Song Qing Shi had never seen An Long act this way and was somewhat at a loss. After obediently detoxifying all the poisons, he turned himself into a mute teddy bear for half an hour, not daring to speak or move, until he was begrudgingly let go.
Hao Long wasn't hurt, just fatigued from excessive exertion. Song Qing Shi had the kitchen prepare a large batch of raw eggs for Hao Long and specifically instructed An Long to avoid drinking alcohol, even medicinal wine.
By the time he returned to Fu Ling Palace, it was already midnight.
His recently recovered body felt weary, and so did his spirit.
Yue Wu Huan was waiting for him on the steps of Fu Ling Palace. Seeing his condition, he paused but said nothing.
"You were waiting for me?" Song Qing Shi felt somewhat happy seeing him but was covered in mud from An Long's swamp adventures. Even cleaning spells couldn't remove the swamp's stench, and he just wanted to take a bath.
Yue Wu Huan fetched a fresh set of clothes for him, placing them outside the bathroom.
Soaking in the warm hot spring, Song Qing Shi pondered over An Long's behavior throughout the day, feeling somewhat perplexed.
Could it be that An Long has feelings for him?
Song Qing Shi quickly dismissed the absurd notion. Although he wasn't great at socializing, he had at least seen pigs run and eaten pork. His sister in another world was a goddess-level beauty with countless suitors, some of whom would indirectly try to win him over by gifting him test papers and books.
An Long's disruptive behavior was anything but a conventional method of wooing someone.
Isn't this just the toxic friendship that everyone talks about?
Among schoolmates, brothers-in-arms, there were far worse behaviors. They would mess around, wrap arms around each other, trade insults, come up with ugly nicknames, drink together, and even bathe together. Some would even mock each other. All these antics never stopped them from getting girlfriends. In front of their girlfriends, they would turn into completely different people, each more well-behaved and understanding than the last.
Over five hundred years ago, whenever An Long dragged him out for fun, An Long was always the first to spot a beautiful woman. He'd whistle to catch her attention and then coax him to join in, teaching him how to flirt. Despite having no interest in such antics, and rejecting the idea many times, An Long tirelessly persisted in these foolish endeavors. Whether she was demure and gentle, or fiery and glamorous; petite and cute, or tall and elegant; exuding exotic allure, or classical grace; a woman of noble upbringing or a bohemian gem—An Long pointed them all out.
Thanks to An Long, he saw an unprecedented number of beautiful women during that period.
No one dislikes beauty.
Song Qing Shi wasn't opposed to appreciating beauty, but he insisted on doing so respectfully and courteously. He had no desire to be seen as a libertine by these women! Nor did he want to be considered an accomplice to An Long's shenanigans, getting chased around town by magical weapons and being too guilty to fight back!
This event holds the top spot in the list of his most embarrassing life experiences.
Even pummeling An Long's face into a pulp wouldn't be enough to vent his frustration.
Still unrepentant, An Long cheerfully asked, "If you're not interested in women, could it be that you're interested in men?"
Song Qing Shi was flustered by the question. He contemplated it for quite a while. Immersed in cultivation and research, he had never experienced the stirrings of love and had never thought about his own orientation. Where would he even begin to answer this question? When he tried to conjure an ideal profile in his mind, he found nothing but a blank slate.
After pondering for some time, he realized that he had let An Long sidetrack him again. He was aiming for the path of Emotionless Dao; why should he concern himself with such things?
An Long was relentless in his inquiries, "What kind of men do you like? In our Western Forest, men treat their Daoist partners exceptionally well. Don't be fooled by their tough exteriors; they're incredibly henpecked. They'll go east if told to go east, and they'll kneel on washboards rather than nail boards if asked... Should I find you a good one? Guaranteed obedient."
The expression on his face was so obnoxiously smug, as if he was eagerly awaiting a comedy show.
Song Qing Shi didn't like this line of conversation. Feeling manipulated again, he withdrew to his library in the Medicine King Valley and immersed himself in his studies for days on end, only forgiving An Long when he swore on the names of his ancestors never to bring up this topic or engage in such foolishness again.
