Ch151 - Past Life Infinite Hell 3 . Two Days

Eight thousand feet underground, Guixu Infinite Hell.

Truly a fine burial ground.

Chongjue didn’t know how many he’d killed. The subjugation staff was drenched in blood, scalding blood soaking his palm.

Though his vision was completely gone, spiritual energy spread around him. Faintly visible were threads of green spiritual energy symbolizing vitality, spreading from a central point outward in all directions.

Withered branches everywhere.

Chongjue sent spiritual energy thundering to shatter the branches, step by step approaching that phantom figure.

Su Hansheng’s meridians throughout his body had grown branches spreading across all Infinite Hell. Only the tree branches at his heart grew lush phoenix flower branches. His snow-white hair cascaded down. Probably sensing Chongjue’s arrival, he struggled to lift his head with a smile.

“Didn’t you always want the phoenix bone?”

Chongjue stared blankly. Though he’d killed countless people, his hands always steady as rock now trembled uncontrollably. The blood-soaked subjugation staff fell from his palm, clanging to the ground.

He stepped forward, kneeling on one knee, reaching out to touch Su Hansheng’s face.

The companion tree, using remaining consciousness, didn’t want anyone near its master. It struggled to transform into sharp withered branches, stabbing forward.

A muffled sound—piercing straight through Chongjue’s palm.

As if unaware of pain, Chongjue’s trembling fingers cupped Su Hansheng’s face, saying softly, “I never…”

He’d never wanted the phoenix bone.

Chongjue understood greed, anger, delusion, hatred, desire, but never knew what love was. He’d always thought it similar to kindness, scoffing at that compassionate love.

Until this moment—countless vitality unstoppably pouring from Su Hansheng in all directions. Even using all his strength couldn’t stop it. He even smelled that familiar… death.

Having slaughtered countless people, beasts, even vengeful spirits, Chongjue felt for the first time that death—which usually fascinated him—was so soul-shatteringly terrifying that his hands trembled uncontrollably.

Su Hansheng was dying.

As the Goddess said, it was his own humiliation that had literally driven him to death.

Su Hansheng would rather choose such a brutal death than escape this hellish existence.

Chongjue said, “I don’t want to return to the mortal realm.”

The mortal realm didn’t love his innately evil kind.

But Su Hansheng could no longer hear. His head slowly drooped as he spoke his final words.

“I’ll open the Chongxiao Gate for you. Return to the mortal realm.”

In an instant, Chongjue’s vision plunged into darkness.

—He was blind, never able to see anything, but spiritual energy could outline phantom forms for him.

Now that familiar outline silently disappeared inch by inch from his consciousness, leaving only dense towering trees reaching skyward.

A single branch of vivid phoenix flowers grew against the wind.

A faint sound of shattering jade.

The dull, broken jade pendant hanging at Su Hansheng’s waist finally cracked completely, slowly falling from his robe hem.

Chongjue couldn’t tell whether it was the shattering of his life jade or Su Hansheng dying before his eyes—which caused such agony his heart nearly split. He staggered, brushing away the withered branches wrapping Su Hansheng, embracing that frail shell that seemed only bones remained.

“Su Xiaoxiao…”

Chongjue had never known sorrow or pain, much less understood languor and despair.

The jade crumbled to powder.

Perhaps he could slaughter all of Infinite Hell, using their souls and the three poisons and five evils to maintain this shell and spirit.

Though there was hope for survival, Chongjue now deeply loathed death, coveting the last bit of warmth from Su Hansheng’s body, wanting to embrace him in the withered forest.

That cluster of phoenix flower branches still grew, gently piercing through Chongjue’s heart.

The tattered betrothal document in his robe fell to the ground, scattered open. Jade fragments were blown by wind onto the just-dried ink.

Live and die together.

It had come true after all.

***

Su Hansheng was anxiously pacing.

On Lantern Festival, Su Xuanlin deliberately dragged him around Biennial Hall, wandering the entire street. Not satisfied, he even pulled him to a lantern festival hundreds of miles away for more browsing.

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Ud ygOTnwOx rMMvwt tfTPCwTTwt. “V bgOP PM xM Ygkv.”

