Chapter 82: Kiss
Luo Jinxiao’s heart was filled with bittersweet emotions. She could only hold Qu Weiyin tightly and say slowly, “I won’t run away with anyone else. I’ll follow you, in this life and the next. I’m yours forever.”
After an unknown amount of time, as Qu Weiyin’s body gradually relaxed and she drifted into a deep sleep, Luo Jinxiao gently placed her back on the bed. Sitting beside her, Luo Jinxiao gazed at Qu Weiyin with immense joy. She was elated that Qu Weiyin had finally expressed her feelings, so happy that she could no longer think about the difficulties that lay ahead.
At that moment, the candlelight was dim, enveloping them both in its warm, cozy glow.
Luo Jinxiao openly stared at her for a while, then secretly leaned down and softly pecked Qu Weiyin’s lips before lifting her head with a silly grin.
Her heart overflowed with the sweetness of melting sugar.
Early the next morning, Qu Weiyin woke up with the soreness of internal injuries. She opened her eyes and looked around, finding no one in front of her. Feeling a bit dazed, she tried to sit up, but a slender arm with rolled-up sleeves reached out from the side, supporting her shoulder and helping her up.
Then, Luo Jinxiao’s brightly smiling face appeared before her. Though her features had matured, her familiar charm and dimples remained unchanged.
Qu Weiyin suddenly felt a bit shy about facing Luo Jinxiao, remembering her words from the previous night.
“Did you stay here all night?” she asked.
“Yes, but not just that, look.” Luo Jinxiao said, helping her put on an outer garment. She then took Qu Weiyin’s hand and led her towards the door. Outside, they saw someone sitting cross-legged by a low table, scratching their head and muttering something while poring over a scroll.
“Qiongqi?” Qu Weiyin turned around, her face filled with confusion.
“Yes, it’s all her fault for angering Junior Shishu and then running off to eat, drink, and have fun. I’m punishing her by making her read the Three Character Classic from cover to cover. Otherwise, she won’t get any beef to eat in the future.”
“It was my own misunderstanding, why would you…” Qu Weiyin shook her head, but then changed her tone, “But it’s good for her to learn, so she can communicate with others in the future.”
“I think it’s a great idea,” Luo Jinxiao said with a beaming smile. She stopped paying attention to Qiongqi and turned to ask Qu Weiyin, “Shall we cultivate together today? It’ll help with your recovery.”
Qu Weiyin was about to agree but suddenly remembered something and looked troubled. She shook her head and said, “I have to teach today.”
“You’re still injured, and you still want to teach? I’ll go in your place.”
Qu Weiyin patted Luo Jinxiao’s shoulder helplessly. “That won’t do. It’s alright, it’s just the demonic energy making me prone to anger. It’s nothing serious.”
Her eyes held a captivating gentleness as she lightly brushed Luo Jinxiao’s earlobe and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.
“Go on with your day.”
Luo Jinxiao’s heart melted under her touch. She no longer insisted and was half-heartedly pushed to the door. But just as she was about to leave, she suddenly grabbed the door frame, poked her head inside, and said pitifully, “I stayed up all night watching over you, and you’re chasing me away as soon as you wake up.”
Qu Weiyin was taken aback by her sudden change in demeanor. “What do you mean?”
“If I leave, won’t you… miss me, Junior Shishu?” Luo Jinxiao asked with a silly grin, her almond eyes curving into crescents and her pink lips forming a crescent moon.
Qu Weiyin was both amused and exasperated by her antics, and reluctantly hummed an affirmative.
Luo Jinxiao still didn’t move.
Qu Weiyin finally gave in. She cleared her throat and, lowering her head, softly said, “I’ll miss you.”
Pleased with this response, Luo Jinxiao beamed with happiness. Taking advantage of Qu Weiyin’s distraction, she suddenly stretched her neck, nuzzled against Qu Weiyin’s cheek, and whispered, “I’ll miss you too.”
Then she fled in a hurry.
However, in her excitement, she forgot to use her sword flight. As soon as she stepped out, she lost her footing and fell silently, plunging straight into the rushing river at the bottom of the cliff with a splash.
Qu Weiyin hadn’t yet recovered from her whispered words when she heard an unusual sound. She looked down, her beautiful phoenix eyes closing in disbelief. With a wave of her hand, Luo Jinxiao, now soaked to the bone, floated up from the water.
