Xu Ziyan turned pale as he explained what possession meant and solemnly told Xu Zirong, “Your body belongs to you. If this happens again, never let the intruder succeed!”
Xu Zirong nodded obediently, looking frightened, and promised to resist anyone trying to seize his body.
Xu Ziyan connected the murderous aura with the supposed intruder and shuddered. Someone with such an aura must have killed many people. Luckily Zirong had won in his own mind.
He comforted Xu Zirong, pitched their tent on a patch of open ground, and went hunting to prepare something delicious for Xu Zirong.
Watching his brother work, Xu Zirong felt rare guilt. His careless outburst had forced him to invent a flimsy excuse about possession.
His brother had believed it, but he would have to watch himself carefully from now on. Unless he meant to confess, he could never unleash such killing intent again without a plausible reason.
He had escaped suspicion, yet his brother was sweating with concern. Xu Zirong felt guilty, but preferred that to losing him.
“Big Brother, I’m all right. Get some rest.”
Xu Ziyan watched him almost without blinking throughout the evening, perhaps blaming himself for failing to detect the supposed attack.
The more worried Xu Ziyan seemed, the guiltier Xu Zirong became. He had fabricated the story in panic, but had still lied to his brother.
What if the truth emerged one day? He enjoyed Xu Ziyan’s care and trust. He could not imagine losing either.
“Mm. You rest too. No cultivating tonight.” Xu Ziyan stroked his brother’s silky hair.
He sighed. Zirong’s thoughtfulness only made him feel more responsible. He could hardly have stopped an attempt at possession at his current cultivation level, but still felt that he had failed to protect him.
They tossed and turned all night, each lost in different worries. Neither slept well despite the rare chance to rest.
The next morning they looked exhausted. Sleeplessness usually meant little to cultivators, but both had worried too much.
They looked at each other and laughed. Zirong nestled against Xu Ziyan while his brother fondly tousled his hair.
Whatever Zirong thought, Xu Ziyan had worked through his own worries.
Even a young bird must eventually spread its wings. Xu Zirong was no longer the helpless child of Xu Ziyan’s memories.
Although only twelve, Zirong was a genuine Foundation Establishment cultivator. Unexpected danger could strike again. Xu Ziyan would protect him whenever possible but could not always guarantee it.
No one could protect someone else forever. They needed to cultivate harder until they were strong enough to face the dangers ahead.
They packed their tent and mounted their flying swords. The mysterious summons Xu Zirong had sensed was growing more intense. Meeting Bai Muhua had distracted him, but the sensation had not vanished.
The farther they traveled from Bai Muhua, the stronger it became. Xu Zirong hesitated to follow, for he could now clearly sense that it was his Blood Sea Heart Scripture responding to the call.
“What’s wrong?” Xu Ziyan asked, seeing his brother’s subdued mood.
Xu Zirong frowned. Whatever beckoned might benefit him, but the connection to the Blood Sea Heart Scripture made him uneasy. He disliked lying to his brother, especially after yesterday’s dangerous deception.
“Nothing. I was thinking about the man we met yesterday.” He meant to avoid the topic of his cultivation art, but remembering Bai Muhua’s resemblance to Bai Hua made him frown harder.
If that silhouette had not resembled Bai Hua, Zirong would never have lost control and released such murderous intent.
Half the misery of his former life was due to the original Xu Ziyan, and the other half to Bai Hua.
His hatred of Bai Hua was impossible to describe. Even the harshest revenge would not extinguish it.
Except…
He glanced at his brother. Were he traveling alone, he would kill Bai Muhua without hesitation, purely for reminding him of Bai Hua.
But with Xu Ziyan beside him, he had to consider the impression he would make.
His brother was neither selfish nor ruthless. Killing without good reason would invite fierce punishment. Zirong had learned that years ago.
“Consider yourself lucky…” A hard glint crossed his eyes, though his expression remained calm.
His brother’s morality curbed many of Zirong’s impulses, but if Xu Ziyan lost those qualities, he would no longer be the brother Zirong valued.
Despite all these thoughts, Xu Zirong reached his conclusion in a mere moment.
Xu Ziyan looked surprised. Why bring up Bai Muhua when Xu Zirong seemed to hate him?
“Why did you suddenly think of him?”
Xu Zirong raised an eyebrow. “Big Brother, don’t you think he’s pretty?”
Xu Ziyan looked away in unexplained embarrassment. “He’s all right. Nothing special.”
Then he wondered why he felt guilty at all. He had done nothing! And why call a man ‘pretty’?
He prepared to lecture Zirong, but Xu Zirong cut in. “You really think his appearance is just average?”
His eyes shone with expectation.
Xu Ziyan thought Xu Zirong disliked comments about his delicate features and had therefore avoided calling him beautiful.
Could it be that Zirong was actually proud of his looks? Had seeing another attractive man stirred his competitive spirit?
Xu Ziyan thought he finally understood why Xu Zirong disliked Bai Muhua. Yet that little expression that seemed to say, “I’m prettier than everyone else,” was simply too adorable!
Xu Ziyan laughed. Looks mattered far less to him than character. He was no monk who dismissed beauty entirely, but he valued a person’s heart.
He acknowledged attractive faces made first impressions easier, but familiarity eventually softened the importance of appearance.
He knew how striking Xu Zirong would become. The Blood Demon in red robes had once astonished the entire demonic cultivation world.
Of all the men he had encountered, Xu Ziyan could think of no one who would surpass the grown Xu Zirong. Even now, the boy’s features hinted at future beauty.
The novel claimed that many followers joined the Blood Demon Palace because of its master’s looks, and some even joked that the palace was his private harem.
Those were merely rumors. From the original Xu Ziyan’s memories, Xu Zirong seemed never to have found a partner in that lifetime.
What was he doing, thinking about his little brother’s romantic prospects? With Zirong’s advantages, he was hardly going to struggle to find someone one day.
Xu Ziyan considered himself a model devoted older brother. Zirong was only twelve, yet he was already thinking about the boy’s future marriage! (：з」∠)
“Big Brother…”
Xu Zirong grew impatient with the silence and moved his flying sword close enough to call beside Xu Ziyan’s ear.
Xu Ziyan gave a violent shiver. The unexpected breath near his ear nearly made him lose control of the sword.
“Zirong!” Xu Ziyan protested. His brother shouldn’t startle him like that while flying.
Xu Zirong watched his brother’s flustered reaction with interest. He had learned that little trick from Bai Hua in his previous life: several times, he had seen Bai Hua blow gently into the original Xu Ziyan’s ear, and the gesture would soon lead to intimacy between them.
Because of his suffering in his previous life, Zirong had come to distrust other people and avoid close relationships. Practicing the Blood Sea Heart Scripture made intimacy a potential weakness as well.