When the Immortal Venerable Picked-Up the Demon Cub - Chapter 18

“Of course. Cultivators are bound to get hurt, so medicine is essential for us,” Zhu Ning said, her gaze fixed on the blue markings on the ground. Wherever the blue markings touched the herbs, they bloomed with a fleeting blue light.

Though the light vanished in an instant, it felt like an eternity.

With only Lin Xiayan beside her, Zhu Ning tugged at her sleeve, pointing excitedly at the glowing herbs. “Look, it’s so beautiful.”

“Yes, it is beautiful,” Lin Xiayan replied, her eyes not on the ground but elsewhere, her mind perhaps on a different kind of beauty.

Zhu Ning didn’t meet her gaze. She slowly crouched down to examine the herbs more closely, her long black hair cascading down as she watched them thrive. They seemed to be growing not in this frozen wasteland, but in the warmth of spring.

Suddenly, Zhu Ning remembered the wound on her left shoulder. Almost unconsciously, she reached out to touch it through her clothes. This small movement didn’t escape Lin Xiayan’s notice.

Without a word, Lin Xiayan cast a Magical Technique. Zhu Ning’s left shoulder sleeve slid effortlessly down her arm, revealing the skin beneath.

Fortunately, the herb garden wasn’t cold. Zhu Ning’s only feeling was embarrassment, her face flushing crimson instantly. But Lin Xiayan is a woman too, she thought. Why am I so shy?

Zhu Ning’s shoulders were fair and lovely, almost flawless except for the jagged scar that marred their perfection. Beneath her skin, faint blue veins were visible, making one afraid to touch her too firmly.

Lin Xiayan forced herself to look away after only a moment. With a light tap of her finger, a medicinal herb was uprooted from the ground. Just as Zhu Ning, puzzled and even a little angry, thought she was about to sabotage the garden, the herb crumbled into powder and was applied to the scar on Zhu Ning’s shoulder.

The powder melted instantly, its strong medicinal scent fading the scar. A warm sensation seeped from the scar into Zhu Ning’s body, warming her completely. After a brief sting, the wound felt completely normal.

Zhu Ning’s pouty expression softened. Forgetting her shyness, she reached out to touch her left shoulder. The rough, prickly texture of the scar was gone, replaced by the smooth, soft skin of her shoulder.

Lin Xiayan walked up to Zhu Ning and knelt down, looking at her with a mischievous glint in her eyes. “Honored Master, were you about to hit me just now?”

Zhu Ning felt a little embarrassed. She tugged her robes up to cover her smooth shoulder and changed the subject. “Let’s go see if there are any sweets in the kitchen. I’m still a bit hungry from walking so far.”

Without looking back, she hurried out of the herb garden, clutching her stomach and walking in a random direction, desperate to avoid any further discussion of the earlier topic. Lin Xiayan didn’t correct her course, merely followed behind with her arms crossed, watching with a gentle gaze as if Zhu Ning were a lost cub she had taken in.

Lin Xiayan followed her for quite a while. When Zhu Ning finally felt too tired to walk any further and needed to rest, Lin Xiayan chuckled softly. In a flash of red, she teleported in front of Zhu Ning, helped her sit down on a rock, and laughed again.

“I never imagined the great Immortal Venerable would get lost in her own sect’s grounds!” Lin Xiayan’s laughter grew more unrestrained, and Zhu Ning’s face flushed crimson. She knew she had thoroughly embarrassed herself and could only lower her head and endure the teasing.

Though she was laughing, Lin Xiayan carefully pointed toward the back of the mountain for Zhu Ning.

Zhu Ning looked up and saw wisps of smoke rising from the houses there, adding a touch of the mortal world to the quiet of Yun Cang Mountain.

Zhu Ning stood up from the rock, brushing off the snow that had gathered on her back. She straightened her expression, acting as if nothing had happened.

“Let’s go,” Zhu Ning said, taking the lead again. This time, she didn’t get lost and headed straight toward the back kitchen. The snow was deep, making it hard to walk.

Since she hadn’t learned any magic yet, Zhu Ning’s shoes and socks quickly got wet, making her uncomfortable and slowing her down. Lin Xiayan turned back, gave her a quick look, and immediately understood the problem. Without a word, she bent down, signaling Zhu Ning to get on her back.

“Huh? What are you doing?” Zhu Ning asked, confused. Already annoyed by her wet shoes and socks, she couldn’t guess what Lin Xiayan was up to.

Lin Xiayan’s face darkened. How could Zhu Ning be so clueless? she sighed. “Get on. I’ll carry you.”

Zhu Ning was stunned. A gust of cold wind swept through, lifting the hem of her white Daoist robe slightly. The robe looked thin and desolate in the wind. Zhu Ning rubbed her arms, reluctant to stand in the snow for too long. She tried to shift her feet, but the icy sensation inside her shoes made her frown.

After weighing her options, and hearing what sounded like an impatient sigh from Lin Xiayan, she suddenly leaned forward, closed her eyes, and wrapped her arms around Lin Xiayan’s neck, terrified of falling.

Lin Xiayan was very thin. The butterfly bones on her back pressed so sharply against Zhu Ning’s face that Zhu Ning’s cheeks and ears flushed crimson. Zhu Ning’s chest pressed tightly against Lin Xiayan’s back, making both of them feel awkward.

Especially Zhu Ning. She squirmed on Lin Xiayan’s back, constantly trying to straighten her posture to create some distance between her chest and Lin Xiayan’s back. But the more she fidgeted, the more unnecessary contact occurred. Lin Xiayan nearly hissed, “Stop moving!”

Sensing the person on her back freeze, Lin Xiayan wondered if she had been too harsh. She forced herself to explain patiently, “It’s my first time carrying someone. I’m afraid I’ll drop you.”

Lin Xiayan clearly wasn’t used to explaining herself, so her words came out stiff and awkward. Zhu Ning didn’t reply, simply silently resumed her original position, even though she felt embarrassed.

Lin Xiayan cursed under her breath, desperate to pry open her own skull and figure out what was wrong. Zhu Ning hadn’t meant any harm, so why was she losing control like this? And… why was she blushing?

The rest of the journey passed without incident. Zhōng Yuè, held in Zhu Ning’s hand, continued to emit its golden glow, making them quite conspicuous in the mountain forest. The kitchen was located on Yun Cang Mountain’s secondary peak, so Lin Xiayan essentially carried Zhu Ning up the mountain. She only set Zhu Ning down near the kitchen, showing no sign of transforming back into a little girl.

Zhu Ning glanced around, then asked hesitantly, “Are you really going to meet them looking like this? There should be disciples helping out right now.”

Lin Xiayan shrugged, flexing her wrist as she strode forward. She tossed back a casual remark, “So what? Would they dare criticize a friend of Immortal Venerable Zhu?”

Friend… Lin Xiayan seemed to despise the word, delivering it with a mocking tone rather than sincerity.

Zhu Ning frowned deeply. Even after transmigrating into this novel, she still couldn’t read minds. Seeing Lin Xiayan already walking away, Zhu Ning had no choice but to hurry after her.

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