Chapter 2254: Miao Border Youth Fiercely Loves 17

The sound of the altar's gong gradually faded; the outcome was decided.

Luo Xiao lost so badly he couldn't lose any further.

Jin Chen stood in the morning light, his fingertips lightly scratching Nan Yixing's palm, like a mischievous kitten.

"I've done what I promised you." His voice was soft, yet each word clear, his violet eyes reflecting Nan Yixing's slightly stunned face.

Become the Holy Son, bring Nan Yixing into the forbidden land to seek the Mother Poison Bug.

Nan Yixing gazed at him, suddenly feeling something lightly tap his chest.

Jin Chen's hand still rested in his palm, warm, carrying the thin cocoon left from raising poison bugs, yet inexplicably giving a sense of calm.

Just as at Broken Dragon Cliff, whenever he returned from gathering herbs, he could always see the youth leaning at the cave mouth waiting for him.

【Detected Villain Heartthrob Value +7, total 40!】

【Detected Villain Blackening Value -5, total 70!】

Nan Yixing suddenly curled his fingers, gently grasping that hand.

"Thank you." Nan Yixing said softly.

Jin Chen suddenly laughed; the silver bell chimed as he leaned in, he brushed a kiss to Nan Yixing's ear, his breath fluttering over the other's slightly red earlobe.

The Grand Priest's chant announcing the result drifted over, yet Nan Yixing did not loosen his grip.

Morning light filtered through the altar's openwork pattern, casting intersecting shadows at their feet, as if fate had finally tangled into an unsolvable knot.

The villagers congratulated Jin Chen, very satisfied with him as the Holy Son; the Elder was about to announce when he was interrupted.

"Wait!"

Luo Xiao shoved aside the supporting Bai Wan, staggering forward two steps: "Jin Chen's poison bugs can devour the toxin threads of my centipede poison bug! This defies common sense!"

He pointed at the purple butterfly gracefully perched on the altar, his voice hoarse: "Jin Chen! Do you dare say you didn't use evil arts?"

Bai Wan, unwilling to miss out on the Piercing Bone Needle Technique, murmured in agreement: "The Young Master refined such a strange poison bug in just seven days, indeed......" "If the Young Master has a clear conscience, why not tell us the origin of this purple butterfly?"

Before he finished speaking, meeting Nan Yixing's indifferent gaze, Bai Wan pressed his lips, an ominous suspicion welling up in his heart for no reason.

"Interesting."

Jin Chen suddenly laughed out loud: "You lost using forbidden arts, yet you come to question me?"

He kicked aside the shards of the poison bug urn at his feet; the purple butterfly fluttered up in response: "The poison bugs I raise are naturally clean-loving; they cannot stand filth."

"You still want to steal my poison bug refining method? What kind of daydream are you having in broad daylight?"

Luo Xiao: "……"

He wanted to retort, but couldn't find any loophole.

Having come to this point, only the final arrangement remains.

Luo Xiao silently gazed at the villagers surrounding the altar, giving a glance to the few strong youths gathered behind.

The Elder once again prepared to announce Jin Chen as the Holy Son.

He stepped onto the altar and cleared his throat.

"Hold on!"

Interrupted once again.

Elder: "……"

He was so angry his moustache bristled, looking at the crowd that had spoken up: "What now?!"

The villagers looked back, the questioning youth shouting: "Can the Young Master really be the Holy Son?!"

He pointed at Jin Que: "Don't forget, what secrets do the Young Master and Jin Dage still have?!"

"If the Young Master becomes the Holy Son, will the deity enshrined in our Thousand Screen Mountain Stronghold agree?"

Doubts rose one after another.

The surroundings began to quiet down.

Even the Elder frowned tightly, gazing at Jin Chen with mixed feelings, wanting to speak but hesitating.

Several disciples at the South Gate exchanged glances, genuinely curious inside.

"So, even by the rules, if we settle for second best, the Holy Son should be Jin Que!"

Jin Que rarely showed a hint of bewilderment, never expecting the flames to reach him here.

He frowned upon hearing it, glancing at Luo Xiao.

"I hope A Chen is the Holy Son." His voice wasn't loud, yet it silenced the noisy altar instantly: "No need for others to question on my behalf."

