Chapter 117.2

You Yin leaned against the wall in the oppressive atmosphere. He saw Yin Xiangjun standing at a distance, watching Luo Shui’s actions without getting closer. His form appeared somewhat blurry, and there seemed to be a fleeting shadow across his face.

You Yin turned his eyes, his expression shifting from surprise to solemnity, slowly clenching his fingers.
If he wasn’t mistaken… that was a demonic pattern, wasn’t it?
People of high cultivation sometimes entered a dreamlike state, but this was the first time he had seen it with his own eyes. He couldn’t be sure, so he tried to act as though nothing was wrong.

If there was something wrong with the adjudicators on this mission, it felt like the solid foundation behind them was being dug out. A chill crept up his spine, and he truly felt a sense of impending danger.

Luo Shui’s hand had already pressed against Xu Qianyu’s chest.
Humans have six souls in their lungs, and she was missing one. It wasn’t easy to conceal this.
Luo Shui lifted her gaze to look at Xu Qianyu. The glass lantern’s light reflected in her eyes, turning them a golden amber.

She shared a similar beautiful appearance with Yin Xiangjun. While Yin Xiangjun exuded a dignified elegance, Luo Shui’s demeanor conveyed a kind of noble, gentle grace, like a young lady of a prominent family. Perhaps it was because of her medical training, but her aura carried no trace of aggression, making her easier to trust and depend on.
Xu Qianyu stared into her eyes, her pupils shifting slightly.

In an instant, she used a water talisman to cover Hua Liangyu, and then her consciousness quickly sank into her spiritual pool, completely wrapping Hua Liangyu in it.
Her consciousness was originally shaped like a small turtle, but in a moment of panic, her limbs stretched and lengthened, taking on the vague form of an infant. To outsiders, it would appear as a brilliant ball of light in the shape of her primordial spirit.

Her consciousness was too hot. If she kept it wrapped like this for long, it would certainly burn Hua Liangyu. But there was no choice—she could only gamble that Luo Shui wouldn’t discover anything from this brief touch.

Luo Shui’s hand paused slightly over her spiritual center, as though sensing something. Xu Qianyu’s heart nearly jumped into her throat.
“You’ve grown so much.” Luo Shui suddenly spoke.
Xu Qianyu, hearing her transmission, wondered if she was dreaming. “You know me?”
Luo Shui replied, “It’s something from before you were born.”
As she spoke, a faint smile bloomed at the corner of her lips.
Xu Qianyu froze in place.

She noticed that behind Luo Shui’s shoulders, countless silver threads were connected, their other ends hidden in the void.
Luo Shui lowered her eyes, looking like a prey caught in a spider’s web. With a sorrowful tone, she said, “Did you see? Save me.”
In the blink of an eye, she withdrew her hand, her expression returning to its usual composed demeanor, and said, “She’s fine.”

Yin Xiangjun’s expression tightened, but he remained standing at a distance. He smiled slightly and said, “Would you like to check again?”
“Indeed, there’s no problem,” Luo Shui insisted.

Yin Xiangjun didn’t say anything more, and Luo Shui took the lamp and walked toward You Yin. Xu Qianyu, keeping her composure, hurriedly released Hua Liangyu.
You Yin began to feel a little flustered.
He had just witnessed Luo Shui lie to cover for Xu Qianyu. There were only three people here, and the first two had no issues.
Could it be that he was the one with a problem?
Just as he was thinking, Luo Shui quickly pulled something from his spiritual center. You Yin broke into a cold sweat, closing his eyes, but didn’t feel any pain.

The thing floated in the air. It resembled an insect, light blue in color, with two horns on its head and two wings on its back. It was somewhat frightening, yet familiar.
Wasn’t this the spirit butterfly Lin Shuyue gave him to keep in his sleeve?
It was the spirit butterfly, temporarily magnified a hundred times by magic.
Luo Shui tilted her head and looked at it. “The so-called soul is just an insect mirage.”

With a flick of her sleeve, the illusion of the spirit butterfly shattered into pieces, falling to the ground. One piece landed on You Yin’s sleeve, returning to its original form.

Yin Xiangjun pressed his hand to his temple, as though he wanted to say something but was feeling faint, so he gave up. “Since you insist, I naturally believe Luo Shui. Very well, young friends, apologies for the trouble.”
The three of them were inexplicably released.

As soon as Xu Qianyu stepped out, she saw a familiar figure standing at the door, like a pine tree in the snow. She called out, “Shixiong (Senior Brother)!”
She ran over a few steps and grabbed his hand. Shen Shuwei turned slightly, and his expression softened a little. Xu Qianyu smelled blood on him, likely from a wound, but his appearance was tense, as if tightly strung, giving no hint of injury.

*
It wasn’t until they returned to the pavilion and closed the door that Xu Qianyu threw herself into his arms. She recalled the line behind Fang Cai Luo Shui and her desperate plea, feeling as though it were a fleeting nightmare.

