The previously clear sky suddenly became filled with dark clouds. Just a moment ago, the sun was rising, but now, not even a trace of the sun could be seen.

The sky was dark, and the earth was also dark. There was a mysterious sense of merging between heaven and earth, reminiscent of the boundless chaos at the creation of the world by the gods.

Xiao Liu found a secluded and quiet cave. As soon as he settled down, he heard the sound of thunder and lightning behind him. His heart skipped a beat, and when he lowered his head, he noticed that Bai Fanlu had already opened his eyes at some point and was staring at him intently.

The beautiful eyes were briefly illuminated by the afterglow of lightning, then quickly returned to their deep, dark purple hue, devoid of any emotion.

“…” Xiao Liu tightened his grip slightly.

We can’t stay at the entrance, he thought, it’s about to rain.

Xiao Liu braced himself and carried Bai Fanlu inside. Surprisingly, Bai Fanlu didn’t resist and just leaned silently in his arms without moving.

The cave wasn’t deep; after just a few steps, Xiao Liu was frustrated by the short distance. When he had to put Bai Fanlu down, he still wasn’t fully prepared.

“Xiao Liu…”

But when Bai Fanlu spoke, it left Xiao Liu stunned.

Did he still, even now, want to call him that?

But as for himself… he ultimately felt too ashamed to call him “brother.”

Xiao Liu pursed his lips and looked around. The cave was damp and dark, with only a stone surface protruding from the muddy ground. He used magic to dry the hay and let Bai Fanlu sit on it.

“Xiao Liu, why did you lie to me?”

Bai Fanlu kept his eyes on Xiao Liu’s movements. When he asked this, his tone remained as gentle as ever, even tender.

Xiao Liu had a vague feeling that something was wrong. It wasn’t just the tone; Bai Fanlu’s gaze was also off.

“Why did you lie to me and say you were Yun Zhan?” Bai Fanlu tilted his head slightly, showing a puzzled expression.

Xiao Liu’s lips trembled lightly. Only then did he realize what was wrong. When Bai Fanlu looked at him, his gaze was hazy, as if his soul was wandering far away.

Soul… Xiao Liu understood. His human soul had been taken, which is why he seemed to have lost his senses.

“Brother…”

Xiao Liu finally gathered the courage to gently call him that.

Bai Fanlu was still lost in his thoughts and didn’t seem to hear that tentative call.

“Xiao Liu, there’s no need to pretend to be Yun Zhan. That fake ‘Yun Zhan’ couldn’t produce the Qing Niao; he’s a fake.”

“Are you afraid he’ll hurt me… I get it, you’re the one who gave me that note, telling me to be wary of Yun Zhan, aren’t you?”

A faint smile played on Bai Fanlu’s lips, but it didn’t reach his eyes.

“You came to Yufang City too, to find me, right? Why didn’t you come to see me sooner?”

“If you had come sooner…”

“If you had come sooner…”

Sooner what?

Bai Fanlu couldn’t articulate it. His rambling words got stuck here, and he looked confused, like a helpless child struggling to understand something that should have been simple.

Xiao Liu’s heart ached unbearably. If Bai Fanlu ended up like this, the direct cause was Bai Junming, but the greatest accomplice was himself.

The Soul Capture Technique was powerful, but to seize someone’s soul, their body and will had to be exceptionally weak, with willpower being the most fatal weakness.

That phrase from Bai Junming, “as easy as flipping a hand,” was exactly what it meant.

“Xiao Liu, why are we here? Weren’t we building a house?”

It seemed the previous question had stumped the current Bai Fanlu. Unable to understand it, he confusedly switched to a simpler topic.

“Our house should be almost finished, right?”

Thinking of something, Bai Fanlu’s eyes curved slightly, as if smiling, but it was unclear if he really was, as he continued his self-talk.

“With a house, we can shelter from the wind and rain… You said we’d have our own house in the future, with Grandma, Xiao Qi, and Xiao Ba, and we’d all live together…”

“…”

Xiao Liu could no longer bear it. No matter how much he cherished the warmth in Bai Fanlu’s words at this moment, he knew it was nothing but a fleeting dream that would eventually end.

The later it ended, the deeper the fall.

He had already missed one opportunity due to fear; he couldn’t afford to make the same mistake again.

“Brother, listen to me.”

Xiao Liu knelt on one knee in front of Bai Fanlu, tightly holding his hands, and with a posture of looking up, met Bai Fanlu’s gaze, which was so pure that it left him nowhere to hide.