Jin Chen was nibbling on the Songzi Candy given by Nan Yixing, raising an eyebrow and clicking his tongue.

"No need."

He shook his wrist, the silver bell chiming.

The Red Snake Poison Bug surged in response, its bowl‑thick coiling body crushing the altar's stone pillars, winding around them.

Jin Chen lifted his chin, pointing at the talkative youth: "Just you, kid, got an opinion?"

"Come over and say it."

The youth's face turned deathly pale, his legs trembling as he shrank into the crowd: "No, no……"

How can the Young Master not play by common sense?!

At this moment, shouldn't he be worried about losing prestige?!

"Coward."

Jin Chen curled his lip, recalling the Red Snake; the giant python shrank back to normal size, rubbing affectionately against Nan Yixing's medicine pouch.

The Elder hesitantly lifted the copper bell, hesitantly cleared his throat.

"So I can speak now? No one will interrupt anymore, right?"

Jin Chen looked at the crowd with a smiling expression.

It was very quiet.

The Elder was satisfied, finally announcing the news that Jin Chen would succeed as the Holy Son, settling the matter with one decisive statement.

Luo Xiao's face turned completely ashen; his fury was useless.

Jin Chen accepted everyone's congratulations, waited for the crowd to disperse, and then saw Jin Que still quietly standing under the bamboo trees, looking over.

"A-Chen, I still mean what I said."

Jin Que walked over and said softly, "I never thought of being your enemy; sending you the poisonous insects for Gu practice, I only hoped you wouldn't..."

"Wait a moment."

Jin Chen sensed something, playing with the blue butterfly on his fingertip, alert: "Just tell me, what do you want."

Don't expect to use the gift of poisonous insects to morally blackmail.

Who would have thought Jin Que would lower his gaze, his frail, sickly expression showing a brief moment of laxity before looking at him.

"I want to hear you call me brother again."

Jin Chen: "...?"

The South Gate disciples who were eating melon all turned to look at Nan Yixiong.

What a bunch of good fellows; it seems no one has ever heard the Young Master call Jin Que 'brother,' yet they're constantly calling their Senior Brother 'hey bro,' being very affectionate.

Nan Yixiong fell silent for a moment, gazing at Jin Que, his eyes deepening.

Jin Chen refused to shout.

Jin Chen's fingertip twitched, sensing something, and he suddenly told Jin Que, "Move to the side, take five steps."

Jin Que didn't understand but did as he was told.

The moment he steadied his steps, the bamboo trees in the mud behind him suddenly collapsed, falling and brushing past Jin Que's body.

Jin Que's breathing hitched; if he had still been standing there, he would have been struck.

"Oh my goodness!"

Villagers immediately rushed over to see what happened; the Elder's disciple shouted, "Young Master, it's the root that's problematic, perhaps because..."

He looked at Luo Xiao, who had been speaking with the Grand Priest but was interrupted, "That centipede Gu is too wicked and fierce; it ruined the roots of the bamboo in the mud."

This is bamboo, after all; as long as the root survives, it can have endless vitality.

Thus one can see how overbearing that evil art is.

The Grand Priest, fuming, struck Luo Xiao on the head again, "You damned wretch!"

"Come, follow me to the ancestral hall to reflect!"

While Jin Que still wanted to say something, Jin Chen turned and walked away with his hands behind his back, his tone flat: "Just consider it repaying you for the poisonous insects; until I find a way to kill you, we're even—don't cause trouble again."

Jin Que watched his back, lips twitching slightly, and glanced at Nan Yixiong.

"A-Chen saved my life again."

It even carried a hint of showing off.

Nan Yixiong's expression didn't change: "It's just that I was afraid you'd get hurt and drag him into it."

Jin Que chuckled softly: "So, my life is intertwined with A-Chen's; frankly... there's no room for anyone else."

Nan Yixiong's fingertip twitched uncontrollably for a moment, then he called out, "Jin Chen."

Having walked almost half a li away, Jin Chen turned back, puzzled: "Older brother, why aren't you leaving yet?"

Nan Yixiong smiled at Jin Que and said, "Farewell."

Jin Que: "..."

Jin Que closed his eyes, covering his reddened rims; his chest rose and fell slightly.