After Qi Zhuoyu finished speaking, Feng Xuan remained silent for a long time.
Qi Zhuoyu looked at him, with a bit of confusion in his eyes, as if silently asking why he wasn’t responding.
What should he say?
Deadly.
Why did it feel like he was being flirted with by this clueless straight guy?
The temperature at night in Qifeng Palace wasn’t very high.
Under the Wutong Divine Tree, it was especially cool, but Feng Xuan’s face felt a bit hot.
He sneaked a glance at Qi Zhuoyu and found that he looked listless, as if he was tired.
The dark circles under his eyes were more pronounced against his pale skin.
Feng Xuan hesitated for a moment and then asked, “Are you going back to the Chaotic Sea tonight?”
Qi Zhuoyu turned his head to look at him. “Why?”
“If you’re not going back, you might as well sleep here at Qifeng Palace.”
After saying that, Feng Xuan felt there was some ambiguity in his words and quickly corrected himself, “I mean just sleep, not sleep with me.”
Qi Zhuoyu chuckled. “I know. But didn’t you say you won’t let Senior brother sleep in your bed casually?”
Feng Xuan: “.”
Is your memory so good just to remember these things?
“What I mean is, as long as I agree, you can sleep here.” Feng Xuan moved aside to make room on the Wutong bed. “It’s just that I slept too much during the day, and now I don’t feel like sleeping at night. I’m not intentionally giving you the bed.”
Qi Zhuoyu stared at him for a while, seemingly convinced.
He didn’t argue anymore and directly lay down on the Wutong bed to rest.
This also indirectly proved that Qi Zhuoyu was indeed very tired.
He was usually causing trouble everywhere, more ambitious about his career than anyone else, likely even cultivating with his eyes closed, never stopping.
To fall asleep so quickly, the situation in the Chaotic Sea must have been quite serious.
Feng Xuan stared at his pale face for a long time and couldn’t resist reaching out to lightly touch his eyelashes.
Big devil, you’ve already become the leader of the Demon Realm, why are you still working so hard?
He used to be so formidable, always saying he wasn’t afraid even if the sky fell. Now, dealing with a few matters has worn him out like this. Could it be that he’s getting old and losing his strength?
Feng Xuan was amused by his own ridiculous thoughts.
If Qi Zhuoyu’s age could be considered old, the ancient gods of White Jade Capital would be infuriated.
But after laughing, his heart grew heavier.
Seeing Qi Zhuoyu sleeping soundly, Feng Xuan quietly climbed out of bed.
He then walked to the Wutong Divine Tree, took down the Divine Soul Lamp, and carefully inspected the primordial spirit inside.
Only after confirming that Qi Zhuoyu wasn’t using his primordial spirit to sustain his soul did Feng Xuan breathe a sigh of relief.
He sat back on the bed and tentatively placed his hand on Qi Zhuoyu’s shoulder.
He tried to transfer some spiritual power to him, though he knew it might be futile.
As soon as he did, Qi Zhuoyu unexpectedly grabbed his wrist.
“No need.”
Feng Xuan: “.”
I haven’t even said what I’m going to do, and you’re already saying no.
“Your primordial spirit seems a bit weak,” Feng Xuan decided to remind him.
“I know. A good sleep will fix it,” Qi Zhuoyu replied indifferently.
Did he think he was a mortal?
If sleeping could restore a primordial spirit, why did he sleep for two hundred years and still feel terrible?
Feng Xuan was about to use himself as an example, but Qi Zhuoyu suddenly tightened his grip on his hand.
Before he realized it, Qi Zhuoyu had pulled him onto the bed.
Feng Xuan fell into his arms unexpectedly, cushioned by Qi Zhuoyu, so he didn’t feel any pain.
“Then hugging for a while will be fine.”
“Hugging won’t restore your primordial spirit,” Feng Xuan mumbled, struggling. “Do you think you’re a fox demon absorbing men’s essence for cultivation?”
However, Qi Zhuoyu didn’t respond.
