As soon as the words left his mouth, Yin Wangzhi suddenly widened his eyes, the astonishment and excitement in his gaze clearly visible to Yu Sheng.
At such a close distance, even the slightest change in expression couldn't be hidden. Yin Wangzhi's eyes had a cold, sharp line; a slightly cold expression could make him seem fierce, but now, due to the slightly dilated pupils, Yu Sheng discerned a hint of innocence and cuteness.
Yes, just like when he was healing at the bottom of the cliff, this was his most authentic self. He wasn’t good at disguising himself and always prepared for the worst. When he encountered good things and kindness, he showed an expression like this.
Yu Sheng felt a bit puzzled. After so long, didn’t Yin Wangzhi still believe that his master would treat him well, that he would be tolerant, caring, and protective of him?
Wasn’t this emotional fluctuation a bit exaggerated?
Why was his face slightly flushed? His breathing was unstable too?
Hey, why did he suddenly hug him and not let go?!
Yu Sheng was caught off guard by Yin Wangzhi's sudden movement, feeling bewildered. However, he still held the wine cup high in the air, afraid to move it and spill it, so he could only let his disciple embrace him tightly, nearly losing his breath from the force.
Right! Yu Sheng's mind sparked with understanding. He realized.
Yin Wangzhi must have drunk too much! He had just said that he was easily drunk when he had something on his mind, so it must be because of this.
After figuring it out, Yu Sheng felt relieved. He struggled to bend his arm behind Yin Wangzhi’s back, trying to bring the wine cup to his lips before it spilled, gulping it down with a loud “glug.”
Yu Sheng:…
Yin Wangzhi:…
That was… so loud! Why did the sound of swallowing suddenly become so pronounced? Was it because he was tilting his head back?!
It had to have been heard—ah, no!!!
Yin Wangzhi silently let go of him, his gaze complicated and hesitant. Finally, he silently retrieved a large wine jar from beside the tree, using his powers to collect all the wine droplets that had fallen from the earlier impact.
Not a single drop wasted.
Yu Sheng:…?!
Was he going to drink a whole barrel?!
He quickly grabbed Yin Wangzhi, worriedly advising, “Drinking too much isn’t good. You’re already drunk; you can’t drink any more. Calm down.”
Yin Wangzhi paused in his movements, looking at Yu Sheng with confusion. “These are for Master. You can drink as much as you want.”
Misunderstood…
Yu Sheng sighed in relief, a smile spreading across his face. “This much is too precious. Even if I drank three cups a day for twenty-three days… I still wouldn’t finish it.”
Then his smile froze—ah, he accidentally revealed his earlier calculation.
Yin Wangzhi, however, didn’t find it awkward. He simply smiled and said, “After two weeks, Master can come to get more.”
Well then… I won’t be polite.
Yu Sheng, feeling increasingly tempted by the scent, thought accepting his disciple's filial piety was fine, and decided to begrudgingly accept it, his face slightly flushed from embarrassment.
Of course, it could also be the wine making him blush, as "Drunken Time" directly affected the soul.
Hmm… but this wine jar was quite large. While it was fine to store it in his space, putting it into “his clothes” in front of Yin Wangzhi might be a bit visually startling.
Yu Sheng cleared his throat, lowering his voice slightly, and waved his hand toward Yin Wangzhi. “Um, you… you should close your eyes for a moment.”
Yin Wangzhi took a deep breath, his eyes widening in disbelief as he asked, “Close… my eyes…?”
This question made Yu Sheng feel that he was being overly dramatic, a bit tipsy. Was there a rule that one couldn't watch when receiving a gift? This wine was indeed powerful…
He was about to backtrack when, just as he uttered “Forget it…” he saw Yin Wangzhi urgently and hurriedly shout, “Don’t!”
Then, he obediently and swiftly shut his eyes tight, as if he were suppressing the yin energy around him.
Yu Sheng was taken aback and suddenly felt touched by his disciple's thoughtfulness. Not wanting to let down his disciple’s heartfelt gesture, he swiftly moved the wine jar into his space.
Perhaps this was the joy of receiving, even if the one who planted it wasn’t him.
Once he finished all this and returned to face Yin Wangzhi, he found the ghost king’s intoxication more pronounced. His eyes were tightly shut, looking quite tense, as if he sensed Yu Sheng's return and moved his Adam's apple, licking his thin, pale lips.
“Wangzhi?”
Yu Sheng called out to him, but Yin Wangzhi refused to open his eyes. His condition looked very strange. If one were to perceive carefully, they might notice some chaotic energy being suppressed with great effort. His eyes appeared desperate to open yet remained tightly shut.
Unusual. Too unusual. There was definitely something going on. Was he completely drunk?
Or was it that… the inner demons that had been relatively calm before suddenly retaliated?!
Yu Sheng’s heart jolted, and his demeanor grew serious. Compared to the sword spirit’s loss of control earlier, Yin Wangzhi's inner demons would undoubtedly cause greater harm.
To further investigate Yin Wangzhi’s condition, Yu Sheng reached out to him, intending to check the ghost king’s neck. After all, he was a ghost, not a human, so examining here was more reliable than checking the pulse at the wrist.
