NEBM Chapter 42: Getting Drunk

Yuyu finally returned to the sea. After he left, the waves receded quickly. The stone on which he had sat suddenly dissipated into smoke, exposing an ice coffin half-submerged in water.

The coffin was almost transparent. Shen Zhixian saw the coffin at a glance and watched blankly as the two items inside changed into two glimmers of light and submerged into the sea water.

The ice coffin shattered with a sound. The whole secret realm trembled and thin slivers of cracks began to appear. Yan Jin grabbed Shen Zhixian’s waist and, without hesitation, jumped toward the shattering ice coffin.

Shen Zhixian closed his eyes subconsciously, and in the next moment, a cold sensation swept across his body, just like when he’d came. When he opened his eyes, he found that they’d returned to Xin City.

In the past, after this secret realm swallowed people, it would silently drift away. However, in recent years, it’d been lacking in devil qi, causing it to become more and more desperate. This time there were a lot of people who were swallowed.

The secret realm had remained closed after Yan Jin forced it open. However, there were still many cultivators who didn’t want to leave and would wander around outside every day. At this time, when the secret realm suddenly spit out many people and disappeared, they were all stunned.

After a few moments, those people immediately approached the people who’d came out of the secret realm to ask about the situation inside.

Yan Jin’s aura was too cold, and his body language was full of rejections. No one dared to come over, preventing them from being besieged.

After only a month in the secret realm, Shen Zhixian looked at the lively scene in front of him and felt as if a long time had passed.

The timeflow within the illusion about Yuyu and Little Ten was different. A few years inside the illusion was just the blink of an eye to the outside world. When Shen Zhixian was inside the illusion, he’d “lived” for many years.

“Big Brother Sui! Big Brother Yan!” Not far away, Duan Yuan waved at them while running quickly toward them. After having been separated from them for a while, she noticed the intimacy between them and half-jokingly said, “Big Brother Sui is finally here? You must be really concerned about Big Brother Yan.”

Shen Zhixian was silent for a moment. Then, he tentatively asked, “We haven’t met in the secret realm?”

Duan Yuan immediately shook her head. “No. These days, I’d been alone—I only saw the man who did big brother’s divination that day.”

She remembered the divination hexagram and asked curiously, “The man said that Big Brother Sui will get his wish on this trip. What did the big brother encounter?”

Shen Zhixian was silent for a moment, hypothesizing that the secret realm must have confused everyone’s memories before it dissipated. He sighed silently, thinking of the fish scale, and nodded slightly. “Let’s just forget it.”

Since he didn’t continue, Duan Yuan knew he didn’t want to talk about it. She didn’t ask anymore and just said in a relaxed manner, “After staying in the secret realm for a long time, I need to find a place to take a good rest.”

Xin City was full of cultivators so Shen Zhixian didn’t want to go stay there. It was just too noisy and crowded. Since it was still early, they simply went to a nearby town.

On the way, they exchanged itineraries, and Duan Yuan was regretful that they would soon part ways.

“I found a spirit fruit in the secret realm. This spirit fruit must be eaten with another spirit fruit to be effective… Unfortunately, this spirit fruit is far away.” Duan Yan sighed. “I will continue to go south.”

Shen Zhixian sighed with regret. “We have to go west … ”

The disguise on his face had been completely stripped away in the secret realm. At this moment, it was only supported by simple illusion. If they remain together for a long time, Duan Yuan might eventually notice the flaws. Shen Zhixian didn’t want to reveal his identity, and at the same time, he needed to find the Undead City.

It’d been a long time since they were together, and the conversations were very enjoyable. Before parting, they decided to have a good meal and drink a parting wine.

The inn in town was in poor condition, and Shen Zhixian, who was rich in wealth, found an empty house with a courtyard. He used a bag of money in exchange for the owner to allow them to rest there for two days.

The three went out to eat some simple meals and then bought a few jars of wine and some snacks. When they returned to the courtyard, they sat drinking under the moonlight.

