The air fell silent for a moment.

Chu Hanjin coldly asked, “Whose do you think it is?”

Yue Lin replied, “I’ve been lying in that tomb for so many years. Even if the sky collapses today, it couldn’t possibly be mine.”

“……”

Chu Hanjin suddenly felt like arguing with him over this matter made him seem a little crazy.

Chu Hanjin turned and walked toward the stream along the rugged mountain path.

Yue Lin followed closely behind, just a step or two away, “Slow down.”

Only then did Chu Hanjin realize that Yue Lin seemed to have not adjusted to the light in a long time. He squinted uncomfortably, his pale skin reddening as if it were sunburned.

Chu Hanjin asked in confusion, “Why are you so weak?”

Yue Lin found a stick to lean on, tapping the pebbles as he sighed, “There were also talismans in the coffin.”

“……”

Who did he offend to be treated so miserably?

The stream flowed along the riverbank, churning white foam, the water so clear you could see to the bottom, with a few small fish occasionally swimming by. Chu Hanjin wanted to use his spiritual energy, but this place was extremely dark and evil, with scarce spiritual energy. After thinking for a while, he reached out his hand, “Give it to me.”

Yue Lin blinked, “What?”

Chu Hanjin snatched the stick from him and headed toward the stream, preparing to take off his shoes. However, Yue Lin beat him to it, stepping forward with a confident and relaxed voice, “Let me do it. You’re not in any condition to move.”

Chu Hanjin paused his actions.

There was no denying that Yue Lin’s spiritual energy recovery speed was fast. Earlier, in the coffin, just one slap had him gasping for breath. Now, his complexion had improved significantly. He sat on a nearby rock, took off his shoes, and stepped into the stream.

To catch fish.

He rolled up his pant legs slightly, revealing his long, slender calves, and strands of hair fell as he focused intently on the water’s surface.

He stayed completely still.

Chu Hanjin asked, “Are you going to spear or not?”

Yue Lin replied, “Shh, wait for me to find a big one.”

After he finished speaking, he slowly raised the stick, and as the sunlight flickered, he struck swiftly and accurately—

Chu Hanjin heard a loud “bang!” as the water surface exploded. The fish was directly pierced and turned into a bloody mist, shattered by the force of Yue Lin’s strike.

Chu Hanjin’s eyebrow twitched in frustration, “Do you even know what you’re doing?”

Yue Lin was also puzzled by the outcome and after a moment of contemplation said, “The fish was too delicate.”

Chu Hanjin retorted, “No, you were too forceful.”

Yue Lin defended himself, “Forceful? I didn’t even infuse any spiritual energy, just using basic techniques.”

Chu Hanjin snatched the stick from him, flipped it in his hand, and in one swift motion speared a lively fish, tossing it in front of Yue Lin, “Is it really this hard to get something to eat?”

“You’re impressive,” Yue Lin chuckled as he picked up the fish. He built a small fire at the bank, cleaned the fish, and skewered it with a stick to roast over the flames.

A duck swam back and forth in the river, quacking. Yue Lin commented, “It’s been a long time since I’ve heard this sound.”

Chu Hanjin glanced at him, “Was it very lonely in the tomb?”

“Of course, it was extremely lonely. You can’t tell day from night, nor can you distinguish the seasons. At first, I hoped someone would rescue me, but later, I just wished for someone, anyone, to appear in front of me, even if only for a moment.”

He looked at Chu Hanjin, his eyes slightly crinkling at the corners, “I didn’t expect, someone really would come.”

Chu Hanjin kept his head down, eating the fish.

It was just an ordinary fish caught from the river, not the fattest or most flavorful. Roasted over the fire, it emitted a faint charred aroma. The white, flaky flesh was riddled with tiny bones, and Chu Hanjin ate slowly, spitting out the bones to the side.

Yue Lin watched him for a moment, then meticulously picked out the bones from his own half of the fish, offering it to Chu Hanjin, “Here, you eat.”

Chu Hanjin replied, “No need, I have my own.”

“You eat first. I’ll eat after you,” Yue Lin insisted. “Although I don’t know who you are, you saved my life. I’ll take care of the child in your belly too.”

