The room was extremely quiet.

In a groggy state, Chu Hanjin felt his shoulder being gently drawn back into Yue Lin’s arms. The damp, warm cloth wiped over his body, then wrung out another one to place on his wrist.

Chu Hanjin opened his eyes and was met with Yue Lin’s profile. His sharp features were clear, and sweat trickled down, giving him a wild allure.

Sensing Chu Hanjin’s gaze, Yue Lin turned to meet his eyes.

“…”

Chu Hanjin quickly looked away.

But just as he turned his head, his chin was gently held, turning him back for a soft kiss. Yue Lin’s fingertips lightly traced his chin before sliding down to press gently on his slightly swollen lips.

“Are you cold?” Yue Lin asked, his eyes glancing at Chu Hanjin’s pale back.

Chu Hanjin’s eyelids reddened slightly as he lowered his gaze. “Cold.”

Yue Lin took a cloak and draped it over his shoulders, pulling him into his arms, his chin resting lightly on Chu Hanjin’s shoulder. “Tonight was really great. I’ve been thinking about this night for a long time, and many times I thought it would never happen, but here we are.”

He wasn’t wearing any clothes, his broad shoulders and back exposed. The taut muscles reminded Chu Hanjin of their intense activities earlier, causing his waist to feel weak again.

Chu Hanjin turned his head away, his side profile as pale as jade, making Yue Lin’s eyes darken slightly. “Ah Chu…”

As he spoke, he leaned in again, wetly licking Chu Hanjin’s ear.

He sucked on his earlobe, leaving it moist and itchy. As soon as Yue Lin got close, Chu Hanjin could smell the heat radiating off him, mixed with an uncontrollable, lustful restlessness.

Chu Hanjin suddenly stood up. “…Enough.”

Unexpectedly, Yue Lin still held onto him, his palm rubbing Chu Hanjin’s wrist, leaving it slightly red. His eyes gazed up, and his voice was warm. “Just sit with me for a bit longer.”

Given what had just happened, Chu Hanjin knew they were like dry wood and fire. Sitting any longer would undoubtedly lead to things flaring up again. Trying to stay rational, Chu Hanjin said, “No, I’m going to sleep.”

Yue Lin’s gaze turned dark and displeased.

The sound of the night watchman’s bell echoed from the street. Chu Hanjin suppressed the shame in his throat and said seriously, “If we sit any longer, it’ll be morning, and we have things to do tomorrow.”

Yue Lin lowered his eyes, still unhappy.

Chu Hanjin couldn’t care about his mood anymore. After adjusting his clothes, he lifted the curtain and said, “I’m going to sleep.”

With that, he didn’t care if Yue Lin followed.

On the bed, Chu Zhaoyang was sprawled out, his little belly exposed. Chu Hanjin gently covered him with the blanket before lying down, wrapping his arms around him to sleep.

In the dark, another figure quietly approached the bed.

Yue Lin, with his strong brows, looked at the father and son on the bed and sighed softly, seemingly helpless as he lifted the blanket and climbed in as well.

Chu Hanjin wanted to turn around, but his waist was gently hugged, his back pressed tightly against a warm, muscular chest. His spine stiffened immediately, but then he felt a comforting kiss on the back of his ear.

“Sleep. I won’t do anything.”

…Won’t do anything?

This position was making it very hard for Chu Hanjin to lower his guard.

“I really won’t. If I make a move, you can kick me off the bed, how about that?” Yue Lin said sincerely.

“…”

Chu Hanjin was at a loss for words. He glanced back at Yue Lin before turning to hug Chu Zhaoyang again.

Perhaps because he had been tired earlier, Chu Hanjin fell asleep quickly. But later, he was woken by an uncomfortable sensation. Something firm was pressing against him from beneath the fabric—

Chu Hanjin opened his eyes to find the room filled with daylight, white light streaming into the courtyard.

He realized what was pressing against him and, flustered and embarrassed, he pushed Yue Lin away with a sharp tug on his clothes.

Yue Lin woke up, raised an eyebrow, and looked at him in surprise.

Then he understood why Chu Hanjin was upset.

But…

Yue Lin opened his mouth, “I didn’t mean to.”

Chu Zhaoyang also woke up, rubbing his sleepy eyes, looking dazed at his two fathers. Seeing him awake, Yue Lin quickly turned away to hide, while Chu Hanjin composed himself and patted the child’s head. “Time to get up.”

