CH 4

Chi Ning woke up suddenly, covered in cold sweat. 

His body felt as if it had been soaked in rain, the chill piercing straight into his bones.

He’d died, but this place didn’t look like the yellow springs of Hell at all.

Chi Ning gripped the blankets tightly, surveying the furnishings surrounding him with fear. There was a bamboo chair, a wooden window, a half-read book beside the pillow, and a stump of a candle that was almost burned out.

All of this overlapped with the scene in his memory. This was Alkaid Palace, his bedroom.

How was he here?

The earth-shaking thunder echoed in his mind. In the moment he lost consciousness, he dimly heard Gu Lingxiao, holding Chi Ning to his chest, gently whisper a few words in his ear.

What did he say? Chi Ning pinched the bridge of his nose in deep thought, but his mind was as messy as a tangled skein. 

He couldn’t remember.

Right! Where was Gu Lingxiao?

Please be alright. 

Chi Ning threw his outer robe on hastily and got up to go look. Everything in Alkaid Palace looked exactly the same as before, and just when he suspected it was just a dream, when he pushed open the door, Chi Ning saw a fair and tender little steamed bun, standing outside.

The bun was only eight years old, blinking his big eyes. Those eyes were wet and he was sniffling lightly, as if about to cry at any given moment.

Chi Ning slowly breathed out, and reached his hand towards the child. “What’s wrong, Lingxiao? Did someone upset you?”

The Gu Lingxiao who had become a walking steamed bun, standing a few steps from the entrance, raised his head to look at the slim and graceful immortal. That man’s white robe wound around him, his phoenix eyes drooped slightly, and he was even stretching a hand towards Gu Lingxiao. His palms were delicate but neat and even; they would definitely feel warm and supple when held. 

His Master had come back to life.

Gu Lingxiao took a moment to accept his transformation into a bun. Then, he grabbed Chi Ning’s hand and whimpered, “I had a nightmare… There were monsters chasing me…”

The Demon Lord, who slaughtered without batting an eye in the past, now shamelessly acted spoiled. Obviously, he was the most ferocious monster, who could scare every child in the world into tears. 

Chi Ning was extremely distressed, hurriedly crouching down to hug the squishy little child. “Don’t cry, honey. If any monsters come, I’ll take my sword and drive them away.

In Chi Ning’s hometown, they would call children ‘honey’ when speaking. When he spoke these words, Chi Ning’s voice lilted delicately, like a little fish blowing ripples to the surface of a lake. 

Gu Lingxiao had heard this term of endearment for over ten years, and had only thought of it as childish and loathful. But now as he heard it, his heart was calmed, even wishing for Chi Ning to say it a few more times.

The arm around Gu Lingxiao tightened more and more. Chi Ning’s heart was beating like the drum that issued orders during war. 

Gu Lingxiao was safe and sound after all, and had turned into a younger version who clung to him as he wept. 

Chi Ning carried Gu Lingxiao back onto his bed. The little bun sat on the edge, his little legs unable to touch the ground, swaying in the air. “The dream was really scary… Master, I don’t want to sleep by myself anymore.”

Chi Ning brought a pastry for the child, asking him what his nightmare was about. Gu Lingxiao stammered that he couldn’t remember, and only lowered his head to eat his snack.

When he finished, crumbs stuck to the edge of his mouth. His obsidian-like eyes looked at Chi Ning. “Am I allowed to sleep, master? The senior brothers said you don’t like to be disturbed.”

This kid was pale and cute, and Chi Ning couldn’t resist rubbing his head as he answered, “Yes. It’s getting late, go to sleep.”

Gu Lingxiao made a little noise and crawled into the blankets nimbly. 

He laid where Chi Ning had just got up from. The brocade was stained with Chi Ning’s sweet smell. It was the scent of sandalwood and plum blossoms mingling together.

Chi Ning brought over another blanket, and laid on the other side of the bed.

The bedroom was silent. Chi Ning had already been unable to sleep for a long time, and was worried about disrupting Gu Lingxiao, so he laid there quietly, even hushing the sound of his breaths.

His thoughts churned, unable to be quieted.

There were two ways to come back from the dead.

The first was rebirth through possession, a spirit seizing another’s body. This would alter the outer appearance and root of the soul.

The second was rebirth through resurrection, using magical items to gather the dispersed soul into one place, and leading it back into the body. It acted like the spring rejuvenating a withered tree, and could prolong the person’s life.

Chi Ning obviously didn’t belong to either of those categories. He was a variable outside of the rules and regulations.

Upon returning to fifteen years ago, Chi Ning wouldn’t tread the path that led to failure in the past.

Eight years old. Gu Lingxiao was currently only eight years old. That meant it was the year he had just brought Gu Lingxiao back to Clustering Jade Peak, before his disciple had committed any of his sins.

Gu Lingxiao was not the Demon Lord wicked beyond redemption anymore. He had the opportunity to cultivate the righteous path, and become the most outstanding rising cultivator.

There was the sound of someone moving. The dreaming Gu Lingxiao had turned towards Chi Ning. His pretty face and sleeping cheeks were rosy as if powdered, and he even mumbled a few words.

Chi Ning’s eyes curved in a smile. He thought, the pain in the past will not happen again.

With him to protect Gu Lingxiao, so what if a few rumors were as sharp as knives? So what if those blood vessels were peculiar? Chi Ning was Gu Lingxiao’s master, who would keep out the wind and block the rain for him, letting Gu Lingxiao live a free, easy, and unrestrained life.

“Grow up well, my sweet little honeydrop.”