Category: Most Eligible Widow-Bachelor in the Six Realms (Page 3 of 8)

Chapter 57

 

Si Lan felt uncomfortable hearing the title “God of Grief”. His lips tightened into a thin line.

 

Haowei glanced at his tightly pressed red lips and said, “If you don’t like him, I’ll go find him alone. You wait for me at Zhuyun Peak.”

 

“He’s in seclusion…”

 

“Yeah, we’ll just barge in.” Haowei said casually.

 

Si Lan fell silent for a moment, then said, “I’ll go with you.” He felt awkward to directly mention that they had been acting together for a long time. Suddenly not following Haowei made him feel uneasy.

 

Haowei looked up, his gaze moving from Si Lan’s lips to his eyes. “No need to force yourself.”

 

“I’m not forcing myself.” Si Lan raised his eyelids and met Haowei’s gaze, only then noticing they were both lying on the bed. He was loosely wrapped in a white inner garment, while Haowei’s chest was bare, bearing a red scratch mark.

 

Si Lan’s face stiffened for a moment. A scratch mark… How could he not remember scratching Haowei? Instead, he vaguely recalled being carried to bed by Haowei and then subjected to a chaotic nibbling, with Haowei’s voice filled with anger ringing in his ears.

 

“Such lack of focus deserves punishment.”

 

Thinking of this, he lowered his head and saw the bruised skin exposed at the collar of his inner garment, as if he had been through a lot of turmoil. Was this the punishment?

 

Si Lan’s face alternated between red and white, unable to help narrowing his eyes, glaring at Haowei with a hint of anger.

 

Seeing Si Lan just lowered his head to look at his body and then raised it up, glaring at him with anger in his eyes, Haowei knew what he was upset about. He coughed lightly and hurriedly said, “Well, let’s go together then. Yu Wuxia said, ‘The change of the six harmonies, the eight yin and yang will surely change,’ which is easy to understand. But what does ‘Reincarnation for a hundred lifetimes all fails, and this life you will also fail’ mean?”

 

Si Lan shook his head, but a bizarre thought arose in his mind, which he felt was impossible.

 

Instead, Haowei said, “Could it mean that you’ve been reincarnated a hundred times to stop Yu Wuxia’s actions?”

 

Si Lan remained silent.

 

If that were true, then his fate would be too miserable.

 

No wonder he gave only a penny to heaven, and heaven still brought him here. Saying something about unifying the six realms was actually to be subjected to scrutiny. If he thought nothing and was still tricked by heaven.

 

He held his head in his hands, deeply regretting not downloading the anti-fraud app years ago.

 

Haowei looked at his painful appearance and asked, “What’s wrong?”

 

“Nothing.” Si Lan looked at the jade-like man in front of him and silently felt that among the myriad misfortunes, the fortune was that some of the people in the Demon Realm, and the man in front of him, had appeared in his life.

 

In the face of regret, it actually felt a little worthwhile.

 

He came down from the bed, intending to prop up the bed, but his wrists were really sore, and he almost fell over.

 

Haowei held his figure and his eyes were empty, as if there was some guilt in him.

 

“It’s better for you to rest for a day before we go to find the God of Sorrow.”

 

“No, we’d better go find the God of Sorrow as soon as possible.”

 

Although he didn’t know what Yu Wuxia wanted to do, delaying a day was a waste of a day. It was better to stop Yu Wuxia as soon as possible.

 

Haowei nodded, reached out and grabbed Si Lan’s wrist, and helped him rub it. He still felt a little guilty in his heart and felt that he had been reckless and indulgent last night, and he should be less eager for material things in the future.

 

Si Lan was unaware of Haowei’s inner thoughts, still furrowing his brow as he pondered. If Yu Wuxia had been planning these things for a long time, many previously inexplicable matters seemed to have explanations now.

 

For example, Zhongli once told Lou Yu that he had seen Lou Yu in a dream, where Lou Yu was his groom, which led Zhongli to fall in love at first sight upon meeting Lou Yu. Could that dream have been planted in Zhongli’s mind by Yu Wuxia, intentionally hinting at Zhongli?

 

And then, Dayong was summoned to the mortal realm by Pei Yu immediately after appearing, such timing being so coincidental. Perhaps the tragedy between Pei Yu and Taoyuan was orchestrated behind the scenes by Yu Wuxia.

 

…

 

He just couldn’t understand why Yu Wuxia manipulated so many people and things. What did he intend to achieve?

 

Si Lan’s mind was full of questions, unable to comprehend. In the blink of an eye, he and Haowei arrived at Gusha Mountain.

 

Across from Gusha Mountain flowed a murmuring stream, beside which hung a waterfall. Water cascaded down, creating a roaring sound.

 

Si Lan glanced at the waterfall and suddenly remembered the dream he had had yesterday, where Yu Wuxia had brought him to this waterfall.

 

Why was it so coincidental?

 

Si Lan couldn’t help but take a few steps forward, gazing intently.

 

Haowei saw Si Lan standing motionless, staring at the waterfall, and said, “This waterfall is transformed by the Mirror Pitcher, one of the artifacts of the God of Grief.”

 

“Mirror Pitcher… Can it see things that will happen in the future?” He remembered seeing the new Six Realms in this Mirror Pitcher.

 

It was a completely unfamiliar Six Realms, or more precisely, there were no Six Realms inside. Immortals, demons, and humans were all integrated into a bizarre world where there was no supreme ruler, no ants groveling in the dust.

 

“You saw things that will happen in the future here?” Haowei asked in return.

 

“Yeah, but it might also be a false image created by Yu Wuxia to deceive me.” Although Si Lan spoke to Haowei, he was also comforting himself inwardly.

 

There were so many highly cultivated individuals in the Six Realms; they shouldn’t be heading towards destruction.

 

Not long after they landed, a group of mountain guards from Gusha Mountain sensed their presence and immediately surrounded them.

 

These people were ordinary phoenixes and had not seen Haowei before, so they did not recognize Haowei’s identity.

 

But from Haowei’s attire and aura, they felt he was extraordinary, so their attitude was mild.

 

The leading female servant was Qingxuan, the attendant of Princess Jingzhu of the Phoenix Clan. After scanning both of them with her eyes, she bowed to Haowei. “May I ask which immortal you are? And why have you come to Gusha Mountain?”

 

Gusha Mountain had been closed to outsiders for tens of thousands of years.

 

“Haowei.” Haowei had no intention of concealing his identity. The moment he spoke his name, the faces of the phoenixes changed drastically, and they immediately knelt down and saluted.

 

“Greetings, Your Majesty.”

 

Haowei’s expression was indifferent, his voice deep with a hint of coercion. “Is the God of Grief still in seclusion?”

 

“Understood,” Qingxuan replied.

 

“I have come this time to meet Lord Xiyou,” Haowei stated succinctly, unwilling to waste words.

 

Upon hearing this, Qingxuan appeared conflicted. “Your Majesty, Princess Zhu instructed us to guard the vicinity of Mount Gusha and ensure that no one disturbs Lord Xiyou. Furthermore, Lord Xiyou himself instructed our Phoenix clan not to disturb their rest before secluding himself.”

 

Haowei’s eyelids drooped slightly at her words, his gaze turning sharp and piercing as he turned to Si Lan beside him. “What do you think?”

 

Si Lan replied slowly, “Since we’re already here…”

 

In the next instant, a formidable pressure descended upon the Phoenix attendants. An intense oppression hung over them, rendering their faces grim. They knelt on the ground, unable to move, their lips trembling as they struggled to speak.

 

Haowei and Si Lan strode past them directly, heading towards Mount Gusha. The mountain was enveloped in a formation set by the previous Phoenix Queen, resistant to intrusion, and breaking it would surely alert Princess Zhu.

 

Haowei, unsure of Si Lan’s feelings towards Princess Zhu, informed him of their intent. Si Lan nodded in response.

 

He wasn’t afraid of Princess Zhu anymore, now that he possessed a fragment of the Heavenly Way. Even Lord Xiyou didn’t concern him.

 

Haowei then used magic to dismantle the formation—a golden Phoenix illusion set by the previous Phoenix Queen. The formation shattered under Haowei’s sword aura.

 

Mount Gusha trembled violently as rocks tumbled and clouds of dust billowed into the sky, casting a pall over half the heavens. Animals in the mountain fled in fear, their cries echoing eerily.

 

When debris threatened to strike Si Lan, Haowei calmly deflected them without changing his expression, holding Si Lan’s hand. In an instant, they appeared atop the peak of Mount Gusha.

 

Si Lan looked at the female Phoenixes still trapped below. “Will they be injured by the falling rocks?”

 

Haowei replied calmly, “No one will die.”

 

“Oh.”

 

Si Lan didn’t say more. When the Phoenix daughters caused trouble at Cloud Crest Peak last time, he had received them with patience. Initially, he only disliked Princess Zhu, feeling the others were innocent. But upon reflection, he realized the eight Phoenix daughters’ easy cooperation with the Lord of the Deer implied the entire Phoenix clan harbored grievances against him, likely stemming from his father’s rejection of Princess Zhu’s advances, turning the Phoenix clan against him as well.

 

Since that was the case, he no longer wanted to be the good guy.

 

Suddenly, a Phoenix cry resounded from the distant horizon, echoing through the skies and causing all birds to sing in unison. Strange avian calls enveloped the entire mountain.

 

A colossal crimson Phoenix descended upon auspicious clouds. With a slender neck, a raised back adorned with intricate patterns, fiery wings spread wide, and a tail trailing like a rainbow, it merged seamlessly with the crimson sunset.

 

This was Princess Zhu.

 

Folding her wings, Princess Zhu stood before Haowei and Si Lan. Perhaps intentionally, she remained in her enormous form instead of taking human shape, offering a dignified greeting to Haowei while her gaze, brown and unwavering, fixed on Si Lan.

 

“Sovereign Haowei,” Princess Zhu nodded gently, her eyes never dropping, holding Si Lan’s gaze.

 

Si Lan discerned a hint of madness and resentment in her eyes, his own gaze darkening. Remembering her insults and taunts towards Luo Hui, veins bulged on his forehead, a hint of demonic aura swirling around him.

 

Haowei lightly squeezed his hand, and Si Lan’s demonic aura subsided slightly, calming his anger.

 

“Princess Zhu, I broke the seal on Mount Gusha only to meet Lord Xiyou. I hope you can forgive this intrusion,” Haowei said respectfully. Princess Zhu was thousands of years his senior and held a relationship with him as his elder, so Haowei had to show some deference.

 

Princess Zhu shook her wings and finally shifted her gaze from Si Lan to Haowei. “Your Majesty, what brings you to see Lord Xiyou?”

 

Haowei replied succinctly, “I have a matter that puzzles me, and I believe Lord Xiyou might provide clarity.”

 

“Your Majesty, to be frank, Lord Xiyou may not be able to see you at this moment.”

 

Haowei’s expression remained unchanged at this news, his voice lowering slightly. “What if I insist on seeing Lord Xiyou today?” Normally, Haowei would never act so impetuously; if someone didn’t wish to see him, he wouldn’t force a confrontation. But now, among the Six Realms, Lord Xiyou was the oldest and most knowledgeable among the Divine Emperors. Thus, disregarding etiquette, Haowei was determined to meet him.

 

Princess Zhu dared not stop Haowei, glancing at the attendants still kneeling at the foot of Mount Gusha with an uneasy expression. “Your Majesty, such actions may not be appropriate in terms of etiquette or sentiment.”

 

Haowei had no interest in discussing etiquette or sentiment with her, nor did he wish to waste time. He simply stated, “Princess Zhu, please step aside.”

 

“…,” Princess Zhu hesitated.

 

Princess Zhu hadn’t expected Haowei to be so unyielding. Her expression stiffened slightly before she turned her gaze to Si Lan. She knew he held a grudge against her.

 

Si Lan, undaunted, smiled provocatively at her. This only darkened Princess Zhu’s expression further.

 

Haowei took a step forward while holding Si Lan’s hand, compelling Princess Zhu to yield to them.

 

With the barrier around Mount Gusha breached, theoretically, Lord Xiyou should have heard the commotion outside. However, there was no response from him. Could he be at a critical point in his cultivation?

 

Suppressing his curiosity, Haowei sent a mental message into Mount Gusha.

 

“Lord Xiyou.”

 

He called several times but received no reply.

 

Si Lan sensed something amiss. “What’s wrong?”

 

“Lord Xiyou seems… off.”

 

Glancing at Princess Zhu, Haowei spoke and then proceeded to breach a corner of Mount Gusha, pulling Si Lan inside.

 

Observing this, Princess Zhu flew into Mount Gusha as well. Partly to understand why Haowei and Si Lan were together and whether they intended harm against Lord Xiyou.

 

She hadn’t forgotten Si Lan’s gaze towards her years ago—a young boy full of hatred and malice, as if he wanted to tear her apart and consume her flesh.

 

She still shuddered at the memory. Recently, the eight Phoenix daughters returned from Cloud Crest Peak with unusual expressions, suddenly changing their stories about Si Lan not being just an ordinary person, but a Divine Phoenix.

 

She found their behavior peculiar but could not extract any information from them. Reflecting now, Haowei must have threatened them.

 

Additionally, she wanted to know what had happened to Lord Xiyou. She had never seen him; by the time she was born, Lord Xiyou had already closed himself off for cultivation. Before her aunt passed away, she passed on the Divine Array to her, granting her Lord Xiyou’s protection. Over the years, she had been invincible in the Six Realms. However, elders of the Phoenix clan hinted that Lord Xiyou used to transmit divine messages frequently during his seclusion, but in recent ten thousand years, there had been none. Therefore, the elders suspected Lord Xiyou might have perished.

 

Inside Mount Gusha, there was another barrier, presumably set up by Lord Xiyou himself. Haowei noticed the barrier’s magic was extremely weak, nearly collapsing. With a gentle spell, he shattered the barrier instantly.

 

They descended into the depths of the mountain, where darkness surrounded them. Haowei conjured a flame to illuminate their surroundings.

 

Inside the cave lay only a white jade bed.

 

On the jade bed leaned a black figure, head bowed slightly, features obscured. They sensed little presence from him, resembling more a desiccated corpse—thin and lifeless.

 

Si Lan and Haowei approached slowly, standing before Lord Xiyou.

 

Lord Xiyou still showed no response.

 

Si Lan observed him and couldn’t help but look at Haowei, silently questioning if they had found the right person.

 

Haowei responded with a look confirming they hadn’t made a mistake; this was supposed to be Lord Xiyou.

 

Yet, it wasn’t as they had imagined.

 

“Lord Xiyou, we pay our respects,” Si Lan bowed slightly. However, the dark figure remained unresponsive. Si Lan noticed a part of his arm exposed to be turning black and couldn’t help but suspect…

 

With courage, Si Lan extended his hand towards the figure’s nose to check for any sign of life. As his fingers touched the desiccated body, it slowly stirred. The head lifted, revealing murky, yellowed eyes meeting Si Lan’s gaze.

 

“Junli, we’ve waited for you for twenty thousand years.”

---

T/N: Hey there! There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~

If you like my translations, feel free to donate to my ko-fi!

I really, really appreciate all the support from my readers <3 It goes a long way and motivates me lots!

https://ko-fi.com/hoenibean

 

Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!

If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield

If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’

How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection

What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love

How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep

 

Thank you for all your support <3 Leave a comment if you like 🙂 I love reading them!

 

Chapter 56

 

Si Lan remained silent as the dragon tail that had lightly touched the back of his neck slowly slid downward, tracing along his spine and tailbone…

 

Si Lan suddenly shivered and reached out to grasp the tail that was trying to invade further. He mumbled, “I was just a bit curious, thinking about what you said a few days ago about there being another one under your scales, cough cough…” After speaking, Si Lan’s face turned bright red, and he could only cough a few times to cover his embarrassment.

 

Haowei’s lips curved slightly, and his tail suddenly slapped the water, splashing it everywhere. When it resurfaced, the tail had doubled in size, water droplets falling from the white scales and creating ripples in the water.

 

The slender tail gently encircled Si Lan’s waist, but the tip provocatively traced Si Lan’s chest. Si Lan felt both cold and hot at the same time—the coldness came from the cool scales against his skin, while the heat was internal, his blood seemingly boiling and burning wherever the scales touched.

 

Haowei’s face was obscured by a rising white mist, and his deep voice carried a husky, magnetic quality, “So curious, what do you want to do?”

 

“Curiosity,” Si Lan replied honestly. After all, not many creatures have two of them.

 

Haowei was actually quite shy. Before meeting Si Lan, he never discussed matters of love and affection, let alone said such flirtatious words. But after falling in love with Si Lan, he seemed to have changed completely, instinctively knowing what to do.

 

No wonder the Goddess Mother used to say he was too dull and needed someone to teach him, while Yu Wudao interrupted, saying that men naturally change when the time comes, so there’s no need to worry.

 

It turns out that meeting the right person can indeed soften the heart, thicken the skin, and harden other parts.

 

Hearing Si Lan mention “curiosity,” Haowei paused slightly, a wave of heat rising in his chest, unsure if it was from embarrassment or awkwardness.

 

Si Lan actually considered him a subject of curiosity.

 

He leaned closer to Si Lan, “Perhaps this strange form of mine is meant to match you.”

 

“Match me?” Si Lan didn’t understand. What did it have to do with him?

 

Looking at his own reflection in Haowei’s eyes, Si Lan inexplicably felt he appeared exceptionally delicate and alluring at this moment. Behind him, the white dragon tail coiled, poised to strike.

 

He couldn’t help but nervously swallow.

 

“You are the reincarnation of the Child of Heaven; your body must be different from ordinary men.”

 

“…” Si Lan.

 

“You and I are destined for each other, perhaps because you are a pair, and I am a match.”

 

Si Lan’s face turned even redder. He had explained before that his past life as Jun Li had nothing to do with him now. If he were thick-skinned enough, he would have stripped to let Haowei see for himself.

 

He slowly denied, “We are not destined for each other.”

 

“Hmm?” Haowei’s tone rose.

 

“The fortune-teller said my destined one would have a demonic heart and a serpent’s courage, which doesn’t describe you.”

 

Haowei squinted his eyes, “When did you see the fortune-teller again?”

 

“Ah, just after we returned from Dayong Mountain.”

 

Upon hearing this, Haowei suddenly understood why Si Lan had been acting strangely. Si Lan used to always talk about how they were fated to be together, but he stopped mentioning it recently.

 

When they met in the Thirty-Three Heavens, Si Lan wanted to leave immediately upon seeing him. At that time, Haowei didn’t understand why, but now all the strange behavior made sense, connecting to this clue.

 

He wasn’t Si Lan’s fated one after all.

 

“So, who is your fated one?” Haowei’s demeanor seemed calm, but the scales on his tail twitched slightly, each one seemingly suppressed yet restless.

 

“The Torch Snake.”

 

“…” Haowei.

 

Si Lan felt uncomfortable as Haowei’s scales brushed against him. Hurriedly trying to comfort him, Si Lan said, “But that Torch Snake is dead. Besides, I don’t believe in that fortune teller’s words. Who destiny dictates doesn’t matter as much as who we choose to love.”

 

Haowei’s scales settled down again. He rested both hands on the edge of the pool, a strand of black hair lightly clinging to his cheek, his deep eyes like the sea. Ignoring Si Lan’s somewhat “profound confession,” he changed the subject, “What does ‘Serpent’s gall creating monsters’ mean?”

 

“It roughly means having snake gall in one’s body.”

 

Haowei’s eyes flickered gently, a faint smirk on his lips as he calmly replied, “Oh, I killed the Torch Snake back then and swallowed its gall. By that standard, your fated one is still me.”

 

“…” Si Lan.

