I Reborn on the Night I Divorced the Sword Deity, My Childhood Friend - Chapter 23

Shen Junyu’s peaceful and gentle comfort was like a spring of clear water, naturally smoothing away the hidden sliver of anxiety in Wen Su’s heart.

As Wen Su was about to speak, Shen Junyu suddenly coughed twice. Wen Su’s expression shifted, and he instinctively reached out to steady Shen Junyu’s shoulders. Shen Junyu shook his head, his voice slightly hoarse. “It is nothing. My throat is just sticky after spitting out that blood.”

As he spoke, Shen Junyu raised his hand and pressed it against Wen Su’s hand on his shoulder in a reassuring gesture. “Brother Wen, could you pour me another cup of tea? Please?”

Shen Junyu’s fingers were cool and delicate, feeling like polished jade. Coupled with his rare state of vulnerability and his soft, whispered tone, Wen Su found himself with no room to refuse. He first took a gold-embroidered soft pillow from the foot of the bed and placed it behind Shen Junyu for support before rising to go behind the screen to pour the tea.

The candle flames flickered. Behind the screen, Wen Su held the handle of the celadon teapot, pouring the liquid into a cup. His tall, straight silhouette cast a shadow against the ink-wash landscape painting on the screen, looking like a figure from a classical masterpiece. However, his body remained tense. He was constantly attuned to any sound from Shen Junyu’s direction. Fortunately, this time Shen Junyu remained unusually quiet.

A moment later, Wen Su returned with the tea. Shen Junyu was resting with his eyes closed, leaning halfway against the pillow. His ink-black hair spilled down his back, with a few stray strands loosening at his temples. The dancing shadows of the candlelight fell across his pale, refined face, blurring his features as if they were coated in mist. Even though he was currently wearing a plain, unremarkable disguise, a single glance was enough to make one’s heart skip a beat.

Wen Su gazed at him for a moment, then sat by the bed without a word. Sensing his presence, Shen Junyu’s long lashes fluttered as he opened his eyes. Wen Su supported his shoulders, helping him sit upright so he could lean halfway into Wen Su’s chest.

This time, Shen Junyu was not bashful. He leaned against Wen Su’s shoulder and naturally took a slow sip of tea from the cup held in Wen Su’s hand. Wen Su handed him an empty cup so he could spit out the first two mouthfuls after rinsing his mouth, then brought a fresh cup for him to drink.

Wen Su’s quiet, meticulous attentiveness surprised Shen Junyu. After finishing the tea, Shen Junyu looked at him and smiled faintly. “I never realized before that you were so detailed, Brother Wen.”

But after saying this, Shen Junyu became dazed for a moment as fragmented, soft memories surfaced in his mind. A moment later, he shook his head with a small laugh. “I misspoke. Actually, you have always been very detailed.”

Wen Su, who had just finished tidying the tea set, did not answer. He only glanced at the jade hairpin dangling slightly loose in Shen Junyu’s hair and asked, “Do you want to rest? Shall I help you remove your pin and outer robe?”

Shen Junyu was briefly stunned, then shook his head. “I am not particularly sleepy.” Then, remembering something, he looked up at Wen Su. “Actually, Brother Wen, I have something I want to say to you. Come sit on the bed. Let us have a quiet chat, shall we?”

He reached out, gesturing to the empty spot beside him. The dark cyan sheets made Shen Junyu’s cool, white fingers look even more beautiful. Wen Su’s gaze swept over them before returning to Shen Junyu’s face. Meeting those warm, clear eyes, he remained silent for a breath before standing up. He first gently helped Shen Junyu sit further back, then removed his boots and outer layer to sit beside him.

As they leaned back together, Shen Junyu reclined slightly against the pillows. Seeing Wen Su’s overly rigid posture, he could not help but smile. “Have you never chatted with someone like this before?”

Wen Su glanced at him. “Are you no longer tired?”

Shen Junyu laughed softly. “I am not that fragile.”

