The Ger's Contract Marriage [BL]
Chapter 501: The First Encounter in Dongzhou

Chapter 501: The First Encounter in Dongzhou

***SEE AUTHOR NOTE AT END: HIATUS IN DECEMBER 2024!!!***

"My journeys have led me far and wide over several continents." The man was strangely enchanting. "The world is much bigger than one would have expected."

As the raven-haired man spoke, his indifferent facade from their first almost meeting seemed like something from a fever dream. For a human cultivator, he was so full of life and vitality. Speaking about his adventures seemed to give him a joyful energy and even a brightness that drew FengLi’s eyes.

"I’ve met many cultivators of different schools of thought." At this, the handsome man looked first toward Brother Jian before looking back into FengLi’s eyes. "Dare I say I have never met anyone like either of you."

Dong Yang smiled lightly, as though it was just a quirk of his lips, but for some reason, the tiny smile made FengLi’s heart quicken. He had a jumble of feelings as he watched the tall human stare so unabashedly.

’Were humans so bold now? Did they not still fear those of the third gender?’ FengLi was confused by this man’s reactions; most others on this continent seemed to have strange feelings towards gers like himself.

To make matters worse, the man was... seductive...

As this final light bulb went off in FengLi’s head, everything began to fall into place... well, not everything. He still didn’t know why he felt so familiar around this man, why he wanted to fight him and keep him close all in the same breath. There were still so many unknowns.

Not everything had fallen into place, and the fact that his mind was throbbing from the spirit wine wasn’t helping. Human wine could get him drunk, a shameful discovery. And while he’d drunk the least in their group—even less than the human—he was having trouble keeping his vision focused under the influence of this spirit wine.

What mattered, though, was that this human—who could drink more than him, unfortunately—was trying to seduce his Brother Jian!

Once FengLi came to this conclusion, nothing else mattered. His eyes narrowed, and his lips pursed. Whatever adventures the two men chatted about in front of him were inconsequential.

Who cared!? He had traveled between three separate worlds already!—Although his adventures were never as in-depth as Dong Yang’s in this one world. He was more well-traveled!!

What mattered was this Dong Yang fellow, this human, was boldly flirting with his prey!!!

As the two men chatted joyfully, sharing little bits of their experiences in this low-level world, FengLi became more and more annoyed.

FengLi’s eyes flickered to the polished small table in front of him, the remnants of their drink reflecting the dimming lamp light.

The early evening had seamlessly transitioned into night, and the gazebo was bathed in the soft glow of numerous lamps they’d ferried over from the main house. Their gentle flickering added an intimate ambiance to the room, but FengLi’s mood was far from serene.

He watched Dong Yang’s every move, noting the way the human’s eyes lingered a bit too long on Brother Jian, how his smile seemed just a touch too warm for someone who couldn’t even smile properly.

FengLi’s irritation grew with each passing moment. The spirit wine was not helping; its effects muddled his thoughts and made his usually sharp senses duller and sluggish.

"Brother Jian," Dong Yang’s voice cut through FengLi’s haze, "tell me more about your experiences in the Northern Mountains. I’ve heard the cultivation practices there are quite unique."

Brother Jian’s eyes lit up, clearly pleased with the topic. "Ah, the Northern Mountains. It’s a place of harsh beauty, where the air is thin and the spiritual energy is thick. The techniques there are indeed unique, blending physical endurance with spiritual cultivation in ways you won’t find elsewhere."

Dong Yang leaned in, his interest genuine. "Fascinating. I’ve always wanted to visit, but circumstances have never allowed it. Maybe one day."

FengLi’s grip tightened on his wine cup. He could feel the ’jealousy’ bubbling within him, an unfamiliar and unwelcome sensation. It wasn’t just that Dong Yang was interested in Brother Jian; it was the ease with which he fit into their dynamic as if he belonged there.

Taking a deep breath, FengLi decided he needed to regain control of the situation. He leaned closer to Brother Jian, his fingers lightly brushing the other man’s arm. "Brother Jian, do you remember the time we encountered that deranged fox beast in the Eastern Forests? That was quite an adventure."

Brother Jian turned to him, a fond smile on his face. "Of course, FengLi. The fox seemed so close to achieving sentience, I couldn’t quite tell how old the beast was or if it had inherited cultivation from its predecessor."

Brother Jian was clearly interested in this train of thought. There were many beasts and spirit beasts in this world as with most other worlds, but in Dongzhou continent, it was difficult to find spirit beasts that had gained a human form outside of the old timers who had gained their human forms in the golden era of cultivation in this declining world.

The issue of dwindling spirit energy in this world was one Brother Jian was interested in learning more about, and a problem he personally wanted to solve. It was what led the Dragonborn to explore this lower-level world.

FengLi smiled, feeling a small victory. He could feel Dong Yang’s eyes on him, studying him, and he met the human’s gaze with a determined glint in his eyes. He wasn’t going to let this interloper disrupt what he had built.

But Dong Yang was not easily dissuaded. "The Eastern Forests, you say? I’ve heard they were once teeming with spiritual energy and dangerous creatures. Now it is a near abandoned place for Daoists."

FengLi nodded his head reluctantly. This was now an unfortunate truth. The fox was a lucky find, and they were able to help it fully realize its potential.

The young fox hadn’t even tried to seduce either of them as young foxes often did. It was a truly rare find.

Dong Yang’s eyes twinkled with amusement. "You two make quite the formidable team. It’s rare to see such synergy between cultivators."

FengLi’s irritation flared again. Was this human trying to compliment him or drive a wedge between them? He couldn’t tell, and it frustrated him to no end.

As the evening progressed, the conversation continued to flow, but FengLi’s focus remained divided. He was hyper-aware of Dong Yang’s every move, every word. The human seemed to have a natural charm, a way of making people feel at ease. It was infuriating and fascinating in equal measure.

FengLi tried to steer the conversation towards topics that would exclude Dong Yang, but the Daoist was skilled at redirecting the flow, keeping himself firmly in the loop. It was a delicate dance, one that FengLi found himself increasingly ill-prepared for.

Brother Jian, for his part, seemed oblivious to the undercurrents of tension. He enjoyed the conversation, his laughter and smiles coming easily.

Finally, FengLi had enough.

"Mine." He barely whispered out as the sounds of the night acted like the soundtrack to his little uprising.

At first Brother Jian was still smiling, ready to deal his next few words in response to Dong Yang, but the raven-haired man had turned to stare into FengLi’s eyes.

Dong Yang’s eyes lingered on FengLi for a moment, a soft smile playing on his lips but the confusion in his eyes couldn’t be covered up.