As evening approached, the sky grew increasingly dim.
The figure to the side had grown taller, with a more upright and slender posture. He still wore the same attire as years ago—a purple robe and a dazzling purple-gold crown—but the aura emanating from him was completely different.
The once proud young lord had now become an emperor commanding respect without anger. Just standing there, the pressure he brought made one feel suffocated, unable to look directly at him.
After a moment of stunned silence, Shen Liuxiang watched as Xu Xingchen walked toward him, pausing slightly on the way to look at the orange that had rolled into the bushes, bending down to pick it up.
“This is yours.” Xu Xingchen handed him the orange.
Shen Liuxiang came to his senses. There was too much he wanted to say, yet he didn’t know where to begin. He opened his mouth but couldn’t utter a word for a long time.
Xu Xingchen quietly looked at him, also not speaking.
The forest fell into silence, with only the sound of rustling leaves falling.
Shen Bobo tilted his head, blinked his bright eyes, and not quite understanding why the two were just standing there, shook his head. He reached out toward Shen Liuxiang, planning to continue being a leg attachment.
But as his two chubby hands reached out, they grasped at empty air.
“After a long separation,” Shen Liuxiang had made up his mind, stepping forward to embrace the person with the indifferent gaze, “let, let Elder Brother you a hug first!”
He thought to warm things up and see Xu Xingchen’s reaction, but unexpectedly, the other didn’t move at all, didn’t speak, incredibly composed.
Shen Liuxiang sighed. Unlike in the past when he could see through him at a glance, now he couldn’t read at all what Xu Xingchen was thinking or pondering.
“Father forgot Bobo!”
Seeing Shen Liuxiang hug someone else but not him, Shen Bobo hurriedly walked over on his little feet. “Bobo wants too!”
How could he have forgotten Bobo?
Shen Liuxiang turned his head to see the little one tugging at his hem, muttering unhappily. He smiled, releasing Xu Xingchen, intending to hug Bobo as well.
At this moment, Xu Xingchen suddenly moved.
He reached out and tightly embraced him, lowering his head slightly, his chin resting on Shen Liuxiang’s shoulder: “Shen Liuxiang, so you did know to come back to life, knew to send me a message. I thought…”
As he spoke, his tone softened.
From an emperor emanating supreme pressure, he transformed into what seemed like an abandoned, wounded little beast, his face buried in Shen Liuxiang’s neck, nuzzling with a sad expression.
“I thought that when I met Father Emperor, because of you, I would still be punished.”
Shen Liuxiang blinked, suddenly losing that awkward feeling, the corners of his lips curving: “Yes, I’m back.”
As he spoke, he noticed Shen Bobo standing by his feet, raising his two little arms, unsuccessfully seeking a hug, tears welling in his eyes: “Father forgot to hug Bobo. Does he not like Bobo anymore?”
Shen Liuxiang patted Xu Xingchen’s arm, asking him to let go, then picked up Shen Bobo: “You’ve grown heavier.”
Shen Bobo pouted.
Shen Liuxiang: “How did you find me?”
Shen Bobo pointed downward with his finger: “Ginseng sister sent the message, but it was too far away, and Bobo couldn’t pinpoint the exact location. Until just now when the message came again, Big Brother brought Bobo here.”
As Shen Bobo spoke, he wrapped his arms around Shen Liuxiang’s neck, nestling on his shoulder: “Bobo missed Father so much.”
Shen Liuxiang patted his head, but before they could have a moment of tenderness, Xu Xingchen picked Shen Bobo up and placed him back on the ground: “It’s time to go back. Xinglian is still angry with me. If you return, she should be very happy.”
Hearing about Xinglian, Shen Liuxiang immediately had many questions, but this wasn’t the place for a long conversation. He nodded, then said: “Wait a moment, Zhou Xuanlan hasn’t returned yet. I should let him know.”
Tree shadows fell on Xu Xingchen, his face turning gloomy: “There’s no need to wait for him. Come with me now.”
