Chapter 234: Inquire Here (Final)

Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: GaeaTiamat

 

In the early spring of March, the gentle green breeze swept across the land, and everything came to life with vigor. The ice on the river melted, producing faint cracking sounds, like a butterfly chrysalis breaking. The faint whispers drifted along with the intertwining spring wind, fluttering through the treetops.

Recently, many people had ventured out for spring outings, but few had ventured into such secluded and quiet deep woods. A soft rustling sound echoed, and two shadows, one black and one white, appeared from the winding path.

“Fuguang, Qingqing,” the man in black pleaded as he chased after them, repeatedly apologizing. “I know I was wrong. I shouldn’t have…”

Liu Fuguang ignored him, after a moment sneering, “Knowing your mistake but not correcting it, isn’t that just making it worse?”

Yan Huan, relieved that Liu Fuguang had finally spoken, murmured nervously, “Who would know it was hollow? It couldn’t take much…”

Liu Fuguang shot a sharp glance at him, silencing him immediately.

Aside from their internal struggles, they had just rid the world of a great calamity, yet there was no time to rest. Over the past six thousand years, numerous toxins had spread through various realms: the symptoms of a corrupted heart, the threat of the undead, and the remaining four anchor points… all were problems left by Yan Huan, needing someone to clean up the mess.

Time could not be reversed; damage had already been done. However, Liu Fuguang held onto the belief that it was never too late to mend things. With the power of cultivators undaunted by time, they would restore the world’s oceans to their original state one day.

Liu Fuguang sighed, glancing up at the sky.

Since his reawakening, Yan Huan no longer managed sins and evil deeds, but his nature remained chaotic, swaying according to Liu Fuguang’s whims. If Liu Fuguang said it was good, then it was; if he said it wasn’t, then it wasn’t. Yan Huan followed his lead like an ancient god with unmatched freedom.

They had just exited the eighth anchor point. The beings in that world fervently chased after worldly wealth, to the point where even the stars gained sentience and greed, instinctively hoarding everything they deemed valuable. When they arrived, they found the world’s consciousness plotting to consume the core of other worlds. Upon seeing Liu Fuguang, it tried to force him into becoming one of its prized collections.

Yan Huan was naturally furious and did not tolerate it. He rushed forward, destroying the consciousness with one strike. However, it had stored everything within its body. The blow was like bursting an overstuffed piggy bank, and torrents of golden sand poured out, mixed with treasures, rare spiritual items, even living beings, and entire palaces, gardens, and landscapes—more overwhelming than a world-ending flood.

It took only days to resolve the anchor point, but cleaning up the aftermath took months. Liu Fuguang was speechless.

“You know,” he decided to confess after a long pause, “On the day of my reawakening, I made a promise to the Dao.”

Yan Huan blinked his nine eyes, anxious. “A promise? What promise?”

He became tense, as he deeply hated being manipulated by fate and didn’t want his lover to fall into such a trap either.

“I swore to the Dao-heart,” Liu Fuguang sighed, “that I would watch over you and help you clean up all the messes you’ve made.”

Yan Huan was shocked at first, then deeply moved. Tears welled up in his eyes, and he looked at Liu Fuguang, “Fuguang, you’re so good.” He sobbed, “I love you, so much, I love you more than anything…”

He then launched into an endless tirade of sweet words, much to Liu Fuguang’s discomfort. Liu Fuguang was itching all over, wanting to speed up and shake off the sticky words. But he knew if he did, Yan Huan would make an even bigger scene, so he held back.

“…Alright,” Liu Fuguang finally replied, unable to hide his awkwardness.

The journey continued, leading them through many wondrous places. In a world where the barriers between time and space were thin and frequently caused objects to shift and disappear, Liu Fuguang and Yan Huan had stayed for weeks. There, Liu Fuguang found a strange jade slip.

“Interesting,” Liu Fuguang read the contents. When he first saw the slip, he sensed a profound energy, as if it had come from another dimension. He bought it, thinking it contained cultivation secrets or treasure maps. However, after scanning it with his spiritual sense, he realized it contained a story, not cultivation methods.

Yan Huan made tea for him, asking, “What’s written on it?”

“Just a story.” Liu Fuguang was surprised, “You won’t believe it. It’s as if the world in the jade slip isn’t even from this universe.”

“Really?” Yan Huan was intrigued.

Liu Fuguang continued, “It talks about huge ships that can travel through the universe, each ship large enough to be its own country. The people there don’t practice cultivation, but they can wage war in the stars. Even a scholar with no martial prowess can use a ‘gun’—it’s described as a block of silver iron—but this thing can throw lightning and fire to strike tiny objects from thousands of miles away.”