An Long knew he was in the wrong and behaved himself for an extended period.
Later on, Song Qing Shi successfully advanced his cultivation and chose the path of Emotionless Dao.
The Emotionless Dao doesn't affect one's daily life or friendships. It's merely about severing emotional and worldly attachments, focusing solely on the pursuit of Dao, free from love-related worries. After adopting the Emotionless Dao, Song Qing Shi never experienced any issues with emotional demons or bottlenecks in his cultivation. Clearly, his choice was right; it was the path most suited to his spiritual essence.
An Long, however, erupted in a fit of rage, hurling a slew of insults before storming out.
Song Qing Shi was furious about it for quite a while.
Once he calmed down, he grew a bit concerned. Ye Lin informed him that An Long was out gallivanting, living a carefree life. Even after they finally reconciled and resumed their correspondence, An Long managed to rile up some celestial maidens, who created chaos at the Medicine King Valley. This infuriated him to the point of wanting to throw a punch. An Long was utterly a clueless, insensitive straight guy!
...
Climbing out of the hot spring, Song Qing Shi realized that he had been overthinking things.
How could An Long, who adores sultry beauties, ever fall for a boring man like him? After all, he's not a stunner like Yue Wu Huan—what's An Long thinking?
It's likely that his ego was bruised by some foundational cultivator and, too embarrassed to admit it, he's sulking.
Putting himself in the other's shoes, if he lost an exam to a younger junior disciple, he'd also feel so disheartened he'd want to cry.
He should treat him more gently for a while, refrain from randomly burning him, and find a way to address the Bone Intoxication issue.
Song Qing Shi sorted out his thoughts, rose from the hot spring, put on a robe, and left the bathhouse, preparing to head back to his chamber for some rest.
Yue Wu Huan was already waiting outside the door. After a lingering gaze, he reached out to forcefully rub away the lingering bite marks on Song Qing Shi's neck, troubled as he said, "Master Zun, your skin tends to bruise easily; walking around like this might make you the subject of ridicule…"
"I'll apply some ointment when I get back; it should fade by tomorrow," swore Song Qing Shi, quite annoyed, "That dog-like fellow, biting like this every time he loses his temper. I'll have to put a stop to this reckless biting."
Yue Wu Huan asked, "Does Master An have a penchant for biting people?"
"Yes, but that's not the worst of it," Song Qing Shi couldn't help but complain, "You should see him in a frenzy, biting clean through an enemy's neck…"
Yue Wu Huan smiled softly and assisted Song Qing Shi as they slowly walked back to his chamber. He summoned Blood King Vine to extract the medicinal salve and gently applied a thick layer over the bite marks. He only stopped when the white salve completely obscured the bruise, then proceeded to tenderly massage Song Qing Shi's stiff hands and feet.
He had already removed his golden mask; his beautiful phoenix eyes, glimmering under the glow of the night pearl, concealed a subtle luster. Pressing his lips tightly together, he hesitated for a while before lowering his head and softly saying, "Using Bone Intoxication in the poison fog formation was my mistake; knowing that Master An was poisoned and not disclosing it was my mistake; provoking Master An and thus troubling you further, Master Zun, was also my mistake…"
Song Qing Shi immediately interjected, "This isn't your fault."
Though the altercation between the two started from a misunderstanding, the celestial realm is a place where battles are life-and-death situations. There's no precedent for apologizing over such matters. Moreover, how could Yue Wu Huan have emerged unscathed from An Long's violent assault? Song Qing Shi hadn't given it much thought when he saw Yue Wu Huan safe and sound upon waking up.
Realizing this, he hastily projected his divine consciousness into Yue Wu Huan's body and found numerous old injuries that had not fully healed, along with traces of recent recovery. Particularly, the mark that started at the leg and slithered up along the meridian channels toward the heart was clearly the doing of An Long's Heart-Eating Gu.
