Those words, gentle as they sounded, fell with unmistakable weight, striking down upon the snow.
Long Yin felt as though his heart had been seized without warning, clenched hard in an unseen grip. The yearning in his chest, to pull the other close, to crush him into his own embrace, broke through every restraint, so fierce he wished only to knead the man into himself, never to part again.
Yet under the binding force of the blood deed, without Feng Qingyun’s command, he remained utterly unable to move.
Clearly, the one who could hear another’s thoughts was Long Yin. And yet, at this moment, Feng Qingyun seemed as though he knew exactly what he was thinking. So he lifted his hand, drew Long Yin into an embrace by the shoulders, and whispered in his ear: “You may move now.”
With those words, the blood deed abruptly reacted, and Long Yin immediately hooked an arm around his lover’s waist and lifted him horizontally. Feng Qingyun’s feet, buried in the snow, suddenly left the ground, scattering snowflakes into the air.
Carrying him without so much as a backward glance, Long Yin strode back into the room. All wind and snow were shut out beyond the door.
He did not speak a single word, and Feng Qingyun faintly sensed that something was amiss. Yet before he could fully grasp what was wrong, he was pressed down by the waist onto the bed, and a deluge of kisses descended upon him without warning.
Feng Qingyun was kissed until his senses turned muddled and chaotic. In his flustered movements, his hand brushed against his man’s cheek, touching something that should have never appeared there. The moment his fingers met that icy, damp sensation, he froze, but realizing what it was, his heart gave a sudden shudder. Feng Qingyun’s face was still buried against the other’s chest as he struggled slightly and turned his head aside, laughing softly as he asked, “So this is all the dignity the exalted Heavenly Dao has?”
When they had gone out earlier, Feng Qingyun’s inner robes had not been wrapped tightly. His bare legs had stood in the snow for quite some time, and by now, they were inevitably a little chilled. Long Yin gathered those legs into his arms to warm them, while leaning in to kiss the smiling lips before him.
“Little Palace Master has cried so many times,” he said softly. “Is this Lord not allowed to cry even once?”
Hearing that, Feng Qingyun immediately turned his head away, refusing the kiss as he gave a light snort. “…I cried because you angered me,” he said. “Don’t keep bringing it up.”
Long Yin only smiled at that, though the moisture at the corners of his eyes had yet to dry.
In Feng Qingyun’s eyes, Long Yin had always been unflappable, effortlessly in control. That was the first time Feng Qingyun had ever seen him in such a state. After watching for a moment, Feng Qingyun finally lost his resolve. He cupped the man’s handsome face, lifted his head, and kissed away the tears at the corner of his eyes, coaxing him softly as one would a child.
“There’s nothing worth crying over. Flowers bloom again in their season, so you and I will surely meet one day again.”
Yet flowers may bloom again, but people will never return to their youth1.
The moment the words left his mouth, Feng Qingyun seemed to realize their inauspiciousness. He paused briefly, and before Long Yin could speak, he changed the subject as though in passing.
“Still, I’ve been thinking, when the day truly comes that I remember you… Will you descend again as you are now? Or will you lose all memory and begin anew as you were in the beginning?”
Long Yin pinched his chin and leaned in close, narrowing his eyes as his tone turned dangerous.
“Little Palace Master only saw the young Heavenly Dao once in a dream, and you already like this Lord so much?”
At that, Feng Qingyun merely smiled, saying nothing. He was held close and kissed for quite some time before he finally caught his breath and said, “That’s enough… what do you mean, ‘the young Heavenly Dao, this Lord’? It’s clearly you yourself!”
“And besides…” He leaned against Long Yin’s shoulder and spoke softly. “I’m just a little regretful.”
Regretful that I didn’t meet you sooner.
Long Yin froze at those words. Unable to help himself, he lowered his head and kissed Feng Qingyun’s lips. As they lingered together, his hand kneaded the other’s slightly cool calf.
“There’s no need for regret,” Long Yin said quietly. “This Lord only knows that once returning to one’s rightful place, the dissipation of consciousness is gradual. From the look of it, when recovery comes, memory and ability should also return little by little.”
“Perhaps you really will get to see that…” he teased lightly. “The me who had just taken form, stupid as a pig.”
