I Will Not Return to Lingyuan Sea
Feng Qi pulled out his sword, and Yan Huaqing’s body collapsed to the ground. Blood poured from the wound at his throat, yet there was not the slightest pain on his face. Instead, he was still smiling.
“Well done, Feng Qi. You didn’t disappoint me.”
The man on the ground could no longer speak, yet that cold, venomous voice still sounded close beside Feng Qi’s ear, even its tone unchanged. “Although things differed somewhat from what I expected, the outcome is much the same. Since I have already gotten what I wanted, let us bid farewell for now.”
Yan Huaqing’s bloodstained eyes moved toward Feng Qi, and his mouth curved into a smile. “Feng Qi, I look forward to our next meeting.”
When those words fell, Yan Huaqing’s body once again turned into black smoke and scattered with the wind.
The barrier shattered with a deafening crash. The Dragon King had finally exhausted the last of his strength.
He staggered and fell, only to be caught by a pair of arms.
The Dragon King turned his head and met Feng Qi’s expressionless face. Feng Qi pressed a palm against his back and slowly poured pure spiritual power into him, stabilizing the spiritual meridians that had begun to collapse after the loss of his dragon core.
The Dragon King’s breath was as faint as a thread of silk. “You... I am only receiving what I deserve. There is no need to save me...”
“If you die here, he will be sad.” Feng Qi lowered his eyes and said coldly, “I have already killed his brother with my own hands. If I kill his father as well, how am I supposed to face him afterward?”
The Dragon King opened his mouth as though he wanted to speak, but said nothing more. Instead, he turned his gaze toward the glazed light mirror that had already shattered.
“Yan Huaqing isn’t dead yet.”
Feng Qi’s brows drew together.
The Dragon King said, “He used demonic arts to divide his soul into three. The fragment within this mirror was only a small portion of his soul, the weakest in power. It possessed less than one-tenth of the strength of his true body.”
One tenth of his power had already been this difficult to deal with.
Feng Qi’s eyes darkened slightly. “What about the other parts?”
“The main body of his soul is currently trapped within the Demon Realm. As for the remaining part... no one knows.” The Dragon King shook his head and sighed. “That fragment is extremely well hidden. He has never told anyone where it is. I only know that it should still be somewhere in the Immortal Realm.”
Under Feng Qi’s spiritual power, his meridians gradually stabilized and returned to calm. At the same time, the spiritual energy that had surged ceaselessly through his body for more than a thousand years was now gone.
Feng Qi withdrew his spell. The Dragon King lowered his eyes to his own hands and laughing faintly. “So this was how he felt all those years ago.”
“Thank you for saving me.” He looked up at Feng Qi and asked, “How did you know how to repair spiritual meridians collapsing after the loss of a dragon core? Did Yan’er teach you?”
“Wasn’t that how he used to—” Feng Qi stopped halfway through the sentence.
Why would he know what Ji Chaoyun had done back then?
Ji Chaoyun had never told him about any of this. Where had he learned it?
The Dragon King did not notice Feng Qi’s reaction. He looked away and said softly, “Yan Huaqing has never given up on breaking the seal over the Demon Realm. The two clans repaired the fracture in the seal this time, but that still cannot slow the rate at which the seal itself is weakening. If we wish to end this threat forever, the seal must be remade.”
“That seal was created by Feng Xiao back then. Who could possibly have the ability to rebuild his seal?”
The Dragon King turned to look at Feng Qi. He seemed about to say something, but restrained himself. “Where there is a will, there will always be someone capable of it.”
“...All these years, the Demon Clan has been infiltrating Lingyuan Sea little by little, but I was occupied with suppressing the demonic energy within me and had no strength to notice. It was only after Jun Jue died in the Dragon King Temple that I realized something was wrong.”
The Dragon King continued, “I investigated the circumstances surrounding Jun Jue’s death. Yan Huaqing appeared before me, told me the truth of everything, and offered to avenge him for me.”
“His demonic energy had already completely invaded my body. There was no possibility that I could kill him myself, so I laid this trap and borrowed your hand to do it.”
Feng Qi frowned. “Is he not the Venerable of the Demon Realm? Why would he trust you so readily?”
