After Returning from a Faked Death, My Crazed, Rebellious Disciple Forced His Love Upon Me - Chapter 12

Ji Chen noticed that he had switched back to using “this Sovereign” as his self-reference.

It seemed to be the same way back at the tower; he would shift between using “I” and “this Sovereign.” Perhaps it was simply a habit of his to use them interchangeably. Ji Chen decided not to overthink it. His main focus was entirely on how to answer Guitong’s two questions.

Fortunately, his mind worked quickly, and he soon thought of a counter-strategy.

“The wine the jailer gave me was enough to drink, but there was no one to drink it with. I asked him to move me to a double room, but he said he could not contact you and refused to move me no matter what. That is why I ran out to find someone else to drink with.”

“Besides, I only came out purely to find a drinking buddy. I really was not trying to run away. Have you ever seen anyone escape halfway and then start drinking right under the eyes of the enemy?”

“Enemy?” Guitong seemed quite dissatisfied with those words.

Ji Chen did not know how to smooth it over, so he asked tentatively, “Husband?”

Otherwise, how was he supposed to address Guitong? Should he call him “Sovereign” like everyone else? He could not bring himself to do that.

Hearing those two words, Guitong’s expression became somewhat unnatural. After a light cough, he ultimately decided not to press the matter. “Do not let it happen again.”

Ji Chen had thought Guitong would drag him back for a severe beating until he never dared to run again. During his days sweeping floors at the Wuji Sect, Ji Chen had heard rumors that the Demon Sovereign was notoriously fickle, bloodthirsty, and violent, showing no mercy to those who disobeyed. The Jingshui Prison was a living testament to that, where even those who committed minor mistakes were put to death.

“Then, are you going to lock me back up?”

“No.”

“Eh?”

“Staying by my side is enough.”

His voice carried a careless indifference as he turned away from the doorway and began walking out of the tavern.

Ji Chen froze for a second. Then, he chased after him. He wondered who it was that had previously boasted so boldly: “By my side, I never keep anyone.”

The two of them strolled through the streets of Jiulu City, wandering aimlessly without either side saying a word. Street vendors shouted advertisements for various murderous magical artifacts and lethal poisons. There was nothing edible to be found.

Ji Chen was not only hungry but his legs were also aching from the walk; he had already been wandering for a long time before this. Finally unable to help himself, he complained to Guitong, “If this is your way of punishing me for escaping, then please just lock me back up. I cannot walk any further.”

Guitong kept his hands behind his back and turned to glance at him, his expression revealing a hint of disdain. “You have only walked such a short distance.”

Ji Chen was indignant. “I am only a mortal body. When you were a mortal, try walking this much after a day without food; it would be a wonder if you were not tired.”

“How do you know this Sovereign was once a mortal?”

“Ah?” Ji Chen realized he had let something slip and quickly tried to cover it up. “I just guessed. Do they not say that even great experts start as mortals? No one is born with high spiritual power.”

Guitong did not respond further and continued walking. However, he noticeably slowed his pace.

After a few steps, his voice dropped an octave as he began to recount, “In the past, I was indeed a mortal.”

“I never met my biological parents, and my foster parents did nothing but beat and scold me.”

“Later, an immortal carrying a sword descended from the sky and gave me a new life.”

At this point, Ji Chen noticed a rare light in Guitong’s eyes. It was like a beam of pure moonlight shining into a pool of blood.

“That immortal patted my head and asked if I was willing to go with him. He even bought me the candied haws and glutinous rice cakes I had always wanted to eat.”

“I thought he was my salvation, so I treated him as the only thing in my world. I obeyed his every command and revered him like a true god.”

“But the good times did not last.”

“I do not know what I did wrong, but he began to speak to me with harsh and malicious words.”

“That he did not teach me sword techniques was secondary. I was simply unwilling to let my cultivation fall behind his other disciples. I could only watch helplessly as others received his praise and affection, while I, I got nothing.”

The moonlight in Guitong’s eyes seemed to be swallowed by an abyss, vanishing abruptly.

“So I hate, I hate him so much.”

In the tail end of his voice, an endless gloom spread like a tide. That voice sounded like a lonely cry abandoned in a deep valley, echoing in the air with no one to answer. It carried countless sorrows and pains.

Hearing this, Ji Chen felt an ache in his heart. However, he could only pretend to be an outsider, offering a forced smile as he consoled him, “Perhaps that person, well, had his reasons?”

“For example, maybe someone forced him to treat you that way, and if he did not, he would die or something?”

“Or, maybe he saw your talent for demonic cultivation and felt that following him would be a waste of your potential, so he used that method to drive you away and force you into the demonic path?”

Though intended as consolation, these were actually Ji Chen’s true feelings. Ji Chen did not know if Guitong had taken them to heart as the two lapsed back into a long silence.

They remained silent until the sunset dipped below the horizon and the light ceased to exist. Once night fell, Jiulu City suddenly became much more desolate. It lacked the lanterns of a prosperous town and the bustling scenes of a night market. A cold wind whistled, carrying a chilling aura of slaughter.

Ji Chen was now hungry, tired, and cold. He wanted to urge Guitong to go back, but before he could speak, the transmission jade hidden in Guitong’s chest suddenly made a sound: “Sovereign.”

This voice was familiar to Ji Chen; it was the voice of the Left Protector.

“The Right Protector has escaped. Should I take action?”

Guitong pulled the transmission jade from his chest. The luster of the jade was dark red, with a texture like agate or crystal. Ji Chen recognized it as Yunchan Jade. It was an extremely rare and expensive stone, and it was particularly hard; even high-level cultivators could not break it using all their spiritual power. Generally, wealthy people would use it to make high-grade artifacts.

Yet Guitong had used it for the lowest grade of artifact, a transmission jade. It was a complete waste of a heavenly treasure.

“No need,” Guitong replied coldly, his meaning very clear.

“Then, does the Sovereign intend to?”

Guitong did not wait for the other person to finish. He extinguished the spiritual light of the transmission jade, cutting off the communication channel. It was equivalent to forcibly hanging up the phone.

Ji Chen thought Guitong was going to personally chase the person back. Instead, Guitong turned to him and said, “Since you are the one who let him go, should you not be responsible for bringing him back?”

Ji Chen did not understand what Guitong meant for a moment. After thinking for a while, it suddenly dawned on him.

Could it be that the Right Protector was Yuan Yi?

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