He and It Chapter 181: Inquire Here (9)

Chapter 181: Inquire Here (9)

Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: GaeaTiamat

 

That same night, Liu Fuguang lowered his head, and his lips met Yan Huan’s. Then they engaged in that deeply intimate act, merging like water and milk. The specifics of the situation were mostly forgotten with time. The only things he could remember were Yan Huan’s almost burning heat, his half-closed, reluctant-to-open nine eyes, the feverish flush on his fabricated features, and his nearly tearful expression.

Perhaps I was different, he vaguely thought upon seeing Yan Huan’s appearance at that moment. Perhaps in his pitch-black heart…I was entirely different.

Out of the same feeling of pity, the young Liu Fuguang never told Yan Huan that, from the very beginning, he could see Yan Huan’s true form. Yan Huan was so concerned about his appearance that even when seriously injured, he would first put on a disguise before meeting him. He was always very self-conscious. In such a situation, how could Liu Fuguang bluntly expose that fact?

Like countless ordinary couples in the mortal world, they had quarrels and reconciled afterward, had disagreements and learned to tolerate each other afterward—though mostly it was Liu Fuguang tolerating Yan Huan. Although Yan Huan could easily surpass a human in strength, for some reason, he never laid a hand on Liu Fuguang during their arguments.

Yan Huan always convinced himself that he couldn’t mar the perfect appearance of a human; there shouldn’t be any flaws in his collection. Moreover, humans were too fragile. If he accidentally killed one, the meddling true immortals would start nagging again…He had countless excuses. However, the next time they quarreled, Yan Huan would still lose in the face of Liu Fuguang’s warm gaze, as he retreated angrily to vent elsewhere.

Gradually, he became immune to Liu Fuguang’s “I like you,” no longer feeling dizzy and hot each time he heard it. So, Liu Fuguang smiled and brought out his enhanced weapon, “I love you.”

Back then, people were straightforward and unreserved in expressing their feelings, but Yan Huan had never encountered someone as candid and earnest as Liu Fuguang before. Or rather, he had seen it, but never experienced it firsthand.

Liu Fuguang didn’t say “love” often, but each time he did, the movement of those soft, pale red lips made Yan Huan feel like his life was slipping away.

On the battlefield of emotions, the Dragon God retreated step by step, utterly defeated, with no chance to fight back.

One day, Yan Huan walked to the entrance of the bedchamber and heard Liu Fuguang’s voice, faintly mentioning words like “dragon” and “like.” His movements stiffened, and he felt an uncomfortable tingling spread down his spine.

He coughed lightly and quietly entered. The intricate lattice screen cast bird-like shadows on the jade-colored floor. Standing amidst the shadows, he silently watched the scene inside.

Liu Fuguang’s maid was combing his hair, the ivory comb glided through his sleek black hair, and the two colors intertwined softly, creating a tender scene. Yan Huan didn’t frown—his facial features were all fabricated, so he showed no expression when alone. At that moment, his handsome face was as blank as white paper, but the nine eyes on his body were slowly narrowing.

He felt…he felt very displeased. When he saw the maid touch Liu Fuguang’s body, Yan Huan’s heart surged with a repulsive killing intent.

“Yes, indeed, it has a dragon shape,” the maid said with a smile. “Such a unique design. I wonder how they managed to raise it.”

Liu Fuguang smiled slightly, “It’s just a bit too picky. Have them take it back.”

The maid was puzzled, “But you just said you liked this gift…”

Yan Huan was stunned.

At that moment, his gaze moved down to see a blood jade flower pot placed on the carpet beside him inside which a pure white, delicate little tree was growing. It was obvious that the trunk had been reshaped with spiritual power to resemble a coiled snow dragon in mid-flight. The branches were adorned with five-petaled flowers, and it exuded an elegant charm and a pleasing aesthetic.

He…he was talking about liking that dragon-shaped, dragon-shaped…In an instant, Yan Huan’s face twisted fiercely, and it nearly drove him mad with rage. His nine eyes trembled violently, as if they were about to explode. He clenched his teeth tightly, as he suppressed a sudden surge of fury. His heavy robes masked his rising emotions completely, but the sound of his teeth breaking rang out sharply. Only then did Liu Fuguang hear the disturbance from a distance.

