Chapter 3 The Spirit Vein Destroys Junior Sister, This is How the Belt is Tied.
After pouring hot water over her body, Shen Lixia carefully washed away every stain before taking a towel to dry her damp hair and skin.
On the chair next to her were the clothes that Qiao Yanshen had placed for her in advance. When she picked them up and looked at them, she immediately felt a sense of indebtedness that could be measured in quantifiable terms.
This is a loose-fitting black long coat with a light lining, perfectly suited to the season. The cuffs and belt are dyed deep red, with faintly visible winding leaf-like patterns. Even just looking at it, Shen Lixia could sense its high value; gently touching the surface, the smooth and soft texture came from her fingertips.
After examining it for a long time, she sighed, feeling both amused and exasperated.
She appreciated her senior's kindness. But she didn't know how to wear it.
Meanwhile, Qiao Yanshen was standing in front of the stove, looking at a bundle of vegetables with a troubled expression. She usually bought food from outside or ate at restaurants. The stove was spotless; she had been wiping and cleaning it regularly for a long time, but it had never been used.
I'm just making something edible.
Qiao Yanshen picked up a kitchen knife, held the potato in her hand, and solemnly stroked its surface with her fingers, as if soothing the food. Next, all she had to do was place it in a pot, boil water, and steam it until cooked.
When Shen Lixia finished dressing and slowly walked into the kitchen, going around to Qiao Yanshen's back, it was too late. She saw the burnt potatoes stuck to the bottom of the pot, and her expression changed from a playful smile to a serious one as she began to reflect.
When did I ever offend my senior sister?
Those slender, white fingers, enveloped in a light blue sheen, rested on the potato, seemingly intending to forcibly pry it off. Shen Lixia pondered for a moment, then asked softly, "Senior Sister, is it alright if we eat out later?"
Qiao Yanshen pursed her lips, staring at the blackened bottom of the potato, remaining silent for a long time, looking almost aggrieved. Shen Lixia knew she probably rarely cooked, which was why she was like this, so she picked up a chopstick and poked the potato, seeing that the inside was soft and tender, and smiled, "Senior sister, it would be better to cut it before steaming next time, so the bottom won't burn."
As she spoke, she reached out and broke off the intact upper half, took it out suddenly, tossed it around in her hand, exclaimed exaggeratedly, and finally put it in her bosom, then lowered her head and sniffed it.
"All-natural is just different!"
A soft laugh reached her ears, and Shen Lixia looked up, her eyes meeting Qiao Yanshen's. He was no longer disappointed; instead, he smiled, his eyes crinkling, a delicate blush spreading across his cheeks like rosy light on fine snow—exquisitely beautiful. She took two steps forward, removed the potato from her hands, and then placed her hand on Shen Lixia's shoulder, gently straightening her clothes.
"Junior sister, the collar of the inner shirt should face this way."
Cool fingertips slid down her collar, brushing against her neck unintentionally. Before Shen Lixia could react, her ears began to burn. The person before her, however, remained completely at ease, even bending forward to gently adjust her collar. The faint fragrance of her hair, a scent as delicate as snowflakes, wafted over her with a chilling yet gentle allure, captivating her soul.
Those deep, cold eyes could possess such a shimmering luster. A gentle smile bloomed within them, her eyelashes fluttering like butterfly wings, making her delicate features even more graceful.
The heat inevitably spread to her neck and onto Qiao Yanshen's fingertips, causing her to raise her eyes slightly and smile as she said, "I didn't know that Junior Sister was actually not used to... being touched?"
Shen Lixia bit her lip, and seeing a hint of mischief in her eyes, she finally understood that this was a small act of revenge.
“Of course not,” she said, tilting her head slightly to make it easier for Qiao Yanshen to approach. “No one, except those who have severed all feelings and love, could remain calm when someone as beautiful as Senior Sister is near them.”
Qiao Yanshen raised an eyebrow, tightened her collar, and untied her messy belt, saying softly, "Junior sister has such a sweet mouth, it's really pleasing to talk to people."
It sounds like a little bird, and it's very pleasant to listen to.
"Okay, remember, this is how you tie your belt."
After getting dressed, the two finished off the edible potatoes, returned to the hall, sat down, and began to chat and recount their experiences.
They each stayed for a while, learning that the world was divided into nine domains, known as minor domains; and further divided into three major domains based on race: the Human Domain, the Demon Domain, and the Monster Domain. Domains one through seven were inhabited by humans, while the rest were occupied by demons and monsters. Chaotic rifts existed between the major domains, insurmountable by ordinary people, serving as natural barriers to prevent the merging of different races and the resulting chaos.
"This was all I had when I came here. All my doubts and questions are recorded on it. If I find a learned person, I will definitely ask them about it."
