Qiao Xuan stared in shock at Hualan’s back. Although he was surprised, Hualan’s arrival this time was quite timely… Any later, and he would have been forced to reveal his true identity!

Hualan’s strike was merciless. Palace Master Miyun, caught off guard, spat out a mouthful of blood, staring at Hualan in disbelief. Why had he struck her so heavily? Had he misunderstood something?

Clenching her teeth, Miyun suppressed the churning blood in her chest and said, “Do you know that this little thief was trying to steal a treasure? I only intended to capture him for questioning.”

Hualan raised his gaze, his voice icy. “He is my invited guest, not some thief, and he does not require others to handle his matters.”

Miyun froze. She had explained so clearly, yet Hualan still defended this little thief. Furious, she retorted, “I saw him sneaking around with my own eyes! He was able to fend me off for so long, clearly hiding something. He’s definitely not as simple as he seems. Don’t let him deceive you!”

Hualan stood his ground, clearly determined to protect Qiao Xuan. His gaze was dark and cold as he said, “For the sake of our many years of friendship, I won’t hold you accountable for attacking in my palace. Now, leave.”

Many years of friendship? Not holding her accountable?

Miyun couldn’t believe her ears! She had known Hualan for a hundred thousand years, and now, even though the little thief was clearly suspicious and she acted to help him, not only did Hualan fail to appreciate her efforts, he attacked her without even considering the truth, telling her to leave as if he was doing her a favor.

Such ruthlessness, showing no regard for their past relationship…

As a proud and renowned supreme deity of the heavenly realm, how could Miyun tolerate such humiliation? She let out a cold laugh and said, “You’re clearly bewitched! Today, I will capture him and see what kind of demon or monster could make you so blind to reason!”

If you’re not going to give me face, then don’t blame me for not giving you any.

Qiao Xuan was terrified. At this point, saving face wasn’t important—his life was! He immediately hid behind Hualan. This was his problem to solve!

Hualan’s eyes grew cold, and with a wave of his sleeve, he prepared to confront Miyun.

The battle was on the verge of erupting.

At this critical moment, a white ribbon swept down from the sky, carrying a gentle force that effortlessly diffused the tension. It was like a breeze rippling across a calm lake, dispelling the dark clouds.

Ruohua gracefully descended beside Miyun, gently holding her wrist. Concerned, she asked, “Has there been some misunderstanding between you and my brother?”

Ruohua smiled warmly, her voice clear and melodious, like a refreshing spring, soothing the mind. Miyun held back her frustration, unable to shake off Ruohua’s touch, and said in a low voice, “This little thief was trying to steal a treasure in the Heavenly Palace. I was only trying to capture him for questioning, but Hualan struck me instead.”

Ruohua looked at Qiao Xuan in surprise, then smiled brightly and softly said to Miyun, “Palace Master, there must be some misunderstanding. The Cloud Sea Heavenly Palace is heavily guarded. A mere little immortal wouldn’t dare steal anything here.”

Miyun frowned. “I saw it with my own eyes!”

Ruohua sighed. “What you see is not always the truth, and what you hear is not always real. With the palace’s protections, even if a treasure were placed before him, he wouldn’t be able to take it. This young man happens to be someone I know—a disciple of the Guiyuan Sword Sect. I’ve heard that my brother personally invited him here, so they must get along well. He probably has my brother’s permission to be here, right? Brother, why don’t you explain this to Palace Master Miyun?”

Ruohua gave Hualan a meaningful glance.

Hualan pressed his lips together, and after a brief pause, he spoke calmly, “That’s right. I brought him here.”

Ruohua smiled softly at Miyun. “See? It was just a misunderstanding. My brother was only angry because you accidentally hurt his guest. However, it was indeed wrong for him to strike so hard just now. He must have lost control in the heat of the moment… I apologize on his behalf.”

Miyun remained doubtful but couldn’t argue with Ruohua’s reasonable explanation. If she continued to press the issue, she would appear unreasonable.

With a cold snort, she glanced at both Qiao Xuan and Hualan, then turned and left.

Ruohua let out a small sigh of relief, casting a helpless look at Hualan. “Brother, you should’ve explained things properly instead of striking first. That would’ve avoided all this trouble.”