 

Seeing Si Lan’s skeptical gaze, Haowei pointed to his own heart, saying, “My spiritual center has been affected by demonic energy, a result of an injury to my spiritual core that has yet to dissipate.”

 

“…” Si Lan was momentarily at a loss for words, staring blankly at Haowei. He had thought Haowei had killed his fated one, but now it seemed it had circled back to him.

 

“Is that so?” Si Lan’s voice trembled slightly as he murmured in disbelief. Perhaps due to the water being too warm, mist gathered in his eyes, making them slightly moist.

 

Thankfully, during their time on Yingzhou Island, he had steadfastly chosen Haowei, avoiding a decision he might regret for a lifetime.

 

“Mm.” Haowei nodded slightly. His tail pulled Si Lan closer, wrapping around his waist and abdomen, the beastly nature beneath the scales almost revealing itself.

 

Si Lan was still immersed in a mix of joy and shock, oblivious to the anomaly. He reached out and encircled Haowei’s waist, resting his cheek against Haowei’s shoulder. Pressed against Haowei’s chest, he could even feel Haowei’s heartbeat.

 

He didn’t know what to say. Life was filled with inevitabilities and tragedies, but the thread connecting them was beautiful, leading ultimately to Haowei.

 

Haowei’s voice was hoarse as he subtly murmured, “Si Lan, a dragon’s… can’t be interrupted. Otherwise, the dragon’s tail will be injured.”

 

Si Lan didn’t understand. What couldn’t be interrupted? The dragon’s tail would be injured?

 

Just as he was about to ask for clarification, the creature pressing against his back shifted slightly downward. In an instant, as if understanding something, his eyes widened.

 

What had been pressing against his back wasn’t Haowei’s dragon tail, but Haowei’s dragon… 

 

He hadn’t expected this white dragon to be so… shameless.

 

His face flushed suddenly, wanting to push Haowei away, but Haowei’s tail tightened around him even more, its agile tip like a hand, teasing his sensitive skin.

 

“It’ll be over soon,” Haowei murmured.

 

In bed, a man’s words could be true or false.

 

Si Lan had read many books and encountered many summaries, but in practice, he ended up believing the other’s nonsense with a frown, asking, “Will the dragon tail really be injured?”

 

“Mm, if the essence can’t be released, it will rush to the dragon’s tail, causing it harm.” Haowei made up.

 

Thinking of Haowei’s dragon tail being injured, Si Lan furrowed his brow. He knew that some monsters could indeed be harmed if they couldn’t vent, but he didn’t know real dragons were like this. He felt a bit shy and nervous. When he reached back and held the dragon creature, his arm trembled slightly.

 

Just this touch scared him.

 

It was too frightening.

 

Completely not like a normal person.

 

Indeed, Haowei’s lower half had transformed into a dragon tail, which was several times larger than a human form, making the dragon creature much larger too. It took both of Si Lan’s hands just to hold onto it.

 

Sensing the unusual warmth and shape, Si Lan guessed it might truly harm fundamentally, hesitating briefly before gently moving his fingers.

 

Haowei’s breath hitched, his eyes darkening as his hands, resting on the pool’s edge, involuntarily fell onto Si Lan’s waist, seeming to both restrain and encourage him.

 

Si Lan never imagined he’d one day be helping someone like this.

 

He thought, his head must be addled from soaking in the bath. Though muttering this to himself, his actions became urgent, causing Haowei to emit a muffled groan, whether from pain or something else, which sounded incredibly pleasing and magnetic to Si Lan’s ears.

 

He had only intended to glance up at him, but with blurry eyes and flushed cheeks, Haowei couldn’t resist grasping the nape of Si Lan’s neck, pressing his lips against Si Lan’s.

 

Si Lan froze, his movements halted. The dragon creature, displeased, nudged his palm, seeking assistance. Si Lan couldn’t help but wryly smile as he responded to Haowei’s kiss while managing the situation with the dragon creature.

 

Estimating a normal person’s endurance, Si Lan assumed Haowei was nearly at his limit. Yet, to his surprise, Haowei’s hand was still cramping, and the dragon creature remained unsatisfied.

 

Feeling anxious, Si Lan decided to playfully provoke Haowei during the kiss.

 

Haowei, being youthful and spirited, responded eagerly. Soon after, Si Lan collapsed exhausted into Haowei’s arms, thinking everything was done, only for Haowei to speak up again.

 

“There’s one more thing.”

 

“…” Si Lan.

 

He might as well just kill him.

 

Perhaps fearing Si Lan’s disbelief, Haowei held his hand and dipped it into the water, his voice a mix of coaxing and seriousness amid the mist, “Si Lan, help me again. Or if you’re tired, you don’t need to move; I can…”

 

Si Lan quickly interrupted, “I’m fine.” He was afraid of losing control to someone else, which might lead to more than just helping out.

 

Haowei said nothing, lips slightly pursed, head leaning against him.

 

In the depths of emotion, Haowei suddenly found it hard to restrain himself, “Si Lan, you smell so good.” So good that he wanted to swallow Si Lan whole, to keep him forever on his tongue.

 

Si Lan was unaware of any scent on himself. Upon hearing this, he blushed deeply and murmured softly, “What nonsense are you talking about?” How could a man like him smell fragrant?

 

Haowei buried his head in Si Lan’s neck and muttered, “Really fragrant.”

 

“…,” Si Lan fell silent.

 

Si Lan stopped arguing with him and only wanted to quickly finish what he was doing. In his heart, he complained about fate. He didn’t understand why fate would give dragons such as himself double the pleasure.

 

Little did he know, their double pleasure meant double pain for others.

 

He was almost exhausted to the point of collapse by the time he finished attending to Haowei. He vaguely thought that he would never invite Haowei to bathe again.

 

His dragon tail was unharmed, but his elbow was almost broken.

 

In the end, the one who suffered injuries was himself.

 

Seeing that Si Lan was truly tired, Haowei carried him back to rest in the main hall. Si Lan was now limp like a strand of silk, sinking softly into the blanket, looking like a tender bamboo shoot stripped of its skin.

 

Haowei stared at him with gentle indulgence in his eyes.

 

So easy to deceive.

 

Whatever he said, Si Lan believed it, foolishly cute.

 

If only he had known how easy it was to deceive… Haowei’s throat moved slightly, a hint of something sinister fleeting across his eyes. He should have dismantled and devoured him earlier.

 

He lay on the outer edge with his clothes on. Just as he lay down, Si Lan turned over and weakly held his arm.

 

Thinking Si Lan wanted to say something, Haowei leaned closer. Instead, he heard Si Lan say, “Yu Wuxia…”

 

“…,” Haowei was taken aback.

 

“I’ve thought it over carefully. Yu Wuxia is likely causing trouble at the boundary between the Demon Realm and the Human Realm. We should visit Linglong Mountain again.”

 

“When did you think of this?”

 

“Just now, while we were bathing,” Si Lan snorted and closed his eyes.

 

Haowei’s brow furrowed. While they were bathing, Si Lan was thinking about Yu Wuxia?

 

Haowei’s face darkened ominously. Just as he was about to say something, he lowered his gaze and found that Si Lan in his arms had already fallen asleep. He seemed quite tired, breathing slightly heavily, with faint shadows cast by his long eyelashes making his face look somewhat weary.

 

After a while, Haowei calmed down and reached out to touch Si Lan’s waist. “Wavering between two choices.”

 

He needed to sort out these wild thoughts. Si Lan needed to understand that some matters couldn’t be brought into the bedroom.

 

Si Lan had indeed been deeply engrossed in thoughts of Yu Wuxia. In his dream, he saw Yu Wuxia, but couldn’t discern his face, only a grey monk’s robe swaying in the wind.

 

Yu Wuxia led him to a waterfall in the dream. The waterfall instantly stopped and turned into a giant mirror. In the mirror appeared a new world, different from the current Six Realms.

 

Yu Wuxia’s voice echoed in his ears, “Reincarnation fails a hundred times, and this life you will fail too.”

 

Si Lan didn’t understand what Yu Wuxia meant. When he looked up to say something, Yu Wuxia’s figure gradually dissipated. He reached out to grab him, but only caught a few specks of starlight.

 

From halfway in the air came Yu Wuxia’s voice, “When the Six Realms change, the Eight Cycles must be replaced.”

 

Si Lan suddenly woke up from his dream, Yu Wuxia’s words lingering in his ears.

 

“When the Six Realms change, the Eight Cycles must be replaced.”

 

This dream… it didn’t seem like something he concocted randomly. It felt more like Yu Wuxia intentionally entered his dream to speak with him.

 

He had thought Yu Wuxia was hiding, unwilling to be found. Now it seemed Yu Wuxia hadn’t hidden anything at all; he had merely been playing a game of cat and mouse with them.

 

Slowly leading them to unravel the mystery and forcing them to take the bait.

 

Haowei also woke up, and upon seeing Si Lan’s dazed expression, asked, “What’s wrong?”

 

“I dreamt of Yu Wuxia.”

 

Upon hearing this, Haowei’s face grew serious. “What kind of dream?”

 

Si Lan then recounted the details of his dream to Haowei. The more Haowei listened, the darker his expression became.

 

Reincarnation fails a hundred times? When the Six Realms change, the Eight Cycles must be replaced?

 

Haowei suddenly understood what Yu Wuxia intended to do. As the divine strategist had predicted, Yu Wuxia didn’t seek to destroy the Six Realms but to overturn reincarnation and establish a new Six Realms.

 

For the Six Realms, it wouldn’t mean destruction.

 

But for the people of the current Six Realms, it would mean utter devastation.

 

Si Lan also grasped the meaning behind these words. He opened his mouth in disbelief, “How could he possibly establish a new Six Realms? Perhaps in this world, the only one who could easily destroy the Six Realms and establish them anew is the Heavenly Dao.”

 

Haowei cast a spell, and a three-dimensional map of the Six Realms appeared before them. He marked Xuanling Mountain, Dayong Mountain, Yingzhou Island, and Linglong Mountain on it.

 

According to their earlier speculation, there should be a place where the boundary between the Underworld and the Human Realm meets. Currently, nothing had happened in the Underworld, but they could still roughly mark its location.

 

After marking these five points, they found that they formed the five points of a pentagram, with the Human Realm at its center.

 

Frowning, Haowei muttered, “I wonder what this means? Perhaps only the Elder God, Zhuyou, can unravel this mystery.”

 

Zhuyou, the eldest god in the Six Realms, had been in seclusion for over ten thousand years.

 

He was also the god who indirectly caused the death of Si Lan’s mother.

---

T/N: Hey there! There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~

If you like my translations, feel free to donate to my ko-fi!

I really, really appreciate all the support from my readers <3 It goes a long way and motivates me lots!

https://ko-fi.com/hoenibean

 

Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!

If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield

If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’

How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection

What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love

How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep

 

Thank you for all your support <3 Leave a comment if you like 🙂 I love reading them!

 

Chapter 55

 

Before they could react, both of them were drawn into the illusion.

 

The scene before them rapidly shifted. The foggy surroundings gradually became clear, revealing two thatched huts at the foot of the mountain, swaying precariously in the wind and rain.

 

Upon seeing the familiar thatched huts, Haowei’s heart skipped a beat, as if a hand had gripped his throat, making it hard to breathe.

 

This was the place where he and Si Lan’s wisp of spirit once resided.

 

He glanced sideways and noticed that at some point, Si Lan had disappeared from his side.

 

In the void of the illusion, he was suspended alone, watching the scene of the pouring rain.

 

He slowly approached the huts, and the dark figure sitting on the threshold became clearer.

 

The little fool didn’t know how to tie his hair, so it was simply tied behind him with a piece of gray cloth. His eyes were red, as if he had just cried, and they were wet, staring unblinkingly at the heavy rain.

 

This illusion could make one see the deepest regrets in their heart.

 

For Haowei, the greatest regret was not returning to find the little fool back then.

 

Even though he could break free from the illusion and return to reality at any moment, he wanted to keep watching. He wanted to know what had happened to the little fool after he left and to see the final outcome of this regret.

 

The rain continued to pour, making the huts sway. The little fool, lost in thought, got up, put on a straw hat, and stumbled into the rain towards the mountain.

 

Haowei almost called out to him, but the moment he opened his mouth, he remembered that if he really did, he might get trapped in this illusion, so he held back and silently followed the little fool.

 

The rain, mixed with mud and rocks, flowed down the mountain path. The little fool, caught off guard, was knocked down by the mudslide. His knee was scr4p3d, and the strong wind blew off his hat, which was only held in place by the strap around his neck.

 

Grabbing onto the wild grass on the ground to steady himself, the little fool didn’t bother to put the hat back on. Seeing another wave of mudslide coming, he hugged a nearby tree, clinging to it tightly as tears and rain mixed on his face, making his aggrieved expression barely visible in the misty rain.

 

This made Haowei clench his fists involuntarily, closing his eyes in unspeakable pain.

 

Really foolish.

 

Why run into the mountains in such heavy rain?

 

After the mudslide passed, the little fool used the wild grass and thorns on the ground to steady himself and slowly crawled to the middle of the mountain, his face showing a joyful expression. He reached out to part the grass, revealing a dark cave entrance.

 

Seeing the cave, Haowei suddenly understood.

 

He had come to the cave looking for him, thinking he would take shelter here in the rain, unaware that he had long since left.

 

Haowei had told him many times that he was going to join the army, yet he still couldn’t remember.

 

Well, he was just a little fool, it wasn’t fair to expect too much from him.

 

The little fool didn’t find Haowei in the cave but met the Taixu Divine Lord instead. Haowei didn’t know what the Taixu Divine Lord had said to him, but the little fool didn’t leave the cave that night. He just hugged a wooden doll and curled up as if waiting for Haowei to return.

 

Haowei couldn’t bear to watch any longer. Turning his head away, the scene before him changed again.

 

It was still the thatched hut, but the little fool’s wisp of spirit seemed to be called away, about to vanish. He seemed to sense it, reaching out to grab the wooden doll with Haowei’s face carved on it. But his body suddenly convulsed in pain, his hand trembling as he tried to touch it, only for the wisp of spirit to turn into a brownish light and gradually disappear into the air.

 

The illusion shifted once more, now showing Lanlan’s home.

 

The man who should have been asleep woke up from the bed, his eyes dark like ink, resembling two black jades set in his pale face. Beads of sweat dotted his small nose, as if he had a nightmare. After sitting up, he stayed dazed for a long time.

 

Seeing Si Lan in this state, Haowei’s heart ached again. He wanted to reach out and touch this moment’s Si Lan, but he didn’t dare.

 

Everything before him was just a reflection of the past created by the illusion, designed to evoke inappropriate desires and make him sink into it.

 

When Si Lan woke up, Lanlan saw him and excitedly rushed to him, saying, “You’re awake?”

 

Si Lan nodded, his expression momentarily dazed, “I… was it you who saved me?”

 

“Yes, I’m your savior. You must… promise me one thing.”

 

“Alright.”

 

“I want you to marry me.”

 

Haowei saw Si Lan fall silent for a moment before slowly nodding, “Okay.”

 

The next moment was the wedding day. Si Lan was dressed in a red wedding robe, his hair tied up high with a jade crown, looking exquisitely handsome. Though he was a demonic cultivator, his aura was unmatched.

 

Haowei’s eyes stung at the sight. Clearly… it was he who had saved him and raised him for so long, yet upon waking, he was marrying another woman!

 

Moreover, he had married that woman three times, entangled for hundreds of years!

 

The more Haowei thought about it, the angrier he became, not noticing the flaw in the illusion. His eyes remained fixed on the scene where Si Lan, holding the bride’s hand, slowly walked towards the hall.

 

The officiant was chanting, “First bow to heaven and earth…”

 

“Second bow to the parents…”

 

“Husband and wife bow to each other…”

 

Haowei felt overwhelmed by the sea of red, so glaringly bright. As he reached out to cast a spell to destroy everything before him, his wrist was suddenly grasped. Turning around, he saw another Si Lan appear beside him.

 

Si Lan glanced at the scene in the illusion, frowned, and said to Haowei, “This is fake. Can’t you tell?”

 

Si Lan had also fallen into an illusion earlier, reliving the day he failed to save Luo Hui. However, he had easily seen through the illusion and escaped, finding Haowei only to see this scene now.

 

Haowei’s breath slightly restrained, he remained silent for a while before saying, “Fake?”

 

“Mhm, I didn’t marry Lanlan in the mortal realm.” The earlier illusion might have been real, but the latter part was fake, clearly meant to mess with Haowei’s mind.

 

“Then in the demon realm? You and her…” Haowei’s words stopped abruptly, his dark eyes staring at Si Lan.

 

Si Lan recalled that when Haowei was still a little white dragon, he had already explained this to him, but he didn’t expect him to still be fixated on it now.

 

He glanced at Haowei and vaguely saw a trace of black energy pass over Haowei’s forehead. Startled, he looked again carefully but saw nothing, thinking he might have imagined it.

 

He looked away and, while breaking the illusion, said, “Although Lanlan and I reached the marriage contract stage in the demon realm, something always went wrong right before the wedding night.” He felt wronged; he did nothing, yet ended up with three ex-wives.

 

Haowei remained noncommittal, his face still gloomy.

 

After Si Lan broke the illusion, the scene quickly returned to its original state. The dispersed demonic energy gathered again, filling most of the sky.

 

How strange, how did the Swastika formation break?

 

Haowei’s eyes sharpened, and he drew his long sword. At that moment, his heart was filled with a deep gloom. Encountering this lingering demonic energy gave him a chance to vent. His movements were swift, and his sword aura was like a stream of arrows, slicing the demonic energy into pieces. The pained screeches of the forming demon could be faintly heard.

 

Determined to be ruthless, even after dispersing the demonic energy, Haowei still wasn’t satisfied. He swung his sword again, slicing the tops off fifty-eight mountains. Thick smoke billowed instantly, and the terrified roars of the suppressed beasts echoed from the mountains below.

 

Si Lan looked at Haowei and seemed to see a trace of dark energy between his brows again. Just as he was about to speak, it disappeared.

 

Haowei sheathed his sword and placed the Demon Suppression Formation on the mountain peak. The beasts’ voices disappeared instantly.

 

Si Lan sensed something was wrong. Haowei’s emotions were very unstable; did the scene in the illusion affect him that much?

 

He had already explained that the wedding scene in the mortal realm was fake.

 

He initially planned to continue investigating Yuwuxia’s affairs but, seeing this situation, suggested they return to the demon realm to rest and let Haowei calm down a bit.

 

Haowei didn’t respond.

 

Along the way, Haowei remained silent, a nameless rage and resentment brewing within him. His mind kept replaying the scene of Si Lan and Lanlan’s wedding.

 

If it weren’t for him being the true dragon’s son, anyone who stole his luck and fate would face divine retribution. Si Lan and Lanlan would have long been together, sweetly in love.

 

The more he thought about it, the more uncomfortable he felt.

 

They landed on Zhuyun Peak, where clusters of golden and silver honeysuckle swayed with the mountain breeze, blooming profusely and filling the air with fragrance, seemingly mocking his irritation.

 

He suddenly remembered that Lanlan’s third life was as a honeysuckle demon, and Si Lan had planted the entire peak with honeysuckle for her.

 

Heh.

 

It had been hundreds of years, yet Si Lan hadn’t removed them.

 

He clenched his fingers, suppressing the rising anger in his heart.

 

Si Lan sneaked a glance at him. As they walked side by side, the setting sun cast their shadows on the ground, long and thin, their sleeves brushing against each other like they were holding hands.

 

Si Lan had no idea what Haowei was thinking, only sensing his low mood and unstable breath.

 

This jealousy was intense.

 

After some thought, he decided it was necessary to have a thorough talk with him.

