Chapter 2 Part 1

Mu Cheng had never been likable since childhood.

The child was simply too “strange.”

Even when he was still in swaddling clothes, he intensely disliked others approaching him. He could lie in his crib and entertain himself for a long time, but the moment someone drew near, he would frown, wail, and dry-heave—as if the visitor were not his family, wet nurse, or maidservant, but a parade of monsters.

When he learned to speak, his first words were not “Mother” or “Father,” but “Stinky” and “Get lost.”

Once his features had grown enough to clearly express emotions, every gaze he cast upon others brimmed with disgust.

No one could like such eyes. No one could like such a child.

Of course, Mu Cheng did not like anyone either.

—After all, everyone within his sight was shrouded in a layer of clawing, writhing mist that reeked of foul decay.

He wished they would all scram far away!

When he grew a bit older and could voice his opinions, the first thing he did was drive everyone around him away and hide alone in some deserted place.

…Then two-year-old Mu Cheng nearly starved to death.

His family brought him back and his mother sorrowfully fed him warm goat’s milk (Little Mu Cheng refused human milk). After a comfortable nap alone, Mu Cheng reconciled with the world.

It must have been his nose that was the problem.

Otherwise, why could no one else smell the stench, but he could?

Little Mu Cheng thought.

It had to be his nose. That was why he found everyone stinky.

It had to be his eyes too. That was why he could see the clawing black mists on everyone.

Little Mu Cheng gradually became “normal.”

Of course, this did not mean he could no longer smell the stench or see the black mists.

He had simply learned to hold his breath appropriately in front of others. He even grew accustomed to the thick, pitch-black fogs clinging to people and no longer felt afraid. Instead, he took an interest in classifying their ugliness—not true beauty or ugliness, but ordinary ugliness versus earth-shatteringly grotesque ugliness.

The black mist on his benevolent and dignified grandfather belonged to the earth-shatteringly grotesque category.

The mist on that Fang Tianxin from the Fang Family was ordinarily ugly, with a fainter stench. Mu Cheng quite enjoyed teasing him.

.

Before encountering Lian Yunzhi at the Immortal Assembly Banquet, Mu Cheng had successfully brainwashed himself.

He had firmly convinced himself that, to his nose, everyone in the world stank—perhaps even he himself did, but since he was constantly immersed in his own odor, he could not smell it.

To his eyes, everyone in the world was shrouded in clawing black qi—perhaps he had sticky, pitch-black mist on him too, but since he was always enveloped in it, he could not see it.

Yes, that was it.

Then.

He saw Lian Yunzhi.

No words could describe Mu Cheng’s feelings upon first laying eyes on Lian Yunzhi.

The moment that exquisitely carved little boy in white robes entered his view.

His world began to snow with pure, flawless white flakes.

That person was clean.

Mu Cheng’s gaze could pass unhindered to his cheeks, his hair strands, his spotlessly white robe hem, and his jade-like fingers. Not a wisp of thick black mist clung to him.

That person was fragrant.

As he passed by, the wind carried the scent from his robe corner—a fresh, grassy aroma emerging from snow, reminding Mu Cheng of the drunken haze from sneaking his father’s hidden wine the previous winter.

Mu Cheng stared at him in a daze.

.

Until the foolish Qi Refining Stage cultivator on stage began lecturing about Demon Beast ranks, Mu Cheng barely snapped back to reality.

He watched Lian Yunzhi’s eyes sparkle at the mention of Demon Beasts and made a decision in his heart.

After one incense stick’s time, he returned to Lian Yunzhi’s side, dangling Little Gold.

Little Gold resembled a bush cricket in appearance, but it was genuinely a Low-Tier Demon Beast.

Mu Cheng had carefully nurtured it with Spirit Stones until now, and he planned to give it away.

As soon as Mu Cheng appeared holding Little Gold, he drew the attention of many children. He did not shoo them away but loudly confirmed Little Gold’s Demon Beast identity under their questions, while silently observing Lian Yunzhi’s reaction.

Sure enough.

Lian Yunzhi was drawn in. He turned his head.

Mu Cheng’s hand gripping the Demon Beast cage grew slightly slick with sweat, but he feigned composure and flashed a smile.

Facing stinky people every day… he rarely smiled at others.

He wondered if his smile looked strange.

“Can’t you be quiet?” Lian Yunzhi spoke up. “You’re disturbing me from listening to the Immortal Lord.”

Mu Cheng’s somewhat awkward smile froze on his face.

…

Mu Cheng was, after all, the young master of the Mu Family, spoiled and unruly from childhood. Even if he desperately wanted to get close to Lian Yunzhi, he could not abandon his nature and humble himself.

Thus, the argument inevitably erupted.

“Immortal Lord? You mean that idiot on stage?”

Mu Cheng had no idea what he was saying.

He only knew that when that person left his seat and approached, the oncoming fragrance made him act entirely unlike himself.

Only when Lian Yunzhi invited him to the rockery did he regain his senses. He put on a friendly smile and, almost ingratiatingly, showed off Little Gold.

…But what he received was a fist to the face.

And the words, “Your smile is disgusting.”

Young Master Mu had his pride. When he tossed Little Gold aside and lunged at Lian Yunzhi to fight, his ears burned red with shame and fury, his fingertips trembling with rage.

Why?!

Little Mu Young Master fumed.

So what if Lian Yunzhi was a bit good-looking, clean, and fragrant?! What else did he have? He was an idiot! He even hit me for that Qi Refining Layer 7 moron on stage!

Why should I let him bully me?!

Yet when he made physical contact with Lian Yunzhi and those fragrant wisps entered his nose, he grew dazed.

His movements unconsciously lightened.

Maybe I should call it off?

Mu Cheng thought. What if I hit him too hard and he never speaks to me again?

But the upheaval happened at that moment.

Countless arrows shot toward the smug Qi Refining Stage fool on stage.

Blood sprayed down like red ribbons.

The Qi Refining cultivator’s eyes bulged in utter shock, fear, and unwillingness as he toppled.

But it was not over.

A guard beside his grandfather leaped onto the stage and severed the cultivator’s head with one slash.

Gurgle, gurgle.

The blood-smeared spherical object rolled along the ground.

The banquet fell deathly silent.

…

Lian Yunzhi also looked up at that moment.