Chapter 58: The Flower

Shui Jingxuan and Ji Wushuang escorted Chen Yuanyuan back to the Demon Palace, then stayed in the city for a few more days.

Only after Wu Sangui left Shu in a rage and they confirmed the hypnosis was successful did the two take a boat back to Tingtao Manor in Jiangbei.

Unable to kill Wu Sangui himself, Jin Haofeng had pinned his hopes on Ji Wushuang and returned to the manor ahead of him.

When he received word that Ji Wushuang had made no move and was already rushing back with his male favorites, Jin Haofeng flew into a rage, crushed the secret report in his hand, and grew more determined to eliminate his rival.

Ji Wushuang’s return with his favorites was just as well. He couldn’t handle a solitary Ji Wushuang, but he could handle one with attachments.

Ji Wushuang was cold-blooded and numb. A man like that, if he never fell in love, fine. But once he did, it would be earth-shattering and undying. If he captured those favorites, he had no doubt Ji Wushuang would do as he said.

With this in mind, Jin Haofeng summoned his trusted men and laid out a meticulous plan. By the time he finished, Ji Wushuang was already arriving at Tingtao Manor. Ignoring the crowd waiting at the gate, Ji Wushuang headed straight to his room with his beloved disciple to rest.

“Tingtao Manor truly is a century-old martial arts clan. You can tell the foundation is solid just from the room decorations,” Shui Jingxuan said, slowly pacing and browsing the grand and imposing room Ji Wushuang had set up.

“The foundation is indeed very solid. This time, take as much as you can. It’s a waste otherwise,” Ji Wushuang said with a smile, holding his beloved disciple’s hand as they sat down. He poured him a cup of tea.

“Of course.” Shui Jingxuan replied as if it were only natural.

The two were sitting across from each other drinking tea when a knock came from outside. A demon sect disciple entered after receiving permission and presented a cold jade box with both hands, bowing. “Reporting to the Sect Master, the item has been obtained.”

“Oh? Got it? Let me see.” He put down his teacup, took the cold jade box, and gently opened the lid. Inside lay a deep purple flower with layers of petals resembling a snow lotus.

The stamen was shaped like a hexagonal ice crystal, flashing with a faint blue light, and exuded a biting chill and rich fragrance.

“Udumbara flower?” Ji Wushuang leaned in and murmured.

“That’s right, it’s the Udumbara flower.” Shui Jingxuan took the flower out of the box and brought it to his nose, gently sniffing it, a look of intoxication on his face.

This flower absorbed the cold energy of heaven and earth and bloomed only once every hundred years. Holding the stem, Shui Jingxuan could feel the cold penetrating to the bone even with his deep internal energy.

If he consumed this flower, would it greatly benefit his ice-type powers? He had had this suspicion before obtaining the Udumbara flower, and seeing its stamen, identical to a water-type crystal core, only increased his confidence.

Using this flower to trade for the lives of Wolf Girl and Zhuo Yihang was not a loss. He thought to himself.

Ji Wushuang had no interest in the legendary flower at all. His eyes were fixed on his disciple’s beautiful form as he sniffed the flower. His Adam’s apple bobbed up and down, and he suddenly felt parched.

“What do you want this flower for? To wear in your hair?” He swallowed, joked, snatched the flower, and gently inserted it into his disciple’s hair. He grabbed his disciple’s chin to admire it closely, his gaze burning.

“The Udumbara flower is meant to be eaten, of course.” Shui Jingxuan helplessly plucked the flower from his hair and cast a sidelong glare at his master, which made Ji Wushuang’s bones melt.

“Eaten? I didn’t expect my disciple to care so much about his appearance. This flower can cleanse the marrow, refine the sinews, smooth the skin, and turn white hair black…”

Ji Wushuang half-dragged, half-carried his beloved disciple to the bed, leaned close to his ear, and listed the effects of the Udumbara flower one by one.

Before he could finish, Shui Jingxuan interrupted with a light laugh. “Is that so? Then this flower can only be used by women, not by men? I’m going to try it anyway.”

His tone was indifferent. He thought to himself that as long as he could absorb the cold energy within the flower, the side effects didn’t matter; they were similar to his own abilities.

“Alright, as you wish.” Ji Wushuang bit his earlobe and murmured, a strange smile flickering in his eyes. If his disciple became even more beautiful, he would be the direct beneficiary. Why not?

The two whispered and kissed gently, the atmosphere warm and intimate. Soon, their passions stirred, and their bodies intertwined.

***

The manor lord bringing back a male favorite was shocking enough. Even more shocking, the manor lord, who had never indulged in pleasures of the flesh, spent three whole days with that man before leaving the room.

This explosive news made everyone in Tingtao Manor stare, and curiosity about the male favorite reached its peak.

