Sheng Lin, although fierce at times and indifferent, was not one to go back on his words.
Accompanied by Sheng Lin, Xie Xihuai went downstairs. He was still hesitant about asking Sheng Lin about the matter with the carriage, but Sheng Lin took the initiative and said, “After breakfast, I’ll take you to buy a carriage.”
“Okay,” Xie Xihuai nodded with satisfaction. His thoughts were focused on the carriage, and he walked without paying attention to his steps. The inn staircase had one step longer than the others, but Xie Xihuai didn’t notice. He almost stumbled down the stairs, saved only by Sheng Lin grabbing his collar. Startled, he tried to appear composed, saying, “Words should be kept.”
Baochang Prefecture was a small place, and there was only one place near the inn selling carriages. Sheng Lin and Xie Xihuai each rode a horse towards the direction of the station. While riding, Xie Xihuai explained, “After buying the carriage, I also want to buy a soft quilt.”
Sheng Lin glanced at him unexpectedly, and Xie Xihuai felt encouraged to continue, “It’s best if it’s as soft as the previous one. The carriage you bought last time wasn’t that great, but the quilt was good—soft and the right size. However, the fabric was a bit coarse; this time, we should pick a more delicate one.”
During the journey, the two discussed the advantages and disadvantages of the previous quilt, expressing Xie Xihuai’s expectations for the next one.
Approaching the station, Xie Xihuai could see a few small carriages parked nearby. He wasn’t entirely satisfied, and as they entered to take a look, all the carriages were similarly rudimentary, except for the largest one, which was barely acceptable.
Pointing at that carriage, Xie Xihuai asked the carriage seller, “How much is this one?”
Sheng Lin looked at him surprisingly, and Xie Xihuai knew Sheng Lin was amazed that he knew to ask about the price. Xie Xihuai thought someone was too stingy, making a high-ranking young master like him count the money, but he stared back at Sheng Lin, waiting for the seller to speak.
The seller provided a price that was neither expensive nor cheap. Xie Xihuai thought he needed to bargain with Sheng Lin to bring the carriage home. Unexpectedly, Sheng Lin suddenly became generous, handing the money directly to the seller without saying a word.
This carriage had a step to help get on, so Xie Xihuai didn’t need to ask Sheng Lin to carry him onto it. He sat on the edge of the carriage, watching the seller attach rings to the saddle and thread through the reins.
After the reins were properly attached, the carriage was connected to the horse. Sheng Lin, with Xie Xihuai, went to buy the quilt.
Entering the bedding shop, Xie Xihuai picked and chose, unsatisfied with one after another. He grabbed the softest silk quilt in the entire store, hugged it against his face, and asked, “Do you have anything thinner?”
“Sir, anything thinner would need to be custom-made,” the shopkeeper said. “If you order it today, we can rush to finish it by tomorrow morning for you to pick up.”
Xie Xihuai looked at Sheng Lin with a troubled expression. He wanted the silk fabric for the quilt cover, but the inside to be made of thinner silk. However…
“I’ll take a look at others,” Xie Xihuai said, feeling a bit aggrieved since he couldn’t get what he wanted. “Can I see those few thinner quilts that the previous customer didn’t choose?”
The shopkeeper, seeing him like this, had no choice. He was about to turn around and take out the thinner quilts that the previous customer hadn’t chosen when the tall man with a sword standing beside this young man spoke up, “Let’s order one. We’ll come to pick it up early tomorrow morning.”
Xie Xihuai turned to look at Sheng Lin in surprise, and Sheng Lin cast a glance at him. “To avoid you causing a scene all the way to the capital.”
“How could I?” Xie Xihuai turned his eyes, sweetly pulling Sheng Lin’s hand. “Thank you, great hero.”
Sheng Lin paid the deposit, taking Xie Xihuai outside.
“Where should we go now?” Xie Xihuai and Sheng Lin walked out of the shop. The sunlight was intense outside, and Xie Xihuai wanted to avoid it, so he moved inside a bit. “It’s already June.”
Originally, they were only half a month away from reaching the capital. Now, they were only halfway there. Xie Xihuai sat in the carriage, pulling Sheng Lin closer. Sitting cross-legged, he asked, “If we continue at this slow pace, and the Emperor gets angry, will he do anything to my father?”
Just after asking, he continued talking to himself, “Ah, I shouldn’t have asked you. How would you know about these things? You’re just accompanying me on behalf of Xie Xilin. But that Emperor shouldn’t be so petty.”