Wen Su fell silent, his ink-dark, cold eyes simply watching Shen Junyu. Seeing this expression, Shen Junyu knew Wen Su did not want him to waste energy on idle talk. After a brief thought, he spoke slowly. “There is something wrong with Qin Huaique’s cultivation stage.”

A sharp glint of cold light suddenly flashed in Wen Su’s eyes. “What did you see?”

“His stage is real,” Shen Junyu said calmly, “and it was achieved through actual cultivation. However, there is a problem with his cultivation method.”

Wen Su’s brow furrowed. “Many in the Demon Realm use forbidden secret techniques to cultivate. It is likely he did the same. But that will not affect the martial recruitment itself, nor will it influence the Cloud Dream Demon Lord’s decision.”

Shen Junyu shook his head. “He is not using an ordinary secret technique. He is using a time-based secret technique. The advantage of such a technique is that very few people know of it. An ordinary person looking at him would see a young genius. But the hidden dangers are immense.”

“What dangers?” Wen Su asked.

Shen Junyu countered with a question. “You know the Demon Realm better than I do. With Qin Huaique’s natural talent, how long would it normally take him to enter the Void Refinement Stage?”

Wen Su considered for a moment. “Around a hundred years.”

“No wonder,” Shen Junyu noted.

“What is it?” Wen Su asked.

“He has already hit the bottleneck of the Void Refinement Stage,” Shen Junyu explained.

Wen Su’s expression shifted slightly. “How can that be?”

“This is the drawback of the time-based technique I mentioned. If you want to complete a long period of cultivation in a very short amount of time, you must pay a corresponding price in time. That price is the rapid aging of the soul and the physical body. If he normally required a hundred years to reach this stage, his current body and soul are effectively those of someone who took two hundred years to get there. Do you understand what I mean?”

Wen Su was brilliant; he understood immediately. “With his talent, reaching the Void Refinement Stage in a hundred years makes him a genius. But taking two hundred years makes him merely average. It will be difficult for him to progress any further.” He then frowned. “Qin Huaique does not seem like a fool. Why would he sabotage his own future like this?”

“What if it was something he was forced to do?” Shen Junyu suggested.

Wen Su looked at him, puzzled.

Shen Junyu raised a hand to his lips and coughed twice. “This kind of technique requires the assistance of a powerful cultivator at the same stage or higher, who must also pay an equivalent price in lifespan. Qin Huaique likely does not have the power to command such a massive favor. What do you think?”

Wen Su’s face finally changed. His deep black eyes were like an ocean with rising tides and hidden undercurrents. Seeing this, Shen Junyu sighed inwardly and added, “It seems this martial recruitment is not as pure as it appears.”

Based on his memories from his previous life combined with these clues, this recruitment was likely a political marriage orchestrated by the Demon Sovereign using the Cloud Dream Demon Lord as a proxy. The power balance in the Demon Realm was likely unstable, forcing the Sovereign to prop up new confidants without exposing his own weaknesses. By using the recruitment as a front, he could test their loyalty. If they had ulterior motives, they could be eliminated without harming the Sovereign. If they were loyal, they would be easier to use.

Unfortunately, in the previous life, the Demon Sovereign eventually chose the wrong person.

Wen Su remained silent for a long time after hearing Shen Junyu’s words. When he finally looked back at Shen Junyu, his deep pupils held an inexplicable complexity. Their eyes met. Shen Junyu felt a sudden surge of energy in his chest and could not help but cough again.

Wen Su snapped out of it, no longer dwelling on the politics. He supported Shen Junyu’s shoulder and frowned. “Stop talking. Get some rest.”

Shen Junyu was compliant. Since Wen Su said so, he stopped speaking. While Wen Su held his wrist to channel demonic energy, Shen Junyu simply watched him with those clear eyes.

Wen Su remained silent. A moment later, a cold, bony hand reached out, blocking Shen Junyu’s line of sight. “Stop looking. Sleep.”

