“What lies are you telling? We don’t even know each other, what right do you have to treat me like this? Let go!” Yu Yu struggled, trying to pull back, his wrist aching from the grip.
Cheng Xi still held on tightly, pulling Yu Yu closer and cutting straight to the point: “Yu Yu, that fragment of your soul, it still exists in the mortal world, and you know where it is.”
“I don’t know!” Yu Yu spoke the truth. After his soul had left his body, he hadn’t paid any attention to where it had gone.
The pain in his bones grew more intense, and only after he cried out did Cheng Xi release his grip.
Yu Yu stumbled, nearly falling to the ground again. The red marks on his wrist irritated him, and his words turned sharp: “What business is it of yours? Do you just love meddling in others’ affairs? Oh, most selfless of gods.”
By now, everyone had taken their seats, and there was no one else around, so Cheng Xi spoke more casually, asking offhandedly, “Wouldn’t it be good to get it back?”
Yu Yu let out a mocking laugh. He didn’t think Cheng Xi would ever remember him, and his eyes were full of scorn: “I get my soul back, then step on your bones and walk the path that was originally yours, would you really be fine with that? You love paving the way for others so much, should I set up an altar and worship you?”
Cheng Xi wasn’t angered by this, nor did he answer immediately. Instead, he began to ponder his relationship with this deity who was hardly a deity at all.
Just now, when their souls had touched, he had realized that Yu Yu was a divine official born at the same time as him. Clearly, in their competition, Yu Yu had been the loser, but why was Yu Yu still alive?
According to the laws of heaven, he should have turned to ash seven hundred years ago when Cheng Xi ascended. And in Cheng Xi’s own memories, there was no trace of Yu Yu at all, as if he had been deliberately erased, deliberately forgotten.
Something hidden here must be a secret that wasn’t meant for Cheng Xi to know. He wasn’t usually one to dwell on things, but Yu Yu’s unusual attitude kept telling him on a subconscious level:
This is important.
Recovering those memories, this is important.
Cheng Xi immediately countered: “No need to worship me, though you seem quite willing to do so. I’m curious, though: for whose sake did you shatter your own fully formed soul? It couldn’t have been for me.”
At that, Yu Yu’s expression shifted, and he instinctively clutched at his sleeve. Cheng Xi keenly noticed his reaction.
Finally, he pressed further: “Could it really have been for me? In that case, you’re the truly selfless god. Didn’t you say it was none of my business? You only said you wanted to return the spirit jade to me, did you ever explain where it came from? Do you think a jade you just ‘found’ would so easily recognize a master? I’m no fool, and don’t think those flimsy excuses can fool me. You’d better tell me the truth.”
Following his words, Yu Yu looked down at the jade pendant at his waist. It was smooth, carved with a lifelike carp. There had once been a matching piece, but unfortunately, it had already turned to ash.
The day he’d seen Cheng Xi again, he’d discovered that this jade pendant had long developed a consciousness of its own, clinging to him and refusing to leave.
Since it had consciousness, even if Cheng Xi didn’t recognize its origin, he would sense its presence. That was why, during his escape, Cheng Xi had caught him, bound him, and brought him up to the heavenly court.
He frowned, stifling the unbearable loneliness in his eyes, and casually made up a lie: “I have my own ways to survive. Why should I die for your ascension? Why should I endure heart-piercing pain and shatter my soul for you?”
Cheng Xi let out a cold snort, clearly unconvinced, and reached for the jade pendant. Yu Yu, wary, tried to dodge backward as he approached, but Cheng Xi grabbed him firmly.
Running his fingers over the patterns on the pendant, Cheng Xi had no memory of it at all, and Yu Yu’s detached demeanor, combined with his stubborn refusal to explain, stoked his anger. Feeling irritated and seeing no need for courtesy, he said, “Since you claim you want to live, I’ll help you out.”
Cheng Xi pulled him into his embrace, cast a puppet spell on him, and dragged him into the banquet.
The so-called banquet was nothing more than a group of idle divine officials gathered to drink. Cheng Xi concealed Yu Yu’s form and threatened him viciously: “This divine physician isn’t easy to find. You’d better cooperate, or I’ll lock you up, you’ll stay there until you’re willing to talk.”
Forced to lean against Cheng Xi’s chest, held securely in his arms, Yu Yu heard the familiar heartbeat once more. Lying quietly in his embrace, his heart involuntarily tightened and released, then tightened again. The sensation spread to his eyes, making him want to cry, and he had to sniff hard to keep the tears from spilling out.
Cheng Xi lowered his head, pinching Yu Yu’s chin with moderate force, and looked at his reddened eyes: “Are you crying?”
