The Forest’s Cradle [Part 3]

Once Kong Min decided to give Ying Xulin a chance, his thoughts towards the Master of Land began to slowly change. Whenever he remembered their kiss that had turned into something more, Kong Min would feel a bit breathless, with warmth and hints of sweetness beginning to tinge his thoughts of Ying Xulin.

As powerful as that man was, he seemed just as earnest and straightforward. Once he decided that he was pursuing Kong Min, he'd shed all his mysteriousness and had begun trying his best to communicate openly so that Kong Min would know his thoughts and be more at ease. He'd clearly taken to heart what Kong Min had said before while he laid the conditions for Ying Xulin to follow if he wanted to court him. Faced with Ying Xulin's sincere efforts in following those conditions, Kong Min had been more than a little moved.

After that day at the Forest's Cradle, Kong Min would use the gem embedded in his chest to often chat with Ying Xulin using his mind while going about his day, asking for Ying Xulin's opinions on random topics or commenting about the things that happened to him. And when Kong Min faced something difficult, he hesitated only a bit before asking for Ying Xulin's help. Of course, Ying Xulin gladly gave it to him.

Later, when Kong Min went to the Spirit Bewildering Forest to make his payment, he would be lying if he said he didn't feel apprehensive. But after greeting him with a small smile, Ying Xulin merely asked Kong Min to braid his hair as payment.

And so, a relieved and amused Kong Min set about braiding Ying Xulin's long hair as the other man obediently sat on a chair made of wooden vines. Due to how he was brought up in a brothel, Kong Min had learnt several skills like this and had often used them to help the prostitutes of Yuese Lian ready themselves before meeting clients. As he brushed and separated Ying Xulin's hair before beginning to braid it, the familiarity of utilizing these almost-forgotten skills made him feel both comfortable and nostalgic.

While he was thus working, Kong Min suddenly found the lock of his black hair that he'd given to Ying Xulin that first time they'd met carefully braided into Ying Xulin's dark brown hair. The sight of it unskillfully added to Ying Xulin's hair made Kong Min's heart soften. But without saying anything, Kong Min merely undid it and braided it properly back into the thick brown tresses before continuing.

Wanting to test his own skills, Kong Min decided to have some fun and braided Ying Xulin's hair very elaborately. He even picked some of the translucent-petaled flowers growing at the edge of the round clearing and added it in to make it look more beautiful. The white pollen glowing at the tips of the black stalks extending from the center of the flowers made it appear especially enchanting, the specks of luminescence causing the dark brown hair to shine even more.

After Kong Min was done, Ying Xulin was beyond pleased that Kong Min went through such effort for him. He found himself unable to stop admiring his beloved's handiwork on a pair of mirrors, their functions having been enhanced with spells.

Kong Min was naturally happy to see that his work was being appreciated a lot. But witnessing Ying Xulin admiring his own reflection this much, Kong Min couldn't help but tease, "Ah-Xu, look at you preening so happily in front of the mirror like a peacock. I reckon I should've tucked some peacock feathers into your braid to make it feel more fitting."

Ying Xulin smiled at his beloved's playfulness and replied, "Peacocks only show off their feathers when attracting a mate. In that sense, considering how I'd like to show you my best side as well, maybe I really am similar to those birds."

Kong Min could only sputter at this smooth answer as his ears burned red. It made him feel all the more shy knowing that Ying Xulin wasn't just playfully flirting back, but actually meant what he said.

Suddenly, Ying Xulin asked, "Kong Min, was it very troublesome to arrange my hair like this? This seems like it must've required a lot of effort."

Waving a hand, Kong Min simply said, "It might have taken effort but it was no trouble, really. It's been a while since I put my formidable hair wrangling skills to use, so it was fun being able to play with your hair like this."

Ying Xulin's smile widened. Looking at how Kong Min also seemed to have enjoyed himself, Ying Xulin decided that from now on, he'd ask Kong Min to do such small chores in areas he was skilled at as payment every time he asked for a favor.

And so, as Kong Min began asking for Ying Xulin's help with difficult or dangerous tasks with more frequency and confidence, Ying Xulin requested simple things that he thought Kong Min would have fun doing and that he himself would enjoy receiving. For example, he would ask Kong Min for favors like patching a small tear in his robe, painting him something simple, cooking him a small dish, asking for a copy of Kong Min's favorite book and the like. It was never anything sexual.

Kong Min attended to each of these requests with gusto, trying to always exceed Ying Xulin's expectations by putting in extra effort. Seeing Ying Xulin's face light up when he realized how much importance he had placed into finishing the payment made Kong Min feel a sense of satisfaction unrivaled by anything else. Ying Xulin might be the Master of Land who'd seen countless wonders throughout his long life, yet he was still so easily touched by his efforts. It made Kong Min feel pleased that he was someone this man considered that special.

Of course, that didn't mean that he didn't take every opportunity to tease Ying Xulin as well. For example, when he was asked to bring him a copy of his favorite book, Kong Min unabashedly gave him a volume of 'The Profound Ways of the Sword and Chrysanthemum'. With a cheeky grin, he'd said, "Since you seemed somewhat inexperienced before, I decided to choose this out of all my favorite books to give you. It explains sex between men from the basics up and includes some really useful information. It also shows some pretty creative ways in which two men can attain pleasure. Ah-Xu, why don't you thoroughly study it? If I ever agree to become your lover, I will certainly benefit from your knowledge in this subject." Kong Min had then waggled his brows suggestively.

Ying Xulin had given him a solemn nod and said, "Since you wish me to learn from it, I will thoroughly peruse it and commit its contents to memory."

Kong Min's lips twitched. How was he supposed to tease and bully this person when he listened to everything he said so earnestly! This was utterly unfair! But the happiness he felt at realizing that Ying Xulin gave his words so much importance was undeniable as well.

In this way, the millennia passed.

...

One time, Ying Xulin asked Kong Min to make a garland of flowers for him as payment. Kong Min decided to request the Sect Master of the Silver Moon Sect to allow him to pick flowers from one of their enchanted gardens. He also asked Wei Xiang to accompany him and help him choose the best flowers.

Thinking of Ying Xulin's aesthetic in having those transparent flowers with glowing pollen growing at the border of the Forest's Cradle, Kong Min wanted to see if he could find any interesting flowers that would look similar enough to appeal to him.

The enchanted gardens of the Silver Moon Sect housed many varieties of odd and ethereally beautiful flowers. Some were mythical herbs or rare plants, while others were simply there to add to the whimsical beauty. As Kong Min searched for the kind of flowers he had in mind, he spotted several unusual ones that almost tempted him into picking them. For example, there were little bell-like flowers that resembled lily of the valley, but were ice-blue in color and chimed softly when the wind brushed by. Floating in a small pond at the center of the garden were plump, peach-colored lotuses with a tender blush of pink at the base. Dozens of long tendrils of light extended up from their centers, curling and swaying languidly while remaining upright in the air. Growing within round pots in another section were small bushes with tiny roses less than three centimeters in size. Each white petal seemed to have a dusting of glittering frost over it, sparkling mildly in the fading evening light.

But in the end, the flowers Kong Min picked were something else. The blossoms he chose were large, with delicate fluted petals in a translucent black. Glowing white lined their edges, with a cluster of radiant white dots sprinkled in the middle of the flower. It looked like the soft black of the night sky lit at the horizons and cradling stars at its center.

Once Kong Min made his choice clear, he and Wei Xiang began picking the fullest blooms with the strongest glow. Taking care not to cut the stems too short, they carefully gathered the flowers in a basket they'd hung nearby.

After working silently for a few minutes, Wei Xiang suddenly asked, "Second Brother, for what purpose do you need to collect these flowers?"

Kong Min paused, hesitating.

After that incident where the Master of Oceans kept hold of their ship and made him call Ying Xulin for help, Kong Min had relayed the events faithfully to his master and Wei Xiang. When he went to make his payment that time, they were naturally very worried and tried to convince Kong Min to take various precautions against being hurt, even asking him to allow them to shadow him to ascertain his safety. Kong Min had rejected it all, but he had been touched by their care nevertheless. It also made him feel guilty for the worry he'd caused them. As a result, he kept the matter of Ying Xulin wooing him—and he himself asking for the Master of Land's help often recently and subsequently paying him back—a secret. Thus, Feng Huixin and Wei Xiang didn't know of Kong Min's dealings with Ying Xulin yet.

Now, being asked why he was collecting these blossoms by his junior brother, Kong Min could only laugh awkwardly before replying, "I'm picking flowers to make a garland for a certain person to fulfill his request."

Wei Xiang raised his eyebrows. "Oh? And did that person also ask you to pick such rare flowers?"

