Originally posted on RBKTR Translations.
Author: The One Who Tells Stories Under the Bridge (天桥底下说书的).
Translated by: Yujuan
Ye Mingjun was throwing a tantrum.
Ji Mo was finally certain of this when the immortal was still silent after returning to the ark. He hadn’t expected Ye Mingjun to suddenly ask him that, and replied on reflex, “That isn’t the love pursued by Xianjun, you don’t need to understand it.”
So, was there a problem with what he had said?
He was still getting a stomach ache each time he was reminded of that damn son of his. With how antisocial writers could be, would any of them admit that they loved their protagonists so freely? It wasn’t as simple as typing it out on a word document, what difference did verbally expressing something like this in real life make from getting publicly executed?
Besides, to make Ye Mingjun understand the different types of love when he didn’t even know what love was, wasn’t that too hard on the instructor? A high-difficulty course such as ‘Self-Improvement On Love’ was something even he couldn’t understand.
He wasn’t used to having the immortal be so still and silent, subconsciously throwing furtive glances at the person behind him using Wuyan. Perhaps owing to his true form as a bright pearl, Ye Mingjun’s temperament was still as warm as jade even with his insipid expression; while he was an ancient artifact of high-cultivation, there was no edge to him. However, he no longer had the smile that he constantly wore on his face, brushing past him like a cool breeze, as if he could drift away at any second.
“Ye Mingjun.”
The first to break the silence was still Ji Mo, and seeing the immortal glance immediately at him, he pointed at the scroll that had been tossed away for the tenth time, sighing helplessly, “Do you have to show that you’re angry by throwing the System away?”
“Angry?”
Attempting to comprehend this new emotion with some bewilderment, Ye Mingjun still shook his head, “No, I’m just… not that happy, that’s all.”
Although he had felt the day pass by far too quickly earlier, now that the sky was darkening, he discovered that he had abruptly lost that joyful feeling. Just like when he realized that there were no more familiar faces in heaven – it wasn’t anything too unhappy, just that he’d lost the mood to continue running wild.
After all, no matter the immortals or Ji Mo, everyone would rather he stay silent like a normal artifact.
Are you sure it’s fine? Why do I feel like you’ve completely deflated from a puffed-up balloon?
Doubtfully sweeping him a gaze, Ji Mo realized that he’d much prefer seeing the usual puffed-up Ye Mingjun, and pushed open the door to his room, saying blandly, “Come in then, I promised that I’d accompany you tonight.”
They had strolled the streets for a good while on the way back, and it was already close to curfew. At present, all was quiet within the ark.
Upon returning to his room, Ji Mo poured him a cup of tea, pulling loose the ponytail the immortal had tied for him this morning, and pushed the windows open, the cool moonlight turning into the room’s one and only light source.
Ji Mo never turned on the lights in his room, and this habit remained the same even after boarding the ark. As if he found a trace of comfort from the dim light of the night, he leaned against the soft couch before the window, using his arm as a cushion to lie next to the windowsill, his soft hair scattering across his neck and arms. After a moment’s silence, he finally spoke, “Xianjun, I can now answer any of your questions.”
Ye Mingjun had never entered Ji Mo’s room at night before this – he didn’t think that this person would conceal himself in the dark each night; with one look, he could tell that it must feel incredibly cold and cheerless. Without touching the cup of tea, he gently took a seat next to Ji Mo, once again voicing the doubts in his heart, “Since you said that love is an emotion that will never appear on you, is it because you gave it to someone else?”
He didn’t actually understand what sort of emotion was love, but Ji Mo’s tone, as if this had absolutely nothing to do with him, made him feel as if he was being rejected. This was nothing like his usual attitude; Ji Mo was really keeping him at arm’s length.
Ji Mo naturally knew where the problem lay, he was just unwilling to recall the past. Even if he knew that he would have to face it sooner or later, he was still afraid to touch his old scars. His courage was long gone, left with merely cowardice and fear. When all was still at night, he couldn’t help but hide away in solitude, carrying out an unremarkable existence.
