I Reborn on the Night I Divorced the Sword Deity, My Childhood Friend - Chapter 25

Hearing this, Shen Junyu shook his head. “This spiritual array is extremely complex. Furthermore, it requires real-time adjustments based on the Little Marquis’s muscle and meridian flow. It is better if I do it myself.”

Meng Xingyan, hearing this, hurriedly added, “This is delicate work; it is not a joking matter. It is better to let Brother Wenyu handle it personally.”

Wen Su fell silent, though the atmospheric pressure around him visibly dropped another notch.

Shen Junyu, who was currently testing his brush, was very perceptive. Seeing that Wen Su’s aura was not right, he pondered for a moment and suddenly said, “Brother, come to my side.”

Wen Su’s heart stirred. “What is it?” he asked, though he had already started walking over.

As Wen Su approached, Shen Junyu had him stand right beside him, explaining, “The spiritual array I developed is very complex, and the Little Marquis’s cultivation realm is one level higher than mine. I cannot afford any distractions while drawing. If my strength fails me later, remember to transfer some demonic energy to me or feed me some celestial treasures, alright?”

Upon hearing this, Wen Su realized why Shen Junyu had previously remained tight-lipped in front of Meng Xingyan about knowing this array.

Risking his life like this just to gain a favor from the Nine Nether Demon Sovereign, is it worth it?

As Wen Su thought this, the light in his eyes grew colder and deeper, unconsciously gathering a hint of frost. Yet, Shen Junyu simply looked at him with those clear, lustrous glassy eyes, so calm and sincere that Wen Su found it impossible to lose his temper.

At this point, the arrow was on the string and had to be fired. Ultimately, Wen Su had no choice but to compromise.

“Do not overextend yourself,” he whispered as he stood firmly by Shen Junyu’s side.

Shen Junyu replied, “Rest assured, Brother. Everything you have exhorted, I have taken to heart.”

Even though Wen Su knew Shen Junyu appeared as pure as the wind and moon while his mouth was full of beautiful lies, hearing those words still caused his heart to soften involuntarily. He said nothing more, simply standing quietly by Shen Junyu’s side to observe the operation.

Shen Junyu first placed a tall side table to hold the large bowl filled with spiritual liquid, then signaled Meng Xingyan to step in front of him.

Meng Xingyan had also overheard the exchange. His eyes flickered with a hint of embarrassment. Every man for himself, he thought; his relationship with Shen Junyu certainly had not reached the level of a life-and-death friendship yet, so there was no need for Shen Junyu to go to such lengths. Moreover, it was his own lack of strength that caused the issue; he could not blame Shen Junyu for not wanting to help initially.

Having rationalized this, Meng Xingyan felt his previous accusations were a bit much. Not knowing what else to say, he simply muttered, “This time, I shall trouble Brother Wen.”

Shen Junyu raised a hand, making a soft hush gesture. Meng Xingyan felt a chill of solemnity and immediately went silent.

Holding his brush, Shen Junyu stood beside Meng Xingyan and circled him three times, scrutinizing every inch of his skeletal structure and meridian flow from head to toe. During this process, he would occasionally reach out to touch Meng Xingyan’s skin and joints. This caused Meng Xingyan to feel frequent bouts of itchiness; he wanted to laugh but was forced to hold it in.

Nearby, Wen Su’s brow was tightly furrowed and his expression was grim, though he remained silent.

Finally, Shen Junyu dipped his brush and set the first stroke upon Meng Xingyan’s chest, directly over the heart.

The moment that first stroke landed, Meng Xingyan knew Shen Junyu was truly capable. As the lines began to trace outward, Meng Xingyan could clearly feel his body’s absorption of worldly spiritual energy accelerating. Following that, even his heartbeat became steadier and more powerful.

This was the Azure Dragon Qi-Gathering Array.

However, confusion flickered in Meng Xingyan’s heart. He understood spiritual arrays, but why was Shen Junyu drawing a Qi-gathering array instead of an offensive killing array or a defensive profound array? No matter how powerful a Qi-gathering array was, it was merely the icing on the cake; it could not directly provide a massive boost to his combat abilities.

But seeing Shen Junyu’s intense focus, Meng Xingyan did not dare ask. After their previous interactions, he knew his mastery of spiritual arrays was inferior to Shen Junyu’s. Perhaps Shen Junyu had his own logic?

Lost in thought, Meng Xingyan silently watched the strokes of the array. He soon became mesmerized; Shen Junyu’s brushwork was exquisite and incredibly practiced. He even made detailed modifications mid-stroke, as if he had drawn this Qi-gathering array countless times.

