After New Year’s Eve Yang Lianting took Dongfang Bubai with him to seek a beautiful vista at the foot of the cliff range to settle down. Dongfang Bubai was not fond of noisy and raucous places so Yang Lianting had put a lot of thought into their house.
Mountains on one side and water on the other, secluding an elegant house made of bamboo with a pavilion for drinking wine and a chamber in the back for Dongfang’s martial arts practice. It had taken great effort to divert water from a distant hot spring, but soaking his body within every day would be beneficial to his health and cultivation of the Sunflower Manual.
Since they arrived, Dongfang Bubai had been in a great mood every day. Looking languid, as if he were one lazy and leisurely good-looking cat.
Today, he relaxedly reclined against the pavilion’s table with his unlined garment loosely tied together, exposing his beautiful and fair chest. He gazed at Yang Lianting who chopped firewood in preparation for dinner with furrowed eyebrows.
“Lian di, I like it here.”
Dongfang Bubai narrowed his eyes, tilted his head upward to look at the clear blue sky above his head, softly smiled and said, “Living like this for a lifetime would be great.”
Yang Lianting wiped away his sweat, walked to the water vat at the side and scooped out a ladle of water to wash himself clean before he entered the pavilion and sat down beside Dongfang.
Lowering his head, he pressed kisses on his eyelids and softly said, “If you want to, we’ll stay here for the rest of our lives and if you ever get tired of living here, I’ll take you to wander around the Jianghu and if you get tired of walking, we’ll return.”
Dongfang Bubai laughed out loud, “Then what about the Sun Moon Holy Cult? My Chief Steward, don’t you need to deal with all those messy troubles?”
Yang Lianting raised an eyebrow and replied without another thought, “The cult’s major and minor matters are all on the right path, Elder Tong can take care of them on his own. Besides, now there’s no conflict between the Holy Cult and the Righteous Path of the Wulin. I believe that for the next few years we’ll be able to coexist in peace and without dispute.”
Dongfang Bubai pursed his lips, lowered his eyelids slightly, and for an instant the emotions within his dim eyes flickered yet in the next moment he smiled lightly. Raising his head again, he looked at Yang Lianting and asked hesitantly, “Lian di, are you truly willing to hide your identity, retreat into seclusion, and pass your days in an ordinary manner for a lifetime?”
“Naturally, I’m willing.” Yang Lianting reached out his hand to gently caress Dongfang Bubai’s black hair and warmly stated, “In this life, there’ll never be anyone or anything more important to me than you.”
“What do you want to eat for dinner? Yesterday we had fish, so how about I cook chicken soup this evening? I’ll skim off the fat and add a few slices of yam, it shouldn’t taste all too greasy.” While he spoke, Yang Lianting stood up and got ready to cook.
Dongfang Bubai gazed at his retreating back, while leisurely lying in the pavilion. Face fair and beautiful, calm and content.
Everything Dongfang Bubai had said, Yang Lianting kept in mind and took to heart. So, while they were eating in the evening he pulled Dongfang over to earnestly discuss their future plans.
“We can write a letter and send it to Blackwood Cliff, inform Tong Baixiong of our plans and leave all the cult affairs to him.”
“The peach blossoms are about to bloom. Dongfang if you’re tired of staying by the cliff, wouldn’t it be better to leave and go for a stroll? Take a look around and return once we’re fatigued. Earlier, I heard there’s a place in the South that is famed for their exceptional brewing skills. If you like, we’ll travel south to have a drink. The current season is great for savoring wine.”
During their discussion, a coo sounded and a carrier pigeon suddenly flew in from outside. It was one of the pigeons used by the Sun Moon Holy Cult to send news.
Dongfang Bubai stretched out his hand to hold the pigeon, he threw a glance at Yang Lianting and opened the thin slip of paper tied to the pigeon’s leg together with him. “Monk Huiming was invited to Blackwood Cliff. Cult Master and Chief Steward Yang, we await further instructions.”
Closing his palm that held the letter within, Dongfang Bubai faintly lowered his eyes and the slip of paper instantly turned to ashes and disappeared from sight. He wiped his hands and knit his eyebrows faintly as he looked at Yang Lianting, “Lian di, did you order them to invite that monk up Blackwood Cliff?”
Yang Lianting nodded, “Yes I did. I think that monk must be very evil in nature, each time he speaks he disturbs my heart and mind. Inviting him to the top of Blackwood Cliff to question him will let me rest assured.”
Dongfang Bubai shook his head.
He lowered his lashes, the look in his dazed eyes obscured for a moment, and then whispered, “Lian di, in this lifetime there isn’t any time other than the present that’d let my heart feel as peaceful as it is when I’m together with you.”
He had not felt at peace for a moment when he had cultivated the Sunflower Manual to become the world’s first martial artist. Neither had he felt at peace for a moment when he had defeated Ren Woxing and imprisoned him in the Water Dungeon and sat on the aloof and remote cult master’s seat. During those days he had tossed and turned restlessly every night, distrusted everyone and hated not being able to use the sharp blade in his hand to kill every person beneath the heavens to faintly restrain his flustered and frantic heart. He had not believed that anyone in this world would love him, love his ugly and terrifyingly mutilated body.
