Chapter 170: Passionate Swimming.
The lake reflects the sky, its water smooth and shimmering.
A thin layer of snow still clung to the shore, and strings of crystal-clear ice flowers adorned the silvery trees. The two stood silently by the lake, gazing at the scene before them. Qiao Yan, deeply moved by the beauty of the view, smiled and said, "We should find an oar and row to the middle of the lake."
She turned her face and squeezed Shen Lixia's hand. "Just looking?"
Shen Lixia met her tender gaze and saw the shimmering light inside, as if a layer of ancient surface had been washed away, revealing a bright sapphire blue. Morning light flowed within it, like a pool of water, deeper and clearer than the lake before her, making one want to drown in it.
She blurted out, "Shall we go into the water?"
After a moment, she realized what she had said, and lowered her head, her already red nose turning even redder with embarrassment.
“We don’t have a boat, but we can go to the center of the lake… flying on a sword, right? We can use a water-repelling bead.”
It's so cold, going into the water would be freezing... What is she saying?
Qiao Yanshen listened to her suggestion but didn't rush to respond. He thought about it seriously for a while and then nodded: "Okay, let's go into the water. It's early morning now, and the snow has stopped. Actually, the lake water should be warmer than the snow. And it's not frozen over yet."
She actually took this suggestion to heart. For some reason, Shen Lixia was speechless and only held her breath slightly.
Since Qiao Yanshen did not hear a response, he raised their clasped hands and shook them lightly twice.
"Um?"
“Okay…” Shen Lixia replied subconsciously. The next moment, she was led towards the lake. They slowly descended, stepping over uneven, undulating steps, until a damp, slightly chilly air rushed towards them. Only then did she remember something and hurriedly said, “Wait a minute…”
"I'm not a very good swimmer."
Qiao Yanshen looked at her in surprise, "Didn't you once go into the water to save someone?"
Having a natural affinity for water and possessing memories of her past life, she was no longer as afraid of it as before, nor did she worry about drowning. But Chen Lixia—
"Yes, Junior Sister is like a little bird; she probably doesn't enjoy playing in the water that much." Thinking of this, Qiao Yanshen fell silent, waiting for her response. If Shen Lixia was unwilling, she certainly wouldn't force her.
“Then let’s stay here. There might be many small stones on the lake shore that we can look for.” She smiled and smiled.
Shen Lixia hesitated for a moment before explaining, "I was in such a hurry at the time that I didn't think about anything... I was afraid the child would sink, so I plunged into the water."
It's truly a blessing from heaven that they were rescued unharmed.
She shook her head, released Qiao Yanshen's hand, and said, "I'm not very good at it, but it's not that I don't want to..." As she spoke, her hand was already on her waist, untying the belt.
The deep blue satin fabric gently fell onto the snow. Shen Lixia took off her outer garment, leaving her in only a thin undergarment.
Qiao Yanshen chuckled, "Then I'll teach you, as a reward for the competition, okay? Our little bird has worked hard too."
After taking off his boots and coat, Qiao Yanshen went into the water first, then watched as Shen Lixia carefully probed into the water. She first raised her hand to touch the water, seemed to think for a while, and finally did not jump in, but naturally slid into the lake.
Almost the instant she was submerged in the water, the girl shivered from the cold and quickly clung to Qiao Yanshen. She was a little unsteady, whether from genuine inexperience or from nervousness, she held tightly to Qiao Yanshen's shoulders for a while before finally managing to stay upright in the surging waves.
Qiao Yanshen patiently supported her waist, guiding her in a low voice, "Relax." Her fingertips sank into Shen Lixia's skin, which seemed even warmer in the water, and she steadily supported her.
The hem of her dress was lifted up by the water and floated on the lake, a pure white expanse. Once Shen Lixia had settled down, Qiao Yanshen grasped her wrist.
Hold your breath.
Then, she sank down and gently pulled them both into the water.
The soft, rippling water revealed that what lay beneath wasn't darkness, but rather a warm and transparent space, like a slightly cool and safe haven. The water flowed beside her, enveloping her.
