Chapter 124

Extra 1: Proposal

As the Heavenly Dao shifted, mountains became clearer, and the seas widened, erasing all traces of fissures.

For myriad divine beasts and deities, this new Heavenly Dao held profound implications. But for ordinary humans, it was merely another global rumor that had come and gone.

Governments worldwide offered explanations for the recent extreme weather events.

After conducting the last morning meeting before the company's annual break, Wei Tianyi emerged from the conference room, holding his thermos cup, to find his executives seated on the couch, watching international news. A blond, blue-eyed meteorologist from a certain country spoke with an air of ease—

"…The unusual weather lately has caused much chaos, but our studies suggest that the root cause might still be xxxxx. We must remember that climate change is an urgent issue that cannot be ignored…"

Of course, these executives had previously been part of the panic buying of supplies, but now they each displayed a rational demeanor—

"I told you, how could an apocalypse actually happen? All seemingly unscientific phenomena can be explained scientifically."

"No wonder, a few of our country's leaders also addressed environmental pollution issues at a recent conference, expressing strong determination. It seems that combating pollution will become a top priority next year."

"The environmental protection industry is likely to soar. Considering the government's stance, there might even be subsidies. Perhaps we should consider incorporating the production of environmental equipment into our business plan for the next quarter."

These people were talking, but they also involved Wei Tianyi in their conversation: "Ah, President Wei, don't you think so too?"

Wei Tianyi: "..."

His long-time executives, who had worked under him for many years, knew how steadfast and unshakable he was as an atheist. Seeing that he didn't respond, they took his silence as acquiescence and continued chatting merrily.

"One thing to consider, think back to the rumors that were spreading like wildfire not long ago. Our company was in turmoil, yet President Wei never participated in any of it from beginning to end."

"Indeed, I even heard that President Wei didn't even stock up on supplies. He simply didn't believe such nonsense!"

"President Wei's level of understanding is truly on a different plane from ordinary people!"

"Still, events have proven that President Wei was indeed right!"

Wei Tianyi: "......."

Assuming they had struck a chord with him, the executives became even more animated in their discussion:

"How could we forget how this topic came up? It was because of that witch from Country X who was hopping around on all those shows promoting her beliefs. Could you believe anything she said? She even claimed our country's energy reserves were obtained through deals with devils!"

"Hahaha! In this day and age, who still says such ridiculous things? I'm sure Mr. Wei finds it amusing, too."

Wei Tianyi: "..."

With great effort, Wei Tianyi nodded under the eager gazes of his subordinates, not wanting to engage in this conversation. He quickly walked away, holding his thermos cup, "Since the spring schedule is set, I'll take my leave first."

The executives, who had been reading the news, stood up to follow, "Together, together."

Along the way, many company employees greeted Wei Tianyi with relaxed smiles. Actually, as a strict and irritable top leader, Wei Tianyi hadn't been very popular among the staff in the past. People didn't dislike him, but they were somewhat afraid of him, always perceiving him as an extremely demanding and hard-to-get-along-with boss. However, a recent small gesture from the company had significantly altered their impression.

As Wei Tianyi approached the elevator, he could still hear the whispers of the employees:

"Well, when I think back, I was silly to actually believe in doomsday. That's why I skipped work to stock up on rice and oil at the supermarket. When I returned to the company, I found out I'd been absent for three whole days and thought I was done for."

"Tell me about it. Our department head also skipped work. Almost half the company was gone those few days, causing a mess in our operations."

"The same thing happened at a few nearby companies. I heard all the bosses were furious. Take Boss Wu of the XX Limited on the twenty-fifth floor. He's usually quite level-headed, right? Even he bought rice back then. Now, he's held several managers accountable for it, and as a warning to others, he fired the three who left first. The rest who weren't fired won't be getting their year-end bonuses either."

"You don't know, during that regular meeting, the heads of the marketing and HR departments were shaking while reporting to Mr. Wei."

"Yes, think about CEO Wei's past behavior. Would he not fire a few people? Yet, to everyone's surprise, he didn't lose his temper or mention firing anyone that day."

