Hua Lan looked at the young boy in front of him, his expression complicated and filled with disbelief. You actually came…

Back then, Bai Cang had barged into the Celestial Palace and held Qiao Xuan hostage, demanding the Tian Xin Pearl. Concerned about Qiao Xuan’s safety, Hua Lan hadn’t dared to make a move, and had no choice but to watch Bai Cang take Qiao Xuan away. During this period, Hua Lan had kept watch outside the Western Wasteland, and a few days ago, he couldn’t hold back any longer and stormed into the Demon Palace, demanding Bai Cang to hand over Qiao Xuan.

Who would have thought that Bai Cang would tell him that Qiao Xuan had already been taken by someone else?

At first, Hua Lan didn’t believe it, but since Bai Cang had taken Qiao Xuan to blackmail him, lying wouldn’t have benefited him. After a fierce battle, Hua Lan had to admit that Bai Cang was likely telling the truth.

Qiao Xuan was no longer in the Western Wasteland.

Hua Lan was deeply worried. He didn’t know who had taken Qiao Xuan or where they had gone, nor did he have any clue on how to find them.

In his confusion, Hua Lan suddenly remembered that day when Qiao Xuan had tried to use the Mountain and Sea Map to return to the mortal realm, but had been intercepted by Bai Cang, preventing him from succeeding. At that time, the last location shown on the Mountain and Sea Map was the capital of Nanyue Country. This meant that the capital of Nanyue was very likely Qiao Xuan’s original destination.

Could it be that after Qiao Xuan left, he came here?

With a sliver of hope, Hua Lan arrived at the capital of Nanyue Country.

Ever since his tribulation had ended a thousand years ago, Hua Lan rarely came back. As a god of the Celestial Realm, he had to act in accordance with the will of heaven and couldn’t meddle too much in the affairs of the mortal world. If he forcibly went against the will of heaven, the consequences would be unpredictable.

This was also why cultivators who ascended to immortality were forbidden from easily descending to the mortal realm.

The immortal and mortal realms are distinct and each has its own path.

They must not be forced together.

It had been hundreds of years since Hua Lan’s last return.

The once glorious Rong family no longer existed. New mansions had been built here, inhabited by new families, generations had come and gone… Hua Lan concealed his presence and walked through the area. Qiao Xuan, will you really come back here?

Hua Lan was well aware that his hope was slim.

But what he didn’t expect was that he actually saw Qiao Xuan, right outside the old Rong family home.

The young man also saw him and immediately turned to leave. Without hesitation, Hua Lan stepped forward to block his way, grabbing Qiao Xuan by the wrist, his voice hoarse: “Don’t go…”

Hua Lan stared fixedly at the young man in front of him. In this life, Qiao Xuan was a disciple of the Guiyuan Sword Sect in the Eastern Chong Prefecture. By all logic, even if he had just ascended and still harbored attachments to his mortal family, he should have returned to the Guiyuan Sword Sect. Why had he come to Nanyue Country? And why had he come here? Why… did he avoid Hua Lan the moment he saw him?

Back then, you risked your life, accidentally entering forbidden lands just to find the Mountain and Sea Map and return here…

Why?

All these strange inconsistencies gave Hua Lan a flicker of hope.

Could it be that Qiao Xuan still remembers the events of his past life?

How else could his behavior be explained?

Qiao Xuan, caught by Hua Lan, stood there awkwardly for a long time before showing a surprised expression and offering a sheepish smile. “Why is the Emperor here too? What a coincidence…”

Hua Lan’s eyes were filled with suppressed emotions, as if countless feelings were churning inside him. He slowly opened his mouth: “Yes… why did you come here?”

Qiao Xuan: “…”

Yeah, why did I come here? Why did I come here… If I had known you were here, I would’ve taken a detour of 800 miles!

Should I tell you I’m just here to find my sister? That you’re just one of my many love interests and this is all just a coincidence? Would you believe me, or kill me?

No choice but to make something up!

