Like a sudden thunderclap, Yan Chaosheng, who had been wild enough to kill someone just moments before, now nervously released Liu Shuang.

Liu Shuang’s lips were reddened from his rubbing, her eyes seemingly able to speak as she stared at him without blinking.

Yan Chaosheng’s mind buzzed.

Well, there was no need to express his feelings anymore. He had already gone beyond mere words, doing something so obvious that it left no room for explanation.

The Second Prince on the ground was about to explode with anger.

“Yan Chaosheng, what madness has gotten into you!”

Neither Liu Shuang nor Yan Chaosheng paid him any attention. Yan Chaosheng ignored him because he couldn’t hear, while Liu Shuang’s attention was completely drawn to Yan Chaosheng.

She watched as Yan Chaosheng’s cold, angry expression gradually stiffened. His typically ice-cold face showed little reaction, appearing quite calm. However, the exposed skin on his neck beneath his tightly buttoned collar had turned impossibly red.

Yan Chaosheng’s reaction diluted the surprise and shyness in Liu Shuang’s heart. She could no longer hold back and curved her eyes in a smile. It seemed her feelings hadn’t been wrong; she hadn’t been presumptuous. This misunderstanding was truly amusing—even the stinging pain on her lips couldn’t stop Liu Shuang’s current mood.

Even if Yan Chaosheng didn’t say it, she knew he was probably embarrassed and shy to the extreme, completely devastated.

The more she smiled, the redder Yan Chaosheng’s neck became. Finally, he had to cover her lips to end it.

Liu Shuang witnessed Yan Chaosheng flee in disarray for the first time.

The Second Prince had been beaten for no apparent reason, and for the second time, he was so angry that even a Buddha would lose composure. Yan Chaosheng had violated sect rules, and this time the punishment wouldn’t be as simple as washing swords.

He received a full thirty immortal whips.

The young man’s flesh was torn open by the beating. After the punishment, he still had to kneel beneath a waterfall. As before, he didn’t explain his reason for beating the Second Prince.

Liu Shuang brought immortal medicine to see him. Yan Chaosheng knelt perfectly straight, his gaze vaguely fixed on the waterfall, lost in thought.

In any case, he showed no sign of repentance, appearing somewhat distracted.

His back was covered in blood. Liu Shuang felt somewhat pained for him, but Yan Chaosheng himself didn’t seem to notice. When he saw Liu Shuang, he pressed his lips tightly together, his eyes filled with nervousness.

Yan Chaosheng wasn’t afraid of immortal whips. Not just thirty lashes—even fifty or a hundred lashes, he could endure.

What he feared was Liu Shuang’s attitude. He was afraid to see in her eyes annoyance at his meddling and interfering in her private affairs, and… fear of her rejection.

Liu Shuang sat cross-legged in front of him, not speaking. The sound of rushing water surrounded them, and birds flew to the treetops.

Liu Shuang’s fingertips pinched a medicinal pill, which she held to his lips: “Open your mouth.”

Yan Chaosheng instinctively obeyed and ate it without even asking what it was. She sighed: “Does it hurt?”

He shook his head. It didn’t hurt at all.

Liu Shuang asked: “Last time you hit him, was it also because of me?”

After a long while, Yan Chaosheng lowered his gaze, which was as good as admitting it. Liu Shuang’s eyes sparkled as she pinched something else that looked like a candy pill and fed it to him: “Open your mouth again.”

Yan Chaosheng’s cheeks couldn’t help but grow hot. He had been strong since childhood. Even when Zhan Xueyang and his wife had taken care of him, they hadn’t been as gentle and tender as ordinary parents with their children.

His heart was nearly melted by Liu Shuang’s attitude. She knew his feelings but didn’t dislike him. Did that mean she liked him a little?

The young man’s gaze was intense, and she was unusually embarrassed by his look.

The young girl’s face was flushed with an intoxicating redness. She pointed to his ear: “Can you hear my voice?”

Yan Chaosheng hadn’t paid attention to what Liu Shuang had fed him. His attention had been completely drawn to her. Even if it was medicine, he couldn’t taste it now. With Liu Shuang’s reminder, he began to feel something strange in his ear. Gradually, he heard the sound of flowing water and her soft, sweet voice.

