Chapter 36
Shen Guorong spent another two days thoroughly digesting and accepting the possibility that he might have to stay in this book for ten years.
When Su Xiyan came to ask if he really wouldn’t consider letting Zhao Jiuxiao help him refine the phoenix spiritual power, Shen Guorong suddenly seemed to have an epiphany.
“If I’m not even afraid of staying in this book for ten years, why should I fear a mere long worm?”
Shen Guorong directly nodded in agreement, with quite the air of heroically marching to his death.
On the day he went to find Zhao Jiuxiao, Xi Guxing and Lou Bugui both came to “see him off.”
Xi Guxing said: “Sixth junior brother happens to sell coffins. I’ve already had him custom-make the finest coffin for you. Don’t be afraid—this one’s free. Sixth junior brother was overjoyed and personally selected the coffin wood for you.”
Shen Guorong: “…”
Shen Guorong became even more frightened.
Lou Bugui stuffed a poison herb packet he’d personally made into Shen Guorong’s hands, instructing him: “If he tries to swallow you, grab this packet. The poison inside seals the throat upon contact with blood—enough for you to die together with him once you’re in his belly.”
Shen Guorong: “…”
No—no thanks!
Su Xiyan stood to the side with a face full of “our sect truly has harmonious relations between senior and junior brothers” satisfaction.
After Xi Guxing and Lou Bugui’s round of “comfort”, Shen Guorong was so frightened his legs could barely stand steady.
Usually, the Wind and Rain Pool was deathly silent. Because a flood dragon had entered the pool, no insects or beasts dared approach within a mile radius. But today, for some unknown reason, they could hear crackling sounds from the Wind and Rain Pool from far away.
Shen Guorong’s legs went weak as he looked up at Su Xiyan, seeking comfort.
Su Xiyan gently consoled him: “Fifth junior brother just has some morning grumpiness, don’t be afraid.”
Shen Guorong: “…”
Zhao Jiuxiao’s temper was already this explosive normally—if you added morning grumpiness on top of that, wouldn’t he directly breathe fire?!
Shen Guorong trembled and shook. By the time they reached the Wind and Rain Pool, he was hanging entirely on Su Xiyan’s waist, his toes not daring to touch the ground.
Su Xiyan laughed: “Shiyi, we’ve arrived.”
Shen Guorong whimpered: “Senior sister…”
Su Xiyan patted his little head and said: “Whether you die early or late, you still have to die, Shiyi.”
Shen Guorong: “…”
Just as Shen Guorong was hesitating whether to jump down from his senior sister, a low voice reached his ears.
“Scram. Don’t disturb me.”
Shen Guorong’s whole body stiffened as he hugged Su Xiyan even tighter.
Su Xiyan, holding Shen Guorong and being told to scram, didn’t get angry. He said: “It’s me.”
He set Shen Guorong on the ground. Shen Guorong had mentally prepared himself and didn’t continue clinging to Su Xiyan shamelessly.
Feigning composure, Shen Guorong slowly turned to look toward the nearby Wind and Rain Pool.
In the Wind and Rain Pool, most of Zhao Jiuxiao’s body had already emerged from the dark waters. Coiled like a snake in two loops, his massive head pillowed on his dragon tail, he was slowly opening his eyes.
Though a flood dragon wasn’t a true dragon, it possessed the ability to ride clouds, control mist, and summon wind and rain. With a violent temperament, when those cold, ink-blue eyes opened, it seemed as if violent storms swept out from his pupils, bringing intense brutality crashing down.
Zhao Jiuxiao’s eyes were ice-cold. Without opening his mouth, a disgusted voice cut through the air like a blade.
“Shen Shiyi, if you don’t want to die, scram.”
Shen Guorong cried out internally while maintaining a calm exterior, unmoved.
Su Xiyan was also very composed, explaining the situation from beginning to end, finally saying: “Master already knows of this matter and has ordered us to help Shiyi transform.”
Shen Guorong was startled and looked up at him.
Su Xiyan winked at him, mouthing: “Just bluffing him.”
