Heavenly Soul 154 Uncontrollable Hea

∘―o―∘

The night was calm and gentle, with hazy shadows and silvery moonlight covering the world. Qinghe and Wei Xiang slept peacefully on the bed in the Feng residence, their bodies lightly pressed together. Soft snores and the sound of measured breathing filled the s.p.a.ce. All was silent and still, as if the night had cast a spell of stasis that would only break with dawn.

Suddenly, Wei Xiang's eyes snapped open, his body stiffening in alarm. He felt bright heat explode within him, as if his insides had been set afire. He quickly realized that after suppressing it for so many years, his beast instincts had finally taken over.

His heat period was here.

Wei Xiang gritted his teeth and got up from the bed stiffly, then quickly staggered away from the serenely slumbering Qinghe. Wei Xiang's eyes turned molten gold and focused intently on his lover, roving over his resting body and taking in every sliver of exposed skin peeking out. The blissfully relaxed expression on his beloved's face tempted him to pounce on him and steal a kiss, his tongue thrusting in deep into that hot mouth and greedily taking what he wanted. As thick desire caused bursts of intense heat to flood him, Wei Xiang almost lost all reason, wanting nothing more than to fix his Qinghe beneath him and roughly plunge into his soft and warm body.

Wei Xiang squeezed his eyes closed forcefully, removing the temptation of his mate's supine figure. He took in deep breaths and let them out. Keeping his eyes closed, Wei Xiang slowly stepped around the bed and walked to the door. His movements completely silent, he slipped out of the room and shut the door behind him.

Now that his heat was here, rather than letting his beast hurt Qinghe with its uncontrollable l.u.s.t, Wei Xiang was determined to bear with it alone.

Not knowing this, Qinghe remained enfolded in quiet sleep, dreaming. But his dream was hardly restful.

...

Qinghe was kneeling on the damp and soggy ground. It was currently raining, with the muted roar of thunder and the stark flash of lightning filling the clouded sky high above. In front of him was a slab of stone set upright. There was something written on that slab, but Qinghe's gaze slid off of it as if unwilling to focus on it. As the rainwater unceasingly cascaded over him, Qinghe felt strangely dull and empty, unable to muster any emotion.

What was this? What happened to him? Why did he feel this way?

Qinghe heard a pair of footsteps nearing him, the sounds seeming deliberate as if the people making them didn't want to startle him by abruptly appearing beside him. The footsteps stopped beside Qinghe. A wide umbrella was held above his head, s.h.i.+elding him from the rain. Qinghe turned his head woodenly to the side to see Jing Shui and Chen Xiande. Both of their eyes were swollen red, their faces littered with red blotches as if they'd just cried.

Qinghe looked at them blankly. Nothing stirred in him.

In a thick and hoa.r.s.e voice, Jing Shui said, "Brother Feng, you know that we're still here for you, don't you? Y-You…you're not alone. If you need anything, even if you just want to talk, please come to us."

From beside him, Chen Xiande spoke up in a subdued tone filled with worry, "Junior Brother, I know that this must be devastating for you. No, even saying that it's devastating is a gross understatement. I realize that. But please, don't do anything drastic. There are still people who love you here. Please…d-don't…kill yourself or anything just b-because he is…"

His composure shattering, glistening lines of tears ran down Chen Xiande's face. He covered it with a hand, trying to m.u.f.fle his cries. As if unable to bear it, Jing Shui dissolved into tears as well, his shoulders curving as his body shuddered with restrained sobs.

Qinghe felt a faint flicker of concern in his vastly empty heart, there and gone in the next moment. He supposed…he should comfort them? Sighing inwardly, he tried to smile, the skin around his lips stretching tautly. "Brother Jing, Senior Brother, I'm fine, so please don't worry." His voice came out stiff and rough for some reason, but Qinghe barely felt any surprise.

Seeing him trying to put up his usual pleasant and warm smile, Jing Shui and Chen Xiande only broke down crying harder. They lunged forward and hugged Qinghe, drenching his already rain-soaked clothes anew with their tears. Qinghe patted their backs and consoled them for a while before the two of them stood up and awkwardly bowed to the stone slab embedded in the ground. Then they sped away after a.s.suring Qinghe that they wouldn't disturb his grieving anymore. After all, even if they were present, they only seemed to end up a burden, having to make Qinghe comfort them instead of the other way around.

Qinghe didn't understand what they meant, but he still nodded as they talked and then watched them go. Their dispiritedly hunched backs soon disappeared under the curtains of the heavy, torrential rain.

Holding aloft the umbrella they'd left him, Qinghe turned back to face the slab of stone standing before him. Every time he gazed at it, it felt like claws of agony were scrabbling inside the sh.e.l.l of his numbed soul. He was sure that the reason for all this strangeness would be explained if he only comprehended the characters etched onto this stone. And so, though his eyes kept turning away as if unwilling, Qinghe forced himself read the words on the slab.

There were only two characters inscribed precisely into the stone: Wei Xiang.

Qinghe felt like a bolt of lightning had cleaved through him.

This stone slab…why did it seem to have the shape of a headstone? Did it mean that…his Xiang…

As the unwanted realization struck him, his insides went cold and his body shuddered. The umbrella toppled from his fingers. His eyes grew wide, fixed on those two characters. The rain sluiced over him in silent streams as if the very sky was weeping, silvery drops dripping from the tips of his hair, nose, and chin. Qinghe struggled with himself as his world went askew.

Even if he wanted to keep deceiving himself, he couldn't.

This… This was his Xiang's tombstone. He was sitting on his beloved's grave.

Qinghe's body bent over in unfathomable pain. Scream after wretched scream tore out of him. His fingers dug into the damp soil, curling into the ground. He felt so miserably, bitingly cold inside.

This couldn't be possible… This wasn't possible! This was his precious Xiang! He refused to believe that he would have let something like this happen to his lover! No, this can't be… They had promised to marry each other, to raise children together! They had a soul bond! His Xiang couldn't leave him after all this…

Wait, they had a soul bond!

In desperation, Qinghe quickly extended his senses towards his soul bond, hurriedly reaching for the soul connected to the other side of the bond―

But all that greeted him was an empty void.

Qinghe let out a soundless scream and collapsed on his beloved's grave, his world plunging into darkness.
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...

Qinghe jerked awake, his body curled in fetal position as tears drenched the pillow under his cheek. The soft light of early morning spilled into the room, illuminating the empty s.p.a.ce beside him on the bed.

Qinghe shot upright, panting with a frantic look on his face while clutching at his chest and looking around.

No, if his Xiang was truly dead, then he wouldn't rest until he got him back! He'd pry apart the gates to the Netherworld itself if he had to and find his Xiang again! It didn't matter if he couldn't leave the realm of the dead. As long as he could see his Xiang again, as long as he could be with his Xiang till the end of their days…

Qinghe's thoughts hysterically bounced around in his mind before his pulse slowly settled and his head finally cleared. The wisps of sleep dissolved to give way to reality again. Rational thought quickly set in: It had been a dream. What he saw just now was all just a dream. His Xiang was fine, he was definitely alright. He must have just gone to walk around or something because he couldn't sleep. Yes, that must be it.

