Song Liang strolled through the little garden toward his bedchamber. Still a few steps away, he saw that a new door had been fitted. It was firmly shut, and not a sound came from within.
He stood outside for a while, then turned and walked away. After a short distance, he doubled back and stared thoughtfully at the door.
【Do you think he’ll invite me in if I walk around a little more and make some noise?】
3085: 【No idea. Try it. There’s a rock behind you.】
Bending down to pick it up, Song Liang asked, 【Would smashing the door be a little too obvious?】
3085: 【?】
3085: 【I was warning you not to trip over it. What are you thinking?】
Song Liang: “…”
Oh well. He had already picked it up. Might as well smash the door.
He had just laboriously raised the head-sized rock above his head with both hands when a familiar, low voice suddenly sounded in his mind.
“The door isn’t locked.”
“…”
You could have said so earlier, Song Liang thought. He promptly tossed the rock aside, dusted off his hands, and pushed open the door.
It was indeed unlocked. Moonlight spilled like water across the blue-gray stone floor. The first thing he saw was a long, slender shadow stretching over it. Following that shadow, he found a man seated cross-legged on the bed, quietly meditating.
He wore white robes formed from spiritual energy. Long hair spilled over his chest and shoulders, fine strands curling around the faintly visible, cool-white lines of his collarbones and the black metal ring encircling his slender neck. His handsome face was pale as white jade, his brows sweeping sharply toward his temples. Prominent brow bones cast shadows over deep-set eyes, now closed, with long black lashes lowered beneath them. His nose was high and straight, his lips thin, rosy, and beautifully lustrous.
He looked like a flawless jade sculpture, lovely in its unblemished clarity.
Arms folded, Song Liang leaned against the doorframe and stared like an unabashed rake for quite some time before finally speaking with a smile.
“Still awake, Your Venerableness? Or were you waiting for me?”
“…”
Xue Yan slowly opened his eyes and looked at him, their deep green darkened by the faint moonlight.
“What is it?”
“Just a small matter. You know you’ve used quite a few of my spirit stones lately, don’t you?”
“Once I return to the Yaoshang Sect, I will repay you tenfold.”
“No need. You only have to agree to something.”
“…”
Xue Yan watched him impassively, waiting for him to continue.
Song Liang loved being the quiet focus of that gaze. His smile deepened, and a note of pleasure entered his voice.
“You have to marry me.”
“…”
Where the moonlight could not reach, those deep green eyes flickered. The next instant, they were calm again. Their owner looked at the young man leaning against the doorframe and spoke a single word.
“Why?”
“Because those spirit stones were the betrothal gifts my father set aside for me. They can only be given to my future wife. And that Spirit-Locking Ring around your neck…”
Song Liang pointed lightly toward him, his tone laden with meaning.
“That is also a token of love passed down through my family. It belongs only to the future wife of Xiushui City’s lord.”
Naturally, Xue Yan did not believe him. No one knew better than the two of them where those spirit stones had come from. As for the Spirit-Locking Ring—
“You may take it back.”
“How could I? You can’t take back a gift once you’ve given it away, especially such an important token.”
“Your elderly servant said your father obtained it from a cultivator.”
“There’s no rule saying something acquired from someone else can’t become a token of love.”
“Who made that rule, and when?”
“Me. Just now.”
“…”
Xue Yan closed his eyes and stopped looking at him.
Song Liang ambled over and sat beside him, propping his cheek on one hand as he studied his profile in silence. The object of his scrutiny possessed remarkable composure; not even an eyelash stirred.
“Why don’t you tell me to leave?”
“This is your bedchamber.”
“But if you asked me to go, I would.”
“…”
When no further answer came, Song Liang smiled and repeated languidly:
“So why don’t you?”
Xue Yan continued to ignore him, meditating with his eyes closed.
“All right. I won’t disturb your cultivation.” Sounding thoroughly bored, Song Liang rose and headed outside. “They’re getting up early tomorrow to hunt the demon in the city. You can come with me if you like. Your identity won’t be exposed.”
Only after his voice had faded beyond the doorway did Xue Yan open his eyes again. He gazed at the gentle moonlight slipping through the half-closed door, like gauze drifting through his heart.
He was about to close his eyes once more when a glimpse of white caught his attention.
Where a certain someone had been sitting lay a stem of jade-white tuberose. Blossoms and buds clustered at varying heights among green calyxes and stem. Their rich, lingering fragrance spread by imperceptible degrees until, before he knew it, it had claimed the entire room—a gentle, intimate kind of dominion.
He stared at the flowers for a long time before lifting the hand resting on his knee to touch them. At that moment, however, he sensed an unusual disturbance outside.
A white, long-tailed bird formed from spiritual energy silently fluttered through the gap in the door and flew toward him.
He paused, redirecting his outstretched hand to receive it. The bird immediately folded its wings and settled on his palm. From its beak came Jing Feishuang’s uncertain voice.
“…Master?”
“It’s me,” he replied.
A distinct sigh of relief came from the other end.
“Where are you now, Master?”
“In Xiushui City.”
“I’m in Xiushui City too. Where in the city are you? Why haven’t I been able to find any trace of your spiritual energy all this time? Are you in danger?”
“…”
For a moment, Xue Yan said nothing. His situation was not exactly dire, but neither was it comfortable. As for why she could not detect his spiritual energy, that was simply because the Spirit-Locking Ring had sealed it away. He had intended to use the little that escaped to assume human form and search the city for the demon. Who could have expected that, after he intervened to save a certain someone, that person would drain him dry?
“I’m all right. I have some injuries, and for now I cannot reveal any trace of my spiritual energy. Otherwise, the demon might find me and seize the opportunity to take my flesh and blood.”
The voice on the other end immediately grew tense.
“The demon has already tasted your flesh and blood?”
“Yes.” Xue Yan’s expression grew grave. “Ordinary human flesh can no longer satisfy it. If it cannot find me soon, its demonic nature will run wild, and it will slaughter people throughout the city. You must locate it as quickly as possible.”
“But what about your injuries? I still have some spirit—” She broke off as something occurred to her, then continued in frustration. “I’m sorry, Master. My junior brothers and I don’t have many spirit stones left either.”
Xue Yan: “…It isn’t your fault.”
He knew where all those spirit stones had gone.
“Then please focus on recovering, Master. I’ve spoken with Xiushui City’s young lord. With his help, the demon should soon give itself away.”
“Mm.”
“Oh, and how is your fated tribulation?”
“…”
Xue Yan’s expression faltered. His gaze instinctively turned toward the pure white tuberose beside him.
At the other end of the transmission, Jing Feishuang continued:
“Before we left the mountain, Grandmaster warned us repeatedly that this journey would draw you into a fated calamity. Now that you’re injured as well, please be exceedingly careful, Master.”
Xue Yan lowered his gaze to the tuberose beside him, its delicate fragrance lingering in the air.
Cultivation had always meant defying Heaven: knowing one’s ordained fate and still fighting to change it. Either one ascended to immortality, unafraid of karmic consequence, or perished, one’s cultivation extinguished and soul scattered forever. He had accepted this on the very day he set foot upon the path. Naturally, he did not fear a fated tribulation.
But he had never imagined that his would be a living, breathing person.
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