He seemed to think of himself as being quite conscientious.

But Chu Hanjin’s hand paused.

What did he mean?

Making him pregnant and brushing it off like this?

Chu Hanjin raised his eyes slightly, his gaze sharp, but he accepted the fish without any courtesy, “Thanks.”

He ate gracefully, a bit like a proud white crane—slow and elegant in his movements. Yue Lin commented, “You look kind of pitiful, only eating fish.”

Chu Hanjin: “……”

“I’ll go hunt something else later and we’ll roast it,” Yue Lin offered.

Chu Hanjin finished the last bite of meat, feeling his hunger subsiding. He rubbed his slightly rounded belly, wondering if it would look like this when he started showing later. But he quickly dismissed the thought and asked, “Where are we?”

Yue Lin lowered his eyes and raised an eyebrow, “I was buried here after I died. How would I know?”

That made sense.

Chu Hanjin looked out from a high cliff. The forest and distant mountains stretched endlessly, with no visible roads in between.

Chu Hanjin tried to fly using his sword.

It could cut and channel spiritual energy, but he couldn’t rise into the air.

For now, they were trapped here.

As Chu Hanjin tested his spiritual energy, Yue Lin leaned against the mountain lazily watching him, “Which sect are you from?”

This was a question Chu Hanjin didn’t want to answer. It seemed rather foolish.

But considering Yue Lin might have lost his memory or been possessed, Chu Hanjin exercised some patience, “Far Mountain Sect.”

Yue Lin nodded in understanding, “No wonder. Only a prestigious sect could raise someone like you—a beautiful figure in white, with a cold, noble air, looking every bit the aloof, pure immortal.”

Chu Hanjin didn’t respond.

Yue Lin seemed to have time to kill, “Don’t your white clothes ever get dirty?”

“……”

“Why wear white instead of black?”

“……”

“More importantly,” Chu Hanjin finally glanced at him, “Aren’t you interested in how to leave this place?”

Yue Lin raised an eyebrow, “Not really.”

“……”

“When I recover more of my spiritual energy, it’ll be easy to leave. But what’s so great about the outside? There’s no place for me there.” He squinted his golden eyes, “Maybe one day when I actually look forward to something out there, I’ll go.”

Chu Hanjin pursed his lips, “Look forward to what? Like what?”

Yue Lin smiled, “Like someone who likes me. Or someone I like.”

Upon hearing that, Chu Hanjin set down his sword and stared at him directly, “Were you hated by a lot of people when you were alive?”

Yue Lin nodded knowingly, “Of course. They despised me to the core.”

Chu Hanjin grew curious, “What did you do?”

If what Yue Lin said matched what he’d heard earlier, then this must really be Yue Lin.

Yue Lin brushed the dust off the stone and sat down, “You’ve seen my tomb. They cursed me, hated me, wished I would never step out of this place again. Isn’t that proof enough of my monstrous sins?”

Chu Hanjin kept his patience, “So, what exactly did you do?”

Yue Lin shook his head, “I can’t say.”

Chu Hanjin: “……”

Yue Lin propped his chin up with his long fingers and gave him a slight smile, “I’m afraid if I tell you, you’ll hate me too and try to get rid of me. Though that might be inevitable, I’d rather it not happen too soon. After all, I quite like you.”

Chu Hanjin coldly replied, “Don’t worry about me getting rid of you. I’m afraid it won’t be easy for you to shake me off either.”

Yue Lin looked surprised, “Why?”

——Until the child is born and we settle everything.

Chu Hanjin looked toward the distant setting sun. It glowed a deep red, seemingly more intense than in other places. The forest under the twilight wasn’t bathed in the usual rosy hues but was instead darkening, as black mist gradually began to rise.

Yue Lin commented, “The nighttime evil here is pretty heavy, isn’t it?”

Chu Hanjin glanced at him, “Nighttime evil?”

“Creatures that come out at midnight to feed. There are so many…” Yue Lin’s gaze swept over the area. “But they won’t fully emerge until the sun sets. Is there anything you want to do before then?”

