Category: Most Eligible Widow-Bachelor in the Six Realms (Page 4 of 8)

Chapter 47

 

Yide’s face changed suddenly upon hearing this, but he stubbornly held onto Kui’s hand.

 

“Your Majesty, I…”

 

“Yide, I do not wish to see such ugliness within Yingzhou again.”

 

Yide gazed thoughtfully, as if pondering. After a moment, he said, “Your Majesty, I will not imprison Kui again. I will make proper arrangements for Kui immediately.” He still wanted to possess Kui and was unwilling to set him free.

 

Haowei did not continue to reprimand Yide. Firstly, Yide would ascend in six days, and he did not wish to punish Yide further.

 

Secondly, the matters between Kui and Yide were for them to reconcile as outsiders; he could not make decisions. Therefore, how to handle Yide’s feelings needed to be decided by Kui himself.

 

Yide did not ask Haowei how he knew where Kui was being held. Perhaps he guessed he was being followed, or perhaps he simply didn’t care. Right now, his only concern was Kui. He arranged for Kui to stay in a side hall of the mansion, just a wall away from his own sleeping quarters.

 

In the following two days, Kui appeared unusually calm, like a puppet. He completed each task according to schedule, but otherwise showed no reaction to the outside world.

 

Yide visited him every night, trying to talk to him, but Kui completely ignored him.

 

Such disregard and torment finally drove Yide mad on the third day.

 

Yide held Kui’s face, his eyes flashing with a bloody light, like a wild beast in rage. “Why?”

 

Si Lan did not intentionally eavesdrop on Yide and Kui’s conversation. Yide treated him like an ordinary “chicken,” not bothering to avoid talking in front of him. He was fluttering his wings by the window when he heard Yide’s suppressed emotional voice.

 

“You used to like me so much. Why are you treating me like this now just for an animal?”

 

“Kui, I still remember the scene when I first met you in the mortal realm. Your figure was shrouded in a misty veil, ethereal and unreal. I had never seen such a handsome celestial like you. You said our celestial affinity was profound, and you would take me to Yingzhou, nurturing me carefully. I was scared at the time, and you comforted me, saying you had been looking for me for over a hundred years, promising to treat me well and prioritize me in everything. But now, how can you cut ties with me for such an animal?”

 

“Kui, look at me!”

 

Yide grew more and more frantic in his speech, disregarding everything, and kissed Kui’s lips.

 

Si Lan quickly fluttered his wings, wanting to rush over and cast a spell to push Yide away, but he saw Kui suddenly reach out and embrace Yide. In the next moment, a pained sound escaped from between Yide’s lips.

 

“Mmm…”

 

Yide tried to push Kui away, but Kui held on tight. His hands were like vines tightly wrapped around Yide’s neck, his teeth biting Yide’s lip and tongue. Blood flowed from their lips and teeth.

 

Si Lan stared wide-eyed, floating in mid-air, forgetting to flap his wings.

 

Yide, unable to break free from Kui, raised his hand to strike Kui, but when he met Kui’s one blue eye and one glaring eye, he couldn’t bring himself to do it. Kui continued to bite him as if he didn’t feel any pain.

 

At this moment, the pain in his heart indeed surpassed everything else.

 

He had known Kui for more than three hundred years. Kui had brought him back to Yingzhou to cultivate when he was six years old. At that time, he was just a child who was afraid of thunder at night and could only sleep in Kui’s arms. He didn’t like to eat properly and needed someone to feed him. Even when he needed to relieve himself at night, he had to wake Kui up and have Kui carry him to the chamber pot.

 

All these things formed their simple and warm life together.

 

Later, after he successfully went through tribulations and regained his position, he remembered his memories as Yide Immortal. Suddenly, Kui’s image in his heart no longer seemed so lofty. It turned out that Kui was just a servant of Yingzhou.

 

In his life, it was no longer just Kui; there was Yingzhou and also Boling Immortal Sovereign, who was still undergoing tribulations in the mortal realm.

 

He searched for Boling Immortal Sovereign for a long time but couldn’t find him until recently, when Boling returned after crossing his tribulation. They reunited after several thousand years apart. Boling filled his world instantly, leaving no room for anyone else.

 

Kui couldn’t accept his change and, on a rainy day, intercepted him to reveal his heart.

 

In truth, he had already vaguely felt this way—Kui had won his heart. It was only after becoming Yide Immortal Sovereign that he realized his love was for Boling. He told Kui that he only regarded him as a father figure now.

 

Kui’s eyes at that moment seemed to crack open, inch by inch collapsing. Tears welled in his eyes, slowly trailing down his cheeks in the rain.

 

It was the first time Kui had cried in front of him.

 

Kui murmured, “Father… So in this life, I met you three hundred years early to treat you well, only to receive… father?” Kui finished speaking with a bitter smile, his face blurring in the drizzling rain.

 

Yide realized his words had hurt Kui and wanted to explain, but Kui turned and walked away.

 

Since then, Kui no longer appeared voluntarily in front of him.

 

Yet he began to gradually miss the Kui of the past—the one who would stay with him during thunderstorms, make soup for him when he was sick, and tuck him in when he fell asleep…

 

Only now did he realize that he had once cherished Kui. Sadly, between them now lay mountains and oceans, their relationship irretrievable.

 

After Kui had bitten enough, he slowly released Yide’s lip.

 

Yide silently watched him, allowing the blood to drip from his lips.

 

Suddenly, Kui gave a strange, mocking smile, filled with irony and despair. Yide tried to wipe the blood from Kui’s lip, but Kui bit his finger.

 

Yide’s brow furrowed in pain, but he said nothing.

 

They stared at each other, sinking into silence.

 

Seeing this, Si Lan estimated that Yide would no longer harm Kui and flew out, returning to Haowei’s room.

 

Haowei still retained a trace of his presence on Si Lan, aware of what Si Lan had seen and done.

 

Si Lan shook his wings, pacing on the ebony round table with his little claws. Between his brown fur brows, a hint of contemplation and cuteness mixed together.

 

Haowei smiled faintly, asking, “What did you see?”

 

Si Lan hesitated, “I didn’t see anything.” Yet he had a feeling something was about to happen; Kui’s unusual calmness was unsettling.

 

However, Si Lan didn’t know that after he flew away, Kui looked at Yide in the room and slowly spoke, uttering his first words in days.

 

“Yide, Ah Hu’s soul was torn into pieces and devoured by the Nine Hells demons. But do I still have a chance to see him?”

 

Yide’s expression instantly changed upon hearing this.

 

In the room, Haowei reached out to embrace Si Lan, the soft feathers brushing like tiny brushes against his palm, bringing a warm feeling. Haowei comforted, “When soldiers come, the water will cover the earth. Your worries are useless now.”

 

Si Lan twitched his pointed mouth, his wings fluttering against Haowei’s body. “Have you felt that something’s not quite right with Yingzhou lately?”

 

“Why do you say that?”

 

Si Lan thought to himself that perhaps due to Haowei’s spiritual cultivation, he wasn’t as sensitive to things like demonic energies as he was. Despite losing a considerable amount of his cultivation, he still sensed that something was amiss—Yingzhou Island seemed to be subtly changing its course unnoticed.

 

At the landing point on Yingzhou Island, the direction now indicated by the earth gauge seemed to point towards the “Gate of Ghosts”.

 

The “Gate of Ghosts” was the gateway to the Nine Hells of the underworld, a place sealed to contain myriad ghosts.

 

Si Lan didn’t know if this was a coincidence or something more sinister happening. Feeling uneasy, that night, when he saw Haowei meditating deeply, Si Lan quietly flapped his wings and flew out again, intending to check on Kui’s room.

 

However, just as he landed on the window sill and before he could enter, a large hand suddenly grabbed him from behind by the neck.

 

In the next instant, everything went black for him, and he was knocked unconscious, his body uncontrollably falling to the ground.

 

As he collapsed, his eyes caught sight of a pair of black boots.

 

Si Lan hadn’t expected to be ambushed so silently. When he woke up, he found himself in a dim cave, where the surroundings blurred into countless lines swirling before his eyes like arrows. His head felt heavy and dizzy, making it impossible to stand steadily. He reached for his neck and felt blood from a wing!

 

He had been bled!

 

What a strange thing to happen—someone in Yingzhou had recognized his identity?!

 

He couldn’t use his claws, and only his wings could still exert some force. Using them, he managed to prop himself up, only to discover a formation drawn on the ground, trapping him within.

 

Just as he was about to contact Haowei with his divine consciousness, a crack suddenly appeared in front of the cave, allowing beams of light to filter through, casting scattered marks on the ground.

 

A tall figure emerged against the light, emanating a chilling aura as he stepped forward, causing the dust on the ground to seem almost sentient as it automatically dispersed.

 

Haowei sensed Si Lan’s increasingly heavy aura and, entering the cave, found Si Lan lying within the formation, his brown fur stained with nearly dried bloodstains.

 

Si Lan saw him arrive and quickly fluttered his wings, standing up involuntarily and emitting a soft cooing sound. However, his head was still spinning badly, causing him to stumble and fall to the ground again, looking weak and pitiful, as if he had suffered severe trauma.

 

Haowei’s expression darkened instantly upon seeing this. He glanced at the formation and immediately reached through it. His arm was scorched with red marks that quickly swelled like blisters. Unable to wait to unravel the formation, he broke through it with his body, lifting Si Lan up in his arms.

 

Si Lan had a tuft of feathers plucked from the back of his neck, causing him to lose a considerable amount of blood and further weakening his body, to the point where he could barely speak.

 

Haowei involuntarily exuded an intense aura, and when Yide Immortal Sovereign and Boling Immortal Sovereign rushed over, they felt a surge of hostility emanating from Haowei, as if carried on icy frost, directly rushing towards them and knocking them to the ground.

 

“Your Majesty, please forgive us!” Yide and Boling held their injured chests and nodded in apology.

 

Haowei turned to them, his expression imposing without anger, his voice full of oppression, “The incident on Yingzhou involving Xiaochi, who will take responsibility?”

 

“Your Majesty, I will find out who harmed Xiaochi as soon as possible,” Yide replied, glancing up at Si Lan in Haowei’s arms.

 

Haowei’s gaze swept over them, suspicion and intimidation in his eyes. “Xiaochi’s identity must not be revealed. Anyone who knows Xiaochi’s true form, once found, must be immediately captured.”

 

“Yes,” Yide and Boling said in unison.

 

Si Lan glanced at them, as if wanting to say something, but then fainted.

 

Seeing this, Haowei immediately transferred some of his cultivation to Si Lan.

 

Perhaps due to serious injuries, Si Lan’s soul was unstable. In his unconscious state, he dreamed of strange scenes. These scenes seemed like his wild imagination, yet also like fragmented memories of the past…

 

He dreamed that he and Haowei had become mortals without magic. When it rained, they could only huddle together in a cave to keep warm. He dreamed of Haowei building a house at the foot of the mountain, Haowei and several men laying bricks for the foundation, while he secretly watched from halfway up the mountain. Because Haowei forbade him from going down the mountain and from others seeing him.

 

He also dreamed of Haowei kissing him, pressing him down on the bed, his eyes reddening with tears falling…

 

The final scene was Haowei leaving.

 

“Xiaochi, wait for me here until I come back to take you.”

 

Si Lan murmured in his daze, Xiaochi… Xiaochi… Why was he called Xiaochi again?

 

Could it be that he really was Xiaochi?

 

*Cough…*

 

Si Lan suddenly coughed and woke up from his sleep. He raised his head to see the fair chin of Haowei. Gradually focusing his vision, he finally saw Haowei’s face.

 

Haowei had his eyes closed at the moment, his head lowered, showing a hint of weariness. Si Lan was carefully cradled in his arms. As Si Lan struggled to spread his wings, Haowei opened his eyes, frowning at him, “What’s wrong?”

 

“I’m having trouble catching my breath.” Si Lan folded his wings and scratched his neck. Perhaps the person had been too heavy-handed; his neck still hurt.

 

Upon hearing this, Haowei reached out and gently massaged his neck with spiritual power soothing his body.

 

Feeling much more comfortable, Si Lan couldn’t help but relax his brows and asked, “Who captured me?”

 

“It was Kui.”

 

“Ah?” He looked at Haowei in surprise.

 

Haowei explained, “Kui captured you to obtain your blood to restore his appearance. He’s currently imprisoned by Yide in the dungeon.”

 

Si Lan’s mouth twitched as he sensed something amiss, “It’s not Kui. Take me to the dungeon immediately!”

 

Haowei also felt it wasn’t Kui, but upon seeing Kui’s sudden recovery and detecting Si Lan’s blood scent on him, he concluded it was Kui’s doing. Without further questioning Si Lan’s words, he immediately led him towards the dungeon.

 

However, as soon as they stepped out of the palace gates, they witnessed an anomaly in the sky. Far in the distance, a rift had torn open the sky, with clear blue skies and fluffy white clouds on either side, a serene scene. Yet within the rift surged dark, billowing mists resembling waves, each carrying the visage of countless malevolent spirits. These spirits, as if driven mad by some omen, were rushing towards Yingzhou.

 

Their target was precisely the dungeon where Kui was held.

 

Just as Haowei moved towards the dungeon, in an instant, an octagonal golden lamp emitting silver light grew larger, seeming to rise from the very heart of Yingzhou Island, surrounded by an eerie silver glow that formed an ethereal and elusive presence, enveloping the entire island.

 

The malevolent spirits rushed towards the lamp like moths to a flame, but upon contact with its light, they dissipated as if swallowed whole.

 

Si Lan and Haowei witnessed this scene and exclaimed in unison, “Xuyu Lamp!”

 

The Xuyu Lamp was a lantern that guided and controlled spirits, capable of both commanding and eliminating them. Created by Fanyu, it had not been seen since his passing, yet here it was unexpectedly hidden within Yingzhou Island.

 

The screams and cries of terror from the malevolent spirits filled the air, despite their past deeds of evil, now facing imminent dispersal, they shrieked in fear and despair.

 

The entire sky above Yingzhou Island was shrouded in the sound of malevolent spirits.

 

Meanwhile, Kui, who had been trapped in the dungeon and now deceased, had transformed into a vengeful spirit floating in mid-air. As the one who had guided the Xuyu Lamp to activation, unlike the other malevolent spirits uncontrollably devoured by the lamp, his lower half shrouded in black mist, faintly visible, his severely scarred right side of the face restored. His hair was gathered neatly behind him, revealing his whole face.

 

His blue left eye stood out conspicuously on his handsome yet eerie countenance, both eyes unmoving, staring coldly ahead at the Xuyu Lamp, witnessing the scenes of countless vengeful spirits being dispersed.

 

These vengeful spirits had devoured Ahu’s three souls and seven spirits.

 

The Xuyu Lamp could exact retribution from these vengeful spirits and gather Ahu’s fragmented soul.

 

As long as even a tiny fragment could be recovered, Ahu could be brought back to life!

 

Yide and Boling also sensed something amiss and emerged from their chambers, their faces filled with shock upon witnessing the scene.

 

Yide gently flicked his finger, calculating something, the color draining from his face as he realized the implications.

 

“Kui has somehow merged the Xuyu Lamp with Yingzhou Island. If we attempt to stop the lamp from consuming the malevolent spirits, it could destroy Yingzhou Island,” Yide said, his face devoid of color, looking helplessly at Haowei.

 

The Xuyu Lamp had a gate; opening it was easy, but closing it was extremely difficult, requiring the destruction of the formations on its gate. Kui had merged the Xuyu Lamp with Yingzhou Island, aligning the gate towards the Ghost Gate of Jiuyou, plotting this under the guise of calmness over the past few days.

 

These malevolent ghosts, though committing numerous evils, are bound by their own rules. Punishing them falls within the jurisdiction of the underworld. Kui’s actions have clearly violated the natural order of the Six Realms.

 

Si Lan glanced at Hao Wei, who was lost in thought, staring at the Everlasting Lamp in silence.

 

He sensed a trace of sinister aura on the lamp, identical to the one that disrupted his tribulation back then, causing his thoughts to swirl uncontrollably.

 

Jiu Ying, Da Yong, Kui — all of them had traces of that person behind them.

 

Now that person coincidentally appeared on Yingzhou Island, overlapping with Yu Wuxia’s traces. Could it be… that person is related to Yu Wuxia?

 

Or perhaps, he is Yu Wuxia himself?

 

Seeing Hao Wei’s unusual expression, Si Lan couldn’t help but inquire through his spiritual awareness, “What’s wrong?”

 

Hao Wei collected his thoughts and replied, “When I crossed the God-Emperor’s tribulation, someone interfered, leaving behind spiritual injuries. This causes periodic disturbances in my internal energy, leading to moments of confusion and even transforming into a childlike state. The trace of sinister aura left by the one who disrupted my tribulation matches exactly with what lingers on the Everlasting Lamp.”

 

This was the first time Si Lan had heard Hao Wei explain the reason for his childlike episodes. The last time he asked, Hao Wei had brushed it off, unwilling to reveal the truth, probably fearing that as the Demon Sovereign, Si Lan might exploit this knowledge against him.

 

Why reveal the truth now?

 

Wasn’t he afraid of what Si Lan might do?

 

Suppressing his doubts, Si Lan asked, “Could that person be Yu Wuxia?”

 

“We’ll need to see Yu Wuxia to confirm.”

 

As they conversed, the Everlasting Lamp continued to devour numerous ferocious ghosts.

 

Si Lan furrowed his brows. “Why did Kui ignite the Everlasting Lamp?”

 

“Perhaps it’s because Ah Hu was devoured by countless ghosts. He seeks vengeance for Ah Hu.”

 

Si Lan hesitated. “Is it a crime to indiscriminately slaughter evil spirits?”

 

“Though these spirits were once evil men, they still fall under the jurisdiction of the Judgement Platform. Kui’s actions defy the rules of the Six Paths. I fear… there may be dire consequences.”

 

Si Lan spread his wings and looked up at Hao Wei.

 

Ultimately, the outcome of “dire consequences” would depend on Hao Wei’s decision, wouldn’t it?

 

Yet Si Lan knew Hao Wei wasn’t someone who would pervert justice. “Once the Everlasting Lamp is lit, how can it be extinguished?”

 

Hao Wei explained, “Kui must have anticipated that we would try to stop him from extinguishing the Everlasting Lamp. So, he merged the formation of the Everlasting Lamp’s gateway with Yingzhou Island. Only by destroying Yingzhou Island can we close the Everlasting Lamp.”

 

With thousands of residents on Yingzhou Island, sacrificing them to save evil spirits was out of the question.

 

They were truly caught in a dilemma.

 

“Is destroying the formation the only way?” Si Lan asked.

 

“Yes, the Everlasting Lamp was created for Van Yu, controlled solely by him. To stop the Everlasting Lamp, outsiders must directly destroy the formation of the Everlasting Lamp’s gateway.”

 

Upon hearing this, Si Lan couldn’t help but furrow his brow.

 

How did such a sinister object like the Everlasting Lamp end up in Kui’s hands?

 

Although Kui was born from a drop of Van Yu’s blood, it had been a hundred thousand years; Kui couldn’t possibly possess the Everlasting Lamp anymore.

 

And the person who took his blood wasn’t Kui. Then how did Kui regain his appearance?

 

Forget it, stopping the Everlasting Lamp from devouring thousands of ghosts was the top priority now.

 

Suppressing his chaotic thoughts, Si Lan was about to rush towards Kui when Hao Wei grabbed his wing and with a spell, transformed him into a chick-like appearance and tucked him into his pocket.

 

“Don’t be arrogant. Leave it to me.”

 

Arrogant…

 

Si Lan’s mouth twitched. He used to say he was bold, and now he’s calling him arrogant.

 

Tsk tsk, it’s as if he knows him so well. Unable to resist, Si Lan retorted, “Whether I’m arrogant or not, how would you know?”

 

Hao Wei paused in his attack on Kui, the sword in his hand almost slipping, as he glanced down at Si Lan, saying as he manipulated countless sword shadows, “Apart from me, who else would understand you so well?”

 

With that, the sword shadows merged into a pagoda-like form and directly pressed down on Kui.

 

Kui’s sleeves fluttered, a hint of deep blue flashed in his eyes, and the murderous intent in his hand turned into blue light, striking at the illusion of the pagoda. The illusion shattered instantly, but soon the sword shadows reformed into various-sized pagodas, surrounding Kui.

 

Si Lan angrily questioned, “How do you understand me?”

 

“Naturally, I’ve seen it with my own eyes.” Hao Wei controlled the illusion of the sword, suddenly connecting countless small pagodas into one giant pagoda, sealing Kui inside.

 

Seeing this, Kui attacked the pagoda frantically, but each strike rebounded upon himself, causing him harm. Yet Kui didn’t give up, repeatedly slashing with his sword, trying to break open the pagoda.

 

In his own view, he was imprisoned by the pagoda, but to onlookers, the pagoda was an intangible force, trapping him in place, seemingly attacking the air aimlessly.

 

“Let me out! I don’t want to hurt anyone, I just want to avenge Ah Hu!”

 

Si Lan was still dwelling on how Hao Wei had personally witnessed this incident, intending to refute him, but found it true that he had indeed seen it himself. That time in the Extreme Sound Eight Trigram Formation, when he was bathing, the little white dragon clung to his thigh…

 

Si Lan’s expression turned slightly embarrassed, and he pursed his lips, saying, “Well, it goes both ways.”

 

“…,” Hao Wei.

 

Yide and Boling flew to the side of the two. They had thought they were discussing strategy while fighting, but they heard words like understanding and going both ways as they approached. Both of them felt strange.

 

“Your Majesty.”

 

Hao Wei glanced at the two of them coldly, his gaze indifferent, and then turned his attention back to Kui within the formation.

 

Seeing that he couldn’t break free, Kui’s face twisted into a ferocious expression. Strange blue patterns spread from his left eye, quickly covering half of his face. The patterns faintly emitted a gloomy light. This blue eye not only inherited Van Yu’s appearance but also some of Van Yu’s cultivation.

 

“These evil ghosts deserved to die anyway. What’s wrong with me killing them?”

---

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!

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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’

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 46

 

Si Lan’s face flushed red instantly, feeling waves of heat rushing to his cheeks.

 

Last night, when he went to sleep, he remembered he hadn’t reverted to his human form. How did he wake up like this?

 

He wanted to push Haowei away, but was afraid of waking him up and making things more awkward. So, he carefully tried to create some distance. He retracted his legs that were wrapped around Haowei’s waist. Seeing that Haowei showed no sign of waking up, he continued to shift Haowei’s arm gently. As a result, Haowei instinctively tightened his hold on him, pulling him closer to his chest. Then, Haowei’s chin rested on his forehead, and a faint murmur could be heard from his lips.

 

“Xiaoqi.”

 

Xiaoqi… Was he calling him?

 

If so, calling him Si Lan directly would have sufficed.

 

Why call him Xiaoqi?

 

Could Xiaoqi actually be someone else’s name?

 

At the thought, Si Lan furrowed his brows, his gaze falling on the slightly prominent Adam’s apple of Haowei. He inexplicably wanted to lean over and give it a gentle bite.

 

“Xiaoqi.”

 

Haowei murmured again, his words slurred.

 

The more Si Lan thought about it, the more something felt off. In all the time they had spent together before, Haowei had never called him Xiaoqi. Why would he suddenly say it now?

 

Could something have happened to Haowei after he returned to the Heavenly Court? Was this the reason for his sudden change in behavior towards him?

 

Unable to resist any longer, Si Lan blushed deeply and, realizing he wasn’t wearing clothes, pressed his palms together to transform back into his original form.

 

In an instant, the slender figure in Haowei’s embrace turned into a brown-feathered wild chicken. Haowei’s arms fell empty, and his heart sank as he abruptly woke from his sleep.

 

“Si Lan, Xiaoqi…”

 

Haowei lowered his head and saw a “chicken” standing beside him, its big eyes resembling black beans, looking at him somewhat shyly. Startled, he reached out and pulled Si Lan back into his arms.

 

Si Lan remained silent, feeling Haowei’s heartbeat racing unusually fast as he lay nestled in his embrace.

 

Si Lan… Xiaoqi…

 

Hmm…

 

Quite affectionate.

 

But seeing his name on that Xiaoqi, Si Lan decided not to pursue it for the time being.

 

“When did you wake up?” Haowei asked softly.

 

“Just now.” Si Lan folded his wings around his body, clearly indicating he didn’t want to be too close to Haowei.

 

Seeing this, Haowei’s eyes flickered slightly, and he let go of Si Lan, sitting up on the bed.

 

Si Lan took the opportunity to fly out and perch on the window coffin, looking at the weather outside today. The sun was shining brightly, with crimson petals dancing in the wind. A few petals drifted through the window and landed on Si Lan.

 

Si Lan shook himself to dislodge the petals.

 

Haowei dressed and walked out, coincidentally meeting Yide Xianjun with a group of servants.

 

Yide said they were going to Yunchang Lake on Yingzhou to soak in the hot springs. Yunchang Lake was surrounded by mountains on all sides, and the spring water was filled with immortal energy, perfect for healing.

 

Upon hearing this, Haowei reached out and pulled Si Lan into his arms. “Xiaoqi, would you like to go soak in the hot springs?”

 

Si Lan nodded. “Gugu.”

 

“Alright, let’s go then.” Haowei smiled indulgently.

 

Yide looked at the scene of a man and a chicken in front of him, feeling inexplicably amused.

 

A noble and handsome man unashamedly holding a “chicken.” The “chicken” seemed somewhat unhappy, half-closing its eyes with a low aura. On the other hand, the man’s eyes held a hint of laughter and indulgence.

 

Leading the way ahead, Yide said, “Your Majesty, please follow me.”

 

Just as they reached the courtyard, a piercing voice suddenly came from afar in the corridor.

 

“Yide! You deceived me!”

 

In the next moment, a black figure dashed over swiftly, a long sword in hand like a silver snake directly threatening Yide.

 

Yide hurriedly dodged to the side.

 

“Why didn’t you tell me Ahu died!” Kuai seemed to have gone mad, disregarding everything as he aimed the sword at Yide. Unfortunately, he was no match for Yide, especially with Boling Xianjun assisting from behind. After a few rounds, they managed to restrain Kuai.

 

Kuai was bound and unable to move, but his entire body emitted an even stronger hostility. His blue and black eyes rolled bloodshot, his voice rough like gravel swept by the wind, extremely hoarse.

 

“I regret it deeply, regret loving you for so many years…”

 

Kuai looked at Yide, tears of blood slowly streaming down his face.

 

After hearing Kuai’s words, Yide stood stunned in place, as if struck by lightning.

 

Kuai roared, struggling to break free from the bindings, but the ropes were specifically for restraining immortals, and he couldn’t break them. As a result, the ropes tightened into his flesh, almost cutting through his body.

 

Seeing this, Yide wanted to use magic to undo the ropes and release Kuai, but Boling stopped him with a hand. “Yide, if you release him now, he will still try to kill you. He’s lost his mind.”

 

Just as Kuai disregarded everything to break free from the ropes, Haowei suddenly acted, delivering a palm strike that knocked Kuai unconscious.

 

“Kuai…”

 

Yide rushed over and found Kuai only unconscious. He quickly untied the ropes.

 

The ropes had already cut into Kuai’s body, leaving behind crimson blood stains. Yide’s eyes reddened instantly, gently lifting Kuai and apologizing to Haowei, “Your Majesty, please forgive me. Kuai hasn’t been himself ever since his last injury. He didn’t mean to disturb Your Majesty.”

