Though Wu Fei was handsome, he did not look frail in the slightest. His broad, jade-white chest caught the eye in the dim light.
At least... it caught Jing Fanyu's eye.
"Junior Brother Jing." Wu Fei's sudden call brought Jing Fanyu back to his senses.
"I'm going in."
Jing Fanyu smiled calmly. "Go ahead, Senior Brother Wu Fei."
Yet the moment Wu Fei turned away, his smile faded slightly, and he watched his figure with a somewhat restrained gaze.
Wu Fei naturally noticed, but pretended not to. The moonstone's light spilled softly across the water, casting his reflection upon it.
His gaze lingered on the figure reflected in the water for a moment. Wu Fei raised a hand and swept up some pool water, scattering the reflection. A trace of coldness gathered deep within his seemingly desireless eyes.
Even if he broke free of his restraints in the future, this body's hair would never grow back...
That was hardly a serious problem. At worst, he could become a Buddhist cultivator who did as he pleased... Wu Fei's lips curved slightly. When that time came, people would probably call him a heretical monk.
On the bank, Jing Fanyu simply took out various Spirit Plants and continued sorting them while keeping watch over Wu Fei.
After briefly washing himself, Wu Fei climbed ashore. He circulated his Spiritual Qi, slowly dispelling the moisture covering him, then took a fresh set of Buddhist robes from his storage ring and put them on.
Wu Fei looked at the last Spirit Plant in Jing Fanyu's hands. "This is the one we couldn't identify..."
He raised a hand and gently pressed the pure-white flower bud. Jing Fanyu nodded. Neither of them noticed the last gleam on the horizon being swallowed by night, plunging the entire small world into complete darkness.
"Put it away fir-"
His unfinished words abruptly stopped. Surprise flashed through Wu Fei's eyes, and Jing Fanyu's did the same. Both focused their gazes on the Spirit Plant in Jing Fanyu's hands.
The white flower bud had been tightly closed just a moment ago. Suddenly, its outermost petals trembled twice, then unfurled layer by layer as though unable to wait.
In an instant, all the spiritual flower's overlapping petals spread open, revealing purple stamens at its center. A rich, unusual fragrance slowly spread, carrying an inexplicably decadent allure.
As he caught the unusual fragrance, Wu Fei's Exquisite Heart suddenly gave a violent beat. A trickle of blood spilled from the corner of his mouth, and he immediately sealed his sense of smell.
At the same time, his brows drew tightly together. He swiftly took out a box made of Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Jade and placed the spiritual flower inside, tightly sealing away its strange fragrance.
He remembered now! This was no unidentified Spirit Plant. It was a Seven Emotions Flower.
In the book, the Seven Emotions Flower had fallen into the hands of a junior sister who adored Jing Fanyu. She had hoped to use the flower to get what she wanted, never expecting Jing Fanyu to possess such firm resolve and such intense loathing for righteous cultivators. He had pushed her away and fled to regulate his breathing on his own.
The junior sister, who had also inhaled the Seven Emotions Flower's fragrance, had lost herself to desire and given herself to another senior brother who came looking for her... After coming to her senses, her love had turned to hatred, and she had caused Jing Fanyu considerable trouble later.
How had this Seven Emotions Flower ended up with him and Jing Fanyu?
With the warning from his Exquisite Heart, Wu Fei had barely been affected, but the protagonist...
He had just put away the Seven Emotions Flower when he raised his eyes slightly and saw that Jing Fanyu's refined face was already flushed crimson, his lips parted as he let out scorching breaths.
"Senior Brother Wu Fei..." Jing Fanyu struggled to suppress it. "Go back to the wooden cabin first."
"No." Wu Fei slowly shook his head.
Jing Fanyu's eyes had already begun to redden. With his last shred of reason, he managed, "?"
Wu Fei offered no explanation. He simply reached out and grabbed his arm, and under Jing Fanyu's astonished gaze, they both fell into the pool behind them.
Author's note:
A brief explanation about the Seven Emotions Flower: it is rare, and many people do not recognize it. The junior sister in the original book only happened to learn of this flower because her grandfather was an elder of Medicine Refining Peak.
The Seven Emotions Flower's bud stays tightly closed during the day and opens as soon as night falls. Only by placing it in extremely cold Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Jade can its fragrance be sealed away.
Thank you all so much for your support. I'll keep working hard!
Chapter 6: Illusion
The moment his burning body touched the icy pool water, Jing Fanyu's head cleared somewhat. Soaking in the cold water with him, Wu Fei moved behind Jing Fanyu and said with a note of composure, "Focus."
He pressed a hand against Jing Fanyu's back over his heart and silently circulated his cultivation method. His spiritual power carried a strand of Exquisite Heart Power into Jing Fanyu's body, flowing through his limbs and bones to dispel the Seven Emotions Flower's effects.
Jing Fanyu's eyes flickered, and he focused on circulating his spiritual power.
Since he was facing the protagonist's back, Wu Fei could not be bothered to maintain his detached expression. His gaze swept over the nape of Jing Fanyu's neck and suddenly stopped. A strikingly lovely spot of red stood out against the fair skin.
After staring at that red mole for a moment, Wu Fei shifted his gaze slightly away, a languid smile hanging on his lips.
Once he had removed the last trace of the Seven Emotions Flower's influence on Jing Fanyu, Wu Fei slowly withdrew his hand.
"Thank you, Senior Brother Wu Fei." Jing Fanyu turned around and thanked him with a smile. "Sorry for making you get into the water again on my account."
"No need to stand on ceremony." Wu Fei's expression had already returned to normal as he withdrew his hand.
As his earlier tension eased, Jing Fanyu casually scooped up a handful of water and splashed it over his face. Crystalline droplets clung to his face, and at that moment, he inexplicably showed some traces of Yin Fan.
Wu Fei's gaze shifted slightly. He lifted his eyes to glance at the utterly dark night sky and said, "If you soak in the Buddha Spirit Sect's Cleansing Pool and look up at the night sky, you can see stars filling the heavens."
Jing Fanyu also tilted his head up slightly. "Lying atop Heavenly Clear City's highest mountain, watching the stars surround the moon, is very relaxing too."
"Heavenly Clear City?" Wu Fei showed a hint of confusion, but inwardly, he suddenly tensed. Naturally, he knew of Heavenly Clear City, but Wu Fei did not.
Heavenly Clear City... was where Jing Fanyu had lived before embarking on the path of cultivation, but...
The smile on Jing Fanyu's lips remained unchanged, but his gaze grew deep. "Heavenly Clear City is my hometown."
But now, nothing remained there except ruins, without even a blade of grass...
That night, countless Devil Cultivators had worn savage expressions, taking a head with every stroke of their blades. Blood had flooded the entire city...
"If there's a chance after we get out, you can come with me to experience the Buddha Spirit Sect's Cleansing Pool, Junior Brother Jing." Wu Fei turned his head slightly toward Jing Fanyu, secretly circulating his Exquisite State of Mind as he spoke with a soothing undertone.