Thinking about it, Xie Xihuai suddenly remembered the pigeon he had seen a few days ago. He forgot to ask Sheng Lin at that time. Now that he remembered, he casually inquired, “Has my mother received my letter?”
“She hasn’t replied, but she should have received it,” Sheng Lin said.
Xie Xihuai frowned, a bit worried. “But if she received the letter, why wouldn’t she reply… If only the pigeons could talk.”
“There’s a hot spring in the northern outskirts of Baochang Prefecture,” Sheng Lin suddenly said. “I went there a few years ago.”
“Hot spring?” Water was scarce in Han Cheng, and Xie Xihuai, being the son of a noble, had a bathhouse with hot water in his separate residence to bathe every day. For ordinary families in Han Cheng, even drinking water was scarce. Xie Xihuai had only read about such natural luxuries in books. Hearing Sheng Lin say this, Xie Xihuai couldn’t contain his excitement, leaning over to ask, “Do you still remember the way?”
“I remember. Do you want to go?” Sheng Lin didn’t pull his sleeve away, allowing Xie Xihuai to pull him. He raised an eyebrow.
Xie Xihuai didn’t answer, just moved closer, and with only a fist’s distance from Sheng Lin, he looked at him with shining eyes and said softly, “Is it good?”
Sheng Lin pushed his head a bit farther away before saying, “Yes.”
Sheng Lin drove the carriage, taking Xie Xihuai out of the city. Hongyu Mountain was to the north of Baochang Prefecture, and the hot spring was halfway up the mountain. Since the carriage couldn’t go up the mountain, Xie Xihuai had no choice but to climb with Sheng Lin.
The road up the mountain was paved with blue stone slabs. Since it was nearing summer, there were fewer people coming to the hot spring, and some shaded areas were covered in moss, making it easy to slip. Xie Xihuai walked carefully, and after walking for a while, they reached a platform.
There was a thatched house at the edge of the platform, and an old man sat at the entrance, fanning himself. Seeing the two approaching, he asked Xie Xihuai, “Are you here for the hot spring? I have clean towels here. Would you two young gentlemen need them?”
Xie Xihuai had never been to a hot spring and didn’t know if these things were necessary, so he turned to Sheng Lin for help.
Sheng Lin glanced at the towels placed outside, deemed them relatively clean, and bought two.
At the end of the platform, there were numerous hot spring pools. The smaller ones in front could only accommodate one person each, and the larger ones varied in size. Xie Xihuai squatted by the side, testing the water with the back of his hand and finding it unsatisfactory. They continued walking for quite some time until they found a large pool steaming with heat.
Xie Xihuai couldn’t resist any longer. He undressed first, used his calf to test the water, and slowly climbed into the pool. The water reached his clavicle, and he felt the heat enveloping his entire body, happily hopping around in the pool.
Suddenly, he heard water sounds from the bank. Xie Xihuai glanced over and realized that Sheng Lin had also come down.
The water only reached Sheng Lin’s chest. Xie Xihuai, noticing the significant difference in their body sizes, swam towards Sheng Lin. “Hey, why are you so far away from me?”
Although thin, Xie Xihuai’s body, softened by the steam, was smooth against Sheng Lin’s body. Xie Xihuai thought that the body he touched stiffened a bit. He kept pressing against Sheng Lin and asked, “Ah, this hot spring is bigger than the bathhouse in my separate residence. If only there were a place to sit.”
Sheng Lin, lowering his head to look at him, suddenly had an idea. Xie Xihuai, hugging Sheng Lin’s shoulders, said, “How about you hold me for a while?”
After saying that, he pressed his whole body against Sheng Lin. Though thin, Xie Xihuai seemed to lack bones. The flesh, softened by the hot water, clung to Sheng Lin’s body. Xie Xihuai felt the body he touched stiffen, and he was about to push closer when Sheng Lin suddenly pushed him away with force. Xie Xihuai, not expecting Sheng Lin to push him so hard, slipped backward, his entire person submerged in the water. The warm water surrounded his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. Accidentally, he inhaled a breath, choking him thoroughly. Luckily, Sheng Lin reacted quickly, grabbing his arm and pulling him out. Coughing and wiping away the tears, Xie Xihuai complained to Sheng Lin, “If you weren’t going to hold me, why did you push me?!”
“After speaking, he left in a huff.
After swimming a few laps, Xie Xihuai felt tired, so he turned his back to Sheng Lin and leaned against the edge of the pool to rest.
Just at this pleasant moment, an arrow came through the woods. The sound of it piercing through the leaves was very light, and Xie Xihuai didn’t hear it at all.
