Chapter 50

After listening to the disciples of the Chi Long Sect, Yue Wu Huan began to contemplate the matter of the Cen Tong Sect being exterminated by gu insects.

Ever since he became aware of someone's covetous desires for a certain treasure, the Wan Gu Sect became the focus of his attention. With the assistance of Ye Yu Pavilion and his own daily efforts, he missed no information about them.

The Wan Gu Sect ruled the western forest, controlling multiple spirit stone mines and resource-rich secret realms, sustained by tributes from eighteen cities.

The people of the western forest were fierce and warlike, respecting only the strong. They had no qualms about infighting.

An Long was the most talented Gu Master in the history of the Wan Gu Sect. After becoming the Gu King, he quelled the dissenters through bloody means. Although this resulted in a seemingly peaceful surface, multiple powers still lurked beneath, each like a venomous Gu worm, caged in a vessel called the western forest, waiting to devour each other and potentially breed a new Gu King.

They delighted in destruction and plunder but had no interest in long-term occupation or development of new territories.

The intricate relationships within the Wan Gu Sect presented the Medicine King Valley with a glimmer of hope.

Yue Wu Huan had been concerned that, upon realizing Song Qing Shi was in trouble, An Long might deploy the full strength of the Wan Gu Sect to obliterate and annex Medicine King Valley. He even prepared to abandon the Valley, taking Song Qing Shi and some resources to retreat.

But An Long didn't.

He chose to keep this a secret, not utilizing the Wan Gu Sect's resources, and entered the fray alone, braving all risks.

This indicated that even at the expense of injuring himself, he did not want to pose any threat of destruction to the Medicine King Valley.

Yue Wu Huan thoroughly investigated all his scandals and found them to be false. Even the woman cultivator who had made a scene at the gates of Medicine King Valley years ago was merely a puppet controlled by a love Gu, aimed at luring Song Qing Shi out.

He resembled a starving wolf greedily eyeing its prey but also fearing something—never getting too close, always maintaining a cautious distance while probing for an opportune moment.

Such emotions, with an unknown origin, seemed terrifyingly suppressed, imbued with a disquieting aura.

This was no ordinary infatuation; there seemed to be bizarre, frenzied elements within.

Whatever this emotion was, it was utterly revolting...

Why was the world so disgusting? The air reeked everywhere, and no amount of cleansing could rid of it.

Why must human affection include desire? What's wrong with living a simple life like his Lord?

With so many filthy things in the world, why tarnish the only clean treasure he had?

His Lord had awoken, and he was overjoyed. Yet he couldn't hide him in the secret chamber any longer; he needed to find another way to properly care for him.

An Long, this nefarious wolf, had outlived his usefulness, and the risks he posed were escalating. Based on past events, he seemed to be attempting to enlighten his Lord, coaxing him out of Medicine King Valley to experience worldly desires. This was utterly unacceptable. His Lord should forever remain like a blank sheet of paper, safely ensconced in Medicine King Valley, untainted by anything ignoble, including himself...

Detestable, utterly detestable...

Yue Wu Huan's fingernails unconsciously dug into his own wrist, scratching out streaks of blood on his skin.

The pain helped keep his mind sharply focused.

He had contemplated many ways to kill An Long, but upon his lord's awakening, he realized that it wouldn't suffice. Although his lord may not have noticed, he placed great importance on this friendship. Should An Long die, it would likely become a lingering regret in his lord's heart. The deceased friend would grow ever more flawless in memory, never to leave.

He would never be able to erase this memory, nor this person…

He initially thought the situation had reached an impasse, but the death of Gui Yuan Xian Zun provided a new opportunity.

Most killings are motivated by gain, love, hate, anger, revenge, or silencing.

Can Tong Sect settled in Nan Shan, running red-light districts and gambling houses, without any conflicts of interest with Wan Gu Men.

Gui Yuan Xian Zun may have been a morally corrupt waste of space, but he was a coward who never provoked anyone stronger than him. Xi Lin Gu Wang was notorious and easily recognizable; it was unlikely that Gui Yuan would risk offending An Long. Thus, neither hatred nor vengeance seemed plausible, and Can Tong Sect had no famous treasures worth mentioning...

It felt like silencing a witness.

What exactly happened ten years ago that made An Long go to such lengths to silence someone?

Suppressing his revulsion, Yue Wu Huan reviewed all his memories regarding Gui Yuan Xian Zun...

Suddenly, he froze.

He remembered the day he first met Song Qing Shi. He was with Gui Yuan Xian Zun then, bound to a tree and blindfolded. Because his cultivation was crippled, he couldn't scan his surroundings using his divine sense or hear distant sounds like ordinary cultivators.

