PID Chapter 73

(3/5)

(๑>◡<๑)

 

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After the footsteps outside faded away, the room fell into an awkward silence.

 

This scene was so similar to when Xiao Mo was “drunk on thoughts” before. The difference was that the roles of the instigator and the passive party had switched.

 

Moreover, Chu Jinglan couldn’t remember anything he had done, only knowing from the intense lingering sensations in his body that it must have been even worse than last time.

 

After all, the aftereffects were too strong. His body was hot, his breathing heavy, his body still trembling uncontrollably. Even his bones felt numb, taking a long time to calm down.

 

Chu Jinglan could roughly guess the cause. It must have been Xiao Mo trying to replenish his mental power and spiritual sense. As for what happened after that… he dared not guess.

 

At this moment, his arms had no strength to prop himself up, so he thought about simply moving off to the side. After all, pressing down on Xiao Mo was not only troubling for Xiao Mo but also torturing for himself.

 

Chu Jinglan felt his heart pounding like a drum, the sound deafening. Being so close, he didn’t know if Xiao Mo could hear it.

 

But as soon as he moved, he immediately froze.

 

…Because his knee was wedged between Xiao Mo’s legs.

 

This touch instantly made things more awkward.

 

Xiao Mo: “…”

 

Chu Jinglan: “…I won’t move.”

 

Xiao Mo stared blankly into space and stammered: “I just thought of something.”

 

Chu Jinglan followed his lead in trying to change the subject with difficulty: “What?”

 

“I can go back to my sea of consciousness.” Xiao Mo seemed possessed by Xianglin’s wife from modern literature. “I’m so stupid, really, is my brain muddled? You stay here, I’ll retreat first.”

 

After saying this, Xiao Mo’s figure suddenly disappeared. Chu Jinglan fell face-down, the soft bedding against his cheek. Chu Jinglan was stunned for a moment, then slowly let out a long breath.

 

In the past, he didn’t understand his own feelings. Every touch and sensation felt as though it were separated by a thin layer of paper, always somewhat hazy. But now, as long as he was close to Xiao Mo, every perception became sharp and distinct. At this moment, separating from Xiao Mo was for the best; otherwise… he might grow addicted to that lingering warmth and find himself unable to resist wanting to get closer to Xiao Mo.

 

What if he scared the demon?

 

It’s good to separate and calm down.

 

Xiao Mo returned to his sea of consciousness, his body still weak. He appeared amidst the cluster of ghostly night-blooming cereus flowers, lying among them and staring up at the azure sky.

 

The streams of light near the giant tree fluttered over again, circling around him affectionately as if waiting for him to return home at any moment. Xiao Mo tried hard to empty his mind, but his thoughts clearly refused to obey. Images from earlier in the inner chamber kept replaying in his mind.

 

Xiao Mo’s fingers couldn’t help but curl slightly. After all, no matter how much one tries to escape, any creature with awakened intelligence would enjoy pleasant sensations. There’s even a saying for it: “Once you taste the marrow, you’ll crave the flavor.”

 

That fierce yet clingy energy of the white ball had wrapped him so tightly that he couldn’t escape, forcing out some rather embarrassing sounds. Just recalling it made his scalp tingle. But what he found most unspeakable was that when he was being kneaded into a dazed state, he instinctively leaned closer to the white ball.

 

If he hadn’t lost his mind too, things wouldn’t have gotten so tangled.

 

What a mess…

 

The delicate fragrance of ghostly night-blooming cereus gently enveloped him, their soft petals brushing against his cheeks. Xiao Mo lay there for a while until the tingling sensation in his body finally faded away and strength returned to his limbs. Yet he still didn’t want to move or leave; for now, he simply wanted to lie there and let everything go.

 

He stared blankly at the clouds in the sky until suddenly, one cloud above him moved oddly.

 

Xiao Mo: ?

 

Then he watched as that cloud transformed into a chubby little bird—clearly modeled after Qiuqiu.

 

Xiao Mo’s gaze shifted slightly as he understood something but remained silent.

 

Seeing no reaction from him, the chubby bird cloud flapped its wings and morphed into a blooming lotus flower.

