Chapter 59 Que Zizhen… Get Back to the Room!

Chapter 59: Que Zizhen... Back to the room!

Que Zizhen's medicinal baths had been ongoing for several days, gradually yielding results. Yet, he consistently kept himself tightly swathed, a sight that left Yuan Qichen with a restless yearning.

Today marked the final session. After his medicinal bath in the side hall, Que Zizhen was to proceed to the back mountain hot spring to rinse off the lingering, potent medicinal scent. Yuan Qichen, unable to quell his curiosity, seized the opportunity. Before Que Zizhen could leave, he informed him that Xi Yue sought his counsel. As soon as Que Zizhen stepped out, Yuan Qichen discreetly slipped into the hot spring, concealing himself.

Heaven above, his sole intention was to ascertain Que Zizhen's injuries—nothing more.

But then again, who could blame him? This taciturn man, like a clam with a sewn mouth, never uttered a word, never complained of hardship, never cried out in pain. It was enough to drive anyone mad.

Having been forced to consume medicinal pills for several days, Yuan Qichen had long since recovered. Evading Que Zizhen, whose cultivation had plummeted, was child's play. Hearing approaching footsteps, he held his breath and submerged himself, remaining perfectly still.

Before long, Que Zizhen arrived from the side hall. Yuan Qichen's acute hearing clearly picked up the rustling sounds of him disrobing.

Was he going to strip completely?

Yuan Qichen recalled the man's well-built physique beneath his robes, a flush rising to his cheeks. Realizing the impropriety of his actions, a belated sense of shame washed over him.

How was this any different from a lecherous thief sneaking into someone's home to accost an innocent person?

But having come this far, wouldn't it be a wasted trip not to get a clear look before leaving?

Yuan Qichen quickly rationalized his actions. At that moment, Que Zizhen stepped into the hot spring.

The back mountain hot spring, fed by flowing water, was the Demon Lord's private domain. Yuan Xiao, aware of Que Zizhen's recent use, had conscientiously kept his distance. Thus, the area was utterly silent, save for the gentle murmur of flowing water.

Contrary to Yuan Qichen's expectations, Que Zizhen still wore undergarments. However, soaked through, they clung to his body, subtly outlining his form, which only seemed to heighten the allure.

Yuan Qichen nearly gasped aloud.

"Who's there?" Que Zizhen instantly detected the anomaly.

Yuan Qichen hadn't intended to remain hidden indefinitely. Since he'd been discovered, he simply swam forward, breaking the surface of the water, closing the distance, and taking the initiative: "Let me see your wounds."

Que Zizhen's breath hitched.

To avoid being encumbered in the water, Yuan Qichen hadn't worn much. His loose robes, parted by the current, revealed a bare shoulder adorned with intricate, winding demonic patterns—a sight even more captivating.

Unfortunately, he himself was completely oblivious to the effect.

Seeing Que Zizhen frozen in place, Yuan Qichen assumed he was still startled and reached out to remove his clothes. But as soon as he untied the fastenings, Que Zizhen, regaining his composure, stopped him.

Yuan Qichen's eyes narrowed, his voice dropping three degrees in coldness: "What's there that I can't see?"

Que Zizhen countered, "What are you doing here?"

"Naturally, I'm concerned about you," Yuan Qichen stated matter-of-factly.

Que Zizhen averted his gaze, silently released his hand, and turned to shed his clothes.

The scars inflicted by the Soul-Scattering Whip were not indelible, merely requiring time to fade.

Upon closer inspection, faint traces from over a century ago could still be discerned. The more recent twenty lash marks crisscrossed and overlapped on Que Zizhen's back. Though healed, they remained gruesome and shocking.

Yuan Qichen dared not imagine the state of Que Zizhen's back just days prior.

"You claim to like me, yet you utter not a single word. How am I supposed to feel for you? You truly are a fool," Yuan Qichen couldn't help but scold him again.

Que Zizhen turned back, gently caressing Yuan Qichen's melancholic brow: "Precisely because I like you, I wish to spare you any heartache."

How could there be anyone in this world as foolish as Que Zizhen?

"Que Zizhen, have I never told you? I like you."

Even though their child was already grown, and they had spent more time apart than together over the past century, surely it wasn't too late to say it now?

Yuan Qichen rarely concerned himself with anyone other than Yuan Xiao, yet Que Zizhen consistently stirred his emotions.

He resented Que Zizhen's distrust, hated his inaction, and felt a pang of heartache for the injustices he suffered.

Where the heart lies, joy and sorrow both stem from you.

Que Zizhen's hand, still gently caressing Yuan Qichen's cheek, recoiled abruptly as if scorched by fire.

Immediately, his left eye began to glow crimson, like a moth drawn to a flame, fixated on Yuan Qichen.

Both yearning and evading.

Yuan Qichen unceremoniously seized his hand back, his gaze piercing: "Que Zizhen, what are you avoiding? If you like me, why do you fear to look at me?"

"Like... like..."

Que Zizhen's eyes were mismatched in color, his expression divided—half tormented, half enraptured.

Utterly bizarre.

Ignoring this strange phenomenon, Yuan Qichen pressed his forehead against Que Zizhen's, their noses almost touching.

"Yuan Xiao told me you gave him Yuanyu. Without your bonded sword, and your cultivation fallen to the Guixu realm, Jade Mountain Immortal Lord, how do you plan to kill me?"

Que Zizhen suddenly grew calm.

"You've already chosen me, haven't you?"

Yuan Qichen stated an undeniable fact.

The crimson in Que Zizhen's eyes gradually receded. Observing their closely pressed bodies, almost on the verge of a kiss, the heat between them steadily intensified.

Beneath the water, his hand clenched into a fist, as if admonishing himself against impulsivity.

