The Forest’s Cradle [Part 4]

A/N: Once again, I'll have to split this part into two segments since this site doesn't allow a chapter to have more than 20,000 words and 100,000 characters, and this part ended up being 28k words long. I'll post both segments together :)

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The late afternoon sun was bright and cheery, lighting up the sky in a happy blue. Underneath, Kong Min and Ying Xulin strolled along leisurely on a well-worn path. On their left was a line of shops and on their right was a weathered wooden railing. Past the railing stretched the sparkling greenish-blue surface of a large lake, appearing boundless.

His hands folded behind his head, Kong Min looked around with a smile. "This place has changed a lot in the last hundred years or so. The colors look more vivid somehow. Ah-Xu, have you ever come here?"

Ying Xulin had put away all his nonhuman features for this excursion to the world outside. Except for a faint sense of otherworldliness, he seemed almost completely human now. Hearing Kong Min's question, Ying Xulin seriously peered at the buildings and the people around them, then turned to look at the lake. With a confused expression, he said, "I do not know. Human places all look the same."

Kong Min chuckled. "Come now, Ah-Xu. You should at least remember if the places you went to had a lake like that."

But Ying Xulin only frowned. "The last time I ventured out was sixty thousand years ago, so the lake might very well have shifted its position or shape, or formed only after my visit. I cannot say. All the vegetation here is also only a few thousand years old. As for the land itself…it's difficult to make it talk. It always tends to be uncooperative."

Kong Min's eyes gleamed with helpless mirth. This man was always so strange. But he couldn't deny that he liked it nonetheless and found him interesting.

Lowering his hands, Kong Min clasped them behind his back and shifted closer to Ying Xulin. "It's alright if you don't remember this place. After spending time here together with me, I will make sure you'll make memories that you'll never forget. Even if this place is forgettable, this day with me will not be."

Ying Xulin's eyes widened, his heart skipping a beat. Why did it feel like his beloved was insinuating something? Just what was he planning to do to make him remember this day?

Seeing Ying Xulin's confused expression, Kong Min smirked to himself. Sure enough, teasing this man was always fun.

Just then, a voice cut into the subtle atmosphere between them. "Kong Min, is that you? What are you doing here?"

Kong Min and Ying Xulin turned their heads in the direction of the voice. A group of two men and a woman wearing casual clothes in dark colors exited a restaurant and quickly made towards them. When the group finally reached them, a man with a mole on his jaw—the one who had just called out to Kong Min—began talking, "The last time I saw you, you were so busy that you were on the verge of death. Did you finally decide to take a break now that things eased up? But if you're going to the red-light district to have some fun, why are you taking the longer route?"

Sensing Ying Xulin's scowl without even having to look at him, Kong Min coughed. "No, I'm not going that way. I'm just taking a stroll to relax my nerves from that horrendous mountain of paperwork I just finished. It was so endless that I swear the papers were either haunted or breeding."

The two men laughed while the woman shook her head in sympathy. "Yes, I know what you mean. Our logistics department had been grossly overworked until recently too. We just got a new batch of juniors, so we were busy training them on top of everything. Thankfully, things are starting to smoothen again now that the Grandmaster and Senior Officer Wei are working together, with Disciple Feng also helping out. Just because of those three, everyone's workload has decreased by a lot in these past few years."

The others all nodded. It sure felt great to have some time to themselves now.

"But still, it's been too long since you joined us to let out some steam, Officer Kong," the other man who had a wiry thin body and wildly curly black hair protested. "The people in the backrooms have all been missing you. Especially that Lord Tai you introduced last year."

Kong Min quickly replied, "No, I…I'm not going to be participating in any group events." He was planning on finding a proper time and finally telling Ying Xulin that he would like to become his lover. As such, he was naturally going to be faithful to him and never sleep with another person again from now on.

But thinking that Kong Min was only worried about finishing work and that it would be temporary, the others all nodded in understanding. It was rare for this fellow brother of theirs to take work this seriously, so they would support him and not tempt him further.

Meanwhile, Ying Xulin felt very pleased at hearing that Kong Min hadn't lain with anyone for a while. And seeing how unenthusiastic Kong Min seemed when that idea was brought up again now, his happiness only increased. As his lips curled into a small smile, the group of people suddenly turned their attentions to him as one, as if irresistibly drawn to him.

Getting a proper look at Ying Xulin for the first time, the three Sentinels sucked in their breaths with wonder.

"This… Who is this man? Kong Min, how come I didn't know that you had such a handsome friend?" the man with the mole who first called out said. His gaze stayed fixed on Ying Xulin's face the whole time he spoke.

"If you introduce him to the backroom, everyone will want to have a taste," sighed the woman.

The thin man with curly hair stepped forward while holding his chin and peered up at Ying Xulin's face. "Hmm, he's absolutely exquisite. Where did you find such a treat?"

Kong Min scowled, irritated. Stepping before Ying Xulin as if to shield him, he declared, "He's off-limits. Stop staring."

The three Sentinels widened their eyes. When had Kong Min ever refused to share anyone with them? Had their dear promiscuous Officer Kong finally set his sights on one person?

"Oho, how interesting," the woman said with a smirk. She tilted her head to get a good view and looked Ying Xulin up and down. "So this is your fatal type."

Kong Min pressed his lips together and forced down his blush, unwilling to give anything more away.

The man with the mole clapped Kong Min on the back. "You have very good taste, Kong Min."

"Yes. It's a pity we won't get to invite him to play with us. But hey, it's even more entertaining to see you of all people fall," the man with curly hair grinned cheekily.

Kong Min felt like covering his face or diving behind the nearest bush to hide. How could he have forgotten how nosy these guys were!

At the side, Ying Xulin was utterly baffled at how the gazes directed at him seemed more intense than before. He didn't understand what they were talking about and didn't try to either. But being stared at like that with such gleeful expressions still made him feel cautious. Turning to his beloved, he asked, "Kong Min, why do these humans stare at me so?"

Kong Min sighed at his blatant impoliteness. "…Ah-Xu, 'these humans' are right here, you know? They can hear you."

Ying Xulin blinked confusedly. "Yes, I am aware. So what?"

Kong Min sighed again. He supposed it was too much to expect normal manners from a reclusive being who had minimal experience in interacting with humans. "Ah-Xu, talking about someone right in front of them is rude. If you have a question about why someone is doing something, you might as well directly ask them."

Ying Xulin swept a gaze at the group of three. He had to speak to these humans? Why? With a huff, he turned back to look at Kong Min. "No, humans have too many complicated things they have to keep in mind while conversing. I'd rather talk only to you. I have no need to be friendly with anyone else."

The three Sentinels suppressed smiles, their eyes glittering. Rather than taking offense, they only felt more interested in this person. From the way he referred to them as humans repeatedly, he didn't seem to be a human himself. As such, they didn't mind his lack of etiquette. They were more curious about what sort of a being he was and what his thoughts towards Kong Min were. From the way he always kept near to their senior officer, he must be pretty close to Kong Min.

Meanwhile, Kong Min looked at Ying Xulin with an exasperated smile. "Alright, why do you not want to speak with others? Is it because they're unfamiliar?"

Ying Xulin nodded, then paused. In an aggrieved voice, he said, "Except you, I also can't distinguish between other humans. Mixing up names and misgendering humans is considered bad. But how do I know whether to address them as a male or female? They are all too similar with their number of limbs, the features of their faces, their long hair, and other aspects. Different sexes of humans do not have any defining markings like some of the beasts to distinguish between them as well. I do not understand the differences between their clothing. And I've also been told by my brother that it is impolite to look down at a person's chest or between their legs to try and determine their gender. Asking them is also considered rude. But how else is one supposed to distinguish between them? Hmph, humans are too confusing. Interacting with them is troublesome."

