Chapter 723 - Saving Northern Liang (1/2)

This was something Youshan Linggyu dared not even dream about.

It was also the past that Yan Tianhen yearned for in his dreams but could never obtain.

Lin Xuanzhi sighed when he saw Yan Tianhen’s extreme caution.

It’s been too hard.

It had truly been too hard for them to walk all the way from martial brothers to enemies and then to lovers. At first, when Lin Xuanzhi remembered events on the Phoenix Terrace, he did feel angry and shameful — this had nothing to do with whether he was top or bottom, nor did it have anything to do with who he was being intimate with. Instead, it concerned the dignity of a man — a proud and arrogant cultivator who had always lived a clean and honest life.

But when he closed the door, held that Killing Heart sword, and carefully reflected over the past, Lin Xuanzhi found that not all the chaotic and dark memories were miserable.

Was he completely innocent?

Could it be that he never indulged himself during that time, not even for a single second?

If he was being honest with himself, was he really at a disadvantage in that seemingly forceful and one-sided relationship? Didn’t a dark corner of his heart enjoy it with secret delight?

The answer was self-evident.

Lin Xuanzhi didn’t feel ashamed but felt regret instead.

If he could frankly admit his feelings at that time and still calmly cherish that person after experiencing that pain, then would he… not be so cruel as to hurt both Lingyu and himself, and pull out one of his ribs as the last farewell gift to an excited and expectant Youshan Lingyu?

The sword he stabbed into Lingyu’s heart only hurt his life, but the bone sword he gave Lingyu was killing his heart!

How regretful he was! How he loathed himself!

“I’ve always liked you.” Lin Xuanzhi held Yan Tianhen in his arms. THe back of his hand touched Yan Tianhen’s back, while his fist was clenched tightly. He said slowly and firmly, “I’ve liked you from the very beginning.”

Words were stuck in Yan Tianhen’s throat. He choked back his emotions with difficulty. “Don’t lie to me. Shixiong, don’t lie to me. I’ll believe that as the truth.”

I’ll believe everything you say.

I’m not smart, so don’t lie to me.

The lotus flowers in the pond were in full bloom, elegant and proud. They were just like the pond full of Snow Feather Weeping Lotuses on Spirit Sect’s back mountain, which was raised extremely well and always in full bloom.

Time and space seemed to overlap with scenes from ten thousand years ago.

That year and that night, the bold but enthusiastic young man nervously rushed to the bamboo forest where his Shixiong practiced the sword at night, his heart full of love and admiration.

Even his voice shrunk a little in nervousness as he said to the man in white who just finished a sword move. “Shixiong, Shixiong, actually, part of what I said at the Dao Conference today was true.”

“I, I truly like Shixiong and love Shixiong.”

“It’s not the kind of like between Master, Lian Hua, and Xi He.”

“It’s the kind where I want to become Dao companions with you, practice swords together in the morning, enjoy flowers and tea together, refine pills and treasures together, share the same bed and blanket, and hold hands for a lifetime.”

“Shixiong, can you… can you also like me?”

The young man who was a little overwhelmed by this sudden confession but still looked calm on the surface just used his pair of bottomless and deep eyes to stare unblinkingly at Lingyu, who was getting redder and redder.

Lingyu couldn’t get a response. He only heard the rustling breeze blowing on the leaves in the bamboo forest. He blushed bright red and whispered, “It doesn’t matter if Shixiong doesn’t like me now. If Shixiong doesn’t like me today, then I’ll tell Shixiong again tomorrow.”

One day, Shixiong will inevitably accept his feelings.

Just when the young man couldn’t stand the tense and oppressive atmosphere anymore and turned to run away, the Shixiong who never spoke before whispered softly behind him, “Okay.”

He answered Lingyu’s feelings, so he must accompany him through the four seasons, through the vicissitudes of life, and never allow anyone to bully him or wrong him again. He should never allow Lingyu to bear the burden and pain of the entire world all alone, in a place that Chang Sheng can’t see.

He owed Lingyu the sentence, “I like you too.”

So he’ll use an entire lifetime to repay it.