Feng Qingyun couldn’t help but laugh. Rarely, he did not follow along with the teasing; instead, he rested in Long Yin’s neck hollow, his lips curved in a smile. Whatever he was thinking of made that smile grow ever brighter.
Sensing his thoughts, Long Yin’s breath suddenly caught. He immediately leaned in close, touching noses with him, and narrowing his eyes.
“Little Palace Master is smiling so happily,” he said, “what exactly are you thinking about?”
Feng Qingyun pressed his lips together, saying nothing, only lifting his gaze to look at him with a smile. Long Yin felt unbearably itchy under that look. He couldn’t help but pinch Feng Qingyun’s waist, continuing, “Earlier, you were saying, again and again, that this Lord is all looks and no substance. And now you’re thinking such bullying things in your heart. So it turns out the Little Palace Master is the very definition of saying one thing while thinking another…”
Feng Qingyun’s ears flushed red. Laughing, he covered Long Yin’s mouth with his hand. “Whether I’m saying one thing and thinking another or something else entirely is none of your business,” he answered. “From now on, without my permission, you are not allowed to pry into what I’m thinking.”
The blood deed took effect at once, yet it still failed to make Long Yin behave. Holding him close, the Demon Emperor deliberately changed his voice.
“Alright, alright, it’s my fault. Brother, don’t be angry.”
Feng Qingyun’s ears burned crimson at the address as he shoved at Long Yin’s face.
“…A dragon tens of thousands of years old… can you have some shame?! Who’s your brother?!”
“And you still insist you’re not thinking one thing and saying another,” Long Yin kissed his cheek and laughed teasingly. “Isn’t this exactly what you want to hear? This Lord calling you like that, once I’ve lost my memories? Hmm? Little Palace Master?”
Feng Qingyun’s lashes trembled slightly, but Long Yin clearly had no intention of letting him off. “If this Lord truly remembers nothing at all,” he continued, “yet still falls for you at first sight, what does the Little Palace Master plan to do then?”
Feng Qingyun’s gaze wandered uncertainly, though his lips replied, “…That’s none of your concern.”
Laughing, Long Yin persisted, deliberately painting the scene.
“You’ll tell the blank little old me that you’re a widower whose husband died, with a child in tow…”
At that, Feng Qingyun immediately flew into a mix of embarrassment and rage, kicking him. “I already told you not to listen to my thoughts whenever you please!” he raged back.
“I’ve been wronged,” Long Yin protested, showing no sign of learning his lesson as he pulled him close and continued shamelessly. “This was clearly what the Little Palace Master just thought! This Lord would then spend years tricking you into bed, only for the Little Palace Master to ride and deceive me, coaxing me into grinding your flower core! And in the end, you’d still tell me you’re forever devoted to your late husband, fooling me until my heart shattered, leaving me unable to live without you!”
Feng Qingyun grabbed the bedding and tried to stuff it into his mouth. Laughing, Long Yin pinned both his hands down, then suddenly exerted force, pressing him into the bedding.
Facing Feng Qingyun’s gaze, blazing with fury, Long Yin lowered his head and rubbed noses with him intimately.
“You’re so wicked, Little Rose.”
Feng Qingyun was mortified to the point his cheeks burned. Yet he answered with righteous confidence, “You tricked me so many times! What’s wrong with me deceiving you just once?”
Long Yin kissed the tip of his nose, answering, “Nothing at all. It’s just that, considering how pitifully this Lord will be deceived in the future, it seems only fair to collect a bit of compensation in advance.” With that, he was about to make up for everything left undone earlier. Feng Qingyun, however, pressed his lips together and dodged aside.
“No… and not for the next month either.”
“Why not?!” Long Yin froze, feeling as though the heavens themselves had collapsed. “You’re pregnant again?”
“…What do you mean, again?! When have I ever been pregnant?!” Feng Qingyun slapped his shoulder in shame and anger. “This is punishment!”
Long Yin was both baffled and deeply aggrieved. After holding it in for a long while, he finally hugged Feng Qingyun and muttered, “Didn’t the Little Palace Master insist that he was no longer angry…? Why is there still punishment?”
