Ever since he admitted he wanted to see Chi Muyao, Xi Huai’s requests had only grown stranger.

Things like: he wanted Chi Muyao to rub his legs because he was uncomfortable from lying down all the time...

He wanted to see if Chi Muyao's hair was soft yet sturdy because his hair was really soft yet sturdy...

He wanted Chi Muyao to help him open his shirt because he felt hot, etc...

Chi Muyao didn’t think too much into any of these things.

And so a few more months passed like this.

At the end of a cultivation session, Xi Huai asked while Chi Muyao was using the Simple Washing Technique, “Why are your cultivation methods a little different from what I’ve learned?"

Chi Muyao retorted, "I thought you didn’t know much about the He Huan Sect’s meditation techniques?”

Hearing that Chi Muyao was about to go meditate, Xi Huai frantically blurted out, “I have a friend who’s been with a He Huan Sect female disciple before. I saw the scratches on his arms and back. Why don’t I have any?”

"I couldn’t because you’re lying on your back."

"But he always has red marks on his collarbone. Why does that not happen to me?”

"I can pinch a few in for you if you’d like.”

That’s obviously not the same. 

A little frustrated, Xi Huai decided to straight up ask, “Can’t you kiss me or touch some other places before you start cultivating?”

This request took Chi Muyao very much by surprise. He replied, “I don’t want to kiss you. You might bite my tongue.”

Xi Huai was silent for a moment. With some bewilderment, he asked, “Why would I bite your tongue when you kiss me? Do I need to stick my tongue out when kissing?”

Chi Muyao was completely taken aback by his questions.

What an innocent child, ah. He obviously doesn’t get anything but the most surface details. To him, desire means a kiss and nothing more...

Chi Muyao, ah, Chi Muyao. How could you do this? Have you no sense of shame? Look at what you’ve done to this child.

"I can’t corrupt you.” Chi Muyao suddenly declared firmly with clenched fists.

"What?!" Xi Huai was even more confused now. Why weren’t things going the way he expected? “I just wanted you to…”

"No! I can't do something like that to you! I’ll be no different than an old lecher then!” 

"..." Xi Huai suddenly realized he didn't understand what the hell Chi Muyao was thinking. Why did their conversations always end up so strange?

Chi Muyao sat on the ground and crossed his legs. However, he was too preoccupied with ruminating over his actions to start meditating any time soon.

It was Xi Huai who spoke up again, "Since you’re cultivating anyway, why not choose a method that’s more pleasurable? The way you cultivate is so boring. There’s no way everyone in your Sect does it this way, right?”

"En."

"I can’t believe you admitted it. If the entire He Huan Sect did things the same way as you, the Sect would’ve died out a long, long time ago.”

Actually, Xi Huai was right. Chi Muyao’s cultivation method really wasn’t all that good.

Many times, he had to take a break in the middle, leaving Xi Huai to hold on by himself.

And there was one time in particular where he had lost his balance and slipped back a bit, nearly taking Xi Huai’s little Xi Huai off with him.

CowgirlSexual position in which one person lies down while the other straddles them (essentially the position Chi Muyao and Xi Huai have been using). was a dangerous position after all. One had to be careful of rubbing skin raw.

Even an originally bad-tempered person like Xi Huai had his patience polished until it shone after all that.

Chi Muyao refused to admit anything. He deadpanned, “That’s not…”

"Maybe you didn’t learn your Sect’s techniques properly? Or maybe you’re doing them wrong. How else do you explain how much you suck at dual-cultivating? There were a couple of times I thought my thing was going to break from how much you ground on it. Are you trying to break it on purpose so you can stop working hard and die of old age?”

“Of course not!”

“You’re already cultivating but you insist on using these torturous methods… I’ll let you off if you give me a kiss.”

Just like you shouldn’t tell a man he’s incapable in that area, you shouldn’t tell a former top student that he’s doing things wrong.

Xi Huai had crossed the line twice in quick succession.

In a rare moment of displeasure, Chi Muyao fiercely retorted, “You’re the reason I got dragged into this in the first place. If Elder Yao Weng didn’t want to torment you, why would he kidnap and lock me away in this cave too? Have I ever complained about being locked here and having to dual-cultivate with you to break the restrictions? No! But here you are, complaining that my techniques suck.”

Xi Huai was rendered speechless by his outburst.

But Chi Muyao was far from done in airing out his grievances. “I get that you have a bad temper, and I don’t take it to heart when you lash out, because I know your body feels uncomfortable. But why can’t you be considerate of me as well? The Sect Master didn’t even know how to teach me because the He Huan Sect’s never had a male disciple before. I’ve worked so hard to be able to finish cultivating all these times, but all you show is scorn.”

"I-I didn't..." Xi Huai stuttered in a rare moment of weakness.

I just wanted a kiss from you, that’s all.

Chi Muyao continued, “I know you’re a very proud person. That’s why I’ve never treated you with anything but respect since I came here. I want to keep your reputation clean so that you won’t be plagued by internal demons once you leave. I’m very grateful to you for agreeing to cultivate with me and extend my life, but that doesn’t mean my feelings aren’t hurt when you talk down to me like this.”

"I was wrong." Xi Huai finally apologised.

Xi Huai was used to being domineering. He had never once been courteous, never once lowered his head to anyone.

Yet his temper was nowhere to be found when he was beside Chi Muyao.

Chi Muyao sat on the ground with his legs crossed. His hands rested on his knees, but he didn’t make any hand signs for the longest time.

