"Changyan, uh... uh... I'm sorry!" Chen Beixun said solemnly, then bowed respectfully.
"Hm?" An Changyan froze. It wasn't the apology that surprised him.
It was the way Chen Beixun had addressed him.
In the Kekumeng Race, people generally used someone's full name when addressing close friends, relatives, or a superior speaking to a subordinate. To show respect, they used only the surname. Chen Beixun's choice of address made An Changyan curious.
Chen Beixun seemed to notice his confusion and immediately explained.
Chen Beixun said, "In my hometown, people pay more attention to forms of address. There are lots of ways to address someone you're close to. This is one of them."
"Oh!" An Changyan replied, only half understanding. Then he asked, "What other unusual ways of addressing people are there in your hometown?"
"There is one!" Chen Beixun said with a smile. "Lin Bei!"
An Changyan asked in confusion, "What does that mean?"
Chen Beixun grinned. "It means 'myself.'"
The atmosphere gradually warmed, but then, suddenly!
Chen Beixun felt a wave of dizziness, as if the world had spun upside down!
"Ah!" Clutching his head with one hand, Chen Beixun forced himself to endure the dizziness as he ordered Demon Island Vine to protect An Changyan and keep him from hurting him.
"Chen Beixun!" An Changyan hurried forward. He didn't understand how things could have gone wrong so suddenly.
"Don't!" Chen Beixun held out a hand to stop him from coming closer. Then he sat cross-legged on the ground, closed his eyes, and fought against the sudden dizziness.
Seeing this, An Changyan stepped aside and watched in silence.
******
Three days later...
"I've almost recovered." Chen Beixun slowly opened his eyes. His breathing was a little ragged, and he looked uneasy.
"Chen Beixun..." Seeing him open his eyes, An Changyan immediately stood up, looking as though he had something weighing heavily on his mind.
Chen Beixun glanced at An Changyan in confusion and asked weakly, "What's wrong?"
"Uh... uh..." An Changyan looked like he wanted to say something but couldn't. He lowered his eyes and waited a long time before finally saying, "Pavadode is dead."
Pavadode had a life detector on him, so they would know as soon as anything happened.
"But Pavadode was a Domain Lord!" Chen Beixun's body jolted, and shock showed plainly on his face.
"We should leave here as soon as possible." An Changyan was clearly frightened now. His voice had changed, and he sounded pleading.
Chen Beixun scratched his head and gave a bitter smile. "We're trapped here. There's no way out."
"What?" An Changyan reached out toward Chen Beixun. He had only just begun to relax after seeing Chen Beixun recover, but now it felt as though he had been plunged into an icy cave.
"Don't tell me... even Demon Island Vine can't get us out?" Tears welled in An Changyan's eyes as he edged closer to Chen Beixun.
Chen Beixun remained silent.
"You're joking... right?" An Changyan immediately threw himself in front of Chen Beixun and clutched his hand tightly.
An Changyan was still a young girl with little experience. Faced with a situation like this, all he could do was hold on to Chen Beixun's hand and seek a little comfort. Growing up didn't happen overnight; it took time and hardship, just as it had for Chen Beixun.
"This..." Chen Beixun stroked An Changyan's slender hand, silently watching the raised, ice-blue veins beneath his skin.
He was helpless, too. The only exit had been sealed off, and the space was so cramped that Demon Island Vine couldn't easily use its devouring ability. That didn't mean it couldn't devour anything; it was just difficult to do so here.
"What should we do... What should we do!" An Changyan lifted his head and cried out in panic. His usually cool, beautiful face and his normally incessant chatter—so at odds with his appearance—had, for once, fallen into sync.
Chen Beixun gazed quietly at his stunning face. Mostly, he just sat there in silence, dazed, like most people staring blankly at one spot.
"What should we do... Huh?!" A flicker of surprise suddenly crossed Chen Beixun's vacant gaze.
"How can this guy be so beautiful?" Chen Beixun swallowed. He rarely paid attention to An Changyan's appearance.
Before he was a hundred, Chen Beixun had put such romantic entanglements behind him because of certain problems.
For some reason, an emotion he thought long dead had rekindled at that moment.
He cupped An Changyan's tear-streaked face and slowly drew him closer until their faces touched.
Sniffling, An Changyan met his gaze and rested one hand on Chen Beixun's shoulder.
After a while, he looked away and leaned his head against Chen Beixun's other shoulder, then closed his eyes.
An Changyan's faint fragrance lingered beneath Chen Beixun's nose, refusing to fade.