Feng Qingyun leaned into his arms, winding his fingers through Long Yin’s hair, answering, “Before, my heart was simply too soft. Not being angry doesn’t mean this matter just ends there.”
But Long Yin lowered his head and kissed him, pitifully asking, “Then when the Little Palace Master’s anger fades… can this one-month term be shortened by a few days?”
Feng Qingyun closed his eyes, the corner of his lips lifting.
“That depends on your performance.”
He did not voice the true reason in his heart, and Long Yin, understanding without words, did not ask further.
Such things were rather like a kind of faith.
Once, Feng Qingyun had not believed in them. Yet walking this far, he could not help but think of a saying widely passed among mortals, that the number of times two familiar people can meet in a lifetime is fixed. Each meeting is one less than before. And when those meetings are exhausted, it is the moment of parting.
As the saying goes, a hundred years of cultivation to share a boat, a thousand years to share a pillow2. It is said that even the bond between husband and wife in a lifetime has its fixed measure.
So the number of times one may sleep together is finite. When they are used up, someone must leave first.
Once, Feng Qingyun had scoffed at such notions. Yet now, he could not help but preserve a trace of them for himself. He rested in Long Yin’s arms, eyes closed, leaning against him as though by holding back even a little, he could save something for the day of their next reunion.
The heavy snow seemed to isolate them from the world, carving out a new, intimate sky. Within that little sanctuary, they could indulge in intimacy upon the bed, stealing moments of sweetness to mask the overwhelming bitterness around them.
But when the snow ceased, the dream would inevitably end.
…………………
With the first clear sky after the storm, the two lay upon the bed, each in silence. Not long after, a new ghost attendant arrived at their residence, calling out at the door with a respectful voice.
“The two Masters, as the previous senior was indisposed, my Mistress has sent me to serve you. She has already located your old companions through the Record of Life and Death of King Yama. Do you intend to go to them now, or wait a while?”
Feng Qingyun slowly opened his eyes.
Dreamers must awaken eventually. To complete the task of reuniting the pitiful former fox Patriarch with his old Dao companion in the Underworld would mark a definitive closure to their journey here.
Much time had passed. Bai Ruolin might have already found Zhuque’s heart, and when they went to the mortal realm to find Qinglong’s heart, all the Four Ancient Beasts would be gathered, and the final reckoning would come.
Yet no matter how uncertain the path ahead, avoidance served no purpose.
Feng Qingyun lowered his gaze to the dragon-scale pendant peeking from his collar. He lifted his chin slightly while saying nothing, and Long Yin, understanding, quietly slid the pendant back into his robes.
“Then we shall go now. Kindly wait outside, young lady.”
A voice, clear and jade-like, echoed through the room. The new ghost attendant immediately stood respectfully. Previously, the task had been passed to her because Feng Qingyun’s overwhelming presence had been too much for the first attendant to bear.
When the two finished preparing and stepped out together, the ghost attendant could not help but glance at Feng Qingyun cautiously, a hint of surprise in her heart. Wasn’t Sword Master Linshuang said to be so fearsome that no one dared meet his gaze?! Yet now, before her, he was a gentle, amiable beauty… Where, exactly, was the fierceness?!
Noticing her gaze, Feng Qingyun turned and gave her a polite smile.
“Please, lead the way.”
The ghost attendant froze, then blushed furiously, hastily motioning for the two to follow her. After winding through a few passages, they finally arrived at an extraordinarily bustling graveyard.
Though dusk had fallen, countless tombstones were neatly lined along the roads, eerie in their precision. Yet the liveliness along the path seemed to dispel the chill of that foreboding.
Along the seemingly endless avenue, various stalls had been set up, creating a bustling ghost market.
“This is the place,” the ghost attendant said, halting at the entrance. “Follow the path through the market, and after a dozen stalls or so, you will find the two old companions you seek. I shall not intrude upon your reunion.”
Feng Qingyun felt a warmth in his chest. From his storage ring, he produced a few precious spirit stones and handed them to the flustered attendant, saying, “Thank you, young lady.”
Then he took out a storage pouch, offering it as well.
“Please deliver this to the little ghost who assisted us earlier. You’ve worked hard all the way.”