Qiao Yanshen raised his hand, releasing his spiritual power, causing the surrounding water to ripple in sync with the boy's movements, silently guiding her. Shen Lixia, her wrist gently held by him, was not worried about losing control, and gradually relaxed, finding a place for the strength in her waist and abdomen to settle.
"Well done."
She explored the pattern on her own and heard a sound that crossed the soft sound of water, over the surrounding silence, and entered her sea of consciousness.
With each passing moment of increased familiarity, Qiao Yanshen would offer a gentle compliment with a smile.
"Junior sister is amazing."
"You should position your arms like this, but it would be better if the range of motion wasn't too large... Yes, that's good, junior sister is really smart."
"Try again, okay? You're swimming better and better..."
Shen Lixia's ears burned as she listened. It was just a very ordinary word of encouragement, but somehow, perhaps because it came out of her voice, it sounded exceptionally subtle.
It makes people feel ashamed...
After regaining her balance, she struggled slightly, and Qiao Yanshen released her, letting her adjust on her own. Shen Lixia swam a distance towards the center of the lake, finally running out of breath. Just as she was about to surface, she accidentally bumped into something and was suddenly pulled down.
She panicked instantly, her breathing became erratic, and she was about to choke on a mouthful of water—
A pair of gentle eyes met my swaying gaze.
A moment later, a soft, slightly cool touch pressed against her lips, blocking out the cold water and bringing a warm breath.
She felt a tight grip around her waist.
Water splashed, and two figures floated to the surface. Shen Lixia leaned on Qiao Yanshen's shoulder, breathing heavily. Her wet hair fell down, clinging to her shoulders and neck, and slightly tangling as they pressed close together.
Qiao Yanshen gently patted her back and comforted her softly, "It's alright..."
After her breathing calmed down, Shen Lixia remained silent. Qiao Yanshen tilted his head, squinted, and gently brushed against her burning ear, but did not notice the soft pink that had grown from the boy's cheek to his neck.
The pink deepened, quickly turning into a moist red.
"Why is everything about the little bird so wonderful?" Qiao Yanshen coaxed her with a smile, "So warm..."
"He'll learn it in no time. I'll never be satisfied with teaching him again... After all, the smartest student is right here."
She spoke more at this moment, just to reassure the person in her arms.
That's strange.
Unseen by the other person, Shen Lixia stared blankly, her heart pounding. Even though it had clearly surfaced, she still felt something scalding hot flowing from her heart along with her blood, circulating and spreading to every corner of her body, gradually permeating her.
Lower abdomen...
It's both soft and numb.
My whole body was burning up, and even the lake water had cooled down.
Warm water slowly slid down the inside of my thighs, bringing a strange sensation that felt like burning, not hot.
Was it because she had just seen her senior sister's unusually soft eyes in the water, or because of the kiss intended to transfer her breath... or perhaps because of the hand that was tightly clasped around her waist?
A slightly rough sensation traveled from the young man's fingertips, sharp and itchy, hard to ignore, even creeping up his spine from his tailbone.
Silent passion is most overwhelming; she didn't know how to describe the feeling, and for a moment, she was so embarrassed that she wanted to let go and fall into the deeper water. However, Qiao Yanshen thought that Shen Lixia was still shaken from the earlier incident, so he tightened his arms around her, his fingertips gently stroking her back. A soft, tingling sensation rose from where he had touched her, slowly seeping into her bones, then through her hot blood, it was sent to her lower abdomen, transforming into a secret and tender feeling that drew Shen Lixia into the tide of desire.
Shen Lixia couldn't help but shed tears. After sobbing for a while, she asked softly, "Is Senior Sister teasing me? Saying these things..."
Was she made to go into the water just to tease her, and become so disheveled because she was moved by emotions?
Qiao Yan hugged her tightly with affection, "How could that be... I like you very much."
Not knowing what to do, their bodies pressed together, feeling each other's warmth, seemed like their only support in the icy lake. Letting go would only make things worse, so Shen Lixia had no choice but to take it a step further.