Feng Xuan looked up and saw that Qi Zhuoyu had fallen asleep again.
Forget it.
Feng Xuan stopped struggling.
Being hugged all night.
He won’t lose anything.
****
Qi Zhuoyu stayed at Qifeng Palace for some time.
He wasn’t there all day; he would disappear during the day and appear at night. Sometimes, he wouldn’t show up at night but would come during the day to occupy Feng Xuan’s bed. Over time, Feng Xuan got used to his erratic, cat-like schedule.
At first, Feng Xuan worried about Qi Zhuoyu coming to Qifeng Palace. What if the Emperor Father found out?
After all, the big devil was still the leader of the Demon Realm.
But the Emperor Father seemed busy with state affairs lately.
Ancient gods of high status from White Jade Capital were constantly coming in and out of Lingxiao Palace.
He didn’t have time to watch over Qifeng Palace.
In half a month, it would be Feng Xuan’s birthday.
The lives of the gods were long, so although they celebrated birthdays, it was different from mortals.
Mortals celebrated annually, while gods were accustomed to celebrating every hundred years. Feng Xuan had slept through the last two hundred years, so his birthday wasn’t celebrated grandly, only marked by a banquet when he awoke. Now that he had been awake for a while, the Emperor Father planned to throw a grand celebration for him.
I don’t understand how there could be a god like my father existing in the Three Realms—who is so superstitious even when he is an immortal himself.jpg
As the Crown Prince’s birthday approached, White Jade Capital grew increasingly lively.
It was even more grand than the celebration for his awakening.
After all, during the awakening banquet, Feng Xuan himself didn’t attend.
This time, many gods from the Three Realms heard that the Crown Prince himself would be present!
Two days before the birthday celebration, gifts from various gods and the Sanqing Realm flowed continuously into Qifeng Palace, filling its storeroom in no time.
In the past, Feng Xuan might have been delighted by these shiny treasures, after all, what bird doesn’t love such flashy things?
But after seeing the treasures in the necklace Qi Zhuoyu gave him, Feng Xuan remained calm no matter what he saw now.
In the blink of an eye, the day of the birthday celebration arrived.
Feng Xuan was forced to get up early and stand as a mascot in Lingxiao Palace before the Si hour. (TL: 9 am to 11 am)
As the protagonist of the birthday celebration, he was busy until the banquet began, only then returning to his seat.
As soon as he sat down, Yue’er leaned over to whisper in his ear, “Ling Bao, look at that god.”
Feng Xuan followed her gaze and saw a high god whose age was indiscernible, but judging by his aura, he seemed to be a very powerful deity.
“What’s up with him?” Feng Xuan was puzzled, wondering what was so special about this god.
Yue’er said, “That’s Buting Huyu, the God of War from the South Sea.”
Feng Xuan thought for a moment and vaguely remembered such a god.
When Yue’er mentioned his name, Feng Xuan recalled seeing it in Siming’s records. Didn’t Siming say that Buting Huyu had gone through tribulations in the mortal realm and had yet to return?
Seeing Feng Xuan remember, Yue’er mysteriously continued, “Do you know why Buting Huyu hasn’t returned from his tribulations?”
As she teased, she skillfully slipped Feng Xuan fifty small spirit stones. Feng Xuan was pleased with her perceptiveness. “Tell me. I’m listening.”
Yue’er said, “It’s said that Buting Huyu’s beloved in the mortal realm was on the verge of death. To protect his soul, Buting Huyu used his godhood to sustain the little demon’s soul for a hundred years, almost costing him his own return to the heavenly realm.”
Yue’er found it unbelievable, “How can someone be so infatuated, nearly losing their life over a tribulation for love? It’s better to pick wild vegetables than to be a god.”
After saying this, Yue’er suddenly remembered that her family’s cub was also infatuated, and quickly corrected herself, “But you’re different, Precious Ling. Saving Qi Zhuoyu just shows your kind heart and gratitude!”
Feng Xuan: “…”
Thanks, but I’m not comforted at all.
