“I only have Cheng’an as my one younger brother. Everyone has seen how I’ve treated him from childhood until now. We are blood relatives; when one prospers, we both prosper, and when one suffers, we both suffer. Why would I frame him? Why would I do something that brings me nothing but harm and no benefit?”
Luo Shujing hated so much that his heart seemed to bleed, yet his face remained filled with sorrow. He looked at Luo Cheng’an. “Cheng’an, you said you wanted to appear in Peerless Secret Realm, and I was the one who begged the director to let you in. Uncle and Aunt misunderstand me, but could it be that you don’t believe me either?”
Xi Yu looked at Luo Shujing with novelty. He had never imagined there could be such a shameless person in this world.
Luo Shujing had made it sound so grand and righteous—nothing but harm and no benefit?
The Luo family was wealthy and prestigious, blessed with longevity, and destined to live their entire lives without illness or pain.
Such an extremely rare fate was considered greatly auspicious.
As long as Luo Cheng’an was subjected to criticism and ridicule and received negative influences, his fortune would become unstable, allowing Luo Shujing to seize his fortune even faster.
Even though he wished he could cling to another person, drink their blood, and eat their flesh, Luo Shujing could actually make himself sound so aggrieved.
This was even more interesting than a storybook.
No wonder Luo Shujing could become famous. With acting skills like these, Luo Cheng’an probably could not catch up even if he rode a fast horse.
Luo Cheng’an had been pretending to be an ostrich, but the topic suddenly turned to him. He looked at Luo Shujing blankly.
“Huh? Wasn’t Peerless Secret Realm funded by Dad? He invested thirty million, and I joined the cast with my own investment?”
Xi Yu could not hold it back and burst out laughing.
Immediately, everyone’s eyes turned toward him.
“Sorry, sorry. I couldn’t hold it in.”
Xi Yu really could not hold it in.
It was simply too funny.
He finally understood what it meant for someone to be so stupid that their stupidity naturally became adorable.
Luo Shujing looked at Xi Yu’s half-smiling expression, his hands clenched so tightly that his fingernails dug into his flesh.
It was Xi Yu again!
If it were not for Xi Yu, how could this idiot Luo Cheng’an have escaped unscathed today?
And he would not have been left in such a humiliating state!
A nemesis. Xi Yu was his nemesis!
Xi Yu had only returned to the Luo family for a few days, yet his Life-Exchange Lock had already broken!
And now he had suffered such tremendous humiliation!
Why did that dead old man respect Xi Yu so much?
Why was their entire family’s luck so good?
Once he completely seized Luo Cheng’an’s fortune, he would surely repay tenfold, a hundredfold, all the humiliation he had suffered today!
After Xi Yu had caused this little episode, Luo Yuan finally spoke leisurely.
“Since it was all a misunderstanding, let’s let this matter pass.”
Luo Shujing had reminded him that Cheng’an still had a variety show to appear on.
Before they completely revealed their fox tails, it was better to stop here.
Luo Yuan helped Luo Shujing up.
Luo Shan and Zhang Yue’s faces lit up.
Luo Shan rubbed his hands together. “Right, right, we’re all family. How could we believe an outsider’s attempt to sow discord? About my position…”
Before Luo Shan could finish, Luo Yuan interrupted him.
“Let’s put the matter of your position aside for now. Elder Jiang just spoke today.”
Luo Yuan put on a troubled expression. “You know how distinguished Elder Jiang’s status is. I can’t exactly disregard him. After some time, I’ll personally visit him and apologize, then find a way to get your position back.”
Zhang Yue was extremely anxious. Their entire family depended on the Luo family. Now that Luo Shan could not enter the company, she was heartbroken over losing such a huge source of profit.
But she could not find any grounds to argue. Luo Shan lightly kicked Zhang Yue.
His older brother had always been softhearted. If he said he would bring him back, he would.
Luo Yuan only had him as his one blood relative. Pressuring him too hard now would only be counterproductive. It was better to retreat in order to advance.
Once this period passed, he would show a little weakness, and would he not be able to get whatever he wanted just like before?
Moreover, Luo Yuan would not be able to enjoy his success for long.
Master Qingfeng had said that within at most a year, his good older brother would die suddenly.
Fortune turns in cycles. Luo Yuan had enjoyed so many years of blessings. It was time for him to have his turn.
The show was over.
