Su Hansheng was deeply fascinated by this rare sense of control, especially compared to the Chongjue of his past life, who had treated him like a caged bird. It excited him so much he almost trembled.
Chongjue nearly fell over, but steadied himself and instinctively stroked the back of Su Hanshengâs neck.
Maybe because of the habit from their past life, Su Hansheng froze the moment he felt Chongjueâs touch, as if a cat whose scruff was grabbed, almost unable to move.
Chongjue gently pushed him away.
Su Hanshengâs eyes lost focus, the tingling at his neck almost stirring long-dormant desires. At twenty, he was young and passionate. He leaned his forehead against Chongjueâs shoulder and murmured, âWhen will we dual cultivate?â
Chongjueâs lip was slightly split. Hearing this, he tightened his grip, making Su Hansheng hiss.
Su Hansheng immediately pulled back, avoiding Chongjueâs hand at his neck, and complained, âWhat? I didnât say anything about getting into bed. Canât the World-Honored One even hear the words âdual cultivationâ? Should I say âjoyful meditationâ instead?â
âHow old are you?â Chongjue said flatly. âAt your age, donât rush⌠cough, wait a few years.â
He stared in disbelief. He had thought âdual cultivationâ would only be delayed a few days or weeks, at most a year.
But now Chongjue had said âa few years.â
Cultivators in the Three Realms usually focused on quiet cultivation, and losing vitality too early was bad for future progress.
âThatâs why people like Ying Jianhua, who lived for thousands of years, never took a Dao Companion.
âIâll stop at Golden Core,â Su Hansheng said quietly. âEven if I cultivate for another hundred years, I wonât improve. Youâre already at the Great Ascension stageâyour next step is Ascension. If so, why wait?â
Chongjue rubbed his temple in frustration. âDidnât you say just a few days ago that you wanted to form your Nascent Soul?â
âOh,â Su Hansheng replied openly. âI was just testing you.â
Chongjue covered his face with his hand.
Su Hansheng was getting bolder with him.
Seeing Chongjue had no real intention of dual cultivation, Su Hansheng rolled his eyes, picked up the fallen bundle, and sneered, âGo meditate if you want. Iâll go fix up my quarters.â
Since the World-Honored One never touched the rear quarters, Su Hansheng naturally claimed them as his own.
Chongjue watched Su Hansheng swagger away and tightly pinched his prayer beads.
Su Hanshengâs practiced flirting, and the memory from the previous night, all told Chongjue plainly:
The Su Hansheng who once feared even a glance, in his past life had been completely corrupted by the evil one, drowning in desire, shameless and bold.
Though both thoughts shared one body, Chongjue felt an odd unwillingness.
âThis was extremely rare for the virtuous one.
Every time Su Hansheng moved closer, his practiced seduction seemed like heâd done it a thousand times. Chongjueâs resistance wasnât just about propriety, but mixed with unspoken struggle and jealousy.
Chongjue looked at the white prayer beads and lowered his lashes.
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His bundle was full of things, and Su Hansheng almost stuck his head inside, finally pulling out a strange little box.
He had a terrible memory, and since his coming-of-age ceremony heâd received many gifts. Sitting among the clutter, he tilted his head, staring at the box.
He thought for a long time before finally remembering.
At the time, heâd been too busy being angry about Chongjueâs three-year seclusion, so heâd just tossed the box onto the bed and never opened it.
Now that their relationship had advanced, Su Hansheng felt curious and happily opened the box, eager to see what Chongjue had given him.
The box was very much in Chongjueâs styleâits patterns were gentle and restrained, clearly made from high-quality materials. When he lifted the lid, a gust of wind, thick with spiritual energy, suddenly burst out.
With a âwhoosh,â it swept through the room.
The light-shielding bed curtains flew wildly, and the nearby candle flame instantly went out.
Su Hansheng nearly fell backward from the force, quickly grabbing the bed to steady himself.
Such a big reaction meant it must be a treasure!
Inside the box, a faint green light glowed. Su Hansheng leaned in, hopeful, but when he saw what was inside, he froze.
âIt wasnât some powerful magical artifact, but a jade pendant.
Jade pendants werenât rare, but what stunned Su Hansheng was that this green jade was identical to the one the evil one had given him in his past life, except mirrored left and right.
He picked up the jade, holding it up to the candlelight.
The jade from his past life was not only mirrored, but cracked and dull;
Chongjueâs was pure white jade, without a single flaw.
Unable to help himself, Su Hansheng ran his fingers over the warm jade, feeling something was off but unable to put his finger on it.
This feeling was extremely uncomfortable. Su Hansheng frowned, almost wanting to knock his head.
He pressed a little harder, his long fingers smoothly turning the jade pendant between them.
Before Su Hansheng could figure it out, the door to the quarters suddenly opened.
Chongjue walked in slowly, glancing at the newly arranged room, but didnât linger. Instead, he came to Su Hanshengâs side and calmly asked, âWhat are you doing?â
Su Hansheng, surrounded by clutter, raised an eyebrow and waved the jade pendant at Chongjue. âOpening your birthday giftâwhat kind of jade is this? Why is it just like the one the evil oneâŚâ
Before he could finish, the thing that had been bothering him suddenly became clear in his mind.
