After Faking Her Death and Escaping, the Junior Sister Fell to the Demonic Path - Chapter 79

Powerful spiritual energy enveloped the two of them, and an extremely rich spiritual aura emanated from the entire cave.

The fire spiritual root in Qin Qingyi’s Dantian revealed an alluring crimson, like her tail, rising from her Dantian and gradually spreading to the spiritual meridians throughout her body, lighting them up one by one.

The same was true for Zhou Zhixue. The ice spiritual root snake, which usually coiled obediently on her wrist, drilled into the meridians beneath her wrist, and as it traveled, it also lit up her body with an ethereal blue light, like the constellations in the sky.

The spiritual energies of their spiritual roots intermingled, exchanging through their touching skin. Fire turned to ice, and ice replaced fire, exploring and traveling through the other’s body.

The ice spiritual root moved through Qin Qingyi’s meridians, observing curiously. It even crashed recklessly through some weak and fragile minor meridians, attempting to use its own power to widen those delicate meridian points.

Qin Qingyi let out a muffled groan of pain, unable to stop herself from clutching Zhou Zhixue’s sleeve. Fine beads of cold sweat even broke out on her forehead.

So painful…

The experience of having one’s meridians widened was not something everyone could have. She had already suffered once when her meridians were completely shattered, and now it was happening again!

Qin Qingyi grit her teeth in anger, vexed by the undisciplined ice spiritual root. She tried to use her own spiritual power to corner and intercept it, chasing it out of her body. For a time, they played a cat-and-mouse game, stirring up a storm in her Dantian and meridians.

But was Zhou Zhixue not enduring the torment of the fire spiritual root as well?

The fire spiritual root was even more domineering and aggressive than the ice spiritual root. It ran wild in her body like an untamed horse, almost torturing her to the point of passing out.

However, despite the pain, there were enormous benefits.

Not only could opposing spiritual roots temper the meridians, making them more resilient and able to accommodate more spiritual energy—which counted as body refinement—but the greater benefit was that, due to the intrusion of different spiritual roots, the spiritual energy outside was now rushing into their Dantians like crazy. Spiritual roots that were overly compatible with spiritual energy would do this; as soon as they became active, they would frantically absorb spiritual energy to strengthen themselves.

Red and blue intertwined, the fire and ice, mutually restraining yet mutually integrating, subtly corresponded to the Shen and Shang constellations in the heavens.

The moonlight descended in layers of tides, spreading between the constellations, ensuring that the two stars would remain forever in the sky.

In the cave, the collision of their spiritual energies, almost like breathing, gradually formed the image of the Taiji diagram with its Yin and Yang fish. The two of them were located within the ‘eyes’ of the diagram, intimately entangled and constantly interweaving.

Qin Qingyi’s rationality gradually returned, but the fusion of spiritual energy was not yet over. Even though she was sober, whether it ended or not was beyond her control.

However, at this moment, she could already control her spiritual power, so amidst the ebb and flow of the tide, she tried to use her still-dazed mind to control the movement of the spiritual power in her meridians.

Fortunately, the fire spiritual root was still under her control. With a simple lift of her hand, she called it back. The fire spiritual root obediently rested in Qin Qingyi’s palm before merging into her meridians and returning to her Dantian.

When the tide subsided, this intense coupling and cultivation finally concluded.

Qin Qingyi’s breathing was ragged. She placed her arm over her eyes, still not fully recovered.

As the spiritual energy gradually retreated to her Dantian, Qin Qingyi turned over, wanting a hug, but the person beside her abruptly pulled away, leaving Qin Qingyi with an empty embrace.

She gasped softly and opened her eyes, seeing that Zhou Zhixue was already fully dressed, her face expressionless. Qin Qingyi frowned slightly.

“Shimei, why—”

“Shijie,” Zhou Zhixue interrupted her, looking at her in the moonlight filtering into the cave. Her voice was flat, devoid of the clinging devotion she usually showed.

“It’s getting late. We should go back.”

