The drunken Bai Fanlu was… unexpectedly like this… like this…

Suddenly, Yun Zhan felt an itch in his nose. Realizing it wasn’t good, he hurriedly recited a calming spell to suppress a certain red liquid that would definitely embarrass him if it came out.

Bai Fanlu, unaware of Yun Zhan’s inner conflict, murmured softly, “I… I thought… the wedding was for… the wedding night…”

He was so drunk that his mind was a jumble of incoherent thoughts, even to himself.

“Hmm… If we’re not doing that, let’s just sleep then…”

Bai Fanlu, grinning foolishly, loosened his grip, but Yun Zhan held him tighter. “But if I say we should, would you agree?”

Wrapped tightly in the blanket, feeling unbearably hot, Bai Fanlu shifted uncomfortably and mumbled, “Agree to what?”

Yun Zhan whispered in his ear, “Agree to having me.”

Bai Fanlu, still confused, tried to escape the bothersome breath near his ear, his eyelids drooping. “Have you? … What’s the point?”

“If you have me, I’ll be yours. I can work hard for you, plow fields… I’m very strong.”

Yun Zhan spoke nonsense in a serious tone, even adding some suggestive words.

Unfortunately, Bai Fanlu didn’t understand, smiling innocently as his eyes curved. “Sounds… not bad…”

“But…” His face suddenly fell, “I don’t like oxen… I like rabbits…”

Yun Zhan bit Bai Fanlu’s earlobe. “Then I’ll be your rabbit, the kind that digs holes…”

“Hmm…” Bai Fanlu shrank back from the bite, but Yun Zhan pursued him relentlessly, teasing, “Do you want it or not?”

Bai Fanlu, unable to escape, could only smile and plead, “Okay, okay… I want it…”

“You said it, no backing out.”

“What’s there… to back out of…”

Yun Zhan pulled the blanket aside and slid in.

Bai Fanlu had initially wanted to escape Yun Zhan’s nibbling on his ear, thinking it was too ticklish, but now his entire body was feeling itchy from all the teasing.

Gradually, the playful banter turned into heavy breathing, interspersed with soft pleas.

“Ah Zhan…”

“Mm, say you like me.”

“I like you…”

“Say you want me…”

“I want you…”

Yun Zhan chuckled lowly, planting light kisses on Bai Fanlu’s lips, barely letting him catch his breath, just enough for him to speak.

Getting Bai Fanlu to say something sincere was so rare that Yun Zhan couldn’t bear to stop coaxing him, wanting to hear more.

After one last lingering lick on Bai Fanlu’s lower lip, Yun Zhan finally swallowed all those adorable confessions.

The kiss was as tender and lingering as it could be, but when the passion became too much, Yun Zhan used what little rationality he had left to draw the bed curtains and cast a barrier with his magic.

Now, no matter what happened inside, no sound would escape.

Yun Zhan, sweating from his forehead, swiftly stripped himself. His hand was about to explore further when suddenly, Bai Fanlu let out a small whimper and began to sob softly.

“Xiao Liu… hic… you liar!”

Yun Zhan, caught between lust and confusion, was dumbfounded by Bai Fanlu’s sudden tears. What was happening?

His senior brother, drunk, could not only be seductive but also whiny and now… crying?

What a pity he wasn’t crying from being bullied by Yun Zhan; it would have been much more satisfying.

“Shh, baby, I didn’t lie to you…”

Using the typical playboy lines, Yun Zhan continued to touch him, but Bai Fanlu only cried harder.

“You did lie to me… It hurts so much… You liar… big liar…”

His tearful, reddened eyes were filled with sadness, enough to melt anyone’s heart. “You not only lied to me… You like someone else…”

Yun Zhan felt utterly wronged. “How could I like someone else?”

His tone might have been a bit too urgent, as Bai Fanlu glared at him for two seconds, and the mist in his eyes only thickened.

Yun Zhan immediately softened his voice, “Shh, I’ll help you take off your clothes. You know, we need to undress for the wedding night. See, I’m already undressed…”

“No! I don’t want the wedding night anymore!”

Bai Fanlu completely ignored Yun Zhan’s bold display, his weak hands still pushing him away, though his voice remained firm.