He wasn’t a little kid, he couldn’t keep on solving problems by avoiding them. Since Ren Qingya had taken action, it was time to tell Ye Mingjun a few things.
Turning with a sigh, he leaned against Ye Mingjun’s body, using the immortal’s body temperature to dispel some of the night’s chilliness. This was his first time recalling his past in front of someone else,
“Since you’re acquainted with Old Wang, you must know that writing a few million words per book is the norm for us writers – completing a book every two or three years can be considered pretty quick. I wrote White Deer Qingya’s Travels for two years, and while that might be nothing more than a blink of an eye for Xianjun, that was half of my college life. At the time, while my roommates were out there participating in club activities, striving for a better future, or enjoying their lives to the fullest, I was creating Ren Qingya.”
He couldn’t give up on his studies back then, because he needed a back-up plan for the future, and each time he had free time on his hands, he would return to his dorm and start drafting in his laptop. Now that he thought about it, it stood to reason that he didn’t have a girlfriend, because there had been no time to get to know the people around him.
Unexpectedly, he felt pretty calm about this topic. Ji Mo reckoned that being with Ye Mingjun must have tempered him somewhat, and placed his head on the immortal’s shoulder, saying indifferently, “So it wasn’t entirely incorrect for him to call me father when we first met, because I did give all my time and youth to him.”
Ji Mo remembered having a dream that day. In that dream, the white deer he cared about the most kept on calling out to him, and he had unhesitatingly searched for that voice. When he opened his eyes once again, he was standing in the snowy grounds of the Monster Continent.
Then, a white deer stepped through the snow, looking at him with wonderment and curiosity in those innocuous eyes, each and every mannerism no different than the character he had imagined.
“It was hard to avoid being a little hot-blooded back then, and I had just arrived in this world, realizing I had been thrown into a mix of characters we’d created. I then thought, very presumptuously, since I was an author, I should clean up the mess created by our own protagonists. My protagonist was even more so a sweet-tempered, obedient and herbivorous animal. Under my guidance, he would surely grow to be the strongest and pacify the world, ending these turbulent times.”
Thinking back on those childish ideas of his, there was only slight mockery to be found in Ji Mo’s expression. Without thinking too deeply on these past experiences, he continued telling his story while trying his best to remain calm,
“With the information I provided to him, Ren Qingya subdued all the Celestials in the north, expanding the Monster Continent step by step. However, it slipped my mind that this was no longer a character that moved a step for every sentence I wrote; as he came into contact with more Celestials, he started to realize the knowledge of other worlds, and slowly, his doubts towards me grew.”
Actually, he had been very happy at the start. The protagonist he had spent all his effort into creating had come to life, holding him in reverence just like his father in the novel, and he could see this child take each step towards becoming the world’s ruler with his own eyes. For an author, this in itself was an incredibly joyful thing.
What a shame that he was not the old Monster King in the story who would sacrifice everything to protect his son, he was the ‘god’ that had decided Ren Qingya’s fate as a vagrant.
“Later on, someone used a spell to read a part of my memories, and Ren Qingya, who was informed of the truth, interrogated many things from me, such as the information pertaining to gods. I fooled him into thinking that if a god was killed, the Celestial created by that god would have no more future, and that the other gods would search for me after receiving news of my death. He couldn’t tell if I was telling the truth, so he let me live in this kind of state.”
There had been a lie detection array present then, and it was hard to hide anything. All he could do was to do his best to mislead their line of thinking – he had no idea how much of that was effective, because he had been nearly delirious by the time his meridians were destroyed.
It was also then that he knew just how complex it could be for a hardship that was so commonly seen in those novels.
“As long as you persevere and keep walking on, no matter how much hardship you suffer, you’ll surely receive a happy ending? Easier said than done… Then, why don’t you experience it for yourself, Father.”
