When a Yandere Cannon Fodder Meets a Dark, Twisted Villain - Chapter 61

An hour later, the surging spiritual rhythm brought about by the breakthrough in cultivation gradually calmed. Above the bamboo hut, the cyclone of spiritual energy slowly dispersed.

Inside the house, Shi Yining and Shu Mo did not separate. Instead, they took advantage of the dual fusion of soul and spiritual power to remain pressed against each other for a long time, their fingers interlaced and their dark hair entwined.

It was only when the spiritual light around them was completely withdrawn into their bodies that they stood up together.

After a moment’s thought, Shi Yining lightly raised her hand. A flicker of spiritual light appeared at her fingertips, and she fetched an object from her storage ring, placing it on the empty floor of the room.

Shumo’s gaze shifted; where her eyes landed, water vapor began to swirl.

Before long, a small, exquisite hot spring manifested. The spring water was crystal clear, with tendrils of steam rising lazily.

“This is…”

“A magic treasure from the sect’s Treasure Pavilion. Although its function is singular, it is rare to see, so I exchanged contribution points for it. It happens to be useful now.”

Shi Yining stepped into the pool first. The warm spring water instantly enveloped her, flowing over every inch of her skin.

The sound of splashing water reached her ears, and in the next instant, a pair of jade-like hands circled her waist. Shu Mo followed her into the hot spring, pressing tightly against her.

Feeling the unprecedented, overflowing power after her advancement, Shi Yining’s eyes filled with a smile.

“It truly is unexpected… to actually break through two minor stages in a row, advancing directly from the early stage of the Great Ascension realm to the late stage…”

To her, such progress was truly astonishing.

Before the calamity of the Demon Realm, her strength was only at the Golden Core perfection stage. It was only because Shumo, in a moment of peril, transformed her entire cultivation into a Nine-Turn True Profound Pill and fed it to her that her cultivation skyrocketed.

The higher the realm, the more difficult it is to advance. Her master once said that in the Great Ascension realm, every small step forward requires long years of effort. Yet, they had achieved their goal in a matter of days.

If she hadn’t experienced it herself, it would be hard to believe.

The warm waves of water rippled gently. Shu Mo held the person in her arms with a smile in her eyes. She raised her hand, her fingertips gently brushing away a strand of wet hair clinging to her lover’s neck. Her movements were tender.

“There is actually a secret key to that dual cultivation method that wasn’t explicitly stated.”

Shi Yining’s eyebrows arched slightly, showing a hint of curiosity. “What kind of key?”

“At the end of the secret manual, there is a hint: the effectiveness of this method does not rely solely on the fusion of spiritual power, but is more dependent on the degree of mental and spiritual harmony between the practitioners. In other words, the more the two hearts are in sync, the more significant the boost to one’s realm.”

When Shu Mo said this, her gentle gaze remained fixed on Shi Yining’s face. Watching her beloved’s eyes widen slightly in surprise, the smile in the depths of her eyes deepened.

“Our ability to advance so quickly proves that we trust each other completely.”

This trust was not born overnight. It was forged through multiple life-and-death situations, the resolution of all misunderstandings, and an unreserved entrustment to one another.

Shi Yining did not speak again. In the hot spring, the two held hands tightly. The heat from the water rose bit by bit, and beneath the misty vapor, another round of entanglement was about to begin…

Morning rose and evening set; in the blink of an eye, ten days had passed.

On this day, the four people and the one fox gathered in front of the bamboo hut to share the gains they had made over the past few days.

Shi Yining received thirty Heavenly Sorrow Beads crafted by Ruo Ying, ten bottles of pills refined by Ruonian, and various natural treasures scavenged by the little fox.

As for the talismans she made herself and the formation disks and flags made by Shumo, besides those distributed to the Ruo sisters and the little fox, the rest were held jointly by them, without distinction.

