Qiao Xuan’s seventh life occurred just 28 years ago.

At that time, a thousand years had passed since Xiao Lü established a peaceful era. As with all things, unity gave way to division, and after a millennium, the nation of Nanyue was once again plunged into turmoil and chaos.

The Crown Prince, Xiao Liang, though kind-hearted and concerned for his people, was weak in character. Prince Jin, Xiao Pei, the son of a favored consort, was ambitious, and the other brothers were no less dangerous. The court was unstable, with factions ruling independently.

The emperor, lost in his indulgences, ignored the conflicts brewing among his sons, spending his days in a drunken stupor.

Following a series of natural disasters—floods and droughts—public discontent grew. There were whispers of rebellion. If the situation continued, Nanyue was destined for war and fragmentation, with the common folk suffering the most.

In this lifetime, Qiao Xuan was called Qin Mu, born into a merchant family. From a young age, he practiced martial arts and became quite skilled. However, in these troubled times, the Qin family was attacked by bandits, and his parents were killed. Qin Mu, with his younger sister Qin Jingbai, eventually made their way to the capital.

During this journey, Qin Mu witnessed the hardships of the people, the pain of separation and loss, and resolved to change things. But his personal strength was limited. When he learned that the Crown Prince Xiao Liang was dedicated to the welfare of the people, he offered his services and became one of the Crown Prince’s retainers.

Qin Mu, with his exceptional martial arts and steady, reliable demeanor, quickly earned the Crown Prince’s trust.

A few years passed in the blink of an eye.

One day, Qin Mu was returning to the capital after delivering a message to the governor of Chuzhou on behalf of the Crown Prince when he was ambushed by Prince Jin’s assassins.

Cornered, Qin Mu fled into an abandoned temple, where he unexpectedly encountered a young man quietly drinking alone in the courtyard, covered in fallen leaves. The young man, dressed in a simple gray Daoist robe, had a refined and elegant appearance, holding a wine gourd in his hand. He glanced at Qin Mu but continued drinking as if he hadn’t noticed him.

Qin Mu, however, was frantic. With the assassins hot on his trail, he feared the young man would be dragged into the danger and urgently told him to leave quickly, to not stay here!

But the young man paid him no heed, unmoved.

Qin Mu was at a loss. Already injured, he knew he was no match for the assassins. He needed to hide, but if he fled now, the assassins would surely kill the young man, an innocent bystander.

With no time to waste, Qin Mu made his decision. Gritting his teeth, he stood firm with his sword, placing himself in front of the young man.

At that moment, the assassins arrived.

Qin Mu had led them here, and there was no way he could flee and leave the young man to die, even if the odds of survival were slim…

Outnumbered, Qin Mu was forced back, covered in wounds. As a blade slashed near his neck, he thought he was going to die. But just then, the young man behind him, who had been drinking, casually flicked his finger. Drops of wine transformed into sharp blades, killing the assassins instantly.

Stunned, Qin Mu realized that he had encountered a formidable expert. The young man was so skilled that he had never feared being implicated by Qin Mu’s presence.

The young man’s gray eyes were indifferent, as though he couldn’t care less about the fight that had just transpired. He asked, “Why didn’t you run?”

Qin Mu could have fled. By staying, the young man could have delayed the assassins and bought Qin Mu time. But Qin Mu had always acted with honor and integrity—how could he abandon an innocent bystander to save himself?

So he replied, “If I ran, what would happen to you?”

At these words, the young man burst into laughter, while Qin Mu, slightly embarrassed, realized that was exactly what he had been thinking before. Though the young man didn’t need his protection, Qin Mu’s actions had been driven by a clear conscience.

After a long laugh, the young man shook his head and said, “I didn’t help you just now. They were interrupting my drinking.”

Qin Mu nodded. “Apologies, and thank you.”

Though he had brought the trouble, the young man had still helped him out.

Qin Mu was about to leave when the young man chuckled softly and said, “Since we’ve met, why don’t you stay for a drink?”