Two jade pieces make a âjueââŚ
The fourth sacred object is jade.
Su Hansheng stared at Chongjue, gasping sharply, nearly dropping the jade pendant.
âYou⌠youâre a sacred object?!â
Su Hansheng, and indeed the entire Three Realms, had always assumed the current sacred objects were just newborn beings, around twenty or thirty years oldâthe perfect age to control.
Even if some existed longer, they wouldnât have any connection to the sacred objects from two thousand years ago.
But Chongjue not only had a connection, he was even friends with Qifu Yin, Zou Chi, and even Su Xuanlin.
Chongjue hadnât planned to hide this from Su Hansheng. He firmly took the jade pendant from Su Hanshengâs hand, put it back in the box, and only then let out a soft breath.
He gently warned, âDonât let this jade pendant leave your side, and donâtâŚâ
Donât touch it carelessly.
Su Hansheng snapped out of his daze and grabbed Chongjueâs hand.
âHow can you be a sacred object?! I thought the fourth sacred object was the Lanke Record?â
Under the candlelight, Chongjueâs faintly red ear tips slowly faded. He coughed, saying calmly, âYour uncle hasnât perished. Heavenâs Will wouldnât create two Lanke Records in the world.â
Su Hansheng was still dazed. âThen what about you?â
âMe?â Chongjue, unable to stand the mess on the bed, gently began picking up the scattered items and putting them back in the bundle as he explained, âI was originally a jade pendant that gained sentience atop Kunlun Mountain. After entering the mortal world, I took the name Wen Jingyu and met your father and the others.â
At that time, Su Xuanlin, Qifu Yin, and Zou Chi were just coming of age, full of youthful passion.
Su Hansheng was astonished. âYou werenât originally a Buddhist cultivator?â
âNo,â Chongjue said. âEven though I now hold the title of World-Honored One, I canât truly be called a Buddhist cultivator.â
Only after he passed his tribulation could he truly become one.
Su Hanshengâs lips trembled.
Chongjue thought he was frightened by his identity and was about to tidy up the mess to comfort him.
But then Su Hansheng slapped his thigh and declared, âDoesnât that mean I can⌠I mean, dual cultivate anytime?!â
Su Hansheng had thought heâd have to go through a bunch of complicated procedures to become a Dao Companion, but now it seemed all that was unnecessary.
Chongjue, seeing Su Hanshengâs carefree attitude again, shook his head with a smile, utterly helpless.
But this kind of easygoing nature wasnât a bad thing.
Otherwise, Chongjue couldnât imagine how Su Hansheng, after suffering so much, could have survived without a strong heart. If heâd been any more sensitive, heâd probably have broken down completely, and no one could have saved him.
Su Hansheng didnât expect Chongjue to reply, and thought of another question.
âI bear the Phoenix Bone, Senior Brother Lingge can transform his body into a dragon, and Sister Handan⌠Iâm not sure, but I guess sheâs connected to the Silver-Carved LampâŚâ
The three of them were all inseparably linked to sacred objects, but Chongjue seemed completely different from them.
Chongjue answered, âI am the sacred object myself.â
He wasnât possessed by a sacred object, nor was he blessed by Heavenâs Will. He was born with sentience, not controlled by anyone.
Su Hansheng said, âWow.â
He didnât quite understand, but it sounded impressive.
Chongjue laughed at his reaction. âDonât think too much about it. Rest well first; you still have morning class tomorrow.â
Su Hansheng was still stunned by the revelation that Chongjue was a sacred object. When he saw Chongjue about to leave, he quickly asked, âThen whatâs your name?â
âThe sacred objectâs name.â
Chongjue smiled, always ready to answer.
He was born atop Kunlun Mountain, enduring endless frost and snow, absorbing the power of sun and moon. After thousands or even tens of thousands of years, he finally gained consciousness and took human form.
When Heavenâs Will entered Su Xuanlinâs bodyâeven the most powerful immortals in the Three Realms couldnât kill him. They could only sacrifice themselves to split the jade pendant in two, dragging the evil one into the Infinite Hell.
Su Hansheng wanted to ask more, but Chongjue seemed to sense something. He gently touched Su Hanshengâs forehead with a warm smile.
âBe good, go to sleep. Zou Chi has urgent business and is coming to see me.â
Su Hansheng had many questions, but hearing this, he didnât stop him. He nodded obediently. âThen go quickly. Come find me after youâre done.â
Chongjue nodded, but didnât leave right away. He waited until Su Hansheng was asleep, breathing steadily.
Only then did Chongjue rise, extinguish the candle, and step into the Buddha Hall under the moonlight.
Zou Chi had been waiting for a long time.
âHe was pacing anxiously, while Chongjue had been busy putting a child to sleep in the quarters.
âYouâre finally here. Somethingâs happened.â
Chongjueâs expression was calm and cold, radiating a serene authority that was completely different from the gentle look heâd worn while soothing Su Hansheng.
Zou Chiâs face was pale as he whispered, âA message came from Banqing Prefecture. Zhuang Linggeâs life-long lampâŚâ
Summer storms brought thunder and lightning, illuminating their faces with a ghostly white light.
Zou Chi said, â⌠has gone out.â