That dream had taken its toll on Liang Fei.

While it had only been a short while, he had felt heartbroken when he saw Xieren in the arms of another. Like the world had crumbled beneath his feet. He had hoped he could handle such a situation but reality was cruel and decisive.

He’d never accept such a thing.

He’d definitely make a fool of himself if he didn’t do something drastic.

Fortunately, his newly regained strength gave him the opportunity to brainstorm an idea. While his body had accepted the cultivation with little backlash, he could not recklessly act as he could easily hurt himself.

He’d spent days meditating to stabilize himself and in that time, he came to many conclusions.

He could not remain Xieren’s lover.

At any point in time, he could lose his spot. It was a precarious position that left all the power on Xieren. Obviously, Liang Fei wasn’t going to force a relationship but it couldn’t remain as it was.

But first, he’d need to clear the path.

Liang Fei, after relaxing in a warm bath, sought out Suyan, who had been avoiding him for days now. The elder had no idea why though, as the child was very helpful.

Xieren had mentioned something about a coma but really, was that any reason to make him feel bad? He had woken up so it worked out in the long term.

Yet Suyan refused to leave his room, shouting from within about ‘training himself’ and the like.

Liang Fei didn’t understand but didn’t press the matter. He did advise the servants to make sure Suyan ate regularly since he was sure this boy would starve before daring to leave his ‘zone’. It happened to him more often than not.

But since he couldn’t talk to Suyan, Liang Fei found himself wondering what to do. If he stayed within the castle, he’d bump into Xieren and that wouldn’t help.

He’d just be discovered and he had to do this properly.

“Should I ask Xuejie?”

He briefly considered the option but tossed it aside just as quickly. Xuejie seemed to be going through some things with He Qing. They were often locked in their rooms for whatever reason.

“Xinyi then?” He considered before shaking his head.

Xinyi was about the same, though she and Yao Da seemed to be getting along again.

Then that meant Liang Fei had no one he could ask for advice. Had he the option, he could just search online but in this world, there was no such thing.

It was one of the downsides to living in such a place.

Just as his thoughts became gloomy, he felt a pair of arms wrap around him, pulling him closer. He relaxed, letting Xieren hold him.

“Why are you just standing in the middle of the hallway, Shizun?” He asked, pressing a kiss to the elder's temple.

“I was just thinking.”

Yes but about what? He yearned to ask but knew he wouldn’t get an answer.

“Care to join me, Shizun?”

***

Xieren wasn’t sure how to respond to this new Shizun.

Ever since he woke up, it seemed like his master was… planning something. He would always ask where he was planning on being during the day. It was obvious he was trying to hide something but for once, he was actually really good at it.

Xieren had tried many times to catch him in whatever act he was hiding but every time, he only found a seemingly innocent Shizun sitting by himself. If not for his superior hearing, he might have missed the rushed scramble to clean up something just before he managed to enter the room.

What was this foolish person thinking of now?

Past experience made him worry about what kinds of thoughts this man had in his head. He always came to strange conclusions and Xieren was always left unprepared for his antics.

It was stressful.

That's why the few moments of calm between them were a comfort to the king. On this day, Xieren had dragged his master away from his cultivation for a break. While he was happy Shizun was stronger, having that hateful person’s strength within his beloved master was annoying.

That bastard’s essence was in him!

The two were lying back on the floor with Liang Fei lying on top, his head resting on Xieren’s chest. The position was one that Shizun had told him was something special.

Xieren agreed and hoped to share more moments like this.

He was playing with the ends of Shizun’s hair, smiling gently when the elder sighed.

“Are we bad guardians?” He asked, shocking Xieren.

Eh? Did they have a kid somewhere?

“What do you mean?”

“Suyan has been locked up in his room since I woke up.” He explained, staring up at Xieren. “Is this a rebellious phase?”

Rebellious phase? That kid was rebellious from the start so how was this any different?

Xieren didn’t like Suyan. Not only did the brat get between him and Shizun purposely, he had also put his man in a coma for days. If not for his age, Xieren would have assumed he had ill intentions.

