Note: These are mini extras that the author has written posted separately on JJ. She intermittently updates them, usually on Valentine’s Day and other holidays for her CPs. The translation will be updated when the author updates her blog. You can get updates when translations are updated in my Discord server. Below is a ton of dog food.
2025/29/8
Everyone’s Summer Cool-Down Routines
Another Qixi has come around, and our married couples are celebrating again.
Here are their little everyday tricks for beating the heat—
With summer approaching, Fang Xiu bought a bathtub and deliberately set it up in the bedroom.
Officer Yuan found it a bit odd. Fang Xiu’s bedroom had no drains and no faucet. A lone tub by the window would looked nice, sure, but what was it for?
Thinking of his son-in-law’s “identity”, he decided not to dig. Maybe it was some folk custom from another dynasty; best to view the world with a tolerant eye.
Soon enough, summer came.
With nothing pressing today, Fang Xiu lay on the bed playing mobile games. Bai Shuangying’s head rested on his waist as he watched a science video with deep concentration.
Night fell completely; the wind chimes at the window rang under the night breeze. Bai Shuangying released just the right amount of yin energy, and the mood was wonderfully relaxed.
“It’s late. Should we go to bed?” Fang Xiu yawned wide and stretched.
Bai Shuangying hummed, rubbing his warm hair with a palm. He went to the bathtub first—and then vanished entirely. Skillfully reverting to his true form, he stretched out within the smooth tub and flowed as he pleased.
Fang Xiu undressed, drowsily climbed into the strange fluid mass, and let himself be drowned by Bai Shuangying.
That liquid wrapped him in fine layers, skimming softly over his skin. There was no safer place in the world. In that all-encompassing, cool embrace, Fang Xiu soon fell asleep.
The large bedroom looked empty, save for the tubful of mirror-smooth, uncanny fluid. The two “people” slept entwined until sunrise.
Naturally, sometimes Fang Xiu didn’t fall asleep right away.
Summer nights were warm, and excessive “exercise” made him feel sweaty and uncomfortable. So on many a summer night, he was happy to be intimate exactly like this—and for that, he bought the best-quality bathtub.
“No matter how much it rocks, it doesn’t make a sound,” he winked at Bai Shuangying. “But, uh, let’s not mention this to Dad.”
2025/5/20
Everyone’s Birthday Cakes
Congrats to the couple from “Help”on moving into the Married Zone ☆(/ω＼)
This year’s 520 (May 20) mini-extra: couples celebrate their birthdays! It’s a perfect chance to compile everyone’s birthdays~
Fang Xiu: December 24th
Source: A normal birthday. (Christmas Eve)
Cake: [Traditional Brown-Sugar Flatbread]
The fruits of Bai Shuangying’s culinary efforts. It looks like a griddle cake with warm brown-sugar syrup inside and a faint herbal aroma… Lord Bai originally meant to make a cake, but he added a great deal of “I do as I please” to the recipe.
The failed “cake” left Bai Shuangying a little deflated; he only wanted to give Fang Xiu something healthier and more nourishing. But seeing Fang Xiu happily finish the sugar cake cheered him right up.
※ Fang Xiu truly finds this curious sugar cake delicious. How curious that whether it’s rich broth or sugar cakes made by his frosty ghost, the food he gets is warm and soft.
Bai Shuangying: August 10th
Source: The day he met Fang Xiu, when he first took human form. (Qixi, 2024)
Cake: [Marshmallow of Living Souls]
A little experiment after Fang Xiu mastered his power: he spins the living souls of sinners with sugar into marshmallows, then fixes them into the shape of a cake. Bai Shuangying loves the texture. It tastes delicate and sweet.
After savoring it repeatedly, Bai Shuangying discovered a small secret. Neither the living souls of sinners nor mortal sugar compares to Fang Xiu’s heartfelt vital essence—when Fang Xiu makes his “cake” with his whole heart, a little essence seeps in along with the love.
※ He doesn’t understand why, when he adds love to a cake for Fang Xiu, it turns into brown-sugar flatbread. He’s not convinced. For Fang Xiu’s next birthday, Bai Shuangying plans to add even more focus and love.
A small black nose pressed against the crack of the door, sniffing hard. All the sacrifices on this floor were dead; there was no warm scent of living souls in the room.
The little black dog withdrew its nose and licked the tip with its tongue.
Lately, it really enjoyed wandering around the Disaster Relief Tower, sniffing here and there.
Fang Xiu had been studying in the mortal world recently, dragging Bai Shuangying along to live with him. Whenever they weren’t summoning it on purpose, the little black dog made full use of its ghost immortal status to run freely between the living and spirit realms, having a grand time.
Still, as much fun as roaming alone could be, it preferred walking with Fang Xiu. Fang Xiu would buy tasty dog biscuits and feed them to it from his warm palm.
That warmth always reminded the little dog of its previous owner.
Bai Shuangying didn’t enjoy walks as much, and his palms were never warm. But he was good in his own way—he could pet its head for hours without getting tired.
Normal humans didn’t have that kind of patience. All this time, Bai Shuangying’s head-pats had been the most comfortable.
It missed them a bit.
Maybe it was time to visit the mortal world again, it thought seriously.
“…Are we sure this is okay?”
Hearing the whispering voices of Underworld workers, the little dog’s floppy ears twitched. It picked up speed, transforming into a breeze.
Two ghost attendants were coming over with a bunch of cleaning tools, ready to clean the now-empty floor of the Tower.
They looked like paper dolls—one had a single eye, the other had three—and were huddled together, whispering non-stop.
“Even if Lord Fang has recovered his memories, he’s still not even thirty. Just over twenty years old. He’s far too young,” said the one-eyed attendant, Dian Yi, with a sigh. “He’s already tangled up with the God of Xushan. That kind of relationship can’t last.”
Dian San nervously looked around and lowered his voice. “What are you saying? Lord Fang’s doing just fine, isn’t he?”
“In terms of work, it’s definitely easier than before,” Dian Yi admitted readily.
Back when the sacrifices participated in rituals, the attendants had to manage the bodies left behind in the mortal world. If a soul stayed in the tower for a year or more, it was like being sent on a long, high-intensity business trip.
Now that Fang Xiu had reformed the system, most of the souls being sent down were non-recoverable. Their bodies didn’t need care and just a preservation spell to keep it fresh.
“But he’s handing over all the Tower’s refined yin energy to the God of Xushan,” Dian Yi whispered. “Everyone in the Underworld knows how precious that kind of pure yin energy is. And as the E resolutions continue, even a few leaks would help us build good relationships with new ghost immortals. Yet he’s giving it all away.”
“They’re bound together by karma, a bond between a god and an E,” Dian San said hesitantly.
“Sure, but this isn’t a matter of life or death. Even when Lord Fang destroyed multiple Immortal E’s, no one was rushing to sacrifice themselves.” Dian Yi snorted coldly.
“I’ve seen plenty of mortals in love. When they’re infatuated, it’s all grand gestures and passionate vows. But once the novelty fades, they become nitpicking and stingy…”
“Humans crave novelty and thrill. The God of Xushan might be powerful, but his personality is mild. Once Lord Fang matures and takes a hard look back at things… well.”
The little dog half-understood but knew these weren’t kind words. Its gums itched; it wanted to gnaw something badly.
“You’re worried Lord Fang might change his mind and they’ll have a falling out?” Dian San asked timidly.
“What else? If those two split, this Tower might not survive.” Dian Yi sighed again. “Who knows how many more peaceful years we’ll have here… Ow!”
Pain shot through its leg—it had been bitten hard by something. Dian Yi looked around suspiciously, but the little dog was already long gone.
It sprinted up to the top of the Tower and headed straight for A’Shou’s office, ready to file a complaint.
Underworld rules said it shouldn’t bite the enforcers too hard, Fang Xiu had told it that. But sometimes a little nip just wasn’t enough. It simply couldn’t stand hearing people talk badly about Fang Xiu and Bai Shuangying.
“How have those two been doing lately?”
Before the dog could complain, it heard A’Shou asking Dian’er.
“No issues in the Tower, My Lady. They seem to be doing well,” Dian’er replied respectfully.
A’Shou nodded, then turned to the little dog. “And you? Have you noticed anything unusual?”
The dog froze.
Why was even A’Shou asking about Fang Xiu and Bai Shuangying?
Seeing it stand there dumbly, A’Shou quickly added, “They’re fine. This is just a routine check. For the stability of the Disaster Relief Tower, the Underworld files an annual report.”
The little dog tilted its head.
“We can’t leave the Tower. Please go check the mortal world’s situation for us,”
A’Shou said, taking a fragrant pill from a drawer and offering it. “You don’t have to understand. Just report what you see.”
The dog gulped down the pill in two bites, barked twice loudly, and turned into wind once more.
After it disappeared, Dian’er turned to A’Shou. “Those two are always stuck together. Why worry?”
A’Shou replied, “Do you want the official explanation, or my personal doubts?”
“Uh…”
“As the saying goes, ‘sharing both sorrows and joys together,’ but in reality, it’s not so easy to share such things. The human world has many temptations. We can’t afford to get careless… That’s the reasoning.”
A’Shou sat back down and resumed going through paperwork.
“As for my doubt, I just don’t understand one thing. If they really planned to settle down, why haven’t they given the little dog a name?”
……
If it was supposed to report honestly, it should keep walking.
The little dog followed a familiar scent and wandered over to Cheng Songyun’s home.
Cheng Songyun had bought a small place in her daughter’s neighborhood. When she wanted to see her child, she would stay there a few days.
She was financially comfortable now and enjoying life. She would go on short trips when she had nothing else to do.
But the weather was a bit cold lately, so she stayed home and hung some cured meat.
The little dog squeezed through the door just as Cheng Songyun was calling Fang Xiu.
“Xiao Fang, send me your address. I’ll mail you some cured meat. I bought good cuts. It tastes amazing in stir-fry or soup. Let me tell you, Xiao Guan and his dormmates fought over it like crazy,” she said enthusiastically, her eyes sparkling. “I don’t know if Xiao Bai can eat this kind of thing, but I’ll send it anyway…”
Fang Xiu’s voice came faintly from the receiver. He sounded cheerful and relaxed.
“Oh no, don’t be polite. I’ll send it to your dad’s address then. By the way, how’ve you two been lately? Come visit if you’ve got time… Huh? What?”
Cheng Songyun’s smile froze. She looked like she’d just heard something shocking. She paused for a while before speaking again.
“Oh. Oh, I understand. You handle your things first. Come visit later!”
She hung up, still looking stunned.
——???
The little dog’s fur bristled. It didn’t even care about the cured meat anymore.
Could something really have happened to Fang Xiu?
It didn’t dare linger. It ran off to the next stop—
Guan He had successfully been admitted to Gui Province’s police academy and was living on campus. It was the weekend, and he was out shopping with his dormmates.
He no longer looked like the hunched, gloomy figure from the ritual. His crewcut was neat, his posture straight, and his build had filled out.
Whether he’d grown taller or just stood straighter, the little dog couldn’t tell—from its perspective, Guan He had always been a towering giant.
It sniffed for a while, confirmed the scent of the little boy spirit, and knew it was him.
Guan He had fallen a few steps behind his friends and was speaking seriously on the phone.
“Fang Ge? I just got a message from Auntie Cheng. I mean… I know you’re busy, and if you need help on my end, say the word.”
“I was surprised, yeah. But still, you two have been together a long time. Something like this happening isn’t too strange.”
Like Cheng Songyun, he sounded confused, unaware of the full picture.
“Anyway, I’m here if you need anything. Not many people know your situation… Okay, got it. I’ll be ready this weekend.”
“Was that your folks? What’s with that look?”
His friends swarmed over after the call ended.
“It’s nothing,” Guan He forced a smile. “Come on, let’s go eat.”
The little dog was officially panicking.
It could no longer wander at its own pace. With a rush of wind, it stormed into Fang Xiu and Bai Shuangying’s house.
…Only Yuan Ye and Bai Shuangying were home.
Yuan Ye was cooking downstairs.
Seeing the panting little dog dash in, he calmly fished out a piece of meat from the pot, rinsed it under the tap. “Good boy. Want some meat?”
The little dog sat with its tail drooping, howled twice, its mind nowhere near the food.
“Fang Xiu went to class. He’ll be back soon,”
Yuan Ye replied with a knowing smile, as if he understood. “Xiao Bai’s upstairs. Want to go see him?”
“Woo woo woof—”
The dog rolled its eyes upward, carefully observing Yuan Ye’s expression.
Yuan Ye didn’t seem upset. In fact, he looked perfectly content. Could it be that Fang Xiu and Bai Shuangying had a fight and kept it secret from their family?
That made sense. If Fang Xiu wanted to hide something, no one would notice a thing.
The dog sat at the doorway, determined to wait for Fang Xiu to return and go see Bai Shuangying together.
Less than thirty minutes later, three knocks sounded, and Fang Xiu entered, carrying two bags with an unreadable.
The little dog rushed over and latched onto his leg, letting out an anxious whine.
“What are you doing here?” Fang Xiu casually patted its warm head.
“Woof!” the little dog cried desperately.
“Dad, I’m leaving one bag here,” Fang Xiu placed a steaming bag of prepared food on the table. “I’m heading upstairs. Call me when it’s time to eat.”
“Go ahead,” Yuan Ye waved his spatula.
Here it was.
The little dog scrambled its legs furiously and followed Fang Xiu up the stairs.
At the door, Fang Xiu paused, smoothing his messy bangs and flattening his shirt before opening it—
At first glance, Bai Shuangying sat at the window, wrapped in golden sunlight.
Soft white-noise music played from the speaker, and books were scattered on the floor.
In the next second, Bai Shuangying flashed to the doorway, lowered his head slightly, and looked directly into Fang Xiu’s eyes. “You’re back.”
“Have you really thought this through? Not acting on impulse?” Fang Xiu asked with unusual seriousness.
“Yes.” Bai Shuangying’s expression was blank, but his voice was firm.
