At the peak of Chaotic Snow Mountain, the night sky was adorned with a sea of stars. Occasionally, a meteor streaked across, only to be snapped up by the Golden Ao circling among the nebulae. With a soft puff, it spat the meteor back out, sending it darting across the sky with a long, shimmering tail.
This place was often swept by snowstorms, with biting winds howling. Aside from Shi Li, few ventured to the summit on ordinary days.
It had become his secret rendezvous spot with the Phantom Demon.
Tonight was different. The two searched for a long time but couldn’t find a suitable place everywhere was crowded and disruptive.
Shi Che grew annoyed and snorted, saying Shi Li was truly clever. He pretended to be eager for a date, insisting on finding a secluded spot, yet deliberately chose tonight the busiest time at Chaotic Snow Mountain ensuring the date would fail, all while avoiding any blame.
Shi Li, wronged for no reason, protested innocently, “I genuinely wanted to watch the stars with you. The Phantom Demon and I usually admire the moon here. Now that our spot is taken, we need to find another. Have a little patience.”
Shi Che pointed to a relatively secluded spot with a good view of the stars, shielded by a large rock nearby. Hiding behind it, one could do whatever they pleased.
The spot was already occupied. Shi Che urged him to use his wits and claim the place.
Shi Li leaped to the highest point of Chaotic Snow Mountain. Under the gaze of the crowd, he summoned the Golden Ao. The dragon’s head emerged from the nebulae, stretching toward him, allowing his hand to stroke its head. Its narrow golden eyes were filled with trust and dependence.
It was well-known that the divine beasts of the other six realms were notoriously proud. Merely catching a fleeting glimpse of their shadows in the sky each year was considered a marvel.
Shi Li twirled the dragon’s whiskers with his fingertips and addressed the crowd, “Tonight is the Silver Hanging period, and the gathering is lively. The divine beast does not wish to linger alone among the nebulae and has come to share the joy with all of you.”
The Golden Ao hooked a dark blue nebula with its tail, placed its claw upon it, and rested its head lazily on the claw. “Mm, I’ll play for a while and randomly select a fortunate cultivator to bestow blessings upon.”
Its voice was distant and resonant, like a celestial echo, brimming with auspiciousness.
Opportunities to interact with a divine beast were rare and hard to come by elsewhere. More and more cultivators gathered around. From afar, Shi Li saw the few people behind the large rock emerge, curiously making their way toward the commotion.
The spot was now empty. A faint smile tugged at his lips as he prepared to leave, but a voice called out to him.
“Young Lord, Young Lord, don’t leave yet! Keep your hand on the Golden Ao’s head I’m almost done sketching! I’ll feature you in the paper tomorrow tomorrow, tomorrow!”
The Starry Sky Pavilion’s sketching apprentice, his brush tip glowing with spiritual light, kept glancing up and down, rapidly outlining the scene.
Shi Li ignored the apprentice, withdrawing his hand with little interest and leaping out of the crowd.
Usually, to appease the elders, he tolerated having his portrait sketched. But now, he had no time to waste.
After all, they only needed one drawing the rest was all fabrication.
Shi Li could already imagine how they would report it: something like “Divine Beast Recognizes the Number One Sect Xuanqing Sect Well-Deserved” or “Divine Beast Bestows Blessings, Harmony Among the Seven Realms, Cultivators United in Joy.”
In truth, he just wanted to draw the crowd away to clear a spot for kissing his other self.
Shi Che had already seized this perfect dating location. To avoid drawing attention, Shi Li circled around from the other side and sat beside him. Casually, he mentioned the incident with the sketching apprentice, joking, “If we’re ever caught getting intimate with the Phantom Demon, what kind of report do you think the Starry Sky Pavilion would come up with?”
Shi Che’s expression darkened as he asked in a low voice, “What?”
Shi Li thought he hadn’t heard clearly and began to repeat himself, but halfway through, he fell silent, realizing Shi Che didn’t want to hear it.
The atmosphere grew briefly quiet. Shi Li took out a piece of candy and offered it to Shi Che, but the other refused. He then unwrapped it and brought it to Shi Che’s lips, but Shi Che still wouldn’t take it.
“This is how I usually feed Huan Yao. It’s part of our dates.”