Kong Min massaged his head. He really didn't know how he could answer this. What Ying Xulin said wasn't all that unreasonable after all. And what humans considered common sense wasn't something that could be easily taught either. He had to admit that he had no choice but to give up on this subject for now.

On the other hand, the three Sentinels all had to look away or clamp their hands over their mouths to force down their laughter. This person had such delightful views! As expected, the person who could capture the heart of a renowned manwhore like their beloved senior officer had to be special in some way!

The man with the mole grinned and elbowed Kong Min playfully, "Your companion is pretty amusing. Make sure to pursue him properly so that you can keep this interesting person tied to your side."

Kong Min felt his cheeks warming and opened his mouth automatically to argue, but then he closed it again without refuting those words. Well…they were not wrong.

From beside him, Ying Xulin glared at the man with the mole dissatisfiedly and declared, "I am the one pursuing him. Why would someone as good as Kong Min have the need to pursue anyone?" Then reaching out and looping a hand around Kong Min's waist, Ying Xulin pulled him close as if saying that he didn't want him to get any more closer to these humans who had such silly thoughts.

But far from being offended, the three Sentinels chuckled happily and let out whistles.

"It seems you don't have much work to do to trap the beauty, Officer Kong!" the curly-haired man said.

"Just what did you do to him to make him fall for you this hard?" the woman teased.

"Now I'm getting jealous. Just admit that you came here today to make us suffer by publicly displaying your affections this much!" the man with the mole playfully grumbled.

Kong Min buried his head in Ying Xulin's shoulder and laughed. "Ah-Xu, you're getting really smooth with you compliments."

Ying Xulin tilted his head. Compliments? But he just said the truth.

Seeing his clueless look, Kong Min's face softened into an affectionate smile. This man was too adorable! Hooking a hand behind his neck, Kong Min pulled down Ying Xulin's head and gave him a peck on his nose before leaning back. Ying Xulin raised his fingers to carefully rub at his nose with an expression of wonder.

Kong Min had already turned to face the others to smile cheekily and say, "Alright, you've interrupted our date enough. I and my Ah-Xu shall now depart in search of more romantic pastures where we won't be disturbed by errant officers. Enjoy your break and then work hard, my diligent little ducklings."

The three Sentinels had some choice things to say in reply before finally letting the pair go. As they were walking away, Kong Min turned back to give them a smile and placed his index finger on his lips in a 'hush' gesture.

The man with the mole raised his eyebrows while the woman showed a wry smile. The curly-haired man rolled his eyes dramatically. But all three nodded to show that they understood. For someone as unrestrained as Kong Min, it must have been difficult to come to the decision of tethering himself to one person like this. He might need some time to come to terms with it, so they would keep his relationship a secret for now. He would reveal it when he felt it was time.

Giving them a grateful look, Kong Min turned back to Ying Xulin, continuing to talk to and tease him as they walked leisurely. As their bodies stayed close, their shoulders and upper arms occasionally rubbed together. Their faces remained turned towards each other, their attention focused only on the person before them while excluding the rest of the world.

In this way, they continued on.

...

Kong Min led Ying Xulin to eat together in a secluded table at a restaurant to let him sample some human food before they resumed their journey. Kong Min took time to enjoy certain street foods or fruits on the way, cheerfully munching on them and sharing some with Ying Xulin. By the time Kong Min decided he felt full, the afternoon had already given way to the dimness of evening.

As they both continued along the path, the atmosphere gradually changed. Oil lamps and paper lanterns hung across the street while fluttering banners lined with golden tassels decorated the houses. The sparkling brilliance of the lanterns stood out in the fading light, dazzling the eyes and gladdening the spirit. A soft golden glow seemed to suffuse the air, casting a feeling of cheer and wonder unique to the celebration of festivals.

Seeing how the locals were letting little paper lanterns shaped like lotuses float into the lake, Kong Min's eyes gleamed. Wanting to see the stream of floating lights from up close, he dragged Ying Xulin into an empty house's back garden and leaned over the wooden railing to peer into the lake below.

Floating quietly on the dark surface of the lake, the paper lotuses were lit softly from within, seeming mesmerizing as they gently swayed back and forth with the waves. The way their lights reflected on the water and shimmered as if with a life of their own made the scene look even more magical. Illuminating only a small portion of the dark waters, the lanterns were like a sprinkling of stars at the corner of the night sky's vast expanse, feeling all the more precious for the smallness of their existence.

As Kong Min watched this scene, Ying Xulin studied his beloved's expression fixedly. He drank in the curve of Kong Min's happy smile and the awe glittering in his gaze. Such a simple thing could bring his beloved so much joy. How strange. But Ying Xulin reflected that the pleasure he felt at seeing his beloved's delight was even stranger.

After half an hour, the lotus lanterns had drifted so far away that all Kong Min could see were a few specks of light. When he finally turned back, Kong Min was greeted with Ying Xulin's intent gaze and his small smile. Coming out of his surprise, Kong Min chuckled and teased, "Am I really that captivating that you're ignoring all the wonderful scenery in this place in favor of gazing at me?"

Ying Xulin earnestly nodded. "Yes."

Kong Min blushed and turned away, grumbling, "Damn, it's so difficult to tease you sometimes. But your cuteness gets me every time…"

Ying Xulin felt the inexplicable urge to laugh at his beloved's complaining tone.

As he stepped away from the railing, Kong Min studied the garden they were in. Most of the plants here had plump flower buds adorning them. Due to the descending night, the buds were more or less closed.

Kong Min observed, "It seems that all these flowers are the variety that bloom at dawn and close by night. They must all look glorious when fully open. It's a pity that despite being wood-based, my ability does not include making flowers blossom." Turning to Ying Xulin, he grinned, "Otherwise, I could have made the entire garden flower at once as a romantic gesture towards you~"

Hearing this, Ying Xulin's eyes suddenly brightened. So doing such a simple thing could also count as a romantic gesture?

Turning to Kong Min, Ying Xulin solemnly stated, "If you wish to see it, then I will make them bloom for you." Without looking away from his beloved, he waved a hand. Tendrils of his power spread out to convey his command and the plants obeyed.

The garden bloomed.

Kong Min's eyes turned wide with wonder as he saw the brightly colored flowers opening their petals for him, blossoming into large, full blooms. Ying Xulin did this for him. He did this just to make him happy. Kong Min couldn't suppress the smile stretching his lips. After a few minutes of drinking in the gorgeous sight, he turned to Ying Xulin and breathed softly, "Ah-Xu, thank you."

Ying Xulin's gaze was tender. "Is this sight as beautiful as you hoped?"

Seeing Ying Xulin's gentle and loving expression directed at him, Kong Min felt a flash of bashfulness. Suddenly pulling Ying Xulin towards him, Kong Min buried his face in his shoulder to hide his silly grin and silently nodded. After a pause, Ying Xulin lifted his arms and wrapped them around his beloved, carefully hugging him and patting his back. "Then that's good. I'm glad if I could make you happy."

Feeling a blush warming his face, Kong Min pressed his face deeper into the crook of Ying Xulin's shoulder. If he hadn't already decided to agree to accept Ying Xulin's proposal, then this might've been the moment that convinced him.