Just after the hour of Wei (1:00 PM – 3:00 PM), the peaceful atmosphere within the Taixuan Dao Realm was shattered by a sudden, muffled boom.

That sound did not ring in the ears; rather, it felt like it vibrated directly within the depths of the soul. Immediately following, the solid ground beneath their feet abruptly vanished, replaced by a void-like feeling of weightlessness.

Shi Yining and Shu Mo gripped each other’s hands, fingers tightly locked. A massive and irresistible teleportation force completely enveloped them, and a sense of dizziness instantly flooded their consciousness.

It seemed like only a moment, yet also like a long time passed, before their feet landed on solid ground again.

The scent of slightly damp earth mixed with the fragrance of vegetation reached their noses. Shi Yining steadied herself and immediately looked sideways at her companion.

Shu Mo was still by her side; the grip on their interlaced hands had not loosened in the slightest.

Her gaze swept across the surroundings. As far as the eye could see, there were only plants and rocks. There was no sign of Ruo Ying’s vibrant red dress, nor could she find Ruonian or the little fox, Huying.

Clearly, the teleportation force upon leaving the Taixuan Dao Realm did not send them back together but scattered them randomly.

Shi Yining sighed softly, “I hope they are safe.”

Shu Mo comforted her softly, “They each have their own means. As long as they weren’t teleported directly in front of the Demon Lord, protecting themselves won’t be a problem. The priority now is to find out where we are.”

Shi Yining nodded lightly. She quickly scanned the surroundings with her divine sense to confirm there was no immediate danger, then began to observe the environment intently.

This place seemed to be the edge of a mountain forest. Looking closely, the spiritual energy flowed in an orderly fashion, faintly carrying a sense of familiarity.

Her gaze swept across the distant mountain ridges. After a moment, a flash of joy suddenly lit up her eyes.

“Mo’er, look at the trend of these mountains and the flow of spiritual energy here. If I’m not mistaken, this should be a branch of power about two hundred miles southeast of the Xuanqing Sect!”

At the same moment she spoke, Shu Mo noticed it too and nodded with a smile.

Just as Shi Yining’s voice fell, before they could discuss their next move, a clear voice filled with surprise and disbelief suddenly called out from a distant path.

“Senior Sister!”

Shi Yining turned her head abruptly. She saw a young girl in a green dress lifting her skirts, running toward her as swiftly as a light-footed bird.

It was her junior sister, Yu Chang.

As she reached them, Yushang’s eyes were already filled with tears. “Senior Sister! It’s really you… woo… Senior Sister is finally back!”

The girl wept with joy, wanting nothing more than to throw herself into her senior sister’s arms immediately.

That was quite a reunion! It seems things are moving fast between Shi Yining and Shumo, but now the arrival of the “little junior sister” might stir the pot a bit.

As that blue-clad figure drew closer, brimming with unreserved dependence and affection, warmth surged in Shi Yining’s heart. Just as she was about to step forward, the person beside her was faster, taking a subtle half-step forward and perfectly intercepting the path between her and Yushang.

Shu Mo didn’t make any other move; she simply stood there quietly, yet a cold, aloof aura that warned “strangers keep away” wordlessly radiated from her.

Yushang stumbled, her forward momentum coming to an abrupt halt.

She stared blankly at this woman who had suddenly come between them—a woman of peerless beauty but icy demeanor. She then glanced at her Senior Sister, who was being vaguely shielded behind Shu Mo. Her heart full of joy felt as though it had crashed into an invisible wall, slowly turning into confusion and bewilderment.

“Senior Sister…”

When she spoke again, her voice was much lower, tinged with obvious grievance.

By now, Shi Yining had noticed Shumo’s seemingly calm but secretly turbulent possessiveness—a protective instinct that had become almost second nature.

Feeling both helpless and amused, she gently squeezed Shumo’s palm to soothe her. She then stepped to the side, offering a gentle smile to her stunned junior sister.

