Vindicated After a Wrongful Death - Chapter 32

Gu Congxu had been trapped in Xiang Zhongjing’s sea of consciousness for so many years that he had originally been eager to transform into human form and escape his control in the outside world. However, now that he finally had a dragon bone and a human body, he had willingly returned to the same spiritual space that had bound him for sixty years, refusing to come out no matter how much he was coaxed.

Xiang Zhongjing tried to persuade him: “Sangeng? True Dragon Lord? Congxu? My sweetheart?”

His sweetheart ignored him.

Seeing that the dragon was still sulking, Xiang Zhongjing stopped pushing, afraid that a stray word might offend the True Dragon Lord further.

Xiang Zhongjing had not been out of the secret realm for long and didn’t possess much, so after discussing it with Man Qiuxia, they decided that Man Qiuxia would lead Yun Yanli to the Qu Yi Sect in the Central Plains via the Sumeru Tower first.

Man Qiuxia had only agreed to leave the Wujin Building to look at Xiang Zhongjing’s face, so he was immediately displeased upon hearing this arrangement.

Xiang Zhongjing coaxed him: “It’s only for half a day, just bear with it.”

Man Qiuxia glanced at him. “You know what I want.”

Xiang Zhongjing: “…”

Xiang Zhongjing shot him a glare. “Portraits, I’ll let you paint them, alright?”

Only then did Man Qiuxia agree.

Having arranged things for Man Qiuxia and Yun Yanli, Xiang Zhongjing headed to the south of Wujin City before leaving the Wujin Road.

In Shuangxian City, Qiongnian’er was once again operating a gambling den, having clearly learned nothing from his past beatings.

When Xiang Zhongjing arrived, Qiongnian’er was sitting with his legs crossed arrogantly, holding a tobacco pipe. A pile of jade stones sat on the table before him, and every now and then, he would pick one up and chew on it.

The people around him felt a phantom ache in their teeth every time they saw him chew the jade, fearing his teeth might snap off.

Qiongnian’er had just finished crunching a stone when he caught sight of Xiang Zhongjing walking in with an expressionless face. He scrambled to his feet, frantically trying to disperse the scent of tobacco. He tossed aside the unopened dice cup and hurried forward to greet him.

Seeing his cowardly display, Xiang Zhongjing didn’t want to humiliate him in front of the crowd. He led him to the second floor, intending to give him a thrashing behind closed doors.

Qiongnian’er had built several tall, adjacent buildings within the miniature world, which were perpetually brightly lit. However, aside from the first floor being a gambling den, the other areas were mostly empty spaces filled with lanterns.

Upon reaching the second floor, Xiang Zhongjing looked around. Suddenly remembering something, he arched an eyebrow and asked, “Who helped you build these towers in Shuangxian City?”

Qiongnian’er was staring solemnly at the rug on the floor, wondering if it would hurt to kneel on it. Hearing the question, he let out an “Ah” and answered obediently, “Song Youqiu.”

Xiang Zhongjing: “…”

As expected.

The scope of Song Youqiu’s Funerary Pavilion was indeed broad; he even built towers with decent craftsmanship.

Xiang Zhongjing didn’t scold Qiongnian’er too harshly for opening the gambling den again, since the sword’s temperament had been like this for sixty years: always quick to admit fault, but dead set against changing.

“I need to return to the Qu Yi Sect. Do you want to come along?”

Qiongnian’er was somewhat flattered that Xiang Zhongjing hadn’t pursued the gambling matter. He leaned in and sat at Xiang Zhongjing’s feet, resting his hands obediently on his knees. He looked up expectantly. “Does Master want to take me?”

Xiang Zhongjing looked down at him and smiled. “If you want to stay here and play, stay here. If you want to follow me, follow me. Either is fine.”

Qiongnian’er asked timidly, “You aren’t being sarcastic, are you?”

Xiang Zhongjing looked at him flatly. “What do you think?”

Only then did Qiongnian’er brighten up, the dice on his ears beginning to sway. “I want to stay in Shuangxian City. If Master has need of me, just use the life-pact to summon me. I will appear instantly.”

Xiang Zhongjing smiled and patted his head. “I thought you were desperate to go out and play?”

“I was just cooped up in Shuangxian City for sixty years and got bored. I’ve spent some time outside recently and realized the world isn’t actually that great,” Qiongnian’er said, resting his head on Xiang Zhongjing’s knees. “The world isn’t as wonderful as I imagined. Even the spiritual energy rising from the earth is filthy and chaotic. It’s more comfortable staying in Master’s miniature world.”

Xiang Zhongjing nodded, letting him choose his own path.

