Ch77.1 - Serene and Dignified

The magpie continued circling within the curtains: “Kill kill kill!”

Su Hansheng stood frozen. Chongjue, with bone chains constricting his meridians, was pale with pain, yet still smiled.

“So Su Xuanlin left you his natal artifact.”

Su Hansheng had just been aggressively threatening to kill him, but seeing those chains pierce through Chongjue’s entire body, his hair practically stood on end, momentarily at a loss.

Hearing this, he was even more confused. “What?”

Natal artifact?

Wasn’t the relic Su Xuanlin left him just a Sumeru storage seed?

Bone chains floated throughout Chongjue’s body, like snow-white serpents crowding the narrow bed. As his spiritual power was suddenly sealed, the surrounding barrier also exploded.

“Xiaoxiao.” Chongjue’s fingers trembled. Completely disregarding the life-threatening chains on his body, he grabbed Su Hansheng’s hand forcefully, pupils filled with a strange, twisted fervor. “Now I’ve fallen into your hands. How will you take revenge on me?”

Su Hansheng: “?”

He’d known from the start that Chongjue had many strange quirks, but never expected him to eagerly seek revenge at this moment.

So weird.

“Don’t do this, I’m… I’m scared.” Su Hansheng, afraid of touching the chains and causing Chongjue more pain, quickly shrank back, murmuring, “What is this thing? Why would Su Xuanlin… lock you with it?”

Weren’t they supposed to be close friends?

Chongjue didn’t retreat but advanced, backing Su Hansheng into a corner of the bed, trapping him in a small space.

He leaned close to Su Hansheng’s face, chuckling softly. “Scared of what? Su Xuanlin just didn’t want me merging with my good half to interfere in the Three Realms’ affairs. I won’t die for a while.”

Su Hansheng froze. “Good half… merge?”

Only then did he suddenly understand.

No wonder the Chongjue from Infinite Hell and the present-day Chongjue could coexist. No wonder one said he was obedient as a child while the other said he was boldly reckless.

The World-Honored One was good to the extreme, unable to tolerate even a hint of Su Hansheng’s evil thoughts.

Meanwhile, the Infinite Hell’s Chongjue thrived there, absorbing countless malicious intents—mad, sinister, and utterly unrestrained.

“Then the good half…” Su Hansheng asked with one last shred of hope, “You didn’t really possess him?”

Chongjue naturally and familiarly kissed Su Hansheng’s neck once, saying calmly, “I’d like to possess him, but possession forbidden arts are only known by Fuli blood relatives. This body is affected by Su Xuanlin’s bone chains—one wrong move brings deep restraint. ‘He’ was severely injured saving you before, and his consciousness has sunk into the sea of consciousness… Mm, though I estimate he’s about to wake up.”

Su Hansheng frowned, trying to push Chongjue away, but he was covered in chains everywhere. He could only carefully push at his face.

“Get up first.”

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Su Hansheng’s ability to bend and stretch was nothing compared to this person—truly insignificant.

Young Master Su wasn’t so easily coaxed. Face dark, he climbed off the bed.

Chains on Chongjue’s body clinked as if he wanted to reach out and stop him.

“Don’t move!” Su Hansheng raised the hand wearing the Sumeru seed. The magpie, responding to his pull, chirped and landed back on his pale fingertip, “killing” at Chongjue. “If you move again, I’ll tie you up.”

Chongjue raised an eyebrow, seeming rather expectant, and continued rising.

Su Hansheng: “……”

Seriously, you’re so weird!

Su Hansheng didn’t even know what this thing was, let alone how to control it to bind someone or release the bone chains. He could only step back half a pace, saying fiercely, “If you forcibly restrain me again, I’ll escape even if it costs all my vital energy.”

The words were light, carrying little threat.

Yet Chongjue froze in place. His hand reaching toward Su Hansheng stopped mid-air, both yearning and afraid to probe further.

Daylight broke. The first morning bell rang throughout the vast Wendao Academy.

Su Hansheng quickly straightened his disheveled robes. Not daring to see Chongjue’s reaction, he hurried out.

The light-blocking bed curtains swayed gently with the wind from the window lattice. The mermaid candle flame flickered wildly.

Chongjue sat on the bed, staring blankly at Su Hansheng’s departing direction. The bone chains floating in the air, following Su Hansheng’s departure, silently dissipated like fluttering catkins, as if they’d never existed.

***

Su Hansheng didn’t even change clothes. Carrying the rich scent of bodhi flowers and the shrine’s sandalwood incense, he jogged all the way to Shangshan Study Hall, occasionally glancing back as if worried that unrestrained demon Chongjue would catch up.

In his haste, he crashed straight into someone at a corner.

Su Hansheng nearly fell backward, instinctively reaching toward the person ahead.

Thud.

No one caught him. Su Hansheng fell hard on his rear, wincing as he looked up.

Ying Jianhua disdainfully brushed the spot where Su Hansheng had collided with his chest, dusting off non-existent dirt, looking down at him with a glance. “What trouble have you caused now, rushing around so recklessly?”

Not daring to scold his senior brother, Su Hansheng could only accept his bad luck, groaning as he climbed up from the ground.

“Good morning, Senior Brother.”

Ying Jianhua was about to say something when his eyes fell on Su Hansheng’s clothes, brow furrowing sharply. “Where were you last night? Why are you still wearing yesterday’s clothes?”

Su Hansheng choked.

Ying Jianhua’s eyes were viciously sharp. He extended his hand, condensing frost to hook Su Hansheng’s chin and force his head up, revealing the faint red marks on the side of his neck. His expression instantly darkened like a gathering storm.