Kong Min shook his head, his expression unconsciously warming. "It's my own decision to choose the best flowers I could for this task. Because I know that the thought of me making such effort to fulfill that person's request will make him happy."

Wei Xiang grew silent, slight surprise visible in his gaze. After a few moments, he asked "Then the person you're picking these flowers for… is he someone you're trying to court?"

Kong Min froze. Growing flustered, he asked, "W-Why would you think that? It's actually the other way round! It's that person who's courting me!"

Wei Xiang looked thoughtful, then clapped Kong Min on his shoulder. "Whichever it is, since you care about making him happy, I'll naturally help you. Of course, I'll also need you to take over some of my work next week to pay for my help now."

Kong Min rolled his eyes, but nodded.

After that, as he returned to choosing and plucking flowers, Kong Min's mind churned as Wei Xiang's words echoed in his mind. Could the way he wanted to see Ying Xulin smile with delight really denote his own romantic interest? Even if was to a smaller degree, was he really reciprocating Ying Xulin's affections? Did he…like Ying Xulin?

Later, after Kong Min finished the garland and watched Ying Xulin's smile lighting up his face as his eyes glowed with joy, Kong Min decided that yes, he liked this man. He liked seeing him smile and he liked doing things for him. It wasn't to the point of love yet, but it was definitely heading in that direction.

And rather than panicking or trying to control the course of his emotions, Kong Min decided that he was okay with that.

...

This was yet another day when Kong Min was paying Ying Xulin back for a favor. They were currently crouched together on the ground that was covered with knotty roots, their outer robes removed and the sleeves of their inner robes pushed up their forearms.

"Rub it with more force," Ying Xulin said with a frown.

"But I am rubbing it with a lot force already! If I use more, I'm afraid I'll bruise it," Kong Min groused. But he still dutifully tried to increase the pressure of his palm.

Ying Xulin nodded, then instructed again, "Move your hand back and forth more vigorously. It's supposed to feel nicer whe― Yes, just like that."

A growly rumble of satisfaction vibrated the air in the clearing from under Kong Min's palm. A few moments later, the rumble turned into loud snoring. Kong Min grinned. Aha! Success at last!

Lying in front of Ying Xulin and Kong Min currently was a pile of furry young beasts. For his payment this time, Ying Xulin had asked Kong Min to help take care of these little beasts for a few hours while their parents took on their human forms to spend some time together in town. The baby beasts had furry spherical faces, soft round ears, wet little noses, and wide eyes like two clear black marbles. Their fur ranged from medium to dark grey with little black rosettes decorating the back. Their chubby bodies resembled that of a baby bear's, with little tails almost constantly wagging as if in excitement. Immature and wrinkled black wings, their shape resembling a bat's, hung from their back, trailing down like limp and tattered cloth.

With grim determination and perseverance, Kong Min and Ying Xulin had just finished feeding them the plant mulch mixed with ground worms that served as their lunch and were now trying to rub their backs until the little beasts fell asleep. To avoid the beasts staining their outer robes as they ate messily, Ying Xulin had already warned Kong Min to take it off and to pull up his sleeves. And Kong Min was so very glad for the heads-up when one of the little rascals threw up a large gob of its foul-smelling dinner onto his chest and abdomen.

Now, after changing his inner robe, Kong Min was trying to faithfully follow Ying Xulin's instructions to rub these little beasts to sleep so that they could finally have some peace. Ying Xulin worked quick and steady, already having a pile of snoring fur stacked up before him. Some of the furry little beasts rolled and tumbled about restlessly, unconsciously gravitating towards Ying Xulin's calm presence.

On the other hand, Kong Min swore that the beast brats he was in charge of were making things difficult on purpose! They wriggled and cried and scratched and urinated on him constantly! How in all the hells was he supposed to put these little bastards to sleep when they were so hyperactive?!

But with Ying Xulin's patient guidance, Kong Min was gleeful to realize that he was learning how to finally conquer these brats' sleeplessness regardless of their tantrums. Within an hour, he had finally put three little beasts to peaceful sleep! Happily ignoring the pile of twenty-four baby beasts that Ying Xulin had already helped doze off within that time, Kong Min basked in the satisfaction of his own tiny achievement.

With a pleased smile, Kong Min leaned back on his arms as he stretched out his legs in front of him. Finally letting out a breath, he joked, "Is this why this place is called the Forest's Cradle? Because little beasties of the forest are lulled to sleep here?"

Ying Xulin had just moved to sit beside Kong Min with his legs folded, back straight, and palms resting on his thighs. Hearing Kong Min's statement, Ying Xulin hesitated before replying, "…No. This glade gained its name because this is where I curse the beings who come to ask my aid."

Kong Min's eyes grew wide. "Eh?"

Ying Xulin turned his head away. "The type of payment I ask is always…harsh, I suppose. Asking your mother for only her life was a kindness on my part." His gaze lowering, Ying Xulin lifted one of the fluffy beasts that had rolled up to him and placed it onto his lap before stroking its undulating belly as it snored. In his smooth and flowing voice, he continued, "Once I granted their wishes, the beings who asked for my favor were required to come here and pay me. I would then curse them by infusing them with the forest's magic, and they would slowly warp into creatures that sought to feed on the blood and raw meat of others, hungering to experience the thrill of the hunt as they chased down their victims, to revel in the struggle of their prey under their claws, the feel of life draining out of the quarry clutched in their jaws.

"Some chose to kill themselves rather than live as such inhuman beasts. But most went on living, carving out their own territory in the forest, hunting and procreating. And since this is the place where I cursed them in the beginning—the place they were reborn as creatures of the forest while their former selves slept forever—it came to be known as the Forest's Cradle."

Turning to Kong Min, Ying Xulin showed a rueful smile, "I must appear quite cruel and inhumane to you."

Kong Min folded his legs and placed his elbows on his knees, then cradled his jaw in his palms. Peering thoughtfully at Ying Xulin, he said, "That depends on the reason behind you choosing such a method of payment. Why did you feel the need to curse them in the first place?"

Ying Xulin titled his head consideringly as if he'd never before thought of the reason behind it. His expression turned confused. "I… I didn't like how the forest echoed emptily. This is my home. Feeling the emptiness here made me feel like something in me was empty as well. I did not like it, so I suppose I felt that I must create more creatures to fill the forest, steeped in the forest's magic so that they would feel like they only belonged here, unable to leave my home and turn it empty again."

Kong Min's heart clenched even as goosebumps pulled his skin taut. "It sounds like you were very lonely. And rather than taking care of it the human way…you filled that space in the manner of a being as old as dust. Your logic might be inhuman, but you didn't know better, did you?"

Ying Xulin looked at Kong Min with a vaguely puzzled expression. His gaze slipping to the side, he frowned. "I suppose…you are right. And inhuman I might be, but unless the way I think makes you dislike me, I do not see any reason to change myself."

Kong Min let out a small laugh and shook his head. This person would never be human. His reasoning was too alien for that. But he still tried. He was prepared to try so hard for him. Just what had he ever done to deserve such devotion from this being?

Kong Min reached out with a hand and turned Ying Xulin's face towards him. He could see Ying Xulin's surprise and worry in his expression as if he was uncertain about what Kong Min's verdict would be. As they looked into each other's eyes, Kong Min's expression turned gentle. "Ah-Xu, I would like you to be kinder to people, but I won't hate if you aren't. I understand that you have your own way of looking at the world, and I don't want to impose my own view over that. Well, just don't kill anyone who doesn't deserve it, alright? And also…even if I don't agree to be your lover in the end, I will still remain your friend and visit you often. So please don't worry about being lonely anymore. You don't have to curse people and force them to remain here. You have me to accompany you now, and I will do it willingly."

Ying Xulin's eyes grew wide, the corners reddening. He slowly closed his eyes and nodded, a palm rising up to cup the back of Kong Min's hand that was resting on his jaw. Ying Xulin's fingers clenched on Kong Min's hand for a moment as if wanting to hold on and keep the younger man tethered to him forever. But he slowly, deliberately let go, and Kong Min retrieved his palm.

A soft silence stretched between them, filled with subtle thoughts.

Kong Min held out for a few minutes before finally opening his mouth again to break the quiet. "Well, since my casual question ended up with you having to reveal something personal about you, how about I let you ask me something as well? We can also deepen our understanding of each other this way. Tell me, Ah-Xu, is there something you want to know?"

Ying Xulin opened his eyes and hesitated. He wanted to ask if Kong Min felt any more favorable towards becoming his lover now, but stopped himself. He didn't want to seem like he was forcing or hurrying Kong Min in that direction. He then thought of asking if Kong Min still felt any hate towards him for taking away his mother. But thinking that he might not want to know the answer, Ying Xulin discarded that as well. Was there anything else he wanted to know?