As the dusk slowly darkened to night, the two embracing figures finally parted. Turning away from Ying Xulin with his ears still burning, Kong Min resolutely took the older man's hand and began marching out of the garden. "There are still a lot of things left to see! Nighttime is when festivals gain the most color! Come, Ah-Xu, we'll go and take a look!"

Ying Xulin's expression remained gentle as he nodded. "Mn."

Kong Min dragged him over to wander through the festive atmosphere in the street and commented on the various food stalls and entertainments. But since Ying Xulin didn't show as much interest in them as he did in Kong Min, Kong Min decided to keep moving on in an attempt to find something that could grab Ying Xulin's attention. He was afraid that if the older man kept looking at him with so much affection, he might blush such a vivid red that he'd rival the glow of even the brightest of lanterns.

But after walking for hours, Kong Min finally had to give up on redirecting Ying Xulin's gaze. His Ah-Xu's attention showed no signs of budging and he was only exhausting himself even more. Stopping, Kong Min leaned on the railing still lining the right of the street and sighed. "Ah-Xu, I'm a bit tired. Let me rest on you." Saying so, he promptly plopped his head on Ying Xulin's shoulder and closed his eyes.

Ying Xulin blinked, then wrapped a hand around Kong Min and let him lean more of his weight on him. He murmured softly, "Do you wish to go back?"

Kong Min frowned and shook his head. "No. It's been a while since we got to spend this much time together. I missed you. Can we stay like this for a bit more?"

"Yes, we can remain like this as long as you wish to." Ying Xulin then turned his head and placed a kiss on the top of Kong Min's head. He realized that he liked learning such gestures from his beloved, then lavishing them back on Kong Min with affection. It settled him and made him feel a serene contentment he'd never felt before.

Kong Min smiled, his consciousness blurring with sleepiness despite him remaining standing. Being with Ying Xulin felt so relaxing…

And so, as Ying Xulin held his beloved close and made sure he wouldn't topple, he felt Kong Min beginning to drowse. Ying Xulin didn't dare to move much, remaining still and increasing the warmth produced by his own body so that his beloved would be as comfortable as possible.

Minutes passed slowly by and Ying Xulin gradually shifted his attention to the humans energetically scurrying about in front of him.

The majority of the people seemed to consist of couples and families. Plenty of the families towed around little children who giggled and laughed, skipped and ran around, acted noisily or threw tantrums. Ying Xulin studied the children for a few moments before suppressing a sigh. These little humans were the most difficult to distinguish between. Even the small identifiers in gender that were present in adults were missing in these small ones.

As Ying Xulin continued to study the stream of brightly dressed humans on the street, he spotted a certain child running while clutching onto the hand of a parent. The child and parent laughed together like co-conspirators and looked around before finding a small crevice between two stalls and crouching there. They made 'shh' motions at the stall vendors and peeked out. A bearded man with a small, helpless smile was looking around, calling out to someone. Ying Xulin guessed that he was calling the names of those two hiding people. Were they playing a game? He remembered Kong Min once explaining a similar game where people hid and one of them had to find them all. Maybe this was something like that.

After the bearded man passed them by cluelessly, the parent and child stood back up from their hiding place and laughed to themselves happily. One of the vendors smiled along and shook their head before offering something flat and round to the little child. The child looked at the parent, and seeing them nod, accepted the food and began eating with relish. The food left crumbs on the child's cheeks and mouth, prompting the parent to chuckle amusedly and wipe the child's face.

The child grinned and lifted up the snack. "Mother, do you also want some?"

Ying Xulin tilted his head. So the parent was a mother? That meant…they were a female? But what about the child?

The mother smiled and nodded. "Since it's so rare for my glutton of a daughter to offer me food, how can I refuse?"

Ying Xulin nodded to himself. So the child was also a female.

The girl looked at her mother quizzically and asked, "Does that mean yes?"

Laughing, the mother nodded. "Yes, it's a yes. Now give me a bite." Bending, she nibbled off a small bit and made a big show of chewing it and swallowing, then said exaggeratedly, "Mmm, it's very delicious! As expected of something my darling daughter shared with me!"

The girl grinned happily and went up on her tiptoes to smack a loud, wet kiss on her mother's cheek, then continued to eat. The mother smiled affectionately and lifted up the child. "Come, let's go and find your father. Now I'll see how he'll refute me when I say I was better at hide-and-seek than him when we played together as children."

Seeing her mother's smug smile, the child giggled. She only knew that her father was in trouble again.

As the mother and daughter pair began walking in the direction the father had just gone in, Ying Xulin looked at their retreating figures with thoughtful eyes.

"Playing with family is always fun, isn't it?" Kong Min suddenly said without lifting his head from Ying Xulin's shoulder.

Ying Xulin turned his head to see Kong Min peering at the mother and daughter too before redirecting his gaze to him. "Ah-Xu, I think I rested enough. If I stay here like this anymore, I'll fall deep asleep. Let's go and see if there's something else that can catch our eye."

Saying so, Kong Min smiled cheerfully as usual and straightened.

Ying Xulin frowned. With hesitation, he asked, "Kong Min, you…do you miss your mother?"

After giving him a look of confusion, Kong Min shrugged. "Everything I know about my mother, I heard from the people at Yuese Lian. Because I was only three when she died, I don't retain many memories of her…or at least not enough to miss her now. But what I know about her made me respect her as a person." Kong Min's voice sounded wistful, but if he felt any pain, it was too well-hidden for Ying Xulin to sense even through the conduit.

Thinking about how he was the reason Kong Min didn't get to know his mother, Ying Xulin felt the sudden weight of guilt and the stab of remorse within his chest. The Kong Min right now might not miss his mother, but what about when he was a child? Did he ever see other children talking about, being spoilt by, or having fun with their mothers and feel pain? When Ying Xulin first met Kong Mei and asked for her life in exchange for helping her son, he hadn't thought or cared about the impact losing a mother would have on her child. But now…he couldn't help but wonder: How many smiles and laughs had Kong Min missed because of him? How many games was he unable to play with his mother in cheerful human festivals like this one? How many happy memories was he unable to make because Ying Xulin decided to indulge on a whim and ask Kong Mei for her life?

But all his regret wouldn't bring back Kong Min's mother. She was gone forever. Human lives were that fragile and fleeting. For the first time, Ying Xulin understood how weighty the sin of taking a life was. No recompense he could pay would suffice to make up for such an injustice. No wonder murderers were so reviled by humans. And didn't he deserve to be treated like that as well? Wasn't he just another callous murderer?

Yet, despite taking away something so precious and irreplaceable from Kong Min, he still had the gall to want him to be his lover. He still dared to think of him as his beloved. What right did he have to expect Kong Min to treat him as his most important person when he had been so inadvertently cruel to him? The fact that Kong Min was this good to him till now rather than hating him was in itself far more than anything he had a right to dream of.

Feeling it was weird how silent Ying Xulin was being, Kong Min turned to ask him if something was wrong, but froze in shock. Clear trails of tears rolled down Ying Xulin's face. Ying Xulin made no attempt to cover them or wipe them away, just unabashedly showing his sadness. His dark green eyes seemed to reveal emotions that flowed out from the depth of his soul, expressing his sorrow, helplessness, and self-loathing.

"A-Ah-Xu?!" Kong Min called in alarm. "What happened? Why are you crying?"