Originally, Zhao Jiuxiao had been very impatient. Halfway through listening, his dragon tail was already irritably slapping the waters of the Wind and Rain Pool. But when the last sentence was spoken, his tail suddenly stiffened and slowly withdrew.
Shen Guorong stood there with a face like still water, but internally his legs were already going weak.
After a moment of silence, Zhao Jiuxiao’s form flickered, instantly becoming a stunningly handsome man without a stitch of clothing.
Half his body submerged in water, he lazily leaned against a boulder beside the Wind and Rain Pool. His pair of narrow, ink-blue eyes coldly swept over Shen Guorong once before quickly looking away, as if seeing him once had dirtied his own eyes.
Su Xiyan coughed and said: “Junior brother, you forgot to put on clothes again.”
Zhao Jiuxiao frowned, his voice low: “You humans are truly troublesome.”
Though he said this, he still kicked the water surface with his foot. Countless water droplets condensed into a dark robe, which he casually hooked with his hand and draped over his shoulders, covering half his body.
Su Xiyan looked up once, then lowered his head, his ears turning red: “Junior brother, put it on properly.”
Zhao Jiuxiao was annoyed and said irritably: “I already have it on.”
Su Xiyan had no choice but to run over, half-closing his eyes as he pulled up Zhao Jiuxiao’s robe that had slipped off half his shoulder, skillfully helping him tie his sash and arrange his robes.
Though Zhao Jiuxiao’s face showed violent irritation, he still forced himself not to lash out, frowning as he let Su Xiyan dress him properly.
After dressing, Zhao Jiuxiao tugged at the tightly wrapped robes and frowned: “Clothes are so annoying.”
Su Xiyan said quietly: “But there are distinctions between men and women.”
Zhao Jiuxiao reluctantly refrained from tearing at his clothes again.
Supporting his head with his hand, legs crossed, the newly donned robe slightly parted, revealing two long, jade-like legs. He glanced coldly at Shen Guorong and said: “No wonder he reeks.”
Shen Guorong: “…”
What stench? Explain yourself!
Flood dragons and phoenixes had never gotten along well. Every meeting inevitably led to fights. Smelling the phoenix spiritual power, Zhao Jiuxiao’s face grew even more irritated.
“You want me to help him refine it?”
Su Xiyan nodded.
Zhao Jiuxiao narrowed his eyes and suddenly said cheerfully: “Fine.”
Even though Zhao Jiuxiao had agreed, Shen Guorong still didn’t let his guard down, because he instinctively knew there would definitely be unreasonable demands afterward.
Sure enough, Zhao Jiuxiao’s narrow eye corners lifted slightly as he stuck out his tongue to lick the corner of his lips, revealing two slightly elongated small fangs.
Staring at Shen Guorong, he drew out his tone, the corners of his lips curving up in a half-smile: “Beg me.”
Shen Guorong: “…”
Su Xiyan felt somewhat embarrassed. Shen Fengxue and Zhao Jiuxiao had never gotten along. For this kind of perfect opportunity to kick someone when they’re down, Zhao Jiuxiao would definitely not let it pass easily. He just hadn’t expected him to humiliate Shen Fengxue so thoroughly.
To make a cultivation master at the peak of power say the word “beg”—if Shen Fengxue weren’t currently in child form, the two would surely be fighting already.
Su Xiyan was lost in thought about how to defuse the situation when he suddenly heard Shen Guorong say coolly: “Beg you? Fine.”
Su Xiyan was startled.
Zhao Jiuxiao also opened his eyes wide, leaning forward slightly, elbows on his knees, chin propped on his hands as he said with interest: “Oh? You’re actually willing?”
Shen Guorong methodically wiped the jade marrow in his hands, saying casually: “If just one word of begging can get senior brother to help Shiyi transform, I’ll be sure to speak well of fifth senior brother’s contributions to Master afterward.”
Zhao Jiuxiao: “…”
Su Xiyan: “…”
Su Xiyan’s expression was strange, as if he hadn’t expected his usually detached eleventh junior brother to learn how to tattle.
Zhao Jiuxiao’s face turned cold as he said icily: “Are you threatening me?”
