(idk if this is their usernames on here but–) thank you trayrob and gofa for the ko-fi! there will be two extra updates this week 😀
“Let’s take these two horses,” Fan Yi said. He looked over his shoulder at the young man, dressed in salmon-colored robes. The young man looked up to meet Fan Yi’s gaze with a small frown.
“Let’s just get one horse,” Wu Lingtian said, walking over to Fan Yi to look at the two horses.
Fan Yi stared at him blankly. “Are you going to walk?”
“We can ride it together,” Wu Lingtian said, his arm snaking around Fan Yi’s waist.
The stable hand let out a loud cough before wandering off. Fan Yi glanced at him and looked at Wu Lingtian.
“Keep your hands to yourself.”
Wu Lingtian leaned his chin against Fan Yi’s shoulder. “But I just want to be closer to you.”
Hearing his whine made Fan Yi’s lips quirk up. He glanced at Wu Lingtian, his voice unconsciously softening, “We’re in public. You’re making people uncomfortable.”
“People make me uncomfortable. You don’t see me telling them to stop existing,” Wu Lingtian said.
Fan Yi laughed. He turned and pressed a kiss to Wu Lingtian’s cheek. “Be good. Let go for now.”
“Then, can we get one horse?”
“You’ve been quite childish recently, you know that?” Fan Yi asked teasingly.
“Isn’t it just because you spoil me?” Wu Lingtian closed his eyes, his head still resting against Fan Yi’s shoulder.
Fan Yi sighed, unable to deny Wu Lingtian. He turned to find the stable hand and requested two of their horses.
“It’s such a waste of money,” Wu Lingtian complained as he accepted the reins of his horse. He glanced at his horse with a small frown.
The horse tossed its mane, as if asking Wu Lingtian what he could do to it. Seeing this, Fan Yi could only attempt to suppress his smile.
Once the horses were saddled and their materials were gathered, the two men got onto their horses and continued onto their next destination.
“I’ve never been to Xinghai,” Wu Lingtian said. “I heard stories about how the Heavens and the sea meet, creating the illusion of a never ending sea of stars.”
“It’s just as you’ve heard,” Fan Yi nodded. “It’s where my father asked for my mother’s hand in marriage too. Every time we wanted to take a vacation away from Qingyao Manor, they would bring us to a small cabin nearby.”
Wu Lingtian glanced at Fan Yi. “Are you going there to propose to me?”
Fan Yi met Wu Lingtian’s gaze. “It’s nice to dream big.”
“Then, if you don’t, I will,” Wu Lingtian said, appearing self-satisfied.
Fan Yi let out a light scoff. “Is this the time to be talking about proposing?”
“No matter what happens, you will still be my life-long partner. I don’t mind how long that life is,” Wu Lingtian said cheerily.
Fan Yi glanced at the younger man and shook his head. There was truly nothing he could do about this kid.
They arrived at the cabin soon after. The villagers who maintained the cabin stopped by to tell Fan Yi of some repairs that need to be done and other things related to the area around the cabin that may have changed. Once they finished conversing, Fan Yi returned to the cabin.
He opened the door and placed the basket of fresh fruit down. “The people here are still as nice as I remember. A-Tian, come have an apple.”
He looked over his shoulder, only to find that it wasn’t Wu Lingtian who was on the bed, but the Rui Sword.
“What are you staring at me for?” the Rui Sword clicked his tongue.
“…Why are you in this form?”
“I wanted to be. Can’t I?” the Rui Sword snapped.
Fan Yi stared at the sword and forced a smile. “You can. I’m not your master. I can’t tell you what to do.”
The Rui Sword harrumphed and laid back down, one leg crossed over the other, shaking away without a care for how he looked.
“Where’s A-Tian?”
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.
“Lf kfca bea. Vjlv tf kjcafv ab rff atf bmfjc mibrfg,” atf Eel Vkbgv rjlv, tlr fsfr mibrlcu. “Tbe rtbeiv qgbyjyis ub rff tlw.”
Mjc Tl gjlrfv j ygbk. Lf rfa vbkc atf jqqif tf tjv yffc olvvilcu klat jcv ifoa atf mjylc ab ibbx obg Qe Olcualjc. Ktf tbgrfr kfgf ralii ys atf rajyifr, ktlmt wfjca atja tf mbeivc’a tjnf ubcf abb ojg. Mjc Tl rbbc obecv Qe Olcualjc rajcvlcu ja atf miloor, rajglcu bea lcab atf bmfjc.
