Chapter 048: Together All the Way

Chapter 048: Together All the Way

Six months later.

Yan Mi was getting really impatient. The disaster barely caused a stir, and cleaning up was done fast, but everyone wanted Pu Shu to become the sect leader.

He would never agree, and naturally, Pu Shu also refused – she knew her own temperament well enough to know she couldn't handle such annoying chores.

In the end, they picked a highly respected elder as the new leader of the Liuyue Sect, and Pu Shu left with Yan Mi. If they had waited any longer, Yan Mi would've run out of patience entirely.

"Why are you bringing me here?" Pu Shu was caught off guard but not really mad when Yan Mi led her to the demon cult's territory.

The demon cult had gone quiet.

Because whenever Yan Mi grew impatient while waiting, he would come over and mess them up. Now, even hearing his name scared them to death, and they hid away, not daring to show themselves. As a result, the demon palace was also eerily silent, with few demon cultists moving about – empty and abandoned, leaving only the two of them in the dark, with hardly any light.

Yan Mi took her hand and led her inside. "There's a cool spot here. I think you'll like it, Master."

The place he spoke of was a sea of blood, yet above it bloomed white flowers untouched by any crimson stain – weirdly beautiful, a coexistence of darkness and purity. It was indeed the kind of surprise Pu Shu would appreciate, as she now loved new things.

"What is this?" Pu Shu had read widely but had never seen anything like this written about in all her years.

"Souls," Yan Mi said. He raised his hand, and a white flower drifted over, revealing a glowing white ball floating within it.

He held it up before Pu Shu. "Beneath the blood sea lie countless bones. The dead here can never be reincarnated, and over time, these souls have been spawned over time."

"What... will happen to them when they eventually awaken?" Pu Shu looked at the numerous white flowers – an insane number. How many bodies are buried down there?

"They won't awaken," Yan Mi said, releasing the flower, which floated in midair. "When their time comes, they'll automatically turn into the spiritual energy of the world, disappearing for good. Hmm... or rather, their existence filters out resentment, turning into the purest spiritual energy that spreads all over the world, absorbed by plants and trees. Maybe that's what they turn into – spiritual energy."

"How cruel," Pu Shu said, feeling bad about it. "But if the plants that absorb them can gain sentience and cultivate, it's like a different kind of rebirth for them."

"In theory, yeah. But sadly, they're not really 'them' anymore. Basically, right now they're just clumps of spiritual energy."

Pu Shu went quiet after hearing that. She turned to look at Yan Mi. "So what exactly are you trying to do by bringing me here?"

"Master's so sharp," Yan Mi smiled, but Pu Shu didn't think he was praising her. And she was the master—why did it feel like the roles were swapped?

Yan Mi opened his palm, revealing a black lotus, entirely black. "Master, put a drop of blood from your heart on the flower."

"What is this?" Pu Shu asked, confused. Yet, not thinking Yan Mi would hurt her, she still did as he asked. Immediately, the wilted black lotus opened its petals, looking alive and gorgeous.

"You'll find out later," Yan Mi said mysteriously, not elaborating.

He pushed the black lotus into the middle of the blood sea. The fading spiritual energy surged into the lotus, nurturing it.

"Master, let's take a stroll in the demon palace," Yan Mi said, wrapping his arm around Pu Shu's waist. In an instant, they disappeared from where they stood, leaving Pu Shu with a ton of questions she couldn't ask.

But as they wandered, Yan Mi chose an uninhabited palace and started roughhousing with her – something he clearly loved to do.

Which brings us to what happened before: Pu Shu realized that her cultivation had suddenly vanished, leaving her just like an ordinary person. She had a gut feeling it was due to the heart's blood, but since Yan Mi refused to explain, she became very angry.

"Don't worry, Master. I'm not gonna hurt you," Yan Mi said, enjoying how she took the lead for once. When he saw her turn her back on him mad, he embraced her from behind.

Yan Mi loved this position. His chest was broad, and holding her from behind, he could envelop Pu Shu completely without any gap – a strong display of possessiveness.

"Wait a little longer. It'll be fine in a while," Yan Mi whispered, kissing her cheek and neck, gently coaxing her.

Pu Shu didn't respond, because she had fallen asleep, exhausted. Without her cultivation, despite Yan Mi's protection, her body felt the fatigue.

"Really..." Yan Mi stopped teasing her. He placed his palm on Pu Shu's flat belly, a thoughtful look in his eyes.

They would be together forever, even in slumber – no one would leave first due to a limited lifespan.

·

Pu Shu's nature was rather open-minded. After a few days of sulking, she stopped brooding.

However, she didn't like the demon palace and grew fond of visiting the mortal world for fun. Yan Mi had no choice but to accompany her. Only when the black lotus transformed into a golden lotus did they return.