After a few more minutes of deliberation, Ying Xulin finally asked, "What does that beast, the one called Wei Xiang, mean to you?"

Kong Min blinked. That was not the question he had been expecting. But thinking about it, the person he talked to Ying Xulin about the most was his junior brother, though it was mostly just to complain about him. And it was because he desperately wanted to save Wei Xiang that he'd asked for Ying Xulin's help that first time as well. So he supposed he understood why Ying Xulin might want to know more about him.

Kong Min shifted to settle himself more comfortably and began, "The short answer is that Wei Xiang is my junior brother. And as my brother, he naturally means a lot to me. But if you want a fuller explanation, then Wei Xiang is the first person I was ever given responsibility for, and it's a responsibility I take very seriously. He is my brother, he is my friend, and he is one of the people closest to me, a part of the family I made for myself in the Order."

Ying Xulin looked at Kong Min's soft expression. It seemed that that beast meant a lot to him. And thinking of how that beast had come to scold him when he hurt Kong Min so badly that one time, Kong Min must also mean a lot to that beast. Ying Xulin looked down. He felt a strange sensation of exclusion. But since that beast was this important to Kong Min, rather than thinking about how to make that beast disappear, he should probably learn more about him. If Kong Min considered that beast family, then he would most likely be happy with Ying Xulin if he treated that beast as family too.

And so, Ying Xulin turned to Kong Min and asked, "What is your opinion on that be― that Wei Xiang?"

Kong Min smiled wryly at that timely correction, but still answered after a few moments of contemplation, "That junior brother of mine is a sadist, plain and simple. He likes beating people up and he's very petty. Once you get on his bad side, you'll often find him smirking at you, and then you'll keep getting into inexplicable and unfortunate situations. If you ever incur his wrath, the worst thing you can ever do is agreeing to spar with him." Kong Min gave a shudder at that memory. "That fellow is truly a beast with a beast's strength ah. So even a well-trained human stands no chance against him most of the time." His expression slowly warming, he then continued, "But he is also one of the most emotionally strong people I've ever met. I admire him for his ability to weather all the sufferings that life gave him. Even though what happened to him made him keep people at a distance, unwilling to trust them, I'm glad and feel honored that he lets me close to him, even when he is vulnerable. He is my precious little junior brother, and I want him to be happy."

His warm smile then turning into a grin, Kong Min went on, "But of course, I also like messing with that workaholic brat. It's really entertaining to see him scowl and growl with frustration whenever I call him to join me in orgies, especially right after he gets swamped with the work that I left to him." Throwing his head back, Kong Min let out an evil laugh full of glee. However, once his laughter subsided, his face softened with affection, "But despite his sharp tongue and all his threatening, Wei Xiang still covers for me whenever he can so that I can retain my freedom to wander around. He knows that being restricted too much will make someone as jittery as I feel caged in. Even though that impudent junior brother of mine very literally chains me to the desk sometimes to make me do at least the minimum of work, he never forces me to do more than I can bear. Under that growling, snarling, threatening face of his, my bratty junior brother has a soft and earnest heart. Isn't he adorable?"

Seeing Kong Min turn to him with a wide smile, Ying Xulin's heart skipped a beat. Turning away with a harrumph, Ying Xulin said, "I don't know about that beast, but I'm sure you're much cuter."

Kong Min had to stifle the sudden giggles threatening to erupt out of him. His smile turning more cheerful, he said, "Thank you! I'm glad Ah-Xu finds me cute~"

Ying Xulin's ears reddened in reaction, delighting Kong Min into grinning widely. No matter what Ying Xulin said, he was definitely the cutest one of them both!

Deciding to take pity on Ying Xulin and save him from the embarrassment he obviously didn't know how to deal with, Kong Min spoke, "Alright, you asked your question. It's now my turn to ask you something now. Are you ready?"

Ying Xulin coughed and quickly nodded. "Yes, ask whatever you want."

"Alright, then I won't hold back," Kong Min warned playfully. Tired of sitting, he leaned backward, lying down on the bumpy roots covering the ground. Ying Xulin frowned and waved a hand, turning the roots under Kong Min more even so that his beloved would be comfortable. Kong Min shot him a grateful look and shifted to settle himself cozily before beginning, "What I want to ask might get a bit personal. So, Ah-Xu…what's your sexual history?"

Seeing Kong Min's intent gaze focused on him, Ying Xulin grew dazed. He had to take a moment to collect his thoughts before replying, "I've only ever tried to have sex three times, and that was only because my brother urged me to. He said it would be fun, but I only found it bothersome."

Kong Min's eyebrows flew up. "Your brother? Is that the Master of Oceans? Are you both on such good terms then?"

Ying Xulin nodded. "Yes, more or less."

His eyes narrowing, Kong Min asked, "Ah-Xu, is that why the Master of Oceans targeted our ship that time? I remember that he was quite insistent that I call you." Kong Min couldn't help but wonder if his impression of Ying Xulin been wrong all this time. Had Ying Xulin actually conspired together with that brother of his to force Kong Min to contact him back then?

But Ying Xulin's expression didn't bear the slightest hint of craftiness as he nodded. "Yes, my brother indeed said that he held your ship captive to make you call me so that I'd have another chance with you. But don't worry, I scolded him for doing that to your ship. He was always very unbridled and loves to cause trouble. But he promised not to meddle anymore."

Kong Min laughed. He should've known that as inhuman as this guy's mind was, he was still too honest to have thought up such a scheme. "That's good then. Whatever our relationship might turn out to be in the end, I'd rather we develop it on our own. If it can only be held up because of someone else's constant interference, then that relationship is not one that was meant to last."

Ying Xulin nodded in agreement. He wished for Kong Min to want him on his own as well. It wouldn't be nearly as satisfying otherwise.

"Alright, enough of that," Kong Min said and turned to lie on his side so that he could see Ying Xulin better. "Ah-Xu, you still haven't told me the story of your sexual escapades fully. You said you only ever tried sex three times, yes? Did you choose to sleep with men or women? If it was with men, then what were your positions and how did that turn out?"

Kong Min's gaze oozed interest. He had a difficult time pinning down Ying Xulin's preferences in bed, so he decided to just directly ask him about it.

Ying Xulin didn't feel the least bit self-conscious as he satisfied his beloved's curiosity. His was voice tinted with remembered confusion as he recalled, "The first time was with a woman. At that time, it was considered more normal for a man to lie with a woman, so it was the least troublesome option. It was alright, I suppose. The woman was angry that I got bored and yawned halfway through though. But she still seemed to enjoy herself at the end. She was certainly very noisy. I myself felt that the experience was quite lacking, but perhaps that was only because I didn't know how to take pleasure from that sort of thing. I still do not understand how rubbing the skins and mouths of strangers with my own and joining my flesh with theirs is supposed to be pleasurable."

Kong Min burst out laughing. This guy was so innocent! He almost felt sorry for the woman for having faced this utter lack of enthusiasm from her partner. She surely must've expected that a virgin would be more excited during his first time. Getting his chuckles under control, Kong Min finally said, "Ah-Xu, that's too good. But, well, your brother should have waited for you to gain interest in sex before making you go through that."

Ying Xulin nodded. Yes, his brother clearly didn't understand him! Look how easily his beloved seemed to have recognized the problem with the situation!

"So? What happened during your second time?" Kong Min prodded with a grin. He was greatly anticipating his answer now.

Ying Xulin thought back for a few moments before replying, "After I told my brother that I found my first time bothersome and boring to the point of almost dozing off, he suggested that I try letting a man take me while I just lay down instead so that I wouldn't have to put in that much effort. But…I didn't like how much it hurt when that man entered me, and it continued to feel uncomfortable even after that. Also, the way it felt like that man was only using me for his own pleasure was unpleasant. I felt irritated, so I kicked him away. I suppose I used a bit too much force, because the man's chest caved in. Well, my brother smoothed things over and decided letting a man do it wasn't for me."

Kong Min frowned after hearing that and remarked, "It isn't actually supposed to hurt that much, you know? If that man didn't prepare you enough and just rushed to do the deed to satisfy himself, then he certainly deserved to have his chest kicked in. During sex, it's important to reciprocate the pleasure one receives from their partner, especially when one is serving as the top with an inexperienced bottom who might be feeling too vulnerable during the deed. But from what I gathered, most men from that time long ago had been too impatient and got lost in their own pleasure too easily. People are much more considerate these days. Having to face that when it was the first time you were laying with a man must have been very shocking and dissatisfactory."

Ying Xulin once again nodded in agreement. As expected of his beloved, he understood his point of view the most after all! Shame on his brother for scolding him back then about sending that man crashing through the walls and bringing down the building. The humans had many other buildings, so surely losing one or two shouldn't have been such a big issue? Hmph, his brother had no need to be that dramatic when none of the mortals had even died.