The attendant accepted them gratefully, struck by Feng Qingyun’s gentleness. He displayed none of the airs of a Golden Core cultivator, and for a moment, she even doubted the previous attendant’s words.
After all, someone with such a calm temperament could not possibly be easily angered.
After bidding farewell to the cheerful young lady, the two stepped further into the lively market.
The Ghost Gate has been open for two or three days, and now many mortal cultivators wander among the stalls, shopping for materials for their cultivation.
They passed a dozen stalls from the entrance, and indeed, as the attendant had said…
Feng Qingyun was still busy glancing around when Long Yin suddenly stopped in his tracks. Feng Qingyun froze, turning to see. On their left, a stall glittered with goods, and seated behind it was a remarkably familiar, handsome fox ghost. Before him lay a slab of stone resembling a tombstone, inscribed with:
[Buy if you like. Do not touch if you don’t!]
Feng Qingyun’s eyes widened in realization. That was the fox ghost’s own tombstone, dismantled to serve as a notice board! As for his tomb, it now lay completely bare somewhere in the Underworld, striking in its simplicity and uniqueness.
Just across a single path stood another stall. However, its layout was completely in contrast to the fox Patriarch’s, containing merely a few plain stones. The shopkeeper behind them was as taciturn as the stones themselves, but his face, however, was far more striking than any rock.
That was Feng Qingyun’s first sight of the fabled Tong Tian, the fallen God. Before, Feng Qingyun had only known that he did not speak much. Now, seeing him in person, the rumors appeared true.
Even as a reincarnated member of the Huangquan Clan, removed from the glory of sun and heaven, Tong Tian remained exceptionally handsome. Yet within that beauty was an aloofness that repelled others from approaching. Oddly, though, while undeniably attractive, when he sat quietly like that, his presence did not seem imposing at all. Passersby paid no attention to him, yet the stallkeeper from across the street glared intently.
However, Tong Tian seemed completely unfazed, idly sitting for a while before closing his eyes and beginning to cultivate.
The little fox ghost with only three tails left, ignored by him, fumed and muttered under his breath, “Again with this quiet one… what rotten luck, why must I share a street with this thing…!”
Feng Qingyun paused. The two of them did not seem to get along in this lifetime, and there was a subtle tension between them. But before he could dwell further on the cause, Long Yin led him to the fox ghost’s stall, casually picking up a piece of ghost jade.
“How much for this jade?” he asked.
The fox ghost, still irritated, shot him a sharp glance, answering, “What do you want it for?”
“To make a bracelet for my wife,” Long Yin replied.
Even reincarnated, a fox demon would still retain a fondness for devoted partners. Hearing his words, the fox ghost’s demeanor softened immediately. “In that case,” he answered, “I’ll give you two pieces of premium quality…” Midway, the fox ghost suddenly noticed Feng Qingyun beside Long Yin, and his voice trailed off. After a moment, narrowing his eyes, he asked, “…Have I met the two of you somewhere before?”
Feng Qingyun froze, a flood of emotions rising within him. After a moment, he smiled faintly as he said, “I feel the same… perhaps in a past life we truly did meet.”
The fox ghost studied him with growing delight, as if beholding a long-awaited companion from a previous life he had never encountered. But just as the fox ghost was about to speak, Long Yin casually riffled through the pieces of ghost jade and remarked to Feng Qingyun, “You haven’t just met him before, you’ve met his Dao companion too. Forgotten already?”
At that, the fox ghost blinked, suddenly intrigued. Even the stallkeeper across, his eyes still closed, lifted his head. Yet the fox ghost seemed skeptical that any of them had truly met in a past life. Instead, he asked Feng Qingyun directly, “Does your man know how to read fortunes?”
The Huangquan Clan existed outside of the Wheel of Reincarnation, so many of them enjoyed debating on who they might have been before. Over time, fortune-telling for ghosts had become more lucrative than for mortals.
Feng Qingyun hesitated, then admitted vaguely, “…He might know a little, perhaps.”
At that, the fox ghost’s eyes lit up, and he politely said, “Then please, sir, help me find out something. Consider the jade a gift for your divination fee.”
Feng Qingyun glanced at Long Yin, who maintained an inscrutable expression as he asked, “What do you want to know?”
