Xi Chuan asked, “What is wrong?”
Suppressing the discomfort in her heart, Fu Jinyue commanded, “Release your divine sense. Do you perceive anyone nearby?”
Hearing this, the youth closed his eyes, opening them again after a few breaths, and said, “There is no one.”
“This place is protected by a barrier. If a stranger enters, they would certainly disturb the master of the barrier. It is impossible to sneak in silently unless…”
Unless that person’s cultivation was higher than the one who laid down the barrier.
They would be in the Golden Core stage, no, they should be above the Nascent Soul stage.
While Fu Jinyue speculated, she also thought to herself, These are all common sense in the cultivation world. Xi Chuan came from the mortal realm and shouldn’t have known this. It seems he has been studying constantly during this period.
The youth’s hold around Fu Jinyue tightened slightly as if reluctant, but he still withdrew his hands, rose to his feet, and said, “Since you are worried, why don’t I go take a look?”
“No need,” Fu Jinyue interrupted.
If there truly was an intruder, she and he combined probably wouldn’t be able to defeat them. What would be the point of rushing blindly to their deaths? It would be better to pretend not to notice and leave a chance for survival.
“Perhaps my senses were mistaken,” she said, shifting the topic. “You have stayed here long enough. Won’t your sect worry? Why don’t you leave first?”
As soon as these words came out, the youth’s originally relaxed brows and eyes tensed up again, and he fixed his gaze tightly upon Fu Jinyue.
His lips moved slightly, appearing to murmur, “I must leave.”
Once tensed, the youth’s cold and handsome features revealed a sharp look again, his pitch-black eyes unblinking.
Xi Chuan: “Jin… Miss Fu, will you leave?”
“What?”
Fu Jinyue pretended not to understand. “I will still stay in the Sword Sect for a period of time. For now, I shouldn’t leave.”
Xi Chuan gave a dry “oh,” and then added, “Then you, then we, we are currently…” What exactly was their relationship?
But he could not ask the question aloud.
He belatedly observed her expression.
He only saw that the corners of her lips were lightly hooked, and her face bore a faint smile, looking as if she were waiting for him to finish his stumbling words.
But Xi Chuan knew he could not say it.
He could not say it, he could not mention it, and he must not ask.
Once he asked, he would lose even this shallow relationship.
Those eyes looked straight over, appearing puzzled as to why he had paused, and she tilted her head slightly.
The turquoise earrings on her ears shook with her movement, swinging back and forth like the beat clapped and sung by a laughing child. After happily playing a game, they would casually toss the ball aside, turn around, and leave.
Innocent yet cold.
Swallowing the piercing bitterness stickily into his stomach, Xi Chuan stiffly changed the subject, saying slowly, “The path of Hehuan, is it true that one can only choose those with higher cultivation to cultivate together?”
Fu Jinyue’s eyes shifted slightly, and she said softly, “Yes.”
Xi Chuan said, “The higher the cultivation of the partner, the smoother the cultivation progresses?”
Fu Jinyue still said, “Yes.”
Just like a greedy dodder flower, she would always choose the tallest plant to absorb the best nutrients.
During that moment of indulgent pleasure just now, because Xi Chuan was already at Foundation Establishment, even without deep contact, Fu Jinyue had obtained a better feedback than when they were in the mountain cave.
She was now at the fourth layer of Qi Refining.
Heaven knew how long others had to sit and cultivate before they could reach this layer.
Xi Chuan had returned to his initial calm. He seemed to stand in the shadows once more, his sword-like brows pressing down like a mountain to cast a dark shadow. When he did not smile, he looked very stern and fierce.
He paused for a moment and spoke up, “The masters said that my Lightning Spiritual Root is born from the mutation of Metal and Water, lying outside the five elements, and is extraordinary and rare. It excels in solemn slaughter, and the sword styles and cultivation path of Zhanjian Peak suit me very well.”
Fu Jinyue listened to him quietly, a hint of amusement in her eyes.
Xi Chuan added, “They also said I am a genius in ten thousand, and my path of cultivation will certainly be smooth sailing.”
He lowered his eyes. “Once I cure the illness of my mother and younger sister, my cultivation will likely be mostly complete. At that time, at that time…”
Fu Jinyue guided him patiently, “At that time, what?”
“…At that time, can I come find you?”
Once the words were out, Xi Chuan’s brows and eyes appeared even more solemn. He tried his best to look serious, but his tone could not help but be cautious as he said, “The masters said that the position of the Sect Master of the Sword Sect is the most powerful position. I will sit on the position of the Sect Master and use my own cultivation to give feedback to you. At that time…”
In all the world, there would be no one stronger than him. By that time, would you be willing to become Dao companions with me?
Fu Jinyue smiled.
But she did not wish to become a dependent of the number one person in the world.
She liked being a player; she liked cultivating multiple prospects. In the final analysis, was it not because she liked that pleasure of controlling others?
No one would harm her, and no one could harm her.
A delicate, beautiful, and soft dodder flower, choosing so painstakingly and clinging to the most suitable host to grow, intertwining thread by thread—could it be that she wished to fly away together with it?