 

“It’s alright, Yide. Take him down and tend to his wounds first,” Haowei said calmly, looking at Kuai in Yide’s arms.

 

Yide quickly responded, “Yes, Your Majesty. I’ll attend to Kuai’s matters first. Let Boling take Your Majesty to Yunchang Lake.”

 

“Mm.”

 

Haowei withdrew his gaze, carrying Si Lan, and continued on the road to Yunchang Lake. Si Lan kept looking back until Kuai was out of sight, then tucked his head back in.

 

According to Kuai, Ahu is dead… That’s why Kuai couldn’t accept it and went mad, wanting to kill Yide.

 

Thinking back to last night when Kuai mentioned Ahu, his eyes brightened. Si Lan couldn’t help but feel sorry for Kuai.

 

It seemed that Kuai wasn’t living well in this life either.

 

Suddenly, Si Lan recalled the Buddhist scripture about the tiger in the forest.

 

Good people don’t receive good rewards.

 

Bad people become enlightened immediately.

 

Si Lan asked Haowei through divine sense, “Have you sensed the aura of Yu Wuxia?”

 

“No,” Haowei replied, his brow furrowed.

 

He hadn’t sensed Yu Wuxia’s aura. Perhaps Yu Wuxia’s purpose in Yingzhou wasn’t the Heavenly Tail Finger, so he wasn’t near Yide’s residence. It’s also possible that Yu Wuxia had already left Yingzhou.

 

Si Lan hadn’t sensed Yu Wuxia’s aura either, attributing it to his own inadequate cultivation. But he didn’t expect Haowei to also be unaware of Yu Wuxia’s presence.

 

Could it be that Yu Wuxia had already departed long ago?

 

Si Lan folded his wings and sank into contemplation. Upon arriving at Yunchang Lake, Boling Xianjun arranged for servants to attend to Si Lan and Haowei, then withdrew early.

 

Throughout the journey, Boling Xianjun wore a worried expression, clearly concerned about Yide.

 

Once Boling had left, Si Lan and Haowei cast an invisibility spell and quietly returned following Boling.

 

“Why all this sneaking around?” Haowei couldn’t help but ask Si Lan aloud.

 

They could have stayed openly in the mansion.

 

“If we stay in the mansion, Yide Xianjun’s actions will surely be influenced by your presence. By leaving according to his wishes and then sneaking back, we can see what he really intends to do,” Si Lan explained.

 

Haowei never expected this little “wild chicken” to be so thoughtful.

 

The two returned to the Yide Mansion and searched around but didn’t find Kui. Instead, they heard the sound of Boling and Yide arguing.

 

Boling’s eyes were red, sitting on a bench in the octagonal pavilion. There were faint tear marks on his handsome face.

 

“I didn’t mean to tell Kui about Ahu’s death. I never expected his reaction to be so intense…”

 

“Boling, you nearly killed him!”

 

Yide stood beneath the pavilion, not looking at Boling, hands behind his back, eyes cold.

 

Perhaps Kui woke up later and hurt himself again; there was a long scar from his chin to his neck, still bleeding and only briefly stopped.

 

Boling stood up and walked behind Yide. “Yide, do you plan to deceive him for the rest of his life? You’ve seen it yourself, Kui only loves Ahu now. Can’t you let him go? Let him leave peacefully, let him be with Ahu.”

 

Boling’s words seemed to sting Yide. Yide’s expression gradually cracked inch by inch, his eyes freezing with a hint of blood, turning around to glare fiercely at Boling.

 

Boling had known Yide for many years but had never seen Yide so ferocious. Those eyes seemed capable of crushing his neck at any moment. Boling’s face turned pale and he involuntarily stepped back.

 

Yide turned away, his voice coldly echoing from above. “I won’t let Kui go. Even if he dies and turns into a vengeful spirit, Kui belongs to me!”

 

Boling seemed like he wanted to say more but seeing Yide walking away without looking back, he held back, sitting on the bench with a dazed expression as tears fell.

 

Silan and Haowei exchanged glances, then followed Yide. They saw Yide enter the administrative hall and handle affairs, spending the entire afternoon there.

 

During this time, Boling sent soup over, trying to reconcile. However, Yide furrowed his brow, focused on the documents, ignoring Boling.

 

Boling stood silently in the room for a while before finally leaving.

 

Silan lay on the beam, unable to resist whispering, “Scumbag.”

 

Haowei glanced sideways at Silan but said nothing.

 

“I wonder where Yide has hidden Kui now?”

 

Silan had a vague sense of unease. Kui’s madness earlier seemed like he didn’t want to live anymore. Now, locked up by Yide, he feared…

 

While he worried, he saw Yide close the documents and walk behind a folding screen. Silan immediately fluttered his wings and followed. Inside the inner room, Yide used magic to open a secret passage behind a bookshelf. Oil lamps lit both sides, flickering gently without wind.

 

Yide walked slowly inside, with Silan and Haowei following. Deep in the secret passage, they found a room that was unexpectedly identical to Kui’s room!

 

Silan couldn’t help but gasp. This Yide… could he be seriously ill?

 

Had he planned to imprison Kui long ago?

 

In the room, Kui was currently under a paralysis spell, unable to move, lying on the bed like a puppet, tears streaming from his eyes. His clothes were stained with blood, reopening wounds that hadn’t fully healed.

 

Upon seeing this, Yide first stopped Kui’s bleeding and applied medicine to his wounds.

 

Kui spoke slowly, his voice like wind through withered trees, hoarse and choked, “I was wrong, Master. I shouldn’t have loved you. If I hadn’t loved you, I wouldn’t have defied the heavenly rules to secretly come to the mortal realm to find you. I thought in this life, I would meet you before Boling Immortal and grow up with you. Maybe then you could love me… But I never expected that after seeing Boling Immortal, you would fall in love with him at first sight.”

 

At that time, Kui’s emotions collapsed, and for the first time, he lost his reason, questioning what Yide had taken him for.

 

Over the years, Yide had clearly been so attached to him, always needing to hold him to sleep.

 

Yet Yide told him, “Kui, I only see you as a father.”

 

Father…

 

These two words were like daggers stabbing deep into his heart, tearing apart his last tender place and shattering his final hope.

 

He never imagined that after caring for Yide so meticulously and wholeheartedly for so many years, it would end with Yide seeing him as a father.

 

It was truly laughable.

 

During that time, shortly after Boling’s return, all of Yide’s thoughts were on Boling.

 

Kui couldn’t sleep day or night, his hair falling out in clumps, his whole person like a walking corpse. It was Ahu who stayed by his side, helping him through those unbearable days.

 

Ahu would carry him and run under the moonlight, take him to see mountains, rivers, trees, flowers, and birds, showing him all the beauty of the world. When the Jinyun Mountain collapsed, Ahu shielded him with his body, falling into the abyss formation together. And at that time, Yide was comforting Boling in shock.

 

…

 

Yide heard Kui’s words, his breath unsteady, fingers curling, the back of his hand showing prominent veins suppressing his inner anger. Since he had known Kui, Kui’s eyes had only ever seen him, but since that day when Jinyun Mountain collapsed and Kui and Ahu fell into the abyss for seven days, when Kui emerged, he had changed.

 

Yide still remembered vividly how for seven days and nights, he had been frantic without sleep, like a madman, breaking countless formations in the abyss before finding Kui, only to see Kui with half of his face destroyed, lying in Ahu’s arms.

 

And Ahu had transformed into a man’s appearance!

 

Seeing them tightly embraced, his heart surged with overwhelming waves, yet his expression remained unchanged as he lifted Kui from Ahu’s embrace. He ordered that Ahu must not transform into a man’s appearance again.

 

He had thought this would dispel his lingering worries, until he noticed Kui no longer made soup for him every day but instead went to catch mountain chickens to stew soup for Ahu. Kui no longer personally made clothes for him but made various beautiful beast skirts for Ahu. Kui no longer secretly followed him to watch his interactions with Boling but chose to travel mountains and waters while riding on Ahu’s back.

 

Only then did he realize that Kui was gradually giving up on him.

 

On the day he truly lost his reason, it was when he caught Ahu secretly kissing Kui’s half-destroyed face.

 

Jealousy, long entrenched in his heart like a wild beast, surged through his body. He went mad, pinning Ahu down and beating him relentlessly.

 

Ahu was just his mount, why did Xiaohu have to think about Kui!

 

Why?!

 

He beat Ahu to the brink of death, but Ahu refused to give up, only asking him to fulfill his and Kui’s wish.

 

He sneered coldly, sending Ahu to Jiuyou to help the King of Hades kill demons. As long as he accumulated enough merit, he would fulfill their wish.

 

But what he didn’t expect was, a month later, news arrived from Jiuyou of Ahu’s death.

 

He had been hiding this matter all along, not daring to tell Kui.

 

Sitting beside Kui, there was a paranoia and possessiveness in his eyes that he had never shown before, reaching out to touch Kui’s half-destroyed face, “Kui, forget about Ahu, okay? If you like mounts like Ahu, I’ll go catch one for you. No, not just one, as many as you want, as long as… as long as we can be like before.”

 

“Kui, don’t say you regret it anymore in the future. I don’t want you to regret it.”

 

Kui closed his eyes as if unwilling to look at him, “Tell me, did you kill Ahu?”

 

“I didn’t kill him, I really didn’t mean to kill him, Kui.”

 

Yide held Kui’s hand, but Kui suddenly broke down emotionally. Though his body couldn’t move, his chest trembled as if something was about to burst out from within. Painful cries intermittently filled the air, echoing in the chamber.

 

Seeing this, Sizhan couldn’t help but turn away, asking Haowei, “Are you sure Yide will fall before the Ziyu jade plate? Why do I feel that it’s Kui who will die first?”

 

Haowei replied lightly, “Yes.”

 

Inside the chamber, Kui seemed to faint from crying, his chest movements gradually calming down, his breath stabilizing. However, Kui kept his eyes open, motionless, staring upwards as if a puppet without a soul.

 

Yide held Kui’s hand and said a few more words.

 

But Kui never responded to him from beginning to end.

 

As he was leaving, Yide bent down and placed a kiss on the corner of Kui’s eye.

 

This gesture had already exceeded the boundary of “father” as Yide had described.

 

After Yide left the chamber, Sizhan and Haowei approached Kui on the bed.

 

Kui seemed oblivious to the two of them, still showing no reaction.

 

Sizhan spread his wings and placed them on Kui’s pulse, finding that Kui’s breath had weakened a bit more, almost imperceptible. If this continued…

 

Sizhan raised his head and looked at Haowei, who understood his meaning. He reached out and touched Kui’s wrist, investigating for a moment before saying, “Kui’s life is nearing its end, and there’s no medicine to save him.”

 

Sizhan felt a pang in his heart. He hadn’t spent much time with Kui, but he felt that Kui was a kind-hearted person. Last time Haowei hit Kui, Kui didn’t get angry but instead offered him peach blossom wine to drink.

 

He looked at the grotesque wound on Kui’s left face, where the flesh and blood were destroyed; ordinary methods probably couldn’t heal it.

 

If it weren’t for these scars, Kui would have inherited Fanyu’s appearance, a peerlessly beautiful man.

 

Thinking of this, Sizhan spread his wings, intending to use his own blood to restore Kui’s face. However, before he could even cut his wings, he was lifted up by Haowei.

 

Haowei lowered his gaze, staring at him, “What are you trying to do?”

 

“I want to heal his face.”

 

“He doesn’t have much longer to live. Even if you heal his face, it won’t change anything.”

 

“But he has a deep connection with Fanyu, and I… with Fanyu…” Sizhan’s words were cut off by Haowei.

 

“That was a hundred thousand years ago. After experiencing reincarnation, you have no connection anymore.”

 

“Does experiencing reincarnation really mean you have no connection anymore?” Sizhan couldn’t help but argue with Haowei, feeling that Haowei was somewhat cold-blooded, typical of someone who had been in a high position for too long, considering everything in terms of pros and cons.

 

Caught off guard by Sizhan’s question, Haowei suddenly recalled their entanglement in the previous life. His eyes flickered, and he said reluctantly, “Sizhan, your cultivation hasn’t fully recovered yet. If you use your blood to restore Kui’s appearance, it might harm you fundamentally. Besides, if you really care about Kui, you should understand what he truly wants.”

 

Sizhan was moved by Haowei’s words and fell silent for a moment.

 

Though Kui’s half-destroyed face looked frightening, Kui himself seemed unconcerned.

 

What Kui cared more about were his blue eyes and Ahu.

 

Thinking of this, Sizhan asked Haowei, “Fanyu’s eyes are both blue, but Kui only has one blue eye. Could it be that Kui is Fanyu’s descendant?”

 

Haowei placed his hand on Kui’s forehead, assessing his condition, and furrowed his brow, “He is a manifestation of a drop of Fanyu’s blood.”

 

“A drop of blood?” Sizhan exclaimed in surprise. Under normal circumstances, it was difficult for just a drop of blood to cultivate into a form.

 

“This drop of blood was left on the tail of the celestial dragon, sealed within Yingzhou along with the tail. Later, both transformed into human form and thus began their entanglement over two lifetimes.” Haowei spoke slowly.

 

Sizhan looked at Kui, falling into silence.

 

As Buddha said, good deeds lead to good results, evil deeds lead to evil results.

 

But if that were true, why did the sword that injured Fanyu still affect him a hundred thousand years later?

 

Could it be that Yu Wuxia led them here to convey something to them?

 

Everything in this world wasn’t about sowing good seeds for good fruits and bad seeds for bad fruits. It was about cause and effect, but the results were unpredictable, unfair.

 

Suddenly, Kui coughed, blood dripping from his lips, his chest trembling slightly as if in extreme pain.

 

Seeing this, Sizhan quickly leaned close to Kui’s ear, “Kui, how are you?”

 

Kui’s eyes mechanically moved, turning to look at Sizhan, but his body still couldn’t move, his eye sockets shrouded in crimson, filled with endless grief.

 

In a hoarse voice, he said, “I’m fine… I want to see Ahu…”

 

But unfortunately, he couldn’t see him anymore.

 

Ahu had been devoured by the demons of Jiuyou, his soul scattered.

 

If it weren’t for him, Ahu wouldn’t have ended up in such a fate.

 

Thinking of this, tears streaked down Kui’s eyes.

 

“Kui, focus on recovering first. Perhaps you’ll still have a chance to see Ahu.” Sizhan didn’t yet know that Ahu’s soul had scattered. He could only comfort Kui like this, “It’s said that the deceased may not immediately reincarnate. Once you’re better, I’ll take you to the Underworld to find Ahu. At worst, we can find Ahu’s reincarnation.”

 

Kui suddenly smiled, a strange expression on his half-destroyed face, and uttered a “Hmm” as a response to Sizhan’s words.

 

Haowei infused some spiritual power into Kui, who managed to struggle out of bed, but his face was devoid of color, pale as paper. The scars on his face became even more pronounced, like ravines crossing half of Kui’s face.

 

Sizhan wanted to ask about the origins of the scars, but seeing Kui’s poor condition, he dared not continue, fearing it might upset Kui.

 

As Haowei and Sizhan escorted Kui out of the secret passage, Yide, perhaps sensing something amiss, hurried over. Upon seeing Haowei’s figure, Yide even forgot to pay respects and went straight to Kui, forcefully grabbing his hand.

 

“Kui!”

 

Kui didn’t struggle, just stared at him silently, as if looking through him.

 

Haowei looked at Yide, his expression darkening, “Yide, although you are the Lord of Yingzhou, you cannot act recklessly and imprison celestial servants at will.”

 

“Your Majesty, I did not imprison celestial servants recklessly. As you saw earlier, Kui is mentally unstable. I feared he might harm others, so I had to resort to this, confining him here in the study’s secret passage.” Yide defended himself, bowing his head slightly.

 

“Oh? Confined like a prisoner in the study’s secret passage?” Haowei lifted his gaze slowly, each word deliberate, his voice carrying more authority than anger.

---

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 45

 

Si Lan looked up at Hao Wei, thinking he was joking, but Hao Wei’s face showed no trace of a smile, as if seriously considering the feasibility of his proposal.

 

Si Lan lowered his voice and asked quietly, “What crime is it to kill an Immortal Lord?”

 

“Trial at the Judgment Platform, soul shattered and destroyed.”

 

Si Lan fell silent.

 

After walking for a while, Si Lan couldn’t help but ask again, “If you were to kill the Immortal Lord, what would the punishment be?”

 

Hao Wei’s eyes curved with a smile as he glanced at the “wild chicken” in his arms, “Three cups of wine as punishment.”

 

Si Lan sighed inwardly.

 

It wasn’t fair. It really wasn’t fair.

 

But he was just asking casually. He hadn’t lost his mind to the extent of killing Yi De Xian Jun just for the Longsword.

 

“The Purple Wei Jade Disk shows that Yi De Xian Jun will fall seven days from now.”

 

That was why Hao Wei brought Si Lan to Ying Continent.

 

Si Lan was surprised to hear this and opened his mouth in astonishment. Blinking, he realized they had already arrived at Yi De Xian Jun’s mansion.

 

The vermilion gate slowly opened, and a group of fairy maidens and children floated out, kneeling on both sides to respectfully welcome Hao Wei.

 

Hao Wei did not conceal his presence this time. Therefore, as soon as he and Si Lan landed, Yi De Xian Jun had already sensed Hao Wei’s presence.

 

Shortly after, Yi De Xian Jun emerged from his mansion.

 

Si Lan observed Yi De Xian Jun. The man was slender with a cold and handsome face, dressed in elegant green robes, exuding grace and nobility.

 

Yi De Jun greeted Hao Wei without arrogance or humility, “Your Majesty, what brings you to Ying Continent?”

 

Hao Wei glanced at Si Lan in his arms and said lightly, “My pet is injured. I heard Ying Continent is suitable for recuperation, so I brought it here for a short stay.”

 

Si Lan sighed inwardly again.

 

Another excuse.

 

Yi De Xian Jun heard this and looked at Si Lan, calmly assessing him.

 

A pet… a wild chicken?

 

Yi De found it somewhat peculiar in his heart, but his expression remained unchanged. At that moment, behind Yi De Xian Jun, a handsome Immortal Lord dressed in white robes and a white jade crown walked out and stood beside Yi De Xian Jun, bowing to Hao Wei.

 

“Your Majesty, I apologize for not welcoming you from afar. Please forgive me.”

 

This was Bo Ling Xian Jun, deeply connected with Yi De Xian Jun. It was said that when Yi De Xian Jun was heavily injured and entered reincarnation three hundred years ago, Bo Ling Xian Jun accompanied him through the mortal realm tribulation.

 

Yi De Xian Jun returned to his position three hundred years ago, while Bo Ling Xian Jun had only recently returned.

 

Hao Wei raised his hand lightly, “No need for formalities. I came suddenly this time, so please treat me as an ordinary friend.”

 

Although he said so, Yi De Xian Jun and Bo Ling Xian Jun still did not dare to neglect Hao Wei. They invited him to stay in the main hall and arranged fine wine and dishes for the evening.

 

Si Lan felt a bit guilty. Coming to Ying Continent, eating Yi De Xian Jun’s food, drinking his wine, and waiting for Yi De Xian Jun’s fall—it really lacked conscience.

 

With these thoughts, Si Lan didn’t want to stay in the main hall anymore and went out for some fresh air.

 

Stepping out, he used his two small paws to cross the threshold almost half his height. Just as he reached the door, his vision suddenly went black. Instinctively looking up, he was shocked to see a face that seemed to have been mauled by a wild beast—protruding eyeballs, sunken skin, terrifyingly grotesque.

 

Si Lan was startled and fluttered his wings backward, loudly chirping for help.

 

Inside the hall, Hao Wei heard Si Lan’s cry for help and immediately rushed out. Seeing a person with a disheveled appearance and a terrifying expression standing before Si Lan, he thought the person intended to harm Si Lan. Without hesitation, Hao Wei struck out with a palm.

 

The person was hit by the force of the blow, flying into the air and crashing heavily onto the blue stone slabs behind, groaning in pain.

 

Yi De Xian Jun hurried over to the person’s side, “Kui, are you alright?”

 

Kui spat out blood, trying to stand up but stumbling back down.

 

Yi De Xian Jun picked Kui up horizontally and apologized to Hao Wei, “Your Majesty, please forgive us. This person is Kui, who raised me. His ugly appearance frightened Si Lan unintentionally, but he meant no harm.”

 

With Si Lan now safely tucked away in Hao Wei’s pocket, he regained his senses and looked at Kui.

 

Kui nestled in Yi De Xian Jun’s arms, looking thin and pale, head hanging low. The left side of his face was covered by hair, and the right side was disfigured, leaving only one eyeball discernibly human.

 

Si Lan clenched his small claws, now calmer after the shock, nodded at Hao Wei to confirm that Kui hadn’t attacked him; he had just been startled.

 

Once Hao Wei was sure Si Lan was okay, his expression relaxed slightly.

 

Yi De Xian Jun quickly interjected, “Your Majesty, let me take Kui downstairs to tend to his injuries.”

 

“Hmm.”

 

Yi De Xian Jun carried Kui away. Behind him, Bo Ling remained standing silently, his gaze fixed on Yi De’s departing figure.

 

After a while, Bo Ling withdrew his gaze and smiled apologetically at Hao Wei, then shifted his attention to Si Lan.

 

“Your Majesty, what… is its name?”

 

“Xiao Qi.”

 

Si Lan:

 

What kind of name is that?

 

Feeling a bit displeased, Si Lan lifted one small paw and tapped Hao Wei.

 

Hao Wei paused for a moment.

 

Bo Ling smiled and reached out to pat Si Lan’s head, “Xiao Qi, were you scared just now?”

 

Si Lan shook his head.

 

Bo Ling’s smile deepened, “Your Majesty, this ‘wild chicken’… ahem, this divine bird can actually understand speech.”

 

Hao Wei, with a fond look in his eyes at Si Lan, said, “Yes, he’s very clever.” Though sometimes, he liked to pretend to be clueless and fool everyone around him.

 

Hao Wei suddenly realized something: whether in heaven or on earth, regardless of whether Si Lan was smart or foolish, he had Hao Wei wrapped around his paw. So, from a certain perspective, the one who was most foolish wasn’t Si Lan, but himself.

 

Bo Ling became even more interested in Si Lan, looking eager to try something, and asked quietly, “Your Majesty, may I hold him?”

 

Hao Wei hesitated briefly, “He doesn’t… “

 

Before he could finish, Si Lan suddenly used his small paw to hook Hao Wei’s palm. Hao Wei couldn’t help but change his words, “He’s not very obedient. If you hold him, be careful.”

 

“Okay.” Bo Ling’s face lit up with joy as he hugged Si Lan. Si Lan then tucked a feather into Bo Ling’s embrace and pretended to be cute and obedient, rubbing his little head against Bo Ling’s chest.

 

Although Si Lan initially looked like a wild chicken, closer inspection revealed that his features differed greatly from that of a chicken; in fact, he bore a resemblance to a phoenix. The emerald green feathers on his brow resembled jewels, giving him a noble air.

 

The more Bo Ling looked at Si Lan, the more he liked him, unable to resist patting Si Lan’s head.

 

Si Lan pretended to be content, fluttering his wings in response to Bo Ling.

 

Hao Wei, watching this scene, felt somewhat embarrassed.

 

When he held Si Lan, the bird always looked awkward and would struggle; but when someone else held him, he appeared comfortable and content. What did this mean?

 

Are you disgusted by him?

 

“Your Majesty, I really like him. It seems he likes me too. Can I spend more time with him tonight?” Boling asked.

 

Haowei furrowed his brows, lowered his gaze, met Si Lan’s intense gaze, expressionless, insincerely replied, “Hmm.”

 

Are they going to spend the night together?

 

It’s a relief that Si Lan can’t maintain his human form now, otherwise the thought of Si Lan nestling in Boling’s embrace would disrupt his inner energy and make him want to kill.

 

Haowei reminded Si Lan through his divine sense, “Though Boling Xianjun and Yide Xianjun haven’t officially bonded, everyone in the heavenly realm knows they have mutual feelings. When Yide Xianjun was critically injured and entered the cycle of reincarnation, Boling followed suit. Now that they’ve both returned, they’re probably about to achieve their cultivation.”

 

“… ” Si Lan.

 

Suddenly Haowei used his divine sense to tell him the love story of these two, what did he mean by that?

 

Is he afraid that Si Lan will ruin the love between Yide Xianjun and Boling Xianjun?

 

Si Lan couldn’t help but roll his eyes at Haowei, turned his head away, unwilling to look at Haowei.

 

This guy really has a wild imagination. What does he think Si Lan is? Does he really think Si Lan will like anyone he meets?

 

Haowei received Si Lan’s eye roll, suspected that he had misunderstood, and upon closer inspection, Si Lan had already covered his face with his wings, looking annoyed.

 

“… ” Haowei.

 

—

 

Nightfall.

 

Si Lan flapped his wings, flying around in Boling’s courtyard, landing inside the sleeping palace. After transforming into a bird, he felt much freer and could do things without seeming strange.

 

For example, right now he could openly eavesdrop on Boling and Yide’s conversation.

 

“I’ve calculated the days, seven days from now is an auspicious day for bonding, and Your Majesty happens to be here. I want Your Majesty to be our witness,” Boling handed a small booklet to Yide, filled with densely written records about bonding.

 

Yide glanced at the booklet, his expression turning serious in the lamplight.

 

“Boling, Kuai’s health is not good. I want to wait until he recovers before…”

 

Just moments ago, Boling, who had a gentle smile on his face, suddenly closed the booklet, his eyes reddening. “Yide, is it really just because of this reason? Or have you actually fallen for Kuai?”

 

Yide didn’t speak, his breath instantly solidifying.

 

The atmosphere around them fell silent, as if you could hear a pin drop. Si Lan involuntarily folded his wings, refraining from fluttering around.

 

When Yide carried Kuai away earlier, Si Lan had already sensed something was amiss.

 

That’s why he wanted to find an opportunity to stay by Boling’s side, to see if he could figure out the cause of Yide’s death in seven days, but he didn’t expect to overhear such a thing.

 

“Boling, stop talking about it.”

 

Yide interrupted Boling’s words, as if recalling something unpleasant, his face particularly unpleasant, he turned to leave, but Boling unexpectedly hugged his waist from behind.

 

“Yide, we’ve been through thousands of years, and now we’re finally about to achieve our cultivation. Are you… are you regretting it?”

 

“I don’t regret it. I just wonder if we can postpone the bonding ceremony and give me some time to sort things out?”

 

Boling nodded, and Yide turned around to embrace Boling.

 

Si Lan couldn’t help but furrow his brows, feeling that Yide emitted an aura of a hypocritical man who eats his cake and still eyes the pot. Shaking his head, Si Lan fluttered his wings and flew out. The two in the hall were completely absorbed in their own thoughts and didn’t notice him at all.

 

He wandered around the mansion and found where Kuai was staying.

 

Today, Kuai had been struck by Haowei, and Si Lan wasn’t sure how serious the injury was.

 

He felt a bit guilty. He hadn’t had time to apologize before Kuai was carried away by Yide.

 

He landed by the window, pushed open the paper window, and just as he was about to look inside, he met a slightly bulging eyeball, which startled him so much that he stumbled and fell off the window.

