Lin Shijin’s face had already been warm, and Su Lian’s words only made him more embarrassed. He was not very familiar with these people; they were somewhat closer to Sheng Rufei than to him.
Besides Chunhe, Mu Wanqing, and Su Lian, there was also a youth following behind Su Lian who was a disciple from Medicine Peak. Lin Shijin found him vaguely familiar; they had met once in Fuguang.
The youth’s features were plain enough, but his eyes were pitch-black, deeper than those of ordinary disciples.
Lin Shijin glanced at him once before withdrawing his gaze. Sheng Rufei was still standing in front of him. Sometimes Lin Shijin felt that Sheng Rufei was actually rather possessive. For instance now, when he stood firmly before him as though unwilling for others to see him.
He had the feeling that Su Lian might already have noticed something. Reaching out, he touched Sheng Rufei’s wrist with his fingertips. Sheng Rufei tilted his head slightly.
“Shixiong,” Lin Shijin whispered, “you’re being a bit too obvious.”
Su Lian and the others had come to receive them. Lin Shijin and Sheng Rufei walked at the back, some distance behind the others. Walking side by side, Lin Shijin leaned closer to whisper to him.
“I feel like they might already have guessed.”
As he spoke, Sheng Rufei lowered his head slightly and gave a quiet hum in response. His fingers closed lightly around Lin Shijin’s wrist, urging him to keep close.
“It doesn’t matter.”
Since Sheng Rufei was not worried, Lin Shijin decided there was no need for him to worry either.
They made their way to the inn. The street was not a suitable place to talk. Su Lian had already arranged two adjoining rooms for them, with Sheng Rufei next door.
“Go back and settle yourselves first,” Su Lian said. “Later come to my room. There are matters we need to discuss.”
No one objected. Su Lian had already assigned the rooms, and he was always thorough in such matters. Besides, Sheng Rufei was right next door. If he wanted to slip over at night, it would be easy enough.
Their rooms were all on the second floor. Lin Shijin told Sheng Rufei, “Shixiong, I’ll come and find you in a bit,” and then, rather too deliberately casual, returned to his own room.
Before going in, he seemed to feel a dark gaze settle on him… heavy with anger and gloom. Sensing something, he turned his head, but saw nothing.
He made a note of it and decided he would tell Sheng Rufei later. Using his token to unlock the door, he stepped inside.
Supposedly to tidy up, Lin Shijin took a few things from his storage pouch. Fuheng had not spoken to him all day, so he called into the air.
“Fuheng?”
Perhaps he had fallen asleep again, Lin Shijin thought.
A figure appeared before him. Fuheng stood there with a face identical to his own, frowning as he looked at him.
Only then did Lin Shijin realise that Fuheng might have been beside him the entire time and had been able to see everything.
Everything he and Sheng Rufei had done. He might even know what he sounded like when he whimpered while being kissed…
Even though it was technically himself, the thought still felt terribly awkward.
Lin Shijin scratched his cheek slightly, embarrassed. “You hadn’t said anything. I thought you’d fallen asleep again.”
Lin Fuheng let out a cold laugh.
“So you still remember me? I thought you’d already forgotten what you promised.”
This useless little fool was not only stupid, but easily deceived as well. His loyalties bent outward so readily that he had practically handed himself over entirely. How could he possibly still remember him?
“What did I promise?” Lin Shijin genuinely could not recall promising anything. Still, there was something he wanted to ask of Fuheng.
“Fuheng, there’s something I’d like your help with,” he said quietly. “You’ve been hiding beside me this whole time without anyone discovering you. Your cultivation must be very high.”
At the very least higher than Sheng Rufei’s. Even Feng Rugao had never noticed him. Perhaps he was even on the same level.
“I want to improve my cultivation,” Lin Shijin said, “but my aptitude is too poor.”
There was something else he did not say: he trusted Fuheng inexplicably. Somehow he felt that asking him was the right choice, though he could not explain where that instinct came from.
“Can you help me?”
“Shizun once tried to refine my bones, but I stopped because I was afraid of the pain. Afterwards he found a Snow Lotus Sacred Heart for me.”
Lin Shijin spoke with some embarrassment. He was terribly afraid of pain and had barely been able to endure it. But being forced into something and choosing it himself were entirely different matters.
“Why refine your bones?” Lin Fuheng said with a sinister edge, letting out a cold snort. “Only he would come up with such a stupid method.”
Lin Shijin: “…”
If this really was his former self, then his past self must have been extremely irritating.
“Cultivation does depend on aptitude,” Lin Fuheng continued. “Primarily because aptitude determines how much sword intent the body can bear. But that does not mean a person with poor aptitude cannot reach a high level.”
“Your constitution simply isn’t suited to his method. Your bones are naturally weak.”
Closing his eyes, he fell silent for a moment. What remained of him now was only a fragment of soul. There was not much he could teach the youth.
But it would certainly be far better than anything Feng Rugao could offer.
“Poor aptitude does not necessarily mean poor cultivation. Some disciples of immortal sects, after finding the right method, reach levels no lower than those with superior talent.”
“The key lies in sword intent.”
“The reason I suggested improving your aptitude is that if your bones are weak, bearing powerful sword intent will damage your body… though the damage itself is not especially severe.”
Lin Shijin frowned. “What sort of damage?”
Lin Fuheng opened his eyes and looked at him. After a pause, he said, “It will shorten your lifespan. You may lose ten years, perhaps more.”
Ten years less of life, and that was not severe damage?
Lin Shijin drew in a quiet breath. Still, since this might truly be his former self, surely he would not deliberately ruin him.
