Good Brother

Zhu Qiniang slept on the bed with a peaceful and serene expression, her breathing long and steady; she was clearly in a deep, sweet slumber.

The sun had yet to set, and the golden rays of the dusk filtered through the window paper, casting a beautiful, soft glow over her.

Gao Xian watched her quietly. From this angle, he could see her long eyelashes with perfect clarity.

Unlike the cosmetic sorcery of his past life, her lashes were not thick, brush-like clumps, nor were they sharp, individual spikes; they were arranged in a natural, soft pattern that looked both comfortable and aesthetically pleasing.

In truth, Zhu Qiniang had simply become more beautiful.

This beauty was not merely a subtle change in features or physique, but a shift in her temperament and the very state of her skin.

Where her skin had once been as smooth as porcelain and as tough as iron, it now possessed a newfound suppleness. Though it still differed greatly from a normal person, it felt much more pleasant to the touch.

The cold, sharp hardness that once lingered between her brows had also faded, replaced by a gentle, quiet grace.

These subtle transformations allowed her beauty to gradually come to the fore.

Gao Xian, who frequently performed "full-body maintenance" on her, felt this most deeply and was the most capable of noticing these minute changes.

Even in her sleep, Zhu Qiniang's slender hand remained tightly clasped around his.

In the past, whenever she fell asleep, she liked to curl up into a ball.

Gao Xian felt this was a sign of her lack of a sense of security; that she now slept soundly while holding his hand proved that she was growing increasingly reliant on and trusting of him.

The alienated Zhu Qiniang of the past had acted intimately with him, but in reality, it had all been nothing more than a game to her.

He preferred this version of her; she felt more like a woman, or perhaps, her true nature was gradually returning.

Gao Xian's gaze wandered over her, and the more he looked, the more beautiful he found her.

Her form-fitting, moon-white undergarment was soaked through with sweat and had become semi-transparent, leaving her curves fully exposed.

Her legs were not only long but exceptionally well-shaped—supple where they should be, slender where they ought to be—exquisite to the point of perfection.

In his past life, Gao Xian had watched supermodel runway shows, marveling at their long legs every single time.

He had never expected that one day, such heaven-defyingly beautiful legs would be laid out right before him.

Gao Xian hadn't thought much of it while massaging her; he was simply helping a good brother cultivate, and with Zhu Qiniang watching, he hadn't dared to act out of line.

But now that she was asleep, Gao Xian felt a stir of restlessness. He reminded himself, This is my good brother! How could I act inappropriately toward a brother?

But if a good brother looks like this, who could resist? A good brother is meant to be used, and one shouldn't let fertile water flow into another's field...

While Gao Xian was still locked in an internal struggle, Zhu Qiniang woke up.

She cast a Cleansing Art on herself and donned her dharma robes and boots. As a woman, she required no makeup or elaborate styling, making her preparations remarkably simple.

"You are at the third level of Qi Refining now," she said to Gao Xian. "If you want to master your blood-qi, it is even more important to engage in actual combat."

"The Dragon Bone Pill can only make your blood-qi powerful; it cannot help you control it. Only the tension and thrill of real combat can stimulate a cultivator's potential."

Zhu Qiniang continued, "Your spells are formidable, and your movements are exceptionally agile; you are strong in every aspect. You simply lack practical experience."

"Soaring Snake Mountain is home to numerous demonic beasts, making it a very suitable place to hone your skills."

Gao Xian gave a dry laugh. "I am an alchemist. Is it really necessary for me to go fight demonic beasts?"

Zhu Qiniang looked slightly surprised. She had discovered that Gao Xian disliked taking action; he instinctively resisted whenever these topics came up.

She couldn't tell if he was born timid or if there was some other reason.

"As cultivators, we must maintain sufficient vigilance and be ready to fight at any moment."

Zhu Qiniang patiently explained to him, "There is too much malice in this world. As an alchemist, you represent a vast amount of spirit stones in the eyes of other cultivators, and you represent someone unskilled in combat."

"Cultivators love people like you. Old Zhu lacked this awareness; he had no vigilance, which is why he was so easily ambushed by you..."

Gao Xian was convinced. "You are right. I will find an opportunity to go out and gain some combat experience to temper myself."