“We’re not the same,” Fang Xiu sighed. “Aside from external factors, I have personal principles. Are you sure you won’t reconsider?”
“Even if this means we separate for a while, I…”
“I’ve made up my mind,” Bai Shuangying interrupted without hesitation.
Bathed in harsh sunlight, the two stared at each other in silence. For two whole seconds, the world seemed utterly still, even the dust in the air seemed to freeze.
“…Alright.” At last, Fang Xiu lowered his gaze.
The little dog’s ears trembled slightly.
Were its best friends breaking up? What could it do?
It had waited so long for companions to walk with, for a place that felt like home.
If they really separated… what would happen to it?
Whimpering twice, the little black dog wished it could speak. Then it heard the second half of Fang Xiu’s sentence—
“If you want to study with me, not only do you have to get into the same school, but you have to pass within three years.”
Fang Xiu scratched his head with both hands. “I’ll probably switch to a master’s or doctoral track. If everything goes well, we can be together for a long time. Haa, I knew you’d insist.”
Little black dog: “?”
Something didn’t sound right.
“I don’t like being apart from you for too long.” Bai Shuangying casually picked up a book from the floor. “The time you’ve spent studying alone has been too long.”
Fang Xiu laughed helplessly. He took a small step forward and tugged gently at Bai Shuangying’s cheeks. “I only mentioned it to Cheng Jie, and she was completely shocked. Xiao Guan said he’d help. You can borrow his notes.”
“Hey, if you actually get in, I wonder how the living-world institutions are going to react.”
“Heaven follows its natural course; everything has its own principles.”
Though his face was being pulled, Bai Shuangying still maintained a proud expression. His pronunciation was a little warped, but his tone was unwavering. “As long as cause and effect are clear and the theories sound, there’s nothing I can’t learn.”
“If that’s the case, should I be worried about your language subjects?”
Bai Shuangying fell silent.
After a long pause, he murmured, “I’ll do my best.”
“In any case, I don’t like being apart from you for too long.”
Fang Xiu looked at him with eyes as gentle as spring wind.
Bai Shuangying opened his arms in response, inviting a hug. Fang Xiu embraced him without hesitation, burying his face in the cool, soft fabric of Bai Shuangying’s clothes.
“I used to think that you wouldn’t care about being apart for a few hours.”
Fang Xiu’s voice was muffled. “I thought I was the only one…”
Bai Shuangying stroked his hair and gave it a soft ruffle. “At first, I thought I wouldn’t care either.”
“But if I don’t want to be apart, then I don’t. That’s how I feel. That’s the truth.” He emphasized the word “truth”.
His tone remained calmly matter-of-fact, as if this was the most natural thing in the world.
Fang Xiu smiled, warm breath brushing against Bai Shuangying’s chest. “You’re right. No point in lying to myself.”
Then his breathing slowed. He hugged Bai Shuangying tightly for a long while before speaking again. “This is one of my bad habits.”
“Hm?”
“These days, I’ve been a little too happy. So happy it scares me.”
Fang Xiu spoke softly. “I know you won’t change. But humans… humans change all the time. What someone thinks at eight, twenty-eight, or forty-eight… It’s completely different.”
Bai Shuangying listened quietly, slowly brushing his fingertips along Fang Xiu’s back.
Fang Xiu fell silent again. Speaking this truth seemed to take all the strength he had. “My life has turned out much longer than I ever imagined. And honestly, I’m not that prepared for the future.”
“To tell the truth, I don’t know what kind of person I’ll become.”
“I see,” Bai Shuangying said gently.
Fang Xiu buried his face deeper, voice growing even softer. “So I’ve always hoped that nothing between us would ever change—if you don’t change, and our relationship doesn’t change, I can convince myself that everything is still the same. That nothing ever will change.”
“That way, I can feel a little safer.”
For some reason, the little black dog understood a bit of that.
It was like being handed something incredibly precious and not knowing how to care for it. Too scared to bite it, too scared to play with it, terrified of breaking it.
All it wanted was to find a place to bury it forever and keep it safe.
But sometimes, it wondered—did that really count as “having”?
Bai Shuangying didn’t comfort his human. He just thought carefully and finally concluded, “It seems you really don’t want to be apart from me.”
Then he let out a breath, speaking like someone who had been through it all. “Then let’s wait until we’re about to be separated and look for ways not to be. See? I’ve already found one.”
Just picturing the God of Xushan studying Guan He’s high school notes made Fang Xiu’s carefully cultivated melancholy vanish.
He gave a low chuckle. “Fair enough.”
“Even if you become a notorious villain, you’re still incredibly clever. You’d come up with a solution.”
Bai Shuangying said, “Whether you’re twenty-eight, sixty-eight, or one hundred twenty-eight, I’ll still say this to you. I’m not planning to leave—at least not for the next thousand years.”
“So you really don’t need to hold back. Just do whatever you want.”
His tone was still perfectly casual, as if this whole conversation was nothing more than choosing breakfast.
…He even pulled Fang Xiu a little closer.
Fang Xiu: “Really?”
Before Bai Shuangying could answer, Fang Xiu lifted his face and kissed his cheek.
The corners of his mouth curved in a signature smile. Only now, it was so sincere it held a trace of youthful awkwardness.
“Then I think you should have lunch first today,” Fang Xiu whispered.
Before the little black dog could run over for some head pats, it found itself teleported out of the room by one of Bai Shuangying’s spells.
In its final glimpse, it saw slender fingers lift a red T-shirt and a pale hand press against Fang Xiu’s lower back.
Little black dog: “???”
Well, never mind. It was clear its friends weren’t breaking up anytime soon.
It blew out a puff of air and waddled downstairs. It decided to get a bite of meat before submitting its report.
Inside the room—
Fang Xiu wrapped his arms around Bai Shuangying’s neck, his bare back pressed to the door.
As the rustle of fabric filled the air, he ran his fingers through his lover’s hair, whispering nonstop.
“I want to take you and Dad on a family trip next holiday.”
“I want to introduce you to my new friends.”
“I want to go with you to…”
…
“…I want to give that little black dog a name.”
Eventually, all his whispered desires were drowned in the act of fulfilling them.
……
Years later, Country A, a private medical facility.
A doctor adjusted his glasses and sighed. “Mr. Zhuang’s condition is not good. Recently, his seizures have become more frequent, and we’re starting to see irregular brain activity.”
“He’s old, and his body is failing. The fact that he’s survived this many years in a coma is already a miracle. Money can’t change his situation anymore.”
“But he’s still with us, isn’t he?”
A middle-aged man in an expensive custom suit spoke with unwavering certainty. “He’s survived so many critical episodes. That’s my God’s protection.”
“That’s why we must not fail him.”
A young woman beside him responded reverently. “After so many key members disappeared, you’ve finally kept the Guishan Sect going all these years.”
“The situation back in our country isn’t ideal. Only a few ordinary followers remain, waiting for your guidance.”
“I know.” The man let out a long sigh.
“Right, aren’t doctors from Country C supposed to visit today? I remember they’re new but highly skilled. Make sure confidentiality is airtight.”
“Yes.”
“Don’t be stingy. Do whatever it takes to keep the leader alive a little longer.”
The woman nodded firmly and murmured a few verses of “Return, return,” before striding into the patient’s room.
Zhuang Chongyue’s hospital room was spacious and elegant, with a view of the wide blue sky.
Once a robust man, he now looked like a dried corpse, sunk deep into a tangle of machines and tubes.
His skin was shriveled and yellowed, brittle like rough paper that might tear at the slightest touch.
The doctors standing at his bedside were surprisingly young.
One wore a surgical mask, gaze lowered, eyes obscured by shadow. The other stood in the light, leaning over the patient. He was strikingly handsome, his hair slightly messy, and a sliver of red visible beneath his white coat.
“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure you live a very, very long time.”
The handsome doctor smiled. His smile was gentle and sincere that it was almost indescribable.
The woman was visibly moved and nodded in acknowledgment.
The young doctor’s smile deepened. Leaning down further, he added playfully, “You’ll never be rid of me.”
As if he heard the words, Zhuang Chongyue, deeply unconscious, twitched beneath his eyelids. A slight moisture appeared at the corner of his eye.
“What was that…” the woman murmured in surprise.
“It’s nothing. Just joking.”
The doctor straightened up and held out his right hand.
“Hello, I’m Fang Xiu.”
“This is my husband and colleague, Bai Shuangying.”
The author has something to say:
Officially the end. Thank you for all your support and patience throughout the story!
This one was more of a warm-up project. From here on, I’ll likely alternate between set fantasy and modern supernatural themes with new experiments in between. [peeks sneakily]
————————————
Replay: The next book A Contract Between Enemies is tentatively scheduled for release around July! It’s fantasy—check the author profile for updates~
Thank you to everyone supporting the official release! See you in a few months [heart]
Kinky Thoughts:
Oh, this last chapter is really good. At least the pet will get a name (though we won’t know what it is).
It seems like Nian Zhong has experimented again with this novel. The last “experimental” project she did was Access Denied… which was also one of my least favorite works by her. I seem to not like it when she writes out of the norm.
Anyway, please support the author by buying the raws. You can use Google Chrome with their auto translate and this guide on how to buy novels on jjwxc. Remember, only with your (financial) support can artists continue to produce more great works.
Fang Xiu let out a soft “ah” and scratched his head awkwardly. “I didn’t sense anything at all.”
“No need to worry.” Bai Shuangying shook his head. “This kind of detection spell takes years of training. You haven’t even started learning.”
Fang Xiu looked sincere. “After I finish the exam, I’ll definitely study hard with you.”
“Very good. I will teach you properly,” Bai Shuangying said with satisfaction.
He reached out naturally and tousled Fang Xiu’s messy hair. Fang Xiu squinted in delight, his smile growing wider.
The two of them chatted at ease, leaving only Zhou Xingquan tense as ever. “You just said someone with bad intentions is here. Shouldn’t we be doing something?”
This forest had only recently been opened to the public for scientific research. To Zhou Xingquan, “someone with bad intentions” could only mean poachers, industrial spies, or illegal organizations violating regulations.
None of those were easy to handle. Poachers might even be armed. And they didn’t even have a signal here.
Fang Xiu reassured the worried Zhou Xingquan. “If the intruders can be identified by Shuangying, they must be using magic. Anyone trying to rush into Xushan at a time like this is almost certainly a member of the Guishan Sect.”
“The Guishan Sect?” Zhou Xingquan asked.
If he remembered correctly, that infamous cult had been nearly wiped out domestically, and its leader had fled overseas nearly twenty years ago. He hadn’t seen anything about them in the news in ages.
Zhou Xingquan suddenly realized he was caught in a strange loop. Every time he thought he had finally re-entered reality, something bizarre would pull him back out again.
The sense of being suspended between illusion and reality wouldn’t let go. Having been beaten up by one supernatural event after another, he somehow felt calm now.
“What are cultists doing in a place like this? Worship?”
Zhou Xingquan analyzed calmly. “I don’t remember too clearly, but I seem to recall they worshipped Xushan a lot.”
“You know quite a bit,” Fang Xiu blinked.
“When their activity was at its worst, our school specifically gave lectures about them. Since there’s no signal here, you two shouldn’t confront those people directly. Just report them once you’re out.”
Zhou Xingquan followed Bai Shuangying’s gaze outside. The night was pitch black. He couldn’t even make out the bushes two meters away.
He had no idea how Bai Shuangying could see anything. Was this guy actually an evil spirit? But if Bai Shuangying was an evil spirit, his aura was far too gentle.
No. He had to stop thinking about these unscientific things and stay focused.
“I’m not kidding. Anyone still running a cult in this day and age is mentally unstable.”
Seeing that Fang Xiu and Bai Shuangying weren’t reacting, Zhou Xingquan continued earnestly, “Those lunatics will do anything. Some commit suicide, others attack their families, and the really extreme ones go after strangers with knives.”
“Leave things like this to professionals. Please don’t get involved…”
Swish.
With a flick of his sleeve, Bai Shuangying somehow produced a snow-white peach branch with flowers swaying gently. Outside the window, a young boy in traditional clothing appeared out of thin air.
The child wore rough homespun clothes like a mountain villager, a crooked wooden mask on his face, and carried a basket of sweet potatoes and wild fruits on his back. He looked like he had just been plucked out of ancient times.
The boy quickly got his footing, didn’t look back, and hopped away on his own.
Zhou Xingquan was stunned.
Fang Xiu watched the boy vanish, his smile gaining a subtle, unreadable quality. He returned to the table and called out, “Come on, eat up. The soup will get cold.”
“J-Just now, that…” Zhou Xingquan stammered.
“That was just an illusion. A guide projection,” Fang Xiu said cheerfully, scooping soup and setting aside a chicken drumstick for Bai Shuangying.
“An illusion? A guide? But I—”
Zhou Xingquan thought about the red soda can that had led him here and suddenly didn’t know what to say.
In a remote, untouched forest like this, he couldn’t tell if a soda can was scarier or a masked child in ancient costume more disturbing.
Even setting aside the weird guiding objects, who exactly were they leading people to?
There were too many strange things. He couldn’t make sense of any of them.
With a sigh, Zhou Xingquan took a sip of the soup and forced himself to forget all that superstition.
He didn’t know what herbs had been added to the chicken broth, but the taste was incredible. It was fresh, fragrant, but slightly unfamiliar.
One spoonful felt like a warm spring sun soaking into his very bones.
The chicken was so tender it melted in his mouth. Zhou Xingquan ate the flatbread, drank the soup, and almost forgot everything he had just seen. Until—
Knock knock knock.
For the second time that day, someone knocked on the door.
Zhou Xingquan set down his bowl, his heart skipping a beat.
Across from him, Fang Xiu continued to eat his chicken slowly. There was a bit of broth at the corner of his mouth, which Bai Shuangying casually wiped away with his finger, a gesture so natural it was almost intimate.
Neither of them acknowledged the knock.
Knock knock knock. Knock knock knock.