So he commanded the child to learn how to use his abilities before ever using them on others.

Xieren was willing to take risks but he would never risk the life of Shizun.

Hearing his lover's words, he was happy to hear that the child had followed through. Still, Shizun was worried so it wouldn’t do to leave him with no answer.

“I think there are times when one should leave a child to their own thoughts.” He replied, staring back at the elder. “He’s young but he is independent enough to know what is best for himself in these circumstances.”

“Is that so? Then I’m glad I have you to help me when I’m in need.” Liang Fei said with a small smile, setting Xieren’s heart racing.

Ah, my Shizun is so precious!

“Shizun seems to be good with children regardless.” Xieren noted, smiling back. “Though I recall you used to scare mortal children with those eyes. Still, you seemed to know how to treat them despite that.”

“I had dreamed of being a teacher for a long time." He admitted, feeling a bit embarrassed. He couldn’t help how his face looked.

"It suits you." Xieren recalled how pleased Shizun seemed whenever he was asked any questions by his disciples. Regardless of whatever stupid question was asked, his eyes with gleam with joy whenever he was called.

Shizun was a man who liked what he did.

Xieren continued, now wanting to know more about the man he fell in love with. "Did Shizun have children of his own?”

“My own? Never.”

“Was Shizun married?”

Liang Fei furrowed his brows, confused by the line of questioning. “Why would you think that?”

“Shizun seems familiar with romance so I assumed-”

“Oh, no, it's nothing like that." He insisted, unaware of the wave of relief that swept through Xieren. "My experience is second-hand.”

“Oh?”

“En. I told you before about the friend who gave me this scar, right?” He said, pointing to the scar on his eyebrow. “My friend was very... active with women so there are many things I've learned about relationships.”

“Like communication?” Xieren deadpanned, cocking a brow.

Liang Fei, as expected, didn’t seem to notice,

“Yes, that is very important.” He replied, looking proud of Xieren for guessing correctly. “One must be sure to tell their significant other things so they know where things stand. It's horrible for someone to suffer because they don't know if they are loved by their partner.”

Xieren’s mood got gloomy.

“Yes, It's a horrible feeling." Xieren agreed, scowling at his master. His tone was heavy with sarcasm. "What kind of inconsiderate person would do such a thing?"

"It's hard to say." Liang Fei replied, missing all the hints Xieren was throwing his way. "One must be careful lest they become that person."

Xieren facepalmed.

There were times he wondered why he loved this oblivious man so much. Why did he put himself through this when there were easier and less stressful partners out there?

"Are you okay, Xieren?" Liang Fei asked, giving the younger man that utmost attention. He placed a hand on his cheek, leaning in closer. "You don't feel sick anywhere, do you? If you want, I can move."

Then the bastard dared to act all cute and considerate, making Xieren dash away any thoughts of leaving this person.

He pulled Liang Fei back onto his chest, rolling them onto their sides.

“I don’t want to share you!” He cried, burying his nose in the elder's neck, letting his scent calm his nerves.

“Hm?” Liang Fei was confused by the sudden shift but comforted Xieren nonetheless. “When was I being shared?”

“Didn’t you used to? When I was younger?”

“I was your master but I was others too. That couldn’t be helped.”

“Couldn’t you be mine alone?

“Of course not.” Liang Fei ruthlessly rejected the notion, his tone even. “I was a teacher, not a tutor. How could I do such a thing to my students?”

“What about me?”

“You? You are also my student.”

“And now?”

“Now… We’re lovers.”

“So shouldn’t you be mine alone then?”

“Ah, is that how it is? Hm… I’ll consider it.”

Eh? That was a new response. Shizun usually either ignored his proclamations or dismissed them with a ‘for now’ but he was now considering it?

What had his master seen in his dream to change his mind?

“Ah, right, I forgot to ask.” The elder suddenly interjected. “What kind of metal do you like?”

“Eh?”

“Metal.” He repeated, cocking his head. “Which do you like?”

…What kind of question was that? Moreover, can we not talk about the previous subject instead? Xieren felt that was a bit more pressing!

