Chapter 17 Listen Slowly

Seeing him shake his head, Ji Lianzhou sighed helplessly, “Ah Xu, that’s enough. You don’t need to go this far for me.”

Chu Xuyun wanted to explain further, but Yu Xiao behind him could no longer bear it.

“Have you said enough?” There was a strong killing intent in his voice, and Chu Xuyun could even sense the surge of demonic energy from Yu Xiao’s body, a sensation he had only felt before from enraged demons.

He quickly stepped between the two of them, blocking Yu Xiao.

“Immortal Monarch,” Yu Xiao looked down at him, flames igniting on the blade in his hand, and said softly, “My jealousy runs deep, you should have known that long ago.”

He couldn’t be considered a good person. The only reason he hadn’t killed Ji Lianzhou earlier was because he didn’t want to push Chu Xuyun too far.

Anyone who held a place in Chu Xuyun’s heart was intolerable to Yu Xiao.

Originally, he had only wanted to get closer to him bit by bit. Later on, the closer he got, the more Chu Xuyun tolerated and indulged him, and the more he wanted.

But greed knows no bounds.

“Outrageous, Yu Xiao. Is this how you speak to someone who saved your life?” Ji Lianzhou didn’t mind how Yu Xiao treated him, but he shouldn’t treat Chu Xuyun like this, “If it weren’t for Ah Xu, you would have died long ago in the Demon Realm, becoming a soul under the former Demon Sovereign’s sword!”

He had seen Yu Xiao a few times before.

The first time he saw him, he knew this child would become a great trouble in the future and shouldn’t stay long. Sure enough, now that he had harmed Ah Xu like this, he was truly ungrateful, cold-blooded, and heartless.

“How I speak to Madam, is it your turn to interfere?” Yu Xiao pulled Chu Xuyun into his arms, his eyes falling on Chu Xuyun’s face, the demonic blade in his hand pointed at Ji Lianzhou, “Immortal Lord, was that silent way truly cultivated for him?”

Chu Xuyun quickly shook his head.

Yu Xiao chuckled lightly, “You still want to protect him.”

Pausing, he raised his eyes coldly, and said indifferently, “If you don’t speak today, I’ll kill Ji Lianzhou. If you say one less word, I’ll cut him one more time. Whether you speak or not, it’s up to you.”

Chu Xuyun slowly opened his eyes wide, about to reach out to stop him, but Ji Lianzhou interrupted him.

“If you really think you’ve won me over, then come.” Ji Lianzhou narrowed his eyes, his fingertips enveloped in a chilling sword aura, “Ah Xu, I’ll help you get rid of this ungrateful wretch.”

Madam? How dare he insult Ah Xu like this? Ah Xu must hate him deeply!

In the tense moment, Chu Xuyun broke out in a cold sweat.

The Silent Way had been broken several times before. If it broke again, he would have to practice for a very long time to make up for it.

But what could he do? He couldn’t just watch Yu Xiao, whom he liked the most, and Ji Lianzhou, his closest friend, face off with swords drawn. He had to clear up the misunderstanding.

Chu Xuyun felt anxious, just as Ji Lianzhou’s gaze met his, seeming to say, “Don’t worry, I’m here.”

Chu Xuyun: …

Got it!

If he couldn’t persuade Yu Xiao, then he would persuade Lianzhou.

He suddenly grabbed Yu Xiao’s hand and pulled him back to his side.

Yu Xiao frowned, about to tell Chu Xuyun not to obstruct him again, when suddenly a hand climbed onto his chest.

He was briefly stunned, as if his feet were rooted to the ground, unable to move, just staring as Chu Xuyun approached, holding his face.

A soft, warm touch spread across his lips, and in that instant, the blazing flames on the demonic blade were extinguished. Yu Xiao stood still, allowing Chu Xuyun to awkwardly and urgently press his lips against his, slowly opening his eyes wide.

There was no skill involved. Chu Xuyun had never taken the initiative to kiss anyone. Instead of calling it an affectionate kiss, it was more like gentle coaxing.