Shen Liuxiang thought for a moment, then took out a communication talisman: “If we can’t wait, I’ll just send him a message.”
Xu Xingchen lowered his eyelids, snatched the communication talisman into his hand, and crushed it under Shen Liuxiang’s shocked gaze: “He won’t have time to come for a while. You just come back with me.”
Having said this, he grabbed Shen Liuxiang and directly disappeared from the spot.
Shen Liuxiang’s wrist hurt, and he was already in the Imperial Palace. He pondered what Xu Xingchen had just said, wanting to ask further, when a group of maidservants approached from a distance, bowing to Xu Xingchen, then casting curious glances at Shen Liuxiang.
Xu Xingchen asked: “Where is Xinglian?”
The lead maidservant said: “The Imperial Princess is unwell and resting in her room. She’s not allowing anyone to enter.”
Xu Xingchen frowned, pulling Shen Liuxiang toward his quarters.
Behind them, several maidservants widened their eyes, looking at each other. After a while, someone quietly asked who this was, and a maidservant who had been in the palace longer came to her senses and said: “It’s, it’s Young Lord Liuxiang!”
Everyone fell silent.
Xu Xingchen stopped outside the door: “She won’t be happy to see me. You go check on her.”
Shen Liuxiang recalled what Ao Yue had said, nodded slightly, raised his hand to knock on the door, and after calling out once with no response, pushed the door open and entered the room.
“Xinglian.”
The room was quiet. A beautiful young woman sat at the table, her eyes showing signs of fatigue. She had just put down her teacup and, hearing footsteps, thought it was Xu Xingchen, calling out with annoyance: “Brother…”
Looking up, she immediately rose from her chair: “Elder Brother?!”
Shen Liuxiang blinked at her: “It’s me.”
Xu Xinglian’s red lips pressed together, and she ran over, hugging him, unable to stop herself from quietly sobbing.
“What’s wrong?” Shen Liuxiang patted her head. “Has Xingchen been making you suffer?”
Xu Xinglian nodded, then shook her head.
When she woke up back then, it had been almost a year since Shen Liuxiang’s death. Not only was Father Emperor gone, but her elder brother was also gone, and her only brother Xu Xingchen had changed his demeanor.
Xu Xingchen had become cold, inscrutable, always forcing her to cultivate day and night.
As time went on, Xu Xinglian became somewhat annoyed and occasionally slipped out of the palace. Once, in the cultivation world, she met a wandering cultivator named Lu Qingyun, whom she came to adore. But fearing Xu Xingchen wouldn’t approve, she didn’t tell him, instead communicating secretly.
However, Xu Xingchen still discovered it, leading to what happened later.
“Brother made him leave me, but he refused, and nearly had his soul scattered,” Xu Xinglian still felt lingering fear when recalling it now. “Brother later spared him but wouldn’t let me associate with him. I can only go to the cultivation world to see him every half year, when Brother is in seclusion.”
Shen Liuxiang frowned slightly: “Why?”
“I don’t know,” Xu Xinglian shook her head, then sighed after a moment. “But I guess Brother might be afraid I’ll leave with Lu Qingyun, leaving him alone in the Imperial Palace. He once said that with you gone, he must wait until I ascend, to safely bring me to reunite with Father Emperor.”
Shen Liuxiang’s heart sank slightly. Could Xu Xingchen have gone down a dead-end path?
He asked a few more questions about Lu Qingyun: “What’s his cultivation level?”
Xu Xinglian: “His talent isn’t exceptional. More than a decade ago, he was at the Nascent Soul realm, but when I escaped the palace to see him recently, he was about to break through to the Soul Formation realm.”
Shen Liuxiang: “You escaped?”
Xu Xinglian nodded, holding his hand: “Elder Brother, Brother will probably listen to you. Please persuade him.”
With Shen Liuxiang gone, she had become Xu Xingchen’s only emotional support. Perhaps because he cared too much, was too cautious in protecting her, he couldn’t tolerate even the slightest disturbance.
