In the courtyard, upon the bed, a delicate figure curled up, trembling.
The cold seeped deep into her very bones.
No matter how tightly she wrapped herself in the quilt, it was useless—Gu Qiushui knew this chill was the Yin power radiating from within her own body.
Such was the flaw of cultivating this incomplete Hehuan Technique.
Her master could not avoid it, Senior Sister could not avoid it.
She, too, could not avoid it.
During the day, it wasn’t so bad—she could bear with it.
But every night, the Yin power would bite back at her heart, the pain piercing to the core.
She no longer remembered how many days had passed since she’d last slept in peace.
But… she would endure a little longer.
A few days ago, her master had spent quite a few spirit stones to buy Junior Brother Yuyang a suitable Gongfa.
How could she bring herself to ask for treasures now…?
All along, Gu Qiushui had felt indebted.
Her master had saved her life.
Afterward, she had even been brought onto the path of cultivation.
For all these years, her master’s care for her had been abundant.
Besides, the other senior sisters still lacked, too.
How could she shamelessly make demands?
She could only grit her teeth and bear it—a little longer, and she would make it through.
As she thought this, cold sweat nevertheless seeped uncontrollably, soaking her thin garment.
Knock, knock, knock.
Suddenly, there was a knocking at the door.
Gu Qiushui froze, puzzled as she looked toward the door.
Who would be knocking at her room in the dead of night?
“Who is it?”
Gu Qiushui tried to steady her voice as she asked.
“It’s me.”
Outside the door came a young boy’s voice, still childish, yet calm.
It was Junior Brother Yuyang.
“What is it?”
Gu Qiushui frowned slightly, asking with concern.
“I… I had a nightmare.”
The voice outside wavered a little.
“Senior Sister, I’m scared to sleep alone. Can I sleep with you?”
Gu Qiushui was stunned, unable to react at first.
“A nightmare…”
Understanding dawned on her, and she nodded slightly.
“I see… if that’s the case, the door isn’t locked, come in directly.”
“Is it convenient, Senior Sister?”
The voice outside asked again, uncertain.
Gu Qiushui chuckled in spite of herself.
“Don’t worry, what could possibly be inconvenient?”
Her little junior brother was only seven years old, yet he was already so considerate.
“I mean… Senior Sister, you’re wearing clothes, right?”
The door hadn’t opened yet, and Chen Yuyang’s childish voice asked again, making sure.
Gu Qiushui looked down, subconsciously checking her own state.
She wasn’t exactly naked, but she wore only a thin sleeping robe, which, by now, was soaked in sweat and clung damply to her skin, half-translucent, her curves faintly showing through.
Still, after a slight hesitation, Gu Qiushui continued, “Don’t worry, Junior Brother, there’s no need to fret.”
Even if he caught a glimpse, so what?
He was only ten, usually dull and silent—what could he possibly understand about men and women?
Besides, she had always regarded Junior Brother Yuyang as her own younger brother.
Only then did the door slowly open.
Outside stood a black-haired, black-eyed boy of about ten, still with the innocence of youth.
He clutched his pillow, cautiously stepping into the room.
Though Gu Qiushui still felt the old pain in her heart, she managed to maintain a calm expression, greeting the boy as he entered.
“Come here, Junior Brother Yuyang.”
Chen Yuyang nodded slightly.
His gaze fell upon Gu Qiushui, but quickly shifted away.
This newly blossomed body truly couldn’t withstand temptation.
Thinking so, Chen Yuyang lowered his head and approached the bed, slipping into the not-so-warm bedding, turning his back to Gu Qiushui and clutching his pillow tightly.
Seeing the boy lie down without a word, Gu Qiushui said nothing more.
She knew, after all, he was still young.
Sleeping alone, after a nightmare, wishing for company—such longing for comfort was normal.
Her own little brother, in the past, had often been the same…
As memories stirred, Gu Qiushui felt a sting in her eyes and grew a little misty.
She remembered… at that time, her brother was about the same age as Junior Brother Yuyang…
If only he were still alive…
“Senior Sister Qiushui, could you… could you hold me?”
At this moment, the boy on the bed suddenly spoke.
“To hold you…” Gu Qiushui hesitated.
It wasn’t the difference between man and woman that concerned her, but rather that she was cold and covered in sweat—if they touched, it might frighten her junior brother.
“Better not, Junior Brother, rest assured, Senior Sister will stay with you.”
“No~ Senior Sister, please, just hold me, I’m so scared, I…”
Acting spoiled, Chen Yuyang moved toward her embrace.
Before Gu Qiushui could react, the little body had snuggled into her arms.
No surprise, no awkwardness.
He didn’t seem at all bothered by her cold touch.
And come to think of it, this was the first time her junior brother had ever acted spoiled with her.
Thinking so, Gu Qiushui couldn’t help but let out a soft laugh, and her hand naturally rested on the boy’s shoulder, pulling him close.
Without realizing it, Gu Qiushui fell asleep.
Even she herself was unaware.
Meanwhile, Chen Yuyang quietly let out a breath, casting a sidelong glance at the girl.
Her body could not bear this, yet she kept forcing herself.
Forget it—for all the care Senior Sister had shown him, he would repay her kindness in this way.
This feeling was hard to describe.
But it was relaxing.
Peaceful.
As if, in being comforted, it was not him being freed from nightmares, but her.
Gu Qiushui couldn’t explain it either.
But…
After that night, when she awoke from sleep, her body was still soaked with sweat, yet the sensation within—the agony that constantly tormented her—was gone.
What was going on?
And on the bed, the boy’s figure had vanished.
Could it be… him?
Come to think of it, Junior Brother Yuyang did possess a rare Pure Yang Constitution… could that be the reason?
