Ye Jisheng stood at the doorway of the kitchen. Sunlight poured down, his dark, gold-trimmed robes shimmering brilliantly. The setting sun drew his shadow very long, outlining an exquisitely beautiful picture. Because today was the celebration, his attire was somewhat different from his usual everyday clothes; over the outer robe he wore a layer of brocade cloud patterns, engraved with complex and grand ancient ceremonial demon-clan script.
This made his whole person possess even more divinity.
The kind that, even standing in a chaotic kitchen, still felt unreachable, like standing upon the Jade Terrace, where mortals prostrate themselves and can only gaze from afar.
Ye Jisheng said, “This venerable has no wishes.”
Jian Zhen: “Huh?”
Ye Jisheng’s voice was calm as he explained, “In this world, among those who have passed the Soul Transformation stage, there exists only this venerable as a god. If one were to make a wish, to whom would it be made?”
As he spoke, there was unexpectedly a hint of sarcasm in his words.
Ye Jisheng lifted his eyelids to look at him. The crimson pupils carried a touch of disinterested mockery as he spoke slowly, “The Heavenly Dao?”
Jian Zhen thought of how heavenly retribution had been cast upon him. So-called heavenly retribution was punishment by the Heavenly Dao. If that were the case, someone like Ye Jisheng naturally would be unwilling to bow his head.
So this is what it means for it to be cold at the top.
The higher one stands, the fewer people there are to rely on.
Ordinary people, when facing hardship, can still have something to cling to, pray for the gods to manifest and save them from fire and water.
But what if one is already a god?
Looking at the person before him, for a moment Jian Zhen suddenly wondered: Ye Jisheng, when you were in pain, was there ever anyone who saved you?
Looking at the burning candles, Jian Zhen said, “Then don’t make a wish, treat it as a blessing.”
Ye Jisheng showed interest. “A blessing?”
“Mm, I’ll give you a blessing.” Jian Zhen was very proud of his clever little head. “Just take it as an auspicious thing, what if it comes true!”
Ye Jisheng said, “You know what I want?”
Jian Zhen thought for a moment. He looked at the burning candles on the mushy cake in front of him; the fair little face slowly took on a few traces of seriousness. He spoke gently, “I bless that the heavenly retribution on your body can find a way to be lifted, that the half of your power you lost can be recovered, and then…”
At this point he paused.
Ye Jisheng lowered his gaze to look at him. The red eyes were extraordinarily deep. Usually when he looked at people, he always carried a habitual condescension and mockery of one in power, but at this moment, he was simply looking into his eyes.
Jian Zhen lifted his head to look at him and said, “And then Ye Jisheng can sleep well.”
Ye Jisheng said, “Why is that the blessing?”
“Because you said that gods don’t need to sleep.” Jian Zhen said softly, “But every time I have something sad, after sleeping and waking up, I feel much better.”
Ye Jisheng raised his brows. “How do you know this venerable is sad?”
Jian Zhen said, “I don’t know. I guessed.”
Ye Jisheng: “……”
The Demon God fell silent for a moment, then he laughed.
Different from the former smiles that always carried indifference, his chest trembled slightly as he laughed aloud. At the moment when the afterglow of the setting sun was about to sink below the horizon, he laughed heartily.
Jian Zhen reminded him, “Don’t just laugh, you have to remember to blow out the candles.”
Ye Jisheng lowered his head and blew out the candles.
When Jian Zhen took the candles away, he saw that the inside was still not quite cooked……
Before Ye Jisheng noticed, Jian Zhen hurriedly snatched the cake from his hands, saying somewhat guiltily and flustered, “This cake is just for looking at, it doesn’t need to be eaten. Anyway, the wish has already been made.”
Ye Jisheng raised his brows. “Not eating?”
“Mm-hm.” Jian Zhen tossed the cake away in one motion, revealing a smile as he said, “Don’t eat it, there’s nothing good about it.”
In case he poisoned someone to death, that would be bad.