 

Xiao Mo chuckled softly: “What are you doing? What’s so special about this?”

 

Upon hearing his words, the red lotus cloud dispersed. In an instant, what had been a bright sunny sky was suddenly cloaked in nightfall. A galactic river stretched across the heavens from one end to the other, flowing slowly with radiant brilliance, dazzling and boundless. It spanned the entire sky and crossed above Xiao Mo’s head, shining brightly in his eyes.

 

Illusory flowers and stars formed from spiritual light scattered along with the galaxy like stardust falling to earth—countless blossoms blooming brightly and countless stars sparkling vividly. All this splendor unfolded across heaven and earth for one person alone. Xiao Mo couldn’t help but widen his eyes slightly.

 

From within the flower bed, he raised his hand. A tiny cereus flower no bigger than a fingernail landed on his fingertip, spinning lightly before playfully transforming into specks of fireflies.

 

More tiny stars fell onto Xiao Mo’s body—brushing against his clothes, gently touching his brow, and leaping between his soft black hair like flowing light weaving radiant chapters. They adorned his figure and brightened his face.

 

A beauty reclining among flowers; a galaxy intoxicating heart and soul.

 

Unconsciously, Xiao Mo’s lips curved upward. Watching this grand display brought clarity back to his previously vacant gaze and pulled him back into mortal life. He couldn’t help but laugh.

 

After the spiritual rain of stars and flowers had finished falling, Xiao Mo gently brushed the ghostly night-blooming cereus beside his cheek. His thoughts stirred, and he finally left his sea of consciousness, appearing beside Chu Jinglan in the blink of an eye.

 

Last time, Xiao Mo had asked Chu Jinglan if he was angry. This time, it was Chu Jinglan’s turn to sincerely soothe him. Chu Jinglan said, “I’m sorry.”

 

Xiao Mo, having enjoyed the scenery immensely, generously replied, “I forgive you.”

 

The white ball had unconsciously leaned closer—it wasn’t Chu Jinglan’s fault. Besides, Xiao Mo hadn’t been angry; what he felt was a much more complex emotion, a chaotic mix of flavors that he couldn’t quite describe.

 

Still, although he wasn’t angry, when the door to their room had opened earlier, only Chu Jinglan had stepped out.

 

Not far away stood Xi Tie and Yue Ming, who immediately perked up upon seeing Chu Jinglan emerge alone.

 

Chu Jinglan might be helpless against Xiao Mo, but when facing others, he was as composed as ever.

 

Yue Ming began with official business: “The reinforcements from Lin’an Academy have arrived. A Nascent Soul cultivator came and said they wanted to thank us. Since you’re not convenient right now, I asked them to wait a bit—their disciples are still recovering anyway.”

 

Of course, Yue Ming couldn’t resist sneaking in some personal commentary amidst the formalities. What did he mean by “not convenient”?

 

With a mischievous grin and exaggerated expressions, Yue Ming teased: “Sorry for disturbing you two earlier.”

 

His face practically radiated amusement as he added, “Don’t worry—I’ll keep it secret for you! But honestly, too many people saw it. The news that you and Mo Lan are Dao companions is going to spread like wildfire. Ahh, I can’t wait to return to the sect and see how the elders react!”

 

What reactions the people of Yingyue Sect might have could be discussed later; for now, Chu Jinglan had something to say: “You didn’t disturb anything.”

 

Yue Ming quipped back: “Oh? So when I arrived earlier, you’d already finished dual cultivation?”

 

Chu Jinglan replied truthfully: “We didn’t dual cultivate.”

 

Unexpectedly, upon hearing this, Xi Tie’s rugged face instantly flushed bright red—so red it looked like steam might start rising from him at any moment.

 

Chu Jinglan: ?

 

Both he and Yue Ming turned their gazes toward Xi Tie. The latter stammered awkwardly through his embarrassment but still managed to blurt out some rather bold words: “N-not dual cultivation? Then it must’ve been simple affection between lovebirds… sharing intimacy under the clouds and rain. I get it—I totally get it.”

