Chapter 2067

Ji Lai Zhi himself considered this request very high, even somewhat intentionally threatening.

Clearly, Jin Chen had said on the day he came to the sword manor that he was entrusted by Shen Lao Xie and only came to teach for six months.

Perhaps after six months, Jin Chen would leave Azure Cloud Sword Manor, leave Azure Cloud City, and return to the place he ought to return to, possibly not even Cold Moon Villa.

Yet he merely won a small contest and dared to use it as a condition, trying to make Jin Chen not leave, or even take him along when leaving.

Ji Lai Zhi blurted it out in a surge of impulse, but before Jin Chen could respond, he himself felt embarrassed, lowering his head and crumpling his sleeve into wrinkles.

Jin Chen truly hadn't expected this request.

He felt a surge of affection, and because the boy's unaware yet surging reliance evoked a sour tinge, he restrained himself from raising his hand to pat Ji Lai Zhi's spine.

"How about changing the request?"

Ji Lai Zhi shot up his head, his expression instantly becoming somewhat panicked and uneasy, yet he heard him say: "Change it to something not in my plan."

"...... What."

Ji Lai Zhi whispered softly, and only after a while did he react, his voice trembling a little, filled with an indescribable anticipation.

"Isn't it six months? Why?"

Jin Chen pressed a little harder on the back of his neck, and Ji Lai Zhi obediently leaned into his embrace, raising his arms to hug Jin Chen's waist, still tightly focused on him, stubbornly wanting an answer.

"This depends on you, Lai Zhi."

Jin Chen gently rubbed Ji Lai Zhi's scalp, looking at him and saying softly: "If you want it, six months later I'll take you to my turf."

Ji Lai Zhi held his breath again, his heartbeat pounding more violently, as if that throbbing pulsed through his limbs.

"I want it!"

Ji Lai Zhi, fearing Jin Chen might change his mind, hurriedly said, "Then let's settle it like this: you must always look after me."

"Otherwise..."

"Otherwise I wouldn't know what I'd become; I'd cause trouble everywhere, and when people ask, I'd say it's all your teaching."

The boy's threats are always so impulsive; he has nothing else, so he can only use himself as a bargaining chip.

Jin Chen chuckled, his fingertips tracing the scarlet birthmark on the neck, and said, "Rest assured, I won't give you a chance to ruin my reputation."

Ji Lai Zhi trembled slightly, his whole body rubbing against the embrace, his heart full of joy he didn't know how to express, as if even practicing a sword set couldn't calm him down.

But he is too slow-witted in other aspects.

Jin Chen patted him, feeling heated from the rubbing, and helplessly said, "All right, get up."

"I won't."

Ji Lai Zhi buried his face in the crook of his neck, shaking his head, his hair a mess from the rubbing, truly unable to calm down, using this instinctive way to relieve himself but to no avail.

Stupid. Jin Chen muttered in his heart, pinched Ji Lai Zhi's jaw and lifted it, after a moment's thought lowered his head to kiss his brow, paused, then kissed the cinnabar dot at the corner of his eye.

Ji Lai Zhi's whole body stiffened; the agitation throughout him surged out like a flood, replaced by a deeper inner bewilderment.

"Have you calmed down?" Jin Chen asked with a smile.

Ji Lai Zhi stared blankly at him, then, trying to cover up, turned his head and buried himself again, not understanding what Jin Chen was laughing at, his ears hot and flushed.

After a while, Ji Lai Zhi slightly pulled away from the embrace, tiptoed and planted a smack on Jin Chen's cheek—not really a kiss, but it made a loud sound, smearing Jin Chen's face.

Jin Chen choked a bit from being nibbled, and pushed Ji Lai Zhi away.

"Little brat."

【Detected Villain Blackening Value -8, total 72!】

【Detected Villain Heartthrob Value +10, total 43!】

——

The day of the Martial Arts Conference drew ever nearer.

Jin Chen gradually became busy, and the confidants going in and out of Observing Cloud Court increased considerably, though their actions were extremely covert; besides Ji Lai Zhi, whom Jin Chen permitted, no one noticed.

Moreover, Medicine King Valley finally replied:

This poison is Ghost Needle Grass, containing Zhe-tree toxin, hidden in the bedding interlayer; it emits a bitter-almond-like astringent smell, and prolonged contact lets it seep into the body via breathing, causing night sweats, frequent nightmares, muddled consciousness, and irritability.

However, Ghost Needle Grass alone poses no lethal danger; the old man tested it many times and guessed that the poisoned person hides another toxin nearby, or that it interacts with the Ghost Needle Grass toxin, and the poisoned person uniquely loves strong liquor.

When the two toxins collude for too long, the blood overheats and recklessly acts, utterly destroying the meridians and consciousness, falling into madness, or dying by self-harm, or from frenzied exhaustion leading to sudden cardiac death.

Therefore, to detoxify, one must first identify the other toxin before administering the proper remedy.

Mo Hei: "Yao Lao says the other toxin may be hidden in everyday diet; please pay more attention."

"Everyday diet?"

Jin Chen lightly tapped his fingertips on the table, inevitably feeling doubtful.

During this period he almost daily shared meals with Ji Lai Zhi; if the toxin were there, it would have been impossible not to detect it by now.

【Oh my! Host, you forgot—Main God still eats snacks after daily lessons!】 Ling Gun Gun immediately thought of that.

【I'm so hungry!】

Jin Chen: "……"

Jin Chen's heart stirred slightly, and he silently noted it down.

The next afternoon.

Ji Lai zhi still found it easier to wield a single halberd, after all it was the Shadowless Halberd Technique given by his maternal grandfather, and it was also said to be the famed technique that had made his mother renowned across the martial world.

Ji Lai zhi, as usual, trained until drenched in sweat, then he grinned broadly at Jin Chen, went over insisting that Jin Chen wipe him, before rushing into the bath to wash.

Usually at this time, Jin Chen would meditate in the side room or read the secret letters sent by Mo Hei in the Study.

But today, only after Ji Lai zhi finished washing and was preparing to stay in the courtyard to catch a breeze and do his homework was Jin Chen still sitting under the tree.

Ji Lai zhi felt a bit happy, went over and sat beside Jin Chen, "You're not busy today?"

"Not busy," Jin Chen turned a page of the ancient book, casually wiped his sweaty forehead, "I'll accompany you in reviewing your lessons—hurry up and write."

"Oh." Ji Lai zhi responded, tilting his shoulder and holding the brush in his mouth, wishing he could just lie down inside the scroll.

Jin Chen: "……"

He grabbed Ji Lai Zhi's ear and gave it a pinch, saying, "Normally you're fine, but as soon as you have to do homework you sit all over the place."

Ji Lai Zhi was forced to straighten his back, couldn't hold it for a moment and then slumped sideways, letting out a soft sigh, "I'm so tired, just seeing these characters makes me tired."

"... Sit properly." Jin Chen tapped his shoulder.

"Oh."

Ji Lai Zhi tried his best to sit up straight.

Not long after, a gray-clad little servant brought a tea tray with a pot of sweet tea and three plates of snacks; Ji Lai Zhi instantly perked up, and before the plates were even set down he picked up a piece of pear blossom cake and stuffed it into his mouth.

"It's getting hotter by the moment."

Ji Lai Zhi muttered, "In a few days remember to use more ice."

"Yes, young master."

Xiao Hui replied with a smile, pouring tea for both of them.

He usually lives in the side room next to View Cloud Courtyard, only appearing when needed to work during the day; his presence is so low it's almost nonexistent.