Chapter 12: Yunhai Brings Opportunity (12)
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Bai Chunsheng glanced at Yan Yi, unsure if it was just his imagination, but he felt there was a faint smirk on Yan Yi’s face.
It seemed mocking, taunting even, but Yan Yi’s expression was unclear, like a solitary moon veiled by mist atop a towering mountain.
A few moments later, following Bai Chunsheng’s swimming trajectory, a round white figure emerged from beneath the water’s surface, where Yan Yi shouldn’t have been able to see.
Bai Chunsheng swam angrily towards the shore.
What’s he thinking? Judging by Yan Yi’s attitude, he probably already knew Bai Chunsheng was lying. He’s likely laughing at him behind his back, mocking his audacity and shamelessness.
Fortunately, there was a grove of red trees not far away. After scanning the area for any potential danger, Bai Chunsheng dared to venture ashore.
Although he said he wouldn’t ask for Yan Yi’s help anymore, Bai Chunsheng still didn’t dare to stray too far from him. At the very least, he needed to wait until dawn before he could leave.
Just moments ago, Bai Chunsheng could barely muster a facade of righteousness, even fooling himself. Now that he was alone, he lacked that confidence.
But then he remembered the silver bracelet on his ankle. Thinking about it, he realized how cunning Yan Yi truly was. There’s a possibility that he had engraved some secret mark on the bracelet that only he would recognize. When Yan Yi saw the bracelet earlier, he might have already discerned Bai Chunsheng’s true identity through the hidden clues.
It made sense. No wonder Yan Yi asked him about the origin of the bracelet.
In the crimson forest, Bai Chunsheng found a towering redwood. With a swift motion of his hand, the redwood fell at the appropriate height. Bai Chunsheng sat on the newly created tree stump, lifting his pant leg once more. Under the dim moonlight, he examined the silver bracelet that seemed to emit a faint glow.
He had tried many times before to break or cut the bracelet, but to no avail. He couldn’t discern what material it was made of. Even when Bai Chunsheng transformed his shape, the bracelet would shrink proportionally and firmly encase his ankle.
At this point, he realized he had been duped by Yan Jingqiu once again.
Indeed, being involved with him never leads to anything good.
It’s difficult to succinctly explain why Yan Jingqiu would give Bai Chunsheng this silver bracelet.
Even Bai Chunsheng himself is puzzled. His earlier words to Yan Yi were actually half-truths and half-lies.
Being expelled from home by his grandmother due to involvement with Yan Jingqiu was a lie, but his reluctance to meet eligible female cultivators from the Cuiwei Palace and subsequent departure from home was true.
Yan Jingqiu being hunted by enemies all over the world was false; being framed and assassinated by a branch of the Yan family was true.
At that time, Yan Jingqiu was indeed a true mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, one level lower than Bai Chunsheng. His swordsmanship and mentality were far from what they are now, a last chance stifled in infancy.
Yan Jianhang gradually intended to temper Yan Jingqiu, deliberately allowing their internal conflicts.
The fact that Yan Jingqiu and Bai Chunsheng were trapped in an inescapable secret realm together was also true.
The runaway Bai Chunsheng, upon seeing Yan Jingqiu being pursued, originally intended to beat the dog in the water. However, he was mistaken for an accomplice and was also targeted.
That incident marked a rare moment of reconciliation between the two, compelled by the threat to their lives. Reluctantly, Bai Chunsheng joined hands with Yan Jingqiuagainst their enemies.
When they finally managed to escape, Bai Chunsheng, driven by impatience and competitiveness, insisted on leaving before Yan Jingqiu. Yan Jingqiu, who didn’t care much about such matters, naturally let him go first. Little did they know, outside lay an ambush set by the Yan family’s branch. As Bai Chunsheng rushed out, he walked straight into the trap.
Upon waking up, Bai Chunsheng found himself snugly lying on the bed in the Starview Pavilion, presumably brought back by Yan Jingqiu. The mysterious appearance of the silver bracelet on his ankle was undoubtedly the work of Yan Jingqiu.
His grandmother, Bai Jianghan, sat by the bedside, making light-hearted remarks, “Was it fun out there?”
Little did she know how Yan Jingqiu had made things difficult for him!
After Yan Jingqiu returned, he went into seclusion, followed by undergoing tribulation. With a single sword, he broke open the demon’s lair, a series of events that were almost enough to give someone ear calluses just from hearing about them.
He would surely seek revenge sooner or later.
Bai Chunsheng thought to himself.
The redwood forest was eerily quiet, filled with ancient trees that had likely lived for countless years.