But the earnest look on Shizun’s face made him reluctant to remain silent.

“I like brass.”

“Oh? Not gold?” He had expected Xieren would like gold since it matched his eyes but he hadn’t thought it would be brass instead.

“Gold has value but I like the look of brass more.” He explained, going back to playing with his master's hair.

“I see.”

“Why do you ask?” Xieren asked, peeking up at the elder.

“I can’t tell you.” Surprisingly, Shizun looked away, as if having eye contact would reveal his secrets.

If only he was that easy to read.

Xieren pressed. “Why not?”

“It would be improper.”

What does even that mean?! How is asking about metal preferences proper? Moreover, how is it even normal enough for impropriety to be considered!?

Ah, I fell in love with a difficult man. Xieren sighed, kissing Liang Fei softly. The elder blinked, confused at the kiss but reciprocated it until he was out of breath.

Eventually, Liang Fei found himself beneath Xieren, their gasping breaths mingling between them as they stared into each other's eyes.

Xieren had been holding back for days now, not wanting to strain him. He was still weak from days of being in a coma yet still made sure to cultivate his newfound strength.

This just left Xieren to suffer in silence as he watched the object of his affections act cute in front of him.

Completely unaware of his partner's woes, Liang Fei wondered if he’d said too little about the metal. He didn’t want to ruin the surprise but perhaps he should make his intentions clear. He didn’t want Xieren to misunderstand him.

“About the metal, I’m making a present for you.”

“Present?”

“En, so I can’t tell you much more than that or it will ruin the surprise.”

“Ah.” So it was that? He’d been curious about whatever little project his master had been up to but he didn’t think that his metal preferences would be a part of it.

“I…I just didn’t want you to come to any strange conclusions.” Liang Fei explained.

Is that something you of all people should say? Xieren refrained from pointing out the pot calling the kettle black.

“My present to you,” He muttered, his cheeks mildly flushed. He shyly gave Xieren a small smile as he continued. “I know you like it since it comes from the heart.”

Ah, this guy is too much! Xieren pinned him to the couch, kissing his master's favorite spot and being gifted his most adorable sounds. He wrung them out of the man, his own sounds mixing to form a symphony as old as time.

***

After a very, very enthusiastic reunion of the flesh, Liang Fei was finally able to leave on his shopping trip.

It was early evening by the time Liang Fei woke up alone in bed. Their migration from the couch to Xieren’s bedroom was… adventurous to say the least. Liang Fei could only hope no one had seen him in such compromising positions.

At the very least he got his revenge by pinning Xieren down and making him cry out.

It was very satisfying.

It also knocked him out for most of the day, leaving the elder to shop at night as opposed to daytime but such was life.

Truly, it was hard to get out of bed and he wanted nothing more than to snuggle into the bedsheets that still held Xieren’s latent warmth but he had things to do. If he could pull himself from the paradise of bed during finals week with only 3 hours of sleep per day, he could resist this as well!

Mostly because he was looking forward to the trip.

In the time he’d lived with Xieren, he’d never gone to town and was now looking forward to exploring on his own. While he’d passed through, shopping allowed him to better understand his surroundings.

He’d spent most of the trip going to the border in a carriage and the trip back was mostly him trying to ignore the reality of being hundreds of meters above the ground so he knew nothing about the area.

The town was fairly normal, save for the various types of demons around. There were many that looked human, like Xieren but most had some non-human traits, like horns or visible fangs.

It was… new for Liang Fei but he showed no outward shock. Truly, after everything he’d gone through since awakening in this world, a few people with horns was nothing. If anything, it was easier to navigate with all the people around him since they were more than willing to help when asked.

The fact they could scent their king on the human helped too but no one let Liang Fei know that.

After a few wrong turns, he found a smithy to help him.

“Do you have brass?”

“Eh?” The blacksmith, a dark-skinned man with equally dark horns peeking from his hair, looked up at Liang Fei. He gave the elder a once over before greeting him properly. “What do you need that for? An instrument?”

“Ah, no. This.” He showed a picture of what he wanted. “Can it be made of brass?”

