Chapter 391- Back to The Real World (02)
[In the Present-Day Heavenly Realm]
Mu Jin had truly succeeded in bringing Qiong Qi back from the perilous myriad small worlds, and word spread almost immediately. Countless people were eager to hear about their extraordinary journey—after all, many powerful figures had entered the myriad small worlds to undergo tribulations, only to never return.
Few dared to provoke Qiong Qi, but Mu Jin had a wide circle of friends throughout the immortal realm. Naturally, many of them were concerned about his well-being and wanted to visit. However, Mu Jin and Qiong Qi did not meet with a single one of them.
Before anyone could reach them, Mu Jin’s master, Mu Qing, had already taken a firm stance alongside Ao Zhan, blocking the crowd that wished to check on Mu Jin and Qiong Qi.
He even declared outright that his beloved disciple had barely escaped the treacherous myriad small worlds and needed proper rest. Anyone who dared to disturb Mu Jin would have to answer to him.
Mu Qing was notoriously protective and held grudges. With his warning in place, no one dared to trouble Mu Jin—at least for the time being.
Unaware of how much trouble his devoted master had shielded him from, Mu Jin was taken directly back to Qiong Qi’s residence. It was a place Mu Jin had long been curious about but had never truly set foot in before.
Though they had spent countless lifetimes together in various small worlds, experiencing untold years of hardships and joys, upon returning to the present-day immortal realm, they found that only two short months had passed.
Perhaps this was a sobering realization. They hadn’t lost much time at all, and from this moment onward, they had endless years ahead of them—countless days and nights to spend together.
This was the first time Mu Jin had ever stepped into Qiong Qi’s residence, and for some inexplicable reason, he felt a bit nervous. He knew that Qiong Qi had cultivated many plants here—something he had once envied. After all, those plants were carefully nurtured in the hands of the one he loved, while he could only admire from a distance.
But as he passed through the courtyard and entered the small building, Mu Jin finally realized something surprising: every plant growing inside was a black fern.
“So many black ferns?” Mu Jin was taken aback. Normally, indoor plants were vibrant, fragrant flowers—so why were there only these plain, bloomless black ferns?
“What do you think?” Qiong Qi’s voice was soft as he embraced Mu Jin from behind, his breath warm against his ear. Mu Jin’s ears tingled at the sensation, and the moment he realized the true reason behind it, his heart swelled with joy—his face instantly flushing red.
“What’s this? Back in the present world and suddenly getting all shy?” The tall man loomed over Mu Jin, extending his arms to rest on either side of the shelf, caging him in his embrace. Lowering his head, Qiong Qi pressed a gentle kiss to Mu Jin’s forehead, his voice hushed as he asked,
“Well?”
“I…” Mu Jin bit his lower lip. He didn’t want to be this flustered, but his lover was simply too seductive. And besides, this was the present world! He had been reckless and uninhibited in the small worlds, but now that he had returned, everything felt dreamlike—so much so that he found himself hesitating.
Perhaps this was why, after secretly watching the one he loved for so long, he had never dared to truly express his feelings.
Qiong Qi had no idea what was going through Mu Jin’s mind—he only knew that, no matter the time or place, his little companion always looked incredibly enticing. With nothing holding him back, the man no longer restrained himself. He reached out, gently pinching Mu Jin’s chin, and pressed a soft kiss to his lips.
It tasted wonderful.
Qiong Qi thought so sincerely. This was their first kiss in the present world, and the feeling nearly made him lose control. He wanted to make this moment perfect, to give them the most beautiful experience for their first kiss, so he took his time, patiently deepening it, savoring the soft warmth of Mu Jin’s lips.
Mu Jin instinctively closed his eyes, his long lashes trembling slightly—just like his heart. The feeling of being treasured so deeply was intoxicating.
The man’s lingering kisses fell upon his face, each one gentle yet possessive. He cradled Mu Jin’s face in his hands, pressing tender kisses to every inch of his skin.
When Qiong Qi’s lips finally reached his earlobe, Mu Jin heard his lover’s deep, husky voice whisper in his ear:
“Xiao Jin, let’s hold a Daoist partner ceremony.”
“I want the whole world to know that you belong to me. I want to form the deepest bond with you. I want to stand beneath the heavens and make our vows, so that no one will ever be able to take you away from me again…”
“How could there ever be anyone else?” Mu Jin whispered in protest. This man knew full well that his body and soul had always belonged to him alone.
“You’re right. There has never been anyone else between us.”
Qiong Qi’s deep chuckle sent a shiver down Mu Jin’s spine, making his entire body melt like water. He could only lean against Qiong Qi’s chest, surrendering completely to his touch.
Qiong Qi knew he was being impatient. He shouldn’t be rushing things. They had only just returned—his beloved had endured so much hardship and deserved time to rest.
Or perhaps… he should wait.
Wait until after their Daoist partner ceremony.
But he had loved this person for so long, restraining himself from touching him because of the fear that he might lose control and go berserk. Now that he was finally free from those chains, how could he possibly be willing to wait any longer before claiming the one he loved?
Especially when Mu Jin was leaning so softly against his chest—how could he hold back? Since that was the case, he might as well devour him completely, keeping him safe and secure in the depths of his embrace.