Seeing Ying Xulin's expression of righteous indignation mixed with petulant dissatisfaction, Kong Min felt affection suddenly welling within him. This person seemed to get more adorable the more time he spent with him. His lips unconsciously curving into an indulgent smile, Kong Min prodded, "So, how did the third time go? I'm assuming your brother hooked you up with another man, but to serve as your bottom this time?"

Ying Xulin nodded. "Yes, it was indeed so. I do not know what my brother told him, but this man was much more accommodating and focused on my pleasure. It was barely passable, I suppose."

Kong Min looked at Ying Xulin silently. For some reason, hearing how Ying Xulin seemed to have enjoyed his time with another man made him feel an irritable prickle of something. Was it…jealously?

"Kong Min? Is that all you wished to know?" Ying Xulin asked, interrupting his thoughts.

His lips stretching into an automatic smile, Kong Min nodded. "Yes. But now I'm feeling curious. Ah-Xu, compared to all that, how was your experience with me? We didn't sleep together, but we still did something sexual, didn't we? Did you like it more than your third time?"

Ying Xulin's eyelids lowered, his dark green eyes deepening as he leaned towards him. "It is incomparable. That person merely showed me the possibility of what one might feel when their flesh is stimulated. But with you… it was much, much more than that. It was very pleasurable, and it wasn't the least bit tedious. Unlike all those times before that I felt were bothersome, with you, I wanted to keep doing things like that again and again and again until neither of us could move anymore. I'd never imagined that it was possible to feel such bliss just due to physical stimulation. And seeing you enjoying yourself with me was far more satisfying than anything I could've imagined. It was so the first time we met, and it was even more so when we kissed."

Kong Min felt his face warming, but he still felt very pleased with this answer. Turning his body so that only his back would face Ying Xulin, Kong Min huffed, "Good. It seems that the skills in bed I honed all these years didn't go to waste. Alright, enough about that. Ah-Xu, now it's your turn to ask me something again."

Ying Xulin blinked. He felt that Kong Min was behaving a bit strangely. But deciding that it wasn't anything serious, he put it out of his mind. Now, what question should he ask this time? He very badly wanted to ask about Kong Min's experience with sex as well, but Ying Xulin already knew that he wouldn't be able to handle it. He would inevitably get jealous of all those people Kong Min slept with. Then what else should he ask?

After several minutes of consideration, Ying Xulin finally chose to ask something that he'd been curious about for a while, "I've always wondered, but what do the people in the…group sexual events you attend think when they see my gift on your chest? Do they not find it strange?"

Kong Min chuckled and rolled onto his back again. "Now that's a random question. Yes, they do ask me about the gem quite often, so I have fun making up all sorts of false explanations for that. For example, I once told them that it was a top-secret artifact given only to the Sentinel Grandmaster's direct disciples. Since neither my senior sister nor my junior brother was available at such an event, there was no chance of them being able to deny it anyway. And another time, I told them that I was born with it, and yet another time, I hinted that it was a seal on an apocalyptic curse that I carried in my body. Their horrified expressions were hilarious!" Kong Min laughed at that memory. "I gave different excuses to different people, and I changed the lie I told them quite often without even trying to hide that it was a lie. So people eventually gave up and stopped asking me after realizing that I had no intention of giving them an actual answer. Well, it was entertaining while it lasted. Now it makes me want to think about more fun things to tease them with."

Ying Xulin shook his head. This person was always like this, so playful and carefree, passing his days as he wanted and enjoying every moment that he could. But he was never in a hurry to live his life, instead taking each day as it came with leisurely ease.

Folding his hands behind his head to serve as a pillow, Kong Min looked up at the canopy of intertwined branches far above, the mellow sunlight that filtered through it setting its gaps and crevices aglow. Suddenly, his view was blocked by Ying Xulin as the other man crouched over him. His face was calm and solemn as always, his deep green eyes churning with unfathomable emotions. His long hair slipped down, forming a curtain around Kong Min that blocked everything in his view except Ying Xulin's bewitching face.

Kong Min blinked. "A-Ah-Xu?"

Ying Xulin's face slowly descended on Kong Min's chest, his lips gently pressing onto the gem through the layers of robes. "This gift from me to you was made from the sap contained in the body I was using at that time, condensed from what was the equivalent of my blood. For you to have it in your body is as if I've marked you as my own. Maybe it is selfish of me to feel happy about that, but I am glad it is so. I am glad that you always carry a part of me, just like I always carry a part of you as well."

Kong Min felt dazed. A part of him… The image of a lock of black hair braided into dark brown hair flashed in his mind. Did he mean that lock of hair Kong Min gave him at the end of their first meeting? He had only given it casually, but to think Ying Xulin treated it as such an important connection to him…

Unfolding one of his arms from behind his head, Kong Min patted Ying Xulin. "Ah-Xu…" he sighed, then smiled. "What am I going to do with you?"

Ying Xulin earnestly answered, "Make me your lover?"

Kong Min chuckled. "You're well on your way to reaching that destination."

Ying Xulin's eyes widened. Did this mean that…Kong Min had already started feeling romantically attracted towards him?

"Don't think so much," Kong Min chided after seeing Ying Xulin's disbelieving expression. "For now, let's just enjoy each other's company and let things develop as they will, alright?"

Saying so, Kong Min pulled Ying Xulin's head down to rest on his chest, his hand stroking the back of the older man's head. Ying Xulin shifted for a while, then slid his head further down to lay on Kong Min's stomach. Rubbing his cheek against the belt, he explained, "The gem on your chest pokes, but your stomach is flatter and more comfortable."

Kong Min's lips twitched. And who was the one who asked his mother to put that gem there in the first place? Was it not him?!

But not willing to change the mood, Kong Min let it go and resumed rubbing Ying Xulin's head as the mild sunlight cast warm shapes on their bodies.

...

After Kong Min left due to being called to attend to some emergency in the Order, Ying Xulin remained lying on the ground, staring up at the canopy of branches over the clearing. A stream of glowing dots floated by, looking like a group of tiny stars gliding through the air.

After their talk today, Ying Xulin felt warm inside, but also a bit restless. He wanted more of Kong Min, but he didn't know how to ask for it. But more than that, seeing how his beloved felt satisfied with what they had, he didn't want to just selfishly force Kong Min in the direction he wanted their relationship to develop in either. But maybe…he could nudge his beloved a little. That way, it would be up to Kong Min to decide whether he took a step in that direction, wouldn't it?

Getting up from the ground, Ying Xulin fetched the copy of 'The Profound Ways of the Sword and Chrysanthemum' that Kong Min had given him and carefully studied a certain page near the beginning. Nodding to himself, he decided that he would request this as payment from his beloved next time.

And so, when Kong Min later asked for a favor from Ying Xulin then came to pay, Ying Xulin seriously said, "Kong Min, I would like to swallow your seed."

Kong Min froze and sputtered. "B-But I'm not a fruit!" He then immediately began berating himself for his stupid reply. Fuck! Would it have hurt him to take a moment to understand what Ying Xulin meant?

Taking a breath and releasing it, Kong Min said with more composure, "Ah-Xu, you want to…suck me off?"

Ying Xulin tilted his head as if trying to decide if Kong Min's words matched with what he wanted, then nodded. "Yes, but it is not compulsory. If you don't want to pay in such a way, I can always think of something else."

Kong Min hesitated. He surprisingly found that there was less uncertainty and more excitement at the thought of doing such a thing with Ying Xulin. Since when had he begun feeling so comfortable with him? Since when had he begun trusting him this much? But since there was so resistance towards the thought of paying Ying Xulin in such a way, Kong Min finally nodded. "Very well, I agree."

His eyes gleaming, Ying Xulin smiled happily. "Thank you. I will take good care of you." Stepping forward, he cupped Kong Min's face with a palm and looked into his eyes.

Kong Min felt himself blushing at the sudden intimacy of the moment. Turning away, he quickly began undoing his belt and pulling apart his robes. "Th-then let's start. Ah-Xu, can you make me a bed or something? I don't think a chair will cut it this time."

Ying Xulin nodded and stepped back. Waving a hand, he brought out wooden vines from under the ground as usual before shaping them into a flat rectangular surface reaching up to knee height.

By now, Kong Min had removed everything on his lower body, remaining with only the layers of robes hanging from his shoulders. After all, he would need padding for his back when he lay down on that rough vine-bed or he might get splinters when he moved. And it was not like he needed to remove everything for this.

Ignoring the wild beating of his heart, Kong Min casually laid down on the vine-bed. After adjusting his robes a bit to let them cover his entire back without wrinkles, he looked up at Ying Xulin and smiled. "I'm ready. So, Ah-Xu, why don't you now show me what you learned from the book I gave you?"

