Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 107: Bloodlines

Yin Ci experienced a different kind of “object addiction”.

Different from when they first met, Sect Master Shi no longer treated his disciple as a precious object, attempting to strictly control him. But that sticky force hadn’t disappeared—now Shi Jingzhi himself had become a puddle of syrup, sticking to him from time to time, every move revealing a soft sense of satisfaction.

Demonic Lord Yin had eaten soft but not hard* for several hundred years, and he had eaten this way to the extreme. He not only didn’t stop it but indulged this person even more.

*(吃软不吃硬) Idiom referring to yielding to the soft approach but rejecting force.

When Shi Jingzhi’s paw reached out, Yin Ci grabbed it back, and contentedly felt the warmth.

With a table full of good food, Sect Master Shi’s butt seemed to be glued to the stool. He looked unusually calm and ordered a few more expensive pastries.

“Sect Master, what do we do next?” Su Si was silent for a long time before finally speaking. “Righteous people will still pursue the Kushan Sect. Qizhou has many eyes and ears. We should find a safe place to go.”

Shi Jingzhi picked a piece of pastry, cut it in half with his vital qi, and gave one half to Yin Ci. He didn’t directly answer Su Si’s question. “Based on what you’re saying, you intend to stay in the Kushan Sect?”

Su Si: “……”

“Not many in the Chigou Sect know your identity. According to the most widely circulated news, Matron Wuxue and the ‘Young Patriarch’ are gone. The Chigou Sect is preoccupied with its own affairs, and no one will order a search for you.”

Shi Jingzhi looked at Su Si steadily.

“Su Si, you are free now. You were originally my servant, so you can leave anytime. The muddy water we have to tread isn’t shallow; you should leave early, and you can still be a carefree lone warrior.”

Shi Jingzhi spoke very directly. Yin Ci chewed on the pastry, also watching the somewhat bewildered Su Si.

Su Si wasn’t like Yan Qing; along the way, he didn’t even have much desire to become stronger. Rather, this person had been pushed forward by fate all the time, choosing the path he had to take.

Previously, Su Si followed the Kushan Sect mainly because of the Chigou Sect’s pursuit. Now, not only would the Chigou Sect not bother him, but his friend Yan Qing had also progressed rapidly and didn’t need his special “protection”.

Investigating the Immortal Assembly, in a sense, was opposing the Imperial Preceptor, the imperial court, and even the nationals who believed in the Emperor. Su Si was smart, so he absolutely would know—to stay simply for “protecting Yan Qing”, this pressure would undoubtedly be transferred to Yan Qing, and might even have the opposite effect.

Su Si rarely showed a painful expression. “I don’t know. I haven’t thought about it yet.”

Suddenly, without the force to make him choose, Su Si didn’t know how to move forward.

“I won’t leave the Kushan Sect,” Yan Qing said firmly. “I have benefited a lot here, and I can’t repay enough. A’Si, I won’t leave because of you. You choose the road you want to walk. It’s not like we won’t see each other if you leave the Kushan Sect.”

“…Let me think about it.” Su Si smiled bitterly. “How about this, you guys eat first. I’ll go out for some fresh air.”

“I will go with you.” Yan Qing hastily put down his chopsticks and followed him.

Shen Zhu saw the two servants leave and looked deeply at Shi Jingzhi. “You did it on purpose, right?”

“This matter had to be brought up sooner or later. The road ahead is tough, and I don’t want to have an unclear wallflower by my side.” Shi Jingzhi chewed on the pastry, mumbling. “But indeed, without them, some things are easier to clarify.”

The pavilion was on the street, with bustling pedestrians below, and the fragrance of cosmetics and wine entered the window, mixed with the sweet smell of pastries. Shi Jingzhi glanced at the scene outside the window for a while before saying, “The treasure map is almost complete, so it’s only a matter of time before Taiheng finds the Shirou. Our remaining opportunities are few; we must choose the breakthrough point carefully… Qizhou is Yan Budu’s birthplace, and I have something to entrust you to investigate while we stay here.”

“Please speak.”

