Chapter Text
00
“Wu Xie.”
Someone was calling.
“Tianzhen, don’t joke around! We’re in trouble!”
Everything felt so light, but his eyes were so heavy. It seemed like he had been dreaming for so long, such a vivid dream, yet he couldn’t remember what he was dreaming about. Floating between the state of wakefulness and the quiet lure of sleep, Wu Xie got the feeling that his body was ignoring his frantic demand to wake up, as if he had been deprived of his energy, leaving him powerless.
Amidst the rampant and disordered noises of the inevitable fight, he could sense someone with a black turtleneck asking the fat man beside him with his solemn gaze after checking for any wounds.
“I don’t know, he just suddenly fainted.” Pangzi defended himself from any possible baseless accusation.
“He's fine.” Zhang Qiling looked back at Wu Xie, who had just suddenly fallen unconscious, and a faint frown formed on his face. He brought him on one shoulder and put him under a big tree, letting Wu Xie rest comfortably. Behind them, a banyan tree swayed as the gentle breeze came, shaking the branches and leaves. The sun proudly hung in the sky as the shadow slowly emerged within the nearby bushes.
“Damn, not again!”
Pangzi groaned at the sight of monsters already surrounding them. Fortunately, it wasn’t a big deal for two Class A and one Class S hunters like them. The monsters’ levels were too low, but still, their numbers seemed endless.
“How is Tianzhen, Xiaoge? Should we just retreat or deal with those things real fast?”
Zhang Qiling shook his head.
They had been best friends for years, but there was also a time when Pangzi didn’t know what his good brother was thinking, just like now.
“What? Are you going to kiss the sleeping beauty?”
The monster began to lunge at them.
“If you’re gonna do it, do it fast! The villains are coming!”
Meanwhile, Wu Xie cursed Pangzi inwardly. Who said he couldn’t hear them? He just couldn’t wake up. How could he say such a thing to Xiaoge? He might not buy that joke, but just imagining it could cause him to faint for the second time for a completely different reason. Grumbling at Pangzi’s antics, he was caught off guard when his lips were touched by something warm, wet, and slick….
He froze.
What the hell is this?
Sometimes, curiosity was stronger than motivation or ambition. Thus, Wu Xie tried his best to open his eyes. He blinked one, two, three times until a shadow of a person appeared in his vicinity.
Then he lowered his eyes, his gaze searching for an answer. Ah... it was just a Mana Potion…
[Congratulations! You have obtained 【???】. Complete a specific condition to activate it.]
Huh??
Pangzi's cheers faded as he felt like he was floating again, and soon everything went dark.
01
In a world where the name ‘grave robber’ had transformed into what people called the ‘hunter,‘ where Luoyang shovels had turned into swords or spells, and tombs were no longer robbed, but dungeons were, Wu Xie and the others still couldn’t escape fate.
The hunters existed as the country’s army, whose purpose was to save the land. Wu Xie, who was once a rookie hunter, met a well-known S-class hunter, Zhang Qiling, through his uncle’s accidental broker. None foresaw the wheel of fate turning from that point onward, retracing the old stories from another world. They crossed paths multiple times until the sacrifice, the promise, and the reunion were once again engraved in their story.
Zhang Qiling had entered the Bronze Door, the legendary dungeon that only opened once every ten years and was claimed to be the only source of the super-rare item, an immortal elixir called the ‘Ultimate.’ Nobody knew whether that item truly existed or was just a story from the old days. Nevertheless, he still guarded it as part of the next generation’s duty. Who knew what was inside? Only the chosen one would eventually carry the weight of the eternal secret.
And for the first time in his life, he didn’t want someone to bear such a burden and lose his true self. Zhang Qiling could never take this gamble.
In those ten years, Wu Xie had searched for the remnants of Zhang Qiling's past, step by step, walking in the same direction. He learned about the Zhang and the Wang Guild, as well as their complicated, prolonged conflict that stretched across generations. As the leader of the mysterious and elusive Zhang Guild, a guild formed by and for the Zhang family itself, Zhang Qiling had no choice but to seek cooperation from outsiders, the Nine Gates Guild, as his own was on the verge of collapse. However, he ended up unilaterally withdrawing from the agreement for someone he had known for two years. After all, the hunters of the Zhang Guild were known for their long lives.
Later, Wu Xie’s confrontation with the Wang Guild raised his fame, and everything he had experienced turned him into a famous A-class hunter throughout the nation. Eventually, the rookie hunter had grown up.
Ten years later, Zhang Qiling returned and learned that Wu Xie had defeated the Wang Guild. In essence, there was no need to worry about the ‘Ultimate’ anymore. Even though the Wang Guild could enter the mysterious dungeon, he made sure that what they were looking for was nothing but mere wishful thinking.
Not long after, Wu Xie decided to retire from being a field hunter and resigned from the guild. Together with Zhang Qiling and Pangzi, he established a small restaurant that quickly became a local hub, where hunters exchanged news and rumors over meals, and where they occasionally took on hunter quests to help rookies gain experience and level up.
***
Xilaimian, Yucun.
Wu Xie scanned through his inventory, deeply focused. If his eyes could emit powerful energy, he would’ve burned a hole in it. Pangzi, who had just finished cooking in the kitchen, found him sitting at one of the tables.
“What’s wrong?”
“I think I got an item the other day, but I can't find it anywhere.” Wu Xie put his fingers on his chin while sorting out his items one by one.
Pangzi was now sitting down across from Wu Xie. “What kind of item? Something rare?”
“I don’t know, it only appeared for a brief moment before I passed out.”
“You sure?” Pangzi poured himself a cup of tea, “Maybe it was just your imagination. Anyway, we still don’t know the cause of your sudden blackout.”
After searching for a long time, he found no results. “Didn’t Xiaoge say I just lost too much mana?”
“Yeah, right, but not why you suddenly ran out of mana.” Pangzi's eyes squinted at Wu Xie, “Have you felt anything weird lately?”
Wu Xie shook his head. “I think it’s just the dungeon trait, but I’m not sure. Xiaoge and you were fine, though.”
Wu Xie contemplated the exact reason and tried to recollect his memories. It was just an ordinary dungeon, a B-level one at that; it wasn’t that hard for them to clear. They were short of ingredients for their new dish, so they needed to collect them in that dungeon. They even managed to take a nap in turn since they had completed their mission pretty early. After that, they were ambushed by low-level monsters, and suddenly, he lost consciousness. There was nothing out of the ordinary except for…
Can it be counted as weird?
“Even the legendary Zhang Qiling didn’t know. What am I supposed to know?” Pangzi’s comment brought Wu Xie back to reality. “Alright, Tianzhen. Let’s search for it later—we have a job to do now.”
Pangzi stood up and readied himself for the next busy hour. This was almost lunch rush hour, so many hunters came to replenish their strength.
Wu Xie closed his inventory and pinched his forehead before joining Pangzi.
In the corner that no one paid attention to, a pair of clear eyes silently gazed at him.
“Hey, boss, I heard you also accept quests from other hunters. Can you help me clear a dungeon?” A bold customer asked Wu Xie when he delivered their order.
The dungeons appeared periodically; however, a dungeon must not stay too long in this world. It needed to be cleared before the countdown ended, or else the dangerous creatures would crawl out of the dungeon and kill everything in their path. If the hunters succeeded in clearing them, the dungeons would disappear within three days after completion.
