Dear Moderator, I Was Wrong (Revised)

As spiritual energy circulated through his body, Gu Yi felt that perhaps it was not so unacceptable after all.

His damaged meridians were nourished, and the severed sections were growing back.

After the two of them... everything was taking a turn for the better.

A breeze blew past, carrying away the heat from their bodies and bringing a trace of coolness.

In the silent darkness, only Gu Yi's steady breathing and the faint fragrance at the tip of his nose put Lin Yuan at ease.

He raised his hand and touched Gu Yi's. Gu Yi did not pull away, so he followed Gu Yi's arm, feeling his way up inch by inch to his shoulder, neck, and cheek.

What exactly did he look like?

Their intimate contact earlier had already given Lin Yuan a rough idea of Gu Yi's build.

Now, as he felt Gu Yi's face, he found that his nose was not large, nor was his mouth. Judging by his voice, he probably was not very old either. He ought to be a handsome, delicate-featured young man.

Gu Yi had been thoroughly worn out. The moment Lin Yuan got off him, his eyelids had begun to droop. By now, his breathing was even, and he was sleeping like the dead.

Lin Yuan's fingers reached his eyes, and the corners of his lips curved slightly. He had fallen asleep so quickly.

He casually pulled the fox-fur cloak over them both and lay on his side.

Gu Yi's lifespan had increased as well. This was Lin Yuan's first time using this... method.

His senior brother had said that two people... was a method reserved for cultivation partners, something to be used only with the person one loved.

The person he loved?

Lin Yuan frowned. He had never thought about any person he loved. ...It was merely to speed up his cultivation... and get out of this wretched place sooner.

Beside him, Gu Yi seemed to feel a little cold. His body instinctively sought warmth, and he shifted closer to Lin Yuan, wrapped in the fox-fur cloak.

Lin Yuan's body tensed, but he did not push him away. Gu Yi found a comfortable position, draped an arm over Lin Yuan to hold him, and nuzzled against him before drifting back to sleep.

Gu Yi slept for a long time. So long that Lin Yuan had to check him with spiritual energy at regular intervals to see whether he was still alive.

Perhaps it was because his body was repairing itself, or perhaps it was because he had been worn out too badly.

By the time Gu Yi woke again, seven days had passed.

The moment he moved, Lin Yuan spoke. "Gu Yi? You're awake?"

Gu Yi instantly came fully awake. Remembering how intense things had been between them earlier, he blushed and stammered, "Ahem... mm... I'm awake."

"How do you feel? Any discomfort?"

There was a rare note of concern in Lin Yuan's voice, but he immediately added, "Don't get the wrong idea. I'm not worried about you. I'm just afraid you'll die... and all my effort will have been wasted."

Gu Yi checked his body. His meridians had healed, and although he did not have much spiritual energy, he could at least use a little now. Resuming his cultivation, however, would be extremely difficult.

Fortunately, his lifespan had increased by almost a year.

He would not die for the time being.

"No discomfort. Thank you for extending my life, young immortal." Discovering that his body was still..., Gu Yi hurriedly took a set of clothes from his Qiankun Ring and prepared to put them on.

"No need to thank me. ...With you improves my cultivation much faster than directly..."

Lin Yuan raised his chin. "I'm doing all this so I can get out sooner. Saving your life was merely incidental."

"Oh..." Gu Yi's hands paused briefly as he dressed.

So he was doing it to improve his cultivation. I thought he genuinely wanted to save me.

"If there's nothing wrong with your body, get ready. We'll continue in a bit..."

Lin Yuan's lips curved. Being with Gu Yi felt good. It improved his strength, and he did not dislike it.

"I don't want to." Gu Yi finished dressing and walked away from Lin Yuan.

"What did you say?" Lin Yuan immediately braced himself against the barrier and stood, tilting his head to listen for movement on Gu Yi's side.

Gu Yi had already reached the edge of the barrier and was stretching in the sunshine.

"Young immortal, I don't want to continue with you."

"Why not?"

Lin Yuan felt his way over, his face full of confusion. "Being with me... can extend your life and help us get out sooner. What's wrong with each of us getting what we need?"

"But you... can get out on your own sooner or later." Gu Yi smiled. "And I don't have to extend my life."

Each of us getting what we need-sounds nice. Once you... reach the point where you can leave, the first thing you'll do is kill me, won't it?

You're only extending my life now so I can conveniently serve as your... vessel. Once we're out, will you really allow someone who sullied your purity to live?

Rather than let you use me, I might as well die right now.

At least I won't be worn out so badly.

"What do you mean by that?" Lin Yuan's brows knitted tightly. He did not understand why Gu Yi would rather die than continue... with him.

It clearly accomplished two things at once, and hadn't he cooperated fairly well last time?

"Exactly what I said." Gu Yi enunciated each word. "I. Do. Not. Want. To. Continue. With. You."

"But you already agreed!" Lin Yuan persisted.

Gu Yi's mouth twitched.

He had lost his head over a pretty face back then.

Despite what he said aloud, inwardly he kept grumbling. How had a dignified Demon Venerable like him fallen so low?

Teaching someone else... what was that supposed to be?

His lifetime of prestige was ruined...

"Gu Yi!"

Lin Yuan faced Gu Yi with his vacant eyes.

Pain shot through Gu Yi's back from the impact. "What are you doing? Let go of me!"

"You don't seem to understand your situation. When I say we're continuing, I'm not asking, whether you're willing or not." As Lin Yuan spoke, he reached to... Gu Yi's... clothes...

As far as Lin Yuan was concerned, Gu Yi had already slept for seven days... all that time wasted sleeping. If he had not been worried about Gu Yi's health, he would never have waited this long.

Gu Yi struggled. He thought there was something wrong with Lin Yuan.

"Why won't you continue with me?"

Lin Yuan pinned Gu Yi's hands above his head and leaned close to his ear. "I'm giving you two choices. Either cooperate obediently with me..., or I'll beat you until you can't resist. I can still..."

Gu Yi shuddered in fright. Looking at Lin Yuan's cold face, he realized that their fairly harmonious interactions these past few days had made him forget that Lin Yuan was this book's boss.

Death wasn't frightening. A fate worse than death was.

If he really left me half-dead for him to..., I'd be in a miserable state.

"Don't, don't, don't! Young immortal, that isn't what I meant. Actually... and all that isn't out of the question."

Gu Yi stopped struggling and softened his tone. "I... it's because... because..."

"Because what?" Lin Yuan tilted his head. "Speak plainly!"

He also wanted to know why Gu Yi was suddenly unwilling.

Lin Yuan released Gu Yi's wrists and wrapped an arm around his waist instead. "I've never done this sort of thing before. If it hurts, just bear with it."

Gu Yi's mouth twitched.

Listen to that. Is that something a human being would say?

"Gu Yi, cooperate with me obediently, and we'll each get what we need. Then I won't kill you. Once we're out, this matter of us... must stay buried inside you. You're not allowed to tell anyone..."

Hearing Lin Yuan's words, Gu Yi inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. He certainly would not tell anyone about being... by Lin Yuan.

This was fine too... Once they got out, they would go their separate ways and leave each other alone...