The artefact travelled forward at a very low speed, like a real sedan carried by people.

As they gradually left the areas where the crowds gathered, they were finally able to see more beautiful scenery.

The interaction between orange lanterns and red silk stretched into ten miles of lights. Looking up, you could see some giant beast carvings howling and baring their teeth. Each one was hefty and majestic.

The Demonic Faction's territory was mostly cliffs, so buildings built on the ledges were a common sight.

Looking up, you could vaguely make out the long staircase that had been carved out of the cliff face. Each building was perfectly integrated with the mountain, with the eaves extending out. The interiors were lit. The lanterns hung on the staircase had an eerie beauty in the night.

Large areas of the mountain had been carved into the eight dark immortals.

The eight immortal artefactsAuthor Note:
The flute, cloud board, lotus flower, fan, fish drum, flower basket, gourd, and sword were used because the eight immortals who crossed the sea used these artefacts. This isn't something I came up with myself, just to be clear.
Also, don't be misled by me. The Dark Eight Immortals were often depicted on the floor in ancient times, but I used them as a wall carving. mentioned in legends were the flute, cloud board, lotus flower, fan, fish drum, flower basket, gourd and sword.

The carvings on the mountain incorporated these artefacts in exquisite detail in an overall circular layout. Chi Muyao couldn't help but look at it again and again. He liked to see such things.

Perhaps because there were no more onlookers, Chi Muyao finally relaxed a bit. He pointed in one direction and asked Xi Huai, "Look over there. Is that a carving of the Hui?"

"You should have seen the Hui before."

"..." Chi Muyao had seen it in the Mitian Tongyin Array... He could only pretend to not know. "So the Hui looks like that?"

Xi Huai also looked over. He replied after careful consideration, "It's on the small side. Also, the actual Hui is a lot more vicious than this."

"Oh..."

"Why did you come to the Thousand Sect Conference this time? Shouldn't you avoid these events since you're so reluctant to see me?" 

"I have something I want to buy. Since someone is auctioning it off at this Thousand Sect Conference, I decided to come and try to obtain it."

"Oh? What day is the auction?"

"It's in two days."

"Pei."

Chi Muyao didn't know what this 'pei' from Xi Huai meant. He took it as Xi Huai didn't want to talk with him, so he quickly shut up and looked at the surrounding scenery by himself.

Xi Huai was pretty annoyed. He wanted to take Chi Muyao back to the Qing Ze Sect a while later, but it seemed like he would have to wait two more days.

After a while, Xi Huai asked again, "What do you want to buy? I'll have Zong Sichen and the others bring it to you."

"I don't think that will work. The thing I'm after is easy to fake. I have to see it in person, or else I wouldn't have come."

"How troublesome."

"Can you let go for a while?" Chi Muyao swung their intertwined hands. "Your hand is too hot. My palm is starting to sweat."

"..." Xi Huai didn't want to. Chi Muyao had no choice but to take out his round fan and raise their intertwined hands. He could at least evaporate the sweat by fanning the hands.

Xi Huai: "..."

Xi Huai glanced at the round fan in Chi Muyao's hand, then at the sect uniform he wore. Surprisingly, he couldn't get tired of looking at it.

Even though pink was his least favourite colour before, it was growing on him now.

Chi Muyao continued to fan himself at a leisurely pace, his eyes still wandering around. Xi Huai could just see the side of his delicate face. The peach blossom mask didn't hide the perfect, smooth curve of his jaw.

The Thousand Sect Night Festival would last two hours.

Chi Muyao seemed tired out in the second half. He swayed in his seat in the artefact, his eyelids also fighting the urge to droop.

Because he transmigrated after staying up all night studying, Chi Muyao started taking care of his health in this world and went to sleep at the same time every night.

The hour was upon him now, and all the running he did during the day caught up with him. He was a little tired.

He was scared when he was first caught by Xi Huai, but that fear had dulled after finding out that Xi Huai wasn't angry. Additionally, the three years he had spent living with Xi Huai in the cave made him accustomed to the other party's presence. He actually fell asleep not long after.

Xi Huai reached over to have Chi Muyao rest his head against his shoulder in his sleep.

