Seeing Zhai Bairong lost in thought for a long time, Nie Shiyun couldn't help but ask what was on his mind.
With a somewhat conflicted expression, Zhai Bairong told Nie Shiyun what he had done.
"I’m sorry. Do you think my behavior was..."
Seeing the look of embarrassment on Zhai Bairong's face, Nie Shiyun reached out and patted his back reassuringly. "How could I? I know what kind of person you are. After leaving the secret realm, he likely intended to go with those two, but you brought him back to the Moon-Reflecting Sect to be confined. If he were to end up a soul lost to the sect's furnaces, even if the fault wasn't yours, you would surely feel guilty for a long time."
Zhai Bairong was stunned. "...You understand me far too well."
"It is your nature, after all," Nie Shiyun said with a smile.
"Is my nature really that indecisive?" Zhai Bairong asked with a bitter smile. However, knowing that Nie Shiyun didn't blame him put his mind at ease.
"Don't say that. In a place like the cultivation world, having a bit more humanity is not a bad thing."
Since it concerned the shifting tides of the cultivation world, the topic inevitably turned heavy once Duan Mingyu's constitution was mentioned. The two spoke for a while longer about the direction of the 'Heavenly Dao' in the original story, analyzing various possibilities. Only then did they steer the conversation back, and the atmosphere gradually lightened.
"Aren't you going to ask if there are any beauties chasing after me?" Nie Shiyun pulled Zhai Bairong from behind to sit on the edge of the bed, poking his head over the other's shoulder to ask teasingly.
"Even if there aren't any now, there certainly won't be a lack of them in the future," Zhai Bairong said matter-of-factly.
Zhai Bairong himself had never lacked pursuers in the past. Any cultivator who achieved even a modest level of success would have people wanting to attach themselves to them. Setting aside the fact that those people never caught his eye, back when Zhai Bairong’s advancement failed a few years ago, the men and women who had once been so attentive suddenly changed their tune and kept their distance. This had made him care even less for such empty fame.
"Aren't you worried, like Duan Mingyu said?"
Zhai Bairong turned his head, looking into Nie Shiyun's eyes. "You promised that in the future, there would only be me. I believe you."
Nie Shiyun had originally intended the remark to be playful, but seeing Zhai Bairong so serious, he couldn't help but respond in kind. He nodded. "Of course."
"However..." Zhai Bairong pursed his lips, his voice trailing off into a murmur.
"Hmm?" Nie Shiyun cast a questioning look.
Surely there wouldn't be any more twists regarding this matter in their hearts, right?
Just as Nie Shiyun was thinking this, Zhai Bairong suddenly turned around and pressed him down without warning. Since they were already sitting on the edge of the bed, Nie Shiyun was pinned down by Zhai Bairong just like that.
"I should still work harder in all aspects, so that you won't have any spare energy..." Zhai Bairong lowered his head and kissed Nie Shiyun aggressively. Although his movements were bold, because he wasn't used to saying such things, the latter half of his sentence was muffled against Nie Shiyun's lips and went unfinished.
Nie Shiyun hadn't expected to be pinned down and "forcefully kissed" by Zhai Bairong. Beyond his shock, he was thoroughly delighted.
In the past, Zhai Bairong would never have said such explicit things. Nie Shiyun felt that through their time spent together, perhaps the man had been led a bit astray by him. Furthermore, after experiencing that illusion in the Frigid Sky Secret Realm, Zhai Bairong's original ancient-style reserve seemed to have faded somewhat. In Nie Shiyun's eyes, this was a wonderful development.
"That would be for the best..." Nie Shiyun whispered between kisses.
March was already spring, and the days had grown significantly longer than in winter. However, as the Hour of the Rooster approached, the sky had still turned completely dark.
The two elders from Red Rock Cliff and the Moon-Reflecting Sect had met before, and this time they "happened" to run into each other near the front mountain of Yunqing Pavilion. Nie Xing'an didn't know what either side was planning, but he watched as they exchanged barbed words, both overtly and covertly. Finally, the group from Red Rock Cliff, who had lingered for several days, decided to leave—almost as if they had stayed all this time just to catch a glimpse of the Moon-Reflecting Sect.
Nie Xing'an felt a sense of unease. In his memory, weren't these two sects supposed to be on bad terms?
Regardless, having sent off one "Great Buddha," the pressure in Nie Xing'an's heart lessened considerably. Following the usual etiquette, he invited the members of the Moon-Reflecting Sect to the reception hall, serving them fine spiritual wine and food.
Everything was well-arranged, except for the fact that the host of this small banquet had yet to arrive.
As Nie Xing'an chatted with the Moon-Reflecting Sect elder, he saw Nie Li beckoning to him. He nodded to the elder, signaling that he needed to step away for a moment.
"Xing'an, you've worked hard. Has Shiyun not arrived yet? I passed by to take a look and realized he's actually making the people from the Moon-Reflecting Sect wait. This is a bit against etiquette... Oh, but it seems the other side is missing someone as well?"