Ye Jisheng said, “You went to all that trouble making it just to stick a candle in it?”
Jian Zhen retorted, “That’s not an ordinary candle! That’s a candle to celebrate your birthday!!”
Ye Jisheng said nothing.
The two walked along the small path. Some passing maids and guards saluted when they saw them. He didn’t speak, just walked on in silence. Jian Zhen was also very used to it, this person’s mercurial temper and unpredictability were commonplace. Most of the time, when he wasn’t going mad, Jian Zhen also liked staying quietly by his side like this.
Just like during those two hundred years, this was also how they got along.
When they reached the outside of the sleeping hall, Ye Jisheng suddenly asked him, “What do you want?”
Jian Zhen stopped in his tracks, stunned for a moment: “Ah?”
Ye Jisheng turned around to look at him. Beneath the dim sky that was about to fall into night, he asked, “Just as you said, everyone has something they want. Then what about you, what do you want?”
Jian Zhen had never thought about this question.
So when Ye Jisheng asked, he seriously thought about it.
Jian Zhen said, “Can I say anything?”
Ye Jisheng hooked his lips. It was hard to tell what that smile meant; the Demon God’s thoughts were always unfathomable. He said, “Anything.”
Jian Zhen revealed a smile and said, “I want to live a free and easy life for a while, without restraints, with no one knowing me, able to go wherever I want, experiencing different local customs and scenery.”
Because it had stayed in a fixed flowerpot for several hundred years.
Freedom and the absence of restraints had become the thing it wanted most.
Ye Jisheng gave a cold laugh. “Do you really think it’s that simple?”
Jian Zhen said, “Because I’m carrying a baby, so it’s not that simple.”
“You.” Ye Jisheng tapped his brow. His pale, slender finger carried a chill as he said flatly, “An immortal grass body, a great tonic spiritual medicine for the three realms. If someone were to capture you and learn your origin, I’m afraid the soup they stew could fill three pots.”
Jian Zhen: “……”
Waaah!
Why did this person say something so terrifying!
The little grass panicked; the little grass, knowing how to read the situation, said, “Th-then I’d better not be that free after all.”
So back then, when he was in Tianshui City and among the demon race, it was that dangerous, huh. Luckily it was smart and didn’t say its true original form, used the wording of an overlord flower instead, otherwise wouldn’t there be nothing left, not even dregs!
The two of them stepped into the hall.
Ye Jisheng said, “There’s still a celebration outside tonight. This venerable is going over for a while, will you go?”
After fussing with cakes all day, Jian Zhen was tired, and especially after becoming pregnant he had become even lazier. He gently shook his head and said, “I’m so sleepy, I won’t go.”
Ye Jisheng did not press the matter.
This sleep of Jian Zhen’s could be said to be utterly disorienting, day and night reversed. Only, different from before, he began dreaming again, but the person in the dream was not him. It seemed to be a disciple of the immortal clan; that person was also busy in a kitchen making something, just as clumsy as himself, and also produced a gooey mess, turning the kitchen into a complete shambles.
In the dream, mist was everywhere.
As if at a distant, facing the end, Jian Zhen could not see that disciple’s appearance clearly. When he wanted to move a little closer to see clearly, the entire dream shattered again.
“Boom!”
A muffled thunderclap exploded across the sky.
The person sitting on the bed jolted awake, gasping for breath.
Only after the fact did Jian Zhen feel a layer of sweat break out on his back. The great hall inside the room was quiet; red candles flickered faintly. He slowly sat up. Because of the celebration, there was no one outside, and further ahead was the demon clan’s council hall.
Normally, Jian Zhen would not want to go there.
But for some reason, today he especially wanted to see Ye Jisheng.
Passing through the corridor, even in the dark night he could skillfully find the way. Jian Zhen slowly approached the council hall, and indeed there were people inside the vast, empty hall. Just as he was about to go in, he heard voices speaking from within.
The High Priest said, “The venerable did not have an episode on last night’s Red Moon Night. It seems the Honoured Lord truly is of help in alleviating the curse on your body!”