“Yes, sometimes. It depends on our needs.”
A middle-aged man who had just spoken handed Wu Xie his name card. “Can we talk privately?”
Wu Xie scrutinized the name card; he was no longer associated with any guild since his retirement. Then, as if seeking an opinion, he shifted his gaze to Zhang Qiling, resulting in their eyes locking.
Zhang Qiling, who had observed him from afar, curtly nodded.
The guild was built to accommodate the hunters, and above the guild was the Guild Association, which regulated the rules among hunters and guilds.
Wu Xie had agreed to meet that customer after closing time. Now, the four of them gathered around a table near the counter.
“Alright, I’ll get straight to the point. I’m a B-class hunter from the Guild Association, and I need your help to clear a certain dungeon. It appeared a week ago, but no one can clear it so far.”
“No one? For real? Then it’s gotta be dangerous.” Pangzi jumped in bewilderment. After the coffee machine let out a soft beep, he rose from his seat and walked over to pick it up in the kitchen.
The Guild Association was the leader of all guilds, and every guild had to abide by it. It often released a series of missions for the hunters to complete. These missions ranged from D-level, which was the easiest, to A-level, which was the hardest. Every time people completed a mission, there would be a reward. Most of them were money, but sometimes there would be a rare item or weapon as well. It had many talented members from other guilds who joined in case of an emergency, so it was unusual for a dungeon to remain uncleared in the hands of expert hunters.
“No. On the contrary, this dungeon is way too peaceful.” Ignoring the sense of disbelief from others, he continued, “We were always stuck in this peaceful moment. We knew that we needed to trigger an event to proceed, but without a single clue or hint, we couldn't do it.”
Pangzi plopped down next to the B-class hunter after delivering the drinks to their table, a rectangular wooden one with two long seats. Across from them, Zhang Qiling and Wu Xie sat down beside each other. Shooting a glare at his drink, which clearly stood out from the others, Wu Xie couldn’t help but silently ask Pangzi, ‘Why milk tea?’ with his eyes. Pangzi nonchalantly replied that Xiaoge had made it for him earlier. Wu Xie shut his mouth in an instant.
As though clearing his throat, Wu Xie then asked, “What kind of place is it?”
“This dungeon resembles a small village. No monsters, no instructions, no hints, and not even objectives appear in the system information—just your average peaceful village. Our hunters tried to clear it many times, but they failed.”
Every dungeon had different clear conditions. Aside from the countdown for completion, sometimes there was also a time limit for hunters to be inside the dungeons.
“Is there a time limit for hunters?” Wu Xie asked, probing for more information.
“Yes, 24 hours.”
“When does the countdown end?”
“The day after tomorrow.”
The heavy silence engulfed them.
Pangzi slapped the table, not too loud but enough to break the silence.
“Man, we’re in an emergency. Why did you just show up today?” Pangzi grimaced, snapping out of frustration.
“Look, there's disagreement in the association. They told us to let it be, since no monster activity was detected inside,” the B-class hunter tried to explain himself. “But my direct leader thinks there must be a hidden danger, so he ordered me to ask for help from the Iron Triangle.”
The Iron Triangle was their party name when they were still active hunters, though they had retired and no longer accepted official missions from the Guild Association.
For the sake of humanity, Wu Xie intended to accept the offer. He gave each of his teammates a look and realized they were on the same page.
“What’s the name?”
Zhang Qiling, who had been quiet the entire time, finally spoke, startling the B-class hunter.
Honestly, Wu Xie found it a bit unusual for him to take an interest in a dungeon.
The B-class hunter jolted in surprise. Because of the sudden change of topic, it took a moment for him to answer Zhang Qiling’s question.
“Re, Red Village.”
02
“Red Village?” Wu Xie repeated the name inwardly. Somehow, he had a strange premonition about it—like something earth-shattering was going to happen.
“Tianzhen, that guy’s already waiting outside. Let’s go,” Pangzi yawned and tapped his shoulder.
It was still dawn when the three of them prepared to raid the dungeon. They hardly got any sleep, but since time was tight, they had to go there as soon as possible.
Last night, after the B-class hunter explained the entire situation, they struck a deal and agreed to raid the dungeon early the next morning. Fortunately, it was located about 20 kilometers from Yucun, neither too far nor too close. There wasn’t much to prepare, since the B-class hunter had offered to provide everything, including picking them up and giving them a free ride.
As soon as Wu Xie flopped into the back seat, the person beside him said, "Catch some sleep.”
Wu Xie nodded obediently.
“Why red, though? Are all the buildings there red?” Pangzi asked the B-class hunter driving beside him.
“Not at all. The buildings look just fine. There’s even a signboard at the village entrance, and it was automatically registered by the system.”
Since it was still early in the day and the distance wasn’t particularly far, the B-class hunter drove at a comfortable speed.
“If the system can detect it, there should be more information, right?”
The B-class hunter then opened the car’s interface, signaling Pangzi to look for the information himself.
A large panel was displayed before him, filling his vision with the dungeon list. Pangzi was momentarily awestruck as he started searching for the information they needed.
Wu Xie was starting to drift off when the light from the panel blinded him. He narrowed his eyes in annoyance, trying to see what it was.
It was a privileged feature accessible only to registered members of the Guild Association. Somehow, it reminded him of the days when he was still a guild leader. He had money, ability, a strategic mind, and held an important position. However, none of those could satisfy the longing in his heart.
Wu Xie closed his eyes, holding the urge to sneak a look at the person beside him.
After a while, he could hear faint snickering from the front seat.
“Hey, buddy, do you call this information? Seriously, even the difficulty is unknown?”
“Just like I said before. But I heard people say that if we can clear it, our wish will come true.”
Pangzi burst out laughing even more, “And you believe that?”
The B-class hunter raised his eyebrows.
“I bet it’s a rumor your higher-ups spread on purpose to motivate the hunters.” He emphasized the word ‘motivate,’ giving it another meaning.
“Even without it, I’ll make sure you all get a good reward after this.”
Their conversation gradually faded, and Wu Xie's consciousness eroded layer by layer until the sounds of the outside world were completely blocked out. Xiaoge was right; he had been having trouble sleeping these past few days. He kept having the same dream over and over. It wasn’t a pleasant dream for sure. After waking up, the only thing that left a deep impression on his mind was that pained expression—a person with a gloomy look, like the gray sky above him.
Wu Xie had fallen asleep with his head leaning on the rear window. Seeing the occasional bumps as they passed over the uneven road, Zhang Qiling opened his inventory, took out a blanket, folded it neatly, and intended to place it between the window glass and Wu Xie’s head. However, just as he was about to do so, the car shook, causing Wu Xie to fall into his arms instead.
“Ngh, Xiaoge… don’t...” A ray of sunlight shone through the glass, illuminating his sleeping face.
“What on earth is he dreaming?” Pangzi lifted a brow, amused.
Zhang Qiling didn’t reply and gently adjusted Wu Xie’s sleeping posture into a more comfortable position. After quietly observing his reaction, he slipped his arm around him in an attempt to shield his face from the sunlight. Then, he heard Wu Xie murmur something in his sleep—soft, but sharp.
Pangzi, who was getting used to his silent demeanor, didn't mind it. Unlike him, the B-class hunter peeked into the rearview mirror out of curiosity. He was wondering whether the rumor about them was true or not.
