No matter how much time passed, there was only a passage of memories stuck by him. Even after the war ceased, even after a new ruler came into power, the pain within his heart never disappeared. Like that, he withered in pain. Every passing day without that man by his side made himself fall into unbearable pain and misery, only resenting himself in the end.

This healthy body of his... he would rather not have it if it meant that that man would still be by his side. On the outside, he looked perfect. Yet deep inside, he was already a dead man, an empty shell.

Once more, he dreamed about him. Within their house, the man stood in glory. He was handsome. His body was lean but also strong. Dressed in a silver robe, his sword brows outlined his Phoenix eyes. His lips were thin, eyes softly glimmering. Yet, that man smiled warmly while reaching towards him.

Qi Longhai knew this dream could never be real. He knew that Yang Delun would never come back. But he lingered within the aftertaste of this dream when he woke up. It was as if he could still feel the man's warmth as they embraced, the warmth when Yang Delun combed his hair.

He loved him. After Yang Delun's death, Qi Longhai realized that he had never said these words. It was only when he was dying, only when it was too late that he found the strength to utter these words. By then, everything was already set in stone. Nothing could be done.

Suddenly, Qi Longhai opened his eyes. In this dark and cold room, it felt empty without Yang Delun's presence. This was their home. Even when he was now gone, Qi Longhai wasn't going to leave.

Qi Longhai grabbed a fan. Yang Delun loved fans, just as much as he loved wine. The man was always seen carrying a fan around, especially some that could sell for thousands of gold. Qi Longhai even had a room dedicated to the man, where more than 100 different fans were collected in a year.

"Master, you have a guest." Outside, a maid knocked on the door, soon speaking.

Qi Longhai looked up. His gray eyes were cold, a hint of tiredness within them that couldn't be wiped away. He carefully set the fan down, standing up and sweeping his white robe clean. "Lead the guest to the hall."

"Yes, Master."

Qi Longhai was wearing white. Ever since the day Yang Delun died, he wore white. Even when he was heartbroken, when he had given up on his life, Qi Longhai had never worn anything but red. Now, it was impossible to see him in a different color.

He quickly got ready. He didn't care about properly dressing himself to his status. There was no point in doing so.

As Qi Longhai walked towards the hall, his figure stopped suddenly. A memory appeared in his mind. Qi Longhai's breath staggered. He could see the scene being played out. As they walked side by side, Yand Delun reached for Qi Longhai's hands, even when the other man moved away, he still lurched forward.

Qi Longhai's cold lips lifted, the glaciers receding from his eyes as he remembered the man's crystal clear laugh, his eyes that lit up. He slowly walked ahead, albeit, stopping in his steps every now and then.

"You're here."

Qi Longhai stared at the beautiful woman sitting down. Dressed in a green and white robe, she had beautiful pins in her hair, jade earrings on her ear. A green jade necklace outlined her neck, a green fan was next to her side, resting on the table. Her features were elegant and beautiful, her lips a deep red. Her eyes were a light brown, almost appearing yellow.

"For you, he left this old woman." The woman sighed, clenching her hand by her side. She let out a scoff that couldn't hide the pain in her heart even as she acted like it meant nothing.

Qi Longhai felt his body freeze. His fingers slightly trembled by his side. "Who are you?" He wasn't scared of the woman, only scared from her words. She knew Yang Delun.

"I am someone who couldn't hold him back, someone who couldn't compare to you. Like him, I am a fox demon. I have raised him, been by his side for all his life, yet I wasn't even there when he took his last breath. I am Hong Daiyu, his maternal aunt." Hong Daiyu's lips lifted into a sorrowful smile. Her eyes were slightly red as she breathed in a sharp breath.

Qi Longhai's lips trembled, but he didn't say a word to retort her. "Yes. I am the reason he took his life. For that, even if I spend my whole life repenting, I can never revive him." He bowed his head, no longer looking into Hong Daiyu's eyes.

His life was revived because of Yang Delun. He knew that all too well. Thus, even with the pain he faced, he would never end his life because Yang Delun risked everything to save him.

"But I can revive him."

Qi Longhai's head snapped up, staring at Hong Daiyu before him. "What?" He didn't believe the words he heard. Perhaps he had finally gone mad and was imagining things now.

