Chapter 90

Chapter 90

The docks of Qingyun County had been quite lively lately, with more and more passenger and merchant ships stopping by. Most of the people getting off weren't even from Wu Country; they came from all sorts of nations.

The people from North Country had arrived first, over a month ago now. Even after being rejected, they didn't leave, instead checking into local inns right in the county.

All these arrivals had only one goal: to track down Shen Yuan.

For nearly a month, whenever Shen Yuan showed his face, he’d get swarmed. Envoys from various countries pulled out all the stops, dangling incredibly generous offers to persuade him to come to their nations.

Whether as a merchant or an official, whatever Shen Yuan wanted, they were willing to give him pretty much anything.

The smaller countries under North Country's sway didn't dare compete for the title of royal son-in-law, but they promised high-ranking official posts, saying Shen Yuan could even marry a princess if he wished. The others simply marched to North Country's drum, promising Shen Yuan whatever North Country offered, and then a little bit more.

Money, power, status, beauties, mansions—if Shen Yuan desired it, it was all within his grasp.

They even had his family's relocation all figured out; in fact, they preferred that Shen Yuan bring his entire household along.

Not only was the Storytellers' Guild frequently visited, but many people also went to Dashu Village.

Shen Yuan had no choice. To give the village some peace and quiet, he had been staying in Qingyun County for several consecutive days, crashing at Ji Pingan's place at night.

Those people would also lay in wait at the Ji family home, but Ji Mingfeng was a master at diplomatic sidestepping. Handling these situations was his strong suit; although it took some time, he always managed to sweet-talk them into leaving.

Because of this, Ji Pingan viewed his father in a slightly better light, and their run-ins and squabbles had decreased noticeably.

Over these days, Shen Yuan truly felt a sense of exhaustion reminiscent of his past life in the entertainment industry, being hounded and pursued in private.

As Shen Yuan left the Ji residence, he was followed the whole way.

Ji Pingan escorted him to the Storytellers' Guild. Seeing Shen Yuan looking a bit wilted, he told him to rest first while he went to fix some tea.

Once seated, Shen Yuan relaxed considerably.

He thought about continuing to write *The Path to Immortality*, but his mind was too unsettled and he couldn't get into the groove.

He leaned back in his chair, propped the bamboo scroll on his face, and tilted his head back to rest his nape on the chairback, slumping bonelessly into the seat.

After a while, Shen Yuan heard footsteps. The room he was in at the Storytellers' Guild was very secure. Ding Sixteen would never allow strangers to approach this room, so Shen Yuan felt at ease. Thinking it was Ji Pingan, his voice, muffled by the scroll, came out distorted and nasal, "Brother, I have a headache. Could you rub it for a bit? I don't feel like moving."

The newcomer's footsteps were light and steady. They came to stand behind him and began massaging Shen Yuan's head.

Shen Yuan sensed something was off—the touch wasn't direct skin contact but felt like it was through fabric.

His heart gave a jolt. Without a moment's hesitation, he removed the bamboo scroll from his face. What met his eyes was Xie Yulin, whom he hadn't seen in what felt like ages.

Xie Yulin looked down at Shen Yuan, his fingertips trembling faintly.

Just as he was about to speak, he saw Shen Yuan's eyes rimmed red. Tears trailed down, soaking through his silk gloves and seeping into his skin with a scalding heat that made Xie Yulin's fingers curl. In the next instant, he gently moved his fingertips to wipe away the remaining tears.

"What's with the tears?"

Shen Yuan's round, bright eyes, usually filled with laughter, were now brimming with tears. His furrowed brows accused Xie Yulin.

"You lied to me, used me. You didn't properly apologize, just left without a word. It's my fault for being angry, but wasn't I allowed to be upset by what you did? It's fine if you don't want to be friends with me, fine if you don't want to be close. But to exploit and hurt my feelings like that, to see me sad and distressed, and then ask why I'm crying? Xie Yulin, you tell me, why am I crying?"

As Shen Yuan spoke, he continued to cry. Xie Yulin wiped his tears, but it seemed they would never end.