It was a rumor about a secret relationship between the leader of the Zhang Guild and the leader of the Nine Gates Guild.
In this world, the law didn’t care who you chose to marry, as long as both parties could perform the marriage oath, a special contract between two hunters. It was equivalent to a marriage certificate in another world.
Back then, discussions about them had flooded the Hunter Forum, becoming a hot topic for an entire month. Fortunately, ever since Wu Xie resigned from his former position, the talk about them had died down. Still, people loved to spread rumors and gossip about others’ lives; it was like second nature.
Over half an hour later, they arrived at the mountainous area. The snow-capped mountain stood majestically on the horizon; below it stretched a vast evergreen forest. The dungeon was located inside the forest, but luckily, it wasn’t too deep inside. After crossing a small river and walking for another 10 minutes, they finally reached their destination.
In the distance, they could see a signboard plank signaling the end of their journey. It was written in a very beautiful style of calligraphy, contrasting with the old and weathered wooden plank.
“We’re here,” the B-class hunter announced excitedly.
03
To their surprise, the Iron Triangle found the villagers to be very welcoming, showing no signs of anything out of the ordinary at all. If there were no obvious transparent gate at the entrance of the village, people would think it was just a typical village in the suburbs, not an unclear dungeon.
The villagers greeted them warmly, expressing their joy and enthusiasm for seeing people from outside their village.
“Aren’t they bored by now? I bet loads of people have come here before us.” Pangzi spoke under his breath, trying not to be heard.
“We have prepared a place for you. Please enjoy your stay.” Smiling warmly, the village chief then assigned one of his people to escort them to the designated location.
After a while, there was a voice coming from the earpieces they had used before entering the dungeon—reminding them that no matter what kind of appearance they had, they weren’t human.
Some time ago, they briefly discussed the plan they had agreed on yesterday. One person would stay outside the dungeon to check the situation, give them support if needed, and pay attention to the countdown time. The B-class hunter worked professionally. He gave them each a communication device and also installed a special drone to observe their condition from above, as well as to transmit a signal.
“Didn’t you say a drone? I don’t see anything.” Pangzi scanned the sky. He spoke quietly so that the guide wouldn’t hear them.
[It’s a special drone. Look at the magpie in the tree at 7 o'clock. I used that skin as camouflage.]
It was his ability as a support. He wasn’t good at face-to-face confrontation, but in providing support, the B-class hunter was the best in his team.
“Cool~ Can I request the skin?”
[Thanks, but it only has bird skins.]
“Ah, what a shame. Tianzhen, what kind of bird do you like?”
“....”
“....”
[....]
“I’m not talking about Zhang-ow-ow!”
A quick jab landed on his side, giving him a clear warning.
Wu Xie remembered this kind of joke from when they raided a dungeon that belonged to the Zhang family. He wouldn’t let Pangzi tease him in front of the “landlord.” He wanted to curse but found himself shutting him up instead.
Looking back now, their relationship was still the same. Wu Xie secretly took a short glance at the person walking beside him.
At some point, weird feelings rose from within his heart whenever the distance between them grew nearer. At first, he thought that the odd sensations were just a sense of contentment from getting closer to the person he believed was unreachable, the source of the overarching enigma. Until he belatedly realized that what he felt toward him was something entirely different. Wu Xie had never felt anything like this, not even for Pangzi, his good brother. He had only ever felt it once, and only for that one person.
It felt like there were stepping stones laid out before him. He had taken ninety-nine steps toward the other, chasing him relentlessly. Yet the one last step was nowhere to be seen, shrouded in fog or sunken beneath the water. He had no choice but to stop, as if afraid that a single misstep might send him falling into the pond.
In the near future, he would come to realize it had taken him quite some time to notice—he had never truly crossed those forty-nine stones. That person had walked the same path, and somehow, they had met halfway.
“Damn, it hurts!” Pangzi complained while rubbing his side.
The loud protest brought Wu Xie back to reality; he ignored his whining.
Upon arriving at their temporary residence, the guide said, “You three can rest here.”
He pointed at the B&Bs. They were each given a room with a bathroom attached.
“We have a welcome party at seven in the evening. It’s your welcoming party, so make sure to come. I will pick you up later. Excuse me,” he added before politely taking his leave.
After the guide was nowhere in sight, Zhang Qiling spoke softly to him, “Be careful.”
Wu Xie was accustomed to his unspoken message; he would go scout the surrounding area and leave the party to him and Pangzi to gain more information from the villagers.
He nodded in understanding. “You too.”
In the end, only Wu Xie and Pangzi attended the party. Fortunately, no one seemed to notice that they were missing one person.
04
The next morning, the Iron Triangle officially started their raid, or to be more precise, their expedition. The welcoming party was uneventful, and even the scouting was fruitless. It seemed that what the B-Class hunter had said was right.
The Red Village was a small settlement at the foot of a mountain. It was almost entirely surrounded by the lush green of the evergreen forest, except for a nearby river and the single road, which was difficult to traverse.
Wu Xie checked his hunter watch. Ever since they had discovered that this dungeon ran on a different timezone, he had felt a bit restless. The time tracker had become useless; it had stopped working altogether. What was even more puzzling was that the time difference didn’t follow any exact pattern, leaving them with no way of knowing how long they had been inside. Only the B-class hunter standing guard outside could tell.
“It happens sometimes.”
Wu Xie looked at the source of the voice. “I’ve never raided this kind of dungeon before.”
“This one is rare.”
“Do you think it’s dangerous, Xiaoge?”
Zhang Qiling returned Wu Xie’s gaze and said, “It means we have a longer time to explore this dungeon.”
“That’s good. At least we have time.”
However, it had been three days and two nights since they had arrived, yet the village remained as peaceful as ever. Day by day, they were losing hope as the countdown drew near. Just like the other hunters’ teams before them, they hadn’t found a single clue. They had tried everything: exploring the forest, going around the village, and even joining the villagers’ activities, but it was still nothing.
The night fell, and portable lanterns accompanied them throughout the journey. After exploring all day, they decided to take a rest before heading back to the village.
“I've never seen a dungeon like this,” Pangzi grumbles while checking his inventory for something useful.
“Neither have I,” Wu Xie replied absentmindedly, busy taking notes.
He had found a huge stone to sit on, discovering a comfortable place as he scribbled in his notebook. “This dungeon is harder to complete than the Wang Guild’s artificial dungeon,” he added.
Pangzi clicked his tongue, “That damn trap. How about you, Xiaoge?”
There was no answer. Wu Xie tilted his head in his direction.
“No.”
A bit later, an answer came.
Wu Xie felt that something was wrong.
Zhang Qiling crouched on one knee, studying the ground three steps away from him. For a long while, he didn’t move. A faint frown lingered on his face, yet his gaze seemed to wander past the overgrown grass before him, fixed on something far beyond this place.
Wu Xie put his notes back into his inventory and walked over to squat beside him. Zhang Qiling’s hand was resting on the ground, and as Wu Xie followed his gaze, there was nothing worth attention.
He didn’t move until Wu Xie was already beside him. Catching the curiosity in Wu Xie's gaze, Zhang Qiling lifted his clenched hand and held it out before him. No matter the time and space, some things had never changed.
