Chapter 29: A Ghostly Touch and a Bold Command

When one gets caught up in the moment, they rarely think too much—only about the immediate fun.

Su Zhuozhi was chatting animatedly with his fellow disciples when someone suggested that since it would be troublesome to go back, why not just sleep over here for the night? Too lazy to move, he actually found the idea tempting and agreed.

At that moment, he didn’t even consider that he disliked sharing a bed with others, and that squeezing onto a small couch would leave him with an aching back and a pitifully cramped sleep.

Right now, all he cared about was the gossip.

His fellow disciple was an incredibly well-informed person, practically a walking encyclopedia.

Su Zhuozhi listened with great pleasure, enjoying the discussion with like-minded companions as they analyzed the story’s development. It was deeply satisfying—a compensation for the lack of response he got from Xie Jue.

The young master pouted, silently sneering at how boring his own guard was.

But he never expected that, just as he thought that, the man would appear.

A tall figure stood behind Su Zhuozhi, completely blocking the candlelight. His shadow loomed over, his frame a full circle larger than Su Zhuozhi’s slender build. At first glance, it looked as if he were embracing the young man from behind.

“Young master, it’s time for you to return to your room and rest,” Xie Jue said, lowering his gaze to fix on the boy before him.

Like a ghost, he appeared without warning and spoke out of nowhere, startling the few disciples present.

Su Zhuozhi also flinched, but upon recognizing the familiar voice, he quickly relaxed. Having spent so much time together, his trust in Xie Jue was already high—he knew the man would never harm him.

The others also recovered, laughing at each other for being cowards, frightened so easily. But in truth, their eyes darted nervously, and they all agreed in their hearts: wasn’t this guard terrifying? That gloomy expression looked like someone had stolen his wife.

They gave dry laughs and, out of politeness, asked Xie Jue if he wanted to join their chat. But Xie Jue refused without hesitation, saying it was late and he wouldn’t intrude.

However, Su Zhuozhi was unwilling. He shook his head and said, “We haven’t finished talking yet. I heard that cultivator who was used as a substitute is coming to our sect… Oh, right, you’re not interested.”

Mid-sentence, he remembered and turned to arrange with the others to go see him together when the time came.

Xie Jue pressed his lips together, then suddenly reached out, grabbed Su Zhuozhi’s face, and turned it toward himself, his deep voice saying, “You can talk to me, young master.”

Su Zhuozhi looked confused. “But you said you don’t like talking about this stuff.”

Xie Jue’s expression remained blank. “…I like it now.”

How quickly his preferences changed.

Su Zhuozhi didn’t understand.

Xie Jue then began listing the drawbacks of sleeping outside: the bed was hard, the bedding not soft, no one to attend to him, and if he woke up in the middle of the night wanting water, there would be no one to fetch it.

At this, Su Zhuozhi immediately lost any desire to stay. He even recalled that on his first night at the Ten Thousand Swords Sect, he woke up with such a sore back that it had turned purplish, and Xie Jue had to massage it for a long time before it eased even slightly.

“Don’t worry, we’ll take good care of Zhuozhi. He brought his mustard seed bag, so he can sleep in his own bedding.”

“If he needs water in the middle of the night, he can call me.”

“You sleep so soundly, even if you call eight hundred times, you wouldn’t wake up. I’m the reliable one.”

The disciples chimed in, promising that Su Zhuozhi wouldn’t suffer any hardship while staying with them. They were carefree, but they truly considered him a friend.

Xie Jue swept a cold glance over them, sending a chill down their spines that made them rub their arms. What’s going on? Did a crack appear somewhere in the room, letting in a draft?

Su Zhuozhi thought for a moment and finally decided to return, planning to take some pastries from his mustard seed bag to give them.

But just as his hand reached into the bag, a sudden coldness spread across his back.

He felt a hand touching his spine, starting from his lower back and slowly moving upward. Fingertips traced over his shoulder blades, rested on his shoulder, and then gently rubbed the back of his neck.

The cold made his scalp tingle and his heart race.

