Wanxi Rebirth - Chapter 54

After hearing Yue Tingxi’s conclusion, Chan Ying felt that their previous conversation had been a complete case of talking past each other.

“Do I need to learn to love her?” she repeated through gritted teeth. “May I ask, in what attitude and in what identity are you saying this?”

“As an ally, treating an ally,” Yue Tingxi replied without hesitation.

“…Alright, so you really haven’t got a clue!” Chan Ying rolled her eyes. “Then you should clarify things to the little girl as soon as possible. Just tell her you’re only dual-cultivating as allies to achieve a common goal and plan—to improve each other’s cultivation, nothing personal. After the matter is over, you’ll stop.”

“I did intend that at first…” Yue Tingxi said cautiously, then quickly added, “But the more I think about it, the more it feels wrong.”

“What’s wrong?”

She already knew the answer: if it were any other person or any other demon as an ally, she wouldn’t cultivate with them.

And this wasn’t a matter of how well they got along or how long they had known each other—she just couldn’t articulate what this feeling really was.

“Alright, it’s not entirely clueless,” Chan Ying said, resting her chin on her hand. “If you intend to cultivate with the little girl for life and never cultivate with anyone else again, we have a term for that relationship: Dao Companion.”

Yue Tingxi: ?!

“But we’ve only dual-cultivated, nothing else!” she blurted. “That counts as a Dao Companion?!”

“Whether it counts is up to you two. From my perspective, you’ve been down the mountain less than two months, gone to a secret realm, and your relationship with the little girl is already close enough to dual-cultivate,” Chan Ying said confidently. “But… I do think she does have improper thoughts about you. She’s been attached to you since she was young, and you indulged her as she grew up. Naturally, she’d seize every opportunity to test you.”

“If you think you’re not Dao Companions or not suitable as Dao Companions, I still say: clarify it early. Otherwise, the same goes if it’s the other way around. Even if you’ve never had enmity or suffered natural disasters, we cultivators walk the path against the heavens from the start. Countless cultivators have perished under heavenly tribulation throughout history.”

“You’re about to undergo your Out-of-Body tribulation soon. Life and death are uncertain, accidents unpredictable. Don’t you want to spend a bit more time with the little girl before your breakthrough?”

Yue Tingxi had just reminded the little girl yesterday that “growing a mouth means speaking up.” She didn’t expect her old friend to give the same advice this morning. She clicked her tongue and tried to avoid the topic: “I’m going to survive, of course!”

Chan Ying laughed, then withdrew the barrier and left. She didn’t linger or say anything to Qin Suoliu, only giving advice on healing after her injuries, then took her leave.

Yue Tingxi and Qin Suoliu were left sitting silently, still digesting their conversation.

Qin Suoliu wanted to ask what Chan Ying had said—was it about her body, or had she already discovered something and was questioning her? But asking directly would be rude, so she inquired gently: “May I ask about Sister Chan Ying?”

Yue Tingxi: …

“Of course. What do you want to know?” she replied, pretending ignorance while anticipating Qin Suoliu’s question.

“When Sister Chan Ying checked me, could she detect that I had more than just fire spiritual energy in my body?” Qin Suoliu carefully chose her words.

A silence fell between them.

“Honestly, yes,” Yue Tingxi finally confessed. “So… she already knows we’ve dual-cultivated.”

“Then… what did she think of using this method to heal me?” Qin Suoliu deliberately redirected to the purpose of their dual cultivation.

“…She didn’t really mention anything,” Yue Tingxi said, realizing Chan Ying had not addressed that point. “If she didn’t say much, it means it’s feasible.”

Qin Suoliu accepted this answer and started pondering—should she take this opportunity to discuss the relationship between Dao Companion and dual cultivation with Yue Tingxi?

But how exactly should she bring it up?

According to Chan Ying: non-Dao Companions shouldn’t dual-cultivate; if you can dual-cultivate, you must be Dao Companions.

Should she tell Yue Tingxi that because her ally is the little girl, she instinctively overlooked this principle?

Then she pondered why only the little girl is allowed, and no one else. It was the first time Yue Tingxi faced such a dilemma, and she felt her mind was running out of space.

“Since it’s feasible, why are you troubled?” Qin Suoliu asked.

Yue Tingxi had no choice but to make up an excuse: “I’m… worried about how to explain our current relationship to old friends.”

She borrowed the little girl’s tact.

Qin Suoliu considered: “Yes, if we tell them we’re merely allies and comrades-in-arms, they certainly wouldn’t believe it.”

“Why not?” Yue Tingxi perked up.

Qin Suoliu didn’t continue, looking down in thought. She wanted to explain, but since they hadn’t defined their emotional relationship, she figured it was best to test Yue Tingxi’s attitude first.

