◎ Proud, pampered demon-blooded bottom × righteous, protective, rugged top
Tao Pu × He Feiyan
◎ Bottom's perspective:
Tao Pu always believed that Su Yunwei loved him deeply.
When the Tao family was flourishing, Su Yunwei was as aloof and noble as snow atop a mountain. When the family was wiped out, he was gentle as water and offered help in their time of need. What Tao Pu was most grateful for was that his parents had arranged a bond between him and Su Yunwei long ago.
He foolishly gave his whole heart to Su Yunwei, eagerly anticipating their bond ceremony and the chance to be pulled out of the wretched abyss of this world.
He never expected that the ceremony would end with a sword thrust through his chest.
Only then did Tao Pu finally understand.
It had all been a sham. Su Yunwei had only ever wanted the key hidden by Tao Pu's parents in his heart, the one that could unlock a resource-rich secret realm.
The devotion and love Tao Pu had believed in had long since become little more than a scandalous tale to gossip about over tea.
He had become the punchline of the cruelest joke.
From then on, Tao Pu shut his heart away.
Yet he never imagined that one day, someone would carefully return that heart to him, stand up for him amid all the scheming, shield him from countless blades and sword strikes, and bear the bitter cold in his stead.
--
Top's perspective:
He Feiyan failed his tribulation and was found by the Tao couple as they happened to pass by.
The couple thought he was an innocent caught in the crossfire of some powerful cultivator's tribulation. They treated him kindly, taught him cultivation techniques, and even had him and their own son take a life-sharing talisman, telling them to be as close as brothers.
He Feiyan believed that too, until he recovered his memories and discovered that he was that powerful cultivator.
And the so-called life-sharing talisman was just a trick by the Tao couple. It was their failsafe for their own son, a spoiled brat with an absurdly high opinion of himself and pitifully low cultivation. He Feiyan was meant to be the fool's spare shield and blood bag.
What life-sharing talisman? It was clearly a life-substitution talisman!
But his injuries had yet to heal, so he had no choice but to play along while trapped there, hoping to find a way to undo the talisman and escape as soon as possible.
He should have hated that fool to the core. And yet, on the night before the brat's bond ceremony, He Feiyan had already found a way to break the talisman, but couldn't bring himself to use it.
Then, on the day of the ceremony, someone ran a sword through the stubborn little fool's chest. Only amid the agony of his heart breaking did He Feiyan finally understand his own feelings.
Fortunately, the life-sharing talisman was still intact. He Feiyan forced himself to stay conscious long enough to carry the other man away, but when he woke up, the man was already gone.
He Feiyan searched for him for a hundred years without success. Then the demon realm invaded the righteous sects, who sent out a call for help.
So He Feiyan, who had guarded the secret key for the righteous sects for a hundred years, stood before a sea of demon soldiers and spotted the long-yearned-for figure at their head.
The man wore a loose, ink-black robe. His allegiance had changed, and he lifted his sword without a trace of expression in the howling wind, pointing it straight at He Feiyan's throat. His voice was slow and cold as he looked over.
"Will you stop me, Lord Shoutan?"
Unaware of his demon blood, proud and pampered bottom × Overpowered, protective, rugged top
Tao Pu, bottom × He Feiyan, top
◎ Thanks to Bishui Gu for the cover!
Reader's guide:
1. Old-school melodramatic angst.
2. The top dislikes the bottom at first.
3. I'll add other content warnings if I think of them.
4. The blurb was screenshotted and posted on Weibo on August 14, 2024.
Theme: Don't overlook the beauty right before your eyes. Protect what you cherish, and love what you love.
