Chapter 83

The powerful emotion of loss and recovery suddenly struck Wen Liuhe.

The man froze in place and reached out, intending to blast apart the obstructive lantern wall between them before pulling the person into a tight embrace.

Shen Yu noticed his intent and stopped his movement. “This is the human world’s Prayer Blessing Wall, hung with people’s wishes. Don’t casually destroy it for them.”

Wen Liuhe’s raised hand paused. His narrow eyes narrowed slightly, and the gaze emerging from the two black holes of the Red Ghost Mask looked utterly terrifying no matter how one saw it.

Wen Liuhe’s brows furrowed tightly, clearly with no intention of listening.

Other people’s affairs had nothing to do with him.

The lantern lights melted into the thick night, and Shen Yu looked at him disapprovingly.

Wen Liuhe’s eyelids drooped. Through the gaps in the wooden frame hung with various lanterns, he locked eyes with Shen Yu for a long, drawn-out moment.

Time seemed to condense in that instant, stretched or paused.

The lights blazed brilliantly, tassels dangled, and Wen Liuhe’s gaze fell on the slight upward curve at the corner of Shen Yu’s lips. It was truly like a demon taking human form, come to wander the mortal world.

Wen Liuhe’s throat rolled involuntarily.

He wanted to kiss him.

Kiss him senseless.

After about the time it took for a few drops of water to fall, Wen Liuhe pressed his lips into a sharp, cold line and strode around to the back of the lantern wall with an expressionless face.

Under countless swaying lanterns, the man in black combat attire pushed the ferocious Red Ghost Mask up onto his forehead. With a long arm, he wrapped around Shen Yu’s waist, pulled the red-clad beauty into his embrace, and lowered his head to kiss him.

The world spun for Shen Yu. Caught off guard, he was drawn into the embrace. One hand braced on the man’s shoulder to steady himself while the other readjusted the Kunlun Slave Mask on his forehead, dodging Wen Liuhe’s kiss.

Thus, the kiss brushed against the cold, painted mask, and Wen Liuhe felt only a chill on his lips.

Shen Yu instinctively shifted his gaze away.

Wen Liuhe’s movements paused.

The swaying lanterns suddenly stilled.

Wen Liuhe’s expression turned icy cold. He reached out to grasp the edge of Shen Yu’s jaw. His scorching fingertip slowly rubbed at the seam where mask met skin, then his knuckles suddenly tightened, lifting the man’s pale jaw and forcing him to look at him.

The lantern light stretched their shadows long. Through the two masks, their gazes intertwined in the play of light and shadow, like snow melting into fire or flowers blooming in magma.

Wen Liuhe gripped his jaw, his eyes dark and deep, his voice lowered. “We’ve done far more excessive things, Master. Why dodge now?”

The arm around his waist tightened inch by inch. The force was less like wanting to meld him into his bones and more like wanting to snap his waist.

Meeting those eyes roiling with dark clouds, Shen Yu sighed inwardly.

Just as Wen Liuhe’s expression was about to worsen, Shen Yu reached out, picked up a Glass Lotus Lamp from the nearby rack, and shook it lightly in front of him. “Make a wish.”

The strength gripping his jaw loosened, and Wen Liuhe’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Make a wish?”

Shen Yu patted Wen Liuhe’s hand, extending the glass lotus lamp toward him again to signal him to let go and take it.

“Hang it on the Prayer Blessing Wall. They say it’s very efficacious.”

Their tugging had long drawn the attention of passersby, who cast various glances their way. Fortunately, both wore masks, or they would have no face left to show.

Wen Liuhe instead pulled him even tighter. The two men were of similar height, both grown adults. Arm pressed to arm, their breaths drew infinitely close, close enough to feel the rise and fall of each other’s muscles.

A low chuckle rumbled from Wen Liuhe’s throat. He raised a brow. “Since when did I know Master believed in such things?”

