After hearing that, Wenren Li did not open his eyes. His hand reached back to support the back of Chen Yixin’s thigh. When he finally opened his eyes, the two of them left the immortal crane’s back, and Wenren Li simply carried Chen Yixin on his back as he continued forward. With a single leap, they had already crossed an immense distance.
Chen Yixin rested against Wenren Li’s shoulder. Seal marks flew from his fingertips behind them, disappearing every so often before reappearing and sinking directly into the immortal crane’s forehead. All memories related to him and Wenren Li vanished.
It was true that he could command birds, but with only himself and Wenren Li having come to the Upper Realm, it was better to remain cautious.
“Where is A’Li taking me?” Chen Yixin asked after dealing with the crane. He paid it no further attention. His hand slipped inside Wenren Li’s robes and wandered across his chest. Could it be that A’Li was thinking the same thing he was?
After all, a thousand years had passed. Even a tree that had once been abstinent should have been thoroughly led astray by him into indulgence by now. Chen Yixin thought his deduction was perfectly reasonable.
A helpless smile appeared on Wenren Li’s face, but he still did not tell Chen Yixin where he was taking him.
Since Wenren Li remained silent, Chen Yixin took it as tacit agreement. The hand inside Wenren Li’s robes became even bolder. Blushing, he touched and explored to his heart’s content, only to discover that Wenren Li had brought him to an immortal town in the Upper Realm.
There were many people, and the buildings were somewhat plain. Wenren Li definitely had not brought him here to “sleep” or “fight.”
Realizing this, Chen Yixin grew slightly annoyed. Yet even as his sleeve covered his right hand, he showed absolutely no intention of withdrawing it from Wenren Li’s robes. Angry or not, he was still going to touch!
Most of the immortals gathered in this town were first- or second-rank Earth Immortals who had ascended from the lower realms less than a hundred thousand years ago. The place was lively, but recently it had become even busier because of a recruitment station for immortal guards in the town center.
These immortal guards were being recruited for service on the Void Heaven Battlefield. The benefits offered were even better than the recruitment packages for some Immortal Lords and Immortal Emperors.
Wenren Li carried Chen Yixin directly to the recruitment site. The two registered under the cultivation levels of third-rank and fourth-rank Earth Immortals respectively. Once enough people had been recruited, a teleportation array would send them to the Imperial Capital, from where they would be transported together to the Void Heaven Battlefield.
After completing their registration and receiving their authority tokens, they stepped aside. An immortal running a stall nearby secretly transmitted his voice to them.
“I’ve heard some unusual rumors lately. Young friends, perhaps you should reconsider?”
He was advising them to withdraw their registration for the Void Heaven Battlefield.
“What rumors?” Chen Yixin tilted his head from Wenren Li’s shoulder and looked at the immortal.
The man appeared to be a third-rank Earth Immortal, but his true cultivation had already reached the level of a second-rank Heavenly Immortal. In this town, he counted as a hidden expert. Naturally, he had access to more information than ordinary Earth Immortals.
“A thousand years ago, these recruitment orders already existed, but they were only found in imperial capitals and immortal cities. Little Ear Town never had one. Yet beginning ten years ago, recruitment orders spread to every immortal town in this region. The requirements have become lower and lower each time. Now they’re even recruiting newly ascended first- and second-rank Earth Immortals. The dangers of the Void Heaven Battlefield far exceed any opportunities it might offer.”
“Thank you for the warning, fellow Daoist. However, my elder brother and I have reasons we must go.”
As Chen Yixin spoke, he loosened his hold around Wenren Li’s neck slightly, making their closeness appear somewhat more proper.
Yet the more he tried to act normal, the more it felt like he was overcompensating. If he truly wanted to avoid suspicion, he should have climbed down from Wenren Li’s back altogether.
The Heavenly Immortal shook his head with a smile.
“The matter of love depends entirely on fate. We cultivators have struggled through such long years of survival. How could we not see through such things?”
Chen Yixin smiled lightly and nodded.
“That’s right. He isn’t my elder brother—he’s my lover. But we’re going to the Void Heaven Battlefield to find my elder brother… and my elder brother’s lover as well.”