After fuming silently for a while, he finally said, “Then don’t do this again in the future.”

"En."

"I'm going to start cultivating now."

"En."

Only after Chi Muyao started was Xi Huai able to settle down.

He just wanted Chi Muyao to kiss him, or do something more before they dual-cultivated instead of preparing his body with techniques and leaving him unsatisfied. 

Unfortunately, he had messed up and upset Chi Muyao instead.

Xi Huai had been pretty stressed lately from racking his brain for ideas on how to get Chi Muyao to listen.

Chi Muyao might seem soft and good-natured, but there were things he was so set upon, that Xi Huai was helpless to change them. Begging, taunting, wearing him down gradually… 

After all this time, he still had no idea what Chi Muyao looked like, nor did they have any more contact than necessary.

Xi Huai knew that dual-cultivating once every few days was no longer enough for him.

After his first time at the tender age of eighteen, that vanilla cultivation method was no longer satisfying.

He wanted to explore different options.

With Chi Muyao.

When Chi Muyao finished absorbing the spiritual energy this time, he suddenly felt like the cave was a bit brighter once he opened his eyes.

He was now at the middle stage of Qi Refining.

With his improved cultivation came improved vision. He could now make out some of the outlines in this dark cave. Looking around, he could see the scattered rocks, the stone bed, and where the chains were set into the cave wall.

He could also see Xi Huai’s silhouette. Although he couldn’t make out his facial features just yet, Chi Muyao could see his smooth jawline as well as the dragon horn on the right side of Xi Huai’s forehead.

Chi Muyao could finally relax a bit after his realm rose. He wasn’t on the verge of death anymore because his lifespan had increased by a few years.

He could live up to eighty-nine when he was at the early stages of Qi Refining, but now he could live well into his nineties.

His mood was unexpectedly good now that things weren’t so urgent.

However, Chi Muyao didn’t share the good news with Xi Huai. If he did, Xi Huai would definitely act salty and make him practice fire type techniques to watch him fail.

He got up and approached the stone bed. “I’m going to use the Simple Washing Technique.”

"En." Xi Huai responded.

Cultivate...

Meditate and absorb…

Cultivate again.

That was the routine the two of them had settled into inside the cave. 

And as long as Xi Huai didn’t relapse again, that was how things were going to be for a while.

Chi Muyao needed some time to adjust his mental state before starting.

But Xi Huai’s next move blindsighted him. He was too stunned to react immediately.

The iron chains around Xi Huai’s hands and feet basically immobilized him. However, there was some give, so he was still able to move slightly.

More specifically, Xi Huai could move his waist.

Xi Huai had never moved before. He just lay back on the stone bed and let Chi Muyao do his thing. This was the first time he was an active participant.

Chi Muyao cried wretchedly, pea-sized teardrops falling from his eyes and crashing onto Xi Huai’s body.

Unfortunately, his flood of tears wasn’t enough to make Xi Huai stop.

For the first time, Chi Muyao smelled his own chestnut flower-like scent.

At the end of the previous sessions, Chi Muyao could still push himself off the stone bed, albeit wobbling a bit.

Today, however, he could only push himself to a sitting position. He sat to one side of the stone bed and wiped at his tears.

However, Xi Huai still noticed despite that. He asked, “Why didn’t that happen to you before?”

"..." Chi Muyao remained silent.

“Could it be…We’ve been cultivating for more than a year but that was the first time you…”

“Shut up!” Chi Muyao immediately roared.

Xi Huai wasn’t angry at being yelled at. On the contrary, he burst into great peals of laughter.

His laughing fit went on and on, until Chi Muyao was blushing furiously and was thoroughly uncomfortable.

"You insensitive playboy!" Irritated, Chi Muyao cursed Xi Huai out.

But that just made Xi Huai laugh even harder.

Chi Muyao was too ashamed to listen to the sound of Xi Huai laughing anymore. He thought this person was way too mean-spirited.

Thus, he quickly retrieved Peach Essence Brew from his storage necklace and scooted over to pour a bit into Xi Huai’s mouth. Only after making sure he was drunk was Chi Muyao able to breathe a sigh of relief.

Then he panicked a bit, because what if Xi Huai went berserk again?

Yet nothing seemed to happen. Perhaps the contaminants and resentful energy in Xi Huai’s body were almost depleted due to their recent successes in cultivation, but Xi Huai didn’t go berserk this time. In fact, he was sleeping soundly.

With pursed lips, Chi Muyao sat on the edge of the stone bed and quietly stared at Xi Huai's silhouette.

He seemed to be a tall and strong young man with a tall nose ridge visible even under the cover of darkness. The transition from his jawline to Adam’s apple was as smooth as the sand dunes in a desert. He was so handsome that Chi Muyao had to swallow in order not to drool.

This was what a man should look like.

Chi Muyao flushed again when he recalled what just transpired. He couldn’t calm down even after covering his face with both hands for quite some time.

He refused to believe it before when Xi Huai said that his techniques were bad, but who would’ve thought that the first time Xi Huai participated, he would...

Chi Muyao groaned, both frustrated and embarrassed as he covered both his eyes. 

How shameful. You studied diligently for a year but you can’t even compare to a complete beginner.

Chi Muyao might have been a top student, but unfortunately his grades in gym class were never really good.

He believed his subpar performance in cultivation was because his stamina wasn’t good.

Right!

That has to be it.