He truly must be a possessed Great Master! If not, how could someone of Shen Junyu’s age have so much practical experience or the insight to make such modifications? Meng Xingyan’s admiration grew even deeper.

An hour passed, and Shen Junyu finally stopped his brush. A thin layer of sweat had formed on his forehead, but his complexion remained normal. Wen Su wordlessly reached out to support his shoulder, silently transferring demonic energy into him.

Setting the brush aside, Shen Junyu said to Meng Xingyan, “Little Marquis, try it out. This Qi-gathering array should increase your absorption speed several times over.”

Meng Xingyan snapped out of his daze, gave an “oh,” and began circulating his power. After a moment, he looked at the clump of demonic energy gathered in his palm and cried out in surprise, “It is actually three times faster! The effect is incredible.”

Shen Junyu nodded. “The effect is good. Little Marquis, stand still; we shall go again.”

Meng Xingyan froze, and then a look of pure joy broke across his face. “You intend to use the Array Stacking Method?”

Shen Junyu frowned. “Stand still first. We are running out of time.”

Meng Xingyan suppressed his excitement and stood perfectly still. Shen Junyu lifted his brush for the second time. This time, the difficulty was significantly higher.

The Array Stacking Method involved overlapping two spiritual arrays so they interacted and fused into one, doubling the power and making them twice as hard to dismantle. This time, Shen Junyu drew the Black Tortoise Spiritual Array, the most indestructible of all defensive arrays, often jokingly referred to as the “Tortoise Shell Array” due to its peerless defensive capabilities.

Meng Xingyan recognized it immediately and began to piece together Shen Junyu’s strategy. With the Qi-gathering array providing a continuous supply of spiritual energy, the Black Tortoise array would become even more impenetrable, and his own consumption during battle would be minimized.

As long as I dodge well in the early stages, I can definitely wear Qin Huaique out. Brilliant! Meng Xingyan felt a surge of excitement, imagining himself tomorrow leading Qin Huaique around like a dog on a leash.

Shen Junyu coughed softly. “Little Marquis, stand still.”

Meng Xingyan’s face flushed as he realized he had moved, and he quickly regained his posture.

Shen Junyu then called out, “Brother.”

Wen Su understood. He took a spiritual fruit and held it to Shen Junyu’s lips. Shen Junyu opened his mouth to take it, letting the fruit dissolve into spiritual liquid to nourish himself while he continued drawing.

Suddenly, a light, soft sensation touched the corner of Shen Junyu’s lips. He froze momentarily. Then he heard Wen Su’s low voice, “Keep drawing.”

Shen Junyu was speechless, but he quickly composed himself and focused on the array. Wen Su first used a handkerchief to wipe a trace of fruit juice from Shen Junyu’s lip, then switched to a fresh one to dab the sweat from his forehead and cheeks.

Although Shen Junyu’s features were disguised, his skin was not. From this close, Wen Su could see the faint, light-blue veins beneath the jade-white skin of his forehead and the slight pink flush on his cheeks and the corners of his eyes. Shen Junyu’s lashes were dark and thick, casting a light shadow that gave him a refreshing, delicate beauty.

Wen Su watched him intently, not missing a single micro-expression. When Shen Junyu’s breathing grew heavy, Wen Su would provide the spiritual fruit. When he frowned, Wen Su would wipe his sweat. His movements were fluid and gentle, never once disturbing the drawing process; their coordination was practically seamless.

Finally, the second array was complete. Shen Junyu took a deep breath and rubbed his throbbing temples. Wen Su reached out to support his shoulder, wanting him to rest.

But Shen Junyu shook his head. “It is not yet finished.”

Meng Xingyan, who was already overjoyed and ready to test the two arrays, was stunned. Wen Su’s brow furrowed even deeper.

Looking at Shen Junyu’s pale face, Meng Xingyan hesitated. “Surely this is enough? I think even a draw would suffice.”

Shen Junyu frowned. “What do you know of the power of a Void Refinement Great Master? Stand still.”

“Oh,” Meng Xingyan complied. He was the beneficiary, after all; he was not about to complain about having too much.

Wen Su moved to persuade him, but Shen Junyu looked up, and their eyes met. In that instant, seeing those slightly weary but exceptionally clear and determined eyes, Wen Su understood everything. He pursed his lips and said nothing more.

The third array, the White Tiger Killing Array, began.