Jian Zhen halted his steps.
“Back then, the God-Sealing Grand Array of Wanmie Mountain sealed half of your demonic power, Lord Venerable, and the Honoured Lord is the only living being to have appeared in Wanmie Mountain in tens of millions of years.” The High Priest analyzed rationally. “Your decision to bring him back was correct. Perhaps he is precisely the key to unlocking the seal!”
Jian Zhen’s breathing stalled; he hadn’t expected to hear this.
The little grass’s heart inexplicably skipped a beat.
Just as he was hesitating, he heard Ye Jisheng’s words. In the silent night, they fell with particular clarity. He said, “Awake?”
He was clearly standing far outside the hall, yet he was still discovered.
Just as Jian Zhen was considering whether to run, a gust of wind swept past. The man in dark robes had already appeared before him. Ye Jisheng lowered his gaze to look at him, slightly frowning. “You came out like this?”
It was raining, yet the person standing in the corridor was wearing only a thin inner robe.
The wind swept over.
Jian Zhen smiled, wanting to explain himself: “It’s fine, I’m not cold, look, I’m not…”
Before the words finished, the person who had been speaking only felt a bout of dizziness, the world spinning. His vision went dark, and after falling into a warm embrace, he lost consciousness.
It seemed only a brief amount of time passed.
When Jian Zhen’s awareness returned, he heard a familiar voice by his ear.
Ye Jisheng’s words were extremely cold as he said, “What did you say?”
The High Priest said uneasily, “Lord Venerable, ever since the Honoured Lord returned from the demon race, affected by that soul-repairing array, his spirit has been unstable. Originally, carefully nurturing it would have been enough, but the current situation is that, as the months increase, the pregnancy reactions caused by the child in his abdomen have become more severe, making it impossible for the Honoured Lord’s spirit to remain stable. That’s why the pressure on his body caused him to faint.”
Ye Jisheng gave a cold laugh. “This Venerable only wants to know the solution.”
The High Priest was silent for a long while before saying, “In the world today, the only thing that can nourish the soul is the supreme treasure of Spirit Mountain, the Wenjun Platform.”
Ye Jisheng said, “Then this one will have to make another trip to Spirit Mountain.”
The High Priest’s heart jolted. This one going to Spirit Mountain was absolutely not going to be a peaceful visit. Back then, when he came out of Wanmie Mountain and passed through the Soul Transformation stage, facing the ecstatic demon clan, he had only said lightly: This one is going to Spirit Mountain.
And then Spirit Mountain ran with blood.
It nearly caused the entire immortal clan to be wiped out.
The High Priest could be said to be frantic with worry, just as he was thinking about how to dissuade him.
There was movement on the soft couch. Jian Zhen raised his hand and let it fall onto Ye Jisheng’s hand beside him. The fair-skinned youth’s voice was very light, a little weak, but very clear. He said, “I want to drink water.”
Ye Jisheng reached out and took the water from the maid’s tray and handed it to him.
Jian Zhen was a bit weak, so Ye Jisheng helped him up to sit properly before handing him the cup of water, not forgetting to say, “Don’t drink too fast.”
The little grass obediently nodded. “Got it.”
It wasn’t some kind of little grass that would choke just from drinking a sip of water!
The High Priest said from the side with relief, “Lord Venerable truly dotes on the Honoured Lord…”
Jian Zhen: “Cough… cough cough…”
Ye Jisheng looked at him coolly. “I told you to drink slowly.”
Jian Zhen’s eyes turned red; mainly he was angry. How could this be blamed on it? This was clearly because it was too shocked and did it accidentally!
Seeing the two of them like this, the High Priest took the initiative and said, “This old minister will take his leave first, to go decoct some calming medicine for the Honoured Lord.”
Ye Jisheng didn’t even spare him a glance.
The little grass sitting on the soft couch finally finished drinking the water. It patted its chest and said, “I was so thirsty!”
