The figure ahead suddenly froze, spinning around abruptly. At the first glance, a radiant smile of surprise lit up his face.
“Senior Brother! I finally found you!”
Chu Mingwei looked at his junior disciple, whose smile blossomed like a flower, and felt his own heart racing uncontrollably. For a moment, he completely forgot to ask why the junior had suddenly appeared here when he had been left outside with Meng Fan earlier. Although they had only been apart for a short time, the reunion felt overwhelmingly joyous. He wished he could hold his junior in his arms forever.
Perhaps it was the intensity of Chu Mingwei’s gaze, but a blush rose to Xiao Lingyu’s cheeks. He lightly bit his lip and softly called out, “Senior Brother!”
The single word, spoken with such charm, sent Chu Mingwei’s blood surging. His body reacted instinctively, moving toward his junior, drawn by the shy, tender look in Xiao Lingyu’s eyes. Without restraint, he reached out and embraced him, one hand slipping under the folds of Xiao Lingyu’s robe. The sensation was unexpectedly intoxicating. In that instant, all restraint abandoned him, and he desired to hold his junior close and cherish him completely.
Just as his hand neared the most sensitive part of his junior, the buzzing of the Lei Han Mirror echoed in his ears. A flash of lightning surged in his mind, snapping Chu Mingwei to full awareness. He stepped back abruptly and realized that the “junior” in front of him was merely a half-human-high stone he had mistaken for Xiao Lingyu.
Shock and anger mingled within him. He reflected on how he had unknowingly entered an illusion, and within it, his darkest desires had surfaced. If it weren’t for the Lei Han Mirror, what would he have done to his junior? Would it have been like the dream he had before—an entire night entangled with him, bodies inseparable?
No! His junior had been like a younger brother to him since childhood. How could he ever entertain such thoughts? Thinking of the longing glances Xiao Lingyu had once given him, he felt ashamed of his earlier impulses.
A sharp, mocking voice rang out. “So this is what the so-called leader of the young generation of the Immortal Sect is really like?”
Chu Mingwei spun around to see a black-clad youth, face full of ridicule. He was momentarily speechless. The youth’s mockery deepened, “Now I understand why you bear such hostility toward me. It’s not because of sectal rivalries or your temperament—it’s because you like Elder Xiao, isn’t it?”
Chu Mingwei’s mind flashed with the words, You like Elder Xiao, don’t you?
Did he like his junior? Of course. From the first time he saw the soft, gentle child ten years ago, he had genuinely cared for him. Over a decade, Xiao Lingyu’s smiles, shyness, and brilliance had deeply embedded themselves in Chu Mingwei’s heart. He knew every preference, remembered every word. This wasn’t the affection of an elder brother for a younger brother—it was a man’s love for another man.
The black-clad youth didn’t wait for an answer, sneering, “You and Elder Xiao can never be. He’s only ever seen you as an older brother. Could you ever confess to him the unworthy thoughts you harbor under the guise of care? To your sect, to the world? You can’t even admit your feelings. What right do you have to oppose me?”
Anger surged in Chu Mingwei. Who says I can’t? Who says I dare not? I love Xiao Lingyu—I’ve loved him since he was a child. I will tell him, my sect, the entire world if I wish! Why shouldn’t I!
The black-clad youth continued his accusations, but Chu Mingwei cut him off sharply, “Give up! I love my junior, Xiao Lingyu, and I will never give him to you—or anyone!”
A wave of exhilaration coursed through him. He wished Xiao Lingyu were immediately by his side.
Suddenly, reality snapped back. Chu Mingwei bit his tongue sharply, pain spreading through his mouth. Looking around, he saw the half-human-high stone once again. The black-clad youth had been nothing but an illusion, a manifestation of his own desires.
Memories of the illusion replayed in his mind. It dawned on him: his true feelings for Xiao Lingyu were not brotherly affection, but romantic love. All the longing, jealousy, and frustration he had felt were because of this love.
Standing there, Chu Mingwei let out a confident laugh. Even if Xiao Lingyu only harbored fondness for him, he had all the time in the world to nurture their bond. Someday, he would win him.
