The seven emotions

Xu Qi'an pushed open the bedroom door. The air was filled with a faint sandalwood fragrance. The room was pitch black, with no candles lit.

Using the dim light coming from the outer room, he walked to the table and lit the lamp wick.

Then, one by one, the two rows of candles beside the bed were lit. Clusters of bright flames burned, their hearts calm and their tips leaping, dispelling the darkness in the room.

Only then did he have time to observe Luo Yuheng. On the soft brocade couch, she lay on her side wearing a Daoist robe, revealing the alluring curves of a mature woman beneath the garment.

Xu Qi'an's gaze moved from bottom to top, first to a pair of fair, jade-like feet peeking out from under her skirt. The feet were beautifully rounded, with delicate and graceful toes, exquisite and refined, like the finest jade artifacts in the world.

It makes you want to hold it in your hand and play with it.

Then comes the leg curve, rising all the way up to the side of the hips, where it suddenly tapers at the waist, creating a shapely and graceful silhouette.

Xu Qi'an sighed inwardly, his gaze sweeping over Luo Yuheng's fair and slender neck before settling on her beautiful face.

She seemed a little hot, her cheeks flushed, and she was covered in a thin layer of sweat, which glistened in the candlelight.

Her dark hair spread out on the soft pillow, exuding a carefree beauty.

"The Imperial Advisor?"

Xu Qi'an sat down by the bed and called out softly.

Luo Yuheng moved her head slightly and murmured, "Pond, take me to the pond."

"Pool? Does it refer to a hot spring pool?" He pondered Luo Yuheng's meaning, then heard her murmur:

"The pool can dissolve my karmic fire."

Xu Qi'an understood some of it; she usually relied on a certain pool to neutralize karmic fire.

"Ouch, it's so hot! Is it burnt?"

He reached out and pressed his hand against Luo Yuheng's forehead; it was burning hot. It felt as if a raging fire was scorching her body, turning her fair skin a tender pink.

"Imperial Preceptor, Imperial Preceptor."

Xu Qi'an called out twice, but Luo Yuheng remained delirious and did not respond to his calls.

This put Xu Qi'an in a difficult position. Helping Luo Yuheng quell her karmic fire was actually quite simple. He only needed to use the dual cultivation Secret Method in the underground palace, replacing the vital energy with luck, and circulating it throughout their bodies to extinguish the karmic fire within her.

However, dual cultivation is ultimately a matter for two people, and it is difficult for one person to accomplish it alone.

Well, the dual cultivation diagrams I saw in the underground palace, although most of them required two people to cultivate together, there were indeed instances where one person took the lead. Thinking of this, Xu Qi'an no longer hesitated and placed one hand on Luo Yuheng's shoulder.

He clearly noticed that Luo Yuheng's delicate body stiffened, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw her clench her fist quietly.

"It's an act, at least half of it is an act." Xu Qi'an was stunned, and suddenly understood. She deliberately waited until now so that he would be engulfed in karmic fire, leaving only a few remnants of rationality.

In this way, she "passively" completed the dual cultivation, rather than actively seeking pleasure.

"He really has a lot of ulterior motives, "Xu Qi'an thought to himself. He knew that this was Luo Yuheng's last bit of restraint and pride as the leader of the Human Sect.

He turned back to blow out the candle, kicked off his boots, and was about to get into bed when a pair of small hands braced against his chest, accompanied by Luo Yuheng's soft voice:

"Don't want."

The voice was so complex, a mixture of fear, apprehension, reluctance, and a hint of pleading.

Luo Yuheng opened her eyes at some point and met his gaze in the darkness.

After a long silence, Xu Qi'an whispered, "Don't be afraid, I'm here."

Luo Yuheng stared at him, remaining silent for a long time, until her hands, which had been supporting him on his chest, became limp and powerless.

Xu Qi'an could somewhat understand her thoughts. Her timidity and unease were probably only revealed when she was being burned by karmic fire; she would never be like this on ordinary days.

His reluctant, half-hearted acceptance stemmed from Luo Yuheng's affection for him, her approval of him, and even her decision to pursue a relationship as dao companion.

