Chapter 73

Chapter 73

Something was watching them!

Rong Yu instantly felt a chill run down his spine. Just as he was about to attack, the eye blinked, then, as if shy, it awkwardly averted its gaze, appearing flustered and bashful.

Somehow, even though he was merely facing a strange, giant eye, Rong Yu inexplicably felt as though he had just teased a bashful maiden or young wife. He immediately felt as if he had swallowed a fly, his entire being filled with discomfort.

But then, he realized what was truly amiss with their surroundings. He noticed that the entire room was enveloped in a faint, almost imperceptible demonic aura—a strange, intangible energy that eerily surrounded them.

"Shixiong" remained motionless, still embracing Rong Yu, obediently allowing him to grip his chin. With an unchanging expression, he murmured, almost without moving his lips, "The Heart-Lock."

Rong Yu felt as if he had been struck by lightning. He stared at "Shixiong" in shock, then looked up at that bizarre giant eye—only to see it shyly roll its gaze back, continuing to watch them with an embarrassed expression. When it noticed Rong Yu looking, it nervously turned away again. If it were a person, it would likely be covering its face with its hands, peeking coyly through its fingers.

This eerie thing was probably the eye of the Heart-Lock. They were likely already trapped in the room by it and couldn’t get out unless they took action.

Rong Yu’s emotions were incredibly complex. On one hand, he knew that this type of demon fed on the ultimate pleasure generated when two lovers united in spirit and body. Therefore, it released substances that stirred desire, and the longer they stayed, the more it would release. Eventually, he and "Shixiong" would inevitably fall deep into its influence and end up doing… certain intimate acts.

On the other hand, he couldn’t help but think about the conditions for this demon to appear: two people who genuinely loved each other. In a way, this demon was actually more like a testament to deep affection. Words could be fake—no one could tell how sincere an "I love you" truly was—but the appearance of the Heart-Lock was the most sincere, irrefutable declaration.

He and "Shixiong" truly loved each other.

Amid these tangled emotions, Rong Yu could already feel the blood coursing faster through his veins, pooling lower in his body. His mind began to grow hazy, and in his increasingly blurred vision, all he could see were "Shixiong’s" thin, softly glossed lips, which looked incredibly soft…

He could hardly think straight anymore. With a muddled mind, he fiercely kissed him.

"Shixiong" accepted him gently, kissing back softly and slowly. Rong Yu felt his heart itch with longing, and "Shixiong’s" obedient actions made his heart melt.

In his dazed state, a thought faintly crossed Rong Yu’s mind: "Shixiong" was still inexperienced and unfamiliar with matters of love. He needed to be gentle, guide him carefully, and… teach him properly.

When their lips parted slightly, "Shixiong" coaxed in a whisper, "Shidi, could you wear this?" He opened his hand in front of Rong Yu, revealing a black hair ribbon—likely the same one Rong Yu had been using to cover his eyes these past few days.

Rong Yu frowned but realized that "Shixiong" might be feeling shy and would be more at ease if Rong Yu’s eyes were covered. His heart softened again, and he silently allowed "Shixiong" to tie the ribbon around his eyes.

Rong Yu’s vision once again plunged into darkness, but this seemed to heighten his other senses. The air was filled with "Shixiong’s" familiar scent, and in his arms was "Shixiong’s" feverishly warm body…

"Shixiong’s" movements were too light and too slow. The restless heat in Rong Yu’s heart burned hotter and hotter: under his hand was "Shixiong’s" slender, firm waist, with lean muscles perfectly covering it—powerful, smooth, and beautiful.

Rong Yu recalled what he had seen when his vision first returned earlier that day—how "Shixiong’s" belt was tightly fastened, and how he had uncontrollably imagined untying that belt and holding that waist in his hands…

The itch in Rong Yu’s heart grew stronger. He couldn’t help but flip them over, pinning "Shixiong" beneath him. He leaned down, kissing the corner of "Shixiong’s" lips gently, soothing him while trying hard to suppress his own burning desire. Softly, he said, "From now on, I will treat you well. Would you be willing…"

"Shixiong’s" breathing was also ragged. He panted softly, suddenly tightening his arms around Rong Yu and lifting his head slightly until their foreheads touched, answering with action.

Rong Yu’s soul instinctively drew closer to "Shixiong’s" again. The moment their souls touched, an overwhelmingly intense pleasure emptied Rong Yu’s mind, and familiar fireworks seemed to burst before his eyes. Their souls rubbed against and merged with each other as they lost all reason, holding each other tightly and fiercely tangling tongues.

"Shixiong’s" movements seemed to grow increasingly forceful, losing the gentleness from before. He held Rong Yu tightly, almost out of control, his hands roaming all over Rong Yu’s body, kneading and gripping hard, almost painful—but the pain was quickly overshadowed by endless pleasure.

In the heat of the moment, Rong Yu faintly heard "Shixiong" whisper something, but he couldn’t make it out. Soon, he was completely overcome with pleasure, gradually sinking into a daze.

The next morning, Rong Yu was awakened by kisses. "Shixiong" seemed to have been awake for a while, propping his head up on the pillow to watch him, occasionally leaning down to kiss him lightly until he finally woke him.