Yan Huan frowned, “That’s nonsense.”

Liu Fuguang couldn’t help but laugh. The jade slip could only be read by one person’s spiritual sense, so he had to orally describe it to Yan Huan.

“And there’s more. It talks about giant horses living in the molten core of the earth, whose upper bodies are human. Have you ever seen such creatures?” Liu Fuguang teased.

Yan Huan grumbled, “I’ve never seen such strange beings.”

Hearing about half-human, half-snake ancient gods, Yan Huan was astonished, “Where did that come from? Could it be Nuwa and Fuxi?!”

Liu Fuguang laughed, “I knew you wouldn’t believe it. The Huayan Sutra says that all the Buddha’s children, from every world in the ocean, exist in many forms, with different shapes, natures, and paths. You forgot? There are always worlds beyond worlds.”

Though Liu Fuguang laughed it off, the jade slip mysteriously disappeared by the next morning, as if it had never existed. Despite his efforts to search for it, it was gone. Perhaps it only appeared for those with the right fate, constantly wandering, never staying in one place for long. Liu Fuguang was at peace with it and let it go.

Following their original route, they traveled through more places. Liu Fuguang worked hard to create medicinal elixirs to heal the cursed ailments, and each time they arrived in a new world, Yan Huan would transform into his true form, summoning rains to nourish all beings. Additionally, to atone for six thousand years of accumulated sins, Yan Huan spent three months each year traveling the corners of every realm, until his sentence was complete.

As for their first hand-holding moment, it happened after they had resolved all nine anchor points. They briefly entered a state of rest, thinking there was no need to rush, leaving the rest for another day.

In the place they visited, people lived in an exotic style, with men exposing their torsos, wearing wide belts and flowing trousers, while women draped themselves in gauzy fabrics. All the palms and soles of their feet were dyed red with flower juice, which made Liu Fuguang and Yan Huan look like foreign visitors.

Liu Fuguang found the scene amusing as they strolled through the market, seeing vendors sitting on colorful silk mats, displaying all kinds of wares: wax-dyed linen, embroidered curtains, crystal and amber-studded wine glasses, purple glass earrings, and strange nude-shaped clay pots. At one stall, the spice seller had a black bull with smooth horns, and at another, peacocks screeched beside hats and clothing. The wine seller wore a massive bull-hide flask on his head, with tassels hanging from the neck.

There were fruits, statues, livestock, machetes, and spears—so many diverse and dazzling things gathered in one place.

In such an open-minded place, the atmosphere was naturally vibrant. As they walked down the street, no one dared to look at Yan Huan’s face, but vendors poured flowers and scarves onto Liu Fuguang, showering him with affection.

Yan Huan’s face darkened, furious, but unable to do anything to these bold mortals, so he stayed close to Liu Fuguang, inching even closer to display a futile possessiveness.

Perhaps it was the lively atmosphere that created a cheerful mood, perhaps it was the vibrant scene before them, or maybe it was a sudden whim or a burst of goodwill… Regardless, Liu Fuguang glanced back at him and couldn’t help but sigh.

Then, with a slight movement of his hand hidden in his long sleeves, he gently pinched the four fingers of Yan Huan’s hand behind him.

It wasn’t exactly intimate, nor could it even be considered a proper hand-holding, but in that moment, Yan Huan felt as though a thunderbolt had struck him. His mind went blank, his senses foggy, and he was unwittingly led a good distance away before he barely regained some clarity.

Hand in hand, I… Fuguang is holding my hand… Yan Huan thought hazily. Could it be that I’m dreaming?

The more he thought about it, the more convinced he became that this was all a dream. He didn’t even have the strength to return the gesture. The more he thought, the more his face turned red, feeling as though it was being steamed in a hot pot. The heat spread all the way to his ears.

Even if this is a dream, it’s a beautiful dream that I never want to wake up from! Yan Huan sighed inwardly. But, if it’s just a dream, maybe it’s okay to be a little bold, right?

With that thought, he managed to shake off the fuzziness clouding his mind, gathered all his strength, and gently pinched Liu Fuguang’s thumb in return.

“…Idiot.” Liu Fuguang mumbled, trying to hide the amused expression on his face, but failed.

Yan Huan didn’t hide it at all, flashing a big, toothy grin. “I’m your idiot.”

Later, Liu Fuguang still voluntarily let go. Yan Huan, too excited and his body temperature rising, had his palms drenched in sweat, as though he was a furnace. His skin felt hot and uncomfortable, so Liu Fuguang finally couldn’t take it anymore.