Ye Jisheng asked him, “Do you still want to drink?”
Jian Zhen shook his head and said, “I’m good!”
With the High Priest’s departure, the hall naturally returned to tranquility. Outside, the rain was still falling in a fine drizzle, the night heavy, like ink that could not be dissolved.
Jian Zhen withdrew his gaze from the window and said gently, “How did I suddenly faint?”
Ye Jisheng said, “You fainted in this one’s council hall.”
Jian Zhen nodded and also recalled the events of the evening. He explained, “When I woke up I didn’t see you, so I went to look for you. I didn’t deliberately go out without putting on an outer robe.”
Ye Jisheng fell silent for a moment.
Most of the time, everyone in the three realms had to speculate about and worry over the Demon God’s thoughts, worrying about his moods, because with one misstep they could lose their lives.
Jian Zhen habitually explained himself, and subconsciously did not expect to hear any explanation from Ye Jisheng.
However, Ye Jisheng turned his eyes to him and said, “What the High Priest thinks does not represent this Venerable’s.”
Jian Zhen’s hand at his side tightened slightly, then relaxed again. He smiled and said, “Then what do you think?”
Just like every time before.
Between them there was no suspicion, and no misunderstanding.
No matter what happened, they would only sit down and speak calmly.
There was defiance in Ye Jisheng’s eyes as he parted his lips and said, “If this Venerable wanted to reclaim what belongs to himself, why would there be any need to rely on sacrificing you, a little grass, to achieve it?”
Jian Zhen puffed up in anger. “Don’t look down on grass!”
Ye Jisheng replied unhurriedly, “Then shall this Venerable take you to the Wanmie Mountain furnace to try it?”
Jian Zhen weakly said, “Th-then I really am just a little grass after all…”
Ye Jisheng hooked his lips.
Jian Zhen asked the question he most wanted to ask, “Then since you think there’s no need to sacrifice me, a little grass, why did you bring me back in the first place?”
Ye Jisheng: “Oh, on a whim.”
Jian Zhen: ?
“That day, when passing by Wanmie Mountain, there was a seed that kept flashing.” Ye Jisheng said blandly. “This one brought it back on a whim, tossed it into a flowerpot and it sprouted. Since it did, I just raised it.”
Jian Zhen: “……”
Sometimes it really felt helpless.
Ye Jisheng lifted his eyelids to look at him and hooked his lips. “What, what reason did you hope this Venerable had for bringing you back?”
Jian Zhen had just woken up and was somewhat weak. Leaning against the soft couch, he thought for a moment and said, “Actually, if I really can help you, that would be pretty good too.”
The little grass actually didn’t think very often.
Most of the time he was just spacing out.
Jian Zhen’s complexion was a bit pale, but very gentle. His jet-black eyes were bright as he looked at Ye Jisheng and said, “I don’t know why, but actually I’m not angry at all. Maybe if you and the Immortal Venerable hadn’t brought me back from Wanmie Mountain, I might still just be a seed now, unable to bask in the sun, and unable to recognize characters or read books.”
Ye Jisheng frowned slightly upon hearing Fu Changhuan’s name.
But Jian Zhen smiled and said, “So if I can help you, that would be great.”
Ye Jisheng sat beside the soft couch. His handsome profile was both righteous and wicked, his red eyes falling on Jian Zhen as he spoke, “There is only one thing this Venerable needs your help with.”
Jian Zhen asked curiously, “What?”
This was truly rare.
What could the Demon God possibly need help with from it? Wasn’t it just said that it was only a little grass?
Jian Zhen felt pleased inside.
Then he heard Ye Jisheng say leisurely, “Take good care of yourself, rest well, don’t move around recklessly, that will be a great help.”
Jian Zhen: “……”
It was really angry now!
Jian Zhen didn’t know why, but ever since tonight, once he fell asleep it was all nightmares. No matter how he slept, it wasn’t good. He even vomited everything back up after drinking a few sips when the maid brought jade dew.
