Wearing a T-shirt and jeans, Song Qing Shi stood atop a boundless sea of clouds, looking around. He knew he was searching for something, but he couldn't remember what it looked like—only a wisp of the most dazzling twilight sky remained in his memory.
He kept walking forward, ceaselessly searching. Even if this cloud road had no end, even if he fell countless times from sheer exhaustion, so tired he could barely move and could only crawl forward, he still wouldn't stop his quest...
On the path across the sea of clouds appeared another version of himself, dressed in layers of snow-colored robes, his soft long hair trailing down to the ground. The same face, the same emotional coldness; eyes that could comprehend any profound book but not the feelings of the world.
Because his heart was empty—void of anything at all.
Song Qing Shi suddenly understood something. He slowly approached and took out his own heart, gently placing it inside the other version of himself.
The moment the heart and body fused, both souls shattered into countless points of light, interweaving and mending each other's flaws. From then on, the heart found a place to belong, the body found the missing emotions, the separated puzzle pieces recombined, turning into a blank canvas, waiting for colors to be added.
Deep within the sea of clouds, a strange phrase emerged, echoing like a drumbeat deep in his soul:
"One thousand three hundred and forty-nine..."
"One thousand three hundred and forty-nine..."
"..."
Startled, Song Qing Shi opened his eyes, finding himself submerged in water. Attempting to get up, his left side didn't respond. Struggling, he accidentally inhaled water. Someone beside him swiftly rose, holding him up by the small of his back, lifting him out of the water and into a wet embrace.
The hands holding him were warmer than average, their calloused texture creating a tingling sensation when rubbed against his tender skin.
The person's breathing was heavy, like a sea on the brink of a storm, where seabirds flap their wings, bringing an oppressive atmosphere.
A pair of eyes in the dark, staring at the long-awaited prey, filled with greedy desire, becoming increasingly dangerous.
Yet Song Qing Shi, drowsy and confused, buried himself in that dangerous embrace. For the longest time, he was unaware of the situation before finally coming to his senses and realizing something was amiss.
Immediately, the sense of danger vanished as the night-pearls were sequentially activated, shattering the darkness and illuminating Yue Wu Huan's handsome face. His dark-gold phoenix eyes had turned into an indistinct black, the provocative teardrop-shaped mole under his left eye still as captivating as ever. Despite the gentle expression, something subtly different made him appear even more striking.
Was it the lighting? Why did Wu Huan seem like a different person?
Song Qing Shi realized he was undressed, and that the splashes of water on his body had wetted Yue Wu Huan. Feeling embarrassed, he raised his head intending to change clothes, only to discover something more alarming. His voice hoarse, he exclaimed, "Wu Huan, why... why have I become shorter?!"
He had always been self-conscious about his youthful physique, typically wearing oversized robes to hide his form, relying on his height to maintain some semblance of dignity. He remembered that before he was struck by the heavenly tribulation, his height was comparable to Yue Wu Huan's. But now, upon waking up, he found that Yue Wu Huan was nearly half a head taller than him. Could failing the heavenly tribulation actually result in losing height?
Song Qing Shi felt utterly defeated, as if he had lost all face.
Seeing his dejected expression, Yue Wu Huan wanted to laugh but couldn't. Finally, with a slight tug at the corner of his mouth, he spoke resignedly, "My Lord, you've been asleep for ten years..."
Terrified, Song Qing Shi stammered, "Ten years? What about—my—"
"Your lab mice are fine," Yue Wu Huan assured him, "They've been well taken care of and have multiplied."
Song Qing Shi finally snapped out of his bewildered panic. Reassessing his surroundings, he realized he was in the secret chamber beneath his own sleeping quarters, albeit rearranged with several trunks of clothes and a simple desk. On the desk were unfinished manuscripts, next to which were neatly stacked piles of books.
Shifting slightly, his toes touched a wet bamboo pillow, seemingly where Yue Wu Huan had been sleeping all these years.
How could this place be suited for a bedroom, or for reading?
Unable to hold back, Song Qing Shi asked, "Have you been resting well these years?"
Yue Wu Huan smiled and said, "Don't worry, I haven't slept much here."
Because over these years, he hardly ever slept; most of his rest was more like passing out.
Song Qing Shi scrutinized Yue Wu Huan's face for any trace of a lie, and the bedding showed no signs of use. He had a nagging suspicion but couldn't put his finger on it, so he let it go for now.
