MJWCATFPITWOC Chapter 35
by VolareThe moment their lips parted, Shen Yucheng’s eyes were filled with astonishment. His eyes widened, his cheeks flushed red, and his breathing was rapid and disordered. He could still feel the lingering breaths between them. He was dumbfounded by Mo Yifeng’s actions, staring blankly at Mo Yifeng, his mind a mess.
However, when his eyes met Mo Yifeng’s gaze, he was suddenly stunned. Mo Yifeng’s eyes, as deep as the night sky, flickered with an emotion he had never seen before, as if wanting to swallow him whole. Shen Yucheng shuddered, a sense of inexplicable danger rising in his heart. But before he could react, Mo Yifeng had already pulled him into his strong and powerful embrace, firmly trapping him in his arms.
Mo Yifeng lowered his eyes, as if countless emotions were intertwined within them. Shen Yucheng’s shoulders involuntarily tensed. This was the first time he had so directly felt the dangerous aura emanating from the other man. He subconsciously wanted to break free, his body wriggling slightly, but he found himself locked in place, unable to escape.
“Yucheng-ge.” Mo Yifeng’s voice was low and husky, filled with a long-suppressed emotion. As his words fell, his arms tightened even more.
Shen Yucheng’s heart beat like a drum, almost leaping out of his chest. His whole body was stiff, his mind in chaos. What was wrong with Mo Yifeng? How could he suddenly become so…so…?
Although this wasn’t their first kiss, the previous few times had happened accidentally, unlike this time, which was clearly deliberate…
Thinking of this, Shen Yucheng couldn’t help but recall the scene just now. Mo Yifeng lowered his head without warning, and the moment their soft red lips touched. Just recalling this scene made Shen Yucheng’s cheeks flush even more.
He had to close his eyes and take a deep breath to calm himself down. At this moment, a low laugh brushed against his ear, “What is Yucheng-ge thinking so wildly? Why is your face so red?”
That voice was gentle and filled with laughter. Shen Yucheng opened his eyes abruptly, only to see the doting look in Mo Yifeng’s eyes. His heart fluttered, and he quickly looked away, afraid that if he looked for even a second longer, he would lose control.
“…Alright, you’ve warmed me up, let go,” Shen Yucheng said, turning his head away, his tone a little impatient, as he reached out to push away the person clinging to him. It was then that he noticed a cool breeze brushing against his right hand, and he realized that their hands had separated at some point.
Although Mo Yifeng was a little reluctant, he didn’t continue to cling. He lowered his head and looked at their separated hands, murmuring thoughtfully, “It seems like we separated when we kissed.”
Hearing this, they seemed to think of something at the same time. The reluctance in Mo Yifeng’s eyes instantly transformed into a hint of joyful elation, “Yucheng-ge, if we stick together again in the future, it might have to…”
Before he could finish speaking, Shen Yucheng’s expression changed, as if struck by lightning. He hurriedly turned around and strode away, not wanting to hear the last part of that sentence at all.
Mo Yifeng had no choice but to follow behind him.
When they returned to the inn, they found that Fu Lingxuan and the others were long gone. Shen Yucheng asked the innkeeper and learned that they had already returned to the Lingfeng Sect, leaving a note in front of Shen Yucheng’s door. It simply stated that they were in a hurry to send Cai Ji back, and told them to pack up at the inn and then return.
After reading the note, Shen Yucheng felt an indescribable bitterness in his mouth. Why was it that every time, heaven had to make him and Mo Yifeng be alone together?
He secretly glanced at Mo Yifeng and found that the other man looked happy.
Ignoring Mo Yifeng’s ardent gaze, Shen Yucheng quickly packed his belongings, preparing to set off back to the Lingfeng Sect. Along the way, Mo Yifeng kept staring at him, doing nothing but gazing with those affectionate eyes. Shen Yucheng couldn’t bear it any longer and finally slapped him on the head, which made Mo Yifeng scurry off to pack his own luggage.
Shen Yucheng: “…” Who exactly is the senior brother here?
Without the burden of Cai Ji, the two of them traveled at top speed and returned overnight.
When they arrived at the Lingfeng Sect, the morning light had just filtered through the clouds. Fu Lingxuan had also just returned. Seeing them, Fu Lingxuan raised his eyebrows and teased, “You’re back so soon? I thought you’d be entangled for a few more days.”
Shen Yucheng didn’t react for a moment and just looked at Mo Yifeng, who had a guilty expression on his face. Only then did he remember that the place where they kissed seemed to be on the street outside the apothecary. In broad daylight, they had kissed so unreservedly.