She did it solely to absorb the best nutrients, stepping gently and imperiously upon the corpse of the host to bathe in the morning light at the very top.
She would climb to the peak herself.
But these things could not be told to outsiders, so Fu Jinyue only said with a smile, “At that time, you can come find me.”
Come pursue me and win my favor and affection, and I will respond depending on my mood.
Reaching out her hand to caress his face, rubbing his hair like stroking a puppy, Fu Jinyue said, “Alright, is Xi Chuan’s cultivation not already much higher than mine right now?”
She said coyly, “You can give feedback to me at any time.”
Her fingertip pressed against the youth’s lips, the force neither light nor heavy, pressing a small indentation into his lips.
Recalling how he had painstakingly swallowed her earlier, and hearing this intimate address, Xi Chuan could not help but flush. His footsteps did not move away, however, and he merely responded with a “good.”
The young girl teasingly played with the puppy with a beaming smile for a while longer.
Once she had thoroughly sent him away with sweet words, Fu Jinyue’s face darkened instantly.
She looked around.
Amid the silence, only the sound of the waterfall crashing against the pool remained. The rushing sound of water could cover their movements just now, and it could also cover the movements of others.
Fu Jinyue fiddled with the turquoise earring hanging from her earlobe, lost in thought.
Cui Lecheng had said that this magic treasure served both as storage and protection, and could even block a fatal injury once. Just now, when she was confronting Xi Chuan, it had indeed manifested its power spontaneously.
With a life-saving item on her person, she simply took the liberty to walk a circle around the area boldly.
The soft mud near the pool water showed no abnormalities, and the forest growing around the pool water was also quiet, without wind or waves.
Fu Jinyue was suspicious in her heart. Could it be that she was overthinking?
But that feeling of inexplicably being watched did not seem to be false.
She was currently considering whether she could call the system out to help when her peripheral vision suddenly caught something, finally discovering a clue.
There was a strange mark on the trunk of a certain tree. Judging by the direction of the track, it looked terrifying as if it had been ripped open forcefully by someone. Its wound was not large. Fu Jinyue reached out her hand to measure it, and it was only a circle larger than her hand.
The position where it appeared was also very unsettling. Fu Jinyue stood still here, and merely by lightly raising her eyes, she could see the waterfall on the opposite bank through the intertwining of trees and shrubs.
It was positioned exactly opposite…
The clearing where Fu Jinyue and Xi Chuan had fooled around.
“Host?” Seeing that she hadn’t moved for a long time, the system, which had been on standby for a long duration, could not help but issue an inquiry.
Fu Jinyue still did not speak.
Her thoughts flew, and she thought, The matter is very clear.
Evidently, a person had once followed her, and it was he who had punished the disciple who spoke without restraint.
He watched Xi Chuan arrive, watched them converse, and then stood here witnessing every single event. Emotions of astonishment or anger prompted him to leave this mark before fleeing in a hurry.
Fu Jinyue stood still here, gazing at the terrifying scar on the tree trunk. Her fingertips stroked it, finely sensing what kind of emotion that person must have had.
Perhaps sensing something from it, Fu Jinyue bent her body and began to laugh quietly.
By the time she returned to the bamboo courtyard, the night was already deep.
The bright moon hung high.
The moonlight illuminated the empty gravel path in front of the courtyard, causing Fu Jinyue to be slightly surprised.
She had originally thought that after witnessing that scene, someone would come to question her. Unexpectedly, the front of the courtyard was actually completely empty.
That made sense, too. Fu Jinyue thought to herself, That person has been saturated with precepts since childhood, and the words ‘do not be impolite’ are practically etched into his flesh. With his character, asking him to cross the line is like asking for his life.
Fu Jinyue had never seen such a person.
Clearly moved to an unbearable degree, yet still practicing extreme restraint.
That night, separated by a door, she had given all kinds of clear and subtle hints, begging submissively, only to receive his rejections time and again.
Even a person with no self-esteem would feel humiliated by this, let alone… the one being rejected was herself.
The wooden door let out a creak as it was pushed open, and Fu Jinyue walked into the room. It was pitch-black, and even with a cultivator’s eyesight, she could only see a bit of a blurry outline with the help of the moonlight.
It was very quiet.
She had long grown accustomed to this slightly lonely silence, and she did not expend effort to light a candle. Relying on her memory, she found the main room and fumbled for the slightly hard bamboo-woven mat on the bed.
The Hehuan cultivation method restricted the advancement of her cultivation level, making sitting and breathing useless, so this mat returned to its original function—to be used for sleeping.
Fu Jinyue sighed, reaching her hand into her clothes to undo one of the hidden clasps, causing the crossed collar to loosen a bit. Right at this moment, she seemed to sniff a burst of fragrance.
The fragrance of wine contained spiritual energy, intertwined with a bit of faint bamboo fragrance.
The crisp bamboo fragrance was far too unique, causing her to involuntarily recall that on a certain day, a certain person seemed to hold her loosely in his arms, their skin never touching, with only the occasional brushing of their clothes when the wind blew.
