Chapter 147 The Pain and Comfort of Growing Tail Feathers
"Don't just fly! Draw your bow!"
Frosty Blade Peak rarely sees clear skies.
The fine weather attracted many birds to perch on the branches. Some picked fruit, some played with flowers, and several sisters preened each other's feathers affectionately. Suddenly, they heard a loud shout, and their feathers bristled instantly. They flew away from the branches with a whoosh.
Only the older spirit birds remained unmoved, knowing that the peak master was instructing his disciples again, and scenes from hundreds of years ago floated into their little minds. They couldn't help but let out a contented chirp.
She still spoke to her students in the same way, and although this time it was a little different from the previous one, she was still scolded.
Yan Xueya stood on the snow, looking up at the boy flapping his wings in the center of the sky. At that moment, Shen Lixia shot an arrow, and her sharp gaze followed the arrowhead all the way to a mark on a tree.
It veered slightly off course. The reason, if any, was that the wind was too strong here. But a skilled archer should judge the wind's flow and direction when nocking the bow, and know the optimal angle before the arrow leaves the string.
Only in this way can a fatal blow be delivered. Yan Xueya's gaze returned to Shen Lixia, and he shouted, "Missed! Try again! If you can't even hit a stationary target, the Grand Master won't stand there and be a live target for you!"
Her criticism was quite harsh, but Shen Lixia simply laughed and replied, "Fine! I'll try again!"
Yan Xueya nodded and waved her hand to mark other things with her spiritual power. She was quite satisfied with Shen Lixia's mentality. When she first accepted her as a disciple, she felt that Shen Lixia was somewhat inferior. Now, however, she was neither arrogant nor humble, but had a clear and firm sense of self. She was no longer eager to rise to the top in one step, and her pride was like that of a black bird in the sky.
Therefore, they will not be discouraged by a few harsh words and can confidently continue. In contrast, Qiao Yanshen is very reserved and knows how to control his emotions, so he needs more encouragement.
She had a fairly good grasp of her two students' personalities and was able to teach them accordingly. At this moment, the boy flapped his wings and flew through the thin clouds, the bowstring in his hand carrying a fierce flame that surged like waves.
As the arrow whistled away, flames exploded. Passing over the pristine white ground, it stirred up countless waves, splashing up a magnificent flurry of snow.
Arrow after arrow. The deviation gradually narrowed.
She has been practicing for a while now.
With the grand competition approaching, all the disciples began their seclusion. Shen Lixia and Qiao Yanshen chose to stay at Frostblade Peak. Unexpectedly, Yan Xueya's promise was still valid, and there were still two empty rooms in the hall for them.
On his first night at Frostblade Peak, Shen Lixia resolved to no longer conceal anything. He took a lamp and knocked on his master's door, respectfully preparing tea for him. The two talked all night long, with the young man spreading his wings and revealing all the doubts surrounding him, without reservation.
The past is ultimately hazy and uncertain, and much has been forgotten. They are now merely cultivators of the lower realms; what can they possibly do? After she finished speaking, Yan Xueya remained silent for a long time. The atmosphere was as still as ice, and it was unclear whether the next thing to break through would be her master's sword striking her delirium, or something else entirely.
After all, it's all too absurd no matter how you look at it.
Yan Xueya only chuckled and said, "You really believe me."
As she spoke, the candlelight illuminated her eyes, revealing a tenderness beneath. Yan Xueya seemed to remember something and repeated, "You truly believe me."
Shen Lixia couldn't understand the hidden meaning in her words, but she could hear a hint of tearful sadness and a faint melancholy, but no murderous intent.
Yan Xueya finished his tea and said calmly, "Cultivate well. As long as your cultivation is not as good as mine, I will protect you for one day. Do you understand? If one day you master the leap and step into the realm, while I am still stuck in this realm, I will be watching over you from below."