The winter winds were stronger here. It tugged at Wu Lingtian’s robes and caressed strands of his hair. He was looking downwards into the starry ocean and his body leaned forwards slightly. Fan Yi smiled at the sight. He was just about to call out when he stopped.
The smile on his face melted and his pace quickened.
Wu Lingtian looked at the expansive sky that seemed to surround him. It felt a lot easier to breathe here. He didn’t know why he suddenly wanted to come out, but he had followed his instincts and had done so anyway. When he stood at the edge of this cliff, it felt like everything had reached a conclusion. The worries in his heart were dampened, along with any anger and resentment he felt towards Drifting Clouds Mountain Sect.
Wu Lingtian lifted a foot to take one step closer to the edge. But this action could never be completed. A pair of arms snaked around his waist and yanked him back from the edge. He stumbled, his foot getting caught on the other party’s leg. The two of them tumbled down and rolled down the hill several paces until finally stopping.
Wu Lingtian looked down at the man below him dazedly.
“What are you doing out here alone?” Fan Yi asked, a bright smile on his face. He cupped Wu Lingtian’s cheek. “I was looking everywhere for you.”
His hand is too cold, Wu Lingtian thought.
His heart, which had settled to a slower pace, suddenly sped up. His brows furrowed slightly. His chest hurt again.
I should be worried, Wu Lingtian thought. However, this thought was more like a reminder, as all Wu Lingtian did was stare at Fan Yi. He should be worried. It was natural, since this was the person he loved most in the world.
“A-Tian?” Fan Yi’s voice remained gentle. He used his other hand to cup Wu Lingtian’s other cheek. “What’s wrong? Why are you just staring at me?”
Wu Lingtian finally reacted. He lifted his hand and cupped Fan Yi’s. “Why did you come out? Your hands are freezing!”
Wu Lingtian quickly sat up, though he was still straddling Fan Yi. He gathered Fan Yi’s hands into his and rubbed them together. Light, warm puffs of breaths slowly warmed up Fan Yi’s fingertips.
“I would have gone back in eventually,” Wu Lingtian said, his expression riddled with worry. He finally stood and pulled Fan Yi up with him. “You didn’t even wear your cloak! Let’s hurry back inside and get you changed.”
Fan Yi silently followed Wu Lingtian and listened to the younger man fuss over him. “A-Tian.”
Wu Lingtian looked over his shoulder. “What’s wrong? Is it too cold? Should I carry you?”
“What were you doing so close to the edge of the cliff?”
“…Was I close?” Wu Lingtian asked, genuine confusion on his face. “I thought the ocean looked nice so I wanted to get a closer look. I didn’t realize I was that close. Did I scare you?”
Fan Yi silently observed Wu Lingtian’s expression. “How did it feel when you were looking out there?”
“How did it…um…I was in awe,” Wu Lingtian said, his attention still on Fan Yi’s hands. He shook his head. “Yishan, let me just carry you. We’ll get back quicker.”
Fan Yi obediently stilled and waited for Wu Lingtian to pick him up. He wrapped his arms around Wu Lingtian’s neck and observed the younger man silently.
“Anything else?”
“Huh? Anything else?” Wu Lingtian looked down in confusion.
“What else did you feel? Any thoughts?”
“Oh, that,” Wu Lingtian frowned. “I thought it would be a nice place to ask someone to be their lifelong partner.”
“…Aside from that.”
“I felt at peace,” Wu Lingtian said.
Fan Yi’s grip on him tightened. “Is that all?”
Wu Lingtian looked at Fan Yi quizzically. “Should there be more?”
Fan Yi pursed his lips. He searched Wu Lingtian’s face for any trace of deception. When he was sure what he saw was genuine confusion, Fan Yi only shook his head. “I was thinking too much.”
Wu Lingtian’s eyes widened. “Did you think that I was going to…”
Fan Yi shifted and hugged him tighter. “I was thinking too much.”
Wu Lingtian looked at the head that was tucked tightly against his chest and let out a low chuckle. “How could I think about leaving a world that you’re still in? Sect Leader, you truly were mistaken.”
Fan Yi nodded. Relief washed over him. Seeing Wu Lingtian so close to the edge of the cliff had set scared him. He thought about the lifeless eyes Wu Lingtian had had when he first arrived at Screeching Sparrow Sect. Although he knew that Wu Lingtian was doing better now, instinct told him to run in and grab Wu Lingtian.
It had been a misunderstanding, but Fan Yi was still glad he did it.
