The Ethereal Domains

Chapter 61: Return

Return . . .

Only this morning had they commenced their search, but the accusations against General Lan were already amassing on the king's desk, provoking his fury. "Lan! Control your son! Or I'll use the law to do it for you!" the king thundered.

Alarmed, the Lan Clan hastened to retrieve their young lord, who was being dragged back home. Lan Lang-Lang, legs flailing as he resisted, shouted amidst the commotion, "Let go! I'm looking for Xiao Xiao..."

Zuo Wu-Ji regarded Lan Lang-Lang's antics with disdain, inwardly shaking his head. [Searching for someone, yet it looks like he's confiscating someone's property... He's lucky his head hasn't been on the chopping block...]

Prince Hua-Yang's household also learned of the search for Cha-Eun Xiao. The young princess promptly issued orders, mobilizing the household guards to aid in the capital-wide search.

Accompanied by her maid, Su Ye-Yue hurried to Cha-Eun Xiao's residence. Her concerned inquiries rang out. "Have you found him? Why hasn't he been located yet? Is something dreadful afoot? Could he be carousing in a brothel to the point of refusal to leave? Follow me!"

The young princess's orders set brothels throughout the capital ablaze with misfortune. Each establishment was forcibly entered and scrutinized. Clients were ejected from their chambers and herded into garden courtyards.

Initially, the clients sought to shield their identities by concealing their faces, believing that their faces might be the most revealing. As for their bodies, they figured they were no different from anyone else's. However, after a while, some abandoned the effort to mask their faces and instead began concealing their nether regions. It turned out that not all men were alike in every aspect of their anatomy, and the variations were glaringly apparent.

Of course, there were those who ceased hiding their faces but refrained from covering their private parts, adopting an almost swaggering stance with legs astride. These individuals exuded an air of pride. The differences between two men were not confined to their faces; some variations were far from subtle...

Ahem, as for what exactly was so conspicuous, well, I am a person of purity and innocence... I have no understanding of such matters.

While chaos reigned in the capital...

The young lord, Cha-Eun Xiao, the object of the citywide search, finally returned. In a secluded spot, he reverted to his true appearance. Although his face bore some wounds, Wen-Ren Chu-Chu hadn't inflicted excessively harsh blows. Moreover, the East-rising Purple Qi had proven to be an exceptional martial art, nearly healing all his injuries...

So, the Xiao Monarch had preserved some semblance of his dignity...

As he stepped onto the street leading to his residence, the jubilant cries of his servants filled the air. "The young lord is back! Our young lord has returned!"

Those voices belonged to his loyal servants.

"Lord Cha has returned! Lord Cha has returned!"

These cheers emanated from the people of Zuo Xiang Fu and the Palace of Hua-Yang.

"Thank goodness this fellow is back. Peace has been restored..." voiced another group, their relief palpable. They couldn't help but feel fortunate that after Cha-Eun Xiao's disappearance, their homes had been subjected to numerous intrusive searches daily...

Could anyone endure such vexation?

Whenever those in search of Cha-Eun Xiao entered their homes, their doors would reverberate with a thunderous bang, forcing them to crouch down. The memory of those intrusive searches was truly unbearable.

Upon hearing the news that Cha-Eun Xiao had returned, Su Ye-Yue rushed out like a whirlwind and stood at the door, hands on hips, bellowing in anger, "Where were you and what have you been doing? You rascal! Come here! I'm going to give you a good scolding!"

Cha-Eun Xiao's heart warmed. The girl's anger-laden words carried a clear undertone of concern.

Moreover, as she shouted, her eyes had welled up with tears, and her lips quivered, as if on the verge of weeping...

In this moment, she was undeniably adorable!

Observing Cha-Eun Xiao's leisurely approach, Su Ye-Yue felt an overwhelming sense of relief, as though she had recovered something precious that had been lost. She rushed down from the doorstep, her petite frame seemingly about to collide with Cha-Eun Xiao's arms. However, for some inexplicable reason, she halted!

Stopping just half a meter from Cha-Eun Xiao, she scrutinized him closely. She asked tentatively, "You... You're not a ghost, are you?"

Her hand extended to touch his body, then his face. Sensing the warmth of his body, she suddenly cried out, "You're not dead!"

She leaped into the air, tears streaming down her face.

The past two days, during Cha-Eun Xiao's absence, had been utterly harrowing for the young princess.

Initially, she had feigned composure, but eventually, she could no longer maintain the facade. She embarked on a search with her men, but the hunt yielded no results.

In truth, while no one had given up searching, most had lost hope!

Normally, such a situation wouldn't have caused them any alarm. They were well aware that Cha-Eun Xiao had a penchant for losing track of time while frolicking outside.

However, this time, the Mu Clan was in the capital!

His most formidable enemy was in close proximity, plotting his demise!

In their minds, Cha-Eun Xiao's disappearance had to be linked to the Mu Clan. Yet all the Mu Clan members they had encountered had perished, and Cha-Eun Xiao remained missing!