The tips of the silk gloves were thoroughly soaked, an uncomfortable sensation. What made Xie Yulin even more uncomfortable was Shen Yuan's tearful accusation, his sorrow and distress.

He shifted position, standing beside Shen Yuan. The gloves were no longer usable. Xie Yulin removed them, leaned down slightly, and used his cool fingertips to continue wiping Shen Yuan's tears.

Xie Yulin's deep, dark eyes were as still as a cold pond, their deeper emotions unfathomable. His flawlessly handsome face lacked its usual coldness. "Whatever you want me to do, I'll agree. Just stop crying."

Feeling the touch of Xie Yulin's cool skin, Shen Yuan froze for a moment, then immediately turned his head away. "You have mysophobia. Touching me must be uncomfortable."

Then he sniffled, his voice nasal, and said seriously to Xie Yulin, "You've been very good to me, I remember it all. I also understand the deceit and schemes between people like you, for the sake of your country and your respective positions. But I have my own bottom line too. I am an independent person. Xie Yulin, I want you to never lie to me again."

Xie Yulin's hand, no longer covered by the glove, clenched tightly, hidden by his wide sleeve.

He looked at Shen Yuan, confirming, "That's all?"

Shen Yuan nodded. "Yes, that's all."

"Alright." Xie Yulin agreed. Then he knelt down, looking up at Shen Yuan, and said solemnly, "What happened before was my fault. I made you sad and distressed, leaving without saying goodbye. A-Yuan, whenever you are willing to see me, the distance between Youyang and Qingyun will not be far."

The moment Xie Yulin knelt, Shen Yuan abruptly sat up straight. Now, looking down at Xie Yulin's face, his heart pounded fiercely.

"Fifth Uncle, don't call me A-Yuan. I thought Song Zijuan was calling me..."

Xie Yulin said, "That form of address is originally used in Youyang for close people, between friends. I thought you always called me by my name because you considered me a friend. I didn't realize you call me Xie Yulin when you're unhappy and 'Fifth Uncle' when you're happy."

Shen Yuan chuckled. His emotions came and went quickly. Knowing Xie Yulin was sincerely apologizing, and realizing he still cared deeply about him, seeing Xie Yulin arrive—though he felt wronged by past events—that flicker of joy was impossible to ignore.

Shen Yuan immediately said cheerfully, "You don't like me calling you Fifth Uncle, you prefer Xie Yulin, right? Then from now on, I'll always call you Xie Yulin. And you can call me A-Yuan more often. Once I get used to it, I won't think it's Song Zijuan calling me; I'll know it's you."

Xie Yulin's gaze traced Shen Yuan's bright, smiling face. The hand hidden in his sleeve clenched even tighter.

He agreed again, "Alright."

Seeing that Xie Yulin agreed to everything he said, Shen Yuan felt a bit embarrassed. "Before, I was too angry and didn't handle things well either. It was me who told you not to appear, not to see you, but then I blamed you for leaving just like that..."

"I made a promise first and didn't keep it, making it so you couldn't find me. That won't happen again." Xie Yulin's expression grew more serious. "Don't keep your sadness bottled up inside anymore. When it's cold, don't stay outside too long."

Shen Yuan had suspected Xie Yulin knew about his illness, and indeed, that was the case.

He had wondered why Xie Yulin's mention of the distance between Youyang and Qingyun sounded familiar, though he couldn't recall at the moment.

Now it seemed that, most likely, he had mumbled something in his delirium that Ding Sixteen overheard and reported to Xie Yulin.

"Does it feel like I'm meddling too much?" Xie Yulin asked Shen Yuan.

Shen Yuan snapped back to reality, thought for a moment, and shook his head. "No, I actually quite like you being this way. No one ever paid such detailed attention to me or cared for me like this before. The medicine Ding Sixteen brought later, was that from you?"

Xie Yulin's knuckles cracked as he clenched his hand. He stood up, avoiding Shen Yuan's gaze. "Yes, I prepared it. There's more. I'll have someone bring it to you later, just in case."

It must be said that with Xie Yulin's arrival, Shen Yuan's surroundings became much quieter.