Ying Xulin blinked pitifully and replied in a slightly choked voice, "I…I did something so terrible to you. I killed your mother and now I can't bring her back. When I think of how sad you would have felt as a child without a mother…I…I really…hate myself…"

Kong Min could only stare at him blankly for a moment. Where had all this suddenly come from?! But seeing how despondent Ying Xulin looked as his head hung down, tear after tear rolling down his damp cheeks, Kong Min felt his heart clench. He couldn't bear to see this person looking so miserable, especially because of him.

Kong Min held Ying Xulin's chin with one hand while he used the sleeve of the other hand to gently wipe away the tears. "Ah-Xu, don't be like this. I actually had a happy childhood. If you looked through the gem often at that time, you would have seen it too. Though I will admit that there were times I wished I had a mother, it wasn't nearly as heart-wrenching as you're imagining."

Ying Xulin let Kong Min dry his face and lifted his head. "Really? But…how can that be?"

Kong Min stepped closer, peering into Ying Xulin's eyes to convey his honesty. "I had a large family. Everyone in Yuese Lian took care of me as if I was their own child. I had enough familial affection to spare and I never once felt lonely or unloved there. They didn't just feed, clothe, and shelter me. They also taught me, helped me when I needed them to, listened to me seriously, and let me grow as a person. We played and teased and laughed with each other. There were different types of people in Yuese Lian and they all had their own ideas of how to raise a child, so I'll admit that it was pretty chaotic most of the time. And of course, mistakes happened, but that's how it is in every family. However, I never wanted for anything while I was with them. And while I can't say if it would have been better if I had a mother, I can certainly say that it was no worse."

Ying Xulin's expression eased. Knowing that Kong Min was able to be happy as a child despite what he did stabilized his mood a bit. "Then…do you hate me for taking away your mother? Do you think I'm a murderer?"

Kong Min raised his brows. Just what sort of things even went on in his Ah-Xu's head to make him think of such questions? Taking a deep breath and letting it out, Kong Min replied, "No, I do not hate you for any reason and I don't think you're a murderer either. My mother made the choice to give you her life, and I know that she thought it a cheap price in return for me being saved. On top of that, at the time when you made that deal with my mother, you were not familiar with human laws, ethics, or morals. You were not raised as a human surrounded by people teaching you human principles. You thought as differently from humans as humans do with beasts. That is not to say that you are similar to beasts, but that you are just as different from humans as they are. I don't feel that it's fair to judge you by human standards when you don't think like one.

"But if we were to judge you in that way, then wouldn't we also have to reward you for all the land we use, all the food we harvest, all the minerals we mine, and all the trees we cut to make houses and furniture from? You are the earth and everything that comes with it, and we humans only flourish because of you. So tell me, Ah-Xu, does that mean that you will accept the gratitude and worship of all humanity?"

As Kong Min finished speaking, his eyes twinkled with suppressed chuckles. As he'd expected, Ying Xulin wrinkled his brows and shook his head. "It sounds troublesome."

Kong Min solemnly nodded. "So you see? That is why we shouldn't judge you by human standards. You are not a murderer. In fact, you are actually a very good being who has helped far more than he has hurt."

Ying Xulin looked doubtful, but still nodded. Since his beloved went through so much effort to try and convince him, he would believe it. After all, the only opinion he cared about was Kong Min's.

Now that the discussion was closed, Kong Min was eager to divert the topic. "Alright, now let's go and enjoy some more of this festival before getting back. I still have work in a few hours."

Wanting to spend more time with his beloved, Ying Xulin also quickly nodded. And so they both once again joined the stream of people walking through the well-lit street and continued onward. Whenever Kong Min saw something curious, he would nudge Ying Xulin and point it to him. But the same problem as before persisted. Ying Xulin showed only minimal interest in things, preferring to gaze more at Kong Min's expressive face or making small and understated gestures of affection.

Kong Min felt both bashful and frustrated. He wanted Ying Xulin to enjoy his time with him. He wanted to dazzle his Ah-Xu with new sights and sounds, letting him make special memories before finally asking to become his lover to deliver maximum impact. But Ying Xulin seemed determined to ignore everything except Kong Min. How was he supposed to work with this?!

Just when Kong Min was wracking his brain once again to come up with something that would catch Ying Xulin's attention, Ying Xulin suddenly stopped and looked back. Just now, he'd caught the gleam of something gem-like in a familiar shape from the corner of his eye, piquing his curiosity.

Realizing that Ying Xulin had stopped, Kong Min halted as well and turned to ask, "Ah-Xu? What is it?"

Ying Xulin's eyes were fixed on a certain stall selling varieties of sweet snacks. "Kong Min, what are those colorful things on sticks?"

Kong Min looked in the same direction as Ying Xulin and spotted a small jar with candies on thin sticks. The candies sitting atop the bamboo sticks were shaped like little animals, flowers, butterflies, and even a peach-colored hand. There were some that looked like simple rectangles with blunted edges as well. The colors ranged from a mild tea green, pink, yellow, and brown to vivid red, purple, and translucent white.

After studying it for a few moments, Kong Min explained to Ying Xulin, "They appear to be hard candies of some sort made into shapes. I've never seen their like before. It must be something the mortals started making recently. Do you want some?"

Ying Xulin nodded.

Giving him an indulgent smile, Kong Min led him to the stall and told him, "Choose whichever you like. I'll pay for it."

Ying Xulin picked one of the candies without hesitation. It was shaped like a golden-brown squirrel with eyes that seemed to glint with mischievous laughter. "I want this one," Ying Xulin stated.

Kong Min's lips twitched. This guy… Remembering that one time Ying Xulin compared him to a squirrel, Kong Min shook his head wryly. Then reaching out, Kong Min chose a candy for himself too. This candy was more delicately shaped than most. It had a brown candy branch that wound around the end of the bamboo stick and extended from it, with small five-petaled red flowers, also made of candy, blooming along this branch. The tiny translucent petals shone like rubies in the bright light of the lanterns hanging above, looking very vivid.

After paying the shopkeeper, Kong Min and Ying Xulin set out again, walking along with the flow of the crowd with a candy each. Kong Min looked at the one in his hand with a tender smile, amusement and anticipation gleaming in his eyes. Then lifting his gaze up, he turned to see how the little squirrel was being treated―

―just in time to witness Ying Xulin unhesitatingly chomping down on it, breaking off the top half of the squirrel and chewing it with crisp crunching sounds. His expression held curiosity as he seemed to be assessing the candy in his mouth.

Kong Min, "…"

Ying Xulin continued to bite down on the rest of the candy until he finished eating the entire squirrel. To Kong Min's horror, Ying Xulin then went on to eat the bamboo stick as well before looking down at his empty palm with regret. "The wood was dry and old, but it had good flavor."

"…" Kong Min was once more rendered speechless.

After taking a moment to gather himself, he finally burst out, "Ah-Xu, that stick was not for eating!"

Ying Xulin looked at him with puzzlement. "Then why was it stuck into the food?"

Kong Min sighed and explained, "It was just to hold up the candy and serve as a handle so that our hands don't get sticky."

Frowning disapprovingly, Ying Xulin expressed, "That is a wasteful use of such fine wood."

Kong Min's lips twitched, but he couldn't really refute his words. And since eating the wood didn't seem to give Ying Xulin any problems, he chose to let it go as just another eccentricity of his soon-to-be lover.

"That may very well be," Kong Min finally conceded, then spoke, "But I have to say, Ah-Xu, I expected you to treat that squirrel candy more gently because it reminded you of me."

Ying Xulin nodded. "Yes. That is why I chose to consume the little squirrel so that I could absorb it into my body rather than leave it outside and risk it becoming damaged or rotten."

