HuLü Yan stayed silent for a long time, then slowly curled his lips into a smile, meeting Mi Lu’s gaze. “Why did you leave?”

Mi Lu thought for a moment. “Maybe due to some… irresistible forces.”

“And what reason would that be?” HuLü Yan clearly didn’t understand what Mi Lu meant. He stared at Mi Lu in confusion. “What do you mean by ‘irresistible forces’?”

“It means reasons that are unforeseen, unavoidable, and insurmountable,” Mi Lu explained. “Like a raging storm, torrential rain, earthquakes, or beasts—things beyond human control…”

Before he could finish, HuLü Yan hurriedly interrupted, “That would never happen!”

Mi Lu was momentarily stunned and fell silent.

“I wouldn’t let such trivial things take you from my side. No, no one and nothing can separate us. We’ll always be together,” HuLü Yan said, taking Mi Lu’s hand from his hair. “Unless you choose to leave.”

“…”

“Mi Lu, I can let you do anything you want.” HuLü Yan gripped Mi Lu’s hand tighter. “If you’re ever unhappy, you can curse me, hit me, even eat my flesh or drink my blood. Whatever you want, I’m willing.”

Mi Lu murmured, “I…”

“But you can’t leave. Not even if it’s because you’re angry at me,” HuLü Yan continued with a smile that was both joking and serious. “If you leave, I’d be angry too. And when I’m angry, I can’t guarantee I won’t do something to hurt you.”

Mi Lu’s words faltered, swallowed back again.

“I might break your arms and legs, tie you up in chains, or even seal you inside a magical artifact and carry you around with me…” HuLü Yan took a deep breath, stopping the terrible thoughts that had bubbled up again, though they’d haunted his mind countless times.

He kissed the back of Mi Lu’s hand, lifted the hem of his own robe, and pulled Mi Lu onto one of his legs.

Mi Lu’s face was pale, but he obediently sat down on HuLü Yan’s lap.

Seeing this, HuLü Yan suddenly felt a pang of tenderness. He lightly patted his own head in regret, then cupped Mi Lu’s cold cheek, coaxing him like a child. “Sorry, I was just kidding. I wanted to scare you a little so you wouldn’t think about leaving.”

Mi Lu sighed.

“I would never do such things to you. How could I? I can’t bear it. I’d rather do it to myself,” HuLü Yan muttered softly, his smile fading.

“HuLü Yan!” Mi Lu suddenly cupped HuLü Yan’s face with both hands, forcing him to meet his eyes. He spoke seriously, “I have never thought about leaving you.”

HuLü Yan’s expression turned dazed, as if he couldn’t believe Mi Lu’s words.

Mi Lu pursed his lips. As he looked at HuLü Yan’s strikingly beautiful face so close, his heart began to beat faster, and his breathing turned a bit hurried.

Fortunately, these feelings didn’t last long. Soon, the ripples in his heart stilled, and he returned to his usual calm.

“I’ve said before, unless you drive me away, I won’t leave.”

Without HuLü Yan, he’d be lost, with no goal, no direction.

So, good or bad, in this world, HuLü Yan was his only home.

After saying this, Mi Lu lowered his head and kissed HuLü Yan’s lips. “Don’t overthink it.”

Hearing this, HuLü Yan seemed to finally let go of the weight in his heart. He leaned in close, gently brushing his lips against Mi Lu’s.

His breath felt warm and ticklish against Mi Lu’s cheek.

Although HuLü Yan was tense, his movements were soft and slow as he kissed Mi Lu gently.

Mi Lu, sitting on HuLü Yan’s leg and with his waist encircled, couldn’t help but feel that this posture was a bit off. As he tried to pull back, he nearly slipped off HuLü Yan’s lap.

He had to wrap his arms around HuLü Yan’s neck to steady himself.

Before long, HuLü Yan’s approach grew more intense, leaving Mi Lu with no retreat. His fingers gripped the back of HuLü Yan’s collar tightly, his pale wrist showing veins under the strain.

Then, he felt his lower lip gently bitten.