“I won’t stand so close to the edge of a cliff anymore,” Wu Lingtian said. He pressed several kisses to Fan Yi’s head. “I’m sorry.”
Fan Yi smiled at the slight whine in Wu Lingtian’s voice. “It’s fine. It’s not like I’m mad.”
“But you were so worried,” Wu Lingtian said. He pressed his cheek against the top of Fan Yi’s head. “I’ll make it up to you.”
Fan Yi glanced at him. “How?”
“I’ll take care of you tonight,” Wu Lingtian said.
Fan Yi raised a brow.
“Or you can take care of me?” Wu Lingtian’s smile widened.
“…Are you sure this is for me?”
“It’ll be the fastest way to warming you up,” Wu Lingtian said. “You ran out of the cabin without even a cloak on and you stood so close to the ocean at night. It’ll be a miracle if you don’t catch a cold tomorrow.”
Fan Yi wanted to refute, but when he thought about it, he slowly closed his mouth. “Then, I’ll take care of you tonight.”
Wu Lingtian hummed. His expression remained neutral, but Fan Yi could feel the pounding in his chest.
When they returned to the cabin, Wu Lingtian quickly dropped Fan Yi off in order to get a warm bath ready. The Rui Sword looked between the two men and sighed. He tugged at his ear and stood, already heading for the door.
“Where are you going?” Fan Yi asked.
“I’m traumatized from the last time,” the Rui Sword huffed.
Fan Yi felt a rare touch of embarrassment.
Wu Lingtian stepped back from the door as the Rui Sword pushed through. “Where are you going?”
The Rui Sword looked over his shoulder with a bitter glare. “To visit friends.”
Wu Lingtian nodded. “Be safe. Don’t go off with strangers.”
The Rui Sword glared at Wu Lingtian. “I’m not a child!”
Wu Lingtian watched the sword spirit leave before returning to the room and filling the bathtub with water. With a simple spell, the water warmed to the perfect temperature.
“Alright,” Wu Lingtian turned to Fan Yi. “Come here.”
“And do what?” Fan Yi asked teasingly.
“You have to take a bath first,” Wu Lingtian said.
Although he had asked for Fan Yi’s presence, his feet had already moved on his own. He stopped in front of Fan Yi and began to take off the man’s robes with practiced ease. Fan Yi’s hand stopped Wu Lingtian.
“I can do it myself,” Fan Yi said.
Wu Lingtian stepped back. He turned to face the wall and listened to Fan Yi’s footsteps. Clothes fell to the floor and water splashed as someone stepped into a tub. A long sigh followed.
“Who knows why you’re staring at a wall like that? It’s not like you haven’t seen everything before.”
Wu Lingtian walked over to the tub and sat on a stool nearby as Fan Yi washed himself. “It’s common courtesy.”
Fan Yi raised a brow. He tilted his head back, revealing the full length of his neck. Bite marks trailed downwards to his collar bones and onto his chest. “You still have the face to talk about courtesy?”
“Should I show you my arms first or my back?” Wu Lingtian asked.
Unlike Fan Yi, who had been gnawed on all over, scratches riddled Wu Lingtian’s body, decorating unmarked skin or obscuring old scars. While his upper back was free from Fan Yi’s markings, his lower back and his waist were another issue.
At this, Fan Yi’s smile became a bit crooked. He leaned forward. “Come here.”
Wu Lingtian did as he was told. He stopped beside the bathtub. Fan Yi reached up and pulled Wu Lingtian down to his level. A scorching kiss was pressed to the younger man’s lips. Wu Lingtian felt his heart jump to his throat and hang there precariously as the more skilled party took the lead. It wasn’t until Wu Lingtian’s fingers were digging into the side of the tub did Fan Yi finally let go.
“Dry off first,” Wu Lingtian said sternly.
“Then, you take off your clothes while I dry off,” Fan Yi said, a light smirk on his face, his eyes bright with anticipation.
When the Rui Sword returned the next morning, he came with breakfast given to him by the villagers. He had spent all night at another spirit’s home. When they asked why he had suddenly left his master’s side, the Rui Sword could only sigh and say that ignorance was bliss. He didn’t want to taint his innocent friend’s ears.
The door creaked open, but the people inside were still asleep. The Rui Sword sighed and placed the breakfast platter down on the table. He took a bun and munched on it with a frown.
Wu Lingtian stirred. He lifted his head and met the Rui Sword’s gaze. “You’re back?”