Xu Xinglian knew this and felt some heartache, so even though she was treated that way by Xu Xingchen, she had never truly resented him.
She sighed slightly: “I know Brother has been supporting the Imperial Palace alone and hasn’t had an easy time these years. I also know he means well for me. I’ve never blamed him, it’s just… I don’t like it, don’t like how things are now.”
Shen Liuxiang was silent for a long time, then raised his hand to her head, patting it: “Don’t worry, leave it to me.”
Xu Xinglian gave a light “mm,” slightly curving her lips: “When there’s a chance, I’ll bring Qingyun to meet Elder Brother. He’s a good person; Elder Brother probably won’t dislike him.”
Seeing her mention Lu Qingyun, her brow relaxing, her face full of joy, still so fond after more than ten years, Shen Liuxiang realized it must be him and no one else.
Shen Liuxiang suddenly felt the heartache of having raised a little cabbage only for it to become someone else’s.
If he felt this way, Xu Xingchen, who had cherished Xu Xinglian since childhood, must feel it a thousand times more intensely. And thinking of Father Emperor knowing…
Shen Liuxiang shook his head.
Terrifying!
He silently lit a candle in his heart for Lu Qingyun.
Shen Liuxiang instructed Xu Xinglian to rest well and left the room. Outside the door, there was no sign of Xu Xingchen.
Shen Bobo hadn’t fully recovered yet and, feeling tired, transformed back to his original form and lay back in the cold spirit soil. When Shen Liuxiang asked about Xu Xingchen, a root immediately pointed, “In Father’s former room.”
Shen Liuxiang hurried over. A group of maidservants had just left, and Xu Xingchen placed a fruit platter on the table, saying without turning around: “I just had it rearranged. See if it suits your taste.”
Shen Liuxiang pondered for a moment, then said: “No need to prepare. I won’t be staying long.”
Xu Xingchen’s figure visibly stiffened. He turned around, his face darkening: “Where do you want to go?”
Shen Liuxiang: “I just came to see you both, to make sure you’re well. I’ve come to say goodbye, then I’ll return to Cangxue Residence.”
“Return to Cangxue Residence?” Xu Xingchen suddenly sneered, his face taking on a somewhat ferocious expression. “Since I’ve brought you back, I absolutely won’t let you leave again!”
Shen Liuxiang frowned.
Xu Xingchen suddenly developed many grievances, moving closer to him: “That day when I was trapped in the barrier by you, my cultivation was weak, there was nothing I could do, I could only receive news of your death. Now my cultivation is great, from now on everything will be decided by me, not you!”
Shen Liuxiang stepped back, but his arm was grabbed.
Xu Xingchen lowered his eyes, his gaze vicious, a phoenix feather appearing in his hand. He raised it and inserted it into Shen Liuxiang’s black hair: “I won’t hand you and Xinglian over to anyone again. You both must stay in the Imperial Palace, focus on cultivation, and ascend early to see Father Emperor.”
Shen Liuxiang stared at him for a long time: “What if I don’t?”
“I said, it’s not up to you,” Xu Xingchen’s thin lips curved slightly, appearing to smile, though his eyes were extremely cold. “Are you waiting for Zhou Xuanlan? He won’t be able to come.”
Shen Liuxiang frowned: “What did you do?”
“I merely trapped him,” Xu Xingchen saw his worried expression and his face darkened further. “He let you die. I hate him the most. Why is it that when you finally return, your first choice is still to find him?”
Shen Liuxiang explained: “You misunderstand, it wasn’t him who harmed me.”
“It’s all the same to me; the result was that you died!”
Xu Xingchen’s grip on Shen Liuxiang’s arm suddenly tightened, his fingers visibly turning white. “I won’t trust him again! Nor anyone else! I will guard you and Xinglian myself, until the day we see Father Emperor!”
Shen Liuxiang lowered his long eyelashes, falling into silence.
Xu Xingchen stared at him for a long while, gradually releasing his hand, coldly saying to rest early, then turned and left.
At the same time, a barrier enveloped the room.
