Xie Shuci doesn't remember how he left Jingyu Mountain.
On the way back, Xie Shuci was in a daze, his mind constantly replaying words of warding off evil.
His future with Xie An.
Do he and Xie An really have a future?
Doesn't the law of heaven and earth dictate that only one of them can survive?
What future do they have?
The streets were bustling with people, their voices echoing like curtains. Xie Shuci led the crane aimlessly forward.
When Xie Shuci reached the street where the Guanhua Tower was located, he heard the King's "howling" sound not far away, and he came back to his senses in a daze.
He looked up and saw the king running towards him on his short legs. The lion on the stone pillar at the entrance was lazily sunbathing with its belly exposed, and a boy in white was standing next to it.
The boy looked down at his toes, seemingly lost in thought, his brows slightly furrowed.
"Awooooo!"
Where did you go, you stinky daddy?!
The king ran to Xie Shuci's feet and complained.
The thoughtful young man in front of him looked up and met Xie Shuci's gaze.
Like a child waiting for his parents to return, he immediately stood up straight upon seeing Xie Shuci and took a step to approach her. However, after hesitating for a moment, he stopped moving and remained in place, waiting for Xie Shuci to come closer.
Was he waiting at the door because Xie Shuci wouldn't let him follow?
Xie Shuci felt a chill run down his spine, but managed a weak smile as he bent down and picked up the swaying king from the ground.
"Awooooo!"
You're not allowed to abandon them, you know that?!
Xie Shuci, carrying the king and leading the crane, walked to the door. The two lion beasts glanced at him and continued sunbathing. Xiao Xun looked at Xie Shuci's face, trying to deduce his current mood. He looked rather cautious.
"Where...did you go?" Xiao Xun asked.
Xie Shuci smiled, lowered his head and said, "I took a trip to Jingyu Mountain."
Xiao Xun nodded, hesitated for a moment, and then asked, "Have you calmed down? I..."
Xie Shuci interrupted him, "I've calmed down. I want to see Xie An tonight."
"Okay." Xiao Xun nodded without hesitation.
Xie Shuci handed the crane to the servant in the building and took Xiao Xun and the king back to their room.
Perhaps because Xie Shuci unusually did not bring the king with him when he went out, the king followed Xie Shuci around for half a day, never leaving his side.
As night deepened, guests continued to come and go in the Wanhua Pavilion. By late at night, most of the guests had gone home together. Xie Shuci wanted Xiao Xun to rest in bed so he could find a place to open the Shenzhou to see Xie An. However, Xiao Xun disliked the fact that the bed had been stained with the king's urine and refused to get on it no matter what.
Xie Shuci had no choice but to have Xiao Xianlan change their room so that Xiao Xun would be willing to lie down there.
After settling Xiao Xun in, Xie Shuci left the king in the room. Tianzhu City was a mixed bag of people, and he was worried that something might happen to Xiao Xun while he was unconscious.
The king was a little reluctant, but obediently stood guard by the window, urging Xie Shuci to come back soon.
Xie Shuci casually responded twice, then found a secluded spot, activated the barrier, and started the divine ship.
Upon entering the cabin and opening the secret room, the candlelight had long since burned out, leaving no light source inside.
Xie Shuci clenched his fist, took a deep breath, and strode inside.
First, they replaced the candles in the secret room with new ones before slowly walking behind the screen.
Xie An lay quietly on the bed, his chest rising and falling almost imperceptibly. Xie Shuci breathed softly and leaned over to check his wounds. They had completely healed, and his complexion was much better than before. Xie Shuci breathed a sigh of relief without making a sound.
However, before Xie Shuci could even mentally prepare herself, the man on the bed trembled his long eyelashes and slowly opened his eyes.
Xie Shuci's breathing became uncontrollable, and he froze for a moment.
Because he knew that Xie An was different from Xiao Xun. Xiao Xun only had memories of the time before he was nine years old, but Xie An remembered everything that happened during that period clearly, including Xie Shuci's pathetic tears.
Although Xie Shuci made a decision in a moment of impulse after hearing Bixie's words, he felt very uneasy when he actually had to face Xie An.
But Xie An didn't give him time to process it. The first thing he did when he opened his eyes was to look at Xie Shuci.
