Bu Tian Gang

Dong Zhi was on a road that seemed to have no end.

Both sides were covered with a gray mist, lightly floating yet heavily pressing on his heart, making it hard to breathe.

No matter how fast or slow his steps were, the mist always followed him. At first, he thought it was demonic, but later realized it wasn’t. If he had to describe it, it was like an aura skirting the edges of demonic qi. Not quite demonic, yet filled with numbness and melancholy, much like human negative emotions. Less harmful than demonic qi, but it would subtly invade and permeate, gradually changing a person, making him lose his will to fight, becoming lost, and eventually succumbing here.

This reminded him of the time when he and He Yu went to Yangcheng to save Cheng Hui. They encountered the same gray mist and almost couldn’t get out—if it weren’t for Long Shen’s rescue.

Thinking of Long Shen, his breath caught slightly.

Once, he was just an ordinary person who feared demons and death, but now, trapped in an endless abyss, he felt no fear, for there were things more important than fear to attend to.

Even though his logic told him that Long Shen, corrupted by the demonic qi and sacrificing himself to seal it, might be in great danger, there was still a glimmer of hope in his heart. He hoped that things didn’t turn out for the worst and that Long Shen remained strong, able to suppress the demonic qi, waiting for his arrival.

In the gray mist, a faint light appeared in the distance.

His heart stirred, and he quickened his pace. Any sign of activity in such a place couldn’t be good, but movement meant there was a possibility of a breakthrough. But as he approached the light, he found it was not just one, but a string of lanterns held by people. Some wore shackles and were slowly marching.

The outfits of the officers and prisoners seemed odd, clearly from the early Republic of China era. Everyone looked numb, with lifeless eyes. They all looked at him when he “intruded”. Their dead eyes sent a chill down his spine.

Wasn’t this the same group he encountered when he mistakenly entered the enchantment of the Archfiend Xu Wan in Yangcheng?

Before the thought settled, the lantern bearer had already raised a whip to strike at him. However, he wasn’t the defenseless man from Yangcheng anymore. Without a second thought, his Changshou Sword emerged from its sheath, and with it, he lunged at the attacker. In a moment of shock and fear, his sword light shone down, reducing the group to nothingness, disappearing in a cry.

As the shadows were obliterated, the white light of the sword didn’t fade but intensified. The brightness hurt his eyes, making him involuntarily close them. When he opened them a second later, he found the white light came from a phone held by someone.

Seeing him shielding his eyes, the person hurriedly turned off the light and apologized. “Sorry, I accidentally turned on the flashlight. I’ll turn it off!”

Perhaps his startled stare made the person feel awkward, prompting another apology and a query. “Are you alright?”

He reached back reflexively and found nothing. No Changshou Sword; just the hard back of a seat.

On a late-night train, the outside world whizzed past. The familiar hum of the train and the subtle vibrations beneath him weren’t unfamiliar, but he shouldn’t be here.

“Had a nightmare?” the young man asked. “Want to join us for a card game?”

Dong Zhi pinched himself and felt pain. A deck of cards was spread out on the table, including in front of him. The boy across from him, shuffling the cards, looked a little embarrassed and tried to move the cards away, but he stopped him, causing a bit of a fright.

“…You guys keep playing; I need to go to the restroom,” Dong Zhi said. He then grabbed his backpack and walked out.

He casually found an empty seat and sat down, opened his backpack, and found his wallet, ID holder, clothes, and power bank.

The only thing missing was the rune.

A passenger walked past him towards the restroom at the end of the aisle.

Dong Zhi suddenly jumped up from his seat and grabbed the man.

The man turned his head and looked at him with a puzzled expression. The familiar face made Dong Zhi blurt out, “He Yu?!”

He Yu chuckled. “You know me?”

Dong Zhi stared at him for a moment. Before He Yu could think he was mentally ill, Dong Zhi finally said, “Hello, my name is Dong Zhi.”

He Yu replied, “…Why should I care about your name? Dude, are you okay? Are you uncomfortable anywhere? Do you need a stewardess?”

Dong Zhi lowered his voice. “Are you guys heading to Changchun on this trip? There’s a demon on this train. Be careful!”

He Yu, tall and sturdy, could easily deal with Dong Zhi, but surprisingly couldn’t break free. He looked at Dong Zhi with a skeptical eye, and his expression became sour. “I’ll call the police if you continue like this!”