With his heart clear, he struck the Lei Han Mirror, unleashing a bolt of lightning that shattered the stone into countless pieces.
Once resolved, his mood lifted, and he continued his ascent toward the mountain peak. Behind him, the scattered fragments slowly gathered, reforming into the half-human-high stone, standing there as if nothing had happened.
Nearby, Xiao Lingyu stood with an indifferent expression, surrounded by a scatter of human cultivator corpses. Only one middle-aged man, appearing around forty, remained upright, eyes wide with terror as he addressed Xiao Lingyu, voice trembling, “You are not a disciple of the Yuntian Sect, are you? How can you kill indiscriminately?”
“Indiscriminate killing?” Xiao Lingyu almost laughed. “You set a trap to ambush me. My response was self-defense. And that’s called indiscriminate killing? Then what would you call your actions? Shall I just stand here waiting to be killed?”
The middle-aged man weakly protested, “We did not wish to kill you; we only wanted the treasures you possess.”
Xiao Lingyu raised an eyebrow. “Do you think I’m that foolish?”
The man glanced at the young boy before him. The ground around them was strewn with the corpses of his companions, yet the boy’s face remained calm, unaffected. Just moments ago, he had effortlessly dispatched them all. A chill ran up the man’s spine. He fell to his knees, pleading, “I was wrong. I should not have let greed sway me. Please spare my life, Elder!”
Xiao Lingyu’s eyes narrowed with disdain. Before he could act further, a black shadow darted toward him. He realized it was a small, bizarre black-and-red insect. Raising his left hand, he summoned the Shadowless Sword, and the insect was instantly cleaved into several pieces.
The man staggered backward, coughing up blood, but continued retreating. Xiao Lingyu, unmoved, lightly pointed and whispered, “Void.”
The middle-aged man’s body flickered, his dagger and half his body vanishing, leaving only his upper half swaying before collapsing.
Xiao Lingyu’s eyebrow arched slightly. He had only intended to test the Void technique, yet the effect was far beyond expectation. Recalling the sensation, he realized that using Void here was far easier than elsewhere. Could it be the environment of the Green Mountain that aided him?
The old ghost, unsurprised, explained, “This is a spatial rift, also called the Void Realm. Using Void here is like casting water magic in water. Your mastery is still young, but once fully realized, you won’t need to find a way out—you can directly break through the Void into the outside world.”
“Void Realm?” Xiao Lingyu repeated. Clearly, this was not a forbidden topic for the ghost, who continued enthusiastically, “Do you know the most basic law of the heavens? Yin and Yang. Everything in the world is divided into Yin and Yang, even the primordial heavens. The world you live in is Yang, and the opposite Void Realm is Yin. Yin and Yang balance each other, ensuring the world functions correctly. Your current world is…” The ghost trailed off abruptly.
Xiao Lingyu pressed, “What about our world?”
The ghost chuckled, shifting the topic, “Some things are better left unknown. Ignorance spares you trouble. While you’re here, why not practice more with Void? It’s far more efficient than outside.”
Walking side by side, the boy and ghost conversed. On the opposite side, the black-clad youth hovered on a white paper fan, shrouded in a faint black mist.
Beneath him, countless insect corpses were scattered, all the size of an adult fist, with black, hard shells and razor-sharp forelimbs capable of crushing stones. Yet, even these creatures could not withstand the black mist protecting him. Gradually, the black mist thickened as it absorbed the residual dark energy from the corpses. Delighted by the discovery, the youth continued absorbing it.
Once all the dark energy was absorbed, the hard shells shattered into dust, vanishing with the wind. Carefully observing the area to ensure safety, the youth descended from the fan, merging the black mist into his mouth.
He looked toward the mountain peak, frowning as he climbed, wondering how Elder Xiao fared outside. Had he escaped the strange green mist? And Master—surely furious about the incident—would he know what happened?
Lost in thought, he heard faint footsteps ahead. Instinctively, he concealed himself and looked up to see Xiao Lingyu approaching cautiously.
Surprised, he realized that Elder Xiao had also been drawn in. Without hesitation, he called out, “Elder Xiao!”