Xi Huai has always liked Chi Muyao.

He's been the person on Xi Huai's mind for a long time.

Yet when Xi Huai finally got him, he surprisingly fell into a trance instead of ecstasy. 

Was this real? 

Did he fall into a wonderful dream because he was too tired? 

When you've been disappointed and sad for too long, you start to subconsciously feel that maybe you don't deserve good things like this.

Yet he suddenly got the person of his dreams one day.

He stared at Chi Muyao. Chi Muyao was a bit shy. After waiting for a while with no answer, he snuck a look at Xi Huai. 

His eyelashes were still laden with tears and his watery eyes made Chi Muyao seem like a startled and restless little bunny. His cheeks flushed after just a quick glance as his lips pursed uncomfortably again. 

Xi Huai finally recovered and came over to kiss him, but Chi Muyao dodged. "My nose is stuffy after crying..."

He was actually uncomfortable for a moment too, replying dully with one word, "Oh." 

Once again, the duo fell into an awkward silence.

At first the atmosphere was awkward because of their prior misunderstanding, but now it's because of the sudden change in their relationship. They didn't know how to interact now. 

Chi Muyao wiped his tears himself and calmly said, "I let you into my internal demon illusionary realm using a method imparted to me by a senior. Did it scare you? They knew that I had an internal demon, so they taught me a set of meditation techniques to summon someone when I really couldn't best it myself. I didn't expect my first attempt to actually succeed." 

Xi Huai scrounged some pills from his Myriad Treasure Bell as well as artefacts that could help Chi Muyao stabilise his Golden Core stage cultivation. "En. If this method works, you should summon me in the future too. I don't know either if your internal demon was eliminated for good." 

"It should have been. You even became my boyfriend...er, cultivation partner. I shouldn't be afraid of you anymore." 

"En. Take these pills."

Chi Muyao wanted to know what kind of pills they were, but Xi Huai just shoved them in his mouth.

The top quality pills melted on his tongue. Rather than bitterness, they only left a lingering fresh scent.

Now the spiritual energy in his body that he didn't know how to control was not as rampant as before. His cultivation also improved a bit more.

Chi Muyao swallowed a few times before speaking, "I was wondering if we could use this method to enter Su You's internal demon illusionary realm and seize this opportunity to kill him." 

Xi Huai looked at him for a moment. "Are we allowed to kill Su You?" 

This question gave him pause. Only then did Chi Muyao realise that the two of them haven't been on the same page for some time. Xi Huai always asked his opinion before doing anything now because he was afraid of upsetting him again. 

He immediately explained patiently, "I just don't want you to kill innocent people indiscriminately, but Su You is different. He's committed so many sins. He's the reason we were swept into the Heavenly Punishment Formation and why the seniors perished here. This kind of person is the enemy of all." 

Xi Huai helped Chi Muyao into a kneeling position on the lotus seat made of Spirit Assembling Jade, then squatted in front of him in deep thought. "What kind of meditation techniques? Mind telling me?" 

Chi Muyao immediately rattled off what he knew, sometimes pausing to allow the Green Underworld Streamfires beside them to speak and relaying what they said to Xi Huai.

"So...you need me to cultivate to the Nascent Soul stage?" Xi Huai asked again.

"That's right. Only Nascent Soul stage cultivators can enter another person's sea of consciousness so neither of us can do so at the moment. I can impart to you some techniques to accelerate your cultivation progress from the seniors. Even I was able to form a golden core in less than two years thanks to them and the spiritual spring here. It should be no problem for you." 

However, both of them know that breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage was much more difficult than going to Golden Core stage. The spiritual energy requirements of the two stages were simply incomparable. 

Think of them as two containers of water, and the water inside is spiritual energy.

If someone at the Foundation Building stage going for the Golden Core stage had to fill a bucket of water, then going to the Nascent Soul stage meant you had to fill a lake. 