But Yuan Qichen said, "Why resist? Don't you want to kiss me?"

Que Zizhen remained silent, but his breathing grew noticeably heavier.

"The more you resist, the more the inner demon intensifies. Que Zizhen, lower your head," Yuan Qichen coaxed.

He uncharacteristically remained passive, simply waiting for Que Zizhen to compose himself, then to kiss him with abandon. He accepted obediently, even offering an encouraging lick.

Que Zizhen paused briefly, then seized the opportunity to pry open Yuan Qichen's lips and invade aggressively.

The man's urgency was unusually intense. Yuan Qichen initially paid it no mind, but within moments, he found himself struggling to breathe.

This damn bastard...

Yuan Qichen felt as if he were being molded into Que Zizhen's body. Finally, finding a moment to catch his breath, he was lifted, wrapping his legs around the man's waist.

"Que Zizhen... let's go back to the room!" He finally managed to voice his plea.

The hot spring was not far from their courtyard, and a short-distance teleportation spell would have been no trouble for Que Zizhen, yet he acted as if he hadn't heard.

...

"It'll get the bed wet," Que Zizhen explained.

Yuan Qichen gripped his shoulders and back tightly, his eyes burning with anger: "What good does saying that do now!"

...

In the end, Que Zizhen did accede to his wishes and returned to the room, and indeed, as he had predicted, the bedding was soaked.

But Yuan Qichen had already fallen asleep and was thus unable to scold him.

Early the next morning, Yuan Xiao came knocking. He was momentarily stunned to see Que Zizhen open the door, then, blushing and awkward, relayed the message: "Aunt Yue said there's a guest from the Guixu Realm who insists on seeing you, Dad."

Que Zizhen's brow furrowed slightly: "Is it urgent?"

Yuan Xiao's eyes darted around: "The person is wearing a hood and only said they want to see Dad, without mentioning the reason."

Que Zizhen pondered briefly: "Understood. I'll go get him. Please ask the guest to wait."

It was Yuan Xiao's first time coming to find his father, and he was turned away without even laying eyes on him. After pacing anxiously for a while, he ran back to deliver the message to Aunt Yue.

Nearly half an hour later, Yuan Qichen finally appeared, an expression of clear irritation on his face, followed by a subdued Que Zizhen.

As they sat down, Que Zizhen reached out to assist him, but Yuan Qichen irritably slapped his hand away, redirecting his annoyance toward the "guest" as well.

"If you have something to say, say it quickly. If not, get lost!"

The person remained silent for a long moment before uttering a bombshell: "You're pregnant again?"

Without another word, Yuan Qichen drew Jinghong and hurled it like a throwing dagger, simultaneously knocking off the other's hood and slicing off half of their shoulder.

Xi Yue gasped, her jaw dropping.

It wasn't a person at all, but a wooden puppet identical to a real person.

If Yuan Qichen hadn't cut away that half of the shoulder, revealing the wood grain, Xi Yue would never have believed that the "guest" she had been courteous to for half the day was actually a pile of wood.

"If you can't speak properly, then don't speak. Just because you can't leave the Guixu Realm doesn't mean I can't enter," Yuan Qichen's voice was frosty.

"Just a joke. I should be offering congratulations instead." The puppet's appearance and voice were unmistakably those of Underworld Lord Shiyi.

Yuan Qichen couldn't be bothered figuring out what he was congratulating him for and rolled his eyes: "Why are you here?"

"Can't I come to see an old friend?"

Shiyi's puppet body was painstakingly crafted from branches of the legendary Tongtian Divine Tree, of which only a few could be made. He relied on these puppets to leave the Guixu Realm when loneliness struck.

He rarely ventured out; the last time was when he escorted him and Yuan Xiao back to the demon realm. This visit probably wasn't just about seeing an old friend.

Yuan Qichen sneered: "Xi Yue, escort our guest out!"

Shiyi quickly interjected: "Wait, wait! Actually... I need to ask for your help."

A few days ago, around the time Yuan Qichen took Que Zizhen away from Tianshu Palace, the number of newly arriving incomplete souls in the Guixu Realm increased dramatically, even more so than fourteen years ago. The stream of souls had been pouring in continuously and unceasingly for days.

The frequent disturbances in the Naichuan would eventually spill over to affect the three continents of the mortal world if this continued.

"I just want to know who's behind all this trouble! Can't we just hurry up and kill him!"

The puppet's consciousness was connected to its original; perhaps influenced by its master, the puppet Shiyi's voice grew increasingly agitated.

"Bian Xiu has shown himself," Que Zizhen said.

Yuan Qichen, however, actually seemed amused: "He really did run off to the Northern and Southern Realms."

He then turned to ask Xi Yue: "Have there been any unusual occurrences lately?"

"Yes, there have."

And quite a few, at that.

As she spoke, Xi Yue glanced at Que Zizhen, the former head of Tianshu Palace: "Dozens of sects and families across the Northern and Southern Realms have seen people turn into demons and draining the spiritual energy of those around them. The Northern Realm has it worst, with even Tianshu Palace discovering a few instances. About half of those exposed were captured by the Various Immortal Sects, while the other half fled and vanished without a trace."

"That's inhuman!" Shiyi slammed the table and stood up.

Yuan Qichen's expression remained unruffled; he said casually, "Of course he's not human—he's a demon. It seems the Heart Devouring Art has spread quite widely. That Bian fellow is really spreading it around."

"Heart Devouring Art?" Shiyi suddenly felt the name sounded familiar. He pinched his chin, thought for a moment, then clapped his hands. "Hey, wasn't that the technique of that fool who practiced forbidden arts thousands of years ago and got himself struck dead by heavenly lightning?"