Luckily, this was just a spar with Qianci. If you were to face a Demon Venerable in the future, wouldn’t you suffer even more?”
Hearing this, Xie Chen remained silent as always.
His dark eyes, deep as an abyss, lifted to meet Yin Xuanlin’s gaze, as though a storm was quietly brewing within them.
Yin Xuanlin averted his eyes. “…Tch.”
“If you don’t want to hear it, then don’t. I’ll just leave, alright? Hmph… hey, what are you doing?”
His sleeve was suddenly caught, tugged tightly by a force that was not particularly strong yet impossible to ignore.
A faint scent of blood lingered in the air.
Then, Xie Chen’s slender fingers, still stained with traces of blood, slowly, almost cautiously, reached out and gently brushed against the white jade eyepatch covering Yin Xuanlin’s eye.
Yin Xuanlin felt as though he had been struck by lightning. His entire body stiffened in an instant.
This was simply, simply impossible to understand. What kind of madness had suddenly possessed Xie Chen?
Had they really been that close back in the sect, for him to just reach out like this?
“Senior Brother, your eye…”
In broad daylight, under the open sky.
Those fingertips moved slowly, gently tracing over the surface. Yin Xuanlin felt heat surge up his back, his heart pounding erratically in his chest.
All around them, an unnatural silence had fallen, no, it wasn’t just silence. The gazes of everyone present had turned strange and unreadable. Even Jiang Qiansi raised a brow in visible confusion.
Yin Xuanlin had absolutely no intention of indulging this madness any further.
Without hesitation, he made a quick motion, snap and tore the eyepatch off.
Only then did everyone clearly see that beneath the eyepatch, his left eye was perfectly intact. His gaze was bright and clear, completely unharmed. Only upon very close inspection could one spot a faint trace of newly healed pink flesh, a shallow mark running from his brow bone to the outer corner of his eye.
“Th…. this eyepatch is just, just something Sister Qianxue brought back from those pirates in the overseas Luoyun Kingdom! A new, novel little trinket, that’s all!”
After all, with the countless miraculous pills and medicines stored within Jinchan Sect, even the deepest scars would have long since been erased!
The only reason he wore it today was because Jiang Qianxue had told him that the most formidable figure aboard those pirate ships dressed exactly like this, impressive and imposing!
Everyone present:
The entire hall fell into an eerie silence. Meanwhile, Yin Xuanlin grabbed hold of Jiang Qianshang, who still looked eager to continue watching the spectacle and fled the scene in embarrassment.
It had originally been a day of pride, of triumph, of complete victory.
And yet, it had all been ruined by that ridiculous eyepatch!
Not long after the recognition banquet, the Tangdi Anecdotes Gazette received two pieces of gossip.
First, it was rumored that the Medicine Sect elder and Bai Shuangcheng had been ambushed and beaten with sacks over their heads on their way back.
However, neither of them admitted to it. They both firmly insisted that their injuries were the result of an accident during cultivation, refusing to mention anything else.
Second, Jiang Qiansi’s birthday was approaching.
Yin Xuanlin gave him full face, organizing a grand celebration on his behalf, sparing no expense in making it as extravagant as possible. It was said that during the banquet, Yin Xuanlin, his eyes hazy with drink, threw an arm around Jiang Qiansi’s shoulders.
He told everyone that his lifelong wish had always been to have a younger brother who was good looking, extraordinarily talented, adorable and obedient.
“Now that my wish has come true, of course I’m going to dote on him, spoil him to the heavens!”
But soon, no one had the mind to dwell on such trivial, street corner gossip.
As demonic energy grew increasingly rampant, the purple crystal secret realms across various regions began to spiral out of control, appearing everywhere like blooming outbreaks. They connected into vast expanses, transforming into terrifying dark domains that devoured everything in their path.
Xie Chen once again threw himself into relentless journeys across the land, saving lives and suppressing demons.
Yet his fighting style not only ignored all advice, it became even more willful, more ruthless, more extreme.
He had completely abandoned defense, pouring all of his spiritual power into offense alone, striving for the ultimate peak, annihilating everything in a single, decisive strike.
This kind of no retreat combat approach had indeed brought about countless brilliant victories, quelling demonic chaos in an instant.
But it had also led to even more instances where his own spiritual power backlashed against him, leaving him gravely injured, on the brink of death. Each time he was brought back, his breath faint and fragile, even the sect elders could only shake their heads and sigh.
Junior Brother Xie… had ultimately become different over these past years.
Zhou Xuanle still remembered how it had once been, how Xie Chen could turn into a decisive, slaughtering force, like a demon of carnage outside and yet upon returning, still have the leisure to hang Senior Brother Yin from a tree for amusement.
But now, every time he returned drenched in blood, his entire being was shrouded in a dense, nearly tangible black mist, filled with lingering hostility that refused to dissipate.
His gaze had become frighteningly hollow. Often, he would shut himself away without a word and over time, even the disciples who admired him most no longer dared to approach him.
An air of unease gradually spread throughout the entire sect.
Although it was said that the Lord of Zhaoye was destined to live a life fraught with hardship, everyone still hoped that he would survive, hoped that one day he would inherit the position of Sect Leader and restore the glory of the immortal sect.
Yet the crisis before them could no longer be described merely as “troublesome.”
Countless purple crystal secret realms had only just been destroyed when even more erupted into existence, spreading wildly like an uncontrollable plague. They interlinked densely, forming vast expanses. Once thriving cities were reduced to scorched wastelands, their people displaced, bones littering the ground. Demonic energy surged forth like a black tide, relentlessly devouring mountains, rivers and all that lay in its path.
