Chapter 182: No Way Back on This Journey (32)
Yan Shixun gazed at Ye Li, almost overwhelmed by the brilliance in his eyes.
Ye Li had lent him his divine name, and at this moment, the Dao was with him.
Through those eyes, Yan Shixun seemed to see the accumulation of centuries of death, yet in the deepest darkness, there rose a single point of light. In an instant, the sea blazed with fire, ice and snow melted, and volcanic magma erupted. The entire darkness gleamed as brightly as the golden sun.
And reflected in those ink-colored eyes… was his own face.
Yan Shixun felt an indescribable confusion. He faintly sensed that what Ye Li had said was not a conversation between gods and humans, but rather the murmurs of two people with no distance between them.
Ye Li didn’t need his offerings and didn’t want the incense of the mortal world… so, what did he want?
Over a decade ago, when Yan Shixun saw his parents’ tears and fear, he understood that no one would give anything without reason. Their smiles and love all sought something in return.
For example, a capital to show off to others, or a beautiful future to see through their children.
Later, Yan Shixun traveled through the streets and alleys, encountering all kinds of people—whether the rich and luxurious merchants or the common folk struggling to make a living in the old town—everyone had similar emotions. They all desired something.
The scholar racing against time wanted twenty-five hours in a day; the CEO of a startup wanted a healthy body; a mother worried about her child’s new schoolbag; a father, delighted after receiving his wages, bought two pounds of meat to cook braised pork for his daughter…
Human life was just like that.
Yan Shixun understood them, but he didn’t know what he wanted, other than driving away evil spirits and protecting the safety of other lives.
He had once, after finishing a commission and expelling the evil spirit from a person’s body, sat quietly under an old tree in an alley, watching a family joyfully embrace, crying in happiness, and asked himself this question.
What do I want?
Maybe it was that bowl of tangyuan that Li Chengyun had made by hand but he never got to eat.
Maybe it was to see Li Chengyun again and tell him not to worry about him anymore, that he was no longer the young boy from more than a decade ago, and that he could take care of himself even if alone.
Though, occasionally, amidst the bustling life, he would suddenly feel a loneliness creeping from deep within his heart…
No one stands with me at dusk, no one asks if my porridge is warm.
Yan Shixun didn’t know.
When you are in the midst of it, you can’t see clearly. He couldn’t understand himself.
But in this moment, there was one more person Yan Shixun couldn’t understand.
— Ye Li.
What did Ye Li want?
Ye Li rejected everything the gods and spirits cared about.
Ye Li could communicate with the heavens and the Tao; was there anything in the world he couldn’t get if he wanted it?
For the first time in a long time, a trace of confusion appeared in Yan Shixun’s eyes.
“You…”
He looked at Ye Li with a complex expression: “Are you saying you want to walk with me?”
What for?
He was different from other exorcists who made money hand over fist. The money in his pocket could only sustain a simple life.
Even though Zhang Wubing had paid him handsomely and there had been many clients from well-off families who had given him large sums of money, Yan Shixun had never cared. He would give it to anyone who needed it.
Like the parents of the doctor who had died unexpectedly.
Yan Shixun didn’t need so much money. His material desires were very low.
So he was happy to see that money in the hands of those who truly needed it, helping them rebuild their lives.
Walking with him… was like trying to carry water with a bamboo basket, getting nothing.
“Even when Taoists borrow divine power, all they can summon is the leftover power from the gods’ positions in the four corners. The summoning technique hasn’t been successfully used since a hundred years ago. The traces of gods have long disappeared from the world.”
Yan Shixun said earnestly: “No matter what you want, places like Haiyun Temple or other big sects can give you far more than what you’d get with me.”
Ye Li was no longer as cold and stern as he had been moments ago.
Holding his beloved in his arms, he too was touched by the warmth of human life.
“I don’t want much.” Ye Li said with a smile in his voice: “I only want you.”
“Having you is enough.”
Enough to comfort my thousand-year-long disappointment and coldness.
“Li Chengyun was indeed cultivated well by Haiyun Temple, but… Haiyun Temple doesn’t have you. So, Shixun.”
Ye Li chuckled softly, causing his chest to tremble: “Next time you want to convince me, remember to bring someone who has you.”
“For example, I think your little courtyard is quite nice.”
Yan Shixun: “…???”
Yan Shixun felt like he was a salesman, one who was conscientious and afraid the customer would be at a disadvantage.