The two locked eyes for a moment, then Dong Zhi let him go and slowly said, “Sorry, I just woke up and mistook you for my friend.”

“Whatever!” He Yu waved his hand generously and walked away without looking back.

Dong Zhi watched his retreating figure in a daze.

He began to wonder if he had fallen into an illusion where past events would repeatedly play out, trying to break down his defenses. But he also had an even scarier thought—

Encountering monsters on the train, seeing a bone dragon on Changbai Mountain, the hard work to join the Special Administration Bureau, meeting a group of likeminded individuals, being taught by Long Shen, and fighting demons. Could all of this just be a long dream he had on the train?

After waking up from the dream, the world was still the same ordinary world, without any fantastic tales. He Yu didn’t know magic, and Long Shen wasn’t the Long Yaun sword.

He unconsciously drew a symbol on the table.

The core of the sunlight talisman.

If all this was truly an illusion, could even the runes be figments of his imagination?

Dong Zhi slowly clenched his hand, suddenly stood up, and walked in the direction where He Yu had left.

After walking through a few carriages, he finally found He Yu.

With him were several others, one of whose faces made Dong Zhi’s heart skip a beat.

Perhaps it was the strange way Dong Zhi was standing, but the group quickly looked up.

He Yu: “You again?”

Under Long Shen’s gaze, Dong Zhi forced a smile. “Sorry, you look so much like a friend of mine. I… I miss him a lot, so I got a bit emotional.”

He had intended to act pitiful in any way to stay and slowly figure out the situation, but the moment he spoke, without any need to feign emotion, tears started flowing.

He Yu was taken aback and, seeing Dong Zhi’s innocent face and heartbroken expression, couldn’t bring himself to accuse him of lying, quickly saying, “Please don’t cry. Let’s talk calmly!”

“Let’s sit down and talk,” Long Shen finally said.

The voice was as familiar as when they first met on the train, making Dong Zhi’s tears flow even more.

He Yu clumsily handed him a tissue.

As Dong Zhi thanked him, he noticed Long Shen was also looking at him, with a calm expression that wasn’t hostile but indifferent. Feeling a shiver, Dong Zhi quickly looked away.

“You look a lot like an old friend of mine. We played together since we were kids, but he died. I miss him so much that seeing you reminds me of him. I’m sorry, I couldn’t help but get emotional,” Dong Zhi quickly crafted an excuse.

He Yu skeptically asked, “Then how did you know my name?”

Dong Zhi pretended to be shocked. “My friend’s name was He Yu too! Is that your name as well?”

He Yu scratched his head. “This is so weird!”

Dong Zhi quickly apologized. “I didn’t mean to bring bad luck. It’s just a huge coincidence!”

“There are many coincidences in the world,” Long Shen said, “but meeting is destiny.”

Feeling embarrassed, Dong Zhi replied, “Thank you. My name is Dong Zhi. I just quit my job and am heading to Changchun for a trip. What about you?”

“Quit your job?” He Yu exclaimed in his typical surprised manner. “You look like a student!”

Long Shen replied, “We’re colleagues from the same company. We’re on vacation and heading to Changbai Mountain.”

Dong Zhi pointed at Kan Chaosheng, who was snacking and playing games, and laughed. “Is he your colleague too?”

A hint of a smile appeared on Long Shen’s face. “He’s my nephew.”

He gently patted Kan Chaosheng’s shoulder. “Say hello.”

While continuing his game, Kan Chaosheng gave a tiny nod. “Hello, brother!”

Dong Zhi glanced at Long Shen and coughed lightly. “You can call me uncle. What game are you playing?”

“The Great Wasteland!” Kan Chaosheng replied without looking up.

At that moment, Long Shen suddenly said, “I’m going to take a walk. Chaosheng, don’t run around. He Yu, can you watch him for me?”

He Yu, who was about to play a game, nodded upon hearing this. Seeing Long Shen stand up, he quickly went over to sit next to Kan Chaosheng.

Dong Zhi was pondering whether to stay or find an excuse to join Long Shen when Long Shen asked, “Coming with me?”

Dong Zhi quickly looked up, seeing Long Shen looking at him. Without much thought, Dong Zhi immediately agreed and followed behind Long Shen.

The two walked through a carriage. Long Shen passed the restroom without stopping. Dong Zhi wasn’t sure where he was headed and didn’t feel right asking. He just followed until they reached a deserted corridor with lights casting mottled shadows, making it secluded.

