Chapter 26 Initial Dual Cultivation of the Sutra
"one……"
"Senior sister, spare me! I'll confess, I'll confess!"
Qiao Yanshen would certainly not actually make a move, but his gentle voice was like a heavy hammer. The first blow struck Shen Lixia's heart, and she couldn't help but speak, explaining word by word.
When she mentioned Lin Fenghua's murder, Qiao Yanshen raised an eyebrow, showing little surprise, and asked her, "He must have died a very tragic death."
Shen Lixia shrank her neck guiltily and whispered, "I used that strange fire—according to that Lin Yuxian, he was burned to death and disappeared."
Of course, she wouldn't tell her senior sister how she turned someone into a human pig and then crushed him in despair during his ecstatic illusion.
Qiao Yanshen didn't care much about Lin Fenghua's death—the man deserved it. She calculated the time; some time had passed since Shen Lixia used fire, yet the burning sensation on the boy's body showed no signs of subsiding. When she helped him up earlier, she touched his palm and noticed that his skin was soaked with cold sweat, a chilling sensation running through her for a moment.
It must have been an unimaginable level of pain.
"I heard you say that I was engulfed in flames, and then, like a phoenix rising from the ashes, my body, damaged by the tribulation lightning, was repaired," Shen Lixia continued. "Perhaps my ability to cultivate and my extraordinary eyesight are also due to this blessing, but before that, I could hear the trees talking..."
“This fire comes at a price. Every time you use it, you’ll feel a lot of pain.” Qiao Yanshen lowered his eyes, separating his hands that were originally clasped together, turning his palms towards Shen Lixia. The young man understood her meaning and gently placed one of his hands in hers.
Qiao Yanshen stroked her still-hot fingers, running his hand down her fingertips and knuckles, as if he were touching through her skin and flesh, soothing the churning pain within Shen Lixia's body. The calluses on her fingers brushed against Shen Lixia's fingertips, the intense heat creating a slightly rough, stinging sensation, yet also bringing a touch of comforting coolness to the young man.
The person whose hand was being held tensed up involuntarily, yet involuntarily relaxed at the touch, which was devoid of any other intention and seemed like the loving concern of an elder. Qiao Yanshen's fingers slowly slid to her wrist, pressing on her pulse, sensing the rhythm of life, as if to confirm that her body was alive and breathing, and not hissing and shapeless from being burned by fire.
The feeling was strange, reminding Shen Lixia of the clusters of crystal-clear jellyfish she had seen in the glass tank before she arrived here. Their smooth exteriors and water-filled bodies evoked the sensation of touch. She felt as if she were being kissed by a soft jellyfish mother, the coolness of her fingers stroking her causing a slight annoyance.
Qiao Yanshen stopped stroking her, squeezed her hand tightly, and whispered, "Back then, you were covered in wounds and had been whipped several times... If I had found you sooner, you wouldn't have had to suffer like that."
Ever since she arrived here, she has always been struggling, constantly in pain. Every time Qiao Yanshen saw her enduring the agony, his heart would tremble slightly, a complex mix of emotions welling up within him. If only it had been a little earlier... if only she had been a little stronger...
Wouldn't that keep her away from the pain and prevent her from suffering so much?
The agonizing emotions within her subtly stirred a tightly bound shackle. Seeing the azure spiritual energy surging from her body, intertwined with wisps of pale green light, Shen Lixia exclaimed in surprise, "Senior Sister—"
Qiao Yanshen noticed that the spiritual energy in his body naturally tended towards Shen Lixia. Although he was somewhat surprised, he did not stop it. Instead, he followed the flow and carefully controlled the gurgling stream, making it flow more slowly. It then calmly and unhurriedly entered Shen Lixia's meridians along the point where their hands were clasped tightly.
Shen Lixia trembled, feeling as if the jellyfish that had been merely resting in her palm had suddenly slid directly into her bones and blood, decomposing coldly and flowing through her limbs and bones, carefully enveloping every one of her spiritual veins.
In that instant, she seemed to lose her form, becoming a parched forest. The spiritual energy that Qiao Yan had deeply penetrated flowed gently, producing the clear, tinkling sound of flowing water. It meandered, branching into countless tributaries, like a long-awaited rain finally falling, nourishing every parched spot, causing the flames within her to greedily surge, licking the dripping rain with their tongues. This ferocious fire, barely extending a little, was subdued by the sudden surge of sharp, piercing water, becoming docile and subdued as if it had gained sentience, almost giving Shen Lixia the illusion that it was trembling in fear.
