Unconventional [Rebirth] - Chapter 55

Master Rong, waiting single-mindedly to be hand-fed, was naturally unaware of the complex turmoil swirling within the youth standing before him. However, seeing Jiang Rui’s blatant shock—his eyes wide enough to nearly pop out of their sockets—Rong Jingtang felt as though he were being subjected to a certain look of disdain.

He watched as Jiang Rui stood frozen, still holding the tray. After a moment of silence, just as he was about to stand up, he heard a light chuckle from the doorway.

The corner of Rong Jingtang’s mouth twitched, and his expression cooled slightly. It was a subtle shift; had Jiang Rui not been staring intently at his face in shock, he likely would have missed such a minute detail.

Jiang Rui immediately turned toward the sound, the tremors in his heart now impossible to conceal.

For a mortal to approach him so silently was something that would have been impossible in his past life. Yet, the person behind him had managed it. How could he not be shocked?

With a neutral expression, Jiang Rui turned to look at the young man behind him. He didn’t look very old, and his features carried an air of gentleness. He was dressed in an archaic, elegant style, wearing a robe of smooth silk that looked exceptionally comfortable—and exceptionally expensive. It was the kind of attire that would look like a forced affectation on most, yet on this man, it appeared entirely natural.

The man’s features were seventy percent similar to Rong Jingtang’s. However, within Jiang Rui’s line of sight, he could see crow’s feet so faint they were nearly invisible, and a subtle touch of white at the man’s temples. This man’s body was very healthy, and since he was only in his early thirties, he shouldn’t—strictly speaking—possess such a weary air.

“A-Jing has a guest?” The man smiled, his hands behind his back as he stepped into the study—a room Rong Jingtang reportedly never allowed anyone to enter freely. Curiously, Rong Jingtang offered no objection.

Had it not been for that fleeting, irrepressible look on Rong Jingtang’s face a moment ago, even Jiang Rui might have believed these two were close relatives who shared everything.

Rong Jingtang rose from the chaise lounge, his natural poise returning. He took the tray from Jiang Rui’s hands, moved to the chair behind the desk, and greeted, “Young Uncle.”

Young Uncle?

Warning bells rang in Jiang Rui’s head.

The spiritual arrays in this Rong residence—and even the ones protecting the Wei ancestral home—were intricate enough that even Jiang Rui found them troublesome. Based on Rong Jingtang’s reaction, could the mastermind behind them be this “Young Uncle” standing before him?

But the whole situation was incredibly strange.

Keeping his expression blank, Jiang Rui watched as the Young Uncle of the Rong family walked over to a soft armchair and sat down with an audible sigh of relief. Uncle Cheng followed him upstairs, carrying a tray with high-quality tea leaves. Jiang Rui caught the familiar scent of Tieguanyin, but it had been laced with some of his own honey, giving it a hint of sweet fragrance.

Under the watchful gaze of the others, Rong Jingtang began to eat with calm composure. Uncle Cheng’s expression shifted from nervous to relieved; finally, the Master was willing to eat.

Rong Anchen—the Young Uncle—watched them with a particularly gentle gaze before finally breaking the silence. “This little friend seems quite spirited. A-Jing, when did you meet such a child?”

Every time the Young Uncle called him “A-Jing,” goosebumps rose on Jiang Rui’s skin and his heart skipped a beat… it felt a bit like jealousy, yet not quite. After all, he and Rong Jingtang had only just reached the stage where he was allowed to call him “Jingtang.”

Aside from “Jingtang,” Jiang Rui couldn’t think of what else to call him. Jing-jing? Tang-tang? Tsk, those were all absurdly strange.

Rong Jingtang waited until he had swallowed his food before looking at his uncle. “His name is Jiang Rui.” He offered nothing more.

Rong Anchen nodded slightly and smiled, his eyes curving into arcs behind his glasses. Jiang Rui, already suspicious, offered a perfectly polite show of friendliness while remaining internally on guard.

This was not the time to secretly ask Miao Xuan what was different about this man. To the average person, the man sitting there would likely evoke nothing but immediate goodwill. He gave off a feeling that was exceptionally “clean.”

Rong Anchen didn’t intend to stay long and soon bid Rong Jingtang farewell. Rong Jingtang stood to see him out as a sign of respect. Before the man left, Jiang Rui was fortunate enough to learn his name.

Rong Anchen. The name itself suggested a sense of peace and tranquility. Even Jiang Rui felt the name suited the man perfectly.

Rong Anchen took the Tibetan Mastiff—which had been tethered again at some point—and walked slowly out the door to the black sedan. Jiang Rui watched them go, deep in thought.

“See something?” A cold voice spoke from behind. Jiang Rui turned and found himself looking directly at the other man’s chin.