“This one,” she said, shaking her head.
As the door closed, Qu Weiyin walked to the table, only to find that Qiongqi had long since fled when no one was watching, leaving behind a mess.
She bent down to tidy up the scattered books, but suddenly felt a tightness in her chest. Stumbling, she fell to her knees by the low table, slumping over it for a long while before she could recover.
Taking a deep breath, she pulled out the Shan He Tu from her sleeve and unfurled it. The exquisite painting emitted a faint glow. Qu Weiyin followed the cultivation method depicted on it to regulate the chaotic spiritual and demonic energy within her body. After a while, she finally felt better.
She stared intently at the scroll for a long time, then took a piece of talisman paper and wrote the three characters of Luo Jinxiao with a brush. Placing the paper on her shoulder, near her heart, she channeled spiritual energy into her palm. With a sizzling sound of burning flesh, Qu Weiyin clenched her teeth, suppressing any cry of pain.
After a while, the now blank talisman paper fluttered to the ground. Qu Weiyin was drenched in sweat. She waved her hand to conjure a bronze mirror, then loosened her clothes to reveal a corner of her delicate, slender shoulder.
The deeply engraved characters were clearly visible.
She hoped that this way, even if she lost her current state of mind in the future, she would still remember that she deeply loved someone.
Days passed quickly. The apricot blossoms on the mountain bloomed and fell, and the increasingly hot sun signaled the approach of summer.
The Wuhui Sect gradually got back on track. Perhaps sensing the impending danger, everyone diligently cultivated. Disciples gathered on the White Jade Platform day and night to spar, creating a scene of flourishing vitality.
Meanwhile, starting from Wuhui Palace, large night pearls and incense were placed along the path in preparation for the upcoming Divine Sacrifice.
As the name suggested, the day of the Divine Sacrifice was the day of the Divine Realm’s demise. Cultivators would offer sacrifices to the heavens on this day to commemorate the Divine Realm’s blessings and seek peace of mind.
On this day, Luo Jinxiao sat in a corner of the Wuhui Palace, resting her chin on her hand, watching Qu Weiyin teach in the center of the hall. Soon, she began to doze off.
Someone nudged her awake and whispered, “Senior Sister Luo, it’s over. Aren’t you going up?”
Luo Jinxiao woke up in a daze, thanked Ke Tao, wiped the drool from her mouth, and ran towards the front. Qu Weiyin was just putting away her books and looked up to meet her gaze.
“This lecture was about formations. You already understand all this, why did you come to listen?”
“I didn’t come to listen to your lecture, I came to see you,” Luo Jinxiao said with a smile, following Qu Weiyin out of the hall. As soon as they disappeared, the hall suddenly erupted in excitement.
“Look, Senior Sister Luo is waiting for Junior Shishu Qu again.”
“Come, come, you lost. Three taels of silver and one spirit pill!”
Qu Weiyin heard the commotion behind her clearly. The corner of her lips quirked up as she turned to tap Luo Jinxiao’s head with her rolled-up scroll.
“How’s your cultivation these past few days? You’re always so unfocused, I can tell you haven’t been practicing properly.”
“How could that be!” Luo Jinxiao leaned closer. “I just broke through to the Tribulation Transcendence stage yesterday.”
“That’s not bad.” Qu Weiyin smiled, her eyes sparkling like rippling water.
They returned to the Hanyun Pavilion. Luo Jinxiao went to make tea for Qu Weiyin. She had recently learned the art of tea brewing and was eager to show off her skills.
Qu Weiyin sat alone at the low table. As soon as Luo Jinxiao was out of sight, she furrowed her brows, supported herself on the table, and coughed violently.
Her body was at the intersection of immortal and demonic energy, neither fully one nor the other, making her even weaker these days.
When Luo Jinxiao returned with the tea, Qu Weiyin had already regained her composure. She was holding a brush, copying something onto paper. Sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating the dust motes in the air, creating a tranquil atmosphere.
Luo Jinxiao stood there for a long time, mesmerized, reluctant to break the silence. Her grip on the teapot tightened, and her eyes darkened.
But she quickly recovered, walking briskly to Qu Weiyin’s side, placing the teapot down, and kneeling behind her.
