Chapter 264: Extra (1)
Nursery, Room 303
After leaving the sealed boundary, A-Yan returned here.
In the living room, brilliant light emanated in waves, surrounding Su Ci, who stood at the center with his eyes gently closed, drawing in the power released from the seal.
Encased in the earth’s energy, Su Ci’s hair had reverted to its pale golden color, swaying softly despite the absence of wind. He radiated a divine beauty, so much so that A-Yan couldn’t help but stare in awe.
This version of Su Su was truly rare to behold.
A-Yan recalled Su Lü’s assessment of Su Ci’s original form—He is too merciful.
But that mercy was precisely what A-Yan loved most about him.
As the embodiment of rules, who could embody absolute rationality better than the rules themselves? It was this inherent paradox that had made Su Ci’s journey to becoming a spirit so arduous.
A-Yan would never forget how his own consciousness was born: from a single tear shed by the spirit of the earth.
At that time, the earth spirit had only recently come into existence, taken in and taught by his first master. But as a human, no matter how powerful his cultivation, his lifespan was finite.
From the beginning, separation was inevitable.
That tear, the first and only one the earth spirit ever shed, caused all things to wither—plants shriveled, life faded, and even the heavens mourned. In that moment, the Heavenly Dao Spirit’s consciousness was awakened.
Born into an unclear world, his nascent awareness was blurry and unfocused. But in his world, there was only the earth spirit.
For a long time, he observed him, feeling his joys and sorrows, taking pleasure in his happiness and pain in his sadness. The earth spirit’s every emotional fluctuation formed the foundation of his own growth into a spirit.
Without the earth spirit, he would not exist—nor would there be the A-Yan of today.
He loved everything about the earth spirit, including his deep emotions. Long before he had fully become a spirit, he often wondered what it would feel like to be loved by such an earth spirit. Surely, it would be the greatest happiness imaginable.
Even now, A-Yan wasn’t sure if Su Su’s feelings for him were truly love.
When he took human form and stayed by Su Su’s side, experiencing the intimacy he had once only imagined, he finally understood the human concept of insecurity.
But it didn’t matter.
Whether Su Su loved him or simply needed companionship, whether it was out of affection or loneliness, A-Yan’s only wish was to remain by his side.
And besides, he would never lose him.
As Su Lü had said, the earth spirit was too merciful, too soft-hearted. As long as A-Yan avoided crossing his boundaries or doing anything to upset him, Su Su would never abandon him.
A-Yan watched Su Ci, a faint red glow flickering in his platinum eyes.
The power of rules was inherently neutral, without distinction between good and evil. Thus, resentment could also become part of his strength.
It was like the plants in the Valley of Demon Flowers: when infused with spiritual energy, they could evolve into spiritual flowers, but when invaded by blood mist, they became demonic plants.
During the tens of thousands of years that resentment had eroded this world, how could the spirit of rules remain unaffected? When he became Entity One, his red eyes were the manifestation of the darkness within him.
A-Yan understood that if not for the deep impression left on him by the earth spirit, if he hadn’t known exactly what kind of self the earth spirit loved, he might have succumbed to corruption long ago.
When rules are biased, the world can never return to the vibrant life it once had.
A-Yan quietly observed Su Ci. When the last of the light flowed into Su Ci’s body and the young man opened his eyes, the red glow in A-Yan’s gaze also faded.
He smiled gently, his platinum eyes once again pure and clear. Calm, warm, and harmless—just the way Su Ci liked him.
Su Ci opened his eyes, his pale golden irises shimmering brilliantly. After releasing the seal, he had regained most of his strength, and with the earth’s vitality gradually recovering, he was already at seventy or eighty percent of his peak state.
However…
Gazing at his golden hair, which now flowed down his shoulders and nearly touched the floor, his eyes flickered slightly. The long locks began to shrink and shorten until they returned to their usual soft black hue.
