The State of Shishen was encircled by a vast, boundless ocean. Countless stone bridges spanned the endless waters, stretching out in all directions, teeming with people day and night.
Ming Zhu and his companions disembarked from the Sky-Kite platform and walked for fifteen minutes before the Shishen Sea finally came into view.
Upon returning to Shishen, the paranoid terror that had gripped Ye Weiai throughout their journey vanished instantly. He nearly leaped for joy, clutching Ming Zhu’s arm with a shy smile. "Brother, we’re finally here!"
Ming Zhu had been born in Shishen. Seeing the boundless sea from the depths of his memory stirred a sense of profound nostalgia. He looked around and remarked, "There seem to be many more stone bridges than there were back then."
Ye Weiai nodded. "Mhm! Brother has been building bridges all these years. Shall we walk across the bridge, or take a boat?"
Ming Zhu raised an eyebrow. "Is there a difference?"
"Flight is forbidden over the Shishen Sea," Ye Weiai explained. "If we take the bridge, we have to go on foot, which takes over two hours. If we take a boat, it’s much faster—we can reach the main city in about half an hour."
Ming Zhu answered immediately, "Boat. Definitely the boat."
Ye Weiai beamed and skipped off to purchase the jade tokens for their passage.
Because they were near the water, the banks leading to the stone bridges were lush with verdant trees. While Ye Weiai was buying the tokens, the other two waited by a tree.
Due to the events of the previous night, Ming Zhu felt too embarrassed to speak to Zhou Fuxue. He kept looking left and right, watching the passersby with eyes full of bright, curious light.
Zhou Fuxue, as if afraid Ming Zhu might vanish, kept his burning gaze fixed on him, seemingly unbothered by how strange it might look.
Ming Zhu glanced around, trying to put some distance between himself and Zhou Fuxue. But for every step he took away, Zhou Fuxue seemed intent on taking three steps closer, looking for all the world like he wanted to tuck Ming Zhu right into his arms.
Ming Zhu didn't dare move any further. The atmosphere between them was somewhat awkward, so he searched for a topic of conversation. Pointing at a shimmering, illusory light over the Shishen Sea, he asked, "What is that? A barrier?"
Zhou Fuxue glanced at it and explained, "That is the City Barrier. Ever since the demon cultivators of Biri Cliff nearly entered the world back then, Master, Ye Weiyang, and Zhou Mingzhong established barriers in every city specifically targeted at demon cultivators. The core of the barrier is usually in the center of the city, extending fifty miles outward."
"Ah," Ming Zhu let out a dry laugh. "A City Barrier. Haha, how impressive."
Zhou Fuxue took a step closer, looking down at Ming Zhu’s face, which seemed to be breaking into a cold sweat. "Senior Brother, are you afraid of me?"
Ming Zhu: "..."
Being afraid of his own junior brother... Ming Zhu couldn't bring himself to admit it.
He reached out haphazardly, pressing his hand against Zhou Fuxue’s chest to stop him from coming any closer. His earlobes turned a faint red as he muttered, "I... I am not. I’m not..."
Seeing that Ming Zhu’s lowered eyelashes were trembling slightly, Zhou Fuxue didn't push him further and stepped back compliantly.
Ming Zhu immediately scrambled a few steps away and crouched down, hugging his knees. He kept stealing glances at Zhou Fuxue from the corner of his eye, terrified that he might rush over and start being "handsy" again.
In the past, Ming Zhu had found dealing with Zhou Fuxue—who was then just a half-grown boy—to be effortless. But fifty years had passed. Not only had Ming Zhu changed, but even Zhou Fuxue had become almost a stranger. Ming Zhu couldn't read a single emotion from that cold face, which left him constantly on the defensive.
While reminiscing about the Zhou Fuxue of Rizhao Mountain, he absentmindedly plucked a handful of grass from the ground and stuffed it into his mouth without looking.
Zhou Fuxue froze. By the time he reacted, Ming Zhu had already swallowed two blades of grass, his expression so vacant that he didn't even seem to realize what he had done.
With a stony expression, Zhou Fuxue walked forward, grabbed the hand that was still plucking grass, and forcibly pulled him up. "What are you doing?" he demanded sternly. "Is that something you should be eating?"
A stray bit of grass still clung to the corner of Ming Zhu’s lip. He looked up blankly. "Huh? What?"
Zhou Fuxue wiped the grass away with a cold face. "Spit it out," he commanded.
"Huh?"
Zhou Fuxue pinched his chin, forcing his mouth open, only to find that Ming Zhu had already swallowed it all.
Ming Zhu shoved him away, his face pale. He took two steps back and said, "Zhou Fuxue, that’s enough. We’ve only just reunited; I don't want to argue with you."
His expression was grim, tinged with a hint of anger.
In the past, if Ming Zhu had shown even the slightest displeasure, Zhou Fuxue would have fearfully ceased whatever action was upsetting him. But things were different now. Instead of apologizing, Zhou Fuxue’s expression grew even colder.
"Does grass taste good?"
Ming Zhu blinked, looking down at the patch of grass he had plucked bare. Only then did he realize why Zhou Fuxue was angry. He covered his mouth and turned his head away, muttering sullenly, "I... I didn't mean to. It was just... a habit..."
Zhou Fuxue couldn't begin to imagine what kind of life Ming Zhu had led over the last fifty years for him to instinctively grab grass and eat it whenever his mind wandered. He had been dying of anger, but the moment he thought about the implications, the ache in his heart intensified, and his immense fury vanished.