“My Dao companion… Didn’t you say that you met him in my previous life?” The fox ghost said while taking out a piece of broken jade from his sleeve before continuing, “I’ve been carrying this broken rock since I became conscious. I always feel… who left it to me was important, but I don’t remember anything.”
“If you can really see my past life, please tell me who the owner of this jade is.”
When Long Yin heard his words, he seemed to smile, turning his head to look behind Feng Qingyun. With a mysterious tone, he simply said, “Far away in the heavens, yet close at hand.”
The fox ghost’s interest spiked. “Close at hand?” he asked. “Pray, what do you mean by that?”
Long Yin pointed to the taciturn man behind Feng Qingyun, answering simply, “Him.”
For a brief moment, the fox ghost’s face went blank, as if he had just heard a ghost story. Then, he mumbled, “…Impossible… can it really be him?! Do you even know fortune-telling?!”
Long Yin tossed the ghost jade in his hand casually, continuing, “Of course, I know. In your past life, you cried and insisted you would never marry someone else.”
The fox ghost, enraged, nearly overturned his entire stall in anger. “Nonsense!” he answered. “I’d rather marry a dog before him!”
“In the beginning of his past life, he said the same,” Long Yin smiled and told Feng Qingyun. “Then Tong Tian brought a few dogs for him to choose from. He was so furious, he thrashed both of us.”
Though it was somewhat impolite to laugh in front of the involved person, Feng Qingyun could not help but let the corners of his lips curl into a small smile. The fox ghost turned and glared at him. “You said your man reads fortunes?!” he argued. “Lies! How come even a deceitful bastard like him has a Dao companion?! It’s your fault for spoiling him too much!”
Feng Qingyun: “……”
Long Yin turned to the fox ghost, acting like he was offended. “At least, I have someone who wants me,” he answered calmly. “As for you, if you refuse that one, then this Lord can introduce a few wolf demons. If none appeal, the dog market is always an option.”
Feng Qingyun could feel his temper rising, yet said nothing further. As for Long Yin, unbothered, he grabbed Feng Qingyun’s wrist and turned away, holding the ghost jade. Behind them, the fox ghost fumed, pounding his stall as he raged: “…You can’t even read fortunes properly, yet take the divination fee! Give me back my jade!”
But Long Yin simply raised a hand, saying, “Someone already paid for it.”
Feng Qingyun turned to see the stern-faced man from before sitting up and silently placing a few spirit stones on the fox ghost’s stall. The fox ghost froze in complete stupor, staring at him.
“…What are you doing?”
“I paid the divination fee,” the man said coldly, a subtle humor in his tone. “The divination was accurate.”
The fox ghost flushed, realizing the meaning of his words. For a moment, he was speechless, unsure what to say, but Tong Tian added earnestly, “If you refuse to marry me, I can find a dog for you. What breed do you prefer?”
The fox ghost froze, then blushed with anger, hurling the spirit stones at the man’s face.
“I’ll never marry you!!!”
Feng Qingyun nearly laughed aloud. The fox ghost’s ears perked in fury, glancing over with flames in his eyes, but Feng Qingyun quickly averted his gaze and looked straight ahead.
After a few steps, the sounds of clashing and shouting followed them; clearly, the former fox Patriarch’s temper was not yet spent. Only after they exited the market did the noise gradually fade.
Feng Qingyun looked at the dim sky, silently marveling. Even if both the fox Patriarch and his Dao companion had lost their memories after death, they could still meet again. Even if their eyes met a stranger’s face when looking at each other, they could still love each other once more.
Perhaps that meant… maybe Long Yin’s future was not as bleak as he had feared.
At that thought, Feng Qingyun returned his gaze to the one beside him, noticing that Long Yin’s eyes had never left him. When their gazes met, Feng Qingyun’s heart softened like melting snow.
The Underworld’s sky was dimmer than when they had arrived, yet the final task had been accomplished. It was time for them to leave.
Feng Qingyun knew the reason the Mistress of the Underworld had insisted they stay, but one extra day was all she deserved; as for whether her Spirit Palace had been repaired, or what outsiders might think, those were none of their concern.
They soon reached the Ghost Gate.