Wu Xie’s eyes dropped to his hand that seemingly concealed something inside. Before he could ask what it was, Zhang Qiling beat him to it.
“Tell me your wish,” he said as Zhang Qiling looked at him.
Caught off guard, Wu Xie turned his eyes to him and repeated, “My wish?”
That’s unexpected… Why suddenly-
“I’ll make it come true.”
Zhang Qiling then opened his hand, revealing a firefly that flitted between them—its glow illuminated their faces before flying into the night sky.
Wu Xie paused. It felt like he was forgetting to breathe, and then…
Ba-thump.
He could feel it—how his heart was suddenly racing for a reason he didn’t dare to think of. It was a feeling that was familiar yet unfamiliar, like a hidden wish quietly waiting to be found.
“I don't know…” he answered eventually.
“Then just think about it.”
He could only nod.
“Are you two done flirting like newlyweds?"
Pangzi was now perched on a huge stone behind them, his arms folded.
“We’re not flirting.”
How could he even dare to think Zhang Qiling was flirting with him? One glare, and he’d kneel down on the spot—or worse, he might end up kicked straight into a tree.
“So, newlyweds then?”
“Don’t joke like that.”
Pangzi could throw any joke at them, but with Zhang Qiling here, Wu Xie was careful with that kind of humor, not wanting to make Zhang Qiling feel uncomfortable.
“Why? If it turns out to be true, then I hope you two have a happy marriage.”
“....”
“....”
“There’s no time.”
This time, Zhang Qiling cut into their little exchange, picking up where they had left off earlier. “We need to trigger a certain scenario to proceed.”
[Ahem, just a reminder, the countdown will end in four hours.]
Wu Xie mulled it over, then spoke his thoughts aloud. “Four hours left… It’s already night here, so we might have one day left. Tomorrow, at the latest.”
“Tianzhen, aren’t you an expert at making things happen? Go on, touch something.”
Wu Xie retorted, “You want me to be unlucky that much?”
"Relax, with Xiaoge here, nothing bad’s gonna happen to you."
That night, heavy rain poured over the village. It was the first rain since they had stayed there. Wu Xie was woken by the sound of droplets hitting his roof. There was a small hole, and water dripped steadily through it, soaking his bed. Grumbling about the bad hospitality, he got up, clutching his pillow, which was thankfully still dry.
He thought about sleeping in the living room, but there was no such thing. After a moment’s hesitation, his first instinct was to head for Zhang Qiling’s room, but he decided against disturbing him. So, he went to Pangzi’s instead, only to be assaulted by the sound of his snoring.
In the end, he circled back to Zhang Qiling’s room. After all, they used to share a bed before.
He hesitated to knock, but before he could, the door swung open. Zhang Qiling was already awake. Wu Xie froze, his hand still suspended awkwardly in the air.
“The roof’s leaking, my bed’s getting wet."
Zhang Qiling nodded and let him in.
The bed was exactly like his own. Although it was smaller than the one they had shared in Yucun, it was still enough for two grown men. Soon, they lay side by side.
Zhang Qiling hadn’t slept yet, his eyes on the man sleeping beside him. For some time now, Wu Xie had been talking in his sleep, as if chanting a spell. He had heard it countless times, as if Wu Xie were haunted by the same dream every single night.
He needed to know.
Zhang Qiling wanted to alleviate his worries, even in his dreams, but all he could do was hold his hand, transmitting a warmth that belonged to a person—silently assuring him that he was here.
That night, Zhang Qiling had a strange dream. At that moment, he finally understood what kind of dream Wu Xie had seen.
The sun had already risen. Normally, Zhang Qiling would have been up, busy with his morning routine by now, but today was different. That dream lingered in his mind, and somehow the person beside him had ended up in his arms, seeking warmth after the chill of his dreams, contrary to the sweat that trickled down from his temple. He gently wiped it away.
A sudden commotion stirred outside, but Zhang Qiling didn't care. He was unusually lost in thought.
His contemplation was interrupted by the sound of the door breaking open. Instinctively, he summoned his sword—only to find Pangzi and the village chief standing there, gasping in disbelief.
Zhang Qiling frowned. Something was wrong.
Wu Xie, who was just waking from the noise, rubbed his eyes in confusion. “What’s wrong?” he asked, but no one responded.
The calm before the storm. An hour before the countdown, it happened.
The village chief’s words tore through the dull morning like thunder in Wu Xie's ears, heavy with a sense of foreboding.
“Both of you must bear the consequences of defying our norms!”
A shiver ran down Wu Xie’s spine.
“Prepare the wedding ceremony,” the chief ordered his people, ignoring the three men now standing there with an imaginary question mark hanging over their heads.
“You’ve got to be kidding me…”
05
Everyone had gathered in the village hall. Sitting side by side at the center, he and Zhang Qiling felt like criminals awaiting execution. Wu Xie stole a glance at the man beside him from the corner of his eye—or maybe he was the only one who felt like a wrongdoer. Zhang Qiling looked as calm as ever, with no trace of guilt in his expression. Of course he did. After all, it was all his fault to begin with.
… No . It wasn’t his fault either.
“Please listen, Chief. We didn’t do anything. The roof was leaking, there was nowhere else to sleep, so I went to his room-”
“Silence, Mr. Wu. We don’t accept excuses.”
According to the custom in this village, sharing a bed was taboo, and the two people involved had to marry, regardless of gender.
Wu Xie was baffled by the village chief’s explanation. He wanted to let out a series of colorful words, but his brain felt as if it had just stopped functioning. He mentally counted how many times he and Zhang Qiling had already slept together. Luckily, Yucun had no such custom, or else he would’ve been a bride ages ago.
This dungeon’s scenario is too wild! Who came up with this idea?!
Just as he was about to argue, a light squeeze on his shoulder caught his attention. He looked up to meet Zhang Qiling’s gaze.
“It’s fine. Let’s get married.”
Wu Xie’s eyes widened; his expression now might have resembled that of the subject of a famous painting.
That's it? Just like that? What has gotten into him today?!
It had never crossed his mind that Xiaoge would accept this absurdity right on the bat; it almost felt like he was the one who had the idea of proposing to him.
No. Don't think anything of it!
Warning bells rang in his head, his brain buzzed, and no words escaped his mouth. — This is too much!
Amidst the confusion, he caught sight of Pangzi sitting across from them, giving him a thumbs-up. He looked like he was thoroughly enjoying the situation, and Pangzi even mouthed, “Good job!”
“Wu Xie.”
He was about to curse angrily, but a sudden call stopped him, seemingly like an avalanche extinguishing his already burning mind.
Wu Xie looked back at him, “Yes?”
Zhang Qiling quickly seized on the word and gave him a slight nod. He turned toward the village chief in quiet determination. “We will take responsibility.”
Wu Xie felt that he was the only one suffering from this marriage… Though in another way, he wasn’t entirely wrong.
The leaky roof—the actual culprit—had been fixed by the villagers early that morning, and by the afternoon, the wedding ceremony was held.
Wu Xie didn’t remember how or when he got back to his room. He was now wearing a long white brocade cloak embroidered with intricate gold patterns, with stretch lace as the outer layer, and a veil hanging from his head, swaying with every movement. Honestly, Wu Xie thought he was going to be sacrificed, not get married.
Pangzi stood by the wall. As the self-proclaimed best man, he accompanied Wu Xie, waiting for some signal to start the wedding ceremony.
