Chapter 15: Relics Part 4

“Yeah.” Chaosheng had fully grown accustomed to being around them. Being taken care of felt entirely natural, as if they were brothers from his past life.

Chaosheng went to the table and chugged water from the jug.

“Big Brother, let’s go bathe,” Chaosheng whispered.

Xiang Xian released his hold on Xiao Kun. The feigning-asleep Xiao Kun finally breathed a sigh of relief.

“Let’s go.” Xiang Xian rolled his neck. After messing around in the mountains for a full day and night, it was time for a wash. He grabbed some clothes and headed to the inn’s bathhouse with Chaosheng early in the morning.

Xiao Kun let out a breath, opened his eyes, sat up, and steadied his mind.

He had dreamed last night too, but his dream replayed what he had seen during the day: Xiang Xian’s strikingly beautiful body. Indeed, the saying “what one thinks of by day appears in dreams by night” rang true—ancient wisdom did not deceive. Being held by both Xiang Xian and Chaosheng at once, where even a slight turn would brush against one of them, had nearly driven Xiao Kun to explode. Crucially, when he faced Chaosheng, Xiang Xian had embraced him from behind. Both young men, and Xiang Xian with his Pure Yang Body, hugging him like that for most of the night—it had left Xiao Kun terrified.

Should I go bathe too? Xiao Kun’s mind was now filled with the image of Xiang Xian in front of Lady Hua Rui. He couldn’t shake it. After hesitating, he thought that if he went now, they might not be done yet. For some reason, a desire stirred in his heart—he wanted to see it again, like an addiction.

Xiao Kun straightened his clothes and suddenly recalled Shuhu’s prophecy. Fury flared up. No, impossible! After that day, Xiao Kun had tried convincing himself that Shuhu was merely reminding the head and deputy of the Exorcism Division to set aside their differences and cooperate to defeat the Heavenly Demon. They had simply misunderstood.

As Xiao Kun’s thoughts churned in chaos, Xiang Xian and Chaosheng returned sooner than expected.

“You’re awake?” Chaosheng laughed.

Xiang Xian added, “Did Big Brother sleep well last night?”

Xiao Kun waved his hand, signaling them to drop it.

“We must set off early today to head back to Chengdu,” Xiao Kun said. “I’ll go wash up too.”

Xiang Xian was still in his single layer of clothing as he sat down with Chaosheng to pack their things.

Xiao Kun took a cold shower in the bathhouse. His spirits revived considerably. His naturally pale skin took on a faint blue tint from the winter chill of the icy water, sharpening his clarity and keeping his thoughts from wandering into strange places.

When he returned to the room, Chaosheng was examining Xiang Xian’s magic treasures.

“What’s the bell for?”

“Master made it for me,” Xiang Xian explained. “It rings to warn when it senses nearby Demonic Qi.”

“Oh—” Chaosheng propped his chin, nodded, and asked, “How much can this pouch hold?”

“Qiankun Bag,” Xiang Xian said. “Don’t you have one? Xiao Kun has one too.”

Chaosheng said, “No.”

Xiang Xian replied, “I’ll make one for you. I know how—Master was a master treasure crafter before he passed. He even wrote a book called Mengxi Bitan.”

“Great!” Chaosheng said.

Xiao Kun sat down nearby and stared at Xiang Xian’s back.

“What magic treasures did you bring down to the mortal world?” Xiang Xian asked.

“Nothing special.” Chaosheng showed Xiang Xian a small box containing a warm, lustrous pearl. “This is the ‘Mountains and Rivers Sheji Map.’ It can transform terrain and landscapes—handy for loosening soil, watering, and moving plants in the garden.”

“Hm.” Xiang Xian examined the pearl. Nearby lay a section of branch. Chaosheng continued, “This is a Tree Shepherd Whip called the ‘Green Branch.’ It’s a fresh shoot from Sacred Tree Jumang that the Queen Mother of the West first pruned. It can command plants. And this Small Scissors was also left by the Queen Mother.”

Xiang Xian laughed. “All gardener’s tools.”

Xiao Kun interjected, “Left by the Queen Mother of the West—they must be extraordinary magic treasures.”

Chaosheng said, “But I haven’t helped you at all. You two never get hurt, and all I can do is heal wounds.”

“No worries,” Xiang Xian said. “Xiao Kun can handle it.”

Xiao Kun: “I’ll give Xiang Xian a beating, and then you can heal him.”

“Hey!” Xiang Xian sensed danger.

Chaosheng burst into laughter. Xiao Kun then asked, “Can severed limbs be reattached?” As he spoke, he stepped forward and pretended to draw his blade to chop off Xiang Xian’s leg. Xiang Xian dodged and said, “Cut it out! If it’s broken, I won’t make it back to Chengdu!”

“You remember we’re leaving today?” Xiao Kun said. “Get up! We’re heading out!”

Xiao Kun felt like he had become the pack mule for Xiang Xian and Chaosheng, urging them to hurry. He went downstairs to settle the bill and set off early back to Chengdu. Of course, the road was full of Chaosheng’s dawdling, with Xiang Xian indulging every whim. They detoured straight for breakfast. Under the wooden bridge at Guanjiangkou, they slurped milky white beef bone noodle soup at a street stall, plus several bowls of soybean milk. They even wanted to buy roadside snacks as souvenirs.

“Is there an end to this?” By the time the sun was high, after paying for the sixth time, Xiao Kun finally lost his patience.

“Fine, no more buying.” Xiang Xian said.

Xiao Kun’s mind was a jumble, crammed with thoughts: how to negotiate with Shan Yu Hong after returning to Chengdu, the whereabouts of the Heart Lamp, the Heavenly Demon Rebirth in two years, Sa Luan’s movements and fate, Xiang Xian’s nude bo—no, he forcibly shoved that last one out.

He desperately needed some Soul-Dispersing Flower Powder to forget things.

Xiang Xian and Chaosheng acted like nothing was wrong, sightseeing along the way.

“Let’s fly back.” Xiao Kun checked the sky and said, “Where’s the bird? What’s its name? A Huang? Come on, A Huang too.”

Chaosheng was crumbling fresh candy in his palm for A Huang to eat. Xiao Kun could wait no longer. He grabbed them both, activated the Dragon Soaring Jade, and a Golden Dragon erupted in a burst of light from the ground. In a secluded spot off the official road, it soared into the sky and rushed toward Chengdu.