Chapter 48: Returning to the Ridge

April 10th, 2023

Fang Li’s smile froze on his face. He’d earnestly and diligently pretended to be a fool for this long just for the sake of lowering Xie Huai’s guard, so how come Xie Huai had still found him so quickly?

He couldn’t have been waiting for him to run away this whole time, could he?

There was no time to ponder about it.

He had to handle this first.

Fang Li suddenly blinked, and the corners of his eyes reddened. He said in a choked up voice, “Mom, I saw my mom, I want my mom……”

Can you bear to criticize a fool who wants his mom?

I was only running off to find my family!

A derisive expression appeared in the depths of Xie Huai’s eyes, but his chest seemed to surge with a frigid wave. He couldn’t forget for a single moment the pain from that day of being utterly powerless even after thoroughly severing his meridians…

That person had also been like this. Normally, he looked gentle and harmless, and even when doing such vile deeds as using the love parasite, he still had an innocent appearance, as if he would never, ever harm you, as if he would never do anything to make you suffer. But in reality, all of it was just a trick for the sake of lowering your guard……

His true purpose was to give you a fatal blow.

Utterly heartless.

Utterly despicable.

Even this part was still exactly the same.

He’d pretended to be well-behaved for this long for precisely this moment.

For the sake of leaving me.

But as for me, I’ll never fall for your tricks again.

Xie Huai’s fingers curled slightly inside his sleeves, and he firmly pressed down the raging emotions surging up in his chest. He looked at the person before him with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes and slowly opened his mouth, his voice low and hoarse. “Your mom is waiting for you at home. I’ll take you back right now.”

Fang Li: “……”

Do you take me for a fool?!

Oh, but right now, he really was a fool……

Caught in his own trap!

……………………………

Tao Lu sat on the carriage all by himself. The carriage was full of all sorts of snacks, and he propped up his chin, looking outside with boredom. Just when were Shixiong and Fang Li coming back? He was super bored here all by himself, okay……

Tao Lu let out a gloomy sigh.

Just when he was so bored that he almost fell asleep, Shixiong finally came back with Fang Li in tow.

Fang Li had a piteous and aggrieved appearance, looking to be in low spirits with his head down. Shixiong still had that detached face, like nothing had happened at all.

But something seemed off with the atmosphere……

Tao Lu’s heart immediately went thump. Shixiong hadn’t been bullying Fang Li, had he?

He was a fool, okay, can’t you be a little lenient with him? How could you bully a fool? Tao Lu immediately looked at Xie Huai indignantly. Even if you’re my deeply revered Shixiong, you can’t do something like using your strength to bully the weak!

Was bullying a fool the conduct of a righteous cultivator?

Tao Lu had just opened his mouth to speak when Xie Huai suddenly lifted his eyes to give him an impassive glance.

Tao Lu felt a chill rise up from the bottom of his feet, and his entire body froze up. After a long time, he awkwardly turned his head away. M-maybe he had been overthinking it, how could Shixiong be the kind of person to bully the weak?

It wasn’t that he was afraid of Shixiong, he just had complete faith in Shixiong’s character, Shixiong definitely wasn’t that kind of person.

There must have been some unknown circumstances!

Xie Huai withdrew his gaze as if nothing had happened, then sat down in the carriage and closed his eyes to rest, not speaking another word.

Fang Li lay down listlessly, closing his eyes and going to sleep.

Since he couldn’t escape for the moment, then he might as well go with the flow.

…………………………………

Ten days later, the carriage stopped at the foot of Hollow Ridge.

Xie Huai got out of the carriage.

Fang Li also climbed out lazily.

Although the two of them looked fairly normal, Tao Lu inexplicably felt that the atmosphere was a bit off. These days, he hadn’t even dared to speak, but with their imminent farewell, he hesitated over his words for half the day. In the end, he still cautiously decided to ask, “Shixiong, will you really not come back to the mountain with me? Master and the other sect brothers all miss you very much……”

In the blink of an eye, nine years had passed.

He truly couldn’t bear to leave Shixiong all by himself on Hollow Ridge. If this place was full of painful memories, then wasn’t staying here only a torment to himself? Only by returning to Cloudbank Keep could he cure the wounds in his heart, but all of Shixiong’s actions and conduct…… sometimes actually made Tao Lu think that Shixiong didn’t want to forget the pain at all. He really was here to torment himself……

But, why?

