Zhu Xian: They've all been reborn

Zeng Shushu stood in front of Jiang Xiaochuan, a warm and friendly smile on his face, and cupped his hands in greeting:

"This must be Jiang Xiaochuan, Junior Brother of Dazhu Peak, right?"

It's an honor to meet you, Brother Jiang! I am Zeng Shushu from Feng Huifeng, and I have long wanted to get to know you!

Seeing you today, I can confirm... well, you have a unique charm!

His gaze swept over Jiang Xiaochuan's still somewhat swollen cheeks and the dust clinging to his body. He paused, then struggled to find a word to describe it.

Jiang Xiaochuan was taken aback. Zeng Shushu?

He knew this person; he was Zhang Xiaofan's good friend in the original story. He had a quirky personality, liked to collect strange things, but wasn't a bad person.

But why did he contact me? And why the "long-standing admiration"? What is there about me that I have such a "long-standing admiration" for?

Could it be because of Lu Xueqi and Tian Ling'er?

He was still in a daze and hadn't even had a chance to return the greeting when Tian Ling'er beside him and Lu Xueqi behind him, almost simultaneously, sharpened their eyes upon hearing the name "Zeng Shushu"!

Unpleasant memories from their past lives (for them) suddenly resurfaced.

Those blue-covered erotic pictures that Lu Xueqi privately named "Volume Six of the Heavenly Book" and "Jiang Xiaochuan's User Manual," which Tian Ling'er confiscated and then opened, made her blush!

Although those "dregs" haven't appeared yet in this life, this name is enough to trigger their conditioned reflexes and deep vigilance (as well as a touch of shame and annoyance)!

"roll!"

"Get out of the way!"

Two sharp shouts rang out almost simultaneously!

With a flick of her wrist, Tian Ling'er unleashed a burst of red light from the amber silk ribbon, which, like a snake emerging from its hole, struck Zeng Shushu's chest with a supple yet powerful force!

Lu Xueqi moved even faster. Without even drawing her sword, she simply flicked her sleeve, and a chilling, sharp, invisible force struck out like an iron plate!

Zeng Shushu's smile froze instantly. He felt a blur before his eyes as a scorching yet supple force and an icy yet fierce energy slammed into him from the left and right sides almost simultaneously!

"Bang! Pfft—!"

He and his fan were sent flying like a kicked ball, without even having time to scream, as he was lifted off the ground, tracing a "graceful" parabola over the heads of several disciples.

With a "thud," it crashed to the ground more than ten feet away, rolling twice in a disheveled manner. Its Taoist robe was covered in dust, and its folding fan flew far away.

The surroundings fell silent instantly, and everyone stared in disbelief at the sudden turn of events.

Then he looked at Tian Ling'er and Lu Xueqi, whose expressions were cold after they made their move, and then at Zeng Shushu, who was groaning on the ground and still didn't understand what was going on.

Finally, all eyes fell on Jiang Xiaochuan, who was being "protected" by the two men and looked completely dazed.

What... what's going on here?

How did Zeng Shushu offend these two ladies?

Jiang Xiaochuan has too much influence, doesn't he?

No, it's just that the attraction of this "disaster" is too strong!

Jiang Xiaochuan was also dumbfounded. He looked at Zeng Shushu, who was getting up from the ground and covered in dirt, and then at Tian Ling'er and Lu Xueqi, who were on his left and right sides and looked unwell. He opened his mouth but couldn't say a word.

What kind of nonsense is this?! Zeng Shushu just wanted to get to know him, is it really necessary?!

After Tian Ling'er and Lu Xueqi made their move, they seemed to realize that their reaction was a bit too extreme (although they were mainly thinking about their "dark history" from their previous lives).

They all looked a little awkward, but neither of them offered an explanation. They simply glanced coldly around, and the curious and inquisitive gazes immediately subsided.

Zeng Shushu grimaced as he got up from the ground, picked up the folding fan, brushed the dust off his clothes, and looked at Jiang Xiaochuan with a look of grievance and confusion, along with a hint of lingering fear.

What did he do to deserve this? He just wanted to make a friend.

As for mixed doubles (male and female?)?

What kind of tigresses are surrounding Jiang Xiaochuan?! They're terrifying!

He dared not go forward again. He bowed to Jiang Xiaochuan from a distance with lingering fear, then limped away quickly, determined to avoid these three in the future!

After this commotion, Jiang Xiaochuan was even less in the mood to watch any competitions.

He felt utterly exhausted, his face and body ached, and his mind was a jumbled mess.

"I...I want to go and meditate to prepare for tomorrow's competition," he said sullenly.

Tian Ling'er immediately said, "I'll go with you! I can protect you and give you guidance!"

Lu Xueqi spoke at the same time, her voice calm: "I can guide you."

After they finished speaking, their eyes met briefly in the air before quickly separating and both landing on Jiang Xiaochuan.

