Zhaozhao frowned and asked, “Is it very difficult on the night of the full moon?”
“It’s fine, I’ve long grown used to it.” Su still wore a cheerful grin, appearing utterly carefree.
Zhaozhao said nothing, but he had already made up his mind.
“How much Malevolent Spirit have you accumulated?”
Su extended a finger, gesturing slightly, “Just a (hundred million) tiny bit.”
Zhaozhao shot him a glance. “Be serious.”
“Really, just a tiny bit.”
Su casually leaned against a nearby peach tree, his posture lazy and relaxed. “You don’t need to worry about me.”
“Something like Malevolent Spirit can’t trouble me.” After all, hadn’t he already turned it to his own use?
He didn’t dare tell Zhaozhao the true purpose of the Bone Fan, both fearing his worry and feeling it unnecessary.
At that time, still arrogant and proud, he had yet to realize the unreliability of the Malevolent Spirit. He even took pride in having used it, but the youth would one day pay the price for his immature actions.
Seeing he could get nothing more from him, Zhaozhao returned the Bone Fan to Su. He didn’t fully believe Su’s words and instinctively felt it wasn’t as simple as Su made it sound.
Su took the Bone Fan, casually tucked it into his belt, and raised an arm to sling it over Zhaozhao’s shoulder. “Call me ‘brother.’”
After a thousand years, the matter of being Zhaozhao’s elder brother had almost become an obsession for Su. He seized every opportunity to pester him about it.
Zhaozhao had previously ignored his constant “brother” this and “brother” that, but since the issue was now openly on the table, he decided it was time to properly reason with Su and settle once and for all who was whose elder brother.
Imitating the motion Chu Yi had used earlier to scold Su, Zhaozhao raised his hand nonchalantly and pinched one of Su’s ears.
Su: …
“I am the elder brother.”
These words, traversing a thousand years, were spoken by Zhaozhao once again.
For a moment, Su was dazed, as if transported back to the day he and Zhaozhao descended into the world together.
This time, Su didn’t argue. Obediently, he called out, “Brother.”
Zhaozhao: ? Why wasn’t he following the usual script?
A sudden, inexplicable warmth rose to Zhaozhao’s face. He released Su’s ear and quietly responded, “Mm.”
“Is brother shy?”
Su’s face was full of laughter, the mischievous one teasing his proper elder brother.
“Alright, now it’s your turn to call me brother.”
Zhaozhao: ?
Seeing his confusion, Su almost felt bad for teasing his innocent self.
Suppressing his laughter for a moment, Su blinked and gazed directly into Zhaozhao’s clear eyes. “I called you. Reciprocity dictates you should call me once too.”
Zhaozhao was speechless. After a pause, he uttered two words: “Absurd.”
“Hahahahahahahaha…”
Zhaozhao turned away, not wishing to speak further. Hearing the unrestrained laughter behind him, he unconsciously curved his lips into a slight smile.
“Brother!”
“Wait for me.”
Su caught up to Zhaozhao and affectionately draped an arm over his shoulder. “Let’s go to the Holy Land.”
The Holy Land…
He had gone a few times as a child with Luo Chen, but after growing up, he had never returned.
“Alright.”
“Brother is so good.”
Su’s mouth seemed dipped in honey, sweet words flowing one after another.
Remembering Duan Yu following behind, Zhaozhao turned back and said, “You may return first.”
Duan Yu bowed respectfully. “Yes.”
With no one else around, Su became even more unrestrained. Along the way, he kept saying things to tease Zhaozhao. Zhaozhao found it both exasperating and amusing. Seeing Su genuinely so happy, he simply let him be.
Holy Land.
The Divine Tree remained unchanged for a thousand years, and the Divine Dragon Chizhou still lay with his massive eyes closed, coiled around the thick trunk. Sensing a familiar presence, Chizhou slowly opened his eyes.
Seeing the two of them, the Divine Dragon spoke in a deep, rough voice, “Divine Sons, it has been a long time.”
Zhaozhao gave a slight nod, reserved and courteous.
Su, on the other hand, raised an eyebrow with a faint smile, carrying a hint of the Evil Qi he never showed in front of Zhaozhao. “Chizhou, you seem to have aged again~”
Chizhou gazed kindly at the two, not taking offense at Su’s words.
“Both Divine Sons have grown considerably. The Divine Emperor and Chu Yi have done well.”
Mentioning his master, Su thought of the strict discipline he had endured over the years and couldn’t help but purse his lips.
Zhaozhao remained expressionless as ever.
Looking at the two Divine Sons from the same Mother Tree but with such different temperaments, Chizhou couldn’t help but find it amusing.
Indeed, they resembled those who raised them.