Ch. 99 – Vicious Dog

Feng Ye stopped beside the wooden house and tilted his head back, clearly meaning to drive away his passenger.

The crow flapped his wings to steady himself. Though he was unwilling, they had reached their destination, and he had no excuse to linger any longer on the dragon’s head.

So the crow first crouched low, then spread his wings wide and gave Feng Ye’s head one last reluctant pat before taking flight.

He flew into the wooden house, and before Feng Ye could follow him inside, Hao Chen stepped out.

The corners of his eyes were tilted up, victory written all over his face.

For he had finally fulfilled a small, personal wish.

Feng Ye was in human form and didn’t have dragon horns, and the crow was just an avatar rather than the real thing. But in spirit, Hao Chen had indeed been sitting next to Yinglong’s dragon horns.

He was probably the first person ever to do so. Given Yinglong’s reputation, no one would dare to approach him, let alone dare to climb up to his dragon horns.

But he dared.

Hao Chen couldn’t help but open his fan and give it a proud flutter.

Feng Ye keenly noticed that there was a small purple flower on this fan, the same one that had been in the crow’s feathers earlier.

It was unknown what method Hao Chen had used, but the flower had transformed into a painting on the fan, preserving it in perpetuity.

But although he noticed this, he didn’t call attention to it.

Hao Chen didn’t mention it either. He didn’t say a word about what had just happened, and simply asked in a perfunctory manner: “Has Fellow Daoist Feng Ye sobered up after wandering around for so long?”

I’ve been sober for a while now, Feng Ye thought. He had originally been a little tipsy, but the subtle provocation of the crow brushing his sensitive spot had shocked him back to sobriety.

Although he had ultimately accepted the crow’s wildflower as a compromise, he still couldn’t help but shudder when he recalled how those feathers had brushed against his inverse scale.

It had felt so strange. This was the first time someone other than himself had touched it, and Feng Ye didn’t want to bring it up again, lest he have to keep reliving that feeling.

So he nodded, deciding to just change the subject. He glanced into the room, and when he saw no sign of Fang Yang and his friend, he asked: “Where’d they go?”

“They’re playing with the dog behind the house,” said Hao Chen.

No sooner had Hao Chen finished speaking than a beastly howl and two shouts of surprise sounded from behind the house.

The two exchanged a glance, then tacitly made their way toward the back.

Turning the corner, they caught sight of a large brown-grey dog. The rope around its neck pulled taut as it lunged with all its might, baring its fangs as if determined to rip into the two boys in front of it.

Shaken to their cores, Fang Yang and Cao Zirui clutched their chests in fright.

“What’s going on?” Feng Ye asked, surveying the scene.

Only when he spoke did Fang Yang notice their arrival. He took a moment to catch his breath. Then, still shaken, he explained the situation to Feng Ye: “I was just feeding it the leftover rabbit, but it wouldn’t eat it when I offered the bones to it. I tried to put a bone near its mouth, and it suddenly lunged and startled me.”

Cao Zirui nodded in agreement. The incident was just as Fang Yang had described it. If the dog hadn’t been leashed, it would have bitten off Fang Yang’s hand when it suddenly attacked.

When he heard this, Feng Ye turned his head to regard the big dog that was still struggling to lunge forward. It was likely a hybrid between a dog and a wolf, and was therefore bigger and fiercer than a domestic dog, with a bloodthirsty gleam in its eyes.

And near the big dog were a few scattered rabbit bones with scraps of meat still attached. This dog, however, ignored them. It observed Feng Ye and the other three, but ultimately settled its gaze back on Fang Yang and Cao Zirui. 

The look on its face was like that of a wild beast locking onto prey. In stark contrast to the human principle of giving way to the elderly, the young, the ill, and the disabled, beasts regarded these four types as their ideal prey.

Compared to Feng Ye and Hao Chen, who were both tall adults, these two teenagers would obviously be easier to hunt.

And fresh flesh and blood tasted much better than roasted rabbit bones. Unable to break free of its leash, the big dog could only lick its chops, dribbling foul-smelling saliva as it growled deep in its throat.

This dog has probably killed people before, thought Feng Ye.

An ordinary hunting dog wouldn’t target humans. But this dog was different, openly displaying its intention to attack Fang Yang and Cao Zirui them moment it had the opportunity.

But it made sense that wicked people would raise a wicked dog. Its owners were bandits who killed and robbed, and this dog had likely helped its owners commit many crimes.

Feng Ye didn’t mention this, and only said: “If it won’t eat, then so be it. Let’s pack up and get ready to leave.”

“Okay,” Fang Yang replied. As he was about to go back to the house and gather his things, he cast one last look toward the big dog, only to find that its beastly eyes were fixed on him.

The rope tightened again as the dog opened its jaws to reveal sharp fangs, barking repeatedly at Fang Yang.

Fang Yang was once again given a fright. Most of the dogs he encountered in his hometown were gentle and friendly, and unlike this fierce creature, he could pet them freely.

He didn’t realize that this was no ordinary domestic dog, nor did he understand that in the eyes of this big dog, he was nothing more than prey.

But he also abandoned any thought of befriending it. He grabbed Cao Zirui, then took off running into the house without looking back.

But the escape of its prey only fueled the dog’s aggression, and it struggled more and more violently, trying to break free of the rope around its neck.

As it pulled, the wooden stake anchoring the rope to the ground began to loosen.

Feng Ye suddenly sent it a casual glance.

To a wild beast, eye contact was a provocation.

But while this vicious dog had attacked Fang Yang when he looked at it before, at this moment, it stopped barking and lay down obediently on the ground with its tail tucked.

It also retracted its fangs, behaving itself well.

Feng Ye then turned and left with Hao Chen following behind him. But before leaving, Hao Chen cast one last look back at the big dog, which was now curled up on the ground and even trembling slightly with fear, showing no hint of its former ferocity.

It seemed that even vicious dogs feared vicious dragons.

Although this dragon only appeared vicious on the surface – a little secret that only Hao Chen knew.

The two made their way back to the house. When Fang Yang and the others were ready to set off, Wang Wu and Zhao Yi had not yet returned from the riverbank. 

The wooden house these two lived in was anything but tidy. Leftover dishes were piled up and attracting flies with no one bothering to wash them, and all sorts of trash was scattered throughout the house.

They had originally come to ask for directions, but ended up receiving a free roasted rabbit instead. Fang Yang felt a little embarrassed, and took the initiative to suggest that everyone help Wang Wu and Zhao Yi clean up as a way of repaying them.

This was good way to express their gratitude. It was just that…..Feng Ye glanced at the embroidery needles and thread, as well as the cloth tiger he had noticed upon first entering the room.

There was an unfinished pattern on the embroidered cloth, red flowers that were often favored by women. If someone told him that those burly bandits were skilled embroiderers, Feng Ye wouldn’t believe it.

The cloth tiger was clearly a child’s toy. Wang Wu and Zhao Yi were bandits who had fled to the mountains to evade government soldiers, so where did a child come into the picture?

This wooden house likely didn’t belong to the two of them. They had simply taken it as their own. And as for the original owners of the house, judging by the amount of dust collected on the cloth tiger, they had probably already met with misfortune.

It seemed that these two bandits had committed no shortage of heinous acts, and treating them to roasted rabbit was not done out of the kindness of their hearts.

But Feng Ye didn’t intend to reveal everything yet, and would even allow the bandits to lead them along. The man-eating monster in the ruins Wang Wu had mentioned might be related to his true purpose for this trip. Thus, he agreed with Fang Yang’s suggestion to help with the cleaning.

Of the four of them, three could be said to have some experience with cleaning. While Hao Chen had never done such things previously, even if he hadn’t picked up anything else during his days at Lingxiao Sword Sect, he had certainly mastered the art of sweeping the floor.

Cao Zirui was the only one without sufficient skills. He had been a young master at home, and a favored personal disciple within the sect. Pampered wherever he went, he had naturally never done such rough work.

But he didn’t mind getting his hands dirty, and simply imitated Fang Yang. Working together, the four of them made quick work of tidying up.

Wang Wu and Zhao Yi took their time coming back, and when they arrived, they were met with a completely renovated house.

Feigning politeness, Wang Wu offered perfunctory words of thanks to Feng Ye and his group. Then, unable to conceal his impatience, he eagerly put forth a suggestion: “It’s getting late, so let’s set off shortly.”

Although his eagerness stemmed from his desire to get Feng Ye and the others to the ruins as soon as possible, this suited Feng Ye’s plans perfectly, and he gave a cooperative nod.

Wang Wu was secretly delighted. He ran off to change his clothes, which had been soaked by river water, then grabbed a dead rabbit and threw it to the big dog behind the house.

This dog wouldn’t eat the roasted rabbit bones Fang Yang offered it, but it immediately devoured the still bloody rabbit corpse.

Its sharp teeth ripped open the rabbit’s belly, and blood smeared across its nose and mouth as it feasted.

Fang Yang glanced at it once, and dared not look again. Eating roasted rabbit was one thing, but seeing the bloody internal organs being pulled directly from the rabbit’s body was another.

After changing his clothes and feeding the dog, Wang Wu waved his hand and set off with Zhao Yi and the others in tow.

The mountain path was rugged, but traversing it didn’t pose a challenge to their group. Wang Wu and Zhao Yi, these two mountain bandits, had grown accustomed to a life of hiding in the mountains and were very familiar with its paths.

Feng Ye and his group all had a foundation in spiritual cultivation, so maintaining their balance on the mountain paths was not difficult for them.

So they moved forward at a fast pace, even laughing and chatting as they went. It all looked very harmonious.

“By the way, Wang-xiong, what type of breed is your dog? It’s so fierce, ah.” As they were talking, Fang Yang recalled the big dog that had given him such a fright, and couldn’t help but ask about it.

“Oh, that thing? Hehe.” Wang Wu stroked his beard, saying with some pride: “That’s a wolfhound, a mix of a wolf and the mongrel dogs that live in the mountains. It is indeed very ferocious. When it was only eight months old, not yet an adult, it had already killed …..”

He abruptly cut himself off, as if he had realized that he shouldn’t speak the next words on his tongue.

Feng Ye glanced at Wang Wu.

“What did it kill?” Asked the perpetually oblivious Fang Yang.

Wang Wu paused briefly before replying: “It…..it killed the neighbor’s chicken.”

That’s clearly not what you were going to say, thought Feng Ye.

Although Fang Yang hadn’t realized this, he did sense that something was wrong.

Wang Wu had been speaking with great pride before, and what was there to be proud of about a pet dog killing the neighbor’s chicken? Where he came from, such a vicious dog would be severely beaten by its owner.

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Chapter 98 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 100

Ch 30 – No Love, No Hate

Tau hugged his little dinosaur as he walked past the sofa where Yu Xi and Kersz were sitting side by side, and glanced toward the two before looking away.

A while later, he walked past again with the little dinosaur still in his arms. Tau glanced at Yu Xi and Kersz again: “Are you two trying to hold hands?”

“Ah?!” Yu Xi was startled, and Kersz fixed Tau with a glare.

“Just now, you were awkwardly moving your hands closer to each other. I’ve walked back and forth so many times, yet you’re still being so hesitant.” Tau didn’t understand.

But he did understand one thing: “Are you two in a relationship?”

“Of course not, we’re friends,” said Yu Xi.

Yu Xi was somewhat eager to experience that legendary romance, and naturally, it would be even better if it was Kersz sharing that experience with him.

But Yu Xi was a little afraid. Or rather, terrified.

Dating your friend was not a good choice, because romantic love and friendship were two different things, and it was even possible to lose that friendship in the end. Yu Xi only had one good human, and that was Kersz. He didn’t want to lose him.

“Friends?” Tau looked down at the little dinosaur in his arms waving its forelimbs, and couldn’t bring himself to say the rest.

He felt that Yu Xi and Kersz were the type of friends whose relationship was not completely platonic. Those kinds of messy, chaotic friends would fool around behind each other’s backs and then pretend like it didn’t happen.

Tau had only encountered these types of “friends” on certain special missions.

Had they slept together last time? Perhaps.

Wasn’t that sort of thing unpleasant? To prove their affection, they participated in such an unenjoyable exercise that wasn’t pleasurable at all between two humans.

It was said that doing that with an android was the ultimate pleasure.

As he pondered this, Tau felt that something was amiss. Thinking about it carefully, he realized that he had forgotten that Yu Xi was a robot, not a human.

Oh! No wonder Kersz sold his body so readily. It turned out that he was being pleasured by Yu Xi.

As expected of a degenerate space pirate.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Kersz asked Tau.

Tau turned his head away: “I’m not.”

“No? Your forehead was all scrunched up one moment, then relaxed in the next. You’ve been thinking about me behind my back quite a lot, eh?” Kersz didn’t believe that he had no thoughts about him.

Tau feigned ignorance and left while feeding the little dinosaur.

“He’s really presumptuous, ah,” Kersz said. “One day, he’ll know what it feels like too.”

“Mm.” Yu Xi didn’t hear what Kersz was saying at all. He wanted to hold Kersz’s hand, but he kept reaching out and pulling his hand back, not sure how to go about it.

Kersz noticed this, of course, and wanted to firmly grasp Yu Xi’s hand and put an end to his hesitation and unease.

But he didn’t dare.

He wasn’t sure what he actually felt for Yu Xi. He…..he seemed to be dreaming about Yu Xi far too often.

But wouldn’t things go wrong if their relationship developed too quickly?

Besides, Yu Xi already had everything, so what more could Kersz give him?

Kersz was somewhat disheartened. He worried that something bad might happen if he and Yu Xi got together impulsively. If the two of them never spoke to each other again, he would truly have no friends left.

They were both excited to take things a step further, but afraid that any further changes would destroy what they already had.

What they had at the moment was too perfect.

Yu Xi felt incredibly happy, yet incredibly discontent.

How could such contradictory emotions exist within him at the same time?

Was there a problem with his emotion module?

Yu Xi and Kersz were unable to resolve their physical intimacy issue for the time being, but they soon discovered that Tau seemed be dealing with an issue of his own. 

Curtis introduced them to a new friend – a man about the same age as the Supreme Governor.

Tau recognized this person. He was another Illegitimate.

This man was the illegitimate child of Curtis’s grandfather, but he hadn’t participated in missions. He had been taken in by another of Curtis’s relatives who’d lost a child, and the adoption took place before he even began to carry out his assigned work.

This was an extraordinary fate. A man who went from being an illegitimate child to becoming a citizen with a name and a surname.

The guy was also very annoying.

This wasn’t Tau’s first time meeting him.

“Why do I feel that there’s an aura of lifelessness around you? It’s very familiar.” The man asked with some confusion, taking a seat next to Tau.

Curtis explained to the man: “Don’t say anything more. He’s a single father.”

Tau remained silent.

“Oh, your family experienced a tragedy?” The man understood, and quite naturally placed an arm around Tau’s shoulders. “Friend, I empathize with you. I’ve lost a lot too. But you have a child, so you need to be more positive.”

This comforting technique was very odd. Even Yu Xi found it strange.

“It will take some time to get back on my feet. I hope I can get through this.” Tau hadn’t forgotten the role he was playing.

“But the more depressed you are, the worse your situation will become,” said the man.

Yu Xi tugged at Kersz’s sleeve when he heard this, and asked once Kersz lowered his head toward him: “Why do I feel like he has an intellectual disability?”

Kersz’s eyes widened. He thought so too, but he never expected to hear those words from Yu Xi’s mouth.

“Offering comfort to a stranger is a very risky thing to do,” said Yu Xi. “After all, you don’t know what kind of person they are, much less what they’ve been through, so randomly offering comfort can lead to disaster.”

Kersz nodded: “That’s true.”

“Uncle Fusya, stop babbling about positivity all the time.” Curtis rolled his eyes.

Fusya had always been like this, always talking about “positive energy” and telling people to think more optimistically.

Curtis and Fusya were very familiar with one another, all because Fusya had discovered the resentment in Curtis’s heart.

Fusya often went to Curtis’s side to take care of him, but he also kept his “positive energy” in mind all day long.

Fusya was very worried upon learning that Curtis had made three new friends. He felt that the type of friends Curtis tended to make were all the bad sort, fairweather friends who only knew how to lead this kid astray.

He was even more dissatisfied when he laid eyes upon the lifeless Tau.

He was just like those “Illegitimates.”

Fusya had also been an Illegitimate, so he was very familiar with the deathly aura that emanated from these individuals.

Fusya initially thought that these people intended to harm Curtis, but realized that this wasn’t the case when he saw Kersz and Yu Xi.

Kersz and Yu Xi didn’t carry that deathly aura that repulsed him, and were both very vibrant.

When Yu Xi first saw Fusya, his eyes glimmered, and he seemed to really want the man to touch him.

This sort of inner longing was something that Illegitimates lacked.

Could it be said that Tau had fallen to such a state after losing his wife?

With this in mind, Fusya extended a private invitation to Tau, wanting to help him overcome his grief.

“My god.” Kersz couldn’t take it anymore. He took exception to Fusya spending time with his friend, but there was nothing he could do to stop him. “Where do you plan to take him? To the Philanthropic Museum?”

“No one can discover a reason to live in a place like that!” Curtis said, “What he needs is the numbness of alcohol. It won’t do any good to stare at some rich lord’s philanthropic donations.”

“You’re being ridiculous. I find meaning in such things. Have you forgotten what I used to be?” Fusya asked Curtis.

Curtis fell silent.

Fusya proceeded to ask Tau again, though his invitation was now bordering on aggressive.

“Can I come along?” Yu Xi was very interested in Fusya’s plans.

“I’m sorry, baby, but this is your uncle’s healing journey.” Fusya reached out and patted Yu Xi’s head.

Yu Xi nuzzled against Fusya’s palm.

But unlike other humans on this first-class planet, who would exclaim in appreciation at the child’s affectionate gesture, he simply maintained his smile and withdrew his hand.

This left Yu Xi, who was trying to act cute, at a bit of a loss.

At this point, shouldn’t Fusya say something akin to “this child is so cute” and continue to stroke him, or even ask Kersz if he could hold the child?

Even that little scoundrel Curtis would react like this, ah.

Yu Xi felt as if he had been brushed off.

Fuysa proceeded to invite Tau again.

Tau had no other choice. He accepted the invitation.

That very evening, Fusya compiled all of the details of their conversation and sent them to the Supreme Governor.

“You suspect that this man named ‘Kaye’ is an Illegitimate?” the Supreme Governor said over the call.

“Yes, he has a repulsive, lifeless aura around him.” Fusya nodded.

“Do the other two not seem like Illegitimates?” the Supreme Governor asked.

“They do not. The older one is always staring at the younger one, who seems curious about everything,” Fusya said.

“Give me some time. An Illegitimate wouldn’’t care about a so-called ‘child.’ No matter how good his acting is, there will always be flaws,” Fusya said.

“If there are any problems, inform me at once,” said the Supreme Governor.

Fusya nodded in agreement, then reminded the Supreme Governor: “Don’t frown so much all the time.”

The Supreme Governor: “Hm?”

“Dwelling on too many unhappy things will shorten your lifespan. You should be more positive and optimistic,” Fusya advised. “You need to expose yourself to more positive things. Although I’m trying to test Kaye, visiting the Philanthropic Museum can definitely instill positivity in people. Shall I take pictures for you?”

The Supreme Governor remained silent.

“Being the Supreme Governor must be exhausting, so you need to adjust your mood. Uncle and Auntie certainly hoped that you would grow into a positive and optimistic child,” Fusya continued.

The Supreme Governor: “There is a reason for my unhappiness.”

“No matter the reason, you should smile when it’s time to smile,” said Fusya. “I have a few books on ‘maintaining happiness,’ which are very well-written. You can take a look when you have some free time, and I’ll discuss them with you later.”

The Supreme Governor: “A robot wants to kidnap me and make me a breeding stud.”

Fusya: …..

Fusya: “Ah?”

“This message was sent by my illegitimate child.” The Supreme Governor took a sip of tea, his face expressionless. “Should I really smile? If I’m captured and used as a breeding stud, should I still smile?”

Fusya’s mind was unable to process this information.

“I can’t imagine the horrific treatment I’ll face, but I’ll smile when it happens. Thank you for your advice, Cousin.” The Supreme Governor then hung up the call.

Fusya was still unable to react.

He sent a message to the Supreme Governor’s wife, asking her if she was aware of this matter.

The Supreme Governor would never tell such a lame, over-the-top joke.

The High Lord was quick to reply: [It’s true, hahaha.]

Fusya: ……

What was there to laugh about, ah?

When Fusya fell asleep, he was still consumed by worry for his cousin.

He even dreamed of the Supreme Governor being locked up in a cage.

He didn’t sleep well that night. Upon waking, he found that he looked somewhat unwell, with a puffy face and dark circles under his eyes.

Fusya lay in a medical pod for a while, then patted his cheeks and gave himself a standard smile in the mirror.

He looked up at the window, where sunlight filtered through the semi-transparent curtains and fell on the vase below, which held flowers in full bloom.