 

Seeing that he was about to hit the ground, he flapped his wings desperately to stabilize himself.

 

In the next moment, a large hand opened the window and scooped him in.

 

Compared to his scarred face, the voice was clean and refreshing, like a breeze in spring.

 

“Aren’t you afraid of me, little bird? Why did you dare to come over?” 

 

Si Lan was still in shock, but he raised his head and met Kuai’s face. Kuai had scars crisscrossing the right side of his face, almost obscuring his features, while the left side was covered by hair.

 

Si Lan pretended not to understand Kuai’s words and made two “coo coo” sounds.

 

Kuai suddenly chuckled and placed Si Lan on the table, taking out a handful of golden grains from his storage pouch and sprinkling them on the table.

 

Si Lan hadn’t expected Kuai to actually treat him like a bird. Unable to resist, he used his claws to push aside the golden grains, looking somewhat proud.

 

Observing this, Kuai fell into thought and poured out peach blossom wine from a white jade bottle.

 

Si Lan saw the peach blossom wine and excitedly flapped his wings, leaning over the edge of the cup and extending his pink tongue to taste the wine inside. In the land of Yingzhou where peach blossoms flourished, this peach blossom wine was even better than usual.

 

The smile on Kuai’s lips deepened. “So you’re not a chicken after all.”

 

But not a phoenix either. Could he be a Yujia?

 

Kuai’s gaze grew deeper as he quietly observed Si Lan through the dim candlelight.

 

It was rumored that Yujia’s blood could cure all diseases. Could using its blood restore his own face?

 

After sipping a few mouthfuls of peach blossom wine, Si Lan didn’t dare to overindulge. He folded his wings and showed a contented expression.

 

Kuai reached out and rubbed its head. “Go back quickly, or His Majesty Haowei will start worrying about you. Today, I just scared you accidentally, but Haowei almost tore you apart.”

 

Clearly, Haowei placed great importance on this Yujia.

 

Si Lan didn’t eat Kuai’s food for nothing. He shook his wings and transformed a pill, which not only healed Kuai’s injuries from today but also aided Kuai’s cultivation.

 

Kui glanced at the elixir and smiled faintly but declined, “No need.” He didn’t need this anymore; his lifespan was nearing its end, and nothing could save him now.

 

Seeing his refusal, Si Lan became a bit anxious and spoke in a human-like manner, “Your aura is weak. Eat more spirit fruits to nourish your body.” Kui’s internal injuries were severe, and his life was fading.

 

Upon hearing him speak, Kui wasn’t surprised. He gently patted Si Lan’s head. His half-face still looked fierce and terrifying, but to Si Lan’s eyes, it no longer seemed frightening.

 

“Alright, then I’ll accept your spirit fruits. Thank you.”

 

“Actually… I should apologize,” Si Lan also took the opportunity to apologize on behalf of Haowei, “And also to His Majesty Haowei, he shouldn’t have struck you. However, at that time, he must have misunderstood that you were trying to harm me and acted in haste.”

 

“I understand. I… actually envy you a lot. To have someone willing to protect you at all costs.” Kui didn’t know what he was recalling, the light in his eyes fading as he looked down.

 

Si Lan wanted to comfort him, so he flapped his wings and flew to Kui’s other side.

 

A gust of wind blew in through the window coffin, pushing aside the hair that covered Kui’s left half-face.

 

Suddenly, Si Lan noticed that Kui’s left half-face wasn’t disfigured; it had been covered with hair all along!

 

It was strange. Why would Kui deliberately cover the intact half of his face and expose the disfigured side instead?

 

At that moment, Kui lifted his head, revealing a gorgeous and dazzling blue eye.

 

When Si Lan met Kui’s left eye, a rush of memories flooded his mind.

 

Under the moonlight, a figure in black slowly turned around, revealing an exquisitely handsome face, and even in the darkness, his stunningly eerie blue eyes were unmistakable.

 

He was Fan Yu, the son of Heaven’s Dao.

 

Kui’s eyes were unexpectedly the same as Fan Yu’s!

 

Upon closer inspection, Si Lan realized that not only were Kui’s eyes identical to Fan Yu’s, but his face was also exactly the same!

 

Si Lan was stunned and couldn’t find words to say as he looked at Kui’s face.

 

According to ancient texts, Fan Yu opposed the Dao of Heaven and met a tragic end.

 

Could it be… the Kui in front of him couldn’t possibly be the reincarnation of Fan Yu, but how could he look exactly like him?

 

Si Lan was puzzled. He thought if Haowei were here, he could ask him. As if sensing his thoughts, Haowei’s voice suddenly appeared in Si Lan’s divine consciousness.

 

“He is not the reincarnation of Fan Yu, but he is related to Fan Yu.”

 

Si Lan was startled, looking around but not seeing Haowei’s figure.

 

“Don’t bother looking. I’ve attached a trace of my aura to your back.”

 

“…” Si Lan.

 

Kui realized that the wind had blown his hair, revealing the left half of his face, and hurriedly pressed his hair down, feeling embarrassed. “Did… I scare you?” His left eye was blue, always seen as unusual, fearing it might startle the exquisite Xiaoyu Jia.

 

Si Lan quickly shook his head. “Are your eyes natural?”

 

“Yeah.” Kui touched his hair again, as if trying to cover his blue eyes even more.

 

“It looks nice.” Unable to help himself, Si Lan comforted, “Your right half of the face is disfigured, but you don’t care. Instead, you carefully hide that blue eye, showing how much ridicule you must have endured.”

 

“Thank you.” Kui smiled shyly, “Ah Hu also said it looks good, but it still scares people.” For example, the Immortal Lord Boling was very afraid of his blue eye, so Yide asked him to cover it with hair.

 

Si Lan felt a twinge of sadness. Although Kui was not the reincarnation of Fan Yu, he was somehow connected to him. The once proud son of Heaven’s Dao now looked like this.

 

Perhaps, annihilation of the soul wasn’t the harshest punishment after all.

 

The harshest punishment might be erasing someone’s arrogance throughout countless cycles of life and death.

 

Unable to restrain himself, Si Lan flapped his wings and landed on Kui’s shoulder. Kui immediately froze, tilting his neck to silently gaze at Si Lan. Si Lan folded his wings and hugged Kui’s neck.

 

After his initial surprise, Kui’s face softened into a smile.

 

“Kui, whether it’s your eyes or your face, you don’t need to care about others’ opinions.”

 

Kui also reached out, gently stroking Si Lan’s fur. “Yeah, when Ah Hu returns, I’ll leave with him. By then, I won’t live for anyone else, only for myself.”

 

“Ah Hu?” Si Lan had heard this name twice now.

 

“Yeah, Ah Hu is Yide’s mount. Yide sent him to Jiuyou to earn merit, and once he does, Ah Hu will regain his freedom.” Kui mentioned Ah Hu with a hint of amusement in his eyes.

 

Ah Hu was his only tenderness in this world.

 

Si Lan nodded understandingly, realizing vaguely that despite appearances, this life’s Kui was at least cared for by someone.

 

In the chamber, Haowei, sensing through that trace of aura, saw Si Lan embracing Kui with his wings, his expression dark. Unable to resist, Haowei spoke up to remind Si Lan, “Kui looks a bit tired. Don’t disturb him any further.”

 

This disobedient little “chicken,” sometimes clinging to Boling, sometimes to Kui—couldn’t he sit still?

 

Wasn’t he better off when he was silly in the mortal realm, paying attention only to him without a glance at anyone else?

 

Seeing that Kui indeed seemed a bit weary, Si Lan bid farewell and escorted Kui out. Only after watching him flap his wings over the wall did Kui withdraw his gaze.

 

Returning to the room, Si Lan landed on the desk, feeling content from the peach blossom brew. His wings involuntarily folded in front of him as he slowly stroked his belly.

 

Seeing this, Haowei commented coolly, “One family in the east, another in the west—seems like you’re having a great time.”

 

Si Lan sensed the sarcasm in Haowei’s tone and explained, “I wanted to know the reason behind Yide Immortal Lord’s fall. Judging from his inner aura, it’s stable and strong, doesn’t seem like something’s wrong.”

 

Haowei replied lightly, “The Purple Wei Jade Disk controls the destinies of all beings in the six realms. It won’t make mistakes.”

 

“Oh.” Si Lan flapped his wings and settled onto the bed, closing his eyes to sleep while asking, “How much do you know about the story between Yide Immortal Lord and Boling Immortal Lord?”

 

“Hmm.”

 

Haowei’s gaze fell upon the bed, where the vibrant “wild chicken” lay sleeping. Involuntarily, his mind wandered back to the time in the mortal realm when Si Lan curled up in his arms.

 

He cast a spell to extinguish the lights, then lay down on the bed, reaching out to pull Si Lan closer.

 

Si Lan frowned uneasily, about to say something, when Haowei’s deep voice interrupted him.

 

“Tens of thousands of years ago, Yide and Boling ascended together as immortals. One was titled the Immortal Lord of Yingzhou, the other the Immortal Lord of Jinyun Mountain. They had similar temperaments and shared hobbies, and their friendship was deep. Rumor had it that they intended to become immortal companions, but Yingzhou was attacked by savage beasts, Yide was critically injured and reincarnated, and Boling followed him into reincarnation upon death. Yet their immortal bond was profound, and they both returned to their positions.”

 

“What about Kui?” Si Lan was curious how Fanyu ended up encountering Yide in this life. Logically, as a fragment of the Celestial Dao, Yide should have been feared by Kui.

 

“Kui… there are few records about him. He was likely a servant in Yingzhou, and later when Yide reincarnated as a mortal, Kui brought him back to Yingzhou to care for him until Yide returned to his position.”

 

Si Lan recalled overhearing Yide and Boling’s conversation earlier and felt that something must have happened between Yide and Kui. Drowsy and confused, he drifted off to sleep.

 

Unbeknownst to him, in the darkness, Haowei’s eyes were fixed on him, filled with deep affection.

 

Sensing Si Lan’s stabilized breath, Haowei gently cast a spell to transform him into human form.

 

Si Lan’s slender figure nestled in Haowei’s embrace, his head lowered with his warm breath brushing against Haowei’s arm, spreading slowly along his arm.

 

Haowei involuntarily tightened his arms around him. They had once slept together like this in the cave of the Void.

 

“Xiaoqi…”

 

Haowei felt deep regret in his heart. If only he hadn’t erased those memories back then, perhaps they wouldn’t have missed each other for seven hundred years. He had come seven hundred years late to find his little fool.

 

Resting his chin on Si Lan’s shoulder, Haowei’s voice trembled imperceptibly in the darkness.

 

“Xiaoqi, have you forgotten me too?”

 

It must be that he had forgotten, otherwise he wouldn’t treat him like this.

 

At that time, Si Lan had been severely injured by Lord Chushan, his soul shattered. After that fragment of his soul returned to his original body, he didn’t retain any memories.

 

To Si Lan, perhaps it was just a dream, or maybe even less than a dream.

 

Haowei wanted to find an opportunity to explain to Si Lan, but he vaguely felt that in these past few days, Si Lan seemed to have developed some grievances against him. He couldn’t figure out why Si Lan had changed after only a few days of separation.

 

Somehow, his mind suddenly flashed back to the eight handsome men that Li Qing had given to Si Lan last time, and he felt a surge of jealousy. Could it be that these days, Si Lan had gone to the Southern Wind Pavilion?

 

The more Haowei thought about it, the angrier he became. Unable to restrain himself, he bit Si Lan’s neck that was exposed outside, with a hint of resentment. Originally, he had only intended to bite lightly, but unexpectedly, Si Lan’s scent was so intoxicating that he involuntarily increased his strength.

 

When he realized it, he had already broken the skin.

 

“…”

 

With his last bit of reason, he withdrew his teeth and used his fingers to heal the broken skin.

 

Si Lan’s cultivation had not yet recovered, and if he were to suck his blood again, he was afraid he would become even weaker. Si Lan groaned twice in his sleep, turned around to face Haowei, yawned, but did not wake up.

 

Haowei’s gaze pierced through the darkness, quietly landing on Si Lan’s face. Then, he lowered his head and kissed Si Lan’s forehead, nose, and lips…

 

The next day when Si Lan woke up, he found that he had actually transformed into human form!

 

However, before he could be happy for long, he found that he was currently naked, nestled in Haowei’s arms. Haowei’s forehead was against his forehead, one arm around his waist, and one of Si Lan’s legs was still dr4p3d over Haowei’s waist.

 

Their skins were tightly pressed together, including their intimate parts.

 

He could even feel the arousal on the other side.

 

“…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 44

 

When Si Lan heard Haowei’s words, his wings twitched, and he turned around. His pitch-black eyes were full of curiosity. “Didn’t Grandmaster Jiaheng say that after he achieved Buddhahood, his disciple reincarnated as a human?”

 

“Yes, that disciple indeed reincarnated as a human, but that doesn’t mean there’s no more connection between him and Jiaheng. Over ten thousand years ago, a young Buddha emerged from the Thirty-Three Heavens. It’s said that he did good deeds throughout his many lifetimes without committing any evil. Therefore, at the age of twelve in this life, he attained Buddhahood. On the day of his ascension, he chose to become a disciple under Grandmaster Jiaheng. However, he later fell into the Demon Realm two thousand years ago.”

 

Si Lan couldn’t believe it. “Could it be… the Demon Buddha, Yu Wuxia?”

 

Si Lan had heard this story from Luo Hui’s mouth even before he hatched, though at that time, he treated it as gossip. It was said that this disciple deeply connected to Buddhism, Yu Wuxia, on the day of his ascension in the Thirty-Three Heavens, resonated nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine bronze bells, with their ringing resounding endlessly. Buddha light illuminated a hundred thousand miles, shaking the Six Realms.

 

However, this disciple, once under Grandmaster Jiaheng, gradually faded from public view. The next time news of him surfaced was when he fell from the Thirty-Three Heavens into the Demon Realm.

 

“Are you suggesting that Yu Wuxia might be that disciple?” Si Lan asked again.

 

“It’s just speculation.”

 

“However, the reason Yu Wuxia fell into the Demon Realm seems rather inglorious.” Si Lan recalled the scrolls he had read before, his mouth twitching involuntarily.

 

“Three Fox Demons Battle the Handsome Monk for Seven Days and Nights”

 

“The Celibate Monk Falls in Love with the Peerless Fox Demon”

 

These two books still remained in his collection.

 

It was reported that Yu Wuxia, while subduing demons in the Demon Realm, fell in love with a fox demon. He often descended to the mortal realm to frolic with her, eventually bringing her to the Thirty-Three Heavens.

 

When Grandmaster Jiaheng discovered this, he advised Yu Wuxia to abstain from lust, but Yu Wuxia instead intensified his actions, gathering a group of fox demons to revel in the Thirty-Three Heavens, indulging in carnal pleasures and even involving his fellow disciples in such activities.

 

This time, Grandmaster Jiaheng did not condone Yu Wuxia’s actions and severely injured him.

 

Enraged, Yu Wuxia fell into the Demon Realm.

 

Haowei nodded gently. “This disciple Yu Wuxia has a fiery red mark on his brow, likely a manifestation of accumulated desires from countless lifetimes, concentrated at his brow.”

 

Si Lan was astonished. “A fiery red mark on his brow?”

 

It seemed like he had seen such a Buddhist disciple before, even when he was just a sticky mass of egg yolk. He remembered a monk in white robes with a demonically charming face, a red mark on his brow.

 

That monk’s figure seemed to hover in the vast and boundless world for an instant before disappearing.

 

He remembered it so clearly because when that monk appeared, he felt excruciating pain all over his body, as if the egg yolk had been scalded.

 

Just as he was about to succumb to the agony, Luo Hui appeared.

 

Luo Hui gently embraced him with her two wings, her cooing voice soothing the discomfort outside the eggshell. By the time he opened his eyes again, the monk’s figure was no longer visible in the boundless world.

 

Thinking of this, Si Lan suddenly felt like he was enveloped in a massive conspiracy. This conspiracy seemed to have started the moment he arrived in this world. It felt like everything he did in the Demon Realm was under someone else’s control and surveillance, even this conversation with Haowei right now…

 

A chill ran down his spine, making him instinctively wrap his wings around himself.

 

Seeing this movement, Haowei found him somewhat adorable, looking silly and absent-minded, like the naive fool in the human world with only a shred of soul left.

 

“Not long after Yu Wuxia fell into the Demon Realm, three Buddhas consecutively fell from the Thirty-Three Heavens. This incident became a taboo in the Thirty-Three Heavens and is prohibited from being mentioned.”

 

Si Lan’s mouth twitched. It turned out even Buddhas had taboos.

 

It seemed that even after achieving Buddhahood, it was difficult to truly attain indifference and desirelessness, free from joy and sorrow.

 

“Where is Yu Wuxia now?”

 

“After falling into the Demon Path, Yu Wuxia’s whereabouts have been elusive. The last sighting was two hundred years ago.”

 

This audacious young Buddhist disciple, who indulged in pleasure in the Thirty-Three Heavens, became restrained and disappeared from sight for a century.

 

It was indeed quite strange.

 

“However…” Haowei paused, looking up at Si Lan.

 

Si Lan, upon hearing this, widened his round eyes and tiptoed, his tail erect, earnestly listening to Haowei speak.

 

Softening a bit, Haowei teased him deliberately, speaking slowly, “However, some days ago, scouts reported seeing Yu Wuxia’s figure appearing in Yingzhou.”

 

“Yingzhou?” Si Lan couldn’t help but lean closer to Haowei, a tuft of green fur on his brow trembling.

 

“Mm.” Haowei continued calmly, extending his hand to stroke Si Lan’s little head.

 

Lost in thought, Si Lan didn’t realize he was being petted until he reacted, caught in Haowei’s embrace.

 

He hurriedly flapped his wings, struggling to break free, but his claws were sharp and accidentally scratched Haowei’s back. He immediately stopped struggling, holding his breath, staring wide-eyed at the two wounds on Haowei’s hand.

 

Haowei glanced at the wounds, seemingly unconcerned. Instead, he asked, “What’s wrong? Is it uncomfortable for me to hold you like this?”

 

“… Si Lan.”

 

For a moment, Si Lan wondered if Haowei had been possessed, otherwise, why would his temper vary so greatly?

 

Previously, this person had a face like a demon, with cold words and little desire. Even after revealing his identity, he still intended to punish him. How did he suddenly transform into a gentle and considerate demeanor?

 

Could it be that he’s also brewing some grand conspiracy?

 

Si Lan suddenly recalled what Haowei had once told him.

 

“The reason why the Feathered Jia clan was exterminated is because their flesh grants immortality, their blood revives the dead, and their bones are divine treasures and immortal objects. Thus, they were not only sought after as supplements by myriad beasts but also coveted as weapons.”

 

Now, was Haowei planning to eat his flesh, drink his blood, or extract his bones?

 

The more Si Lan thought about it, the more guarded he became.

 

Seeing Si Lan remain silent, Haowei couldn’t help but bend down. His previously proud expression now carried an imperceptible tenderness and caution. “Did I hurt you?”

 

Si Lan’s face filled with terror. He folded his wings across his chest and swallowed nervously. “N-no.” He needed to find a way out of this unpredictable person’s grasp as soon as possible.

 

Otherwise, he might end up being devoured entirely, and when Qu Ze and the others came to collect his corpse, there wouldn’t be much left.

 

Haowei sensed that Si Lan seemed somewhat different from before, more resistant towards him. He attributed it to Si Lan recognizing his true form and feeling uncomfortable, so he didn’t think much of it.

 

At that moment, a celestial general’s voice came from outside the hall.

 

“Your Majesty, Fairy Qu Yu is injured and requests an audience with Your Majesty.”

 

Haowei responded indifferently, “If she’s injured, she should see a physician. Why come to see me?”

 

“The Fairy Qu Yu says she has an important matter to report.”

 

Haowei fell silent for a moment, glanced at Si Lan beside him, lifted Si Lan off and placed him on his lap, the desk in front conveniently blocking Si Lan’s figure.

 

“Summon her into the hall.”

 

Haowei had some insight into Fairy Qu Yu’s thoughts, but he had never taken her seriously.

 

Firstly, he hadn’t resolved the divine injury on his body, so he wasn’t considering personal matters.

 

Secondly, he didn’t like Fairy Qu Yu.

 

Fairy Qu Yu entered the hall with two young men, limping and covered in dust, their faces flushed red as if they had just lost a fight.

 

Seeing this, Haowei’s expression turned cold. “What’s the matter?”

 

“Your Majesty, you must intervene for us.” Fairy Qu Yu’s voice trembled with tears in her eyes, looking pitiful. “Your Majesty, earlier, Tongyi and Boqing and I took shelter near the Parasol Tree and encountered a strange wild rooster. Though it appeared like a wild rooster, it had phoenix wings. With those wings, it blew the three of us away, even uprooting the Parasol Tree!”

 

After Fairy Qu Yu finished speaking, the atmosphere in the hall abruptly fell silent, almost to the point where one could hear a pin drop.

 

After a moment, Haowei lifted Si Lan and placed him on the desk. “Is this the wild rooster?”

 

“…” Si Lan.

 

Can you be a bit more polite?

 

Fairy Qu Yu immediately stared wide-eyed at Si Lan, recognizing the culprit behind it all. She couldn’t help but feel wronged, tears streaming down her face as she knelt before Haowei.

 

“Your Majesty, it’s indeed this wild rooster.”

 

“Your Majesty, you must intervene for us.” Tongyi and Boqing also knelt, pleading with Haowei.

 

Today, Si Lan finally understood what it meant to be “the guilty party gets there first.” These three clearly insulted him and bullied him first, but when they couldn’t beat him, they ran to Haowei for protection.

 

Tsk tsk.

 

This is how people in the heavenly realm are.

 

Haowei lowered his head to look at Si Lan. Si Lan’s eyes, as black as precious gems, now carried a hint of disdain and arrogance. His two bright red wings were slightly raised, as if he was flexing them. Though his face was hidden by feathers, his expressive emotions were still evident.

 

Unable to help himself, Haowei chuckled indulgently and reached out to stroke Si Lan’s head. In a voice only they could hear, he said, “Do you know you’ve caused quite a stir? Fairy Qu Yu is the princess of the Phoenix Clan.”

 

Si Lan felt aggrieved. “I didn’t provoke them actively. They were the ones who bullied too much.”

 

Having spent so much time with Si Lan, Haowei naturally understood his temperament. Si Lan was not one to pick fights or be verbose. Facing Fairy Qu Yu and her group, he must have endured until he couldn’t anymore, risking exposure by revealing his phoenix wings to blow them away.

 

However, Haowei now wanted an excuse to keep Si Lan by his side. “Both you and Qu Yu claim to be in the right. How can I trust you?”

 

Si Lan’s mouth twitched. He turned his head away, refusing to look at Haowei, adopting an indifferent demeanor.

 

Fine, if it came to it, he would deal with him as he had dealt with others, and blow him away with a gust of wind, preferably straight back to the Demon Realm.

 

Haowei continued to lightly stroke his head, as if coaxing a child. Each word was deliberate. “The Heavenly Family has always had close ties with the Phoenix Clan. If I offend Fairy Qu Yu for your sake, I fear…”

 

Si Lan suddenly covered his ears with his wings, clearly indicating he wasn’t listening and didn’t care for Haowei’s lofty words. Why bother with such pompous talk? If he wanted to punish him, just do it directly.

 

Seeing this, Haowei couldn’t help feeling both amused and exasperated. He maintained a cold expression on his face.

 

Is this little wild rooster actually angry?

 

Seems like it.

 

But he had to admit, Si Lan looked quite adorable when he was angry.

 

Haowei shifted his gaze back to Qu Yu. “You must have mistaken it. It’s my pet, and it has no phoenix wings.”

 

“But Your Majesty, we did see a pair…” Qu Yu began, but met Haowei’s unwavering gaze and abruptly fell silent, as if overwhelmed by his imposing presence, fearfully lowering her head.

 

Haowei’s voice turned colder. “I released it to play earlier, and it returned injured. Did you have a hand in that too?”

 

“No, Your Majesty, we didn’t harm it!”

 

“Yeah, Your Majesty, we just mocked the little thing a bit. We definitely didn’t harm it!”

 

Tongyi and Boqing blurted out the truth in their desperation.

 

Qu Yu’s expression darkened upon hearing this, and he quickly gestured around with his eyes, signaling the two to be quiet.

 

They shouldn’t speak, so they shouldn’t add fuel to the fire.

 

Haowei’s gaze grew even more intense, and the oppressive atmosphere in the hall felt like a dense web, enveloping the three of them, making them uneasy.

 

“Hmm? Are you mocking him?”

 

The three held their breath, speechless.

 

Haowei continued, “He is my pet. Why mock him?”

 

Si Lan, upon hearing “pet,” curled his claws in irritation.

 

He knew Haowei had never considered him an equal.

 

Oh well, he had always thought of the little white dragon as a “little thing” anyway.

 

Qu Yu and the others paled even further at these words. None of them had heard that Haowei suddenly had a beloved pet chicken.

 

No wonder the chicken had remained calm when faced with their mockery earlier; its master turned out to be Haowei.

 

“Your Majesty, please forgive us! We truly didn’t know it was Your Majesty’s pet.” Qu Yu had wanted to please Haowei. Before seeking his judgment, she had even messed up her hair and injured herself in several places, hoping to garner Haowei’s pity.

 

But they never imagined that the chicken they provoked was actually Haowei’s pet.

 

Qu Yu felt extremely regretful.

 

Haowei sneered, “Oh… So if he wasn’t my pet, you could freely ridicule him?”

 

“Your Majesty, I… I didn’t mean that…”

 

“Forget it. For the sake of the Phoenix Clan’s face, I won’t hold you accountable, Qu Yu. However, from now on, you need not appear in the Jade Clear Palace.”

 

“Your Majesty…”

 

“Leave.” Haowei didn’t give Qu Yu a chance to explain and directly ordered the celestial attendants to escort her out.

 

Qu Yu left with red eyes, choked with emotion.

 

Si Lan hadn’t expected Haowei to dismiss Qu Yu like this. He had thought Haowei’s earlier words meant he couldn’t defend him.

 

Now, he realized he had misunderstood Haowei’s intentions and felt somewhat embarrassed.

 

This Emperor seemed to have a bit of conscience after all, just not much.

 

Haowei’s hand fell on Si Lan again, lifting his wings to inspect him. “Any injuries?”

 

“None.” Si Lan tried to retract his wings, but Haowei lifted him up instead. In the next moment, Haowei turned him upside down, parting his layers of feathers to check his condition.

 

Si Lan shivered involuntarily when his feathers were turned upside down, subconsciously gripping Haowei’s sleeve with his claws.

 

“What are you doing?”

 

“Checking your condition.”

 

“I told you I’m not injured. Now put me down!”

 

“Oh?” Haowei’s voice contained a hint of amusement. His gaze swept over Si Lan’s tail feathers, some of which were exceptionally beautiful. He figured those two feathers Si Lan had given him were also plucked from his tail.

 

His hand lightly touched the tail feathers with a hint of vengeance as he spoke, “Since you are both a divine bird and the son of the Heavenly Way, I wonder if your body is different from that of ordinary men?”

 

“…” Si Lan.

 

Si Lan had once teased Haowei like this. Later, he even scorned Haowei for having only one. Now, he found himself being teased, scared as he covered the tail area with both wings, his round black eyes widened, slightly frightened as he looked at Haowei, “Don’t talk nonsense! I’m perfectly normal!”

