Chapter 2394: The Aloof Sword Cultivator and His Natal Sword Spirit 38

Xie Qingmo had just finished a match, walking down the stage in immaculate white robes, his gaze habitually searching the crowd for that hint of a dark figure.

Upon seeing that, his brows furrowed.

Jin Chen was indeed surrounded again by several unfamiliar cultivators, whose attire suggested they belonged to a sect renowned for swordsmanship.

Leading them was a handsome young sword cultivator, speaking eloquently to Jin Chen with fervent eyes, his admiration almost spilling over, his hands holding a jade box that looked valuable.

They were chatting quite happily.

Out of the corner of his eye, Jin Chen saw Xie Qingmo approaching, turned to look at him, and immediately said, "I've been waiting for you here, I haven't accepted anyone else's things."

The young sword cultivator blinked, followed Jin Chen's gaze back, and met Xie Qingmo's eyes, his heart inexplicably tightening.

Xie Qingmo ignored the others, walked straight to Jin Chen's side, and gently took his cool fingers, as if feeling somewhat weary.

"I'm a bit tired."

Jin Chen immediately turned his hand to hold him, all his outward laziness replaced by concern, his voice softening, "Shall we go back to rest?"

He turned his head and said to the cultivators still wanting to speak, "Take the things and step back, my Dao Lu will be unhappy."

Having said that, he pulled Xie Qingmo and turned to leave.

Upon returning to their pavilion that resembled a fairyland, Xie Qingmo released the hand he had been holding Jin Chen's.

He untied the Chen Sword from his waist and walked to the smooth stone table in the courtyard's center.

"What's wrong, why are you taking out the sword?" Jin Chen followed behind, looking at him puzzled.

Xie Qingmo didn't answer, his face cold and handsome, he began tidying the stone table.

He moved aside the spiritual fruits and tea utensils originally placed on the table, his movements carrying an indescribable……

A coldly coldly spiteful vigor.

Jin Chen grew even more puzzled, simply crossing his arms and pacing back and forth behind him.

Only to see Xie Qingmo turn into the small kitchen, and after a moment come out holding a large bunch of fresh garlic still dotted with soil on its skins.

He expressionlessly placed the garlic on the cleaned stone table.

Jin Chen: "???"

An ominous premonition welled up in his heart.

Sure enough, the next moment Xie Qingmo picked up that ancient spiritual sword that had slain demons, split barriers, and famed throughout the cultivation world.

The sword tip pointed downward, the hilt upward, and then……

Using the sword master's spiritual power, he opened the resonant link between the Chen Sword and Jin Chen.

Xie Qingmo began to smash the garlic with the Chen Sword.

The garlic cloves shattered, releasing a pungent, spicy aroma that instantly burst in the air.

"Ah, ah-choo!!!"

Jin Chen was almost instantly hit, covering his mouth and nose, sneezing repeatedly.

That spiciness, transmitted through the resonance, was no different from garlic-scented perfume.

"Xie Qingmo!" Jin Chen, sneezing helplessly with tear-filled eyes, accused, "What are you doing?!"

Jin Chen pinched his nose, sneezing "ah-choo" while rubbing himself against Xie Qingmo in grievance, "I haven't accepted any gifts… ah-choo, you still… ah-choo!"

Xie Qingmo stopped smashing the garlic, also irritated, wrinkled his nose, "You're right, I get jealous easily."

Jin Chen: "……"

For a moment he didn't know whether to be angry or laugh.

Anyway, he couldn't block the pervasive spiciness, so he loosened his pinched nose and embraced Xie Qingmo, who still held the Chen Sword.

"Okay, okay, I know you're jealous."

"Now that the jealousy's spent, can we stop smashing the garlic? It's really spicy—I'll hug you, don't be jealous."

Held in his arms, Xie Qingmo lowered his gaze to the pile of garlic cloves smashed to mush on the stone table, and as promised carefully placed the Chen Sword on a clean soft cushion beside it, took a clean soft cloth, and meticulously wiped the garlic-scented blade clean.