“I’m not Huan Yao. Your methods for feeding him don’t work on me.”
Shi Li thought for a moment, placed the candy between his own lips, removed Shi Che’s mask, braced his hands on either side of him, leaned in, and gently pressed their lips together.
Their cool lips met, and as Shi Che slightly parted his lips, Shi Li used his tongue to push the candy into his mouth.
Shi Che let out a soft, amused hum through his nose, then lightly pushed the candy back with his tongue. Back and forth it went, the sweet and sour flavor spreading in their mouths.
Shi Li held the candy in his mouth, contemplating whether to return it again. Seeing him hesitate, Shi Che turned, pressed a hand to the back of his neck, and actively sought out his tongue, reclaiming the candy into his own mouth.
“Mmm…”
The kiss deepened, the sweet, cloying scent of candy spilling from their intertwined lips. Shi Che’s hand slid from Shi Li’s lower back to his front, deftly finding the tie at his waist and loosening his outer robe. Then, it traveled upward along his waist to his shoulder, gripping the collar to pull the garment down, causing the decorative ornaments to jingle softly.
Shi Li cooperated, kissing him while shrugging off most of his outer robe, leaving the fabric and its adornments pooled around his waist.
Shi Li wrapped his arms around Shi Che’s waist, pressing his chest against Shi Che’s through only the thin, soft inner robe.
Shi Che preferred kissing with nothing between them the overly ornate outer garments were uncomfortable against his skin. Whenever Shi Li wore his outer robe while kissing him, Shi Che would find every way to strip it off.
In the beginning, he’d been impatient and rough, but as Shi Li started cooperating, it became a slow, pleasurable part of their intimate moments undressing each other amidst their tangled kisses.
Suddenly, Shi Li pulled back, nibbling lightly on Shi Che’s lip. The candy was almost gone.
“Shall we stop here for today?” Shi Che whispered, rubbing their noses together. Satisfied, he wanted to dress Shi Li again, restoring him to the elegantly robed young lord who would accompany him to watch the stars.
Shi Li gazed at him with slightly hazy blue eyes, breathing softly, as if still lost in the intoxicating sweetness of the candy kiss.
“I still have candy,” he said.
One more piece, one more kiss.
Shi Che narrowed his eyes and pinched his cheek. “I’m fine now. No need for more kissing.”
Kissing and sucking like that had left his lips numb.
Shi Li claimed he didn’t like candy much, but once he started, he enjoyed it more than anyone.
Shi Li lowered his gaze, took out another piece of candy, and slipped it between Shi Che’s lips, kissing him before he could react.
“Wait ” As Shi Che opened his mouth, the candy and the tongue that followed slipped inside. Shi Che instinctively leaned back, but Shi Li pressed forward. With his head against a large rock behind him and nowhere to retreat, Shi Li braced one hand on the stone, leaning over him as they kissed.
Shi Li learned quickly. After Shi Che taught him a few times, he mastered the art of kissing and learned to savor the intimacy of their entwined lips and tongues.
Kissing was a two-person affair. If Shi Che was satisfied but he wasn’t, then the kissing had to continue.
Strangely, this time Shi Che didn’t hold him close or press against him.
When Shi Li took out a third piece of candy, Shi Che snatched it away, unwrapped it, and stuffed it into Shi Li’s mouth, then firmly covered the lower half of his face.
“Shi Li,” he said breathlessly, “if you want to eat candy, just eat it. No one will laugh at you. Stop sucking it out of my mouth.”
Shi Li pulled his hand away, the candy still in his mouth, and replied, “I don’t really like candy that much.”
“Hmm.”
“Eating it with you is barely tolerable. With two people, it’s not as cloying.”
“Mhm.”
Shi Li added, “Now it’s a bit cloying.”
Shi Che helped him put his outer robe back on. “Then spit it out.”
“Can’t waste it.”
No more kissing, just eating the candy. Shi Li felt his mouth was empty.
As Shi Che helped him straighten his clothes, he stared at Shi Che, then curled his lips.
“Why aren’t you looking at me? Afraid that if we make eye contact, I’ll ask you to kiss me again?”
He leaned in, deliberately seeking Shi Che’s eyes. “Don’t you really like kissing? Wouldn’t you be happy to kiss a few more times?”
