Fallen At A Glance Chapter 10
bySo this is what sugar tastes like
“Yun Zhao,” Lian Mu suddenly remembered the person.
Never mind. It was only a matter of a tea ceremony’s time. He should let Yun Zhao leave this place first, lest any future mishap involving him affect Yun Suiyi.
“I do need to go take a look,” Lian Mu said. Yun Suiyi’s expression instantly turned sour, his eyes dimming.
“Then hurry up and go,” Yun Suiyi waved his hand dismissively.
“Before I return, you are not allowed to look for Xiao Cheng. He knows you are my person, so he wouldn’t dare go too far,” Lian Mu instructed before leaving. “Be good. I’ll bring you something delicious when I get back.”
“Hmph,” Yun Suiyi rubbed his nose. “Young Sect Master, mind your own business.”
Lian Mu said no more, adhering to the principle of quick departure and quick return. His figure vanished from the room in an instant.
With Lian Mu gone, the room returned to silence. Yun Suiyi felt the room instantly become empty and vast again, and he felt he would be swallowed by the endless void if he stayed there alone.
So…
“You said the young master who was staying with me went out to find your Sect Master?” Lian Mu’s face instantly changed when he heard the Azure Cloud Sect disciple’s reply upon his return.
“Yes, that young master left around the hour of Wei.”
Very good. He had just left, and Yun Suiyi followed right after.
Lian Mu strode toward the Azure Cloud Sect Master’s residence.
Chengxiao Hall
The setting sun’s afterglow filtered through the window lattice, casting dappled light onto the chessboard and plating everything in the room with an ambiguous golden edge. Yun Suiyi sat comfortably on the couch, unaware of how alluring his current appearance was in Xiao Cheng’s eyes.
Today, Yun Suiyi wore an apricot-white inner garment, with his outer robe loosely draped over him. As he made a move on the board, his collar inadvertently slipped, revealing a section of his delicate collarbone.
Xiao Cheng’s finger, holding a white piece, paused slightly, his eyes instantly darkening. It was a suppressed flame called “covetousness.” How he longed to reach out and use his fingertip to trace that patch of skin faintly glowing under the dim lamplight.
Xiao Cheng’s gaze was even hotter than the setting sun outside the window. He watched the outline of Yun Suiyi’s profile highlighted by the sunlight, his slightly pursed lips, and his chest gently rising and falling with his breath. That gaze was filled with undisguised covetousness and possessiveness, as if he were admiring a rare treasure, wishing to engrave every inch of him into his sight and merge him into his very bones.
Yun Suiyi felt completely uncomfortable under this almost substantial gaze but couldn’t openly address it. He raised a hand to pull his slightly open collar together. This subconscious action, however, became a silent provocation in Xiao Cheng’s eyes. His Adam’s apple bobbed, and the fingers holding the chess piece unconsciously tightened.
Yun Suiyi seemed to sense something, raising his eyes to meet Xiao Cheng’s bottomless gaze. The usual pretense of righteousness was gone, replaced by a raw, intense desire that churned and refused to dissipate.
Yun Suiyi’s gut reaction was nausea, but a familiar, three-parts-teasing smile appeared on his face.
“Immortal Master,” he drew out his tone, his voice carrying a hint of laziness and huskiness. “If you keep staring at me like that, I might start to wonder if you want to win this game of chess, or if you want to win… all of me?”
Xiao Cheng’s gaze instantly turned sinister, yet he still feigned gentleness. “I wonder which sect and school Young Master Yun belongs to? Would you consider staying in my Azure Cloud Sect? Profound secret manuals, spiritual elixirs, and fine treasures—you can choose anything you like in the entire Azure Cloud Sect.”
“That sounds wonderful,” Yun Suiyi said, but his eyes turned cold.
Noticing the hatred emanating from Yun Suiyi, Xiao Cheng wore a playful expression. “This Venerable One is certain this is the first time meeting Young Master Yun. I wonder why Young Master Yun has held such great enmity toward me since the first glance? Have I met Young Master Yun before? Or, is there someone Young Master Yun knows who is acquainted with this Venerable One?”
“I hold enmity toward anyone who looks at me with disgusting eyes,” the smile on Yun Suiyi’s lips did not diminish, but his eyes suddenly turned icy. He made no visible movement, but the Spiritual Power in the hand placed under the table rapidly and silently gathered in his palm, without a single ripple of Spiritual Power leaking out.
The next instant, a beam of black Spiritual Power, condensed to the extreme and almost materialized, shot out silently from his fingertip like an arrow released from a bowstring, aiming straight for Xiao Cheng’s glabella!
Fast! Accurate! Ruthless! It gave the opponent no time to react.
Unfortunately, Xiao Cheng blocked it, Yun Suiyi lamented inwardly.
The atmosphere in the room plummeted to freezing point.