Shen Yu lifted his eyelids to glance at him, then lifted his foot and bent his knee to slam into Wen Liuhe’s knee. Wen Liuhe winced in pain, knowing not to push him too far. He pursed his lips and released his waist.

As the warmth withdrew from his waist and seeing Wen Liuhe had no intention of hanging the lantern, Shen Yu reached out and hung the Glass Lotus Lamp on the Prayer Blessing Wall himself.

The bright light illuminated the petals in the hue of dawn, turning it into a suspended sun.

The scattered light fell on the pitch-black Kunlun Slave Mask, flowing with serene, mottled colors.

The musicians’ songs carried on the wind. Shen Yu gazed at the lamp, while Wen Liuhe stood beside him with arms crossed, his gaze shifting as he stared fixedly at him.

A moment later, Wen Liuhe heard Shen Yu’s voice. “When in Rome.”

The long street brimmed with lantern lights. Shen Yu stood and continued walking forward. Wen Liuhe caught up, lips pursed as he asked, “What did Master wish for?”

The Red Ghost Mask drew close to his face, and Shen Yu’s voice carried a smile. “What, want to help make it come true?”

Wen Liuhe looked at him. “Then Master has to tell me what it is.”

“Stuffy at home. Want to come out more often.”

Home?

Wen Liuhe froze, falling silent for a moment.

Shen Yu’s eyes curved. “No objection means you agree.”

In the flowing river of lanterns, Wen Liuhe stepped forward and grasped his hand. With every word, their palms exchanged warmth against the cold night breeze.

Feeling Wen Liuhe grip his hand tightly, Shen Yu tugged once but couldn’t free it, so he let it be.

The night deepened with heavy dew. By the time they returned stepping on moonlight, it was already the hour of the Ox.

After a simple wash, as soon as Shen Yu lay on the bed, he felt a warm body roll in. A broad chest pressed against his back, and a heated arm snaked around from his waist, the palm sliding over his inner robe to touch his chest.

Shen Yu closed his eyes, his brows furrowing lightly. “Tired. No fooling around.”

“Okay.” Wen Liuhe curled his tense body around Shen Yu from behind, and hearing the hint of fatigue in his voice, he let out a muffled response from his throat.

A moment later, the man lowered his head, burying it in the nape of Shen Yu’s neck. His scorching lips pressed there, nostrils flaring as he inhaled his scent.

He slept dreamlessly through the night.

Shen Yu had a good rest and woke refreshed. As soon as he opened his eyes, a hand brushed his waist, the pad of the finger ambiguously rubbing his lean, muscled abdomen. Then fingers hooked the waistband of his pants and probed downward like a tyrannical python.

Shen Yu jolted awake. Mornings already made him prone to reactions, and his back instinctively pressed backward, colliding with Wen Liuhe’s solid chest.

The thin inner robes covering them were negligible. As they rose and fell with breaths, the friction felt like electric shocks on their skin.

Shen Yu’s mind cleared instantly. He hurriedly reached out, grabbing the wrist of the wandering hand, and cursed, “Damn it, Wen Liuhe, what the hell are you doing first thing in the morning?”

Wen Liuhe, starved all night, threw off the covers. His other arm forcefully hooked around Shen Yu’s waist and lifted, directly seating him in his lap.

Shen Yu felt the world spin. His shoulders slammed backward from the momentum, solidly into Wen Liuhe’s shoulder.

It hurt Shen Yu’s shoulder, and Wen Liuhe’s too.

Two grown men in such a position looked utterly bizarre, not to mention the strange heat pressing from behind.

Shen Yu: “…”

Wen Liuhe’s one arm fixed his waist while the other probed at his abdomen, firmly held by Shen Yu’s hand to halt its downward path.

Wen Liuhe rested his chin on Shen Yu’s neck and blew a thin wisp of hot breath into his ear. “Providing Master with a wake-up service.”

Shen Yu: “…”

No thanks.

In this embracing position, he couldn’t see the full view of the man in his lap. Wen Liuhe waved a hand, and bubbles formed in the air. A flowing Water Mirror floated before them, clearly reflecting their appearances.