Ying Xulin swallowed, his gaze deepening with desire. He stepped forward and climbed up, settling himself over Kong Min. One of his hands reached towards Kong Min's exposed belly, the fingers spreading wide as if to soak up the warmth from directly touching his skin. His expression turning dazed and worshipful, Ying Xulin slid his hand up, dragging over Kong Min's midriff, up his chest, over the gem and reaching his throat…

Kong Min instinctively stiffened, his eyes widening. The memory of this hand wrapping around his neck and cutting off his breath suddenly flashed in his mind. Against his will, his body shuddered with fear. His hands clenched while his chest heaved as if struggling to breathe even though there was nothing obstructing his breath this time.

Ying Xulin stopped, his expression turning worried. "Kong Min?"

Letting out a strained laugh, Kong Min said, "It seems…my body has not forgotten, Ah-Xu. I-It's still…afraid of you touching my neck."

Ying Xulin's eyes widened as cutting remorse and panic fluttered in them.

As he forcefully brought his breath under control, Kong Min shook his head. "Now, this won't do," he said quietly, then reached out to suddenly pull Ying Xulin's head down, pressing his mouth to his throat. Kong Min pushed away the recollection of his throat being torn open by Ying Xulin and disregarded how his trembling increased. Yes, he knew how this man's fangs had felt as they ravaged his throat, but he also trusted him. His Ah-Xu had grown to love him so much, why would he hurt him now?

"Kong Min, maybe…this isn't a good idea," Ying Xulin said, trying to gently pry away the hand his beloved's was using to push down his head.

But Kong Min held on stubbornly. "No, I…I don't want to be afraid of you. Ah-Xu, just run your teeth over my throat. I trust you, so I want you to help me get rid of this fear of you. Please?"

Ying Xulin hesitated, then nodded. If this would truly help his beloved stop fearing him, then he would do this.

Heaving out a shuddering breath, Kong Min let go of Ying Xulin's head. Clenching his hands into fists, he pressed them down on the vine-bed. Kong Min felt Ying Xulin very gently and carefully scraping his fangs across his throat and felt his body twisting as if to get away. But Kong Min held himself in place. Maybe it was because of his Sentinel training, but his mind felt strangely clear despite the pulses of fear battering his psyche. As his eyes grew unfocused, his panting picking up speed, Kong Min realized that he was beginning to get dizzy. Not good. If this went on, he'd lose consciousness. He had to hurry it up.

Unclenching one of his hands, he reached up and pushed Ying Xulin's head down with sudden force. Ying Xulin's fangs sank just a bit into his throat, drawing a few drops of blood. Ying Xulin immediately leaned back, his eyes wide. "Kong Min?" he called frantically.

But Kong Min couldn't hear him. The fear was too much, the sense of danger all-consuming. It swallowed his mind, trying to break apart his sense of reason.

…Enough.

It made him want to thrash and scream, to push away Ying Xulin and scuttle back, to cover his throat and flee in panic.

Enough!

It filled him to bursting, making him hyperventilate. Black circles swam in his vision, layering over Ying Xulin's anxious face.

ENOUGH!

He'd indulged this fear enough. It was now time for it to go away.

Kong Min forcibly wrenched his skittering mind into order and thought about Ying Xulin's tender touches, the look of deep affection in his gaze, his gentle temperament, the inhuman yet innocent way he thought, his small smiles filled with happiness, his sometimes adorable expressions… This man was not a threat. He wouldn't hurt him. He was someone he trusted. There was no need to be this afraid. Yes, he didn't have to be afraid anymore…

Ying Xulin peered anxiously at Kong Min's face. His beloved looked so pitiful and fearful. But even as he seemed like he was flinching away in fear, Kong Min had wrapped his legs around Ying Xulin's waist instinctively as if to keep him near as well, preventing Ying Xulin from moving away to give his beloved some space. But soon, to Ying Xulin's relief, Kong Min's expression began easing, regaining its composure.

"Kong Min? Are you alright?" Ying Xulin asked worriedly.

Kong Min blinked his eyes and looked up at Ying Xulin. He nodded unsteadily, still seeming a bit dazed. His gaze suddenly focused on the red tipping Ying Xulin's fangs. Fear tried to rise up, but he was able to quickly push it away. It might not be fully gone yet, and it might try to swallow him up again, but he would not let it completely take over him. He knew how to deal with it now, and that was to focus on the present Ying Xulin rather than how he was in the past. Kong Min smiled and pulled down Ying Xulin's head, his tongue venturing into his mouth that had just opened as if to say something.

Feeling Kong Min's tongue teasing around his fangs, Ying Xulin stilled. Since he hadn't have the chance to retract his pointed incisors, he didn't want to move and end up cutting Kong Min with them.

After Kong Min was done licking up his blood from Ying Xulin's mouth, he retrieved his tongue and said, "Well, now that that's done with, we can move onto more fun things, don't you agree?"

Ying Xulin blinked at him uncomprehendingly. "But, you…you just… Are you really alright?"

Kong Min smiled wider and nodded. "Yes, don't worry. I might still need some more time to get over it, but it's manageable. And now that I finished bravely battling my fear and got it under control, shouldn't I get some benefits? Ah-Xu, don't you want to reward me?"

Seeing Kong Min fluttering his eyelashes at him while smiling sultrily, Ying Xulin finally felt his concern easing as the desire from before reignited. He carefully brushed away a lock of hair from Kong Min's face, then nodded. "Yes, you did well, so I will reward you."

Bending down, Ying Xulin kissed his beloved. Kong Min eagerly opened his mouth, his tongue once again tracing Ying Xulin's sharp incisors before being captured and caressed by the other man's tongue. After a few minutes of passionate tongue wrestling, Ying Xulin drew back. Kong Min's tongue slid along his own, then wrapped around a fang before finally withdrawing from his mouth fully.

Before Ying Xulin's mouth could close, Kong Min stuck a finger in. Ying Xulin cooperatively widened his mouth again and let his beloved fondle and caress his sharp incisors to his heart's content.

Kong Min studied the pointed fangs with a fascinated expression. In a husky voice, he observed, "It's so sharp… Ah-Xu, if you don't blunt your teeth, I'm not letting your mouth anywhere near my precious family jewels."

Kong Min immediately felt the fang under his fingertip retract, then the tip turned rounded and blunt like the incisor of a human's. Kong Min took back his hand and grinned, "Now that's more like it. You may proceed then."

Ying Xulin licked his lips and slowly moved back until he was crouching between Kong Min's legs. Without him having to do anything, Kong Min pulled up his legs and parted them as if in a silent demand for him to get started. Ying Xulin smiled, his eyes gleaming with both amusement and increased arousal at his beloved's eagerness. He reached down, one claw-tipped hand resting on the inside of Kong Min's thigh while the fingers of the other hand carefully wrapped around the base of his beloved's member.

Kong Min hissed in a breath, but didn't move.

Ying Xulin slowly drew his hand up and down over the quickly hardening shaft, his fingers maintain a slight pressure. His other hand slid further down, cupping and rolling the balls hanging below.

Kong Min let out a ragged moan and squeezed his eyes closed. Maybe it was because of the fear that had just filled him and sharpened his awareness, but Kong Min felt that his body was especially sensitive under Ying Xulin's hands right now. The other man's slightly hesitant touches along with the light scrape of his nails on his skin suffused Kong Min with insistent heat. This sudden increase in desire was too fast even for him! But…it also felt too good.

Meanwhile, as he continued stimulating it with his palm, Ying Xulin studied Kong Min's member with interest. This was the thing that gave his beloved pleasure. How curious. It was hot and throbbing in his hand, seeming alive and demanding. But like the rest of the human body, it was also fragile. Yet something like this could cause his beloved to let out such sounds of pleasure, making the muscles in his stomach flex and roll while his thighs bulged with the strain of holding still. The thin layer of sweat shining on Kong Min's copper-hued skin only highlighted the straining of his limbs and the shifting of his muscles. Ying Xulin's eyes glinted at the pleasing sight as he increased the tempo of his hand.

Kong Min panted, his body beginning to move restlessly. His hands clenched and unclenched as he tried to control his reactions and continue lying down cooperatively. This was probably Ying Xulin's first time trying to pleasure someone like this. So Kong Min was determined to lie still and make this as easy as possible.

Suddenly, Ying Xulin stopped. Now that Kong Min's member had grown fully erect, he decided it was time to start using his mouth as he'd wanted to from the beginning.

