Chapter 39

Tanyin closed her eyes. His lips brushed her cheek like a feather, soft and gentle. His hand held her tightly, with tense muscles and slightly rough fingertips, contrasting with her delicate frame. His scent was elegant and distant; their time together hadn’t been long, yet it felt like she had known his scent for ages, familiar and nostalgic.

Yuan Zhong’s lips slowly left her face, leaving only his fingertips to gently caress her. Tanyin opened her eyes to see his beautiful, clear eyes so close. There was only her in his eyes, and she was also hidden in his soul, focused and passionate.

She had wanted to ask him what he would do if she were gone one day, but there was no need to ask—the answer was in his eyes.

“I’m hooked,” he suddenly smiled, his eyes narrowing into crescents, his lips curving into a charming arc, and his voice hoarse, “I’m on the hook, at your mercy.”

What should she say at such a moment? What expression should she show him? Tanyin’s mind was foggy; every sensation in her body amplified to the extreme, while all rationality was washed away by intoxication. She felt an overwhelming and unfamiliar impulse. She slowly leaned closer, timidly looking up into his eyes, where something was burning brightly.

Closing her eyes, she pressed her lips against his, clumsily fitting together, gently moving.

His hand, which had been on her shoulder, slowly moved up to the back of her head, pulling her closer to him. His kiss was wild and initially awkward, but quickly that awkwardness disappeared, replaced by his instinctual aggression. He soon took control, his dry lips becoming moist and hot, licking her tongue and lips. He wasn’t satisfied with just that, kissing down her finely shaped jawline, his fingers trembling as he undid a strap of her clothing, the neckline loosening as his lips and hands invaded, landing below her collarbone.

His head was buried in her chest, meticulously kissing the skin around her collarbone. Tanyin felt herself melting, unable to distinguish whether the soul-burning pain was greater or the pleasure of their intimate contact was more.

Her fingers cradled his cheek, as if wanting to push him away yet also inviting him with passion. His lips, at some point, pressed against her forearm through her clothes. Tanyin trembled, feeling him gently roll up her sleeve, his hot lips pressing against her bare skin. He was trying to remove her glove, biting its edge and slowly pulling it down.

She couldn’t let him take off her glove!

Tanyin’s body reacted faster than her muddled brain, jumping up like a rabbit. Her sleeve brushed across the table, knocking over four bottles of “Tianxia Wushuang” wine, which began to roll off. Yuan Zhong, in a moment of passionate distraction, was taken aback when she pushed him away. Seeing the precious wine about to shatter, he quickly swung his sleeve, unsteadily catching two of the small jade wine bottles while Tanyin grabbed the other two securely.

One bending down, the other sitting; they stared at each other for a long time before Yuan Zhong suddenly laughed.

“What a pity.”

He placed the two intact bottles of “Tianxia Wushuang” back on the table, lightly wiping his lips.

Tanyin blushed. Most of her drunkenness had been scared away by the near-removal of her glove, and the rest dissipated while saving the wine. At this moment, her mood and the atmosphere were gone.

Embarrassed, she placed the jade bottles back: “Um… I’ll go to sleep…”

Sleep? Yuan Zhong looked outside; it seemed to be only the afternoon.

She realized her excuse was clumsy, feeling deeply ashamed and lowering her head in silence.

Footsteps approached, and his shoes appeared in her view, standing so close they were almost touching her. Tanyin tensed up, both expecting and fearing what would come next, watching his hand lift and gently grasp a loose strap of her clothing.

“Disheveled, and your chest and back are exposed.”

His voice had a mischievous tone, but his fingers slowly retied the straps he had just undone, “Next time you’re this bold, I won’t hold back.”

Tanyin’s ears burned with embarrassment. She dared not look up, hearing him go upstairs, enter the bedroom, and close the door. Only then did she breathe a sigh of relief, raising her gloved hands to her eyes.

Will there be a next time? She wondered silently, her eyes hot, feeling like crying yet also wanting to laugh. She slowly crouched down, hugging her knees.

No, there can’t be a next time.

The four bottles of “Tianxia Wushuang” taken from the cellar were later drunk by Yuan Zhong alone, with Tanyin not daring to touch a drop.

It’s said that “Tianxia Wushuang” was wine once offered to the gods during the heyday of the Fox Clan. In reality, both the War Ghost Clan and the Fox Clan of the mortal realm didn’t truly serve the gods like slaves. This notion was mostly romanticized by the mortal tribes themselves.

The vastness of the Divine Realm is beyond the comprehension of mortal immortals. The ritual of the Fox Clan, held once every sixty years to worship the gods, only conveys their thoughts. Whether these thoughts are accurately captured by the gods, whether it’s the same god receiving them each time, and whether they are willing to descend to the mortal realm afterward, remains unknown.

The remaining two jars of Tianxia Wushuang were placed in an exquisite celadon box as a gift for the Lord of Xiang Mountain. On the fifteenth of the month, the date of the Immortal Flower and Wine Festival, Yuan Zhong specifically took out Little Yuan Zhong for some serious instruction before he and Tanyin left their small cave, where they had lived for over half a year.

The Immortal Flower and Wine Festival at Xiang Mountain had no fixed date. The Lord of Xiang Mountain would send out invitations whenever he felt like it, inviting his immortal friends to bring gifts and enjoy his hospitality, which could last from ten days to several months.