A person whose soul had been taken could end up in various states, some losing their memory, some their sanity, and others becoming crazed killers.

But Bai Fanlu had just shattered the Hundred Flowers Pavilion, yet he hadn’t hurt anyone inside and was still protecting them. He must have some awareness and control over his spiritual power.

It wasn’t too late; as long as he made Bai Fanlu regain his clarity and returned his soul to him, he would return to normal.

“Brother, I really am Yun Zhan.”

Hearing this, Bai Fanlu first frowned, then quickly relaxed. “Don’t joke like that. That junior brother of mine is so annoying; how could you be him?”

Xiao Liu raised his hand, touching Bai Fanlu’s face, making him face him.

Bai Fanlu was very compliant, lowering his eyes towards Xiao Liu, but there seemed to be a thick, unyielding fog in them.

Xiao Liu’s heart felt like it was being torn apart. He gritted his teeth and said, “I lied to you. I know you hate me, so I approached you in this guise.”

Bai Fanlu was stunned. After a while, he shook his head. “No, you are Xiao Liu.”

Xiao Liu wanted to say something more, but Bai Fanlu impatiently interrupted, “You are Xiao Liu!”

He repeated, as if in protest, “Your appearance, your name… You…”

“Yes, you once choked on a fishbone, you have an older brother, you can recite nursery rhymes, you… you really are Xiao Liu, just like my Xiao Liu!”

Bai Fanlu, in his panic, tried to stand up, as if grasping some crucial clue but accidentally losing it, anxiously twisting his fingers, his entire body tense.

Xiao Liu couldn’t bear to see him like this. He straightened up and pulled Bai Fanlu into his arms, letting him rest his forehead against his chest, his hand gently stroking his back.

He felt the person in his arms gradually calm down, their breathing becoming slow and steady.

“I figured it out,” Bai Fanlu suddenly smiled in relief. “You were just lying to me; you aren’t Yun Zhan.”

His tone was relaxed. “Xiao Liu, you’ve really learned to be naughty, even bullying your brother.”

“How could Yun Zhan know you? You’re in my mind. How could he impersonate you? Could he read minds?”

Yes, why hadn’t he thought of that earlier?

“You are Xiao Liu,” Bai Fanlu said, smiling happily.

Xiao Liu, holding Bai Fanlu, stiffened. The hand gently patting his back paused.

After a moment of silence, he pulled his lips into a self-deprecating smile.

“I really can read minds.”

Xiao Liu released Bai Fanlu, seriously looking at him. “I’ve been in your dreams. I saw the child in your dream, and his name was ‘Xiao Liu.'”

“…” Bai Fanlu stared blankly at Xiao Liu. He just opened his mouth, but Xiao Liu covered it, shaking his head.

“You grew up close with the child named ‘Xiao Liu’ and were forced to part. I saw everything you two went through.”

“You suddenly became cold to me, avoiding me. I couldn’t get close to you, so I could only imagine what he would look like when he grew up, pretending to be him, thinking maybe that way you would lower your guard.”

Seeing Bai Fanlu’s eyes flicker, Xiao Liu knew it was almost time. Just one final push, and his sanity should return.

But when the moment came, Xiao Liu suddenly lacked the courage to continue.

If Bai Fanlu had immediately questioned him, rebuked him, and distanced himself after learning the truth, it might not have been as difficult as now, having experienced his gentle treatment and hoping he might forgive him, even just a little.

Could he still hope for that?

Xiao Liu propped himself up slightly, looking directly at Bai Fanlu, leaning closer to him.

“Brother.”

“Perhaps after you hear what I have to say, you won’t allow me to call you that again.”

“So let me call you ‘Brother’ one last time… May I kiss you?”

Bai Fanlu’s mind was now entirely unable to process. In his misty eyes, the fog was even thicker than the swirling clouds outside.

“If you don’t say anything, I’ll take it as a yes.”

Xiao Liu said, then lightly kissed Bai Fanlu’s lips, quickly pulling away faster than any kiss before.

But the expression on his face, after stealing that kiss, was so familiar that Bai Fanlu was stunned.

The voice continued. He could still hear the boy’s calm and deliberate words,

 “So you understand now, Xiao Liu never existed.”

“He was fake, but Yun Zhan is real.”

“Senior brother, I am Yun Zhan.”

“…”

Bai Fanlu stared intently into Xiao Liu’s eyes, not missing a single trace of emotion.

But he couldn’t find what he was looking for.

What was he looking for?