Shen Liuxiang walked to the table, took an orange from the fruit platter and bit into it, paused, then lowered his eyes to look at it.
The orange, obtained from who knows where, was sweet even with its peel.
Shen Liuxiang became somewhat distracted until the reverse scale on his body stirred. He took out the reverse scale and unexpectedly heard the words “Master.”
Shen Liuxiang’s eyes widened, just as he was surprised that the reverse scale could speak, he suddenly realized the sound was coming from outside the window.
Shen Liuxiang walked to the window, raised his hand to open it, and met a pair of smiling black eyes.
A figure in black robes stood outside the window, shrouded in the night, reaching out a hand to him, his voice deep: “This disciple has come to steal Master again.”
Shen Liuxiang’s heart skipped a beat as he grasped the slender hand and climbed out of the windowsill: “Have you recovered your memories?” This was the action and words from when they were in Qilin City, when Xu Xingchen was watching him and wouldn’t let him leave, and Zhou Xuanlan came looking for him in the middle of the night.
Zhou Xuanlan didn’t answer, or perhaps couldn’t speak for a moment, only embracing Shen Liuxiang’s waist, holding him tightly in his arms.
The surroundings were exceptionally quiet, with a fallen leaf blown by the wind to Shen Liuxiang’s feet.
Shen Liuxiang didn’t know how long he had been held, but he reached out to stroke Zhou Xuanlan’s back: “What’s wrong? Are you still angry with me? I-I didn’t die on purpose. Master took me away urgently. I stayed in the Demon Palace for more than a decade, and Foster Brother wouldn’t let news spread outside so I could recover properly.”
Zhou Xuanlan’s fingers tightened: “I thought… Master had sacrificed me for the greater good.”
When Shen Liuxiang suddenly said “sorry” through the jade slip, he rushed over like a madman, only to find… just a cold corpse under the tree.
“How-how could that be possible,” Shen Liuxiang’s heart pounded, then he said loudly, “I couldn’t bear to see you upset!”
Zhou Xuanlan’s heart immediately felt as if it had been filled with sugar, so sweet that he didn’t know how to react. After a while, he finally suppressed his rising smile.
In the next moment, he seemed to remember something, his expression becoming uncertain.
Zhou Xuanlan was anxious.
He had thrown his master out of the sleeping palace, made him sleep in the corridor for ten days, and he had also forced his master…
Zhou Xuanlan’s Adam’s apple bobbed: “This disciple knows he was wrong.”
“Hmm?” Shen Liuxiang was confused, then suddenly understood. “It’s fine! The corridor wasn’t actually cold, nor was it too hard. In the future, you can sleep in the corridor; don’t worry about not sleeping well!”
“…Alright,” Zhou Xuanlan said, “I’ll listen to Master.”
Shen Liuxiang’s lips curved in satisfaction as he moved out of his embrace: “Then do you still remember the memories in your primordial spirit?”
Zhou Xuanlan stared at him, his gaze becoming deep and profound: “I remember. I also know why I protected Master’s primordial spirit, why I would defy heaven to bring Master back.”
Just as Shen Liuxiang was about to inquire further, Zhou Xuanlan grasped his wrist: “It’s a long story. Master, come away with me first.”
Shen Liuxiang was stunned.
In Xu Xingchen’s vast sleeping palace, no lights were lit in the deep night. Moonlight streamed in through the windows, falling on the floor, giving off a cold feeling.
The incense burner in the corner emitted wisps of clear smoke in the silence, spreading a rich, calming aroma that filled the air. A single breath would make an ordinary person dizzy.
But Xu Xingchen felt nothing.
He had removed his dazzling crown, his hair loose, sitting alone on the floor pouring wine. After sensing the disturbance in the barrier, he curved his lips and drank the wine in one gulp.
Shen Liuxiang was probably frightened by him and had left…
Xinglian, Xinglian was leaving too.
Everyone was leaving.
Xu Xingchen thought silently, what was this? Weren’t they a family? Why did they all want to leave, abandoning him alone in the cold, desolate Imperial Palace?
