“This is the longevity peach fruit. It finally bloomed this year and the Jade Emperor stole it from the Jade Empress. Feed this to my sister and she may be able to recover.”

Before Yu Tian even finished speaking, the longevity peach fruit in his hand was snatched away instantly by Huo Wei Hu, leaving behind nothing but empty air in his palm. He watched as Huo Wei Hu retrieved a porcelain bowl from his spatial ring and held it under the fruit before crushing it into liquid. But, his next action stunned Yu Tian into stupor.

Huo Wei Hu tilted his head backward and drank all the peach liquid from the bowl. Before Yu Tian could recover from his daze or cry out in alarm, Huo Wei Hu had already dipped his head down and kissed Yu Liang.

Sweet, divine, nectar liquid passed from his mouth to hers and finally drizzled down her throat. Only when the last drop was transferred, did Huo Wei Hu finally released her lips and gently wiped the corner of her mouth with his thumb.

Immediately, he inserted his spiritual energy to check her condition. “Her internal organs are repairing and her body is stabilizing!” Pure elation leaked from his voice. Turning around, his dark cold pupils soften and looked at Yu Tian with deep gratitude.

Those words made Yu Tian released the suffocating breath he been holding ever since he saw Yu Liang with the hairpin lodged in her heart. Big, adorable, watery eyes looked at Huo Wei Hu with great joy. Even though he was young in age, he saw the deep gratitude shimmering in those dark orbs and knew he had gained the recognition of the nine-tailed fox king.

Immense pride filled his heart, followed by a pang of guilt. For just a second, he had doubted his brother-in-law when he saw him drank the peachy liquid. He awkwardly scratched his head and spared Huo Wei Hu a sheepish grin. Knowing his future brother-in-law had acknowledged him, settled the flock of butterflies in his stomach.

A comfortable silence stretched out before them, before a curious glint flickered through Huo Wei Hu’s dark pupils.

“How did you manage to coerce the Jade Emperor to surrender one of the rarest treasure fruit?”

Huo Wei Hu knew better than anyone how rare and precious the longevity peach fruit was. In this world, only one immortal longevity peach tree exist and it only bears one fruit every five millennium. He had harbored the ill intention to infiltrate the heavenly realm in hopes of acquiring one if it so happens to be the year of the harvest. Having it directly delivered to his doorstep, he was more than grateful to Yu Tian.

“Brother in law or should I call you cousin?” Yu Tian’s childish voice was muffled, as if timid by the sudden question.

A scowled appeared on Huo Wei Hu’s face before understanding flashed in his eyes from those words. “The white dragon dagger belongs to you? You’re concubine Huli’s son?”

Yu Tian lowered his head and cautiously nodded. He was well aware of how estranged the relationship between those two were. Suddenly, he felt a large hand ruffled his hair. Stunned, he meekly lifted his head and stared at the man before him.

The usually frost face of the man broke into a rare smile, melting away the worries and uneasiness locked within Yu Tian’s troubled heart.

“Always address me as brother-in-law. From today onward, you are one of this king’s people. There is a solid place for you here as my in law and the younger brother of my future empress. You need not worry about anyone else.”

Those strong words of assurance broke a dam, tears spilled forth in waves. The greatest sense of security blanketed over Yu Tian. Suddenly, incoherent words burst from his mouth like an unstoppable flood as he blubbered about everything and anything.

Maybe it was because he had finally found a place where he belonged and was accepted. Maybe because not everyone considered him a misfit or a mutant in the world, or maybe it was because he didn’t have to separate from Yu Liang after she marries the Immortal Emperor of Chaos. Either way, whatever the reason was, he couldn’t stop all the words flowing out of him.

Yu Tian told him about the past with his sister, Yu Liang. The trial he went through in the pagoda, the mystical qilin he met. The deep regret over his selfish wish without thinking things through and finally the illicit relationship he has with the Jade Emperor. How the mighty, prestigious Jade Emperor of the heavenly realm was placed in a dire strait due to his request for a miracle. Having no choice since he had promised and given his words, he sneaked into the Jade Empress’ secret garden and stole the immortal fruit like a crooked burglar in his own heavenly territory.

He continued on with his gibberish of how he was labeled as a mutt, seen as an abomination in all three realms. A mutation of a sacred dragon with only one fox tail even though he himself loved it very much. He lamented over how he was forgotten and had to fly all the way here in his dragon fox form after receiving directions from the Jade Emperor. He spilled out his worries and fears over being a third wheel and being left with nowhere to go if his brother-in-law won’t accept him.

Throughout all his excessive, nonsense babbles, Huo Wei Hu stood there quietly, listening patiently without interruptions. It was hard to determine how much he understood from Yu Tian’s incoherent speech through all the tears and sobs. His face remained expressionless except for the occasional flash of changes in his dark eyes as he listened.

By the time Yu Tian’s sobbing dwindled down and his monologue was finished, only his disjointed hiccups could be heard. Slightly embarrassed by his outburst and all the nonsense he released from his lips, a deep shade of red crept up from his neck, reaching all the way to the tip of his ears.

He twiddled with his fingers nervously, before an enchanting voice interrupted his self-admonishment.

“This king already said it once, but I’ll say it again so you will understand. From now on, you are part of this king’s family, one of my people. You need not worry about those in heaven nor forge any relation with them. This place shall now be your home, little prince. This king commands you to erase all unnecessary people from your heart and mind.”

A beautiful, bright and earthly smile bloomed on Yu Tian’s face. The smile was so dazzling, filled with so much light, that the place was blazing as if the sun itself had been invited to join them for a cup of tea.

“Brother in law, thank you…” He said in a soft voice, filled with immense gratitude and worship.

A light rustle from the bed caught their attention. Both men watched anxiously by her side, face filled with worry and hope at the same time. Her slender fingers twitched slightly, but the movement was noticed by Huo Wei Hu. Gently holding her hand, he lovingly chanted her name over and over again, his voice like a demonic symphony, luring the captivated listeners to him.