Behind Jiang Chao Ge, stood a huge beast.
Whole body pitch black, covered in hard scales, head like a male lion, body like David's deer, claws like a falcon. A dragons tail trailed behind it, a single horn soaring upwards on the top of its head, whole body covered in raging flames. A pair of bright golden pupils could roam the whole world. That vigorous power was overweening, seemingly like the Green Void and the Yellow Springs. All living things must submit at its feet.
Qi Lin!
Jiang Chao Ge’s knees buckled, immediately kneeling on the ground. Looking at that ancient rare beast as big as a small mountain, he couldn’t even speak half a word.
This was….. Zhi Xuan? That brat he could hold in one hand and carry everywhere, wanting everything he saw?
Zhi Xuan glanced at Jiang Chao Ge, "Scared stupid?"
Jiang Chao Ge opened his mouth, still unable to say anything. He lifted his head with all his might, staring at the rare beast he had summoned himself, brain full of buzzing sounds.
Zhi Xuan lifted his head and looked forward. Tian Rong and Ying Ji both instinctively grabbed their own spirit weapon user in their mouth, fleeing far away, "You want me to help you. Ok then, for the sake of alcohol." Zhi Xuan sprung up, huge body sweeping past the top of Jiang Chao Ge’s head, pursuing after Ying Ji and Shen Yan Sui.
Following Zhi Xuan’s every step, the earth would quake unable to bear such a heavy weight. His body changed into a golden black meteor, catching up to Ying Ji in a blink of an eye.
Shen Yan Sui’s face became as white as paper. He saw that it was already too late to avoid it, and used all his strength to throw out the flying claw, catching hold of a big tree, swinging away from Ying Ji’s body.
Zhi Xuan opened his mouth, raging flames gushed out accompanying a roar, submerging half of Ying Ji’s body in a sea of flames!
Ying Ji mournful shriek pierced the night, body falling to the ground from midair.
Zhi Xuan pressed down on Ying Ji’s snake body with a claw, and said sternly: "Evil creature, you dare act wild in front of me!"
In the next second, Ying Ji’s body vanished. Shen Yan Sui summoned a huge bird, and attempted to escape.
Zhi Xuan continued to chase after him, belly quivering, seeming like he was once again about to spout tongues of fire, burning Shen Yan Sui and that huge bird to ashes. But just at that moment, his movements stopped, body suddenly shrinking. He cursed loudly: "Bastard——"
Jiang Chao Ge saw that Zhi Xuan did not have enough spiritual power. Shen Yan Sui vanished into the night. Both his hands supported the ground, head hanging heavily, brain full of chaos.
The sound of a set of steady footsteps came from not far away. Very quickly, a pair of black boots with gold linings stopped in front of him. Jiang Chao Ge’s heart pounded like thunder, staring at that pair of boots, distracted for an instant.
Suddenly, one boot lifted, stepping onto his shoulder, an arrogant voice sounded above his head, "Trash, can’t even support my real form."
Jiang Chao Ge’s body swayed, yet did not move.
That boot moved from his shoulder and switched to hooking under his chin, forcing him to lift his head. Jiang Chao Ge's line of sight followed that slender leg upwards, meeting with a pair of bright golden pupils. Those pupils contained the familiar icy arrogance and despise, only it was no longer on a three year old child but on a tall youth around twenty years old. A head of long pitch black hair fell to the ground, lips as dark red as if there was cinnabar applied, facial features handsome beyond comparison, honourable like a god. Absorbing ones heart and soul in such away, not daring to directly look at such beauty. Jiang Chao Ge had never seen before in this life.
Jiang Chao Ge narrowed his eyes, "Zhi Xuan….." He still wanted to say something, yet he felt his whole body lose its strength. With a tilt of his body, he fell towards the side, the sky and earth spinning before his eyes, vision gradually blurring. Only that pair of bright golden pupils was clear from beginning to end.
Jiang Chao Ge was dreaming. It was a very hard dream. He dreamt that he was running in the Mountain of Flames, body so warm it was burning hot, sweating incessantly, his whole person seemed about to be cooked. He really was hot to the point of death and suddenly opened his eyes.
The first thing he saw was a head of pitch black hair. That hair was thick yet long, spreading across the whole bed. Following the hair upwards, he saw a elegant contoured chin. Jiang Chao Ge froze for at least ten seconds before he finally reacted. He was currently being held in a warm embrace. It was so hot his whole body was drenched in sweat like he was in sauna.
(Side note: Those red bedcovers with the double 喜喜, are often found on the bed of newly wed couples (///▽///) I see what you did there artist)
He fiercely pushed away that scorching hot chest.
Zhi Xuan opened his eyes, looked at Jiang Chao Ge and said unhappily: "Do you want to die? I haven’t woken up yet."
