The night was like ink, splashed across the streets and alleys of Lingqu County.
There were no horns of modern city cars, no traffic noise, no crowds outside nightclubs—people of the ancient world followed the rhythm of “work at sunrise, rest at sunset.” Every household had already closed its doors. Only the creaking of carriage wheels rolling over stone pavement echoed clearly in the silent night, drifting away with the wind.
The hired carriage was not spacious. For two adult men, it was inevitably cramped.
With the slight intoxication of a few cups of osmanthus wine, Li Xuan felt his eyelids grow heavy and unconsciously leaned against Chu Wanyan’s shoulder to rest.
Candlelight from the small window of the carriage flickered across his defenseless side profile—his eyelashes were long like butterfly wings, his lips red like cherries, even his breathing carried the faint scent of alcohol and clean woodsy fragrance, gently brushing against Chu Wanyan’s shoulder.
Chu Wanyan lowered his gaze. His eyes moved from Li Xuan’s smooth forehead to his slightly upturned nose. A faint blush quietly spread across his face, and his heartbeat unexpectedly quickened.
“This kind of appearance… is truly inviting imagination… Though I do not have the preference for men, this kind of person… might still be worth trying.”
A night breeze slipped through the carriage window, lifting strands of Li Xuan’s soft hair. A few strands brushed Chu Wanyan’s neck, carrying a faint fragrance—not heavy like incense, but like honeyed flowers mixed with the clean aura of a youth, intoxicating and heart-stirring.
He subconsciously leaned closer. His nose was almost touching Li Xuan’s hairline. Every breath was filled with that clean, alluring scent. Chu Wanyan became immersed in the “guide pheromones” unconsciously emitted by Li Xuan due to his drunken state.
His breathing slowed. His fingers unconsciously lifted, wanting to touch the soft hair, but stopped just before contact, letting the feeling spread in his heart.
Li Xuan seemed disturbed by the warmth and unconsciously curled further into his embrace, his head brushing Chu Wanyan’s shoulder. His lips nearly touched the collar of his clothes.
Chu Wanyan’s throat moved slightly. His ears flushed red. The air around them became thick and ambiguous.
At that moment, urgent hoofbeats suddenly came from behind, approaching rapidly like thunder.
Eight fast horses rushed forward. A loud shout echoed:
“Move aside! Carriage ahead, move aside!”
The carriage trembled slightly.
Li Xuan woke from his light sleep, rubbing his eyes.
“…Hm? What’s happening?”
Chu Wanyan pressed his shoulder down and looked out first. His expression turned serious.
“It’s the Shura of the Suppressing Mountain Division and guards of the Guang Prince’s estate! There must be a rift or monster activity ahead!”
Before he finished speaking, the riders had already reached them. The leader suddenly pulled the reins. With a loud neigh, the horse reared up.
Li Xuan looked through the window gap.
The leading man wore a black military round-collar robe, a metal shoulder chest plate, leather wrist guards, and a red-lined cloak.
He sat on a ten-foot tall horse, tall and imposing, with purple eyes glowing faintly in the dim night. His face carried a killing aura.
“This road is blocked! A rift has appeared ahead. Do not linger outside. Find shelter immediately!”
Chu Wanyan quickly cupped his hands.
“Ah! Prince Zhao! We will detour immediately. Please take care as well!”
Li Xuan could only see them disappearing into the night dust.
“Quick! Detour back to the estate!” Chu Wanyan ordered.
On the return journey, the streets were even more silent. Not a single light was visible. Not a single person remained outside.
They reached Chu Manor shortly.
The three of them entered quickly. The gate was shut tightly.
Chu Wanyan led Li Xuan to a guest room.
“Brother Li, rest here for now. The rift situation cannot be resolved in a day. We will wait for news.”
“Thank you, Brother Chu.”
After Chu Wanyan left, Li Xuan immediately became alert. The drunkenness had completely faded.
He changed into a dark robe, tied up his long hair, and wrapped a cloth around his mouth and nose, covering most of his face, leaving only his deep green eyes.
“So I must go see what the rift looks like with my own eyes.”
He pushed open the window and leapt out, heading toward the direction the riders had gone.
—
On the outskirts southwest of Lingqu City, in farmland more than a hundred zhang away, a black rift emitting blue light stood open like a swallowing mouth, about fifty zhang wide.
Surrounding it were soldiers and Shura hunters, standing in formation.
Zhao Chengyuan stood at the front and issued orders:
“All Shura units! Although this is a disaster-level rift, do not let your guard down! Monitor your mental state at all times. If you sense the aura of chaos corrupting your mind, withdraw immediately. Do not fight to the death. I do not wish to have to cut down my own people!”
“Yes, Commander!”
Li Xuan hid twenty zhang away behind a field ridge.
A blue-light rift corresponds to a B-rank portal.
He closed his eyes and activated his Guide perception.
“The leader is strong, probably A-rank or above… but the team is mixed with C and D rank Shura. Fewer than six are truly B-rank combatants…”
“This formation… cannot handle what’s inside.”
He frowned deeper.
“This man is unstable. He has not received Guide purification for a long time. He is close to going berserk.”
Li Xuan sighed inwardly.
“No equipment, no support, no medic, no backup… this is reckless.”
Zhao Chengyuan led the team into the rift.
Li Xuan clenched his teeth.
“I can’t just watch them die.”
He rushed in as well.
—
Inside the rift was a muddy swamp.
Li Xuan found wounded soldiers along the way and healed them one by one using faint white healing light.
Soon he reached the center battlefield.
A giant Soul-Eating Tree stood in a lake.
Only six Shura remained, all struggling.
Zhao Chengyuan was in a berserk state, attacking wildly.
The tree regenerated rapidly and released poisonous gas.
Two hunters had already fallen unconscious.
“If this continues, they will all die.”
Li Xuan immediately acted.
He picked up red fruits from the ground and threw one precisely at the tree trunk.
“That is the core! Break it!”
Zhao Chengyuan’s eyes regained clarity for a moment.
He gathered all remaining power into a black hole-like force and smashed it into the marked point.
The core shattered.
The tree collapsed.
“Success! The commander killed it!”
But Zhao Chengyuan began to lose control, aura turning chaotic.
“Aaaah—!”
“Commander is going berserk!”
Li Xuan stepped forward immediately, embracing him and activating Guide purification.
Then he leaned in and sealed Zhao Chengyuan’s lips.
A hot, urgent kiss.
A sweet, honey-like energy flowed into Zhao Chengyuan.
Zhao Chengyuan froze, then instinctively responded, pulling him closer, returning the kiss with desperate intensity.
Li Xuan was almost suffocated.
“This is bad. I need to leave.”
He pushed him away and ran.
But Zhao Chengyuan grabbed his hand.
Li Xuan turned back—
Their eyes met.
Purple eyes filled with confusion and burning intensity.
“Damn it.”
He flipped backward, breaking free, and vanished into the swamp.
Zhao Chengyuan stood frozen in place, still feeling the lingering sweetness on his lips.