“Oh? You want one made?” The man grimaced, looking frustrated. The smithy was close to closing so they’d have to wait until morning if they wanted to make anything. Moreover, this kind of thing was impossible for them. “But we don’t specialize in-”

“No, I’ll be making it. I just need the metal.”

“I see. Well, we might have enough but shouldn’t you use something more… precious?”

“No, he likes brass so that's what I’ll use.”

“He?” He echoed before shrugging. He was clearly surprised but showed no further reaction. “Ah, I see. Then I wish you luck then, human.”

“Thank you.”

After purchasing the brass, Liang Fei felt excited though his face showed none of this. The blacksmith, feeling generous due to the purchase, offered him some tools for his project.

“Ah, you don’t have to-”

“Think nothing of it.” He assured, patting Liang Fei on the shoulder. “You have quite the task ahead of you so you should have all the tools you need. I’m sure your partner will love it.”

Liang Fei felt embarrassed, as he was sure he’d hidden his intentions well. Then again, what other reason could one have to make such a thing?

Ah, this was nerve-racking!

“Thank you.” He muttered, rushing from the smithy. The other men, who had been listening in, snickered at the sight. That man, with a stone-cold expression, gave off the impression of a maiden in love.

How could they not enjoy the sight?

They were all happily married and remembered too when they proposed to their partners. How nervous they were and how they struggled to choose a gift for even the most mundane of occasions.

They just wondered at what stage the human was at but their boss refused to tell anyone what the gift was.

What a spoilsport.

***

Said human was strolling down the street, trying to come up with some final touches to his project.

Should he get something else too?

Xieren loved when he got him gifts but this was too important to allow the junior to get distracted.

It was Liang Fei’s first time so he had to make this perfect!

His worries were quickly overshadowed, however, by a roar that echoed through the streets. It was beastial and wild, sending shivers through him.

From far down the street, dust was rapidly being kicked up by a creature rampaging. It was some kind of giant monster that had escaped from the surrounding forest. The fact it had gotten this far into the city was strange enough yet no one had the time to ponder it.

Wood and tile went flying through the air as the beast rammed into the buildings and chased the people. A few guards came to control the beast but were brushed aside with its large tail before they could get any closer.

Elsewhere, a few blocks away, a man glanced up from his tea as he heard the panicked screams and crashes from nearby. The cold demeanor enveloping him cooled the air, even as other patrons panicked and sought to escape. Between one breath and another, the man disappeared, a faint blur heading toward the chaos.

Liang Fei, watching from a building he’d jumped onto, considered what he should do. If he waited for stronger guards, people were sure to die. The problem was that he wasn’t confident in his current strength. The monster was large and formidable.

Could he-

He saw a child fall as their parent tried to pull them to safety. The parent tried to go back for them but the rushing crowds pushed against their struggles, leaving the child alone and helpless.

It was obvious that such a sight would attract the attention of a predator. It lunged and Liang Fei moved in front of the child.

His cultivation wasn’t stable but he could handle at least this much, right?

Probably but that choice was taken from him as the beast closed in on him. Within a moment, he was confronted by the beast and had to act.

He pulled out his sword, still sheathed and blocked as the creature tried to plow through him. His body shook from the impact but he remained where he stood, stopping the creature in its tracks.

It let out a confused huff.

The few citizens nearby were equally confused.

Clearly, everyone was expecting the frail-looking human to be either splattered on the pavement or knocked aside. No one thought he could actually make the beast stop with a mere block.

In fact, even Liang Fei was a bit surprised. He wasn’t a proper cultivator, as his sword refused to let itself be unsheathed by him but the very least he could do was use it as he always had.

As a blunt instrument.

Taking advantage of the moment of confusion, Liang Fei stepped back and swung the sheathed blade into the beast's cheek like a bat. The impact reverberated through his arm as it fell over.

No, fighting was not the best tactic! He thought, feeling his arm pulse with pain. He definitely wasn’t stable enough to fight. The reverberation should have been a warning but he had never had to deal with an unstable core.