Xiao Cheng, who had been smiling and chatting moments before, now had eyes as dark and venomous as a viper. He no longer concealed his intentions toward Yun Suiyi. He violently flicked his sleeve, and a thick, domineering Spiritual Power transformed into an invisible giant palm, carrying the force of thunder, and slammed directly toward Yun Suiyi’s chest.
This strike was swift and vicious, clearly intended to inflict severe injury on Yun Suiyi, giving him no time to react.
“I must have you today!”
A fierce gust of wind rushed toward him, messing up the stray hairs on Yun Suiyi’s forehead. His pupils contracted slightly, and he rapidly retreated, simultaneously channeling Spiritual Power into his palms to block the attack. Spiritual energy condensed into a shield in front of him.
However, Xiao Cheng’s cultivation was unfathomable. The giant Spiritual Power palm shattered the shield with destructive force and continued its momentum toward his heart—if this hit squarely, he would likely be severely injured on the spot.
Just at this critical moment—
“Stop.”
A clear, cold shout, as if transmitted from beyond the nine heavens, yet exploding right beside his ear, sounded. A figure as white as snow appeared in front of Yun Suiyi as if teleporting.
It was Lian Mu.
He arrived silently, as if he was meant to be standing there. He held his sword with one hand, and as the blade gently spun, a soft yet resilient curtain of Spiritual Power instantly unfolded. The Sect Master’s seemingly inevitable strike was firmly caught by this light curtain, emitting a dull, massive sound. The resulting energy surge overturned all the tables and chairs in the room.
When the dust settled, Lian Mu stood holding his sword, his figure straight as a pine tree. He slightly turned his head, his gaze sweeping over his shoulder to land on Yun Suiyi behind him. His usually ethereal and aloof eyes were devoid of their usual distance, filled only with concerned scrutiny.
“Are you hurt?” His voice was very soft, yet it carried a reassuring strength.
Yun Suiyi looked at the back that had shielded him from a fatal blow, his heart trembling. Immediately, that familiar, post-crisis roguishness surged up again.
He tidied his slightly disheveled collar, a playful smile curling his lips, though his eyes remained wary as he watched Xiao Cheng opposite them.
“I’m fine,” Yun Suiyi shook his head, his gaze falling on the sword in Lian Mu’s hand. Strange runes flowed across the blade, clearly indicating it was no ordinary item. “Young Sect Master, if you had arrived any later, you would have been collecting my corpse.”
Lian Mu did not turn back, only tightening his grip on the sword. The runes on the blade glowed brighter.
Facing the astonished Sect Master, his voice returned to its cold clarity, carrying an undeniable authority:
“I recall telling the Immortal Master that he is Lian Mu’s personal attendant. To dare harm him is to make an enemy of my Cold Shadow Sect.”
Xiao Cheng looked at the suddenly appearing Lian Mu, shocked and furious. “Didn’t you already leave?”
“Why would I leave when he is in the Azure Cloud Sect?” Lian Mu interrupted him, slightly raising the sword and pointing it at Xiao Cheng. A more powerful Spiritual Pressure permeated the air, suffocating the opponent. “Last warning.”
As Lian Mu finished speaking, Yun Suiyi was about to say something when he suddenly felt a tightening around his waist. An irresistible force gripped him, and he was lifted into the air.
He didn’t even have time to gasp before his vision spun—the next moment, he was held securely in a horizontal embrace.
“Lian Mu?” Yun Suiyi was startled, instinctively reaching out to grab the other’s lapel. Before him was Lian Mu’s cold and handsome face. His eyes, usually calm and undisturbed, were now as deep as an ancient well, reflecting the lamplight in the room and his own startled reflection.
Lian Mu’s jawline was tightly clenched, his lips pressed into a cold, hard line. An almost obsessive sense of oppression radiated from him.
“Put me down, I can walk…” Yun Suiyi struggled slightly, his voice still carrying its usual coolness, attempting to break the sudden intimacy and tension.
Lian Mu ignored him. Holding Yun Suiyi, he walked rapidly out of the room, through the corridor, his steps silent, like a gust of wind carrying a chill.
His arm was like cast iron, firm and strong, holding Yun Suiyi tightly in his embrace, allowing no escape. Yun Suiyi could clearly feel the steady, powerful heartbeat in the other’s chest, one beat after another, transmitted through the thin fabric. It was inexplicably reassuring, yet carried an undeniable possessiveness.
The wind in the corridor seemed colder, causing the copper bells on the eaves to clang. Lian Mu carried him directly toward his room, pushed the door open, and then closed it behind him, shutting out the cold moonlight and the wind from the courtyard.
Lian Mu gently placed Yun Suiyi on the bed, his movements soft, yet his eyes remained firmly locked on him.