“I think you’re drunk on candy.” Shi Che pinched his face, pushing him away to keep his damp breath from spraying onto his own face.
His hand was very warm. Shi Li noticed it the moment his face was pinched. Looking closely at Shi Che, he saw him leaning against the large rock, brows slightly furrowed, face turned away to avoid eye contact, a hint of impatience on his expression, yet his breathing was heavy.
Then, he adjusted the hem of his robe, covering the area between his legs.
“Next time,” his voice slightly hoarse, “when I say enough is enough, don’t push further.”
“Oh.”
Shi Li bit the candy into pieces and was about to get up and move around when he suddenly noticed something and whispered, “There’s someone outside.”
A faint, clear breathing sound reached both their ears.
Shi Che instantly put on his mask, drew his sword, and flew out, restraining the person hiding outside.
Shi Che stood up, pressing Shi Li’s shoulder to keep him from going out.
Shi Li joked that he wasn’t afraid of being discovered, but at this moment, he was visibly nervous. Shi Che ruffled his hair. “It’s fine, I’ll go check.”
He walked out from behind the large rock. The person, threatened by the long sword, had already slumped to the ground it was the young cultivator from the Joyful Union Sect who had tried to strike up a conversation with him during the day.
Seeing Shi Che come out, the cultivator clasped his hands together, eyes red, and said softly, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to eavesdrop. I just wanted to catch you in a compromising situation to threaten… no, to beg you not to report me to our sect leader, so he won’t give me a zero…”
“Look, you’re a disciple of the Emotionless Sword Path, yet you’re here meeting a secret lover, kissing and smooching, even more skilled than us Joyful Union cultivators. If your Sword Venerable finds out, he’ll definitely give you a zero too! Let’s be understanding and not expose each other, okay?”
Since he had followed Shi Che here, that meant he hadn’t seen Shi Li. Shi Che secretly sighed in relief, crouching in front of the young cultivator. “No, I’m afraid you won’t keep your word. Since you dared to eavesdrop, I have to kill you.”
“Ah?” The young cultivator hugged his legs in terror, curling into a ball. “Then just give me a zero! Don’t kill me…”
Shi Che gripped his sword, about to sheathe it, when suddenly a gust of wind carrying spiritual energy swept toward him. He immediately retreated to avoid it.
“A sword cultivator bullying someone on their own turf? That wouldn’t sound good if word got out. Since when has the Profound Clear Sect neglected basic education for its disciples? I’ll have to have a word with your Young Master.”
A man in green robes descended from the sky, landing gracefully and shielding the young cultivator.
He was about to say more when, upon seeing the mask on Shi Che’s face, his voice suddenly rose. “It’s you?”
That evil sword cultivator who had inexplicably kidnapped him, stabbed him three times, and nearly killed him with pain!
“Good!” Shen Hengchun sneered. “Since you’re from the Profound Clear Sect, this makes things easier. You don’t know my relationship with Shi Li, do I? With one word from me, I can have him chop you into mincemeat to feed the turtles!”
Shi Che: “I…”
Seeing his nervousness, Shen Hengchun curled his lips into a confident smile, rolled up his sleeves, and approached him step by step, intending to drag him to see the young master. He seemed to already envision the satisfying scene of Shi Li avenging him.
Just as he reached him, he was suddenly restrained with his hands twisted behind his back. Shi Che pulled him to the side of a large rock and gave him a hard kick in the rear, sending him stumbling behind the boulder.
“Master!”
The young cultivator shouted. Shi Che quickly approached him and told him to be quiet, whispering, “The person inside knows your master. Leave now, and I won’t report you. You won’t get zero points either. But if you stay and he comes out, I’ll report you immediately.”
The young cultivator scrambled to his feet and ran.
Shi Che picked up his sword and slowly walked back behind the boulder. Shi Li was silent, while Shen Hengchun was furious, questioning him in disbelief.
“Shi Li! Shi Xiao Li! We’ve known each other since we were fourteen! I’ve always considered you my best friend, someone I’d give my heart and soul for, someone I’d take a blade for. When we were kids, you didn’t like to talk fine, I did. I told you everything, all the heartfelt things, thinking that when we grew up, you’d open up to me too. I never imagined you’d actually hire someone to stab me in the heart! That masked man outside is one of your people, isn’t he? Do you know how much it hurt? Do you know how fast and hard that sword went in? I’ve never even been in bed like ”
Shi Che kicked him over. Shen Hengchun roared, scrambled to his feet, and angrily hid behind Shi Li. His beautiful, delicate face twisted with rage as he snarled, “You have to give me an explanation today, or I’m cutting ties with you!”