Trying to convince himself, Qinghe reached for the other end of his soul bond. Only a vague fuzziness greeted him. Qinghe forcefully suppressed his panic. No, no, his Xiang was definitely fine. He was just hiding his presence to make sure that Qinghe wouldn't be able to locate him through his soul bond. It was just like what they did while playing their Hunter and Prey game, though Qinghe had no idea why his lover would do something like that now. But since Wei Xiang would have to exert active effort to hide his presence, it must at least mean that he was both conscious and alive.

While trying to calm himself, Qinghe got up and headed out the door. He quickly strode towards his parents' bedroom with quick steps. Maybe one of them knew something. If not, then Qinghe was determined to go around searching every room in their house, then comb through the Feng household's forest, then search the entirety of the heavenly and mortal realms if needed. He would not let anything happen to his Xiang!

Reaching the door to his parents' bedroom, Qinghe quickly barged in without even remembering to knock, just directly snapping the lock in his hurry and forcing the door open.

Hearing the loud noise, Feng Huixin and Feng Chunyi quickly sat up on the bed, their expressions vigilant. But seeing that it was only Qinghe, they relaxed before becoming worried again.

"Oi, son of mine, what is it? To make you break our door, it must be something pretty urgent," Feng Chunyi spoke.

Feng Huixin looked at him concernedly. "Qinghe?"

Qinghe didn't bother to put on a smile as he quickly said, "Wei Xiang isn't here. Where is he? He even blocked off our soul bond. What is he doing that needs to be hidden from me?" The image of his Xiang's headstone and the piercing agony it evoked were all too clear in his mind right now. He would not let it become real!

Feng Chunyi raised an eyebrow. "Do you suspect he is cheating on you?"

Qinghe frowned and shook his head without hesitation. "No, I don't doubt his fidelity. I just want to know if he's alright, that he isn't…" He took in a deep breath and let it out. No, his Xiang was definitely not dead. He was probably just hiding out somewhere. With hints of desperation coloring his voice, Qinghe asked, "Mother, Father, do you know where he is? Did you see him going somewhere tonight?"

Feng Chunyi had on a thoughtful expression as if trying to remember something while Feng Huixin looked down at the quilt covering him with a frown. Qinghe wanted to restlessly tap his foot and ask them to hurry up, but controlled the urge.

After a few minutes of tense silence, Feng Chunyi suddenly exclaimed, "Ah! I think I remember someone knocking on our door tonight. I vaguely recall grumbling to myself 'What does one of our brats want with us at this hour?'. But before I could get up to see which one of you it was, Ah-Xin told me that it was alright, he would take care of it, and that I could go back to sleep. So I did. If it wasn't you who knocked at that time, then it has to be Son-in-law. There's no one else in our house after all."

Qinghe's eyes grew sharp. He turned to Feng Huixin and asked, "Father, is it true? Did Xiang come here? What did he want with you?"

Feng Huixin sighed. "Qinghe, please calm down. Xiang-er wanted me to let you both know that he will be gone for a while so that you won't worry. As for where he went or why he went there… I'm afraid that Xiang-er forbade me from telling you."

Qinghe gritted his teeth, his hands clenching. "Father! I have to know. Just… Is whatever he's doing dangerous? Will it hurt him? Does it have any chance of killing him?!"

Pressing his lips together, Feng Huixin hesitated, then spoke, "While it won't kill him, it will definitely have a great impact on his body. It might end up with him incurring severe damage that might take decades or even centuries to recover from. To be honest, I do not approve of Xiang-er doing this. And I especially do not want him to hide this from you. But Xiang-er is afraid of what might happen to you if you came to know of his predicament, so he made me promise that I won't tell you his whereabouts at least."

Qinghe's nails dug into his palm. In a frighteningly calm tone, he asked, "Did Wei Xiang enter his heat period?"

Feng Huixin froze, then nodded.

Qinghe's voice sounded strained, "Why now?"

Sighing, Feng Huixin answered, "Xiang-er's heat period was supposed to arrive the year after the battle at the Castle of Echoes. But by then, you had already entered the healing pool and showed no signs of awakening. Xiang-er also hadn't ascended yet. Because he wholeheartedly thinks of you as his mate, his beast could only suppress its heat, since lying with anyone else was unacceptable to it. By the time Xiang-er and you reunited again, he had grown proficient in stifling his beast instincts. He was able to use that expertise and push back his heat period as well.

"Even after your divinity finished settling in, Xiang-er was afraid that it won't be enough. After all, as a spiritual beast older than you, he will always remain physically stronger than you no matter how much time pa.s.ses or how powerful you become. Now that the heat he dreaded all these years finally arrived, he is determined to do everything he can to keep himself away from you and suffer through it alone. He did not let me accompany him either."

Feng Huixin ma.s.saged his forehead tiredly. "That child is too stubborn and used to taking responsibility for everything. But I am also aware that he will not regret his choice, no matter what outcome it bears. Even if he is never able to circulate spiritual energy again because of this, he will still think it worth it to spare you the pain. How can I say anything when he is that determined towards protecting you?"

After Feng Huixin finished speaking, there was a few moments of silence.

Beside him, Feng Chunyi looked troubled, not knowing how she could fix this for her sons.

Then Qinghe's voice cut through the quiet coldly. "Protecting one's partner goes both ways. I am aware of the dangers to me if I partic.i.p.ate in sating his heat and I am willing to risk them. If Wei Xiang is deliberately taking this choice away from me and trying to keep all this pain for himself, then I have words to say to him. But before that, I have to find him. Since he chose me as his mate, he doesn't get to keep me from helping him when he needs me like this."

Feng Huixin nodded. "I agree. But I still made a promise that I will not reveal his current location to anyone. I…"

Qinghe interrupted him, "Father, it's alright. I know how much your word means to you. We will try to think of a way to find him without you breaking it."

Feng Huixin's gaze turned uncertain. "Xiang-er's health is naturally more important to me than my word. If breaking it will help him…"

Feng Chunyi wrapped an arm around her husband's shoulder and spoke, "Ah-Xin, let's see if we can skirt around it first. What did that brat say exactly? If we can find a way through his words without you having to break your promise, then we should do it."

Feng Huixin nodded. "Xiang-er's exact request was: 'Master, please don't tell Qinghe about my heat. Even if he figures it out on his own, promise me that you won't tell anyone my location.'"

Feng Chunyi's eyes gleamed with triumph. Laughing silently, she exhaled, "Oh, that silly boy."

At the side, Qinghe smiled sharply. In contrast, his voice was soft and affectionate as he murmured, "My poor Xiang. His mind must have become all muddled due to his heat. Such a statement… It's so full of loopholes for me to take advantage of." Looking at Feng Huixin with the same soft smile, he said, "I'm guessing that because of how strong his heat's effect is, Xiang mustn't have been able to think all that clearly or make it very far. He can't risk going all the way to the transportation array platform and he won't hide out anywhere he isn't sure of his safety. Keeping all that in mind, the most reasonable place for him to stay at right now is our house. Well, Father, he asked you not to tell me where he is. So we will respect his words. Instead, may I ask you tell me everyplace he isn't?"

Feng Chunyi giggled happily. Her son was as smart as she expected.