 

Haowei chuckled inwardly but showed no change on his face. He didn’t tease Si Lan further and let him go.

 

Even if Qu Yu and others have offended you with their words, you cannot simply dismiss them. Qu Yu is a princess of the Phoenix Clan. If she finds out you are Mo Zun Si Lan, it may lead to conflict between the Phoenix Clan and the Demon Realm again.

 

The relationship between the Phoenix Clan and the Demon Realm has always been poor, starting with the stories involving Si Shaoxun, Luo Hui, and the former princess of the Phoenix Clan, Ju Zhu.

 

Before Luo Hui appeared, everyone assumed Si Shaoxun would be with Ju Zhu, believing them to be the most compatible couple. Though they never had a formal engagement, the Phoenix Clan already considered Si Shaoxun their future son-in-law.

 

However, no one expected Si Shaoxun to be severely injured and fall into the Demon Realm, where he was saved by a “wild chicken” named Luo Hui. Luo Hui intervened and married Si Shaoxun, causing great humiliation to the Phoenix Clan, which severed ties with Si Shaoxun.

 

Later, Si Shaoxun fell into darkness, leading to direct opposition between the two sides.

 

It’s rumored that Luo Hui’s death was due to her jealousy of Si Shaoxun’s lingering affection for Ju Zhu. She attacked Ju Zhu but was fatally wounded by the divine mark on Ju Zhu’s body, leading to her demise.

 

The divine mark on Ju Zhu’s body was promised by the Lord of Sorrow to protect the Phoenix Clan. In this life, the Phoenix Clan has placed the divine mark on Ju Zhu.

 

Anyone who attacks someone protected by the divine mark will face its retaliation; their wounds will not heal, and their blood will not stop flowing, leading to a painful death.

 

Upon learning of Luo Hui’s death, Haowei understood why Si Lan was looking for Jiuying. Because the person Si Lan wants to kill, or deal with, is the Lord of Sorrow, whose cultivation has reached the level of a Son of Heaven.

 

Si Lan said, “The Demon Realm is not something the Phoenix Clan can provoke at will now.” When he blew away Fairy Qu Yu, he already suspected her identity.

 

Qu Yu should be the niece of that old witch Ju Zhu.

 

But so what.

 

He wasn’t afraid.

 

Haowei’s lips moved as if he wanted to say something but held back, only furrowing his brow and gazing deeply at Si Lan.

 

What does this little fool want to do, leaving him no choice but to help him.

 

Because, the little fool is his only warmth in the calamities of the mortal world.

 

“The fragment of the heavenly finger is also in Yingzhou,” Haowei suddenly said.

 

Si Lan was stunned, Yingzhou…

 

Yu Wuxia’s figure had also appeared in Yingzhou. Was this just a coincidence?

 

And why did Haowei suddenly say this?

 

Does he know about his grievances with the Phoenix Clan?

 

Yes, Haowei’s words imply that he has already investigated everything about him.

 

Since he is no longer hiding, Si Lan lowered his voice coldly, “Then you should know what I want to do with that fragment of the heavenly finger.”

 

“Well, ten thousand years ago, the Lord of Sorrow owed a favor to the Phoenix Clan. The Phoenix Clan proposed that he lay down the divine mark to protect the people of the Phoenix Clan. However, the Lord of Sorrow did not intend to harm your mother intentionally.”

 

“Yes, he did not intend to harm my mother, but if I kill Ju Zhu, it will inevitably break the divine mark. Will the Lord of Sorrow feel the disorder of the divine mark and come out to stop me?”

 

In Haowei’s heart, the phrase “I’m here” surged out, but before he could speak, he saw Si Lan turn away from him and look out of the hall.

 

Si Lan continued, “So I must find a way to restrain the Lord of Sorrow, so that my revenge will be foolproof.”

 

Moreover, is the Lord of Sorrow really innocent?

 

When he first gave the divine mark to the Phoenix Clan, he should have anticipated that innocent people might die under the divine mark, but he still didn’t care. Perhaps the Lord of Sorrow, like Bian Rang, sees all living beings as ants, without any empathy at all.

 

Thinking of this, Si Lan looked up at Haowei.

 

The Lord of Sorrow is one of the two emperors in the immortal realm, older than Haowei’s grandfather, and has the deepest qualifications in the immortal realm today. Therefore, if he really fights the Lord of Sorrow, Haowei will certainly stand on the Lord of Sorrow’s side.

 

Initially, when he learned that Haowei was his fated one, he was so happy because of this reason. He thought he could win over Haowei and make the heavenly realm stand on his side. Now, it turns out to be a misunderstanding.

 

Si Lan still felt a little lost in his heart. “Your Majesty, thank you for settling the dispute between me and the Phoenix Clan today. I still have things to do, so I’ll leave first.”

 

“Are you going to Yingzhou in the Eastern Sea?” Haowei asked.

 

“I… didn’t plan to go,” Si Lan said insincerely, fearing that Haowei would stop him if he knew he was going.

 

However, Haowei didn’t believe him. “Good, I have something to do and need to go to Yingzhou. You can accompany me.”

 

“…” Si Lan.

 

He really didn’t say he was going to Yingzhou in the Eastern Sea!

 

But Haowei didn’t give him a chance to explain. He lifted him with his wings and held him in his arms. “Be careful following me.”

 

His two claws were forced to step on Haowei’s palm, feeling the warmth of his palm, somewhat hot, while above his head was his chest.

 

He could feel the other’s eyes staring at him all the time, warm breath falling from top to bottom on his head. Feeling uncomfortable, he shifted his claws, trying to find a topic. “Yu Wuxia appeared in Yingzhou. Could she also be looking for the end of the paper for Heavenly Cultivation…”

 

“Well, it’s possible.”

 

The atmosphere fell silent again, and Si Lan tried to find a topic. “Some time ago, I went to Qiangjue Mountain to see the Divine Seer. The Divine Seer said that person’s purpose was not to harm the Six Realms.”

 

Haowei originally wanted to say the Divine Seer was unreliable, but suddenly remembered that Si Lan had relied on the guidance of the Divine Seer when he picked him up on Qianqiong Sand Island. So he held back his words.

 

That ancient turtle spirit, usually full of tricks and deceptions, ended up inadvertently helping Si Lan meet him.

 

“Perhaps his purpose is not to harm the Six Realms, but he also doesn’t regard the life and death of the Six Realms as important.” Otherwise, he wouldn’t have allowed Jiuying and Dayong to cause trouble in the mortal world.

 

Si Lan nodded, feeling like there was something he had overlooked, but despite recalling segments of memories, nothing came to mind. His mind was in turmoil, but he couldn’t make sense of it.

 

In the blink of an eye, he and Haowei had arrived at Yingzhou.

 

Yingzhou, where peach blossoms bloom year-round, immortal mist swirls, and countless exquisite buildings grace the land.

 

As soon as they landed, Si Lan felt a fragrance permeating the air, like the scent of peach blossoms mixed with something else. A gust of wind blew, petals fluttered down, painting the ground in crimson.

 

Si Lan asked, “Where is the end of the paper now in Yingzhou?”

 

Haowei explained, “After Jiuying killed Bian Rang, this long sword fell into Fan Yu’s hands. Fan Yu attempted to destroy the sword but was instead pierced through the chest, losing much of his cultivation. Later, Fan Yu had no choice but to seal the sword in Yingzhou in the Eastern Sea. Thousands of years later, this sword may have absorbed the spiritual energy of Yingzhou and cultivated into human form.”

 

No wonder it’s not listed on the Six Realms’ Weaponry List; it turned out it had cultivated into human form.

 

Si Lan asked, “Who holds this sword now in Yingzhou?”

 

“Yide Xianjun.”

 

“…”

 

Yide Xianjun is the lord of Yingzhou. Three hundred years ago, he entered reincarnation and later returned to his position. Unexpectedly, this immortal lord turned out to be a fragment of the heavenly finger.

 

Si Lan hesitated, furrowing his brow. “So, can he still transform into a sword?”

 

“If he jumps into the furnace, he naturally can transform back into a sword,” Haowei replied.

 

“…” 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 43

 

Upon learning that his destined one had been killed by Haowei, Si Lan felt briefly melancholic. However, he quickly rallied himself and decided to prioritize advancing his career.

 

He set aside the matters of the Torch Snake and Little White Dragon for now.

 

According to the diviner, only the Immortal Jia Heng knew the story of tigers devouring the flesh of Buddhist disciples in the Unsubstantial Immortal Sutra. Si Lan planned to seek out Immortal Jia Heng in the Thirty-Three Heavens.

 

Every month, Immortal Jia Heng would open a sacred altar at the beginning of the month to teach Buddhism, open for listeners from all six realms. This made it convenient for Si Lan to find him.

 

However, Si Lan currently looked like a “wild chicken” and found it difficult to move around. Flapping his wings, he struggled to fly towards the Thirty-Three Heavens.

 

Unbeknownst to him, shortly after he left, Haowei arrived at Mount Zhiyun to find him.

 

As soon as Haowei landed at the foot of the mountain, he noticed unusual activity at Zhiyun Peak. On the mountainside, a group of demons had gathered on an open circular platform, men and women of all ages.

 

In the center of the platform, the brothers Song Cheng and Song Ye sat as if judging something, assessing each individual in turn.

 

Haowei glanced at them briefly, not thinking much of it, and went straight into the hall to find Si Lan. Not finding him there, he went to the Qixian Cave, but Si Lan was nowhere to be found.

 

With his cultivation greatly reduced now, where else could Si Lan have gone?

 

Haowei saw Xie Li sleeping on a rocking chair and walked over to wake him up. “Xie Li, where is your master?” Perhaps now that he knew about their intertwined past lives with Si Lan, he felt a strange affection upon seeing Xie Li, as if Xie Li were another father figure.

 

Xie Li opened his hazy eyes and mumbled softly, “Master… he said he went to advance his career…”

 

Haowei’s expression turned peculiar. “Advance his career…”

 

“What exactly is ‘career’? Is it a thing or a person?”

 

Xie Li chuckled and pointed to the sky, continuing, “After muttering something about men needing to advance their careers, Master flapped his wings and flew up to the sky. I guess his career must be up there in the heavens.”

 

“…,” muttered Haowei.

 

He had no idea there was an Immortal Lord named ‘Career’ up in the heavens!

 

With that thought, he immediately transformed into a white mist and flew towards the sky. Glancing back at the situation on Mount Zhiyun, he noticed more and more people queuing halfway up the mountain. He had forgotten to ask what they were doing.

 

Back in the Ninth Heaven, Haowei did not find any trace of Si Lan, so he attempted to contact him through his divine sense.

 

“Si Lan.”

 

As he called out these two words, his heart inexplicably skipped a beat, and he suddenly recalled Si Lan’s smile when they were together in the mortal realm.

 

Dumbfounded, silly, yet quite adorable.

 

At this moment, Si Lan had just flown into the heavenly realm. Suddenly, he heard Haowei’s voice in his mind, as if it were booming directly above him, sending shivers down his spine.

 

Instinctively, he closed off his divine sense.

 

He didn’t want to talk to Haowei right now, afraid that he wouldn’t be able to control his emotions.

 

Not hearing any response from Si Lan, Haowei called out for him again, only to find that Si Lan had actually closed off his divine sense!

 

Si Lan… must have accidentally closed it off.

 

Comforting himself in this way, Haowei then took out the two colorful feathers and tentatively shook them.

 

“Si Lan, are you there?”

 

Unexpectedly, even through the feathers, he couldn’t reach Si Lan. Haowei felt somewhat crestfallen, a touch of gravity in his expression, displeased. He called over an attendant and asked, “Is there an Immortal Lord named Career in heaven?”

 

“Your Majesty, are you referring to Lord Sini?” the attendant asked.

 

Haowei’s brow furrowed suddenly, standing up with an air as cold as frost, seeming to wrap around coldness. Without saying a word, he flew straight out.

 

“Lead me to the mansion of Lord Sini!”

 

—

 

Si Lan flew for some time, noticing that Haowei’s voice had disappeared and gradually calming his mood.

 

He didn’t know what else they could possibly discuss. He no longer wanted to play the fool and ingratiate himself with Haowei as his destined one.

 

Passing by the Ninth Heaven, two young celestial beings saw him and were astonished.

 

“How did a wild chicken fly up to the Ninth Heaven?”

 

“This is the first time I’ve seen a wild chicken fly so high!”

 

“…,” Si Lan ignored them, turned his head away, and flew on.

 

Seeing this, the two young celestial beings looked at each other.

 

“Can this wild chicken understand what we’re saying?”

 

“It’s truly miraculous. If he were a bit more majestic and powerful, I would consider keeping him as a mount.”

 

“…,” Si Lan.

 

Heh heh.

 

Young and already so bold.

 

Flapping his wings, Si Lan increased his speed and flew away from them. When his cultivation was intact, he could blink and reach the Thirty-Three Heavens. Now, weakened in cultivation, it felt like an insurmountable distance.

 

Tired from flying, he landed on a row of Chinese parasol trees to rest.

 

He took out some wild berries, just took a bite, and before he could swallow, a sudden gust of wind struck, nearly knocking him off balance and causing the wild berries in his hand to fall.

 

He quickly flapped his wings to steady himself, hearing mocking voices around him.

 

“Where did this ugly thing come from? How dare it land on the Chinese parasol tree?”

 

Si Lan’s scalp tingled upon hearing the sharp voice. He looked up and saw three proud phoenixes staring coldly at him.

 

In the middle was a phoenix, flanked by two phoenixes.

 

All three had brown eyes, red beaks, ostentatious golden wings, and colorful feathers. The character “仁” (benevolence) prominently displayed on their chests.

 

The one who had just spoken was the phoenix on the right.

 

Seeing Si Lan dumbfounded and silent, the phoenix on the right continued, “What? Is this little wild chicken seeing a phoenix for the first time?”

 

The phoenix on the left laughed, covering her beautiful face with her wings, “I suppose he’s been scared silly by us, he can’t speak now.”

 

“…,” Si Lan.

 

“Hey, you little thing, do you know where you’re standing? This is the Chinese parasol tree, reserved for our phoenix clan, not a place for a wild chicken like you.” The phoenix on the right sneered, then flapped her wings deliberately, blowing Si Lan off the tree again.

 

Si Lan almost fell to the ground but managed to stabilize himself by flapping his wings frantically.

 

The three phoenixes landed on the branch where Si Lan had just stood, looking down on him.

 

The phoenix in the middle, who hadn’t spoken until now, said, “Tongyi, Boqing, why bother with it?”

 

“Understood, Lady Quyu.” The two phoenixes quickly nodded in respect.

 

However, as soon as they finished speaking, a powerful airflow, akin to thunder and lightning, suddenly rushed towards them, blowing the three of them away along with the row of Chinese parasol trees.

 

“What… what’s happening?”

 

Caught in the tumultuous airflow, they couldn’t stabilize themselves and tumbled uncontrollably forward.

 

“It seems… like the aura of the Phoenix… Phoenix God?”

 

“How could there be a Phoenix God?”

 

Glancing back, they saw that the previously mocked wild chicken was nowhere to be seen. Instead, a pair of huge phoenix wings abruptly appeared, gleaming like golden blades as they slowly folded, imposingly intimidating them.

 

The fearful faces of the three soon disappeared into the distance.

 

Si Lan looked around cautiously, relieved that he hadn’t been discovered, and quietly retracted his wings.

 

To blow away those chatty phoenixes, he had to sacrifice some of his cultivation and transform into phoenix wings.

 

Sigh.

 

He wondered when he could return to human form.

 

As he sighed, he flew towards the Thirty-Three Heavens.

 

Approaching the Thirty-Three Heavens, the scenery changed dramatically. The clouds were extraordinary, edged with gold, and radiating Buddhist light. Floating in mid-air were numerous Buddhist halls, with constant sounds of bells and sutra recitations.

 

Countless gray-robed Buddhist disciples, holding prayer beads, moved through the clouds.

 

Seeing Si Lan, this “wild chicken,” appear, they didn’t find it strange at all, maintaining a calm demeanor.

 

Si Lan flapped his wings and hurried towards the sacred altar. Just as he caught sight of it, a solemn and deep Buddhist chant reached his ears, stirring a profound sense of awe within him.

 

Clusters of auspicious clouds piled up like Immortal’s hair bun, and above the altar, a large white light enveloped everything. Beneath this light, countless Buddhist disciples closed their eyes devoutly, bowing their backs and prostrating on the ground, listening to the scriptures.

 

Above the radiance was Grandmaster Jiaheng Immortal.

 

Due to the considerable distance, Si Lan couldn’t make out Grandmaster Jiaheng Immortal’s appearance clearly. He could vaguely see the figure dr4p3d in a crimson kasaya, seated on a lotus platform with a dignified and solemn demeanor. The majestic chanting of the Immortal echoed from all directions, swirling above his head.

 

Like a devout disciple, Si Lan spread his wings and prostrated himself on the ground to listen to the scriptures.

 

This session of scripture recitation lasted for three days and three nights.

 

Si Lan followed suit and listened for three days and three nights, afraid to lose focus or leave. He inexplicably felt as though the Immortal’s gaze was omnipresent, as if any hint of disrespect would offend the Immortal.

 

During this time, when he felt hungry, he quietly took out a wild berry. He used one wing to shield his actions from view and delicately nibbled on the berry with the other wing.

 

Perhaps his actions were still somewhat audible, as Si Lan distinctly felt the Buddhist disciples around him twitching their eyebrows. Fortunately, their cultivation was deep, and none of them opened their eyes to reproach Si Lan.

 

After three days, the scripture recitation concluded, and all the Buddhist disciples departed from the sacred altar.

 

On the lotus seat, Grandmaster Jiaheng Immortal remained, explaining to the remaining disciples who still had doubts.

 

Si Lan flapped his wings and flew over to join the queue.

 

He never expected that even queuing up would take three days and three nights.

 

Si Lan couldn’t help but admire Grandmaster Jiaheng Immortal’s ability to lecture and resolve doubts continuously for six days and six nights without rest, maintaining a smile and energy throughout.

 

When it was Si Lan’s turn, only he and a young black-robed Buddhist disciple remained.

 

He flew before Grandmaster Jiaheng Immortal. Grandmaster Jiaheng Immortal looked at him, his gaze briefly pausing on Si Lan for a moment before settling on his eyes, slowly revealing a hint of a smile.

 

“I wonder, venerable one, do you have any doubts that I can clarify?” Grandmaster Jiaheng Immortal asked.

 

Knowing that Grandmaster Jiaheng could deduce his identity from his actions, Si Lan didn’t conceal anything and said directly, “Immortal, some time ago I came across a Buddhist scripture. It is said that only you can decipher this particular scripture in the Six Realms.”

 

“Oh, what scripture is it?”

 

“In the forest, the Immortal practiced diligently and encountered a tiger, which eyed him hungrily. The Immortal cut his flesh to feed the tiger. This went on day after day until the Immortal turned into white bones, and the tiger, having eaten his flesh, attained Immortalhood.”

 

Si Lan recited the scripture slowly. As Grandmaster Jiaheng Immortal listened to the first sentence, his expression changed abruptly.

 

After Si Lan finished reciting, Grandmaster Jiaheng Immortal seemed to sink into contemplation, furrowing his brow deeply, remaining silent for a long time.

 

Si Lan also remained silent, patiently waiting for Grandmaster Jiaheng Immortal’s response.

 

After a while, Grandmaster Jiaheng Immortal snapped out of his reverie and asked, “How did you come across this scripture?”

 

“Some time ago, the human realm was afflicted by Da Yong. After subduing Da Yong, I came to the mountain peak where Da Yong was once sealed. I saw this scripture displayed at the mountain’s base. I believe it was intentionally left behind by the one who released Da Yong as a clue.”

 

Upon hearing this, Immortal Jakhong gently clasped his hands in front of him, his brow furrowing.

 

Seeing him like this, Si Lan couldn’t help but feel somewhat puzzled.

 

Was there something wrong with this sutra?

 

After a while, Immortal Jakhong opened his mouth, about to speak, when suddenly a voice from beside reported, “Immortal, His Majesty Haowei is here to see you.”

 

Upon hearing “Haowei,” Si Lan’s tail feathers immediately stood up, revealing a guarded demeanor as he swiftly tucked his wings behind the sacred altar.

 

Is Haowei here to capture him?

 

No, he had concealed his presence since arriving in the heavenly realm; Haowei shouldn’t know he was here.

 

Shortly after the report from the young disciple, twelve celestial horses pulled a carriage flying in from a distance, landing on the sacred altar.

 

Two purple and cyan celestial generals and six attendants respectfully stood on either side of the carriage.

 

A white-clad youth drew back the curtains, and the person inside the carriage then stepped out slowly.

 

Si Lan couldn’t help but sneak a glance, observing Haowei in this unfamiliar aspect, so different from his earthly demeanor.

 

Haowei wore a white robe embroidered with golden threads and jade patterns, exuding extraordinary grace. A white jade crown adorned his head, revealing his cold and handsome features. His figure was tall and slender, as if he had descended from the moon, his footsteps radiant, dispersing dust and clouds wherever he walked.

 

Si Lan only glanced briefly before hurriedly looking away.

 

This version of Haowei seemed somewhat unfamiliar.

 

Chongying, who transformed into a small white dragon, was proud and adorable, but that was him in his injured state.

 

Chongwei, wearing a hooded robe, was cool and silent, but that was only him hiding his identity.

 

And now, this current appearance of his, perhaps, was the true Haowei.

 

Si Lan suddenly felt a bit uneasy.

 

The real him and him, it felt like they belonged to two different worlds.

 

Haowei approached Immortal Jakhong, who folded his hands and greeted, “Your Majesty.”

 

“Immortal, I’ve come this time to consult you on a Buddhist scripture.”

 

“Please, Your Majesty, go ahead.”

 

“I came across a Buddhist scripture on Mount Dayong. It tells of a Immortal practicing in the forest, encountering a tiger that stared hungrily at him. The Immortal cut his flesh to feed it…”

 

After hearing this, Immortal Jakhong’s expression paused briefly, then his gaze subtly flickered towards the steps beside him.

 

Si Lan was hiding there at the moment.

 

What a coincidence that these two came to inquire about the same scripture.

 

“Your Majesty, this scripture is recorded in the book ‘Without Delusion.’ My understanding aligns with its meaning: the tiger eats the Immortal’s flesh, the tiger becomes a Immortal, and the Immortal becomes a ghost,” Immortal Jakhong slowly explained.

 

Upon hearing this, Si Lan felt certain that Immortal Jakhong must be hiding something. Just by observing his expression earlier, it was clear that this scripture probably didn’t have such a superficial meaning.

 

Haowei fell silent for a moment, then spoke after a while, “The tiger mentioned in the scripture… it must be you, Immortal Jakhong.”

 

While his words carried an element of inquiry, they were more affirming.

 

Upon hearing this, Si Lan was so shocked that he couldn’t help but cover his mouth with both wings, his black eyes widened in disbelief.

 

Immortal Jakhong… was the tiger who had eaten the Immortal’s flesh?!

 

Immortal Jakhong’s face paused slightly at the sound, but he did not speak.

 

Behind Immortal Jakhong, the young monk grew irritated, but facing the disrespectful person who was the Heavenly Emperor Haowei, the young monk didn’t dare confront him directly. He stomped his foot in frustration, accidentally stepping on Si Lan’s tail.

 

Si Lan’s eyes widened instantly, contorting in pain. Afraid to make a sound, he quickly stuffed both wings into his mouth to stifle any noise.

 

The monk seemed oblivious to having stepped on something and inadvertently stepped again.

 

Si Lan was in agony, almost rolling his eyes back.

 

What a calamity.

 

“If you’re angry, little monk, go step on the Heavenly Emperor instead. Why bother with this ordinary ‘wild chicken’?” 

 

He didn’t dare make a fuss, gently retracting his tail. His two glossy black eyes were veiled with a mist of tears, feeling incredibly wronged.

 

Immortal Jakhong remained silent for a moment. “Your Majesty, indeed, the tiger in the forest was me.”

 

“Immortal, please continue to enlighten me,” Haowei said calmly upon hearing his admission.

 

Immortal Jakhong seemed unsure how to explain, lost in reminiscence. His eyes carried a hint of melancholy. After a while, Immortal Jakhong smiled faintly, tinged with bitterness.

 

“This matter dates back thirty thousand years. In that life, I was the tiger in the forest, starving. I encountered a devout monk in the mountains. The monk was emaciated, with sharp eyes. I circled him, intending to devour him. Surprisingly, after sensing my intention, the monk voluntarily cut his flesh to feed me.”

 

Saying this, Immortal Jakhong lowered his head, closed his eyes, and uttered, “Amitabha.”

 

“As recorded in the ‘Without Delusion’ sutra, in the end, the monk died after giving all his flesh and bones. I consumed his flesh and immediately attained Immortalhood.”

 

Anyone who heard this would find it incredulous: the devout monk who fed the tiger’s flesh became a ghost, while the tiger became a Immortal.

 

This world indeed had so many things that defied reason.

 

“What happened to that monk in his next life?”

 

“He reincarnated as a human.”

 

“Did he hold any resentment?”

 

“He may have harbored dissatisfaction, but it didn’t form into resentment, so he still has future lives.”

 

“What about his next life…” Haowei furrowed his brow, tentatively questioning Immortal Jakhong.

 

Immortal Jakhong met Haowei’s gaze and slowly replied, “After I attained Immortalhood, I no longer concern myself with worldly matters.”

 

“Immortal, ancient seals on demons and monsters have been recently broken. Do you think it could be his doing?”

 

Immortal Jakhong fell silent before answering, “He shouldn’t have such abilities.”

 

Haowei didn’t press further. He wasn’t sure if Immortal Jakhong truly didn’t know or if he was hiding something. The conversation always seemed to hit a dead end. But now, at least, he knew that the tiger was Immortal Jakhong.

 

Perhaps finding the reincarnation of that monk could unravel everything.

 

As Haowei was about to leave, he suddenly heard the voice of a celestial general from behind the sacred altar.

 

“Your Majesty, look, there’s actually a wild chicken here listening to the sutras!”

 

Haowei looked up and saw a brown-feathered wild chicken fluttering its wings, attempting to escape, but it was caught by an immortal guard.

 

The guard held the chicken by its wing and walked excitedly towards Haowei. “Your Majesty, it’s still just a brown-feathered wild chicken!”

 

The “brown-feathered wild chicken” tried to cover its face with its wing but failed, forced to open its eyes awkwardly under the embarrassing scrutiny of Haowei.

 

Si Lan had been quietly listening to Haowei and Great Immortal Jiaheng’s conversation, but when he glanced up, his eyes met those of the immortal guard beside Haowei. Feeling uneasy, Si Lan tried to “fly away,” only to be caught.

 

Haowei couldn’t believe he had found the person he had been looking for so long here. Just a few days ago, he had nearly overturned the mansion of the Fourth Wilderness Immortal Lord in his search for Si Lan, but to no avail.

 

Yet here Si Lan was, in the Thirty-Three Heavens. Haowei guessed Si Lan, like himself, was here for the investigation regarding Linzhong’s tiger.

 

At least it wasn’t about the Fourth Wilderness Immortal Lord.

 

Haowei’s gaze fell on the hand of the immortal guard gripping Si Lan’s wing, his expression souring. He reached out to take Si Lan.