Jiang Chao Ge gaped, staring at Zhi Xuan who’s upper half was naked like him, sleeping with him in an embrace. It was as if his brain had been hit, he didn’t have the strength to react for a long time.
Zhi Xuan sat up and narrowed his eyes, "Have you really become stupid? Can’t even say a sentence."
Jiang Chao Ge took a deep breath, "Why are you hugging me to sleep, so damned hot." Actually, he had a question that was more worrying that he wanted to ask but he didn’t know why the first question he asked was actually one.
Zhi Xuan frowned, "Its obviously you who wanted to hug me to sleep."
Jiang Chao Ge raged in his heart, that time you were only about 15kg.
Zhi Xuan lifted his chin haughtily, "Ignorant commoner, scared stupid seeing my real form."
Jiang Chao Ge scratched his head, forcing himself to calm down, "You…. you’re a Qi Lin?"
Zhi Xuan snorted coldly, "Qi Lin is what you ignorant masses call me. I am Zhi Xuan."
"You, you’re not, not a Heaven grade spirit weapon?"
"Don’t compare me with those evil creatures."
Jiang Chao Ge muttered: "Divine grade spirit weapons really exist…." He suddenly understood the reason why Zhi Xuan always refused to reveal his real form. After he knows, there can only be two reactions, chasing after him in a wild goose chase or avoiding him like the plague. If it was former, Zhi Xuan held him in such contempt, and didn’t want a spirit weapon user with weak spiritual power at all. If it was the latter, in Zhi Xuan’s eyes there was no better choice. If he scares him away, then he wouldn’t be able to appear in the world. So it was actually the best decision for Zhi Xuan not to say anything at all. It seemed that he had actually underestimated Zhi Xuan. This rare beast had lived for so long after all. Although he was arrogant, wilful and violent, his intelligence wasn’t low.
Zhi Xuan glared at him, "You are on my hair."
Jiang Chao Ge hurriedly lifted his hand, looking around, "Where is this?"
"Don’t know."
"Who brought me here?"
"That Zheng."
"Where are they?" Jiang Chao Ge said surprisedly: "Then Old Meng's…." Thinking about Old Meng, his heart felt uncomfortable.
"The silver haired human buried him in the backyard of his house in Hu An City."
Jiang Chao Ge took a deep breath, expression extremely desolate. He felt his body was full of spiritual power. It recovered somewhat when he slept for who knows how many days. Although it wasn’t as abundant as when Meng Sheng transferred it to him, he felt that his spiritual power seemed to have gone up a step.
He jumped off bed and put on his clothes, planning to go find Yu Ren Shu.
Zhi Xuan said: "Wait."
"Mn?"
Zhi Xuan unfolded his slender arms. The front part of his robes were open, clothes a mess.
Jiang Chao Ge didn’t understand, "What?"
Zhi Xuan frowned and said discontentedly: "Dress me."
Jiang Chao Ge blinked and froze.
Zhi Xuan said boldly and confidently: "Didn’t you always dress me before?"
"That time weren’t you just this small?" Jiang Chao Ge motioned.
Zhi Xuan said angrily: "Is it my fault I was that small?!"
Jiang Chao Ge sighed: "Adults all dress themselves."
"I’m not a human, I’m a Zuzong."
Jiang Chao Ge didn’t even have the strength to lie to him and besides he did not dare to. Anyone who wasn’t scared after seeing Zhi Xuan’s true form was an stupid cunt. He could laugh at a three to four year old child shouting that they would eat him all day long. But when an ancient rare beast as big as a small mountain said that, it was no joking matter. He walked over and quickly helped Zhi Xuan close his robes, tie his sash, "Your hair is too long, it’s better to tie it up."
Zhi Xuan looked at his own hair, "Oh."
Jiang Chao Ge used the cloth used to wipe ones face from the table to brush Zhi Xuan’s hair up. He looked at the preoccupied profile of Zhi Xuan and felt his breathing become somewhat irregular, becoming absent minded for a moment. Was this really what he summoned? Regardless of whether it was a three year old little brat, a powerful ancient rare beast or the godlike youth in front of him, they were all actually summoned by him!
After tying the hair, Jiang Chao Ge pushed open the door and walked out. He stood on the second floor and looked downwards. It was a spacious lobby laid with many tables and chairs. As it turned out, they were at a hostel, only there was not a soul in sight in the entire hostel. It was very possible that it booked solely by Yu Ren Shu.
Zhi Xuan followed him out, "Oi."
Jiang Chao Ge turned his head and discovered that Zhi Xuan was rather tall in height, over 190cm. But it was nothing compared to his true body.
Zhi Xuan said bluntly: "Go buy me alcohol."
"Zuzong, now is not the time to be drinking alcohol." Jiang Chao Ge rubbed his temples. There were too many things that needed to be straightened out in his head. He went downstairs straight away.
Zhi Xuan followed in suit blindly, "I don’t care, I want to drink alcohol."