But unlike a typical salesman, he was frantically recommending other places, while the customer was insisting on the one place.
Yan Shixun began to doubt. Could the gap between gods and mortals be this vast? Why were their desires so completely different?
He felt a frustration he couldn’t put into words. His usually clear thoughts seemed stuck, like a stone lodged in a gear, unable to continue.
This feeling made Yan Shixun’s blood flow faster to his brain. His body temperature rose, his cheeks heated up, and even his ears turned red.
“Tsk.”
Yan Shixun touched his ears, which felt as warm as a hand warmer, and didn’t know what to do in his annoyance.
But, thanks to this gesture, he realized he was still in Ye Li’s arms.
Yan Shixun decisively pushed Ye Li away: “Alright, your underworld soldiers are almost done, right?”
“The Taoists are here. The yin energy is too heavy. Unlike me, they can’t bear it.”
Yan Shixun said calmly: “It’s time to sound the retreat.”
He turned to look at the other side of the road.
From a distance, several Taoists from Haiyun Temple were rushing toward them.
It seemed that the commotion here had alerted people on the other side, and more people would soon be arriving. If the dense yin energy wasn’t contained, it would burden their bodies.
Yan Shixun furrowed his brows and looked seriously at the fields.
The spreading blood mist and the stench were thick in the air. The once proud and high-ranking Yin Officer had become like a stray dog, fleeing in a pitiful state. But he still couldn’t escape the reach of the elite army’s blades.
Soon, the whole mountain valley quieted down. The howls of the evil spirits and the pleading of the Yin Officer gradually weakened.
Only the cold wind of late autumn swept across the open fields, bringing a chill.
The cold wind slipped through the gaps in Yan Shixun’s clothes, loosened by his recent movements. The once warm skin met the cold breeze, and he couldn’t help but shiver.
Yan Shixun trembled.
Ye Li immediately noticed his condition. His footsteps, which had been retreating, moved forward again, and he raised his hand to touch Yan Shixun’s ear, partially hidden beneath his hair.
It was soft, and warm…
Ye Li snapped back to his senses, his long, cool fingers almost unable to resist the urge to knead the soft flesh beneath them. But, using his terrifying willpower, he restrained himself, not disturbing Yan Shixun, and preventing the cat from running away before it had fully fallen into the hunter’s trap.
“You’re wearing too little.”
Ye Li came to his senses and frowned: “It’s too cold in the outskirts of late autumn.”
The yin energy was one of the reasons it was so cold here.
He quietly lifted his long, raven-like eyelashes, coldly gazing at the hundreds of thousands of underworld soldiers in the open field.
It seemed like he had received some kind of signal. After sweeping through the battlefield, the elite army silently withdrew. Their solid bodies disintegrated into threads of black mist, merging with the surrounding darkness. Before long, they disappeared in an orderly manner.
The silence that followed was as profound as when they had arrived.
While speaking, Ye Li calmly withdrew his gaze, his hand naturally sliding down to adjust Yan Shixun’s shirt, smoothing out the wrinkles on it. He then quietly tidied up Yan Shixun’s coat.
Through the thin fabric, Yan Shixun could clearly feel Ye Li’s cool palm, even sensing the subtle trail of his fingers.
It was a coolness, slightly careless in nature, like a brief, refreshing chill while sitting by a stove on a winter night, leaving a deep impression and eliciting an instinctive response.
The temperature difference was so stark that Yan Shixun couldn’t help but tense his abdominal muscles, flinching slightly.
But before Yan Shixun could furrow his brow and speak, Ye Li had already stepped back, just enough to maintain a comfortable distance.
The strange, unsettling atmosphere that had lingered also dissipated, and Yan Shixun sighed in relief.
The warmth that had lingered on his face and ears slowly faded away.
Yan Shixun quickly regained his composure. When he lifted his gaze to look ahead again, he realized that the elite army, which had been present just moments ago, was now completely gone.
All that remained was the empty, desolate field, where the cold wind blew, making the withered branches and grass rustle. The faint sounds only emphasized the emptiness of the vast, quiet land.
Only the blood, shattered flesh, and the bones of the evil spirits scattered on the ground remained, proving that what had just occurred had not been some illusion.
Yan Shixun: “…?”
When had Ye Li made the underworld soldiers retreat? How had he not noticed?