This time was even more complex because Shen Junyu changed his approach. He no longer used the Stacking Method, but the Embedding Method.

While the Stacking Method increased power, it worked best with two arrays; any more, and the mutual repulsion between arrays would cause the power to diminish. The Embedding Method solved this, but it demanded extreme precision from the Array Master. It required using the Five Elements’ mutual generation to embed the array within the internal structure of the existing ones. A single hair’s breadth of error would lead to total failure.

The advantage was that it allowed the third array to exert its full power. Due to the extreme difficulty, Shen Junyu’s drawing was no longer as fluid. He had to stop frequently to scrutinize the previous patterns before committing his brush. Several times, his vision blurred, forcing him to close his eyes and rest before continuing.

Suddenly, a cool, bony hand gently grasped Shen Junyu’s free hand. Simultaneously, a surge of incredibly thick demonic energy flowed into him through the path of their palms.

Shen Junyu felt a sudden boost in spirit. He looked at Wen Su silently. Wen Su said nothing, merely shaking his head and gesturing toward Meng Xingyan. Shen Junyu smiled faintly, picked up his brush, and continued.

Finally, at the break of dawn, Shen Junyu’s hand trembled slightly as he set the final stroke.

In an instant, Meng Xingyan erupted with light. The attributes of Gold, Water, and Wood from the three arrays fused perfectly. The lines of the arrays seemed to come alive, circulating endlessly and manifesting the phantom totems of the Azure Dragon, Black Tortoise, and White Tiger galloping across his body.

Feeling the changes, Meng Xingyan felt his blood boiling with energy. He let out a low whistle and began to shadowbox within the room. Seeing the fierce, light-filled power of his punches, Shen Junyu knew it was a success. He finally relaxed.

However, the moment he relaxed, a thick metallic taste of blood rushed to the back of his throat, and his vision spun. He reached out to steady himself against a table. Knowing this was the result of overexertion, he forced himself to swallow the blood and focused on the three arrays on Meng Xingyan.

Just as he was about to ask if anything felt wrong, his body felt light; he had been pulled into a cool, broad, and safe embrace. The scent of Wen Su, as crisp as mountain snow, filled his senses. Shen Junyu froze, but then felt a strange sense of peace.

Wen Su picked him up and, without a word, carried him to a nearby gold-inlaid daybed. He laid him down gently before saying, “Rest for a while. I will wake you when it is fully light.”

Shen Junyu coughed low but propped himself up. “It is fine. Just a temporary loss of strength.”

When Wen Su tried to protest, Shen Junyu said seriously, “The arrays must be tested. I have no strength left, so Brother, you must test the Little Marquis for me.”

Meng Xingyan finished his forms and rushed over, radiant with energy. “Brother Wen, you are truly incredible! I feel invincible within my realm. I could take on ten Qin Huaiques with one punch!”

Shen Junyu smiled. “Little Marquis, suppress your cultivation to the Golden Core stage and spar with my brother. I need to see if the arrays require any adjustments.”

“Alright,” Meng Xingyan nodded.

Wen Su stepped forward silently. As their gazes met, a subtle, inexplicable spark of hostility bloomed between the two men.

The next second, the clash began!

Intent on testing the maximum power of the arrays for Shen Junyu’s sake, Wen Su did not hold back. Meng Xingyan was startled by Wen Su’s aggressive opening, but he quickly steadied himself and met the challenge.

The moment they exchanged blows, Wen Su’s expression shifted to one of astonishment. Shen Junyu’s spiritual arrays were beyond formidable.

It was an indescribable level of power. The White Tiger array boosted attack, the Black Tortoise array bolstered defense, and the Azure Dragon array provided endless spiritual energy.

The arrays were interlinked perfectly.

They completely compensated for all of Meng Xingyan’s technical weaknesses. Most miraculously, when Wen Su’s attacks landed on Meng Xingyan, he realized the Azure Dragon Qi-Gathering Array was actually converting a portion of his offensive energy into spiritual power for the user.

Did this not mean that the longer the fight lasted, the stronger the defender became? Wen Su was internally shocked, and his strikes became increasingly unrestrained.

Nearby, Shen Junyu leaned against the soft couch, watching the exchange. Although he had anticipated the power of this triple-array combination, a bright and excited light still flickered in his weakened, glassy eyes.

He knew this set of arrays was powerful. He knew that his efforts in his previous life had not been in vain.