Next, he laid down a boundary. The white tulle on the four beams of the artefact instantly settled down, for no more wind could blow in.

After doing all this, Xi Huai lifted his hand and lightly kissed Chi Muyao's fingertips. He then took the round fan from Chi Muyao's other hand and fanned him.

The wind outside was too wild. Chi Muyao might catch a cold.

However, the air became too stuffy inside after setting down a boundary. Xi Huai could only personally fan Chi Muyao so the other person didn't stop leaning on him because it was too hot.

When the artefacts reached the last location, the other cultivators on the artefacts all left. Only Xi Huai and Chi Muyao remained as they were for a long time.

The Yue Mu Palace Master stood by the artefact. He remained silent, using his eyes to motion at the artefact Xi Huai was in.

The Zun Yue Palace Master sighed. He didn't want to get involved because he already had a headache about the Sect Master's reaction to all this. Should he intervene when the Sect Master tried to beat his son in a rage?

The two Nascent Soul stage Heavenly Venerables were already more than one hundred years old, but they actually had headaches thinking about the Young Sect Master's first love affair. 

Of all the people he could've chosen, he chose a He Huan Sect disciple. A male one at that. To put it politely, they were the Qing Ze Sect. To put it impolitely, they were the Qing Ze Sect, aka the Green Grassy Pastures Sect. 

At this time, the artefact Xi Huai was in finally moved in the direction of the cave residence Xi Huai was temporarily staying in. It was apparent he was going to take the other person there.

The two shared a glance and let Xi Huai do as he wished.

The temporary cave residence Xi Huai and the others were staying in were the best the surroundings had to offer. It was also quite quiet.

He manipulated the artefact to stop outside of the cave residence. Then he carried Chi Muyao inside and activated the boundary in the cave.

With this boundary, even Nascent Soul stage Heavenly Venerables would have a hard time observing the scene inside.

After placing Chi Muyao on the stone bed, he hesitated on taking out an illuminating artefact for a while, instead quietly rearranging things inside the cave residence. Then he took off his enchanted vestments and outer layers, setting them aside.

Then he walked back to the stone bed and sat cross-legged near it to meditate.

He could clearly hear the rustling when Chi Muyao turned over. Seemingly finding the chain on his body stifling, Chi Muyao struggled to take off the peach blossom white butterfly chain.

A while later, Chi Muyao turned again, his feet starting to tuck beneath his legs.

Xi Huai opened his eyes and turned to glance at Chi Muyao. He used the Control Object Technique to drape his enchanted vestment over Chi Muyao.

Time passed. By early morning, Chi Muyao finally leisurely woke up.

He didn't get out of bed immediately, instead looking around the cave residence in a daze. He sat up abruptly after coming to his senses and looked at Xi Huai.

Xi Huai turned to meet his gaze.

The first thing he did was lift Xi Huai's enchanted vestment and look at himself. He breathed a sigh of relief after confirming his clothes were still on. It seemed like Xi Huai wasn't that much of a beast yet.

Relieved, he stood up and used the Simple Washing Technique to clean himself. More specifically, he made sure to use the one Xi Huai taught him.

Xi Huai suddenly opened his mouth, "What about me?"

He turned back to look at Xi Huai. Then he used the Simple Washing Technique to clean him too.

This guy was really something. He helped out back in the cave because Xi Huai couldn't do it himself, but Xi Huai was free now so what was his excuse?! He was clearly toying with Chi Muyao.

Xi Huai stood up and hooked his finger on Chi Muyao's lapels. He lowered his head and said, "Okay, you can open your lapels now."

"Does it have to be this way?"

"En." He didn't want anyone else to see while they were outside, but since they were in the cave residence now, he wanted a look.

Chi Muyao was still thinking about his fellow Sect disciples. "Are they still safe?"

"Probably."

"T-then if I do this, will you release them?"

"Sure."

Chi Muyao looked up at Xi Huai, his lips pressed into a thin line. In the end, he gritted his teeth and went to untie his belt.

His robes have always been worn properly, so it took some effort to open his lapels. After a bit of a struggle, he gave up and turned to show Xi Huai. "They're open."

"What's the use of leaving an outer layer open when the middle shirt is properly done up?"

