“I was just doing what I wanted. I don’t need such a sincere thanks,” Gui Yin said.
Langxia chuckled. His hand lightly skimmed the top of Gui Yin’s head. He retracted his hands, his fingers brushing his palm, as he turned and headed up to Huigu Palace.
Gui Yin lowered his gaze and silently followed after him. He glanced at Langxia for a moment. A part of him wanted to catch up, to take his hand, and offer him some words of comfort. However, there was another part of him that knew Langxia didn’t need it.
Words of comfort were used to console those who were newly hurt. They did nothing to soothe old scars.
The servants and disciples of Huigu Palace greeted Langxia and Gui Yin as soon as they entered. Langxia stepped off to the side to request that a servant bring Lord Xun to check on Gui Yin. Gui Yin, on the other hand, had been caught by A-Qi.
“Lord Immortal,” A-Qi tugged him off to the side a little. “Did you know that Master is a stowaway?”
“I heard,” Gui Yin said, somewhat amused.
She sighed and glared at him. “What is he? Five? They told him to rest a few more weeks, and then he just ran off! Young Master Yankui was so worried until we found out where he went. Poor kid. It really scared him silly.”
“Is he okay?”
“He’s fine now,” A-Qi said with a dismissive wave of her hand. She glanced at Langxia. “He’s so old now, but he still makes people worry about him.”
“Say it to my face,” Langxia said as he sauntered over. “Don’t just raise your voice and expect me to listen.”
“You’re an old man. Stop making people babysit you,” A-Qi said. She yelped when her nose was pinched. She glared at Langxia and hid behind Gui Yin. “Lord Immortal, he’s bullying me!”
Langxia looked at Gui Yin with a pout.
Gui Yin pursed his lips. “Er’lang, don’t pinch her. A-Qi, don’t be rude.”
“Don’t be rude,” A-Qi said before sticking out her tongue.
While Gui Yin looked at her in disapproval, Langxia stuck out his own tongue and made a cutting motion near it. A-Qi squealed and quickly ran off. Gui Yin turned and looked at Langxia with a small frown.
Langxia smiled. “Let’s go in. The sun is so strong today, you’ll get a heatstroke.”
Gui Yin rolled his eyes but let Langxia lead him in anyway.
Gui Yin sat down on one of the plush couches and sprawled out. Langxia sat on the arm of the chair and glanced at the door.
“Tired?”
“Not really,” Gui Yin said with a light yawn. He earned a raised brow from Langxia, but he merely smiled. “Isn’t Lord Xun supposed to be coming? He can’t check up on me if I’m asleep.”
“Well, he could.”
Gui Yin raised a brow at Langxia.
Langxia smiled and brushed his hand through Gui Yin’s hair again. “He’ll be here soon.”
Gui Yin closed his eyes briefly as he felt the warmth leave his head. “Why do you always just touch my head?”
“As opposed to?”
“Patting it or rubbing it.”
“You don’t like that sort of thing,” Langxia said.
Gui Yin opened an eye and glanced at him.
It was true that he disliked when people got too close to him. He supposed that it only changed recently because of how his feelings for Langxia had changed. He awkwardly cleared his throat. “Well, if it’s you, I don’t mind too much.”
Langxia chuckled. “I don’t want to ruin your hair.”
“Alright,” Gui Yin said. “I’m just offering. I’ve been told my hair is very soft.”
“Who told you that?”
Gui Yin smiled. “Lots of people.”
“It is quite soft,” Langxia agreed. His fingers brushed through the strands of Gui Yin’s hair as the man leaned his head back against his arm. He smiled slightly as he let Gui Yin’s hair fall from his fingers. “Just like silk.”
Gui Yin averted his gaze. He could feel Langxia’s fingers against his neck. His instinct told him to pull away, but there was another part of him that wanted to indulge in this moment. He lowered his gaze and sank back further against Langxia. Langxia stilled for a moment before his smile returned.
A soft knock on the door was followed by a small voice gently calling out for Langxia.
“What is it?”
“Lord Xun is here, My Lord.”
“Tell him to come in,” Langxia said. He stood and separated himself from Gui Yin as the large doors creaked open.
Xun Yunding stepped in with a disapproving expression. Behind him, Yankui followed, along with another person.
“Shizun!”