Shen Yu glanced at it but saw nothing special. Instead, their current position looked even more bizarre the longer he looked. He withdrew his gaze, not understanding why Wen Liuhe had summoned the Water Mirror.

Seeing everything clearly, Wen Liuhe’s Adam’s apple bobbed involuntarily.

In the mirror, the man leaning in his embrace had his snow-white sleeping robe splayed open, ink-black long hair disheveled. His cool-toned shoulders and neck flowed smoothly, propping up the white fabric.

Below the collarbones, snow-white pectorals rose and fell slightly with breaths—white where white, pink where pink. The thin muscles of his abdomen extended downward like flowing water, faint cyan veins faintly visible.

At his snow-white waist, a vivid red mark smeared.

Shen Yu’s thick, curled lashes drooped, the seductive fringes half-veiling his misty, rippling eyes, brimming with unspoken desire, vividly alluring.

Living color and fragrant allure—nothing more.

Wen Liuhe’s eyes darkened. His gaze clenched tightly on the man in the Water Mirror, and the hand gripping Shen Yu’s waist tightened further. His voice deepened. “Master’s talent for seduction seems innate, effortlessly outshining even the courtesans of the mortal world. Wonder who he learned it from.”

Shen Yu: ?

Shen Yu was utterly baffled and wanted to snap, “What bullshit are you spouting?” But remembering his persona, he swallowed it alive.

Fine, whatever. It wasn’t like it cost him anything. Just take it as a compliment on his looks.

Wen Liuhe nipped his ear, broke free of Shen Yu’s restraint, and his gaze chased every minute reaction of Shen Yu in the Water Mirror.

Like a butterfly pinned to a web, on the verge of death.

Twitching once, trembling once.

After the intimate matters, more red marks adorned Shen Yu’s body. On his cool-toned skin, they resembled plum blossoms falling on snow-covered ground in winter, stirring the heart.

Shen Yu slowly sat up from the bed and looked around. He raised his hand—his wrist was empty.

Since attending the Lantern Festival that day, Wen Liuhe hadn’t chained him with the iron chains again, and Yu Qi hadn’t appeared either.

None of it mattered. Whether those dark iron chains or Yu Qi’s help, he was only waiting for Wen Liuhe to lower his guard.

His spiritual energy was sealed, the Positioning Stone Disk locked his location. To leave cleanly, he still needed to plan carefully.

But with Wen Liuhe’s vigorous stamina, Shen Yu once wondered if he would die of kidney deficiency before he could escape.

These past days, Shen Yu hadn’t gotten out of bed.

It was pleasurable—somehow Wen Liuhe had learned so many mortal techniques, various positions that opened Shen Yu’s eyes. He had to sigh that mortals really knew how to play, coming up with all sorts of variations.

But the kidney ache was real.

Who could withstand Wen Liuhe’s relentless torment?

He was nothing but a beast in heat.

Seeing Wen Liuhe growing laxer by the day, on the ninth day, Shen Yu sprawled lazily on the bed and said he wanted pastries from East Street, asking Wen Liuhe to buy some.

Wen Liuhe’s hand trailed from Shen Yu’s hair to his cheek. Sitting at the bed’s edge, he lowered his head with a smile. “Is Master coquettish with me?”

Shen Yu closed his eyes and swatted away the wandering hand. “Go if you want.”

Wen Liuhe leaned down, planting a kiss between his brows and nuzzling affectionately. His voice held sated amusement. “I’ll be right back. Don’t miss me too much, Master.”

As if.

Shen Yu grumbled inwardly.

“And don’t run off.”

Shen Yu’s heart skipped, nearly thinking his plan was exposed. But he quickly realized he was overthinking.

Wen Liuhe caressed his face, tone casual. “Then I’m off.”

Wen Liuhe’s gaze lingered on him long and intently. If Shen Yu had opened his eyes then, seeing those eyes gathered with dark clouds, he would never doubt that fleeting illusion.

