Chapter 73

Chapter 73

Lou Guanyue's eyes grew dark and profound. He grasped Pelan's slender wrist, his voice hoarse as he said, "No going back on your word."

Pelan's almond eyes curved into a smile and he slowly replied, "I won't regret it."

As soon as the words left his lips, the grand, austerely elegant hall before them shattered abruptly. In a dizzying whirl, Pelan realized they had returned to their familiar room.

He instinctively reached out to hold the other's hand, only to find himself still in his original position, held fast in Lou Guanyue's embrace.

Lou Guanyue tightened his hold, then lowered his head, resting it against Pelan's shoulder, trying to calm the violent, destructive urges surging from the depths of his spiritual sea.

Pelan felt the rapid, warm breaths against the hollow of his neck, and the arm around his waist suddenly tightened further, as if to crush him into his body.

He looked up, by the light of the crystal chandelier on the ceiling to quietly and intently gaze at Lou Guanyue's face. Remembering what he had seen in those memories, Pelan's heart felt as if gripped by an invisible force, aching and tender.

Pelan raised his hand, gently stroking the other's hair, and softly comforted him, "Don't be afraid. I'll always be by your side. Even death cannot separate us..."

Lou Guanyue was taken aback, his gaze gradually clearing, the black in his eyes deepening.

The next moment, he pressed Pelan down into the soft bedding behind him.

Long hair cascaded down, covering his entire body and obscuring the spring-like scene. The distance between them was close. Before Pelan could even gasp in surprise, a pair of burning hands cupped his face, forcing him to tilt his head back.

Then, a warm, breath-filled kiss landed on the corner of his lips.

It was gentle, like a breeze brushing past, or a snowman melting away in the warm spring sun.

Lou Guanyue's entire state was not right. His eyes were half-lidded, deep pupils flashing with madness and struggle, yet this kiss was exceptionally tender.

Pelan's body went rigid, his heart pounding so fast it felt like it might leap out. Something indescribable was quietly stirred within his chest, unfamiliar yet fervent, like taking a sip of honeyed wine, making him almost drunk on the sensation.

Before he could make any further move, Lou Guanyue loosened his hold on Pelan, the corner of his mouth curving as his fingers traced the delicate, plump bow of his lips.

His voice was terribly hoarse, his eyes full of turbulent undercurrents. "Would you... hate me for treating you like this?"

At this moment, Pelan's cheeks and the corners of his eyes were flushed red, his whole person like a small cake smeared with berry jam.

Shyly averting his gaze, he instead exposed his equally crimson ears. His voice was clear and soft, carrying a faint, tremulous note. "I don't hate it..."

Then, as if afraid the other couldn't hear, he slightly raised his volume and repeated, "I don't hate it... I like it very much... Yue."

Thump—thump—

Thundering heartbeats exploded in their ears, indistinguishable as to whose they were.

Lou Guanyue smiled. He looked at the person in his arms; it was as if all the stars of the night sky had fallen, their radiance melting into his eyes.

His slender fingers slid down bit by bit, tilting Pelan's head up slightly.

The next moment, his lips pressed down.

"I'm very happy."

This time was nothing like the gentle restraint before.

Pelan's mind was still blank when he felt Lou Guanyue wet his lips with his tongue, the tip prying open his teeth. As their lips and tongues intertwined, it carried a heart-stopping sense of aggression and a palpable desire.

It was the first time he had felt Lou Guanyue's breathing so urgent.

His long fingers didn't forget to intertwine with Pelan's, their hands clasping together.

Warm breaths mingled. Pelan couldn't help but let out a soft moan, lifting his head to meet the kiss.

Soul-thread red lines entwined around their fingers. The lamplight elongated their shadows, overlapping, ambiguous.

The window creaked shut with a "squeak," sealing the room's full spring scenery indoors.

When Pelan woke up, his neck was sore, and lying in bed, he ached all over.

He rolled over, lingering with his eyes closed, until he heard the sound of the door opening. Then, the sweet aroma of honey and bread filled the entire room. Pelan twitched his nose, feeling something soft brush past his forehead. In his bleary, sleep-filled vision, he caught sight of a breathtakingly handsome face.

