Chapter 4: No Way He’ll Think I Still Harbor Lingering Feelings…

Xia Yunjie came in a rush and left just as quickly.

After he departed, Zhao Lixuan buried his head into the soft pillow once more, thumping it repeatedly with dull thuds.

According to the customs of the Three Realms, hosting distinguished guests required equivalent treatment. The host’s lead immortal received the guest’s lead immortal, the second-in-command met the second-in-command, and so on.

Yet beneath Xia Yunjie in Fu Xi Palace, there was no clearly ranked “second-in-command.” Logically, dispatching any high-rank Immortal Lord to receive Jiang Chen would suffice in terms of etiquette.

Unfortunately, over these past twenty years, every one of Zhao Lixuan’s fellow Immortal Lords had visited the Mortal Realm on official business multiple times.

They had all personally experienced the aloof iciness and sheer difficult nature of a certain Sword-Holding Immortal Venerable!

Thus, for this reception, the other Immortal Lords swiftly passed the buck, heartlessly dumping this scorching hot potato onto the ever good-natured Zhao Lixuan.

Heh, as the saying goes—what’s left after everyone else picks? Never me!

But today’s “leftovers” were one he truly couldn’t handle! After all, he was the last person in the world—the very last—who should or could receive Jiang Chen. This was a diplomatic disaster waiting to happen!!!

“Palace Lord…”

After dinner, having reflected deeply amid his agony, Zhao Lixuan still sought out Xia Yunjie with a furrowed brow and crestfallen face.

Xia Yunjie sipped his tea with a faint smile. “Indeed, it was precisely because of that Jiang Immortal Venerable’s aloof temperament that I specifically assigned you.”

“After all, Li Xuan, you are refined and erudite, steady-tempered, and year after year, you’re voted ‘Fu Xi Palace’s Most Beloved Immortal Teacher.’ No one has ever disliked interacting with you. Even someone as willful as Feng Yu behaves a bit more obediently in your presence.”

“I’m certain that no matter how arrogant the other party might be, you can handle it with composure and smooth things over effortlessly.”

“…”

No, perhaps with anyone else, he could try to smooth things over.

But with Jiang Chen? Absolutely impossible.

Zhao Lixuan could only struggle onward. “Palace Lord, to be honest… Though I shared a classmate bond with that Jiang Immortal Lord in my early years, but—but unfortunately… our relationship later soured terribly, with deep-seated grudges.”

Xia Yunjie raised a brow. “Oh?”

“Tell me more—elaborate.”

“…”

But how was he supposed to elaborate?!

He couldn’t very well tell Senior Brother Xia the truth: that back then, he’d abused his power, seized by force, dragged the man home, and spent days cuddling, hugging, kissing, and nibbling—not to mention constantly coercing him into all sorts of intimacies, night after night of revelry, flipping and tumbling in boundless ecstasy???

Save him.

That dark history was too black, impossible to chronicle even with all the bamboo in the world. Fortunately, both of them had been nobodies back then, so that absurd past never spread.

He had zero intention of unraveling it thread by thread for Xia Yunjie!

Yet without a clear explanation, it seemed impossible to refuse smoothly.

Tears welling in his eyes but refusing to fall, Zhao Lixuan hemmed and hawed. “In short… cough, in my youthful folly, I acted recklessly and arrogantly. With that Jiang Chen Immortal Venerable… we were utterly incompatible, like fire and water. We even… fought tooth and nail with weapons.”

Xia Yunjie looked astonished. “You, Li Xuan? Hard to imagine.”

Zhao Lixuan desperately wanted to say it was only because Senior Brother had never seen his arrogant, freewheeling, spendthrift, spoiled young master of an immortal clan persona during those Mortal Realm visits.

Otherwise, it would be all too easy to picture!!!

But alas, in his youth he’d played the good boy in front of his senior brother, and for the past twenty years, he’d maintained the facade of ethereal detachment. Everyone was fooled by the illusion, refusing to believe he’d ever been such a scoundrel!

Sure enough, Xia Yunjie merely patted his shoulder. “No matter. I believe in you, Li Xuan.”

“Even if it was youthful recklessness, you’ve long since mended your ways. As the saying goes, a man changes after three days apart—treat him with fresh eyes. This is the perfect chance to start anew with Jiang Chen Immortal Venerable.”

“You two are both luminaries of your respective realms. Old grudges like these harm the immortal-demon alliance greatly. Why not seize this opportunity to bury the hatchet, renew your friendship, and turn swords into silk? Wouldn’t that be splendid?”

“…………”

“…………………………”

Start anew, turn swords into silk. Splendid, huh.

Heh, hehehehe!

Gasping feebly after returning from Xia Yunjie’s side, Zhao Lixuan hugged his soft pillow and silently headbutted it again.