Her consciousness gradually became hazy until the gentle rain soaked her, allowing her to sink into the comforting and warm water, escaping the burning flames.
The two were so engrossed in their wondrous union that they did not notice the light emanating from their bodies. The light blue, symbolizing water and fire, intertwined intimately with the bright red, reflecting each other and slowly enveloping one another, making it difficult for them to part.
Just as Shen Lixia was feeling the pain being gradually peeled away from her body, Qiao Yanshen suddenly bit his lower lip, his face turning pale.
In that instant, her senses were connected with Shen Lixia's, and the lingering burning pain on his body was transmitted to her, as if a thousand swords, tempered by fire, were piercing through her body. She even forgot to breathe because of this, but she did not let go. Instead, she gripped Shen Lixia's hand even tighter.
This time, the malevolent energy did not hinder her spiritual power from penetrating deeper. However, as the empathy surged into her consciousness, an overwhelming killing intent suddenly arose, sharply piercing her rationality.
The flames spread across Qiao Yanshen's wrist, burning all the way up to her dantian from the point of contact, causing her to mumble something indistinctly:
"It's so hot..."
So that's how she felt.
Qiao Yanshen was not unaware that Shen Lixia's state of mind had changed.
The intense hostility and some inexplicable obsession made her rationality waver at this moment. So for Shen Lixia, who truly bears these things, each time she drives the flames, she will probably be affected.
Gradually, this complex emotion will reshape her until it is completely integrated into her mind and body—and at that time, Shen Lixia's own personality will also disappear.
She will become a different person.
Only when the glow on their bodies subsided did Shen Lixia come to her senses and realize that Qiao Yanshen had been watching her for quite some time. Recalling her experience, her body, which had just cooled down, began to feel hot again, and she became uneasy due to the subtle sensations that ran up her spine.
My senior sister must know.
"You must never use this flame again in the future." Qiao Yanshen released her hand and said seriously, "The golden fire spiritual power in your body is now fighting fiercely, which will further hinder your cultivation. Stop it before it becomes irreparable and cultivate normally with me."
Shen Lixia felt quite comfortable, but Qiao Yanshen's scolding made her scalp tingle, and she obediently mumbled her agreement. Qiao Yanshen was still not at ease, and added, "You have recently revealed a murderous aura. I thought it was just anger, but now it is clear that you are affected by resentment. In the future, you should calm down more and not be too impatient."
She paused, but ultimately didn't say the last sentence.
I don't want to lose you. Qiao Yanshen murmured softly in his heart, his imposing gaze softening, leaving only tenderness.
She sensed something unusual about Shen Lixia's aura. Upon closer inspection, she discovered that the young man had actually reached the Perfect Realm during this process. If he hadn't been deliberately suppressing it, he would have already broken through to the next level. Her own cultivation had also become much more stable, and she had barely reached the mid-Foundation Establishment stage.
Before Qiao Yanshen could speak, Shen Lixia asked hesitantly, "Senior Sister...did we just cultivate together?"
After she finished speaking, she raised her hand and pressed the back of her hand against her cheek, covering most of her face, but she still couldn't hide her ears, which were burning red. In this situation, although she felt as if all the turbid air had disappeared and her body was completely clear, the mingled sensations were too subtle—so subtle that she found it difficult to talk about them.
Qiao Yanshen let out a soft "Ah," feeling a flush rise to his face.
Although their spiritual energy mingled and their senses were connected for a short while, their cultivation levels did indeed rise, making the term "dual cultivation" entirely reasonable. However...
The word itself seemed rather ambiguous. That feeling returned, a mixture of urgency and tenderness, forming worry—and then, involuntarily, spiritual energy flowed out naturally, attracting each other without any hindrance.
After a moment of silence, unable to bear the strange atmosphere, she quickly changed the subject.
"The spiritual energy you just sensed likely came from True Monarch Mingji."
"True Lord Mingji...?"
"There are four Immortal Venerables in the Nascent Soul stage within the sect, who are the masters of the four peaks. Their status is special, and everyone aspires to become their disciples. However, only inner disciples are qualified, and many are merely nominal disciples. It is rare for an Immortal Venerable to personally teach them. True Monarch Mingji is one of them. Previously, Senior Sister Tang's master was True Monarch Cangling. In addition, there is True Monarch Jiuzhi, who is proficient in array techniques and can set up the sect's great array, and True Monarch Lanqiu, who is skilled in weapon forging."
