Wenren Li did not refute Chen Yixin’s words. He clasped Chen Yixin’s hand, their fingers interlocked, and lifted his gaze to focus intently on him. Within his sea of consciousness, his silver tree merely maintained an appropriate defense; for the most part, he was simply indulging Chen Yixin’s antics.
Chen Yixin had grown tremendously over the past two years, but Wenren Li had been continuously absorbing the relics and recovering his strength. The extent of his own growth was likely beyond anything Chen Yixin could imagine.
Chen Yixin curled up slightly against Wenren Li’s chest. He was breathing heavily, his eyes dazed, while sweat dampened his forehead and the bridge of his nose. Fighting on two fronts at once consumed an enormous amount of energy.
Before he could fully regain his senses, Wenren Li had already pinned him beneath him again. Chen Yixin glanced at Wenren Li. The flaming phoenix within Wenren Li’s sea of consciousness let out a triumphant cry before flying back into Chen Yixin’s own sea of consciousness.
“A-Li, do you know how impressive I am now?” Even if he had been pinned down again, it could not erase the fact that he had successfully pinned Wenren Li beneath him earlier. In all the world, he alone could accomplish such a feat. How could he not feel a little proud?
Wenren Li lowered his head and kissed the corner of Chen Yixin’s lips.
“A-Rong is impressive.”
Receiving such acknowledgment, Chen Yixin’s eyes curved into crescents. As a reward, he pecked Wenren Li on the cheek and said enthusiastically, “Then let’s continue.”
After all that initiative, he had stirred up both his own passion and Wenren Li’s. Two years had already passed, so there was no need to begrudge them this little bit of intimacy.
A month later, the door of the small wooden house finally opened.
His divine flames had undergone a transformation, and the influence of Wenren Li’s aura upon them had weakened. Overall, Chen Yixin was in fairly good spirits. Looking out at the field of mutated Phoenix Flowers, he beckoned with a hand. The blossoms that had bloomed without fading for two years rapidly withered away, then condensed into a silver-blue sphere of light.
When the flowers had been spread throughout the field, it had not been obvious. Once condensed together, however, it became clear that these mutated Phoenix Flowers contained the power of divine punishment. The power of divine punishment, normally unimaginably dangerous, now rested peacefully within the sphere.
“So that’s how it is.”
Muttering to himself, Chen Yixin summoned a flame from his body. It coiled together into the shape of a phoenix egg. Then, with a clear phoenix cry, the flames completed their transformation into the form of a blue-flamed phoenix.
Even the tiniest spark would now take the form of a blue-flamed phoenix. This was the true result of Chen Yixin’s two years of enlightenment, fully taking shape at this moment. He had given his divine flames the form most suited to them—and the form capable of unleashing their greatest power.
“My Soul Flame is named Gui.”
From this day onward, this flame would serve as the vessel of Chen Yixin’s soul. Gui meant return and reunion. At the same time, it signified that Chen Yixin had comprehended another use for these flames beyond their devastating destructive power—the return of souls.
The divine aura surrounding Chen Yixin disappeared. He formed several more seals and sent them into his own body.
He was now capable of breaking through to the Immortal Emperor realm at any moment. However, Taixuan could not yet withstand such a breakthrough. At the very least, it would have to wait until Wenren Li had absorbed the relics within both divine wells.
“Immortal Emperors are divided into nine grades. Beyond the Immortal Emperor realm lies an entirely new beginning.”
Wenren Li walked over and spoke these words. Originally, he had intended to remind Chen Yixin not to become overly proud, but when he saw the look in Chen Yixin’s eyes, he instinctively altered what he was about to say.
“However, A-Rong is indeed very impressive.”
And he truly was.
From the moment he hatched until now, only a little over three hundred thousand years had passed. With merely a heavenly tribulation remaining, he would enter the ranks of the Immortal Emperors. How could that not be impressive? If he felt proud, it was entirely justified.
Chen Yixin wrapped his arms around Wenren Li’s neck, rose onto his toes, and pressed his cheek against his.
“I think so too.”
Having broken through, he would be happy. Looking before leaping had never been Chen Yixin’s style.
After embracing Chen Yixin for a while, Wenren Li wrapped an arm around his waist and slowly carried him away from the flower field where they had remained for two years.
Their destination was the Demon Palace of the Southern Domain, which they had left nearly three years ago.
Not only had the Demon Generals and Demon Guards’ loyalty and admiration for Chen Yixin and Wenren Li not diminished during their absence, it had grown even stronger. Stories about the two of them had become increasingly exaggerated throughout the cultivation world, and a wave of worship for Wenren Li and Chen Yixin had swept across Taixuan. Both the Immortal and Demon paths, and even the mortal world, were affected.
“Your Majesty and Young Highness have returned.”
An Cheng looked even rounder than before. Although his way of addressing Chen Yixin had not changed, his attitude had. What had once been affection was now heartfelt respect.
