Chapter 140 Returning to the Seven Domains, Senior Sister Kneads Junior Sister's Wings.
As night fell, a quiet inn on the edge of the Seventh Domain was shrouded in darkness, with only a few lamps lit to keep out thieves. The innkeeper, propped on his elbows, flipped through a book covered with illustrations of several spring outfits.
The chill of early spring lingered, and the moonlight poured down in a hazy glow. In the stillness, a voice gradually spread out like ripples on water, rippling towards us.
"worn out!"
"There seems to be an inn up ahead. How about we rest there for a while?"
"It's not too late to go back a day later. Get some rest for the night."
Several voices rang out one after the other. When the shopkeeper looked up, a group of people had already stepped inside. They still had scattered snow stains on their clothes, and the slightly faded fabric emitted a chilly scent, clearly indicating they had just come from the snow-covered plains. The overlapping mountains over there formed a natural barrier; these people must have been exhausted from traversing those mountains.
Before they could speak, one of the boys raised his hand to cover his mouth and sneezed. The shopkeeper couldn't help but smile and said, "Sit here and warm yourself by the fire, and have a cup of hot tea."
She brought over the leftover charcoal from the winter, piled it in the brazier, and started boiling a kettle of water. The group then sat down around the brazier, closing the open door behind them.
“Spring here feels like early winter,” Simmons said.
Si Changxi rummaged through her mustard seed bag for silver and handed it to the shopkeeper, smiling, "After all, this is the Seventh Domain, where the winds blow in like snow." She remembered that when she first met Yan Xueya, his skin was rougher and firmer than hers, and even with oil, it was difficult to prevent small cracks.
The climate of the Central Plains was quite unsuitable for her. In the summer, she would go to the cold pool to practice her sword in the middle of the night because of the heat. It was then that Si Changxi met her.
As if sensing what the person next to her was thinking, Shen Lixia, who was almost leaning against Qiao Yanshen, suddenly sat up straight and muttered, "I need to write a letter to Master. I just asked and found out that so much time has passed outside while we've been here! She can't send letters, she must be worried sick."
"I'll protect you all, young friends." Si Changxi placed his hand in front of the brazier. "What, is Sword Master Changyi so untrustworthy?"
In the firelight, her features softened, as if losing their definition, softened by streaks of pale blue. Yet, this journey had erased all the blind, naive, and simple hatred of the past, along with the feigned love. Half her life had been a beautiful facade, but now the warmth of the embers had dissipated, and the bitter cold began to creep in.
The vibrant youthful energy she possessed was like a broken branch, most of it gone, and what remained would wither away with time, never to return.
The title of Changyi Sword Lord is the opposite of Liuhua Sword Lord. The world does not know that they are sisters bound by fate, yet coincidentally, one of them is evil and the other is good, a perfect match.
“Of course not! It’s just that sometimes, even knowing the other person is safe, I can’t help but worry.” Shen Lixia said, leaning against the shoulder of the man in white beside her. Qiao Yanshen lowered his eyes slightly, his expression gentle, and raised his hand to place on her head, stroking it softly.
Simmons glanced at her. "You're so sleepy you're swaying around. I'm right next to you, why don't you lean on me?"
Her teasing made Shen Lixia blush, and she yelled "You wait!" as she pretended to crush the Simmons mattress. The woman laughed and pushed her back, looking disgusted: "You're like a furnace, go heat up your senior sister instead."
After the tea was brewed, Qiao Yanshen held the teacup and asked, "Master, what is the 'astrologer' recorded on that copper coin earlier?"
After Si Changxi returned from that small area, the four of them searched the remains for a while longer. Most of the area had been burned, and perhaps due to the chilling truth, the mud was stained with the blood of the Jialan people of the Azure Dragon tribe. After searching for a long time, Si Changxi followed his memory to the hall that had once been used for sacrifices, and finally found a copper plate that was mostly corroded.
The destruction of the tribe was laid bare before them; even without explanation, everyone understood. In the silence, Si Changxi's lips moved slightly, and finally, he read aloud what was written on it—
"Since the stars shattered, the spiritual energy has been depleted, but the gods have given us a celestial sign indicating that there will be two high priests in the next generation who may be able to step into the upper realm."
The tribe is unique in that the high priests of each generation were born in a sacred place. The star that gave them their form is their birth mother, and other older members of the tribe can also call them "mother".
"Therefore, we created a pair of star charts, one to carry the soul, and the other to guide the holder to the path of the Supreme God. If the tribe eventually perishes, may these two people allow us to return to the side of the Moon Goddess and sleep with her forever."
One of the star charts mentioned was naturally the evil artifact in the hands of the Flowing Flower Sword Lord, used to steal people's souls; the other reminded Qiao Yanshen of the one he had obtained from Yun Zhixiao earlier.