Chu Xuyun, in a tease.

“Ah Xu…” Ji Lianzhou looked at him in shock, his sword hadn’t trembled when slaying thousands of demon cultivators, but it shook violently now.

Chu Xuyun heard his voice and quickly released Yu Xiao, turning to look at Ji Lianzhou, a bit embarrassed, eyes lowered.

Perhaps they had both calmed down now.

“Do you know what you’re doing?” Ji Lianzhou muttered incredulously, “He is a man, Yu Xiao, the one you’ve cared for since he was thirteen, and moreover, he’s a demon cultivator who kept you captive in the demon palace.”

Yu Xiao pursed his lips, his long knife hanging at his side, ears gradually turning a faint crimson.

He probably doesn’t feel anything Ji Lianzhou says now.

Indeed, both he and Chu Xuyun are about to be married. Why care about Ji Lianzhou? It’s just too narrow-minded.

The Immortal Lord does care for him. He protected him earlier, and now he kissed him in front of Ji Lianzhou, everything is clear.

He needs to be more tolerant. After marriage, he can’t keep pushing the Immortal Lord like before. Even if the Immortal Lord doesn’t say it, he would feel burdened.

It’s okay to suffer a little injustice as long as the Immortal Lord cares about him.

Yu Xiao’s smile couldn’t hide his happiness, making Ji Lianzhou’s face even paler.

“Ah Xu, speak, what exactly are you doing, I don’t understand.”

Seeing that he still didn’t understand, Chu Xuyun gritted his teeth, just about to grab Yu Xiao again and kiss him, but Yu Xiao gently stopped him and spoke responsibly, “Immortal Lord, there are still outsiders present. It’s not too late for us to be intimate after Sword Immortal leaves.”

Chu Xuyun: …?

Why did Yu Xiao change suddenly?

Could it be that he finds it awkward to do this kind of thing in front of Ji Lianzhou? Well, he’ll try a different approach.

Chu Xuyun reached out and gently unbuttoned Yu Xiao’s shirt.

“Xianjun, wait a moment…”

Now it was Yu Xiao’s turn to sweat slightly on his forehead. “Ji Lianzhou is still here. Let’s wait until he leaves…”

Ji Lianzhou gritted his teeth, unable to watch anymore. “Ah Xuyun, that’s enough!”

Though they weren’t in public, Ji Lianzhou’s eyes were watching. How could Ah Xuyun do this?

Could it be that Yu Xiao really did something unseen to him with some kind of magic, confusing his mind?

Chu Xuyun suddenly looked up at Ji Lianzhou and slowly took something out from Yu Xiao’s shirt.

Ji Lianzhou was still angry, and when his gaze fell on that thing, his throat suddenly went dry.

It was the jade pendant that Chu Xuyun’s mother had given him on his birthday, personally carved and unique.

Chu Xuyun cherished the pendant very much, always hanging it on the sword handle and never taking it out, always wearing it close to his heart.

Ji Lianzhou had teased him before, saying he would give that pendant to his future lover as a family heirloom.

But Chu Xuyun never cared much about such matters. He thought he would never see that jade pendant again in his life, but unexpectedly, he saw it now, around Yu Xiao’s neck.

What else was there to misunderstand?

Ah Xu truly wanted to… talk Yu Xiao.

Those four words made Ji Lianzhou’s vision go black.

No wonder he repeatedly stopped him from touching Yu Xiao. No wonder Li Yanhe said the Master didn’t want to leave. No wonder before coming, the sect leader sternly ordered him to bring Ah Xu back.

“You really…” Ji Lianzhou didn’t even know what to say to him. The words in his throat kept turning over and over, getting stuck halfway and not being able to spit out or swallow, “What exactly has happened to you…”

He had thought about it, but…

Chu Xuyun lowered his eyelashes and curled his fingertips slightly, unsure how to respond.