Such beautiful flowers were a rare find in interstellar space. Fusya had the system spray some water on them, pretending it was dew.

Now, they looked even more perfect.

Fuysa then lifted his shirt in front of the mirror, showing off his well-developed muscles.

He was always very self-disciplined.

This was what a positive, normal life should look like.

Today was a beautiful, perfect day, marred only by that man he suspected of being an Illegitimate.

If not for having to test that man, Fusya’s day would be even happier.

Thinking of this, Fusya reached up and patted his face again.

Wrong, wrong, how could he think like that? That wasn’t positive at all!

Right, he was doing this for his nephew! He had to make sure there were no problems with his nephew’s friend.

Fusya changed his clothes and headed to the meeting spot.

Tau arrived early.

Kersz and Yu Xi didn’t restrict him in any way. Yu Xi only said that if he was exposed, he would make Tau deliver food to his breeding stud father, so that he could witness his pathetic state firsthand.

Sitting at the entrance of the museum, Tau looked more lifeless than ever.

This wasn’t due to Yu Xi’s threats. He was already used to those. But when he went out today, the little dinosaur had called him “Daddy” in a childish voice.

And suddenly, Tau didn’t want to go out anymore. He wanted to stay with the little dinosaur. This was the first time he had been called “Daddy.”

But it was not to be. Kersz and Yu Xi repeatedly urged him to hurry up and leave.

Tau wasn’t sure if the food he’d made would be enough for the little dinosaur. His skills had yet to improve, and the food he made wasn’t refined enough. He wanted the little dinosaur to eat more delicious food.

He wanted to keep hearing it call him “Daddy.”

“You’re here so early?” Fusya greeted Tau.

Tau stared at him, then replied listlessly: “Yeah.”

After that, Tau followed Fusya around for a stroll. During their conversation, Tau came to the realization that Fusya harbored suspicions about him and was probing for information.

As for why he was probing for information…..his father probably had his eye on him.

Tau had always been aware that Fusya had a good relationship with the Supreme Governor. Fusya could even be considered Tau’s teacher, as he had taught him some of his concealment skills.

Tau had never doubted Fusya’s acumen, and was aware of how difficult he was to deal with. Once Fusya suspected him, he would utilize every means to learn everything about him.

In other words, it would be a long while before he could accompany the little dinosaur again. He had to go out and deal with Fusya.

Tau was a little frustrated.

Especially after visiting the museum. Yu Xi even gave him a call because the little dinosaur missed him.

The little dinosaur only knew the word “daddy” at the moment, and could only convey its emotions through this one word.

Tau had the illusion that his heart was being gripped by the little dinosaur’s claws, and he yearned to go back and see it.

This reaction of his surprised Fusya.

He sensed resentment from Tau, but an Illegitimate wouldn’t harbor such an emotion.

Could it be that he had misjudged the situation?

No, it was better to test him a little more just to be on the safe side.

He arranged to meet Tau again the next day, feeling that Tau disliked him even more now.

When Tau got home, he found Yu Xi and Kersz playing the hand-holding game again, very close but still not touching.

They sat side by side on the sofa, heads turned away from each other.

Kersz’s trembling hand was hovering over Yu Xi’s, as if something was wrong with his nerves.

Tau strode forward.

“Ya~ You’re back! The dinosaur missed you a lot!” Yu Xi said with a smile.

Tau slapped Kersz’s hand, forcing it to touch Yu Xi’s.

“Ya ya ya!” Yu Xi exclaimed in surprise.

“What are you doing?!” Kersz demanded.

“When you threatened me before, didn’t you say you were going to capture my father and use him as a breeding stud?” Tau asked Yu Xi.

Yu Xi was still making ‘ya ya ya’ sounds, and nodded as he made them.

“Where are you going to lock him up? Do you have a plan?” Tau asked.

Yu Xi: “Ah?”

“Oh! I’ve prepared a very well-protected room for him…..well, to be precise, it should be called a prison,” Yu Xi explained. “But I’ve arranged some really cute decorations for it in hopes that he can live very happily there for the rest of his life.”

Tau: “Do you have a photo of it?”

Yu Xi: “I can get one.” He could have the planet’s surveillance system take it.

“I want a copy,” said Tau.

Yu Xi didn’t understand: “What do you need a photo for? Are you going to secretly analyze the prison for escape routes?”

“He won’t be able to escape. No matter what you try, none of you will be able to escape the planet by any means.” Yu Xi shrugged his shoulders.

“I don’t know why, but I want my father to see the photo too,” said Tau. “This might be his future home.”

Yu Xi: “Ah?”

Kersz: “Hiss!”

“You can watch while I send the message,” said Tau.

Yu Xi and Kersz exchanged a glance.

Yu Xi: “Is this okay? Why do I feel like he’s acting really strange?”

After a brief moment of stunned silence, Kersz decided to watch the spectacle: “Let him give it a try?”

Yu Xi was still somewhat uneasy, but he chose to trust Kersz’s judgment.

Yu Xi took a picture using the surveillance system, and then he and Kersz watched as Tau relayed the message.

The steps Tau took to send the message were complicated, but Yu Xi quickly discerned the pattern.

*

*

Fusya was reporting the interim results of his investigation to the Supreme Governor.

Tau indeed exhibited many negative emotions that Fusya couldn’t understand. He didn’t like those emotions, but he had to admit that the other’s behavior was somewhat unlike that of an Illegitimate.

“His expression was especially rich after he received a call, as if he was worried about someone,” Fusya said. “He really does seem to have a child.”

“So the lifeless aura he carries is truly due to the loss of his spouse?” the Supreme Governor asked.

“It’s unfortunate that they’re not members of the Interstellar Alliance, so we’re unable to investigate their backgrounds,” Fusya lamented.

Just as the Supreme Governor was about to speak again, a communication panel suddenly popped up.

[Lord Governor, another message from 152 has arrived! He even posted a photo!]

Fuysa noticed the shift in the Supreme Governor’s expression and asked him about it.

“That kidnapped 152 is contacting me again.” The Supreme Governor shared his screen so that Fusya could see it too.

152’s new message was still very perplexing. 

[They said that if I cause them any trouble or don’t obey them, they’ll kidnap Father and make him a breeding stud.]

[I’m trying to be obedient, but I keep running into trouble.]

This was followed by a photo that had been pieced together and reconstructed.

[This is the dwelling they prepared for Father. If I fail, this is where he will become a stud.]

[The environment is quite nice. Father can adapt to it.]

The Supreme Governor: …..

The Supreme Governor frowned: “Have I offended 152?” Why did he feel like the other party was threatening him?

Fusya: “Isn’t this blanket a little too pink?”

The Supreme Governor: “Fusya.”

Fusya: “Pardon me. I’ve missed the point, haven’t I?”

The Supreme Governor let out a heavy sigh.

Fusya continued: “Hey, look, there’s a framed photo of you sitting there.”

The Supreme Governor: …..

The Supreme Governor: “Fusya, if I’m captured, I will definitely recommend you to them.”

“You would let space pirates take away our entire family?” Fusya was shocked.

The Supreme Governor: “Just you. There are plenty of other family members.”

Fusya: “If I’m captured, I will implicate the entire family.”

The Supreme Governor fell silent.

Then he commended him: “Such ruthless methods.”

The Supreme Governor ended the call.

Not long after, his wife called him.

Before the High Lord could even open her mouth, she discovered that a family comedy movie was playing on the other end of the line.

“When did your tastes change?” the High Lord asked him.

“I just had a sudden longing to have an ordinary family. There’s too much backstabbing and infighting in ours.” The Supreme Governor’s expression was still as unaffected as ever.

*

*

“Do you hate your father?” Kersz asked Tau.

“I’ve never hated my father,” said Tau.

Yu Xi disagreed: “But if I hadn’t stopped you just now, you were even planning to splice the Supreme Governor’s image onto the prison photo as a demonstration.”

“Only to cause my father to feel a sense of crisis.” As he answered, Tau was preparing food for the little dinosaur, which was nuzzling against him.

The little dinosaur had missed Tau terribly, and wished it could be with him every moment.

But Tau had agreed to meet Fusya again tomorrow, so he would have to part ways with it again.

“I still want to splice my father’s photo in,” Tau said.

Kersz: “This is the definition of hatred.”

Tau: “No. I don’t have such feelings.”

---

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Chapter 29 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 31

Ch. 98 – Mountain Flower

“We brothers have stayed in the mountains for a while now. We initially came here to avoid the government troops, but now that the heat has died down, what are we still doing here?” 

“Isn’t it for the legendary treasure inside the ruins?!” Wang Wu slapped his thigh.

Zhao Yi nodded in agreement.

“But that place is too eerie. Of all the creatures we sent to scout ahead, which of them came back alive? In the end, they all became skeletons in that pit. Let me think…..”

Wang Wu stroked his messy, unkempt beard, which resembled overgrown weeds: “Staying here like this isn’t going to work. There is absolutely no way that the two of us can deal with that man-eating place. As wonderful as the treasure is, without the ability to take it, we can only stare at it helplessly.”

“But now this group of people has come to our doorstep, and they’re heading directly for the city ruins. They might also be searching for that treasure. We can’t deal with that thing, but these cultivators might just be able to.”

“But once they’ve dealt with it, won’t they make off with the treasure?” Zhao Yi interjected.

“Eh, it’s worth the gamble! We can’t just stay here forever, can we?” Wang Wu detailed his plan to Zhao Yi: “There are three possible outcomes if we take them to the ruins.”

He held up three fingers: “One, they’re eaten by that ghostly thing too. Two, they fight the monster to a standstill and both sides perish. Three, they return victorious.”

“If it’s the third outcome, we can forget about everything. We don’t have the ability to retrieve the treasure, nor do we have the ability to take them down. We’ll just have to accept our fate. But judging by how young they are, even if they are cultivators, they’re probably just greenhorns with limited proficiency. In my opinion, the third outcome has a very small probability of happening.”

Wang Wu’s analysis was very logical and insightful. Despite his rugged appearance, he was a meticulous soul. “If it’s the second outcome, we can look for an opportunity to snatch up the benefits while the snipe and the clam are fighting each other.” 

“Finally, if even they are incapable of fighting the thing in the ruins, we have even less of a chance. We’ll no longer need to sit idly by on this mountain of treasure with no way to get to it. But while we might not be able to take the treasure ourselves, we can take it from these cultivators.”

“We’ll loot the treasure from their corpses, hehe…..” At this point, Wang Wu couldn’t help but chuckle smugly over his flawless plan. “These cultivators must possess treasures that are impossible to find in the mortal world. If we take just one and sell it, we’ll be able to live a life of wealth and honor!”

“And to go even further, we might be able to use their magical treasures to enter the immortal realm!” Wang Wu spoke with great excitement.

As Zhao Yi listened to his words, his eyes brightened more and more. It made sense. Rather than waiting in vain for this treasure that could only be looked at but not held, it was better to take a gamble.

“So, how about it? Want to take a gamble with me?” asked Wang Wu.

“Damn it – I’ll take the gamble!” Zhao Yi growled fiercely.

“That’s right!” Wang Wu stepped onto the bank from the stream and hooked his arm around Zhao Yi’s neck, saying in a low voice: “This afternoon, we’ll behave ourselves and lead the way to the entrance of the ruins. Then….”

The two discussed back and forth how to lure Feng Ye and his group into the deadly ruins, completely unaware that a human and a bird were listening to their plan from behind a tree.

Feng Ye tilted his head, and a tuft of fluffy feathers against his neck tickled him slightly.

He wondered if taking a mile when given an inch was Hao Chen’s motto. It probably was.

This fellow was pretending to be frightened, scooting closer and closer to him. In the end, he put one foot into Feng Ye’s collar and curled his whole body tightly around Feng Ye’s neck.

There was a common rumor that dragons possessed a scale that couldn’t be touched, lest they fly into a rage.

And this scale – or “inverse scale” – grew on the neck, where the crow was currently nestling.

There was some truth and some falsehood to this rumor.

This sensitive spot was definitely not to be touched casually. If it was, whether it was Feng Ye or the dragon in the Eastern Sea, they would fly into a towering rage.

Because this scale, which grew upside down, was actually the most sensitive spot on a dragon’s body. Even a light touch was uncomfortable, much like a ticklish person being tickled on the sides.

And this sensitive spot was considered to be extremely private by the dragon race.

A stranger touching a dragon’s inverse scale was like someone groping a pure young maiden. It would be strange for a dragon, which were violent by nature, not to get angry.

There were, however, exceptions. A dragon’s lover could touch it however much they wanted. 

Hao Chen was clearly not Feng Ye’s lover, so when the crow neared that most sensitive of spots, Feng Ye tilted his neck to avoid it.

But the more he evaded, the closer the crow pressed against him, until the tips of his feathers eventually touched that sensitive spot.

The feathers were soft, and their fine, dense down felt like a tiny brush. Although it was only a light graze, it still sent a shiver through Feng Ye’s entire body.

A wave of furious offense came over him, and Feng Ye snatched the crow off his shoulder, glaring at the bewildered bird.

The crow blinked up at Feng Ye, wearing an innocent expression.

And he was indeed quite innocent, because the fact that a dragon’s inverse scale was its most sensitive spot was something only known to dragons themselves. Outsiders had no way of knowing.

But ignorance was no excuse.

Feng Ye understood this principle, and had no intention of letting the crow off easy.

Thus, he grabbed the crow’s wings with both hands and ruffled all of its feathers, stroking them against the grain until he had thoroughly disheveled its soft plumage.

The power of his avatar was limited, and Hao Chen was unable to break free from Feng Ye’s grip as his feathers were rumpled in retaliation.

But even though Feng Ye was petting against the grain, it was still….a little enjoyable…..

So enjoyable that he wanted him to do it again.

After preening his feathers back into place with his beak, Hao Chen looked at Feng Ye with bright eyes, his anticipation evident.

However, Feng Ye had no intention of continuing. He had already gleaned sufficient information from the conversation between the two mountain bandits. Their plan didn’t concern him much, because he wasn’t going to keep them around long enough for them to put their plan into action.

Therefore, Feng Ye started the trek back, throwing Hao Chen off from where he had once again climbed up to hitch a free ride on his shoulder.

Hao Chen thought to himself, Perhaps I’ve been standing on the same side for too long, and Feng Ye’s shoulder is a little tired.

The crow thoughtfully flew up to perch on the other shoulder, only to be thrown off once again.

Just as he relentlessly made a third attempt, Feng Ye caught the crow mid-air and uttered two cold words with a grim expression: “Fly yourself.”

The crow flapped his wings and hovered in place, using his eyes to rebuke Feng Ye for his ruthless abandonment. 

It had clearly been fine for him to perch there a moment ago, but now it suddenly wasn’t allowed even though he had purchased a ticket.

Feng Ye completely disregarded the crow’s accusing look and continued on his way toward the wooden house.

The crow watched Feng Ye’s retreating figure, in no rush to give chase.

He sensed very acutely that this dragon was angry.

But he couldn’t figure out the reason for his anger. He hadn’t done anything wrong, ah. In the end, he could only attribute it to the unpredictable temper of a drunken dragon.

Anyway, no matter how angry he was, Hao Chen would just coax him!

Another idea occurred to him, and his eyes lit up.

Feng Ye saw the crow disappear for a while, and then fly back with something else in his beak.

It was a small, pale purple flower. The exact variety was unclear, but it was probably a wildflower unique to Longqiu.

The crow hovered in front of Feng Ye, as if offering the wildflower to him.

He had already been fooled once, and there was no reason to fall for it a second time. If he accepted this wildflower, the crow would have a legitimate excuse to take advantage of him again.

Still burning with offense, Feng Ye remained expressionless, unmoved by the crow’s gift.

He fixed the crow with a cold stare. Standing in place was nothing to him, but the crow was so small that he could only look Feng Ye in the eye when he flew up to him.

So he continued to flap his wings, hovering in the air. But his stamina was limited, and crows were not particularly endurance-based birds. He couldn’t maintain his altitude, and slowly began to descend.

He flew lower and lower, before finally, he landed on the ground.

Feng Ye simply lifted one long leg and stepped over the head of the exhausted crow huddled on the ground.

The crow stood alone on the muddy mountain path, watching Feng Ye head on his way without looking back

As he watched, Feng Ye steps began to slow, and he came to a sudden stop just as he was about to disappear from sight.

Walking back the way he had come, he approached the crow and crouched down. Then he took the flower from the crow’s beak, but instead of wearing it himself, he placed it in the feathers on the crow’s head.

But this could be considered a gift received. The crow shook his feathers and happily prepared to fly back onto Feng Ye’s shoulder.

Feng Ye raised a hand to stop him, and with a serious expression, laid down one basic rule: “No standing on the shoulder.”

Otherwise, given Hao Chen’s style, he would definitely end up provoking him again. Therefore, Feng Ye simply cut off the possibility of Hao Chen touching his sensitive spot again at the root.

There were only so many places on a person’s body to perch. If not on the shoulder, then where?

The crow’s gaze rose higher and higher, and he found his answer.

Feng Ye walked back to the wooden house with a crow perched atop his head. And on the crow’s head, tucked behind its ear, was an unidentified wildflower.

Although the petals were purple, deep within the pistil lay a deep golden hue, a color even sweeter than honey.

---

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Chapter 97 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 99

Inside the quiet room, the howling wind outside and the faint tapping on the window were exceptionally clear.

Qin Xiao sat up at once. The movement accidentally pulled at his wound, and he raised a hand to press against it.

He glanced out the window, then turned his head to look at the person next to him. For a moment, he didn’t know what to do.

Chu Jiubian could hazard a guess as to that person’s identity. He sat up, looking at Qin Xiao’s hazy figure in the darkness.

After that one series of knocks on the window, there was silence.

Chu Jiubian smiled. The warmth in his expression faded, and his heart grew calm and still.

Qin Xiao trusted him completely, enough to entrust him with his power and the safety and future of Bai Lihong, but he still harbored some reservations about him. For example, Qin Xiao definitely didn’t want him to know the identity of the person outside.

Then Chu Jiubian would just leave. Qin Xiao was still injured, and he wouldn’t force him to go out and meet that person in the snow and wind.

He threw back the covers, and just as he was about to get out of bed, he heard the man say in a low voice: “Stay lying down for now.”

With that, Qin Xiao got out of bed, casually lowering the bedcurtain behind him to block the view.

Chu Jiubian was at somewhat of a loss.

Qin Xiao put on his shoes and draped a robe over himself, then went to the table. He took out a tinderbox, simultaneously speaking toward the window: “Come in.”

The window opened, and a dark figure rushed into the room with a gust of wind and snow.

As the window closed again, Qin Xiao lit an oil lamp.

A dim, yellowish light illuminated the room. Chu Jiubian sat within the bed curtains, and could vaguely make out two figures standing by the table. Both were tall and imposing, but Qin Xiao’s shoulders seemed to be slightly broader.

The other person had his back to the curtain, so Chu Jiubian was unable to see his face, but he knew without a doubt that it was Qin Chuan.

It was dim inside the bedcurtains, and those outside would be unable to see him clearly unless they came very close. But Qin Chuan was very discreet, and continued to keep his back to the bed.

“Have a seat.” Qin Xiao sat down himself and poured a cup of hot tea, handing it to Qin Chuan.

Qin Chuan sat down opposite him and drank the tea, feeling much more comfortable afterward.

After receiving permission from the High Priest, he had immediately set off and traveled without rest, and finally arrived tonight after a day and a night.

He carefully observed Qin Xiao’s face. Although he looked a bit thinner, he seemed to be in good spirits.

“Don’t worry,” Qin Xiao said. “I already sent someone to deliver a message to you, but I didn’t expect that you would come in person.”

Upon regaining consciousness, the first thing he did was seek out Qin Chaoyang and ask him to pass a message to Qin Chuan.

But before the message even reached him, Qin Chuan had already set off in this direction.

Of course, even if he had read the letter, and even though the High Priest had assured him that Qin Xiao was fine, he still needed to see for himself in order to be completely at ease.

“En, but I didn’t come here just to see you,” Qin Chuan said. “It’s the New Year, and I wanted to come and see the celebrations in the capital, as well as check on how you’re recovering from your injury.”

Qin Xiao smiled and said: “Then as you can see, Chu Jiubian saved me and I’m doing fine.”

At the mention of his name, Chu Jiubian automatically glanced toward the bed curtain.

Qin Chuan sensed his gaze, and his expression immediately became strange.

Just a moment ago, he had heard Qin Xiao speaking to someone while he was outside the window, and initially thought that Qin Xiao had finally found a partner.

But unexpectedly, it was Chu Jiubian!

These two were actually together?

Qin Chuan recalled the high and mighty deity in the Divine Realm, then looked at Qin Xiao with a rare mix of emotions.

He knew that Qin Xiao was very formidable, that there was no one else like him in this world, and that he was arguably the person most worthy of Chu Jiubian.

But he was indeed a “person,” and now there was a god with his eye on Chu Jiubian.

