After Cutting Off Love And Emotions, I Was Pestered By The Demon Sect’s Enchantress - Chapter 12

Zhuoyan Mountain Range (II)

“Ah?” A-Xu was stunned for a moment, but she quickly realized the reason and gave a light laugh. “Oh, I see.”

Yue Xu said, “I clean this room frequently. There is no dust, so please rest here with peace of mind.”

A-Xu nodded. “Mm, thank you, Miss Yue.” After speaking, she spread out the bedding and began tidying the bed.

Zhu Shengxi walked to her side and handed her a Cleansing Talisman. A-Xu couldn’t help but look puzzled, saying, “Miss Yue just said the room is very clean.”

Zhu Shengxi’s gaze fell upon her hair as she reminded her, “There are wood shavings in your hair from when the celestial boat shattered.”

Hearing this, A-Xu’s expression froze. She instinctively touched her hair, and looking at her palm, there truly were a few wood shavings.

“Why are you only saying this now?” A-Xu’s tone held a hint of dissatisfaction as she took the Cleansing Talisman. In an instant, the debris was cleared away.

It was always herself being teased by the other; this was the first time she had seen this person caught off guard. Watching A-Xu’s annoyed expression, a very faint smile appeared on the corners of Zhu Shengxi’s lips.

A-Xu said crossly, “What are you laughing at? If I hadn’t blocked it, you would have wood shavings on you too.” Pausing, she looked at Zhu Shengxi suspiciously and asked:

“You didn’t intentionally withhold the reminder just to wait and see me make a fool of myself, did you?”

Zhu Shengxi pulled back her smile. “I am not as bored as you.”

A-Xu gave a light huff and pointed toward the bed. “Get on the bed. I will help you heal your injuries.”

Zhu Shengxi’s expression was calm. She walked over and sat cross-legged on the bed, her back turned toward A-Xu.

The person behind her did not move for a long time. Just as Zhu Shengxi was beginning to wonder, she heard her soft voice: “Take off your outer robe.”

The moment these words were uttered, A-Xu’s sharp eyes noticed the other woman’s hand resting by the side of the bed instantly tighten. She was clearly conflicted. The two fell into silence. Under the strange atmosphere, A-Xu felt somewhat awkward and was just thinking of offering a few words of persuasion when she suddenly saw that fair hand begin to slowly untie the belt at her waist.

A-Xu immediately lowered her eyes and averted her gaze. “You don’t need to feel embarrassed. It’s not the first time you’ve removed your outer robe in front of me anyway.”

“Shut up.” Hearing her words, Zhu Shengxi’s movements came to an abrupt halt as she scolded in a low voice.

Sensing her irritation, A-Xu knew her words were inappropriate again and immediately fell silent.

Zhu Shengxi silently recited the Heart-Clearing Incantation in her mind, forcing herself to calm down.

It is just healing, and besides, there is still the inner garment after the outer robe is removed.

Her movements were composed and unhurried. The plain-colored outer robe was shed, revealing a thin white inner garment.

“Begin,” Zhu Shengxi said in a quiet voice.

A-Xu murmured an “mm” and lightly gathered her ink-like hair, pulling it over to her left shoulder. Unintentionally, she caught a glimpse of that section of snow-white nape. A-Xu’s gaze wavered, and she lowered her eyes once more.

In the quiet night, only the sound of their breathing remained—deep and shallow, as if the breaths wanted to entwine.

The breathing of the person behind her was noticeably disordered. Zhu Shengxi knitted her brows and urged through gritted teeth, “It is merely healing; what are you hesitating for?”

“No… I’m not hesitating.” A-Xu gave a light cough. Spiritual power gathered in her palms as she pressed them against Zhu Shengxi’s back.

Perhaps due to her cultivation of fire-attribute techniques, A-Xu’s palms were burning hot. The moment they touched her, Zhu Shengxi’s body trembled involuntarily.

