Chapter 59: “Dual Cultivation”
Bai Xuci couldn’t take his eyes off the scene, his face filled with shock.
He had only been gone for a little while, so how did this empty Main Hall become… so crowded?
Screens of various kinds, rosewood tables, hand-carved chessboards, small tea tables, praying mats with exquisite patterns.
Bits and pieces, occupying quite a bit of space in the Main Hall.
Bai Xuci: “??”
Could it be Fan Yue brought them back…
Just as he wanted to turn back and ask, a somewhat deep voice came from behind his ear.
“Do you like it?”
Bai Xuci felt his ears tickle, hurriedly took a few more steps outward, and then looked up.
The other’s expression wasn’t great, but he seemed to be waiting for an answer.
Like it or not?
Why ask this? Did he buy them for him?
“You bought them for me?” After hesitating repeatedly, Bai Xuci was bold enough to ask.
“Yes.” Expression frank, even righteous.
Bai Xuci: “…”
No, so why bring back so many… er, should be called furniture?
“You don’t like it?” Fan Yue walked forward a few steps, directly reducing the distance Bai Xuci had created to zero.
Bai Xuci only just came back to his senses, hurriedly reassuring:
“Like, like, how could I not like it?”
Somewhat panicked, and planned to walk to the side to create a safe distance.
But before he could lift his foot, he was picked up single-handedly by the other and placed on the rosewood table behind him.
Bai Xuci propped his arms on the table, swallowing saliva.
somewhat scared.
This time he couldn’t run away no matter what, because the other’s arms rested casually on the table.
“Inadvertently” creating a cage.
Bai Xuci hung his head, his mind in chaos, not knowing what to do at all.
What exactly was the other’s state?
Fingers curled up, thinking very intently about countermeasures, failing to notice Fan Yue leaning slightly closer.
“Zunshang, what exactly is wrong with you?” Bai Xuci gathered his courage, lifting his forehead intending to ask directly.
But as soon as he looked up, their eyes met.
Crimson eyes, in which he could even see his own reflection clearly.
Bai Xuci leaned back unconsciously, a bit scared.
Although he also had red eyes, he just felt it was somehow different. The way Fan Yue looked at him was as if he couldn’t wait to swallow him whole.
A long while, no answer.
A dead silence…
Bai Xuci initially thought the other hadn’t heard clearly and wanted to repeat it, but looking up, he met that straight stare.
Instantly realized.
Fan Yue couldn’t have not heard; he just chose not to answer.
Bai Xuci bit his lip, unwilling to give up, and asked in a small voice: “Then, is it the influence of the Blood Moon?”
Tone quite tactful, somewhat trembling.
Fan Yue’s eyes moved slightly, then he frowned, looking like he was thinking.
Bai Xuci thought the other was going to speak, reflexively leaned forward, expression very serious and focused.
What exactly is wrong…
He was somewhat worried.
But—
Fan Yue leaned forward, Bai Xuci didn’t know why.
Until the distance was very close.
Sound of clothes friction…
Bai Xuci blinked in panic, realizing the other had moved him forward, seemingly disliking the distance being too far.
“Took the medicine?” Slightly deep voice.
Hearing this, Bai Xuci wanted to look up, but bumped into the other’s chin as soon as he did, covering his head instinctively wanting to retreat.
But there happened to be an arm blocking his back.
Pressed back again.
Bai Xuci was dizzy all over, barely managing to answer:
“Ah, wh-what medicine?”
Just then, his wrist was moved away, Bai Xuci could only look over with a scrunched face.
Face full of confusion.
A familiar cool sensation, soon the forehead felt no pain.
But it wasn’t very painful originally.
Bai Xuci just looked up at Fan Yue like this, somewhat at a loss.
Tugged his own wrist.
Couldn’t pull it.
“Fu Lin didn’t bring you medicine?” Tone somewhat stern.
Bai Xuci was frightened by this voice, momentarily thinking Fan Yue had returned to normal.
Stammering explanation: “No no no, brought it, brought it, I forgot just now, ate it, ate it.”
Repeating almost every word, nervous to death.
Fan Yue’s expression softened slightly, raising the wrist in his hand higher.
Bai Xuci’s posture became unstable, forced to lean forward, completely not knowing what to do now.
Just staring blankly at the other.
A cool sensation came from the wrist, seeming to be probing.
Bai Xuci couldn’t hold back a shiver.
A gaze shifted over, Bai Xuci could only meet it.
Pursed his lips, a bit pitiful.
Then Bai Xuci realized the cool sensation on his wrist disappeared, replaced by a warm, gentle feeling.
Flowing through the whole body.
Warm and cozy.
Bai Xuci also realized he might be getting a “check-up”, so he didn’t move around.
Just sat quietly, glancing at Fan Yue from time to time.
Somewhat curious.
Wanted to know his condition.
About a quarter of an hour later—
The wrist was put down.
Bai Xuci instinctively wanted to take back his hand, but the other only slightly loosened the grip, turning to hook onto that pinky finger.
Enclosing it completely.
“??”
“Two hundred years, too short,” Fan Yue said, voice somewhat gloomy.
Bai Xuci looked up hearing this, somewhat confused.
“What two hundred years?”
Didn’t plan to struggle with his hand anymore; forget it, let him hold it.
“Your cultivation is too low,” Fan Yue said expressionlessly, a bit irritable.