“…Will it hurt?”
“No.” Lin Fuheng knew perfectly well that his reincarnation would fear pain. “It won’t hurt. At most it will be tiring. What you must endure… is something far harder to bear than pain.”
Lin Shijin was rather bewildered. He felt he should at least confirm things himself rather than blindly trusting Fuheng, so he asked casually,
“What exactly are you going to teach me?”
“The Wusheng Sword Intent,” Lin Fuheng said. “Originally I did not intend to teach it to you. Your aptitude is poor; it would shorten your life. But since you came to ask me yourself, I have changed my mind.”
“Why?” Lin Shijin asked instinctively.
Lin Fuheng did not answer.
The youth had not yet recovered Qiushui, and dangers surrounded him. For safety’s sake, it was better to force some growth now. Whatever could be improved, improve it.
As for the matter of lifespan, he would find a way to resolve it later.
Lin Shijin wanted to press further, but a knock sounded at the door. His attention was drawn away. Fuheng vanished before him.
Lin Shijin went to open the door. Outside stood Sheng Rufei. The moment he saw him, all other thoughts vanished. His mind and heart both settled entirely on him.
“Shixiong?”
Lin Shijin stepped aside to let him in. “Are you finished already?”
Sheng Rufei gave a quiet hum.
“I came to wait for you.”
“I’ve been done for ages. There wasn’t much to tidy up anyway.” Lin Shijin felt a warm sweetness spreading through him. Looking at Sheng Rufei’s wooden expression, he tugged him over to sit.
“Shixiong, what should we tell Su Lian-shixiong and the others later?”
Sheng Rufei sat beside him and silently set up a barrier in the room.
“Listen to what they say first,” he said.
“Do not mention the sacred object. And do not let Su Lian know there is a soul spirit following you. If he asks, answer vaguely.”
After a moment’s thought he added, “If he asks why we went to Jinyue Temple, simply say we passed by on the way.”
Lin Shijin nodded obediently. “All right. Anything else?”
He could simply speak less. Besides, he was not particularly familiar with the others anyway.
“No.”
Lin Shijin’s fingers idly traced the jade lock at his neck, though strictly speaking it now belonged to him.
“Shixiong… when we return from Su Lian-shixiong’s later, can I sleep with you tonight?”
Only then did he notice the tiny characters engraved on the jade. Seeing Sheng Rufei’s name, his eyes lit up. He leaned closer and pointed at the inscription.
“Shixiong, your name is on it!”
“Is this a family heirloom? And you just gave it to me?”
His heart felt sweet and warm. He studied it closely. The engraving was somewhat clumsy, but he did not mind in the least. He kissed the jade twice before tucking it carefully into his robes.
“It isn’t worth much,” Sheng Rufei said, lips tightening slightly. “I’ve worn it since I was born.”
“Perhaps it was left to me by my parents.”
Lin Shijin listened quietly. This was the first time Sheng Rufei had spoken of such things.
Holding the warm jade in his hands, he examined it again. Besides Sheng Rufei’s name, there were also strange patterns carved into the surface.
“So precious. This is Shixiong’s token of love. I must keep it safe.”
Sheng Rufei looked at the youth beside him.
Lin Shijin was clearly delighted. Even while sitting he swung his legs lightly, his eyes bright with unhidden joy as he continued admiring the jade.
“I’ll buy you better things in future,” Sheng Rufei said.
“All right!” Lin Shijin beamed even more brightly. He wrapped his arms around Sheng Rufei and rubbed against him, his lips brushing his cheek as he said in a coaxing tone,
“I don’t only want this. I want lots of things.”
“Snacks. Tea. Picture storybooks.”
“In future Shixiong must buy them all for me.”
A faint blush spread across Sheng Rufei’s ears. He remained silent for quite some time before finally saying in a low voice,
“In this city you can exchange demon bones for silver. I saved some at Jinyue Temple. Tomorrow I can trade them for you.”
Jinyue Temple… Lin Shijin remembered that it had once been controlled by Jun Yewu. It made sense that there would be demon bones there, since Jun Yewu’s subordinates had all been demons.
It was easy enough to imagine how those bones had been obtained.
“Shixiong is amazing,” Lin Shijin said instinctively.
He leaned over to nuzzle him again and asked with curiosity, “So how much are you planning to give me?”
“All of it,” Sheng Rufei replied.
At that moment Lin Fuheng’s voice sounded from the side, cold and dripping with sarcasm.
“What are demon bones worth? Unless he can extract a fifth-rank bone or higher, and keep it completely intact.”
“You’ve attached yourself to a pauper. Your future hardships will be endless.”
Lin Shijin pretended not to hear. Just hearing that Sheng Rufei would give him everything made his heart melt. He felt strangely moved. Sheng Rufei had not even given it to him yet, and he was already this touched.
He was finished. Completely lost to Sheng Rufei.
“Shixiong treats me so well,” Lin Shijin murmured. “I’ll remember it all.”
His gaze drifted again to Sheng Rufei’s ears. Sheng Rufei’s expression rarely changed, but his ears betrayed him easily.
They reddened when he kissed him, reddened when Lin Shijin kissed him, reddened when he praised him… quietly revealing his true feelings.
“Shixiong…”
Lin Shijin lightly touched the tip of his ear with his finger, amused. Then he leaned forward and brushed it gently with his lips.
His voice dropped. “Are you shy?”
The moment he kissed him, Sheng Rufei froze completely, like a statue.
Then, in a slightly stiff motion, Sheng Rufei stood up… and vanished from the room.