Exiting required a routine inspection, but they carried nothing besides Long Yin’s ghost jade. Not even a single stalk of the Underworld’s grass had been taken, so crossing the Gate was effortless. And just like that, after a few days, they returned to Fengdu. And yet, they had no intention of lingering. But just as they were about to depart, both Feng Qingyun and Long Yin paused simultaneously, exchanging a glance.
Some commotion came from a distant inn, where several cultivators were whispering inside.
“Have you heard? The Xiān Gōng Sect is hosting the Heavenly Gate Ceremony.”
“The Heavenly Gate Ceremony… isn’t that common knowledge? What’s so special about it?”
“According to my sources, it won’t be ordinary this time. Preparations are extremely meticulous…”
A young man nearby perked up, asking, “What news does Cultivator Gong have?”
That cultivator, seemingly annoyed that others had interrupted him, teased them further, unwilling to speak plainly. The crowd pressed eagerly for answers, but before he could reply, a clear male voice spoke first.
“I’ve heard similar rumours. It seems that Lord Mu from Xiān Gōng Sect has some important news to announce. That’s why the Heavenly Gate Ceremony has been delayed until now.”
As soon as that was said, someone turned around and asked: “Is this what Cultivator Gong was talking about?”
That Cultivator Gong seemed to feel as if his story was spoiled in advance by others, which made him a little uncomfortable. Trying hard to keep his temper in check, he decided to release even more shocking news.
“It’s true,” he finally confirmed. “But I’ve heard some details from inside the Xiān Gōng Sect. It seems that Lord Mu is about to ascend! But not because he regained his cultivation, but because…”
Reaching this point, he deliberately dragged out his voice. However, it looked like this time around, no one planned to interrupt him, with his companions only urging him to finish his words.
“…Why?”
“Because Lord Mu himself is the reincarnation of the Heavenly Dao!”
At that, the room went silent in shock.
Behind them, Feng Qingyun could only glance at Long Yin. It seemed that the Demon Emperor shared his feeling, as he saw the exact same question in the other’s eyes.
Was Mu Hanyang truly stupid?!
He couldn’t even wait until they gathered the hearts of the Four Ancient Beasts before he shared his secret with the whole world?!
But why did Feng Qingyun feel that something was wrong? It happened that the whole inn fell silent because of that man’s words, so Long Yin’s question sounded crystal clear.
“Let’s go and have a look?”
At that, Feng Qingyun nodded and took out a veil to cover his face. Long Yin followed him inside, finding a secluded corner to sit down. Since people came and went all the time, and others were too busy being shocked beyond belief, no one noticed the newcomers at all.
As they sat down, the others finally came back to their senses, their first reactions being astonishment and disbelief.
“How could the Heavenly Dao manifest in human form?!” someone asked.
“Yes… even ignoring that the Heavenly Dao is dead… just the manifestation itself, that is the Dao!”
“It’s absolutely right!” That Cultivator Gong slapped the table and assured them. “Lord Mu himself confirmed this, and someone from the Xiān Gōng Sect also verified it! How could it be false?!”
“Besides, how do you explain that his cultivation failed, but that demon still didn’t dare kill him?”
At that, someone nearby frowned, whispering: “Shh, that demon bastard and the Second Palace Master only recently entered the Ghost Gate…”
However, the others remained unconcerned, continuing, “Those two only just left, there’s no way they came back so soon! Let Cultivator Gong finish!”
“Let’s not talk about those two…” Cultivator Gong continued. “Golden Core cultivators are different from us. Perhaps that villain didn’t dare to kill because Lord Mu is the Heavenly Dao himself!” With that, Cultivator Gong seemed to have concluded the discussion, saying, “Maybe Feng Qingyun coming to the Underworld… It’s related to this matter.”
The crowd paled at the mention of Feng Qingyun’s name, acting as if speaking it was a big taboo in the Righteous Path. But still, no one dared contradict.
Behind the gossiping group, Feng Qingyun held a cup of tea, his eyebrows slightly furrowed. But before he could become concerned about anything, a hand lifted his veil and placed a beautiful pastry in front of his mouth. The little treat was unusually crispy, leaving behind a layer of crumbs on Long Yin’s hand. Feng Qingyun lowered his head without even blinking, eating the pastry and licking the man’s fingertips clean.