Bai Xuci suddenly realized, ah, this two hundred years, seemed to be his lifespan.
But he felt it wasn’t short at all.
Full two hundred years, that’s twice a human lifespan, not short, not short.
He was very satisfied.
“It’s alright, I think it’s quite long,” Bai Xuci sniffled, saying seriously.
Who knows when two hundred years will pass…
Fan Yue’s eyes turned cold, saying rigidly: “Very short.”
Bai Xuci was startled, hurriedly looked up, stammering:
“B-but I don’t know how to cultivate either.”
“Temporarily no way to increase cultivation…” Tone weak.
Bai Xuci could understand Fan Yue very well; after all, demons on Linshan more useless than him… were probably countable on one hand.
Indeed a bit shameful.
“Then I’ll figure something out later, see how to cultivate,” Bai Xuci drooped his head, also somewhat worried.
He also wanted to dominate the world, call the wind and summon the rain, turn nothing into silver with empty hands.
Having magic power, how great the temptation…
But no one taught him, and he didn’t know how.
Barely managed to transform, only knew a small cleaning spell, couldn’t do anything more complex.
“No matter.” A response from above.
Bai Xuci frowned, not quite understanding the meaning; cultivation couldn’t be rushed.
But soon—
Bai Xuci panicked, very anxiously trying to pull his wrist away.
“Zunshang, wh-what are you doing?”
A steady stream of spiritual power came from the wrist, n times the amount from before; Fan Yue actually wanted to forcefully fill him until he had cultivation?!
“No.” Bai Xuci pulled his hand very hard, but just couldn’t pull it away.
This time there was a lot of spiritual power, so much he felt his aura changing.
Even emitting a lustrous glow…
Bai Xuci was simply anxious and angry, pulling but couldn’t move.
Looked up to signal Fan Yue.
The other pretended not to see, even pulling him closer smoothly.
Can spiritual power be given every day? How would he pay it back?
Bai Xuci’s eye rims were a bit red, feeling he was done for.
Never leaving Linshan in this lifetime.
Couldn’t break free, could only sit obediently.
Silent.
The glow of spiritual power slowly dimmed, Bai Xuci poked his head over.
Finally stopped…
But Fan Yue’s expression wasn’t great, somewhat annoyed.
He couldn’t give too much.
It would overflow.
The Empty Spirit Body hadn’t fully healed, causing Bai Xuci to not improve much no matter how he tried.
“That’s enough, thank you Zunshang.” Bai Xuci’s voice was low, inexplicably a bit depressed.
Cultivation probably rose a lot, but he wasn’t happy enough to take it.
All freeloaded.
Fan Yue thought for a moment, pinched Bai Xuci’s chin, and lifted it.
“Eh?”
Bai Xuci blinked, not quite understanding what was happening now.
“Can’t give spiritual power anymore, can only give again tomorrow.” Fan Yue said expressionlessly, face still not looking good, seemingly the result wasn’t as he wished.
Hearing this “explanatory” remark, Bai Xuci instantly felt too awkward, hurriedly saying:
“It’s okay, it’s okay, I don’t need it, I’ll just learn to cultivate myself later.”
“Zunshang, please don’t give me spiritual power anymore, I…”
Didn’t know what to say, could only offer a pitiful look.
But Fan Yue’s expression didn’t change much, causing Bai Xuci to suspect he spoke to the air.
Did the other listen or not?
“No matter, Benzuo can feed you blood.” Fan Yue’s voice was faint, seeming completely immersed in his own thoughts.
Bai Xuci was shocked, was it that kind of thing?
But before he could speak, he found the other’s lip had already split, blood seeping out.
Smelling this, Bai Xuci didn’t feel a rusty taste, but rather an inexplicable familiarity…
That pill?
“No no no.” Bai Xuci’s thoughts were pulled back instantly, flusteredly using his fingers to block the other’s lips, so Fan Yue wouldn’t come closer.
D-don’t kiss.
Fan Yue’s eyes surged with dark colors, only he didn’t flare up.
“Why?” Questioned.
Bai Xuci dared not look up at Fan Yue at all, could only turn his blushing face away, looking at the praying mat on the floor.
Breath uneven, trying hard to organize words.
“I don’t need it, Zunshang you don’t need to feed me blood, really don’t need it, my cul-cultivation will slowly increase.”
After a moment.
Bai Xuci felt the other hadn’t spoken for a long time, inexplicably worried, and couldn’t help turning his head to look.
And saw those eyes.
Looking straight over.
“Don’t want to drink blood?” Fan Yue’s voice was very steady, expression without much fluctuation, looking a bit “easier to talk to”.
Bai Xuci shifted his gaze to the other’s lips, finding the wound from before was gone; it seemed the other had indeed given up feeding him blood.
Good, good.
Sighed in relief.
“Not drinking, not drinking.”
Bai Xuci didn’t really want to drink the other’s blood from the bottom of his heart, because without thinking, this would consume more than giving spiritual power, and he would owe the other even more…
Sad.
Really couldn’t pay it back.
Fan Yue’s eyes were dark, seeming to have his own ideas.
“Not drinking blood, is also fine,” he said word by word.
Bai Xuci froze hearing this, not understanding why the topic was still stuck here? Didn’t he say spiritual power was enough?
“There is another method.” Tone faint.
Bai Xuci looked up, not understanding what other method there could be?
Reflexively asked.
“What method?”
“Dual Cultivation.”
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