The bell sounded gradually for 127 times before it rang again at noon the next day. This announced the death of the Immortal Lord Yun Yan, ending his 127-year reign.
Strangely enough, the sound of the bell, when it rang in Xue Huai’s ears, seemed to ring in his own heart, vibrating heavily and almost giving him a tremor and fear that came from deep in his bones.
He struggled, biting Yun Cuo’s shoulders and pinching his back while being f*cked until his face was covered with tears, and he kept calling his name. He wanted to ask Yun Cuo what was going on, but Yun Cuo refused to tell him. Every time the bell rang, Yun Cuo would push deeper and deeper, making him tremble all over, and his whole body turned into an alluring pink color.
He felt a new wound on Yun Cuo’s chest, which smelled of blood. He even remembered to hold him and asked, “Why are you injured?”
“I got hurt accidentally.” Yun Cuo said.
In fact, Xue Huai knew that they should be on guard at times like this. Yun Cuo’s injury was probably caused by an assassin. But he didn’t tell Xue Huai anything, he just acted like a spoiled child just like before, asking him to coax him like a little kid. Later, when he saw him crying, he quickly stopped playing the pity game, lowered his head to kiss him, and coaxed him.
Finally, when it was almost dark, Yun Cuo got up, carried Xue Huai to wash him, and then dressed him carefully.
Xue Huai didn’t know why, but he kept crying, and his tears never stopped. Yun Cuo was also unstable, but he just wiped them away patiently, then kissed them away and coaxed him: “Xue Huai, Xue Huai ge, don’t feel bad, don’t feel bad for me. Don’t cry.”
He seemed to have shed all the tears from his past life and this life. He was the young master of the Xue family and his left protector. He always believed that men shouldn’t shed tears easily. He endured everything and had no time to grieve over separation.
But after his family had dispersed and everything had changed, he was even asked to find a place to settle down.
Xue Huai choked up and grabbed his collar. “Your father, what’s going on?”
Yun Cuo was stunned for a moment, then said softly, “Nothing. Yesterday, when I thought he was dying of illness, I asked him if he still remembered my mother, and he said he did.”
Xue Huai let out an “En,” still feeling a little puzzled by his expression.
Then he heard Yun Cuo whisper, “But when I asked him what my mother’s name was and what her ranking was in the family, he said he didn’t know. I didn’t talk to him again after that.”
He lowered his eyes to look at Xue Huai, who was curled up in his arms, as if he were afraid that he would be sad, so he said, “In fact, I had expected the result to be like this. Now that I have this answer, I feel relieved. He should not have loved my mother and me in the first place.”
Yun Cuo reached out his slender and powerful hands and gently wiped away the water marks from the corners of Xue Huai’s eyes. “Why are you crying again, Xue Huai? You’re like a little kid.”
Xue Huai felt depressed in his arms, and it took him a long time to come back to his senses.
Seeing that he had stopped crying, Yun Cuo picked him up and asked, “Shall we go back then?”
Xue Huai nodded slightly.
Outside the secluded mansion, there was a ten-mile-long street where immortal soldiers lined up to welcome them, as powerful as a thunder array.
The moment Yun Cuo stepped out of the door, he heard the soldiers’ shouts reaching the sky, enough to scare away the birds in the forest: “Welcome back, Immortal Lord!”
All the soldiers under Yun Cuo’s command, all the troops that he could mobilize as the Immortal Lord, saw it with their own eyes at this moment—the Young Immortal Lord was holding a young man in his arms, and he did not let the man to the ground all the way on the Golden Dragon Chariot.
While he was away, his army wiped out his uncle’s rebels and swept away all obstacles to his succession with thunder. The red glow on the top of the royal city burned for three days, the previous Immortal Lord was buried in a simple manner, and the new immortal lord was not on the throne on the night he took the throne but instead indulged in happiness with his Daoist partner. This news spread like wildfire.
However, this strange and erotic rumor did not affect Yun Cuo’s prestige among the immortals and soldiers. As the saying goes, a new official starts with three things. His first move was to burn down the pavilions, waterside terraces, and flower towers left by generations of immortal lords and to dismiss the ladies and concubines prepared for him by his ministers. His second move was to burn down the corrupt and rigid system during Yun Yan’s reign, comprehensively improve the treatment of the army, change civil governance to military governance, and highly centralize power.