These were the last words Ren Qingya left to him. At the time, the one to take away Ji Mo’s eyes was the Wudong Sword[1] that he had almost pulled out his hair in trying to name; the one holding the sword was the person he had spent 769 days writing out.
And he had no other memories than that, apart from the pain.
Now that he thought about it, he had just been an ordinary human who wrote stories. He’d never actually been through a real crisis, nor had he ever enjoyed the life of an important personage. It was easy to get angry after being doubted, and couldn’t help but want to grumble to his friends whenever he received a minor injury, the happiest he’d been was acquiring one or two items he’d wanted in his daily life… To undertake the duties of a god, creating a Celestial that could snatch the lives of thousands with just a flick of a hand, was just too laughable.
“That is the relationship between Ren Qingya and I. Xianjun may as well know about it, you’ll be able to watch out for the Monster Continent in the future.”
At last, Ji Mo concluded the tale of his past in a dull tone. Ye Mingjun knew there was much more that he had not disclosed to him, yet he was in no mood to inquire any further, merely reaching out to hug him, saying with a light sigh, “Why do you always put up a front of being completely fine?”
“Because I know that crying is no use, all I can do is hold it in.”
“I used to be a person who sought perfection. Even when I saw the reality of it, I refused to give up on some things that didn’t need obsessing over. I didn’t have the strength to do whatever I pleased, yet I kept on persisting, how could I admit defeat without giving it a shot? It has always been difficult to achieve both power and sentiment, but I wanted both. Being so greedy, that was the reason I ended up like this.”
Calmly looking back on his past self, Ji Mo realized, perhaps being able to examine his past was a good thing.
Touching Wuyan, which had replaced his eyes, he gave a soft sigh, “I gave it the name Wuyan, insatiable, as a warning to myself, to learn to make a choice and give up.”
If he had really wanted to suppress the Celestials, he should have brought Ren Qingya under his control before any suspicion arose from him. However, he had been reluctant to treat his own protagonist like that back then.
He wanted to end the war of Celestials, and wished for Ren Qingya to lead a secure and happy life, just like the happy endings in many stories; the main characters blessed with happiness, the world at peace to the satisfaction of all.
But how could a real-life crusade be as easy as that?
He couldn’t bear to do it, but Ren Qingya could, so, he had lost.
Possibly due to the weakness brought by confronting his memories, Ji Mo did not struggle, letting the immortal hug him for once. Ye Mingjun had a sort of calming effect on him – he wouldn’t be able to say these words even if it was Su Ge, but as long as he was with Ye Mingjun, he found himself pouring his heart out. Was it because he wanted to be understood by this person?
“Ye Mingjun, there are times I don’t really know how to treat you. The moment Ren Qingya actually strikes, you’re the only one I can count on, so I keep telling myself to fool you, please you. But each time we’re together, I can’t rationally control my words and actions…”
Recalling with some distress some of his actions that were getting increasingly out of control of late, Ji Mo suddenly turned around. The immortal beside him had regained his usual expression, fixing him with a soft look, as if he would agree to anything he asked of him.
He actually knew that as long as he showed weakness, Ye Mingjun would instantly forgive him. However, a person definitely wouldn’t get angry with their own pets. Could he now interpret it as Ye Mingjun no longer viewing him as a pet?
As he thought that, the chill in the air brought by the past was dispelled. Since he had succeeded in appearsing Ye Mingjun, Ji Mo straightened his back, his expression returning to its original indifference, “Xianjun, a shichen has passed, you should return to your room now.”
Watching helplessly as the person who had been lying in his arms just moments ago got up in preparation to chase him out, Ye Mingjun couldn’t help but pause, even though he’d known from the start that Ji Mo always turned hostile each time he returned to his senses. At last, he merely said in resignation, “You clearly know that I’m very fond of you, which is why you keep on cuddling up to me. It’s just that you always turn and run after provoking me, not even letting me touch you, how sly.”
