5 . Heavenly Nector Peach

"This just doesn't make any sense..." Mo Yichen muttered under his breath, his frustration barely contained.

"Who told you to be such a busybody?"

Shifting his grip on the unconscious—or so he thought—stranger slung over his back. The weight wasn't unbearable, but carrying someone of the same height through uneven terrain wasn't exactly pleasant either.

"Now look, there's one more person… I'm not sure what that old man will ask for next," he sighed, trudging forward with a slight stagger.

The faint rustling of leaves and the soft whooshing of the wind were the only sounds accompanying his complaints. The deeper he went past the barrier, the fewer trees there were, revealing a wide-open clearing bathed in golden sunlight. The gentle stream nearby shimmered under the light, its soft babbling adding a peaceful contrast to his annoyance. The crisp air carried the scent of wet earth and distant wildflowers.

Despite the serene atmosphere, Mo Yichen was anything but relaxed. With a final huff, he finally reached a broad tree and carefully lowered the stranger onto the soft moss beneath it.

Only to freeze mid-motion.

His eyes widened in disbelief as he noticed the faintest glimmer of movement—the stranger's half-lidded, ice-blue eyes staring directly at him.

"...You—You!?" Mo Yichen nearly choked on his words, pointing an accusing finger. "You were awake this whole time?!"

The stranger blinked lazily, his expression unreadable. Not a single word of defense.

Mo Yichen felt his eye twitch violently. Here he was, dragging this guy like a sack of rice across the woods, only to find out he'd been conscious enough to listen to his entire monologue.

The audacity.

Running a hand through his already disheveled hair, Mo Yichen exhaled sharply. "You know what? Forget it," he grumbled, dusting the dirt off his robes. If he thought too much about it, his sanity might just collapse.

After a beat of silence, he glanced at the stranger again. "Wait here. I need to get some herbs first."

With that, he turned and made his way toward the stream.

.....

From a distance, the young man in blue remained silent, his gaze following Mo Yichen's movements.

He watched as the other knelt beside a smooth rock near the stream, carefully sorting through the freshly gathered herbs. His fingers move, grinding, mixing, and extracting the essence from different leaves. His brows were furrowed in concentration, his posture surprisingly steady.

The stranger's cold blue eyes lingered on the way Mo Yichen worked, effortlessly handling the different herbs with familiarity.

Mo Yichen, unaware of the eyes on him, finished mixing the concoction and neatly gathered it into a large banana leaf. Tying it securely, he stood up, shaking off the stray herb dust from his sleeves before making his way back.

As he approached, he caught sight of the stranger watching him intently. Mo Yichen halted for a brief second.

"...What?" he asked, raising a brow.

The stranger simply blinked once before looking away.

Mo Yichen crouched down, his dark robe rustled as he unfolded the banana leaf, revealing a dark, slightly viscous herbal paste within. The strong scent of crushed spirit herbs immediately filled the air, thick and bitter.

He glanced at the young man before him—still pale, his breath uneven, but his icy blue eyes sharp. Mo Yichen could tell he was watching him carefully.. or more like warily.

Typical.

And understandable.

Mo Yichen sighed. "This should do for now," 

"But let me be clear—you need a proper antidote after leaving here. This paste contains spirit grains that will help circulate your spiritual power for about a week at least, but it's not a permanent fix. Without an antidote, the poison will settle deeper into your veins, and then—" he paused, shrugging casually before adding, "Well, I'd rather not describe what happens next. Let's just say it won't be pleasant."

The stranger remained silent, his face unreadable.

Mo Yichen raised a brow. 'Was this guy always this expressionless?'

"Here," Mo Yichen said, pushing the leaf toward him. "Eat it."

The injured man didn't move.

Mo Yichen clicked his tongue. "Look, you either swallow this, or you can lie here and let the poison gnaw away at your meridians. Your choice."

Still, there was no immediate response. The stranger's gaze flickered from the paste to Mo Yichen's face, searching—for what, he had no idea. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the stranger slowly parted his lips.

Mo Yichen, "Took you long enough."

He lifted the herbal paste toward him, but before he could place it in his mouth, the stranger suddenly raised a weak but firm hand, gripping Mo Yichen's wrist.

