Her nimble fingers roamed across her body, piece by piece of clothing silently slipping off. Her bare skin felt the cool night breeze, soon soothed by warm hands. The thin calluses on his palms brushed against her tender skin, sending waves of shivers through her body, causing her to involuntarily emit a soft, seductive moan. Whether it was his fingertips or tongue, he traced outlines across her body, until finally a voice murmured by her ear, “Forty-six petals in total.”
“Mmm…” she whimpered tearfully.
Xie Xuechen: “Two of them were planted by me.”
His cold voice spoke shamelessly, causing her breathing to become increasingly erratic. Her fine, soft hair, damp with sweat, clung to her temples. Her pale, smooth body resembled a piece of exquisite jade, held in his palm and gently played with, glowing a pretty peach-pink, like a flower bud waiting to bloom in early spring, gently squeezed and caressed by his calloused fingers, releasing sweet-scented nectar.
Initially, she resisted mentally, but she didn’t know when she started to give in. His slightly coarse yet steady fingers, his warm, soft lips and tongue, gradually softened her resistance. She bit her lip but couldn’t stop soft sighs and moans escaping her mouth. Her body adored his caresses, even instinctively arching her body closer to him, as if instinctively offering herself to him.
Xie Xuechen hadn’t anticipated that a kiss could escalate so wildly out of control. Her gaze was hazy and unfocused, her dark eyes glistening with moisture, cheeks flushed. Her swollen, crimson lips parted with fragmented whimpers. Perhaps her bewitching nature took over—compelling her to instinctively pursue the source of pleasure, emitting kitten-soft mewls as she unconsciously arched her slender waist, craving deeper ecstasy.
Xie Xuechen took a deep breath, his eyes darkened, his voice hoarse as he asked, “Who am I?”
She fluttered her eyelashes slightly, her unfocused eyes unable to find his gaze, her mind in chaos, unable to answer.
“Hmm…” she lightly furrowed her delicate eyebrows, restlessly twisting her body, accidentally rubbing against a burning hardness, then hearing a stifled gasp.
“Don’t move around,” Xie Xuechen sighed hoarsely, “or I won’t be able to hold back.”
Hold back from what…
Her mind was hazy, then she felt clothes being draped over her body—her own clothes, taken off by Xie Xuechen, and now he was dressing her piece by piece.
“I shouldn’t have taken advantage of you.”
“Hmph…” Mur Xuanling’s consciousness gradually cleared, the heat in her body slowly fading, yet her face grew redder. She recalled what Xie Xuechen had done to her earlier, and how she not only failed to resist fiercely, but also shamelessly sought more pleasure.
She didn’t know whether she should be angry at Xie Xuechen for violating her, or angry at herself for craving more.
Now he’s pretending to apologize…
She breathed out mockingly, her voice soft, alluring, and slightly hoarse: “Apologizing now, admitting you were wrong?”
“Mm,” Xie Xuechen said, “I should have held you when you could see me.”
—He had thought she had accepted him, but she was blind, who kissed her, embraced her, and claimed her, did she really know?
He didn’t want to consummate their relationship when she wasn’t mentally and physically ready, but he didn’t regret what had happened, because both had experienced intense pleasure.
Mur Xuanling didn’t know how she had fallen asleep, perhaps from the fatigue after comfort, lazily sleeping through the night, waking up not long after dawn. Her vision shifted from blurry to clear, the hazy morning light enveloping Xie Xuechen’s back. He sat at the cave entrance with his back to her, already changed into a clean white robe, looking neat and spotless. When he activated his powers, radiant light surrounded him, making him appear even more solemn and refined, like a godly figure exuding majesty and nobility. Mur Xuanling couldn’t imagine what face Xie Xuechen had worn last night, counting flower petals on her body…
She remembered rubbing against his desire, how did he relieve himself afterward?
Could even immortals engage in self-pleasure?
Thinking about it, her face couldn’t help but heat up again, both embarrassed and angry.
Just as she was thinking, Xie Xuechen had already stood up. He walked toward her against the light, towering over her as he extended a slender hand.
