With a swish of his waist, Jun Mo Xie waved over the waiter. He ordered wine and food without ceremony, utterly unconcerned with the cost or quality, demanding an entire banquet spread. The waiter was thrilled to the point of grinning from ear to ear, bringing a pot of fragrant tea first, then hurrying the kitchen staff to prepare the feast.

This handsome young master clearly looked wealthy; this single meal would be a massive profit. Little did the waiter know, this noble young master was every bit the empty-handed wastrel; whether ordering one dish or a whole table, he had nothing to pay with!

“What is your name?” the cloaked man opposite Jun Mo Xie asked, his eyes still fixed, utterly devoid of expression. Jun Mo Xie realized this fellow had cultivated his abilities to the uncanny degree where even his gaze could be altered and held constant at will!

“Must you ask my name? A name is just a marker, why bother with such trouble!” Jun Mo Xie looked at him with a touch of helplessness. “Wouldn’t it be far better to just drink a good meal together? After we drink, you go your way, I go mine—wouldn't that be splendid?”

“Nonsense! You probed me with divine sense and tracked me like a fly, sticking to my back. Do you expect me to believe you just want a drink? Do you take me for a fool?” the cloaked man reprimanded sharply. “Stop playing games with me, state your purpose clearly and quickly!”

“Alright, alright, I’ll tell you the truth, why be so dramatic and severe in tone.” Jun Mo Xie smiled gently, appearing sincere, adopting an air of laying his heart bare, his expression becoming intensely serious the moment the smile faded.

Though the cloaked man remained cold, he couldn't help but become intrigued. He asked coldly, “What is the reason?”

Jun Mo Xie poured out his fabricated heart: “The real reason is simply this: the moment I first saw you, I realized you were like a firefly in the deepest darkness, emitting a dazzling light that even the dead of night could not conceal. Amidst the vast crowds and the surging tide of worldly affairs, a man as outstanding as you stands head and shoulders above the rest, solitary and unique, no matter where you go. I admire you immensely… Your heroic bearing gives me a violent sense of vertigo, making me feel that if I failed to treat you to this meal, it would be an unforgivable, heinous crime, a regret so profound that even three lifetimes of deep remorse could not compensate for the heart-wrenching agony of missing this opportunity… That is why, even though I have no money, I have resolutely decided to treat you…”

“Stop!” The coldness on the cloaked man’s face finally shifted. The detached air that regarded all living things with indifference finally showed a flicker of disturbance. He raised his head, rolled his eyes up to stare at the ceiling for a long moment, feigning near collapse. Then, shaking his head twice, he suddenly slammed the table: “You confounded fool! What in the blazes are you saying? Are those words a human would speak?!”

“Haven't I made myself clear? What I mean is, we are destined! Our bond stretches across lifetimes. In the previous life, I was male, and you were female…” Jun Mo Xie said with a completely straight face, his gaze filled with sincere conviction that tolerated no doubt: “…You are my wife!”

“Go peddle your crap elsewhere! Why don't you just die!” The cloaked man's millennia of composure vanished instantly. His face turned the color of burnt charcoal, and a layer of goosebumps visibly erupted on the two hands resting on the table. His body, usually as steady as a mountain, began to tremble slightly, as if enduring the biting chill of a desolate winter night...

“I know you have doubts, but this is true.” Jun Mo Xie continued mournfully. “If you still don't believe me, you can go ask those beneath the earth. Though our relatives from the previous life may be gone, our souls remain. If you can go and ask, I'm sure they will give you an affirmative answer! Surely you believe me now?! My destined one!”

Go ask? Should I kill myself first and then go ask?! Destined one? Hogwash! The near-breaking cloaked man pressed both hands onto the table, poised to spring up. He gritted his teeth, flames flickering in his eyes, his breathing growing heavy and sharp, whistling with each inhalation. He spoke word by word: “Boy, do you think this lord is fun to play with? Do you even know how to write the character for 'death,' you brat?!”

As he spoke, the veins on his forehead throbbed, and his eyes showed a hint of chaotic, explosive rage!

In over a thousand years, it seemed no one had ever managed to anger him to this extent. No matter the circumstance, he had always maintained the graceful bearing of an elegant young master in a decadent age. Even when facing the pursuit of the entire world, his face never changed; he remained supremely carefree and self-possessed. Even when facing death nine times out of ten, he was always graceful and followed his desires. But encountering this brat today, why was his state of mind so easily shattered by a few words? Why was his composure so unstable?!

Yet, what he said was too… nauseating. Surely no one could accept that?

“Look at you… I said I had no motive, but you insisted I tell you. Now that I have, you don't believe me!” Jun Mo Xie innocently spread his hands. “Why are you so hard to please?”

Saying that, he winked: “Besides… even if I truly had a motive, do you think I would just spill it because you asked? You are far too naive. While naive people are endearing, surviving in this treacherous and unpredictable Jianghu is incredibly difficult. Although your strength is impressive, it is not enough to handle the arcane unpredictability of the martial world. You should listen to me…” Jun Mo Xie lectured with earnest sincerity.