Shi Li’s head was buzzing from his noise. He only knew that Shi Che had gone to teach Shen Hengchun a lesson, thinking it was just a beating. He never expected it involved a blade and bloodshed.
He glanced at Shi Che with his eyes: What do I say?
Shi Che seemed extremely annoyed by Shen Hengchun’s presence. He stood coldly to the side, leaving Shi Li to figure it out himself, and even added fuel to the fire by saying to Shi Li, “Brother, tell him why.”
Hearing that ambiguous “brother,” Shen Hengchun’s eyes widened. His grip on Shi Li’s shoulder tightened as he asked in a trembling voice, “What kind of brother? Blood brother? Lover brother? Master brother? You hired someone so close to you to kill me, Shi Li! Tell me, what did I do to offend you?”
Shi Li: “…”
He remained calm and composed, speaking to Shen Hengchun word by word. He explained that he had recently obtained a treasure from a secret realm, one with miraculous effects for beautifying and preserving youth. It needed to be fused into the heart meridian. He had tried it himself and found it effective, so he wanted to share it with his good friend.
Shen Hengchun didn’t believe him. “But you still can’t just stab me without a word! If you wanted to give me a gift, why not just give it properly?”
“One thing at a time,” Shi Li sneered. “Why I stabbed you don’t you know yourself?”
“I…”
Shen Hengchun glared, deep in thought, while Shi Li calmly met his gaze.
Soon, Shen Hengchun’s haughty demeanor vanished. His voice softened as he awkwardly laughed, “So… you know about that thing?”
Shi Li snorted through his nose. “Mm.”
In truth, he had no idea what “that thing” was. But Shen Hengchun often caused trouble outside, and as long as he was firm and made him reflect, Shen Hengchun would start doubting himself.
Shen Hengchun no longer hid behind him. He stood in front of Shi Li and obediently apologized.
Two months ago, Shen Hengchun, as the leader of the Joyous Union Sect, had been invited to attend a wedding in the Tianji Realm.
Both grooms were cultivators from the Phantom Soul Sect, and the wedding was held within the sect. Coincidentally, Groom One was Shen Hengchun’s ex-ex, while Groom Two was his ex.
Shen Hengchun’s breakup with One had been messy and unpleasant, but with Two, it had been a lingering, reluctant separation, with threads still connecting them. Now, his beloved Two was actually marrying the utterly worthless One. Shen Hengchun couldn’t hold back on the spot, downing cup after cup of wine.
Groom One chose that moment to provoke him. They traded barbs back and forth, and seeing himself at a disadvantage, Shen Hengchun dragged Shi Li into the conversation to boost his own image. He boasted about his irresistible charm, claiming he was incredibly important to Shi Li. Everyone knew they had a deep relationship, why had Shi Li taken up the Emotionless Sword? It was because he had loved Shen Hengchun unrequitedly, grown disillusioned, and locked away his heart. With just one glance from Shen Hengchun, Shi Li would immediately proclaim to the seven realms and break his own dao for him…
With a sharp clang, Hua Jing unsheathed, startling Shen Hengchun into a tremble, his voice instantly dropping several notches.
“I was drunk at the time, just bragging to them Later, those words never spread, and I thought you wouldn’t find out.”
“Never mind, let’s call it even! You already hired someone to teach me a lesson.”
Shi Li resisted the urge to hit him, calling Shi Che back to sit beside him, and replied coldly, “Mm, we’re even. And don’t cause him any more trouble.”
Shen Hengchun showed him the large shoe print on his clothes. “Who’s causing trouble for whom?”
Shi Li flicked out a wisp of spiritual light to clean it off.
With the matter cleared up, Shen Hengchun emerged from his angry mood, straightened his robes, and regained his elegance. He took out a large box from his Qiankun bag and crouched beside Shi Li.
The box could be opened from both sides in a stepped fashion, revealing a dazzling array of various bottles and jars inside.