He had only mentioned it briefly, and Ye Li had taken it to heart…
Yan Shixun furrowed his brows.
He couldn’t shake the feeling that Ye Li’s attitude toward him was too strange. As a mere mortal, did he really have such an influence over a divine being?
Something unusual was clearly going on.
Yan Shixun silently noted his confusion, but at the same time, he realized that Ye Li had also affected him, to the point where he hadn’t noticed when the underworld soldiers had retreated, losing his vigilance about the environment.
This was enough to make Yan Shixun wary.
But before he could ask, the Taoists had already arrived.
When Yan Shixun heard their footsteps, he turned around and met their wide-eyed faces.
From far off, the Taoists had seen the shadow soldiers, swirling in black mist, in the open field, and the intense battle between two factions.
No—this was no battle. It was a one-sided slaughter, with one side unable to resist at all, left to await the fall of long blades and the splatter of blood and flesh.
Even the Yin officials were not spared from death beneath the blades.
This sight left the Taoists horrified. They had no idea what had happened, what could possibly have made the underworld’s Yin officials and underworld soldiers turn on each other.
Since they hadn’t witnessed the beginning of the conflict, and with Fengdu’s gates having been closed for centuries, no one had seen the underworld’s officials for years. Their presence had gradually become part of legend, with the younger generation even questioning their reality. So, the Taoists never even considered that the two factions of underworld soldiers weren’t from the same camp.
What they saw was the underworld’s officials split into two groups, one massacring the other.
One Taoist nearly choked on his breath as he exclaimed, “Blessing of the Heavenly Lords! This, this, this…”
These Taoists had spent many years tracking the movements of the Yin path, more familiar with their operations than Yan Shixun.
Even though the Yin officials’ actions seemed strange—devouring and suppressing the underworld’s power to enhance themselves—the Taoists thought this was an internal issue within the underworld. They hadn’t realized that the Yin officials had already turned against the underworld after the death of the King of Hell.
They were robbing from within.
“Is this an internal conflict?”
One Taoist asked, worried, “Should we move forward?”
The underworld controlled the cycle of life and death, so if something had gone wrong, and souls couldn’t be reborn, they would accumulate in the human world. That would be a disaster.
This Taoist wanted to prevent such a possibility from its source.
However, after observing the battlefield for a while, the other Taoists hesitated: “…Let’s wait and see.”
“Fellow Taoist Yan is up ahead, but hasn’t made any moves.”
One Taoist pointed towards Yan Shixun, “He seems to be chatting with his companion. It doesn’t seem urgent.”
“We haven’t seen the situation before. It’s best to ask Fellow Taoist Yan about it first, and then decide what to do. That seems more appropriate.”
After reaching a consensus, the Taoists quickly advanced, intending to join Yan Shixun.
As soon as they got closer, before they could speak, they saw the tall man standing next to Yan Shixun lean in closer to him.
The man slightly bent at the waist, his long dark hair falling from his shoulders, and his smile softened the sharpness in his lowered brows and eyes. He gently adjusted Yan Shixun’s slightly disheveled clothes and even patted his ear affectionately, displaying a very intimate demeanor.
Yan Shixun did not resist; in fact, he appeared quite indifferent, continuing to whisper to the man.
From the words that were faintly carried by the wind, the Taoists overheard mentions of adding more clothes due to the cold.
Even the most powerful and sharp people have their weaknesses.
That is the person to whom they willingly give all their emotions and tenderness.
All the Taoists came to a halt, their gazes flitting between Yan Shixun and the man.
“Fellow Taoist Yan…”
After a long while, one of the Taoists finally spoke hesitantly, “Has… has he fallen in love?”
“With… with this person?”
Among the Taoists, the one who had a bit of a concern because his disciple admired Yan Shixun, and thus kept a bit of attention on him, gulped nervously. “I… I haven’t heard Fellow Taoist Yan mention it.”
“And also, doesn’t the gender seem a bit off… They must be friends, right?”
The Taoist’s voice grew softer and softer, and eventually, he fell silent.
Would friends be so intimate?
The Taoist thought about his usual scenes with his friends—playing the guqin and discussing Taoism—and then tried to imagine if his friend were to behave in such a manner as this man…
He shuddered, his expression filled with fear.
But the other Taoists’ questions stirred the rebellious spirit of one Taoist, who had a good relationship with Taoist Song Yi’s faction.