"I need you. I need you to revive him. After he gave his life to you, I searched for a way to save him, a way to bring him back into this world. I need your blood, you who carries his blood within you. I need you to revive him, thus, I have come to retrieve you." Hong Daiyu watched as Qi Longhai's chest heaved.

"What do I have to do?" Qi Longhai didn't care about anything else. He didn't care. He only focused on her words, the fact that she had said that she could revive Yang Delun. This small hope within him suddenly ignited, becoming even brighter than the small flame it once was.

"Come with me. I have already talked to Her Majesty." Hong Daiyu's hands were hidden behind her long sleeves, eyes narrowing slightly. "However, even I don't know if this plan will work in the end. Xi Feng had used an ancient way to transfer his life force to you. Now, she has thought of a way to revive him. Unfortunately, Fengmian has gone missing, thus, I can not consult with him." She sighed at the end.

Qi Longhai trembled. It was so scary to have this big of a hope within him. He wasn't even sure, yet he wanted this plan to work in the end. Just thinking about it made his heart ache in both pain and sorrow. To imagine the man standing by his side, even that was able to calm him. Now hearing that Yang Delun could be revived, Qi Longhai was willing to give anything.

"I understand." Qi Longhai whispered, "I owe this to you, for taking him away."

Hong Daiyu shook her head with a pained smile, "Even if you had done something, he is too stubborn to change his mind. He took after my sister. Even his ending was inevitable. Perhaps I did blame you at the beginning. After all, I knew well of your relationship with Mo Chou. I knew about everything you had done for Mo Chou, thus I could never trust Delun and his feelings towards you. However, he was already in love with you. Even when you and Mo Chou were together, Delun couldn't hide his aching heart." She began telling a story.

"When you disappeared and Mo Chou married your sister, he was angry at both himself and Mo Chou. However, your presence was already gone and he couldn't search for you. Years later, he became a Duke and you returned. Perhaps it was already fated to be. I couldn't stop him no matter what I did." Hong Daiyu sighed, exhaling a deep breath.

As he listened, Qi Longhai's heart drummed hard against his chest. It felt as if something was being stabbed deep into him, twisting and pulling at him. In fact, Qi Longhai was never upfront with his emotions. He knew that the miscommunication between them caused a misunderstanding. Even now, he blamed himself more than anyone.

"Don't think of it too much. He is my nephew. No matter what it takes, I am going to revive him. He can't leave before this old woman." Hong Daiyu scoffed, reaching out her pale hand. "Grab onto me. Xi Feng is already waiting for us."

Qi Longhai reached forward, grasping onto her hand that held no warmth. A black mist swirled under their feet, slowly enveloping them as Qi Longhai closed his eyes. When he opened them once more, they were in a secluded mountain.

"Master." Standing, a beautiful woman looked at them. She was dressed in a crimson robe, highlighting her curves and hugging against her womanly figure. Her appearance was truly beautiful, even more beautiful than Hong Daiyu.

Qi Longhai knew who Xi Feng was. After all, she was there when he and Yang Delun parted, when the man left.

"I've brought him. Let's get started as soon as possible." Hong Daiyu waved her hand, lifting the illusion spell casted. As she did so, the mountain before them turned into a beautiful palace, countless fox demons walking and roaming.

"Yes," Xi Feng nodded her head, "Then let us set out. Duke Qi, thank you for coming. I will do my best, however, even I am not sure what will happen."

"No. It doesn't matter what happens." Qi Longhai's voice was a bit cold. "Thank you for your hard work." Towards these people, he respected them because of Yang Delun. Knowing the man, of course he would care for all these people too.

Xi Feng smiled softly, eyes glowing. She walked in front of them, leading them towards a rather secluded courtyard in the palace. As she opened the door and they stepped in, the freezing cold seemed to bite at them.

"It's a bit cold here, Master, I apologize for that. I've been working on safer ways to bring the Young Master back." Xi Feng fiddled with a gold needle, setting things onto the table. "Duke Qi, please lie down on the bed. Master, please stand to the side."

Qi Longhai quickly moved to the bed. Even though he didn't know what was happening, he trembled in both nervousness and fear. If it failed in the end, perhaps he would be even more crushed. However, he wanted to hope for just a bit longer.

"This will hurt. I will have to cut your wrist to get a bowl of your blood." Xi Feng folded the man's sleeves, bringing out a small dagger and a white bowl.

