Chapter 69 Longevity Noodles
When they set out to climb the mountain, the sky was still shrouded in darkness and the night wind carried a crisp chill. The other hikers, guided by the glow of their flashlights, stumbled occasionally on the uneven steps. But Yanluo moved effortlessly through the shadows, his long robes sweeping the ground as he carried Thanatos on his back.
They were creatures made for the darkness.
Thanatos lay on Yanluo’s back, his chest still, his breath absent. He made no sound, his hands resting lightly on Yanluo’s shoulders, careful not to hold on too tightly.
Yanluo attempted to make conversation along the way, but the little reaper remained silent, perhaps out of shyness. It was as if Yanluo were carrying a corpse up the mountain, preparing to bury it.
The thought was rather macabre.
As they climbed step by step, the inky darkness of night melted into a misty gray, until the sky was fully illuminated by light.
Yanluo carried the God of Death, walking from darkness into the sun.
“Happy birthday, Thanatos,” he said. “You were born in a place bathed in golden light. From now on, you should walk toward the light, too.”
Thanatos blinked, momentarily dazed. It took him a moment to realize that today was his birthday.
He had never celebrated it before. As the son of Nyx, Goddess of the Night, he had been born and raised in darkness. He was death itself, and death represented misfortune.
No one celebrated misfortune.
Even when Thanatos had once casually mentioned his birthday to Yanluo, he might have felt a fleeting, inexplicable anticipation. But by the next day, he had dismissed it entirely, chalking it up to mere politeness from the Eastern god. Deep down, he never truly believed anyone would care about his birthday. Without expectations, there could be no disappointment.
He had forgotten it himself. But Yanluo remembered.
Not only did he remember, he also brought him across a sea of clouds, led him to the mountaintop, and held his hand. When he grew tired and refused to walk, Yanluo carried him, step by step, up the long stairway, from the dead of night into the break of dawn.
Then, standing beneath the first golden rays of morning, Yanluo told him that he was favored by both sunlight and fortune.
It was the most beautiful, heartfelt blessing Thanatos had ever received.
He climbed down from Yanluo’s back, momentarily at a loss for words.
By comparison, his own “birthday” blessing for Yanluo that day was far too perfunctory and insincere.
After that misunderstanding, Thanatos had made a point to study Chinese blessings in earnest. He could now understand phrases like “may your fortune be as vast as the Eastern Sea” and “may your longevity rival the Southern Mountains.”
But Yanluo had used none of those customary words. He had simply given Thanatos a beam of sunlight, and spoken a phrase he couldn’t quite comprehend.
“If you don’t mind Yanluo’s bad reputation, please allow me to also watch over you.”
Eastern gods wove their affections into words with subtlety and restraint. It was nothing like the passionate directness of Western gods, who would say, “I love you. I want to be with you.”
But in that subtle restraint, there was a tenderness and romance unlike any other.
The only problem was that the God of Death didn’t quite understand.
Bless?
Thanatos pondered the meaning of this word. In the context of the Chinese language, it meant to care for or look after someone. He even recalled the example sentence from the dictionary — Caring for others and finding joy in helping people are traditional virtues of Huaxia (China).
And Yanluo, naturally, embodied all the virtues of his people. He was gentle, kind, respectful, frugal, noble, upright, a gentleman, and full of spirit.
Thanatos understood now.
That was why, when he couldn’t afford his rent, Yanluo had conveniently offered him a well-paying job, one that provided food, shelter, and financial security. That was why, in every little aspect of life, Yanluo had looked after him. When he was burned by karmic fire, Yanluo had been more distressed than he was. And that was why, despite Thanatos himself forgetting, Yanluo had remembered his birthday and gone through such effort to prepare this surprise.
Yanluo had been looking after him all along.
But Yanluo was a god of great virtue. He treated everyone with this same kindness. Thanatos wasn’t special.
For some reason, that realization left a strange, hollow feeling in his chest.
But Yanluo was so good. He shouldn’t wish for Yanluo only to be good to him. That would be selfish. It was like reaching for a beam of light and demanding that it shine only on him. That wasn’t right.
Sunlight was meant to shine upon the world, and Yanluo was a divine protector, a god who saved souls. He was gentle yet powerful, resilient yet soft. That was what had moved Thanatos in the first place.
But still……
He wasn’t happy.
The feeling was irrational, perhaps even childish. Fortunately, his black robes concealed his expression, leaving no trace of his emotions.
Thanatos responded with a soft “Oh.”
And said nothing more.
A single syllable was too brief to discern any emotion.
Nor did he make any move to remove his cloak and bask in the sunlight.