He wasn’t like Father Emperor; he couldn’t endure such loneliness.
But besides endurance, there was no other way.
Before Xinglian woke up, he had endured a long year alone. During the day, in front of others, he wore a mask, appearing perfect in every way, not revealing any weakness. Only at night could he rest, keeping vigil by Xinglian’s side, waiting for her to wake up.
He thought that once Xinglian woke up, everything would get better, but what he hoped for didn’t come true.
Xinglian was his sister; he couldn’t show his weak side to her. On the contrary, he should be her support, letting her live without worries.
But Xinglian’s cultivation was thousands of miles behind his. When the ascension tribulation came, if he left, Xinglian would be all alone on this continent, surrounded by wolves and tigers.
So he made Xinglian diligently cultivate, pushing her to improve her cultivation day and night.
But Xinglian wasn’t happy. Time and again, she asked him not to force her, and after being ignored, she gradually distanced herself from him. When she was caught meeting with Lu Qingyun in private, those eyes he had watched grow from childhood showed fear of him.
Xu Xingchen didn’t understand why she should fear him.
He was, after all, the person in this world who loved Xinglian the most.
And then there was Shen Liuxiang… this bad elder brother who only cared about Zhou Xuanlan, who never had him in his thoughts!
Not caring at all how much effort he had put into finding him! How happy he was to see him again! As soon as Zhou Xuanlan came, just like countless times in the past, he ran off with him, as if escaping!
He and Xinglian were the same; the most important person in their hearts was not him.
He, Xu Xingchen, was always the one left behind!
Xu Xingchen suddenly felt infinite resentment, picking up the empty wine pot and throwing it into the air. But the expected shattering sound didn’t come; instead, there was an “Eh!” of surprise.
Somewhat familiar.
Xu Xingchen was stunned, suddenly raising his head.
The red-clothed youth held the wine pot, shook it slightly, raised an eyebrow, his handsome face revealing a teasing smile, asking: “Who are you losing your temper with?”
Xu Xingchen widened his eyes: “Why haven’t you left yet?”
Shen Liuxiang sniffed the strong fragrance in the air, taking two whiffs nearly made him dizzy. He first extinguished the incense, then sat down in front of Xu Xingchen. “Why burn such strong calming incense? Are you trying to suffocate yourself?”
Xu Xingchen opened his mouth: “Otherwise I can’t sleep.”
Shen Liuxiang fell silent, raising his right hand to rub the top of Xu Xingchen’s head: “You won’t need incense anymore.”
Xu Xingchen awkwardly turned his head away, not letting Shen Liuxiang touch him: “Without calming incense, I can’t sleep.”
Shen Liuxiang looked at his messy hair, smiled: “It’s fine, I can play the erhu for you to help you sleep.”
Xu Xingchen: “…”
After a moment, he realized what was said, widening his eyes: “Where will you play the erhu, in the Imperial Palace? Weren’t you leaving?”
Shen Liuxiang blinked: “Emperor Xingchen won’t let me leave, I wouldn’t dare.”
Xu Xingchen was stunned, knowing Shen Liuxiang was teasing him, but his cheeks still couldn’t help but flush slightly red: “Stop lying. Where’s Zhou Xuanlan? Didn’t that bastard come? How could he bear not to take you away?”
Shen Liuxiang’s left wrist tightened, he coughed lightly: “I sent him away.”
Xu Xingchen looked at him suspiciously, clearly not believing Zhou Xuanlan would give up so easily, nor that Shen Liuxiang would simply stay.
Under his gaze, Shen Liuxiang raised his left eyebrow slightly. “Alright, let’s talk about the real issue.”
“Lu Qingyun? There’s nothing to discuss.” Xu Xingchen’s tone was cold and hard, clearly someone who ruthlessly breaks up lovers, cold and merciless.
Shen Liuxiang was surprised: “You’ve become smarter.”
Xu Xingchen snorted. He had always been smart; how could he not guess what Shen Liuxiang wanted to discuss? “Lu Qingyun is just a small wandering cultivator, yet he wants to take Xinglian away. What a daydream.”