"It is alright. Please do as you will." Qi Longhai watched in silence as Xi Feng lifted the dagger, sliding a line across his wrist, red blood pouring out into the bowl and quickly filling. As soon as she finished, she pressed a white cloth around the wound, stopping the blood and quickly bandaging it up.

"Stay there and close your eyes."

With Xi Feng's command, Qi Longhai closed his eyes. He felt Xi Feng shift, moving around.

"Is this correct?" Hong Daiyu asked.

"Yes, it is merely the beginning. I am going to bring the Young Master back, but I will also tie his soul to Duke Qi. If one dies, they both will, shall one live, they both will. This bowl of blood carries a drop of the remnants of the Young Master, something that belonged to him." Xi Feng placed the bowl of blood onto the bed next to Qi Longhai.

"Duke Qi, you will suffer pain, however, please bear it." As Xi Feng said this, Qi Longhai nodded.

Xi Feng began. Holding her hands together, she spoke in a strange language. "Qaum ntuj, muab txoj sia ntawm tus neej uas faib tus neej no cov ntshav rov qab." (Heaven, return the person who shares this man's blood.)

At that, Qi Longhai felt something tug at his body, suddenly trembling and shaking.

Xi Feng continued muttering under her breath as a silver light descended down on them. "Kuv tuaj mus nrhiav ib tug neej, coj nws rov qab. Qhib koj lub qhov muag, coj tug neej no. Muab nws tug ntsuj plig khi nrog tus neej no." (I've come to find a man and bring him back. Open your eyes, return this person. Tie his soul to this man's.)

Qi Longhai gradually fell unconscious, unable to hear Xi Feng's voice anymore. But he heard a gasp before he drifted into slumber.

"You come, seeking a man. To bring a woman of the Heaven's descent, a woman of the bloodline that can talk to us, Gods, she who speaks the forgotten language, this soul must belong to a man precious to all of you."

Qi Longhai looked around the empty space, black appearing in his eyes. "Yes. That is why I am here today." It was dark and empty. This voice speaking to him was devoid of emotions, sounding emotionless and robotic.

"We cannot return a soul that has left the mortal realm for such a long time. While he is a demon nonetheless, time has done its toil. However she, who speaks the forgotten language, has asked us for a favor. Thus, we shall return his soul back. In exchange, we will ask you to take good care of this fragile soul. Shall he face death another time, we will not be able to return him anymore. This bowl of blood will be used to mend and fix his body."

Qi Longhai's heart began to beat hard against his chest. Before him, a white light shone down.

Standing before him, a woman stood. Her eyes were cold and empty, her face expressionless and without emotions. Dressed in a white robe, a silver light radiated from her body, the mirage of a lotus bloomed from behind her.

"We will ask for your hand, to bind his soul to your's, making you one as a whole. She, who speaks the forgotten language, has provided us with the necessities to follow this ancient way of reviving souls who have departed. His life shall be tied to yours, suffering the fate that you follow." The woman reached forward towards Qi Longhai, who stood frozen. As she reached forward, her hand reached into Qi Longhai's chest, as if nothing was there.

Qi Longhai felt a burning pain enter his body, muffling a cry as his knees nearly gave out. Something dug deep into him, wrenching and pulling. A burning fire ran through his body, as if trying to burn him alive.

"Do bear with this pain. This small amount of pain shall exchange for a man's life, just as we've been requested to do." Her voice was without any emotions, stable and slow. Her face was cloudy, as if covered by a mirage, but her cold eyes were easy to see.

Qi Longhai bit his lips, clenching his hands tightly as his nails punctured his skin. A searing pain, almost as if burning him alive, roared in his body. He could feel thin fingers pulling and pushing, tugging within him.

He could feel sweat forming on his forehead, biting his tongue to stay awake and not faint from the pain he felt. Then, he felt something being tied to him. From deep within, something was being pulled and mended together within him.

The lady continued speaking, "We have finished binding his soul to yours. Now, we simply have to repair his body." As she backed away, a bowl of blood appeared in her hand. "Please close your eyes through this process. The process of rebuilding a body is not an easy sight to see. His soul is still well and whole, only bound to yours now. Of course, shall this ever happen once more, you both shall suffer the due death."