The groundless association made Fu Jinyue feel spine-chilled.
She lifted her hair and tucked it behind her ear, her hand quietly retrieving a communication talisman from her spatial pouch. Sniffing the fragrance lingering around the tip of her nose, her heart grew alert.
Someone was in this room.
The communication talisman was held between her two fingers, poised and ready, but soon, Fu Jinyue abandoned this thought.
She instead wrapped the talisman inside her palm, allowing her sleeve to hide her left hand, and then leisurely sat upon the bed. In this manner, the entire room was within her view.
The moonlight filtered in through the gaps of the lattice window, clear and shallow, casting a layer of floating light over the room.
Having stayed in the darkness for long, objects also gradually became clear.
As expected, Fu Jinyue discovered the outline of a certain person in a corner of the room. It was first an outline traced by the moonlight, and then she slowly saw clearly the dim face of the person in the shadow.
He looked silently toward the ground, his eyes dark.
Fu Jinyue was first startled, and then mocked with a hint of displeasure, “You truly are disciplined, Perfected Lord Yun.”
It was extremely sarcastic.
Yun Heyin sat properly on the wooden chair in the corner, his spine straight, making no response to this mockery.
Fu Jinyue sized him up suspiciously. After a good while, she stood up and walked toward that person.
Her movements were very slow, carrying a few fractions of hesitation, but she still carefully waved her open palm in front of that deathly silent person.
Outside the window, a strange insect cry suddenly swept past. The insect cry was hoarse and drawn out extremely long.
After a few breaths, the torn silence slowly healed again.
Those eyes remained fixed and unmoving, out of focus.
Only now did Fu Jinyue notice that a jar of spiritual wine lay overturned by this person’s feet. The jar body was tilted, a drop or two of wine hanging from the mouth of the bottle, and the inside was empty.
Yun Heyin had probably drunk all the wine.
The current situation was very easy to explain. Her tense shoulders relaxed, and Fu Jinyue straightened up with amusement.
Right at this instant, the person who had been quiet all along blinked. As if having just returned to his senses, he slowly raised his head and locked eyes with Fu Jinyue.
Yun Heyin was looking at her.
Fu Jinyue lowered her eyelashes, also looking back.
The handsome face was expressionless and very cold, yet those eyes glistened with water under her gaze. For such a cold and detached person, even the water glisten was chilly, like a crack slowly crawling, splitting open the mask of a false appearance. The broken sound was even very light, drifting down thinly like ashes.
He was probably about to cry.
“What is wrong with you?” Fu Jinyue bent her waist and asked gently, placing no guard against the hand he extended toward her.
With this question, tears plunged down.
Yun Heyin wept silently, looking very aggrieved.
He said, “Why do you want to leave?”
Fu Jinyue replied, “I never intended to leave.”
“Liar,” Yun Heyin interrupted her, his face still expressionless as two lines of tears flowed on their own, appearing unrelated to their owner. He probably glared at Fu Jinyue.
“Since you have hooked onto me, why bother provoking others?”
His hand had already extended halfway into the air. He was so close to her face, yet he didn’t dare to touch her for a long time, his arm freezing stiffly in place.
Fu Jinyue found it amusing. They always said that drunk people would reveal their true nature—some would run wild and act crazy, while others would fall asleep as soon as their heads hit the pillow. This one before her, however, had stripped off his cold exterior, revealing a rare appearance that perhaps no one had ever seen.
Like a child, he intentionally put on an arrogant and indulgence posture, yet secretly peeked carefully, being awkward to death.
Yun Heyin spoke again, “Did you know?”
Fu Jinyue said, “Know what?”
Seeing that the person’s hand remained unmoving for a long time, she simply turned her head, nuzzling herself into that warm palm, her eyes blinking in a very compliant appearance.
After she asked back, Yun Heyin’s lips, which had been muttering, were about to continue speaking, but the face he thought of day and night suddenly nuzzled into his palm. Such a real touch was like being singed by fire, causing Yun Heyin to abruptly retract his hand.
He had finally woken up completely now.
Yun Heyin’s brows furrowed, his expression recovering its indifference. Leaning his body back slightly as if avoiding a flood or a ferocious beast, he said coldly, “Miss Fu, please respect yourself.”
The change was so vast.
“Lord Perfected Lord.” The interest Fu Jinyue had just given rise to dissipated again, and she also sneered, “Why don’t you look at where this is? The person who should respect himself is you, right?”
Without waiting for him to reply, Fu Jinyue straightened her body again. The clothes with the undone clasp were prone to slipping, and drawn by her movement, she accidentally revealed half a shoulder.
Yun Heyin looked as if his eyes were stung by this expanse of fairness, hurriedly turning his head away.
Fu Jinyue was not flustered, naturally pulling the collar back. While adjusting it, she said, “Tonight, I shall be magnanimous and will not speak of this to the outside world. However, as Perfected Lord Yun can see, this junior is about to change clothes and sleep. Leave early.”
She did not raise her head, appearing to leave room for him to think.
