After He Mu left Fragrant Ze Mountain, Wenren Sheng was unaccustomed for the first few days. He always clung to the clan leader and his master to fill the void left by He Mu’s usual companionship.
But as the New Year approached, he soon focused his attention on his core formation. Every day, he woke up to practice swordsmanship and cultivation, no longer dwelling on those messy romantic matters.
After years of fusion, the heavenly spiritual root had fully adapted to Wenren Sheng’s body. The natural qi it had absorbed before gradually began to nourish him back, and once he turned sixteen, he could directly enter the golden core realm.
After reaching the golden core realm, Wenren Sheng’s appearance and body would stop growing, forever remaining at the age of sixteen. He Mu had previously worried that his body was too weak and entering the golden core realm too early would be dangerous, so he had suppressed his realm to prevent him from advancing.
But now, Wenren Sheng’s swordsmanship had taken on a decent form, and he could even trade blows evenly with Yi Jinxiang.
From then on, he was going to be a true great hero.
In the blink of an eye, the New Year arrived.
Wenren Sheng dragged over a small stool and sat outside the side room. He wrapped his fur cloak tighter around himself and fixed his gaze on the charcoal basin on the ground, watching the sparks pop out with crackling sounds while counting silently in his mind.
When he reached one hundred, he finally let out a light sigh. “Not done yet?”
Yi Jinxiang behind him undid the braid in her hands once more and combed through Wenren Sheng’s hair from the beginning.
She frowned. “Why is it so hard to braid?”
Wenren Jing directed Yi Jinxiang from the side, muttering for a long time before finally snapping, “Are you really that star or what?”
“I am Wenqu Star,” Yi Jinxiang rolled her eyes. “Not some hair-braiding star. How would I know how to do this?”
Wenren Sheng sighed again upon hearing that, thinking they probably wouldn’t finish braiding before lunch.
Today was Wenren Sheng’s sixteenth birthday. According to custom, the clan leader, his master, and the mountain god all had to braid longevity braids for him to bless him with a lifespan of a hundred years.
Wenren Sheng had specially reserved two strands of his back hair for He Mu. But over the past half year, He Mu hadn’t sent any word back to Fragrant Ze Mountain, and Wenren Sheng had no idea where he was or whether he would return today to celebrate his birthday.
He propped his chin up and idly watched the charcoal basin.
Would the mountain god really come back?
Back then, he hadn’t even left a single word for Wenren Sheng, fleeing like someone who had done something guilty and shameful. It left Wenren Sheng deeply unhappy.
If He Mu still didn’t return today to celebrate his birthday with him, Wenren Sheng would never forgive him again.
He would pack his bundle and run away from home.
“Once I’m gone,” Wenren Sheng muttered as he picked up a fresh piece of charcoal and tossed it into the basin, “I won’t pay any attention to you anymore.”
The cold wind swept through, and the snow accumulated deeper in the courtyard.
After another half hour of waiting, Yi Jinxiang finally finished braiding that strand for him.
She stood up contentedly and admired her work. It was a slender, neat braid—more perfect than the one Wenren Jing had done.
Still not satisfied, she reached out to smooth Wenren Sheng’s hair and continue.
“No, no!” Wenren Sheng jumped to his feet and covered the remaining two strands. “These two are for the mountain god to braid when he gets back.”
Yi Jinxiang immediately schooled her expression and fanned herself rapidly with a guilty conscience. “I didn’t say I wanted to braid more.”
“Alright, alright. After fussing for these few hours, I’m exhausted. I’m off to sleep. Goodbye.”
Without waiting for Wenren Sheng to respond, she vanished from sight right in front of them.
“…………”
Wenren Jing hesitated. “Why’d she leave? Not eating lunch?”
“Master just likes to talk tough.”
Wenren Sheng chuckled stealthily, sat back down, and gathered his cloak.
“Forget it, I won’t eat either. I’ll just grab some steamed buns later.”
Wenren Jing asked, “What are you off to do now?”
“Go find the mountain god,” Wenren Sheng said, swinging his feet. “Then tonight, we’ll head down the mountain for the lantern festival. After that, I’ll give my gift to the mountain god…”
Halfway through, Wenren Sheng turned to Wenren Jing and curved his eyes. “You’ll wait for me, right, clan leader?”
Wenren Jing gazed at him uneasily for a moment, words catching in his throat.