Yanluo: “……”
Judging from this lackluster reaction, the little reaper clearly had no feelings for him yet.
That was fine. He had expected this.
This was only the first step. He couldn’t expect to reach the peak in a single stride.
With practiced ease, Yanluo changed the subject. “Let’s take a walk around the summit.”
The mountain they stood on was known as Jade Emperor Peak, named after the Jade Emperor Temple at its summit.
By now, the mountain was bustling with tourists, all capturing the breathtaking view of the rising sun and the vast sea of clouds. Thanatos noticed the temple and was about to step inside for a look when Yanluo suddenly caught his wrist.
Thanatos turned to him, puzzled.
“The temple enshrines the Jade Emperor, ruler of the heavenly court above the Nine Heavens,” Yanluo explained, his tone casual. “We Chinese gods have rules that the gods of the three realms of heaven, earth, and sea do not invade each other’s territory. Since this is his domain, we don’t need to go.”
If they had personal ties, it might have been different. But Yanluo’s attitude clearly indicated that they were not familiar and they did not need to bother.
Thanatos thought for a moment, then applied it to his own pantheon. Greece also had three major domains. Poseidon ruled the seas, Hades governed the underworld, and Zeus reigned over the skies. Yanluo, in a sense, was equivalent to Hades, while the Jade Emperor was like Zeus. Hades never stepped into Zeus’ temple, so it made perfect sense that Yanluo would avoid the Jade Emperor’s shrine as well.
Besides…… Yanluo had fallen from the heavenly court to the underworld, carving out his own realm in defiance of the heavens. To the celestial hierarchy, he was practically a traitor. Thanatos wasn’t sure what kind of relationship he had with the Jade Emperor, but it was unlikely to be a good one.
They bypassed the temple and continued sightseeing, eventually coming across a Daoist temple called Bixia Shrine.
Thanatos had always been curious about what Chinese temples looked like, but given their strict divine customs, he decided against entering.
But just as he was about to step away, Yanluo said, “If you want to see it, go ahead.”
Thanatos: “?”
Yanluo: “Bixia Yuanjun is an old acquaintance of mine. There’s no harm in visiting an old friend.”
Thanatos: “……”
So all that talk about divine rules was meaningless. He just didn’t want to see the Jade Emperor.
Bixia Yuanjun, also known as Lady of Mount Tai, was a highly revered goddess in Taoism. Descriptions such as “Protector of All Beings, Responding to the Prayers of the Nine Provinces” and “Commander of the Sacred Army, Overseer of Mortal Virtue” spoke to her benevolence and divine authority. Among the people, she was often mentioned alongside Mazu, the Goddess of Sea, in the saying: The North has Yuanjun, the South has Mazu.
The Bixia Shrine was as grand as a palace. Thanatos entered, not to worship, but simply to explore.
By now, it was no longer early. A few scattered tourists wandered the temple grounds. Thanatos went to appreciate this Daoist temple with a rich historical atmosphere, but Yanluo didn’t go in.
Yanluo had deliberately held back, wanting Thanatos to experience a space filled with mortals on his own. He waited at a distance, letting Thanatos explore freely.
As Thanatos examined the inscriptions on a pillar, a woman suddenly stepped up beside him, studying the carvings as well.
Instinctively, he moved aside to give her space, but she merely smiled and said, “Can a Western god read these traditional characters?”
Thanatos immediately turned to look at her.
The woman had a gentle face and an air of quiet grace. She was strikingly beautiful. And strangely, in this moment, they were the only two people here.
Realization struck.
Before his eyes, the woman, once dressed in modern attire, transformed. Her form changed into a goddess adorned with a cloud-topped crown and flowing celestial robes.
“I am the guardian of this temple, Bixia Yuanjun.” The goddess studied him with evident curiosity. “Sensing an old friend’s presence here is a rarity, a once-in-ten-thousand-years event. That is why I chose to reveal myself. But instead of finding Yanluo inside, I see he has remained outside and brought along a foreign companion.”
She smiled warmly. “He has never been the hospitable type. Even in the heavenly court, he was known for his cold and distant nature. Who would have thought that beneath that icy exterior lay the warmest heart in the three realms? He cast off the heavens to become the King of Hell…… yet despite his warmth, his temperament remains as cold as ever, his defenses very deep. I’ve rarely seen him form friendships, but with you, it is different.”
Thanatos wasn’t sure how to respond. But remaining silent felt impolite, so after a moment’s hesitation, he simply introduced himself. “Thanatos. God of Death.”