After Luo Yuan sent them away, Xi Yu stretched lazily and returned to his room.
Luo Yuan had originally wanted to ask him something, but Shen Qing stopped him.
“I know what you want to ask. But Xiaoyu didn’t grow up by our side, and we didn’t raise him before. All we can do now is our best to make up for it. As for certain things, if he wants to talk about them, he naturally will.”
Although she did not know how Xi Yu had come to know Elder Jiang or why he received such respect from him, Shen Qing could tell from this alone that her child must have lived well before.
That was enough.
Xi Yu knew nothing about all these twists and turns. After taking a shower, he came out and saw a ball of golden light beside the bed. The corner of his mouth twitched.
“Fortunately, when I used to sleep under bridges, I developed the habit of putting on clothes as soon as I finished showering.”
……………………………………..
Luo Cheng’an hugged a pillow and lay on the edge of the bed, watching Xi Yu.
“We’re both men. Why are you so nervous?”
Xi Yu crawled under the covers.
“There’s no point talking to a man like you who’s a walking fire hazard.”
Anyone who had never had a male ghost strip naked and offer himself as a pillow companion would not understand.
Xi Yu could not accept sleeping with someone else, so Luo Cheng’an could only sleep on the floor.
Today, he had even upgraded his setup with a small mattress.
Luo Cheng’an sighed.
“Bro, I’m about to go on a variety show. Do you have anything that can make someone get blasted three meters away the moment they touch me? I’m scared of being alone with Brother Jing.”
“No.”
Something like that consumed too much cultivation and was not normally useful.
Xi Yu was extremely sleepy, but seeing Luo Cheng’an looking so dejected, he still comforted him.
“It’s just a variety show. If you’re really scared, then don’t go.”
“No way. The variety show is about to start filming. If I break the contract now, my reputation will stink, and my fans will be sad.”
Luo Cheng’an looked at Xi Yu. Suddenly, inspiration struck him.
“Bro, why don’t you come with me?”
“Politely declined.”
Being monitored in real time and having to follow a script was terrifying enough. What if they gave him some bizarre persona? Just thinking about it was frightening.
But Luo Cheng’an became even more enthusiastic.
How had he only thought of this now? Xi Yu was so powerful. If he brought Xi Yu along, what problem could possibly remain?
Luo Cheng’an pulled out his phone and, ignoring Xi Yu’s expression of complete unwillingness, enthusiastically recommended it.
“Peerless Secret Realm is different from ordinary variety shows. It’s an adventure variety show. The filming location is Qin Mountain. You should know about it, right? The Lost Forest there only opens for one month every three years, and there’s also a limit on the number of visitors. The production team spent a fortune renting it for a week this time. I’ve been looking forward to it.”
He had wanted to go for ages. Either he could not make time when he managed to arrange a booking, or he could not get a booking when he was free. Most importantly, the Lost Forest was somewhat dangerous.
The reason there was a limit on the number of people was because ninety percent of those who entered had difficulty getting back out.
Before entering, they needed specially trained personnel to guide them.
This time, he had joined the cast through his investment, and all the safety measures were fully prepared.
Everything was ready.
All that was missing was Xi Yu.
“I heard there are all kinds of exotic flowers and plants inside that never wither, and it’s as beautiful as a fairyland.”
Luo Cheng’an shoved the variety show’s promotional material in front of Xi Yu.
“Bro, come with me. Just treat it as a vacation~”
Xi Yu kept his eyes closed, completely ignoring him.
Luo Cheng’an shook his arm.
“Bro~ Come with me. How could you bear to let your cute and handsome little brother stay alone with that poisonous snake of a man, Luo Shujing? Besides, Lu Zhixing is going this time too. Everyone knows each other, so it won’t be awkward.”
Xi Yu only opened his eyes when he heard Lu Zhixing’s name. He sneered.
“With him there, I’m even more…”
His words abruptly stopped.
His gaze landed on Luo Cheng’an’s phone screen, looking at the last picture in the nine-image grid.
The pale-gold bracelet shown as the prize in the picture was extraordinarily beautiful.
Its shape looked more like an armlet, with an irregular opening resembling overlapping phoenix feathers.
Seeing Xi Yu’s reaction, Luo Cheng’an felt that there was hope and continued recommending it.