“Mmm,” Chu Zhaoyang nodded eagerly, climbing out of bed and reaching out for Yue Lin to carry him. However, Yue Lin hurriedly walked away.

“Huh?” Zhaoyang looked at Chu Hanjin in confusion.

“…”

Chu Hanjin had nothing to say. He helped Zhaoyang get dressed and said, “Go play in the courtyard. Breakfast will be ready soon.”

Zhaoyang seemed to understand and obediently went to the courtyard.

Yue Lin, still shirtless, was rinsing off with cold water from the well. The icy water flowed over his strong muscles, and the scar on his chest no longer needed bandaging, leaving behind a dark mark.

Chu Hanjin walked into the courtyard, glanced at him, then looked away expressionlessly.

Yue Lin bit his lip lightly, said nothing, and poured the rest of the water over himself.

A vendor passing by with a load of tofu pudding called out. Yue Lin grabbed a bowl and ordered three servings for breakfast.

After eating, Zhaoyang climbed up a tree and began to play, pretending to be a fruit swaying in the breeze, enjoying the gentle rocking.

Chu Hanjin gathered the dishes and was about to leave the kitchen when he bumped into a tall figure.

Yue Lin, with nothing better to do, blocked his path with his long leg and mischievously opened his arms to hug him, acting like a scoundrel teasing an innocent woman.

Chu Hanjin: “…”

Yue Lin leaned in close to Chu Hanjin’s neck, breathing in deeply with a chuckle. “Ah Chu smells so nice.”

“…”

Chu Hanjin pushed him away. “Yue Lin.”

“Hmm? What is it?” Yue Lin responded in a low voice, kissing the pale skin of Chu Hanjin’s neck as his hand slid from his back to his waist.

Chu Hanjin was furious. “Yue Lin!”

This time, Yue Lin stopped, his eyes fixed on him as if not understanding why Chu Hanjin was angry.

Chu Hanjin said, “You’re being indecent in broad daylight!”

“…”

Caught up in the moment, Yue Lin had forgotten how much Chu Hanjin valued propriety.

Yue Lin muttered, “I thought…”

“You thought,” Chu Hanjin’s face turned red with anger. “I agreed, but I didn’t say you could do it anytime! Have some self-respect!”

“…”

Yue Lin stood there, while Chu Hanjin, already beyond frustrated, pushed past him and left the courtyard.

…Well.

That’s actually good news.

Chu Hanjin was traditional at heart, believing such things should only happen behind closed doors at night, with the lights off. During the day, they should stay proper and focus on important matters… How cute.

Yue Lin grabbed the talismans he had drawn last night and walked into the courtyard. “The sun’s up, and the market must be open by now. I’ll go sell these and see if we can make some money. Want to come with me?”

As expected, once the conversation shifted to something serious, although Chu Hanjin still looked a bit annoyed, he didn’t argue. He called out to Zhaoyang, “Do you want to come too?”

Zhaoyang climbed down from the tree and took Chu Hanjin’s hand, signaling that wherever Chu Hanjin went, he would follow.

“In that case,” Yue Lin said, “let’s go.”

The streets were bustling with people. They found a spot near the bridge by the river, laid out some paper, and arranged the talismans on top. Borrowing a stool from a nearby tea stall, they sat down.

Yue Lin quickly stood up again and walked over to the roadside. He returned shortly, handing Chu Hanjin a bamboo hat with a white veil that could cover his face. “You should wear this. We don’t want people recognizing you as Lord Yue Zhao selling talismans in the street. It wouldn’t sound good.”

…He’s actually worried about his reputation?

Chu Hanjin gave him a look, then took the hat.

A few passersby stopped to watch.

“What kind of talismans are you selling?”

Yue Lin replied, “Just some basic ones—fire-starting talismans, water-fetching talismans, rain-repelling talismans.”

“Can you demonstrate one?”

Yue Lin took out a talisman, chanted an incantation, and immediately, water gushed from the talisman, flowing continuously onto the ground. Zhaoyang’s eyes widened in awe, almost unable to believe that Yue Lin was his father. His face was full of admiration!

Yue Lin chuckled, “It’s nothing special.”

The onlookers also chuckled. “These low-level talismans are only useful for people who haven’t formed their core yet. No serious cultivator would buy these. It’s child’s play.”

Yue Lin remained calm. “Right. If you don’t need it, then don’t buy it. I’m just here to make a bit of pocket change selling basic talismans. Someone will buy them.”

The person, unwilling to leave, circled the stall and asked, “Can you do advanced spells?”

