Chapter 8

Matters between men and women require a natural progression, and the prelude before the union is crucial. Yet, judging by Xie Zhaixing’s attitude, he didn’t even want to remove his pants, let alone engage in the earlier stages.  

In the darkness, Xiao Xihe hesitantly untied his belt, and upon seeing what lay beneath, she gasped sharply.  

…She was going blind. The Demon Lord was indeed exceptionally gifted.  

The faint breath she exhaled brushed against him like a warm, swirling breeze, stirring an inexplicable restlessness in Xie Zhaixing. He frowned in displeasure. “What are you staring at?”  

“…Can’t I even look?”  

“No.” Xie Zhaixing’s expression darkened.  

Afraid he might suddenly change his mind, Xiao Xihe took a quick swig of wine and handed him a pill. “This will make it more comfortable.” Since he wouldn’t let her touch or look, this was the only way to hasten the process.  

Xie Zhaixing’s eyes flickered. Understanding her implication, he smirked coldly. “You think I’m incapable?”  

“Of course not! This medicine is mild—just to enhance the mood,” Xiao Xihe hurriedly explained.  

Unwilling to waste words, Xie Zhaixing focused his Qi into his Dantian, directing his energy downward. A moment later, Xiao Xihe’s eyes widened slowly.  

“Hurry up,” Xie Zhaixing muttered impatiently, closing his eyes. He was beginning to regret agreeing to help her.  

Moonlight streamed through the small window, casting a silvery glow over him. His already striking features now resembled a sculpture—ethereal and unreal.  

Xiao Xihe licked her lips and stiffly climbed onto the bed.  

The rustling of fabric filled the tent as her clothes brushed against Xie Zhaixing’s waist, sending a ticklish shiver through him. He instinctively wanted to open his eyes but restrained himself, though his Adam’s apple bobbed slightly, as if parched.  

The temperature in the confined space rose steadily. Outside, leaves rustled, and occasionally, a rabbit darted through the grass, its movements faintly audible. Distant insect chirps rose and fell, making the world feel both distant and immediate—unreal yet undeniably present.  

Drunk and dazed, Xiao Xihe only snapped back to reality when tears had already soaked her face. Sweat glued stray strands of hair to her cheeks, and her entire body radiated heat.  

…It hurt so much.  

“Aren’t you going to cultivate?” Xie Zhaixing’s tense voice cut through the darkness.  

Xiao Xihe blinked, then quickly gathered herself.  

Though she had only been in this world for thirty days, her original body’s cultivation instincts remained. Combined with the Dual Cultivation Methods she had recently memorized, Xie Zhaixing’s reminder spurred her to guide Qi into her body…  

“Qi enters the Dantian—why are you directing it to your spleen and stomach?” Xie Zhaixing said flatly.  

“Huh?” Xiao Xihe blinked tearfully, confused.  

A vein throbbed at Xie Zhaixing’s temple. Just as he was about to reprimand her, she shifted slightly, and he froze.  

“…What did you say?” Xiao Xihe sniffled, still waiting for an answer.  

Xie Zhaixing: “…”  

After a long pause, he expressionlessly pressed a finger to one of her acupoints. “Channel your Qi through here.”  

Xiao Xihe hesitated, then realizing he was guiding her, quickly adjusted her energy flow according to his instructions. Step by step, they progressed until their essences merged, and the vital essence entered her body.  

“Done…” Xiao Xihe collapsed beside him, utterly spent.

The tent was filled with an indescribable scent, silently bearing witness to what had just transpired between two fully clothed individuals. Xiao Xihe was still dazed, her body trembling faintly without her realizing it. Xie Zhaixing flexed his fingers slightly before finally unclenching his fist.

A quarter of an hour later, Xie Zhaixing stood up to leave, only for Xiao Xihe to grab the hem of his robe.

His eyes flickered as he looked down at her.

“It seems… the poison hasn’t been completely neutralized,” Xiao Xihe managed to say with difficulty. She could distinctly feel remnants still lingering within her.