"Good morning, Teacher."

Lou Guanyue turned to place the tray on the small table, drew back the bed curtains, and sat on the edge of the bed. He pulled the boy, who was curled into a ball, from the soft quilt, and a gentle kiss landed on his forehead.

"It's already noon. If you don't get up now, you won't be able to sleep again tonight."

Propping himself up on Lou Guanyue's arm, Pelan obediently sat up. Still drowsy, he yawned and leaned against his shoulder, seemingly about to fall asleep again.

Last night, mindful of Lou Guanyue's injuries, Pelan hadn't let him get carried away, only allowing him a few nibbles before shooing him off to sleep.

It wasn't the first time they had shared a bed, but perhaps because their relationship was now turned upside down, Pelan had tossed and turned until the early hours, still wide awake. Only when he was utterly exhausted did he finally drift off into a hazy sleep.

Sleeping with Yue was truly a sweet burden.

Pelan sighed, half-opening his eyes to begin inspecting Lou Guanyue's injuries.

It had to be said, the recovery ability of a Mahayana-stage cultivator was formidable.

In just one short night, the wound on his back that had nearly run him through had already healed, leaving only a faint pink mark. By tomorrow, it might completely disappear.

Blowing gently on that scar, Pelan's foggy head cleared a little.

He frowned slightly and poked Lou Guanyue's chest with his finger. "Tell me the truth. Last night, when your inner demon went out of control... were you also deceiving me? Even without me, you could have regained your senses on your own."

Lou Guanyue smiled without a word, gently capturing that slender hand and placing a light kiss upon it.

"Fine, don't say it then." Pelan felt a bit ticklish from the kisses and tried to withdraw his hand, only to be pulled entirely into the man's embrace and seated on his lap.

"I haven't washed up yet!" Pelan exclaimed in surprise, suddenly covering his mouth. He struggled free from Lou Guanyue's lap and fled, his retreating figure even exuding a hint of fluster.

Lou Guanyue chuckled softly. When he looked up again, he saw a furry head peeking out from behind the bathroom door.

As if remembering something, Pelan pursed his lips somewhat shyly. "Good morning, boyfriend."

With that, the door slammed shut with a "bang," so quickly that Lou Guanyue had no time to respond.

A soft laugh escaped Lou Guanyue's throat.

His little Dao companion was so easily embarrassed.

Besides the honey bread, the dining table also held a fragrant omelet, crispy-on-the-outside-tender-on-the-inside potato cakes, sweet and stomach-warming millet porridge...

Since Yue's return, he could finally enjoy lavish, sumptuous meals again.

Pelan took a sip of refreshing fruit juice, allowing the other to wipe away a smear of sauce from the corner of his lips.

Seeing that Lou Guanyue had almost finished eating, Pelan set down his juice and spoke up. "You went to Dragon Island with Xi Erhuai to find the entrance to the God-Forsaken Land and obtain clues about the Grand Alchemy?"

"Mhm." Lou Guanyue nodded, not concealing it from Pelan. "Every world has its own rules. You know I don't belong here; the world's laws have always been rejecting me, trying to expel me from this land. To remain here long-term, I must take some action."

"So, you plan to change your body?" Pelan looked at him in shock. "But Grand Alchemy is, after all, a legendary magic. No one can be sure it truly exists."

Lou Guanyue smiled. "Perhaps there are other ways... Don't worry, I'm fine now, aren't I?"

Pelan grew even more worried.

As an outsider, the only way for Lou Guanyue to gain the world's recognition was to master a portion of those rules—that is... to usurp divine authority.

Before he could ask further, an unusual disturbance from his soul caught Pelan's attention.

Noticing the change in his expression, Lou Guanyue asked with concern, "Did something happen?"

Pelan nodded, standing up from the chair, his eyes lighting up as he looked at him. "Come on, I'll take you to harvest resentment."

Harvest... resentment?

Lou Guanyue propped his chin on his hand, thoughtfully watching Pelan change into a black mage robe that covered him completely.

His little teacher was finally showing some drive as a necromancer.

The man narrowed his eyes slightly. Should he lend him a hand?

Three minutes later, the two of them, holding hands, stepped through the dimensional gate and appeared inside a clinic filled with a clinical smell.