In the final years of his past life, Yuan Muzhou had given up seeking medical cures for him, relying solely on a Daoist companion contract to hang onto Shen Junyu’s life. However, while a life-sharing contract shared vitality, it did not share lifespan. As a cultivator with a destroyed Golden Core, Shen Junyu had only half the lifespan of an ordinary Golden Core cultivator—one hundred and fifty years.

But he wanted to live.

It was almost ironic; toward the end, his desire for life had actually surpassed his desire to stay with Yuan Muzhou. Therefore, on the night he discovered Yuan Muzhou was simply waiting for his life to end so he could spend forever with Shen Siyuan, Shen Junyu chose to use a secret technique to reverse time without hesitation.

He knew that the moment Yuan Muzhou chose Shen Siyuan, it was equivalent to indirectly handing him a death sentence.

This was why Shen Junyu had spent so many years tirelessly studying ancient books and reading every auxiliary cultivation method. He had always feared this day would come; if it was not Shen Siyuan, it would have been someone else. It was not just to help the Sword Sect or the Yuheng Sect, but for himself.

Spiritual arrays, array patterns, divination, celestial star maps—he had tried them all. Consequently, even though his Golden Core had been shattered for a century, he had stubbornly maintained his cultivation at the late Golden Core stage without it dropping a single level.

Others believed it was the effect of the companion contract. Only Shen Junyu knew it was not.

The set of arrays he had drawn on Meng Xingyan today was the same one he had drawn on his own dantian countless times in the past. At the time, he had harbored unrealistic fantasies of using the spiritual energy drawn by these arrays to reshape his Golden Core, but he ultimately failed.

Shen Siyuan had once mocked him, saying he was wasting the Sword Sect’s resources on unnecessary things. However, Shen Junyu knew there was nothing wrong with the arrays themselves; while they could not reshape a Golden Core, they were still a formidable set of spiritual arrays.

Today, Shen Junyu finally witnessed their true power. He finally realized just how strong he was.

Throughout those years, despite enduring inhuman suffering, Shen Junyu had never shed a tear. But at this moment, seeing the effectiveness of the arrays, a wave of complex and agitated emotion surged within him, and his eyes grew slightly red.

By now, Wen Su and Meng Xingyan had become so caught up in the heat of battle that they had uncontrollably fought their way behind a screen on the other side of the room. Only their blurred shadows were visible.

Concerned about the effect of the arrays, Shen Junyu instinctively tried to sit up to watch. Unexpectedly, as his wrist moved, he knocked against a teacup sitting on the side table.

With a sharp “clink,” the teacup shattered into pieces.

The next second, a familiar muffled groan came from behind the screen, and a slender figure flew outward. This was followed by Meng Xingyan’s panicked cry: “Brother Wen, are you alright?”

Hearing this, Shen Junyu hurriedly stood up to check on them. However, in the next instant, a burst of black and red demonic energy transformed into Wen Su’s figure, landing right in front of him and looking at him with a frown.

Their eyes met.

Shen Junyu’s gaze first fell on the blood staining Wen Su’s pale lips, while Wen Su saw the slight redness in Shen Junyu’s eyes. Both of them were momentarily stunned.

“Is your injury serious?” “Is the pain severe somewhere?”

After a brief silence, Wen Su reached up to inconspicuously wipe the blood from his lips. He sat down, staring intently into Shen Junyu’s reddened, beautiful eyes, and asked with a frown, “Where do you feel unwell?”

Meeting such a serious gaze, Shen Junyu was speechless for a moment. He was moved but found it difficult to explain, so he simply shook his head. “I was just tired. I yawned and a few tears came out. Why are you so nervous, Brother?”

Wen Su raised an eyebrow. “Is that so?”

Shen Junyu watched him quietly. Seeing this, Wen Su’s gaze darkened for a moment. He reached out to check Shen Junyu’s pulse, but Shen Junyu lowered his head first. He took a handkerchief from his storage ring and brought it to Wen Su’s lips.

Wen Su’s movement stopped abruptly, and he instinctively tilted his head back.

Shen Junyu said, “Do not move.”

Wen Su’s thin lips pursed unnaturally, but he truly stayed still. Shen Junyu then carefully used the handkerchief to dab away the remaining trace of blood from his lips.

Wen Su watched Shen Junyu without blinking, his gaze passing over the faint redness at the corners of Shen Junyu’s eyes several times. However, by now, Shen Junyu had already composed his emotions, and there was nothing left to see.

When Shen Junyu withdrew the handkerchief, Wen Su took the opportunity to catch his slender wrist and silently check his pulse. Shen Junyu was surprised by the sudden grip, but seeing Wen Su’s serious expression, he relaxed and allowed the examination.