Only firm for a moment before turning soft again. “I don’t want the wedding night… I want Xiao Liu… You’re not Xiao Liu… You… you’re Yun Zhan…”

Yun Zhan fell silent. This was getting tricky.

He’d made a mistake. He should’ve undressed Bai Fanlu first before himself. Now, Bai Fanlu was still wearing his inner clothes, which was hindering further “interaction.”

Otherwise, there would’ve been no need for all this talking. He could’ve just proven everything through action, making Bai Fanlu obedient without a chance for second thoughts.

Yun Zhan patiently coaxed, “I’m Yun Zhan, but I’m also Xiao Liu. Both of them are yours.”

“You’re lying again…” Bai Fanlu sobbed, “Yun Zhan likes his senior brother, and I’m not… I’m not his Ah Li… I’m Bai Fanlu… No, no… I’m that Bai Fanlu… not this Bai Fanlu… Anyway… anyway…”

Yun Zhan felt his head spin. “Then by that logic, you like Xiao Liu, not me.”

“Exactly, Xiao Liu is mine… I’m going to find Xiao Liu… I don’t want you… Go away…”

Bai Fanlu, crying pitifully, pushed Yun Zhan, looking like he was about to crawl off the bed. Yun Zhan quickly pulled him back and locked him in an embrace.

Bai Fanlu, teary-eyed, gave Yun Zhan a look as if he was the worst person in the world.

Yun Zhan, who had already been barely holding back, felt his resolve weakening. One look from Bai Fanlu, and he felt a surge of passion, kissing him fiercely again without saying a word.

“Mmph… mmph!”

Resistance was futile. His wife lacked a sense of security, so he had to prove his deep affection through action.

To his surprise, as they kissed, Bai Fanlu bit down once more.

During the brief break to catch his breath, Bai Fanlu weakly but firmly stated, “I’m not your senior brother. You… you can’t kiss me…”

Yun Zhan didn’t respond, his hands and mouth both busy. After all, there were more places to kiss than just lips, and even more places to touch.

“You’re a pervert!” Bai Fanlu struggled. “I already told you… mm… I’m not your senior brother. How can you still… still go on…”

He stammered but couldn’t finish his sentence. Yun Zhan looked up and smirked. “What about me?”

He hoped for some praise on his skills.

Bai Fanlu, finally mustering some strength, angrily spat out, “You’re just a lustful beast, thinking with your lower body, unfaithful, a heartless scoundrel!”

The “heartless scoundrel” part seemed to come from a past life, and Yun Zhan found himself at a loss.

He chuckled helplessly. “Senior brother, you…”

“…Me? Hmm… Me…”

Bai Fanlu seemed quite pleased after his outburst, his chest now feeling clear as though he were floating in the clouds, infinitely comfortable and relaxed.

He giggled foolishly, his eyelids drooping.

“Senior brother?”

“Mm… snore…”

He fell asleep.

Yun Zhan was stunned, staring at Bai Fanlu for a long while. The man was nestled in his arms, sleeping soundly, completely unguarded, as if he found Yun Zhan’s body warm and kept snuggling closer.

How unfortunate. He’d just lit the fire and now… completely fell asleep, utterly irresponsible.

“You’re the heartless one, you little heartless thing. Let’s see how I deal with you.”

Though he said this, in the end, Yun Zhan couldn’t bear to wake him, sighing softly. He leaned down and pecked those lips again, nibbling lightly as a form of punishment.

“Senior brother, whether you believe it or not, I can’t explain it all to you right now. But you must know this: the only person in my heart has always been you. No matter the life, world, or identity, it’s always been you.”

Yun Zhan held Bai Fanlu close and, after weighing the choice of sleeping in the next room or staying here, chose the latter, covering them both with a blanket and opting for a simple rest.

But this decision was simply self-inflicted misery. After all the teasing and flirting, some things were still ready but unresolved, and holding him like this only made it harder.

Feeling frustrated, Yun Zhan muttered internally, “Senior brother, you little seducer, you’re killing me.”

“Ah… Why did I get the ‘get him drunk’ mission… This was definitely planned against me…”

Yun Zhan, lost in thought, didn’t realize he had spoken aloud.