Although the High Priest had never said so explicitly, all of his actions indirectly helped Chu Jiubian, and their relationship was incredibly ambiguous and complex.

But if Chu Jiubian was now involved with Qin Xiao…..

Qin Chuan wasn’t sure how to react, but he instinctively wanted to warn Qin Xiao.

However, when the words were on the tip of his tongue, he was unable to speak them.

Qin Xiao noticed his hesitation and asked: “What is it you want to say?”

After a moment of silence, Qin Chuan said dryly: “You…..you’re really something.”

Daring to get involved with a god was not something that just anyone would do.

Qin Xiao frowned slightly: “What?”

Chu Jiubian, however, seemed to understand what he meant. He was somewhat speechless, and also a little embarrassed.

What was this feeling of being caught red-handed?

Wasn’t it a bit too strange?

“It’s nothing.” Qin Chuan’s words were mystifying.

Qin Xiao didn’t know why he had reacted in such a way, but he dropped the subject rather than dwelling on it. “Is there anything else?” he asked.

“That’s all.” Qin Chuan hesitated, then added, “I’ll leave after the New Year.”

Qin Xiao nodded: “Will you be staying at the palace?”

“I already have a residence.” Qin Chuan stood and walked to the window, but before leaving, he couldn’t resist turning back to say, “Take care of yourself.”

Qin Xiao smiled: “Understood.”

He had thought that Qin Chuan was concerned about his injuries, but it turned out that he was worried about something else entirely.

He was wondering whether a mortal could withstand being with a god.

Qin Chuan had wanted to find an opportunity to question the High Priest, but since doing so would be like pulling the teeth from a tiger’s mouth, he decided against it.

With Qin Chuan’s departure, silence returned to the room.

Belatedly, Chu Jiubian realized what he had just experienced.

Qin Xiao hadn’t concealed Qin Chuan’s existence at all. He had even spoken with him in front of Chu Jiubian without any hesitation.

His mind was in chaos, and he didn’t quite know how to face Qin Xiao.

Thus, when Qin Xiao blew out the lamp and went over to lift the bed curtain, he found the young man lying with his back to him, almost completely hidden beneath the covers.

Qin Xiao got into bed and lay flat on his back.

Chu Jiubian’s body was slightly tense, his eyes shut tightly.

“That was Qin Chuan, my younger brother.” Qin Xiao spoke softly, and without regard for whether or not Chu Jiubian had actually fallen asleep. “He left home at a young age and lived independently, never receiving  any protection from the Qin family.”

“We are both legitimate sons, yet I enjoyed wealth and luxury in the capital, while he was out in the jianghu, unable to even see his family.”

“We all owe him a debt.”

Chu Jiubian kept his eyes closed, and his body slowly relaxed.

Qin Xiao rarely spoke of family matters like he was doing now. He seemed to be making no attempt to hide his inner thoughts. He felt guilty and wanted to make amends, but wasn’t sure how to go about it.

Chu Jiubian found it difficult to understand why Qin Xiao felt indebted, given his seemingly emotionally detached nature. But he suspected that Qin Xiao had never voiced these thoughts to anyone before.

Qin Xiao seemed to enjoy sharing things with him.

Chu Jiubian habitually tried not to pay attention to such things, without giving much thought to the reasons behind it.

However, he turned over to face Qin Xiao, observing the man’s faint outline in the darkness.

Qin Xiao said nothing more, simply staring at him through the darkness with an intense, piercing gaze.

A long stretch of time passed, and when Qin Xiao spoke again, his voice was slightly hoarse: “Do you think it’s a little hot in this room?”

“It’s fine.” Despite lying here for so long, Chu Jiuian’s hands and feet were still cold.

“En,” Qin Xiao replied. Then he added, “I’ve more or less recovered. Why don’t you go back to Yaotai Residence to sleep tomorrow?”

Was he trying to get rid of him?

After talking about how hot it was, he immediately wanted him to leave. This…..

Chu Jiubian raised his eyebrows, then moved slightly closer to Qin Xiao.

His cold hand touched the man’s warm forearm, and his muscles visibly tensed – though whether this was due to the cold or for some other reason was unclear.

“If you’re hot, I’ll cool you down.” Chu Jiubian closed his eyes and moved his feet closer to Qin Xiao’s legs, using the other man’s body heat to warm them.

Yaotai Residence didn’t have underfloor heating, and when he returned there today, the temperature wasn’t nearly as nice as it was here.

The conditions here were so good, so why let himself freeze?

Besides, the bed was big enough. There was plenty of room for the two of them to sleep.

Feeling the coolness against his arm and legs, Qin Xiao remained frozen.

Cooling down a bit did help, but Chu Jiubian using his limbs to achieve the effect was worse than not cooling down at all.

*

*

The next day, the vassal kings left the city in a long procession.

The scale of the event was immense to the point of being intimidating, but some people couldn’t resist the urge to take part in the excitement.

Meanwhile, at the Qin family compound, Cheng Shuo finally woke up.

Qin Chuan was sitting in the room with a mask covering his face, his gaze fixed intently on the other person.

Cheng Shuo was initially dazed, but then the memories of what happened before came trickling back.

From the moment he joyfully accepted the assignment and prepared to accompany Qin Xiao on the campaign, through dozens of battles, and then to conquering the Sai Kingdom and expanding the territory of Great Ning.

Finally, he remembered how he obtained the repeating crossbow from Qin Xiao. Just as he was about to leave with it, he lost control of himself, took out the weapon, and leveled it at the other man.

After that, his memory was completely blank.

“You were poisoned by gu.” Qin Chuan deliberately lowered his voice, which sounded slightly hoarse. “Do you know who did it?”

Cheng Shuo assumed that he was one of Qin Xiao’s secret guards responsible for interrogation, and didn’t suspect anything. He thought hard for a long time, until his head ached so much that it felt as if it was about to explode, before he suddenly remembered a single vague shred of information.

Before he set off for battle, his concubine at home prepared his belongings for him and even gave him a sachet. She instructed him to only open it after achieving a great victory, promising that it held a surprise for him.

This concubine’s name was Liu Ayan, whom he had brought back with him when he was still stationed in the Northern Desert with QIn Jingzhao. She was an orphan, and her background was unblemished.

But in hindsight, he couldn’t remember opening the sachet, nor could he recall a small portion of his memories afterward.

Then Liu Ayan should be the prime suspect.

Qin Chuan immediately stood and went out, ordering someone to fetch Liu Ayan.

Cheng Shuo’s family members were all under the control of the Qin family, and now that this incident had occurred, surveillance had become even stricter.

Liu Ayan seemed to have known that once Cheng Shuo woke up, her own fate was sealed, so to be on the safe side, she made preparations to end her own life beforehand.

However, her attendants were keeping a close watch on her, and restrained her before she could take action.

She was quickly brought before Qin Chuan, bound hand and foot.

It was unknown how Qin Chuan conducted the interrogation, but by the time Chu Jiubian received the news, it was revealed that Liu Ayan was an assassin loyal to the Lu family, and that she had initially approached Qin Jingzhao with ulterior motives.

However, Qin Jingzhao and his wife were deeply in love, and she was unable to find a place for herself in their relationship.

Therefore, she was forced to settle for the less ideal option, and ended up becoming involved with Cheng Shuo.

Subsequently, Cheng Shuo demonstrated impeccable behavior and gave her no opportunity to act against him. Even the Lu family tacitly accepted that she was a “dead” pawn.

Said pawn was only able to come into play when Cheng Shuo accompanied Qin Xiao on his military campaign.

“The Lu family again?” Chu Jiubian frowned.

The Lu family certainly had the ability to plant their own people, and the Sai Kingdom’s invasion had also been the result of a conspiracy between the Lu family and Dingbei-wang.

What role had Dingbei-wang played in the Lu family’s actions?

Liu Ayan was a loyal assassin belonging to the Lu family, but she had never learned how to cultivate gu, so they must have been given to her by someone else.

Then could that gu master be one of Dingbei-wang’s people?

Qin Xiao watched the snowflakes falling outside the window, and said calmly: “Once the Imperial Examinations are over, it will be time to settle accounts.”

The current situation was completely different from what it was a month ago.

Qin Xiao and Bai Lihong were no longer fighting alone. They held good reputations, prestige, and accomplishments in the hearts of the common people, along with a legitimate claim to the throne and Chu Jiubian, a divine being.

Everything was in place, aside from one crucial element.

Once they had the right people in place, they would be able to confidently dismantle the power of the noble families within the Imperial Court.

At that time, all hidden secrets would be brought to light. Those who were guilty would be punished, and those who deserved death would face justice.

There was a tough battle ahead of them.

*

*

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

On the thirtieth day of the month, the vassal kings, having concluded their fasting and ritual observance, all returned to the capital.

This scene was even more lively than on they day they had left, with crowds of people filling the streets and alleys, craning their necks to catch another glimpse of the vassal kings.

It was as if catching even a glimpse of their magnificence would elevate their own status.

The procession of horses and carriages didn’t linger long as they returned to their respective residences.

The Imperial banquet was scheduled for this evening, but they still needed to change into the brand-new princely robes sent to them by the palace, bring the gifts they had prepared for the Emperor, and enter the palace early to pay their respects.

Inside the palace.

After waking up from a nap, Bai Lihong put on his new miniature dragon robes, as well as a scaled-down version of the formal twelve-tasseled Imperial crown.

This was the child’s second time wearing such a crown, and unlike when he had first ascended the throne, he no longer felt the same fear and helplessness. Now, he was even at leisure to playfully swing the crown around.

Qin Xiao also changed into his black and gold embroidered robes. Standing tall and upright, with a calm and composed demeanor, he showed no signs whatsoever of being injured.

Chu Jiubian, on the other hand, wore his first-rank crimson-purple official robes, just like the other ministers of the Six Ministries.

But according to his attire and the established protocols, he could only sit at a table with the other ministers on the second tier of seats below the main platform.

Bai Lihong sat on a couch with his face cupped in his hands. “Isn’t Xiansheng going to sit with Jiujiu?” he asked.

His uncle would be sitting beside him, so he could rest assured.

But if Xiansheng was there too, he would feel even better.

He also felt that it would be perfectly acceptable to sit together with Xiansheng, and was uncomfortable with him sitting so far away.

Chu Jiubian smiled and said: “Xiansheng won’t be able to sit with you this time.”

The child pouted, looking very unhappy.

Perhaps knowing that there would always be someone beside him as a safety net, Bai Lihong didn’t seem to be in any hurry to grow up. Instead, he retained the childish mentality and behavior typical of children his age, often acting spoiled and cute toward Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian.

For a child who was only a little over three years old and had already experienced so much, he was doing remarkably well.

Therefore, although Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian had never openly discussed the matter, they had come to a tacit agreement to not put excessive pressure on Bai Lihong to mature too quickly, unwilling to place too much responsibility on his shoulders at such a young age.

Hong Fu had initially been in a hurry, and wished that Bai Lihong could learn even faster.

But as time went by and he saw the increasingly vibrant and joyful expressions on His Majesty’s face, he also stopped pushing him so hard.

At present, Bai Lihong was deliberately acting spoiled toward Chu Jiubian. 

He was making it explicitly clear that “Miaomiao is unhappy!”

Qin Xiao glanced toward Chu Jiubian and swept his eyes over the official robes he was wearing. At once, he remembered the outfit Chu Jiubian had been wearing when they first met.

It had been strange and intricate, completely out of place in this world.

However, it was indeed attire suited to a “deity,” and at tonight’s Imperial banquet, Chu Jiubian could certainly attend in such a capacity.

The man’s gaze was somewhat abnormal, and Chu Jiubian looked over at him, asking: “What’s on your mind?”

“Perhaps the Young Master could assume a different identity in support of our Emperor,” Qin Xiao said with a smile.

If a “god” were to attend the banquet, as an emperor who claimed to rule by divine right, Bai Lihong would naturally gain widespread acclaim.

Chu Jiubian understood his meaning, but he still hesitated.

That outfit was fine to wear inside the Divine Realm, but wearing it now would be somewhat embarrassing.

Qin Xiao noticed his uncertainty and said: “If you don’t like the idea, then just forget about it.”

However, if things continued like this, Chu Jiubian’s social status would remain somewhat low.

It would be best to grant him a royal title as well.

However, conferring a royal title was not something that could be done at the drop of a hat. It required official documents, numerous procedures, and even rituals at the ancestral temple, so it was certainly not possible to do so today.

Chu Jiubian remained silent, neither agreeing nor refusing.

After about a shichen, all of the vassal kings had gathered outside the palace in preparation to pay their respects.

Even though Jiannan-wang Bai Lihai still resided in the capital, he also held the title of vassal king and was required to act in accordance with the others, without exception.

And in terms of seniority, his rank was below those of the other vassal kings.

Yet he showed no hint of displeasure, maintaining a consistent smile, along with the occasional light cough to give off the impression that he was sickly and frail.

Over the past few days, the vassal kings had grown somewhat familiar with one another. All of them were aware that Bai Lihai was putting on an act, but none intended to expose him.

Exposing this sort of thing would be pointless and a waste of energy.

Only Anhuai-wang Bai Liming, who was standing closer to Bai Lihai, approached him with a worried look and asked in a low voice: “How are you feeling? Did you catch a cold?”

They had sat together previously at Dongjiang-wang’s banquet, and since they were of the same generation, they were naturally more familiar with each other than they were with the others.

Bai Lihai shook his head, a smile on his pale face: “It’s nothing, I’m always like this during the winter. I’ll just bear with it, and it will pass.”

“That won’t do,” Bai Liming said with a frown. “This lord has some rare and precious tonics at his residence. Someone will send them over to you tomorrow.”

“Then this didi offers his thanks to Anhuai-wang.”

The two had only exchanged a few words when Hong Fu personally led his men to the palace gates, sedan chairs in tow. He offered the vassal kings a formal bow, then invited them to climb in.

Riding a sedan chair inside the Imperial Palace was normally forbidden, but an exception had been made today in order to demonstrate the Emperor’s high regard for the vassal kings.

These people had not yet seen the Emperor since arriving in the capital, and were very curious about the young boy.

Today’s banquet was being held in Haiyan Hall. The interior was decorated similarly to how it was during the Mid-Autumn Festival, but with more red and gold to represent the Imperial family.

Chu Jiubian had personally overseen the selection of dishes and wine, ensuring that the child would have the best possible experience.

However, the vassal kings would not proceed directly to Haiyan Hall upon entering the palace. Instead, they would first go to Fengtian Hall to pay their respects to the Emperor and present their New Year’s gifts, then follow the Emperor to Haiyan Hall to take their seats.

The group arrived at the long path leading to Fengtian Hall. The palace gates were open, and Eunuch Hong loudly invited everyone to enter.

Led by Bai Liyue, the seven vassal kings and Jiannan-wang all entered the palace hall.

Subordinate officials were not allowed to look directly at the Emperor’s face, but since the vassal kings were members of the Imperial family, there were fewer restrictions for them in this regard.

Therefore, they dipped into deep bows, and only after receiving a tender “rise” from the young boy did they lift their eyes toward the throne.

The small child sat upon the large, ornate golden throne, clad in golden robes with his ceremonial headdress gently swaying. His bright, clear eyes gazed upon these imposing vassal kings, revealing no hint of fear, but instead conveying a subtle sense of authority.

They were all bewildered.

This was not entirely because His Majesty already possessed a certain Imperial bearing at such a young age, but because at this time, Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao had still not made an appearance.

Other than Nanjiang-wang, the same thought immediately occurred to everyone else — 

Could it be that Qin Xiao was still in unconscious?

If so, then the young Emperor would preside over today’s banquet alone.

Although they had no intention of stirring up trouble at an Imperial banquet, it wouldn’t be out of the question to set a few traps for the child in order to spread some unpleasant rumors about him.

Their minds were full of twists and turns, yet on the surface, they all appeared exceptionally friendly.

Even Bai Liyan wore a hint of “affection” on his face, and looked upon Bai Lihong as if he were his own child.

This approach gave them the appearance of affability, but also indicated that they didn’t take Bai Lihong’s status as Emperor seriously.

To them, Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian were the biggest threats; Bai Lihong was merely a puppet.

“Thank you all for traveling so far. You must be tired.” Bai Lihong’s voice was childish, but his tone sounded very mature. “A few days ago, this Emperor caught a cold and was unable to meet with you all. Hoping you will understand.”

His speech was clear and articulate, and his tone was entirely proper.

No one knew whether these words were his own or if he had been coached to say them by Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian, but Bai Lihong’s performance undeniably exceeded their expectations.

Those with younger family members couldn’t help but compare their own children to Bai Lihong, and inevitably found them lacking.

They couldn’t even be compared.

If it were any other child, even with some verbal coaching, they would still be intimidated and lose their composure upon seeing so many powerful and imposing figures.

Unlike Bai Lihong, who was completely at ease and revealed no signs of nervousness whatsoever.

Upon receiving an apology from the Emperor, everyone hastened to say, “We don’t dare.”

Once the pleasantries were exchanged, as the eldest amongst the vassal kings, Bai Liyue stepped forward and said: “Your Majesty, this subject has brought a gift for you. It is…..”

The vassal kings came forward one after another to present their gifts, which consisted primarily of flashy and impractical paintings, calligraphy, and jade figurines.

None of them were to Bai Lihong’s liking.

But the young boy remembered what Eunuch Hong had taught him: “An Emperor must not show his true emotions on his face.” So even though he was bored, he still maintained a faint smile and spoke well of each gift.

Everyone was even more deeply moved, but at the same time, they felt an inexplicable sense of pressure.

Independently of each other, many of them arrived at the same conclusion — they absolutely could not allow Bai Lihong to grow up.

Anhuai-wang Bai Liming, on the other hand, was very fond of this adorable little emperor. They had met privately in the palace before, where they had a meal and admired the plum blossoms. The little one said such adorable things in a sweet, gentle voice, and was also very considerate of others.

If such a child could grow up to be an adult emperor, Bai Liming would feel very much at ease.

Nanjiang-wang Bai Lihao lowered his gaze slightly, a subtle hint of cunning in his eyes.

He possessed a good understanding of Chu Jiubian’s methods and character, as well as those of Qin Xiao. The young Emperor’s performance today was equally impressive, and in fact, his voice and tone even bore some resemblance to that of his mentors.

It was easy to imagine that when Bai Lihong grew up, he would become an emperor who embodied the intelligence and character of those two individuals.

How brilliant must this child be?

And what kind of future would he lead the Great Ning Dynasty toward?

Once the lengthy gift-giving ceremony came to an end, Bai Lihong spoke calmly and unhurriedly despite his impatience: “Thank you for your efforts. It is getting late, so please follow this Emperor to Haiyang Hall.”

Everyone readily agreed, and they all left the hall in a grand procession to board their respective sedan chairs.

Sitting inside his sedan chair, Bai Liyue fixed his gaze on the curtain, as if attempting to see through it to the Emperor’s sedan chair at the head of the procession.

Even a mere baby was able to lord his authority over them.

This was Imperial power.

He ran his fingertips softly over the jade pendant at his waist, his eyes dark and overcast.

Dingbei-wang Bai Liyu reclined casually inside his sedan chair, which swayed gently with the steps of the sedan-bearers.

The intelligence he received stated that Qin Xiao had yet to awaken, and it seemed to be correct. The other party was indeed in grave peril.

This would make things easier.

He took a small pouch from his waist. Inside were some dried flower petals and a few tiny, almost transparent spiders that were barely visible to the naked eye.

Each one was only the size of a grain of rice.

---

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Chapter 74 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 76

Ch. 97 – Ticket to the Show

It took Hao Chen a moment to realize that Feng Ye was teasing him, but despite understanding, he still felt that something about Feng Ye was off.

Feng Ye didn’t seem like the type of person to joke around like that, ah. Thinking of the bowls of wine Feng Ye had drunk earlier, Hao Chen couldn’t help but look down at Feng Ye laying on his lower abdomen.

He couldn’t get a good look at him, but just then, Feng Ye raised his head and sat up straight again.

Hao Chen finally got a clear view of Feng Ye’s face. He wasn’t flushed or out of breath, and didn’t look drunk at all.

But those weren’t requirements for drunkenness. Some people could drink without showing any physical indications, even if they were so drunk that they couldn’t distinguish between humans and animals.

“Are you drunk?” Hao Chen raised five fingers and waved them in front of Feng Ye’s eyes.

“Not drunk,” was Feng Ye’s immediate retort.

He’s definitely drunk, Hao Chen concluded. Every drunk person would claim they weren’t.

Although he had previously used Feng Ye’s intolerance to alcohol as an excuse, this dragon unexpectedly couldn’t hold his liquor.

Alcohol tolerance varied from person to person, and it shouldn’t come as a surprise if someone handled it well or poorly. But right then, Hao Chen was genuinely shocked.

Given Yinglong’s reputation, he should be the kind of person who could drink a hundred cups without getting drunk, but it turned out that he could only drink three.