Hualan frowned, remaining silent.

Ruohua shook her head, smiled kindly at Qiao Xuan, and left to catch up with Miyun.

Qiao Xuan watched Ruohua’s graceful departure, thinking, What a kind and beautiful white moonlight she is! Even after being publicly rejected by Jiang Weiqing, she didn’t hold a grudge against him, a fellow disciple of Guiyuan Sword Sect. How could Jiang Weiqing not like someone like her? He must be blind! Xue Ming has better taste!

Too bad he only liked men. Otherwise, he would have liked someone like Ruohua too.

With Ruohua gone, only Qiao Xuan and Hualan remained.

Now that they were alone, Qiao Xuan grew nervous again. Even though the danger had passed, and Hualan had just protected him, that didn’t mean he was out of the woods…

He had revealed far too much just now!

Anyone with half a brain would know something was off, let alone Hualan.

Qiao Xuan stood frozen, unsure of how to explain himself.

Hualan gazed at the uneasy boy in front of him. He recalled the dangerous scene he had arrived at, the boy’s desperate attempt to avoid harm. At that moment, images of the great fire at Fengwu Palace flooded Hualan’s mind. He remembered finally defeating the rebels and rushing to see the boy he loved, only to be met with an insurmountable wall of flames.

Watching helplessly as the fire consumed everything.

Such powerlessness and despair.

An unprecedented terror and hopelessness had gripped him.

You’ve been through countless reincarnations, and now, after so much hardship, you’ve finally returned to me…

I just discovered you…

If I had been even a moment later, would the tragedy have repeated itself?

It was a mistake he couldn’t afford to make again.

Qiao Xuan felt chills run down his spine under Hualan’s intense gaze. Caught red-handed, he gritted his teeth and nervously stammered, “I swear I wasn’t trying to steal anything. Please believe me…” He was telling the truth this time. He only intended to borrow the treasure briefly and would never have taken it permanently!

He widened his eyes, trying to appear sincere.

Hualan’s gaze softened with sorrow. You don’t need to be so afraid of me… I don’t care why you came here or what you’re hiding…

None of that matters to me.

All I know is that you’ve finally appeared in front of me again.

And even if you wanted something, what’s the harm in that?

Hualan took a deep breath, trying to make his voice as gentle as possible, so as not to scare the boy. “I believe you.”

Qiao Xuan: “…” All the excuses I prepared are now useless!

Seeing Qiao Xuan’s stunned expression, Hualan’s heart softened even more. Unable to restrain his overflowing emotions, he slowly raised his hand and gently patted the boy’s head.

I made so many promises to you, but I never kept any of them. I couldn’t even protect you.

Now that I’ve found you again, I won’t let you suffer any more, and I won’t let anyone harm you.

The warmth and strength in Hualan’s hand gave Qiao Xuan a sense of security, making him instinctively believe in his words.

He stared at Hualan, meeting those deep, sad eyes, and slowly began to calm down.

Earlier, he had been too nervous to notice Hualan’s odd behavior. But now that he looked closely, Hualan’s expression was filled with a mix of tenderness and sorrow, reminding Qiao Xuan of Xiao Lü. And just moments ago, Hualan had recklessly injured Miyun without hesitation, all for his sake…

It was all so strange!

Miyun was a supreme deity and a friend Hualan had known for a hundred thousand years. Even if there was a misunderstanding, it didn’t warrant such a heavy-handed response. At the very least, Hualan should have asked a few questions first. Yet, he hadn’t bothered to communicate with Miyun at all. Instead, he struck without hesitation and didn’t care about straining their relationship. Even when Ruohua tried to mediate, Hualan remained firm in his stance, clearly showing genuine anger.

In Qiao Xuan’s memory, Xiao Lü had always been a man of deep calculation. Even though he despised Empress Chen, he could still pretend to be affectionate, and he skillfully navigated court politics. Xiao Lü was anything but impulsive.

As for Hualan, even more so—he was the type of supreme deity who rarely revealed his emotions. Someone like him wouldn’t easily do something irrational.

But Hualan’s anxious and furious demeanor earlier had been completely unguarded, as if suffering from PTSD.