“Still can’t get in touch with him?”
“Nope. No signal.”
Aside from the shocking news earlier that morning, there had also been a sudden loss of contact. The B-class hunter couldn’t be reached; the earpieces they used were all damaged, and even the magpie had vanished. Because of that, they had no way of knowing the situation outside the dungeon or how much time remained on the countdown.
“Looks like we have to clear this dungeon ourselves. No big deal,” Pangzi said.
Before the villagers urged the groom and bride to get ready in their respective rooms, Zhang Qiling had mentioned that he presumed the countdown outside might have stopped, causing the time here to start ticking again. He showed the time device to Wu Xie and Pangzi, and almost instantly, they all agreed that this must be the important event they had accidentally triggered, especially since Pangzi already guessed it. He then recalled their conversations from the night before and burst out laughing. Wu Xie grimaced and reprimanded him to be careful of what he said from now on. Therefore, if they wanted to proceed with clearing the dungeon, they had no choice but to follow through with it.
“Who would’ve known this dungeon had a romantic storyline to follow?” Pangzi was the first to comment.
Wu Xie could never have imagined, even in his wildest dreams, that clearing a dungeon would require a marriage.
“The preparations are ready!” One of the villagers announced, practically brimming with excitement.
Wu Xie was escorted to the ceremonial hall by several villagers and his best man. When they arrived, a light tap fell on his right shoulder, along with a tease, “Look, your husband’s there.”
Wu Xie ignored him, but he looked straight at Zhang Qiling.
Zhang Qiling was already waiting in the ceremonial hall. Wearing the same white cloak but without the outer layer, he stood patiently in the middle. Wu Xie, as the bride, would come later to stand side by side with him.
As Pangzi and the bride’s entourage handed Wu Xie over to the groom, he said, “I, Pangye, wish you two a happy marriage!”
Wu Xie wasn’t sure whether it was a genuine congratulation or just Pangzi trying to mess with him.
“Tianzhen, don’t come crying to me if you can’t bear your ass getting stabbed." Then, he got closer as if whispering a secret. “You know the trick, right? Just beg him, you'll be fine.”
“....” He was now certain it was the latter.
Although they had agreed to go through with this wedding, reality still poured down on Wu Xie’s head like cold water, leaving him dazed throughout the ceremony.
They had signed a marriage contract as hunters and bowed to each other. The final part of the ceremony should have been the village chief offering his blessings, bringing it to a close.
The village chief stood on the small podium before the groom and the bride, preparing to give a speech. As he started to speak, a dark cloud enveloped his body, and an obvious evil energy crept out from him.
"Now, TIME TO FEAST!!"
The village chief suddenly turned into a monster. He roared and opened his mouth wide. As if consumed by hunger, he lunged at them in a flash.
Still distracted by the sudden sound of a notification, Wu Xie missed the moment to dodge. The monstrous fangs were just about to tear him apart when someone wrapped their arms around his waist and pulled him out of danger.
“Xiaoge!” Wu Xie was startled, but soon he realized what had happened.
The cloak fluttered in the wind, but it was no longer pure white, as if it had been contaminated with red color. Zhang Qiling quickly pulled Wu Xie behind a huge pillar, tucked away the veil, and swiftly tore open their cloaks.
They were both momentarily stunned.
White snowflakes that blended with some red unexpectedly fell onto them. Once the parasites left their hosts, they dispersed into white and red blood snowflakes, swept away by the wind.
Zhang Qiling realized it at once. The cloaks were parasites, sucking blood through their mana. It didn’t affect him as much as it did Wu Xie because of the higher concentration of Qilin blood in his veins. In a rush, he tore Wu Xie’s cloak away. Only then did it sink in what he had just done.
Wu Xie shuddered at the sudden cold against his bare skin from the waist up.
Is he trying to show off his strength by ripping my clothes?
Zhang Qiling took off his hunter jacket and handed it to him. “It feeds on your blood a little too much. Your clothes got stuck to it.”
Noticing that Zhang Qiling still had a turtleneck underneath, Wu Xie put on the black windbreaker without complaint. There wasn’t much difference in their sizes, but there was still a subtle change when he wore it. He felt it was slightly bigger, giving him a sense of security. Fortunately, it was just a cloak, not the full attire.
Wu Xie shifted his gaze back to Xiaoge, intending to signal that he had finished putting on the jacket, but ended up locking eyes with him instead. He felt a little embarrassed—he had been so lost in his own little thoughts.
Did he wait too long?
Afterward, they joined Pangzi in battle and realized that the whole village had already become a monster’s den, revealing the monsters’ true forms.
Pangzi welcomed them as he swung his spear at the monsters. “Well, well, you guys are finally here! Careful, they feast on the newlyweds!”
When Wu Xie appeared beside him, Pangzi raised an eyebrow in amazement. He looked Wu Xie up and down as if he were observing a specimen. He instantly recognized what Wu Xie was wearing. “What are you two doing? Having fun, huh?” He winked at Wu Xie.
A monster lunged at them, but they dodged swiftly. “Xiaoge, watch out! They’re trying to steal your wife!”
“Can you be serious for once?” Wu Xie shot back, firing his handguns from a distance to give Zhang Qiling cover.
Wu Xie had two types of weapons. For melee combat, he usually used the Big White Dogleg, but when acting as support, he wielded a pair of black handguns.
Meanwhile, Zhang Qiling rushed toward the dungeon boss that had previously tried to attack Wu Xie, the former village chief. The Black-Gold Ancient Sword glinted at the sight of its prey.
That monster boss had no face. Its entire head was just an enormous mouth, lined with jagged fangs like knives. Blood gushed from wounds all over its body like a fountain, while thick saliva spilled from its gaping maw. There was no trace of a human left on him.
To think he had been so close to being eaten, Wu Xie secretly labeled Zhang Qiling as his savior. Thanks to him, he had been saved without a single scratch like a thousand times before.
And now, it was his turn to do the same. In one fluid motion, Wu Xie slid the special bullets into the magazines, raised both handguns toward his target, and pulled the triggers without hesitation. The bullet hit the target perfectly, and it was now struggling to break free from the binding cord. It was a special bullet coated with a binding spell that was used to restrain its movements by tying it down.
Even without saying a word, Zhang Qiling knew this was his chance to finish it. The Black-Gold Ancient Sword slashed at its vital point and caused the monster to growl in pain before dispersing into thin air.
Seeing their boss defeated, the other monsters fled into the forest.
“What now? We’ve defeated the boss, but nothing happened?” Pangzi said in wonder.
Normally, a system notification would pop up whenever the hunters succeed in clearing the dungeons.
“Should we destroy it too?” He jerked his chin toward the village hall.
Pangzi was about to throw three fireballs into it when a hand held out in front of him, stopping his action.
“No need.”
“Got any clues, Xiaoge?” Pangzi asked.
Then, as if answering Pangzi’s question, the ground trembled beneath them. The village hall slowly transformed into a huge cave.
“A cave?” Pangzi and Wu Xie mouthed at the same time.
“Get ready.” Zhang Qiling promptly stepped inside the cave.
However, just as Pangzi followed his steps, an invisible wall stopped him from going any further, leaving him standing alone in the entrance of the cave.
Pangzi groped its surface. “What the hell is this?” He rubbed his forehead in annoyance.