As he spoke, Qiao Yanshen pulled a small notebook from his clothes and carefully flipped through it. Shen Lixia immediately recognized it as something from modern times, indicating that Qiao Yanshen, like her, had suddenly appeared here.
But what she was most curious about was—
"Senior sister, have you already started cultivating?"
Qiao Yanshen nodded, opened his palm, and a cluster of pale blue light shone. "This is spiritual power... Can you see it?"
Normally, ordinary people cannot see faint spiritual energy. But when Shen Lixia heard her question, she blinked in confusion, reached out and gently touched her palm, and replied, "Senior Sister, are you talking about this blue light? Isn't it very obvious?"
This truly surprised her. Just now in the underground market, Qiao Yanshen clearly heard the man say that Shen Lixia's spiritual veins were completely shattered. Logically speaking, she shouldn't have been able to see it.
"Could you light a fire for me, senior sister?" Shen Lixia blinked expectantly.
“No. Cultivation is based on spiritual roots, which correspond to the five elements: metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. I have a water and wood spiritual root, so I can't start a fire.” Qiao Yanshen shook his head with a smile. “If you need firewood, I can do it for you.”
Shen Lixia pondered for a moment, then suddenly looked up, her eyes sparkling as she gazed at Qiao Yanshen: "I saw it very clearly, it means I..."
“You should have the aptitude for cultivating immortality.” Qiao Yanshen raised his hand. “Give me your hand.”
Shen Lixia placed her hand on his. His palm was slightly cool, with a low temperature, perhaps due to his cultivation, giving a rather contradictory feeling, like a handful of warm, thin snow.
Her senior's hands were smaller than hers, with more delicate bones, and her smooth wrists resembled a piece of white snow. She lowered her eyes and gently brushed her index finger across the small mole.
Yan Shen. Shen Lixia knew that this name was imbued with high hopes, wishing her to become a person of profound learning. And this small mole, like an ink dot, was a perfect match for this name. She wondered if it determined her senior sister's name, or if her senior sister's name had coincidentally brought this mole to life.
Qiao Yanshen closed his eyes, and there was nothing unusual in his hands, but Shen Lixia felt something flowing into her from where they were touching. It was warm and cool, like water, but she did not feel any aversion to it. It was just that it was carefully and gently moving along her meridians, as if afraid of hurting her, and almost lovingly stroking her slowly.
She couldn't help but tremble slightly. Qiao Yanshen noticed this, opened his eyes, and met her gaze.
Shen Lixia then noticed that Qiao Yanshen's eyes were deep blue.
The strange color was barely noticeable on ordinary days, but upon closer inspection, it was as if the fog had been lifted, revealing a deep, dark sea. Within its depths, starlight twinkled, and gentle ripples spread; before she knew it, she was captivated by it.
"Relax," Qiao Yanshen said softly.
Shen Lixia nodded, her tension gradually disappearing without her realizing it.
After a while, Qiao Yanshen suddenly frowned—she couldn't see the condition of Shen Lixia's meridians. Her spiritual energy, when channeled, simply vanished without a trace.
She patiently tried again and again, and finally discovered a clue. A sharp, chaotic, and intense aura shredded her spiritual energy as she tried to probe deeper.
Such ruthlessness made a more fitting word come to mind for Qiao Yanshen—
Viciousness.
The violent aura stubbornly resisted the invasion of outsiders.
Qiao Yanshen intuitively felt that this malevolent energy was not uncontrollable; perhaps part of it was determined by Shen Lixia. Like self-protection, the malevolent energy shredded the spiritual energy from the outside world.
One possibility is that Shen Lixia has not completely let down her guard against her.
Thinking of this, Qiao Yanshen couldn't help but laugh at himself inwardly. Wasn't this perfectly reasonable? They weren't close friends, so how could Shen Lixia possibly trust him completely?
In her anger, she managed to glimpse a scene. The scene that surfaced in her mind was somewhat shocking.
Broken. The outlines of broken meridians can be vaguely seen in the visible areas.
Shen Lixia noticed her expression, a hint of disappointment appearing on her face, but she quickly concealed it and smiled lightly, "However, someone said before that my spiritual veins are all shattered and I can't cultivate immortality. If that's the case, Senior Sister, just tell me the truth, there's no need to comfort me."
She's an adult now, she can accept these things, and she won't lose all hope just because her expectations are shattered.
To everyone's surprise, Qiao Yanshen shook his head and said firmly, "Don't worry, junior sister, I will find a way to restore you."
Shen Lixia: ...Huh?
My senior sister seems to have really gotten into character and is acting like she's the sect's senior sister. What should I do? I need help urgently.
-
After the two left, the market quickly returned to its bustling state. A few words were exchanged, and the man's body was promptly removed by servants, as if nothing had happened. The girl stood there, staring blankly at the bloodstains on the ground.