The Heart-Eating Gu is tiny and moves swiftly, making it hard to track its path; there's no time to administer anesthesia.
In the instant one is infected by the Gu, a swift and decisive action is required: personally cut open one's body, carefully peel back the veins, and locate the insect. Any hesitation or bad luck allowing the Gu to reach the heart will lead to a far more agonizing death.
This is one of An Long's most cruel Gu worms. While it seemingly leaves a sliver of hope for survival, very few cultivators manage to live.
Yue Wu Huan remains tight-lipped.
Song Qing Shi is on the verge of exploding in rage. Just as he rises, ready to tear the Alaskan Malamute to pieces, he remembers An Long's even more cruel Bone Intoxication, and sobers up. He sits back down, takes a few deep breaths to calm his enraged heart, and tries to think rationally.
Both Bone Intoxication and the Heart-Eating Gu are unforgivable, marking the beginning of a deadly feud.
The two had attacked each other due to a misunderstanding while trying to save him, thus creating the current situation...
After piecing everything together, Song Qing Shi realized that he himself was the root cause of all the troubles, leaving him feeling somewhat guilty.
He looked at Yue Wu Huan, then thought of An Long. He had never faced such a complicated situation before. It felt more painful than being struck by lightning, almost wishing that both could happen to him instead.
The innocent and sensible demeanor of the little angel made it difficult for him not to play favorites.
But, he couldn't...
If he blatantly took sides, An Long would only grow angrier and refuse to let the matter go. If this were to get out, it would disgrace the sect, turning it into a matter of honor rather than right or wrong. This would be even more detrimental to Yue Wu Huan. Unless it was absolutely necessary, he shouldn't proceed that way. The best course of action was to calm An Long's rage, persuade him to drop the matter, and keep it confidential. Then, separate the two and let time heal all wounds...
But what about the little angel's grievances?
Sensing his distress, Yue Wu Huan softly comforted, "Master, there's no need to worry. I'll go and apologize to Immortal Master Long to resolve this."
Song Qing Shi immediately refused, "No! You did nothing wrong; you don't need to apologize!"
He knew how ruthless An Long could be towards people he disliked. He couldn't let the little angel bear that kind of humiliation.
Yue Wu Huan lowered his head, swept his wavy hair behind his ears, and closed his eyes for a moment. He gently kissed the palm of Song Qing Shi's left hand and reverently said, "Your troubles are my fault."
Song Qing Shi felt a ticklish sensation at the palm of his hand, like being touched by a feather. For some reason, his ears started to warm up. Thankfully, his hair hung low, concealing the anomaly. He uncomfortably withdrew his hand, his heartbeat slightly irregular as he insisted, "You're not at fault."
Yue Wu Huan smiled, "Even if I'm not at fault, I can still apologize. I've long grown accustomed to such things."
Back at Golden Phoenix Manor, no matter what he did, he had to apologize, even if he was forcibly taken advantage of; he still had to kneel and accept punishment.
Nowadays, he could hardly discern right from wrong, good from evil. Strength meant right; weakness meant wrong. Living was right; dying was wrong. To achieve his goals, no means were off-limits.
He could kill anyone and also apologize to anyone.
He didn't feel any difference between the two actions...
People often said his mental state was abnormal, calling him a madman.
In the Valley of the Medicine King, anyone who knew about his madness and couldn't keep their mouth shut was killed by him.
Hush, best to hide it well. How terrible it would be if Master discovered the secret?
He could lock away the beast of desire in his heart, restrain the crazy thoughts in his mind, and certainly tolerate that filthy wolf, smiling as he concealed his murderous intent in the dark. He would masquerade as harmless, waiting for the right opportunity. There were so many things he wanted that he couldn't rush it. He would weave his web and lay his plans slowly, never revealing his true self until the prey was completely ensnared.
He smiled at Song Qing Shi, his eyes filled with indulgent tenderness.
"Wu Huan," Song Qing Shi was deeply touched by the look he received, taking a while before he finally spoke, "You don't have to do these things for me. I am your master, and although... I'm not a very competent one. Other than medicine and research, I know very little. I irresponsibly left you alone for ten years, causing you to endure much hardship."