Yue Lin replied, “I can, but I doubt you could handle them.”

“Oh, come on, draw one!”

A crowd had gathered, watching with interest. “Daozhang, draw something impressive. If you do, I’ll buy all your talismans.”

“Yeah, draw one! Draw one!”

Yue Lin glanced at Chu Hanjin’s expression, then rolled up his sleeves and stood up, surveying the crowd. “Are you serious? Will you really buy them all?”

“Yes, we will!”

“A gentleman’s word is his bond!”

“Alright.” Yue Lin picked up the red ink brush, cut a piece of yellow paper, and scribbled something on it. When he finished, he showed it to Chu Hanjin first.

“…”

It was just a messy doodle with no real spell or formation.

Feigning seriousness, Yue Lin laid the talisman out on the stall. “Who can summon the spell from this talisman?”

“Let me see?”

Everyone crowded around, examining the talisman. “I’ve never seen this kind of spell before.”

“Yeah, this design looks really complicated…”

Chu Hanjin remained expressionless, ready to take Zhaoyang and leave, in case Yue Lin’s scam dragged them down with him.

“Anyone able to summon it? No? Told you so, but you didn’t believe me.” Yue Lin waved them away. “Move along. Don’t waste my time.”

At that moment, the crowd parted, and a man in black armor stepped forward, his expression serious. He took the talisman from Yue Lin’s hand and examined it.

He quickly realized it was a fake and tore it to pieces with a sneer. “Fraud.”

The onlookers were stunned, and then some began to grow angry. “You’re a fraud?!”

Yue Lin flicked his fingers lazily. “It’s not fraud. I was just having a little fun.”

“Fun? You, you, you’re just a fraud. Looks like your skills aren’t all that great. Trying to fool people with stuff like this!”

“Even a dog wouldn’t buy your talismans!”

Yue Lin, growing impatient, clicked his tongue.

He wasn’t annoyed at the crowd but at the man who had spoiled his fun.

Now that things had escalated, Yue Lin knew that if he didn’t draw a real talisman to prove himself, they wouldn’t be able to sell anything. So, with a casual wave of his brush, he quickly drew a new talisman.

The crowd murmured among themselves.

“What’s this? I’ve never seen this design before. You’re not trying to trick us again, are you?”

Someone tried channeling their spirit energy into it. “It looks like a fire-starting talisman, but why won’t it activate?”

Yue Lin stood by with amusement, while the man in black armor inspected the talisman, his expression thoughtful. He flicked his fingers, and a spark ignited, causing the talisman to burst into flames on his hand.

He smirked, thinking he had figured it out, but when he tried to extinguish the flame, he realized it wouldn’t go out. The fire began to burn his skin, and no matter what he did, it wouldn’t stop.

Cold sweat dripped from his forehead as he looked at Yue Lin.

This was a fire that wouldn’t go out.

Though small, it absorbed the faintest traces of spiritual energy from the air, burning continuously.

After struggling for a while, the man grew frustrated and snapped at Yue Lin. “Put it out!”

Yue Lin snapped his fingers, and the flame disappeared instantly. Without even looking at the man, he lazily turned to the crowd and asked, “Who said they’d buy everything?”

Zhaoyang, imitating his father, crossed his arms and looked around at the crowd.

It was as if he, too, was saying, “Who said they’d buy everything?”

Standing there with his arms crossed, he looked very impressive.

Yue Lin smiled and patted his head. “Good boy, good boy.”

Chu Hanjin watched the scene, a small smile tugging at his lips. But as he smiled, he couldn’t shake an uneasy feeling in his chest.

Someone nearby muttered, “You’re in trouble now. You’ve just offended the patrol chief!”

“What patrol chief?”

“On the surface, Yushui City belongs to Rongku Sect, but in reality, it’s run by a group of rebellious righteous path cultivators! That’s why the official cultivators stationed here don’t dare come around. If they do, they get killed. If they don’t get killed, they have to follow the rules set by these guys.”

“A cultivator organization?”

“Yes, not every cultivator who escapes the righteous path goes to the demon realm. Some of them settle in remote border towns like this, but since they’re being hunted by the righteous sects, they band together and form secret organizations to protect each other.”

Hearing this, Chu Hanjin realized what was going on.

“There’s such an organization in Yushui City. They don’t harm ordinary citizens, but any intruders are closely monitored. If they determine someone is a threat, they’ll kill them. With how flashy you’ve been, you might get into trouble.”

Chu Hanjin had heard rumors before, coming from a wealthy area in Jiangnan, but he didn’t expect to encounter it here.