His irises, too, returned to their deep black.
He liked this human form, keeping it unchanged. Perhaps… it was his way of hoping that his current life could remain unchanged as well.
But in this world, change is the only constant.
Su Ci quickly concealed the fleeting vulnerability in his eyes. When he looked up at A-Yan, however, his brow furrowed slightly.
He flashed to A-Yan’s side, grabbed his wrist, and placed two fingers against his forehead. A golden glow emanated from his fingertips, and within moments, Su Ci had assessed A-Yan’s condition.
“Your soul is injured?” Su Ci’s brows knit tightly, his tone colder than usual. “Who did this?”
In this world, who could harm A-Yan’s soul?
A-Yan smiled lightly, gently pulling Su Ci’s hand away. He answered candidly, explaining what he had done.
“Why would you do that?” Su Ci shook his head in disapproval, clearly unhappy.
“He’s also a part of you. He needs companionship too.”
A-Yan reached out and gently caressed Su Ci’s cheek, tracing his fingertips lightly over his skin as he spoke his thoughts honestly.
“Isn’t this quite nice, after all?”
“What’s nice about it?” Su Ci looked at him in confusion.
“In this world, there are now others, apart from me, who can always be by your side,” A-Yan said softly.
Zhou Zhou and Su Lü, just like A-Yan himself, were fragments of Su Ci’s soul. Though Zhou Zhou was still small and weak, he would gradually grow stronger over time, becoming an independent being.
When that day came, even if something happened to A-Yan in the future, there would still be others to accompany Su Su.
A-Yan thought it was a good thing. But Su Ci did not agree.
He frowned deeply, his eyes locking onto A-Yan’s with a trace of suppressed anger and fear. His voice was low, carrying a rare sharpness. “You promised you would always be here.”
After ten years together, Su Ci had already entrusted much of his emotions to A-Yan. He couldn’t bear to part with the children, let alone the one who stayed by his side day and night—A-Yan.
Su Ci wasn’t sure if what he felt for A-Yan was what humans called love, but one thing he knew with certainty was that A-Yan had become an inseparable part of him, someone he could never lose.
“Of course, I’ll always be here.”
A-Yan quickly pulled Su Ci into his arms, holding him tenderly as he gently stroked his back. “But isn’t it nice to have others who can stay by your side for a long time as well?”
“I don’t need that,” Su Ci murmured, burying his face in A-Yan’s chest and wrapping his arms tightly around him. “I only need you.”
He wasn’t someone who could open his heart to just anyone. The only one who made him feel safe enough to entrust his emotions and bare the softest parts of his soul was A-Yan.
A-Yan understood the deeper meaning behind those words.
For a moment, he was stunned, feeling ripples of emotion spreading through his heart.
Su Su only needs me…
How wonderful.
He felt the same. He loved Su Ci deeply and would be satisfied just having him.
“Alright.”
A-Yan lowered his head and kissed Su Ci deeply. Their lips and breaths intertwined in perfect intimacy. When the kiss ended, A-Yan rested his forehead against Su Ci’s and said softly, “I’m the only one who can share moments like this with you.”
Su Ci hummed in agreement, his gaze meeting A-Yan’s, reflecting only his image.
A-Yan took a deep breath, calming the surge of emotions in his chest. Then, he took Su Ci’s hands and said, “Su Su, let’s go for a walk together.”
“Where to?” Su Ci blinked curiously.
“To the stars, to explore the universe,” A-Yan said. “Didn’t you always want to go out there before?”
Su Ci shook his head, looking uninterested. “When my soul wandered the universe, I visited many places. It wasn’t that exciting.”
Staying on Earth Star and sleeping sounded better…
“It’s different now,” A-Yan said.
Su Ci nodded thoughtfully. “True. Back then, I didn’t have you.”
A-Yan, momentarily at a loss for words, quickly brightened. “Exactly! Let’s go together. I want to create memories that belong to the two of us.”