Yin Wangzhi was slightly taller than him, and even when using his original form, he was a bit taller. Yu Sheng stood close, tilting his head slightly. The moment his fingertips lightly touched the skin on Yin Wangzhi's neck, the ghost king suddenly moved.
In an unexpected turn, Yin Wangzhi swiftly reached out, fast enough that the slightly inebriated Yu Sheng couldn’t react in time. He grabbed Yu Sheng's arm, pulling him into his embrace, almost crashing into each other. Yu Sheng thought he had suddenly been taken over by his inner demons and was about to resort to violence, sending a chill down his spine, and everything went black.
Wait, his… lips…!
Their lips had collided!
Yu Sheng was so shocked by the terrifying coincidence that his mind went blank, his eyes wide as saucers! Meanwhile, Yin Wangzhi still had his eyes tightly shut, completely unaware, and after that sudden attack, he remained motionless!
Yu Sheng was stunned, trembling, his mind short-circuited… then he felt a sharp pain in his front teeth and upper lip.
“Ugh…”
Wake up a bit, disciple! Don’t let the inner demons take control! You can’t just give up here! You’re supposed to be the protagonist!!!
Perhaps he heard Yu Sheng's inner cries; however, Yin Wangzhi… still did not react.
But suddenly, a powerful voice roared from the side!
“Yin Wangzhi, let go of Master!!!”
Taking advantage of this, Yu Sheng pushed Yin Wangzhi away, breaking free from the embrace that felt even sturdier than a mother’s. He turned his head to see Wen Jiu rushing in from afar.
Ah, the third disciple who answered the call of my soul, you’ve come at just the right time.
This was the first time Yu Sheng had seen Wen Jiu so full of energy. His mind was still a bit muddled, and his lips seemed to be cut, slightly warm and stinging. By the time Wen Jiu got closer in the blink of an eye, Yu Sheng remembered he needed to explain the situation. He swung his feather duster to stand between his two disciples, serious and earnest, saying, “Wen Jiu! Quick! Assist me in protecting the law! Your senior brother's inner demons have rebounded!”
Both disciples were taken aback simultaneously. With his back to Yin Wangzhi, Yu Sheng could only see Wen Jiu's unusual expression—doubtful, surprised, and complex—his emotions mixed and slightly distorted, as if what he had heard wasn’t a dangerous situation but rather some strange tale.
It seemed that the ghost king's reputation was so fearsome and invincible, so high above, that even his own junior brother couldn't connect him to inner demons…
Yu Sheng couldn't help but feel a bit pained, but there was no time for that. He hurriedly turned to set up a barrier, pulling out suitable medicine to force Yin Wangzhi to take.
Wen Jiu took a deep breath. “Master, you’re still protecting him?! With how he looks, this is clearly not a case of inner demons acting up! It’s obviously—” The latter part of his words seemed hard to say, and he swallowed it down.
Yu Sheng found it strange, holding the pill and looking at Yin Wangzhi. The latter was exuding a murderous aura; his eyes? Red. His breath? Chaotic. No problem there—it was either inner demons or he was losing control.
Wen Jiu was stunned, looking at the scene before him, unable to distinguish who was acting and who was deceiving.
Yin Wangzhi boldly took the medicine, seizing the moment to tightly hold Master’s hand, suddenly chuckling lightly, “Yes, it was the inner demons’ fault, but it’s all good now. What’s wrong, junior brother? Don’t you believe me?”
The inner demons had come swiftly but left just as quickly. Before he could even discern the characteristics of the inner demons, Yin Wangzhi had already regained his composure. Yu Sheng sighed in relief, feeling it wasn’t too serious.
Perhaps it was easier for him to maintain self-control in his own territory?
Yu Sheng sensed that Wen Jiu's emotions were off. He advised, “It’s nothing serious. Even if it’s not the inner demons, it’s just drunkenness; no harm done, no one suffered losses.”
Wen Jiu was staring intensely at Yu Sheng's lips. Yu Sheng realized this and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, looking down to see the bloodstains. He shrugged it off casually, “Oh, this? It’s just a small injury, nothing painful. It’s all a misunderstanding; he didn’t mean it.”
After a moment of silence, Wen Jiu’s gaze suddenly softened, and he laughed, though it was a bit strange. “I see… a misunderstanding.”
He raised his hand, hovering before Yu Sheng's lips. After a faint white light passed, the small wound healed without a trace. After finishing, he lowered his hand, glancing at Yin Wangzhi with meaningful intent, saying, “It really is a pure misunderstanding, isn’t it, Ghost King Yin?”
Yin Wangzhi felt uncomfortable at his expression and tone, frowning. “What do you mean?”
“The literal meaning.” Wen Jiu replied, shrugging. “Master speaks the truth, and naturally, I must believe it. Has the Ghost King forgotten? My heavenly eye can see many things, like emotions… and such.”
No matter what methods Yin Wangzhi used or how overly sentimental he became, Wen Jiu didn’t care anymore. The colors of those emotions he had seen couldn’t lie; if there were no feelings, then there were no feelings—even embarrassment and nervousness were absent…
Ghost King Yin Wangzhi was still far from it. Wen Jiu returned to his usual gentle and polite demeanor, looking at Yu Sheng, “It was my disciple who acted impulsively; please don’t blame him, Master.”
Comments