The Heavenly Immortal clearly had a story of his own. His expression froze briefly before he nodded again.
If they were going to search for family, then no amount of warning from him could dissuade them.
He beckoned to the two of them and handed over a defensive immortal talisman he had personally crafted.
“If you encounter a sword immortal named Gu on the Void Heaven Battlefield, please tell him that I’ll be waiting for him in Little Ear Town… to come back and share a drink.”
Chen Yixin accepted the talisman and, in return, handed him a brocade pouch. Inside was a fairly common immortal herb.
“Use it to brew wine. If fate allows, we’ll come back and drink with you.”
Wenren Li also nodded to the Heavenly Immortal before the two of them turned and left, their figures quickly disappearing beyond Little Ear Town.
“The Upper Realm isn’t entirely filled with fools.”
After playing with the talisman for a while, Chen Yixin stored it away in his storage space. Still resting on Wenren Li’s back, he allowed himself to be carried along. After some time, he patted Wenren Li’s shoulder.
“We forgot to ask his name…”
“Why does A’Rong want to know his name?” Wenren Li asked.
“If we’re only delivering a message, remembering the name ‘Gu’ should be enough.”
Chen Yixin’s curiosity about the talisman—and the fact that he kept looking back at it—made Wenren Li somewhat concerned.⸻
Chapter 80
After hearing that, Wenren Li did not open his eyes. His hand reached back to support the back of Chen Yixin’s thigh. When he finally opened his eyes, the two of them left the immortal crane’s back, and Wenren Li simply carried Chen Yixin on his back as he continued forward. With a single leap, they had already crossed an immense distance.
Chen Yixin rested against Wenren Li’s shoulder. Seal marks flew from his fingertips behind them, disappearing every so often before reappearing and sinking directly into the immortal crane’s forehead. All memories related to him and Wenren Li vanished.
It was true that he could command birds, but with only himself and Wenren Li having come to the Upper Realm, it was better to remain cautious.
“Where is A’Li taking me?” Chen Yixin asked after dealing with the crane. He paid it no further attention. His hand slipped inside Wenren Li’s robes and wandered across his chest. Could it be that A’Li was thinking the same thing he was?
After all, a thousand years had passed. Even a tree that had once been abstinent should have been thoroughly led astray by him into indulgence by now. Chen Yixin thought his deduction was perfectly reasonable.
A helpless smile appeared on Wenren Li’s face, but he still did not tell Chen Yixin where he was taking him.
Since Wenren Li remained silent, Chen Yixin took it as tacit agreement. The hand inside Wenren Li’s robes became even bolder. Blushing, he touched and explored to his heart’s content, only to discover that Wenren Li had brought him to an immortal town in the Upper Realm.
There were many people, and the buildings were somewhat plain. Wenren Li definitely had not brought him here to “sleep” or “fight.”
Realizing this, Chen Yixin grew slightly annoyed. Yet even as his sleeve covered his right hand, he showed absolutely no intention of withdrawing it from Wenren Li’s robes. Angry or not, he was still going to touch!
Most of the immortals gathered in this town were first- or second-rank Earth Immortals who had ascended from the lower realms less than a hundred thousand years ago. The place was lively, but recently it had become even busier because of a recruitment station for immortal guards in the town center.
These immortal guards were being recruited for service on the Void Heaven Battlefield. The benefits offered were even better than the recruitment packages for some Immortal Lords and Immortal Emperors.
Wenren Li carried Chen Yixin directly to the recruitment site. The two registered under the cultivation levels of third-rank and fourth-rank Earth Immortals respectively. Once enough people had been recruited, a teleportation array would send them to the Imperial Capital, from where they would be transported together to the Void Heaven Battlefield.
After completing their registration and receiving their authority tokens, they stepped aside. An immortal running a stall nearby secretly transmitted his voice to them.
“I’ve heard some unusual rumors lately. Young friends, perhaps you should reconsider?”
He was advising them to withdraw their registration for the Void Heaven Battlefield.
“What rumors?” Chen Yixin tilted his head from Wenren Li’s shoulder and looked at the immortal.