"You look like her." Chen Beixun closed his eyes and breathed in the delicate scent An Changyan gave off.
He felt a ball of fire burning away at his reason.
"I... I should calm down." Chen Beixun said one thing but did another. He placed his hand on An Changyan's waist and moved it lower.
"Mmm..." An Changyan felt a wave of pleasure and let out a soft moan.
"Mmm... Mm." With his eyes closed, An Changyan could feel something touching his buttocks.
"What are you doing?!" He jolted in surprise, planted both hands on Chen Beixun's shoulders, and straightened up to stare at him.
Chen Beixun said nothing and moved his hand away from An Changyan's buttocks.
"You lecher!" An Changyan shot Chen Beixun a disdainful look, then smiled. "Do you want me?"
"Things have already gone this far, anyway." An Changyan looked completely unconcerned.
Give in to temptation? Chen Beixun narrowed his eyes, returning to his usual calm. He apologized, "I'm sorry, Your Highness!"
"I lost control."
Chen Beixun knew that while he was out of his mind, he had even grabbed An Changyan by the throat and nearly caused a tragedy. Adding this to that... he really had gone too far.
Hearing this, An Changyan hugged him and said calmly, "Forget it."
"I forgive you, but you have to serve me well from now on."
After saying this, An Changyan rested his head on Chen Beixun's shoulder and closed his eyes contentedly, dozing.
At his words, Chen Beixun frowned, confused. He couldn't figure out what An Changyan meant or what he was trying to achieve.
Normally, someone who did this would hardly escape punishment.
"Ah!" After thinking it over, Chen Beixun suddenly understood. An Changyan wanted to tie the two of them together!
"Feeling happy now?" Qishan appeared before Chen Beixun. An Changyan, of course, couldn't see him.
He hadn't shown up when he was needed, but now he'd appeared out of nowhere. Chen Beixun glared at Qishan angrily.
"Heh! Don't get mad yet. Hear me out," Qishan said with a laugh.
"You! Fine... fine, go on!" Chen Beixun almost swore, but when he saw Qishan's sharp gaze, his anger drained away.
Qishan said to Chen Beixun, vividly and with great enthusiasm, "Just go ahead and sleep with him. The Kekumeng Race takes chastity very seriously."
"So you know what to do next!"
Chen Beixun understood at once. An Changyan was simply turning the situation to his advantage, making a gamble based on the circumstances!
An Changyan was using himself as the stake, betting that Chen Beixun wouldn't actually go through with it! Then he could make Chen Beixun feel ashamed and magnanimously forgive him, winning his loyalty in the process!
Chen Beixun nodded and smiled at An Changyan in front of him, thinking, All right, all right!
In truth, Chen Beixun could have forced himself on An Changyan and turned the tables, then used it to blackmail him and take control. After all, the Kekumeng Race took chastity very seriously.
"Ah..." Chen Beixun sighed and stopped dwelling on it, turning his thoughts to how they could escape.
Qishan wandered around the space.
"Hm!" Qishan exclaimed in surprise, then said to Chen Beixun, "This stone wall is made of Ketes Eagle Stone! Its defining feature is its hardness—it's incredibly hard! It's roughly on par with F7-grade metal!"
Chen Beixun stopped thinking and exclaimed in surprise, "F-grade metal?"
"Hm?!" An Changyan lifted his head sharply at Chen Beixun's words. "What F-grade metal?"
Chen Beixun: "..."
Chen Beixun cleared his throat a few times, then said, "The stone wall is as hard as F-grade metal!"
"Ah!" An Changyan cried out in surprise.
Chen Beixun felt a little helpless, but still smiled. "Your Highness, I'll find a way!"
Hearing that, An Changyan said coolly, "You'd better!" Then he rested his head against Chen Beixun's shoulder again.
Chen Beixun sighed. He would have to put up with this guy's temper every day from now on. Better get used to it sooner rather than later.
"Any ideas?" Chen Beixun asked Qishan.
Qishan fell silent for a moment, then said, "Look around for some kind of mechanism."
*******
*******
*******
Demon Island Vine's devouring levels corresponded to metal grades, as shown below.
Planetary Level: A1–9-grade metals.
Star Level: B1–9-grade metals.
Universe Level: C1–9-grade metals.
Domain Lord Level: D1–9-grade metals, E1-grade metals.
World Lord Level: E1–9-grade metals, F1-grade metals.
It didn't necessarily have to follow the standard. For example, a Star Level Demon Island Vine could also grow by devouring A-grade metals, but the amount of metal required would be enormous.