Yun Heyin had just struggled free from his inner demons, thinking he was still in the study, but looking around, where he was located could not be more obvious. He felt a coldness on his face, and raising his hand, he touched two streaks of tear marks. He also smelled the intense wine fragrance on the ground, and recalled how much he had drunk beforehand.
Why he was in this place—the truth was simple and clear.
Usually practicing the conduct of a gentleman, he had actually broken into another person’s boudoir after drinking.
Yun Heyin said a low phrase of apology, supporting himself on the table with his hand, but reeled in a hurry at the instant he rose.
Dizziness stabbed inside his brain like a needle.
He endured forcefully, while also harboring a sliver of anticipation, hoping the young girl would concern herself with him as she did that night, asking gently what was wrong. But… the opponent merely stood aside, watching with a cold eye.
Fu Jinyue even revealed the communication talisman held between her fingers, saying at her own leisure, “Senior, leave quickly, do not hesitate, otherwise, I shall have to call for people.”
Probably because the wine was at work, Yun Heyin could not help but say coldly, “Call whom? Call that junior brother who was led astray by you just after entering the Sword Sect?”
His tone was calm, unable to cover the icy sarcasm.
Fu Jinyue raised an eyebrow. “So it truly was you.”
Dizzy after drinking, Yun Heyin was still standing while supporting himself on the table at this time, his lower back slightly bowed. Despite this, he was still taller than her. Fu Jinyue was looking up, but her expression looked more like she was looking down.
“A senior praised as the Perfected Lord of Salvaging the World actually exhibits such sneaky behaviors as well.”
She possessed not a fraction of a smile, yet curled her lips, saying, “This truly opens one’s eyes. Is this also a part of a gentleman’s conduct?”
Yun Heyin did not argue with her, only saying, “Junior Brother Xi Chuan has boundless prospects, do not ruin his Dao heart.”
“Senior, rest assured,” Fu Jinyue said compliantly, “I have no interest in him.”
No interest?
This phrase seemed to ignite something with a ceng, and Yun Heyin abruptly fixed his gaze upon her: “Since you have no interest, why did you go provoke him?!”
In a trance, he seemed to return to the afternoon once more—the waterfall sound rushing, the water mist diffusing, her expression, her movements, her and that person…
An indescribable anger and bitterness locked in his chest, and no matter what, Yun Heyin could not figure it out.
If it was for cultivation, his cultivation was better, his appearance finer, and his status higher. The things that person could do, he could do as well, and he could even do them better than that person!
But why, why…
In the final analysis, why did he still have to be obsessed with restraining himself and keeping to propriety?
With wine poured in, Yun Heyin’s face was solemn.
He must suppress his ridiculous thoughts; he must put a stop to his private desires.
However, one bowl, two bowls, three bowls…
Yun Heyin had never drunk wine in the past, and actually didn’t know that the taste of wine was so choking to the throat, leading one to become dizzy, and invoking the most unspeakable desires in one’s heart.
He was drunk, he missed her, he resented her, and he resented even more his own jealousy that had nowhere to be declared.
This fire was a faint green, flickering in his heart and forming frost. Clearly he had already left, yet the scene of her and that person remained frozen before his eyes.
He forgot how he had made the decision. By the time he reacted, he was already sitting here, with a dizzying dusk outside the lattice window.
This place was filled with her scent everywhere.
More compliant than the person herself, without an overly sharp tongue, merely accompanying him quietly.
At this time, most of the spiritual energy contained in the spiritual wine had been refined within his body, and Yun Heyin gradually sobered up. He was likely crazy, yet regardless of everything, he drank down another jar, allowing his mind to relax and his desires to grow rampantly.
His inner demons dragged him down into a dreamscape that was like a dream and an illusion.
Enchanting, intoxicating, crimson.
How beautiful the dreamscape was, how desolate and chilly it was upon waking.
Fu Jinyue, standing in front of him, sized him up coldly, pouring another basin of cold water over him, no longer retaining the tenderness of the dream.
Probably to stabilize his mind and stop thinking further, Yun Heyin then added, “Perfected Lord Xiaoyao places high hopes on the new disciple. Since you have no interest, do not provoke him further.”
“What if he comes to provoke me?” Fu Jinyue pulled open a smile.
“Since senior followed me, presumably you saw everything along the way. I never actively sought him out; it was he who sought me. Since it is so, what is wrong with going with the flow?”
She hated most being ordered around. Fu Jinyue looked askance at Yun Heyin and said, “Besides, regarding the matter of tailing me, has senior thought of a righteous excuse?”
Could it be that sending flowers every day gave rise to feelings, and behind her back, you wanted to secretly look at how such flowers were nurtured?
…Surely it wouldn’t be such a clumsy reason.
Fu Jinyue waited for an excuse.
Unexpectedly, Yun Heyin stood in place, saying nothing.
He did not defend himself, and his own aura fell into an inferior position.
Fu Jinyue detested forceful interference in all kinds of ways, but had always been powerless against a show of weakness. Seeing this, her face softened slightly, and she said, “Forget it, the night is deep, senior should leave quickly.”