Meanwhile, Bai Fanlu, who was curled up like a cat in Yun Zhan’s embrace, blinked his slightly hazy eyes open. His gaze, once blurred, had already regained its clarity, with a hint of doubt flickering in his eyes.

He had woken up the moment he heard the beeping sound in his mind, catching Yun Zhan’s heartfelt confession. His heart trembled, but he wasn’t sure how to face the awkward situation they were in, so he decided to continue pretending to be asleep.

Unexpectedly, he overheard another strange sentence from Yun Zhan.

Beep beep: “You have unlocked the hidden map ‘Wanhua City’ and obtained two fragments of the ‘Reader’s Brainstorm.’”

Beep beep: “Reminder: You now have enough fragments to unlock the ‘Peerless Divine Weapon’ quest. Do you want to open it now?”

Bai Fanlu asked, “Weren’t we still short by four fragments? How is it complete?”

Beep beep: “Detection shows that two fragments of the ‘Author’s Obsession’ have been converted into two fragments of the ‘Reader’s Brainstorm.’”

The “Author’s Obsession”?

Bai Fanlu had never heard of this. “What is that?”

Beep beep: “Sorry, this question falls under the system’s restricted areas and cannot be answered.”

If the “Reader’s Brainstorm” fragments existed within his system, then the “Author’s Obsession” sounded like something similar. Bai Fanlu suddenly had a bold guess.

Yun Zhan seemed to have fallen asleep, his chin resting on Bai Fanlu’s head, and his steady breaths ruffled Bai Fanlu’s hair.

Bai Fanlu tried to move slightly, but Yun Zhan immediately pulled him closer, his hand brushing over Bai Fanlu’s face, gently pressing his head back into Yun Zhan’s neck.

With this, Bai Fanlu’s lips were almost touching Yun Zhan’s Adam’s apple. He swallowed, trying hard not to gasp too loudly.

But his eyes gleamed as he slightly curled his lips and lightly bit Yun Zhan’s neck.

“…”

“Tsk, didn’t expect it to feel so nice to bite.”

Bai Fanlu wanted to take another bite.

“Senior brother, if you keep seducing me, I might just do something to you right now.”

Startled, Bai Fanlu looked up and saw Yun Zhan staring at him with deep, intense eyes, full of unrestrained possessiveness.

His heartbeat quickened, but Bai Fanlu retorted, “You were allowed to bite me earlier, so why can’t I bite back?”

Yun Zhan chuckled lowly, “Oh, so you were just pretending to be asleep? Let’s see if I…”

Bai Fanlu pressed down on Yun Zhan’s wandering hands and looked him straight in the eye, “Who are you really?”

Yun Zhan froze, and a flicker of something crossed his eyes, as if he quickly realized where he had slipped up.

He gave a calm, indifferent smile, “Who else could I be?”

“Don’t play dumb,” Bai Fanlu was now fully awake and wasn’t buying it. “Who told you to carry out the mission to ‘get me drunk’?”

“And about Xiao Liu—you said you entered my dreams, learned about Xiao Liu, and realized I wasn’t from this world.”

Bai Fanlu sighed, “At the time, I was indeed heartbroken and didn’t think clearly. I believed your lies. But looking back, there’s no way you could have learned so much about Xiao Liu just from my dreams.”

“Because ever since I came to this world, I’ve had trouble sleeping. And in those days before leaving the mountain, I didn’t dream at all.”

And there was that magical herb transformation. Yun Zhan was present when Bai Fanlu obtained it, and at the time, the system had prompted something, which gave Bai Fanlu a strange feeling…

Bai Fanlu repeated, “Who are you really?”

“I’m your Ah Zhan, or your Xiao Liu. I’m both.”

“You know that’s not what I’m asking.”

Yun Zhan’s gaze flickered for a moment, then he sighed softly, “So you’ve started suspecting me. Unfortunately, I can’t answer that question.”

“Why not?”

Yun Zhan gave a bitter smile, “I could tell you that I have no choice, but I would never do anything to harm you. Would you believe that?”

