Who Dares Slander My Senior Brother Chapter 21

15 Years Old At Last

On the third day of the Lunar New Year, Wen Jing returned to the ice spring again. Shedding everything but his trousers, he entered the water. The cold immediately permeated his flesh and his teeth began to chatter. He stood there and waited for the initial burst of extreme cold to fade

Arriving in order to perform the “Restriction Technique” was Senior Brother Jun.

Jun YanZhi drew a circle of light within the water and said mildly: “At midday and in the evening, Eighth Junior Brother will come to deliver your meal. After eight hours, you can come out.”

“Thank you, senior brother.” Wen Jing clenched his teeth.

Jun YanZhi stood up, glanced back at the slightly built body in the water, then silently departed.

He was not concerned that Wen Jing would suffer hards.h.i.+p.

That night, Wen Jing’s body had produced a warm current. Most likely, the physique of this youngster was somewhat special. Duan Xuan commanded him to soak in the ice spring likely in order to stimulate this physique. This would be beneficial for his cultivation.

Thinking back on that night……

Jun YanZhi’s footsteps halted.

In his 22 years of life, that had been the warmest night he had experienced. It was enough to send in into a daze, remembering it again and again.

Jun YanZhi returned to his house, regulated his breath, and meditated quietly on his bed. Within his inner sea, he sensed countless ancient style characters appear without any particular order and slowly form the distinct paragraphs of a composition.

The characters were obscure and difficult to understand but in comparison to his feelings of frustration, they were much easier to deal with.

He meditated until nightfall and then opened his eyes.

Hanging in the sky, the moon resembled a slender tooth. Within the darkness of the valley once again his body began to shudder.

Jun Yanzhi slowly removed his clothing, transformed into a cyan python, and slid out the window.

The road between the mountains could be seen as a vague outline. Jun YanZhi climbed along the precipice for a while, then unconsciously turning his head, he slithered towards the depths of the forest. That boy was still cultivating in the icy spring. It would be simple to take a quick look from a distance.

Lu Jing’s cultivation was low, it was unlikely that he’d be found out.

He stopped fifteen feet from the icy spring. s.h.i.+vering he silently curled up as his snake head stretched forward.

He looked for a moment but suddenly felt a little strange.

Why was Lu Jing not making any noise? When he’d left he could remember hearing the distant chattering of his teeth and small splashes as his body shuddered. In addition, he would also curse his master under his breath.

At this time, why wasn’t there any sound of his movements?

If he was generating a warm current like last time he shouldn’t have frozen stiff……

The serpent’s body instantaneously rushed out and left behind winding marks in the snow.

Arriving at the edge of the small ice spring, Lu Jing was unexpectedly motionless, he was only a rigid body within the spring, his eyes tightly closed as his lips trembled.

Not willing to deal with the serpent’s weak point, Jun YanZhi transformed into human shape and pulled the young man out from the water.

Wen Jing unconsciously held tightly to Jun YanZhi’s neck: “Cold, cold……”

Those thin and weak arms were unexpectedly very strong. Rigidly clutching his neck without any sign of letting go, it was both amusing and relieving.

With difficulty, Jun YanZhi fished out a set of clothes to wear and then holding Wen Jing in his arms he flew towards the boy’s house. Why was he freezing? Why didn’t his body give off any heat?

Jun YanZhi placed Wen Jing on the bed. Unable to endure any further, he transformed again into a python, curled up to the side, and trembled under the quilt.

♥

His body gradually warming, Wen Jing opened his eyes in a daze to see himself within a dark room.

He vacantly gazed at something very large lying on the bed. A small part of it lay under a quilt while the remaining majority remained exposed. The curled up s.h.i.+vering figure’s ident.i.ty was obvious without needing to guess.

All he could remember from last night was s.h.i.+vering from the cold and then slowly losing consciousness. And then at some point, it seemed that someone had pulled him out of the water……

Had the python saved him?

He carefully lifted the quilt.