That day, Yan Huan nearly cried in the market, threatening to flood the nearby stalls.

Their first kiss, however, happened in a more ordinary situation. It was that day when Yan Huan, as if seeking approval, told Liu Fuguang of his intention to willingly serve his time in Sun Devouring.

It wasn’t entirely unexpected, but Liu Fuguang hadn’t thought he would do something like that. He stared at Yan Huan for a while, until the dragon god lowered his head like a shy girl, and then Liu Fuguang suddenly asked, “So, what do you want?”

Even though he had a thick skin, Yan Huan still became embarrassed at such a direct question. He stammered for a long time, finally letting out a small murmur.

“…Mmm, mmm.”

“What do you want?” Liu Fuguang asked again, even more directly.

This question left Yan Huan speechless.

Initially, he had only planned to make Liu Fuguang happy and earn his admiration. As for what he wanted? He really didn’t know, nor could he think of anything.

Liu Fuguang sighed again.

“Let me kiss you,” he said. “Since you’re willing to make up for six thousand years of lost time… then let me kiss you, okay?”

Once again, Yan Huan’s mind short-circuited.

He stared wide-eyed for a while, dazed and confused, before tremblingly asking, “Anywhere… can I kiss you anywhere?”

Where else do you want to kiss me? Liu Fuguang was speechless. However, staying true to his principles of honesty, he nodded. “…Do as you wish.”

Yan Huan trembled with joy, seemingly stuck for a moment, bending down inch by inch, slowly moving toward his lover. His fingers kept trembling. But before he could even reach Liu Fuguang’s clothes, he froze in place, quickly turned his head, and then abruptly flew off in his dragon form.

Liu Fuguang, “…”

What on earth is he doing?

As if the joy turned to sorrow, Yan Huan found a secluded place and couldn’t hold back his tears. Thunder rumbled overhead, and the rain poured down in torrents. Not long after, when Yan Huan returned, his red eyes met Liu Fuguang’s gaze, and Liu Fuguang pretended not to notice.

Yan Huan took a deep breath, both hands loosely gripping Liu Fuguang’s shoulders, which were so hot it startled him.

— Softer than a spring breeze, he gently kissed the small mole at the corner of his lover’s lips.

In that moment, Liu Fuguang’s brow twitched, and he couldn’t help but be moved.

“You…”

Before he could finish his sentence, Yan Huan immediately let go, turned around, and fled again.

Not long after, thunder clapped, and heavy rain poured down in a noisy downpour.

Liu Fuguang, “…”

What is he doing now?!

Anyway, after all the moments of confusion, they returned to Eastern Swamp. Zhou Yi, who had a knack for reading the sky, came to congratulate Liu Fuguang.

“Your Excellency, the Immortal, is too kind. I’m no longer perfect, so what’s there to celebrate?” Liu Fuguang laughed.

Zhou Yi pretended to be serious. “Ah, indeed. Since our last meeting, Immortal Lord, you’ve completely changed. You’ve undergone a transformation and even learned to speak formalities!”

Yan Huan never had much to say to immortals. After all, he had been afraid of them for years. Zhou Yi dared not face him, so only Liu Fuguang welcomed him. After some pleasantries, Zhou Yi took a deep breath and cautiously shared his purpose. “Immortal Lord, I’ve come today at someone’s request. I have a bit of a trivial matter to inform you about…”

Liu Fuguang looked at him with confusion.

Zhou Yi said, “Immortal Lord, I’m sure you’ve forgotten, but there’s still an external debt you owe, one that has never been repaid.”

Liu Fuguang smiled bitterly. “What debt? I’ve owed many, and many owe me as well. As for whether they’re paid back, it doesn’t matter.”

“Is it the debt to the Old Man Under the Moon?” Zhou Yi asked.

Liu Fuguang’s expression changed slightly, and he looked surprised. “The Old Man Under the Moon is still alive?”

Zhou Yi replied, “The Fengdu realm can exist on its own, and immortals cannot be without a place to reside. The Dragon God was once too dangerous, so the Immortal Realm remained hidden in the world’s seas, afraid to let him know. But now that you’re looking after him and ensuring he doesn’t commit more crimes, only now could this news be safely revealed.”

“Because of you, the Evil One didn’t actively go after the Old Man Under the Moon. He escaped with his life. The debt… are you going to collect it? The Old Man Under the Moon entrusted me to ask. If you agree, he’s willing to tie the red string for you two and connect your fates.”

