Chapter 83: High Content of Youthful Innocence and Yu Yin
Yin Lisheng's cultivation level was closely related to the Heavenly Dao seal on his body, so Fu Yunshu sensed it when he first attempted to break through to the Nascent Soul stage.
That night, Fu Yunshu didn't close his eyes and stayed up all night guarding outside the Sword Inquiry Cliff.
Fu Yunshu closed his eyes, his divine sense extending like invisible tentacles towards the direction of the Sword Inquiry Cliff. He could not "see" the specific situation inside the cliff, but he could clearly sense the violent lightning tribulation power and a tenacious and unyielding aura within it, like a candle flame in the wind that never extinguished.
That was Yin Lisheng's aura.
Each time the heavenly lightning struck, that aura would suddenly dim, as if it would dissipate at any moment, yet it would always stubbornly rekindle at the most critical moment, unleashing an even more resolute and fierce sword intent to fiercely resist the heavenly tribulation.
Fu Yunshu's heart soared and then slowly descended with the rise and fall of that aura, repeating the cycle endlessly.
Time slowly passed in the suffocating wait.
The sun was high in the sky, but the thunder still rumbled.
Noon has passed, but the clouds of calamity have not yet dissipated.
As the sun began to set, the terrifying dark golden lightning above Wenjian Cliff finally began to weaken.
Fu Yunshu's tense nerves relaxed slightly; the most violent phase had passed.
Finally, on the night of the second day, Fu Yunshu felt the Heavenly Dao seal within his body loosen again, and revealed his first smile in days.
He knew that Yin Lisheng had successfully broken through to the Nascent Soul stage, and in any case, this was a good start.
"Ancestor, you've been on guard for two days now. Go back and rest," Yu Jiangheng said respectfully.
Yin Simiao, standing beside him, chimed in, "Yes, Ancestor, Li Sheng wouldn't want to see you neglecting your health like this for him."
Fu Yunshu agreed, and he would indeed go and deal with the Heavenly Dao seal within his body.
As Fu Yunshu walked away, Yin Simiao looked towards the Sword Inquiry Cliff and couldn't help but feel a little sad.
"Yu Jiangheng, how did the sect end up like this?"
Yu Jiangheng silently gazed towards the direction of Wenjian Cliff. Although the lightning at the cliff top had weakened, it still occasionally crackled, illuminating his serene profile. Yin Simiao's question stirred a pang of sadness within him.
Yes, how did the sect become like this?
Their master was seriously injured and unconscious, his life hanging by a thread. Peak Master Gu stayed by his side day and night, becoming emaciated. Yin Lisheng—their uncle—was fighting for his life on the cliff, clinging to a slim chance of survival. Several peak masters were deeply worried and ran around frantically. Even these disciples were forced overnight to shoulder burdens far beyond their years.
“Life is unpredictable,” Yu Jiangheng finally spoke slowly after a long silence, his voice low and deep. “Our master often taught us that the path of cultivation is long, and that gatherings and separations, rises and falls are all normal. All we can do is stay true to ourselves and do what we should do in the present moment.”
Yin Simiao turned her head and looked at Yu Jiangheng. Under the moonlight, the senior brother who was always at odds with him and competitive had completely lost the youthful sharpness that was already there in his eyes, and had become more composed and tired.
Yu Jiangheng stood there tall and straight, like an unyielding spear, silently enduring pressure from all sides and striving to maintain the operation of the sect.
He suddenly realized that it had been a long time since he had argued with Yu Jiangheng.
When did it begin? Probably from the time his master collapsed and Yu Jiangheng was temporarily thrust into the position of acting sect leader. Watching the other man so busy that he barely had time to breathe, dealing with mountains of official business, calming the anxious hearts of the people, and still having to muster his strength to visit his comatose master and care for the Immortal Venerable Huaiwei who was guarding outside the cliff... he could no longer utter those provocative and quarrelsome words.
Even when Yu Jiangheng occasionally showed signs of fatigue and confusion, he would inexplicably offer him a cup of hot tea or quietly help him tidy up his scattered files.
"You're right." Yin Simiao, unusually, didn't refute, and her voice lowered. "Just do what you should be doing right now."
He paused, then couldn't help but say, "Don't push yourself too hard. If Master wakes up and sees you like this, he'll definitely nag you again."
Yu Jiangheng was slightly taken aback and looked at him, not expecting Yin Simiao, who usually only argued with him, to say such a thing.
Yin Simiao felt a little uncomfortable being stared at and turned her face away: "What are you looking at! Am I wrong? You are the acting sect leader now. If you collapse from exhaustion, wouldn't the sect be in even more chaos?"
His tone was still as sharp as ever, but the undisguised concern in his eyes warmed Yu Jiangheng's heart slightly.
"Yes, I know," Yu Jiangheng replied softly, a barely perceptible curve appearing at the corner of his mouth. "You too."
