A Bitter Heart (Part 2)

It was utterly absurd. On this boat were a bona fide prince of the current dynasty and a genuine child of an immortal, yet those two water spirits were holding a rattan ball and shouting "Your Highness." Who knew whom they were trying to mock.

Gui Heng was incredulous: "What do you mean? Your Highness is a Chestnut Tiger? Stop messing with me, do you even know what it is? It's a cat! I'd say it's more likely you two are its rations."

"If the High God says so, then it must be true." The old man in black wiped his tears with his sleeve and rambled on, "You may not know, but the Dragon Race is different from other clans. In their youth, their scales haven't fully grown, making them susceptible to injury, so they often appear in the form of a cat. My young master is the twenty-second son of the Dragon Venerable, with the honored name of Water Lord Xifeng. He is of orthodox Golden Dragon bloodline; the golden color of his cat form makes his nobility apparent at a glance."

Wei Ming, who had once called it a little stray cat: "..."

The old man pulled over the white-robed boy, gesturing for him to greet everyone: "This old one is called Wanyue, and this is the young master's attendant, named Yangzhi."

"Several months ago, the young master insisted on going out to sea for fun, bringing only Yangzhi and me along, and secretly slipped out of the palace. We happened to find a silver mirror in the sea and were muddle-headedly swept into the Mortal Realm by it, sinking into a past-life illusion. Who would have known that a boat was passing by just then? They took advantage of our unpreparedness, cast a fishing net, and scooped the young master away."

Everyone: "..."

Years ago, the Emperor had taught Chi Lian that regardless of whether they were immortals or spirits, anyone under a hundred years old was considered young and needed an adult's company when going out to avoid unforeseen calamities. It now seemed this was no exaggeration. The saying "a powerful dragon cannot crush a local snake" was no joke; even mortals without immortal arts could do anything if they were bold enough.

Wanyue wiped away a cold sweat: "When Yangzhi and I woke up to find the young master missing, we were extremely anxious and terrified. We didn't know how we would face the Dragon Venerable, and we were afraid of being punished upon our return, so we simply relied on the spiritual power of this immortal mirror for protection and temporarily stayed in the sea, hoping to find a way to get the young master back."

Wei Ming pondered for a moment, then said coldly, "I'm afraid there's more to it than that, isn't there? The lives of the people on the passing merchant ships, were they taken by you?"

Wanyue stammered, saying shamefully, "Just that one time... We sensed a familiar aura on that ship and thought it was the one that had abducted our young master, so we wanted to take revenge for him. Besides, the spiritual energy in the Mortal Realm is truly thin, and us underlings needed to survive, so we boldly borrowed some, ah, spiritual power..."

Whenever spirits entered the Mortal Realm, they invariably had to absorb human souls to sustain themselves; Wei Ming had seen far too much of this in recent months. And Wanyue also knew that for the Spirit Race to kill humans without authorization was a grave crime, which was why his first reaction upon seeing Wei Ming and the others was not to surrender, but to try and wipe them all out.

Wei Ming said, "That explains it then. The Chestnut Tiger... your young master, was likely scooped up by a Qiyun merchant ship and traveled north along the canal, apparently arriving in the Capital around the same time I did. It certainly knows how to pick a new home. Of all the high officials and nobles in the streets, it went and chose the poorest one."

But Chi Lian said, "Not necessarily. The Dragon Race is born with high spiritual awareness. It probably knew that His Highness could protect it, which is why it sought you out."

Hearing this, Wei Ming turned to look at him, the tenderness in his gaze enough to drown a man. He lowered his voice and chuckled, "I wonder who was jealous of it back then? How come you're so open-minded about it now, even speaking up for it?"

Chi Lian shamelessly denied it, retorting in a low voice, "There was no such thing. Your Highness remembers incorrectly."

Wei Ming sighed mournfully, "You used to care about me so much, making a fuss even if I just petted a cat. It's been less than an hour since I won you over, and you're already too lazy to deal with me. You immortals are so heartless."

Although the Emperor had also liked to tease him in the past, he was used to being dignified and would often stop after making his point. But Wei Ming had now learned the Emperor's clever teasing to perfection, had no immortal's image to uphold, and, what's more, had confirmed Chi Lian's feelings. He was simply invincible. Chi Lian couldn't withstand it at all and had no choice but to flee in defeat.

Gui Heng had more or less figured out the whole story. He peered at Wei Ming with an indescribable expression, then furtively sidled up to Chi Lian and whispered, "The Emperor first took Venerable Feng's daughter as a disciple, and now he has the Dragon Venerable's son scrambling to be his pet. Tsk tsk, the future of our sect is truly limitless..."

