Chapter 59: Shixiong

May 19th, 2023

From the Thousand Immortals’ Alliance’s point of view, since the incident hadn’t been Wu Yimei’s doing, then the task at hand was to find the true culprit behind the scenes.

Moreover, who exactly had leaked the news to Wu Yimei? Seeing as there was a traitor among them, this was an extremely important matter!

The Thousand Immortals’ Alliance remained busy.

But Xie Huai didn’t intend on lingering any longer and brought Fang Li to bid farewell to Qi Ding.

These days, Fang Li’s thoughts were a bit of a mess.

Staying with Xie Huai day and night during this period of time, it was hard to avoid times where they interacted intimately. Logically, Fang Li shouldn’t like it, to the point that he should even hate it, but looking back on this long stretch of time, he’d actually never once disliked Xie Huai’s closeness. It was only his reason telling him that he didn’t like men, that he and Xie Huai had no future together, and that was the only reason he would get the urge to resist……

Exactly what kind of feelings did he have toward Xie Huai?

Did he like him?

There was the liking of friends, there was the liking of an outstanding person, there was the protectiveness of a brother-in-arms, but only…… the kind of liking one had for a lover, he had never thought about before, nor did he really wish for things to develop in that way.

Forget it, this was too complicated.

It wasn’t like he’d be able to figure it out in an hour or two. He might as well take his time thinking about it.

Fang Li had originally thought Xie Huai would take him back to Hollow Ridge, but instead, Xie Huai went in a different direction and brought him to Helan province’s Mountainview City.

This time, Fang Li looked around curiously, feeling rueful.

He thought about how he’d raised such a big fuss here back then……

Although Fang Li had never responded to him during this period of time, Xie Huai still very considerately explained that after Cinnabar Gate had been destroyed, the remaining disciples had fled in all directions, up until the Thousand Immortals’ Alliance had attacked Hollow Ridge and the devil had died. Only then had the leftover disciples dared to return and rebuild Cinnabar Gate in Mountainview City.

But because Chong Wanshan and his group of subordinates had died, the Cinnabar Gate of today didn’t even have a single Soul Formation cultivator and had long been kicked out of the ranks of the five great sects, completely falling into oblivion.

Now, they were just a plain and ordinary sect in the cultivation world.

Fang Li thought, that just about matched what he’d planned.

But Mountainview City itself hadn’t actually changed much. It remained prosperous, only without those strict rules or the law enforcement disciples in every corner. It had gained a bit of a relaxed air, and although one could occasionally see people making a clamor or a ruckus, they didn’t cause too many waves. On the contrary, the people walking the streets looked much more at ease.

Xie Huai brought Fang Li to stay there for a few days and sample the current delicacies of Mountainview City, then finally took him to the little town by God’s Rest River.

At this, Fang Li was finally a little moved, a complicated expression on his face.

Had Xie Huai done all of this for the sake of taking him back here for a look?

This was the home that had constantly been in Yan Sui’s thoughts, and it was the place he’d been determined to return to even at the point of death.

At the time, he’d only come here because the plot had required it, and for the sake of fulfilling Yan Sui’s last wish. He hadn’t actually explained anything to Xie Huai beyond a few scattered words, but Xie Huai was so sharp and intelligent, so perhaps he’d already sensed something? Or else what reason was there to bring him here?

Although this person never said anything, he was gentle and attentive.

Yet Fang Li had no choice but to hide so many things from him. He felt even more guilt fill his chest.

Xie Huai led Fang Li by the hand to the bamboo building they’d stayed at before. At the door was that same waiter, and he recognized Xie Huai at a single glance. After all, he was such an elegant, good-looking nobleman, the best-looking person he’d seen in his entire life. He really was a sight that was hard to forget!

The waiter said happily, “Young master, you’re here again?”

He looked curiously behind Xie Huai and didn’t see the other nobleman who’d been traveling with Xie Huai. Instead, he’d brought someone the waiter never seen before.

The waiter smiled and said, “Where’s that young master you were traveling with last time?”

Xie Huai glanced at Fang Li meaningfully and said to the waiter, “He’s busy. He won’t be able to come for the time being.”

The waiter didn’t ask any more, saying with a smile, “Shall I prepare two rooms again?”

Xie Huai said blandly, “One is enough.”

A bit of surprise finally appeared on the waiter’s face, and he looked at them a little oddly.

Fang Li: “……”

Xie Huai gave him an ingot of silver and smiled. “We’ll be having dinner here.”

The waiter took the silver in a daze and left.

