Chapter 122 A Closer Bond
The timelines inside and outside the secret realm were almost identical this time, meaning the disciples had only been inside for half a month when the Venerables witnessed a series of enormous spiritual explosions roaring out of the sea. Then, mountains of waves rolled in, accompanied by dragon-like roars. The surging spiritual energy swept across the sea surface, creating layers upon layers of blooming spiritual plants and flowers. The waves then crashed onto the shore, where spiritual plants immediately surged forth as well. The sound of the plants growing so rapidly was almost unbearable for the cultivators.
Furthermore, the earth began to tremble incessantly, and news from all directions indicated that spiritual energy was surging wildly from all parts of the continent. In many places, rare spiritual plants that had long been lost to the continent instantly sprouted, not to mention the magnificent scene of spring returning to the earth with green trees and flowers blooming everywhere, a testament to the overwhelming surge of spiritual energy. This indeed matched the records that if the last secret realm succeeded, it would awaken spiritual energy, allowing the cultivation world to once again usher in a prosperous spring.
But this is far too fast. Records indicate that such a secret realm takes at least a year to complete, yet this one was finished in just half a month... Did they actually succeed?
The following day, at dusk, one by one, the disciples were flung into the air by the giant waves of spiritual energy. At this point, they were almost all cultivators with the highest cultivation levels in this realm, and the Venerables were truly... powerless to help. However, this time, the disciples easily turned in mid-air and leaped from the sea to the crowd on the shore.
Venerable Xueqiao felt a complete sense of relief. This time, both disciples were among the first to rush out and returned to his side unharmed. Unlike before, when he would have to search anxiously among his disciples, often finding these two wicked students only at the very end. This was quite a rare occurrence.
Then Song Chi landed beside him, glanced at her senior brother, gave a nonchalant snort, and turned her face away. She looked like she didn't care to acknowledge Shu Bai! Shu Bai, seeing this, simply lowered his eyes and smiled slightly. It was obvious that Shu Bai had probably done something to displease Song Chi.
Venerable Xueqiao immediately gave Shu Bai a reproachful look. "You, going to that dangerous secret realm and not only didn't protect your third junior sister, but you also upset her." However, there was no time to worry about that now, as everyone stirred, and many Venerables flew forward. Among them, Venerable Baiyun from the Yunji Holy Land was almost heartbroken; his figure flashed like lightning as he rushed over and helped the red-clad Cui Xue Ruo back to the shore.
The chosen ones and their protectors were all severely injured, covered in blood, clearly having just survived a bloody battle. After all, the chosen ones had to defeat the Evil King to enter the final Flying Immortal Palace and obtain the Music Scroll—this was an ironclad rule. Therefore, while all the Venerables anxiously helped their disciples back, Venerable Baiyun of the Cloud Pavilion Holy Land subtly inquired of Cui Xue Ruo, receiving her affirmative reply. "It's all done!" These three words caused everyone to breathe a sigh of relief, their faces beaming with joy. Immediately afterward, the Cloud Pavilion Holy Land activated their flying boat, tore open the teleportation scroll, and escorted Cui Xue Ruo away hastily.
At this moment, Shu Bai flew over to find Xie Lanqing, saying he wanted to buy some teleportation scrolls. He handed her a storage ring, which was probably filled with mountains of top-grade spirit stones. Shu Bai had indeed been working hard to make money these past few years, completely losing his former aloof and refined noble demeanor. However, Shu Bai's business acumen was also remarkable; he had probably earned quite a bit over the years.
Xie Lanqing was talking to Qi Zhenmo, but after a few words from him, they both glanced at Shu Bai with suppressed laughter. Xie Lanqing then casually gave Shu Bai 100,000 top-grade spirit stones and a bunch of teleportation scrolls. "This is a special price for family this time. You'd better hurry up and appease someone's heart." They both laughed again after saying that. Shu Bai did give them some valuable refining materials, which Xie Lanqing accepted.