Since his birth, the first sound he heard was her voice.

Seeing no reaction from him, Liu Shuang became a bit anxious: “You can’t hear? Is it not working? That’s impossible…”

As she was confusedly trying to check, she was met with a burning hot embrace. Liu Shuang’s cheek pressed against Yan Chaosheng’s chest, where she heard his heart beating like a drum.

All those things Yan Chaosheng had learned from his senior sister ultimately went unused.

He never dreamed that Liu Shuang would like him. For a while, it felt unreal, yet he couldn’t stop the corners of his mouth from turning upward.

The senior brother who shared his courtyard saw his usually unsmiling junior brother with smiling eyes these days and felt chills all over. Fearing he was possessed by an evil spirit, he secretly reported to his master.

Yan Chaosheng might appear bold and cold, but a young man with someone in his heart could hardly maintain a completely cold demeanor.

The Azure Feather Sect didn’t forbid disciples from falling in love, but no matter how the senior brother tried, he couldn’t imagine that the sect leader’s most beloved little immortal grass was now with his junior brother.

They first noticed something was amiss when Yan Chaosheng would sneak out every night, returning only at dawn with dew on his clothes.

One morning, several senior brothers who had grown up with him and were close to him cornered him, all very concerned.

“Junior Brother, where did you go last night?”

Yan Chaosheng glanced at them without making a sound. One senior brother with a particularly sensitive nose sniffed and stammered in shock: “Were you… Were you with a woman?”

Not only did Yan Chaosheng not deny it, but he also raised the corner of his lips.

This expression astonished the senior brothers. They would rather have suspected their junior brother was haunted by some evil creature or went out at night to kill people and do wicked things than believe he was meeting a girl at night.

The group of still-single senior brothers all cast envious looks at him.

Their junior brother had seemed so reserved, yet he turned out to be so capable. Especially after learning that the person was Junior Sister Liu Shuang, the senior brothers wanted nothing more than to pin him down and give him a good beating.

In their youth, which of them hadn’t secretly liked Liu Shuang? Who would have thought this young man would succeed?

The second night, Yan Chaosheng went out at the usual time. The senior brothers discussed: “Junior Brother always goes out at night. What exactly are they doing?”

Young man, young woman, the enchanting night—they exchanged glances, with unspeakable smiles leaking from their eyes.

Somehow, this matter quietly spread among some disciples. One day, the previously shy senior brother found Yan Chaosheng and said privately, “Junior Brother, I have something to ask.”

Yan Chaosheng looked at him.

The senior brother’s face reddened as he lowered his voice: “Um, could you impart some dual cultivation techniques?”

Yan Chaosheng looked at him with a strange expression: “Who told you I know any?”

“You and Junior Sister Liu Shuang, haven’t you…”

The senior brother coughed and scratched his head, “Don’t worry, I’ll keep your secret.”

He had originally wanted to plan for when he and his partner would merge spirits in the future, but Yan Chaosheng remained silent for a long time before gritting his teeth and squeezing out a few words: “Nothing has happened between Liu Shuang and me. To this day, we haven’t even kissed.”

The senior brother was stunned: “Then what do you do at night?”

Of course, he accompanied her to watch the moon and collect dew for her. Liu Shuang had a different constitution from them. Having cultivated from a small immortal grass, absorbing more moonlight was beneficial to her. He accompanied her in cultivation and collected flower dew for her.

The senior brother chuckled: “Junior Brother is so innocent.”

Yan Chaosheng’s face darkened as he snorted.

Tonight, the moonlight was just as clear. Liu Shuang had climbed onto the roof early to wait for Yan Chaosheng. Liu Shuang said puzzledly: “Today a senior sister came to ask me a question, but she hemmed and hawed for a long time and couldn’t ask it. When I pressed her, she just said forget it.”

This curious and troubling matter—the senior sister she spoke of happened to be the future partner of the senior brother from earlier today.

Yan Chaosheng immediately guessed what the senior sister had come for. He felt both annoyed and amused.