Chu Hanjin looked at the flowing stream.

The answer was obvious.

He was hungry.

He was hungry again.

The baby in his belly would make him uncomfortable if he didn’t eat.

Yue Lin responded, “You go back to the tomb and wait. I’ll go get more food.” His voice was steady as he turned, his black robes swirling as he walked down the mountain toward the flowing stream.

Chu Hanjin watched from a distance.

Yue Lin finally took his task of fishing seriously this time, no longer slamming his stick into the river as if to break the entire stream. Instead, he patiently sought out fish, tossing the thin ones back into the water. In no time, he braided some grass into a rope, threaded several lively fish onto it, and walked back.

Before starting the fire in the tomb, Chu Hanjin suddenly asked, “Isn’t this disrespectful?”

Yue Lin asked, “Disrespectful to what?”

“……”

He swallowed the words, The dead should be honored.

After all, the deceased in question was currently expertly skewering fish on a tree branch.

“Nothing,” Chu Hanjin said, waiting patiently for the fish to cook.

Yue Lin sat on one of the stone steps, his figure lengthened by the flickering light from the fire behind him. He occasionally flipped the skewers, “You have to turn them, or they’ll burn on one side.”

Chu Hanjin asked, “You’ve been dead for so long and still remember how to roast fish?”

Yue Lin smiled faintly, “I used to do this with my younger brother—”

At this sentence, his voice caught, and the faint smile vanished from his face, leaving it calm. “I used to be rebellious, unruly, running all over the place. When we didn’t have food, we’d just find some game and eat it.”

The firewood crackled loudly, snapping back to reality.

For a moment, watching the figure tending to the fire, Chu Hanjin felt a sense of familiarity.

A tomb like this, dim and eerily silent, seemed all too familiar.

As he was lost in thought, he faintly heard the sound of something rushing outside the cave.

It was like a barrel rolling down the mountain or the sound of thunder—whatever it was, it was huge, and it wasn’t alone.

Thump thump… thump thump… thump thump…

Thump thump thump thump… thump thump thump thump…

The sounds grew closer, and the earth began to shake.

The tremors became too intense, and suddenly the fish roasting over the fire fell apart, the fragrant meat collapsing into the flames.

“… Damn it.” Yue Lin, who had been calm and composed, suddenly raised his head, glaring fiercely toward the tomb’s entrance.

He was furious, “They ruined my fish!”

At the tomb’s entrance stood several wolf-like creatures, sporting sharp, blade-like black horns, their bodies as dark as lightning. Their long hooves stomped impatiently as they paced in place. Their mouths were lined with sharp fangs that protruded past their lips, the kind of teeth that could crush a person’s throat with one bite. At the moment, they were peering into the tomb.

Yue Lin stood up, and at some point, Chu Hanjin noticed a massive sword slowly appear in his hand.

As the sword emerged, the beasts began to back away, growling in a hair-raising display of bared teeth. Animals only act this way when they sense danger, and they clearly found Yue Lin extremely dangerous.

Yue Lin walked closer.

Suddenly, the lead beast let out a strange meow~ sound, crouching low with its tail raised, acting incredibly submissive.

But Yue Lin was unfazed and growled, “Scram!”

At his command, the beasts bolted away, stumbling over each other in their haste to flee.

Yue Lin thrust his sword forward, and the slowest of the beasts fell to the ground. He dragged the body back and cut off a piece of bloody meat, skewering it over the fire, “No problem, I’ll roast this for you instead.”

“……”

Shouldn’t the issue here be the creature itself, not the fish?

The creatures were the type that preyed on the weak, drawn to spiritual energy like wolves to prey, which explained why they had likely caught Chu Hanjin’s scent. However, faced with something more menacing, they quickly retreated.

And that menace was clearly Yue Lin.

The mere sight of him turned them into timid kittens.

… Perhaps he really was a villain when he was alive.

Chu Hanjin waited in silence, eagerly anticipating the roasted meat.

The leg meat of the beast smelled much better than fish, the fragrance thick as fat dripped into the flames, sizzling.

Yue Lin asked, “Are you hungry?”

