After Refusing Marriage to the Dao of Slaughter Patriarch (7)

Ji Zhaixing still remembered that before he left, his master's long hair was grayish-white and he was full of vitality. Now, he still had that rather heroic and mature face, but it carried a hint of exhaustion.

"Master, Mistress," Ji Zhaixing knelt on one knee and raised his sleeves to bow, his dark eyes slightly lowered. The wide cloud-patterned sleeves slipped down slightly, revealing a slender, pale wrist. "This disciple is unfilial and has failed to meet your expectations."

The movement was not large, but it slightly pressed against his wounds.

His master's gaze slightly condensed, frowning with a hint of annoyance. He waved his sleeve, using his true essence to lift Ji Zhaixing up.

"What expectations could we possibly have?" Sect Master Tan said. "We only hope you change your stubborn nature. My Yushui Sect hasn't fallen so low that we can't afford to support a single cultivator—"

His tone was not very good, which caused Ji Zhaixing's mistress to raise an eyebrow and lightly pinch Sect Master Tan. The pinch immediately made Sect Master Tan click his tongue in pain, leaving almost nothing of his transcendent, immortal demeanor.

Ji Zhaixing lowered his head, slightly holding back a smile.

"Yes, Master."

Seeing him accept the lecture with such a gentle temper, any further reprimands Sect Master Tan had died in his throat. He merely kept a cold face and went to examine his injuries.

The two elders shared a complete tacit understanding, not asking how Ji Zhaixing ended up with his body covered in such a mess of wounds.

It wasn't that they weren't worried; rather, precisely because they valued him so much, they were exceptionally cautious.

Ji Zhaixing, however, noticed some clues and simply recounted his experiences softly.

He didn't feel his experiences were tragic, so his description was rather understated. Instead, he mentioned more about the anecdotes and sights he had seen in the Great World, as well as cultivation methods, which couldn't help but make his two elders reveal looks of yearning.

Finally, he stopped at the matter of his Dao Bone being extracted, saying that he had repaid the debt of gratitude and thus returned.

Ji Zhaixing's tone was light and humorous, but his two elders had not yet forgotten the state he was in when he returned—half his body nearly soaked in blood, a wound piercing straight through his body, looking as if he had lost half his life.

That Immortal Yun Shu had originally saved the Yushui Sect from fire and water, and their entire sect was grateful for the favor. However, there was absolutely no reason to let a youth go and repay it for them.

The Yushui Sect Master stared blankly, losing his expression for a moment before finally reacting. His tightly pursed lips clearly showed what he was thinking at this moment.

"You have suffered many grievances."

The mistress's smile also froze slightly, but in the blink of an eye, it returned to its gentle and loving appearance. She comforted her husband, "Since he's back, let's not dwell on the past."

Then she gently said to Ji Zhaixing, "Zhaixing, for now, just focus on recovering your health. There's no need to rush your cultivation. Mistress made Green Lotus Osmanthus Sugar Cake for you earlier and left it warming in the small kitchen. I'll go fetch it for you right now."

In fact, Ji Zhaixing had already formed a Golden Core, rendering his Dao body free from worldly dust. Apart from spiritual food, he should rarely consume mortal food. However, at this moment, he still smilingly agreed. His eyes were bright, as if he was looking forward to it very much.

Just like in his mistress's eyes, he was still that little kid who was brought to the Yushui Sect and would be happy just tasting a piece of sugar cake.

Madam Tan went to fetch the pastries, and his master, unable to sit still, followed to lend a hand.

Ji Zhaixing was originally sitting quietly, but ultimately felt it was inappropriate to let his elders serve him. So, he got up and followed his memory of the path to find them.

With his Golden Core cultivation, his hearing was excellent. Before he even arrived, he heard a faint sobbing sound.

"We handed Zhaixing over to that immortal in good condition. We didn't expect him to have a brilliant future, to form a Nascent Soul and attain the Dao; but we also didn't give him away to have his Dao Bone taken, to return alone with severe injuries, almost dying on the road—"

It was Madam Tan's voice.

And Sect Master Tan's voice was weary, laced with regret.

"It's my fault," Sect Master Tan said. "Had I known this would happen, I would have perished together with that Locust Tree Demon. I absolutely would not have asked a mighty figure from the Upper Realm to intervene."

"The debt our Yushui Sect owes should never have been repaid by Zhaixing."

Ji Zhaixing stood still there for a moment.

By the time his two elders had collected themselves, composed their expressions, and came out, Ji Zhaixing had quietly returned to his original seat.

Only when it was time to take his leave did Ji Zhaixing lower his eyes with a smile, his slender fingers half-closed, faintly revealing the dark blue veins under the snow-white skin of his wrist. That beautiful hand opened, and in his palm was a sprig of Seven-Star Begonia flower stimulated by spiritual energy. It was slightly budding and blooming, fresh, tender, and charming.

He handed it to his mistress and said softly:

"I have already cultivated to the Golden Core stage, so it is not as if I gained nothing at all, causing my elders to worry."

"The events of the past will absolutely not happen again."

Madam Tan was slightly stunned.

Taking that Seven-Star Begonia, she broke through her sorrow and smiled. A small fine line at the corner of her eye did not detract from her beautiful appearance.

......

Tan Lang had used cultivation as an excuse to fool around outside for more than a few months. It was originally time for him to return and report to the sect, but whenever he thought of that guy Ji Zhaixing, he wanted to stubbornly feign ignorance.