During this time, Venerable Xueqiao wasn't idle either. He went to the other Venerables to hear about the disciples' final battle. After all, given Shu Bai's current condition, he probably didn't have these thoughts on his mind. Cui Luoying and Su Yu were more reliable. After both sides explained, the Venerables were stunned, their backs drenched in sweat. Su Yu and the other protectors, who had been guarding Cui Xue Ruo, had indeed killed an Evil King. But surprisingly, Shu Bai's side, along with Cui Luoying and the others, had also killed one—a Taiyi Spirit King who was still alive from the Primordial Era. This title… even the Venerables themselves didn't know, not even the Venerables of the Yunji Holy Land.
In this situation, if it weren't for the assistance of the Dragon and Phoenix Ancestors, the cultivation world would likely have faced a bloodbath. The Venerables of the Dragon and Phoenix clans immediately declared that they would hold a grand sacrificial ceremony to pray for their ancestors. All the Venerables agreed that this was only right. If the Flying Immortal Platform hadn't appeared out of nowhere on the continent within the next six months—that would have been a truly significant event—the Hall of Heroes and Martyrs should also have held a sacrificial ceremony to express gratitude to the Dragon and Phoenix Ancestors for protecting all living beings.
The Venerables of the Dragon and Phoenix Clans inquired with Venerable Xueqiao about the situation. They asked if Song Chi, as the Holy Spirit Fairy of their respective clans, would be willing to stay and preside over the ancestral worship ceremony as the first priestess. Venerable Xueqiao glanced at Song Chi, who was sitting casually on a rock with her hand supporting her cheek, and thought to himself, "There's no way that girl would agree."
The most important thing right now is to foster the relationship between those two. Shu Bai, look at this! It's terrifying. If his master saw this, he'd probably be heartbroken and devastated. Besides, someone who's fallen in love might even have contemplated suicide on the spot. We really need to comfort her now.
Therefore, Venerable Xueqiao politely declined.
He then called You Qin back, and Shu Bai also came over and immediately released a flying boat. "Master, perhaps we, master and disciples, should leave first and not act together with the sect."
Venerable Xueqiao glanced at Song Chi, who was letting out a soft hum, and immediately said, "Then so be it."
Then the four of them boarded the flying boat, tore open the scroll, and hurriedly left. Along the way, Venerable Xueqiao realized that Shu Bai was really something else... He had actually replicated the gentle and beautiful small town that he had passed through when he took his younger self on a journey through mountains and rivers, and headed from the southeast across the mountains and rivers towards the Qingjian Sect in the central and western regions.
He probably wanted to share all the foods and scenery he liked with his third junior sister back then.
However, this was undoubtedly a case of casting a seductive glance at a blind man. Along the way, the girl had no interest in appreciating the scenery; she was constantly urging her second senior sister to buy whatever was expensive in the jewelry store and to eat whatever was rare and pricey at the restaurant. She was clearly plotting to rip off her eldest senior brother.
Shu Bai was probably more pleased with this situation than anything else. In the early days of the small town, the food, jewelry, and clothing were quite ordinary. But the further they went, the more exquisite and expensive the items in the shops became. It's likely that Shu Bai had secretly arranged all of this along the way!
After traveling for two months, they finally returned to their sect. Upon arriving at the sacred land of Cloud Sea Pine Mountain, Venerable Xueqiao casually reminded Song Chi, "The towns along this journey are all places I visited when I traveled with Shubai."
At that moment, the girl's eyebrows twitched slightly in surprise, but she maintained a calm facade. However, when she returned to her Crimson Rose Pavilion, she skipped a small step at the door. Then, she immediately put her hands behind her back and calmly went back inside.
Venerable Xueqiao couldn't help but chuckle to himself. This brat's temper! But this time, her anger should have subsided by half. That's good.
After traveling for a month or two, Song Chi's initial anger had long since dissipated. All that remained was lingering fear. Besides, holding his breath like this with Mo Shubai was quite amusing; he might as well teach him a lesson. If there's a next time... hmph! Forget it, he shouldn't experience such a life-or-death ordeal again; he absolutely mustn't jinx it.
Having traveled for over two months, and with less than a month to go before the Flying Immortal Platform appears, Song Chi is unaware of where it will appear, as the book doesn't specify. But let's leave that aside for now.