Why do you have to torment yourself for the sake of a devil who isn’t worth it? You should walk out of this place. We’re all waiting for you……

But Xie Huai’s expression didn’t change. He only said, “You should go back now.”

Tao Lu had originally already been accustomed to Shixiong’s indifference, but watching Shixiong change during this period of time, hope had sprouted in his heart once again. He wanted to give it another effort, and maybe he would be able to help Shixiong walk out of here?

His brain spun, and he looked at Fang Li and said, “If I leave, who will take care of him? How about I stay here, I can do lots of things!”

Xie Huai said blandly, “That’s not something for you to concern yourself with.”

Tao Lu: “……” Shixiong was still so cold T T

Fang Li looked at the kid with some sympathy. He really was whole-heartedly thinking for Xie Huai’s sake. Why did Xie Huai have to be this way? Actually, he really should return to Cloudbank Keep. There were people who cared about him there.

Fang Li couldn’t understand, but seeing that they were about to bid farewell to Tao Lu, he actually felt a bit of reluctance. This child really was pretty cute……

But Xie Huai didn’t intend on carrying out a tearful goodbye party with Tao Lu at the foot of the mountain. He grabbed Fang Li’s hand and said in a low, hoarse voice, “We’re going home.”

Fang Li trembled faintly. He lowered his eyes and didn’t speak.

Xie Huai didn’t mount his sword, nor did he use a flying vessel. He only led Fang Li by the hand up the stone steps winding up the steep cliff walls, climbing up step by step.

The sea breeze occasionally swept through the mountains, carrying a trace of saltiness within the chill.

Fang Li remembered that the first time he had come here, there had been a sea of demonic cultivators standing respectfully in attendance at the foot of the mountain, and at the top of the mountain, there had been plenty of people doing construction and fortification. The whole way up, there had been people paying respects and bowing to him.

Heaven-defying power and a terrifying reputation.

Now, nine years had passed.

Hollow Ridge was still that Hollow Ridge, but there was nobody left. The stone steps that had previously been clean without a speck of dust were now covered in moss, and the cracks in the stone walls now had green sprouts peeking through, growing stubbornly in the raging wind. The deserted scenery without a trace of human presence should have felt more desolate, but because of the greenery spreading throughout the black stone mountain, the view was no longer an endless expanse of darkness…… It actually, unexpectedly brought a touch more exuberance to the previous cold bleakness.

The mountain truly was a bit high.

It was a bit taxing for a mortal’s body.

By the end, Fang Li was a bit tired and simply let Xie Huai lead him along, all of his energy resting in Xie Huai’s hand.

The man’s palm was scorching hot, steady, and strong.

Finally, they arrived at the top of the mountain.

The demonic palace towered majestically at the top of the mountain. The outer walls were a bit damaged, probably from the day the Thousand Immortals’ Alliance had attacked, but on the whole, it was still fairly intact and retained its previous dignity……

But as Fang Li walked further in, his expression gradually became complicated.

It was as if this place hadn’t changed……

Aside from the fact that there was no one here and it was unusually lonely, everything was exactly the same as before, with the exception of the vines crawling up the corners of the walls without anyone to prune them after all these years, looking a little reckless and arrogant.

At the end, Xie Huai’s footsteps stopped in front of Fang Li’s residential palace. He turned his head and said to Fang Li, “You’ll be staying here.”

It took a great deal of effort for Fang Li to prevent his expression from collapsing and for him to maintain his perplexed appearance.

This was the demon lord’s living quarters!

There were so many rooms in the demonic palace. Which one of them can’t be used, for you to insist on having me stay here? Does that make sense?

This absolutely must be a test, right?

If any normal person were to stand here, after listening to this kind of request, they would refuse incredulously…… but right now, he just had to be a fool. Even if matters were this preposterous, he still had to pretend that he didn’t understand.

This really was putting his acting skills to the test a bit.

Fang Li steeled himself and said in a low voice, “This place, isn’t my home, I want my mom……”

Xie Huai gave him a profound look and said, “From now on, this will be your home. If you behave well and stay at home, your mom will come see you.”

Fang Li still refused to step forward……

Xie Huai said blandly, “If you don’t listen, I’ll tell your dad.”

Fang Li: “……” Do you realize that you’re threatening a fool with the IQ of a three-year-old? Hm? Number one in the world Yuyi-jun?

