I Faked My Death After Choosing the Wrong Protagonist - Chapter 12

Shen Qingzhuo gazed at him, unsure where this sudden melancholy had come from.

“Of course not,” Shen Qingzhuo said. “Books are written by people; you should read them, but never take them as absolute truth. No one’s destiny is decided at birth.”

Qi Ye remained silent for a long while, then finally climbed out of bed.

“I’ve rested enough. Let’s head out.”

Shen Qingzhuo looked at him skeptically. “Are you sure you don’t want to sleep more? Did I disturb you?”

He had no idea that Qi Ye hadn’t slept a wink, nor did he realize that the boy had only been lying down for a few minutes. Most importantly, he didn’t know that he was the source of Qi Ye’s inner turmoil.

Shen Qingzhuo wanted to persuade him further, but while Qi Ye was usually submissive, he remained firm on this point. When asked why, Qi Ye replied that he didn’t want to be the reason Shen Qingzhuo failed to take first place.

Qi Ye had absolute faith in Shen Qingzhuo’s strength.

After a moment of thought, Shen Qingzhuo decided to stop pushing. It was true: if he couldn’t secure the Spirit-Descending Pill and the Lotus Brilliance Vase, this entire trip would be for nothing. Even though he cared deeply about the boy’s condition, the priority was helping Qi Ye repair his spirit root.

Along the way, they encountered more traps and schemes between cultivators. In comparison, the once-dreaded packs of demonic beasts seemed almost insignificant within the Secret Realm.

As they moved deeper, the realm’s hidden mechanisms were revealed, and the sight of cultivators slaughtering one another became commonplace. For the first time, Shen Qingzhuo truly understood the nature of raw, barbaric power. In the world of cultivators, logic often fell by the wayside. Rules were for the weak; the true law was that whoever held the most power was right.

However, while Shen Qingzhuo never picked a fight, he wasn’t afraid of trouble. His upbringing made it impossible for him to act as savagely as the others, but he never lowered his guard.

As the trials became harder, fewer cultivators remained, making the path ahead surprisingly clear. The winding trials that seemed endless to others were conquered by the duo in just over a day.

Night fell once again.

There was no moon to be seen at night within the Secret Realm. Qi Ye followed closely behind Shen Qingzhuo, behaving so obediently and quietly that one might think he was genuinely afraid. In reality, whenever Shen Qingzhuo wasn’t looking, the boy was ruthlessly eliminating anyone watching them from the shadows. His methods were so brutal they would have made anyone shudder.

By now, they had cleared every major obstacle in the realm in less than three days. All that remained was the final stretch toward the exit.

Shen Qingzhuo wasn’t worried about anyone overtaking them. His profound senses told him there were no other cultivators within several miles; the last living person they had seen was hours ago. There were no more beasts either. On the contrary, the environment had become exceptionally beautiful.

Shen Qingzhuo slowed his pace, and Qi Ye followed suit. The wind blew, occasionally brushing Shen Qingzhuo’s loose white robes against Qi Ye’s arms and body. Wrapped in that unique cedarwood scent, it didn’t feel like they were traversing a deadly trial; it felt like a stroll through a private garden at night.

Shen Qingzhuo stopped abruptly, and Qi Ye nearly collided with him.

“Are you tired?” Shen Qingzhuo asked gently. “I don’t think anyone can catch up to us now. Shall we rest for a bit?”

Qi Ye thought for a moment, and out of a small, selfish desire, he nodded. The youth lowered his head shyly. “Mm.”

He simply wanted to stay by Shen Qingzhuo’s side a little longer.

The setting was lovely, free of beasts and hostiles. Shen Qingzhuo didn’t bother with the tent and simply found a spot on the ground to sit. Qi Ye sat beside him, his heart racing uncontrollably.

Both had lowered their guard. Shen Qingzhuo was preoccupied with how to best use the vase and the pill to restore Qi Ye’s power, while Qi Ye closed his eyes, his mind filled with nothing but Shen Qingzhuo.

Suddenly, Shen Qingzhuo felt a sharp pain in his foot.

He snapped out of his thoughts and let out a heavy breath, looking down at his ankle. A small green snake was slithering away quickly. On his ankle were two distinct fang marks, oozing dark blood.

Shen Qingzhuo frowned and reached down to touch the wound. Before his hand could reach it, he was intercepted by a sudden force. Qi Ye, his face full of panic, had lunged toward him and lifted Shen Qingzhuo’s leg to rest upon his own knee.

Kneeling, Qi Ye touched the skin with extreme care. He looked up, his expression suddenly cold and murderous as he glared at the retreating snake.

Shen Qingzhuo had never seen Qi Ye like this and was momentarily startled. He gently pressed the back of the boy’s hand.

“Forget it. It’s just an ordinary snake. It doesn’t even hurt much.”

Qi Ye’s eyes flickered, and he suppressed his impulsive rage. He lowered his head again, cradling Shen Qingzhuo’s foot. With clumsy, urgent motions, he removed the man’s shoe and white sock. Seeing the wound stark against the snow-white skin, he didn’t hesitate to lean down and take the wound into his mouth.

His movements were light and slow. Shen Qingzhuo could feel the warmth of the boy’s lips and the overwhelming sensation of such intimate contact.

Qi Ye was filled with self-reproach. Shen Qingzhuo said it didn’t hurt, but there’s blood. How could it not hurt?