Wait a minute, what’s with those cheesy lines? I was just coaxing you a little, is there a need to puff up that much?
Hearing this, Ji Mo shivered, preparing to stay far away from the immortal, whose aura was growing a little dangerous, “Xianjun, I believe you have some sort of misconception about human behavior.”
Yet, Ye Mingjun was already prepared for this – he had even tossed the Diorama of Civilization out, so he pressed Ji Mo back onto the couch before he could get up, “But I won’t let you escape every time.”
Because you displayed your wounds in front of me, gazing at me with such a pleading look. This time, I won’t let you hide in the dark, covering up your scars on your own.
“Ye Mingjun, stop playing around…”
This position caused Ji Mo to feel slightly discomfited. The immortal’s long white hair tickled his ear, and no matter how much he shifted his gaze, there was no way to ignore his eyes, which were extremely close to his. He could clearly sense the other slowly scanning him from head to toe; he had no idea what Ye Mingjun was going to do, and could only nervously grip his sleeve.
Just as he was at his wits’ end, Ye Mingjun finally met his gaze, his expression unexpectedly serious, “Ji Mo, ancient artifacts are just magic treasures regardless of how powerful they are; the one who can truly change the world is the deity that wields me. If you wish to obtain an artifact, you need to possess enough self-confidence and courage to wield it.”
Never expecting him to say something like this, Ji Mo was momentarily unable to comprehend, “What do you mean?”
“A godly artifact is unable to exert its true might without being used by someone. Before he departed, Emperor Xi bestowed each of the ancient artifacts to the gods, and only I chose to become a free immortal, so I have yet to gain a master to this day. The criteria each godly artifact has for choosing a master varies, but Emperor Xi’s Venus Pearl has just one ordeal— Introspection.”
Softly uttering the words that shocked Ji Mo, Ye Mingjun did not pacify him with his usual smile. At this moment, countless lustrous stars converged in the immortal’s eyes, an illuminating and gentle radiance enveloping the entire room. Seriously looking at the person forced to meet his gaze, he slowly spoke,
“The one chosen by me, show the Way of Heaven thy virtues and magnanimity; if thy wish is to be as everlasting as the sun and the moon, thou shall be my deity.”
Unlike the immortal’s usual way of speech, which was light and gentle, these words were filled with archaic diction deposited by the passage of time, decorous and long-standing. This was the voice of Venus Pearl’s true form, the most solemn proclamation of all.
Looking at Ji Mo, who was instantly awestruck by this display, Ye Mingjun smiled, quietly releasing his hand and gently rubbing the youth’s head.
He hadn’t spoken in such a manner ever since Emperor Xi departed, since he had been the imperial pearl which symbolized the Heavenly Lord’s prestige at the time. Each and every word he spoke was heavenly will that must be obeyed by the immortals, and naturally he couldn’t run wild like he did right now.
Only those who still did not abandon their own splendor in the dark, just like a night luminous pearl, could harness Emperor Xi’s Venus Pearl. Would this endearing little guy be able to do it?
Although you still lack something, with the hope you have received, you should be able to regain some of your own courage and self-confidence. As long as I can see you smile frequently from this day onward, betting my freedom on this should be worth it.
“Ye Mingjun…”
“However, it isn’t that easy to receive the acknowledgement of Emperor Xi’s Venus Pearl. At least, what you need to do right now is mature a little more.”
Using his usual manner of speaking to cut off Ji Mo, who felt rather complicated, and seeing the other’s hesitant expression, Ye Mingjun lightly pulled his mask downwards. Feeling Ji Mo’s body instantly stiffen and knowing that he was scared of falling into darkness, the immortal merely took off Wuyan midway, then stooped down to place a kiss on his clear and smooth forehead, uttering softly,
“So good night, my adorable little deity.”
TL Notes
[1]
Wudong Sword – 無冬; It means ‘no winter’.