Kong Min had yet to recover from Ying Xulin's previous ministrations when he felt warm breath bathing the sensitive tip of his member before a moist and hot mouth closed over it. Kong Min let out a gasp. Ying Xulin bore down, steadily taking in more of his beloved's shaft into his mouth until it touched the back of his throat. He paused for a moment, his expression turning inquisitive as he tried to see if he could taste anything. Moving in the tight space of his full mouth, Ying Xulin's tongue rubbed the underside of Kong Min's member, assessing its taste and texture curiously.

Kong Min let out a throaty groan and praised, "Ah-Xu…nh…you feel so good…"

"Hmm," Ying Xulin made a sound of acknowledgment. But as that murmur lightly vibrated up his shaft, Kong Min couldn't help the shudder that rippled through his body.

Ying Xulin felt wetness beginning to come out of the tip of Kong Min's shaft and swallowed, feeling the strangely flavored liquid sliding down his throat. Ying Xulin blinked. What was that just now? Leaning back, he let the shaft slip out of his mouth and studied it. More liquid welled at the tip. Ying Xulin extended out his tongue and licked it, then tilted his head as he studied its taste. It was salty and a bit bitter. It wasn't tasty at all, but it was something his beloved's body was producing for some reason, so he wrapped lips around the head of Kong Min's member and sucked, trying to get out more of it so that he could analyze it further.

Kong Min jerked at the sudden burst of strong sensation and cried out.

Using his tongue, Ying Xulin explored the small slit through which the strange liquid was coming out. As even more of that fluid flowed out, Ying Xulin scraped his tongue over it to lap it all up. Unable to bear it while staying still any longer, Kong Min began to writhe. But Ying Xulin reflexively used a hand to hold Kong Min's hips in place, still absorbed in intently studying his beloved's member with his mouth. It felt fascinating to touch something so private with his tongue. Deciding to examine this sensation further, he let his tongue trace the hard length, running down along the veins and over the smooth and ruddy skin.

Letting out a breathless moan at the sensual way Ying Xulin's tongue caressed all over his shaft, Kong Min let his head fall back. The heat flowing through him turned thick and liquid, slowly washing over his body and pulsing through his bloodstream. Whimpering, Kong Min hoped that Ying Xulin would pick up the pace. He didn't know how much more of this slow torment he could take.

Meanwhile, Ying Xulin leisurely marveled at how the surface of his beloved's organ felt so soft, but the flesh that lay underneath seemed firm. He suddenly felt curious. Was this how his own organ would feel if he were to touch it? He'd never thought about it before. But no matter how his own shaft was, Ying Xulin felt much more intrigued by Kong Min's. He licked and sucked and toyed with the stiff organ, watching with shining eyes as it wept more of that translucent white liquid before eagerly taking it into his mouth. It had the same flavor as Kong Min and it had a bit of his life essence in it too. Its taste notwithstanding, Ying Xulin decided he liked drinking it.

After a few more minutes of being tortured by his clueless lover's mouth, Kong Min decided he'd had enough of it. "A-Ah-Xu! You…ah…you should s-stop…playing with me already!" As pleasurable as this was, he wanted his climax, dammit!

Regretfully letting go of his beloved's member, Ying Xulin lifted his head to peer at Kong Min. Finding that his beloved had grown too tense, his body flushed a ripe red and his expression tinted with desperation, Ying Xulin felt puzzled. How mysterious. Just what had gotten his beloved so agitated?

Kong Min let out a breathy moan and pleaded, "Ah-Xu, please…hurry…"

Ying Xulin blinked at him with confusion. "What should I hurry with?"

Kong Min's mouth twitched. This guy… "With sucking me. Do it harder…quick…"

Showing an expression of realization, Ying Xulin bent down to take Kong Min's member into his mouth again. He'd almost forgotten why he'd started this. As he moved his mouth up and down with vigor, he couldn't help but surreptitiously use his tongue to feel more of his beloved's shaft. He sucked deeply, hoping to draw more liquid out of the hard length.

Every oblivious movement of Ying Xulin's mouth sent cascades of pleasure through Kong Min. His body arched back and squirmed as he felt the soft and hot mouth wrapping around his member, sliding and moving and giving him an endless stream of delicious friction. The sensations pushed him higher and higher, sending him to the very edge before bursting. As the orgasm ripped through him, Kong Min let out a long gasp. His spine snapped straight while his body shuddered lightly.

As thick release suddenly jetted out of the shaft in his mouth, Ying Xulin was pleasantly surprised. He eagerly drank it in, savoring the fact that he was taking in so much of his beloved's essence. So it turned out that Kong Min's seed also contained his flavor and his life essence. How interesting.

By the time his climax receded, Kong Min was wrung out. His body felt heavy and sated, too lazy to move. His eyelids drooped. He always got sleepy after a good orgasm, which was why he usually tried to limit his releases to just once. Ah, this feeling of being completely satisfied and tired really was too comfortable…

Straightening from between Kong Min's legs, Ying Xulin saw his beloved beginning to doze off and felt confounded. After a moment of hesitation, he tapped into his connection with the gem to read Kong Min's emotions. He was surprised to find that rather than boredom, what Kong Min felt was a relaxed warmth, peace, and deep contentment. Even after he closed the connection, just the remaining echo of those emotions made Ying Xulin's expression soften. Hmm, maybe he should sleep too…

Once he finished gently cleaning all traces of Kong Min's release, Ying Xulin removed his outer robe and covered his beloved with it. It would be evening soon and he didn't want Kong Min to have to suffer the cold air. After snuggling beside Kong Min then carefully holding him without disturbing him, Ying Xulin closed his eyes and drifted off into sleep with a small smile.

This feeling of being able to doze off with his beloved in his arms was really too blissful.

...

The millennia passed and Kong Min felt more and more comfortable with Ying Xulin.

In this time, due to various reasons such as an increase in Black Fang activity and more recruits in the informatical department to manage, train, and lead, Kong Min ended up having to ask more favors from Ying Xulin with less time to pay them back immediately. Out of concern for his beloved, Ying Xulin decided to club the payments together and let Kong Min pay them together once every few months by listening to one large request of his. Even though this would reduce their time spent together, just the thought of Kong Min running himself into the ground because of him made Ying Xulin feel reluctant to push the issue. He was slowly learning to put Kong Min first and his own needs second. Though it meant that he wouldn't get what he wanted, the feelings of relief and gratitude Kong Min had felt when he'd suggested this was enough to let Ying Xulin know that he'd made the right decision.

But because of this, Ying Xulin also came to know acute loneliness. As a result, he once again started to look through the gem in Kong Min's chest, though it wasn't sneaky anymore. He would directly tell Kong Min when he connected and disconnected, and if Kong Min ever asked him to retrieve his consciousness for a bit, Ying Xulin would obediently comply without complaint.

All this time, Kong Min hadn't stopped attending orgies or sleeping with other people, but the amount of time he spent in such events significantly lessened. Though the fact that his beloved still went to bed with others irked Ying Xulin, he had also come to realize that it was a sort of release for Kong Min. He needed to let out steam like this every now and then or he was prone to get antsy and irritable. As much as Ying Xulin wanted to ask Kong Min to sleep with only him, he also realized that Kong Min might view it as a form of restraint right now. After all, they hadn't become a couple yet. His beloved had already warned him that until they got together, he would sleep with others. So Ying Xulin decided to tuck away his jealousy and be satisfied that Kong Min seemed to have begun sleeping with those other humans less and less after spending time with him.

One of the days Kong Min came to pay him, they both began chatting as usual, and Kong Min told Ying Xulin with a bitter expression about how his junior brother had taken a lover.

Ying Xulin blinked. "So you…used my power to bully that beast's chosen mate?"

Kong Min's lips twitched and he turned his face away. "Th-That's not… I didn't…" Letting out a sigh, he finally nodded and said with vehemence, "Yes, damn it, that's what I did. I've been by my junior brother's side and saw him go through millennia! Of course I'm going to want to vet his lover! I don't want my junior brother to get taken by some pretty face cultivator with only some skill!"

Ying Xulin felt amused. "And how did that assessment turn out?"

Kong Min huffed. "He passed, I guess. I don't like that I got my butt handed to me, but I'm not petty enough to hold it over that brat either. There's no chance I'd hand my junior brother over to someone when they can't even beat me despite being from the topmost martial arts sect of the current world! But, well, that Feng Qinghe also turned out to be more suitable than I expected, so I gave in and succumbed to the thought of my little Xiang-er finally having achieved romantic bliss."

But despite all his blustering, Ying Xulin could still sense that Kong Min felt melancholy. Ying Xulin wrapped a hand around Kong Min's shoulders and gave him an unpracticed hug. "Your junior brother might have gotten a lover, but I'm sure he won't leave you behind. Was it not you who told me just the previous week that the bonds between brothers are stronger than that? In the meanwhile, I will also be here. I will not let you get lonely."