She gently closed her eyes, revealing fine lines under her eyes and at the corners of her mouth, and her slightly protruding cheekbones, instantly showing the vicissitudes of life. The elder, like a tree reaching for the sky, sheltered her with a broad and stable shadow, providing protection for half a lifetime.
"I wonder how many lifetimes we have gone through to have this chance to meet here."
“You yourself have said that a teacher for a day is a mother for life. Remember that I am always watching over you, no matter where I am. Now and in the future, you must not slack off, and you must not do anything that violates your principles.”
A large, warm hand covered the boy's head and gently stroked it. Shen Lixia's eyes flickered, and in the lush candlelight, he solemnly replied, "Okay, I'll remember."
call out--
The last arrow hit the bullseye.
The morning training session came to a temporary end, and Shen Lixia landed steadily. Her wings spread wide as she stretched, attracting many small birds to surround her, chirping and chattering. Shen Lixia generously let several fledglings land on her coverts, allowing them to gently peck at her soft feathers.
Yan Xueya glanced at her bright red wings and suddenly asked, "Can't you fully transform into a bird?"
Shen Lixia blinked. "I can't do it for now. Why did you ask, Master?"
A hint of regret appeared on the woman's face. She reached out and pinched the bird's feathers, saying, "What a pity, I've always wanted to raise a bird."
Shen Lixia: ?
She thought about it seriously, then picked up a white bird that was closest to her. The two pairs of golden eyes, one big and one small, blinked at the same time as they looked at Yan Xueya and asked, "Aren't there enough snow owls?"
As he spoke, he picked up one of the bird's thick wings. It was obedient, letting him handle it without extending its claws.
Yan Xueya pondered for a moment, "I want the pretty kind."
Shen Lixia: ...
What should I do if I've been coaxed into becoming an embryo by my master's two sentences?
"Go back to your cultivation. Your senior sister should be back from teaching by now." Yan Xueya said, then turned and walked into the hall.
Aside from his seclusion, Qiao Yanshen had been teaching during this period. Today was the last class, which suited his upcoming long-term cultivation schedule perfectly. Upon hearing Yan Xueya mention her, Shen Lixia immediately spread her wings, sending the snow owl soaring into the sky, and then flew straight to the foot of the mountain to search for Qiao Yanshen's shadow.
No servants or apprentices were assigned to Frostblade Peak; only the three of them were there. After wandering around the vast white landscape for half a day, they finally spotted a figure walking slowly along the mountain path, her black hair as smooth as ink, blending into the white snow and white clothes.
A soft, dense pattering sound came from above. Qiao Yanshen subconsciously looked up and was immediately enveloped in shadow.
Like something out of a fairy tale, a boy with wings on his back suddenly descended. Shen Lixia reached out and hugged Qiao Yanshen, her whole body sinking as the young man caught her steadily in his arms.
The wings instantly turned into flames and dissipated. She wrapped her arms around Qiao Yanshen's shoulders and affectionately kissed his smiling yet helpless eyes. She then pressed her cheek against his slightly cool face, feeling like a small stove being held tightly in her arms.
My junior sister is becoming more and more skilled at using these wings.
"Get down," Qiao Yanshen said helplessly, "Were you slacking off? How come you just happened to run into me when I came back?"
Shen Lixia hugged her tightly, becoming unhappy: "Senior Sister, how can you talk nonsense! I trained with Master properly all morning."
"Alright, alright, I misunderstood." Qiao Yanshen stopped chasing her and carried the boy along the mountain path, stepping over the soft snow. Her steps were steady; due to her long-term sword practice, her waist, abdomen, and arms were very strong, so she didn't feel how heavy the person in her arms was. After a while, Shen Lixia realized that it was inappropriate and struggled gently for a moment before Qiao Yanshen released her.
When she landed, her ears were burning hot. Being stared at by the young man's meaningful gaze made her so embarrassed that she wanted to bury her face in her collar. Shen Lixia leaned against Qiao Yanshen's side, took her hand, and deliberately avoided meeting his gentle eyes, walking silently down the mountain path.
