Zhu Xian: They've all been reborn

The following afternoon, in the open space behind Shoujing Hall.

"Lower your wrist by three points, and flick the sword tip upwards. Yes, that's it."

Lu Xueqi stood beside Jiang Xiaochuan, her voice cool but patient.

She reached out her right hand and gently supported Jiang Xiaochuan's right wrist as he gripped the sword. Her cool fingertips carried an astonishing strength as she helped him adjust his posture.

"The lightning energy of Xuechuan should not be pursued blindly for its fierceness and violence. It should be restrained and released at the moment of contact in order to catch the opponent off guard."

Jiang Xiaochuan felt a little stiff and his mind wander as she held his slightly cool hand and the faint, cool fragrance emanating from her body filled his nostrils.

Lu Xueqi was very close, almost touching his back, and he could even feel her warm breath brushing against his ear as she spoke.

"Concentrate." Lu Xueqi noticed his distraction and reminded him in a low voice, her other hand naturally supporting his waist to help him stabilize his lower body. "Use your waist and abdomen to engage your arms, don't just use your wrists."

Her palms, pressed against her waist through the thin fabric, were slightly cool, yet their presence was very strong.

Jiang Xiaochuan's face flushed, and he quickly composed himself, following her guidance, and tried to mobilize the thunder spirit power of the Snow River Sword in his dantian.

A tiny arc of silver electricity quietly climbed up the sword, emitting a soft crackling sound.

"Very good, keep it up." Lu Xueqi's voice was very soft, right next to his ear. She maintained the position of half-hugging him from behind, her hands still on his waist and wrists, her gaze focused on the Xuechuan sword in his hand.

Isn't this position... a bit too close?

Jiang Xiaochuan could clearly feel the curves and warmth of her body against his back, and his heart started beating faster for no reason.

He tried to move away a little, but Lu Xueqi's hand on his waist tightened slightly, keeping him in place.

"Don't move, it's not ready yet," Lu Xueqi said calmly, but her gaze almost imperceptibly swept over his reddened ears, a faint smile flashing in her eyes.

She felt the familiar warmth and lines of the young body beneath her palm, and the floodgates of memory quietly opened a crack.

In her past life, she was all too familiar with this body.

She knew every inch of skin, every scar, every heartbeat, every tremor of emotion...

Those shameless, intimate days and nights, the warmth of falling asleep in each other's arms after intense lovemaking, the silly smiles that greet you first thing in the morning when you wake up...

A surge of heat uncontrollably rushed up my cheeks, and even my neck turned slightly red.

Lu Xueqi quickly lowered her eyelashes, concealing the shyness and intense longing that surged in her eyes.

Fortunately, he has his back to her and can't see her.

"Lu Xueqi! What are you doing!"

A sharp, angry shout shattered the silence.

Tian Ling'er had run over at some point, her pretty face frosty, glaring at Lu Xueqi's hands that were supporting Jiang Xiaochuan's waist and wrist, her eyes almost spitting fire.

"If you're going to practice swordsmanship, then practice swordsmanship! Do you really need to get so close, hand in hand? Don't you think you're taking advantage of him?!"

Tian Ling'er rushed over, grabbed Jiang Xiaochuan's arm, pulled him away from Lu Xueqi, and stood in front of him like a mother hen protecting her chicks.

Lu Xueqi calmly withdrew her hand, as if she hadn't been the one who had almost embraced the person just moments before.

She looked at the sulking Tian Ling'er and said calmly, "Correcting posture naturally requires close observation and manual adjustment. How can you say I'm taking advantage of her?"

"You!" Tian Ling'er was speechless, choked by her matter-of-fact attitude. She turned to look at Jiang Xiaochuan, who was still somewhat bewildered, and said urgently, "Xiaochuan! Tell me! Was she taking advantage of you just now?!"

"Huh? Taking advantage?" Jiang Xiaochuan scratched his head, thought back for a moment, and realized... it was a bit too close? But Junior Sister Lu was teaching him seriously.

Moreover, if we're talking about taking advantage... being taught "hand-in-hand" by a beautiful and powerful fairy like Junior Sister Lu, I feel like I'm the one who's taking advantage, right?

"No, I don't think so..." he said softly.

"Junior Sister Lu is teaching me. And... it seems like I'm the one who's benefiting?"

Tian Ling'er: "..." She was so angry at this blockhead that she almost fainted. She stomped her foot and pointed at him:

"You! Do you know what you're saying?! Do you know the difference between men and women?! You...you're going to drive me crazy!"

Jiang Xiaochuan shrank back at her outburst, but still weakly argued, "But... Junior Sister Lu is a teacher, isn't that how teachers teach students? When Senior Sister Ling'er taught me how to manipulate objects, we were very close, weren't we...?"

"How can that be the same!" Tian Ling'er blurted out, but immediately realized her mistake and blushed.

When she taught him, she had feelings of closeness in her heart, but... but she didn't practically cling to him like Lu Xueqi did!