"Indeed, one can never truly know a person until a crucial moment arises..."

The executives, upon hearing these discussions, couldn't help but exchange appreciative remarks about Wei Tianyi's tolerance. Wei Tianyi remained silent, as they had no clue about the extraordinary events that had transpired in his life recently.

These usually superstitious individuals had easily brushed off the incident, while he, a former steadfast materialist, still struggled to accept the reality that the world had nearly been destroyed.

As he was lost in thought, the elevator suddenly jolted to a halt, and the lights at the top flickered wildly.

The situation was eerily bizarre. The executives in the elevator screamed in terror, and it wasn't until a maintenance crew hurriedly arrived to rescue them that they calmed down. The technician apologized profusely, "Sorry for the inconvenience. We found an issue with the building's power supply system, which might have been caused by the recent earthquake in Beijing!"

The rescued executives finally understood what had happened, and their fear dissipated quickly. "So that's how it was! I knew it! How could such a strange occurrence happen out of nowhere? Phew! I thought we encountered ghosts!"

Someone nearby burst into laughter. "At your age, you still have such a wild imagination."

Mid-laughter, this person noticed Wei Tianyi's pale complexion and quickly composed himself. "Ahem, let's not talk nonsense. CEO Wei is still here."

Wei Tianyi usually detested discussions about supernatural phenomena.

The executive who had first mentioned ghosts now paled slightly and quickly apologized, "My mistake, my mistake, Mr. Wei. Please don't take offense. I was just speaking off the cuff. There's no such thing as ghosts in this world; superstition is pure nonsense!"

Wei Tianyi held his thermos cup and, after saying it was alright, hastily left.

Seeing that he wasn't angry, the executive was quite surprised and exclaimed, "Mr. Wei seems to be in a good mood."

Another person nearby noticed something amiss, "Huh? Why did Mr. Wei leave so quickly today? He didn't even turn back, as if he was afraid of staying near the elevator for too long."

With this topic raised, everyone began to discuss the recent noticeable changes in Wei Tianyi's behavior—

"One thing, Mr. Wei hasn't been working alone in the office until late at night recently."

"When there are fewer people around, he rarely goes down to the underground garage by himself. He always asks someone to accompany him."

"He even specifically requested the building management to brighten the lights in the garage."

Upon hearing this, everyone couldn't help but wonder, why?

At this moment, the elevator repairman chuckled and said, "Why? It's obviously because he's afraid of the dark, isn't it? Our building's garage can be rather gloomy, and many young ladies find it scary. But I never would have thought that a big boss like Mr. Wei would be afraid of ghosts like a young lady."

"How could it be!" All the executives were enraged. "This is preposterous! You don't know CEO Wei at all. He doesn't believe in ghosts or deities. Even if the whole world was afraid of ghosts, he wouldn't be!"

"Exactly! The elevator malfunctioned so eerily just now that we all screamed, but he didn't make a sound. He didn't even consider that possibility!"

In front, Wei Tianyi held onto his thermos cup tightly, his fingers stiff. Only after walking quite a distance did he dare to look back at the elevator, a layer of cold sweat breaking out on his back.

When the lift had stopped functioning and the lights flickered, he had been so frightened that he almost forgot how to make a sound. Now, being far away, he finally felt a sense of relief.

The maintenance crew explained that it was an electrical fault caused by an earthquake...

Wei Tianyi was skeptical. Was it true or false? He had heard that there had been issues during the construction of this office building...

Standing in the lobby, he began to daydream, his thoughts drifting around until they landed on the dimly lit, eerie parking garage on the third basement floor.

Annual leave had started today. Would there be many people in the garage at this hour...

After much contemplation, he still didn't dare to go check the garage. His gaze shifted to the bustling crowd outside the office building—

Forget it, I'll just take a taxi back home today.

********

Beyond the bustling commercial district, the annual rush of Spring Festival was in full swing, with citizens crowding supermarkets and markets to stock up on holiday provisions.