Fang Li’s hand was still being clasped by Xie Huai. Although he had stayed together with Xie Huai plenty of times in the past, in the end, the meaning of it this time was different…… Besides, how considerate had he been last time? I even skipped the original script and didn’t sleep together with you, but you on the other hand insist on making this part of the script back up?

Fang Li’s feelings were complicated.

Dinner was still the dishes prepared by the waiter’s mother. It was delicious countryside home cooking, but Fang Li’s mind wandered as he ate.

Xie Huai’s eyes were lowered as he slowly and unhurriedly took his meal. He saw Fang Li’s attention wandering to the point that his food didn’t even make it to his mouth and very naturally helped him wipe it away, saying placidly, “What are you thinking about?”

Fang Li glanced at Xie Huai, a bit discomfited, and didn’t make a sound.

After finishing dinner, he was brought upstairs in a stupor by Xie Huai.

The room they were staying in was the one he’d stayed in last time.

That time, he’d stayed here alone.

Fang Li thought about it and decided that this still wouldn’t do. He was just about to slip away, but Xie Huai caught him in one hand and gathered him into his arms, laughing softly by his ear. “What are you afraid of? Do you think I would really do anything to a fool?”

Fang Li: “……”

He was brought onto the bed by Xie Huai.

The whole night, Xie Huai didn’t say anything, only holding him in his arms.

Xie Huai gazed at the young man in his arms. The young man seemed to be very uneasy, his eyes closed as he slept, but his quivering eyelashes revealed that he hadn’t actually fallen asleep……

Xie Huai let out a faint sigh.

This is the place that you had to return to back then no matter what, so I’ve brought you back.

Perhaps your home has disappeared, perhaps your family is gone, but at least, I’m still here. I won’t let you be all alone……

Xie Huai closed his eyes.

Greedily inhaling the scent of the person in his arms.

Regardless of whether this person loved him, at least he was right by his side.

Xie Huai told himself again and again that he had to be a little more patient, and sooner or later, this person would be able to open his heart to him, but Xie Huai couldn’t help but recall that green bamboo sword.

That sword had been carefully treasured by Fang Li, and in the end, he’d used it to personally kill Chong Wanshan. Just what kind of person had that sword’s owner been?

Were they your mother or father, or your sister or brother, or perhaps your fellow sect member?

But whoever they were, they must have been incredibly, incredibly important to you.

So important that you kept that sword until the day you died.

So important that you were willing to fall into the demonic path for them, to suffer a thousand tribulations. If that person were still here, you definitely wouldn’t avoid them, you definitely wouldn’t be able to wait to return and reunite with them, right……

Xie Huai knew he shouldn’t be jealous. He had no way of comparing to a dead person, and besides, that person might be Fang Li’s family.

But he couldn’t help but uncontrollably hope against reason for the day when Fang Li would be able to keep him in his heart in such a way.

Xie Huai’s arm wrapped around the waist of the young man in his arms, his eyes closing. Back then, this was the person who’d wanted to snatch him and keep him by his side, doing things that caused people to misunderstand, to the point that even when returning to this place, he’d brought Xie Huai along.

He still remembered that that day, it had been raining lightly, and the young man had been leaning against the railing listening to the rain when he’d suddenly said, thank you.

Thanking him for coming with him on this trip.

That was a gentle Fang Li that he’d never seen before. At the time, he’d wanted to ask why he was thanking him, why he’d brought him along, why it had to be him…… But unfortunately, he hadn’t been able to say the words.

But no matter what, if you want me to accompany you, I’ll accompany you the whole way.

Fang Li was held tight in Xie Huai’s arms.

All around him was Xie Huai’s scent.

But his mind was a chaotic mess.

Xie Huai really was a very good, very gentle person. Even though he’d tricked Xie Huai so many times, Xie Huai had still been thinking about bringing him back here. If he really were Yan Sui, perhaps he really would have been moved. This was what Yan Sui had so desperately wished for yet hadn’t been able to obtain…… But unfortunately, he was only an outsider.

He was making a waste of Xie Huai’s feelings.

Should he explain everything to Xie Huai?

But now, the original plot had already ended, and the System wasn’t around anymore. As a transmigrator, even his sole ability of foresight was gone, so how could he prove his words?

He would definitely be taken for a lunatic.

Besides, with Xie Huai’s pride, how would he be able to accept this kind of truth, to accept that everything was fake and that he was just a character in a book whose destiny had long been set in stone?

Forget it, he would think about it later.

Maybe he and Xie Huai wouldn’t reach that point. Maybe they would separate after not too long. When the time came, if they became normal friends, or if they drifted apart and forgot each other, there would be no need to talk about these things.

