Perhaps sensing that Xu Ziqing’s attention had wandered, Yun Lie tightened his arms. The pressure caused a twinge of pain around Xu Ziqing’s waist, bringing him abruptly back to himself.
Xu Ziqing blinked. Seeing Yun Lie frown, he was faintly surprised. Was his senior brother angry? He soon understood and returned his attention to him. Yet however attentively he responded, they were still merely pressed close together. Rather than a kiss, it felt more like an affectionate gesture. He began to suspect that Yun Lie had not simply lost his memories. Perhaps his mind had regressed to that of a small child, leaving him to act purely on impulse and preference.
This time they remained close for only the time it took an incense stick to burn. Yun Lie then withdrew and flashed back into the endless darkness, seating himself in meditation barely a chi from the edge of the light.
Xu Ziqing guessed that his senior brother had reached his limit. In his present demonic state, he could probably remain within this clean region of pure spiritual energy for only a short while.
Having just finished his own meditation, Xu Ziqing did not resume it immediately. Instead, he watched over Yun Lie.
For some reason, he thought the demonic energy had become slightly thinner the longer his senior brother meditated.
The energy had gathered because of the Seven Emotions Demon Mara. Perhaps it dispersed as the petals diminished. Or perhaps it was no longer replenished, and Yun Lie was gradually absorbing everything already present.
Xu Ziqing did not cultivate the demonic path and understood little about its methods. After a sigh, he stopped speculating and concentrated on his senior brother, hoping nothing went wrong.
Perhaps entering the bright region earlier had cost Yun Lie a great deal of effort. He spent the remainder of the day in meditation, refining the petal.
Xu Ziqing watched for a while. Finding nothing unusual, he began tempering his own divine abilities.
The Dao principles embodied in the Qingyun Needle still needed much polishing and integration. In addition, Xu Ziqing had discovered a method of strengthening his foundation in the Wood-Tempering Chapter of the Great Art of Myriad Woods Heart-Planting.
It was called ‘tempering wood.’
Xu Ziqing had gathered many subordinate Woods and could use them to fight enemies. Such plants were useful during Qi Refining, but after Foundation Establishment cultivators generally fought with spiritual artifacts. Very few plants, however tough, could match those artifacts. At still higher realms, cultivators would wield treasure artifacts, which ordinary plants were even less capable of resisting.
Of the Woods currently in Xu Ziqing’s possession, only Thousand-Year Steelwood and the Bloodthirsty Demon Vine could contend with spiritual artifacts. Only the Bloodthirsty Demon Vine could eventually grow powerful enough to withstand even treasure artifacts.
But Rong Jin was not yet mature. And even once it matured, Xu Ziqing could hardly release it whenever he encountered the slightest trouble.
A legendary cultivation art like the Great Art of Myriad Woods Heart-Planting would naturally not leave such an obvious weakness unaddressed.
Therefore, once a practitioner reached a sufficient cultivation realm, they could comprehend the Wood-Tempering Chapter and refine the many Woods gathered within their body, nurturing them into objects capable of competing with spiritual and treasure artifacts.
Xu Ziqing acted as soon as he decided what to do. He began by tempering several subordinate Woods he used most frequently.
He sat cross-legged and closed his eyes. A hazy cluster of azure light appeared in his palm and transformed into a tender sprout. It swiftly emerged through his skin and grew into a mature plant covered with clusters of leaves.
Xu Ziqing opened his mouth and expelled a dense stream of azure light, enveloping the plant. The radiance pulsed around it, contracting and swelling in turn.
Then he entered meditation again, his eyes remaining shut.
During this time, the plant in his hand constantly changed. He repeatedly released azure light to temper and polish each one. Although this consumed true essence without pause, the cultivation art within his dantian began circulating ever faster.
He remained in seclusion for ten days and ten nights.
When Xu Ziqing finally awakened, he discovered that he was sitting in someone’s lap.
A firm arm encircled his waist and another held his shoulders, confining much of his body within an embrace. Something heavy rested against his other shoulder, while the sound of calm breathing reached his ear.
A familiar aura. The same icy temperature.
Without a doubt, it was his senior brother.
Xu Ziqing stiffened for an instant, then quickly relaxed.
Yun Lie noticed at once. Without lifting his head, he said, “Awake.”
Xu Ziqing smiled. “Yes, I’m awake. Have you been here long, Senior Brother?”
Yun Lie shifted slightly, almost imperceptibly nodding. “A long time.”
Xu Ziqing was rendered speechless.
He knew his senior brother had always been straightforward, but even so, the answer left him momentarily at a loss.
He turned his head toward Yun Lie’s long black hair and said softly, “I’m sorry to have kept you waiting so long, Senior Brother.”
Yun Lie did not reply.
Xu Ziqing smiled. “Won’t Senior Brother forgive me?”
Still Yun Lie said nothing.
Xu Ziqing shook his head, amused. Was his senior brother actually sulking? It only made him seem more endearing. Then another thought arose: when Yun Lie finally recovered and learned how he had behaved here, what would he think?
A moment later, Xu Ziqing sighed softly. Once that happened, his senior brother would surely become the man whose seven emotions were frozen again. Deep within Xu Ziqing’s heart, an indistinct trace of regret stirred.
Yun Lie might not answer, but he continued holding Xu Ziqing without moving. Their closeness remained unabated.
