The Warmth You Give (1)
If she were Chen Shangqing now, she would have found a way to be alone with Junior Sister Xiao, comforting her, making her happy, easing her worries, and increasing her favorability.
Chen Shangqing’s eyes clearly showed his affection for Xiao Lanle, but his words expressed only the ordinary concern of a senior brother for his junior sister.
Lin Qianshuang patted the spirit leopard’s back and let it run down the mountain, a sense of gloom settling in her heart. As expected, the male lead was the male lead. No wonder the original character had been secretly in love until her death, unable to even utter a word in his own defense.
In the jungle at the foot of Tianshu Peak, the spirit panthers huddled together, trapped within the formation. Forty-nine voodoo symbols transformed into light swords, floating in mid-air. The formation’s nucleus, with the Demon Suppressing Bell as its eye, converged into a runic pattern, connecting the pivoting light swords.
The impenetrable golden barrier resembled a prison, confining the restless demons within.
The Spirit Leopard King paced back and forth, restless. Upon seeing the arrival of a green figure, a flicker of excitement crossed the beast’s eyes. He approached the edge of the formation, clawing and scratching at the golden barrier, and addressed the visitor: “I have been waiting for you for a long time, Taoist friend. You promised to bring my clan and me down the mountain, and now that this formation is trapping us, we require your assistance.”
“How could it be troublesome? We share the same path of darkness. It is merely a matter of lifting a hand.”
Lin Qianshuang leaped off the spirit leopard’s back, leading it by the chain towards the golden cage. A smile graced her lips, but her magic sword, held in reverse, plunged into the spirit leopard’s body, brutally extracting its magic core.
Lin Qianshuang swallowed the magic core, a mixture of satisfaction and disdain etched upon her face as she observed the spirit leopards cowering within the golden shield, their earlier insults echoing in her mind. “Beasts are beasts,” she sneered. “They lack even the most basic intelligence.”
The Spirit Leopard King roared in fury, “Fellow cultivator, what is the meaning of this? Why are you killing my kin?”
Lin Qianshuang clicked her tongue, a fire talisman materializing in her hand. It erupted in flames, incinerating the spirit leopard’s corpse. She sat cross-legged, her eyes glowing with a deep blue magical light that quickly concentrated in her pupils, returning to their usual dark depths as she absorbed the magic core.
Lin Qianshuang stood, her voice nonchalant as she addressed the Spirit Leopard King. “This is Master Qingyun’s formation. If I break it and let you go, I will be guilty of releasing demonic creatures. Besides, you already harbored ill intentions towards me. Why should I repay evil with kindness?”
The Spirit Leopard King snarled, “Fellow cultivator, when have my clan and I ever wronged you? It’s you, consorting with human cultivators, who speaks with forked tongue. Your behavior is truly unreasonable!”
Lin Qianshuang raised an eyebrow, wiping the blood from her spirit sword. She said with a forced smile, “Do you think I’m blind? I saw the signals you sent towards Tianshu City and the Demon Realm. If I let you go, I’d be in the Demon Realm the next moment.”
She moved closer to the light prison, her voice cold. “You’re really interesting. Master Qingyun captured you, but instead of trying to win me over, you’re still plotting against me. My bounty in Tianshu City must be pretty high for you to risk your lives and attack me.”
The Spirit Leopard King roared, “You ungrateful demon! I should have killed you earlier, then the Domain Lord wouldn’t be in this state!”
Domain Lord? Was he talking about Han Shengyao? Could something have happened in the Demon Realm?
The task was complete, and she should have been carefree.
But her heart inexplicably ached.
Lin Qianshuang leaned closer to the light prison, staring at the Spirit Leopard King. She spoke softly in the beast language, “Tell me clearly. The Domain Lord you’re talking about is the Lord of the Demon Realm, Han… my master. What happened to her?”
The Spirit Leopard King obediently approached Lin Qianshuang, but the moment he was close, he lunged forward, his saber teeth bared, aiming for the artery in Lin Qianshuang’s neck.
Lin Qianshuang was on guard, ready to unleash her demonic energy.
A powerful true qi forced her back several steps, and the demon-subduing formation activated simultaneously.
The trapped creatures within the formation screamed and writhed in the golden light, their demonic energy dissipating quickly until they were nothing but a pool of blood.
Lin Qianshuang felt a pang of regret for the spirit leopards’ magic cores. If she had absorbed them, her depleted dantian might have felt a bit better.
Several figures stood not far from her. Lin Qianshuang turned her head to see Master Qingyun, who had just deactivated the formation, his hand retreating back into his sleeve.
She hurried forward respectfully, bowing, “Thank you, Master Qingyun, for saving me.”
Master Qingyun sat calmly on the back of his white tiger, stroking his beard. “Lin Qianshuang,” he said, “demon cultivators are all vicious and cunning. You must never trust their words. This is a lesson for you. If I hadn’t intervened, you would have died at the fangs of those spirit leopards.”
Lin Qianshuang lowered her head and said, “Senior Uncle, I understand. I won’t make that mistake again.”
Seeing Lin Qianshuang’s submissive demeanor, Master Qingyun felt a bit more at ease. He continued, “I’ve heard from Shangqing that you’re close to those demonic creatures, but remember, our paths are fundamentally different. You must be wary of the temptations of evil and deceitful paths in your cultivation journey. Don’t let those dark forces corrupt your Dao heart. Stay true to your path, do you understand?”
“I will heed your teachings, Senior Uncle,” Lin Qianshuang replied, her voice sincere.