Mu Jin might not realize it, but Qiong Qi knew very well—his little companion was utterly adorable, with a soft and delicate beauty, yet a spirited and fearless nature. There were surely many who secretly admired him.
But Qiong Qi was the lucky one—the one who had won Mu Jin’s heart. This man had even risked his life to enter a perilous realm just to save him. Since Mu Jin had given so much for him, Qiong Qi would naturally cherish him in return, protecting him with all his heart.
Mu Jin was caught off guard when he was suddenly lifted into Qiong Qi’s arms, instinctively wrapping his arms around the man’s neck. “T-this… isn’t this too fast…?”
His voice trembled slightly, but when he met the dark glow in those amber eyes, his entire body seemed to melt. He only wished they could be closer—faster, deeper—no one could possibly long for this more than he did.
The immortal realm remained ever unchanged, an eternal sanctuary untouched by time. But within the small residence, an unexpected warmth quietly arose. The gentle breeze grew into a burning heat, setting off waves of fire that made sweat bead upon their skin—yet neither of them showed any intention of stopping.
By the time they finally took a brief pause, Mu Jin was so exhausted he didn’t even want to lift a finger.
His lover had originally told him they were simply going to “review” the dual cultivation techniques they had practiced in the small worlds. But after all this time, they hadn’t even attempted dual cultivation—it had been nothing but pure intimacy and possession. And yet, that only made Mu Jin’s heart pound faster, his face burn even redder.
Now that Qiong Qi had finally found some temporary satisfaction, he held Mu Jin tightly in his arms, his expression filled with deep contentment. With his heart finally at ease, he gently kissed Mu Jin’s hair and asked in a soft voice, “Xiao Jin, when did you start liking me?”
After all, Mu Jin wasn’t the only one who felt like he was in a dream—Qiong Qi did too. He had loved Mu Jin for so many years, always noticing the way the little one would linger around him, occasionally sneaking curious glances his way. But never had Qiong Qi dared to believe he could be so lucky—that the one he loved would love him back.
“You don’t remember?” Mu Jin felt a little disappointed when he heard Qiong Qi’s question.
Seeing the confusion in Qiong Qi’s eyes, he thought about it from another angle. If Qiong Qi had forgotten yet still fallen in love with him, didn’t that only prove that their fate was truly unbreakable? Smiling faintly, he said, “Actually, I mentioned it to you before, but maybe you forgot or didn’t pay much attention at the time.”
As he spoke, Mu Jin recounted an old story—how Qiong Qi had once hunted the Ghost Plague Gu alongside Teng Gen, accidentally injuring a sentient black fern in the process. Realizing his mistake, Qiong Qi had then used his divine power to heal it. And Mu Jin himself… had been that very black fern.
It was only thanks to that strand of divine power that Mu Jin had been able to step onto the path of immortality. He had trained tirelessly, hoping that one day he might enter the Immortal Realm and personally thank Qiong Qi. But in the end, all he had done was watch him from afar for so many years.
Perhaps it was precisely because of this that, little by little, Mu Jin had fallen completely in love—so deeply that he could no longer remove Qiong Qi from his heart.
Qiong Qi was overwhelmed when he realized the depth of their connection. This was fate—a gift from the heavens. He felt immense gratitude for the kindness he had shown that day, for it had led to such a precious outcome. Otherwise, how could he have possibly gained such a wonderful lover now?
Finally united with the one he loved, Qiong Qi still felt a lingering sense of yearning. But seeing Mu Jin’s exhaustion, he couldn’t bear to tire him any further. Instead, he placed a soft kiss on his forehead and whispered for him to rest.
Watching Mu Jin peacefully drift into sleep in his arms, Qiong Qi’s heart softened even more. Carefully, he slipped away without disturbing him. Now, he could finally start making proper preparations for their Daoist partner ceremony.
Just as Qiong Qi stepped out of the small building, he unexpectedly ran into Shun, who had been lingering nearby.
Seeing that Qiong Qi was completely unharmed, Shun felt a wave of relief and quickly walked over, clapping him on the shoulder. “You’re really back! As long as you’re safe, that’s all that matters. So, everything’s been completely resolved?”
Over the years, Shun had been helping him a great deal. Seeing his close friend again, Qiong Qi was just as happy. He nodded immediately and replied with a smile, “Yes, everything is settled. The hidden danger in my soul has been eliminated, and from now on, there will be no more worries. Chonghua, thank you for everything you’ve done all these years!”
“Come on, what’s there to thank me for? Aren’t we friends?” Shun—whose full name was Yao Chonghua—shook his head with a chuckle.
However, thinking of how Qiong Qi had always ignored his reputation, and how his frequent losses of control due to his soul’s instability had fueled countless rumors, Shun couldn’t help but remind him, “By the way, about all those rumors concerning you—I really think you should do something about them.”
“You never let me help in the past, and you never cared to clarify things yourself. I get that you might not mind, but now you have a Daoist partner. If Mu Jin were to hear so many people speaking ill of you, wouldn’t that make him upset?”
Hearing Shun’s words, Qiong Qi nodded in agreement. His friend had a point. However, he was already busy preparing for his and Mu Jin’s Daoist partner ceremony, and handling these rumors felt like an extra burden. Just as he was wondering how to manage it, Shun suddenly grinned and said, “Why don’t you leave it to me? I can clear things up for you. But… I do have a favor to ask in return!”