Qiao Xuan blinked and smoothly started fabricating a story: “Our Guiyuan Sword Sect’s Sword Lord Qingheng was said to be from Nanyue Country originally. As his disciple, I admire him greatly, so I came to visit his former residence and pay my respects…”

Hua Lan watched the boy talking incessantly, spouting nonsense with not a shred of truth…

Do you really want to avoid any connection with me that badly?

Seeing Hua Lan’s increasingly dark eyes and his tense, cold expression as if he was holding something back, Qiao Xuan’s voice grew smaller and smaller, and he timidly added: “This humble immortal does not dare disturb the Emperor. I’ll take my leave now…”

But Hua Lan didn’t let go.

Qiao Xuan tried to pull away, again and again, but couldn’t free his wrist!

Cold sweat dripped down his back.

Just then, he heard Hua Lan’s low, hoarse voice: “You’re not disturbing me. Besides… since you’re already here, why rush to leave? Don’t you want to come inside and take a look?”

Qiao Xuan nearly exploded in frustration. This is the Rong family! Why would I want to go in and look around?!

What you’re saying is just cruel!

Qiao Xuan continued to play dumb, looking confused: “What’s so special about a mortal family’s home? I don’t see anything worth looking at. Maybe I shouldn’t go in…”

Hua Lan spoke each word slowly: “If you come in and look, you’ll know.”

Qiao Xuan: “…”

His wrist hurt from Hua Lan’s tight grip.

Having no choice, Qiao Xuan followed Hua Lan inside. The family living there now was one of officials, with servants everywhere, bustling about. Due to Hua Lan’s spell, none of them noticed their presence. As Qiao Xuan walked through the courtyard, he felt as if he had been transported back a thousand years…

Back then, the Rong family was much the same.

Grand Tutor Rong was highly respected, with countless disciples. The Rong family was one of the most prestigious in Nanyue. Though the Grand Tutor was frugal and modest, never extravagant, the family still lived in comfort.

Though there were similarities, there were also differences. As they walked through the buildings, they soon reached a dead end—a wall.

But Hua Lan didn’t stop. Holding Qiao Xuan’s hand, he continued walking forward.

A ripple spread through the air, and they passed right through the wall, arriving at a quiet courtyard.

In the courtyard stood a flourishing peach tree, its leaves dense and lush. Beneath the tree was a stone table, with a jar of wine placed on top.

Everything was exactly as it had been a thousand years ago, without any signs of fire. It was as if time had stopped here.

Hua Lan turned to Qiao Xuan and asked, “What do you think?”

Qiao Xuan’s scalp tingled as he forced a smile. “What a lovely hidden paradise! But how could a mortal family have such a place? I can see traces of immortal magic here. Could it be related to the Emperor?”

Hua Lan spoke slowly: “During my seclusion, I once experienced tribulation in the mortal world.”

Qiao Xuan was shocked: “Could it be that you were born into this family back then?”

Hua Lan shook his head: “No. The one I loved once lived here.”

Even with Qiao Xuan’s silver tongue, this conversation was becoming impossible. It felt like no matter what he said, it would lead to a dead end!

Hua Lan sat down by the stone table, a soft smile on his face, his eyes filled with reminiscence. In a gentle voice, he said, “This peach blossom wine, I just dug it up. It’s been a thousand years…”

He had gone to great lengths to preserve this little courtyard and this jar of wine, all to keep a memory alive.

Qiao Xuan hesitated for a moment before reluctantly sitting down in front of Hua Lan, obedient but nervous.

Hua Lan personally poured him a cup of wine, his dark eyes filled with restrained pain. He gazed deeply at Qiao Xuan and said, “This wine was brewed by the one I loved. We agreed that when the time came, we would dig it up and share it, half for each of us…”

But unfortunately, that day never came.

Qiao Xuan froze, not daring to meet Hua Lan’s gaze. Politely, he said, “Since it was brewed by the one the Emperor loved, and has such deep meaning, it wouldn’t be right for me to drink it.”

