Chapter 135 A Deadly Trap (with Winter Solstice Side Story) This is a cycle that repeats itself...

"Huang Ning? You mean Xichuang is the child that Luo Ping'an took away?" Lian Quesheng staggered a few steps and almost fell to the ground. He originally thought that he had given Xichuang the token and sent a message to the people of Bailuzhou, and that he would be able to get there in half a day at most.

But... but unexpectedly, another accident happened halfway through. Huang Ning, a name that Lian Quesheng always remembered. In the old manor, among so many paper figures and graves, Huang Ning was the only one who escaped and survived on Bailuzhou.

But he never expected that this person... this person would be Xi Chuang.

"Actually, you don't need to blame yourself. This is what he had to go through. You didn't do anything wrong, and neither did Xichuang, but it just happened. This may be fate, a tribulation that Xichuang was destined to have, and a suffering he had to endure in order to meet you."

“Xichuang died a long time ago. The last surviving old friend in Gurenzhuang was named Huang Ning. These things are all false. In fact, there is no one left alive in Gurenzhuang.” Xiang Zhanyi’s expression was deep. “I don’t know much. Xichuang doesn’t like to tell others about his past. I only found out this after I had been drinking.”

"If you want to know something, the best thing to do is ask him yourself. He won't tell me, but if you ask, he will definitely tell you. Young Master Lian, you are Xi Chuang's master and his savior. He cares about you a lot, even though he has done many wrong things for you. I hope that in the end—"

"Give him a break?" Lian Quesheng took the initiative to speak. "I don't know how to talk about what happened between the two of us, but the harm he caused to Jiang Yu and Shen Jiuxu is something I can't forgive on his behalf."

"No, I hope that even if you don't love him in the end, you won't hate him." Xiang Zhanyi knew that Xi Chuang had done many bad things, and even he himself was somewhat related to him. "Young Master Lian, let me take you there. You shouldn't use your spiritual power anymore."

"Thanks."

The sky was as dark as if it had been splashed with ink, all the clouds swirling together as if to swallow people whole. Jiang Yu had a scar on his right cheek, from a bolt of lightning that had grazed him. His body was controlling Xian Chen, while Xian Chen was healing the villagers in the distance, so at least 60% of his spiritual power had been diverted.

Jiang Yu seemed to be struggling to cope with these heavenly lightning bolts.

This time, the heavenly lightning wasn't his to begin with, and he showed no mercy when striking people, treating Jiang Yu as an imposter ascended disciple. One lightning bolt after another struck, and before the previous one had even subsided, an even more ruthless one would already be striking, leaving people overwhelmed.

Jiang Yu coughed up a mouthful of blood and knelt on the ground. Unbeknownst to him, a bolt of dark purple lightning struck from behind. "Jiang Yu, be careful!"

In his panic, Shen Jiuxu tried to help him but couldn't move. He stared at Xi Chuang with his eyes wide open. Xi Chuang tilted his head, his face revealing an almost cruel innocence and naivety. His sword was held in front of Shen Jiuxu's neck, and he laughed, "Sect Master Shen seems even more nervous than Young Master Jiang. What, are you so distressed to see someone undergoing tribulation?"

"Then Sect Leader Shen should understand my feelings for Master. When I saw Master lying unconscious on the bed, I was just as scared and anxious. I wished it was me lying on the bed instead of him."

Xi Chuang said earnestly, claiming that he had given Lian Quesheng his whole heart, "I would die for him."

"Then why don't you just die?"

Shen Jiuxu had never said such vicious words before. This was the first time he had been pushed to the limit. He didn't want to look at the west window, and he didn't want to hear him talk about his deep affection for Lian Quesheng. It made him feel nauseous.

"Do you think that just because you're deeply in love with Lian Quesheng, he'll also fall for a vicious and ruthless beast who hides behind people's backs and harms others? He treated you like a disciple, teaching you and saving your life in every way, but in the end, he raised a piece of trash that's worse than a pig or a dog. Do you really think Lian Quesheng would be happy about that?"

"If he really liked you, why did you drug him? Why did you force him? Why did you make him forget those things? You just didn't dare to!" Shen Jiuxu was furious. Xi Chuang had hurt his Daoist partner and harmed his friend. He couldn't suppress his anger at all.

“Xichuang, besides doing dirty tricks behind people's backs, what else do you dare to do? If it weren't for your medicine, the poison in his body wouldn't have flared up so quickly. You know perfectly well what you did to him during the month he disappeared. After he came back from his grandfather's place, why did he avoid you? Why didn't he get timely treatment when he caught a cold? Why did he send you to manage the newly recruited disciples? Wasn't it all to keep him away from you?”