However, the two did not truly reach the point of natural progression; this dual cultivation was forced by circumstances and was only half-heartedly agreed upon.

Therefore, when the arrow is on the bowstring, she will instinctively resist.

Xu Qi'an gripped the corner of the quilt and gave it a hard shake. With a rustling sound, the quilt spread out, covering everything.

Then, a violent struggle suddenly broke out inside the blankets, lasted for a moment, and then stopped. A belt was then thrown out from the gap in the blankets.

As the belt was thrown out, something happened inside the bed, and there was a violent struggle, then calm down, and a pair of silk trousers was thrown out.

Soon, clothes, including women's intimate undergarments, were scattered on the floor beside the bed.

Half an hour later, Luo Yuheng's cold voice came from the darkness. "Don't stick to me, get away."

"Auntie, are you showing me what it means to be crazy beforehand and saintly afterward?" Xu Qi'an raised an eyebrow, his chest pressed against his aunt's smooth, jade-like back.

His love potion finally found immense satisfaction, frantically seizing the power of passion and desire, and growing stronger.

In addition, dual cultivation is complementary. Luo Yuheng borrowed his luck to quell the karmic fire, Xu Qi'an also benefited greatly, as his Dantian qi became more robust.

It should be noted that after reaching the third level, the effect of breathing exercises on increasing Qi becomes negligible.

After Xu Qi'an reached the third rank, his cultivation level had not improved. Now, through dual cultivation with Luo Yuheng, he saw hope for further progress.

Although the Demon-Sealing Nails restricted his cultivation, they will eventually be removed one day.

Xu Qi'an held Luo Yuheng's small waist, feeling the delicate fragrance in her hair, and whispered:

"Continue cultivating?"

Luo Yuheng, maintaining the airs of a second-rank official, said indifferently, "Get out of the way."

"You say the princess is arrogant, but you're no better than her." Xu Qi'an raised an eyebrow, suddenly feeling a chill somewhere. Luo Yuheng's sword was pointing there.

"Go to sleep, go to sleep."

Xu Qi'an silently shrank back, keeping a distance from her.

The two exchanged no more words and fell asleep with steady breathing.

About two incense sticks' worth of time later, a burning hot body leaned closer, and Luo Yuheng whispered:

"The flames of karma have been reignited."

The karmic fire of the Human Sect runs deep in their bones; it cannot be extinguished in just one or two attempts. Xu Qi'an had long been prepared for a protracted battle, but he was also cunning. Remembering Luo Yuheng's aloof demeanor earlier, he chuckled and said:

"I can't do it anymore, I'm too weak to finish today. Let's do it tomorrow night."

Luo Yuheng seemed disdainful of making advances, instead rubbing her smooth, delicate body against him in an awkward attempt to seduce him.

Xu Qi'an remained calm and unmoved, refusing to touch her.

The two sides remained deadlocked for a quarter of an hour. Luo Yuheng's skin was burning hot, his face flushed as if he were drunk, and he was suffering from the burning pain of karma.

A few sweet, husky syllables occasionally escaped from her rosy little mouth.

"Stop fooling around."

The Imperial Advisor's voice came from beside the pillow, hoarse with anger, yet soft and tender.

The only thing missing is the former cool and indifferent atmosphere.

A strong woman, I must conquer you during the seven days of dual cultivation. Xu Qi'an licked his lips and whispered:

"Imperial Advisor, let me tell you a joke."

He paused for a moment and then said:

"Long ago, on a similarly cold night, a bowl of chilled plum juice broke free of its ice and went out to play. As it played, it discovered that the ice in its bowl had melted. So it cried and went back to find the ice. Guess what the ice said to it?"

Luo Yuheng gazed at him with her bright, dark eyes.

Xu Qi'an didn't keep her in suspense and whispered something in her ear.

After saying that, he looked at Luo Yuheng expectantly, waiting for her reaction.

Luo Yuheng stared at him coldly, spitting out each word through gritted teeth: "Xu--Qi--An--"

"Imperial Advisor, I was just joking." Xu Qi'an was both flexible and adaptable.

He pressed down on her, but was met with fierce resistance from Luo Yuheng. The cold and beautiful woman kept a straight face, and her soft, jade-like hands pressed tightly against his chest. Every time Xu Qi'an tried to get closer, she pushed him away.