Pelan had already cast an invisibility spell before they arrived, so the people in the hallway were unaware of their presence.

Lou Guanyue's divine sense swept indifferently over the small town, finding no saint-level experts. It seemed Pelan had prepared well. But the town was remote and peaceful, untouched by disaster, natural or otherwise, with thin resentment.

"Follow me," Pelan murmured, his attention entirely on the ward before him, completely unaware that with Lou Guanyue's steps, ripples of red light fanned out underfoot.

The old woman on the sickbed breathed like a worn-out bellows, her cloudy eyes fixed on the ceiling. Her children and grandchildren stood quietly by the bed, seemingly oblivious to the two who had entered.

Pelan stopped by the bedside, his voice as light as a feather brushing past. "Thirteen years ago, she prayed to live long enough to see her grandson get married. I saved her. In exchange, she entered into a contract with me to sell the resentment from the depths of her soul to me after her death."

Now it was time to collect.

Pelan turned to look at Lou Guanyue, his expression serious and solemn. "The second lesson of necromancy is—how to harvest resentment."

Pelan extended his left hand, his slender index finger tracing a rune in the air. The old woman seemed to sense something, her eyes suddenly focusing on Pelan.

As the final syllable of the incantation fell, the foul air in the room suddenly began to swirl, condensing into dark golden sand that fell into a bone china bottle in Pelan's palm.

With the resentment dissipated, the soul was freed. The old woman closed her eyes, and sharp cries suddenly broke out in the ward.

Not wishing to intrude, the two returned to the outer corridor.

Pelan let out a soft breath, a hint of anticipation in his voice as he asked, "Yue, did you learn it?"

Lou Guanyue raised an eyebrow slightly, his gaze falling on the porcelain bottle in Pelan's hand, his tone unreadable. "Teacher, the resentment you mentioned—is it the sand inside this bottle?"

Pelan nodded vigorously, suppressing his excitement, and whispered, "Mhm! This resentment is a special magical material, only found within living souls."

Then, pursing his lips, he added somewhat sheepishly, "Actually, this is my first time harvesting resentment from a contracted subject. The process went much more smoothly than I imagined."

"So that's how it is..." Lou Guanyue lowered his head and lightly pecked Pelan's cheek. "Teacher is truly amazing. I've learned it."

Hearing the title "teacher" again now, Pelan immediately felt a wave of heat spreading from the kissed spot, his entire face growing faintly warm.

"You... you shouldn't call me teacher anymore in the future." The word "teacher" lingered on Pelan's lips, inexplicably feeling scalding.

Lou Guanyue held back a laugh, pretending to be hurt as he lowered his eyes, feigning grievance. "Why? Does teacher no longer want to teach me magic?"

"No... never mind, call me whatever you want." Pelan turned his face away, too embarrassed to explain the reason, and could only try hard to suppress the thought from surfacing.

A flash of red light passed over the floor. Seeing the faint, strange patterns appearing before him, Pelan looked down in confusion, intending to get a clearer look. "What is this?"

"Nothing." Lou Guanyue pulled him into an embrace, avoiding a passerby who nearly bumped into them from behind.

In a place Pelan couldn't see, the man stepped on and crushed the just-completed array node, his tone casual as he said, "Since the matter is resolved, let's go back."

Pelan blinked, and when he looked carefully, he found the patterns had already vanished, so he gave up.

No sooner had they returned to the manor than the front door was knocked.

The visitor was the Dark Elf, Xi Erhuai.

Looking at Lou Guanyue sitting on the sofa drinking tea, he said in surprise, "Your injuries healed that fast? It seems the secret weapon prepared by the Church of Light isn't all that impressive..."

Lou Guanyue took a light sip of the clear tea, his tone indifferent. "Are you that free? This isn't a place for visiting."

The implication to leave was quite clear.

Xi Erhuai didn't mind the disdain in his words, cleared his throat, and said, "Of course I'm here for something important. The Leader is looking for you—it's about news on the Abyssal Passage."

He looked Pelan up and down a few times beside Lou Guanyue, his tone oddly emphatic as he added, "The Leader said you can bring him along."