The Beautiful Pariah Thought He Could Be Loved - Chapter 1

Chapter 1: He Lvqing: It’s not that a baby face is bad…

The sky, filled with vast swathes of grey, rained down silver needles like a storm of blood. They plunged diagonally into the deep red, hardened ground of the Demon Abyss, sending up plumes of thick, milky-white demonic mist.

Through the pervasive white fog, the faint, crisp sound of clashing metal could be heard.

A figure emerged through the mist, holding a slender iron umbrella shaped like an inverted flower. Raindrops hammered against it with a ping-pong rhythm. In the torrential downpour, a dark shadow followed closely behind him.

Fine rain drifted under the umbrella’s canopy. Tiny wounds were sliced into the traveler’s snow-white face, emitting wisps of white smoke. Beneath the curtain of rain falling from the umbrella’s edge, a pair of misty, blood-colored eyes stared at the towering gates of the manor.

Xin Qishu stood under the narrow eaves with practiced ease, his body pressed tight against the door. He folded the iron umbrella, tucked it into his spatial ring (Sumeru mustard seed), and began thumping the door knocker.

“He Lvqing, I’ve come to see you! Open the door!”

“Open up, open up, open up!”

“If you don’t open up, I’m tearing this door down!”

The youth’s voice was crisp and loud against the rain. Xin Qishu shouted patiently for a full half-hour.

The pale-gold-trimmed door panels remained motionless.

“Ugh… I specifically found someone to get me a cultivation manual from the pure-blood demon lineage. Don’t you want to see it?” Xin Qishu threw out what he considered his most tempting bait.

The gate didn’t budge.

Xin Qishu didn’t give up. He hadn’t seen him for three days. His heart softened; he was sure the door would open if he just kept calling. “Open the door already. Don’t you know it’s raining blood outside? I couldn’t find an umbrella when I left, but I came anyway. See how much I love you, Hubby? I’m covered in scratches from the wind, it hurts so much, Hubby.”

No movement.

As the rain drizzled, he suddenly felt a stinging pain in his forearm. Xin Qishu looked down to find a black, ugly tick clinging to his arm, which was so white it was almost transparent. He shook his arm, but the tick remained firmly latched onto his lotus-root-like skin.

Xin Qishu snapped. He used demonic energy to incinerate the tick and shouted at the top of his lungs, “If you don’t open this door, this Young Palace Master will call my men to tear this house down! Then you’ll have to live at my place!”

“Heh.”

The gate slowly creaked open from the inside.

He Lvqing leaned against the wall with his arms crossed. A red bracelet made of small beads was tied around his exposed wrist. His lips curled into a mocking arc. “You can’t even block the blood rain, yet you call yourself a Young Palace Master? Even the newborns in the Wang family of Qinghuai Village have higher cultivation than you. Aren’t you ashamed?”

Xin Qishu acted as if he hadn’t heard a word. The “anger” from a moment ago vanished instantly. His cat-like eyes sparkled as he looked at He Lvqing.

He Lvqing hadn’t properly tied his hair today, exuding an air of laziness. His long hair fell loosely over his shoulders. His snow-white inner robe was wide open down to his abdomen, revealing robust chest muscles and the faint ridges of his abs in the daylight.

Xin Qishu’s face flushed red. “You… you’re very… ‘passionate’ today.”

“Can you stop being so disgusting?” He Lvqing frowned, his long, narrow peach-blossom eyes filled with coldness.

Xin Qishu’s face turned from red to pale.

He Lvqing reached out to pull his clothes together, disdaining to pay him any more attention. He turned his back and walked inside. “Show me the manual you brought.”

The sky above the manor was shielded by a spiritual barrier, keeping the rain out. The light grey stone pavement was dry.

The scratches on Xin Qishu’s face were still throbbing. He murmured, “Do you usually look like that when you see Ye Yi?”

“Do you think everyone is like you?” He Lvqing sneered.

So, that was a “yes”? A sight he himself hadn’t seen in decades was so easily viewed by someone else. Xin Qishu felt a bitter pang in his heart, and his hostility toward Ye Yi skyrocketed.

…

The Manor and the “Manual”

The manor had been specially built for He Lvqing. It consisted of a main house and two side wings. Xin Qishu was rarely allowed to stay overnight; usually, He Lvqing lived there alone. Consequently, the left wing had been converted into a study, leaving only the right wing for Xin Qishu.

Danmu trees were planted in the four corners of the courtyard. Currently, they looked wilted from a lack of water, with no new buds in sight.