“I’m lost in the forest. Please help me and let me stay the night. I’ll pay whatever you ask.”
The voice outside was warm and gentle, like that of a cultured middle-aged man. It was so kind that Zhou Xingquan almost dropped his guard for a second.
If this were the outskirts of a city, he probably would have opened the door.
But thinking of how remote and eerie this place was, Zhou Xingquan decided to follow Fang Xiu’s lead and pretend he didn’t hear anything.
“You must be someone of the path, living in a place like this. I was guided here by my Hierarch. There must be fate between us,” the man insisted, confident.
“Please open the door.”
“Open the door.”
“Open.”
“What fate, my ass,” Zhou Xingquan couldn’t help but muttered under his breath.
The voice lacked any trace of desperation or pleading, only a bone-chilling confidence.
It was as if, if Fang Xiu didn’t open the door, the man would force his way in. The attitude made no sense at all.
Could this be the “hostile” cultist they mentioned?
But why would Fang Xiu and Bai Shuangying guide cultists here?
The knocking grew more forceful, finally turning into a heavy impact.
This cabin in the deep forest didn’t have a reinforced metal door. The wooden door groaned under pressure, and the latch began to warp.
At the table, Bai Shuangying lightly tapped his finger. The meat on another chicken drumstick separated itself from the bone.
He picked up the steaming meat with his chopsticks and placed it into Fang Xiu’s bowl. “Eat more. I added a lot of medicinal herbs.”
Fang Xiu wolfed it down. “Thanks, thanks. I swear I’ll grow some muscle. Guan He’s already bulkier than me. It’s not fair.”
Zhou Xingquan was losing his mind. Was this really the time for flirting?
Still, even if they were a little strange, he had to repay the meal. Zhou Xingquan suddenly stood up, grabbed a kitchen knife from the counter, and positioned himself between the door and the table.
Bang!
The wooden door finally burst open.
But the one who entered wasn’t an intruder, but a flood of blooming red flowers.
Zhou Xingquan had spent years in the field, yet he couldn’t identify this species right away.
The flowers looked like a cross between lilies and orchids, their petals as thin as red threads, glowing faintly like red lanterns swaying in the night.
They collapsed in a heap at the doorway, loosely forming the shape of a human body.
Among the blossoms lay crumpled clothing and pants, and a pair of shoes and socks lay askew at the threshold—as if the moment the man crossed the threshold, he fell and scattered into these strange flowers.
Outside, there was nothing but cool mountain wind and the boundless night.
Zhou Xingquan stumbled back in fear, the kitchen knife clattering to the floor.
Fang Xiu had finished his meal and stood up briskly.
He pulled out a woven basket from the cabinet and began to gather the flowers, humming a tune.
Bai Shuangying, looking unbothered, cleared the tableware and casually picked up the knife Zhou Xingquan had dropped.
Seeing Zhou Xingquan frozen stiff, he curled his lip slightly. “I can erase your memory.”
Driven by scholarly curiosity, Zhou Xingquan murmured, “No… No need. I want to remember.”
Bai Shuangying said indifferently, “As you wish.”
Zhou Xingquan watched as Fang Xiu packed up the red flowers, picked some fresh fruit from the basket, and walked toward the back door of the cabin.
That wall had no windows. Zhou Xingquan had assumed it led to a bathroom or something and hadn’t thought much of it.
Now, staring at the blank wall, he felt everything was off.
Seeing Bai Shuangying follow, Zhou Xingquan nervously trailed after them.
The moment he stepped out the back door, Zhou Xingquan stopped breathing.
In the darkness, a field of those blood-red flowers had bloomed. They swayed gently in the night wind, their glow making Zhou Xingquan’s skin crawl.
At the center of the flower field stood an old-fashioned tomb.
The gravestone was large and beautiful. In front of it was a stone offering table. In addition to traditional offerings like fruit, the table also held odd items—vases with red paper flowers, instant camera photos, casino chips, and other trinkets.
“This is my parents’ joint grave.” Fang Xiu placed a few fresh fruits onto the offering plate and wiped the dust from the tombstone.
Zhou Xingquan nervously swallowed, eyes flicking to the basket of red flowers.
“Curious about that?” Fang Xiu finally looked at him and smiled. “That guy isn’t actually dead yet. His living soul was sent somewhere else.”
“Shuangying changed his body. Only when these flowers wither will he be completely dead.”
Zhou Xingquan: “…” That’s even more terrifying, okay?
And frankly, he didn’t want to know what “changed his body” actually meant.
Thankfully, Fang Xiu just shrugged and didn’t explain further.
He continued wiping the tombstone while muttering softly. Zhou Xingquan leaned in but heard no eerie chanting, but just idle chatter.
Almost everything he said was about his everyday life with Bai Shuangying, like a newlywed calling home. Bai Shuangying stood quietly at his side, occasionally nodding toward the tombstone in greeting.
After several minutes, Fang Xiu lifted the basket of red flowers and scattered them on an open patch of ground. The blossoms wriggled like living things and arranged themselves into a neat plot.
The next morning, Zhou Xingquan woke to the smell of instant noodles.
He felt fine. Not thirsty, not hungry, not cold, and no strange pains. He looked at his clean fingers, then at the looming shadows of the trees and the thick morning fog.
…Fog?
He jumped up, scrambling to his feet.
He found himself lying on a pile of dead leaves. He was wearing the jacket he thought he had lost.
All his gear was inside, intact. His backpack sat nearby, perfectly unharmed.
Not far beyond the bushes, people were chatting softly. Zhou Xingquan sniffed the air and smelled the familiar scent of braised beef noodles. That had to be his expedition team.
What was going on?
He pressed his temples hard.
He remembered going to the grave with Fang Xiu, planting the cultist-turned-flowers into the ground, then drowsily returning to the cabin and falling asleep on the couch…
Just recalling those memories felt absurd. He must have had a wild, fantastical dream.
Zhou Xingquan stood and walked toward his teammates.
“Oh my god, Lao Zhou?!”
“We couldn’t find you for a whole day. We were terrified!”
“Your equipment’s all here! Why didn’t you contact us?”
The camp burst into chaos.
“A whole day?” Zhou Xingquan muttered.
“Yeah, an entire day! You vanished yesterday morning!” everyone exclaimed.
Zhou Xingquan took a deep breath and opened his backpack.
Everything he had packed was there, not a single item missing…
In fact, there was something extra.
A single empty Wangzai soda can. Its bright red color stood out.
Zhou Xingquan shuddered and zipped the bag closed, exhaling deeply.
“Where did you go?”
“How did you find us?”
His colleagues asked persistently.
“I…” Zhou Xingquan opened his mouth, then swallowed the words.
“I forgot,” he finally said, firm and clear.
There was a hidden cabin in the forest, home to a young man wearing a red T-shirt, studying for the medical exam, and a white-robed figure who might be spirit or god.
They lived quietly, turning hostile cultists into flowers…
This ridiculous story would remain his secret.
A breeze blew past his backpack, lifting a glowing red petal into the air.
It spun gently into the mist and disappeared into the dark forest.
The author has something to say:
The secret base story of the young couple is complete!
Zhou Xingquan pulled his clothes tighter around him.
Even though it wasn’t yet dark, his vision had already begun to dim. Sunlight couldn’t penetrate the thick forest canopy, and the cold, damp mountain mist drifted through the trees. All around were grotesque, moss-covered giant trees. The ground was layered with thick, decaying leaves.
If he was lucky, the leaves might only conceal roots that could trip him. If less fortunate, he might step on a venomous snake or insect, or into mud that could swallow his feet.
Zhou Xingquan could feel his body heat rapidly fading.
…This was serious.
In recent years, some restricted areas of Xushan had been opened for scientific study. Scholars from many fields rushed to explore them. As a geologist, Zhou Xingquan had eagerly joined one of the expeditions.
To be fair, their team had excellent safety protocols.
The organizers had hired professional guides. Equipment like GPS and geological compasses was complete. There were also plenty of backup supplies, like medicine, clothes, food and water, leaving little room for accidents.
But Zhou Xingquan became that one accident.
He had left the group alone to relieve himself, only to lock eyes with a black bear.
His mind went blank. Acting on instinct, he ran two steps before taking a wrong step and tumbling down a slope, knocking himself unconscious on a rock along the way.
When he woke up, there was one piece of good news and a lot of bad.
The good news: the bear didn’t follow him. His limbs and head were intact, and none of his internal organs had spilled out.
The bad news: his backpack was missing, his gear-filled jacket had been torn off mid-fall, and he had landed in a creek, soaking him completely. He was left with almost nothing.
Surrounding him was only thick mist and trees. He had no idea how far he had fallen, nor which direction he had come from.
The temperature outside had been fairly warm, but in this deep forest, he was shivering with blue lips. If he didn’t find a way out before dark, hypothermia would kill him before hunger or thirst did.
…Was he going to die here?
Zhou Xingquan sniffled and called out a few times. The area was eerily quiet. His voice was quickly swallowed by the fog, as if he were the only person left in the world.
He thought about trying to make a fire to warm up, but his clothes were damp, and the nearby trees were covered in a slick, wet layer. Not even sunlight could penetrate this place. He had no idea how to start a fire.
Worse still, Xushan had been sealed off for over a thousand years. Even if he followed the water, there was little chance of encountering any locals.
He was truly doomed. If not for the need to conserve strength, he would have broken down crying.
After a moment of despair, he picked up a sturdy branch to use as a cane and began walking along the stream—not in the hope of meeting someone, but just to have access to drinking water if needed.
Nature quickly revealed its harshness.
Zhou Xingquan shivered uncontrollably, his legs growing heavier by the step. The soft decaying leaves turned into swampy muck that sucked at his feet, draining his energy.
He hadn’t eaten lunch. His stomach rumbled, and his throat felt parched. His surroundings looked cursed. The scene in front of him was just dull green, murky brown, gray fog, and… red?
Wait—red?
He perked up and walked toward the red spot. A few steps later, he realized what it was—
On a flat rock sat a neatly placed can of Wangzai soda and a stack of flaky pastries. The pastries were clean and looked freshly made.
Zhou Xingquan trembled from head to toe.
Fresh, manmade food appearing in a thousand-year-uninhabited primeval forest was even scarier than stumbling on a skeleton.
Was he hallucinating from the hypothermia?
He crept up to the food and poked it cautiously—Damn. It was still warm. The pastry’s surface was crisp, and the drink can retained residual heat.
If this was a hallucination, it was an incredibly convincing one.
Zhou Xingquan sighed for a long time, but in the end, survival instinct won.
He cracked open the can and downed the warm sweet drink, finishing the pastries in just a few bites.
With those solid carbs in his stomach, he felt slightly more alert.
He studied the now-empty can, mind still reeling. No matter how he thought about it, none of this made any sense. But he could still taste the lingering sweetness between his molars, as if reality itself were forcibly reminding him: “this was real”.
As he tried to make sense of everything, the red can in his hand suddenly twitched like a living thing and slipped from his grasp.
It rolled over and began spinning across the ground.
Zhou Xingquan: “……”
Great. He must still be unconscious. This was all a dream.
The can rolled at a perfectly manageable pace, just enough for him to walk and follow. When Zhou Xingquan stood frozen, it stopped too, bouncing in place as if to urge him forward.
If this was a dream, why bother caring so much?
It wasn’t like he had anywhere else to go. Zhou Xingquan braced himself with the tree branch and decisively followed the bizarre soda can.
The can rolled effortlessly over layers of fallen leaves, past gravel-strewn streambeds and weed-choked trails. Against the gloomy, gray background, that streak of red remained his only guide.
He didn’t know how long he walked. The fog gradually lifted. The air became drier and warmer. The oppressive gray-green faded into lush emerald, and finally, he saw the sky—it was sunset, awash in red clouds.
The can stopped.
It didn’t need to lead any further. Zhou Xingquan now knew where to go.
He stood in a beautiful mountain valley. In the distance was a quaint, traditional wooden cabin, surrounded by vibrant flowers and greenery, a scene worthy of being called paradise.
Zhou Xingquan flushed with excitement.
There were people here. Even if this was a dream, it was a good dream.
He picked up the empty can and ran toward the cabin.
As he got closer, the smell of chicken stew hit his nose. It was hot, hearty, and full of homely comfort. He nearly burst into tears.
“Hello, is anyone there?”
He knocked firmly. “I got separated from the expedition team and got lost. Please help me—”
Creak.
The door opened. A young man in a red T-shirt appeared.
He looked under thirty, with slightly messy hair. His features were handsome but friendly, not the kind of beauty that kept people at a distance.
He was unmistakably wearing modern clothes—a pair of sneakers on his feet and a book titled “Comprehensive Medical Studies” in his hand.
“Expedition team?” the young man blinked.
“Y-Yes. My name is Zhou Xingquan. Can you contact the outside world? I can reach our team leader.”
Zhou Xingquan looked miserable. “I ran into a bear, fell off a cliff, lost all my equipment…”
“Oh, I’m Fang Xiu.”
The young man in red—Fang Xiu—smiled warmly and gestured for him to come in. “There’s no signal here. Come inside, change into something dry, and have a bowl of soup. Once you’re feeling better, we’ll figure something out.”
“Thank you, thank you so much!” Zhou Xingquan said, deeply moved.
Maybe this wasn’t a dream, he thought. At least right now, Fang Xiu felt very real. So did the scent of that chicken soup. It was filled with herbs, unmistakably brewed with care.
Maybe the can that guided him had been a hallucination, but this life-saving cabin probably wasn’t. Maybe Fang Xiu had left the supplies in the woods too. That would make sense.
He was saved.
Zhou Xingquan stepped into the warm cabin and immediately saw the ceramic pot bubbling on a gas stove. The stew simmered gently, its rich scent filling the room.
In front of the pot stood another person. Dressed in white robes like a character from ancient times, with long black hair cascading down, the man kept a focused gaze on the stew.
When Zhou Xingquan entered, the man turned his face. His snow-white eyes glanced at him briefly.
Zhou Xingquan: “…”
No, no, he wasn’t saved. This had to be a dream.