The groups from various countries who had been pestering Shen Yuan vanished overnight, as if they had never appeared in Qingyun County.

Every day, aside from storytelling, writing stories, and spending some time at the yamen and the Storytellers' Guild, Shen Yuan stayed at the Xie family ancestral residence.

Xie Yulin said he would teach him more professional self-defense techniques.

Shen Yuan thought it would be like before, with a shadow guard as his teacher. He didn't expect Xie Yulin to teach him personally.

According to Xie Yulin, shadow guards learned lethal moves, not defensive techniques, which weren't suitable for him.

Shen Yuan also felt he should really learn; what he knew was just what was needed for acting. Compared to genuine martial arts, his skills were amateurish and unimpressive.

If not for his quick reflexes and knowing how to use leverage effectively, he would have had a hard time escaping danger the previous few times.

Teaching martial arts inevitably involves physical contact, and Shen Yuan always remembered Xie Yulin's mysophobia and dislike of touch, so he’d dodge whenever Xie Yulin got close.

As a result, he ended up losing his footing, his center of gravity shifted, and he fell sideways.

Xie Yulin reached out and caught him; Shen Yuan felt only a fleeting force at his waist, and when he snapped back to his senses, he was already steady on his feet.

"Don't move."

Xie Yulin's voice was cool, leaving no room for argument.

Shen Yuan stood still obediently; even when Xie Yulin approached, using his gloved hand to grip Shen Yuan's wrist and guide his punch, he didn't pull away this time.

After an hour of martial arts practice, Luo Yun promptly brought water and a towel.

Shen Yuan was sweating buckets from the heat and wanted to cool off, so he plunged his face right into the water, then jerked it back up, water splashing everywhere.

He reached for the towel but couldn't find it; just as he was about to crack his eyes open to look for the towel, a dry towel wiped the water from his face.

"Luo Yun, I can wipe it myself," Shen Yuan said, reaching for the towel, his now-exposed eyes looking toward the person, only to find it was Xie Yulin.

Luo Yun stood nearby, smiling at him.

Xie Yulin passed the towel to Shen Yuan. "Not bad today. You catch on quick and learn fast."

Shen Yuan wiped his face clean, following behind Xie Yulin, also quite satisfied with himself. "Thanks! I think I'm picking it up pretty well too; I should be able to finish up soon."

He did master the self-defense moves quickly; within half a month, Shen Yuan had gotten the hang of them completely.

But then Xie Yulin had him start learning how to identify medicinal herbs and prepare some simple remedies.

Shen Yuan said, "This is pretty tough; it'll take a while to learn, won't it?"

"There's no rush; you can learn at your own pace with me," Xie Yulin replied.

Shen Yuan figured that for writing stories, the more he knew, the more material he'd have for his stories. Others might want to learn but wouldn't know where to start; Xie Yulin teaching him all this was a great opportunity!

So, after martial arts, Shen Yuan started learning medicine from Xie Yulin.

While learning from Xie Yulin, Shen Yuan's daily meals were pretty much taken care of by Xie Yulin.

Shen Anniang couldn't even get a word in edgewise.

Xie Yulin had someone tell Shen Anniang that the meals made for Shen Yuan were medicinal dishes cooked up by imperial chefs and physicians together, which were good for Shen Yuan's health. Shen Anniang was thrilled and stopped meddling with Shen Yuan's diet altogether.

And if Shen Yuan was studying late, Xie Yulin would ask if he wanted to head back to Dashu Village or stay at the Xie family ancestral home.

If he went back to Dashu Village, someone would be specially sent to escort him; staying at the ancestral home meant they'd set up a courtyard specially for him.

Shen Yuan basically spent one day going back to Dashu Village and the next staying put at the Xie family ancestral home.

All his daily needs—food, clothes, you name it—were, without him even noticing, completely covered by Xie Yulin.

Shen Yuan had noticed this too, always feeling that even though Xie Yulin was looking out for him like before, something felt off.

The feeling was hard to pin down but impossible to shake.

Until Li Baozhu's birthday came around, and Shen Yuan brought the gold ring Xie Yulin had helped him get made to Li Baozhu's birthday bash.

