Chapter 3136

The spring water is clear, its temperature cool and just right.

Mist from the Spirit Pool rushes toward us, carrying the special cool clarity of mountain spring water. The surface is about half the size of a martial cultivator's platform, its walls natural rock, its floor lined with smooth pebbles worn by the flow. It is not deep; at its deepest it reaches an adult man's chest, while the edges come only to waist and abdomen.

Jin Chen had his back to that side's entrance; the exposed line of his shoulder and neck, blended by sunlight and waterlight, was white and moist. He seemed comfortable in the bath, his chin resting on his folded arms, eyes half-closed in a doze.

Hearing the sound of someone entering the water behind him, he lazily turned his head and glanced back over his shoulder.

"What brings you, Senior Brother, to the Spirit Pool?" Jin Chen lay flatter on the stone, his chin back on his arms, drawing out his words slowly: "Could it be you came especially to find me?"

Chenshu stood in waist‑deep water, "You ask me, but why aren't you soaking in the Spirit Spring inside Myriad Phenomena Peak?"

Jin Chen let out a long sigh, his fingertip stirring the water into ripples: "My Master has left seclusion; now there isn't a quiet spot anywhere in Myriad Phenomena Peak."

Chenshu nodded, feeling it: "Indeed, you should hide."

He had also heard of the commotion when True Person Lin Wang emerged from seclusion: reportedly, Myriad Phenomena Peak has been in chaos these past two days, True Person Lin Wang forgot where his own cave abode is, wandered three times around the peak, and in the end it was Jin Chen who led him back.

Chenshu entered the water without removing his outer robe; his form‑fitting cultivator's garb, wet, clung tightly to his body, outlining slender muscle lines. His lower half was not in the water, and as the ripples moved, one could faintly see the smooth line of his waist and his long legs, while his hair remained neatly bound, only a few strands dampened by mist.

Jin Chen tilted his head, propped on his arms, watching for a while, then a mischievous urge struck and he flung a scoop of water at him.

The water droplets scattered in the sunlight, turning into a spray of crystal beads that flew toward Chenshu. He dodged back a little, but droplets still splashed his face: "Jin Chen!"

Jin Chen showed no fear and flung another scoop.

This time Chenshu was ready; he sidestepped, then retaliated with a palm thrust that sent up a wall of water over half a person high, rushing toward Jin Chen.

Jin Chen was engulfed head‑first by that water wall, his hair plastered to his face. But he was already soaked through, felt no fear, instead pushed off the water to retreat half a zhang, broke the surface, shook droplets from his face, and looked at Chenshu with bright eyes.

Amid their laughter, the water surface was shattered, and the sunlight seemed to break into glittering ripples.

Seeing Chenshu lower his head to drain water from his collar, Jin Chen mischievously cast a spell that vanished him on the spot.

Chenshu wrung out his collar, lifted his head, and found no one before him; the water surface bore only expanding ripples. He looked left and right, found nobody, and grew alert.

The next instant, he felt his ankle entwined, dragging him completely under.

Chenshu was suddenly pulled underwater. Opening his eyes, he saw Jin Chen smiling at him; they rolled around once beneath the surface, trailing bubbles. Another round of splashing ensued.

When they surfaced, Jin Chen laughed breathlessly; Chenshu finally broke free of his grip, dragged him to the surface, and pressed him against the jade stone at the shore.

He then straddled Jin Chen's legs, pinned his arms overhead; water droplets trickled from Jin Chen's hair and chin onto Chenshu's collarbone and chest, quickly absorbed by the surface.

Jin Chen yielded to the hold, gazing up at Chenshu with a lively smile, his eyes reflecting tiny water lights: "Wanting Senior Brother to play with me a while—is that not allowed? Why are you so fierce today?"

He said this, then let out a soft sigh from Youyou, looking pitiful.

Chenshu helplessly chuckled, "Have I become fierce again? I haven't even blamed you for ruining my reputation in front of the junior disciples all day."

Jin Chen lowered his gaze; Chenshu, to hold him down, sat astride his legs, revealing his figure completely. Soft, plump thigh flesh pressed against Jin Chen's waist, the water‑soaked fabric clinging to his skin—if one let a fingertip continue downward…

Jin Chen thought, if he didn't know Chenshu had no memory, he'd assume Chenshu was deliberately teasing him. But he was comfortably soaking in the Spirit Spring, his wife having come to him—of course there's reason to be affectionate.

