Nighttime Conversation at the Hot Spring

After the door closed, the courtyard became quiet, with only the faint sound of water coming from the distant hot spring.

The three rooms were divided so that Dugu Bo would stay in the middle, Lin Chen and Xiao Wu would stay on the left, and Dugu Yan would stay on the right.

Xiao Wu, carrying a change of clothes, peeked around the yard, then withdrew and tentatively asked, "Where... is the hot spring?"

"There are separate areas for men and women at the back of the courtyard. Remember to check the signs so you don't go to the wrong place," Lin Chen pointed out the direction for her.

The footsteps of the two girls gradually faded away along the stone path, disappearing into the rising steam.

Lin Chen and Dugu Bo waited until the two girls had walked a distance before slowly heading towards the men's bath.

The pool wasn't large, but the water was extremely hot, and the medicinal smell was even stronger. The steam made the entire bathhouse seem as if it were shrouded in a thick fog. The edge of the pool was paved with smooth bluestone, and clean bath towels were draped on a wooden rack next to it, showing that the owner had put thought into it.

Lin Chen took off his coat, folded it neatly, and slowly sank into the pool.

Warm medicinal liquid surged up from all directions, enveloping every inch of my body. The medicinal power seeped into my meridians through my pores, and the soreness and fatigue from a day's journey gradually melted away in the rising steam.

He leaned back against the pool wall and let out a long breath.

On the opposite side of the pool, Dugu Bo leaned against the corner, his entire body submerged until only his head was visible, his eyes half-closed, like an old crocodile dozing in the water.

After a long pause, he finally spoke lazily, his voice muffled in the mist. "Moon-Eroding Nether Poison, if I were to ask you to cure it, what are your chances of success?"

Lin Chen opened his eyes and looked at Dugu Bo through the rising steam. Sure enough, he was going to get an antidote.

Lin Chen didn't rush to answer. He let the steam circulate in his lungs before slowly saying, "I'm not sure right now."

"What I have now is all based on deduction and your account, so it's not reliable. If you really want to figure out the antidote for this poison, firstly, you need to see a member of the Nether Blood Moon Clan in person, and secondly, it would be best if you could see the Blood Moon Devil Lotus in person—if you could get your hands on a Blood Moon Devil Lotus, or even just a single seed, then I would be confident in making further deductions."

Dugu Bo remained silent for a long time. The pool water quietly steamed, while the night breeze outside the bamboo window brought the coolness of the river.

After a long silence, he finally snorted, his voice devoid of emotion. "After all that talk, it's still not even close to happening."

"Yes." Lin Chen didn't argue. "But the direction is clear. If the Blood Moon Devil Lotus really exists in Sinking Moon Valley, this disciple might be able to deduce the toxicology of the Moon-Eroding Nether Poison from it."

"Since Master was willing to travel thousands of miles for this matter, it means you already have your own judgment."

Dugu Bo was silent for a moment, then chuckled, "You're good at talking back to me. Don't worry, this trip won't be in vain." After saying this, he closed his eyes and said nothing more.

On the other side, the women's hot spring was filled with steam.

The moment Xiao Wu submerged herself in the pool, she completely relaxed, closed her eyes, leaned against the pool wall, and let out a long sigh, "Wow--so comfortable--this medicinal smell is so good, they really added herbs!"

"Of course." Dugu Yan leaned against the opposite side, arms draped over the edge of the pool, exuding an air of affluence. "My grandfather chose this shop; when has it ever been bad?"

The pool was quiet for a while, with only the sound of gentle ripples on the water.

Dugu Yan squinted at Xiao Wu for a moment, then slowly asked, "Hey, Xiao Wu, what's going on between you and Lin Chen?"

Xiao Wu opened her eyes and looked at her. "What? What happened?"

"Don't play dumb." Dugu Yan stretched out one leg and kicked in the water. "You two are so lovey-dovey, even a blind person could see it. I'm asking you, how long have you been together? When did you meet?"

Xiao Wu's face flushed instantly, turning her cheeks even redder, like a ripe peach in the steam. "What do you mean, 'together'! I... I... I always call him Brother Lin Chen!"

"Brother?" Dugu Yan scoffed. "Tch, there's no point in hiding it. I could tell the moment you arrived at the academy. Besides, what brother can share a room with everyone?"

"That's because!" Xiao Wu exclaimed, her voice rising several decibels, "Because the journey is too tiring, having a companion means we can look after each other! Besides, Brother Lin Chen has taken care of me since I was little, and I feel safe sleeping next to him..."

"He's taken care of you since you were little?" Dugu Yan seized the opportunity, raising an eyebrow. "So you two are childhood sweethearts? How many years have you known each other?"

"Well, it hasn't been that many years..." Xiao Wu's voice suddenly lowered, her finger drawing circles on the water's surface, "It's just... after we met, we've been together ever since. It feels like it hasn't been long, but it also feels like a long time."

Looking at her shy expression, Dugu Yan tried to suppress his smile but couldn't, and a smile still appeared on his lips, "Fine, childhood sweethearts, innocent and pure, spending the night together in a room, and you still say you're just a brother."

"Sister Yanyan!" Xiao Wu was so embarrassed that she sank into the water, only surfacing several times before resurfacing, her wet hair plastered to her face, glaring at her angrily, "And what about you! What's going on between you and Senior Yu Tianheng!"

Now it was Dugu Yan's turn to freeze.

"What's it to him?" She quickly looked away, but her voice was no longer as composed as before.

"Why isn't it closed!" Xiao Wu finally regained some of her composure, straightened up, and her eyes sparkled.

"Everyone in the academy knows that Senior Yu cares about you the most! When you're tired during training, he'll hand you water and a towel; in the cafeteria, he always saves the dishes you like for you first; he even secretly placed a wooden carving of Jade Phosphorous Serpent on your windowsill, do you think I don't know?"

Dugu Yan's ears slowly turned red, but she still stubbornly insisted, "That's because he's afraid of my grandfather! He's afraid I'll tell on him, so he's trying to please me!"

"Afraid of your senior?" Xiao Wu tilted her head. "How dare someone who's afraid of their senior put a wooden carving on your windowsill? Aren't they afraid their senior will find out and break their legs?"

Dugu Yan was speechless, opened her mouth, but couldn't find a rebuttal for a long time.

The pool water was quietly steaming, and the faint sound of the Lanxi River could be heard in the distance.

After a long silence, Dugu Yan finally spoke in a low voice, her pride softening considerably. "... He takes good care of me, I know that, and I'm not made of stone."

"So you have feelings for him too?" Xiao Wu smiled and leaned a little closer.

Dugu Yan didn't answer directly, turning her face away, her voice muffled. "That blockhead of his, all he knows is cultivation, he can't even say a single sensible word. If he doesn't speak, I can't just go up to him myself, can I? Besides, with my grandfather's temper, even if that blockhead really has something on his mind, he'll just keep it to himself."

"So that's how it is..." Xiao Wu leaned back against the pool wall thoughtfully, muttering softly, "Neither of them speaks up, neither of them takes the first step. People say that if the man is afraid to speak and the woman refuses to speak, won't they just stare at each other for the rest of their lives?"