Suddenly, Long Shen grabbed Dong Zhi’s wrist, and before Dong Zhi could react, he was pinned against the carriage wall.

“You’re here for me, aren’t you?” The two were so close that their breaths mingled, and their noses nearly touched.

Dong Zhi gazed at the approaching Long Shen, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. He felt that the current Long Shen was very different from when they first met.

Back then, Long Shen seemed like a frosty, untouchable alpine flower. How could he now be showing such a mischievous smile?

“What if I say ‘yes’?”

“Then you’ll get what you want.”

Long Shen replied, making a dominant move. Dong Zhi exclaimed in surprise and quickly grabbed Long Shen’s shoulders to stop him.

“What are you doing?”

“You asked for it. Why act so innocent now?”

Long Shen chuckled and moved to kiss Dong Zhi, quickly entwining their tongues and leaving Dong Zhi speechless. Tears formed in Dong Zhi’s eyes as the intense encounter overwhelmed him. Still, a sliver of sanity allowed him to push Long Shen slightly away.

“Stop…”

“You’re all weak, but still talking tough?” Long Shen teased. Dong Zhi took deep breaths, seemingly struggling to differentiate dreams from reality.

“Who are you, really?”

Long Shen raised an eyebrow. “Oh, you still don’t know my name? Let me introduce myself. I’m Long Shen. The He Yu you met earlier? He’s my younger brother.”

“What do you mean, ‘younger brother’?” Dong Zhi opened his eyes wide. Isn’t he your subordinate?

Long Shen sneered. “He used to mix with me in my past ventures. Now, he’s assisting me in some small business. Is that clear? Why are you prying into my life? If it weren’t for your enticing appearance, I wouldn’t bother with you at all!”

With that, he made another intimate gesture. Dong Zhi grunted, grabbing Long Shen’s wrist and pulling in the opposite direction.

“You’ve got some skills,” Long Shen remarked, impressed. After a few exchanges of moves, Dong Zhi made a move that forced Long Shen to retreat a few steps. “Where did you learn that?”

Dong Zhi, staring at Long Shen’s playful smile, suddenly felt a surge of anger.

“You’re not Long Shen.”

Everything about him, from his face to his demeanor, was exactly like Long Shen’s, except his personality.

Confused, Long Shen chuckled. “If I’m not Long Shen, then who am I? My ID clearly states my name. Or have you mistaken me for someone else? An old lover, perhaps?”

Wrong.

It’s all wrong.

Dong Zhi’s mind was in turmoil.

Logically, he believed this to be an illusion created by demonic influences playing on one’s innermost desires. Yet another voice told him this was the real world. That there were no monsters or demons, that Long Shen’s identity and the current scene were simply reality.

“Long Shen…” Dong Zhi’s voice quivered, startling Long Shen. “Tell me, Kan Chaosheng isn’t really your nephew, is he? He’s actually a jiao that has cultivated for 500 years and just transformed into a human, right?”

Long Shen looked at him as if he were crazy. “So it wasn’t that you mistaken me for your lover. You just escaped from a mental hospital!”

“Such bad luck!” Long Shen dusted off the ash on his clothes. After all that commotion, his mood had deflated like a sponge. He had no interest in indulging the other’s madness any longer and turned to leave.

The other party didn’t chase after him. But after a few steps, Long Shen inexplicably stopped and looked back.

Dong Zhi stood there in a daze; his eyes reddened. Although there were no tears, he radiated a sense of despair.

“Hey, are you okay?” Long Shen couldn’t help but ask.

Dong Zhi didn’t respond.

Cursing under his breath, Long Shen left without looking back.

Returning to his seat, Long Shen found his mind still lingering on the previous scene, unable to focus.

He Yu, who was playing a game, took a moment to glance at him, puzzled. “Boss, are you alright?”

Hearing this, Long Shen became even more irritated and stood up to leave. He walked back to where he had been earlier, and surprisingly, Dong Zhi was still there, in the same posture.

Without saying another word, Long Shen grabbed Dong Zhi’s wrist and found a nearby seat.

“Wait for me here.”

He left after saying this. Before long, Long Shen placed a bottle of water and a box of food on the table.

“Eat.”

Tears welled up in Dong Zhi’s eyes, but he also wanted to laugh.

“Thank you.” He accepted the water and pushed the box of food back. “I’m not hungry. You eat.”

Long Shen frowned. “Laozi bought food for a stranger maybe once in 800 years, and you dare to reject my kindness?”

