“Looking for me?”

“Yes.”

Yue Lin sneered. “You’ve got the wrong person. I’ve already died once, I’m not going back.”

“This…”

The group of people looked troubled.

It was likely that Bai Gu, shedding tears in his prison cell had pleaded with them to complete this task. Just thinking about Bai Gu’s pitiful face made Yue Lin feel sick. “Get lost.”

However, someone behind them still had more to say. “My Lord, Bai Gu instructed us to ask whether he can escape from the Dao Yamen since he’s currently trapped there.”

“And what does that have to do with me? But,” his voice suddenly turned sharp, “just try to escape, and see what happens.”

The group exchanged uneasy glances.

Yue Lin didn’t bother with them anymore and returned to the room, where Chu Hanjin was just waking up. He had only just poured himself a cup of tea when he noticed Chu Hanjin slowly opening his eyes, half-closed and looking at him.

Yue Lin approached, “Awake?”

Chu Hanjin murmured in response. He was still a little sluggish, half-propped up on the bed and noticed that Yue Lin was packing their bags.

Today, they would depart to escort Chen Yang and Bai Gu to the Rongku Sect for trial in the Snow Prison. Each of the Six Great Sects had their own judicial institutions. If someone was guilty of a crime, the institution would determine the punishment, which could range from expulsion, being declared part of the demonic path, or even having one’s core shattered.

Early that morning, the Rongku Sect investigators were already waiting outside.

“Thank you Lord Yue Zhao, for assisting with this case,” one of the investigators said. “We greatly appreciate it.”

“It’s no trouble.”

“Lord Yue Zhao, you may proceed. Sect Master Mu will be arriving shortly as well.”

Chu Hanjin nodded. He stepped outside the inn, where horses had already been prepared. Fengliu City was quite far from the capital of the Rongku Sect, so they would first head to a transfer point to meet up with other cultivators.

The carriage was spacious, and Bai Gu was thrown onto the floor, his arms bound, his head hitting the wooden beams with a “thud.” He still looked weak, leaning his head against the beam as he called out softly, “Brother Jiu.”

Yue Lin glanced at him, climbed onto the carriage, and grabbed the reins.

The horse started to move slowly. It was May, and along the road, flowers bloomed everywhere. As the carriage passed through the flower fields, Yue Lin reached out, plucking a flower and tossing it onto Chu Hanjin.

Chu Hanjin, holding the small flower petal, said nothing.

A moment later, Yue Lin casually threw another flower, landing it on Chu Hanjin’s snow-white robe.

One by one, deliberately teasing.

Chu Hanjin finally sat up, walked over to Yue Lin’s side, and gracefully sat down beside him. “Why are you throwing flowers at me?”

Yue Lin answered simply, “Because you’re good-looking.”

Bored in the carriage, Chu Hanjin picked a flower and tossed it at Yue Lin in return. “You’re good-looking too.”

Yue Lin burst into laughter.

Seeing him laugh, Chu Hanjin couldn’t help but smile as well, his normally serious expression softening slightly at the corners of his lips.

This scene caused Bai Gu, who had just looked up to lower his head again.

The road led through a dense forest and under the blazing sun, the area seemed devoid of life. Every few miles, a small tea stand would appear with a large water bucket placed nearby to chill watermelons and tea. Locals would lazily fan themselves next to a wooden sign reading, “Three coins for water.”

But today, something felt off. They hadn’t seen any of the usual tea vendors along the road, and the weather was particularly hot. As they neared the mountain’s summit, they finally spotted a tea stand, where a middle-aged man with a beard was sitting, stroking his whiskers.

Yue Lin pulled the reins and asked Chu Hanjin, “Thirsty?”

Chu Hanjin nodded.

The Rongku Sect investigators ahead also called for a halt. “Let’s rest for a bit before continuing.”

As they approached the tea stand, they noticed that the wooden sign didn’t say “Three coins for water,” but instead, “Answer a question, get water.”

Yue Lin walked over to the table, wiped down the bench and waited for Chu Hanjin to sit.

One of the Rongku Sect investigators casually shouted, “Brother, get us a bowl of water!”

The middle-aged man, with his fair complexion and scholarly air, tapped a calligraphy brush against a wooden board and said, “First, answer a question.”

The group of cultivators exchanged glances.

Under normal circumstances, if anyone dared play tricks on them, they would have knocked him aside with a slap and taken the water. But today was different—Chu Hanjin was with them.

It was well-known that Chu Hanjin was upright and adhered strictly to the rules of a gentleman. If they bullied the tea vendor in front of him, the Rongku Sect would lose face. That would be quite embarrassing.

After some thought, one of the cultivators said, “Fine, ask away.”

“I’d like to see what kind of question you’ve got.”

The middle-aged man said calmly, “It’s actually quite simple. All I need you to tell me is the happiest memory of your life.”

“Oh, so it’s just a little question, nothing difficult,” the cultivator said. “Are you one of those writers from the mountains, sitting here by the roadside, listening to people tell stories in exchange for water?”

The middle-aged man smiled. “Yes, I enjoy listening to stories.”

One of the cultivators said, “Fine! The happiest memory of my life? That has to be the first-level test! I broke through to the second level in less than a quarter of an hour. Although my spiritual energy has since weakened, I’ve yet to meet an opponent who can match that achievement!”

Another said, “For me? It’s when my master told me that out of all his disciples, only I truly understood his mindset.”

“There have been many happy moments. I used to have a beautiful confidante. Every evening, we’d meet by the small bridge, the water shimmering and the sky filled with colorful clouds. It was such a beautiful time!”