Otherwise, how could there be a “white-eyed, long-haired, robe-wearing ghost prince” character in such a modern-looking cabin?
“This is Bai Shuangying, my partner,”
Fang Xiu said cheerfully, unfazed by Zhou Xingquan’s inner crisis. “I’m staying here to study. It’s quiet and remote with no cell signal, which is perfect for focus.”
Bai Shuangying nodded absentmindedly, as if Fang Xiu had just opened a window and let a bug in.
But the moment Fang Xiu said “my partner”, the corners of Bai Shuangying’s lips lifted slightly, and his demeanor softened. He adjusted his left hand, revealing a wedding ring that matched Fang Xiu’s.
Zhou Xingquan gave up on thinking.
If he couldn’t make sense of the situation, he might as well rest.
He looked away from the surreal Bai Shuangying and took in the cozy cabin’s living room.
The interior was well-designed, clearly modern, and full of signs of daily life.
Sofa, tables, chairs, and appliances were all present. There was likely a generator outside. The cabin had a small kitchen, complete with utensils and dishware. A red-and-white checkered cloth covered the round dining table, topped with a vase of fresh wildflowers.
Aside from the otherworldly appearance of Bai Shuangying, the cabin was practically a perfect modern bed and breakfast. Its realism was undeniable.
Near the largest window, with the best view, was a spacious desk. On it lay a thick notebook, surrounded by textbooks and practice workbooks. Zhou Xingquan glanced over and noticed they were all adult college entrance exam prep materials.
“These are your books? You’re preparing for the adult college entrance exam?” Zhou Xingquan asked Fang Xiu, deciding not to question Bai Shuangying’s presence.
“Yeah, I had to put off school before because of some things. Now that I have time, my dad wants me to finish my education, and I want to get into college too.”
Fang Xiu looked a little shy as he spoke, handing Zhou Xingquan a set of dry clothes—a printed T-shirt and a pair of loose lounge pants.
“You want to study medicine? That’s amazing.”
Zhou Xingquan changed clothes as he spoke, genuinely impressed.
The textbooks were mostly about clinical medicine, filled with notes in various colors. It was clear that Fang Xiu had been working hard.
Outside the window, the sun dipped behind the mountains. The sky darkened quickly. Inside, the lights came on making it warm and comforting.
He didn’t have to wander the freezing woods in wet clothes. He could survive the night.
Now dressed in dry clothes, his exhausted limbs began to recover. Zhou Xingquan wiped his face and glanced again at the study materials.
He started to believe this wasn’t a dream after all.
As a geologist, he might be able to imagine someone like Bai Shuangying. But his brain couldn’t fabricate this level of detailed medical knowledge.
Maybe Bai Shuangying was just really good-looking, with a small cosplay hobby. Who knew?
“The soup’s ready. There’s bread and fruit too. Help yourself.”
Fang Xiu smiled, inviting Zhou Xingquan to sit and eat.
But Bai Shuangying didn’t sit down right away. He remained by the window, gazing silently outside.
His ghostly face held little expression, though his brows furrowed slightly.
“What is it?” Fang Xiu sensed something was off, though he didn’t look worried.
“We have a new visitor.”
After a pause, Bai Shuangying added, “…They don’t seem friendly.”
The author has something to say:
The young couple’s secret base~
Xiao Bai be like: I was going to make this place out of gold.
Since this is a sweet slice-of-life couple story, of course we’ll let bystanders watch and eat dogfood. √
There were a few veteran teams in this sacrificial round, and also no shortage of eccentrics.
The small disturbance stirred up by Li Changlang quickly settled. To be honest, compared to the two strikingly good-looking young people, the middle-aged woman who called herself “Uncle Hou” seemed even stranger.
But aside from that nickname, the woman was indeed very capable. She quickly organized everyone and found an empty office to serve as a base.
The young couple—Fang Xiu and Bai Shuangying—really did follow Li Changlang obediently, as if intimidated by his air of command.
It wasn’t dark yet. The orange-red sunlight slanted through the lattice window, casting golden shadows on the floor. Zhao Rui hid in the shadow of a rusted machine, waiting for nightfall.
The yin energy here was much denser than in the alley he previously occupied. Zhao Rui felt power surging through him, even his form became more stable. But he had no interest in refining the E here. His bulging bloodshot eyes focused only on Li Changlang.
“Our team’s support package is supplies. Let’s share the food.” Fang Xiu eagerly pulled out drinks and snacks, trying hard to demonstrate his usefulness. His attitude resembled that of a fresh graduate.
Li Changlang quickly grabbed a roast chicken, his expression easing. “Looks like food won’t be a problem. You two might be of some use after all.”
Seeing that everyone had started eating, Fang Xiu pulled Bai Shuangying up. “Let’s step out for some fresh air before it gets dark.”
Li Changlang pretended not to hear, but “Uncle Hou” commented, “Since this is your second ritual, you should understand how dangerous places like this are. Just endure it.”
Fang Xiu pressed his lips together and smiled a bit stiffly. “Sorry, I actually have a bit of claustrophobia. The large factory outside is fine. This room is too small, and it’s so crowded…”
Bai Shuangying put his arm around Fang Xiu’s shoulders and said bluntly, “If his mental state becomes unstable, his abilities will be affected.”
“Uncle Hou” clicked her tongue. “Don’t go far. Don’t touch anything. You must return before dark.”
Fang Xiu smiled apologetically and left the base with Bai Shuangying close by his side.
Back inside, Li Changlang was greedily devouring the roast chicken, grease dripping from his mouth. The sight disgusted Zhao Rui. He finally couldn’t bear it and decided to shift his focus to observing Fang Xiu and Bai Shuangying.
Earlier, an Underworld envoy had said that if he ever saw Lords Fang and Lord Bai, he would recognize them.
But looking at these two, apart from their exceptional looks, Zhao Rui felt nothing unusual. It was probably a coincidence one had the surname Fang and the other Bai.
Zhao Rui moved along the shadows, watching as Fang Xiu and Bai Shuangying walked hand in hand, stepping through the golden sunlight pouring through the windows.
They walked under the sliced beams of light, the atmosphere almost dreamlike.
“Look at this, an old machine from last century. You have to operate it step by step.” Fang Xiu wrapped an arm around Bai Shuangying’s waist and excitedly pointing at the silent metal giants in the factory. “Modern factories use fully automated assembly lines now. They look much more impressive than these.”
Bai Shuangying looked on appreciatively, the once-cold emptiness in his eyes now filled with curiosity.
“All it takes is these machines to turn ore into metal goods?”
“If you count from the mining stage, it actually requires collaboration between many factories,” Fang Xiu explained. “But the supply chain is really developed now. If you want to custom-make something with your ore, we can make a plan once we get back.”
Bai Shuangying: “People used to like golden chairs. I could gift you one. I promise it’ll be bigger than the one in any palace.”
Bai Shuangying let go of Fang Xiu to confidently gesture with his hands.
“I have plenty of ore. Yuan Ye said his family wants to replace their sofa. We can hire someone to make a whole custom set.”
Fang Xiu: “…”
Fang Xiu: “For the sake of Uncle Yuan’s heart, let’s just buy a regular sofa.”
“I saw online that gold is really popular. Don’t you all like it?”
“It is popular, yes, but… it’s hard to explain.” Fang Xiu hesitated. “Just don’t order a gold sofa. And don’t throw your gold mines around carelessly.”
“Alright.”
Zhao Rui, who was eavesdropping nearby: “?”
This conversation didn’t seem… normal at all. It sounded like two psychiatric patients chatting in a shared hospital room.
Wait, what if they really were mentally ill murderers, and the human world couldn’t deal with them, so they were dumped here instead?
The more Zhao Rui thought about it, the more plausible it seemed. He sighed repeatedly.
In the distance, the conversation continued.
“Let’s talk about those scientists entering the mountains. I need you to loosen the restrictions. Uncle Yuan should have mentioned this to you.”
“I hate the living wandering around on my mountain.” Bai Shuangying retracted his arms and hugged them around his chest, his tone becoming more reluctant.
“It’s going to be designated a nature preserve. They won’t be allowed to mess around. Plus, every time they enter the mountain, I’ll go with them to monitor things,” Fang Xiu replied.
Bai Shuangying’s eyes lit up. “Every time?”
“Every time.” Fang Xiu kissed Bai Shuangying’s cheek. “They’ll stay as long as we stay.”
Bai Shuangying gave a satisfied nod. “Then they can enter anytime.”
He paused, then added, “How about this. I’ll build you a golden house in the mountain. That ‘golden house in books*’ phrase seems quite popular.”
*It’s an idiom that comes from a poem by Zhao Heng in the Song Dynasty. It refers to the value of education and reading, which will lead one to success, wealth, and prosperity (living in a golden house). In this case, Bai Shuangying is taking it literally… by giving him an actual golden house.
Fang Xiu tried to hold back his laughter. “I already have you. What do I need gold for?”
“Good point,” Bai Shuangying agreed after a moment of thought.
Seeing the sincere look on his face, Fang Xiu couldn’t help but laugh out loud. As he laughed, he looped his arms around Bai Shuangying’s neck, and the two of them naturally leaned in and kissed.
Zhao Rui: “……”
He had been a straight man in life. Even seeing heterosexual couples being affectionate in public made him feel awkward and uncomfortable.
Strangely, though, their kiss was heated but not lustful, tender without being fake. He couldn’t bring himself to dislike it.
If anything, it felt less like two humans indulging in desire, and more like two wild creatures nuzzling each other affectionately.
The scene was oddly pleasant to watch, though it didn’t match the gloomy, rust-stained factory surroundings at all.
Their kiss was long and focused.
Fang Xiu’s fingers sank deep into Bai Shuangying’s black hair. Bai Shuangying opened his arms and held Fang Xiu’s waist firmly.
After a full five minutes, they finally parted, reluctant to let go.
“That felt different this time,” Bai Shuangying said, pressing Fang Xiu’s lower lip with his finger.
“Different environment, different mood,” Fang Xiu mumbled as he playfully bit the fingertip. “But it’s a good difference, right?”
Outside the window, the orange-red sunlight was fading to dark crimson. The sun was about to set.
Shadows began to rise like mist. Their figures grew blurry in the growing darkness, but they remained standing there, clearly in no rush to return.
Zhao Rui couldn’t figure out what those two were up to.
As the sky darkened, other spirits were already eyeing them, waiting for a chance to tear them apart.
“What the hell are you two doing?”
Suddenly, a familiar voice rang out.
Li Changlang?!
Zhao Rui turned around in shock—he had never expected that Li Changlang would actually leave the base and come looking for them in person.
These sacrifices had experience and knew magic. A reckless attack would not end well. Zhao Rui had been wondering how to isolate Li Changlang. Now the fool had just walked straight into danger.
“Goddamn it, didn’t I tell you to come back before dark? Can’t you understand plain speech?”
Li Changlang cursed, his voice a little unnaturally hoarse.
Fang Xiu’s earlier poise vanished in an instant, and he reverted to that soft, unassuming demeanor. “But it’s not dark yet…”
“Back. Now. Stop talking crap,” Li Changlang grumbled and held out a hand. “Give me a drink, hurry up, I’m parched to death.”
…Huh?
Zhao Rui suddenly remembered that when Fang Xiu handed Li Changlang an entire roast chicken earlier, he didn’t give him a drink. Li Changlang, seeing that no one else received such generous treatment, devoured the food greedily and didn’t notice this detail.
That roast chicken must have been quite salty.
Zhao Rui looked at Fang Xiu in surprise.
Thinking carefully, none of the sacrifices were easy to deal with. Li Changlang was a newcomer who didn’t seem particularly capable. No one would willingly share their food or water with him.
Under normal circumstances, thirst could be endured. But with the most dangerous part of the night approaching, realizing that he was in the worst condition among the group could trigger panic and anxiety far more deadly than dehydration.
On the other hand, Uncle Hou didn’t want Fang Xiu and Bai Shuangying to get into trouble, but also didn’t want to risk someone valuable. Sending out the already anxious Li Changlang to call them back made perfect sense.
Not to mention, Fang Xiu had earlier declared he would follow Li Changlang. All the reasoning was already in place.
Could it be that Fang Xiu had secretly orchestrated this situation?
No, that couldn’t be. Fang Xiu had no grudge against Li Changlang. He was probably just being careless. It must have been a coincidence.
…Either way, for Zhao Rui, this was a golden opportunity.
Fang Xiu clumsily pulled out a can and handed it slowly to Li Changlang. Li Changlang snatched it, opened it on the spot, and chugged it greedily.
After just a couple gulps, he suddenly bent over and vomited violently.
What he had drunk wasn’t a sweet beverage, but vomit reeking of alcohol. Not only did it fail to quench his thirst, it also made him throw up the roast chicken he’d just eaten.
Fang Xiu rushed forward in a fluster, patting Li Changlang hard on the back. “This-This isn’t right. Something’s wrong!”
But he hit too hard, and Li Changlang was already retching badly. The force of Fang Xiu’s slap made Li Changlang lose his balance and fall right into the pool of regurgitated vomit.
Li Changlang staggered, his face turning an ugly purplish-red with rage.
“You useless piece of trash, apologize right now!” He wiped the filth from his mouth with a sleeve and roared, “You did that on purpose, didn’t you? You trying to mess with me?”
He completely forgot about the setting sun that was slowly vanishing. He raised his fist to punch Fang Xiu.
But before he could extend his arm, the last trace of daylight disappeared from the window. Shadows swept in like a wave, flooding the entire factory in the blink of an eye. Along with the sunlight, Fang Xiu’s harmless, frightened expression vanished.
Fang Xiu began to smile.
It was not the shy smile he wore when they first met. It was pure mockery.
“Don’t touch me,” he whispered. A red symbol flickered on his fingertip.
As soon as he spoke, Li Changlang’s filthy fist froze just millimeters from Fang Xiu’s nose. No matter what, it couldn’t make contact with his face.
Li Changlang’s expression changed.