Shen Junyu was quiet for a moment, then whispered a soft “Mm.” He stopped talking. His soft lashes brushed against Wen Su’s slightly callused palm. It was itchy. Wen Su endured it for a while, and once he was sure Shen Junyu was no longer moving, he silently withdrew his hand.

Upon retracting his hand, Wen Su looked again and fell into a sudden silence. Shen Junyu had actually fallen asleep right then and there. His long lashes cast a shallow shadow on his jade-like skin. His face was still plain, yet it radiated an indescribable warmth and serenity. A tiny, soft curve lingered at the corner of his pale red lips.

Wen Su gazed at him without blinking. He did not know how much time had passed, but when the lamp wick sputtered in the outer room, causing the shadows to dance, he finally came to his senses. With extremely gentle movements, Wen Su lifted Shen Junyu slightly and began to remove his jade pin and outer robe.

Ink-black hair, cool as a waterfall, fell across Wen Su’s wrist, creating a faint, tingling sensation. Once the outer robe was removed, the thin inner garment revealed a glimpse of a snow-white, slender neck and delicate, well-proportioned collarbones. Throughout the process, Wen Su kept his eyes strictly focused, showing not a hint of impropriety. Thus, he failed to notice a faint, deep-red glow flickering slowly beneath the collar of the garment.

Two days passed. Under the influence of the spiritual medicines provided by Meng Xingyan and the careful nursing of Wen Su, Shen Junyu’s injuries were mostly healed. He could now walk freely. Aside from a slight paleness, he looked no different from a healthy person.

After Meng Xingyan’s message two days ago, the Sky-Eye Demon Lord had indeed agreed to come and was already on his way. With this, Meng Xingyan had no more worries. Since tomorrow was the first day of the martial competition, Meng Xingyan headed to Yunlai Palace early this morning to draw lots for the first round.

Because Shen Junyu was still asleep when Meng Xingyan left, the Young Marquis decided that since he had the protection of the Jiuyou Demon Lord’s carriage, he would leave Wen Su behind to accompany Shen Junyu. He went to the palace alone.

After Meng Xingyan left, Wen Su did not wake Shen Junyu. Instead, he took his long saber to the courtyard to practice. For a while, the red maple leaves swirled in the misty courtyard to the sound of whistling wind. A figure in black moved like a sturdy pine, triggering thousands of saber shadows that glowed with a magnificent light.

At this time, by the window closest to the maple forest, a pair of clear eyes watched Wen Su’s heroic form through the window screen. As he watched, a faint smile of appreciation appeared on Shen Junyu’s face. But after a moment, the smile faded. Shen Junyu lowered his lashes and stared at his own slender fingers. Upon closer inspection, one could see faint, very pale black-gold lines appearing at the edges of his pink fingernails.

Looking at these lines, Shen Junyu’s gaze turned cold and heavy. These lines were a side effect of demonic energy growing excessively within the dantian without being able to merge into a Golden Core. This excess energy would first invade the flesh and muscle, then the bones, eventually turning the person into a mindless, pure demon rather than a demon cultivator.

During these past few days, Shen Junyu, Meng Xingyan, and Wen Su had all indirectly inquired about demon cultivators forming cores, and Shen Junyu had also pored through the books Meng Xingyan provided.

But he had searched through them all and had yet to find anything that matched his specific situation. It seemed that both Meng Xingyan and Wen Su had relatively low cultivation levels and could not access the true top-tier internal techniques of the Demon Realm.

If this continued, the consequences would likely be disastrous. This was the real reason why he was so eager to stand out and had risked exposing his identity to help Meng Xingyan at the banquet that night. If he could attract the attention of a Great Power at the Demon Lord level, he had enough confidence to negotiate with them and try to exchange for what he needed. Otherwise, he would simply be waiting for death.

Shen Junyu began to ponder the details again. In this martial recruitment, there were four known Demon Lords who might appear: the Cloud Dream Demon Lord, the Sky-Eye Demon Lord, the Sky-Waste Demon Lord, and the Jiuyou Demon Lord.