"He doesn't want to see you at all."

Shen Jiuxu couldn't hold back any longer; he never thought he could say so much. "Is that really love? You've ruined him."

"Shut up!" Xi Chuang raised his eyebrows, his hands trembling with anger. "He likes me, he likes me a lot, he can't live without me. I am Lian Quesheng's only disciple, and everything I do is for his own good."

A flash of lightning illuminated the狰狞 (zhengning - ferocious/hideous) face behind the west window.

“Once Jiang Yu successfully ascends to heaven, I will take his body and give it to Lian Quesheng. Then, Lian Quesheng and I will be together forever in the Jade Terrace and Silver Palace. I have already thought of everything for him. All of Lian Quesheng’s pain and suffering will disappear. I have chosen the best life for him and paved the way for him. All he needs to do is love me.”

Xi Chuang was furious and blurted out his true thoughts in a panic.

"Sect Master Shen, did you hear that? Why don't you take this opportunity to look at your Daoist partner a little longer, because soon you won't be able to see him anymore."

Xi Chuang snorted coldly. He was certain that things would succeed, and he didn't care about what Shen Jiuxu, Jiang Yu, or the others present thought. "Is there anyone else in the world who is better to Lian Quesheng than me? Only I am truly good to him."

His voice was deafening, and Jiang Yu certainly heard it, but the heavenly lightning was already halfway through, and he couldn't give up halfway. Moreover, if he could successfully ascend and greatly increase his cultivation, he might be able to use the Xianchen Sword to save people again.

Jiang Yu could only try his best. His body had already been struck by lightning all over. His original blue clothes were stained red with blood and gradually turned blackish-brown, completely losing their original luster.

Jiang Yu frowned as the pain spread throughout his body. He gritted his teeth, but it was no use. Shen Jiuxu kept an eye on his expression. His hands behind his back twitched slightly, and his face turned several times paler than before.

The gloomy sky concealed his changes, and for some reason, the pain in Jiang Yu's body suddenly disappeared. Instead, a gentle spiritual energy, like a babbling spring, flowed through his body, repairing every defect, like the vigorous life force bursting forth as all things revive.

The fragrance of flowers lingered around his nose. Jiang Yu smelled it; it was a familiar scent. He looked up and saw Shen Jiuxu smiling at him, and suddenly something occurred to him.

This body essentially belongs to Shen Jiuxu. He must have sensed his own pain, so the spiritual power is also his. Just as he has always promised, he will always stand firmly behind Jiang Yu, supporting him, even if it means being shattered to pieces and paying a great price, he will help Jiang Yu.

No, tears streamed down his face. Shen Jiuxu's injuries hadn't fully healed, and his spiritual power was weak. Now, in order to save him, he must have suffered a great loss. Jiang Yu didn't dare to think about how much pain and suffering Shen Jiuxu must be in.

They never take their own pain seriously, but when it comes to the people they cherish, everything changes.

Shen Jiuxu is also a human being. He feels pain, he cries, and he acts coquettishly towards Jiang Yu. At this moment, Jiang Yu really wants to tear Xi Chuang to pieces. Shen Jiuxu's injuries are all related to him.

He gritted his teeth and forced himself to stand up. These were the last few bolts of heavenly lightning. Jiang Yu turned sideways and faced the lightning with his bare hands. A golden light flashed across his pale face, making him look like a vengeful ghost from the depths of hell. The lightning seemed to be frightened and suddenly receded.

Just as Shen Jiuxu was about to breathe a sigh of relief, he saw the two bolts of lightning merge together, the roar resounding through the heavens and earth. The gale blew down trees, and Jiang Yu's thin body appeared small and helpless against the backdrop of the heavenly lightning.

"The second to last one."

Xi Chuang muttered that the time was almost up. He took out a white cotton thread from his sleeve, bit his finger, and soaked it with blood. Then, it was visible to the naked eye that Jiang Yu's spiritual power was reduced by half.

Shen Jiuxu dared not imagine what the consequences would be if this lightning bolt, twice as fierce as the previous one, struck Jiang Yu. He did not want another Daoist partner who was unconscious, nor did he want another Daoist partner with a severely injured wrist. He wanted his Daoist partner to live well.

Even knowing that Xichuang would do other bad things to Jiang Yu after his successful ascension, it was obvious that saving his life and surviving the tribulation was the most important thing.

