ARLQLCC chapter 41

Su Ji, for as long as he had lived, aside from when he was a child who couldn’t yet walk and had once slept in the same bed as his master, he had only ever shared a bed with Chu Zhaoye in his cat form.

The sudden transformation in the afternoon didn’t count—tonight should be considered his first time as an adult staying in the same room and sleeping in the same bed with someone else.

Although the other party was his cat, for some reason Su Ji still felt a bit inexplicably nervous.

After entering the room, Chu Zhaoye took off the mask that concealed his face. Earlier at dinner, it was unclear what method he used, but the lower half of the mask could actually open to the side without affecting his eating at all.

This was also the first time eating dinner with Ma Tuan, and Su Ji didn’t feed him.

Chu Zhaoye’s appetite wasn’t as exaggerated as Tu Yan’s. Su Ji guessed it was probably because their original forms were different, and he didn’t need Tu Yan’s terrifying amount of intake.

But after returning to human form, the appetite of an adult man was indeed much larger than when he was a little cat.

So when Su Ji saw Chu Zhaoye preparing to get a second bowl of rice, he almost reflexively told him not to eat anymore, but he forced himself to swallow the words just before they left his mouth.

Ma Tuan had grown up; he was no longer the little cat that made Su Ji worry about whether he ate too much or too little.

The old father felt a pang of sadness.

Before sleep, Su Ji either read books or cultivated. Ever since the recent incident with the Second Elder, Su Ji had become even more serious about cultivation. After telling Chu Zhaoye, he chose the inner side of the bed and sat in meditation.

He had high talent and was also diligent. For many people, entering a meditative state was difficult, but Su Ji could enter it very quickly. Almost immediately after closing his eyes, the circulating spiritual energy around him began to flow, isolating the faint sounds around him and wrapping him up.

During this time, Chu Zhaoye slowly took off his shoes and climbed onto the bed, stopping not far from Su Ji. He leaning against the headboard and quietly staring at him in a daze.

Rapid replenishment of spiritual power and suddenly returning to human form had been an accident. Originally, he had already prepared to add a bed and sleep separately from Su Ji, and the other party had indeed suggested it. But when it came time to add the bed, only a double bed was available—which was an unexpected surprise.

If not for the mask covering him, the smile he couldn’t suppress would have revealed his thoughts too early.

Now that the person was right beside him, everything else was only a matter of time.

He stared at Su Ji’s quiet face for a long moment, then slowly sat up and began to regulate the chaotic spiritual flow in his dantian.

…

Chu Zhaoye spent two hours sorting out the chaotic spiritual energy. When he opened his eyes again, the moon was already high in the sky. Su Ji beside him was still immersed in meditation, seemingly intending to spend the entire night like this.

Chu Zhaoye slightly parted his lips, and a strand of calm demon power carefully passed through the spiritual barrier around the other, entering his ears.

“Ah Ji, it’s time to sleep.”

In an instant, the spiritual energy around Su Ji withdrew. His tightly closed eyes also opened. He looked at Chu Zhaoye in confusion and asked, “Why did you suddenly call me?”

Chu Zhaoye moved closer and explained, “The effects of the Spirit-Replenishing Pill Tu Yan gave you are not comparable to ordinary ones. You only absorbed it not long ago. The remaining medicinal power is still lingering in your dantian. It’s not suitable to meditate for too long. Rest well during this time, and that layer of medicinal power will be absorbed on its own.”

Su Ji froze, then checked his dantian internally according to his words. As expected, he found a thin layer that was difficult to notice.

He got out of his meditative posture, stretched lazily on the bed, then turned to look at Chu Zhaoye and asked in confusion, “What did you just call me?”

A hint of a smile flickered in Chu Zhaoye’s eyes. He called again, “Ah Ji~”

He dragged the syllables out long, light and soft, like a lover’s whisper.

Su Ji felt his ear go numb and awkwardly rubbed it. “Why are you suddenly calling me like that?”

Chu Zhaoye said matter-of-factly, “Everyone else calls you Su Ji, but I’m the one closest to you. How can I call you the same as them?”

As he spoke, he slowly leaned in until they were face to face. He lowered his voice: “You can also call me A Ye. I don’t mind.”

Su Ji said expressionlessly, “Ma Tuan.”

Chu Zhaoye: “……”

Ma Tuan it is then. At least it’s my exclusive name.

Seeing his puffed-up face, Su Ji immediately knew what this silly cat was thinking. He flipped the blanket and covered Chu Zhaoye’s head. “Go to sleep, Ma Tuan. Good night~”

Chu Zhaoye: “……” Tch.

Su Ji quickly lay down on the inner side of the bed, pressed against the wall. Feeling a bit cold, he shifted outward slightly. Just as he was about to extinguish the light, he turned his head and saw Chu Zhaoye lying on the very edge of the pillow, as if he might fall off the bed if he turned over.

Su Ji was silent for a moment, then hesitantly said, “…Why don’t you move in a bit?”

Chu Zhaoye nodded and moved inward a little—but only a little.

Su Ji sighed helplessly, thinking that given what had happened in the afternoon, it probably left a strong impression on him. With the mindset that a cultivator at the Tribulation Transcendence realm shouldn’t fall off a bed while sleeping, Su Ji raised his hand and used green spiritual energy to extinguish the candle.

The room fell into darkness. Su Ji closed his eyes facing the wall.

He had napped too much in the afternoon and thought he might not fall asleep easily at night, but soon after closing his eyes, his consciousness began to blur and he drifted off.

