“Shixiong—”
Lin Shijin, wearing a mask, approached Sheng Rufei. Beneath it, his eyes curved slightly with a smile. He instinctively wanted to leap forward, but quickly realised it would be inappropriate.
He stood obediently before Sheng Rufei. The chain on his wrist had drifted away and disappeared, but he paid it no mind.
Sheng Rufei, seeing him pause, had been ready to catch him. His fingertips twitched, but when the youth didn’t lunge, they relaxed again.
“Shixiong, are you guarding this place?” Lin Shijin observed the many attendants stationed around the boats, making passage difficult.
Sheng Rufei hummed in response, glancing behind him before lowering his gaze. “How have you been these past two days? You weren’t with Su Lian, were you?”
He had just seen Su Lian with the immortal disciples and knew clearly the young man was not alongside him.
“We were on separate missions. I was with Ye Lang…” Lin Shijin mentioned Ye Lang, suddenly remembering him. He turned, but Ye Lang was gone. Still, the golden mark on his wrist remained, so finding him would be simple.
“Did you encounter any danger?”
“Yes. I went to the underground demon city…” Lin Shijin recalled, then asked, “Shixiong, did you place the golden curse on my wrist?”
Sheng Rufei paused. “The golden curse was triggered?”
His eyes hardened slightly as he spoke.
“It’s a long story,” Lin Shijin said, glancing at the scourge-slayer stationed nearby. “Shixiong, are you busy right now?”
He wasn’t sure if his presence might disturb Sheng Rufei. He hesitated, and a guard stepped forward. Sheng Rufei whispered something to him.
“Follow me.”
Scourge-Slayer Envoys were figures both feared and respected. Lin Shijin followed Sheng Rufei, noticing as they approached that boats were moored beneath the bridge. Sheng Rufei led him into one.
Inside, the boat was furnished much like a regular room. Once inside, Lin Shijin relaxed a little; the golden curse on his wrist was no longer visible.
“Su Lian and I separated long ago. Another disciple from the group accompanied me,” Lin Shijin said. “We encountered some accidents in the underground demon city…”
He had no reason to hide the details from Sheng Rufei and recounted everything, including why the golden curse had activated.
Sheng Rufei asked casually, “He was poisoned by demonic venom. How was it cured?”
Lin Shijin explained, “I sought the herbs myself, going into the Yin Forest where a six-eyed demon beast guarded them.”
He recalled that he hadn’t killed the six-eyed demon beast. It had died on its own for reasons unknown. And the sensation at the time…
He kept that uncertainty to himself for now.
Sheng Rufei asked, “Were you injured?”
“Just minor scratches. I’ll recover quickly.”
“I didn’t see Ye Lang, but with the golden mark on his wrist, he’ll be easy to find.” Lin Shijin was unsure how to proceed.
Seemingly sensing his thoughts, Sheng Rufei said, “It’s fine. I’ll discuss this with Su Lian first, then report it to the Sect Leader. You don’t need to stay with him anymore.”
“I’ll speak to Su Lian. For the rest of the time, you’ll stay with me.”
And so, everything circled back to Sheng Rufei.
Lin Shijin racked his brains, feeling as though his efforts to gather useful information had been in vain.
“Shixiong, I went to the underground demon city with Ye Lang. The demons initially welcomed us, but he said we’d fallen into a trap. I was asleep and didn’t know what happened.”
“The demons never really welcomed us. Even though we’re demons ourselves, they must have known we were outsiders.”
“And during the Ghost Exorcism Festival over the past two days, they must have been active.”
Sheng Rufei hummed, meeting the youth’s gaze and lightly tapping his head with a fingertip. “The demons don’t trust you because they have priests who can tell you aren’t from their realm. They’ll act during these two days; the city has been ambushed. We’ll catch them immediately.”
Lin Shijin said, “Oh,” realising Sheng Rufei knew everything. He made no move to avoid Sheng Rufei’s touch. After finishing his explanation, Sheng Rufei’s fingertips landed on his mask. He gazed at him quietly, then asked softly, “You said he gave you tea to make you sleepy. Did he do anything else?”
Lin Shijin felt embarrassed. He thought it had been a simple sleep-inducing tea. After drinking it, he’d felt drowsy and remembered nothing afterward.
“I don’t remember… probably not,” he murmured. “Only my ears hurt a little when I woke, nothing else.”
Ye Lang had been imprisoned at the time; he wouldn’t have harmed him.
“Do you want me to check?” Sheng Rufei asked, a hint of concern in his voice. The youth’s absent-minded nature meant he might not even be aware of what happened while unconscious.
Lin Shijin blinked, confused. “Check what…?” Could it be his injuries? He didn’t feel much pain. Then he remembered the curse Jun Yewu had placed on him.
In a world of cultivation, curses could be cast without the victim knowing, especially since he had been asleep.