“Su Hansheng! Confess honestly—where have you been carousing?! At such a young age, learning those dissolute ways—do you still want your cultivation path or not?!”

Though Ying Jianhua cultivated the Heartless Dao, he wasn’t ignorant of romance. One glance told him those were definitely hickeys. Face dark, he stared at Su Hansheng waiting for an answer, or else he’d beat the boy.

“Senior Brother!” Su Hansheng’s eyes darted rapidly. “I didn’t go anywhere! These—these are bug bites. You know how my companion tree attracts bugs, especially in summer. My calves are covered in bites!”

He quickly lifted his robe hem to show Ying Jianhua his legs and ankles covered in red marks.

Ying Jianhua’s brow furrowed, somewhat swayed.

True, whose perverse tastes would be so peculiar as to bite someone’s ankles?

Ying Jianhua said, “Then why are you wearing yesterday’s clothes?”

Su Hansheng’s face was the picture of innocence. “I always wear the same outfit for ten days to half a month without changing! This is only the second day. When I get the front dirty, I just flip it inside out and wear the reverse. Senior Brother, don’t think this outfit is black—that’s dirt from wearing it. One scrub and it comes right off.”

Ying Jianhua: “……”

A mere Great Circle Spirit Transformation Dao Lord, actually struck dumb by Su Hansheng’s few short sentences as if dealt a heavy blow. He nearly fled, retreating several steps with horror in his eyes.

“You! This is absolutely disgraceful!”

Su Hansheng cheerfully ran forward, face feigning shock. “What’s wrong, Senior Brother? Don’t run so fast—Xiaoxiao has something to ask Senior Brother!”

Ying Jianhua nearly wanted to whip him, shouting sternly, “Stand right there! From now on, stay three zhang away from me!”

Seeing he’d thoroughly disgusted Ying Jianhua, who no longer cared about his overnight absence or the marks on his neck, Su Hansheng laughed inwardly but stood obediently with an innocent expression, looking expectantly at Ying Jianhua.

Ying Jianhua was utterly revolted. He took out a small fan and fanned himself for a long while before saying expressionlessly, “Speak. What is it?”

“Oh, oh.” Su Hansheng raised his hand to show him Su Xuanlin’s Sumeru seed. “What exactly is this Sumeru seed for? How can I remove it?”

The jade magpie was already hopping around on Su Hansheng’s shoulder chirping noisily.

Ying Jianhua frowned for a long moment, steeling himself before resignedly beckoning Su Hansheng forward slightly.

Su Hansheng trotted up, raising his hand to show him.

Ying Jianhua closed his fan and, keeping his distance, controlled the fan to float forward, lightly tapping the Sumeru seed on Su Hansheng’s finger, saying coolly:

“Inside should be Master’s natal artifact—the Ninety-Nine Bone Chains. Since Master long ago left you this Sumeru seed and had it recognize you as master, it obeys your control. It counts as a self-defense artifact—it can restrain anyone below Mahayana stage. No need to remove it, just wear it.”

“Ninety-Nine Bone Chains?” Su Hansheng pondered thoughtfully. “How do I control the bone chains?”

Chongjue looked like he was being tormented to death by those chains. Better to remove them quickly.

Ying Jianhua glanced at him. “Master’s natal artifact is Immortal grade. Your cultivation isn’t sufficient yet—you’ll need to at least form your Golden Core before you can barely control one chain.”

Su Hansheng frowned.

Ying Jianhua, probably eager to meet someone, seeing Su Hansheng fall silent, asked, “Anything else?”

Su Hansheng thought for a moment and hurriedly asked, “Senior Brother followed Xuanlin Immortal Lord for so many years… Ah! No! I mean Master…! Ahhh! I mean Father! Father! Senior Brother followed my father for so many years—did you ever meet Mount Sumeru’s World-Honored One?”

Ying Jianhua stopped his fan mid-swing from smacking Su Hansheng’s head, saying calmly, “Master and the World-Honored One were close friends, often playing chess and drinking together. I naturally met him.”

Su Hansheng froze. “Drinking?”

The World-Honored One actually drank?

“Mm.” Ying Jianhua said, “The World-Honored One’s alcohol tolerance seems rather poor. Eight times out of ten he’d get drunk… Oh, I don’t know if he causes trouble when drunk. Every time the World-Honored One got drunk, Master would frantically send us away to play, so his drinking conduct probably isn’t very good.”

Su Hansheng’s brow furrowed tightly, utterly unable to imagine the lofty World-Honored One drunk and causing trouble.

A bit terrifying.

“And their…” Su Hansheng asked cautiously, “How was their relationship? Were there any conflicts?”

Ying Jianhua thought for a moment. “None. Their relationship was excellent. Along with Wendao Academy’s Vice Dean Zou Chi, Zhuang Qu, and the Sword Venerable, they often discussed the Dao and played chess together.”

Su Hansheng hesitated.

If their relationship was so good, why would Su Xuanlin cast Chongjue’s evil half into Infinite Hell?

Had the evil half done something unconscionable?

Ying Jianhua said, “Why are you suddenly asking about old matters? Did you somehow displease the World-Honored One?”

Su Hansheng shook his head like a rattle drum. “No no no, I haven’t caused any trouble.”

Ying Jianhua controlled the small fan to tap his head once. “You’d better not—behave yourself. If there’s nothing else, I’m leaving.”

Su Hansheng caught the now-powerless fan in his palm. Seeing Ying Jianhua about to stride away without hesitation, he hurried after him. “Senior Brother, your fan!”

“Don’t want it.”