“Who said he trusted me?” The Dragon King gave a derisive laugh. “He didn’t need to trust me.”
“What makes Yan Huaqing terrifying is precisely that his conduct is perverse and malicious, beyond the understanding of ordinary people.” The Dragon King said, “You saw it yourself. He did not care whether that fragment of his soul lived or died, nor did he care whether I was plotting against him. He merely wanted an excuse to lure you out, see you once, and confirm something.”
“What did he want to confirm?”
The Dragon King shook his head. “...I can’t tell you yet.”
Feng Qi looked at him suspiciously. Seeing that the Dragon King had already closed his eyes, he did not continue asking. He rose to his feet just as several streaks of sword light crossed the distant sky.
“They finally came.” Feng Qi’s tightly furrowed brows relaxed. He turned toward the Dragon King. “I’m going inside to get my little dragon now. You will not run, will you?”
The Dragon King waved a hand at him. “Go. In my present state, where could I possibly run?”
Feng Qi nodded. Without further delay, he strode into the cave.
The bonfire inside flickered. The moment Feng Qi entered, he saw the young man collapsed deep within the cave.
Even though he had already prepared himself, Feng Qi still felt his heart twist painfully.
Ji Chaoyun lay amid a pool of blood. Even his loose silver hair was stained red, leaving him in an exceedingly sorry state.
The wound had long since hurt until it had gone numb. His mind was muddled and heavy, and he could barely see anything. When he sensed someone approaching, he instinctively shrank backward.
“It’s me.”
Feng Qi bent down and wrapped his arms around Ji Chaoyun’s still trembling body from behind. His throat felt painfully dry. “Don’t be afraid. It’s over now. It’s me.”
“Feng... Feng Qi.” Ji Chaoyun finally saw the person before him clearly, and his eyes instantly reddened. “Feng Qi...”
“I’m here. I’m right here.” Feng Qi’s voice was hoarse with emotion. “I’m sorry. This is all my fault.”
Yan Huaqing had been after him from the very beginning. If he had not remained in seclusion, Yan Huaqing would never have found this excuse to drag Ji Chaoyun into the matter for no reason.
He had promised to protect him, yet once again, he had broken that promise.
Feng Qi removed his outer robe and carefully wrapped Ji Chaoyun in it, then lowered his head and kissed his cold forehead. “I’ll take you back. It’s all right now.”
Ji Chaoyun could no longer speak.
His body had always been weak. The torment of this entire night had exhausted him completely. He rested his head against Feng Qi’s shoulder and let Feng Qi carry him onto the tiger’s back and out of the cave.
Outside, the disciples who had arrived afterward had already taken the Dragon King into custody and begun searching the surrounding area for the remaining fugitives. Feng Qi did not spare them a glance. He urged the white tiger into the sky.
The night wind was cool. Feng Qi held the person in his arms tightly, shielding him from every gust of cold wind.
Ji Chaoyun’s robes had long been soaked through with cold sweat and clung icily to his body. Only the familiar warmth of Feng Qi’s body passed through every place where they touched, spreading into his limbs and bones.
After an unknown amount of time, Ji Chaoyun asked quietly, “He... how is he?”
He did not say who he meant, but Feng Qi understood at once.
Feng Qi answered softly, “He’s fine. The academy disciples have already taken him away.”
“Something felt wrong. Today he said some... very strange things to me.” Ji Chaoyun clutched Feng Qi’s sleeve, his voice faint. “I don’t understand...”
Feng Qi’s eyes stung. He closed them briefly before saying, “It’s a little complicated. Once you’ve had some rest, I’ll tell you everything slowly.”
“Sleep for a while. We will arrive soon.”
“...Mm.”
At the same time, deep within the dark forest, a faint red light fell into the grass and was immediately caught by a pair of hands.
“Are you all right?”
The person wore black robes, with most of his face hidden beneath a hood. Only a small portion of his smooth, pale chin was visible, leaving his features indistinguishable in the darkness.
The red light flickered weakly, as though it might vanish at any moment.
“You shouldn’t have come.” Yan Huaqing’s voice came from within the light.
“I know.” The newcomer held the red light in his palms, a certain fervor in his voice. “...But if I did not come see you today, who knows how long I would have had to wait?”
