Chapter 17

Ling Xia’s head was aching from too much irritation. His morals and integrity was reaching a new low in this place. Yu Zhi Jue peeled off the pillow on his face, and looked at him quietly but tenderly for a while, then he slowly sat up, change his clothes, and walked outside.

Ling Xia was a bit baffled, his heart inexplicably sunk.

The next day in the afternoon, up to the third day….. Yu Zhi Jue never came back. However, there were sets of clothes and food sent to him finer than before. Yu Zhi Jue also sent people to bring several books related to his cultivation, and an old senior refiner who earnestly teaches him for a fix period in the afternoon.

With no one harassing him, it should be a matter his heart should be rejoicing to. And yet, Ling Xia would find himself lost in thoughts from time to time.

Habits truly are a terrible thing. He knew well that its just a pretense, but he still found the empty house unbearably lonely.

On the fourth day, during the night. Ling Xia hazily smelled a familiar scent getting closer to him. He abruptly opened his eyes, and saw Yu Zhi Jue’s face few inches away from his cheeks.

Ling Xia jolted. He raised his fist and shouted: “What are you doing?”

Yu Zhi Jue didn’t back out and just continued what he was doing. Ling Xia stiffly lowered his head, and discovered that Yu Zhi Jue had put on a silver necklace on his neck. There’s a small, light blue, and translucent drop shaped gem hanging in the front.

Beside the watch Ling Xia took with him, he didn’t bring any other accessories with him. On the other side, the gorgeous and evil sir villain would wear a few eye-catching accessories everyday along with a green jade dragon carving that would never leave his possession.

So even though the necklace was exquisite, Ling Xia was quite used to seeing something like it.

It looked like it was satisfactory for Yu Zhi Jue. He gently stuffed the necklace inside Ling Xia’s collar, his cold fingers accidentally touched a part of Ling Xia’s collar bone. It was ice-cold and yet, Ling Xia didn’t shudder from it.

Yu Zhi Jue quickly withdrew his hands. He was merely gazing back at Ling Xia.

Ling Xia suddenly felt at loss on what to do, his face was also slightly burning. The spot that was touched earlier was left with somewhat peculiar sensation. He sat up uncomfortably and asked: “What are you giving me this for?”

“I crafted it. There are equipment stored inside that can be used for self-defense.” Yu Zhi Jue stared at him unwaveringly, “Tomorrow, you can leave and be free.”

Ling Xia was dumbfounded. He could hardly believe what he had just heard. He repeated: “What did you mean by ‘leave’?”

“Exactly what you wished for.” Yu Zhi Jue smiled, “I don’t want you to be unhappy.”

The thing he had always yearned for had suddenly appeared before him, so Ling Xia was a bit doubtful. But for some reason, his heart didn’t feel glad about it in the slightest. He could only ask apprehensively: “You…won’t secretly stalk me?”

“No.” Yu Zhi Jue handed over a jade ornament, his voice was soft as he spoke, “Traveling may be exhausting. Bring this jade with you and the Dark Arts Sect people won’t give you any trouble.

Ling Xia stared distractedly at Yu Zhi Jue’s back as he leave. He was staring at the jade ornament for a long while before he could raise his head.

He doesn’t know what Yu Zhi Jue is playing at now, but, he probably wouldn’t decieve him again, right?

He intended to leave anyway, and he didn’t want to stay in an ambiguous relationship with Yu Zhi Jue. Since he weren’t going to accept Yu Zhi Jue’s feelings, how could he continue to depend on him? Now that he doesn’t have a place to return to, he could only rely on his own strength to survive in this world!

Ling Xia puts aside the jade ornament. Then he tried to unhook the necklace. But the strange thing about the fragile and beautiful necklace was, there wasn’t any hooks in it. It was perfectly mended in a circle that he didn’t know how Yu Zhi Jue managed to put it in his neck.

Ling Xia became determined. He gripped the necklace and pulls at it. He continued to pull at it but it won’t come off and the skin beneath turned red. He pounded at the bed with his fists like a hammer from the frustration.

The great demon king was truly generous. The contents stored inside the necklace were countless money, medicinal pills, books, clothes, etc… The space dimension inside was also enormous, but Ling Xia doesn’t have any intention to use it.

He slumped down the bed exhausted. He glanced at the open windows, and saw that the outside was slowly starting to dim. The horizon in the sky is gradually rolling down.
He and Da Bai can see in the dark, so why wait for the sunrise to come?

An indescribable pain welled up in his chest. Ling Xia stubbornly believed that he was just feeling a bit sad because of the young Ah Jue.

Even though I can’t help but find him cute, and I can’t help myself from liking him. But in the end, it was just all fake.