This was the reason why there were fewer cultivators the higher the stage. Most people couldn't accumulate enough spiritual energy or cultivation. Aptitude was one thing, but ample cultivation resources were also essential.

Xi Huai lowered his eyes in thought before nodding his head. "Okay, but I won't be able to keep you company while I'm cultivating." 

Chi Muyao shook his head and said to Xi Huai with a smile, "It's okay. Just looking at you cheers me up!"

His eyes had always been gentle and bright. They were even more radiant now as he smiled at Xi Huai. This was probably the halo effect around the person you liked.

Xi Huai was stunned by his smile. This always shameless person actually blushed. He turned his face away and coughed twice, flustered. 

Chi Muyao thought Xi Huai wasn't feeling well and reached for his arm with concern. "What's wrong?" 

"N-nothing." 

Chi Muyao's mind was still on cultivation. He brought it up again, "Then I'll impart the meditation technique to you. Will you be able to remember it? If you can't, I'll write it down." 

"Is it really complicated?"

"It's not too bad, but I have a good memory after all. You're perceptive so you should also be able to remember the key points." 

"Go ahead then."

Chi Muyao patiently repeated the meditation technique's mantra. He waited for Xi Huai to mull each part over before continuing. 

Xi Huai's aptitude was excellent and his comprehension was also good, so he was able to understand how it worked very quickly. Soon, he was able to use this meditation technique to circulate the surrounding spiritual energy.

Chi Muyao was very excited to see this. "You're so awesome!"

Xi Huai straight up put a hand to his chest after being praised.

He really couldn't stand this kind of stimulus... 

For some reason, even though he's dual cultivated with Chi Muyao countless times and done all the things one could do on the bed, a single word still held the power to move him.

 His heart beat like a rabbit running for his life after a word of praise. His body temperature was already warmer than usual at baseline, but now his cheeks felt like they were on fire.

Chi Muyao panicked at his reaction. He got off the lotus seat and came nervously closer. "Are the wounds from recklessly burning your soul hurting? Are you in a lot of pain? Don't worry, I'm at Golden Core stage now. I can heal such injuries. It won't affect your longevity. What I said before was just out of anger."

"I'm fine." Xi Huai could only change the subject very stiffly, "Where's your bird?"

"I didn't let it out. I was afraid it would eat bugs indiscriminately while I was in seclusion." 

Xi Huai understood once he looked up at the Green Underworld Streamfires still flying around. 

"Let it be by my side when I cultivate. It can absorb my Hui Dragon Flame and gain some insight too. Who knows? It might get to break through as well." 

"En, okay!"

"Can you make them fly a little farther away?"

"Actually, they can understand you. It's just that you can't understand them."

"Oh..." He looked up again. Sure enough, the Green Underworld Streamfires flew much farther away. 

Xi Huai snapped his fingers. Flames suddenly flared up and enveloped him and Chi Muyao. 

Chi Muyao looked up and around. They were surrounded by fire. Xi Huai comforted him, "Don't be afraid. They're under my control."

Chi Muyao looked at Xi Huai. Then his cheeks were cupped by Xi Huai's somewhat hot fingertips. His chin was lifted, followed by a tender kiss. 

He was a bit at a loss. Carefully raising his arms, he hugged Xi Huai.

Obediently allowing Xi Huai to go even madder. 

The Hui Dragon Flames feared by all were now reduced to a barrier. It drew a circular boundary of fire obscuring the duo from sight. 

The flames were surprisingly gentle. Its scorching temperature mellowed by the cool cave into something just right. 

Intense. 

Sizzling.

The long-awaited reunion.

Their first...kiss as a couple.

Xi Huai only let go of him when he had his fill. He dispelled the curtain of fire and walked with determination towards the spiritual spring without even looking back.

Chi Muyao had not yet returned to his senses. Slightly out of breath, he still followed Xi Huai and told him how to use the spiritual spring when in seclusion. 

Xi Huai walked into the spiritual spring and sat down where Chi Muyao was meditating before. "Don't talk to me for now."