"Do not go into the mountains alone; it is too dangerous. Wait until I have time to accompany you."

As she left, Zhu Qiniang gave Gao Xian a firm hug. "Protect yourself."

Ten days later, Zhu Qiniang came to find Gao Xian early in the morning, intending to take him into Soaring Snake Mountain.

For this purpose, she had brought along a sturdy youth. He was about sixteen or seventeen, with thick brows and large eyes, carrying an air of simple-minded honesty.

"His name is Da Niu, a younger cousin from my clan. He is very reliable. Let him watch the house for you."

Zhu Qiniang pointed at Gao Xian and said, "Call him brother."

Da Niu gave a simple, honest smile and called out in a thick voice, "Brother."

"Hello, Da Niu."

Gao Xian greeted the youth with a smile, though he sighed inwardly. Qiniang had prepared so thoroughly that he had no excuse to refuse.

Not long after leaving Flying Horse Market, the area was filled with wild grass and trees.

Gao Xian had once randomly chosen a patch of forest to dump Old Wang, only to end up attracting an evil spirit.

It was precisely that encounter that had made him feel the outside world was exceptionally dangerous.

Following Zhu Qiniang out, Gao Xian felt a bit more confident. Zhu Qiniang was at the ninth level of Qi Refining and was a body-refining cultivator; she was a top-tier expert throughout the entire Flying Horse Market.

It was October, the sky was high and clear, the sunlight carried a sense of purity, and the autumn breeze blowing against his face was filled with the fragrance of grass and trees.

Reds, yellows, and greens layered and blended across the mountain forest like a rich, vibrant oil painting, fully saturated with the colors of autumn.

Having stayed in his small courtyard for so long, this was Gao Xian's first time stepping out to see the vast world and the brilliant mountain scenery; his heart felt as if it had been flung wide open, filled with an indescribable sense of joy and relief.

He suddenly felt that taking a walk every now and then wasn't such a bad idea.

However, this thought of his changed very quickly.

Large swarms of black mosquitoes, each the size of a dragonfly, gathered together like a dark cloud.

They flew fast, bit hard, and the buzzing sound of their flapping wings was low and grating.

His Python-Skin Belt could repel insects, but having them circle nearby without leaving was still incredibly annoying.

Gao Xian couldn't help but toss a Flame Bomb at them; the erupting firelight burned countless mosquitoes to death, but it also ignited a large patch of dry grass.

Zhu Qiniang activated an Ice Talisman, and a vast sheet of white frost descended, finally extinguishing the burning grass.

She said with a hint of amusement, "You must use Flame Bomb sparingly in the mountains. The commotion is too great and easily attracts other cultivators or demonic beasts. Furthermore, it's easy to start a forest fire; if things go wrong, you'll end up trapping yourself."

Gao Xian nodded humbly, taking the lesson to heart. He was a complete novice in this regard, but fortunately, Zhu Qiniang was experienced and patient enough to guide and explain things, allowing him to learn a great deal.

Soaring Snake Mountain was not the name of a single peak, but rather a reference to the thousands of rolling mountains that resembled a giant soaring snake.

Flying Horse Market was located in a corner on the western side 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 led back home.

Fortunately, Zhu Qiniang was with him. He warned himself inwardly never to enter the mountains alone—it was far too dangerous...

In the afternoon, Gao Xian encountered his first demonic beast: a giant gray wolf with shoulders nearly as tall as he was.

Gao Xian was startled when he saw the giant wolf. This thing was much larger than a tiger, and it looked to weigh at least two thousand pounds.

One had to realize that a small family car weighed about two thousand pounds, so one could imagine just how ferocious and terrifying it was to have such a massive wolf standing right there.

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

Excitement glinted in Zhu Qiniang's jewel-like emerald eyes: "A single Fragrant Bait Pill was enough to lure out an adult Iron-Back Gray Wolf; your luck is truly good..."

Gao Xian watched the massive creature a few dozen paces away nervously; he certainly didn't feel like his luck was good.

Based on the weight of this thing, a single charge would be enough to kill him!

They had agreed on just coming out to get a little experience, so why were they playing for real?!