Lu Xueqi's Care

Jin Ping'er put away her Purple Glow Blade and strolled over slowly.

She stood before Lu Jiuyuan, looked him up and down, and a smile with an ambiguous meaning played on her lips.

"Lu Jiuyuan, that technique of yours just now..." She paused, her gaze sweeping across his face, "was quite interesting. Where did you learn it?"

"It's a secret."

"A secret?" Jin Ping'er raised an eyebrow, "Are you this secretive with everyone?"

"With you, as well."

Jin Ping'er stared at him for two seconds, then suddenly laughed, her eyes curving into crescents: "Fine, a secret it is. However..."

She stepped closer, lowering her voice so only the two of them could hear.

"Next time you use a technique that consumes so much energy, remember to save some strength. If the enemy doesn't run, you might just..."

She didn't finish, because Lu Xueqi had moved forward half a step without a sound, blocking Lu Jiuyuan.

Jin Ping'er looked at Lu Xueqi's cold, frost-covered face, her smile deepening. She stepped back and raised her hands in surrender.

"Alright, alright, I won't say anything else."

Lu Jiuyuan watched the undercurrents flowing between these two women and rubbed his temples, feeling a bit of a headache.

"Senior Brother, can you still walk?"

"I can." He smiled, "It's not an injury, just a bit of exhaustion."

Lu Xueqi nodded, but did not let go of the arm she was supporting him with.

Wen Min's eyes darted between the two of them as if watching a show, and she muttered softly: "Xueqi, in public, you should really mind the appearances!"

Lu Xueqi glanced at her with an expressionless face.

Wen Min immediately shut her mouth.

Jin Ping'er watched this scene from behind, let out a soft laugh, and said nothing.

The group set off again.

Lu Xueqi kept supporting Lu Jiuyuan the entire time, refusing to let go.

Lu Jiuyuan let her support him, occasionally glancing down at her. Every time he did, she would look away, the tips of her ears turning red, yet the strength of her grip never lessened.

In the mountain forest in the distance, Li Xun stood behind a large tree with a livid expression, his knuckles white from clenching his fists.

Beside him, several Fenxiang Valley disciples looked at each other, not daring to breathe loudly.

Li Xun gritted his teeth, his cold voice squeezed out from between them: "Lu Jiuyuan, you just wait. Next time, I will definitely take your life!"

He looked up, a trace of malice flashing in his eyes.

"No matter how strong he is, there will come a time when his spiritual energy is exhausted."

Li Xun let out a cold snort and turned to walk in the opposite direction.

"Let's go back."

The several Fenxiang Valley disciples hurriedly followed.

Li Xun walked at the very front, his face as gloomy as the sky before a storm.

He walked very fast, as if he were venting something through his pace.

Halfway there, he suddenly stopped and looked back in the direction where the Qingyun Sect group had disappeared.

Lu Jiuyuan.

The journey to the Southern Border had only just begun.

Night fell.

The Qingyun Sect group stopped to rest at an abandoned village.

Lu Xueqi found a relatively intact house on the west side of the village.

Wen Min stood at the doorway, peeking inside. Watching the busy Lu Xueqi, she clicked her tongue twice: "Xueqi, are you cleaning up a room or setting up a bridal chamber?"

Lu Xueqi's movements paused, but she didn't turn around: "Go clean up the one next door, don't just stand there."

"Fine, fine, I won't disturb you two." Wen Min giggled and retreated, but after two steps, she poked her head back in: "Oh right, Junior Sister, I've cleaned up the room next door too. Jin Ping'er is staying next to me, so you can rest easy!"

"Wen Min." Lu Xueqi said faintly.

"Alright, alright, I'm going!"

Wen Min wore an "I understand" expression as her footsteps clattered away. The wooden door was pulled shut from the outside with a soft click.

The room fell silent.

Lu Jiuyuan leaned against the doorframe, watching her bustle about, a smile playing on his lips.

"Xueqi."

"Hmm?"

"Since when did you become so virtuous?"

Lu Xueqi did not turn around, her voice indifferent: "I have always been virtuous."

"Is that so?" Lu Jiuyuan walked in, sat down on the straw mat, and casually picked up the thin blanket she had folded to inspect it, "It is folded quite well. Did you learn this from Wen Min?"

"I learned it myself."

"How come I never saw you tidy up Xiaozhu Peak before?"

Lu Xueqi finally turned around to look at him, her gaze calm: "You weren't injured before."

"I'm not injured now," Lu Jiuyuan said in a relaxed tone.

"Your spiritual power is over-exhausted; you need to rest."

Lu Jiuyuan opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but seeing her face, which was serious to the point of stubbornness, he swallowed his words back.

Lu Xueqi crouched down beside him, took a small porcelain bottle from her luggage, poured out a pale green pill, and held it out to him.

"Huiqi Pill, given by Master. Take it before you sleep."

Lu Jiuyuan took it but did not eat it immediately, looking at her instead.

Her eyelashes cast a shadow under the dim light, her cheeks were slightly flushed from being busy, and her breathing was still a bit uneven.

She crouched before him, her knees almost touching his, close enough that he could smell the faint, cold fragrance on her.

"What about you? Aren't you taking one?" Lu Jiuyuan looked down at her and asked softly.

"I don't need to," Lu Xueqi shook her head.

"You traveled all day too," Lu Jiuyuan said, looking at her slight exhaustion.

"I am in the Shangqing Realm; this bit of travel is nothing," Lu Xueqi said, her expression as usual, indifferent.

Lu Jiuyuan chuckled, split the pill in two, and handed half back to her: "Half for each of us."

Lu Xueqi looked at the half-pill he offered, remained silent for a moment, then reached out to take it and consumed it with him.

The pill entered his throat, transforming into a warm stream of spiritual power that flowed into his limbs and bones.

Lu Jiuyuan sighed comfortably and leaned back against the straw mat.

Lu Xueqi sat down beside him, not keeping her usual distance, but sitting very close, her shoulder almost touching his.

The night wind outside the house whistled through the ruined walls.

The voices of Wen Min and Jin Ping'er could be heard faintly from the next room, though they were indistinct, as if separated by a thick layer of water.

Lu Xueqi took the half-flask of Osmanthus Wine from her sleeve, pulled out the stopper, took a sip herself, and then handed it to him.

"Senior Brother, have a sip."

"You're still drinking?" Lu Jiuyuan took the flask, "Who was it that got drunk last night and started getting handsy with me?"

Lu Xueqi remained composed: "That was last night. I won't drink too much tonight."

"You're the one in charge?"

"Mm, I'm the one in charge."

Lu Jiuyuan glanced at her and tilted his head back to take a drink.

The sweet fragrance of the Osmanthus Wine spread across his tongue, warming him all the way down to his stomach.

He handed the flask back, and Lu Xueqi took it and had a sip as well.

The two of them drank like this, one sip after another, neither of them speaking.

As the alcohol took effect, a thin layer of pink stained Lu Xueqi's cheeks, and those cold, clear eyes became much softer.

She turned her head to look at Lu Jiuyuan's profile, her gaze filled with an indescribable tenderness.

"Senior Brother!"

"Hmm?"

"Why didn't you use the Chengying Sword during the day today?"

Lu Jiuyuan turned his head to look at her: "I wanted to try out a newly learned spell."

"A newly learned spell?" Lu Xueqi frowned slightly, "Learned at the Qingyun Sect? How come I didn't know about it."

"I learned it after leaving the mountain."