Chapter 46#

Taking Down That Gentleman (9)#

Sang Xinghe looked down at the person biting his arm. It turned out that the lock behind Shen Jue’s mask had somehow come undone, which was why he’d gotten this bite. From his angle, he could just see the other’s fair, jade-like side profile.

There were even short, fine hairs on his face, glowing warmly in the candlelight.

Shen Jue bit until his own jaw ached before finally letting go of Sang Xinghe. He adjusted his mask with his hand and turned to look at Sang Xinghe. Sang Xinghe was startled by Shen Jue’s gaze, and then a hand suddenly covered his eyes—it was ice-cold, just like the temperature of its owner’s body.

The hand then withdrew, and a mask now adorned Sang Xinghe’s face.

Shen Jue had pressed the mask upside down onto Sang Xinghe’s face, even grabbing his hand to make sure he held it properly.

Sang Xinghe was extremely sharp, and he instantly understood what Shen Jue’s actions meant. Shen Jue didn’t want him to see him dressing, so he made him cover his eyes. A faint smile curled beneath Sang Xinghe’s mask, and sure enough, he heard the rustling sound of clothing being put on.

He sat on the ground, one hand steadying the bronze mask, his long legs slightly bent. Even in white robes, his innate charm and elegance couldn’t be concealed.

Sang Xinghe had been blessed with an excellent appearance, but he never cared about it, nor did he pay attention to the looks of others. In his mind, whether beautiful or ugly, beneath the skin was all the same white bones.

As for the person before him now, he had never heard his voice or even known his name, yet they had already been intimate twice. However, he had seen the other’s face—when he had woken from his faint, a brief glance had been enough to make out his features.

But at that time, Shen Jue’s face was swollen and his hair was disheveled, so he really couldn’t tell how handsome he was.

Shen Jue’s facial injuries weren’t caused by him, but Sang Xinghe knew Shen Jue had pinned everything on him. He didn’t mind much. Back in his sect, he often took the blame for his junior brothers and sisters, so he was used to it.

Still, the other’s reaction seemed to indicate one thing: he also disliked this kind of thing. Judging by the ferocity of his punches, it was probably more than just dislike—it was outright disgust.

Most likely, he was forced into it by Yu Ci.

Thinking of Yu Ci, a flash of disgust passed through Sang Xinghe’s eyes.

In the end, both of them were just pitiful souls.

As Sang Xinghe was pondering these things, a piece of clothing suddenly dropped over his head, and then a small, icy hand quickly reached inside, snatching the mask from his face.

After the mask was taken, he even got a kick.

By the time Sang Xinghe yanked the clothing off his head, he only caught a glimpse of Shen Jue’s fleeing back.

He looked at the spot where he’d been kicked, his expression weary and helpless.

That little one really held a grudge—deliberately kicking him right where he’d been bitten.

…

Meanwhile, Shen Jue, holding his mask, hurriedly left Yishui Pavilion. After only a few steps, he noticed someone ahead.

The person was dressed in white, hands behind his back. Hearing the sound behind him, he turned around.

It was the Left Protector.

The Left Protector was one of only two people on Ten Absolute Island who wore white; the other was Sang Xinghe. Before Sang Xinghe’s arrival, the Left Protector was the only one in white.

He raised an eyebrow as he watched Shen Jue steady his mask with one hand.

Shen Jue paused at the sight of the Left Protector, then slowly shuffled over to stand before him. After a moment, he lowered his mask.

The Left Protector looked at the mask in Shen Jue’s hand and murmured, “How did the lock come undone?”

Shen Jue blinked. He shoved the mask into the Left Protector’s hand, spread his left palm, and began to write with his right index finger.

The moonlight was dim, and the Left Protector had to squint to barely make out what Shen Jue had written.

He wrote: Yu Ci smashed it.

The Left Protector knew that Yu Ci had gone to Yishui Pavilion but had only found out too late.

When he arrived at Yishui Pavilion, he had just run into Yu Ci leaving. Yu Ci’s eyes at that moment were no different from when he was killing someone.

The Left Protector studied Shen Jue for a few moments before speaking slowly, “Do you remember what I told you before?”

At this moment, Shen Jue’s lips were as red as if smeared with crushed flower petals, and his brows and eyes carried an allure that hadn’t been there before. Even his posture betrayed what he had just been through. Hearing the Left Protector’s words, he seemed frightened, hurriedly lowering his head, his fingers nervously twisting together.

The Left Protector had previously told Shen Jue that if Sang Xinghe ever saw his face, he would have to die.

Shen Jue pressed his lips together, then suddenly looked up and shook his head at the Left Protector. His eyes were full of anxiety as he frantically wrote on his palm again.

The Left Protector looked down to read what Shen Jue was writing. Shen Jue was so agitated that his handwriting was a mess. No matter how hard he tried, the Left Protector could only make out a few words. Just as he was about to say something, he saw Shen Jue open his mouth.

He wanted to speak, to explain something to the Left Protector, but only hoarse, garbled sounds came out.

The sound was truly unpleasant.

Shen Jue seemed to realize this, too. After only a couple of cries, he shut his mouth.

His beautiful blue eyes flickered with shame, frustration, and despair. He no longer looked at the Left Protector but took the mask from his hand, held it for a moment, then suddenly hurled it to the side.

Shen Jue’s abrupt outburst caught the Left Protector off guard. Then he saw Shen Jue’s eyes redden.

The Left Protector frowned. To be honest, he had always hated seeing men cry. Men were not women; crying over every little thing was pathetic. But a male Tianluo Body couldn’t be treated entirely like an ordinary man. They were destined from birth.

