After Escaping From Death, He Went Even Crazier By Criticizing Black Lotus Chapter 9

When Su Huan turned around, Xiao Jianming had already suppressed all malicious intent on his face, displaying a sufficiently gentle smile.

He truly looked like a gentle, steady Eldest Senior Brother, comforting his friend with empathy.

The jade slip, inscribed with gold ink, was cool and smooth. Su Huan held it close, and the light returned to his previously dull, dark eyes.

Meeting Xiao Jianming’s smile, a hint of joy appeared in Su Huan’s clear eyes, and his tone became noticeably cheerful: “Thank you, Eldest Senior Brother, for telling me about this secret technique. Once I win first place in the Immortal Sect competition, I can save little Chao!”

The moment the words left his mouth, a slight crack appeared in Xiao Jianming’s smile: “You have lost half of your Golden Core now. How can you possibly take first place?”

Su Huan did not notice anything amiss with him. He was unconcerned and spoke with confidence: “That’s nothing. Half a Golden Core combined with the Garan Secret Technique is enough.”

The Garan Secret Technique was a life-burning cultivation method from the inner Buddhist sect located in the western part of Huayao Continent. It could temporarily boost one’s cultivation. If one’s lifespan was long enough, it could even allow a cultivator to challenge opponents above their own realm.

“Oh, right, when the time comes, you absolutely must not hold back. Let’s have a fair match,” Su Huan laughed. “I don’t want you to give me first place just because you feel soft-hearted.”

He spoke as if he could genuinely defeat the chosen prodigies of the Four Great Immortal Sects and claim the top spot.

Xiao Jianming remained expressionless on the surface, but inwardly, he scoffed heavily. He thought, with a Golden Core’s lifespan of less than five hundred years, how many times could Su Huan afford to burn it?

He lowered his eyes, concealing the turbulent undercurrents within, and said softly: “You don’t need to go through all this trouble. After I win first place, I will naturally bring the Glazed Immortal Herb to you.”

“After all, you are my only friend.”

Su Huan was stunned. His eyes showed a look of “that’s possible too,” mixed with a bit of temptation and internal struggle.

The spiritual energy around him fluctuated accordingly.

Xiao Jianming’s smile deepened slightly.

Yes, just like that, let him develop greed towards me.

There is no one in this world who is free from malice and wicked desires.

However, after a moment of fluctuation, the spiritual energy around the young man returned to calm, as pure and untainted as before.

The struggle vanished from Su Huan’s eyes. He scratched his head sheepishly: “But if I do that, it would be too unfair to you.”

Xiao Jianming’s smile froze. Su Huan continued, oblivious: “Even if we are close friends, the Glazed Immortal Herb is so precious, and I have nothing of equal value to trade with you. You would ultimately be at a loss. If I truly did that, my state of mind would definitely be damaged, and I would carry guilt for the rest of my life.”

“If I go and obtain the Glazed Immortal Herb myself, and succeed, then everyone will be happy. If I fail, then it’s my lack of ability to save little Chao; it is my fate.”

As he spoke, Su Huan suddenly felt clarity. The stubborn rock in his heart had unknowingly lightened by more than half, and his state of mind regained its clarity and transparency.

Yes, if I gain it, I am fortunate; if I lose it, it is my destiny.

He just needed to try his best.

“So that’s how it is.” Xiao Jianming realized, chuckling softly. “Since you say we are close friends, why are you so distant with me? I am willing to let you take advantage of me.”

Su Huan was taken aback, and the struggle reappeared on his face.

Seeing this, a hidden excitement rose in Xiao Jianming’s heart. He was somewhat impatient, subtly trying to coax him: “Perhaps it’s just because you’ve always been an older brother since childhood, accustomed to handling everything alone, which is why you feel uncomfortable. But friends should help each other, shouldn’t they?”

Su Huan’s expression grew increasingly conflicted.

Xiao Jianming’s smile deepened. Just when he thought Su Huan was finally about to succumb to greed, he heard Su Huan ask with some difficulty: “Do you… do you think I can’t win first place?”

Then he suddenly burst into laughter, patting his chest and boasting: “Don’t worry! Although I can’t compare to your innate talent, I am still a rare high-grade Gold Spirit Root, and I consider myself diligent enough. Among the Four Great Immortal Sects, there are only two people who can truly rival me. Although I am missing half a Golden Core now, the Garan Secret Technique is enough to compensate for that, so I have the strength to contend for first place!”