Wen Su’s brow furrowed as his long, bony fingers remained on Shen Junyu’s pulse points for quite some time. After several checks, he still arrived at the same conclusion: extreme exhaustion. It was a combination of the previous injury and this recent exertion. Fortunately, the prior recuperation had been effective, and he found no other hidden injuries or permanent damage.

The tension in Wen Su’s brow relaxed slightly, and he gave Shen Junyu a silent look.

Seeing this look, Shen Junyu smiled. “Well, I did not lie, did I?”

Wen Su said nothing more. The atmosphere between them shifted from tense and heavy to soft and natural, until suddenly—

Meng Xingyan poked his head out from behind the screen like a suspicious puppy. “Brothers Wen, it is almost the Hour of the Dragon.”

Both men snapped back to reality. Wen Su’s expression changed, and he said coldly, “The three spiritual arrays my brother drew are exceptionally powerful. The Little Marquis will surely be victorious this time. You can go to the arena yourself; why must we accompany you?”

“He has worked so hard all night; he should get some proper rest.”

Meng Xingyan was confused. Before he could defend himself, Shen Junyu spoke up seriously, “That will not do. I have already made a bet with the Nine Nether Demon Sovereign. If I do not go, would that not be breaking my word?”

Wen Su’s lips moved, his brow furrowed, and he seemed to hesitate between speaking and remaining silent.

After thinking it over, Shen Junyu coughed twice and added, “However, my exertion was indeed quite great. Sitting in the precious carriage is fine, but I may not be able to endure standing through the matches. Little Marquis, could you find a seat for me near the arena later?”

Meng Xingyan pondered for a moment and said, “If my father arrives, I will have you sit with him. Otherwise, I will ask the Yunmeng Demon Sovereign.”

Shen Junyu nodded. “That works. If all else fails, I can watch the battle from the carriage.”

Meng Xingyan laughed. “Good, that will certainly be fine.”

Since they had reached this agreement, Wen Su had no room to argue further, despite his desire to persuade Shen Junyu otherwise. He could only remain silent with a dark expression.

When they boarded the carriage, Wen Su once again carried Shen Junyu up. Meng Xingyan, who had already “figured out” their true identities, was no longer surprised by this. Wen Su was also used to it. Only Shen Junyu felt a bit uneasy, but seeing how natural the other two acted, he decided not to fuss over such minor details.

Once the three were inside, Meng Xingyan deliberately gave the two of them a private space, sitting on a cushion near the entrance to meditate and consolidate his power.

As Wen Su helped Shen Junyu sit on the soft couch, Shen Junyu looked at Meng Xingyan, who was pointedly avoiding them. Recalling some of the strange things Meng Xingyan had said recently, Shen Junyu fell into thought and suddenly looked at Wen Su.

Wen Su was looking down, and upon meeting Shen Junyu’s beautiful eyes, his breath hitched slightly. After a moment, his voice was slightly raspy. “What is it?”

Shen Junyu considered for a moment and whispered, “Brother Wen, do you think the Little Marquis has misunderstood something?”

Wen Su’s heart stirred. He calmly helped Shen Junyu settle into his seat and asked knowingly, “What would he have misunderstood?”

Shen Junyu looked at Wen Su’s calm, cold profile. After a brief hesitation, he shook his head. “It is nothing.”

Wen Su could not help but look up at him, frowning. “I dislike it most when people speak in halves and hide things.”

Shen Junyu was speechless. But after a moment of silence, he felt it was not a big deal. Since it was just Meng Xingyan’s misunderstanding, there was no harm in telling Wen Su. “The Little Marquis likely thinks that you and I are not normal brothers, but rather…”

“Rather what?”

“Sworn brothers.”

Wen Su frowned. “What?”

Shen Junyu had not expected Wen Su to be such a simple and “upright” demon. After a pause, he had to explain, “The kind of sworn brothers involved in a romantic relationship.”

After a brief silence, Wen Su said calmly, “And what of it?”

Shen Junyu was stunned. “Nothing, I just think the Little Marquis’s misunderstanding is quite significant.”

“It is not as if it is something shameful,” Wen Su added.

They spoke almost simultaneously. Once the words were out, the atmosphere fell into a sudden, heavy silence.

After a long while, Shen Junyu looked at Wen Su, who had suddenly closed his mouth and looked cold. A thought stirred in his heart.

“Brother Wen, do you also like men?”