“Nonsense. What have I taught you?” His voice was gentle and cold, yet carried a hint of indulgence. “You must not allow emotion to govern you. If someone discovers a flaw, you know what the consequences will be.”
The black-robed man’s eyes lowered, seeming somewhat dejected. “I understand.”
The red light floated into the air and circled him once. Yan Huaqing’s voice carried a strange, bewitching power. “This fragment of my soul is about to dissipate. If you wish to see me, then complete the task I gave you as soon as possible.”
“...I’ll be waiting for you in the Demon Realm.”
With those words, the faint light completely disappeared into the night without leaving a trace.
The black-robed man stared for a long while in the direction where that fragment of soul had vanished. Beneath the hood, his eyes were clear and bright, filled with a burning longing and expectation.
After a moment, he withdrew his gaze, turned, and disappeared into the depths of the forest.
☁
For the next two days, Feng Qi kept Ji Chaoyun confined to Wenqu Peak to recover from his injuries.
Feng Qi pushed open the door with medicine in hand. Ji Chaoyun was leaning against the bed, holding a book in his uninjured left hand and reading.
“Didn’t I tell you not to move around?”
Wounds from lost dragon scales were extremely difficult to heal. Only after the scales had fully regenerated could the injury be considered completely recovered. Until then, forget wielding a sword or practicing cultivation. Even the slightest movement could cause the wound to reopen.
Ji Chaoyun’s constitution was already weak, and his spirits had remained poor these past few days. Feng Qi simply refused to let him leave the room and made him stay inside to recuperate.
Ji Chaoyun put the book aside and said softly, “When you’re not here, and you won’t let me get out of bed, I get bored.”
Feng Qi set down the medicine and kissed his forehead. “Mm. My fault. How do you feel today?”
“Much better.” Ji Chaoyun obediently held out his arm and let Feng Qi remove the bandage around his forearm to change the medicine. “Why did the Immortal Venerables summon you?”
Feng Qi’s movements paused. His expression remained unchanged as he said, “The major clans of the Immortal Realm have completed their joint investigation of Lingyuan Sea. They confirmed that the Dragon King colluded with the Demon Clan and endangered the safety of the Immortal Realm.”
Ji Chaoyun lowered his eyes slightly. “What was the ruling?”
“The Dragon King has already admitted that his collusion with the Demon Clan was his doing alone and had nothing to do with the rest of the dragons of Lingyuan Sea. Considering that his cultivation is already gone and that he assisted in destroying the Demon Venerable, the major clans of the Immortal Realm decided to imprison him within Congji Abyss in the far north, never to leave for all eternity.”
Ji Chaoyun’s fingertips trembled faintly. After a long while, he slowly said, “He brought it upon himself. It’s for the best.”
Ji Chaoyun had developed a fever after returning to Wenqu Peak and had only recovered from it yesterday. Feng Qi had finally found an opportunity to explain everything clearly to him.
After learning the truth behind everything, Ji Chaoyun had said nothing. His reaction had been unexpectedly calm.
His injury was gradually improving. Only a semicircular scabbed scar remained on his smooth skin.
Feng Qi carefully applied fresh medicine and wrapped the wound again. Only then did he hear Ji Chaoyun ask, “When is he leaving?”
“At the Shen hour today.” Feng Qi said, “Uncle summoned me earlier because he wanted to ask... whether you wished to see him one last time.”
☁
The dark prison was silent and dim. The Dragon King sat against the wall with chains binding him. Outside, chains rattled, and the heavy iron door was pushed open.
Feng Qi supported Ji Chaoyun as they entered.
The Dragon King looked up. A little light returned to his weary eyes. “I thought you wouldn’t want to see me again.”
Ji Chaoyun looked at him without answering.
Feng Qi said, “I’ll wait for you outside.”
“Don’t.” Ji Chaoyun caught his hand and pleaded, “It won’t take long. Don’t go.”
Since that night, Ji Chaoyun’s reliance on Feng Qi had intensified, nearly to the point that he could not bear to be separated from him for even a moment. Feng Qi stroked Ji Chaoyun’s hair. “All right. I’ll stay with you.”