Si Changxi's next sentence further confirmed her guess: "Now there's only one left. The others... I remember they fell into the hands of those cultivators because the tribe was besieged." Her expression darkened slightly as she said this.
Qiao Yanshen then took the astrolabe out of his mustard seed bag and presented it to Si Changxi, "Is this it?"
The other party seemed surprised that she would take this out. After a moment of astonishment, they took it and carefully stroked the patterns on it, then infused it with spiritual power. As a pale green light flowed into it, it was as if some seal had been broken, and the runes suddenly lit up. However, perhaps because they were still in the same area, the light quickly dimmed after its brief appearance.
“Yes, I didn’t expect to find it again…” Si Changxi’s lips curled up slightly, but his brows remained furrowed, giving the impression of a bitter smile. “Young friend, keep it safe.”
Qiao Yanshen was somewhat puzzled: "Wouldn't it be better for you to keep it? This originally belonged to my aunt."
Si Changxi shook his head, "Since it's in your hands, perhaps it's better to give it to you. With the tribe destroyed, how can the prophecy come true? Perhaps I should..."
She couldn't go to the Upper Realm anymore. She didn't finish her sentence, but the other three understood. Qiao Yanshen lowered his eyes—these words were heartbreaking. Shen Lixia was still saying to Simmons, "Look at my senior sister, she always picks up good stuff," but upon hearing this, her raised eyebrows instantly fell, her lips pursed, and she looked as if she was about to cry. After a moment, her tears mingled with the firelight.
Simmons said, "The world is unpredictable, Immortal Venerable, there's no need to be so pessimistic about the future. Even if there are knots in your heart, one day they will be untied." She glanced at the two people beside her and smiled at Si Changxi.
Just like the master they had heard them talk about, perhaps if there were more people... more excitement, then she wouldn't feel so lonely, and she wouldn't have to look back on the past. She didn't know why, but she always felt that if she had two fellow Daoists by her side, she would feel a warm courage.
Si Changxi shook his head, reached out and patted Shen Lixia's head, and laughed, "It's nothing. The Jialan people are naturally long-lived. Otherwise, they wouldn't be coveted for their flesh and blood."
She finished her tea, stood up, and said, "It's late now, and you young friends must be exhausted. Get some rest." With that, Si Changxi turned and walked upstairs. She still had medicine on her body, and her movements gave off a faint bitter smell.
However, now that you've returned to the human realm where spiritual energy is abundant, you should have fully recovered and the thin cloth can be removed tonight.
The three of them exchanged glances, lost interest in continuing the conversation, took their keys, and went back to their rooms.
Knowing too much information always weighed on her mind. Qiao Yanshen cleaned herself and lay on the bed, tossing and turning for a while without falling asleep. She finally sat up, lit the candle beside the bed, and silently began writing in her journal with a ballpoint pen. She had only written two paragraphs when someone knocked very softly on the door from the outside and called out softly, "Senior Sister?"
Qiao Yanshen sighed softly. Although she felt it was inappropriate, she also felt a tenderness creeping over her. She put down her pen and paper, and without even putting on her shoes, carefully stepped onto the clean carpet and opened the door. The boy's slightly tired face came into view. His hair was already washed and fluffy, and he was wearing a loose black short shirt.
She hugged her pillow, feeling embarrassed. She had been looking down, but when her gaze fell on the young man's feet, she recoiled as if burned. Shen Lixia's thoughts were always so easy to understand; she blushed when shy and her eyes welled with tears when sad. Now, her ears were burning, and she tightened her grip on the pillow, revealing only her bright, sparkling eyes, and whispered:
"I want to sleep with my senior sister...is that okay?"
Qiao Yanshen smiled without saying a word, but had already made way for her to enter. Shen Lixia jumped for joy and rushed in as if escaping.
Seeing her startled reaction, Qiao Yanshen raised an eyebrow and chuckled, "You even brought your own pillow?"
Shen Lixia nodded, "Because I thought my senior sister wouldn't kick me out." Her voice was full of the confidence that comes from being loved. Qiao Yanshen thought to herself that it was true; how could she bear to let her go back dejected?
After the young man lay down on the bed again, Shen Lixia crawled in. The blankets, which had been so hard to warm up before, suddenly became warm as another body rolled in. Qiao Yanshen was naturally prone to feeling cold, which was fine in the summer but made him very uncomfortable in the winter. Although it didn't bother him now, he still instinctively liked the warmth from Shen Lixia's body.
Just as she was about to reach out and embrace him, Shen Lixia snuggled up to her and nestled comfortably in her arms.