The call startled Gui Yin out of his thoughts. He sat up and watched as a young man walked over. He was tall, broad shouldered, and handsome, but still retained his features from childhood. Without even thinking, Gui Yin already knew who this was. He stood and met Gui Linghuo halfway.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Ktf sbecu wjc’r fzqgfrrlbc qlcmtfv. Cr lo atf kfluta bo atf kbgiv tjv iloafv ogbw tlr rtbeivfgr, tf ofii lcab Xel Tlc’r jgwr jcv teuufv tlw alutais.
“Shizun, you’re okay.”
Gui Yin smiled and gently stroked the back of Gui Linghuo’s head. “Of course. Who do you think your Shizun is? Can a few ghost cultivators harm me?”
Xel Olcuteb rwlifv jcv qeiifv yjmx. Lf wfa Ojcuzlj’r ujhf. “Ujijmf Obgv Vec, qifjrf jmmfqa ws tewyifra atjcxr.”
Langxia caught Gui Linghuo’s elbow before he could kneel. He gently guided him back up. “You can thank me, but there is no need to prostrate. I only did so because your Shizun and I have a close friendship.”
Xel Olcuteb ibkfgfv tlr ujhf. “Dea la’r wbgf atjc atja lrc’a la? Tbe rjnfv C-Bel jcv jirb jmmfqafv tlw jr j wfwyfg bo Lelue Ujijmf. Tbe’nf jirb tfiqfv wf glv ws megrf.”
Langxia glanced at the young man standing awkwardly behind them. He sheepishly waved. Clearly, Yankui had already filled Gui Linghuo in on everything that had happened. Langxia sighed and turned back to Gui Linghuo.
“Young man, I helped you because I thought it would be a pity a talent like yours would be wasted. I accepted Xiao Kui into my sect because I found him charming. I saved your Shizun because he is my friend. I haven’t done anything out of extravagant kindness, so I don’t need your gratitude,” Langxia said. “If you’re really grateful, then cultivate well. Treat your partner kindly and remember to be filial to your Shizun.”
Gui Linghuo looked at Langxia deeply. “Yes. I will.”
Langxia nodded and then glanced over his shoulder at Gui Yin.
It was rare to see Langxia anything but suave and put together. Now, there was a hint of awkwardness on his face. Gui Yin couldn’t help but laugh. He stepped forward and patted Gui Linghuo’s shoulder.
“Your Sun-shushu is the type of person who fears gratitude most,” Gui Yin said. He gave Gui Linghuo’s shoulders a squeeze. “If you want to show your gratitude, just bring him a fruit basket or something. Write him a sincere thank you letter.”
Gui Linghuo frowned slightly as Gui Yin ruffled his hair whichever way he wanted. He glanced at Langxia with a look that said he still had a lot to say.
Langxia softly cleared his throat. He turned to Xun Yunding. “Lord Xun.”
“Oh, you remembered that I was here,” Xun Yunding smiled. He descended upon them with the grace of a swan and held a hand out towards the couch. “Lord Ninglan, this way please.”
Gui Linghuo watched Gui Yin sit down. “Shizun, did you get hurt again?”
“I’m not hurt,” Gui Yin dismissed. “Just a bit under the weather. We’re just checking on some things before they get out of hand, that’s all.”
“You kids step out first,” Langxia suggested. “We’ll come find you again for lunch.”
Since they were being dismissed, there was no reason for them to stay. Yankui tugged Gui Linghuo out. Once the large doors closed, Langxia briefly explained the circumstances that led Gui Yin to this point. The longer Xun Yunding listened, the more his brows furrowed.
Xun Yunding carefully examined Gui Yin’s meridians and his cultivation. A while later, he finally pulled away. “You’ll be fine. You don’t even need a dip in the springs. The reason for the symptoms of madness is because you were in an area with an extremely dense concentration of demonic energy and resentment. Most people would have been corrupted with how long you two were in there, but Palace Lord Sun is always a special case. As for Lord Ninglan…”
Gui Yin waited for Xun Yunding to finish his sentence. Instead, he only received a mysterious smile.
“You’re very well protected,” Xun Yunding said.
Gui Yin raised a brow. He looked at Langxia.
“By him, sure. But there’s also another innate force. I don’t know what it is, but I’m sure you’ll find out eventually,” Xun Yunding said.
For some reason, Gui Yin didn’t quite enjoy the sound of that, but he slowly nodded anyway.