Xie Zhaixing: “…”

“Demon Lord…” Xiao Xihe’s eyes welled up with tears again.

Xie Zhaixing remained expressionless. After a long silence, he finally asked, “How much is left?”

“Three to five hundred times… maybe.” Xiao Xihe wasn’t entirely sure either.

Xie Zhaixing: “…”

“Let’s continue,” Xiao Xihe said earnestly.

Xie Zhaixing turned and walked away without another word.

Xiao Xihe was utterly exhausted, too tired to even lift a finger, let alone chase after him. Since the poison wouldn’t flare up again anytime soon, she might as well get some sleep.

“Why does my whole body ache when only one place was active…” Xiao Xihe mumbled before quickly falling into a deep slumber.

The night was cool as water. A light rain fell just before dawn, making the already damp Shady Valley even more humid.

Xiao Xihe slept until noon. When she woke, the exhaustion had turned into full-body soreness. She whimpered, mustering her willpower to crawl out of bed, intending to retrieve some pain-relief pills from her Cosmos Sack.

But the Cosmos Sack was nowhere to be found.

She froze for a moment before realizing where it might be. Stepping out of the tent, she spotted Xie Zhaixing seated at a small table, eating. Her Cosmos Sack lay beside his plate.

Last night’s rain had soaked the table, leaving the small square surface damp, and the Cosmos Sack wasn’t entirely dry either. Xiao Xihe shuffled over and painstakingly sat down across from him.

The moment she fully settled into her seat, her expression changed slightly, and she even forgot to breathe. Xie Zhaixing glanced up at her and, unusually, asked, “Does it hurt?”

“A little…” Xiao Xihe exhaled softly, retrieving two pills from the Cosmos Sack and swallowing them before helping herself to a bowl of hot porridge.

After finishing the porridge, the pills began to take effect, and her discomfort eased considerably. Feeling revitalized, Xiao Xihe looked at Xie Zhaixing ingratiatingly. “Why didn’t you wake me? I could have made something fresh for you.”

What he was eating now were leftovers from the previous day. Although the Cosmos Sack preserved food perfectly, keeping it fresh and warm, it still couldn’t compare to a freshly cooked meal.

Xie Zhaixing glanced at her. “Flattery won’t work. I’m not helping you.”

Xiao Xihe’s face fell. “Don’t be so heartless. If you’re helping someone, see it through to the end—don’t stop halfway. Besides, if you hadn’t kept delaying, the poison wouldn’t have worsened to the point where it takes three to five hundred times to resolve.”

“You’re blaming me?” Xie Zhaixing raised an eyebrow.

Xiao Xihe blinked wisely and chose not to answer. “Besides, three to five hundred times sounds scary, but it’s not that much. Let’s compromise and say four hundred times. Seven times a night… it’ll be over in about fifty-seven days. It’ll pass quickly.”

“Seven times a night.” A hint of mockery flashed in Xie Zhaixing’s eyes.

Xiao Xihe hurriedly encouraged him. “Don’t doubt yourself—you can definitely do it.” As the novel’s second male lead, his… hardware and stamina were more than adequate. She had personally verified that last night.

“I can. But can you?” Xie Zhaixing countered.

Xiao Xihe suddenly recalled how she had cried nonstop earlier, her cheeks instantly warming with embarrassment.

Xie Zhaixing had merely retorted along with her words, expecting her to argue back. Yet unexpectedly, she suddenly fell silent. He paused and lifted his gaze, just in time to meet her hesitant, unspoken expression.

For some reason, the image of her trembling with sobs flashed through his mind.

Silence. Just silence.

A plump white rabbit hopped past, glanced at the silent pair, then turned and fled.

Finally, Xiao Xihe broke the silence: “I won’t end up like that, will I?”

An abrupt and seemingly random remark, yet Xie Zhaixing understood perfectly. As if a paused scene had resumed, he continued eating calmly. “The Dan Yang has been absorbed. You won’t.”