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Su Xuanlin: “…”

People around cast strange looks their way.

Su Xuanlin lazily picked his ear, unconcerned. “The festival just started and you want to leave?”

“We’ve been playing for half a day.” Su Hansheng tugged Su Xuanlin’s sleeve. “The yuanxiao I bought for Chongjue has cooked into sesame soup.”

Su Xuanlin immediately grew alert. “You even bought him yuanxiao?”

Without waiting for resistance, he forcibly seized the “sesame soup” bowl and downed it in one gulp.

Su Hansheng: “…”

After drinking the sickeningly sweet sesame soup, Su Xuanlin demanded, “What else did you buy him? Hand it all over.”

Left with no choice, Su Hansheng surrendered all the little trinkets he’d secretly bought.

Su Xuanlin unceremoniously confiscated everything into his storage ring.

Su Hansheng said weakly, “Can we go back now?”

Su Xuanlin reluctantly nodded, taking Su Hansheng back to Wendao Academy on the wind.

Seeing Su Hansheng run toward the back mountain the moment they landed, Su Xuanlin called from behind, “Su Yuanxiao, don’t let me catch you fooling around with him again, or I’ll break his legs!”

Su Hansheng: “…”

The academy was full of people on Lantern Festival. Hearing the dean say such things to the Young Lord, everyone’s eyes widened in shock.

Mortified, Su Hansheng hastily agreed and ran off.

Night had fallen, approaching the hour of Hai.

Su Hansheng rushed back to the back mountain Buddhist hall. Seeing lights still on, knowing Chongjue was waiting, he quickly flew inside.

“Chongjue!”

Chongjue sat cross-legged on a cushion. Only a single lamp on the small table. The incense in the burner had long burned out, leaving only residual fragrance mixed with the crisp night air.

Su Hansheng felt guilty and apologetic, kicking off his shoes to throw himself into Chongjue’s arms, pecking his lips like a bird, ingratiatingly saying, “The place Father took me was far, so I came back late.”

Chongjue opened his eyes, looking at him coldly.

Su Hansheng thought he was sulking. Lowering his eyes, he rummaged in his belt pouch for a long time before producing an understated yet elegant lantern with a “ha!”

Candlelight flickered—extremely beautiful.

“Look, this is the prettiest lantern I won myself. Father didn’t confiscate it.” Su Hansheng grinned. “The moment I saw it, I thought it suited you perfectly.”

Chongjue glanced down at the lantern, casually raising his hand to stroke Su Hansheng’s face.

Unlike the emaciated form from the past life, this Su Hansheng had just come of age. Constantly fed by various people, his cheeks were pleasantly plump to touch—completely different from the cold, angular touch of those final memories.

Su Hansheng instinctively nuzzled into his palm. Seeing his complex expression, he carefully tested, “Are you angry with me?”

Chongjue shook his head. “No.”

Only then did Su Hansheng relax, carelessly admiring the beautiful lantern with delight.

But before he could turn it halfway, Chongjue suddenly snatched the obstructive lamp and casually tossed it aside.

With a hiss, both the lantern and the candle on the table extinguished instantly.

Su Hansheng froze. “Chongjue?”

In the darkness, Chongjue made no attempt to hide the twisted possessiveness in his eyes, staring intently at Su Hansheng, saying inexplicably:

“Will you leave me again?”

“Where would I go?” Su Hansheng was baffled. “Aren’t we preparing to register?”

Chongjue said nothing.

Only then did Su Hansheng belatedly sense something wrong. Fumbling, he reached out to cup Chongjue’s face, leaning forward to kiss him, coaxing softly: “Are you unhappy because of past life memories?”

In the darkness, Chongjue met his gaze, eyes filled with undisguised malice and desire.

Su Hansheng’s cultivation was low—he couldn’t see in darkness yet, still foolishly cheerful.

With Chongjue’s superior seniority, cultivation, and experience, Su Hansheng rarely got to comfort him. Now relishing the opportunity, he used the gentle tone others usually used on him: “Past life is past life. This life I’m living freely and happily—I’m not sick enough to joke with my own life. You don’t know—today Father took me to shoot lanterns, I only aimed at the low ones, afraid the high ones would fall on my head. See how much I value my life?”

