Zhen Lixin and Ming Xuan stood in the Duskvale forest, surrounded by tall trees, and sun light filtered through them, adding a faint light to the dim clearing. The gentle breeze swayed their hair gracefully, as Lixin's eyes fixed on Ming Xuan's with more than just one emotion reflecting in his gaze.

"Gege..." he muttered, almost to himself.

Lixin wasn't sure if he had imagined it or not, but he saw Ming Xuan's eyes slightly widen. His black eyes, otherwise empty and dark as a void, seemed to have emotions in them. But, all Lixin could read from those eyes were guilt, surprise, and uncertainty. Ming Xuan didn't move or say anything.

Lixin took a step towards Ming Xuan, but he stepped back just as Lixin came closer. Their distance remained the same and Lixin panicked.

"Gege, I-" He began as Ming Xuan just continued to stare at him. "Where've you been...?"

Ming Xuan slightly lowered his head and the hair locks on his face covered his eyes. Zhen Lixin saw him swallowing before softly muttering, "I'm sorry..."

Lixin suddenly felt a pain in his chest. He stepped closer to Ming Xuan but he stepped back again. Lixin opened his mouth to speak, but he froze as a sparkly dust of inky black color rose from the ground around Ming Xuan and swirled around him. As it twirled upwards, it managed to envelope Ming Xuan completely in it. Zhen Lixin understood what he was going to do, and he rushed towards Ming Xuan. He extended his arm but it was too late, and he could only grasp a glimpse of sparkly dust.

"Well, there you are, your highness!"

From behind him came a delicate voice, and calm footsteps. But Zhen Lixin didn't turn around. He stared at the dust in his palms until they slowly started to fade away. He couldn't understand what happened for what reason, and his heart felt heavy. He waited this long to meet him only to be treated like this when met again? Was what everyone said true? Did Ming Xuan really not care about him?

A soft palm set itself on Lixin's shoulder and he slowly turned his head around, his gaze following the hand to the person's face. It was Li Mei.

She retracted her hand and slightly tilted her head to a side. "Are you okay?"

Zhen Lixin blinked, but he did not reply.

He had waited almost four centuries...

"Will gege wait for me, then?" Zhen Lixin asked, his hands tightening around Ming Xuan's slim waist.

He couldn't see Ming Xuan's face as he had his buried in Ming Xuan's black robes, but he figured Ming Xuan had smiled; an almost imperceptible smile that felt hollow. "Even if my heart stops beating, I still will."

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Zhen Lixin kept holding onto Ming Xuan tightly, and he muttered, "I will, too."

Zhen Lixin clenched his fists. Liar, he thought.

"Your highn-"

"Zhen Lixin!!" A voice yelled from behind them as it cut in before Li Mei could finish.

Li Mei spun around to see Shu Ming running towards them, but Lixin stood frozen. Although, his face was turned to Li Mei, it seemed his gaze was set upon something very far away.

"Zhen Lixin, you-" Shu Ming began just as he reached them, but he stopped when he saw Lixin's face.

"You-" he said to Lixin and turned to face Li Mei and asked, "Is he okay?"

"I don't know," Li Mei said, her gaze running off to Lixin, who still stood before them paralyzed, like he was a statue made of stone.

Shu Ming opened his mouth to speak, but Lixin slowly turned his head to look at Shu Ming. His eyes were hollow and distant, as his fists were clenched hard. Shu Ming examined Zhen Lixin with a worried look, but it didn't seem like he was hurt or a victim of any spell or magic.

Shu Ming took a step closer to Zhen Lixin, "Lixin-xiong, are you okay?" he asked as he gently grabbed Lixin's arm.

"Yes," Zhen Lixin said rather coldly, slowly pushing Shu Ming's hand away with his other hand. He turned his face towards Li Mei, and Li Mei was slightly taken aback by the daunting look on his face. "Get us to the Ethereal realm right now," Lixin said to her, with that same cold voice.

Shu Ming stepped in. "But, we haven't captured the phoenix yet."

Zhen Lixin ignored him and kept his gaze on Li Mei, "The Serpent has made his reappearance. We need to report it to the Ascended council."

Li Mei didn't dare question his words and nodded immediately, and walked over to the side to draw a teleportation array in the air. Hearing Lixin call Ming Xuan by his title surprised Shu Ming enough, but hearing his reappearance and Zhen Lixin's decision to report it left him dumbfounded.

Shu Ming looked in Zhen Lixin's direction. "It was really him?" he asked Lixin who had his gaze set on Li Mei.

Zhen Lixin's gaze came over to Shu Ming. "Didn't you say he was here yourself?" he shot at Shu Ming.

Shu Ming took a step back at Lixin's sudden anger and swallowed before saying, "It was just a guess..."

"Well, you were right," Lixin said coldly, and switched his gaze back to Li Mei, who continued drawing the array with a steady hand, already halfway done.

"Lixin-xiong..." Shu Ming said, his voice soft.

Zhen Lixin kept his eyes set on Li Mei without a word, but after a moment, he sighed heavily and his hands relaxed, and he turned around to face Shu Ming.

"I'm sorry..." he muttered as he stepped towards Shu Ming. Before Shu Ming could utter a word, Lixin bowed his head and set his forehead on Shu Ming's shoulder. "I didn't mean to lash out at you..."

Shu Ming was caught off guard, but without hesitation, he gently put a hand on Zhen Lixin's shoulder. "It's okay," he said in a soft voice, as he patted Lixin.

Zhen Lixin stepped back from him, straightening his head and looking up at Shu Ming. His expression had now softened, and it seemed he was in control of his emotions again.

He sighed as his gaze ran away, and said, "Maybe everyone was right."

Shu Ming slightly inclined his head. "Right about what?"

"I really was just a tool for him," Zhen Lixin said, his gaze returning to Shu Ming, but what surprised Shu Ming more than his words was the smile on his face as he uttered them.

Before Shu Ming could say anything, Lixin turned away from him and fixed his gaze on Li Mei. Shu Ming was about to speak, but Li Mei waved them over as she had finished drawing the array, and Lixin walked over to her without another word or a glance towards Shu Ming. He was left tongue-tied as Lixin entered the portal. Shu Ming stole a glance at Li Mei before stepping in the portal, and Li Mei stepped in after him, closing the portal behind them.