The two approached the Dragon King. Unable to stand, the Dragon King could only look up at Ji Chaoyun with a gentle gaze. “Does it still hurt?”
Ji Chaoyun looked away, his voice low. “It doesn’t hurt anymore.”
“That’s good. Now I can be at ease.” The Dragon King continued, “Elder Changhong of Lingyuan Sea is one of my trusted men. He has a quick temper, but he has always been very fond of you. He watched you grow up. Do you still remember him?”
Ji Chaoyun did not answer.
The Dragon King continued on his own. “Before I left, I told him everything. Until you return, he will take care of the Dragon Clan.”
“That is not why I came here.” Ji Chaoyun interrupted him softly. He crouched down and met the gaze of the father from whom he had been separated for so long. “That day, you said there was one great sorrow in your life. I came to fulfill that wish for you.”
“I came to tell you that I accept your apology.”
“However, I will not return to Lingyuan Sea.”
“I am no longer Jun Yan, nor do I wish to be Jun Yan again. I will not inherit your position as Dragon King.”
His body had yet to fully recover. His voice lacked strength, and the ends of his words shook faintly.
“Your temperament truly has not changed at all.” The Dragon King gave a soft laugh. “If you don’t wish to return, then don’t return. Do whatever you wish. I will not force you.”
“...You need not worry about Lingyuan Sea either. Remember what I once told you. The dragons of Lingyuan Sea have existed for tens of millions of years. Perhaps they may prosper because of one person’s existence, but they will never perish because of one person’s departure. The same is true of me.”
A short while later, Feng Qi helped Ji Chaoyun stand, and the two turned toward the door.
“Boy from the Phoenix Clan,” the Dragon King suddenly called loudly. “Take good care of him. If you dare bully him, beware that I may crawl out of Congji Abyss and come settle accounts with you.”
Feng Qi paused and smiled. “Rest assured. I will never give you that chance.”
The Dragon King was being held temporarily in the dark prison of the Disciplinary Hall. Feng Qi and Ji Chaoyun left the prison and stepped outside the hall, only to find Jun Ruzhuo waiting there.
Jun Ruzhuo looked even more haggard than before. The moment Feng Qi saw him, his expression darkened. He wrapped an arm around Ji Chaoyun and started around him.
“E-Elder Brother...” Jun Ruzhuo hurried forward two steps and called after them.
Feng Qi stopped and said irritably, “Young Master Jun, don’t go claiming relatives here. Who’s your brother?”
“I...” Jun Ruzhuo lowered his head. When Feng Qi started leading Ji Chaoyun away again, he hurriedly blurted out, “I came to apologize!”
“I was wrong. I should not have trusted others so easily. I should not have lured Elder Brother into that trap. I...” Jun Ruzhuo spoke quickly. “I know nothing I say now will change anything, but I... I wronged Elder Brother.”
Ji Chaoyun lowered his eyes without speaking. Feng Qi said coldly, “Finished? If you are, can we leave now?”
“I have already requested to return to Lingyuan Sea and spend a hundred years in seclusion reflecting on my mistakes,” Jun Ruzhuo said. “I heard everything that day. I will return to Lingyuan Sea and help the elders purge the clansmen infiltrated by the Demon Clan. I will guard Lingyuan Sea in Uncle’s place, and for Elder Brother.”
“I hope you keep your word.” Ji Chaoyun did not look back. He tugged lightly on Feng Qi’s sleeve. “Let’s go.”
Two shichen later, the immortal carriage escorting the Dragon King left Hongmeng Academy and headed toward the far north.
The sky gradually darkened. Ji Chaoyun reclined against a bamboo chair in the courtyard, gazing at the stars overhead, his thoughts unknown. The outing today had left him even more exhausted, and weariness filled his eyes.
Feng Qi pushed open the courtyard gate with both hands hidden behind his back and walked over without a sound. “Guess what I bought for my little dragon?”
Ji Chaoyun looked back and asked in confusion, “Bought? The market town below the mountain has not been rebuilt yet. What could you possibly have bought?”
The market town below Hongmeng Mountain had not been completely wiped out. After the academy disciples searched the barren mountain where Ji Chaoyun had been abducted, they soon found many wandering immortals who had merely been drugged unconscious.