The man appeared to be a third-rank Earth Immortal, but his true cultivation had already reached the level of a second-rank Heavenly Immortal. In this town, he counted as a hidden expert. Naturally, he had access to more information than ordinary Earth Immortals.
“A thousand years ago, these recruitment orders already existed, but they were only found in imperial capitals and immortal cities. Little Ear Town never had one. Yet beginning ten years ago, recruitment orders spread to every immortal town in this region. The requirements have become lower and lower each time. Now they’re even recruiting newly ascended first- and second-rank Earth Immortals. The dangers of the Void Heaven Battlefield far exceed any opportunities it might offer.”
“Thank you for the warning, fellow Daoist. However, my elder brother and I have reasons we must go.”
As Chen Yixin spoke, he loosened his hold around Wenren Li’s neck slightly, making their closeness appear somewhat more proper.
Yet the more he tried to act normal, the more it felt like he was overcompensating. If he truly wanted to avoid suspicion, he should have climbed down from Wenren Li’s back altogether.
The Heavenly Immortal shook his head with a smile.
“The matter of love depends entirely on fate. We cultivators have struggled through such long years of survival. How could we not see through such things?”
Chen Yixin smiled lightly and nodded.
“That’s right. He isn’t my elder brother—he’s my lover. But we’re going to the Void Heaven Battlefield to find my elder brother… and my elder brother’s lover as well.”
The Heavenly Immortal clearly had a story of his own. His expression froze briefly before he nodded again.
If they were going to search for family, then no amount of warning from him could dissuade them.
He beckoned to the two of them and handed over a defensive immortal talisman he had personally crafted.
“If you encounter a sword immortal named Gu on the Void Heaven Battlefield, please tell him that I’ll be waiting for him in Little Ear Town… to come back and share a drink.”
Chen Yixin accepted the talisman and, in return, handed him a brocade pouch. Inside was a fairly common immortal herb.
“Use it to brew wine. If fate allows, we’ll come back and drink with you.”
Wenren Li also nodded to the Heavenly Immortal before the two of them turned and left, their figures quickly disappearing beyond Little Ear Town.
“The Upper Realm isn’t entirely filled with fools.”
After playing with the talisman for a while, Chen Yixin stored it away in his storage space. Still resting on Wenren Li’s back, he allowed himself to be carried along. After some time, he patted Wenren Li’s shoulder.
“We forgot to ask his name…”
“Why does A’Rong want to know his name?” Wenren Li asked.
“If we’re only delivering a message, remembering the name ‘Gu’ should be enough.”
Chen Yixin’s curiosity about the talisman—and the fact that he kept looking back at it—made Wenren Li somewhat concerned.
Chen Yixin looked back regretfully, but before he could continue, Wenren Li stopped and turned his head. The next moment, Chen Yixin was pulled into Wenren Li’s arms, his head pressed back against Wenren Li’s chest.
“I don’t object to A’Rong making friends, but… in any case, A’Rong must not care too much about anyone other than me. Regardless of whether they are male or female—no, regardless of race.”
Even becoming overly attached to flowers, plants, birds, or beasts was unacceptable.
After speaking, Wenren Li’s brows furrowed again. He pursed his lips and said nothing further.
Thinking about it carefully, Chen Yixin had done nothing inappropriate apart from wanting to know that person’s name. Yet Wenren Li still could not suppress the discomfort in his heart. It was not that he distrusted Chen Yixin; rather, this kind of concern simply could not be controlled.
Chen Yixin blinked, his cheeks puffing out slightly. He muttered under his breath, but even Wenren Li could not make out exactly what he was saying. One thing was certain—he was angry.
A trace of helplessness appeared in Wenren Li’s expression, but he still carried Chen Yixin away from the area at high speed. Any chance Chen Yixin had of gathering more information about that Heavenly Immortal was gone.
When they reached a wide, open plain, Wenren Li waved a hand. An exquisite pavilion appeared. As he stepped inside with Chen Yixin, formations and barriers rapidly took shape. The beautiful pavilion, along with the two of them, appeared for only an instant before vanishing from sight.