Suddenly, Bai Fanlu felt a sharp pain in his head. What had he seen?

That boy who always smiled?

That little rascal who followed him around, impossible to shake off?

That one who always took advantage of him, acting mature while still being so childish?

Or was it the one who occasionally blushed but most of the time was thick-skinned, repeatedly saying, “Brother, I really like you”?

That boy, he had really said those words.

Such vivid, lingering memories, though brief, were etched in his mind like they were carved with a knife.

And now he was being told it was all fake? That it never existed?

But he had just tasted a kiss. Bai Fanlu opened his mouth slightly, trying to savor it again, but his tongue suddenly detected a bitter taste.

Unbeknownst to him, tears were already streaming down his face.

Xiao Liu reached out, seemingly wanting to touch his face, but Bai Fanlu dodged, turning and pushing him away, causing him to crash heavily against the stone wall.

Xiao Liu, or rather, it should finally be corrected to “Yun Zhan”—because in Bai Fanlu’s eyes, even the last trace of the person he barely maintained was gone, leaving only Yun Zhan.

Suppressing a few coughs, Yun Zhan watched as Bai Fanlu approached step by step, his tear-streaked face now completely cold, with a hint of intense, suppressed hatred.

“You better change back now.”

He didn’t say anything threatening, but his tone was enough.

Bai Fanlu was usually mild-tempered, but the more mild-tempered someone is, the more terrifying they are when truly angry, just like he was now.

That earlier strike was solid. Yun Zhan could feel his internal organs shifting; his senior brother had shown no mercy.

Licking the blood from the corner of his lips, Yun Zhan flashed a cheeky grin, “Sorry, can’t go back.”

“You!”

Bai Fanlu’s face darkened. After delivering that strike, he also felt unwell, with a slight dizziness.

He secretly steadied himself, then calmly said, “Since you’ve been in my dreams, you should know my identity, right?”

So Yun Zhan had already guessed he wasn’t the original, but had taken over his body, so why hadn’t he exposed him?

Yun Zhan smiled, “It’s all the same to me.”

The words sounded nonchalant, but when he said them, the way he looked at Bai Fanlu was far from casual.

But Bai Fanlu had no patience for his riddles now. This ambiguous remark was already enough to set him off.

What a jerk. What did he mean by “all the same to him”?

Bai Fanlu’s already muddled mind now felt like it was splitting apart from anger. He forced down the surging rage in his chest, turning abruptly away.

To have struck Yun Zhan with that one blow while he still looked like Xiao Liu was already the limit of what he could bear mentally.

Moreover, his body didn’t feel right now. He didn’t want to show weakness in front of Yun Zhan, nor did he want to face him any longer.

Bai Fanlu walked towards the cave entrance but had only taken a few steps when he suddenly stopped, motionless.

Outside, the rain poured down in torrents. A flash of lightning briefly illuminated his slender figure, making it appear even more desolate against the backdrop of the rain.

Yun Zhan was startled and hurried over, but then heard Bai Fanlu shout, “Stay away!”

The voice trembled, as if trying to maintain a harsh tone but failing.

Sensing something was wrong, Yun Zhan was about to turn him around when Bai Fanlu, seemingly aware of his approach and determined to avoid his touch, suddenly flew out of the cave.

But he had only just entered the rain when he began to fall, stumbling as he landed unsteadily on the ground.

He grabbed a handful of wet grass and struggled to stand up, only to be pulled back by Yun Zhan. Looking up, who else could it be but him?

“Let go…”

Bai Fanlu growled, but his weakening voice alerted Yun Zhan to the abnormality.

Ignoring his struggles, Yun Zhan forcefully pulled Bai Fanlu up. But Bai Fanlu, the moment he was touched, fiercely fought back, kicking and punching without care.

In their struggle, the two lost balance, and Yun Zhan was dragged forward several steps, eventually falling onto Bai Fanlu.

With Yun Zhan pressing him down, Bai Fanlu couldn’t move. Just as Yun Zhan was about to say something, another flash of lightning illuminated Bai Fanlu’s face.

That pale face was tinged with a faint blush, his eyelashes wet and clinging to his misty eyes, resembling a trapped little animal, with the rims of his eyes slightly red.

His tightly bitten lower lip had a deep red mark, where blood mixed with rainwater, staining his lips with a striking crimson.

Yun Zhan was about to reach out and touch his lips, but Bai Fanlu shrank back, a weak whimper escaping his throat.