Hearing Wen Liuhe’s footsteps fade and vanish, Shen Yu opened his eyes, devoid of any amusement.

A moment later, he slowly sat up from the bed, reached out, and swept the bedside vase to the floor. It shattered with a crash.

Confirming Wen Liuhe had truly left, Shen Yu arched a brow slightly and rose from the bed.

Shen Yu grabbed clothes from the rack and dressed, then took the Positioning Stone Disk from the cabinet.

Unsure when Wen Liuhe would return, he didn’t linger. He dressed quickly, wrapped the stone disk in cloth while walking, picked it up, pushed open the door, and left swiftly.

When Wen Liuhe returned with the pastries, he saw only shards of the vase scattered on the floor, reflecting the cold light from outside the window.

Beyond that, no sign of Shen Yu.

The man lowered his head, his face shrouded in shadow, emotions unreadable.

A long while later, a low, mocking laugh rose in the silent air.

“Heh.”

Shen Yu carried the stone disk northward, inwardly scanning his dantian. His gaze circled the cracked dao heart before shifting to the sealed surroundings.

The sight was nothing short of spectacular.

Surges of spiritual energy swirled around the dantian, blocked by an invisible wall. The spiritual energy piled up without entering, accumulating more and more until it surged to a terrifying degree.

It made one suspect that if that wall loosened even slightly, the spiritual energy would flood into the dantian overwhelmingly, possibly shattering that dao heart.

Shen Yu sighed.

He didn’t know what method Wen Liuhe had used. Shen Yu had tried all sorts of methods, yet he still couldn’t undo the seal.

Unable to figure it out, he stopped dwelling on it. The key now was to find the immortal cranes that Taichu had scattered in the mortal world for connection, return to Changliu, and perhaps find a solution there.

As he thought this, the positioning stone disk wrapped in cloth suddenly shook in his vision. Shen Yu hadn’t planned to pay it any mind at first, but the shaking grew more intense, nearly slipping it from his grasp.

Shen Yu frowned as a sense of foreboding flashed through his heart. He reached out to unwrap the cloth. Spiritual energy rapidly circulated across the positioning stone disk and flew into the air.

Shen Yu looked up.

The spiritual energy gradually gathered at the center before cascading down like a waterfall to the ground, forming a water mirror.

The water mirror first reflected Shen Yu’s outline. Then the figure grew increasingly blurry, dissolving into a hazy blur. Once the hazy water cleared, rolling clouds emerged, revealing the silhouette of mountain ranges.

Mountain ranges?

Shen Yu frowned and peered into the water mirror.

Those familiar peaks materialized before him, their outlines stern and cold amid the dark clouds.

After seeing the full scene displayed in the water mirror, Shen Yu’s expression changed. He involuntarily stepped back, his hand clenching into a fist as his entire heart trembled.

Above the Taichu encircled by the mountain ranges, thick dark clouds gathered like a vortex, flashing with terrifying lightning. The entire Taichu was shrouded in a gloomy deathly aura.

But what was even more terrifying wasn’t this—

One sword, two swords, three… countless swords infused with demonic qi hovered high above the stern cyan-green mountain ranges.

Countless razor-sharp sword tips pointed at Taichu, proclaiming one undeniable fact—

At a single command, those myriad swords would plummet from the sky, turning the entire Changliu Mountains into a sword graveyard and burying countless lives.

“Master.”

Shen Yu suddenly heard a distant call. His fingertips dug almost into his palm. He focused his gaze and spotted a familiar figure amid the desolate mountain winds.

Shen Yu’s breath caught. Only the pain in his palm snapped him back to his senses.

How could it not be familiar.

Wen Liuhe.

Dark, heavy mists surged in from all sides, enveloping the man completely. He seemed to notice Shen Yu’s gaze and turned his head.

Their eyes met across time and space.

“Do you want to see these myriad swords fall on Changliu?”

“I’ll give you one day to return to my side.”