Even when he was reborn, he never fought so this was new.

With this in mind, Liang Fei chose to run.

Unfortunately for him, the beast chose to follow.

Damn.

Liang Fei ran, slipping into a dark alleyway, hoping it would give up when it saw how it couldn’t fit. Yet the beast was determined to pay Liang Fei back for that one strike. Even as its body refused to squeeze through, it's head could.

The creature snapped its maw at Liang Fei wildly, trying to get even a thread of his robe in its bite. Anything to drag this daring human from its hiding spot.

Liang Fei watched, trying to come up with a solution. He couldn’t fight using his cultivation and just running wasn’t going to help. Moreover, it would cause more trouble for the citizens.

Before he could come up with a proper plan, a sound rang out, swift and like a passing breeze. The air chilled, turning Liang Fei’s breath white.

It was a familiar feeling but one he hadn’t felt in a long time.

“How reckless can you be, letting such a beast run rampant just because you are weak.” The man standing over the beast's corpse snapped, his words as scathing as the chill that followed him. “Does living in the darkland produce only this much?”

Ah, his words really are cold, even after all this time. Still, Liang Fei felt happy to see an old friend again.

“Elder Shuren, it is good to see you again.”

***

Elsewhere, a certain cultivator was being welcomed in an entirely different way.

Fang Zhihao had arrived and came to the castle to greet the king. It would have been a grand affair if this man would have shown any care for it. Instead, Xieren barely paid him any mind despite having invited him.

For a moment, he wished Liang Fei was here since he was sure this brat wouldn’t have acted in such a way in front of his lover.

“So where exactly are we to stay?” Fang Zhihao asked, after being told there was no space for him and his group.

Fang Zhihao had gotten a brief tour of the castle and saw dozens of empty rooms, so he knew this was a lie. And worse, Xieren knew that he knew so this was twice as insulting.

Yet there wasn't an ounce of shame on his face as he replied. “That is not my concern. As long as it's not here.”

“Is that any way to treat your elders?”

“Elder Fang is not my master.” Xieren pointed out, giving him a stern look. “Neither is Sect Leader Zi. I am not so free as to allow just anyone into my home just because they are a little older.”

Oi, this kid! He gets a bit of prestige and suddenly he can’t even give his elders some face!

Still, Fang Zhihao couldn’t say much about it. While they were his elders, this was Xieren’s kingdom. Just like Zi Shuren could refuse anyone he liked when on his own land, Xieren could do the same.

The fact Fang Zhihao and their group were allowed into the darklands at all despite their encroachment attempt was courtesy enough. Anything more would just be an indulgence.

Still, did this brat have to speak like this? Was it against his ideals to speak respectfully? At least when his Shidi tore down his ego, it was innocently done with no malice.

Speaking of… “Where is your master? I would have thought he’d welcome us, rather than your sour face.”

A few of Xieren’s guards glared at the human but Fang Zhihao paid no mind. While he might not be able to take on Xieren, he could easily handle some lowly guards.

Xieren, however, didn’t show any reaction to his ‘subtle’ jab. He wasn’t so insecure as to give this teasing man the satisfaction of frustrating him. Too many times in his youth, he allowed this bastard to mess with him. It was not petty to take this little revenge.

“Shizun is sleeping.” Xieren said, his expression showing no indication of his thoughts. “You can talk to him in the morning.”

Without another word, Fang Zhihao was cast out the door, left to find his own shelter. His disciples, who were waiting nearby, ran up to meet him.

“What did he say?” One asked, gazing up at the castle with awe. “Are we staying here?”

“No, the brat is being petty.” Fang Zhihao grumbled though he looked unsurprised. Xieren had always been a vindictive man. Getting reunited with Liang Fei only made him slightly less overt about it.

At least this time, he made the effort to come up with an excuse as opposed to just outright rejecting them.

The disciples were disappointed, having spent the last few hours exploring and talking to the citizens. While most of them were taught to fear demons, they all looked fairly calm. A few could still be seen smiling at a demon or two.

Her horns were slightly less blatant than her exposed chest but it was a start.