“Mhm.”
Chen Yixin slipped out of Wenren Li’s embrace and smiled as he nodded to An Cheng. Instead of returning to the palace he shared with Wenren Li, he headed directly toward the two divine wells in the rear courtyard.
An Cheng’s cheerful expression immediately stiffened and transformed into concern.
The return of Chen Yixin would likely delight everyone in the Demon Palace. The only exceptions were probably the two divine wells that had long since been traumatized by his threats.
As Chen Yixin strolled over while holding Wenren Li’s hand, he encountered Ze Fang and Qiu Yi, who were approaching from the direction of the Medicine Pavilion.
“Greetings, Demon Lord and Demon Consort.”
Ze Fang knelt on one knee, while Qiu Yi bowed respectfully.
“You may rise.”
Wenren Li nodded and gestured for them not to stand on ceremony.
Chen Yixin glanced at them, then released Wenren Li’s hand.
“A-Li, go discuss matters with Ze Fang and the others. I’ll join you shortly.”
What Chen Yixin intended to do was obvious from both his destination and direction.
Wenren Li lowered his gaze to the hand that had just released his. After a brief hesitation, he nodded.
Meanwhile, both Qiu Yi and An Cheng, who had arrived behind them, widened their eyes. With Wenren Li absent, no one would be able to stop Chen Yixin. What were they supposed to do now?
Wenren Li and Ze Fang headed toward the conference hall, while Qiu Yi and An Cheng followed nervously behind Chen Yixin. No matter how many times Chen Yixin glared at them, they refused to leave. Yet they also dared not actually try to dissuade him.
Just before entering the rear courtyard, Chen Yixin turned and glanced at the two of them once more. Then he ignored them completely and proceeded directly toward the Three Lives Well.
Standing before it, he looked down into the mouth of the well.
Surprisingly, he did not tamper with the divine well at all.
Instead, a silver-blue sphere appeared in his palm. Chen Yixin casually tossed it up and down twice.
“This is the greatest tonic in all of Taixuan—no, in both the Lower and Upper Realms.”
Containing the power of divine punishment while remaining so gentle and harmless, his words were not exaggerated in the slightest.
Even for Wenren Li and Chen Yixin themselves, it was a rare treasure. The fact that he was willing to use it to feed the well meant he was undoubtedly planning something significant.
As he spoke, a strand separated from the sphere and slowly entered the well.
Chen Yixin—and even Qiu Yi and An Cheng outside—could feel the divine well tremble.
It was an unmistakably delighted tremble.
A faint smile appeared on Chen Yixin’s lips.
Then the sphere vanished from his palm.
Stepping closer to the Three Lives Well, he made his demand directly:
“I want to know about the Otherworldly Demon puppet.”
Tempted by the tonic, the divine well hesitated very little before displaying the images.
A naked “Wenren Li” lay upon a bed of immortal jade. A hand rested atop his head.
His eyes slowly opened.
The previously vacant gaze gradually focused.
His lips moved slightly, forming a single word.
Whether it was “Yu” or “Xu,” however, was impossible to determine.
That was the name bestowed upon the Otherworldly Demon puppet in the Upper Realm—the title that had once belonged to Wenren Li.
The scene shifted.
It showed a more recent event.
The puppet sat drinking wine within the garden of some heavenly palace. Leaning against him was a graceful woman.
When she turned her head slightly, Chen Yixin finally saw her face clearly.
It was Imperial Daughter Lan Xin—the same woman who had once caused trouble for both him and Wenren Li, and whom he had mocked as a fool.
The image lasted only briefly. Showing more risked alerting either the Otherworldly Demon puppet itself or the surviving Nangong and Dongfang in the Upper Realm.
Ripples spread across the usually still surface of the Three Lives Well.
It was begging Chen Yixin for more food.
Looking down at the divine well, Chen Yixin once again produced the silver-blue sphere. Yet he separated off only another tiny strand and fed it into the well.
Then he teleported directly back to his palace chambers.
If a divine well could experience confusion, then it was undoubtedly confused now.
A strand after a strand.
Chen Yixin truly intended to make this a long-term business arrangement.
Qiu Yi and An Cheng stepped forward and carefully inspected the divine well. Finding no damage whatsoever—and remembering how pleased the well had seemed earlier—they finally relaxed.
They even felt a trace of guilt for having worried so much.
“Young Highness has grown up…”
An Cheng muttered the words.
He actually knew not to casually bully the divine wells anymore.
With that thought, An Cheng decided to personally prepare the ceremonial robes for Chen Yixin and Wenren Li’s ascension ceremony.
Deep-sea ice silk alone would not suffice.
He would have to use merfolk silk as well.
Qiu Yi glanced at An Cheng, looking somewhat speechless. Still, as he turned and headed back to the Medicine Pavilion, he also planned to refine some pills that Chen Yixin might find useful in the future.