Of course, he was hungry. Couldn’t Yue Lin tell?

Yue Lin suddenly shot him a meaningful glance, “Is it true that people who are pregnant tend to have bigger appetites?”

Chu Hanjin’s face turned icy, and he stayed silent.

Even if his appetite was big, Yue Lin should put up with it. After all, he was the culprit.

Yue Lin leaned forward, seemingly amused by the situation. “I have to ask, who’s the bastard that got someone as beautiful as you pregnant?”

Chu Hanjin: “……”

“And you’re a man. It’s a lot more troublesome for men to get pregnant than women. That person must’ve really gone hard on you, probably even using forbidden techniques—and anyone who uses those isn’t exactly a good person. You’re so proud and stunning, how’d you get mixed up with someone like that?”

Chu Hanjin sneered, “Yeah, I don’t get it either.”

Yue Lin asked, “Were you tricked?”

Chu Hanjin replied, “Maybe.”

Yue Lin licked his lips, “What a bastard, picking on the good-looking ones to deceive. If you ever want revenge, come find me. I hate seeing kind-hearted little immortals get taken advantage of.”

“……”

Chu Hanjin was too exasperated to laugh, “Why don’t you go stab yourself with your own sword first?”

His face cold.

Yue Lin roasted the meat, his long fingers rotating the skewer over the fire. After a while, he remarked coldly, “It seems like you really do like him.”

Chu Hanjin: “????”

Yue Lin sneered, “You can’t stand hearing anything bad about him.”

Chu Hanjin raised his eyebrows in frustration, thinking, Is that what I meant?

Do you want me to just come out and say you’re the bastard?

You’re really good at understanding things.

Finally, the leg meat was done roasting. Yue Lin handed it over, “It’s ready. Eat more. Even if your love is sinful, the child is innocent.”

Chu Hanjin noted the comment.

He hoped Yue Lin would say the same when the child was born.

The freshly roasted meat was still hot, so Yue Lin sliced it open with a dagger to let it cool before handing the thin slices to Chu Hanjin, “It’s not hot anymore.”

After watching Chu Hanjin eat, he handed him a handkerchief, “Wipe off the grease.”

He took care of him quite thoughtfully.

In this regard, it was hard to believe that this person was once a lawless, vicious villain.

The meat had no seasoning, so while it filled the stomach, it wasn’t exactly tasty. Especially with Chu Hanjin being pregnant, he easily grew tired of greasy food, so after eating for a while, he stopped, covering his mouth with his hand.

“What’s wrong?” Yue Lin asked.

Chu Hanjin replied, “I feel nauseous.”

Yue Lin looked at him with a complicated expression and muttered, “This child is truly a curse. What were you thinking, having a child with him?”

Chu Hanjin found it all amusing and asked, “Want to hear a story?”

“I’m all ears.”

“There was this unfortunate soul who entered a pill room to cultivate one day, intending to complete eighty-one cycles of energy to break through his body constitution. When he came out, he’d successfully advanced, but somehow… he also ended up pregnant. Fortunately, he found the child’s father, but unfortunately, he has no idea who the father is.”

Yue Lin softly replied, “Oh.”

Chu Hanjin asked, “Isn’t that unlucky?”

Yue Lin nodded, “Very unlucky.” He added, “Let me tell you a story too.”

Chu Hanjin, sitting on the stone steps, felt a bit cold. Yue Lin glanced at him and stoked the fire, making the flames roar.

He said, “There once was a great villain.”

Clearly, he was mirroring Chu Hanjin’s story.

“This villain was born bad. His father, mother, siblings, friends—everyone was bad. Naturally, he lived up to their expectations and became the baddest of them all, a villain capable of trampling other villains beneath his feet, destined to be the king of villains.”

Chu Hanjin gently touched his belly, expressionless.

Might as well consider it a bedtime story for the baby.

“So, this villain was incredibly arrogant and commanding. For example, when a small-time villain spent thirty years nurturing a sword, eager to show off his skills when the time came, this great villain only took half a month to forge an equally powerful sword, stealing all the glory and leaving the small villain a laughingstock.”