Yun Zhan always seemed to ask whether Bai Fanlu believed him or not. Seeing his expression, Bai Fanlu felt uncertain.

But considering their current situation—still half-dressed and intimately entwined—discussing such serious matters didn’t seem all that serious.

Yet Yun Zhan’s face was dead serious, without a hint of playfulness.

Bai Fanlu thought carefully. “Let me ask you something else, and I want you to answer me truthfully.”

“Alright, ask away.”

“When we were at Baihua Pavilion, why did you send me that note?”

After Bai Fanlu found out that Yun Zhan was Xiao Liu, he calmed down and found it odd.

Since Yun Zhan was free to move around, why go through all the trouble? If he had just told Bai Fanlu directly that Yun Zhan was impersonated by Bai Junming, then the whole situation might have been avoided.

Yun Zhan explained, “Actually, when I sent the note through the bluebird asking you to come to Baihua Pavilion, I was planning to come clean to you. At the time, I heard in Yufang City that the plague had been resolved. I happened to meet Shishu Qingyang, and I guessed that she was the one who dealt with the plague.”

“But her behavior was strange, and she was going in and out of Baihua Pavilion. So, I wanted to investigate. When you sent a message saying that Master had called me back for the Four Mountain Alliance, I used that as an excuse to bring you to Yufang City.”

Bai Fanlu had already figured that much out, so he nodded. “And then? How did Bai Junming end up impersonating you?”

“I had been waiting at Baihua Pavilion for a while, but I was so focused on how to come clean with you that I let my guard down. I got caught in his illusion. By the time I broke free, you had already met his fake version of me.”

Bai Fanlu asked, “Why didn’t you just show yourself and tell me the truth?”

He and Wang Chongyu stayed at the inn for an entire night—there should’ve been plenty of opportunities.

Yun Zhan gave him a plaintive look, making Bai Fanlu feel a little uneasy. “Why are you looking at me like that…?”

Yun Zhan sighed, “At that time, you really hated ‘Yun Zhan,’ didn’t you? I followed you two in secret and saw how you despised ‘Yun Zhan’ for his behavior in the brothel. You even told Shixiong Chongyu how much you disliked him… Do you have any idea how I felt?”

Bai Fanlu froze.

“I honestly wished I could always remain Xiao Liu. Anyway, Chen Yi had already made it so I could never go back to being him, so why not just let ‘Yun Zhan’ disappear? Wouldn’t that be better?”

“And once you learned the truth, the more you liked Xiao Liu, the more you’d hate Yun Zhan. So the dislike you’d feel toward Yun Zhan would be doubled.”

“I wasn’t confident…” Yun Zhan sighed. “I wasn’t sure I could handle that outcome.”

Bai Fanlu opened his mouth, feeling a little moved by Yun Zhan’s dejected tone, but he still couldn’t let go of the fact that he had been lied to. He mocked lightly, “So, because of that, you were afraid to be honest with me?”

Yun Zhan smiled wryly, “Yes, you can call me a coward. I backed down, became selfish. But I knew Bai Junming had ulterior motives, so I tried to warn you.”

“The reason I wrote ‘Be careful of Yun Zhan’ was because I was afraid you’d catch up to me. If I had written ‘Yun Zhan is a fake,’ you might ask me how I knew the real one from the fake, and I wouldn’t have been able to explain.”

“And I didn’t use the bluebird to tell you for the same reason. If the real Yun Zhan wasn’t harmed, why wouldn’t he reveal the imposter or come to meet you? I wouldn’t have been able to explain that either.”

Yun Zhan chuckled bitterly, “It’s a simple matter, but my hesitation caused you to be trapped and lose part of your soul. If you want to hold me accountable, it’s my fault. I won’t avoid responsibility.”

At this point, Bai Fanlu had finally pieced together the events at Baihua Pavilion. Bai Junming, after discovering Xiao Liu was Yun Zhan and realizing the two had developed feelings for each other, hatched a plan to turn them against each other. He took advantage of the situation to steal Bai Fanlu’s soul and awaken his demonic energy.

However, Bai Chuyu’s magic seal was too strong, so Bai Junming failed the first time, leading to the second attempt with the Ghostfire of the Underworld.

“I understand now.”