She asked: “Sister Tingxi, what’s your impression of me, aside from being an ally?”

“Little liar, little fox spirit.”

After thinking, Yue Tingxi felt this description was apt.

“…I accept the first, but the latter?” Qin Suoliu was stunned.

“You humans often portray fox spirits as seductresses, capable of ensnaring souls with just a smile. That’s how I see you.”

“I haven’t ensnared anyone’s soul!” Qin Suoliu hurriedly defended herself, her heart racing.

“You got mine,” Yue Tingxi murmured.

Qin Suoliu froze for a few seconds, then realized what she had heard. Yue Tingxi, embarrassed, muttered, “I’ll go cultivate now,” and blushed as she activated a teleportation talisman to the tribulation platform.

She escaped too quickly for Qin Suoliu to follow, leaving her both amused and exasperated.

Having understood Sister Tingxi’s attitude, Qin Suoliu roughly knew what to do next. But she couldn’t rush over yet; Yue Tingxi needed time to adjust. The best strategy was to wait until Yue Tingxi wondered, “I’ve made it clear, so why hasn’t she come to talk to me?”

She patiently waited three days.

During these three days, Yue Tingxi continued her usual cultivation at the spirit spring without waking her, claiming: “Your injuries just healed, you should rest, or Chan Ying will scold me again.”

It seemed reasonable, and Qin Suoliu assumed Yue Tingxi was oblivious. She rested, tended to Bifang Egg, and cultivated quietly, maintaining their nightly dual cultivation.

She noticed Yue Tingxi hadn’t slept even once in those three days, perhaps to catch up on cultivation or out of worry that her snake tail might touch her while sleeping.

Yue Tingxi realized what it felt like to be constantly on edge despite nothing changing. Initially, she worried Qin Suoliu would ask, then gradually settled, only to start wondering on the third day why she hadn’t.

Unable to bear it any longer, late on the third night, Yue Tingxi leaned close and whispered, “What… do you want to do with me in the future?”

The nightly dual cultivation had been gentle. Qin Suoliu, immersed in the cool spring, responded lightly: “If I can spend every day and night with you, I’d be very willing.”

Then Yue Tingxi asked, “What kind of relationship should we have… to always be together like this?”

This was a perfect opportunity. If seized, she might convince Yue Tingxi to become her Dao Companion.

But Qin Suoliu thought of how Yue Tingxi and the people of Qingyu Mountain evaluated her: “little liar.”

A lie might deceive temporarily, but not for a lifetime. She took a deep breath:

“If Sister Tingxi only means living and cultivating together, friends are enough.”

“But if dual cultivation is included, and there’s mutual support in all aspects, humans require a title, a convincing reason. We call that being ‘Dao Companions.’”

“Once in such a relationship, it’s not easy to part ways. Aligning with a celestial sect means sharing authority and interests. Even if one wants to leave, consent from the sect elders is needed.”

“Even if leaving formally, reputations could be maliciously tarnished. It’s possible to defend against this, but it consumes enormous energy—they’re like water gourds: push one down, another floats up.”

Hearing this, Yue Tingxi felt embarrassed. The little girl’s delay in responding was because she had considered the burdens of such a relationship and only explained the human world’s risks when asked.

“I won’t leave,” Qin Suoliu whispered. “I just… don’t know what criteria, beyond dual cultivation, make one a Dao Companion.”

“In fact, dual cultivation alone doesn’t qualify someone as a Dao Companion,” she admitted. “In the mortal realm, there are pleasure houses and chaotic demon worlds. Many demons are mortal enemies—‘make hate,’ then fight to the death, or even devour each other.”

She paused. “Sister Tingxi needn’t overthink. Mutual consent, no title—what’s wrong with cultivating together?”

Humans often insist on defining a close relationship with a title. Qin Suoliu had always disliked her father arranging a marriage. The marriage with Lian Chaoyao had to be carefully dissolved to minimize losses, but it was interrupted by an invader’s possession.

Thus, Qin Suoliu didn’t worry about becoming a Dao Companion now.

Yue Tingxi, however, felt even more confused by the little girl’s proposal.

…This contradicts what Chan Ying said, right?

Since it was a matter between Yue Tingxi and the little girl, it only mattered that both were comfortable.

The little girl had outlined the restrictions of Dao Companions, and Yue Tingxi’s understanding was that Qin Suoliu didn’t want the relationship.

Then they would just continue dual cultivation.

If the Qin family didn’t welcome her, she could return to Qingyu Mountain—it was her true home. The Qin Mansion was temporary, and she had to hide her identity in public, which was restrictive.

As dawn approached, thunder seemed to roll faintly from the clouds.