He was brash, but not stupid. The moment he sensed something was wrong with Fang Xiu, he turned and bolted. While fleeing, he opened his mouth wide, preparing to shout for help—
“Don’t make a sound,” Fang Xiu said with a cheery smile.
Li Changlang’s jaw clenched shut with a snap. The scream lodged in his throat. He had no choice but to crawl and stumble his way toward the base. Zhao Rui stared at Fang Xiu, waiting for him to speak the next forbidden command.
But Fang Xiu didn’t say anything else. Instead, he turned his face, smiling, and looked straight at Zhao Rui.
“For you,” he mouthed silently.
Zhao Rui paused.
…Ah. He understood.
“Good evening, Lord Fang, Lord Bai,”
He instantly teleported to a spot along Li Changlang’s path, grinning with cracked purple lips, and stretched out his hands toward the wide-eyed, frantic man.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you…”
Amid the sound of tearing flesh, Fang Xiu leaned against Bai Shuangying’s chest, gazing at the faint glow in the direction of the base.
“Ready?” he asked, tilting his head up at Bai Shuangying.
“Yes.” Bai Shuangying lowered his head, pressing his lips to Fang Xiu’s hair.
Li Changlang’s mangled body was dragged off into the depths of the shadows by Zhao Rui. The moment both figures fully disappeared—
“Help—!”
Fang Xiu shouted at the top of his lungs toward the direction of the base.
The author has something to say:
Main story complete!
The word count was well controlled, and the ending turned out more or less as planned _(:D 」∠)
Unfortunately, I couldn’t maintain perfectly consistent daily updates, and the update schedule got shaky in the late stages. Sorry for that… I’ll do better next time!
Next comes the extra chapters: a sweet two-person world for the couple. Extras will not necessarily update daily~
After the conclusion, there will be surprise extras of the couple’s daily life every Valentine’s Day and Qixi Festival!
Please consider clicking “Follow this author” in the profile (〃ω〃)
————————————
Next story “A Contract Between Enemies” is tentatively scheduled to begin in July. The blurb is as follows—
A young noble attempted to summon a demon, but the ritual failed, and he died on the spot.
The bad news: He accidentally summoned a Chaos Archdemon, who then took over the body of the sacrificial slave.
The good news: He also accidentally summoned the spirit of the Hero who perished alongside the same Archdemon, and this spirit possessed the dead young noble’s body.
When enemies meet, their eyes blaze with hatred. But now they were stripped of their powers that once shook the heavens and earth, and inexplicably unable to kill each other, they could only chip away at the walls.
Even worse, the world outside had changed beyond their recognition. Their epic battles had been reduced to mere exaggerated legends.
So, for the first time, they reach an agreement: Figure out their current situation, regain their power, and then, finally, do everything in their power to kill each other again.
A hero with shattered pride × a demon god who lost his body
Two former legends, both down on their luck(?), starting from zero again in a noob village—going from mutual destruction to a shared adventure for survival.
Kinky Thoughts:
This marks the end of the main story of Help. If you enjoyed it, please consider supporting the author by buying the raws. You can use Google Chrome with their auto translate and this guide on how to buy novels on jjwxc. Remember, only with your (financial) support can artists continue to produce more great works.
I have also translated all the works Nian Zhong has mentioned in her author’s comment. You can check them out by clicking on them. I highly recommend Stray as it is my favorite work by her as of date.
Now, onto my personal opinion about this work. I would say this wasn’t my favorite by Nian Zhong. The writing was fine, and I actually do like the CP, even as twisted as Fang Xiu is. Compared with other unlimited flow novels I’ve read, it certainly is a lot better, especially in terms of wrapping things up without any plot holes. As usual, Nian Zhong is a master at putting all the pieces together step-by-step to form one cohesive plot.
I think for me, each of the “arcs” weren’t really that interesting? Part of what makes Nian Zhong writing so good are the characters, and in this series, all of them besides Fang Xiu and Bai Shuangying fell flat. Each of the arc held very little emotional weight since I couldn’t even be bothered to get invested in the side characters or their story.
Hell… even the pet felt like it was an afterthought and was only shoehorned in because “Nian Zhong’s story always have to have a pet”. Not to mention everything is so black and white in this story. The villains are clearly evil and bad, and the “good” guys are there to dole out the punishment. Where’s the nuance? Where’s the ambiguity? Usually her characters are morally gray (well, in Fang Xiu case he’s clearly not gray in any area), including the “antagonist”.
As I said previously in one of my thoughts, clear black and white characters make for a quite bland story. Perhaps I’m being too harsh, but I guess I expected more from Nian Zhong.
The main plot and overall twist are actually quite good, and I actually like the relationship between our MCs quite a bit… It’s also probably the most explicit in terms of writing Nian Zhong has ever written (somehow this passed JJ censorship???).
So overall, I would say, I’m pretty meh about each individual “parts” of the novel, but the overall combination of those “parts” makes for quite a good story. It’s like going to one of those set menus at a fancy restaurant and you’re served a 10 dish courses. While each individual dish ranges from meh to somewhat good, you weren’t really wowed by anything, but then thinking about the courses combined as a whole, you find that your dining experience was quite enjoyable. This is how I feel about the novel.
Anyway, that’s just my personal opinion. It’s still a good novel and you shouldn’t let my opinion sway you from how you felt about it.
To end, I would also like to thank everyone for your comments, encouragement, help with my translations, and ko-fi donations. Until next time.
Late at night, in a dark alley of a bustling city district.
The alley was narrow and deep, flanked by towering building walls. Passing through felt like sinking into the sea. A middle-aged man, just off work, held his breath and quickened his pace to hurry through.
Halfway through, he suddenly noticed something ahead.
In the dim light, it looked like a man crouched on the ground. His outline flickered suspiciously, and he was letting out muffled sobs. The smell of vomit mixed with alcohol hung in the air, almost making the man retch.
“Hey man, are you okay? Do you need help?” The middle-aged man was blocked and couldn’t pass, so he cautiously asked.
The crying shadow didn’t respond. Gathering his courage, the man stepped closer and patted its back. To his shock, his hand touched nothing. It felt like the air inside a freezer, piercingly cold.
“Wuu… wuu… wuu…”
The crying shadow vanished, but the sobs still echoed through the alley.
Cold sweat broke out all over the man. He screamed and stumbled out of the alley.
……
The next day, at an empty basement office in Taiyi City First People’s Hospital.
The crying shadow sat obediently in a chair. Across from him were an officer from the Underworld and a seasoned ghost who had followed Fang Xiu for some time.
“Let me see… Zhao Rui, twenty-three years old… The cause of death was drunk and unconscious at night, choked to death by vomit.”
The ghost flipped through the report. “Dying young with resentment is understandable. But your resentment is too strong. Ordinary people are starting to see you.”
The moment they received the report, the ghosts acted immediately and dragged Zhao Rui’s spirit out of the alley.
Even though the yin energy was heavy at night, this guy could be seen by regular humans with no yin yang eyes. If they left him alone, he would almost certainly become an evil spirit.
The Underworld officer stroked his chin. “This level of obsession can only come from hatred. Start talking.”
Zhao Rui lifted his bloodshot eyes. His face twisted with fury. “What’s the damn point of talking? The living couldn’t stop him. The dead can’t stop him either. So now you’re coming to stop me…”
The officer shook his head and placed a peachwood sword glowing with golden light neatly beside him. “Talk.”
Zhao Rui straightened up. “I’ll talk.”
Through sobs filled with hatred, Zhao Rui recounted how he died—
He was a hardworking and traditional good student, who studied diligently and got into a top university. After graduation, he entered a prestigious company in Gui Province and landed a job that many envied.
From any angle, it was the perfect start.
But Zhao Rui was assigned to a terrible boss.
The boss was named Li Changlang, a long-time employee at the company. His position was neither high nor low, but he had personal ties with upper management and a very secure status.
This man had no real hobbies, except tormenting young, capable workers.
When Zhao Rui was still an intern, he saw three or four fellow interns break down crying after being scolded by this old guy.
One girl received vaguely inappropriate text messages from him and was so frightened she didn’t know what to do. Another was forced to drink late into the night with clients and eventually quit the internship.
Even Zhao Rui, being male, wasn’t spared. Fetching tea, buying breakfast—those were the small things. If the project metrics didn’t look good, he had to take the blame for Li Changlang’s decisions.
But Zhao Rui didn’t dare to resign.
The boss was awful, but the company, the projects, and the position were excellent. If he could endure for two or three years, the experience would look great on his résumé.
If he gave up now, he’d lose his fresh graduate status and risk being judged by future employers as lacking stability.
“I found out later that in over twenty years at that company, he destroyed at least four young people.”
Zhao Rui gnashed his teeth. “One was harassed until she broke down and killed herself in a rented room. Another was deliberately overworked to death at his desk. Another quit in depression and self-harmed into disability. One was forced to drink with him, went home drunk, fell, and died.”
“I was the fifth. I didn’t follow his orders at a business dinner. He went rabid. I thought being cautious would be enough. If only I’d known…”
As he spoke, he broke down again.
“Haa. Just picking on fresh graduates… it’s hard to survive in the mortal world.”
The ghost consultant sympathized. “Things like this don’t even count as workplace injury, let alone legal accountability. But down here, karma gets tallied. Do you want to claim this blood debt?”
The Underworld officer hummed. “Lord Fang’s judgment standard is ‘malice’. If this is all true, we’ll deal with it.”
The only question was whether they’d assign the case to an eight-time ritual with no rewards or a full unlimited package.
“Now we’re offering you a new job. As compensation, you’ll get a chance to punish him personally.”
The officer pulled out a cinnabar pen. “If you’re lucky, you might even witness his death.”
“I’ll do it!”
Zhao Rui’s bloodshot eyes widened. He agreed instantly.
“I haven’t told you the cost yet,” said the officer, half amused.
“I don’t care what it is. Any price is fine, even if my soul gets torn apart.” Zhao Rui spoke through blood-filled tears. “My life is ruined, completely ruined. My parents will suffer too. And that bastard gets to live comfortably? I can’t stand it.”
The ghost official wrote up the contract with elegant strokes and slid it over to Zhao Rui.
“It’s not that serious. You just sign the ghost contract and agree to be managed by the Underworld. Right now, you’re no different from an evil spirit. We can’t let you roam around the living world.”
“Thank you… Thank you… wuu…”
“Save your thanks for Lord Fang. The Underworld didn’t use to have procedures like this.” The ghost waved its hand.
That night, at the top of the Disaster Relief Tower.
Zhao Rui passed through the smoke gate and was led by the ghost officer to this strange place. At first glance, it looked like a traditional study room, with many ghosts lining up in an orderly queue.
At the head of the line sat a towering ghost in a wedding robe. Zhao Rui couldn’t tell what kind of ghost she was, but like a mouse facing a cat, he instinctively felt fear and awe.
“Is that Lord Fang?” he whispered to the ghost officer who brought him.
“No, that is Lord Fang’s subordinate, Lady A’Shou,” the officer corrected quietly.
Zhao Rui stood respectfully. Even a subordinate had such overwhelming presence, then Lord Fang must be an even more powerful being. He tidied his clothes and imagined a three-meter-tall underworld version of Justice Bao.
The ghosts brought here were all said to have blood debts confirmed and contracts signed with the Underworld—
“Zhao Rui, right? Here’s your number. We’ve got the ruling on Li Changlang. We’ll assign a proper ritual to handle him.”
“Rest well tonight. An Underworld officer will come find you tomorrow. Since you have a grudge with the target and need memory retention, don’t forget to sign a ritual confidentiality agreement.”
A’Shou wrote down the record on a scroll, tore off a slip, and used a cinnabar pen to write “Number Eight” on it.
She waved her hand. “Next.”
Zhao Rui: “…”
What could he say? The process was certainly efficient, but it just felt oddly familiar.
Lady A’Shou handled things neatly and swiftly, but her vibe didn’t match Zhao Rui’s image of a ghost at all. She felt more like a seasoned doctor in a hospital outpatient ward.
Still, he had no complaints. The Underworld’s efficiency was evident, and it only made him more curious about Lord Fang.
“When can I meet Lord Fang?” Zhao Rui asked eagerly.
The ghost officer smiled slightly. His human appearance faded revealing his true form of a paper figure.
“To be precise, it’s Lord Fang and Lord Bai,” it said in a sharp voice. “Those two are never apart. Once you see them, you’ll know right away.”
*Two gods in charge of escorting spirits of the dead to the underworld.
But even after Zhao Rui joined the ritual, he still hadn’t seen the legendary pair.
He was guided to an abandoned factory, isolated from the world. Among a dozen terrified faces, he immediately spotted the shovel-like face of Li Changlang.
Yet among them, the most eye-catching weren’t Li Changlang, but a pair of young people.
The two wore striking matching red and white outfits. Their fashion was stylish, their figures elegant, which made them stand out from the crowd.
The taller one had long hair, wore a mask, and his pale eyes shimmered with strange light. The shorter one had a slim, fit build, gentle handsome features, and a slightly shy smile.
They held hands affectionately, each wearing matching rings on their ring fingers. Even the dullest observer could tell they were a couple.
Li Changlang’s eyes flicked around and quickly locked onto the attractive pair. First he looked relieved, then pressed his lips tight and furrowed his brow, putting on his usual disgusted expression.
“You’ve got time for this crap at a time like this?”
He stepped forward and barked, “Disgusting. You two better say now if you’ve got any filthy diseases, especially the one in the mask—”
The man in white had his face hidden by the mask, but his eyes were full of contempt and killing intent beyond his age. Even Zhao Rui shuddered at the sight.
The man in red smiled undisturbed, as if completely unaffected by Li Changlang’s hostility. He held his partner’s hand tightly, looking like someone with a very good temper.
“Wearing the mask is just his habit,” he said warmly. “This is our second ritual. We’ll do our best to keep up and not drag the group down.”
Everyone present wore bitter expressions and hostile stares. Not a single face was friendly. The two young men among them looked like lambs in a pack of wolves.