Duan Yuan was sad when she thought of leaving, and she took one drink after another. She tried to drink away her sorrows until she eventually became drunk.

Duan Yuan took a swig and drunkenly said, “I’m having a good time. It’s so nice to get to know you…”

She began to mumble and Shen Zhixian responded to her with a laugh. He’d also been drinking alcohol.

This wine was brewed by the residents of the town. Of course, the taste wasn’t as good as the special spirit wine in Qingyun Sect, but at this time, it wasn’t too bad.

Yan Jin drank only a small cup poured by Shen Zhixian himself. Shen Zhixian didn’t force him and continued to talk with Duan Yuan.

The bright moon was like a jade plate hanging high in the sky. This drink was very strong. After drinking for more than a round, Shen Zhixian actually felt a little drunk.

Duan Yan, who was drunk, smirked while holding her cup.

Yan Jin calmly embraced the person next to him, wrapping his arm around him, lest he become too drunk and fall to the ground.

Shen Zhixian was unexpectedly unaware and, instead, took the opportunity to lean on Yan Jin’s shoulder. He was only half-concentrating, with cheeks flushed in liveliness, as he held Yan Jin’s hand and began to sing.

His singing had always been free and easy-going, brimming with the pride and chivalry of the Jianghu. Duan Yuan listened quietly to it and eventually became sentimental. When Shen Zhixian finished singing, she let out an exclamation of awe, her eyes bright with unshed tears. Despite being drunk, she nimbly stood and jumped in front of Shen Zhixian.

“Big brother Sui, I…I really…” Her tongue felt too large for her mouth and she began to stutter. “I really! I like you so much!”

After speaking the beginning, Duan Yuan couldn’t bear it anymore. She grabbed her cup of wine, drank it boldly, as if for bravery. “Big Brother Sui is really good! I, I want to be together with big brother every day…”

Shen Zhixian was startled by her nonsense. Before he had time to respond, he was suddenly chilled by the coldness emitting from the person next to him. He tilted his head and looked at Yan Jin with drunken eyes. He called softly and doubtfully, “A’jin? ”

Yan Jin was silent as he raised his hand to tuck Shen Zhixian’s hair behind his ear.

It made Shen Zhixian a little itchy and he raised his hand to catch Yan Jin’s hand.

Yan Jin’s hand was very warm, and although Shen Zhixian’s heart ailment was greatly eased by the fish scale, the coldness in his body still required some time for adjustments. As a result, his hand was still cold, and he would instinctively stick to warm things. Feeling the temperature of Yan Jin’s palm at this moment, he unconsciously stuck his hand over, and the little crab stretched his claws, gently poking at Yan Jin’s palm.

Yan Jin’s whole heart was softened by his poking, causing his cold expression to ease a bit.

Duan Yuan spoke more and more exaggeratedly. After listening, it seemed that she thought she had fallen in love with Shen Zhixian.

Shen Zhixian felt bad even though he was drunk and quickly interrupted, “Thank you for your love, but I’m an ordinary person. I really can’t do this with you …We’ll say goodbye today and hope to see each other again in the future. If not, then…

His words had the taste of rejection. Duan Yuan faintly felt that Shen Zhixian had misunderstood her meaning, and she immediately rushed to explain, “Big Brother Sui, you misunderstood me. I actually have a secret that I’ve kept hidden. But now, I can’t bear it. I’m actually, actually not a girl!”

He finally told his secret and his heart felt free. He spoke with no restraint, his eyes bright with tears, and his voice full of emotions. “When I was young, I was very weak and would often fall sick. It was said that if I’m raised as a girl, I can be safe after turning 20 years old… It was fine at home at the beginning, but then they sent me to Qianyin Pavilion…”

The Duan family originally intended for Duan Yuan to practice cultivation so he would become strong and not be easily fell by the wind. But they lucked out by chance. The Third Chamber Master of Qianyin Pavilion… that was, Duan Yuan’s master, saw him and accepted him as a personal disciple.