He snorted heavily, “What’s the matter? We’re not part of the Quanzhen Sect. What’s wrong with having a romantic relationship? Are you all a bunch of antiques dug out of a coffin? Are we really going to discuss this?”
“Don’t you know about love freedom?”
The Taoist puffed out his chest and said firmly, “If Junior Brother Yan wants to fall in love with anyone, let him. It’s none of your old geezers’ business!”
The other Taoists: “………”
Well… no wonder he’s good friends with Taoist Li’s faction, his temper is just like Taoist Li’s—fiery.
This faction really makes people both love and hate them. They’re incredibly gifted, far surpassing the rest, but their tempers are all notoriously bad.
As for Taoist Li, when he gets angry, he even drags the Abbot into fights. His disciple, Taoist Song Yi, though a top young talent, is often chased around by his seniors even in his forties, getting shocked stares from visitors. It’s almost a tourist attraction in the Haiyun Temple.
Some tourists even come specifically hoping to see Taoist Song Yi being scolded. If they miss it, they’ll regret it and ask the little Taoists in the temple when the next “Taoist being scolded” event is. This drives the little Taoists mad, shouting that they are a proper Taoist temple and have no such events!
Taoist Song Yi is actually a very serious and meticulous person, but his disciple, Lu Xingxing, is unreliable, so they still chase their disciples around the mountain every day.
The whole Haiyun Temple had already grown used to it.
Even this Taoist, who had a close relationship with Taoist Song Yi, was also influenced by that character.
The Taoist was still defending Yan Shixun and “Yan Shixun’s lover.”
“What’s wrong with this? Are you saying love is not allowed? Why should you care? If you all have so much free time, maybe next year Taoist Ma doesn’t need to set up any barriers, just let a typhoon come and sweep you out to sea. That’ll cover the whole coastline.”
The Taoist raised his eyebrows and pointed at Ye Li, “With this face, doesn’t it match my Junior Brother Yan perfectly? They look so much like a couple! If Junior Brother Yan doesn’t choose someone like this, would he pick you? Such a big face.”
The other Taoists: “!!!”
Alright, shut up now! We got it!
Only Ye Li, who had noticed the debate between the Taoists, smiled faintly.
Haiyun Temple… really is something.
Next time, if this Taoist summons a spirit, responding wouldn’t take much time.
Ye Li thought silently.
After the Taoists endured several waves of mental assaults, by the time they reached Yan Shixun, they looked mentally and physically exhausted, as though they had been through a tough battle, though they hadn’t fought at all.
Yan Shixun: “? Did you all encounter something on the way here?”
The Taoists: “… sigh.”
Don’t ask, don’t bring it up. How could we have such a fiery-tempered fellow Taoist? It’s brainwashing. The voice of “such a big face, what’s it to you” is still echoing in our minds.
The Taoist who had been defending “Junior Brother Yan’s love” stepped forward warmly, took out a magical artifact from his sleeve, grabbed Yan Shixun’s hand, and slapped the artifact into his palm with a bold declaration: “Wedding gift!”
Yan Shixun: “…???”
He felt that his understanding of “wedding gift” might differ from this Taoist’s. Perhaps the Taoist meant to say “greeting gift”?
Seeing Yan Shixun’s confused expression, the Taoist’s previously fading protective attitude reignited, his gaze toward Yan Shixun full of compassion.
The Taoist had heard that Hermit Chengyun had only one disciple, and after his disappearance many years ago, this disciple never returned to Haiyun Temple and had walked alone like a lone wolf.
Perhaps Yan Shixun had never experienced the sense of security from his sect’s protection, which made him seem so skeptical about anyone supporting his relationship.
Thinking about it, Junior Brother Yan was quite pitiful!
The Taoist’s protective instincts flared, and he even looked at the other Taoists with disapproval, carrying a sense of reproach.
The other Taoists: “???”
Blessing of the Heavenly Lords, what are you thinking? Don’t let your mind wander!!!
But the Taoist had already taken Yan Shixun’s hand, speaking earnestly, “Junior Brother Yan, if you ever face any difficulties, tell your sect. Although Hermit Chengyun isn’t here, we are your sect now, and we’ll always have your back. You can boldly pursue what you want without worrying about others’ opinions.”
With that, the Taoist pulled out a stack of yellow talismans and shoved them into Ye Li’s hands. “Don’t be polite, take care of Junior Brother Yan well.”