His expression easing, Kong Min gave Ying Xulin a smile of gratitude. Then he said in a playful voice, "Yes, my Ah-Xu is definitely right. Even if Wei Xiang betrays me for that brat, I still have you~"

Ying Xulin's heart beat faster. He decided he liked being called his beloved's. It made him feel like Kong Min was slowly closing the distance between them. Maybe at this rate…

Ying Xulin smiled and continued from before, "What made you decide to give that beast's mate a chance?" He wanted to try to understand more about how Kong Min thought and what criteria he felt was outstanding enough that he decided that human was suitable to be with his beloved junior brother.

Kong Min pressed his lips together and looked away, seeming strangely shy. Coughing, he replied, "It was a simple reason, actually. That Feng Qinghe reminded me a bit of you."

Ying Xulin's eyebrows flew up. "Me?"

Nodding, Kong Min explained, "Yes. You both are monstrously powerful beings who are actually deceptively cute. Sometimes, you're both also innocent in a clueless way. And, well, once I thought that he was like you, I couldn't feel hostile towards him anymore."

Seeing how Kong Min's expression had unconsciously warmed, Ying Xulin felt his heart beating even faster. He'd liked this person for the longest of time. Never had millennia felt so long to him until he had to spend that much time unable to fully have this person. But all these days with him felt so very precious, like an unexpected treasure that grew more valuable with time. And now, it was becoming clearer and clearer that the more time they spent together, the more his beloved was feeling affectionate towards him as well.

Maybe at this rate, Kong Min would grow to reciprocate his love soon.

...

A few weeks later, Kong Min's secret of still keeping in touch and asking favors from Ying Xulin was oh-so-casually revealed by Feng Qinghe when he talked about Kong Min shooting those green-colored arrows at him during their first meeting. Having been just outside the building at that time, Wei Xiang seemed to have sensed him using those arrows and guessed his continuing connection to the Master of Land already, but he still took the time to scold Kong Min about it. His master had been clueless, but Kong Min sensed more worry than disapproval from him. In the end, what he feared hadn't happened. Wei Xiang and Feng Huixin didn't pry too much or try to pull him away from Ying Xulin, just seeming to be concerned about him.

Seeing all this, Kong Min had no doubt that it must be his sensible master who'd reined in his hotheaded junior brother in advance!

And so, Kong Min heaved a breath of relief and stopped hiding how close he'd gotten with Ying Xulin as well, though he did keep it a secret from the rest of the Sentinels. After all, he didn't want people to find out that he, the second disciple of the Sentinel Grandmaster, had that sort of a connection with one of the Three Masters of this world who were considered a mythical existence by even most cultivators. And of them, the Master of Land was said to be the most mysterious, someone who was rarely, if ever, seen in the mortal world. Kong Min did not want to bring attention to the reclusive Ying Xulin by declaring how close they were.

After that, not even a few peaceful months had passed when the demonic deity Xie Xingye attacked the Battle Arena.

The sect masters, Elders, and disciples focused on the ghouls while a few disciples, with Feng Qinghe at the forefront, managed to hold off the demonic deity for long enough that the Sentinels could get there. Feng Huixin then drove off the demonic deity and his black dragon while the officers methodically cleared away the ghouls and handled the aftermath.

When Kong Min had time, he contacted Ying Xulin and quickly shared the details of the situation with him, ending with <…and so, Ah-Xu, can you use your power to help us against that guy? I know you don't like to interfere in things, but if you think of it as doing the world a favor, then I'm sure I could ask Master to make those old fogeys at the top of the cultivation world cough up any payment of your choice. And if the demonic deity's plan succeeds, as the manifestation of parts of this world, won't you and your siblings be devoured as well? So please, won't you help us?>

For a second, there was only silence. Kong Min knew Ying Xulin must be deep in thought and patiently waited. A few moments later, Ying Xulin's familiar voice spoke, unwaveringly calm, <If we die, then so be it. I am not one who cares about life and death. It is but one of the natural laws of the worlds and is inevitable. It is nothing to be feared. If I, you, my siblings, and everyone die, then that is what is meant to be. I will not interfere in the order of things.> After all, if he was forced to live in a world without Kong Min, then that would be unacceptable. But if both of them were to perish at the same time, he wouldn't have to be lonely, would he? It might hurt a bit, but they would soon be beyond that. There was nothing to worry about. It was a given that the journey of every living being would always end in death. What was there to protest about that?

For a moment, Kong Min was too shocked to say anything in reply. He supposed that for an inhuman being like the Master of Land, someone who had never needed to or cared to understand mortality, the notion of fearing death must be laughable. But for him… In a quiet voice, Kong Min asked, <Ah-Xu, but what if I said I was afraid of death? What if I said I didn't want to die? What if I said I didn't want to be unable to see or speak with you, my junior brother, my master, and everyone else ever again? I…> Kong Min trailed away. What was the use of saying things like this? If Ying Xulin didn't want to, then what more could he do?

On the other side of the connection, Ying Xulin was too stunned to be able to answer.

Letting out a deep breath, Kong Min forced some cheer into his mental voice and brushed it off, <It's alright, I understand. I'm sorry for being so pushy, Ah-Xu. I should've known that a being who is literally as old as dirt would view things like death and gloom differently. Don't let it bother you.> Then regaining his seriousness, he said, <But you see, Ah-Xu, even if you didn't care about your own life and death, I care about it a lot. So I will do my best to protect you in the ways I can and make sure that demonic deity won't get to devour you. I'll go and see what I can do now. Remain safe for me, alright?>

With that, Kong Min finally cut the connection, leaving a very baffled Ying Xulin standing in a daze in the Forest's Cradle.

Though death would mean nothing to him, for his beloved, it seemed to be a very undesirable thing. What should he do? Interfering in the balance of things, especially to such a degree, was an anathema to him and his siblings. But for Kong Min…maybe he could bend the rules a little.

A few days later, the planning of how to reseal the demonic deity began and efforts were soon underway. In this time, Kong Min had led a few skilled officers under his charge to scope the Castle of Echoes and its surroundings. Working along with a few people from the Silver Moon Sect, they successfully removed traps and created holes in the protective barrier around the castle. Then using the shadows, invisibility talismans, and various other stealth spells, they infiltrated the castle and disabled any other troublesome traps they could find. Of course, some of these spells might be re-cast again, but there wouldn't be enough time for the demonic deity to finish erecting a fresh set of defenses after this much of the castle's inbuilt protection was taken down.

Once that was done, Kong Min continued to sink himself into carrying out his part of the plan by gathering helpful information or leading teams to methodically clear out the ghouls.

On one such task taking place in a desert, Kong Min and his team encountered a horde of ghouls much larger than what they had anticipated. After all, who would have guessed that the ghouls would try to hide from the desert heat by burrowing under the sand? But since they were dead, the ghouls were still able to function even with dry sand in their stomachs and lungs. But it wasn't the same for the shocked Sentinels the ghouls tried to pull into the sand one by one. Buried in hot sand, the officers could stay alive for a while, but just how long could they survive without taking in any air or avoid being cooked alive due to the heat?

Like the few officers who'd still managed to remain aboveground, Kong Min was currently running full tilt, his feet churning up clouds of sand behind him. If he paused, he knew that he might be pulled in. The remaining officers were also busily trying to dodge the ghouls by constantly keeping in motion, all of them already having drifted away far from each other so that they wouldn't be caught all at once. But even then, their safety was uncertain. Most of the powerful officers had already been taken into the sand in the first wave of attacks. The rest couldn't pinpoint the ghouls while they were moving so silently under the sand. And if they attacked the sand indiscriminately, they might injure or kill their fellow officers buried under it. But if this went on, there would be no survivors.

Understanding the direness of the situation, Kong Min raised his hand to touch the gem on his chest without thinking, then paused. Ying Xulin had already said that he wouldn't interfere with this battle. Would that apply to these ghouls too?

But this second of hesitation proved dangerous to Kong Min.

The sand under him shifted and sank suddenly. Bony fingers rose out and strongly gripped his ankle from below, then jerked him downwards. Kong Min stumbled, falling to his knees. He quickly pulled out a blade from his sleeve and sliced off the hand on his ankle, but it was too late. More bony hands had already thrust out of the sand, gripping his legs in various places. Before Kong Min could cut away even half of them, arms pushed out of the sand to clutch at his forearms and wrap around his torso. Kong Min struggled, trying to reach for the gem in his chest, but his arms were pulled down so forcefully that he couldn't lift them at all.

Kong Min grunted in frustration and growled, "Fuck you and your bony asses! Let me go, you festering assholes! Just because you look whole on the outside doesn't mean I don't know how rotten you have to be on the inside. And everyone knows that it's the inside that matters!"