Immortals, with their long lifespans and abundant free time, loved such lively gatherings.

The Lord of Xiang Mountain, an early immortal nearing the end of his life, was among the elite of immortals in both wealth and reputation. His domain spanned over a dozen mountains, with thousands of disciples, all exceptionally beautiful young men and women, leaving newcomers wide-eyed in awe.

Yuan Zhong was not visiting Xiang Mountain for the first time, but the grandeur of the place always amazed him. The cliffs above the valley were sheer, with multiple silver dragon-like waterfalls cascading down and disappearing into the void three feet above the ground. The scale of this was unprecedented, a stark contrast to the delicate beauty of Fangwai Mountain, and each visit left him in awe.

The welcoming path was spotless, with countless golden flowers falling from the sky. Each tree along the path bore large, unique flowers of various colors. The climate was perpetually spring-like, with warm breezes and delightful fragrances. Invited immortals either walked leisurely, admiring the scenery, or rode spiritual birds and beasts overhead, exuding an air of nobility and grandeur. This made the appearance of a rickety ox cart even more conspicuous.

The ox cart was in poor condition, with a wobbly wooden wheel clattering on the stone road. The old ox pulling the cart looked listless, its ears and head drooping. Yet, the cart moved quickly, soon overtaking many walking immortals, drawing curious glances.

As the ox cart approached Yuan Zhong, he stepped aside slightly. Suddenly, the cart’s curtain was pulled open, and the gaunt face of Lord Meishan, filled with surprise, popped out: “It’s His Excellency the High Priest! Oh my, oh my! The two jars of Drunken Life, Dreaming Death you sent last time were truly superb!”

As he spoke, his eyes darted around; seeing the celadon box in Yuan Zhong’s hands, his eyes lit up almost burning.

“I can smell it!”

He shouted, pointing at the box with trembling hands.

“I can smell the scent of an extraordinary wine! Tell me, what’s inside?”

What kind of nose did this guy have? Was he an immortal or a spirit dog? The Tianxia Wushuang was sealed in jade wine jars, and the celadon box was tightly sealed, yet he could still smell it.

Incredible.

Yuan Zhong shook his head. “It’s nothing special, just the wine my clan uses for heavenly sacrifices, called Tianxia Wushuang.”

Tian Xia Wu Shuang!

(T/N: Unparallel in the world)

Lord Meishan looked ecstatic, almost fainting with happiness. As someone who pried into others’ secrets, he naturally knew what Tianxia Wushuang was. He rolled out of the cart in one swift motion, staring at the celadon box in Yuan Zhong’s hands. If there weren’t so many people around, he might have knocked Yuan Zhong out to steal the box.

Yuan Zhong, knowing this wine-loving immortal, suspected he might indeed resort to such shameless acts.

He turned aside, smiling, “You, move away; you’ve lost all your face.”

Lord Meishan couldn’t take his eyes off the box, completely ignoring what Yuan Zhong said.

Yuan Zhong turned his body away and whispered to Tanyin, “Let’s move away. We don’t want people to know we know him.”

Lord Meishan, with his view blocked, was anxious but couldn’t make a scene in public. Reluctantly, he retracted his gaze and looked at Yuan Zhong’s face, exclaiming, “You’ve changed your face again!”

Yuan Zhong just smiled, ignoring him. He hadn’t worn a mask in a long time, but leaving their small cave, he wore it again, feeling a bit uncomfortable.

Lord Meishan, before the High Priest, couldn’t be as presumptuous as he was with Fu Jiuyun. This man, though seemingly amiable, was actually distant. Such people terrified him. After racking his brain for a topic and failing, he considered retreating to his ox cart.

Then he noticed the High Priest holding the hand of a girl in white. His excitement was palpable.

Men, fickle as always. In Yan city, he was with another girl, and now he had a new one! Despicable! Truly, dedicated men like himself were rare gems.

“Ahem…” He coughed, nudging Yuan Zhong’s side with his elbow, whispering, “His Excellency is indeed charming and suave.”

He gave a thumbs up, “Is this young lady your immortal partner?”

Yuan Zhong chuckled, looking down at Tanyin, who also smiled and nodded politely at Lord Meishan, “Lord Meishan, we meet again.”

What does she mean by ‘meet again’? Has he seen her before? !

Lord Meishan was confused. How could there be gossip he couldn’t remember? Where had he seen her before? Looking into her kind, innocent eyes, he felt too embarrassed to ask.

They seemed so familiar; asking would make him look ignorant!

“Again, we meet again,” he mumbled, nodding.

“You, uh, you…”

“I am Ji Tanyin,” she answered his unspoken question kindly.

Ji Tan Yin… He remembered. The High Priest had given him two jars of Drunken Life, Dreaming Death wine to investigate her background. In a few months, they had gone from adversaries to immortal partners?!

Feeling sentimental, he thought of his own unrequited love, while others easily found mutual affection.

Nothing went right for him.

Overwhelmed with sadness, he lost interest in gossip, retreating to his ox cart, not coming out again.

“Why did he suddenly cry?” Tanyin asked, stunned, seeing him run off, wiping tears.

Yuan Zhong, smiling without amusement, said, “He probably thought of his unrequited love.”

(T/N:…huhuhuhu..sorry i make a mistake in chapter 38..it suppose to be xiang mountain not xiangtuo mountain… done fixing back the chapter.. i’m so sleepy that i did not read properly what i type..huhu)