After returning to their rooms, the two continued their seclusion.
A long time has passed again.
In a secluded little house right next to the palace, the sound of icicles forming could be heard. The chill materialized, even more intense than the frost and snow outside, creeping up the walls bit by bit.
Soon, it formed a large, crystal-clear curtain. This coldness was not like ordinary cold; it penetrated to the bone, carrying a heavy aura of death. Suddenly, the ice shattered, and a vast expanse of dark blue light spread out.
The thick, dark fog rolled in, resembling the trend of the sea, and unanimously spread out and gathered again from a certain point.
With a soft sigh, the young man in the center of the black mist opened his eyes.
The demonic energy that had filled the room suddenly flowed into her body like water.
—You've broken through the barrier.
The already azure luster deepened even further. Since merging with Luo Chuan's aura, her cultivation had become silent, no longer tempered by heavenly lightning, but she had to endure the torment of inner demons. Several days of wandering in the illusion had greatly depleted her spiritual power. Moonlight streamed into the room, illuminating half of her cheek, making it appear even paler than the beam of light itself.
Qiao Yanshen summoned Yu Feng, placed it across his lap, gently stroked the silver-white blade, and whispered, "The deeper the signs of demonic fall, the more I cannot stop it, nor do I want to. I have a feeling that the demon race is not simply evil, just like Cang and the others before... Perhaps I will not lose my heart because of this."
Her fingertips traced the edge of the sword, a hint of guilt in her voice. The blade was sharp, and she used it to cut her fingertip.
"Therefore, I will continue to cultivate the Luoshui Technique, and even advance it further—"
She raised her hand, and drops of blood trickled down from the wound. Qiao Yanshen channeled her spiritual power, and from the thin line of blood that had been there, a large amount of blood was suddenly drawn out by an invisible force, then returned to her body at her will.
"It's passable for now, enough to control some blood, but it lacks real combat experience to see if I can make others obey me." She lowered her eyes, "It's just that I'm sorry to trouble you, but I'm afraid that if you follow me from now on, you'll become an evil sword."
As her progress in the Luoshui Technique deepened, her memories of her past life seemed to be partially restored, allowing her to transmit fragmented techniques into her consciousness. However, since she belonged to Luo Yang, she was inevitably connected to Luo Chuan. Yet, she already knew that Luo Chuan was the source of all demons, and the closer she got to it, the closer she was to becoming a so-called "fallen demon."
Strangely, as long as she didn't release the increasingly abundant and solidified Luochuan demonic energy, and only used spiritual power, it seemed that no one would notice anything unusual.
The Rainblade trembled slightly and began to hum. Qiao Yanshen understood its meaning and couldn't help but laugh, "You said you haven't been to the Demon Realm yet? Actually, I don't know if I'll ever go. Maybe I'll stay here forever. How silly, why are you still thinking about this? Aren't you afraid of being seen as an evil sword and having your name smeared by the world?"
The clumsy sword was still humming, like a child talking incessantly. Qiao Yanshen smiled and listened intently.
As the chirping subsided, she finally spoke after a long while: "I will keep this a secret, so as not to implicate my master and the others, nor... implicate my junior sister."
At that moment, a thought struck her, and she suddenly looked up at the window. In the next room, a bright fire was shining through the window, as if some miracle was happening inside.
Qiao Yanshen pushed open the door and slowly walked towards the room. The firelight grew brighter and brighter, almost illuminating the entire snowfield. At the same time, a faint purple light flashed in the sky, dark clouds gathered, and thunder was about to rumble.
She broke through her cultivation level very quickly.
The door was slightly ajar, and the young woman pushed it open, sitting opposite the boy who was meditating cross-legged, just as they had done when they first accompanied each other through tribulation. Spiritual energy, burning like flames, filled the room, engulfing their figures. At the height of the light, the first bolt of heavenly lightning struck down with devastating force.