“The first ritual only left two survivors. You’re basically useless, huh? Just don’t run around. Do as you’re told,” Li Changlang sneered without hiding his contempt.
The man in red still didn’t get angry. Instead, he turned politely and reached out a hand toward Li Changlang.
“You’re absolutely right. We’ll be careful to cooperate with the team.”
“I’m Fang Xiu. My partner here is Bai Shuangying. May I ask your name?”
“Li Changlang.” Li Changlang raised his chin and ignored the offered hand.
Fang Xiu withdrew his hand with a smile, his gaze casually sweeping over Zhao Rui’s direction.
“Very well, Mr. Li,” he said respectfully. “You seem to know a lot about this. Can we follow your lead in what comes next?”
When they returned to the formation near Xushan, Gao Shan was still in shock.
Fang Xiu cheerfully carried him by the collar all the way back to the small courtyard’s second floor. Once the door opened, they were back in the human world. Shards of porcelain lay in the abandoned formation, thick yin energy swirling at the edges.
The four black Taoists had failed to complete their spell and were now gone.
Thinking about how easily those so-called masters had been dealt with, Gao Shan was drenched in sweat, both front and back.
“You couldn’t exorcise the spirits on me because I am the spirit. So they transferred themselves to me without charge. Remember to refund the deposit,” Fang Xiu said brightly as he picked up the porcelain shards, completely ignoring the heavy yin energy around them.
Gao Shan wiped the blood at the corner of his mouth, fumbling to transfer money. He wouldn’t dare say a single word of protest.
Even if the laws of the living world didn’t apply here, these two were clearly not ordinary humans. Gao Shan might not be a true master, but he at least understood one basic rule of the trade: never sign a contract with a spirit. The consequences of breaking it were beyond terrifying.
The problem was, he’d pictured a moonless night in the wilderness, accidentally bumping into a wild ghost—not two evil spirits sweetly shopping for rings in broad daylight, in the middle of the city!
Fang Xiu placed two porcelain fragments in his palm and gently rubbed them. “Judging by how that group of black Taoists reacted, you’re a black-market middleman, specializing in connecting rich clients with shady masters.”
“And that jewelry store isn’t your regular job, right?”
This guy’s eyes were too sharp. He’d seen through Gao Shan’s entire act at a glance. Gao Shan was on the verge of tears. “Yes, yes, sir.”
He’d mistaken Fang Xiu for a young-faced old ghost.
Fang Xiu couldn’t help but laugh and didn’t bother to correct him. “You’ve indirectly harmed many people, but there aren’t many blood debts on your hands. You’re used to skirting legal loopholes, and the victims probably can’t easily hold you accountable… hmm.”
There was a lot of gray area in the antique business, and connecting clients with “Masters” was even harder to regulate. It would be difficult to prosecute him under human law. On the other hand, his crimes weren’t severe enough for the Disaster Relief Tower either. He was a classic case of a slippery criminal.
Normally, Fang Xiu would’ve had Bai Shuangying erase his memories of the Tower, but…
“It’s rare to find a living person. You’ll work for me to atone,” Fang Xiu decided decisively.
Bai Shuangying glanced disinterestedly at Gao Shan and said frankly, “He’s too weak. He’ll just cause trouble.”
In front of Bai Shuangying, Fang Xiu gently played with the porcelain shards between his fingers, as if he was caressing a lover’s skin.
“He’s at least a novice cultivator that can see ghosts. All of my subordinates in the living world are ghosts. Some tasks are inconvenient for them, so a living human is useful.”
Gao Shan hated that he understood these words. Somehow, hearing them strung together was terrifying.
But this also meant he’d have a chance to move freely. He’d saved quite a bit over the years, enough to escape to a small country down south.
Yes, all he needed was a chance…
Suddenly, his back turned cold, and his body went numb. His legs gave out, and he collapsed to the ground.
He raised his head, trembling, and saw the man in white twirling a few strands of red thread around his fingers.
They hung down softly, tangled together. The ends were connected to Gao Shan’s back, though he couldn’t tell where they had come from.
What kind of spell was this? He didn’t know. He had never even heard of it.
“You’re sure you want this one to work off his debt?” Bai Shuangying asked carefully.
“I am.” Fang Xiu pressed the porcelain to his lips. “Because of him, I found this lovely thing. He deserves a little courtesy.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Bai Shuangying gave a flick of his fingers.
The red threads sprang to life, racing to coil around Gao Shan’s neck. His face turned red and bulging, veins popping as he clawed at the grass, gasping and choking.
Bai Shuangying was unmoved. He turned his hand and passed the knotted ends of the thread to Fang Xiu.
The moment they touched Fang Xiu’s palm; the threads vanished without a trace.
Gao Shan took a ragged breath. Though he felt nothing on his neck, the suffocating pressure remained.
“Those are karmic threads formed by your blood-debt. I only hid them.” Bai Shuangying explained calmly. “Fang Xiu can control their tightness at will. Even if you fled to the ends of the earth, you couldn’t escape.”
Gao Shan: “…”
A full-blown evil spirit, 200% confirmed!
Was this even legal under the Underworld’s rules? Who were these two?!
“All right, your first task.”
Fang Xiu clapped his hands. “Make a list of the most well-known ‘Masters’ in your network. Then arrange a meeting between me and one of them. Sounds easy enough?”
“But if they disappear, no one in the business will trust me again…” Gao Shan’s eyes welled with tears. This would ruin him.
“Relax.”
Fang Xiu flicked a finger, and Gao Shan’s neck tightened a bit. “If they’re truly ‘qualified’, no one will remember them.”
“Do you still remember what those four guys who were with you earlier looked like?”
The words caught in Gao Shan’s throat.
He glanced at the formation used to “bless” the porcelain fragments. It definitely required four Taoists to activate.
Logically, he must have brought Fang Xiu and the others here to meet those Taoists. After that… after that… he remembered going to the villa to drink tea, he remembered that terrifying dimensional space, all quite clearly.
But he couldn’t recall the appearance of the Taoists. Not their features, not their gender or age. Not even the exact number. He just vaguely knew there had been a few “roles”.
When had he forgotten?
In horror, Gao Shan looked at the red-and-white pair who had brought all this on him.
At that moment, he gave up entirely on running away.
……
The sun set, dyeing the sky a fiery red.
Xushan in the distance was swallowed by shadows, becoming a winding and majestic silhouette. Gao Shan turned his back on the beautiful mountains and fled the scene like a man escaping death, heading for his new job.
Fang Xiu was quite pleased. “Even recyclable trash can be useful.”
As the saying goes, birds of a feather flock together. The remaining Guishan cultists hiding in the country must have ties to scum like this.
If you’re going to pull weeds, you remove the roots. He wasn’t about to rely on ghosts or the authorities to investigate. If there was revenge to be had, he wanted to take it personally.
“What are you planning to do with that porcelain piece?”
Compared to dealing with mortals, Bai Shuangying was more interested in Fang Xiu’s little shards.
What was Fang Xiu preparing to give him?
Just thinking about it filled Bai Shuangying’s chest with a warm fullness.
“This… I might need your help.”
Fang Xiu turned toward him. The setting sun sank slowly behind him, casting his face into soft shadows.
“You know I’m still not great at controlling power.”
He picked up the beautiful white porcelain shards. The fading sunlight reflected red light off them.
Fang Xiu slowly opened his mouth and gently placed them inside, as if swallowing two glowing flames.
Bai Shuangying: “?”
He stepped forward in concern, watching Fang Xiu’s lips.
Crunch, crunch, crunch.
Faint chewing sounds emerged from Fang Xiu’s mouth. The yin energy of the Immortal E surged wildly, like a whirlpool.
After the crunching stopped came the gentle sounds of something swirling, like a tongue playing with candy.
A dozen seconds passed, and even the faint sounds of moisture faded. Fang Xiu curved his lips into a smile and suddenly leaned in to pull his ghost into a warm embrace.
Bai Shuangying: “???”
These days, he had thought he was improving at understanding humans. But at this moment, he still had no idea what his own human was doing.
Yet Bai Shuangying remembered the most basic of signals.
For example, when Fang Xiu leaned close, breathing warmly on his face, it meant he wanted a kiss.
Bai Shuangying cupped the back of Fang Xiu’s neck and bent down.
He would see whether Fang Xiu’s mouth was hurt.
But when his tongue entered that warm space, instead of the taste of blood, it bumped into something small and hard—like a pearl hidden between tongue and lips.
…It was the porcelain shard.
As the All Phenomena E, Fang Xiu had clumsily fused it into his body. He’d done quite well.
But this kind of traditional surprise didn’t quite match Fang Xiu’s usual style. Bai Shuangying softened his kiss and stroked Fang Xiu’s soft black hair.
Suddenly, he felt a trace of spell energy leak from the porcelain bead.
He immediately realized Fang Xiu was trying to mimic what he had done to Gao Shan—trying to extract karma. But with no experience in magic, the attempt had failed completely.
“Help me.”
In the moment they paused to breathe, Fang Xiu bit Bai Shuangying’s lip and spoke unsteadily.
Ah. That explained it.
Bai Shuangying decided to raise his opinion of himself. In certain warm and special moments, he didn’t need to think. He just knew what his clever little human wanted.
Fang Xiu had said it from the beginning. He wanted to return the gesture with a ring of his own.
Bai Shuangying tightened his embrace and kissed him harder.
This time, it wasn’t to find wounds or taste energy essence; it was to…
Around that little porcelain bead, delicate red threads began to form, curling at the tip of Fang Xiu’s tongue.
The statue hadn’t been him, and the porcelain shards only carried the misplaced devotion of mortals. Yet Bai Shuangying remembered clearly that his first step into the world of the living had come from curiosity about a little porcelain figure from a human.
White and beautiful, a tiny porcelain statue. It was used as a sacrifice by a lost child wanting to go home.
It had drawn him into the world and sparked endless conflict.
White and beautiful, a tiny porcelain statue. It was as a sacrifice by Zhuang Guiqu to seal him away.
Centuries later, when he met Fang Qiongyu, a man simply hoping his wife and child would return safely, Bai Shuangying had stepped in and cut off the last karmic thread to the mortal world.
White and beautiful, a tiny porcelain statue. Now the child who had made it had returned, appearing in front of him, and turned it into a gift.
No longer was it a sacrifice, but a gift that belonged to him.
Their unique karma took form in the red thread, endlessly twining together. When they first met, Bai Shuangying had forged a ring from strands of hair. Now, he used karmic threads to shape an identical ring.
The kiss finally ended. Fang Xiu stepped back with a smile and opened his mouth.
He stuck out that wicked little tongue, balancing a delicate ring on the tip.
Red band, white pearl. The design was simple, even plain. The karmic thread had fused into a red-jade-like material, and the inlaid “pearl” glowed with a soft white light.
Aside from the color of the band, it matched the hair-ring Fang Xiu had once worn exactly.
Fang Xiu lowered his head slightly. The ring fell gently into his palm. Not even a drop of saliva clung to it.
“Give me your left hand.” Fang Xiu examined the ring and expressed his satisfaction.
Bai Shuangying happily held out his hand, palm up.
Fang Xiu smiled and gently turned over the familiar pale ghost-hand.
He carefully slid the ring onto Bai Shuangying’s left ring finger, just as he had once tied that fine red thread from a T-shirt onto it.
Then he held out his own left hand, interlacing his fingers with Bai Shuangying’s.
One ring red, one ring black. In the setting sun, the colors shimmered like a dream.
“I recall this is a mortal custom,” Bai Shuangying whispered. “The modern version of wedding vows.”
“Do you like it?” Fang Xiu kissed their joined fingers before letting go.
“This is my favorite object in the world.” Bai Shuangying smiled, admiring his new treasure. “But now that I think of it, you were wrong about one thing.”
“Oh?”
“You said once we exchanged rings, we had completed the mortal custom. But as far as I know, mortals getting married must bow to their elders.”
He looked toward the distant Xushan.
“I was born of the earth and sky, with no one to bow to. You’re different. We’ll go retrieve your father’s remains and bury him beside your mother.”
“Then we’ll properly inform them of our happy union. Shall we?”
Fang Xiu froze for a moment, then smiled even brighter. “Of course. They’ll be happy.”
Bai Shuangying took a few light steps forward and reached back for Fang Xiu’s hand—intentionally offering his left hand to show off the wedding ring. That once-empty ghostly hand now shimmered with a touch of life.
Fang Xiu had property nearby? Gao Shan was surprised.
But it made sense. Xushan was dangerous, sure, but from afar, the view was beautiful. It wasn’t uncommon for the wealthy to buy vacation villas nearby to enjoy the scenery.
The old Taoist responded slowly, seemingly unwilling to appear too eager.
Forget it. There’s no point in overthinking it, Gao Shan told himself.
He didn’t have any talent in cultivation anyway and could only work as a middleman in the field. The old Taoist offered generous commissions, so what did he care about the man’s deeper intentions?
He stepped on the gas pedal of his luxury car, taking the old Taoist, Fang Xiu, and Bai Shuangying away from the scene. As for the other three black Taoists, they would have to rely on their own skills.
Their destination was a small villa community they had passed earlier.
It was early spring, and the chill still lingered. The mountain vegetation was a mix of green and brown, making it a poor season for sightseeing. Most of the villas were unoccupied.
Fang Xiu led the way confidently and brought the group to a secluded villa.
Just as they arrived, the other three black Taoists also rushed over, covered in dust. Their speed was impressive.
The old Taoist didn’t seem concerned. He carefully observed the villa’s layout and the valuable landscaping in the courtyard, gently twirling his beard with his fingers.
Fang Xiu showed a look of amateurish awe.
Knock knock knock.
He smiled and exchanged a glance with Bai Shuangying, then slowly knocked three times on the door. At the same time, Bai Shuangying flicked his fingers, and illusions rose like mist.
Creak.
The door slowly slid open, revealing a beautifully maintained courtyard. The trees and arrangements looked exactly as seen from the outside. The yard was clean and elegant, with a classical charm that showed it was regularly maintained.