Xie Huai lowered his eyes slightly.

He watched the young man’s eyes redden slightly with an aggrieved look, and the corners of Xie Huai’s lips rose minutely in a teasing arc.

Good acting.

He pulled Fang Li by the hand and led him into the room.

Fang Li walked inside and stiffened.

Today’s frights were coming one after another, and he was nearly unable to keep ahold of himself.

If he hadn’t been sure that he’d died, sure that nine years had already passed, he would have believed that hadn’t left this place at all……

The outside of the palace still showed traces of the passage of time.

But here, everything seemed to have stopped at nine years ago.

The furnishings in the room were exactly the same as nine years ago. Dark brocade bedding covered the heavy, black wooden bed, the table was set with the cloudy quartz tea set that he often used, the four corners were arranged with night pearls the size of a fist, lighting up the place like it was daytime, and everything in the room was clean without a speck of dust, as if this place was frequently taken care of……

Why did it look like this?

The whole world knew that in these nine years, only Xie Huai stood guard alone at Hollow Ridge, so there couldn’t possibly be someone else doing all of this.

Why had Xie Huai kept this room, and why had he maintained its original appearance?

For a while, Fang Li’s thoughts were tangled into knots. He couldn’t understand.

They were obviously sword enemies who couldn’t live under the same sky. Even if Xie Huai was a merciful person and hadn’t wanted to kill someone who was already about to die in the end because Fang Li had been throwing the game a little, that was only pity, nothing more.

Xie Huai turned his eyes to watch the person beside him.

Murky emotions surged in the depths of his eyes. He pressed his lips together and finally only said, “I’ll be staying at a side palace nearby. If you have any business, you can come find me.”

Having said that, he left, leaving Fang Li behind by himself.

Fang Li’s expression was complicated.

No, Xie Huai couldn’t possibly like him.

If one were to say that Xie Huai had left behind all of this just for the sake of reminiscing about him, then that would truly be the most absurd, ridiculous idea.

If it wasn’t because Xie Huai liked him, then why?

Fang Li suddenly recalled the topic that everyone had been discussing the whole journey……

People said, Yuyi-jun stood guard alone on Hollow Ridge for the sake of suppressing the devil’s vengeful soul, preventing the devil from being reborn for all eternity, never again to bring suffering to the world.

People said, Yuyi-jun lived alone in the demonic palace, recalling the bitter taste of humiliation and sharpening his blade for the sake of reminding himself at every moment not to forget the calamity that the devil had brought upon the world.

People said, Yuyi-jun hated that devil to death. In his entire noble, pure, and flawless life, only the devil had brought him such humiliation. It was something that even death couldn’t wash clean……

Fang Li closed his eyes, replaying in his mind all of the things he’d done after arriving in this world.

On the day that he’d arrived, it had just happened to be the forty-ninth day of the siege on Cloudbank Keep. The borders of Cloudbank Keep had been stained with fresh blood, and although they hadn’t been his actions, Xie Huai didn’t know that.

Then, he’d taken away Xie Huai’s lifebound sword in front of everyone and sealed his cultivation to bring him back to Hollow Ridge, imprisoning him by his side and causing him to be slandered and vilified by the world.

He had used the love parasite on Xie Huai, yet he’d left him there for seven days and nights without paying attention to him.

Then, after that, he’d insisted all on his own on destroying Cinnabar Gate and persisted in provoking the great battle between the righteous and demonic sects. Although that hadn’t been his true intention, at least on the surface, that had appeared to be the case……

In the end, when he’d left, he’d even used the love parasite to control him and force him to do something that had gone against his will, causing his meridians to be severed inch by inch, his life hanging by a thread.

After a long time, Fang Li’s lips curved in a bitter smile.

Perhaps it was because too much time had passed, or perhaps it was because when they’d interacted during that period of time, he’d felt like it actually wasn’t so horrible…… to the point that he’d nearly forgotten that he’d done so many terrible things.

If there was one person in the world that he owed, then it would be Xie Huai.

Even if it was only for the sake of completing the mission, even if he’d done his best to minimize the harm…… there were some things that, once done, were done.

During this period of time, he’d heard people discussing it all over the place, but Fang Li had never once bothered to pay them any attention. He’d thought that the people of the world didn’t understand Xie Huai as well as he did, that Xie Huai wouldn’t be like that.