Feng Huixin's gaze flashed with understanding. "I see. That will indeed help me not break my promise." His eyes narrowing with thought, Feng Huixin said, "Xiang-er is not in the west wing or the central structure. He is also not anywhere aboveground."

Qinghe blinked with surprise. "We have underground rooms?!"

Feng Huixin sighed. "Yes, but neither I nor Chunyi knew that they were functional or that there was a way to enter them. We a.s.sumed that the underground level was long filled in and walled off completely. But Xiang-er told me just tonight that he found an access point to it. Apparently, when he went exploring earlier in one of the cave systems in the forest, he dived into a pond and was able to find an underwater tunnel near its bottom. He followed it and saw that it led into the bas.e.m.e.nt level." Since Wei Xiang had only asked him to not outright tell them his location, Feng Huixin took it as permission to tell them Wei Xiang had discovered and the route he had found without ever specifically saying that Wei Xiang had mentioned hiding there. He wouldn't be breaking his word this way, would he?

Meanwhile, Qinghe's mouth twitched. That Xiang! He must've definitely found that route when they were playing in that cavern a few days before and then gone to check it out later on his own. As for why he kept it a secret… Qinghe could only guess that he wanted to keep a hiding place ready for whenever his heat period hit him. Staying at an underground room sealed from the rest of the house would also ensure that he wouldn't be able to smell Qinghe and agitate himself further during his heat period. And he could also quickly enter it using his shadows if his heat hit him suddenly. Tch, this was the disadvantage of having a clever lover. His Xiang had planned everything so thoroughly while hiding it from him.

Qinghe pushed aside his floating thoughts and focused on everything his father had said. According to his words, Wei Xiang should currently be in an underground room in the eastern wing. Now all that was left was to enter that area by going through that pond in the cavern. He could technically ask his father to just take him through the shadows, but they'd already skirted around his promise to Wei Xiang enough. Involving him anymore might just make him uncomfortable. But more than that, Qinghe wanted to undertake everything from here on out on his own.

Turning to his parents, he gave a short bow. "Mother, Father, I will now go and accompany Wei Xiang. Please do not interrupt us until it is done."

Feng Huixin nodded. "I am told that the estimate for his heat period this time is seven days. Qinghe, please take care."

Qinghe nodded and turned to go.

Frowning worriedly, Feng Chunyi suddenly asked, "Are you sure this is alright? From what I understand, Son-in-law won't be in control of himself during this time, will he? What if he…doesn't listen if you ask him to stop?" Her hand clenched on Feng Huixin's waist. She felt her husband pull her closer and rub her back soothingly as if to dispel her memories.

The corners of his eyes growing pinched, Feng Huixin also looked at Qinghe with concern. "Your mother is right. Qinghe, if you have to, don't hesitate to get out from there. I am sure Xiang-er will not hold it against you. Things like health and power can be restored with time and effort, but if he inadvertently does something that damages your relations.h.i.+p, it might not be able to be fixed. I am sure that for him, hurting you in that manner would be more terrible than his own soul being destroyed."

But seeming unbothered by the gravity of their concerns, Qinghe turned his head and gave them a small smile. His expression was relaxed as he said simply, "Mother, Father, please do not worry. No matter how far gone he is, my Xiang will not force me."

With that, he strode out of his parents' bedroom and headed out of the Feng residence, making directly for the forest surrounding the house and the cave system in it.

Back in the bedroom, Feng Chunyi's forehead creased with worry. "Ah-Xin, do you think it will really be alright?"

Feng Huixin nodded. "I trust our sons."

...

Qinghe floated in cold water that came up to his neck and looked up at the heavy objects obstructing the hole above him with narrowed his eyes. It seemed that Wei Xiang had tried to block off access through here, but caught in the throes of his heat, he wasn't able to do anything more than move a few pieces of furniture on top of the entrance.

To get here, Qinghe had just spent half an hour trying to find the access point at the bottom of the pond and another half an hour swimming through the dark and narrow underwater tunnel. After all that effort, a few bits of wood barring his path would hardly deter him. Huffing, Qinghe raised a hand and used his wind to lift up the pieces of furniture stacked upon the opening. After the entrance was cleared, he quickly reached up to pull himself into the underground floor of the Feng residence and dried himself off using wind.

Lifting up the illumination talisman, Qinghe studied the s.p.a.ce.

This floor was dark and gloomy, with some dust scattered here and there at the edges. It was made in a completely different style than the rest of the house and seemed a bit more cramped than the airy rooms aboveground. The area around the square entrance Qinghe had just come up through was covered with thick, slimy green mold. There were no cobwebs or critters in the room, possibly due to this entire floor being so thoroughly blocked off. Situated by the wall opposite to Qinghe, a large stairway led to the ceiling above where a circular open s.p.a.ce seemed to have once existed, its outline still visible. Now, it was blocked off with stone bricks and held up with wooden beams and thick stone pillars to support the flooring of the level above.

Once he finished looking around, Qinghe silently turned east and began walking. He used his ability to still the air around him and block his scent and any sound he made. He did not want to alarm Wei Xiang and risk him using shadows to get away before hearing what he had to say.

After wandering for a few minutes in the east wing, Qinghe finally found the room Wei Xiang was in. It was the only one whose door was closed, with sounds of cloth being scratched and torn coming from inside.

His heart beating faster with anxiousness, Qinghe steeled himself and slowly opened the door.

The room was a long rectangle with furniture cluttering up the narrow ends on either side. A large bed with a thick, old mattress sat in the middle, directly opposite to the doorway. On it, Wei Xiang laid half-curled, his teeth gritted and his eyes squeezed closed. His fingers tipped with long black nails roamed on his tattered clothes restlessly, pulling the fabric apart and ripping it to the point where most of it was torn away. Thin scratches formed and healed on his exposed skin, but he didn't seem to notice or care. A wet sheen covered his forehead. His chest heaved with quick breaths, and Qinghe realized that rather than panting, Wei Xiang was using breathing techniques in an attempt to keep his mind clear.

Qinghe silently stepped into the room and closed the door behind him before locking it.

The entire room was filled with strong pheromones. As it sunk into Qinghe, he couldn't help but recall long nights of heated pa.s.sion spent moaning, his body twisting and writhing as he felt his beloved pressed against him, moving inside him, his thrusts slow and sensual or fast and frantic. Qinghe could almost feel the drag of Wei Xiang's palms against his skin, his lover's large length burying itself inside him again and again, pus.h.i.+ng apart his tight walls and embedding itself deep inside his body…

Letting out a shuddering breath, Qinghe took back control of his galloping thoughts and deliberately let go of his hold on the wind, letting his scent spread out.

On the bed, Wei Xiang suddenly stilled, his golden eyes turning to fix on Qinghe with eerie intensity. His lips parted to show his sharp fangs as he growled, "Qinghe?!" He seemed to struggle with forming thoughts as he spoke, "What… Why are you― How did you find this place?!"

Sighing, Qinghe pasted the illumination talisman on the wall and slowly walked towards the bed.

Wei Xiang saw his mate heading towards him, his movements fluid and graceful, and held himself even more tightly. Even though he knew that he should look away to minimize temptation, his gaze stayed fixed on his little lover as if mesmerized.