 

Seeing this, the guard hurriedly said, “Your Majesty, please don’t touch such a common creature. Let me handle it.”

 

Si Lan hesitated.

 

Si Lan vaguely sensed that when the guard said “handle it,” his throat moved, almost as if he was about to drool.

 

Suddenly, Haowei narrowed his eyes and sharply turned his gaze towards the Great Immortal. The guard immediately obediently brought the wild chicken to Haowei.

 

Haowei reached out to take Si Lan, sensing Si Lan’s intention to escape, and gently encircled him with his hand.

 

“Great Immortal Jiaheng, I have other matters to attend to today. I bid you farewell for now.”

 

“Safe travels, Your Majesty.”

 

Though Great Immortal Jiaheng’s words were directed at Haowei, his gaze was on Si Lan. Seeing Si Lan’s pleading eyes, Great Immortal Jiaheng was about to speak, but Haowei flashed away, leaving the holy altar without even boarding his carriage.

 

Seeing this, Great Immortal Jiaheng shook his head and smiled.

 

After Si Lan left, the only disciple left in the holy altar was a black-robed disciple with doubts.

 

Great Immortal Jiaheng looked at the disciple, who knelt respectfully, head bowed, face hidden.

 

“What doubts do you have that you need me to clarify?” Great Immortal Jiaheng asked.

 

“Immortal, trapped in attachment, everywhere is the round earth. Unable to dissolve my attachment, my heart is troubled. How can I achieve peace of mind and face things calmly?” the black-robed disciple said, raising his head. Though dressed as a disciple, his face was strikingly sinister, eyes like deep ocean ripples, with a subtle crimson mark between his eyebrows, devilishly charming.

 

Great Immortal Jiaheng’s expression changed abruptly upon seeing him.

 

—

 

Si Lan was brought back to the Ninth Heaven by Haowei, carrying a wild chicken in his arms. The immortal servants who saw Haowei’s expression were as if thunderstruck, staring dumbfounded and incredulous.

 

Si Lan silently prepared himself mentally. A few days ago, he had ignored Haowei’s attempts, but now he had no choice but to face him.

 

It didn’t seem worth it to confront Haowei directly over a snake demon fiancé he barely knew. But treating Haowei as he used to made him uncomfortable.

 

Though Haowei subjectively hadn’t deceived him, objectively he had killed his husband and taken advantage of his sincere feelings.

 

Shameless and despicable.

 

Haowei lifted Si Lan by his wings and placed him on the desk. Only then did Si Lan snap out of his thoughts and glance around. The spacious and dimly lit hall had tightly closed doors and windows, with no one inside, the atmosphere so silent it seemed like even the air had frozen.

 

His claws rested on the memorial, adopting a stance of neither attacking nor retreating, and he looked up at Haowei.

 

Unfortunately, he had to tilt his head and neck a hundred and eighty degrees just to meet Haowei’s gaze, as Haowei was over eight feet tall.

 

“Why couldn’t I contact you a few days ago?”

 

“Oh, these days I’ve been wholeheartedly immersed in Buddhist scriptures, casting aside all worldly distractions,” Si Lan couldn’t help but feel a twinge of relief at this moment, thankful that his transformed appearance, with feathers covering his face, hid any blush from Haowei when he lied.

 

Haowei’s tense expression softened slightly as he sat on the throne, lowering his head to look at him.

 

Perhaps due to their shared experiences in the mortal realm, at this moment, Haowei appeared calm on the surface when facing Si Lan, but his heart was in turmoil.

 

After his return to his position, he had no memories of his time in the mortal realm, yet unexpectedly, the deepest recesses of his mind retained memories of his time with Si Lan there. That was why he had seen the thatched cottage they once lived in and the two humanoid puppets inside the Extreme Sound Eight Trigram Array.

 

In that life, when he returned to the village, he couldn’t find Si Lan, and it seemed Si Lan’s spirit had already returned to his original form.

 

Perhaps that fragment of spirit didn’t carry memories, or perhaps it did but only as a vague dream, as Si Lan seemed to have forgotten it all.

 

The two of them had since occupied different realms—one ascended to the heavenly realm, the other standing in the demon realm.

 

For over eight hundred years, they had not seen each other again.

 

If not for his resurgence of divine wounds, falling into the demon realm again, perhaps they would never have been entangled.

 

At this moment, Haowei unexpectedly felt a trace of gratitude towards the person who had injured him and disrupted his tribulation.

 

“Why didn’t you come to find me when you came to the heavenly realm this time?” Last time, he had looked for him when he intruded into the Scripture Repository, but this time he had come quietly.

 

Si Lan carefully chose his words, “I know you’re busy with state affairs, so I didn’t dare to trouble you.”

 

“Not too busy.”

 

Upon hearing this, Haowei’s heart cleared a bit more, a faint smile tugging at his lips as he gently stroked Si Lan’s head.

 

It had to be said, Si Lan’s feathers were glossy and smooth to the touch.

 

“The affairs of the heavenly realm have been quiet recently,” Haowei added.

 

Si Lan opened his mouth but hesitated. It was clear Haowei had been idle, otherwise he wouldn’t be holding onto this “wild chicken” like this. After a moment, he said, “Your Majesty Haowei, I remembered there’s still something for me to handle in the demon realm. I’ll take my leave first.”

 

With that, he spread his wings, ready to fly away, when he heard Haowei’s unhurried voice from behind.

 

“Don’t you want to know the follow-up story of Linzhong Hu and the disciple of the Immortal?”

---

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 42

 

“Hao Wei…” 

 

“My lady?”

 

For a moment, Haowei wasn’t sure whether to laugh or cry. How could this old gentleman’s eyesight be so poor that he mistook Si Lan for a woman?

 

Si Lan still didn’t understand anything and, upon hearing Taixu’s words, curiously poked his head out, his deer-like eyes staring at Taixu without blinking.

 

Indeed, the Divine Lord Taixu’s vision was not very sharp. Seeing Si Lan with just half of a wooden hairpin holding his long hair, skin as fair as snow, and an unusually beautiful face, Taixu thought Si Lan was a woman.

 

Stepping closer, Taixu noticed that Si Lan lacked the aura of an ordinary person. He couldn’t help but raise his head and take another look at Si Lan.

 

Si Lan turned out to be a strand of soul essence.

 

The owner of this strand of soul should be a demonic cultivator, using the Yin Qi of Mount Taixu to manifest a human form.

 

“Old sir, this cave belongs to us,” Haowei couldn’t help but speak up again.

 

The thatched hut at the foot of the mountain would be completed in a few days, but until then, they had to stay here.

 

“But old sir, in a few days, we can give you this cave.”

 

“Oh… it’s alright…” Taixu naturally wouldn’t argue with Haowei over a cave. He smiled and said, “I’ll just find another one. You two…”

 

As he said this, Taixu extended two fingers and lightly tapped them together, a hint of mischief flashing in his eyes. “Just stay here peacefully. I won’t disturb you two.”

 

Haowei…

 

For some reason, Haowei always felt that this old gentleman was teasing him and Si Lan.

 

This old gentleman was indeed advanced in years, but his mind was indeed so impure.

 

Thinking of this, Haowei intentionally frowned, his ears strangely turning red.

 

Taixu chuckled as he leaned on his cane, unsteadily walking out of the cave. Passing by Si Lan, he couldn’t help but glance at him again.

 

He never expected that just by descending to the mortal realm for a nap, he would encounter Haowei, who had crossed tribulations. It was truly fate.

 

From the looks of it, what Haowei had crossed should be the tribulation of love.

 

Tsk tsk, Emperor Haowei was truly worthy.

 

The object of his love tribulation was chosen to be even more beautiful than the celestial maidens in the heavens.

 

Si Lan saw Haowei driving the old man away and felt a bit sorry. This old man, with all his hair and beard white, might be eaten by wild beasts alone in the mountains.

 

Si Lan gestured to Haowei, who understood and fetched a basket of wild fruits to chase after him, only to find the old man nowhere near the cave entrance.

 

How strange. He looked around but there was no sign of the old man.

 

Where could he have gone in such a short time?

 

Thinking carefully, this old man appeared to be in his declining years. Could someone of his age climb Mount Taixu alone?

 

The more Haowei thought about it, the more suspicious he felt. He couldn’t help but concentrate, realizing they couldn’t stay here for long.

 

—

 

At nightfall, Chong Mingwei’s men came looking for Haowei again.

 

Haowei hadn’t enlisted in the last batch of conscriptions, but now with this new call for soldiers, if he didn’t go, he would miss the opportunity.

 

Haowei promised them that he would join the army for sure, and only after those men left did he look at Si Lan, who was asleep. His heart felt as if it were weighed down by a huge stone, suffocating and unable to breathe.

 

A solitary wanderer in his past life, now he unexpectedly had someone he cared about.

 

Not just joy, but also worry.

 

Si Lan, half asleep, opened his eyes drowsily, glanced at him, mumbled something, and then closed his eyes again.

 

Approaching Si Lan, Haowei was about to lie down when Si Lan instinctively curled up into his arms.

 

Though the cave was spacious, the only place to sleep was that large stone, so these days, Si Lan always slept nestled in his embrace.

 

Si Lan seemed afraid of the cold, always hiding his hands and feet. Sometimes when he couldn’t, he would hide them against Haowei’s body. Though he felt helpless, Haowei never pushed Si Lan away.

 

The oil lamp was about to burn out, flickering faintly and outlining dim lines on Si Lan’s body. His thick, long eyelashes were closed together, concealing his moist black eyes. His small lips were slightly pursed, revealing a hint of innocence and stubbornness. His two hands were tightly clenched into small fists, pressed against Haowei’s chest.

 

Haowei’s gaze slowly examined him, his heartbeat gradually accelerating.

 

In the world of mortals, it’s not the dust that is mortal, but the dust in the heart, turning into dust.

 

Was this person the “dust” he was destined to experience in this lifetime?

 

But this “dust” seemed more difficult to cross than ten thousand rivers and mountains.

 

Haowei reached out, wanting to touch Si Lan, but his rationality stopped him. Hesitating, as he was about to withdraw his hand, the oil lamp burned out, plunging the surroundings into pitch darkness.

 

Haowei’s hand naturally fell on Si Lan’s body, drawing him closer into his embrace.

 

The world was dark, nothing could be seen.

 

But his heart could now openly reveal its feelings without restraint.

 

Si Lan’s strand of soul essence didn’t quite grasp worldly emotions, but he could sense Haowei’s recent unease. Remembering the last time he gave Haowei a wooden flute and how happy it made him, Si Lan decided to give another gift to Haowei.

 

In recent days, Haowei would go down to the village to fetch peach blossom wine and return for Si Lan to drink. Every time, they ended up getting quite drunk, as if this could make them forget the impending separation.

 

Today, as Haowei returned carrying wine, he saw Si Lan sneakily stuffing something under his robe and holding a knife in one hand.

 

Pretending not to notice, Haowei set down the peach blossom wine and quietly placed a package of osmanthus cakes from his pocket in front of Si Lan.

 

Si Lan’s lips twitched, his eyes bursting with a hint of light as he smiled at Haowei, silently expressing gratitude, and then unwrapped the package, pinching off a piece of osmanthus cake and putting it into his mouth.

 

Like a child indulging in treats, after finishing, he even stuck out his pink tongue and licked his fingertips.

 

Haowei didn’t change his expression, averting his gaze as if he was feeling sleepy, lying down on the stone bed to rest. But in fact, he saw Si Lan sneak a glance at him, then surreptitiously reach for the knife again, doing something mischievous with his back turned.

 

Holding his breath, Haowei cautiously approached Si Lan from behind and discovered Si Lan carving a wooden puppet in the shape of a person. Judging by the puppet’s appearance, it resembled Haowei.

 

A soft spot in Haowei’s heart softened even more as he gazed at the back of Si Lan’s neck, motionless for a long time.

 

So, in this world, there was someone who simply thought of him.

 

Not for fame, not for gain or grudges.

 

Haowei saw Si Lan almost pricking his finger with the knife several times and couldn’t help reaching out, grabbing his hand from behind. Si Lan paused for a moment but didn’t resist.

 

Haowei held his hand, gradually carving the puppet.

 

The puppet’s figure was already outlined by Si Lan, but its features were yet to be carved. Haowei started with the eyebrows, slightly thicker as the strokes were added. The eyes were deep, so the eye sockets needed to be more pronounced. The nose was high, so the sides needed to be carved inward. The lips were slightly thin, and a simple outline of the upper and lower lips sufficed.

 

Si Lan held his breath throughout, not making a sound, allowing the other to hold his hand and slowly carve out the face he had seen countless times.

 

After finishing the carving, Si Lan held the lifelike puppet and turned around to show Haowei a silly smile.

 

Haowei asked, “Why did you want to carve me?”

 

Si Lan held the puppet, lips moving but no sound coming out.

 

Haowei knew he couldn’t respond, nor did he expect him to speak. Yet, a smile still appeared on his face, gently rubbing Si Lan’s head with his hand.

 

Like a child, Si Lan plunged into Haowei’s arms. Haowei’s breath caught as he lowered his head and saw Si Lan take out another humanoid puppet, placing the two puppets side by side.

 

“Xiao Qi, I’m going to leave for a while, maybe a long time, maybe I’ll be back soon.”

 

The words of parting were finally spoken.

 

Si Lan didn’t understand, continuing to manipulate the two puppets. He positioned them face to face, slowly moving them closer until their faces almost touched.

 

Their lips lightly touched, as if kissing.

 

Haowei had more words in his heart, but seeing this scene, he suddenly choked up, “You…”

 

Si Lan didn’t see anything wrong, continuing to make the two puppets face each other, mouths touching, as if playing a fun game.

 

Meanwhile, behind them, Haowei’s heart pounded like a drum, a rush of heat surged to his head, making his ears turn red, and his eyes involuntarily revealed a hint of intense warmth.

 

“Xiao Qi…”

 

Si Lan paused in his movements and looked up at Haowei.

 

Suddenly, Haowei lowered his head and kissed Si Lan on the forehead. Si Lan blinked, looking at Haowei in confusion. After the kiss, as if feeling it wasn’t enough, Haowei’s lips descended again, kissing Si Lan’s eyes.

 

Si Lan closed his long eyelashes, feeling the other’s breath lightly land on his face. The breath continued downward, reaching his nostrils, as if expressing annoyance, unexpectedly lightly biting his nose.

 

Startled, he shivered and shrunk into Haowei’s embrace.

 

A faint chuckle echoed in Haowei’s throat as a smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

 

Lying in Haowei’s arms, Si Lan furrowed his brows slightly in apparent distress, reaching up to touch his nose that had just been nipped.

 

He had thought Haowei was going to eat him.

 

Meeting his innocent gaze, Haowei’s eyes deepened further. The fair and clean figure in his arms seemed like a delicacy awaiting his tasting.

 

He knew even if he did something to Xiao Qi, Xiao Qi wouldn’t understand, but he didn’t want to bully Xiao Qi like this.

 

“Xiao Qi, you need to cultivate quickly.”

 

He heard that demons became more worldly-wise the more they cultivated.

 

“When I come back, I hope you can talk to me.” Haowei sighed, then added, “If you can’t speak, at least understand what I’m saying.”

 

A little response from him would be enough.

 

Seeing that Haowei wasn’t going to ‘eat’ him again, Si Lan focused on playing with the two puppets in his hands.

 

Before long, the house below the mountain was repaired. Haowei took Si Lan down the mountain. Si Lan was a bit reluctant to leave the cave, but when he saw the newly thatched house, he suddenly became fond of the new and tired of the old.

 

Now, Si Lan could go up the mountain to pick fruits when hungry, fetch clear water to drink when thirsty, and run into the house when it rained. He could light a fire and cook, having learned basic survival skills.

 

These days, Haowei had been telling Si Lan that he was going to leave, but Si Lan seemed not to understand what parting meant. On the day of departure, Haowei packed his bags, patted Si Lan’s head, and bid him farewell.

 

Si Lan thought he was going to the village as usual to buy wine and exchange food, so he smiled at him.

 

However, Haowei’s expression was serious and stern, making Si Lan vaguely feel something amiss.

 

So, Si Lan gave Haowei a humanoid puppet from his pocket. Haowei took it and saw that it was carved in Si Lan’s likeness.

 

Was he giving this to him in hopes that he would often think of him?

 

Haowei’s heart softened.

 

Although this little fool didn’t understand anything, he probably loved him.

 

But he didn’t dare linger any longer, stiffly turned away. He feared that if he stayed a minute longer, his heart would soften for a minute longer.

 

The journey of departure was extremely difficult step by step. Only when he was sure he couldn’t see Si Lan did Haowei dare to stop, turn around, and look back.

 

“Xiao Qi, I’ll come back as soon as possible.”

 

After he left, Si Lan took out another puppet, looked at its face, and his eyes showed surprise.

 

Huh, it seems he gave the wrong puppet.

 

He had intended to give Haowei a puppet resembling Haowei, but how did he end up giving away a puppet of himself?

 

He suddenly felt unhappy, like a child, furrowing his brows and sitting on the doorstep, waiting.

 

Normally, before the sun reached its peak, Haowei would return carrying things.

 

But this time, he waited until the sun set and the sky darkened, yet Haowei did not appear.

 

Anxiety crept into his heart, but he remembered Haowei’s instructions: not to leave the foot of the mountain and not to let anyone see him. So, he paced around the thatched house in circles, circling until the next day dawned and Haowei still hadn’t returned.

 

Did Haowei think he was stupid and didn’t want him anymore?

 

He felt sad, clutching the humanoid puppet of Haowei, sitting on a slightly raised hillside, his eyes reddened, staring at the village entrance.

 

Unfortunately, another day passed, and Haowei still did not return.

 

Day after day, he finally understood that Haowei might not come back.

 

Under this remote and lonely mountain foot, he lived like a lost soul, isolated from the world.

One day, dark clouds rolled in and torrential rain poured down.

 

It’s raining…

 

He looked at the misty curtain of rain before him and suddenly thought of the cave below the waist of Mount Taixu.

 

With rain this heavy, would Haowei seek shelter in the cave?

 

With that thought, he braved the downpour, climbed up the hill, and halfway encountered a mudslide, almost being swept away. He clung tightly to a large tree, barely steadying himself until the mudslide passed. Gripping wild grass and branches, he slowly and laboriously climbed halfway up the hill.

 

Entering the cave, he saw it filled with small animals seeking shelter from the rain, but Haowei was nowhere to be found.

 

His face turned pale, wet black hair clinging to his forehead, tears mixing with rainwater and streaming down his cheeks.

 

He stood motionless as if under a spell, unable to move.

 

So Haowei really didn’t want him anymore.

 

His emotions—joy, anger, sorrow, laughter, grief, thought, and fear—had filled this period of time, but now only grief and fear for Haowei remained.

 

Suddenly, footsteps echoed at the cave entrance. Si Lan turned excitedly and walked toward the entrance.

 

He couldn’t speak, but he couldn’t forget to cry out, as if calling Haowei’s name. However, when he reached the entrance and saw the face of the approaching person, the smile on his face froze instantly. The last glimmer of hope in his eyes, like fireworks, dimmed sadly.

 

The God of Taixu leaned on his cane, coughing with every step, slowly walking in. Seeing Si Lan standing in the cave, the God of Taixu wasn’t surprised and approached with a smile, “Why are you all alone?”

 

Si Lan gestured with his hands, and the God of Taixu vaguely understood something.

 

But the God of Taixu misunderstood. He thought Haowei’s departure was a return to his rightful place after a tribulation.

 

He reassured Si Lan, “Don’t worry, Your Highness. After he returns, he will definitely take you back to the Nine Heavens.”

 

Si Lan seemed curious about the Ninth Heaven, blinking at him. The Supreme Void continued, “The Ninth Heaven, hmm… quite fascinating. There are human-faced beasts, three-eyed generals, the Eight-Armed Buddha, oh, and plenty of delicacies from mountains and seas, much better than staying in this village.”

 

  

Seemingly lost in thought, Si Lan looked bewildered. The Supreme Void tapped his cane, and suddenly, a miniature illusion of the Ninth Heaven appeared before their eyes in the cave.

 

In the illusion, mist enveloped everything, cranes soared, and immortals in flowing robes rode on clouds. Palaces and pavilions of jade-like appearance shimmered, creating a carefree and elegant scene.

 

Si Lan extended a surprised hand towards the illusion, but as soon as he touched it, the vision vanished instantly. Startled, he pulled back his hand and turned to look at the Supreme Void, only to find him gone as well.

 

From above the cave, the voice of the Supreme Void echoed, “I’ll go ahead. No need to rush; His Majesty will come to fetch you.”

 

During this time, the Supreme Void secretly descended from the mountain to check on Haowei and Si Lan. Although Si Lan’s spirit seemed absent-minded, the Supreme Void hadn’t seen Haowei care so deeply about anyone else before. Surely, once Haowei returned to his position, he would come looking for this absent-minded “girl.”

 

Alone, Si Lan sat forlornly in the cave.

 

Haowei had left, the old man had left.

 

All that remained beside him were a few wild chickens seeking shelter from the rain…

 

—

 

One year later.

 

The border war finally ended victoriously, giving Haowei the chance to return and find Si Lan. With his military accomplishments, he now held some sway within the army, enough to bring Si Lan to the battlefield with him this time.

 

However, upon his hurried return home, he found the recently repaired house already in disarray. The roof had been torn off, the wooden door collapsed, and the eaves were covered in spiderwebs.

 

His heart sank as he stepped inside. Inside, the layout was exactly as it was when he left: a table with two chairs. In the inner room, there was a round wooden table covered in dust, with something placed in the center.

 

Approaching cautiously, Haowei realized it was a wooden puppet carved in his likeness. He picked up the puppet slowly, calling out Si Lan’s name, “Xiao Qi… Xiao Qi…”

 

Seeing the dust-covered state of the house, it seemed like no one had lived here for a long time.

 

Had something happened to Si Lan shortly after he left?

 

But Si Lan was a demon; ordinary people shouldn’t have been able to harm him.

 

Had he been targeted by a sorcerer?

 

The more Haowei thought about it, the more frightened he became. He inquired around the village but heard nothing about sorcerers visiting in the past year. Disheartened, he returned, thinking perhaps Si Lan hadn’t been captured but had returned to his own world.

 

He took out the wooden puppet from his embrace. Its face had been worn smooth.

 

When he was dragged by enemy horses on the battlefield, nearly dying, he managed to kill the enemy soldier and found the puppet with his face, now nearly unrecognizable from being rubbed against the ground.

 

His heart clenched painfully, as if struck by an enemy’s blade.

 

After that, he dared not bring the puppet onto the battlefield anymore, always keeping it carefully under his pillow, only taking it out occasionally when he missed someone.

 

He never expected this to be the only thing Si Lan left behind.

 

Haowei didn’t know if he would ever have a chance to see Si Lan again. If someday Si Lan returned to the mortal world and came back here, he hoped he would know that Haowei had come looking for him.

 

Placing the puppet with the worn-down face under his pillow, Haowei left again.

 

But his life in the mortal realm was destined to be a tragedy. He hadn’t had the chance to clear the grievances of the Chong family, only to be forced into rebellion.

 

Initially, three deputy generals sought him out, merely to exploit the remnants of Chong Mingwei’s influence and win over his former soldiers. Their aim wasn’t to clear the Chong family’s name but to overthrow the Yu dynasty.

 

Betrayed by his subordinates during battle, captured by the Li dynasty, he endured countless tortures and torments. Yet, in order to clear the Chong family’s name and to see Si Lan again, he endured all the pain, holding on until his last breath, awaiting rescue.

 

It was only then that he learned he had been captured because of a plot by the three deputy generals.

 

Seeing he wouldn’t obey, they planned to let the Li dynasty kill him completely, then use his death to incite public anger and resentment, falsely claiming they were seeking revenge for him and the Chong family.

 

Unfortunately, he survived.

 

He grew wiser, no longer opposing the deputy generals’ words. He reluctantly followed their plan. Two years later, he successfully overthrew the Yu dynasty.

 

The night before he entered the Yu dynasty, he killed three deputy generals. It was just that on the day he was crowned, he was also killed by someone.

 

With thousands of arrows through his heart, he died in front of the dragon’s throne.

 

At that moment of death, the only thing in his mind was that the green shadow.

 

That sudden emergence of spirits was the only warmth in his twenty-two years on Earth.

 

Si Lan seemed to appear, standing in front of him, his figure faintly visible.

 

How much he wanted to grasp that warmth, but in the end, he didn’t catch it.

 

In the twenty-fifth year of the Yu dynasty, Wei returned to his original position.

 

The memory of the people on Earth has been sealed in the past

 

Eight hundred years later, the sealed memories began to unravel one by one, countless scenes flooding Haowei’s mind.

 

Haowei recalled everything about Si Lan. His cold and composed demeanor gradually crumbled, eyes reddened with bitterness. The regret and longing that lingered in his heart at the moment of his death in the mortal world still swirled within him.

 

He thought of Xiao Qi, he was waiting for Xiao Qi.

 

But in that life, he couldn’t wait any longer.

 

Haowei’s body felt unsteady, staggering backward. Seeing this, Yu Wudao quickly steadied him. “Your Majesty, what’s wrong?”

 

Haowei shook his head, slowly closing his eyes to calm himself.

 

He bore the fate of the Lone Star of Heaven’s Demise, enduring a lifetime of hardships.

 

Although Si Lan had only appeared for a little over a month during his twenty-two years of trials and tribulations, that month was the only warmth he had known in the mortal realm.

 

Even though fate had long been written by the Purple Star Jade Disk, Si Lan’s appearance was still an uncontrollable process.

 

He finally understood why Si Lan had said he was his male husband; perhaps their fate had been destined in the cosmic order long ago.

 

“Si Lan… Xiao Qi…”

 

He silently repeated these two names in his heart, his heart softening.

 

Emotions that he had deliberately avoided and refused to confront surged forth at this moment.

 

He felt that he should fulfill the eight-hundred-year-old promise.

 

He needed to find his Xiao Qi.

 

His Xiao Qi must be waiting for him too.

---

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 41

 

It’s really strange.

 

Could it be a bewitching method of the Spirit Charm Clan, intentionally using fragrance to seduce people?

 

Thinking of this, Haowei furrowed his brow and his gaze carried a hint of warning. “Don’t attempt to use sorcery on me.”

 

With these words, Haowei withdrew his hand and distanced himself from Si Lan, though the fragrance lingering in the cave still permeated his breath.

 

Si Lan looked at him puzzled, not understanding why he suddenly got angry. He reached out to touch him, but Haowei recoiled as if avoiding a venomous snake, stepping back from Si Lan.

 

Although Si Lan was unfamiliar with worldly matters, he vaguely understood at this moment that Haowei disliked himself. Si Lan slowly withdrew his hand and moved a few steps back, curling up in a corner alone like a sulking child.

 

Seeing him like this, Haowei suddenly felt a twinge of regret.

 

Did he speak too harshly just now?

 

Could that fragrance be his natural scent rather than sorcery?

 

In fact, when Si Lan nestled in his arms last night, he faintly smelled that fragrance too, but it wasn’t as strong as today.

 

The more Haowei thought about it, the more regretful he felt. Unsure of what to do, he noticed Si Lan in the corner seeming unsettled, body trembling slightly.

 

He walked over to Si Lan, frowning. “What’s wrong?”

 

Si Lan’s eyes suddenly widened, unfocused, almost as if having a seizure, his body contorting.