Only then did Pu Shu understand Yan Mi's purpose: he had given her a new golden body, transcending the Three Realms, so that, like him, she would only ever fall into slumber, never truly perish.

"Yan Mi, who are you really?" Pu Shu found his identity deeply suspicious. No one knew how to do such things, yet Yan Mi handled it with such familiarity.

"I don't know either. But there's a place that might give me the answer," Yan Mi said, taking Pu Shu to the Abyss.

There, a massive, bottomless chasm lay, said to be the mark left five thousand years ago when the awakened giant stirred and tore the earth.

"Master, if we jump down, would you be afraid?" They stood at the cliff's edge, looking down into the perilous abyss.

"A little," Pu Shu admitted. In truth, she had never liked flying on swords – too high, making her dizzy.

But she would never voice such a thing; deep down, she valued her pride.

Yan Mi laughed, pulling her into his arms. "Like this, you won't see anything."

He had long discovered this little secret of hers. The first time they met, when Pu Shu brought him back, she had closed her eyes.

Back then, he was young and thought it was just her preference. Only as he grew older did he understand: she simply didn't want to look down, too high.

Pu Shu gave a soft hum, leaning into Yan Mi's embrace, closing her eyes, her fingers gripping his clothes as he held her tightly.

Then they tipped forward, falling from great heights. The wind couldn't hurt them, but the feeling of falling still made Pu Shu tense up, her eyes squeezed shut.

She heard Yan Mi's laughter, felt his gentle stroke through her hair. She knew he was doing it on purpose and, annoyed, punched his chest. But Yan Mi caught her hand, brought it to his mouth, and kissed it.

After a bit, they seemed to touch down. He said, "Master, we're here."

Yan Mi lifted her out, and Pu Shu opened her eyes to check out the impossibly deep underground. She was surprised to see a vast sea of red flames, and in its midst stood a towering, majestic palace, like it had been there for millions of years.

"It feels familiar. I think I once lived here," Yan Mi said, taking Pu Shu's hand and leading her inside. The Juque Sword had already emerged, flying around on its own, totally comfortable in this place, its power growing stronger.

"I also feel a touch of familiarity... as if I've been here before," Pu Shu said, reaching out to touch a passing flame. It obediently twisted into all sorts of shapes.

They entered the palace. There were no living people, though many spiritual beings dwelled underground. You could tell someone had lived here.

"Is this... the Ice Sword?" Pu Shu spotted a sword lying on the table. She picked it up; it was way more powerful than the Ice Sword she was using now.

Sensing the Juque Sword's intent, the Ice Sword vibrated, flew out, and circled around the Juque Sword. The two swords then went off to play by themselves.

"Master, from now on, let's live here. If you ever want to go out, we can leave," Yan Mi said. When he spoke of going home, he meant this place.

"Alright."

Pu Shu nodded.

She could live anywhere, really.

A hundred years later.

The outside world changed again and again.

They woke from their sleep and took a trip outside. The mortal realm had already changed dynasties, but its prosperity was even greater than before.

Seeing Pu Shu liked it, Yan Mi said, "Master, how about we stay here for a bit?"

After all these years, he still liked to call her "Master"—it was his special name for her.

"We could buy a small courtyard." Pu Shu also wanted to linger a bit longer, to occasionally soak up a little bustle.

They no longer needed to cultivate; they were now as eternal as heaven itself. Naturally, this meant they had to sleep for a period of time and would only awaken when the time came.

"I know. I'll buy everything just as you like, Master."

Soon enough.

Word spread throughout Peach Blossom County that a couple like immortals had arrived. Whenever they occasionally went out for a stroll, they drew crowds of onlookers.

At first, many local bullies had their eyes on Pu Shu's beauty, wanting to forcibly take her away. But after some died mysteriously, no one dared to make a move anymore. Everyone understood that this young couple was not to be trifled with.

These past few days, the spring rain had been non-stop. Outside the window, raindrops pattered on the banana leaves, the air cool and refreshing.

Pu Shu was leaning on the bed, reading a book. Yan Mi lay on the inside, turned sideways with his head propped up, watching her. But after staring for a long time and seeing that Pu Shu kept reading without paying him any attention, he got a little sulky.

"Master, are you really not going to look at me?" To grab her attention, Yan Mi leaned over and rested his head on her shoulder, his fingers trailing down her back, making Pu Shu shiver and nearly drop the book.

"Cut it out. I'm reading." Of course, it wasn't a serious book—just a popular novel from back then, a spin-off about a romantic scholar and a fox spirit.

Pu Shu thought that when they returned, she would bring more books with her.

"Master~" Yan Mi was really annoyed. He nuzzled against her, whining, and his hands began to wander.

In the very end.

The book fell to the bedside, its pages fluttered in the wind, as if a corner had gotten wet from the rain.

It flipped to the last page, where a line was written:

"The sun for morning, the moon for night, with you from dawn till dusk."