In the entire Three Realms, most cultivators treated spirit beasts or sword spirits as mere tools. But to Xiang Zhongjing, Qiongnian’er was one of the few friends who had treated him with genuine sincerity over the years.

If only he didn’t spend all day thinking about gambling, Xiang Zhongjing might have spoiled him to no end.

Qu Weixian had already returned to the Qu Yi Sect yesterday for urgent business. Xiang Zhongjing calculated that Qu Xing’s birthday was in a few days. At that time, the sect leaders and disciples of the other three major sects would surely be present, and perhaps he could find out the truth of what happened sixty years ago.

After settling Qiongnian’er, Xiang Zhongjing left Shuangxian City and summoned the snow wolf.

Su Cansheng’s snow wolf could manipulate spiritual power to fly. Although it wasn’t as fast as a true dragon, it was considerably faster than most other spirit beasts.

The snow wolf hadn’t been out in a while. Seeing that it was being useful, the moment Xiang Zhongjing sat firmly on its back, it let out an “Awooo,” wagged its tail, and joyfully rocketed into the sky.

Xiang Zhongjing: “…”

He yanked at its fur. “Wrong direction!”

Snow wolf: “…”

The wolf’s enthusiasm didn’t wane in the slightest. It turned around and shot off again with lightning speed.

However, the snow wolf had only been traveling for a few minutes, and Xiang Zhongjing hadn’t even left the Wujin Road, before he had to call for a stop.

The snow wolf landed dejectedly in a clearing, allowing Xiang Zhongjing to slide down from its back.

They were in the middle of a desolate wilderness. Xiang Zhongjing stumbled off the wolf’s paw and hit the ground. The moment his feet touched the earth, he couldn’t control himself; he turned his head and vomited.

Snow wolf: “…”

Gu Congxu, who had been watching surreptitiously from the sea of consciousness: “…”

Xiang Zhongjing didn’t just get motion sickness from the Sumeru Towers; he got it from spirit beasts, too.

Only after he had practically emptied his stomach did Xiang Zhongjing sit on the snow wolf’s paw, looking utterly dazed. He looked as though his very soul had been vomited out along with his lunch.

Having maintained a one-sided cold war for an entire day, Gu Congxu saw his face was as white as paper and finally couldn’t hold back anymore. “How are you?”

Hearing Gu Congxu’s voice, Xiang Zhongjing stared blankly for a long time before murmuring softly, “Sangeng.”

Gu Congxu hesitated for a while before emerging from the sea of consciousness and transforming into his human form, standing before Xiang Zhongjing with a complex expression.

Seeing him appear, Xiang Zhongjing reached out and tugged at the hem of his robe. He looked up with a weak, powerless voice. “Congxu, I feel terrible.”

Gu Congxu: “…”

Gu Congxu looked at him in surprise, never expecting Xiang Zhongjing to have such a fragile moment.

Even during the previous bout of sickness from the Sumeru Tower, he hadn’t shown such weakness or acted so soft.

With Gu Congxu’s appearance, the snow wolf’s entire body went stiff, and it didn’t dare move a muscle.

Gu Congxu shot it a glance, and the wolf immediately whimpered and vanished on the spot.

Xiang Zhongjing had been leaning against the wolf’s paw; when it suddenly disappeared, he toppled backward, nearly falling flat on his back. Fortunately, Gu Congxu had no intention of letting him fall and reached out a long arm to catch him by the waist, steadying him.

Gu Congxu had only intended to help him sit on a nearby rock, but he hadn’t expected that the moment he caught him, Xiang Zhongjing would unceremoniously press close to him and wrap both arms around his neck.

Gu Congxu: “…”

Gu Congxu ground his teeth. “Get off.”

With his eyes closed, Xiang Zhongjing rested his head in the crook of Gu Congxu’s neck and murmured, “I feel so sick.”

Gu Congxu was still angry about before and snapped, “I don’t care how you feel! I’ll say it one more time: get off, or I’ll drop you on the ground.”

Xiang Zhongjing acted as if he hadn’t heard a word, leaning even closer. He seemed completely confident that Gu Congxu wouldn’t actually drop him.

Furious, Gu Congxu gripped Xiang Zhongjing’s slender waist and was about to pull him away when he heard Xiang Zhongjing let out a low chuckle. “We are in the middle of nowhere. Even if I screamed until my throat was raw, no one would come to save me. Does Sangeng want to pin me down and have his way with me right here?”

Gu Congxu: “…”

Gu Congxu hurriedly raised his hands to prove his innocence. “I have no desire to touch you.”

Xiang Zhongjing laughed for quite a while before saying, “What should I do, Sangeng? I get sick on the snow wolf. How long will it take to reach the Qu Yi Sect?”

