Song Qingshi stood before a liquor store, listening to the proprietor's frenzied sales pitch.
"What's a flower festival without flower wine? Don't get me wrong, I'm not talking about any low-quality stuff," the proprietor thought he'd cracked a joke that all men would understand. Seeing that Song Qingshi's expression remained serious and unamused, he changed his tone, "Our city in the South Sea is renowned for its flowers. This wine, called 'Beauty's Drunkenness,' is brewed from eight kinds of flowers. It's sweet-tasting, full of flavor, and only available during the flower festival. It's a limited edition, so once it's gone, it's gone."
The wine is sweet? And limited edition?
Men often find their resistance weakened when faced with 'limited editions.'
Song Qingshi immediately pulled out a spiritual stone and purchased a jar.
He had left to handle business with the shameless artist; now that the business was complete, he wanted to return quickly to the inn to find Yue Wu Huan. However, the architecture in Nanhai City all looked similar, and everything was covered in flowers. Lost in thought, he took a wrong turn and inadvertently found himself in the night market.
The Flower Festival's night market was bustling with activity—opera performances on the left, monkey shows on the right, and an array of unfamiliar wares in between.
So, this is what the evenings in Nanhai City are like?
Unable to resist his curiosity, Song Qing Shi thought that he might not have a chance to see this sight again after returning to Yao Wang Valley. He let his eyes wander and subsequently got bombarded by various sales pitches, ending up with a plethora of random purchases: beautiful gemstones, attractive red fabric, legendary tales of Mo Yuan Sword Sovereign, and even a beautiful clay phoenix crafted by a street artist.
For some reason, most of the people at the night market seemed to be in couples, walking hand-in-hand, laughing and jesting intimately.
After purchasing his wine, Song Qing Shi couldn't help but ask the vendor.
The vendor chuckled, "Didn't you know? The Flower Festival evening here in Nanhai City is also known as the Lovers' Festival."
Song Qing Shi shook his head; this information wasn't in his meticulously gathered tourist guide.
Clearly, Ye Ye Tavern was irresponsible. When he returned, he'd have to seriously question Immortal Ye Lin's professionalism.
"It's a longstanding tradition here—the daytime festival is a carnival for everyone, whereas the night market is romantic specifically for couples. Since our city never sleeps, if you're unaccompanied, you can easily find someone. You're quite good-looking; would you like me to introduce someone to you?" The vendor suggested warmly, "Sharing 'Beauty's Elixir' with a beauty will make it even sweeter."
Upon hearing the word 'beauty,' Song Qing Shi inexplicably thought of Yue Wu Huan's face.
A bit flustered, he quickly declined, "No, thank you. I have a companion—very beautiful, but not the kind you're talking about."
Whenever he was emotionally unsettled, his words became disorganized.
The vendor, increasingly confused, leaned in to hear better, "What kind of companion? Male? Female?"
Before he could finish, several blood-red vines fell from the roof, cracking the ground and fiercely dividing the space between them.
Yue Wu Huan stood atop the roof; his ink-black hair disheveled by the night wind, his belt undone, the collar of his inner garment flipped out, and multiple wrinkles in his crimson robe disrupted his usual measured demeanor. Behind his golden winged mask, his phoenix eyes contained traces of barely-repressed madness. His vivid lips were tightly pressed, seemingly trying to curve into his usual warm smile, yet failing to do so.
The Blood King Vines crawled across the ground, branching into countless tendrils, their leaves growing more and more lush. The citizens of Nanhai City, having seen this terrifying phenomenon on the city walls before, were apprehensive.
The wine vendor sat down on the ground with a thud, clumsily trying to crawl away from the area.
The patrons also sensed danger and began to flee.
Holding his jar of wine, Song Qing Shi tried to reassure everyone, "It's alright."
His reassurances had no effect. In a blink, everyone had vanished.
The Blood King Vines rose from the ground, rapidly wrapping around his limbs and body in a complex web, layer upon layer of entanglement. It was as if countless angry spider threads had ensnared prey fallen into their web, coiling tighter and tighter, as if fearing escape.
Song Qing Shi instinctively wanted to ignite his Dan Fire to break free, but then he remembered that the Blood King Vines were spiritually linked; severing them would cause pain, would cause injury. He quickly withdrew his fire, allowing himself to be lifted into the air by the vines, dragged like an offering before Yue Wu Huan, and pulled into his embrace.
"My Lord," Yue Wu Huan lowered his head, sampling the scent at the nape of Song Qing Shi's neck. He then slowly moved upwards, gently licking the sensitive lobe of his ear as if relishing the taste, yet his voice was tinged with a plaintive note, "I woke up and couldn't find you. I was worried."
Song Qing Shi explained earnestly, "I just stepped out to take care of something and make some purchases."
The Blood King Vines around his body tightened further, increasing in number as if to isolate him from the outside world.
Yue Wu Huan's voice grew even more plaintive, "My Lord, the nights here are filthy. Please don't wander around. Can you stay by my side?"
Over the years, the more he had ventured into the outside world, the more he found it corrupt. If it weren't for his reluctance towards An Long and the need to resolve this mess, he would never allow his Lord to leave Yao Wang Valley, lest he encounter an accident or be harmed by despicable villains or sullied by the world.
Song Qing Shi wanted to pat him reassuringly on the shoulder, but he couldn't move. He could only nod faintly and say, "Alright."
The night wind blew, and Yue Wu Huan gradually calmed down, adjusting his breath. He realized what mistake he had made.