Hua Lan looked at the boy in front of him, recalling the days spent here long ago. Back then, as an emperor, he had to endure countless compromises, strategizing his every move. The palace was filled with schemes and betrayals… but this little courtyard held only fond memories, so he had sealed it away, cherishing it deep in his heart.

He didn’t want to forget even a single smile or frown from the boy.

You are someone I never want to forget…

But what about you?

Do you still remember or miss those days?

Before this moment, Hua Lan had never considered that the boy might not want to remember at all.

Looking at Qiao Xuan’s evasive eyes and polite but distant demeanor… the bitterness and pain welled up in Hua Lan’s chest. The more indifferent and dismissive Qiao Xuan acted, the more it felt like a blade cutting into his heart…

Do you still resent me, hate me, blame me for not protecting you, for turning a blind eye to your suffering, for not saving you in time, for letting you die in the fire?

To you, those memories are filled with pain, something you don’t want to recall, something you don’t want to relive.

I understand…

But if that’s the case, if you’ve chosen to forget the past, then why did you come back here? Why give me hope…

Do you really not care at all?

Hua Lan’s throat moved as he swallowed, his voice low: “Xuan’er, I…”

Qiao Xuan’s entire body tensed, seeing that Hua Lan was on the verge of spilling everything. Qiao Xuan was practically panicking, wanting to cover Hua Lan’s mouth. Please, I beg you, don’t say it!

At this critical moment, a ripple appeared in the illusionary sky, and a young man dressed in gray Daoist robes, with a refined and handsome face, appeared in midair.

The atmosphere was instantly shattered.

Hua Lan’s eyes narrowed as he turned to look at the uninvited guest, surprise flashing in his gaze. He spoke in a deep voice: “Daoist Lord Shu Chen.”

Qiao Xuan was startled for a moment, thinking the name sounded familiar. Then he remembered and showed an expression of shock!

Lu Chen was actually the legendary Daoist Lord Shu Chen?!

Back when he had just escaped from Xuan He Valley, he met Wu Zimo, a disciple of the Guiyuan Sword Sect. Wu Zimo was like a walking encyclopedia of the Celestial Realm and loved to gossip, explaining to him all the important figures in the Celestial Realm. Daoist Lord Shu Chen was one of the most famous.

It was said that Daoist Lord Shu Chen was the oldest living god in the Three Realms, his existence dating back to the creation of heaven and earth, the opening of the Three Realms… However, he didn’t like to stay in the Celestial Realm and wandered alone, with no one knowing his whereabouts. He could appear anywhere in the Three Realms, his movements unpredictable, making him the most mysterious of all the gods…

If Lu Chen was Daoist Lord Shu Chen, then it all made sense. No wonder he had seemed so cold and indifferent back then, treating everything around him with detachment, constantly talking about fate and destiny.

A person who had lived for tens of thousands of years, what partings and farewells had he not seen? How could he care about mere mortals? He had witnessed countless dynasties rise and fall. It was perfectly normal for him to be indifferent to the trivial affairs of Nanyue Country…

Hua Lan looked at Shu Chen, his expression growing more serious.

Back when he had taken the form of Xiao Lü to undergo tribulation, after his death and return to the Celestial Realm, he still cared about the people of the mortal world. Thus, he had left a powerful spell on the imperial seal to protect Nanyue Country, ensuring a thousand years of prosperity and peace. But after a thousand years, the spell had weakened, and a few decades ago, it had completely lost its effect. The imperial seal could no longer protect Nanyue, and the country fell into chaos.

Hua Lan was aware of this, but there was no dynasty that could last forever. The Xiao family had ruled for a thousand years, which was already more than enough. If he intervened again and tried to ensure that the Xiao family ruled Nanyue forever, it would violate the natural cycle of heaven, which wasn’t something he should do… After all, he only felt some regret for the suffering of the people and had no intention of meddling in the Xiao family’s affairs.

The rise and fall of dynasties in the mortal realm was entirely normal.

But what he hadn’t expected was that Shu Chen had intervened, altering the fate of Nanyue and extending its lifespan by another hundred years.