He could only continue to pull at his clothes, opening his lapels a bit more. Looking down at his own small body, he felt that the sight didn't look that good.

"This is enough, right?" He turned to show Xi Huai again with an aggrieved expression.

Xi Huai's lips quirked up. "That's all?"

"Yes!" He started to tidy his clothes.

But Xi Huai didn't let him. He advanced on Chi Muyao with big steps, suddenly lowering his head to kiss him.

Chi Muyao was startled. He subconsciously ducked back, but Xi Huai pulled him back into his arms.

He had no choice but to turn his head up. The bead curtain of the peach blossom mask parted by his cheeks, allowing Xi Huai to kiss him easier.

Like he found constantly lowering his head tiresome, Xi Huai carried him and set him on the table, tightly embracing him.

Xi Huai's unique scent and dominance came surging over with great force.

Chi Muyao couldn't do anything but tug at Xi Huai's lapels.

Chi Muyao subconsciously tried worming his knee between them in an effort to kick Xi Huai away, but Xi Huai pulled him forward into a harder to escape position.

He could only push Xi Huai's face away and say in a pleading manner, "Xi Huai, don't..."

"You should know I won't listen."

"I'll get angry."

"A-Jiu." Xi Huai turned his head sideways and lowered his voice, "In the cave you cried so hard and asked me not to do that as well, but all you had to do was leave me if you didn't want it. But you never left, not even once. You like it, don't you?"

Those words made his body stiffen and his ears and cheeks flush, as if they were about to ripen.

He's always been good tempered.

But extreme embarrassment led to a short fuse.

Of course he would get angry when a part of his dignity was being questioned.

Chi Muyao was angry now. He almost slapped the table. "For whose sake did I do those things in the cave?!"

His suddenly raised voice in a roar made Xi Huai, who was acting like a hooligan, startle and look at him in surprise.

He continued to reason with Xi Huai, "I worked so hard to cultivate to Foundation Building stage for you. I kept bitterly practising since I was inexperienced, and I even fainted once! Which time did I not cry out of pain? Even so, I endured for three years. This is the way you treat me in return? I didn't refuse because I was being polite and didn't want to interrupt your efforts, so how could you talk bad about me instead? Using things like this to make fun of others is going too far! You're such! A! Bad! Person!”

Xi Huai: "..."

He blinked in surprise.

The last time Chi Muyao had gotten so angry was when Xi Huai said Chi Muyao's techniques were lacklustre.

Xi Huai lightly coughed, wanting to interrupt. But Chi Muyao added, "Xi Huai, have you no shame?!"

Xi Huai, who usually choked others up, was at a loss for words. "I..."

"You don't! Even when leaving, I was thinking of you, afraid that others will laugh at you for being a furnace. I even helped you hide it. Now look at what you've done. You captured me with such fanfare, and even imprisoned my fellow Sect members. Are you trying to have others find out what happened between us?!"

"That's right." 

"Uh...what?" Chi Muyao got stuck in the middle of a curse.

"I want to let others find out what happened between us."

"Y-you...don't you think...?"

"No. I want everyone to know you're my saviour. What about it?"

Chi Muyao actually swallowed back his anger at that.

Don't you know how I saved you?

Don't you understand my identity?

Does your father know you're so proud of being a furnace?

Chi Muyao was fed up. He pushed Xi Huai away and got off the table, turning his back on the other person as he tidied up his clothes.

Xi Huai stood behind him, watching him all the while. Instead of getting mad, he had an uncontrollable urge to smile. He found this embarrassed side of Chi Muyao quite cute.

Chi Muyao hopped up and down like a rabbit as soon as he finished tidying his clothes. He once again bared his milk teeth fangs at Xi Huai. "You're going to let them go now, right?!"

"Oh, I let them go yesterday."

“...”

"We don't have a place to let them live, so I let them go yesterday. You only asked me if they were safe before. I think they are.”

“...”

Chi Muyao was so angry his hands balled up into fists. His already red face flushed even more. In the end, he walked over to Xi Huai and kicked him.

Afraid that Xi Huai would retaliate, he used the He Huan Sect's movement technique to retreat quite a distance.