Candlelight illuminated the secret room, casting shadows on Xie An's face. His dark eyes, like a calm, black body of water, reflected Xie Shuci's face.
Xie Shuci's throat was dry as he spoke, "You're awake."
Xie An stared at Xie Shuci in silence for a moment, then closed his eyes again, only his breathing became a little deeper.
After a long while, he opened his eyes again, stared intently at Xie Shuci, and asked, "Didn't you say you didn't want to see me?"
Xie Shuci stood by the bed, lowering her head to avoid Xie An's sharp gaze.
Xie Shuci gave an irrelevant answer: "I want to ask you something."
Xie An hadn't spoken for a long time, and his throat was very dry. He said, "I want to drink water."
Xie Shuci was stunned for a moment, then turned around and walked to the bedside, pouring him a cup of tea that had long since gone cold.
When the teacup was brought to Xie An's lips, the latter did not reach out to take it, but instead drank the water from Xie Shuci's hand.
He leaned against the headboard, looking up at Xie Shuci quietly. "If you want to ask about the Immortal Sect Selection, I won't tell you, nor will I let you go. I don't want to use harsh methods on you, so don't force me."
Since he woke up, Xie Shuci had kept her head down and hadn't looked at him once.
After a pause, he added, "Xie Shuci, other matters can be discussed, but this is absolutely impossible."
Xie Shuci shook his head. "It has nothing to do with the Immortal Sect Election."
Xie Shuci stood awkwardly by the bed and didn't even look up at Xie An, which clearly displeased Xie An.
His pupils narrowed slightly. "You don't want to see me?"
Xie Shuci shook his head. "No."
"Then lift your head up."
Xie Shuci gritted his teeth and slowly raised his head.
Meeting Xie An's calm and composed gaze, Xie Shuci recalled his words from that day, and her heart ached uncontrollably. "I..."
Xie An reached out and grabbed Xie Shuci's wrist, pulling him to sit down on the edge of the bed. "What do you want to ask?"
Xie Shuci was a little afraid to look him in the eye, and involuntarily lowered her head, saying, "I have seen Bixie."
Xie An's expression stiffened, and he tightened his grip on Xie Shuci's wrist. "What did he say to you?"
Xie Shuci pursed her lips and said, "He told me that your Dao heart was damaged because of me, so whether it is this life or the next, as long as you still remember me and like me, only one of us can live. Is what he said true?"
Xie Shuci glanced at him, but deep down he hoped that these were just words spoken by Bixie to deceive Xie Shuci in order to achieve his own goals. He wanted to hear a different answer from Xie An. He didn't want the person he loved to be destined to die, unless Xie An forgot him and stopped loving him.
However, Xie An disdained to lie in most cases.
Even though his face was very gloomy at this moment, and his eyes were churning with anger, he still did not give Xie Shuci the answer that was the opposite of what he hoped for.
Under Xie Shuci's gaze, Xie An gritted his teeth and nodded, saying, "It's true. What else did he tell you? If it's about the Book of Reincarnation..."
Xie Shuci's heart skipped a beat, and she lowered her head in a panic. It was true... it was true...
"No, no." Xie Shuci interrupted Xie An with a pale face.
Xie An looked at his pale face and frowned. "What exactly is he...?"
Xie Shuci grasped his hand tightly, raised her bloodshot eyes, her arm trembling slightly, and looked at Xie An with a pleading gaze, her voice low and hoarse, "Xie An..."
"Xie An... Anyway, anyway, you won't come looking for me even if I die, so please, please forget me, okay?" Xie Shuci's voice trembled involuntarily, and tears slid down her pale face.
Xie An was startled, his expression changing instantly. "What did you say?"
Whether it was fear or something else, Xie Shuci was trembling uncontrollably all over. He could even hear his teeth chattering. Tears blurred his vision, and he couldn't see the emotions on Xie An's face. He only felt that the disbelief in Xie An's eyes was almost suffocating Xie Shuci.
Xie An abruptly stood up, grabbed Xie Shuci by the collar, and forcefully pulled him in front of him, squeezing out a few words through gritted teeth: "What did you say? Say it again?"
His eyes suddenly widened, bloodshot, as he glared fiercely at Xie Shuci, as if he wanted to tear him apart and devour him.
