The sun had long set. The clear sky is now completely tainted with darkness turning the heavens into a wide horizon of black carpet filled with glowing clusters of stars. Only the huge moon swaying slightly in the sky becomes the source of light for the living.
Yun Suisen together with his two lovers had finally rejoined their group and walked towards the bonfire where the rest were crowding around. He approached his dear friend who is completely covered in thick blankets with his husband, Cao Junye, busying himself with cooking some skewers over the fire.
Sat tiredly beside Ximen Xueya, "I'm tired~ and so hungry~"
Shi Moye sat on his wife's right side and gave the chef Cao Junye some puppy eyes begging for food.
"Boss~ share some dinner. Few roasted chickens and fishes should suffice as a reward," said Shi Moye.
Cao Junye glanced at Shi Moye and the other two looked at the skewers in his hand which had a chicken thigh pierced with metal thin barbecue rods.
"Wait. I still need to cook the portions for my wife and my son," replied Cao Junye.
Ximen Xueya moves his hand to play with his earrings and then a pile of marinated mixed meat and seafood appeared in front of the three together with few vegetables and empty metal skewers.
"I've prepared it. Just cook your own dinner. Don't bother my husband with your food." said Xueya.
The three didn't get offended by Ximen Xueya's actions, instead started preparing their own barbecue. The marinated meat is something Xueya made. It is genuine to end up being delicious.
Though their cooking skills aren't that par with Cao Junye and Ximen Xueya's master talent, they still know how to roast or grill some meat over fire. Moreover, Yun Suisen can still be considered a good chef though not at the godly level of the married couple.
Meanwhile, the other couple, Baize and his host, were cooking their own at the other side of the bonfire. It was Xu Lin who was holding the metal stick over the fire. There are two skewers in both his hands. Two meat bbq on his right hand and two squids on his left hand.
Sweats stroll down on his face because of heat and smoke. There are even some black spots on Xu Lin's face thanks to the dust from the bonfire. Not far from him Baize is lying on his side lightly fanning the fire.
"Darling, you can flip the skewers with squids now~," said Baize.
Xu Lin did what he was told and glared at Baize after doing so.
"My arms are tired! Can't you do the cooking instead while I fan the fire!?"
"Darling, you know I won't~ just now you didn't help with building our tent and you said you'll do the cooking. You're the one who suggests splitting the tasks~
Even if your stick-like arms were tired from holding on to the skewers, it won't break anyway~ Just don't burn our food, I've asked those from the general's side. We won't get another one if you turn it to charcoal."
There's an amused grin as Baize said those words. He is teasing his naive host.
(QAQ) "Bully~ my arms are about to break. Why the hell did you choose two big adult squids and pig trotters!?" complained Xu Lin as he could feel his arms trembling due to heaviness, heat, and fatigue. He felt like he was being cooked over with the squid and pig trotters in his hands.
What's worse is that he could see that bastard system of his fanning himself instead of the fire in front of him. He is just a black-bellied big bully.
Meanwhile, among the main group, only Wang Lei is on guard duty and he is the only one among the rest who ate instant noodles with barbecue while keeping guard. He had no other choice as his lover wasn't with him. He doesn't want to eat dog food all night.
After dinner, almost everyone, even those on guarding duties had fallen asleep. No one knew why everyone had fallen asleep all of the sudden. Only one of them knew, among the group Ximen Xueya suddenly opened his eyes in the darkness. It seems that he had drugged the dinner with sleeping medicine putting everyone to sleep.
He opened his eyes and saw the interiors of the tent he shares with his husband and son. They were sleeping peacefully on a huge mattress placed within the tent. Ximen Chino is sleeping in between the two of them with Cao Junye's arms hugging them both.
Seating up and wearing a jacket with him, Ximen Xueya is preparing to leave the tent. He didn't forget to cover his family with a blanket before summoning Zhi Yue.
"Yue, turn human for me for a bit," said Xueya.
[As you wish, host.]
In a few seconds, Zhi Yue's human form appeared before Xueya. He was kneeling on the side in reverence.
Human form System Yue asked, "You called, Lord Hei?"
"Um." Ximen Xueya looked at Zhi Yue with his eyes glowing with silver shade, clearly intending to use kotodama on him. "Yue, can you keep what you'll witness in your heart and tell no one or... I will put you to sleep right now? Choose."
Zhi Yue was shocked by the question his host just asked. This person would normally not care about him or others. No questions asked. He will do what he wants to do. This is the host Zhi Yue has. But what is happening right now? His host is allowing him to make a choice. He is going to die now.
As if knowing what is running in Zhi Yue's little head, Ximen Xueya could help but chuckle.
"Hehe~ funny kid. Didn't my son already call you Uncle? If I don't treat you as our family member, then this situation where I ask you a question would never happen." said Xueya.
Astonished. Zhi Yue was speechless for a moment when he heard what Xueya had just said to him. Family? Lord Hei is treating him like a family.
Xueya said, "So what will your choice be?"
"I will accompany you, Lord Hei," replied Zhi Yue.
A cunning smile appeared on Xueya's face before responding, "Let's go ahead then."
The two left the tent and walked out of the defensive barrier Yun Suisen had made. Of course, they made sure that there was no disturbance caused by them separating from the group.
The two stood before the cliff facing the opposite side where the Celestial Willow Tree is located.
Zhi Yue asked politely, "Lord Hei, are we going to teleport?"
As soon as his words ended his sight blurred and with a split second, they appeared in front of the Willow Tree. They were standing at the unshaded region of the tree's head.