There were more women in Qianyin Pavilion, and there were more trivia among women than among men, with all kinds of strengths not inferior to the men. Duan Yuan rose up to become the disciple of the Third Master and immediately attracted everyone’s attention.

Duan Yuan said incoherently,  “They always wanted to talk about rouge and cosmetics, this color and that color, always ask me which one looks good—but those rouge were obviously same color! I never liked these!”

“They also boasted that I look good, while secretly whispering nonsense behind my back about how I only have one face and am clearly just an empty flower vase, boohoo!

So he was really afraid to communicate with the sisters from the same school, and even more afraid to go out with them. But they still found him to talk about clothes, jewelry, rouge, cosmetics, and more. However, once he decided to fake a scar on his face, they began to avoid him.

This time he finally got the chance to go out to practice alone and was fortunate to get to know Shen Zhixian and Yan Jin—besides, Shen Zhixian’s free and easy chivalry made him admire him more and more.

That was the kind of hero who he’d loved and longed for very much since childhood!

He spilled the beans so easily that Shen Zhixian: “…”

Shen Zhixian: “!!!!!!”

Shen Zhixian: “Boy ????”

He changed his tone in shock and looked at Duan Yuan in disbelief.

Sitting across from him was such a big, beautiful lady! Why did she suddenly become a boy?!

He didn’t know for a moment whether he should be shocked that Duan Yuan was actually a boy, or that poor Duan Yuan was struggling to survive in a group of beauties. After a moment, he chose to look at Yan Jin.

—Is this okay?

—Wasn’t this Yan Jin’s female lead?

Yan Jin had misunderstood what he meant, and his expression sank slightly. He whispered, “Is Sui Xian sad?”

Shen Zhixian denied. “No …”

What was wrong with Yan Jin! Shouldn’t it be his sadness?! A good female lead suddenly turned into a good brother? Who could stand it?!

Shen Zhixian and Yan Jin looked at each other for a moment, before he turned to look at Duan Yuan to confirm one last time, “…You’re a man?”

Duan Yuan was muddle-headed by alcohol. After hearing that his Big Brother Sui didn’t believe him, he was in a hurry to think of how to prove it. He caught Shen Zhixian’s hand that was resting on the table and placed it on his chest.

“Big Brother Sui, you touch… I’m really a boy!”

Shen Zhixian hadn’t even returned from the shock of having a good female lead suddenly turning into a male lead, and now his hand was suddenly caught and placed on a delicate chest. He was shocked even more, half-awakened from his drunkenness, and immediately drew back his hand as if he was touching a hot potato.

“If you have something to say, just say it. Don’t do anything–”

“I’m not really lying to you, Big Brother Sui.”

So one wanted to pull, one wanted to hide, one wanted to protect. The scene became a mess of troops and horses, causing the two wine jars to shatter in the chaos.

Shen Zhixian was in a hurry to avoid him and didn’t care much. He turned around to hide in Yan Jin’s arms. Yan Jin guarded him and separated him from Duan Yuan. He said, “Okay, don’t make any more noises.”

Yan Jin’s aura was too cold, and Duan Yuan was a little frightened of him. After hearing Yan Jin’s words, he froze, afraid to move. “Big Brother Yan …”

Yan Jin showed no mercy. “Go back to sleep.”

Duan Yuan looked at Yan Jin with a sullen look, and then looked again at Shen Zhixian. But, the object of his admiration was hiding behind the fierce Big Brother Yan and was not looking at him at all.

Although drunk, he was still afraid to rebel against Yan Jin. As a result, Duan Yuan swallowed his grievance and stumbled back to his room.

Having finally solved a little drunkard, Yan Jin immediately poured all his mind on the big drunkard in his arms. “Sui Xian?”

Shen Zhixian wanted to drink happily and deliberately didn’t suppress it with spiritual power. He also got up and held on to Yan Jin stupidly. “I want to go back …”

After saying this, he pushed Yan Jin away and stumbled forward. Yan Jin saw his drunken posture and pressed his lips together as he followed closely behind.