Yin Simiao's ears burned a little. He nodded haphazardly and muttered, "None of your business."
Yu Jiangheng did not reply. Upon seeing him, Yin Simiao looked up and, as if possessed, tugged at Yu Jiangheng's sleeve.
"Lower your head a little."
"What's wrong?" Yu Jiangheng obediently lowered his head, and suddenly felt a warm touch on his lips.
Yu Jiangheng froze completely.
The warm, soft touch on his lips carried a unique, cool, and slightly herbal scent characteristic of Yin Simiao. It was fleeting, almost like an illusion. But the sudden acceleration of his heartbeat and the rush of heat to his head told him with absolute clarity—it wasn't an illusion.
When he came to his senses, Yin Simiao was nowhere to be seen. The guy had already run away like a startled rabbit, leaving behind a mumbled "Here you go, your reward. I'll go see if Master needs any help!" and then disappeared without a trace, so fast that not even a scrap of clothing was left behind.
Yu Jiangheng stood frozen in place, his fingers unconsciously touching his lips, where the warmth and excitement from the other person still lingered. A night breeze blew by, bringing a touch of coolness, but it couldn't dispel the sudden heat rising on his face.
Yin Simiao... kissed him?
Yin Simiao, who had been arguing with him since they first met, always bickering whenever they saw each other, and never willing to suffer a loss, actually... kissed him?
After the initial shock, an indescribable mix of panic and smugness grew wildly in his heart like weeds.
So... he wasn't the only one in love?
This realization made Yu Jiangheng's heart beat even faster. He had never imagined that the usually carefree Yin Simiao might be hiding the same awkward and unspoken emotions as himself.
But now is not the time to think about these things.
Yu Jiangheng squeezed his eyes shut, and when he opened them again, the turbulent emotions within had been forcibly suppressed, replaced by his usual composure. Only the lingering red on his ears and his slightly accelerated heartbeat betrayed his inner turmoil.
He took a deep breath, straightened his slightly disheveled robes, and turned to walk towards the main peak. His steps remained steady, but upon closer inspection, they seemed a little faster than usual.
At that moment, Yin Simiao, who had run back to the house as if fleeing, locked herself in the quiet room where she usually meditated, leaning against the cold door and panting heavily.
His face was burning hot, and his heart was pounding as if it would burst out of his chest.
God knows why he did that just now! It must have been because the night was too alluring, the atmosphere too subtle, and Yu Jiangheng's rare display of gentleness was too...too heart-pounding!
But... running away after a kiss, isn't that too cowardly? What will Yu Jiangheng think? Will he think he's being unreasonable? Or... worse, will he think he didn't take the kiss seriously at all?
Yin Simiao scratched his head in frustration, wishing he could turn back time. Yet, deep down, a secret sweetness and relief lingered. That kiss felt like it had revealed a secret he had kept hidden for years, a secret he himself hadn't dared to delve into. Though the method was clumsy and the timing terrible, at least... he had done it.
He slid down to the ground against the door, hugged his knees, and buried his burning face in them.
Just as Yin Simiao was struggling with her inner turmoil, familiar, steady footsteps came from outside the quiet room and stopped at the door.
Yin Simiao froze, even holding her breath.
"Si Miao," Yu Jiangheng's voice came from outside the door, sounding no different from usual, still calm and composed, "Uncle Ning sent a message saying that Master's condition is stable and that you don't need to worry. She wants you to go see her later."
Yin Simiao: "..."
That's it? That's all? Not a single word about that kiss?
A sense of loss welled up inside him, mixed with a bitter "I knew it" feeling. Yu Jiangheng really didn't take it seriously, did he? Of course, the entire sect was in a state of chaos right now; who had the time to concern themselves with such personal matters?
He mumbled a reply: "...Okay."
There was a moment of silence outside the door. Just when Yin Simiao thought Yu Jiangheng had left, the voice sounded again, lower and... gentler than before:
"And... about what just happened, I wasn't angry, on the contrary... I was very happy, because I felt the same way."
Yin Simiao suddenly raised her head, her eyes widened, and her ears perked up.
“But now…” Yu Jiangheng paused, as if choosing his words carefully, “the timing isn’t right. Let’s wait until Master wakes up, until everything settles down… then we can talk, okay?”
His tone was serious; there was no perfunctory response or evasion.
Yin Simiao's heart felt like it had fallen from the clouds and then risen again. He opened his mouth to say something, but found his throat was dry.
Finally, he simply gave a soft "hmm" to the door.
A barely audible sigh, as if a sigh of relief had been heard from outside the door, followed by the sound of footsteps gradually fading away.
Yin Simiao remained seated behind the door, but the heat on his face gradually subsided, and his heartbeat slowly calmed down. He hugged his knees, but the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curve upwards little by little.
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Author's Note: The next chapter is coming soon.
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