Zhi Yue, who is used to having his avatar form instead of his human form, almost puked from the sudden changes in space. He is not used to it. He is more comfortable in using portals and doors to move to other locations.
"Urgh~"
"Still alive?" asked Xueya nonchalantly.
Zhi Yue lifted his head and anyone could see his pale face at the moment. But the former didn't forget to nod his head in agreement with Ximen Xueya's words.
Xueya, "Stand here. Don't approach the Willow Tree. It could kill you even if you turned into your avatar form."
"Yes, Lord Hei," responded Zhi Yue.
Zhi Yue could only watch as he watched Ximen Xueya walk towards the tree. Each of his steps was firm and stable as if nothing could stop him from coming over. The hanging thin branches of the tree, which are filled with crystal-like leaves, sways and attack Xueya as if wanting to catch him.
But each branch turned to ice before it could touch Xueya and shattered the next moment. It happened multiple times and the Willow Tree could help but finally voice out its complaints.
An old male voice was heard based on its tone, the Willow Tree is angry.
{Mortal? No, you are not. The vessel is mortal but the soul isn't! Are you an outsider? One from the upper realms?} asked the Willow Tree.
Ximen Xueya gave him a taunting yet devious smile but his eyes were indifferent and cold. To him, this huge tree is nothing he cares about, if he wanted he could fight it and even destroy it though it would take hard work to do so. For a lazy one like him, this might not happen.
"And so? What can you do about it?" said Xueya.
An old man's laughter was suddenly heard in the area. This Willow Tree Deity is tittering at Ximen Xueya's taunts. As if an old person heard a joke for the first time in his life.
HAHAHAHA~
The noise made Xueya's mood turn bad. He had always hated clamors and rackets around him.
"Too rowdy. I don't like it." murmured Xueya but his mood is shown by the converging ice under his feet, spreading around him towards the Willow Tree Deity.
Few branches coated in true qi tried to block the incoming ice but were unable to completely block it. Seeing this the laughing Willow Deity finally halted and silence ascended in the area.
The Willow Deity finally noticed the seriousness of the situation when he experienced what kind of ice the land before him wielded. When he used his branches covered with his true qi to block the incoming ice, his branches suffered unmelting frost. There is only one kind of ice that cannot be melted by ordinary fire.
Willow Deity's thoughts: 'The Ice this lad possesses isn't ordinary. It's one of a kind. The ice that does not melt. Eternal Ice! But to wield this type of ice, one must first possess a special bloodline. But that family that possesses that bloodline is well-known for its cold and aloof temperament. They wouldn't leave their territory unless it was for the matter of their other halves.'
The willow tree was suddenly covered in bright golden light. An old man's figure appeared from within the tree. He had long white hair and a beard wearing a rag-like robe worn by beggars in ancient times. The old man's eyes were closed and on his face wrinkled which showed his age.
The scene of an old deity appearing in front of them shocked Zhi Yue. This old man's cultivation is also beyond him. Zhi Yue subconsciously protected Ximen Xueya behind him. The latter is their lord's wife. He is their other Lord.
Ximen Xueya smiled for a moment when he saw Zhi Yue's action. He didn't expect someone weaker than him would dare to protect him from someone a lot stronger than himself. Zhi Yue's gesture is a sacrificial one.
"It's fine, Yue. He is not here to fight. Showing his real soul is a gesture of trust and temporary submission."
The Old Willow Deity spoke, "You are a child of Mo. Are you the youngest descendant?"
"At the moment, Yes. But you've seen my child didn't you?"
"Oh~ that chubby one with a mixed soul of celestial and other bloodine of a special race. I cannot believe you have chosen that one as your other half. I heard your bloodline could only fall in love once in their whole lifetime. Is that alright?"
Xueya squinted his eyes when he heard the willow's words. He couldn't understand but could vaguely feel that this other race he is calling refers to his husband's bloodline.
The Willow Deity noticed the slight changes in Xueya's emotionless face. This is a rare sight as he met someone of the same bloodline who wouldn't even twitch a brow when his other half left him behind. That's how hard it is for someone in Mo to show their feelings and emotions on their face.
"Child. You are not like him. Not like Xiao Jun at all. That time when Siwang decided to break all relations with Xiao Jun, the emotionless face of Xiao Jun didn't change at all. He remains cold as ice and unmoved by anything. Only a single teardrop expressed his sadness and loneliness."
Xueya's expression finally turned slightly ugly with hints of confusion. When the former heard the name of his uncle-in-law, Siwang, Xueya knew that the Xiao Jun this old tree is talking about is his biological uncle, Mo Baojun.
"What are you talking about? I haven't seen Uncle Si and my Uncle fight before. You said Uncle Si left my uncle? That is impossible. You couldn't even split them up even if the whole family worked together."
"Oh~ in the end, the two still ended up being together. That is good then."
There's obvious joy in the old man's being as anyone could see his upturned lips turning into a crescent moon. Then as if recalling something the old willow tree suddenly walked towards Xueya and stared at him closely as if looking directly to his soul.
"Hmm~ Hm~ I remember you now. Child, aren't your Xiao Jun's beloved little Jingjing?"
Zhi Yue was dumbfounded hearing some others call Lord Hei's intimately. He thought only his Lord God could sweetly call his host as Jing'er. Now he heard someone else calling Lord Hei as little Jingjing. He could only peek at his Lord Hei and saw within his eyes feelings of confusion mixed with slight astonishment. Lord Hei with problems in his memories was left muddled by the old willow deity's words.