Chapter 92: A New Beginning

Spring rain fell continuously.

From Danxia Mountain, one could see fireworks and firecrackers everywhere in distant Xiazhoucheng, every household replacing their old couplets with new ones.

In the blink of an eye, spring had arrived, another half-month had passed—it was the New Year.

The cultivators in the mountains had no tradition of celebrating the New Year, nor did Shen Tang and Lu Xingzhou, but many of the original Danxia Gang disciples had requested leave to return to their homes in Xiazhou to spend the holiday with their families.

After all, they had not yet become sword cultivators who sat in seclusion for years on end.

Yet everyone's strength had generally increased; many of the original Danxia Gang disciples had been low-level beginners of eighth or ninth grade, and now nearly half had reached seventh grade; among them, several from Danxia Gang and Tianxing Sword Sect who had already been seventh grade were now attempting to break through to sixth grade.

Elder Tang Yunzhong and another former Tianxing Sword Sect elder, Zhang He, both broke through to fourth grade within the secret realm, and their cultivation continues to grow.

Newcomers like Zhang Shaoyou, having received pills, were also practicing diligently, seeking stability without rushing to break through.

In these days, Lu Xingzhou and Shen Tang had not been as constantly inseparable as originally imagined. Shen Tang was refining her cultivation at the upper stage of fourth grade and seeking the path to the upper three grades; Lu Xingzhou, after several days of cultivation, regained the cultivation he had lost on Bai Mao and began actively preparing to break fifth grade.

Lu Xingzhou's leg had fully healed… Previously, he had felt weakness—not because his leg was still injured, but due to "inadaptation and lack of coordination." He had not adapted to the transformation from mortal bones to immortal bones, and could not yet control it effectively; but over these days, the immortal spiritual energy of his water and fire legs had gradually transformed his entire body, bringing overall harmony, and his leg had become completely normal.

Along with this came an increase in cultivation speed; now, one day of cultivation yielded nearly the efficiency of ten days in his earlier years, and the sensation of spiritual energy surging into his body was like a river reversing its flow. This was the comprehensive transformation brought by shedding his mortal form.

Thus he could now understand how satisfying it must be for An Nuo, so small, to have reached fifth grade—her energy intake was the true torrent of a river.

The little thing was seeking to break through to fourth grade, and was nearly there… eating pill after pill like meals, feeding a pig couldn't be more expensive.

Today, on New Year's Day, the Tianxing Sword Sect held a rare ritual ceremony—offering sacrifices to Heaven and to the ancestors, informing the late, innocent sect master and fellow disciples of the sect's current state; the atmosphere was solemn. Lu Xingzhou's mindset had shifted somewhat; he used to rarely attend meetings, but now he participated in most, and he did not miss this solemn sect ritual.

Yet if outsiders had observed the ceremony, they would have been astonished by Lu Xingzhou's position.

He stood just behind and slightly beside the sect leader, nearly on equal footing.

Such a position was typically reserved for supreme elders—those of high virtue and great prestige, whose status ranked just below the sect leader, and in some sects even surpassed it. Yet here, it was given to a guest elder, whose cultivation was still quite ordinary within the sect… yet not a single person in the sect objected—not even in thought.

Everyone knew what the Tianxing Sword Sect was like just a few months ago—it was desperate enough to consider hiring a garbage seventh-grade alchemist… What is the Tianxing Sword Sect like now?

Previously, people had whispered fears that Lu Xingzhou would overshadow the sect leader; now they realized he wouldn't—he remained humble in daily life, most affairs were handled and arranged by Shen Tang, and he only offered advice from behind.

Previously, people had feared the sect leader spending too much time with this man, damaging the sect's reputation, and even more feared something actual might happen… recently, they found it wasn't the case; they cultivated separately and rarely met in private.

In public, Lu Xingzhou still bowed to Shen Tang, and Shen Tang responded with solemn, proper demeanor.

Thus all past concerns vanished, and everyone held Lu Xingzhou in great respect.

Of course, no one knew what the two were truly like behind their solemn facades… the more proper they appeared publicly, the more intense their private moments became.

Just like now.

"Lu Elder, I have matters to discuss with you afterward," Shen Tang said calmly after the ceremony, before all the senior members.

