Chapter 153 - I'm Bringing Him Back

Ying Yue waved goodbye to the students and his family as he returned to the small shack by the lake. Falling asleep, he dreamt of a field of roses and the scent calmed his heart. A presence appeared before him enveloped in a golden glow.

"Jade Emperor," Ying Yue greeted with a bow.

"Chosen One. You and your brothers are doing as I asked. Therefore, I will give you what you asked."

His eyes widened and he quickly stood straight staring at his visitor.

"You will bring them back? Truly? Thank you. Thank you."

He bowed multiple times with his heart bursting with tears of joy.

"Only one."

The tears of joy became tears of blood.

"One, you will bring one back?"

"Yes."

Ying Yue shut his eyes and clutched his heart, feeling the rings like an anchor. Only Lady Nuying or Wang Li can return. Only one.

"You already know this would happen and you already know which I would choose."

"Yes."

Ying Yue turned away from the golden figure and dropped his shoulders in defeat. Then the presence left and he was alone once again. The figure of Wang Li appeared and cupped his face. Silver eyes stared at him lovingly and a soft smile on thin lips.

"I am proud of you," his lover whispered and Ying Yue shook his head, "Selfless, my love. The world needs you, Ah Yue. Such a sacrifice you continue to give… I will still be here for you, my wife. Always."

Lips pressed against his, but Ying Yue's heart was still bleeding tears.

Wang Li will never return to him.

When he woke, the sun had not risen, and the sky was still as dark as his lover's hair. Ying Yue just laid in the dark and rolled the rings around his fingers. Tears slipped down his eyes, across the bridge of his nose, and connected with more tears down to the temple.

He reached for the wooden box, only to freeze when he recognized an energy from his past. Quickly grabbing his sword before him, he heard a chuckle in the corner of the shadows. Red eyes revealed and a grin plastered across the demon's face.

"Ye Wu."

"I had been here for awhile watching you toss and turn, Ah Yue. Nightmares?"

"Why are you here?"

The demon sat at the table and poured himself some wine. Ying Yue slowly got off the mat with his hands still wrapped around the hilt of his blade. He watched as the demon drank the wine quickly and refilled the cup once more.

"I'm bringing him back."

"Who?"

Ying Yue's heart beat faster as the demon drank the wine.

"Who else?"

"Ye Wu," he warned quietly, "Don't. Don't lie-"

"Wang Li."

He searched the demon's face and saw the darkness beneath those red eyes. Ye Wu sighed and drank from the bottle, chugging the rest of the alcohol down his thin neck.

"I can't even kill you if I wanted to. I promised your master and I regret it," the demon mumbled wiping his lips with the back of his hand, "What? You gonna kill me? You can try."

"You are not lying. You truly wish to bring him back? How? Why?"

"You are not the only one who misses him, Heaven's Chosen and I doubt the Heaven's will bring him back. It would risk the balance once again."

Ying Yue's hands trembled holding his blade and he shouldn't, but he sat down before the demon in hopes that his lover will return to him. His heart jumped at the thought that soon he could have Wang Li in his arms again, not just in his dream.

"You… you can bring him back?"

"Yes."

"How?"

"His ring."

"No."

"Give me his ring."

"No."

The demon's red eyes narrowed at him and Ying Yue clutched a hand over his ringed fingers, specifically his lover's. He couldn't just give it away. He promised he would keep it safe. He promised to return it to Wang Li. He promised. He promised-

"Let me tell you something child," Ye Wu said with spite, "Wang Li gave up everything for you. His life, his soul, his core. He created an entire fucking world just for you, to make you happy, even when everything was against the both of you. You should know none of us, not even your master, truly approved of your relationship. We all know death was to come, but none of us could deny you both love one another. We cannot sway Wang Li's decision before your death and after. Everything was for you, stupid child. Now give me the ring so I can bring him back!"

"No!" Ying Yue shouted clutching his hand, "I promised him I would keep it safe. I promised to hold it for him until he returns to me."