“You…” Yun Suiyi was about to speak, but he was enveloped by the shadow of Lian Mu leaning in close. In those deep eyes, complex and difficult-to-discern emotions churned—there was lingering fear, suppressed anxiety, and a nearly frantic craving and possessiveness.
He reached out, his fingertips cool, and gently brushed Yun Suiyi’s hair, a movement so tender it was completely contrary to his earlier dominance.
Yun Suiyi’s heart skipped a beat. The sudden embrace, the unquestioning restraint, and now this close, invasive tenderness left him momentarily speechless.
He looked at Lian Mu and suddenly felt that this figure, usually so ethereal and aloof, was now like a burning fire, tightly enveloping him, allowing him no escape.
“What are you doing?” Yun Suiyi found this version of Lian Mu unbearable, his voice carrying a hint of petulance he didn’t even notice.
Lian Mu suddenly reached out and pinched his chin, the action sudden and carrying an irresistible force.
Lian Mu’s fingertips were icy, causing Yun Suiyi to involuntarily flinch when they touched his warm skin. Yun Suiyi was forced to tilt his face up, meeting Lian Mu’s bottomless eyes—the usual gentleness and restraint were gone, replaced by surging, suppressed anger.
“Yun Suiyi,” Lian Mu’s voice was low and cold, as if squeezed out from between his teeth. Every word carried a shard of ice. “You didn’t listen to a single word I said before I left this afternoon.”
The fingers pinching Yun Suiyi’s chin tightened slightly, the knuckles turning white from the force, compelling Yun Suiyi to maintain eye contact.
“To satisfy a momentary impulse, you dared to stay in a room with Xiao Cheng. Do you truly think you can contend with him?” Lian Mu’s tone carried a subtle tremor, whether from anger or fear. “If I hadn’t arrived in time just now, do you think you would still be here talking to me, completely unharmed?”
Yun Suiyi’s chin was throbbing, but he didn’t struggle, only passively enduring Lian Mu’s wrath. He could clearly see the lingering fear deep in Lian Mu’s eyes—a fear caused by him.
Lian Mu’s fingers slowly moved up, tracing Yun Suiyi’s jawline. The movement seemed gentle but carried a punitive implication. His thumb pressed against Yun Suiyi’s lips, grinding with moderate force.
“Yun Suiyi,” Lian Mu’s voice dropped, becoming more dangerous. He leaned closer, his warm breath fanning Yun Suiyi’s face. “Do you think that with your abilities, you could have left the Azure Cloud Sect unscathed?”
His gaze was locked onto Yun Suiyi, as if trying to burn two holes into his face.
“I can protect myself even if you don’t come back,” Yun Suiyi shouted. “I’ve survived all these years; what do you think I relied on?”
“Although my Spiritual Power is not as strong as that beast’s, I have other ways to protect myself.”
“Lian Mu, don’t think that just because you blocked a strike for me just now, you can lecture me. I’m telling you, I…”
A small, round object coated in clear sugar was placed in Yun Suiyi’s mouth.
Instantly, a flavor he had never experienced before exploded in Yun Suiyi’s dry mouth.
It was a feeling… unprecedented.
It wasn’t the blandness of rice, the astringency of pickled vegetables, or the bitterness of medicine. It was a pure, intense sweetness, like warm spring water, instantly enveloping his tongue and flowing down his throat into his body. The sweetness was so dominant, yet so gentle.
Yun Suiyi froze completely. His peach blossom eyes, usually filled with cold indifference, were now wide and round, filled with shock and confusion.
He cautiously touched the candy with his tongue, then slowly, tentatively, bit down.
With a soft crunch, the candy shell shattered in his mouth, and a richer sweetness burst forth, accompanied by a fruity fragrance.
“What did you give me to eat?” he asked indistinctly, his voice carrying a subtle tremor.
“Fruit candy.” Lian Mu looked at him, his usually cold eyes now filled with tenderness and heartache. “Is it good?”
Yun Suiyi didn’t answer.
He just slowly, deliberately chewed the candy in his mouth. His eyes shone astonishingly bright, as if tears were shimmering, but he stubbornly held them back. He felt that a certain empty corner in his heart seemed to be filled by this sweetness.
“It’s good.” Yun Suiyi finally smiled, a smile brighter than the sunlight outside the window. “So… this is what sugar tastes like.”
Lian Mu couldn’t smile. Watching Yun Suiyi’s expression, as if he had found a priceless treasure, made his heart ache. He couldn’t imagine how much suffering a person must have endured to be so shocked the first time they tasted sugar, like a child newly arrived in the world.
Lian Mu’s voice returned to gentleness. “I brought you other flavors too. Want to try?”
“Hmph, who wants to eat children’s things?” Yun Suiyi’s mouth was defiant.
“So, do you want to try?”
“I absolutely won’t…”
Another fruit candy, a different flavor from the first, was placed in his mouth by Lian Mu.
Yun Suiyi slowly chewed.