He truly didn’t understand—was he forgetting to check the almanac lately? How had his luck soured so badly!?

Wait.

Come to think of it…

If Jiang Chen learned he was the designated host, what would he think?

Would Jiang Chen assume that after twenty years, he still harbored lingering feelings, unquenched desire driving him to scheme and maneuver his way close again?

Ah—!

If so, he’d never clear his name, not even jumping into the Heavenly River!

But he truly had no such intentions.

None at all!!!

…

After half a day of solitary madness, Zhao Lixuan calmed once more.

As the saying goes, a blessing in disguise—who knows? Once Xia Yunjie finalized the hosting arrangements, he’d surely dispatch a Spirit Butterfly at once to inform Lu Ziyuan’s side.

If the guests objected, Fu Xi Palace would naturally accommodate and readjust.

Problem solved?

Jiang Chen agreeing to let him host? Only in his dreams—he’d surely refuse outright.

He’d just sit back and wait for the switch!

…

Two hours later, the Spirit Butterfly fluttered back gracefully.

The message it bore: the immortals of Liao Yuan Court were “extremely satisfied” with Fu Xi Palace’s arrangements. Their reply brimmed with polite gratitude, sealing the deal in perfect harmony. The hosting was confirmed.

Zhao Lixuan: “???”

Wait, hold on.

This made no sense—why would Jiang Chen agree?

…

Zhao Lixuan hadn’t forgotten how much Jiang Chen loathed him back then.

Even after they’d “called it even,” though he’d forced himself to stop pestering, the bone-deep longing would occasionally overwhelm him. He’d sneak detours near Jiang Chen’s residence, just for a distant glimpse.

But even that humble wish had disgusted the Jiang Chen of those days.

To prevent further spying, the man had outright moved from the Mortal Realm to the completely isolated Demon Bright, severing all ties to crush his delusions forever.

He’d hated him that much.

Such ruthless decisiveness was rare in the world. Even twenty years later, Zhao Lixuan remembered it vividly.

Yet now, a man who’d once fled him like a venomous snake accepted his “eager overtures” after all this time with such… indifference? Was that normal?

Or was he just being petty, judging a gentleman by small-minded standards?

Had Jiang Chen truly attained profound cultivation and broad-mindedness, prioritizing the Demon Hunting Moon Hunt’s greater good over some petty romantic folly from twenty years ago?

“…”

“…”

Even so.

Zhao Lixuan still tossed and turned restlessly, chest tight with frustration.

The main issue—he’d truly changed!

Inside and out, a complete reformation. In these twenty years, he’d lived ascetically, abstaining from all desires, shunning male and female alike, never once entertaining a single lascivious thought.

Achieving such purity hadn’t been easy for him, okay?

He absolutely refused to be misunderstood, suspected, belittled, or looked down on for nothing!

Why should he?

Immortal Lord Li Xuan’s dignity was dignity too! He’d already lost enough face in front of Jiang Chen back then—he couldn’t lose more!!!

His restlessness led him to practice in front of the mirror the entire next morning.

He fine-tuned his expression and tone over and over until the reflection showed an utterly desireless, flawless Immortal Lord with dead-fish eyes, indifferent to all things under heaven.

“…”

Truth be told.

Objectively speaking, twenty years ago, this face of his was quite handsome.

The problem was his style back then: dripping in gold and silver, the epitome of a brash nouveau riche, with even his shoe soles intricately embroidered. Ten gold rings weren’t enough for his ten fingers.

He’d adored that flashy opulence, admiring himself in the mirror daily with utter satisfaction.

Who knew others thought it didn’t suit him?

Worse, they held back from saying so, letting him veer wildly off course for years.

Fortunately, after twenty years of refinement, he’d finally found his true style: plain white robes, stripped of ornamentation, exuding pure, cold solitude.

His sharp features were naturally striking; gold and silver only cluttered them. This extreme simplicity, instead, sharpened his blade-like brows and frosty aura.

Thus, even if he inwardly scoffed at this “fake upright” persona, he had to admit—it suited him perfectly.

So well that within months of the change, everyone bought into him being innately aloof and detached.

They spread tales of his “distance,” “untouched by dust,” “cold and lofty.”

Heaven knew he had no such aloof chill???

All an act!

…

Two days later, dusk approached.

The immortals from the Mortal Realm were due to arrive, and the Unstained Immortal Realm had already arrayed its welcoming procession.

Zhao Lixuan bathed and burned incense at dawn.

As he dressed, he strained before the mirror to craft the most ascetically desireless deadpan scowl ever, vowing to be unprecedentedly icy, distant, elegant, and austere today!

Perfect. He’d face Jiang Chen with this frozen coffin-face.

No way anyone would think he still harbored lingering feelings!