“Mmm…” Uncomfortable, Mi Lu frowned and couldn’t help but push HuLü Yan’s chest. “Don’t…”

HuLü Yan’s eyes curved, watching Mi Lu’s face flush a deep red, almost as if it could drip blood. He only smiled wider.

Ignoring Mi Lu’s plea, HuLü Yan grew even bolder.

Realizing this, Mi Lu felt a tremor run through his body, and in a moment of panic, he tried to stand up from HuLü Yan’s lap.

But HuLü Yan seemed to anticipate this and tightened his grip on Mi Lu’s waist.

Just as Mi Lu rose a little, HuLü Yan pressed him back down firmly.

In the next moment—

Mi Lu clearly felt something hard.

“You…” He managed only one word before his voice died away, realizing what it was.

Mi Lu froze completely.

HuLü Yan held him from behind, burying his face in Mi Lu’s neck. His breathing was heavy, as if suppressing something. “Mi Lu…”

Mi Lu’s throat felt dry. “Let go of me.”

“Mi Lu,” HuLü Yan mumbled, inhaling deeply at the crook of Mi Lu’s neck.

Mi Lu, uncomfortable, instinctively leaned forward.

Outside, a few members of the Wu Wang Gang had waited for a long time. Seeing that the two inside were still not done, but knowing the urgent situation outside, they hesitated, then finally steeled themselves and entered.

In the hall, Hao Xuri lay dead in a pool of blood. A Wu Wang Gang disciple holding a whip stood quietly nearby, acting as though he couldn’t hear the voices from the main seat.

Only when the group entered did he lift his eyes slightly.

They approached Mi Lu and HuLü Yan, kneeling down in unison.

One of them spoke up, “Leader.”

Mi Lu seized the chance and quickly said, “Someone’s looking for you!”

HuLü Yan’s hands finally stopped wandering. He coolly leaned his head out from behind Mi Lu’s shoulder, his hands still around Mi Lu’s waist and his chin resting familiarly on his shoulder.

After a while, HuLü Yan lazily asked, “What is it?”

“Leaders of five towns heard of Zui City’s change in leadership. They’re on their way here.”

HuLü Yan let out a soft grunt.

The disciple continued, “We’ll keep a close watch. Any developments will be reported immediately.”

HuLü Yan grunted again.

After a pause, the disciple nervously asked, “Leader, the town leaders are flying here using magic artifacts and should reach Zui City in about four to five days. Should we prepare in advance?”

Without hesitation, HuLü Yan replied, “Ask them if they’re willing to submit to me. If they are, bring them to me; if not, kill them all.”

The words sent a shiver through the group.

But they quickly responded in unison, “Understood.”

Once they left, HuLü Yan finally glanced over at Hao Xuri’s corpse, his voice cold. “Strip his body, hang it at the city gate, and leave it there until it rots.”

The Wu Wang Gang disciple beside the corpse promptly knelt, replying, “Understood.”

With the body removed, only Mi Lu and HuLü Yan remained in the hall, along with the blood-stained floor and the thick scent of blood.

Mi Lu pried HuLü Yan’s hands from his waist and tugged at his sleeve. “It smells terrible here. Let’s go for a walk.”

HuLü Yan, pleased by the small gesture, smiled and stood up. “Sure.”

“We should also check on Wu De and Ah Jian,” Mi Lu said. “Wu De may have left, but we should let Ah Jian know since he’s waiting at the inn, and he needs to report back to Pavilion Master Yan.”

“Alright,” HuLü Yan replied, surprisingly agreeable.

Mi Lu discreetly glanced downward, but the robes obstructed his view.

Oh well.

Even if HuLü Yan was still “energized,” he wasn’t about to sacrifice his legs.

Energized or not, it wasn’t his problem.

Trying to avoid any strange thoughts, Mi Lu took HuLü Yan’s hand as they left the City Lord’s Mansion, noticing how the outside world had transformed.

The sky was aflame with sunset clouds, layers of brilliant red from deep to light, overlapping like scales.

Beneath this beautiful sky, footsteps, screams, and the clash of weapons mingled in the air. Though there wasn’t a large-scale battle, an unspoken war was spreading throughout Zui City.

In the past, Zui City held multiple factions. Some sided with Hao Xuri, some remained loyal to the former city lord, and others were scattered forces vying for power.