Chongjue said blandly: “Should I praise you?”

“Go ahead.” Su Hansheng pretended to be shy. “Don’t be stingy with your praise— Ah—!”

Chongjue’s hand pressed firmly on Su Hansheng’s lower back, nearly making him jump.

Su Hansheng muttered quietly: “What are you doing?”

Not praising is fine, but why pinch him?

Chongjue unfastened Su Hansheng’s robe, saying casually: “Tomorrow’s a ten-day holiday, right?”

“Mm, I’m planning to go out with you to make up for today… Hey, what are you doing?”

Chongjue suddenly pressed him down on the cushion, raising his hand to fling open all the Buddhist hall’s doors and windows. Moonlight poured in, spilling over them both.

By moonlight, Su Hansheng finally saw the intense violence and desire in Chongjue’s eyes. After a long daze, he stammered: “Chong… Chongjue?”

Heaven above, he was just a bit late—how did he force out the evil one?

Chongjue’s eyes were dark and malicious, smiling at him almost coldly as he stripped Su Hansheng’s robes in quick succession, directly leaning down to kiss him.

Su Hansheng pressed his hand against his face: “Close the door!”

If the virtuous one were suppressing him, perhaps Chongjue would listen. But now, pushed to the limit, the evil one appeared forcibly like madness. Past life memories and nearly insane consciousness pressed the virtuous one into a corner, unable to emerge.

One thought becomes demon.

Chongjue not only didn’t close the door but carried him to the window, pressing him down and biting his neck hard.

Su Hansheng’s clothes were disheveled, pupils dilated as his head tilted back, barely able to breathe, whimpering as he clutched Chongjue’s loose hair: “Don’t… go, go to the room, Chong… Chongjue!”

“Worried someone will see?” Chongjue stared at him intently, saying indifferently: “Right, I haven’t set a barrier. Anyone casually spreading their consciousness to the back mountain could…”

Su Hansheng, dizzy with rage, gathered strength and slapped him hard.

“Bastard! Are you insane?!”

Chongjue didn’t even blink. His large palm gripped Su Hansheng’s neck, pressing him to the floor. His pupils flashed eerie crimson as he actually laughed quietly: “Whether I’m insane—don’t you know best?”

Su Hansheng looked at him by moonlight, chest heaving. Finally, as if giving up, he lay flat on the floor with a defiant attitude: “Fine, then do it right here. Make it intense. Get me the disciple seal—I’ll just send a voice message on the listening wall, let everyone at Wendao Academy…”

Before he finished, Chongjue’s expression instantly darkened.

“Bang bang bang—”

All the Buddhist hall’s doors and windows automatically slammed shut. Countless layers of barriers descended one after another.

The moonlit hall plunged back into darkness. Though Chongjue’s hand remained on Su Hansheng’s neck, it had lost all threatening force.

Su Hansheng couldn’t help but laugh, turning his head.

Chongjue: “…”

Expressionless, Chongjue bundled Su Hansheng in white robes and carried him in his arms, striding toward the back courtyard chamber.

In his past life, Su Hansheng had him completely figured out. Even more so this life—he lay brazenly in Chongjue’s arms, swinging his feet while humming a tune, saying lazily: “Had the guts to make threats, but not the guts to follow through?”

Chongjue ignored him.

Soon Su Hansheng was tossed onto the bed, rolling a few times before being pulled back.

With Chongjue’s mind occupied by the evil one, naturally his thoughts were all on that matter. Su Hansheng was long used to it, directly reaching to hook his neck.

But Chongjue asked: “Where’s the betrothal document?”

Su Hansheng froze, looking at him helplessly: “What do you need the betrothal document for?”

Chongjue didn’t answer, skillfully taking the storage ring from Su Hansheng’s finger and pulling out their betrothal document.

Placing it under the pillow as if suppressing evil spirits, Chongjue finally leaned down, pulling Su Hansheng with him into the ocean of desire.