Shen Guorong smiled and said: “Just truthfully telling Master of fifth senior brother’s hard work, so his good intentions won’t be wasted. I don’t know which of Shiyi’s words counts as a threat?”
Su Xiyan lowered his eyes to hide his laughter.
Zhao Jiuxiao’s vertical pupils seemed to brew violent storms. He stared at Shen Guorong for a long time before rising from the water, his black robes flowing down his tall figure.
Stepping on the waters of the Wind and Rain Pool, he slowly approached, staring intently at Shen Guorong as he said casually: “Fine, I agree. Senior sister, you should go back first.”
Su Xiyan hesitated: “You… you know your limits, right?”
Zhao Jiuxiao smiled coldly, showing his two fangs, his smile not reaching his eyes: “I naturally know my limits.”
Only then did Su Xiyan turn and leave.
Shen Guorong maintained an expressionless face while internally crying out: Senior sister! Don’t leave, senior sister! He’s going to swallow me! His eyes are swallowing me!!
Senior sister didn’t have Mu Zhe’s mind-reading abilities and left quite gracefully.
Soon, only the two of them remained in the vast Wind and Rain Pool.
Zhao Jiuxiao had already walked in front of Shen Guorong, looking down at him. He suddenly smiled and said: “Eleventh junior brother, come.”
Shen Guorong: “…”
Don’t smile—it makes me even more afraid.
Though Zhao Jiuxiao had joined the righteous cultivation sect, his nature raised by Nan Yangjun remained. He fundamentally disliked wearing human clothing. Seeing Su Xiyan had left, he directly untied his robes and entered the Wind and Rain Pool completely naked, with only his long hair covering most of his body, barely avoiding complete exposure.
Shen Guorong: “…”
Zhao Jiuxiao’s slightly wavy long hair fell behind him, with a few black strands clinging to his cheeks, inexplicably making him appear sensual. He called to Shen Guorong: “Come.”
Shen Guorong silently exhaled and said coldly: “Come where?”
Zhao Jiuxiao: “Into the water.”
Shen Guorong said: “I currently have a mortal body and cannot hold my breath underwater.”
Zhao Jiuxiao’s eyes curved: “Isn’t that even better?”
Shen Guorong: “…”
Just as Shen Guorong was about to retreat, a dragon tail suddenly emerged from the water, wrapping around his waist and lightly dragging him into the water.
Shen Guorong didn’t even have a chance to cry out before his whole body was submerged. The surrounding icy coldness pressed against his limbs, making him shiver imperceptibly.
Struggling to open his eyes, he saw Zhao Jiuxiao with a human upper body but dragon tail lower half, his seaweed-like long hair floating in the water, making him look like a water spirit dragging people to their depths.
Zhao Jiuxiao could breathe normally underwater. Squinting, he circled Shen Guorong twice before suddenly approaching from behind, leaning close to his ear and saying in a low voice: “What virtue or ability do you have to earn Master’s favor?”
Shen Guorong didn’t know if he’d been scared senseless, but his heart was calm, and he no longer felt afraid. He turned his head to glance coldly at Zhao Jiuxiao, thinking: just because this young master is beautiful as a flower.
Zhao Jiuxiao’s ink-blue pupils were full of hatred and violence: “Many people beg and can’t even get one glance from Master, yet you treat his favor like trash. Shen Fengxue, who do you think you are?”
Shen Guorong’s pupils contracted. Treating it like trash?
Was the relationship between Nan Yangjun and Shen Fengxue actually very bad?
Seeing his pale face, Zhao Jiuxiao felt quite pleased. His dragon tail swept out, hitting Shen Guorong’s lower abdomen and sending him plummeting rapidly, crashing into the bottom of the Wind and Rain Pool with a thunderous impact.
Shen Guorong nearly spat out a mouthful of blood. His breath finally completely dissipated as he struggled to swim upward, but Zhao Jiuxiao forcibly pressed him down at the bottom.
“Don’t move.” Zhao Jiuxiao said coldly. “If phoenix spiritual power refinement goes wrong, it could level all of Li Ren Peak. Do you want to kill everyone?”