And he had clearly noticed that Qiao Xuan was hiding something, yet he didn’t ask a single question, simply saying he believed him, as if nothing Qiao Xuan did mattered.

This… this can’t be normal!

Something was definitely up.

Qiao Xuan’s heart raced as he swallowed hard. Could Hualan have figured out his identity?

That would explain why he was being so tolerant!

“I-I should go back now…” Qiao Xuan mumbled, overwhelmed and unsure how to handle the situation. He dodged Hualan’s touch and fled in a panic!

He needed some time to cool down!

Hualan froze, staring at the boy’s retreating figure. He glanced down at his hand, lost in thought. Did I rush things? He just couldn’t help it. He wanted to get closer to him…

Fine. No matter how you feel now, I have all the time in the world. I’ll make you understand my feelings slowly.

Hualan lifted his head, his expression returning to calm. With a wave of his hand, the celestial crane perched on the tree flew down.

The crane stood there trembling. It had rushed to find Hualan in a panic, but now that it was back to its senses, it feared being punished for disturbing him. It shrank down like a quail, hoping to avoid being sent back to clean the garden’s weeds.

Hualan looked at the crane, and with a flick of his finger, a drop of celestial dew floated toward it. He said coolly, “This drop of celestial dew is your reward. Also, since you reported the situation, you’re excused from your previous punishment duties.”

The crane perked up in surprise.

Hualan had already turned and left.

The crane pecked at the dew excitedly, hopping around in circles. The emperor hadn’t punished it! That meant it did the right thing!

Still, it was amazed at how much Hualan cared for that guy, even wounding Palace Master Miyun for his sake. If it ever crossed Qiao Xuan again, there would be no good outcome… The crane’s little eyes gleamed with thought.

…

Qiao Xuan ran far away before confirming Hualan wasn’t chasing him. He crouched down at the base of a tree, clutching his head in frustration.

The more he thought about it, the more he realized that only one explanation could account for Hualan’s strange behavior.

He’d messed up!

Hualan had lived for tens of thousands of years, far beyond Qiao Xuan’s understanding. Who knew what methods he had for uncovering past lives? Qiao Xuan had foolishly believed he could make Hualan soften without revealing his true identity.

He hadn’t been cautious enough with this step.

But then again, under such dangerous circumstances, if he hadn’t thought quickly to make Hualan sympathetic, he would’ve been reduced to ashes by now…

Qiao Xuan banged his head against the tree in frustration.

“Hey, are you an idiot?”

Qiao Xuan turned to see the crane standing nearby on one leg, its little eyes rolling as it stared at him like he was the biggest fool ever.

Was he just looked down on by this dumb crane?

But instead of snapping back at it, Qiao Xuan wore a complicated expression. Now that he thought about it, Hualan had arrived just in time, likely thanks to this dumb crane calling for help, since it had arrived at the scene along with Hualan and had promptly hid in the tree…

Who knew this dumb crane had some sense of loyalty…

No matter what, it had indeed helped him today, so Qiao Xuan felt a little bad about bullying it further.

Standing up and crossing his arms, he curled his lips. “Hey, what’s your name?”

The crane hesitated. “Why do you care…”

Before it could finish, a group of cranes flew over excitedly, circling around it.

“Sha Liu’er, we heard you made a name for yourself today!”

“Sha Liu’er, we heard the emperor rewarded you with celestial dew and excused you from your duties. You’ve really made it big!”

“Sha Liu’er, now that you’re favored by the emperor, you’ve got to help your brothers out!”

It was a public humiliation!

The crane was furious. “Can’t you wait until I get back to talk about this?”

“Hey, why are you getting so worked up? It’s not like this guy understands what we’re saying anyway.”

The crane cast a hopeless glance at Qiao Xuan.

Qiao Xuan raised an eyebrow, smiling mischievously. “Go ahead. I don’t understand a thing.”

“See? I told you he doesn’t understand us.”

“Sha Liu’er, tell us all about your thrilling adventure today!”

“Yeah, tell us everything!”

The crane covered its face with its wing, glared at its companions, and flew away in a huff.

“Hey, why are you running away?”

“Come on, it’s not a big deal. Just because you got a little praise from the emperor doesn’t mean you have to put on airs…”

As the flock of cranes flew off, peace returned to the area. For some reason, Qiao Xuan’s mood wasn’t as bad as before.