The moment Qi Ye lowered his head, Shen Qingzhuo was stunned. He widened his eyes in disbelief, showing a rare moment of panic. “You, what are you doing?”

Ignoring the protest, Qi Ye sucked out the venomous blood bit by bit before finally looking up and wiping his mouth. He looked away, terrified that his unauthorized actions would incur Shen Qingzhuo’s anger or disgust.

Nevertheless, he kept a firm grip on Shen Qingzhuo’s foot, ignoring the man’s attempts to move, and began to bandage the wound. Once finished, he replaced the shoe and gently let go.

Throughout the entire process, Qi Ye was as careful as if he were handling glass, his breathing shallow. Only his ears were a flaming red, and he couldn’t bring himself to look at Shen Qingzhuo. One doesn’t just touch another person’s foot, but he hadn’t been able to stop himself. To him, Shen Qingzhuo should be pristine, protected, and entirely free from harm.

That snow-white foot deserved to be flawless.

Shen Qingzhuo’s heart hadn’t beat this fast in a long time. He gripped his hands together. He withdrew his foot and took a moment to steady himself. “You really didn’t have to do that,” he said to Qi Ye. “My constitution is unique; snake venom has no effect on me.”

Qi Ye shook his head, relieved that Shen Qingzhuo wasn’t angry. “But, it was dirty.”

Shen Qingzhuo didn’t quite understand the logic and couldn’t help but laugh. “You used your mouth to suck it out, yet you say it was dirty?”

Qi Ye replied earnestly, “You are not dirty.”

Shen Qingzhuo froze, silenced by the sincerity.

“Alright. It seems it’s not as safe here as I thought.” Shen Qingzhuo stood up, his white robes billowing in the night wind. He extended a hand toward Qi Ye. “Let’s keep moving. Let’s get out of this Secret Realm first.”

“Wait.”

Qi Ye didn’t take the hand. His eyes flickered as he stepped in front of Shen Qingzhuo and crouched down, turning his back to him. In the place where Shen Qingzhuo couldn’t see, his mind was a whirlwind of anxiety.

“Your foot is injured,” Qi Ye whispered. “I’ll carry you.”

He immediately felt he was overstepping. Shen Qingzhuo’s lack of anger was already an act of immense generosity; why would he allow himself to be touched further? At the thought of being rejected, Qi Ye’s heart began to sink.

Indeed, Shen Qingzhuo stood still, his voice offering an immediate refusal. “It’s not that serious. I can walk on my own.”

Qi Ye’s expression darkened completely; it felt as if his whole world had gone dim. After a long silence, he gave a dejected “Mm” and started to stand up. He was more discouraged than he had ever been, feeling like a shameless villain who had developed forbidden cravings for someone who showed him kindness.

Suddenly, a slight weight landed on his shoulders. A hand reached out to steady itself.

“Why do you want to carry me so badly?” Shen Qingzhuo asked, genuinely confused. The boy looked so miserable one would think Shen Qingzhuo had robbed him of something precious.

Qi Ye turned his head, dazed.

“It really doesn’t hurt. Didn’t you already treat it?” Shen Qingzhuo said. “But if you’re so determined to tire yourself out, then fine. Just know that when you can’t walk anymore, I’m not carrying you. Deal?”

Shen Qingzhuo arched a playful eyebrow, his tone light and teasing. Seeing that the boy was still frozen, he laughed. “Well? Aren’t you carrying me?”

Qi Ye bit his lip and bent down again. The paleness of his dejected face was replaced by a wave of heat. “Mm. I’m carrying you.”

The moment their skin met through their clothing, Qi Ye felt as though he were enveloped in Shen Qingzhuo’s scent. He felt lightheaded, losing all track of time and place. He wanted nothing more than to keep walking with Shen Qingzhuo on his back forever.

Imperial Family: The Eastern Palace.

The world believed this massive Secret Realm was the work of the Huangfu family, but in truth, everything within it had been orchestrated by Huangfu Ying. If he wished to know what was happening inside, not a single movement could escape his eyes.

Before a Vision Orb, Huangfu Ying stood with his hands behind his back, dressed in dark crimson robes embroidered with gold-trimmed dragons. Beside him was his childhood tutor and the Kingdom’s Grand Preceptor. In terms of cultivation, however, the teacher was already no match for the student.

Huangfu Ying was a man who rarely smiled; his sharp, cold brows gave him the unmistakable aura of a future emperor.

Upon hearing that Qi Ye had entered the Secret Realm, he had simply waved a hand with indifference. He ordered his men to “give the boy a lesson.”

“Wait,” he called out as the subordinate turned to leave. “He has no profound energy. There’s no need to truly maim him. If he realizes his mistake halfway, let him leave.”

“Yes, Your Highness!”

Huangfu Ying returned his attention to the Vision Orb. An anomaly in the orb suggested someone was about to emerge. He had learned two days ago that Shen Qingzhuo had entered.

Only three days, he thought with a trace of admiration. He shifted the vision to the exit, wanting to witness the breakthrough personally.

Suddenly, two figures one in black and one in white appeared in the orb.

The figure in black was carrying the one in white; they were acting with an unmistakable, intimate closeness. It was Qi Ye and Shen Qingzhuo. In the vision, Shen Qingzhuo leaned in to whisper something in Qi Ye’s ear, and the boy lowered his head as his ears turned red.

Huangfu Ying’s face turned cold. He issued a new command.

“Kill him immediately.”