Hearing the hidden meaning in his words, Gu Congxu interpreted it for a while. Connecting it to Xiang Zhongjing’s “foul language” from a few days ago, he finally realized what was happening.

He said incredulously, “You want to use me as a mount?”

Leaning against his shoulder, Xiang Zhongjing casually twirled a lock of Gu Congxu’s hair that hung over his shoulder. “May I?”

Gu Congxu was momentarily humiliated for misinterpreting Xiang Zhongjing’s intent, and then enraged that he was treating a dignified True Dragon as a mount. Finally, his gaze landed on Xiang Zhongjing’s pale, small face.

Xiang Zhongjing’s legs were weak, and he could barely stand, yet he was still forcing himself to keep up his playful banter with the dragon.

Gu Congxu fell silent for a long time before saying impatiently, “Just this once.”

Xiang Zhongjing’s eyes lit up at the words. He reached out and hugged Gu Congxu, saying with a beaming smile, “Truly, you are my good Sangeng.”

Gu Congxu: “…”

His “good Sangeng” almost threw him into the bushes.

A moment later, Xiang Zhongjing was sitting on the back of a True Dragon formed from a dragon bone. Gu Congxu rode the clouds and mist, trying his best to fly as steadily as possible. Following Xiang Zhongjing’s directions, they headed toward the Qu Yi Sect in the Central Plains.

Within half a day, Man Qiuxia and Yun Yanli had already arrived at the Qu Yi Sect via the Sumeru Tower.

The sect was brilliantly lit. Because of Qu Xing’s birthday, disciples from the three major sects were coming and going, making the place incredibly lively.

Man Qiuxia wore a veil and Yun Yanli wore a mask; they looked for all the world like they were there to crash the party. When the Qu Yi disciples saw them trying to enter without invitations, they watched them with extreme wariness.

However, Qu Weixian soon received word and came to meet them. He looked behind them and asked in confusion, “Where is Zhongjing?”

Man Qiuxia said, “He’ll be here shortly. Is the Qu Yi Sect holding a banquet for Qu Xing?”

Qu Weixian replied, “Yes.”

Yun Yanli looked around at the festive red decorations everywhere and arched an eyebrow. “Is Qu Xing getting married?”

Qu Weixian: “…”

Man Qiuxia: “…”

Qu Weixian was slow and didn’t take offense. He explained in a soft, gentle voice, “It is my father’s birthday.”

“Oh,” Yun Yanli nodded. “Is it today?”

Qu Weixian: “Yes.”

Qu Weixian didn’t act like a sect leader at all. He answered whatever people asked, and his face remained devoid of expression as he spoke and acted. He was as vacuous as a wooden puppet.

Yun Yanli sneered inwardly. To think that one of the three most prestigious sects in the Nine States had such a foolish creature for a leader. It seemed the Nine States were still crawling with ants, unable to reach a higher level of dignity.

Because Man Qiuxia and Yun Yanli had been brought in by Qu Weixian, they were treated as honored guests in the bustling reception hall and hosted with great enthusiasm.

Yun Yanli arched an eyebrow as he scanned the banquet filled with clinking glasses. A scene flashed through his mind, and he suddenly grabbed Man Qiuxia. “Let’s stay outside.”

Man Qiuxia: “Why?”

As a man from the Cloud State, Yun Yanli naturally possessed secret treasures unknown to the people of the Nine States. He raised a hand to stroke the phoenix on his shoulder and said faintly, “You’ll know in a moment.”

Man Qiuxia had no interest in talking to the others anyway, so he followed Yun Yanli out of the banquet hall.

After a short while, Qu Weixian came over again and asked, “When will Zhongjing arrive?”

Man Qiuxia was annoyed by him mentioning Zhongjing in every other sentence. He wanted to see Xiang Zhongjing himself, so he snapped impatiently, “I don’t know. Perhaps he’s lost.”

Qu Weixian looked a bit worried.

Just then, Yun Yanli suddenly said, “It seems he’s arrived.”

Man Qiuxia and Qu Weixian were instantly energized. Following where Yun Yanli was pointing, they looked up toward the horizon.

The sky was about to turn dark. In the evening glow, a massive dragon seemed to drift over, drawing closer and closer to them.

Yun Yanli silently shifted his foot to the side.

From a distance, Man Qiuxia caught a glimpse of a pale-faced Xiang Zhongjing on the dragon’s back, who seemed to be shouting something. His eyes were instantly satisfied, and his mood improved greatly.

However, a moment later, the massive dragon seemed to lose control. It practically stumbled through the air, hurtling straight toward the banquet hall where the Qu Yi Sect was hosting its grand feast.

Man Qiuxia: “…”

Qu Weixian: “…”

Everyone else: “…”