…

Jiang Weiqing was meditating in his room when he slowly opened his eyes, his dark pupils calm and steady.

He stood up, mounted his sword, and flew straight to the entrance of Hualan’s palace.

The two celestial servants saw Jiang Weiqing approach and immediately bowed respectfully. “Sword Lord, please wait. We will inform the emperor.”

Jiang Weiqing stood there quietly.

Moments later, Hualan strode out, a gentle smile on his face. “Sword Lord, what brings you here?”

Jiang Weiqing spoke slowly, “The ten-day deadline has arrived. I’ve come to take my sect disciple back.”

Hualan’s face showed a moment of realization before he smiled and said, “Has it been ten days already? As it happens, your disciple mentioned that he really enjoys it here and wishes to stay a little longer. He asked me to let you know. If you hadn’t come, I would have sent word myself.”

Jiang Weiqing frowned slightly, his voice tinged with displeasure. “As a disciple of our sect, he should know his place. How can the emperor allow him to act so willfully? He’s only just ascended and should be focusing on solidifying his cultivation. Indulging in leisure will hinder his progress.”

Hualan chuckled and shook his head. “Sword Lord, you worry too much. My palace is full of spiritual energy, perfect for cultivation. Letting him stay a while longer won’t harm him at all. How can you say he’s indulging in leisure?”

Jiang Weiqing responded, “But…”

Hualan’s tone remained calm, though his eyebrows lifted slightly. “What else concerns you, Sword Lord? Do you fear I might mean him harm?”

Jiang Weiqing stared at Hualan, as if deep in thought.

Hualan smiled faintly and continued, “How about this: I’ve known the Guiyuan Sect Patriarch for many years. I will write him a letter explaining the situation and assure him that your precious disciple will return unharmed in due time. Will that ease your mind?”

Jiang Weiqing’s brow furrowed in silence. Hualan’s words were flawless, leaving no room for objection.

After all, Qiao Xuan was just an ordinary disciple. For him to be valued by Hualan, a celestial emperor, staying here was clearly a rare opportunity…

So why was he still hesitating?

Hualan smiled. “Sword Lord?”

Jiang Weiqing snapped back to reality, pressing his lips tightly together. Given the situation, he could no longer refuse.

Perhaps he should have left ten days ago.

He had done something he shouldn’t have, cared about someone he shouldn’t have cared about, and even now, he didn’t understand… why he was so fixated on Qiao Xuan.

Just as he couldn’t understand why Hualan was so fixated on Qiao Xuan.

But since it was a mistake, it should end here.

He had already wasted too much time on someone who didn’t matter.

Jiang Weiqing’s expression softened, his voice indifferent. “Very well. If he wishes to stay, let him stay. I hope he makes the most of this opportunity and doesn’t disappoint the emperor’s goodwill.”

With that, he turned and left.

Hualan watched Jiang Weiqing’s departing figure, his gaze darkening. In truth, he had been waiting for Jiang Weiqing on purpose. No matter what, he would not allow him to take Qiao Xuan away today.

After a moment of thought, Hualan turned and headed to Qiao Xuan’s palace.

Inside, Qiao Xuan paced nervously. Since he hadn’t been able to leave yesterday, today marked the tenth day of his agreement with Jiang Weiqing. Should he leave with Jiang Weiqing now? But Hualan had just discovered his past-life identity, and he probably wouldn’t let him go so easily…

What a dilemma!

Just as he was stewing over his worries, Hualan arrived.

Stay calm, stay calm. Hualan doesn’t know I remember everything!

Lowering his head respectfully, Qiao Xuan greeted him, “Emperor.”

Hualan quickly stepped forward, taking Qiao Xuan’s arm and smiling warmly. “You and I are fated. There’s no need to be so formal.”

His attitude was even better than before.

Qiao Xuan: …But now I’m even more nervous!

And with Jiang Weiqing’s ten-day deadline hanging over him like a sword, Qiao Xuan hesitated for a moment before cautiously saying, “Now that the ten days have passed, I should return with the Sword Lord…”

Hualan stiffened at those words, guilt rising within him. He had sent Jiang Weiqing away without telling Qiao Xuan, selfishly keeping him here. His actions were far from honorable, but how could he let the boy go so easily after just discovering his identity?