Li Baozhu, receiving Shen Yuan's birthday gift, was moved to tears; he had never seen such exquisite carving craftsmanship.

Shen Yuan truly kept his word; he said he'd give Li Baozhu gold for his birthday, and he did.

Li Baozhu instantly fell in love with the gold ring Shen Yuan gave him, couldn't put it down, put it on right away, and admired it proudly for a while.

As the host, Li Baozhu was a bit busy today. Shen Yuan and Ji Ping'an found seats to rest, letting him attend to other matters.

After the two sat down, with few people around, Ji Ping'an put his arm around Shen Yuan's shoulder, gesturing for him to look at Li Baozhu's father not far away, introducing Li Baozhu to others.

"Xiao Yuan, look at how Fifth Granduncle has been treating you since his return. Doesn't it resemble how a loving father treats his child?"

Ji Ping'an's own family was one of unfilial children and uncaring fathers, so he couldn't use himself as an example.

After observing for so long, he finally found a benchmark to compare Shen Yuan and Xie Yulin's interaction pattern.

Shen Yuan looked over and observed.

Li Baozhu's father was attentive and caring in every way: when Li Baozhu talked too much, his father asked if he was thirsty; when Li Baozhu demonstrated a sword form, his father praised him; when Li Baozhu's clothes accidentally got dirty by a guest, his father quickly called someone to help him change; when Li Baozhu returned in new clothes, his father had already prepared food for him to choose from...

Shen Yuan finally understood what that indescribable feeling was.

Xie Yulin seemed to be acting like a father to him, or rather, Xie Yulin was taking care of him as if he were a son.

Ji Ping'an, sensing Shen Yuan's realization, continued with his arm around his shoulder, the two speaking quietly.

"Xiao Yuan, there's something you probably don't know. Fifth Granduncle hasn't married or had children to this day. My sister once mentioned to us that he was once expelled from the Xie family. We didn't know before that Fifth Granduncle liked older men with wives and children, but now combining it all, it's probably that Fifth Granduncle is unwilling to be like others who prefer men—liking men is one thing, marrying and having children is another."

"You're young and likable. If Fifth Granduncle had married earlier, he could indeed have a son your age." Ji Ping'an affirmed, "I reckon Fifth Granduncle wants to adopt a godson early to nurture, so he has someone to rely on in old age. So, Fifth Granduncle probably wants to recognize you as his godson."

Ji Ping'an spoke with certainty, analyzing logically. Shen Yuan initially didn't quite believe it, his mind full of "No way?"

But thinking of Xie Yulin's various care during this period, teaching him this and passing on that, it really did seem like what Ji Ping'an said—having the intention to pass on his legacy and nurture him.

"Listen to me, I'm definitely not wrong." Ji Ping'an analyzed the pros and cons for Shen Yuan, "Fifth Granduncle will bring it up sooner or later. Before that, think carefully about whether to agree. If you agree, there will definitely be many benefits, no less than a carp leaping over the dragon's gate, completely transforming and entering the noble class. The downside is also because the class is too high; scheming and intrigue will be endless, probably exhausting both body and mind."

"Plus, since you're not biologically related and come from the countryside, there will definitely be some blind fools causing trouble for you behind the scenes."

Ji Ping'an stopped there, telling Shen Yuan to think carefully about how to choose.

Today, attending Li Baozhu's birthday banquet and playing with Qin Shisong and Guo Mingchen until late, Shen Yuan decided not to return to Dashu Village and instead stay at the Xie family ancestral home for the night.

On the way back, Shen Yuan thought about Ji Ping'an's words the entire journey. He felt he couldn't call Xie Yulin "Dad"; even "Godfather" was hard to say.

Mainly because, although he was seventeen here, he was already in his twenties in his previous life. Even if he was a few years younger than Xie Yulin, he should call him "Brother," not "Dad."

But on second thought, Shen Yuan felt Xie Yulin had it quite tough.

He didn't expect Xie Yulin to have experienced such unpleasant things. Ah, in prominent families, emotions truly pale in comparison to power and influence.

Everything possessed must be measured for its value.