That night, they sat on the rooftop and drank together until dawn.

The wine in the young man’s wooden gourd was the finest Qin Mu had ever tasted. Even the Crown Prince’s best wines couldn’t compare. It was like nothing from the mortal world.

After that, they became friends.

Qin Mu learned that the young man’s name was Lu Chen, a free-spirited wanderer.

Lu Chen was elusive and carefree, carrying a gourd of good wine wherever he went. Whenever they met, they would drink and chat about all kinds of things, forming a deep bond.

Qin Mu regarded Lu Chen as a close confidant.

He once told Lu Chen that when the Crown Prince became emperor and peace was restored to the world, he would find a quiet place to open a tavern and live a peaceful, carefree life like Lu Chen.

Lu Chen agreed, saying that sounded nice.

Qin Mu even asked Lu Chen if he had ever considered using his skills to fight injustice or change the world. He invited Lu Chen to help him in the Crown Prince’s service. But Lu Chen remained indifferent.

He said everything had its place in the cycle of life, that birth, aging, illness, and death were all predestined. He seemed utterly detached from the world, as if none of it concerned him.

Qin Mu and Lu Chen were alike in some ways but different in others.

Qin Mu couldn’t ignore the injustices around him and wanted to do what little he could to help. But Lu Chen was an indifferent observer.

Everyone had their own path, and Qin Mu didn’t press the issue. He simply treated Lu Chen as a friend to drink and chat with. Over time, however, his feelings deepened.

Perhaps he admired Lu Chen’s carefree attitude, his ability to be unbothered by anything. Lu Chen seemed to live in a way that nothing in the world could hold him back. He was untouched by the passage of time, as if spring and winter meant nothing to him.

But Qin Mu couldn’t be like that. He was just an ordinary man.

There were too many things he couldn’t let go of.

Maybe that’s why he envied Lu Chen so much. He dreamed of one day achieving his own goals and living a carefree life with Lu Chen, drinking and riding horses through the open world.

It wasn’t a great time to live in. Qin Mu was just another pawn in the chaos of his era. Meeting Lu Chen had been a coincidence, but Lu Chen became the only person in that chaotic world whom he could truly confide in.

Love, perhaps, is born from such moments of unexpected connection.

But Qin Mu never knew what Lu Chen truly thought. He didn’t dare reveal his feelings and kept them hidden deep inside.

As long as he could stay by Lu Chen’s side, Qin Mu was content.

The struggle between the Crown Prince and Prince Jin intensified.

Although the Crown Prince was talented and kind, he was indecisive. In contrast, Prince Jin was aggressive and ruthless, backed by a powerful maternal clan. But to seize the throne, Prince Jin needed a legitimate claim.

At that time, the nation of Nanyue held a legendary imperial jade seal, passed down from Emperor Xiao Lü a thousand years ago. It was said that whoever held the seal would rule the empire.

The jade seal was a symbol of royal authority, said to have protected Nanyue’s peace for a thousand years.

Qin Mu didn’t believe such legends. How could a mere seal protect an empire for a millennium? If it had that power, Nanyue wouldn’t be in such a dire state now.

But in the end, the jade seal became crucial.

The Crown Prince was losing ground in his struggle against Prince Jin. He sensed that Prince Jin would soon make a move against him. If Prince Jin captured the Crown Prince and acquired the jade seal, he could claim the throne legitimately.

One day, the Crown Prince summoned Qin Mu. With a somber expression, the Crown Prince, filled with resolve, asked Qin Mu to do something for him.

He wanted Qin Mu to take the imperial jade seal and hide it.

Even if the Crown Prince were to die, without the jade seal, Prince Jin would never be seen as a rightful emperor. He would be nothing more than a treacherous usurper.

Qin Mu agreed to the Crown Prince’s request, swearing to protect the seal with his life.

The Crown Prince trusted him completely and handed him the jade seal.

That night, a storm brewed in the capital of Nanyue.