Yan Shixun was still confused, but Ye Li smiled lightly.
“What’s your name?” His low voice rang out as he took the initiative to ask the Taoist’s name.
“My surname is Wang.”
The Taoist, facing his own people, was sincere and kind. “If you need anything, just come to Haiyun Temple to find me. If I’m not there, look for my disciple. It’s the same.”
“When Hermit Chengyun brought you to Haiyun Temple, I was still an apprentice. I followed my master around, but I wasn’t in the temple and didn’t meet you.”
The Taoist looked at Yan Shixun with a nostalgic gaze. “I heard Taoist Song mention you before, but I didn’t expect you to have grown up so much. Time really flies.”
He thought for a moment, then recalled how the young man had looked back then. He awkwardly and stiffly extended a fist to Yan Shixun and dryly said, “Keep going, fight on.”
He remembered seeing young girls giving similar blessings to friends who had found love when walking through the commercial district.
Although he didn’t understand what “fight on” meant, it was one of the trendy things the youth were saying, and it couldn’t hurt to join in.
The Taoist: I just scolded those old fellows behind me for being antiques, and now I must keep it hidden that I don’t understand the trends either. Otherwise, I’ll be embarrassed.
Yan Shixun looked at the artifact in his hand, silent for a long time, before finally chuckling softly.
“Thank you, Taoist Wang.”
Yan Shixun’s eyes held a gentle smile. “If Taoist Wang ever needs help, just come find me.”
That awkward “fight on” made Yan Shixun think the Taoist was trying to use the trendy words of youth, but it ended up as a blunder, mistakenly referring to “wedding gift.”
However, Yan Shixun was still grateful that Taoist Wang cared about his feelings and was willing to adjust his attitude for him.
Yan Shixun never made ties with people lightly, but for this warm and kind connection, he was willing to accept it.
Though their understanding was miles apart, Taoist Wang and Yan Shixun happily reached a mutual understanding.
Looking at the harmonious interaction between Yan Shixun and Ye Li, Taoist Wang couldn’t help but glance triumphantly at the other Taoists.
His gaze seemed to say: See? Career and love, double success. This exceptional young man belongs to my family!
The other Taoists: “…”
One Taoist groaned and covered his eyes.
Abbot, abbot, I’m requesting a job change!
The brief exchange ended quickly. Yan Shixun then seriously explained the recent events to the Taoists, clarifying the misunderstandings.
“What!”
The Taoist was shocked. “How could this happen? Isn’t the underworld supposed to manage things like this?”
Yan Shixun and Ye Li exchanged a glance but didn’t mention that the King of Hell was already dead.
Some truths could not be revealed.
Without sufficient strength to bear it—or if the Great Dao deemed someone unworthy of knowing the secrets of heaven—then once that person heard such secrets, what awaited them was certain death.
Many who had reached enlightenment had attempted to glimpse the will of the heavens, but some had died the moment they did.
Even someone as accomplished in Taoist arts as Taoist Li had nearly died trying.
If Yan Shixun were to speak the truth now, it would only endanger the Taoists.
So, he simply lowered his gaze and calmly replied, “It cannot be said.”
The Taoists understood and solemnly nodded.
“I understand.”
One of the Taoists stepped forward and respectfully clasped his hands toward Yan Shixun. “Thank you, Taoist Yan, for helping us resolve the issue of the Yin Path.”
“If we had failed to guard the path tonight, and those mutated Yin officials had entered Binhai City…”
The taoist looked up at the remnants of blood and flesh scattered across the field, his voice trembling slightly with suppressed emotion. “That would’ve been… an unforgivable sin, even in death.”
Haiyun Temple followed the way of all living beings; protecting life was their sacred duty.
But if their failure had endangered the lives of millions, the Taoists would never have been able to forgive themselves. Their Dao hearts would have crumbled. Even if they lived, their cultivation would never improve again.
Taoist Wang sighed as well. Junior Brother Yan had not only saved the people of Binhai City—he had saved them too.
After confirming that the Yin Path had been completely dealt with, the Taoists immediately contacted the official in charge to inform him the crisis was over.
The Taoists then carried their talismans and ritual tools onto the rural highway, beginning the process of cleansing the blood and flesh left behind, dispersing the ghostly energy, and restoring vitality to the area.
The rescue team soon arrived as well.