Before Shen Yuan could figure it out, they arrived. He collected his thoughts and got off the carriage.

Luo Yun, as usual, was waiting outside the ancestral residence's main gate. Shen Yuan, hearing from Luo Yun that Xie Yulin hadn't slept yet, detoured to Xie Yulin's courtyard on the way.

Xie Yulin had just finished his bath and stepped out, an attendant drying his hair for him.

Seeing Shen Yuan, Xie Yulin set down the bamboo scroll in his hand. "Did you have fun?"

Shen Yuan nodded with a smile, dragging a stool over to sit in front of Xie Yulin. "It was great fun."

He then vividly described how lively the birthday banquet was, how they shot arrows, rode horses, and played cuju together.

Xie Yulin's expression remained calm, his eyes cool and clear, quietly listening to Shen Yuan recount everything he had done.

At last, Shen Yuan looked at Xie Yulin's indifferent demeanor and suddenly remembered Ji Ping'an's words.

"Fifth Uncle is icy cold to everyone else; he wouldn't care if someone died right before his eyes. But I can tell with you—even though his expression is still aloof, he wants to know what you're thinking and listens carefully to what you say. It seems he's really quite pleased with you as his future godson."

"What are you looking at me for?" Xie Yulin lowered his head to meet Shen Yuan's gaze.

Shen Yuan grabbed Xie Yulin's wrist earnestly and said, "Xie Yulin, I won't abandon you when you get old. As long as I can still move, I'll definitely take good care of you. I'll support you in your old age!"

*So please, don't bring up the godson thing. I won't be your son, but as your good friend, I'll still provide for you.*

With a soft clatter, the bamboo scroll in Xie Yulin's hand fell to the floor.

The attendant drying his hair and Luo Yun, standing nearby, both lowered their heads, holding their breath.

They stole a glance at each other, their pupils trembling.

Why did Young Master Shen suddenly confess his love to their Young Master Lin?

Was that a confession?

To stay together until their hair turns white, never to part.

That must be a confession, right?

Xie Yulin let Shen Yuan hold his wrist, his gaze profound as he confirmed, "Are you serious?"

Shen Yuan nodded emphatically. "Yes! I always mean what I say."

"A-Yuan, you're still young. Perhaps you should think about it a bit more." Though Xie Yulin said this, his body leaned forward slightly, exuding a palpable sense of pressure.

And he was trying hard to restrain it.

Shen Yuan shook his head. "No need. Age has nothing to do with this. I can take responsibility for my own decisions. Alright, it's settled then. I'm really tired, I need to sleep. Xie Yulin, you should sleep early too."

With that, Shen Yuan waved and left. Xie Yulin's deep, dark eyes locked onto Shen Yuan's retreating back until he disappeared from sight.

Xie Yulin said coldly, "Go find out if anyone said anything to him at the Li family."

Luo Yun immediately accepted the order. "Yes."

...

*The Path to Immortality* was already more than halfway through. During this period, Shen Yuan had constructed six realms within the story: the Human Realm, the Spirit Realm, the Ghost Realm, the Divine Realm, the Immortal Realm, and the Demon Realm.

Among them, the Ghost Realm was fleshed out with elements related to the underworld from *Love Between Human and Ghost*, incorporating the custom of the Ghost Gate opening on the Zhongyuan Festival (the Ghost Festival) on the fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month.

Conflicts between the various realms had also begun to unfold.

Yun Fan diligently studied immortal techniques under various elders and the sect leader at Wuliang Immortal Mountain. He was extremely hardworking, making rapid progress.

Later, he, along with Yan Ping and Yu Cheng, led the disciples of Wuliang Immortal Mountain to explore secret realms for training.

With absolute strength and personal charisma, Yun Fan earned the deep trust of all those from prestigious backgrounds.

In the secret realms, Yun Fan led the Wuliang Mountain disciples to obtain spiritual treasures several times more than other sects. Consequently, Wuliang Immortal Mountain saw a significant improvement in the quality and effectiveness of both alchemy and artifact forging in a short period.

During a training mission in the mortal world where Yun Fan led the Wuliang Immortal Mountain disciples to capture ghosts, they discovered something amiss.