Qin Mu quickly sent his sister away and returned home to gather his things. Just as he was about to leave, he saw Lu Chen sitting on the roof, drinking alone.

It was just like the first day they met.

The moon hung high behind Lu Chen, casting his face in shadow, hiding his expression.

This was Qin Mu’s confidant, the man he couldn’t stop thinking about. He hadn’t expected Lu Chen to return now. He had thought they wouldn’t even get a chance to say goodbye.

Maybe it was fate.

Qin Mu smiled. “It’s been a while.”

But tonight, something about Lu Chen was different. He didn’t invite Qin Mu to drink, nor did he have his usual lazy, carefree smile. Instead, his expression was dark and unreadable, and he looked at Qin Mu with a strange, complicated gaze. In a hoarse voice, he said, “Nanyue’s time has come. No matter how hard you try, you won’t be able to save anything.”

Nanyue’s time has come?

Given Prince Jin’s ruthless nature, if he took the throne, life would indeed worsen for the people, and the country could collapse…

But if Nanyue were to fall, it would be the common folk who suffered most from the chaos.

Qin Mu, in a serious tone, said, “I just want to save as many people as I can.”

At this, Lu Chen’s lips curled into a mocking smile, as if he found Qin Mu’s words laughably naive. He said, “Life, death, and rebirth are just part of the natural cycle. Mortals who try to defy destiny are the most ridiculous. All of humanity, in the end, are mere ants.”

Looking at the young man on the roof, Qin Mu realized that when Lu Chen spoke these words, he wasn’t just being flippant—he genuinely believed them. To him, everything was insignificant, and Qin Mu wondered what, if anything, could ever matter to someone like Lu Chen. Perhaps there was nothing in this world that could capture his attention.

Qin Mu admired Lu Chen’s carefree spirit, but he couldn’t be as detached as him. So, in the end, they weren’t on the same path.

What is destiny? What is fate?

Qin Mu didn’t believe in such things.

After a long silence, he asked, “If that’s the case, then why are you here today?”

Lu Chen stared at him with cold, emotionless eyes. “What if you go and never come back?”

Qin Mu smiled. “Then that will be my choice. Besides, what’s wrong with being an ant? As long as I’ve done everything I can, I’ll have no regrets.”

He thought back to his younger self, so full of ambition and ideals, practicing martial arts with the aim of upholding justice. Maybe that youthful spirit hadn’t yet been extinguished. Everyone has something they hold onto, and for Qin Mu, it was his inability to ignore the suffering around him.

Lu Chen was a bystander.

But Qin Mu was right in the middle of it.

I don’t know who you really are, where you came from, or where you’re going. But I’m glad you came to see me today.

If there’s a next time, let’s drink together again.

Qin Mu gave Lu Chen one last look, then turned and left.

With the imperial jade seal in hand, Qin Mu quietly left the capital. Soon after, Prince Jin learned of his escape and dispatched assassins to hunt him down.

Three days later, Qin Mu was cornered in a small town.

He was brought before Prince Jin.

But no matter how hard Prince Jin’s men searched, they couldn’t find the jade seal.

Qin Mu smiled. He had known he couldn’t outrun Prince Jin’s men, so he had hidden the seal ahead of time. Even if Prince Jin caught him, he wouldn’t get the jade seal.

Infuriated, Prince Jin ordered his men to torture Qin Mu.

For two days and nights, Qin Mu was beaten and bloodied, his body barely recognizable. In his delirium, he thought of what Lu Chen had said to him.

That night… did you already know this would happen?

I knew too. My efforts were like the light of a firefly, too small to change anything, unable to alter fate…

But this was my conviction, my promise to the Crown Prince.

I must fulfill my duty.

I’ve done all I can, and I have no regrets.

………………

Qiao Xuan snapped back to the present. Reflecting on his life with Lu Chen, there wasn’t much to say. It wasn’t really love—more of a friendship.

His fate hadn’t been caused by Lu Chen. Lu Chen was more like a brief interlude in his life.