The recent crisis that had almost plunged society into chaos had come and gone with a whisper, leaving behind only a few neglected old posts at the bottom of the ocean and numerous new queries about whether others had noticed the significant improvement in the air quality recently.

The resilience of human society was evident.

In Wei's neighborhood, the unusually warm winter sunlight seeped through the gaps where the curtains failed to meet, casting a golden glow on the raised bedspread inside the room.

The two figures entwined in sleep within the covers seemed blissfully content, limbs intertwined, their breaths and body heat mingling, like a celestial couple.

Until... a sudden noise shattered the silence.

Shuo Zong sat on the floor, his expressionless face gazing at Wei Xi, who, dazed, also sat up in bed, wrapped in the blankets. After a moment of confusion, he roused himself and reached out, "Que'er! Why are you on the floor again?"

Shuo Zong held his hand, his temple pulsing, "You kicked me down."

Wei Xi appeared puzzled by the accusation.

After his outburst, Shuo Zong felt rather powerless. "You didn't recognize me just now, did you?"

Wei Xi pulled him back onto the bed, gently feeling for any areas where he might have bruised himself. He nodded in admission. "Maybe so."

Shuo Zong was suddenly at a loss for words.

He couldn't help but regret impulsively revealing his true identity to Wei Xi earlier. It was evident that Wei Xi found it difficult to process this sudden revelation.

Amidst Shuo Zong's conflicted emotions, Wei Xi began preparing to get out of bed as soon as he regained clarity. However, Shuo Zong firmly held onto his wrist, preventing him from leaving.

Wei Xi turned back, "Que'er?"

Shuo Zong looked at him calmly. "Aren't you hungry?"

Wei Xi met his gaze, looking slightly awkward.

Shuo Zong's grip on his wrist tightened, a hidden turbulence in his gaze as he asked, "You're not going to absorb yang energy even today?"

Since returning to the capital after repairing the Heavenly Dao, Wei Xi has not been clinging to him to absorb Yang energy as he used to, in every sense of the word.

Lately, for some unknown reason, Wei Xi had become increasingly busy, often leaving early in the morning and returning late at night. Out of habit, he still came to sleep in the same room, but any intimacy beyond that was now scarce.

At times, it made him wonder if this was a form of retribution for his past deceit.

Or perhaps...

Wei Xi simply couldn't accept his true identity.

In the present moment, as he held Wei Xi back, the latter didn't immediately lean in. After a moment's contemplation, he finally approached and brushed his lips against his mouth corner.

Shuo Zong lowered his gaze, noticing how earnestly Wei Xi was being. It seemed as though he even licked his mouth corner with his tongue, his eyelashes fluttering slightly in the sunlight.

Yet, when Shuo Zong tried to initiate a kiss, Wei Xi firmly dodged it and replied sincerely, "No more sucking."

After a moment of silence, Shuo Zong slowly released his grip on Wei Xi's arm. "Alright."

Wei Xi got up to freshen up in the bathroom, while Shuo Zong leaned against the headboard, listening to the sound of Wei Xi's slippers dragging across the floor. He stared blankly at the dust particles floating up and down in the sunbeam that streamed into the room.

Moments later, he picked up his phone and tapped on a post he had made online a few days ago.

The post's title read, "My Fiancé Found Out About Some Secrets I've Been Keeping—What Do His Recent Behaviors Mean?"

In the post, he meticulously listed Wei Xi's recent changes:

Like avoiding intimate actions with him and coming home late at night, etc.

He wasn't someone who was skilled at sharing his troubles with those around him; it was actually his first time seeking help online incognito. The responses he received only added to his confusion.

After a few days, the post had gained some traction, with many inquiring about what exactly he had been hiding.

Shuo Zong replied, "My identity – he made it clear that he despises the person I truly am, but he knew nothing of this before."

Following this reply, an endless stream of candle emojis appeared.

Seasoned netizens responded with certainty:

"You're doomed."

"He might be leaving early and returning late just to avoid seeing you."

"Could there be any other reason for not being affectionate with you? It must be disgust, obviously!"