He then took out an empty box and, with a smile, began selecting bottles and jars to distribute. “Perfect timing, saves me the trouble of looking for you. Try our newly developed products this one’s for hand care, this for the face, this for lip maintenance, and this one, you must try it. Use it before bathing, and you’ll come out smelling fragrant and feeling smooth all over.”
“That’s too much,” Shi Li picked up a small bottle, opened it, and sniffed. “I haven’t even finished the previous ones.”
“Ah, just throw away whatever’s left and use the latest. Would I ever shortchange you? Here, give me your right hand. Do you have calluses again? I’ve told you, you need to take care of your hands right after practicing swordplay. Calluses look ugly once they grow!”
Shen Hengchun pestered Shi Li to try the new products right then and there. Shi Che sat beside him, his sword laid across his lap, looking up at the stars.
Shi Li had always been meticulous about his appearance. Even though sword practice inevitably involved blood, sweat, dust, and dirt, he would always tidy himself up afterward, never showing a trace of disarray.
It was often said that the calluses on a sword cultivator’s palms were a symbol of honor, but Shi Li had disliked having calluses on his palms since childhood.
The first time he developed calluses from practicing swordplay, he panicked and went to his master, asking what to do. His usually patient master shooed him away, telling him not to make a fuss over nothing.
No one understood, but Shen Hengchun did. Such a wonderful, beautiful body naturally shouldn’t have a single flaw.
This was something the Joyful Union cultivators specialized in. Since childhood, Shen Hengchun had supplied all the materials Shi Li needed to maintain his body.
As the two beside him debated whether Shi Li had developed new calluses on his hands, Shi Che unconsciously rubbed his own palm, then clenched his fingers together and remained still.
Suddenly, the hand resting on the sword was grasped by someone. Shi Li pried open his palm to check for calluses.
Shen Hengchun leaned in closer, spotting the sword calluses that had formed over who knows how many years. He poked at them, gasped in surprise, and hurriedly rummaged through a box for some usable ointment.
“See! If you don’t pay attention, this happens. Getting stronger is one thing, but looking good is another…”
Shi Li had just had something applied to his hand by Shen Hengchun it felt slippery and warm, enveloping his slightly cool hand. His thumb rubbed against the sword calluses on his palm as he softly asked, “How did it get like this?”
When did you stop caring?
Shi Che frowned, disliking the scrutiny, and tried to pull his hand back.
Shi Li tightened his grip, refusing to let go. Shi Che simply closed his hand, wrapping his fingers around Shi Li’s to stop him from touching further.
“Don’t worry about it,” Shi Che murmured. “Just take good care of yourself.”
“Isn’t that what I’m doing right now?”
Shi Li took the ointment Shen Hengchun handed him, spreading Shi Che’s palm open to apply it. “These old calluses aren’t pretty, and they’re useless. Don’t let them form in the future.”
Shi Che: “How are they useless?”
Shi Li: “What good are they? They’re just ugly.”
Shi Che curled his lips into a faint smile, leaning close to Shi Li’s ear. He blew a soft breath against his earlobe, his low, magnetic voice drifting in slowly.
“Try it and you’ll know the ones with calluses feel better.”
“?”
Shi Li looked puzzled, dipping his finger into the ointment to continue applying it. Suddenly, Shi Che gently closed his fingers around Shi Li’s, enveloping them in his palm and moving them up and down.
The ointment was slippery, and a soft “squelch” sound escaped along with Shi Che’s laughter.
“Oops,” he said. “Made a mess all over my hand.”
Shi Li: “…”
Shen Hengchun, who had been on high alert and eavesdropping since earlier: “…”
So blunt, so vulgar, so bold in his harassment!
If this were a disciple of the Joyful Union Sect, being this shameless would be a rare talent—Shen Hengchun would give him high marks.
But his target was Shi Li, so even zero points would be too generous.
Shen Hengchun had expected to see Shi Li beat up the masked man, but instead, after a moment of silence, Shi Li glanced over at him as if trying to hide something, then leaned closer to Shi Che and deliberately lowered his voice.
“Don’t say things like that in front of outsiders next time. It’s not good if someone hears.”
Shen Hengchun felt a sudden surge of indignation.
The place was so small, and everyone had such sharp hearing, what was the point of whispering? As if no one could hear.
And who was an outsider anyway!