The fact that Fu Lingxuan could say such a thing clearly meant that he had already seen this scene. And Mo Yifeng’s expression undoubtedly proved it.
Shen Yucheng only felt his face burning and secretly jabbed Mo Yifeng, who was standing behind him, hard with his elbow.
Fu Lingxuan didn’t continue to tease him, but in front of the sect disciples passing by, he resumed his usual gentlemanly demeanor.
“Was Cai Ji sent to the Hall of Proclamation and Offerings?” Shen Yucheng shifted his attention.
Fu Lingxuan: “He was just sent over. There should be a result tomorrow. But the fact that he dared to do such a thing in the Ling Danbo Realm not only involved you, but also affected the disciples of the Dingxu Sect and the Qionghua Sect. He probably won’t be able to escape this time.”
Shen Yucheng looked at Fu Lingxuan, feeling a little dazed. How did it feel like Fu Lingxuan had changed too? He didn’t seem as unfriendly to him as before?
The next second, Fu Lingxuan seemed to notice his gaze and swept over with a cold glare, “What are you looking at?”
Shen Yucheng: “Nothing.” It must be his imagination.
Having just come out of the Ling Danbo Realm, the two of them were exhausted from the journey. Shen Yucheng only wanted to lie on the bed in a “big” shape as usual, to relieve the fatigue he felt in the Ling Danbo Realm.
However, when he walked towards Futian Sect, he found that Mo Yifeng hadn’t followed. Mo Yifeng said he had some things to take care of. Shen Yucheng was a little puzzled, but he only wanted to go back to rest and didn’t pay much attention to it.
After testing the distance of their Dao Companion Contract, Shen Yucheng was shocked. They could be separated by the height of a mountain without restrictions. They finally discovered that as long as they were within Futian Sect and Lingfeng Sect, they could move freely and no longer be affected by the Dao Companion Contract.
Mo Yifeng then left with Fu Lingxuan.
.
The morning light Saman on Lingfeng Sect, Shen Yucheng stopped walking on the empty roads.
Not far away, there was a rustling sound in the woods, and a group of disciples walked out. Shen Yucheng narrowed his eyes and recognized them as Cai Ji’s followers, thinking to himself that trouble had come.
“You actually came back safely?” one of them sneered.
“I think he’s just barely hanging on.” They laughed, obviously thinking that Cai Ji’s plan in the Ling Danbo Realm had severely injured Shen Yucheng.
Shen Yucheng was too lazy to pay attention to them and just wanted to go back to rest as soon as possible. However, these disciples mistakenly thought that he couldn’t fight back and revealed malicious smiles, drawing their swords and rushing towards him.
Unfortunately, before their swords could reach him, Shen Yucheng activated his contract skill [Penetration], instantly disappearing before their eyes. The disciples attacked empty air and looked around, unable to find him.
When they stood still, they looked around, but there was really no one there.
“This…where did he go?” someone asked in a panic.
A disciple’s face was pale, his legs trembling. He said in a trembling voice, “Do you think…he might have died a long time ago, and that just now was his vengeful spirit?”
When the others heard this, they were so frightened that their souls left their bodies, and they fled in all directions, shouting as they ran, “Shen Yucheng’s ghost is back!”
However, the next day, when Shen Yucheng stood on the stage of the Sect Hall, these disciples saw him alive and well, and their faces were extremely ugly.
Shen Yucheng stood above, refreshed and energetic. This morning, he had received a letter from the Sect Leader, summoning the disciples who had returned from the Ling Danbo Realm to gather. Shen Yucheng looked around, and Mo Yifeng was also standing not far away, looking as usual. The other man hadn’t returned last night, and he didn’t know where he had gone.
Seeing that everyone had arrived, the Sect Leader smiled and announced, “Congratulations to our Sect’s disciples for returning safely from the Ling Danbo Realm! This time, the number of treasures won by the Lingfeng Sect ranks first in the cultivation world, all thanks to the efforts of you disciples. And the one who has contributed the most is one person.”
Although Shen Yucheng was present, his thoughts had already drifted away. He was wondering why he hadn’t seen Shi Wen when suddenly, a thunderous applause rang out, instantly pulling him back to reality.
He looked back in confusion, and when he saw that figure, his jaw almost dropped.
Shi Wen’s steps were steady, and his aura was awe-inspiring, completely different from his usual self. Every step he took carried a commanding force.