In the end, Xi Huai ignored him. He asked Chi Muyao after putting on his enchanted vestment, "Do you want to go out for a stroll today?"

"No!" He didn't want to follow Xi Huai out to be shown off again. Just the thought of being watched by everyone like yesterday made all the hair on his body stand on end.

"Then let's stay in the cave residence. What should the two of us do?"

"Leave!" He had an immediate change of mind.

Xi Huai took Chi Muyao out of the cave. He was very restrained this time, only using one Mandarin Sleeve on the two of them.

As Chi Muyao strolled through the streets, he looked back and happened to see cultivators suddenly start fighting. Other cultivators crowded around, some even tossing spirit stones at the combatants and cheering them on.

Looking straight ahead, there seemed to be a male cultivator staring lecherously at the figure of a female cultivator. In the end, the female cultivator beat him up until he cried in public and knelt down, begging for mercy.

"Hiss—" The streets where these Demonic Faction cultivators gathered really were different. Even the streets where he hid himself right after leaving the cave back then weren't as chaotic.

They ran into no less than two squabbles after just a few steps. However, merchants continued to do business despite the ruckus. The cultivators passing by also didn't pay much mind to what was happening.

However, the sight of Xi Huai and Chi Muyao walking side by side still attracted the attention of many people.

Understanding murmurs came from the crowd after they took a glance at the two of them, then at the Mandarin Sleeve on their sleeves.

The two of them had already caused a commotion by being together during the festival last night, and here they were walking together again today. The relationship between the two must be something extraordinary.

Chi Muyao wasn't in the mood to stroll around anymore.

Being watched was bad enough already, but there were two Nascent Soul stage Heavenly Venerables seemingly strolling around behind them. They had been following unhurriedly from a distance.

The Young Qing Ze Sect Master really was domineering. Even using Nascent Soul stage seniors as bodyguards.

Chi Muyao asked Xi Huai in a low voice, "Is it really okay to trouble the two Heavenly Venerables like this?"

"Well you're too good at running away. I probably can't catch you by myself.”

“...”

This was the first time Chi Muyao felt guilty while strolling the streets. He felt like he had caused a lot of people trouble.

Xi Huai seemed like he wanted to buy stuff. He went to a shop and stated, "Flying artefacts. One suitable for him."

He pointed at Chi Muyao.

That was the first thing Chi Muyao heard as he entered the store. He immediately shook his head. "No need, no need."

Xi Huai said calmly, "What’s wrong with me buying one for my saviour?"

"It's nothing, really..."

"How can it be nothing? You cultivated so hard for me—"

"I'll take it!" Chi Muyao hastily interrupted him, afraid he would say something stupid.

The shop owner smiled brightly when he saw Xi Huai.

In the cultivation world, the Qing Ze Sect could be equated with three other words—rich and powerful.

As long as the Young Qing Ze Sect Master was happy, he could buy out the entire store with a wave of his hand.

Xi Huai sat in a chair on the side, propping his chin up lazily and gesturing to Chi Muyao. "Tell him what kind you want.” 

Chi Muyao only needed a moment to think. "Can you do somersaulting clouds?"

"Like the Great Sage's?"

"En, en. Something like that."

"Of course, of course. It won't be as fast, but it can reach Earth grade.” 

"Dark grade is also fine..." Chi Muyao's voice was a little weak. He couldn't afford an Earth grade artefact.

At this time, Xi Huai suddenly said with disgust, "I want a Heaven grade artefact. Tell me what materials you need, and the Qing Ze Sect will prepare them for you."

Chi Muyao quickly waved his hand in refusal. "Too fast a speed makes air traffic accidents more likely. The faster the speed, the greater the force. It's like the control variable method. Assuming the factors are constant, under the same conditions, greater acceleration means that the force will..."

Xi Huai: "..."

Chi Muyao finished his serious explanation and asked, "Do you understand what I mean?"

Xi Huai nodded and said to the shop owner. "Heaven grade with increased defensive properties."

Chi Muyao: "..."

It could be taken as understanding in a way, but the solution was different than what he was hoping for.

The shop owner quickly wrote his requests down before asking, "Are there any other requirements?"

Chi Muyao could only continue to say, "A white cloud will do."