"From the way you addressed them, looks like an fiancée? Already discussing marriage? I suggest you mentally prepare yourself because the chances of this marriage happening might be slim. The other party is probably thinking about how to break up with you right now."

Below were numerous comments correcting his use of pronouns—"he" should have been "she"—and many mocking him for lying and reaping what he sowed. Shuo Zong, however, couldn't see these; his eyes were fixated on the most glaring statement.

He sat up abruptly from the head of the bed, his wounds still not fully healed—how could this be? Wei Xi had even prepared a ring!

With a mix of shock and fury, he blacklisted that comment and reached for the drawer by the bedside table, only to tremble in surprise.

The velvet box that was originally in the corner of the drawer was missing.

He overturned the entire bedside table in search of it but found nothing.

*******

When Wei Xi emerged from the bathroom, he saw his second disciple sitting at the edge of the bed with a cold expression, his gaze toward him both intricate and profound.

Wei Xi was taken aback. "Que'er? What's wrong?"

The second disciple studied him for a moment before shaking his head and standing up. "Nothing."

The two of them descended the stairs as usual, when suddenly Wei Xi heard his disciple say, "Today is New Year's Eve, I'll take you out for a stroll."

Shuo Zong observed Wei Xi's expression and saw him pause before quickly shaking his head. "No, I have something very important to attend to today."

As soon as he finished speaking, the air in the Wei family living room began to vibrate. A rift opened, and Unity Right cheerfully popped his head through. "Master!"

He then turned to Shuo Zong with a startled look, pausing before struggling to speak. "Shu... Master... Junior Brother, no, that's not right, Master..."

Shuo Zong interrupted him. "Are you here to see Wei Xi?"

Unity Right seemed to relax and hurriedly nodded. "Yes, yes, yes. I'm here to pick up Master for a trip to the Asura World."

So they were going to the Asura World. Shuo Zong nodded, his face calm as he asked, "What for?"

Unity Right was stuck for words, looking up at the sky and laughing heartily. "Ah... Well... Hahahaha, Master, we're running out of time, let's hurry."

Sure enough, Wei Xi walked towards him, not forgetting to instruct Shuo Zong before he left, "Que'er, I'm going to take care of some important matters. I'll be back tonight."

Again, it was going to be another night.

Lately, he had been returning home every night.

Noticing that Shuo Zong didn't seem to have any intention of taking him along, he nodded subtly, allowing Unity Righteousness to give him a complicated glance before the fissure healed. Once the living room fell silent, he reached for his phone—

— "It's me."

— "Have we scheduled a date for the handover of the office building allocated to Taicang Sect by the municipal government?"

— "Isn't it today? Alright then."

— "On New Year's Eve, the Daoist Association in the capital city..."

— "No organized events? Understood."

— "Resource trade with the Asura World."

— "Is everything proceeding as usual?"

— "I see."

Shuo Zong hung up the phone and sat stiffly back into the sofa.

Something important.

The Taoist Association had no organized events, the city was on New Year's Eve holiday, and even the Asura World wasn't holding any new activities. What could be so important?

Shuo Zong pressed his forehead into the palm of his hand and chuckled softly.

********

As night fell, the quiet neighborhood became livelier with families gathering to welcome the New Year. Even the long-lived auspicious beasts felt a sense of nostalgia witnessing this scene.

At Ning Tian's New Year's party, Shuo Zong had consumed quite a bit of alcohol. Later on, perhaps feeling bored, he sat alone, fiddling with his phone.

Since the Asura World had no signal, Wei Xi must have stayed inside, leaving his phone inaccessible.

After calling twice without an answer, he put down his phone and took a sip of wine.

Xia Shouren and the other auspicious beasts found his behavior strange today. They asked in concern, "Mr. Shuo Zong/Old Beast, are you alright?"

His silence, a departure from his usual display of affection, made those around him, who were often subjected to it, feel uneasy. They couldn't help but whisper among themselves.

"What's going on? Mr. Shuo Zong didn't reveal the origin of that purple-gold chain today! How terrifying!"

Xia Shouren felt like he was losing his mind too. "Yes! What's even scarier is that I'm feeling uneasy about it!"