“You’ve been awake for a while, why didn’t you speak? Don’t you have the strength to get up?” Xie Xuechen asked in a deep voice.
Mur Xuanling shivered, ignoring the hand he extended, she got up from the ground herself, murmuring softly, “I can do it myself.”
Xie Xuechen looked at her and asked, “Can you see now?”
Mur Xuanling cautiously stepped back, leaning against the cave wall, assuming a defensive posture, saying, “What do you want to do?”
“If you can’t see, I’ll carry you,” Xie Xuechen said.
After last night’s events, Mur Xuanling couldn’t bear to be in Xie Xuechen’s arms again so easily.
“If you can see…” Xie Xuechen paused.
Mur Xuanling’s heart tightened, fearing Xie Xuechen would continue what happened last night, she nervously asked, “Then… then what?”
“What do you think?” Xie Xuechen’s lips curled slightly, “Naturally, we should continue our journey, you walk by yourself.”
Mur Xuanling exhaled in relief, quickly saying, “I can see!” She blinked her bright, lively peach-blossom eyes vigorously.
Xie Xuechen seemed to smile slightly. He turned his back to her and said, “Fix your clothes yourself, I’ll wait outside.”
Then he walked out.
Seeing him leave, Mur Xuanling finally relaxed, quickly rolled up her sleeves, opened her collar, and checked her condition. There were still peach blossom petals on her body, but they looked much lighter now. Mur Xuanling couldn’t possibly count all the petals herself, but she could roughly guess. The two redder blossoms below her collarbone were most likely the ones planted by Xie Xuechen.
She took a deep breath to calm her turbulent chest, blushing furiously as she tidied up her clothes, angrily tying a tight knot in her sash. Seeing the red thread around her wrist made her even angrier.
“Scoundrel of the immortal path, a beast in human clothing, a disgrace to humanity…” she muttered through gritted teeth, stomping out of the cave.
Xie Xuechen stood with his hands behind his back, facing away from her on the flat ground in front of the cave. Not far ahead was a mess, seemingly flattened by sword qi, with grass and trees knocked askew, emitting a strange fragrance.
Mur Xuanling instinctively covered her nose and mouth, fearing she might smell the miasma again.
Xie Xuechen slightly turned his body, glanced at her over his shoulder, tugged the red thread connecting them, and said seriously, “Within ten zhang, I can still hear what you say.”
Mur Xuanling stiffened—so all the words she had just cursed, he had heard them all.
“So what…” she sneered defiantly, though her voice gradually weakened, “I didn’t say anything wrong…”
Xie Xuechen smiled faintly, “You’re right, I, a cultivator close to the demonic path, have indeed gone dark.”
As Xie Xuechen spoke, he pulled the red thread, intentionally shortening the distance between them. Mur Xuanling was involuntarily pulled to his side, leaving only two zhang between them. Only then did Mur Xuanling see the insect corpse not far ahead, which she had mistaken for grass from a distance.
The insect corpse had become much withered, its blue skin crawling with countless tiny things, looking extremely disgusting.
“Is this… the bug from last night?” Mur Xuanling asked, her face turning pale.
Xie Xuechen glanced at her and coughed dryly, “Yes, let’s go quickly, don’t look anymore.”
After being killed, the strange bug had been infested by parasites that devoured its internal organs, but the bug was too large, and countless small worms were still eating inside its body.
Mur Xuanling shivered and said, “If I were to be eaten by this thing, I’d rather end my life first.”
“We should hurry and leave the jungle before noon,” Xie Xuechen said, leaning slightly forward to sniff lightly at her neck, “Your scent hasn’t completely faded yet. If we don’t leave quickly, we might attract more strange bugs tonight.”
Mur Xuanling dodged slightly and coldly huffed, “You can dodge the first, but not the second.”
Xie Xuechen was amused by her implication and chuckled softly. Mur Xuanling glared at him and turned eastward, running away.
—Xie Xuechen thought to himself, “Ling’er’s body is much more honest, cute, and adorable than her words.”