“Where are the magical artifacts that were on these?” Xin Qishu looked at a jagged hole in a tree trunk. “Why did you dig them out? If you needed them, you could have told me! Without the artifacts, they’ll die.”

“I don’t think I have any left in my spatial ring.” These four saplings had been secretly dug up from the back mountain by Xin Qishu; they weren’t native to the Demon Abyss. Without the spiritual energy provided by the artifacts, the trees had to rely on their own residual power to survive. If they died, it would be extremely difficult to get new saplings given the current martial law at Fayuting.

Trees in the Demon Abyss usually looked charred and ugly. Xin Qishu didn’t like them. Even though he hadn’t gained permanent residency here yet, he treated the place as if he were decorating a bridal home.

He Lvqing had already pushed open the study door. Hearing this, he glanced back nonchalantly. “Ye Yi took them. Make him pay for it.”

Good! You, Ye Yi! It’s already generous enough to let you visit, and you have the nerve to loot the place! Xin Qishu added another mark against Ye Yi in his mental ledger. Finding a rare moment where He Lvqing’s opinion aligned with his own, Xin Qishu perked up instantly. “Right! Make him pay!”

The light was poor today, and the study was dim. He Lvqing sat in a grandmaster’s chair. Xin Qishu eagerly took out spiritual stones, intending to light the lamps.

Lvqing blocked him. “Show me the manual first.”

“But it’s so dark, how—” Xin Qishu stopped mid-sentence, remembering that He Lvqing’s cultivation was so high that darkness didn’t hinder his vision at all.

“But I can’t see!”

He Lvqing looked weary and lazy. “What are you looking at? You won’t understand it anyway.”

“Who says? I definitely… won’t fail to understand all of it!” Xin Qishu protested. “This is written in pure-blood demon script. Without an explanation from a demon like me, you definitely won’t understand it!”

He Lvqing didn’t feel like arguing about whether someone whose demon blood was less than one-third pure could actually recognize ancient demon script. He felt that Xin Qishu’s current Foundation Establishment cultivation level already said everything that needed to be said.

Xin Qishu got his wish and lit the lamp.

Several opened manuals were piled on the desk, shimmering with golden light. Xin Qishu leaned over and busily closed them. He took a peek—and didn’t recognize a single word.

Once everything was ready, Xin Qishu took out a scroll with a serious expression. “You must be careful. Pure-blood demon script carries illusions. If you feel something is wrong, you must stop!”

He Lvqing propped his head on one hand, looking at him blankly, and gave a low “Mm.” He looked down. Four large characters:

BEDCHAMBER SECRET TECHNIQUES.

It was even written in three languages: Human, Pure-blood Demon, and Common Demon.

He looked up. Xin Qishu was dazed, completely smitten by He Lvqing’s earlier posture.

Inside Xin Qishu’s mind, several little versions of himself were holding flower wreaths, dancing in a circle and singing: Who is the lucky one married to him? Then a chibi-Xin raised his hand high: It’s me, it’s me, it’s me! The little people offered wreaths and blessings before making a graceful exit. The chibi-Xin wearing the wreath closed his eyes and made a wish amidst a rain of petals.

Xin Qishu let out a silly giggle. It took him a while to notice He Lvqing’s gaze, and he looked back blankly.

“Have you read this manual?”

Xin Qishu shook his head innocently.

He Lvqing pinched the bridge of his nose. “Who gave this to you?”

Xin Qishu rubbed his ear sheepishly. “Sister Qianqian gave it to me.” Sister Qianqian said he shouldn’t give He Lvqing anything too powerful, fearing Xin Qishu wouldn’t be able to handle it if He Lvqing “hit” him. Sister Qianqian worried too much; He Lvqing would never hit him.

“Open it.” Seeing no movement, Xin Qishu reached out to open the scroll himself.

As expected of pure-blood demons, the handwriting is so flamboyant and unrestrained! Xin Qishu lowered his head and tried his best to decipher it.

Uh… something something something… After a whole page, he only recognized two words.

With his earlier boast still ringing in his ears, Xin Qishu felt guilty. He stalled for a long time, only daring to look up at He Lvqing after the lamp flickered out, colliding with a gaze that was like still water.

He Lvqing leaned back in his chair, his sculpted face half-hidden in the gloom, his brow slightly arched. His voice was soft, but in the silence of the room, it was clear enough to be heard.

“Did you understand? What is it about?”

He didn’t get it. He didn’t understand the manual, and he didn’t understand He Lvqing.

Xin Qishu decided to be honest for once. He shook his head.

