Chapter 81.1 Meeting Again

Zang Hai searched for the young man everywhere, but he couldn’t find him. When he finally returned, he was surprised to find him already asleep in the side room.

Zang Hai sighed. Little Junior Brother is too shy and doesn’t like interacting with others.

Zang Hai went forward, and as the sect’s caring Eldest Senior Brother, he covered his Little Junior Brother with a quilt, but just as he touched him, he opened his eyes.

The dark eyes of the teenager in black had a hint of coldness, but seeing that it was Zang Hai, the unruliness in his eyes dissipated, and he softly called out with sleepy eyes, “Senior Brother.”

Zang Hai nodded. He didn’t know why, but when he approached Little Junior Brother just now, he felt a vigilant killing intent flash by.

Zang Hai shook his head. How could that be? The black-clad young man in front of him clearly looked innocent and harmless. Seeing Zang Hai looking at him, he even tilted his head and questioned Zang Hai silently.

Zang Hai clicked his tongue and sighed. Handsome, really handsome! No matter how many times I look at him, I still think that Little Junior Brother is really good-looking.

He suddenly had a whim and took out a Spirit-Appraising Stone, “Little Junior Brother, Senior Brother heard that you were extraordinary during the competition, let me test your cultivation.”

The black-clad young man glanced at him, then obediently reached out his hand and placed it on the Spirit-Appraising Stone.

A golden luster flowed, and Zang Hai was surprised, “Little Junior Brother, when did you break through Foundation Establishment to Golden Core level?”

“A few days ago, when we were rushing on the road. Senior Brother was asleep at the time,” the young man said.

Zang Hai didn’t know what expression he should give his extraordinary Little Junior Brother, “……Master will surely be delighted once he knows.”

He’s really unlike us useless trash of Xiaoyao Sect. It took me three hundred years to reach the Golden Core level, and even the immortal realm’s well-known genius, Gongye Jiwu, also took fifty to sixty years to reach the late stage of Golden Core, but it only took Little Junior Brother two years? What the heck are we still cultivating for? Might as well crash and die in front of Little Junior Brother.

Zang Hai said, “Wind damages the flourishing trees in the forest ¹ 木秀于林,风必摧之 (mù xiù yú lín，fēng bì cuī zhī) – There will always be jealousy towards outstanding people/a person in a high position is liable to be attacked. . Junior Brother, your talent mustn’t be found out.” It was defying the laws of nature, and Zang Hai was afraid he would die on the path of immortality.

“Mmm.” The young man pulled the quilt, his dark eyes stared at him and he said, “Senior Brother, is there anything else?”

“T-that’s all.” After taking a few steps, Zang Hai returned to his happy self, “Don’t be nervous about tomorrow’s competition. You’ve just broken through, it’s more important to stabilize your state of mind. It’s alright if we don’t get the Soul Calming Lamp.”

The emotion in the young man’s eyes remained unchanged, and he faintly said, “I know, Senior Brother.”

Zang Hai left.

The young man removed the quilt and slowly yanked open his clothes. On the pale and thin but muscular chest, it was completely covered by scratch marks from evil spirits.

Red cracks appeared on his skin, causing his broken body unbearable pain.

He gripped the quilt tightly, enduring as the cracks slowly healed, as if removing his tendons, splitting his bones, and then healing again, becoming a clean and intact body. This process was horribly slow, and so painful that his face lost its color.

In the end, his body was fully mended, yet emitting from his solar plexus was a slightly icy golden hue.

The young man slowly lay back down. His forehead was covered in sweat.

He hugged himself tightly, and his body trembled slightly. Five hundred years have passed, and my flesh has grown back, but why is it still so painful?

*****

A few days into the competition, the number of participants was reduced by half.

Cen Mixuan was up against the people from Xiaoyao Sect, and her first opponent was another green-clad disciple. It didn’t take long for her to whip her opponent out of the arena.

Cen Mixuan sneered. As expected of Xiaoyao Sect, they usually have the worst aptitude.