Under the silence, it was still the same young voice who had interrupted before, saying, “No matter who says it, for the Heavenly Dao to gain human form is too bizarre. If the rumours are true, then fine. Everyone will have a chance to see for themselves during the Heavenly Gate Ceremony. But if it is not… Then wouldn’t the whole Xiān Gōng Sect make a fool of themselves?”
That Cultivator Gong seemed to be Mu Hanyang’s admirer. Hearing the young man’s disbelief, he immediately said in annoyance, “Although this matter is not known to everyone in the world, since it has already spread to us, it means that Lord Mu is not afraid of anyone! Looking at what he did for the Righteous Path until now, how can it be a lie?!”
The young man he rebutted pursed his lips and lowered his head to take a sip of tea without answering. But the others couldn’t help being swayed by Cultivator Gong’s virtuous words, agreeing. “Let’s just say that’s true, but then…” someone said. “The Second Palace Master must go back to the Xiān Gōng Sect for the Heavenly Gate Ceremony, right? Doesn’t that mean he’ll regret abandoning Lord Mu?”
Hearing those words, the young man from before couldn’t help but continue, “…I wouldn’t be so sure… Lord Mu might be the Heavenly Dao, but the Second Palace Master loves the demon, so what does it matter?”
“Hmm!” Cultivator Gong immediately sneered coldly. “Feng Qingyun, no matter what role he has to play for the Heavenly Gate Ceremony, he still eloped with a demon! How could he still be worthy of the Heavenly Dao?!”
“And now, no matter how much the demon might disagree, Lord Mu is the Heavenly Dao! Can a demon still overpower the Heavenly Dao?! I’m afraid he could only return Lord Mu’s wife!”
The group had no idea that the people concerned were next to them at all. In fact, they were even more anxious than the people concerned.
“…What are you in a hurry for?” The young man asked slowly, “Has your wife also been stolen? Are you a worm inside Mu Hanyang’s stomach to know what he feels?”
“You!”
Seeing that the two of them were about to quarrel, a voice interrupted the dispute, saying, “Seniors, I have heard a third version… Before quarreling, how about listening to what I know?”
Everyone’s eyes looked at the man. Some cultivators couldn’t help asking, “What else have you heard?”
“My cultivation is low, and I can’t compare with my Seniors…” The man smiled and said, “So the version I heard is the same as what you two said, but only a little part is different.”
The refreshments were really a little greasy. Feng Qingyun was about to have a sip of tea, but hearing that man’s words, he couldn’t help but frown and look over.
That person’s cultivation was extremely low, and yet… He revealed a little bit of an eerie aura.
However, his companions couldn’t wait and, soon enough, someone urged him, asking, “What is different?!”
“I heard that Lord Mu, revealing a fraction of the Heavenly Dao, promised that…” the mysterious man continued.
“Everyone attending the Heavenly Gate Ceremony will have a chance to ascend.”
“And those who can present the head of Demon Lord Long Yin, regardless of cultivation level or even as mortals, he vows in the name of the Heavenly Dao… to personally guarantee their ascension and eternal bliss!”
At those words, the inn fell utterly silent.
- 花有重開日，人無再少年 – Chinese poem, attributed to Guan Hanqing, a Chinese dramatist, playwright, and poet of the Yuan dynasty. Literal translation: A flower may blossom again, but a person cannot get young again. ↩︎
- Yuán or Yuánfèn, “fateful coincidence,” is a concept in Chinese society describing good and bad chances and potential relationships. It can also be translated as “destiny, luck as conditioned by one’s past”, or “natural affinity among friends.” It is comparable to the concept of karma in Buddhism, but yuánfèn is interactive rather than individual. The driving forces and causes behind yuánfèn are said to be actions done in previous incarnations. 百世修来同船渡，千载修得共枕眠; 百世修來同船渡，千載修得共枕眠; bǎi shì xiū lái tóng chuán dù, qiān zǎi xiū dé gòng zhěn mián – literally: “It takes hundreds of rebirths to bring two people to ride in the same boat; it takes a thousand eons to bring them to share the same pillow.” This goes to show just how precious yuánfèn is. ↩︎
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