After three days, the manor lord summoned various geniuses from the six sects to chat with the male favorite and relieve his boredom, satisfying the curiosity of the manor’s residents.

The geniuses who returned from the lord’s courtyard not only showed no contempt for the male favorite but praised him highly.

It was only natural. Though Shui Jingxuan wasn’t omniscient, modern technology was so advanced that even a casual remark from him could enlighten these people. Combined with his gentle and refined temperament, it was easy to win their goodwill.

One day, after meeting with the talents of Tingtao Manor, Shui Jingxuan bent over his desk and listed the names of the people he had his eye on, planning to take them all when he left.

Ji Wushuang stood behind him, leaned down, rested his head in the crook of Shui Jingxuan’s neck, and said with a laugh, “That’s enough for now.”

“Hmm. Then let’s go take a look.” Shui Jingxuan thought for a moment, put down his writing brush, and followed Ji Wushuang to the storeroom.

Not interested in gold and silver, the two first opened the weapons vault. Shui Jingxuan was immediately drawn to a sword on the wall.

“That’s…” He pointed at the sword.

“This is the sword of the former master of Tingtao Manor, named ‘Tingtao.'” Ji Wushuang followed his disciple’s gaze, then grabbed the sword from the wall with a wave of his hand and handed it to him for inspection.

Aside from palm techniques, Shui Jingxuan loved using swords. He took it, a slight smile curling his thin lips. Holding it up to examine, he murmured,

“The blade is seven feet three inches long, forged from a hundred refined cold steel, sharp enough to cut iron like mud, capable of breaking anything.”

With that, he flicked his finger and lightly tapped the blade. A deep, resonant sound rang out, like endless rolling waves. Hence the name “Tingtao” (Listening to the Waves).

Shui Jingxuan curved his lips, reversed the sword, and sheathed it, declaring, “This sword is mine now.”

Ji Wushuang smiled tenderly, wrapped his arm around his shoulders, and said indulgently, “Take whatever you like. It’s all yours.”

The two inspected the storeroom, counted the weapons, and made an inventory for later removal.

When Jin Haofeng heard that Ji Wushuang had first summoned the geniuses of the six sects and then opened the storeroom to inventory its contents, his heart began to race.

After a brief thought, he roughly guessed their intentions and could no longer sit still. He called for his trusted men and said through gritted teeth,

“Ji Wushuang is trying to empty out my Tingtao Manor. I can’t wait any longer. Today, I must kill him. Lure him away, and I’ll capture his precious heartthrob. Let’s see how he acts tough then!”

“The heirlooms of my father are not for soiled hands like yours to touch!” Jin Haofeng’s eyes bloodshot, he slowly approached Shui Jingxuan, gnashing his teeth.

He deeply regretted lending ‘Tingtao’ to Ji Wushuang to intimidate the six elders. That bastard had never mentioned returning it, and now he had casually given it to a male favorite! This was the greatest insult to ‘Tingtao’!

His gaze lingered on Shui Jingxuan’s smooth, slender hands, and the malice in Jin Haofeng’s heart grew heavier. A useless cripple without martial arts didn’t deserve to defile his father’s sword!

With that thought, he snatched ‘Tingtao’ and swung the blade until it rested on Shui Jingxuan’s neck. The sharp edge pressed against the pale blue artery on his neck; the slightest move would cause blood to spray three feet.

Shui Jingxuan let the man hold the sword to him, patted his empty hands, leaned lazily back in his chair, glanced sidelong at Jin Haofeng, and said languidly, “What are you doing?”

“What am I doing? You’ll know when your man comes back.” Jin Haofeng sneered, his words crude and insulting.

‘My man’? That term of address isn’t so bad. Shui Jingxuan smirked, gave Jin Haofeng a contemptuous look, half-closed his eyes, and waited calmly for Ji Wushuang to come back and ‘rescue the beauty.’

When Ji Wushuang realized he had fallen for the decoy and returned to the courtyard, he saw his beloved disciple at ease and Jin Haofeng holding him hostage, looking smug.

“If you want to live, I suggest you let him go now.” Ji Wushuang sneered, walking slowly into the yard with no trace of panic on his face.

As Jin Haofeng saw him approaching step by step, his heart tightened with unease.

But when he saw that Ji Wushuang’s gaze never left the male favorite, affection evident in his eyes, Jin Haofeng regained some confidence and barked, “Stop! Don’t come any closer! Do you believe that before you can kill me, I’ll slit his throat faster?”

No, I don’t! Ji Wushuang sneered inwardly, his face naturally showing contempt, but he still stopped.

“Smart move!” Jin Haofeng blustered, but the hand holding the sword trembled slightly, his palm slick with sweat.