"What's wrong?" Chi Muyao didn't understand.

Just now he...and now he didn't even want to hear his voice?

So love faded so quickly?

"I want to go into seclusion as soon as possible so we can kill Su You and leave already. However, if you keep talking to me, I'm afraid I won't be able to anymore." 

"Oh..." Chi Muyao finally understood and hurriedly shut his mouth, only to laugh again not long after. 

Xi Huai had already closed his eyes to meditate. Chi Muyao's laughter was too tempting for him to resist glancing up at him. When he saw the other party was standing there all proper again, he could only grit his teeth and resume cultivating. 

Only when Xi Huai began to cultivate did Chi Muyao realise the gap between them. The spiritual spring's dense energy began to circle around Xi Huai like a tornado as he willed it into motion. All of it was absorbed into his body at a frightening pace.  

The tornado of spiritual energy lifted Xi Huai's hair, both his bangs and the long hair draped on his back.

The spiritual spring's luminescence lit up his handsome face, adding a touch of holiness to him. Like the bright moon in the sky, he cast a pure, clean light. 

Chi Muyao was rendered speechless. Then he started laughing again. 

After becoming cultivation partners with Xi Huai, his eyes and mouth often curved into crescents uncontrollably, as if every moment was brimming with happiness. He felt like he was on cloud nine, like this had to be a dream. 

How could his cultivation partner be so outstanding in every way? 

He’d grown accustomed to this like a fish to water.

After being happy alone for a while, he released Qiuqiu from his spirit pet pouch.

The first thing Qiuqiu did after coming out was fly around. Sure enough, he was very interested in the Green Underworld Streamfires. It was only after being admonished by Chi Muyao for a while that it reluctantly moved away from them. Fu Ru cursed after seeing Qiuqiu, "You're actually raising such savage beasts, kid?!" 

They weren't even of the Hui, but birds were another story. 

Chi Muyao could only do his best to smooth any ruffled feathers. 

He pointed to Xi Huai and said to Qiuqiu, "He's my cultivation partner now, so you have to get along with him... Your relationship wasn't bad in the first place, but remember that he's not your daddy." 

Qiuqiu looked at him and tilted his head. "Qiu!"

"You and him share similar attributes. Stay by his side while he's cultivating and you can benefit too."

"Qiu." This time, Qiuqiu obeyed and flew to Xi Huai's side. He circled around before landing on Xi Huai's shoulder and cultivating as well. 

Qiuqiu's philosophy had always been, 'I dunno what master means by cultivation partner, but Xi Huai's my daddy!’ 

Chi Muyao would work on that later. 

He put a hand on his waist as he watched the harmonious picture of man and bird cultivating together. How nice.

After a while, he turned around to ask the Green Underworld Streamfires for advice. He wanted to know if there were any suitable spells for him now that he was at the Golden Core stage, so he could also get stronger.

During Xi Huai's seclusion, he alternated between studying spells or studying the map Fu Ru drew. 

Chi Muyao had thought he would need to wait a long time. He even cleaned out a place in the cave to use as temporary housing. 

Unexpectedly, three months after Xi Huai entered seclusion, Chi Muyao noticed Xi Huai pause for a moment. Before he could ask about the situation, he saw Xi Huai take a few pills and close his eyes again to cultivate. 

While he was shocked, Kong Qing came over and said, "He has already reached the peak of the Golden Core stage." 

"So soon?" 

Chi Muyao knew that Xi Huai had once-in-a-millennium aptitude, and he also knew that people with single spirit roots cultivated the fastest, but it couldn't be this fast, right? 

It was unheard of for a person in their twenties to reach the Nascent Soul stage!

"En. He's in the process of breaking through to the next stage."

"It's impossible to break through in just three days and succeed, right? That would really be a bit too unreasonable."

Sure enough, Xi Huai didn't successfully ascend to the Nascent Soul stage in three days. It took a bit longer—a full five days. 

What a bastard!