Everyone assumed it was something important and official, and felt the atmosphere was clear and noble.

Lu Xingzhou bowed slightly: "No need for formality, my lord—I'll await you on Spirit Spring Mountain."

Their eyes met accidentally, and both quickly turned their heads as if shocked.

"Do you want to rest today, celebrate the New Year?" Half a stick of incense later, Lu Xingzhou sat by the pool, soaking his water and fire legs to absorb spiritual energy. Shen Tang came to the poolside to find him, and opened with this.

Lu Xingzhou smiled, holding her: "So… when you said you had matters to discuss, you meant this?"

Shen Tang giggled, snuggling against him: "Otherwise… why on the New Year would I really come to talk business with you?"

Lu Xingzhou's hand stroked her body: "Princess, do you also never celebrated the New Year properly, like me?"

The hands that once groped her in the carriage and were slapped away now found Shen Tang subtly adjusting her posture to better accommodate her lover's caresses.

Clearly, though they met infrequently, their progress had accelerated with every encounter… now they were accustomed to this.

For Lu Xingzhou, the "sect leader" who showed him solemn respect in public, turned into someone he could fondle in private—it was a thrilling, illicit sensation.

"It really is rare," Shen Tang said, her voice soft with affection as he touched her. "In the Tianxing Sword Sect, immortal sword sects never had such customs—in truth, everyone basically cut off all worldly ties. As for me, I mostly returned to the capital to attend royal spring rituals… but those had no New Year flavor at all—too solemn. Isn't a festival supposed to be joyful with family?"

The implication: now my family is you.

Lu Xingzhou smiled: "Then let's go out and have some fun? How about a stroll through town?"

From inside came An Nuo's complaint: "Master, do you even understand anything? On the New Year, every shop is closed—there's no street to walk."

Lu Xingzhou finally realized and laughed: "Then back when you were in the Underworld, didn't you often sneak into town to play on the New Year? What did you do?"

"I used to fight kids for firecrackers!" An Nuo poked her head out. "This year I want to go too—will you come?"

Lu Xingzhou: "... I won't steal your fun—you go."

An Nuo dashed off happily; the New Year was one of the few times she could truly let loose and run wild, since she usually stayed cooped up in the Underworld cultivating.

Besides, this year there was nothing to cling to her master for—he had a stepmother now, and he'd surely be clinging to her during the New Year. Look at how he was rubbing her… he never rubbed An Nuo's face so earnestly. An Nuo shouldn't be around—she should be under the bed.

An Nuo vanished in a flash, and Shen Tang laughed, pinching Lu Xingzhou's cheek: "You deliberately sent An Nuo out to play, didn't you…"

Lu Xingzhou spoke with righteous solemnity: "When parents have important business, isn't it normal to send the child out to buy soy sauce?"

Shen Tang smiled slyly: "What important business?"

"Of course, the great way of human relations," Lu Xingzhou laid Shen Tang flat across his lap and leaned down to kiss her. "Is there anything more important than this in the world?"

Shen Tang submitted, lying still as he kissed her.

His stroking hand, unconsciously, moved to her sash and gently untied it.

Outside by the pool, spring snow still chilled. The advantage of cultivators was that even in this icy wind and snow, they wore only light robes and a single bellyband—untying them brought no cold.

Tongue play was no longer exclusive to Bai Mao—there was now added progress in climbing the peak.

Yet both remained rational; even in their most passionate moments, though they rolled together in bed, Lu Xingzhou had never attempted to go further.

He knew it would harm Shen Tang… and also harm himself.

In this world, there were techniques to observe a woman's purity—if anyone discovered the princess had lost her virginity before marriage to this ghost-fire-haired rogue, all prospects would vanish, and Lu Xingzhou might even be torn apart by the furious Gu Zhanting.

At first, Shen Tang had worried the man would lose control and act recklessly, and struggled fiercely; later, she found he was even more rational than she was, and became exceptionally compliant.

Deep inside, she felt a faint sense of guilt, thinking he suffered from restraint.

They kissed for a while, until Shen Tang sat nestled against him, her clothes half-open, her sash loosely undone, the white bellyband embroidered with crabapple blossoms trembling slightly by the pool—something was moving inside it.