Although they encountered many dangers along the way, they managed to resolve them all without incident. By noon, they finally left the jungle, allowing Mur Xuanling to breathe a sigh of relief.
“The Elixir Lotus is in a valley on the southern side of Luowu Mountain. I hope we have some luck and can find it today.”
Xie Xuechen’s figure moved like the wind, heading south through the purple bamboo forest. He intentionally controlled his speed, walking side by side with Mur Xuanling, watching out for each other.
The color of this bamboo forest was somewhat different from other areas. The bamboo stalks were light purple, emitting a pleasant fragrance. It was a precious material for crafting magical artifacts, known for its exceptional toughness and demon-repelling properties. The purple bamboo forest was likely a barrier for Luowu Mountain, keeping the bizarre and evil giant insects from the jungle outside. However, it was said that Luowu Mountain itself held other dangers, and far fewer people returned safely from Luowu Mountain than from the jungle.
Xie Xuechen couldn’t help but become more vigilant.
After a brief rest in the purple bamboo forest, the two continued their journey.
Luowu Mountain was vast in scope, but they were fortunate and didn’t take any wrong turns. Riding the wind, they entered the heart of the valley within an hour and a half.
The valley was shrouded in clouds and mist, resembling a fairyland. Unlike the jungle, these clouds and mists were not miasma but condensed spiritual energy so dense it formed a misty appearance. Cultivating here for a single day was equivalent to ten days of cultivation elsewhere.
Mur Xuanling happily inhaled the misty spiritual energy, taking the opportunity to enhance her cultivation. Xie Xuechen knew her heart water hadn’t been resolved, and breaking through to the Law Body would be life-threatening, so he stopped her, saying, “There’s no rush to cultivate now.”
“You just find the Elixir Lotus, why are you interfering with me…” Mur Xuanling muttered, “I don’t even know what the Elixir Lotus looks like.”
She had only heard about it before.
Xie Xuechen said, “Look here.”
He pointed to a patch of waist-high grass nearby. Mur Xuanling focused her gaze and her expression slightly changed, saying, “These grasses have been trampled.”
“With such rich spiritual energy here, if there are any strange beasts…” Xie Xuechen said.
Mur Xuanling’s face turned serious, “Then they must be overwhelmingly powerful…”
“Therefore, we should find the Elixir Lotus and leave as soon as possible.”
“Then loosen the red thread, let’s search separately,” Mur Xuanling suggested.
Xie Xuechen slightly loosened the red thread but only extended it to twenty zhang. “It’s dangerous here, better not to split up. Within twenty zhang, I can reach you in time if you encounter danger.”
Mur Xuanling sighed unhappily and didn’t ask for anything else.
They walked side by side, twenty zhang apart, scanning a radius of fifty zhang with their sharp vision. Xie Xuechen was the first to notice something unusual. He suddenly stopped walking. Mur Xuanling didn’t notice until the red thread tugged her, then she turned back to Xie Xuechen’s side.
“Did you find anything?” Mur Xuanling asked.
Xie Xuechen scanned the surroundings solemnly and remarked, “Though it’s not obvious, I can sense that the spiritual energy here is flowing in a single direction.”
Mur Xuanling was startled and immediately focused her mind to sense it, but her perception couldn’t match a Law Body’s sensitivity, failing to detect the subtle fluctuations.
“Could it be the wind?” Mur Xuanling asked.
Xie Xuechen shook his head, “Wind doesn’t affect spiritual energy fluctuations. I think it might be a spirit-gathering formation or someone extremely powerful cultivating and absorbing spiritual energy, which could cause such fluctuations.”
“Do you want to go check it out?” From Mur Xuanling’s understanding of Xie Xuechen, he was very likely to investigate.
Xie Xuechen indeed had that intention, but he was worried about endangering Mur Xuanling, so he extended the red thread to its maximum length.
“The red thread can extend up to a thousand li,” Xie Xuechen said, “Wait here for me. If you encounter danger, you can follow the red thread to find me.”
Mur Xuanling was taken aback, “What if you encounter danger?”