Unbeknownst to them, their figures intertwined. Lightning entered Shen Lixia's body, causing her to whimper softly in pain, only to be soothed by streams of spiritual energy gently flowing into her meridians. The extremely yin and cold energy circled her meridians, then was fused into purer spiritual energy and returned to Qiao Yanshen's side. Amidst the surging, stinging tribulation lightning, they revealed themselves to each other without reservation.
Until they become one.
This feeling is wonderful.
If previous dual cultivation had only scratched the surface, now it had penetrated to the very core, even deeper and deeper... Even the soul seemed to be split in two, one half kept for oneself, the other given to the other. Conversely, one also gained entirely different perspectives and feelings belonging to the other person.
No one has lost anything, yet they are more complete than before, more complete than ever before.
As the last lightning bolt dissipated, Qiao Yanshen slightly opened her eyes, her gaze hazy yet tender as she gently touched the young man's cheek. In that instant, neither of them were entirely themselves anymore; instead, they felt the part of them belonging to their lovers pulsating deep within their souls, becoming new.
The pain vanished, wiped away by the warmth that filled my heart. It turns out that love can heal wounds, and the warmth, hotter than ever before, flowed over my skin like an inexhaustible stream.
Her gaze shifted slightly, then suddenly froze, her eyes flickering.
Right at the boy's tailbone, several long, brightly colored, and scorching tail feathers extended out, resembling flames spreading freely, flowing with a dazzling luster.
Wings appeared without their noticing, hanging softly down their backs, their feathers sweeping across the ground.
Shen Lixia opened her eyes and stared intently at Qiao Yanshen. Without saying anything, her body suddenly trembled, and a gasp escaped from her lips.
Qiao Yanshen pinched the base of her tail feathers.
Calloused fingers caressed and gently gathered a small tuft of soft feathers, kneading it with just the right amount of pressure. Shen Lixia struggled slightly, a plea stuck in her throat, unsure whether to speak it or swallow it, trembling from the strange sensation that surged up her tailbone. She had just broken through to a higher realm, her divine fire still surging, her body temperature extremely high. Instinctively, she buried herself in Qiao Yanshen's arms, which allowed him to completely trap the tail feathers.
"Senior sister..." The boy was prone to tears, and his voice was now tinged with a sob. Qiao Yanshen knew he had gone too far, but he couldn't bear to part with it. As he lowered his head to apologize, he felt a burning heat press against his lips.
A soft sigh melted into the warmth of their lips. During the kiss, Qiao Yanshen embraced Shen Lixia's waist, reaching out to place his hand on her soft, burning belly, gently massaging it.
"Does it hurt here?" She asked softly as they looked at each other after their lips parted.
"Hmm," Shen Lixia said softly, "I'm not feeling well."
Just like the process of a little bird growing into a young bird is always a bit bumpy, with sticky, sweet and fishy growing pains.
Qiao Yanshen held her in his arms, saying nothing more, but gently channeling his spiritual energy through his fingertips, which were lightly pressed against her abdomen.
Her hands were cold, but they dispelled the pain in her body and brought a wave of warmth.
The overlapping light and shadow, mixed with the boy's low sobs, swayed gently in the night.
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Author's Note: T_T I've written too much again. The plot has been a bit scattered lately, sorry. I'll reorganize it properly tomorrow and try to speed things up.
I'm not very good at balancing intimate scenes. If you find this chapter uncomfortable, please let me know and I'll revise it later.
This growing pain is also based on bird habits.
As for the future, I won't actually create a mating season, but some of the birds' habits, like getting sleepy and needing to cool down when their body temperature rises, are quite cute, so I'll keep that part. I just like to stick them on...!
The side story next door has started; feel free to check it out if you're interested. The full text is free/updated sporadically; I'll finish writing a portion before this part of the story ends.
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