Startled, he took a step back, forgetting the windowsill was right behind him. The movement left the two of them in an ambiguously intimate posture. Whenever he faced Rong Jingtang, Jiang Rui felt as if his IQ and physical coordination reverted to that of an infant. Rolling his eyes inwardly, he pushed past Rong Jingtang and sat on the sofa.

“Yes.”

Rong Jingtang didn’t press him further. He simply returned to his seat and continued eating the mediocre meal. Jiang Rui intended to leave, but Rong Jingtang clearly wasn’t finished with him. He reached out a hand toward Jiang Rui, looking disgruntled.

“?” Jiang Rui was confused.

To his surprise, Rong Jingtang spoke with a dead-serious expression: “Where is the ‘good stuff’?”

Jiang Rui slapped a handful of “sugar beans”—which glowed with a faint golden light in his eyes—into the man’s palm. Choke on them!

As he pushed open the door to leave, he couldn’t help but look back, grinding his teeth for a moment before saying, “…Only one per day!”

“Oh.” Rong Jingtang leisurely found a jade porcelain bottle to store the pills. He poured one out and placed it beside his meal, looking as if he intended to keep his promise and eat the fragrant pill as soon as he finished his dinner.

Jiang Rui couldn’t even stay angry. He closed the door gently and left. He didn’t waste any time on the road and went straight home. His parents weren’t there, saving him the trouble of explaining his whereabouts. He locked the door and entered his spiritual space.

Miao Xuan seemed delighted by his arrival and immediately said, “Master, that man carries a very powerful pressure.”

“Pressure?” Jiang Rui raised an eyebrow. He hadn’t felt even a hint of a threat.

“Your senses are not as sharp as mine, after all.” The source of a cultivator’s spiritual pressure (Wei-ya) is fundamentally different from a mortal’s hostility. This was why Jiang Rui hadn’t sensed it, though there was another reason.

“He has a spiritual tool on him,” Jiang Rui said with certainty, walking over to check his herb garden. In just a few days, the herbs had grown even better; some early-maturing varieties were already in bloom. The sight of the thriving garden allowed Jiang Rui’s heart, which had been agitated by Rong Jingtang, to settle.

His progress in alchemy hadn’t slowed. The pills he gave Rong Jingtang were precisely measured—exactly a two-month supply, not one pill more or less. …Assuming Rong Jingtang doesn’t sneak extras, Jiang Rui thought mischievously.

“Yes, Master,” Miao Xuan said. “That human carries a high-grade Buddhist spiritual artifact. It is used to mask the pressure on his body. However, that pressure is strange—it doesn’t seem to originate from the man himself.”

Jiang Rui’s hand, which had been reaching for his practice sword, froze. He thought of another term: Possession.

“Are you saying a different soul is attached to Rong Anchen?” Jiang Rui frowned, his expression turning grim. If even Miao Xuan was wary of the artifact Rong Anchen carried, then the soul capable of surviving within such a powerful Buddhist tool must be incredibly strong… or possess immense Buddhist power.

Buddhist artifacts differ from Daoist ones; they tolerate no impurity. This is why Buddhist lands are called “Pure Lands.” Such treasures are used to suppress, quiet, or exorcise souls. The fact that Rong Anchen felt so “clean” that Jiang Rui felt an instinctive urge to be near him was likely due to that Buddhist treasure.

Jiang Rui fell into deep thought. If this was true, all his previous deductions were wrong. While Buddhist treasures are the holiest things in the world, he hadn’t actually felt “Buddhist Qi” on the man. But he trusted Miao Xuan implicitly. Therefore, all clues pointed toward that artifact.

He squinted at the vast expanse of the spiritual space. Rong Anchen… they would surely cross paths again. His intuition was sharp; he felt today’s visit wasn’t a coincidence, but a calculated test. This uncertainty made him worry for Rong Jingtang.

“Miao Xuan, I need a Life-Binding Artifact,” Jiang Rui said suddenly with a smile.

Miao Xuan was silent for a long time before speaking hesitantly. “A Life-Binding Artifact… Master, you must think this through.”

Jiang Rui nodded, his smile one of relief. “In this life, I cultivate to follow my heart. If I cannot do that, and instead live cautiously and in fear like my previous life, what is the point?”

Since he had confirmed his feelings for Rong Jingtang, he could not allow the man to be in danger. While there were artifacts that could sense another’s location, their protective capabilities were nearly zero. Simply put, he couldn’t let it go.

Seeing Jiang Rui’s resolve, Miao Xuan could only sigh in agreement. Finally, he whispered, “Perhaps… Master could consider Dual Cultivation with Mr. Rong.”

Miao Xuan himself greatly admired Rong Jingtang. He would be more than happy to see the two become cultivation partners.