She washed up and rested well, ready to enjoy the long-awaited moment of lying flat. As she leaned against the window, gazing at the roses swaying in the night, she heard the melodious sound of a zither flowing like water coming from the Listening Spring Pavilion across the way. She recognized the music; back when she was cultivating and comprehending the Dao with her junior uncle, every night she would return blushing from the wood elemental energy stimulated by the Everlasting Green Leaves, and Mo Shubai would play music for her for the duration of an incense stick to soothe her mind.
Thinking of her junior uncle, who had been missing for years, Song Chi checked the mail section and found a flimsy, mud-stained letter tucked among the many letters. She opened it and found it was a congratulatory letter from him shortly after she unsealed her wood spirit root during the sacrificial ceremony. He said he felt the wood spirit root seemed to have come alive. Come to think of it, her junior uncle was truly a genius. He sensed it back then!
As soon as she put down the letter, the music stopped. Song Chi peeked through the seal, and Mo Shubai, sensing her gaze, simply smiled and went to bathe in the backyard. They've sealed it off completely here. Tsk!
At that moment, the golden scroll moved. Song Chi was speechless. Coming at this hour? Could it be that the Flying Immortal Platform has been created?!
To her dismay, upon seeing the tasks, she was speechless. They concerned the final restoration of the earth's spiritual energy, specifically the relationship between her, the destined one of the Yin side, and Mo Shubai, the wielder of the Azure String Zither. The tasks were incredibly shameless; to ensure the earth's eternal greenness and the restoration of life, the ascended beings of the Qiongyu Immortal Lord generation would stop at nothing, resorting to any seductive tactic. It was all about cultivating their relationship so that they could ultimately play a beautiful zither together to complete the task of restoring the earth's spiritual energy.
One of the shared bathing scenarios actually appeared in the most recent mission.
Song Chi initially thought that there shouldn't be any problems with their relationship; it was just that the melody, which had absolutely no musical cues, was really frustrating. This meant she and Mo Shubai would have to improvise, and the chances of success seemed incredibly slim to her.
However, upon seeing the words "shared bathing," Song Chi couldn't help but sniffle, then suddenly chuckled. Realizing it was too lewd, he quickly stopped himself.
Well, it's time to make up with Mo Shubai. Besides, she's off on a mission.
Normally, if she tried to break the seal on Mo Shubai's bathhouse, given his old-fashioned nature, he would absolutely refuse. But things are different now. Mo Shubai probably thinks she's still angry, so now he'd pluck the stars from the sky for her, no matter what she wanted.
Before leaving, Song Chi changed into a rather unseemly little undergarment, then let out a slightly fiery breath. Off we go!
She moved stealthily, but as soon as she reached Tingquan Pavilion, the seal surrounding the room was immediately lifted. Mo Shubai's smiling voice, accompanied by a coded message, came through, "I'll come to see Third Junior Sister after a short rest." But you can't rest; I want you to be bathing!
Song Chi puffed out hot air from her nostrils and instantly teleported to the bathroom door. She then used the array flag given to her by Qi Zhenmo to pry open the seal. However, her rudimentary knowledge of array formations was clearly insufficient. So, Song Chi immediately crossed her arms and turned her back, clearly unhappy.
Mo Shubai remained silent for a while before finally releasing the formation.
Song Chi chuckled inwardly and quickly slipped inside. Then, to his surprise, Mo Shubai was sitting in the bath, wrapped in a cloak. And when he looked back, his smiling gaze was like stars in his eyes, clearly indicating he had guessed Song Chi's intentions. So he had prepared a countermeasure in advance.
Song Chi tilted her head back slightly, glanced at him, then squatted down beside him with her hands behind her back. She then extended two wicked fingers, hooking them around the cloak's tie, attempting a gentle tug. Mo Shubai caught her hand. His hand was slightly warm, and he held hers without pulling away, instead pressing it against his shoulder and gently squeezing it. Then, his lotus-like eyes gently moved closer, gazing at her with a smile.
Song Chi couldn't help but twitch his nose, inwardly cursing, "How clever!"
