CHAPTER SEVEN

Jian Qiang furrowed his eyebrows as he meditated, something was disturbing him, once he opened his eyes he heard a Guqin play downstairs.

He slowly opened the door and made his way downstairs. The melody he could hear was not pleasant, it was sinister and he could feel his Qi weaken with each note he heard.

With a flick of his sleeve of  his robe, his red wooden Zheng emerged and he plucked the highest note strings so hard everyone in the room hissed at the sound.

Zixin looked at Jian Ji with wide eyes.

"Jian Qiang? what's wrong?" He asked once he came towards him.

"That man is weakening everyone's Qi, he's an evil cultivator!"

Everyone in the room gasped and drew their swords, the man laughed at them, their cores were weakened so they couldn't stand a chance with a sword fight against him.

"It seems we have a cultivator from higher ground, what brings you here huh?" He asked, his question aimed at Jian Ji.

"What i came here to do is none of your business"

Before Zixin could take in what just happened, the two men had drawn their swords and a fight started, with Jian Ji earning the upper hand.

He watched as their swords clashed agaisnt each other, the bustling wind emitted made everyone run off.

"Such evil tricks will not go unpunished" Jiang Ji growled making the green robed man laugh in his face before a green mist was spit in his eyes.

"Jian Ji!"

Before they knew it, the man had escaped and Jian Ji wiped the green powder that was mixed with saliva off his face.

"Are you okay? Can you see?" Zixin asked making him chuckle.

"I'm fine, the powder is harmless, clearly a distraction"

Zixin sighed in relief.

"I can't believe a person like that could use such tricks"

"They're called evil cultivators for a reason"

Zixin nodded and helped him upstairs, the way to the room seemed short because Jian Ji wanted to feel Zixin's warmth even more.

"Are you sure you're okay? I can make you soup"

"I'm fine but I'm a little cold" he says hoping the younger would take the bait.

Zixin piled blanket after blanket but Jian Ji said he was still cold, with one last resort, he joined him in bed.

"Are you fine now?" He asks, their bodies were pressed against each other.

"Mn...much better"

He sighed and closed his eyes welcoming sleep.

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In the morning, Jian Ji woke up with Zixin in his arms, he smiled at the view he was looking at, Zixin was drooler.

He traced a finger over his lips, then his neck, then his chest. His eyes widened when he felt something poke his thigh.

"If you keep touching me like that i wouldn't be able to keep you safe Ji Ji"

He gasped and pulled away from his embrace making him fall off the bed. Zixin yawned and stretched his hands over his hand cracking them into position.

"You sleep naked?" Jian Ji asked in shock.

"I got hot, who sleeps with ten blankets anyway" Zixin says before standing up revealing his naked body.

Jian Ji felt something hot and wet flow out of his nose.

"Eh? You are bleeding let me help"

"NO! Just....I'll handle it" he says quickly going to the other side of the room.

Zixin shrugged and put on his clothes, what was the big deal anyway, they were both men unless.....

"Brother Ji Ji, are you somehow...a woman?"

The question earned him a cold glare, he chuckled nervously.

"Hehehe...My bad"

═───────◇───────═

Zixin's tummy grumbled in hunger, Jian Ji was still bathing and he had forgotten to ask for some money for food.

Deciding to act on instinct, he walked out of the room to find some food.

Jian Ji walked out of the room with expectations of finding Zixin downstairs waiting for him but he was nowhere to be found.

"Where did he run off to now" he says quietly walking out of the inn.

What he saw however was something he didn't expect, Zixin pretending to be a fortune teller. He walked slowly to the small crowd.

"Your palm my dear tells me that you're an only child, your father is pressuring you to marry to give him some grandchildren" he says, the young woman gasped and nodded making the audience clap and throw money at his table.

Once the woman left, Jian Ji sat down startling Zixin.

If he doesn't read his palm then the people will demand their money back, he has to do this.

He took his big hand and traced a line along his palm.

"You have a secret....something so big that you're afraid that it will ruin your life"

Jian Ji snatched his hand back with wide eyes.

"How did you know that?" He asked.

Luckily for Zixin, it was enough of a confirmation that he was right, they threw the rest of their money at him before walking away leaving the two males.

"Your eyes tell it all....this secret you're bearing....it's weighing you down, no wonder you can't focus"

Jian Ji sighed and avoided his gaze, he wants to share this but he doesn't know how Zixin will react.

"I...."

"You....??"

He sighed and stood up.

"I was looking for you everywhere, why did you run off?"

"To make some money, i was hungry?"

Zixin was pulled by the waist making him squeak.

"If you do that again, I won't be able to keep you safe"

Zixin blushed and looked at him.

"The same safety i meant this morning?"

"That's for you to figure out"

═───────◇───────═

Jian Ji smiled feeling Zixin's arms tightly wrap around his waist as they rode the horse together, they were heading to Qingcheng and if they don't stop, they'll be there by tomorrow night.

"I'm tired, can we stop?"

"No, keep quiet"

Zixin frowned, an idea popped up in his mind and he snickered before setting it to motion.

Jian Ji suddenly saw the sky go upside down before he landed on the top of his head on the ground, the horse stopped feeling the shift in weight.

"What is wrong with you!?" He yelled.

Zixin turned around with fake shock on his face.

"Brother Ji Ji, are you okay? You fell of the horse, you must be careful"

He stood up and drew his sword aiming at him.

"Let's fight, now!"

"Eh? Fight? I don't know how to fight"

The anger that radiated from his body made Zixn want to laugh even harder.

"Okay okay, I'll grant your wish" he drew his sword.

"Are you sure about this?"

"I'm sure....now!"

He charged at him expecting him to duck or at least fight back but Zixin vanished before his eyes before appearing behind him.

He received a swat on his behind making him yelp.

"You-" he turned around and froze seeing no one there.

Another swat made him yelp even louder.

It went on like this for ten minutes before Jian Ji had to give up, the swats he received from Zixin's sword made his skin red and itchy.

"See? You lack focus, you were to distracted by your anger you didn't see me slap this illusion talisman on my hand" Zixin says with a tsk.

"What do you want me to do then?" He asked breathlessly.

"Share your secret....we're strangers to each other so it's best to share it with someone you don't know"

Jian Ji looked at him, what sort of logic was that? Zixin is always like this, from his annoying tricks and stunts, to his honey like eyes and long hair, to his plump lips and his height.

Before he knew it, his lips had connected with Zixin's making the younger freeze. Their heartbeats synced up and the kiss deepened with Zixin dominating it easily.

They laid on the ground as they devoured each other's mouths, their hands travelling up and down their bodies making them moan.

Zixin pulled away from the kiss with Jian Ji's bottom lip between his teeth, he chuckled and leaned in, their forehead touching.

"So that's your secret"