“At any rate, so long as you stay in a place with a high concentration of spiritual energy for a few days, you’ll be perfectly fine again.”
Gui Yin slowly nodded. “I see. Thank you, Lord Xun.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Lord Xun, can you check if there’s anything wrong with Er’lang as well?” Gui Yin asked as Xun Yunding started packing up. “He spent a lot of internal energy looking after me during our time in Beihua Town.”
Xun Yunding looked at Langxia. Langxia easily sat down.
“Check.”
“He said check, so you’re willing to check. If I told you to check, you would have just ignored me,” Xun Yunding grumbled.
Langxia tugged back his sleeve to reveal a smooth wrist. “Just check if you’re going to check. Why are you so long winded?”
Gui Yin pressed his lips together to hide his smile. He glanced at Langxia, who seemed much more relaxed around Xun Yunding. It was clear that the two of them had a long acquaintanceship, despite how Langxia liked to act. Although Langxia was much colder than he was around outsiders, there was a far more languid and natural air about him. Gui Yin felt a bit honored to be able to see this side of Langxia.
Xun Yunding pulled back soon after. He threw Langxia’s sleeve back over his wrist and stood. “Done. Nothing. You’re fine, you monster.”
Langxia shrugged as he readjusted his robes. “As expected.”
“Yes, yes, yes. Our Palace Lord Sun can never be harmed by anything. He isn’t afraid of Heaven or earth. He is a being that is indestructible and omnipotent,” Xun Yunding sang, as if he was used to this kind of reaction. He put away his sarcasm and turned to Gui Yin. “He is perfectly fine. You needn’t worry about him. Because of his…special constitution, even if you forced him to hold up a barrier made of his inner force for several years, he would still die with an intact corpse.”
“That’s…good to know…I guess,” Gui Yin said.
Langxia crossed his arms over his chest and tapped Xun Yunding’s butt with the toe of his shoe. “Enough nonsense. Take your leave. We have to eat with the children.”
Xun Yunding looked as if he wanted to explode, but before he could say a word, Gui Yin cut in.
“Or how about staying for a meal? You’ve helped us out quite a lot recently. We should do something to repay you,” Gui Yin said.
Xun Yunding’s eyes widened. Then, his smile became more genuine. He slowly turned to Langxia with a smug look on his face. “He told me to stay.”
“Then, stay.”
“Do you want me to stay?”
“If you want to stay, then stay,” Langxia said.
Xun Yunding smiled sweetly. “Then, I’ll stay.”
“Sure.”
“You agreed.”
“Whatever,” Langxia said. He met Gui Yin’s mildly concerned gaze and smiled softly. “I’m really okay with it.”
“Two headed snake,” Xun Yunding mumbled.
Langxia glared at him, but Xun Yunding happily skipped to Gui Yin’s side.
“Lord Ninglan, let’s go. If you didn’t mention it before, I wouldn’t have even noticed that I was hungry!”
“How could a deity be hungry? Liar,” Langxia spat out.
Xun Yunding glared at Langxia. “I gave up my position. I’m just a Celestial now. Celestials get hungry.”
Gui Yin placed a hand on Langxia’s arm. Langxia glanced at him as Gui Yin leaned in and whispered, “It’s just a meal. Do you have to be so opposed to it? He’s helped us a lot.”
Langxia’s gaze fell on the hand that tugged at his sleeve. He finally looked up at Xun Yunding again. “One meal.”
The irritated expression from before had disappeared. Instead, Xun Yunding’s eyes were trained on the hand that was resting on the arm. When Langxia spoke, he slowly looked up. Gui Yin bypassed him. Xun Yunding’s eyes widened slightly with a clear question behind them. He subtly tilted his head towards Gui Yin.
Langxia glared at him and swept past as well. It was clear that he had no intention of answering Xun Yunding.
Xun Yunding pouted until his lower lip protruded and he silently followed after them.
Their meal was had in the large dining hall that contained an extremely long table. Langxia sat at the head and everyone else sat around him. When Gui Yin attempted to sit beside Gui Linghuo, Yankui quickly sat up.
“Laoshi, take this seat,” Yankui said.
Gui Yin glanced at the seat Yankui had just vacated and glanced at Langxia, who was directly beside it. Gui Yin smiled. “No, it’s okay. I’ll just sit over here.”