The ascension three years ago not only left a shadow on Jiang Yu, but also left Shen Jiuxu with lingering fear. The fear that had been suppressed in his heart for a long time once again filled his mind. He didn't care about anything else. This time, even if he died, he didn't want Jiang Yu to get hurt again.

"Jiang Yu, take the sword."

Shen Jiuxu used all his strength to sever one of his arms. The moment the blood flowed, a flash of inspiration struck him, and in the blink of an eye, a wooden sword flew out.

This sword was formed from a part of his body. Based on Jiang Yu's understanding of him, this sword did not require any adaptation time and could exert its maximum effect in Jiang Yu's hands.

Jiang Yu raised his hand, and the wooden sword, as if recognizing its master, flew automatically into his hand. The wooden sword was very light, requiring little effort to wield, yet it was very nimble, comparable to the legendary famous swords.

With a swift movement, Jiang Yu's robes twirled in the air as the lightning bolt snapped in two. To him, this sword was like adding wings to a tiger, a timely gift in the snow. Jiang Yu had never seen this sword before, yet it seemed very familiar; he remembered that Shen Jiuxu had never used a wooden sword.

"This is the last one, Sect Master Shen. Take one last look at your Dao Companion. You'll be all alone from now on, so don't blame me for not warning you."

Xi Chuang burst into laughter. The thunder in the sky gathered together. One end of the blood-stained thread was wrapped around his right wrist, and the other end was thrown out and circled around Jiang Yu, trapping him firmly in this space.

"It's a life for a life."

Chu Jue exclaimed in surprise, recognizing this forbidden technique that defied the laws of heaven. It could no longer be called an ordinary life-for-life exchange. Just how audacious did Xi Chuang have to come up with such a method?

"Young Master Jiang, with the Life-Sharing Technique and the Life-for-Life Exchange, this is a dead end."

He shouted Jiang Yu's name, but what good would it do? Chu Jue couldn't find a way to break the deadlock.

Amidst the noise, Shen Jiuxu heard his voice and remembered seeing that ancient book in the Shen Wuke Library.

Born together, Jiang Yu was originally undergoing the tribulation of Xi Chuang. If he successfully ascends, Jiang Yu's body will become a symbiotic and interconnected entity with Xi Chuang, who is the one who controls everything. At that time, Jiang Yu will be like an ant in his hand.

In a life-for-life exchange, based on the premise of sharing the same fate, Jiang Yu's soul would be easily removed from his body by Xichuang, and then this body would be given to Lian Quesheng.

Therefore, Xichuang said that he and Lian Quesheng would be together forever in Yaotai Yinque, because Lian Quesheng used Jiang Yu's body and would also be trapped by Xichuang's side due to the Tong Sheng technique. He would be constantly perceived by Xichuang, who would know all his thoughts and have no self-respect whatsoever.

But if the ascension fails, it won't be Xi Chuang who dies, but Jiang Yu. Shen Jiuxu won't let him die, and Jiang Yu himself doesn't want to die either. Both Shen Jiuxu and Jiang Yu himself will fight desperately to overcome this tribulation. After this tribulation, it will be a life-for-life situation, a deadly predicament that can't be broken no matter how many times it happens.

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Author's note: Happy Winter Solstice! Best wishes to all those taking the postgraduate entrance exam! [kiss][kiss]

I wrote a short joke for everyone about the Winter Solstice:

Legend has it that you have to eat dumplings on the Winter Solstice, or your ears will freeze off.

Jiang Yu grew up with Zhou Yongyin and was influenced by him from a young age. He deeply believed in this custom and maintained that conviction even after he grew up.

It just so happens that today is the winter solstice. Shen Jiuxu was still asleep when Jiang Yu woke up. Not wanting to wake him, Jiang Yu quietly put on his clothes and tiptoed out of the house, making sure to close the door tightly behind him.

The snow started falling yesterday morning and has been falling for a day and a night now. The snow on the ground is very thick, almost up to Jiang Yu's calves. He has never seen such heavy snow before. All he sees is a beautiful silvery white.

Jiang Yu braved the snow to go to the kitchen. The charcoal fire made it much warmer tomorrow. He didn't know how to make dumplings, so even though he got up early and came to the kitchen, there was nothing he could do in front of a huge pile of ingredients.

While others say a skilled cook can't cook without rice, in his case, it was the opposite. He could only wait for Shen Jiuxu to wake up, but he was too embarrassed to just sit there, so he finally summoned a paper crane and asked it to go to the street to buy him two cookbooks.

The paper crane swayed back through the snow-covered landscape, carrying a two-finger-thick cookbook in its beak. Jiang Yu patted its head and opened the book to read it himself.