“The red thread will disappear,” Xie Xuechen smiled, taking off his storage bag, erasing his spiritual sense from it, and placing it in Mur Xuanling’s hands, “There are enough magical artifacts inside to help you leave the jungle.”
Mur Xuanling stared at the storage bag in her hands, suddenly feeling its weight, but Xie Xuechen seemed unconcerned. He lowered his eyelids, sensing the spiritual energy fluctuations, then flew northward.
“I heard that Yongsnow City is poor…” Mur Xuanling weighed the storage bag, thinking about how Xie Xuechen never carried money, and couldn’t help but smile slightly. Unable to resist her curiosity, she probed the storage bag with her spiritual sense, couldn’t help but swallow hard, murmuring, “Yongsnow City isn’t poor at all…”
If something happened to Xie Xuechen, she would inherit all his wealth…
Mur Xuanling’s heart suddenly raced, both excited and feeling a bit strange, as if she had become a wealthy widow without even getting married…
Xie Xuechen was unaware of Mur Xuanling’s complex thoughts. Following the spiritual energy fluctuations, the further north he went, the more obvious the fluctuations became, as if approaching the vortex center.
His intuition was correct.
Xie Xuechen summoned the Jun Tian sword, preparing to face the upcoming danger.
The spiritual mist around became denser, making the vortex even more apparent. However, his vision was blocked by the spiritual mist, only able to see within a zhang ahead. Xie Xuechen slowed his pace, suddenly smelling a crisp, exotic fragrance, which entered his nasal cavity and chest, seemingly capable of dispelling all impurities, making him feel rejuvenated from within.
If the fragrance alone was this powerful, how miraculous must the original object be?
Xie Xuechen slowly approached, the fragrance growing stronger. Finally, he saw the pure white lotus at the center of the spiritual mist. The lotus was slightly larger than a bowl, its petals tender and snow-white, emitting a soft fragrance and glow. A faint red light flickered at the center. The root of the Elixir Lotus was long, with pale green tendrils hanging down, suspended in the air, continuously absorbing the surrounding spiritual mist through these roots.
This is the Waterless Land… The Eternal Lotus transformed spiritual mist into something resembling water, yet not quite water. The growth power of this lotus was astonishingly strong, capable of mobilizing the spiritual mist from the entire valley into swirling eddies, only blooming after centuries of such accumulation.
At this moment, the Eternal Lotus had slightly closed petals, a sign that it was on the verge of blooming.
Xie Xuechen approached cautiously—his only target was the lotus seed inside the blossom.
However, as he drew closer, a sharp whistling sound suddenly pierced the air. This sound had the power to penetrate spiritual senses and consciousness. Xie Xuechen furrowed his brows and hastily retreated ten zhang backward, narrowly dodging a gust of wind blades slicing down from the sky. That gust sliced one zhang into the earth, kicking up a storm of sand and debris, displaying terrifying destructive power.
Xie Xuechen tightened his grip on the Jun Tian sword, cautiously observing the woman who had landed before him, along with the fiery phoenix behind her—a majestic and elegant creature with an elongated neck.
The dense forest he had previously passed through was known as Phoenix Perch Grove, where some claimed to have seen a phoenix. Now witnessing this fiery phoenix manifestation, Xie Xuechen couldn’t help but speculate that the phoenix previously spotted might have been this very tangible fiery phoenix. This phoenix was entirely golden-red, its tail ablaze like flames, its narrow golden eyes surveying the mortal before it with haughty disdain. The master of this manifestation was a cold and beautiful woman clad in red-feathered robes. Her skin was paler than frost and snow, her eyes mirroring the phoenix’s proud and sharp gaze. Between her brows was a red floral marking shaped like a flaming wing, adding to her regal and awe-inspiring presence, making it hard for others to look directly at her.
“Who are you, daring to covet the Eternal Lotus?” the woman coldly stared at Xie Xuechen.