He exchanged glances with Yue Lin.

Yue Lin said, “We’re just selling talismans. How is that causing trouble?”

“No trouble, no trouble.”

The other person chuckled, watched the show, and walked away with his hands clasped behind his back.

Sure enough, not far away, a few men in black stood at the corner of the street. They weren’t exactly hiding, but it was obvious they were keeping an eye on the two of them.

Yue Lin asked, “Are they assessing us?”

Chu Hanjin thought for a moment. “We should try to be polite and not cause any trouble. They probably won’t make things difficult for us.”

Yue Lin nodded and counted the money they had made from selling talismans. Each talisman sold for four or five copper coins. After gathering the earnings and tying them together with a straw string, he handed them to Chu Hanjin. “Money for food.”

“…”

Like a husband bringing home wages to his wife and kids.

Chu Hanjin coughed and took the coins, subtly praising him. “Not bad.”

Yue Lin grinned, lifting Zhaoyang high above his head. “Let’s go, time to head home!”

Zhaoyang waved his little hands happily, squinting slightly in the sunlight, babbling similar syllables: “Wu wu, wu wu wu!”

He couldn’t quite talk yet, but the sounds he made were starting to resemble actual words.

Chu Hanjin smiled softly, then stood up gracefully.

As they passed by a stall selling braised meat, Zhaoyang stopped and sniffed deeply, clearly craving it. Chu Hanjin took out some copper coins and asked the vendor to cut a piece, wrapping it in lotus leaves for them to carry.

As they walked along the riverbank toward the courtyard, they found the road blocked by a fence. Two uniformed cultivators were arguing with a plain-clothed cultivator.

“If you’re trading in Yushui City’s market, you need to pay taxes on what you’ve earned. You sold a lot just now. How can you not pay taxes?”

The plain-clothed cultivator stubbornly replied, “I crafted the spiritual tools myself and sold them. Why should I pay you taxes?”

“But the space you’re using and the people you’re trading with all belong to Yushui City. Anyone trading in the market must pay taxes, or how else would we maintain the city? How would we fund repairs and protect the citizens? Don’t make things difficult for those of us just following the rules.”

Chu Hanjin stopped, his gaze falling on the scene.

It seemed the cultivators were collecting taxes.

In principle, cultivators who defended a city and protected it from demonic threats should be supported by the citizens and other cultivators, so taxes were reasonable.

The plain-clothed cultivator frowned and said, “Protecting the citizens? You? Everyone knows that the order in Yushui City is maintained by the underground cultivators, not you. You haven’t done your job, you can’t beat them, so how dare you ask us for taxes?”

“Get lost!”

With that, he slapped the cultivator away and swaggered off with his money pouch.

The two cultivators were left behind, one of them red with anger, throwing his sleeve in frustration. “These ungrateful bastards!”

The other one tried to calm him down. “Let it go.”

“You’re willing to throw your lot in with traitors? Then fine! You won’t even know how you’ll die in the end!” His eyes flashed with fury. “Bastards!”

As a cabbage vendor walked past, the furious cultivator glared at him. “What are you looking at? Get lost!”

“…”

The cabbage vendor hurriedly took a detour, clearly trying to avoid trouble.

The angry cultivator picked up a stone and threw it at the man’s back, shouting, “They should all be killed! Why are these people even alive?!”

The other cultivator hurriedly tried to soothe him. “Stop it, stop it.”

All of this unfolded right before their eyes.

“With tempers like that, no wonder the people here don’t trust the local cultivators and instead seek protection from the renegades,” Yue Lin commented. “Let’s just take a different route.”

By the riverside, willow trees swayed gently in the warm breeze.

Holding Zhaoyang’s hand, Chu Hanjin walked slowly, deep in thought. After a long silence, he finally said, “Just how fractured are the Six Sects?”

“Hmm?” Yue Lin’s dark eyes turned toward him.

Chu Hanjin thought back to what the Yin Lord had said to him a few days ago.

“Detached from worldly affairs, untouched by dust.”

That wasn’t a compliment.

As the head of the Far Mountain Sect, Chu Hanjin had always focused on cultivation, rarely involving himself in political matters. But in the past six months, from what he had seen of Rongku Sect’s governance, he realized that Far Mountain Sect was likely just as chaotic. Yet in the past, he had been completely indifferent, turning a blind eye.

There were struggles within the sects, just as there were between them.