These words meant she wouldn’t hold it against him.
She wasn’t holding it against him, but someone was still holding it against her. Yun Heyin had mostly sobered up from the wine, and the dizziness stopped, but the needle-like pain still stabbed in his chest. He asked in a hoarse voice, “What about that junior brother?”
“What junior brother?”
Yun Heyin looked at her with deep eyes, not speaking.
Fu Jinyue was first startled before understanding what he meant. He wished for the two of them to break off? He was meddling far too broadly.
Fu Jinyue said, “Senior, you should know the principle of mutual consent, right?”
Whether the junior brother came or didn’t come, broke off or didn’t break off, was never something she could decide.
Appearing to be completely unable to figure it out, Fu Jinyue bent her body, tilting her head to look at his lowered eyes, and said, “The so-called mutual consent means mutual willingness, where both parties truly wish to do…”
Yun Heyin’s consciousness was in a jumble, and hearing this, his tone suddenly became sharp: “Truly wish?”
He said, “Between you and him, is there true willingness?”
Every single word was filled with jealousy.
Fu Jinyue blinked. Seeing that he was finally forced into this ferocious appearance, she lightly laughed.
That collar with the loosened clasp slid off her shoulder again due to her movement. She did not go pull it up again, only lifting her eyes to look at him.
Her gaze seemed to scald him. Yun Heyin suddenly understood his own error, his face turning solemn, but the words could no longer be taken back.
He retreated a few steps, his breathing a bit rapid.
Meanwhile, Fu Jinyue pursued him, using her hand to hook his collar.
Yun Heyin froze in place, watching her movements with wide eyes. The opponent’s loose clothing slid down step by step with her movements—shoulder, collarbone, half-rounded snow-white…
He silently chanted in his heart that he must not be indecent, and was about to close his eyes and turn his head, but heard a light laugh from beside his ear.
Fu Jinyue climbed onto his chest, frivolously continuing the previous topic: “Yes. Between me and him, there is indeed true willingness.”
“I truly love him, and he truly loves me.”
“We embrace, caress…”
“He has kissed me here.”
The words slowly spoken were like candy held on the tip of the tongue, so sweet that it made one savage.
The fire in Yun Heyin’s chest was ignited by her again, burning along his reason and completely incinerating it to ashes. He simply pulled the person over with a firm hold, blocking that incessantly chattering mouth, even though his peripheral vision had already caught the young girl’s smiling eyes that held nothing to fear.
The kiss was chaotic, ferocious, yet incomparably lingering.
There was not much tenderness, looking like two ferocious beasts contending for territory, brawling with each other and seizing the pitifully scarce space, bordering on savage.
Fu Jinyue had never thought that Perfected Lord Yun, who looked incomparably cold, would possess this kind of style. She felt his passion, but that passion was manually suppressed and weakened bit by bit, until finally it was like a small candle flickering in the wind.
Yun Heyin released his hand.
The lips pressed together also separated accordingly.
Fu Jinyue panted lightly, the gaze she threw over filled with bewilderment.
Yun Heyin looked at her intently: “Would you be willing…”
Why did he always like to ask this type of question, as if they could be so loyal. Fu Jinyue curved her eyes, interrupting, “Senior.”
“The solution to be offered to the great figure spoken of that day is indeed far too novel.” She tugged a strand of black hair by his neck, wrapping it between her fingers. “You said this matter is of great import, and to evade disaster, you must verify it.”
Fu Jinyue stood on her tiptoes, kissing near his ear, giving a reason: “Why don’t we verify it a bit, how about it?”
She stood loosely, and those clothes also hung loosely. The moonlight draped over that white, translucent, rounded shoulder, like a layer of gauze floating.
The floating light was like silver, enticing one to be unable to shift their eyes away.
Fu Jinyue and Yun Heyin kissed, occasionally stripping his clothes as if playing a game, causing him to slowly drape on this layer of moon gauze as well.
Yun Heyin was a bit bashful at first, but by the time he carried the person to the bed, he had already recovered his usual appearance.
Fu Jinyue’s back pressed against the cold, slightly hard bamboo-woven mat. Sniffing the cold bamboo fragrance, she looked at the person before her with a smile.
“Does senior know what to do next?”
She concluded he was still an innocent youth, and therefore teased him with a smile.
Yun Heyin’s body was scorching hot, and the gaze looking down from his lowered eyes was steeped in some strange emotion.
The high-platform divine statue that was motionless, waveless, and unstained by the mundane world was now covered in desire.
Fu Jinyue caressed his brows and eyes with affection, her fingertips following down. Upon touching the corner of his mouth, Yun Heyin turned his head and lightly held that fingertip in his mouth.
Fu Jinyue heard him say, “I know.”
He knelt, kissing all the way down from the center of her brows, rising and falling along the path.
His eyelashes trembled lightly, focused as if making a pilgrimage.
When he opened his mouth, Fu Jinyue suddenly gripped the thin quilt beside the bamboo mat tightly.
