After Escaping From Death, He Went Even Crazier By Criticizing Black Lotus Chapter 19
byChapter 19: The Honey Trap. He Actually Took the Initiative to Kiss the Black Lotus?!…
Su Huan: “.”
Sometimes, he really wanted to kill someone.
At the same time, Nangong Yi turned around, looking surprised at the sudden appearance of Xiao Jianming. He was about to leave the formation to assist Su Huan, but Su Huan stopped him with a spiritual message: Fellow Daoist Nangong, focus on slaying the Pill Demon. I have my own way of obtaining the spiritual key.
“How do you want me to beg you?”
Xiao Jianming raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised that Su Huan had yielded so easily today.
“If you just do whatever I say, where’s the fun in that? How about… you think of something yourself?”
Xiao Jianming smiled brightly, shaking the two spiritual keys in his palm again.
Su Huan took a deep breath, the last vestiges of gratitude for the life-saving favor he once felt completely vanishing.
But he couldn’t kill Xiao Jianming. The other party was stronger than him, making forceful retrieval impossible.
Moreover… Su Huan touched his own heart. He seemed to be somewhat afraid of the other party.
The feeling of being near death five years ago felt as if it were only yesterday.
Su Huan smiled bitterly inwardly. He truly couldn’t win against Xiao Jianming.
Once fear set in, victory became difficult.
However, he wasn’t without a chance. At least the other party still wanted something from him.
Su Huan glanced at the Golden Dragon Formation.
Although the emerald-green Pill Demon was trapped and unable to move, it continuously sprouted branches and leaves, stabbing at Nangong Yi. Nangong Yi had not yet recovered from his severe injuries, making it difficult for him to get close for a time.
He also recalled the dying wishes of Fellow Daoist Meng.
He opened his mouth with difficulty: “Five years ago, you forced me to sign…”
“Shut up!” Before he could finish, Xiao Jianming’s expression grew even darker. “Don’t mention that matter again!”
Su Huan paused, then lowered his eyes and obediently omitted the keywords, continuing: “If you can let me leave to report the situation, I will sign a… contract with you, and be at your complete disposal.”
However, he failed to notice that although the other party’s face was grim, a faint blush had crept onto his earlobes.
The moment Xiao Jianming thought of the foolish thing he had done, he felt so ashamed that he wanted anyone who knew about it to disappear. Yet, he absolutely had to keep Su Huan alive to ensure he wouldn’t be trapped and killed in the illusion.
But Su Huan bringing it up… did remind him of something—
Whether it was Su Huan inside the illusion or outside, he seemed unable to perceive the other party’s malicious desires.
There were only two possibilities for this situation: one was that the other party possessed something that could evade the unique perception of the Lingxi lineage, and the other related to the legend circulating among the Lingxi tribe.
Legend had it that the Lingxi tribe had lived in the Sea of No Delusion for generations. The successive tribal chiefs were the Lords of the Sea of No Delusion, governing the laws of that realm. Anyone—human, demon, or fiend—who attempted to cross the Sea of No Delusion would be subjected to the Sea Lord’s judgment. Only those without delusion could cross, while those with delusion would face death.
Thus, the Sea of No Delusion was also known as the place of no return, the boundary between the Demon Realm and the cultivation world. The seabed was piled high with the remains of those who died in judgment, and it imprisoned countless resentful spirits and evil ghosts filled with sin.
To avoid getting lost in such an abyss, one had to tie a rope deep within their soul, and this rope was called “Faith” by the Lingxi people.
Therefore, unlike the immortal clans of the Seven Continents and Four Seas who worshipped the four long-fallen gods, the Lingxi tribe only believed in their own “Faith.” The “Faith” of the Lingxi tribe was the single most pure and white soul in the world.
“Faith” was the only person in the world without malicious desires, but they were mostly innate spiritual beings born from the Sea of No Delusion.
There was once an immortal who became their Faith, and it was precisely because that person deceived his mother’s trust that the Demon Race was able to silently raid the Sea of No Delusion… which was why he utterly detested similar deceptive individuals.
What he hated most was anyone attempting to emulate that act again.
However, artifacts capable of shielding against the Lingxi tribe’s perception were rare in the world, requiring at least the Immortal grade. True Immortals no longer existed in this world; the so-called immortal clans were merely self-proclaimed titles by cultivators.