“No!” Yankui quickly denied. Gui Linghuo looked at him oddly, but Yankui just swatted at him. “You’re…the guest of honor. You sit here.”
Gui Yin hesitated for a moment before switching seats with Yankui. When he sat down he looked at Langxia in confusion, but Langxia shook his head. He hadn’t said anything to Yankui.
Gui Linghuo leaned over and whispered. “What was that for?”
Yankui rolled his eyes. He pinched the back of Gui Linghuo’s hand. “Idiot. Haven’t you ever heard that if you get in the way of lovers, you’ll get struck by lightning?”
Gui Linghuo’s eyes widened. “Lov—”
Yankui stuffed a chicken leg into Gui Linghuo’s mouth before he turned to his own food. Gui Linghuo’s wide-eyed expression remained as he watched his partner continue to eat. Gui Yin glanced over and lightly tapped Gui Linghuo’s bowl.
“Huo’er, eat properly. Why are you holding food in your mouth like that?”
Gui Linghuo took the chicken leg from his mouth and awkwardly licked his lips. He glanced at Langxia, then at Gui Yin. “This disciple…got distracted.”
“It’s right to get distracted. The young couple hasn’t seen each other in a long time after all,” Xun Yunding sighed. “How nice to be young and in love. Treasure these days. They won’t come back.”
“Just eat your food. Why are you saying such pessimistic things?” Langxia grumbled.
“I’m just saying the truth,” Xun Yunding said. “The person up there who’s in charge of relationships is so fickle. He may tie your names together with a red string, but if you don’t pursue it yourself, that red string will fray and what could have been will dissolve like a fleeting dream. Like a flower that blooms in the spring and wilts again in the winter—little can be done with the fragility of love.”
Gui Yin listened to Xun Yunding’s monologue and looked at him with a hint of interest. “Lord Xun, is there someone that you’ve, perhaps, let slip through your fingers?”
Xun Yunding met Gui Yin’s gaze and smiled bitterly. “There is.”
It was clearly a sore subject and those at the table did not dare ask anymore, but Langxia looked at Xun Yunding knowingly.
Having known this man for so many centuries, he naturally knew of Xun Yunding’s tragic relationship. It was a story that transcended Heaven and earth, even going through various dimensions, and continued still to this very day. The reason Xun Yunding had given up his position as a deity was precisely because of said person. As for the specific details, even Yue Weiqing didn’t know, so how could Langxia know?
It was a long story, made for another day.
For now, Xun Yunding remained in Kunlun, waiting for the day he could protect that person again.
And once the meal was finished, Xun Yunding was bound to head back to his Qingshui Abode.
“Don’t act like you’re free now,” Xun Yunding said to Gui Linghuo. “Once you’re done here, head back to my place immediately. You still need to steep in the Clear Springs.”
“I know, Lord Xun,” Gui Linghuo said.
“Mn,” Xun Yunding hummed. He then turned his attention to Gui Yin. “Lord Ninglan, please refrain from leaving Kunlun for the time being. You must remain here for at least three weeks. It would be best if you could take some internal energy from Palace Lord Sun as well.”
“I understand.”
Xun Yunding nodded. He met Langxia’s gaze. “And you…forget it. If you need me, call me again.”
“I won’t be seeing you off,” Langxia said. He glanced at Gui Yin and softly cleared his throat. “On second thought, let me see you to the entrance.”
Xun Yunding withheld a roll of his eyes and waited for Langxia to be at his side before he started walking.
Once the pair were further away from the dining hall, Xun Yunding finally turned to Langxia.
“How is your emotion root?”
“Why do you ask?”
“What do you mean?” Xun Yunding asked. “This is a good thing!”
“It’s your own unrealistic assumptions,” Langxia said. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Are you going to pretend you don’t know?” Xun Yunding asked. He got in front of Langxia and placed a hand on his chest. He pushed slightly. “Here. Do you really not feel anything?”
Langxia pushed aside his hand. “Anything I feel isn’t my own anyway. My soul and Qinle’s have been intertwined since I found him. He feels my pain; I feel his emotions.”
“So romantic?”
Langxia raised a brow and walked past him.
“But are you sure they’re just his emotions?” Xun Yunding asked. He quickly caught up with Langxia. “Don’t just keep walking. Listen to me a little, will you?”