“Yan Budu was born into the wealthy Yan Clan. He was the youngest child of the head of the Yan Clan, born to a concubine who died not long after joining. The concubine was weak and sickly, and after giving birth to Yan Budu, she passed away… This is the most certain statement.”

Shen Zhu had been investigating the Immortal Assembly and wasn’t very interested in these old matters. “Indeed. Before going down to the Ghost Tomb, the Yueshui Pavilion gave us relevant records.”

“Occasionally, the Yan Clan would have someone with ‘ghost eyes’. At that time, everyone didn’t call it ghost eyes but considered it an auspicious omen. The head of the Yan Clan had a beautiful and talented younger sister who was selected to enter the palace because of those red eyes. Unfortunately, she died young.”

Just like his biological mother, Shi Chongyu.

“I have always found this strange—the Yan Clan is prosperous, and the legitimate wife of the Yan Clan’s head had four sons. Yan Budu’s mother wasn’t favored before her death, and he, a child of a concubine, received treatment not inferior to the legitimate children, which seems implausible.”

Shen Zhu clicked her tongue. “Perhaps the boss of the Yan Clan raised him because of his appearance. Besides, Yan Budu’s intelligence and unique abilities are exceptional; the old man may have taken a liking to them. Such occurrences are not uncommon.”

“It indeed makes sense. But Yan Budu comes from a common background and yet is well-versed in the ‘fixed desire’ affair, which is quite strange.”

Shi Jingzhi took a sip of wine, calmly continuing.

“Taiheng has been hunting the Yan Clan’s descendants for a hundred years, to the point that even Taiheng’s own people feel it’s excessive. On the other hand, Taiheng has always had close ties with the imperial court. Isn’t that interesting?”

Shen Zhu instantly understood. “Are you saying—”

“The royal bloodline is leaking, so naturally, an excuse must be found to clean it up,” Yin Ci calmly added.

Due to the matter of Yan Zheng’s revenge, Yin Ci also had suspicions. Great Yun wanted Children of Desire from generations to generations, and there were formations in their blood. The Queen of Milan was connected with Shi Jingzhi by blood, but only Yan Budu was excluded, which didn’t make sense.

Even though they had their suspicions, they needed to thoroughly investigate the “Children of Desire” and the “Hundred-Year Project” and couldn’t act on guesses alone.

“Just as A’Ci said.” Seeing that his beloved was in sync with him, Shi Jingzhi’s lips never drooped. “The Yan Clan was pampered and knowledgeable about the fixed desire, and their descendants were executed. Each matter can be explained individually, but together… I suspect Yan Budu is also a member of the Great Yun royal family. Please investigate.”

“Understood.” Shen Zhu didn’t argue, responding crisply. “What Brother Su Si said earlier makes sense; I will investigate in Qizhou. You all should find a safe place to stay.”

Shi Jingzhi: “I have already found a suitable place that is absolutely safe. You can send a sparrow to find me when the time comes.”

A few hours later, the four members of the Kushan Sect stood in front of the “absolutely safe” place, each with different expressions.

Since leaving Taiheng, Yan Qing hadn’t seen such a grand courtyard. The shock on his face was undisguised. Su Si looked more relaxed than before but still seemed distracted, clearly undecided about staying or leaving. He absentmindedly held Lord Bai, staring at the back door of the courtyard.

Sect Master Shi looked dignified. “This place is the home of an old friend. While the aftermath of Zongwu Mountain hasn’t settled, we’ll stay here for a few days before deciding our next move.”

He then turned to Yin Ci and whispered. “A’Ci, rest assured, the master here is my great-grandfather. The first thing I did when I left the palace was to meet him. He loves me very much and will never reveal our whereabouts.”

Unfortunately, contrary to Shi Jingzhi’s expectations, Yin Ci’s face didn’t relax but gradually turned green.

It wasn’t just about not revealing their tracks. The master of this place had deceived his true old friend for his dear grandson—

Yin Ci stood stiffly at the doorway of Sun Huaijin’s home, feeling guilty for the first time.

Sun Huaijin’s deception to him about Shi Jingzhi was true, as was his close relationship with Shi Jingzhi. Having lived for three hundred years, Yin Ci had never experienced such an absurd situation, and he didn’t know how to face his former subordinate.