Chu Hanjin looked up.

Yue Lin’s smile was gentle, yet there was a hint of ferocity, “And then, there was another small-time villain who spent ten years trying to break through to the Infinite Realm. He failed time and time again, nearly losing his mind. Finally, on the day he succeeded, he excitedly told the great villain, only to be met with a calm response that the great villain had done the same thing in just six months, back when he was a mere teenager.”

Yue Lin looked at Chu Hanjin, “Do you think those people were jealous?”

“Whether or not they were jealous, I imagine it didn’t sit well with them.”

“Exactly,” Yue Lin nodded. “They congratulated the great villain to his face, but no one could best him. Then one day, the great villain made a mistake, and all those who had smiled at him before stepped forward and said—”

Yue Lin mimicked them: “Although I care about you, you were wrong to do this. You must bear the consequences.”

“Even though I think you’re right, others won’t forgive you. You must be punished.”

“Even though you’ve helped us countless times, that doesn’t erase your crimes. Your merits don’t cancel out your faults, and your faults don’t cancel out your merits. You’re wrong, and you must atone.”

His voice grew quieter.

“The great villain was always straightforward. He was proud, and he was honest. If he was wrong, he admitted it. So, he said, ‘If I deserve to be punished, then punish me. I’ll bear any consequence, even death.’”

He smiled slightly at Chu Hanjin, “What do you think his punishment was?”

Chu Hanjin had already guessed that this villain was Yue Lin. After a moment of silence, he said, “Death.”

Yue Lin nodded, “Correct. The great villain had caused others to lose their legs, so they broke his legs. He’d made others bleed, so they bled him. He’d caused others to lose flesh, so they cut the flesh from his body. A few days later, all the grudge-bearers arrived. Some took his hair, others took his flesh. Some extracted his bones, and some even took out his inner core…”

The light in the tomb flickered ominously.

It was a bloody story, probably not suitable for a child to hear.

Chu Hanjin realized Yue Lin hadn’t finished and asked, “And then?”

Yue Lin continued, “And then, when the great villain was on his last breath, no longer the powerful figure he once was, his so-called friends showed up. They sighed and said, ‘How could this happen to you? Though you were wrong, you didn’t deserve this.’

“Others said, ‘You had it coming. If you were going to die, you might as well have died with honor.’

“Some even said, ‘You were too arrogant. You made too many enemies. If you hadn’t gone too far, you wouldn’t be in this mess. What a pity…’”

Yue Lin sighed softly, “But the whole time, they were all smiling, unable to hide their glee. And the great villain could only watch, because he was about to die.”

Chu Hanjin thought for a moment, then asked, “Since the villain and his peers were all bad, how did they have the moral high ground to condemn him? If he simply denied their accusations, wouldn’t he have been fine?”

Yue Lin nodded, “True, but for him, lying was harder than climbing to the heavens.”

He finished the story, his gaze resting on Chu Hanjin, “What do you think of that story?”

Chu Hanjin met his dark gaze, “If the crime was that severe, then there’s no need to feel sorry for him.”

Yue Lin nodded, “Right. The great villain didn’t regret the consequences of his actions. What disappointed him in the end wasn’t his enemies’ attacks, but his friends’ indifference.”

He poked at the fire with a stick, “That’s the end of the story. Get ready to sleep.”

Hearing someone’s inner thoughts by accident, it’s best to stay silent if they don’t want to discuss it. And Yue Lin hadn’t explicitly said the villain was him, clearly indicating he didn’t want to face his past.

Chu Hanjin stood up and shook out his sleeves, “Alright.”

He suddenly remembered something important, “Where do we sleep?”

Yue Lin glanced at the coffin, “Where else?”

Chu Hanjin hesitated, not moving forward.

If Yue Lin were still lying there like a corpse, he could lie down next to him. But now that Yue Lin was clearly alive, sharing the same bed felt a bit too much.

Yue Lin seemed to understand his expression, “It’s freezing. You’re not going to make me sleep on the stone floor, are you?”

Chu Hanjin’s lips twitched, “Sharing a coffin… is weird.”