Shen Guorong glared at him fiercely, thinking: refine if you’re going to refine—did you have to be so damn rude about it?
It wasn’t known if Zhao Jiuxiao was venting personal grievances. After pressing Shen Guorong at the bottom and seeing his face grow paler and paler, he finally placed his hand on Shen Guorong’s brow, and a surge of demon spiritual power forcefully drilled in.
Shen Guorong’s pupils dilated wide.
Zhao Jiuxiao’s flood dragon spiritual power was as domineering as the man himself, completely unlike Xi Guxing’s gentle spiritual power. Instead, it swept through Shen Guorong’s spiritual consciousness and meridians like a violent wind, gathering up all the phoenix spiritual power hidden in his meridians wherever it passed.
That dragon spiritual power was like a hurricane passing through. In no time, it had driven all the phoenix spiritual power into Shen Guorong’s dantian core.
Shen Guorong had already closed his eyes. His long-dormant core began spinning rapidly as the phoenix spiritual power entered, operating completely independently of his spiritual consciousness as it began devouring the phoenix spiritual power.
Zhao Jiuxiao was helping him refine the spiritual power when he suddenly discovered something. He opened his eyes wide, looking at Shen Guorong in amazement.
“Your core…”
Before he could finish, Shen Guorong, who had kept his eyes tightly shut, suddenly opened them and slapped Zhao Jiuxiao’s shoulder, saying coldly: “Move!”
Before Zhao Jiuxiao could react, Shen Guorong’s core had completely refined the phoenix spiritual power. That power not only instantly returned him to his original form, but the excess even made his cultivation more abundant—just one opportunity away from ascending to sainthood.
The remaining phoenix spiritual power was indeed as Zhao Jiuxiao had said—if it had erupted above the Wind and Rain Pool, the spiritual power could have shattered Li Ren Peak’s Spirit Boundary Monument.
Zhao Jiuxiao was caught off guard and directly hit by that surge of spiritual power in his shoulder, crashing into the boulder with a bang.
Zhao Jiuxiao spat out a mouthful of blood.
Even a Nascent Soul strike couldn’t disturb the Wind and Rain Pool for an instant, but this time the entire pool seemed swept by a hurricane, its surface churning with turbulent waves, even causing Li Ren Peak to shake momentarily.
At the bottom of the Wind and Rain Pool, Shen Guorong’s white hair floated as he slowly opened his eyes.
Zhao Jiuxiao had already transformed into his massive demon form at the pool bottom, roaring fiercely at Shen Guorong: “Shen Fengxue, let’s fight.”
Shen Guorong: “…”
Shen Guorong looked at himself, his lips twitching slightly.
Excuse me, let me find some clothes first.
With his spiritual power fully restored, Shen Guorong followed Zhao Jiuxiao’s earlier method, waving his hand to condense water droplets into a white robe that wrapped around his tall body.
After dressing properly, Shen Guorong finally breathed a light sigh of relief. Unlike the shameless Zhao Jiuxiao, he couldn’t run around naked with a straight face.
He glanced at Zhao Jiuxiao, estimated his cultivation level, then sneered: “You can’t beat me.”
Zhao Jiuxiao said coldly: “You only have half a core now—whether you can win is another matter.”
Shen Guorong was somewhat surprised. Half a core? Why did he only have half a core?
Zhao Jiuxiao seemed confident of victory. Taking advantage of Shen Guorong’s daze, he directly opened his mouth, intending to brazenly swallow him whole.
But just as he charged forward, Zhao Jiuxiao’s whole body stiffened as he said irritably: “What did you bring?!”
Shen Guorong was stunned, looking down at the bright red small garment scattered to one side.
He suddenly had an ominous premonition and said expressionlessly: “Tenth senior brother gave me a packet of poisonous herbs to die together with you.”
Zhao Jiuxiao: “…”
Zhao Jiuxiao roared: “Little waste!!!”
He howled once and directly dove down, carrying Shen Guorong on his broad back and rushing out of the Wind and Rain Pool with lightning speed, bringing up a massive splash.
Moments later, the entire Wind and Rain Pool was filled with poisonous mist.