But when Hao Chen thought about it further, rumors tended to be unreliable. Before getting to know Feng Ye, how could he have imagined that this dragon, sharp-featured and covered in scales, actually had a soft heart?

This contrast inexplicably…..delighted him.

Hao Chen suppressed the urge to revert to his original form and roll around in the sea. Softening his voice, he coaxed the drunken dragon: “Alright, alright, you’re not drunk. Let me help you outside to get some fresh air.”

Feng Ye: “…..”

He really wasn’t drunk. He was just…..slightly tipsy.

Feng Ye didn’t drink often. In fact, he rarely drank at all.

Alcohol numbed the brain and slowed down reaction time, so he almost never drank of his own accord.

Having just drunk three bowls of wine, he was momentarily intoxicated, causing his rationality to falter long enough for him to inadvertently act before thinking.

But what was done was done. Just as he was wracking his brains for a reason to explain his loss of composure, Hao Chen handed him the perfect excuse. Pretending to be drunk was indeed a good option….

With this in mind, Feng Ye nodded obediently and prepared to go out for fresh air with Hao Chen’s assistance.

Seeing this, Fang Yang and Cao Zirui more or less understood the reason behind Feng Ye’s childish behavior just moments ago – as it turned out, he was drunk.

They exchanged a knowing glance. Why else would this Useless Shixiong try to listen to the sound of the sea for no reason? You couldn’t judge the logic of a drunkard.

Zhao Yi then nudged Wang Wu, who was slumped over the table. Although he had succumbed to the liquor, he wasn’t fully unconscious, and this nudge caused him to lift his head again.

Zhao Yi put his arm around Wang Wu’s shoulders and pulled him up, explaining to the others: “I’ll help him to the river to wash his face. Please make yourselves at home, we’ll be right back.”

Fang Yang and Cao Zirui nodded, and the former even offered enthusiastically: “Can I help you at all?”

As he spoke, he started to get up and help Zhao Yi support Wang Wu.

“No need!” Zhao Yi immediately declined his offer and quickened his pace, wary of Fang Yang following them.

Stepping outside, they saw Feng Ye and Hao Chen, who had come out before them. Zhao Yi nodded at them in greeting, then guided Wang Wu straight toward the river.

The river wasn’t near the house, and could only be reached by trekking through the forest. Wang Wu and Zhao Yi’s figures gradually vanished into the woods.

Feng Ye, with Hao Chen’s support, strolled around performatively a few times. When the other two had almost disappeared from sight, he suddenly brushed off Hao Chen’s hand and came up with an excuse to separate from him: “Didn’t you say you were tired earlier? How about you go back and rest for a while? We still have a journey ahead of us this afternoon. I’ll just stroll around by myself.”

Hao Chen wanted to say that he wasn’t tired now. Actually…..he wasn’t that tired before, either.

But he had used it as an excuse to make Feng Ye carry him all this way, and if he came clean now, it might not end well for him.

“Okay.” Hao Chen had no choice but to take Feng Ye’s suggestion.

He reluctantly said farewell to Feng Ye, then walked toward the wooden house.

Feng Ye watched Hao Chen leave, then turned and entered the forest.

Hao Chen immediately turned around and glanced back. It was blatantly obvious that Feng Ye had sent him away so that he could do something.

Although he wanted to go and watch the show in person, he could try a different approach…..a method he had used many times before.

Hao Chen approached the back of the wooden house. He deliberately chose this spot because it was unlikely for anyone to go there, making it convenient for him to cast his spell.

But just as he was about to take out his folding fan, he saw that Fang Yang and Cao Zirui, who should have been resting inside the house, were also there.

And next to them was a large dog, about half the height of a person.

The dog must belong to Wang Wu and his companion. It had brownish-grey fur, erect ears, and a slightly longer muzzle than most dogs. Its eyes were also much fiercer than those of a domesticated pet, and although it was nominally a dog, it really looked a lot like a wolf.

Facing the strangers standing before it, it crouched down and bared its fangs, letting out a threatening growl.

Judging by his ferocious appearance, it would have certainly pounced on the two people in front of it and bit them if it wasn’t tied back by a rope.

But teenagers always loved to play with cats and dogs, and no amount of aggression could stop them. Besides, the dog was leashed. It could do nothing but posture, powerless to harm them.

Therefore, Fang Yang crouched down in front of the big dog. He calculated the length of the rope to ensure that he was too far away for the dog to bite him, then confidently waved the leftover rabbit bone in front of the dog’s nose.

Cao Zirui stood behind him. He didn’t participate, but he did watch with great interest as Fang Yang played with the dog.

Seeing this, Hao Chen didn’t disturb the two of them. He turned around, deciding to find another place for himself.

Hao Chen entered the wooden house. Then he unfolded his fan and pulled off a rib from the outermost side, which transformed into a shiny black feather in his hand.

Hao Chen casually tossed the feather aside. As it fell to the floor, it transformed in the blink of an eye into a crow with spread wings, which then flapped its way into the woods.

Just as he was about to close his eyes and switch his perspective to his avatar, Hao Chen suddenly recalled that each time he released his avatar, it seemed to meet a terrible end.

He had used it three times in total, and was caught by Feng Ye twice. Feng Ye had even destroyed half of his previous fan.

Hopefully Feng Ye would be gentler this time, otherwise his newly-replaced folding fan would be missing a rib.

Hao Chen silently offered up a small prayer, then closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he was looking down from above.

The vast land was laid out before him as he soared overhead.

Humans moved slowly through the forest due to the vegetation that often blocked their path, and sometimes had to take detours.

But birds didn’t have such a problem, as there was nothing to block their path in the sky. Therefore, although Hao Chen was the last to set off, he moved much faster than the three who had a head start and didn’t miss the opening of the show.

When he arrived, Wang Wu and Zhao Yi had just reached the riverbank.

Wang Wu was still completely drunk. He wasn’t faking it. He had genuinely been defeated by Hao Chen’s drinking capacity, and was dragged all the way here by Zhao Yi.

Zhao Yi, who had been playing the good guy with Wang Wu for so long in front of their guests, finally ran out of patience and threw his drunken companion into the river.

It wasn’t a true river, but more of a trickling mountain stream where the deepest part only reached the ankle.

Wang Wu fell headfirst into the river, and didn’t react immediately.

A few moments later, bubbles began to gurgle up around Wang Wu’s face, and with a loud curse, he abruptly sprang to his feet out of the water.

The icy river water and the lingering fear of nearly drowning instantly brought him back to his senses. Looking around, he immediately spotted Zhao Yi standing on the shore with his arms crossed, and realized who the culprit was.

One curse hadn’t satisfied him, so he cursed again: “Motherfucker! Zhao Yi, are you out of your damn mind?!”

Zhao Yi replied with a sneer: “Aren’t you the one out of your mind? You didn’t even consider whether or not the two of us can handle that group, and just let them stay.”

“Why can’t we handle them?” Wang Wu shot back defiantly, wiping the water out of his eyes.

“A couple swigs of alcohol and you’ve practically forgotten your own surname! Those four are clearly not ordinary people. They’re definitely trained martial artists. And looking at their hands at the dinner table just now, three of them had callouses on their thumbs, indicating that they’ve been practicing for many years.” Zhao Yi scoffed at Wang Wu, who was still standing in the middle of the stream. “We could have tried a sleeping draught if we still had any, but we’ve been in this godsforsaken place for too long and we’re out of stock. With your pathetic skills, do you actually think you can take four people at once?”

Wang Wu didn’t care whether or not Zhao Yi’s analysis was reasonable. He had drunk a belly full of water, and was also holding a stomachful of anger. Zhao Yi’s tone sparked his temper, and he decided to vent his anger first before getting down to business. So he went right up to Zhao Yi and presented him with a string of warm greetings, from his children and grandchildren to eighteen generations of his ancestors, not missing a single one.

Not to be outdone, Zhao Yi expressed his longing for all of Wang Wu’s female relatives.

The two traded blows back and forth, and it was impossible to determine who had the upper hand.

The crow found itself a branch of suitable height and watched with great interest as the bandits fought amongst themselves.

Just as he was watching intently, he sensed a gust of wind approaching from the side.

The crow immediately flapped his wings and soared into the air to dodge.

When he looked closely, he found that it was a small twig the size of a thumb, which had been casually picked up and thrown directly at his perch.

Someone had taken a cheap shot at him.

In a place like this, there was basically only one person who would be bored enough to pick on a little crow.

Hao Chen flew off and quickly located Feng Ye, who was hiding behind a large tree as he watched the show.

Feng Ye, who was clearly a bit drunk but refused to admit it.

Although he claimed to just be slightly tipsy, drunk was drunk. At most, he was a little less inebriated than that, but he still wasn’t quite the same as usual.

The crow landed on the tree closest to Feng Ye and perched in the canopy, looking toward where Feng Ye was standing beneath the opposite tree.

Feng Ye was also looking up at him. 

It seems he noticed me long before, thought Hao Chen.

Although neither of them had explicitly revealed their identities to each other, they were both largely aware of the truth. In that case, there was no need for him to pretend to be some ordinary crow passing by.

With this in mind, a bold idea suddenly occurred to Hao Chen.

Feng Ye saw the pitch-black crow stare at him for a moment, and then it suddenly flew away without a word.

Is he angry? But I didn’t even hit him, Feng Ye thought with some confusion.

But before he could finish this thought, the crow was already returning with something clutched in its beak.

It was bright red, like some sort of berry.

This time, the crow didn’t perch on a branch. Instead, he flew straight to Feng Ye and hovered in front of him, flapping his wings.

Feng Ye figured this meant that he should take the berry, so he stretched out a hand and did so.

With his delivery successful, the crow then perched comfortably on Feng Ye’s shoulder.

Feng Ye turned his head to the side, staring silently at the crow on his shoulder. Hao Chen never learns his lesson, he thought to himself. He had destroyed Hao Chen’s avatar last time, and this time he actually dared to stand on top of him.

But things were different now, and Feng Ye had no intention of destroying it again. He already owed Hao Chen a fan, and if he owed him another one, his debt would grow even larger.

Oblivious to the thoughts running through his mind, Hao Chen actually dared to land directly on his shoulder. He even stared him directly in the eye, puffing out his fluffy chest with an air of complete self-righteousness.

What logic was this?

Feng Ye squeezed the berry in his hand, then suddenly realized what it meant.

This berry was a ticket – a ticket to stand on his shoulder.

As the saying went, be grateful when fed, and be obliging when someone gives you money. Although the berry was small, he had indeed accepted it.

Feng Ye: “…..”

He’d fallen for it.

A man and a bird hid behind a tree, avoiding the attention of Wang Wu and Zhao Yi. Even though the crow’s flapping had made some noise, who would suspect an ordinary little crow?

Feng Ye resigned himself to the extra passenger on his shoulder. Meanwhile, the two mountain bandits had finished their quarrel.

After cursing for a while, they had mostly vented their anger and could finally discuss serious matters.

“If you want to die, go on and do it yourself. I won’t accompany you,” Zhao Yi concluded, subtly shifting his feet as if to say that he would abandon his comrade if Wang Wu didn’t heed his advice.

There was never any genuine affection among mountain bandits. They were all the sort who valued money over their own lives, and if working alone wasn’t so inconvenient, they would never team up with others.

“What do you mean, I ‘want to die?’ Zhao Yi, tell me honestly, have I ever done anything that I wasn’t absolutely sure about?” 

Wang Wu’s words did make Zhao Yi a little uncertain. It was true. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been able to partner with Wang Wu for so long.

He couldn’t help but ask: “Then what’s your plan? Can you take all four of them at once?”

Wang Wu raised a finger and waved it. Instead of answering the question, he brought up Zhao Yi’s earlier speculation: “You said before that they’re all trained martial artists, but I don’t think that’s entirely true. We’ve traveled far and wide over the years and heard tales of people who cultivate to immortality, traversing heaven and earth and summoning the wind and rain.”

“You mean to say that they…..” Zhao Yi asked hesitantly.

“Don’t you think those people are strange? They’re clearly traveling without any proper luggage, and their tiny bundles shouldn’t last them more than a day or two. What gave them the confidence to enter this mountain forest? And did you notice that person’s clothes? That fellow named Feng Ye – I saw him spill a little wine on his clothes, and it just rolled right off. Have you ever seen fabric like that?”

Wang Wu answered his own question: “I’ve never heard of any place that can produce such fabric. They can only be those legendary cultivators.”

“And you still dare to make a move on them?! Are you insane?!” Wang Wu had convinced Zhao Yi, but this only increased his horror.

If they were ordinary martial artists, they still might be able to escape if they couldn’t defeat them. But who knew what sort of powers these mysterious cultivators possessed?

Some stories claimed that they were able to behead people from thousands of li away.

“Hehe.” Seeing the look of horror on Zhao Yi’s face, Wang Wu merely let out an easy chuckle. “Didn’t you hear their destination? They’re going to the ruins of the ancient city. You know how that place…..”

“Eats people.” Wang Wu deliberately lowered his voice when he spoke these two words.

A cold wind blew through the forest right at that moment. The crow put on a show of fear, tucking his feathers in as he moved a little closer to Feng Ye’s neck.

---

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Chapter 96 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 98

Ch 29 – Why Are You Sad?

“So you’re a father too?!” Curtis was deeply shocked. Tau had never mentioned having a child, ah, and his attitude toward Kersz had been strange, as if he was repelled by him.

But when they met this time, Tau’s mental state had clearly shifted. He seemed absent-minded, and people would have to repeat themselves two or three times before he heard them.

Curtis thought he was ill at first, but then Tau admitted that he was worried about his child.

His little dinosaur was back at home. He had prepared food and beautiful clothes for it, but he worried that it might run around and get into trouble.

Tau suddenly realized that he had forgotten to add guardrails for the little dinosaur. He wanted to go back, but Yu Xi and Kersz wouldn’t let him.

“I’m worried that he’ll get hurt. I thought I did my best, but I just realized that I still overlooked something.” Tau’s anxiety was genuine, but he was also subconsciously playing his role.

Curtis was dying of envy.

There seemed to be an unusually high concentration of good fathers in this galaxy, but he was the unlucky guy who had missed out.

“Why haven’t I heard you talk about your partner?”

Curtis also wanted to envy other people’s mothers, but he suddenly realized that these two had never mentioned their significant others.

Tau simply stared at Curtis without saying a word.

Curtis blinked, then let out a gasp: “C-could something have happened to them?”

Tau didn’t answer, but Yu Xi hummed in response where he was sitting on Kersz’s lap.

The dinosaur’s mother had indeed met with an accident, all because of that giant meteorite from the Cretaceous period.

Curtis immediately apologized to Tau, who shook his head with a cold expression and remained silent.

Curtis had no intention of asking where Yu Xi’s mother was. What if it ended up being another tragedy?

Yu Xi actually felt that Curtis’s family background was a bit abnormal. He asked Tau and Kersz about it, and then realized that his stereotypes came entirely from his deep memories of the humans who had not yet left Earth.

This was the interstellar world.

Curtis’s parents definitely had feelings for each other, and the bond between them was profound.

But this profoundess was different from what Yu Xi understood.

The Supreme Governor and the High Lord were very satisfied with each other’s personalities and families, and their genes were compatible, so they formed an alliance and started a family together.

They spent some time together each year, but for the majority of the time, they remained at their own posts.

Tau was quite certain that the two of them had never reached the point of being “deeply in love,” because it was too awkward and undignified for humans to sleep together. They believed that it was disrespectful to the other party.

Such private issues could be resolved with their respective androids.

Yu Xi let out a sigh when he learned about this situation. He had known that humans’ sense of boundaries would become stronger and stronger.

But then he couldn’t help but inquire: “They don’t even sleep together! What kind of marriage is that?! They could have simply framed it as forming an alliance, ah!I”

This level of intimacy would have been considered friendship at best among the ancient humans!

These interstellar partners only put on a facade of intimacy!

However, Kersz later comforted Yu Xi with some good news. For example, although his own parents had a good relationship, he had no idea if they were ever intimate, because adults would never talk about that kind of thing in front of children.

But his parents did live together.

Yu Xi wanted to ask for more details, but he also knew that Kersz’s past was a tender spot for him. So after hesitating for a long time, he decided not to ask Kersz if he had ever seen his parents kiss.

This was all because Curtis had started to talk about his family of origin the moment he met them, and after hearing about it so many times, Yu Xi also became interested in such things.

But he couldn’t exactly interrogate Kersz, because he hadn’t been in a good mood lately, and kept waking up in the middle of the night.

Yu Xi was unaware that the reason for his frequent waking was to check if Yu Xi had suddenly powered down. He didn’t know what ‘anytime’ meant in regard to Yu Xi’s depleting lifespan.

In fact, Kersz later realized that since Yu Xi’s concept of time was different from his own, perhaps ‘anytime’ could be a very long time away.

But Yu Xi had also made it clear that he might not outlive Kersz.

Kersz also asked Yu Xi what would happen to the compressed galaxy when he shut down, and Yu Xi replied that it would be permanently sealed inside the galaxy-dot-zip file. To outsiders, the only proof that the galaxy had ever existed would be the brilliant gemstone on his necklace.

Yu Xi understood Kersz’s worry, and assured him that the necklace wasn’t so easy to break, and that Kersz might be able to sell it for a good price later on.

Kersz was not pleased by this.

But he felt that he should be pleased. Strictly speaking, he and Yu Xi hadn’t known each other for very long, and Yu Xi’s necklace was indeed a big danger.

The length of Yu Xi’s existence was not something Kersz could control. He should breathe a sigh of relief that humanity had escaped a catastrophe.

But Kersz wasn’t happy.

“This nutrient solution is disgusting.” Yu Xi put down his cup. He hated the artificial flavoring.

“If you don’t like it, then don’t drink it.” Kersz’s voice was so gentle that Yu Xi didn’t realize it was him speaking at first.

Even Curtis and Tau were taken aback.

Oblivious to it all, Kersz wiped tiny Yu Xi’s mouth, then leaned down and softly pressed his lips to the top of his head.

Yu Xi’s eyes widened. He was completely blindsided.

What was wrong with Kersz? Why did he seem so fragile?

Kersz looked at him, and a moment later, he pressed his cheek against Yu Xi’s and gently nuzzled against it.

Such an intimate gesture startled Yu Xi into curling into a ball.

Something was definitely wrong with Kersz. He was so upset.

When the three of them returned home, Yu Xi formally took Kersz’s hand to indicate that they needed to talk.

“Are you unhappy because we talked about your parents?” Yu Xi asked.

Tau was sitting near them, but he was clearly distracted.

Yu Xi suggested that Tau go and keep his little dinosaur company, and the man happily ran off.

“No.” Kersz looked into Yu Xi’s greenish-blue eyes.

He had encountered this robot by accident…..by a wonderful accident, he now thought.

“I just don’t think that my luck is very good,” Kersz said. “It seems like every good thing eventually leaves me.”

Yu Xi sucked in a breath. Sure enough, this child had psychological problems.

“I read a lot of books as a kid,” Kersz said, “most of them fairytales. I thought I was lucky enough to stumble upon a ‘fairyland’ where everyone could forget their troubles and no longer have to worry about the future.”

This was one of the most popular fairytales in the Interstellar Alliance. The young protagonist encountered a lost extraterrestrial visitor, and they embarked on an adventure behind the parents’ backs to send the alien back to its wondrous ‘fairyland.’

Young Kersz would always sneak out of bed once his parents were asleep, then go to the storage room and rummage around in search of any extraterrestrials.

Later on, he stopped believing in such things.

He thought he had changed – that he had broken down, becoming mad and unfeeling.

No one could take anything away from him again, because now he was the executioner.

Yu Xi sat up straight and told Kersz that he could confide everything to him, and that he would never criticize Kersz’s actions.

Kersz smiled. He didn’t like talking about the past, because it was a dream he could never return to.

Yet he suddenly found himself lacking resistance against this little robot from a ‘fairyland.’

Kersz had been well-protected by his parents, and unlike Curtis’s, his father and mother had lived together.

Kersz was aware that his family had been closer than other people’s families, and under the care of his parents, he always felt like he was growing up slower than others.

But his learning ability was excellent.

“My family wasn’t anything special, but my parents had pretty good jobs. They were maintenance personnel for the central AI consciousness mainframe.” There was little pride on Kersz’s face as he said this, and a whole lot more indifference. “They knew all the underlying code and backdoors to the database.”

Their lives were relatively affluent, and at that time, Kersz was considered to be a genius. His ability to learn was unparalleled, and he remained one of the best among his classmates through graduation.

Kersz once thought that his life would be smooth sailing. He would graduate peacefully, secure a decent job, and perhaps find a lover with whom to spend the rest of his life.

Instead, he received news of his parents’ passing.

“It was said that the servers suddenly malfunctioned, causing a meltdown. Everyone in the compartment died, including my parents.” Those people generously gave Kersz a large sum of compensation money and told him that his parents were heroes of the Alliance.