Shuo Zong couldn't help but scoff at their conversation. His phone finally vibrated, and his gaze instantly fell on the two characters displayed on the screen.

Despite his unyielding personality, not even the collapse of Heavenly Dao could shake him, yet he hesitated to press the answer button now.

But within three rings, Shuo Zong finally held the phone to his ear. "Wei Xi?"

Wei Xi seemed to have returned to the Wei family as there was a commotion in the background with a low whisper of wind. His tone was unprecedentedly solemn against this noise. "Que'er, aren't you home?"

Shuo Zong paused at his serious demeanor before answering after a moment. "Yes."

"Come back soon," Wei Xi said straightforwardly. "I need to talk to you about something."

Shuo Zong was in a daze for nearly half a minute before calmly acknowledging with an "Mm-hmm" and hanging up.

The auspicious beasts around them were still joking around as Shuo Zong stood up. It took him two tries to find his coat, which he draped over his shoulders after unfolding it. "Something came up. I'll be going back first."

His demeanor immediately silenced the laughter in the scene. Everyone finally realized that the situation might not be as lighthearted as they had joked about. They exchanged glances and chased after him, asking, "What's going on?"

Shuo Zong looked up at the dark sky.

This was the first time Wei Xi had spoken to him with such a serious tone.

The other party had urged him to return home, mentioning that there was something he wanted to say. Coupled with his recent unusual busyness and aloofness, what could the issue possibly be?

He exuded an aura as cold as ice. Inside the car, Xia Shouren trembled as he discussed with the other Celestial Beasts, "Do you think he… isn't… angry because we didn't give the gift money on time?"

The Celestial Beasts: "!!!"

Shuo Zong glanced at them, rolled down the window, and allowed the cold wind to hit his face. "It has nothing to do with that."

Xia Shouren was taken aback. "Then why else would he be angry?"

Shuo Zong turned away. Instead, Xia Shouren began to speculate, "Could it be that Wei Xi wants to break up with you?"

Shuo Zong remained silent.

Xia Shouren studied his expression with a start of alarm. "Are you serious?!"

Shuo Zong's face had darkened to the color of ink. "You talk too much."

Upon this subject, Xia Shouren dared not speak carelessly again. He quietly retreated to his original spot and huddled with the other divine beasts, all sharing the same thought in their hearts...

It's over!

Despite the myriad of lights outside, Shuo Zong's heart was coldly still, devoid of any ripples.

*******

In front of them, Wei's family courtyard lay quiet, like an ancient mountain range standing since time immemorial.

Stepping out of the carriage, the instant he saw the darkness, Shuo Zong felt a numb detachment, as if karma had finally caught up with him, just as people online would say. Having deceived Wei Xi from the beginning, it was only natural that he would be rejected when the truth was revealed.

Yet, at the same time, an indescribable sense of unwillingness stirred within him.

He clenched his fists and strode into the Wei family courtyard. Indeed, he saw Wei Xi standing in front, dressed in black, awaiting him. Under the moonlight, his delicate face appeared even paler and more tense.

Wei Xi noticed his disciple's return at once. Their eyes met, both faces displaying identical seriousness.

His disciple was back.

Wei Xi took a deep breath, straightened his posture, and gazed at his disciple. With the prepared speech in mind, he was about to speak when his disciple stood firmly in front of him with an awe-inspiring aura, enunciating each word deliberately—

"Wei Xi, I will not agree!"

After Shuo Zong spoke, he felt a simultaneous weight and relief.

Sure enough, upon hearing this, Wei Xi's expression shifted abruptly, looking slightly stunned. "What did you say?"

This time, Shuo Zong placed a hand on his shoulder, reaffirming his words with unwavering determination. "Wei Xi, listen carefully. I, will not, agree."

A moment of silence passed. As Shuo Zong watched the rapidly emerging panic in Wei Xi's eyes, a pang of pain struck his chest. However, he forcefully suppressed that emotion.

In this relationship, he could make any compromise, but the thought of separation was out of the question!