The only disciple who had been fished out of a pond didn't respond, merely shooting him a cold glance.

Gui Heng nudged him with an elbow, his face a mixture of thirty percent sincerity, thirty percent sarcasm, and forty percent glee at watching the drama unfold. He whispered, "What's with that look? As if I don't know. You're about to become the master's wife, what are you still competing with us for?"

Chi Lian: "..."

Wei Ming blocked Gui Heng, who was hiding behind him, and wrapped an arm around Chi Lian's waist to stop him from attacking. He said with a headache, "Why are you two fighting again?"

While holding back his two wicked disciples, he still found time to speak with Wanyue, handling the situation with great skill, clearly having been tested by time: "If the aura on that rattan ball is indeed that of your young master, then you two may come with this Prince to the Capital to identify him. As for the matter of wantonly killing people, since you are from the Spirit Race of another world, you are not bound by the laws of this dynasty. After you are reunited with your master, you will all be handed over to the Heavenly Court for judgment. Do you two have any objections?"

Wanyue and Yangzhi were both spirits transformed from sea creatures, with lifespans of merely a hundred years. They were considered the lowest-ranking servants in the Dragon Race and didn't recognize the identities of the three. They only knew that Chi Lian and Gui Heng were formidable opponents, and anyone with eyes could see their closeness to and trust in Wei Ming. Therefore, they dared not have any objections, meekly bowing their heads in obedience and pleading guilty.

Wei Ming nodded. "We'll proceed with that for now. Now that the matters of the Human Race and Spirit Race are cleared up, we'll prepare to return to the Capital once we get back to the Liangzhou Government Office. Governor-General Fang will also—"

He didn't finish his sentence, suddenly pausing. He felt a bit dizzy, and an indescribable, unbearable restlessness spread through his body, like feathers tickling his meridians. He couldn't help but raise a hand to pinch the point between his eyebrows. Seeing that something was wrong, Chi Lian immediately came over to support him. "Your Highness, what is it? Are you unwell?"

The moment Wei Ming touched his hand, he instinctively gripped it tightly, as if the cool warmth of the skin could slightly alleviate the unbearable agitation. He knew he absolutely couldn't afford any mishaps at this moment, so he feigned nonchalance and said, "It's nothing, I think I'm a little seasick."

Chi Lian only felt that his palm was burning hot, as if he had a fever. Before he could say anything, Wei Ming gave his palm a suggestive squeeze and continued, "Governor-General Fang will also come with us. The soldiers have forsaken darkness for light and assisted in capturing the rebels. After returning to the Capital, this Prince will naturally speak for you all before the Emperor and strive to have your merits and demerits cancel each other out. However, I'll say this upfront—"

He pointed at Wanyue and Yangzhi. "Including you two, if anyone dares to betray and backstab me, don't blame this Prince for being ruthless. No matter what your grievances are, none of us will have an easy time."

The West Sea soldiers felt like they were in a dream this night; their lives would never be more thrilling. They now looked at His Highness, Prince Duan, as if they had seen a god manifest. They were so terrified that they trembled just breathing near him, let alone consider betraying him. Even Fang Tianchong had given up the thought of struggling and was just pretending to be dead with his eyes closed.

Wei Ming's performance was impeccable. Calm and imposing, he had suppressed the West Sea crowd and the two spirits into submission. Even Gui Heng didn't notice anything amiss. But only Chi Lian knew that his dignified and composed expression was entirely forced. Wei Ming's grip on his hand grew tighter and tighter, and up close, Chi Lian could even see the faint sweat on his temples. After giving his orders to the soldiers, he casually asked Wanyue, as if it were an afterthought, "What are the original forms of you two? This Prince was born in the Capital and has never seen the like before, so I don't quite recognize them."

Wanyue answered honestly, "Replying to Your Highness, this lowly one's origin is an oyster, and Yangzhi's origin is a sea dragon."

Chi Lian watched as a vein on Wei Ming's temple throbbed. His grip on Chi Lian's hand tightened by another thirty percent, and his voice carried a nearly imperceptible, teeth-gritting tone: "...So that's how it is."

Wei Ming beckoned Gui Heng over and instructed, "I'm a bit seasick. I'm going to the cabin to rest for a moment. Make sure you watch these people. Don't let a single one get away."

Although Gui Heng was overly familiar with him, he was not ambiguous when it came to serious matters. He nodded and said, "Rest assured, Your Highness." Seeing his pale face, he asked with concern, "Your Highness, are you all right?"