Xie Shuci's useless tears finally burst forth. He clutched Xie An's clothes tightly, hoping to draw some courage to continue speaking from Xie An's unspeakable gaze.
"Xie An, please forget me, okay? I don't want you to come looking for me anymore. Let's live well, okay?" By the end, Xie Shuci could no longer control the sobs in her voice. "Don't like me anymore. I don't want to die, and I don't want you to die either. Please forget me, okay? At least we can still live... Bixie has promised me that if you die, he will definitely save you. Forget me, and I'll forget you too..."
"Xie, Shu, Ci." He squeezed out Xie Shuci's name through gritted teeth, the veins on the back of his hand bulging, as if he could crush Xie Shuci in his palm at any moment.
He had never felt such anger before, almost burning him to the point of losing his reason, wishing he could strangle Xie Shuci with his own hands. How could he say such a thing? How could he make such a decision for himself? How could he let himself forget...
Him?
Enraged, Xie An's eyes turned bloodshot. He seemed to be trying his best to control his emotions, but even so, the bulging veins on his temples still made people feel the flames that were about to burn him to death.
"Forget me?" Xie An laughed angrily, his forehead covered in cold sweat. He raised his eyes, which were even more bloodshot than Xie Shuci's, filled with a mixture of anger and hatred that formed a dense net that enveloped Xie Shuci. "You want to forget me?"
Xie Shuci was startled by his reaction and said without hesitation that he had never seen Xie An like this before. He was like a beast on the verge of collapse, staring intently at Xie Shuci with eyes that could skin a person alive.
"Thanks... um!"
Perhaps unwilling to hear another word from Xie Shuci, he pulled Xie Shuci in front of him without saying a word and fiercely sealed Xie Shuci's lips with his own.
The rough action caused their teeth to clash, and Xie Shuci cried out in pain. But Xie An, like a madman, relentlessly devoured the air from Xie Shuci's mouth. When Xie Shuci tried to dodge, Xie An entangled his tongue with Xie Shuci's and bit down hard. Instantly, a bloody taste filled their mouths.
This was a kiss filled with anger, despair, and bloodshed.
This intimacy was more unbearable for Xie Shuci than ever before. Finally, Xie Shuci began to respond slowly, trying to appease Xie An's anger.
Perhaps sensing Xie Shuci's slow and hesitant response, Xie An's rough movements became slightly gentler. Even so, he continued to gnaw at the injured spot on Xie Shuci's tongue with his teeth, seemingly trying to make Xie Shuci feel pain in this way. Because Xie Shuci was afraid of pain, he wanted Xie Shuci to remember this pain so that he would never dare to say such things again.
"Xie An..."
When Xie An's lips moved elsewhere, giving Xie Shuci a moment to breathe, Xie Shuci murmured his name.
Xie An rubbed his Adam's apple, offering no response.
Xie Shuci's tongue hurt terribly, and hot blood slid down the corner of his mouth. When it came close to Xie An's lips, he lightly swept his tongue across it, took the blood into his mouth, and kissed the traces of blood left on Xie Shuci's skin with his lips.
"Xie An." Xie Shuci gasped for breath, placing his hands on Xie An's shoulders, but still couldn't stop Xie An's actions.
Xie Shuci lay in his arms, feeling utterly weak. She tried to calm her breathing and said in an unusually calm voice, "Let's make a deal."
Xie An hesitated slightly, but did not stop.
Xie Shuci continued, "Didn't you not want me to go to the Immortal Sect Assembly? If I wanted to go, I would go even if you tied me up, even if it meant my death. But, but, if you can make yourself forget me, I promise you, I will stay in Tianzhu City and will absolutely not participate in the Immortal Sect Assembly."
Xie An froze, buried his head in Xie Shuci's neck, and remained motionless for a long time.
Seeing that he stopped moving, Xie Shuci breathed a sigh of relief without making it obvious. He cupped Xie An's face in his hands, looked into his eyes, and said, "You have a way to make yourself forget, don't you? As long as you forget me, I will never go to the Immortal Sect Selection. As long as you are willing to do this, even if you die in the Immortal Sect Selection, Bixie will use the Book of Reincarnation to revive you, and we can both live. I will not need to go to the Immortal Sect Selection."