He turned his head, and Liu Fuguang quickly locked his gaze onto Yan Huan.

“Yan Huan?” he called out. “Come over. Why are you standing there?”

The Dragon God remained still for a long time before walking over at a leisurely pace.

“Fuguang,” Yan Huan called. He glanced at the maid, whose face turned deathly pale as if frozen in an ice cellar for days. Terrified, she bowed deeply and hurriedly fled the scene.

Before Liu Fuguang could reprimand her, Yan Huan, looking calm, picked up the comb. His fingers grasped a section of the young man’s long hair, and slowly, tightly clenched it in his palm. Suddenly, he smiled.

“Who sent that gift?”

Having sensed his bad mood, Liu Fuguang was about to turn around but was held in place by Yan Huan. He stared straight ahead and in the mirror’s reflection saw Yan Huan lean down and softly touch his face, as his hot lips lightly kissed his earlobe like a dragonfly skimming the water.

A mirror faithfully reflects one’s true appearance, except for Yan Huan. In the reflection, the Dragon God lowered his thick eyelashes, his face embodying both the beauty of a deity and the allure of a demon.

“What’s wrong?” Liu Fuguang asked.

Yan Huan deeply inhaled the scent of his hair and responded vaguely, “Too many matters outside, you know…trivial and annoying, yet impossible to ignore.” After he answered, he asked again, “Who sent this gift?”

Liu Fuguang didn’t believe he was telling the truth, but why scrutinize every lie Yan Huan told? Not just between couples, but in any relationship, if one always demanded clear and honest answers, the bond wouldn’t last long.

After some thought, he sighed, “I think it was sent by the head of some prominent family…I can’t remember exactly. Why? Do you find it too gaudy?”

As the Dragon God with no equals, despite being feared and avoided by the world, Yan Huan’s status, power, and influence were unassailable. Aside from true immortals, even prominent cultivator families sought to curry favor with him. Otherwise, where would the high-level cultivators serving in the Dragon Palace come from?

Just by lightly touching his skin, Yan Huan felt as if he were burning. He smiled and said, “Of course not, I actually like this bonsai very much. Give it to me, will you?”

Liu Fuguang couldn’t believe it. “You really like it? You’re not just playing me?”

“Really.” Yan Huan smiled and tilted his head to lightly touch Liu Fuguang’s forehead. “Why would I lie to you? I really like it, that’s why I’m asking for it. Give it to me, please.”

After a while, the Dragon God left his partner’s bedchamber, expressionless, carrying the flowerpot in one hand.

“Find out who sent this,” he said calmly. “I want to visit them personally.”

With his command, the subordinates hurriedly set things in motion and quickly unearthed information about the gift giver. The gift came from a prominent cultivation family on the eastern shore of the White Sea, known for their prowess in artifact crafting. This expertise earned them the favor of true immortal families, allowing them to rise to prominence and establish a prosperous city.

Yan Huan descended from the clouds, crossed thousands of miles in the blink of an eye, and arrived at the destination by following the address. He stepped into the heavily fortified city’s protective array, moved effortlessly through the armies of cultivators and the spiritual senses of high-ranking cultivators as if he were strolling through an uninhabited peach grove and casually brushing the fallen petals from his shoulders.

As he inhaled the mixed spiritual energy in the air, Yan Huan carried the flowerpot straight into the most opulent palace. Low-level cultivators patrolled on flying swords, as they chatted idly with their companions; spirit deer leaped by the roadside, and cranes flapped their wings; child servants scattered fish food, causing the koi in the pond to thrash about joyfully; artifact refiners hurried past with furnace cauldrons, followed by disciples laden with bags; a steward checked and distributed refining materials at the gate, while a young servant, seeing no one around, quietly slipped an impure crystal into his sleeve.

The city’s bustling activity was all swept over by the spiritual senses of the high-level cultivators. At that moment, several cultivators in the nascent soul stage were gathered together, one growing impatient and asking, “Why is the family head still not here?”

“He exhausted himself preparing the gift and has been resting for days. Reshaping the Impermanence Jade Tree is no easy feat,” another replied.

The last cultivator had been silent for a long time. Suddenly, he opened his eyes and exclaimed, “Something’s wrong!”