“Still attached to romance after all this cultivation?”

“Haha, just kidding…”

“…”

A few of the more lively cultivators began to chat, and the middle-aged man smiled, saying, “Please, drink water.”

They took a ladle and scooped up some water, gulping it down, then sat back, chatting and cooling off. Some more cautious individuals watched them drink and, seeing no ill effects, stepped up to the middle-aged man.

“Drink water.”

“First, tell me a happy story.”

The cautious one made something up. “Once, I made a fortune, and it felt amazing.”

The middle-aged man glanced at him, understanding the joke, but didn’t stop writing. He continued to record the story and said, “Please, drink.”

The man drank the water and sat nearby, fanning himself.

Chu Hanjin wasn’t one to rush, and Yue Lin was also observing, waiting for everyone else to finish before stepping forward.

When it was their turn, the middle-aged man paused his writing and asked Chu Hanjin, “Please, share a happy memory.”

But Yue Lin pointed to his lips and shook his head, indicating that he couldn’t speak—he was mute.

The other cultivators laughed. “Clever! Let’s see if this gets him water!”

“Yeah, why didn’t we think of that excuse earlier?”

“Hey, tea vendor! He can’t speak, so naturally, he can’t tell a story. Will you still give him water?”

The middle-aged man hesitated for a moment, then said, “Please, drink.”

The cultivators cheered. “Impressive! Well played! Free water!”

Yue Lin scooped up a ladle of water, took a sip himself, then glanced down thoughtfully.

After confirming that there was nothing wrong, he offered the ladle to Chu Hanjin. “Drink.”

“Being so cautious?”

“It’s not that. They were too careless. We’re escorting dangerous criminals, and while the cultivators from the Rongku Sect are all top experts, they’ve been acting far too casual.”

Chu Hanjin nodded, “You’re right.”

He took the ladle from Yue Lin and sipped the water. Even while drinking from a large ladle, his posture was refined and elegant, his fingers delicately holding the ladle as he drank slowly.

Yue Lin watched him closely, his eyes lingering as he lightly licked his dry lips.

When Chu Hanjin finished drinking and looked up, he found Yue Lin staring at his lips, an indescribable heat in his gaze.

Chu Hanjin hesitated, handing the ladle back to him. “Thirsty? You drink too.”

Yue Lin was indeed thirsty, but not in the way Chu Hanjin thought.

Seeing Yue Lin holding the ladle, lost in thought Chu Hanjin said, “There’s plenty more.”

Yue Lin nodded, lowered his head, and lightly ran his tongue over the spot where Chu Hanjin had just drunk.

The tip of his tongue was crimson, and his movements were indecent as he shamelessly remarked, “Such sweet water.”

Understanding the underlying meaning of his words, Chu Hanjin felt a slight flush at the back of his ears, and he quickly turned his face away, unable to look directly at him.

…How indecent.

Yue Lin returned the ladle to the tea vendor. Then, he bought a watermelon, cutting it open and handing the reddest slice to Chu Hanjin.

Chu Hanjin said, “Why not share it with them as well?”

Yue Lin’s response was indifferent. “No.”

“…”

Fine, no sharing then.

The two quietly ate their watermelon while the others, having finished their water and watermelon, began to doze off. The middle-aged man writing in the corner also closed his tattered book, leaned back in his chair, and shut his eyes.

A few more cautious individuals, who hadn’t touched the water from the beginning, remained alert, their hands gripping their swords tightly, keeping a close watch on the carriage carrying Bai Gu and Luo Yang.

As the sun began to set, the middle-aged man woke up first, reopening his book and resuming his writing.

The others nudged each other awake. “Wake up, time to move on!”

“Let’s get going!”

In no time, the cultivators were awake and ready to continue the journey. Some drove the carriage, while others led their horses. As they rounded a bend in the mountain, another tea stand appeared in front of them.

Sitting at the stand was the same middle-aged man, his long beard swaying in the wind.

Chu Hanjin’s eyes widened slightly in surprise, immediately becoming alert. But the other cultivators casually untied their reins and walked up to him, using the same words as before: “Give us a bowl of water!”

Chu Hanjin exchanged a glance with Yue Lin.

Yue Lin nodded. “There’s definitely something wrong here.”

They weren’t the only ones to realize this. Those who hadn’t drunk any water before were also on guard now.

As the cultivators approached the middle-aged man, he repeated his question, “Tell me a happy memory.”

One of the cultivators scratched his head, looking confused.

Anyone who had drunk the water earlier froze upon hearing this question. It was as if their souls had been hollowed out. They stood there, dazed, unable to answer.

They thought for a long time, shaking their heads repeatedly, their faces contorting in pain.

“I…”

“I don’t have any happy memories… Why am I here?”

Their strong self-preservation instincts kicked in, and they instinctively drew their swords, questioning those around them. “Who are you?”

The air became thick with tension, the scent of battle lingering in the air. A moment ago, these cultivators had been comrades escorting criminals, but now, they had completely forgotten who each other was. Chu Hanjin quickly understood, “This is a point-summon curse.”

Yue Lin: “Hmm?”

He had been dead for over twenty years, so these new spells were unfamiliar to him.

Chu Hanjin explained, “The first point is made by the people. The second is the response. Earlier, didn’t they each tell a story? And all the stories were happy ones?”

Yue Lin: “Yes.”

“That was the ‘point,’ and the ‘summon’—” Chu Hanjin speculated, “must have been in the water.”

A commotion broke out among the group.

Even though no one knew what would happen next, Yue Lin instinctively reached out.

He pulled Chu Hanjin behind him, shielding him.