“Um, Shengsheng…”
“Clan leader.” Wenren Sheng took hold of Wenren Jing’s hand and smiled sweetly at him. “Stay here, okay? I want to go check the mountain gate first and see if the mountain god’s back.”
Wenren Jing’s expression stiffened.
“Oh, oh,” he said. “Go on, then.”
With permission granted, Wenren Sheng waved cheerfully at him and dashed eagerly toward the mountain gate—like when he was little, chasing butterflies around the rabbit burrow.
Wenren Jing watched his retreating figure, swallowed the rest of his words, and said nothing more.
At the Divine Temple’s mountain gate.
Wenren Sheng leaned against the shrine and carefully wiped the statue of Cangyu True Monarch. Then he stepped back a few paces and gestured at it from afar.
“Not like him at all,” Wenren Sheng muttered. “He doesn’t look anything like that.”
Statues always carved faces and bodies in strange ways, probably to emphasize the divide between mortals and gods, inspiring awe and preventing irreverence.
He Mu’s statue was no exception. Wenren Sheng had liked it as a child, but ever since becoming family with the real mountain god, he found He Mu far more handsome.
With that thought, he couldn’t help smiling and leaned happily against the shrine.
“If you come back today, I’ll forgive you.”
He tilted his head up to watch the snowflakes drifting across the sky, then closed his eyes, shook his head, and whispered,
“I miss you so much.”
Right after saying that, Wenren Sheng felt a sharp pain at the back of his neck.
He hissed and reached back to touch it.
But when he looked at his palm, there was clearly nothing there.
“What the…”
When he looked up again, that black-and-blue patterned blue butterfly appeared right in front of him.
“Blue butterfly?”
Wenren Sheng’s eyes widened slightly as his hand instinctively went to the dagger at his waist.
Had that fox demon come back?
The mountain god hadn’t returned to Fragrant Ze Mountain yet. He probably couldn’t handle it alone—he needed to go find his master first.
With that in mind, he took half a step back, about to turn and flee.
But the next instant, his back collided into an embrace. Someone wrapped arms around his waist and held him tight.
Wenren Sheng jolted all over and struggled to break free.
“Who is it!” he gritted out. “Pervert… don’t touch me!”
No sooner had the words left his mouth than a soft sigh sounded from above his head. The person behind him tightened their hold, cinching Wenren Sheng’s waist even firmer.
The moment he heard that sigh, Wenren Sheng knew who it was.
“…”
Wenren Sheng went rigid for a second, then abandoned all resistance.
Instead, he lowered his head in grievance, his ears gradually heating up.
“Why’d you take so long to come back?” Wenren Sheng murmured with a note of reproach. “I’ve been waiting forever.”
“Shengsheng.”
He Mu’s voice sounded exhausted. He rested his head on Wenren Sheng’s shoulder and whispered,
“Happy birthday.”
He Mu’s breath was hot. So close like this, it made Wenren Sheng’s heart race faster, a blush spreading from his ears across his cheeks.
“Mm…” Wenren Sheng hesitated a moment, then squinted his eyes and nuzzled against him. “Thank you, mountain god.”
He Mu simply held him there without moving or speaking. Only his heartbeat grew more intense, thrumming through Wenren Sheng and leaving him embarrassed.
Why was the mountain god’s heart beating so fast…
Back when they slept together, the mountain god hardly breathed at all. Wenren Sheng had never heard his heartbeat.
Was it… because of him?
Wenren Sheng swallowed and asked carefully with concern, “What’s wrong?”
He Mu exhaled deeply before slowly releasing him.
Wenren Sheng seized the chance to turn around and look up at him.
He Mu looked unwell, like he hadn’t slept in days. His eyes were somewhat clouded, and there was a wound on his nose bridge for some reason.
But seeing He Mu in the flesh still made Wenren Sheng’s heart heat uncontrollably, tears nearly springing to his eyes.
He pursed his lips, suppressing the sour ache in his throat, and changed the subject. “You look like you haven’t slept in days.”
He Mu shook his head. “Traveled all night. A bit fatigued, not in the best shape.”
“Then do you want to go back to sleep?” Wenren Sheng paused, then added, “It’s my birthday today. I can sleep with you.”
“On your birthday, shouldn’t I be the one keeping you company?”
He Mu set aside his weariness, laced their fingers together, and smiled.
“Come on, it’s too cold out here. Let’s go home first.”