“Could it be a barrier?” Wu Xie tried to touch it, but he passed it through just fine.
They tried to find a method to solve it, but it was useless. It felt like it just appeared out of nowhere.
“Is this cave only for newlyweds?” Pangzi furrowed his brow in exasperation.
Wu Xie glanced at Zhang Qiling, who looked into the system information. As if answering his unspoken question, Zhang Qiling shook his head.
“In that case, Pangzi, just wait here. We’ll take care of the rest,” Wu Xie suggested.
Having no choice, Pangzi relented, “Okay, fine, go to your bridal chamber. I won’t stop you anymore.”
Wu Xie didn't bother to respond to the joke. He followed behind Zhang Qiling, his right hand hovering over the Big White Dogleg's scabbard, ready for the fight ahead.
The cave was huge, but its depths looked like those of an ordinary cave, with an earthy smell and a rough path. After walking for quite some time, they finally arrived at a dead end. That said, this dead end wasn’t empty; there was an altar built inside, covered in red candles, all of which were lit. In the middle sat a small, exquisite bottle of elixir.
Red snowflakes landed on the liquid inside the bottle as if they had immediately melted into it. A seal was beginning to take shape.
They made their way to the altar, and then Zhang Qiling suddenly said, “There are three types of dungeons.”
Zhang Qiling walked around, observing every nook and cranny of the altar. “Survival, trial, and ritual,” he continued.
Wu Xie thought about what Zhang Qiling had said; it was basic knowledge for hunters. A survival dungeon was one where you had to endure for a set amount of time to clear it. A trial dungeon required defeating the boss, while a ritual dungeon demanded completing a specific ritual. Among them, the trial type was the most common, and the ritual type was the rarest.
Wu Xie followed Zhang Qiling’s movements, and when they halted right in front of the small bottle, Wu Xie understood.
“You mean we have to do a ritual? What kind of ritual is it?”
“We've started it. We just need to finish it.” Zhang Qiling paused for a moment before telling him in a soft tone, “Check your notification.”
It clicked in Wu Xie’s mind that he had forgotten about the system notification that appeared right after their wedding ceremony. It seemed he also failed to notice how Zhang Qiling knew that he had received notifications, since only marriage partners could see each other’s stats.
A soft ding sounded, and a flash flickered across Wu Xie’s face. There it was—indeed, a notification.
[System Notice] Congratulations on your wedding! You have now met the conditions. 【Eternal Vow】 is now in progress. Consume the required item to complete the contract.]
“The wedding?”
He nodded.
“Didn’t we already finish it?”
“Not yet. It’s just the beginning.”
“So we have to drink that elixir to finish the ritual, right?”
Wu Xie tried to take the small bottle from the altar table, but Zhang Qiling's hand grabbed his wrist halfway, preventing him from touching it. He was puzzled. Wu Xie tilted his head in confusion, and his eyes asked for an explanation.
Zhang Qiling stood still in silence, but his mind kept recalling the dream he had last night.
There was a tombstone engraved with the name of a person who was once his only connection to this world.
He used to live in the moment, cherish every single day, and be grateful to taste such a luxury as being with him in this unjust span of life. He learned to enjoy his life from him, with him. However, he couldn’t deny that people would not last forever, and some moments were meant to be forgotten. Separation was always painful, for some things were simply irreplaceable. The quietness he displayed seemed unbothered on the surface but was broken inside, because deep down, he also couldn’t—didn’t want to forget the person buried underneath, refusing to use Zhang's family method to move on without hanging on to the lingering attachment.
He just won’t do it.
Unbeknownst to him, a lingering soul that carried a boundless obsession appeared before him. He couldn’t ascend because of his unwillingness. He was repeating apologies again and again, even though it was never his fault. Who’s to blame when the heart betrays rationality? It had never been easy.
“Don’t torment yourself like this...”
And those whispers faded into the winter breeze.
Zhang Qiling had decided. He wouldn't let it happen—when regrets were the only things left.
“Wu Xie, this isn't our world.”
“Wh-what do you mean?”
Wu Xie was taken aback, beyond surprised. He was now facing Zhang Qiling as if they were competing in a staring contest. Forget about seeking an explanation; Zhang Qiling's next statement made Wu Xie even more bewildered.
“This is your dream.”
06
That day, Wu Xie had suffered from a sleeping disorder. It was either due to insomnia or a nightmare; the creeping anxiety would not go away unless he could see that person and ensure that all that happened wasn’t just a dream—that this time it wasn’t a hallucination. Wu Xie didn’t tell him, but Zhang Qiling didn’t need his confession to know.
In early August, Zhang Qiling had ordered someone to deliver an object from the Zhang family ancestral home. He had remembered it some time ago, thinking it would be a great way to improve Wu Xie’s sleep quality, and even Pangzi agreed.
It had been days since then, and his order should arrive in Yucun by today. Thus, early this morning, Zhang Qiling busied himself looking for medicinal herbs to treat sleep disorders in the mountains. So that he could come back earlier than usual.
That morning, Wu Xie was still sleeping in his room. Pangzi deliberately let him sleep longer; he knew that his good brother couldn’t sleep properly, especially at this time of the year. While doing his daily chores in the yard, an uninvited silhouette appeared in front of him.
“Yo! It’s been a while.”
“What are you doing here?”
Zhang Haike walked over to Pangzi and shoved a bundle wrapped in pale golden cloth in his face. “The patriarch asked us to deliver this.”
“Ah, that’s right. Give it to me.”
Pangzi was about to take it, but the holder intentionally backed away.
“It’s only you here?”
Pangzi folded his arms and answered lazily, “Your patriarch is up the mountain, and Tianzhen is still sleeping.”
Zhang Haike handed it over to him after satisfying his curiosity.
However, seeing he hadn’t left yet, Pangzi added, “If there’s nothing else, you can go now.”
“This is how you treat a guest.”
“Didn’t you say you came here to deliver this thing?”
His head twitched—very much like a courier. “Fine. I've got something to do anyway.”
Then he left just as fast as he came.
Pangzi went into the house and put the bundle on the table. He opened it carefully and found a small lacquered wooden box nestled within. It was an incense burner set; inside sat a small, ornate incense burner made of bronze, adorned with intricate patterns and motifs carved into its surface.
The incense burner stood on three legs designed to hold fragrant incense powder and had two handles. Its lid was decorated with an elaborate floral pattern and topped with a small, sculpted figure of a qilin.
“What beautiful craftsmanship!” Pangzi was amazed and wondered how much it would cost.
Pangzi meticulously arranged the incense burner. He chose the sandalwood fragrance, just as Xiaoge had told him before he went to the mountain. When he finished, Wu Xie came out of his room.
“What are you doing?”
“Here. Burn this when you want to sleep.”
He handed the small Qilin incense burner to Wu Xie.
Wu Xie observed it for a moment before asking, “Where’s Xiaoge?”
“He’s up the mountain. Go get something to eat. I’ve prepared steamed egg custard with jujube and chicken soup.”
Wu Xie curtly hummed, the bags under his eyes becoming more noticeable.
Xiaoge had yet to come back, and Wu Xie absentmindedly looked at the incense burner he had placed in his room. Judging by the exquisite craftsmanship and the small qilin figurine on top, it was clearly from the Zhang family. He smiled knowingly, then lifted the lid and lit the incense.