The Cloud Dream Demon Lord’s situation was too complicated, and since she was the one being courted, joining her would mean abandoning his connection with Meng Xingyan, which was not cost-effective. Shen Junyu had never met the Sky-Eye Demon Lord, but he felt that the man was a peaceful and patient power; after all, he had raised Meng Xingyan to be quite lively. However, both he and Shen Junyu practiced stellar divination, meaning their interests and resources might clash in the future. Furthermore, the Sky-Eye Demon Lord was only at the Transformation Stage—the lowest among the Demon Lords—and might not be able to solve his problem.

As for the Sky-Waste Demon Lord, a man who would force his own son to make such a sacrifice for personal gain was certainly not someone easy to deal with. He was out of the question.

That left only the mysterious and powerful Jiuyou Demon Lord, Wen Shuo, who had ascended to the throne of Demon Sovereign in his previous life.

“Jiuyou Demon Lord, Wen Shuo,” Shen Junyu whispered, slowly chewing over the name, trying to evoke more memories of this mysterious figure from his past life.

Suddenly, “You are awake?”

Wen Su’s voice rang out. Shen Junyu snapped back to reality, discreetly hiding his hand and turning toward the door. Wen Su, dressed in black, stood at the entrance, sheathing his long saber and tucking it into his storage ring. Seeing Wen Su’s casual manner, Shen Junyu knew he hadn’t seen anything.

“Yes, I just woke up,” Shen Junyu said calmly. “You were practicing your saber just now; why are you back so soon?”

Wen Su finished stowing his weapon and walked over, asking casually, “Since you were watching me, why didn’t you come out to find me?”

Shen Junyu offered his prepared excuse: “I was watching a crucial part and thought of some cultivation techniques, so I got distracted.”

Wen Su did not suspect him. He walked up to Shen Junyu, leaning in close to carefully inspect his complexion. Over the past few days, Wen Su had been taking care of his every need, and their relationship had grown familiar. Shen Junyu had already come to regard him as an elder brother. He didn’t feel awkward about the proximity.

A hint of color had returned to Shen Junyu’s pale skin, making it look translucent and healthy. His lips were a full, pale red. He was in much better shape than before. However, Wen Su was looking so closely and intently that the heat of his breath almost touched Shen Junyu’s skin.

After a moment, Shen Junyu took an inconspicuous step back. “I am much better. Why must you look so closely, Brother Wen?”

Wen Su did not answer until he finished his inspection. “You are indeed much better.” He paused, then added, “But you should not strain yourself with cultivation for a few days. Cultivation is not something achieved overnight.”

Shen Junyu smiled faintly. “Alright.”

Looking at the soft smile on Shen Junyu’s face, Wen Su felt a stir in his heart and was about to suggest they go for a walk together. But before he could speak, a low commotion broke out in the courtyard. Shen Junyu instinctively turned toward the noise.

Suddenly ignored, Wen Su’s expression soured. Despite his displeasure, he looked toward the source and frowned. “It must be Meng Xingyan. He is always so loud; he doesn’t act like a Young Marquis at all.”

Shen Junyu did not notice Wen Su’s annoyance and simply said, “It seems the results of the drawing are out. Let us go see.”

Wen Su: “…Fine.”

It was indeed Meng Xingyan. But as soon as he entered, they saw that something was terribly wrong. His face was pale, he was drenched in sweat, and his eyes were hollow. He looked completely despondent.

Sensing trouble, Shen Junyu went to meet him. “Young Marquis, what happened? Did something go wrong with the draw?”

Meng Xingyan finally snapped out of it. After a long silence, he looked at them and rasped in a voice full of accusation, “They cheated. I drew Qin Huaique for the first round. They clearly want to kill me on that stage!”

The air suddenly went still. Shen Junyu was the first to react. “Young Marquis, do not panic. How long until your father arrives?”