Su Hansheng was still whining and complaining at first, but Chongjue seemed not to know restraint, playing endless variations in the narrow bed.

Dual cultivation exhausted the body. Su Hansheng quickly couldn’t take it, repeatedly trying to crawl out from the bed curtains, but each time barely moving before being dragged back by his ankles. He cried until his face was covered in tears, whimpering constantly.

…While simultaneously holding a glimmer of hope—once dawn came, Chongjue would surely let him go, right?

Finally enduring until daybreak, Su Hansheng was barely alive, nearly gone. He kicked at Chongjue’s shoulder with difficulty: “It’s dawn, I… still, cough cough, still need to go out with you.”

Chongjue gripped his ankle and bit it several times, leaving teeth marks on those slender ankle bones. He said casually: “I don’t want to go out today.”

Su Hansheng: “…”

But I do!

Su Hansheng was about to wail. His dizzy brain finally belatedly understood what Chongjue’s question last night “Tomorrow’s a ten-day holiday, right?” meant.

So he planned to dual cultivate for an entire day?

Su Hansheng felt a genuine fear of dying in bed, for the first time wanting to struggle up and attend class.

However, a ten-day holiday was a ten-day holiday. Everyone in the academy had gone out to play—impossible to add classes.

Su Hansheng was in a complete daze, nearly stupefied. When Chongjue finally carried him to the hot spring to bathe, he was barely conscious.

Not knowing how long he slept, when he awoke again it was already dark outside. Su Hansheng groggily rubbed his eyes, feeling uncomfortable everywhere.

The prayer beads on his slender wrist were gently releasing spiritual energy into his meridians to ease the soreness.

Su Hansheng felt slightly better, listlessly wrapping himself in Chongjue’s outer robe as he got out of bed to find water.

But with weak limbs, just stepping out of the chamber, he heard a tremendous “boom!” The massive back mountain suddenly shook. Su Hansheng immediately lunged forward on all fours, plopping to his knees.

Su Hansheng: “…”

His knees already ached terribly—this impact made him grimace. Struggling to stand using the railing for support, he looked toward the sound’s source.

He saw two barriers set up on the vast back mountain. A snow-white figure and deep blue figure flashed by, spiritual energy overflowing as they exchanged several moves in the blink of an eye. The aftershocks rippled across the back mountain like waves, directly leveling half the peak.

Su Hansheng: “?”

Who dared cause such upheaval on the back mountain?

Looking closely—it was Chongjue and a murderous Su Xuanlin.

Oh, never mind then.

These two often fought to the death. Too lazy to intervene, Su Hansheng listlessly went to the Buddhist hall, finding pear water on the small table, still warming over a small brazier.

Clearly Chongjue’s doing.

Had the evil one finally receded?

Su Hansheng pursed his lips. The evil one receded, yet he was the one exhausted?

After drinking two bowls of pear water, he finally recovered some strength.

Outside, the clanging battle continued. Su Hansheng paid no mind, casually checking his disciple seal.

Just one glance—something felt wrong.

The ten-day holiday was the seventeenth of the first month. How was it now the eighteenth?

Yuan Qian and Wu Baili had each sent voice messages.

“Hey, why weren’t you in first period? Did you go wild on holiday?”

“Tardy. Docked one point.”

“Didn’t show for first class either—Yuanxiao, were you kidnapped?!”

“Third class too… Oh no, the instructor called roll, the disciplinarian wrote your name down. Points definitely docked.”

“Fourth class…”

Su Hansheng: “…”

Su Hansheng’s hands trembled as he triple-checked before despairingly accepting the truth.

Outside, Su Xuanlin’s curses nearly reached the heavens: “Scoundrel deserves death! Today I’ll beat you half to death!”

Chongjue looked at him coolly, unmoved.

Just then, the Buddhist hall door suddenly opened. Su Hansheng walked out with a dark expression.

Su Xuanlin forced out a smile: “Xiaoxiao, Father and he were just joking, definitely…”

Su Hansheng said coldly: “…Go ahead and beat him half to death. I absolutely won’t stop you.”

Su Xuanlin: “…”

Chongjue: “…”

###