Chapter 151 "Long Time No See" The debt collectors are knocking on the door...
By the time the tactical discussion was over, it was already past midnight. As darkness turned to the first light of dawn, some people had fallen silent. The group lay back down in their blankets and closed their eyes in the cool morning mist.
The room fell silent.
Shen Lixia was still mentally rehearsing the tactics they had discussed—divided by cultivation level, she, Qiao Yanshen, and Tang Huairou were in the Nascent Soul stage, while Wu Zhuyue, Lin Yuxian, and Lu Changqing were in the Golden Core stage, making it a 50/50 split. However, the latter three were all in the early Golden Core stage, while Lu Changqing was only half a step away from the middle stage.
Lu Changqing and Lin Yuxian require special protection; one is a healer and the other a formation cultivator. They will be positioned at the rear, so the deployment should be carefully considered. Fortunately, there are sound transmission talismans—the range of spiritual sound transmission is not wide, only within ten or twenty meters.
The initial group of people eliminated were handed over to Wu Zhuyue and Lu Changqing to finish things up.
This will be the arrangement for now; we can adjust it flexibly when we have the opportunity to practice. Shen Lixia felt a slight sense of relief, as if a huge boulder had temporarily landed, followed by a faint feeling of drowsiness.
She habitually turned to her side, only realizing that someone else was sleeping next to her when a familiar face came into view. She and Qiao Yanshen were sleeping in the corner of the room, while Lin Yuxian was already fast asleep on the other side, her breathing steady and slightly rising and falling.
The young man before her also closed his eyes, facing her directly, one hand resting on his cheek. She had changed into a robe; the moon-white garment resembled a small, soft, and delicate snowflake in the hazy morning light, even the creases from being pressed down were tinged with pale blue. Without the concealment of wrist guards, her arms were revealed as the sleeves slid down, and one could see a slight bulge on one wrist, worn smooth by years of arduous sword practice, like a pearl buried deep within.
My gaze traced the delicate features, from the gentle brows and eyes to the bridge of the nose, then resting on the slightly lighter lips, before returning to the contours of the collarbone. Subtle shadows, like pools of water in the eye sockets, created a scene both picturesque and dreamlike, serene yet breathtakingly beautiful, making my heart race uncontrollably.
At this moment, everything wasn't just a reflection in the water; it was something she could reach out and touch, something tangible and real. Unlike herself, her senior sister wasn't always playful or had the habit of preening her feathers like a bird, preferring to leave a touch of floral fragrance behind her ears and roll herself in the scent of sunshine and grass. The young man was always clean, with only the refreshing smell of soap wafting through the air. She enjoyed bathing; unless she was too busy, she would usually fetch hot water to wash herself, thoroughly enjoying the pleasant feeling of soaking in the warm water.
Shen Lixia leaned forward slightly, wanting to get closer to her, but afraid of disturbing her peaceful sleep, she stopped after getting a little closer. The bedding had already been pulled to one side and was slightly disheveled.
Soon, she heard a rustling sound. Shen Lixia wasn't asleep yet, and subconsciously opened her eyes, only to see that calm eyes had opened at some point, gazing at her gently.
"Senior Sister..." Before she could finish the last word, Qiao Yanshen lightly touched her lips with his index finger, a smile spreading across his eyes that almost burned Shen Lixia in his cold gaze. Without needing to transmit his voice, she knew this meant for her to remain silent.
The boy's face flushed, a light blush creeping up his cheeks. Qiao Yanshen didn't stop, but instead gently stroked along the gap between Shen Lixia's lips, pausing slightly before stopping at the corner of her lips. The warm breath fell on the back of her hand, and for some reason, she had a mischievous thought. Under Shen Lixia's gradually softening and moist gaze, she slid her hand to her chin, turned her wrist over, and gently scratched it.
I've teased cats before, and they often squint their eyes and purr at this time. My junior sister also squinted her eyes, the gold in them no longer sharp and dazzling, but turned into honey, transforming into amber, crystal clear and sweet. She lowered her head slightly, actively welcoming Qiao Yanshen's scratching fingertips, almost trapping her hand in the crook of her neck and refusing to let go.
