167: 4.32 I'm Sorry

4.32 I'm Sorry

He could feel Heimo's breath hitch on his throat. His lips opened and closed without a word, each movement grazing against Lu Yizhou's lips like the faintest ghost of touch. It tingled and Lu Yizhou wished for nothing more than taking him again, this time gentle, to let him know the depth of Lu Yizhou's feelings toward him. From such a close distance, he could see myriads of emotions flashing through Heimo's eyes; the struggle, the appeased anger, satisfaction and longing — and he was sure that his own emotions were also laid bare for the man to see. Lu Yizhou let it be, if it meant he could hold Heimo close for a little longer.2

Heimo pursed his lips and sought his eyes, hopeful. "You're lying."

"I am not." 

"How— How could you…"

"Why not?" Lu Yizhou countered with the briefest smile. The effect was spontaneous. Heimo screwed his eyes shut and took in exaggerated breath as if the air had failed his lungs. Lu Yizhou almost preened, knowing fully the effect he had on his lover. 

"Let. Me. Go." He gritted out.

"No." Lu Yizhou tightened his arms and effectively cut off the tiny distance between them. Chest to chest, legs to legs. Heimo let out an undignified squawk and struggled to push him away. Well, to be honest, his strength wasn't any better than a kitten's paws. Lu Yizhou knew that Heimo was stronger, way stronger than this, might even be stronger than himself. Not that Lu Yizhou would point out his coy acting. He rested his chin on Heimo's shoulder. "I won't let go. If I do, Lan'er will disappear again."

The man flinched as if scalded. "T—That…"

"Don't disappear on me again." Lu Yizhou's words became muffled as he nuzzled on the crook of Heimo's neck. "...Please."

Heimo caught his breath sharply and his heartbeat thundered in his chest. Lu Yizhou could even feel the vibration against his own chest. He closed his eyes and let his heartbeat match Heimo's; ba-thump, ba-thump, a rapid melody that only existed between the two. They stayed like this, hugging for a long, long time. Gradually, Lu Yizhou's hold relaxed around him, merely letting his arms rest languidly on the dip of Heimo's waist.

"Lu Yizhou," Heimo called out softly.

"Hmm?" Lu Yizhou tried to pull away so he could see Heimo's face only for the man to press on his head firmly, forcing him to stay in place. Lu Yizhou conceded and returned to his initial position, grazing his nose along the curve of Heimo's neck and shoulder. 

He was waiting patiently, yet nothing could prepare him for what Heimo said next. "I am sorry."

For what? The question hadn't been uttered yet when Heimo's palm exerted strength. Lu Yizhou had never put up a guard around his lover thus the attack instantly connected to his chest and he was sent crashing to the tree behind him. A surprised gasp escaped his lips and he snapped his head up in time to see Heimo disappearing behind the whirlwind of spiritual energy. "Lan'er!"

Jet black hair flew wildly around Heimo and his eyes were bloodshot and freezing cold when he said once again, "Please forgive me, Lu Yizhou." 

Lu Yizhou pushed himself off the ground and reached out, his fingertips barely grazing the hem of Heimo's billowing sleeves before the man vanished into thin air. Lu Yizhou's feet staggered as his fist closed on nothing but empty air. Heimo had disappeared and the forest remained calm once again. The air was choking Lu Yizhou's throat and he shut his eyes to calm the tightness on his chest. Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale. He repeated the movement again and again. Behind his eyelids, the image had been burned vividly; the impenetrable hardness on Heimo's eyes and a flicker of anguish as apologies fell on his lips. 

It was suffocating.

***

When Lu Yizhou met the two protagonists again the next morning, a suspicious blush colored Ling Chuwei's cheeks and she couldn't meet Lu Yizhou's eyes for the entirety of the breakfast whereas Shan Duoyin looked at him as if he had just starved a puppy. Lu Yizhou didn't understand what he had done to garner such a response and he lacked the enthusiasm to care either. He finished the meat congee quickly and put down the spoon. "Today, we will go to check on the dragon."

The other two froze for a few seconds before they wolfed down the food and put on a serious look. Ling Chuwei gingerly asked, "Isn't it too fast?"

Lu Yizhou shook his head. "Last night, there was a mild earthquake twice in a row in the span of two shichen. We can't afford to delay any longer. What information have you two got?"

"Nothing important." Ling Chuwei shrugged. "The townspeople didn't really know what's happening and they didn't dare to venture too deep into the mountain either. Just that they believe in such a stupid superstition; the dragon awakening means that Gods are furious and disaster will follow. Oblivious civilians," she snorted. "No one has ever seen a dragon before but according to the old scrolls in Lingyan's library, one swing of its tail can flatten mountains, one stomp of its foot can destroy a city. Well, if I put it like that, they aren't wrong that disaster will happen if the dragon is roused from its slumber. But who knows? Is there really a dragon if no one has even seen it before? What if it's just a usual recurring earthquake?"

Lu Yizhou merely hummed. Ling Chuwei's suspicion wasn't entirely unfounded. However, the dragon indeed existed, it had merely gone off the radars of cultivators for centuries. The auspicious creature was closely linked to many myths and legends told by people, but there was one thing they didn't know. It hadn't been sleeping at all. Contrarily, the dragon was currently fledging and it was trying to find a secure place for the egg's nest. Hence the continuous earthquake for the past two months. The aforementioned egg was also the elixir that Heimo wanted to steal. By doing that, he had received the dragon's ire and almost died before he could bring the egg out. 

Shan Duoyin looked at them back and forth before focusing on Lu Yizhou, concerned. "C—Cultivator Lu, do we really need to do this? The Sect Leader ordered us to hunt the Black Demon and he has nothing to do with the dragon at all, hasn't he? Can't we just hand the task over to another person?"

"Oooh~" Ling Chuwei bumped her shoulder to him, eyes crinkling with smiles. "Shan-xiong, are you afraid?"

"I am not." Shan Duoyin huffed in indignation. "I am just worried. What if something happens and we can't execute our task well because we are too distracted by the dragon?"

"Well, that's…" Ling Chuwei looked conflicted, clearly swayed by Shan Duoyin's persuasion.

Lu Yizhou sipped his tea whilst observing the pair. There was nothing different about their interaction and he couldn't find any sign that they had been involved in any sexual act either. So they hadn't gotten together, Lu Yizhou noted. What was holding them back? They had plenty of time to do whatever they wanted last night. Sigh, now they couldn't do it anymore because they had to depart as soon as possible. In the original plot, Shan Duoyin and Ling Chuwei merely passed through the city without checking the dragon out because they focused on hunting Heimo down. Lu Yizhou didn't doubt that they would do the same this time around. 

He put the cup down to the table and replied serenely. "The people are in trouble. We have to help."

The two were stunned and looked at him with wide eyes, sparkling with admiration and worship. 

"Right, that's right…" A smile spread across Shan Duoyin's face. "Jing— Cultivator Lu is right! It's our job as a cultivator to help people whenever trouble arises. We have to ensure that the city is safe! This junior has been enlightened!"

Ling Chuwei cupped her fists solemnly. "This junior has learned a lesson from Lu-shixiong."

Lu Yizhou nodded in satisfaction and stood up. "Let's go."

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Mini theater

666: Host's BS is too strong. Mortals can't compare *rolls eye*

#brainwashing at its finest

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