“Everyone has been looking at me strangely lately,” she said. “Yan Chaosheng, do you know what’s happening?”

Under her gaze, Yan Chaosheng vaguely replied: “Nothing. Just focus on your cultivation and don’t mind them.”

“Oh.”

She was quite obedient and didn’t pursue the question further, completely unaware of the major misconception she was under.

Yan Chaosheng watched over her, set up an array for her, and let her lean against him to rest when she was tired from cultivation.

Perhaps it was because tonight’s moonlight was particularly clear, but as he looked at her face showing no sign of sleepiness, he felt somewhat distracted.

Yan Chaosheng’s Adam’s apple moved. He wasn’t thinking of anything inappropriate—dual cultivation could only happen after the spirit-merging ceremony. But he very much wanted to kiss her. Would that be alright?

Liu Shuang noticed his unusual gaze and looked up at him: “What’s wrong?”

Those eyes sparkled brightly.

He said, “Close your eyes.”

She obediently closed them. Yan Chaosheng moved closer and closer. Liu Shuang seemed to sense what he was about to do, her fingers tightening on the hem of his clothes as she secretly opened her eyes a tiny crack.

There was only a finger’s distance between them. Yan Chaosheng noticed her movement and wanted to laugh, finding her extremely adorable. He backed away and casually removed a leaf from her hair: “A leaf fell.”

“…”

She opened her eyes, which still held lingering expectation, innocence, and frustration.

But in the next moment, the back of her head was caught by someone, and her whole body fell into his embrace. The young man’s breath rushed over her like a tide, crushing the moonlight in her eyes. His fingers in her hair pressed harder and harder until, finally, Liu Shuang felt as if drunk, barely remembering the crystal-clear moonlight of that night.

Yan Chaosheng stroked her hair and said softly: “This is what they were talking about.”

When winter came to the Azure Feather Sect, Zhan Xueyang and his wife paid a visit.

They had shown kindness to Yan Chaosheng, so he went to the mountain gate to welcome them.

Ji Xianghan blinked her eyes and deliberately said: “How are you doing here? If you’re not comfortable, you could come back with us?”

Yan Chaosheng glanced at her. As they were talking, a small figure came flying over.

Liu Shuang, out of breath, looked quite aggrieved: “They said you were going to leave.”

Yan Chaosheng’s heart melted completely: “I’m not leaving. I’ll stay here with you for a lifetime.”

He coldly looked at Ji Xianghan, the instigator, only to see her laughing in Zhan Xueyang’s arms: “I told you, even if you beat him with a stick, he wouldn’t come back with us now. You lost, quick, hand over the spirit stones.”

Zhan Xueyang helplessly took out a bag of spirit stones from his bosom and gave it to her.

Then these two unreliable people were beaten out of the sect by Yan Chaosheng. The two ran quite far but couldn’t stop laughing.

“He finally no longer has that deathly pallor he had when he was reborn.”

After years of living a comfortable life, Su Lun finally remembered that his master was still being fostered at the Azure Feather Sect.

Fu Hang wore a sour expression.

Su Lun was delighted: “It’s not that you can’t follow the master. He’s no longer in his ghost cultivator form, just an ordinary mortal. With your fierce demeanor, following him would greatly affect his ability to make friends. When he took Feng Fuming with him in his sacrifice, if he had known he would have another chance, he definitely wouldn’t want to be a Demon Lord again.”

The life of a Demon Lord was truly too bitter.

There was another thing Fu Hang didn’t say, but everyone knew in their hearts: Yan Chaosheng would never have another life or reincarnation. His only wish was probably to live once for himself.

This time there was no misfortune, no suffering. He was waiting for Liu Shuang in the future, giving her a clean, unreserved young man.

Fu Hang asked worriedly: “What if Chi Shui Liu Shuang still doesn’t treat him well?”

“What then?”

Su Lun smiled and shook his head, “If you’re concerned, why don’t we go take a look from a distance?”

Fu Hang hesitated, then nodded.

