Chapter 2384: The Aloof Sword Cultivator and His Natal Sword Spirit 28

Jin Chen carried the humanoid ice sculpture back to the secluded courtyard and casually threw it into the side room.

The ice block hit the ground with a dull thud.

He patted the non-existent chill on his hands, faced the ice sculpture's eyes glaring as if about to spit fire, and waved his hand insincerely.

"Calm down for the night; the ice will melt by tomorrow."

After saying that, Jin Chen ignored the silent roar from the ice sculpture, left without looking back, his figure blending into the night as he hurried straight to the Zhu Lin cottage.

He pushed open the familiar bamboo door; warm yellow candlelight flickered.

Xie Qingmo was indeed lying on his side on the bed, wearing only a plain white inner robe, his black hair spread over the pillow; his cold profile in the light and shadow looked especially gentle.

He seemed to have waited a while; hearing the movement, his eyelids twitched slightly, but he did not open his eyes.

Jin Chen quickly took off his outer robe, slipped into the blankets like a lively fish, bringing with him the faint coolness of night dew.

He leaned in and gave Xie Qingmo's cool cheek a loud kiss, saying, "I'm back."

Xie Qingmo closed his eyes, yet his body instinctively shifted into Jin Chen's warm embrace, found a comfortable spot, and pressed his forehead against Jin Chen's neck.

Jin Chen contentedly drew his arms tighter, pulling the person closer, his chin rubbing against the soft hair, and they slept soundly through the night.

The next morning.

"Achoo!!!"

The side room door was flung open; Li Wu Feng, wrapped in a thick blanket, his face pale, his hair tips still dangling unmelted ice shards, sneezed as he charged out, shouting at the empty courtyard.

"Sword Spirit! Jin Chen! Come out for this lord! You..."

"Jin Chen isn't here." A cold voice sounded from behind him.

Li Wu Feng turned his head sharply.

Only then did they see Xie Qingmo already standing on the bluestone path in the courtyard, white clothes outshining snow, morning light tracing his immaculate outline, his gaze calm and unwavering as it swept over them.

"What do you want with Jin Chen?"

"..." Li Wu Feng felt inexplicably short of breath under that gaze, but as a Demon Lord he couldn't drop his dignity; he stiffened his neck, "This lord naturally has business with him! What's it to you?"

Xie Qingmo's expression didn't shift at all, his voice grew colder, "If you don't say what you want with him, you won't see him today."

Li Wu Feng: "???"

He simply couldn't believe his ears—when did orthodox cultivators become so overbearing and unreasonable, even more domineering than their demon clan?

Li Wu Feng was so angry he wanted to stomp his feet, but seeing Xie Qingmo's posture, he gritted his teeth instead.

"It... it's about Liu Qingcheng. Jin Chen previously asked this lord about his abnormal state during cultivation, and now I recall it."

Xie Qingmo's eyes narrowed slightly: "Speak."

Li Wu Feng glanced warily around before stepping closer.

"That guy, whenever he cultivates alone—especially during breath regulation—strange qi coils around his dantian, not demonic qi, nor the righteous spiritual qi of cultivators! It's... weird, viscous like a living thing!"

"He's also especially nervous; every time he cultivates he lays layer upon layer of restrictions, which I happened upon by chance."

Xie Qingmo listened, then fell silent for a moment.

A thought silently transmitted in his sea of consciousness.

Not long after, footsteps came from the end of the Zhu Lin path.

Jin Chen's figure appeared in the morning light, dark clothes tied in a ponytail, spirited and energetic.

As he walked, he stretched lazily, "Yo, Demon King thawed out? Looking for me..."

Before his words finished, Li Wu Feng's eyes lit up at the sight of him, the previous look of freezing shivers and rage vanishing instantly.

Xie Qingmo noticed, his pupils dimming imperceptibly, the fingers at his side slightly curling.

"Senior Brother! Lord Sword Spirit!"