Moreover, the way Lu Xueqi looked at Xiao Chuan... was not the way a teacher looked at a student at all!

Lu Xueqi watched them argue quietly before speaking calmly, "If Junior Sister Tian feels this is inappropriate, then let it go. Senior Brother Jiang, let's stop here for today. If you want to practice again tomorrow afternoon, I'll come again." With that, she turned and left without hesitation.

"Wait!" Tian Ling'er called out to her, biting her lip as she looked at Lu Xueqi's aloof back and then at Jiang Xiaochuan, who still looked bewildered beside her. She felt both angry and helpless.

She knew she couldn't stop Lu Xueqi from coming, and that forcefully stopping her would only put Xiao Chuan in a difficult position, and might even push him further away.

"Fine, I'll practice!" she finally managed to say, glaring at Jiang Xiaochuan. "But you better remember this! Practice your sword properly! Keep your distance! No touching! Do you hear me?!"

Jiang Xiaochuan was startled by her fierce appearance and nodded frantically, "I heard you, I heard you!"

Tian Ling'er snorted, glared fiercely in the direction Lu Xueqi had left, and then turned and walked away angrily.

Jiang Xiaochuan stood there, watching Tian Ling'er's retreating figure, then looking in the direction Lu Xueqi had disappeared, and sighed.

Women are such a hassle. Sword practice is much simpler. He shook his head, picked up the Snow River Sword from the ground, and continued practicing.

But involuntarily, the cool fragrance, the slightly chilly fingertips, and the warmth against his back when Lu Xueqi approached him just now kept replaying in his mind...

He quickly shook his head, clearing his mind of those distractions. Concentrate! Practice your sword!

That night.

Perhaps due to his intense sword practice during the day, which had greatly depleted his mental energy, Jiang Xiaochuan fell asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow after washing up and lying in bed. His breathing was steady and long, indicating that he was sleeping very soundly.

Moonlight streamed in through the window, illuminating his peaceful sleeping face. Little White silently appeared beside the bed, transforming into human form.

She looked at him quietly for a while, her eyes filled with complex emotions.

Lu Xueqi's words during the day, and the way she looked at Jiang Xiaochuan, made Xiaobai feel a strong sense of threat.

This woman's persistence far exceeded her expectations.

She gently sat down on the edge of the bed, stretched out her hand, her fingertips gathering a soft white halo, and gently pressed them on Jiang Xiaochuan's temples, slowly massaging them.

The light seeped in, soothing his tired nerves.

This is a little magic she created herself to calm the mind and help with sleep.

She pressed for a while, then stopped.

Her gaze fell on his smooth forehead. After hesitating for a moment, she leaned down and placed a soft, feather-like kiss on his forehead.

It felt slightly warm to the touch, carrying the clean scent of a young boy.

"Idiot..." she murmured softly, almost inaudibly, "What sisters, what teachers, what friends... you're such a blockhead."

Looking at his unconscious sleeping face, the thought resurfaced in her mind—should she just kidnap him?

Far from Qingyun Mountain, far from Lu Xueqi and Tian Ling'er, just the two of them traveled the world, carefree and at ease.

With her cultivation level, there's nowhere in the world she can't go. Why bother getting entangled with those two women here?

The idea is incredibly tempting.

She could take him away right now, to a place where no one could find him.

No matter how strong Lu Xueqi is, she is not the same person she was in her previous life. Tian Ling'er is even less of a threat.

But... she looked at Jiang Xiaochuan sleeping so soundly and without any guard, and gently brushed her fingertips across his slightly furrowed brows.

Will he really be happy if we take him away?

He had his master and mistress, his senior brothers, and the life he was just beginning to get used to at Qingyun Sect.

Moreover... he seems easygoing, but deep down he has his own principles. If she used force, wouldn't he hate her?

And... Lu Xueqi.

That woman will never let this go.

Even if she hides at the ends of the earth, given her terrifying obsession and rapid growth, she'll inevitably find her way back sooner or later. And then…

Xiao Bai sighed softly, took off her shoes, lifted a corner of the blanket, lay down on her side next to Jiang Xiaochuan, gently wrapped her arm around his waist, and rested her face on his shoulder.

A familiar, comforting scent enveloped her.

"Hmm... Xiaobai, stop messing around..." Jiang Xiaochuan murmured unconsciously in his sleep, his arm twitching as if he wanted to push her away, but in the end he just smacked his lips vaguely and fell back into a deep sleep, even unconsciously snuggling closer to her to find a more comfortable position.

Xiao Bai's body stiffened slightly, then relaxed, and a gentle smile unconsciously curved her lips.

She tightened her arms around him, holding him even closer, feeling his steady heartbeat and warm body temperature.

Should we kidnap him?

She closed her eyes and thought seriously.

This option, like a tempting poisoned apple, exudes a sweet aroma but also harbors unknown risks.

The night is still long.

The moonlight flowed quietly.

Xiaobai held him like that, listening to his even breathing, until she herself drifted off to sleep.

As for the answer to that question... perhaps I'll think about it tomorrow.