As for his unspoken feelings, they were probably just one-sided, nothing more.

Maybe he was drawn to Lu Chen’s carefree spirit, but he could never match his indifference. Lu Chen wasn’t just detached from the world; he seemed detached from feelings as well. That coldness was in his bones.

Nothing and no one could stay in his life for long.

Perhaps that’s why Qiao Xuan had never confessed his feelings. If he didn’t say anything, at least they could remain friends. If he spoke up, they might not even have that.

Since it was just a one-sided crush, he couldn’t really blame Lu Chen for anything.

Feelings, after all, are a personal matter.

Even if he had confessed, there was no rule saying Lu Chen had to accept.

Just as Lu Chen had great power, but no one could force him to become a hero.

Qiao Xuan wasn’t one to use moral coercion. A secret crush was a secret crush. The only thing that had really bothered him about that life was how horribly he had died. That memory was a little too painful. Looking at himself now, it was hard to believe he had once been that unbreakable person.

The only thing that puzzled him was how the Crown Prince had managed to turn things around and become emperor after all. Now, Nanyue was prosperous and at peace…

If he hadn’t died, he probably would have been credited for helping the new emperor rise to power, right? Qiao Xuan stroked his chin thoughtfully.

As for Lu Chen…

He was always a free spirit. Qiao Xuan hadn’t expected to run into him again. Even more surprising was how close he seemed to be with his sister, Qin Jingbai. The writing on the inn’s sign? That was Lu Chen’s handwriting…

This didn’t seem like Lu Chen at all…

That guy never liked getting involved in other people’s affairs.

Qiao Xuan had only planned to check on his sister and leave quickly. Who would have thought he’d run into Lu Chen? What were the odds?

Were there really that many of his past lovers out there?

The three realms are vast, and yet, out of all seven, do they really have to keep bumping into me?

Qiao Xuan met Lu Chen’s sharp gaze and felt a tightness in his chest. He was starting to feel uneasy when Lu Chen looked away and resumed talking to Qin Jingbai.

Qiao Xuan quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

It was just a coincidence…

Lu Chen wasn’t like those powerful figures—he was just a mortal! Finally, one of his lovers was a mortal. Qiao Xuan was almost moved to tears. Heaven knew how hard it had been dealing with those powerful figures, none of whom he could defeat, constantly trying to survive between a rock and a hard place…

Mortals were wonderful!

Danger level of Lu Chen: ★

Easily the least troublesome of all his past lovers!

Now that his appearance and body were different, and Lu Chen was just a mortal, Qiao Xuan wasn’t worried about being recognized. He sipped his wine leisurely, keeping his head down while eavesdropping on Lu Chen and Qin Jingbai’s conversation.

Qin Jingbai was politely thanking Lu Chen for all the help he had given her over the years.

Lu Chen replied, “You’re Qin Mu’s sister. Qin Mu was my friend. Since he’s no longer here, it’s only right that I look after you.”

From anyone else, those words would have sounded perfectly normal.

But coming from Lu Chen, Qiao Xuan found it absurd and unreal. Lu Chen had always been the type to watch people die right in front of him without so much as blinking. He always spoke of fate and destiny, with a detached attitude toward life and death. Compassion wasn’t in his vocabulary.

He wasn’t a mortal—he was more like a cold, indifferent god.

Qiao Xuan felt a bit distracted.

Suddenly, someone sat down in front of him.

Just as Qiao Xuan was about to say he wasn’t sharing a table, he looked up and saw the gray-eyed youth sitting across from him. His words froze on his lips, and he almost spat out his drink.

Weren’t you just talking to my sister?

When did you come over here???

Author’s Note:

This chapter contains 200 random red packet giveaways~

The Exes: We just want to know, why do you never worry about us or check in on us, but you’re so concerned about a mere mortal girl?

Qiao Xuan: You’re all so powerful, living better than I ever could. What do you need me for? What nonsense.jpg

Author: Makes sense!

The Exes: …