Since he hadn't had a chance to put anything else on after getting up from bed this morning, Qinghe's body was covered with only a single loose robe. Due to the thick pheromones Wei Xiang exuded, Qinghe's face was delectably flushed, the scent of his arousal beginning to slowly fill the s.p.a.ce. His dark eyes gleamed as they peered at Wei Xiang, his lips bent in a casual smile without any fear or trepidation. In a slow and seductive motion, Qinghe licked his lips and said, "Xiang, I found you~"

Wei Xiang's body jerked as increased need punched him in the gut. He clutched at the mattress under him to prevent himself from leaping over and pinning his beloved to the floor, tearing off his clothes, and plowing into him right here and now. He snarled, "Qinghe, you imp. Stop it. Get away and get out."

Qinghe laughed, his voice husky and light. "No, I won't. I won this round of our Hunter and Prey game, so I get to ask something of you. Isn't that right?"

Wei Xiang let out a low growl of frustration. "We aren't playing. Qinghe, you―"

"Now, now. After running away from me and hiding like this, if this weren't a game, then does it mean that it was you deliberately locking me out of your life at such an important moment, hm?"

Wei Xiang took one look at Qinghe's sharp smile and deep eyes and decided to keep his mouth closed. He might be in heat, but he still had some sense left.

Seeing his cautious expression, Qinghe let out an amused chuckle. His steps brought him closer to Wei Xiang.

Knowing that he was reaching the limit of his self-control, Wei Xiang quickly let golden strings extend out from his arms and wrapped them around himself and the cot, tying his body firmly to the bed. His voice turned ragged and rough as he pleaded, "Qinghe, please, stop. I don't know what I'll do in this state. I don't know if I will even be able to stop if you want me to. I'd rather break myself than hurt you that way. So, love, please stay away."

For a moment, Qinghe's gaze softened. Then he laughed wryly, undaunted. "It seems that of all of us, I am the only one who trusts your beast. How sad it must feel."

Wei Xiang gritted his teeth in helplessness. Just what should he say to convince his mate?!

Reaching the bed, Qinghe leaned over Wei Xiang and cupped his cheek. It was scorching hot and covered with fine, smooth scales that faintly glittered in the light. From up close, Qinghe could see that Wei Xiang's vertically slitted pupils had expanded to swallow half of his golden irises. Qinghe could feel how hard Wei Xiang was clenching his jaw by the muscles straining under his hand.

"Xiang," he said, his voice entreating. "It looks so painful for you. Won't you please let me share your pain?"

Wei Xiang swallowed. His self-control was stretching too thin. He had to struggle to form words. "Love, if you do this, I will end up hurting you. I don't want to. You don't have to indulge my beast and let it tear into you just because you're mated to me. If I selfishly cause you pain to feed my heat, then I will never forgive myself."

Qinghe sighed and bent to place a kiss on his lover's hot forehead. Wei Xiang let out a strangled growl. Muscles bulged in his body as he strained to remain still. He couldn't keep himself suppressed for long.

In a quiet voice, Qinghe said, "I know. You don't want to see me hurt. But I don't want to see you hurt either. Xiang, if we do this, the maximum I will suffer is physical injuries that I can heal easily with a few pills and some rest. But for you, the consequences are much more dire. You will have to go through decades or centuries of recuperation to get back to where you are now. The problem you are dealing with is not just yours alone to shoulder, it's ours. Both of us have an equal responsibility to solve it. And if we compare between the outcomes of me helping you and you bearing this alone now, it's obvious that the result of me helping you is better, since the consequences I will have to bear will be lesser. No matter how you look, logically, letting me help you is the best answer."

Wei Xiang's head spun with the buildup of heat in his body. He did understand that his beloved was right, but he still felt reluctant. "Is that why you're here? Because it's the logical thing to do?"

Qinghe tilted his head and smiled softly. "Actually, no. All that reasoning is only to convince you. I'm just here because, like you, I don't want my mate to suffer. Also…" Qinghe smiled wider as he lowered his head further, peering straight into Wei Xiang's glazed eyes. "Xiang, I want all of you to be mine, even your beast. So won't you also let me reciprocate and become yours, including your beast's?"

Wei Xiang's eyes glowed. It was clear that his mate couldn't be any more willing, and his logic made sense as well. There was no point in refusing now. Opening his mouth, Wei Xiang hissed, "Yes."

"Good," Qinghe said with a grin. "Just exercise your patience for a bit more until I undress and prepare myself for you. After that…you don't have to hold back anymore."

Wei Xiang's eyes stayed fixed on Qinghe as he nodded. He watched intently as Qinghe removed his robe and retrieved a bottle of oil. His gaze intensified as he saw his little lover bend over a side table and ready himself.

Qinghe would've loved to let his Xiang do this instead. But not only did he know that Wei Xiang's self-control wouldn't hold up, he also didn't think that his lover would be able to retract his fingernails enough in this state to do it. Each of Wei Xiang's nails ended in an exceedingly sharp point that seemed like it could shred through steel, much less Qinghe's fragile inner tissue. There was no way he was going to let those lethal weapons enter his backside! And so, Qinghe had to attend to himself this time.

After he finished stretching himself out to fit three fingers, Qinghe paused and looked back at Wei Xiang's lower half. The large bulge there clearly indicated that there wasn't just one member standing at attention. Giving a thoughtful hum, Qinghe decided to continue preparing his pa.s.sage until he could fit his whole hand inside. After that was done, he spread his fingers and tried his best to widen himself to the limit so that no matter how rough his beloved was, it would cause him minimal hurt.

Once he was satisfied with the preparations, Qinghe turned to Wei Xiang and smiled. "Xiang, I'm ready."

Veins bulged in Wei Xiang's forehead with the effort of restraining himself. Doubt flickered in his golden gaze. Straining, he spoke, "Qinghe, if you…want to stop…"

Qinghe looked at him with helpless affection. "Yes, I know. If I ever want to stop, I will tell you. And if you are unable to fulfill my request, I will use my power and get myself away from you. So don't worry and stop holding yourself back. Xiang, I am here and I am willing to spend your heat period with you. It's alright now, so come and take me."

The golden strings retracted into his arms as Wei Xiang finally let himself go free. That was all he needed to hear.

Qinghe felt himself quickly being pulled towards the bed and pushed onto it before a hot and hard body settled over his. Without waiting for Wei Xiang to act, Qinghe lifted his legs and put them on Wei Xiang's shoulder in a silent invitation to directly begin. As Qinghe immediately began feeling something nudging his entrance, his breathing grew deeper with antic.i.p.ation. Without ado, both of Wei Xiang's thick members pushed into him at once.

Qinghe bit his lips and tried to quickly accustom himself to the feeling of being filled to the brim and stretched completely. Thankfully, though Wei Xiang was going mad with need, he still retained enough consciousness to force himself to go slow. Qinghe still felt uncomfortable, his pa.s.sage aching a bit at being expanded so much all at once. But it was not nearly as bad as he'd expected due to Wei Xiang's care.

Slowly, Wei Xiang sank inside the tight heat of his beloved. The more he fed his l.u.s.t, the more his mind grew fuzzy with intense burning need. He could feel his beast's joy at finally being able to share a heat period with its mate, along with a vast abyss of insatiable hunger and zealous affection.