………………………

When Fang Li woke up the next day, Xie Huai was already gone from his side.

He arrived downstairs, and Xie Huai was waiting there for him, breakfast already prepared.

The two of them ate in silence, and the waiter’s voice traveled over from the side.

“Mom, last time Uncle went up the mountain to hunt and said it looked like there was someone living on the mountain, was that true?” The waiter said.

“The mountain…… You mean the ruins of the old Windbearer Sect? There shouldn’t have been anyone there for a while,” the waiter’s mother answered doubtfully.

The waiter scratched his head. “I found it strange, too. There hasn’t been anyone on that mountain for over ten years. Maybe Uncle saw wrong?”

“Maybe……”

Fang Li was pensive, but he didn’t think about it too much. It was such a big mountain, and so many years had passed. It wouldn’t be strange even if someone were living there.

It might be some hunters on the mountain, too.

But Xie Huai’s brow furrowed. Nine years ago, after Fang Li had died, he’d come here several times and had also gone up the mountain to take a look, but there hadn’t been any signs of people living there…… How come there was suddenly someone there now?

Was it a coincidence?

His gaze swept around and landed on Fang Li’s face. He said impassively, “Eat. When we go up there and take a look, we’ll know.”

Fang Li really was a bit curious, and besides, these were Xie Huai’s good intentions, so he didn’t refuse.

Since they’d already come all the way, they might as well take a look before leaving.

He could count it as taking a look on Yan Sui’s behalf.

He and Xie Huai went up the mountain.

He remembered that there’d been a little trail going up the mountain in the past. It hadn’t been maintained in many years, and the trail had been covered by weeds long ago and couldn’t be seen at all anymore, so their journey wasn’t very easy.

Around halfway up the mountain, they finally saw a flight of stone steps that were also covered in weeds.

About another hundred meters up, they arrived at the ruins of the Windbearer Sect.

As far as the eye could see was an expanse of bamboo forest, and within the bamboo thickets, some buildings could vaguely be discerned, but because of the destruction and fire back then, there were only a few ruined walls left now.

Fang Li’s expression was a little rueful, and he let out a faint sigh.

Perhaps the waiter’s uncle really had seen wrong. How could there still be someone living here?

They’d already taken a look and done everything that should be done. Since there was nobody here, Fang Li didn’t intend to delay here any further. But just as he turned to leave, his expression suddenly sharpened.

In the depths of the forest, a black silhouette flitted past.

There really was someone.

Fang Li gave it a deep look, and then let out a laugh, turning to head back.

This bait was a little too obvious, wasn’t it? He sure wasn’t going to chase after it. What did Yan Sui’s past have to do with him? Forget it, forget it, he wasn’t that curious.

Fang Li went down the stone steps.

But after walking and walking down the steps that had only been a hundred meters long earlier, he still hadn’t reached the end. And then he saw that on the stone steps that had still been empty when they’d arrived, right now, there was a darksteel sword stuck in the ground. Fang Li’s expression became a little dazed for a moment.

This was…… Yan Sui’s sword.

No, this was the sword of that youth who still hadn’t fallen into hell, named A’Yan. On the night of those towering flames, he’d been cut down among the mountain of corpses and sea of blood……

The scene before his eyes made him unable to tell for a moment if it was reality or an illusion.

But this sword couldn’t possibly be appearing here whole and undamaged.

Fang Li turned back to look at Xie Huai, but since who knows when, Xie Huai was no longer there anymore. The mountain was quiet and still, and he was the only one standing there.

Not good.

He’d fallen into an illusion.

Fang Li’s expression finally became grave.

This illusion really was very adept, for neither he nor Xie Huai to have noticed it. At what point had he entered it? Was it at the bamboo forest? Or when walking up the mountain? Or perhaps even earlier?

But seeing as the other party had set up an illusion but hadn’t struck at him directly, just what was their goal……

Fang Li’s brow creased faintly.

He looked around him vigilantly, waiting for the other party to act.

But after waiting and waiting, nothing happened at all.

Fang Li avoided the sword in front of him and turned to go back.

He walked and walked, walking into the depths of the mountain forests, when he suddenly saw that darksteel sword again. The sword was stuck in the ground, waiting there quietly in front of him.

Fang Li turned and left.

He didn’t know how long he’d been walking, but no matter which direction he walked in, that sword would always appear in the end. The darksteel sword seemed to be calling to him, telling him to pick it up……

This is your sword.

You left it behind here……

Fang Li felt a dull pain in his forehead. He suddenly couldn’t remember why he had to keep walking……

His subconscious told him to leave, told him not to touch that sword.

