Read Novel Full Arc 15: Heavenly Secret Realm | Chapter 279: Realization
Arc 15: Heavenly Secret Realm | Chapter 279: Realization
Perhaps sensing that Xu Ziqing’s thoughts had wandered, Yun Lie tightened his grip around Xu Ziqing’s waist, causing a brief flash of pain that quickly brought him back to the present.
Xu Ziqing was momentarily taken aback and noticed Yun Lie frowning slightly. He was a bit surprised—was his Shixiong angry? Realizing what was happening, he gradually focused again. But no matter how focused he was, it was still just the two of them pressed against each other, not so much a kiss as a close embrace… He began to vaguely understand that his Shixiong might not only have lost his memory but also had a childlike mind, acting purely on instinct and preference.
This time, after just the duration of an incense stick1Around 3-5 Minutes, but may vary depending on the incense composition., Yun Lie stopped, then with a slight movement, retreated into the boundless darkness, sitting down to meditate just a foot away from the light.
Xu Ziqing speculated that this might be Yun Lie’s limit. Given his current demonic state, he could only stay in this pure, spiritual place for a short while.
Having just meditated himself, Xu Ziqing didn’t continue and instead turned his attention to his Shixiong.
For some reason, he felt that the longer Yun Lie meditated, the fainter the dense demonic aura became…
This demonic aura was gathered by the Seven Emotions Demonic Flower. Could it be that as the flower petals diminished, the demonic aura would also disperse? Or perhaps the aura was no longer gathering, and what remained was being fully absorbed by his Shixiong?
Xu Ziqing wasn’t a demonic cultivator, so he didn’t understand much about demonic cultivation. After sighing, he decided not to dwell on it, focusing instead on monitoring his Shixiong to ensure nothing went wrong.
Perhaps because Yun Lie had exerted a great deal of energy entering this bright place earlier, he remained in deep meditation for the rest of the day, refining the flower petals.
After observing for a while and seeing nothing unusual, Xu Ziqing began refining his own dantian.
Aside from needing to further polish and integrate the Daoist will contained within the Qingyun Needle, he also found a method to enhance his foundation from the “Wood Tempering” chapter in the “Ten Thousand Woods Great Heart Planting Technique.”
This was “Wood Tempering.”
Xu Ziqing had collected a considerable number of subordinate woods, which could be used to fend off enemies and achieve victory. However, while these were useful during the Qi Refining stage, once he reached the Foundation Establishment stage, most cultivators would use spiritual weapons. No matter how resilient the plants were, few could compare to spiritual weapons, and as one’s cultivation level increased, the need for treasure weapons rendered plants even less effective.
For instance, the only items Xu Ziqing currently had that could compare to spiritual weapons were the Millennium Steelwood and the Bloodthirsty Demon Vine. The latter, in particular, had the potential to grow into something that even treasure weapons couldn’t match. But even so, the Bloodthirsty Demon Vine had yet to mature. Even when it did, he couldn’t rely on it every time he faced difficulty.
The “Ten Thousand Woods Great Heart Planting Technique” was a legendary technique and naturally wouldn’t leave such a significant flaw.
Therefore, when a cultivator practicing this method reached a certain level, they could comprehend the “Wood Tempering” chapter, refining the myriad woods they had absorbed within their bodies and nurturing them into weapons comparable to spiritual or treasure items.
With this in mind, Xu Ziqing immediately began refining some of his commonly used subordinate woods.
He quickly sat cross-legged, closed his eyes, and a faint green light appeared in his palm. With a slight movement, the green light transformed into a tender sprout, which quickly grew out of his skin, turning into a fully grown plant with clustered leaves. Then, he exhaled a concentrated green light onto the plant, enveloping it in a pulsating aura.
Xu Ziqing then entered a deep meditative state, his eyes remaining closed. The plant in his hand continuously changed form, and he repeatedly infused it with green light, refining and polishing it. Though this process consumed a great deal of true essence, his cultivation method in the dantian began to circulate even faster.
He remained in this meditative state for ten days and ten nights.
When Xu Ziqing finally awoke, he found himself sitting in someone’s embrace.
A strong arm firmly locked around Xu Ziqing’s waist and shoulder, holding half of his body captive in an embrace. Something heavy pressed down on his other shoulder, and in that ear, he could hear steady breathing. The familiar presence and the still-cold temperature confirmed it was his Shixiong.
Xu Ziqing’s body tensed slightly for a moment, then quickly relaxed.
Yun Lie immediately noticed the change but didn’t lift his head. Instead, he spoke directly, “You’re awake.”
Xu Ziqing smiled. “Yes, I’m awake. Has Shixiong been here for long?”
Yun Lie moved slightly, as if nodding almost imperceptibly. “A long time.”
Xu Ziqing was momentarily speechless. He knew his Shixiong was always straightforward, but this response still caught him off guard. He then turned his head to look at Yun Lie’s jet-black hair and said softly, “…Forgive me for keeping Shixiong waiting. That was my fault.”
Yun Lie remained silent.
Xu Ziqing chuckled. “Shixiong won’t forgive me?”
Yun Lie still didn’t reply.
Xu Ziqing shook his head, amused. Was his Shixiong sulking? It made him seem even more endearing. He wondered, when his Shixiong eventually woke up from this state, what would he think of his actions now? After a moment, Xu Ziqing sighed again, realizing that when that time came, his Shixiong would likely return to his emotionless self. This thought stirred a faint, unclear sense of regret deep within him.
Though Yun Lie didn’t speak, he continued to hold Xu Ziqing close, maintaining their intimate posture.
