Chapter 94: Xuanhuan Cultivation BL (X)

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Chapter 94: Xuanhuan Cultivation BL (X)

The others might not have been able to see the dissatisfaction hidden beneath Jiang Lingwen’s unchanging smile, but Feng Yingruo, who had been watching him closely, noticed it the moment he looked up. Instinctively, he wanted to pull away, but he forced himself to remain where he was. A faint smile appeared on his lips as he tightened his arms around Jiang Lingwen’s waist, his embrace carrying an almost imperceptible hint of seduction.

As a youth carrying the bloodline of the phoenix, even though it had yet to awaken and might never awaken, his exquisite appearance and the noble charm that unconsciously radiated from him were enough to make others lose themselves.

He would never forget the panic that seized him when he learned that a storm had struck the Dankou Secret Realm and Jiang Lingwen’s name was on the list of those who had gone missing. If he could still deceive himself by claiming he was only reluctant to lose the resources Jiang Lingwen provided, then the growing restlessness that worsened with each passing day, leaving him unable to cultivate in peace, and the image of that slightly wicked smile that haunted his dreams every night made it impossible to continue lying to himself.

He had fallen for the man who had taught him what pain truly was, the man who had awakened him to desire. Perhaps it was the novelty of stepping into an unfamiliar world that made him cling to his only salvation, or perhaps it was the intoxicating gentleness Jiang Lingwen showed while applying medicine to his wounds after those cruel events. In the end, he had developed feelings for the man he should have called Master. He did not know whether that made him pathetic, but he knew one thing. At the very least, he could not bear to watch Jiang Lingwen disappear from his world. That was why, despite the Sect Master’s objections and the opposition of those seemingly friendly senior brothers, he had come to wait outside the entrance to the Dankou Secret Realm.

Jiang Lingwen subconsciously looked toward Miao Lichen. Miao Lichen was not looking at him at all. Instead, he seemed to be quietly exchanging words with Yan Yangxi. Gone was Yan Yangxi’s usual icy demeanor. He appeared surprisingly cordial toward Miao Lichen. Jiang Lingwen’s hand on Feng Yingruo’s shoulder unconsciously tightened before he pushed the youth away. Without sparing him another glance, he bid farewell to the senior cultivators from the major sects with the proper courtesy of a junior before leading the disciples back toward the Heavenly Sword Sect.

Only after seeing the ancient plaque bearing the three characters Heavenly Sword Sect hanging above the great hall did everyone truly relax. Barely a month had passed, yet for some, it felt like a lifetime. Yan Yangxi and Feng Yingruo were among them.

Taking a deep breath, everyone entered the main hall. No one intended to reveal what they had gained inside the Dankou Secret Realm. Their gathering here was merely the customary exchange of pleasantries. Cultivators were no better than ordinary mortals when it came to human flaws. They simply hid them beneath a veneer of righteousness. Wherever there were people, there would be disputes. Wherever there were people, there would be the jianghu. Only a very small number of cultivators remained unmoved by worldly temptations, and clearly, the people of the Heavenly Sword Sect were not among them.

As one of the sect’s newly advanced Golden Core cultivators, Miao Lichen naturally drew attention, and quite a few people became curious about his identity. When they learned that he was Jiang Lingwen’s disciple, many cast envious glances toward Jiang Lingwen. Bai Yuande visibly froze when he saw Miao Lichen, then seemed to recall something. A broad smile spread across his face.

“Everyone has worked hard on this journey to the Dankou Secret Realm. You are all dismissed. Elder Jiang, please stay behind. There are a few matters I wish to discuss with you.” Bai Yuande’s delight was obvious. In contrast, the envied “Elder Jiang” looked anything but pleased. He watched Miao Lichen leave the hall alongside Yan Yangxi, and could vaguely tell that they were not heading toward the mountain where Jiang Lingwen resided, but toward the sect’s main peak, where the Sect Master lived.

“There’s no need for Elder Jiang to worry so much about the younger generation. Children and grandchildren will have their own blessings. It’s rare that A’chen and Qiqi get along so well. If they eventually become Dao companions, it would be a joyous occasion for the sect.” Bai Yuande patted Jiang Lingwen on the shoulder, paying no mind to the latter’s obvious lack of enthusiasm. It was common knowledge that Miao Lichen had not truly been taught by Jiang Lingwen, so Bai Yuande found Jiang Lingwen’s attitude perfectly understandable.

“What instructions does the Sect Master have for me?” Jiang Lingwen clearly had no intention of continuing the topic. Bai Yingqi and Miao Lichen? How could Bai Yingqi possibly be worthy of that youth who was so perfect he seemed almost unreal?

∇ Capture Target Jiang Lingwen Favorability: 55.

“The Spirit Realm has been unusually active lately. I hope Elder Jiang can enter the Forbidden Grounds and inform the seniors cultivating within so they can make preparations.” The smile faded from Bai Yuande’s face, replaced by solemnity. “Entering the Forbidden Grounds would normally signify stepping down, but that is not my intention. I have sent numerous messages inside, yet not a single reply has come back. I suspect something may have happened. For the sake of the sect’s foundation, I hope you will go inside and investigate.”

If something truly happened in the Spirit Realm, the major sects would be the first to bear the burden. What concerned Bai Yuande even more was that none of the messages he had sent into the Forbidden Grounds had received any response. Therefore, the only option was to send in someone qualified to enter. Jiang Lingwen was the obvious choice, especially now that he already had someone capable of succeeding him.

At first, Bai Yuande had even considered appointing Feng Yingruo, the Heavenly Spiritual Root cultivator who had only reached Foundation Establishment, as acting elder. Now that Miao Lichen had appeared, there was no need for such complications. Everything had fallen naturally into place.