The Sect Leader had a beaming smile on his face, his voice filled with pride, “During this Ling Danbo Realm trip, the Lingfeng Sect has obtained a total of two hundred and eighty-one treasures, all of which were taken by Shi Wen alone!”
The hall resounded with another tidal wave of applause. Shi Wen was neither servile nor overbearing, clasped his fist in salute to the Sect Leader, then turned around and walked towards Shen Yucheng calmly.
As Shi Wen approached, Shen Yucheng could finally see his changes clearly. Shi Wen’s body was surrounded by surging spiritual power, clearly having gone from the initial stage of Golden Core to the peak.
Noticing Shen Yucheng’s gaze, Shi Wen raised his eyebrows triumphantly, his eyes filled with a challenging meaning, as if saying “How about it, I’ll catch up to you.”
Shen Yucheng: “…”
The Sect Leader was in a very good mood, but after announcing the good news from the Ling Danbo Realm, his expression suddenly sank, and his voice became serious, “Although our Lingfeng Sect has won first place in this Ling Danbo Realm, there is also something that needs to be explained. I think everyone should have noticed that there is one person missing on the stage today.”
As his words fell, several menial workers carried an iron cage onto the stage. The person in the iron cage was covered in injuries, his clothes were tattered, and his face was so swollen that he could barely be recognized. His facial features had become blurred and distorted due to the severe injuries.
The disciples held their breaths.
The Sect Leader said in a cold voice, “Cai Ji, a disciple of Fuliu Sect, has been stripped of his identity as a disciple of Lingfeng Sect and will never be recruited again for privately injuring his fellow disciples and attacking disciples from other sects.”
There was an uproar below the stage, and the disciples began to discuss among themselves. Some were surprised that Cai Ji had committed such a heinous act, while others were shocked by the Sect Leader’s decisive handling of the situation. More people began to quietly speculate whether Cai Ji had offended some important figure, otherwise how could he have ended up in such a state?
Shen Yucheng stared motionlessly at Cai Ji in the iron cage. His face was as swollen as a pig’s head, almost unrecognizable. Shen Yucheng inadvertently caught a glimpse of several obvious scars on Mo Yifeng’s knuckles, and he suddenly understood. The people in the Hall of Proclamation and Offerings wouldn’t dare to beat up a disciple with a background at random, but he knew there was someone who dared to do anything.
Not only that, but he also noticed that Mo Yifeng had been avoiding eye contact with him from the very beginning. Whenever their eyes met, Mo Yifeng would quickly look away. Shen Yucheng roughly understood where Mo Yifeng had gone last night, but what he didn’t understand was—when had Mo Yifeng formed such a deep hatred with Cai Ji?
After dealing with Cai Ji’s matter, the Sect Leader’s expression softened slightly, and his tone returned to a somewhat relaxed tone, “Finally, I have one more important matter to announce. Because our Sect has won in the Ling Danbo Realm, the annual Immortal Sect Competition of the cultivation world will be hosted by our Sect again. The last ten years were Lingfeng Sect, and so will the next ten years.”
Shen Yucheng quietly asked Shi Wen, “Immortal Sect Competition?”
“This is a grand competition held once a year in the cultivation world, and all the top disciples will participate. This competition brings together the strongest people in the cultivation world, and everyone wants to take this opportunity to compete and fight for glory.”
Hearing this, Shen Yucheng understood somewhat. No wonder the competition between sects in the Ling Danbo Realm was so fierce. Since it was such an attractive competition, holding such a competition was an excellent opportunity to attract new disciples, and it also symbolized that the victors of the past ten years belonged to that sect.
The Sect Leader continued to announce, “Disciples who are interested in participating, please activate your spiritual power to upload, and we will automatically record your registration.”
Shen Yucheng thought that this kind of thing wouldn’t do him any good. He’d rather be safe than sorry, and cultivating was better than such a life-and-death duel.
However, just as he was about to quietly withdraw, he suddenly felt a powerful force from behind him, abruptly pulling him down. Shen Yucheng was caught off guard, and his body instantly lost its balance, falling backwards. In a panic, the golden silk spiritual power at his fingertips quickly wrapped around the big tree next to him, using its strength to stabilize himself, thus avoiding a fall.
Before he could react, the Sect Leader’s voice echoed throughout the hall, “Futian Sect—Shen Yucheng, spiritual power detection successful, registration confirmed.”
Shen Yucheng was stunned, looking at his fingers that had stabilized himself, “…”