Good Brother

Zhu Qiniang slept on the bed, her expression peaceful and serene, her breathing long and steady. She was clearly sleeping soundly.

The sun had not yet set. The evening glow spilled through the window paper and into the room, bathing Zhu Qiniang in a beautiful, soft light.

Gao Xian quietly watched Zhu Qiniang. From where he stood, he could make out every one of her long eyelashes.

Unlike the makeup sorcery from his previous life, Zhu Qiniang's eyelashes weren't thick like paintbrush bristles, nor did they stick out like needles. They lay naturally and softly in neat rows, looking both pleasant and beautiful.

In truth, Zhu Qiniang had simply become more beautiful.

It wasn't just subtle changes to her appearance and figure. Her temperament had changed, and so had the condition of her skin.

Zhu Qiniang's skin had once been smooth as porcelain and tough as iron. Now it had gained a touch of softness and suppleness. Though still quite different from an ordinary person's, it felt much nicer to touch.

The hard, sharp look between her brows had also softened, giving way to a quiet gentleness.

These subtle changes gradually brought her beauty to the fore.

Gao Xian often gave Zhu Qiniang a thorough massage, so he felt these changes most keenly and was best able to notice them.

Even asleep, Zhu Qiniang's delicate hand held tightly to his.

When Zhu Qiniang slept in the past, she liked to curl up into a ball.

Gao Xian had thought it was because she lacked a sense of security. Now, she slept soundly while holding his hand, which proved that she trusted and relied on him more and more.

The Zhu Qiniang who had been mutated before might have acted intimately with him, but to her, it had all been nothing more than a game.

He liked this Zhu Qiniang better, too. She seemed more like a woman—or, rather, her true nature was gradually returning.

Gao Xian's gaze traveled over Qiniang. The more he looked, the more beautiful he thought she was.

Her close-fitting, moon-white undergarments were soaked through with sweat and had turned semi-transparent, revealing every curve of Qiniang's figure.

Her legs were not only long, but exceptionally shapely. Full where they should be, slender where they should be—their beauty was simply exquisite.

In his previous life, whenever Gao Xian watched supermodels walk the runway, he'd always marveled at their long legs.

He had never imagined that one day, a pair of such impossibly beautiful legs would be right in front of him.

When he had been massaging her, he hadn't thought much about it. He was helping his good brother cultivate, and Zhu Qiniang had been watching the whole time. He wouldn't have dared to get any funny ideas.

But now Qiniang was asleep, and Gao Xian was starting to feel restless. He reminded himself, This is my good brother. How could I make a move on my brother!

If a good brother looks like this, who could possibly resist? A good brother is there to be used. The fat should stay within the family...

Gao Xian was still wrestling with his thoughts when Zhu Qiniang woke up.

Zhu Qiniang used the Cleansing Art on herself, then put on her robe and boots. As a woman, she didn't need makeup or dressing up, so getting ready was especially simple.

She said to Gao Xian, "You're at the third level of Qi Refining now. If you want to control your blood and qi, what matters most is gaining practical combat experience.

"Dragon Bone Pills can strengthen your blood and qi, but they can't help you control it. Only the tension and excitement of real combat can bring out a cultivator's potential."

Zhu Qiniang continued, "Your spells are powerful, and you're exceptionally agile. You're strong in every respect. You just lack combat experience.

"Soaring Snake Mountain is home to many demonic beasts. It's a good place to get some practice."

Gao Xian gave an awkward laugh. "I'm an alchemist. There's no need for me to go fight demonic beasts, is there?"

Zhu Qiniang was a little surprised. She realized that Gao Xian really didn't like getting into fights. Whenever she brought it up, he instinctively resisted.

She didn't know whether he was just timid by nature or what.

"As cultivators, we have to stay vigilant and be ready to fight at any time."

Zhu Qiniang patiently explained, "There's too much malice in this world. To other cultivators, an alchemist like you represents a huge pile of Spirit Stones—and someone who isn't good at fighting.

"Cultivators love people like you. Old Zhu lacked that sort of awareness and vigilance, and that's why you were able to catch him off guard so easily..."

Gao Xian was convinced. "You're right. I'll find a chance to go out and get some real combat experience."