 

True to his lineage as a meticulous craftsman from the artifact refining division, Xi Tie was technically correct. Strictly speaking, dual cultivation required the use of specific techniques. However, in the cultivation world, certain contexts made “dual cultivation” an unspoken euphemism for Dao companions consummating their relationship. Yue Ming patted Xi Tie’s shoulder approvingly: “Well said—you’re thorough as always.”

 

Chu Jinglan had spoken the truth, but no one believed him.

 

He suddenly felt that if he continued explaining further, these two would only let their imaginations run wilder. Yet not saying anything wasn’t an option either—after all, if someone were missing when they headed to the nearby Butterfly State later on, they’d definitely ask questions.

 

After a brief pause, Chu Jinglan decided to clarify: “There’s one more thing. When we go to find the Butterfly State later on, just the three of us will go—Mo Lan will stay in town and wait for us.”

 

This was Xiao Mo’s original suggestion; he’d said he had gained some insights and wanted to cultivate alone for a while.

 

But at this moment, when Chu Jinglan relayed those words on Xiao Mo’s behalf, Yue Ming and Xi Tie immediately showed expressions of “I understand”.

 

Yue Ming remarked knowingly: “He does need some proper rest.”

 

Xi Tie nodded earnestly: “Absolutely!”

 

Chu Jinglan sighed helplessly: “…Although you probably won’t believe me, I really was just recuperating earlier—we didn’t do anything.”

 

The two instantly adopted expressions of “We know you’re embarrassed; don’t worry—we’ll play along.”

 

As Xiao Mo had expected, this matter was truly impossible to clear up. Even if he told the truth, others would automatically interpret it differently.

 

At this moment, Xiao Mo was in his room. Cultivating was merely an excuse—what he really wanted was to be alone for a while.

 

After all, the lingering effects of the clash of spiritual senses were too overwhelming. He wasn’t angry, but whenever he saw Chu Jinglan’s face, he couldn’t help but think of the white ball in the inner sea. The vanished sensations seemed to resurface, stirring emotions too intense and chaotic to allow for peace of mind.

 

Only when Chu Jinglan’s face was out of sight could he finally recite to himself: Form is emptiness, emptiness is form. The world is at peace.

 

Sitting in the room, Xiao Mo opened his points panel.

 

Although he had expended some spiritual energy earlier, his spiritual sense wasn’t fatigued; in fact, it had been further tempered. Since sitting idly served no purpose, he decided to actually do something productive—not cultivation, but exchanging points for cultivation progress.

 

Taking advantage of his current stable state of mind, Xiao Mo raised his hand and cautiously increased his cultivation level—just enough to reach the peak of the Nascent Soul stage.

 

The exchange process was swift. With just two clicks and a final press of the [Confirm] button, his cultivation soared from mid-stage Nascent Soul to its peak.

 

Xiao Mo could immediately feel the surge of power filling his body. Every minor stage beyond the Golden Core realm represented a significant leap in strength. The black mist around him swirled joyfully, intimately brushing against his porcelain-white, slender fingers as he raised his hand. The scene was eerie yet breathtakingly beautiful because of the person at its center.

 

Xiao Mo toyed with the black mist between his fingers, moving them idly. Both spiritual energy and demonic energy were abundant within him, and his spiritual sense had become even sharper without any discomfort.

 

It seemed his earlier concerns were unnecessary.

 

Relieved, Xiao Mo retracted the black mist into his body. He thought to himself that if there were no issues now, he might as well directly exchange points to advance to the Divided Spirit stage.

 

Just as he was about to raise his hand again, a vision suddenly flashed before his eyes.

 

Xiao Mo’s hand froze mid-air.

 

This time, he wasn’t asleep or dreaming—the image simply forced its way into his mind as if it were something he had personally witnessed and heard before.

 

Once again, it was Chu Jinglan covered in blood, collapsing into Xiao Mo’s arms. But this time, Xiao Mo felt more pain—not just in his heart but also in his body.

 

…So it wasn’t just Chu Jinglan’s blood—it was also his own.

