CH 15

A sharp pain radiated from the wound. Two sharp snake teeth pierced through the thin, fragile skin on the side of Feng Ci’s neck.

Because of the chaos just now, the room that was originally cleaned up by Feng Ci, became a complete mess again. 

The incense burner broke into pieces on the floor. The ashes were blown everywhere. Even the gauze curtains that hung around the four sides of the jade bed had fallen down half way, covering the two people embracing on the bed in a suggestive manner.

Messy yet quiet, there was only the faint smell of blood dispersing in the air.

The feeling of blood gushing outward was extremely vivid and distinct. One of Feng Ci’s hands was held down by Pei QianYue. The latter took advantage of their size difference to draw Feng Ci completely into his arms. Feng Ci reached out his free hand and placed it on the other’s shoulder. However, he didn’t use any force to push Pei QianYue away.

Of course he can push Pei QianYue away. 

Ignoring the fact that Pei QianYue’s consciousness was delirious right now. Even when he’s clear-headed, he might not be a match for Feng Ci.

But Feng Ci didn’t do it.

Perhaps due to the dizziness caused by blood loss, Feng Ci felt the sharp pain on the side of his neck gradually turning numb. In its place, came another complex experience that he has not felt for a long time.

Blood, hatred, pain……

These once made Feng Ci feel extreme aversion and disgust, so disgusted that he didn’t want to think about them, so disgusted that he didn’t hesitate to escape from this world.

However, he had no choice but to admit that only these made him feel like he was actually, truly alive.

Just like right here, right now.

The vivid and real sense of pain, the vivid and real…… sense of existence. 

The chaotic sound of footsteps came from the distance, drawing Feng Ci abruptly out of this almost perplexing feeling. He sobered up and immediately detected the identity of the new arrival.

It was Xiao Que.

“Lu……Lu-Shidi, you—”

Held tightly by Pei QianYue, Feng Ci couldn’t see the situation outside clearly. However, hearing from Xiao Que’s tone, it seemed like the usually refined youth could no longer maintain his outward composure; even his voice sounded flustered. 

As Xiao Que swiftly took a few steps towards the direction of the jade bed, Pei QianYue’s body suddenly tensed up and his fangs embedded even more forcibly into the side of Feng Xi’s neck.

“Hss……”

The originally practically numbing pain instantly felt exceptionally sharp. Feng Ci took in a cold inhale and hastily yelled: “Xiao-Shixiong, don’t come over yet!”

The youth still had that fragrance pouch tied to his waist. After moving closer, Pei QianYue naturally felt uncomfortable. 

Whenever he felt uncomfortable, Feng Ci was the one who ends up suffering.

Xiao Que halted.

Feng Ci closed his eyes. His free hand lifted again and gently landed behind Pei QianYue’s head. He maintained this position, which looked like a loving embrace, while a spiritual glow appeared within his palm and entered Pei QianYue’s body.

The inside of Pei QianYue’s Sea of Awareness was like a roaring ocean, with heavy black fog covering the skies and blocking out the sun. However, a ray of sunlight suddenly penetrated through the black fog and illuminated the heavens and earth. 

That radiance traveled everywhere, dispersing the fog and calming the waves.

Beneath the depths of the Sea of Awareness, the originally agitated and restless black snake also calmed down. It raised its head up high, a pair of grayish-white eyes welcoming the radiance, as if it had re-discovered the splendid colors it had lost a long time ago.

Like a pair of warm hands, that radiance stroked the body of the snake gently.

Surrounded by this radiance, the black snake curled up and very quickly fell asleep. 

Feng Ci opened his eyes.

The force restraining him loosened. Feng Ci gave a light push and Pei QianYue tilted to the side and fell onto the bed.

Once again sinking into a deep coma.

The snake scales on his face have completely receded by now. His eyelashes fluttered softly as his eyes remained closed. Feng Ci helped him lay down properly in the jade bed. Grabbing the black ribbon which landed to the side, Feng Ci helped him tie it up again. 

After doing all of this, Feng Ci straightened up. Xiao Que walked over.