“Yushang, it’s me. I’m back.”

Tears welled in the girl’s eyes; she desperately wanted to throw herself into those warm arms. However… upon meeting that other pair of icy eyes, Yushang instinctively shuddered.

Having not seen her for over half a month, Shu Mo seemed even more terrifying in her eyes than before.

In the past, she might have secretly complained to her Senior Sister and tried to persuade her to stay away from this Young Sect Master of the Yuehua Sect. But… things were different now. She couldn’t do that. She knew it was Shu Mo who had risked her life, venturing alone into the Demon Realm to save her Senior Sister.

Shu Mo had done her Senior Sister a great kindness, making her Yushang’s benefactor as well. She could not return kindness with ingratitude.

Yushang quickly wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes.

“After you were taken to the Demon Realm, Master has been gathering people to attack. But for some reason, the barrier surrounding the Demon Realm has become more than twice as strong as before. We’ve tried everything, but we can’t break through… These past days, Master and the sect elders, along with the seniors from the Yuehua and Qishan sects, have been constantly trying new methods, but with little success.”

At the mention of her Master, the joy of reunion in Shi Yining’s eyes quietly faded, replaced by guilt.

She had been away for so long with no word, facing life and death in the interim. Her soul lamp remained in the sect to reflect her status; since the lamp must have been unstable frequently, her Master was surely worried sick.

“Little Junior Sister, is Master at the sect right now?”

Yushang shook her head slowly and explained quickly, “Master isn’t at the sect. He’s at Wuyou Forest at the junction of the three sects—near the old Jiuchong Abyss area—discussing ways to deal with the Demon Realm with seniors from the other two sects. If you want to go there, let’s go together!”

“Alright,” Shi Yining nodded without hesitation.

Knowing her Master’s exact whereabouts, she naturally had to go pay her respects immediately.

Shu Mo did not speak. Although she wanted Yining’s gaze to stay on her forever, she was not unreasonable; she simply stayed silently by her lover’s side.

Seeing her follow along, Yushang felt a bit uneasy at first, but seeing her Senior Sister’s composed expression, she gradually relaxed.

To reach Wuyou Forest as quickly as possible, Shi Yining did not intentionally suppress her spiritual power.

Yushang’s heart was focused on her Senior Sister, mostly watching her expressions and gestures, so she hadn’t noticed much else. Now that they were rushing, she was horrified to realize that the aura radiating from her Senior Sister was unfathomable—far beyond what it used to be.

In that instant, the girl’s eyes widened in disbelief. Her voice trembled with extreme shock.

“Senior Sister… you… you’ve reached the Great Ascension realm?!”

Such a speed of cultivation progress was simply mind-blowing, transcending everything she knew.

Seeing her junior sister almost speechless with shock, Shi Yining couldn’t help but smile.

She wasn’t boastful; instead, she looked tenderly at her beloved, a clear affection rippling in her eyes. “This surge in strength is all thanks to Mo’er.”

The words were simple, but they explained everything.

Yushang followed her sister’s gaze and saw that when the frost-like fairy faced her Senior Sister, the coldness around her vanished completely.

She froze for a moment.

Shumo… had truly changed a lot. Perhaps Yushang had never truly understood her. Since she was willing to sacrifice herself to save her Senior Sister, perhaps there really were misunderstandings in the past…

At this moment, the last of Yushang’s prejudices against Shu Mo began to dissolve.

She took a deep breath, suppressed her wandering thoughts, and looked at her Senior Sister with a genuine, bright smile.

“I see. Then this counts as a blessing in disguise. Congratulations, Senior Sister, on your massive gain in strength!”

There was a hint of closure in her words.

Yushang knew the gap between her and her Senior Sister was growing wider. Her Senior Sister already had a soulmate by her side. From now on, they could only ever be sisters of the same sect, and nothing more.

That vague, indefinable affection was thoroughly buried away, never to be shown again.

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