Zhu Xiaoliang bathes
Behind the Hall of Longevity lay a natural, open-air spirit spring pool, specially fashioned by channeling water into it.
Beneath the moonlight, faint, milky-white spiritual mist drifted and curled over the water, mingling with the refreshing fragrance of lotus flowers that soothed the heart.
Splash-
With a splash, Xu Changsheng settled beside the edge of the pool, the spring water reaching his chest...
"Mm!"
Xu Changsheng stretched lazily and sighed in comfort.
As for Zhu Xiaoliang...
She stood barefoot on the bluestone paving beside the pool, her dainty feet fair and rosy.
Both hands nervously clutched the collar of her white Daoist robe. Her eyelashes fluttered, her eyes full of shyness and tension.
Her cheeks were as red as ripe apples, the flush spreading past her ears and down her neck...
Looking at Zhu Xiaoliang's utterly bashful appearance, Xu Changsheng could not help smiling. "Come on in. Didn't you want to improve your cultivation?"
"What? Changed your mind?"
"N-no, I haven't." Zhu Xiaoliang hurriedly shook her head, her voice as faint as a mosquito's hum. "I... I'm just nervous. I, I..."
Seeing this, Xu Changsheng gave a helpless smile.
He rose from the water and walked toward Zhu Xiaoliang.
Hearing the water break, Zhu Xiaoliang instinctively raised her head, only to lower it nervously again the instant she saw Xu Changsheng.
She squeezed her eyes shut, shaking her little head like a rattle drum.
"Y-you, don't come any closer!"
Xu Changsheng watched her adorable reaction with a silent smile, simply walking up to her step by step.
Zhu Xiaoliang's heart raced as though she had a little rabbit tucked inside her chest, thump, thump, thump...
She could feel Xu Changsheng's shadow enveloping her. The next moment, he reached out and gently brushed the stray hair from her forehead.
Then his fingers slowly moved down to the collar of her Daoist robe.
As his fingertips touched her delicate skin, Zhu Xiaoliang shuddered and instinctively tried to step back.
"Don't move!"
"Okay..."
Zhu Xiaoliang answered plaintively, then obediently stopped moving, though her body remained taut, like a startled fawn.
Xu Changsheng nodded slightly in satisfaction and undid the ties of her Daoist robe, little by little.
The white robe slipped down her smooth shoulders, revealing her jade-white skin, which shone faintly in the hazy mist.
Before long, Zhu Xiaoliang was like a little white doe...
Xu Changsheng bent down, slipped one hand around her fair back and the other beneath her knees, and lifted her.
"Ah!"
Zhu Xiaoliang gave a soft cry and instinctively reached out with both arms, wrapping them tightly around Xu Changsheng's neck.
Splash-
Holding Zhu Xiaoliang, Xu Changsheng walked into the water.
Then Xu Changsheng lowered his head and kissed her red lips with abandon.
"Mm..."
Under his kisses, Zhu Xiaoliang sank lower and lower. Soon, both their figures vanished beneath the surface.
From time to time, strings of tiny bubbles from their breathing rose slowly through the water, finally bursting at the surface.
An unknown amount of time passed.
Splash-
Zhu Xiaoliang abruptly thrust her head out of the water and gulped down fresh air, her eyes hazy, looking especially alluring.
Her long hair was completely soaked with spirit spring water, clinging wetly to her cheeks, neck, and back.
Countless crystal-clear droplets slipped from her hair, traced her delicate collarbones, and disappeared into the water.
Immediately afterward, Xu Changsheng surfaced as well.
"Can't you immortals all practice Grain Avoidance and go without food, and use embryonic breathing so you don't need to breathe?"
"I... I can do that too, but..."
Looking at Xu Changsheng, Zhu Xiaoliang bit her lower lip and said softly, "But I was too nervous, so my body... it reacted instinctively."
Smiling, Xu Changsheng patted the water in front of him. "Come here. Sit down."
"I'll help you wash properly. Your hair's all tangled."
Zhu Xiaoliang hesitated, but obediently swam over to Xu Changsheng and sat with her back to him.
She held her arms in front of her, her body still trembling slightly.
Xu Changsheng naturally picked up the jade comb beside the pool and gently combed her wet, long hair.
His movements were gentle and careful.
At first, Zhu Xiaoliang was still a little nervous, but under Xu Changsheng's tender movements, she gradually relaxed.
In all my life, it seems no one except Master has ever treated me this well...
Feeling Xu Changsheng's gentle movements, Zhu Xiaoliang let her thoughts wander.
Although her master doted on her, she had a cool disposition and never did anything so intimate.
Moreover, apart from her birth father, whom she had met twice, this was the first time in her life that a man had been willing to bathe her so dotingly.
For a moment, Zhu Xiaoliang felt inexplicably at ease.
She leaned gently into Xu Changsheng's embrace and closed her eyes, the corners of her mouth unconsciously lifting.
"Hmm?"
Looking at the little Daoist nun who had suddenly relaxed in his arms, Xu Changsheng paused slightly, but did not pay it much mind.
Instead, he continued gently combing her long hair, then patiently washed it for her with warm water, little by little.
Meanwhile, his other hand slowly slid downward.
Instantly, Zhu Xiaoliang's body tensed again, and she asked softly and nervously:
"What comes next..."
"How exactly are we going to improve my cultivation next? D-do I have to do what Senior Sister did?"
Hearing this, Xu Changsheng shook his head. "That method can improve your cultivation too, but it's far too inefficient."
"Th-then what do we do?"
Zhu Xiaoliang turned her head slightly, looking at Xu Changsheng with her large, clear, innocent eyes, her gaze full of apprehension and shyness.
Hiss-
Just one look made Xu Changsheng draw a sharp breath inwardly.
At that moment, Zhu Xiaoliang's long, wet hair clung to her cheeks. Her eyes were hazy yet innocent, and her slightly swollen, red lips bore an alluring sheen.
Amid the swirling steam, her skin was as white as jade, tinged with a faint pink.
That temptation, pure yet touched with a trace of seductive charm, was simply irresistible.
"Like this..."
Xu Changsheng lowered his head, leaned close to Zhu Xiaoliang's ear, and explained what they would do next in a husky voice, bit by bit.
"Oh... oh..."
At first, Zhu Xiaoliang nodded softly, listening attentively.
But soon, her cheeks grew redder and hotter.
If this had been a comic, white steam would surely have begun rising from her head...
"All right, you understand now?"
After finishing his explanation, Xu Changsheng suddenly could not help remarking, "I really couldn't tell. Daoist robes hide your figure far too well. Only practice brings true understanding..."
"You..."
Zhu Xiaoliang had still been dazedly digesting the "knowledge" Xu Changsheng had imparted. Hearing this, she finally came back to her senses.
She instantly lowered her head, all ten of her cute little toes curling tightly beneath the water.
"We've learned pretty much everything we need to know. Time to get down to business!"
Xu Changsheng scooped Zhu Xiaoliang into his arms bridal-style once again and headed toward the room.
"Little Daoist nun, let me help you cultivate!"