A flash of light streaked across the sky, arriving at the back hall of the family head’s residence in an instant. A dense, pungent smell of blood filled the air. The cultivator broke through the barrier and was stunned by what he saw.

The hall was empty, except for a massive twisted tree made of blood and flesh, rooted firmly in the soil. The family head’s face could be seen in the dripping, winding mess of flesh, his eyes wide open in a state of deathly bewilderment.

Nearby, a pristine, beautiful, and dazzling Impermanence Jade Tree stood, its form and posture mirroring the horrific blood tree perfectly.

Once again, the light dimmed.

In his ghostly state, Liu Fuguang pressed his lips together, a mixture of shock, disappointment, and anger surging through him.  However, he also noticed something—this wasn’t a dream or his memory. He had no knowledge of Yan Huan’s act of vengeance, so what he was witnessing couldn’t be tied to his recollections. So where was he now, and who was making him see all this?

The surroundings continued to shift, and this time, the timeline moved forward to a crucial point.

The earlier devouring of the fierce beast by Yan Huan wasn’t the end but more of a chaotic beginning. The ancient battlefield was saturated with the blood shed during the battles between the Human Emperor and the Eleven Dragon Kings, and divine blood neither dried nor evaporated. Each drop of divine blood was part of the deities’ separated power, and now longed to return to the ancient gods’ bodies.

Although Yan Huan had swallowed most of the divine blood upon his birth, a small portion remained out in the world. Those remnants continued to create probing beasts that hoped to find the long-lost ancient deities, the children of the Yellow Emperor and the Red Emperor.

No one in the world, neither mortal nor immortal, could withstand the power and hatred of divine blood. The true immortals combined their efforts to try and balance Yan Huan’s power, but aside from him, no one else could participate in that battle.

Reluctantly, the immortals once again came before the Dragon God. They humbled themselves, and apologized for their previous offenses and explained in detail the reasons behind their actions.

“The calamity is imminent. If no one intervenes, countless worlds will be plunged into chaos and destruction.” The immortals bowed deeply, as they pleaded, “We implore the Dragon God to generously assist and eliminate this hidden threat.”

Yan Huan looked at them, a cold, intense fire burning within him.

“But why should I intervene?” The Dragon God smiled slightly, and revealed his sharp white teeth. “You sealed my divine form and defined me as the Dragon God bearing all the world’s evils, yet now you want me to help with everything. To be a magnanimous benefactor who bears no grudges…I didn’t know such good things existed in this world!”

The true immortals responded with silence.

In the past, when the Eleven Dragon Kings and the Human Emperor vanished together, Heaven patched the gaps by allowing a group of mortal cultivators to ascend as immortals and replace the ancient deities. That group of true immortals discovered a newly hatched eyeless dragon on the ancient battlefield.

It was a pure amalgamation of sin, murderous intent, and calamity, yet its aura unmistakably indicated its divine nature. Shocked and horrified, one true immortal blurted out, “This child will be a great evil in the future!”

Everything has a spirit, and humans are the spirits of all beings. For beasts and spirits to gain fortune, they need a human to affirm it verbally. A snake then becomes a flood dragon, and a flood dragon becomes a true dragon.

The moment the true immortal spoke, he regretted it deeply, wishing he could take back his words as thunder rumbled at the edge of the battlefield, it was Heaven’s way responding to his declaration.

At that moment, he had used his human and true immortal status to seal Yan Huan’s fate and define his path as the Dragon God.

“This child will be a great evil.”

The remaining immortals were stunned. As witnesses, they too were bound by the karma of that pronouncement. After a long silence, one of them stamped his foot in frustration. “This is fate, destiny, and fortune, beyond our control! Now you’ve entangled us in a problem bigger than the heavens!”

Helplessly, the present immortals had to take on the responsibility of raising the Dragon God. They nurtured Yan Huan, and tried to shape his nature with the teachings of sages. Unfortunately, the wise words from the mouths of sages could not shake the Evil One left by the ancient gods. As soon as Yan Huan reached adulthood, he left without hesitation, breaking free from the immortals’ control.

The atmosphere in the Dragon Palace was tense. After a long while, an immortal spoke softly, “Dragon God, please think carefully. If your partner knew about this, what would he say? And if the calamity reached him, what would you do?”

Yan Huan’s expression turned furious, and his nine eyes glared menacingly, “Are you threatening me with him?!”