At that time, he was drugged, and the effects hadn't worn off, leaving his mind somewhat foggy. However, he faintly remembered Gui Yuan pausing, as though discovering something, and sneering, "Who would have thought this person would look like this. How laughable."

Because of that statement, he investigated what had transpired and stumbled upon the best person in the world...

He detested the dirty traces that marred their beautiful first encounter so much that he intentionally avoided thinking about that memory.

Back then, he saw with his own eyes that Song Qing Shi was lying motionless on the ground, immaculate, with no signs of struggle, blood, or violence. He thought it might be an accident or a sudden illness. However, before he could get far, he saw Song Qing Shi rise clumsily and stagger into the river, inexplicably sobbing...

He assumed he had seen wrong and didn't think much of it...

After they got to know each other, he subtly asked Song Qing Shi about it. The answer was that there had been some soul-related issues, leading to a loss of memory prior to regaining consciousness, and causing disorientation upon waking.

Later, he did confirm that Song Qing Shi's soul had signs of separation and reintegration, a phenomenon known as soul detachment. Although rare, ancient records mentioned it, and even great cultivators undergoing tribulations would intentionally separate their souls to train in different realms. So, he didn't give it further thought.

In retrospect, could there be more to the story than meets the eye?

Could it be that the "laughable" person Gui Yuan Immortal mentioned wasn't Song Qing Shi?

Did something happen that day that necessitated killing to silence someone?

A fascinating thought suddenly occurred to Yue Wu Huan; all the clues started to connect. His eyes lit up, and he was overcome with excitement. He saw an opportunity to expunge this person from his Lord's heart for good. When the time comes, he'll rewrite all those fond memories, replacing friendship with hatred—or better yet, complete oblivion.

No rush, take it slow...

He would don the sheep's clothing, putting on an appearance of meek harmlessness.

So long as he avoided disgusting acts, didn't breach certain boundaries, and didn't defile him...

In that way, his treasure would never be harmed.

　...

When Song Qing Shi studied, he was meticulous, never overlooking any detail.

He gave Yan Yun Immortal quite a hard time, unlocking many new teaching methods, such as having heart-to-hearts with his disciple, drinking together, shopping, and telling bedtime stories, among other things...

Eventually, Yan Yun Immortal didn't even know what he was saying anymore; he even mentioned changing diapers and bottle-feeding lamb milk to his disciples...

Song Qing Shi rigorously compared the age groups of the respective disciples. Initially, he planned to delete these unusable skills from his notebook. However, he thought it better to keep them just in case Yue Wu Huan decided to take on a three-and-a-half-year-old disciple. What if he failed at changing the disciple's diaper and was deemed useless?

Suddenly, he heard Yue Wu Huan knocking on the door. He quickly hid his notes and pretended to be engrossed in a book on spell arrays.

Yue Wu Huan entered, holding a bowl of sweet soup.

During this journey, his obsession with cleanliness had escalated to the point of rejecting outside food. He not only used his own utensils but also prepared a set for Song Qing Shi. His appetite was poor and he could only eat a few bites at a time. Mostly, he relied on Grain-Refusing Pills to satisfy his nutritional needs, leaving Song Qing Shi hesitant to dine out.

Yue Wu Huan considered himself a burden to his Lord and hence took a keen interest in culinary skills. Anything that intrigued Song Qing Shi, be it snacks or main dishes, he would prepare. Not only would they be more exquisite than what's sold outside, but they would also be slightly sweeter to better suit Song Qing Shi's palate.

Song Qing Shi's stomach had been utterly spoiled by him. His taste had become more discriminating, and his own obsession with cleanliness had intensified. Whenever he saw a street vendor handle food with bare hands, he felt uncomfortable all over. Nothing could compare to the hygienic and delicious meals prepared by his own little angel.

An Long was frustrated that he couldn't drag Song Qing Shi around to enjoy all sorts of food, much to his chagrin.

Song Qing Shi gladly took the sweet soup, took a sip, and his eyes narrowed in satisfaction. He thanked Yue Wu Huan profusely, complimenting, "Your cooking skills are unbeatable. I can't even stomach food from outside anymore."

"Food from outside is unclean," Yue Wu Huan softly smiled, "From now on, My Lord, you should only eat what I prepare for you."

Song Qing Shi continued to accept all the goodwill Yue Wu Huan extended towards him. Joyfully eating the sweet soup, he was even more resolved to find ways to deepen their emotional bond. He wanted Yue Wu Huan to remain in the Valley of Medicine as a physician even after recovering from his illness. If Yue Wu Huan ever chose to venture beyond the valley after mastering his cultivation, Song Qing Shi would happily accompany him.

He wanted to be Yue Wu Huan's mentor, friend, and family...