Ying Zhuang massaged the spot in the middle of his eyebrows. Knowing that he couldn’t control his Junior Sister, his heart was already filled with despair.

Just when Cen Mixuan was confident of her victory ² 稳操胜券 (wěncāo-shèngquàn) – to have success within one’s grasp (idiom) , she was up against another competitor from Xiaoyao Sect.

Seeing the fish pattern on his clothes, her eyes revealed a hint of mockery.

The young man across from her said, “I, Xiaoyao Sect’s…… Cang Jiumin, ask Senior Sister to please enlighten me.”

From the beginning, Cen Mixuan was already looking down on Xiaoyao Sect. In fact, not many cultivators in the world looked up to them. She didn’t even take out her whip, intending to use magic to finish her opponent directly.

A moment later, she was kicked off the competition arena.

A slender hand reached out before her, and Cen Mixuan heard him shyly say, “Was Senior Sister not ready yet?”

Cen Mixuan’s face suddenly darkened, then paled, “O-of course!” But she herself knew it was a lie, as she truly couldn’t even last past the first move.

The corners of “Cang Jiumin”, or he should be known as Tantai Jin’s, mouth curved slightly upwards, “Then it’s me who won with an unfair advantage ³ 胜之不武 (shèngzhībùwǔ) – to have an unfair advantage in a contest; (fig.) to fight a one-sided battle .”

Ying Zhuang hurriedly went forward to help her, “Junior Sister, are you alright?”

Cen Mixuan covered her wound, gritted her teeth, and shook her head. Ying Zhuang glanced at Tantai Jin, but the black-clad young man had already returned to the arena.

Ying Zhuang quickly supported Cen Mixuan and left.

Seeing their departing figures, Tantai Jin rubbed his fingers.

After walking a distance away, Cen Mixuan suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood and fainted. Ying Zhuang quickly caught her. His expression was solemn. That person had only used one move, but Junior Sister was already badly injured. His movements were really too sinister and vicious.

So, for a few days, Cen Mixuan didn’t go out.

Even though she didn’t go out, annoying things were still unavoidable. She lived in the side room with many men living nearby. Occasionally, when she left her room, she would hear them talk about the only daughter of the Sect Leader of Hengyang Sect.

“I heard the disciples of Hengyang Sect say that Immortal Li is a rare and stunning beauty, I wonder what she really looks like.”

“If we boldly pay her a visit, I wonder if Immortal Li will be angry?”

“Next time I see Immortal Li, if I give her a Beauty ⁴ 养颜 (yǎngyán) – to nourish one’s skin; to maintain a youthful appearance Pill, do you think she’ll accept it?”

Someone laughed and said, “You still dare to send things from Hehuan Sect ⁵ 合欢宗 (héhuān zōng) – their martial art skills are strange; good at bewitching; pays particular attention to dual-cultivation; sect normally consist of pretty ladies and handsome guys; normally their cultivation method is to absorb the vital Qi of the opposite gender from the dual-cultivation to Immortal Yu Ling? Aren’t you afraid of being killed by Gongye Jiwu?”

“Don’t worry. Soon, the Cangyuan ⁶ 苍 (cāng) – dark blue/deep green/ash-gray; 元 (yuán) – first/original/primary/fundamental Secret Realm will open, and Immortal Li might go.”

Not only them, but even one of Cen Mixuan’s previous admirers had been trying all sorts of methods to inquire about news of Li Su Su these past couple days.

Cen Mixuan’s teeth were itching with anger.

But she could do nothing about it. In terms of birth, Li Su Su was even more noble than her. She had an almighty immortal father, and was even born as a spiritual fetus. Cen Mixuan could only comfort herself. So what if she has a noble status? The immortal cultivation realm respects people with great strength. If Li Su Su didn’t have a good sect to protect her, she might’ve already been caught to be a human furnace ⁷ 炉鼎 (lúdǐng) – A person who is drained of their vital energies during Dual Cultivation. ! With such a thought, her heart finally felt a little more comfortable.

Edited by: Gaze