The sudden movement made the large serpent’s head suddenly lift up and then once again silently lie down again.

Wen Jing’s nose felt sour. He threw himself at the snake’s head: “You’re still the best……”

The python was motionless.

Wen Jing let go and then got out of bed to light a lamp and found several of the fruit that demonic beasts loved to eat. He placed the fruit in front of the python and asked: “How did you know I lived here?”

The python naturally didn’t respond nor eat the fruit but continued to s.h.i.+ver.

Wen Jing embraced the python’s body and said with distress: “What’s wrong with your body? Why are you always shaking?”

The python flicked its tongue and let out a sibilant hiss.

Wen Jing didn’t dare act rashly. As if trying something out, he wrapped the quilt around it: “Last time my body produced a warm current that I shared with you. If I can get it to come out again then maybe it’ll let you feel better for a while.”

With that feeling of concern, that warm current within his body began to stir. Wing Jing concentrated and attempted to carefully urge that bodily energy. In an instant, the warm current covered his entire body and then continued on to that of the python in a rush who then reacted by winding around him several times.

Wen Jing was somewhat excited: “I tried all day long without any effect but now that I hug you it came out.”

The python tightly wound its way around him and rubbed against his neck with its head.
Within the quilt, the youngster’s body was warm and cozy. The large serpent, having suppressed over ten years of instincts, at last, gave in and carefully rolled Wen Jing around on the bed.

“Stop, stop……” Wen Jing pushed back the snake’s licking tongue, “Calm down, let’s go to sleep. I still have to work tomorrow.”

Its tongue licked a few more times and then, at last, it quietly withdrew to lay in Wen Jing’s embrace.

“Will you come here frequently in the future? It’s very dangerous to meet outside.”
Wen Jing said softly.

The python remained motionless and neither agreed nor refused.

“Sleep.” Wen Jing touched the serpent’s head, and with a wave of his hand extinguished the lamp.

♥

Early the next morning, Wen Jing slowly woke up and unconsciously reached out his hand.

There was no one there. The bed was already cold.

He had slept very soundly last night and unexpectedly had been unaware of the python’s departure.

Wen Jing dressed, went out, and only saw the large tortoise crouching on the open ground as it slowly crawled through the snow in a daze. He squatted in front of the large tortoise and fed it a demon beast fruit.

The large tortoise chewed slowly.

His relations.h.i.+p with the large serpent had experienced a breakthrough. He was very happy but he had no one he could tell. He was also worried about his future. Wen Jing couldn’t figure out how he could trigger that warm current from his body. Could it be that he had to embrace that large serpent?

For the following two months, he repeatedly attempted the icy spring while the python watched to the side.

The first few times he did need to embrace the python and had success while making contact. It seemed the cold and his feelings were the necessary triggers. Later, he began to sense the slight change in his spiritual energy as it triggered the warm current and gradually he began to be able to trigger it at will.

After two months, Wen Jing was able to trigger the warm current from within his body without entering the icy spring. He was unable to contain his joy and immediately reported to Duan Xuan.

Duan Xuan only said one sentence: “From now on, practice 《Pure Jade True Qi》, no need to practice 《Auxilary Fundamental Merit》.”

“Understood.”

《Pure Jade True Qi》was Liu QianMo’s cultivation merit law. It was difficult, obscure, hard to understand, and very profound. Duan Xuan didn’t allow Liu QianMo to do any hands-on teaching. He only allowed him to provide some initial guidance and pointers once a month. The remaining time he required Wen Jing to do self-learning.

Originally, the Three Yang physique’s warm current originated from yang qi mixed together with spiritual energy. The cultivation strategy was slightly different for each person. If one copied too closely, then one could end up stagnating.

Wen Jing’s apt.i.tude was good, but it was a pity he was young and he had limited control over the warm current. Six months later, he ascended to Qi Refining level seven. He was evenly matched with Liu QianMo’s cultivation speed but compared to He Ling and Jun YanZhi he still lagged a little behind.