Their search spanned the entire capital, yet they failed to uncover a single clue.

With no alternative but to consider the worst-case scenario, their thoughts spiraled into a state of despair.

Just when they were on the brink of losing hope, Cha-Eun Xiao suddenly appeared around a street corner. He strolled leisurely and casually, sending shockwaves through everyone upon his arrival.

"What are you talking about? Why would I be dead? I'm perfectly fine!" Cha-Eun Xiao rubbed his nose and replied. He was touched by the surprise that his reappearance had caused, and though dusk was falling and the sun was setting, he basked in the afterglow.

A sensation of "is this the world's close affection?" enveloped his heart.

"In such a critical moment, why were you still frolicking around? Where on earth have you been?!" The princess, who had just begun to relax, abruptly shifted from joy to anger, and the pent-up anxiety and frustration erupted from within. She berated him fiercely, "Do you even realize the significance of this moment? Do you understand how frantic we've been searching for you? Do you comprehend the peril you were in? Do you know how much I care about you... Do you know..."

She bellowed with all her might, her gestures wild; nearly half the street could hear her loud and clear.

Then, abruptly, she ceased shouting, halted mid-sentence, and burst into tears. "Wah!" She leapt into Cha-Eun Xiao's arms, clutching him tightly, her body trembling with sobs.

Caught off guard, Cha-Eun Xiao stood stiffly, his hands hovering awkwardly in the air, uncertain how to respond. An individual with an emotional quotient of zero faced a predicament such as this. He was entirely clueless about how to navigate the situation.

A lovely maiden had thrown herself at him... It was an experience he had never encountered before, in either of his lifetimes... He suddenly felt a rush of anxiety. He yearned to push her away, yet somehow it felt wrong to do so... Strangely, he also sensed a warm feeling blossoming within him, as her actions had genuinely touched his heart.

The next moment, a thought that had never crossed his mind emerged: **In my current life, I no longer practice the Pure Yang Martial Art. I have no reason to fear that anymore…**

With arms outstretched, he watched Su Ye-Yue sobbing in his embrace. Her tears and runny nose dampened his clothes, yet he felt an inexplicable tenderness. Slowly, he... wrapped his arms around her.

It was an unprecedented moment, the very first time in both of his lifetimes that he had held a woman with such complete earnestness.

At that instant, his heart raced.

Simultaneously, a joyful sense of 'possession' welled up within him.

This emotion was and deeply moving. It was a sentiment he couldn't release and had no desire to relinquish. (Ahem. It's exactly how I felt the first time I held my wife…)

Su Ye-Yue cried for a while until she realized she was weeping in Cha-Eun Xiao's arms. Hastily, she pushed away from his embrace and wiped her eyes. She didn't dare to raise her head, her cheeks flushed as she spoke, "Where am I..."

Then, with her head down, she darted into the house like a startled rabbit.

It was a true depiction of the saying: 'silently modest as a virgin, swift as a fleeing rabbit.' There was no doubt the girl was a virgin, and the so-called Xiao Monarch was... also a virgin!

[Translator's note: 'silently modest as a virgin, swift as a fleeing rabbit' is a literal translation of the Chinese idiom '静若处子,动若脱兔.']

The girl was indeed feeling embarrassed...

Cha-Eun Xiao called after her, "Be careful! Watch your step! Don't run into the wall..."

Su Ye-Yue's voice, filled with both embarrassment and irritation, shot back immediately, "None of your business!" Then she disappeared.

Onlookers couldn't help but chuckle affectionately. They were genuinely moved by the pure affection between the two.

"You guys can disperse now..." Cha-Eun Xiao waved his hand casually. "Yes, I'm back, and I'm fine... Heh heh heh... Please leave for now. Everything's fine."

The steward promptly instructed a guard, "Go to Lord Lan's residence and inform Lord Lan Lang-Lang that Lord Cha-Eun Xiao has returned... Tell him not to worry."

The guard nodded and quickly departed.

Who knew what absurd antics Lan Lang-Lang might come up with if he weren't informed?! How many more foolish things could he possibly do?

Zuo Wu-Ji stepped forward and chuckled, "Xiao Xiao, now that you're back safe and sound, I suppose I should take my leave. Otherwise... hahahahaha... I might end up getting a sound thrashing."

He let out a peculiar laugh with a hint of ambiguity, then waved and departed with his men.

After watching his best friend leave, Cha-Eun Xiao entered the house. The steward, whose face had been beaming with a smile until then, instantly turned serious. "My lord, your injuries..."

Cha-Eun Xiao waved his hand dismissively. "Nothing major. I was briefly captured. It took some effort to escape..."

"Who dared to do such a thing?" The steward's anger flared.

[Even when the Mu Clan is absent, another force has set its sights on our young lord?! This warrants closer investigation.]

"Well, you needn't worry about that," Cha-Eun Xiao said. "I've made amends with them. In truth, they weren't hostile from the outset. Besides, they've most likely left the capital by now. It's hardly worth mentioning anymore."