Ye Wu laughed loudly and Ying Yue gritted his teeth as his golden eyes glared at the demon.

"Did you not listen to what I just said, dummy? Wang Li had done everything for you. Why do you think so? What do you think the reason was for?"

The platinum blonde just stared at him for a moment and Ye Wu was not a patient demon, but he waited as long as he could. Wang Li did not fall in love with an idiot… at least he hoped so.

Ying Yue could hear his lover's voice, like etched memories in his mind.

'I would do anything to make you smile.'

'You make me very happy, Ah Yue.'

'As you wish, my love.'

'I thank the Heavens for bringing you to me.'

'I love you, Ah Yue.'

'Take care of it for me, beloved.'

'No amount of time can keep me from you, my wife.'

Ying Yue stared at his husband's ring and cried softly as he pulled it off his middle finger.

"He knew then, that you would try to bring him back?"

"Mm," the demon nodded, "You know how stubborn the Ghost King is when it comes to you."

"What do you want in return?"

Ye Wu let out a soft smile, a smile he had never seen on the demon's face.

"Company and maybe a little…" Ye Wu wriggled his brows and Ying Yue frowned deeply.

"Ye Wu! You are his mentor! Do not think such shameless-"

The demon laughed loudly and tapped his forehead.

"Come on, give me the ring."

"If… how long? How long will it take and… why now?"

"Do you think creating his body was going to be that simple?!"

Ying Yue blinked at him wide eyed.

"Those rings have his energy. If I call it forth to settle inside him, then Wang Li will be able to return. As you know, he is unable to reincarnate. I found his soul within the realms of the Netherworld extremely broken. Once the energy enters Wang Li's body, his soul will join."

"You hope it would. You do not know for sure."

"No. I don't."

Ying Yue closed his eyes and pulled off his own ring as well. He held it tight before him for a moment, praying that it would bring his husband back to him. He opened his eyes and handed them to the demon.

"Both of them? I only asked for his."

"You said he had his energy in both rings. I… Wang Li trusts you, Ye Wu. I only hope you are successful in bringing him back."

Red eyes stared at him for a moment before taking the rings and fading into the shadows. Ying Yue felt his fingers too light, felt his heart too heavy, and his mind running with thoughts of possibilities.

"Ah Li, please come back to me, my love. Come home."

==

(2 years later)

"Fu Shen, I am so happy you are our resident chef! Your meals are divine," Zhang Xu Lan grinned eating the porridge with a pleased hum.

"I agree, thank you Fu Shen."

Grandmaster Yue smiled and the Master Xu nodded in agreement. Fu Shen glanced over at his master to see an offered smile that did not reach warm brown eyes. Bowing, he thanked them and continued cooking, ignoring the confusion like guilt gnawing at his heart.

"Ah Yue," Han Mo spoke up, "There's been sighting of a low-level demon. I think we should bring along our students to experience it."

"They've been itching to test their knowledge and I am excited to see how my students compare to yours father and uncle," the pinkette said excitedly.

"A challenge," the redhead smirked, "Very well. I accept."

"Yes! Then the first team to capture the demon wins!"

"If you lose?"

"Who said I would?"

"This isn't a competition," Ying Yue started but the brunette grinned.

"Whoever wins can receive the best student from the losing teams," Han Mo said with a twinkle.

"You're on!"

Ying Yue was happy they had comradery between family, but to make this a competition seemed to lose the importance of teamwork. Sighing with a smile, his golden eyes glanced over to the white-haired boy in the kitchen. There was a frown upon the lips and a slight dip of white brows. Ying Yue could not see Fu Shen's eyes due to the shoulder length hair blocking the view.

'Ah Shen is Han Mo's best student. Is my brother willing to part with him or is he confident he will succeed?'

"Uncle Yue! You be the judge since you have no apprentice."

Ying Yue laughed and agreed with a sigh.