The corner of He Lvqing’s mouth twitched upward.

Xin Qishu felt a chill. Is this some kind of corpse-refining technique? He scrambled to defend himself, hoping to escape He Lvqing’s wrath. “You know me. I’m practically illiterate. I just believe whatever they tell me.”

“Do you want to know what’s written here?” He Lvqing picked up the book and flipped through it casually, his eyes indifferent.

“Yes.” Xin Qishu speculated—could it be that He Lvqing was actually in a good mood and wanted to teach him to read? He sat up straight. He had heard that He Lvqing used to teach general knowledge for two years. He never expected to have the honor.

Little Xin spun in circles in his mind.

Seeing him like this, He Lvqing finally revealed the true emotional color of the situation. He slapped the book against Xin Qishu’s chest, his voice as cold as ice: “Take it back and have Xin Sha teach it to you, word for word.”

“If he were going to teach me, he would have done it long ago,” Xin Qishu muttered, clutching the book, thinking they were talking about literacy. He figured if the manual wasn’t harmful, what could it possibly be?

Xin Qishu’s mother had died during childbirth. Although Xin Sha doted on his only son—even supporting his wish to become Daoist companions with He Lvqing and using it as motivation to expand his territory—he didn’t have much heart for raising a child. To this day, Xin Qishu could only write his own name, and only in the human script.

Since the Blood-Melting Palace became the representative of the demonic path, Xin Qishu had tried hard not to embarrass his family. He tried to learn to read and make friends, but it seemed he was inherently a “disgrace.”

When the name Xin Qishu was mentioned, everyone either hated him or laughed at him. They called him “rotten wood.”

…

Night in the West Wing

As night fell, He Lvqing relit the lamp and lowered his head to read a book. The warm yellow light hit his profile; he was reading intently.

The Demon Abyss contained the world’s densest demonic energy, which conflicted with orthodox spiritual energy. Someone like He Lvqing, a cultivator, surely didn’t feel well here. Over time, his foundation might even be damaged.

Sure enough, He Lvqing covered his mouth and let out a soft cough.

Xin Qishu stood frozen. He knew exactly what the best thing to do was.

“What are you dazing for?” Lvqing didn’t change his reading posture, but he lifted his head slightly, his pale green eyes looking at him. “Go get me a piece of inkcake. The back rooms are full of junk; I put it in the chest in the west wing.”

A stray strand of hair blocked his vision. He Lvqing reached out to tidy it, and the red string on his wrist flashed by.

Without realizing it, the rain had stopped. A faint moonlight layered the courtyard, and a silver crescent moon hung high in the sky.

The west wing was pitch black. Xin Qishu widened his eyes, suddenly realizing the room was different from his last visit—all his things were gone. An orange outer robe was draped over the bed, and a teapot with two cups sat on the table.

It looked like a room that had nothing to do with Xin Qishu—a room waiting for a master who had left but not yet returned.

In the Demon Abyss, He Lvqing couldn’t pass through the demonic mist, so he could only move within the manor. Aside from Xin Qishu and his subordinates, the only person he interacted with was his junior brother, Ye Yi.

Xin Qishu rushed forward and tightly gripped the orange robe embroidered with silver threads, his head lowered, his expression unreadable.

The light from the doorway was mostly blocked. He Lvqing stood there, backlit.

“Ye Yi stayed to chat for quite a while last time. He needed to stay the night, so I cleared this room for him.”

“Then where are my things? My bedding and stuff?” Xin Qishu’s voice was very low.

Lvqing frowned. “I piled them in the back rooms. If you want them, have Fei Jia come and get them. They’re probably covered in dust; wash them before you use them.”

Xin Qishu turned around. Tears shimmered in his eyes, and two bright tracks like silver rivers ran down his cheeks.

He Lvqing looked away, his handsome face cold, those captivating pale green eyes freezing. “Are you staying tonight? If so, stay here.”

Why won’t you look at me?

Why is the first time you helped move my things just to make space for someone else?

Why is your only ‘concern’ telling me you didn’t bother to use a spell to keep the dust off my belongings?

Is it because I’m like my things—you won’t care even if I’m covered in dust?

“Fei Jia didn’t follow me today. I… I want to sleep in the main house,” Xin Qishu sobbed.

Under the faint moonlight, his small face featured wide apricot eyes, his dark red pupils sparkling like gems. His long, curled eyelashes were clumped together, and his pouty lips looked moist.

“Fine. Then I’ll sleep here,” He Lvqing said, frowning at him.