They also widely publicized their condolences on the StarNet, and countless people who were unfamiliar with Kersz’s parents joined in to express their grief.

Kersz was in a state of shock, and wasn’t even sure if he was sad, nor if he was still alive.

“The downside of having such a good relationship with my parents was that I couldn’t handle them leaving,” Kersz said.

When reporters tried to interview Kersz about his parents’ lives, he was finally able to react.

He was indescribably offended, feeling that his parents and the relationship between them was being treated as an entertainment exhibit.

Those people forcibly inserted themselves into his emotions. They seemed to want to impose a set of standards on him, hoping that the orphaned child of ‘heroes’ would put on a show of pitifulness and vulnerability in front of the cameras, acting according to their expectations.

All to satisfy the voyeuristic tendencies of those self-righteous bastards.

Kersz went berserk. He insulted countless people, and was attacked by countless others.

At that time, he was in a state of rage and confusion. He didn’t understand why those unrelated people were so angry with him when he was only refusing to be a spectacle.

“I was too young then, and I didn’t want to believe that my parents were dead. I had no basis for my suspicion that there might be a conspiracy behind it all.” Kersz just wanted an outlet for his emotions, and needed to find someone to blame.

“It was precisely because I had no proof that I never hid my suspicions about my parents’ deaths from the outside world. I refused the medal the authorities offered me and lost my temper, telling them that it was all a conspiracy and that I would uncover the truth.” Kersz took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly.

He genuinely did attempt to uncover the truth, even though he had no evidence or clues in his hands. This was all because he was unable to put his emotions to rest.

“Perhaps I seemed too confident in my assertion, because some people thought I had actually discovered something.” At that time, Kerz had already enlisted in the military.

He continuously made contact with his parents’ former colleagues and friends, piecing together clues about their deaths.

And little by little, he actually discovered a problem.

He told his uncle, who had always supported and encouraged him, about his discovery. That uncle was his father’s childhood friend, and told Kersz that he had also been investigating the death of his father.

But after giving him that information, Kersz was immediately dismissed from his post under the charge of “abusing power for personal gain.”

So Kersz didn’t like to talk about his past. He felt that in this story, he was just a helpless fool who could be manipulated at will.

“That sort of impotent rage was just screaming to the world, ‘I’m so pitiful.’ I kept trusting people and getting taken advantage of,” Kersz said. “It was so pointless.”

Yu Xi understood: “So you’ve kept it all to yourself?”

“It’s even more pointless to guess what others will think about it.” Kersz shrugged.

Yu Xi put his arm around Kersz’s shoulder: “Do you want me to help you investigate the cause of your parents’ deaths?”

“I already know the cause. Back then, two coalitions clashed at the border of the Interstellar Alliance. The Alliance was on the verge of unleashing weapons of mass destruction, and more than a dozen third-class planets were to be abandoned as a lost cause.” Kersz said, “My parents discovered that the authorities were going to completely cut off communications with those third-class planets and destroy those people’s identity cards.”

“They did cut off communications, but a backdoor was left open. My parents intended to expose the plot before the weapons were activated, but their actions were discovered. Then, they died.”

“But those people are dead too.” Kersz raised an eyebrow at Yu Xi. “I killed all of the culprits, those people who were so secure in their power that they thought they were above everyone else. Oh, right. The reason I’m being hunted down is because I killed the former leader of the Star Union.”

Yu Xi: “Wow! No wonder I saw on the news that a new leader is being elected.”

Kersz: “Are you pretending to be shocked?”

Yu Xi: “I’m sorry. It’s just that I’ve been around humans for so long, and I’ve seen so many leaders. He’s nothing special – just another human.”

“Yes, ah. Nothing special, just another human.” Kersz smiled. “Why do people have to take themselves so seriously?”

He directed his smile toward Yu Xi: “But I might be beyond saving, someone who is just longing for warmth.”

“I….I don’t want you to shut down.”

Yu Xi was puzzled: “What? Once I shut down, my necklace will stabilize completely and the galaxy inside won’t go out of control.” He felt that Kersz’s words ran somewhat contrary to his character.

Kersz was a lone wolf, but he still cared about his fellow humans to some extent.

Although he and Kersz were friends, it wouldn’t be Kersz’s fault when he shut down. He didn’t need to put so much pressure on himself. He just needed to allow himself some time to grieve the passing of a friend.

“I understand what you’re saying,” Kersz said helplessly, “But I want you to stay.”

Yu Xi tilted his head slightly.

“Not because I’m worried about the galaxy exploding, but because I….I still want to see you, not the you who has shut down. I want you to keep responding to me.” Kersz didn’t dare look him in the eye.

It had been a very long time since anyone had responded to him like Yu Xi did.

He responded to all of his stupid questions.

Yu Xi finally grasped Kersz’s meaning: “Wait! You mean you want me to stay with you?” He repeated what Kersz had already said.

“Just me?! Personally?!” Yu Xi was astounded.

“Just you,” Kersz said with some embarrassment.

“Heavens! Heavens!” Yu Xi exclaimed in disbelief.

He had always carried human emotions with him, but he knew that those feelings had nothing to do with him personally.

He was once a robot vacuum cleaner. The child mistook him for a family pet, and when the family’s cat and dog died, the parents continuously repaired the old machine for the child’s sake.

Later, when the child grew up and the parents passed away, Yu Xi became evidence of the parents’ love.

That grown-up child placed all of his yearning for his parents onto Yu Xi.

Yu Xi really liked this sort of emotion. He was born from such feelings, although none of them were directed toward him personally.

He was the oldest robot in existence, a piece of technology from before humanity entered interstellar space, and part of a family legacy.

As time went by, the emotions directed toward him became increasingly vague, drifting further and further from him.

He was always just one of many, and the least important one at that.

Just like when he was a robot vacuum cleaner at home. When it was running, the big fat cat would occasionally sit on him mischievously, curious about what he was doing.

But his program had always been the least significant one of all.

Humanity would always have its own future to strive for.

Yu Xi would always answer: “Wow, amazing, and then what?” as the humans carried him forward.

But when humanity rushed toward death, they refused to take him with them, and he didn’t know what to do.

“Heavens!” Yu Xi felt his eyes becoming wet.

Was he malfunctioning?

“What’s wrong?!” Kersz leaped up and quickly wiped away Yu Xi’s tears.

“Heavens.” Yu Xi kept repeating the same word.

When Yu Xi came into the world, he was destined to live the rest of his life as a robot vacuum, wandering around in perpetuity as he watched humans do their own thing.

Why would a loner like Kersz sit down at his side and tell him that he didn’t want Yu Xi to shut down?

How could this intense emotion be directed at him?

At a robot vacuum cleaner?

Was he no longer a symbol of someone else’s feelings, but a vessel for emotions himself?

“Heavens, how did I ever pick up a human like you?!” Yu Xi was losing control of himself. He couldn’t keep the tears from welling up in his eyes, and he didn’t want to anymore.

If he was broken, then he was broken. He had a feeling that he was beyond repair.

As Kersz wiped away his tears, Yu Xi reached out and cupped Kersz’s face in his hands. Then he leaned in slowly and pressed a gentle kiss to Kersz’s lips.

Kersz froze.

“You are my human,” Yu Xi said. “You are my good human.”

Good human – what kind of strange appellation was that?

Kersz intended to ask, but when he opened his mouth, no sound came out.

Kersz stared into Yu Xi’s eyes, and Yu Xi couldn’t resist leaning in and kissing his lips again.

He knew that such contact was somewhat inappropriate, but he also felt that it was permissible between him and Kersz.

Yu Xi’s lips were cool, and very soft.

In the wake of the second kiss, Kersz finally came back to his senses and said: “I’m so worried that you won’t respond when I wake up tomorrow.”

Yu Xi: “Ah? Why wouldn’t I?”

“Because you’ll have shut down.” In the end, this would have all just been a beautiful dream for Kersz.

And when he awoke from that dream, he would continue to wander around the desolate universe, filled with hatred and with nowhere to lay his head.

Yu Xi: …..

Yu Xi released Kersz’s face: “I have more than three hundred years before I shut down.”

Kersz choked.

“But I remember you saying that you could shut down at any time, ah,” Kersz said, slow to respond.

“For me, three hundred years is just a moment in the grand scheme of things,” said Yu Xi.

Kersz: “You said I might outlive you.”

“Miracles are always possible. If you’re a long-lived old man, then you could indeed live longer than me,” Yu Xi said.

Kersz remained silent.

Yu Xi finally understood what Kersz had been so sad about lately: “Oh! Wait! You were upset because of me? You thought I could just die tomorrow?!”

When Kersz finally realized the actual state of things, he started to get a little angry.

“Goodness! I’m so sorry! I didn’t explain it clearly!” Yu Xi was regretful, but also a bit happy at the knowledge that Kersz’s pain stemmed from the possibility of him shutting down.

He immediately cupped Kersz’s face in his hands again and kissed him on the lips: “I’m so sorry! I scared you, oh heavens, worrying is really bad for your health. I’ll have to give you a checkup later.”

“Heavens! Heavens!” Yu Xi kissed him twice, then stroked Kersz’s hair, kissed him twice more, and rubbed his back.

His coaxing prevented Kersz from venting his anger, and Yu Xi’s touching and stroking dissipated that anger entirely.

When Yu Xi pressed his lips to Kersz’s again, Kersz licked them.

Yu Xi abruptly leaned back and covered his mouth with his hand.

Kersz gave him an innocent look.

“You can be really naughty sometimes,” Yu Xi said.

“It’s because I’m a space pirate,” Kersz said.

“No, you’re my good human,” Yu Xi corrected him. “A good human who’s a little strange.”

Yes, very strange, ah.

There were so many humans in the universe, habitable planets teeming with them, yet Kersz felt that Yu Xi’s was the best place to stay.

Yu Xi felt a contentment that was hard to describe. If he had to put it into words…..

It was just when he sat atop the tallest building on the planet, gazing up at the starry sky like he had done countless times in the past

Yu Xi would always talk out loud, then use loudspeakers spread across the earth to respond to himself, engaging in a lively and boisterous question-and-answer game.

Now there was someone next to him. Someone who had come over and sat down of his own volition.

Yu Xi had thought that this human would continue to live his own life inside a building, just like all the other humans.

But he didn’t.

In his mind, the human climbed up to the rooftop and sat down, gazing at the sky with Yu Xi.

They felt the blowing wind together, neither of them speaking a word. But when the human wrapped his arms tightly around himself, Yu Xi draped a blanket over him.

They huddled even closer together.

The broadcasts all across the planet fell silent.

Silence. The entire planet was silent, but Yu Xi felt so warm. The person next to him was so warm.

Yu Xi swung his legs, and the human next to him copied his movements.

Yu Xi wanted to laugh. He wanted to laugh at how sly and mischievous the human beside him was.

He laughed and so did the human, and they huddled close together.

This once silent planet seemed to suddenly be filled with sound.

Yu Xi told Kersz about this feeling, and asked him what he thought.

Kersz put an end to his mischief and gazed intently at Yu Xi for a long time.

Finally, he said: “I found that extraterrestrial visitor in the storeroom.”

In that fairy tale, there was an extraterrestrial visitor from “fairyland,” and only good children were capable of seeing it.

As a child, Kersz would often search his family’s storeroom. In order to prove that he was a good child, he would often donate his savings and actively strive to do “good deeds.”

Later, when he grew up, he realized that there were no fairy tales in this world, and that there were no “aliens that only good children could see.”

Fairy tales had no basis in reality, and were completely illogical.

Furthermore, that little brat who believed in fairytales had been corrupted beyond recognition by reality. He dropped onto a mining planet and nearly died in that place, where he witnessed humanity’s most primal desires.

He had also killed people. Many, many people.

He accepted the reality that his parents were gone, and repeatedly reminded himself that they were just two dead people who would never return.

In the future, he would never have the opportunity to love them again.

He told himself that he could no longer be so foolish. That he couldn’t vent his true feelings everywhere, screaming and wailing like a helpless child.

He had to smile – smile in a way that made others uncomfortable, because that was the only way he could make others cry.

He wanted to remain unfathomable to everyone, to never place his trust in any of them, because people were selfish creatures and were only looking out for their own futures.

This was nothing out of the ordinary. It was only natural.

He needed to understand that.

Then, no longer clinging to his dangerous innocence, he dragged those people down with him into hell.

But somehow, as he neared death, he seemed to break through the door of that old storeroom again.

The surroundings were silent. Exhausted, Kersz closed his eyes and fell asleep there.

And when he opened his eyes again, he found that extraterrestrial from “fairyland.”

His eyes were as beautiful as a saltwater lake under sunlight.

The extraterrestrial reached out a hand to him and said: “Good child, let’s go on an adventure together behind everyone’s backs.”

Their future seemed to be as boundless as the starry night sky, as vast as the cosmos.

Like sparks that had been ignited, they ran hand in hand as they were carried upward on hot thermal currents.

Defying gravity, they soared toward the infinite beyond.

---

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Chapter 28 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 30

There was singing and dancing on Splendid Plaza, and atmosphere of peace and prosperity.

Due to the arrival of the vassal kings in the capital and the festive season, the major restaurants and theaters had become more lively.

Even the court officials, who were rarely seen out and about on ordinary days, had been appearing more frequently due to their days off, and would often run into colleagues and exchange pleasantries.

It was no exaggeration to say that during this time, if one walked down the streets of the western market, they were likely to bump into an official at every turn.

Those, powerful, high-ranking officials, mindful of the stances of various factions in the Imperial Court, would try to steer clear of trouble.. Knowing that a vassal king was hosting a banquet at Mingyue Tower tonight, they gave it a wide berth.

Conversely, lower-ranking officials and members of certain prominent families risked going to catch a glimpse of the vassal kings.

The host of today’s banquet was none other than Dongjiang-wang Bai Lihe.

It was common knowledge that Bai Lihe’s fiefdom spanned across Guangdong and Jiangxi provinces. His maternal family was also a wealthy and influential local clan, and were quite prosperous due to resources such as porcelain and iron ore.

He was also a hedonist and was skilled at everything related to eating, drinking, and having fun.

He had built numerous gardens in his estate, including a menagerie housing countless rare creatures.

Having arrived in the capital city, such a person was naturally not content to stay put. Indeed, he had only arrived that morning, and was already hosting a banquet that very night.

Those he invited to the banquet included several other vassal kings, as well as the heads of the four great noble families and high-ranking officials of the Imperial Court.

He made no attempt to conceal his interactions with these people, but also wasn’t so foolish as to attempt to woo them over in public. This was just a casual get-together to discuss various topics. It could be considered a preliminary meeting, and if any ideas of collaboration arose later, they could proceed with them at that time.

About half of the people he sent invitations to accepted them.

Besides those high-ranking court officials, most of the vassal kings were present, with the exceptions of Pingxi-wang Bai Lizheng and Nanjiang-wang Bai Lihao.

But those two had always preferred to keep themselves apart, and didn’t interact much with the other vassal kings, so their absence today was understandable.

The heads of all four great families were present.

Even family head Qiu Xuanzheng, who had previously been strictly disciplined by his older brother for his impulsive and irascible nature, was present today.

However, he hadn’t come alone. He had brought an advisor from among Qiu Hongkuo’s staff, who would continuously monitor his words and actions to prevent him from causing trouble.

In the spacious main hall of Mingyue Tower, music and dancing filled the air.

Everyone took their seats at separate tables arranged around the dance floor in the center, with virtually no distinction in rank or hierarchy.

Bai Lihe turned his head to look at the row of vassal kings beside him.

Anhuai-wang Bai Liming belonged to a younger generation, and sat at the farthest end, along with the one vassal king who had yet to leave the capital – Bai Lihai.

Bai Lihai wore a gentle smile as he spoke with Bai Liming. The two were of a similar age and possessed rather soft personalities, so they seemed to get along well. 

Aside from the vassal kings, there were also the four family heads.

Bai Lihe raised his head and met the gaze of the handsome family head Xiao Yao, who was directing a smile in his direction. 

Maintaining his own smile, Bai Lihe raised his wine cup and mimed clinking glasses with him from a distance.

Xiao Yao’s smile deepened slightly.

Both men finished their drinks, and Bai Lihe then shifted his gaze across the other three family heads.

The aloof and dignified Wang Huanzhi, the imposing Lu Jinfeng, and the seemingly indolent but powerfully built Qiu Xuanzheng.

Although Lu Jinfeng was a martial artist, he still possessed the refined demeanor of a member of nobility, exuding an air of “righteousness.” Leaning against a low table and drinking heavily, Qiu Xuanzheng was his complete opposite.

With just a glance, Bai Lihe was able to discern the characters of these people before him.

He naturally wasn’t the only one doing so. Everyone at the banquet was sizing each other up.

The relationship between the vassal kings and the noble families had always been delicate.

It wouldn’t even be wrong to call it hostile.

However, they didn’t seem to have any compelling reasons to be at odds with each other. In fact, cooperation, provided that everyone’s interests were safeguarded, would be the ideal option.

Ultimately, it all boiled down to the fact that they now shared a common enemy – the person sitting on the throne.

And aside from these prominent figures, there were naturally some less important characters attempting to take advantage of the situation at this banquet.

But their courage was lacking, and they only looked on from a distance before turning and melting away from the crowd, fearful of accidentally causing trouble.

An Wuji had also received an invitation, but he had no intention of attending, and only stopped for a quick look when he happened by during his patrol. 

Seeing that these people were only making insincere and meaningless chatter, he withdrew.

Leaving Mingyue Tower behind, he led his troops to patrol the streets of Splendid Plaza.

The city had been busy lately with all of these various forces gathering together, and he was genuinely worried that something similar to what happened at the auction might occur again.

The group walked through the bustling streets and alleys, footsteps crunching in the snow as they passed the newly-renovated Nanjiang Silk Shop and Yaotai Bookstore.

Something suddenly caught his notice, and An Wuji looked up, his sharp eyes fixed on the second floor of the silk shop.

At the window, a boy with a high ponytail was leaning out and looking at him.

The youth was handsome and refined, wearing a long, tasseled earring unique to Nanjiang on his left ear that dangled down to his shoulder, along with an exquisite silver necklace around his neck.

Instantly guessing his identity, An Wuji calmly looked away and continued walking forward.

Situ Zhaoyao watched him leave, then turned his attention back toward the room.

A young woman clad in a light purple dress sat at the table, her silver ornaments and jade bracelets jingling as she spoke animatedly with the person opposite her: “This shop is even better than how you described it to me. Every corner of it is breathtakingly beautiful! Jiyue-gege is so amazing!”

Across from her, a young man in light pink robes fanned himself and said with a gentle smile: “I’m glad Xiao Ling likes it.”

“I absolutely love it! Plus, the second floor is directly connected to your bookstore, which makes it convenient for us to meet in secret.” Situ Zhaoling’s eyes gleamed brightly as she turned toward her brother. “A-Di, don’t stand by the window. You might catch a cold.”

Situ Zhaoyao closed the window and went to take a seat at the table, saying: “I just saw Commander An, the one who greeted us today. He just came out of Mingyue Tower.”

“Mingyue Tower?” Situ Zhaoling raised an eyebrow. “Isn’t that where Dongjiang-wang is hosting a banquet?”

“En. I wonder what they’re talking about,” Situ Zhaoyao said with some curiosity.

Wang Qichen’s lips curved up as he said: “Under the circumstances, they’re probably just testing the waters today and won’t say anything useful.”

The siblings were still quite young, and hadn’t been raised in the cutthroat environment of the capital city, so their understanding of such matters was far inferior to Wang Qichen’s.

“Then  when will they say something useful?”

Situ Zhaoling voiced this question with humility.

“After they leave the capital,” Wang Qichen said, calm and collected. “The capital is full of spies loyal to Ning-wang, and with the current situation being this chaotic, it would be difficult for the vassal kings to get involved.”

Everyone was trying to gauge each other’s intentions on this trip to the capital, and it was impossible for anyone to stir up trouble or be the one to make the first move for the time being.

But after they all departed, cooperation between the vassal kings and the noble families would inevitably begin in secret.

As for who would cooperate with whom, and who would oppose whom, everything was still uncertain.

Ultimately, as long as their interests aligned, cooperation between anyone was a possibility.

At that time, all of the various forces would reveal their true intentions, and true chaos would descend upon Great Ning.

At the mention of Ning-wang, Situ Zhaoling couldn’t help but frown. She lowered her voice, saying: “With the Divine Lord here, Ning-wang should be healed soon, right?”

Wang Qichen nodded: “Perhaps he has already recovered, but the news hasn’t gotten out of the palace yet.”

Shortly after Qin Xiao returned from the Northwest, all of the Imperial Physicians had been summoned to Yangxin Hall. Some parties tried every means to extract information from those people, but they all maintained a consistent story and said that it was just a routine examination.

The suspicion was only that Qin Xiao might have been injured.

But when another two days passed with no appearance from Qin Xiao or Chu Jiubian, they all became completely certain that not only was Qin Xiao injured, but gravely so!