The fabric of his robe offered no barrier; it felt as if the hand was directly touching his skin.

But there was no one behind him!

Su Zhuozhi’s pupils contracted. He froze for a moment, then quickly stepped forward, grabbing Xie Jue’s arm in terror. His voice was small and frightened: “Th-there seems to be a… ghost!”

His voice was so quiet that if Xie Jue hadn’t been close and perceptive, he might not have heard.

Xie Jue looked behind him.

The so-called ghost was visible only to him.

A blurry figure formed from demonic energy.

It had been restless and agitated because it couldn’t get close to Su Zhuozhi, only able to drift over secretly and gaze at him with longing. And now, Su Zhuozhi said he was going to sleep somewhere else.

Why?

Was it being rejected in favor of others?

What was so good about them? Was it truly so inferior to them?

The black mist was deeply indignant, burning with jealousy. It had never known patience or restraint, and now it directly pressed against Su Zhuozhi, greedily sniffing and touching, wanting only to be closer, closer still—no distance at all, intimacy without bounds, to become one.

Su Zhuozhi felt an even deeper cold, as though someone was embracing him from behind.

Goosebumps erupted all over his body, and he trembled violently.

In the past, when the demonic energy was restless and wild, Xie Jue would suppress it. But this time, he did nothing.

With a dark thought, he decided that it was good for the young master to be afraid—then he’d know he shouldn’t sleep in another man’s room, but should cling to him instead. Only by staying by his side was the safest and most correct choice.

Xie Jue raised a hand and gently patted Su Zhuozhi’s back, calming him, telling him not to be afraid.

The other disciples had no idea what was happening. They watched in confusion, feeling that Su Zhuozhi and his guard were somehow impossible to disturb.

In the end, Su Zhuozhi was still taken away by Xie Jue. His legs were weak from the cold and fear, making it difficult to walk, so Xie Jue carried him back.

The fellow disciples were astonished. Was the bond between the young master and his guard really this close?! Wasn’t there something off about it?

“Maybe he was just sleepy? The little master was tired and didn’t want to walk, so he had someone carry him. Isn’t that normal?”

“When you put it that way, it does make sense.”

They nodded silently, unanimously ruling out any hint of romantic involvement. After all, although the guard had a handsome face and an impressive physique, he only had three spiritual roots—not a match for the young master. If anything, he could serve as a… face attendant, which wasn’t entirely out of the question.

On the other side.

On the way back.

After Xie Jue lifted him by the waist and carried him, the eerie cold on Su Zhuozhi’s body vanished, and he couldn’t help but sigh in relief.

Was the ghost gone?

Su Zhuozhi didn’t understand what had happened, but at least it was over.

He muttered under his breath, “Don’t come again…”

Tomorrow, he would go ask the talisman elder for a ghost-expelling talisman and study it diligently.

Xie Jue heard his murmurs, and so did the demonic energy. It was both angry and aggrieved, wishing it could break free from Xie Jue and have its own body—then it wouldn’t be rejected by its precious.

Xie Jue ignored the demonic energy. Something more important had captured his entire attention.

Su Zhuozhi lay obediently in his arms, his head resting on Xie Jue’s left shoulder. The fluffy fox ears on top of his head stood erect, swaying slightly with each step, occasionally brushing against Xie Jue’s jaw. Once, twice—the touch was warm and soft, a tingling numbness spreading from that spot, impossible to ignore.

After a moment, Xie Jue frowned, as if the ticklish sensation had become unbearable. He lowered his head and rubbed his face heavily against the troublesome fox ear.

Su Zhuozhi’s fox ears were sensitive, especially near the base. Caught off guard, he let out a trembling whimper, jerked his head up, and glared accusingly at Xie Jue. “What are you doing?!”

Xie Jue tightened his grip under Su Zhuozhi’s knees and said in a low voice, “You’re tickling me.”

Su Zhuozhi understood. He puffed out his cheeks in discontent. “Then just tell me! You’re ticklish, and I’m not?”