Wei Xiang struggled to hold back his beast's frenzy and carefully pushed on until he was buried to the hilt inside his little lover. At the familiar feeling of their bodies fully connecting, a thousand scenes flashed in Wei Xiang's mind. So many happy days filled with so many precious memories, so many different sides and facets of his beloved mate, so many experiences and sensations they'd shared together…

He liked it when his mate was so lost in pa.s.sion that he ended up leaving marks with his nails on his shoulders or back. And every time after that, Wei Xiang's chest would feel warm when his Qinghe apologized for hurting him, his expression repentant and guilty while he tended to the scratches and gouges he'd left on Wei Xiang with the utmost care.

Wei Xiang was so fond of exploring new things with his beloved, watching his curious expression, his thoughtful expression, and his blus.h.i.+ng and bashful expression as he learnt various things with determination. And it was even more fun to show him how to implement some of that newfound knowledge in the bedroom, spending days and nights entwined together, learning new things about each other's bodies.

He loved playing and sparring with his Qinghe, their bodies testing their strengths and skills against each other while Wei Xiang found new respect for his beloved each time. Whenever they played their Hunter and Prey game and he was chasing Qinghe, Wei Xiang adored scenting his mate's giddy excitement as he ran from him, seeing his bright smile when he caught up, that helpless laughter and playful struggling when Wei Xiang finally pounced on him…and he liked it even more when his mate turned the tables on him, outwitting him and trapping him under his body instead. That smug expression on his beloved's face filled with glee looked so adorable as his Qinghe tilted his chin up proudly while declaring that he'd won.

Wei Xiang growled as these thoughts filled his mind and made his desire for his beloved rise even higher. He pulled his hips back and thrust his hard lengths inside Qinghe again. Wei Xiang heard his mate gasp in reaction and felt his long legs clench around his neck. He smelled his little lover's thickening arousal and began driving his members in and out with increased fervor, the rhythm growing faster and faster.

Even in his l.u.s.t-fed frenzy, Wei Xiang couldn't help but marvel that this person was his mate, that this strong, adorable, cunning, soft, sneaky, and powerful being was now lying under him, letting him drive into his body, his inner muscles tight and hot as they gripped his twin shafts. He could feel the s.h.i.+ft of his mate's warm and flushed skin as it slid against his, the rolling of defined muscles, the breathy moans and throaty groans, the scent of sweat and l.u.s.t, the clutch of frenetic hands on sheets and supple legs around his neck, the sensual movement of his beloved mate's flexible body as he arched and twisted under him…all of it only drove him crazier.

Wei Xiang pumped into Qinghe with desperate pa.s.sion. Their hips slammed against each other as the sounds of skin hitting skin resounded loudly along with heated pants and reverberating growls. Flashes and waves of intense heat consumed Wei Xiang, drowning him in pleasure even as he sought more of it from his mate's body.

In this way, their coupling went on for hours.

Again and again the climax dragged Wei Xiang under, making him spill thick liquid into Qinghe. All the while, he struggled to hold on to his control over his mind, not yet resigned to completely giving in to his beast. After every few rounds, Wei Xiang forced himself to hold his need in check and disentangle from his mate. As Qinghe laid there, his body spent and trembling, his eyes squeezed closed as he panted hoa.r.s.ely, Wei Xiang would gently feed Qinghe medicine to recover some strength and heal whatever bruising he might have sustained. Once Qinghe ingested enough healing pills to swiftly recover, he would spur Wei Xiang on and they would go at it again.

In this madness of giving and taking pleasure, there was nothing spoken between them except in the language of their bodies. With the motions of their hands, lips, and hips, they directly conveyed their desire, their desperation to reach release, and their affection for each other. Blindingly bright pa.s.sion swept them away as their bodies continued swaying together in a relentless rhythm.

As this went on, Wei Xiang was able to remain gentle at first. But soon, his fingers began leaving little round impressions on Qinghe's skin, which then eventually became full-fledged handprints. As his consciousness slowly receded to give way to his beast self, more and more bruises formed and faded on Qinghe's skin, like the blooming and withering of red and purple flowers. And yet, though Qinghe felt the increase in pain, he also felt increased pleasure. He himself was unable to understand why he would like this despite the pain and discomfort.

Was it the knowledge that his Xiang wasn't holding himself back? Was it because no matter what his beloved did to him, he would like it? Or was it that despite his rampant l.u.s.t completely clouding his consciousness, despite his rough treatment of him, and despite the merciless continuity with which those twin members slammed into his body again and again, Qinghe still trusted his lover beyond doubt? Qinghe didn't know, and in his current situation, he wasn't in a state of mind to care.

Meanwhile, Wei Xiang's hands remained restless, flipping Qinghe over onto his front, and then to his back. Sometimes his strong, claw-tipped fingers would restrain Qinghe's slender wrists as if afraid he would push him away, and sometimes those hands would pull up Qinghe's legs to press his knees to his shoulders, demanding more access to his entrance. Qinghe tried to cooperate as much as he could, remaining unresisting and pliant in Wei Xiang's hands as he unreservedly opened his body, willing to accept everything that would be done to him.

All the while, Wei Xiang's hard members kept pus.h.i.+ng in and out, relentlessly rubbing against Qinghe's sore pa.s.sage and occasionally filling him with hot and heavy streams of release. But even though Qinghe felt his channel grow raw and painful, his bruised and tender inner walls swelling in injury and squeezing around Wei Xiang's thrusting shafts with painful tightness, he didn't complain. Knowing that his Xiang was already consumed with the uncontrollable fervor of his heat, Qinghe just retrieved some healing pills with a hand and stuffed them into his mouth, not even calling for Wei Xiang to stop. He was determined to ensure that his body would remain whole enough to keep bearing Wei Xiang's outpouring of l.u.s.t while causing Qinghe the least hurt as well.

However, seeing his mate suddenly putting something that didn't smell like food into his mouth, Wei Xiang quickly dipped his head down with a displeased growl and forced his tongue past Qinghe's lips. Qinghe opened up willingly, not hindering Wei Xiang's demanding tongue from roughly sc.r.a.ping over and claiming the inside of his mouth. But as if still unsatisfied, Wei Xiang's tongue pushed further in, extending beyond human proportions and encroaching into Qinghe's throat.

Qinghe quickly loosened his throat muscles and opened them as much as he could, allowing his lover's tongue further entry. With his body invaded and filled up so firmly from both above and below, Qinghe could hardly move in either direction now. Determinedly ignoring the tears welling at the corners of his eyes due to the triggering of his gag reflex, Qinghe kept himself as relaxed and compliant as possible to avoid distressing his seemingly concerned lover. But after determining that there was no wrong taste in his mate's mouth and throat, Wei Xiang withdrew his tongue. Nipping his mate's throat to warn him not to take any more strange things into his mouth, Wei Xiang continued driving into him with satisfaction.

Seeing all this, Qinghe reflected that by now, Wei Xiang was really too far gone in his beast instincts.