Looking at Nie Li's expression, Nie Xing'an realized he probably didn't know about the situation between Nie Shiyun and Zhai Bairong yet.
"My cousin and Fellow Daoist Zhai Bairong have some prior history. They met this afternoon and went to catch up; they might have lost track of time," Nie Xing'an said.
"Even so, the elder from the Moon-Reflecting Sect is still waiting. Sigh, hold the fort for a bit longer; I'll go find him." Nie Li shook his head helplessly, and with a wave of his sleeve, he vanished from the spot.
"Ah, no need..." Nie Xing'an didn't get the rest of his sentence out. He had intended to say he would go himself, or have Du Zhi or Qi Xuan'er notify them, but in the blink of an eye, Nie Li was gone.
Nie Li didn't think much of it. He only assumed his son was engrossed in conversation and had uncharacteristically forgotten the time. Young people weren't always so strict about etiquette. However, he vaguely remembered that this Zhai Bairong and Duan Mingyu were a pair, and that Zhai had been quite hostile toward Nie Shiyun. Although Nie Shiyun had long since forgotten that business with Duan Mingyu, it was quite miraculous that the two could turn enemies into friends.
Though it hadn't been mentioned during their late-night talk before, perhaps some chance encounter had occurred in the secret realm. Nie Li smiled helplessly; his son was already a Nascent Soul cultivator, and he didn't need to report every detail of his interpersonal relationships to his father.
Nie Li arrived quickly on his flying sword. He landed near Nie Shiyun's cave residence and was immediately stunned.
The restrictions on Nie Shiyun's cave were naturally complete, having been set up before his tribulation. However, at that time, to prevent any accidents during the lightning tribulation, he hadn't placed limits on Nie Li or Nie Mingde. He trusted the two of them implicitly and had later forgotten about the matter as he got busy.
Thus, completely unprepared, just as Nie Li was about to call out to Nie Shiyun through the restrictions, he heard certain unspeakable sounds.
"..."
"Shiyun... mnh..."
Inside the cave, the two were already lost in passion, pouring the longing from their brief separation into each other.
Beads of sweat rolled down Zhai Bairong's neck and onto his body. Nie Shiyun felt his palms grow damp with a thin layer of perspiration.
The second round always took longer than the first. Zhai Bairong noticed a strange look on Nie Shiyun's face. He couldn't imagine what could possibly worry him inside his own cave residence. Ignoring his heaving chest, he asked in a low voice, "What is...?"
Nie Shiyun propped himself up. Already familiar with his every move, Zhai Bairong instinctively placed his hand on Nie Shiyun's shoulder before continuing to cast a questioning gaze.
After a long moment, Nie Shiyun cleared his throat. "Um, just now... it seems my father stopped by for a moment. Ah, but only for an instant, and then his aura vanished."
"...Why didn't you say so sooner?" Zhai Bairong's ears turned visibly red. While he was fine with anything between the two of them in private, having the other's father overhear their intimacy was far too much!
Furthermore, he hadn't even officially visited Nie Li as Nie Shiyun's Dao companion yet. This was simply improper.
"He's not that stiff of a person, don't worry," Nie Shiyun explained.
Zhai Bairong hurriedly got up from Nie Shiyun and began to tidy his appearance. Only now did he notice the time. Realizing they had certainly delayed the banquet and even caused Nie Li to come looking for them, he felt even more flustered.
"Quick, get dressed properly." It was rare for Zhai Bairong to lose his composure as he pulled at Nie Shiyun, urging him to get up and fix himself.
Seeing Zhai Bairong's expression, Nie Shiyun finally admitted helplessly, "Perhaps we did fool around a bit too much."
"More than just 'a bit.' It really is... really against etiquette," Zhai Bairong said with a stern face, though his ears were still red.
Nie Shiyun and Zhai Bairong likely tidied themselves up faster than they ever had in their lives before leaving the cave.
Not long after they left the range of the restrictions, Nie Li "happened" to descend from the sky. He cleared his throat and said, "What a coincidence. I was just coming to call for you. You've certainly made the guests from the Moon-Reflecting Sect wait."
"I lost track of time; we're heading there now," Nie Shiyun said smoothly.
Zhai Bairong was very grateful that Nie Li was pretending to know nothing. He lowered his head and said, "Greetings, Senior Nie."
Nie Li's heart was a whirlwind of complex emotions, but he quickly responded politely. His mind was full of questions and shock, but knowing this wasn't the place to talk, he only told Nie Shiyun and Zhai Bairong to "come sit with me when you have time."
The two nodded quickly and went to attend to their social duties.
Nie Li knew that Nie Shiyun was a "cut sleeve." But because of the previous incident with Duan Mingyu, he had always assumed his son liked the delicate and lovely type of man.
He never would have imagined that the Dao companion Nie Shiyun wanted to introduce to him was actually that Zhai Bairong from the Moon-Reflecting Sect—the same Zhai Bairong who, in everyone's eyes including his own, was aloof and indifferent.
And what's more...
Left behind, Nie Li watched their retreating figures, feeling utterly dazed himself.