After a brief pause, Hualan pressed his lips together and said quietly, “The Sword Lord had to leave on urgent business. If you want to return to the Guiyuan Sword Sect, I can send you back later…”

What? Jiang Weiqing left?

Qiao Xuan blinked in surprise. It was unexpected, considering how determined Jiang Weiqing had seemed before. He didn’t strike Qiao Xuan as someone who would leave so easily…

But—this was great news!

Jiang Weiqing had finally come to his senses and stopped wasting time on him. What a relief! Although Hualan was still a bit of a headache, at least one problem was solved, and now he could focus on dealing with the other. The pressure wasn’t as bad anymore!

Qiao Xuan let out a sigh of relief, his mind racing. He quickly changed his tune. “Since the Sword Lord has already left, I suppose there’s no rush. I can return to the sect later.”

Hualan also relaxed. “That sounds good.”

For once, the two of them were in agreement, and the topic was quickly dropped.

However, an awkward silence soon filled the room.

Qiao Xuan looked at Hualan, thoughts of the past life swirling in his mind, unsure of what to say.

Hualan, burdened with complex emotions, also didn’t know how to begin.

After a long pause, Hualan cleared his throat and gently asked, “You’ve only recently ascended, and your cultivation is still unstable. I have some spirit pills here. Take them—they should help you stabilize your cultivation.”

Qiao Xuan: “Oh.”

Hualan was silent for a moment before continuing, “If you have any questions about your cultivation, feel free to ask me. Although I don’t follow the sword path, all paths lead to the same destination. I should be able to help.”

Qiao Xuan: “Oh.”

Hualan added, “And, um…”

Before he could finish, Qiao Xuan interrupted, staring intently at him. “Emperor, you’ve already done so much for me. I’m afraid if you do any more, I won’t be able to accept it.”

Hualan froze, his expression growing slightly melancholic.

He only wanted to make it up to the boy in every way possible, but the boy didn’t remember him. All his efforts were only making him feel uncomfortable…

Qiao Xuan, too, felt conflicted.

He had come here to find the Shan Hai Tu. Hualan must have already sensed that he was hiding something, yet he hadn’t said a word about it and had instead treated him with such kindness. Does Hualan really not care?

What if I wanted to harm you?

Would you still not care?

Suddenly, Qiao Xuan raised his hand and pointed at the jade pendant hanging from Hualan’s waist. In a puzzled tone, he asked, “Emperor, this pendant looks rather plain. I’ve always wondered why you wear such an ordinary object. It doesn’t seem to suit someone of your status…”

Hualan was caught off guard. His eyes flickered with pain as he hoarsely replied, “This… was left to me by someone very important…”

Qiao Xuan pressed on, “Where is this person now?”

Hualan paused, then answered quietly, “He’s dead. He died because of me.”

Qiao Xuan could see the deep sorrow in Hualan’s eyes. He was truly grieving over his death.

But a thousand years had passed. It was no longer necessary to hold onto such pain.

Rong Xuan’s tragedy was related to Hualan, but it was also unrelated. It was the Rong family’s choice, Rong Xuan’s choice. No one forced them. Grand Minister Rong chose to remain an upright official, Minister Rong chose to be loyal to his lord, and Rong Xuan chose to follow his heart.

The Rong family was a family of loyal patriots, sacrificing their lives for their principles. They never blamed you.

I never blamed you either.

Moreover, the emotional tribulation was just that—a tribulation. It was never meant to have a happy ending.

Your continued guilt only makes me uneasy.

Qiao Xuan looked seriously at Hualan and slowly said, “Since the deceased is gone, why not let go and move forward? Perhaps that person… wouldn’t want you to grieve for him.”

Hualan’s gaze trembled, and he stared at Qiao Xuan.

His hand beneath his sleeve clenched tightly.

Is that so? If you remembered everything, perhaps you wouldn’t want me to be sad. You were always so kind, always thinking of me. But I… I can’t forgive myself.

I never fulfilled the promises I made to you.