But there was an unsettling emptiness within him, a sense that something was off, something overlooked, though he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

This feeling made him uneasy.

Yue Wu Huan asked with a smile, "Where has Big Brother An gone? I haven't seen him in a couple of days."

"Huh?" Song Qing Shi looked up from his soup, surprised that Yue Wu Huan was even more concerned about An Long's whereabouts than he was. Did this mean that friendship was blossoming between the two after their recent adventures? Were the stories he read actually useful? He replied, reassuringly, "Don't worry. An Long has an intense fascination with insects and poisons. He often disappears into the mountains for days or even weeks. We can go ahead to Nan Hai City and wait for him there."

Yue Wu Huan still looked concerned.

Song Qing Shi comforted him, "He is a Yuan Ying cultivator, and he looks quite intimidating. Nobody would dare to mess with him."

Yue Wu Huan nodded, "I suppose I'm overthinking it."

"That guy is nothing but trouble," Song Qing Shi thought for a moment before cautioning seriously, "You shouldn't follow his example. Stick close to me."

Even though his little angel had become more powerful, he was still an exquisitely gentle and attractive man. The toxic plants and Blood King Vines were merely self-defense mechanisms. Over the years, his little angel had suffered enough; once he regained his senses, Song Qing Shi would ensure he wasn't wronged any further.

Yue Wu Huan understood his sentiments, and he couldn't help but smooth out some stray strands of hair on Song Qing Shi's head and smile, "Alright."

Why did his Lord always trust him so blindly, so foolishly...

Carelessly falling into his traps, acting according to his wishes.

The Valley of Medicine was entirely under his control, from its finances and resources to daily habits. Everything progressed as he wanted; whatever he said was believed, whatever he did went unquestioned...

Was it really this easy? Unbelievably so.

He leaned over the table, gazing intently at Song Qing Shi, feeling slightly uneasy, wanting to probe further.

Song Qing Shi noticed his scrutinizing gaze and couldn't help but ask, "What are you thinking about?"

Yue Wu Huan whispered, "My Lord, I was wondering... it seems you never get angry at me?"

Song Qing Shi thought for a moment and then smiled, "You've never done anything to make me angry."

Just as the words left his mouth, he noticed tendrils of Blood King Vines quietly snaking toward him, circling his body. Slowly, more vines joined them, forming a dense, impenetrable cage around him. The tips of the vines cautiously touched his waist, hands, and feet, as if ready to pounce and ensnare him at any moment.

Song Qing Shi glanced at the wildly growing vines around them and hesitated before asking, "What's going on?"

"What if I did?" Yue Wu Huan realized he cared more about the answer to this question than he'd initially thought. He half-jokingly queried, "What if I'm not what you think I am? What if I do something that angers you? Would you despise me?"

Song Qing Shi had never considered this question before. After pondering for a while, he finally broke into a smile.

"No, I won't," he pinched Yue Wu Huan's face under the golden mask and mischievously ruffled his neat hair. "Whatever you do, I won't get angry; I won't dislike you."

Yue Wu Huan paused, and the vines gradually retracted.

He sighed, "You really don't understand anything."

For a decade, as he watched the sleeping man, he had fantasized about the tender love from the illusionary spells. But whenever he closed his eyes, he dreamed. In those dreams, he became an uncontrollable beast, devoid of reason, driven only by the desire to possess, control, and dominate. He would commit outrageous acts, subjecting the person he liked to the very things he himself couldn't bear.

The influence of the drugs had waned, but his desires remained stronger and more terrifying than those of an average person, perhaps a trait he was born with.

Having endured pain himself, he knew how disgusting it was to suffer such things, yet he found himself wanting to inflict them on someone he liked. How utterly shameless was that?

So he didn't want to sleep, didn't want to dream.

The happier the dream, the more disgusting the awakening.

But that's okay, he could restrain himself. Even if it meant using drugs, he would suppress these instincts and not taint him.

He wanted to make a warm, comfortable nest to tuck him safely away in, to care for him meticulously, and shield him from all the filth in the world. He would happily do everything for him, making sure that those clear eyes saw only him, and no room was left for anything else.

He would keep the darkness within him hidden, never to be discovered.

Yue Wu Huan slightly bowed his head, decisively extinguishing the flames of desire.

"Wu Huan, did you do something?" Sensing his discontent, Song Qing Shi cautiously leaned in, patting his shoulder and reiterating his assurance. "Don't be afraid. No matter what you've done, I won't get angry."

A faint scent of medicine lingered in the air, bringing with it waves of dryness in the mouth.

Yue Wu Huan buried his face in Song Qing Shi's shoulder, murmuring, "I won't do anything."