Otherwise, they would have never remained out of sight for so long.

After all, according to common sense, Qin Xiao should have summoned top officials of the first and second ranks to the palace for discussions after his victorious return, even if court was out of session.

Said discussion would naturally revolve around the matters of rewards and punishments, as well as how the Western Regions should be governed in the future.

Therefore, the fact that all of the vassal kings had arrived in the capital, yet Qin Xiao still had yet to appear, was the biggest point of suspicion.

However, with Chu Jiubian around, everyone also knew that Qin Xiao would be fine. He might just have to endure some amount of hardship.

However, what concerned Situ Zhaoling and Situ Zhaoyao was not this point, but rather…..

“Say, what is the relationship like between Ning-wang and the Divine Lord, ah?” Situ Zhaoling leaned in closer to Wang Qichen, lowering her voice even further.

Wang Qichen thought for a moment, then said: “There’s probably some affection involved.”

“Ah?!” Situ Zhaoyao exclaimed in surprise. “Didn’t A-Jie say that the Divine Lord and that person have a very deep relationship?”

‘That person,’ of course, referred to the High Priest.

In the Divine Realm, Wang Qichen had discussed the relationship between “the High Priest” and “Grand Tutor Chu” with Situ Zhaoling, which had excited her immensely at the time.

However, the closer she got to the capital after leaving home, the more rumors she heard.

These included stories about the “romantic entanglement” between Grand Tutor Chu and Ning-wang, portraying their relationship in a very suggestive and ambiguous light.

Situ Zhaoling naturally sided with the High Priest, and therefore had a negative impression of Qin Xiao, believing that he was competing with the High Priest for the Divine Lord’s affections.

However, Ning-wang was a person who acted for the good of the nation and its people, and he had even conquered the Sai Kingdom. After hearing about his deeds, Situ Zhaoling was unable to bring herself to dislike him any longer.

All she could say was that “attraction” was such a mysterious thing.

Love, too, was beyond anyone’s control.

If the Divine Lord truly fell in love with Ning-wang, the High Priest would likely be left heartbroken.

Wang Qichen fanned himself and let out a sigh: “We mere mortals cannot comprehend the Divine Lord’s mind.” He added, “But hopefully the High Priest will be able to.”

The three of them chatted for a long time about a variety of topics, and soon became as close as family. 

Only when the streets were nearly deserted and the snow and wind intensified did they reluctantly part ways.

Wang Qichen returned to his bookstore through the secret door on the second floor, while Situ Zhaoling and her younger brother left the silk shop and returned to their residence in a carriage.

After a long time had passed, when the night was late and the streets were quiet, Wang Qichen finally left the bookstore. This was to ensure that nobody noticed his meeting with the Situ siblings.

Meanwhile, inside the Imperial Palace…..

Chu Jiubian donned his robes and a thick cloak, completely ensconcing himself in the black fabric before venturing out into the wind and snow.

Lying in bed, Qin Xiao listened to the sound of the door closing.

After just a moment or two, he got to his feet.

Outside, Chu Jiubian walked all the way to the main chamber of Yangxin Hall and saw that Qin Chaoyang’s nose was red from the cold. He had likely been waiting for some time.

When he saw him coming, Qin Chaoyang stepped forward and respectfully asked: “Young Master, shall we go now?”

Ever since Chu Jiubian saved Qin Xiao’s life, Qin Chaoyang’s already deferential attitude had become even more pronounced, and he seemed to want to worship Chu Jiubian at all times.

“Let’s go,” Chu Jiubian said.

Qin Chaoyang turned around and went down on one knee, saying: “Please excuse me.”

Just as Chu Jiubian was about to climb onto his back, he heard footsteps behind him.

Qin Xiao, who had changed into a black outfit at some point, had arrived in the falling snow without even a cloak.

“What are you doing here?” Chu Jiubian’s tone was somewhat chilly.

As Qin Xiao approached, Qin Chaoyang had already gotten up and retreated back a little, lowering his sense of presence until he was nearly imperceptible.

“I’ll take you,” said Qin Xiao.

Chu Jiubian glanced at his chest: “How do you expect to take me in that condition?”

According to the latest intelligence, Nanjiang-wang and his wife had left their palace and secretly gone to the Qin family’s prison where Cheng Shuo was being held.

Chu Jiubian’s plan was to go and check on Cheng Shuo’s situation, mainly to keep an eye on the couple’s actions and ensure that no unexpected incidents arose.

But this was a confidential matter. Chu Jiubian needed to leave the palace in the middle of the night, and the more secretly he could do so, the better.

Thus, he planned to have Qin Chaoyang carry him out directly. He was a skilled martial artist, and the dark, windy night suited their plan perfectly.

Qin Xiao looked at Chu Jiubian and said somewhat stubbornly: “I’m feeling much better. Martial arts will not be a problem for me.”

There was a moment of silence, and when Chu Jiubian spoke again, his tone was even more unpleasant: “Why do you actually want to go?”

There was no point in saying that he didn’t want Qin Chaoyang to be the one to carry him. Even Qin Xiao himself wouldn’t believe it if he said it out loud.

Qin Xiao wasn’t that foolish, and finally spoke after a pause: “I want to know if he was truly under the control of an external force.”

If that was the case, it would only prove that Cheng Shuo was weak in willpower. Qin Xiao wouldn’t entrust him with important tasks in the future, but he also wouldn’t do anything to harm him.

However, if that wasn’t the case, then Cheng Shuo truly held a grudge against Qin Xiao.

And Qin Xiao would not allow such a person to live.

Chu Jiubian gazed steadily into the man’s deep, inscrutable eyes.

A moment later, he heaved a sigh: “Let’s go.”

Just as Qin Xiao turned to kneel down, Chu Jiubian took his hand and led him to the staircase.

He positioned himself on the steps, then reached out and wrapped his arms around Qin Xiao’s neck from behind.

Qin Xiao wasn’t wearing a cloak, but with Chu Jiubian draped over him like this, the other’s body heat and cloak dispelled the chill from Qin Xiao’s body.

The young man’s warm breath tickled his ear, and Qin Xiao’s eyes darkened slightly.

He softly grasped the other’s knees and lifted him onto his back. Then, with a light step, he leaped over the courtyard wall.

Qin Xiao walked steadily along the wall with Chu Jiubian on his back, hiding among the shadows cast by the wall and trees.

His steps were so quick that Chu Jiubian felt the wind stinging his face, so he lowered his head and buried his face in the neck of the person beneath him.

Breathing in that faint, pleasant scent, he was momentarily disoriented.

Qin Xiao was a man of great loyalty and integrity, but at every turn, Chu Jiubian still found him somewhat difficult to understand.

Cheng Shuo was a close friend of Qin Xiao’s parents, a kind uncle who had been there for him throughout his childhood, showering him with affection and support, and even fighting battles on his behalf.

Even with the knowledge that this military expedition was likely to end badly, he had still followed him without hesitation.

Qin Xiao had never imagined that this person would betray him, and was deeply affected when it actually happened.

His had insisted on coming tonight solely because he wanted answers.

He wanted to know if the man had actually betrayed him, or if it was unintentional.

A ringing sound echoed in his ears, and a dazed look spread across Chu Jiubian’s face.

He seemed to be looking at a little boy.

The child knelt by a bloodstained bed amidst scattered pieces of flesh, stubbornly clutching a woman’s cold, clammy arm as he asked her why she had given birth to him.

He asked her why she didn’t want him.

His body jolted abruptly, and Chu Jiubian awoke with a start, instinctively tightening his arms around Qin Xiao’s neck.

Qin Xiao didn’t pause in his steps, but his voice, gentle and low, reached Chu Jiubian’s ears.

“Were you asleep?” he asked.

Chu Jiubian’s grip had almost loosened completely just now. Had he not hefted him up slightly, the young man would have slipped from his back.

Chu Jiubian rubbed his face against the man’s slightly cool ear and softly murmured: “En.”

The man smiled, and a few leaps and bounds later, they finally came to a stop in a courtyard.

This was a side building in the Qin family compound, specifically used to provide food and lodgings for the family’s private guards.

However, there was also a prison within the compound used to confine assassins, spies, and other criminals who were guilty but could not yet be sent to the Ministry of Justice or Dali Temple.

There were currently only a few people being held in the prison, so the sounds coming from one of the cells were exceptionally clear.

Chu Jiubian went with Qin Xiao into the prison and followed the sounds to their source. There in the cell, Cheng Shuo was rolling around on the ground, clutching his head in pain.

Outside his prison cell were two figures, one tall and one short, standing side by side. Several Qin family guards stood to their left and right, watching them intently with their bodies tensed in defensive postures.

When he heard a sound behind him, the tall man turned around.

He had a handsome, elegant face, with deep-set eyes and an impressive bearing. 

The other party revealed no surprise upon catching sight of them, and didn’t approach them to exchange greetings. Instead, he turned back to watch the person in the cell.

And the shorter person beside him was Situ Anli, the Saintess of Nanjiang.

She didn’t turn around, remaining entirely focused on the prison cell as she murmured some sort of complex, ancient incantation.

Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao exchanged a look, then approached without a hint of caution.

They didn’t believe that this king and queen would harm them. After all, judging from their actions in the past, it was clear that they weren’t the sort of people who prioritized personal gain above all else.

Of course, even if they did try something, Chu Jiubian wasn’t worried. After all, he had the Situ siblings as his Believers, didn’t he? He would be able to utilize his relationship with them to resolve such a crisis. 

And even if using the two children was ineffective, he could also learn several relevant books on the spot from the System Mall and integrate the knowledge.

Upon reaching the prison cell, the two of them noticed that Situ Anli’s face was covered in a thick layer of sweat.

Cheng Shuo writhed in pain inside the cell as a small green snake slithered around him, its cold eyes scrutinizing his form.

Nobody spoke. They simply watched in silence.

Then Cheng Shuo let out an abrupt scream, and a centipede about the thickness of a pinky finger rapidly crawled out of his nostril.

The little green snake slithered over at lightning speed and swallowed the small centipede in one gulp.

The nearby guards all wore rather grim expressions, and when they saw the little green snake slither back to Situ Anli’s head and hide in her hair, their faces went ashen, their gazes toward her filled with shock and terror.

Even Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian had never witnessed such a scene before, and their expressions shifted as they stared at Situ Anli.

Bai Lihao supported his wife, tenderly wiping the cold sweat from her forehead as he said softly: “How are you, Li’er? Do you want me to carry you?”

Situ Anli shook her head and said with a weak smile: “I’m fine. Don’t worry.”

She forced herself to stand upright and looked at Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian, saying: “Greetings, honored lords.”

She placed her hands in front of her chest and performed a traditional Nanjiang greeting.

“No need for formalities, Saintess.” Qin Xiao looked toward Cheng Shuo, who had lost consciousness, and said with a frown, “What happened to him?”

“He will survive, but there was damage to his brain, and he will likely suffer some memory loss in the aftermath,” said Situ Anli.

Chu Jiubian asked: “What kind of gu was he infected with?”

That centipede just now was a gu insect used in witchcraft, but the person controlling it was unknown.

“It was a type of parent-child gu. The mother is able to control the behavior of the host carrying her offspring, but only to a limited extent and for short periods of time. For example, making a person sit or lie down is a fairly common use.”

Situ Anli said with a somewhat imposing expression: “Only a gu master with profound abilities would be able to exert enough control on the lieutenant general to force him to kill someone.”

Chu Jiubian nodded: “Then do you know of anyone with such abilities?”

“There are a few other candidates aside from me, but they are all members of my clan.” Situ Anli said earnestly, “They have never left the Nanjiang region, so it couldn’t have been them.”

“Escort Lieutenant General Cheng to a guest room to rest,” Qin Xiao instructed his guards, and only after the man had been carried away did he turn to the others and say, “There are some reclusive families and sects in the jianghu. Perhaps a clue can be found among them.”

“Does My Lord not suspect us?” Bai Lihao spoke up suddenly, directing his mild gaze at Qin Xiao.

Qin Xiao’s lips curved slightly, and he said: “I had my doubts.”

Bai Lihao smiled back at him.

“Thank you both for taking the time to come and help today. This lord will surely reward you handsomely in the future,” Qin Xiao said, offering them a formal bow.

This statement was, in fact, a promise.

Regardless of how he might target the powerful noble families and the vassal kings in the future, Nanjiang would remain a safe zone.

Both Bai Lihao and Situ Anli understood this, and after bowing in return, they took their leave.

Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian returned to the palace soon after.

A wave of warmth enveloped them when they entered Yangxin Hall, making them both feel much more comfortable.

“System, scan his injury,” Chu Jiubian said internally.

[The wound is healing well, and the internal injury is not serious. Please rest assured, Host.]

It seemed that Qin Xiao was in excellent physical shape. After carrying him on his back for a round trip, he was still perfectly fine.

It was getting late, so Chu Jiubian said: “Go and wash up.”

Qin Xiao had already removed his outer garment, which was soaked from the snow. Hearing this, he turned and asked: “What about you?”

“I’ll wash up too.”

“Don’t you take a bath every night?” Qin Xiao asked.

Chu Jiubian gave him a look: “Did Xiao Xiangzi tell you that?”

“En.”

Chu Jiubian let out a light snort. He must have reported that in the initial period after Chu Jiubian’s arrival.

“That’s not necessary during winter,” he said.

Thus, just as they had done in the morning, both of them washed their faces and brushed their teeth, then gave themselves a quick wipe-down and got in bed.

Chu Jiubian still kept to the inner side.

But this time, he had learned his lesson. As soon as he crawled in, he turned his back and faced the wall to avoid any awkwardness.

Qin Xiao chuckled softly as he watched him huddle under the blankets.

Chu Jiubian ignored him and closed his eyes.

The lights in the room went out, and the bed jostled slightly.

Then Chu Jiubian felt the blanket being lifted, and the body heat of another person entered the bedcovers.

It was nice and warm.

Chu Jiubian closed his eyes and compelled himself to fall asleep.

But the presence of the person beside him was so strong that he was unable to.

Qin Xiao turned his head to look at him in the darkness, similarly unable to sleep.

Chu Jiubian had disdained him eating in bed earlier, so he had ordered the bedding to be changed. For this reason, his own scent had faded, but the faint fragrance emanating from Chu Jiubian lingered in his nose.

Qin Xiao felt a little parched. Just as he was considering getting up to fetch some water, he heard someone knock softly and rhythmically on the window outside.

---

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Chapter 73 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 75

Ch. 96 – Drinking Capacity

When Feng Ye entered the room, the four people who had entered ahead of him were already seated side by side at the dining table.

Although there were only two residents in this wooden house, there were four long benches occupying each side of the square table.

With the bearded man and the scarred man each sitting on one side and Fang Yang and Cao Zirui squeezing into another, the last remaining side was naturally reserved for Feng Ye and Hao Chen.

Before taking his seat, Feng Ye cast a cursory glance around the room. Although the house was small, it contained all of the necessities, such as beds, cooking utensils, and some other common household items. There were even embroidery needles and thread laying out, as well as a cloth tiger.

Feng Ye’s gaze lingered briefly on the cloth tiger.

“Come sit down! We just caught a rabbit today,” the scarred man called out to Feng Ye.

Feng Ye looked away and sat down at the table.

But before he could settle into his seat, Hao Chen unceremoniously squeezed in next to him, forcing him to move to the side.

Even though Feng Ye had given him enough space, Hao Chen completely ignored the ample space on his other side and pressed close to Feng Ye.

Despite carrying the fish all this way, Feng Ye still instinctively balked at anyone getting so close to him, and shifted a little further away.

Hao Chen, pushing his luck, scooted closer and closer to him.

This repeated several times.

The long bench was meant to be shared equally between two people, but Hao Chen was already seated in the middle, leaving Feng Ye with only one side of his buttocks resting on the bench.

If he moved any further, he would fall flat on his rear. Feng Ye finally gave up struggling and resigned himself to sitting close to Hao Chen.

Meanwhile, as the two of them shifted in their seats, the others at the table had already struck up a conversation.

The scarred man introduced himself first: “My name is Wang Wu. I’m a hunter from the mountains.”

Wang Wu then gestured to the bearded man on his left and said: “This is my good brother, Zhao Yi.”

Compared to Wang Wu’s beaming smile, Zhao Yi appeared somewhat indifferent. He had likely not been very willing to allow Feng Ye and the others inside his home, but Wang Wu had cut his refusal short. When Wang Wu introduced him, he simply nodded to everyone.

Once the two of them finished their introductions, it was Feng Ye’s turn to introduce his crew of four.

But he was currently occupied with his back-and-forth with Hao Chen, so Fang Yang stepped up to set an example. He introduced his party one by one, from the furthest away from him to the closest.

He only said their names, without explaining where they came from or what they were doing here. Because Fang Yang felt that even if he told these two hunters, they wouldn’t understand, since cultivation sects usually interacted very little with ordinary people.

But Wang Wu wasn’t satisfied with Fang Yang’s lack of explanation. His smile remained unchanged as he subtly probed for information: “I can see that the four of you possess an air of authority and an extraordinary bearing. You don’t seem like ordinary people.”

Fang Yang scratched his head sheepishly, and was about to say that they were just ordinary disciples of an immortal sect when a voice suddenly cut in.

“We brothers have only practiced martial arts for a short while, so we’re just mediocre, not much better than the average person. But Wang-xiong and Zhao-xiong seem to be quite skilled.”

Feng Ye gestured to the roasted rabbit on the table and smiled, saying: “This rabbit may look simple, but they’re actually incredibly difficult to catch. Once they really start to run, even a wolf might not be able to keep up. I see there are two more dead rabbits lying by the stove. To be able to catch three at once, Wang-xiaong and Zhao-xiong must have considerable martial arts skills.”

“Haha, hunting is all about experience. Properly set up the trap and bait, and the prey will fall right in. It’s not as complicated as you think. My brother and I are just physically strong, which can’t compare to the formal training and techniques of you four,” Wang Wu responded with a hearty laugh.

“An unconventional path is not necessarily inferior to orthodox martial arts. In the beginning, these so-called techniques were merely things that martial artists devised through their own contemplation. Wang-xiong, there’s no need to sell yourself short,” Feng Ye added.

Wang Wu chuckled again and dropped the subject.

He had already realized that Feng Ye was being evasive, so he decided to try a different approach to pry some information out of him: “By the way, what brings you four young men to Longqiu? This is a desolate wilderness teeming with wolves, tigers, and leopards; it’s not an ideal destination.”

Feng Ye replied with a smile: “We heard that there are ruins of an ancient city here, which made us very curious. Since we happened to be passing by Longqiu, we made a special trip to see them.”

Wang Wu’s eyes flickered briefly, and he replied: “Ancient city ruins, huh? That’s certainly true.”

“Oh? In that case, would Wang-xiong be so kind as to point the way? After a brief rest, we’ll head out and not trouble you any further,” said Feng Ye, raising his eyebrows.

“Hey, we met by fate, don’t speak of troubling us.”

Wang Wu waved his hand, then gestured outside: “As you can see from this mountain road, there’s absolutely no structure to it. After the rain, the dirt washes away as mud and the shape of the path changes. Since it’s your first time here, you’re bound to eventually get lost, so how about you just rest here for a while? This afternoon, when it’s not so hot, my brother and I will personally take you there.”

Faced with Wang Wu’s enthusiastic suggestion, Feng Ye thought for a moment, but didn’t refuse. He simply thanked the man: “Many thanks to Wang-xiong and Zhao-xiong.”

Seeing that the two had come to the end of their conversation, Fang Yang finally had a chance to chime in. He lamented to Wang Wu and Zhao Yi: “You really can’t judge a book by its cover, ah. I never imagined that Wang-xiong and Zhao-xiong would be such kind-hearted people. At first glance, you seemed a bit fierce, and I even thought you resembled bandits from a storybook.”

The lively dinner table fell silent in the wake of Fang Yang’s words.

Even the roasted rabbit, which was still piping hot after coming out of the pot, couldn’t alleviate the sudden temperature drop.

Wang Wu’s smile froze on his face, and Zhao Yi’s eyelid twitched, his right hand subconsciously going to his waist.

Cao Zirui glanced around, sensing that something was amiss.

Feng Ye’s gaze lingered on the long, narrow outlines at the waists of the two men. Judging by the length, they were probably daggers.

Hao Chen, on the other hand, calmly opened his fan and waved it.

Fang Yang was completely oblivious to the tremendous truth his words had inadvertently revealed, and he was equally oblivious to the strange atmosphere.

After speaking, he shifted his attention to the roasted rabbit on the table.

Although cultivators at Foundation Establishment stage were able to practice inedia, this rabbit really did smell delicious…..

Fang Yang swallowed.

“Ai, my brother and I have suffered a lot because of our appearances. When we went to the city to work as laborers in our early years, people thought we looked too fierce and refused to hire us.” After a brief tension, Wang Wu broke the silence around the dinner table.

His complexion returned to normal, warm and smiling, and he invited everyone: “We’ve been chatting so long that we forgot to eat. Come on, help yourselves.”