Where should she go? Should she go back, or leave now...?
If she hadn't shared it with others, this money might have been enough for her to live comfortably and wouldn't have had to wander anymore. Perhaps she could even go back, find her loved ones' remains, and have them given a grand funeral...
After thinking silently for a long time, Xiao Wu gripped the silk handkerchief in her hand, took a deep breath, and finally decided to go back. Those children, about her age, were still suffering.
She couldn't abandon them.
Just as I was about to leave, a voice called out from behind, "Hey, where are you going! Where's my uncle?"
Xiao Wu instinctively stopped in her tracks. It turned out the young man had returned. Behind him, a graceful woman was waving a hand fan, smiling at her. A mask covered most of her face, revealing only a pair of calm, dark eyes.
Seemingly noticing that Xiao Wu was also looking at her, the woman narrowed her eyes slightly, her smile widening, and said gently, "This is the 'sister' you were talking about?"
The young man nodded hurriedly, bowing and scraping, "My younger sister is very sensible. You can take her in as a servant to do odd jobs, serving tea and water is no problem. Two ingots of silver will do, how about it?"
While the two were talking, Xiao Wu had already been twisting his fingers together, his toes grinding against the ground, his eyes darting around, looking for an opportunity to run away. Two silver ingots—knowing the locals' habits, they'd definitely haggle—this was a good time...
Unexpectedly, the woman closed her fan and casually said, "Okay."
Two silver ingots fell into the young man's hands. She was pushed in front of the woman, and looking into those calm eyes, all her resentment turned into fear. Those eyes were clearly beautiful; if there were sunlight, they would surely be radiant and captivating.
But for some reason, the girl felt that it was so deep and unseen, like a well that had drowned countless people.
The woman, seemingly oblivious to her unease, naturally took her hand and led her away from the underground market. After walking for a while, the surrounding scenery gradually became familiar. Xiao Wu mustered her courage and looked up, only to feel her heart sink.
They were actually walking back to the little house in the bamboo forest.
Could it be that the young man and the woman in front of her were staging a play together? Did they both see her watch the man being killed without doing anything?
We have to run!
Contrary to her thoughts, Xiao Wu's legs trembled, sweat beaded on her hands, and she had no strength to take a step. The woman noticed the dampness in her palms, stopped, and looked down with concern, asking, "Is it too hot?"
As she finished speaking, a gentle coolness washed over her, flowing from her palm along her heart meridian, instantly calming Xiao Wu and making her even more puzzled. They were indeed walking back, but the person in front of them showed no intention of killing her.
Once they were completely out of the city, the woman suddenly gripped her hand tightly. A dizzying sensation swept over her, everything distorted. When she regained her senses, they were near the bamboo hut.
Xiao Wu finally realized—this person was a cultivator.
Xiao Wu quietly followed the woman to the front of the small house, only to find that the house was already empty.
At this point, the woman finally spoke up to explain, "I have already settled them in, so there is no need to worry."
She paused, released Xiao Wu's hand, and gently stroked the top of her head. "You hide in the bushes over there for a while, okay?"
Once Xiao Wu was hidden, the woman closed her eyes, made a hand seal, and vanished into the wind. The courtyard returned to its original state, as if no one had been there. After a while, the sound of a carriage rang out. The young man stopped the carriage and walked to the courtyard gate, scratching his head in confusion.
"Where did Uncle go? Strange... Those people didn't say anything either, could they have gone drinking?"
As he spoke, he stepped into the courtyard and was about to push open the door of the small hut when, in the blink of an eye, a sword pierced his heart. A sudden burst of wind blades erupted from the sword, instantly obliterating his body without leaving a trace. The woman sheathed her sword, and the whistling wind immediately ceased.
The girl hiding in the bushes stared wide-eyed, a torrent of emotions churning within her. She was afraid, yet also felt a strange sense of satisfaction at the boy's death. The sharp pain from the whip marks from the past flailing throbbed clearly in her mind, then vanished completely.
After doing all this, the woman put her hands behind her back and slowly walked towards her.
"Sorry to keep you waiting." Her voice was as gentle as ever, her smile unchanged. "I forgot to ask, what should I call you?"
"Xiao Wu." The child's intuition was sharp. Seeing that she didn't intend to make another move, the girl mustered her courage and raised her voice to answer.
"Xiao Wu... you must be an orphan girl the boss picked up." The woman shook her head, took off her mask, and her voice suddenly softened.
She had a faint scar at the corner of her left eye that extended down to her cheek. Apart from that, her features were gentle and her appearance was beautiful.
What I was most concerned about from the beginning was that she was very tall, seemingly nine feet tall even just by looking at her.
"I am Liu Hua. From now on, let's travel together through the Nine Realms."
A note from the author:
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