Chapter 1: Star and Lotus (I) “Then why don’t I go with you…
Lian Qiang was half asleep and half awake when she suddenly caught a glimpse of a candlelight in the room through the bed curtains.
It must be Chi Xingji who has returned - she thought dully, and sure enough, the bed curtains were opened, the bed beside her sank slightly, and the candlelight suddenly went out.
Although she was half asleep, Lian Qiang's instincts urged her to shrink inward, away from him. Ever since the accident, her body had been cold year-round. Now, in the height of summer, the little spiritual energy she had left was barely enough to maintain her body temperature.
With Chi Xingji's current cultivation level, it would be impossible for him to catch a cold, but she didn't want to catch him cold.
Noticing her movements, Chi Xingji paused on the bed and lay down silently. Lian Qiang quickly closed her eyes, but felt something warm approaching, and a pair of hands wrapped around her like vines.
This was the warmth she was longing for, but Lian Qiang couldn't avoid it. She struggled to push his hand away, and her collar came undone in the shove.
Her strength was not great, but Chi Xingji could feel her resistance. He didn't understand what was wrong with her today, as she was usually well-behaved, and was stunned again.
Lian Qiang's lips moved a few times, and she wanted to say something, but in the end she just adjusted her collar and breathlessly uttered, "...Sleep well."
He dragged her along day after day, and at first she thought he was hoping dual cultivation would save her. But eventually, not only was Lian Qiang exhausted from the torment, but even the little spiritual energy she transferred was meager, like a drop in the bucket. Her hope gradually turned to weariness.
She really couldn't wait for him to come back today, and thought he was going to stay in seclusion outside for the night. Unexpectedly, he came back, and the only thing on his mind was still this matter. He didn't even say why he came back late.
...To be honest, she didn't like Chi Xingji like this at all.
Originally, she could have endured it, but today Lian Qiang was awakened from her sleep and was very impatient. At the same time, an endless sadness welled up in her heart.
She was secretly sad on one side, while the other side wanted to open his arms to embrace her. Lian Qiang was furious and stood up suddenly: "I said, sleep well, didn't you hear me!"
He repeatedly disregarded her wishes. What did he take her for?
Chi Xingji also sat up. It was funny to say that in the darkness, his blurry outline and features made him look unusually helpless. “…I just wanted to hug you.”
Lian Qiang, who was pressing his forehead, had the first reaction of laughing.
She closed her eyes, looking extremely tired. "You don't have to be like this. I don't blame you for coming home late, and you don't have to... do this."
There was not much tenderness left between them, and Chi Xingji had actually fulfilled his duties as a husband, so Lian Qiang was not willing to ask for anything more.
"It's getting late, go to bed." Chi Xingji said nothing, but Lian Qiang spoke first and offered the step, then he lay down.
Chi Xingji followed her and lay down quietly. His hand seemed to want to rest on her waist, but in the end it only rested lightly on her shoulder.
"...I'm sorry, it's my fault," his voice was a little hoarse, "I'll ask you later."
After thinking for a while, Chi Xingji added in a low voice: "Don't be...sad."
Lian Qiang had carefully selected the bed curtains, which allowed candlelight to pass through, creating a hazy, soft glow. Moonlight could also fall through, creating a soft, bright glow. Lian Qiang had always loved them.
She liked it so much that even now, with her back to Chi Xingji and silently crying, she had to open her eyes and gaze at the small moonlight.
Tears fell drop by drop onto the soft pillow, soon wetting most of it, but there was no sound at all.
She really wanted to tell Chi Xingji that it wasn't all your fault that we became like this. I've changed too, and I'm not wrong either. We can change together.
But they seem to have always been like this, so how can they change?
But Lian Qiang remembered clearly that they had clearly had a very good time together.
-
At that time, they were still in Ninghe City, living a carefree life far away from the so-called cultivation of immortals.
Lian Qiang still remembered that she was sixteen and Chi Xingji was nineteen. Suddenly, a "divine being" with a white beard and over seventy years old appeared in Ninghe City, claiming to be recruiting disciples from the immortal sect.
Lian Qiang heard from her mother that there had been people like this before, and they would come every few years or ten years, but this time they came much later.
The world is not at peace now. Her mother touched her head and said kindly, "We all rely on the protection of these immortals, so we must respect them."
"What kind of immortals are they?" Big Brother Lian Bai sneered disdainfully, "Just a few cultivators, dare they call themselves immortals?"
The eldest brother is the most educated person in the family besides his father, and he bullies Lian Qiang the most harshly, but Lian Qiang has always obeyed him since she was a child. But as she grows up, she also has the ability to distinguish right from wrong.
"I think you're just sour grapes because you can't eat them." Lian Qiang made a face at him. Immortals were so rare, how could they be seen casually? Even if they had the word "immortal" in their name, they were already very important.
After hearing this, the eldest sister-in-law and the second sister Lian Wei looked at each other, smiled without saying anything, and continued to do needlework with their mother.
The few who followed it thought it was just a curious story. Father and mother didn't expect their three children to ascend to heaven. They simply hoped that they would be safe, have a reliable partner, and live a peaceful and stable life.