That would mean he’s essentially sharing a bed with Ye Yi!

“I mean… I want to stay in the main house with you tonight.” Xin Qishu looked at He Lvqing tentatively.

This was the boldest request he had made in the hundred years since their nominal marriage.

Xin Qishu could feel He Lvqing probing his soul with a piercing gaze. He couldn’t help but complain: “We’ve been married for so many years, and I’ve never slept in the same bed as you once. I planted the trees you like, I found manuals for you… even if… but I worked very hard to get them.”

Finally, he said tremulously, “I don’t mean anything else. I just… want to wake up in your arms just once.”

He Lvqing said: “No. I don’t want to.”

…

The Night Visit

Xin Qishu crawled into the bedding, but everything felt cold. Even though it was his favorite blanket, he couldn’t get comfortable. He kicked the blanket away, his body sprawled to feel the chill in the air, silently staring at the orange robe he had thrown onto the table.

The lights in the main house went out. The entire manor merged into the silence of the night.

Xin Qishu counted the time in his head.

Creak. He looked sharply at the doors and windows, but there was no sign of them being opened.

That was…?

Xin Qishu rolled out of bed and pushed open a sliver of the window. Through the narrow gap, he saw that one door of the main house had been blown open by a crack by the wind; the door leaf was swaying.

He Lvqing hadn’t bolted the door. Xin Qishu curled his lips into a smile, his blood-red eyes glowing slightly. His black hair swayed in the wind.

Heaven is inviting me.

His jet-black hair fell loosely over his shoulders, making his skin look almost transparent. A flash of obsession crossed his red eyes.

Suddenly—a burst of black mist flew out from his collar, and his inner robe slowly fell to the floor.

The elegant decor of the main house sat still in the darkness. A ghost-like black mist drifted directly toward the canopy bed.

The bed had two layers of curtains. The outer gold-green silk was tied back, leaving only the white gauze hanging close to the mattress. The black mist coalesced into a human form, completely naked, walking toward the bed step by step.

He Lvqing, who should have been focused on cultivation, was lying quietly on the bed, eyes closed, his chest rising and falling rhythmically.

Xin Qishu looked down. His cheeks were flushed pink, and a few strands of hair were stuck to his face with sweat. For a demon like him with low blood purity, using the innate skill of “mist transformation” took a heavy toll.

In the silent, dark room, there were only the sounds of two people breathing.

Xin Qishu lifted the brocade quilt. He Lvqing, wearing only an inner robe, lay there quietly. He raised his right hand and slowly… gripped He Lvqing’s neck.

Dense black energy coiled around his snowy hand and spread to the neck he was touching. Xin Qishu looked at him with watery eyes.

“Why do you treat me like this… why…”

He Lvqing slept soundly, his breathing long and steady.

“When you looked down on me and enjoyed watching me cry, when you calmly trampled on my sadness… Did you guess that I had Fei Jia light soul-confusing incense in the main house?”

“Did you believe me when I said Fei Jia didn’t come today?”

He Lvqing let out an uncomfortable whimper, and Xin Qishu let go. He carefully crawled into bed and curled up in He Lvqing’s arms, his head pressed tight against his chest. Feeling the powerful beat of the heart beneath the skin, he fell into a deep sleep.

In the dead of night, He Lvqing opened his eyes.

In his arms, Xin Qishu’s face was crumpled as he clung to him. Before falling asleep, he had only covered himself with the quilt, leaving He Lvqing completely exposed.

He Lvqing smiled slightly. He squeezes into my bed but doesn’t give me any blanket.

Xin Qishu’s eyelashes were long and curled, like a doll’s. His mouth was pouted, looking very unhappy. Lvqing used his thumb to pinch his cheek; the pout remained. He Lvqing used both hands to rub and squeeze his face.

Xin Qishu’s face crumpled even more.

Fei Jia, hiding in the shadows outside, frowned.

After the hour of the Ox, He Lvqing took out a small knife inlaid with gems. Fei Jia leaned forward slightly, his hand resting on the hilt of his blade.

Inside, He Lvqing grabbed Xin Qishu’s wrist. The blade flashed with a terrifying white light in the darkness. Xin Qishu slept on, oblivious. A small cut was made where the light blue veins showed on his wrist, and a bead of crimson blood slowly seeped out. It was strikingly obvious on his jade-like skin.

Fei Jia looked serious, wanting to rush in, but considering Xin Qishu’s attitude, he ultimately held his ground.

Inside, He Lvqing condensed that tiny drop of blood and stored it in his spatial ring.