A moment later, a soft voice echoed in her mind: "Senior sister...can I hug you?" She seemed a little out of it, and unusually, she pleaded with Qiao Yanshen in a coquettish tone.
Qiao Yanshen raised his hand, his eyes filled with tenderness. Shen Lixia carefully threw off the blanket and rolled into the arms of the person in front of her, gently reaching out to hug his waist.
"Junior sister, you should be careful," Qiao Yanshen said, pulling her into his arms and running his fingers through her warm hair, "lest she wake up first and see this scene."
"Hmm... it's okay if you see it." Shen Lixia murmured, nestled in her arms. "Anyway, I like Senior Sister the most."
She peacefully closed her eyes, and as the only remaining presence in the world was Qiao Yanshen's scent, she let herself sink into the light, deep water and drifted off into a dream.
In her dream, there was flowing water, shimmering sea creatures, and moonlight. In the hazy light, someone gently stroked her cheek and placed a tender kiss on her cheek. She hadn't been intimate with anyone since her seclusion, but this was enough to completely relax her, yet she couldn't help but hope for more. The hands paused for a moment, then moved to massage her tailbone. After waiting for a while, seemingly not having grasped what she expected, they withdrew with regret.
Only the tingling and numb sensations lingered, causing the boy to snuggle closer to the person's arms.
However, this warmth did not last long. After an unknown amount of time, the young man carefully withdrew, tucked the blanket in, and slowly walked to the door, picking up his boots.
After putting on her boots and changing her clothes, she pushed open the door and went out.
-
At dawn, a soft, luminous light enveloped Bailu Peak. Within the barrier, maple leaves burned as red as flames, while a frosty white mist hung in the air, giving one a slightly chilly feeling.
A handyman apprentice was guarding the pavilion outside the barrier. She had just finished her shift and was holding a piece of jujube paste pastry in her hand, slowly eating it with tea.
The pleasant morning was interrupted by a scream from not far away. The girl was so frightened that her hand trembled, and she quickly got up and ran towards the source of the sound. Perhaps she was too anxious, because she did not notice that a thin branch reached out from the side, and like a human finger, it gently hooked the token hanging from her waist and pulled it to the ground.
Not long after she disappeared, a cloud of black mist flowed in, slowly solidifying into a servant dressed in menial clothes. She picked up and put away the token, a seemingly friendly smile on her face, and walked up the mountain.
Scattered maple leaves carpeted the mountain path, bringing with them the unique scent of the ripening season. The boy walked leisurely with his hands behind his back, as if he were simply taking a stroll.
Currently, all the Immortal Venerables are at the Four Spirit Peaks. Although the previous spy incident has not yet been uncovered, an anonymous letter has arrived, urging everyone to quickly repair the two damaged arrays. The Demon Detection Array and the Spirit Gathering Array have been repaired, so there is no need to worry about demons taking advantage of the situation for the time being.
No one had imagined that an even more ancient technique existed in the world, slightly superior to that of the Nine-Branch True Monarch, capable of deceiving the divine sense of a Nascent Soul stage True Monarch and continuing to corrupt the Demon-Detecting Array.
Today, another group of disciples arrived at the Taihui Sect, while many of the sect's own disciples, eager to witness the grand competition, quickly completed their missions and returned to their sects, all wanting to see the talents of these outstanding individuals. Among them were even quite a few who had been out of contact for a long time, hence the humorous saying in the story:
"This competition is unusual; even missing persons have to rush back overnight!"
A gentle breeze rustled through the leaves, causing them to swirl and fall to the ground.
"This is so different from the Demon Realm." The boy looked around. "Is this what the four seasons are like?"
She watched for a while, still wanting more, but she still raised her hand, and the black mist at her fingertips dispersed, transforming into tiny insects that flew in all directions. Finding the array's core wouldn't be easy, especially since White Dew Peak was the home ground for array cultivators, and it would surely be hidden extremely deep. Conversely, if she could destroy this array, it would make a breakthrough in the disintegration of the entire sect's protective array.
A breeze brushed against his cheek, slightly chilly. The boy found it novel and raised his hand to touch the spot where the wind had just blown, only to feel a warmth.
She blinked, held her hand up to her eyes, and saw a blood-red smear spread out, which quickly turned into black mist and flowed into her body.