Yun Heyin kissed her carefully, clumsy yet progressing rapidly. Paying attention at all times, Yun Heyin gradually mastered what each type of her trembling signified. Fu Jinyue narrowed her eyes, enjoying this pleasure of kissing.
But he asked, “Compared to him, how is it?”
The competitive spirit came out of nowhere. Fu Jinyue coaxed, “You are still the best.”
Casual perfunctoriness could not put his mind at ease. Yun Heyin seemed somewhat displeased, but said nothing.
That immortal-like figure was serving her with all his heart and effort.
After one round, Fu Jinyue fulfilled her prior promise. To evade disaster, she verified the method together with him.
Yun Heyin displayed a ferocity that did not match his appearance, as if wishing to swallow the person into his stomach. Fu Jinyue overflowed with tears, the moon-colored gauze canopy above her head swaying out dizzying tracks. She felt someone kiss away her tears for her, and then they began to kiss anew.
Perfected Lord Yun acted rigorously. Fearing that a single verification might contain errors, before long, he pressed near Fu Jinyue’s ear to ask softly, seeking her opinion.
Fu Jinyue was still trapped within the afterglow, and hearing this, she threw a sidelong glance at him, a smile playing upon her lips, which counted as permission.
Seeing her comfortable ease of being more than a match for the situation, Yun Heyin remained silent for a moment, and bit down again almost savagely. With his lower lip held by her, Fu Jinyue heard that person say intermittently:
“Did he also treat you like this?”
He seemed to have just recalled the past from the light-hearted joy, and therefore tasted much jealousy and unwillingness within the happiness.
That dark jealousy was so obvious.
Fu Jinyue once again discovered a bit of the truth beneath this person’s cold exterior. Like a child who had finally gone behind the stage, she harbored curiosity toward everything behind the scenes.
A child’s curiosity was always innocent yet malicious.
Fu Jinyue said, “Yes, he also treated me like this.”
Yun Heyin’s chest rose and fell, his gaze appearing to form ice. Fu Jinyue saw the jealousy fire burning faintly behind the ice, and lightly laughed once more.
She kissed him pleasingly, saying, “But you are still the best.”
When thoroughly satisfied, she could utter any words. Fu Jinyue nuzzled his face, kissing his cheek, and finally pressed near his ear to say, “You are still the best, husband.”
Coyly, speaking like stuffing a piece of candy into someone else’s heart.
Husband.
Yun Heyin chewed on this word, suddenly biting her neck—not heavily, yet still able to leave a shallow tooth mark.
He was somewhat excited.
But Fu Jinyue felt as if her neck was caught by a beast, her fatal part held by someone. Feeling displeased in her heart, she extended a hand down as retaliation.
“Let go,” she said coldly, “otherwise next time I shall pinch it off.”
Yun Heyin was as hot all over as if his entire being had caught fire. He released his jaws, lowering his head, his gaze fixedly observing her.
Fu Jinyue could not help but let out a muffled groan, and scolded, “Slower.”
The tenderness was temporary, and they began to contend and confront each other like two ferocious beasts fighting for territory once more.
She led him to dance, while he led her to burn.
His mind and eyes entirely filled with her gorgeous outline, Yun Heyin was intoxicated within it.
Past teachings were entirely cast behind his mind.
The next day.
When Fu Jinyue opened her eyes, the first to greet her was the system’s jubilant cheer.
“Con—gra—tu—la—tions, host!”
“Fe—li—ci—ta—tions, host!”
It called out like setting off fireworks inside her head, making it ache with a buzzing sound.
Fu Jinyue rubbed the corner of her forehead, asking in her mind, What is wrong?
The system said in delight, “Host has broken through the Qi Refining stage!”
She naturally knew this. After so many times last night, anyone would know that their Dantian was practically filled to the brim.
Fu Jinyue sat up from the bed, the thin quilt sliding down. There was no one beside her.
Someone knocked on the door, asking, “Is Little Fellow Daoist Fu awake?”
As soon as Fu Jinyue responded, Si Nian first popped her head out from behind the door. Although she was at the age of a grandmother, at this time she possessed the disposition of a young girl. Blinking her cat-like eyes, Si Nian said with a red face, “Little Fellow Daoist Fu, I have come to bring you food.”
She wouldn’t ask how Si Nian entered or why her face was red. Fu Jinyue said, “Where is senior?”
Bringing the tray inside, Si Nian said, “Lord Yun went to seek Sect Master You. He wanted me to pass a message to Little Fellow Daoist Fu, saying that the matter he agreed to last night will be completed today.”
Si Nian’s eyes flashed, expressing her thoughts entirely on her face.
Hearing this, Fu Jinyue recalled what matter it was.
Last night, Yun Heyin buried his head before her chest, and when she kissed his hair, she had told him how the verification result was, and declared everything to be perfect.
The words startled him. Knowing her thoughts, he promised to convince the Sect Master of the Sword Sect to introduce her to that great figure who had failed his tribulation.
Si Nian tried very hard to restrain her gossiping heart, placing the porridge and pastries upon the table, her eyes still flashing as she peeked quietly.
