Chapter 15: Love Knows No Beginning, Yet Deepens Evermore

Chapter 15: Love, Unknowing Its Origin, Deepens Ever More

Time slipped by quietly, and soon dusk settled in, night gently enveloping the entire Xuan Yue Peak. Moonlight spilled across the mountains, spreading a gentle, warm glow across the land.

Ling Xuance finished his cultivation session and opened his eyes, the long stream of spiritual energy slowly settling back into his body, his eyes clear and calm.

When he glanced down, he saw the youth beside him had grown sleepy at some point, his small frame curled up, sprawled across his lap, his breathing even and deep, having drifted into a deep sleep.

Moonlight fell upon his fair, soft profile, his lashes long and delicate, quiet and gentle—his soft, adorable look enough to make anyone's heart ache.

Ling Xuance moved as gently as possible, afraid to wake the boy in his arms. He bent down, his voice low and rough: "A Yu, wake up."

Lin Yu was sleeping soundly and, when gently roused, his eyes were clouded with a heavy haze, his face sleepy and dazed, staring at him through half-lidded eyes.

That pure, innocent look hit Ling Xuance right in the chest.

He couldn't resist—he dipped his head and pressed a soft kiss to the youth's lips, tender and lingering.

The night breeze stirred, their dark hair tangling and weaving together. The moonlight felt charged, the mood soft and intimate.

Ling Xuance couldn't restrain the surging emotions within him. He leaned in, trailing slow, lingering kisses down the boy's pale, slender neck.

Lin Yu, half-awake, didn't just not resist—he instinctively arched his neck, yielding softly to every touch.

The warmth of his skin and the way he yielded, layer after layer, pushed Ling Xuance's restraint to its limit. His whole body tensed, a weight settling in his throat.

He stopped all at once, lifting his eyes to meet the boy's clear, innocent gaze.

Those eyes were clear and spotless, pure and untainted, with not a hint of impure thought—so innocent it made him hold back.

Ling Xuance silently cursed himself for being a damn beast.

A Yu was still innocent and pure, with no clue about love or desire, only seeing it as affection and closeness. Yet here he was, harboring filthy desires toward such a clean, soft boy—it was disgusting.

Lin Yu noticed him stop all of a sudden and tilted his head, confusion written all over his face, his voice still rough from just waking up.

"Brother Che, no more kisses?"

The boy's voice was soft and sweet, hitting his ears in the most tempting way.

Ling Xuance lowered his gaze. After their little moment, faint red marks dotted the boy's pale neck and collarbone, standing out starkly against his smooth, porcelain skin.

His robes hung loose, slipping off one shoulder to reveal a sliver of smooth skin—seductive and teasing.

His eyes darkened. With soft, careful fingers, he tugged Lin Yu's robes back into place, covering all traces of their intimacy.

Hiding the scattered kiss marks, he forced the hoarse tremor out of his voice, trying to sound normal: "It's nothing. It's late—I'll go wash up."

With that, he practically forced himself to stand and turn, striding away fast.

Lin Yu, left behind, watched his hurried back, totally confused, with no idea why he'd suddenly taken off.

He sat on the stone, glancing around the empty peak. The night breeze was cool, the moon bright. After sitting there a while, he was wide awake, and he remembered Ling Xuance had said he was going to wash up.

He'd been in the cultivation world for a while now, but he still kept his modern habits. Rather than just cleaning himself with spiritual energy, he always preferred soaking in warm water—it was relaxing and comfortable.

Ling Xuance knew this little habit of his well and had specially built a separate hot spring bamboo hut behind the main one, piping natural hot spring water from the mountain into the pool—just right for his soaks and relaxation.

With that in mind, Lin Yu got up, grabbed his clean clothes, and strolled toward the hot spring hut at the back of the mountain, stepping through the dappled moonlight.

Before he even reached the wooden door, the night breeze carried a strange, different vibe.

From inside came a man's voice—strained to the limit, hoarse and low, rough and tight, nothing like his usual warm, clear tone.

Just as he was confused, another sound came from inside—a barely restrained, low call, every word heavy, carried off by the night breeze: "A Yu..."

That call was rough and dark, packed with endless restraint and longing.

Lin Yu didn't notice anything weird at all, just figured Ling Xuance was calling for him. He reached out and pushed open the wooden door, his clear, soft voice drifting in with the breeze: "Brother Che, did you call me?"

The wooden door creaked, and bright moonlight spilled through the gap into the room.

The pool steamed warmly, mist curling up, veiling the whole bamboo hut in a hazy glow.

Ling Xuance was half-submerged in the spring, his dark hair wet and plastered to his shoulders, dotted with fine, warm droplets.

He never expected the boy to suddenly barge in. He froze in the pool, the heat and panic still in his eyes, the tips of his pale ears flushing red in an instant.

The mist blurred his vision, so Lin Yu couldn't see what was happening in the pool. He just thought it was weird that Ling Xuance wasn't moving.

He wandered a few steps closer, casually tugging off the ribbon in his hair, his dark locks tumbling over his shoulders. He mumbled: "Brother Che, you've been washing so long! I've been waiting forever. I want to bathe too."

Before he even finished speaking, he raised his hand and stripped off his clothes with clean, straightforward movements—utterly innocent, childlike in his openness, completely unaware of any ambiguity.

Ling Xuance's pupils constricted sharply. His mind went blank, all his carefully maintained composure crumbling in an instant.

The youth's fair, clean, slender figure was laid bare before his eyes without any concealment. Moonlight and the warm glow of the hot spring intertwined, making his skin gleam like white jade—clean, untouched by even a speck of dust.

Warm blood rushed to his head in an instant. Ling Xuance's nose suddenly burned, and warm crimson slowly trickled down from his nostril.

"Brother Che!" Lin Yu panicked at the sight, quickly stepping into the hot spring pool, warm water rising past his slender ankles, his face full of worry.

"Why are you bleeding from your nose?"

Ling Xuance hastily turned his head away, covering his nose with his hand, restraining the restless discomfort throughout his body. He stumbled backward in his panic, not daring to let the youth come any closer, his voice hoarse.

"It's nothing... Don't come near me!"

The more he dodged, avoided, and kept his distance, the more flustered and wronged Lin Yu felt, his voice taking on an obvious sob: "Brother Che... do you not like me anymore...?"

Ling Xuance's heart jolted with panic. Forgetting his own restless discomfort, he pulled the tearful youth tightly into his arms. Warm water rose past both their waists as he carefully shielded him.

"No, don't cry." He pressed his lips against the youth's flushed hair, his ears burning red, his voice terribly hoarse.

"I have never not liked you. You're the only one I like—from beginning to end, only you."

The warm, steady embrace calmed Lin Yu somewhat, but the hurt and confusion in his heart remained unresolved.

"Then why do you avoid me and tell me to stay away from me?"

The youth's soft waist kept brushing against him, their delicate skin pressing together, the warmth of the contact unmistakable.

He blinked in bewilderment, opening his tearful, glistening eyes, and murmured in confusion: "What's that... it's so hot."

"Hiss—"