 

Haowei had always minded his three ex-wives. Si Lan could understand; after all, Haowei, a virtuous and pure man, being with someone who had married three times was quite unfair.

 

He tentatively reached out, his little finger seemingly accidentally brushing Haowei’s hand. Seeing no reaction, he grew bolder and directly held Haowei’s hand.

 

Haowei’s steps paused, his facial muscles tensed, and the oppressive aura around him lessened slightly, but he still seemed unapproachable and difficult to deal with.

 

Si Lan steeled himself, treating Haowei as the little white dragon, coaxing him, “Don’t be mad. When Lanlan asked me to marry her, I agreed out of gratitude. At that time, my mind was full of thoughts of revenge, with no room for romantic feelings. Later, when I returned to the mortal realm after avenging myself, fifty years had passed, and Lanlan was already seventy years old when she married me.”

 

So, naturally, he didn’t develop romantic feelings for the first-life Lanlan.

 

“In her second and third lives, I only met Lanlan once before we made the marriage contract. To my shame, my mind was still preoccupied with revenge, with no interest in love, nor did I think of cultivating feelings with Lanlan. Thus, despite our entanglement over three lives, we only met five or six times in total.”

 

“In her fourth life, she married the husband she lost early in her first life. I was actually quite relieved. If she had married me, it wouldn’t have been a happy union for either of us, as I had no romantic feelings for her.”

 

Si Lan said a lot, but Haowei’s expression remained unchanged until the last sentence, when he finally turned to look at Si Lan, his gaze slightly shifting.

 

“No romantic feelings at all?”

 

“None.”

 

Haowei wasn’t bothered by Si Lan’s three marriages but was concerned that Si Lan might have loved Lanlan or still harbored feelings for her.

 

Otherwise, Si Lan wouldn’t have gone to see Lanlan before leaving the mortal realm last time.

 

Hearing Si Lan’s words now, the gloom in his heart dissipated.

 

But these honeysuckle flowers…

 

Haowei lowered his gaze, his lips pressed into a thin line.

 

Following his gaze, Si Lan saw the honeysuckle flowers and suddenly understood, “Ah, these honeysuckle flowers, I always forgot to remove them. What flowers do you like?”

 

Haowei didn’t speak for a long time. After a while, he said nonchalantly, “No need to bother, honeysuckle flowers are fine.”

 

“Oh,” Si Lan responded, glancing sideways to see that Haowei’s expression had softened. He secretly let out a sigh of relief.

 

Dealing with a true dragon’s temperament was really tough.

 

Like serving an emperor, he had to treat Haowei with utmost care.

 

He needed to find a way to turn the tables and make Haowei follow his lead for a change.

 

At that moment, Qu Ze and Xie Li were walking towards them from the mountain. Si Lan instinctively tried to pull his hand away from Haowei’s, but Haowei took the initiative, gripping Si Lan’s hand even tighter.

 

Si Lan couldn’t shake his hand free and felt too embarrassed to make a scene, so he forced a smile and ended up standing there, holding hands with Haowei, in front of Qu Ze and Xie Li.

 

Qu Ze glanced at their joined hands, his swollen face revealing no expression. “Lord, we and the two protectors have gathered enough jade fruits.”

 

Si Lan forced a stiff smile, replying awkwardly, “Oh, really? Then you and the protectors should personally deliver them to their families and apologize.”

 

“Yes,” Qu Ze replied, lowering his head and glancing at their interlocked hands again.

 

If he hadn’t seen it with his own eyes, he would never have believed that the overlord of the Demon Realm and the overlord of the Heavenly Realm would be walking hand-in-hand under the sunset. If he spread this news, no one would believe him, and it might even be considered the biggest lie of the year.

 

Xie Li, being more straightforward, stared at their intertwined hands with wide eyes, his small face a mix of curiosity and confusion.

 

Si Lan, too busy to care about what his little disciple was thinking, gave an awkward laugh and quickly pulled Haowei away.

 

After only a few steps, he heard Xie Li whispering to Qu Ze.

 

“Senior Brother, can holding hands like that make them have babies?”

 

“…”

 

Si Lan was speechless.

 

Haowei glanced at Si Lan, seeming even more pleased.

 

Qu Ze, half exasperated, half serious, replied, “No.”

 

“But in the stories, it says if you hold hands, then on the bed, yin and yang connect, and in eight or nine months, a child will be born. Just the other day, I heard them on the bed…”

 

Before Xie Li could finish, Qu Ze covered his mouth and dragged him away, as if fearing further disaster.

 

Si Lan suddenly realized that his habit of reading those romantic stories had influenced Xie Li, causing the young boy to “understand” so much at such a young age.

 

Talking about bed, yin and yang connecting—how embarrassing.

 

Even Si Lan, who had lived for over a thousand years, felt ashamed.

 

Secretly annoyed, Si Lan decided that Xie Li must be sent for nine hundred years of compulsory education at the Demon Hall.

 

Haowei, still holding Si Lan’s hand, noticed his flushed face and smiled even more.

 

An improper old demon lord had raised an improper little demon lord.

 

Once they returned to the main hall, Haowei finally let go of Si Lan’s hand. Si Lan felt an immense relief, though his fingers still tingled where Haowei had held them. It was strange—Haowei wasn’t a heater, so why did his touch feel so peculiar?

 

Lost in these thoughts, Si Lan noticed it was late and decided to take a bath in the hot spring at the back of the mountain. He liked to think while bathing and planned to consider how to continue investigating Yu Wuxia.

 

Out of courtesy, he asked Haowei if he wanted to join.

 

Previously, in the Eight Trigrams Formation of Extreme Sound, the proud little white dragon refused to bathe with him, so Si Lan assumed Haowei would decline this time as well. Unexpectedly, Haowei nodded in agreement.

 

Feeling uneasy, Si Lan kept on his underclothes and shrank into a corner of the spring.

 

Haowei, upon entering the clear pool, immediately transformed into his original form. The white dragon swam leisurely in the water, its scales shimmering under the moonlight. The pond was shallow but vast, larger than most lakes.

 

Watching Haowei swim so joyfully without even glancing his way, Si Lan felt it was unnecessary to be so reserved. He took off his underclothes, leaving only his inner pants, and soaked quietly in the pleasantly warm water.

 

The water, meticulously maintained by Si Lan for centuries, not only nourished the body but also enhanced beauty.

 

After circling the pond a few times, Haowei reverted to his human form, seemingly a bit self-conscious, showing only his upper body while covering his lower half with a coarse white cloth.

 

He sat beside Si Lan, resting his hands on the edge of the pool, eyes closed. Water droplets fell from his dark hair, tracing down his jawline, chest, and along his well-defined abdomen before merging into the spring water.

 

Si Lan stole a glance at him and quickly looked away.

 

The mist rising from the water created an ambiguous atmosphere between them.

 

Trying to ease the awkwardness, Si Lan said, “The moonlight is beautiful tonight.”

 

“Mm,” Haowei responded.

 

Though brief, since Si Lan had clarified his relationship with Lan Lan earlier, Haowei’s mood seemed much better.

 

The silence returned, and Si Lan sank a bit deeper into the water.

 

Suddenly, he felt something cool brushing against him underwater. Looking down, he saw a white dragon tail curling around his leg.

 

“…”

 

He couldn’t help but look up at Haowei again. Haowei still had his eyes closed, but two pink dragon horns had appeared on his forehead.

 

How odd, transforming into human form while still showing dragon horns and tail?

 

Oh, he suddenly remembered Haowei had mentioned that his dragon horns appeared when he was angry.

 

Realizing this, Si Lan couldn’t understand what had upset the little white dragon this time.

 

Just moments ago, he seemed to be happily swimming.

 

The dragon tail under the water became more intrusive, the tip curling around Si Lan’s foot. The cool, smooth scales against Si Lan’s skin sent a chill through him.

 

His mind flashed back to something he’d heard during their spiritual cultivation.

 

“There’s another one, hidden beneath the dragon scales.”

 

His gaze deepened as he looked at the dragon tail, his brows furrowing slightly. Only during their first spiritual connection had he felt two, but back then he was so dazed that his memory was unclear. He hadn’t encountered it since.

 

Haowei seemed to sense Si Lan’s gaze. His dragon tail suddenly wrapped around Si Lan’s waist and pulled him into his arms.

 

Startled, Si Lan instinctively put his arms around Haowei’s neck to steady himself.

 

Haowei opened his eyes, his dark pupils fixed on Si Lan. “Why are you staring at me?”

 

“Weren’t you the one getting close to me first?” Si Lan noticed Haowei’s dragon horns were even pinker, resembling two delicate coral branches on his smooth forehead. It was oddly amusing.

 

Was Haowei really angry?

 

He didn’t look angry at all.

 

Haowei said, “The tail just accidentally touched you.”

 

“…”

 

This guy had some nerve. Clearly, he had been teasing Si Lan with his tail for a while, yet he claimed it was accidental.

 

In a muffled voice, Si Lan retorted, “Really? If your tail is so uncontrollable, you might as well not have it.”

 

Saying this, he deliberately pinched one of Haowei’s dragon scales. Haowei’s body stiffened, and his tail doubled in size. The tail fin rose above the water’s surface, with the tip curling gently around Si Lan’s nape.

 

“I’m not lying to you.”

 

Like his dragon horns, Haowei’s tail became uncontrollable when he was aroused. The dragon horns would emerge from his forehead, and the tail would automatically seek out the person he adored.

 

The more intense his feelings, the more serious the problem became.

 

Ancient texts stated that dragons were inherently lascivious, which was not a false claim.

 

However, a true dragon would only lose control of their emotions with the one they loved. Haowei originally thought that soaking in the hot spring would not make him lose his composure, but he underestimated how intoxicating Si Lan’s scent was.

 

That sweet fragrance, mixed with the steam, entered his nostrils and seemed to merge with his very being, gradually eroding his self-control. After transforming into human form, he had kept his eyes closed, trying to avoid looking at Si Lan, which was a futile attempt to deceive himself. But he still lost his composure due to the allure.

 

Si Lan found Haowei’s thick skin quite amusing. When he was a little white dragon, he used to blush easily, but now that he was grown, he had become much bolder.

 

“You haven’t explained why you were staring at my dragon tail earlier.”

 

“Just a bit curious, that’s all.”

 

“Curious about what?” Haowei asked.

 

“…”

 

Si Lan didn’t know how to respond and didn’t notice Haowei’s dragon tail standing behind him, its scales gleaming with a silvery light, ready to move.

---

T/N: Hey there! There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~

If you like my translations, feel free to donate to my ko-fi!

I really, really appreciate all the support from my readers <3 It goes a long way and motivates me lots!

https://ko-fi.com/hoenibean

 

Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!

If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield

If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’

How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection

What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love

How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep

 

Thank you for all your support <3 Leave a comment if you like 🙂 I love reading them!

 

Chapter 54

 

Si Lan was about to discuss the matter with Haowei, and upon hearing Haowei speak, he immediately nodded in agreement.

 

Yu Wuxia was like an invisible thorn in their sides. Normally it didn’t show, but when it did, it was never a small issue. Thus, the most urgent task was to remove this thorn as quickly as possible.

 

After some preparation, the two of them concealed their identities and transformed their appearances before heading to the demon realm.

 

Si Lan took on the appearance of a young man in a green robe. His eyebrows and eyes remained the same, but his lips and nose had changed shape, losing some of their delicacy and gaining a hint of dullness.

 

Haowei, like last time in the mortal realm, wore a black outfit with a red-gold cloud-patterned belt around his waist and black boots. He looked imposing and dignified. However, his face was masked by a spell, making him look plain, which made people feel a bit regretful: such a fine physique, wasted on an ordinary face.

 

“Since that fox demon is Yu Wuxia’s old flame, and she is suppressed under Linglong Mountain, why hasn’t Yu Wuxia rescued her?” Si Lan asked.

 

“These are all just rumors and may not be true,” Haowei explained. Their knowledge of Yu Wuxia came entirely from unreliable rumors, so the truth was uncertain.

 

As one of the involved parties, Immortal Jia Heng refused to say anything, leaving them with no way to discern the truth. Now, they could only act on a long shot and go find the fox demon first.

 

Linglong Mountain was located at the border between the demon realm and the human realm. As soon as they landed on the peak of Linglong Mountain, they immediately felt a strong demonic aura and resentment permeating the area.

 

Besides Linglong Mountain, there were over eighty other peaks, each suppressing a demon. Although these demons were suppressed, their demonic auras and resentment lingered, forming a massive “dark cloud” above.

 

The “dark cloud” covered the sky, with black mist rolling at the edges, emanating a murderous atmosphere.

 

Si Lan glanced up, feeling uneasy. He heard Haowei’s voice beside him, “These demonic auras are quite strange.”

 

“I feel the same. I’m afraid this ‘dark cloud’ will become sentient if it continues.”

 

“Mm.”

 

After speaking, Haowei drew an intricate mandala in the air. The characters emitted a golden light, growing larger and dispelling the demonic aura above. The sky brightened immediately.

 

Then, he placed his hand on the ground and forcibly split open Linglong Mountain, pulling Si Lan down with him.

 

Instinctively, Si Lan grabbed Haowei’s clothes. The wind whistled past his ears, but Haowei’s breathing was clear and steady, reaching his ears.

 

The bottom of the mountain was pitch black, with nothing visible except the eerie sounds of hissing and chains clinking.

 

Haowei cast a spell, illuminating the bottom of the mountain. Si Lan looked up and suddenly met a pair of huge red eyes. Startled, he involuntarily clung tighter to Haowei’s belt.

 

Haowei’s fingers pressed against Si Lan’s waist to steady him. With his other hand, he struck the fox demon before them. The demon staggered, letting out a wail, and its huge red fox form was forced into a human shape, falling to the ground.

 

The woman, after transforming, was not clothed. Seeing this, Si Lan instinctively covered Haowei’s eyes.

 

“Do not look at indecent things.”

 

“…” Haowei.

 

“Ah…” The woman covered her chest with one hand and clasped her legs together. Her long black hair fell over her chest, covering most of her body. The chains on her limbs clinked as she moved. She looked up with a resentful gaze. Being of the fox clan, she was exceptionally alluring, her eyes brimming with seductive charm, and her red lips striking even without makeup.

 

Her gaze naturally carried an enchanting allure.

 

Si Lan was momentarily dazed until he felt a pair of hands covering his eyes. Haowei’s cool voice sounded in his ear.

 

“Hm? Do not look at indecent things?”

 

Si Lan’s cheeks flushed slightly, and he explained sheepishly, “I-I was just about to close my eyes.”

 

Haowei released his hand, and Si Lan’s vision cleared. Looking up, he saw the fox demon now wearing a coat.

 

The fox demon, imprisoned for thousands of years, was not timid. After sizing up the two men, she displayed a pitiful expression. One hand clutched her clothes while the other supported her as she slowly crawled toward them, swaying her hips.

 

“Are you here to save me?” The fox demon lowered her head, but her upturned eyes added to her pitiful and helpless look.

 

Si Lan, to avoid angering Haowei, remained silent and let Haowei speak.

 

Haowei didn’t answer the fox demon’s question directly but instead asked, “Why are you imprisoned in Linglong Mountain?”

 

Upon hearing this, the fox demon’s face showed extreme grievance. She began to cry as she said, “I am truly wronged. I was only friendly with a Immortal disciple, and for that, the Immortal imprisoned me in Linglong Mountain, condemning me to an eternity of escape. Such a punishment is worse than death.”

 

“Are you really innocent? The disciple you seduced is the most enlightened student of the thirty-three heavens, also a close disciple of Immortal Jia Heng. For the crime you committed, even the destruction of your soul wouldn’t be too harsh.”

 

Hearing this, the fox demon paused in her secretive wiping of tears and glanced between Si Lan and Haowei, seeming to speculate on their intentions.

 

She said, “If his heart was truly firm in the Immortal’s teachings, how could he be bewitched by me?”

 

“Oh, and how did you bewitch him?”

 

“I don’t know why you two are here, but since you were able to split open Linglong Mountain, you must also be able to free me. If you agree to free me, I will answer all your questions.”

 

Actually, Haowei intended to free her regardless. She was one of the few people connected to Yu Wuxia, possibly even his weakness.

 

“Okay,” Haowei agreed. Seeing Si Lan’s unusual silence, he continued, “How did you come to know Yu Wuxia?”

 

The fox demon, assured of her release, immediately showed joy and stopped pretending to cry. “Our first meeting was in the human realm. He was on a mission to subdue demons and stayed overnight in a Immortal temple. I saw how handsome he was and transformed into a woman to approach him…”

 

The fox demon didn’t continue, as if lost in a fond memory, her smile softening.

 

“He was the most handsome man I had ever seen in this world. Sitting cross-legged in the temple, chanting sutras, his long, shapely form beneath the wide monk’s robe… My hand traced along…”

 

She slowly extended her hand as if Yu Wuxia’s body was right in front of her, her hand moving downward.

 

“Along his nape, shoulder, chest, sliding down… He suddenly opened his eyes and looked at me. In that moment, I thought I was done for, but he suddenly pulled me into his arms…”

 

Haowei couldn’t help but interrupt, “You don’t need to go into such detail. Is this how you bewitched Yu Wuxia?”

 

Such a method seemed too crude. How could a disciple of Yu Wuxia’s caliber fall for it?

 

Seeing Haowei’s skepticism, the fox demon said indignantly, “Of course, how could I lie to you? My enchantment skills are unmatched in the fox clan. He fell for me this way.”

 

As she spoke, she blinked at them, and a faint light emanated from her alluring eyes, drifting between Si Lan and Haowei. She bit her lip, exposing her shoulders, her figure exuding sensuality in the dim light, her gaze seductive.

 

However, Haowei’s expression remained unchanged, and although Si Lan’s ears turned red, it was purely from embarrassment and not because he was under her spell.

 

She was taken aback, muttering, “Has my technique declined? Only blind men and those uninterested in women were immune before.”

 

“…” The two, caught out.

 

Haowei coldly threatened, “Stop your illusions, or I’ll gouge out your eyes.”

 

The fox demon pouted but retracted her enchantment and pulled up her clothes.

 

“Did Yu Wuxia frequently visit the demon realm to meet you after being bewitched by you?”

 

“Yes.”

 

This aligned with the rumors.

 

“And then Immortal Jia Heng discovered you and severed your connection with Yu Wuxia?”

 

“Mm. Though Yu Wuxia was punished and confined, he sent a wisp of his soul to bring me and a few sisters to the thirty-three heavens. We enjoyed ourselves on Wuzhi Cliff for a long time.”

 

“…” Si Lan.

 

Haowei showed no reaction and continued questioning, “Was it then that Immortal Jia Heng discovered and banished Yu Wuxia to the demon realm?”

 

“No, Yu Wuxia fell into the demon path on his own because that bald monk killed the bluebird demon.” Mentioning this, the fox demon still felt indignant. “The bluebird’s figure wasn’t as good as mine, her looks not as beautiful, yet she was so favored by Yu Wuxia.”

 

Si Lan and Haowei exchanged a glance.

 

They had initially thought Yu Wuxia was led astray by this fox demon, but it seemed that if not her, there would be other demons to lure him away in the future.

 

It was surprising that this highly cultivated disciple, virtuous for a thousand lifetimes, had such strong worldly desires.

 

“Have you ever heard Yu Wuxia mention anything about Immortal Jia Heng?”

 

The fox demon played with her hair, her eyes sultry as she gazed at Haowei, “I can tell you, but you have to release my seal first.” She feared that once she divulged everything, she would be discarded. Although sealed for so many years, her mind remained sharp.