“We dare not,” the immortal bowed again. “We are merely suggesting a possibility. Ultimately, it is up to you to decide.”

Yan Huan’s expression fluctuated, and made it impossible to discern his thoughts. Finally, he turned to the true immortals, and hissed, “Fine. I will help you.”

Once I pacify the ancient battlefield and consume the remaining divine powers of the Human Emperor and the Eleven Dragon Kings, you will all become utterly useless and need not remain. He made up his mind and went to see Liu Fuguang.

“I need to go on a long journey,” he said. “Can you wait for me at home?”

The word “home” sent a tremor through Yan Huan’s heart. Could it be that he too could have a family in the mundane sense?

“Is it about the ancient battlefield?” Liu Fuguang asked. “Let me come with you. I can help…”

“I don’t want you to help,” Yan Huan immediately stopped him. “That is not a place for ordinary people.”

Liu Fuguang laughed softly, “But I’m not an ordinary person, I’m a cultivator.”

“Even those true immortals dare not personally engage in the battle and want me to fight for them. Your presence would be of no help,” Yan Huan lightly scolded. “Stay here. At least when I come back injured…there will be someone to take care of me.”

As he finished speaking, an unnatural blush spread across his face. When he saw that, Liu Fuguang couldn’t help but be greatly surprised and was about to tease him. However, Yan Huan hastily turned around and left without looking back. He could no longer indulge in matters of affection; he had to fulfill his mission. Once the goal was achieved, no one, mortal or immortal, would be able to interfere in or control his life.

Countless scenes passed by, with Liu Fuguang floating in mid-air, looking down at Yan Huan’s battles.

Yan Huan fought arduously, winning through sheer difficulty and suffering, as he teetered on the edge of death countless times. The ancient battlefield, aware of Yan Huan’s intentions, used the residual divine blood to shape and form the remnants of the Human Emperor and the Eleven Dragon Kings. Nineteen almost severed deities joined forces to battle Yan Huan.

Even in their incomplete state, they inherited all the combat skills and murderous intent of their original forms, causing immense trouble for the young Dragon God.

In the end, Yan Huan lay prostrate, his flesh and blood torn apart, his nine eyes partially destroyed. He consumed everything he could, from the golden blood of the ancient gods to the resentment and hostility that permeated the battlefield. His grievous injuries only fueled his madness and bloodlust, while his black dragon blood flowed in rivers. Amidst all that blood, Yan Huan’s thoughts had never been so clear.

He hid deep within the battlefield, as he slowly digested the power and malice, like a hunter waiting for the prey that was destined to come.

The calamity was resolved, yet the Dragon God was nowhere to be seen. As time passed, not only did Liu Fuguang grow anxious, but even the strategic immortals could no longer remain calm. They watched the desolate battlefield from a distance and finally decided to investigate.

“According to our divinations, the Dragon God has not fallen,” one immortal released a spiritual treasure that scanned the vast blood-red plains. “But for some reason he is nowhere to be found…”

“Regardless, we must find out the truth, and give Immortal Fuguang an explanation,” another immortal said. “He is very worried.”

Hearing Liu Fuguang’s name, Yan Huan, who was ready to strike, paused. After the mention of Liu Fuguang, the remaining immortals started to talk.

“Speaking of Immortal Fuguang…fortunately, the heavens did not abandon us. After the utmost evil, a supreme good was born, which barely maintained the balance,” one immortal sighed, his tone full of relief.

“Light and shadow are born together, a fundamental principle of nature,” another immortal agreed. “The most remarkable thing is that the dragon was willing to be restrained by him, gradually reducing his malevolent acts year by year…Truly, good and evil are one, indispensable to each other.”

As if he were struck by lightning, Yan Huan’s tightly wound killing intent instantly loosened, and he was left utterly stunned. Supreme good…what supreme good? According to the immortals, if he was the great evil of all worlds, then Fuguang, his partner…was the supreme good that corresponded to him?

The immortals continued to lament.

“I didn’t think he would agree,” one immortal mused. “In fact, before meeting him, I was prepared to die. But who could have imagined, as soon as we mentioned his partner’s name, he agreed so quickly…”

“This shows our decision was flawless,” another chuckled. “Arranging his marriage with Liu Fuguang early on was a stroke of genius, wasn’t it? It bound him right up.”