Xin Qishu remained unaware, his face—marked with scratches and tear stains—still wrinkled. As if sensing he was being watched, he tucked himself deeper into He Lvqing’s embrace.

He Lvqing studied with Lvqing.

A brainless kid. If He Lvqing’s reactions had been a fraction slower, the moment Xin Qishu’s demon-energy-laden hand touched his neck, the defensive barrier on He Lvqing’s body would have counterattacked instantly. By then, this “little snack” really would have been “covered in wounds.”

A faint golden glow flickered. The scratches and tear stains on Xin Qishu’s face, as well as the new wound on his wrist, vanished one by one.

He Lvqing touched the faint marks on his neck.

Cultivators, regardless of their level, had the power to take lives. This “stupid thing”—how many lives were on his hands?

He Lvqing closed his eyes. In the darkness, He Lvqing reclaimed half of the blanket from Xin Qishu, and both of them fell asleep under the covers.

…

The Next Morning

Xin Qishu had a dream filled with floating golden bubbles. In the dream, he stepped on clouds, happily chasing these bubbles, wanting to catch one and hold it.

He picked one out; he felt this bubble was different from the others, that it wanted to be in his arms. But it was coy, flying a bit and stopping a bit, luring him to catch it, circling over his head. When he lunged, the bubble vanished into thin air, and the soft clouds beneath his feet disappeared.

Just as he was about to fall to his death, the other bubbles he had ignored gathered together to form a giant cushion. He landed on it and bounced around, bewildered.

“Ah…” Xin Qishu woke up with a start. In front of him was an expanse of pale skin, and he quickly remembered he had snuck into He Lvqing’s bed. The sky was turning white; it was much later than his planned wake-up time. Luckily, He Lvqing wasn’t awake yet. He breathed a sigh of relief.

Lvqing’s handsome face was only inches away. Xin Qishu felt an itch in his heart, leaned over, and stole a kiss on the cheek.

Then, his heart was too restless to use his mist skill, so he took his clothes from his spatial ring and crept back to his room.

He pulled out enough junk from his ring to fill the west wing—next time Ye Yi came, he wouldn’t dream of staying in this room! As he left, he spotted Ye Yi’s robe, snatched it up, and stuffed it into his ring.

Hmph. Xin Qishu planned to storm Fayuting on a bright, sunny day to settle the score with Ye Yi. He would use his “brilliance” to give Ye Yi a thorough scolding, then bring back new saplings to ask He Lvqing for a reward.

Ideally, he’d get He Lvqing to teach him to read.

But before that, Xin Qishu needed to go to his father and ask about that book.

Orange sunlight hit the top of his head. Xin Qishu stretched. Passing through the white mist, Fei Jia followed closely behind him.

Xin Qishu glanced at him. “Alright, alright, He Lvqing isn’t even here. Why are you still so tense?”

Fei Jia said, “Besides He Lvqing, there are still many people in the Demon Abyss to be wary of. But He Lvqing is the greatest danger. Last night…”

Xin Qishu waved his hand, signaling he didn’t want to hear it. Fei Jia had been responsible for his safety since childhood—he was Xin Qishu’s personal guard.

“Is my dad free? I want to ask him something.” Xin Qishu had low cultivation and a relatively mild temperament, making him a misfit among demons. Usually, he didn’t go to the main palace; he received news through Fei Jia.

Fei Jia said, “The Palace Master and Commander Qing are in a secret meeting. They probably won’t have time recently.” Commander Qing was Qing Qianqian.

Xin Qishu stopped, tilted his head, and thought. “Perfect. Then let’s go to Fayuting.”

…

Journey to Fayuting

Fei Jia knew about their conversation yesterday. “Is the Young Palace Master going to see Ye Yi?” Though it was a question, Fei Jia sounded certain. He added, “Ye Yi sent a formal visit request; he’s coming to the Demon Abyss in a week. If it’s not urgent, it’s better to wait for him. A place like Fayuting is best avoided.”

Xin Qishu didn’t have any “urgent business,” but he refused. His reasons were plenty:

First, Ye Yi definitely wouldn’t give him saplings willingly. They would definitely fight, and He Lvqing would surely take Ye Yi’s side. Xin Qishu would be sad. So, to avoid being unhappy, going to Ye Yi’s doorstep was the best choice!

He also considered his safety. Fei Jia couldn’t enter Fayuting; he’d have to see Ye Yi alone. But Ye Yi had the best relationship with He Lvqing. For the sake of He Lvqing’s situation, Ye Yi wouldn’t dare strike him, and he would stop others from doing so too.

