Chapter 54

Chapter 54

Shuo Zong initially thought that there was something odd about the hotel, causing him to hear inexplicable voices whenever he closed his eyes, preventing him from resting.

Given his unique constitution, encountering such bizarre phenomena was truly uncommon.

However, it seemed that Wei Xi, who shared the same room, was completely unaffected. This left Shuo Zong perplexed.

After pondering with a furrowed brow for a long time without finding an explanation, he could only watch as Wei Xi got up and put back the jade pendant that had been placed on the pillow the previous night around his neck. As he glanced at the pendant, he unintentionally caught a glimpse of Wei Xi's bare upper body, which he had yet to cover with a T-shirt.

Wei Xi's hair stood messily in the morning sunlight, and his face still bore the impression of the pillow from just waking up. As he lifted his arms to dress, his slender waistline was clearly outlined, instantly reminding Shuo Zong of the tantalizing movements from the previous night in the darkness.

Shuo Zong: "..."

He quickly averted his gaze, no longer looking at the jade pendant. Wei Xi had mentioned that it was the sect leader's seal of Taicang Sect, and there was no malevolent aura or ominous energy attached to it. The problem couldn't be rooted in the pendant.

With no answer to his question, he got out of bed to freshen up. Entering the transparent bathroom inevitably led his thoughts astray, feeling uneasy being at the scene of the strange occurrence. Yet, Wei Xi was not at all embarrassed, standing by his disciple's side to wash his face and then turning to stare intently at him.

As Shuo Zong bent down to wash his face, the scrutiny became unbearable. Just as he was about to ask what Wei Xi was up to,

Wei Xi sniffed around his shoulder, leaning in closely. Shuo Zong watched as his face drew near, instinctively parting his lips for a fleeting kiss that lasted a few seconds. The nimble little tongue that had slipped into his mouth retreated just as swiftly.

Wei Xi savored the yang energy in his mouth, murmuring, "I'm hungry again after just waking up."

This is breakfast time.

Shuo Zong: "..."

Shuo Zong gazed at him with a complicated expression, watching as he casually and unapologetically behaved like a rogue. He himself couldn't fathom how things had escalated to this point.

He had never imagined such a scene before – him and Wei Xi, the two of them, one day sleeping entwined in a spacious double bed, then waking up to kiss side by side at the vanity in the morning.

It was simply...

Insane.

Wei Xi seemed oblivious to it all; perhaps he didn't even realize the significance of their actions. To him, it was merely about absorbing yang energy – from the body, from the lips, and then leaving peacefully after taking it.

But what about himself?

Shuo Zong gazed into the mirror, his face a blend of youth and adolescence. His features could broadly be deemed handsome, with deep, dark eyes that seemed to pierce through the reflection, studying himself intently.

The previous night, as he kissed those lips and held onto the leg that relentlessly rubbed against him, there was a fleeting moment when he wanted to yank down the other's loose pajama pants in one swift motion.

The icy cold mountain spring water splashed onto his face, and he exhaled a long, soothing breath.

But what would he have done after pulling them down?

Heh.

**********

In the dining hall, Unity Yi was engaged in a heated argument with Lu Wenqing: "The hell were you saying about not snoring? You not only snored but ground your teeth all night, keeping me awake!"

Lu Wenqing was equally annoyed: "How dare you blame me? Do you want me to count how many farts you let out under the covers?"

Unity Yi: "I let them out in my own bed, none of your business. You snuck into my bed in the middle of the night, and now you're blaming me? I was damn well worried you had ulterior motives!"

Lu Wenqing: "Pah! Stop being so narcissistic, you damn gay guy!"

These two unfortunate souls were assigned the same twin bed as Wei Xi and Shuo Zong. One could only wonder how they managed to endure the standardized hotel bathroom together.

Kuang Zhiming and his wife sat beside the Feng Daoist from Fengnian Temple, discussing the mountain's night breeze from the previous evening. Upon seeing Wei Xi and his second disciple appear, Kuang Zhiming greeted them, "Master Wei, did you have a good rest last night?"

Wei Xi pondered for a moment, recalling the mystical experiences of the previous night, and sincerely replied, "Very well."

Tuan Jieyi left behind the still-scolding Lu Wenqing and went to greet his master. Glancing at the junior apprentice by his master's side, he was immediately alarmed and asked, "Master, what happened to Junior Apprentice Brother? Why does he look like this early in the morning? It's as if he's... unsatisfied."

Wei Xi looked at his second disciple. Though he didn't understand the meaning of 'unsatisfied,' he could tell that his disciple was preoccupied and more somber than usual. He couldn't help but worry—could it be that he had absorbed too much yang energy and harmed him?

He hesitantly replied, "Perhaps it was because of last night..."

"Tuan Jieyi," the second disciple suddenly interrupted, his voice cold as he addressed Tuan Jieyi, "your curiosity is insatiable. Have you memorized the 'Comprehensive Source Incantations' yet?"

Tuan Jieyi: "............"

Ashamed, he slunk away, acknowledging that he couldn't afford to provoke his master. Before leaving, he couldn't resist stealing a glance back at his teacher. With a puzzled frown, he wondered if it was just his imagination, but their master seemed to be in an entirely different state compared to Junior Apprentice Brother. His complexion was rosy, his eyes clear, his mood pleasant, and his body relaxed. As his gaze wandered, he almost seemed to be...