Taking a deep breath to steady himself, he gritted his teeth and said, “Ji Wushuang, do you want him to die?”

Ji Wushuang looked at his beloved disciple, his eyes filled with undisguised love, and shook his head. “No.”

“Good. If you don’t want him to die, then seal your own internal energy!” Jin Haofeng forced down his uncertainty and demanded sharply. Ji Wushuang stood still, as if considering.

Jin Haofeng stared intently at his movements and expression, his hand trembling more violently.

Finally, Ji Wushuang sighed, slowly raised his hand, and sealed several major acupoints on his body, actually following the order and sealing his internal energy.

Without his internal energy, he was just an ordinary man. The dozen or so experts Jin Haofeng had brought easily surrounded him, ready to kill him with a single wave. But Ji Wushuang’s authority was hard to defy; for a moment, no one dared to act.

Victory was at hand. Jin Haofeng’s eyes were bloodshot, and he burst into wild laughter, taunting as he laughed,

“Haha! They all say you’re cold-blooded and heartless, Ji Wushuang, but the world was wrong! How can you be heartless? You’re clearly a lovesick fool! ‘Under the peony, death is romantic!’ You’re nothing but a thorough romantic!”

‘Lovesick fool’? That title suits Master perfectly! Shui Jingxuan smiled warmly at Ji Wushuang, then raised his fingers lightly and pinched the blade of ‘Tingtao,’ speaking calmly. “‘Tingtao’ is a fine sword, but it’s a pity.”

“What’s a pity? What could a waste like you understand?” Jin Haofeng was at the height of his triumph, and his guard naturally dropped against a martial arts-less catamite. Hearing the slander against his father’s heirloom, his attention shifted quickly.

“Just pity that it’s been touched by a foul person like you. I don’t want it anymore.” Shui Jingxuan smiled, throwing Jin Haofeng’s words back at him.

Insulted by a lowly catamite, Jin Haofeng flew into a rage and raised his sword to stab at Shui Jingxuan’s neck. But the two fingers lightly gripping the blade seemed to weigh a thousand pounds, completely immobilizing him. Jin Haofeng exhausted all his strength but couldn’t budge those two fingers.

Horror filled his eyes. This man was not without martial arts; far from it. His martial arts were so high he had reached the state of returning to simplicity!

Shui Jingxuan contemptuously glanced at Jin Haofeng’s changed expression and said coldly, “If I’ve taken a liking to something but decide I don’t want it, no one else is going to get it either. It’s better to destroy it!”

With that, he channeled energy into his fingertips and squeezed lightly. A crisp ‘ding’ sounded, and the tip of the hundred-refined cold steel blade snapped off.

The force from Jin Haofeng’s pull couldn’t be stopped in time, and he fell backward, landing clumsily on the ground.

The men who had been holding Ji Wushuang were stunned by this sudden change. They were about to turn back to protect their young master when they saw the gorgeously dressed, elegant young master flick his finger.

The broken sword tip shot out, rapidly piercing Jin Haofeng’s forehead. Poor Jin Haofeng didn’t even have time to react before the tip tore through his skull. His eyes rolled back, and he was dead beyond dead.

Ji Wushuang clasped his hands behind his back and stepped aside, leisurely watching his beloved disciple slaughter in the courtyard. He found his disciple’s fierce expression incredibly beautiful, captivating his gaze.

“That was a lot to ask of you.” A quarter of an hour later, Shui Jingxuan walked slowly through the blood and gore toward his master, unsealing his blocked acupoints.

“It’s fine. It’s rare that you get to protect me, your master.”

The feeling was wonderful. Ji Wushuang swallowed the rest of his words, pulled his disciple into his arms, and kissed him deeply. What could he do?

Whether his disciple was ruthless, obedient, proud, or stubborn, he loved him beyond words. Ji Wushuang couldn’t express his ever-deepening love, so he could only show it through actions.

When the assassins from the Demon Cult and the Shadow Gate arrived to wipe out Tingtao Manor, they saw the two locked in a tight embrace amidst the blood-soaked courtyard.

The scene was dazzlingly beautiful; no one dared to disturb them. They all skirted around it.

In a single night, the illustrious Tingtao Manor was destroyed. Its affiliated forces did not escape either. The imperial court sent troops to suppress them, and the manor vanished completely from the martial world.

Twenty years later, the power of the southwestern barbarians grew steadily, occupying most of the southwestern borderlands. They showed signs of splitting away.

The Qing court sent troops to suppress them but were repeatedly defeated, forcing them to build a thousands-of-miles-long wall in the southwest to block the barbarians’ expansion.

From then on, the barbarians ruled themselves, and the wall was later called the ‘Southern Wall,’ marking the barbarians’ glory and being recorded in history.

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