Chapter 4

Mu Guanghan still remembers that morning in the Maze Valley, when he opened his door and saw Wei Liuyi standing with his hands behind his back, his figure tall and austere amidst the heavy morning dew.

The dawn was faint, filtering through the treetops.

When that man turned his head, the brightest glimmer in all of the Maze Valley seemed to fall into his eyes.

Wei Liuyi was patient and quick to smile. He had always been gentle with him, never once showing disdain for his disfigured appearance. Even later, when they grew distant within the Marquis's estate, Mu Guanghan had never seen him wear such a fierce, sinister expression.

Until this very moment.

Something had fundamentally changed. The river surface still shimmered with the morning light, but the chill of the mist seemed to have frozen Wei Liuyi’s gaze. He looked at Mu Guanghan with dark, heavy eyes, his stare sharp and accusatory.

"You said your name was Mu Han," he said through gritted teeth, "even your name was a lie."

"I have known you for a year, yet I had no idea that you were the illustrious City Lord of Yuehua, Mu Guanghan. Heh—"

"The City Lord’s methods, truly, are better seen once than heard of a hundred times!"

"..."

Mu Guanghan felt it was all absurd.

He had concealed his identity and used a pseudonym for good reason. But even if he had not used his real name, he had given his all to Wei Liuyi over the past year, heart and soul, and he believed his conscience was clear.

However, Wei Liuyi clearly did not see it that way.

At this moment, the indignation and reproach in his eyes were clear—he was filled with deep resentment, convinced that Mu Guanghan should feel guilty and that his "sins" were unforgivable.

Mu Guanghan asked himself: what had he done wrong?

Surely... he couldn't be blamed for "faking his death" instead of actually dying as expected?

It seemed that even being alive was a crime.

Things having reached this point, there was nothing more to say.

Dwelling on it was useless; his mind raced to find a way to escape. Wei Liuyi had clearly come prepared, followed by a row of solemn, heavily armored archers in black. With multiple river patrol ships surrounding his small boat, escaping by sail was unrealistic.

Abandoning the boat to flee was even less realistic.

Mu Guanghan sighed. Looking back half a year, it was he who had personally helped Wuheng refit these heavy-duty bows to defend against Xiliang. Who would have thought that one day they would be turned back to threaten him?

...

If it were only himself, it would be fine.

After all, his constitution was unique; until his appointed time came, even if he were killed, he could simply cycle back to life in the snows of the Ghost Realm in Yuehua City.

But he had Chu Danxi with him, as well as an innocent, terrified boatman.

In an instant, the small boat was surrounded by Wuheng soldiers from all sides. Wei Liuyi leaped from the patrol ship, his face dark as he walked straight toward him. The closer he got, the more clearly one could see the intense emotions hidden in his black pupils—he was clearly in a foul mood.

The boat was too small.

The space was so narrow that they couldn't even keep their distance. His arm was seized instantly; Wei Liuyi stared at him with those black eyes, his other hand clamping onto the back of Mu Guanghan's neck as if he wanted to lift him like a chick, drag him into his arms, and bite down hard.

As a martial artist, Mu Guanghan countered move for move.

The more he struggled, the more the inner fire seemed to rage in Wei Liuyi’s head. Finally, he simply pinned him against the cramped hull of the boat, gripping his waist tightly, gasping through gritted teeth in a low, hoarse voice:

"Come home with me."

Mu Guanghan ignored him, his gaze quiet and dark, and applied force to his hand.

A sharp pain shot through Wei Liuyi’s shoulder. He looked up in disbelief, only to meet Mu Guanghan’s cold, indifferent eyes.

"If you don't let go, I will crush your shoulder bone."

Wei Liuyi paused for a moment, then laughed. "Fine. Go ahead and crush it."

Crush it then—what of it? Was he still afraid of pain? Since some people had already punished him so severely by faking their death, was he afraid of a little more broken skin and bone?

A soft metallic chime rang out.

In his peripheral vision, a silver blade flashed.

The strike was fierce and executed from a tricky angle, fueled by lethal hatred. Wei Liuyi was caught off guard; only his quick reflexes and good luck allowed him to escape with just a slash across his cheek. He drew his own sword in time to block the second strike, finally seeing the attacker clearly.

A man dressed as a guard, wearing tight-fitting armor, his face as cold as frost.

Wei Liuyi had actually seen this black-clad guard before but hadn't looked closely. Only now, seeing the man’s elegant, handsome, and rare face, did the戾气 (hostility) that had been curdling in his chest surge to his head.

He looked at Mu Guanghan with icy, piercing eyes, as if he wanted to nail him through his very bones.

"Who is he?"

The Marquis of Wuheng gritted his teeth, his voice sounding as if it came from the depths of the underworld: "The City Lord of Yuehua has such fine taste. Since when did you start keeping such a large, vicious guard dog?"