“Qianjie gave it to me after I left.” Ji Lianzhou took off Qianjie from his waist and threw it back to Chu Xuyun from afar, his voice very heavy, “He’s still waiting for you to go back. You make your choice. Leave with me today or continue indulging in love, staying by Yu Xiao, this demon cultivator.”

With that said, Yu Xiao’s heart suddenly tightened, “What do you take me for, you say you’ll take me away when I’m mine?”

Chu Xuyun remained silent, motionless, and after a long while, he took a thin piece of paper from his arms and handed it to Ji Lianzhou.

“Lianzhou, I’ll say it once. I won’t leave.”

He raised his eyes and said very seriously,

“I’m staying voluntarily.”

This was the last time he spoke. From then on, he would not explain this matter again.

This letter he had written long ago. He thought if Lianzhou ever came to the Demon Palace, he would give the letter to Lianzhou and let him take it back to the Master.

His voice was extremely light and low, as if a faint breeze was blowing past his ear, but it was so clear and had an irresistible penetration.

Ji Lianzhou stood still, inadvertently took the thin paper.

He carefully read each line on it and suddenly raised his eyes, looking at Chu Xuyun with a complex expression.

After a long time, he finally said, “I understand.”

Ji Lianzhou left.

Yu Xiao didn’t stop him, or more accurately, didn’t even think to stop him.

He watched as Chu Xuyun, with practiced ease, removed his outer garments and lay back on the soft bed.

His ears still tingled as if touched by flames, with Chu Xuyun’s words from earlier replaying in his mind.

He said he wouldn’t leave; it was his voluntary choice to stay.

Yu Xiao never dared to imagine there would come a day like today when Chu Xuyun would personally say he wanted to stay by his side.

Since bringing Chu Xuyun back to the Demon Palace, every day felt like a dream.

He cautiously approached Chu Xuyun, lying down beside him. Inside the palace, the candle flames flickered without wind.

The moon rose high, insects chirped softly outside the window.

In the quiet night, Yu Xiao’s voice came softly by his ear.

“Immortal Monarch, when does one truly attain Dao in silence?”

Chu Xuyun yawned, groping under the covers until he found Yu Xiao’s arm, gently embracing it without answering.

Yu Xiao’s heart skipped a beat suddenly, not daring to move, murmuring softly, “It’s not that I think your cultivation in the silent Dao is lacking, I just… I just wish I could hear you speak every day.”

Every time Chu Xuyun spoke, his heart raced.

Of course, most importantly, he wanted to hear Chu Xuyun explain why he wanted to stay, whether it truly was because of his feelings, and since when.

So many questions, he desperately wanted Chu Xuyun to answer in person, unable to bear the wait any longer.

After a long while without getting the desired response, Yu Xiao turned his head and found Chu Xuyun’s eyes tightly closed, already fast asleep.

He sighed softly, then chuckled to himself.

Even if it was a lie, he had already believed it.

As time passed, even if Chu Xuyun could only speak one word per year in reply,

he would listen patiently.

—

Taiqing Sect.

Li Yanhe looked at Ji Lianzhou returning to the sect gate with a dark expression, rushing back under the stars and moonlight. Astonished, he asked, “Senior Sword Immortal, where’s Master?”

Ji Lianzhou did not respond.

“Senior, you weren’t… caught by Yu Xiao too, were you?” Li Yanhe couldn’t believe it, covering his mouth.

If even Ji Lianzhou had been defeated, was there anyone in this world who could control Yu Xiao?

Ji Lianzhou’s face darkened further. “I didn’t fight him.”

Li Yanhe didn’t notice his expression, just thinking of Chu Xuyun still in Yu Xiao’s grasp. Unable to hold back, he anxiously asked, “Senior Sword Immortal, I at least exchanged a few moves with Yu Xiao. If you didn’t fight him at all, I might as well have stayed in the Demon Palace…”

Ji Lianzhou took a deep breath, looked at Li Yanhe, and gave a frustrated smile, answering him in an unrelated manner, “Your Master is getting married. Remember to prepare some gifts and come with me to the wedding feast.”

Li Yanhe: ?