Chapter 2362: The Aloof Sword Cultivator and His Bound Sword Spirit 06

Xie Qingmo was slightly startled.

After a brief silence, his gaze turned to Yun Che, and he eased his tone.

"Thank you, Senior Brother, for your concern."

Xie Qingmo lowered his eyes, genuine feeling showing, though he usually couldn't say it and had no chance.

"This starlight herb is of excellent quality, reminding me of when I fell off the cliff years ago; Senior Brother shielded me, his back wounded by a demon beast, leaving a long scar."

"Back then, you did the same, leaving the life-saving thing for me."

Yun Che suddenly looked at Xie Qingmo, and the memory of fighting side by side as senior brothers flashed into his mind.

Jin Chen's voice transmission sounded again, timely, with a teasing tone: "To Liu Qingcheng..."

Xie Qingmo frowned slightly, understanding tacitly.

"As for Junior Brother Liu's feelings, I've accepted them, but an apology can't be forced." His gaze swept over Liu Qingcheng, then landed on Yun Che's face, his tone sounding especially reasonable.

"I see Junior Brother Liu's earlier meaning; he seems to like the starlight herb too, Senior Brother might as well..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but the meaning was obvious enough.

You even want to snatch the spiritual herb Senior Brother prepared for me? How clueless!

Yun Che frowned deeply, his mind in turmoil.

True brotherly affection—Liu Qingcheng now seemed annoyingly clingy, and Qingmo's apparent coldness, actually constant yielding, instantly made him weigh right and wrong in his heart.

Yun Che raised his voice for the first time to cut off Liu Qingcheng's impending excuse.

"Alright, Qingcheng!"

The aura shook Liu Qingcheng, who shuddered; Yun Che continued: "Qingmo needs tranquility; the spiritual herb is for him—don't keep meddling!"

That reproachful tone was something Liu Qingcheng had never heard from Yun Che since joining the sect.

Xie Qingmo also didn't expect this to work; he stared, then collected his emotions.

Liu Qingcheng froze on the spot, eyes wide in disbelief, looking at his always-obedient Senior Brother, who now sternly rebuked him for Xie Qingmo's sake.

He clenched his lower lip, swallowing all his resentment, head bowed.

"Sorry..."

Yun Che handed the spiritual herb to Xie Qingmo, not entering the courtyard to upset him further: "Qingmo... Senior Brother will come see you another day."

Wait until I'm alone... or bring Xingyan and them, then we'll talk again.

Yun Che glanced at Liu Qingcheng and shook his head.

Xie Qingmo nodded, "Senior Brother, take care."

The courtyard gate closed again, shutting out the outside clamor.

A figure in dark clothing appeared silently beside Xie Qingmo.

Jin Chen crossed his arms, watching the direction Yun Che and Liu Qingcheng disappeared: "This Senior Brother... still has a bit of brotherly feeling toward you, just been blinded by that thing for too long, his mind a bit dull."

He turned his head to look at Xie Qingmo, eyes showing a hint of prideful expectation of credit.

"How about it? Does my method work?"

Xie Qingmo gazed at the tightly shut courtyard gate, silent.

He hadn't expected, really hadn't expected, that just this... could make Senior Brother break free from the enchantment for a moment.

The faint hope remaining in his heart for the sect unexpectedly reignited because of this small victory.

【Detected Villain Blackening Value -1, total 59!】

Xie Qingmo turned his head to look at the youthful sword spirit beside him: "How did you know this would work?"

"Also, is Liu Qingcheng... a White Lotus Demon?"

"Why say Liu Qingcheng is a little white lotus?"

Jin Chen laughed for a while, "He's not a White Lotus Demon, but... a monster."

"Isn't that just a monster? Drawing the lifeforce of those close to him as a protagonist's halo, enough to blind one's eyes."

He stepped forward, through the thin cloth, lightly tapping Xie Qingmo's chest.

The warmth from his fingertip made Xie Qingmo tremble slightly.

"Because I know," Jin Chen said, "you've never truly given up on them. From time to time, you still feel sorry for those idiots, right?"

Xie Qingmo's pupils contracted slightly, struck by these words that pierced his heart, leaving him speechless for a moment.

Jin Chen withdrew his hand, leaning in as if to lightly embrace, or just brushing shoulders.

"So, Xie Qingmo, don't be afraid. I'll help you."

As Jin Chen's arm wrapped around him, Xie Qingmo's whole body stiffened.

The youthful sword spirit's temperature passed through the thin cloth, carrying a distinctive coolness, yet inexplicably making one feel at ease.

This warmth hadn't yet heated his heart when Jin Chen's next sentence instantly made him lose composure.

"However, as an exchange," Jin Chen whispered against his ear, firmly, "you must sleep with me every night."

"..."

Xie Qingmo expressionlessly raised his hand, curled his fingers, and knocked lightly but firmly on Jin Chen's forehead: "You're a sword, yet you sure don't let yourself lose out."

His tone held a hint of helplessness, yet showed little anger.

Jin Chen covered his forehead and exclaimed, but it was clear Xie Qingmo wasn't angry at all.

Xie Qingmo turned and walked into the house; as his robe brushed the threshold, the corner of his mouth lifted slightly.

This feeling was strange; clearly it was an ancient, lively, ever-demanding sword, yet it made him feel more at ease than those fellow disciples he saw daily.

Like in this vast world, suddenly there's a companion who will wrestle the blanket with you but never stab you in the back.

"What are you staring at?" Xie Qingmo glanced at Jin Chen still standing there: "You just said you were going to the kitchen to eat sugar cake."

Jin Chen then remembered what he had to do, took a few steps to catch up, his dark sleeve brushing Xie Qingmo's hanging hand and taking hold.

"Xie Qingmo, do you agree to this?"

"Shut up."

"Then can you hold me while we sleep tonight?"

"......"

"That night, the dusk deepened, and the bamboo shadows swayed."

"Xie Qingmo slept lightly, and upon being awakened by a disturbance, he glanced at the sword spirit already asleep beside him, sighing softly out of habit."

"With each breath, the youth's forehead hair trembled slightly."

"Xie Qingmo lightly touched the sheath of the Chen sword that Jin Chen held in his arms."

"Cold, hard, yet inexplicably it made one feel reassured."

"In the next instant, Jin Chen turned over and hugged him."

Xie Qingmo: "......"

"Now I finally understand what Jin Chen has been complaining about every morning—it turns out the evil sword spirit filed the complaint first."