Kong Min shook his head in helpless amusement. So he had a reason after all.

Looking down at the flower-shaped candy in his hand, Kong Min smiled as his expression turned soft. Lifting his gaze to meet Ying Xulin's, Kong Min suddenly asked, "Ah-Xu, did you know? In a certain kingdom in the past, there was a custom where one would present a bough of fresh flowers to the one they fancied as a way of declaring romantic interest. If the flowers withered without the sender getting a reply in return, it meant that the receiver was declaring that they were not interested. But if they wished to take it further, then the receiver would invite the sender to spend time together."

Ying Xulin tilted his head, not understanding the point of this story. But he still dutifully nodded to show he was listening.

Kong Min's eyes gleamed as he solemnly presented the stick with the red flower-shaped candies to Ying Xulin. "Here, Ah-Xu. This is my version of a flower-laden bough. With this, I'm declaring my romantic interest in you now."

Ying Xulin's eyes went wide with disbelief and shock. It took him a moment before he could lift his trembling fingers to accept the candy. "Kong Min…you… Are you saying that…?"

Kong Min smiled warmly. Reaching out, he held Ying Xulin's free hand and began walking. Ying Xulin followed along in a daze, his gaze never leaving Kong Min's face as he waited for an answer with both anticipation and apprehension. Crowds of people surged around them, smiling, talking, and laughing. But the pair seemed to be ensconced in their own bubble filled with a tense yet hopeful atmosphere.

After gathering his thoughts for a few minutes, Kong Min began to speak, "Ah-Xu, it's been so long, more than thirteen thousand years or so, since you first asked me to give you a chance. I did, but I also know that it wasn't easy for you to keep pursuing me for so long. I am someone who hates being restrained emotionally. And the notion of being tied down to only one person without being able to sleep around with whoever I like whenever I want did indeed feel very restricting to me. That is why I was unable to decide whether the like I felt for you was strong enough to push past that and truly evolve into love.

"And yet, I won't deny that there were times when I felt that I was being very cruel to you by sleeping with others to sate my physical needs. However, if I'd stopped doing that and decided to become your lover due to my guilt or because I felt sorry for you, then the emotion driving our relationship would not be love, but pity. You deserve better than that."

Ying Xulin grew thoughtful, yet his gaze didn't leave Kong Min's face for even a moment.

Kong Min continued, "Another thing that made me hesitate is that I often need to blow steam and spend my energy rolling around on the bed with other similar-minded people. It's something I loved to do and I didn't want to give it up so easily. Also, I was used to the noise that came with being surrounded by so many others, since I was after all raised in a lively place where people gave and received bodily affections openly. The Order of Sentinels that has become my home might not provide for my sexual needs in that way, but it is also a bustling place. Time always seems to rush forward in the midst of so much movement, chatter, and action. In contrast, Ah-Xu, you're so quiet and reclusive. Whenever I'm with you, time seems to stop and the world seems to grow still."

Ying Xulin's heart clenched, making him want to look away. But he still forced himself to keep his gaze on Kong Min. If that sort of atmosphere was what his beloved preferred, then maybe he didn't like spending time with him after all…

However, Kong Min then went on, "But I realized that I like it. The silence and calm around you is warm and comforting. And the more time I spent with you, the more I realized I liked you as well. I like seeing you smile that small smile of yours. I like how peaceful you seem in the Forest's Cradle. I like how you've grown more open with me and how much importance you place in my needs and the words I say. I like how despite all the power you have, you live such a simple life. You are not a human, and the way you think is not something I will ever be able to fully understand, but that is okay. You are perfect as you are. I wouldn't want you to force yourself to become more human or change yourself in any way you don't feel comfortable with. No matter what, I will like you."

Turning to Ying Xulin, Kong Min finally stopped and said, "Ah-Xu, after being able to thoroughly think through it all, I've realized that I also love you."

Ying Xulin froze, his mind going blank. He was unable to do anything but stare at his beloved. Such sweet words… It felt unreal that he was finally able to hear them. He found that there were so many emotions thundering through him that he couldn't even react. What was he supposed to do to convey what he felt? How should he express these incomprehensible human emotions filling him?

But not minding his apparent speechlessness, Kong Min continued smiling as he spoke, "The way our first couple of meetings went might not have been ideal, but after that, you have been so patient with me. You didn't restrict me or urge me. You let me decide in my own time, at my own pace. Ah-Xu, you've always been there for me, and I realize that I always want to be there for you as well. It isn't pity or just friendship I feel for you. I've grown jealous when I hear of you sleeping with others, and I've felt the need to tie you to me as well.

"The thought of being restricted by my own feelings was scary, I'll admit that, but I want to do this. Spending time with other people in or out of bed has become so lackluster compared to the time I spend with you. Knowing that I can always access you through the gem feels so reassuring. Whenever I let my thoughts drift, they always float to you. And knowing that you already love me enough to let me take my time figuring it all out despite how uncertain you must feel only makes me more confident in my decision."

Lifting his hands, Kong Min framed Ying Xulin's face and smiled softly, "Ah-Xu, I love you. I want to be your lover. I will never again sleep with anyone else by my own will. From now on, if you want, you and I will be together."

Ying Xulin's eyelashes trembled before squeezing closed. His lips opened, but no sound came out. Ying Xulin abruptly pulled Kong Min into a hug, his arms tight around his beloved's body. In an unsteady whisper, he said, "I love you, too. I love you a lot. I love you very, very much." Even this much was not enough. He needed to somehow express more of his bubbling emotions, but Ying Xulin didn't know how, so he could only hug Kong Min tighter.

Ignoring the creaking of his bones, Kong Min chuckled and patted his new lover's back. "Yes, yes, I know, I know." His Ah-Xu had already conveyed more than enough of his devotion to him with his words and actions, time and time again. That was the one thing he wouldn't doubt.

Seeking to lighten the mood, Kong Min said, "Ah-Xu, loosen up a little. You'll crush the candy in your hand at this rate and then we'll both have sticky candy fragments all over us."

Ying Xulin quickly let go and looked at the candy in his hands. The petals of some of the red flowers had indeed cracked. Ying Xulin frowned. It was so fragile. This was his beloved's declaration of romantic interest. He couldn't have it getting damaged and missing pieces. He wanted to always own all of it!

And so, Ying Xulin opened his mouth and directly stuffed the candy flowers in.

Crunch, crunch, crunch. And then the candy, along with its bamboo stick, was gone.

Kong Min, "…" Well, this was the man he was tied to now. He should just try to get used to it.

...

After spending some more time in the festival by walking hand-in-hand on the street, cuddling together while resting at the sides, and kissing passionately in shadowed corners, it was finally time for the date to end. Kong Min asked Ying Xulin to accompany him back to the Sentinel compound and Ying Xulin agreed. Kong Min used the shadows and transported them both to just inside the compound's doorway.

Within the Sentinel compound, officers milled about as usual, some still garbed in their uniforms while others were dressed in casual clothes. The atmosphere here was relaxed and friendly, with people talking, laughing, teasing, taunting, playfully heckling, or enthusiastically yelling at each other. A small square training area was situated at the side, surrounded by many officers who were looking at the ongoing training match with considering eyes. One of those officers was Wei Xiang. He sat on the low wall bordering the training area and critically assessed the two juniors who were currently sparring with each other to gain experience.