Qi Longhai closed his eyes, listening closely to her words. He felt sweat drip down his face, settling back into his peaceful state. He heard it. The small sounds of wind even in this dark space. Then, light. It was small flashes of light combined with the sound of wind. Together, they intertwined as one. He also heard the woman's voice.

She spoke in a hushed tone, quiet, yet also strong.

Qi Longhai clenched his hands. He could feel the blood drip, falling down into the empty space he stood in.

At that moment, a strong force seemed to erupt in him. Qi Longhai stifled a groan, sinking down onto his knees.

"He now shares your life force. From before, you were already given his life force. From this moment on, you both shall live as one and die as one. We will return you first. In the mortal realm, perhaps this soul will wake before you. The damages you've faced will take a while before it heals. However, please tell she, who speaks the forgotten language, that we await her return."

"Thank you for everything you've done." Qi Longhai's eyes remained closed, but he heard the slightest of a small laugh.

"We accept your gratitude. You shall have to sleep in a coma for a bit. By the time you wake, this man will be by your side." The woman approached Qi Longhai, tapping her finger onto his forehead. "Now return back to the mortal realm."

Qi Longhai felt something shift within him as the woman sent him away. Now, his mind was both blank and empty, as if falling into a timeless sleep.

-

"Delun." Hong Daiyu stared at the young man who suddenly appeared from a flash of light, next to the bed that Qi Longhai slept in.

"Aunt?" Yang Delun tilted his head in both confusion and shock.

Hearing this voice, Hong Daiyu stifled a small cry as she walked, her figure shaking and trembling. "Delun." She repeated the name over and over again. Without pausing, she moved, embracing the man tightly in her arms.

"Aunt." Yang Delun still seemed blank, as if he couldn't understand what had happened. "How... how did I return?" He was dead. At least, he should be dead.

Hearing this, Hong Daiyu suddenly froze, biting her lips gently.

Yang Delun didn't receive an answer. He looked around the room at last, finally turning around. As he turned around, the man on the bed made him gasp. His heart pulsed heavily, staring at the pale young man on the bed, laying quietly.

He pulled away, walking as if half-dead. He walked towards this man, towards the man who lived within his heart. "No." He saved him. Yang Delun knew for sure that he had saved the man so why was he lying so weak on this bed?

"Why is he here? I saved him! I used my life to save him so why is he lying here? Why am I back?" Yang Delun turned around, madly questioning Hong Daiyu.

"Delun, it's not what you think. I didn't trick him. I brought him because Xi Feng discovered a way to heal you. This plan needed him too, so I brought him here. I don't know what happened. Xi Feng is also clueless as to why he hasn't awaken yet." Hong Daiyu hurriedly explained, eyes glancing at Qi Longhai who laid eerily still and quiet. The slightest movement of his chest proved that the man was still alive.

Yang Delun stared at Qi Longhai, biting his lips as his eyes teared up. What an idiot! He gave his life up so that Qi Longhai could live. Now, he was back, well and alive while Qi Longhai laid on this bed. He didn't know why he was back. He shouldn't have returned.

"Why bring me back? There's no point in returning this life to me." Yang Delun's eyes casted down at Qi Longhai's pale white skin that was even paler than it had been when he was sick.

Hong Daiyu hesitated as she stepped closer to Yang Delun, "I wanted you to return. Duke Qi wanted you to return. For one whole year, Xi Feng used everything she could to find a way to retrieve your soul. Thankfully, she was able to make a bargain with the Creator."

"Why was he involved then?" Staring at Qi Longhai, Yang Delun's heart ached in pain. He had put so much effort to fatten this man up. In just one year, he reverted back to the same man he was before they became close. To see such a weak Qi Longhai, Yang Delun was reminded of the old days.

"Xi Feng needed his blood. To bring you back, we needed him. Using an ancient spell, Xi Feng called upon the Creator, requesting for your soul to be bound to Qi Longhai's. Because of this, you will live as one and die as one. That bowl of blood was used to give you your body back, the Creator created another body for you." Hong Daiyu explained a lot of information that she wasn't able to tell Qi Longhai before.

It was only when she and Xi Feng found something amiss that Xi Feng contacted the Creator. They found out that Qi Longhai had took most of the brunt, the power needed to revive Yang Delun. After all, his soul had been compacted with Yang Delun's, his life force being shared with Yang Delun's.