“Who goes there?” Sheng Lin suddenly shouted in a deep voice from behind. Xie Xihuai heard the sound of someone emerging from the water, turned his head, and saw Sheng Lin already on the shore, fully dressed and holding a short arrow in his hand, saying to someone, “Reveal yourself.”
Sheng Lin picked up the Dusheng Sword, alertly looking around. Suddenly, there was a rustling sound not far away, getting closer. This time, Xie Xihuai also heard it. He looked up and was surprised to see several green snakes crawling out from nearby rocks.
Both he and Sheng Lin stared at the snakes. The snakes moved slowly, and their attention became more focused. As the snakes approached the pool, Xie Xihuai suddenly heard the whistle of a sword. He quickly turned his head to see a man with a severed arm leaping out from behind Sheng Lin, holding a long sword, swiftly charging towards Sheng Lin. Sheng Lin’s back stiffened, and Xie Xihuai’s heart jumped to his throat. He was about to warn Sheng Lin to be careful when Sheng Lin turned around, raised his hand, and effortlessly blocked the one-armed man with the short arrow he had just grabbed.
The one-armed man didn’t expect that his desperate sword thrust would be easily blocked by Sheng Lin. His face changed; he twisted his wrist, intending to use another move, but Sheng Lin’s hand moved slightly, and the arrow shot from his palm pierced into the one-armed man’s throat. The one-armed man was nailed to the tree behind him, his body contorted, twitched a few times, and died.
Xie Xihuai dared not look again. He buried his face in the water, woke up, and lifted his head. To his surprise, Sheng Lin was leaning on the hilt of the Dusheng Sword, spitting out blood. Xie Xihuai was almost on the verge of tears. He crawled out of the pool, not even bothering to cover himself with a towel, half-kneeling beside Sheng Lin, anxiously supporting him, and asked, “What happened?”
Xie Xihuai grabbed a handkerchief from the side, wanting to wipe the blood from Sheng Lin’s mouth. Sheng Lin grabbed his wrist, took the handkerchief, and wiped it himself. He said to Xie Xihuai, “I need to go into seclusion for a week. Can you stay alone?”
“Yes, yes,” Xie Xihuai heard Sheng Lin’s hoarse voice and couldn’t say anything else.
“It’s not safe here,” Sheng Lin took the towel, covered Xie Xihuai, and said, “Put on your clothes first.”
After wiping away the blood from his lips, Sheng Lin led Xie Xihuai out and returned the towel to the old man.
The old man took the towel and asked them, “Would you two gentlemen like to soak a bit longer?”
“No need,” Xie Xihuai waved his hand calmly, “Next time.”
This one-armed man was the Miao tribesman who had escaped after being severely injured by Sheng Lin. Sheng Lin’s true qi was already unstable, and in his urgency, he used internal force. Now his true qi was running amok in his body. Fortunately, the enemy was nailed to the tree, and there was no immediate threat. He needed to go into seclusion to recover his strength.
They walked downhill, and this time, Xie Xihuai didn’t complain about being tired. He kept an eye on Sheng Lin’s face, fearing that he would spit out blood again. Before long, they returned to the side of the carriage. Xie Xihuai got on the carriage, extremely worried about Sheng Lin, and asked him, “How about I drive?”
Sheng Lin’s face showed no expression, but he patted Xie Xihuai’s shoulder comfortingly and said, “Go inside.”
Xie Xihuai had no choice but to get into the carriage. He blamed himself for only being able to drag Sheng Lin down, but he didn’t know how to help. He was as anxious as ants on a hot pot inside the carriage.
Sheng Lin drove for a while and found a cave in the cedar forest. He drove the carriage a bit further into the secluded woods and finally stopped. Xie Xihuai immediately stuck his head out, “Are we here?”
“We’re here,” Sheng Lin nodded, took out a whistle from the luggage, and said, “Hold on to this. Blow it if you encounter danger.”
Xie Xihuai took it, looked at Sheng Lin with concern, and Sheng Lin pinched his chin, leaned over, and suddenly Xie Xihuai’s heart pounded. But Sheng Lin stopped courteously, whispered, “Don’t pretend to be strong. Don’t blow it.”
“I understand,” Xie Xihuai whispered.
Sheng Lin went into the cave to cultivate, and Xie Xihuai nervously sat in the carriage, alert to any movement outside. He ate the dry rations and drank the water left by Sheng Lin. By the time he finished, it was already dark.
The carriage didn’t have a soft bed yet. Xie Xihuai went to the horse and took out some of Sheng Lin’s clothes, covering himself and falling asleep.