Meng Xingyan gave a bitter, pale laugh. “I contacted him on my way back. He can arrive tomorrow at noon at the earliest. If the first few rounds go quickly, he might be too late.”

Shen Junyu’s expression turned solemn. Seeing this, Meng Xingyan’s heart sank to the bottom. He almost wanted to withdraw immediately—losing face was better than being beaten to death by Qin Huaique tomorrow.

Just as the last flicker of hope died in Meng Xingyan’s heart and he was about to suggest they just leave, Shen Junyu spoke.

“Young Marquis, why not try asking the Jiuyou Demon Lord for help?”

Meng Xingyan’s eyes immediately lit up with hope as he stared at Shen Junyu.

Shen Junyu’s gaze was calm and clear. “I think that since the Demon Lord was willing to lend you his carriage, it proves he cares for you as a nephew. If you go to him and explain the situation, he might give you a hand.”

Meng Xingyan was ecstatic. He practically jumped up. “Brother Wen is right! I will go now!” He turned to run out.

“Wait, Young Marquis,” Shen Junyu called out. Meng Xingyan stopped and looked back, puzzled.

Shen Junyu spoke with composed calm. “You are emotionally unstable right now; going alone might lead to saying the wrong things. Furthermore, my brother and I were witnesses to yesterday’s events. It would be better if you took us along. We can help explain things if necessary.”

Meng Xingyan realized he was right and nodded quickly. “You are right. Shall we go now?”

“Yes,” Shen Junyu replied.

Beside them, Wen Su remained silent. His long, sharp brows knit together almost imperceptibly, but in the end, he said nothing.

Meng Xingyan leaned against the soft couch, eyes closed, nervously rehearsing what to say. Shen Junyu and Wen Su sat together. After a long time, Wen Su could no longer help himself. He glanced at Shen Junyu and spoke in a voice suppressed with displeasure in his mind.

You know that with Meng Xingyan’s talent, even if the Jiuyou Demon Lord helps, it might only guarantee he doesn’t die. It won’t necessarily change the outcome of the battle. Why work so hard for him?

Your injuries are not yet healed. This useless running about will only make things worse. It would be better for him to go home and practice for a few more years.

Shen Junyu sensed Wen Su’s annoyance and concern. For a moment, he said nothing, but he reached out and gently covered Wen Su’s hand resting beside him. At the touch of the warm, delicate skin, the veins on the back of Wen Su’s hand jumped.

Then, reassuringly, Shen Junyu’s slender fingers gripped the back of Wen Su’s hand and gave it a light pat. His clear, gentle voice echoed in Wen Su’s mind.

Brother Wen, do not be angry. I am not doing this solely for him.

Wen Su replied coldly, If not for him, then for whom?

Even faced with such a question, Shen Junyu was not upset. He looked up at Wen Su, his eyes serious and soft. Do not be impatient. Listen to me first.

Wen Su’s gaze flickered. Speak.

I feel that if we want to establish ourselves in the Demon Realm, it would be better to join the Jiuyou Demon Lord, Shen Junyu said. Though he is suspicious and crafty, his talent and potential are immense. Perhaps in the future, he will—

Will what?

Shen Junyu looked at Wen Su, his eyes clear and smiling. It was impossible to tell if he was joking or serious. Perhaps in the future, he will become the Demon Sovereign.

Wen Su’s brow twitched violently. After a long silence, he looked away, refusing to continue that topic. He let out a cold, unreadable laugh. So, your interest is not in the wine but in the setting. You have already aimed for a higher branch and are just waiting for Meng Xingyan to take the bait.

Shen Junyu shook his head, completely honest. A fine bird chooses its tree. I have done enough for the Young Marquis; I owe him nothing. This move is not meant to change masters immediately, but to create another choice for us. Besides, we won’t know if that ‘branch’ is truly high until we see it for ourselves.

After a short silence, Wen Su replied, Let us go then. We will see.