She got angry and started acting childish. Xu Qi'an grabbed her wrist, and after a struggle, Luo Yuheng stopped resisting and turned her head to the side in a huff.

Dawn breaks.

Luo Yuheng, wearing a robe, pushed open the window, letting the cold wind rush into the room, blowing her messy hair and her collar, revealing glimpses of her fair skin.

She stared blankly at the faintly white eastern horizon, recalling everything that had happened that night, as if in a dream.

The joy of extinguishing the fire of karma with luck for the first time; the emotion and sadness of tasting Daoist companionship for the first time; and the feelings that I don't want to admit but are real.

If we go back a year, if someone said that her future dao companion was that little gong-wielder in the Nightwatchers watchman's office, Luo Yuheng would have scoffed.

But fate is so strange. The young man who was once her junior, even her child, is now sleeping in the same bed with her.

"Has the karmic fire of the first day subsided?"

Xu Qi'an's voice came from behind.

Just as Luo Yuheng was about to speak, a pair of arms wrapped around her waist, and a passionate kiss lingered on the back of her neck.

A chill ran down her spine. She frowned, pushed Xu Qi'an away, and tried to keep her tone calm as she said:

"Last night we agreed on three rules: our relationship is merely a transaction, limited to quelling the flames of karma."

Xu Qi'an, stubbornly clinging to his pride, said helplessly:

"Imperial Preceptor, we are already dao companion."

Luo Yuheng sneered, "My dao companion can only be me."

"."

She didn't dwell on the topic any further. After a moment's thought, she said, "Do you know why I never see outsiders when I'm burning with karmic fire? I need to go into seclusion for seven days."

"Afraid that Emperor Yuanjing might take advantage of the situation?" Xu Qi'an guessed.

She shook her head. "The karmic fire at that time wasn't enough to scorch reason. I didn't want to, and no one could force me. The real reason I went into seclusion was the seven emotions!"

"The seven emotions?" Xu Qi'an countered.

"Joy, anger, sorrow, fear, love, hate, desire."

Luo Yuheng slowly said, "For the next seven days, I will be dominated by my seven emotions, becoming unlike myself, and even frequently losing my composure."

The karmic fire of the Human Sect is essentially the seven emotions and six desires. Xu Qi'an nodded as if he understood.

"You'll know after dawn, but before that, I need to make a promise with you." Luo Yuheng gazed into the distance and admonished her.

"Don't tell anyone; you must come to my room before midnight for these seven days."

After Xu Qi'an nodded in agreement, she closed the window, wrapped herself in the quilt, and slowed her breathing.

Xu Qi'an was not sleepy at all; on the contrary, he was full of energy. He put on his robe and left the bedroom.

He braved the dawn light and the cold wind to reach the hot spring.

Steam rose from the hot spring, which was slightly hot, but the temperature was just right for him.

"Should we bring her out to bathe too? What if she gets pregnant?"

Soaking in the warm and comfortable pool, Xu Qi'an suddenly thought of this question.

The Imperial Advisor is a great white shark; if she can conceive through dual cultivation, where will other fish find refuge?

"Did she overlook this factor, or was she secretly scheming but not saying it out loud?"

Thinking about this, Xu Qi'an became somewhat restless.

At the same time, a famous line from my past life inexplicably flashed through my mind. "I will use my internal energy to force out what you left in my body."

He'd forgotten the source, but he remembered that witty line for two lifetimes.

If only the Imperial Advisor had this kind of awareness!

As the sky grew brighter, a half-full, crimson sun rose from the east.

Xu Qi'an felt completely relaxed after soaking in the water. He got out of the water and dressed. Just as he put on his robe, Luo Yuheng's figure appeared before his eyes.

Her expression was strange; the moment she saw Xu Qi'an, she felt a mix of relief, lingering fear, and anger.

Luo Yuheng's eyebrows furrowed, her face full of anger. "Where have you been? Why aren't you with me?"

P. S.: I recommend a book: "I Am Truly Invincible Among Humans".

P. S.: By the way, I need seven days to write this whole plot, seven days in the book.