The next moment, a chill ran down her neck as the sword's edge pressed against her most vulnerable spot. The young woman remained calm, merely stopping in her tracks. She was a demon, unable to feel pain like humans, reacting only instinctively to the danger she sensed.
A calm voice came from behind: "Junior sister is very capable. Even after falling into demonic possession, she was able to escape the demon-detecting array." The sword blade pressed inward mercilessly, leaving a thin mark.
A hissing sound came from the wound, and the blood quickly turned into the same black mist again.
"Raise your hands..."
Before she could finish speaking, the boy suddenly turned around, instantly producing a dagger in his hand, and stabbed it at the face of the person standing behind her!
The white hem of her robe fluttered back slightly, but the sword instantly changed direction, decisively severing the boy's outstretched hand. Blood splattered, and the severed arm fell to the ground, rolled a few times, and then, just like before, turned into mist and dissipated.
Qiao Yanshen pursed his lips slightly, his gaze sweeping over the other person's rapidly regenerating arm.
The young man smiled sweetly: "Senior sister is so cold-hearted. If I were truly human, wouldn't you have crippled my right hand and forever lose my chance to wield a sword?"
“But you are not,” Qiao Yanshen said coldly. “You can fool the Demon-Detecting Array and others, but you can’t fool me. I suppose there are other companions of yours mixed in here. Where are they now?”
I won't tell you.
"I've heard that demons are incredibly resilient, but unfortunately, I happen to have a way to deal with it." Qiao Yanshen said no more, and the dagger in the boy's hand transformed into a longsword.
The two exchanged blows several times, both holding back to prevent their sword energy from affecting anything else. As their swords clashed, Qiao Yanshen frowned slightly, gazing at the unfamiliar face of the young man and her hand, which was suspended in front of him, tightly gripping the sword.
For some reason, everything from the opening stance to the sword strike, and even the chilling sword aura, felt slightly familiar.
However, this familiarity didn't make her hesitate. Qiao Yanshen's gentleness always had clear boundaries; she never showed any mercy to those she considered enemies. With a slight twist of her wrist, she finally managed to imbue the blade with spiritual energy, knocking the boy back several steps.
Before she could catch her breath, the hissing sound of the liquid gushing and turning into mist rang out one after another. Qiao Yan took a deep breath, drew her longsword, and prepared to lure out the demonic body. Cold black mist coiled around her hand, and she lowered her eyes, staring at this deep thing, only to find that there was not a single impurity inside, nor did it give off a sense of repulsion.
If it's not a problem with her, then her fall into demonic possession is deepening. Neither of these is a good thing.
Qiao Yanshen sighed softly, thinking that he might have to patrol again to make sure that this person had no other accomplices nearby before he could leave and report back to his master and the others.
Perhaps she was too focused, for she didn't notice someone approaching from behind her until the blade pierced her body. The demon's figure was elusive; as a section of the crimson blade pierced through, drops of blood soaked through her white robes.
The young woman coughed with difficulty, her mouth filled with a metallic taste. She tried to turn her head, but only caught a glimpse of a scarlet color—the eyes of the person behind her. The color flashed by, and then a cold hand suddenly reached out, lifted her chin, and covered her eyes.
He had grown accustomed to the excruciating pain, yet he still couldn't exert any strength. The wounds and blood were burning hot, but his body temperature was rapidly decreasing. Qiao Yanshen felt a sudden lightness as he was pulled into someone's arms. The stench of blood permeated his entire being, whether from his wounds or from the person behind him, they were inextricably intertwined.
She opened her mouth slightly and murmured softly, "You..."
Before her divine sense could land on the leaf Yan Xueya had given her in the mustard seed space, the other party coldly intercepted it and sealed all her cultivation.
It was just a test, I never expected you to come to me in person.
"Long time no see..."
The woman with black hair and bloodshot eyes spoke leisurely, her voice tinged with laughter.
"teacher."
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Author's note: After finishing writing, I checked if I laughed at my own plot (just kidding).
*More detailed plot points regarding the title "teacher" are in the adjacent side story, but it's okay if you don't read it as it will be briefly explained later.
Both the senior and junior sisters must have owed a lot of debts in their past lives.
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