<…Kong Min? What are you talking about?> a familiar voice asked with puzzlement.

Kong Min's eyes widened. Before he could call out Ying Xulin's name in surprise, thick tendrils of earth burst out of the sand, each holding a Sentinel. Most of them were coughing out sand and had been toasted to an even red by now. They seemed to be the officers pulled under by the ghouls. Kong Min felt one of the rough tendrils wrapping around his waist and trying to lift him up as well. He felt the pull of the ghouls' hands and arms increase for a moment as they tried to hold him down. Kong Min cried out in pain. But as cartilage began to tear in the ghouls' sockets that had already grown weak with death, they were finally forced to let go. The tendril of earth then quickly raised Kong Min up, making sure the ghouls couldn't get him.

The sand under them, now containing only ghouls, churned and thrashed, looking like the surface of a golden ocean disturbed by a storm. Thick red liquid and torn off ghoul limbs sprayed and spurted up here and there, dying the sands red. Sometimes, tendrils of earth would appear and disappear like dolphins diving in and out of ocean waters. Within minutes, the movement under the sand subsided and the tendrils carefully placed the wide-eyed and cautious Sentinels back on the sand. But this time, not a single ghoul stirred the dunes.

After making sure that the danger passed, the Sentinels quickly took care of their injuries and swallowed the appropriate medicinal pills to regain their combat effectiveness. Who knew if they'd have to face something else again?

Kong Min took a moment to get his breath and did the same, then quickly looked around, counting. Only after determining that all sixteen officers from his team were safe and alive did Kong Min direct his consciousness into the gem and call, <Ah-Xu, you came!>

Ying Xulin's voice was tinged with concern as he replied, <Yes, but are you alright? Does it hurt anywhere?>

Giving a hoarse laugh, Kong Min replied, <It's nothing a couple of healing pills won't cure. I'm more worried that I'll have to wash sand out of my hair and buttcrack for days.>

Kong Min could hear Ying Xulin's sigh of relief. <That's good then. And I can always help you wash out your body if it's that troublesome.>

Kong Min's mouth twitched. <That's a generous offer, but I'll have to decline. For now, I'd like it if you could continue to help us eradicate the ghouls under the sand in other areas as well while keeping us all as safe as possible. Or…would that also be interfering?>

There was a pause. Then Ying Xulin said solemnly, <I've decided that since you dislike dying, I will help you a little. I will not directly interfere with the humans' handling of that deity unless you all fail. But until then, I might be able to assist with clearing out these undead pests. Of course, to maintain balance, I must still collect payment from you. Is that…alright? Is this much enough?>

For a moment, Kong Min could only blink in disbelief. Then his lips softened into a smile. <Ah-Xu, the fact that you are willing to do this much despite your own thoughts is more than enough for me. Thank you, both for helping us now and for offering to do so again in the future. It will make everything much safer.>

Ying Xulin's voice sounded pleased as he said, <I am glad to be able to help you. I will wait for payment as usual. Take your time.>

Ying Xulin's presence receded from the gem

Kong Min felt his stomach flutter at the thought of seeing and speaking to Ying Xulin again. It seemed that his affections for him were increasing. At this rate, he might feel comfortable with agreeing to be Ying Xulin's lover within a few more weeks of spending time together. But not yet. For now, the threat of the demonic deity hung too close on the horizon, it was too prominent to ignore. But after that…maybe he could finally accept Ying Xulin's affections.

Letting out a breath, Kong Min turned to the Sentinels to begin organizing them again before they all started their work once more.

...

From that day on, Ying Xulin helped the Sentinels with clearing the ghouls. Kong Min explained the situation and asked his master to somehow give a reason for Ying Xulin's assistance to the others without revealing his identity. And so, Feng Huixin issued a statement saying that the mysterious person helping them with the ghouls was an old and reclusive cultivator who didn't wish to show his face. No more questions were asked and the tasks went on smoothly.

Soon, the cultivators marched to the Castle of Echoes and directly confronted the demonic deity, his black dragon, and his army of ghouls. They emerged victorious, but Feng Qinghe had to leave for Heaven with his father to recuperate from his grave injuries. It was uncertain if he would return.

Left behind, Wei Xiang grew grimmer and grimmer by the day. Given full command of the Sentinels now, Wei Xiang's work increased several-fold as well. Kong Min felt his heart aching for his junior brother. He tried his best to be cheerful with Wei Xiang in an attempt to bring his spirits up. Kong Min would also get into little troubles on purpose so that his junior brother would at least turn more lively when scolding him and threatening to beat him up. But despite his outward cheer and his seemingly endless positive energy while with Wei Xiang, whenever Kong Min talked with Ying Xulin using the gem, he always seemed mentally exhausted and drained.

Ying Xulin wanted to hug his beloved. It had been months since Kong Min visited him, since not only was he too busy with work, he also constantly kept an eye on his junior brother paranoidly just to make sure Wei Xiang wouldn't do anything reckless and drastic in case he lost hope in his situation with his lover. But after a few weeks of such observation and witnessing the fervor with which Wei Xiang cultivated for the sake of quickly ascending, Kong Min was at least glad to see that Wei Xiang's belief that he would be reunited with Feng Qinghe seemed unfaltering.

During this time, Kong Min had to ask for a lot of favors from Ying Xulin since the Sentinels' manpower was stretched too thin all over the continent. Dealing with the aftermath of the demonic deity's battle with the cultivation world seemed to be never-ending. And then there was also the issue of having to clear out the Valley of the Terrified Dead. That many bones and bodies mixed together would not do anything good, so it had to be quickly dealt with. To lessen the cumulative workload of the Order, Kong Min stopped slacking off and put in his own share of effort, completely wringing himself out in the process. But wanting to lessen the burden on his junior brother and give him sufficient time to cultivate as he wanted, Kong Min didn't take it easy on himself, shouldering as much of the responsibility as he could and going out of his way to tackle even Wei Xiang's share of the paperwork.

Due to this, Wei Xiang was able to quickly ascend within three years of his lover's departure to Heaven.

Thankfully, after Wei Xiang ascended and Feng Qinghe woke up from the healing pool, Feng Huixin descended to run the Order temporarily and help them with their workload in Wei Xiang's absence. Noticing his second disciple's plight, Feng Huixin also reduced Kong Min's responsibilities by a lot. Soon, Wei Xiang and Feng Qinghe also descended to help out with the Order's work often. After a few hectic years of this, the overworked officers finally heaved breaths of reliefs as their burdens eased. They were finally able to take breaks and start winding down. Similarly, Kong Min was also finally able to carve out a few days of freedom for himself and promptly went to pay Ying Xulin for all his help on a certain afternoon.

Truthfully, Ying Xulin didn't want to ask anything from Kong Min. But knowing how stubborn Kong Min usually was about paying him back, Ying Xulin decided that rather than being cooped up in the Forest's Cradle as always, they would go outside and let Kong Min take in some fresh air.

And so, as an exhausted Kong Min stood in front of him waiting for him to state his payment, Ying Xulin said with solemnity, "I wish to take a stroll in the world outside. Kong Min, will you accompany me?"

Kong Min blinked. "…That's all? I guess it's alright. Where do you want to go?"

Seeing the tiredness his beloved was trying to suppress, Ying Xulin stepped forward and hugged him. Kong Min startled. Ying Xulin patted his back and kissed the top of his beloved's head, then replied in a soft voice, "We will go wherever you want to. The important thing is for you to be able to unwind and relax. Kong Min, you've worked yourself into such a worrying state. Please take better care of yourself. If there's something I can do, don't hesitate to ask me for help."

Kong Min swallowed thickly, then leaned into Ying Xulin's embrace and nodded. "Yes, I will. Thank you. And I'm sorry for worrying you." Letting out an unsteady chuckle, he then commented, "My Ah-Xu is too good to me. What will you do if I start getting evil thoughts of taking advantage of your kindness?" But even as his mouth teased like this, Kong Min's chest was so filled with warmth at this man's care that he wanted to cry.

Ying Xulin didn't even need to think as he replied serenely, "As long as it's you, I will do anything you ask. Even if it is to destroy the world, I will do it as long as it can make you happy."

Kong Min's eyes widened, then he laughed, bending his head and burying it in Ying Xulin's shoulder. His voice came out muffled as he said, "My Ah-Xu is really too good to me!" He didn't know why this man showed him this much devotion, but he was determined to cherish it. He would cherish his Ah-Xu from now on.

Once Kong Min made his decision, it was strangely relieving.

Straightening with a smile, he looped an arm around one of Ying Xulin's and began dragging him towards the place from which he usually entered the Forest's Cradle. "Come on then, let's go and have our official first date!"

And after that, Kong Min was determined to finally enter his first romantic relationship as well!