The Hehuan Divine Tree was slightly taken aback, but obediently gave a soft “Oh” before withdrawing into the sea of consciousness.
…
According to the flow of time in the memory space, they had already lived here for ten years.
Yun Sheng had grown into an adult.
The roof of the temple had also been repaired by him. Even without Yuan Shu’s spiritual barrier, no rain or cold wind could find its way inside.
A small kitchen had been built at the entrance of the temple. It was where Yun Sheng insisted on preparing her meals every day.
Yuan Shu never missed a meal, and Yun Sheng had taken excellent care of her.
As dusk gradually settled in, Yun Sheng brought her a basin of water for washing her feet, as he did every evening after dinner.
He carefully held her foot and washed it, running his fingers over its small, fair surface. It was so petite that it could not even fill his palm, and her rounded toes carried a faint blush. They were exceptionally beautiful.
He habitually looked at them for a moment longer before picking up the towel beside him and drying them.
Once he had finished, he helped Yuan Shu onto the bed before going out to wash himself.
Afterward, Yun Sheng’s gaze fell upon the bed. He looked at the woman in a sheer robe, leisurely turning the pages of a book.
A pair of long, fair legs emerged from beneath her skirt, while the lotus-pink nightgown concealed curves as dramatic as storm-tossed waves.
A sudden heat surged through his body, and his throat moved inexplicably.
He quickly suppressed the strange sensation, then skillfully followed Yuan Shu’s instructions and set up a defensive barrier on the bed, dividing it into two halves.
He was just about to rest when Yuan Shu’s languid, softly alluring voice came from beside him.
“I spent the day fishing by the river, and my waist is a little sore. Yun Sheng, come over and massage it for me.”
Yun Sheng froze.
In all the years they had lived together, Yuan Shu had never allowed him to touch her—not after the beginning, when she had held him through his fear of thunder and helped him overcome it.
And now she was asking him to massage her waist?
“What are you waiting for? You don’t want to?” Yuan Shu tilted her head at him.
Yun Sheng came back to himself and hurriedly shook his head. “No. I do.”
As he spoke, he carefully withdrew the defensive barrier and moved to Yuan Shu’s side of the bed.
Yuan Shu was already lying on her back with her back facing him.
Her thin outer robe draped over the graceful curves of her back, outlining her slender waist—delicate enough to encircle with one hand—in a hazy, tantalizing manner.
Yun Sheng could not help swallowing again. At Yuan Shu’s urging, he slowly placed his hand on her waist.
So slender. So soft. Even through the thin fabric, it was remarkably supple and resilient.
“Yun Sheng, you’re an adult now, aren’t you?” Yuan Shu suddenly asked.
Yun Sheng paused, then nodded. “Mm.”
“Being an adult is wonderful. Now you can cultivate with your dao partner and enjoy the pleasures of dual cultivation.”
Yuan Shu let out a light laugh, her words clearly carrying another meaning.
Yun Sheng’s hand stopped in the middle of the massage.
What did Yuan Shu mean by that? Cultivate with his dao partner? Hadn’t she said that she was his dao partner?
He had remembered those words for ten whole years.
Could it be…
Yun Sheng’s eyes widened slightly. As his Adam’s apple bobbed, his gaze involuntarily slid from her beautiful, rounded shoulder down along her enchanting, fair back.
The hand massaging her waist pressed a little harder.
“Mm.”
Yuan Shu let out a comfortable hum and relaxed completely.
His palm grew hotter and hotter. It was almost as if he were no longer massaging her waist, but touching a piece of burning coal.
Yun Sheng swallowed audibly. His breathing grew heavier for no apparent reason, and his hand began moving downward along her waist of its own accord…
A burning embrace settled over her back. Yuan Shu arched her brows but did not move.
Yun Sheng’s uneasy heart instantly seemed to return to its proper place.
He had guessed correctly!
Those words of Yuan Shu’s had been meant for him!
His heart began beating rapidly, and his Adam’s apple bobbed uncontrollably.
Heaven knew how long he had been waiting for this day.
Ever since he had begun having nocturnal emissions, an inexplicable urge had appeared within his body.
It became especially pronounced whenever he saw Yuan Shu or heard her sweet, alluring voice.
But Yuan Shu had never let him get close, always saying that he was too young.
So he could only hide those feelings deep in his heart.
When washing her feet, he would caress those small, fair feet a little longer than necessary.
When handing her something, he would pretend to brush against her fingers by accident.
On rainy nights, he would pretend that his childhood nightmares had returned, wrap his arms around her waist, bury himself against her chest, and breathe in her intoxicating pear-blossom fragrance.
And now, Yuan Shu was not rejecting his approach.
His burning palm slowly moved forward from her waist. Supporting himself with one arm, Yun Sheng lowered his head and lightly kissed her shoulder, pecking it twice.
Then, unable to wait any longer, he bit her earlobe, successfully drawing an uncontrolled whimper from her.
A moment later, he turned her over and was met with Yuan Shu’s mischievous smile. She leaned over him, reached out, and pinched his chin.
Looking at his lips, slightly flushed from those kisses, she smiled wickedly.
“My Yun Sheng… how long have you been holding yourself back? You’re certainly eager, aren’t you?”
Yun Sheng’s eyes were bloodshot. His cherry-pink irises seemed suffused with a crimson haze. He took hold of the hand pinching his cheek and placed it against his own face.
“Shushu, you said I was your dao partner. You also said that now I’m an adult, I can cultivate with my dao partner.”
After speaking, he stared unwaveringly at Yuan Shu. Turning his head, he began gently kissing her hand.
Her fair, slender hand looked like an exquisite pear blossom, elegant and beautiful beyond compare.
His kisses traveled along her forearm, inching slowly upward until they reached her lips.
The kiss was inexperienced and somewhat clumsy, much like Yun Sheng when he had first met Yuan Shu. He had no technique, only a cautious tenderness as he lightly brushed her lips, afraid of hurting her.
Yuan Shu laughed at his adorably awkward efforts. The moment she reached out and cradled his head, she lifted her face and kissed him.
Unlike Yun Sheng’s tentative kiss, hers was deep and passionate, prying open his lips and teeth.
Yun Sheng’s eyes widened abruptly, and his breathing instantly became hurried. He responded clumsily, still inexperienced and unsure.
Their positions shifted. This time, Yuan Shu turned over and straddled him, pinning him beneath her.
Watching him breathe heavily with his lips parted, she let out a soft laugh and leaned close.
“Breathe through your nose. Don’t be so nervous. Relax.”
With that, Yuan Shu lowered her head and kissed his lips again.
At the same time, her fingers seized the belt at his waist and pulled it loose.
Her tender, pale hand stroked his smooth, solid chest. The man beneath her shuddered violently.
The muffled groan that escaped his throat was swallowed completely by Yuan Shu.
…
“Ah! I have never seen anyone so shameless! I summoned you here to be devoured by nightmares, not to flirt and enjoy dual cultivation!”
“Damn it, damn it! You wretched woman, get off him!”
The Wood Elemental Spirit had always looked down on humans and had been unwilling to speak their language. All it wanted was to devour the two masses of consciousness before it and strengthen itself.
But when it witnessed the scene before it, it completely lost its composure.
If the nightmare was no longer a nightmare, how was it supposed to kill anyone?
That despicable woman was actually using her beauty as a weapon?
She had completely dismantled the nightmare-like experiences Yun Sheng had endured throughout his childhood.
Yuan Shu let out a soft laugh and answered in between breaths,
“Why should I get off? I raised him painstakingly for ten years. Now that I can put him to use… rest assured!”