He found a handkerchief from who knows where and held it in front of Feng Ci. Feng Ci froze briefly, momentarily not sure how to respond. However, Xiao Que pointed at his neck: “Your wound……”

Feng Ci raised his hand and touched the area. Sure enough, he felt all wet.

As soon as Pei QianYue released his bite, fresh blood started gushing out from the side of Feng Ci’s neck. Within this brief moment of time, it had already painted a small area of his collar red. 

It really looked quite ghastly.

“It’s nothing, small injury.” Feng Ci gave an unconcerned smile. He didn’t accept the handkerchief. Instead, he casually brushed the area of the wound with a hand. The originally still bleeding injury healed instantly.

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He was too lazy to bother with the chaos all over the floor and ended up sitting right there on the ground, back leaning against the jade bed: “Don’t worry. His Sea of Awareness has been pacified. His Divine Consciousness also fell into a deep sleep. Once he completely suppresses that inner demon, he’ll be able to wake up.”

Xiao Que gave him a look and said hesitatingly: “You…… you know everything.” 

Feng Ci laughed.

He almost had his blood sucked dry by Pei QianYue like he was a snack. How could he not know everything by now?

But Feng Ci didn’t say anything. Picking up the handkerchief Xiao Que gave him, he wiped at the bloodstains on his neck. Xiao Que finished checking Pei QianYue’s pulse. Also remaining silent, he stood next to the bed quietly.

Feng Ci said: “If you have questions, then ask.” 

Xiao Que remained quiet for a while, like he was busy contemplating. After a moment, he finally asked slowly: “The calming incense hasn’t been used up completely. Why did the City Master suddenly wake up?”

The first question was already very difficult for Feng Ci to answer.

Why did he wake up? Feng Ci also wanted to know this himself.

According to common sense, since he was already comatose and in static meditation, he shouldn’t be easily roused by outer affairs. Feng Ci refused to believe that the blood of this ordinary cultivation disciple he was possessing currently could result in such a powerful effect. 

Yet Pei QianYue seemed to have displayed an extreme interest towards his blood.

There was only one possibility.

Pei QianYue sensed what was mixed into the depths of this youth’s blood…… his odor.

But this kind of explanation was also very strange. 

This wasn’t Feng Ci’s own physical body after all. Even if this body carried the slight presence of Feng Ci’s spirit energy due to being possessed by his soul, sensing something like that would be quite difficult.

Not to mention, Feng Ci had been deliberately concealing his presence.

How much of his odor can be inside a drop of blood, to bring the Sea of Awareness into such turmoil?

For a second, Feng Ci didn’t know if his family’s little snake really liked him or hated him to the bones. 

……Most likely, it’s hatred.

Otherwise, Pei QianYue wouldn’t have followed his instincts and almost drained him dry of blood.

Feng Ci turned his head and looked at the fast asleep Pei QianYue, a melancholy suddenly surging within his heart again.

After being distracted for a moment, he finally noticed that Xiao Que was still waiting for his answer. Feng Ci cleared his throat and said: “I don’t know either. Just now, I was outside with him and we were fine. I accidentally cut my hand, then his Divine Consciousness suddenly woke up. I gave chase and entered here, then…… you saw everything else.” 

He concealed his own speculations; however, he didn’t hide anything else.

Feng Ci wasn’t someone who liked lying. Not to mention, this wasn’t anything to lie about.

Xiao Que frowned: “But the City Master has never been bloodthirsty before this.”

Feng Ci: “Is that right? Now that’s strange.” 

“Very strange indeed. In static meditation and a deep coma, usually outer affairs wouldn’t be able to wake up the Divine Consciousness. Unless the Divine Consciousness felt something that resulted in a drastic change in its emotions…..” Xiao Que paused and gave his conclusion: “He probably likes you very much.”

“Cough cough……”

Originally, Feng Ci was actually listening to Xiao Que’s analysis very seriously. Hearing the last part, however, he choked and pointed at Pei QianYue incredulously: “The kind of like that almost killed me?”

Xiao Que didn’t answer. 

Feng Ci withdrew his gaze and continued to wipe away the bloodstains on his body.