 

Haowei conjured a silver-white phantom sword, the sword energy slicing toward the chains on the fox demon. The chains were inscribed with countless exorcism runes, forming a barrier under the attack.

 

This was an additional seal left by Immortal Jia Heng.

 

Presumably, it was meant to prevent Yu Wuxia from rescuing her.

 

Haowei swung his sword again, the sword energy breaking through the barrier and transforming into countless silver arrows, shattering the chains on the fox demon. Freed at last, the fox demon transformed back into her original form and let out an excited howl, though the sound was a comical “squeak.”

 

The fox demon groomed her fur, then, after calming down, approached Si Lan and Haowei and continued, “Yu Wuxia never mentioned that bald monk, but I do have something to tell you. One of our sisters was curious about why that monk was so cold and unyielding, so she sneaked into the thirty-three heavens to seduce him. She was nearly killed when discovered and barely escaped with her life. When she returned to Wuzhi Cliff to tell Yu Wuxia, she expected comfort but was instead killed by him.”

 

“…” Si Lan.

 

Haowei fell silent, his expression turning serious as he pondered this information.

 

“I’ve told you nearly everything I know. I’ll be leaving now…” The fox demon was about to cast a spell to depart when she suddenly shrank and was trapped under a white demon-subduing bell.

 

Immediately, the fox demon began cursing.

 

“What are you doing? Didn’t you promise to free me?!”

 

“How can you go back on your word?!”

 

Haowei put away the demon-subduing bell. “I only promised to lift your seal, not to set you free. You still have use to us; once you’re no longer needed, you’ll be released.”

 

The fox demon tried to continue cursing, but Haowei stowed the bell, silencing her.

 

Seeing this, Si Lan finally spoke, “Yu Wuxia’s nature is truly peculiar.”

 

“There’s always a reason for odd behavior.” Haowei glanced at Si Lan. “Why didn’t you say anything earlier?”

 

Si Lan replied sheepishly, “You asked all the questions I wanted to ask.”

 

Haowei said nothing more, wrapping an arm around Si Lan’s waist and flying them out of Linglong Mountain. As the scenery shifted rapidly and the wind roared around them, Si Lan was lost in thought until Haowei’s voice suddenly broke through.

 

“Did you think that fox demon was attractive?”

 

“…” Si Lan.

 

He knew the little white dragon was still upset and holding a grudge.

 

“I really didn’t see anything.”

 

“Ha.”

 

Si Lan bit his lip, contemplating how to explain further, when he noticed something was off. Why hadn’t they flown out of Linglong Mountain yet?

 

Haowei also realized something was wrong and looked up. The demonic energy that had been dispersed earlier had somehow gathered again.

 

The Immortal formation Haowei had created had been broken.

 

They had fallen into an illusion.

---

T/N: Hey there! There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~

If you like my translations, feel free to donate to my ko-fi!

I really, really appreciate all the support from my readers <3 It goes a long way and motivates me lots!

https://ko-fi.com/hoenibean

 

Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!

If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield

If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’

How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection

What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love

How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep

 

Thank you for all your support <3 Leave a comment if you like 🙂 I love reading them!

 

Chapter 53

 

Si Lan heard this with an incredulous look at Haowei. He needed daily spiritual communion… to stabilize his cultivation?

 

How could there be such a requirement?

 

Haowei met Si Lan’s gaze calmly, showing no signs of weakness.

 

Si Lan hesitated, “How long does this usually take?”

 

“Previously, due to your poor physical condition, it required three days of adjustment, but now once a day is sufficient.” Haowei lied smoothly, his face calm and composed.

 

Si Lan furrowed his delicate brows and after a moment murmured, “Hmm,” inwardly not opposed to spiritual communion with Haowei, but feeling that things were progressing too quickly.

 

Suddenly remembering something, he added, “You must not force me to transform into my true form again.”

 

When they both transformed, the White Dragon was two to three times larger than Yujia, causing him considerable discomfort. Moreover, the dragon scales were cool and moist, faintly emitting a fishy smell. When wrapped around him, it made him feel uneasy all over.

 

Haowei’s eyes flickered with a hint of amusement, and he softly acknowledged Si Lan’s request.

 

As familiarity breeds comfort, this time Si Lan entered Haowei’s consciousness without needing guidance, willingly soaking in the rising mist in the clear pool.

 

The water made him feel extremely comfortable, every pore on his body opening up.

 

With closed eyes, he quietly savored the misty vapor, when suddenly a pair of arms gently embraced him from behind, and in the next moment, a hot breath spread from his neck, quickly enveloping his entire body.

 

…

 

After the spiritual communion ended, Si Lan fell into a deep sleep. Haowei, however, couldn’t sleep, quietly watching Si Lan through the night.

 

Si Lan’s face was slightly flushed, his expression peaceful, his head resting on Haowei’s arm, the gentle breath against his skin slowly dissolving into tingling sensations.

 

Unable to resist, he pulled Si Lan into his embrace, reminiscent of how he held the naive boy in the cave.

 

In truth, the current Si Lan was also easily deceived, not much different from that naive boy.

 

Thinking of this, Haowei’s lips curved slightly, a smile filled with profound meaning.

 

The next day, Si Lan woke from his sleep, this time feeling refreshed and full of vitality, as if he had swallowed some powerful elixir.

 

Unexpectedly, the result of their dual cultivation was quite unexpected.

 

He couldn’t help but mutter to himself, turning to look beside him, only to find that Haowei had already disappeared.

 

At that moment, a distant sobbing sound suddenly reached his ears, mixed with the weeping of men and women. Si Lan immediately got out of bed, hurriedly threw on a green robe, and rushed outside, following the sound to the main hall.

 

“I won’t leave today without an explanation!”

 

“Neither will I! We are all innocent!”

 

“How could they treat us like this?”

 

Unknown individuals were arguing incessantly in the hall, one after another.

 

Si Lan didn’t hesitate and walked straight in, and as soon as his figure appeared, the complaints from the crowd abruptly stopped. They turned to look at him, dumbfounded.

 

Against the sunlight, Si Lan walked a few steps into the study to see the situation clearly. Haowei, who had disappeared earlier, was now here, sitting on a chair with a gloomy expression. When he saw Si Lan appear, he slightly raised his head, his eyes carrying a hint of coldness and resentment.

 

“…,” Si Lan paused in his steps.

 

Beside Haowei stood Qu Ze and the guardians.

 

Si Lan glanced at Haowei and then at the unfamiliar men and women in the hall. “What’s going on?”

 

Song Cheng lowered his head. “Your Majesty, they are candidates for the harem. After suspending the selection of concubines, they… they are unwilling and caused a disturbance here at Mount Zhuyun.”

 

Si Lan clicked his tongue but remained composed, glanced briefly at Haowei, then looked towards the demons.

 

They were dressed provocatively, their attire revealing, their postures seductive and graceful. Upon meeting Si Lan’s gaze, they continuously changed their poses, fluttering their eyelashes at him.

 

Leading them was Mo Demon Ruyin. Since Si Lan appeared, Ruyin had been subtly using charm techniques, filling the air with a faint hallucinogenic fragrance.

 

“Your Majesty…” Ruyin, though appearing male, spoke with a soft and delicate voice softer and sweeter than that of a woman’s, “Your Majesty, I have admired you for so many years. I don’t understand what I have done wrong to make Your Majesty reject me.”

 

Seeing the beauty in tears, Si Lan felt somewhat uneasy. He reached out as if to comfort her, but caught a glimpse of Haowei’s gaze and hastily withdrew his hand.

 

“It’s not that I don’t want everyone. It’s a misunderstanding about the selection of concubines. I currently have no intention of marrying.” Si Lan explained.

 

Upon hearing this, the demons immediately burst into tears, each one looking pitiful and resentful.

 

Ruyin didn’t expect his illusion to fail and couldn’t help but stomp his foot in grievance, his bare shoulders revealing, “Your Majesty, how can you go back on your word? If this spreads, others will think I have done something wrong and been rejected by you!”

 

“Yes, Your Majesty, your misunderstanding has ruined our reputation!”

 

“Sob, Your Majesty, are you really so heartless?”

 

…

 

Listening to these half-complaints and half-pleas, Si Lan felt a headache coming on, but he vaguely understood the reason for their disturbance.

 

Their claims of not wanting to leave him weren’t necessarily genuine.

 

After a moment of silence, he said, “Indeed, I mishandled this matter. I intend to give each of you a Jade Dan fruit to aid in your cultivation.” A Jade Dan fruit could boost cultivation by ten years, greatly benefiting these male and female demons in their practice.

 

Sure enough, upon hearing this, the demons stopped crying, and in the midst of them, Ruyin’s eyes flickered as he smiled seductively, lifting two fingers slowly as if bargaining, “Two, Your Majesty. Only two Dan fruits can soothe the pain in my heart.”

 

Others nodded in agreement, “Yes, Your Majesty, I also want two.”

 

Si Lan didn’t refuse, “Alright, two each then. Go back for now, and I will personally send the fruits to your homes later.”

 

The demons instantly brightened up, hurriedly thanked Si Lan, and left with laughter and chatter, their previous sorrow and resentment nowhere to be seen.

 

Watching them leave, Qu Ze looked worried, “Your Majesty, there aren’t that many Jade Dan fruits at Mount Zhuyun.”

 

“Oh, about that…” Si Lan chuckled and turned around, his gaze sweeping past Qu Ze as he looked at Song Cheng and Song Ye, “Not enough? Then the three of you will go pick fruits at the Cangsen Cliff. Be careful, though; it’s infested with poisonous bees and snakes.”

 

With their cultivation levels, they wouldn’t be killed by bees and snakes, but being bitten would still be quite painful.

 

Song Ye’s face immediately showed a painful expression upon hearing this, knowing that Your Majesty wouldn’t let them off so easily. No wonder Your Majesty agreed so readily just now; it turned out to be to let them pick wild fruits.

 

Cangsen Cliff was infested with fierce poisonous bees and snakes, not only lurking below the cliff but also infecting the flowers, plants, and trees on the mountain. It was rare for someone who had gone to pick Jade Dan fruits to return unscathed.

 

Qu Ze and Song Ye’s faces stiffened for a moment, but they quickly regained their composure and bowed, “Yes.”

 

Song Ye opened his mouth as if to say something, but Song Cheng dragged him away.

 

In the grand hall, only Si Lan and Haowei remained after a blink of an eye.

 

For a moment, the atmosphere froze, an unspoken awkwardness spreading between them. Si Lan, displaying his talent for playing dumb, chuckled, “Oh dear, you caught me in an embarrassing moment.”

 

Haowei said nothing.

 

“Were they asking you to handle this?”

 

“Yes.” Haowei responded. Earlier, Si Lan had been sleeping soundly, and Haowei couldn’t bring himself to wake him, so he got up to check. When he arrived at the main hall, he discovered that it was the concubine candidates chosen by Si Lan causing a commotion.

 

“How… how could I trouble you with that?” Si Lan smiled awkwardly.

 

He remembered the scene he saw when he pushed open the door: a stern-faced Haowei confronting a group of extravagantly dressed, tearful male and female demons. It looked very much like a main wife disciplining the concubines.

 

But, of course, he didn’t dare say this to Haowei.

 

Haowei suddenly smiled, a hint of menace in his smile, “It was no trouble. I was about to send them flying, but then you arrived.”

 

“…,” Si Lan.

 

Haowei stood up and walked over to Si Lan, reaching out to touch his forehead. Si Lan stood still, hearing Haowei’s voice above him.

 

“Are you feeling better now?”

 

“Yes, much better.” Si Lan thought for a moment and then asked, “And you?”

 

He knew Haowei had transferred a lot of cultivation energy to him and was worried that Haowei might be affected.

 

“I’m fine.”

 

Seeing the concern in Si Lan’s eyes, Haowei’s mood lightened a bit. This Demon Lord still had a bit of a conscience, showing concern for him.

 

A gentle breeze blew through the window, causing Si Lan’s robe to flutter and revealing his bare, clean feet. Only then did Haowei notice that Si Lan was not wearing any shoes.

 

He frowned, said nothing, and directly scooped Si Lan up into his arms. Startled, Si Lan let out a soft sound, almost like a bedroom whisper.

 

Haowei’s expression froze for a moment, then he carried Si Lan back without a word, “Why aren’t you wearing shoes? Acting so recklessly.” The weather was getting colder, and it was easy to catch a chill.

 

“I forgot.” Si Lan, now in a bridal carry, felt awkward and didn’t know where to place his arms. Hesitating for a moment, he settled them on his chest.

 

Looking at Haowei’s profile, he whispered, “You should put me down, or someone might see.” After all, he was a grown man, with hands and feet, being carried like this was strange.

 

“Is there anyone else on Mount Zhuyun?” Haowei raised an eyebrow and glanced towards the corner.

 

In the corner, Xiao Xieli was about to walk over but suddenly felt a wave of pressure hit him, making him shiver and stand still, not daring to move.

 

At the same time, a threat echoed in his mind.

 

“Stay away, or I’ll carve you into a piglet.”

 

“…,” Xiao Xieli.

 

Haowei carried Si Lan back to the room and placed him on the bed, lifting his foot.

 

Si Lan felt inexplicably shy, his snow-white toes curling as if trying to hide. The veins on his feet were clearly visible, like vines spreading through his flesh.

 

Haowei picked up a shoe, bending down, his gaze focused and serious, but his tone slightly disdainful, “Take better care of your paws.”

 

Hearing this, Si Lan indignantly lifted his foot, “They’re not paws!”

 

He wasn’t careful with his strength and accidentally kicked Haowei’s chin.

 

Haowei instinctively grabbed his foot, the rough warmth of his fingers touching Si Lan’s arch, making him involuntarily let out a soft sound and trying to retract his leg, but Haowei held on tight.

 

Si Lan frowned and looked up at Haowei, only to find Haowei’s dark eyes fixed on his foot. The area where his foot was held became even whiter, while the surrounding skin turned a faint pink, and the small toes in Haowei’s palm looked delicate and cute.

 

He tried to pull back his right foot, but Haowei took the shoe and gently put it on his right foot, then picked up his left foot, his fingers seemingly unintentionally brushing against Si Lan’s arch, causing him to tremble and nearly fall. He managed to steady himself with his hands.

 

Si Lan suspected Haowei was doing it on purpose, but seeing Haowei’s impassive face, he couldn’t help but think he was overthinking it.

 

This seemingly serious Divine Emperor Haowei wouldn’t be flirting with his feet… would he?

 

Si Lan was overthinking it.

 

After Haowei helped him put on his shoes, he stood up. His white luxurious attire was so bright it was almost blinding, though there was an unusual bulge in the middle of his robe.

 

Before Si Lan could take a closer look, Haowei quickly turned around and began to straighten his robe.

 

“…” Si Lan.

 

Even though he couldn’t see clearly, he realized that it wasn’t just his imagination.

 

This seemingly righteous Divine Emperor Haowei turned out to be a hypocrite. Just looking at his feet could…

 

Yet earlier, Haowei had deliberately mocked him, saying his feet looked like claws.

 

Ha! Hypocrite.

 

Si Lan’s lips curled up into a smirk. Whether it was playful or smug was unclear. He arched his foot to nudge Haowei’s calf. Haowei’s body stiffened, and his breath hitched for a moment.

 

Although it was just a moment, Si Lan noticed it accurately. So he intentionally slid his foot upward, rubbing against Haowei’s leg.

 

“My shoes feel uncomfortable. Can you check what’s wrong?”

 

Haowei didn’t react at first. Just as Si Lan thought he wouldn’t do anything, Haowei turned around and grabbed Si Lan’s ankle. His slender, jade-like fingers clasped around Si Lan’s ankle like a shackle.

 

Adjusting Si Lan’s shoes, he asked, “Is this better?”

 

“It still feels a bit awkward,” Si Lan said, moving his foot, his toes brushing against Haowei’s wrist.

 

This pretentious little white dragon showed no sign of faltering, but his ears were exceptionally red.

 

Tsk tsk.

 

Suddenly amused, Si Lan rubbed Haowei’s elbow with his toes, seeing Haowei’s ears turn even redder. Si Lan’s gaze moved down to Haowei’s lower abdomen, trying to see something. But Haowei turned sideways again, standing up and adjusting his robe as if trying to hide something.

 

“If the shoes don’t fit, just change to another pair,” Haowei said, his back to Si Lan, his voice stiff.

 

Si Lan stopped teasing him, softly murmured an “okay,” and lowered his head to straighten his own robe, his eyes still filled with mirth.

 

Haowei’s voice remained stiff. “If you have recovered enough, we should head to Linglong Mountain to find that fox demon.”

 

“Alright.”

 

That fox demon was the only one in the world who had been with Yu Wuxia and survived.

---

T/N: Hey there! There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~

If you like my translations, feel free to donate to my ko-fi!

I really, really appreciate all the support from my readers <3 It goes a long way and motivates me lots!

https://ko-fi.com/hoenibean

 

Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!

If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield

If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’

How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection

What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love

How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep

 

Thank you for all your support <3 Leave a comment if you like 🙂 I love reading them!

 

Chapter 52

 

Although Si Lan lacked practical experience, he understood what was happening now. The two of them had intertwined their souls in the sea of consciousness. He had only heard others mention before that after reaching a certain level of cultivation, one could engage in dual cultivation in the sea of consciousness, greatly enhancing efficiency. But he never expected that he would have such a day himself.

 

He felt it must have been the ambiguous and affectionate atmosphere at that time that made him lose his senses momentarily, his consciousness controlled by Hao Wei, leading to such an act!

 

Blushing, he glared at Hao Wei for a while, suddenly realizing that he was still maintaining a human form. No, to be precise, his cultivation had recovered to the seventh or eighth level, allowing him to freely transform his appearance.

 

His heart was stirred, but this excitement was quickly replaced by embarrassment when he lowered his gaze and saw the marks on his neck, chest, abdomen, and other parts. His expression stiffened involuntarily.

 

Wasn’t it just in the sea of consciousness?

 

Why were there marks in the real world too?

 

Fortunately, the other parts didn’t feel much, which eased his mind slightly.

 

He guessed that the old lecherous white dragon took advantage of him while he was asleep, leaving marks all over him in the real world as well.

 

Thinking of this, Si Lan clenched his fists. This person pretended to help him recover his cultivation, but actually used him like a tool.

 

Tsk tsk, what a cunning plan.

 

He couldn’t help but glare fiercely at the person beside him. Perhaps his gaze was too resentful, because before long, Hao Wei’s long lashes fluttered, indicating he was waking up.

 

Seeing this, Si Lan instinctively closed his eyes, pretending to be asleep.

 

He didn’t know why he did this, but even with his eyes closed, he could feel the other person’s gaze landing squarely on his face once he woke up, filled with possessiveness that seemed to consume him bit by bit.

 

His heart pounded like a drum as two hands gently gripped him under the covers. He tried to maintain the appearance of deep sleep, but his ears, already turning slightly red, had already betrayed him.

 

Hao Wei chuckled softly, reaching around his waist and pulling him closer. Si Lan’s ears turned even redder, his breathing momentarily thrown into disarray.

 

Hao Wei lowered his head, lips brushing against Si Lan’s ear, his voice husky yet tinged with a hint of tenderness, “You’re sleeping so deeply, we could go again.”

 

Si Lan abruptly opened his eyes, pushing Hao Wei away with a flushed face. “You… you…”

 

He wanted to scold him, but couldn’t find the right words.

 

Hao Wei smiled in his eyes. At this moment, he was completely opposite to Si Lan. Despite transferring two or three layers of his cultivation to him during their soul intertwining, he didn’t feel tired at all. Instead, he felt refreshed and clear-headed. He reached out to explore Si Lan’s forehead, checking his spiritual state. “Do you feel uncomfortable?”

