Day: June 30, 2024

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~

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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

 

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