“Doesn’t it look fun? Bro, come with me~ Please~”
Xi Yu took the phone, enlarged the last picture, and looked at it for several seconds. Then he handed it back to Luo Cheng’an and patted him on the shoulder approvingly.
“Pack your bags. We’re going. You really are my good little bro!”
His artifact!
He had searched everywhere and found it without even trying.
Xi Yu had been summoning his artifact from the beginning, but his current spiritual power was unable to sense where it was.
He could only vaguely sense that it was somewhere in A City. That was also why he had come to A City.
He had never expected that his artifact had actually been placed inside the Lost Forest as the final-clearance prize.
This was his artifact, and it contained an enormous amount of spiritual power.
As long as the artifact returned to him, at least half of his cultivation would recover.
Xi Yu had never found Luo Cheng’an so pleasing to the eye before.
Luo Cheng’an was also delighted. With Xi Yu there, what did he have to be afraid of?
“I’ll have Dad call the production team right now and get you added!”
Luo Cheng’an ran out like the wind.
The smile on Xi Yu’s face gradually faded as Luo Cheng’an left. Slowly, he turned his head toward the window.
Outside was pitch-black. A few strands of cool wind slipped through the gap in the window, carrying a faint smell of rust.
The smell of blood.
“How long are you going to keep peeking, Mr. Lu?”
Lu Zhixing stepped in through the window that had never been fully closed. He boldly locked the door behind him before looking at Xi Yu.
“I saw that you two were having such a good conversation. I didn’t want to disturb you.”
Xi Yu looked at him nonchalantly.
“What’s there to be embarrassed about? You were already shameless enough to climb through someone’s window in the middle of the night.”
Lu Zhixing was still wearing the clothes from the banquet. His black suit made him look noble and aloof. If not for his pale lips and bleeding fingertips, Xi Yu would have thought he could walk straight onto a fashion runway.
Lu Zhixing caught the drops of blood falling from his other injured hand. Apparently afraid of dirtying the floor, he looked apologetic.
“It happened suddenly. Something tried to kill me, and I couldn’t beat it.”
Lu Zhixing spoke neither hurriedly nor slowly, his voice clear and cool like a jade qin. His dark eyes stared at Xi Yu like a pool of water in a mountain ravine.
An indescribable sense of familiarity suddenly washed over him.
Xi Yu could not figure out where this familiarity came from. His brows furrowed slightly.
“I know.”
“What exactly are you up to?”
Xi Yu had always been straightforward and could not be bothered to play riddles with Lu Zhixing. He asked bluntly.
He refused to reveal his identity, yet he did not conceal the fact that he was special.
Xi Yu could not understand what Lu Zhixing was trying to do.
There were now evil ghosts everywhere outside the Luo residence, but none of them dared enter.
There had been some at the Luo residence before, but Xi Yu had already cleared them out, and they had not been nearly as fierce as the ones Lu Zhixing had brought with him.
Those following Lu Zhixing were all malicious spirits incapable of reincarnation.
But no matter which kind they were, to Lu Zhixing, they were nothing more than toys.
Whether it was the divine or demonic power within him, either one was enough to effortlessly deal with the things outside.
As long as Lu Zhixing wanted to, those things would probably be reduced to ashes before they could even touch him.
He could not beat them?
How ridiculous.
Lu Zhixing could even absorb Xi Yu’s spiritual power, yet now he claimed to have been injured this badly by a few malicious spirits.
It would be more believable to say he had tripped and fallen.
Seeing the impatience already appearing on Xi Yu’s face, Lu Zhixing turned his head toward the window. A flash of disappointment passed through his eyes, and he spoke in a muffled voice.
“They’re too ugly. I’m not interested.”
???
Xi Yu froze.
It took him several seconds to realize what Lu Zhixing was talking about.
Xi Yu gritted his teeth and cursed.
“Shameless!”
“I can see you’re fine. The window is over there. Take care.”
Xi Yu had excellent hearing. He could already hear Luo Cheng’an approaching.
He was running. Judging by the sound, he seemed quite cheerful.
If timid Luo Cheng’an saw this, who knew how frightened he would become?
Lu Zhixing could clearly hear him too. A pool of blood had accumulated in his palm, and some had already begun seeping between his fingers.
In a little while, it would probably drip onto the floor.
Xi Yu formed a hand seal, and the blood at Lu Zhixing’s fingertips finally stopped.
“Thanks,” Lu Zhixing said softly, but the guilt on his face only deepened. “But I might still have to dirty your floor.”