The immortal artifact used by that person had long been personally destroyed by his mother. The remaining immortal artifacts in the world were all recorded in the Weapon Registry and each had an owner. Even if someone could forge a new immortal artifact, they would never use it on an insignificant disciple of an immortal sect.
Therefore, when the malice on Su Huan’s body disappeared, even though he immediately considered this possibility, he quickly dismissed it.
The person was right under his nose at the time, and he hadn’t sensed the presence of any immortal artifact.
But Su Huan was not an innate spiritual being. Why did his malicious desires suddenly vanish?
This was the puzzle he couldn’t solve.
It wasn’t until he fell into the illusion that he finally realized Su Huan had known his background all along.
Xiao Jianming was overwhelmed by shock and anger at the time, and his immediate instinct was to kill this liar who dared to deceive the trust of the Lingxi tribe.
But thinking about it now, how could an ordinary young disciple obtain a secret immortal artifact? It must be that some power learned his secret from Su Huan and used this fool to set a trap for him, hoping to recreate the scenario where they could easily command the Lingxi tribe and thus control the Sea of No Delusion.
But they never expected that he would find out anyway.
Thinking this, he couldn’t help but look deeply at Su Huan. He had this fool to thank for everything.
Once he got out, he would definitely expose the person behind him and kill those scoundrels to deter others with similar ambitions.
If they wanted to eradicate the Lingxi tribe and control the Sea of No Delusion, they needed the strength to do so.
As for the first possibility he had tried to verify after losing his memory… Xiao Jianming sneered inwardly.
Absolutely impossible.
He could, however, seize the opportunity to agree to this fool’s terms, keep him under his control, and then use him to follow the trail, feigning the illusion that he had been successfully fooled. This would make the forces behind him relax their vigilance and expose their weaknesses.
*
With a plan in mind, Xiao Jianming looked at Su Huan with composure: “At my complete disposal?”
He raised an eyebrow and teased, “Alright, then let me see how far you are willing to go.”
In his heart, however, he thought that before that, he must severely punish this fool to dispel the resentment over his previous deception.
He hated deception the most.
Even if the other party had cultivated with him, he wouldn’t go easy on him.
On this side, Su Huan showed a troubled expression, but inwardly, he breathed a sigh of relief.
Su Huan’s face showed a hint of hesitation, but finally, he gritted his teeth, set up a barrier to block outside view, and slowly walked towards Xiao Jianming. He reached out and removed the hair ornament binding his hair, letting his dark long hair cascade down to his ankles.
Nangong Yi, who was fighting the Pill Demon, sensed this through his divine consciousness and was so shocked that he quickly retreated, rushing towards the barrier where the two were, shouting anxiously: “Su Huan, don’t!”
But the barrier had already closed. Although Su Huan heard his voice in time, he merely paused his movement, then closed his eyes, raised his pale neck, and offered his lips upwards.
That pure and innocent face was filled with a sense of giving up everything, like a young deer offering its neck to the slaughter, which involuntarily reminded Xiao Jianming of the taste of their first spiritual fusion that day. His prominent Adam’s apple bobbed.
He didn’t push him away immediately.
It was just a fleeting touch, yet it stirred countless ripples.
It was actually sweet.
Xiao Jianming couldn’t help but capture the sweetness offered to his mouth, lowering his head to deepen the kiss, wanting to raise his hand to restrain the prey before him and taste more sweetness… but he couldn’t lift his hand?!
He suddenly opened his eyes, only to see Su Huan pull back from the offered lips and tongue. He opened his slightly moist, light-colored eyes, exhaled a soft breath from his damp lips, and the clarity in his eyes returned.
With a slight movement of his fingers, he was instantly restored to his neat, fully clothed appearance.
With a slight flush on his face, he maintained a composed demeanor and calmly took the two spiritual keys from Xiao Jianming’s hand.
Xiao Jianming closed his eyes, a vein throbbing on his forehead.
Good, very good! He, the dignified successor of the seventy-second generation Lingxi tribal chief, the future Lord of the Sea of No Delusion, had been tricked again!
Su Huan lowered his eyes, swallowing the rising blood, and clenched his hand to hide the subtle trembling of his body.
Using his body as a formation was ultimately damaging.
But obtaining the key to leave was enough.
The Sect Master was always benevolent. Once the Demon Race was repelled, he should be able to obtain the Glazed Immortal Grass with this great merit.
Su Huan stepped out of the barrier and smiled at Nangong Yi, who was rushing over with an anxious look, signaling that he was fine, and handed him one of the spiritual keys.