After saying this, Zhou Zhixue even turned her back, no longer looking at Qin Qingyi, who was sprawled amongst a pile of clothes.

Zhou Zhixue’s neat attire made Qin Qingyi’s disheveled state stand out, and the contrast between the two, one dressed and one undressed, left Qin Qingyi momentarily unable to fully recover.

A sense of inexplicable loss suddenly arose in her heart.

Perhaps Shimei is just worried about a possible demon attack and wants to finish quickly… it’s a good thing.

Qin Qingyi comforted herself this way.

She quietly got up, tidied herself, and only approached the other person after getting dressed.

“Let’s go. We’ll go back.”

The two of them, one following the other, returned to Y崖shan (Cliff Mountain) quietly.

They did not alert anyone; not even the night guards noticed they had left.

However—

From that day on, Qin Qingyi noticed that her Shimei’s attitude toward her became increasingly peculiar.

If it were just coldness, that would be fine. Yet, beneath the coldness, there was a hint of care.

But if one were to think she was cold on the outside but warm on the inside, just bad at expressing herself, that would also be wrong. Qin Qingyi had once asked her about this, only to receive the reply: “Shijie is overthinking.”

It was more like a deliberate ignoring of her from Shimei.

Qin Qingyi wanted to investigate further, but Zhou Zhixue was uncooperative. As soon as she saw Qin Qingyi approaching, she would either distance herself or clam up, not speaking no matter how Qin Qingyi pressed her.

After several attempts, Qin Qingyi lost interest and was unwilling to keep doing thankless work.

However—

Every full moon, Zhou Zhixue would be like a different person, utterly tender towards her. But as soon as it was over, she would revert to her usual self.

It was like completing a task; as soon as it was done, she would leave without looking back.

This time, it was the same.

Qin Qingyi lay gasping on the bed, and the person beside her had already pulled away, now sitting at the foot of the bed, with her back to her.

This time, she didn’t leave immediately, though.

“What? Are you staying tonight?”

She chuckled softly, her voice carrying a hint of teasing.

It wasn’t that she genuinely wanted her to stay, but—

Thinking about how, after each instance of surging passion, the other party would immediately become polite and distant, Qin Qingyi felt particularly annoyed.

Zhou Zhixue turned her head, looking at Qin Qingyi, who was still lying in the messy bed, with a complicated expression.

The crimson fox tails swayed lazily, covering her naked body. Her black hair was scattered, and the crimson tails made her skin appear even fairer.

Catching sight of the mottled red marks on the fair skin, Zhou Zhixue awkwardly averted her gaze, looking down at the floor beneath the bed.

As she looked down, she saw two fox tails drooping down onto the floor beneath the bed, which was normal. But in the next second, the tips of those tails became active, softly and timidly inching toward her, casually brushing against her leg.

After staring for a while, Zhou Zhixue’s cheeks twitched, and her jawline tensed.

The next moment, she reached out and grasped the two tails that were stirring her heart.

“Shijie, stop messing around.”

Her voice was hoarse. Although it sounded relatively unemotional, Qin Qingyi could clearly see the hand, with its bulging veins, which was clearly not as calm as her words.

Shimei is restraining herself.

Realizing this, Qin Qingyi became playful.

The demon race was inherently untamed, and the repeated suppression of her nature had already made Qin Qingyi restless. Not to mention Shimei’s lukewarm attitude towards her during this period.

This hot-and-cold attitude greatly displeased her.

Now that she sensed the other party’s inner state was not as calm as she appeared, Qin Qingyi naturally wouldn’t let this good opportunity pass.

She propped up half her body and, following her own tail, stroked Zhou Zhixue’s hand. Her pale fingers lightly tapped on the back of the cool, restrained hand:

“Shimei…”

A sigh brushed past Zhou Zhixue’s ear. Qin Qingyi gently embraced her from behind. The overly close proximity caused Zhou Zhixue’s body to stiffen.

She and Shijie…

Had never been this intimate when sober.