In his drowsy state, it seemed that a cool mist flowed in from his forehead, that touch of coolness inexplicably reassuring.
Jian Zhen, who had been sleeping restlessly, suddenly felt much more settled. His whole person fell into a deep sleep, and he hadn’t expected that this sleep would last until noon of the next day.
Sunlight fell on the eaves.
After Jian Zhen got up, the maid said, “My lord has gone to the front to handle state affairs. Would you like to eat something?”
“Okay.”
Yesterday Jian Zhen hadn’t been able to eat anything at all. Today his appetite was much better.
The maid brought jade dew. Jian Zhen drank three bowls in one go before feeling full. When he put the bowls down, sounds of salutes came from outside, and Ye Jisheng came in from outside.
Jian Zhen showed off like presenting a treasure. “Look, I finished all the jade dew today!”
Ye Jisheng’s dark robes brushed across the floor. His gaze swept over the bowls on the table. “You can drink it down today?”
“Mm.” Jian Zhen was very pleased, looking like he was asking for praise, shaking his head as he said, “After I slept last night I felt much better. I wasn’t so panicky or nauseous anymore, and today I can eat again. Looks like there’s no need to go to Spirit Mountain’s Wenjun Platform at all.”
Ye Jisheng said indifferently, “Looks like the medicine the High Priest prescribed for you is still useful.”
Jian Zhen remembered that before sleeping last night he had eaten two calming pills given by the High Priest. He nodded and said, “The High Priest is really amazing!”
Ye Jisheng said, “There are quite a lot of celebration matters these days. There are people inside and outside the great hall, so I can’t take you into the city to play. Let Yan Ji accompany you to stroll around nearby.”
Jian Zhen wasn’t annoyed either. He said casually, “Then it’s fine to go after a couple of days, once all the guests have left.”
He didn’t know which sentence pleased the Demon God.
Ye Jisheng was clearly in a good mood. He said, “After some days, this Venerable will take you to a place.”
Jian Zhen said, “Where?”
“You’ll know when the time comes.” Ye Jisheng had no intention of explaining. He looked at Jian Zhen and said, “First, properly nurture your body. Otherwise, you won’t be going anywhere.”
Jian Zhen: “……”
Big bad guy, bullying it again!
However, whether it was psychological or something else, these past few days Jian Zhen took the medicine given by the High Priest on time every night. After waking up each day, he felt extremely energetic, and each time his pulse was taken it was normal.
In the morning when he got up, Jian Zhen was full of vigor and made an appointment with Yan Ji to stroll around the back garden of the back mountain.
Yan Ji said, “It’s really such a pity you can’t come play during the demon clan’s celebration these days. There are so many fun things!”
Jian Zhen asked, “What are there?”
“There’s our demon clan’s lantern festival and dance.” Yan Ji counted them off and said, “Anyway, there are lots of fun things. When your body is a bit better, His Lordship will definitely take you to play.”
Jian Zhen smiled and said, “I’ve felt much better these past few days.”
Yan Ji looked at his rosy complexion and said, “I think so too. You look even more spirited than before.”
Jian Zhen was also happy, being able to sleep well and eat food.
This was simply the happiest thing in a grass’s life!
Yan Ji comforted the little grass and said, “Recently there have been quite a few visitors from other races coming to the three realms. Each of those people has ulterior motives. His Lordship has to deal with them, so it’s inevitable he can’t spare the time. It’ll be fine once this passes!”
Jian Zhen said gently, “I don’t need someone to accompany me. I can manage on my own. He has what he needs to do, and I have mine.”
Yan Ji then saw the little grass pick up its book bag.
Jian Zhen walked to a nearby pavilion and said, “I need to practice the characters the teacher assigned well, so later I can read more books.”
Yan Ji felt a bit impressed and smiled as she said, “Do you need me to help?”
Jian Zhen shook his head, but after glancing at the book bag a few times, he said somewhat at a loss, “I forgot to bring the newly replaced ink.”
Yan Ji took the initiative and said, “Then I’ll go get it for you. Wait here.”