Nangong Yi smiled bitterly: “I truly didn’t expect your method to be like this. If I had known, I…”
He couldn’t continue.
Su Huan didn’t seem to mind, instead comforting him: “I’m fine. Reporting the news is the priority.”
He then held one key and infused it with spiritual power. This small square was indeed the secret realm’s spiritual key. A vortex of spiritual energy slowly appeared in front of Su Huan.
However, a powerful pressure suddenly descended from above, followed by an elegant voice—
“Oh, two little mice are trying to escape.”
Su Huan’s heart violently shook. Without the slightest hesitation, he decisively shouted into the vortex leading outside, his voice carrying spiritual power: “The Demon Venerable has invaded the secret realm! All elders please prepare for defense—ugh…”
He was suddenly choked by an invisible force around his neck.
A response came from within the vortex.
A figure materialized behind Su Huan, gripping his right hand that held the spiritual key, crushing it along with the bones!
Su Huan’s eyes widened, and two lines of clear tears suddenly streamed down his cheeks.
However, his throat was constricted, and no matter how painful it was, he couldn’t scream, only letting out hissing sounds of agony.
The Demon Venerable was followed by the escaped Yin Rong, who flashed a look of pity but dared not intercede.
The immense pressure slammed down heavily. The fingers around his neck tightened further and further. Su Huan desperately burned his life force using the Galan Secret Technique to resist, but it was futile.
Nangong Yi beside him was also crushed, his knees slamming hard onto the ground with a crisp cracking sound, blood constantly spilling from his mouth.
This was the Demon Venerable, an existence capable of rivaling the Immortal Venerable Fengqing ten thousand years ago.
Su Huan struggled to turn his head to look at him. With just one glance, he clearly saw the Demon Venerable’s vital point.
It seemed Meng Qinghui’s words were true.
Yet, he was powerless.
His peripheral vision involuntarily glanced at the empty space not far away, where he had just set up the barrier, which had not yet dissipated.
He silently made a hand sign, and the formation integrated with his body quietly dissolved. He immediately sent a spiritual message: Run quickly! It’s better if at least one person escapes…
The Demon Venerable noticed his gaze. Nangong Yi also noticed and immediately poured all his strength into the spiritual key in his hand. The Demon Venerable’s attention was successfully drawn to his small movement.
At the same time, an identical spiritual vortex appeared in front of Nangong Yi. Before he could make any move, a voice came from the other end of the vortex: “Little friend? Little friend!”
“Oh no, they must have been discovered and killed by the Demon Race…”
“Hey, look quickly! The passage is open again!”
“Little friend, hold on! We will open the secret realm soon and rescue you!”
Su Huan’s heart leaped with joy, and he let out a breath of relief. It seemed his message had succeeded…
He didn’t notice that the golden spiritual scroll floating in the air had suddenly stalled.
“Tsk tsk tsk, no chance now.”
The Demon Venerable had, at some unknown point, tossed Su Huan to Yin Rong and flashed next to Nangong Yi!
“Is that the Demon Venerable?!”
“Damn it, quickly open the passage…”
The Demon Venerable smiled, blasting the passage with a single palm, and then plunged one hand through Nangong Yi’s chest!
Su Huan’s eyes widened: “Fellow Daoist Nangong!”
Nangong Yi spat out a mouthful of blood with a muffled sound. After the Demon Venerable withdrew his hand, he immediately collapsed to the ground.
Su Huan instinctively struggled. Yin Rong, feeling pity for his crippled hand, didn’t use much force, allowing Su Huan to actually break free.
Su Huan struggled to withstand the immense pressure that had been bearing down on him since the Demon Venerable appeared, moving to Nangong Yi’s side to support him.
Nangong Yi, however, smiled at him. He said, “Fellow Daoist Su… did you hear it…”
Su Huan choked up, hurriedly channeling spiritual power into his body, his voice trembling: “I heard it. Don’t sleep, don’t die…”
It was useless.
Nangong Yi’s life force rapidly drained away, and he gradually fell silent.
The person inside the barrier still hadn’t moved. Su Huan was in agony and couldn’t help but roar via spiritual message: What are you still doing here! Hurry and leave before the Demon Venerable notices you!
Inside the barrier, Xiao Jianming looked at him with an inexplicable expression. He couldn’t believe that despite how badly he treated Su Huan, the other party hadn’t taken the opportunity to expose him.