There was a long moment of silence within the secret room. Then Xiao Que asked his 2nd question: “Who exactly are you?”

Feng Ci paused in mid motion.

During these days of interactions, Xiao Que had treated Feng Ci like what he declared on the first day. The things he shouldn’t say, he didn’t say; The things he shouldn’t ask, he didn’t ask. This was the first time he overstepped that boundary. 

And to even question Feng Ci’s identity directly.

Hitting the mark dead on. He was truly worthy of being someone Pei QianYue kept around him.

“To pacify a cultivator’s Sea of Awareness, you must be at a much higher cultivation level. Not to mention, the City Master’s awareness was on the verge of losing control. Even if the leaders of the Six Sect were all present, they might not have been able to do anything in such a short period of time.” Xiao Que looked at Feng Ci, his tone very soft yet extremely resolute: “Just who exactly are you?”

Feng Ci asked in return: “Who do you think I am?” 

Xiao Que didn’t answer.

He examined Feng Ci for a while, so long that Feng Ci felt he should have an answer in his heart already.

Yet Xiao Que only shook his head: “I don’t know.”

Xiao Que: “……but with your cultivation, you definitely can’t be an ordinary disciple of a cultivation sect.” 

Feng Ci wasn’t in a hurry to answer.

The scattered incense ashes were right next to his feet. Feng Ci pinched up a bit and played with it between his fingertips: “The incense that you created here utilizes several herbs special to the Southern Borders. You also shouldn’t be just an ordinary LangFeng City disciple, right?”

Xiao Que didn’t hide it: “I was born in the Shaman Valley.”

The Shaman Valley was located in the Southern mountain ranges. For many generations, they studied the Art of Medicine and Poison. The inner sect disciples were either miracle doctors or poison experts. However, due to the distant location, the Shaman Valley has faded from the eyes of other big cultivation sects a long time ago. The disciples of Shaman Valley also very rarely set foot in the Central Plains. 

If it weren’t for the establishment of the Six Sects, many new disciples wouldn’t even know this name.

“Back then I had left the Valley because of reasons, the City Master saved my life. Therefore I remained by his side voluntarily to serve him.” Xiao Que said calmly: “The current me is only a LangFeng City disciple.”

Feng Ci didn’t suspect his words.

With such a temperamental leader like Pei QianYue, who’d randomly have mental relapses from time to time, yet Xiao Que still remained by his side for such a long time without abandoning him; his loyalty was already self-evident. 

Feng Ci said: “Then you should be able to tell that I have no hostile intentions towards your City Master.”

Xiao Que nodded his head: “I know.”

The City Master’s Divine Consciousness was willing to get close to this person. This already indicated that this person held no malice towards the City Master. Even if this person held a bit of ill intent, he had countless opportunities to do something within the last few days. Why wait until today? Today where he had almost died but still used up spirit energy to save the other?

“Then isn’t that enough already?” Feng Ci said: “You only need to know that I’m not getting close to him for ulterior motives. As for the other stuff, those aren’t important at all.” Feng Ci paused briefly and gave him a faint smile: “……Right now, I’m also only an ordinary LangFeng City disciple.” 

Xiao Que fell silent.

After a moment, he replied: “Understood.”

Sensing that he had recovered a bit of strength, Feng Ci supported himself against the side of the jade bed and pushed himself up. Then he remembered something: “After he wakes up, will he remember this?”

“Not sure.” Xiao Que said: “The City Master’s awareness wasn’t very stable before. After he wakes up, it’s very likely his memories will be muddled. He might even forget this entire segment of his memories.” 

Feng Ci just relaxed when he heard Xiao Que say: “If he forgets, I will tell him.”

Feng Ci: “…….”

Are you really going to tell Pei QianYue that when he was unconscious, he had kissed, nuzzled against, taken advantage of an outer sect disciple, and even almost drained the person’s blood dry?

Not to mention, if Pei QianYue really learned of all this, wouldn’t his identity be exposed? 

Feng Ci refused to believe that Pei QianYue couldn’t be able to figure out the directly related connection here.

“Hey um……” Feng Ci considered his words and said: “I think if the City Master knew about this…….”

