The White Moonlight Disdained by the Male Protagonist of Redemption - Chapter 24.1

Luoxiang Mountain.

Feng Jingzhuo climbed the mountain on foot, using no spiritual power. The once burned mountain had long since regained its lush appearance.

The scenery remained the same, but those he once knew were gone.

He first went to the ancestral hall.

The doors were tightly shut, but an altar had been set up outside. A thick layer of incense ash covered it, clearly showing it had been tended regularly.

Feng Jingzhuo knelt before the altar, holding three sticks of lit incense high above his head, bowing deeply three times.

He carefully placed the incense into the ash, then lit three more, knelt again, and bowed three more times.

He repeated this four times. When he reached for incense the fifth time, his fingers trembled for a long while.

Some regrets cannot be erased. Time only sharpens them like blades scraping bone, making the burden heavier.

A person as burdened with sin as he was… did not even deserve a proper cry.

Feng Jingzhuo knelt again, and this time, did not rise for a long while.

This shrine was not the same one from before. On the night of his wedding, a wave of spiritual force had caused a wildfire. The fire was massive. Everything on the mountain had been burned away.

Nothing was left.

Later, when he returned to the mountain to search, not a single trace remained—not even ruins of the shrine or houses.

Only the wind blowing through the grass watched silently… as he suffered worse than death.

—

After paying respects, he walked toward the back of the mountain.

Along the way, he passed by the reconstructed houses—structures he had personally rebuilt to match the originals in every detail. But no matter how identical they were, they weren’t the same homes that once held laughter and joy.

He arrived at Muyu Pond.

The wind on Luoxiang Mountain was always the same, just like that one night. He had copied their way of doing things—cracking open a sunflower seed, putting it in his mouth, chewing slowly, and leaving behind a gentle, lingering taste.

When he looked up, he saw the moon.

But now, there was no moon. The sun was setting behind the distant mountains, fading away in the evening glow.

Feng Jingzhuo slowly sank into the water of the pool.

Just as his body was about to be completely submerged, he stretched out and turned into a massive black dragon. Countless bubbles rose up around him like boiling water. He sank deeper and deeper, eventually disappearing into the depths where no one could see.

****

Ten thousand years ago, when Feng Jingzhuo had just ascended to the heavens, the entire god-realm was amazed.

There was no other reason—he had a once-in-a-lifetime face and unmatched power. It made the god-realm proud. His grand ascension ceremony was full of flowers and noise. Every god showed up. From then on, the young Mountain God became a legend.

The Flame Lord Wuji admired him greatly and gave him a place to live—Lingluan Palace, on Qingyun Peak under the heavenly Xuanhe River.

He was at the height of his fame. The palace was filled with gifts from the celebration.

But that night, when everything settled down, Feng Jingzhuo stood alone at the top of Qingyun Peak and felt empty inside.

The Flame Lord Wuji had asked if he liked becoming the Mountain God. He did—at least, he thought he did. But he wasn’t sure if he liked the job or just liked the mountains.

He was serious about his duty. As a Mountain God, Feng Jingzhuo visited every mountain in the world. Famous ones, forgotten ones, lonely ones—he saw them all.

But only Luoxiang Mountain made him stop.

It had just gone through a wildfire. All the trees were gone, leaving behind large patches of bare gray rock. A few old trees remained, twisted and burned like the sad souls of the mountain.

Feng Jingzhuo felt pain in his heart. He had seen worse wildfires before, but this mountain made him care.

It looked like a homeless child—clothes in tatters, skin burned, quietly licking its wounds and no one cares.

He healed it himself. Using water from Lake Zansnow, he gently washed away every scar on the mountain.

Then he moved out of Lingluan Palace and chose to live on Luoxiang Mountain permanently.

****

In his second year as a god, another young man ascended and became the Jade God.

The Jade God was also handsome and very skilled. He was even more special because he had started as a mortal and reached godhood by passing heavenly trials. In the long lives of gods, a year or two was nothing—so the two were seen as having ascended around the same time. People called them “The Twin Pearls of Heaven.”

For the Jade God’s ascension ceremony, Feng Jingzhuo prepared a generous gift.

At first, he picked a powerful spirit bow, but after thinking for a long time, he changed it to a protective artifact instead.

It was one of the best gifts there, and the Jade God really liked it. He wore it every day.

That day, though the Jade God was the center of attention, he came over to talk to Feng Jingzhuo.

“The protective charm you gave me is too precious. I had to thank you in person.”

Feng Jingzhuo replied, “As long as you like it.”

The Jade God didn’t leave. He had sharp eyes and a clever smile—maybe a little too clever.

“Why would a Mountain God give such a high-level protective charm?  ” he joked. “Could it be that you’re worried something dangerous might happen to me? ”

Feng Jingzhuo replied, “Your divine role…”

He liked that role. He liked the word “jade,” and because of that, he liked the person too.

He said, “I feel a connection with you. To be honest, you feel like a younger brother to me.”

The Jade God smiled brightly and stepped closer. “In my heart, I’ve already seen you as my older brother.”

He wore simple white clothes, clean and spotless. The only thing on him was a single bodhi seed hanging from his waist, adding to his pure and peaceful look.

Feng Jingzhuo looked at it a little longer than he meant to. The Jade God noticed.

“Do you like bodhi seeds, brother? ” he asked.

Feng Jingzhuo blinked, and the tips of his ears turned red.

The Jade God smiled and looked down at the seed, rubbing it between his fingers.

“This one means a lot to me. I’d give it to you if it didn’t… But someday, I’ll find the best bodhi seed and give it to you. I hope you won’t mind waiting.”

Feng Jingzhuo smiled softly. “There’s no need. I shouldn’t make you give up something special.”

They had a nice conversation but didn’t talk about much. The Jade God asked many questions, but Feng Jingzhuo couldn’t answer any of them.

The Jade God was surprised. “You really don’t remember anything? Not even before your ascension? That’s unheard of… You must have gone through great pain to become a god.”

Feng Jingzhuo wasn’t sure. Every time he thought about the past, he felt empty, like a wasteland spreading across his heart.

He asked, “What about you? Do you remember?”

The Jade God nodded. “Yes. I didn’t ascend by passing heavenly trials. I practiced the Path of Emotionlessness. I killed the woman I loved to prove my way… and that’s how I became a god.”

Feng Jingzhuo froze. A chill ran through him, from the bottom of his feet to his spine.