Seeing his lover’s unusual reaction, Shi Jingzhi hurriedly continued to mutter, “My great-grandfather comes from the martial world and has seen many storms. You don’t have to worry about him backing down at a critical moment. Interestingly, when he was young, he was even an Elder in Chigou and followed… followed…”

He suddenly realized a horrifying fact. His heart skipped a few beats, and his tongue tied in knots.

Sun Huaijin’s wrinkled face surfaced from the depths of his heart. The old man’s voice was proud yet filled with vicissitudes. [In my youth, I was adopted by an elder and have seen the most glorious period of the Chigou Sect. Back then, the only one who could call him ‘Elder Brother’ was me, your grandpa.]

Before entering the house, he had been thinking about how to be affectionate with A’Ci without alarming the old man. Now, Shi Jingzhi wished he could find another place, but the arrow was already on the string, and he had no choice but to shoot. He wanted to cry but had no tears.

Seeing Yin Ci’s face turn pale with a semblance of “calm”, Sect Master Shi could only try to maintain his facial features’ position, praying that Sun Huaijin knew nothing about Yin Ci’s “immortality”.

The Sun Clan’s courtyard was no longer a desolate winter scene. The spring breeze lightly brushed, and the yard was filled with lush greenery. Elder Sun was sitting in the yard, with his wrinkled peach kernel appearance. Having shed his fur coat for spring, he was now wrapped in silk. Knowing that Shi Jingzhi was coming, Sun Huaijin specially set up a long table in the yard and prepared the best tea.

When the Kushan Sect’s party entered the yard, Sun Huaijin’s eyes locked onto Shi Jingzhi, smiling, “Good child.”

Upon meeting, Sun Huaijin hardly looked at Yin Ci. The grandfather and grandson chatted casually, discussing trivial matters. Yin Ci breathed a sigh of relief on the side—Sun Huaijin was indeed a wise man, and perhaps the situation wouldn’t become too awkward.

Shi Jingzhi may have been indifferent to affection, but he had a way of making himself “likeable”. Now, as Sect Master Shi was busy escaping reality and highly focused, he was particularly eloquent. A few hours passed, and Elder Sun was delighted by Shi Jingzhi’s flattery—his finest wrinkles on his old face were stretched out.

Yin Ci had completely transformed into a tight-lipped gourd, silently drinking tea with Su Si and Yan Qing without uttering a word.

The Sun Clan was very attentive to their guests. Whether intentionally or unintentionally, Sun Huaijin arranged four separate and excellent guest rooms for the four of them. Shi Jingzhi and Yin Ci didn’t protest; they pretended to know nothing and complied with the arrangement.

But Sect Master Shi couldn’t keep his calm. In the middle of the night, he sneaked into Yin Ci’s room like a thief. Sitting solemnly on the edge of the bed, his questioning tone seemed soaked in bitterness.

“A’Ci, how much does my great-grandfather… um, know about your matter?” he asked.

The fearless “Su Zhi” slowly turned over, not looking at Shi Jingzhi. “He knows that I am Su Zhi.”

Shi Jingzhi: “…” While Yin Ci’s true identity hadn’t scared him, this time he was genuinely startled.

“When we first came to Qizhou, I even inquired about your background from him.”

Shi Jingzhi sat dumbfounded on the edge of the bed, unable to lie down or leave. Yin Ci sighed and turned around. “If we talk openly about it, Huaijin should be able to help us more.”

Sect Master Shi was dazed by the intimate name “Huaijin*”. He groggily lay on the bed, burying his face in Yin Ci’s neck. “I know. I’ll just need a moment to gather myself…”

*Clarity: Generally, in Chinese culture, you don’t call someone by just their first name unless you have a very close relationship with them.

Unfortunately, things didn’t go as planned. Shi Jingzhi was still flustered, and before he could straighten out his thoughts, a voice came from outside the door.

“Elder Brother, are you still awake?”

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The author has something to say:

Sun Huaijin: ? Help!

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Kinky Thoughts:

LMAO, well now Shi Jingzhi can brag that no one beside him can call Yin Ci “my lover”.

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