Zhou Fuxue took a deep breath and softened his voice. "Senior Brother, I’m sorry. It was my fault. Don't be angry with me."
Ming Zhu kept his head turned, refusing to look at him. His already pale face was devoid of color. He gave a muffled "Mhm" and said nothing more.
Just then, Ye Weiai came skipping back with three jade tokens. Being of a flighty nature, he didn't notice the strange tension between the two and happily dragged Ming Zhu toward the boat.
The boat ride to the main city of Shishen took half an hour. The route was lined with picturesque views of rolling waves, but Ming Zhu was in no mood to appreciate them. He sat by the window, hugging his knees and staring out with misty eyes, though nothing he saw truly registered.
Half an hour later, the boat docked.
Ye Weiai had been excited the entire way, chattering incessantly. "I’ve already sent word to find my brother. He should be coming to meet us soon. Ah! Brother will be so happy to see Brother Zhu! It’s been so many years!"
The main city of Shishen was crowded. Two winding moats ran alongside the broad main street, their banks lined with stone pillars and planted with a riot of colorful peonies.
As Ye Weiai wandered about happily, he kept up a running commentary on the sights of the capital.
Ming Zhu followed along absentmindedly. Halfway there, a graceful young girl blocked his path. With a bright red face, she thrust a peony into his hands and then fled like the wind.
Zhou Fuxue, who had been following beside him, saw this and his expression darkened instantly.
Ming Zhu stared blankly at the white jade peony in his hand. He twirled the stem gently, catching Zhou Fuxue watching him with a strange look out of the corner of his eye. Tilting his head, he held the flower out. "Do you want it?"
Zhou Fuxue: "..."
Zhou Fuxue had intended to refuse, but seeing Ming Zhu holding a flower given by someone else made him feel instinctively displeased. He nodded and took the flower. The moment Ming Zhu turned around, he crushed the delicate bloom into a pulp and tossed it casually into the moat.
After crossing the main street, they came upon an exquisite stone bridge carved with intricate patterns. The clear river water gurgled beneath it, and several pear trees along the banks dropped white blossoms into the stream.
"Changye Villa is just ahead!" Ye Weiai cried. "Brother Zhu, hurry up!"
As he spoke, he couldn't wait any longer and ran ahead. They could faintly hear him shouting, "Brother! Brother!"
Ming Zhu stepped slowly onto the stone bridge. Looking back, he saw Zhou Fuxue still standing at the foot of the bridge, looking up at him.
"What is it?"
Zhou Fuxue asked, "Is Senior Brother still angry?"
Ming Zhu paused, then smiled. "I wasn't that angry to begin with. Let’s go."
Only then did Zhou Fuxue quickly follow.
Upon receiving the news, Ye Weiyang had intended to rush out immediately to meet them. But before he could leave, a joyful shout rang out from outside the gates.
Ye Weiai bounded up the steps, shouting at the top of his lungs, "Brother! Brother! Weiai is back!"
As he shouted a second time, a dark shadow flashed before his eyes, and he was suddenly pulled into a crushing embrace. A familiar scent washed over him.
Ye Weiai recognized the person and nearly jumped for joy. "Brother! Brother!"
Ye Weiyang held him tightly for a long moment before slowly pulling away. His eyes were slightly red. He reached out to brush the stray hairs from his younger brother’s forehead, his voice trembling. "Where on earth did you go? Do you have any idea how worried I was?"
Ye Weiai squinted his eyes and acted spoiled. "I was going to Shuoyu City to find you, but I took the wrong Sky-Kite and ended up in Shou'an City."
Ye Weiyang’s hands shook as he touched the boy's face. He murmured softly, "It’s okay as long as you’re safe. It’s okay..."
He pulled him into another tight hug, the heart that had been hanging in his throat finally settling.
Ye Weiai grinned and wrapped his arms around his brother’s neck, nuzzling into the crook of his shoulder. Suddenly, he remembered something. "Ah, Brother, you have no idea! So many people were trying to kill me on the way back. Luckily, Brother Zhu saved me, or I wouldn't have made it back to see you."
Ye Weiyang frowned. "People were hunting you?"
Ye Weiai puffed out his cheeks in annoyance. "Shouldn't you be more concerned about the 'Brother Zhu' I mentioned?"
Ye Weiyang’s eyes flickered. He reached out to feel Ye Weiai’s forehead, as if checking to see if a fever had scrambled his brains. He explained patiently, "You were only four or five years old when your Brother Zhu went to Rizhao. How could you possibly remember what he looks like? What nonsense are you talking now? Are you hungry? I’ll have them prepare your favorite foods, alright?"
Ye Weiai grabbed his sleeve and tugged him toward the door. "It really is Brother Zhu!"
Ye Weiyang said helplessly, "Weiai, stop playing around. It couldn't possibly be your Brother Zhu."
He was about to drag his precious brother off to get some food—while mentally considering calling a physician to check the boy's head—but Ye Weiai pulled him out the door without another word. At the bottom of the stone steps, two men were walking toward them side-by-side.
When Ye Weiyang saw the face of the man in front, he froze where he stood.
Ye Weiai shook his arm. "See? I told you! It’s Brother Zhu, right?!"
Ming Zhu tucked his hands into his sleeves as he ascended the steps. He raised an eyebrow at the stunned Ye Weiyang, his eyes rippling with a warm, teasing smile. He spoke with practiced banter: "Weiyang, after all these years, how are you still so dim-witted?"
Ye Weiyang: "..."
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