He was a proper demon, the kind that didn’t get along with immortals. Back when Zhan Xueyang and Ji Xianghan wanted to send their master to the Azure Feather Sect, Fu Hang had disagreed.

Who had ever heard of sending a Demon Lord to an immortal mountain to learn skills? Especially to Shao You.

Everyone knew that Shao You had once been a love rival to their master. What if he tormented the young master who was still a child?

Fu Hang followed Su Lun solemnly, thinking that if their master wasn’t living well, he and the other demons would tear down the Azure Feather Sect today to bring their master back.

They arrived at the foot of the Azure Feather Sect mountain just as March began.

In the mortal world, apricot blossoms filled the air. Before they even reached the Azure Feather Sect, they saw Yan Chaosheng returning from a mission down the mountain.

The young man had already developed mature features and was queuing to buy Eight Treasures Duck.

He carried a sword on his back, full of heroic spirit. The group of demons, remembering their old master, nearly had tears in their eyes.

Some demons immediately wanted to rush over.

Su Lun blocked these rough fellows with his folding fan: “What are you doing?”

“The master is a Demon Lord! He should be in the demon palace, enjoying the offerings of all demons in the Eight Wildernesses, surrounded by beauties and treasures. How dare the Azure Feather Sect command him? How dare these mortals make him wait!”

Su Lun said helplessly, “The master is content with this. If you dare approach, despite his good temper now, that sword on his back will be stained with your blood in the next moment.”

These words prevented the demons from going forward. After all, although Yan Chaosheng was now a mortal cultivator, no one dared forget how he had once opposed the Way of Heaven with his power.

“Let’s watch a bit longer,” Su Lun placated.

So the group of great demons watched pitifully as their master finished queuing for Eight Treasures Duck, then went to buy candy figurines that only children would eat.

His steps were unhurried, showing not the slightest impatience.

As he passed by them, he paused and glanced over. Yan Chaosheng narrowed his eyes, and the demons were unusually nervous: “Has he discovered us?”

“If the master now uses his demon-capturing magic and wants to capture us, should we resist or not?”

Yan Chaosheng’s intimidating gaze lasted only a moment. Meeting Su Lun’s smiling countenance, he frowned slightly. Su Lun smiled and bowed respectfully.

In the end, Yan Chaosheng ignored them and headed toward the Azure Feather Sect.

The great demons asked: “Does the master still remember us?”

Everyone looked at Su Lun, who smiled enigmatically: “Who knows? Whether he remembers or not, he’s doing very well now.”

The others didn’t understand. How could buying a few things show he was doing well? When Yan Chaosheng was the lord of two realms, he could have anything he wanted—how glorious that was!

They followed Yan Chaosheng to the foot of the mountain, where a young girl in pink clothing ran down from the Azure Feather Sect to meet him.

Yan Chaosheng’s consistently cold expression broke into waves of smiles when he saw her.

The young girl reached for his hand: “What have you hidden?”

She saw the Eight Treasures Duck and candy figurines, and her eyes curved in happiness.

“Didn’t Master Caiyi tell you to practice diligently and not leave the sect during this time?”

She blinked her eyes: “I practiced very well. You went down the mountain to train, and I missed you!”

Liu Shuang’s sweet voice was not as sweet as her words. Yan Chaosheng softened his expression, unable to help smiling along. Being loved by her was something that could bring happiness for a lifetime.

Yan Chaosheng squatted down: “Come, I’ll carry you back.”

Liu Shuang readily climbed onto his back, her legs swinging. With a small candy figurine in her mouth, she said: “I’ve had a breakthrough! Yan Chaosheng, take me with you next time you go for training, please?”

He corrected her: “What should you call me?”

She said: “Husband, I’m not afraid of danger. Take me with you, please.”

Yan Chaosheng curved his lips.

“Mm-hmm.”

Liu Shuang sensed something and turned to look.

Apricot blossoms fell gently in the mortal realm. The demons’ figures had silently disappeared at some point. She smiled softly and held Yan Chaosheng’s hand more tightly.

And Yan Chaosheng, carrying Liu Shuang, walked deep into the bustling world, never looking back even when he sensed the demon aura dissipating.