“A’Rong is still angry?” Wenren Li set Chen Yixin down on a bed.
After spending a thousand clingy, affectionate years together, they had only been back in the Upper Realm for a few days, yet he had already managed to upset Chen Yixin.
Chen Yixin’s cheeks remained puffed out. This time, he really had been annoyed by Wenren Li.
He lunged forward.
Wenren Li paused briefly, then obediently allowed himself to be pushed onto the bed.
“How can you be so dense? In my eyes, he’s nobody. You’re A’Li. There’s no comparison.”
In this world, aside from Qingruo, who could perhaps be compared with Wenren Li, no one else could even catch Chen Yixin’s eye.
“A’Rong is angry about that?” Wenren Li wrapped his arms around Chen Yixin and pressed the sulking man against his chest. Then he shifted positions, reversing their posture.
“I was overthinking things.”
Chen Yixin was the one person in existence he could never fully understand. That had been true in the past and remained true now. Against Chen Yixin, all the laws and divine arts he had mastered were useless.
Chen Yixin nodded firmly. Then a bright smile spread across his face as he cupped Wenren Li’s cheeks in both hands. His eyes sparkled, filled with tenderness.
“I like A’Li the most. In the past, now, and in the future, I’ll always like A’Li the most. I only like A’Li.”
“A’Li has really become more and more like a demonic cultivator lately. But I like it.”
After speaking, Chen Yixin planted a loud kiss on Wenren Li’s lips, then showered his face with a series of pecks.
As for that last point, Wenren Li had noticed it as well.
As he absorbed more and more of the severed wood’s remains, the hostility born from past betrayals continued to grow within him. Naturally, his way of handling matters had changed from before.
Then again, he had always been a demonic cultivator. His methods had never exactly been righteous; they had merely become even more so now.
And when it came to Chen Yixin, he had once approached him primarily with caution and care. Now, however, possessiveness occupied a much larger place in his heart.
“Does A’Rong truly like it?” Wenren Li allowed Chen Yixin to continue taking liberties with him as he asked in a slightly confused tone.
He feared that if these feelings continued to grow unchecked, Chen Yixin would eventually find them unbearable. Perhaps Chen Yixin would not leave him—but he might stop liking him.
The thing Chen Yixin found most annoying about Wenren Li was his tendency to bring up such mood-killing topics precisely when Chen Yixin was full of desire.
Baring his sharp teeth, Chen Yixin bit the tip of Wenren Li’s nose. His gaze grew fiercer.
“If I didn’t like it, would A’Li let me leave?”
“Impossible!”
The moment Wenren Li heard those words, his body stiffened. A faint trace of killing intent seeped from between his furrowed brows.
“Exactly. A’Li won’t let me leave, and I can’t bear to leave. We’re destined to be together. Whether we’re happy or annoyed, we’ll still be together.”
After saying that, Chen Yixin licked the spot he had bitten.
They had already come this far. Even occasional irritation or arguments were merely part of their affection. The problem was that Wenren Li always took such things seriously, while Chen Yixin could never resist stirring up a little trouble.
For people like them, true peace was difficult to obtain. Yet this kind of noisy chaos—bickering, jealousy, and all—was its own unique form of happiness, full of life and warmth.
Wenren Li seemed convinced, though perhaps he was still processing everything. In any case, he said nothing more.
First, he needed to “personally demonstrate” his affection and properly “feed” his troublesome little phoenix.
They spent a thoroughly reckless night on that nameless plain before continuing their journey the following day.
They had obtained two authority tokens from the recruitment station in that immortal town. When the teleportation array activated, it would automatically transport them to the Imperial Capital.
For now, however, they still needed to continue searching for the former subordinates of the Netherwind Realm. Ideally, they would find them before being sent to the Void Heaven Battlefield.
When Chen Yixin and Wenren Li first arrived in the Upper Realm, they had gone directly to the Netherwind Realm. However, the location Qingruo had told Chen Yixin about no longer even possessed an entrance.
The two of them entered through the void itself and found very few signs of battle. It looked far more as though the inhabitants of the entire minor realm had evacuated voluntarily and destroyed the entrance behind them.