 

In front of them stood someone holding a sword. That person stepped out from the light, and Xiao Mo saw their face clearly. His pupils contracted sharply.

 

Su Baimo—it was Su Baimo.

 

Su Baimo looked exhausted, with bloodstains covering him as well. Yet he remained standing while Xiao Mo and Chu Jinglan no longer had the strength to rise. The victor was self-evident.

 

“I’ve won,” Su Baimo said softly.

 

Lowering his gaze to look at Chu Jinglan, Su Baimo’s eyes carried endless regret. “What a pity—I truly liked you very much, brother Jinglan. If only you hadn’t chosen him… you could have continued living and stayed by my side. Wouldn’t that have been better?”

 

Chu Jinglan forced out a mocking laugh through the blood in his throat. He could no longer speak and had nothing left to say to Su Baimo.

 

But there were still so many things he wanted to tell Xiao Mo—yet there was no time.

 

The lingering affection and sorrow in Chu Jinglan’s eyes made Xiao Mo feel as if his heart had been crushed.

 

So much pain…

 

Outside the room, Chu Jinglan and the others were preparing to set off when they heard a loud bang. The door was flung open, and Xiao Mo stormed out, his face pale.

 

Chu Jinglan froze for a moment. Seeing Xiao Mo’s ashen complexion, he quickly stepped forward. A “Xiao” nearly slipped from his lips, but he managed to bite it back just in time.

 

“Mo Lan,” Chu Jinglan corrected himself at the last second. “What’s wrong?”

 

Xiao Mo was still shaken. He knew he shouldn’t have rushed out like that—he should have calmed down, carefully analyzed the vision he’d seen, or even consulted the system. But he simply couldn’t.

 

Only when he saw Chu Jinglan standing there, alive and well, did the turmoil in his mind begin to settle slightly.

 

“I…” Xiao Mo opened his mouth but found his voice so hoarse that it sounded completely off. He swallowed hard, steadied himself, and tried again. “I thought about it. I’ll go with you after all. I haven’t seen the scenery of the Butterfly State yet.”

 

Chu Jinglan was slightly surprised but naturally agreed. “Alright.”

 

Xiao Mo glanced around the courtyard and asked, “Are the people from Lingxiao Sect going too?”

 

Hearing this, Chu Jinglan’s gaze shifted slightly as he replied, “Yes, but they’re not looking for butterfly scale stones and won’t be traveling with us.”

 

Xiao Mo wasn’t sure if he wanted to keep an eye on Su Baimo to see through him or get as far away from him as possible. In a soft voice, he said, “Ah… I see.”

 

Chu Jinglan pressed his lips together as he looked at Xiao Mo’s distracted state. His fingers curled slightly before he finally mustered the courage to lift his hand and gently take hold of Xiao Mo’s.

 

The warmth of Chu Jinglan’s palm brought Xiao Mo back to his senses for a brief moment. He stared blankly at Chu Jinglan.

 

Chu Jinglan wasn’t sure if this was the right thing to do, but seeing that Xiao Mo didn’t pull away, he lightly squeezed Xiao Mo’s hand—a silent gesture of comfort.

 

Human palms are warm. Feeling the heat from Chu Jinglan’s hand, Xiao Mo gradually calmed down. Not only did he not let go, but he also instinctively gripped tighter.

 

This small response was enough to melt the years of frost and snow in Chu Jinglan’s eyes. He parted his lips, about to say something, when he noticed two pairs of burning gazes that couldn’t be ignored.

 

Yue Ming wore a teasing expression while Xi Tie shyly peeked over at them but couldn’t stop stealing glances despite trying to act discreetly.

 

Even so, Xiao Mo seemed completely oblivious and didn’t let go of Chu Jinglan’s hand.

 

Chu Jinglan immediately pulled Xiao Mo closer to himself, letting his drooping sleeve cover their clasped hands—an obvious attempt at concealment. With a nod toward Yue Ming and Xi Tie, he said calmly, “Let’s go.”

 

Yue Ming and Xi Tie exchanged a glance before grinning knowingly. “Alright, alright—let’s head out.”

 

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1 Kofi = 1 Extra Chapter