Liu Fuguang remained silent for a long time.

He sent Zhou Yi off and returned to his chamber. Yan Huan, who had been anxiously waiting, immediately asked when he saw him enter, “What did he say? He didn’t harass or trouble you, did he?”

Liu Fuguang glanced at him sideways. “What, do you still want to kill him?”

Yan Huan hesitated for a moment. He almost said “yes,” but then he thought of Zhou Yi’s actions—how he had consulted the will of Heaven and saved Fuguang. Yan Huan owed him a debt that was greater than the heavens themselves. For this favor, he had even refrained from disrupting the small world the immortal created.

No matter what, he couldn’t kill him… Hmm, how strange. This feeling is really strange.

“…No,” Yan Huan finally lowered his head and answered, “I won’t do anything to him.”

Liu Fuguang snorted lightly, thought for a moment, but in the end, said nothing. Instead, he asked, “Do you want to visit the Immortal Realm? The condition is that you have to behave and not cause trouble.”

Yan Huan immediately understood. “Oh, so it’s their little world. Sure, I’ll listen to you, Qingqing.”

Liu Fuguang was surprised. “You know?”

“Of course I do. After the re-sealing, I could sense the aura of that world,” Yan Huan shrugged. “But I didn’t pay much attention to it.”

Without further ado, after bidding farewell to his parents and brothers, Liu Fuguang made his way to the Immortal Realm.

Although it was called the Immortal Realm, it wasn’t much different from a typical small world. People were busy, and it was made up of common folk, cities, and temples.

They masked their presence and didn’t disturb the inhabitants of this world. Yan Huan still didn’t know why Liu Fuguang had come here, so he asked, “Qingqing, what are we doing here?”

Liu Fuguang chuckled, giving him a vague answer. Following the map that Zhou Yi had given him, they arrived at the Old Man Under the Moon’s domain. In the center of the city stood a towering tree in full bloom—an exquisite crape myrtle.

The branches, heavy with silver flowers, swayed gently in the breeze, resembling moonlight and drifting snow. Countless long, vermilion threads like cinnabar were tied to the tree, resembling red strings that intertwined into a thousand knots.

The Tree of Fate.

Liu Fuguang paused and gazed at it, and Yan Huan, thinking he was entranced by the beauty, stood with him for a long while. The streets were bustling, with many couples walking hand in hand, their closeness unmistakable.

“You wait for me here,” Liu Fuguang instructed. “I’ll be back soon.”

He walked into a nearby inn. Behind the counter, an elderly man with snow-white hair was squinting, scribbling something on a page.

“Here already?” The old man didn’t look up, merely scratching his forehead with a jade pen. “Do you need a quick bite or a place to stay?”

Liu Fuguang replied, “Neither, I’m not here for either.”

Finally, the old man looked up and smiled when he saw Liu Fuguang.

“Ah, yes, you can’t stay, and you can’t eat here,” he said, still smiling. “I only welcome customers whose fingers are tied with red threads.”

Hearing this, Liu Fuguang instinctively raised his hand, only to find a broken red line around his pinky—like a shocking scar that refused to fade.

“How about it?” The old man wiggled his eyebrows, coaxing him playfully. “It seems you and I are destined. How about another one? I offer preferential pricing for all ages, you can’t miss it!”

Liu Fuguang furrowed his brow, torn between wanting to laugh and not. It was a strange feeling.

He turned to look at Yan Huan, who was standing in the distance. People passed by, but they instinctively gave him space, leaving him alone in the crowd. Yan Huan, however, seemed unaware, his eyes solely focused on Liu Fuguang, full of sincerity and warmth, as if nothing else existed in the world.

Liu Fuguang turned his head, and in that instant, many thoughts flashed through his mind. Sometimes, he wondered about things, like whether Yan Huan had built a temple for him somewhere.

…Or maybe several thousand.

“Never mind,” Liu Fuguang mused after a moment. “There’s no need for that. After all, the bond between us is already more complicated and persistent than a red thread.”

The old man made no comment, pouting in a childish manner. Liu Fuguang smiled faintly, left the inn, and walked back toward Yan Huan.

“Let’s go home,” he said. “It’s done, there’s nothing more to see here.”

Yan Huan obediently nodded. “Okay.”

The two walked side by side. After a moment, Yan Huan quietly reached out and hooked his pinky finger with Liu Fuguang’s.

Liu Fuguang didn’t look down, nor did he pull away. He withdrew his pinky and intertwined all ten fingers, continuing forward.

Extras will be slow to release.