The major sects joined forces yet they found themselves constantly rushing from one disaster to another, exhausted and achieving little.
By all logic, the Demon Lord should have already awakened and manifested under the nourishment of such dense demonic energy and yet, this time, there was still no trace of him. Only endless hordes of demonic creatures continued to pour forth from the dark realms.
Zhou Xuanle no longer had the leisure to pay attention to gossip pamphlets.
Now, he too was frequently struggling within seas of corpses and blood, his life hanging by a thread.
So much so that there was an experience he could no longer clearly distinguish, whether it had truly happened, or whether it had merely been a dream.
That time, he had followed Xie Chen to strike directly at the lair of a thousand year old tree demon but along the way, they unexpectedly encountered Yin Xuanlin, who was leading the elite forces of Jinchan Sect.
With a powerful enemy looming before them, past grievances had no choice but to be set aside.
Zhou Xuanle’s cultivation was not particularly high. Before long, his spiritual energy was completely exhausted, his protective artifacts shattered. Just as he was about to be torn apart by the demonized vines covered in sharp thorns, at the very brink of death,
Yin Xuanlin clicked his tongue in disdain, letting out an impatient “tsk,” and waved his hand. A blazing barrier of fire spiritual energy unfolded, barely managing to shield him.
Snatched back from the jaws of death, Zhou Xuanle, through the flickering firelight, vaguely saw Yin Xuanlin and Xie Chen standing back to back.
Though they exchanged not a single word, there existed between them a strange, almost uncanny tacit understanding, as if forged through countless trials. Their offense and defense alternated seamlessly, flowing as naturally as drifting clouds and running water.
However, the thousand year old tree demon was truly formidable. Countless twisted branches and vines coiled together, forming a massive claw imbued with overwhelming demonic energy, powerful enough to tear through space itself. It came crashing down toward the already faltering fire barrier!
In that instant, Zhou Xuanle saw it clearly,
Xie Chen, who was never skilled in defense, suddenly moved forward, positioning himself directly in front of the barrier. Using his own body as a shield, he forcibly drew all the demonic energy that sought to break through and devour Senior Brother Yin onto himself!
The surroundings exploded with a deafening roar, swallowed by a blinding expanse of white light.
He did not know how much time had passed before Zhou Xuanle was jolted awake by the sound of clashing spiritual energies.
Through his blurred vision, he saw Xie Chen alone, supporting the nearly shattered defensive line with heavenly fire and white flames. His face was pale as paper, clearly pushed to his absolute limit.
Meanwhile, Yin Xuanlin lay collapsed nearby. After a long while, he finally let out a faint, low groan.
His face was smeared with blood, making it impossible for him to open his eyes.
Gradually, Xie Chen could no longer hold on. Gasping for breath, he dropped to one knee and coughed up blood. Opposite him, the tree demon was also at the end of its strength yet it still frantically gathered its last reserves of power, launching a final, desperate strike that tore through the air!
Fortunately, at the critical moment, a clear, cutting streak of water light cleaved through the demonic mist.
Jiang Qianshang arrived just in time with reinforcements. A surging water dragon replaced the fading remnants of fire, crashing directly into the tree demon’s ruined body. At the same time, he rushed forward and scooped Yin Xuanlin into his arms, shielding him protectively.
Yin Xuanlin murmured faintly, “…Mm… Qian… Qianshang?”
“It’s me.”
“Oh,” he said drowsily, his voice unsteady, “so it really is you… came to save me… I knew it… didn’t dote on you for nothing…”
“Don’t worry, Xuanlin,” Jiang Qianshang said, gathering the water dragon into a protective barrier. While directing the elite forces to eliminate the tree demon, he used gentle, warm moisture to carefully wipe the blood from Yin Xuanlin’s face, then covered his eyes to shield them from the harsh light. “You’re tired, go back to sleep for a while. Father and Mother will be here soon. We’ll all go home together.”
At last, Yin Xuanlin completely relaxed, closing his eyes.
Not far from him, however, Xie Chen was nearly engulfed by a dense, inescapable swamp of black demonic energy. The dark mist frantically burrowed into his meridians, the backlash reaching its peak.
He could not make a sound.
Only his half open eyes, their dark pupils gradually losing focus, gazed silently through the thick demonic haze, fixed upon the two figures leaning close together.
✦ ✧ ✦
Fleurveil
[Translator]
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ChaptersChapter 1 · Once a chosen one of heavenChapter 2 · Why didn’t you crawl in the shadows?!Chapter 3 · They would rather fight each otherChapter 4 · I’ll do a handstand and run naked three times!Chapter 5 · So what if I’m showing off!Chapter 6 · If you look again, I’ll gouge your eyes out!Chapter 7 · The young couple is fighting again.Chapter 8 · I’m back at the Jinchan SectChapter 9 · Sour, sourChapter 10 · To seize credit for someone’s workChapter 11 · The Golden Toad Sect has come to our aid to annihilate the Demon LordChapter 12 · Sect Leader’s HusbandChapter 13 · The stone, fox, tree, and scarecrow are named XuanlinChapter 14 · My junior and I have had sweet moments in private!Chapter 15 · The truth behind their first falling out back thenChapter 16 · Hate lasts longer than loveChapter 17 · Xie Chen was actually the Demon LordChapter 18 · Slaying the Demon LordChapter 19 · From resistance to enjoymentChapter 20 · Xiao Xie’s perspective begins!Chapter 21 · Only because it was Yin XuanlinChapter 22 · Xie Chen was not a foolChapter 23 · The End