“My name is Xie Xuechen. I have come not for the Eternal Lotus itself, but for the lotus seed inside. May I ask your honorable name? Are you from Lingju Island?” Xie Xuechen couldn’t immediately discern her cultivation level, but vaguely sensed her aura surpassed his own, though no such powerful figure was known among the human race. Practitioners of Lingju Island’s exclusive techniques could manifest a fiery phoenix. The fiery phoenix before him bore some resemblance to He Xianwo’s manifestation, albeit far superior.
The woman gave a slight humph, scrutinizing Xie Xuechen from head to toe, smirking coldly. “You do have a bit of discernment. I am Feng Xiang of Lingju Island. You’re called Xie Xuechen? I’ve never heard of you. An obscure brat dares to come to Luowu Mountain seeking death.”
Xie Xuechen was unfazed by her mockery. At merely twenty-five years old, compared to the thousand-year lifespan of a manifestation cultivator, twenty-five was but a fleeting moment. He surmised that this senior must have been waiting at Luowu Mountain for a long time for the Eternal Lotus to bloom, so it was no surprise she hadn’t heard of his name.
“Have you been waiting here for the flower to bloom? The Eternal Lotus is indeed a treasure, but I have no intention of taking it. I only wish to obtain the lotus seed,” Xie Xuechen earnestly explained.
“The lotus seed?” Feng Xiang frowned. “The Eternal Lotus is the true treasure. The lotus seed is the bitterest substance in the world. What use do you have for it?”
Xie Xuechen replied, “I have a friend who consumed poison made from Wuxin Grass, causing her to lose all emotions and love. I need the lotus seed to counteract the poison.”
Feng Xiang asked, “A friend… is she your lover?”
Xie Xuechen nodded.
Feng Xiang said indifferently, “Romantic love in this world is the most unreliable. Severing emotions is the true path. One free from love knows no sorrow or fear. Since she has already awakened, why do you insist on dragging her back into suffering?”
Xie Xuechen replied, “If she truly awakened, she wouldn’t need external forces to suppress her inner feelings. She loved me deeply but was forced to forget, harming her body and heart. If the poison isn’t removed, her life might be in danger.”
Feng Xiang snorted coldly, mocking, “You’re quite confident. How deeply did she love you?”
Xie Xuechen furrowed his brow, about to speak, when a red glow emanated from Feng Xiang’s body.
“I won’t listen to your words. I will see for myself.”
A streak of red light shot forth, piercing Xie Xuechen’s spiritual senses. Startled, he couldn’t resist as images of a red-clad woman and her cold voice surfaced in his mind.
“So it’s like this…” she sneered. “Indeed, a lovesick woman, but unfortunate to have loved the wrong person.”
Feng Xiang invaded his spiritual consciousness, instantly seeing through the treasured memories in his heart before withdrawing.
Xie Xuechen now understood—her cultivation level was far beyond his.
When had Lingju Island gained such a powerful elder? He quickly recalled various names, but none matched the woman before him.
“The Eternal Lotus is not a pill for regret,” Feng Xiang slightly raised her chin, gazing at Xie Xuechen with cold arrogance. “You regret having wronged her in the past. How do you know she didn’t regret loving you and chose to take Wuxin Grass herself? Now you want her to remember her feelings. Have you ever asked if she is willing?”
“Perhaps I disregarded her will, but the poison from Wuxin Grass threatens her life. I cannot stand idly by. Once the poison is removed, should she still love me, I will stay by her side for life. If she hates me and wants my life, I will offer it willingly,” Xie Xuechen said.
His words were calm yet gentle and resolute, coming from the heart, invoking a hidden vow, faintly echoing with lingering power.
Feng Xiang, hearing the strength in his words, couldn’t help but tremble slightly. After a long pause, she said, “Flattery and sweet words—no man in this world can be trusted!”
As she spoke, she slowly raised her hands. Her wide sleeves surged with powerful energy, dispersing the surrounding spiritual mist. A faint killing intent made Xie Xuechen tense his nerves, prompting him to summon Jun Tian sword. The Yuque Tianpo formation encircled him, exuding an equally formidable aura.