A short “old man” scurried out from inside. His skin was deathly pale, and his cheeks were unnaturally red, giving him a somewhat eerie appearance.
Just as he was about to speak, he caught sight of Gao Shan and the four Taoists. The old man paused, glanced at his wrinkled hands, then exaggeratedly changed his tone, “…Young Master Fang, what brings you here? We didn’t get any notice and didn’t prepare food!”
“I brought guests at the last minute. It’s not your fault.”
Fang Xiu said generously, “Dian’er, go brew some tea for the Masters.”
“Right away!”
The odd little old man grinned wide, revealing ghostly pale teeth.
Inside, the villa was decorated in a traditional style, with three or four ink paintings hanging on the walls. Gao Shan took a closer look and felt they could be genuine. There were a few orchids and some porcelain pieces around the room, all seemingly high-end antiques.
This silly kid’s family really was rich.
“Please warm yourselves with some tea before we begin the spirit cleansing.”
Fang Xiu sat on the couch beside Bai Shuangying, openly holding his hand. “If possible, please also cleanse my lover. I’m fine with paying for it.”
Just then, the little old man walked back in with a tea tray.
As he approached, a rich fragrance wafted from the teapot. He poured seven cups of tea with practiced care. The tea was amber-colored and crystal clear, very inviting.
The old Taoist picked up a cup and looked pleased. “Hm, not bad.”
“We’ll do the spirit cleansing for your partner afterward. No charge this time. Once you’ve experienced the benefits yourself, you’ll understand.”
Dian’er: “Pfft.”
Realizing that might be inappropriate, he quickly added two coughs and pretended his throat was acting up.
The old Taoist gave him a cold side-eye.
Fang Xiu raised his cup like a toast and downed it in one go.
“Thank you, Master. I’m not sure if the tea suits your tastes. To be honest, my father knows more about this stuff. I can’t really tell good from bad.”
Seeing Fang Xiu drink, the old Taoist finally took a sip himself. “Not bad.”
The other three Taoists followed suit and all expressed approval.
Gao Shan quickly took a sip too…then nearly spat it out. It was sour and bitter, like crushed medicine tablets. What part of that was “not bad”? Were the others taste-blind?
As Gao Shan spit out the tea, the old man Dian’er gave him a creepy grin.
…And then turned his head one hundred eighty degrees to look at him.
An evil spirit, in broad daylight!
Gao Shan jumped up in fright, pointing at the strange old man. “You, you, you…”
The black Taoists also sensed something wrong and gathered together cautiously. The old Taoist stared at Dian’er, trying to feel his spiritual energy, but sensed nothing.
“Weren’t you all enjoying the tea?”
Fang Xiu sat there innocently, his hand still covering Bai Shuangying’s.
“Gao Shan didn’t like it, but he didn’t faint either,” Bai Shuangying said mentally. “Which means his karmic debt isn’t deep, though he has no merit either. His exact status should be judged by the living.”
Fang Xiu shook his teacup with his other hand. “Looks like the ‘tea’ needs more tweaking.”
Dian’er’s grin vanished instantly. Its face scrunched up. “You want to tweak it again, Master Fang?”
“There’s always room for improvement,” Fang Xiu replied. “Do it right and I’ll raise your salary.”
The grin immediately returned to Dian’er’s face. “You said it!”
Meanwhile, Gao Shan was slowly edging toward the door. He quickly pulled it open when the others weren’t looking, only to find pitch-black darkness behind it.
The darkness was bottomless and instinctively chilling. Gao Shan fell to the ground, lips trembling.
Big cities had stronger yang energy. In all his years as a middleman, the most he’d seen was someone possessed by a minor spirit. He’d never even experienced being lost in ghostly illusions, let alone this level of horror.
What was going on? Weren’t those two just naive rich kids?
He had received the deposit and confirmed Fang Xiu was a real person. So how was this so terrifying?
Even the slow old Taoist realized something was wrong now. “What did you give us?!”
“Well, my Bai Shuangying can see karmic threads, but I didn’t want him to waste his time identifying garbage like you,” Fang Xiu said with the same respectful tone, though against the backdrop of darkness, it carried a subtle note of mockery.
“I came up with the concept. He cast the spell. Together we created this product—people with merit faint after drinking it and forget everything. People without merit remain conscious. The more blood debt you carry, the better it tastes.”
“I’ve tried it myself. That aroma is indescribable. I drink a cup every day.”
The old Taoist sneered. “Tricks and gimmicks!”
He pulled out a talisman, ready to attack—but his wrist suddenly froze.
Somehow, the little old man had gotten close and now held his wrist in a grip like iron. The Taoist couldn’t move at all.
The other three Taoists were similarly immobilized, only able to move their eyes.
Dian’er’s smile widened as he revealed his paper-doll appearance.
The old Taoist shuddered. “An Underworld enforcer?”
“That’s right. At least you have eyes.” Dian’er grinned, snapping his fingers. “You were far too rude to our Lord. How lucky you are to be invited by him in person.”
In a flash, the luxurious living room vanished. The eerie doorway disappeared as well.
The eight “people” were now standing in a small courtyard, surrounded by swaying red lanterns, gently moving even without wind.
The old Taoist’s pupils darted frantically, and his face finally showed fear.
At this point, he couldn’t tell who Fang Xiu really was or what he had done. He had no idea where this place was.
He couldn’t give up. He had to find a way out.
Seeing his three disciples restrained, he had a powerful gut feeling—if he didn’t act now, he would die here.
That paper figure enforcer was definitely dangerous.
That strange young man in red… His acting was terrifyingly good, and he was being addressed as “Lord” by the enforcer, so clearly, he was someone important.
…The only one who hadn’t acted yet was the man in white.
For some reason, the enforcer never looked his way. Combined with Fang Xiu’s affectionate behavior along the way, he was likely just a pretty boy being kept.
Still, the old Taoist was confident he could hurt the pretty boy.
If he could escape, he’d book an international flight immediately and leave all this nonsense behind.
His Adam’s apple bobbed. His beard trembled.
Yes, he would risk everything to take that man hostage.
The old man pretended to panic and inhaled deeply. Suddenly, fierce winds swirled around him. Veins bulged beneath his shriveled skin.
At the same moment, he bit down hard and swallowed a hidden pill from his fake tooth.
He shook off Dian’er and moved faster than ever, pulling out a ritual dagger and lunging toward Bai Shuangying—
Clink!
The blade tip lightly touched Bai Shuangying’s extended finger. The impact rang with an unnatural metallic sound. The dagger bent out of shape instantly.
Bai Shuangying looked genuinely puzzled. He couldn’t understand why he was the target.
Still lost in thought, he flicked his finger. The old Taoist flew back like a slingshot pellet, slamming into the courtyard wall.
If Dian’er hadn’t quickly thrown up a protective ward, the man’s soul might have shattered on the spot.
Fang Xiu, who had been watching: “…Wow.”
Bai Shuangying turned and looked at him with mild confusion.
“I think I get what he was trying to do. I’ll explain later,” Fang Xiu said gently. “What matters is, you looked really cool just now.”
“Mm.” Bai Shuangying forgot his confusion and looked entirely pleased.
Then he turned toward the three immobilized Taoists, clearly eager to try something.
“Wait, wait, wait, let us handle it. No need to get your hands dirty,”
Dian’er jumped in quickly. “We don’t know how to handle the one with light karmic debt. Lord Fang, what do you say?”
Fang Xiu nodded and took hold of Bai Shuangying’s wrist.
In the corner, Gao Shan was frantically slapping himself in the face, trying to wake from what had to be a nightmare.
Unfortunately, even after drawing blood and swelling his cheeks, he was still stuck in this terrifying place.
“Hey, Master.”
Fang Xiu stood before him, smiling as he pulled out the custom contract.
He had been watching the two young men for a while. Both had smooth skin and trendy outfits, and one of them wore his hair long like an artsy intellectual. At first glance, they looked like pampered rich kids.
When the pair wandered over to the most expensive jewelry counter and started browsing, it confirmed his guess.
What a perfect pair of suckers.
Gao Shan hurried over and spun a few vague and mysterious lines. Sure enough, the one in red took the bait right away.
Now all he had to do was pick out a magic ring to sell them.
Selling shoddy fakes was out of the question. If they found out and got angry, they might come after him. A low-grade magical item would be just right—something that had a little calming effect. That way, he could charge whatever price he wanted. After all, laymen wouldn’t know the difference.
A trinket that cost just over ten thousand could easily be sold for over a million. If this deal went through, he could take half a year off.
While lost in these pleasant fantasies, Gao Shan maintained an aura of spiritual authority and led the two into the shop where he worked.
It was located not far from the jewelry store and had a refined, antique-style decor that exuded taste. A light incense filled the air in the hall, and the display cases were filled with aged trinkets and various jade and gemstone items.
Fang Xiu quietly scanned the room, raising an eyebrow.
This con wasn’t a solo act. The setup was surprisingly thorough. Rent on a place like this couldn’t be cheap, and the items on display were all genuine. Wealthy clients with an eye for antiques would be more inclined to trust them.
Bai Shuangying took a look around and clearly showed his boredom. He had plenty of similar items piled up in the mountains. These trinkets looked just like the junk heap back home. At least the jewelry from earlier had some modern flair.
“No need to look around. The first floor’s full of common stuff. Nothing truly powerful here,” Gao Shan said mysteriously. “Come on, follow me upstairs.”
He opened a nondescript door, revealing a dim staircase that led to the second floor. The hallway had a subdued luxury to it, like a secret room in a mansion.
Fang Xiu appeared both nervous and amazed. He took a deep breath and obediently followed behind.
The second floor was about the same size as the first, but the shelves here were filled with magical tools. There weren’t even any clerks by the display stands. The space was empty and cold, with a slow, eerie energy seeping up from the floor, making it hard to move forward.
Before, Fang Xiu might not have been able to tell. But now he was the All Phenomena E, essentially the king of magic weapons. Even without understanding the principles behind them, he could sense their strength.
…Most of the tools here were trash.
Not to mention ordinary E’s, some didn’t even match up to ritual talismans.
Still, Fang Xiu stayed in character. He hugged his arms and rubbed at one. “Why is it so cold all of a sudden? It’s spring—are they running the AC?”
Gao Shan laughed heartily. “That’s the aura of these treasures. You’ll feel it for yourself once you touch them.”
He walked to the corner of the room and took out a white jade ring. The stone had a soft, smooth glow, but was icy to the touch.
“This is top-grade white jade. It’s over a hundred years old,” Gao Shan explained. “Its previous owner was a Taoist I know. This ring can clear the mind and calm the spirit. Give it a try.”
Fang Xiu took the ring and looked at Bai Shuangying. “……”
The expression on his face said it all. Other than the color, this ring really didn’t suit him.
“Amazing, my head feels instantly clearer.” Fang Xiu turned back to Gao Shan, putting on a naive smile. “Simple things can be nice too. How much is this?”
Gao Shan clenched his fist in front of him. “One million. Non-negotiable.”
So this was daylight robbery. Bai Shuangying glanced back and forth between Gao Shan and the ring, his expression growing colder.
Fang Xiu coughed twice to change the subject. “Do you have anything else? I’m kind of clumsy. I’m afraid I’ll break it.”
Gao Shan couldn’t tell if Fang Xiu thought it was too expensive, too plain, or just didn’t like the style, so he stuck to the script. “Of course. If you don’t like this one, I can find you a gemstone and have a master craftsman customize it.”
“Custom orders are a bit pricier, depending on your needs.”
Fang Xiu agreed readily. He took the chance to step away from Gao Shan and wandered around the second floor with Bai Shuangying.
Truth be told, Fang Xiu had hoped to see what kind of elaborate scam Gao Shan might pull. But the con was so bland it was almost boring.
And this shop didn’t have anything worth looking at. Bai Shuangying was probably getting impatient, so it might be time to slip away… Huh?
Bai Shuangying had stopped in front of a pendant.
It was fairly new, with a distinctly modern design. A fine gold chain held a pendant inlaid with multicolored gems. At the center of the pendant was a pea-sized white stone. It didn’t look quite like a pearl but more like…
“Porcelain?” Fang Xiu muttered.
The aura was faint, barely noticeable. Given the history of the God of Xushan, could it be that Bai Shuangying had a soft spot for porcelain?
“You two have good taste,” Gao Shan said as he approached. “That’s our specially made multigem pendant. It wards off evil and attracts blessings.”
“All the materials come from our store. If there’s a gem you like, we probably have it.”
Bai Shuangying stared at the white stone in the center of the pendant, then lowered his eyes and said nothing.
Fang Xiu glanced sideways at him. “The white one in the middle.”
Gao Shan launched into his pitch. “That one has quite the origin. It’s not cheaper than diamonds. It’s actually a fragment of a sacred statue excavated near Xushan…”
Fang Xiu’s breath caught. “How much of it do you still have?”
Gao Shan smiled but didn’t answer directly. “It’s not easy to process. You have to refine it and remove the impurities. A special master has to consecrate it before it can be taken.”
Fang Xiu repeated firmly, “How much do you have left?”
“Other than this one, just one more piece. The statue fragments were stolen and resold years ago. We only recovered a few remnants.”
“I’ll take them all,” Fang Xiu said. “Please let us see the other piece.”
Perfect.
Gao Shan’s eyes lit up. This kid had money and was easy to fool. That porcelain shard might have some power, but it also carried a faint, lingering malicious energy. It needed to be paired with plenty of gems to balance it out.
Once the rich kid bought the porcelain, he could sell him more gemstones to neutralize it. Clients like this were rare. He had to play it carefully.
“Of course. If you have time, I’ll take you there right away.”
“But before we go, I’ll need a deposit.” Gao Shan smoothly pulled out a contract. “One piece is 3.6 million. Both together, 6.8 million. For a custom order, we ask for a 20% deposit.”
[No need to buy those.]