Fu Jinyue casually wrapped herself in clothes, intimately holding Si Nian’s hand and shaking it, thanking her, “It smells so good, Si Nian makes everything delicious.”
For a crane demon who refused to fast and was enthusiastic about tinkering with spiritual food, there were no more pleasing words than these.
Si Nian raised her face slightly, finally asking, “Um, Little Fellow Daoist Fu…”
“What?” Fu Jinyue stuffed osmanthus cake into her mouth, lifting her eyes.
Si Nian said in a small voice, “That… is it comfortable?”
Fu Jinyue: “What is comfortable?”
Si Nian said, “That, it is…”
She leaned to Fu Jinyue’s ear: “Reproduction.”
Fu Jinyue blinked, learning from her to reply in a small voice, “Comfortable.”
Si Nian’s eyes seemed to light up, but quickly dimmed back: “But, I do not want to lay eggs again.”
“Does Si Nian have someone she likes?” Fu Jinyue asked.
Si Nian averted her gaze, saying in discouragement, “He is just ordinary, I am merely curious. If we do not have to lay eggs, we could try it. Pity that we beasts are unlike the human race; after entering cultivation, it is not that difficult to conceive.”
Fu Jinyue blinked again upon hearing this. After chatting a few more sentences with Si Nian, once the crane demon left, she fell into thought reflectively.
She had just broken through a small node, so she naturally had to smooth out her goals. Thus she thought to herself, The system’s ultimate task is to carry forward and glorify the Hehuan Sect, so the first thing I must do is to turn the reputation of the Hehuan Sect around. But the bad name is deeply rooted in people’s hearts, and relying on myself, I cannot stabilize public opinion at all. Only by putting effort into winning over the Sword Sect as an ally can I ensure that even if others do not believe the prophecy, they will have to weigh the consequences before shouting the evil cultivator slogan at me.
Now, as long as Yun Heyin’s introduction was successful, she had a ninety percent certainty of curing the injuries of the Sword Sect’s great figure, and then she could rely on displaying her own value to further develop friendly relations with the Sword Sect.
And Si Nian’s words gave her additional lines of thought. Turning the reputation around solely by herself—who knew what year she would have to toil until.
What if…
She recruited some teammates while saving the reputation?
To glorify the sect, the most suitable teammates would naturally be people of the same sect.
Controllable conception, mutual assistance and benefit to advance cultivation, and unstained by the evil consequences of evil cultivators—no matter how one looked at it, it was excellent. She was only afraid that if the situation developed further, it would turn into compensated mutual assistance, indulging in shortcuts, which would test the boundaries of Jinjiang far too much.
However, viewing it from the current situation, it was still far too early to discuss these.
The reputation wasn’t even corrected yet; things hadn’t even begun.
Fu Jinyue called out the system, intending to first look at the current status.
The little system happily opened the panel, helping her jump to the part she cared about most.
【Character】
【Name: Fu Jinyue】
【Cultivation: Fifth layer of Foundation Establishment stage (Mid stage)】
【Possessed Items: Floating Firefly Red Chalcedony Earrings (Expandable to check detailed list), Primary Spatial Pouch x4 (Expandable to check detailed list)】
【Mastered Spells: Basic Water Art, Origin Talisman (Water Art), Spiritual Plant Vitality Renewal…】
The system clapped and celebrated again: “Con—gra—tu—la—tions, host, on your pro—mo—tion—”
Just as it started, fireworks crackled and set off. Fu Jinyue urgently called a halt, rubbing the corner of her forehead.
Her gaze paused on the cultivation level for a long time, and she thought to herself, It must be said that those with higher cultivation are indeed better. Logically speaking, the number of times that night in the mountain cave was no less than last night, but simply because Yun Heyin is at the early Nascent Soul stage, the improvement brought forth completely raised a whole realm.
Feeling the abundant spiritual energy inside her body, Fu Jinyue expressed: =v=
The system popped out at this moment with a ceng, urgently throwing the task bar onto her face, saying jubilantly, “Host, look, look!”
【Unique Task: Carry Forward and Glorify the Hehuan Sect】
【Task Goal: Turn around the reputation of the Hehuan Sect, making the orthodox Hehuan Sect a household name in the cultivation world, revered by everyone】
【Task Completion Rate: -99.98%】
【Current Comment: Any kind of crooked methods and evil paths dare to claim to be the Hehuan Sect to swindle and bluff in the cultivation world. The reputation has been completely ruined by these fools, leading to a worrisome progress. If you wish to revive it, I am afraid the road is still long. Why not first delve into the cultivation methods to seek enlightenment? Only after raising your cultivation level can you do great things.】
The -100% completion rate had grown by 0.02% before she knew it.
Fu Jinyue suspected that the persuasion on Yun Heyin’s side had yielded effects.
Sleeping with the man, her cultivation rising, and the progress improving.
Triple happy events, every single one pleasing.
She ate breakfast with satisfaction—one mouthful of porridge, one mouthful of pastry. The spiritual energy of the ingredients surged into her body, absorbed and transformed by her Dantian which was widened differently from the past.