Jiang Xiaochuan looked at them; one had red eyes but was trying to appear indifferent; the other had a cool gaze with an undeniable determination.

He remained silent for a long time, feeling utterly overwhelmed, and finally sighed in despair:

"……good."

So, for the rest of the afternoon, Jiang Xiaochuan found a relatively secluded large rock near the rest area assigned to Dazhu Peak by Tongtian Peak, sat down cross-legged, and began to regulate his breathing and recover.

The Snow River Sword rested across his lap, absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, slowly repairing the minor cracks in the sword and his own injuries.

Tian Ling'er and Lu Xueqi sat on either side of him, not far away.

Neither of them looked at the other or spoke. Occasionally, their gazes would sweep over Jiang Xiaochuan, who was meditating with his eyes closed, before quickly shifting away to look elsewhere.

Or you could simply close your eyes and rest. The atmosphere was eerie and quiet.

The Qingyun disciples passing by, whether near or far, all turned their heads, pointing and whispering among themselves.

Even with his eyes closed, Jiang Xiaochuan could feel the omnipresent gazes and whispers, which angered him so much that his internal energy became somewhat disordered. He had no choice but to force himself not to listen or think about it.

The afternoon passed by in this bizarre three-way standoff (Jiang Xiaochuan being the "cauldron" roasted over the fire) and under the scrutiny of countless gossipy eyes.

Night falls.

After Jiang Xiaochuan finished his meditation, his injuries were 70-80% healed, and his spiritual power had recovered by more than half.

He stood up, looking at the scattered lights that had come on and the gradually dispersing crowd, wondering where he would spend the night. Back to that nine-person dormitory?

He shivered. No, absolutely not.

Or... how about we find a corner nearby and meditate for the night?

Anyway, it's not a big deal for cultivators to sleep outdoors occasionally.

As he hesitated, he suddenly caught a familiar, warm fragrance. Immediately afterward, he felt a tightness around his waist as a slightly cool arm wrapped around him.

noob.

She's here again. In human form.

Silent and stealthy, like a ghost.

"Let's go back to Dazhu Peak." Xiaobai chuckled softly in his ear, her breath warm. "It's so noisy here, I can't sleep."

"I..." Jiang Xiaochuan wanted to refuse, to say that he could just make do here, but looking at Xiaobai's stunningly beautiful face, which was so close to him and looked particularly alluring in the night, and the determined look in her eyes, the words of refusal got stuck in his throat.

Moreover... he actually resisted going back to that noisy and crowded dormitory.

"Don't worry, it'll be quick." Xiaobai seemed to see through his hesitation and added, then tightened her grip, not allowing him to struggle.

Once again, carrying him along, he transformed into a blurry white shadow, merging into the deep night, and sped off towards Dazhu Peak.

It's faster and more stable than last night.

The night wind howled, and soon the familiar bamboo shadows and the outline of Shoujing Hall reappeared before my eyes.

I returned to my quiet little house, closed the door, and shut myself off from everything outside.

Jiang Xiaochuan finally felt his nerves, which had been tense all day, relax a little.

The room still held the lingering atmosphere of the morning's chaos and ambiguity, making his face flush.

Xiaobai lit the oil lamp, filling the room with a dim, yellowish light. She walked up to Jiang Xiaochuan, raised her hand, and with her cool fingertips, very lightly touched his still slightly swollen cheek.

"Does it still hurt?" she asked, her voice not as playful as usual, but carrying a rare, genuine concern.

Jiang Xiaochuan stiffened, turned his head away, and said in a muffled voice, "It doesn't hurt anymore."

"How was the competition today? I heard you won? You used a... pretty scary method?"

Xiao Bai walked around him, looking him up and down, her fingers seemingly casually brushing across his arms, shoulders, and back, as if checking for injuries, her movements natural.

Her touch was light and cool, yet it sent a slight shiver down Jiang Xiaochuan's spine. He flinched uncomfortably, saying, "Yeah, I won. Lucky me."

"What luck? It's clearly our Xiao Chuan Chuan who's amazing." Xiao Bai chuckled, her finger hovering over a spot on his lower back, and gently pressing it.

"Was this area affected by the earthquake? There's some stagnation here."

Jiang Xiaochuan gasped; the area had indeed been hit by the blast wave during the explosion, and he felt a slight, dull pain. He hadn't expected Xiaobai to be so perceptive. "N-nothing..."

"Don't move." Xiaobai added a little pressure to her hands, massaging gently. A warm and gentle demonic power seeped into her fingertips, slowly dissolving the stagnation and bringing a comfortable tingling sensation.

With her other hand, she supported his shoulder, helping him steady himself.

The two were very close, and the warm fragrance emanating from Xiaobai became even more pronounced, mingling with the gentle warmth of the lamplight and enveloping him.