????
Xi Yu thought he was planning to stay and refuse to leave. His expression turned cold.
But before he could lose his temper, Lu Zhixing collapsed straight down.
With a smack, he hit the floor hard.
From outside the door, Luo Cheng’an shouted like a chicken.
“Bro! Why did you lock the door!!!”
Xi Yu: …
………………………………..
There was a screaming chicken outside the door, and a bloody, species-indeterminate creature inside.
Xi Yu’s mind went blank for a brief moment.
Two seconds later, he shouted through the door.
“You’re sleeping by yourself tonight!”
The pounding on the door stopped for two seconds before becoming even more violent.
“You can’t be this cruel to me! I got inserted into the show! Dad got you into the variety show, and now you’re burning the bridge after crossing the river!”
Xi Yu: …
“There’s a ghost in the room. I’m driving it out tonight. If you insist on…”
“I’m going back to my room, Bro.”
Luo Cheng’an interrupted him.
“My bed says it’s very lonely. Good night.”
After saying that, Luo Cheng’an ran off.
Xi Yu could tell from his footsteps that he was moving extremely quickly.
The screaming chicken at the door had been sent away.
Only Lu Zhixing remained on the floor.
Tiny spots of blood dotted the pale solid-wood floor.
Lu Zhixing lay there with a pale face. Xi Yu nudged him with his foot.
No response.
Xi Yu glanced at his pure-white silk pajamas and felt somewhat troubled.
After a while, he extended a fingertip and pressed it against Lu Zhixing’s yintang.
A strand of luminous energy merged into Lu Zhixing’s body.
Xi Yu closed his eyes and examined Lu Zhixing’s condition.
The room was unnaturally quiet. Within the faint smell of blood, only Xi Yu’s breathing gradually grew heavier.
After a while, Xi Yu abruptly withdrew his hand. A thin layer of sweat had appeared on his forehead.
Lu Zhixing’s eyelids twitched, and he slowly opened his eyes.
Xi Yu’s face was pale as he spoke one word at a time.
“So you’re a vessel.”
What distinction between god and demon?
Lu Zhixing was merely a vessel.
Just now, Xi Yu had infused spiritual power into Lu Zhixing’s body and examined his primordial spirit.
There was none.
Lu Zhixing had no primordial spirit, so he was not a god.
All power needed something to contain it, yet the two types of power within Lu Zhixing had no vessel of their own.
He was not a demon either.
He was merely a flesh-and-blood shell.
Lu Zhixing had not lied. He really could not defeat those malicious spirits outside.
Because the two kinds of power within his body were suppressing each other.
The amount of power Lu Zhixing could actually control was minuscule.
Xi Yu’s eyelashes trembled slightly.
He had never expected that the demon race would give birth to a new Demon Venerable.
A thousand years ago, he had slaughtered the demon race until almost none remained.
There had been no survivors.
Yet a thousand years later, a new demon was about to be born.
The immature demonic power was hiding inside Lu Zhixing’s body, absorbing the resentment of Heaven and Earth and waiting for the right moment to fully emerge.
But who had bestowed the divine power upon Lu Zhixing?
It suppressed the demonic aura, yet could not destroy it.
If that god had already discovered that the Demon Venerable was about to descend into the world, why had they not eliminated the threat at its root?
What exactly had happened during these thousand years?
Xi Yu pulled Lu Zhixing up from the floor.
“Who gave you the spiritual power in your body?”
“Spiritual power?”
Lu Zhixing looked blank for a moment. He extended his right hand, and a ball of luminous energy emerged from his palm.
“Is it this?”
Then Lu Zhixing extended his other hand, and black mist billowed forth.
“Or this?”
Xi Yu’s expression became complicated.
“You don’t even know what spiritual power is?”
Lu Zhixing shook his head.
“I only know that I’ve been different from ordinary people since I was born. Every fifteenth day of the month, I see many frightening things. As I grew older, I discovered that I was even more different from ordinary people.”
Lu Zhixing turned his palm over, and the cup beside the bed suddenly appeared in his hand.
“Like this.”
A self-mocking smile curled at the corner of Lu Zhixing’s lips.
“So when you ask me what I am, I can’t answer you. I don’t know what kind of monster I am either.”
After saying that, Lu Zhixing leisurely took a sip of the water in the cup.
Xi Yu reminded him.