“What’s weird about it?” Yue Lin said, “Besides, it’s my coffin. If we don’t share, you can sleep on the ground. I’m kindly offering you half of my coffin, so don’t be ungrateful.”

Chu Hanjin’s elegant brows furrowed slightly.

He had a point.

Making demands about sleeping arrangements when someone had been lying in the coffin for decades seemed a bit inappropriate.

Yue Lin glanced at him, “Come sleep. Don’t worry, I won’t let the baby’s other father find out.”

“……”

Chu Hanjin shot him an angry glare, striding forward, taking off his shoes, and lying down in the middle of the coffin.

Yue Lin squeezed into the gap, seemingly struggling. “Can you move over a bit?”

Chu Hanjin replied, “No.”

Yue Lin’s gaze darkened, “No, huh?”

Chu Hanjin closed his eyes, “Consider it your blessing.”

“……”

Yue Lin nodded, “Fine, no moving.” After lying down on his side, he wrapped an arm around Chu Hanjin’s shoulder, pulling him into an embrace without a word, and scooted them both back, now lying in a rather intimate position.

Chu Hanjin: “???”

He pushed him away, “What are you doing?”

Yue Lin replied, “You’re not moving, so I’m moving with you. I think this position works well. Besides, it’s cold in the tomb. I can warm you up and even protect your baby. Isn’t it perfect?”

Chu Hanjin blushed, his ears turning red, “I don’t get cold sleeping alone.”

“You do get cold, trust me.” Yue Lin chuckled, “I’m your blessing.”

“……”

Chu Hanjin was so angry he couldn’t sleep.

He tried hitting Yue Lin, but Yue Lin somehow managed to absorb the force without difficulty. Although Yue Lin grunted a few times, it was clear he was enjoying holding Chu Hanjin close, wrapping his arm tighter around his waist.

“Your man isn’t here, right? Just treat me as your man for now.”

“…………”

Chu Hanjin was so furious he started trembling slightly.

If this really was Yue Lin, then the calm and gentle act he put on in front of Chu Hanjin was just a façade. His true nature was extremely wicked!

Thinking back to the story Yue Lin had just told, Chu Hanjin suddenly found it much more believable.

Perhaps Chu Hanjin’s struggling was too much, and the child in his belly sensed his discomfort, kicking him lightly.

A slight movement in his belly made Chu Hanjin let out a soft groan.

Yue Lin paused, “What’s wrong?”

Chu Hanjin replied, “I’m uncomfortable—”

Maybe the child didn’t like Yue Lin.

Before Chu Hanjin could finish speaking, he felt Yue Lin’s hand slip under his robe, stopping near his waist before gently pressing against his belly. “Is it here?”

Chu Hanjin: “???”

“You’re uncomfortable. Let me rub it for you.” As he spoke, Yue Lin began gently massaging his belly.

Chu Hanjin kicked his leg in protest, “Did I say you could touch me?!”

But unexpectedly, as Yue Lin’s hand neared, the discomfort in Chu Hanjin’s abdomen gradually subsided. His belly began to feel warm, and the tension lightened. The baby’s spiritual energy seemed to be happy.

So, was this really Yue Lin, or did the child simply recognize his father’s body?

Chu Hanjin felt a headache coming on.

He sulked, lying on his side, while Yue Lin quietly watched him for a while.

Even when angry, Chu Hanjin looked beautiful—his skin as white as jade, his nose sharp, lips delicate and thin, with his brows furrowing slightly in frustration. His entire face was so strikingly elegant it was hard to ignore.

Yue Lin thought for a moment before suggesting, “Why don’t you just stay with me?”

Chu Hanjin: “What nonsense are you talking about now?!”

“Well, you don’t even know who the baby’s father is. There’s no emotional connection. I’ve never liked anyone before, so my heart and soul are still clean.” Yue Lin smiled at him, “You’re the first person I’ve met in all these years. Honestly, I could even accept the fact you have a child.”

“…………”

Chu Hanjin was so upset he almost felt wronged, “You’re dreaming!”

Yue Lin asked, “What’s the problem?”