“What are you writing?” Luo Jinxiao asked.
“Nothing much, just some random thoughts, some cultivation techniques and key insights. Keep them, they might be useful to you,” Qu Weiyin said softly, her nimble fingers holding the brush, her handwriting elegant.
Luo Jinxiao remained silent, watching quietly. Then, she shifted closer to Qu Weiyin and asked, “Junior Shishu, if you’re tired, lean on me for a bit.”
Qu Weiyin hummed in agreement. After a while, she placed the brush on the inkstone and leaned back slightly, resting against Luo Jinxiao’s chest.
The fragrance of her hair instantly filled Luo Jinxiao’s senses. Her heart melted as she embraced the soft figure in her arms.
They remained nestled together, neither willing to break the peaceful silence.
“Jinxiao,” Qu Weiyin suddenly spoke.
“What is it?” Luo Jinxiao asked.
“Try calling me by my name.”
Luo Jinxiao was taken aback, joy welling up in her heart. She cleared her throat and said formally, “Qu Weiyin.”
Qu Weiyin looked up at her with mock annoyance. “How can you be so silly?”
“Weiyin,” Luo Jinxiao corrected herself shyly, her voice much softer.
Qu Weiyin finally seemed satisfied. She nodded, and their hands intertwined, neither willing to let go.
“I just wanted to hear it, to have more memories,” Qu Weiyin whispered. She took out a small paper packet from her sleeve and placed it in Luo Jinxiao’s hand. “Keep this. Maybe one day, you can help them reunite.”
Luo Jinxiao held the packet, her brows slightly furrowed. Just as she was about to say something, Qu Weiyin interrupted her. The beauty in her arms suddenly straightened up, facing her, examining her closely.
Almond-shaped eyes, black pupils, rosy lips, pearly teeth, a beaming smile full of youth. Qu Weiyin memorized each detail.
“Close your eyes, there’s something on your face,” Qu Weiyin suddenly said.
“There isn’t…” Luo Jinxiao reached up to touch her face, but Qu Weiyin caught her wrist, a hint of displeasure in her voice. “Be obedient.”
Luo Jinxiao, confused, let out an “Oh” and closed her eyes.
In an instant, soft lips pressed against hers. Luo Jinxiao’s mind went blank, buzzing like a boiling kettle.
She abruptly opened her eyes to find Qu Weiyin’s charming features right before her. Looking down, she could see her delicate, high nose and fragrant red lips.
“Don’t move,” Qu Weiyin said, placing her hands on Luo Jinxiao’s shoulders, her tone firm.
Luo Jinxiao immediately raised both hands to show she wasn’t moving.
Qu Weiyin continued to explore, and Luo Jinxiao had never experienced such sweetness before. From head to toe, she felt like a lantern – burning hot inside and glowing red outside.
After a soft sigh, Qu Weiyin moved away from her face. Her eyes were moist, filled with tenderness as she said softly, “This way, I’ll be able to remember you.”
Luo Jinxiao finally dared to breathe. She suddenly felt a stinging pain in her mouth and, upon touching it, tasted blood. She realized that Qu Weiyin had bitten her lip.
She stared intently at Qu Weiyin’s glistening lips, still somewhat reluctant to part. Such a beautiful woman – she wished she could stay with her like this forever, trapped in this moment, never to leave.
But in the next instant, Qu Weiyin suddenly said, “Tomorrow, I need you to go to Xumi Manor for me.”
“What for? I won’t go. What if you run away while I’m gone? Where would I find you?” Luo Jinxiao shook her head firmly.
“I’m not a prisoner, always thinking of escaping.” Qu Weiyin laughed in exasperation. “It’s to retrieve a divine artifact needed for the Divine Sacrifice. If you don’t go for me, I’ll have to go myself. I have important matters to attend to on the day of the sacrifice and can’t leave.”
“Jinxiao,” Qu Weiyin said, frowning, reaching out to pinch Luo Jinxiao’s cheek.
“Alright, alright, I’ll go!” Luo Jinxiao finally agreed. “But you must wait for me to return. You can’t run away.”
Qu Weiyin shook her head, a captivating smile gracing her lips. She hummed in agreement. “I’ll definitely wait for you to come back.”
Something is definitely up.. ๐ญ
I feel red flags coming up… Hey author-