The moment he spoke, he was full of roguish charm. Dong Zhi had never heard Long Shen refer to himself as “laozi”. Besides feeling uncomfortable, he also found it amusingly absurd, as if the world had become unreal.

He forced himself not to care about these details, took a few sips of water, and his mood became much calmer.

“Take this!”

Long Shen threw him a business card. Dong Zhi picked it up and read it: Long’s Designs, Chairman.

The absurdity hit Dong Zhi again. Seeing Dong Zhi staring at the card, Long Shen couldn’t help asking, “You didn’t approach me with a fake excuse, did you?”

Dong Zhi shook his head. “Has someone done that before?”

Long Shen smirked. “Of course. Given my charm, many have. You’re the only one I’ve entertained!”

Dong Zhi: “Should I feel honored?”

Long Shen grinned mischievously. “No need. Just let me take the lead.”

Even though he said this, he did nothing aggressive. Instead, he bought Dong Zhi water and food. Dong Zhi suddenly said, “Would you believe that besides someone having the same name as He Yu, there’s also someone with the same name as you?”

Long Shen: “What’s so strange about that?”

Dong Zhi: “I met them on a train.”

The story began on a train to Changchun. The appearance of that Long Shen was like the brightest star in the night sky, revealing a vast universe to him. Maybe because the story was so bizarre but captivating, Long Shen listened intently, only interjecting when he heard about Dong Zhi’s imminent death curse and confession, “He didn’t accept you out of pity.”

Dong Zhi: “How do you know?”

Long Shen scoffed. “Male intuition! You’re too close to see it. Based on his character, he would never like someone out of pity.”

Dong Zhi laughed. “Yes, I realized that later.”

Long Shen then asked, “What happened next?”

Dong Zhi: “After that, we went to Southeast Asia and dealt with the person who cursed me. The real conspirator then emerged. He went to Japan, while I went to the U.S. for an international conference.”

Long Shen: “Your story is too drawn out. Readers will get bored.”

Dong Zhi chuckled. “But you’re still listening, right?”

Long Shen tried to light a cigarette but saw the no-smoking sign and put it away. “You found a patient listener. What then?”

Dong Zhi said, “Then, Otowa Yasuhiko, the person I mentioned to you earlier, in order to deal with him, Long Shen actively drew the demonic qi into himself. Taking the opportunity, he used the Four Symbols Star-Setting Lamp to completely annihilate him. However, just before Otowa Yasuhiko died, he had already set a trap. He had someone destroy the seal on Kunlun Mountain, break the formation’s focal point, and release the beast, the Phoenix, that was sealed beneath it, thereby fully opening the passage to the abyssal hell.”

His voice gradually deepened. “Upon hearing the news, everyone rushed over. We struggled for days and nights, with many making the ultimate sacrifice. Yet, the gap still couldn’t be sealed. In the end, he chose to absorb the demonic qi, jumped into the abyss, using his own power to mend the rift, allowing others to seal the passage. By the time I arrived there, I witnessed the very moment of his noble sacrifice. The story ends here.”

Long Shen snorted coldly, criticizing without courtesy. “How stupid! I detest these stories of self-sacrifice to save the world! If I were him, I would never do such a stupid thing. With his looks and abilities, wouldn’t it be better to live a carefree life with his lover? Why choose to face danger?”

Dong Zhi replied, “If he hadn’t acted, the demonic qi and demons from the abyss would have invaded our world. Then, no one would be safe.”

Long Shen scoffed. “That’s a problem for later. Maybe the crisis would have been resolved before that. You said there were many people present. Surely, someone else could have stepped up. Why did it have to be him? If it were me who had done so much for the agency and got nothing in return, who would stay? It’d be better if you changed the ending!”

Dong Zhi asked, “How would you change it?”

Long Shen, lounging back and raising an eyebrow, suggested, “End everything in Japan, let Otowa Yasuhiko die at the hands of your character, Long Shen. Let him earn great merit and be promoted upon his return. How about that?”

Dong Zhi shook his head. “Then it wouldn’t be him.”

“Boring!” Long Shen pouted. “Waste of a protagonist who shares my name. If you don’t take my advice, no one will read this story!”

He grabbed a business card from the table and handed it to Dong Zhi. “Bet you a dinner that if this story ever gets published, I’ll treat you!”

Dong Zhi: “And if it doesn’t?”

Long Shen: “Then, how about a date?”