The moment he wielded that blade to castrate himself, he had originally believed that he had cut off all affection for the rest of his life with his own hands, believed that he had turned himself into a monster that could never see the light of day and only live in the darkness, as he pursued the renown of the world’s first.
He slowly shook his head, “Let that monk go.”
“I don’t want to listen to him speak.” Dongfang Bubai pursed his thin lips. Pausing for a moment, he then childishly looked at Yang Lianting, “That monk spouts unlucky nonsense every time we meet, I don’t want to listen to him.”
Yang Lianting broke out into loud laughter. He never thought Dongfang Bubai would be bothered about such a matter. At that time, Dongfang Bubai had listened to Monk Huiming speak and worried that by being together with him he would be harmed and not come to a good end.
He shook his head at first, but his heart softened. He stood up and hugged the man famed as the world’s first within the Wulin. Nodding warmly, “Good, good, anything you say is good.”
“I’ll immediately write a letter to let that monk leave the cliff as soon as possible and let Tong Baixiong offer him some more incense money in passing as compensation for inviting him. That monk is quite the money-grubber.” Yang Lianting smilingly said “Let’s just see it as accumulating merit for both of us. I think the Buddha sees that we offered so many tales’ worth of joss sticks for his pious worship, he’ll grant us a lifetime of peace and joy.”
“But–” Yang Lianting gently stroked his black hair as fine as silk that draped over his shoulders like a waterfall, raised a brow and opened his mouth, “Even if God disagrees, I, Yang Lianting, only want you.”
Dongfang Bubai glanced at him with a light hum.
“Lian di, didn’t you just say you’d wander the world with me, does that still count?”
“Of course, it counts!”
Yang Lianting contemplated, planning and comparing where they could feasibly go. Before he had thought of a place, he saw Dongfang Bubai stand up as light as a feather. Entire body in lazy and loose red garments, chest slightly exposed, he softly waved his long sleeves and turned his head to look at Yang Lianting.
“Lian di, why don’t we bathe together?” Dongfang Bubai had a beautiful and enticing appearance, languid to the utmost, as he calmly stood before Yang Lianting and gazed at him. The tips of his faintly reddened earlobes betraying the speaker’s thoughts.
Yang Lianting was stunned, then stood up suddenly.
Swallowing dryly, he stared at the one before him and lightly coughed. He could not help but laugh, “Dongfang, what’s wrong with you today–”
“Lian di is unwilling?” Dongfang Bubai blinked his eyes, his line of sight slowly sweeping across the entire room with a look of faint regret. “In a few days, we’ll leave here to wander around the Jianghu. I’ve lived here for a long time and can’t bear to part. I’m feeling a little regretful, so before we leave I want to take a bath together with you Lian di. Consider it–”
Yang Lianting took a deep breath. This man in red truly is an alluring demon. In the past, Dongfang Bubai had kept anyone at a distance of a thousand li, been as cold as ice and frost, and later on felt inferior and fragile due to his physical defect. Had he ever looked like he did now? In this life as well, Dongfang Bubai had never taken the initiative to propose sex out of shyness, but today he abruptly made a move with only a single glance–
Yang Lianting felt his body heat up, a fire rising in his lower half. He swallowed dryly a few times and couldn’t restrain a smile, he took a step forward to take hold of Dongfang Bubai and then carried him in his arms horizontally.
“Let’s go bathe!”
From dusk till dawn, boundless spring scenery[12] enveloped the two of them. Tossing and turning, restlessly and repeatedly.
In the end, even though Yang Lianting felt satisfied he could not help but to feel embarrassed at his complete lack of restraint. Dongfang Bubai lay in bed lazily and loosely, his inner garment half-open, looking very tired and exhausted. He faintly furrowed his eyebrows, feeling some discomfort in his lower body.
Yang Lianting coughed and straightened up, he softly printed a kiss on Dongfang Bubai’s body, then turned his head away and rolled out of bed. “I’ll fetch water to help you wash up. Just take a rest and lay still, don’t move around for a while. If you aren’t too tired and want to eat, I’ll go to the kitchen and make anything for you, alright?”
Dongfang Bubai threw him a cold glance and stayed silent.
Yang Lianting could not help but chuckle. Stepping forward, he considerately covered the one before him with a blanket and said, “Dongfang, you shouldn’t blame me. Today, you took the initiative yourself–”
Before he could finish speaking, Dongfang Bubai’s earlobes blushed deep red in an instant and he furiously glared at him to keep him from speaking further.
Yang Lianting accepted defeat and quit while he was ahead. Earnestly feeling heartache for Dongfang Bubai’s body, he tilted his head downward and tenderly kissed his forehead. He opened his mouth to softly say, “Lie down for a while, I’ll fetch water.”
“Hmm.” Dongfang Bubai responded, then quietly watched as Yang Lianting turned around and went out. Through the window he saw him bend over and busy himself by stacking firewood to boil hot water, then he heard the continuous chopping of a green vegetable and the rushing of water for washing rice and cooking congee. His actions were tender and meticulous.
From time to time, he even looked back to meet Dongfang’s gaze and smile brightly at him.
Lying on the bed and looking at Yang Lianting, whose hands never halted, Dongfang Bubai humbly lowered his eyelashes. As if he were caught in a daze, the look within his eyes was absent-minded for a long, long time.
The rims of his eyes reddened little by little, he softly smiled.