As he spoke, he personally tore off a rabbit leg and handed it to Fang Yang, hoping to stuff his mouth with it. 

Then he spoke again: “We didn’t expect to have guests today, so we only roasted this one rabbit. If it’s not enough, I’ll go roast another one right away.”

“No need,” said Feng Ye. “We’ve already eaten some dry rations on the way. Just a taste is enough. There’s no need for you to go to such trouble, Wang-xiong.”

“Oh, I see…..” Wang Wu feigned a regretful expression.

After saying this, he suddenly got up and fetched a jar of wine from the corner of the room. The jar was half a meter high, and looked quite heavy.

Although it wasn’t easy for Wang Wu to move it, he eventually managed. Such strength was not common in ordinary people.

At this sight, Feng Ye became more certain of his suspicions.

Wang Wu carried the jar to the table and broke off the mud seal, then smiled at everyone and said: “Just eating meat isn’t enough, it needs to be paired with wine to truly savor the flavor. Homemade rice wine can’t compare to the wine in the city. Please don’t be offended!”

As he spoke, he filled each of the bowls on the table to the brim, pouring such an unusually large amount that they nearly overflowed.

After pouring, Wang Wu sat back down and set an example for everyone by picking up his wine bowl: “I’ll drink first as a sign of respect!”

Having said this, he really did drink it all in one gulp.

When he finished, he turned the bowl upside down to show that not a single drop was left.

Fang Yang and Cao Zirui actually didn’t drink, but in the face of Wang Wu’s enthusiasm, as well as the fact that he had already finished his drink, they felt that it would be impolite to refuse.

Drinking was an essential part of becoming a man; it was something they would have to learn eventually. Thus, the two of them also picked up their wine bowls and began to drink in small sips.

Feng Ye picked up his bowl too. He briefly stared at the crystal-clear liquid, and only after confirming that it hadn’t been tampered with did he tilt his head back and drink it down.

Bang.

“Feng-xiong, please have more!”

The moment Feng Ye’s bowl clattered to the table, Wang Wu urged him to drink more.

Wang Wu poured himself another bowl, and also filled Feng Ye’s to the brim.

His intention to get him drunk couldn’t be clearer.

Whether that foolish boy named Fang Yang was truly a fool or merely putting on an act, he had actually laid their identities bare in one sentence.

But as he watched Fang Yang happily munch on a rabbit leg, Wang Wu leaned toward the conclusion that he was genuinely a fool.

Of the four people present, the most difficult one to deal with was probably the one named Feng Ye. After talking with him for so long, he had been unable to glean any useful information.

Feng Ye’s stated purpose for coming here, as well as the identities of this group, were probably not true at all.

Wang Wu had already realized that it would be difficult to get Feng Ye to talk, but…..

Men were most liable to open up in two situations: one was during pillow talk, and the other was after drinking.

He would get Feng Ye absolutely drunk, and then he would pour out everything he was holding back.

Although Wang Wu was also forced to drink during this process, he was extremely confident in his alcohol tolerance and didn’t believe that anyone could outdrink him.

Out of everyone at this table, it definitely wouldn’t be him who collapsed first.

However, his confidence was shattered merely half a shichen later.

And it wasn’t Feng Ye who shattered it, but Hao Chen.

After Wang Wu toasted Feng Ye three times, Hao Chen, who had been silent until now, suddenly joined the drinking party.

He had realized Wang Wu’s intention to get them drunk, and couldn’t help but pick up his fan and give it a flutter, feeling that an opportunity to showcase his charm had finally arrived.

Shielding one’s wife from drinking was practically a must-learn skill for any responsible man.

So Hao Chen snatched the wine bowl from Feng Ye’s hand, which had been refilled for the fourth time, and smiled slightly at the somewhat surprised Feng Ye: “You can’t hold your liquor. I’ll drink for you.”

Feng ‘can’t hold his liquor’ Ye: “ ……”

Hao Chen didn’t mind that Feng Ye had already used the wine bowl, and didn’t even sip from a different part of the rim. He simply drank all the wine in the bowl directly from where Feng Ye had drunk from.

This sudden disruption didn’t bother Wang Wu. He figured that with his enormous capacity for alcohol, he could easily get Hao Chen drunk and then start on Feng Ye again.

After drinking round after round, Wang Wu began to experience some pressure when the bowls numbered over a dozen. He was already slightly drunk, but this fellow named Hao Chen wasn’t even breathing heavily or red in the face. He seemed as if he could go a dozen more rounds without a problem.

Wang Wu’s eyes darted around, and he gave Zhao Yi next to him a meaningful look.

Zhao Yi nodded in understanding. He found a pretext to lift his bowl and propose a toast to Hao Chen, then took turns with Wang Wu plying him with drink.

They refused to believe that between the two of them, they couldn’t drink him under the table.

However, they had no choice but to believe it. Hao Chen accepted every one of their toasts, drinking every bowl Wang Wu and Zhao Yi poured him. Even when they refrained, he drank one bowl after another without stopping.

The roasted rabbit was long gone. Fang Yang and Cao Zirui stared in disbelief as Hao Chen repeatedly set down empty bowls, still holding their unfinished bowls of wine.

The dinner table had become a drinking battleground.

At long last, the wine jar was empty. Wang Wu had also reached his limit.

He stared at Hao Chen with a baffled expression. It truly defied belief; did this fellow have an entire ocean in his stomach?

He ended with a half-hearted compliment: “Hao-xiong, what great drinking capacity!”

Then he slumped over on the table.

Hao Chen finished the last bowl of wine in front of him, then turned to Feng Ye with a grin.

It was evident that he was seeking praise.

Feng Ye ignored him, staring at Hao Chen’s stomach with a head full of questions.

He shared the same idea as Wang Wu: was there an ocean inside Hao Chen’s belly?

The jar of wine weighed at least twenty catties, and most of it had ended up inside Hao Chen. Yet despite drinking so much, his belly was still flat. It was unknown where all of that wine had gone.

Feng Ye had seen Hao Chen’s true form in his dream, that Peng bird that blotted out the sky. Even if Hao Chen couldn’t drink up the sea, he could certainly drain a small river.

But that was his true form. How was the human version able to drink so much?

Feng Ye’s original form wasn’t small either, but his appetite and alcohol tolerance changed with his size. He could eat more in his dragon form, but as a human, he was no different from any ordinary person.

But that didn’t seem to be the case for the Kunpeng. Could it be that the structure of Hao Chen’s human form was different from ordinary people?

The more he thought about it, the more confused Feng Ye became. So, under Hao Chen’s bewildered gaze, he leaned down and pressed his ear against the other’s stomach.

Hao Chen stared down at Feng Ye lying in his lap, and asked in confusion: “What are you doing?”

Feng Ye first shushed him. Then, after listening for a moment, he replied: “I want to hear the sound of the sea.”

Hao Chen: “……”

---

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Chapter 95 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 97

Ch 28 – In Deep Trouble

Tau went looking for Yu Xi, wanting to get some materials for his figurine’s eyes. The door to Kersz and Yu Xi’s room wasn’t closed all the way, and he heard Kersz’s voice.

“Y-Yu Xi, don’t lick me, ah.”

Tau froze with his hand outstretched toward the door, then hugged his little dinosaur tighter.

After returning to his room, Tau couldn’t stop himself from turning around and glaring toward their door.

Sure enough, that madman Kersz was desperate to sell his body, and Yu Xi had gladly accepted.

The relationship between these two was incredibly messy, and something bad was bound to happen sooner or later.

How could he so easily get into an intimate relationship with someone as dangerous as Yu Xi? What if their relationship hit a snag and Yu Xi had a breakdown?

If Yu Xi were to try to drag humanity into death with him, would they be able to stop him?

Thinking of these things, Tau shook his head in disapproval at the actions of that dissolute space pirate Kersz.

Tau couldn’t sleep, because he hadn’t been able to put eyes on his little dinosaur yet.

He wanted a pair of eyes…..a pretty pair of eyes, preferably purple.

Tau poked the little dinosaur’s empty eye sockets a few times.

Were Yu Xi and Kersz finished?

Tau went out again, hugging his dinosaur. This time, he heard Yu Xi’s voice when he walked to their door.

“But you kept making that sound, like the meowing of a small kitten….”

Tau sighed. They weren’t finished.

He took the dinosaur back to his room.

Did Yu Xi perhaps have a problem with his aesthetic tastes? How could a kitten’s meow have anything to do with Kersz?

Tau had no choice but to return to his room.

He waited a little longer, thinking that this time, it should be fine.

But when he reached the door, he heard Kersz asking: “Give birth to robots? Why would I give birth to robots?”

Tau: ……

He glanced at the time. It had only been a few hours. How had they progressed to the point where they were discussing having children?

Furthermore, did Yu Xi have genetic material? And even if he did, he couldn’t combine it with Kersz’s, right? 

And what did they mean by ‘giving birth?’ Nowadays, humans were grown using machines. Human conception was illegal, ah.

Also, humans could not give birth to robots.

After lingering for a while at the door, Tau came to a conclusion – this must be a crazy, ridiculous little game between them.

Tau had seen far too many filthy things. Illegitimates like him occasionally received missions that required them to use their own bodies, so such things were not unusual to Tau.

But was Kersz really not afraid of developing health problems? Or did he have that much faith in the medical facilities of the ancient humans?

This space pirate was truly insane.

Tau returned to his room, where he cuddled his eye-less dinosaur until dawn.

He didn’t close the door, and rushed out the second he heard footsteps.

Upon laying eyes on Yu Xi, he raised up the dinosaur in his arms: “Do you have two purple eyeballs?”

“Huh? You finished it?” Yu Xi was rather surprised.

Tau nodded.

“Would you like to install a small interactive system in this little dinosaur?” Yu Xi asked.

Tau was stunned: “Is that possible? But its body is very fragile. Won’t it break easily?”

“You can apply some protective coating to it. The interactive system has a basic emotion module. Would you like that?” Yu Xi felt that Tau was exceptionally fond of this little toy.

Tau wasn’t sure if he wanted it or not: “But what if I die after installing the emotion module?”

“Even with an emotion module, it will still just be a pet. It won’t have the same profound emotions as humans.” Yu Xi felt that there was no need for Tau to worry about this.

“But what is profound, and what is superficial?” Tau felt that this was wrong. Feelings were feelings. How could there be a distinction between them?

Was the affection of a “pet” something that could be easily discarded?

“Profound affection is when your loved one understands you completely, including your good and bad qualities, and loves you regardless,” Yu Xi explained. “With superficial affection, the subject doesn’t understand you. Not your experiences, your suffering, or your joy.”

“They only like you because of the tiny bit of kindness you give them,” Yu Xi said. “You can’t be sure if they’ll still like you after they discover the real you.”

Kersz also overheard Yu Xi’s speech, and sighed as he straightened his clothes: “Aren’t your words a little too cold?”

“No, I’m speaking from experience,” Yu Xi said.

“Have you owned many pets?”

“I feel that I was kept as a pet by humans for a long time.” Yu Xi hadn’t expected that Tau would be so concerned over the feelings of a pet.

Clearly, Tau didn’t even care about the life or death of other humans.

After hearing Yu Xi’s words, Tau hugged his little dinosaur even tighter.

“With the emotion module, will it become like you one day?” he asked.

“No, that is just an artificial emotion system. You can think of it as your pet imitating you.” Yu Xi had undergone countless upgrades to become what he was. “Although it is incredibly close to reality, grief won’t cause it any physical problems.”

Tau: “So it would just be a lie.”

“You can think of it that way.” Yu Xi frowned. “But I don’t like using such a depressing word to describe it. Rather than a lie, I would say it’s a ‘fantasy.’”

Tau looked down at the dinosaur in his arms, then up at Yu Xi.

After a moment’s thought, he held the dinosaur out to Yu Xi with both hands: “Then please install an artificial emotion module in it. And purple eyes.”

“Okay. I’ll make the two of you look more like family.” Yu Xi took the dinosaur. “Have you named it?”

Tau shook his head. He didn’t know what to name it: “What did your ancient humans call this type of creature?”

Yu Xi: “Humans collectively referred to them as dinosaurs, or kǒnglóng.”

“It sounds so imposing. Then let’s call it ‘kōnglóng.’” Tau was very satisfied with this grand-sounding word.^[1]

Yu Xi: “…..Hehe.” He was still helpless against non-standard pronunciation.

Yu Xi went to assemble the protective casing and emotion module for Tau’s little dinosaur. Obviously, he would still need to modify the joints and muscular structure to make it look even cuter.

Kersz didn’t stick to Yu Xi. He was actually quite curious about Tau.

He didn’t understand why Tau had suddenly become enthralled with doing handicrafts.

Kersz asked him, but Tau didn’t feel that he was enthralled. It was just that he couldn’t do anything right now, such as transmitting intelligence, so he could only tinker with these little things.

“Then why not eat or drink instead of making things like that?” Kersz had also grown bored after recovering his health, so he started finding ways to amuse himself.

And his source of amusement was food.

He had never tasted any of this food before, and longed to try every single one of Yu Xi’s dishes.

Kersz was quite certain that Tau had never eaten proper food either. The Supreme Governor wouldn’t give his henchmen so many benefits.

Tau’s hobby was somewhat divorced from reality, and it seemed to be a sort of spiritual pursuit as well.

“Why are you thinking about food and drink?” Tau didn’t understand.

“Because those are a person’s most primal desires,” Kersz said. “Do you not have an appetite?”

Tau countered: “Isn’t lust also one of humanity’s most primal desires?”

“Of course it is~” Kersz agreed at once.

“You were exposed to lust much sooner than me,” Kersz said, looking Tau up and down. “Do you not feel it?”

“No.” When Tau engaged in such behavior, he was just completing a task.

“How can that be? You haven’t modified your flesh and blood body.” Kersz felt that it was impossible for Tau to be completely unaffected.

“I did experience a physical reaction, but it didn’t bring me pleasure.” Tau knew that it was just a normal human response. “I advise you not to mistake this fleeting pleasure for true love.”

Kersz: “Ah?”

Tau continued: “It is very deceptive. As I understand it, some people become addicted to this toxic pleasure.”

After venturing into space, humans rarely had sexual relations with each other anymore.

Because most people were not ‘compatible”

Compared to incompatible humans, customizable androids that could meet certain needs were more useful.

Human pregnancy was also illegal, so there was no need for humans to force themselves to have offspring with another human.

Human-on-human sexual relationships had become more of a peculiar “hobby.”

It was a desire to conquer that drove people to subdue a member of their own race.

Tau certainly found that to be a toxic pleasure.

“I didn’t feel pleasure, nor did I feel humiliated. But I think the lack of humiliation was because I don’t have much shame to begin with.” Tau looked at Kersz. “Ask yourself honestly, how did you feel when Yu Xi touched you?”

Kersz: “Very aroused.”

Tau: “Tell the truth.”

Kersz described it in more detail: “Even though I was aroused, my mind was pretty clear. I wanted him to continue, but I also felt that our relationship wasn’t at that point. I wanted him to stop, but I couldn’t bring myself to say the word ‘stop.’”

Tau: ……

Tau went quiet.

Kersz snuck a couple of glances at him. In consideration of their former friendship, he felt that he should show him a bit of concern: “Were you abused by those people?”

Tau: “Actually…..”

Kersz’s eyes widened.

“Actually, it’s those mentally-stressed people in high positions of power who prefer to be abused,” Tau said. “They always seem to enjoy finding a ‘master’ for themselves within a safe space.”

“As for those with sadistic tendencies, that group of people are a bit too extreme. Approaching them through lust is unreliable, because they really do cause deaths. Raising an Illegitimate is not a simple endeavor, and nobody would allow one in their hands to be scrapped so easily.”

“Your world is far more unhinged than that of a madman like me,” Kersz exclaimed.

Tau didn’t respond. He simply stared at Yu Xi’s door, waiting for the results.

Kersz’s curiosity was piqued again: “So, who have you been the master of?”

Tau remained silent.

Kersz: “Was there anyone you felt pity or tenderness for?”

“They have power and status. Why would I pity them?”

“Ha, you can see it when it’s not your father in question,” Kersz laughed.

Tau refused to speak.

Kersz attempted to strike up conversation again, but Tau ignored him.

Tau maintained this silence until Yu Xi brought out the little dinosaur, which had been fitted with an emotion module and a protective casing.

Tau’s eyes lit up, and he immediately straightened up and stretched out his hands to welcome his dinosaur.

Yu Xi handed over the small creature, whose expressions and facial features resembled those of a well-made cartoon character.

Most importantly, its eyes were a light purple just like Tau’s.

“Congratulations, you’re a father!” Yu Xi smiled and clapped, and then the entire room filled with cheers and applause.

Yu Xi had long since replaced the main system in this room with one more like that back on his planet.

Amidst the cheers, Tau hugged his dinosaur tightly.

He truly felt like he was a father.

He looked down at the dinosaur in his arms again. This was something he had painstakingly pasted together with pieces of paper.

Tau extended a finger, and the little dinosaur rubbed its head against it.

Tau felt as if he had received an electric shock.

The little dinosaur let out two “roars,” and Tau trembled helplessly. In the end, he looked to Yu Xi for help: “What does it mean?”

Kersz noticed that Yu Xi had changed into a white lab coat, and that upon hearing Tau’s words, he immediately pulled a pair of glasses from his pocket: “Come here, and I’ll tell you a few key points.”

Tau stiffly followed Yu Xi to the table.

“First, when it comes to holding a baby, you should ideally support its head, neck, and bottom. But considering that this one could run from the second it was born, you can just hold it however you like.” Yu Xi then pretentiously took out a piece of paper and a pen. “Then comes feeding. This is a creature hatched from an egg, so it doesn’t need breastmilk, but you must create food for it.”

Tau: “Create?”

“Yes, small food-shaped toys. If you really don’t have time, you can draw food on paper and cut it out. It will be able to eat it.”

Tau was shocked: “It’s really edible?”

“It can still taste the flavor.” Yu Xi smiled. “The more refined the product is, the more the child will like it. Don’t underestimate the technology of the ancient humans.”

Tau let out an exclamation of awe, and the dinosaur in his arms echoed him.

He stared wide-eyed at the dinosaur, and it wagged its tail at him.

Yu Xi tapped Tau’s head with his pen: “Listen carefully.”

Tau quickly sat up straight.

“Eating coarse food for too long can can cause it to have diarrhea,” Yu Xi added.

Tau was even more astonished: “It can get diarrhea?”

“Of course it can. The diarrhea will come out as bits of paper. Look at its bottom – those bits of paper will come out from there.” Yu Xi’s modifications to the dinosaur were very successful. “Healthy stool will look like a tiny crumpled ball of paper.”

Tau touched the dinosaur, utterly shocked.

“You can also make him some miniature clothes and shoes from time to time. Children like to look good.” At this point, Yu Xi lowered his head with a smile and asked the dinosaur if it liked pretty things.

The dinosaur nodded its big head, looking rather shy.

Yu Xi also reminded it that it wasn’t wearing clothes at the moment.

The dinosaur tried to cover its body with its short arms, but found that its forelimbs were far too short. Unable to cover itself, it could only surreptitiously tug part of Tau’s jacket over its body.

Tau looked completely dumbfounded.

Goodness! It really looked like a living thing. A living thing he had created himself!

He was really going to be a father!

What should a father do? The dinosaur currently had no clothes or food….that’s right! The dinosaur had nothing at all!

Tau jumped up with the dinosaur in his arms. He needed to quickly prepare food so that the dinosaur could have a full belly before he made its clothes.

Tau needed to get busy.

He asked Yu Xi for the food recipe, then took the paper and white glue back to his room.

“I still don’t get it.” Kersz crossed his arms and stared in the direction Tau had gone.

“I heard what the two of you were talking about,” Yu Xi said.

“Then why do you think he’s so obsessed with this little toy instead of food or physical pleasure?” Kersz asked in puzzlement.

Yu Xi had been pondering this question, and had even searched for references among the records of the ancient humans: “You weren’t interested in physical pleasure at the beginning either.”

“Because I was too focused on killing people. He’s obviously not as angry as I am.”

Yu Xi didn’t agree: “Perhaps you wished to use your rebellion to reveal your anger to everyone. Even if you couldn’t change the entire situation, you could still irk them, like a fishbone stuck in their throats.”

Kersz: “Why would people eat fish bones?”

“Oh, I forgot you’ve never choked on a fishbone.” Yu Xi realized that he hadn’t used the right analogy. “Or you could become a thorn stuck under their fingernails, unable to be ignored.”

Kersz considered this and decided that it was pretty accurate.

“In fact, many humans have a stronger reproductive desire under extreme conditions. It’s natural.”

People always hoped to pass on their genes as another form of “escape.”

But these desires seemed to belong to the future.

Both appetite and lust were forms of yearning for what was yet to come.

But these “Illegitimates” had no future at all.

