Chapter 12: Master (Part 4)

More than a month after his rebirth, He Tingtong finally got to take a hot bath.

Tuomi Province was prosperous, unlike the cold of Jubei Province. This place was surrounded by mountains on three sides, yet the center was a plain, like a bowl with a gap. The Xingmo River originating from Hanshan Realm carved an opening through the encircling mountains, rolling down in an endless torrent, flowing southward all the way, connecting Jubei and Tuomi provinces, joining the Changmin River in Xing Province, then heading east to enter Yunzhou’s Yimeng Marsh. At the other end of the nine-thousand-li great marsh lay Central Province’s Shangxuan Realm.

North-south trade routes required waterways and necessarily passed through here. Tuomi Province had geothermal heat below, pleasant climate, and low taxes. Mortals most loved doing business here.

Due to constant coming and going with mixed crowds, Tuomi Province’s hospitality was excellent. Inns and small courtyards were everywhere, fairly priced with luxurious decor. Upper rooms for immortal guests only cost thirty spirit pearls for one night, with natural hot spring baths freely available in the rear courtyard, plus complimentary breakfast.

Today being New Year’s Eve, all commercial boats had stopped running—no way to travel. Su Tan led his two little followers wandering through streets and alleys, selected an inn, and with a grand wave, opened three upper rooms before joyfully rushing off to soak in the hot springs.

Few people traveled on New Year’s Eve. They’d arrived late too. The hot springs were cold and empty—just the three of them.

He Tingtong changed clothes behind the screen. As he descended into water with his collar open, Su Tan was still tying up his hair, piling jet-black long hair atop his head in a full bun. The cold, sharp face belonging to the sword path’s chief also gained some redness from the steam.

Su Tan washed his face, admiring his reflection in the water, clicking his tongue: “So handsome. My god, this face, this figure—truly top-grade.”

Fu Fengyan wore an inner robe, standing at the water’s edge, looking at the warm pool, not moving for a long while. Steam rose, circling past his calves. Warm currents caressed his body like feathers brushing skin. He looked at the pool still floating with flower petals, movements hesitant.

“What’s wrong?” He Tingtong stood in the water, looking up at Fu Fengyan. “Are you afraid of water?”

Su Tan beside them splashed in with a thud, creating a wave. His water skills were good. Turning his head, he swam a lap, waving from the other end: “Little Fu, come down quickly! Look, it’s not deep—only reaches the chest!”

“Cold water calms the spirit.” Fu Fengyan crouched by the pool, reaching into the water—warm, even scalding. Before him, the person looked up. The youth in the water had loose long hair, inner robe wet and clinging to skin, revealing a hazy flesh tone. Slender limbs, extremely thin waist. Previously sustained injuries had healed, only leaving a ferocious flesh-colored scar lying on his thin chest, making him feel even hotter than the hot spring.

Tracing it ten thousand times in dreams couldn’t compare to the impact of viewing with naked eyes. Fu Fengyan looked at He Tingtong so close, speaking seriously: “This kind of luxurious, indulgent place makes people drop their guard. Really not good.”

“Tsk, just soaking in a hot spring counts as luxurious indulgence? Then what about those aristocratic families bathing in spirit dew? Wine pools and meat forests?” He Tingtong was full of questions. Extending a hand, he pulled the person into the water. “Get in. For the next month and a half we’ll be living on spirit boats—there won’t be water for us to wash.”

Fu Fengyan struggled up from the water, drenched from head to toe. He coughed twice, looking at He Tingtong who’d shrunk into the water beside him, blinking and shaking off two lines of water droplets.

“Besides, washing clean makes for comfortable sleep. Starting tomorrow we’ll begin traveling in earnest.” He Tingtong’s voice was somewhat muffled. He’d probably relaxed, his tone humming from his nasal cavity with a warm, clingy quality that made Fu Fengyan’s heart itch.

Gentle lands truly erode one’s will most, Fu Fengyan thought somewhat dejectedly—his cultivation really wasn’t enough.

Though thinking this, Fu Fengyan still obediently leaned beside He Tingtong, watching the swaying water flow before him, reaching out to stir it. His right arm soaked in water produced dense stinging pain. Pale red dispersed in the water like smoke. The courtyard’s spiritual energy grew stronger, carrying a leisurely intoxicated quality.

Wrapped in warm currents, He Tingtong felt so comfortable he wanted to shiver. That bone-cutting dry cold of Hanshan Realm finally disappeared. Even the air breathed here was three parts warmer than elsewhere, lungs seemingly comforted by warm water.

Having rushed about for many days, relaxing now made one somewhat drowsy. He Tingtong still remembered not to soak too long. After scrubbing himself clean from head to toe in the water, just as he was about to grab Fu Fengyan who’d been paddling beside him for a scrub too, he heard a firecracker explode, followed by continuous crackling fireworks sounds. One after another they burst open, illuminating the entire sky—trees of fire and silver flowers, breathtakingly beautiful.

Past midnight, people everywhere set off firecrackers, driving away the Year Beast, welcoming the new year.

He Tingtong looked up at the fireworks in the sky, eyes slightly curved: “Fireworks are really beautiful, right?”

“I once went to the Moon Capital. Every Qixi Festival at Shenxiao Palace there are fireworks all night, even more spectacular than now. Everyone across the realm can see them.”

“Very noisy.” Fu Fengyan responded unromantically. “Deafeningly noisy.”

“Indeed, all night, such loud noise keeping people from sleep.” He Tingtong rose, teasing: “And also very luxuriously indulgent.”

Fu Fengyan: “…”

“Turn around.” He Tingtong pushed Fu Fengyan’s chest. Under his confused gaze, he smiled: “The Divine Lord worked hard these past days. This humble one will scrub your back.”