Soon after, he fell asleep.
“Where is Wu Xie?”
“Huh? He’s sleeping?”
Pangzi was surprised to see Zhang Qiling suddenly appear on the doorway. He had been lounging in the living room, playing a game. The television was still on, showing a documentary about marriage traditions in rural areas that had long been forgotten.
Zhang Qiling strode over to their room. When he opened the door, the relaxing aroma of sandalwood filled the space. His gaze fell on the figure lying on the bed and the small censer on the bedside table.
He was late.
Realizing that something was not right, Pangzi followed him and asked, “What’s wrong, Xiaoge?”
“Don’t come inside.” Zhang Qiling closed the door slowly.
“Did something happen to Tianzhen?”
“It’s the wrong incense.”
A deep frown appeared on Zhang Qiling’s usually indifferent face, and this time, he didn’t bother to care about it. He dialed the phone with a mechanical precision he rarely displayed.
Some time later, those responsible for this mistake finally came to Yucun. In Pangzi’s eyes, they looked so pitiful. The three of them knelt in the yard, seeking forgiveness from their patriarch the moment they showed their faces.
“My apologies, Patriarch. I’ve made a mistake.”
“Don’t be so dramatic. I know you don’t feel guilty at all.” Pangzi nonchalantly picked at his ear.
Zhang Haike ignored Pangzi’s opinion and bowed deeply to the ground. The others followed—who wouldn’t, when a heavy atmosphere hung over them and an oppressive aura emanated from their patriarch’s indifferent face?
The combination was utterly terrifying.
Zhang Haike raised his head and began to argue. “I was only responsible for delivering it. He’s the one who took it out of the ancestral home.” He pointed at the person beside him, showing no sense of camaraderie.
“That’s not true. I asked Qianjun to do it.” Zhang Haiyan then pointed at Zhang Qianjun Wanma in the same way his fellow Zhang had done earlier.
“Is there something wrong with it?” Zhang Qianjun asked with unfeigned confusion.
Everyone turned to look at him.
They had rushed straight here as soon as their patriarch contacted them, but no one had told him what had happened. Zhang Qianjun had dug out every kind of incense burner he could find, yet they were all wrapped in the same cloth.
Zhang Haiyan then explained to Zhang Qianjun, “The one sent to the patriarch was a Qilin incense burner, and the incense powder inside was made with special ingredients mixed with Qilin blood. It has a powerful calming effect on the mind, but it often induces intense, vivid dreams—dreams that are difficult to wake from for those without Qilin blood or whose Qilin blood is not strong enough. The only way to awaken is to fulfill your wish within the dream. Once your mind relaxes, you will wake up. There is even a record of someone who awoke with their wish granted in reality, though that was extremely rare.”
He paused, his voice lowering. “That said, if you fail to wake before the incense burns out, your soul will be trapped in the dream forever.”
“You three should repent,” Pangzi said, as if speaking on Zhang Qiling’s behalf.
“Hand it over.” Ignoring their apologies, Zhang Qiling’s cold voice demanded the item he had requested earlier over the phone.
“Yes. It’s here.”
Zhang Haike gave him a small object wrapped in fine silk. Zhang Qiling opened it to confirm what was inside, and there was another incense burner with the same design.
“Xiaoge, that’s…”
He nodded, assuming Pangzi already knew what he was going to do. Then, Zhang Qiling went back inside the house.
“Can we wake him up using it?” Pangzi rubbed his chin.
“It was originally a pair. If someone accidentally trapped their soul inside the dream, another person would need to pull their soul back and wake them up using the other one in the pair.” Zhang Haike said.
Zhang Haiyan smacked his fist into his palm in sudden realization. “Right, there’s also this method.”
“How's it done?” Pangzi asked.
“These paired incense burners can link their dreams through physical touch.”
Zhang Qiling lit the incense and placed the censer close to the other one. Then he lay down next to Wu Xie and held his hand. Because of his blood, it took a while for the incense to work.
“This is your dream,” Zhang Qiling said as a matter of fact.
What did I just hear?!
To Wu Xie, Zhang Qiling wasn’t the kind of person who would joke about something like this. After a while, he sighed and accepted the reality.
“So what should we do? I need to wake up, right?”
Zhang Qiling casually took the small bottle from the altar, wrapping it in his hand. “This elixir is the embodiment of your wish. Our blood has fused in it.”
He rubbed its surface, which looked like a Chinese snuff bottle, only slightly larger, with a jade stopper on top.
Wu Xie watched as those fingers moved along the floral pattern.
“The purpose of this incense is to fulfill your wish. Once achieved, you will wake up naturally.”
A sudden flash of inspiration struck Wu Xie; he finally understood why Xiaoge had asked about it before. He had thought about what he wanted that day, and then… wait-
If that elixir wasn’t just a way to complete the wedding but a reflection of my own wish… then doesn’t that mean… my wish all along was to get married to him?
“....”
Wu Xie froze, unsure of what to say.
He wanted to deny it, but at this point, it would have been pointless. A flush of embarrassment slowly crept over his face, and his thoughts were all jumbled up.
Damn it! What a bizarre wish this is!
“No, it’s more than that.”
Zhang Qiling seemed to know what he was thinking, as if he could read his mind.
Sometimes, people wished for things they didn’t truly mean and regretted them later. This dream could reveal the deepest desire, even one the dreamer was unaware of. Zhang Qiling was certain that, at one time, Wu Xie had realized what it was but simply let it be buried by time, leaving only a trace of unwillingness.
Wu Xie contemplated what Zhang Qiling had said to him. If the wedding was just the beginning, and it wasn’t his wish, it was even more than just a marriage.
Then, could it be what he was wishing for…
He broke out in a cold sweat. It wasn’t just an ordinary wish; it was like 【Eternal Vow】.
Zhang Qiling had seen through his wish.
“Since you already know, will you grant it?”
Wu Xie couldn’t help but ask. He must have been out of his mind, but he needed to know. It wasn’t enough just to guess, not after they had gone too far to turn back.
Zhang Qiling recalled his conversation with Pangzi when they were waiting for the Zhang trio to arrive at Yucun. He didn’t know why Pangzi had brought this matter up all of a sudden, but what he had said would never leave his mind.
“Tianzhen has so many worries, about us, about you… He can try to live in the moment just like you do, but even if he managed to do it, those worries would come back, just like today.” He paused for a bit. “At least, live without regrets. If there’s a chance for you and Tianzhen to get what you deserve — what you truly want, I trust you to take it.” Pangzi lightly tapped him on the shoulder. “Give him a chance to choose his own fate.”
Zhang Qiling had witnessed countless meetings and separations. He was so used to it that he had no choice but to feel indifferent. Sometimes, longevity wasn’t a gift but a curse. He could only be content by wishing time would stop so he could savor the moment as he pleased—but without him, it held no meaning.
Even so, if he could, Zhang Qiling didn’t want Wu Xie to experience the same, because living together required another sacrifice. It had never been easy, yet here he was, standing in front of him like he was the center of his universe.
How bold—how pure and sincere those feelings were.
Wu Xie swore he saw a faint, bitter smile on those lips, but when he blinked, it was gone.
“It won’t be easy for you.”
“I know.”
“Don’t regret it.”
“I know.”
Whether back then or now, it was always the same.