Daoist Lord Shu Chen had always been indifferent and inactive, despite having lived for so long. He had never cared about the affairs of the mortal world or the life and death of its people… yet he had stepped in to protect the common folk, even going so far as to change the fate of an entire nation. This surprised Hua Lan. It seemed that Daoist Lord was not as indifferent as rumors suggested.

Though he was grateful for Shu Chen’s actions, his sudden intrusion here felt a bit impolite and abrupt. However, given Shu Chen’s status, Hua Lan held his temper and didn’t lash out, instead politely saying, “When Daoist Lord intervened and altered the fate of Nanyue, protecting the common people, it was truly a noble deed. Unfortunately, Daoist Lord’s whereabouts are hard to track, and I haven’t had the chance to thank you in person. It’s truly a shame.”

Shu Chen’s expression remained indifferent, as if this was a trivial matter. “It was just a casual act. There’s no need for thanks, Emperor. I came here today… to find him.”

Qiao Xuan was already numb from the string of revelations.

Lu Chen is Daoist Lord Shu Chen, and he’s the one who altered the fate of Nanyue. So, everything happening now is because of Shu Chen…

Why would he do that?

Wasn’t he the one who said it was pointless and not to interfere?

Hua Lan’s brow furrowed deeply. Why was Shu Chen looking for Qiao Xuan, and what was their relationship?

A sense of wariness rose in Hua Lan’s heart. His gaze sharpened slightly as he slowly said, “Qiao Xuan is an old acquaintance of mine. I invited him for a drink today… If Daoist Lord has something to discuss with him, why not say it here?”

Shu Chen had first gone to the inn and found that Qiao Xuan wasn’t there. He then tracked him here and hadn’t expected that Qiao Xuan had somehow gotten involved with Hua Lan. This kid sure knows how to stir up trouble… Seeing that Hua Lan had no intention of letting Qiao Xuan go, Shu Chen narrowed his eyes slightly.

He remained silent for a moment, then suddenly chuckled. “It’s nothing important. I didn’t expect that Emperor was also a friend of Qiao Xuan. In that case, why don’t we drink together? After all, what’s a drink without me?”

Without waiting for an invitation, he casually walked over and sat down on the other side of Qiao Xuan.

Hua Lan’s face darkened slightly.

Shu Chen glanced at the cup in front of Qiao Xuan and smirked. “Emperor, your wine seems rather ordinary. Have you grown stingy… Ah Xuan, why don’t you try my wine?”

With that, he took out a wine gourd, poured Qiao Xuan a cup, and smiled as he said, “Didn’t you say before that my wine was the best you’d ever had? That it was the most delicious? I remember you liked it a lot.”

Qiao Xuan: “…”

Hua Lan’s gaze grew colder. This was clearly an act of provocation. He spoke calmly, “Daoist Lord’s wine is indeed the best in the Three Realms, renowned far and wide. But my wine holds a different meaning and cannot be compared.”

Shu Chen’s tone was light: “It’s just a drink. What’s there to compare?”

Qiao Xuan was caught between two powerful figures, feeling utterly hopeless.

In front of him were two cups of wine, each person wanting him to drink their own… but right now, Qiao Xuan didn’t want to drink wine at all. Couldn’t he just have a Coke instead?!

Just as he was feeling torn, the space rippled once more, and a man with silver hair appeared.

Yun Ting Shu looked at Qiao Xuan and sighed. “Did you finish buying what you needed? So, this is where you’ve been, sneaking off to relax.”

Qiao Xuan’s eyes filled with warmth. Master, you’re here too. Save me!

He felt like a lowly employee, forced to drink with two bosses. Each boss had poured him a cup of wine, and not drinking either would offend them. Drinking both would mean being seen as indecisive, offending them both. This was a no-win situation! I hate this kind of drinking culture!

Qiao Xuan sat there, stiff as a board, not daring to move, pitifully saying, “They… they’re offering me drinks. B-but I’m not good with alcohol…”

He bit his lip and cautiously asked, “Master, would you like some wine?”

Thankfully, the heavens have not abandoned me—my savior has arrived!