Qiao Yanshen patiently explained, and Shen Lixia's eyes lit up as she listened.
"Then I won the gamble, won't I? If I kill Lin Fenghua, the elders of the aristocratic families will definitely go to great lengths to find the murderer; and Senior Sister, your outstanding performance, as an outer disciple challenging an inner disciple, will surely attract the attention of powerful figures in the sect—after seeing your excellent performance, she will definitely be tempted to take you as a disciple. In this way, even if that elder wants to blame me, he will be deterred by the power of the True Lord and will not dare to make trouble."
Qiao Yanshen listened to her explanation, which was so logical and reasonable, and couldn't help but chuckle, asking, "How did you come up with all this?"
Shen Lixia clapped her hands: "Isn't that how novels usually write it? Like, she becomes an overnight sensation and attracts a master to take her as a disciple... Should we move now? Which peak does she live on?"
Although reluctant to dampen Chen Lixia's spirits, Qiao Yanshen still sighed and said helplessly, "She didn't offer to take me as her disciple, so it seems your little tricks didn't work this time. However, I did get her assurance that I could ask her for help if I was in danger, or send her a message if I encountered difficulties."
"Could it be that she's still testing you, Senior Sister?"
“I think so. Moreover, we committed the murder first. Although we eliminated the scourge, if no one is willing to stand up and speak out to prove that we have enough evidence of our crimes, we are probably still in the wrong.”
"Sigh..." Shen Lixia deflated, looking at the bird that had just been arrogantly fluffing its feathers and was suddenly drenched, and listlessly twisted her fingers. "This opportunity is really not good enough."
However, since she had already taken the gamble, she would have to accept that the outcome might be different from what she expected.
Anyway, Lin Fenghua is dead. Nothing could be more comforting than that—the dead can't cause any trouble, while the living can spout nonsense as long as they have a breath left. It's better for him to turn to ashes.
Those boys who followed him should also be reduced to ashes.
As Shen Lixia was thinking, she suddenly felt something wrapped around her hand. Looking down, she saw a thin ribbon wrapped around her wrist and tightly knotted. Following the ribbon, she saw that the other end was tied to Qiao Yanshen's wrist.
This looks familiar... Wait a minute, isn't this my senior sister's hairband?
She looked up in confusion and saw that Qiao Yanshen's eyes held no hint of a joke, but rather a serious expression.
"So that you won't disappear again and break the agreement."
Shen Lixia: ......
This ribbon looks like a chain, used to control disobedient little animals.
Qiao Yanshen is the one holding this chain.
Without giving her any room to argue or struggle, Qiao Yanshen calmly got up and took her to wash up.
Cultivators have little need for sleep, but after some consideration, Qiao Yanshen still led Shen Lixia into the inner room. A beam of pure white light entered the room, and all was quiet. Everything was subdued in the dry, thin, gauze-like moonlight, leaving only a shimmering silver glow.
Shen Lixia understood Qiao Yanshen's meaning and got into bed first. She then felt the sheets beside her sink slightly, knowing that Qiao Yanshen had also lain down. The two were initially a short distance apart, but gradually drew closer in the sound of their breathing, until they were pressed together.
This time, the boy did not feel that the other person's movements were stiff. Instead, he naturally leaned back to back with her, and the rhythm of their bodies was calm and gentle.
After a moment of silence, Shen Lixia, though feeling a little sleepy, tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep. Qiao Yanshen beside her also seemed to be awake—she could feel that his breathing hadn't become any shallower or more steady.
So, the boy tentatively whispered, "Senior Sister?"
"Um?"
He was still awake, as expected.
"I remember... you mentioned that we met in this world, but what about before that? Before this..."
Shen Lixia's anxious voice reached Qiao Yanshen's ears, causing her to chuckle softly.
“I remember you…you were very popular with those around you, and you always had so much to talk about with them; you liked to sit in the back row, but you were always exceptionally focused during class, and the professor always remembered you…” She spoke slowly and softly, “Back then, I thought you were like a—little stove, right? Bright and clean, looking so warm. Ah, it’s just that we didn’t really have much of a chance to interact, did we? You always left get out of class quickly and rushed to class.”
Shen Lixia's ear tips started to burn again, but she couldn't complain about them being out of control, because her heart was also starting to pound wildly.
“I also remember Senior Sister. But…” Shen Lixia paused.
"Um?"