Some things did not need to be said; one look was enough to understand.

In the guard's eyes was a burning, undisguised hostility—the clear, possessive look of one guarding their territory.

It wasn't just a conceited guard dog, was it?

Wei Liuyi was using every ounce of his strength to suppress his surging emotions, barely maintaining his composure to keep from saying something even more venomous.

So that was it!!!

No wonder; he had found a new lover long ago.

And he had even arranged for this new person to watch the scenery along the river with him, whispering sweet nothings—how leisurely and carefree!

Only he had been foolish, unable to sleep night after night while clutching a few old clothes, even going so far as to run to the underground palace in the middle of the night to dig up his crystal coffin—if he hadn't been reduced to such a pathetic state, he might never have known that someone could be so heartless, playing him for a fool!

Was it fun?

Mu Han. A-Han.

The strange, high-and-mighty City Lord of Yuehua.

Good. Very good.

...

The clash of arms happened in an instant.

The first time, Chu Danxi had struck first. This time, no one saw who moved first, only the long sparks struck by the clashing blades.

Chu Danxi was agile and fierce. Within a few moves, Wei Liuyi was knocked back, slamming into the cabin with a loud thud.

Li Gouling, the red-clad cavalry general of the Wuheng army, reacted the fastest. She had grown up with Wei Liuyi, and almost the moment her young master was sent flying, she charged at Chu Danxi with her spear. A spear had a natural advantage over a longsword, yet Chu Danxi’s swordsmanship was so superior that he parried every one of her fierce attacks.

Only then did the other Wuheng soldiers react.

They swarmed in from all sides. Chu Danxi narrowed his eyes, his gaze becoming even sharper.

He moved through the fray, decisively grabbing the soldier in front and throwing him, causing him to crash into several others. However, the boat was too small; no matter how fast he was or how skilled his martial arts, he could not withstand wave after wave of soldiers.

Soon, Li Gouling’s spear pierced his left shoulder, and another soldier stabbed his waist.

"Ugh..."

Chu Danxi groaned, blood immediately gushing from his wounds. He swayed, but he gritted his teeth harder, fighting like a madman, slashing at anyone who came near.

The Wuheng soldiers kept coming, one blade after another.

No matter how brave a swordsman, being so heavily outnumbered meant only slaughter. Li Gouling saw him beginning to show signs of fatigue and openings. She seized the moment, raising her spear for a lethal blow, when she suddenly heard Mu Guanghan’s low roar: "Stop—!"

Until then, everyone had been focused on attacking Chu Danxi.

No one had noticed that Mu Guanghan had somehow carved a path from the other side, heading straight for Wei Liuyi. He had already pinned the injured and fractured arms of the Marquis of Wuheng behind his back, holding him hostage in a corner of the boat.

A snow-white blade was pressed against his throat. Li Gouling cursed her own negligence.

When she saw the expression on Wei Liuyi’s face, she felt a complex mix of emotions.

To some extent, Mu Guanghan’s move was a perfectly correct decision. By seizing the leader, he had momentarily neutralized the entire Wuheng army; no one dared move.

But at the same time, it was an incredibly wrong decision.

Because Wei Liuyi was clearly driven insane by this action.

His throat was pressed against the blade, already drawing blood, yet he roared with gnashing teeth, indifferent to his own life: "Kill him! A-Ling—don't worry about me, kill that guard first!"

Mu Guanghan: "Li Gouling, don't touch him!"

"If you dare touch him, today we all burn together!"

Hearing this, Wei Liuyi became even more unhinged, his eyes bloodshot and bulging: "Li Gouling—even if I die today, you must kill him! Do it!"

He acted as if he no longer cared about living. If slitting his throat wouldn't kill him, Li Gouling felt her young master was so angry he would have gladly thrown himself onto Mu Guanghan’s blade right then and there.

She had grown up with her young master and had served by his side for years.

She had witnessed everything between her young master and the "Divine Physician Mu Han."

She had firmly opposed the bone marrow transplant earlier.

But her young master had been obsessed with saving Ye Jintang, refusing to listen to her warnings.

Later, Ye Jintang was saved, and Mu Guanghan had paid with his life. Her young master had gone mad again, spending his days clutching old clothes in silence, unable to sleep, even murmuring "I want to see A-Han one more time" in the middle of the night, leading to the deranged act of digging up the grave in the underground palace.

It was only because he dug that he discovered the body was missing.

Li Gouling had been ordered to investigate.

Through various clues and coincidences, she reasonably suspected that "Mu Han" might be the famous "City Lord of Yuehua, Mu Guanghan."

There were many rumors about the City Lord of Yuehua in the jianghu.

Truth and falsehood were hard to distinguish. Some said he was overflowing with talent, others that he was peerlessly handsome, some that he was a fickle flirt, others that he was a devious manipulator of hearts, some that he was aloof and self-disciplined, and others that he was hideously ugly. The common consensus was that he had a history with everyone, while the gossip novels claimed no one wanted him.