Fu Fengyan turned around with synchronized hands and feet. After thinking, he also removed the illusion from his hair. Silver-white long hair soaked in water, spreading like clouds and mist.

He Tingtong could tell at a glance this person never lifted a finger, accustomed to being served. He found a comb, washing clean all the grass fragments and dust in Fu Fengyan’s hair. Combing it felt like smoothing moonlight-colored silk.

Fu Fengyan’s whole body tensed. When He Tingtong’s fingers fell on his back, he suddenly shuddered. Under the night, those dark purple eyes seemed to glow. His fingers opened and closed, somewhat wanting to grasp something—hair, wrists, or the waist and legs hidden beneath the water surface, not quite visible.

Heart like prairie fire, extremely torturous. He silently recited in his mind the Heart Sutra memorized ten thousand times, suppressing that restless feeling.

“You’re injured?” He Tingtong scrubbed to Fu Fengyan’s arm, seeing on the youth’s slender right arm a ferocious crack tearing the jade-white skin, revealing the texture of blood and flesh beneath.

“Mm.” Fu Fengyan’s mind wandered, gaze roaming.

He Tingtong’s brow furrowed tightly. “When intercepting that lightning bolt?”

“Yes.” Fu Fengyan pulled his arm back, wanting to withdraw his hand. Seeing He Tingtong wouldn’t let go, he explained softly: “There are very strange dao principles on it. I injured it, it also shocked and injured me. This is very fair.”

“Just a minor injury, no need to treat it. In a couple days it’ll heal on its own.” Fu Fengyan grabbed He Tingtong who wanted to find medicine. “This was injured by dao principles—no medicine can cure it.”

Fireworks still crackled and popped in the sky. The water surface brightened and dimmed. Red or purple brilliant lights drifted in the mist. He Tingtong looked at Fu Fengyan’s pure eyes, chest tightening.

“…I’m sorry.” He Tingtong clenched his fingers, lowering his eyes. “I didn’t expect there’d be such consequences… No, I clearly knew that thing wouldn’t be easy to deal with, yet still let you…”

That powerless, dejected feeling pressed down again, weighing on his heart, making even breathing heavy.

“It was an exchange.” Fu Fengyan opened He Tingtong’s clenched fist. “You kissed me. This is what I was willing to do. No need for self-blame. It’s because I’m not capable enough that I got injured. Besides, it’s just a small injury—a month and it’ll be fine.”

“If you truly feel guilty, guilty to the point of developing a mental obstruction.” Fu Fengyan looked at He Tingtong’s lips turned rosy red from the steam, throat rolling. His gaze shifted to the water surface. A certain page from study materials flashed through his mind. He muttered quietly: “A kiss would make it better.”

“Alright.” He Tingtong truly lifted Fu Fengyan’s arm, lowering his head to look at that palm-sized scorched wound, bending down to gently lick away the seeping blood with lips and tongue.

The youth’s body temperature was extremely high, skin like fire burning beneath. He Tingtong actually felt heat from this pale arm.

Looking up to see Fu Fengyan staring at him blankly, mind wandering, not knowing what he was thinking, He Tingtong promised: “There won’t be a next time.”

He was currently truly too weak, far too weak. Continuing cultivation was the right path.

This month since leaving Yuheng Sect, whenever he had time he cultivated. Now his cultivation had reached second realm peak, only still couldn’t be considered much in the cultivation world—still needed to continue working hard.

Couldn’t soak any longer. He Tingtong rose, picked up clothes, took dry cloth to wrap his dripping wet hair, just about to change clothes when he suddenly remembered something.

“Wait, where’s Su Tan?”

Such a talkative person—after entering the water, there’d suddenly been no movement whatsoever.

Realizing something was wrong, He Tingtong was startled with alarm, looking toward the water surface. Steam drifted hazily. The entire hot spring pool showed no third person’s shadow… probably already sank down!

“Su Tan!”

He Tingtong and Fu Fengyan exchanged glances. Both dove into the water together. After groping for a moment, they finally grabbed the youth who’d fainted at the pool bottom. One lifted the head, one the feet, placing him on shore, using knees to press his waist and abdomen, pressing out water.

“Su Tan, wake up quickly!” He Tingtong urgently patted his face, trying to rouse some consciousness in the youth.

Fortunately not drowned too long. Slender brows wrinkled, then the youth slowly opened his eyes. Phoenix eyes slightly parted, pitch-black pupils slowly focusing. He gazed at He Tingtong for a long while, then suddenly rose, five fingers like claws, viciously grasping the youth’s neck, slamming He Tingtong to the ground. A cold, indifferent voice slowly sounded: “Who are you people? Where is this?”

He Tingtong’s neck hurt severely, neck bones making cracking sounds. He grasped the youth’s tightening finger bones, hearing this bone-chilling voice, pupils constricting.

Wait, this wasn’t Su Tan—this was… Qin Tan!

Qin Tan raised his head, surveying his surroundings. Thin, cold pale lips parted slightly, uttering two words: “Sword, come!”

The next second, sword light like a rainbow fiercely blocked a palm Fu Fengyan struck from the side.

After initial shock, He Tingtong quickly raised his hand, twisting Qin Tan’s wrist, curved fingers pointing at his pulse gate. Taking advantage of his loosening grip, twisting outward, swiftly breaking free, embarrassedly dodging one sword strike.

Seeing Fu Fengyan about to draw his sword, He Tingtong absolutely couldn’t let these two fight here. He immediately shouted loudly: “Immortal Lord, please wait! You’re not wearing pants!”

Qin Tan’s long sword hesitated. After a cursory glance, sword momentum withdrawn, topped with a bun he flashed behind the screen, coldly cursing: “Which idiot did this!”

He Tingtong spoke respectfully: “You yourself.”

Qin Tan: “?”