“Would you like to explore the city on your own?” Fang Zhihao offered, shocking his disciples. It was rare for them to be allowed outside the sect. Even rarer for them to be allowed to wander on their own.

There was no question on whether they would accept or decline such a treat. The youths bolted, their destinations already fresh in their minds.

Ah, to be young. Fang Zhihao thought, snickering as one disciple ran back to the horned demoness he’d been speaking to before and slipping away.

With luck, the children wouldn’t cause too much trouble. He’d seen quite a few humans in town so the sight of a few more shouldn’t make things difficult.

In the meantime, he had to meet up with Zi Shuren.

It had been hard to convince the man to come with him but after mentioning Liang Fei, he was practically running to the darklands.

Fang Zhihao knew the man had feelings for Liang Fei, hence why he told Zi Shuren about his discovery. But he wasn’t sure how to explain their shidi’s current… status.

As such, he said nothing, deciding to let Liang Fei explain it himself. It was for the best anyway. Liang Fei, from their last conversation, probably didn’t know what he and Xieren’s relationship was.

Fang Zhihao didn’t want to impose his views onto him.

Yet upon arriving at the inn that he and Zi Shuren had secured prior to going to the castle (cause they both knew Xieren was going to be petty), the sight that he saw was… not what he expected.

Liang Fei sat across from Zi Shuren, munching on a snack as he spoke. “Gold takes a bit longer to melt so it's good that he chose brass”

Zi Shuren, resting his chin on his knuckles, was casually sharing these snacks with him.

“But brass is much less valuable.” He argued back. “Is it proper to use such a thing?”

Liang Fei furrowed his brows, a bit miffed. “It's what he wanted so why not? Would Elder Zi Shuren use something different?”

“Silver is a much better choice. With your element being ice, wouldn’t it match?”

“But he likes brass better so it wouldn’t work.”

“Then maybe just make it for you?”

“It's a gift to him, how can I make something for myself as well?”

“What is… going on here?”

Fang Zhihao had to cut in, very confused by the sight before him. He had a lot of questions.

Why was Liang Fei here rather than the castle like Xieren said?

Why was he here with Zi Shuren?

Why were they talking about metal?!

The two looked up, showing equally static expressions but Fang Zhihao had become an expert in reading these kinds of faces.

Both were surprised but only Liang Fei was pleasantly so. Zi Shuren was clearly upset at being interrupted.

“Ah, Elder Fang!” Liang Fei greeted him first, seemingly happy to see him. “It's good to see you again.”

“Likewise.”

Zi Shuren frowned, looking between the two with clear confusion.

“Zhihao, do you know this man?” The elder asked, frowning.

At this Fang Zhihao felt like he’d been kicked in the head.

“Eh? You don’t?”

“We met on the street this evening.” Zi Shuren explained, gesturing to Liang Fei. “He strained himself trying to fight off a wild beast so I invited him back to recover.”

The fact that this cold as ice man had done such a thing would have been shocking if not for the fact that it was Liang Fei he brought back. The man was stubbornly insistent that he didn’t have feelings for the man yet Fang Zhihao knew better. As such, it wasn’t a surprise to see him use such an excuse.

The real shocking part was that it seemed like Zi Shuren didn’t know who Liang Fei really was!

Fang Zhihao was sure he explained things to Zi Shuren, so he should know Liang Fei didn’t look like he did before. He might not know what he looked like exactly but surely this stoic but tactless man before him was clearly Liang Fei.

If Fang Zhihao could recognize him, how could this man, who clearly liked Liang Fei, not?!

“D-do you not know who this is?”

Zi Shuren’s look of confusion spoke volumes.

Fang Zhihao suddenly started to worry about the future of their sect.

Liang Fei, as expected, was equally as confused by the conversation.

Fang Zhihao once again wondered if he was the only one among the three of them with any sense.

***

The trio shared a hotpot as the sunset filled the room with an orange glow. As they waited for their food to cook, Fang Zhihao decided to let Zi Shuren in on the reason he’d laughed in his face mere minutes before.