The third move, he planted the flag of Zhongzhou in the Demon Realm, in the spiritual cave where he had practiced before. The people he sent burned the captured Demon Realm’s spies to death there with open fire, which caused a shock in the three realms, which are immortal, heaven, and demon. This was an unspoken declaration of war and a warning that the war was about to break out.
Yun Cuo carried out these things in an orderly manner. His seemingly crazy and unrestrained actions often proved to be correct after analysis. He remembered everything Xue Huai taught him in his previous life. He didn’t need to ask or hesitate, because he had sat in this position once.
And Xue Huai had been hidden by him in the deep palace.
The palace belonged to the Immortal Empress—Yun Yan—originally prepared it for the Dragon Girl of the East Sea. It was also demolished by Yun Cuo and rebuilt overnight. In one night, he used up all his resources, commanded the green birds and spiritual beasts from all over the world, and mobilized all the craftsmen and descendants of Lu Ban to build a crystal palace for Xue Huai.
It was crystal clear, just like an ordinary garden, with everything. The hunting ground, pavilion, tea garden, pond, and lotus he promised to Xue Huai were all built.
Xue Huai was trapped in this crystal palace. From morning till night, he stayed quietly inside, reading books, drinking tea, and listening to the Qin. The outside world was blocked by the barrier, and nothing could be seen clearly. Only at dusk, when the sun was approaching, would the barrier open, and Yun Cuo would step in from outside, pick him up, and press him to the bed without saying a word, just seeking warmth and comfort from him.
Sometimes Yun Cuo came back in a hurry and had not yet taken off his armor. He pressed down on him with the cold armor. The hard black iron pressed against Xue Huai’s skin, causing Xue Huai to tremble all over.
Xue Huai gradually understood Yun Cuo’s thoughts. During the day when he was outside, he was his cold and iron-fisted king, and at night, he put down the pressure and fatigue of the whole day with him. He was like his home, he was his bed and pillow.
No matter what Yun Cuo did, he would obey him and indulge him almost to the point of doting. He also found some comfort in this strange way of getting along. When Yun Cuo confirmed with him again and again, he also confirmed with him again and again.
Xue Huai accidentally saw himself in the mirror one day. He found that the young man in the mirror had a shabby face and a thin body. He looked like a fox who was trying to seduce his master. Only then did he realize what Yun Cuo had done with him. Even though he was used to it, he couldn’t help but blush.
That night, Yun Cuo came to see him again, but he refused to let him come over. He hid again and again and whispered, “You should let me go back already.”
Yun Cuo paused but didn’t say anything. He just looked like he had suffered a great injustice for a moment. He lowered his eyes and looked over, gently playing with his hair with his fingers: “We haven’t reached Dongzhou yet, Xue Huai ge. Stay with me for another day, alright?”
Xue Huai agreed.
However, the next day, Yun Cuo came to beg him again: “One more day, please? This is really the last day. You stay here with me. I would rush back every day.”
Xue Huai agreed again, in a daze.
The third time, Xue Huai’s attitude became firm. He changed into his battle robe before Yun Cuo came back, and all his attire was the same as when he was his left protector in his previous life.
Yun Cuo pushed the door open and was stunned when he saw him.
Then, as if he had expected this scene, he just looked at him quietly and smiled gently.
Xue Huai teased him: “Ya, my baby Yun Cuo is not crying or making a fuss, he has made progress. Do you have anything to say to me?”
He whispered, “You look good like this too. I wanted to say that you are the most beautiful person I have ever seen in my previous life.”
Xue Huai came over with a smile and took his hand. “Anything else?”
“You are the first and only person I like.” Yun Cuo said. “I actually understand everything you told me before. I deliberately didn’t do what you said because I wanted to make you angry so that you would talk to me and make me think you like me.”
“What else?” Xue Huai continued to ask.
After this farewell, Yun Cuo will lead the Xianzhou army to face the Demon Realm, while Xue Huai will return to Dongzhou to cooperate with the heavenly soldiers to build a defense line.
The Demon Realm is no longer what it used to be, and all situations are shrouded in mystery. This farewell may be forever.
Yun Cuo put his hands around his waist and bent down to kiss him.
It was a kiss as light as a dragonfly touching the water.
Very light and fleeting.
“Wait for me to come back.”