“You don’t need to suppress your emotions anymore, or worry about forming attachments. These will be our memories,” A-Yan added. “And if you like it, we can go as many times as you want.”
Su Ci was persuaded.
“That does sound nice,” he admitted.
A-Yan’s platinum eyes curved with joy. He raised a hand, and an ancient-looking door appeared beside them.
“Ah, Great Spirits of Earth and Heaven, Old Door has arrived!”
The summoned ancient door was so delighted upon seeing Su Ci and A-Yan that it nearly jumped in excitement.
Thankfully, it restrained itself, fearing its panels might split apart.
Over the years on Earth Star, thanks to the Heavenly Dao Spirit’s repairs and guidance, it had maintained its spiritual form and grown stronger. For this, it felt not only respect but also deep gratitude toward the two spirits.
“Old Door, we’re going to the stars,” A-Yan announced.
“Where exactly in the universe?” the ancient door asked.
A-Yan glanced at Su Ci, who didn’t seem to have a preference, and replied, “Random. Surprises make for better memories. Just remember every coordinate we visit.”
“Got it!” Old Door agreed readily.
Su Ci listened to their exchange, watching A-Yan. Realizing he must have planned this for a long time, he didn’t want to dampen the mood. When A-Yan looked back at him, Su Ci nodded. “Let’s go.”
A-Yan took Su Ci’s hand, ready to push the door open, but then changed his mind. “Su Su, you push it. Let’s see where your luck takes us.”
Initially planning to humor him, Su Ci looked at the closed door. Strangely, he felt a flicker of anticipation.
“Alright.”
Su Ci grasped the handle, gently pushed the door open, and stepped through with A-Yan.
On the other side, they emerged into a bustling cityscape, brightly lit under the night sky.
The streets were crowded with people, and streams of floating cars weaved through the air. Above, clusters of colorful fireworks burst into dazzling displays, lighting up the night.
It seemed there was some kind of festival happening here, and the atmosphere was bustling with excitement.
Su Ci’s only reaction was—
“So many people.”
It had been a long time since he’d experienced such a dense crowd. In the interstellar era, aside from the advancements in technology, the most significant change from previous times was probably the explosion in population.
Behind them, the ancient door had disappeared after closing, leaving no trace.
They were standing in an alleyway off a busy street, and fortunately, no one had noticed their arrival.
“Let’s go. Let’s grab something to eat,” A-Yan suggested, taking Su Ci’s hand and leading him out of the alley. Like two fish swimming through a school, they merged into the bustling crowd.
At this moment, neither of them used any spiritual power. They were just like two ordinary humans, weaving through the throng, feeling the inconvenience but also experiencing the unchanged vitality of human life over the millennia.
A-Yan guided Su Ci to a small food stall with a long line of people waiting in front of it.
“This place has a crowd—maybe the food is good?” he said.
“Or it could just be a marketing tactic, using the human tendency to follow the crowd,” Su Ci replied. He had been tricked plenty of times before and had since grown cautious.
A-Yan hesitated.
Though he had seen the splendor of the world, he became a spirit during an era when humanity had nearly abandoned their lands, leaving only desolation. Afterward came his long slumber and dormancy until Su Ci’s return awakened him.
Thus, A-Yan had never truly experienced the intricacies of human life.
Su Ci looked at him and, after a moment, took his hand, pulling him to the end of the line.
“This will take a while, and it might not even taste good,” A-Yan remarked.
“That’s fine.”
After all, they had endless time to spend. Besides, for some reason, Su Ci felt that as long as A-Yan was with him, even if the food turned out to be disappointing, it would still feel like a worthwhile and enjoyable experience.
Because…
Su Ci’s lips curved slightly into a faint smile.
If the food ended up being terrible, he could just give it all to A-Yan to eat instead.
And with that cheerful thought, he made up his mind.
Praying for lots of extra storiesss