 

“No.” Si Lan replied somewhat awkwardly, pushing away Hao Wei’s arm and glancing out the window. “These days… has anyone come looking for me?”

 

“No one in particular, just your two disciples, two guardians, the four peak masters, and some prospective concubines wanting to see you.”

 

Si Lan…

 

Normally, not even a female bird dared to land on his Peak, so why were so many people coming these days?

 

He awkwardly asked, “They didn’t see anything, did they?”

 

Hao Wei smirked, “What is there that they shouldn’t see?”

 

As he spoke, he sat up, the sheet slipping down to his waist and revealing his smoothly toned chest.

 

Caught off guard, Si Lan glanced briefly before quickly looking away, intentionally wearing a stern expression. “There are many things that naturally shouldn’t be seen. You may not care, but I do.”

 

Hao Wei chuckled again, calmly adjusting his clothes as he replied, “I’ve set up a barrier. No one has entered in the past three days.”

 

Si Lan felt a slight relief upon hearing this. Both of them had unique identities; if they were seen together by Quze or the guardians, it wouldn’t matter much since they wouldn’t gossip. However, if anyone else saw them, it could lead to unnecessary rumors.

 

After all, on the surface, the relationship between the Heavenly Demon and the Demon Realm is tense, like fire and water. However, behind the scenes, the Heavenly Emperor and the Demon Ancestor are actually colluding, which is outrageous. Moreover, once the public knows about it, it won’t be conducive to uniting the people’s hearts.

 

 

 

Si Lan saw Haowei standing up, and after he had dressed himself, he came down as well. As soon as one foot touched the ground, he felt dizzy. In the end, he plunged into Haowei’s arms, and Haowei naturally embraced him.

 

 

 

“Be careful.”

 

 

 

Si Lan pushed Haowei away, stiffly saying, “Mm.”

 

 

 

Knowing he would be hungry when he woke up, Quze had long been guarding outside the barrier. As soon as Haowei dispelled the barrier, Quze’s voice immediately sounded from outside.

 

 

 

“My Lord, would you like to eat?”

 

 

 

“Yes.”

 

 

 

Si Lan checked his attire and complexion several times to make sure everything was in order. When Quze came in, he pretended to be calm, not looking at him. Only when Quze approached did he sneak a glance at him, wanting to see if Quze had noticed anything.

 

 

 

Fortunately, Quze’s expression remained as composed and calm as ever, which made Si Lan secretly breathe a sigh of relief.

 

 

 

It’s good that he didn’t notice anything suspicious.

 

 

 

Quze placed immortal wine and elixir fruits on the table, bowed, and then obediently withdrew.

 

 

 

Si Lan picked up one of the elixir fruits and found several strange things next to it—pale and unfamiliar objects he had never seen before. Unable to resist, he picked them up to examine them.

 

 

 

They felt a bit soft and slippery, with a certain elasticity.

 

 

 

He couldn’t help but furrow his brow, pulling at this thing curiously. “What is this…”

 

 

 

Normally, Quze wouldn’t bring strange food without his permission.

 

 

 

He muttered to himself, “It’s a bit like the balloons I played with before…” As soon as he finished speaking, he instantly realized something, hastily throwing the thing away as if it were something dirty.

 

 

 

Across from him, Haowei spoke up, “That’s a wishful pouch made from fish maw.”

 

 

 

Si Lan’s mouth twitched awkwardly, not expecting Quze, at such a young age, to know so much.

 

 

 

He really underestimated him!

 

 

 

Seeing the rich expression on Si Lan’s face, Haowei’s lips curved slightly. “However, we don’t need such things right now.” They were only spiritually connected; their relationship hadn’t progressed physically to that point.

 

 

 

Si Lan felt uncomfortable all over, lost his appetite, and didn’t know how to face Haowei. Tentatively, he asked, “Aren’t you busy?” As the ruler of the Five Realms, he should be handling state affairs, so how did he have time every day to accompany him and leisurely waste three days engaging in spiritual exchange?

 

 

 

“Not busy. The affairs of the Heavenly Realm can be handled by my ministers.” He said so, but in reality, every time he returned to the Jade Clear Palace, he had to deal with a pile of documents.

 

 

 

“Sigh, you’re not busy, I am. I… I’ll go to the study to handle affairs first.” Si Lan finished speaking and walked out the door, with a feeling of fleeing.

 

 

 

His head was still a little dizzy, so he walked crookedly.

 

 

 

Fortunately, Haowei did not follow him.

 

 

 

After arriving at the study, he closed the door tightly and sighed heavily.

 

 

 

His mind was in turmoil now. He stared at the documents in front of him for a long time without moving. Finally, he slapped his head to force himself to calm down.

 

 

 

“Si Lan, you’ve lived for over a thousand years. Why is your mind filled with thoughts of men now?”

 

 

 

Si Lan couldn’t help but scorn himself in his heart, reminding himself not to sink into indulgence just because of past illusory intimacy. His goal was the vast universe.

 

 

 

He stayed in the study until evening, when the Song brothers came to find him.

 

 

 

Presumably, the two had already learned from Quze that he had refused to select a consort, so when they came, they were apologetic.

 

 

 

Song Ye used to have a stubborn temperament. Even if he did something wrong and was punished, he would still look indifferent. But because Si Lan had saved him last time, losing half his blood in the process, Song Ye now felt deeply guilty when he saw Si Lan.

 

 

 

This time, he took the initiative to apologize.

 

 

 

“My Lord, about the selection of a consort, I acted without discussing it with you first. Please punish me.”

 

 

 

Song Cheng, standing beside him, added, “Your Majesty, I acted rashly in this matter too.”

 

 

 

Si Lan rubbed his weary forehead, helpless. “Why would you even think of selecting a consort for me?”

 

 

 

Outside the main hall, Quze, who had been silently guarding, heard this and also came forward to apologize.

 

 

 

“My Lord, it was actually me… who instructed the guardians to select a consort.”

 

 

 

“…” Si Lan

 

Si Lan had a look of disbelief on his face, as if saying, “Quze, have you been possessed?” He looked at Quze incredulously. “When did you become so meddlesome?” Earlier, Quze silently offering the wishful pouch was already pushing it!

 

Quze naturally didn’t dare to say that it was because he heard Si Lan complaining and felt that Si Lan was lonely and cold, which made him think of selecting a consort for Si Lan.

 

He just lowered his head, remaining silent.

 

Si Lan shook his head helplessly, tapping his fingers on the tabletop intermittently. “Handle this matter yourselves this time,” he said, each word measured.

 

“Yes.”

 

After everyone left, Si Lan remained in the study for a while before reluctantly returning to his sleeping quarters. Throughout the afternoon, Haowei did not come to find him, nor did Si Lan seek out Haowei.

 

When he pushed open the door, he found not only Haowei in the main hall but also a black-robed immortal standing opposite him, engaged in conversation with Haowei.

 

Seeing him enter, the black-robed immortal immediately fell silent.

 

However, Haowei said, “Wu Dao, continue.”

 

Yu Wudao then spoke again, “Back then, among the four fox demons who mingled with Yu Wu Xia, three have already died, and one is imprisoned in the Demon Realm’s Linglong Mountain due to a transgression.”

 

Pausing, Yu Wudao added, “Oh, a few days ago, the Great Immortal of Gaheng was attacked after a sermon and sustained injuries, declaring retreat for cultivation without further sermons. According to disciples on duty that day, the attacker used a spell with the illusionary form of a fiery red lotus flower, a unique mark of Yu Wu Xia.”

 

Haowei frowned. “Yu Wu Xia attacked the Great Immortal of Gaheng?”

 

“Yes, that’s what I suspect,” Yu Wudao replied.

 

Haowei didn’t speak further, but Si Lan couldn’t help but ask Yu Wudao, “Immortal, do you know the exact time when the Great Immortal of Gaheng was attacked?”

 

“It was reported to have occurred after the sermon. Yu Wu Xia disguised himself as a disciple, and when the Great Immortal of Gaheng was inattentive, he attacked.”

 

A shadowy figure flickered in Si Lan’s mind. He recalled the day after the sermon when he and several disciples stood in line waiting to discuss doubts. Behind him was a black-robed disciple.

 

He had glanced back at that disciple, but now he couldn’t recall his face.

 

All he remembered was a glimpse of a jade-like white jaw under the black cloak.

 

Was he… Yu Wu Xia?

 

He hadn’t realized they had been so close!

 

Haowei seemed to have similar thoughts, his expression turning serious. After a moment of silence, he asked, “How serious are the Great Immortal of Gaheng’s injuries?”

 

“They are somewhat serious; otherwise, he wouldn’t have announced a halt to sermons,” Yu Wudao replied. After all, the Great Immortal of Gaheng was the only Immortal in the Thirty-three Heavens who had persisted in sermonizing for tens of thousands of years without interruption. Now, this was his first time canceling a sermon, causing a stir in the Thirty-three Heavens.

 

Haowei nodded gently. After Yu Wudao finished speaking, he bowed and respectfully withdrew. As his figure gradually disappeared into the starlight formation, he glanced thoughtfully at Si Lan.

 

Si Lan met his gaze awkwardly but was relieved when the other person smiled kindly, and he smiled back faintly.

 

After everyone left, the sleeping quarters regained its quietness, where one could hear a pin drop.

 

Si Lan had intended to ask why Haowei didn’t need to return to the Heavenly Court, but as he approached, he noticed that Haowei had moved the documents to the Demon Realm, and the table was piled with them.

 

“…”

 

Was Haowei planning to set up a temporary office in the Demon Realm?

 

Wasn’t that a bit too presumptuous?

 

Although they had breached that level of intimacy and engaged in spiritual exchange, it was still just a beginning. How could Haowei already consider the Demon Realm his home…

 

Si Lan coughed softly, interrupting Haowei’s thoughts, and sat down opposite him.

 

Haowei understood that Si Lan had been avoiding him before, probably feeling a bit shy. So he didn’t come looking for him, allowing Si Lan to digest things alone.

 

Si Lan asked, “Why did you bring all these documents here? Doesn’t the Heavenly Realm need you to personally oversee them?”

 

“There’s nothing major happening in the Heavenly Realm, and if anything comes up, Wu Dao can contact me anytime through spiritual communication.” Pausing, Haowei looked at Si Lan earnestly. “It’s actually more important for you here. Your cultivation has recovered, but you still need daily… spiritual exchanges to stabilize it. Otherwise, the cultivation I transferred to you might become unstable.”

 

“…” Si Lan

---

T/N: Hey there! There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~

If you like my translations, feel free to donate to my ko-fi!

I really, really appreciate all the support from my readers <3 It goes a long way and motivates me lots!

https://ko-fi.com/hoenibean

 

Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!

If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield

If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’

How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection

What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love

How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep

 

Thank you for all your support <3 Leave a comment if you like 🙂 I love reading them!

 

Chapter 51

 

　　Si Lan was taken aback for a moment, then moved towards the bed…

 

　　Was this too fast?

 

　　His face reddened even more, lips trembling. Lost in his thoughts, he was suddenly lifted by Haowei, who held him around the waist. Instinctively, Si Lan reached up and touched Haowei’s neck, his gaze piercing through the darkness to Haowei’s face.

 

　　He could only see half of Haowei’s profile: a strikingly deep brow, eyes as black as ink, under a daring nose, lips slightly pursed, exuding a hint of nobility.

 

　　Si Lan couldn’t help but speak up, “Is this too fast?”

 

　　”Hmm?” Haowei placed Si Lan on the bed, his gaze intense as he looked at him. The night wind caused the windows to rattle softly, stirring ripples in their hearts. Circles of ripples enclosed them, already in a chaotic state.

 

　　Haowei’s hand rested on Si Lan’s waist, causing him to pause in his breath. Si Lan involuntarily swallowed and reached to stop Haowei’s hand, but he felt a faint warmth emanating from Haowei’s palm, carrying spiritual energy that entered his body.

 

　　Instantly, he felt warmth spread through his organs, his whole body relaxing. A muffled groan escaped his chest, one of comfort. Enveloped in spiritual energy, he felt as if he were floating among the clouds, limbs and thoughts soft.

 

　　Haowei’s voice sounded above Si Lan’s head, “What did you just say was too fast?” After speaking, Haowei’s breath moved downward, brushing against Si Lan’s nostrils, their breaths intertwining instantly.

 

　　Si Lan’s mind was hazy, murmuring, “I… I feel like our progress is too fast…”

 

　　Although the Demon Realm was liberal and enjoyed timely pleasures, Si Lan felt that moving straight from confession to intimacy was too indulgent. It might be better to proceed gradually and let the two of them get more familiar with each other.

 

　　Haowei’s hand slowly moved up Si Lan’s waist, each touch bringing him a sense of ease, reminding him of when he first broke through his cultivation barrier, feeling as comfortable as he did now.

 

　　”Too fast? I meant for you to come to bed so I could heal your injuries,” Haowei deliberately played with words, smiling. As his palm lightly grazed Si Lan’s chest, Si Lan’s body tensed for a moment.

 

　　Haowei’s voice in his ear became indistinct, his heartbeat quickening. Dizzy and flushed, Si Lan stuttered, “Wh-who heals injuries in bed… You… you’re misleading me…”

 

　　”…” Haowei.

 

　　Faint white light seemed to appear out of nowhere, enveloping them both, blurring their faces. After a long silence, Haowei finally spoke hoarsely, “Earlier, I transferred some of my cultivation to you. It improved your condition significantly, but the root cause is still not healed. There’s a method… that can instantly restore your cultivation…”

 

　　Si Lan felt Haowei’s breath gentle yet assertive, like a warm current enveloping him. Soft and gentle on the surface, yet impossible to evade, he murmured hazily, “What method?”

 

　　”Close your eyes.”

 

　　Si Lan closed his eyes but muttered, “You didn’t have to transfer your cultivation to me. I…”

 

　　”Seal off your five senses.”

 

　　Si Lan moved his lips but seeing Haowei so determined, he obediently sealed off his senses. However, being unable to hear, see, or feel anything made him even more nervous.

 

　　What kind of method did Haowei have? Why was it so strange?

 

　　At this moment, Haowei’s voice echoed in his consciousness.

 

　　”Focus your spiritual consciousness.”

 

　　Si Lan concentrated hard, forming a humanoid figure that floated in the void of his consciousness. In the next moment, he was suddenly swept away by a current of energy, and when he came to, he found himself in another realm of consciousness.

 

　　This was Haowei’s consciousness.

 

　　Si Lan saw a tranquil pond with wisps of mist floating above it. Walking barefoot along its edge, he looked around but saw no sign of Haowei. Just as he was about to call out, a claw emerged from the pond, grabbing his ankle and pulling him in.

 

　　Startled, he tried to scream, but the water muffled his voice. After struggling to surface, he found he couldn’t.

 

　　What appeared to be shallow and ordinary water now seemed unfathomable, as if it had no bottom.

 

　　After a while, Si Lan realized he could breathe underwater. Tentatively opening his eyes, he unexpectedly met two huge golden eyes. Terrified, he turned to flee, only to be pulled back by the dragon.

 

　　The dragon’s claws tightly grasped him, and realizing he was now naked, he hurriedly covered himself, but the dragon seemed to chuckle at his embarrassment.

 

　　Moving its claws, the dragon touched his forehead. Suddenly, Si Lan transformed into his true form, his red feathers buoyed by the water pressure, floating upwards before being caught by the dragon.

 

　　The dragon seemed to adjust to him, shrinking in size but still two to three times larger than his “Jia Yu.” Its tail hooked around his wings, inching up slowly.

 

　　Facing the dragon’s golden eyes, Si Lan’s mind grew hazy. He forgot to breathe, whispering, “I…”

 

　　He didn’t know what he wanted to say, feeling only a vague fear. He gently folded his wings to cover his body, but the dragon’s claws gradually parted them.

 

　　Despite being covered in feathers, he inexplicably blushed, his gaze lowering in embarrassment.

 

　　What kind of method was this? It felt so strange.

 

　　His body became completely relaxed, so soft that he couldn’t control it.

 

　　The dragon leaned down, its breath spreading through the water, enveloping him completely. In an instant, countless streams of light surrounded him, some gently entering his body.

 

　　His consciousness completely collapsed, his body soft and delicate, brown feathers gathering as he intertwined with the dragon. The dragon’s scales brushed against his feathers, its body slightly moving, seemingly encouraged, intensifying their entanglement.

 

The surface of the pond was calm, with wisps of clouds rising. Beneath the water, turbulent currents surged, and light darted like arrows, swiftly flowing.

 

In his dazed state, Si Lan heard the deep, gravelly voice of the dragon beside his ear.

 

Rustling, tinged with a magnetic depth.

 

“In fact, there is another one, hidden beneath the dragon scales.”

 

Another one? Hidden beneath the dragon scales?

 

Just as he was puzzled, he felt more pain in his body. Where it had been seamlessly mended, it was now forcefully split open again.

 

Accompanying the warm water rushing in, there was another strange “current”…

 

Pain.

 

It was truly painful.

 

Si Lan’s consciousness blurred, lips murmuring silently in pain.

 

Wasn’t he supposed to be healing him?

 

Why was it hurting him so much?

 

Si Lan felt like he was fighting a battle underwater, an especially difficult one. Sometimes appearing in his true form, sometimes in humanoid form, he was always at a disadvantage, unable to match the opponent, letting them tear into him, bullying him.

 

In his dazed state, gritting his teeth, he muttered a curse in the opponent’s ear.

 

“Bastard.”

 

He said he would restore his cultivation, yet he bullied him like this in his consciousness.

 

Si Lan thought he had just “fought a battle” in his consciousness, slept a bit, and when he woke up in the real world, he realized this battle had lasted for three days and three nights.

 

Fortunately, he felt nothing physically, unlike the pain in his dreams. However, he was extremely mentally exhausted, feeling as if he was getting more tired the more he slept. Though he had just woken up, he felt too exhausted to open his eyes.

 

He breathed softly, turning to see a stern face lying quietly beside him.

 

It was the person who had fought him for three days and nights in his consciousness, Emperor Haowei.

---

T/N: Hey there! There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~

If you like my translations, feel free to donate to my ko-fi!

I really, really appreciate all the support from my readers <3 It goes a long way and motivates me lots!

https://ko-fi.com/hoenibean

 

Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!

If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield

If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’

How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection

What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love

How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep

 

Thank you for all your support <3 Leave a comment if you like 🙂 I love reading them!

 

Chapter 50

 

Si Lan pursed his lips, looking at Haowei’s icy expression, and instinctively said, “Naturally, this is how they usually break people in, uh, I mean, train them. Last year, Xue Wu picked a few people who couldn’t endure shortly after starting their duties and nearly got them killed.”

 

“…” Haowei.

 

The atmosphere in the room instantly became silent, not even the sound of a falling pin could be heard. Haowei slowly curled his fingers, unbelievably asking, “You almost got several people killed last year?”

 

“Ah… It’s not entirely my fault…” Si Lan hurriedly denied. “After the peak masters selected the candidates, they all had to undergo training in various places. Only those who succeeded in the training could assume the responsibilities of a demon general.”

 

Although he had participated in the demon general training plan, he wasn’t responsible for specific matters, so he continued, “To be precise, Xue Wu is in charge, and I assist.”

 

“…” Haowei.

 

Could this kind of thing still be divided into primary and secondary responsibilities?

 

Seeing Haowei’s strange and dark gaze, Si Lan misunderstood his curiosity and lowered his head, flipping through the book, saying, “If you’re curious about this, I can take you to see it another day.”

 

“…” Haowei.

 

Bang!

 

Haowei slammed his palm, shattering a corner of the table. He stood up, his tall figure blocking the candlelight behind him, casting a huge shadow that enveloped Si Lan, who was as small as a chick.