While Wei Xiang continued moving inside him, changing their positions now and then as his hands roughly kept dragging over him, his lips and teeth tormenting Qinghe's body, he left shallow scratch and bite marks behind. Feeling the fine scales on Wei Xiang's palms continuously sc.r.a.ping against his sensitive skin, Qinghe shuddered, not even minding the ensuing soreness. Each of these small injuries only seemed to increase Qinghe's desire. His own shaft had released again and again, and even though Qinghe tried to hold his climax in so as to not spend himself too early, he still felt himself being ruthlessly pushed over the edge over and over, his slender member pulsing and shuddering as it erupted.

Qinghe panted and moaned, sobbed and screamed until his voice gave out. Pain and pleasure battled against and melded into each other inside him, filling his overwhelmed mind and trembling body with the sensations evoked by Wei Xiang's hands and mouth on his skin while his lover's large organs relentlessly thrust into and withdrew from inside of him. Having tangled tightly together for so long already, he couldn't tell where his body ended and where Wei Xiang's began.

Meanwhile, Wei Xiang held the soft body of his mate in his hands and pushed into him, deeper and deeper so that he could fill those soft depths with his release, again and again until Qinghe's pa.s.sage was stuffed to the brim and overflowing with the white liquid. He rubbed and nipped and licked his mate everywhere he could reach and as much as he could so that his scent would sink deep and indelibly into his beloved's skin. This way, everyone would know that this was his mate, and his alone! He would mark him and claim him just like his own mate had long since claimed his complete devotion.

As Wei Xiang thus continued to pump into Qinghe while his hands and mouth explored his mate again as if for the first time, his nose was filled with the smell of his mate's body, his tears and sweat with a bit of blood, and the overwhelming scent of his arousal spiced with a hint of pain. But there was no fear, no panic, nothing that meant rejection, and so Wei Xiang continued on with enthusiasm. His mouth was suffused with the taste of his beloved, his ears filled with the sounds of his soft moans, whimpers, and helpless screams, his fully dilated golden eyes reflecting only the image of his mate's twisting and writhing body under him that nevertheless obediently let Wei Xiang position and play with him however he wished.

Wei Xiang never wanted to let this being go. He never wanted to separate from him. And so, fuelled by the wyvern's possessiveness, Wei Xiang decided that he wouldn't. He would always stay like this, both his body and mind connected to his beloved mate forever.

Driven by l.u.s.t and drowning in his unceasing heat, Wei Xiang continued slamming into Qinghe with renewed vigor.

Filled with inexhaustible need in this manner, the days slowly dragged by while the bed kept creaking and swaying. Unable to take pills to heal himself due to Wei Xiang's muddled distrust of them, Qinghe could only plead for occasional breaks to rest his body and allow his wounds to heal on their own.

The good thing was that despite being completely pulled under his beast instincts, Wei Xiang still remembered to care for Qinghe and quickly stopped whenever he was told to. However, Qinghe realized that his Xiang's mind was growing increasingly steeped in his instincts. He seemed to be having difficulty seeing, hearing, or sensing anything other than the insistent need to feed his l.u.s.t. Though it made Qinghe's heart hurt for how helpless his beloved was while under his heat, he did not feel any fear or worry for whatever might come in the future. He unquestionably trusted his Xiang.

By the fourth day, Qinghe had grown lethargic, every part of his body too sore for words. His mind felt strangely disconnected from the discomforts of his body even as he felt himself s.h.i.+ft and shudder, his member twitching as if wanting to climax despite having long since run out of release to let out. The waves of pleasure felt soft and familiar as they continued to wash over his body, and Qinghe willingly let himself drown in it all.

As Qinghe felt his body once again being repositioned on his back, he obediently cooperated. His insides felt thick, feverishly hot, and swollen tight. Whenever his inflamed channel was touched, along with the familiar pulse of pleasure, he felt little stabbing pains as well. And yet, unknowing of his mate's agony, Wei Xiang's twin shafts pierced into Qinghe again and again, the large members forcing open Qinghe's body and squeezing in through the reddened entrance that was almost swollen shut. And yet, Qinghe had no intention of complaining or pus.h.i.+ng Wei Xiang away. Instead, he only tried to hold his beloved closer, tightening his trembling legs around Wei Xiang's firm waist, feeling hard muscles flexing as his lover worked his hips continuously.

Suddenly, Qinghe felt a sharp fissure of pain cutting through his pa.s.sage and let out a short scream. "Ahh—!" His back stiffly arched up while his head bowed back into the sweat-drenched pillow. His fingers clawed Wei Xiang's shoulders desperately.

In the beginning, all of Qinghe's wounds, both outside and inside his body, had regenerated quickly. But the more Weil Xiang's heat went on, the slower the injuries had healed. But now, due to Qinghe's decreasing spiritual energy, the speed of the wounds inside his pa.s.sage closing had become slower than the speed of Wei Xiang's ruthless thrusts tearing them open again before they had a chance to fully recover. This pain was like nothing Qinghe had ever felt in that part of his body before. His channel had only ever been treated gently and carefully. And rather than blaming Wei Xiang, Qinghe already started thinking up what all lines of reasoning he could use to make sure his Xiang wouldn't blame himself for this later.

Meanwhile, sensing Qinghe's distress, Wei Xiang abruptly stopped. His keen eyes fixed on his mate's pained expression before he bent down to take in a lungful of his beloved's scent. The smell of pain had almost overtaken the scent of pleasure that Qinghe had been exuding till now. Leaning back, Wei Xiang growled worriedly. As unspent l.u.s.t immediately began building up inside him, Wei Xiang's body grew hotter and hotter, and yet he refused to move in the fear of hurting his precious mate. He was so warm and soft and perfect, all Wei Xiang wanted to do was protect and care for him. How could he hurt him?

Qinghe panted to suppress his reaction to the pain and collected himself. Since Wei Xiang had stopped moving inside him, his injury had also gotten the chance to heal. Lifting a trembling hand, Qinghe gently cupped Wei Xiang's cheek and said in a hoa.r.s.e voice, "It's alright…it's okay. The pain is already decreasing, I'm fine. So I want you to go on now, alright? I know you must be feeling uncomfortable due to stopping, and I don't want that. Xiang, please, I'm fine, so keep going, okay?"

Though Wei Xiang didn't want to hurt him, since his mate said it was fine, and since the sharp tang of his pain had also slowly started to decrease, he decided to give in to his endless need once again. After all, the one person he trusted the most in this world was his mate. And since he a.s.sured him that it was alright, Wei Xiang chose to believe him and continued pumping his hips while struggling to go slower. But of course, the insistent heat constantly chewing through him didn't let him remain gentle for long.

The days blurred into a stream of strenuous pa.s.sion for the pair of lovers, the various sensations mixing and superimposing over each other. Qinghe's spiritual energy steadily declined as it was continuously being used up to heal his injuries. Whenever there was the slightest sign of him being hurt inside, Wei Xiang would immediately stop, only resuming when Qinghe urged him on. But soon, Qinghe became unable to even sense any damage, his mind and body having become too tired to care. To avoid alarming his lover, he whispered encouragements and loving endearments so that Wei Xiang would go on. In the meantime, Wei Xiang's strength was draining as well. But the relentless heat forced him to go on and on. And lost in the waves of pleasure, Wei Xiang continued.

In this way, they finally reached the seventh day.