In the darkness, the man lying at the edge of the bed opened his eyes. His red pupils glowed faintly like blood in the night, but only for an instant before turning back to black again.

Chu Zhaoye looked at Su Ji, who was still a full person’s distance away, and listened to his steady breathing, confirming he was asleep.

Su Ji was very well-behaved when sleeping. Once asleep, he basically wouldn’t roll beyond the pillow’s edge. If he fell asleep at the wall, he would stay there all night.

The chance of him rolling over on his own was zero.

Chu Zhaoye directly sat up, pushed the pillow slightly toward the center, then gently used demon energy on his palm to ensure he wouldn’t wake him. He lightly held Su Ji’s shoulder and turned him over to face him.

The fair face was slightly squished by the pillow, puffing out a little like a soft bun.

Chu Zhaoye felt an itch in his heart and reached out to poke it.

The soft sensation burst at his fingertip. The young man’s beautiful face looked even more obedient under the faint moonlight, completely unresponsive, sleeping with full trust.

Chu Zhaoye felt as though something filled his heart. After regaining his strength, the feeling of being able to protect Su Ji—of being able to pull him into his arms with a single reach—was intoxicating.

He lay back down, one hand gently resting over that slender waist, the other holding his pillow, pulling the young man into his embrace.

Chu Zhaoye rested his chin lightly on the top of his head, breathing in the clean soapberry fragrance from him. With soft jade-like warmth in his arms, he sighed and closed his eyes.

“Good night, Ah Ji.”

.

Dawn broke, and birds chirped softly.

Su Ji woke up from his grogginess. Light was already filtering into the room even without candles.

In front of him was a muscular chest at close range, with the inner garment slightly disheveled, revealing defined muscles that rose and fell with his breathing.

A very familiar scene—he felt like he had just experienced it not long ago.

Su Ji froze for a second and instinctively moved back, but the arm holding his waist tightened uncomfortably and pulled him back.

Now he was even closer, practically embedded in Chu Zhaoye’s embrace.

If Su Ji remembered correctly, last night he had slept at the very inner side of the bed, while Chu Zhaoye had slept at the very outer edge, practically sticking to the side so as not to offend him.

Who would have thought that on such a large bed, someone else could still end up in the middle while sleeping—and when he woke up, he was back in Chu Zhaoye’s arms again.

Knowing how strong the other was, Su Ji didn’t struggle. Instead, he lay there quietly questioning life.

Could it be that his sleeping posture was really this wild? Even curled up in a corner, he still rolled into someone’s arms.

But before, it hadn’t been this bad when he woke up…

Could it be that the bed got bigger, and his sleeping posture changed with it?

Su Ji couldn’t figure it out.

It wasn’t time to get up yet; he had just woken up too early. Although the situation now was not very proper, he was the one who rolled over first, so it wasn’t appropriate to wake the other person. So Su Ji simply lowered his eyelashes and stared blankly at the chest in front of him.

He really didn’t know what Chu Zhaoye’s original form was. When he was a cub, he was so small, so how did he cultivate into such hard muscles after transforming? Yesterday’s bump even made him tear up.

Not just the chest—the other’s entire body was very hard, especially those arms. Su Ji had already learned his lesson once: as long as Chu Zhaoye was holding him, even if he twisted his waist off, he still couldn’t break free.

People tend to let their thoughts wander when they’ve just woken up. By the time Chu Zhaoye woke up, Su Ji had already been staring at his chest for two full quarters of an hour.

Just as Su Ji was still thinking whether he should call him Chu Zhaoye or continue calling him Ma Tuan in the future, the chest in front of him rose noticeably, followed by a low chuckle above him.

Su Ji looked up and met the half-awake man’s gaze.

In the silence, the man leaned in slightly and greeted him in a hoarse morning voice: “Ah Ji, good morning.”

After his earlier thoughts, Su Ji came to a conclusion and replied, “Good morning, Ma Tuan.”

Chu Zhaoye: “……”

You really know how to ruin the mood.

……

A new day, a new beginning.

After breakfast in the courtyard, Su Ji brought a tall man wearing a mask to the Yunxian Sect dining hall, drawing various degrees of attention along the way.

First, Su Ji himself was already famous among the disciples for being able to take on five opponents at once and for his unmatched cooking skills in the sect dining hall.

Second, the man behind him was simply too eye-catching.

Not only because of his towering height and the well-hidden muscles beneath his black robes, but also because of his aura—something even Tu Yan couldn’t match.

He still wore that cold iron mask, walking behind Su Ji in green robes and a gentle smile. The contrast was striking.

Curious people were everywhere, but no one dared to ask. They only greeted Su Ji as he passed and watched him walk into the dining hall, still wondering whether Su Ji had somehow offended the chef again.

When Su Ji arrived, he happened to run into Xie Qinghuai who was gnawing on a fried dough stick.

He ate with obvious disgust, still chewing as if it were a chore when he saw Su Ji.

“Su Ji, why are you here?”

Xie Qinghuai tossed the fried dough stick aside and walked over in a few steps.

“You… this person behind you—is he your friend?”

“Oh.” Su Ji smiled and began his third introduction: “He’s Ma Tuan. He transformed yesterday!”

Chu Zhaoye: “Hello, I’m Ma Tuan.”

Xie Qinghuai: “……”

What is this thing that big?

Author’s Note:

Su Ji: Chu Zhaoye’s entire body has very hard muscles.

Chu Zhaoye: Yes, there’s one place that’s especially in♂

You can read the full completed story here with instant full access. ✨