"Name." His voice was hoarse, barely above a whisper.

Mo Yichen stilled for a moment before chuckling. "Ah, so you do speak," 

The stranger narrowed his eyes slightly, but his grip on Mo Yichen's wrist remained firm despite his condition. Mo Yichen sighed dramatically. "Mo Yichen, although I doubt we'll ever come across again"

The stranger said nothing.

Mo Yichen waved a hand dismissively. "Forget it. For now, focus on staying alive."

With that, he pressed the bitter paste against the man's lips. The stranger hesitated only briefly before swallowing, his throat bobbing slightly.

"Good," Mo Yichen said, nodding in approval. 

The stranger's gaze lingered on him for a moment before he finally closed his eyes. Mo Yichen exhaled, sitting back on his heels as he studied the young man. 

Clearly, the boy sitting before him was no ordinary person.

Barely in his seventeen or eighteen—who had single-handedly slaughtered an entire pack of demonic wolves without so much as a sliver of spiritual energy? And, let's not forget, he had been poisoned beforehand.

Poisoned.

And not with some common roadside poison either, but something strong enough to cripple the average cultivator in mere moments.

Silently watching the unconscious figure for a while, Mo Yichen exhaled and stood up, stretching his legs. "Ahh—damn it," he groaned, twisting his ankles with a few sharp cracks. "My legs feel like I've been running from debt collectors for three days straight.."

But the moment he twirled on his heel, a strange sensation suddenly washed over him—thick, suffocating, and pressing down against his very soul.

Mo Yichen paused for a minute. His eyes narrowed as he looked down at the unconscious man, and what he saw made his blood run cold. A faint glow—almost invisible—was rippling around the man's body. But this wasn't heat.

It was spiritual energy.

And he was absorbing it.

"What in the—" Mo Yichen's breath caught in his throat as realization dawned. This guy… while unconscious, while poisoned, while still half-bleeding out—was somehow pulling in spiritual power from the surroundings.

How on earth is this even possible?

Mo Yichen took a cautious step back, sweat beginning to bead at the back of his neck. But before he could react further, something caught his eye—a faint pink shimmer, glowing beneath the folds of the man's robe.

His sharp gaze landed on a silk pouch, barely hanging onto his belt. The fabric was slightly loosened, probably because of the earlier battle.

And inside—

Mo Yichen's heart skipped a beat.

A peach.

But not just any peach—

Heavenly Nectar Peach.

THE Heavenly Nectar Peach.

Mo Yichen had spent a week— searching for one, scouring every ruin and black market he could find.. now this might be a bit of a stretch but still this thing is rarer than a blue moon.

And now… it is just sitting here.

Right. In. Front. Of. Him.

Mo Yichen licked his lips, his fingers itching as he slowly, very slowly, reached out toward the pouch. 'It's fine, it's fine,' he reasoned with himself. 'I'm not stealing. I'm just… borrowing. Yes. Borrowing. For research.'

Just as his fingertips brushed against the silk—

A hoarse voice suddenly cut through the silence.

"What are you doing?" Mo Yichen stiffened. His soul damn near flew out of his body. A cold sweat dripped down his back as he gulped and looked up.

The stranger was awake.

And he was looking straight at him.

Mo Yichen instantly yanked his hand back like a guilty child caught sneaking sweets. "What a good timing.." he muttered more to himself. The oppressive energy around them intensified. The air turned thick, and heavy, pressing down on his lung, 'What the actual fuck sissy?!'

This man had been half-dead two minutes ago! Now he felt like a divine beast awakening from its hibernation!

Mo Yichen cleared his throat. "Ahem, uh, listen, brother," he said quickly, flashing his best innocent smile. "I was simply appreciating the craftsmanship of this fine, exquisite pouch of yours! Truly, top-tier embroidery. Almost had me in tears. You wouldn't happen to know where I could get one, would you?"

Silence.

The man said nothing. He just stared at Mo Yichen with those deep, unreadable eyes. Mo Yichen cringed on his own reasoning slightly closing his eyes in embarrassment. He swore he could feel his entire existence being judged by his ancestors.

After an agonizing pause, the stranger finally closed his eyes again.