Bai Fanlu nodded. “That’s all I’ll ask about this matter. I know you won’t explain anything else, so I won’t ask further. I don’t blame you for what has already happened. For me, the key now is to deal with that creature. You and I are allies for now. We can discuss other matters later.”

If they could defeat the villain, maybe there would be a chance to talk afterward.

He was still thinking this when Yun Zhan suddenly hugged him tightly. “Alright, we’ll talk about it… later.”

Yun Zhan emphasized the word “later” and loosened his grip, his gaze intense and burning.

Bai Fanlu’s face heated up inexplicably, and he pushed Yun Zhan away. “You sleep. I’m getting up.”

“It’s the middle of the night. Where are you going?”

“I have something to do. Don’t follow me.”

Bai Fanlu dressed quickly and got out of bed, heading for the door.

But how could Yun Zhan not follow? Bai Fanlu had barely gone far before he realized there was a shadow trailing him, but he let it be.

As he walked, he asked the system, “How do I access the ‘Peerless Divine Weapon’ quest?”

Beep beep: “Six hundred miles southeast of here, there is a rock cave. At the moment when the twin stars intersect, three beams of red light will appear. The spot illuminated by these beams is the entrance to the quest.”

The twin star intersection would happen at midnight, leaving little time. Without delay, Bai Fanlu flew toward the location the system had indicated.

That area was full of stone forests, and under the night sky, the moon appeared larger, slowly moving toward the zenith.

Bai Fanlu found the rock cave just as the red light appeared. As he entered, the three beams of red light converged into an array before him, rotating like gears for a few turns.

With a loud rumble, a deeper entrance was revealed inside the shallow cave.

Hearing footsteps behind him, Bai Fanlu called out, “You’ve followed me all the way here. Are you coming in?”

Yun Zhan chuckled and didn’t ask any more questions, stepping into the cave with him.

The two of them ventured deeper inside. Before long, they encountered a fork in the path. Bai Fanlu said, “It seems it was a good idea for you to come along. Which way will you take, left or right?”

“You choose first, Senior Brother.”

Bai Fanlu casually said, “I’ll go right.”

“Then I’ll take the left.”

Bai Fanlu asked Yun Zhan, “Aren’t you curious why we’re here? What happens once we’re inside?”

Yun Zhan shrugged, “I’ve got my secrets, so I have no right to ask. As for what happens next, we’ll adapt as we go.”

Bai Fanlu smiled, “If anything happens, use the bluebird to send a message.”

“Alright.”

They parted ways at the fork, with Bai Fanlu continuing down the right path.

The stone passage was strange. The walls clearly bore signs of being carved by hand, with remnants of ancient murals, though they were too weathered to be deciphered. They were definitely not natural formations.

Every few steps, the walls were illuminated by lamps, which seemed to be some kind of glowing gems.

After walking for a long time, Bai Fanlu finally reached the end of the stone path. There was no exit, just a spacious stone chamber.

In the center of the chamber was a stone platform. Bai Fanlu approached it and saw that it was engraved with a strange hexagonal pattern. Each corner had a carved circle, and the circles were connected, forming a Taiji symbol in the center.

“What is this?”

Beep beep: “Please place your right hand on the Taiji symbol, Host.”

Bai Fanlu followed the instruction, and as soon as his hand touched the Taiji symbol, something miraculous happened.

The six circles of the hexagon began to rotate simultaneously, as if projecting some holographic image. Then, countless characters appeared in the air, swiftly transforming into six lines of poetry, with each line eventually highlighting six characters.

“Flowers in the mirror, moon in the water, not real — mirror.”

“Grass in the mist, light in the rain — fall.”

“From the ashes, emerald threads — middle.”

“Two lives, both filled with love for you — two.”

“Morning hair like silk, night as snow — becomes.”

“In spring, the horse gallops with ease — fast.”

These were the six hidden events he had completed. Just as Bai Fanlu was about to express his surprise, the six highlighted characters merged into one phrase in the center:

“Mirror, fall, middle, two, becomes, fast.”

消 (Disappear).

Beep beep: “‘Peerless Divine Weapon’ quest unlocked. Initiating transport. Please prepare, Host.”