“Ah-Xun, is… is it you?”
It was the first time Mu Chengyan had ever been held by someone, and he found himself stammering. The person on the other side remained silent, answering only with the quiet air of the cavern. Mu Chengyan couldn’t see his face, so he could only reach out and grope.
Clothes… they feel the same. He reached upward… and touched a man’s Adam’s apple.
He hadn’t actually paid attention to whether Ah-Xun had an Adam’s apple or not. He continued to feel around… and then, his fingertips brushed against something ice-cold. Mu Chengyan recoiled immediately.
That’s not it… that’s not Ah-Xun… Ah-Xun wasn’t this tall, nor did he possess such overwhelming strength, and he certainly didn’t wear a mask.
Mu Chengyan was engulfed in embarrassment. It seemed he had mistaken the person…
“I am sorry, I believe I have mistaken you for someone else. Please, put me down.”
Mu Chengyan had never felt so awkward in his life held by a man, and then realizing he’d mistaken the person’s identity. Instead of letting him go, the man held him tighter, his large hands wrapping around Mu Chengyan’s delicate, willow-like waist.
“Who… who exactly are you? Put me down this instant!”
Mu Chengyan pushed with all his might against the man’s chest, but his strength was too feeble to move the tall, towering figure. With Yueying and Guchen nowhere nearby, Mu Chengyan was nothing more than a helpless lamb ripe for bullying.
“If you don’t put me down, don’t blame me for being discourteous!”
Mu Chengyan summoned the “Wind God Rope” from his sleeve, but the item refused to emerge, cowering deep within his cuff. Wasn’t it incredibly powerful just a moment ago? Why is it acting like a coward now?
Mu Chengyan then pulled out his Sanqing Bell, but the bell wouldn’t even emit a single chime…
The man let out a low chuckle, his voice incredibly sexy and melodious.
“W—what are you laughing at? I… I have other tricks up my sleeve.” Mu Chengyan realized that the man must be mocking him. After fumbling around for a while, he grabbed a talisman, but it was a spell meant for non-human entities it shouldn’t have any effect on him. Judging by the sound of his breathing, the man was clearly a human being.
As the breathing grew closer, Mu Chengyan’s body instinctively recoiled. Suddenly, he felt a warm, tactile sensation on his face, and Mu Chengyan’s dark purple pupils widened in shock!
He reached up and grabbed the mask on the man’s face, hurling it to the ground. Then, he launched an all-out assault on the man’s face.
He kissed him!
A man actually kissed him!
His purity is gone…
Mu Chengyan was so furious he was on the verge of tears. In his entire life, he had never even held hands with anyone, let alone endured such intimate contact. The man didn’t resist, silently enduring Mu Chengyan’s assault.
He grabbed one of the man’s ears and yanked hard! With his other hand, he grabbed a handful of hair a high ponytail… wearing a mask. He would remember this!
“Your Highness… Your Highness, where are you?”
A familiar voice rang out from outside, and Mu Chengyan felt as if he had finally spotted his savior. Yueying… Yueying is here.
“I am here, Yueying, I am here! I have been…”
The words died on Mu Chengyan’s lips. The man set Mu Chengyan down, his single arm still circling his slender waist. Mu Chengyan kept retreating until his back hit the cold mountain wall there was nowhere left to run!
“What… what exactly are you trying to do?” Mu Chengyan hid his hands behind his back in nervousness, clutching the hem of his robes.
The man leaned in once more, gently pressing a kiss onto his forehead. The man’s scent washed over him, engulfing him completely. Mu Chengyan caught a familiar fragrance emanating from the man.
When he opened his eyes again, the space in front of him was completely empty; the man’s presence had vanished entirely.
Yueying walked into the cave with a torch, illuminating the darkness. “Your Highness, what is the matter? Why is your face so red?”
Mu Chengyan leaned against the mountain wall and lowered his head. “It is nothing… Yueying, did you see a man leave just now? Taller than you, wearing a mask.”
“A man? No. I have searched for a long time, and there isn’t a shadow of a person here. Your Highness must not act so impulsively next time.”
“How could there be no one? He was clearly just here.”
Noticing Mu Chengyan’s disheveled robes, Yueying asked tentatively, “Your Highness, did that man do anything to you?”
Mu Chengyan shook his head in a flurry of panic, smoothing out his robes. “N—nothing. It is nothing, do not let your imagination run wild. He did nothing at all; he did not even hold me…”
“He held you!”
The sword in Yueying’s hand was already straining to break free from its scabbard.
“N—no.”
Mu Chengyan clutched the cheek that had been kissed; it burned as if scorched by fire.
“Do not let me find out who that scoundrel is, if I do, I will shred him into a thousand pieces!” How dare he touch His Highness! Is His Highness someone those mortals are allowed to touch?
“It… it is fine. We should continue searching for Ah-Xun; this god-forsaken wilderness is too dangerous.”
Mu Chengyan’s heartbeat remained erratic. It was the first time… the first time anyone had ever been able to get that close to him.
“Your Highness, never mind him.”
“Ah-Xun is lonely and pitiful; I know not which corner he is hiding in, weeping.”
Mu Chengyan gave a few low coughs and continued walking forward.
Beneath a tree not far away stood a youth in white robes, sadly wiping away his tears.
“Ah-Xun.”
The youth turned his head and sprinted toward him. “Gege!”
“Why are you crying again?” Mu Chengyan reached out to wipe the tears from the boy’s face. As he suspected.
Jun Xun looked up, a look of grievance on his face. “Gege… Gege likes that gege from earlier more, and doesn’t like Ah-Xun anymore.”
Mu Chengyan had a sudden realization.
So that was it. What on earth did Ah-Xun think about all day? That person was merely a one-time acquaintance; there was no question of liking or disliking.
“Of course not. I like Ah-Xun. Be a good boy and come back with me.”
He did quite like Ah-Xun; the boy was both sensible and pitiful, and he couldn’t help but want to treat him well.
“Gege… Gege even accepted his clothes.”
“Then I shall return them to him later.”
Mu Chengyan patted the youth’s head. To think it was all because of that—it was just a garment.
“If you run off again, there will be no one left to look for you.”
Yueying frowned in displeasure. Because of him, His Highness was… A single trip out, and his purity was gone.
“B—beautiful person, why do you run so fast? I cannot keep up with you.”
Song Jinxuan came panting up behind them. This great beauty is so frail; I must protect him well.
Upon seeing the newcomer, Jun Xun’s brow furrowed as he leaned against Mu Chengyan’s arm.
“Gege… it hurts.”
“Where does it hurt?”
“My hand.”
Mu Chengyan took the youth’s small hand and examined it earnestly, finding no trace of injury. Could it be that he broke a bone that I cannot see?
“Once we get out of here, Gege will take you to see a physician.”
Song Jinxuan was completely ignored, silently following behind Mu Chengyan. For some reason, he always felt that this little youth harbored some hostility toward him.