Xi Huai spoke up again, "I want pink."

Chi Muyao was immediately unhappy. "What does a big man like me need a pink flying artefact for?"

"It'll match your Sect uniform.”

"But I might change into other outfits. Then me being on a pink cloud would just look weird. I want white.”

Xi Huai didn't insist. He said to the shop owner, "Then make two, one pink, one white."

Chi Muyao cringed even harder. "What do you need so many for?"

"One for you, one for me. I'll take the pink one, okay?"

"Don't you have a lot of flying artefacts already?"

"Not a pink one.”

“...”

The shop owner was even more pleased. He made a few calculations on his fingers and peeked at Xi Huai again before quoting. "That'll be four hundred thousand spirit stones. How will you be paying?"

"Four hundred thousand?!" Chi Muyao immediately became tense. He said to the shop owner, "Give me an itemised list of everything you need."

The shop owner was taken aback, but he provided the list that was requested.

Chi Muyao took a look at the list and said, "I know the prices of these materials, and they add up to less than 20% of the price you quoted. Even if the refining and processing costs are factored in, your price is too high."

"This..." Who would have thought that Young Qing Ze Sect Master would care about the price?

Chi Muyao took the initiative and quoted a price of his own. "Can you do it for one hundred and fifty thousand? If not, we'll be going to another store." 

The shop owner looked at Xi Huai again, and found that Xi Huai was only sitting on the side watching, letting Chi Muyao handle things. Thus, the shop owner could only bite the bullet and nod. "Yes, I'll do it."

Xi Huai took a piece of Spirit Assembling Jade out of his Myriad Treasure Bell. "Is this enough?"

Although the cultivation world usually used spirit stones as currency, it would become inconvenient for larger transactions. Therefore, in those cases they would offer an item of equivalent value.

The shop owner's eyes lit up when he saw such a large piece of Spirit Assembling Jade. Just as he was about to reach out to take it, Chi Muyao stepped in again. "We'll only be paying a deposit. This way we can talk again if the end products aren't satisfactory."

"Our Qing Ze Sect handles those conversations differently from your He Huan Sect." Xi Huai put it lightly, but everyone here understood. If the Qing Ze Sect asked for an explanation, things wouldn't just end with not paying the balance. If you were lucky, your store would be trashed. If you were unlucky, you would pay with your life.

One sentence made the shop owner shudder and secretly wipe the sweat from his forehead.

Chi Muyao paid him no mind. He walked over to Xi Huai and used his divine sense to check inside his Myriad Treasure Bell. He asked afterwards, "Can I use that piece of obsidian?"

"En. Take it out.”

Chi Muyao took out that piece of obsidian and gave it to the shop owner. "This will be the deposit. The rest will be paid when the artefacts are made."

"Alright.”

Chi Muyao was still studying that list after they left the shop.

Xi Huai chuckled and asked him, "Were you in charge of this kind of thing when you were in the He Huan Sect's Logistics Hall?"

He nodded. "En. I was sometimes in charge of buying materials, and often ran into some unscrupulous merchants. I could only smarten up.”

"And now you're in charge of even me?"

"You don't even know how many spirit stones others have stolen from you. Although you look smart, you've been robbed."

"Oh...my bad.”

Chi Muyao finally calmed down.

After this day, the Thousand Sects of the Demonic Faction heard about a few things.

The news seemed to spread like wildfire, spreading to every corner of the Thousand Sect Conference until everyone knew about it.

The person who accompanied the Young Qing Ze Sect Master during the festival really was a He Huan Sect disciple. A male one at that! Who was also shrewd and calculating!

The most important thing of all—he could open Xi Huai's owner-recognising Myriad Treasure Bell!

Wasn't this something only a cultivation partner could do?

Which meant the Young Sect Master probably actually...

Aiyo. They didn't even dare to think too much about this subject.

However, the more you tried to ignore the elephant in the room, the harder it was to not think about it.

It wouldn't be long before news of the two spread to the rest of the world.

《The Private Affairs of the Young Sect Master and the Male He Huan Sect Disciple》《The Man in Pink Lightly Kissed the Wicked Young Master's Dragon Horn》...etc.