Today, Wu Wang Gang broke all factions, offering only two choices—loyalty or death.

Those who resisted, hesitated, struggled, or tried to flee, all met the same fate: death.

Only those who submitted could save their lives.

Armed with artifacts from the Medical Hall, Spirit Pill Sect, and even the Tai Sheng Sect, Wu Wang Gang members wielded them like scythes, hands stained red.

This day would forever mark the bloodiest chapter in Zui City’s history.

Mi Lu and HuLü Yan walked to the inn where they’d stayed the night before. Their shoes, soaked in blood at some point, left a trail of chaotic footprints on the inn’s clean floor.

Inside, the innkeeper and diners went pale, kneeling in terror. “Greetings, City Lord!”

HuLü Yan had adapted quickly to his new title and said calmly, “Rise.”

As they scrambled to leave, Mi Lu and HuLü Yan climbed the stairs, running into Ah Jian on his way down.

Ah Jian had shifted from casual to respectful, bowing deeply. “Young Master Mi, City Lord, I must return to report. If you don’t need me, I’ll take my leave.”

Mi Lu offered politely, “The journey must be tiring. Why not rest in Zui City before you go, Brother Ah Jian?”

Ah Jian waved it off. “After today, you’ll have your hands full. It’s best I go and complete my report.”

“Very well,” Mi Lu replied. “Please thank Pavilion Master Yan on our behalf. We’re grateful for his support, and we’ll visit to thank him in person when we can.”

Ah Jian smiled. “The Master said helping you is also helping himself.”

Mi Lu remembered the same words from Yan Fu, finally understanding them. The tension between the righteous and demonic sides was worsening. While the righteous forces united, the demonic forces remained fractured and unstable.

Mi Lu guessed that Wu De simply wanted HuLü Yan to know the truth about his mother, while Yan Fu hoped HuLü Yan could unite the demonic realm like his grandfather Lin Chong once did.

But that would be no easy feat.

Moreover—

In his past lives, HuLü Yan’s existence had only been a cycle of reclaiming his body parts, seeking revenge, and repeating, until his final self-destruction.

HuLü Yan had never been entangled in such conflicts before.

And he’d died without ever learning his true lineage.

A familiar feeling crept over Mi Lu, as if an invisible hand was guiding them, as though everything had been arranged, and they were just pieces on a chessboard.

Back at the City Lord’s Mansion, the unsettling feeling lingered in Mi Lu’s heart.

Fortunately, the hall was now free of blood and its stench.

The servants were smart enough to know how to quickly shift their loyalties after experiencing several city lords in a few short years. As the sky darkened, they prepared a new residence and bath for Mi Lu and HuLü Yan.

The bath, on a high platform, was surrounded by four black statues, each depicting a fierce, snarling beast, with hot water spewing from their mouths.

In the center was a circular pool filled with steaming water, casting hazy shadows.

Mi Lu declined the servants’ offer to help him undress, arriving alone at the bath.

A low table with a small incense burner sat beside it, wisps of smoke winding upwards.

Mi Lu took out a silver needle from his storage bag, checking the incense and confirming it was safe before relaxing, slipping into the hot water.

He leaned back against the edge, closed his eyes, and let his mind wander.

After a while, he sighed.

The water must have been infused with medicinal herbs, as he could feel his muscles relaxing, easing his fatigue.

But just as he was about to get up, he felt something strange.

Maybe it was the hot water, but his whole body felt heated, as if his blood was boiling—and something below had, embarrassingly, reacted.

Mi Lu’s movement paused as he looked down.

There it was… so spirited…

He felt a bit despairing.

Was this retribution for teasing HuLü Yan earlier?

Frowning, he debated whether to wait for it to settle down or… resolve it directly when he suddenly heard something—someone was coming!

Startled, Mi Lu instinctively sat back in the water, curling his arms around himself to hide the embarrassing reaction.

After a moment, he saw a shadow through the mist, slowly approaching.

Pressing against the edge of the pool, Mi Lu moved to the opposite side, watching the figure approach.

Soon, the figure passed through the mist, coming to the edge of the pool across from him.

Mi Lu asked, “Why are you here?”