Although Bai Chunsheng had just regained consciousness from his coma, he could feel the overwhelming drowsiness creeping in. It was inevitable, given that he had suffered severe injuries and had barely eaten anything during the days of being chased. He hadn’t had the opportunity to replenish his energy with substantial food.
His previous coma wasn’t just due to being infuriated; a significant portion was also due to insufficient blood circulation.
Many beasts, when injured, would seek out a safe cave to sleep in until their wounds healed. However, this approach also had its drawbacks. If some hidden injuries couldn’t be treated properly, even during sleep, they could fall into a vicious cycle of irreversible damage. Eventually, over a long period, they would degenerate into mindless beasts.
Bai Chunsheng glanced at the sky again, but there was still no sign of dawn approaching.
He estimated that he would probably sleep until the sun rose tomorrow, which was extremely careless of him. But Bai Chunsheng had no choice; he was truly exhausted. To minimize the risk of being discovered, Bai Chunsheng reverted to his original form and cast protective spells in the surrounding area. If anyone approached, he would immediately wake up from his slumber.
Still feeling insecure, Bai Chunsheng gathered a bunch of large tree leaves and covered himself with them as a makeshift disguise.
Despite repeatedly warning himself to be cautious, his eyelids gradually drooped shut.
As the night deepened and a cool breeze blew gently, the surroundings fell into profound silence. The moonlight cast a radiant glow.
In the depths of the redwood forest, unseen creatures with glowing red eyes began to emerge. They hid among the trees and under the foliage, perfectly still yet with gaping mouths, their desire evident.
Meanwhile, Yan Yi’s boat wasn’t drifting downstream along the Zhanbi River; instead, he was navigating upstream. This area no longer belonged to the realm of the Yunhai Small World; it was the dangerous upper section of the Chang Hen River, nearing the desolate region close to the Drunk Death Sea. It was even rumored that some great cultivators had met their demise here.
Not only were there countless abyssal beasts lurking at the bottom of the river, having escaped from the Drunk Death Sea, but the forests on both banks were also fraught with danger.
Meanwhile, White Chunsheng was drifting in a state of unawareness in his dreams. His sleep was not entirely peaceful; his subconscious kept warning him that this place was very dangerous. Yet, his relied-upon rationality, reinforced by spells, assured him that everything was perfectly safe.
The man-eating vine crept closer and closer to Bai Chunsheng’s direction from underground. Just as it was about to break through the soil, it seemed to touch something akin to foam. Before its roots, branches, and trunk could react to the incomplete nerves, they gradually turned into ashes.
The entire solitary island seemed like a bleeding bag, slowly oozing blood.
A faint smell of blood wafted out from the black river, quickly washed away by the endless flow of water.
From afar, someone carried a lantern and walked on the river towards Bai Chunsheng’s direction. The cool moonlight shrouded Yan Yi’s picturesque features, and he sighed. This demon cultivator sure knew how to pick a spot, finding such a good place to sleep.
Yan Yi avoided the spells set by Bai Chunsheng and walked leisurely to the tree stump where Bai Chunsheng was resting.
Now Bai Chunsheng could sleep peacefully; he hadn’t noticed anyone coming. He pecked at his yellow beak with his own feathers because he felt a little cold, burying his head under his wings. He even had a thick layer of tree leaves covering his back, sleeping comfortably.
Yan Yi：“……”
On the surface, Yan Yi seemed to want to drive Bai Chunsheng away, but in reality, he didn’t trust this demon cultivator at all. Even his apparent indifference was just an act. While he wasn’t curious about his own past, he was curious about who Bai Chunsheng really was.
For a sword cultivator, the sword was paramount. Even if it was a sword he no longer wanted, its significance to him was profound and wouldn’t be handed over to just anyone.
He must have valued Bai Chunsheng greatly, at least the past version of himself did. Just this alone was enough for Yan Yi to be unable to let go of Bai Chunsheng.
This demon cultivator must be hiding something from him.
However, he didn’t understand why he refused to tell him the truth. Perhaps it was true, as he claimed, that they had a big argument a few months ago.
This seemed to explain why the first thing Bai Chunsheng did when he woke up was eagerly wanting to sever ties with him.
But upon learning about his amnesia, Bai Chunsheng’s attitude changed again, seemingly seeking refuge from him.
If one were to follow common logic, this explanation might suffice. However, Yan Yi was not an ordinary person, and he believed he wasn’t one even before losing his memory.