As his voice faded, the dark inner room fell silent.

Xiao Jianming’s gentle mask completely cracked.

Four words suddenly surfaced in his mind—

Ungrateful fool.

Su Huan was still chattering about “if you don’t believe me, let’s go spar right now,” but Xiao Jianming had no patience to listen further.

Xiao Jianming was in a very bad mood. He suddenly reached out and grabbed the young man who was rambling about going outside to spar with him. The force in his grip betrayed the gloom in his heart, making the young man hiss softly: “What are you doing? You’re hurting me.”

Xiao Jianming acted as if he hadn’t heard. He yanked Su Huan to the corner of the room. The peaceful look was gone, replaced by a cold, overcast expression. His breath was like frost: “Yes, you cannot win first place.”

Su Huan slammed abruptly into the cold stone wall. A sharp pain shot up his spine. A flicker of anger rose in his heart, and he was about to question why he was acting this way, but then he heard Xiao Jianming’s words and froze.

Xiao Jianming gripped his wrist, speaking almost mercilessly, word by word, uttering even more unbelievable things: “Only I will be first. You can only beg me.”

Su Huan looked at him in disbelief: “…What did you say?”

Xiao Jianming smiled, a light, mocking smile. He slowly spoke sentences Su Huan couldn’t comprehend: “I’ve changed my mind now… Instead of tempting you to become greedy and obsessed with my kindness, it’s better to ruthlessly trample you into the mud and make you hate me to the bone.”

As he spoke, a method he considered most humiliating suddenly surfaced in Xiao Jianming’s mind, and his mood instantly improved: “I will also make you my plaything, my dependent…”

“Slap!”

Xiao Jianming’s head snapped to the side from the blow.

Su Huan was utterly incredulous. By the time he reacted, his hand had already swung out. His pale fingertips trembled violently, and he spoke through gritted teeth: “Eldest Senior Brother, how—how could you have such a thought?! You actually want to make me your plaything? How is that acceptable!”

Xiao Jianming tilted his head.

He noticed that the golden spiritual energy swirling around Su Huan finally began to fluctuate violently, giving rise to a familiar intention—like a lake with dark, surging undercurrents, waiting only for a gust of wind to help it unleash a terrifying storm and swallow him whole.

A slow smile curved his lips.

Indeed, only hatred was the best fertilizer to nourish wicked desires.

“Why not?”

Su Huan’s eyes widened, unable to believe he could be so self-righteous. He saw Xiao Jianming take a step closer, looking down at him. He reached out a finger to lift a strand of black hair from Su Huan’s shoulder, but it was angrily slapped away. Xiao Jianming didn’t mind, his gaze assessing and frivolous: “Your aptitude is one in ten thousand, and you are beautiful enough. You barely qualify to be mine.”

“As long as you agree to be my plaything, I will help you obtain the Glazed Immortal Herb five years from now to save your mortal brother.”

“If you refuse…” I will kill you.

Xiao Jianming intended to finish the sentence, but he was unexpectedly struck by another slap.

Even a clay figure would feel a surge of anger after being hit. He was about to administer a lesson, but when he looked into Su Huan’s eyes, he saw the volcanic rage erupting within—so vivid, so bright.

The anger in Xiao Jianming’s heart instantly dissipated. He traced the inner wall of his mouth with his tongue, where the blow had drawn blood.

He thought, forget it.

It would be a pity to kill such a vibrant, beautiful person.

If it truly reached the point where even a death threat couldn’t cause the other party the slightest waver… Subconsciously, another possibility surfaced in Xiao Jianming’s mind, and his eyes momentarily went blank.

Just thinking about that possibility made his mind tremble. It was like a desperate person trapped in a chaotic, dead sea suddenly catching sight of a sliver of light leading to life.

He had longed for it, yet was too afraid to touch it.

A trace of confusion appeared in his dark eyes, and a voice echoed in his heart—

…Does that possibility truly exist?

Could the young man before him truly become his faith?

However, the pause for contemplation lasted too long. After delivering the second slap, the young man, unable to process what had happened, pushed him away and ran out.

By the time Xiao Jianming had decided on a new punishment, the young man’s figure was nowhere to be seen.

“If you refuse, I will break your hands and feet, lock you in a sunless dungeon, and enjoy you every day…”

The threats, refined and ready to be delivered, were all spoken to the empty air.

Author’s Note:

Xiao Dog doesn’t like Huanhuan yet. He just wants to see Huanhuan develop wicked desires [dog head]/Short update