Now, the familiar scent filled her nose, which helped ease her anxious heart.
Shen Shuwei allowed her to hold him for a while, gently stroking her head. “Where are you hurt?”
Xu Qianyu replied, “My back, it hurts a lot.”

Hearing the severity in her voice, Shen Shuwei pulled her over to the bed, sat her down, and lowered his head to untie the side fastenings of her disciple robes. “Lie down, I’ll take a look.”
These two ties were hidden under beaded flowers and feathers, in a relatively concealed spot, and Xu Qianyu hadn’t noticed them until now. Shen Shuwei undid them in a flash, so quickly that Xu Qianyu was momentarily stunned.

“What’s wrong?” Shen Shuwei paused, seeing her staring at him, and casually explained, “I approved this disciple robe.”

Having examined the clothing design carefully, he knew the details of female disciples’ robes, so there was nothing unusual about it.

Xu Qianyu kicked off her shoes and lay down on the bed. Shen Shuwei lifted her robe from the back, pulling it off in one smooth motion.
Before he could check other areas, a large bruise tinged with blood caught his eye on her back. It was shocking.

“I hit a pillar during the battle with the Demon Dragon,” Xu Qianyu explained, sensing Shen Shuwei’s sudden silence and feeling uneasy. “Is it serious?”

Xu Qianyu had already reached the foundation establishment stage, so ordinary bruises would heal quickly. Only wounds left by demonic creatures would persist and require special herbs. At the time, she hadn’t felt much pain, so she hadn’t asked Yin Luo Shui to tend to it.
Shen Shuwei gave her a pill, took out a medicine vial from the mustard seed golden pearl, and handed it to her. “I don’t know my own strength; you can do it yourself.”
He said, guiding her hand to the back, where it touched the injury.

Xu Qianyu had expected to lie back and relax, but she didn’t expect to have to apply the medicine herself. She felt a little annoyed.
Her arm twisted awkwardly, and when she accidentally touched the wound, it doubled the pain. She heard her shoulder joint crack, and Xu Qianyu cried out, “Ah!” Her frustration burst forth. “I can’t see, and it hurts. Can’t you help me apply the medicine?”

After shouting, she regretted it, realizing that she had described herself as if her arm had been broken, whereas Shen Shuwei’s injuries were likely no lighter than hers. Hearing the silence behind her, Xu Qianyu licked her lips.

Shen Shuwei had already taken the vial and poured the ice-toad water on her injury, its coolness seeping in. Xu Qianyu knew she was in the wrong, enduring the sharp sting, but she remained silent.

Shen Shuwei spoke lightly, “Does it hurt?”
Xu Qianyu shook her head.
Shen Shuwei’s fingers pressed against the wound, using his spiritual power to push the ice toad water deeper. “How about now?”
Xu Qianyu broke into a cold sweat but still shook her head.

She felt a coolness spreading through her, not sure if it was numbness, but she no longer felt the pain, only a slight itch. Shen Shuwei moved gently, making the process take longer. Fortunately, the bruise from the demonic creature was only superficial, and it gradually faded. Her skin soon returned to normal.

Shen Shuwei closed the vial and said, “I asked you to apply the medicine yourself because I’m your Shixiong (Senior Brother), and it’s inappropriate to overstep; things like this are not meant to be done by anyone other than a Taoist Partner, understand?”
Recently, Xu Qianyu had been repeatedly reminded of the concept of a Taoist Partner. She found the vague term “Taoist Partner” between them abrupt and annoying. “If I allowed you to do it, it’s not considered overstepping.”

She had her own way of thinking, and Shen Shuwei didn’t respond, ready to cover her with her robe.
Xu Qianyu rested her chin on her hand, noticing his subtle movement. Her eyelashes fluttered like butterfly wings, and seizing the opportunity, she asked, “Do you think it’s beautiful?”
As soon as she asked, she felt heat rush to her ears and cheeks. She had deliberately provoked him, hoping for an unusual reaction from her Shixiong (Senior Brother).

Shen Shuwei’s dark eyes stayed fixed on her back. Xu Qianyu was diligent in her martial arts practice; her waist was firm but soft, white as snow, perfectly balanced.
Her hair was styled by him, and the scent of him lingered on her. Lying on his bed made him feel a secret pleasure he’d never experienced before.

But his voice remained steady, calm, as if he were patiently batting back a polo ball. “Where?”
Xu Qianyu answered, “My…” She couldn’t think of how to describe it, so she just said, “The opposite of me.”
The opposite of me.
Shen Shuwei was silent for a moment.

After a while, she felt his fingertips on her spine, and he murmured, “This is the spine.”
The cool touch ran down her spine and gradually lightened until it reached her lower back, as light as a sweep. “This is the lumbar area.”
Shen Shuwei asked, “Where are you talking about?”

Xu Qianyu wanted to argue, but after a long pause, no words came out, and her ears turned red.
She also felt that the touch just now was too light, like touching fire, like a soul-drawing touch. She wanted to experience it again.
Shen Shuwei had already covered her with her robe and said softly, “It’s very beautiful.”