However, after hearing Yue’er’s story, Feng Xuan quietly glanced at Buting Huyu.
He thought their interaction would end there.
After all, the South Sea was quite far from White Jade Capital, and gods usually didn’t visit unless there was a significant event.
Unexpectedly, after the banquet, when Feng Xuan left Lingxiao Palace, he was politely stopped by the South Sea God of War.
Feng Xuan didn’t know his intentions. Surely it wasn’t to exchange experiences about their love tribulations?
Buting Huyu respectfully performed a White Jade Capital salute and slowly said, “That day at the Abyss, I didn’t know the high god was the Crown Prince. I haven’t properly thanked you for your help.”
…Huh?
This thank you left Feng Xuan bewildered.
Perhaps his confusion was too obvious, and Buting Huyu noticed something was off.
Feng Xuan spoke, “God, you may not know this, but during my tribulation, I lost my memory. I can’t remember many things now.”
Buting Huyu, who always had an expressionless face, showed a hint of surprise upon hearing this.
He said lightly, “I hope Your Highness can regain your memory soon.”
See, see.
Even a stranger like the God of War hopes he can regain his memory.
Qi Zhuoyu, on the other hand, always hoped he wouldn’t remember.
As expected, men from the demon realm are all scoundrels.
Buting Huyu didn’t seem like a talkative person. After expressing his gratitude, he seemed ready to leave.
Feng Xuan, however, impulsively called out, “God, please wait.”
Buting Huyu indeed stopped.
Feng Xuan carefully considered his words and said, “Do you remember the man who was with me during the tribulation?”
Buting Huyu nodded.
Feng Xuan continued, “Could you tell me everything that happened back then?”
After speaking, he couldn’t even understand what he was doing.
Clearly, Qi Zhuoyu had told him that he didn’t need to remember those memories.
But once he heard snippets about the big devil and himself from others, he couldn’t help but want to know more.
Buting Huyu didn’t refuse.
The thrilling dangers of the secret realm in the South Sea Abyss were explained clearly in just a few words.
When Feng Xuan heard about the Water Mirror, he couldn’t help but think.
So the big devil’s masochistic tendencies weren’t developed after he became a demon; he had them even when he was a mortal.
Feng Xuan listened intently and lost track of time. He didn’t even remember when Buting Huyu finished speaking.
In the end, Feng Xuan realized Buting Huyu hadn’t mentioned his beloved in the mortal realm, so he couldn’t help but ask, “What happened to the little carp?”
Buting Huyu didn’t respond.
But Feng Xuan understood.
He had tried to use his godhood to protect the little carp’s soul for a hundred years in the mortal realm.
In the end, it was all a fleeting dream, passing in an instant.
The only thing left was a pair of shell earrings that he never had the chance to give.
Long after Buting Huyu left, Feng Xuan remained standing there.
When he finally snapped out of it, he felt he might have said the wrong thing.
Damn.
Why did he bring up such a sore subject? Should he catch up to Buting Huyu and comfort him?
But what could he say?
“Please accept my condolences”?
Feng Xuan thought of Buting Huyu’s eyes, eyes devoid of light, as dead as they could be.
If it weren’t for the long lifespan of gods, Feng Xuan might have thought he was already dead.
He didn’t know why, but he suddenly thought of Qi Zhuoyu.
During those two hundred years, did the big devil feel the same as this man?
Feng Xuan just thought about it briefly.
Then he felt a bit stuffy in his chest.
****
By evening, Feng Xuan felt that his worry had come too soon.
Qifeng Palace was empty, with not a single person in sight. Under the Wutong Divine Tree, it was also quiet, and the Divine Soul Lamp floated silently in the air.
The man who usually came to occupy his bed without warning.
On his birthday, he had disappeared without a trace.
What?
Afraid he’d ask for a gift?
Actually, thinking about it carefully, their current state should be like a couple separated in the mortal world.
Feng Xuan seemed unable to have too many demands on his straightforward ex-husband.
Moreover, he had originally thought he might be too troubled to sleep.