Shen Liuxiang: “So you play the villain, openly putting him down while secretly guiding him, wanting him to improve his cultivation quickly.”
Hearing this, Xu Xingchen reacted like a cat whose tail had been stepped on: “I didn’t guide him! I just threw some powerful techniques at him…”
Halfway through his words, Xu Xingchen realized what he’d said, seeing Shen Liuxiang laughing unrestrained, his face alternating between pale and flushed, wishing he could cover his mouth.
After laughing enough, Shen Liuxiang continued: “You told Lu Qingyun to leave Xinglian, he refused, so you nearly beat him until his soul scattered. Xinglian threatened suicide, and only then did you stop.”
Xu Xingchen laughed with utter coldness: “Yes.”
Shen Liuxiang stroked his chin, pondering: “Actually, you wanted to test how much Lu Qingyun liked Xinglian, right? Even if Xinglian hadn’t done that, if he was willing to die rather than leave, you would have stopped anyway.”
Xu Xingchen exploded a bit: “No.”
Shen Liuxiang: “You go into seclusion once every half year, and Xinglian always takes this opportunity to sneak out to the cultivation world to see him. That’s deliberate on your part, isn’t it?”
Xu Xingchen was uncomfortable: “I don’t.”
Shen Liuxiang: “When you think Lu Qingyun has enough strength to take care of Xinglian, you’ll let her leave the Imperial Palace, right?”
Xu Xingchen’s composure completely shattered: “Don’t talk nonsense!”
After hearing three denials, Shen Liuxiang shook his head and said earnestly: “You should tell Xinglian.”
Xu Xingchen immediately said: “If I tell her, Lu Qingyun will know too.”
That Lu Qingyun’s talent wasn’t high to begin with. Without some stimulation to make him strive harder, by the time he ascended and left, the man still wouldn’t have the ability to protect Xinglian.
And hatred and resentment, for a person, is the fastest way to grow-he had deep experience with this.
Shen Liuxiang blinked: “Oh, you admit it.”
Xu Xingchen’s face darkened. After a while, he flicked his sleeve dryly, “You’re still so annoying.”
Shen Liuxiang asked: “You find me annoying?”
Xu Xingchen: “Yes! Understand?”
Shen Liuxiang clicked his tongue, resting his head on his hand, as if lost in memories: “But I don’t know who it was who said that even if no one liked me anymore, even if everyone went to like Su Baiche, he would still persist in liking me.”
Xu Xingchen’s face instantly reddened. He reached for Shen Liuxiang’s left hand, but was quickly dodged. So he grabbed Shen Liuxiang’s arm, pulled him up, and pushed him all the way to the door.
“I need to rest now, don’t bother me. Go back to Xuanyao Palace!”
Shen Liuxiang: “I said Emperor Xingchen doesn’t allow it, I wouldn’t dare.”
Xu Xingchen: “I allow it, I allow it, I allow it.”
Shen Liuxiang burst into laughter. Facing Xu Xingchen’s furious face, he suddenly reached out and ruffled his hair: “Rest well, don’t burn calming incense anymore. If you can’t sleep, come out and talk to me. I’ll be outside watching over you.”
Xu Xingchen’s lips trembled: “I’m not a child who needs someone to watch over me.”
Shen Liuxiang: “But you’re younger than me. I’m your big brother.”
Xu Xingchen’s fingertips tightened slightly as he closed the door.
Shen Liuxiang lowered his eyes, moved to the side, and sat cross-legged.
From his sleeve, a small black dragon emerged, with one of its horns missing a small part, not yet fully healed.
The little dragon tilted its head, looking at him with black eyes.
Shen Liuxiang curved his lips in a low laugh: “You look… kind of cute like this.”
Zhou Xuanlan’s face darkened, and he sullenly wrapped around Shen Liuxiang’s left wrist again, placing the blame on Xu Xingchen.
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(advanced chapters available on kofi)
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