Xie An had some bloodstains on the corner of his mouth. He slowly raised his eyes, his gaze as still as an ancient lake, quietly watching Xie Shuci.
Xie An wasn't so easily fooled. Xie Shuci braced himself and didn't look away. "I'm serious. If you forget about me and I don't go to the Immortal Sect Selection, we can survive together!"
Xie Shuci wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with her fingertips. From his calm, even empty face, there was no emotion to be seen. Xie Shuci forced a smug smile, "As long as we are both still alive, I don't have to die at your hands. One day we will find a solution, and then we can be together again!"
This idea is very naive, and Xie An would not believe it, but it is indeed something Xie Shuci might say.
Because Xie Shuci is naive, it's not surprising that he holds such naive ideas.
Xie Shuci continued, "This way I won't die, and I won't forget you. Tell me how to restore your memories, and when I find a solution later, I can help you restore your memories!"
Xie Shuci's eyes were filled with urgency and hope, as if he truly believed that one day he would find a way to stop Xie An from going astray, and then he could still be with Xie An.
This was indeed a solution that Xie Shuci could come up with.
Xie An's emotions were hidden too deeply. Even though Xie Shuci stared intently at him, not missing a single change in his expression, he still couldn't see through him.
His eyes were incredibly deep, yet Xie Shuci struggled with all her might to avoid being seen through.
After a long while, their breathing gradually calmed down, and the secret room returned to tranquility.
Under Xie Shuci's expectant gaze, Xie An finally spoke, though his voice was hoarse beyond belief: "Xie Shuci, if I forget you, will you not participate in the Immortal Sect Selection?"
Xie Shuci nodded emphatically. "Yes, as long as you forget me, I'll stay in Tianzhu City. To be honest, I heard from Xiaolian and the others that even cultivators from the Floating Pagoda Realm will be attending this year's Immortal Sect Selection. It's quite scary. If I don't have to go, of course I don't want to. But I don't want one of us to die. Can you forget me for now, and I'll make you remember me later when I find a way? How about that?"
Xie An stared intently at Xie Shuci, seeing the same innocence on Xie Shuci's face as before.
This is probably Xie Shuci's true thought.
If I promise to forget him, will he not go to the Immortal Sect Selection?
Xie An gripped Xie Shuci's hand tightly, his fingers so strong they could almost crush his wrist, but as he looked at Xie Shuci, he chuckled softly and said, "I promise you."
Xie Shuci's heart suddenly skipped a beat.
He paused for a moment, then nodded: "Okay, okay..."
“I can forget you now, but you must stay in Tianzhu City as you promised me, until the Immortal Sect Selection is over.”
Afraid that he would see the emotions in her eyes, Xie Shuci suddenly threw herself into his arms, hugged his neck, and pressed her cheek against his neck. "Look at you, you got angry with me before I could even explain myself. You bit me so hard it hurts."
Xie An supported his waist with one hand, his eyes lowered, seemingly lost in thought.
Xie Shuci breathed a sigh of relief and muttered to himself, "I wonder when I'll find a solution that will make you remember me. Bixie should be able to help me, right? Then I won't have to die, and neither will you, and we can be together forever!"
Xie An turned his head, kissed the tip of his ear, and whispered, "Are you going to forget me?"
"No way! I was just too flustered. If you forget me and I forget you, then we really can't be together. So I absolutely can't forget you."
Xie An chuckled softly and said, "Xie Shuci, you're right. If I forget you, you can't go to the Immortal Sect Selection. If you go, you'll die, and when you die, you'll forget me too. From then on, we can't be together. So, you absolutely cannot go to the Immortal Sect Selection."
select. "
Xie Shuci's heart was throbbing with pain, but he didn't show it at all. Instead, he exclaimed, "Ah! I'm not going! Is Tianzhu City safe? Tell me, should I find a place to hide before the Immortal Sect Selection ends? Go to Qi Kingdom? Maybe it's safer there."
Xie An gently patted his back and said, "No need, Tianzhu City is safe, you stay here."
"Okay, then I won't leave."
"Um."
Xie Shuci nestled quietly in his arms for a while, then mumbled, "So you're going to forget me now? What are you going to do?"
Xie An said, "Seal away the memories related to you."
"A seal? Is it that hard to break? Don't make it too difficult. What if I find a way but can't break your seal?" Xie Shuci said with great seriousness.