A-Xu sensed her discomfort but didn’t know the cause. After a moment’s hesitation, she leaned close to Zhu Shengxi’s ear and asked softly, “Is it uncomfortable?”

That familiar sweet fragrance drew a few inches closer with her movement. Zhu Shengxi tilted her head, facing the other way, doing her utmost to ignore her proximity.

Feeling Zhu Shengxi’s silent resistance, A-Xu was stunned for a moment, then silently pulled back the distance between them. She circulated her fire-attribute technique, and the spiritual power in her palms merged into the other’s meridians, purging the cold poison bit by bit.

A warm current flooded through her limbs and bones. A moment later, Zhu Shengxi let out a muffled groan and coughed up a mouthful of black blood. She then fell backward, losing her strength. A-Xu caught her shoulders in time, her gaze landing on her face with unidentifiable emotions.

“A portion of the cold poison has been purged. How do you feel?”

Zhu Shengxi kept her eyes half-closed and only said, “Thank you.”

A-Xu half-embraced her, her hand supporting her thin shoulders. A few strands of cool hair rested against A-Xu’s wrist, bringing a slight itching sensation.

Zhu Shengxi was still somewhat weak at this moment, almost entirely leaning against A-Xu. She propped herself up on the bed, wanting to sit up, but her shoulder was held firmly.

Zhu Shengxi looked at A-Xu with confusion. Those eyes were still clear and bright, yet they held other emotions now. A-Xu met her gaze and said softly, “There is blood on the corner of your lips.”

Zhu Shengxi didn’t think much of it. “It’s fine, I will later…” Before she could finish, she saw A-Xu take out a clean handkerchief and gently wipe the blood from her lips.

The gentle feeling against her lips felt somewhat familiar. Back when she had first boarded the celestial boat and was unconscious, it seemed this person had also wiped the blood from her lips then.

“There.” A-Xu retracted her hand, but the white handkerchief was lightly caught by Zhu Shengxi.

“I will return it to you after I wash it clean.” Seeing her blank expression, Zhu Shengxi explained in a quiet voice.

A-Xu murmured an “mm” and let go, then retreated to the other end of the bed. Zhu Shengxi didn’t look at her again, tidying her outer robe and tying the belt on her own.

The person behind her hadn’t made a sound for a long time. After a moment of silence, Zhu Shengxi spoke again: “Thank you.”

A-Xu kept her eyes lowered, her expression carrying a hint of grievance. “Do you dislike me that much?”

Zhu Shengxi didn’t understand how she had reached that conclusion. She said calmly, “I do not.”

“Then why did you look so displeased the moment I got close earlier, as if… you were very repulsed by me?”

Zhu Shengxi knew in her heart that her avoidance wasn’t for that reason. Just as she was about to explain, she heard A-Xu say in a low voice: “What you are thinking is correct; I indeed practice some heterodox arts, but that was out of necessity. I once went to participate in the entry trials of various sects. They all looked down on me because I wasn’t from a noble clan and had no one to recommend me. During the final trial, someone pushed me off a cliff. Although I kept my life, a scar was left on my forearm.”

As she spoke, A-Xu rolled up her left sleeve. On her jade-white forearm was a five-inch-long scar, looking extremely out of place.

While listening to her recount these things, Zhu Shengxi still had some doubts, trying to discern in her heart whether the words were true or false. But when she truly saw that startling scar, all of Zhu Shengxi’s thoughts came to a sudden halt. Suddenly, she was unwilling to speculate about her anymore.

A-Xu caught the flash of shock in Zhu Shengxi’s eyes. Her voice dropped even lower. “Back at the Sulu clan, you never believed me. I know you are repulsed by me to the extreme. It’s just that I promised to cure your cold poison. Once it is gone, I absolutely will not pester you.”

Hearing A-Xu say she would no longer pester her, she should have felt relieved and happy. However, this person had insisted on revealing an old scar so recklessly before saying those words. Because of this, she didn’t feel relieved; instead, her heart felt inexplicably heavy.