“Shixiong… how should I do this?” Lin Shijin asked belatedly, recalling Sheng Rufei’s earlier question.
“I didn’t notice at the time… I didn’t feel uncomfortable,” he admitted.
Apart from his ear, he assumed Ye Lang had merely pulled on it while he was out cold.
“Should I remove my clothes?” he ventured, meeting Sheng Rufei’s cold expression. Sheng Rufei remained silent, which Lin Shijin took as tacit consent.
There were only the two of them. Lin Shijin sat on the soft couch, very close. He removed his outer robe and inner garment, leaving his fingertips resting on his inner layer.
Meeting Sheng Rufei’s gaze, he said, “Shixiong, didn’t you say one shouldn’t casually remove undergarments before marriage?”
He remembered Sheng Rufei’s words, but now it seemed another exception was being made.
“It is as you say,” Sheng Rufei nodded slightly, pressing his fingertips against Lin Shijin’s collar. “This will do.”
“Then… how should I be examined, Shixiong?” Lin Shijin asked, puzzled, quickly realising Sheng Rufei was lifting a small part of his collar as before.
Even knowing Sheng Rufei was only concerned, he felt embarrassed. Leaning back slightly, he supported himself with his fingertips. The touch of Sheng Rufei’s fingers against his skin made him uneasy.
As he leaned, his mask strap loosened and fell. Lin Shijin felt a tickle at his waist, instinctively clutching Sheng Rufei’s collar.
“Shixiong… should you… see everything?”
It would be simpler to remove the clothing entirely. Inch by inch, being touched like this was almost unbearable.
Sheng Rufei’s fingers brushed his side, his gaze unreadable. “How did you get this injury?”
He looked at the small bruise, likely from falling during the six-eyed demon beast encounter.
“I fell while fighting the six-eyed demon beast,” Lin Shijin said. He’d applied medicine the day before; the facial wound was gone, but the bruise remained.
Sheng Rufei pressed a fingertip against it. Lin Shijin flinched and instinctively burrowed into Sheng Rufei’s embrace. He recalled that begging would always make Sheng Rufei acquiesce.
“Shixiong… it hurts.”
Clutching Sheng Rufei’s clothes, he moved closer. Sheng Rufei stiffened slightly, whispering, “Don’t move.”
Though his voice was firm, his touch softened, gently supporting him, wary of him falling on the couch.
The more he was told not to move, the more he wanted to. Lin Shijin stared at Sheng Rufei’s icy expression, curious about his reactions, especially when he wasn’t composed.
Unable to suppress his thoughts, he first pinched Sheng Rufei’s collar, then snuggled into his arms. His cheek brushed against Sheng Rufei’s clothes, carrying the familiar, pleasant scent of fallen plum blossoms.
“Shixiong… this is so troublesome. Can I just take it off and show you?
“After seeing it, won’t you know if anything’s wrong?”
Lin Shijin rested in Sheng Rufei’s arms, feeling the person he held stiffen like stone. Sheng Rufei’s expression remained indifferent, movements slightly stiff. His gaze fell on Lin Shijin, then quickly shifted away. His tone was cool.
“We’re not married. If you remove your undergarments in front of me, I will consider you mine. I’ll involve myself in everything you do. Would you accept that?”
Lin Shijin thought Sheng Rufei’s reasoning twisted. He whispered, “But we’re examining an injury… if you accidentally saw someone else, would it be the same?”
He hadn’t considered that Sheng Rufei could refuse entirely. If Sheng Rufei didn’t wish it, he wouldn’t even glance at anyone else.
Sheng Rufei replied, “No.”
Only this youth was special. Bearing hatred since childhood, walking a different path from others, he was clearly a gift from heaven. Bound by a soul-bond, inseparable, truly only his.
Lin Shijin had no idea what Sheng Rufei was thinking. He asked impulsively, “Why can’t I?”
Perhaps Sheng Rufei wished to control him, to see him disciplined.
“No means no.”
Seeing the youth still energetic, Sheng Rufei wrapped his fingers around his waist, reaching back to something furry, nudging it upwards.
Lin Shijin’s face instantly turned scarlet. Clinging to Sheng Rufei, he instinctively gripped his clothes, collapsing into his arms.
“Shixiong… what… are you doing?” His face was flushed. Even touching a tail had never felt this strange. He looked up, meeting Sheng Rufei’s cold eyes, fingers gripping the collar.
Sheng Rufei paused, then lightly smoothed the fur, whispering, “Don’t move.”
His deep voice brushed Lin Shijin’s ear. Pressed against Sheng Rufei’s chest, he felt the other’s heartbeat slightly faster than usual.
“Why can’t I move? It hurts where you’re touching.”
Lin Shijin wrinkled his nose at the calluses on Sheng Rufei’s hands. He pressed closer, taking advantage of Sheng Rufei’s inability to resist, lifting his head to meet those deep, unfathomable eyes.