Sensing the arrival of Kong Min and someone else, Wei Xiang turned around. He was just about to offer a sarcastic greeting to his senior brother when his eyes landed on Ying Xulin. Wei Xiang froze, his eyes widening. While he was surprised at Ying Xulin's presence, it was not what startled him. What Wei Xiang felt shocked about was Ying Xulin's soul and how it seemed to have gone through a significant change from the last time he saw him.

When Wei Xiang had gone to the Spirit Bewildering Forest millennia ago to confront Ying Xulin after he tore out Kong Min's throat, he had gotten a look at Ying Xulin's soul. It had been a deep, hypnotic green with wisps of black curling at the edges and strong rays of golden light shining from within, pouring out through the gaps. But now, there were bright hints of white and silvery grey as well. Grey and white were colors Wei Xiang had only ever seen in the souls of humans, including deities. To see those colors in the Master of Land's soul signified the increase in his humanity, reflecting just how much Ying Xulin had changed from that time.

Shaking these thoughts away, Wei Xiang tried to understand why his senior brother would bring the Master of Land here. Thinking about how Kong Min had sped away this afternoon to make yet another payment, Wei Xiang wondered: Could it be that the payment that Kong Min had been asked for this time was to bring the Master of Land here to the Sentinel compound? Deciding that that must be it, Wei Xiang sighed.

By now, Kong Min had already spotted Wei Xiang and pulled Ying Xulin towards the training area to talk to him. In a cheerful voice, Kong Min greeted, "Junior Brother, how nice to see you after half a day! Are you here to thrash someone in the guise of sparring again?"

Wei Xiang narrowed his eyes. "If you have the time to prance around like this, then I hope you had the time to finish your work as well."

Kong Min rolled his eyes. "Tch, yes, I already finished it. Junior Brother, you're so uncute! Here I was hoping that after going at it all the time with Little Bro, some of his cuteness would rub off on you."

Before Wei Xiang could respond, the Hou Yu who was standing nearby earnestly nodded and stated, "Yes, Little Brother Feng is very cute. He's the cutest person!"

The Qian Ming standing beside him also nodded seriously. "I agree. And compared to our Little Bro, Senior Officer Wei really is too uncute!"

Wei Xiang, "…"

His eyes glinting, he remarked with a sharp smile, "Officer Qian seems to have a lot of free time to be able to comment on your senior officer like this. Maybe we should once again increase your responsibilities to fill up your free time appropriately and make your work feel more challenging for you."

With an expression of dismay, Qian Ming gaped at Wei Xiang before exclaiming, "Senior Officer Wei, you are always so petty!"

Wei Xiang nodded to himself cheerfully. "I see. So you want me to assign even more work to you. Duly noted."

"…" The Qian Ming who randomly blurted out his thoughts finally managed to keep his mouth closed this time. His heart wept tears of blood. Why was he always being targeted by this bad-natured senior officer of his!

At the side, Kong Min was grinning gleefully. See? He wasn't the only victim of his junior brother's bullying! And watching Wei Xiang tormenting others was really entertaining!

"By the way, how's Little Bro doing? Did you bring him with you today?" Kong Min asked.

Wei Xiang nodded. "Yes. And Qinghe insisted on bringing the wyvern egg we've decided to try and hatch first."

Kong Min blinked with surprise. "He brought it here?! What does he want to do by bringing an unhatched egg here?"

As if answering his incredulous question, Qinghe walked out into the hall from within the building. Holding up a bluish silver egg, he seriously explained to it in his clear and pleasant voice, "…and this is the training area. This is where your Father Xiang beats up― ehem, trains new recruits. When you grow up, you have to come and help him here and try to get along with everyone too, alright?"

Smiling helplessly, Wei Xiang enlightened his stupefied senior brother, "He's giving a tour of the Sentinel compound to the egg."

Kong Min, "…" Why was it that every person he knew was such a weirdo?! He'd admit that they were all adorable in their own way, but they were still undeniably odd!

Meanwhile, seeing Qinghe enter, the officers watching the match all suddenly got up and surrounded him. Even the two fighting junior disciples stopped what they were doing to turn towards him. The group of officers immediately began pleading with Qinghe to let him touch the egg. This was after all an egg laid in ancient times by the Sovereign of the true dragon clan! Not only that, but it also contained their Senior Officer Wei's sibling by birth! When this egg hatched, Wei Xiang and Feng Qinghe would adopt the newborn wyvern as their child and probably bring it here to play a lot. Just thinking about a lively little toddler or baby wyvern waddling around here in their headquarters was enough to bring a smile onto the officers' faces. They couldn't help but feel affectionate and protective towards this egg. And so, they all wanted a chance to pat and rub the egg, to coo endearments at the baby inside, and to lavish their care on it.

Unable to refuse in the face of their hopeful expressions, Qinghe gave them the egg after warning them to be extremely careful. Only after getting their repeated assurances did he leave the egg to them before walking to Wei Xiang and sitting down beside him.

Looking up, Qinghe smiled at his lover's senior brother and his companion. "Hello, Sentinel Kong. And…who is the person with you? You seem to be quite close."

Kong Min chuckled and proudly introduced, "This is the Master of Land, Ying Xulin, who I've managed to charm with my irresistible seductive wiles."

After shaking his head at Kong Min's joking tone, Qinghe smiled up at Ying Xulin. "Hello, Master Ying. I hope Sentinel Kong hasn't been bullying you too much."

"Hey!" Kong Min burst out in mock-indignation.

Ying Xulin tilted his head and said sincerely, "Kong Min is very good to me."

Qinghe's gaze danced with mirth, but he seriously nodded. "That's good then. It seems like Sentinel Kong really does behave much nicely towards you than with most others."

Ying Xulin's expression immediately brightened. So his beloved was especially nice to him? Hmm, his beloved's junior brother's mate seemed like he was a good person.

Kong Min could only watch his lover's increased cheer wryly. His Little Bro's skill with making good impressions on people was really too scary sometimes.

Done with greeting them, Qinghe turned to Wei Xiang and saw his lover staring fixedly at the egg being petted and passed around by the officers. Qinghe sighed and smiled. Leaning into the side of Wei Xiang's body, he looped an arm around his beloved's waist and rubbed his cheek on his shoulder to get his attention. In a soothing voice, he reassured, "Xiang, it's alright. I already have the wind keeping watch over the egg. If the force used to touch the egg approaches even a third of the amount necessary to damage its shell, then I will immediately have the wind take it away from them."

Hearing this, Wei Xiang's tense body relaxed and his gaze finally left the egg. Since his little lover was keeping watch, he could rest assured. Kissing the top of Qinghe's head, Wei Xiang murmured, "Thank you, love."

Qinghe smiled happily and snuggled closer to Wei Xiang.

Meanwhile, after having gotten his chance to play with the egg, Qian Ming detached from the group of Sentinels and headed towards them. Stopping in front of Qinghe, he spoke up, "Little Bro, I realize I haven't seen that demoness for a while. She hasn't been unleashed into some poor, unsuspecting mortal town, has she? Do you have any idea where she is?"

Hearing this, Kong Min immediately exclaimed with horror, "Little Bro, your mother is here?! Oh dear heavens!"

Qinghe chuckled and cheerfully nodded. "Yes, Mother is here. If I remember right, she took Father with her and said she was going to go spar with some of the officers in the larger training area located in the northeast section."

With an expression of terror, Qian Ming immediately fled in the opposite direction to avoid crossing paths with her.