Like a statue cast in concrete, the massive dragon’s serpentine body froze in place, unmoving. His mind was blank. At that moment, even a child just learning to walk could have picked up a small knife and driven it deep into his unprotected eye socket.

All the madness and murderous intent drained away, replaced by overwhelming confusion. The world seemed to drift far away from him.

So, Fuguang…Liu Fuguang was nothing more than a chain they used to bind me. Yan Huan thought quietly, from the moment I was born, I was sealed by the immortals and branded with the title of the greatest evil. Conversely, the greatest good was also born in the land called Eastern Swamp and found by them, placed by my side early on.

I had planned to eliminate these immortals completely to gain my freedom and end this wretched fate. However, fate is cruel. The chains I sought to break free from have been by my side all along, and they became my partner, tied to me by a red thread. Yan Huan curled his dragon body, his nine eyes fixed and unblinking.

The greatest good, indeed…I should have realized. Only the greatest good could suppress my rage and the Evil One, making me unable to act out or feel anger. Only the greatest good could attract someone as inherently evil as myself. We are like the two poles of black and white, repelling yet chasing each other. My union with him was exactly the balance the immortals hoped to see. The Dragon God trembled unconsciously, and felt intense humiliation after his initial shock.

I have been deceived, he thought. This is not some perfect marriage born of mutual love. I am still a puppet, a tool in the immortals’ design, manipulated from birth to death.

This path wasn’t my choice, they forced it upon me. The marriage to this person of supreme goodness wasn’t my desire, they tricked me into it with sweet lies. Am I the Dragon God? What kind of pathetic god am I to be so easily manipulated?

The more Yan Huan thought about it, the more uncontrollable his thoughts became. He thought of Liu Fuguang’s smile, his warm touch, his gentleness and love…such wonderful things, but none of them were meant for him! Liu Fuguang had never seen his true form, never knew how pitiful and repulsive he was, how twisted and ugly. All he saw was his facade, his perfect but false disguise!

In the throes of extreme collapse and fury, the eyeless dragon let out a sharp cry and broke free from the battlefield. His wounds had healed, and the divine blood granted him new power, along with fresh malice and madness. At last, he had the overwhelming strength to slay the immortals of the mortal world.

That evening, the ancient battlefield was soaked in blood, as was the sky. The dismembered bodies of the immortals scattered across the soil, their blood a light silver like dew. Yan Huan did not return home immediately. Instead, he sealed the entire Dragon Palace, allowing neither people nor messages to enter or leave.

Unaware of the details, the young Liu Fuguang felt increasingly uneasy. He could not rest within the Dragon Palace, as he anxiously awaited Yan Huan’s return. He imagined that perhaps Yan Huan was gravely injured, unable to maintain his disguised form, and thus hid away, unwilling to be seen. However, that was merely a comforting thought. Liu Fuguang had advanced from Nascent Soul to Divided Spirit, and had gained slight foresight into the future. In his eyes, Yan Huan’s prolonged absence was a deeply ominous sign.

From the sealing of the Dragon Palace to Yan Huan’s return, a span of months passed—not too long, yet not short either.

As he watched the scene below, Liu Fuguang still remembered the moment Yan Huan stepped onto the stairs of the Dragon Palace again. His black robes were completely soaked, and left silver streaks from the bottom step to the top. He didn’t understand what it was then, but now, he finally understood the confusion of the past.

The Dragon God looked at his partner with a dark gaze and softly said, “I’m back.”

The young Liu Fuguang hurriedly ran over, and inspected Yan Huan’s wounds from head to toe.

“You…you’re okay!” Liu Fuguang exclaimed joyfully. “I heard news from outside that this battle was tough, and you were gravely injured, and almost died. They said the true immortals were also facing a grim fate… Are you really unharmed?”

“I’m fine,” Yan Huan gently moved his hand aside, a soft smile on his lips. “I was worried someone might take advantage of the situation and cause trouble in the Dragon Palace, so I sealed it off temporarily. I didn’t mean to make you worry.”

Liu Fuguang laughed, “I was worried, but now that you’re safe and sound, I have nothing else to ask for.”