Even so, rebuilding the market town would take time, and none of the shops had reopened yet.
“Just because Changyuan Pavilion is gone, does that mean there is nowhere else? You underestimate me.” Feng Qi smiled mysteriously and brought two skewers of tanghulu from behind his back, handing one to Ji Chaoyun. “Here. I went down to the mortal realm to buy them.”
Ji Chaoyun’s lashes moved slightly. “The mortal realm?”
“Of course. I exhausted poor Xiaohua.” Feng Qi sat beside him and bit one candied hawthorn from his skewer. “A divine beast truly is different. It’s much faster than making a trip to the mortal realm by myself.”
Ji Chaoyun looked at the candied hawthorns in his hand and said softly, “...Thank you.”
“What are you thanking me for? As your husband, should I not buy you tasty things?”
Ji Chaoyun gave a quiet sound of agreement and took a small bite.
The sweet-and-sour taste spread across his tongue. Ji Chaoyun smiled. “Very sweet.”
Feng Qi regarded him thoughtfully, then leaned over and kissed him.
Ji Chaoyun was caught completely unprepared. He even forgot to resist and simply stared blankly, his mouth slightly open as Feng Qi took advantage of him.
A moment later, Feng Qi straightened and said seriously, “Yours really is sweeter than mine. They came from the same place. What is the reason for that?”
Ji Chaoyun blinked and instinctively offered, “Then shall I trade with you?”
“No need.” Feng Qi braced one hand beside him, amusement in his eyes. “I don’t think it has anything to do with the tanghulu. You are simply sweeter.”
Ji Chaoyun froze, then turned his head away. “You are teasing me again.”
Feng Qi only smiled.
They quickly finished the tanghulu. Feng Qi took out a silk handkerchief and cleaned Ji Chaoyun’s hands. Once he was done, Ji Chaoyun shifted inward to make room for Feng Qi to lie beside him.
Feng Qi pulled him into his arms and pressed his lips to Ji Chaoyun’s forehead to test his temperature. “Why are you warm again? Are you feeling unwell?”
“No. I may just be a little tired.”
“I will decoct another dose of medicine for you later.” Feng Qi brushed the loose hair from Ji Chaoyun’s forehead behind his ear. Ji Chaoyun leaned into his touch and rubbed his cheek against Feng Qi’s palm. Feng Qi asked, “Feeling a little better?”
“I was not...”
“You don’t need to lie to me.” Feng Qi played with the strands of his hair and said warmly, “You don’t need to hide anything in front of me. Whether you are happy or unhappy, you may tell me. I will bear it with you.”
Ji Chaoyun buried his head against Feng Qi’s chest, his voice hoarse and strained. “I truly am fine. I was only... I was only wondering whether I should have spoken to him that way today.”
“I understand that you can’t accept everything all at once.” Feng Qi comforted him. “You don’t need to force yourself.”
“I may never see him again.” Ji Chaoyun rested against Feng Qi’s shoulder and closed his eyes. His voice was low. “Feng Qi, I no longer have a father.”
If there had been more time, perhaps the conflicts of the past could have gradually faded and everything could have returned to how it once was. Reality had not even given him the time to accept the truth and reconcile. Everything had come and gone too quickly, leaving him completely unprepared.
Feng Qi held Ji Chaoyun in silence. He felt the body in his arms trembling faintly, and soon a small patch of fabric at his shoulder grew damp.
Feng Qi sighed and stroked Ji Chaoyun’s back with his palm. He was just about to speak when he caught a sweet, clean fragrance.
The scent was somewhat familiar. It was faint, yet unusually sweet and cloying, stirring a restless heat within him.
Feng Qi froze, then immediately remembered when he had smelled this fragrance before.
He looked down in astonishment and felt the temperature of the body in his arms rise again.
☁︎₊˚⊹ The Author’s Jade-Slip Aside ⊹˚₊☁︎
You all know what is going to happen in the next chapter, right? hhh
Jade-Slip Fortune Draw
The road feels a little quieter today, catto. Unroll the jade slip and see what the heavens have already written for you. ♡
One fortune per browser day, catto. Even beneath quiet skies, the Heavenly Dao does not rewrite what has already been drawn.
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