 

Si Lan was taken aback. The book fell to the ground, and he saw the tall figure approaching step by step like it carried a cold frost. Quze was about to step forward to stand in front of Si Lan but was directly swept away by a breath and thrown out of the door.

 

“…” Si Lan.

 

Si Lan widened his round “chicken eyes,” not understanding what had gotten into Haowei.

 

Had Lingxu’s divine injury relapsed?

 

“What are you doing?” Si Lan’s wings were lifted up. He was frightened and quickly kicked with both claws, but his claws were too short to reach Haowei at all.

 

Haowei lifted him up, squinting his eyes and saying each word slowly, “Besides the three wives you originally married, how many more do you have?”

 

“What does that have to do with my wives?”

 

“Aren’t you going to give them status?” Haowei gritted his teeth.

 

“I don’t have any wives!” Si Lan was half frightened and half helpless. “By the way, what does this have to do with my wives?”

 

“Weren’t you just selecting wives?” Haowei spoke through clenched teeth, seeing Si Lan’s current demeanor, thinking he was pretending to be crazy and stupid.

 

Si Lan suddenly understood everything. It turned out that Haowei had mistaken his selection of demon generals for selecting consorts. He couldn’t help but be speechless, tapping Haowei’s hand lightly with the tip of his wing. This person really had an overly imaginative mind.

 

At that moment, Quze, clutching his injured chest, pale-faced, entered the hall. Seeing this, Si Lan immediately asked Quze with indignation, “Quze, can you tell him what I was just doing?!”

 

Quze’s usually calm face showed a hint of amusement at first, but he quickly composed himself, approached Si Lan’s side while maintaining a sword-drawing posture, and said in a clear voice, “Your Majesty, you were just selecting consorts.”

 

“Right, I was just selecting…” Si Lan’s voice abruptly stopped. He turned his small head, looking shocked at Quze. “Selecting what?”

 

“Consorts,” Quze paused and continued, “This is the third round of candidates selected by the Left and Right Guardians, totaling thirty people. You will choose the final eighteen consort candidates.”

 

Si Lan was momentarily speechless after hearing this, exchanging a glance of disbelief with Haowei.

 

Haowei merely narrowed his eyes slightly, a smile on his face that carried a hint of intimidation and eeriness. It seemed as if in the next moment, he could swallow this little chick whole.

 

Si Lan couldn’t help but swallow nervously, finally understanding why he and Haowei had been talking at cross purposes just now. He forced a smile and asked Quze with difficulty, seeking confirmation, “Selecting consorts. When did you all secretly start selecting consorts for me?”

 

As the person involved, he shouldn’t have been kept in the dark about this.

 

Quze replied, “Didn’t the two Guardians inform Your Majesty?”

 

“No!” Si Lan gritted his teeth, still not moving in Haowei’s grasp, he turned in a circle, facing Quze with an aggrieved look. “How many times have I said that if you want to increase the fertility and bond formation rates in the Demon Realm, use normal methods instead of frightening everyone with consort selection for me.”

 

“Your Majesty, this time… the two Guardians truly intended to select consorts for you, not for the sake of increasing fertility and bond formation rates in the Demon Realm.”

 

“…” Si Lan.

 

Sensing that the person behind him was getting closer again, warm breath falling on his head, intimidating him, Si Lan awkwardly spoke up, although addressing Quze, he was explaining to the person behind him, “What exactly are you all up to? Why are you selecting consorts for me without my knowledge?”

 

He deliberately emphasized “without my knowledge” to create some distance from these subordinates who had done something foolish.

 

“If you didn’t know, why were you so interested?” Haowei clearly didn’t believe him, coldly questioning.

 

Si Lan chuckled awkwardly twice, “I thought those were the documents Song Cheng and Song Ye sent over for selecting demon generals. After all, they mentioned to me recently about wanting to reselect demon generals.”

 

Haowei remained silent upon hearing this, unsure whether to believe him.

 

However, Si Lan felt the pressure around him easing slightly and tentatively pushed against Haowei’s palm with his wing, crawling out of his grip. He spoke firmly to Quze, “Stop the matter of selecting consorts quickly. I’ve never liked doing such things.”

 

Quze glanced at Haowei and nodded, “Understood.”

 

As Quze turned to leave, Si Lan couldn’t help but ask, “Were all those documents just now about people coming to participate in the consort selection?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Why are there so many people participating in the consort selection this time?” After all, in the past, as soon as news of his consort selection spread, the males and females of the Demon Realm of all ages would cower in fear and stay indoors. Why were they so enthusiastic this time?

 

Quze looked somewhat embarrassed, his lips moved hesitantly, seeming a bit embarrassed, “Your Majesty, the Left and Right Guardians released the news that anyone participating in the consort selection would receive Hot Fruits and have the opportunity for dual cultivation with you.”

 

“…” Si Lan.

 

Hot Fruits can change the physique of cultivators. Even those who follow the ruthless path, if they consume Hot Fruits, their bodies and minds can undergo changes suitable for dual cultivation. Moreover, the more Hot Fruits one consumes, the more peculiar and lascivious their body becomes, hence it has always been considered a forbidden fruit. However, this substance is fatally attractive to demons.

 

Si Lan sighed inwardly upon realizing this. He hadn’t expected Song Cheng and Song Ye to be so audacious, openly promoting this without his consent.

 

Suppressing his aura, Si Lan spoke coldly, “Where are Song Cheng and Song Ye now?”

 

Quze glanced at Haowei, expressionless. “During this afternoon’s consort selection by the two Guardians, a sudden strong wind blew in and swept them away. They have not returned yet.”

 

“…” Si Lan paused, finding it hard to believe. “Swept away by a strong wind?”

 

Their cultivation levels were quite renowned in the Demon Realm; how could they be swept away by a mere gust of wind? What kind of strange wind was this?

 

Si Lan’s neck stiffened as he glanced briefly at Haowei behind him. Meeting Haowei’s seemingly amused eyes, Si Lan instantly understood something.

 

“Heh, they… they deserve it for choosing consorts for me without authorization.” He quickly added, “Quze, take away those documents. Seeing them only disturbs me.”

 

Being disturbed was a minor issue; his main concern was that if he wasn’t careful, his life could be in jeopardy. With his cultivation greatly reduced and transformed into a helpless chick-like form, his life and death were entirely in Haowei’s hands. If Haowei became unhappy and decided to end him, what could he do?

 

After all, when the Heavenly Emperor killed an Immortal Lord, he was only punished with three cups of wine. But if the Heavenly Emperor killed him, the Demon Sovereign, it would probably be celebrated throughout the Six Realms.

 

If he died, perhaps only a few in the Demon Realm would mourn him, while the entire Six Realms would praise the Heavenly Emperor for his bravery and power in unifying the realms at such a young age.

 

Hmm.

 

Quze acknowledged and took the documents away, closing the doors carefully as he left.

 

Inside the hall, Si Lan felt a sense of relief, exhaling deeply and smiling at Haowei.

 

Haowei’s expression had softened from its earlier gloominess, but it still wasn’t entirely pleasant. His cold eyes quietly held a flickering flame as he gazed at Si Lan.

 

When Si Lan met his gaze, his heart suddenly trembled. Thoughts raced through his mind as he tried to find a topic, but instead, he found himself dumbfounded, unable to come up with anything.

 

Everything that needed explaining had been explained, and all that needed clarification had been clarified.

 

Now, he needed… He needed to explain to Haowei why he was so angry.

 

The relationship between them seemed to be veiled by a thin layer of gauze. Though they could clearly see each other through it, they pretended not to, not understanding each other.

 

Rather than seeing that gauze as an obstruction, it seemed more like a protective layer.

 

No need to ponder whether behind this protective layer lay joy or sorrow.

 

Si Lan felt uncertain. He preferred to act calmly, mastering everything behind the scenes before making a move. But Haowei’s presence was a variable, an unpredictable one. He didn’t want to gamble, sometimes choosing to bury his head in the sand like an ostrich, pretending not to understand anything.

 

But today, the ostrich seemed compelled to raise its head and face the storm.

 

“Si Lan.”

 

Haowei’s voice echoed in the dim hall, deep and slightly magnetic, his dark eyes fixed unwaveringly on him.

 

Si Lan’s heart inexplicably skipped a beat.

 

“Xiao Qi, it’s you.”

 

Si Lan wasn’t particularly surprised, having vaguely guessed at something over these days of interaction. Besides, after he had fallen into a deep sleep following the blood extraction incident, he had dreamed of many scenes he had no memory of, as if they were events from a previous life.

 

He had thought afterwards that it must have been Haowei’s tribulation, and what happened while he was unconscious in the mortal realm.

 

“Yeah,” he replied softly, folding his wings discreetly, seeming somewhat nervous.

 

“When I was undergoing my tribulation in the mortal realm, I had an encounter with you. But after the tribulation, I didn’t retain memories of that time in the mortal realm, so I didn’t come looking for you.”

 

Haowei’s words were few, and even his phrasing was not ambiguous, but Si Lan understood quite well what was being implied. His mind couldn’t help but recall the words of the fortune teller, leaving him at a loss.

 

What exactly constitutes a fated bond?

 

After assuming that what existed between him and Haowei was merely a mistake, he realized that their entanglement had occurred long ago.

 

Si Lan fell silent, saying nothing more, and Haowei didn’t speak either, just quietly watching him.

 

Time passed unnoticed, until the oil lamp burned out, plunging the hall suddenly into darkness.

 

Outside the window, a beam of moonlight seeped through the cracks.

 

Apart from the rustling of leaves in the night wind, there was nothing else around them.

 

Haowei reached out and pulled him close. In that moment of embrace, spiritual energy surrounded him, causing him to transform into a human form. His forehead lightly rested against Haowei’s chin.

 

Instinctively, he wanted to step back, but Haowei held onto his waist, forcing him to lean against him.

 

The tranquil moonlight seemed to flow between them, their breaths gently intertwining in the silent ambiguity of the night. Si Lan could almost hear Haowei’s heartbeat, steady and strong, transmitted through the thin fabric of their clothes.

 

Surprisingly, he didn’t think about anything at all; he simply quietly savored the moment.

 

Haowei lowered his head, his lips brushing innocuously against Si Lan’s earlobe. His body momentarily stiffened, and Haowei murmured, “When you were in the mortal realm, you liked to lean against me like this.”

 

After a moment, Si Lan hoarsely whispered, “Oh.”

 

Why say so much when he doesn’t remember any of it?

 

At that time, he had been shattered by Lord Chushan, his soul torn apart. The resulting puppet was likely a simpleton who understood nothing and naturally leaned on Haowei.

 

“Si Lan, I did go back to look for you afterwards, but couldn’t find you. I left those two puppets in the house, hoping that when you returned and saw them, you’d understand that I had come looking for you.”

 

But neither Si Lan returned, nor did Haowei.

 

Haowei took out the two puppets. In the darkness, Si Lan couldn’t see their features clearly. Haowei took Si Lan’s hand and guided him to feel the contours of the puppets.

 

Suddenly, an image flashed through Si Lan’s mind: in a dim cave, Haowei held his hand, teaching him how to carve a puppet.

 

And then, he held up the two puppets, touching foreheads, noses, and then… lips against lips.

 

An indescribable sadness and bitterness surged through Si Lan’s heart. It wasn’t his own emotions; it was the emotion of that strand of soul within him, influencing him.

 

So, deep down, he still remembered Haowei.

 

At this moment, a multitude of emotions overwhelmed him. His eyes reddened silently, lips parted as if to speak, but only tears fell soundlessly.

 

Chong Ying.

 

Haowei.

 

Chong Wei.

 

Round and round, it all pointed to this person before him.

 

He gripped the puppets tightly, buried his head in Haowei’s embrace, and reached out to tightly hold Haowei’s back. Suddenly, he felt that things like the Kaojue Mountain Fortune Teller and destined soulmates no longer mattered.

 

What mattered was that he recognized this person as the one.

 

He liked Haowei, a realization that had eluded him until now. He had thought his feelings towards Haowei stemmed from a desire to leverage Haowei’s abilities and background to avenge his mother.

 

But now that the veil between them had been lifted, he realized that beyond those utilitarian motives, he genuinely wanted to be with Haowei.

 

Though their time together had been short, Haowei had always been a steadfast pillar for him in times of helplessness, confusion, and despair. He found himself trusting Haowei more than he trusted himself.

 

Feeling Si Lan embrace him, Haowei’s breath caught. Lowering his head, he used a special technique so even in the darkness, he could see clearly.

 

He saw that Si Lan’s earlobes, face, and neck were all flushed red. His determined eyes met Haowei’s, and Si Lan’s delicate nose nestled against Haowei’s heart, their breaths mingling.

 

When Haowei finally spoke, his voice hoarse beyond measure, “Si Lan, let’s go to bed.”

---

T/N: Hey there! There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~

If you like my translations, feel free to donate to my ko-fi!

I really, really appreciate all the support from my readers <3 It goes a long way and motivates me lots!

https://ko-fi.com/hoenibean

 

Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!

If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield

If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’

How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection

What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love

How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep

 

Thank you for all your support <3 Leave a comment if you like 🙂 I love reading them!

 

Chapter 49

 

Yide’s three souls and seven spirits suffered severe injuries, his divine soul shattered, and blood poured from all seven orifices. Enduring the pain, he held Kui in his arms.

 

Though Kui wasn’t directly struck by the Heavenly Thunder, its residual might had shaken him severely, leaving him barely breathing, with cracks deepening across his face.

 

Fortunately, his spirit had not yet scattered.

 

Yide tightly held Kui’s hand, remembering when Kui first took his hand and led him back to Yingzhou Island. Back then, he had thought Kui’s hand was large and warm, but now it felt small and cold.

 

Unknowingly, Kui had grown so much.

 

“Kui, how are you?” Yide asked softly.

 

Kui slowly lifted his head to look at Yide. He had spoken so many mocking words to Yide before, not wanting Yide to do anything more for him.

 

Yide had resurrected Ahu for him, settling all debts between them.

 

But he hadn’t expected Yide to shield him from the Heavenly Thunder again.

 

Tears welled up in Kui’s eyes as he smiled, “Yide, why go through this pain? My sins should be borne by me alone.”

 

Yide shook his head, holding Kui tighter without saying another word.

 

In the distance, Ahu watched the scene with a sense of loss. Like a newborn child, he was curious about the whole world. There was a slight ache in his heart, though he couldn’t understand why, nor did he realize this might be his last meeting with Kui in this lifetime.

 

Boling’s expression remained serene as he watched the two on the trial platform. After enduring so much together, he had thought he and Yide would finally achieve something good in this life. Now he realized it might have been better not to return. At least then, he could believe Yide loved him.

 

In fact, thinking back, he and Yide had never been lovers. It was just that everyone in the Heavenly Realm assumed they were.

 

At that time, it seemed Yide had some unusual feelings for his servant Kui…

 

Si Lan hadn’t expected the reason for Yide’s celestial downfall to be like this. His feelings were complex. Perhaps on this journey to the Underworld, Haowei had already foreseen everything, which allowed him to remain so calm.

 

Thinking of this, Si Lan leaned against Haowei’s shoulder and whispered in a voice only they could hear, “Did you already know what would happen today?”

 

Haowei replied calmly, “Mm.”

 

On the trial platform, Gui Luosha looked conflicted as he watched the scene before him. Nothing like this had ever happened before. A celestial lord risking his life to block a thunderbolt for an evil spirit.

 

Gui Luosha asked Xue Rong, “Your Highness, how should we handle this?”

 

Xue Rong glanced at Haowei and Si Lan in the distance, then raised his hand to have Kui and Yide taken down from the trial platform.

 

Kui’s punishment had already been decreed. Although Yide had blocked it, it was considered atonement for his sins.

 

Yide’s breath was weaker than Kui’s, leaning against Kui’s chest, his gaze slowly losing focus. Kui held Yide, lowering his head as tears fell into Yide’s embrace.

 

Ahu seemed to shift his feet, as if wanting to step forward, but was stopped by Boling.

 

No one spoke, quietly watching the two. They emitted faint white starlight, floating in mid-air. After the starlight dispersed, Kui’s body became transparent.

 

As a fierce ghost who survived the trial platform, he would enter the cycle of reincarnation and be reborn as a human.

 

Two ghost attendants stood behind Kui, guiding him to reincarnation. Kui released Yide from his embrace, his eyes calm again as he walked away step by step.

 

Ahu’s gaze followed Kui, his brows furrowing slowly, a displeased expression on his face.

 

“Kui…”

 

As Kui’s figure was about to disappear, Ahu suddenly uttered a word so faint, like a mosquito’s buzz, yet Kui heard it.

 

Kui’s figure paused, but ultimately he did not turn back.

 

The people and events of this lifetime would forever remain in this lifetime.

 

He dared not look back anymore, afraid that one more glance would make it hard to part.

 

After watching Kui leave, Boling approached Yide. Yide, struck by the Heavenly Thunder, his divine soul shattered, was destined to undergo the trials of reincarnation. Yet Yide’s soul was now sealed within his body, unable to leave.

 

Boling sensed the seal’s aura and realized it came from Haowei’s hand. In that instant, he seemed to understand something.

 

It was not so much that they had plotted against Haowei, but rather that His Majesty Haowei had been plotting against them from the beginning. The supposed retreat to Yingzhou Island for rest was actually… to take Yide’s life.

 

Most believed Yide’s true form was a sword hilt, but those close to him knew that the sword was no ordinary one—it was the tail end of the Heavenly Way. Kui, in turn, carried the Ven Island’s blood that once remained on that tail end.

 

Boling smiled bitterly. He had thought he could at least bury Yide’s body, but now he realized that Yide, even in death, did not belong to him.

 

Feeling disheartened, he stood up and walked toward the trial platform.

 

“Boling…” Si Lan couldn’t help but call out his name, but Boling seemed not to hear, continuing towards the trial platform. He stated his birth date and recounted his wrongdoings, standing quietly on the platform, awaiting punishment. Suddenly, a purple lightning bolt struck down from above, directly hitting Boling’s right arm.

 

Boling’s right arm was instantly broken, the joints searing with burning pain, his face turning pale and his lips trembling uncontrollably.

 

This was punishment for taking Si Lan’s blood.

 

Seeing this, Si Lan clicked his tongue and leaned against Haowei’s head. “Boling is a bit foolish. If he hadn’t stepped onto the trial platform, they wouldn’t have forced him to endure this punishment, but he insisted on suffering.”

 

Also, there was no need for him to assist with the blood-taking.

 

He wondered what charm Yide held that made both Boling and Kui love him so dearly.

 

Suddenly, Haowei spoke up, “Do you know what Boling’s true form is?”

 

“What is it?”

 

“He is the scabbard.”

 

“…” Si Lan.

 

So the scabbard fell in love with the sword, and the sword fell in love with the drop of blood left on it?

 

This was truly bizarre.

 

Si Lan sighed inwardly and shifted his gaze to Yide. He saw Haowei raise his hand and cast a spell, and in the next moment, Yide transformed into his true form—a five-foot long sword. Perhaps this sword later fell into the hands of Ven Island, polished over millennia. Its blade appeared clear and bright, with an exquisite hilt. Even without knowing it was the tail end of the Heavenly Way, its extraordinary quality was apparent from its appearance alone.

 

Si Lan couldn’t help but reach out and carefully examine it. This tail end was likely left by the Heavenly Way intentionally to balance its offspring. Over the course of a hundred thousand years, it now served to balance the Divine Emperor.

 

He felt a tinge of joy in his heart as he took hold of the sword; from now on, he would fear no one.