But there seemed to be another voice telling him, that belongs to you.

Fang Li bit through the tip of his tongue and turned around again.

But after who knows how many times……

When he once again saw the sword before his eyes, he fell into a daze for a moment. Wasn’t that his sword?

When had he lost his sword?

Right, who was he?

Why was he here?

Fang Li pressed a hand to his forehead, trying hard to recall what he’d forgotten, but he couldn’t figure it out no matter what……

He walked over and picked up the darksteel sword. As soon as the longsword was in his hand, he felt a close and familiar feeling transmitted from it. This was his lifebound spirit sword, how could he have left it lying on the ground? He must have gone silly.

Fang Li strapped the sword to his back and turned to head down the mountain.

As he walked, he saw a figure in white robes.

The white-robed man stood within the mountain forest, looking ethereal and otherworldly. On his back was a bamboo basket, and the basket was full of freshly-picked herbs. He raised his head, revealing an elegant face as he smiled at Fang Li. “A’Yan, you’ve been running around again.”

The instant he saw the white-robed man, admiration and fondness welled up in his chest. This was his Shixiong, the person he was closest to and liked the most in the world. Shixiong had come out to pick herbs today, and because he’d been bored, he’d nagged Shixiong to bring him along. But as soon as they’d gone up the mountain, he’d started running around catching rabbits, and he didn’t know how long Shixiong had been waiting for him.

He excitedly called out, “Shixiong,” and ran over happily.

Shixiong patted his head and lowered his eyes with a faint smile. “Let’s go home.”

…………………

Xie Huai also saw the black silhouette that flitted past. He was just about to persuade Fang Li not to act impulsively when he saw Fang Li turn to leave, and he let out a breath of relief. There was something odd about this place. If Fang Li could calm down, that was best.

He led Fang Li by the hand to head back down, but after a few steps, he saw that Fang Li wouldn’t move no matter what.

The young man was standing there blankly, his eyes vacant, his expression bewildered.

Xie Huai’s expression changed.

Not good.

To think that Fang Li had fallen into an illusion at some point. Yet he’d been by Fang Li’s side the whole time, and nothing had happened to him. Why was Fang Li the only one who had been affected?

Xie Huai furrowed his brow and traced through his memories of the trip. This was Fang Li’s home. It held his past, his memories. Everything here had a different meaning to him, yet Xie Huai was only an outsider and wouldn’t be moved by anything here…… Perhaps that was the very reason only Fang Li had been affected and had fallen into the illusion.

Not even Xie Huai had seen such skillful methods before. After all, neither he nor Fang Li had noticed any peculiarities on their way here.

The ancient texts did have records of similar techniques, but those had long been lost.

Silent and imperceptible, impossible to defend against.

Xie Huai’s eyes became grave. Just who was it? Why would they know a technique for crafting illusions like this, and what was their purpose for controlling Fang Li?

The other party must have some motive for pulling Fang Li into his memories, such as information that they wanted to retrieve, so Fang Li’s life shouldn’t be in danger for the time being…… If he were forcefully awoken, that might instead harm his consciousness. Right now, he could only have Fang Li wake up by himself from within the illusion.

But Xie Huai truly wasn’t at ease leaving Fang Li alone like this. He didn’t know exactly what might be in the illusion, and he was afraid Fang Li would be led astray by it.

If Fang Li remained unable to wake up, he might very possibly become trapped in the illusion, unable to leave.

Xie Huai’s sharp gaze looked around. Their surroundings remained calm without a trace of human life, but he didn’t dare let down his guard. He set down a barrier around them so that he would be able to wake up immediately if anyone approached. Then, he placed a finger on the center of Fang Li’s brow and sent a sliver of his consciousness into Fang Li’s dream to wake him up from within his illusion!

Xie Huai’s consciousness traveled through layers and layers of mist, suddenly falling into a mountain forest.

At a glance, he saw the youth in the forest with a sword on his back.

It was precisely Fang Li, who was currently trapped in the illusion.

But this illusion was created from Fang Li’s memories, so Xie Huai didn’t exist at all. If he couldn’t find a vessel for his consciousness in time, he would very quickly be expelled…… Xie Huai’s gaze fell on the youth’s sword, and without any hesitation, his consciousness attached itself to the darksteel sword. This sword was the youth’s lifebound spirit sword, so he could find an opportunity to call to him and wake him up……

But Xie Huai had only just entered the sword, his consciousness not yet stabilized, when he saw the youth run happily toward a man in white robes, calling in a voice full of joy and admiration: “Shixiong.”