Watching the person in front of her gradually quicken her breathing, Qin Qingyi bit her lip, naughtily sliding her hand under the collar of the other’s clothes, while her other hand casually untied Zhou Zhixue’s already fastened belt.

The facade of meticulous composure was torn away. Zhou Zhixue reached out, holding her breath, and struggled to maintain her composure as she asked the person behind her, “Shijie, do you know what you are doing?”

“Of course I know.”

Qin Qingyi raised an eyebrow, her movements becoming even more wanton.

Zhou Zhixue repeatedly closed her eyes in forbearance, but finally couldn’t hold back. She flipped over and pressed the trouble-making person beneath her. In her passionate eyes, there was a mix of grievance and desire.

But even at this point, she was still unwilling to hurt Qin Qingyi, only restraining herself again and again, waiting for permission.

Qin Qingyi naturally understood what she wanted, so she chuckled and kissed those thin lips.

“Shimei, Shijie needs you…”

The next day, Zhou Zhixue returned to her former clingy self.

Others didn’t notice anything, but Feng Ning cast several meaningful glances her way.

“Are you and your Shimei… doing well?”

Feng Ning finally couldn’t resist and sidled up to Qin Qingyi.

She wasn’t very familiar with Zhou Zhixue, or rather, Zhou Zhixue was not very familiar with anyone in the Sword Sect. She rarely interacted with the Sword Sect disciples, unlike the other several core disciples of Hidden Snow Peak, who were all friendly.

So, compared to Zhou Zhixue, Feng Ning was more willing to maintain a good relationship with Qin Qingyi.

Her question was vague, and a casual listener would not understand its deeper meaning.

Qin Qingyi understood, but she couldn’t share this matter with outsiders. She could only shake her head and remain silent.

Fortunately, Feng Ning didn’t get angry because of this. Instead, thinking of something, she suddenly changed the subject: “You are now at the Deification Stage cultivation. You are the earliest among our generation of disciples to reach the Deification Stage, having surpassed your extremely talented Shimei. Do you have any cultivation insights you can share with us?”

She lightly bumped Qin Qingyi with her shoulder, winking suggestively.

As soon as she said this, Qin Qingyi was about to decline, saying she had no insights, when she noticed several pairs of eyes looking over, all staring at her.

Qin Qingyi paused.

She suddenly remembered that at Y崖shan, she was indeed the only young cultivator of the disciple generation who had reached the Deification Stage. Now, in front of these various Heaven’s Favored from other sects, she was the undisputed—

Genius among geniuses.

Even her Shimei, whose reputation was currently soaring, had not yet entered the Deification Stage.

“Senior Sister Qin, please share. It would be great for us to hear how to break through that barrier.”

A female disciple from the Jade Void Sect leaned against the stone wall, flashing a brilliant smile at Qin Qingyi.

Qin Qingyi looked at her. She remembered her: the current Saintess of the Jade Void Sect, whose strength was just one step away from entering the Deification Stage.

If the Jade Void Sect were not inherently low-key, she would have been more popular than the two male disciples from the Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple and Kunwu Sect.

Seeing the interested glances cast around, Qin Qingyi knew she couldn’t escape.

She cleared her throat, a little embarrassed, and said, “I only managed to advance by accident; it’s really nothing worth taking credit for.”

Seeing that she hadn’t directly refused, cheering and jeering gradually erupted around her. Before long, they all gathered in a cluster around the bonfire, waiting for her to share her advancement insights.

Qin Qingyi couldn’t refuse, so she had to think about what she had gained on the day of her advancement.

But before she could speak, both her and Zhou Zhixue’s communication jades lit up simultaneously.

This was the internal communication channel exclusively for the five masters and disciples of their Hidden Snow Peak.

At this moment, the communication jade’s glow was blinking frantically. The communication jade would not do this unless it was an urgent matter.

Qin Qingyi paused in her movement but answered the communication first.

And from the communication jade, only Xie Su’s anxious and helpless voice came through—

“Senior Sister, Shizun is about to ascend!”