The entire road was sealed off. Together, the rescue team and the Taoists combed every crack and corner to ensure no trace of ghost energy remained that could endanger passersby or nearby villages.
The blood on the ground was washed clean, and the scattered flesh was gathered into a single pile.
In the chill of late autumn and early winter, the air was now filled with the crisp scent of fresh water, replacing the stench of blood. Life had replaced death.
At the edge of the forest, a morning sun slowly began to rise.
The deepest darkness had passed, and the entire mountain field welcomed the light.
Golden-red rays scattered down, gilding the forest with a beautiful shimmering edge.
No more sign of the darkness from the day before.
When they finally found the variety show celebrity, he had his butt sticking up in the air and had buried himself in the bushes, trembling like a leaf. It seemed he was trying to hide, but he looked more like an ostrich with its head buried in the sand, ignoring everything else.
Even the rescue team couldn’t help but let out a laugh: “Pfft!”
The variety show celebrity had no idea what was happening outside. The moment he heard a noise, he shook even harder.
Seeing that they had frightened him, a rescue worker crouched down with a smile and said, “Don’t worry, it’s all safe now.”
“Aren’t you cold? There are blankets and food in the van. Come on, you won’t find anything to eat in those bushes,” he joked.
After multiple rescue operations, the team had grown familiar with the show’s crew.
The variety show celebrity, who had risen from humble beginnings and was highly attuned to social dynamics, could remember voices and faces well. He immediately recognized the rescue worker’s voice.
He quickly tried to pull his head out from the bushes—but halfway through…
He got stuck.
He looked both ridiculous and pitiful, like a fat deer caught with its antlers tangled in branches.
“Aiya, aiya!” the variety show celebrity cried miserably. “My neck, my head—my head!”
The rescue worker stifled his laughter and came forward to separate the intertwined branches. “You can’t even pull your head out—how did you get it in there in the first place?”
The variety show celebrity looked like he was about to cry. “Haven’t you ever seen a cat that climbed up but couldn’t get down? Or a guy who swallowed a lightbulb and couldn’t spit it out? Compared to that, I’m doing great, okay?!”
The rescue worker comforted him, “Alright, alright, you’re doing great. Just hold still, I’ll take care of it—I’m professionally trained, trust me.”
The variety show celebrity was on the verge of tears.
But the other rescue workers nearby were already cracking up.
Though they tried to be considerate of his feelings and held back their laughter, the tension they’d carried all night began to ease.
After hours of strain and worry, everyone finally felt a sense of safety and relief.
Including the variety show celebrity himself… and all the viewers watching him from their screens.
Those who had stayed up all night watching felt like their legs had gone numb from squatting in front of the screen. Only after seeing the variety show celebrity reunited with the rescue team did they breathe a sigh of relief.
[Honestly, I was scared to death. Now that it’s morning, I can finally sleep. Exhausted.jpg]
[Only his screen had such a different vibe from the rest—hid all night. Amazing. Classic you.]
[Goose Goose Goose Goose Goose! So professional! Someone please show this to all variety show directors—he still nailed the show effect even while stuck in a bush. That pose was hilarious.]
[So… can you really swallow a lightbulb? I’m a little curious, kinda tempted to try.]
[??? Don’t be tempted. If there’s one thing this show has taught us, it’s that every “temptation” ends in “terror.”]
[LOL. If the person above actually tries, that would be hilarious.]
The viewers kept chatting lightheartedly, but the work of the official in charge was far from over.
Several phones rang one after another. He hadn’t even hung up one before answering the next. The uniformed staff nearby—watching a special department in action for the first time—were amazed.
“Doesn’t seem that different from us.”
Someone muttered. “Just… busier.”
The official overheard and looked up with a smile. “Of course—we’re all the same. We fight to protect life.”
Soon, the rest of the show’s crew was accounted for. Aside from Lu Xingxing, An Nanyuan, and a few others who had been genuinely terrified, most were in good condition. A few had caught a slight chill from the mountain winds and were sneezing all the way back with the rescue team, going through an entire pack of tissues in no time.
The worst “injury” most suffered was a minor cold.
But when they found Jing Xiaobao, the rescue workers’ hearts melted completely.
The child stood with his hands behind his back, tiny fingers twisted together as if he was scared of something and didn’t dare step forward.
The rescue worker’s heart softened.
