42. Two master cultivators, walking down the street…

Wen Zhihao opened the ring box, and lo and behold, inside there was an elegant spatial storage ring.

Sun Fuyu said, “Your spatial storage was getting full. Wen-ge bought me a spatial storage ring, so I bought you one too.”

Wen Zhihao’s eyes curved into pleased arcs. He immediately put the ring on. “Thank you very much, Xiao Yu.”

Wen Zhihao vaguely recognised the ring model from the last time he visited the Equipment Hall looking at spatial storage devices: while this ring wasn’t the top-most expensive ring, it still cost a lot of spiritual stones.

Yet, rather than buying himself a better sword, Sun Fuyu bought Wen Zhihao this ring.

With this, Wen Zhihao could hoard so much more things! It couldn’t grow plants inside it, but he preferred growing them by the kitchen anyway where there were other people who could do most of the work help.

It didn’t feel enough to just say thank you.

It wasn’t just the spatial ring, but also the fact that Sun Fuyu took him to dinner, to a place that Sun Fuyu had felt uneasy about a few months ago. That Sun Fuyu even took the entire day off from cultivating just for him.

Wen Zhihao tucked the gift box away and beckoned Sun Fuyu closer.

Sun Fuyu took a step forward, brows wrinkled in confusion. His eyes widened when Wen-ge’s arms enclosed him in a tight hug.

Sun Fuyu’s heart began to race as his eyes grew sour.

“Thank you so much, Xiao Yu. This year has been...literally the best year in my memory...Hug me back, Xiao Yu.”

Sun Fuyu lowered his head in embarrassment and raised his arms to hug Wen Zhihao back.

Wen-ge was solid and warm. They were so close that their qi fused slightly.

A feeling of joy and excitement filled Sun Fuyu. Then...this means that Wen-ge accepts my feelings! He’s hugging me, so he must feel the same!

It was such a good feeling that Sun Fuyu didn’t want to let go. Instead, he nuzzled his head into Wen Zhihao’s shoulder.

The coquettish action pinched Wen Zhihao’s heart. It was a feeling that Wen Zhihao had never felt before, but it made him want to hold Sun Fuyu tighter, and pet Sun Fuyu’s hair and...

Across the street a distance away, Wen Zhihao heard a couple noisily declaring their love in front of some disbelieving relatives.

Something jolted in Wen Zhihao’s chest.

Wen Zhihao had vaguely admired all the beautiful and handsome men around the sect, but there hadn’t been any movement. He would simply recognise the aesthetic beauty.

This was the same back when he was on 21st-century earth, for the most part. He had only felt enough to know that he was probably gay, but he had never enjoyed (or suffered) a high school or university romance.

But it struck him now that...Sun Fuyu wasn’t just cute and adorable and hardworking. He was also attractive. And that Wen Zhihao was attracted to him.

Wen Zhihao could feel the power and strength of Sun Fuyu’s body. He could also feel his softness and warmth.

Suddenly, this hug didn’t feel as innocent as Wen Zhihao had intended. But Sun Fuyu was hugging him so earnestly that he didn’t want to let go either and have Sun Fuyu mistakenly think that Wen Zhihao disliked him.

Chatter from the mortals nearby broke both of their reveries. Wen Zhihao pulled back first. Seeing Sun Fuyu's confusion from the broken hug, Wen Zhihao’s fingers itched and he couldn’t help but pinch Sun Fuyu’s cheek.

Sun Fuyu pouted. “Wen-ge!” he said in a kittenish tone. Or maybe it wasn’t kittenish but Wen Zhihao felt like it was.

Wen Zhihao grinned, patting Sun Fuyu’s cheek before taking his hand back. “Let’s keep walking. We’ve never properly explored this town before.”

Sun Fuyu nodded. He shifted closer to Wen Zhihao as they walked.

Soon, they entered an area where there were many eating and drinking establishments along the lakeside, and on the lake itself on floating boats. The lighting was irregular, mostly leftovers spilling from inside these establishments, though it was more than enough for the two cultivators to see. Multiple scents, both delicious and disgusting wafted through the air, intermingling with music and chatter.

They had only walked a short distance when a group of drunken men were expelled from one of the more stinky drinking establishments.

The rancid smell had Wen Zhihao wrinkling his nose.

Perhaps it was due to the imperfect lighting, or perhaps it was because of the alcohol, but this group of men staggered directly towards them.

“Hah, forget it, we’ll never go to that blasted place again!”

“That’s right!!”

Angry, arrogant, they blatantly looked at the two strolling/patrolling cultivators that everyone else had been carefully avoiding.

“Ah? Ah? Is that you, Fuyu?” one of the men said loudly. “It is you, isn’t it!”

“Ehhh, is that your missing son?” one of the other men said equally loudly.

Wen Zhihao frowned, glancing at Sun Fuyu.

Sun Fuyu’s face turned steely cold at the approaching men. “It’s him.” In a louder voice, he said, “Good evening, father. I see that you are well.”

The man who was supposedly Sun Fuyu’s father laughed nastily. “HA! After you did your little trick and ran off?! Do you know how much face we lost when that young master came by and you were missing?!! We lost twenty silver taels because of you!” Father Sun looked at the man standing next to his long-lost son. “And who is this bastard? Turns out you became another man's concubine anyway? HAHA! B*tch!”

Sun Fuyu hissed, moving to stand in front of Wen Zhihao. “Go away, old man! If I had listened to you, I would be dead by now!”

“So what? You're my son, my flesh and blood! You have to listen to what I say! I can report you to the government office for breaking filial piety!”

Sun Fuyu narrowed his eyes.

Onlookers had gathered. Sober onlookers who could clearly see that the two young men were cultivators.

“Oh, those drunken men are dead.”

“Tch, cultivators like to boss us normal people around…”

“Is that really Old Sun's missing boy?”

Wen Zhihao noticed Sun Fuyu’s hand going to his sword. He immediately placed a steadying hand on Sun Fuyu’s arm and moved to stand next to him. Sun Fuyu’s eyes flickered slightly, before lowering as he reached out and grabbed Wen Zhihao’s hand.

Thinking that Sun Fuyu wanted reassurance, Wen Zhihao didn’t let go.

With a pleasant smile that didn’t reach his eyes, Wen Zhihao said, “Uncle, I and my shidi are currently peacefully enjoying the night in this town. This Master Cultivator recommends that you go home and sleep, and avoid slandering others in public.”

“M-master Cultivator?!” Fear finally showed up in Father Sun’s eyes.

“My Fellow Master Cultivator Sun Fuyu is an inner sect cultivator of the Golden Sun Sect. His sword has dealt with many demons.”

Father Sun’s legs suddenly became weak.

He was a person who had also suppressed the weak, just like his weak hateful disaster-star son. But cultivators who dealt with demons were so beyond him that they were like emotionless gods. Mess with the wrong one and they would slay you where you stood.

“Don’t stand there. Go home,” Wen Zhihao prompted mildly.

“Y-Yes, Master Cultivator!”

Sun Fuyu sneered. “That’s right, father. Run!” He moved his sword slightly so that their eyes would be drawn to it.

The drunken men staggered off, throwing fearful looks back. Wen Zhihao had no doubt that they would start cursing him later, but as long as they couldn’t hear, Wen Zhihao didn’t care.

“Xiao Yu, let’s leave.” He let go of Sun Fuyu's hand to take out his sword.

Onlookers hurried back in fear as the two of them drew their swords, but the two cultivators did nothing else but fly away like fairies.

You can kind of say that Wen Zhihao as being demisexual & gay...And also, this chapter took a long time for me to edit OTL