If this demon cultivator was someone so intimately connected to him that he could gift his own sword to him, then with Yen Yi’s possessiveness, severing ties and no longer interacting would be inconceivable. Not only would the demon cultivator reappear with his sword, but whether Yan Yi would even survive such a separation should be a foolish question.
Yan Yi’s amnesia didn’t mean he would allow others to reshape his past.
It’s obvious that this demon cultivator currently needs him. However, if Yan Yi were to simply comply with whatever the demon cultivator says, wouldn’t it make it clear to him that, even in his current state of amnesia, he still holds significant importance to Yan Yi?
Yan Yi is unwilling to expose this vulnerability and leave himself open to manipulation. Before taking action, he naturally needs to obscure his true intentions.
He wants Bai Chunsheng to plead with him before he arrogantly agrees to extend a helping hand.
But what Yan Yi didn’t anticipate was that Bai Chunsheng couldn’t bear to be apart from him even for a day.
It’s only been less than an hour since Bai Chunsheng got off the boat.
Yan Yi looked at the peacefully sleeping Bai Chunsheng in front of him and thought, maybe he should just take him back and take care of him for a while. He couldn’t let Bai Chunsheng wander around aimlessly all day long, being fearless and unaware of the dangers.
It was causing him unnecessary anxiety, constantly worrying that Bai Chunsheng might meet with some mishap outside. He feared that he might regret not saving him once his memories returned.
After all, it’s just taking care of another demon cultivator for a while, not a big deal at all.
But he couldn’t just take Bai Chunsheng back now. He needed to wait, wait until tomorrow morning, wait for Bai Chunsheng to wake up. The void land was filled with ferocious beasts, and he had plenty of opportunities to wait until Bai Chunsheng was surrounded by these beasts.
When his life was in jeopardy, then he could calmly appear, and Yan Yi was confident that Bai Chunsheng would seek his help.
With this thought in mind, Yan Yi began to devise a plan.
He reached out his hand, and the silver bracelet on Bai Chunsheng’s ankle suddenly grew and expanded. Its ends broke apart and transformed into a silver sword, with the words “Moonwalker” engraved on the hilt. The sword emanated a chilling aura, like the frost of winter or the shimmering moonlight, extinguishing all vitality wherever it touched.
Yan Yi closed his right hand, and the sword transformed back into a delicate silver bracelet in his palm.
He thought to himself, tonight, let Bai Chunsheng sleep peacefully.
All the ferocious beasts within a radius of ten miles had been dealt with by him. By daylight tomorrow, the remaining beasts would gradually confirm that this place had indeed become unclaimed territory.
Driven by instinct to claim territory, these mindless beasts would engage in fierce battles until a worthy lord was chosen for this land again.
Bai Chunsheng getting involved in the conflict was only a matter of time.
Yan Yi, playing with the silver bracelet, thought it was time to go back. He was about to put the bracelet back on Bai Chunsheng’s ankle.
Suddenly, caught off guard, Yan Yi stared at the pattern engraved on the silver bracelet.
He was intimately familiar with this craftsmanship; it must have come from his own hand. The intricately carved intertwined lotus flowers symbolized marital happiness and family bliss.
It was a good omen.
Why was it a pair of entwined lotus flowers?
Yan Yi and Bai Chunsheng had several verbal exchanges, and the only thing he could be a hundred percent sure of was that this silver bracelet was indeed given to the demon cultivator by himself. According to Bai Chunsheng, this was even before Yan Yi lost his memory and was forcibly put on him without his consent.
He polished his own sword to make a silver bracelet, and engraved it with the meaning of a beautiful marriage, a pair of entwined lotus flowers, and forced it upon this demon cultivator?
How could he possibly be so kind-hearted?
Who was he, and what kind of gift was he giving? It was almost as if he was giving himself a gift.
Could it be?
That’s absolutely impossible.
Yan Yi looked at Bai Chunsheng, who was still sweetly asleep, sometimes thinking of Bai Chunsheng’s charming face, and sometimes of the small section of fair ankle exposed by Bai Chunsheng.
He quickly averted his gaze, as if trying to deceive himself.
Yan Yi secretly thought to himself: How could that be possible? I must be overthinking things.
Even though he always believed that soul connection was more important than anything else, it didn’t mean that he would become Dao companions with a man…
It’s impossible, absolutely impossible!
The silver bracelet in his hand disappeared without a trace. After a while, another shiny ring appeared on Bai Chunsheng’s foot, who was still sleeping soundly, unaware of anything.
In the deep autumn season, the red forest was covered with fallen yellow leaves.
Yan Yi, feeling uneasy, walked away.
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