She didn't care; for the sake of the cultivation world's well-being, she had to work hard. So she continued to struggle and pull at him. Mo Shubai stopped her several times, finally giving in. Then the cloak was ripped open… “Holy crap!” Song Chi was speechless. Mo Shubai was dressed completely in a blue robe; how could he possibly see a picture of a handsome man bathing!
"Senior Brother, this is so boring, humph!" Song Chi sat down cross-legged, propped his chin on his hand, and glared at Mo Shubai with disdain. What a rigid, feudal old man!
Mo Shubai merely chuckled, his chest heaving slightly, then turned his face and grasped her hand resting on her knee. The gesture was gentle, without any ulterior motive. Song Chi found it heartwarming, so she didn't stubbornly pull her hand back.
"Third Junior Sister."
"Um?"
"In a while, I'll go with you to Baihuaxi to visit your uncle and aunt, how about that?"
Upon hearing Mo Shubai's words, Song Chi immediately became uneasy and involuntarily took a half-step back.
"No, no, no, my relationship with my senior brother isn't at that stage yet." Right now, she just wants to be in a relationship first.
Mo Shubai was slightly surprised by this, probably because he thought that kissing meant marriage. However, he wasn't annoyed and asked with a smile, "Third Junior Sister, at what stage do you think it's appropriate to meet our parents?"
Song Chi immediately moved closer to him mischievously, glancing at him sideways. "We need to get a little closer."
Mo Shubai merely chuckled, his chest heaving slightly. "For example?" he asked again. You're even using "for example" here? You're trying to seduce me, aren't you?
Song Chi's two wicked fingers immediately sharpened, reaching for his collar again. This time, Mo Shubai grabbed her hand to stop her, just once. The second time, she gently loosened his collar, creating a deep V-neck. Those beautifully defined pectoral muscles… no, wait, this isn't the time for that. Song Chi couldn't help but look at Mo Shubai. Back then, Mo Shubai's smiling eyes, sparkling like stars, seemed to ask, "Are we closer now?"
Although she was genuinely captivated by his gaze, Song Chi sniffed. "But if you're going to play this game with me, then I'll have to be ruthless! Senior Brother, I'm a notorious womanizer, and this is for the future of the entire cultivation world!" *Splash!* Song Chi lurched into the pool. But by the time she corrected herself and turned around, Mo Shubai was already fully dressed. "Damn it!" Song Chi immediately lunged at him fiercely, to which Mo Shubai merely let out a charming chuckle. Ultimately, the most intimate scene he could accept between them was simply her fully clothed, sitting on his lap, soaking in the spiritual spring for a while. Although she tried her best, she could only manage to slip a hand under his shoulder, and even then, Mo Shubai's cheeks were slightly flushed. It was probably too bold for him. "That's enough for now."
Anyway, it won't make a difference if we take one more day; there will be plenty of opportunities in the future.
That evening, Song Chi felt utterly victorious and leisurely returned to the Scarlet Rose Pavilion with her hands behind her back. As she pondered how to take things further the next day, a mysterious aura enveloped her as soon as she entered the room. The golden scroll reminded her that she should 'suddenly sense something' and go into seclusion to meditate. This was because the Flying Immortal Platform would be unveiled in half a month, and to conceal her identity as the one destined for darkness from the world, she needed to go into seclusion beforehand. She would then set up a distraction powerful enough to deceive everyone, and her entire being was placed near the Flying Immortal Platform to complete this mission.
The rest of her protectors were also enveloped by that wondrous cloud of enlightenment. Song Chi saw that Dai Jia and the others had all automatically begun their closed-door meditation. Naturally, the task was of utmost importance at this moment; they had already reached this stage in their long journey. Song Chi immediately informed her master and Mo Shubai that she had some insights and needed to go into seclusion for a period of time to comprehend them, and then sealed off the courtyard.
But before meditating, she couldn't help but stomp her feet. She'd been so busy groping her breasts tonight that she'd forgotten to ask for a kiss. What a waste of a little!
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Author's note: [Milk tea][Milk tea] Okay, I'll write another chapter later, about going to Feixiantai!
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