Shadow Love (Yu Jin Chang An)

Li Shuang had a wooden splint around her neck to support the injury inflicted by Jin An. The healer advised her to stay in bed for a month, but she didn’t have that much time to spare.

The next morning, she rose early, found paper and brush, and wrote a letter to the troops stationed at the foot of the mountain, instructing them to hold their positions. After entrusting someone to deliver the letter, she slowly made her way toward the dungeon, her head feeling as though it weighed a thousand times heavier than usual.

As she reached the dungeon entrance, she saw Wu Yin, still somewhat bleary-eyed, unlocking the door. "General Li," he greeted, his drowsiness giving way to amusement at the sight of her supporting her neck. "Not resting a few more days?"

Li Shuang shot him a glance, but Wu Yin continued to grin at her.

Tsk. Not one of her own soldiers—unafraid of her, and she couldn’t even reprimand him.

Li Shuang could only maintain a cold expression in silence. Wu Yin chuckled to himself, pulled the dungeon’s mechanism, and entered alongside her.

"Last night, the Jade Silkworm Gu Master showed no unusual movements—perhaps the most peaceful night since his arrival at Changnan Mountain. The reputation of the Jade Silkworm’s absolute loyalty to its master is indeed well-founded," Wu Yin remarked as he guided her down the steps, casting a glance at her expression in the flickering torchlight. "A pity, though, that this time, the Jade Silkworm’s master isn’t me."

Li Shuang finally turned her eyes to him, her voice hoarse. "Born at the wrong time—can’t blame anyone else for that."

Wu Yin was momentarily speechless before replying, "General Li isn’t one for courtesy, it seems. But if we’re speaking of blame, I’ve never held any against you. For me, the Jade Silkworm choosing you as its master might even be a stroke of luck."

Li Shuang’s brow lifted slightly.

Without needing her to speak, Wu Yin continued, "Perhaps you haven’t noticed yet, General, but your body has already begun to change—different from an ordinary person’s."

Li Shuang froze, suddenly recalling the recent events at the northern frontier. Chang Wanshan had risked his life to bring back news of the black-armored stranger from the southern border—a man afflicted with gu sorcery. And when Li Shuang had placed her hand near Chang Wanshan’s chest, the gu insects had frantically fled his body…

"Once the Jade Silkworm finds a host, it merges with the host’s body, remaining hidden in their veins until death, granting immense power while becoming one with their blood—thus creating the Jade Silkworm Gu Master.

"The first taste of blood the Jade Silkworm Gu Master consumes binds him to his master. Once bound, he becomes utterly devoted, yet also deeply dependent—because the master’s essence is the only thing that can soothe the Jade Silkworm, the only thing that can strengthen the bond between the gu and its vessel. Thus, the Jade Silkworm Gu Master craves to stay by his master’s side, to constantly sense the master’s essence in their blood… and may even yearn to… couple with the master."

Li Shuang stiffened, nearly missing a step and tumbling down the stairs.Wu Yin steadied her. Facing Li Shuang, who had snapped back to reality and was staring at him with astonishment, Wu Yin gave an innocent shrug. "The Jade Silkworm Gu person my father raised was a great beauty. But after my father died, the Spirit Maiden and my mother fought over it. She lost, so she stole the Jade Silkworm and ran away. Naturally, the Gu person she wanted to raise would be a man." Wu Yin chuckled. "Judging by the physique and appearance of this Jade Silkworm Gu person, he’s truly a rare masterpiece in this world." He winked at Li Shuang, his expression carrying an indescribable, subtle amusement. "General, you’re quite fortunate."

"Ahem." Li Shuang coughed, her voice hoarse to the extreme.

"Once the Jade Silkworm Gu person has prolonged contact with their master or engages in physical exchanges, the master will also be imbued with the aura of the Jade Silkworm Gu. The Jade Silkworm Gu is the king of Gu; all other Gu insects fear it immensely. So even if you come to my Five Spirits Sect without any means to ward off Gu, no Gu insect would dare provoke you."

Physical exchanges...

Li Shuang felt her ears grow warm.