The Foundation Establishment stage was the most obvious dividing line between a mortal and a cultivator. Not only did her body strength rise significantly, but she could also release her divine sense to investigate surrounding matters and lift up objects. Most talismans could be used, and high-grade magic treasures could be driven reluctantly. The most crucial thing—
Was that she could fly on a sword!
Fu Jinyue had been stuffed with so many spiritual stones by Sect Master You, and not a single coin had been spent. She was determined to go buy a flying sword belonging to herself within the next day or two, so as to test the majesty of flying on a sword high in the sky.
And then there was learning more spells, mastering more self-protection methods, and if necessary, nurturing a spiritual pet wouldn’t be out of the question…
Her feet swung beneath the table. While fantasizing about the prospects, Fu Jinyue planned to tally the treasures in the spatial pouches later. Right at this moment, she suddenly felt an abnormality in the bamboo courtyard’s restriction.
A Foundation Establishment cultivator who had just broken through was at her most proud, and happily and proudly released her divine sense, throwing a distant glance outside the courtyard. She saw a steady youth standing before the courtyard door, that uniform sword robe of Zhanjian Peak with its hem flipping violently in the wind.
It was precisely Xi Chuan.
What did he come for?
Fu Jinyue scooped a mouthful of porridge into her mouth, still sizing him up needlessly.
As for whether to meet, it was already matter of indifference to her.
After all, he was merely at the Foundation Establishment stage.
However, the youth’s standing posture was upright, and his features were cold and handsome. Standing solemnly at this time, his entire being appeared to possess a type of heroic spirit that could not be stared at directly, like a majestic German Shepherd guarding its post. Her heart moved slightly, and she dressed well before going out the door to find him.
Xi Chuan could never let go of the joy in his heart.
He had not slept well last night, his dreams entirely filled with the small whimpers emitted by the young girl, waking up with a flushed face before dawn had even broken.
Washing his clothes and trousers, he climbed up to practice his sword more than five hundred times.
When wielding the sword, his heart was quiet, but as soon as he stopped, his mind and head were entirely filled with her figure once more.
How could it be like this?
He had merely given his first time entirely to her, yet his entire being was stamped with her imprint as a consequence.
Xi Chuan thought that even if it was merely to help her cultivate, he missed her, exceptionally eager.
At the third quarter of the Chen hour, he completed his sword practice early, drawing his sword into its sheath and wiping the sweat between his forehead. Xi Chuan looked at himself silently again.
His palms were entirely covered in sticky sweat.
“…”
At the first quarter of the Si hour, the youth finished bathing, holding a tense face toward the mirror to smooth out every single wrinkle of his clothes.
In this place of the Sword Sect where spiritual energy was abundant, he, as a single spiritual root, would soon break through another layer.
He understood her methods, and he was prepared at all times.
The joyful stirrings in his heart faintly hid unease. He could not explain the reason, but merely quickened his footsteps. Following the direction he had inquired about, he found her residence.
“What did you come to find me for?”
The young girl gazed at him with a beaming smile, as if it were yesterday.
Xi Chuan thought that his brain was likely completely empty. He subconsciously hooked the corners of his mouth and walked forward, only for a set of white clothes to suddenly flash before his eyes. He seemed to hear an extremely light cold snort, and before he could confirm it, the wind that whipped over subsequently forced him back repeatedly.
This wind appeared to target only him, giving rise to a piercing cold upon touching his body.
The wind blew to both sides, and the luxuriant flower branches by the path swayed lightly a few times before remaining stationary.
Meanwhile, Xi Chuan lowered his head to resist, staggering back repeatedly.
The young girl still stood there smiling, probably merely regarding this as a game.
Only he understood the hidden hostility within it.
The wind dissipated imperceptibly, and Xi Chuan heard another very light cold snort—it was not an illusion.
Right at this moment, he heard her ask with a smile, “Senior, you have returned so quickly. Is the matter settled?”
Her tone was intimate. It was not to him.
It was difficult to describe what kind of mood this was. A youth’s sorrow and joy always shifted abruptly. Xi Chuan felt the heavy and oppressive sound of his heartbeat in his chest. He raised his eyes coldly, fixing his gaze to look, and saw that a person was indeed already standing beside the young girl. Another person.
It was no longer him.
The pressure belonging to a high-stage cultivator locked upon the top of his head, causing his back to grow chilled.
Xi Chuan gripped the sword at his waist tightly.
The cultivator in that set of white clothes cast his gaze over as a consequence, expressionless.
“Are you the disciple newly accepted by Perfected Lord Xiaoyao?”
The opponent sized him up from above: “The Lightning Spiritual Root outside the five elements, your talent is indeed excellent.”
“A pity.” Those eyes turned away calmly and without waves, concluding, “A pity your Dao heart is cluttered, your foundation still shallow, and your youth’s disposition floating and unstable. You still need further practice.”
Xi Chuan remained silent and did not speak.
Because the gaze the opponent turned away from his person scraped past like a knife, leaving his back drenched in cold sweat. In a trance, he seemed to see that person revealing a look of mockery, silently saying coldly:
He is merely so-so.