Qinghe could barely feel his body. His bottom half had already long gone numb along with the other extremities. Qinghe felt darkness hovering at the corners of his vision. The illumination talisman had long since started dimming. And when Qinghe's spiritual energy finally sputtered out, the talisman stopped s.h.i.+ning as well. But strangely enough, there still seemed to be some light in the room. Wei Xiang glowed faintly in the oppressive darkness, his scales letting out an iridescent radiance. The thin band of gold around his fully expanded pupils gleamed brightly.

Sensing that he was at his limit, Qinghe sighed and parted his cracked lips. In a rough voice, he croaked, "Xiang…I don't think I can stay awake anymore…I'm so tired… I'm just going to close my eyes and sleep for a while…so don't panic, alright?"

The furrows between Wei Xiang's brows deepened. The speed of his thrusts abruptly increased as if wanting to keep his mate awake. Qinghe's spent body shuddered and he let out a long breath. "Mmh, X-Xiang…be good. I…I want to you keep going even after I go to sleep, okay? You should…continue until your heat is over. We're already on the…seventh day, so…it shouldn't be…long now…"

Qinghe saw the darkness at the edges of his vision creeping forward, slowly encroaching over his sight and filling it with black. Numbness seeped into his body, spreading into him from the ends of his body and taking over his senses. In the midst of this, Qinghe suddenly felt faint tremors climbing up his spine. He let out a soundless gasp as yet another o.r.g.a.s.m overtook his weak body. But unable to bear this additional stimulation, his strength gave out.

Qinghe fainted.

Soon, Wei Xiang's heat period ended as well. Exhausted, he slumped beside an already unconscious Qinghe and dropped off into deep sleep.

It was finally over.

...

When Wei Xiang woke up, he felt dizzy and disoriented. His body hurt to move, his bones creaking like aged wood. When he pried his eyes open and tried to sit up, he felt his softened member slipping out of his beloved's warm pa.s.sage. To his shock, a stream of thick while fluid mixed with streaks of blood immediately followed, gus.h.i.+ng out of Qinghe in an unending stream. Wei Xiang was alarmed to find that Qinghe's stomach was slightly distended due to all the liquid contained in his belly. As it was finally expelled out of him, his stomach also slowly grew flatter. But despite all this, Qinghe remained asleep, his chest weakly rising and falling.

Wei Xiang immediately forgot his tiredness as he remembered what happened this last week. The heat period that had been hanging over his head had finally arrived, and his little lover had chosen to go through it together. After such a long time of continuous lovemaking, just what had become of Qinghe?

Wei Xiang quickly got out an illumination talisman of his own to see better and turned to his lover. But the more he studied Qinghe, the lower his heart sank.

Thick purple shadows hung under Qinghe's eyes, a testament to his immense fatigue. His skin was pale and almost transparent, displaying with more clarity the black and purple bruises littered on it, along with all the bite and scratch marks still crusted with blood. The junctions between his shoulders and neck appeared raw and ragged as if they were chewed on by something with sharp teeth. Large patches of black were concentrated around his hips where Wei Xiang had held him tightly to move to and fro. He could clearly see the places where his nails must have dug into the skin, blood still lazily oozing from the tears.

Qinghe looked like he was mauled by a vicious animal, and Wei Xiang realized that in a way, that was exactly what happened.

Wei Xiang's chest felt tight. Letting out a breath and steeling himself, he gingerly lifted one of Qinghe's legs to see how his entrance was after this much continuous mating.

Qinghe's opening was extremely pitiful and painful-looking. It seemed to have swollen up and even expanded outside before being abused by the constant friction of his thrusts to the point where it now looked like ground meat. It bulged outward and was a bright red, glistening with a thick coating of release and streaks of dried blood.

Wei Xiang clenched his hands and cursed himself for putting his beloved through this. No matter what he did, he couldn't atone for hurting Qinghe this much. If Qinghe's parents could see what state he'd reduced their son to after they entrusted him to him, Wei Xiang was sure that they would either drive him out of their house or just kill him outright. Maybe his mother-in-law would even torture him to vent for this injustice. And he would deserve it. How could he do something so terrible to his Qinghe and still claim to love him?

Bitter and painful self-recriminating thoughts drowned Wei Xiang's mind.

He gritted his teeth and pushed them aside for now. No, what he should be concentrating on now was his Qinghe's wellbeing.

Wei Xiang quickly retrieved a basin of warm water and a soft cloth to begin cleaning Qinghe's pa.s.sage. He reached out towards his little lover's injured opening and froze. Long black nails still extended from his fingertips, the smooth black surfaces s.h.i.+ning. He could see traces of blood on its edges.

Wei Xiang felt a surge of fury. Because of the remaining influence of his heat, he couldn't even retract these blasted things that had hurt his beloved so much. In a fit of rage, he bit each nail and brutally ripped it out of his fingers. Since he couldn't retract them, he would just take them out. It was the only way he could touch his beloved without scratching him further. So what if it hurt? It'd all grow back anyway. The injuries his beloved has suffered were much worse than this.

With his fingers thus declawed, Wei Xiang quickly took care of his bleeding nailbeds before tending to Qinghe with the utmost care, his mind filled with self-loathing.

Once he was done gently extracting the rest of his release from within Qinghe's brutalized channel, Wei Xiang cleaned him up and wiped him down. After dressing Qinghe in a comfortable robe, Wei Xiang put himself in order as well, then set about tidying the bed and straightening the room. Once everything was done, he carried Qinghe and used the shadows to transport them to their room aboveground.

Wei Xiang carefully settled Qinghe on the bed and took out all the relevant pills, potions, and elixirs from his storage s.p.a.ce. He carefully administered them to his beloved one by one and held Qinghe's nose until he'd swallowed them all. However, seeing how sluggishly Qinghe's wounds were closing despite all this, Wei Xiang grew worried. This rate of healing was more like that of a mortal's than that of a deity. Was something wrong with his lover?

Wei Xiang held Qinghe's wrist to do a basic check. He was distraught to find that Qinghe's vitality seemed drastically weaker than usual, and almost all his spiritual energy had been used up in healing this past week as well. Qinghe's body was like an empty sh.e.l.l, weak and faded. No wonder his wounds weren't healing. There was currently nothing left in him to carry out the regeneration process.

After a minute of contemplation, Wei Xiang decided to take Qinghe to his master and ask for help.

And if his master disowned him because of how he'd treated his son… then he could only bear it.

...

"Master, please help Qinghe recover his spiritual every by infusing him with some of your wind-based one."

Feng Huixin and Feng Chunyi blinked at Wei Xiang as he bowed with Qinghe in his arms.

The evening light painted the room with warm colors. As Feng Huixin and Feng Chunyi stood up from the table and headed towards Wei Xiang, relief that both Qinghe and Wei Xiang were alright rushed through them. But they could sense that something was wrong.

Qinghe's presence was too light, his physical exhaustion and injuries all too visible. Meanwhile, Wei Xiang seemed more subdued and dispirited than they'd ever seen him before. Wei Xiang stood stiffly, tiredness and deep sadness weighing his expression. His movements till now had been as if his body weighed a dozen times more than usual, even holding himself upright appeared to be difficult. Yet his entire attention was on cradling the person held in his arms with the utmost care and gentleness, his own wellbeing pushed aside as unimportant.