Her physical exchanges with Jin An... were merely sleeping under the same quilt, nothing more... though, there had been a few times when he had forcefully kissed her...

"Then why... did you come looking for him?" Li Shuang struggled to steer the conversation away, trying not to dwell on those memories.

"Honestly, for me, finding the Jade Silkworm isn’t that important," Wu Yin explained.

"In the past few years when we hadn’t found it, no one dared to challenge the Five Spirits Sect. But because it’s a sacred relic of our clan, the elders refused to let it go. After hearing rumors of an extraordinary hero appearing in the northern frontier, I took some men there. We found the Jade Silkworm Gu person and brought him back. I was prepared to extract the Jade Silkworm from him by any means necessary—I have no interest in having a man drooling over me every day."

Li Shuang found this somewhat amusing. Imagining Jin An clinging to Wu Yin the way he did to her... the mental image was...

Indescribably peculiar.

"But who would’ve thought..." Wu Yin pointed at the door before them. "He’s even more stubborn than I am. No matter what, he wouldn’t let me extract the Gu."

Li Shuang stood before the iron door, peering through the mesh gaps to see the scene inside—unchanged from yesterday. After Wu Yin had taken him away, no one had dared approach. The iron door was locked, two of the chains on the wall inside had snapped, and three remained, restraining the person’s neck and feet. But unlike last night, the figure bound within was no longer a muscular man but a child.

Tattered clothes hung loosely on his small frame. He seemed utterly exhausted, curled up on the cold floor, sleeping soundly.

It was Jin An.

It really was him.

Wu Yin also glanced inside. "So quiet. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen him sleep like this."

"He..." Li Shuang struggled to speak. "Why does he..."

"Perhaps the Spirit Maiden made some mistakes when refining the Gu person. As for the exact reason, I’m not entirely sure. All I know is that from the day we captured him, he’s been like this—small during the day, large at night, shifting back and forth..." Wu Yin paused. "You spent so much time with him in the northern frontier. How could you not know?"

Li Shuang fell silent.

She hadn’t known.

She had even suspected Jin An was the son of that black-armored man, but... who could have imagined this kind of relationship? No ordinary person would think of it!"He is probably the most peculiar Gu person our Five Spirits Sect has seen in all these years. Well, though you could also be considered the most peculiar master," Wu Yin remarked. "Throughout history, the Jade Silkworm Gu has only ever recognized the sect leader as its master. The sect leader is trained in Gu techniques from childhood. To us, a Jade Silkworm Gu person is merely a human-shaped Gu. My father raised a Jade Silkworm Gu person—he would have necessary contact with her, but he wouldn't hold her, kiss her, or feel for her the way he did for my mother."

Li Shuang gazed at Jin An inside, listening to these words, yet couldn't help but frown slightly.

"Investing such emotions in a Gu, General Li, you should be careful." Wu Yin's tone was indifferent, but it was perhaps the kindest thing he had ever said to her. "He is a Gu devoid of humanity. He has no memories or identity from his past. His dependence, attachment, and loyalty to you are solely because he is a Gu person—he must be loyal to you. General, you must maintain proper boundaries."

Maintain boundaries?

What boundaries?

In her eyes, in her heart, Jin An was not a Gu. He was a living, breathing person. To Li Shuang, he was not without a past or an identity.

He had them.

He had his past with her. He also had an identity—that name, Jin An, the one that had become a legend passed down in the northern frontier.

He was a person, not a Gu.

Li Shuang pushed open the iron door. With a creak, she stepped into the dungeon. The child curled up on the ground was startled awake and lifted his head. When he saw Li Shuang, it was as if a thousand beams of light had flooded into his eyes, making them shine brilliantly.

In that instant, the hardness in Li Shuang's heart seemed to soften.

She walked forward, knelt down before Jin An, and reached out to wipe away the dirt smeared on his face from the ground.

Jin An, in turn, raised his hand and gently touched the wooden splint on her neck. Suddenly, those clear, bright eyes reddened slightly. "It hurts..." It wasn't a question but a statement, spoken with such certainty it was as if a knife had been plunged into his heart.