His gaze began to scatter again, his body seemingly trembling, but not from the cold. It was as if he was struggling to suppress, yet unable to control, a quivering that caused his leg to rub gently against Yun Zhan’s.

Yun Zhan’s heart skipped a beat. Could it be…

The Hundred Flowers Pavilion’s aphrodisiac!

Yun Zhan pulled back as if electrocuted.

The warm body that had been hugging him suddenly moved away, and Bai Fanlu’s hazy mind immediately cleared. He glared at Yun Zhan with a mix of shame and anger, forcing out a weak word, “Leave.”

Drenched by the rain, he had no strength left, so that word was barely audible.

Yun Zhan looked at him with a complex expression. “Let’s go back to the cave. I’ll detoxify you… with magic.”

“No need for your fake kindness…”

Bai Fanlu shakily stood up, legs trembling, but stubbornly refusing to fall. He didn’t know where he was going, only that he wanted to get as far away from this person as possible.

He had to find a secluded spot and force the poison out himself.

He had detoxified this damn thing once before, so what’s the big deal now!

Fueled by stubbornness, Bai Fanlu managed to walk for a while, feeling alternating waves of sweat and rain drench his body.

In the end, he hadn’t made it far.

Exhausted, Bai Fanlu finally leaned against a tree, managing to stay upright for a moment. The dense canopy provided some shelter from the rain.

Maybe he should detoxify here?

With that thought, his legs grew weaker, his head spinning. He couldn’t help but rest his hand on his forehead. His face was sticky, and a few strands of his long hair were stuck to his lips. He tried to brush them away.

But pulling at it made him realize his hair was too long, tangled beyond repair, wrapping around his hand. Frustrated, he shook it off and looked down at his disheveled clothing, rain dripping from his chin, looking like a drowned rat.

To have fallen to such a pitiful state, how could such a wretched and pitiful figure be his?

Bai Fanlu felt both sorrow and helplessness, wanting to laugh at himself for the pathetic situation he was in, but when he opened his mouth, all that came out was a violent cough.

He heard a noise behind him and turned around in surprise.

The young man was standing not too close, not too far, within the heavy rain, looking at him.

Countless raindrops fell on him, outlining him with a layer of pale gray, distinct from the background behind him.

And from head to toe, he was also soaked, no better off than Bai Fanlu, yet he stood tall, his wet clothes clinging to his body, revealing the outline of his figure more clearly than ever.

For a moment, Bai Fanlu’s thoughts were confused, and it took him a second to realize who was standing before him.

Suddenly, he didn’t know what he was thinking. Bai Fanlu curved his lips into a smile and said to the person, “I thought you, Yun Zhan, were just a scumbag. Now I see you’re also a coward.”

Yun Zhan was already approaching, his eyes fixed on Bai Fanlu’s intentionally malicious gaze.

“You went through all that trouble just to force this body into a corner?”

“…”

“Ha!” Bai Fanlu sneered provocatively, slightly lifting his chin, revealing a purple mark on his forehead.

At this moment, Yun Zhan suddenly felt that Bai Fanlu was different, as if…

He was already stunning, but now he seemed like a half-blooming poppy flower in the rain, with petals glistening with dew, its fragrance bewitching, making it impossible to look away, compelling one to pluck it and hide it away.

Knowing it’s impossible, yet still wanting to try.

Yun Zhan unconsciously closed the distance between them but stopped when there was only half an arm’s length left.

“What are you pretending to be all righteous and aloof for?”

Bai Fanlu sneered, grabbing Yun Zhan’s collar and pulling him sharply towards himself, “Weren’t you so skilled at deceiving people?”

“…”

“…”

“Weren’t you so adept at flirting with people?”

“…”

Bai Fanlu gritted his teeth, his lips opening and closing, the contrast between red and white stark and striking.

This strange visual contrast, like the perfect combination of white moonlight and red roses, was akin to staining pure white satin with fresh blood, stimulating a shiver from deep within.

Yun Zhan couldn’t clearly hear what Bai Fanlu was saying. No matter how much Bai Fanlu mocked him, he didn’t respond with a single word.

He just kept staring at him, and at some point, two flames seemed to ignite in his eyes, reflecting a shadow of someone who appeared both haggard and dazzling, like a phoenix undergoing rebirth, suffering through the fire.

If this person was destined to suffer in the fire, Yun Zhan thought, then the one to burn him should only be himself.

If it were someone else… if it were someone else…

Yun Zhan’s throat tightened, yet he remained motionless.