Jin Chen reached out and wrapped his arms around Chenshu's waist, pulling him closer; Chenshu's body was slightly cool, pressed against his embrace with the spring's unique chill. He then lowered his head, and in the sudden darkening of Chenshu's gaze, gently bit his belt and tugged it loose.

Then he lifted his eyes, giving Chenshu an innocent look while still holding the belt's end between his teeth, speaking muffled: "I'm not ruining Senior Brother's reputation. It's just that we are married after all, and Senior Brother has many admirers in the sect—this longing of mine is truly hard to bear."

Chenshu's hand, unbeknownst when it had slipped from where it was pressing, now lay on Jin Chen's shoulder, fingertips pressing the water‑soaked fabric, giving him a half‑smile: "What, you have to deal with a pile of love letters every day—surely that isn't me?"

"Ah… so Senior Brother also gets jealous." Jin Chen chuckled inwardly, yet took Chenshu's hand and pressed it to his cheek, cooing, "Or perhaps… Senior Brother truly feels some affection for me?"

They seemed to have been sparring, waiting for whoever would first admit their feelings.

At this moment Jin Chen's mischief flared again; he wanted to settle who would go first, preferably hearing Chenshu admit it himself, but Chenshu stood immovable as a mountain, merely smiling at him, neither denying nor affirming.

Jin Chen snorted inwardly, then began to tease without any pattern.

"……Hn! Jin Chen!" Chenshu's voice suddenly changed tone.

He never expected Jin Chen to be here…… His legs, submerged underwater, tensed and drew together, but his whole body was held in Jin Chen's embrace, nowhere to hide; he could only reach down with one hand to press the wet fabric that was rolling up, and with the other brace against Jin Chen's shoulder before turning his head, only to be overwhelmed by a flood of kisses.

The kiss came fierce and urgent, laced with steam and warm breath; Chenshu tilted his head to dodge and catch a breath, but Jin Chen's lips pressed to the corner of his mouth and followed, tight, leaving him no gap.

Chenshu realized he had provoked him too much, so he could only soften his body and ease down to placate him, his palm stroking Jin Chen's back to soothe, but Jin Chen would no longer listen to his excuses, taking advantage of the water's flow, he began to act recklessly, the arm submerged in water supporting Chenshu's back, pulling him several steps toward the deeper pool center; Chenshu lost his footing, could only cling to him, his heels unstable on the pebbles beneath the surface, his body slightly leaning back, waist and legs tensed tight.

He lifted his head slightly, and a broken gasp escaped from between his lips: "Ahh…"

He restrained Jin Chen's wandering hand at his waist, fingers curling then releasing, then with all his strength bent his waist, leaning close to Jin Chen's ear, his voice broken: "You can't do this here…… There are new disciples in Shan Lin, you…… ha, behave a little, I was wrong, I was wrong, okay?"

Jin Chen's motion paused for a moment, feeling aggrieved, he rubbed against his shoulder and sighed muffled, "Senior brother, you're just playing with me, you hate me."

"I didn't, you……" Chenshu was still trying to soothe him when he heard several plops and splashes of water falling nearby.

Chenshu turned his head warily, using his body to shield the almost-naked Jin Chen.

Not far from the shore, the junior brothers and sisters scrambled out of the water, drenched, their faces full of guilt and panic.

One after another, they turned away, not daring to look.

"Sorry, senior brother! We wanted to watch the match, but we couldn't see anything……

"Then someone lost their footing and—whoosh—we all fell in!"

"We really didn't see anything!"

Chenshu's expression shifted several times in just a few breaths.

He heard Jin Chen's light chuckle behind him, glanced back and glared; Jin Chen immediately restrained his smile, blinked, and put on an innocent look.

Chenshu took a deep breath and went with Jin Chen to fish them out.

Each of them grabbed a few with one hand, hoisting them up like little chickens, and tossed them into a farther spiritual pool.

"Soak properly," Jin Chen cast a concealment veil over the water where he and Chenshu were, "No peeking while senior brother bathes. Look at how filthy you all are—once you're done, hurry back to rest."

The disciples thrown into the pool burst into cheers, "Senior Brother Jin Chen is the best!"

Then came the splashing of water and the youths' playful splashing back and forth.

Jin Chen turned to look at Chenshu, whose eyes held a mix of reproach and helplessness, "Is that enough, senior brother?"

"Good senior brother," Jin Chen leaned in, resting on Chenshu's knee, pressing his face against his abdomen and rubbing contentedly, "If you won't let me do this or that, then at least help me wash my hair."