Quickly examining his body, he found that the burns on his left side had healed. While unconscious, he had channeled all his spiritual power to seal the internal dark fire, so the newly grown meridians had not been used yet. They felt raw and parched, slightly painful. His fingers were numb and his throat stiff from disuse, but all in all, there was nothing major to worry about.
Recalling the heavenly tribulation, Song Qing Shi incredulously concluded, "You healed me?"
The injuries from the heavenly tribulation were severe and complicated. Surviving them was a miracle in itself; these were not wounds a fledgling medic could manage. He had only hoped that his injuries were not as serious as he feared and that Yue Wu Huan might use the medicine collection to keep him alive until he woke up. He hadn't expected to be healed so thoroughly...
"I failed many times," Yue Wu Huan said while extending fiery red tendrils from behind him to deftly open a clothing trunk and retrieve a new undergarment. "I read every book in the library, tried numerous treatments, and finally, two years ago, formulated a 'Flesh Rejuvenation Pill.' It was transformed into a spiritual liquid and used along with 'Blood Flower Powder' to repair your body. But you never woke up... I researched for a long time and recently discovered that your soul had some issues with fusion. So I used a 'Soul Melding Pill' along with golden acupuncture to merge your scattered soul fragments. Finally, you woke up..."
"Thank you," Song Qing Shi said, understanding how much effort had gone into creating those seemingly simple medicines. He was searching for words to praise his clever savior when he noticed the tendrils and blinked in disbelief, "Blood King Vine?"
The Blood King Vine grows in extremely hot environments, a rare plant with fire attributes and partial sentience. It can conquer an entire mountain, devouring all living beings, absorbing blood, burning souls, and exterminating all life within a hundred miles before withering away.
Due to its overbearing survival methods, it has been extinct since ancient times. Sometimes, artifacts crafted from it appear on the market, but they are but dead items with limited efficacy.
"It won't harm you," Yue Wu Huan said while maneuvering the Blood King Vine to drape the undergarment over Song Qing Shi. Bending down, he fastened his belt and continued, "This was an accidental find in a secret realm. This Blood King Vine is a seedling, its body lost ten thousand years ago, and its soul sealed within a boundary. Seeing it took a liking to me, I attempted to integrate it into my soul, making it part of my body. Surprisingly, it was successful."
Ancient texts mention such a method of integrating the Blood King Vine, and many have attempted it. Yet, only one unknown ancient god had succeeded. Yue Wu Huan is not reckless. Despite the upgrades to his physique from heavenly tribulations, he would never attempt something this risky unless... he had no other choice at that moment.
Song Qing Shi felt a torrent of questions swirling in his mind, yet he didn't know how to voice them, aware that he would not get any truthful answers.
A decade had passed, and so much had changed.
He decided to investigate slowly after venturing outside.
Just as Song Qing Shi took a step, his body lost its balance. His left side felt limp, unable to exert any strength, causing him to pitch forward. Yue Wu Huan caught him securely in his arms.
Even though he knew his condition was temporary, it brought back a heavy psychological toll—reminiscent of days when he was gradually losing his physical capabilities. He was not afraid of physical pain, but this numbness in his limbs terrified him.
Though gripped by fear, he refrained from speaking out. Yue Wu Huan had already done so much for him; he couldn't add to his troubles over this small mental block, nor did he want to worry him further. However, the hand clutching the fabric of Yue's robe couldn't seem to let go. His body stiffened with tension, making him even more afraid, and the muscles starved for years of spiritual nourishment began to spasm.
Yue Wu Huan quickly noticed something was amiss and picked him up, stepping briskly out of the secret chamber.
The palace bedroom was furnished exactly as it had been years ago, the bedding regularly replaced and still bearing the familiar scent of herbal infusion.
Yue Wu Huan carefully set him down and commanded the vine tendrils to fetch a jade hairpin from the dressing table. He meticulously massaged the acupuncture points on the arch of Song Qing Shi's feet, reassuring him, "It's alright, just take deep breaths and relax. You've been immobile for too long; this condition is normal. You'll get better soon. I'll massage your hands and feet every day. In at most half a month, you'll be able to move freely."
"Mm," Song Qing Shi felt incredibly embarrassed, his ears turning red. He wished he could bury himself in the blankets like an ostrich.
Yue Wu Huan chuckled, "Physician, heal thyself. My Lord, you don't have to...worry."