Zhu Shengxi walked back to the edge of the bed, her gaze falling on the scar on A-Xu’s forearm.

A-Xu intentionally shrank back toward the inner side of the bed, seemingly unwilling to have the scar looked at so clearly.

“Don’t look,” her voice was slightly hoarse.

Zhu Shengxi’s lips moved, but she didn’t know what to say.

A-Xu still had her eyelids lowered when suddenly, a small emerald-green bottle swayed into her vision. A-Xu looked up at Zhu Shengxi and asked in confusion, “What is this?”

Zhu Shengxi placed the small bottle in her palm and said quietly, “Medicine. It can remove scars.”

“This isn’t an ordinary spirit medicine, is it? Isn’t it a waste to give it to a cultivator like me who practices heterodox arts?” Even as A-Xu said this, her hand had already opened the little green bottle, looking at it curiously.

Zhu Shengxi: “I have many such medicines. It is no matter to give you one bottle.”

A-Xu gave a fake smile. “So that’s how it is. Then I shall accept it with a clear conscience.”

Zhu Shengxi gave an “mm” and walked toward the other side of the room. Seeing her movement, A-Xu frowned slightly and called out to her: “Zhu Shengxi.”

“Are you still going to meditate and cultivate tonight?”

“Cultivation must not be neglected. I am like this every day.” Zhu Shengxi’s tone was flat, as if she were stating something perfectly normal.

A-Xu propped her chin in her hand and looked at her. “Too much is as bad as too little; haven’t you heard that? Although your spiritual power has mostly recovered, due to the influence of the secret technique, your spiritual power will be unstable for the next few days. It is best not to over-cultivate.”

Hearing this, Zhu Shengxi pondered, her face showing a difficult expression. Seeing this, A-Xu let out a sigh, flipped off the bed, walked to her side, and pulled her back to the edge of the bed. “Believe me for once. Get some proper rest.”

“It is not that I don’t believe you. If I am lazy and don’t cultivate tonight, I fear I will inevitably become habitually slothful.”

A-Xu: “…”

She gave Zhu Shengxi a helpless look. “Are all of you people from the Guiyun Sect like this, with nothing but cultivation in your hearts?”

Zhu Shengxi said calmly, “I am not sure about the situation of others.”

A-Xu looked out the window. It was roughly midnight. She lay back down on the bed. “Fine, whatever you want. I’m going to sleep.”

After speaking, A-Xu closed her eyes, but she sensed Zhu Shengxi standing by the bed without leaving. After a long while, she heard the woman ask in a low voice: “Do you know what Miss Yue meant by what she said during the day?”

A-Xu lifted an eyelid. “What words?”

“It’s what she said… that she and Miss Zhiruo are not biological sisters.”

“Is there a problem with those words? She was likely just speaking the truth.”

Zhu Shengxi shook her head. “I am not saying she is a problem, I…” She looked like she wanted to say more but hesitated. A-Xu glanced at the color of the sky outside and had lost her patience.

“I’m going to sleep. If you have something to say, say it quickly.”

Zhu Shengxi knitted her brows, puzzled. “I want to ask, since they aren’t biological sisters, why can they still share a bed?”

A-Xu’s eyes widened, and she looked at her in astonishment. “You actually didn’t guess it at all?”

Seeing her shocked expression, Zhu Shengxi pondered for a moment. Suddenly, a thought flashed through her mind.

“Miss Zhiruo and Miss Yue are Dao companions?”

Truly obtuse to the extreme, A-Xu complained inwardly. Suddenly, a plan formed in her mind; she wanted to tease this person.

“Actually, even if they share a bed, they aren’t necessarily Dao companions.”

Sure enough, hearing this, Zhu Shengxi looked at A-Xu in confusion. “How could that be?”

A-Xu pressed her lips into a smile and leaned in front of her, her eyes lively and carrying a hint of mischief as she asked:

“If sharing a bed makes people Dao companions, then… Fellow Daoist Zhu and I, what exactly is our relationship?”