Dong Zhi couldn’t help but laugh. Long Shen clicked his tongue. “A smile suits you better. Ever thought about it, fantasy writer?”

Dong Zhi replied, “I’m an artist.”

Taking out his drawing board and pencils, he told Long Shen to stay still. With just a few strokes, he sketched the scene of Long Shen gazing out of the window. Even in its rough form, the essence of Long Shen was captured.

“I’m giving this to you as a thank-you for listening to my story.” Dong Zhi offered the sketch.

Long Shen shook his head. “It’s a good drawing, but it’s not me.”

Dong Zhi was puzzled. “It’s you.”

Long Shen responded, “It’s the Long Shen from your story, not me.”

Dong Zhi was taken aback, and the two stared at each other silently.

“I think I need to wake up from this.”

This was another Long Shen, another chapter of life. Perhaps the beginning was tempting, but it was definitely not what he desired.

Long Shen smirked. “You should wake up from your story! Let’s reintroduce ourselves. I’m Long Shen, the owner of Long’s Design Company. My net worth might not make Forbes’ list yet, but I can afford to take care of a young artist. Interested?”

“My master wasn’t as smooth-talking or flirty as you. If I hadn’t met him, I might have preferred someone like you. But since it is him, it can only be him.”

Dong Zhi slid the card back. “Any other Long Shen is an illusion. No matter how beautiful the beginning, I don’t want it. This should end.”

He removed a protective charm from his neck.

This protective charm was given to him by Long Shen, and he has always worn it. When the Changshou Sword and sunlight talisman were not with him, and when he encountered a completely different Long Shen and unexpected events, for a moment, Dong Zhi truly believed that everything was just a long and beautiful dream.

Until he found the charm around his neck.

It was this charm that gave him the belief to continue dealing with this world.

“Attack!”

With a fierce shout, Dong Zhi formed the unmoving sunlight seal with his hands and threw the spell at Long Shen. However, it paused in mid-air, shining brightly, and took the shape of the charm itself.

Under Long Shen’s surprised gaze, the shape of the charm grew larger, and its brightness intensified, eventually illuminating the entire space and blocking out all sight.

Wherever he looked, there was only emptiness, as everything ceased to exist.

After an unknown amount of time, the light slowly faded.

Dong Zhi opened his eyes.

Deep down, he was somewhat uneasy, fearing that he would still see that train, that Long Shen, and that completely different story and beginning, and he no longer had the only proof of his encounters with Long Shen.

His vision was filled with a gray mist, and he felt pain below his knees. Looking down, he saw dark, flowing qi gnawing at his clothes and skin.

These were low-level demons called Sneaky Yaksha, which Dong Zhi had encountered before.

Seeing these creatures, he was relieved. Reaching behind him, his heart leaped with joy.

His Changshou sword was still there!

Without hesitation, he drew the sword from its sheath, its radiant blade slashing fiercely at the demons!

……

Long Shen’s body trembled slightly.

On one side of his face, which looked evil, a hint of anger emerged. Blood dripped from his eyes, looking terrifying. Even the demonic qi around him seemed fearful, not daring to approach.

The other half of his face remained calm and serene, eyes closed.

“Why doesn’t he continue the life that was shaped for his personality and hobbies?” Mara asked.

Long Shen slowly opened his eyes and said, “Because it’s fake.”

Mara laughed. “What’s real, and what’s fake? What I gave him was also real. Even if his body gets devoured by demons, his consciousness can forever remain in that world, completing that beautiful life. I’ve never seen a human refuse my kindness.”

Long Shen also had a faint smile.

“Because, he is Dong Zhi.”

……

Kunlun Mountains, Lengele Gorge.

“It’s been two days,” Song Zhicun said.

Without his reminder, everyone realized it.

Master Zhang sighed with exhaustion and said, “Seal the breach.”

He Yu closed his eyes, having no position or ability to object.

Everyone had held on until the very last moment. The formation was on the verge of collapsing and could no longer be maintained. The absence of Long Shen and the others meant their chances of seeing daylight again were slim.

“Prepare to seal!” Song Zhicun gritted his teeth and shouted.

Two days was his final limit. He had to ensure the safety of everyone here and the entire world.

The jade tablet from Mount Longhu had been delivered. Serving as a replacement for the Phoenix’s guardian instrument, it floated at the center of the formation, shining brilliantly. As the formation activated, the tablet “came to life”, its brightness intensifying like brilliant stars. It slowly descended, eventually turning into a huge rock, sealing the pit completely.