She closed her eyes, deciding to go all in, and tilted her head back to kiss Qiao Yanshen's lips. The young man smiled as she gently nuzzled and kissed him, the only sound around them the soft swaying of water.
The lake water lapped against her, but it couldn't wash away the warm and sore sensation on her inner thighs. Instead, it kept reminding her, making Shen Lixia feel flustered and confused.
The misty blue of the vast sky enveloped them both, and the rising sun on the distant horizon cast a ray of light upon Qiao Yanshen's lips. When love runs deep, it's easy to feel that everything in the world is unsatisfactory, except for one's beloved, who seems perfect no matter what, and cannot tolerate even a sliver of light. Shen Lixia tilted her head slightly, as if to kiss Qiao Yanshen before the sun rose, capturing the young man's lips along with that ray of sunlight, letting everything melt into the moisture of their lips rubbing together and their tongues touching.
Our bodies were wet, our embrace was wet, and our kisses were wet.
Overwhelming affection rained down upon her, making Shen Lixia feel suffocated. Tears streamed down her face as their lips parted. She lowered her head, leaning on Qiao Yanshen's shoulder, her tears washing over the coldness of the lake water and dripping onto her skin.
"Shall we stay together like this forever?"
I used to not believe in eternity, and I also felt that the word "forever" was too empty a promise.
But what she wanted most at that moment was a promise, a sincere longing for forever.
This is greed.
The silence lasted only a moment, yet it was more unbearable than any other. Qiao Yanshen sighed softly, his lips brushing against her ear as he gently whispered:
"I will stay with you, for a very, very long time..."
She had previously considered leaving the sect, but her junior sister didn't necessarily have to go with her. In fact, the outside world was too dangerous, and she didn't plan to go to any familiar place, but rather to the Demon Realm.
The demonic energy there is thick; it's said that even breathing it is like drinking poison. Even with divine fire within her, she wouldn't want Shen Lixia to take such a risk.
The outcome of this journey is uncertain, whether it will bring good or bad fortune.
Qiao Yanshen did not make any promises that she might break.
Her hopes were slightly dashed, and Shen Lixia lowered her eyes, sensing a subtle distance between them. She almost couldn't hold back her tears again. She bit her lip and swallowed them back.
I can't cry anymore...
She's already so happy, why is she crying like this? It's always so heavy-hearted. How could she, on a whim, ask her senior to indulge in her foolishness and make such a weighty promise?
The belated, overwhelming feeling was hard to describe. Shen Lixia quietly cast a cleansing spell to erase all traces of passion. Ignoring her still slightly trembling lower abdomen and thighs, she steadied her breathing and raised her head.
"Let's go upstairs, it's too cold..." I hope my senior sister doesn't get too cold...
They slowly emerged from the water, the refreshing scent of their kiss still lingering between their teeth. Shen Lixia unconsciously raised her hand and repeatedly stroked her lips, suppressing the reluctance that welled up in her heart, and used magic to wipe away the water stains covering her body.
Qiao Yanshen walked up to her, already dressed. Seeing that she was still hesitating, he naturally reached out, took the belt from Shen Lixia's hand, and quickly tied it for her.
Shen Lixia blinked and couldn't help but chuckle, "Thank you, Senior Sister."
I actually knew how to tie a waist belt a long time ago, but my senior sister still subconsciously felt that she wasn't very skilled at it.
They held hands and returned the way they came. The snowman stood in front of the hall, and Shen Lixia pinned a plum blossom she had picked up on its head.
Now that all three have received their gifts, it might just be the happiest snowman in the world.
Shen Lixia walked into the hall but saw no one. She knew that Yan Xueya must have gone to the main peak again. So she opened a scroll on the table and pressed a small thing she had made between the pages.
Qiao Yan glanced at it and smiled slightly.
It was a wooden bookmark shaped like a small sword.
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Author's note: It's surprising it didn't make it to the final review stage; it seems they were being quite subtle.
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