"No, I can leave a seal that only you can break."
Xie Shuci rested her chin on his shoulder, "Then when you see me in the future, will you not recognize me? Will you kill me as if I were a stranger? I still remember the first time I saw you, your eyes were so scary, like you wanted to eat me up."
Xie An chuckled, "Not necessarily. As you know, I cultivate the path of slaughter."
"What should we do then?" Xie Shuci asked, frowning.
Xie An pondered for a moment and said, "Don't come near me for now. We'll think of other ways after you find the method you mentioned."
Xie Shuci couldn't help but sigh, "I wonder when we'll be able to find a solution."
"It shouldn't take too long."
"Really?!" Xie Shuci's eyes lit up.
"Hmm, Bixie might know something. If you can get it out of him, it won't take too long."
"That's great!" Xie Shuci sat up straight, looking at Xie An with a smile. "Once I've passed my tribulation, I'll go find Bixie!"
Xie An smiled and said, "Alright."
Xie Shuci added, "I heard that the Immortal Sect Selection is being held in Sangqi City. I wonder if there's some kind of conspiracy involved. You must be careful! Moreover, the entire cultivation world is hunting us down right now. You must be careful on your way there. Your injuries have just healed, so be careful not to get caught by them!"
"Yes, I know." Xie An leaned forward and kissed his forehead.
“It will take at least ten days to get from here to Sangqi City. You don’t actually need to seal your memories right away. Why don’t you stay with me for a few more days?” Xie Shuci looked at him expectantly.
Xie An shook his head and said, "My injuries have now fully healed. Going to Sangqi City as soon as possible will allow me to make more preparations and avoid any accidents."
"Oh..." Xie Shuci gave him a dissatisfied look.
That blind bastard! He's about to forget himself, and he's still in such a hurry! He won't even spend a few days with me!
Of course, Xie Shuci said this only to test his intentions and did not actually hope that he would stay.
"Don't lie to me." Xie Shuci nudged his shoulder.
In Xie Shuci's memory, apart from the matter of identity, Xie An had never broken his promise to him. Xie Shuci also felt that he had acted flawlessly, so since Xie An had already agreed to him, he was not worried that Xie An would play any tricks.
Xie An smiled and said, "As long as you don't go to the Immortal Sect Selection, I will keep my word."
"Of course I'm not going! Besides, I'm afraid I'll just become a burden to you. If anything happens to you, and Bixie promised to help me save you, if I die, then neither of us will remember the other, and that'll be the end of it." Xie Shuci said, hands on her hips.
Xie An said, "Then I will not break my promise. If the Xiaoyao Sect uses the same tricks against me again, I will still suffer a qi deviation. Perhaps sealing away my memories of you is a good thing for me."
Seeing that he behaved normally, Xie Shuci breathed a sigh of relief.
Xie Shuci pretended to be annoyed and bit his chin. "Hmph."
Xie Shuci spent half a day cuddling with Xie An in the secret room, and it wasn't until the next morning that he finally got out of bed, feeling sore all over.
Xie An looked at Xie Shuci, who was dressed neatly, and frowned, asking, "Where is your bell?"
Xie Shuci was taken aback. He looked down at his empty waist, paused, and said, "I put it in my small pouch at the inn."
Why did you take it off?
Xie Shuci gave him a resentful look. "That's because of certain people. I'm afraid wearing it will provoke certain people. The older one is prone to jealousy, and the younger one is prone to jealousy too. What can I do?"
Xie An: "..."
Looking at the rising sun outside the window, Xie Shuci sighed, "I wonder when you'll remember me again."
Xie An said, "You can break the seal at any time, as long as you are not afraid to die at my hands."
Xie Shuci shrugged. "Then I'll find a way to untie it for you."
"Are you... going to seal away your memories of me now?"
"Um."
"What about Xie An?"
“He will revert to his original form. If you keep him by your side, perhaps in a few years, he will be able to cultivate his soul.”
"good."
...
As dawn broke, Xie Shuci returned to Tianzhu City with the bead that sealed Xie An's memories.
Xie Shuci left before Xie An regained consciousness.
Now, he feels completely at ease.
Xie An has forgotten about him, will not go mad again, neither of them has to die, and will not... stop him from going to Sangqi City.
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