He knew that many Tianluo Bodies were pampered and spoiled—sects and families raised them like the most delicate flowers. This one before him must have been the same: coddled and held dear until he came to Ten Absolute Island, where he not only occupied a lowly status but also endured a series of injustices.

Truth be told, the Left Protector felt that if he were in Shen Jue’s shoes, he would have ended his life long ago. Who could bear this?

Sleeping with a strange man, having his voice poisoned to silence, being forced to wear a mask the entire time, and facing death if it ever slipped off.

The Left Protector thought that if anyone made him endure such things, he would slaughter their entire clan to vent his hatred.

Thinking about it that way, Shen Jue’s little temper tantrum and crying didn’t seem so intolerable.

“Alright, just this once. Don’t let it happen again,” the Left Protector said softly. He took a clean handkerchief from his sleeve and handed it to Shen Jue. “Wipe your face. I’ll take you down. That mask is no good—I’ll get you a better one tomorrow.”

Shen Jue didn’t take the handkerchief. Instead, he turned and walked straight down the mountain.

The Left Protector awkwardly touched his nose and then used the handkerchief to wrap up the broken mask lying on the ground.

He couldn’t let Yu Ci find out about this, or he’d go crazy again.

Shen Jue, walking ahead, had already transformed his expression into cold indifference the moment he turned his back. Kill lurked beneath the calm blue sea, and a heart of ice lay beneath the armor of weakness.

Seeing Shen Jue walk so fast, the Left Protector assumed he was still angry, so he didn’t catch up but followed slowly behind.

Shen Jue didn’t stay at Yishui Pavilion, nor did he return to his former residence. The Left Protector had arranged a separate courtyard for him to live in alone.

Shen Jue returned to his courtyard and soaked in a hot bath for a full hour, scrubbing his skin until it was red, before finally going to bed. But in the middle of the night, his eyes snapped open.

Someone was sitting on the edge of his bed. He didn’t know how long the person had been there, just staring at him intently.

Because the person was backlit, Shen Jue couldn’t make out his face, only judge from his breathing that he was a master.

“You’re awake,” the person said suddenly.

Shen Jue recognized the voice—it was Yu Ci.

Shen Jue instinctively shrank back. Yu Ci was extremely jealous; if he hadn’t been, he wouldn’t have forced Sang Xinghe to kill Shen Jue back then. Although Yu Ci would never admit it, during the time before they went into seclusion together, anyone who spoke to Sang Xinghe would later be secretly killed by Yu Ci.

Shen Jue didn’t know if Sang Xinghe was aware of this, but he probably was—how could the ever-perceptive Sang Xinghe not notice his lover slipping out at night and sneaking back in the dark?

Tonight, Sang Xinghe had protected him so openly in front of Yu Ci, which must have made Yu Ci hate him to the bone.

Shen Jue’s hand instinctively reached under his pillow for the small knife. He couldn’t sleep peacefully anywhere here without a weapon. This little knife was given by the Left Protector, with the excuse that Shen Jue wanted to peel fruit.

Shen Jue couldn’t see Yu Ci’s face, but Yu Ci could clearly see Shen Jue’s movements. His martial arts were far superior; for him, the night was as bright as day.

Watching the other slyly slip his hand under the pillow, Yu Ci curled his lips in disdain. Did this little dwarf really think he could hurt him?

With that thought, Yu Ci lunged forward, grabbing Shen Jue by the throat and pinning him firmly beneath him. Shen Jue winced in pain and tried to pull out the small knife with his other hand, but Yu Ci snatched it away mid-motion.

Yu Ci glanced at the knife in his hand, then suddenly stabbed it into the pillow beside Shen Jue’s ear.

Shen Jue’s expression froze briefly. After a moment of stiffness, he let go of his resistance, like a clam opening its hard shell to expose its soft flesh, or an animal baring its belly to a stronger foe—a sign of weakness and submission.

“Quite sensible. This knife was from He Queying, wasn’t it? That guy always likes pretending to be good little things.” Yu Ci spoke in a low voice. “This knife can cut through iron like mud. I gave it to him as his coming-of-age gift, and he gave it to you. Looks like you’re really good at pretending—you’ve fooled not only Sang Xinghe but also that idiot He Queying.”

He Queying was the Left Protector’s real name.

Shen Jue, his throat still gripped, couldn’t breathe properly. Forced to tilt his head back, his face gradually turned red from lack of oxygen.

Yu Ci quietly enjoyed Shen Jue’s predicament for a while. When he saw the other’s eyes starting to roll back, he let out a sneer and released his grip.

He grabbed a fistful of Shen Jue’s long hair at the nape of his neck, his expression cold. “With such clumsy acting, and they still can’t see through you. Tell me, are you too smart, or are they too stupid?”

After saying this, Yu Ci suddenly smiled. He was naturally yin and soft in appearance; this gentle smile added a hint of seduction to his brows and eyes. But Shen Jue couldn’t see it clearly, nor did he want to.

“Do you have any more tricks up your sleeve? Why not show me first?” Yu Ci leaned down and whispered by Shen Jue’s ear.

Shen Jue turned his head slightly to look at Yu Ci. Their eyes met, and for a moment, the room fell so still that even breathing seemed to cease.

After an unknown amount of time, Shen Jue gently pulled his hair free from Yu Ci’s grasp. He slowly tidied his long hair, and just as Yu Ci was beginning to show impatience, Shen Jue moved.

He suddenly flipped over, pinning Yu Ci beneath him. On his fair-skinned, red-lipped face, a bewitching smile bloomed.