For a brief moment, Mo Yichen let out a breath of relief.

Crisis averted...?

Then—

"Take it."

Mo Yichen blinked. "Huh?"

The man exhaled faintly, still not looking at him. "If you want it, take it."

'Wait, wait, wait. What kind of reverse psychology bullshit is this?!'

The man simply leaned back against the tree, looking eerily calm despite the fact that he had almost died an hour ago.

Mo Yichen hesitated for a moment before sighing and plopping down beside the stranger. He sat cross-legged at first, arms lazily resting on his knees, before he stretched out and flopped onto his back, one arm folded behind his head.

The ground beneath him was cool, covered in soft moss and fallen leaves. Above, the branches of the massive tree swayed gently in the wind, its leaves filtering the golden sunlight, casting shifting patterns over his face.

A particularly bright sliver of light landed right in his eyes. Mo Yichen squinted, tilting his head away, grinning. 

For a moment, he simply basked in the quiet, letting the breeze wash over him. The wind carried the distant sound of flowing water from the nearby stream, rustling the fallen leaves in a soothing rhythm. The air smelled of damp earth and crushed herbs, mixed faintly with the bitter tang of the medicinal paste he had prepared earlier.

Peaceful.

Mo Yichen cracked open one eye, glancing at the man.

Still sitting upright.

And silent.

One arm resting lazily on his bent knee, his expression unreadable, his eyes still closed.

Mo Yichen pouted slightly.

'This guy… is really like a rock.'

He turned his head fully, propping himself up on one elbow. "Oi, big brother," he called, lazily waving a hand. "What were you even doing there, anyway?"

Silence.

Mo Yichen blinked. "Hellooo? Did you go deaf? Tsk, and here I thought I'd finally met someone less boring than that stinky old geezer. What a shame."

Stranger, ".."

Mo Yichen grumbled under his breath, flopping back down, dramatically covering his face with one hand. "All alone, saving a heartless, emotionless rock. Is this my fate? Is this my—"

"…I was searching for it."

The deep voice rumbled beside him, calm.

Mo Yichen's eyes snapped open. He turned his head sharply, catching the faintest flicker of sunlight on the stranger's face—his eyes still closed, his posture completely at ease.

Mo Yichen frowned, processing those words.

"…You risked your life just for this fruit," he asked slowly, tilting his head before pointing at the fruit, "And now you're just giving it away? To me?" Now pointing at himself. Dumbfounded.

The stranger finally moved, tilting his head slightly in Mo Yichen's direction. His sharp eyes flickered open, meeting Mo Yichen's gaze.

"Heavenly Nectar Fruit might be the last ingredient for my antidote. But we are not sure." His voice was steady, almost indifferent. He paused for a moment before continuing, "Giving it to someone in need is better than wasting it."

He glanced at Mo Yichen briefly, then turned his head away again, closing his eyes once more. Mo Yichen stared at him, minutes passed. After a long moment, he let out a low whistle. "I was right," he murmured, shaking his head. "You really are a rock."

Mo Yichen grinned slyly, unbothered. "A very kind-hearted, heroic, self-sacrificing rock!"

Silence.

Mo Yichen sighed dramatically, shifting to his side to fully face the man. "You know," he said, propping his chin on his palm, "normal people would at least ask for something in return. You shouldn't be so kind-hearted.." he pauses for a minute before flopping back to his back again, "Anyways, I am happy and grateful"

Minutes passed as they talked.. or more like Mo Yichen yapped about anything and everything complaining about how he was roped to work for a week under an old man. The stranger just listened to him with a peaceful expression. 

"By the way," Mo Yichen whispered, leaning in closer, his eyes twinkling.

"I am curious about this poison.. would you let me diagnose you?"

The stranger's eyes snapped open immediately. For the first time, he saw a flicker of emotion cross the stranger's face.

'A reaction! I was starting to think he was a corpse! Did he get his emotions removed along with his common sense?'

The stranger exhaled slowly, "Don't worry about it" as he finally stood up poncing the silk pouch towards Mo Yichen, who easily caught it. And without saying anything he vanished in the thin air leaving the confused Mo Yichen with a shimmering peach on his hand.