Reborn To Be The Imperial Consort [BL]-Chapter 113: Buds of A Marigold — VIII

The surgeon didn’t know how long the entire process took before the light and the runes around Hu Lijing’s body faded into nothingness as if they were never there in the first place.

Or he just didn’t bother caring. Mainly because he was too preoccupied with watching the enthralling glow and the fantastical runes. Truthfully, this was the first time — in both of his lives — that something so close to magic had happened in front of his eyes.

When the nine-tailed fox opened his eyes slowly, the gaze hidden behind his eyelids was calm as he spared a quick glance at Sui Yue before toying with it a little as he tossed it towards Li Xinyuan.

The surgeon instinctively extended his hand to grab a hold of the weapon thrown at his face by the fox spirit, the action being entirely devoid of conscious thoughts.

Just before the halberd fell into his hand, Hu Lijing’s warning floated into his ears—

"—Careful, it’s hot."

Li Xinyuan only had a single second to comprehend the warning and cover his extended hand with Qi to prevent any wound that he might end up inflicting upon himself.

Thoughts flashed through his mind as the halberd fell into his hand, the hot shaft of it touching the surgeon’s hand as it met with the flesh covered in a layer of protective Qi and issued a sharp sizzle.

Li Xinyuan raised an eyebrow, glancing at the still hot weapon and let out a scoff as he looked back at Hu Lijing, replying dryly.

"A warning like that would be appreciated if given a little sooner."

Hu Lijing smiled smugly as he folded his arms on his chest and canted his head slightly, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. "You managed to save yourself, didn’t you?" He retorted.

"In the nick of time," Li Xinyuan scoffed, clenching his fist around the halberd as he raised it in front of himself, a tick appearing in his temple as a vein emerged along his neck. "If I were a second late, congratulations, we have a roasted hand for dinner." He added coldly.

"Reaction speed training," the nine-tailed fox shrugged unapologetically. Li Xinyuan’s eyes narrowed as his cheeks puffed.

"Whatever you say. What did you do to Sui Yue, by the way?"

Hu Lijing observed his sullen expression and let out a snort. "Mhm. I have enchanted it to work better." He answered in a cryptic manner and then turned around to face the stream once again as he looked up at the dark sky before looking back at the surgeon over his shoulder. "Let’s get going now. It should be dusk in the Spirit Realm. Remember to conceal your presence to the bare minimum."

Li Xinyuan took a deep breath and nodded, following his instructions. "I will."

After the escape that had happened decades ago, the odds of the Dragon Clan having increased eyes watching the barrier between the Human Realm and the Spirit Realm as well as the amount of people patrolling the said area should be high. Extremely so.

After all, their carelessness and the weakness of that barrier had been major factors contributing to the nine-tailed fox spirit’s successful (Hu Lijing himself would never consider it successful) escape.

Hu Lijing smiled faintly and nodded, extending his arms as he brought his right hand to his lips, fangs tearing out of his gums as he sank them into the flesh of his fingers.

Crimson beads of blood emerged from the wound as the ovular droplets gathered on his fingertip and started glowing by the virtue of the power infused in them.

Flicking his finger around, the nine-tailed fox moved the bloody appendage in the air, drawing — initially invisible — sigils as his blood floated in the air before taking on a familiar amber glow that promptly burned to produce flames.

Li Xinyuan crossed his arms on his chest, silently watching the fox spirit make a rather huge and intricately unintelligible seal in the air, not to mention a seal or a rune — the surgeon had no idea which was which, he only knew incantations and only because he had studied them — was literally a burning artwork of amber flames.

If he didn’t know better, Li Xinyuan would have assumed it to be a fiery gate leading to hell. It may as well lead to one, though from the nine-tailed fox spirit’s perspective. And the surgeon’s.

After what felt like an eternity — just a little over ten minutes had passed, really; Li Xinyuan was just being dramatic — Hu Lijing finally completed the ginormous rune — it had to be a rune — that held resemblance to a gate.

Raising an eyebrow, the surgeon let out a low hum. "This is?" He asked, taking a few steps towards the burning gate as he turned to look at Hu Lijing with curiosity in his golden eyes.

The nine-tailed fox spirit steered his own hand away from the gate, shook it a few times and flicked away the excess blood lingering on his fingers, the burning flames casting a deep shadow on the other side of his face.

"A gateway through the barrier that separates this realm from the Spirit Realm," he explained briefly, swiping his tongue over his finger as the wound closed up swiftly. "We have to use it to travel through realms."

"Hm." Li Xinyuan nodded, his expression that of consideration as he took another step closer to the burning ’gate’, apparently., as he frowned to himself while inspecting the gate. "I know I shouldn’t be posing questions to you at this time — especially at this time — but humour me, Lijing; how does this work? I mean from what you told me about your portals, I don’t reckon you needing to make something like this. So...?"

"This ’portal’ as you put it," Hu Lijing began, looking at Li Xinyuan calmly. "Allows me to travel wherever I desire as long as I can imagine it, as long as I have enough belief, enough will to make it come true; I can go there." He paused. "And I have to make this gate because I’m taking you with myself. Otherwise, I only need to think of it and exert my belief and I’ll be wherever I want to be."

"Oh," Li Xinyuan nodded, making a lengthy sound as he leaned forward, hands clasped on his back as he observed the flickering flames that stretched out to lick at his flesh. "So you can do sorcery." He nodded in understanding then added as an afterthought. "You need this because of me— this, er... Anywhere door."

The surgeon nodded to himself, patting his own back mentally at the nearly apt comparison. Except the gate Hu Lijing created was more powerful, since it could be used to travel through realms.

Hu Lijing snapped his head towards Li Xinyuan, looking away from the burning gate as his brows twisted into a furrow. "Anywhere what, now?" He asked in exasperation before shaking his head. "Forget it, I won’t understand anyway."

"Okay, my dear Sorcerer."

"It’s not sorcery."

"It isn’t?" Li Xinyuan raised an eyebrow filled with scepticism. "If not sorcery, then what might it be?"

Hu Lijing remained silent. In truth, he had never thought of giving this art a name for it was something innate that came to him as naturally as breathing did. Although it might largely be due to the fact that he was the essence of the Flames of Creation, of Life.

He shook his head and stepped down voluntarily. "Nevermind, call it whatever you will."

Li Xinyuan shot him a grin as he reeled back, blinking in surprise as a flicker of flame shot towards him. "Thank you, Lijing." He glanced at the nine-tailed divine fox of flames from the corner of his eyes and smiled mirthfully. "Before we step through this thing, I would love to have you know that this—" he gestured at the gate "—is one of the most intimidating things I have seen in both of my lives till date."

Hu Lijing snorted as he snatched the surgeon’s hand and opened the gate. "Glad to know."

And they jumped. Into that fiery inferno of a gate.

"Fuuuck—!" Li Xinyuan crowed as they crossed through the realms.