Xie Xihuai didn’t know how long he had slept. When he woke up, the sky was already bright, and the moisture in the woods had been dried by the sun. It was at least past nine o’clock.”
He felt a bit thirsty, got down from the carriage with sore limbs, and walked over to where Zhuiyun was resting, grabbing a water bottle to drink.
Just as Xie Xihuai took a sip of water, he suddenly heard the sound of footsteps crunching on dry grass behind him. Xie Xihuai’s back went cold, and his scalp felt like it was about to explode. The water bottle in his hand fell to the ground, splashing his boots.
“So nervous?” A hoarse voice came from beside Xie Xihuai’s ear. Xie Xihuai’s throat tightened, and he turned to see the face of the old man who had rented the towel for the hot spring. The old man’s face was just inches away from his, a terrifying smile on his face, as if he was looking at the most desirable prey.
“Sheng Lin is really willing to leave you alone outside,” the old man said, touching Xie Xihuai’s cheek, sliding down to his neck. “The young master of Prince Ning, I wonder how you taste.”
Xie Xihuai’s legs suddenly felt itchy. He looked down and saw a snake similar to the one that had entwined him before. The snake’s head was nudging his calf, moving repeatedly.
“Who are you…” Xie Xihuai was almost on the verge of collapse, unable to understand the old man’s words. He just felt disgusted by the touching, and the iron-like hand grasped his waist, pulling out the whistle that Sheng Lin had given him from his belt.
Staring at the whistle, Arui scrutinized it carefully and suddenly brought it to Xie Xihuai’s lips. “Blow it.”
Xie Xihuai pressed his lips, reluctant to blow. Arui chuckled, pinching Xie Xihuai’s jaw with one hand, and forcefully inserted the whistle into his lips with the other. He whispered softly, coaxing him, “Blow it and see if your great hero Sheng will ignore his internal injuries and come to save you.”
Xie Xihuai pressed his lips, resisting the urge to blow. Arui stared at him for a while, then threw the whistle away, saying, “I won’t scare you anymore.”
His hand changed direction, reaching towards Xie Xihuai’s waist, undoing his belt, saying, “Young master, let’s do something enjoyable.”
Arui tore Xie Xihuai’s clothes apart, exposing his pale chest. Xie Xihuai didn’t know what Arui was planning, but he knew it must be something dreadful. Suddenly, something entered Xie Xihuai’s mouth.
It must be some living creature with a fishy and sweet taste. It drilled into Xie Xihuai’s throat, and Arui pressed him down, groping his body. Xie Xihuai’s throat stung, and his whole body started to heat up. After satisfying himself with Xie Xihuai, Arui got up from him, lips brushing against Xie Xihuai’s chin and moving downward.
Despite feeling nauseated, Xie Xihuai couldn’t help but have some unmentionable desires, wanting Arui to touch other places.
—This is too disgusting. Xie Xihuai, in agony, grabbed Arui’s head and pushed him away. Arui was bumped onto his private part, and he screamed in pain.
Finally free from Arui, Xie Xihuai gasped for breath, flipping over, not caring about the dirt on the ground, desperately trying to crawl forward to escape. However, his ankle got entangled, and when he turned his head to look, it was the long golden snake again.
Arui stood up, grabbed Xie Xihuai, and flipped him over again, showing a ferocious expression as if he wanted to devour him. Xie Xihuai lifted his head and saw someone standing behind Arui.
It was Sheng Lin.
Sheng Lin’s expression was more terrifying than Arui’s, holding something in his hand blocked by Arui’s body. Xie Xihuai couldn’t see it clearly, but the aura of the Dusheng Sword was too heavy, and even without looking, he felt the urge to escape immediately.
Xie Xihuai looked into Sheng Lin’s eyes, and then the sword flashed. Xie Xihuai closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, something suddenly dripped on his face. A bloody scent lingered on his nose.
He looked up at Arui, whose expression remained unchanged. The corners of his mouth were still twisted into that horrible curve, and a bloodline appeared from his hairline to his chin.
“Don’t look.” Sheng Lin’s voice was gentler than ever.
Xie Xihuai closed his eyes. His entire body was burning, and even his breath carried a heat. Arui had been cut in half by Sheng Lin, but Xie Xihuai couldn’t feel any fear. His whole body seemed to be clamoring for someone to touch his skin intimately, to do something enjoyable, just like Arui had mentioned.
Sheng Lin pushed Arui away from Xie Xihuai. He half-knelt, helping Xie Xihuai put his clothes back on and reached out to assist Xie Xihuai in standing.
Xie Xihuai’s eyes were teary. Trembling, he held Sheng Lin’s hand and stood unsteadily, leaning on Sheng Lin as they moved forward.