When "Shixiong" saw he was awake, he smiled sweetly and dotted light kisses on Rong Yu’s lips and face.

Rong Yu felt as though "Shixiong" was like a small animal seeking affection. Though he wasn’t entirely used to such intimacy, he was still reveling in the warmth of tenderness, so he simply smiled indulgently. But then, he suddenly realized that his entire body ached—his joints were sore, and even his bones seemed to hurt.

He pulled back the covers and looked down at his body, horrified to see bruises covering nearly every part of him. Beneath the bruises, there were bite marks all over.

Even in extremely private areas, several bite marks were visible.

After the initial shock, Rong Yu felt a bit helpless. Was his shixiong… some kind of puppy? Why did he love biting so much?

Perhaps he had been too rough last night and had hurt "Shixiong," which was why "Shixiong" had bitten him? Although after their soul fusion, Rong Yu couldn’t remember the details clearly—likely due to the Heart-Lock’s influence—the lingering fatigue suggested that their "encounter" had been intense.

He looked up and met "Shixiong’s" gaze again. The other’s happiness and joy were almost tangible, transferring to Rong Yu and making him smile as well, momentarily forgetting about the bite marks.

Last night, they had truly consummated their relationship. From now on, he would take good care of "Shixiong" and be a responsible, devoted cultivation partner.

At this thought, Rong Yu suddenly realized he had yet to properly confess to "Shixiong." But last night’s events had happened unexpectedly, completely disrupting his plans for a sincere confession. It wouldn’t have felt right to confess in the heat of the moment—it would have seemed unreliable—and doing so after the fact would feel awkward…

Forget it. He would wait for a better opportunity.

Lu Shitu looked at Rong Yu, feeling an indescribable sense of fulfillment. The overflowing emotion made his heart soft and sweet.

He hadn’t slept at all last night. He had simply watched the person sleeping peacefully before him, unable to resist kissing him from time to time. So he had spent the entire night like this, until daylight broke.

The madness of last night felt as vivid as if it were happening again. After their souls merged, Rong Yu had become much more pliant, eventually yielding completely to him in a daze.

With his eyes covered by the black hair ribbon, the rest of Rong Yu’s features stood out even more beautifully: his straight nose, soft reddened lips, and startlingly pale skin. Lu Shitu had long wanted to kiss him recklessly, daydreaming about it until last night when his wish finally came true.

The moment the Heart-Lock appeared, he had trembled with joy, nearly overwhelmed by happiness.

Though he couldn’t remember their past, he felt as if he had never experienced such completeness. For a moment, he wished time would stop right there—that their story would end here, frozen in this perfect moment.

News that the crown princess had been healed by two immortal sect disciples spread quickly. Everyone regarded them as miraculous, spreading tales of their incredible abilities far and wide. Their fame skyrocketed, and even Medical Cultivator Lao Xu, who had brought them here, gained higher status.

Rong Yu and the other detailed all their deductions about the illusion to the crown prince’s subordinates. These rare materials on countering "mirage qi" were quickly sent to the western border regions, where mirage qi had been causing trouble.

Not long after, an envoy from the eastern empire arrived. It was said the envoy was a city lord from a region plagued by mirage qi. After meeting the king and crown prince, the envoy specifically requested to see the two Immortal Masters who had healed the crown princess, seeking their advice.

As soon as Rong Yu saw this eastern City Lord Liang, he felt a sense of familiarity. But City Lord Liang’s reaction was even stronger. When he saw the two of them, he froze on the spot, exclaiming in shock, "Immortal Master Rong? Immortal Master Lu? Is it really you?? You two… are still alive??"

An acquaintance? Rong Yu kept his expression neutral and asked, "Do you know us?"

The city lord was even more astonished. "Immortal Master, you don’t remember me? Several years ago, when mirage qi first appeared in Wushui Town under my jurisdiction, the king asked your sect to send you two to investigate. Thanks to you, you saved two people infected with mirage qi back then and provided crucial information about it. That helped us handle mirage qi later and avoid many casualties."

The city lord sighed, clearly troubled by the worsening mirage qi situation. But then he remembered something else and hesitated. "Many years ago… after you descended into the Changhen Abyss, everyone assumed you had died… Six months ago, Immortal Master Lu, you also went into the Changhen Abyss and were never heard from again… To think both of you are still alive—this is truly wonderful…"

As Rong Yu listened, everything the city lord said felt familiar and logically consistent, so his expression gradually relaxed. He immediately asked, "That’s right. We’ve both experienced some things and forgotten much of our past. Since you were acquainted with us before, could you tell us more about ourselves? Who are we?"

The city lord was first shocked, then showed a hint of realization. "You two are both esteemed figures from the Taixu Sword Sect. Your name is Rong Yu, and you are the Taiqing Elder of the Taixu Sword Sect. This Immortal Master Lu is named Lu Shitu, and he is your disciple."

At the exact moment the city lord said this, "Shixiong" suddenly reached out and, as if uncontrollably, seized Rong Yu’s hand.