In those six months, the python occasionally searched him out two or three times a month. As soon as the python arrived, the large tortoise would immediately head outside.

As a result, Wen Jing modified the window and the bed in the room to make it more convenient for the python and the large tortoise to enter and exit.

Time ran like water flowing between one’s fingers. A year pa.s.sed and in the following spring, Wen Jing finally reached the age of fifteen.

♥

On the first thaw of ice and snow, all living things would recover as their origins filled with warmth. But in this year, the Qing Xu sword sect was enveloped in a shroud of grief.

The late-stage building foundation cultivator, Gao Yan, the master of Nan Yan peak, due to his advanced age and being unable to form his core, pa.s.sed away.

Gao Yan’s death was naturally sad. However, the ones most affected were his disciples. Nan Yan peak’s inheritance, the Restoration Sutra》(1), had not been pa.s.sed on an inheritor.

“Several thousand years ago, Qing XuZi had left behind ten scrolls. Each was distinct, unable to be described, and each one was pa.s.sed on via inheritance with no exceptions. In other words, the ancient scrolls chose their own master and could only be learned by that single person. In those days, Qing Xu sword sect had waned as the presence of these ancient scrolls had led to internecine strife. In the end, Hong Xiu peak’s master carried away with him two of the ancient scrolls never to be heard of again.

Honorable Ku Mu then unified Qing Xu sword sect and a.s.sembled all the disciples under the Qing Xu rules. From then on, the ancient scrolls would select their own master and that person would become the master of the peak. And so, when the peak master pa.s.sed away, the ancient scroll would select one of the disciples to replace and become the new leader.”

–Excerpt from 《A Calamity for All Living Things》Chapter 40

The conditions of the ancient scroll to choose the new master were unknown. At this time, this Nan Yan peak’s Gao Yan had seventy disciples. The ancient scroll unexpectedly held no preference for any of them. The led the disciples to feel a great amount of anxiety.

No one had inherited. In that case, from now on the《Restoration Sutra》would become the joint property of the remaining peaks.

Thus, according to established custom, Xi Fang issued an announcement: “All Qing Xu sword sect disciples are to a.s.semble at the Qing Xu main hall.”

On this day there was a warm spring breeze and the mountain was newly green. The over 1300 Qing Xu sword sect disciples gathered at the Qing Xu main hall in order to allow the 《Restoration Sutra》to select its master.

Only the faint smell of fragrant medicinal herbs drifted through the crowd for a short time and then gradually faded away. Xi Fang instructed the disciples to return and wait for the results.

Three days later, Xi Fang sent a message: “Altogether 72 disciples have been chosen as the successor of the《Restoration Sutra》. From Hui s.h.i.+ peak, two people were chosen, Jun YanZhi and Mo ShaoYan. According to the rules, these 72 disciples will partic.i.p.ate in a trial. Each peak is required to send ten people to a.s.semble at 11 am at Qing Xu main hall.”

Every peak was required to send ten people. In other words, all of Hui s.h.i.+ peak was to be dispatched.

Although everyone felt hopeless, at least this was a good thing. Regardless of how He Ling was unconcerned with things, with this sort of matter he was unable to decline.
Mo ShaoYan’s face was flushed. Even if it was impossible to be the final inheritor, it was still very gratifying to be chosen.

Author’s notes:

(tn) I ran out steam so I only glanced at them, it was just two lines about the author wanting to do some emotional setup and someone asking if Jun YanZhi knew he was evil. The wording was pretty confusing.

Translator’s notes:

1. This is a wild guess. The meaning is probably somewhere in the vicinity but these cultivation skills and names are awful to decipher.

I started messing around with a Chinese learning app to see if it helped any. I now recognize a few more grammar concepts! My occasionally c.r.a.ppy work cafeteria had curried chicken soup the other day. It was unexpectedly delicious. **runs off to look for recipes**

d (^‿^✿)