The crabapple blossoms on the bellyband seemed to bloom, and so did she—spring filled the spirit pool.

Shen Tang's starry eyes half-closed, gazing dazedly at the pool ahead—she didn't even know what she was looking at; the misty glimmer in her eyes rippled more than the pool's surface: "Xingzhou…"

"Hmm?"

Shen Tang reached out to press the dirty hand causing trouble inside her bodice, pleading softly, "Stop it..."

When affection runs deep, who says only men desire it? Do women not desire it too? If he continued, she would endure it even more painfully than he.

Lu Xingzhou, following her lead, stopped his hand and gently kissed her crystal-clear earlobe again, saying, "Alright."

Shen Tang shivered all over, growing even softer, "Xingzhou... I never thought before that I would be so intimate with a man like this, letting him be so frivolous, yet feeling happy, wanting him to take more..."

Lu Xingzhou leaned close to her ear and smiled, "Didn't you say back then that the reward was only this much?"

Shen Tang pouted, speaking in a huff, "Bringing up old scores now, are you?"

"No," Lu Xingzhou said softly, "I just want my sister, Her Highness the Princess, and the Sect Leader, my lord, to give a bit more reward..."

Stacked like that, Shen Tang found it somewhat funny; the romantic atmosphere was almost ruined, "You, a mere subordinate and subject, have no right to ask for a reward yourself."

Lu Xingzhou's large hand gave a flick.

Shen Tang shivered again, looking at him with a resentful bite on her lower lip.

A subordinate and subject not only forced the throne to demand a reward but also turned the world upside down to bully others.

She instinctively glanced left and right, struggled to prop herself up, then gently bit his earlobe and playfully licked it, "Returning the favor, see if you still act recklessly..."

After these days of research and exploration on each other's bodies, the two novices knew many points they didn't know before; it turned out to be more terrifying than touching feet.

Seeing Lu Xingzhou's breathing clearly become coarse and heavy, Shen Tang giggled, "Still demanding a reward?"

Lu Xingzhou ground his teeth, "Little demoness."

"Oh, you call me little demoness, which one are you thinking of in your heart?" Shen Tang knew Lu Xingzhou had recently sent people to investigate Pei Chuyun from many sides.

Lu Xingzhou would never fall into the trap of self-proof; he hummed twice and increased the force of his hand, "The little demoness provokes this Seat. If you don't take responsibility to extinguish the fire, don't blame this Seat for using you to extinguish it myself..."

Shen Tang's heart skipped a beat slightly.

Even though the two were so affectionate before, they had never touched on the topic of extinguishing the fire, because they both knew it was dangerous; one loss of control would lead to disaster...

But Shen Tang truly felt very indebted; every time she could feel him holding back until he was bursting, not knowing how he solved it later. Did he solve it himself?

How pitiful that would be; wouldn't that be like those young men and women who specifically bought erotic paintings to go home and solve it? Where was the demonic path in that...

Thinking of this, Shen Tang felt even more guilty, finally biting her lower lip and saying, "A subject only has the right to wait for a reward... Elder Lu, sit properly, this Seat has a reward for you."

Saying this, she twisted her body and sat aside, her small foot, white as jade, gently extending over, her jade-like toes pinching his belt and pulling lightly.

Lu Xingzhou drew in a breath, turning his head in surprise to look. The Sect Leader, my lord, had eyes full of charm like silk, whispering softly, "The new year must have a new beginning... Our meeting began from the feet, so the new beginning also starts from here. Elder Lu, do you agree?"

Lu Xingzhou leaned back, lying flat completely.

You are right about everything.

Who said back then that this was a witch? Before, I didn't really feel it, but today I finally know, it is true.

What is called inner charm... As long as you open her heart, it is the enchanting charm of begonia flowers in full bloom.

Actually, Shen Tang's own heart was drumming loudly... Because she felt indebted to Lu Xingzhou, she specifically went secretly to find erotic paintings to study if there were any methods, and only then discovered this move. Looking at the pictures, she thought it was strange; isn't this scratching an itch through a boot? Is it really useful?

But seeing Lu Xingzhou's comfortable expression, everything was worth it.

So it really works... Is it really not because Lu Xingzhou's leg is broken, and his hobbies are different from normal people?

(End of this chapter)