Meanwhile, Kong Min winced and said, "The medical office is going to be clogged up by the end of the day with all the poor sods she beat up again. If I didn't know better, I'd really think Wei Xiang and that woman are related by blood. The way they both like to thrash people to within an inch of their lives in the guise of sparring while smirking evilly is exactly the same. This pair of sadists…" Kong Min shivered seemingly in dread. "They're too terrifying."

Turning to Kong Min with a perfectly innocent face, Wei Xiang spoke, "What do you mean 'smirking evilly'? I merely smile to express my enthusiasm at being able to spar with my fellow officers. Senior Brother, please do not slander your junior brother like this. It's unfair."

Still leaning against Wei Xiang, Qinghe dutifully nodded to back up his lover. "Yes, it's unfair!"

Kong Min's mouth twitched. "Are you both ganging up on me again?"

Their faces splitting into grins, Qinghe and Wei Xiang nodded.

Kong Min sullenly turned away. "Hmph, I refuse to be teased like this. Who cares about you two evil brats. I still have my pure and innocent Ah-Xu to play with."

Ying Xulin blinked at him confusedly. His beloved thought he was pure and innocent?!

Wei Xiang narrowed his eyes, looking between his senior brother and the Master of Land suspiciously while Qinghe chuckled. Gazing up at Ying Xulin, Qinghe curiously asked, "Master Ying, do you mind if I ask you something? I'm not sure if it might be a personal question, so feel free to not answer if you don't wish to."

Ying Xulin frowned and nodded. "Ask your question and we will see."

Qinghe smiled wider and turned his body to face him. "Of the three of you—the Master of Land, the Master of Oceans, and the Master of Skies—who is older? Was there any particular order you were all born in?"

Kong Min looked at his beloved with interest, also anticipating the reply. Wei Xiang just raised a brow. His little lover was being as inquisitive as always, but this was nevertheless an interesting line of questioning.

Not seeming to be much bothered, Ying Xulin answered, "There is no older or younger among us. I and my siblings were all born at the same time. We are of equal age. However, the level of our maturities, as humans perceive the concept, varies according to the way we interact with the world and its lifeforms. To put it simply, based on the life each of us prefers to lead and the experiences we've gained, we three have different levels of maturity."

Kong Min nodded thoughtfully. He supposed the way the Master of Oceans seemed more seasoned than his own Ah-Xu made sense now. It was because Ying Xulin had too little experience in the world outside the Spirit Bewildering Forest.

Qinghe's eyes grew half-lidded as he pondered for a few minutes before speaking, "Then may I ask how you and your siblings came to be?"

Wei Xiang shot his beloved an amused look. His Qinghe sure wasn't holding back with his questions. Beside Ying Xulin, Kong Min perked up his ears, eager to hear his lover's response again.

Ying Xulin contemplated for a few moments, his dark green eyes swirling with unfathomable thoughts. In his smooth voice, he answered simply, "We came from Mother."

Wei Xiang frowned. "I'm guessing you're referring to this world? But why call it 'Mother'? Why not 'Father' or 'it'?"

"There is a reason we call her Mother," Ying Xulin calmly said. The color in his eyes seemed to deepen, the air of unearthliness he'd kept suppressed spilling out. It made the skin of those in the vicinity prickle with awareness. The weight of eons filled his words, the stillness of eternity shrouding him. But seemingly unaware of the change in atmosphere, Ying Xulin continued to explain, his voice bearing a measured cadence, "Of the heavenly beasts, there is one species called the world turtles. They float through time and space, wading through the stars, and when they wish to, they settle inside a lifeless, barren world. They burrow deep under its layers and sleep. In their slumber, they emit boundless spiritual power. Their vital energy suffuses the world and sparks the beginning of life.

"Our world had existed for a long time. At some point, it developed its own land, water, and air. But it was not until a female world turtle made her home within the earth of this world that it started to gain life. The first existence to be given life by her was the world itself, and as a result, we three siblings were born as the manifestation of the world. That is why we consider the world turtle slumbering in the depths of this world as our mother."

Kong Min looked at him with fascination. It seemed there was a lot he had left to learn about his Ah-Xu. But that was alright. They had all the time in the world to slowly understand everything about each other.

Meanwhile, as he was sunken in contemplative thoughts, Wei Xiang suddenly saw his little lover smiling slyly. Lifting a brow, Wei Xiang asked, "Love, what are you plotting now?"

Qinghe chuckled happily and shook his head. "Nothing. I just thought of a more proper and delightful new name for a certain friend."

Wei Xiang smiled in helpless amusement. Whoever Qinghe was planning on teasing had his sincere sympathies.

Pulling on Ying Xulin's sleeve, Kong Min asked, "Ah-Xu, when you and your siblings were born, how did you look? Did you have human forms or…?"

Ying Xulin took a moment to think back to those distant memories before answering, "No, we did not have physical bodies. We were nothing more than the sentience of the land, waters, and the skies. Our consciousnesses were simple and we did not have the ability to form thoughts. But after millions and billions of years, our consciousnesses grew more complex and we developed minds and egos of our own. After plants and beasts came to be, we fashioned physical bodies similar to them out of curiosity to experience what they did. It was only much later after humans started propagating in the world that we took on human forms. We do not have genders, so we experimented with taking on various types of bodies until we settled on the ones we felt the most comfortable with."

Kong Min's eyes sparkled as he took a step back and looked his lover up and down. "Hmm, I like the way you turned out then. No, the truth is, no matter how you ended up, I would still like you. My Ah-Xu will always look the best."

A warm pink suffused Ying Xulin's cheeks, dissipating his mysterious atmosphere as he looked away shyly. "I…I also think the same about you."

Kong Min grinned. Seeing the almighty Master of Land blushing and speaking so sweetly was really too adorable for his heart to handle!

Suddenly, a commotion broke out, redirecting everyone's attention. From deeper inside the building, Feng Chunyi was striding out towards the training area while dragging a harried Feng Huixin by his hand. Spotting her son and son-in-law, Feng Chunyi wordlessly turned to march in their direction.

Meanwhile, Feng Huixin spotted Ying Xulin and narrowed his eyes. Even if he had never seen the Master of Land in person, he could feel this person's connection to the land easily enough to guess his identity. However, Feng Huixin soon noticed how, when standing beside the Master of Land, his second disciple seemed even more buoyant and cheerful than before. But there was also an unexpected sense of Kong Min being grounded without being tied down, bringing out the maturity in him. He seemed like he'd finally found a person who could balance his flighty personality.

Feng Huixin's gaze softened. So it turned out that his second disciple had chosen a place for himself that he was content with, and that place was beside the Master of Land. This was not an unexpected revelation, so Feng Huixin merely felt happy for his disciple and accepted it.

By now, Feng Chunyi had almost reached her sons. But as she got close enough, she finally realized that there was a person she'd never seen before standing here. Her gaze fixed on Ying Xulin and her face split into a wide smile. "Who is this? He looks strong. Can he fight?"

Ying Xulin felt like he was prey being pinned under the sight of a predator. It was a new and strange sensation, and not one he was sure he liked. As the woman's eyes stayed fixed on him with piercing intensity, Ying Xulin had to suppress a shiver.

Sensing Feng Chunyi's interest in his lover, Kong Min turned to quickly start pushing Ying Xulin towards the entrance of the Sentinel compound without bothering with being polite. "Ah-Xu, run! If you remain here any longer, you might get stuck with having to spar with that madwoman!"

Ying Xulin felt confused, but still obediently listened to his beloved and made his way out swiftly.

Kong Min finally heaved a breath in relief and wiped his sweat at that close call.