Originally posted on RBKTR Translations.
Author: The One Who Tells Stories Under the Bridge (天桥底下说书的).
Translated by: Yujuan
Ye Mingjun was throwing a tantrum.
Ji Mo was finally certain of this when the immortal was still silent after returning to the ark. He hadn’t expected Ye Mingjun to suddenly ask him that, and replied on reflex, “That isn’t the love pursued by Xianjun, you don’t need to understand it.”
So, was there a problem with what he had said?
He was still getting a stomach ache each time he was reminded of that damn son of his. With how antisocial writers could be, would any of them admit that they loved their protagonists so freely? It wasn’t as simple as typing it out on a word document, what difference did verbally expressing something like this in real life make from getting publicly executed?
Besides, to make Ye Mingjun understand the different types of love when he didn’t even know what love was, wasn’t that too hard on the instructor? A high-difficulty course such as ‘Self-Improvement On Love’ was something even he couldn’t understand.
He wasn’t used to having the immortal be so still and silent, subconsciously throwing furtive glances at the person behind him using Wuyan. Perhaps owing to his true form as a bright pearl, Ye Mingjun’s temperament was still as warm as jade even with his insipid expression; while he was an ancient artifact of high-cultivation, there was no edge to him. However, he no longer had the smile that he constantly wore on his face, brushing past him like a cool breeze, as if he could drift away at any second.
“Ye Mingjun.”
The first to break the silence was still Ji Mo, and seeing the immortal glance immediately at him, he pointed at the scroll that had been tossed away for the tenth time, sighing helplessly, “Do you have to show that you’re angry by throwing the System away?”
“Angry?”
Attempting to comprehend this new emotion with some bewilderment, Ye Mingjun still shook his head, “No, I’m just… not that happy, that’s all.”
Although he had felt the day pass by far too quickly earlier, now that the sky was darkening, he discovered that he had abruptly lost that joyful feeling. Just like when he realized that there were no more familiar faces in heaven – it wasn’t anything too unhappy, just that he’d lost the mood to continue running wild.
After all, no matter the immortals or Ji Mo, everyone would rather he stay silent like a normal artifact.
Are you sure it’s fine? Why do I feel like you’ve completely deflated from a puffed-up balloon?
Doubtfully sweeping him a gaze, Ji Mo realized that he’d much prefer seeing the usual puffed-up Ye Mingjun, and pushed open the door to his room, saying blandly, “Come in then, I promised that I’d accompany you tonight.”
They had strolled the streets for a good while on the way back, and it was already close to curfew. At present, all was quiet within the ark.
Upon returning to his room, Ji Mo poured him a cup of tea, pulling loose the ponytail the immortal had tied for him this morning, and pushed the windows open, the cool moonlight turning into the room’s one and only light source.
Ji Mo never turned on the lights in his room, and this habit remained the same even after boarding the ark. As if he found a trace of comfort from the dim light of the night, he leaned against the soft couch before the window, using his arm as a cushion to lie next to the windowsill, his soft hair scattering across his neck and arms. After a moment’s silence, he finally spoke, “Xianjun, I can now answer any of your questions.”
Ye Mingjun had never entered Ji Mo’s room at night before this – he didn’t think that this person would conceal himself in the dark each night; with one look, he could tell that it must feel incredibly cold and cheerless. Without touching the cup of tea, he gently took a seat next to Ji Mo, once again voicing the doubts in his heart, “Since you said that love is an emotion that will never appear on you, is it because you gave it to someone else?”
He didn’t actually understand what sort of emotion was love, but Ji Mo’s tone, as if this had absolutely nothing to do with him, made him feel as if he was being rejected. This was nothing like his usual attitude; Ji Mo was really keeping him at arm’s length.
Ji Mo naturally knew where the problem lay, he was just unwilling to recall the past. Even if he knew that he would have to face it sooner or later, he was still afraid to touch his old scars. His courage was long gone, left with merely cowardice and fear. When all was still at night, he couldn’t help but hide away in solitude, carrying out an unremarkable existence.