 

He couldn’t contain his excitement, muttering to himself as he twirled the sword around twice before pulling out his Qiankun bag and stowing the long blade inside. When he looked up, his eyes met directly with Immortal Boling’s.

 

He suddenly felt awkward, as if caught red-handed stealing someone else’s spouse.

 

Boling approached slowly step by step, wearing a faint smile. “Yide, will you still have a chance at reincarnation?”

 

Si Lan nodded. “Yes.” When he no longer needed this sword, he would allow Yide to reincarnate.

 

“Good.” Boling wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and glanced at the absent-minded Ahu beside him, then departed with him.

 

If Yide were to reincarnate again, he might have the chance to meet Kui and even fall in love with him.

 

Boling had been entangled for so many years that he was now weary. This time, he didn’t want to wait for Yide anymore. After sending Ahu to Yingzhou Island, he planned to retreat to Jinyun Mountain for secluded cultivation and withdraw from the world.

 

—

 

Inside the hall, the Ghost Rakshasa and the ghost officials had also departed, leaving only Xue Rong on the high seat.

 

Xue Rong performed a spell and landed in front of Haowei, bowing. “Your Majesty Haowei.” When Haowei came to the underworld, he concealed his presence, seemingly not wanting too many people to know. Hence, Xue Rong did not come to bow earlier when the ghosts were present.

 

“Hmm.” Haowei responded and pulled Si Lan into his arms. “I have matters to attend to; we’ll talk another day.”

 

“Your Majesty, please wait.” Xue Rong’s gaze fell on Si Lan and added, “I wish to have a private conversation with him.”

 

Haowei’s eyes slightly narrowed at Xue Rong’s words. He glanced at Si Lan in his arms, who didn’t sense anything amiss and quickly fluttered his wings away upon hearing Xue Rong’s request.

 

Xue Rong followed closely behind.

 

Watching the backs of the man and bird receding into the distance, Haowei’s expression grew darker.

 

A Demon Sovereign and an Underworld King dared to whisper secrets in front of him? Did they not fear being labeled and apprehended?

 

He could cast a spell from this distance to hear what they were talking about, but he refrained, keeping a stern face with one hand behind his back, giving off an aura of unapproachability.

 

Si Lan probably anticipated what Xue Rong wanted to discuss. Back then, he had caused a great disturbance in the underworld but had not found his mother’s soul. In the end, he was captured back to the Demon Realm by his father and scolded harshly.

 

“Your Highness Si Lan, I’ve checked the Book of Life and Death and didn’t find your mother’s soul listed. I’ve instructed the Underworld guides to investigate. It turns out that after your mother’s death, her soul didn’t come to the Underworld but was privately hidden by your father.”

 

Si Lan widened his eyes in disbelief. His mother’s soul had been hidden by his father?

 

Back then, when his father had brought him out of the Underworld, he blamed Si Lan for not understanding, saying that his mother had passed away, and he shouldn’t cling to her soul, denying her freedom.

 

At that time, Si Lan had felt intense self-blame, thinking he had been too selfish. Since his mother had passed away, she belonged to others now, and he shouldn’t have monopolized her.

 

But he never expected that the person who lectured him with such noble words had secretly hidden his mother’s soul.

 

“… Si Lan.”

 

Xue Rong continued, “The Book of Life and Death records that after your father’s death, both your parents’ souls reincarnated together.”

 

“… Si Lan.”

 

The cunning Si Lan.

 

Not only did he hide his mother’s soul, but he also took her along in reincarnation, presumably to continue their unfinished fate.

 

“Your Highness Xue Rong, does the Book of Life and Death mention who my mother and father reincarnated as?”

 

“Although the Book of Life and Death records the reincarnation of your father and mother, this matter is classified, and I regret that I cannot disclose it to you.”

 

Si Lan didn’t press Xue Rong further. Knowing that his parents might have already reincarnated somewhere, perhaps they had married in this life, and he couldn’t help but feel a twinge of sorrow and some relief.

 

The only regret was that his mother never knew his father loved her until the end.

 

His father also never knew that his mother loved him until the end.

 

Si Lan bid farewell to Xue Rong and flew towards Haowei. At this moment, Haowei seemed to be enveloped in a low-pressure zone, looking very unpleasant.

 

Si Lan didn’t notice Haowei’s cold expression. He shrank to the size of a sparrow and nestled in Haowei’s arms, his mind filled with thoughts of Yingzhou Island.

 

Was Yu Wuxia appearing on Yingzhou Island just to give a Momentary Lantern to Kui? Did she come from afar to do a good deed?

 

No, there must be something they overlooked.

 

Si Lan thought about the location of Yingzhou Island, located above the East Sea, where the boundary between the divine realm and the mortal realm intersected. Xuanling Gate was at the intersection of the heavenly realm and the mortal realm, and Dayong Mountain was at the intersection of the demonic realm and the mortal realm.

 

These three places were all connected to the mortal realm, which was suspiciously eerie.

 

Si Lan looked up and happened to catch a glimpse of the tense line of Haowei’s jaw. He asked cautiously, “Your Majesty, why did Yu Wuxia want to give the Momentary Lantern to Kui? Is there some plan behind this?” Unconsciously, in his eyes, Haowei was omnipotent and omniscient. Whenever he encountered something he couldn’t understand, he would seek answers from Haowei.

 

Haowei finally lowered his head slightly, glanced at Si Lan, and then shifted his gaze away faintly.

 

“It should be so.”

 

“… ” Si Lan felt like nothing had been said.

 

Only now did Si Lan notice that Haowei’s mood was a bit off, but he didn’t dwell on it. True dragons had always been unpredictable in temperament.

 

He continued, “If according to this pattern, the next trouble spot could be at the boundary between the demon realm and the mortal realm, or possibly at the boundary between the ghost realm and the mortal realm… If I had known, I should have talked to Xue Rong a little longer and asked if there was anything unusual in the ghost realm recently.”

 

Haowei’s breath paused for a moment. “Your relationship with Xue Rong seems quite good.”

 

“Yes.” Si Lan didn’t think much about it and replied truthfully, “About nine hundred years ago, I encountered Xue Rong in the ghost realm… when I was searching for my mother’s soul. At that time, Xue Rong was not yet the Underworld King, just a little wild ghost being bullied. I helped him casually.”

 

Years later, when the underworld changed hands, he heard that the new Underworld King was named Xue Rong. Only then did he realize that the little wild ghost he had helped had achieved such success and became the Underworld King.

 

“Is that all?” Haowei restrained some of the gloom on his face.

 

“Yeah, this is the second time we’ve met.” After speaking, Si Lan vaguely understood something and couldn’t help but glance at Haowei again.

 

Was his earlier indifferent demeanor… jealousy?

 

It seemed like whenever someone approached him and spoke a few more words, Haowei’s face would darken, looking unpleasant.

 

Since their last parting, Si Lan felt that Haowei’s attitude towards him had changed drastically.

 

He couldn’t figure out why he had changed, nor did he care to think about it. Perhaps after losing blood and feeling mentally fatigued, his head felt heavy. He nestled in Haowei’s arms and closed his eyes.

 

Haowei had something more to say, but when he lowered his head, he found that Si Lan had fallen asleep in his arms. He couldn’t help but pause for a moment and then smile faintly.

 

His finger lightly touched Si Lan’s forehead, feeling the soft feathers there. Afterwards, his fingertip slowly moved to Si Lan’s tightly closed eyes.

 

Actually, he quite liked Si Lan in his current state, small and comfortably nestled in his arms, belonging to him alone.

 

But this wasn’t fair to Si Lan; he deserved a broader and freer world.

 

In the blink of an eye, the two returned to the Demon Realm and landed on the peak of Zhuyun Peak.

 

During these days away, the strange activities on Zhuyun Peak continued to be lively, with men and women gathered around the mountainside as if participating in some competition.

 

But today, these male and female demons seemed to be of higher quality compared to those Haowei had seen a few days ago.

 

Haowei concealed his presence and approached. The Song brothers were sitting in the middle of the high seat, with several other peak masters on either side, all watching the demons performing their talents on the stage.

 

After the demoness playing the demon flute left, a charming succubus with a voluptuous figure and seductive demeanor took the stage. She performed a mesmerizing dance move that instantly delighted the demons below the stage.

 

“Even Succubus Ruyin has come out. What advantage do we still have?”

 

“Don’t worry, I heard there are eighteen spots available this time.”

 

“Even with eighteen spots, it’s not certain we’ll get a turn. Sigh…”

 

Haowei furrowed his brow slightly. They had made such a big fuss about this event, yet they were only selecting eighteen people…

 

“This brother looks unfamiliar. I didn’t see you in the previous rounds.” The Bull Demon beside him observed Haowei curiously and couldn’t help but ask.

 

Haowei, tall and handsome, if he had appeared in the previous rounds, it would have caused quite a stir.

 

“Previous rounds? What previous rounds?”

 

“The previous rounds of selecting consorts.”

 

Haowei’s breath paused, his eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at the voluptuous beauty now on stage, and said slowly, “Who are they selecting for?”

 

“Naturally, they are selecting for our lord. Aren’t you from the Demon Realm?” The Bull Demon curiously sized up Haowei.

 

Haowei was furious but smiled inwardly.

 

Consort selection?

 

Heh.

 

He had only returned to the Heavenly Court for a few days, and Si Lan had already quietly started selecting consorts in the Demon Realm!

 

During this time, they had shared the same room and bed, yet Si Lan hadn’t mentioned anything about selecting consorts!

 

This person could actually hide things so deeply!

 

Haowei couldn’t help but clench his fists, suppressing his anger in his eyes. In an instant, he connected many dots, understanding why Si Lan’s attitude towards him had suddenly changed so drastically. It turned out that Si Lan had so many prospective “loved ones”; how could he have thought of him?

 

If he couldn’t still use his spiritual power to help Si Lan regulate his body, Si Lan might have forgotten who he was long ago!

 

Unfortunately, the Bull Demon didn’t notice anything amiss and continued to reassure Haowei, “Brother, although you’re not from the Demon Realm and missed the previous rounds of consort selection, I see your aptitude is good. Go up on stage and perform a talent; perhaps the law enforcers will make an exception and promote you directly.”

 

“… ” Haowei.

 

On stage, the voluptuous woman with curvaceous hips twisted her body into a pretzel-like shape, seemingly dancing but actually trying hard to showcase her voluptuous figure.

 

Haowei couldn’t help but imagine himself going on stage to perform a talent. Suddenly, a black line appeared on his forehead, his lips involuntarily tightened, and his whole body was surrounded by a surge of hostility.

 

Enough is enough.

 

In the next moment, the previously clear sky suddenly turned into a violent storm. The strong wind blew in gusts, and before the Song brothers and others on stage could react, a strong wind carrying gravel and weeds swept onto the platform, sweeping them away.

 

Below the stage, the onlookers, although not swept away, were also caught off guard by the sudden storm, getting drenched like drowned rats. They scattered and ran away, casting spells to fend off the rain.

 

Haowei set up a barrier around him, blocking the raging storm outside, and also blocking out the noisy commotion. Therefore, Si Lan, sleeping soundly in his arms, didn’t notice at all what had just happened.

 

The bizarre downpour on Zhuyun Peak lasted for more than an hour before finally stopping.

 

Inside the main hall, Si Lan nestled in soft blankets, stretched lazily as he woke up.

 

Outside the window, the sky had darkened, and only a flickering oil lamp lit the hall, casting extremely dim light.

 

After waking up, Si Lan was dazed for a moment before realizing where he was. He turned over to get out of bed, but suddenly saw a figure sitting at the foot of the bed. He was startled and flapped his wings in panic, falling back.

 

“Hoo hoo.”

 

The dark figure raised its head slightly, staring at him through the dim light.

 

Although he couldn’t see the person’s eyes, he felt their gaze was sharp as knives, inching towards him. He quickly cast a spell to light another oil lamp, only then realizing that the person sitting coldly staring at him at the foot of the bed was Haowei. He couldn’t help feeling a bit annoyed. “Why didn’t you light more lamps?”

 

Sitting there like a resentful ghost, all dark and nearly scared him to a heart attack.

 

Haowei replied coolly, “My eyesight is good.”

 

“… ” Si Lan.

 

Stretching his wings lightly, he flew out and landed on the table. There were several fruits and celestial brew in a plate, obviously prepared for him by Qu Ze upon his return.

 

He took a few sips of immortal brew, then pecked at the wild fruits one by one like a woodpecker pecking at insects.

 

Behind him, Haowei remained unmoved, quietly watching him eat.

 

After he had eaten his fill and drunk enough, he walked over to the window and found it was raining outside. Judging from the ground, it seemed to be a torrential rain.

 

Scratching his head with a wing, he wondered, “Did I sleep so deeply?” He didn’t feel a thing.

 

Most likely, the man behind him exuded such strong resentment that he couldn’t ignore it. He turned around to look at Haowei. What was wrong with him lately?

 

Haowei met his gaze, eyes half-lidded, expression cold as if someone owed him money and hadn’t paid back.

 

“… Si Lan.”

 

So, what happened while he was asleep?

 

Si Lan was just about to ask when he noticed Qu Ze approaching with a notebook in hand. His attention was immediately drawn to Qu Ze. “Qu Ze, is this a book of anecdotes?” During his recovery at Zhiyun Peak, Si Lan had asked Qu Ze to collect the most popular anecdotes of the time.

 

Qu Ze replied with a stiff expression, “No, these are portraits of the third round of candidates sent by the Left and Right Protectors for your review.” Qu Ze hadn’t seen Si Lan in the hall recently and assumed he was in seclusion, only now emerging. He thought that the Song brothers must have already discussed the selection of the princess with Si Lan, hence the grand preparations at Zhiyun Peak.

 

Meanwhile, the Song brothers thought that since Qu Ze had initially proposed the matter, he must have already spoken to Si Lan about it.

 

In reality, as the person directly involved, Si Lan knew nothing about it. He took the notebook and said, “Oh,” recalling that the Song brothers had mentioned revising the selection of the underlings.

 

Each Peak Lord selected ten underlings, although the candidates were proposed by the Peak Lord, Si Lan had the final say.

 

However, usually the selection of underlings was based on cultivation. Why were they considering appearance this time?

 

Suppressing his curiosity, Si Lan opened the notebook and saw a female demon with prominent curves and a coquettish pose, which left him momentarily stunned.

 

Seeing his expression, Qu Ze asked, “Your Majesty, what’s wrong?”

 

“Nothing… It’s fine. It seems that the concept of gender equality and diversified talent selection has taken root.”

 

Qu Ze remained silent.

 

Si Lan forced a smile, but failed to notice Haowei’s increasingly darkening expression across from him.

 

Continuing to flip through, Si Lan came upon the next candidate, a soft and adorable rabbit demon. The portrait showed the rabbit demon with pink ears, extending a small fist, and eyes that seemed capable of speaking, cute and innocent, evoking a sense of pity and affection.

 

However, this rabbit demon appeared to be over a hundred years old, petite and frail, barely an adult.

 

Si Lan murmured, “Diversity is good, but this petite frame might not withstand the rigors… The most important duty of underlings is to lead the demon soldiers in battles across the realms, maintaining peace in the demon world. They endure hardships and labor, training the demon soldiers day in and day out. Wherever there is hardship and need for free labor, underlings must lead by example and take the lead.”

 

At this moment, Haowei’s dark voice suddenly came from in front of him, full of threat, “Oh, how do you plan to subject her to hardships?”

---

T/N: Hey there! There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~

If you like my translations, feel free to donate to my ko-fi!

I really, really appreciate all the support from my readers <3 It goes a long way and motivates me lots!

https://ko-fi.com/hoenibean

 

Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!

If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield

If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’

How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection

What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love

How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep

 

Thank you for all your support <3 Leave a comment if you like 🙂 I love reading them!

 

Chapter 48

 

“Yeah.”

 

Killing evildoers, what’s the mistake in that?

 

But everything in this world has its rules; acting against them is a mistake.

 

Evil spirits have their own laws to punish, not for Kui to act arbitrarily.

 

Si Lan flew over to Kui’s side and advised, “Kui, quickly extinguish the Ephemeral Lamp. Your actions bear heavy guilt. You may not be able to reincarnate again. Don’t you want to continue your karma with Ahu?”

 

“Ahu’s soul has already been torn to pieces by these evil spirits. I’m not afraid of dispersing my own soul. As long as I can kill them!” Kui spoke, his gaze falling on the Ephemeral Lamp. In its core, a faint cluster of light had gathered.

 

These were fragments of Ahu’s soul collected from the evil spirits.

 

Just a bit more, and it would complete Ahu’s entire soul.

 

Once he collected the complete soul, Ahu could be resurrected.

 

Thinking of this, Kui looked towards Si Lan, his blue eyes flickering with an eerie light.

 

“No one can stop me.”

 

“Kui…”

 

Haowei, however, had no intention to reason with Kui here. He directly used magic to pressure Kui. Flames of karma swiftly ignited within the formation, feared even by the fiercest ghosts. Indeed, when the flames reached Kui, pain immediately contorted his face to an extreme, though even in this state, Kui refused to extinguish the Ephemeral Lamp.

 

Struggling for breath, his blue eyes locked through the blazing fire onto Si Lan. When Si Lan met his gaze, his heart skipped a beat. He turned away from Kui, refusing to meet his eyes.

 

Kui seemed overwhelmed with pain, his throat emitting agonized sounds, his body nearly contorting to its limit. Despite all this, Kui still refused to yield. His determination to obliterate the ghosts had surpassed everything.

 

But if this deadlock continued, Kui’s soul would shatter!

 

Helplessly, Si Lan looked to Haowei, whose gaze was cold and indifferent, as though he were observing an inanimate object rather than Kui.

 

At this moment, Yide directly swung his sword, breaking the formation. His figure shot like an arrow into the midst of the flames, rescuing Kui.

 

Already unable to endure, Kui collapsed into Yide’s embrace upon leaving the flames.

 

Yide’s eyes reddened, his arm trembling slightly as he called out Kui’s name, “Kui… Kui, you fool. Is Ahu really worth all this sacrifice from you?”

 

Yide was filled with bitterness at this moment. He had thought Kui’s feelings for Ahu were merely fleeting passion, until he saw Kui’s unwavering determination within the flames. Finally, he understood that Kui truly loved Ahu.

 

He had loved his mount.

 

He never considered Ahu a rival, nor a man. When Jinyun Mountain collapsed, Ahu jumped into the abyss to save Kui, and Yide believed Ahu did it for him.

 

Only when he saw Ahu take on the appearance of a man and embrace Kui did he begin to feel something was amiss.

 

Ahu had developed an inappropriate affection for Kui.

 

But Kui had only had eyes for him before. Yide believed Kui would never change his mind, but he didn’t know what happened during the seven days and nights in the abyss. After Kui came out, he seemed like a different person.

 

Boling once said that he would rather save Kui than let him become like this.

 

But Boling didn’t know that he would rather jump into the abyss that day, disfigured, than stay with Ahu.

 

He really regretted it. He was too late to realize his feelings for Kui. He mistook his attachment to Kui for dependence on his father. By the time he realized his possessiveness and obsession with Kui had surpassed normal emotions, Kui was no longer attached to him.

 

He caused Kui to be heartbroken and Boling to be in pain.

 

He was hopelessly wrong.

 

“Your Majesty, Kui has made such a grave mistake. I am willing to share his punishment. Please spare his life for now. When he wakes up, I will persuade him to extinguish the Ephemeral Lamp.”

 

Haowei stared coldly at him, “Yide, are you sure you can convince him?”

 

“Yes.” Yide finished speaking, paused briefly, and continued, “I am willing to guarantee it with my life.”

 

At these words, Haowei cast a spell that awakened the unconscious Kui.