Second, that “bastard” probably wouldn’t want to compensate him for the trees, dragging it out day after day. He’d have to go eventually. Better early than late.

The two boarded a spiritual boat.

Both of Xin Qishu’s parents were demons, but their blood wasn’t pure. By his generation, it was barely one-third. When he was little, he was almost indistinguishable from a human—a porcelain-like child. At that time, the Blood-Melting Palace hadn’t reached its dominant position. To avoid accidents to the only heir, Xin Qishu was raised in Kuangjinjing.

Fayuting was a legendary sect in Kuangjinjing. Their slogans about exterminating demons and protecting the common folk were loud and clear.

Little Xin used to love slipping away from Fei Jia to sleep on the streets of crowded cities, letting unknowing humans take him home to wash his face and comb his hair. Once he was dressed up like a little princess, he would show them his fangs. Every time he saw humans looking terrified, he’d happily give them a kiss.

It was even more fun if the humans were those “fake” righteous cultivators. So Little Xin once slipped past his guards and joined the Fayuting entrance trial—and those white-bearded elders actually failed to recognize him!

His fantasies were about to come true when the “damned” Ye Yi appeared out of nowhere. No one knew how he realized Xin Qishu was a demon, but he touched his fangs and threatened to send him to the Disciplinary Hall. In the end, it was only by invoking Xin Sha’s name that Ye Yi obediently escorted him down the mountain.

Since the Blood-Melting Palace grew powerful, Fayuting’s security had tightened. Aside from the wedding day, Xin Qishu had never entered Fayuting again.

The Demon Abyss and Kuangjinjing were separated by a steep mountain. A normal spiritual boat would take several days, but Xin Qishu’s high-grade boat reached Fayuting in one.

It was late spring. The main peaks of Fayuting were covered in vast seas of light pink flowers. As the morning breeze passed, petals swirled and soared.

The boat stopped at the west side of the mountain. Of the four entrances, the west gate was the least crowded. Xin Qishu left Fei Jia outside and entered the mountain wearing a veiled hat and carrying a disciple token.

On the western slope stood a thousand-year-old Toona (Dachun) tree. During the blooming season, the wind blew petals everywhere. A snowy hand reached out, and petals fell into his palm.

Beneath the carpet of petals, Ye Yi, who had been resting with his eyes closed, opened them. Through the gaps in the layered petals, he saw a black-haired youth with thin shoulders looking at the flowers. The light pink reflected on the youth’s face as he lowered his head, his tilted nose sniffing the blossoms.

He was a very beautiful youth.

The little demon sniffed as he walked forward.

“Those are flowers from a Toona tree. They have no scent.”

Xin Qishu looked around.

“Whoosh—if you keep walking, you’ll—” A head popped up from the flower-covered ground. The man arched an eyebrow, looking a bit wicked.

Xin Qishu stepped on him. “Who told you to lie there and act invisible! You deserve it!”

Ye Yi’s mouth curled. He looked at him sideways. “Didn’t you study flower identification for ten years? What a waste.” His handsome face was framed by soft strands of hair that looked wine-red in the sun. His deep eyes narrowed as he teased, “Who are you looking for?”

So arrogant.

Xin Qishu kicked him again, but Ye Yi caught his ankle and pulled him down.

“You, why do you still love kicking people?”

Xin Qishu groaned as he fell onto him, his face getting plastered with thick petals. Ye Yi pinched his soft cheek. “Such soft cheeks. One look and I can tell you’ve done nothing but play lately.”

Xin Qishu couldn’t budge his hand. His voice was muffled: “What are you doing!” He reached up to pinch Ye Yi’s face, but it was rock hard. He couldn’t pinch it at all. He tugged at Ye Yi’s skin and shouted, “You can pull your skin too! You haven’t been cultivating at all lately either!”

Ye Yi let out a muffled laugh.

Leaning against him, Xin Qishu felt the vibration of his chest and irritably punched him. Petals flew everywhere, covering both of them.

Xin Qishu sneezed. “The flowers are falling so badly! How do you even take care of your trees?”

“What are you here for?” Ye Yi wrapped his arm around him and whispered in his ear. The warm breath hit his earlobe; Xin Qishu shifted uncomfortably. “Compensate me for my Danmu trees and the artifacts!”

Danmu trees? Ye Yi thought for a moment and remembered. That day he had dug out the artifacts from two trees in He Lvqing’s courtyard. Without the artifacts, the trees couldn’t survive in the Demon Abyss and naturally died.

