The air was biting cold, and the dense forest stood like a wall of shadows.
Chen Hexuan did not know when this chessboard had been laid out, nor did he know who else served as a pawn beside him. His head throbbed with the thought that perhaps Qi Yu was one as well, or perhaps the game had begun the very moment he first entered the sect.
Mo Mingxu stood with a guilty conscience, not daring to lift his head to meet Chen Hexuan’s gaze. He had no right to ask Hexuan to stop investigating, yet he knew this matter involved both his Master and the Xingzhou Sect.
On one hand, there was loyalty—as a disciple of Xingzhou, he sensed the gravity of the situation even if he didn’t know the details. He knew that if the truth came to light, it would inevitably cause an upheaval in the cultivation world. On the other hand, even though the once-great Xingzhou Sect had declined, its influence was still immense. Even as the Young Master of the Chen family, Hexuan could not stand against it alone.
As Chen Hexuan’s junior brother, Mo Mingxu knew he had no way to restrain him.
At this moment, Chen Hexuan struggled to describe his feelings. He had been deceived and utilized by those he trusted most. Why did they do it? Why remove his memories of Qi Yu? What were they hiding? His mind was a chaotic mess, yet no matter how much his thoughts scattered, they always returned to two words: Qi Yu.
Why is everything related to Qi Yu?
Suddenly, he realized: Everything IS related to Qi Yu.
After a long silence, Chen Hexuan finally spoke. “Do you know how to restore memories?”
If everything centered on Qi Yu, then restoring those lost memories was the only way to uncover the truth.
Mo Mingxu let out a breath of relief but answered hesitantly. “If it were only a few days ago, I might have had a way. But now… the effects of the Forget-Me-Not Grass ($Wu Wang Cao$) have already seeped deep into your Nascent Soul. I’m afraid… it is impossible.”
He looked up and flinched at the dark, unreadable depth in Chen Hexuan’s eyes. He had never seen Hexuan like this—weighted down by a mixture of helplessness and bitterness, like a man facing a problem with no solution.
Mo Mingxu assumed Hexuan was troubled by the sect’s involvement. He himself couldn’t understand why the sect would do such a thing.
“Is that so…” Chen Hexuan murmured, his spirit momentarily wandering. If he couldn’t recover his memory and couldn’t get the truth from Qi Yu, he was truly at a loss.
Chen Hexuan knew he couldn’t waste more time. He gave a bitter laugh. “Go now.”
Mo Mingxu stepped forward, worry etched on his face. “The entire cultivation world is saying…”
“Saying what?” Chen Hexuan instinctively pressed the storage ring on his left index finger.
Mo Mingxu scanned him, noticing the absence of the Tai’e Sword. “They say Qi Yu has become a Sword Spirit attached to the Tai’e Sword, and that he kidnapped you while you were on your way to have him destroyed.”
He continued, “Now everyone is looking for you and the sword. They say they won’t rest until Qi Yu is eradicated.”
Hearing the word “kidnapped,” Chen Hexuan recalled that seven years ago, the rumors had been exactly the same.
“Are the rumors true?” Mo Mingxu asked. “Did he hurt you?” Seeing Hexuan’s neat appearance, he knew the rumors were likely false, but he feared Qi Yu was threatening him.
Chen Hexuan shook his head. “Who issued the order?”
“I’m not sure,” Mo Mingxu frowned. “But from what I know, the sect announced it after they couldn’t find you for days. If I didn’t have your tracking talisman, I wouldn’t have found you either.”
Chen Hexuan nodded thoughtfully. “Once you leave, burn all those tracking talismans.”
“You’re even guarding against me?” Mo Mingxu laughed bitterly, guessing Hexuan’s next move. “Do you plan to stay hidden in the mortal realm with that sword forever? If you return and hand it over, you’re still the perfect Eldest Senior Brother. Why bother? Is it worth it?”
Is it worth it?
Chen Hexuan asked himself the same question. His mind was in turmoil, but amidst the chaos, one voice grew louder: I cannot hand over the Tai’e Sword.
“Is it for Qi Yu?” Mo Mingxu pressed. “He’s not worth all this. Have you forgotten who imprisoned you in the Demon Palace for seven years?”
Chen Hexuan snapped back to reality. “I am sorry. My mind is made up.”