The first step is to knead the dough.

Simple, Jiang Yu prided himself on his talent and comprehension in swordsmanship, so kneading dough should be a piece of cake for him. However, the reality was quite different. The usually undefeated Young Master Jiang stumbled into his first major mishap, flour flying everywhere as he jumped and ran around the room.

"Cough cough cough—"

"Cough cough cough—"

This was harder than climbing to heaven, so Jiang Yu decided to give up halfway. Feeling a bit frustrated, he was about to take two fresh green radishes to wash when Shen Jiuxu came in from the doorway.

He guessed that Jiang Yu's red dress was missing from the closet, and that Jiang Yu had taken it. So he specially chose a similar color, which looked radiant from afar. Others might not know, but Jiang Yu was definitely captivated.

Why the long face?

Shen Jiuxu couldn't help but touch the flour on Jiang Yu's face, chuckled, and then tidied his messy hair. "Up so early?"

Today is the winter solstice.

Jiang Yu looked up and brought her face close to Shen Jiuxu's, asking him to clean the flour off for her. "We're going to eat dumplings, or you won't be able to see my ears tomorrow."

"Hmm," Shen Jiuxu looked him over carefully, and joked, "Without ears, will you be more obedient?"

Jiang Yu wanted to hit him, but Shen Jiuxu, afraid that he would get impatient, reached out and pulled him into his arms, kissed him, and said gently, "I'll make it for you."

"That's more like it."

Kneading the dough, chopping the filling, rolling out the wrappers, and wrapping the dumplings—all done in one go. Jiang Yu sat to the side and watched as Shen Jiuxu swiftly completed all the steps on his own, finally wrapping a whole bunch of dumplings, each one round and plump, exquisitely crafted, comparable to the jade pieces newly auctioned at Chunfeng Pavilion.

Shen Jiuxu enjoyed Jiang Yu's admiring gaze. His ears turned red, but Jiang Yu, sitting opposite him, didn't notice.

While the dumplings were cooking, Jiang Yu clung to his side, eagerly waiting. Shen Jiuxu picked one up for him to test if it was cooked, and Jiang Yu's eyes lit up like an adorable cat. He was absolutely smitten with Jiang Yu's expression. It was a tender, innocent side of him that no one else could see.

"It's cooked, it's delicious."

Jiang Yu gave Shen Jiuxu's masterpiece a perfect evaluation, like a machine that gushed praise: "The crust is delicious, the filling is delicious, the soup is delicious, everything you make is delicious."

"Then, Young Master Jiang, would you do me the honor of having a few more?"

"no problem."

The two were eating around the wooden table in the kitchen when there was a knock at the door. Shen Jiuxu stopped what he was doing, told Jiang Yu to continue eating, and went to open the door. Outside was Dianxing.

"Sect Leader Shen, this is... someone delivered it from outside. They said it was homemade dumplings for Sect Leader Shen and Young Master Jiang. The disciple said it was a woman with a child, but she didn't leave her name." Dianxing handed the basket containing the lunchbox to Shen Jiuxu. He guessed who it was. "It should be Madam Zhou. Sect Leader, should we keep it?"

"She hasn't shown up for a long time."

"Yes, if she comes again, please thank her for me." Shen Jiuxu guessed who it was. So many years have passed, he had long forgotten what his feelings were back then. He nodded and said, "Sect Master, Happy Winter Solstice, and also to Young Master Jiang."

Thank you, and happy Winter Solstice.

Dianxing smiled and waved to him. Gaoye and the old lady were still waiting for him to go back. After seeing that the person had gone far away, Shen Jiuxu closed the door and walked to the kitchen. Jiang Yu smiled when he saw him, a genuine smile from the bottom of his heart, full of warmth and love.

"This was sent over by Madam Zhou, would you like to try some?"

"Zhou—Qingnu, is that you?"

"Hmm." Shen Jiuxu opened the lid, and the dumplings were still steaming. The white mist between the two of them made it impossible for him to see the expression on Jiang Yu's face.

"Of course, I haven't tried it yet." Jiang Yu picked up his chopsticks, took a bite, and put it in his mouth. The delicious aroma made his eyebrows rise, and he couldn't hide the smile in his eyes.

"It's so delicious?"

"It's delicious, but most importantly, it makes me happy." The winter solstice is as important as the New Year, a time for family reunions. With his loved ones by his side and those who care about him in their hearts, Jiang Yu felt exceptionally fulfilled.

Two kinds of dumplings with different fillings and different shapes are placed together, close together, forming a complete circle.