Lu Xueqi's Care

Jin Ping'er put away the Purple Glow Blade and sauntered over.

She stopped in front of Lu Jiuyuan, looked him up and down, and smiled with a hint of mystery.

"Lu Jiuyuan, that trick you used just now..." She paused, her gaze sweeping over his face. "It was pretty interesting. Where did you learn it?"

"Secret."

"Secret?" Jin Ping'er raised an eyebrow. "Are you this secretive with everyone?"

"With you too."

Jin Ping'er stared at him for two seconds, then suddenly smiled, her eyes crinkling. "Fine, a secret it is. But..."

She stepped closer and lowered her voice so only the two of them could hear.

"Next time you use a trick that drains you this much, remember to save some strength. What if the enemy doesn't run? Then you'd be..."

She didn't finish, because Lu Xueqi quietly stepped forward, placing herself between her and Lu Jiuyuan.

Looking at Lu Xueqi's icy expression, Jin Ping'er smiled even more and took a step back, raising both hands in surrender.

"All right, all right. I'll stop."

Watching the undercurrent between the two women, Lu Jiuyuan rubbed his brow with a headache.

"Senior Brother, can you walk?"

"I can." He smiled. "I'm not injured, just a little tired."

Lu Xueqi nodded but didn't let go of the hand supporting him.

Wen Min's amused gaze flitted between them as she muttered, "Xueqi, you should be mindful of appearances, especially in public!"

Lu Xueqi looked at her expressionlessly.

Wen Min immediately fell silent.

Behind them, Jin Ping'er watched the scene and gave a soft laugh without saying anything.

The group set off again.

Lu Xueqi kept supporting Lu Jiuyuan, refusing to let go.

Lu Jiuyuan let her, occasionally glancing down at her. She would look away, the tips of her ears turning red, but her grip never loosened.

In the forest in the distance, Li Xun stood behind a large tree, his face livid and his fists clenched until his knuckles turned white.

Beside him, several Fenxiang Valley disciples glanced at one another, not daring to make a sound.

Li Xun gritted his teeth, his icy voice forced through them. "Lu Jiuyuan, just you wait. Next time, I'll take your life!"

He raised his head, a flash of malice in his eyes.

"No matter how strong he is, he'll run out of spiritual power eventually."

Li Xun snorted and turned to walk in the opposite direction.

"Let's go back."

The Fenxiang Valley disciples hurried after him.

Li Xun led the way, his face as dark as the sky before a storm.

He walked quickly, as if venting his anger with every step.

Halfway there, he suddenly stopped and looked back toward the direction the Qingyun Sect group had gone.

Lu Jiuyuan.

The journey to the Southern Border had only just begun.

Night fell.

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

Lu Xueqi found a relatively intact house at the western end of the village.

Wen Min peered in from the doorway. Watching Lu Xueqi bustling about, she clicked her tongue twice. "Xueqi, are you tidying up or preparing a bridal chamber?"

Lu Xueqi paused, but didn't turn around. "Go tidy up the next room. Don't stand here."

"Fine, fine, I won't disturb you two." Wen Min grinned and withdrew, then poked her head back in after taking two steps. "Oh, Senior Sister, I've tidied up the room next door too. Jin Ping'er is staying beside me, so don't worry!"

"Wen Min," Lu Xueqi said calmly.

"All right, all right, I'm going!"

Wen Min gave her a look that said she understood, then hurried off with a clatter of footsteps. The wooden door was pulled shut from outside with a soft click.

The room fell quiet.

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

"Xueqi."

"Hmm?"

"When did you become so domestic?"

Lu Xueqi didn't turn around. "I've always been."

"Have you?" Lu Jiuyuan walked in and sat on the straw bedding, picking up the thin blanket she had folded and inspecting it. "You folded it well. Did you learn from Wen Min?"

"I figured it out myself."

"Then why have I never seen you tidy up Xiaozhu Peak?"

Lu Xueqi finally turned around to look at him, her gaze calm. "You've never been injured before."

"I'm not injured," Lu Jiuyuan said, at ease.

"You've used up too much spiritual power. You need to rest."

Lu Jiuyuan opened his mouth to say something, but when he saw her earnest, almost stubborn expression, he swallowed his words.

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

"Huiqi Pill. Master gave it to me. Take it before you sleep."

Lu Jiuyuan accepted it but didn't take it right away. Instead, he looked at her.

Her eyelashes cast a shadow in the dim yellow lamplight. Her cheeks were slightly flushed from all the activity, and her breathing was still a little unsteady.

She crouched in front of him, her knees almost touching his. She was close enough for him to catch the faint, cool fragrance about her.

"What about you? Aren't you going to take one?" Lu Jiuyuan lowered his head and asked softly.

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

"You've been traveling all day too." Lu Jiuyuan looked at her slightly tired expression.

"I'm at the Shangqing Realm. This little bit of travel is nothing." Lu Xueqi's expression remained unchanged as she replied calmly.

Lu Jiuyuan smiled, broke the pill in half, and held one half out to her. "Half each."

Lu Xueqi looked at the half pill he offered her and fell silent for a moment. Then she reached out, took it, and swallowed it with him.

The pill melted in their throats, turning into a warm stream of spiritual energy that flowed through their limbs.

Lu Jiuyuan sighed in comfort and leaned back against the straw bedding.

Lu Xueqi sat beside him. Instead of keeping her usual distance, she moved close, her shoulder almost touching his.

Outside, the night wind swept through the broken walls, howling.

From the next room came the faint sound of Wen Min and Jin Ping'er talking, muffled as if by a thick layer of water.

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

"Senior Brother, have a sip."

"You're drinking again?" Lu Jiuyuan took the flask. "Who was it that drank too much last night and got handsy with me?"

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

"You say so?"

"Mm. I say so."

Lu Jiuyuan glanced at her and took a drink.

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

He handed the flask back, and Lu Xueqi took a sip too.

They drank in turns, neither of them saying a word.

As the wine took effect, a faint blush spread across Lu Xueqi's cheeks, and her cool eyes softened.

She turned her head and gazed at Lu Jiuyuan's profile, her eyes filled with a tenderness she couldn't quite put into words.

"Senior Brother!"

"Hmm?"

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

Lu Jiuyuan turned to look at her. "I wanted to try out a new spell."

"A new spell?" Lu Xueqi furrowed her brow slightly. "Did you learn it at the Qingyun Sect? How come I didn't know?"

"I learned it after leaving the mountain."