Yue Tingxi, drying Qin Suoliu’s hair, wondered if they had truly clarified their relationship. By Chan Ying’s standards, perhaps not—but at least they understood the best way to be together.

Suddenly, Yue Tingxi felt something soft brush against her.

Her face tingled, her body stiffened, but a wave of happiness rose in her heart.

She reciprocated. Looking up, she saw the soft, wet thing touching her, reminding her of feeding Qin Suoliu water spiritual energy a few days ago. That time, she had been both anxious and irritated, and forgot the sensation.

She tentatively touched it… then it escalated.

Holding the little girl’s nape, she noticed Qin Suoliu moving strangely—tracing a snake pattern on her arm. Yue Tingxi considered it harmless and indulged her, inserting the snake pattern inside.

Faint swallowing sounds reached her ear, fingers tightly gripping her arm, causing her to frown slightly. She pulled Qin Suoliu into her embrace.

A Qingyu Mountain resident, seeing through the barrier with her spiritual awareness, witnessed this scene. Fortunately, she had reason to interrupt and did so after a moment.

“Ancestor? Are you looking for me?” Yue Tingxi poked her head out.

“Your tribulation is imminent. Don’t you feel it? Listen—thunder is rolling.”

Yue Tingxi: ??

Checking her cultivation, she found her realm close to breakthrough. The tribulation was already arriving.

“I’m about to undergo tribulation?” she asked, incredulous.

The ancestor ignored her and handed over a storage bracelet made of lightning-struck wood. Seeing Yue Tingxi hurriedly take it, she said:

“Work hard, and you can break through today. If unprepared, slow down and don’t cultivate too diligently.”

Yue Tingxi understood without being told which stage was meant.

After the ancestor left, she returned to the barrier, caressing the bracelet, nervous: “I really am not ready…”

But the timing was right. She would push her cultivation and anticipate the tribulation, as she had done daily.

“Can’t I help you?” Qin Suoliu asked. “I’ve checked—the ‘heavenly cause and effect’ isn’t limited to demons. Mortal tribulation requires settling worldly cause. I’ll stay far away and won’t enter the thunder area.”

“Out-of-Body tribulation isn’t that high a stage…”

As soon as she finished, a brilliant lightning bolt split the sky.

“I said it’s only Out-of-Body tribulation, so no problem,” Yue Tingxi thought. She wasn’t afraid of extra cause and effect with the little girl but worried the lightning might harm her. She planned to use the recently developed method with the Savior Scales to shield her if needed.

Her spiritual awareness extended into golden spiritual energy, just enough to understand the Savior Scales’ elemental alignment. It seemed to be a natural extension of heavenly principles, possibly able to confront the tribulation.

After explaining everything to Qin Suoliu, Yue Tingxi, with nothing else to do, immersed herself in the spring for one final cultivation push, preparing for breakthrough and tribulation.

Her mind was focused solely on reaching Out-of-Body, one part of her awareness monitoring the lightning, the other tracking her nascent spirit.

After forming the nascent spirit, it retained the shape of a small snake in the embryo, its true form. She noticed it trying to break out of the shell.

Qin Suoliu didn’t idle either, using the gray moth as a conduit to refine nearby spiritual energy, quietly aiding Yue Tingxi. The gray moth also observed the small snake, helping thin the nascent spirit’s outer shell and assimilate the spiritual energy inside.

Time passed. By sunrise, storm clouds gathered over Qingyu Mountain, arcs of electricity cutting through.

Some elder demons canceled their exercises, returning to their nests.

“Who’s undergoing tribulation this time?”

“I heard it’s Sister Tingxi!”

“Eh?! But Mother said not to imitate Sister Tingxi—she’s lazy and took centuries to reach Nascent Spirit…”

“Don’t believe it? We’ll ask Sister Chan Ying and Aunt Yun Ruan after the storm!”

As the nascent spirit’s shell thinned like paper, Yue Tingxi ceased cultivation, preparing to head to the tribulation platform before overtraining.

Standing up from the spring, her dantian swelled as her nascent spirit impatiently prepared to break through.

She dried her hair and clothes and prepared a talisman for teleportation when Qin Suoliu held her hand.

“Take me with you!” Qin Suoliu pleaded. “I want to see your tribulation. I’ll stay far away and won’t enter the thunder zone!”

Seeing this, Yue Tingxi realized even if she refused, Qin Suoliu would approach anyway, possibly in greater danger.

She placed her in the inner chamber, then teleported to the tribulation platform.

As soon as she appeared, a purple lightning bolt struck, circling the platform at incredible speed, forming an electric arc barrier.

“…Can’t I send you outside the range?” Yue Tingxi instinctively asked Qin Suoliu.

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