Xiao Xihe immediately sighed in relief. She didn’t particularly like children, nor did she want to have one with Xie Zhaixing. All she wanted was to live safely and healthily. The moment the poison was neutralized, her first priority would be to stay far away from Xie Zhaixing—far from this man who was inevitably entangled with danger and chaos.

After the meal, Xiao Xihe yawned again. “I can’t take it anymore. I need to sleep some more. I’m exhausted.”

As she spoke, she popped two restorative pills before sluggishly retreating to the tent, unconsciously rubbing her waist as she entered.

Xie Zhaixing smirked faintly and averted his gaze from her retreating figure.

Xiao Xihe slept until nightfall. When she woke, she felt not only refreshed and energetic but even a tad overstimulated.

…Could it be the pills she took earlier finally kicking in? Xiao Xihe doubted it. If they were that effective, they wouldn’t have provided only slight relief before.

After pondering for a moment, a realization struck her. She quickly sat cross-legged and circulated her spiritual energy through her meridians. A full cycle later, her eyes lit up—

Confirmed! Dual cultivation had worked! Though the Demon Lord currently had no cultivation left, he was still an exceptional Cauldron. After using him, not only had her Gu poison been alleviated, but her own cultivation had also improved.

What were the cultivation stages in this novel again? Qi Refining could preserve youth and extend life to a hundred years, Foundation Establishment doubled that to two hundred, Golden Core to five hundred, and Nascent Soul to a thousand… Damn, even if she only reached Qi Refining, wouldn’t she be able to maintain her current youthful state and live a century free of illness and disaster?

Xiao Xihe suddenly felt boundless motivation.

Unnoticed, the night deepened. Each autumn rain brought colder winds, and the chill seeped through every crevice of the tent, carrying a crisp coolness into the enclosed space.

Xiao Xihe got up and stretched her limbs. Stepping outside, she spotted two leftover dishes on the table.

Hmm, not the same ones from the morning. Seems the Demon Lord had handled dinner on his own too. Satisfied, Xiao Xihe curled her lips, cracked some eggs, whisked batter, and began making egg rolls.

Soon, the crispy, fragrant aroma lured its intended recipient.

Watching Xie Zhaixing take his usual seat at the table, Xiao Xihe beamed with joy. Now, when she looked at him, she no longer saw a scoundrel or a dangerous figure—but a free healthcare plan, a longevity-boosting artifact, a 24/7 beauty enhancer.

“Try it. It’s really delicious,” she said, trying to rein in her overwhelming enthusiasm.

Xie Zhaixing took a bite. Crispy, sweet, and fragrant—unlike anything he’d ever tasted before.

“How is it?” Xiao Xihe crouched beside his legs, gazing up at him with sparkling eyes.

Xie Zhaixing: “Passable.”

“If you like it, I’ll make it again tomorrow,” she replied with a gentle smile.

Xie Zhaixing paused.

“Anything else you’d like to eat? I’ll try my best to accommodate,” Xiao Xihe pressed further.

Xie Zhaixing: “…”

After a long silence, he slowly spoke, “Can you…”

“What?” Xiao Xihe looked at him expectantly.

“Act normal.”

“…Oh.”

Fifteen minutes later, Xiao Xihe tentatively spoke again, “Demon Lord, I was thinking…”

“You weren’t,” Xie Zhaixing cut her off.

“…Oh.”

Xiao Xihe suddenly felt disappointed. They say men are creatures driven by their lower halves—she thought that after having that kind of relationship, he might soften up a little. But no such luck.

What should she do now? Go back to the old way, working hard for thirty days just for one session? At that rate, it would take her over thirty years to fully detoxify. Thirty years… Xie Zhaixing would have already left Shady Valley by then! If she followed him, could she really live out the rest of her life in peace?

The more Xiao Xihe thought about it, the more despondent she became, her sorrow practically overflowing from her eyes.

Xie Zhaixing finally couldn’t take it anymore and spoke expressionlessly, “Just once.”

“Deal!” Xiao Xihe perked up instantly.