Inside, Lin Qianshuang couldn’t help but chuckle. If Master Qingyun knew that she, the very demon he warned her about, stood before him, a powerful demon infant with greater cultivation than his own, his expression would be priceless.
Still, she acknowledged that Master Qingyun seemed genuinely concerned for her and held high hopes for her future in cultivation.
Lin Qianshuang worried about being ostracized or disliked by the other cultivators in the Penglai Immortal Sect. If she couldn’t gain their acceptance, it would be difficult for her to achieve her goals within the sect.
However, as the eldest disciple of Fairy Jinghua and the senior sister of the sect, she realized that she held a powerful position. As long as she played the role of a diligent and dedicated disciple, she would be able to navigate the complexities of the sect.
The sky deepened, a crescent moon hanging on the branches. The pine forest stream murmured, gently patting the round stones at the bottom of the water. All this was reflected in the carved round wooden windows of the Yuxu Palace library.
Candlelight on the wooden table illuminated the profile of the woman in pink. She diligently copied a book, her pen dipped in ink. Halfway through, someone hugged her from behind, bringing a refreshing scent of bathwater.
Xiao Lanle stiffened, her face a mix of impatience and disgust. Despite her feelings, the corner of her mouth curved up in a forced smile. “Senior Sister Lin,” she said, “what are you doing? You said you’d bring me dinner. Where’s the soup?”
The chair, with her on it, was turned around.
Liang Jingxuan, his eyes burning, looked at Xiao Lanle, his hand reaching to touch the back of hers, his fingers tightening. “Junior Sister Xiao, it’s me. I missed you.”
The smile vanished from Xiao Lanle’s face. She slapped his hand away, rising from the chair. “Senior Brother Liang,” she said, “isn’t your favorite Senior Sister Lin? Why are you acting like this with me?”
Liang Jingxuan took a step closer, pulling her into his arms, kissing her temple affectionately. “Lanle,” he said, “Senior Sister Lin and I did have a relationship, but that’s all in the past. When I saw her again after our separation, I lost my composure in the excitement of the moment. Seeing her sad, I made up some words to comfort her.”
“Don’t take it seriously,” Liang Jingxuan said, his voice a low murmur.
Xiao Lanle pushed him away, tears welling in her eyes. She pointed at the door, biting her lip. “Senior Brother, please leave. I can’t listen to you right now. I still have three hundred door rules to copy, and your injury is only just healed. We shouldn’t meet for now.”
Liang Jingxuan knew Xiao Lanle’s nature – her words didn’t always reflect her true feelings. The more she tried to escape, the less she would understand his intentions. He needed to be more forceful with her.
His gaze fell on the soft couch near the window, and his eyes took on a different, calculating glint as he looked at Xiao Lanle.
Though he no longer had the means he once had, he still knew how to bring her to climax. Women, he thought, only submit when given a taste of sweetness.
Taking advantage of her distraction, Liang Jingxuan scooped her up in his arms and carried her to the couch. He gently laid her down, then leaned over her.
In the moonlight, her face seemed to shimmer with a delicate luminescence. Her skin, pale as snow, beckoned him. He imagined the feeling of her lips under his, a thrill of anticipation coursing through him.
“Slap!”
A heavy hand landed on Liang Jingxuan’s face.
“Senior Brother, I told you to leave, can’t you hear me? I don’t want this now. Your kiss makes me uncomfortable. Please leave,” Xiao Lanle said, her voice tight.
She sat on the soft couch, her beautiful eyes trembling with confusion, her hands clenched under her sleeves. The intimacy she had shared with Senior Brother Liang in the past had always felt warm and comforting, but today was different. He had kissed Senior Sister Lin, and now he wanted to kiss her. The thought made her feel sick.
Liang Jingxuan, pushed away again and slapped once more, felt a cold rage rising within him. If he wasn’t mistaken, Xiao Lanle had slapped him eleven times today.
In the past, Xiao Lanle would always obediently submit to him as long as he released his King’s Aura, but this time… she seemed different.
Liang Jingxuan felt a flicker of doubt. Could it be that his King’s Aura had lost its effect?
With a desperate hope, he forcibly embraced Xiao Lanle and leaned in to kiss her face.
Lin Qianshuang approached the library, carrying a bowl of steaming sweet-scented osmanthus dumpling soup. As she drew closer, a strange sensation washed over her. An invisible barrier seemed to block her path.
Sensing something amiss, Lin Qianshuang effortlessly dissolved the barrier and hurried towards the door. Upon pushing it open, she found Xiao Lanle held tightly in Liang Jingxuan’s arms. Their posture and demeanor were unsettlingly intimate.
Lin Qianshuang stood awkwardly at the threshold, unsure whether to enter or remain where she was.
Liang Jingxuan, noticing her presence, shifted uncomfortably, as if holding a hot potato. He released Xiao Lanle and, feigning interest in a book on the desk, said, “Junior Sister Xiao, I’ll be leaving then.”
Lin Qianshuang watched with an inexplicable expression as Liang Jingxuan pretended to browse the bookshelves before departing.
Before leaving, Liang Jingxuan untied his cloak and draped it over her, whispering a few words in her ear with a concerned tone. “Senior Sister Lin, I came to the library for a book and noticed Junior Sister Xiao. It’s very cold tonight, and you’re wearing too little. Put on more clothes, be careful not to catch a cold.”
“Thank you, Junior Brother,” she replied.
Lin Qianshuang clutched the cloak on her shoulders and met Xiao Lanle’s deep, unreadable gaze. A chill ran down her spine, and she shivered involuntarily.