For the past month, the already distraught Wei Liuyi had been tortured by these conflicting rumors.

Finally, two days ago, intelligence arrived that the City Lord of Yuehua was coming to stay in Luozhou. Upon hearing this, Wei Liuyi immediately came to the river to intercept him, waiting for two days and a night without closing his eyes.

Li Gouling’s heart had been anxious as well.

She feared meeting the Divine Physician Mu, but feared even more that it wouldn't be him. Those two days had been long and agonizing.

Fortunately, the dust had settled, and they had finally found the living man—but he had a tall, austere man in black by his side.

The cabin was filled with the daily necessities of two people, along with a pile of trinkets and small gifts that the Divine Physician Mu had clearly bought for his new lover along the way. It looked sweet and harmonious.

How could she blame Wei Liuyi for instantly going mad with rage, wanting to hack the man in black to pieces on the spot?

...

A strained, ugly stalemate.

Finally, both sides took a step back.

The Wuheng soldiers withdrew their encirclement, and Mu Guanghan left Wei Liuyi to check on Chu Danxi’s injuries.

Blades have no eyes; the wounds were deep enough to see bone.

Mu Guanghan frowned. Fortunately, as a physician, he was never without medicine, so he decisively tore open the clothing around Chu Danxi’s wound.

"This medicine will sting when applied. Bear with it."

"Young Master, I am fine... ugh!" Chu Danxi gritted his teeth, sweat beading on his forehead. Mu Guanghan skillfully wrapped the wound with gauze, then covered the painful area with his own cool palm.

"It doesn't hurt, it doesn't hurt anymore. It will be better in a moment."

Chu Danxi had lost too much blood and was shivering with cold. Mu Guanghan took off his own outer garment to drape over him, letting him lean against him.

Seeing him still shivering, he simply pulled him into his arms.

Meanwhile, Wei Liuyi’s fractured arm was bleeding through his sleeve, but he gritted his teeth and refused to let anyone touch him. His eyes were red-rimmed, fixed intently on Mu Guanghan.

Li Gouling: "..."

*Sigh*, how could he not be angry and aggrieved?

Before, how much did the Divine Physician Mu care for and treasure their young master?

Never mind a fractured bone; last time, during the city battle, when her young master was merely scratched by the Xiliang King Yan Zhi, the Divine Physician Mu had flown into a rage, launching a triple assault of fire, water, and a camp raid, chasing the Xiliang King until he never dared to provoke Wuheng again.

But now, he could watch him bleed with such cold, clear, and indifferent eyes.

And to make matters worse, the favored guard in black was adding fuel to the fire!

Though he seemed quiet and composed at first glance, occasionally, when he looked up, there was clear emotion in his eyes—a calm, deep, and seemingly accidental provocation. The frustration of not having killed him with one strike, and the contempt of knowing he would surely kill him next time.

"You..." Wei Liuyi was furious, being dragged back by Li Gouling.

The guard let out another pained gasp, seemingly closing his eyes to endure the pain, but in reality, he leaned even more brazenly into Mu Guanghan, burying his head in his neck.

Mu Guanghan soothed him in a low voice: "Bear it a little longer, it will be fine. I am here; I won't let anything happen to you. Don't be afraid. If it hurts too much, sleep for a while, okay? You won't feel the pain when you wake up."

Li Gouling: "Young Master..."

She really couldn't hold him back anymore.

Fortunately, a light mist and rain began to fall over the river. Her young master finally calmed down somewhat, walked to Mu Guanghan’s side, and stood there silently, staring at him.

After a long while, he spoke: "Come home with me."

Mu Guanghan didn't look up, continuing to lower his eyes to treat the small wound on Chu Danxi’s wrist.

"A-Han," Wei Liuyi repeated, his voice strained and hoarse, "come home with me."

...

Mu Guanghan continued to ignore him, picking up the unconscious Chu Danxi.

He carried him straight to a sheltered part of the cabin, carefully and methodically settling him down, before finally looking up.

Beneath the half-mask, he looked handsome and calm, just like the Mu Han of a year ago.

"..."

He was still him, every time he was still him.

Yet every time, he was no longer the same.

Before him, Wei Liuyi’s long hair was dampened by the rain. Blood seeped from his fractured elbow through his white clothes, and his lips were pale.

Mu Guanghan felt a secret sigh in his heart. The human heart was truly absurd.

He had truly loved him once. Faced with this lost and fragile former lover, he still harbored a lingering impulse to rise and hold him, to not let him be so miserable.

He was always like this; he couldn't bear to let the person he liked suffer even a little bit of grief.

Yet others were willing to let him die.

It was truly sigh-inducing. He looked up again, his long, dark, and clear eyes beneath the mask looking at Wei Liuyi with cold clarity: "Where is Ye Jintang?"