Chapter 2373: Cold Sword Cultivator and His Natal Sword Spirit 17

The clamor and bloodshed at the bottom of Duhun Cliff were flung far behind.

Xing Yan, Shi Yan, and Lan Yi, as if surrounding some rare treasure, encircled Jin Chen in the middle.

Xing Yan circled Jin Chen, clicking his tongue in amazement, "Alive! It's truly a living sword spirit! Second Senior Brother, your sword is too divine!"

Shi Yan foolishly tried to reach out and touch Jin Chen's dark robe sleeve, but Jin Chen gave him a glance that swept over, and he shyly shrank back.

Lan Yi, though somewhat restrained, kept her gaze lingering on Jin Chen, filled with curiosity and awe.

Jin Chen felt ill at ease under their stares, his brows knotting tighter, his steps blocked and unable to move.

He helplessly glanced toward Xie Qingmo, who sat by the window slowly wiping his Chen Sword, his voice tinged with a rare frustration, the trailing tone drawn out, "Xie Qingmo…"

Hearing the sound, Xie Qingmo lifted his head, seeing Jin Chen's embarrassed, trapped appearance, the corner of his mouth curved slightly, a faint smile appearing in his cold brows and eyes.

He set down his sword, rose, walked over, took hold of Jin Chen's wrist, and gently pulled him to his side.

"All right."

Xing Yan watched their joined hands, then noticed Jin Chen's expression suddenly ease, and slapped his forehead as if recalling something, loudly telling Lan Yi beside him, "Ah! I remember! Fourth Junior Sister! Don't the storybooks you read often say that between a sword spirit and its sword master there is a natal bond, the sword spirit cannot be separated from its master! It's best to always be together, inseparable!"

Upon hearing that, Jin Chen immediately straightened his back, looking righteously at Xie Qingmo, "The storybooks are right! Xie Qingmo, did you hear that?"

Xie Qingmo helplessly pinched his brow, glanced at him, "Aren't you already doing that?"

Since birth he's clung to his side, even needing to share a bed when sleeping, never leaving his side— isn't that already inseparable?

Jin Chen choked a little, about to retort, when he suddenly sensed something, placing his palm over Xie Qingmo's dantian, "Xie Qingmo, you're about to break through."

"What?" Xie Qingmo also startled.

Earlier, when slaying the great demon, he had fully poured his sword intent, plus the recent fluctuations in his state of mind; his inner spiritual power had long been restless, and only now, pointed out by Jin Chen, did he sharply perceive the surging, tsunami‑like power within his dantian.

"Breakthrough!" Xing Yan exclaimed, his face instantly losing any amusement, replaced by anxiety, "A Late Golden Core breakthrough is no trivial matter; the spiritual qi here is mixed, and there are so many unknown cultivators— it's too dangerous."

"Second Senior Brother, we must return to the Tianyan Sect to break through."

Just then, the door was pushed open, and Yun Che helped the still‑pale Liu Qingcheng, who was clutching his chest, inside.

Yun Che's gaze was complex, heavy with guilt and words unspoken, as if he wanted to say something to Xie Qingmo.

"Qingmo, I…"

However, before he could finish, Jin Chen grabbed Xie Qingmo's wrist, not sparing a glance for Yun Che and Liu Qingcheng, pulling Xie Qingmo toward the upstairs room, muttering as he went, "Don't mess with them, Xie Qingmo, bad luck."

Yun Che watched the two quickly disappear at the stairwell entrance, his outstretched hand frozen in mid‑air, eventually turning into a heavy, bitter sigh.

He turned his head to look at Liu Qingcheng beside him, the weighty doubt and pain in his heart growing even heavier.

The door of the upstairs room was shut by Jin Chen with a backhand.

Xie Qingmo had just steadied himself, not yet had a chance to speak, when he was gently pulled into an embrace carrying a crisp sword aura and the youth's body heat.

Jin Chen held him in his arms, the motion very gentle.

Xie Qingmo blinked, then relaxed, burying his face in Jin Chen's neck crook, closing his eyes, "Thank you."

Jin Chen leaned lazily against the wall by the door, letting Xie Qingmo hold him.

He lowered his head slightly, his lips resting on Xie Qingmo's hair crown, "Xie Qingmo, I don't want to hear this."

Xie Qingmo lifted his head, stepped back a little, and looked at Jin Chen's handsome face tinged with dissatisfaction and anticipation.

He curved his brows and eyes, a light smile spreading, and followed Jin Chen's words, asking, "Then what do you want to hear?"

Jin Chen leaned in closer, his nose almost touching Xie Qingmo's, his voice lowered, carrying a hint of bewitching hoarseness and a righteous demand.

"Good older brother."

Xie Qingmo's earlobes took on a faint blush, the words of refusal turning on his tongue, he raised his hand and gently rubbed Jin Chen's soft hair crown, the motion tender.

"Mm."

Jin Chen: "……"

Jin Chen felt an itch at his heart from his actions, pinching Xie Qingmo's slightly red cheeks, his tone carrying a hint of fierce threat.

"Do you believe me…"

Xie Qingmo, his face being pinched, didn't struggle, merely raising an eyebrow, "Beat me?"

Jin Chen tightened his grip on the cheek, "Kiss you."

Xie Qingmo: "……"

The air seemed to freeze for an instant.

The color on Xie Qingmo's face instantly spread to his neck, "Jin Chen!"

Before the words even faded, Jin Chen answered him with action.

This kiss bore the youth's particular recklessness, giving Xie Qingmo no chance to refuse or escape.

However, Jin Chen's wantonness went far beyond that.

Those hands, belonging to the sword spirit, with the icy coolness of jade, slipped along the slight opening of Xie Qingmo's garment and slipped inside.

The cool palm made direct contact with Xie Qingmo's warm, firm side waist skin without any barrier.

Xie Qingmo's whole body jerked violently.

Immediately after, Jin Chen's low utterance, hot‑breath ed, sounded again beside his sensitive ear, laced with deadly temptation and affectionate coquettishness.

"Xie Qingmo, good older brother…"

Those icy fingers slowly rubbed his waist side, the hot breath at his ear making Xie Qingmo's whole body tremble uncontrollably.

He could barely stand, instinctively grabbing Jin Chen's arm, his voice broken.

"Jin Chen… let go, be good…"

Jin Chen lifted his eyes, seeing Xie Qingmo's tightly shut eyes, violently trembling lashes, and the crimson‑tinged corners of his eyes; a smile of success flickered in his pupils, yet he still complied, slowly releasing his hand and stepping back.

"All right." He seemed still a bit unsatisfied.

The restraint released, the icy sensation withdrew, and Xie Qingmo felt as if he had regained the ability to breathe.

He leaned against the wall behind him, slightly tilting his head, his chest rising and falling, the lovely red hue at the corners of his eyes not yet faded, his ragged panting especially clear in the quiet room.

He looked at Jin Chen before him, innocent-faced yet a little smug, and his chest felt as if something had slammed into it hard.

【Detected Villain Heartthrob Value +6, total 31!】