“Heh. Fine. What kind of saplings do you want?” Ye Yi blinked his peach-blossom eyes. “I’ll compensate you with any kind except Danmu trees. But I’m telling you now, you have to dig them yourself in the back mountain. If you pick the wrong ones, you have to pay the market price.”

“Why not Danmu trees?” Xin Qishu was indignant. He only recognized Danmu trees.

Ye Yi spoke, his narrow eyes calm. “A hundred years ago, the disciples led by Yang Li, who admired He Lvqing, angrily chopped down every Danmu tree in Fayuting.”

A hundred years ago, the Blood-Melting Palace had used the lives of the people at the foot of Fayuting to force He Lvqing into a marriage contract with the Young Palace Master.

“When He Lvqing was three hundred years old, he traveled the world and passed through Qinghuai Village, which was being ravaged by demonic cultivators. Without waiting for the local Wang clan to plead, Senior Brother stepped in to help. The blood-light lasted for a whole year. After all the demonic cultivators were driven out, a holy light descended, and the world’s first Danmu tree took root in the center of Qinghuai.”

“After that story spread, disciples came from all over to ask for branches to plant. Gradually, Fayuting became filled with them.”

Xin Qishu was stunned.

When he had been bent over planting those trees, He Lvqing was in the room, silently watching him through the window paper. Xin Qishu had looked up and smiled at him, sweat getting in his eyes, only seeing a blurry colored shape of He Lvqing’s figure.

What was he thinking then?

He Lvqing was eight hundred years older than Xin Qishu. There were many things like this that Xin Qishu didn’t know.

Xin Qishu lay small against Ye Yi. The sunlight made his skin look snowy. His eyes were blank, and the small braid at the side of his head hung down, the silver hair-tie clinking against the bare skin of his wrist. He suddenly asked, “Can you teach me to read?”

Ye Yi was silent for a moment, then let out a scoff. “So what they say is true—you really are illiterate.”

Xin Qishu felt he must have been out of his mind to ask him for help.

He decided not to dig for saplings. If he picked another tree with a story, wouldn’t he be shooting himself in the foot?

“I don’t want saplings anymore. But you can at least return my artifacts, right?” Xin Qishu poked the stiff leather of Ye Yi’s collar.

Ye Yi said, “They’ve already turned to ash.”

Hearing this, Xin Qishu looked depressed.

Ye Yi sensed something. Suddenly, a flash of orange covered his vision. Xin Qishu’s voice sounded muffled: “This is the robe you left behind. I’m giving it back.”

Ye Yi felt the fabric, then snatched it away. Xin Qishu had already walked off, holding a flower.

Ye Yi called out loudly, “The Hall of Wisdom has a new batch of Blue-Flower Peach trees! I’ll let you take a few branches! Senior Brother has never been fond of peaches anyway!”

The wind blew gently, and birds soared in the blue sky. Xin Qishu turned around, his orange-patterned robe billowing in the wind. His face clearly showed distrust. “Then what grows on them? Blue peaches?”

…

Encounters at Fayuting

A slender white finger pulled back the light green veil of his hat, revealing a black eye looking curiously at the surroundings.

His hand was slapped down. Ye Yi walked ahead of him, speaking via sound transmission: “Even though you’re wearing a veiled hat, many people attended the wedding. Someone might recognize your face. Be careful.”

Xin Qishu didn’t know how to transmit sound, so he just gave a small “Mm.”

Ye Yi remembered his past behavior and felt a headache. “And remember to keep your fangs tucked in.”

Xin Qishu complained sadly, “What fangs? I only had two, and you pulled them both out.”

Ye Yi looked back in disbelief at such a blatant slander. “That was just you losing your baby teeth naturally! Haven’t they grown back yet?”

Xin Qishu shook his head gloomily.

Many disciples were working on the mountain, passing one plot of farmland after another until they reached the Hall of Wisdom. People kept greeting Ye Yi along the way, and he had to stop and chat every time.

Thanks to him, no one checked Xin Qishu’s identity. This Inner Disciple puts on a bigger show than I do, Xin Qishu grumbled internally while following closely, not daring to stray a step.

“Uncle?”

It was Yang Li’s voice.

Yang Li was He Lvqing’s disciple. Isn’t he usually traveling? Why is he at Fayuting today! Xin Qishu’s face went pale.

Ye Yi imperceptibly blocked him, asking calmly, “Why are you here today?”