He could not stand by and watch Qi Yu die. Why? Perhaps because he didn’t want to repeat the dream of Qi Yu’s death. Even if this person had deeply wounded him, he knew he couldn’t let go.
“Fine,” Mo Mingxu sighed, shaking his head. “Where will you go?”
Chen Hexuan stroked his ring, his face cold. “I am going to find my memories.”
Only by finding what was lost could he know what they were hiding and what role Qi Yu played in this game. He thought back to seven years ago. A terrifying thought surfaced: Could this game have been set in motion back then? The thought sent a cold shiver down his spine. If so, were Qi Yu’s actions a result of someone else’s orders? Had he misunderstood Qi Yu all along?
“You can try the North Name Library ($Bei Ming Shu Ge$) on Mount Wugou,” Mo Mingxu suggested. “It houses many ancient texts. There might be a way to counter the Forget-Me-Not Grass.”
Chen Hexuan looked at him with gratitude, unable to hide the joy in his voice. “Thank you.”
Mo Mingxu sighed internally. He suspected Hexuan had been bewitched. When had the rational Hexuan ever been this anxious over anyone—especially a demon? He hesitated, wondering if he should mention the Inner Demon. Perhaps Hexuan’s irrationality was a symptom of it.
“Senior Brother…” Mo Mingxu began. “Your recurring dreams… they are a sign that you have an Inner Demon ($Xin Mo$).”
Chen Hexuan froze. For a cultivator of pure heart, an Inner Demon was a devastating realization. it meant the path to immortality was no longer smooth; every meditation carried the risk of Qi Deviation.
Yet, Chen Hexuan simply gave a soft, bitter laugh and covered his eyes. Recalling the scenes that replayed in his mind, he not only accepted it but knew exactly where his obsession lay: On Qi Yu.
Born into the prestigious Chen family and hailed as a genius, Hexuan had always lived a life of prestige and resources. If not for Qi Yu, he would have followed the path his elders laid out—a perfect successor to both the sect and his family. Qi Yu had shattered his pride, insulted him, and left him obsessed with a death.
“I understand. Thank you,” Chen Hexuan said.
Mo Mingxu was surprised by how calmly he accepted it. The two bid farewell under the moonlight. Mo Mingxu destroyed the talismans and promised to keep Hexuan’s location a secret before departing on his crane.
As Mo Mingxu faded into the night, Chen Hexuan looked at his plain, worn ring. “Qi Yu, you have ruined me deeply.”
He chuckled at his own childishness for talking to a ring. “Mount Wugou… North Name Library… it seems to be on the border between the cultivation and mortal realms.”
…
Silence returned. Chen Hexuan walked deep into the forest. Wild beasts rustled in the grass but dared not approach, their instincts warning them that this unarmed man was dangerous.
He found a crystalline lake shimmering under the moon. Since jumping ship, he had traveled non-stop to evade pursuers. The mortal realm was thin on spiritual energy, and he hadn’t meditated in days. Mount Wugou would not be easy to enter.
Stripping off his clothes, he left them by the shore and waded into the center of the lake, where the spiritual energy was densest. As he closed his eyes to circulate his power, the storage ring atop his clothes vibrated. The Tai’e Sword flew out, landing on the bank and transforming into a translucent figure.
Qi Yu surveyed his surroundings, his eyes landing on the man in the lake. The yellow moonlight traced the handsome contours of Hexuan’s face and his well-defined physique. Everything about this man was engraved in Qi Yu’s soul. In those seven years, he had tasted the sweetness of this man countless times.
As Chen Hexuan finished a cycle of energy, he felt a cold hand press against his abdomen. He snapped his eyes open, catching the hand wandering over his muscles.
“Qi Yu, what are you doing now?”
Caught red-handed, Qi Yu showed no fear in his green eyes. Instead, he used his other hand to trace Hexuan’s iliac furrow ($Ren Yu Xian$), saying nonchalantly, “I am seducing you, Senior Brother.”
Chen Hexuan’s Adam’s apple bobbed. He gripped the wandering hand, his gaze deepening. “Do not provoke me.”
…
Chen Hexuan had long since grown accustomed to Qi Yu’s advances. Such things had happened many times in those seven years. Though he wouldn’t admit it, he knew that he… had quite a feel for Qi Yu.
It is all Qi Yu’s fault, he thought.
…
The tension is palpable! Chen Hexuan is finally acknowledging his obsession, while Qi Yu continues to play his dangerous game of seduction.