It just like beautiful floating bubbles, bound to pop and disappear soon enough.

He must forget everything and start anew. He didn’t like men, so he should stop giving him false signals and cut their relationship off. The sooner he leaves, the better for the both of them.

Ling Xia sat up and inhaled deeply. He walked outside and lightly nudged Da Bai in its nest: “Da Bai, we’re leaving.”

He decided to leave that conspicuous jade ornament behind. He wore his rugged blue clothes he owned before he came in this place and stuffed that cheap storage bag he bought before inside his robe. Da Bai who was already bored from maintaining his small form for many days was itching to transform. It impatiently squirmed in the ground until it reverted back to its original form.

Ling Xia jumped in its back and petted Da Bai’s neck.

Da Bai shook its head and looked up in the sky as it gave a sharp eagle shriek. It spreads its wide wings, and soared straight up. The clouds in the sky was within reach in a short time. Ling Xia resisted from turning his head to look back. He was afraid that if he did, he would see those pair of eyes he knew well, those eyes that made him feel frantic and helpless.

So heartless….

Yu Zhi Jue watched as both the man and the eagle gradually gets farther away. His gaze never move even as they completely disappeared in plain sight. The passing breeze blows the strands of his hair in the air. He can’t already remember how many times he had stood in a desolate place, waiting for that man to come back.

A shallow smile appeared in his lips. Doesn’t matter, Ling Xia will always be mine. I’ll just wait for him like I used to.

But this time, it won’t be the same as before. This time, I won’t lose hope.

—

Ling Xia was pulling Da Bai amidst the crowd as they wander in a small town. It has already been three-four days since they had left. Ling Xia decided to check the Righteous Sect territories. Since the Dark Arts Sect areas are under Yu Zhi Jue’s rule, he thought he would feel a bit awkward.

This small town is still under the jurisdiction of the Dark Arts Sect. All the people that comes and go are rowdy, their clothes and appearances are varying, and most people have different magic beasts along with them. Ling Xia still lets Da Bai to transform back to its chick form as to avoid catching attention. After all, a level five beast is still kinda rare.

He patted that common storage pouch in his waist. Inside it was the savings he had collected during his time in the Bai Shou Yuan. There are probably about ten level 2 energy stones, and around a hundred level 1 energy stones.

While they were walking about, Ling Xia was looking for a small inn. When he saw one that seemed clean and simple from the outside, Ling Xia walked inside. The price was not expensive, and he wasn’t that picky either. He immediately checked in in one of the rooms, then he went to the restaurant downstairs and ordered a porridge with a simple side dish. Then he ordered Da Bai a big plate of meat.

The food were quite coarse, and the porridge had traces of sand in it. The side dish was also barely saute’d and the meat was already cold. But on the contrary, Da Bai paid no attention to it and continued to savor the food. Ling Xia smiled faintly, and started to help himself with the food as well.

When he just arrived, he would always find himself depressed. But now he have money and Da Bai was accompanying him. It was a lot better compared to his first days in here. Even though he thought of it that way, there’s still an emptiness somewhere in his heart.

Suddenly, four brute, robust, and rough looking men walks in. All of their head was shaved bald and there were golden rings in their noses. There’s a small red pony symbol tailored at the back on each of their clothes, and long swords fastened on their waists.

These men doesn’t seemed to be the people to mess with. The inn server with experience hurried came over and politely guided them in then served them with liquor and meat. Ling Xia didn’t pay any attention and just continued eating. Although the people of Dark Arts Sect loves to incite a scuffle, but as long as he remained low-key, he won’t get caught up in the fights.

Not for long, another man came in. Ling Xia indifferently casts a glance at him, and was a bit surprise at what he saw. In this world, people commonly had black, brown, and yellow hair. This is the first time he had seen a blue hair.

The young man with the blue hair looked handsome and bright, with a cheerful smile in his face, and an earring in one of his ears with a purple gem hanging in it that was swings as he walks. Its glitter could almost blind someone’s eyes. His sharp senses keenly noticed Ling Xia’s gaze. The man’s eyes shifted to him, and he walked towards Ling Xia with a polite smile.

“I’m Su Mu Zhe. May I ask what is brother’s name?” Su Mu Zhe retained his cool. He carefully observed Ling Xia and asked, “can I share table with you?”

Ling Xia looked around his surroundings. It’s currently lunch time so sure enough, there wasn’t any available seats left. He nodded and smiled, “I’m Ling Xia. Please do so, brother Su.”

Su Mu Zhe suddenly slammed the table. He looked at Ling Xia with a stupefied expression and mumbled: “Hey, hey! Are you kidding me?…”

Ling Xia jumped in surprise. He suddenly remembered the incident with the Yun Xiao Cheng people at the Bai Shou Yuan. When that girl heard his name, she also revealed the same shocked expression. But it was an emergency during that time, and the girl was in a confused state so he didn’t have any chance to ask about it.