!
They were holding hands!
Wenren Sheng glanced down, his cheeks instantly turning bright red.
Ten fingers interlocked, no less…
In the midst of the Nine-Nines Cold Days, Wenren Sheng felt thoroughly steamed. He followed unnaturally as He Mu led him along, one ahead, one behind.
Hand in hand through the snow, the two made their way back to the Divine Temple.
Once inside the room, He Mu handed Wenren Sheng a towel, fetched a clean fur cloak for him to drape on, and sat side by side with him on the edge of the bed.
His gaze fixed unabashedly on Wenren Sheng, as if after all these days apart, he needed to make up for every missed glance.
Wenren Sheng dried his hair carefully, his face heating under the stare.
After a little while, he folded the towel neatly and asked softly, “Where has the mountain god been in secluded cultivation these days?”
He Mu made a thoughtful face, then smiled faintly. “Wandered everywhere, sought out plenty of blessed lands and cave heavens. Ended up on a mountain much like this one.”
“If it’s just like here, why not cultivate right here?” Wenren Sheng said discontentedly. “Does Fragrant Ze Mountain hinder your cultivation that much?”
He Mu curved his eyes. “Sorry, Shengsheng. Couldn’t stay at Fragrant Ze Mountain this time.”
Seeing the quick apology, Wenren Sheng huffed twice and decided to forgive him generously.
He scooted closer to He Mu and leaned against his shoulder. “Then, is your Dao heart fixed now?”
He Mu didn’t answer right away.
His gaze drifted down to Wenren Sheng’s wrist. The bracelet he’d given him was still there, perfectly intact.
Wenren Sheng had clearly cherished it—the beads gleamed as brightly as new, their luster making the boy’s skin look even fairer.
He Mu looked away and replied,
“No.”
A total defeat.
He Mu had thought a period of seclusion would let him forget these improper feelings for Wenren Sheng entirely.
That was why he left without a word, not daring to linger too near him, lest it disturb his Dao heart again.
But it hadn’t worked. The more he secluded himself, the more Wenren Sheng’s face filled his mind—smiling radiantly at him or tear-streaked, proactively hugging him, kissing his cheek, or…
Writhing in desire, unable to break free, clinging to his neck in plea, waiting to be taken.
Such thoughts left He Mu restless and itchy at heart, his throat parched. He couldn’t find any peace.
After half a year of torment, nearly succumbing to Qi deviation several times, he returned to Fragrant Ze Mountain in a daze, hoping to seek one final answer from Wenren Sheng himself.
Yet here the answer stood before him, bottomless and unfathomable.
Wenren Sheng comforted him. “It’s fine. You can adjust your Dao heart gradually. Next time, just seclude yourself here at Fragrant Ze Mountain.”
Oblivious to the weight in his gaze, he smoothed the two strands of hair over his shoulders and turned slightly toward He Mu.
“Does the mountain god know how to braid hair?”
He Mu blinked, snapping back to attention.
“Hm?”
Wenren Sheng pointed at his hair and smiled. “It’s my sixteenth birthday today. You have to braid two strands for me so I can live a full hundred years.”
He Mu sat up straighter, his eyes falling on those two strands.
He hesitated. “I… haven’t tried before. Let me give it a go?”
Wenren Sheng nodded obediently and rested his hands in his lap.
Of course He Mu had never properly learned to braid hair.
But when Wenren Sheng was little and asleep, He Mu would secretly play with it, twisting it into little-girl styles just to scare him when he checked the mirror the next morning.
After pulling the trick a few times, He Mu had gotten somewhat handy at it.
He carefully gathered one strand, split it into three sections, and began braiding the longevity braid for Wenren Sheng.
Meanwhile, Wenren Sheng quietly slipped his hand into the bedding, felt for a wooden box, and placed it silently on his lap, covering it with both hands.
The gift, meant for him.
Wenren Sheng took a deep breath.
When He Mu began weaving the second one, he slightly curled his fingers and said softly, “Mountain God, I want to give you a gift.”
He Mu’s movements paused.
“A gift?”
Wenren Sheng slightly raised his eyes to look at He Mu. His cheeks had already flushed a deep crimson, even the corners of his eyes were tinged with red, and a thin mist clouded his pupils.
“Today, I turned sixteen.”
“The first gift after coming of age—I only want to give it to the person in my heart.”