If those two wells that knew the truth could speak, they would probably be coughing up blood by now.
Chen Yixin knew nothing of this. After returning to the palace, he remained furious for quite a long time. Although that had not been the real Wenren Li, the puppet had been created from Wenren Li’s relic. In the future, it would become part of Wenren Li’s body as well.
Yet it had been seen naked, had its head touched, and had even sat drinking wine with a woman in its arms. Given Chen Yixin’s temperament, how could he not be angry?
Flames of rage swirled around his feet. Only when Wenren Li returned did he calm down slightly. Looking aggrieved, he threw himself into Wenren Li’s arms and rubbed repeatedly against his chest.
“It’s infuriating.”
Not knowing the true reason, Wenren Li assumed Chen Yixin had been angered by the divine wells’ stubborn refusal to cooperate. Feeling sorry for him, he gently patted Chen Yixin’s back.
“Then let them go hungry for a while longer. Consider it a way to vent your frustration. How about that?”
Chen Yixin paused for a moment at those words. He continued rubbing against Wenren Li’s chest before finally nodding.
“Mhm.”
The divine wells had hidden things from him for so long. Taking out his frustration on them was only natural. Besides, they were not so easy to starve to death.
Thus, the sulking Chen Yixin allowed Wenren Li to continue misunderstanding the divine wells. Those two wells were probably going to be bullied to tears.
Wenren Li continued coaxing Chen Yixin for a long time before his anger finally subsided. Afterwards, Wenren Li informed him about the upcoming imperial ascension ceremony. Chen Yixin had no objections, so the preparations were left to An Cheng, Ze Fang, and the others.
As for Chen Yixin and Wenren Li themselves, even after returning to the Demon Palace, they still had no intention of personally managing too many affairs. Over the past two years, Ze Fang, Black Feather, and the others had matured considerably. The Ten Demon Generals took turns handling matters, assisted by Wu Fei, Ping Cheng, and the others. For the time being, no major issues had emerged.
However, when it came to administration, Ze Fang and An Cheng were clearly the most capable. Chen Yixin and Wenren Li had considered granting them additional titles, but they were still waiting for the most appropriate opportunity.
The imperial ascension ceremony was something Ze Fang had begun preparing three years earlier, yet it still took nearly half a year to complete. That same half-year also gave the cultivators of both the Northern and Southern Domains time to adapt to the new Taixuan—a completely unified Taixuan under a single ruler.
On the eve of the auspicious day chosen for the ascension ceremony, Chen Yixin wandered back from the divine wells. Halfway there, he saw Wenren Li coming to meet him.
The irritation on his face immediately disappeared. Walking quickly forward, he placed his hand into Wenren Li’s palm.
“It’s such a short distance. I could have just teleported back. Yet A-Li still came to pick me up…”
Chen Yixin spoke with a serious expression, but the delight in his eyes gave him away. Tightening his grip on Wenren Li’s hand, he led him toward a mountaintop not far outside the Demon Palace.
“Since we’re already here, let’s take a walk before heading back.”
During the past six months, Chen Yixin had done very little cultivation. Wenren Li, on the other hand, had continued focusing on cultivation. Absorbing all those relic fragments would require at least several thousand years.
Day by day, the aura surrounding Wenren Li once again grew stronger than Chen Yixin’s. If Chen Yixin tried fighting the silver tree within Wenren Li’s sea of consciousness now, he would probably be suppressed before the fight even began.
Chen Yixin visited Wenren Li every day while he cultivated. Occasionally, he felt tempted, but he always restrained himself.
Now, as he looked at Wenren Li’s profile, that temptation surfaced again. Yet he concealed it well, keeping all his hesitation hidden within his heart.
They walked together across the flat ground atop the mountain before eventually sitting down on a bench that Wenren Li had brought there.
Just sitting together, feeling the mountain breeze and gazing at the starry sky, was enough to put them both in an excellent mood, even without speaking.
Chen Yixin behaved himself for only a short while before shifting into Wenren Li’s lap.
It was not because the mountain wind had made him cold. Rather, lying in Wenren Li’s arms simply filled him with warmth from the bottom of his heart.
“When everything is finally settled, can we keep living like this?”
Chen Yixin spoke softly, almost whispering. His voice scattered into the mountain breeze, becoming difficult to hear.
Naturally, Wenren Li heard every word. He nodded.
“Of course.”
This was what he had always hoped for—a peaceful life with someone by his side.
“Shall we go back?” Wenren Li asked softly as he stroked Chen Yixin’s hair.
“No. If we go back, I won’t be able to hold back anymore…”
Chen Yixin rubbed his cheek against Wenren Li’s chin and replied with an innocent expression.
He was definitely trying to fan the flames for Wenren Li, but he himself had already been suppressing his desires for far too long.
For now, however, he still had to endure. At the very least, he had to wait until after tomorrow’s imperial ascension ceremony.
The more he thought about it, the more wronged he felt.
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