He felt relieved, but there was something strange. Since his return, Yan Huan’s nine eyes had been fixated on him, not wandering or shifting, which was an unusual occurrence. Liu Fuguang felt puzzled but didn’t want to bring it up directly. Yan Huan stayed in the Dragon Palace for several days, and tightly controlled the flow of information, ensuring Liu Fuguang heard nothing he shouldn’t.

“What’s wrong with you?” Liu Fuguang propped his head on his hand, and stared at Yan Huan curiously after a few days. “You talk less, smile less, and keep staring at me. If something’s bothering you, just tell me. We’re partners, aren’t we?”

Yan Huan’s expression darkened as he stared at him, then suddenly he let out a low laugh.

“I think…I have something to show you,” he said slowly,and  each word seemed to be carefully chewed over before being spoken. “Will you come with me?”

Liu Fuguang was surprised, “Sure. Where are we going?”

Yan Huan took him to the ancient battlefield where the great catastrophe had occurred and the ancient gods had fought. Now, there was nothing left but endless golden-red soil.

“I wanted you to see this place,” the Dragon God said. “This is where I was born.”

Liu Fuguang looked around in surprise, “It doesn’t look that frightening…Wasn’t this place supposed to be perpetually soaked in blood and filled with the violent aura of gods battling?”

Yan Huan laughed but did not answer Liu Fuguang’s question. Instead, he led him slowly to the edge of the battlefield.

“This place is called Desolate Extremity. It was where the Red Emperor gave birth to the eleven Dragon Lords. To the south of Desolate Extremity is the Cliff of Bell Mountain. After the Yellow Emperor killed the god of Bell Mountain, the mountain ceased to exist, leaving only a deep chasm. Anything that falls into it turns to nothing.”

Liu Fuguang leaned over to look, “Ah, so this is the Cliff of Bell Mountain…According to legend, anyone who accidentally falls into it will merge with the already dead Mountain God and enter an eternal sleep. I wonder if that’s true?”

Yan Huan said, “It is true.”

Just as Liu Fuguang was about to turn and ask how he knew this, his body suddenly trembled violently. He let out a soft “ah,” and felt an icy chill sweep over him.

What happened? His brain sluggishly tried to process the sudden event…What happened?

The pain came as a delayed sensation. Liu Fuguang lowered his head and saw Yan Huan’s hand, covered in gushing blood, pierced through his lower dantian. His lightweight robe was soaked through.

“Let’s take a nap here, okay, Fuguang?” the Dragon God whispered gently. “There’s something in you that I need.”

His fingers tightened, as he gripped the Dao-heart that shimmered with a brilliant and clear radiance within the dantian. With a swift motion, he pulled it out! Everything happened so quickly. The young cultivator’s body fell like a broken puppet, merged instantly with the swirling dust, and disappeared without a trace.

As he stood above the Cliff of Bell Mountain, Yan Huan held the bloody Dao-heart in his hand. The red thread on his little finger suddenly appeared and flickered violently like a dying creature. Without expression, he glanced at the thread, which grew weaker and dimmer with each flicker. With a calm twist of his hand, he shattered it into several rotten pieces, which fell into the endless void.

“What’s good and what’s evil?” Yan Huan chuckled. “From this moment on, I am both good and evil. No one can restrain me or oppose me. I am…complete.”

Liu Fuguang watched him swallow the Dao-heart without hesitation, while his own body remained in the form of a ghost from beginning to end. Suddenly, he felt dizzy, as if being pulled downward by a great force. As if time had reversed, he went from being an observer to a participant. Sitting on the bed in the Dragon Palace, Liu Fuguang was back to the night when Yan Huan returned from his severe injury, the night they had intimately bonded.

He looked down and saw Yan Huan lying on his lap, trembling all over, filled with bitterness and curses.

The Dragon God murmured, “…I hate you too, you know? Among all people, I hate you the most… I hate you, I hate you!”

Liu Fuguang, still gently stroking his long hair, remained silent for a long time.

“I know,” he finally said softly, as he looked into Yan Huan’s nine trembling eyes. “It’s okay. I don’t hate you.”

—

In the spring of the 176th year of Chenghui, Yan Huan sat in front of a magnificent golden mirror, his gaze stern as he stared at his reflection. He was getting married. Or to be precise, he was “about to get married,” because those meddlesome immortals had arranged what was supposedly a perfect marriage for him.