“I suddenly missed my Master while cultivating yesterday. I came to see the Danmu trees today, but after walking around, I remembered they were all cut down.” Yang Li sounded very dejected.

Through the green veil, Xin Qishu watched the pattern on the back of Ye Yi’s robe.

“I heard Elder Han say the Master is going to the Blood-Melting Palace soon. Could you take a letter to him for me?”

Ye Yi took the letter, noticing it was too thick. A flick of his thumb revealed there were actually two. Ye Yi tucked them away and comforted him, “Don’t be so down. Your Master wouldn’t want to see you like this.”

“I also don’t want to see the Master married off,” Yang Li said, his tongue still sharp despite his mood. “…To be precise, he’s ‘marrying into’ the family (matrilocal).”

“Is there a difference?”

Ye Yi said, “Don’t be like that. Maybe he’ll come back one day.”

“With him in tow? That’s not something I want to see.”

Ye Yi said meaningfully, “Demons aren’t known for being faithful. Maybe one day he’ll change his mind. Besides, your Master isn’t exactly the type to coddle people.”

Xin Qishu, acting like a turtle in its shell, felt a gaze. Yang Li was staring at the person behind Ye Yi wearing the veiled hat. He could see the skin was white and the person was young. He sneered, “A new lover? You sure change them fast.”

“Can’t help it, too many people like me,” Ye Yi said, pulling Xin Qishu along. “Taking him to see the Blue-Flower Peaches. We’re leaving.”

A sharp, undisguised gaze followed them. Xin Qishu kept his head down as they passed, smelling a faint scent of soap amidst the heavy floral fragrance.

…

The Confrontation

After navigating through various turns, they finally reached the peach trees. Xin Qishu looked around and didn’t see Yang Li anywhere, so he breathed a sigh of relief.

He looked up at the tall tree. The dark branches were covered in layers of tender green leaves, dotted with pale blue flower buds.

Xin Qishu leaned in to sniff them, but since he had just been rolling in flowers, he couldn’t smell anything.

Ye Yi snapped a few branches with many buds and handed them over. “When you get back, put them in a vase to enjoy the flowers. When they wither, fill the vase with just enough water to cover the base. Once roots grow, plant them in the ground. These trees don’t have much spiritual power, so they can live in the Demon Abyss without artifacts.”

Xin Qishu looked around curiously. This area was full of Blue-Flower Peaches, each with a tag and a serial number. Behind them were bushes of magenta shrubs with what looked like triangular fruits. Xin Qishu walked toward them.

The brown trunks seemed to move as he did. Upon closer look, they were just ordinary round berries. Disappointed, Xin Qishu turned back.

Suddenly, a cold, hateful gaze locked onto him.

Xin Qishu slowly turned his head. A few paces away, under the shade of a tree, Yang Li stood with his arms crossed, leaning against a trunk, a sword hanging at his waist.

His eyes, framed by dark circles, glared at him fiercely, his handsome face slightly distorted.

Xin Qishu’s heart pounded. He was wearing the veil, but he was certain Yang Li had recognized him. He turned to run toward Ye Yi.

“Where do you think you’re going!” Yang Li roared. He lunged forward, grabbing Xin Qishu’s collar and hoisting him up.

Xin Qishu was like a trapped rabbit, only his toes touching the ground. He whispered, “Calm down, Lili.”

Yang Li’s face was inches from his. He asked chillingly, “When are you going to let Master come back?”

Xin Qishu stammered.

“You!” Yang Li drew his long sword. It flashed white in the sun. Xin Qishu closed his eyes in fear.

The expected pain didn’t come. He peeked open an eye; Ye Yi had finally arrived and was facing off against Yang Li.

“What is the meaning of this?!” Yang Li demanded.

“Think before you act,” Ye Yi’s voice was normal. “If you wound him, He Lvqing is the one who will suffer. In a place like the Demon Abyss, even a tiny scratch takes half a month to heal.”

Yang Li’s hand trembled as he sheathed his sword. Tears fell from his red eyes.

Ye Yi quickly grabbed Xin Qishu and used his light-body technique to flee. From the distance, they heard Yang Li’s voice, sounding as if he were spitting blood.

“You ungrateful wretch! You’re no better than a dog!”

“Xin Qishu! I should never have saved you back then!”

“Ye Yi, you’re protecting him so much—why wasn’t it you who married into the palace?!”

Ye Yi silently escorted him back to the spiritual boat. “Remember what I told you. Go now.”

As the boat rose into the sky, Xin Qishu leaned against the window, clutching the branches. The pale blue buds brushed against his cheek.