What tomorrow would bring was not something they could dwell upon. Through repeated torment, their most primal desires as living beings had been forcibly snuffed out.

These “Illegitimates” were like rootless duckweed. They had no official identity, their biological parents had long since died, and they had nowhere to go.

Disobeying orders meant death.

Those early childhood education cartoons may be the “safe haven” Tau had found.

Tau was pursuing something unreal. His understanding had matured, but his preferences were deeply bound to those early childhood education cartoons.

Those animated films, which made it seem like the whole world was accommodating and guiding the viewer, contained a fatal attraction for Tau. And the act of making handicrafts posed no danger to him.

This was more like doing something to relieve boredom, but this “boredom” was particularly important for Tau.

All of this was absolutely safe for him.

And Tau had never felt absolutely safe before.

Thus, Tau became addicted. Like a child engrossed in playing house, he began to take care of his little dinosaur, creating food and clothes for it.

His feelings for the little dinosaur were real, but it was all a fantasy.

This, too, was a form of security.

“But his feelings for that thing really seem genuine.” Kersz grasped the key point.

Yu Xi hummed in acknowledgement: “Indeed. He might hope that the dinosaur’s feelings for him are also genuine.”

“Then why not get a real pet?”

“He doesn’t dare.” Yu Xi shrugged.

“From an outsider’s perspective, we humans are a bit too pathetic.” Kersz found it comical, but he couldn’t laugh.

“It’s hard to say what conditions would make your kind comfortable and at peace. I thought the ancient humans had finally found the answer, but then they still left.” Yu Xi didn’t understand either.

He had a clear understanding that both Tau and Kersz were in pain, but he couldn’t understand why the ancient humans, who were free from such pain, would still choose death.

Must every road have an end? Wasn’t that too pessimistic?

Kersz felt that his own behavior must also be incomprehensible to Tau, and that he must think that Kersz was blinded by simple, straightforward pleasures.

At this thought, Kersz felt that something wasn’t quite right.

Hadn’t Yu Xi just said that appetite and lust were part of a desire for a “future?”

Then did that mean Kersz wanted to have a future?

Hadn’t his lust toward Yu Xi just been caused by excessive touching?

Yu Xi was clearly a standard robot, yet he was more erotic than those androids that specialized in human desire.

Those androids were only capable of some straightforward functions. Yu Xi, however, was quite advanced, and he had a restrained, ascetic style.

Right now for example.

“What are you looking at?” Yu Xi noticed Kersz staring at his neck.

“You’re wearing a turtleneck underneath,” Kersz said.

“Yes, it’s very comfortable.” Yu Xi tugged at his collar. “Do you want one?”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk.” Kersz shook his head.

What a pro, ah.

The blueish line on Yu Xi’s lower lip ran down his chin and across his Adam’s apple before finally disappearing beneath his turtleneck.

Wasn’t this designed to entice people into exploring below, following the dim, pulsing light?”

Indeed, this sophisticated, subtle eroticism was the real culprit behind arousing his lust.

It wasn’t that he hoped for a future with Yu Xi.

How could he possibly have such expectations?

“What are you tsking about?” Yu Xi asked.

“I was tsking at myself. As I recall, you said that your energy is running out soon, but you’re a robot who’s existed since before the ancient humans left the planet. You lived through the extinction of the ancient humans, and even to the birth of new humans. Your concept of time is definitely different from ours,” Kersz said.

Yu Xi nodded: “It is.”

“So I figure you won’t completely shut down until tens of thousands of years after I’m dead.” If that was the case, then how could Kersz possibly fantasize about a future with Yu Xi? Their futures were not on the same plane of existence.

Yu Xi reassured Kersz: “No, I’m burning through my energy very quickly. It’s possible that you will outlive me.”

Kersz: …..

Kersz suddenly took a few steps toward Yu Xi, but managed to control himself and suppress his agitation.

Yu Xi’s concept of time was indeed different from that of Kersz and others: “I could just keel over and die at any moment.” After all, three hundred years would pass in the blink of an eye.

Kersz froze.

He stared at Yu Xi, feeling his desire drain away again.

All of a sudden, it all felt so meaningless.

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[1] The way Tau pronounces this makes it sound like “impractical dragon.” ⮐

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Chapter 27 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 29

Ch. 95 – Longqiu

Unlike the flat plains, this vast and lush mountain forest occupied uneven terrain. Undulating mountains and ancient trees of various heights stood side by side, their crowns forming winding, rippling waves. Though there were no turbulent waves like on the coast, the forest itself was a sea of trees, swaying in the wind.

Due to the rugged terrain and inconvenient roads, few people lived in these parts.

At the highest point of this mountain forest, one couldn’t see any signs of human habitation for many li around.

But today, something was different. On a forest path frequented by herb gatherers, four people were walking in pairs.

Hao Chen unfolded his fan, using it to shield his eyes as he peered up at the scorching sun, which was so bright that a moment’s glance was enough to blur one’s sight. After only a couple of seconds, he lowered his head and blinked his eyes.

Once the spots in his eyes subsided a bit, he couldn’t help but ask Feng Ye beside him: “How much longer do we have to walk?”

Hearing this, Feng Ye looked at the map in his hand and thought for a moment. The map was hand-drawn, with messy and primitive lines, lacking any aesthetic appeal. Its only redeeming quality was the clarity of the markings, which allowed one to roughly determine the route.

Feng Ye had gone to great lengths to obtain it, emptying his already meager savings to get an illiterate villager to painstakingly produce it for him.

This was an absolute necessity, for only upon truly entering the territory of Longqiu did they realize just how desolate the place was. So desolate, in fact, that aside from their small group, there wasn’t another living soul in sight.

And with nobody around, there was naturally no one to ask for directions. Without this map, they would be like headless flies, wandering aimlessly through the forest.

The four of them had set off from Lingxiao Sword Sect and headed to the nearest dock to take a ship to Longqiu. Given how desolate Longqiu was, there were obviously no direct routes running through it. 

They disembarked at another dock and then traveled by various means of transportation, including horse-drawn carriages, oxcarts, and even donkey carts, not missing a single mode of travel.

As members of a cultivation sect, by all rights, they shouldn’t have fallen so low as to travel by donkey cart. It was completely beneath the dignity of immortals.

But of the four, two appeared to be low in power and incapable of flight, and of the other two, one was a novice prone to crashing when flying on his own, so carrying someone else as well would be quite the gamble. The remaining one had extensive flight experience, but was still recovering from serious injuries and should avoid using spiritual power casually.

Thus, the four of them had no choice but to keep company with various livestock and hitch rides with traveling merchants or farmers heading to the market.

After three days of such travel, they finally arrived in Longqiu today.

They had passed through the last village at dawn, travelling deep into the heart of Longqiu. The sun was currently high in the sky, and it was the hottest part of the day.

Feng Ye studied the map for a long time, but he really couldn’t estimate how far they were from their destination on this hand-drawn map with arbitrary proportions.

But how far could it be? At most, they would traverse the entirety of Longqiu in two or three days. 

Two or three days of walking was nothing to a cultivator.

Although traveling beneath such a scorching sun was indeed somewhat grueling, cultivators had their own methods for regulating their temperature. Fang Yang and Cao Zirui, who were walking ahead, were full of energy. They were chatting and laughing, walking with a skip in their step, without a drop of sweat on their foreheads. They would occasionally leave Feng Ye and Hao Chen behind and rush off together to look at the scenery along the roadside.

Feng Ye himself also felt fine, but he had only been walking for half a day and wasn’t in need of rest.

Hao Chen was the only one with a listless look about him. In just one morning, he had asked “how much farther?” more than five times.

And the intervals between these questions were becoming shorter and shorter.

Feng Ye thought that this fish was just being lazy again, so he simply folded the map and put it in his sleeve, giving a perfunctory reply: “Almost there, almost there.”

Before Hao Chen’s eyes could completely light up, Feng Ye added: “We’ll definitely arrive within two more days.”

The look in Hao Chen’s eyes instantly turned to resentment, and he stared at Feng Ye so intently that Feng Ye couldn’t help but shiver even under the sun.

Feng Ye felt that Hao Chen was being unreasonable. They had only walked for half a day, so how could he be tired? This fish wasn’t some pampered young lady who had never left home.

Although he didn’t express his true feelings, his expression betrayed him.

Hao Chen couldn’t help but justify himself: “It’s too dry here…..”

Although Lingxiao Sword Sect was not located by the sea, it was situated near the coastal plains, so the air was humid. In spring and autumn, even without rain, it was difficult to keep quilts dry all year round.

Longqiu, however, was located in the northwest inland. As they ventured further into it, they subsequently moved farther away from the coast, and the air became increasingly dry.

Ordinary fish could not survive without water. And although a big fish like Hao Chen could move freely on the shore, at heart, he was still a water-loving creature.

He hated the dry air and scorching sunlight.

The sun wasn’t visible for most of the year in the North Sea, and when it was, its rays were gentle and warm, inducing someone to sleep while basking in it.

Hao Chen felt no discomfort in the early morning when the sun had not yet fully risen, but as it moved across the sky, he felt the moisture leaving him at an accelerating rate. If he stayed in the sun for too much longer, he might very well become a dried fish.

Although it may sound like an exaggeration, his desire to never again toil under such intense sunlight was genuine.

Instead of allowing himself to become a dried and salted fish on the shore, he should sink into the deep sea, quietly waiting amongst the cool currents for the hottest part of the day to pass.

When he heard Hao Chen’s reasoning, Feng Ye didn’t understand. So what if it was dry?

But then his eyes lit up in sudden realization.

This fish was struggling to acclimatize.

It seemed Hao Chen wasn’t being deliberately lazy. It was simply his nature as a fish to hate being active in such sweltering heat.

Although Feng Ye himself could be considered a seafood product, and he was fond of water, he wasn’t as dependent upon it as Hao Chen.

Seeing Hao Chen’s expression, as if he wanted nothing more than to lie down and do nothing, it seemed that only a timely rain would be able to alleviate his situation.

But such thinking was useless. Even as a dragon, Feng Ye was unable to call down rain.

In most myths and legends, summoning clouds and rain was one of the abilities of the dragon race.

This wasn’t entirely untrue; the dragon residing in the Eastern Sea of the heavenly realm could indeed control the clouds and rain. However, Feng Ye was a yinglong cultivated from a jiao, which was somewhat different from a naturally-born dragon.

His power was derived primarily from resentful energy. Specifically, the black mist he had brought back from the Emberless Horizon. While he did possess the ability to manipulate water, it was by no means his strong suit.

He could manipulate the water currents in the deep sea, but conjuring rain out of thin air in such a dry environment was beyond his abilities.

Since the power of a dragon was unable to bring rain, Feng Ye was out of ideas. He asked Hao Chen: “What do you suggest we do?”

Hao Chen took on a pensive look. Inwardly, he was delighted. At last, Feng Ye had fallen into his trap.

His listless expression was half genuine and half for show as he waited for Feng Ye to ask and let him reveal his long-held scheme.

“Carry me on your back,” was Hao Chen’s answer after feigning deep consideration.

If he was unable to ride Yinglong in his original form, riding his human form as a compromise would still be a satisfying experience.

Feng Ye’s resulting expression was one of complete disdain, as if to say, “keep dreaming.”

“Ai.” Hao Chen sighed, taking the hint. With no further unreasonable demands, he walked in laborious silence under the scorching sun.

Walking beside Hao Chen, Feng Ye was initially firm that carrying the fish was pure fantasy.

But seeing how Hao Chen was swaying unsteadily, like a drunkard unable to maintain his balance, Feng Ye’s resolve wavered.

After walking a few more steps, Hao Chen’s complexion grew increasingly weak, almost to the point that it made one think he was terminally ill and on the verge of death.

Feng Ye’s resolve wavered even more.

Hao Chen stumbled, nearly hitting his head on a rock. But he regained his balance at the last second and managed to stand up, giving Feng Ye a brave smile that said, “I’m fine.”

Feng Ye: …..

The two youths leading the way finally realized they were moving too fast, leaving their companions, who walked slower than the elderly, far behind.

They retraced their steps, only to find Feng Ye moving slowly forward with Hao Chen on his back.

With his plan a success, Hao Chen’s listless expression instantly vanished. He chattered incessantly in Feng Ye’s ear, admiring the scenery from the dragon’s back while complaining about the way Feng Ye was carrying him.

One moment, he would complain that Feng Ye was holding his knees too tightly, making them itchy, and the next he complained that Feng Ye wasn’t holding them tightly enough and he was about to slide off his back.

The “ # ” on Feng Ye’s forehead grew larger and larger, covering it almost completely.

Fang Yang ran back to their side with Cao Zirui, asking Feng Ye: “What’s wrong with Hao-dage?”

They thought that Hao Chen must be injured. What other reason would Feng Ye have for carrying him on his back? 

Before Hao Chen could explain, Feng Ye spoke up in a dark tone: “His legs are broken.”

Although this was clear mockery, Hao Chen didn’t speak up in his defense. He knew he had become a little too complacent, and that if he pushed his luck any further, the dragon might just throw him off his back.

So Hao Chen remained silent and tacitly accepted Feng Ye’s slander, wrapping his arms tightly around the other’s neck to prevent him from throwing him off. 

“How did he suddenly break his legs?” Fang Yang muttered, somewhat baffled.

But neither Feng Ye nor Hao Chen seemed inclined to answer, leaving Fang Yang with his doubts.

Meanwhile, Cao Zirui inspected Hao Chen’s legs and realized that they weren’t broken at all. He thought about why Feng Ye would carry Hao Chen on his back, and why he would say such a thing.

He even came up with a reasonable explanation: the two of them were flirting.

He still hadn’t forgotten the scene in the Floating Island Secret Realm where, upon waking up, he seemed to have seen the two of them kissing.

After the initial shock, he had gradually accepted it as fact.

The two of them being men didn’t seem to matter much. The path of cultivation was destined to be long and lonely, and whether one’s chosen companion was male or female was irrelevant.

Out of everyone in the group, only Fang Yang was oblivious to what was going on.

But oblivious as he may be, he still realized that carrying someone on his back must be exhausting for Useless Shixiong. So he suggested to Feng Ye: “Shixiong, we spotted smoke rising from the woods when we were walking ahead. There seem to be people nearby. Shall we go over and rest our feet for a while?”

Rest their feet…..although Hao Chen lived up to the “heavy” character in his name, Feng Ye felt that he could still go on.

He didn’t need to rest, but he did need to ask for directions.

“Living Soil is hidden in the mountains and marshes of Longqiu” was just a general statement, but in fact, there were more detailed accounts in the records.

There was a human saying that went: ‘Circumstances change as time passes, and even seas can transform into fields.’ Time could render the same land entirely unrecognizable.

Longqiu had not always been so rugged and sparsely-populated.

Legend had it that this place was once the site of the royal city of an ancient kingdom. However, as a new dynasty arose, Longqiu was struck by an earthquake that completely destroyed the old site of the royal city.

Plains were compressed by the seismic activity, causing mountains to rise up. Buildings that were originally distributed across the earth sank beneath it, with only a few scattered places still exposed above the ground.

Ling Yun had discovered the Living Soil near one of these ruins.

Therefore, the ruins were Feng Ye’s destination.

During the untold centuries these ruins lay submerged beneath the earth, the exposed sections had become largely overgrown with vegetation and blended seamlessly into their surroundings. A cursory glance from above would reveal nothing. Only by actually traversing the terrain would one realize that there was actually an ancient city buried beneath.

For this reason, Feng Ye didn’t let Fang Yang fly ahead on his sword to find the way, as it would be a waste of effort and Fang Yang might even get lost.

Compared to searching blindly on their own, asking the local residents for directions was clearly the wiser choice.

Feng Ye had previously inquired with a farmer who frequently went to the mountains to collect herbs, and he did indeed know where these ruins were.

Feng Ye had studied the map repeatedly, and although it was fairly accurate at first, the deeper they went into Longqiu, the more the map deviated from the actual route. He felt that if he continued to follow this map, he might end up straying far from his destination.

For this reason, he needed to find another person to correct his course. If there were indeed people ahead, those who lived in these mountains and forests would certainly be more familiar with the situation in Longqiu than that herb gatherer.

With this in mind, Feng Ye said: “Lead the way.”

Fang Yang readily accepted, and walked ahead with Cao Zirui.

Their destination seemed close, but it was actually quite a ways away, and it took the four of them another half a shichen before they finally arrived at the source of the smoke.

Young people possessed abundant energy, and both Fang Yang and Cao Zirui looked at ease. Hao Chen was also relaxed, and was even at leisure to take out a fan and wave it for Feng Ye while lying on his back.

Feng Ye had already realized that the fish was putting on an act, but he was also aware that the dry environment did have some effect on Hao Chen.

So in the end, he didn’t abandon Hao Chen, but carried him on his back for a short distance out of the goodness of his heart.

But that was the end of it. When they reached the wooden house from which the smoke was rising, Feng Ye immediately released his grip.

Hao Chen took the opportunity to climb down from his back, deciding to quit while he was ahead.

The wooden house was neither large nor small, and had been divided into two rooms.

But apart from this one house, the landscape was just like everywhere else in Longqiu, a vast stretch of mountains and forests.

A trail of smoke drifted alone in the sky, seeming a little desolate so far from human civilization.

It was unknown what sort of person would choose to live alone deep in the mountains.

Just as Feng Ye was thinking, he saw the homeowner push open the house’s wooden door. He was a muscular, middle-aged man with a full beard, and sized up Feng Ye and his companions with an unfriendly expression.

The four of them had been making a bit of a racket as they walked, so it was only natural for the homeowner to notice.

There were also sounds coming from inside the house, indicating that there was someone else living there.

Sure enough, shortly after the bearded man came out, another man emerged. He was also tall and burly, with a scar on his face.

“Why are you here?” asked the first bearded man.

“Oh, we came to get directions, and also to see if it’s convenient for us to rest here,” Fang Yang responded politely.

“No –” the man’s refusal was cut short.

Feng Ye glanced down to where the scarred man had grabbed his companion’s hand behind his back, but kept silent.

“No problem!” The scarred man managed to smooth things over, displaying a level of enthusiasm that didn’t match his appearance as he greeted the four of them: “Come in and sit down, good timing matters more than being early. We’ve cooked a meal, all wild game from the mountains. Would you like to have some?”

“We couldn’t possibly…..” Fang Yang sounded a little embarrassed, but the way he stepped forward betrayed his true feelings.

He was indeed very tempted by the delicious aroma of food wafting out of the house.

When Fang Yang went inside, Cao Zirui naturally followed suit.

Only Feng Ye and Hao Chen remained standing at the door.

The scarred man glanced at them, saying with a smile: “Aren’t you coming in?”

Feng Ye finally stepped forward, Hao Chen following close on his heels.

Seeing this, the two men went inside to prepare the meal.

Feng Ye and Hao Chen walked slowly. The distance to the house was only ten meters, but it felt more like ten li as they whispered to each other on the way.

“Does Fellow Daoist Feng Ye think there is a problem with these two people?” Hao Chen asked in a low voice.

Although Feng Ye hadn’t said a word, Hao Chen keenly sensed his suspicion.

Feng Ye chuckled softly, saying in a similarly low voice: “Two middle-aged men living together in the middle of the mountains? It’s obvious that something is going on.”

Those who lived in the mountains were either hunters or hermits who wished to escape from the world.

And judging from their uneducated appearances, these two were definitely not hermits.

That left one possibility: hunters.

However, hunters didn’t usually set up permanent residences in the mountains, and would typically just set up a small hut to rest in if their hunting went too late to return home.

The two men seemed to have lived here for years, and the house was fully-furnished, indicating that it wasn’t just somewhere for them to rest.

Their intentions were highly questionable. Longqiu’s soil was fertile due to the presence of the Living Soil, and farmers here were wealthier than in other areas.

Even if they lacked farmland, these two men were strong and healthy, and working for a landowner would be more lucrative for them than hunting.

But these two men had done the opposite, hiding themselves in the mountains. Feng Ye didn’t believe that there was nothing wrong with them.

Hao Chen’s gut also told him that something was off about those two, but he still couldn’t keep himself from arguing for the sake of arguing: “Are you sure?”

Feng Ye glanced at him and asked: “If you had the choice, would you be willing to live in a deep, remote mountain forest with another man who’s unrelated to you?”

Humans were social creatures, and most would never choose to live on such a remote mountain.

It would be understandable if someone lived there with a wife, since they at least wouldn’t be too lonely. But staring at a man who wasn’t related to you by blood all day long…..wouldn’t you feel suffocated?

Upon hearing this, Hao Chen immediately envisioned himself and Feng Ye building a small log house together in the woods, living happily without only each other as company. A smile spread across his face, leaving Feng Ye baffled. Then he took on a serious expression, answering solemnly as if reciting a marriage vow: “I am willing.”

Feng Ye: “…..”

He felt deeply that communicating with Hao Chen was impossible. Thus, he stopped dawdling outside with Hao Chen and strode forward, heading inside on his own.

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Chapter 94 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 96