He lowered his head slightly, pressing his cheek against Xie Jue’s chest, and used both hands to flatten his fox ears, creating a barrier. Even if they touched, it would only be the back of his hand against Xie Jue’s chin. The fox ears were out of reach.

Xie Jue’s eyes darkened slightly.

As they continued walking, Su Zhuozhi, still somewhat annoyed, curled his fingers into a loose fist and pushed it upward against Xie Jue’s chin, giving him a punch. The force was light—more like a petulant gesture than an actual attack.

Xie Jue paused mid-step and let out a soft laugh.

“What are you laughing at?” Su Zhuozhi felt belittled. He glared fiercely and delivered a stronger punch.

“Nothing.” Xie Jue’s lips curved in a smile, as if kindly reminding him, “Young master, don’t move around so much, or I might lose my grip and accidentally drop you.”

“If you can’t even hold steady, you’re too useless.” Su Zhuozhi pouted in complaint, but he did restrain himself, placing one hand on Xie Jue’s shoulder just in case he really did get dropped.

In truth, after the “ghost” left, Su Zhuozhi could have asked Xie Jue to put him down and walk on his own. But he was too lazy to bother—if someone was there to carry him, why expend the effort?

After returning, Su Zhuozhi washed up and went straight to bed.

Xie Jue, however, took out the Mystic Light Mirror and began browsing the hottest topics among the cultivators. Since he had said he would chat with Su Zhuozhi, he needed to be well-informed—otherwise, that spoiled and picky little master would surely go looking for someone else.

The next day.

During talisman-drawing class, Su Zhuozhi didn’t forget to ask the elder about ghost-expelling talismans. After receiving a demonstration, he began to copy it.

Drawing talismans required focus; each stroke had to be infused with spiritual energy. If interrupted, the talisman would be ruined.

Perhaps because he enjoyed painting, Su Zhuozhi took great interest in talisman drawing and paid close attention in class. The elder praised his high comprehension and offered to take him as a disciple if he ever wanted to become a talisman cultivator.

However, Su Zhuozhi had his own plans and politely declined.

When class ended, he was in the middle of drawing a ghost-expelling talisman. Without pausing, he finished it in one breath, then relaxed his brows, set down the brush, and looked up. Next time the ghost came, he would make it suffer the talisman’s power—better yet, blast it to pieces.

Just then, a sigh sounded beside him.

Su Zhuozhi turned his head and saw a male disciple with a delicate face, but with a red birthmark on his forehead.

The disciple stared blankly at the talisman paper on his desk, looking utterly dejected and spiritless. He muttered in self-deprecation, “I’m such a waste. I can’t even draw this properly.”

Su Zhuozhi couldn’t stand hearing anyone put themselves down like that. He leaned over and said matter-of-factly, “What’s wrong with it? You did a great job! The spiritual energy is full, and your strokes are good, too.”

The man was startled. His eyes widened, and he asked in a small, disbelieving voice, “You… really think so?”

Su Zhuozhi nodded, his bright, clear eyes looking at the other without blinking—so sincere that it made the other feel valued. “Yeah, why would I lie to you?”

The disciple stared at him for a moment, then a shy smile bloomed on his face. “Thank you. You’re really kind.”

Su Zhuozhi nodded, without a hint of false modesty. “I think so too.”

The disciple didn’t find him narcissistic; instead, he agreed wholeheartedly. Seeing Su Zhuozhi lower his head to continue drawing talismans, he wanted to chat a bit more, so he pointed at the talisman paper beside him and asked, “What are you drawing? Can I learn along with you?”

Su Zhuozhi had no intention of being secretive. He generously handed it over and even explained a few things to watch out for—the lessons he had learned from his own failed attempts.

The disciple nodded gratefully, then remembered to introduce himself. “I’m… Chu Ge.”

Su Zhuozhi reciprocated. “Oh, I’m Su Zhuozhi.”

Chu Ge smiled. “I know. You’re quite famous. There’s a lot about you on the Mystic Light Mirror.”

“Oh?”

That surprised Su Zhuozhi. Chu Ge opened his own Mystic Light Mirror and handed it to him.