The mark within the red feather still remained, but it would only be useful if they could find someone from the Netherwind Realm to show it to. Thus they could only continue searching without any clear direction.
As for heading to the Void Heaven Battlefield, that was something Chen Yixin and Wenren Li had agreed upon back in the lower realm.
For the time being, they did not intend to join the fighting. However, investigating the situation there was absolutely necessary.
They had left Yinzi behind in Taixuan. Even if trouble arose there, Yinzi’s current strength was sufficient to carry the entire floating island into the void and wait for their return.
The floating island was still called the Floating Island, but ten even larger islands now surrounded the one containing the Imperial Palace. Looking up from Yan Province, one could no longer see the islands at all.
Over the past thousand years, nearly every talented individual in Taixuan had been absorbed into them.
The Floating Island absolutely could not be lost.
Before coming to the Upper Realm, Chen Yixin and Wenren Li had made every possible preparation. As for how much time those arrangements could buy them, even they could not say.
“Do you think they evacuated after hearing rumors and went into hiding, or have they already been wiped out?” Chen Yixin asked.
Yet he already knew that searching in this manner was almost hopeless within the unimaginably vast Upper Realm.
Still, the search itself was a form of cultivation.
Along the way, they had traveled through many places and witnessed how the lower-ranking immortals of the Upper Realm lived.
Very few truly believed the statements issued by the Ten Emperors and Nine Clans.
These were immortals, many of whom had ascended from lower realms themselves. Their experiences and hardships had given them the ability to think independently. Very few immortals blindly accepted whatever others said.
“Either is possible,” Wenren Li replied. “But their situation is certainly not good. Otherwise, they would not have needed to evacuate and destroy the entrance.”
As he spoke, he turned slightly and tugged Chen Yixin’s hat lower over his forehead.
“Let’s check the Myriad Immortals Pavilion. If there’s no information, we’ll settle nearby for now. After returning from the Void Heaven Battlefield, I’ll continue searching for them.”
Fortunately, Chen Yixin and Wenren Li had lived in the Upper Realm for more than two hundred thousand years and were quite familiar with its workings.
The Myriad Immortals Pavilion was a business owned by an Immortal Lord. Unlike ordinary shops that sold immortal artifacts or pills, it also traded in information.
Perhaps it could reveal what had happened to the Netherwind Realm.
Following beside Wenren Li, Chen Yixin still hesitated slightly.
He had met the Immortal Lord behind the Myriad Immortals Pavilion before. More accurately, they had even fought once.
Back then, that Immortal Lord had joined the ranks of those hunting Chen Yixin. The difference was that while the others genuinely wanted to kill him, this one had personally come merely to record the outcomes of Chen Yixin’s battles.
Sometimes Chen Yixin found him annoying enough to deliberately set traps for him.
After exchanging only a few moves, the Immortal Lord had fled immediately.
“That fellow’s escape skills are first-rate.”
Even Chen Yixin’s speed had failed to catch him. He could probably evade pursuit from an Immortal Emperor.
Of course, Chen Yixin’s hesitation had little to do with those escape skills.
The true problem was that the Immortal Emperor backing the Myriad Immortals Pavilion had always remained a mystery. There was a real chance that person might be one of the Immortal Emperors targeting him and Wenren Li.
If they went there asking questions, they would essentially be exposing themselves.
“Let’s take a look first. I’ve already set formations around this immortal city. No information can be transmitted out.”
Wenren Li tightened his grip on Chen Yixin’s hand.
At the same time, their auras strengthened again, rising from Earth Immortal level to that of Immortal Emperors. In this way, entering the city would not draw undue attention.
Chen Yixin knew he was simply overthinking things because the matter involved Wenren Li.
“Fine. If they come, we’ll kill however many arrive.”
In the end, even if they were exposed, that would simply be the result.
Unless Nangong and Dongfang personally made a move, no one in the Upper Realm could truly threaten him and Wenren Li.
That said, they still had to remain wary of underhanded schemes.
Nangong and Dongfang were likely even more vicious and cunning than before. It was better to overestimate them than underestimate them.
Futile Devices Scans 
Leave a comment