The cloaked man suddenly let out a long, shuddering breath. This single exhalation lasted a full five minutes, causing Jun Mo Xie’s speech to abruptly halt. His long hair flew up, and his robes billowed, giving him an almost ethereal appearance. This demonstrated the peak level of breath-holding he had reached, far exceeding what any ordinary person’s lung capacity could handle or sustain…

He then slammed the table again and roared, “Waiter! Why are the wine and food not here yet? Do you need to go plant the grain in the fields right now?! Hurry up, or you’ll be asking for trouble!”

He turned his head away, refusing to look at Jun Mo Xie, terrified that another glimpse of that detestable pretty face would make him incapable of restraint. He would rather risk aggravating his injuries and exposing his location than tolerate the immense danger of forcibly ripping out that annoyingly lively tongue!

He felt a touch of helplessness in his heart: I have lived for a thousand years, and I have never met such a spectacular specimen! This fellow is truly… infuriating!

Previous life you were female, I was male, you are my wife… This Lord truly… With the millennia I have lived, enough for you to turn ten lifetimes over, you dare say that?!

The cloaked man listlessly rolled his eyelids. He suddenly felt that coming out of seclusion this time had been a tremendous mistake! If he had known he would encounter such an absolute oddity upon emerging, he would have gladly remained sealed away for another five hundred years…

“Heh heh heh… Ah, my esteemed younger acquaintance here.” Jun Mo Xie laughed twice with a chillingly cheerful tone, chuckling happily: “May I ask your noble name?”

“Esteemed… younger acquaintance!?” A thick web of dark lines instantly spread across the cloaked man’s face. He sucked in a sharp breath as if afflicted by a toothache, grimacing and tilting his head, his voice laced with near-tears: “Can you speak like a human? Even the ancestors of your ancestors, going back eight generations… do not have the qualifications to call this lord 'younger acquaintance'! Understand?!!!”

“Uh, understood, understood. It was just a term of respect, why are you unhappy again? Then… esteemed elder brother, what is your venerable age?” Jun Mo Xie immediately switched his address, displaying the grace of someone who takes instruction well.

The cloaked man rested his forehead on the table, grabbed his hair with both hands, and tugged a few times, groaning in agony with a weak, nearly breathless voice: “Can you please just shut your damn mouth?! Would you die if you stopped talking?!”

“Of course I can stop talking, it’s hardly a life-or-death matter. Do you dislike the address ‘elder brother’ as well? Then perhaps ‘little brother’? Or ‘younger brother’? Which do you prefer?… Don’t look at me with such a fierce glare, my little heart is fluttering wildly… Actually, the food and wine here at Dan Guan Lou are quite delicious. I ate here once before, and the taste… it was truly intoxicating… Last time, someone else paid, and I enjoyed it immensely. This time it’s my turn to treat, but I forgot to bring any silver…”

Jun Mo Xie spoke animatedly, licking his lips thoughtfully, then suddenly asked: “Uh… even though I agreed to pay today… you… really didn’t bring any money? Money, like silver coins or copper pieces, uh, gold works too… You really didn’t bring any?”

The cloaked man’s head, resting on the table, lifted slightly, and he thumped the tabletop twice with his forehead, letting out a sigh of utter desolation…

“It’s alright, it’s alright… No need to be so distressed…” Jun Mo Xie patted his chest reassuringly. “Don’t worry! It’s just one meal. Besides, forgetting your silver isn't embarrassing; everyone has experienced that. I already said I would treat you, so they won’t say you’re eating for free. Let me tell you, the last time I was here…”

The cloaked man lifted his head, tears streaming down his face, gazing blankly at Young Master Jun with an air that suggested profound reverence for a superior being. Suddenly, he grabbed both of Jun Mo Xie’s hands, shaking them vigorously, his face contorted in sorrowful appeal: “Brother… can I call you brother? In my entire life… over thirteen hundred years, I have never submitted to anyone, but today, I truly submit to you… Can you just close your mouth? Can you just be quiet?! My dear brother ahhhh!”

By the end, the cloaked man was roaring hysterically, slamming his forehead against the table with dull thuds as he yelled. His agony was so profound that any casual observer would feel a surge of sympathy—he looked as if he had been ravaged by hundreds of profound beasts, beasts of the caliber and tonnage of bears, lions, tigers, and elephants…

The noise was a bit too loud, and since it was peak dining hour, everyone on the first floor of Dan Guan Lou turned to stare, their gazes sharp. What was this? Brother and younger brother? What was all the commotion about?

Jun Mo Xie chuckled awkwardly, offering a sweeping, apologetic bow, and explained: “My apologies, everyone. My brother here suffers from epilepsy. He is usually a very good and normal person…”

A wave of understanding ‘Ohhh~~~’ sounds swept through the room.

“You have epilepsy! Your entire family has epilepsy!” The cloaked man sprang to his feet, roaring with extreme grief and indignation, his face contorted in fury! His body trembled weakly, like a withered chrysanthemum in the wind…

He was truly enraged…