Wei Ming was already struggling to hold on. He just waved his hand to signal he was fine, then said to Chi Lian in a low voice, "Find a room, guard the door, and don't let anyone in."

Chi Lian didn't understand, but he half-supported him into the main cabin, pushed open the door to a guest room, and cast a restrictive spell behind him. He quickly helped Wei Ming sit down. "Your Highness, what on earth is wrong?"

Wei Ming saw a teapot on the table and, without caring for etiquette, poured a cup of cold tea and downed it in one go. Seeing that his hands were trembling, Chi Lian grew even more worried. He simply knelt on one knee beside Wei Ming, took his hand, and reached for his pulse point.

The pulse was extremely rapid, beating against the pulp of his fingers. Chi Lian could only feel a surge of qi and blood, but he couldn't detect any illness. Instead, Wei Ming pressed down on his hand, pushed him away slightly, and said with a bitter smile, "It's nothing. It can't be considered an illness. You heard the origins of those two from the Spirit Race just now, a hundred-year-old oyster and a sea dragon... they are both things that supplement yang energy. You're an immortal, so it shouldn't affect you, but my mortal body probably can't take it."

"Grand Preceptor, perhaps you should step outside for a moment."

Chi Lian: "..."

Wei Ming's words were tactful, but his meaning was clear. Chi Lian was stunned by this sudden turn of events. They stared at each other in silence. After a moment's stalemate, he suddenly asked, "Why should I leave?"

Wei Ming choked on his water.

Chi Lian said suspiciously, "Shouldn't Your Highness want me to stay even more at a time like this?"

Wei Ming endured his discomfort, mustered all the patience he had in his life, and asked calmly, "Stay, and then what?"

Chi Lian: "..."

"I know you would do anything for Emperor Cangze. It is precisely because I want you to stay the most that I cannot take advantage of your predicament to bully you, understand?" Wei Ming didn't even dare to touch him, so he vented his pent-up energy on the cup instead, issuing a rare, arbitrary command. "This is not the time for reasoning. Chi Lian, don't think about anything, just get out."

However, Wei Ming might have truly been muddled by the aphrodisiac's effects, forgetting what a famous troublemaker Immortal Lord Chi Lian was.

Chi Lian suddenly stood up and hugged him whole. Grabbing the green jade pendant at Wei Ming's waist, he moved the lotus on it. A golden-red light flashed in his palm, and the surrounding scene instantly distorted and dissolved like ripples in water. In a flash, the two of them fell from the ship's cabin into the bedroom in the Secret Realm.

Moreover, the landing spot was chosen with extreme precision. They landed directly on the bed, skipping even the step of feigned reluctance.

Wei Ming was already in agony from enduring it, and to be forcefully pounced upon by his beloved felt like being dropped into boiling water with no way to escape. The veins on the back of the hand he had on the small of Chi Lian's back bulged; he had to use all his strength to control himself from forcefully pressing him into his embrace. He gritted his teeth and said, "Get off."

Chi Lian propped himself up on the bed with one hand, his silver hair cascading down one side. He looked down at Wei Ming's face. It was a face so familiar he could picture it with his eyes closed, yet for the first time in a thousand years, he was seeing the Emperor from this angle, and he only felt a kind of bewitching beauty he had never noticed before.

He certainly liked the dignified Emperor, but his nature was actually to prefer shattering authority with his own hands. Thus, he himself hadn't realized what a great impact it would have on him when Wei Ming, due to his extreme restraint, appeared almost vulnerable, and the imposing air belonging to Emperor Cangze teetered on the brink of collapse due to desire.

In this position, Chi Lian leaned down and kissed him on the lips, then buried his head in the crook of his neck. Listening to Wei Ming's suddenly ragged breathing, he decided to burn his bridges: "I'm not getting off. I've already died once, what is there to be afraid of?"

Wei Ming averted his gaze, unwilling to look at him, and frowned. "Is being with me more terrifying than death?"

"Your Highness, must you bicker at a time like this?" Chi Lian propped himself up helplessly, turned Wei Ming's face back towards him, kissed the point between his eyebrows again, and said in a low voice, "I want you."

"Give yourself to me, Emperor."

In the unseen realm, an invisible chain finally snapped at this moment. Wei Ming abruptly exerted his strength, turned over while holding him tightly, and in the blink of an eye, their positions of the two were reversed.

Cascading black and silver hair intertwined on the teal background. Chi Lian grabbed Wei Ming's collar, dragging Emperor Cangze from the distant clouds into the boundless mortal world, searing him with a long, tender, and lingering kiss.