Just then, Lan Yi, Xing Yan, and Shi Yan also came together.

Jin Chen raised an eyebrow, walked to Xie Qingmo's side, wrapped his arms around his slim waist, "What's wrong?"

Li Wu Feng immediately repeated what he had just said to Xie Qingmo.

Jin Chen stroked his chin, thoughtful: "... viscous like a living thing... no wonder."

He looked at Xie Qingmo, "I said that even if you stabbed his heart that day he could still jump around alive; turns out the vital point isn't in the meridians, that strange self-healing ability likely stems from that clump of living thing in his dantian."

Xing Yan blurted out upon hearing, "That's simple! When he's not paying attention, dig out his dantian and you'll know what it is."

Shi Yan nodded vigorously, his honest face full of agreement, his tone utterly serious, "Yeah! I think Third Senior Brother is right!"

Li Wu Feng: …!!!

He silently pulled his blanket tighter, sucked in a breath of cold air, and stared at the few orthodox cultivators before him.

How terrifying—ten thousand times more frighteningly simple and brutal than the demon clan's killing and looting!

Jin Chen was about to nod in agreement with Xing Yan's plain idea when he suddenly noticed Xie Qingmo's unusual silence beside him.

He turned his head doubtfully, "Xie Qingmo? What do you think..."

But as his gaze landed, Xie Qingmo furrowed his brow, quickly averted his eyes, leaving only a side profile.

Jin Chen:? Something's off.

After seeing off the noisy Li Wu Feng and the junior disciples discussing their plan,

Jin Chen immediately followed the solitary figure walking into the depths of Zhu Lin, apparently Xie Qingmo who wanted to clear his mind by practicing swordplay.

He walked backward in front of Xie Qingmo, head tilted, staring at his lowered eyelids, "Xie Qingmo, Xie Qingmo? Speak, what's wrong, tell me."

Xie Qingmo's sword-wielding motion halted as he walked, sword qi carving neat slashes in the bamboo leaves.

He pressed his lips, still unable to hold back, his cold voice taut as he asked.

"Li Wu Feng to you..."

Before he finished, Jin Chen blinked, then couldn't help laughing.

Before Xie Qingmo could react, he wrapped his arms around his waist and pressed him against the bamboo behind him.

Jin Chen got extremely close, warm breath brushed over Xie Qingmo's ear, somewhat teasing, "Turns out you're jealous, Xie Qingmo."

Xie Qingmo refused to admit, "Nonsense."

Mmm…

The unfinished words were blocked by Jin Chen's kiss.

Jin Chen's kiss, like him, was forceful and scorching, conquering and seizing territory, forcefully declaring sovereignty.

Until Xie Qingmo's breathing became unsteady, he only then slightly pulled back a bit, his eyes full of smile and cherishment.

He took Xie Qingmo's hand and pressed his fingertips against his own left chest, over the heart.

Thump, thump, thump.

Through the thin fabric, the heartbeat transmitted to Xie Qingmo's fingertips, one beat after another, steady and scorching.

Xie Qingmo couldn't help but press a little harder.

"Do you feel it?"

Jin Chen's voice lowered, gazing into the emotions surging in Xie Qingmo's eyes.

"Xie Qingmo, I exist because of you, my heart beats because of you, a symbiotic bond surpassing all."

The wind of Zhu Lin brushed past.

The powerful heartbeat beneath Xie Qingmo's fingertips struck the heart's lake like the most scorching vow.

He withdrew his hand, then naturally wrapped his arms around Jin Chen's neck, tilted his head and pecked the corner of his lips.

"I know, but this… is not entirely under my control." Xie Qingmo whispered softly.

From love arises worry; from love arises fear.

Jin Chen seemed to understand the unspoken words, pressing his forehead against Xie Qingmo's, rubbing noses, "Obviously you are the one who should be fearless."

【Detected Villain Heartthrob Value +9, total 70!】