 

Haowei quickly crouched down and saw Si Lan’s body becoming transparent, reminiscent of their first meeting, faintly visible as if about to vanish.

 

Grabbing onto Haowei’s sleeve tightly, Si Lan seemed in great discomfort, his features contorted with pain, eyes reddened, tears falling onto Haowei’s chest.

 

Haowei’s heart tightened at once, watching the figure in his arms gradually fading away, unable to help but hold him tighter. “What’s wrong with you? Are you in pain somewhere?”

 

At this moment, Si Lan whimpered softly, as weak as a mosquito, yet it tore at Haowei’s heartstrings.

 

Fortunately, after a moment, Si Lan’s almost fading figure gradually became clear again, his body calming down from severe convulsions.

 

His breathing also steadied, his two black eyes seemingly veiled with moisture, wet, delicate sweat seeping from his small and exquisite nose, as if he had just bathed.

 

Haowei didn’t know what was happening to him, but sensing that his condition was stabilizing, he frowned and asked, “Are you… feeling better?”

 

Si Lan didn’t speak, his long eyelashes fluttered lightly, having just heard a strange voice in his head, someone kept saying “soul come, soul come,” causing him great pain. He buried his head in Haowei’s arms, one hand gripping Haowei’s arm, closing his eyes, as if snuggling closer to Haowei could bring him comfort.

 

Because of the earlier convulsions, the grass covering his shame had been thrown aside, leaving him completely exposed.

 

Haowei was only wearing a pair of underpants himself. As the two pressed together, he keenly felt the warmth from Si Lan’s body seeping into his bloodstream.

 

Haowei’s blood seemed to ignite like a hot fire, burning his whole body red-hot.

 

He wanted to push him away, but seeing how clingy he was, he endured it. He stiffened his neck, staring straight ahead, forcing himself not to look or think too much.

 

Only when the breathing in his arms gradually calmed down did he slightly lower his head and glance at Si Lan.

 

Si Lan’s tension eased, his black hair falling behind him, a few strands mixed with rain or sweat, sticking to his body, contrasting sharply with his fair skin.

 

Haowei’s throat bobbed involuntarily, thinking this little spirit was truly naive.

 

Does he really believe in him like this?

 

Sleeping naked in his arms so directly…

 

Isn’t he afraid he might be a bad person?

 

Haowei gently released him, covered him with the grass again, then went to the cave entrance to catch a wild chicken and two sparrows, quickly draining their blood and gutting them before roasting them over a fire.

 

Si Lan was awakened by a wave of fragrance, slowly opening his eyes and sitting up from the ground. His gaze fell on the fire, gradually focusing on the wild chicken being roasted over it, his face suddenly turning pale.

 

He shrunk his shoulders and moved a bit away from the fire.

 

The heavy rain outside had stopped. When Haowei returned, he saw Si Lan staring fixedly at the roasting chicken. Remembering Si Lan’s reaction to the chicken yesterday, he said, “If you don’t like roasted chicken, how about trying roasted sparrows?” These two small sparrows were specially roasted for him.

 

However, Si Lan was even more frightened by these words, clutching the grass and retreating all the way to the corner.

 

He mistook those sparrows for baby chickens.

 

This person is really hateful.

 

Killing the chicken mother and roasting the baby chickens together.

 

Haowei hadn’t expected him to be averse to sparrows as well, hesitated for a moment, then turned and walked out.

 

Confused, Si Lan watched Haowei leave. After waiting for a while with no sign of his return, he began to feel that Haowei didn’t want him anymore, feeling instantly sad.

 

Remembering his modesty, he put on a loose shirt, slowly walked out, and stood at the cave entrance, looking around.

 

He didn’t know where to find Haowei. Just as he hesitated, a low growl suddenly came from beside him.

 

In the next moment, a fierce beast with earthy yellow fur and black stripes lunged at him from the forest.

 

Terrified, he quickly retreated into the cave, and the beast followed, growling lowly, as if intimidating its prey, slowly approaching him.

 

Stepping into a depression, he accidentally fell to the ground. The beast immediately pounced towards him.

He rolled over in panic, evading the beast’s pounce, but the tiger swiftly adjusted its body and charged at him again. Just as it was about to harm him, Haowei’s tense voice came from behind.

 

“Little spirit!”

 

The tiger beast turned its head towards Haowei upon hearing the voice.

 

Haowei picked up a piece of wood from the ground, engaging the tiger while gesturing towards the torch, indicating for Si Lan to use it to fend off the beast.

 

Although Si Lan was bewildered, he surprisingly grasped Haowei’s meaning at this moment and quietly approached the torch.

 

Sensing Si Lan’s intention, the tiger roared angrily and lunged towards Si Lan.

 

Before Si Lan could reach the torch, the tiger bit him.

 

Seeing this, Haowei had no time to think, rushing forward and striking the tiger’s head with the wooden stick.

 

However, the tiger seemed impervious to pain, tightly clamping down on Si Lan’s arm.

 

Haowei had to grab the torch and thrust it towards the tiger’s eyes. Only then did it sense fear, roaring in reluctance as it reluctantly released its grip.

 

Haowei advanced on it step by step, intent on capturing this fierce beast and selling it for a good price in town.

 

The tiger retreated under his pressure, its eyes evasive, glancing around as if seeking an opportunity to escape, but Haowei had no intention of letting it go.

 

Capturing this tiger could fetch quite a sum in town.

 

Glancing towards the cave entrance, Haowei spotted a depression. As expected, when the tiger retreated there, its footing became unsteady, stumbling and falling askew.

 

In the next instant, Haowei rushed over, lifting the torch and smashing it fiercely at the tiger. The beast’s head cracked open, blood flowing, and its fur singed from the fire.

 

Just as Haowei was about to deliver a final blow to the tiger’s head, Si Lan suddenly cried out from inside the cave.

 

He immediately abandoned the idea of hunting the tiger, turning back to check on Si Lan.

 

Si Lan was pulling at his sleeve, which was already soaked with blood. Some of the fabric had been bitten into by the tiger’s teeth, embedded in his flesh.

 

Si Lan couldn’t pull his clothes off, his face pale with pain, tears welling up in his eyes, looking pitiful and helpless.

 

“Don’t move, I’ll help you.”

 

Hearing Haowei’s voice from the cave entrance and estimating that the tiger had fled, he put down the torch and reached out to help Si Lan remove his clothes.

 

Si Lan’s entire right arm was soaked with blood, several puncture wounds oozing blood continuously.

 

Haowei watched this tragic sight, his heart wrenching as if those puncture wounds were on his own arm, feeling the pain.

 

Trembling slightly, he wiped away the blood stains from Si Lan, eyes tinged with crimson. “You’re supposed to be a spirit, but you can’t even handle a tiger.”

 

Si Lan looked quite aggrieved, his delicate brows furrowed, eyes fixed on the four puncture wounds on his elbow.

 

That tiger was so big and charged right at him, how could he fight it!

 

Haowei was about to carry him down the mountain to see a physician when he suddenly noticed the puncture wounds on Si Lan’s arm spontaneously stopping bleeding, gradually healing until there was no trace left.

 

His arm’s skin was fair and clean, without a single scar.

 

It was as if those four puncture wounds had never existed!

 

If Haowei hadn’t seen it with his own eyes, he wouldn’t have believed what was happening before him. He looked at Si Lan in astonishment.

 

Si Lan, however, seemed unfazed by the unusual occurrence, touching his arm and then carefully tucking it into his chest.

 

The four bloody puncture wounds hurt so much.

 

Haowei hadn’t expected this spirit to have such abilities.

 

While he might be naive, his body was indeed extraordinary.

 

“Does it still hurt?” Haowei asked.

 

Si Lan tilted his head, as if understanding Haowei’s words.

 

Haowei shook his head, feeling a mix of emotions. He reached into his arms and handed Si Lan some wild berries. “If you don’t want to eat roasted chicken or sparrows, try these wild berries.”

 

He had gone out just now to pick these berries for Si Lan.

 

Si Lan took the wild berries. They were dark and didn’t look very appetizing. He tentatively took a bite, smacking his lips as he tasted.

 

Fortunately, they were sweet and juicy.

 

Seeing Si Lan smacking his lips, Haowei couldn’t help but smile.

 

Truly a silly little spirit.

 

He reached out and rubbed Si Lan’s head. At that moment, Si Lan looked up at him with wet eyes, causing Haowei to pause, slowly withdrawing his hand.

 

After the house collapsed in the strong wind, it would take some time to repair, so Haowei decided to stay with Si Lan temporarily in a cave.

 

During this period, Chong Mingwei’s men found Haowei.

 

When Chong Mingwei was killed at the palace banquet, his three vice-generals were all dismissed. Over the years, these three vice-generals had ostensibly withdrawn from court politics but secretly strategized, intending to avenge Chong Mingwei.

 

They had kept in touch with Haowei, hoping that during the Yu Dynasty’s campaign against the Li Dynasty, Haowei could join the army, build military achievements, establish his prestige in the military, cultivate his own subordinates, and eventually clear Chong’s name.

 

Haowei knew that gaining power required military achievements. Now, he faced a problem: how to handle the imp he had picked up. He couldn’t possibly take the imp with him into the army.

 

Meanwhile, he noticed something strange in the village recently—a sorcerer in gray robes who constantly wandered around with a bell.

 

He paid two wild chickens to have the sorcerer help locate where the imp’s home was nearby.

 

Finding the imp’s home would allow him to return it.

 

Unexpectedly, after examining the area, the sorcerer told Haowei that this mountain used to be teeming with mountain spirits and demons, but they had all vanished three years ago, likely scared off by some ominous presence. Haowei remembered that three years ago was exactly when he arrived in the village.

 

“…”

 

So, this imp wasn’t some kind of monster, and thus wasn’t scared away?

 

Then what was it?

 

Haowei had no choice but to give the sorcerer two more wild chickens to check on Si Lan. However, the unreliable sorcerer took the chickens and promised to return in the evening but disappeared.

 

Later, Haowei heard from the village laborers that Lanlan had driven the sorcerer out of the village. Lanlan had spent a lot of silver to have the sorcerer summon spirits, but instead of achieving anything, he had just swindled her, nearly emptying Lanlan’s household.

 

“That Laner, I wonder if she’s gone mad, rejecting Wang Xiaozhi and insisting on a pretty boy.”

 

“Have you seen this pretty boy?”

 

“Never seen him, but he must look good, or else Lanlan wouldn’t have refused Wang Xiaozhi’s proposal.”

 

…

 

Haowei wasn’t interested in village gossip and didn’t continue listening. He bought some items at the market and also brought a jug of peach blossom wine.

 

During this time, he and Si Lan had been living in the cave. When the weather was good, the cave temperature was comfortable, but when it turned bad, the cave became bitterly cold.

 

Drinking some wine helped ward off the chill.

 

Si Lan seemed frightened since the incident with the tiger, and when Haowei wasn’t around, Si Lan didn’t dare to venture out.

 

When he returned, he saw Si Lan wearing a large hemp robe, sitting cross-legged on the ground, carving wood with a small knife.

 

He placed the wild fruits and peach blossom wine on a rock, approached Si Lan, and noticed that Si Lan had carved out a piece of wood into a flute.

 

He couldn’t help but marvel at Si Lan. Si Lan didn’t understand anything, so how could he carve a flute? Had he seen one before?

 

“Xiaoqi.” Haowei had picked Si Lan up on the seventh day, so he called him Xiaoqi. “Do you remember anything?”

 

Si Lan handed the wooden flute to Haowei. Seeing that Si Lan didn’t react to his words, Haowei wasn’t angry.

 

During this time, he had already gotten used to Si Lan’s simplicity. Looking at the wooden flute, he fell silent and said, “Are you giving this to me?”

 

Si Lan was like a child lost in his own world, distracted by other things. He turned around curiously to look at the peach blossom wine, missing Haowei’s reddening eyes.

 

This was the first time in seventeen years of his life that someone cared about him.

 

After arriving in this strange village, although no one knew his past, he still didn’t dare to interact too much with others.

 

Once, the matchmaker in the village saw that he looked good and came to propose marriage, but he just drove her away with a cold face. The matchmaker was offended and spread rumors in the village that he was eccentric and difficult to deal with, causing people in the village to avoid him.

 

But this suited him just fine.

 

And Si Lan was the only one who stayed with him and wasn’t affected by misfortune.

 

Perhaps because Si Lan wasn’t human.

 

Haowei picked up the flute and put it to his lips, tentatively blowing into it. He didn’t expect the flute to actually produce sound.

 

He then played a tune called “Thoughts of Birds.”

 

After finishing, he noticed that Si Lan, who had been distracted by other things, was now staring at him intently with his chin in his hands.

 

Si Lan even waved his hand, as if to indicate that he played it beautifully.

 

Haowei smiled and picked up the small knife from the ground. “I’ll give you something too.”

 

He glanced at Si Lan and then lowered his head, concentrating on carving.

 

Si Lan leaned closer to him, his eyes fixed, with a blank expression.

 

Soon, he carved a wooden puppet that resembled Si Lan. He placed it next to Si Lan’s face and gestured. The puppet looked like Si Lan, but not as handsome as the real person.

 

He handed the puppet to Si Lan, who joyfully caressed it and carefully tucked it into his pocket.

 

Seeing Si Lan cherish it so much, Haowei’s heart stirred slightly, and he lifted his eyes to look at Si Lan.

 

Si Lan happened to be looking at him too, and when their eyes met, it felt like threads of silk tightly binding them together—one thread burning hot, the other thread oblivious.

 

Suddenly, Haowei said, “If we meet again in the next life, I want to be the silent one, letting you pamper me every day.”

 

But he didn’t know if there would be a next life for him.

 

Born under an unlucky star, he was fated to harm his father, mother, and everyone around him. Even when he came to live in these mountains, the monsters here were scared away. So would someone like him have another life?

 

Even if there were a next life, this imp probably wouldn’t recognize him.

 

Unlike Haowei, burdened with sorrow and regrets, Si Lan’s essence of spirit didn’t seem to carry such weight.

 

He liked the scent of peach blossom wine, leaning over the wine jug to sniff it, gently extending his tongue to lick along the edge of the jug like a greedy little pig.

 

Haowei hadn’t expected Si Lan to love drinking so much. Most other children would cry from the spiciness of alcohol the first time they tasted it.

 

So, half jokingly and half seriously, Haowei said, “Since you love this peach blossom wine so much, why don’t we use wine to recognize each other in the next life?”

 

Upon hearing this, Si Lan suddenly turned around, his black eyes blinking, as if responding to Haowei’s words.

 

Unable to resist, Haowei reached out and ruffled Si Lan’s head.

 

His hair was surprisingly soft and smooth, nothing like what one would expect from a monster’s fur.

 

—

 

As the days drew closer to joining the army, Haowei still didn’t know how to settle Si Lan, but fortunately, Si Lan was a monster and monsters weren’t so easily killed.

 

Moreover, Si Lan could recover quickly from injuries, so as long as Haowei taught him the basics of survival, Si Lan could manage to live among humans.

 

The mountain they lived on faced south on one side and north on the other, with vastly different temperatures above and below. Therefore, wild fruits and grasses grew there throughout the year.

 

Haowei took Si Lan’s hand and led him up the mountain, demonstrating which wild fruits were edible and which were not. Later, fearing Si Lan might forget, Haowei simply cut down all the poisonous fruit trees and replaced them with edible ones.

 

He also taught Si Lan how to hunt, though Si Lan seemed uninterested in eating meat and instead got along well with mountain chickens and sparrows. Haowei didn’t force Si Lan to eat meat either.

 

He also instructed Si Lan to avoid the villagers. Even though Si Lan looks like an ordinary person, the more he interacts with the villagers, the easier it is for his abnormality to be discovered.

 

After gesturing a few times, Si Lan vaguely understood his meaning. From then on, not only did Si Lan avoid the villagers, but even the birds, beasts, and insects on the mountain also avoided him.

 

Haowei was astonished by his single-mindedness, “This world ultimately isn’t where you should stay. You should quickly remember how to return.”

 

Si Lan felt confused, thinking Haowei no longer wanted him.

 

During this period, Haowei always made him pick wild fruits and collect dew by himself. If he didn’t do well, Haowei would furrow his brow, looking serious.

 

Si Lan felt a bit sad and somewhat angry, thinking Haowei was rejecting him. So he shrugged off Haowei’s sleeve and walked into the cave.

 

Haowei noticed his sulking and reluctantly followed to explain.

 

“I will be joining the army in half a month. I can’t take you with me. By then, you’ll have to rely on yourself to survive here on earth.”

 

Whether it was from staying in the mortal realm for too long, Haowei felt that although Si Lan still couldn’t speak, he could understand and respond promptly to what was said to him.

 

Si Lan didn’t know what he saw in the cave, and suddenly stopped in his tracks.

 

Haowei thought he saw another wild animal and quickly pulled Si Lan behind him, only to find an old man with white beard leaning on a cane in front of them in the cave.

 

The old man wore a gray robe, his hair snow-white, tied simply with a headband behind his head. He couldn’t stop coughing, moving his shaky body slowly, and raised his head to look at the two of them.

 

Upon seeing Haowei’s face, the old man froze for a moment. “Ahem… Your Majesty.”

 

Haowei didn’t catch the “Your Majesty” clearly, just considering him as someone like them, living outside with difficulty.

 

Haowei asked, “Sir, are you here in the cave to seek refuge?”

 

The Old Man of the Tai Xu, slightly stunned, pointed to the mountain path. “This is Mount Tai Xu.” It was named in the mortal realm in his honor, dedicated to him.

 

Every thousand years, he would come here to rest.

 

The cave where Haowei and Si Lan lived was dug out by him twenty thousand years ago.

 

Haowei frowned, not understanding his meaning. Why did this old man suddenly mention “Mount Tai Xu”?

 

What’s wrong with Mount Tai Xu?

 

Although the Old Man of Tai Xu had dim eyes, he also sensed that something was wrong at this moment. The person in front of him looked exactly like Haowei, but he was a mortal.

 

The Old Man of Tai Xu stepped forward, approached Haowei, bent his back, and looked up at Haowei with difficulty.

 

Still the true Majesty Haowei.

 

Just, he had descended into the mortal realm and turned into a mortal.

 

In the Nine Heavens, Haowei’s descent into the mortal realm must be a big event, which would certainly be announced to the hundreds of immortals. Why didn’t it this

---

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!

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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’

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 40

 

Haowei glanced at Lanlan and the physician, not catching their conversation. He only vaguely heard words like “young master” and “soul,” but didn’t think much of it.

 

That night, just as he was falling asleep, a heavy rain suddenly poured down outside, with raindrops hitting the roof and ground like stones, making it hard for anyone to sleep.

 

Haowei sat up in bed and closed the window tightly. Somehow, he thought of the spirit on the mountainside.

 

In such heavy rain, would the spirit get soaked?

 

But what did that have to do with him?

 

He lay back down and closed his eyes, but couldn’t stop thinking about that thin, green figure. In the desolate thorns, the green figure was sometimes clear and bright, and sometimes faint, almost nonexistent…

 

Haowei knew he shouldn’t be thinking about the spirit, but the more he tried not to, the more he did.

 

That seemingly silly spirit, would he even know to avoid the rain? Even if he got soaked, it shouldn’t be a big deal…

 

Forget it, he might as well go take a look.

 

At least the spirit hadn’t done anything harmful yet.

 

The heavy rain continued as Haowei donned a straw hat and raincoat, carefully shielding the lantern’s flame as he walked into the deep mountains. The mountains were often shrouded in thick fog and inhabited by wild beasts and ghosts, so villagers rarely ventured there.

 

Haowei usually only dared to go during the day, and this was his first time climbing the mountain at night.

 

When he found the spirit, he saw that the green figure was indeed still there, unmoving.

 

The rain fell continuously, drenching him. His hair stuck to his face in strands, making him look even more pale and helpless under the moonlight.

 

Haowei’s heart suddenly ached, thinking he should have come earlier, before the rain started.

 

He stepped forward and reached out to the spirit. In the darkness, the spirit’s face wasn’t clear, but seemed attracted by his gesture. Then, like a curious child, the spirit slowly extended his hand and grasped Haowei’s.

 

Earlier, Haowei thought the spirit wouldn’t have a physical form, but to his surprise, the spirit did, though his body temperature was unusually low, his fingers wet and chilling.

 

Haowei tightened his grip and led him down the mountain.

 

Cold rain pelted their faces, and the night wind roared in their ears. The lantern had long been extinguished by the wind and rain, but fortunately, the moonlight was bright enough to illuminate their path.

 

Back home, the spirit sat dazedly on a small stool, his green robe clinging to his body, revealing his slender frame. Water dripped continuously from the hem of his clothes.

 

Haowei brought hot water and placed it in front of the spirit.

 

“Wash up first. Leave the village tomorrow morning.”

 

Such a foolish spirit wouldn’t be able to deceive the villagers, so he should leave early.

 

That’s what Haowei thought.

 

Si Lan, the spirit, looked up at him upon hearing this. His eyes were wet, with a hint of redness, as if he had cried.

 

Haowei met his gaze, his heart softening and feeling a bit of pity.

 

A fleeting thought crossed his mind—maybe he should share some of his own spirit energy with him, just as an act of kindness.

 

But he quickly dismissed this absurd idea, thinking he must be crazy, being swayed by this spirit.

 

“Aren’t you going to wash?” Haowei’s face turned stern as he spoke harshly.

 

Si Lan moved his feet, looking at Haowei with confusion, as if he didn’t understand.

 

Haowei suspected this was a newly born spirit, possibly not understanding human language at all, feeling a bit helpless, realizing he had brought back trouble.

 

Why had he felt soft-hearted earlier?

 

He approached the spirit, mimicking the action of taking off clothes. “Understand?”

 

Si Lan didn’t speak, tilting his head slightly, his eyes dull. Then, he slowly and tentatively placed his hands on his clothes.

 

Haowei nodded, showing approval.

 

Seeing this, Si Lan immediately untied his robe, letting the green outer garment fall to the ground.

 

The white inner clothes clung to Si Lan’s body, who continued to undress, revealing his fair and clean body. Haowei couldn’t avert his eyes in time, and saw him completely undressed, making Haowei’s ears turn red. Just as he was about to say something, he saw Si Lan pick up the wooden basin and pour the entire basin of water over himself.

 

“…” Haowei.

 

Because of the rain, the room was already damp, and now with Si Lan’s action, the floor became a wet mess.

 

Outside, the rain continued, with the night wind bringing large raindrops through the door and window cracks.

 

Haowei felt a chill in his heart at that moment.

 

And the culprit, after making a mess, looked at Haowei with an innocent and confused expression. Probably feeling a bit cold, Si Lan shivered, his brows slightly furrowed.

 

Haowei took a deep breath to calm down.

 

No need to wait for tomorrow, as soon as the rain stopped, he would throw this spirit out.

 

However, he still couldn’t bear to see the spirit naked and shivering, so he found a rough cloth outfit for him to change into.

 

But Si Lan didn’t know how to dress, wrapping the clothes around his waist, only covering the front, leaving the back exposed.

 

Two white, tender cheeks, firm and round, swayed slightly with Si Lan’s movements, inexplicably making Haowei feel parched.

 

Haowei’s face turned red, gritting his teeth, and snatched the clothes, averting his gaze, stiffly wrapping them around Si Lan.

 

He was a head taller than Si Lan, so the clothes were loose, making Si Lan look like a child wearing an adult’s clothes.

 

After dressing, Haowei noticed Si Lan extending his hand, gazing at him, and touching Haowei’s chin with his fingers. Haowei instinctively grabbed his hand to stop him, realizing something when he met Si Lan’s “innocent” eyes.

 

If there were fools in the human world, there must be fools among the spirits too.

 

Si Lan might not be a newly born spirit, but a fool.

 

Because no matter how ignorant someone was, they wouldn’t be this foolish.

 

Understanding this, Haowei felt helpless, never expecting to bring back a fool.

 

Fine, just consider it an act of kindness.

 

His sleeping arrangement was simple, a bed made of stacked wood covered with a grass mat. Fortunately, it was large enough for two.

 

He was quite tired, so after tucking the little fool into the bed, he closed his eyes and quickly fell asleep.

 

When he woke up the next day, he found Si Lan curled up in his arms, sleeping lightly.

 

Si Lan was sleeping soundly, his eyebrows relaxed, breathing steady. His legs were bent, knees pressed tightly against Haowei’s abdomen.

 

“……”

 

Haowei’s face changed slightly as he pulled away from Si Lan. The sound woke Si Lan, who opened his eyes halfway, looking drowsy and a bit innocent.

 

“Awake? Do you know how to get back?” Haowei asked.

 

Si Lan blinked and quietly looked at Haowei.

 

Haowei felt a pause in his heart and frowned, “Don’t tell me you don’t know where you came from?”

 

Si Lan tilted his head and moved closer to Haowei, resting his head on Haowei’s chest.

 

He had no memory at all.

 

He was just a soul manifested from the three souls and seven spirits, lacking the emotions and rationality of a normal person.

 

Haowei hadn’t expected that his moment of kindness would lead to this situation. This spirit had no idea where he came from and couldn’t return.

 

If he threw him back into the deep mountains, it seemed a bit unethical. Haowei looked down at the spirit sleeping soundly in his arms and sighed helplessly.

 

In the morning, Haowei cooked some porridge and placed it in front of Si Lan, curious if he would eat it.

 

Si Lan looked at the porridge, picked up the bowl, and just as he was about to pour it over his head, Haowei quickly snatched it away.

 

“What are you doing?”

 

Si Lan looked at Haowei in confusion, thinking that the “porridge” was also meant for washing.

 

Haowei was a bit exasperated, suspecting that this spirit was so foolish that he had been driven out of his tribe and ended up in the human world.

 

Haowei picked up the porridge, scooped a spoonful, and demonstrated to Si Lan how to eat.

 

Although Si Lan was slow, he quickly learned by watching Haowei. He imitated Haowei, scooping porridge into his mouth, but he wasn’t used to the taste and his brow furrowed, showing a pitiful expression.

 

Seeing this, Haowei murmured, “So you need to absorb human essence?”

 

He had only read about spirits in ancient books and knew little about how they absorbed human energy. Moreover, the spirits in the books were all female, preying on passing men.

 

Did this male spirit also prey on men?

 

Haowei’s face turned slightly red.

 

Si Lan didn’t understand what Haowei was saying and just looked at him blankly, his gaze falling on Haowei’s red lips.

 

Curious, he tiptoed closer to Haowei.

 

Haowei held his breath, staring at him intently.

 

Was he going to absorb his yang energy?

 

This spirit didn’t even bother to disguise his intentions?

 

Shouldn’t he wait until he was asleep to absorb it?

 

Si Lan gently touched Haowei’s lips. Haowei’s lips were well-shaped, full, and the color of wilted roses. Si Lan was curious about how sound came from those lips.

 

He tried to pry Haowei’s lips apart, but Haowei grabbed his hand.

 

Haowei’s eyes flickered slightly, “What are you doing?”

 

The other person still looked curious, not speaking, just staring at him with dark eyes.

 

Haowei let go of his hand, wanting to say something, but in the end, he only said, “I’ll go hunting on the mountain. You stay here and wait for me.”

 

After a pause, Haowei added, “If you remember the way back, just go back. Don’t stay among humans; no fool here will let you absorb their energy!”

 

However, Haowei hadn’t been gone long before he started worrying about Si Lan and his hut.