“It’s okay,” Sheng Lin comforted Xie Xihuai, seeing that he was still visibly shaken. Sheng Lin wanted to lift him up.
Unexpectedly, Xie Xihuai pushed him away and muttered softly, “So hot.”
Feeling overheated, and with the carriage just a few steps away, Xie Xihuai unfastened his belt and handed it to Sheng Lin. He took a few steps, feeling dizzy, and then removed his outer robe.
When they were close to the carriage, his legs gave way, and he knelt on the ground. Before his knees touched the ground, Sheng Lin lifted him up. Xie Xihuai’s eyes were filled with tears as he looked at Sheng Lin’s face, unable to resist the impulse to touch him. Xie Xihuai raised his face, and his lips brushed against Sheng Lin’s cheek. It felt comforting, so he moved closer and kissed Sheng Lin’s lips.
Sheng Lin’s lips were cold, a sensation Xie Xihuai enjoyed. He wrapped his hand around Sheng Lin’s neck, acting like a cat or a dog drinking water from a bowl, continuously licking and kissing Sheng Lin.
Feeling Sheng Lin’s temporary stiffness, Xie Xihuai felt wronged. Sheng Lin pushed him away again and turned his head. Xie Xihuai bit his lip and asked, “Why are you pushing me away again?”
Sheng Lin placed Xie Xihuai on the carriage and asked, “Xie Xihuai, what are you doing?”
“What am I doing?” Xie Xihuai felt unbearably hot. He took off his pants and threw them aside, exposing his fair and slender legs. Xie Xihuai pulled Sheng Lin’s hand, bringing him closer, looking into his eyes, and then knelt on Sheng Lin’s shoulder, hugging his waist and pressing against his chest. “I want to be close to you.”
Sheng Lin pinched Xie Xihuai’s jaw and moved him away, but he noticed a faint peach blossom on the right side of Xie Xihuai’s face.
He Huan Gu, the Peach Blossom Curse.
A name flashed through Sheng Lin’s mind. His martial uncle had mentioned that in the Miao territory, there was a type of He Huan Gu, a curse with a potent aphrodisiac effect. Those afflicted would experience a fever throughout their body, and a peach blossom mark would appear on their face. The He Huan Gu could make a man willingly submit and beg for intimate relations. If, within two hours, the affected person didn’t receive the essence of a man, the curse would slowly devour their meridians.
Xie Xihuai didn’t hear Sheng Lin’s response; he only heard Sheng Lin calmly say, “Xie Xihuai, you’re under the curse.”
Xie Xihuai naturally knew something was wrong with him. However, his thoughts were disrupted. His mind was filled with only one desire – he wanted to undress with Sheng Lin, skin to skin, and preferably be held by him. Xie Xihuai’s lower body was stiff and erect under the loose garment. Although it was an awkward situation, he urgently wanted something to satisfy the unbearable itch.
He wanted Sheng Lin to do something to him, to spread his legs, but Xie Xihuai couldn’t say it explicitly. Too embarrassed to speak, he pretended to be less eager, engaging in a conversation with Sheng Lin.
Sheng Lin pushed Xie Xihuai away again, this time with a bit of distance. Xie Xihuai felt both ashamed and unwilling, unable to hold back his tears. “Hug me, please.”
Xie Xihuai’s lips were moist and reddish, making Sheng Lin almost unable to look directly. His eyes were filled with a spring-like tenderness, and even his breath carried a sweet scent. His hands were hot, and his face was flushed. Seeing that Sheng Lin didn’t move, Xie Xihuai, with a tearful voice, asked, “Hug me, please.”
He seemed to hear Sheng Lin sigh. Perhaps he misunderstood. Fortunately, Sheng Lin hugged him.
Xie Xihuai was naked from the waist down, legs entwined with Sheng Lin. He wanted Sheng Lin to press him down, but Sheng Lin did nothing.
Suddenly, Xie Xihuai felt something hard against his lower abdomen. When he tried to touch it, Sheng Lin caught his hand.
Sheng Lin’s hand was burning, like a pair of hot tongs. Xie Xihuai shook it off after a few attempts, complaining about the heat. “Why are you hotter than me?”
“Xie Xihuai, you are under the He Huan Gu curse,” Sheng Lin said calmly.
Xie Xihuai hadn’t heard of this before. Still, he wanted to get closer to Sheng Lin, his lips pressed to Sheng Lin’s ear as he softly asked, “What should we do?”
In the next moment, Sheng Lin lifted him up and pushed him into the carriage.