"Sigh." Qiao Yanshen couldn't help but laugh, then sighed again. Shen Lixia looked up, asking curiously, "What's wrong?"
"It's nothing, I was just laughing at how you seem to read my mind." Qiao Yanshen didn't answer her, but instead reached out to brush Shen Lixia's disheveled hair aside. Looking at her bright eyes, her reddened nose, and her soft lips, he felt an increasing fondness for her, never tiring of the sight. He wanted her to smile, and he wanted her to cry—crying tears of happiness, not pain.
Shen Lixia also stared at her intently, his affection for her evident in his eyes and even in his breath.
"Senior sister, are you having trouble sleeping?" She blinked. She remembered that Qiao Yanshen had a regular schedule, so if he was still awake at this hour, he must have something on his mind.
“I’m thinking about my aunt…and there are so many other things. I always feel like we’re being pushed around,” Qiao Yanshen said in a low voice, “and I feel very uneasy.”
After listening, Shen Lixia hugged her and said gently, "A lot has indeed happened. But we've also gained a lot from this trip, haven't we? If we continue like this, we'll definitely be able to prepare for anything before it happens."
“…Yes.” Qiao Yanshen pulled her closer to his chest, resting his chin on the boy’s fluffy hair, and suddenly his voice carried a mischievous laugh, “Speaking of which, I want to touch your wings.”
She gently stroked Shen Lixia's back, and almost immediately felt the person in her arms tense up.
The little bird was indeed sensitive here. Qiao Yanshen silently noted this in his mind, and said softly, almost coaxingly, "Let me release it so I can pinch it, okay?"
Shen Lixia buried herself in her arms without making a sound, but Qiao Yanshen could tell her feelings from the heat through her clothes.
She waited with a smile for a while, and then heard the sound of the boy taking off his clothes. Then there was a soft sound, and his full, fluffy wings carefully emerged from his back and nestled gently in Qiao Yanshen's hand.
She gently pinched the soft cartilage and touched the warm feather roots. The bird's feathers were very well cared for, fine and soft; it was the first time she had ever touched such a large pair of wings. Shen Lixia nestled in her arms, her face completely hidden, but her ears were flushed red. Seeing this, Qiao Yanshen deliberately reached out and gently pinched the base of her wing, and sure enough, she felt the other person tremble violently, even her calves tensed up.
Fingers cupped the softest, warmest feathers, kneading them repeatedly. The wings' struggle to tighten and tremble were transmitted through the fingers. The feathers rubbed against the bed beneath, making a soft sound.
Qiao Yanshen lifted up the wings and rubbed them against his cheek.
The clear voice turned pitiful, and it instantly folded its wings, whispering, "Stop pinching me..."
She tried to retract her wings, but Qiao Yanshen held them in place, and she felt a strange, gentle tingling sensation spreading through her back, almost making her cry.
Qiao Yanshen withdrew his hand, and Shen Lixia felt as if she had been granted a pardon, immediately shrinking back. The next moment, her vision suddenly shifted, and in the blink of an eye, all she could see was long, flowing black hair and Qiao Yanshen's gentle face.
The young man's dark eyes were fixed on Shen Lixia. Seeing her face flushed red, he couldn't help but smile. Shen Lixia had taken off half of her shirt, revealing her strong shoulders and neck, which looked as healthy as a lamb's, making one want to stroke and kiss them.
The kiss ended on the boy's lips, nibbling tenderly before letting go. Shen Lixia adjusted her clothes, then nestled into Qiao Yanshen's shoulder, the sound of her heartbeat echoing between their pressed bodies.
Qiao Yanshen returned to what he had just said, gently saying, "You're right, we've gained a lot too. I've made my decision, but I'm always afraid. I'm so afraid of losing everything I have now, afraid of losing you, Li Xia. But if I'm just afraid, it won't help. I'm so grateful that you appeared in my life and became a part of my life."
“I was so happy when you had these wings. My little bird finally has wings, and can now fly wherever she wants to go, freer than the wind. Our meeting wasn’t destined, it happened because we both tried our best—I want to protect this outcome.”
She spoke tenderly, and as her words faded, the sound of steady breathing could be heard in the flickering candlelight. Shen Lixia felt so at ease, just as Qiao Yanshen felt safe beside her... When they embraced tightly, it was as if the whole world consisted only of each other, and all things became an ocean, with only this place as an island.
Qiao Yanshen smiled, hugged Shen Lixia tightly, and kissed her forehead. There was no need to respond further, because from the moment she appeared before him, Qiao Yanshen found his wavering heart gradually calming down.
She felt at ease as long as her junior sister was there.
The young man raised his hand and tucked the blanket in, extinguishing the candlelight completely, which then blended into the watery night.
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