But thinking about it now, he was the laughable one.

He’d given away his life and thought that things were past.

But the victim might not think so.

If he really could put it all down and look past it, then how would things be like this?

Was this the so-called not being able to see the forest for the trees? To think that he hadn’t even seen things as clearly as the people of the world.

That Xie Huai would hate him was natural and expected.

Forget it, forget it.

Regardless of what Xie Huai thought, or whether he was still unable to put down the past, with things at this point, Fang Li could only take things one step at a time. If there really came a day when he couldn’t hide it anymore, and he wouldn’t be able to avoid certain doom no matter what he chose, then he might as well just let Xie Huai make his demands, and he would pay Xie Huai back.

………………………

Fang Li slept soundly on the huge bed. He’d originally thought that he wouldn’t be able to fall asleep, but in the end, he’d slept until morning.

He opened his eyes and lay on the bed for a while in a daze.

Suddenly, he laughed with relief.

What was he thinking so much for?

Fang Li slowly pushed the door open and walked out. There was already food prepared outside, but nobody was there.

Xie Huai hadn’t gotten this food, had he?

More than a few of them were dishes that he’d liked in the past.

If it had been before last night, Fang Li might still have been a bit uneasy, but now he’d thought it through. Wasn’t it just testing him? He could play the fool, and when he couldn’t pretend any more, then he would think of something else. When the time came, they could have an open discussion about it. It was just returning any debts and settling any revenge.

As long as Xie Huai didn’t like him, everything was easy to handle.

Fang Li ate his meal with contentment.

In the afternoon, Xie Huai came by again. He asked Fang Li, “Have you gotten used to living here?”

Fang Li pretended not to understand and said with teary eyes, “Mom……”

Xie Huai said slowly, “I’m not your mom.”

Fang Li: “……?”

I’m not calling you my mom either, I’m saying that I want my mom, understand?

Xie Huai softly lifted his hand and placed his fingertips on Fang Li’s shoulder, smoothing out his clothes, then said impassively, “As long as you were comfortable, it’s fine.”

Fang Li: Huh? How did you come to that conclusion?

Xie Huai only came to take a look at him, then left.

Fang Li began an idle and leisurely life here.

Every day, he ate then slept, slept then ate.

Xie Huai was just like the little snail maiden. Although he never personally showed up, every day when Fang Li got out of bed, he would see the food that had been prepared.

Because he didn’t need to face Xie Huai, he was fairly content and at ease.

Every day, he ate well and slept well, and he even had the sky stone to nourish his mind and body. After several days like this, Fang Li thought he seemed to have gotten a bit plumper……

Today, after finishing his dinner, he got into bed early.

The night pearls in the room were covered with a layer gauze, emitting a gentle light. Because of a temperature-moderating array, the residential palace felt like spring year-round and was much more comfortable than the Fang family residence. Plus, there weren’t all of those trivial tasks to take care of anymore, nor were there so many subordinates here to bother him. If not for the fact that he had to worry a little about Xie Huai, Fang Li would actually be quite happy to live here……

Perhaps it was because he’d eat a bit too much tonight.

For a long time, Fang Li couldn’t fall asleep.

Outside was the rustling of the wind.

He vaguely felt that something seemed wrong and sat up warily. These days, he hadn’t seen Xie Huai at all, but Xie Huai couldn’t possibly just leave things like this. It couldn’t be that Xie Huai was observing him in secret?

A dark shadow suddenly fell upon the doorway.

Fang Li’s brow creased. He got up and went to open the doorway, then startled.

What appeared before his eyes was a malicious-looking man with dark red eyes dressed in black. It was precisely Wu Yimei, who he hadn’t seen in a long time. A trace of joyful surprise appeared in Fang Li’s eyes. Although he’d gotten wind during this period of time that Wu Yimei was fine, after nine years without seeing him, the unexpected reunion still made him pretty happy……

But before Fang Li could think of what to say, he saw Wu Yimei’s expression become freezing cold, his eyes like a venomous snake’s as he said in a chilly voice, “Who are you, to be worthy of staying in His Excellency’s palace?”

As he spoke, his hand flashed, and a poisoned vine whip came thrashing toward Fang Li!

…………………………………………

The Author Has Something to Say:

Fang Li: I couldn’t even see things as clearly as the people of the world. To think that the clown was me.

Author: Just keep lying to yourself (