"Don't go into the mountains by yourself. It's too dangerous. Wait until I have time, and I'll go with you."

When Zhu Qiniang left, she gave Gao Xian a tight hug. "Take care of yourself."

More than ten days later, Zhu Qiniang came to see Gao Xian early in the morning, intending to take him into Soaring Snake Mountain.

She had even brought a sturdy young man along. He looked about sixteen or seventeen, with thick brows and big eyes, and had a rather simple, honest air about him.

"This is Da Niu, my cousin. He's reliable. I'll have him look after your place."

Zhu Qiniang pointed at Gao Xian. "Call him big brother."

Da Niu gave a simple grin and called out in a gruff voice, "Big brother."

"Good to meet you, Da Niu."

Gao Xian smiled and greeted the young man, but inwardly he sighed. Qiniang had prepared everything so thoroughly that he didn't even have an excuse to refuse.

They hadn't gone far beyond Flying Horse Market before the area was covered in wild grass and trees.

Back then, Gao Xian had picked a patch of woods at random and dumped Old Wang there. That was how he'd attracted the Evil Spirit.

That experience was exactly what had convinced him that the outside world was especially dangerous.

With Zhu Qiniang beside him, Gao Xian felt a little more confident. Zhu Qiniang was at the ninth level of Qi Refining and also practiced body refinement. She was a top-tier expert throughout Flying Horse Market.

It was October. The sky was high and cloudless, and even the sunlight seemed pure. The autumn breeze carried the fresh scent of grass and trees.

Red, yellow, and green layered across the mountain forests, like a richly colored oil painting filled with autumn hues.

Gao Xian had spent so long cooped up in his little courtyard that seeing the wide world and brilliant mountains for the first time made him feel as though something had opened inside him. He was exhilarated beyond words.

He suddenly thought that it might be nice to come out for a walk now and then.

But that thought soon changed.

A huge swarm of black mosquitoes, each as big as a dragonfly, gathered together like a dark cloud.

They flew fast and bit hard. The low buzz of their beating wings was both deep and grating.

The python-skin belt could ward off insects, but the bugs circling nearby without going away were still a nuisance.

Unable to help himself, Gao Xian hurled a Flame Bomb at them. The burst of fire killed who knew how many mosquitoes, but it also set a wide swath of wild grass ablaze.

Zhu Qiniang activated an Ice Talisman. A vast bank of white chill descended, finally putting out the burning grass.

She said with a faintly amused smile, "You have to use Flame Bombs sparingly in the mountains. The noise can easily draw other cultivators or demonic beasts. And they can start wildfires, which could end up trapping you in the flames."

Gao Xian nodded humbly and took her advice. He was a complete novice at this sort of thing, but Zhu Qiniang was experienced and patient enough to guide him through it, and he learned a lot.

Soaring Snake Mountain wasn't the name of a single mountain. It referred to the hundreds upon hundreds of peaks stretching out like one enormous soaring serpent.

Flying Horse Market lay in a corner to the west of Soaring Snake Mountain. After traveling dozens of miles into the mountains, Gao Xian was lost among the peaks. He didn't even know which direction would take him home.

Fortunately, Zhu Qiniang was with him. He reminded himself, Never go into the mountains alone. It's too dangerous...

In the afternoon, Gao Xian encountered his first demonic beast: a gray giant wolf whose shoulder was almost as high as he was.

Gao Xian got a fright when he saw the giant wolf. The thing was far larger than a tiger, and looked to weigh a full two thousand pounds.

An ordinary small family car weighed about two thousand pounds. That gave him some idea of just how ferocious and terrifying a wolf that size was.

"Iron-Back Gray Wolf. A vicious first-tier demonic beast. This adult Iron-Back Gray Wolf is at the peak of its strength, comparable to a mid-stage Qi Refining cultivator."

Excitement glimmered in Zhu Qiniang's emerald, gemlike eyes. "One Fragrant Bait Pill brought out an adult Iron-Back Gray Wolf. You really are lucky..."

Gao Xian stared nervously at the beast, dozens of paces away. He didn't feel lucky at all.

With that kind of weight, wouldn't one charge be enough to kill him?

He thought they were coming out to get some practice. How had this turned into the real thing?!