When walking into the room, Shen Zhixian stumbled over the threshold and nearly fell down. Yan Jin’s quickly caught him and helped him to the bed, where he sat.

“Wait a while. I’ll fetch some water.”

“Mmn.” Shen Zhixian sat lazily, eyes squinting and lethargic. He didn’t even hear what Yan Jin said.

Yan Jin fetched water, heated it slightly with a technique, took a handkerchief from the storage bag, soaked it in water, and used it to wipe Shen Zhixian’s face and hands.

Shen Zhixian was drunk and only felt as if he’d become a noodle that was being rubbed by Yan Jin. He tilted his head, dodging Yan Jin’s hand, and muttered, “No more rubbing …”

So Yan Jin put down the handkerchief, poured a cup of water for him, and carefully helped him drink.

The water temperature was just right. Shen Zhixian drank the whole cup of water, and licked his lips. As a result of drinking, his lip color was a little bit redder than usual, glistening with water. Seeing this, Yan Jin’s heart flamed up. He closed his eyes to calm himself down before opening them again.

After helping Shen Zhixian lie down, Yan Jin said in a husky voice, “Rest.”

After Shen Zhixian drank the water, he became a little more awake. Seeing Yan Jin leave, he subconsciously grabbed his sleeve and softly said, “Wait a minute…Don’t go. I can’t sleep. Talk with me.”

He forgot that he’d recovered his spiritual power and his pull was more forceful than expected. Yan Jin was caught off guard, causing his knee to knock against the edge of the bed and he fell forward.

Shen Zhixian was still lying on the bed. No wanting to crush him, Yan Jin reacted quickly, propping himself up with his hands on either side of Shen Zhixian’s body. Their posture suddenly became ambiguous.

Shen Zhixian’s hand was still holding on to Yan Jin’s sleeve. He stared unblinkingly at the person so close to him.

Yan Jin lowered his head and looked at Shen Zhixian quietly.

Shen Zhixian’s eyes were bright with crystalline water, and interwoven with a layer of drunkenness were traces of soberness and confusion. His lips gleamed wetly and Yan Jin could almost taste the wine in his warm breath. Yan Jin, who was not drunk, became intoxicated.

“Sui Xian…”

He murmured, his voice low and husky.

Shen Zhixian mumbled, “Ah …”

He frowned in confusion, suddenly feeling as if there was a voice within the chaos of his mind that sounded a little like Yan Jin and a little not.

He was drunk and, without thinking about it, he repeated the voice in his head, “…Kiss, kiss him?”

Shen Zhixian was suspicious. He looked at Yan Jin with misty eyes, feeling confused and wondering why such a voice appeared in his mind.

In the end, Yan Jin couldn’t help himself. A flame swept across his chest, filling his whole body with heat. His throat moved and, in the next moment, he lowered his head to cover those lips with his own.

Shen Zhixian froze.

At first, Yan Jin didn’t dare go too far. He merely pressed his lips lightly against Shen Zhixian’s lips, not willing to use force. As he did so, he carefully waited for a response. When he saw that Shen Zhixian neither resisted nor struggled, he moved his mouth carefully and stretched out his tongue to taste Shen Zhixian’s mouth.

Sweet, soft and scented with wine.

By this time, Shen Zhixian had completely returned to his senses. His intoxication fled, and astonishment flashed across his eyes. He subconsciously pushed Yan Jin away. It turned out that Yan Jin had anticipated his movements long before he made them. He grabbed both of Shen Zhixian’s hands and raised them over his head to prevent him from moving.

Shen Zhixian felt as if his body was sinking and he could feel Yan Jin’s lower region pressed against him.

He felt a slight pinch of pain as Yan Jin gently bit his lip, nibbling, before expelling a hot breath and slowly raising his head.

Under the dim candlelight, Yan Jin’s eyes were very dark, with a hint of obsession within their depths. He looked down at Shen Zhixian and murmured in a low voice, “I couldn’t help it. Sui Xian, I couldn’t help myself.”