 

Would Si Lan wreck his two small huts?

 

He lost the mood for hunting and quickly returned with just a wild chicken and rabbit. Because it had rained all night, the mountain path was slippery. On the way down, he slipped, scraping a large piece of skin off his elbow.

 

Wincing in pain, he glanced at his arm and continued rushing back, only to find Si Lan gone when he returned.

 

There was no trace of Si Lan left in the room, as if he had never existed, making Haowei feel like it was all just his imagination.

 

Haowei felt a sudden pang of melancholy but forced a smile, “I hope that foolish spirit finds his way back soon.”

 

He bled the rabbit, skinned it, cleaned it, and set up a small fire to roast it.

 

While roasting the rabbit, he chopped wood nearby.

 

The crackling sound made him oblivious to the movements behind him. When he finally sensed something was off and turned around, he saw that the spirit who had left was back, and he was gnawing on his rabbit contentedly.

 

“……” Haowei.

 

Haowei was both astonished and inexplicably pleased, though he didn’t realize it himself.

 

He walked up to Si Lan, who seemed to realize that stealing someone else’s rabbit was not right, so he meekly returned it.

 

Seeing the rabbit that Si Lan had chewed up, Haowei couldn’t help but laugh, “Aren’t you a spirit? Why are you eating wild rabbit?”

 

Si Lan didn’t say anything. Seeing Haowei wouldn’t take the rabbit back, he withdrew his hand, looking pale and pitiful.

 

Haowei sighed, “I still have a wild chicken, so you can have the rabbit.”

 

Si Lan’s usually wooden face showed a bit of expression, his eyes like a fawn’s, shimmering.

 

Haowei avoided his gaze and resumed cooking. He plucked the chicken, cleaned it, and set it on the small fire to roast.

 

Si Lan seemed curious about the chicken, frowning and watching it intently as it roasted.

 

Haowei thought Si Lan was still hungry, so when the chicken was done, he tore off a drumstick for Si Lan, “Want more?”

 

Si Lan stumbled backward, looking scared, eyes wide.

 

Haowei raised an eyebrow, thinking he was disdainful of the chicken, and said, “Roast chicken is just as tasty as rabbit. Won’t you try some?”

 

Si Lan suddenly stood up, still wearing Haowei’s loose black robe that dr4p3d generously around him. His eyes revealed a chilly refusal as he turned and stormed back into the room, seemingly throwing a tantrum.

 

  Haowei clicked his tongue. Why did this little mischief suddenly get angry?

 

  Could it be because he was mad that I only gave him one chicken leg?

 

  After filling his stomach, Haowei entered the room and saw Si Lan still sulking. His eyes, like two dark gr4p3s, held resentment as they stared straight at him.

 

  Haowei suddenly felt like he had committed some grave mistake. Hesitatingly, he said, “Next time… shall I give you the whole roasted chicken?”

 

  At these words, Si Lan’s eyes filled with even more resentment.

 

  Haowei couldn’t resist and changed the subject, “Where did you go earlier?”

 

  This little mischief had an exceptionally handsome face but wasn’t very bright. If he wandered around the village, he might attract the attention of ill-intentioned people. Moreover, with the ongoing conflicts, if he were kidnapped by bandit leaders, Haowei wouldn’t be able to rescue him.

 

  After asking, Haowei remembered that this little mischief couldn’t speak, so he cautioned again, “Don’t wander outside. It’s dangerous out there.”

 

  Just last night, Haowei thought the danger was the mischief that sucked away people’s vitality.

 

  Now, in the blink of an eye, it seemed the villagers were the dangerous ones.

 

  There was a slight movement in Si Lan’s furrowed brows, a response to Haowei’s words.

 

  Haowei hadn’t expected much of a reaction from him.

 

  Last night, the wind had lifted a part of the roof, so Haowei had woven thatch and stacked it on the ground. Si Lan saw this and tried to help, but only made things messier.

 

  He didn’t know how to tie thatch properly, and it ended up everywhere. Haowei shook his head helplessly and told him to sit aside.

 

  However, in no time, he seemed to find something amusing. He grabbed a handful of thatch and presented it to Haowei as if offering a treasure.

 

  Haowei focused and noticed a small green snake in Si Lan’s hands.

 

  “…”

 

  The little green snake seemed frozen with fear, trembling in his hand and forgetting to escape.

 

  Haowei’s expression froze slightly. He was somewhat afraid of such slender creatures and quickly knocked the small snake out of Si Lan’s hand.

 

  As the small green snake fell to the ground, it dashed away, hitting the leg of the table and knocking over Haowei’s only piece of guest furniture.

 

  The wooden table made a cracking sound as one leg broke off.

 

  Haowei’s gaze darkened instantly. Moreover, the little green snake continued to flee, not going out the door but along the wall, through the paper-covered window, leaping into the back mountain and disappearing.

 

  “…”

 

  Haowei rubbed his forehead. Last night, the strong wind had already broken several places in the paper-covered window. Now, with the small green snake’s disturbance, he would probably need to reapply the paper.

 

  Truly, when it rains, it pours.

 

  The roof, the window, and now the table—all had issues.

 

  He looked at the precarious thatched house and couldn’t help but sigh.

 

  Si Lan probably felt he had caused trouble and stood awkwardly in place, glancing gently at Haowei.

 

  Meeting his uneasy gaze, Haowei couldn’t help but laugh and cry, “You didn’t get bitten by the snake, did you?”

 

That small green snake was venomous.

 

Si Lan blinked, unable to understand Haowei’s words. Haowei walked over and took the initiative to check Si Lan’s body. When he lifted the oversized robe, he discovered that Si Lan had developed some red bumps, more like an allergic reaction than poisoning.

 

“You went to the edge earlier, didn’t you?”

 

Strange woods and wild creatures were everywhere in the village, even more so in the mountains. It was easy for ordinary people to have allergic reactions if they weren’t careful.

 

Si Lan gestured, and Haowei roughly understood. Shortly after Haowei left, Si Lan went out to look for him. However, he probably didn’t find him and returned.

 

This little mischief wasn’t bad with directions.

 

Haowei instructed Si Lan, “Wait for me at home. I’ll go buy some ointment for you.”

 

Si Lan blinked again, a response to Haowei.

 

The sky darkened further, layers of dark clouds gathering. The mountain wind rustled through the leaves, with raindrops starting to fall. Haowei quickened his pace, encountering two people head-on. Upon closer inspection, one was Lan Lan, the girl who had stolen his wild chicken last time. The other was a stranger dressed as a sorcerer, holding two bronze bells in his hands.

 

Their conversation floated faintly in the windy air.

 

“Since he was discovered nearby, his lingering spirit might also be nearby. After the rain stops, I’ll perform a soul summoning spell to see if I can guide his soul back.”

 

“Thank you, Master.”

 

…

 

Haowei reached the village entrance and went to the house of the old physician, where he got a bottle of ointment for treating allergies on credit. Just as he finished purchasing the medicine, heavy rain suddenly poured down outside, forming a misty curtain that obscured the surroundings.

 

“Chongying, you should wait until it clears up.” The old physician advised.

 

Thinking of the person’s discomfort, Haowei didn’t delay, thanked the old physician, and rushed into the pouring rain.

 

The ground, now wet from the rain, was unusually slippery. The rain pattered down, creating puddles of varying sizes. Haowei had to tread carefully, enduring gusts of wind that shook his clothes and distorted his features.

 

As a tall man, he nearly got blown over by the wind.

 

He couldn’t help worrying about Si Lan at home. He wondered if the mischief would be frightened by such strong winds.

 

His house was at the village’s end, a thatched cottage nestled at the foot of the mountain, the terrain sloping downward and ruggedly muddy. Therefore, apart from him, no one else lived here in the village.

 

The reason he lived here was that he had picked up this abandoned house and temporarily settled down.

 

As he descended a steep slope, he saw Si Lan standing in the pouring rain. Both of his small houses had their roofs blown off, and one side of a wall had collapsed. The remaining three walls looked precarious in the heavy rain.

 

“…” Haowei.

 

Seeing him, Si Lan seemed uneasy, gesturing with his hands as if trying to indicate that he hadn’t pushed the house over.

He didn’t have time to think about anything else; Haowei pulled Si Lan out of the house. If the remaining three walls collapsed, they might have been hit.

 

Luckily, Haowei paid attention to the situation on the mountain every time he went hunting, knowing that there was a cave where he could temporarily shelter from the rain.

 

He grabbed Si Lan’s hand, and the two stumbled into the deep mountains.

 

The branches were rustling loudly in the strong wind, like the tentacles of wild beasts waving ahead. Si Lan felt a little scared when he saw them and stayed close to Haowei.

 

Haowei noticed his fear. Initially holding his hand, he now wrapped his arm around Si Lan’s waist, and Si Lan snuggled into Haowei’s embrace.

 

Halfway up the mountain, Haowei pulled aside some wild grass, revealing a cave entrance about a person’s height.

 

Dim light filtered in, and inside the cave, there were small animals also seeking shelter from the rain—wild chickens, hedgehogs, sparrows, and the like.

 

The animals were taken by surprise at the sudden appearance of two people and issued warnings, but given the vast difference in size, they reluctantly made way.

 

Haowei squeezed Si Lan’s hand and cautioned, “Be careful; the cave floor is a bit uneven.”

 

Si Lan moved his fingers slightly, a response to Haowei’s words.

 

The end of the cave widened a bit, with a huge rock inside that Haowei had smoothed out and covered with thatch. On days when Haowei got tired from hunting in the mountains, he would rest here.

 

Haowei picked up a flint and struck it, soon sparking a fire torch. He took off his clothes, wearing only a small garment on his lower body, and placed his wet clothes near the fire torch to dry.

 

Si Lan followed Haowei’s lead, taking off all his clothes as well. Unlike the day before, perhaps after a day of learning about human affairs, he seemed less naive. He awkwardly shifted his legs, trying to cover up.

 

Haowei coughed lightly and handed the bundled thatch to Si Lan. “Use this to cover up first; your clothes will dry soon.”

 

Si Lan seemed to understand vaguely, clutching the thatch and curling up. His exposed back and neck formed smooth lines, and his fair skin had patches of allergic reactions.

 

Haowei’s face tensed as he took out the ointment and walked behind Si Lan, applying it to the allergic spots on his back. When he touched Si Lan’s skin, Haowei’s fingertips paused; the other’s skin was as smooth as jade, delicate and soft.

 

Haowei even wondered if a little more pressure might break the other’s skin. However, when he slowed down, he could clearly feel every inch of the other’s skin texture.

 

It seemed this mischief had never suffered. His exceptionally fair skin aside, it was also exceptionally soft, softer than freshly steamed tofu.

 

After a while, Haowei sensed a faint fragrance spreading throughout the cave. He suspected he had smelled it wrong and sniffed again, confirming the presence of a scent in the air.

 

And this fragrance…

 

It seemed to come from Si Lan.

 

Unable to resist, Haowei lowered his head, approaching Si Lan’s back where the ointment had just been applied. His skin was white with a touch of red, and the tiny pores seemed to emit a fragrance.

 

He leaned in closer, wanting to investigate further, but at that moment, Si Lan turned around suddenly.

 

Caught off guard, Haowei’s face collided with Si Lan’s, their noses lightly touching. In an instant, the fragrance became stronger, so intense that it made his heart race.

 

And the breath that Si Lan exhaled seemed even sweeter…

---

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 39

 

Back then, Lord Chushan first wanted Song Ye and asked him to train with him. However, Song Cheng took the opportunity instead.

 

Now it seems that everything Song Cheng did was to protect him.

 

He had been kept in the dark all these years, resenting and mocking Song Cheng. He couldn’t understand how Song Cheng managed to endure it. If it had been him, he would have broken down long ago.

 

At this moment, he finally understood why Song Cheng liked Si Lan so much.

 

Because Si Lan was Song Cheng’s salvation, whereas he himself was merely a burden to Song Cheng.

 

“Brother, I hate myself for not being strong enough. If I were as strong as the Lord, I could kill Lord Chushan, and you wouldn’t have to…”

 

“Song Ye, don’t blame yourself. This has nothing to do with you.”

 

Song Cheng’s voice also carried a hint of a sob. Song Ye was his only family in this world, and he had never blamed him.

 

“I’m such an idiot!”

 

After saying that, Song Ye’s branches and leaves wrapped around Song Cheng. Each leaf seemed to have a soul of its own, entwining Song Cheng in the moonlight, sticking tightly to him.

 

The night wind blew, making both of them rustle.

 

The barrier that had existed between them for so long disappeared at that moment. Song Ye finally felt the same closeness he had felt when he and Song Cheng trained together.

 

Their roots, their leaves, their hearts were so close.

 

Among the rustling leaves, Song Ye’s suppressed voice emerged.

 

“Brother, actually, I really like you.”

 

For some reason, Song Cheng didn’t answer. Song Ye’s leaves curled up restlessly, scratching at Song Cheng’s leaves.

 

Song Cheng had no choice but to speak, “You are just attached to me. You should find someone more suitable…” Deep down, he still felt unworthy of Song Ye. For so many years, he had avoided talking to Song Ye properly, punishing himself because he felt unworthy.

 

“Brother, you are the most suitable person for me.”

 

After saying this, Song Ye didn’t wait for Song Cheng to rebut and once again wrapped his leaves around Song Cheng, their roots inching towards him, tangling him up.

 

“Brother, it seems like you’re about to bloom.”

 

“Don’t talk nonsense!”

 

“Really, you smell fragrant.”

 

“Um, Song Ye…”

 

“Brother, you said you would always go along with me…”

 

—

 

Under the wisteria tree, Xie Li curiously peeked at the two intertwined wisterias and asked Qu Ze, “What are the two Protectors doing?”

 

Qu Ze kept a stern face and led Xie Li away, but Xie Li, full of curiosity, asked again.

 

Qu Ze had no choice but to reply, “They are brothers. This is a sign of closeness.”

 

“Oh, I understand.” Little Xie Li suddenly realized, then stood on tiptoe and threw himself into Qu Ze’s arms.

 

Qu Ze instinctively caught Xie Li, who wrapped his limbs tightly around him and said with a cheerful smile, “I also want to be close to Senior Brother.”

 

“…,” Qu Ze responded.

 

—

 

The next day, when Si Lan woke up, he found that Haowei was gone. He fluttered his wings and searched around Zhuyun Peak but couldn’t find Haowei. He realized that Haowei had returned to the Celestial Court.

 

He always left so quietly, without saying goodbye.

 

Never mind, Si Lan had to enter seclusion for training anyway.

 

He gathered a pile of Buddhist scriptures and texts in the cave. When he was in good spirits, he would read them. However, after reading through all the Buddhist texts, he still couldn’t find an explanation for the passage about the tiger eating the flesh of the Buddha in the Wuwang Sutra.

 

“The Buddha practiced in the forest and encountered a tiger. The tiger gazed at him intently. The Buddha fed it with his flesh. Day by day, the Buddha turned into white bones, and the tiger became a Buddha after eating his flesh.”

 

The literal meaning was easy to understand: evil people take the merits of good people and easily become Buddhas, while good people get no reward.

 

Was this person trying to convey something through this principle?

 

Si Lan thought he still needed to find someone to explain it to him.

 

Immediately, he thought of the fortune teller on Qiangjue Mountain, who knew the heavens above and the eighteen levels of hell below, with all phenomena contained in the tortoiseshell he held.

 

Perhaps the fortune teller would also know the story behind this Buddhist text.

 

Despite his injuries not yet healed, Si Lan couldn’t wait and flew towards Qiangjue Mountain.

 

The fortune teller still had his stall set up, with two tortoise shells in front of him. Beside the shells was a single burning incense stick, its smoke drifting lazily in the air.

 

A black bird was dozing on the fortune teller’s shoulder.

 

The fortune teller himself was also dozing, his white beard swaying in the breeze. He wore simple gray cloth clothes, which still gave off an aura of immortality and wisdom.

 

As soon as Si Lan landed, the fortune teller opened his eyes. Seeing a “wild pheasant,” he was about to shoo it away but then noticed the unique markings on its feathers, and his face showed surprise.

 

“Yu Jia.”

 

Si Lan was surprised that this fortune teller actually had some skill, recognizing his true form at a glance.

 

He pinched his voice, not wanting the fortune teller to recognize his identity, but then heard the fortune teller say, “My Lord, I never expected your identity to be so noble.”

 

“……”

 

After a moment of silence, Si Lan said, “Did the old gentleman predict I would come today?”

 

The fortune teller stroked his beard and said slowly, “Fortune-telling is either zero times or countless times. I knew that after you had your fortune told once, you would definitely seek me out again.” In fact, he had just done a divination and found that today’s business would be poor, with only one customer, an old one at that.

 

Seeing the demonic aura on this “wild pheasant,” which seemed familiar, and knowing it was his old customer, he naturally guessed that this “wild pheasant” was Si Lan.

 

“……”

 

After another brief silence, Si Lan got straight to the point, “Sir, I have a Buddhist text that I cannot interpret. Could you please explain it for me?”

 

The fortune teller looked at Si Lan in surprise, “My Lord, you are the first to come to me to interpret a Buddhist text.” After all, people usually came to him for children, marriage, or powerful medicine.

 

Si Lan smiled and handed over a millennium-old elixir to the fortune teller, who immediately beamed with joy and put it away. “My Lord, ask anything, and I will certainly tell you everything I know.”

 

Si Lan recited the Buddhist text about the tiger eating the flesh of the Buddha to the fortune teller.

 

After listening, the fortune teller fiddled with the two tortoise shells, chanting something under his breath.

 

A strange scripture enveloped the tortoise shells, with countless hieroglyphs forming a net-like pattern over them. After a moment, the two tortoise shells fell from the air and landed on the table, fitting together.

 

The fortune teller slowly opened the shells, and after seeing the signs inside, his face suddenly became serious. He looked up at Si Lan.

 

Seeing his expression, Si Lan couldn’t help but grow serious as well.

 

“What does it mean? What does the hexagram say?”

 

“My Lord, the hexagram indicates that you are facing imminent disaster.”

 

“……” After a pause, Si Lan asked, “Will it be life-threatening?”

 

“It could be severe or minor; it depends on your fortune.”

 

Si Lan felt that the fortune teller, as always, had said something without really saying anything. He felt a bit of heartache for that millennium-old elixir, feeling it was wasted on this old tortoise spirit.

 

Sensing a hint of dissatisfaction in Si Lan’s expression, the fortune teller added, “My Lord, the secrets of heaven must not be revealed. If I divulge them, not only will you and I suffer, but the course of fate might also change.”

 

Everyone’s destiny was predetermined, running according to the great plan of Heaven. If a piece moved wrongly, it would be corrected.

 

“Then let me ask directly. You just nod. The person behind showing me this Buddhist text, do they intend to overthrow the Six Realms?”

 

The fortune teller’s expression froze for a moment, then he shook his head.

 

“Besides you, is there anyone else who can explain this Buddhist text to me?”

 

“The Buddha Jiagang of the Thirty-Three Heavens.” After saying this, the fortune teller couldn’t help but chant “Amitabha” under his breath. “My Lord, please stop asking. Let me help you with something safer, like divining your future spouse.”

 

“……,” Si Lan responded.

 

“Did you follow my advice last time and wait for your destined one on Qianqiong Sand Island?”

 

“I did.” Si Lan’s face reddened slightly.

 

“Your destined one is highly skilled in magic, handsome, strong, and quite a heartthrob in the Six Realms.”

 

Hearing this, Si Lan’s face reddened even more, and he couldn’t help but think of Haowei’s face.

 

It seemed that Haowei did meet all these conditions.

 

“His mind is corrupted, with a demonic heart. If he does good, he will be a great benefactor. If he does evil, he will be a great menace.”

 

“A demonic heart? What does that mean?”

 

“The hexagram shows he has a demonic heart, indicating he is a serpent demon.”

 

Si Lan’s face turned a bit ugly, “Sir, are you sure?”

 

“I am sure. This divination method has never been wrong.”

 

Si Lan fell silent, lost in thought. He had indeed waited for Haowei on Qianqiong Sand Island.

 

He hadn’t seen anyone else around Qianqiong Sand Island at that time, so how could his destined one be a serpent demon?

 

Wait—

 

Si Lan suddenly recalled what the celestial soldiers had said on Zhuyun Peak.

 

“It’s a long story. A few days ago, the little prince was bitten by a fiery serpent and ended up in the Demon Realm…”

 

A fiery serpent, that fiery serpent… Could it be his destined one?!

 

But as far as he knew, the fiery serpent had long since died.

 

Could it be that Haowei killed the fiery serpent on Qianqiong Sand Island, and he mistakenly took Haowei back, thinking he was his destined one?

 

The more Si Lan thought about it, the more absurd it seemed, and his heart felt blocked, making it hard to breathe.

 

How could this be?

 

Wasn’t this just playing him for a fool?

 

With his face covered in feathers, the fortune teller couldn’t see Si Lan’s expression, but he could sense something was wrong from his aura. “My Lord, is there something wrong?”

 

Si Lan couldn’t help but ask again, “Sir, are you sure you didn’t make a mistake?”

 

“Of course, this method has never been wrong!”

 

Si Lan was left speechless. His wings drooped, and after a while, he mechanically lifted them and fluttered away from Qiangjue Mountain.

 

The fortune teller watched Si Lan leave, utterly baffled.

The divination showed that although Si Lan’s husband has a serpent’s gall, his fate is so noble that even the tortoiseshell couldn’t fully interpret it.

 

So why is Si Lan so dejected?

 

Si Lan had no feelings for that torch serpent he had never met. Knowing it was killed by Haowei, he didn’t feel sad.

 

He just hadn’t expected that Haowei, whom he always considered his fated person, actually wasn’t. So, all that happened between them was not destiny but mere coincidence.

 

Thinking about his behavior towards Haowei, Si Lan felt extremely embarrassed, wishing he could cover his face with his wings.

 

No wonder Haowei had always been cold and distant towards him. In Haowei’s eyes, he must have seemed like a pheasant wanting to eat a small white dragon.

 

Returning to Zhuyun Peak, the frustration and confusion in his heart had not dissipated. He went to the wine cellar and picked a pot of wine to drink.

 

He didn’t understand what mistake he had made, why every blooming peach flower was always cut off.

 

In the Six Realms, perhaps no one was more miserable than he was.

 

He lay drunkenly on the stone table, sighing intermittently.

 

“Why was I sent here in the first place?”

 

Qu Ze happened to hear Si Lan’s complaints as he walked over.

 

“Was it to make me lonely and undying?”

 

“……”

 

Qu Ze’s expression paused as he looked at Si Lan, his brows furrowing.

 

What happened?

 

Why is the Lord eager to marry again?

 

After sending Si Lan back to rest, Qu Ze went to find Song Cheng and Song Ye, who were still lingering together.

 

Years ago, the Demon Realm held a consort selection, but back then, the Lord’s reputation for being cursed to kill his wives was rampant. Upon hearing this, the women of the Demon Realm quickly got engaged, and even widows remarried…

 

Recently, the Lord’s reputation had improved somewhat. Most importantly, the one who had been spreading the rumor about the Lord’s curse was now preoccupied with romance and had no time for gossip.

 

Thinking of this, Qu Ze looked at the slightly taller wisteria. “Protector Song Ye, I want to reopen the consort selection for the Lord in the Demon Realm.”

 

Song Ye extended a vine, looking at Qu Ze. “Consort selection, are we selecting males or females?”

 

Qu Ze suddenly fell silent.

 

“Qu Ze, why do you suddenly want to select a consort for the Lord?” Song Cheng asked.

 

“Since returning from Qiangjue Mountain, the Lord seems to be in a bad mood.”

 

“Then let’s select, but in the Demon Realm, men and women are used to doing as they please. They may not be willing to participate in the consort selection.”

 

The Demon Realm was different from the Mortal Realm. For ordinary mortals, being selected into the palace as a consort was like a pheasant turning into a phoenix. But in the Demon Realm, people did not take marriage contracts seriously; they valued cultivation more.

 

Although the Lord had high cultivation, he did not practice dual cultivation techniques, and with his “bad reputation” outside, no male or female demon would hope to marry him.

 

“Then we’ll use both coercion and inducement, trick them into signing up,” Song Ye said calmly. After speaking, he looked at Song Cheng beside him. He had thought Song Cheng would react strongly to Si Lan’s consort selection, but surprisingly, he remained calm.

 

Song Cheng sensed Song Ye’s gaze but didn’t look at him. Instead, he continued to ask Qu Ze, “Wasn’t the man who stayed by the Lord’s side before his fated person?”

 

Qu Ze shook his head. “I don’t know what happened, but judging by the Lord’s current state, that person shouldn’t be his fated one.”

 

Song Cheng said no more, and Song Ye felt a sense of crisis.

 

Song Ye had known that Song Cheng liked Si Lan, and despite the heartache, he had tried to pair Song Cheng with Si Lan. Therefore, the spread of Si Lan’s “curse” reputation was partly due to Song Ye’s efforts. But now that he and Song Cheng had opened up to each other and explained everything;

 

“Then let’s hurry and select a consort for the Lord. We’ll choose males and females, young and old, fat and thin.”

 

“……” Qu Ze.

 

“……” Song Cheng.

 

Qu Ze rarely handled Demon Realm affairs and mainly took care of Si Lan’s daily matters, so the consort selection had to be left to the two protectors.

 

“Then I’ll trouble the two protectors.”

 

——

 

On the other side, after returning to the Heavenly Court, Haowei summoned Yu Wudao and Siming Xianzun.

 

Years ago, when he descended to the mortal realm to atone for his sins, only his mother knew about it, besides these two.

 

His fate and destiny were also determined by these two.

 

Yu Wudao, summoned in a hurry, did not know what had happened, but seeing Haowei’s serious expression, he thought it must be a significant issue.

 

Recently, Haowei had been staying in the Demon Realm. Could the issue be related to that Demon Lord?

 

“Your Majesty, are you sure you want to retrieve those memories?” Yu Wudao asked.

 

In that lifetime, Haowei bore the fate of the Lone Star, living a life of loneliness and suffering, unable to have what he desired, think what he wanted, or love whom he wished. In the end, he had nothing to live for, nothing to lose.

 

Such a miserable experience would only bring torment if retrieved.

 

“Yes.” Haowei only wanted to know the entanglement between him and Si Lan. “Wudao, Siming, do you know what the Great Void God was doing when I descended to the mortal realm?”

 

Siming played with the Ziwei Jade Disk, frowning. “The Great Void God should have been in deep sleep in the Great Void Mountain in the Mortal Realm at that time. Why does Your Majesty suddenly ask about the Great Void God?”

 

A thought flashed in Haowei’s mind. Perhaps the reason why the Great Void God mistook Si Lan for the “Little Prince’s” mother was that the Great Void God knew about his past with Si Lan.

 

However, this was just his speculation.

 

“I suspect I might have seen the Great Void God during my tribulation in the mortal realm. Siming, can you retrieve my memories from that time?”

 

Siming continued to play with the Ziwei Jade Disk. After adjusting the direction of the pointer, he replied, “Your Majesty, the Ziwei Jade Disk contains your memories. Are you sure you want to retrieve them?”

 

“Yes,” Haowei said firmly.

 

Hearing this, Siming placed the Ziwei Jade Disk before Haowei. Haowei looked down, and in the center of the disk, his birth date and eight characters appeared.