Bixia Yuanjun: “……” No wonder. This one was even more aloof. Could aloofness and aloofness collide and create sparks?
She glanced toward the temple’s entrance. “Did he visit the Jade Emperor’s shrine?”
Thanatos shook his head.
Bixia Yuanjun sighed softly. “Even after tens of thousands of years, he still hasn’t let go.”
Let go of what?
Thanatos frowned slightly, not understanding.
Bixia Yuanjun only murmured, “Ah, never mind. I only wished to catch a glimpse of an old friend. Seeing that he has you at his side, I am relieved. I once feared that after what happened, he would never let anyone in again, which would be too lonely. Since you’re here, I won’t go see him.”
Thanatos was now even more confused. What happened back then?
Why did Eastern gods always speak in riddles? Couldn’t they just explain things clearly for once?
Thanatos really wanted to ask, but Bixia Yuanjun had already disappeared into a puff of smoke.
……
When he stepped out of the temple, Yanluo was still waiting at the entrance. “How was it inside?”
Thanatos replied, “It was nice.” He hesitated for a moment but decided not to mention his encounter with Bixia Yuanjun.
She had said that Yanluo, for all his warmth, was actually cold-natured and heavily guarded, and that he seemed to have experienced something bad in the past, and was unwilling to open his heart to make new friends again.
This conflicted with the Yanluo Thanatos knew. From the very beginning, Yanluo had been warm to him. Some gods were warm on the outside but distant within. But if Bixia Yuanjun was right, then Yanluo was the opposite, cold on the surface, but warm at heart.
Yet the Yanluo Thanatos had come to know was warm inside and out.
Asking someone directly about their past was hardly appropriate. Perhaps he could ask the Impermanence Immortals and the others later.
By midday, they were ready to descend the mountain. Before they left, Yanluo teased, “Little Reaper, surely you won’t need me to carry you down this time?”
“……” Thanatos ignored him and strode off.
He was not a particularly proud god. Going downhill was simply much easier than climbing up. And besides, why should he bother exhausting himself with stairs when he could just fly?
Lunch was a simple bowl of noodles garnished with chopped scallions and topped with two eggs. The flavor was quite good.
“In China, we eat longevity noodles on birthdays,” Yanluo explained, sitting across from Thanatos. “Of course, gods are already immortal, so the symbolism doesn’t mean much to us. But rituals matter.”
Thanatos stared at the massive bowl in front of him. It was large enough to resemble a washbasin. “I can’t finish this.”
The restaurant owner was truly generous. The portions were really sufficient, and Thanatos really couldn’t finish it all.
He never felt hunger or fullness, but he could certainly get tired of eating.
Wasting food, however, was unacceptable. And Yanluo would never allow it.
“You should eat more,” Yanluo advised. “Put on some weight. Carrying you around is like carrying a bag of bones.”
Thanatos said nothing.
……He was just a bag of bones.
Lowering his head, he silently resumed eating. Across from him, Yanluo wasn’t eating at all. He was just resting his chin on one hand and watching him. The scrutiny made Thanatos deeply uncomfortable.
There was simply too much food. When he was already struggling to continue, more than half of the bowl still remained. He knew Yanluo hated seeing food go to waste, and he really didn’t want to be scolded. So, with painstaking patience, he slowly tried to continue eating, picking up a single noodle at a time, biting it into small pieces, wearing a pained expression.
Thanatos didn’t dare protest outright, but his expression was pitiful.
Yanluo found it thoroughly amusing. The little reaper was still too timid. Did he really think Yanluo would force him to eat if he genuinely couldn’t? This was a birthday celebration, not some form of punishment.
With a swift motion, Yanluo plucked the chopsticks from Thanatos’ hands, took the bowl, and began eating the leftover noodles himself.
Thanatos stared blankly at his now-empty hands.
The chopsticks, he had used them—
Thanatos wanted to remind him, but Yanluo had already started eating, his movements still elegant, but much faster than his.
Thanatos hesitated, then gave up. Anyway, the noodles were also eaten by him, so did it really matter if Yanluo used the same chopsticks?
……Actually, the more he thought about it, the less okay it felt.
“Traditionally, longevity noodles aren’t meant to be shared,” Yanluo remarked leisurely as he neared the end of the meal. “It’s considered bad luck. Splitting them means dividing one’s lifespan. But we’re immortals. Even if I gave you half my life, I’d still have eternity.”
Thanatos: “So it’s meaningless.”
“How could it be meaningless?” Yanluo set down his chopsticks, wiped his lips with a handkerchief, then looked up with a smile.
“To be each other’s other half of life forever, there is nothing more meaningful than this.”
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