One by one, the Blood King Vines unwound, releasing him.
Yue Wu Huan's face paled, his body trembling slightly as he apologized softly, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to."
Qing Luan had once warned him that his affection was too extreme, even fanatical, far beyond the norm and potentially unsettling. He was advised to temper himself so as not to harm either others or himself.
He had promised Qing Luan and had learned to disguise his feelings, lest his Lord find him repulsive.
Now, his emotional vulnerabilities were exposed.
Yue Wu Huan was terrified.
"It's alright," Song Qing Shi handed the jar of wine into his arms and said lightly, "It's my fault for not informing you and running off. It's natural for you to be worried when you wake up and can't find me. Don't blame yourself; it was my mistake."
When he had woken up, he found that Yue Wu Huan no longer had tendencies of self-harm and behaved like a normal person—more tender and attentive than before. He had assumed that after stepping onto the path of immortality and purifying his body and mind, Yue Wu Huan's condition had improved. At that time, Song Qing Shi's own body had suffered from unexpected partial paralysis; in his panic, he hadn't pondered on other matters.
Then, Yue Wu Huan brought him one joy after another. Immersed in happiness, Song Qing Shi's judgment became numb once again. The arrival of An Long and their subsequent confrontations distracted him. Instinctively, he saw An Long as the dangerous element, while Yue Wu Huan seemed obedient and quiet. The contrast made him feel secure, blinding him to the fact that this too was an abnormal reaction, and Yue Wu Huan was only subtly achieving his own ends.
His inner illness had never been cured. Without treatment, it had grown wild again, transforming into a monstrous beast that ultimately bared its fangs and claws to attack the whole world.
How big had this beast grown?
Song Qing Shi suddenly recalled the Thousand-Pearl Snow Lotus he had once encountered on a snowy mountain. Its immense and terrifying root system had intertwined through the entire mountain range, spanning miles. Yet what he saw was only the frail and beautiful little flower blooming atop the crystal-white snow.
Wrong...
It was all wrong...
Acknowledge mistakes and start anew...
"Don't be afraid, I'm here," Song Qing Shi pulled the trembling Yue Wu Huan into his embrace, gently massaging his long hair, repeating his reassurance over and over, "Don't be afraid, I will never give up on you..."
Don't be afraid...
Whether it's the flavor of the fruit, the plan of action, or keeping you by my side, everything will be done according to your wishes.
Seeing the spider's web, the butterfly will willingly fly into it.
...
After a long time comforting him, Song Qing Shi finally stabilized Yue Wu Huan's breathing, restoring his calm.
They both hid in a secluded spot on the rooftop. The tavern owner, thinking the troublemakers had left, quietly returned to clean up the mess and welcome back the customers. Perhaps couples particularly enjoy a few drinks on such a day; soon, the tavern was filled with the sounds of romantic banter.
This 'Lovers' Festival' was indeed a murky affair that might taint my Lord's eyes.
Yue Wu Huan slightly regretted having acted too well-behaved earlier, not suggesting that Song Qing Shi change their travel destination. Nor had he considered that Song Qing Shi, who usually stayed in their room reading with him at night, would sneak out. Now it was too late to keep the Lovers' Festival a secret; he had to think of an excuse...
After contemplating, he relaxed his face and pointed towards the quiet Nine-Tiered Pagoda, asking with anticipation, "My Lord, I believe sitting high above and watching the lights of the human world under the moonlight will surely be beautiful."
"Sure," Song Qing Shi looked at him, his face glowing with a smile, "I also think it's too noisy here."
Holding Yue Wu Huan's hand, he navigated through the hustle and bustle toward the Nine-Tiered Pagoda—one of Nanhai City's main attractions. Legend has it that the pagoda houses the image of a deity, but as its doors are always locked, no one knows its true form. Surrounded by a sea of bamboo, the area is picturesque, albeit deserted during the flower festival.
In the depths of the bamboo forest, young couples were canoodling, lost in fervent and lingering kisses. One praised the sweetness of the other's lips, while the other complimented their softness. Their amorous whispers could almost nauseate one to death.
Song Qing Shi couldn't help but steal a glance or two.
Yue Wu Huan turned his head back forcefully. The Blood King Vines stealthily slithered over, emanating a terrifying aura that promptly scared away the canoodling pair. Then, summoning his treasured sword, he flew Song Qing Shi to the top of the Nine-Tiered Pagoda. After multiple scans and releasing his divine sense to confirm the tranquility of their surroundings, he finally relaxed.
Indeed, tonight's moonlight was stunning. It shrouded the Nine-Tiered Pagoda, illuminating the surroundings without the need for candles. Sitting at the top felt like being elevated above worldly concerns, witnessing the worldly glamour. The night market coalesced into a winding river of lights, and the scattered glow surrounding it belonged to individual houses, sheltering both the foolish and the awakened.
Song Qing Shi didn't want to be awakened, but he had no choice but to be...
Song Qing Shi pulled out each item he had purchased from the sachet, handing them all to Yue Wu Huan. Despite realizing he'd made some rather foolish purchases under the influence of the vendors' eloquent persuasions, it didn't matter—as long as the sentiment behind them was genuine.
Seeing the wooden toy bird whistle among the items, Yue Wu Huan couldn't help but chuckle, bringing it to his lips and giving it a few blows.
Astonishingly, the small bird whistle produced melodious, harmonious tones that mimicked the singing of a multitude of birds.
Something in Song Qing Shi's heart stirred slightly...