It was only when his old man sent him a message using the Spirit Controlling Technique, saying that if he didn't come back, he would break his legs—

For the sake of his legs, Tan Lang naturally returned.

Fortunately, although his old man wasn't kind, his mother was gentle.

Because of talking back, Tan Lang was punished to kneel for two hours, but less than an incense stick's time later, he was secretly called away by Madam Tan.

Madam Tan told him, "If you don't argue with your father, he wouldn't punish you like this."

Tan Lang vaguely muttered an agreement.

In his heart, however, he thought: 'Let Ji Zhaixing act stubborn and see if he doesn't get both punished to kneel and have his legs broken.'

While he was complaining, Madam Tan called a disciple to bring over a basket of pastries.

An extremely clear and sweet fragrance wafted to his face. Inside the lacquerware lay the Green Lotus Osmanthus Sugar Cake wrapped in plain-flowered oil paper. It had an off-white color, an exquisite shape, and a touch of osmanthus dotted on top, exuding a subtle fragrance.

Madam Tan handed it to him.

Tan Lang was surprised. Although he didn't like eating sugar cakes, he could still recognize that this was made by his mother's own hands—because the steps were tedious and spiritual energy couldn't be used to control the heat, Madam Tan hadn't cooked personally for a long time.

It was probably out of doting on him. Knowing that he, the son who rarely came home, had returned, she had gone to such great lengths.

Picking a piece and tossing it into his mouth, Tan Lang deliberately asked, "How did you have the leisure to make this?"

"Zhaixing loves eating..." Madam Tan watched Tan Lang's expression freeze and thought to herself that she had let it slip. Trying to mend the situation, she added, "It's not leftovers given to you; I specially set aside a portion."

Tan Lang: "..."

He said expressionlessly, "Forget it, I don't like eating this."

Knowing that Ji Zhaixing was the apple of his parents' eyes, Tan Lang was actually accustomed to showing his emotions with great restraint. Madam Tan probably didn't know how sharp their conflict was either, and still thought of taking this opportunity to let the two get along well. She paused slightly and gently suggested that Tan Lang go look after Ji Zhaixing and take him around to relax.

Madam Tan knew that Tan Lang liked to have fun, but she didn't know what kind of places he usually went to, otherwise she wouldn't have felt so relieved.

Tan Lang's face darkened slightly, and some hostility surfaced.

Fine, let him take Ji Zhaixing along—of course he wouldn't refuse.

Being busy tormenting Ji Zhaixing to death was more like it.

......

Ji Zhaixing naturally also received a request from his mistress.

However, the excuse given to him was that Tan Lang had always been unaccomplished, and she asked Ji Zhaixing to give him more guidance and restraint, so that at least he wouldn't be as dissolute as before, fooling around with his friends every day instead of cultivating.

Ji Zhaixing had an impression of Tan Lang.

Although his consciousness awakened late, it was rare for someone in the Yushui Sect to be hostile to him, so Ji Zhaixing could still sense it.

It was just that Tan Lang didn't really put it into action much, and his reasons for disliking him were also open and aboveboard.

No one would like someone who diluted their parents' doting, or even took away their position.

Ji Zhaixing expressed his understanding.

Therefore, when he was cultivating before bedtime and Tan Lang barged in rashly, kicking the door frame until it rattled, Ji Zhaixing merely opened his eyes, got up, and welcomed him.

The black-haired sword cultivator was only wearing a plain white inner robe, and his black hair wasn't neatly tied up, but rather scattered over his shoulders. Because he was still injured, his face had a sickly air, making him look incredibly frail.

The first time Tan Lang laid eyes on him, he was stunned.

He almost thought he had entered the wrong door.

In his impression, Ji Zhaixing was cold and arrogant, possessing nothing but a good-looking face. Every time he saw him, he would just walk past with apathetic disregard, extremely annoying. Tan Lang naturally treated him the same way, practically reaching a "this town ain't big enough for the both of us" level. Whenever Ji Zhaixing appeared at an occasion, Tan Lang would detour hundreds of miles away to avoid him.

He hadn't expected that once Ji Zhaixing let his hair down, he would appear so frail and easy to bully.

And good-looking.

Tan Lang felt he was losing his mind.

He was still full of hostility, grabbing Ji Zhaixing's wrist in one go—

Skinny and freezing cold. Tan Lang subconsciously lightened his grip, feeling almost like he was holding a girl's hand, but he still asked in a provocative tone, "Taking you out for some fun, you going or not?"

Ji Zhaixing paused slightly.

Although it was late at night, with his Golden Core cultivation, he didn't need to sleep. Thinking of Madam Tan's words and her evaluation of Tan Lang, Ji Zhaixing said, "I'll go."

Tan Lang hadn't expected Ji Zhaixing to agree so easily.

After all, he really didn't look like someone who would follow people out to fool around in the middle of the night.

Tan Lang frowned and stared at him, then let go. The sudden loss of that soft touch made him irritable, and he sent out a few sound transmission talismans to his bad crowd of friends, passing on the message that the person had taken the bait.

Young Master Tan was organizing a gathering, and he brought someone with him.

Those playboys hadn't heard that Tan Lang had a lover recently—not to mention that Tan Lang never brought his lovers out—so they gossiped and asked who the person next to him was.

The one passing the message had an indescribable look on his face, an expression that made others' hearts skip a beat, and they heard him open his mouth and say:

"It's that Young Sect Master Ji, of course."

The playboys were dumbfounded.

How was this a party for fun? This was clearly a deadly trap.