Little Pink Starfish

When Gu Bai and Qiguan Rui woke up the next day, neither of them mentioned the events of the previous night.

Qiguan Rui seemed even more attached to Gu Bai, and Gu Bai, in turn, treated Qiguan Rui with the same demeanour he once reserved for Gu Xiaoshan.

As for that confession… Gu Bai silently stared at the sky. Yes, he had been startled, but what could he do about it? Run away? There wasn’t any immediate danger to his life with this freak around. Running away would only trigger the twisted freak’s darker side if he got caught. Not running away? Well, that just meant putting up with the freak’s constant presence. Sure, the nights were more eventful now, but otherwise, life went on smoothly enough—and, in all honesty, Gu Bai realized that no matter how twisted this freak became, or how manipulative or deceptive he might be, Gu Bai didn’t want to see him upset. By this point, trusting or not trusting him hardly mattered anymore.

Gu Bai sighed inwardly. Turns out I’m some kind of saintly masochist…This didn’t sit right with him at all! But his main goal had always been survival, hadn’t it? If being the twisted freak’s lover—male lover at that—kept him alive until this freak destroyed the world, so be it. It was just a change in plans, nothing to overthink. ╮(╯▽╰)╭

Feeling like he had figured things out, Gu Bai sat down to meditate. Perhaps the epiphany worked wonders because, during that meditation, he broke through! From high-level Wu Jun to low-level Wu Wang—it was a major milestone. At his age, being a Wu Wang was an exceptional accomplishment, marking him as a prodigy.

Gu Bai thought smugly, I’m definitely the coolest guy alive! Even better, his lifespan had increased by a hundred years, and his body felt lighter and stronger.

At that moment, a soft body clung to him, arms wrapping tightly around his neck. A familiar, low voice murmured by his ear: “Gege broke through… That’s wonderful…” He paused for an uncomfortable amount of time. “Now I can have gege… for a hundred more years…”

Gu Bai: “…” Damn it! Can you stop breaking up your sentences like that? It was infuriating to hear the first half, then have to wait ages for the second half. What was this nonsense—building suspense for no reason? Gu Bai despaired over the freak’s annoying speaking habits. No matter how much patience he had, this was torture.

Resigned, Gu Bai patted Qiguan Rui’s head and pried off the freak’s legs wrapped around his own. More frustrating than his speech habits was his snake-like way of clinging to people. Even with his Wu Qi restrained, Qiguan Rui’s limbs remained unnaturally flexible, wrapping around Gu Bai like he had no bones.

This is driving me insane! Gu Bai felt as though some switch had flipped in Qiguan Rui, making him clingier than ever before. Well, my patience really is top-notch. He gave himself a mental thumbs-up.

Qiguan Rui, on the other hand, had noticed Gu Bai’s change in attitude and liked it. It made him feel like the person he wanted to completely possess was subtly drawing him in, inviting him to test the limits of his patience and tolerance. What would happen when that tolerance reached its breaking point? The thought filled Qiguan Rui with anticipation.

***

The two of them didn’t stay in Qingyang Town for long, nor did they head toward Qingtian Academy. Instead, they brought along the demon girl, Xin’e, and set off for the Demon Realm.

Gu Bai vividly remembered agreeing to Qiguan Rui’s casual “Gege, will you go to the Demon Realm with me?” and seeing the faint, unguarded shock in the freak’s eyes. Did you really think I’d refuse? Ha, would my refusal even matter? You’d have found a way to make me agree anyway. Stop underestimating my intelligence!

Qiguan Rui rested his head on Gu Bai’s lap, enjoying the gentle sway of the carriage. Meanwhile, his former first harem member worked tirelessly outside, driving the carriage, while Qiguan Rui indulged in Gu Bai’s unmatched handsomeness.

After two weeks of nonstop travel, the carriage finally stopped in a small, desolate town.

Bone Spring Town was an ordinary, run-down place but also one of the long-lost entrances to the Demon Realm. Centuries ago, when the warriors of Lingwu Continent drove the demons into exile, the Demon Realm became an isolated land with only two entrances, both heavily guarded. Over time, those warriors died, and their descendants fell into obscurity. The entrances were forgotten, becoming the stuff of legend.

Gu Bai stepped out of the carriage, exuding an air of aloof nobility. His flawless face and icy demeanour dazzled the townspeople, leaving them awestruck. Clearly a big shot!

Bone Spring Town was a small coastal village where most residents relied on fishing. Isolated and inaccessible, it struggled with transportation and trade. Young people with talent left to seek opportunities, rarely returning. The remaining population consisted of ordinary folks scraping by.

Seeing two strikingly handsome men and a beautiful woman appear in their midst felt like witnessing gods descend to earth. No one dared approach them.

Gu Bai, however, needed no one’s attention. Maintaining his cool demeanour, he walked through the town with Qiguan Rui, heading straight for the beach.

The Demon Realm, hidden among islands far out at sea, was protected by treacherous waters—whirlpools, hurricanes, sea beasts, and other dangers barred most approaches. However, the waterways from Bone Spring Town and Sky Bitter Town were exceptions—calm and safe.

Xin’e, the demon girl, spoke woodenly: “The Demon Realm has two safe entrances: Bone Spring Town and Sky Bitter Town. Sky Bitter Town is controlled by the Demon Realm and is bustling with activity, making it hard to sneak through. Bone Spring Town, on the other hand, is rarely visited, and only powerful figures from my grandfather’s generation know of it.”

Gu Bai nodded. A secret passage, huh? Makes sense. Not everyone should know about it—it’s meant to showcase the power of the elite, isn’t it?

Qiguan Rui cleared the beach, then turned to Gu Bai expectantly.

Without a word, Gu Bai took a ship from his spatial tool.

Yes, this ship was bought specifically for their journey to the Demon Realm. And yes, it was Qiguan Rui who paid for it. Since Qiguan Rui couldn’t access his own spatial tool with his Wu Qi sealed, the ship had been entrusted to Gu Bai.

They boarded the ship without delay. Xin’e took the helm, while the two men lay on the deck, basking in the sun without a care.

The journey was smooth, but as they neared the Demon Realm, Xin’e stopped the ship. “We need to figure out how to get past the checkpoints at the island’s entrance,” she said, her tone serious.

Qiguan Rui turned to Gu Bai with a gentle smile. “Gege, I have a solution.”

Gu Bai raised an eyebrow, glancing at the chains binding Qiguan Rui’s wrists. “You want me to unseal you?”

Qiguan Rui leaned closer, nuzzling Gu Bai’s nose affectionately. “Gege, you’ve been mad at me for so long. Don’t be mad anymore, okay?”

Gu Bai’s expression remained placid.

Qiguan Rui persisted, his voice soft and coaxing. “If it’s a big deal… You can chain me up again after this is all over, okay?”

Gu Bai chuckled despite himself. Well, that’s an interesting way to put it. He pulled out a key.

****

Pinky says: Gu Bai was bullied as a child, it didn’t work.

I’m trying to poop this novel out real quick, I wanna move onto another one.