Her breath gently brushed against his neck, and her fingers massaged his lower back with a light touch, bringing waves of unfamiliar, unsettling yet somewhat craving comfort.

Jiang Xiaochuan's body stiffened, afraid to move, but he couldn't help but recall the chaotic scene from that morning. His face began to burn again, and a certain part of his body became restless.

He quickly took a deep breath to suppress those romantic thoughts, but he felt that Xiaobai seemed a little strange tonight.

Extraordinarily...gentle? Caring?

"Alright." Xiaobai massaged him for a moment, then released her hands, took a step back, and looked at his slightly reddened ears and flickering eyes. A knowing, teasing smile appeared on her lips, but it quickly disappeared. She walked to the bedside and naturally began to take off her outer clothes.

"What are you doing now!" Jiang Xiaochuan took a step back warily.

"Go to sleep." Xiaobai glanced back at him, her eyes innocent. "What else? Sleep standing up?"

She had already taken off her outer garment, revealing her plain white inner garment, her exquisite curves faintly visible.

She kicked off her shoes, stepping barefoot onto the cold floor, and started to climb into bed.

"Wait!" Jiang Xiaochuan exclaimed anxiously.

"You...you promise! You promise it won't be like this morning! No, you promise you won't lay a hand on me!"

Xiaobai paused, sat on the edge of the bed, tilted her head to look at him, her long silver hair flowing down like water. She blinked, held up three fingers, and said earnestly, "I promise, I won't touch you tonight. We'll just go to sleep, really."

Jiang Xiaochuan looked at her stunningly beautiful yet "sincere" face, his heart filled with doubt.

What can you do if you don't believe it?

Kick her out?

It seems unrealistic, and... I'm a little reluctant to part with the only warmth and companionship in this room. Besides, she just rubbed my wound...

He gritted his teeth, walked to the corner, and considered sleeping on the floor again.

"Sleeping on the floor again?" Xiao Bai raised an eyebrow. "The ground is so cold, and your injury hasn't fully healed yet. Do you want to be unable to get up for the match tomorrow?"

Jiang Xiaochuan froze.

Xiao Bai patted the bed next to her, her tone coaxing, "Come on up, this bed isn't big, but we can squeeze in and sleep. I promise, I'll just sleep. If you're worried..."

She paused, a sly glint in her eyes, "With your meager cultivation, what could I possibly do to you? Could you resist? So, I promise I won't take the initiative. You should believe me now, right?"

That sounds a bit strange, but it also seems... to make some sense?

Given Xiaobai's strength, if he really wanted to do something to him, he truly couldn't resist.

So her promise not to take the initiative seems... somewhat sincere?

Jiang Xiaochuan was conflicted.

He looked at the cold, hard floor, then at the clean, warm, and soft-looking bed, and then at the possibility of another fierce battle tomorrow…

Ultimately, the desire for comfort and the (skeptical) trust in Xiaobai prevailed.

"You, you said it! Go to sleep! Don't move around!" he warned, his face flushed.

"Okay, okay, I'll just sleep and not move around." Xiaobai nodded repeatedly, moved to the inside of the bed to make room for him, and even lifted a corner of the blanket.

Jiang Xiaochuan walked over slowly, took off his coat and shoes, and lay stiffly on the outside of the bed in his undershirt.

I stayed as close to the edge of the bed as possible, keeping as far away from Xiaobai inside, then pulled the blanket over myself, wrapped myself tightly, turned my back to her, closed my eyes, and stiffened my body like a stone.

Xiao Bai smiled silently as she looked at his tense expression.

She lay down as well, but instead of pressing herself against him like she had in the morning, she turned to her side, facing his back, with a hand's width between them.

She could smell the clean scent of soap and the unique aroma of youth on him, mixed with a faint medicinal smell.

The room quieted down, with only the two people's soft breathing and the occasional crackling of the oil lamp's flame.

After a long time, so long that Jiang Xiaochuan thought Xiaobai had fallen asleep, his tense nerves relaxed slightly, and drowsiness began to creep in.

Just as he was drifting off to sleep, he heard Xiaobai's extremely soft, low voice behind him, carrying a hint of lazy laughter and an indescribable, almost indulgent helplessness, as if talking to itself, yet also as if speaking to him:

"You actually believe what that vixen says... you idiot."

In his hazy state of consciousness, Jiang Xiaochuan seemed to hear something, yet also seemed not to hear it clearly. He only mumbled something, then shrank deeper into the blankets and drifted into a deeper sleep.

In the darkness, Xiaobai opened its eyes, its silver pupils shining brightly in the night.

She watched his hunched back for a long time in silence, then very gently and slowly moved her body closer, stretched out her arms, gently wrapped them around his waist, pressed her face against his thin but warm back, and closed her eyes contentedly.

This time, I really just want to sleep.