Yue Wu Huan quickly interjected, "No, you shielded me from heavenly tribulation..."
Fearing he might be out-argued, Song Qing Shi simply stretched out his hand to cover Yue Wu Huan's mouth, insisting, "Taking on heavenly tribulation for a disciple is what a master should do! It was my lack of foresight, my failure to adequately prepare for your foundation-building crisis, my inability to gauge the intensity of the heavenly tribulation, and my hasty reaction without properly adjusting my primordial spirit, that led to your severe injuries and unconsciousness."
Yue Wu Huan was stunned into silence, his lips touching the warm palm, feeling a secret thrill.
Seeing him obediently fall silent, Song Qing Shi smiled contentedly, "Wu Huan, let me handle this matter."
It was time for him to step out of his ivory tower and learn how to navigate complex human relationships.
Yue Wu Huan gazed at him thoughtfully for a moment before hoarsely responding, "Alright."
He drew the green silk curtains closed for Song Qing Shi, extinguished the luminous pearl, put his mask back on, and stood up to leave.
From the darkness inside the curtain, a somewhat shy voice emanated:
"Wu Huan, don't be afraid. I will do everything I can to protect you..."
He knew that helping Yue Wu Huan break free from the chains of his past and find happiness would be difficult, but he would strive for it, little by little.
He might not possess exceptional intelligence, nor a high emotional quotient, and might even be a bit clumsy at communication...
But no matter how difficult the problem, he would never give up. No matter how many times he failed, he would continue to seek the correct answer.
Yue Wu Huan looked toward the silhouette behind the curtain. The years of daily companionship, the changing of medicines, the washing—every contour of his body, every inch of his skin, had already been deeply etched in his memory. Even without seeing, he could vividly imagine how enticing the man behind the curtain looked at this moment. Suppressing his burning desire with strong will, his voice remained soft and calm: "I know."
A long red vine slowly extended into the curtain, gently wrapping around his fair ankle, as if it were an easily detachable piece of rope.
"Goodnight. Let it keep you company. If you need to summon me, just give it a tug," Yue Wu Huan couldn't resist indulging his fleeting greed. This was his most precious gem—pure and flawless. He had to watch over it carefully, protect it fervently. No one could take it away from him.
Author's Note:
Given the considerable controversy surrounding the character, let me make a few comments.
First, please don't casually claim that I don't understand Yue Wu Huan. His psychological issues are very complex—hyperthymesia, intelligence, sensitivity, pride, perfectionism, strong control tendencies, severe OCD, and so forth. These lead to multiple severe psychological disorders (while also being part of his charm). Even a slight misinterpretation on my part would make the Yue Wu Huan you see and love drastically different.
For ordinary people, psychological wounds could be healed directly through love and affection.
Yue Wu Huan cannot be allowed to indulge in false comforts. I've given you the answer in the illusion chapter. Trying to initiate a sweet and doting relationship will only cause him greater pain when he wakes up. Song Qing Shi's love would only serve to lower his self-esteem, trapping him in the prison that is Yao Wang Valley...
The title of the first volume is "First Encounter," representing just the initial step in healing him physically, providing him a reason to cease self-harm.
The title of the second volume is "Madness," where every character's psychological issues must be maximized, hidden problems unearthed, and ultimately detonated.
Only after unleashing Yue Wu Huan's insane hatred through a trail of corpses and rivers of blood, and after a change in his mentality, can the path to true redemption begin.
Song Qing Shi's psychological issues will also be gradually addressed in the second volume.
An Long is a crucial catalyst. His emotional arc is far from a mere melodramatic sideshow. I've thought through every step of this intricate narrative...
In all psychological treatments, the doctor serves as an auxiliary. Ultimately, it's up to the patient to seek help and stand up on their own.
So, the story must reach its conclusion to resolve all the existing problems.
If you're particularly bothered, you can choose to stop reading or wait until the end of the story to decide.