Bai Shuangying grabbed Fang Xiu’s wrist. Something cool and silky slipped into his skin. Soon, Bai Shuangying’s voice sounded in his mind.
[That’s just a clay idol humans once used for worship. It absorbed some of my karmic aura and divine faith. But now that it’s shattered, its power is almost gone. Buying it would be a waste of money.]
Fang Xiu gently patted Bai Shuangying’s fingers and nervously said to Gao Shan, “I definitely want both pieces, but with that much money, my family will ask questions.”
“Master, could you add a clause guaranteeing it will expel any evil spirit attached to me?”
Gao Shan wanted to laugh. This rich kid was beyond gullible.
There were no spirits clinging to him anyway. Signing meant nothing. The clause had no legal effect. It was pure placebo.
He cheerfully picked up a vermilion brush and added a small line in tiny script:
[If the seller’s item fails to dispel the buyer’s possessing evil spirit, a full refund will be issued.]
After writing it, he solemnly dipped his finger in cinnabar and stamped it.
Only then did Fang Xiu sign his name and transfer 20% of the deposit.
Bai Shuangying looked at Fang Xiu in puzzlement.
“I’ve figured out what to get you,” Fang Xiu whispered.
……
Three days later, Gao Shan personally drove a luxury car and brought them to the outskirts of Xushan.
The place was no longer the village mentioned in the records of the Immortal Encounter E. Centuries of wind and rain had altered the terrain. They were several miles from the site of the old temple to the God of Xushan, surrounded now by wilderness.
In that wilderness stood a formation marked out with talismans. Eight peach branches were strung together with neat red threads, covered in yellow paper charms. Despite the cold wind, the papers didn’t move at all.
Four Taoist priests were stationed at the cardinal points, burning some unknown substance that gave off faintly red smoke. One of them, an old man with a long beard, stood chanting continuously.
Looking at his posture, it was clear he was a black Taoist.
The setup looked impressive—definitely worth the price they had paid.
Fang Xiu stepped closer and saw that the center of the formation held a shard of white porcelain, about the size of a bottle cap.
“Master, these are Mr. Fang and Mr. Bai,” Gao Shan introduced them with a smile. “They’ve purchased the two sacred porcelain shards and want to have them made into rings.”
The old Taoist gave them a glance and grunted noncommittally.
He looked even less respectable than Gao Shan, with slanted, pale, three-white eyes and a naturally hostile look.
“The consecration will be completed today. Mr. Fang and Mr. Bai can take them home with more blessings.”
Gao Shan tried to keep the mood light. “Later, if you all have time, please help Mr. Fang with a spirit cleansing.”
“Spirit cleansing?” the old Taoist raised his eyes.
“Aren’t you the best at that? Let’s not charge this time. Consider it a free service for our valued clients.”
“Sure. You said they’re important clients,” the old man clicked his tongue, giving Fang Xiu a look like he was a product on display.
“All right, everyone. Rest for half a stick of incense. We’ll do the spirit cleansing afterward.”
As he finished, he pulled out a talisman and began to write complex symbols. Bai Shuangying’s eyes followed the tip of the brush, and the corner of his eye twitched.
Part of his true form slid into Fang Xiu’s mind.
[That charm won’t dispel evil. It only clouds the mind.]
[If a normal person drinks the charm water, they’ll be tricked into feeling awe and trust for the caster.]
Of course Fang Xiu wouldn’t be affected, but Bai Shuangying still didn’t want his human drinking something so suspicious.
Fang Xiu’s mouth twitched.
So that was their game. These charlatans wanted him dazed and worshipping the master, ready to hand over his fortune.
Judging by the old man’s practiced skill, this probably wasn’t his first time.
“Oh, I couldn’t trouble you,” Fang Xiu blinked and said politely. “There’s a villa near my home. Let’s have some tea there and perform the ritual indoors.”
After understanding what Fang Xiu’s “job” really entailed, Officer Yuan finally gave up staying in the old apartment full of memories. Of course, he had no intention of selling it. He simply stopped guarding it.
His long wait had come to an end and so had his career as a criminal investigator.
Within a week, a mortal-world agency approached Yuan Ye and offered him a brand-new government post.
In the days that followed, Officer Yuan observed his son, now exuding a strange and dangerous aura, and his son-in-law, whose taste in recipes was… intense. His son-in-law? Male wife? Son’s husband*?
*Clarity: He first used the term [nuxu] (女婿) which means “son-in-law” but as “man who is married to your daughter”. Then he uses the term for basically “daughter-in-law” but added “male” to it. Finally, he used the term [erxu] (儿婿) which is also “son-in-law” but as “man who is married to your son”.
Anyway, he was tasked with staying close to Fang Xiu and providing weekly reports.
For that, the mortal realm gave him generous compensation. After all, Fang Xiu and Bai Shuangying had rejected all cooperation offers from official channels. Yuan Ye was the only one who could still interact with them up close.
Fang Xiu, of course, knew about Officer Yuan’s new position. He had even been the one to suggest it to the relevant agency.
Yuan Ye was getting on in years anyway. This job wasn’t much different from early retirement.
The bloodstained wheels that had once wobbled off course were now rolling straight ahead, racing toward a sunlit path.
They now lived in a spacious two-level apartment provided by the mortal institution. Yuan Ye lived downstairs, while Fang Xiu and Bai Shuangying occupied the entire second floor.
Given Bai Shuangying’s nightly dining habits, the upstairs bedroom had excellent soundproofing, and the bed was especially comfortable.
At the moment, sunlight slipped through the cracks in the curtains, casting a golden line across the messy bedding. Fang Xiu stretched lazily, holding tight to his cool-skinned lover.
Bai Shuangying was roused from sleep by the embrace—he had recently begun practicing how to sleep, but he still couldn’t dream. So every night, he snuck into Fang Xiu’s dreamscape to wander and borrow a dream.
However, the God of Xushan wasn’t used to multitasking. Upon waking, he found all his facial features had slid to one side of his cheek and hurried to realign them.
Thankfully, Fang Xiu didn’t mind such details. Before Bai Shuangying could even get his mouth back in place, Fang Xiu leaned in and gave him a good-morning kiss.
The soft mattress dipped under them. Fang Xiu melted into the cool kiss, fingers sliding through the sleek black hair. Bai Shuangying skillfully wrapped his arms around Fang Xiu’s waist, absorbing the warmth radiating from his human.
Fang Xiu only pulled away when his head was spinning. “We’re not going to the Tower today. Taking the day off.”
Bai Shuangying looked at him with confusion. “What about Zhuang Chongyue?”
“Oh, he won’t die today.” Fang Xiu wrinkled his nose. “After how bloody it was yesterday, the other sacrifices will definitely be hiding in safe spots today. Zhuang Chongyue’s not reckless.”
They would slack off for a day, then tomorrow Bai Shuangying could use karmic pollution to confuse any memory gaps.
Now that only true criminals and cultists were left in the Tower—some of them teenage murderers or manipulators who drove others to suicide—Fang Xiu wasn’t worried about anything going wrong. If anything, he’d hate to miss a good show.
But today he had something else in mind—
“Let’s go on a date!” Fang Xiu bounced out of bed enthusiastically. “We’ve been busy since I got out of the hospital and haven’t gone on a single date!”
Bai Shuangying thought for a moment. That was true.
These past days, Fang Xiu had been managing Tower affairs and moving homes, with no time to see the outside world.
Last time they had a day off from the Underworld, Fang Xiu had been thrilled. Now, with a date added in, he would definitely be even happier.
“Okay.” Bai Shuangying nodded seriously.
Fang Xiu hummed a cheerful tune as he threw on his red T-shirt and layered a thick coat on top. It was still cold in early spring.
Once dressed, he grabbed a comb and silently approached Bai Shuangying.
Bai Shuangying eyed both Fang Xiu and the comb suspiciously. “I don’t need my hair combed.”
His hair was part of his true form. Even if he never combed it, it wouldn’t tangle.
“But I want to comb it.” Fang Xiu sounded disappointed, and even the tips of his hair drooped a little. “Men with long hair already stand out. You’re so tall too. Even if I put a mask on you, people are still going to stare.”
He lowered his voice. “That makes it harder for me to kiss you.”
Bai Shuangying plopped back down on the bed. “Fine. Comb it.”
Fang Xiu held back a laugh and sat cross-legged behind him.
Bai Shuangying’s hair was impossibly smooth, like flowing water. It slipped out of Fang Xiu’s hands on its own. The comb had fine teeth, but glided through without resistance, making a gentle, soothing sound.
Fang Xiu held the silky strands in his hands and combed with careful precision, like an artist sketching a portrait.
“This is the first time I’ve combed someone’s hair,” Fang Xiu said.
“Mm.” Bai Shuangying sat perfectly still, unmoving like a statue.
“When I was little, not many kids had siblings. I used to envy a classmate with a younger sister. He would braid her hair… That feeling of being able to help your family, I thought it was so cool.”
Fang Xiu quietly separated three strands and made a small braid. As soon as he let go, the hair slipped back into place.
“When I got older, I saw people watching romance films in the hospital. I used to think, if I had a long-haired girlfriend one day, I’d want to do her hair for her.”
Bai Shuangying’s hair rustled slightly. A single eye emerged from the back of his head. Pale and faintly glowing, it peered through the strands.
Fang Xiu paused and stuck out his tongue at the eye.
“Come on, it was just a thought. You know my situation. There was no way it could’ve been real.”
The eye kept staring at him.
“The point wasn’t ‘girlfriend’. The point was that I wanted to do something for the person I love.”
Fang Xiu kissed the hair softly. “What I mean is, I really, really like you, Bai Shuangying.”
The eye slowly closed and vanished into the hair. Fang Xiu took out a hair tie he had prepared and styled Bai Shuangying’s hair into a neat, clean bun.
Bai Shuangying reached back to feel the new hairstyle and paused.
“From now on, you can comb it whenever you want. As long as you want.”
Fang Xiu hugged him from behind and nuzzled his cheek. “You said it.”
……
Two hours later, Bai Shuangying, now in modern attire, stood silently in front of a jewelry counter.
Even for Fang Xiu, this was the first time visiting such an enormous jewelry store.
Gems sparkled in every color, gold and jade were sculpted into intricate designs, and some stones were so rare even the Mountain God himself didn’t recognize them—Xushan didn’t produce those kinds of things.
Honestly, Bai Shuangying didn’t understand why humans gave these metals and rocks such absurd prices.
Fang Xiu had dragged him straight to the most expensive counter, and the prices even made the Corner of Heaven’s Will raise an eyebrow.
One ring could buy enough cotton candy to last him ten thousand years…
Meanwhile, Fang Xiu rarely looked this conflicted, eyes sweeping back and forth across the display.
He looked at the rings, then at Bai Shuangying, then back at the rings again, and sighed in dissatisfaction.
The salesclerk’s expression was a bit strained. Bai Shuangying could sense her irritation. But after catching a proper glimpse of Fang Xiu’s handsome face, her annoyance vanished quickly.
“Hello, are you picking something out for your girlfriend?” the clerk asked with a smile. “We have some new styles this month. They’re very popular.”
She naturally assumed the masked and silent Bai Shuangying was just a friend tagging along.
“Oh, it’s for my boyfriend.” Fang Xiu rubbed his chin. “These are pretty, but… kind of… tacky?”
The clerk’s eyebrow twitched. Her gaze flickered with disapproval. These were top-tier designer rings. There was no way the aesthetic was off. Was this guy some spoiled rich kid?
As if reading her thoughts, Fang Xiu pulled Bai Shuangying over and briefly lowered his mask.
The clerk: “—!!!”
Her voice turned decisive. “Yes, the rings are definitely a bit tacky.”
That kind of face wearing these rings… It was like splashing mud on flower petals.
Boyfriend or not, with that face, anyone would understand. She understood.
“I’m afraid we probably don’t have anything suitable here,” she said sincerely. “Even custom orders might not meet your standards.”
Fang Xiu looked crushed. “But I have to give him a ring. I can’t exactly conjure one from thin air…”
He still wore the black hair ring Bai Shuangying had given him. It had the texture of black jade and was simple and elegant.
The strand of soul energy Fang Xiu had once tied to Bai Shuangying disappeared after they left the Tower.
But he still wanted to give Bai Shuangying a ring—a truly meaningful one. His ghost really cared about ritual!
While Fang Xiu was racking his brain, a beady-eyed, monkey-faced man strolled over with his hands behind his back.
He looked to be in his forties, balding, and clearly trying to present himself as some kind of “master”. But his features betrayed his small-minded nature—shifty-eyed and sketchy.
Fang Xiu noticed him from the corner of his eye.
Ever since they had approached the high-end counter, this guy had been secretly watching. From an outsider’s perspective, Fang Xiu had just acted like a rich, naive idiot.
Now that this man was getting closer, it didn’t take a genius to guess what he wanted.
“Young man, I couldn’t just watch in silence, so I came over to offer a word of advice,” the man said with an exaggerated cough. “I can see dark energy all over you. Your forehead is clouded. You’ve probably got an evil spirit attached.”
“Things haven’t been going your way lately, have they? If you don’t handle this soon, blood may be shed!”
Bai Shuangying: “…”
He turned to Fang Xiu and pointed at himself in confusion: “?”
His ghost was too cute. Fang Xiu had to bite his lips a few times to keep from bursting out laughing.
Fine, since they hadn’t found a suitable ring, they might as well have a little fun with this second-rate scammer. It would spice up the date.
“Master, how did you know?”
Fang Xiu instantly changed expressions, mixing panic and worry perfectly.
The man smiled smugly. “The secrets of the heavens cannot be revealed.”
“If you’re looking for a ring, why not come with me? I can show you a collection of antique rings that drive off evil and bring good luck. Guaranteed to satisfy.”
Fang Xiu grabbed Bai Shuangying’s hand. “Alright, alright. Can I bring my boyfriend?”
The man glanced at Bai Shuangying who was well-dressed, clearly wealthy, exuding an air of power, and couldn’t hide his glee.
Kinky Translations 