Chu Hanjin replied, “I’m not going to be with you!”

His voice was laced with a faint hint of emotion, his tone curling slightly. His eyes reddened at the corners, and his long, dark hair fell loosely, covering part of his face, leaving only the delicate outline of his lips visible.

Yue Lin paused for a moment before saying, “Go to sleep.”

Why was he so upset? Was it because no matter what, whether Yue Lin had lost his memory or not, he couldn’t help but fall for him? It was so bizarre. How could anyone want to steal their own lover?

Chu Hanjin was so frustrated he didn’t even know what to say.

But on second thought… it was kind of funny.

After fuming for a bit, Chu Hanjin couldn’t help but smile slightly.

However, by then, Yue Lin had settled down and hadn’t noticed a thing.

That night, Chu Hanjin slept soundly. Despite having been in a coffin for decades, Yue Lin was remarkably still in his sleep, barely shifting at all. In contrast, he occasionally woke up to find Yue Lin silently watching him for a while before changing his position.

When Chu Hanjin woke, he found himself alone in the coffin.

He walked to the tomb’s entrance, greeted by clear skies, and the fragrance of flowers and chirping birds in the forest, which lifted his spirits.

Before long, he saw Yue Lin returning with something in his hands.

Chu Hanjin asked, “What’s that?”

Yue Lin replied, “Your breakfast.” He opened the basket, revealing some wildflowers and fruits, as well as a cup made from banana leaves, filled with clear water.

Chu Hanjin glanced at him, “Thank you.”

“No need to thank me,” Yue Lin said. “You saved my life. Don’t mention it again, or it’ll get repetitive.”

…Really?

Was it really just a simple life-saving debt?

Chu Hanjin lowered his head and looked at the basket, saying nothing more, “Alright.”

He was about to return to the tomb to eat when Yue Lin raised an eyebrow, “Your clothes are dirty.”

Chu Hanjin asked, “Hmm?”

“I asked you yesterday why you insist on wearing white.”

“……”

Chu Hanjin looked down at his robe’s hem and the snowy white cuffs, which had indeed gotten stained by the dust of the tomb, now appearing blotchy.

After a moment, Chu Hanjin realized.

There was no way white clothes wouldn’t get dirty. Usually, his spiritual energy kept them clean, maintaining their pristine state. But in this place, where his spiritual energy was weakened, the clothes had naturally started to get dirty.

If nothing changed, his body would gradually become dirty too.

The thought of dirt made Chu Hanjin’s refined brows furrow. No one with obsessive cleanliness could stand the idea of getting dirty.

Holding the fruit, he looked up at Yue Lin, trying to stay calm, “Is there a place where I can bathe?”

Yue Lin lowered his gaze, “You want to bathe?”

Chu Hanjin replied, “I need to.”

Yue Lin asked, “Do you have a change of clothes?”

“……”

“I’ll go check among my burial items to see if there’s anything usable. Wait a moment.” Yue Lin returned to the tomb, scanning the burial goods. After some time, he pulled out a piece of what was once clothing, but the moment he touched it, it crumbled into a pile of dust.

Yue Lin clicked his tongue, “It’s all decayed after so many years.”

Chu Hanjin’s request was simple, “Even if it’s my only set of clothes, I need to wash them.”

His cleanliness was absolute.

Yue Lin replied, “Alright, you can wear your outer robe first, or just your inner garment, but don’t catch a cold.”

After a moment of thought, Yue Lin laughed and said, “Actually, there’s another solution. It’s said that many years ago, people didn’t know how to weave fabric, so they wore clothes made from leaves, only covering the important parts—”

Before he could finish, Chu Hanjin shot back, “In your dreams.”

Being improperly dressed was absolutely something Lord Yue Zhao would never do.

Realizing he’d pushed the joke too far, Yue Lin nodded, “Alright, you eat first. I’ll go see if there’s a suitable hot spring.”

Chu Hanjin lowered his head to inspect the fruit Yue Lin had brought. The ones he found earlier were all poisonous, but Yue Lin had wandered the mountains for who knows how long, and the fruits he brought had been carefully prepared—peeling off the toxic skin or removing the poisonous flesh to reveal the safe parts.