He wasn’t a little kid, he couldn’t keep on solving problems by avoiding them. Since Ren Qingya had taken action, it was time to tell Ye Mingjun a few things.
Turning with a sigh, he leaned against Ye Mingjun’s body, using the immortal’s body temperature to dispel some of the night’s chilliness. This was his first time recalling his past in front of someone else,
“Since you’re acquainted with Old Wang, you must know that writing a few million words per book is the norm for us writers – completing a book every two or three years can be considered pretty quick. I wrote White Deer Qingya’s Travels for two years, and while that might be nothing more than a blink of an eye for Xianjun, that was half of my college life. At the time, while my roommates were out there participating in club activities, striving for a better future, or enjoying their lives to the fullest, I was creating Ren Qingya.”
He couldn’t give up on his studies back then, because he needed a back-up plan for the future, and each time he had free time on his hands, he would return to his dorm and start drafting in his laptop. Now that he thought about it, it stood to reason that he didn’t have a girlfriend, because there had been no time to get to know the people around him.
Unexpectedly, he felt pretty calm about this topic. Ji Mo reckoned that being with Ye Mingjun must have tempered him somewhat, and placed his head on the immortal’s shoulder, saying indifferently, “So it wasn’t entirely incorrect for him to call me father when we first met, because I did give all my time and youth to him.”
Ji Mo remembered having a dream that day. In that dream, the white deer he cared about the most kept on calling out to him, and he had unhesitatingly searched for that voice. When he opened his eyes once again, he was standing in the snowy grounds of the Monster Continent.
Then, a white deer stepped through the snow, looking at him with wonderment and curiosity in those innocuous eyes, each and every mannerism no different than the character he had imagined.
“It was hard to avoid being a little hot-blooded back then, and I had just arrived in this world, realizing I had been thrown into a mix of characters we’d created. I then thought, very presumptuously, since I was an author, I should clean up the mess created by our own protagonists. My protagonist was even more so a sweet-tempered, obedient and herbivorous animal. Under my guidance, he would surely grow to be the strongest and pacify the world, ending these turbulent times.”
Thinking back on those childish ideas of his, there was only slight mockery to be found in Ji Mo’s expression. Without thinking too deeply on these past experiences, he continued telling his story while trying his best to remain calm,
“With the information I provided to him, Ren Qingya subdued all the Celestials in the north, expanding the Monster Continent step by step. However, it slipped my mind that this was no longer a character that moved a step for every sentence I wrote; as he came into contact with more Celestials, he started to realize the knowledge of other worlds, and slowly, his doubts towards me grew.”
Actually, he had been very happy at the start. The protagonist he had spent all his effort into creating had come to life, holding him in reverence just like his father in the novel, and he could see this child take each step towards becoming the world’s ruler with his own eyes. For an author, this in itself was an incredibly joyful thing.
What a shame that he was not the old Monster King in the story who would sacrifice everything to protect his son, he was the ‘god’ that had decided Ren Qingya’s fate as a vagrant.
“Later on, someone used a spell to read a part of my memories, and Ren Qingya, who was informed of the truth, interrogated many things from me, such as the information pertaining to gods. I fooled him into thinking that if a god was killed, the Celestial created by that god would have no more future, and that the other gods would search for me after receiving news of my death. He couldn’t tell if I was telling the truth, so he let me live in this kind of state.”
There had been a lie detection array present then, and it was hard to hide anything. All he could do was to do his best to mislead their line of thinking – he had no idea how much of that was effective, because he had been nearly delirious by the time his meridians were destroyed.
It was also then that he knew just how complex it could be for a hardship that was so commonly seen in those novels.
“As long as you persevere and keep walking on, no matter how much hardship you suffer, you’ll surely receive a happy ending? Easier said than done… Then, why don’t you experience it for yourself, Father.”