After doing all that, he turned his body, actively lunging into Jin Chen's open embrace, lifting his face, his clear cold eyes clearly reflecting Jin Chen's figure, carrying a silent longing.

Jin Chen readily lowered his head, kissing those cool lips, melting all the spiciness and jealousy into a gentle, tender kiss.

In the following days' sect grand competition, things entered a relatively peaceful stage.

As a Nascent Soul cultivator, Xie Qingmo no longer needed to participate in the matches.

Yet, his frequency of appearing beside each competition platform was astonishingly high.

Whether Jin Chen was dozing in the viewing stands, studying newly obtained spiritual tea in a corner, or being summoned by the Sect Leader to discuss matters, Xie Qingmo always seemed to appear unintentionally by his side.

This proved trying for those cultivators hoping to seize the chance to approach Jin Chen.

Especially the Tianyan Sect disciples who had to go on stage; each time they saw Xie Qingmo's gaze sweep over them from below, they felt immense pressure, not knowing where to put their hands and feet, being able to exert only seventy percent of their full strength was already good.

Finally, after the sixth time his performance faltered due to excessive pressure and he lost the match, a somewhat bold young sword cultivator with a tear-streaked face took advantage of Jin Chen's alone moment in the corridor admiring the scenery, gathered courage, approached, and whispered a plea.

"O Great Sword Spirit… please, could you tell Senior Brother Xie… could you… restrain yourself a bit?"

"Just his standing below the stage makes the juniors' legs tremble……"

Jin Chen heard this, first startled, then seemingly understanding something, and couldn't help but laugh.

He waved his hand, tone relaxed, "I know, I'll tell him later."

The next match was a lighthearted friendly bout.

The organizer, Tianyan Sect, produced a prize, said to be a relic left by a pair of Dao Lu who had already ascended to the immortal realm.

A United Heart Knot woven from ten-thousand-year love-thread grass, imbued with blessing power.

The rules are simple: contend within the designated area, and the final holder wins.

Xie Qingmo wasn't interested in such liveliness; he was sitting in the waterside pavilion brewing tea, but upon looking up, he discovered that Jin Chen, who had just been shelling pine nuts beside him, had vanished without a trace.

Xie Qingmo's heart grew uneasy; he set down his teacup and was about to rise to search……

"Look quick! It's the Sword Spirit!"

How did he get on stage?

Heavens! Even the ancient sword spirit is taking part in the friendship match?

Outside the viewing stands, a sudden huge outcry and discussion broke out.

Xie Qingmo's thought stirred, and his figure instantly appeared at the high railing outside the waterside pavilion.

His gaze swept through the crowd and landed on the competition area shrouded by a formation.

Only to see Jin Chen already standing at the center of the arena at some point, dressed in dark martial attire, appearing exceptionally composed among the surrounding cultivators on high alert.

He even blinked in the direction of Xie Qingmo from afar.

With a command from the presiding elder, spiritual light flashed in the area, and everyone rushed toward the intertwined knot floating in midair.

As Jin Chen moved lightly, the intertwined knot landed steadily in his open palm.

The entire venue erupted in an uproar.

Jin Chen grasped the warm intertwined knot, his figure flickered, and he appeared before Xie Qingmo at the railing.

Under the gaze of countless astonished or envious eyes, Jin Chen extended a finger and began to slowly dismantle the intertwined knot that bore the Dao Lu's blessing.

"You..." Xie Qingmo was somewhat puzzled.

Soon, Jin Chen completely dismantled the exquisite knot, leaving in his hand only a few tough, supple strands of the ten-thousand-year love-silk grass red cord, shimmering with a warm luster.

He stuffed the red cord into Xie Qingmo's hand, saying, "I don't want anyone else's, Xie Qingmo; braid me one, the kind of intertwined knot to give to a Dao Lu."

Xie Qingmo grasped the few warm strands of red cord, his eye sockets instantly flushed red, and the sour jealousy born from others' envy vanished completely at this moment.

His cheeks heated, his ears subtly tinged with red, yet under everyone's gaze he accepted without the slightest hesitation.

"Good."

He took the red cord, his fingertips flying.

【Detected Villain Heartthrob Value +5, total 100!】