After finishing breakfast, Chu Hanjin strolled through the mountains, surveying the surrounding terrain.

Yue Lin had yet to return, but he would undoubtedly be back by noon.

Chu Hanjin circled a mountain peak, finding two hills shaped like scissors, with a waterfall cascading down between them, washing over the slope to form a bowl-shaped pool of clear water, faintly steaming with warmth.

Chu Hanjin’s eyes lit up slightly at the sight of the hot spring.

The terrain of this hot spring was ideal—sheltered on the left, with the slope behind, and the waterfall to the right. It felt private enough that even undressing to bathe wouldn’t be awkward.

The water would grow cold in the morning and night. While Chu Hanjin wasn’t afraid of cold water, he worried the child in his belly might feel uncomfortable.

After thinking for a while, he decided the time was right, as the sun was approaching its peak, so he descended into the hot spring.

•

Yue Lin moved through the ancient and wild forest, listening to the birds chirping overhead, occasionally glancing around.

Reaching the top of the mountain, he stopped for a moment in thought.

This place had nighttime evil spirits…

It was vast, with no visible end…

And he was buried in the most cursed, malicious spot, suppressed by the vilest of curses…

Yue Lin lowered his lashes and tried channeling his spiritual energy, forming it into a blade and slashing at a nearby ancient tree.

The tree exploded, shattered into pieces.

Hmm, not great.

He had intended to reduce the tree to powder.

Looking around, Yue Lin understood.

This place’s formations and terrain only allowed him to use one-tenth of his usual spiritual energy.

Realizing this, Yue Lin continued forward until he reached a pond, where he stopped.

The ground was littered with freshly cut tree stumps, their wood pale. Judging by the level of decay, they had been cut no more than four months ago.

This meant that someone had been here as recently as four months ago.

So… besides him and Chu Hanjin, had someone else come here recently, or had they just left?

Yue Lin followed the direction of the cut stumps, finding many more stumps of various sizes, seemingly used for construction. The surrounding leaves and debris had been cleared away and piled up.

Yue Lin had intended to explore further but checked the sun’s position, realizing it was already noon.

…He should be having lunch, right?

By he, of course, Yue Lin meant Chu Hanjin.

Though it had only been their second day together, Yue Lin felt a strange sense of familiarity with him, as if they had met before.

And… his personality was quite endearing.

After lying dead in darkness and isolation for decades, Yue Lin had grown numb, yet waking up to meet this proud little immortal felt like a pleasant surprise.

…The only downside was that Chu Hanjin was a righteous cultivator.

And Yue Lin had killed quite a few righteous cultivators during his lifetime.

Even though he had paid for those deaths with his life, perhaps that debt was settled?

Still, if their true identities were ever revealed, they would probably end up at each other’s throats.

So… if he wanted to stay on good terms with him, he would have to treat him well.

After all, this little immortal had saved his life.

Yue Lin quickened his pace, and as he passed through the forest, he spotted a leaping spotted deer bounding through the mountains. Without thinking, he snapped off a tree branch and shot it through the deer’s throat.

Hmm… it would be more convenient to craft a bow and arrow for hunting in the forest.

Yue Lin didn’t bring the whole deer back, only carving off the fattest portion. First, the sight of the bloody carcass would probably upset the high and noble little immortal. Righteous cultivators did have a bit of pretentiousness about them. Second, they couldn’t finish a whole deer between the two of them, and it would spoil quickly. Better to hunt fresh food every day.

As Yue Lin used his knife and sword, he realized that, despite lying in the coffin for so many years, his recovery speed was impressive—faster than expected.

He carried the deer leg back, intending to take a shortcut toward the tomb. He approached a flowing hot spring and planned to wash the freshly carved meat in the water—

As he rounded the hill, the first thing he saw was a few pieces of white clothing hanging from tree branches, freshly washed and pristine, glowing in the orange sunlight.

Recognizing them as Chu Hanjin’s clothes, Yue Lin paused.

…So, who was the bastard that had sullied this little immortal and left him pregnant,