These were the last words Ren Qingya left to him. At the time, the one to take away Ji Mo’s eyes was the Wudong Sword[1] that he had almost pulled out his hair in trying to name; the one holding the sword was the person he had spent 769 days writing out.
And he had no other memories than that, apart from the pain.
Now that he thought about it, he had just been an ordinary human who wrote stories. He’d never actually been through a real crisis, nor had he ever enjoyed the life of an important personage. It was easy to get angry after being doubted, and couldn’t help but want to grumble to his friends whenever he received a minor injury, the happiest he’d been was acquiring one or two items he’d wanted in his daily life… To undertake the duties of a god, creating a Celestial that could snatch the lives of thousands with just a flick of a hand, was just too laughable.
“That is the relationship between Ren Qingya and I. Xianjun may as well know about it, you’ll be able to watch out for the Monster Continent in the future.”
At last, Ji Mo concluded the tale of his past in a dull tone. Ye Mingjun knew there was much more that he had not disclosed to him, yet he was in no mood to inquire any further, merely reaching out to hug him, saying with a light sigh, “Why do you always put up a front of being completely fine?”
“Because I know that crying is no use, all I can do is hold it in.”
“I used to be a person who sought perfection. Even when I saw the reality of it, I refused to give up on some things that didn’t need obsessing over. I didn’t have the strength to do whatever I pleased, yet I kept on persisting, how could I admit defeat without giving it a shot? It has always been difficult to achieve both power and sentiment, but I wanted both. Being so greedy, that was the reason I ended up like this.”
Calmly looking back on his past self, Ji Mo realized, perhaps being able to examine his past was a good thing.
Touching Wuyan, which had replaced his eyes, he gave a soft sigh, “I gave it the name Wuyan, insatiable, as a warning to myself, to learn to make a choice and give up.”
If he had really wanted to suppress the Celestials, he should have brought Ren Qingya under his control before any suspicion arose from him. However, he had been reluctant to treat his own protagonist like that back then.
He wanted to end the war of Celestials, and wished for Ren Qingya to lead a secure and happy life, just like the happy endings in many stories; the main characters blessed with happiness, the world at peace to the satisfaction of all.
But how could a real-life crusade be as easy as that?
He couldn’t bear to do it, but Ren Qingya could, so, he had lost.
Possibly due to the weakness brought by confronting his memories, Ji Mo did not struggle, letting the immortal hug him for once. Ye Mingjun had a sort of calming effect on him – he wouldn’t be able to say these words even if it was Su Ge, but as long as he was with Ye Mingjun, he found himself pouring his heart out. Was it because he wanted to be understood by this person?
“Ye Mingjun, there are times I don’t really know how to treat you. The moment Ren Qingya actually strikes, you’re the only one I can count on, so I keep telling myself to fool you, please you. But each time we’re together, I can’t rationally control my words and actions…”
Recalling with some distress some of his actions that were getting increasingly out of control of late, Ji Mo suddenly turned around. The immortal beside him had regained his usual expression, fixing him with a soft look, as if he would agree to anything he asked of him.
He actually knew that as long as he showed weakness, Ye Mingjun would instantly forgive him. However, a person definitely wouldn’t get angry with their own pets. Could he now interpret it as Ye Mingjun no longer viewing him as a pet?
As he thought that, the chill in the air brought by the past was dispelled. Since he had succeeded in appearsing Ye Mingjun, Ji Mo straightened his back, his expression returning to its original indifference, “Xianjun, a shichen has passed, you should return to your room now.”
Watching helplessly as the person who had been lying in his arms just moments ago got up in preparation to chase him out, Ye Mingjun couldn’t help but pause, even though he’d known from the start that Ji Mo always turned hostile each time he returned to his senses. At last, he merely said in resignation, “You clearly know that I’m very fond of you, which is why you keep on cuddling up to me. It’s just that you always turn and run after provoking me, not even letting me touch you, how sly.”
