The forest clearing had grown quiet. Sunlight spilled through the dense canopy, dappling the earth with golden warmth. But the air was far from peaceful. Spiritual energy crackled like lightning across the grass, and the tension was thick enough to cut with a blade.
Mo Tianzun sat hunched near a boulder, his breathing shallow, his hair tangled and partially turned to stark white, gleaming like silver under the light. A faint red flush bloomed across his cheekbones and down his neck, and his robes stuck to his skin from sweat. His qi was in turmoil, swirling with the remnants of the Demon of Lust's energy.
Longxuan knelt beside him, arms wrapped protectively around his trembling form, whispering in low tones to soothe him. "It'll pass soon. I'm here... you're not alone. Just breathe."
Nearby, the clearing was chaotic.
"What kind of demon was that?!" Fenglan shrieked, waving around a talisman that fizzled in the air.
"A very naked one," Zhenhai muttered, averting his gaze as he stuffed the last of the demon-repelling seals into his robes.
Fenglie stood in the middle and said"I went to find some clues after the Deity of Lust left and now there's half a naked Tianzun writhing on the ground."
From the trees, Shuiyun and Huayin emerged carrying bundles of freshly caught rabbits.
"We're back—" Shuiyun blinked, then halted. "What in the—?"
Huayin's fox ears twitched sharply. He sniffed the air and his eyes widened in understanding. "Demon of Lust," he said flatly. "They must have released a lingering charm before being destroyed."
Longxuan turned toward the newcomers. "I've got him... it's just the remnants affecting his qi."
Huayin gave a long sigh, then smiled softly. "Then you'll need privacy. Zhenhai, Fenglan, Jiang Fenglie—go scout the perimeter. Make sure no energy traces remain."
"But—" Fenglan began, pointing at Tianzun. "He's literally vibrating. We can't just—"
Huayin fixed him with a knowing look.
Fenglie's mouth fell open. "Oh."
Zhenhai caught on first and grabbed his twin's arm. "Let's go. Quickly. Far. Away."
The three of them turned and all but sprinted into the trees, talismans still sparking behind them.
Shuiyun chuckled and clapped Longxuan on the shoulder. "Good luck, Crown Prince. Try not to drown."
"Shuiyun!" Longxuan barked, but the water dragon had already followed the others.
Now alone, Longxuan turned his attention back to Tianzun.
"Are you alright now?"
Mo Tianzun's fingers clutched at Longxuan's robes weakly. "It burns... the heat..."
Longxuan stroked his hair. "Shh. I know. It's alright. I'll take care of you."
The silence between them grew thick, heavy with unsaid things. Longxuan gently helped Tianzun sit up, guiding him closer into his embrace. Their foreheads touched.
"You don't have to hold it in. Not with me."
Tianzun's lips trembled. "Why do you always see me, even like this again?"
"Because I never stopped loving you."
The words undid something in Tianzun. His body shook not with desire now, but with overwhelmed emotion. He buried his face in Longxuan's neck.
The prince carried him deeper into the forest, to a hidden spring with water clear as crystal. He helped Tianzun ease into the cold pool, letting the water soothe the heated flush in his skin. Mo Tianzun let out a low moan of relief, but then reached up, dragging Longxuan into the water with him.
"If I'm suffering, then you're suffering too," he murmured.
Their laughter echoed under the trees.
Moments passed, and the gentle laughter turned into soft whispers, the quiet splash of water, the deepening stillness of intimacy. Their love, forged in fire and war, now softened under the spell of nature's quiet and the gentle press of lips.
The spring shimmered with spiritual mist as the sun dipped lower, and the world outside that moment faded.
Even with chaos on the horizon, even with gods conspiring in shadows—here, they were just two souls who love each other till death end them—
"nah, even death can't part us Author Zhan"