“No Liu Yong,” Xiao Kun said. “Change it.”
“Fine, fine,” Xiang Xian said. “Liu Yong’s too sad. Change it. Deep courtyard—how deep…”
This made Xiao Kun think of Sa Luan. That day in Yinchuan, the two had heard exactly this tune. He couldn’t sit still.
“Change again.” Xiao Kun said.
“This won’t do either?” Xiang Xian said. “You play.”
Xiao Kun simply pressed down the qin, shifted over, flicked his martial robe, and struck the gong, jue, and yu strings together. The qin tones flowed, turning into a clear breeze that brushed past, blending with the roaring river beyond the winter railing, like scattered flowers filling the sky, spilling out over the railing. The sound spread through the street, and passersby stopped to listen.
A Huang flew from the wutong tree outside the inn, flapping his wings, and perched on Xiang Xian’s shoulder, watching Xiao Kun.
The prelude paused, and Xiang Xian’s clear voice rang out.
“When did the moon appear? Raising wine, I ask the blue sky: I do not know in the heavenly palaces what year it is tonight.”
Xiang Xian’s singing carried a wild, wandering spirit. Su Shi’s ancient lyrics wished distant brothers across the heavens, expressing longing for the separated, but sung by Xiang Xian, they gained a Wei-Jin flair. Passersby on the road stopped, listening to his voice from downstairs.
Xiao Kun’s qin playing carried the sorrows of the Northern Lands—not like the soft, lingering southern style, but bold and sweeping, with occasional plucked notes and strumming that was rugged and direct.
Xiao Kun played, Xiang Xian sang—they matched perfectly.
Until “…this matter anciently hard to fulfill, but I wish people long endurance,” when Xiang Xian’s voice gradually faded. He murmured out of reverie: “Thousands of miles shared the beauty of the moon.”
In that moment, looking at Xiang Xian’s smile, a tumult surged in Xiao Kun’s heart. It was the strangest feeling he had experienced in his twenty-four years.
The wine surged, leaving him at a loss. He simply pulled his hands from the qin, stood silently, and under Xiang Xian’s gaze, returned to the room.
The wine came in waves, making Xiao Kun’s heart race.
Moments later, Xiang Xian returned to the room too. Chaosheng still slept soundly as before. That night, Xiao Kun slept on another couch, with a hot towel over his brow, listening to Xiang Xian undress. He didn’t want to look at him.
“Deputy Emissary, it’s your turn for the floor tonight.” Xiao Kun pointed at the ground casually.
“Why?” Xiang Xian replied.
Xiao Kun pulled off the towel, but Xiang Xian turned and lay on the couch, squeezing in beside him.
“Hey!” Xiao Kun sprang up.
Xiang Xian: “Scoot in a bit.”
Xiao Kun said, “Too crowded!”
Xiao Kun had drunk quite a bit, and he felt Xiang Xian’s body scorching hot. Pressing against him, he uncontrollably recalled the daytime scene: Xiang Xian naked, cradled horizontally by Lady Hua Rui—a sight of absolute beauty, impossible to resist.
Xiao Kun wanted to kick Xiang Xian off the couch, but Xiang Xian clung stubbornly. They exchanged several moves before Xiang Xian suddenly got up, laughing. “Fine, no more playing.”
In that short while, Xiao Kun’s heart had nearly jumped out of his throat. Fortunately, Xiang Xian didn’t persist.
But the next moment, Xiang Xian lifted the entire short couch into the air.
Xiao Kun: “Stop that now!”
Xiao Kun was about to lie down and nearly rolled off. Xiang Xian maneuvered it with empty hands, joining it to Chaosheng’s sleeping couch to form one large bed.
“No more crowding. Ways are made by people.” Xiang Xian said. “Sleep inside a bit.”
Xiao Kun: “…………”
“Want to switch so I sleep inside?” Xiang Xian said.
Xiao Kun had no choice but to scoot inward, next to Chaosheng, while Xiang Xian slept on the outer edge.
Once asleep, Chaosheng wouldn’t wake even to thunder. After all their fussing, he slept like a dead pig. Xiao Kun finally closed his eyes.
Xiang Xian fell asleep quickly, but his body still fidgeted restlessly.
Xiao Kun noticed his poor sleeping posture, as if dreaming, and shifted away carefully to avoid touching him.
Xiang Xian’s breathing quickened, sweat beading on his forehead—he dreamed of slaying the flower demon.
Lady Hua Rui hadn’t willingly been taken into the Demon-Suppressing Banner. She emitted towering black mist, prostrating on the ground.
“I’m not willing… I’m not willing…” Her voice trembled. “After leaving White Jade Palace, I’ve lived centuries in the human world…”
Xiao Kun and Xiang Xian exchanged glances. A strange youth stood beside them, not Chaosheng. Xiao Kun only instructed, “Sa Luan, don’t get near her.”
Sa Luan watched Lady Hua Rui in the field with shock.
In Ge Liang’s former residence, under the Buddha statue’s gaze:
“We must part ways here.” Xiao Kun said calmly.
Xiang Xian sighed. “Where will you go?”
“Send Sa Luan to Kedun City, then head to the Western Regions to search for the Heart Lamp.”
“Think you can do it?”
“No choice but to make it work. What else?” Xiao Kun retorted.
“Will we meet again?”
“If fate allows.” Xiao Kun summoned the Golden Dragon, took Sa Luan aboard, and flew off into the vast mountains and wilderness.
“Xiao Kun—!” Xiang Xian stood atop Qingcheng Mountain and shouted at the top of his lungs.
The sun rose, illuminating the mountains and rivers of the Shu Region.
When he awoke, Chaosheng was hugging Xiao Kun’s waist, while Xiang Xian had sprawled across sideways in his sleep, propping his feet on Xiao Kun’s waist. His undergarments had been tugged down to his knees, revealing strong and handsome ankles and calves.
Xiao Kun opened his eyes and carefully moved Xiang Xian’s legs aside. Otherwise, with them pressing on his lower abdomen, he truly wouldn’t be able to hold himself back—especially with the soft, warm Chaosheng clinging to him.
Chaosheng woke too and opened his eyes. Xiao Kun immediately shut his, pretending to still be asleep.
Chaosheng yawned, sat up, and looked at the two of them. From his perspective, it was Xiang Xian who was holding Xiao Kun in his sleep.
Chaosheng carefully stepped over their bodies to get out of bed and noticed that the couches had been pushed together into one large bed. He found it quite amusing.
Xiang Xian woke as well. Seeing Chaosheng getting up, he whispered, “Want some water?”