He cannot help but ask: “Do brother Su know someone of the same name?”

Su Mu Zhe didn’t reply. He only leaned closer and studied five features of Ling Xia’s face. Ling Xia wasn’t used in men getting that close to him so he became a bit disgruntled.

Da Bai suddenly rolled its eyes, grab a big piece of meat with its beak, and flings it towards Su Mu Zhe’s face.

Su Mu Zhe caught it between his chopsticks. He only then discovered that there was a small chick with a sparse head plumes eating in the table. He hasn’t seen a small Bald Eagle before so he was amazed: “Is this brother’s magic beast? It looks really ugly! Is Shan Rao or is it Bai Zhao?”

Shan Rao and Bai Zhao are level 2 magic beasts, their appearances are unsightly as well. Da Bai turning into a small chick conceals its power so Su Mu Zhe couldn’t recognize it.
When that man said that Da Bai is ugly, Ling Xia became even more annoyed.

Da Bai gets cuter the more you look at him you know?

He couldn’t tolerate it anymore so he spoke: “Brother Su didn’t answer my question yet.” Su Mu Zhe raises his head and chuckled twice. He continued to probe Ling Xia’s expression: “You really do resemble my old friend somehow, you even have the same name as him…”

Ling Xia instinctively creases his brows. Is there really such a coincidence?

His chest felt a bit jittery. He unconsciously asked: “Excuse me but, where’s that friend of yours now? He… what kind of person he is?”

Su Mu Zhe carefully examined his expression then giggled: “That said friend, had already died a natural death, I think. He… he is the most motherly like and the most long-winded person I know. Um, but he and I really didn’t get the chance to know each other that much, HaHa!”

Ling Xia suddenly became quiet.

Su Mu Zhe squinted his eyes and talked with a scratchy throat: “Although that old friend of mine didn’t have any strong points, but the new Demon King of the Dark Arts Sect was scurrying frantically around trying to find him when he was still alive. Isn’t that strange?”

“What?” Ling Xia’s face suddenly turned deathly pale, he accidentally toppled the porridge bowl with his elbow, causing it to fall down and smash into pieces. He asked with a hoarse voice: “Whose Demon King are you talking about?”

His voice was a little pitchy. Luckily, the voices of the other diners drowned the ruckus he causes so no one came over to check. Su Mu Zhe held back his arms and hushed him to lower down his voice. He replied in astonishment: “Of course its the current Demon King! Who else could it be?”

Ling Xia’s face turned flush at one moment, then he paled at the next. His heart became a block of ice.

So that’s why when that man asked for his name the first time they met and heard it, he went to such extremes after.

Damn it! Did he treated me as a replacement? That jerk of an actor!

He tried his best to keep his calm. He carried Da Bai and forces a smile: “So that’s how it is. I have to leave first thing in the morning, so I’ll go ahead and go back to my room to rest. Please make yourself comfortable, brother Su.”

He doesn’t know why but the scene before his eyes turned fuzzy. He doesn’t know either what’s making his stomach sour. But he only wanted to find a place he could be alone to think properly.

Su Mu Zhe was somewhat in thoughts as he watched Ling Xia’s back. He smiled and muttered: “How interesting. I better tell Xaio Hu about it.”

His original goal in coming here was, to obtain the belongings of those four clan members and give it as a present to his future wife. But now there’s a change in his plans. After he had taken those men’s stuff, he’ll follow this ‘Ling Xia’ and see the fun for himself.

En! It’s definitely not a waste of trip treading into the soil of the Dark Arts Sect!
The inn’s room was dim and damp, and a moldy smell was wafting inside. Ling Xia’s mood became even worse.

His mind unconsciously replayed the moments that happened after he transmigrated.

Shit! It’s not like this Lao Zi is affected by that. But being treated by that man as a substitute and then be played with, its just…..it fucking put a bad taste in my mouth!

Ling Xia got angrier the more he thinks. He wished he could go back and find Yu Zhi Jue to confront him about it.

Screw your honest feelings! Treating someone as a replacement is the most despicable thing ok!?

The pit of his stomach seemed like it was burning hot. The flame inside gets hotter and hotter, until it almost burn his insides to ashes.

Ling Xia’s breathing rushes. Only when Da Bai notices his unsettled state and started pecking at his arm did he relaxes.

As he rub his arm, he was feeling a bit stumped.

Why am I so angry?

---

Bonbon wanted to say:

The story just continue to escalates its angst… Yu Zhi Jue’s part made me sad T.T

He’s basically having vietnam war flashback watching Ling Xia leave again…