It was as if they were in a state of profound satisfaction.

Cough, cough, cough. What was he thinking? He actually had thoughts about his own master.

United Righteousness covered his face in shame, recalling Lu Wenqing's gay comment about him. He felt even more embarrassed about his wild imagination.

The other Taoist masters in the restaurant also noticed the group from Taicang Sect. Unlike when they first entered the mountain, most of them were now paying attention. For example, the old Taoist from Zhi Mi Temple.

Initially, many of them assumed that the trio was just there to make up the numbers, as they had never heard of this temple despite being in the area for so long. Nowadays, esoteric studies were declining, and there were all sorts of people in the mix. Most genuine practitioners, who had inherited their teachings for generations, lived modestly and kept a low profile. They couldn't compare to those who had become Taoists halfway through their lives and merely pretended to be spiritual for profit. Therefore, when Kuang Zhiming introduced them as a newly established temple and mentioned their connection with Qiu Guokai's production team, they naturally categorized them as the latter.

However, after last night's joint exorcism of Fang Xiaojie, it was clear that they did not belong to the fraudulent group.

Finally, they put aside their prejudices and got to know the Taicang Sect members. One Taoist, upon learning that the sect was recently established, kindly asked, "Have you joined our local Taoist association?"

Wei Xi shook his head. He only learned about such an association from Kuang Zhiming. He realized that their sect was indeed quite informal. United Righteousness added guiltily, "We haven't had the chance yet."

Considering Wei Xi's abilities, everyone felt that Taicang Sect must have some background. Thus, someone offered generously, "No problem, no problem. We can recommend you to the association when we return."

Wei Xi was grateful. His father, Wei Dedao, had said that one of the signs of a powerful sect was the recognition from other sects. Since rebuilding Taicang Sect, he had been unsure how to approach this aspect. This person's help would undoubtedly solve a significant issue for him. "Thank you very much."

"What's the big deal?" The Taoist who spoke chuckled. "When the time comes, Daoist Wei just needs to hand over your Daoist certificates and those of your two disciples to the Religious Affairs Bureau."

Wei Xi: "???"

Tuan Jieyi: "What are you talking about?"

The master and disciple exchanged glances, both seeing the confusion in each other's eyes. Did the sect actually require Daoist certificates?

Shuo Zong watched them silently.

Seeing their reaction, the speaking Taoist was taken aback. "...Don't you have any identification? Your certificates of conversion or transmission?"

Tuan Jieyi looked at him innocently with his big, dewy eyes.

The man broke into a cold sweat under that gaze, confused. "Then what kind of certification does your temple have?"

Tai Cang Sect seemed quite reliable, so how could they not have Daoist certificates? This was like working without a license. But it wasn't impossible to join the association with other forms of identification, considering the country's strict regulations on this matter. Since their temple had already been established, the approval document from the Religious Affairs Bureau should...

Just as he was thinking this, Tuan Jieyi answered naively, "Would a business license work?"

Everyone: "......"

Unity Yi suddenly realized that their sect was operating without proper authorization, and Wei Xi also had no idea about the situation outside the mountain. If they couldn't claim the mountain as their territory, why did establishing a sect involve so many complicated procedures? The two masters and disciples were at a loss for what to do, and the others present were even more speechless. What on earth was going on with this Taicang Sect? Not getting approval was one thing, but the leader of the temple didn't even have any credentials...

Were they just winging it?

The crew had taken the day off and accompanied Qiu Guokai. As the ritual began, the female lead who had previously demanded to break her contract approached to watch the spectacle. She fiddled with the peach wood sword on the table, looking uneasy. "Will this ceremony actually work? Is there really a ghost in our production team?"

Qiu Guokai had pleaded for privacy regarding this issue, so everyone decided not to disclose Fang Xiaojie's situation to everyone. Although Fang Xiaojie wasn't responsible for the chaos in the team, his presence was still terrifying to most ordinary actors. Besides, this actress had been frightened enough to demand a contract termination before. If they told her the truth, it would only make matters worse.

Qiu Guokai immediately smiled and said, "Don't worry too much. It's just to dispel bad luck. What century is it? Why do you still believe in these things?"

Upon hearing this, Wei Xi glanced at the female lead. She seemed much reassured by Qiu Guokai's words. However, standing just a step away from her, Fang Xiaojie was pointing angrily and glaring at her with obvious jealousy. "You got such a great role but don't cherish it. How many times have you even read the script since joining the team? Are you worthy of your pay? A mere vase! No substance! Whoever made you famous must be blind!"

The female lead remained oblivious. After putting down the peach wood sword, she pledged her loyalty to Qiu Guokai. "Maybe I've been reading the script every day and got too immersed in my character."

Fang Xiaojie exclaimed, "Ugh, shameless! You don't even blink when you lie!"

Wei Xi: "..."

He turned to his second disciple and sighed, "Human emotions are truly complicated."

Even as a ghost, it seemed.

Upon hearing this, the second disciple glanced indifferently at Fang Xiaojie. Wei Xi then witnessed Fang Xiaojie, who was still passionately cursing the female supporting character, vanish as if he had seen a ghost.

Wei Xi asked in confusion, "He seems very afraid of you. What did you do to him?"

The second disciple remained calm and unperturbed, pretending to be ignorant, "Is that so? You must have misread the situation."