"You mean to say 'be embarrassed,' right?" Song Qing Shi's ears turned even redder. Stuttering, he defended himself, "I've always treated my own injuries." In this world, he had almost no friends; even when injured, he had to rely on himself. "I really have! I've even had my hand broken in a secret realm. I came back and stitched it up myself! I'm not afraid of pain at all!"
The situation was just an accident; he's usually very strong and manly! Although when the pain gets too much, he might shed a tear, but only after he's dealt with everything...
Yue Wu Huan paused his massage and looked up, saying earnestly, "From now on, don't handle things on your own."
Song Qing Shi pondered for a moment, then nodded shyly, "Alright."
Yue Wu Huan said nothing more, focusing solely on helping him relax his muscles. A gentle breeze blew in from outside the window, carrying with it a faint floral fragrance. The world seemed to go silent, leaving only their breaths. Staring at Yue Wu Huan, Song Qing Shi realized what had changed—his aura had transformed.
The old Yue Wu Huan was like a lavish, beautiful flower with a few prickly thorns. The present Yue Wu Huan, however, resembled a sharpened blade, his eyes filled with a razor-sharp intensity as if he were cleaving through tumultuous waves.
As the tension dissipated, his spasms slowly ceased. Song Qing Shi flexed his fingers to make sure they were still operational. He tried to put the entire episode behind him for now, planning to practice moving later.
Looking at Yue Wu Huan's increasingly beautiful face, Song Qing Shi suddenly recalled something crucial, "How have you been walking around outside these years? Were you disguised? I don't mean anything by it, but... the Immortal Realm is full of villains. I've even almost been kidnapped and sold off because I look like an easy target."
Incidents like these had occurred multiple times; every time he ventured outside, there were always those who wanted to drug him or deceive him into slavery.
It wasn't until he dealt with those scoundrels using ruthless methods and gained a notorious reputation that things began to improve for him.
"My Lord has a single water elemental spiritual root, which is why you've encountered these issues," Yue Wu Huan discovered during his diagnosis. Although Song Qing Shi harbored two types of fire within him, his spiritual root was of the opposite water element. He used its cold force to suppress the fire and combined it with his toxic skills, creating a unique cultivation physique.
To the average cultivator, having a single water elemental spiritual root is considered weak in combat capabilities. Rarely do strong cultivators come from this background; their primary use is dual cultivation or being refined into supreme alchemical furnaces.
If Song Qing Shi weren't so powerful and had such an unusual physique, making him resistant to manipulation, his destiny would be a hellish existence, no better than living death.
Yue Wu Huan felt a murderous revulsion just thinking about those nefarious cultivators projecting their filthy desires onto Song Qing Shi. "My Lord, you must never reveal your spiritual root to anyone. Don't trust people's sweet talk and never casually agree to become Dao companions or engage in dual cultivation."
Song Qing Shi earnestly agreed, although he couldn't see the correlation between spiritual roots and Dao companions. Having lived for over a thousand years without encountering a single suitor, he figured he was safe.
During his schooling, his senior brothers would often mock him, saying that someone who only studied, answered questions, and conducted experiments—a medical nerd, so to speak—would never find a girlfriend, whether he was healthy or not.
At the time, he felt somewhat disheartened. If he found someone he liked, he'd be a far better boyfriend than his senior brothers! Doing tasks like boiling water, buying breakfast, and handling finances would be a given!
Knowing that Song Qing Shi rarely ventured outside and was unaware of such malice, Yue Wu Huan didn't want to corrupt his innocence just yet; he'd teach him gradually. Answering the earlier question, he said, "I've been practicing the Han Yu technique and poison control methods you gave me, sealing the toxins within my body with spiritual energy."
As he circulated the internal toxins, a multitude of vivid, terrifying patterns emerged on the upper half of his face, haphazardly covering his forehead, around the eyes, bridge of the nose, and cheeks, overshadowing his alluring beauty mark and ruining his attractiveness. The lower half of his face retained its original hue, making the contrast even more jarring and ugly.
"Ghost-faced serpent poison?" exclaimed Song Qing Shi.
"Yes, the inspiration came from how you suppressed your flames," Yue Wu Huan smiled happily. "I extracted the ghost-faced serpent poison and mixed it with other ingredients to display on my face. It's intimidating, but it eliminates all troubles. Once word spreads that 'Young Master Wu Huan' is disfigured, I'll be even safer."
Song Qing Shi couldn't help but touch the skin; it was still as smooth as before, no different to the touch.