The Six Sects were supposed to be the pillars of the righteous path, yet along the way, he had seen very few who could be called exemplary. Instead, there was only deception, ambition, and arrogance.

It felt like a heavy weight on his heart.

Yue Lin chuckled softly. “I’ve always had a feeling that both the demon realm and the righteous path need an infusion of new blood.”

Chu Hanjin asked, “What do you mean?”

“Don’t you feel it too?” Yue Lin said, standing by the riverbank, his hair gently blown by the wind, his expression calm and bright. “The righteous path cultivator working with Bai Gu is trying to do just that.”

Chu Hanjin seemed to understand and tightened his grip on Zhaoyang’s hand.

“Bai Gu and that cultivator are dissatisfied with the current order of the Six Sects, as well as with the demon realm. So,” Yue Lin continued with a smile, “they’ve formed an alliance, exchanging resources and helping each other become stronger, all with the goal of reshaping this unsatisfactory world.”

Chu Hanjin felt a chill run down his spine. After thinking for a moment, he said, “The spirits from the Celestial Burial Pit were part of their exchange with Bai Gu.”

“The children from the Fog Ridge Salt Lake were also part of their exchange.”

“And turning me into a sword spirit with the puppet seal was Bai Gu’s gift to that person.”

“Yes, a fair trade.”

Yue Lin nodded. “Without mutual benefit, no alliance would hold. For example, why do Yin-Yang Sect and your Far Mountain Sect get along so well? It’s because they want to form a united front against the increasingly powerful Rongku Sect.”

Chu Hanjin stopped and gazed out at the lake.

He had a handsome, clean-cut face, his nose pale and high-bridged, and from afar, his expression seemed heavy.

He nodded. “You’re right.” Then he asked, “So, if Bai Gu is the one dissatisfied with the demon realm, who’s dissatisfied with the Six Sects?”

Yue Lin replied, “That, I don’t know. You tell me.”

“The Six Sects are just as you’ve seen. Rongku Sect has become dominant, and after the Battle of Hengbi, the other five sects suffered heavy losses. Most of their current leaders are young, and even after ten years, they still haven’t fully recovered… Could it be that Xing Jiangxin is trying to swallow the other five sects and establish dominance in the cultivation world by colluding with the demon realm?”

Yue Lin considered this. “It’s possible.”

Ripples appeared in Chu Hanjin’s eyes, but he shook his head slightly. “But…”

“What is it?”

“If you think the worst of everyone, then everything, every action, seems suspect,” Chu Hanjin said calmly. “Rongku Sect is suspicious, but isn’t Far Mountain Sect just as suspicious? Before the Battle of Hengbi, Far Mountain Sect was at the peak of its power, the most prestigious of the Six Sects. But after my parents died in the war, Far Mountain Sect began to decline. If we go by that logic, Far Mountain Sect also has a reason to be dissatisfied—they want to reclaim their former glory.”

Yue Lin met his gaze, silently watching him.

Chu Hanjin pressed his lips together, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes. “That’s why I’ve spent these past few years focusing on cultivation, rarely concerning myself with worldly affairs.”

“Do you want to inherit your parents’ legacy?”

“Of course.”

Yue Lin sat down on the riverbank, smiling. “So, after all that analysis, it leads to nothing. Anyone could be the villain, and anyone could be the hero.”

Chu Hanjin couldn’t help but laugh.

The two of them exchanged smiles, but as they did, the corners of their mouths slowly straightened.

Yue Lin, with a sense of nostalgia in his voice, patted Zhaoyang’s little head. “Your father was framed and almost turned into a sword spirit. And your dad—well, he’s had it even worse. He’s been used as a pawn in two lifetimes.”

A heavy silence settled between them.

Chu Hanjin remained quiet, his clear eyes gazing at Yue Lin.

Yue Lin, however, wasn’t weighed down by gloom. His brow arched, and his expression remained wild and untamed. “But so what? Everyone starts off as a pawn before they become the ones who break the game.”

Chu Hanjin’s lips twitched slightly, and he couldn’t help but laugh aloud.

He reached out and gently patted Zhaoyang’s soft little cheek.

Zhaoyang sat there, clueless about what his two fathers were discussing, but obediently sat by their side, completely focused on holding the lotus leaf-wrapped meat.

Yue Lin looked into Chu Hanjin’s eyes. “We’ll figure this out.”

Chu Hanjin let out a long, drawn-out hum.

After a moment of silence, he spoke again, his tone serious as he met Yue Lin’s gaze. “I feel lucky to have you by my side.”