Many of the comments praised his beauty, expressed a desire to touch his fluffy ears, envied his high talent, and some even said they wanted to dual cultivate with him.

Since Su Zhuozhi had only recently entered the cultivation world, he still lacked many common knowledge compared to cultivators from established families.

“What is dual cultivation?” he asked, confused.

Chu Ge opened his mouth but couldn’t get the words out; instead, his face flushed. He was introverted and thin-skinned, stammering, “It’s… um… it’s when two cultivators practice together, a complementary cultivation method…”

Su Zhuozhi was taken aback. “You can cultivate together?”

He had always thought cultivation depended solely on individual effort. Did cultivating together have some special advantage, like faster breakthroughs?

Chu Ge nodded, then, afraid he hadn’t explained clearly and might cause misunderstanding, hastily added, “It’s not for just anyone. It’s best if…”

Before he could say the words “cultivation partner,” Xie Jue suddenly appeared and asked flatly, “What are you talking about?”

Su Zhuozhi, not thinking much, replied casually, “Dual cultivation.”

Xie Jue froze, then narrowed his eyes dangerously at Chu Ge.

Chu Ge was so startled he almost choked on his own saliva.

Flustered and panicking, he scrambled for a long time to clear himself of suspicion—he hadn’t tried to corrupt the young master or trick him into dual cultivation.

In his urgency, Chu Ge’s face turned bright red, like a kettle on a stove, practically steaming.

He wished he could find a crack in the ground to crawl into, and he stammered an apology: “I’m sorry, I’ll never…”

Su Zhuozhi felt as if he was being kept in the dark, missing some important information, and he was displeased. “Is dual cultivation something that can’t be talked about? What if I want to find someone to dual cultivate with?”

He crossed his arms over his chest, raised an eyebrow, lifted his chin, and asked arrogantly, fully displaying the air of a wealthy young master.

Xie Jue immediately vetoed: “No.”

“Why not?”

Su Zhuozhi’s rebellious side flared up instantly. The more he was forbidden, the more he wanted to do it.

He snorted coldly. “I order you to dual cultivate with me. Would you dare to disobey?”

As soon as the words left his mouth, Xie Jue froze. The gloom and irritability on his face vanished in an instant, replaced by disbelief. His voice came out rough and strained. “You… what did you say?”

Chu Ge looked from Su Zhuozhi to Xie Jue, swallowed nervously, and felt as if he had accidentally stumbled upon something major.

Su Zhuozhi kicked Xie Jue, annoyed. “Answer me. Do you dare to disobey?”

He felt he had been too nice to Xie Jue lately, causing the man to forget his place and boundaries. Last time, when Xie Jue carried him back, he even dared to laugh at him—an inferior offending a superior. He needed to reassert his authority as master.

Though Xie Jue had been kicked, it felt as if someone had lightly brushed his calf with a toe. The tips of his ears reddened, his throat bobbed, and his voice came out low and hoarse. “…I wouldn’t dare.”

His obedient and humble demeanor somewhat satisfied Su Zhuozhi. He didn’t press further and waved his hand dismissively.

Then he picked up the Mystic Light Mirror and looked up information about dual cultivation.

A quick scan.

He finally understood its specific meaning. Only then did he realize what an extraordinary thing he had just said. Embarrassment burned his cheeks, and he wished he could turn back time by the time it took to drink a cup of tea and start over.

But what was done was done. He couldn’t exactly beat up Xie Jue and Chu Ge to make them forget.

So Su Zhuozhi could only clear his throat, covering his mouth, and continue drawing talismans as if nothing had happened. But his mind was unsettled, and every talisman he drew was a failure.

Beside him, there was a gaze he couldn’t ignore.

Finally, Su Zhuozhi couldn’t help but turn his head, glaring at Xie Jue in fury. “What are you looking at? Don’t you know class is about to start? Why aren’t you going back?”

“Yes.” Xie Jue lowered his brows and eyes. “I’ll do whatever the young master says.”

Su Zhuozhi’s scalp tingled. He felt that Xie Jue was alluding to what he had just said—mocking him!

This guard was too much!

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