“Like I said years ago,”
“If you need someone to accompany you to the end, I won't refuse. I want to go with you.”
Wu Xie looked at him with unwavering resolve. “I want to accompany you to the end. I mean it.”
Wu Xie hoped the person in front of him would bask in the joy of life, no matter how silly or mundane it was—to fill him with the happiness he deserved, and to walk beside him to make sure it was real. He had wronged so many people in his life, but this wish couldn’t be hidden anymore, now that Zhang Qiling had found it.
“This time, I won’t let you go.”
After a pause, Wu Xie nodded. “I know.”
“Then, you’re mine.”
“I-”
Wu Xie’s chest tightened as the realization hit him. His heart felt like it might burst.
In the next second, Zhang Qiling opened the small bottle, drank the elixir, and then leaned in to share it with Wu Xie mouth-to-mouth.
Wu Xie froze in place. His mind felt as if it had stopped working. He was caught off guard, but he obediently swallowed as soon as something warm and wet flowed into his mouth. Even after all the liquid had slipped down their throats, they continued to share that warm, wet touch. Their tongues danced together inside Wu Xie’s mouth. An embarrassing wet sound echoed through the entire cave, but Wu Xie couldn’t bring himself to care. Never had he imagined his first real kiss with Zhang Qiling would be this overwhelming. Was it because neither of them had ever experienced something like this before?
Dizzy, Wu Xie felt as though he might faint at any moment.
Then a ding sounded in front of them.
[Congratulations! You have consumed 【Wedding Wine】. 【Eternal Vow】 is now complete.]
What a name... , Wu Xie complained inwardly.
And slowly, the world slipped away from his sight.
07
When he opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was a familiar ceiling that he knew so well. A dull headache throbbed at his temples, as if he had just woken from a very long and vivid dream. Yet soon after, he felt so refreshed, as though he had been born again, as if something flowed through his veins and gave him a sense of rebirth.
“Finally, the sleeping beauty wakes up.”
“What happened?” He asked Pangzi, who was sitting on the stool beside the bed.
Wu Xie propped himself up on his elbows, trying to sit on the edge of the bed. Then, a strong hand steadied him from the side. He turned and realized it was Zhang Qiling.
And then, he remembered everything.
“You guys can come in!”
Wu Xie had no idea whom Pangzi was calling, but soon the door opened, and members of the Zhang family entered one after another.
“What are they doing here?” Wu Xie asked, frankly displeased.
“What else? They owe you an apology for causing trouble, you know.”
“Ah, right… the incense.”
Wu Xie still hadn’t forgotten what Zhang Qiling had told him about it while they were inside the dream.
“Wait, why would I-”
Zhang Haiyan quickly shut his mouth, a silent warning from behind Wu Xie sending chills down his spine.
“It, It’s our fault. We apologize for causing such a ruckus.”
They all bowed their heads slightly in unison.
Wu Xie smiled in contentment, thinking it was such a rare scene he should have taken a photo and posted it on his WeChat moments.
“Tianzhen, what’s that on your hand?”
Wu Xie stared down at the inner wrist of his left hand, which Pangzi had pointed out. Just above his seventeen scars, there was a beautiful lotus-shaped mark.
“Since when did you get a tattoo?”
“I don’t know....”
Wu Xie studied the mark on his inner wrist, as if trying to decipher its meaning and origin.
Zhang Haike, who had accidentally caught sight of the mark, screamed in disbelief. “No way! Wu Xie, you, and the patriarch?!”
“Isn’t that a soulmark?” Zhang Qianjun spoke up, feeling proud that he had finally recognized something.
“Patriarch… It can’t be true, right?” Zhang Haiyan tried to confirm, though he already knew the answer was inevitable.
Pangzi frowned upon seeing the mark; it was indeed a beautiful lotus pattern. “Soulmark? Your Zhang family has this kind of thing, too?”
Zhang Haike crossed his arms and smiled smugly.
“Of course. That’s also why the Qilin incense burners come in pairs. Long ago, these censers were used in a ritual to find lifelong partners—a soul-binding contract. Because of intermarriage within the clan, it was difficult to find a suitable partner whose blood wouldn’t conflict and bring misfortune to their offspring. Those with Qilin blood would often mark their chosen partners in this way; the mark was called a soulmark. Yet the requirements were so strict that our ancestors eventually abandoned the practice. Over time, it turned into nothing more than a legend.”
“I’ve heard about it. It requires both parties to have compatible Qilin blood and matching souls. It sounds simple, but in fact, it’s hard to find,” Zhang Haiyan added, nodding his head in agreement.
Wu Xie had a hunch that somehow he and Zhang Qiling had completed some sort of forbidden ritual, and they were sharing lifespans because their souls were connected. If one died, the other would also die, like that?
So, it was true—not the "forbidden" part, though.
Wu Xie watched Zhang Qiling as he got out of bed. He was sure that for whatever reason, Zhang Qiling had been against it—but in the end, they had done it, not just because of Wu Xie’s wish, but also because of Zhang Qiling’s. Wu Xie knew it was a compromise.
“Then, congratulations to the three of you! You’ve witnessed such a rare occurrence of finding the lady of the house!”
The three of them went pale at the realization and glanced at Wu Xie.
Before, it had been just a silent agreement without any real title, but now that it was official, the reality hit them differently.
Zhang Qiling couldn't take it anymore and finally said coldly, “You should go back home.”
Pangzi slapped his thigh. “Right! Go, go, all of you!”
As if giving Zhang Qiling his full support, Pangzi got up from his seat and winked at both Zhang Qiling and Wu Xie.
Somehow, Wu Xie sensed déjà vu.
Pangzi led the Zhang trio out of the room, leaving the couple alone.
A hand reached out in front of him. Wu Xie knew who it belonged to—there was no need to even look up. He took it without hesitation, and soon after, he was pulled out of the bed.
Wu Xie’s left hand was held by Zhang Qiling’s right, while his other hand somehow ended up on Wu Xie’s waist. Wu Xie was confused by the sudden change in position, but soon he didn’t have time to think about it.
Zhang Qiling observed his lotus mark, which glimmered under his gentle touch as he traced it. The hand he held twitched in surprise when he lowered his head and gently planted kisses on the mark, moving down to the scars—one, two, three… all the way to seventeen.
Wu Xie watched, dumbstruck, as his lotus mark glowed and grew slowly under Zhang Qiling’s warm touch, bit by bit, enveloping his scars, like a lifelike, delicate vine. Then he understood, if Zhang Qiling’s tattoo appeared when his body temperature rose, his mark was triggered in almost the same way—it was the warmth of Zhang Qiling’s presence.
Absent-mindedly gazing at his slowly fading mark, Wu Xie belatedly realized how close Zhang Qiling’s face had drawn to his neck and how he brushed his lips against his scar, while his other hand slid from Wu Xie’s hand to the side of his face, softly stroking the hair at the back of his ear. Then he gradually closed the distance between them. Their foreheads touched, and tender smiles curved their lips. There was no need for words, as their hearts were beating at the same rhythm.
And then their lips met again. Albeit late, Wu Xie tried to return the kiss, his whole body trembling at this new sensation. This time, the kiss was very gentle, like being touched by soft feathers.
Wu Xie had never wished for immortality—he… no, they just wanted to be with each other for a very, very long time.
END