Having missed her opportunity to secure a new playmate to abuse― ehem, she meant to play with, Feng Chunyi was dispirited. Feng Huixin felt amused as he patted his pouting wife to appease her while Qinghe had to suppress his laughter. Wei Xiang simply sighed and shook his head, but didn't say anything. After all, he didn't want his mother-in-law's attention to get diverted to him. In the mood she was in, she'd probably ask him to spar with her.

Deciding to take one for the team, Qinghe stood up and motioned to the empty training area. "Mother, why don't you help me train for a bit?"

Feng Chunyi perked up again and happily went to clash swords with her son. Wei Xiang and Feng Huixin stayed at the edge of the training area to watch them. Wanting to make their escape while Feng Chunyi's attention was occupied by Qinghe, the group of officers silently returned the wyvern egg to Wei Xiang before leaving.

Kong Min stayed to watch the fight for a while before deciding he was too tired to remain standing. Choosing to be lazy, he simply used the shadows to get to his room and slumped down on the bed. He'd need to get up and work in less than two hours, so he might as well rest as much as he could.

As he thus began to doze, he dreamed of a certain enchanted clearing and the man who was always there to welcome him. Kong Min smiled peacefully and sank deeper into sleep.

...

"Team Leader, are you free enough to participate in a group event tonight? We have all the usual people gathering there," asked an officer with an anticipatory expression. He and Kong Min were currently standing outside the black building housing the Order's offices, having just come out after finishing up their work.

Kong Min blinked to clear his daze and shook his head. "No, I won't be coming. Actually, can you help me by telling the others that I'm not open to sleeping around anymore? I'm in a very serious relationship now."

The officer's mouth dropped open. "Wait, what?! So…you're never going to be available for any naked fun with us ever again?!"

The Wei Xiang who happened to be passing by at just this time halted in his tracks and turned to look at his senior brother. Did he just hear that right? Kong Min was going to stop sleeping around?!

Meanwhile, Kong Min patted the distraught officer on the shoulder and nodded. "Yes, so can you please tell everyone? I don't want any misunderstandings."

The officer nodded sadly. He wondered just who the lucky bastard who was able to successfully woo their Senior Officer Kong was. But understanding that it wasn't his place to ask, he silently slunk away.

Kong Min sighed. Now that that was done, there was just one more thing he had to do.

Suddenly, he heard his junior brother's voice asking from up close, "Second Brother, what's wrong? For you of all people to say you're never going to orgies again… Are you sick?" Wei Xiang pressed the back of his hand to Kong Min's forehead as if assessing his temperature.

Kong Min slapped his hand away with a huff. "What do you mean 'me of all people'? You're acting as if I can't live without fucking. I'll have you know that it's been months since I last had sex!"

Wei Xiang took a step back, his eyes widening in shock. "Kong Min, just what happened to you?! Did you end up getting some well-deserved disease that makes you unable to get it up at all? Have you been cursed due to how carelessly you sleep around?"

Kong Min snarled, "No!" Then he grumbled, "I just don't feel interested in doing it with other people now."

His eyes narrowing, Wei Xiang asked astutely, "Other people? Other than who, exactly?"

Kong Min froze, then sighed. Reaching out, he clamped his fingers around Wei Xiang's wrist and began dragging his junior brother into the black building again, walking straight to his office. Wei Xiang looked surprised, but still decided to stay quiet and see what his senior brother was up to.

Pushing the door to his office open, Kong Min entered with Wei Xiang and closed the door. Pulling his junior brother over to the desk and making him sit on the chair resting perpendicular in front of it, Kong Min began pacing in the small clean space left on the messy floor.

Wei Xiang leaned back on the chair and looked around at the various piles of items, mostly maps and geographical texts, pushed to the corners of the room. Sighing, he commented casually, "Your office is as cluttered as always. This is why I was against giving you a personal one. I knew you'd keep it as messy as your room."

Kong Min stopped his pacing and looked around the office. Then rolling his eyes, he muttered, "Leave off, will you? I didn't drag you here to nag at me to clean again."

"Then why did you drag me here?" Wei Xiang asked.

Kong Min stayed silent for a few moments before finally saying, "I and Ah-Xu decided to become lovers."

Wei Xiang pressed his lips together, but nodded. "I suspected as much. You were awfully friendly with him when you brought him here. Just make sure that bastard doesn't hurt you again."

Feeling relieved that his junior brother didn't react as strongly against it as he'd feared, Kong Min walked to his desk and finally sat down behind it in his seat. Resting his elbows on the table, he leaned forward. "Thank you, Junior Brother. Do you mind if I…ask for some advice? It's regarding my and Ah-Xu's relationship. I think you're more qualified in that aspect."

Wei Xiang's eyebrows rose. "By all means, go ahead."

Kong Min spoke, "Can you help me think of an idea to make our first time special?"

Wei Xiang looked at his senior brother incredulously. "All these thousands of years and you've both never once slept together?!"

Looking away, Kong Min coughed. "We might have done sexual things, but I thought Ah-Xu might prefer to save having sex for when we truly became lovers."

Shaking his head, Wei Xing rested his chin on a hand and asked, "What exactly do you have in mind for your first time then?"

Kong Min straightened with shining eyes. "I was thinking that maybe I should ask some meaningful favor from Ah-Xu so that I can then go to his clearing and use paying with my body as an excuse. I can't think of anything romantic to ask for though. What request do you suppose I should make this time?"

Wei Xiang sighed. "Kong Min, first tell me this. Have you ever gone to the Master of Land's clearing for a reason not related to paying him for favors?"

Kong Min's racing thoughts screeched to a halt. Tilting his head in consideration, he finally replied, "…Actually, no. I don't think I ever have."

Wei Xiang rolled his eyes. "Then the answer is simple. It will be more meaningful for your first time if you go to his place and directly ask him to sleep with you, not for any payment but because that's what you want to do."

Kong Min looked at him blankly, then suddenly grinned. "Yes! As expected of my Junior Brother! You're really more experienced in romance and making thoughtful romantic gestures."

Wei Xiang was unimpressed. "And here I was thinking it was only common sense."

But Kong Min was too happy at finally figuring it out to let his words dampen his mood.

Seeing his senior brother smiling like a fool, Wei Xiang sighed again, his expression softening. Kong Min already had so much experience in matters of bed. And yet he looked so happy and excited at the prospect of sleeping with his lover as if it would be his first time. No matter what he said outwardly, Wei Xiang still felt his heart grow warm at this sight.

"If that's all you needed, then I'll be going now. I was about to answer Master's summons when I got sidetracked by you." Wei Xiang informed as he got up and headed for the door.

But before he could open the door, he felt his senior brother forcefully tackle him from behind and hug him tight. Wei Xiang maintained his balance and asked with exasperation, "Kong Min, what is it now?"

Kong Mn chuckled and said sincerely, "Thank you very much for your help, Wei Xiang."

Wei Xiang's expression eased unconsciously. Coughing, he patted his senior brother's arms that were wrapped around his torso. "Alright, enough, I didn't do anything special. Now get off me and get back to work. You have a reconnaissance mission today, don't you?"

Kong Min let go and laughed, "Fine, fine, I'll start on it. You go and see what Master wants then, Junior Brother."

Wei Xiang nodded and opened the door before finally leaving the room.

Kong Min smiled to himself. His junior brother could be so adorable sometimes. As he thought back to their conversation, Kong Min's mind drifted to Ying Xulin. Soon, they'd have their first time together. Smiling eagerly at the thought, he set out to work as well.