Xu Ziqing looked up toward the demonic domain. Sure enough, its energy had thinned, just as he suspected. Ten days earlier the difference had been impossible to detect. Now it was quite visible.
The Seven Emotions Demon Mara still stood alone in the darkness. Its flower head had become somewhat smaller, although it had lost none of its sinister quality.
Even after Yun Lie refined every petal, perhaps that eerie atmosphere would remain as long as the plant itself survived.
As he considered this, Xu Ziqing suddenly felt a cool, damp touch against his neck. His entire body stiffened.
Senior Brother… what was he doing?
The sensation spread gradually and moved downward toward his collarbone, lingering there.
Yun Lie’s hand, resting on Xu Ziqing’s waist, also began to move, gently kneading without apparent awareness.
Xu Ziqing went rigid with astonishment. In the next instant, he flashed three zhang away.
No breeze blew here, but he could still feel the damp coolness against his neck. It confirmed that his senior brother had touched him there with his tongue. Heat rushed into Xu Ziqing’s face.
Did Yun Lie, in his demonic state, even understand what such behavior meant?
Seeing him retreat, Yun Lie frowned.
Almost immediately, his imposing figure appeared in front of Xu Ziqing.
Xu Ziqing started. Yun Lie had already placed both hands on his shoulders.
Yun Lie leaned toward him and pressed their lips together. Dark demonic thoughts swirled in his eyes, a fathomless abyss that seemed capable of dragging someone into the deepest hell.
Despite the intimacy of the gesture, Yun Lie’s aura was profoundly dangerous.
In the past, Yun Lie had resembled an exalted sword immortal, far beyond anyone’s reach. Now he was more like a demon god who would tolerate no refusal.
Xu Ziqing’s breath caught, and he forgot to withdraw. It was almost as though the dense demonic thoughts had awakened his own deepest desires, leaving him unable to think of his usual reservations. All he could see was Yun Lie.
At the look on his face, Yun Lie’s brow gradually smoothed.
Yet whether Yun Lie was an immortal or a demon made no difference to Xu Ziqing’s feelings. Even if his own seven emotions stirred under the influence, he had loved Yun Lie from the beginning. Such feelings could only deepen that love, not rob him of his reason. He soon regained his composure and began worrying about Yun Lie instead.
He finally understood that, cautious as he had been, he had still underestimated the power of the Seven Emotions Demon Mara. His senior brother’s corruption was now severe enough to make him uneasy.
Taking a deep breath, Xu Ziqing parted his lips and gently accepted Yun Lie’s kiss.
He could think of no way to help his senior brother. But Yun Lie’s desire to be close to him was probably connected to how Xu Ziqing had once helped him form his Golden Core. From beginning to end, Xu Ziqing’s heart had belonged to Yun Lie alone. Even if Yun Lie could never return his love, Xu Ziqing’s own feelings would not change.
A demonic cultivator followed desire. Whatever reason lay behind Yun Lie’s present behavior, perhaps he simply found Xu Ziqing’s aura familiar because of his cultivation method.
Nevertheless, Xu Ziqing resolved to accommodate what his senior brother wanted, hoping to keep him content and prevent his demonic impulses from spiraling out of control, which might diminish his chance of recovering his mind later.
There was, of course, a trace of selfishness in Xu Ziqing’s decision.
Sure enough, once he responded, Yun Lie moved closer. He seemed slightly puzzled at first, but then instinctively returned the intimacy, his lips moving gently against Xu Ziqing’s.
Xu Ziqing sighed and drew back slightly, then ran the tip of his tongue over Yun Lie’s lips. At the same time, Yun Lie opened his mouth and received the tip of Xu Ziqing’s tongue.
For a moment, their tongues touched. Xu Ziqing paused, and a sudden ache of sorrow stirred in his heart.
When his senior brother recovered and remembered this day, would he consider Xu Ziqing’s behavior a betrayal of their relationship as martial brothers?
Then another thought came to him. After going so far, even if Yun Lie’s seven emotions froze again upon recovery, he would surely understand Xu Ziqing’s feelings. That, at least, might be a good thing.
Under the influence of demonic impulses, Yun Lie acted on instinct, without any of Xu Ziqing’s tangled thoughts.
He did not recognize this person, but he wanted to be close to him. So he drew close.
If he could draw five parts closer, he would not settle for only three. Now that they could be even more intimate, Yun Lie simply reached out and drew Xu Ziqing firmly into his arms.
In the next instant, their lips and tongues entwined.
Both were inexperienced, and their first true kiss ought to have been awkward. Yet somehow they moved in natural harmony, and a warmth and tenderness filled the moment.
Xu Ziqing gave himself over to the feeling of his senior brother. His heart was peaceful, and all thoughts of demonic energy and sword qi faded away. No matter what Yun Lie became, he would still be someone Xu Ziqing cherished.
From their first meeting to all their travels together; from Xu Ziqing’s attempts to befriend him, to becoming confidants; from calling him ‘Brother Yun’ to calling him ‘Senior Brother,’ from respect to love… memories flowed through his sea of consciousness like a series of paintings, filling him with warmth.
At that moment, Xu Ziqing understood his feelings more clearly than ever.
He knew that the aura of his senior brother, cold and touched with killing intent, would be engraved upon his soul and accompany him along the path of immortality until he attained the Great Dao and lived in freedom forever.