Langxia sighed and stopped again. “What do you want to say?”
“What if experiencing emotions again has stimulated your emotion root?” Xun Yunding excitedly said. He pressed a hand to Langxia’s chest again. “What if it’s taking root again? Have you checked it? Perhaps it’s sprouted.”
“There is absolutely no way my emotion root has taken root again,” Langxia said. “You said it yourself—the roots were damaged. Even when you put it back in, it won’t settle properly.”
“But Lord Ninglan is special!”
Langxia watched him steadily.
Xun Yunding sighed. He squeezed Langxia’s shoulder. “He’s the person you’ve been waiting for since I found you in that sandstorm. Even in your dreams you see him. And he has a Heavenly Energy about him. He isn’t a regular cultivator—he has the potential to ascend. If your soul becomes intertwined with someone like that, perhaps a miracle will actually happen!”
“A miracle?” Langxia gently pushed Xun Yunding’s hand away again. “Do you think I managed to live this long based on miracles?”
Xun Yunding watched Langxia walk away again and quickly followed him. “But this is different, isn’t it? We’ve tried everything and you’ve already given up. All that could help you now is a miracle.”
Langxia stared ahead resolutely. A while later, he spoke again: “I don’t know.”
“What? What don’t you know?” Xun Yunding asked. He sighed in exasperation. “Alright, be honest—what are you afraid of?”
Langxia glanced at Xun Yunding.
“I know you. You wouldn’t be acting like this unless you were unsure about it,” Xun Yunding said. “Your normal reaction should have been ‘oh. You think so? We’ll see’, and then we move on. But you’re…denying it and dodging it all over the place. What’s wrong with you?”
Langxia shifted his gaze away. “Don’t act like you know everything about me.”
“You’re not going to tell me?”
Langxia averted his gaze further.
“If you tell me, maybe I can help.”
Langxia’s jaw shifted. “…He likes me.”
Xun Yunding’s eyes widened a fraction. “Who? Ninglan?”
Langxia sighed and walked faster.
Xun Yunding quickly followed. “You know? How do you know?”
“Shut up.”
“No, no! You started this. You can’t back out now. If you back out now, can you still be the venerated Palace Lord Sun? Sun Yīnglián (应怜) are you a man or not?”
Langxia stopped walking again and glared at Xun Yunding.
“What? I call your name and then you stop? Yinglian,” Xun Yunding said. He clicked his tongue. “This was another thing I wanted to take up with you! I obviously gave you a name when you were my student for those few years, but why are you going around making Ninglan call you—what? Er’lang? Do you have any shame?”
Langxia rolled his eyes. “Are you a child? Why are you trying to provoke me?”
Xun Yunding smiled. “But it’s working. So, tell me. Why does this concern you?”
Langxia slowly looked away again. He waited for the few servants to pass by before he spoke again. “What if I don’t like him in that way?”
Xun Yunding stared at Langxia. Langxia met his gaze and waited for his response.
A snort broke the silence. But worse than the snort was the long, ear-grating laughter that followed.
Langxia closed his eyes, held onto his anger, and walked away.
A/N: yes lots happened, but imagine how happy i was when i saw that little linghuo was back LOL
also gods, i feel Langxia’s struggle (aside, Sun Yinglian is quite a name tho 👀) regarding Feelings and Gui Yin…. well, mine in an aro way… have i talked on this before? probably. idk the vibes are just rather similar: the worry that you wont be able to feel the same and disappoint them, esp since Gui Yin made it clear that he wouldn’t be in a relationship with someone who doesnt feel the same- WAIT. ima reread that bit at this chapter’s end…. yeah, oof. hang in there, Langxia.
ALSO ALSO!!!!!!! you cant just make me get feelings for a new character’s love life like that!!!!! (you can and you did) UGH now i need to know who Xun Yunding wants to protect… failed to protect before? [scratching at the walls] tell me your secrets
xun yunding’s story will be set in a spin off at some other point in time 😳 thanks for reading!!!!
I start shaking out of excitement every time this updates. One of my favorite novels I’ve read so far, thank you for the great work!!
!!!! Thank you so much 🥺 thanks for reading!
Thanks for the chapter!!
Omg bahama YK stuffing a chicken leg into GLH’s mouth jist reminded me of SiZhui doing the same to JingYi 🤣