“Y-you’re… Shao Liang Fei?!” He shouted, staring intensely at Liang Fei.

Liang Fei, for his credit, only looked slightly surprised by the sudden outburst.

“…Did you not know until now?”

“How could I?! You look nothing alike!”

“…Ah!” Liang Fei nodded, conceding to the notion. “That is true.”

What ‘ah’?! Did you only realize that now!?

Liang Fei hadn’t really thought about it before now. He was so glad to see a friendly face, it didn’t occur to him that he had a different face than before. Especially since Zi Shuren didn’t seem to notice anything strange as they spoke.

Somehow they had had a whole conversation without acknowledging this.

It was clear neither of them had really thought about it much. Hence why Zhihao found it so hilarious.

“My apologies.” He continued, feeling a bit embarrassed for Zi Shuren. “Elder Fang seemed to notice my identity on sight so I assumed…”

“No need to worry, Shidi.” Fang Zhihao assured him, patting him on the shoulder. “Shuren is just coming to terms with your new look.”

Zi Shuren really was. He had just thought this man had the same eyes as his late … he didn’t know what the word would be?

His feelings for Shao Liang Fei were… hard to quantify.

He liked the man, enjoyed spending time with him, and mourned his death. He couldn’t say for sure what that made Liang Fei in his heart but he was sure it wasn’t just a fellow elder.

As his mind was wandering, Fang Zhihao continued to converse with Liang Fei.

“If he didn’t know, why did you follow him, shidi?”

“Because I knew him.” Liang Fei replied simply.

So simply, in fact, Fang Zhihao was left speechless. It made sense but…

“…I feel like there's a step that was missed here but I don’t know what it is.”

Ah, Elder Fang Zhihao was confused. Liang Fei cocked his head, a bit confused himself. How strange. Liang Fei had been entirely clear on his reasoning but perhaps he was just tired.

“Don't stress yourself. There's nothing to worry about.”

“Isn’t there?!”

“Why?”

“I…”

Fang Zhihao couldn’t really argue with Liang Fei. If anything, Liang Fei’s actions made a lot more sense than Zi Shuren’s but the desire to argue had already risen up within Fang Zhihao so he didn’t want to let it go.

Perhaps it was latent frustration from being dismissed by Xieren. He couldn’t argue with Zi Shuren since he didn’t know what the new Liang Fei looked like and with Liang Fei, it was normal to accept an invitation from a friend.

Fang Zhihao had nothing to complain about and he was upset about it.

Zi Shuren snickered, seeing the ever jovial Fang Zhihao pouting. It was clear he’d had some grievances he wished to vent onto them but with no outlet, he was left to fester. After all the time's Fang Zhihao had teased him, Zi Shuren felt overjoyed to see the shoe on the other foot.

“How about we all have a drink?” He offered, smiling a bit. It was small but definitely noticeable to those who knew him.

Fang Zhihao, while still fuming, felt a bit happy to see his friend in a good mood after so long. It had been a long time since he saw that expression on his face.

Liang Fei, on the other hand, flinched at the suggestion.

“Ah, that might be…”

“Hm?” Fang Zhihao cocked a brow. “Did you not want to?”

“No, it's just…”

Liang Fei didn’t mind drinking. He had always wanted to share a drink with some friends and talk. He wasn’t very talkative but the act itself felt like something he’d enjoy.

It's just that both Xieren and Xuetien had told him he shouldn’t.

He was probably a bad drunk but…

He really wanted to have fun with them. He’d lived as the designated driver in his previous life so how could he give up the opportunity to finally run a little wild with his friends.

His thoughts mirrored the other two men, as they also wanted to have a little fun. They were accomplished men who had lived many times more than most people but regardless, who wouldn’t want to let loose at least once?

Fang Zhihao and Zi Shuren had never had the opportunity to drink together. As they were elders and had to be a role model to their disciples, it was forbidden to drink within the sect.

Presently, however, they were free to do as they wished and enjoy a moment of bonding as many men before them had.

They knew not what horrors they had unleashed upon this innocent city.

*****