“Why would I cry?” Yu Yu shot back stubbornly, meeting Cheng Xi’s gaze again. He desperately wanted to find some trace of the old feeling there.
People are always contradictory, wanting the other to forget, yet craving to be remembered.
Cruelly, there was no such perfect outcome.
All that remained there was curiosity and impatience.
Cheng Xi didn’t bother to respond. Such absurd matters weren’t worth arguing over.
They had reached the center of the banquet, where a divine lord was already seated, waiting. Cheng Xi sat down with Yu Yu, took his wrist, and placed it on the pulse pillow that had been prepared.
Within half a shichen, Zhu Qin had finished taking his pulse.
“The soul is shattered; beyond saving.” Six words pronounced Yu Yu’s death sentence. Zhu Qin picked up the wine cup from the table and took an indifferent sip.
“Find a way.” Cheng Xi said without ceremony.
“What’s the rush? It’s not like I’m refusing to help. It’s rare for you to ask something of me, can’t I put on a bit of airs?” Zhu Qin poured himself another cup, offered Yu Yu a polite smile, and sent a beam of light from his fingertip, which flew straight into Yu Yu’s divine seal with a whoosh.
The light circled within Yu Yu’s divine seal before suddenly dissipating in one spot.
Understanding dawned, and Zhu Qin asked Yu Yu, “The missing piece, where is it now?”
Cheng Xi lightly poked Yu Yu’s shoulder, signaling him to answer.
“I already told you, I don’t know.” Yu Yu said in a less-than-pleasant tone. If he weren’t under control, he would have fled long ago rather than be at their mercy.
“That’s normal, perfectly normal.” Zhu Qin laughed as he covered for himself, steadying himself against the table as he sat down, then laid out his plan: “The most urgent thing now is to find that fragment of his divine soul. After that, we’ll locate a spiritual spring, place this deity within it, and find someone with abundant divine power to replenish his soul for forty-nine days.” Zhu Qin took a sip of wine, then continued speaking to Cheng Xi: “Aren’t you the Divine official? Finding a divine soul shouldn’t be difficult for you, and replenishing it is something you’re more than skilled at. Is there any divine official in the Heavenly Court with more abundant divine power than you?”
Cheng Xi nodded in agreement. “Indeed, that’s true.”
Yu Yu let out a cold laugh, cutting them off. “I’ll say it again, I don’t need this. Can’t you understand plain words?”
“I can understand, but I was entrusted with this task.” Before Cheng Xi could speak, Zhu Qin jumped in, raising his cup in a toast toward Yu Yu as he did so.
“Say a little less, and maybe you wouldn’t be doing so poorly for yourself.” Cheng Xi casually knocked the wine from Zhu Qin’s hand, the liquid splashing onto his robes and leaving several streaks of varying shades across the white fabric.
Zhu Qin waved a hand, a flash of white light passing as he changed into a pale yellow outer robe, cursing, “Lord Cheng Xi, please extend your hand so I can check if you’ve come down with some serious illness.”
Cheng Xi ignored him, turning back to threaten Yu Yu once more. “This isn’t up to you. If you want revenge on me, you’d better pray for a speedy recovery.”
“Recovery? Easier said than done. Even if I do recover, the first thing I’ll do afterward is…” Yu Yu’s eyes had been fixed on nothing in particular, staring vacantly at some unknown point, but now they shifted to Cheng Xi as he spoke word by word: “Take your head.”
“Is that so? You’re welcome to try.” Cheng Xi wasn’t just unbothered, he even let out a few laughs.
“All we need is to find that divine soul fragment, right?” Cheng Xi added a binding seal over Yu Yu’s mouth, asking Zhu Qin in a light tone.
Zhu Qin downed another gulp of wine before replying, “Correct.”
Then, setting down his cup, Zhu Qin opened his palm, conjured a token, and handed it to Cheng Xi. “Once you find it, come to Medicine Aroma Valley to see me. This is a pass token. Judging by his condition, the meager divine power in his soul is nearly spent, he doesn’t have many years left. Whatever grudges you two have, you’d better hurry.”
Cheng Xi took the token and tucked it away, replying, “Don’t worry. He and I, we have plenty of time ahead.” There were matters between them that Cheng Xi hadn’t yet figured out, so he certainly wouldn’t let Yu Yu fall so easily.
With the work done, Zhu Qin was ready to take his leave, but paused at the door as something occurred to him, turning back to ask Cheng Xi: “He’s the Divine official?”
“That’s right.” Cheng Xi answered on behalf of Yu Yu, whose mouth was still sealed.