"I didn't really like my senior back then. I always felt that you were too reluctant to refuse people. Everyone said you were very approachable, but being approachable to everyone is also a kind of aloofness...maybe? Sometimes when I look at my senior, I feel a little lonely, as if you often stay in very quiet places and are used to being alone."
Qiao Yanshen remained silent for a while. Perhaps it had been a long time, just when Shen Lixia almost thought she had fallen asleep due to drowsiness, her gentle voice rang out again, resonating with the trembling, invisible bands in the air.
"Yes, it is indeed a bit deserted. Few people... listen to me like this."
They chatted without any purpose, not even wanting to know anything, just purely and simply.
The gate that had been sealed off from so many words has, for some reason, slowly begun to open.
Shen Lixia chuckled lightly: "But now my senior sister tells me—don't do that, and things like that. Does that make you feel less lonely? By the way, does my senior sister miss home?"
A ray of moonlight shone through the window and fell into Qiao Yanshen's palm, like a fine blade, cutting silver marks along the lines of her hand.
She considered her words carefully before finally replying, "I can't say for sure. Maybe it's just what I'm thinking. I wonder what my mother is feeling right now, and what season it is over there."
Shen Lixia sensed the melancholy in her voice and was thinking of changing the subject when Qiao Yanshen continued, "My relationship with her is not deep... We are always too busy and we are far apart. But I miss her very much, and I know that she loves me very much... She is such a fast-paced person, and she is very strict with me."
The two pressed themselves even closer, their warmth spreading across their backs.
Listening to Qiao Yanshen's whisper, Shen Lixia closed her eyes, a bittersweet feeling flowing through her heart.
Yes, my senior sister has important family members.
She was a child who came from nowhere and slept in the ruins left by a fire.
"I think I said..."
That's a bit too much. Will my senior sister get annoyed?
"Senior sister, we will definitely go back together. It's a promise."
Even if we never cross paths again.
The boy's voice was low and soft, a far cry from his usual bright and clear tone. It sounded pleasant at this moment, and after lingering in his ears, it transformed into a feather, gently brushing against Qiao Yanshen's heart.
Light yet sturdy, it supported her sinking emotions and steadily lifted her up.
"Um."
"My senior sister isn't usually the unapproachable type, but she always plays the most serious role in the whole team."
At this point, Qiao Yanshen became unusually embarrassed. She whispered, "Unlike you, Li Xia, I can't always get along with people... I'm not good at it."
“Just tell some jokes, okay? Like, I’ll tell one right now. What should I say? Like…” Shen Lixia pondered for a moment, “When I was very young, I saw a child fall into the water, and without thinking, I jumped in to save her… In the end, I saved her, but I caught a cold myself. At that time, my aunt, to punish me for not learning my lesson, boiled the medicine until—ugh, it was so bitter it almost made my tongue fall off.”
As soon as she finished speaking, Shen Lixia regretted it.
This isn't a joke; it's a true account of her making a fool of herself. It's incredibly boring to listen to.
But what happened to that girl? Did she catch a cold like her? Trying to recall, she couldn't even remember what the other girl looked like. It's a shame she thought she had such a good memory.
But the person next to him reacted for a moment and then actually laughed—more happily than anyone who had heard about it, or even anyone who was there at the time, his shoulders shaking uncontrollably.
Infected by her, Shen Lixia also chuckled inexplicably, feeling a sense of comfort from the bottom of her heart.
"So cute..." Qiao Yanshen stopped laughing for a moment, took a deep breath, "Just thinking about how Li Xia looks with her tongue sticking out from the pain is really funny."
Shen Lixia pursed her lips: "Right... There are clearly medicines that are easy to take. Auntie is really mean."
The other person replied with a smile, "Good medicine tastes bitter. The fever here should be called a cold, right? Hearing the word 'cold' always feels like a distant memory."
This is their unique local accent.
"Thank you, Li Xia."
At least for now, she is happy.
Qiao Yanshen suddenly felt an indescribable peace, as if his restless thoughts had calmed down and his worries about the vague and unknown future had paused for a while. His body unconsciously began to relax until drowsiness overwhelmed him.
"I also want to express my gratitude. I had a very pleasant time with my senior sister, and things don't seem so bad here after all."
As Shen Lixia spoke, she sensed that Qiao Yanshen was gradually relaxing, so she gently tugged at the ribbon in his hand.
The only response she received was the sound of soft breathing.
She's asleep.
The boy smiled, closed his eyes, and whispered softly:
Goodnight, senior sister.
It's unclear when they'll be able to go home.
Who knows when she will be all alone again.
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