“Very well. I’ll make the necessary preparations, then enter the Forbidden Grounds.” Jiang Lingwen pondered for a long while, so long that Bai Yuande was about to launch into another lecture about duty and righteousness before he finally responded. “If there is nothing else, I’ll take my leave.”

“Rest well and enter the Forbidden Grounds as soon as possible.” Watching Jiang Lingwen depart, Bai Yuande turned to look at the enormous character for Sword within the sect. How many years had it been since the Heavenly Sword Sect had produced so many outstanding talents at once? At a time like this, nothing must go wrong.

Just as Miao Lichen and Yan Yangxi stepped out of the hall, a low-ranking disciple approached to inform him that Bai Yingqi wished to see him. Without hesitation, Miao Lichen headed toward Bai Yingqi’s residence, completely ignoring the hostile gaze fixed on his back. Feng Yingruo bit down on his lip. How could he have imagined that the insignificant toy whose life and death had once rested entirely in his hands would now stand on equal footing with him?

A Golden Core cultivator, no less. His cultivation was actually higher than Feng Yingruo’s. How was that possible? Thinking back to the many seemingly casual glances Jiang Lingwen had cast during their journey, Feng Yingruo had originally assumed they were directed toward the Sect Master’s faction out of caution. Now, however, that no longer seemed to be the case. They had likely been directed at this “junior brother.”

His fingers slowly curled into a fist until his nails pierced his pale skin and drew blood. Blood seeped through the gaps between his fingers, while a trace of red appeared at the corner of his lips. Quite a few low-ranking disciples wanted to step forward and offer words of comfort, but a single glance from him made them abandon the idea, and they quietly left the place. A faint red gradually surfaced in Feng Yingruo’s pupils, and the spiritual energy within his body began to churn violently.

After a long while, he calmly straightened his sleeves as though nothing had happened. The wounds on his palm had already been treated with medicine, leaving no trace behind. He glanced in the direction Miao Lichen had departed before shifting his gaze back to the great hall. A faint red glow flickered beneath his red robes, appearing and disappearing. Had anyone witnessed that scene, they would have recognized it immediately. It was the first sign of falling into the demonic path.

The moment Miao Lichen stepped into Bai Yingqi’s room, a pale yellow figure threw herself at him, wrapping him in a tight embrace. She sent her spiritual energy through his body in a complete circuit, and only after confirming that nothing was wrong did she finally let go with satisfaction. Bai Yingqi was no longer at the Foundation Establishment stage as she had been when they departed. She had already broken through to the Golden Core.

She had already reached the peak of Foundation Establishment before they left. Otherwise, Yan Yangxi would never have given her a bottle of pills to help her break through to the Golden Core stage in a short time. However, because she wanted to avoid Jiang Lingwen, she had refused to take them. After Miao Lichen entered the Dankou Secret Realm, though, she had ruthlessly pushed herself in preparation for the uncertain future ahead. After more than a month of secluded cultivation, she had not only reached the Golden Core stage but had also advanced to the peak of the early Golden Core stage.

“Junior Sister doesn’t seem to have much faith in Junior Brother Miao Lichen’s abilities. He’s far stronger than you imagine. If he hadn’t saved me in the secret realm, your senior brother probably wouldn’t be standing here today.”

Only then did Bai Yingqi notice Yan Yangxi’s presence, and surprise immediately appeared on her face. She could naturally tell that although the demonic energy surrounding this senior brother had grown considerably stronger, he had not yet succumbed to it, much less switched to demonic cultivation. Moreover, there was not a trace of madness on his face. He remained as calm and rational as ever.

So that was why there had been no news of his disappearance. Miao Lichen had saved him. Miao Lichen was someone who had never existed in the original novel, so it made sense that he could change the plot. But with one of the Demon Realm’s most important future figures no longer following the original path, could the ending still unfold the same way?

All she wanted was to live peacefully with Miao Lichen in this world. Even if they never ascended to immortality, she at least hoped they could spend the rest of their lives together in happiness.

The foundation of that wish was simple: never become entangled with the protagonist. No one who became involved with the protagonist ever met a good end. They lost their hearts and their souls. That was the fate of every supporting character in the original story. Even if Yan Yangxi had escaped Jiang Lingwen’s notice for now, what about later? Jiang Lingwen belonged to the Heavenly Sword Sect, and Yan Yangxi was its greatest genius. They were destined to meet eventually, and then the laws governing protagonists and supporting characters would inevitably push them toward an unspeakable fate.

“So A’chen was the one who saved Senior Brother? I never imagined A’chen would become so powerful.” The pure joy on Bai Yingqi’s face slowly faded, replaced by the elegance and composure expected of the Sect Master’s daughter. Compared to the way she had just treated Miao Lichen, she now seemed noticeably more reserved.

“Don’t worry. No matter what happens, I have the ability to keep you safe.” Miao Lichen lowered his eyes slightly as he made the first promise of his life in this world. In truth, it was also the only promise he would ever make in any world.

“Even if you do have that ability, you still have to listen to me, A’chen. Don’t make me worry.” Bai Yingqi suppressed the emotion rising in her heart. She suddenly felt a strange sense of fulfillment, as though watching her own child finally grow up. Was she really… getting old?

∇ Capture Target Bai Yingqi Favorability: 100.

∇ Side Mission: Capture the Transmigrator , Bai Yingqi (Complete).

∇ Mother and Son?

“Mm.” That was, of course, assuming he remained alive in this world. If he died, then every road ahead would have to be walked by her alone.

Still, he believed she would not always rely on him as her only emotional anchor. People might leave, but the lives of those left behind would continue. He had never known what happened in the worlds after he departed, but a world missing one person was still complete. Especially when that person had never truly belonged to those worlds in the first place.

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