Xiao Que interrupted him: “The City Master should know about this.”

Unprecedently, the young man expressed an extreme stubbornness regarding this matter. Feng Ci did his best to dissuade him, but he couldn’t sway the other’s determination. 

“Then can you not be in such a hurry to talk about it?” Feng Ci negotiated the terms with him: “At least give me 10 days.”

Ten days was enough for him to figure out just how Pei QianYue felt about him.

Xiao Que: “5 days.”

Feng Ci: “……8 days.” 

Xiao Que: “3 days.”

Feng Ci: “……5 days.”

Xiao Que mumbled to himself for a moment. Before saying ‘one’, Feng Ci hastily cut him off: “Okay, 3 days. 3 days it is!”

Xiao Que withdrew his gaze. Feng Ci could see a hint of amusement flash across the depths of his eyes. 

……truly worthy of being someone trained and taught by Pei QianYue.

Feng Ci was too lazy to argue with him. With a soft chuckle, he turned and left.

He really couldn’t stand the bloody smell covering him and decided to find a place to switch clothes.

Lu JingMing’s body had a fairly low cultivation level. After experiencing today’s chaos, even Feng Ci felt a rare exhaustion. 

Therefore, blaming everything that happened on Pei QianYue, he felt it justified to take over the great City Master’s bathhouse. After taking a bath and changing clothes, he returned to the big hall and laid down directly on the Great City Master’s bed.

The bed that the City Master slept on was definitely much more comfortable than the bed of the outer sect. This bed was huge and soft, enough for Feng Ci to roll back and forth several times on it.

Still covered by the moist vapors after a bath, he stuffed himself completely inside the soft blankets, so comfortable that he didn’t even want to move a finger.

Very quickly, he fell asleep. 

……

The night sky was shrouded by a black fog. The stars and moon were invisible. Within the dark forest, a tall figure slowly walked out.

Feng Ci wore a plain white robe, which glimmered faintly as he moved, making him seem like he was walking out of the light. He didn’t wear any shoes. His bare feet stepped on the soft snow, leaving a trail of footprints.

An ancient and distant voice echoed next to his ears. 

“The Heaven's Will is your mission. It is also the price you have to pay.”

“You must complete it, at all costs.”

“…… Only you can do it.”

He seemed to have walked a very long time or perhaps it was only a blink of an eye. Feng Ci stopped in front of a lake. A gust of wind suddenly blew across the surface of the lake, sending his robes fluttering. 

The moonlight broke through the scattered clouds, illuminating this forest and also illuminating the reflection of the youth on the lake’s surface.

Handsome, ice-cold, untouched by dust and stains.

— This was Feng Ci’s true appearance.

The handsome young man looked towards his reflection. The corners of his lips seemed to curve upwards slightly, however, no emotions could be seen within the depths of his eyes. 

Immediately afterwards, he heard himself speak.

He said: “I understand, father.”

……

Feng Ci opened his eyes. 

It has already been a long time since he dreamt.

In actuality, when reaching his level of cultivation, people dreamt very rarely, unless it’s granted by someone.

Therefore, every time Feng Ci dreamt, it’s not anything good.

For example, the last time the Heavenly Principle granted him a dream, it allowed him to see the imminent catastrophe soon to destroy the world and forced him to come back here to clean up this hot mess. 

As for this time……

Feng Ci hugged the blankets and recalled the content of that dream just now, his brows furrowing slightly.

All mystical and cryptic, incomprehensible.

……oh forget it. 

If the Heavenly Principle really wanted to give him important instructions, but he didn’t understand them prompt enough, the old dad would give him a second reminder anyways.

Very humanized.

Yawning, Feng Ci decided to stop focusing on it and sat up.

……Then he immediately looked into an ice-cold, handsome face. 

The illumination in the hall was very dim. Pei QianYue wore a black robe that practically merged into the darkness. His head was slightly lowered. With a black ribbon covering his eyes, it was impossible to see his expression.

Like this, he sat quietly next to Feng Ci’s bedside for some time now.

Feng Ci had to admit, this was really a bit horrifying.