“Hah! Acting like it’s real, but now you can’t keep up the act?”

Bai Fanlu fiercely gripped Yun Zhan’s collar. Though his body was weak, all his strength was concentrated in that hand, tightening with anger, until his fist began to tremble violently.

Yun Zhan reached out to pry open his fingers, not wanting him to hurt himself, but he first touched the tips of his fingers, feeling unsure if it was rain or blood.

The warmth and coolness blended together.

He really… hates me to this extent? Well, let him hate me a little more.

Yun Zhan grasped the hand Bai Fanlu was using to clutch his collar. As their breaths began to overlap, he finally spoke softly, as if to confirm something, “Senior brother, I am Yun Zhan.”

“I freaking know you’re Yun Zhan!”

Bai Fanlu roared, using his other hand to viciously hook around Yun Zhan, not with any tenderness or warmth, but as if he desperately wanted to strangle him but lacked the strength.

“…” Yet Yun Zhan could clearly see in Bai Fanlu’s eyes the shadow of that boy, the one named “Xiao Liu.”

Bai Fanlu stared directly into Yun Zhan’s eyes, seeing the hesitation within them, and coldly said, “What? Can’t keep up the act? So now you’re hesitating?”

He sneered, “Yun Zhan, are you… impotent?”

As soon as the words left his mouth, a kiss as consuming as a storm landed on him, more intense than the surrounding wind and rain, instantly engulfing him.

Bai Fanlu had intended to provoke Yun Zhan, to drive him away, but he hadn’t expected Yun Zhan to take it seriously. He was momentarily stunned, and in the next second, as he came to his senses, all he wanted to do was kick this man away.

Damn it! He dared to take advantage of him! Does he really think it’s all the same to him? A lust-driven bastard!

But Yun Zhan didn’t give Bai Fanlu any chance to change his mind, holding him as if he wanted to merge him into his own body, pressing with fierce intensity.

Bai Fanlu was nearly suffocated, his already dizzy brain spinning wildly due to the sudden lack of oxygen.

He angrily stared into Yun Zhan’s eyes, the water droplets on their foreheads mingling together, and as they constantly shifted positions with the deepening kiss, the droplets blurred his vision.

But the flames in those eyes grew more and more intense, spreading like wildfire, threatening to destroy everything, and soon began to affect him as well.

Bai Fanlu was confused. Those eyes that belonged to Xiao Liu, with their warm and passionate flames, he had seen them countless times before. Damn it, they were so familiar!

Whether it was because of hatred or anger, or simply because of the fire in his eyes, Bai Fanlu felt himself ignite as well, knowing he shouldn’t be like this, but the aphrodisiac within him was slowly spreading, enveloping them both.

Unaware, Bai Fanlu lifted his head, seemingly seeing a haze of white mist, the treetops trembling in the wind and rain, and his body along with them…

And then, he realized that he was being pressed against the tree trunk, with raindrops falling through the dense leaves, flickering, as if the gray-black canopy was replacing the night sky, and the fine rain droplets were stars in that night sky.

The rain continued to pour… continued to pour… as the treetops were battered by the wind and rain, swaying violently again and again, those stars falling in clusters, some even dripping into his eyes.

Closing his eyes, the drops would follow the corners of his eyes, flowing out repeatedly.

Bai Fanlu didn’t want to think about anything anymore. Who was he? What was he doing? He didn’t want to think about any of it. He was so tired.

His heart felt like it was being continuously ground by a blunt object, the pain making him want to curl up and cry, or scream out in anger.

Xiao Liu… why did it have to be you…

Why did it have to be you…

Damn you, Yun Zhan, you bastard!

I will make you pay!

Bai Fanlu suddenly bit down hard, and Yun Zhan’s movements paused.

Bai Fanlu bit down viciously as if venting his frustration, refusing to let go, not caring where he bit, just knowing that the pain in his teeth was intense. The more it hurt, the more it could drown out the pain in his heart.

But no matter how tightly he bit, that pain only grew more unbearable.

As his consciousness began to fade, Bai Fanlu’s last memory was of the taste of blood in his mouth, everything else becoming unknown and unwanted.

All that remained was a single raindrop sliding down his shoulder, feeling cool and comfortable.

But in an instant, it would seep into the soil, never to be found again.

The rain seemed to intensify, gradually drowning out all sounds. Everywhere was blurred by the rain, except for the small world beneath this tree, shrouded in misty steam…

Truly, it was: several matters, in the misty rain.

And who knows: how many people, with different dreams?