The ghosts wreaking havoc in the mortal world seemed to be controlled by demonic energy.

After dealing with these ghosts, everyone hurried back to Wuliang Immortal Mountain to report the matter to the sect leader.

Hearing that demonic energy had reappeared, the sect leader grew deeply worried.

Yun Fan wasn't very clear about this and asked the sect leader if there was something peculiar about demonic energy. The sect leader sighed softly and told Yun Fan about past events in the cultivation world.

Humans have good and evil, spirits have good and evil, ghosts have good and evil, and immortals have good and evil, but deities and true demons do not.

Deities hold all living beings in their hearts—humans, spirits, ghosts, immortals, plants, trees, birds, and beasts...

True Demons, however, are a new realm formed from the fall of the other five realms. Those who become demons abandon all goodness, retaining only extreme malevolence and insatiable desires.

Their minds are filled only with destruction, plunder, and achieving their goals by any means necessary, even if it means destroying heaven and earth.

Thousands of years ago, the other five realms once joined forces to seal and suppress the Demon Realm. Demonic energy, which hadn't appeared for millennia, had actually resurfaced.

And the appearance of demons heralds the coming of destruction.

As the sect leader anticipated, the Human Realm was the first to descend into chaos.

The mortal world, which had enjoyed peace for many years, was once again plunged into war.

The common people suffered immensely, with corpses of the starved littering the land, and tens of thousands dying every day.

Next were the Cultivation Realm, the Ghost Realm, and the Spirit Realm.

More and more cultivators succumbed to demonic possession and went berserk. The boundaries between the Ghost Realm and the Spirit Realm were breached, and demon-possessed ghosts and spirits wreaked havoc in the mortal world.

This was the beginning of the world's instability.

Wildfires, floods, earthquakes, tsunamis, storms...

The weather also began to turn abnormal, with extreme heat and extreme cold...

Warfare ceased due to natural disasters as humans struggled to survive.

In the Cultivation Realm, spiritual energy dissipated, growing increasingly scarce. Cultivators could hardly absorb the world's spiritual energy anymore.

The Ghost Realm and the Spirit Realm were also thrown into chaos. Tens of thousands of fierce ghosts escaped in the Ghost Realm, with countless ghost officials dead or injured. In the Spirit Realm, spiritual treasures vanished, and spirits who fed on them starved in droves.

Wherever demonic energy reached, all life withered away.

The tea house listeners felt their hearts clench. Earlier, as Yun Fan climbed step by step, gained recognition from those in Wuliang Immortal Mountain, and grew stronger bit by bit, it was exhilarating. Now, the changes in the world were equally worrying and bewildering.

Under such circumstances, how could anyone survive?

The tea guests were perplexed, and so were the various realms within the story.

Finally, they thought of the power of faith.

As for the Divine Realm, there was still no news.

This was a glimmer of hope.

Shen Yuan's words came right after this glimmer of hope.

The patrons' hearts, once on edge, suddenly dropped, their emotions roller-coastering. The scenes of natural disasters and the chaos across realms depicted in the story left them both astonished and fearful.

They were the Mortal Realm itself—could such bizarre phenomena truly appear between heaven and earth?

Just the thought of such a possibility made the patrons inexplicably uneasy.

Especially when they recalled the recent wars. Had the natural disasters from the story occurred, the intensity of those conflicts would have made the countries seem utterly maddened.

Xie Yulin had also listened to the latest installment of *The Path to Immortality*. He said to Shen Yuan, "Even if war breaks out again, I will ensure the safety of you and your family."

After a pause, Shen Yuan asked him, "Are you telling me not to be afraid?"

"Yes."

Unable to help himself, Shen Yuan leaned in to Xie Yulin, staring into his eyes as he asked, "How can someone as cold as you say such heartwarming words? You're so good to me. Don't worry, I'll be especially, especially good to you in the future too!"

Xie Yulin turned his head away, then glanced back after a moment. By then, Shen Yuan had already straightened up, rubbing his stomach with a pout as he said, "I'm so hungry. Let's eat."