Qiao Xuan had spoken out of rare compassion, hoping to comfort Hualan. But when he saw Hualan’s pained expression, he realized his words hadn’t reached him… Of course, Hualan had carried this regret for over a thousand years. How could a few words make him let go?

Sometimes, the only one who can resolve a person’s obsession is themselves.

Qiao Xuan had said all he could. He couldn’t just reveal his identity and tell Hualan, Let’s be together!

Sorry, but the past is in the past, and I can’t go back.

Qiao Xuan smiled sheepishly, his eyes clear and bright. “I apologize if I spoke out of turn earlier. If I said anything inappropriate, please don’t take it to heart, Emperor.”

Hualan’s eyes darkened slightly, but he quickly concealed it. With a neutral expression, he replied, “Of course.”

After sending Hualan off, Qiao Xuan sat down to enjoy the feast the celestial servants had brought him.

He loved the luxurious lifestyle here, but after ten days, he’d had his fill. It wasn’t as addictive as it had been at first. Besides, as delicious as heavenly food was, the bustling beauty of the mortal world was still more alluring.

Once everyone had left, Qiao Xuan leisurely walked over to the celestial locust tree and softly called, “Sha Liu’er?”

A few minutes later, the celestial crane reluctantly flew down, glaring at Qiao Xuan.

Qiao Xuan smirked. “Feeling a little embarrassed?”

Pft, if you hadn’t caught me, I wouldn’t even care to talk to you.

But Qiao Xuan didn’t argue with the dumb crane. Instead, he quietly asked, “Can you check if anyone is watching me?”

The crane sneered. “I’ve been watching the whole time. No one’s spying on you.”

That answer was unexpected, but also not surprising.

Hualan wasn’t the type to imprison or monitor someone. Besides, he probably thought Qiao Xuan couldn’t escape his grasp anyway.

Qiao Xuan pushed open the door and left.

This time, he didn’t sneak over the walls but walked straight to the Shan Hai Tu palace. Along the way, he encountered a few celestial servants, but no one questioned where he was going or what he was doing. It was as if he were the master of the palace.

Standing before the Shan Hai Tu again, Qiao Xuan felt a bit emotional. He wondered if his previous smooth escape had been because Hualan had deliberately made things easy for him.

Leaving was easy, but this burden was hard to shake…

Qiao Xuan stroked his chin thoughtfully.

Perched on the windowsill, the crane seemed a little downcast. “Are you leaving?”

Although it had been wishing for Qiao Xuan to leave, now that it was happening, the crane felt unprepared…

Qiao Xuan’s lips curled into a smile. “What, you’re going to miss me?”

The crane turned away. “Shut up.”

Qiao Xuan focused on the white screen in front of him, his eyes sharp as he raised his hand. A golden beam shot into the screen, and the black-and-white ink painting once again appeared. This time, there shouldn’t be any problems, right?

With a wave of his hand, Qiao Xuan selected his destination. This treasure worked just like a map app! Just as he was about to step into the screen, a blinding light suddenly flashed across the palace!

The Heavenly Palace’s protective barrier had been activated!

No way! Had he guessed wrong? Was Hualan really planning to trap him here?

Qiao Xuan’s expression tightened. At that moment, he sensed danger and quickly dodged! Countless sword auras shot out from the barrier, turning the roof into a sieve. A tall figure dressed in black landed on the ground. The man, holding a jet-black long blade, his hair flowing in the wind, radiated a chilling aura!

What the heck! There really was a thief!

Someone actually dared to break into the Heavenly Palace to steal something. The palace’s defenses tried to obliterate the intruder, but with a single swing of his dark blade, the man shattered the barrier into countless pieces!

Qiao Xuan was dumbfounded. This guy was clearly not someone to mess with!

Instinctively, he tried to flee, but the man turned his sharp gaze toward him, smirking as he appeared beside him in the blink of an eye!

In an instant, the cold edge of the blade pressed against Qiao Xuan’s throat.

Looking into the man’s icy purple eyes, Qiao Xuan finally saw his face clearly, and shock filled his expression.

How could it be him?!

Heavens, are you playing a trick on me?!

Author’s Note:

Author: One leaves, and another arrives. Exciting, isn’t it?

Qiao Xuan: Get out! I don’t want to see you!

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