Wait a minute, what’s with those cheesy lines? I was just coaxing you a little, is there a need to puff up that much?
Hearing this, Ji Mo shivered, preparing to stay far away from the immortal, whose aura was growing a little dangerous, “Xianjun, I believe you have some sort of misconception about human behavior.”
Yet, Ye Mingjun was already prepared for this – he had even tossed the Diorama of Civilization out, so he pressed Ji Mo back onto the couch before he could get up, “But I won’t let you escape every time.”
Because you displayed your wounds in front of me, gazing at me with such a pleading look. This time, I won’t let you hide in the dark, covering up your scars on your own.
“Ye Mingjun, stop playing around…”
This position caused Ji Mo to feel slightly discomfited. The immortal’s long white hair tickled his ear, and no matter how much he shifted his gaze, there was no way to ignore his eyes, which were extremely close to his. He could clearly sense the other slowly scanning him from head to toe; he had no idea what Ye Mingjun was going to do, and could only nervously grip his sleeve.
Just as he was at his wits’ end, Ye Mingjun finally met his gaze, his expression unexpectedly serious, “Ji Mo, ancient artifacts are just magic treasures regardless of how powerful they are; the one who can truly change the world is the deity that wields me. If you wish to obtain an artifact, you need to possess enough self-confidence and courage to wield it.”
Never expecting him to say something like this, Ji Mo was momentarily unable to comprehend, “What do you mean?”
“A godly artifact is unable to exert its true might without being used by someone. Before he departed, Emperor Xi bestowed each of the ancient artifacts to the gods, and only I chose to become a free immortal, so I have yet to gain a master to this day. The criteria each godly artifact has for choosing a master varies, but Emperor Xi’s Venus Pearl has just one ordeal— Introspection.”
Softly uttering the words that shocked Ji Mo, Ye Mingjun did not pacify him with his usual smile. At this moment, countless lustrous stars converged in the immortal’s eyes, an illuminating and gentle radiance enveloping the entire room. Seriously looking at the person forced to meet his gaze, he slowly spoke,
“The one chosen by me, show the Way of Heaven thy virtues and magnanimity; if thy wish is to be as everlasting as the sun and the moon, thou shall be my deity.”
Unlike the immortal’s usual way of speech, which was light and gentle, these words were filled with archaic diction deposited by the passage of time, decorous and long-standing. This was the voice of Venus Pearl’s true form, the most solemn proclamation of all.
Looking at Ji Mo, who was instantly awestruck by this display, Ye Mingjun smiled, quietly releasing his hand and gently rubbing the youth’s head.
He hadn’t spoken in such a manner ever since Emperor Xi departed, since he had been the imperial pearl which symbolized the Heavenly Lord’s prestige at the time. Each and every word he spoke was heavenly will that must be obeyed by the immortals, and naturally he couldn’t run wild like he did right now.
Only those who still did not abandon their own splendor in the dark, just like a night luminous pearl, could harness Emperor Xi’s Venus Pearl. Would this endearing little guy be able to do it?
Although you still lack something, with the hope you have received, you should be able to regain some of your own courage and self-confidence. As long as I can see you smile frequently from this day onward, betting my freedom on this should be worth it.
“Ye Mingjun…”
“However, it isn’t that easy to receive the acknowledgement of Emperor Xi’s Venus Pearl. At least, what you need to do right now is mature a little more.”
Using his usual manner of speaking to cut off Ji Mo, who felt rather complicated, and seeing the other’s hesitant expression, Ye Mingjun lightly pulled his mask downwards. Feeling Ji Mo’s body instantly stiffen and knowing that he was scared of falling into darkness, the immortal merely took off Wuyan midway, then stooped down to place a kiss on his clear and smooth forehead, uttering softly,
“So good night, my adorable little deity.”
TL Notes
[1]
Wudong Sword – 無冬; It means ‘no winter’.