 

Those characters floated slowly, then merged together, bursting into a beam of golden light. In the next moment, all the hidden memories returned to Haowei’s mind.

 

He remembered many things.

 

In this life, he was born as the son of the illustrious General Chongming Wei of the Yu Dynasty. Just after his birth, the Chong family was falsely accused of rebellion and their household was ransacked. The men were all killed, and the women were sent to pleasure houses as servants.

 

He was secretly taken out of the residence by a groom who hid him in his belly, raising him anonymously in the mountains and forests.

 

When he was just learning to speak, the groom told him everything that had happened to the Chong family, instilling in him the idea of revenge at every moment.

 

When he was five years old, the groom fell gravely ill. On his deathbed, he entrusted Haowei to a childless couple in the village.

 

At six, the couple unexpectedly gave birth to a son, making him an unwanted burden. He was sold off for ten taels of silver to another household.

 

This next household was an old, crippled bachelor over fifty years old who bought him to work and care for him in his old age.

 

By seven, Haowei could already hunt rabbits and pheasants on the mountain, work in the fields, and cook meals. However, peace did not last long. War broke out, forcing the villagers to migrate north to escape.

 

The old man contracted the plague and died on the way, and Haowei also caught the plague, being thrown into a mass grave for the dead. Fortunately, he survived after two days and nights of high fever.

 

By eight, he could live independently, following the refugee group to the north and, after seven years of intermittent travel, returning to the capital where he was born.

 

He never forgot the groom’s words: the men of the Chong family were all dead, but thirty-seven women of the Chong family were still waiting for him to rescue them.

 

The grievances of the Chong family also awaited his redress.

 

Living alone at the foot of the mountain, his solitary and reserved nature soon made him an “oddball” among the villagers.

 

He met Si Lan in the twenty-fifth year of the Yu Dynasty, when he was seventeen.

 

While hunting on the mountain, he saw a black object fall straight from the sky into a lake, creating a whirlpool.

 

Curious, he approached the lake and retrieved a burnt black pheasant from the whirlpool.

 

The pheasant was barely breathing, covered in fresh blood, likely bitten by a wild animal.

 

Without much thought, he took the pheasant back, only to be stopped by Lanlan from the village on the way.

 

Lanlan frowned and righteously claimed it was her family’s chicken.

 

He glanced at the blackened pheasant in his hand, thinking he had never seen such a scorched chicken in the village. But since Lanlan said so, he didn’t want to argue with a girl and gave her the pheasant.

 

The incident passed just like that.

 

Until one day, while hunting on the mountain, he saw a man in green standing in a corner, pale and beautiful to the point of enchantment, curled up in the thorns halfway up the mountain. The man’s fragile expression was pitiful, like a spirit designed to captivate souls.

 

When the wind blew, the green figure flickered in and out of sight.

 

Haowei suddenly realized the green-robed man was not an ordinary person but a mountain spirit.

 

He recalled the ancient texts about spirits that seduce people, feeding on their essence to cultivate. He dared not look at the spirit again and hurried away.

 

The next day, however, he saw the same green figure in the same spot.

 

The man’s expression was blank, his eyes unfocused, his face even paler than before, seemingly unaware of everything around him.

 

How could there be such a stupid spirit? One that couldn’t even charm people.

 

Could it be a newcomer?

 

Haowei thought this to himself and hurried up the mountain.

 

Yet, while hunting, he couldn’t help but think of that green figure. He suspected the spirit had cast a spell on him.

 

So, on his way down the mountain, Haowei, with a stern face, coldly told the lingering spirit, “This mountain path is almost only used by me. You won’t deceive anyone by staying here.”

 

The spirit said nothing, still standing there woodenly.

 

Haowei frowned at him, and then the spirit’s eyes suddenly moved, looking at him.

 

His heart skipped a beat, and meeting those dark eyes, his heart raced.

 

He thought he was under a spell and hurriedly turned away, rushing down the mountain.

 

Don’t make eye contact with a spirit.

 

Especially not with such a dumb one.

 

He tried to convince himself of this, and as he passed the village entrance, he ran into a man dressed like a physician talking to Lanlan.

 

“I don’t think that young man is ill. He seems to have a soul separation disorder. He must have an injured soul, missing a piece of his essence.”

 

“Doctor, what should be done?”

 

“I’m afraid you’ll need to find a Taoist priest to help call back his soul.”

 

“Thank you, doctor,” Lanlan said.

---

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 38

 

“……” Si Lan.

 

Haowei’s lips twitched, as if suppressing a laugh, and he sat up, supporting himself with his hands on the bed. Si Lan stumbled and fell between Haowei’s legs, quickly flapping his wings to steady himself.

 

“Cluck cluck……”

 

“……” Si Lan.

 

To everyone’s surprise, he made clucking sounds as he spoke, startling himself and quickly covering his mouth with his wings.

 

Seeing this, Haowei’s smile deepened. He lifted Si Lan from the bed, lowered his eyelids, and asked softly, “Awake? Any unusual symptoms?”

 

Si Lan suppressed the urge to cluck, coughed lightly, and replied, “I’m fine.” Perhaps due to transforming into his original form, his voice had become somewhat childish, with a hint of softness.

 

Haowei extended his hand to check Si Lan’s spiritual state, “Rest well for half a month, and you’ll recover.”

 

“Mm.” It seemed he would have to find an excuse to seclude himself for cultivation again.

 

“How about Song?” Haowei inquired.

 

“You still care about him,” Haowei raised an eyebrow at Si Lan’s response.

 

Si Lan, oblivious to any oddity, continued, “After all, I used so much blood to save him, I certainly have to care.”

 

With that, Si Lan jumped off the bed. However, due to not transforming into his original form for many years, he misjudged the distance and crashed into the ground, nearly breaking his neck. The pain made him cluck involuntarily.

 

Haowei reached out and lifted him up, his eyes cold, “Can’t you use your wings?”

 

“Been too long.” Si Lan said awkwardly.

 

Perhaps years of hiding his true form had instinctively deterred him from living as his true self. Even when alone, he rarely revealed his true form, let alone use his wings to fly.

 

Haowei carried Si Lan to two clusters of wisteria. The thick, intertwining roots and overlapping branches made them inseparable, like twins nurturing each other from root to leaf, from birth to death.

 

“Your Majesty…”

 

Seeing Haowei carrying Si Lan, Song Cheng shook the wisteria vines, and a branch extended towards Si Lan.

 

Si Lan rubbed against him with his wings. Song Cheng seemed a bit shy, his branches and leaves trembling slightly. In the next moment, Song Cheng became angry, rolling his branches and leaves to envelop Song Cheng entirely. Whatever Song Cheng wanted to say was silenced.

 

In mid-air, one wisteria vine tightly entwined with another, accompanied by faint “umm” sounds.

 

“……” Si Lan.

 

It seemed this life-and-death experience had significantly deepened the bond between these brothers.

 

Suddenly, Si Lan’s vision went black as someone covered his eyes, a faint fragrance wafting around his nose. He was lifted, and Haowei’s emotionless voice sounded near his ear, “No peeking.”

 

“……” Si Lan.

 

Why did this scene feel so familiar?

 

He used his wings to push Haowei’s hand away and met Haowei’s ink-black eyes, feeling a slight pause in his heart.

 

This proximity was too close, with Haowei’s breath almost touching his forehead and gently trailing down his nose. The warm breath felt like gentle hands stroking his feathers.

 

Feeling uncomfortable, he jumped out of Haowei’s arms, flapping his wings to fly, and this time, he didn’t fall down!

 

He couldn’t help but cluck with laughter.

 

Some things, though seemingly useless, still had their uses.

 

Haowei looked at the “wild chicken” before him, excited because he managed to fly, with a hint of helplessness in his eyes. Was this Demon Sovereign also getting dumber because his original form weakened?

 

Acting like a child, silly and naive.

 

Si Lan flapped his wings, circling around Haowei, as if showing off that he could fly. But his body wasn’t fully healed yet, and just as he was enjoying himself, suddenly the world spun around him, a sense of weightlessness surged up, and he fell unexpectedly.

 

Haowei’s hand swiftly caught his spine, as if holding a chick, and placed him back on the bed.

 

With his wings folded across his chest and his breath weak, Si Lan felt dizzy, his head spinning as if the bed was rotating, making him uncomfortable.

 

Looking down at him, Haowei’s voice was cool, “If you’re weak, don’t fly recklessly.”

 

Si Lan tried to roll his eyes at Haowei, correcting him, “I’m not weak, just a bit dizzy.”

 

Men can be ugly, they can be defeated, but they cannot be weak.

 

Haowei’s lips curled slightly, saying nothing, and then transferred some spiritual power to Si Lan.

 

Si Lan immediately felt a warm current spreading from his brow, enveloping his body and even every feather, making him extremely comfortable.

 

He couldn’t help but close his eyes and hummed softly, “Thank you.”

 

If he remembered correctly, Haowei had also infused him with spiritual power last night.

 

Although this little white dragon was proud and fierce, his nature was not bad. He truly was his destined husband…

 

Thinking of this, unbidden, Lan Lan’s words echoed in his mind.

 

“He’s quite good-looking, but he’s not a local. I heard he stayed briefly in the village for refuge or something. His name is… Chong… Chong Ying, that should be his name.”

 

Chong Ying… Was it him?

 

Si Lan had intended to quietly investigate and then ask Haowei about it, but his cultivation loss now hindered his investigation. Yet he couldn’t bear it in his heart and asked, “Haowei, have you ever stayed in the human realm?”

 

“Why do you ask?” Haowei looked at the huddled brown-feathered Si Lan on the bed and asked in return.

 

“Oh, it’s just that yesterday, Lan Lan told me that years ago, someone named Chong Ying saved me. I was thinking, could it be you…”

 

Haowei’s eyes flickered, remembering something, and his facial expression slowly tensed. “Did she say anything else?”

 

“No, just that the person’s name was Chong Ying, which sounds similar to your name.”

 

After Si Lan finished speaking, there was a long silence from Haowei. Si Lan raised his head to look at Haowei, noticing his contemplative expression.

 

“Do you think… we might have known each other before…” Si Lan added.

 

Haowei lowered his gaze and met Si Lan’s eyes slowly. “I did indeed undergo the human realm’s tribulations, from the eighth to the thirtieth year of Yu Dynasty.”

 

Si Lan covered his mouth with his two wings in astonishment. “I fell into the human realm in the twenty-fifth year of Yu Dynasty.”

 

“…”

 

After their conversation, both fell briefly into silence.

 

“Do you remember picking up a wild chicken from the lake back then, oh no, Yujia?” Haowei shook his head, not having those memories of the human world.

 

“I don’t remember. Did you see me back then?”

 

“I didn’t see you. I was unconscious at the time, and when I woke up, I was on Lan Lan’s chopping board at home.”

 

“…” Haowei.

 

It seemed like their entanglement was only this much, but Haowei always felt it wasn’t that simple.

 

The first time he suspected there was a connection between him and Si Lan was in the Jiyin Gossip Array. The destroyed wooden puppet in the illusion phase looked like Si Lan upon closer inspection, although his identity was unclear. Haowei didn’t tell Si Lan about this.

 

Furthermore, during their last intrusion into the scripture repository, Taixu Shenzun said a lot of strange things. It seemed like Taixu Shenzun had known Si Lan long ago, rather than mistaking him for someone else.

 

Perhaps the tribulation experiences recorded in the Purple Wei Jade Disk had quietly changed at some point.

 

“Your Majesty.” Qu Ze’s voice suddenly came from outside, interrupting the thoughts of the two in the room, “Peak Lord Li Qing of Xianya Peak is here to seek an audience.”

 

Li Qing, like the Lord of Lu, was dissatisfied with Haowei’s position as the Demon Sovereign and had assisted behind the scenes in the previous trouble caused by the Lord of Lu.

 

Si Lan glanced at his current appearance. “What is he doing here?”

 

“Your Majesty, he has come to apologize on behalf of the Lord of Lu and insists on seeing you, or he won’t leave.”

 

Si Lan covered his face with his wings and sighed helplessly.

 

The Peak Lords left by Chu Shanjun always came to stir up trouble from time to time. This “apology” must be some new trick.

 

Now that he had turned into a “wild chicken” and couldn’t maintain his human form, meeting with the other party would inevitably reveal his identity.

 

Just as he was worried, Haowei cast a phantom form technique, creating an invisible barrier around him.

 

Inside the barrier, he still looked like a wild chicken, but from outside the barrier, others would see his human form.

 

Si Lan was immediately delighted. “Thank you, Haowei.”

 

Haowei’s cultivation was higher than Li Qing’s, so he doubted Li Qing could see through it.

 

Haowei responded with a faint “Mm” upon hearing the thanks.

 

Always attracting trouble and always being troubled by trouble, such was the life of this Demon Sovereign.

 

He wondered what kind of unfortunate fate awaited him in the Purple Wei Jade Disk.

 

　　Zhu Ri Pavilion.

 

　　Si Lan sat askew on the high seat, one wing propping his head while the other gently fanned the air.

 

　　Li Qing entered and bowed respectfully, “Greetings, Your Majesty.”

 

　　”Li Qing, what brings you to me?” Si Lan shifted to lie in another direction, head resting against the chair back. His wings fluttered lazily, his expression one of contentment.

 

　　But to Li Qing, this sight seemed peculiar. He couldn’t understand why Si Lan kept shaking his fair hands intermittently.

 

　　Fanning himself?

 

　　Li Qing’s lips twitched slightly, forcing composure. “Your Majesty, after Brother Lu’s reckless actions last time, causing you trouble, I’ve been feeling remorseful. And Brother Lu himself wishes to apologize. Therefore, I’ve brought eight handsome men to present to you.”

 

　　Si Lan’s wings paused, curiosity written across his face. “Eight… handsome men?”

 

　　Beside him, Hao Wei lowered his head, casting a faint glance at Si Lan.

 

　　”Yes.” Li Qing clapped his hands, signaling the entrance of the handsome men waiting outside the hall.

 

　　Eight elaborately dressed men entered in single file, each originally a peac0ck spirit. Tall and slender, they exuded an air of aloof elegance, yet their eyes and expressions carried a seductive charm, a mix of reluctance and willingness.

 

　　As they entered the hall, Si Lan felt the room brighten.

 

　　Their beauty was breathtaking, each one a masterpiece.

 

　　”Your Majesty, what do you think?” Li Qing smiled knowingly, aware of Si Lan’s fondness for “beautiful acquisitions,” and thus had sent these handsome men.

 

　　In truth, these men were Li Qing’s operatives.

 

　　As long as they stayed, they would eventually uncover Si Lan’s vulnerabilities.

 

　　Si Lan’s gaze swept over each of the men. He had to admit, Li Qing had chosen well. These men were fair and delicate, yet carried themselves with dignity and allure, igniting a desire to conquer in one’s heart.

 

　　However, Si Lan had no intention of taking them in just yet.

 

　　”Li Qing, I appreciate your kindness, but I plan to seclude myself for cultivation soon. I fear these beauties may feel neglected. Please, take them back with you.”

 

“Your Excellency, you needn’t worry about this. They already admire you and are content as long as they can stay at Zhuyun Peak. As for whether you’ll favor them or not, that depends entirely on you. If you like them, you can seek them out. If not, just treat them as little birds you’ve taken in.”

 

Si Lan realized that today’s “blessing” was unavoidable. Hesitating, he said, “But I don’t keep idle people at Zhuyun Peak. I’ll arrange some tasks for them; I’m not sure if they’re willing.”

 

“They’re naturally willing.” Li Qing responded with a smile, not hesitating to agree on their behalf.

 

As long as they could work, they would inevitably come into contact with Si Lan’s secrets.

 

“In that case, I’ll accept your kind offer,” Si Lan said with a grin.

 

Upon hearing this, Li Qing quickly bowed and took his leave. “Your Excellency, I’ll not disturb you any longer. These eight beauties will stay here to await your orders.”

 

“Alright.”

 

After finishing his words, Li Qing left the hall with a smile, unable to hide the scheming look in his eyes.

 

It seemed that Si Lan wasn’t very smart after all, easily swayed by beauty.

 

If he’d known this earlier, there was no need to seek out a divine phoenix last time. A handsome man would have sufficed.

 

Si Lan looked at the group of beautiful men in the hall, then turned to Haowei. Haowei’s expression was unreadable, his eyes deep and revealing nothing.

 

Si Lan then looked at Qu Ze. “Qu Ze, does the Nanfeng Pavilion need more people recently?”

 

Qu Ze was startled and hesitated. “I… I believe it does.”

 

“Good. Then take these eight men and have them work there. They can also contribute to the economy of the Demon Realm.”

 

Qu Ze was confused, not understanding what economy meant, but he comprehended the first part of the instruction and quickly withdrew to carry it out.

 

After everyone had left, Haowei asked, his mouth taut, “What kind of place is the Nanfeng Pavilion?”

 

“It’s a place for performing arts,” Si Lan replied carefully.

 

In the Demon Realm, customs were liberal, and indulgence in pleasure was common. Relationships between men were not unusual, and thus, establishments like the Nanfeng Pavilion, which catered to men, were widespread.

 

Haowei paused, and upon realizing the connotation of the pavilion’s name, his expression became strange.

 

The debauched Demon Realm truly had everything.

 

It seemed that the Demon Lord was quite familiar with these things.

 

Haowei’s gaze turned cold as it fell on Si Lan’s face. Si Lan, sensing his stare, instinctively said, “I’ve never been there.”

 

“Oh.”

 

The atmosphere suddenly grew silent, and neither knew what to say.

 

Si Lan thought about how, under normal circumstances, one man in the Nanfeng Pavilion could earn two thousand pills and ten thousand magic crystals a year. So, eight men would bring in sixteen thousand pills and eighty thousand magic crystals, a considerable income.

 

Li Qing’s unintentional act had turned out to be a good deed.

 

Haowei, on the other hand, was pondering why Si Lan felt the need to explain himself without being asked.

 

Si Lan always seemed eager to explain himself. Why so many explanations?

 

Did Si Lan really see him as his destined one?

 

How amusing.

 

Aside from descending to the mortal world and enduring deliberate hardships, no one had ever dared to predict his fate. That fortune teller must have been talking nonsense, deceiving Si Lan.

 

Si Lan intended to flap his wings and take off, but after just a few flaps, he suddenly felt dizzy and started to fall. Fortunately, Haowei caught him by the wings and lifted him up.

 

He panted lightly, his little claws tucking in due to nervousness.

 

“Your body is still weak. Don’t run around,” Haowei admonished.

 

Si Lan’s face darkened, but with his face covered in feathers, it was hard to tell. He pecked Haowei’s hand with his beak, expressing his dissatisfaction.

 

“I’m weak, not fragile.”

 

Haowei, indifferent, carried Si Lan like a chick, taking him back.

 

Si Lan felt Haowei was too rough. He used to cradle the little white dragon gently, but now Haowei was carrying him by his wings as if he were a chicken.

 

However, Si Lan was indeed very weak at the moment, his head heavy and muddled. He didn’t have the energy to complain. Once Haowei brought him back to his room, he collapsed weakly onto the bed.

 

Haowei glanced at him, closed the door, and left.

 

Si Lan’s injuries hadn’t fully healed, but his life was no longer in danger. There was no reason for him to stay in the Demon Realm any longer.

 

Moreover, he wanted to return to the Heavenly Realm to investigate the unresolved issues between them and the unanswered riddle from the Buddhist scripture at Dayong Mountain.

 

Xie Li descended on a cloud of seven colors, arriving at the palace door just as Haowei was coming out.

 

Xie Li, wringing his little hands, glanced furtively at the closed door and asked Haowei, “Is the Exalted One awake?”

 

“He just fell asleep,” Haowei replied, looking down at the little child. “Why are you looking for him?”

 

“Um, the Exalted One owes me candy. Yesterday he didn’t give me any. Four pieces a day, so now he owes me eight pieces,” Xie Li mumbled.

 

Haowei suddenly recalled what Si Lan had told him through the spell.

 

“Candy shouldn’t be eaten in excess; it causes tooth decay. But I can give you three pieces a day.”

 

“I only give Xie Li two pieces a day; you get one more than him.”

 

It turned out Si Lan was actually giving Xie Li four pieces a day, not two.

 

Xie Li was getting more candy than him!

 

Haowei’s expression darkened immediately.

 

This smooth-talking Demon Lord… he had been deceiving him all along!

 

What else was he hiding?

 

With this thought, Haowei conjured the two colorful tail feathers and asked Xie Li, “Do you have these?”

 

“This…” Little Xie Li stood on tiptoe, squinting at the feathers. “I don’t have them.”

 

Haowei’s face relaxed slightly as he put the feathers away.

 

At least there was something others didn’t have.

 

Haowei said nothing more and transformed into a white cloud, disappearing into the distant sky.

 

Little Xie Li scratched his head, watching Haowei’s departure. “Why did the Exalted One give him the locator? And two at that,” he muttered.

 

After grumbling, he plopped down on the steps, planning to wait for the Exalted One to wake up. But he waited until evening, and the Exalted One still hadn’t woken up.

 

Qu Ze returned, riding on clouds, holding a jug of celestial nectar. He saw Xie Li dozing off on the steps, a smile appearing on his lips. He handed Xie Li some sweet fruit he had picked from the mountain.

 

This fruit was juicier than regular fruits and sweeter than candy, with a crisp texture. All the little ones in the Demon Realm loved it.

 

“Thank you, senior brother,” Xie Li mumbled through a mouthful of fruit.

 

Qu Ze patted his head. “Don’t bother the Exalted One about the candy. He needs to rest well.”

 

“Okay,” Xie Li nodded obediently, biting into the fruit. “Is the Exalted One alright?”

 

“He’s fine.”

 

“And what about the Right Protector?”

 

“He’s fine too.”

 

Qu Ze looked up at the two intertwined wisterias in the distance, a rare hint of embarrassment on his usually stoic face. Though he knew wisterias grew together, seeing the two of them entangled day and night still surprised him.

 

Last night, worried about the Exalted One’s illness, he couldn’t sleep and paced outside the hall. He saw one of the wisterias fondling the other, causing its leaves to shake uncontrollably.

 

Such a sight was truly improper.

 

There was no need to guess; he knew the improper wisteria was Song Ye.

 

At this moment, Song Ye, unaware of being disliked, was immersed in his intimate interaction with Song Cheng, relishing his brother’s presence and warmth. He even thought this life-and-death tribulation was worth it.

 

He hadn’t dared to tell Song Cheng that he had hidden his injury, thinking it would be better to die and be remembered forever by his brother than to face his cold indifference daily.

 

He extended a tendril to gently cradle the wisteria flower’s top, as if holding a lover’s face, gently caressing it.

 

Song Cheng’s voice turned hoarse with irritation. “Song Ye, what are you doing?”

 

“Brother, are you about to bloom?”

 

Wisterias, regardless of gender, all bloomed.

 

“Song Ye, take your hand off.”

 

Song Cheng extended a tendril to push Song Ye away. Just as he was about to, Song Ye let out a pained cry.

 

“Ouch, my leg hurts…”

 

Song Cheng immediately withdrew his tendril, knowing Song Ye might be faking, but he couldn’t take the risk.

 

“You’re so kind, brother.”

 

“I’m not your brother,” Song Cheng retorted, a bit petulantly.

 

By human standards, they were merely companions, climbing the same trellis, their bodies entwined, but they weren’t truly brothers.

 

“Alright, you’re so fierce.”

 

“I see your energy seems to have recovered well. I don’t need to stay with you.”

 

“Brother, my leg really hurts.”

 

Song Cheng’s heart softened again. He extended a tendril to gently wrap around Song Ye’s main stem. Song Ye seemed very happy, his leaves rustling in the night breeze.

 

Song Cheng ignored him but subtly adjusted his branches to allow Song Ye better access to the moonlight.

 

As night deepened, Song Cheng grew tired. As he drifted off, he heard Song Ye’s voice again.

 

“Brother, you once said you’d listen to everything I said.”

 

Song Ye had repeated this sentence at least dozens of times today in Song Cheng’s ear, to the point where his ears felt numb.

 

“Brother, I want to know, why did you start hating me later? Did I do something wrong?”

 

Song Cheng’s drowsiness vanished instantly, feeling the cool moonlight seep into his leaves, wrapping around his body. He remained silent, but his leaves drooped.

 

Song Ye’s breathing seemed to halt, not daring to move, waiting quietly for his response.

 

Just as Song Ye thought it would be like before, with Song Cheng remaining silent, Song Cheng’s clear voice came through the leaves.

 

“It’s not that I hate you; you disgust me.”

 

“How could that be?” Song Ye quickly denied.

 

“Song Ye, you once said disgusting things to me.”

 

Song Ye fell into deep thought upon hearing this. Had he ever called Song Cheng disgusting?

 

All he remembered was that Song Cheng had taken his chance to cultivate and spent every day with Lord Chushan, which had made him furious.

 

Everyone on Mount Qi thought he was angry because Lord Chushan preferred his brother, but in reality, he was upset that his brother no longer saw him, caring more about Lord Chushan and cultivation.

 

At that time, he might have said harsh words to his brother, but he never truly believed his brother was disgusting.

 

“Brother, could there be a misunderstanding? I never thought you were disgusting…”

 

Song Cheng’s leaves suddenly rustled, as if losing control, his voice trembling.

 

“Actually, you were right. I am disgusting. I took your chance to cultivate, and during closed-door cultivation with Lord Chushan in the cave, I thought I could become stronger. But I never expected Lord Chushan to use me as a cauldron.”

 

That unbearable period, which Song Cheng had deliberately avoided recalling, now surfaced, bringing back the realization that he had never truly faced that humiliating experience.

 

Locked in the secret chamber by Lord Chushan, he endured endless torment without dignity, unable to tell Song Ye. He had to pretend to be happy about his cultivation every time they met.

 

Even when faced with Song Ye’s cold mockery, he couldn’t reveal anything. But one time, Song Ye had followed him into the secret chamber. By the time he noticed, Song Ye had already fled in panic.

 

He wanted to chase after Song Ye, but Lord Chushan restrained him. When he finally found Song Ye, covered in wounds, and reached out to him, Song Ye pushed him away, calling him disgusting.

 

It felt like falling into an ice cave, freezing his heart. Just as Song Ye said, he truly was disgusting.

 

He didn’t deserve to be with Song Ye anymore.

 

From that moment, he distanced himself from Song Ye.

 

It wasn’t until Si Lan defeated Lord Chushan and rescued him from the secret chamber that he found solace. Si Lan was the only one who, after seeing him in that filthy place, covered him with his own clothes, preserving his last shred of dignity.

 

Moreover, Si Lan had never looked at him with disdain nor spoken about his ordeal to anyone else.

 

This was why he admired Si Lan so much.

 

Song Ye was stunned by Song Cheng’s words, momentarily speechless. He had never imagined Song Cheng had gone through such an ordeal. Back then, consumed by jealousy, he had followed Song Cheng into the secret chamber.

 

He vaguely heard voices from inside, unable to distinguish them clearly. He wanted to get closer to see but was discovered by Lord Chushan, forcing him to flee in fright.

 

If only he had dared to look inside then, perhaps his brother wouldn’t have suffered so much.

 

“Brother, even now, you’re still lying to me. Back then, Lord Chushan intended to use both of us as cauldrons, didn’t he? You knew it all along, so you did everything to protect me, making Lord Chushan target only you…”

 

Song Ye couldn’t continue.

---

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!