She had her suspicions, but never figured out the true cause.
But such matters didn’t need to be understood.
Especially as, in the following days, after continuing to sleep alongside Junior Brother Yuyang, Gu Qiushui found herself feeling better and better, even breaking through to the next realm.
She realized, to her surprise, that she had started to enjoy the feeling—sleeping alongside her junior brother.
Another deep night.
Tonight, there was no moon.
The sky was dark as ink, the silence making the chill even more apparent.
Normally, nights like this would be the hardest for her.
But now, sitting on her bed, Gu Qiushui felt not the least bit uncomfortable.
Her cultivation flowed smoother than ever.
Pausing her training, she waited for the now-habitual nightly visit from Junior Brother Yuyang, her brows raised in puzzlement: “Junior Brother Yuyang, why haven’t you come tonight?”
She extended her spiritual sense, probing the next room.
On the bed, the boy was sleeping soundly, calm and untroubled.
He’s asleep?
Didn’t have a nightmare tonight?
Gu Qiushui felt a hint of regret.
Oh well—since he wasn’t coming, she focused again on cultivating while her state was good.
A few days later.
Late at night.
Gu Qiushui suddenly sat up in bed, tossing and turning restlessly.
“What’s going on? Why hasn’t Junior Brother come to sleep with me in so many days?”
As she felt the Yin power begin to gather again during her cultivation, a strange feeling welled up inside her.
Though this faint Yin power wasn’t enough to make her uncomfortable yet…
But…
No, she had to find a way to lure Junior Brother back to bed.
But how?
Gu Qiushui started racking her brains.
“That’s right—if I make him obsessed with my body, won’t he come looking for me every day~?”
Unfortunately, her plan was already off track.
With that, Gu Qiushui quickly got up, took off her usual clothes, and put on a thin, semi-transparent robe, purposely leaving the collar loose.
“No matter how young Junior Brother is, he’s still a boy. He probably doesn’t know much about these things yet, but if I patiently guide him, he should come to like me~”
Gu Qiushui grinned to herself, full of confidence, and stepped out her door.
At that moment, in his own room, Chen Yuyang was resting with eyes closed.
Cultivating wasn’t really possible—progressing too fast wouldn’t match his intentions.
Just then, there was a knock at his door.
Chen Yuyang opened his eyes in confusion.
He didn’t need to open the door to know it was Senior Sister Qiushui.
But what did she want at this hour?
By sleeping together, he’d already helped her balance her Yin and Yang.
He’d been subtle about it—she might suspect, but could never know for certain it was his doing.
So what could she possibly want now?
With doubts in mind, Chen Yuyang stepped forward and opened the door.
The scene before him made his pupils widen slightly.
In the cold silver moonlight, Gu Qiushui’s well-developed, graceful figure was shrouded in white gauze, her outline faintly visible.
Pure silk… nothing underneath…
Chen Yuyang’s heart was instantly filled with alarm.
Senior Sister, what are you doing dressed like this?
I’m still just a child!
Even so, Chen Yuyang kept his face blank, feigning innocence and dullness, blinking his eyes.
“Senior Sister, what brings you here?”
“Nothing much, I just wanted to check on you,” Gu Qiushui said, blushing slightly, aware that her real purpose wasn’t so pure.
“But during the day, aren’t you always looking after me?”
Chen Yuyang asked curiously.
“Daytime is one thing, but now… Ahem, actually, Senior Sister is just worried about you.”
Gu Qiushui coughed and put on a solemn face.
“Worried? But I’m perfectly fine.”
Gu Qiushui shook her head gravely, “Not so, not so. Junior Brother, you had nightmares for several days in a row, didn’t you? Senior Sister went to check in the library recently, and discovered this could be a very serious problem.”
Chen Yuyang’s eyelids twitched, but he played along, “W-what kind of problem?”
“Junior Brother, have you heard of Heart Demons?” Gu Qiushui asked earnestly.
Chen Yuyang:He’d heard of them plenty.
After a hundred lifetimes of cultivation, he’d slain over a hundred Heart Demons.
“I-I don’t know, Senior Sister…”
“Uh, well, anyway, it’s a very, very serious cultivation problem.”
Seeing Chen Yuyang act so clueless, Gu Qiushui felt more confident, continuing, “If it’s not handled properly, at best your cultivation will stagnate, at worst the Heart Demon will turn on you, and your Dao Heart will collapse.”
“Wow, that sounds terrifying! What should I do, Senior Sister Qiushui?”
Suppressing the urge to complain or expose her, Chen Yuyang feigned alarm.
“Of course, you should…” Gu Qiushui swallowed, then pointed to herself.
“Of course you should sleep with me. With my powerful soul, I can… uh, protect your spirit from the Heart Demon.”
Now Chen Yuyang understood why Gu Qiushui had shown up dressed like this—it was for this reason.
But he also knew—
If he agreed, he might not be harmed by Heart Demons, but he’d probably be harmed by the woman in front of him.
“This… this isn’t right, Senior Sister. Since it’s my Heart Demon, I should face it myself. Senior Sister, you can’t protect me forever. It’s better for me to handle it on my own before it grows stronger,” Chen Yuyang said with a serious face.
Gu Qiushui was startled, then quickly changed her tune.
“Ahem, that’s true, but… Senior Sister’s just worried about you, that’s all.”
“No need, Senior Sister, I’ll rest now.”
With that, Chen Yuyang started to retreat inside, closing the door.
But a fair, jade-like leg slid into the gap.
“Wait, Junior Brother!”
“I understand your resolve, and I trust in your Dao Heart.”
“In that case, I won’t interfere, but I’ll stay by your side to protect you as you cultivate.”
Chen Yuyang: Not to mention there were no Heart Demons to begin with.
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