The eldest brother has already married, and the second sister has also found a good husband and will be married after the New Year. Only the little girl Lian Qiang is a big worry for her parents. As soon as she reached the age of 15, they found a matchmaker to arrange a marriage for her.
Until the "immortal" came to the door and found out that Lian Qiang was a child with some immortal fate.
"Little girl, do you want to go with me?" The "immortal" had kind eyes and stroked his beard, without any of the condescending attitude of a god.
Lian Qiang was curious and asked him what the benefits of cultivating immortality were.
"I can live forever, stay young forever, and even see the outside world." The old man said happily. Lian Qiang heard this and asked, "Then why don't you stay young forever?"
This was a difficult question, and the immortal didn't mind that he hadn't figured it out. The couple politely escorted the man out, saying they would discuss it another day. Then, looking back at their little daughter, they began to worry again.
Although Lian Qiang was amazed at the outside world and had some interest in eternal youth, these temptations were dispensable to her. She now had no worries about food and clothing, and lived a happy life every day, without lacking anything.
So when her parents asked her to listen to her ideas, she just waved her hand and said she would think about it and might even refuse.
She said something to her family and wanted to go out for a walk, but her eyes rolled around and she went out through the back door.
Although Lian Qiang had a plan in mind, she was greatly disappointed. The clear sound of reading in the courtyard next door that she used to hear was no longer there.
Is he not here? She wondered, then spotted a sycamore tree and had an idea. Lian Qiang tugged at the hem of her skirt and quickly climbed up the tree, pushing aside the undergrowth until she had a clear view of the courtyard before landing lightly.
Judging from her familiar posture, it was obvious that she had done this action thousands of times.
"You're here again?" The voice sounded cold, and the eyes of the owner of the voice were even more so.
What a pity, what a pity, just like a star, cold as a icy pond. Lian Qiang sighed inwardly, and without hesitation, sat down opposite the young man: "Why aren't you reading today?"
It was clearly the same text, but strangely enough, she felt Chi Xingji read better than her brother. Well, he was also prettier than her brother.
Look, look. Such a high nose, those almond-shaped eyes, but the mouth is a little thin, which makes her look rather heartless. How can big brother compare to her? It would be flattering for him to compare to her... Lian Qiang was lost in thought. If Lian Bai knew this, he would probably be furious with his sister.
Her parents were busy finding a husband for her, why didn't they look next door? But the Chi family only had this one good-looking little son... Lian Qiang complained in her heart, raised her eyes, and met those eyes again.
Chi Xingji's eyes were cold, and his lips were unsmiling. Anyone else would have been scared away by him. But Lian Qiang was not an ordinary person. She knew that this expression of his was an effort to be gentle, so she smiled and asked another question: "Has an immortal ever come to your house? He said I have some immortal connection and asked if I would follow him to the immortal gate. I always feel..."
"I've been here before. He said I was born with a sword bone and was a rare talent. I must go with him."
Chi Xingji's light words startled Lian Qiang so much that she gasped.
A rare talent, that sounded a bit more impressive than hers... She looked at Chi Xingji's expression and realized that he wasn't happy about the title. She carefully weighed the answer and asked, "So, are you planning to... go with him?"
As soon as she said this, her heartbeat began to beat like a drum, making her chest thump. Even Qiang herself couldn't tell whether she hoped Chi Xingji would agree or refuse.
Lian Qiang had rarely traveled far, but she knew that the immortal gate must be very far away from home. Otherwise, why did the immortals only come once in such a long time? It must be because the journey was too long and their speed was too slow, so they simply only came once every few years or even more than ten years.
If Chi Xingji went and she didn't, wouldn't it be a long time before they could see each other? She wouldn't be able to climb their tree every day to see him.
The girl was thinking, but she saw the boy opposite her pursed his lips, hesitant: "...I don't know."
"You don't know? How could you not know?" Lian Qiang was horrified. "He praised you to the highest heavens! Must, what is must!"
Lian Qiang thought it was odd that Chi Xingji didn't go. Ordinary people these days have no future. It's not like long ago when they could take the imperial examinations and become officials. Now, there aren't even emperors anymore. Everyone claims equality, but in reality, everyone understands that cultivators are now respected.
If ordinary people encounter ghosts, demons or monsters, they won’t know how they died. But it’s different for immortal cultivators. They have the hope of becoming immortals!
Besides...Chi Xingji is the second child in the family, with an older brother and a younger brother and sister. His family members are only lukewarm towards him, far from being as pampered as Lian Qiang who grew up in such a pampered environment.
If Lian Qiang were Chi Xingji, she would have packed up her bags and rushed after the immortal without a second thought - but since she was Lian Qiang, she had to think carefully.
"The Wuji Sword Sect is too far from here. I don't know much about the situation there. If the natural sword bones he mentioned are common there, and I don't have any connections there, life will be difficult, not easy. By then, I'm afraid I won't even have a way out." Chi Xingji shook his head, unashamedly pouring out his concerns. Although he was young, his mind had already been thinking about it a thousand times.
Lian Qiang wanted to refute him after hearing the first half, but after hearing the second half, her mind got heated and she almost blurted out, "Then why don't I go with you?"
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