“That cup is mine.”
Lu Zhixing apologized verbally.
“Sorry. I was too thirsty.”
But there was not the slightest trace of embarrassment on his face.
Xi Yu’s expression remained faint. He scrutinized Lu Zhixing, seemingly trying to find any trace of a lie on his face.
After a while, Xi Yu finally spoke slowly.
“Do you have any more of that candy you gave me?”
Xi Yu did not believe what Lu Zhixing had said, as though he were some innocent person.
The divine and demonic realms were opposing each other, yet he was their vessel.
How innocent that sounded.
But if things really were as Lu Zhixing said, then what about the spiritual fruit and the storage ring?
There was no way he could simply possess those things.
Lu Zhixing sat up and removed his coat, using a clean part of it to wipe the blood from the floor.
There was some near Xi Yu’s feet too. When Lu Zhixing wiped toward it, Xi Yu shifted his foot slightly. A section of his jade-white ankle beneath his pajama leg came very close to Lu Zhixing’s hand.
If Lu Zhixing wanted to, he could grab that ankle and break the bone.
But Lu Zhixing’s gaze only lingered there for an instant before he raised his head. He rubbed his hand against his shirt, then took the ring from his chest pocket and handed it to Xi Yu.
“This ring appeared on my hand on the day I came of age. There are many things inside. There’s an entire basket of the candy I gave you.”
Xi Yu frowned.
Although he had briefly possessed this ring before, he had never entered the space inside it to look.
Xi Yu closed his eyes. Just as he was about to enter, he opened them again and grabbed Lu Zhixing’s hand.
“You’re coming with me.”
It was unclear whether Lu Zhixing was friend or foe. But this concerned both the divine and demonic realms. Even knowing there might be a trap, he had to take a look.
When Xi Yu opened his eyes again, he was stunned for a moment.
The storage space was actually filled with living spiritual springs.
Vast fields of flowers bloomed in brilliant colors, while countless jade trees and immortal fruits grew everywhere.
A magnificent palace stood right in the center.
The roof was paved with white glazed tiles. Looking down, the golden plaque bore the words Stargazing Hall, its characters vigorous and powerful.
“How could…”
How could his divine palace be inside this space?
Xi Yu released Lu Zhixing’s hand, barely able to control his expression, and hurried toward the palace.
The interior was even more magnificent than the outside. Curtains hung low, thin gauze drifted gently, and jade discs served as lamps.
Upon the large red sandalwood imperial desk carved with horned dragons stood a three-foot-tall blue-green ancient bronze cauldron. Incense burned inside an auspicious golden beast censer, releasing faint wisps of white smoke.
Xi Yu was dazed for a moment.
It was as though he had never perished at all.
As though he had merely dreamed a dream, and after awakening, he had returned to Stargazing Hall to amuse himself with his disciple.
Lu Zhixing landed one step behind him. His fingertips rubbed together, as if recalling the sensation of Xi Yu holding his hand just now.
He watched Xi Yu hurry toward the side hall and followed slowly.
The furnishings inside the side hall were even more extravagant than those of the main hall.
A huge luminous pearl hung from above. There was a jade pillow, brocade bedding, and a pearl canopy.
A faint fragrance of pear blossoms drifted through the room.
Xi Yu’s breathing stopped for a moment. He turned toward Lu Zhixing, his voice trembling.
“Who? Who gave you this ring?!”
His palace had actually been moved here.
It was not a copy.
Every blade of grass and every tree here was his.
There were only a handful of people throughout the entire divine realm capable of doing this.
Lu Zhixing shook his head in response to Xi Yu’s question.
“I don’t know who he is.”
Xi Yu’s heart pounded like a drum, and a smiling face surfaced in his mind.
Could it be…
Could it be him?
But Lu Zhixing could not give him an answer.
Looking at the disappointment in Xi Yu’s eyes, Lu Zhixing’s lips curled slightly.
“But you can look back.”
Xi Yu’s breathing caught.
He stiffly turned his head.
A white phantom slowly condensed into the shape of a person.
Xi Yu’s pupils contracted sharply. He murmured,
“Zhiyi…”
………………………………..
Xi Yu reached out immediately, trying to touch him, but his hand passed straight through the phantom.
It was an illusory projection.
A phantom that had been left behind long ago.
Zhiyi could not see him.
It really was Zhiyi who had given him the ring.