This was the demon clan’s back mountain. The Demon Lord had long since issued an order: anyone who approached would be killed without mercy. Moreover, this was within Ye Jisheng’s divine sense range, making it even safer.
Jian Zhen nodded and said, “Thank you.”
Yan Ji smiled and left.
Jian Zhen sat in the pavilion writing characters. Stroke by stroke, he practiced on the xuan paper. When he heard footsteps beside him, he even said, “You’re back. Look at what I wrote, ”
The words at his lips stopped.
The person standing in the pavilion wore snow-white brocade robes. His hair was like ink, lightly lifted by the wind. A jade hairpin, clean and elegant. His complexion was like jade. When he stood there, it was as if beneath his feet already lay the snow-white Spirit Mountain, cold and sacred.
Ink spread across the paper.
Jian Zhen froze, staring somewhat blankly at the person before him.
Fu Changhuan let out a soft laugh. “You don’t recognize me anymore?”
Jian Zhen hurriedly said gently, “Immortal Venerable.”
“Mm.” Fu Changhuan said, “You’re surprised to see me here.”
Jian Zhen honestly nodded. Then he said, “This is the demon clan…”
When Fu Changhuan heard the words “demon clan,” his expression grew a bit more serious. The look in his eyes toward Jian Zhen also carried a few more traces of earnestness as he parted his lips and said, “This Venerable knows. The immortal clan and demon clan are sworn enemies. Immortal clan disciples never set foot here.”
Jian Zhen hesitated and said, “Then you…”
“This Venerable is here to take you away.” Fu Changhuan sat down in front of him, his long fingers resting on Jian Zhen’s wrist. “A few days ago, this Venerable sensed your spiritual energy and guessed that your soul might be unstable. Now that you are also pregnant, you must be suffering greatly. Only my Spirit Mountain’s Wenjun Platform can save you.”
Jian Zhen said somewhat blankly, “But these past few days, after taking the High Priest’s medicine, I’ve already gotten much better.”
Fu Changhuan said, “There is no way the High Priest could possess something capable of restraining the gathering and dispersing of souls. In this world, aside from the Wenjun Platform, there is only one thing that can slow the dissipation of souls and re-gather them.”
Jian Zhen asked, “What is it?”
Fu Changhuan met his gaze and spoke in a low voice, “The divine soul.”
Silence fell all around.
“Gods who have stepped into the Soul Transformation stage all possess a soul.” Fu Changhuan said. “The soul is the fusion of their power, and also what is called the utmost purity of all things in the world. It transcends the three realms and the nine paths.”
Jian Zhen thought rather simply. “Meaning, the soul isn’t restricted by the Heavenly Dao, and can do things that go against the laws of all things, including repairing souls and gathering spirits?”
Fu Changhuan nodded faintly. “Mm. In the world today, only Ye Jisheng can do this.”
Jian Zhen was just about to marvel at how amazing that was, no wonder everyone wanted to become a god.
Fu Changhuan said, “But the divine soul is not something that can be used at will. Especially when Ye Jisheng currently already has half of his power sealed away and can barely protect himself, it’s even more impossible for him to use it.”
Jian Zhen nodded lightly and said, “Indeed, he can’t be allowed to be hurt again.”
When Fu Changhuan heard this, his brows furrowed almost imperceptibly. He hadn’t expected that Jian Zhen’s first thought would be this.
But these things could be corrected later.
Fu Changhuan still maintained the immortal’s cool detachment and rationality, and said gently, “Therefore, if your situation continues to be delayed, there will be no cure, and it will become very dangerous. You must come with me.”
Jian Zhen was persuaded and was just about to nod.
Suddenly, a cold wind swept over from afar. Everyone only felt a somewhat icy, killing aura, as if half of the sunlight between heaven and earth had been covered by dark clouds, losing its warmth.
A cool voice drifted over from the distance, carrying a lazy tone: “Leave, leave to where exactly?”
Death smile.jpg
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