Xu Ziqing glanced up, noticing that the demonic aura in the area had indeed thinned, just as he had suspected. Ten days ago, it wasn’t noticeable, but now it was much clearer.
The Seven Emotions Demonic Flower stood alone, otherworldly as ever, though the flower’s base had shrunk slightly. Yet, the aura of malevolence had not diminished in the least.
…It seemed that even if Yun Lie managed to refine all the petals, as long as the flower itself remained, the aura would persist.
As Xu Ziqing was lost in thought, he suddenly felt a damp sensation on his neck, and in an instant, his entire body stiffened.
What was his Shixiong doing?
The dampness slowly spread, moving downward, eventually settling near his collarbone, and lingering there…
Yun Lie’s hand, still on Xu Ziqing’s waist, began to knead unconsciously.
Xu Ziqing was utterly stunned. With a sudden shift, he reappeared three feet away.
Even though there was no wind in this place, the cool sensation on his neck remained, confirming that his Shixiong had indeed just touched him with his tongue… His face immediately flushed.
Did his Shixiong, in his demonic state, even understand the meaning behind such an action?
Seeing Xu Ziqing pull away, Yun Lie’s brow furrowed slightly.
In the next instant, a figure filled with an overwhelming presence appeared right in front of Xu Ziqing.
Startled, Xu Ziqing felt both his shoulders being gripped.
Yun Lie leaned in, pressing his lips against Xu Ziqing’s, his eyes dark with intense demonic thoughts, like an abyss that could drag someone into the depths of hell.
Though the moment was deeply intimate, Yun Lie’s aura was perilously dangerous.
If Yun Lie had once been an untouchable sword immortal, he was now like a demon god, commanding absolute obedience.
Xu Ziqing’s breath hitched, and he forgot to dodge. It was as if the intense demonic aura had awakened a deep desire within him, leaving him unable to think of anything else but his Shixiong.
Seeing the look on his face, Yun Lie’s brows gradually relaxed.
Yet whether Yun Lie was a demon or an immortal made no difference to Xu Ziqing. Though the demonic aura stirred his emotions, Xu Ziqing had always admired Yun Lie, and this only deepened his affection. It did not cloud his judgment, and he quickly calmed down, becoming more concerned for Yun Lie.
Finally, Xu Ziqing realized that despite his earlier wariness of the Seven Emotions Demonic Flower, he had still underestimated the flower’s power. His Shixiong had fallen so deeply into a demonic influence that it made him uneasy.
Taking a deep breath, Xu Ziqing parted his lips slightly and gently captured Yun Lie’s lips. He couldn’t think of any way to help his Shixiong now, but he understood that this closeness was likely due to the bond formed when he had helped Yun Lie condense his core. And since his heart had always belonged to his Shixiong, even if they could never share mutual affection, his feelings would never change.
A demon follows its desires, and Xu Ziqing didn’t care why Yun Lie was acting this way—perhaps it was just that he sensed Xu Ziqing’s familiar presence and, due to their shared cultivation method, was treating him in this manner. But Xu Ziqing resolved to follow his Shixiong’s lead, fulfill his every wish, prevent his demonic thoughts from spiraling out of control, and reduce the chances of regaining his clarity later.
…This was, in part, Xu Ziqing’s own selfish desire.
Sure enough, as Xu Ziqing took the initiative to probe, Yun Lie moved even closer. Though he seemed somewhat puzzled, he instinctively responded, gently capturing Xu Ziqing’s lips and lightly brushing them.
Xu Ziqing sighed softly, pulling back slightly before extending his tongue, and lightly licking Yun Lie’s lips. At that moment, Yun Lie opened his mouth, catching Xu Ziqing’s tongue tip within his own.
As their tongues touched, Xu Ziqing paused, a sudden pang of sorrow welling up inside him.
If his Shixiong woke up and remembered what had happened today, would he feel that Xu Ziqing had defied him as a brother? Then, Xu Ziqing thought, even if his Shixiong’s emotions were once again frozen when he awoke, at least he would understand his feelings. For Xu Ziqing, this was not entirely a bad thing.
Under the influence of the demonic thoughts, Yun Lie’s actions were driven purely by instinct, without the complex emotions that Xu Ziqing harbored. Though he didn’t recognize Xu Ziqing, he wanted to be close to him, so he drew near. If he could be closer by five parts, he would not settle for three. And now, sensing that he could be even more intimate, his expression remained unchanged as he reached out to pull Xu Ziqing closer.
In the next moment, their lips and tongues intertwined.
Yun Lie’s movements were clumsy, and Xu Ziqing wasn’t particularly skilled either. Their first proper kiss should have been awkward, but somehow, the two seemed to move in perfect harmony, creating a feeling of tender, lingering intimacy.
Xu Ziqing focused on the sensations from his Shixiong, feeling a deep sense of peace in his heart. All thoughts of demonic energy and sword energy faded away, leaving only the knowledge that no matter how Yun Lie changed, he would always evoke a profound longing in him.
From their first meeting to their long journey together, from Xu Ziqing’s initial efforts to forge a connection to their eventual bond as close companions, from addressing him as “Yun Xiong” to “Shixiong,” from respect to admiration… All these moments passed through his mind like a scroll of memories, filling him with warmth.
At this moment, Xu Ziqing understood his own feelings more clearly than ever.
He knew deeply that the cold, murderous aura emanating from his Shixiong would be etched into his soul, accompanying him on his path to immortality until he finally attained the Dao and eternal life.
Translator: Lynn
Translations are not 100% correct. Please let me know if there are typos/mistakes in the chapter.
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