“Hey there, little one, come with Uncle and we’ll find your family,” he said, pulling out a piece of candy. “Uncle’s got sweets for you.”
Some of the rescue workers didn’t know who Jing Xiaobao was. When trouble had struck the Jing Estate, they had been assigned elsewhere.
Seeing how young Jing Xiaobao looked, dressed in a little formal outfit that wasn’t nearly warm enough for this weather, they grew worried he might catch cold. They wanted to take him back for a health check as soon as possible.
Jing Xiaobao hesitated and spoke in a small, frightened voice. “I don’t dare go back and find my family.”
He pursed his lips, eyes brimming with tears. “Yan Yan will definitely spank my butt…”
The rescue worker blinked: Huh? Was this one of Mr. Yan’s kids?
“It won’t happen.”
The rescue team member spoke gently to reassure him, “Don’t worry, Mr. Yan might look fierce, but he’s actually the most reasonable person. He won’t hit you.”
This child was so well-behaved, Mr. Yan really knew how to teach kids and was so thoughtful.
Some of the older rescue team members couldn’t help but feel a sense of admiration for Jing Xiaobao, especially when compared to the unruly troublemakers they had at home. Their fondness for him grew rapidly.
One of the team members even promised Jing Xiaobao, “If Mr. Yan tries to hit you, I’ll make sure to hold him back.”
Jing Xiaobao’s round, innocent eyes stared at the person, “You better keep your word.”
The rescue team member had no idea he was making this promise to a vengeful spirit, so he nodded without any worry. “Of course.”
After all, if a child were to be left out in the mountains overnight, wouldn’t the parents be in a panic, almost crying with worry? They wouldn’t dream of hitting the child. They’d be too concerned for them.
The rescue team member thought to himself.
But what he didn’t know was…
Jing Xiaobao had indeed spent the night playing like crazy in the mountains.
The sound of his childish, eerie giggles that echoed through the forest was the most terrifying omen to the evil spirits.
Many of the evil spirits, before their souls were shattered, had that sound deeply etched into their souls. They trembled with fear at the sight of this small child.
Evil spirits: “Mom, I want to go home! This child is scarier than me! I’m terrified!”
No, they were already dead!
Because Yan Shixun was busy elsewhere, Jing Xiaobao had no one watching over him. He had the freedom to play and enjoy himself as much as he liked.
It wasn’t until he felt Yan Shixun’s presence on the road, and the entire ghostly illusion shattered, that the ominous energy dissipated, that he remembered…
He actually had a guardian!
Jing Xiaobao: QAQ
It was like a child, who had been playing carefree outside, only remembered to be scared when they came home covered in mud.
However, Jing Xiaobao mischievously found someone who appeared to be soft-hearted to vouch for him. He figured that since he had made a promise, there was no way Yan would hit him now!
Jing Xiaobao: Hehehe~
Yan Shixun and Ye Li walked side by side, with the rising sun casting golden-red light over them.
Their tall figures were close, and as they whispered to each other, their handsome faces both carried smiles.
Their shadows intertwined behind them, merging into one.
A person who never showed a smile to others would reveal their softer side only to the one they loved most, allowing themselves to be vulnerable and seek affection.
And because of that, it was something to be treasured.
Taoist Wang tapped his old waist, straightening up, and from a distance, he saw the two figures in the morning sun.
He couldn’t help but sigh, “They make such a perfect pair.”
A Taoist who had originally come over to help paused for a moment, then immediately turned and walked away with a blank expression.
It felt strangely like being full and satisfied. Heh.
When Lu Xingxing saw Yan Shixun and Ye Li leisurely strolling along the road, his anxious heart finally settled.
“Master Uncle, Master Aunt!”
Lu Xingxing cheerfully ran over, “How did it go? Is everything settled? Did either of you get hurt?”
He practically rushed over like a happy dog greeting its owner, tail wagging vigorously.
Before Yan Shixun could answer, Lu Xingxing added, “You really are my master uncle, so handsome!”
Lu Xingxing: You’ve really made me proud! Now I’ll have something to brag about to my friends!
Yan Shixun: “?”
Ye Li’s eyes were filled with a smile, and he gave Lu Xingxing an approving glance.
Then, he turned his head to look at Yan Shixun.
“It’s because it’s Shixun… he’s… my exorcist.”
Ye Li’s voice was soft, a tender murmur.
Yan Shixun felt his face flush.
Strange, had he caught a chill?
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