…Fine.
He would forgive him this one time.
Xiao Jianming drew his sword and casually executed a sword flourish. A sword qi followed the movement and landed on the barrier. The barrier enclosing him shattered instantly.
The sword wind stirred up some grass clippings, so Xiao Jianming didn’t notice that the green grass beneath his feet was disappearing at a visible rate.
Su Huan sensed the barrier break and looked back in disbelief. The Demon Venerable not far away also turned his gaze towards the spot.
Only then did Xiao Jianming’s figure slowly appear on the empty patch of grass.
Su Huan’s eyes filled with despair.
The Demon Venerable was slightly surprised and chuckled: “It seems I’m getting old; I didn’t notice I missed a little mouse.”
Xiao Jianming showed no fear, even letting out a sneer. He wanted to see if he, the master of this illusion, could defeat the phantom derived from the illusion.
As if unaffected by the pressure of a powerful being, he walked lightly to Su Huan’s side, pulling him into his arms and reducing the pressure falling upon Su Huan.
Although death in the illusion wouldn’t result in physical death, it would damage the soul. Su Huan’s soul was fragile; he couldn’t let him die here.
The Demon Venerable watched the scene with a beaming smile, letting out a soft laugh.
“Oh my, it seems the thing my little Rong’er fancied already has an owner, and a very formidable one at that.”
That pleasant voice sent a chill down Su Huan’s spine.
He looked at Xiao Jianming. Seeing him, much of the despair in his heart dissipated. He sent a spiritual message: I can see his vital point. The Demon Venerable’s vital point is located in…
Before the message was complete, a “crack” echoed across the entire world, followed by continuous similar sounds, and then cracks appeared.
Su Huan was stunned, thinking that the immortal sect’s reinforcements had arrived. His expression relaxed into a smile of relief.
Xiao Jianming, however, looked astonished, involuntarily muttering: “What’s going on? The illusion broke prematurely?!”
He abruptly lowered his head to look at the young man in his arms, but a flash of white light blinded him, and Xiao Jianming briefly lost consciousness!
When he opened his eyes again, people had been around, but no one was in sight.
So the illusion was not broken by external force.
He and Su Huan were lying side by side on the ground. The bloodstains on the young man had already been wiped clean, a thick, soft mat was laid beneath him, and he was covered with a silk quilt, while Xiao Jianming had nothing.
The favoritism was extreme.
Xiao Jianming, however, had no mind to dwell on this. His heart was still filled with shock. The war between immortals and demons hadn’t even started, yet the illusion had opened on its own…
And he knew his deepest desire. What he never expected was that his wish had actually been granted.
He couldn’t help but pull out a lotus petal water jade to look at it. After carefully putting it away, he looked with complex eyes at the young man who was not yet awake.
…He also never thought that Su Huan would truly give him his entire heart.
A few seconds later, the quiet raven-black lashes fluttered, and Su Huan opened his eyes.
Su Huan woke up in confusion, immediately seeing Xiao Jianming beside him. His consciousness was still stuck in the illusion. He looked around at the unfamiliar environment, momentarily stunned.
After a while, his small brain finally processed the memories: transmigration, the Black Lotus, the demon-slaying mission, the stabbing sword light…
Then he was startled wide awake, instinctively jumping up.
The silk quilt fell to the ground. The memories of the illusion and reality clashed in his mind.
Different memory fragments flashed before his eyes. Su Huan recalled a few scenes, noticing Xiao Jianming’s gaze fixed on him, and his face instantly flushed red.
He couldn’t help but cover his face…
Ah, ah, ah, he actually took the initiative to kiss the Black Lotus?! He was mortified!
Xiao Jianming’s gaze fell on the young man’s ears, which were red enough to drip blood. His emotions grew even more complex. He was shy; he seemed to have truly fallen in love with him…
He was even shy enough to cover his face. Xiao Jianming covered his mouth and coughed lightly, secretly making a decision in his heart.
Although this fool—cough, Su Huan—knew his background, he possessed a heart that belonged solely to him. He might as well spare his life.
Su Huan beside him was on the verge of tears, feeling utterly hopeless.
That was his first kiss…
Author’s Note:
———————-
Finished rushing the rankings [dog head holding a rose]. The illusion is over, haha! Here’s a little skit to lighten the mood—
Secretly Delighted Brother: He loves me so much.
Desperate Brother: Save me, heaven wants me dead!