 

When Kui opened his eyes, the first thing he looked at was the Ephemeral Lamp, his gaze almost obsessive. Yide held Kui’s hand and whispered something in his ear. Kui nodded unexpectedly after hearing it.

 

Seeing this, Haowei furrowed his brow.

 

Supporting his soul about to split apart, Kui flew towards the center of the Ephemeral Lamp, where Ahu’s soul was now in the form of two small clouds of mist curled around the wick. They had been pieced together from the bodies of ghosts.

 

Kui dared not let them know that it was Ahu’s soul inside. He cast a spell, causing the wick to descend and tightly cover the soul.

 

Then, he reached towards the highest point of the Ephemeral Lamp, plucking off a purple-gold bead hanging from it. With a whispered incantation, he controlled the Ephemeral Lamp, and the blue flames within the wick slowly extinguished.

 

In the next moment, the illusion of the Ephemeral Lamps lingering around the Yingtai Island suddenly disappeared, and the figures of the evil spirits seemed to be retracted by some force and vanished into the distant sky.

 

The gap torn from the Jiuyou to the Yingtai was also slowly disappearing until the sky on both sides merged, returning to its indigo base color, and reverting to leisurely white clouds, peaceful as if the terrifying scene had never happened.

 

The Ephemeral Lamp shrank to two feet long, with Kui holding the jade-blue slender handle.

 

Kui’s figure swayed slightly and fell from mid-air. Yide immediately flew forward, embracing his waist and gently landing him on the ground. The cracks on Kui’s face grew larger and larger, and the ghosts were dead, turning into fragrances.

 

But even if he turned into fragrances, he would still have to endure the punishment of the Judgement Platform. However, Kui seemed indifferent to the impending punishment. He looked at the Ephemeral Lamp and murmured with a smile, “To avenge Ahu, even if it’s just a little, I am satisfied.”

 

After saying this, Kui glanced at Haowei, his eyes filled with a willingness to meet death.

 

Yide tightly held Kui’s hand and also looked at Haowei, pleading for Kui, “Your Majesty, it was my momentary jealousy that caused Ahu’s death. Kui, after Ahu’s death, became mentally unstable and acted recklessly, leading to this incident with the Nine Hells’ evil spirits. I failed to supervise him properly, neglecting my duty. Please punish me for my crime.”

 

Upon hearing this, Boling also knelt down and pleaded, “Your Majesty, I am also willing to share the responsibility for Kui. Please give him a chance.”

 

Si Lan fluttered his wings and landed in Haowei’s embrace, his black eyes pitifully looking at Haowei. Though he didn’t speak, his plea was evident in his eyes.

 

Haowei, holding Si Lan, whispered in a voice only they could hear, “As the ruler of the heavenly realm, when I indulge in killing the Nine Hells’ evil spirits, I am also atoning for past sins. Kui is just a servant. Capital punishment can be spared, but the guilt of his actions cannot be evaded.” Moreover, Haowei’s situation with Kui was different.

 

Haowei committed a grave error unknowingly, whereas Kui intentionally killed those evil spirits, bearing severe guilt that simple punishment cannot resolve.

 

Si Lan didn’t expect Haowei to bend the law for personal reasons; he only hoped that when Kui went to the Judgement Platform, he could help Kui avoid the fate of his soul dispersing.

 

“Spared from death is enough,” Si Lan replied softly.

 

Haowei gently stroked Si Lan’s head. When he looked up at Yide and Boling, his face was as cold as frost. He didn’t speak but shifted his gaze to the distant horizon.

 

It seemed that the forced opening of the Gate of Nine Hells, causing the upheaval of countless ghosts, had caught the attention of King Xue Rong of the Underworld. From the distant horizon, Xue Rong came with the wind, accompanied by a massive black aura swirling like claws, displaying his formidable might.

 

Xue Rong landed on Yingtai Island, glanced at Kui, frowned, and then bowed to Haowei, “Your Majesty Haowei.”

 

Haowei raised his hand lightly, and Xue Rong straightened up. His gaze then fell on Si Lan, who stood before Haowei.

 

Si Lan had thought his transformation into his true form would prevent Xue Rong from recognizing him, but the glance from Xue Rong confirmed that he had indeed been recognized. Si Lan greeted Xue Rong with a slight movement of the green tuft at his brow.

 

Approaching closer, Si Lan couldn’t help but ask in a low voice, “Pei Yu and Tao Yuan, what about them?”

 

“Everything has been arranged. They have entered reincarnation,” Xue Rong replied.

 

Si Lan nodded in relief. That was good news, but he didn’t notice the darkening expression on Haowei’s face behind him.

 

Haowei’s gaze lingered on Xue Rong for a moment before he slightly furrowed his brow and looked back at Si Lan. Thinking of the scene where their eyes met, a faint tension tightened his lips.

 

They looked like old friends who had known each other for a long time. He suddenly remembered that Si Lan had once mentioned to him, when they were in the mortal realm, that King Xue Rong owed him a favor. At that time, he didn’t think much of it, but now he felt oddly uncomfortable.

 

How many people did Si Lan really know behind his back?

 

How many things had happened that he didn’t know about?

 

Thinking about Si Lan’s over a thousand years of life, of which he had only been involved for a month, and that month was spent with just a strand of Si Lan’s soul, made him feel even more choked up and uneasy.

 

He felt like he had missed out on so much.

 

“Your Majesty, someone used magic to forcibly open the Ghost Gate. I have ordered repairs,” Xue Rong said, pausing briefly before turning to Kui, “However, this attack by the Ephemeral Lamp has destroyed eighty thousand evil spirits, causing chaos among the other Nine Hells’ spirits. My subordinates are still trying their best to suppress them.”

 

Xue Rong had also taken time to come to Yingtai Island to investigate the situation with the Ephemeral Lamp. The Ephemeral Lamp had long been buried in ancient times, disappearing with the fall of Fan Yu, but unexpectedly reappeared in the world, causing such dire consequences.

 

Haowei calmly remarked, “This incident was caused by Kui, but the Ephemeral Lamp was apparently given to him by someone.”

 

As the words fell, Kui lifted his head with almost no aura left, his voice hoarse, “Indeed, the person who gave me this lamp was dressed like a monk.” That person had told him that if anyone asked about his identity, just saying so would suffice.

 

It seemed that this person had already anticipated today’s situation.

 

Haowei and Si Lan exchanged a glance upon hearing this, both thinking of Yu Wuxia. It occurred to them that Yu Wuxia’s appearance on Yingtai Island was likely to deliver the Ephemeral Lamp to Kui.

 

“What else did that person say?” Haowei inquired.

 

“He only told me that the Ephemeral Lamp could slaughter countless ghosts, without mentioning anything else.” Kui held back a bit; that person also told him that the Ephemeral Lamp could collect fragments of Ahu’s soul during the slaughter of ghosts.

 

He didn’t know the person’s exact motives for helping him, but as long as it could resurrect Ahu, it was enough.

 

“Does this monk have a fiery red mark in the center of his brow?” Haowei asked.

 

Kui shook his head, “His figure was hidden in the shadows, his face not very clear. I could only see the silhouette of a monk.”

 

Seeing that further questioning would yield no more information, Haowei ceased his inquiries.

 

Regardless, Kui was persuaded by Yide halfway through, stopping short of making things irreparable.

 

Seeing this, Xue Rong spoke up, “Your Majesty, allow me to take Kui to the Judgement Platform of the Nine Hells.” When demons and monsters err, they are sent to the Judgement Platform by the rulers of their respective realms.

 

Before Haowei could respond, Yide hastily interjected, “Your Majesty, Kui’s soul is on the verge of fragmentation. If he goes to the Judgement Platform, death is certain! I am willing to go in his place.”

 

Kui glanced at Yide beside him, mocking, “Yide, no need for false pretenses. I don’t need you to sacrifice yourself for me like this. Even if my soul disperses, I don’t want any further ties with you.”

 

“Give me a chance at redemption, Kui, let me…”

 

Haowei couldn’t help but rub his brow, interrupting them, “Enough. Whatever your crimes and punishments are, they will be determined by the Judgement Platform.”

 

Boling, standing nearby, wanted to speak but saw the unwavering gaze from Haowei and refrained from saying anything further.

 

Kui sneered as he pushed Yide aside, standing up unsteadily and walking towards Xue Rong. On his pale face, instead of sorrow, there was a hint of imperceptible relief.

 

Si Lan fluttered his wings and landed on Haowei’s shoulder, in a position that caught Kui’s gaze. Kui’s eyes shifted to Si Lan and he smirked silently, uttering two words.

 

“Sorry.”

 

Was he apologizing for taking his blood?

 

Although Kui wasn’t Fan Yu’s reincarnation, he was still Fan Yu’s blood. Si Lan couldn’t bring himself to blame him in the end. Folding his wings, he watched solemnly as Xue Rong took Kui away.

 

The fleeting lamp was left on the ground.

 

Yide carefully picked up the fleeting lamp, staring at it absent-mindedly. A hint of crimson tinged his eyes as memories stirred within.

 

Boling walked over, helping Yide up from the ground. Yide held the fleeting lamp close and said to Haowei, “Your Majesty, I intend to seal the fleeting lamp beneath Yingzhou Island, never to see the light of day again.”

 

“Mm.” Haowei nodded. Calculating the days, tomorrow would mark Yide’s ascension to immortality; it seemed more was yet to unfold.

 

Haowei remained composed. “Yide, Boling, handle this matter. I will take Xiaoqi to rest at the Yunshang Lake.”

 

“Yes.” Yide and Boling nodded in unison.

 

In the next moment, Haowei and Si Lan’s figures disappeared from sight.

 

—

 

Night fell, and the vague moonlight shrouded Yingzhou Island. Peach blossoms drifted down within the island, floating on the sea surface, casting mottled reflections.

 

Inside the main hall, Yide lit the fleeting lamp, lifting the white wick which concealed a soul.

 

Boling approached from behind, carefully carrying a small white jade altar and placing it before Yide.

 

Inside the white jade altar lay blood taken from Si Lan.

 

Frowning, Boling asked curiously, “Can this truly resurrect Ahu?”

 

“The ancient texts record that Yujia’s blood can revive the dead and reshape the flesh. It should be able to resurrect Ahu,” Yide replied. Holding Ahu’s soul, he was about to place it into the white jade altar when suddenly, a figure appeared behind them—Haowei and Si Lan, who had been recuperating at Yunshang Lake.

 

Haowei’s emotionless voice broke the silence of the night, interrupting their conversation.

 

“So that’s how it is.”

 

Yide and Boling stiffened instantly, turning to see Haowei’s face clearly. They exchanged a glance, realizing their plot had been exposed. Immediately, they knelt down and confessed.

 

“Your Majesty, please forgive us!”

 

“What crime have you committed?” Haowei walked slowly towards them, looking at the blood in the white jade altar, his fingers tightening involuntarily, his aura growing heavier.

 

“They extracted so much blood from Si Lan. If not for me channeling spiritual power to help Si Lan, his body would have been ruined!”

 

“Your Majesty, it’s my crime. Boling has no part in this.”

 

“No, Your Majesty, I was the one who caught Xiaoqi and extracted the blood.”

 

“Both of you should think carefully about how to explain your conspiracy with Kui.” Haowei used magic to retrieve the white jade altar into his hands, his gaze cold as he looked at the two immortal lords.

 

Meanwhile, Si Lan fluttered his wings and landed on the white jade altar, glancing at his own blood inside, feeling his head spin once again.

 

They really dared to act against him.

 

Yide’s face paled as Haowei took away the white jade altar, hastily pleading, “Your Majesty, please spare us. I learned that Kui intended to use the fleeting lamp to avenge Ahu, so I suggested using Yujia’s blood to resurrect him. It was I who captured Yujia and personally extracted the blood. To allay your suspicions, I deliberately created a false impression, making you believe the blood was for Kui’s facial restoration, to lower your guard, so I could secretly resurrect Ahu. Everything I did was solely to ensure Kui could find peace before his death, unrelated to anyone else.”

 

Boling wanted to speak but Yide gripped his hand tightly.

 

Boling looked at Yide with reddened eyes, biting his lip in silence.

 

Haowei glanced at them and then turned his gaze to Si Lan, asking, “Is this true?”

 

Si Lan pursed his lips and murmured softly, “Pretty much.”

 

“Oh? So it was Yide who knocked you out and took your blood?”

 

Meeting Haowei’s gaze, Si Lan instantly understood that he had likely long since unraveled the twists and turns of the situation. Just as he was about to speak, Boling raised his head and spoke first, “Your Majesty, it was I who knocked Xiaoqi out and took his blood, so if punishment is to be given, it should be to me.”

 

That night, Kui asked Yide, “Yide, Ahu’s soul was torn to pieces and devoured by the evil spirits of Jiuyou, but do I still have a chance to see him again?” Yide, eyes red, fell silent, until Boling pushed open the door and approached them, saying, “Yes.”

 

They finally devised this plan, with Boling, the least likely to commit such deeds, taking action to capture Si Lan and take his blood. To dispel Haowei and Si Lan’s suspicions, they magically healed Kui’s face and intentionally made Haowei and Si Lan believe the blood had already been used by Kui.

 

After Kui’s death and transformation into a fierce ghost, lighting the fleeting lamp and gathering Ahu’s soul, they anticipated Kui’s inevitable trial and entrusted the fleeting lamp to Yide for safekeeping.

 

Yide revived Ahu, allowing Kui to see Ahu one last time before facing trial.

 

Boling haltingly revealed their scheme, admitting their collusion and involvement in the slaughter of ghosts and the plundering of Yujia’s blood. They would live together or die together.

 

Si Lan had long known it was Boling who took his blood; he had hidden a feather in Boling’s arms, allowing him to sense the feather’s aura even when Boling approached unnoticed.

 

But Si Lan hadn’t expected Haowei to deduce it was Boling.

 

How had Haowei figured it out?

 

After listening to Boling, Haowei turned to Yide with a somewhat mocking tone. “Yide, your indecisiveness and vacillation ruined two people.”

 

Yide smiled bitterly. “Yes.”

 

Seeing him admit it, Haowei chuckled coldly again. Just a few days ago, Yide had been so stubborn, refusing to admit his mistakes. Now, faced with Kui’s death, he finally understood how wrong he had been.

 

“Your Majesty, you can punish me however you see fit, but please, for the sake of my many years guarding Yingzhou Island, allow me to revive Ahu, and let Kui… have some peace of mind before facing trial.” Yide bowed deeply, his head touching the ground, earnestly pleading with Haowei.

 

This once proud immortal lord, now completely shattered his pride for the sake of his loved ones.

 

Instead of answering Yide directly, Haowei turned to Si Lan. “Xiaoqi, what do you think?”

 

Si Lan looked at the blood in the white jade altar with a pained expression, covering his face with his wings in a gesture of helplessness. “Given the circumstances, I can only use my blood to resurrect Ahu.”

 

No wonder his mother had been so adamant about hiding his identity. Those who knew his true nature in this world, for various reasons, all seemed to want to tear him apart, drink his blood, and feast on his flesh.

 

Perhaps his existence was simply an embodiment of desire.

 

People chased after him, only chasing after their own desires.

 

He couldn’t understand why, after his divine demise, he had been reincarnated as Yujia.

 

Knowing himself as he did, if Jun Li had reincarnated, he would have chosen to be an ordinary person, an ordinary cultivator, an ordinary immortal, or even an ordinary ghost, rather than this species that seemed so precious and coveted, yet provoked such greed in everyone.

 

He always felt like the heavens were playing a game with him.

 

Lost in his thoughts, Haowei returned the white jade altar to Yide. Yide placed Ahu’s soul inside, and it instantly consumed the blood, then merged together, emitting a faint but bright white light.

 

Yide quickly placed the white jade altar on the ground, where it cracked open bit by bit. After the white light dissipated, a faint and ethereal form of Ahu emerged.

 

That was Ahu’s appearance.

 

Ah Hu and Yide were completely different men. Yide appeared elegant and ethereal, with an air of immortality and a clean, jade-like appearance. Ah Hu, on the other hand, was robust and powerful, his skin tinged with a yellow hue, exuding a rugged and vigorous masculinity.

 

Ah Hu’s illusion gradually solidified into substance, as if infused with flesh and blood.

 

Seeing this, Si Lan couldn’t help but mutter softly, “Having only one soul and one spirit, wouldn’t he be considered a fool?”

 

Haowei, lost in his thoughts, finally allowed a faint smile to grace his tightly drawn lips.

 

“He’s not exactly a fool, but rather a person whose five aggregates are not yet fully opened, and whose six senses are not complete. However, with the abundant celestial aura of Yingzhou Island, if he cultivates here, he will soon possess the five aggregates and six senses like an ordinary person.”

 

Si Lan nodded thoughtfully.

 

The sturdy man seemed as though he had been in a deep slumber for a long time. As he opened his dark eyes, they were clear and innocent, resembling those of a child. Glancing around, his expression was filled with confusion.

 

Ah Hu had returned to life, yet as Ah Hu reborn, he no longer retained his previous memories, forgetting everything about Kui.

 

Calculating the time, Yide’s voice broke the silence, “Your Majesty, please allow me to take Ah Hu to the underworld to see Kui one last time.”

 

“Mm.”

 

Considering the time, Kui was about to face judgment on the trial platform.

 

—

 

In each realm—Celestial Realm, Demon Realm, and Underworld—there existed a trial platform, presided over by the rulers of each realm.

 

In the Underworld’s trial platform, King Xue Rong led with the twelve ghost marshals, wielding authority over the myriad spirits.

 

Upon death, one might think they could escape culpability, yet even as a ghost, they still had to face judgment on the trial platform.

 

Most spirits who ascended the trial platform faced dispersal of their soul.

 

When Kui’s turn came, however, there was no fear on his face; instead, his eyes searched around as if waiting for something.

 

Upon the high seat, the ghost official finished reciting Kui’s birth date and respectfully reported to Xue Rong, “Your Highness, this ghost’s birth date has been verified; he may ascend the trial platform.”

 

At this moment, Xue Rong cleared his throat uncomfortably, prompting the ghost official to close his book and stand aside, awaiting Xue Rong’s decision.

 

After a moment, Xue Rong spoke, “I didn’t quite catch this ghost’s birth date just now. Recite it again.”

 

The ghost official complied, slowly and deliberately reciting Kui’s birth date. Just as he finished, Haowei and the others arrived with Ah Hu.

 

Upon seeing Ah Hu, Kui’s dull eyes instantly lit up, his breath quickening involuntarily.

 

It was Ah Hu.

 

Ah Hu had truly been reborn.

 

Tears welled up in Kui’s eyes as he quietly watched Ah Hu from afar, while Ah Hu, brought here by someone, still wore a bewildered expression. Yet he could sense that he had been brought here to meet someone, to meet the severe ghost about to ascend the trial platform.

 

Ah Hu looked at Kui, who suddenly smiled.

 

Subsequently, Kui willingly approached the trial platform. Yide had always thought that Kui wanted to revive Ah Hu out of love, but that wasn’t the case. He simply felt deeply sorry for Ah Hu; the most he could do for him was to ensure that Ah Hu could live well.

 

Now, with Ah Hu’s soul devoid of past memories, he would live like a clean slate from now on.

 

Kui closed his eyes, standing in the middle of the trial platform. Having fulfilled his wish, he remained serene, calmly accepting the impending punishment.

 

After the ghost official finished reciting Kui’s various crimes, thunder suddenly roared above the trial platform. Rolling thunder, accompanied by fierce winds, descended like a white sword qi toward Kui.

 

At that critical moment, Yide suddenly leaped forward, embracing Kui and shielding him from the thunder’s strike.

---

T/N: Hey there! There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~

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Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!

If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield

If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’

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What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love

How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep

 

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