“You’re awake?” the Rui Sword shook his leg as he watched Wu Lingtian roll to the side with a dazed expression.
Wu Lingtian looked at the man laying beside him and leaned into his arms again. There was an odd, pressing feeling in his chest again. It was something that he had felt often, since escaping Drifting Clouds Mountain Sect. However, the pressure was something he had long gotten used to. As time went on, it even faded. But now, it seemed to get heavier again.
“Are you okay?”
Wu Lingtian started at the question. He looked at the Rui Sword. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
The Rui Sword silently watched him. “It would be best to be honest about such a thing.”
Wu Lingtian shook his head. “I’m fine.”
The answer came out smoothly. It was a lie that he had told a billion times, after all.
“You’re not well?”
Fan Yi’s voice came from above Wu Lingtian’s head. He turned back to face the half-asleep man. A small smile appeared on his face. He pressed a soft kiss to the man’s jaw.
“I’m fine,” Wu Lingtian said.
Fan Yi forced himself to wake up faster. He fumbled for Wu Lingtian’s wrist and pressed his fingers to it, his eyes still half-lidded. Wu Lingtian chuckled at the silly image. Still, he allowed Fan Yi to do what he wanted to do.
“Mm…nothing wrong,” Fan Yi murmured. He pulled Wu Lingtian into a hug. “Maybe it was the nightmare.”
“Nightmare?” Wu Lingtian felt Fan Yi’s fingers tickly his back. He unconsciously arched against the man. “Did I say something last night?”
“Mn,” Fan Yi nodded. “You wouldn’t wake up, but you got better after I hugged you.”
“What did I say?” Wu Lingtian asked, an odd inkling forming in his heart.
Fan Yi fell silent as he ran his fingers through Wu Lingtian’s hair. “You were begging someone to stop.”
Wu Lingtian lowered his gaze. Could it be the memory from the jail cell? That wouldn’t be right. Those were dreams he remembered because they were a memory from the not so distant past. It was odd for him to not remember this time.
He wanted to ask more about the dream’s contents, but he felt Fan Yi pull him even closer. He fell silent and hugged the man back.
“You’ve been having a lot of nightmares recently,” Fan Yi murmured against Wu Lingtian’s hair. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
Wu Lingtian hummed. “I’m feeling great recently.”
Fan Yi pulled back and looked at Wu Lingtian. “Really?”
Wu Lingtian returned his skeptical look with a smile. “Aren’t you here with me?”
Fan Yi’s gaze scanned Wu Lingtian’s expression. After a long time, he finally sighed and sat up. Before he could get out of bed, Wu Lingtian had wrapped himself around Fan Yi’s waist. The younger man rubbed his head against his abdomen.
“Contrary to popular belief, love isn’t the cure for everything,” Fan Yi said helplessly as he gently ran his fingers through Wu Lingtian’s hair. “If there really is something you can’t figure out, you have to tell me. Two heads are better than one.”
“Mn,” Wu Lingtian closed his eyes and hugged Fan Yi tighter.
“Now let go.”
“Where are you going?”
“…To look for the thing,” Fan Yi said.
Wu Lingtian was a bit reluctant. It was warm with another person in bed. He sat up and leaned his head against Fan Yi’s shoulder. “I’ll come with you.”
“You haven’t even got a shirt on. How will you come with me?” Fan Yi asked with a hint of amusement.
“I’ll put one on,” Wu Lingtian murmured sleepily.
“Do you even know what we’re looking for?” Fan Yi asked.
Wu Lingtian dazedly shook his head. “I’m sure I’ll know what it is when I see it.”
Fan Yi fell silent. He finally patted Wu Lingtian’s hand, that was resting at his waist. “Go get ready for the day. I’ll tell you what I’m looking for.”
Ok.. I’m Confused …..when did they start doing the DO???
during the gap the story wasn’t following them. I’m not gonna write it, so it was just a natural happening LOL
biters and scratchers ovo
ah erm i am a lot more worried about Wu Lingtian’s mental state now. Fan Yi isn’t finding anything wrong physically but the strange peace… the confusion… the weight in his heart…..
I have a feeling that it’s gonna be Yulan (controlled by someone) against Fanli soon 😭
Are they switches.??
ye 🥺👉👈
Niceee.!!! Just finished the novel..Loved it!!! Really lovely and alot healing..peace vibes..angst..but with the space to heal..amazing reading journey. Good work.!! +Added to one of favs now.
waahhh!!!!! thank you!! i’m glad you liked it :’D