Wei Xi received the reply, looking utterly astonished, which only made Shuo Zong's breathing more labored. Did Wei Xi really want to part ways with him so much?

The chilly wind brushed against his face, carrying a bittersweet sentiment.

Shuo Zong let out a bitter laugh, never imagining that he would one day become the protagonist of a tragedy.

The tragic hero devoted himself to the dramatic performance, meticulous in every detail. Just as he was immersed in the role, a deafening barrage of fireworks exploded in the sky.

Shuo Zong: "???"

He instinctively looked up and saw a skyrocketing firework with a long tail burst into the dark night sky.

Stunned, Shuo Zong wondered, What's going on? Aren't fireworks prohibited in the capital?

Amidst his confusion, a festive melody suddenly rang in his ears. In a corner of the empty courtyard, faces suddenly emerged as if sprouting from the ground.

A Unity Yi in a black suit led a group of similarly dressed Mo Luo, dancing and singing in rhythm with the music.

Shuo Zong: "?"

The melodramatic actor before them turned to look at the troupe and called out, "Brotherhood! Wait a moment, he doesn't agree! What should we do?"

Unity Oath immediately stopped the performance, his face filled with astonishment. "What?!"

Shuo Zong finally realized something was amiss and asked in a daze, "What are you doing?"

Wei Xi took out a familiar velvet box from his pocket and spoke slowly, "I... I heard Unity Oath say that forming a Dao couple in the mortal world is a complicated matter. It shouldn't be as casual as how we did it that day. There should be a more formal ceremony. So, during this time, in the Asura World, I've been rehearsing this ritual with them..."

Shuo Zong swallowed, gazing intently into Wei Xi's eyes.

So, all those times he came home late and left early, he was doing this?

It was as if fireworks had exploded in his mind, brighter than any in the sky.

Wei Xi, however, seemed a little upset. "I just didn't expect Que'er to be unwilling..."

Shuo Zong: "..."

Thinking back to his previous idiotic assumptions, Shuo Zong wished he could bury himself in shame. "N-No..."

Wei Xi closed the ring box with a troubled frown. "Is it because I'm not a mythical beast?"

Shuo Zong replied, "No!"

Tong Jiyi was furious and, for the first time, mustered the courage to confront his junior. "Our Master is obviously more auspicious than any mythical beast! How can you be so prejudiced?"

Shuo Zong protested, "I'm not..."

Wei Xi looked unconvinced. "Que'er, you..."

Shuo Zong was furious but still held onto Wei Xi, growling softly into his ear, "Enough! I'm willing!"

Embracing Wei Xi, he found it hard to believe, "You... You're not angry about my new identity?"

Wei Xi, overwhelmed with sorrow and now questioned, was confused, "Angry? Why would I be angry? To me, you'll always be Que'er."

Shuo Zong paused before finally gritting his teeth, "Then why... Why haven't you been draining my yang energy lately?"

Wei Xi didn't expect this question and responded with a surprised "Huh?" "You've been injured recently; absorbing too much of your energy wouldn't aid in your recovery. Plus, I've finally found other sustenance. It's only natural that I've been holding back. Look, consuming him is much more suitable – he regrows if not finished."

Speaking of which, he took out a square airtight container, revealing half a primordial chaos squished inside.

The primordial chaos stared with wide eyes, "…."

All the auspicious beasts standing outside were also speechless, "…."

Ever since the new Heavenly Dao appeared, the primordial chaos seemed to have vanished. Everyone was worried that he would cause trouble and had been trying to locate where he was hiding.

Unexpectedly…

A new voice suddenly echoed, "Oh! What's going on here?"

Wei Xi turned around to see Black Impermanence appear by his side, followed by a small unlucky soul.

The little unlucky soul looked a bit timid. Upon seeing everyone in the courtyard, he subconsciously bowed and greeted, "Happy New Year."

Shuo Zong held Wei Xi as fireworks burst in the pitch-black sky above their heads.

The quiet, family-reuniting New Year's Eve arrived.

*****

Chaos: "..."

Who's going to have a family reunion with you all!