Jiang Chao Ge ignored him and circled once around the lobby. He heard that there were voices coming from the back garden and went directly to the back garden.
He immediately saw the silver haired Third Prince. There also stood a tall slender figure beside him. A man with a head of amber hair. That man's appearance was filled with a dangerous barbarity. Needless to say, he could guess that it was that Zheng.
Yu Ren Shu looked at him, expression grave, "You’re awake."
Jiang Chao Ge steadied his heart and soul, "What did you take me here for?"
Yu Ren Shu glanced at Zhi Xuan behind him, "Do you know what you summoned?"
"Qi Lin?"
Yu Ren Shu clenched his fists, "Its a Divine grade spirit weapon!"
Jiang Chao Ge didn’t know the pros and cons of it, but looking at Yu Ren Shu’s expression, it seemed that this matter wasn’t simple, "So what even if I summoned him?"
Yu Ren Shu narrowed his eyes, "Ignorant Other World Person. There’s a legend on the Tian Ling continent. If Divine grade spirit weapons appear in the world, it will overturn the whole world, bringing disaster to commoners, reversing the six worlds!"
Jiang Chao Ge gave a cold laugh, "Since you know I’m a ignorant Other World Person, what right to you have to criticise me? At the time, the ones who placed Zhi Xuan Sword in the imperial capital for people to choose were you. The ones who forced me into a dead end so that I had no choice but to summon him was also you. I don’t know how true your legends are. I only know that those that stand in my way, I will face them with a sword all the same!"
Zhi Xuan began to roar with laughter, "Ridiculous humans. You think that because of some crappy legend you can prevent us from reviving? According to you, I am the first one? It seems that before long, I can meet more 'old friends'."
Yu Ren Shu gritted his teeth and stared rigidly at Jiang Chao Ge, "I should kill you, at least it can seal him again for a period of time."
Jiang Chao Ge spread out his arms, "Do it then. You would’ve already done it if you wanted to kill me. Now I am the only person that can use Zhi Xuan Sword. Can killing me prevent Divine grade spirit weapons from appearing on earth? You also know yourself that’s it’s impossible."
Yu Ren Shu glared at Jiang Chao Ge for a long time, "Come back to Tian Ao City with me."
"Why?"
"Don’t you want to see the State Preceptor?"
Jiang Chao Ge froze, the State Preceptor? Wasn’t that the only person that could possibly send him back to his own world, the person that he would try to get close to by every possible means?
Yu Ren Shu said heavily: "Other World Person, you don’t belong to this world so you have no appreciation of the gravity of things. However, the legend of Divine grade spirit weapons has circulated on the Tian Ling continent for a millennium. Many people believe that it’s only a legend. Only a few people know that the day Divine grade spirit weapons appear on earth will come sooner or later and it will inevitably set off a reign of terror. Countless innocent lives will become involved. Now, it’s not only me that knows this secret. The situation has already gone beyond what I can control. You must come back to the imperial capital with me and meet the State Preceptor. He is the wisest person on Tian Ling continent."
Jiang Chao Ge looked at him cautiously, "If I don’t go?"
Yu Ren Shu said coldly: "With your current strength, you can’t say 'no'."
Jiang Chao Ge clenched his fists. Although he didn’t want to be forced by people, he could only choose to adapt to circumstances.
Meng Sheng gave him spiritual power and allowed him to successfully summon Zhi Xuan’s original form once. But it was just that once. One spout of flames and all the spiritual power was consumed. Although he could feel the spiritual power Meng Sheng gave him breaking through some of his bound meridians, allowing his cultivation base to upgrade quite a bit, if he wanted to once again summon the Qi Lin to battle, he knew that he could not do it.
Zhi Xuan cast a sidelong glance at everyone, the corners of his mouth curling into a taunting smile.
Jiang Chao Ge looked towards Zhi Xuan, "Is there something you want to say?"
Zhi Xuan said lazily: "Does the imperial capital have good alcohol?"
Jiang Chao Ge sighed, "Ok, I’ll go back to the imperial capital with you." He originally wanted to do what Meng Sheng said and go to the north to find the spirit weapon master called Wang Qin, but he wanted to meet the State Preceptor more.
Yu Ren Shu carefully looked Jiang Chao Ge up and down: "I still don’t know your name."
"Jiang Chao Ge."
Green Void and Yellow Springs/碧落黄泉– I believe this is another way of describing heaven and hell in Chinese mythology. The Green Void is equivalent to heaven and the Yellow Springs is like the underworld in Chinese mythology.
Translator’s Corner
Lmao I actually finished translating this at exactly 12am last night but was too tired to post it up then. Zhi Xuan’s awesomeness does not disappoint 😍 and he still expects Jiang Chao Ge to treat him as a kid (//∇//) I included a lot of images from the manhua this time cuz there are a lot of good scenes in this chapter that couldn’t go unseen XD.
Happy reading guys!