Feng Xiang frowned slightly. “Your cultivation is indeed impressive. You might last a few more moves under my hands.”
“I have no intention of offending you, senior,” Xie Xuechen said gravely. Facing this woman of unparalleled strength, if he didn’t give his all, he would surely die…
He inhaled deeply, and spiritual mist wildly surged into his spiritual senses. A red glow suddenly emanated from the cinnabar mark on his forehead.
Feng Xiang looked at the red glow on his forehead in astonishment, murmuring, “This aura…”
As she was momentarily distracted, the Yuque Tianpo descended from the sky, catching her off guard. Regaining her composure, Feng Xiang flew into a rage, unleashing countless wind blades toward Xie Xuechen. As he was about to defend, a golden light suddenly appeared before him, blocking half the wind blades.
Startled, Xie Xuechen turned his head and saw Mur Xuanling with a pale face.
“Why did you come?” He didn’t know whether to be angry or glad.
Mur Xuanling didn’t know why she had come either. Her body always acted on its own, leaving her in tears.
“Damn it, if I had known she was this strong, I wouldn’t have come!”
Saying that, she turned to flee, but a red-clothed figure suddenly appeared before her, cold and haughty eyes locking onto her, making her unable to move.
“So it’s you,” Feng Xiang slightly raised her eyebrows in surprise, extending her hand toward Mur Xuanling. However, a sharp sword qi forced her hand back, and Mur Xuanling’s stiff body flew backward, caught by Xie Xuechen who held her protectively behind him.
“We have no intention of offending you, senior. Why must you be so relentless?” Xie Xuechen stood firm with his sword, coldly stating.
Feng Xiang narrowed her phoenix eyes, looking at the Jun Tian sword glowing with golden light in Xie Xuechen’s hand and the cinnabar mark on his forehead, solemnly asking, “Who exactly are you? How could Jun Tian recognize you as its master?”
Jun Tian was originally a peerless and mighty force from when Pangu split the chaos and separated yin and yang at the dawn of creation. Unbreakable and invincible, it possessed a spirit and would only serve those it acknowledged. Originally a sword cultivator, after Jun Tian recognized Xie Xuechen, its energy transformed into sword qi, and Jun Tian took the form of a sword.
Even Xie Xuechen himself didn’t know why Jun Tian had chosen him. On the day he ascended to the manifestation stage, a golden light came from the east, landing in his palm, connecting with his spiritual consciousness, and displaying a sense of submission. Since then, Jun Tian, the dream of countless cultivators across heaven and earth, had become his life-bound sword.
Xie Xuechen tightened his grip on Jun Tian and solemnly said, “The Sect Leader of the Immortal Alliance, Xie Xuechen.”
Previously, he had not wanted to intimidate others with his status, so he didn’t reveal his identity as the Sect Leader of the Immortal Alliance. Now, with Feng Xiang asking again, he revealed the truth. Unexpectedly, Feng Xiang reacted strangely. A flicker of surprise crossed her eyes, followed by a cold laugh. “Nonsense! The Sect Leader of the Immortal Alliance is clearly Qian Guangjun!”
Xie Xuechen was taken aback. Mur Xuanling tugged at Xie Xuechen’s sleeve, peeking from behind him, eyeing the woman before them, who was both peerlessly beautiful and imposing, in confusion. “Qian Guangjun… isn’t he the founding sect leader?”
In both the immortal and demonic realms, everyone knew that six thousand years ago, it was Qian Guangjun who united all the immortal sects, forming the Immortal Alliance and setting up the Ten-Thousand Immortals Formation to seal the demon race within the Crimson Moon Realm.
Upon hearing Mur Xuanling speak, Feng Xiang turned her gaze toward her, sternly asking, “What founding sect leader? Have I been gone for merely a year, and the Immortal Alliance already changed its leader?”
Mur Xuanling and Xie Xuechen exchanged glances, a chill running through their hearts.
Xie Xuechen solemnly looked at Feng Xiang. “Senior… Qian Guangjun was the Immortal Alliance’s sect leader six thousand years ago.”
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage