Ch 81: The Malevolent Monster Just Wants To Farm

Jiang Lin wasn’t someone who wouldn’t listen to reason. He raised an eyebrow and said, “Then explain.”

Zong Yu had a feeling this wasn’t going to be easy, but he decided to be honest. “Do you remember that blood-red bead I gave you a long time ago?”

Jiang Lin, of course, remembered. He also recalled how that bead later entered his spiritual sea, forming a unique imprint.

Zong Yu continued, “I was supposed to inherit the memory of my bloodline’s legacy after leaving my juvenile stage, but due to some unexpected circumstances, the inheritance wasn’t complete. Back then, I knew there was a contract that would allow me to find you immediately, no matter where I was or what the situation was. But I didn’t realize… that it was actually a Dao Companion contract.”

He added softly, “I didn’t mean to deceive you, Jiang Lin.”

The beautiful young man looked at Jiang Lin with a pitiful and innocent expression.

However, Jiang Lin wasn’t swayed by this.

He said calmly, “I’ll believe that you didn’t intentionally deceive me for now.”

Zong Yu hadn’t even had time to feel relieved before he heard the second half of the sentence:

“And what about afterward?”

Jiang Lin looked directly into Zong Yu’s eyes. “You found out later, didn’t you?”

Jiang Lin had a sharp memory, and he quickly recalled how Zong Yu had been acting rather unnatural around him for some time. It seemed that Zong Yu had known the true nature of the contract since then.

Zong Yu knew that it wasn’t easy to hide things from Jiang Lin.

He responded with a quiet “Yes.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

This time, Zong Yu hesitated for a long time.

He thought of many excuses and reasons, but when he looked into Jiang Lin’s gentle eyes, he couldn’t bring himself to say any of them. Nor did he want to.

Taking a deep breath, he said, “At first, I didn’t know how to tell you. I thought that if I regained more of my memory, I might find a way to secretly undo the contract. But later…”

Jiang Lin continued to watch him quietly.

Zong Yu kept his gaze on Jiang Lin, noting how his expression remained calm, and those eyes showed no change from the beginning to now.

His heart sank, and he decided to just go for it. “Later, I didn’t want to undo it anymore.”

“I like you, Jiang Lin!”

Jiang Lin’s eyes widened slightly.

Before today, he had never considered this possibility.

But Zong Yu’s attitude had given him a slight suspicion, and now, Zong Yu had confirmed it himself.

Jiang Lin had never imagined that Zong Yu harbored such feelings for him.

With some difficulty, he said, “Couldn’t you tell that from the start, I’ve always seen you as a younger brother?”

Zong Yu lowered his eyes and replied, “But I’ve never been a child.”

Jiang Lin was silent for a moment before he spoke softly, “But that still doesn’t justify you deceiving me, Zong Yu.”

Zong Yu lowered his voice and said, “I know, I was wrong. I had planned to find the right time to tell you how I feel. No matter what your answer would be, I was going to explain the contract to you.”

He looked at Jiang Lin earnestly. “Jiang Lin, I really didn’t mean to deceive you.”

But Jiang Lin averted his gaze, took a step back, and his expression became calm again. “But regardless, you did deceive me. You know I don’t like being lied to, especially about something this significant.”

He looked at Zong Yu with a composed expression. “Can it be undone? This Dao Companion contract?”

Zong Yu felt a pang of bitterness in his heart and answered softly, “I know the method, but I’ll have to wait until I fully mature before I can undo it.”

Jiang Lin nodded.

Not giving up, Zong Yu asked, “So, what about your feelings? Jiang Lin, do I have any chance of receiving a response from you?”

Jiang Lin felt a headache coming on. He said, “I’m not really interested in romantic feelings. You know that, Zong Yu. Such things are troublesome and distract me from…”

“Distract you from farming? Distract you from cultivating?” Zong Yu interrupted, “How long have we been together? All these years, have I ever bothered you?”

He looked steadily at Jiang Lin, his expression full of youthful sincerity. “I won’t burden you, and I won’t disrupt your life. I can join you in farming, in growing flowers and plants, in cultivating, in progressing together… just like the days we’ve spent up until now. Give me a chance to get closer to you, to pursue you. Will you?”

Jiang Lin remained silent.

Zong Yu knew he was considering his words.

His spirits lifted, and he quickly added, “Jiang Lin, we have such long lifespans. Having someone you can fully trust, someone who will watch over and support you—wouldn’t that be a good thing?”

Jiang Lin frowned slightly.

“But you want more,” he analyzed rationally. “As you’ve said, if we maintain the distance and relationship we’ve had up to now, would that satisfy you?”

“You wouldn’t be satisfied,” Jiang Lin concluded. “You’re not content with our current relationship. You have desires for something more, something more intimate.”

“Indeed, what you’re saying is tempting. Having a reliable and trustworthy partner is a good thing. But the complications that come with it would also trouble me.”

Jiang Lin continued to frown. “I’m not used to, nor do I want to accept, a relationship that goes beyond friendship.”

“How do you know you’re not used to it if you haven’t even tried?” Zong Yu knew he was being somewhat unreasonable, taking advantage of their relationship to press Jiang Lin, who couldn’t be too harsh with him. But he also knew that if he didn’t seize this opportunity today, Jiang Lin would only become more resolute in rejecting him once he’d calmed down.

If that happened, he would have no chance at all.

“Please give me a chance, okay?” He looked at Jiang Lin almost pleadingly.

Jiang Lin felt another headache coming on. “Zong Yu, I think you need to calm down and think this through. Feelings aren’t something that can be forced.”

Zong Yu responded, “I’m very calm. Jiang Lin, what are you afraid of?”

“Just give me a chance. Let’s try it out?” Zong Yu gritted his teeth. “After all, until I mature, I can’t leave you anyway. Let’s set that as the time limit. I won’t do anything to trouble you, but don’t shut me out either. Let’s give it a try, okay?”

He bit his lip. “If you really feel nothing for me, I’ll leave on my own and never bother you again.”

Jiang Lin closed his eyes briefly. “If you’re insistent, then give it a try.”

Almost instantly, Zong Yu’s face lit up with a smile. Then, before Jiang Lin could react, he was pulled into a tight embrace.

Just as Jiang Lin was about to push him away, Zong Yu let go and leapt back, laughing brightly. “See? Your body is more honest than you are—it doesn’t reject me at all.”

Jiang Lin: “…”

He found himself momentarily at a loss for words because when Zong Yu approached him, his body didn’t instinctively react with a counterattack. If it had been anyone else, there’s no way they could have gotten that close, let alone hugged him.

Zong Yu understood this well, which is why he was smiling so happily. But his happiness didn’t last long. The next moment, vines appeared out of nowhere and wrapped around his limbs.

Zong Yu instinctively tried to break free, but a soft female voice suddenly spoke in his ear: “Master Zong Yu, if I were you, I’d stop resisting right now and let him vent his anger.”

It was Huaiyin.

Zong Yu hesitated for a moment but then actually followed her advice, pretended to resist briefly, and allowed himself to be bound.

—And then he got a thorough beating from Jiang Lin.

Afterwards, Jiang Lin left Zong Yu tied up and threw him in the Heavenly Emperor’s palace, then turned around and returned to his own palace in the Nine Heavens. He set up a barrier, closed the doors, and refused all visitors.

Zong Yu, who thought getting beaten would be enough to calm Jiang Lin down: “…”

He could force his way in, but his limited survival instincts told him that would be a bad idea.

That day, Zong Yu found himself once again sitting outside the palace, pulling weeds.

Inside the barrier, Jiang Lin was watching over his precious silver lotus. The bud was already loosening, about to bloom.

Huaiyin walked over quietly, holding a tray in her hands. “Master, you should try this. I heard it’s a new delicacy created by the God of Food. Even the Heavenly Emperor hasn’t tasted it yet.”

Jiang Lin: “…”

Of course, the Heavenly Emperor hasn’t tasted it. He’s still out there fighting in the space-time turbulence.

Jiang Lin didn’t take the tray, but instead glanced at Huaiyin. “Who brought this?”

Huaiyin smiled sweetly. “This kind of delicacy is naturally beyond my reach.”

Jiang Lin’s expression darkened. “Huaiyin, are you my subordinate or someone else’s?”

He rarely got angry, but when he did, his cold expression could be intimidating.

However, Huaiyin had been with him for so many years and was skilled at reading people. She could easily tell the difference between real anger and pretend anger.

She wasn’t scared at all, and with wide, innocent eyes, she pledged her loyalty, “Huaiyin always has your best interests at heart, Master.”

Jiang Lin snorted softly but said nothing.

Huaiyin looked at him, then cautiously said, “Lord Zong is so handsome, powerful, and genuine in his feelings. No matter how you look at it, you wouldn’t be losing out.”

Jiang Lin didn’t scowl this time but responded calmly, “Huaiyin, know your limits.”

Huaiyin mumbled softly, “It’s obvious you’ve never experienced love, Master. Aren’t you even a little curious to try it? You two are so good-looking; it wouldn’t be a loss even if you ended up sleeping together. Who knows, you might be a perfect match.”

Jiang Lin: “…”

Before he could respond, Huaiyin had already turned into a wisp of smoke and quickly disappeared.

Outside the palace, Huaiyin ran into Zong Yu.

Zong Yu immediately asked, “So, did he eat it?”

Huaiyin, trying not to laugh, replied, “I don’t know if Master ate it, but I definitely got kicked out.”

Zong Yu pulled out a weed with a frustrated expression, then quickly used magic to replant it, remembering it was one of Jiang Lin’s prized plants. “Sigh, who knows when he’ll stop being angry.”

Huaiyin thought for a moment and then asked, “Lord Zong, are you just planning to sit here and wait?”

Zong Yu replied, “What else can I do?”

Huaiyin sighed in exasperation, “Master is as stubborn as a block of wood. If you’re waiting for him to make the first move, you might as well prepare to turn into stone.”

“You need to be proactive and give him a little push.”