Feng Huixin grew distressed. It seemed this time's heat period had taken its toll on both of his sons. With concern unhidden in his gaze, he nodded and took Qinghe from Wei Xiang's arms. "Yes, I will take care of it." He hoped that if Qinghe gained enough spiritual energy again to at least heal himself, then Wei Xiang might cheer up a little as well.

Holding Qinghe close, Feng Huixin touched his wrist with a finger and sent a delicate thread of his spiritual energy into him. Since this was a straightforward enough action, Feng Huixin's lack of precision didn't affect it much. As long as he could throttle the stream of his spiritual energy to the maximum, it should be alright.

Wei Xiang anxiously watched Qinghe, only letting himself feel relieved when color returned to his beloved's face. The bruises visible on his skin slowly shrunk while the scratches gradually closed up due to his deity level regeneration kicking in. Qinghe's breathing grew smoother and deeper, the small scrunch between his brows loosening. He sighed comfortably in his sleep and snuggled closer to his father, both because of the familiarity he felt with Feng Huixin and due to Qinghe subconsciously realizing that he was his energy supplier.

Seeing this, the tight line of Wei Xiang's shoulders and spine relaxed, the tautness in his expression decreasing a bit. At least whatever damage he'd done to his little lover wasn't permanent. But rather than expressing joy outwardly, he immediately lowered his head and didn't dare say a thing, just silently waiting for the blow he was sure would come.

Wei Xiang fully expected to be scolded and yelled at for doing this to Qinghe. His master and mother-in-law might never again show him the familial warmth they'd so readily showered him with till now. Wei Xiang tried to convince himself that it was alright, they were not his real parents or his actual family. They had no obligation to treat him well after what he did. Their disapproval or anger shouldn't hurt him. But Wei Xiang nevertheless felt like he was being ripped apart from the inside out at the thought of not having a family― no, of not being accepted by this family that he'd come to consider as his own.

After Feng Huixin was done providing Qinghe with sufficient spiritual energy, he cut the connection and turned to Wei Xiang. But just as he was about to express his concern, Wei Xiang dropped to his knees in front of them.

Feng Huixin was startled while Feng Chunyi looked baffled.

Wei Xiang bowed his head as deeply as he was able to, the ligaments in his back feeling like they were tearing. "Master, Mother-in-law, forgive me for failing your expectations and treating Qinghe this way."

Feng Huixin's eyes widened, his expression showing shock. Feng Chunyi blinked at him confusedly. "Son-in-law, what are you doing? Get up now. I don't think your back and legs will be feeling too well in that position."

Wei Xiang lifted his head and looked at them with self-blame written plain on his face. "But I hurt him. I said I loved him, then brought him to this point. He had to suffer all this because of me."

While Feng Huixin's distress visibly grew, Feng Chunyi only looked at Wei Xiang with an unreadable expression, neither blaming nor consoling. "Tell me, did he ever ask you to stop in between?"

Wei Xiang took a few moments to try and remember past the vague haze of all-consuming heat clouding his mind these past few days. "…Yes, it seems he did."

Narrowing her eyes, Feng Chunyi asked, "And did you stop when he asked you to?"

Wei Xiang nodded. "Yes, I did. Apart from that, I think…I stopped every time I sensed he was hurt too much as well. I only resumed after Qinghe asked to continue."

Feng Chunyi stayed silent for a moment before suddenly letting out a long breath. A wry smile raised up a corner of her lips. "That brat was right."

Beside her, Feng Huixin smiled helplessly. "Yes. I did tell you to trust our sons."

Feng Chunyi grinned. "As usual, my Ah-Xin is right. Now what should I give you as reward for being right? Should I…" Bending towards her husband, Feng Chunyi whispered something into his ear. Despite his advanced hearing, it remained inaudible to even Wei Xiang. However, the Qinghe held close in Feng Huixin's arms seemed to have heard something he didn't want to, his eyebrow twitching in his sleep as he instinctively turned his face away from his parents.

As his wife's naughty whispers filled his ear, Feng Huixin's cheeks went bright red, his eyes s.h.i.+ning brightly. Coughing, he said, "E-Enough, Chunyi. We can discuss that later. Behave yourself in front of the children."

Feng Chunyi gave a satisfied chuckle and leaned back, her grin wide. "Yes, we'll discuss it later in much more intimate detail~"

Wei Xiang could only look at them with befuddlement. Were they…not angry with him? Why did it seem that they weren't excluding him from their family?

Remembering that Wei Xiang must be tired by now too, Feng Huixin came up to him and said worriedly, "Xiang-er, did you take enough healing pills? Please get up and rest properly. I am sure you are exhausted as well."

With an uncomprehending expression, Wei Xiang woodenly stood up and sat down on one of the chairs around the table. He leaned forward wearily to support himself. In a hesitant voice, he asked, "Master, do you…blame me?"

Feng Huixin looked at him with puzzlement. "Xiang-er, of course I do not blame you. The fact that you have to go through heat periods and the way they affect you is not your fault. And Qinghe knew the risks and made the choice to accompany you willingly. What happened was not any worse than what we all expected. If anything, Xiang-er, you seem to be the one most upset because of it. Are you alright?" His concern for him was easy to hear.

Wei Xiang felt shaken as he stared blankly at him.

Beside Feng Huixin, Feng Chunyi sighed and spoke, "Son-in-law, stop worrying so much. Truthfully, I'm already impressed that you were able to stop when this brat asked you to. I did not expect that, but both this son of mine and this husband of mine believed in you. And you did not betray that trust. You did well. We have no reason to be angry with you. Stop moping so much and just take care of your own health, or that brat Qinghe will blame us for not caring for you enough in his absence."

Feng Huixin nodded and quickly brought out several rare and precious healing elixirs to give to Wei Xiang. In a daze, Wei Xiang took them and said in a hoa.r.s.e voice, "Thank you, Master, Mother-in-law."

Feng Chunyi waved a hand like a queen granting amnesty. "You are also our family. Don't doubt that again, brat."

In an unconscious show of faith, Feng Huixin held Qinghe out to Wei Xiang. "Here, Xiang-er. You and Qinghe should go and rest in your room now. I have already arranged for you to have a few more days free of work, so use it to heal and regain your spirits."

Wei Xiang reached out and accepted Qinghe. His heart felt too full for words. It finally sank in that he wasn't blamed. He could stay here. He didn't have to leave, and his master and mother-in-law truly didn't lose their faith in him, even entrusting their son to him again so easily…

The rush of relief was too overwhelming. Wei Xiang closed his eyes to hide the wetness in them and buried his face into the crook of Qinghe's shoulder. He heard Qinghe make a faint murmur of satisfaction and held his beloved closer. His back shook slightly with suppressed emotions, but he did not let out a single sound.

Feng Huixin and Feng Chunyi looked at each other and wordlessly went over to hug Wei Xiang from either side. This son of theirs always looked so strong and confident, his self-control remaining steady in any situation. But now that he allowed them to see his weakness, they would naturally offer their silent support and let him know that they were here for him. They would always be here for him. Not just because he was mated to their son, but because he was someone they'd adopted into their family as a son as well.

The fading sunlight cast the room in a peaceful and poignant glow, was.h.i.+ng over the embracing family with gentle warmth.