"If anyone becomes suspicious or targets me, all I have to do is release the spiritual energy lock on the poison, and the ghost-faced serpent toxin will spread all over me, effectively quashing their interest," said Yue Wu Huan, letting the toxins spread as he spoke.
Song Qing Shi stared at the markings on his body, feeling a sense of heartache. However, he had to admit it was a better method than using a disguise.
This poison would obliterate all lascivious thoughts. Once someone's beauty is destroyed, it might even elicit pity. The cruelty of the stares of disgust, revulsion, and contempt that such a face would receive is more than what an ordinary person can bear.
"I don't care about this face. Without it, people can appreciate my other qualities. I kept it intact because I didn't want to upset you," said Yue Wu Huan, understanding his thoughts as he dispelled the toxins to reveal his handsome face. His eyes were full of adoring tenderness, "If My Lord likes my face, I'll show it only to you from now on, okay?"
The red tendrils coiled around Song Qing Shi's foot, playfully swaying.
"Okay," Song Qing Shi understood and immediately complimented, "Wu Huan is the most handsome!"
Yue Wu Huan was incredibly happy, beaming with joy.
He stood up, removed his water-drenched clothes, and put on a tailored red brocade robe. A slender gold belt accentuated his waistline. His years of practicing the sword had endowed him with a posture as upright as a poplar, a far cry from his previous frail appearance.
The vine fetched a brocade box, inside which lay a golden mask. The mask was intricately crafted, resembling asymmetrical wings spread out on both sides. From the left hung a woven red ribbon, adorned with three small, lustrous gemstones.
He casually gathered his long hair behind his head, leaving only a few curly strands framing his forehead. Then he put on the mask, concealing all areas marred by the ghost-faced serpent toxin. With vivid lips and a lightly honey-hued chin peeking out, the mask lent him a brazen, almost aggressively captivating beauty that was impossible to ignore.
Song Qing Shi once again sincerely complimented, "This mask is truly stunning."
Yue Wu Huan's lips curled slightly, incredibly pleased, "Now that my Lord is awake, I cannot embarrass you when I step out."
He had intentionally kept the toxins confined to half his face, considering what to do once Song Qing Shi woke up. Just as male birds display their glorious feathers to win the favor of their mates, he too did not wish to present an ugly face to the one he loved. He only wanted to show his best side.
Seeing how Yue Wu Huan had thought of everything, Song Qing Shi finally relaxed and shifted to another concern, "Is everything alright with Medicine King Valley?"
"There are no other issues, just this one is a bit troublesome," Yue Wu Huan waved his hand, and the red vine fetched another stack of thick letters, handing them to Song Qing Shi, "These are from An Long. Take a look."
As Song Qing Shi went through the letters, he noticed the early ones from An Long came about every two to three months, serving as simple correspondence. They contained various gifts and anecdotes about his life. After five years, the letters became queries about the lack of response. Their frequency also increased, and An Long, suspecting something had happened to Song Qing Shi, sharply interrogated Yue Wu Huan. The letters from the past six months had even turned into personal threats against Yue Wu Huan, stating that he would kill him.
"Initially, he thought you were either angry or refining medicine in seclusion, so he wasn't suspicious," Yue Wu Huan explained resignedly. "However, my activities in gathering herbs and reorganizing Medicine King Valley raised his suspicions. I was forced to reply vaguely, procrastinating as much as I could. Eventually, he found clues from the types of herbs being purchased, discovered the calamity at Medicine King Valley, and assumed you'd either been severely injured or had died, resulting in a change of leadership. We can't delay this matter any longer, thankfully my Lord has awakened and can explain it personally."
Song Qing Shi couldn't help but be at a loss for words, "Is he planning to break in forcefully?"
"He's already attempted to do so twice. The poison array and maze on the western side are mostly destroyed. Even though I've tried to repair and strengthen the formations, Gu Wang is highly skilled and employs cunning tactics. If he tries again, the formations might not hold..."
Many spirit stones were needed to set up those formations, all of which had been taken by Alaska...
Song Qing Shi's mouth twitched with pain at the thought. However, he couldn't blame Yue Wu Huan for not revealing the truth, nor could he blame An Long for acting foolishly due to the hidden information. The fault was his own, for being unconscious for so long without leaving any instructions.
Thankfully, he could move his right hand—time to write a letter to clarify the situation.
Medicine King Valley's resources were already stretched thin; they couldn't afford to be broken into again.