Chapter 12: The Barrier
As Yan Chixia continued to channel his inner energy without pause, Bai Xiaoyue’s pale complexion gradually improved. At this moment, warmth flooded her heart, a torrent of heat surged within her dantian, filling her body with true energy and leaving her feeling utterly comfortable from head to toe…
Bai Xiaoyue wished Yan Chixia could give her even more true energy, but she worried he might exhaust himself. Quickly, she called out, “Yan Chixia, stop now! You’ve already given me plenty. I must heal myself with my own power.”
Beads of sweat had already formed on Yan Chixia’s brow. Hearing Bai Xiaoyue’s words, he ceased the transfer, withdrew his hands, and said, “Very well, Sister Xiaoyue, heal yourself now.”
Bai Xiaoyue agreed, but before beginning her healing, she turned to him with deep gratitude and said, “Yan Chixia, thank you!”
As she spoke, she raised her hand and wiped the sweat from his forehead, smiled gently, and urged him, “You must rest well,” before finally closing her eyes to focus on her healing.
Yan Chixia sat opposite her, quietly watching her channel her energy…
As time passed, Yan Chixia noticed Bai Xiaoyue’s complexion becoming ever more radiant, and knew her wounds were healing well. Overjoyed, he sat upright, closed his eyes, and began to cultivate his own inner energy…
About an hour later, Yan Chixia felt his dantian had gathered true energy anew. He stopped his practice and opened his eyes to find Bai Xiaoyue had just finished her healing. Her eyes, beautiful and captivating, opened to meet his. He quickly asked, “Sister Xiaoyue, how is your body now? Does the wound still hurt?”
“It still aches faintly, but it’s much better now,” Bai Xiaoyue replied gratefully. “Yan Chixia, I truly owe you… Without you, I’d have died today!”
Yan Chixia chuckled shyly, “Sister Xiaoyue, fate must have favored you. To be honest, I’ve lived on Mount Zhongnan for years without ever leaving Clear Void Temple; yet today, I thought to climb the mountain for the scenery, and met you by chance…”
“Yes! Perhaps this is destiny,” Bai Xiaoyue smiled sweetly. “Yan Chixia, I have no family in this world, and I feel so alone… Since we’ve met by fate, why don’t you be my younger brother?”
Yan Chixia’s heart skipped a beat. Truthfully, he liked Bai Xiaoyue very much. Overjoyed, he replied, “All right! Sister Xiaoyue, I’d love to be your brother!”
“Really? Yan Chixia, to have a kind, brave, clever, and adorable brother like you makes me so fortunate!” Bai Xiaoyue said, her voice sweet as honey. “Yan Chixia, from this day forward, I am your sister, and you are my brother!”
At that, she could not help but clasp Yan Chixia’s hands.
Bai Xiaoyue was not only fair-skinned and beautiful, her figure graceful and alluring, but her hands were also exquisite—slender fingers, soft as jade, smooth and delicate as lamb’s fat, gentle and boneless. When Yan Chixia felt her touch, warmth and comfort surged through him, and he smiled, “Sister, your hands are so gentle!”
A wave of affection, unfamiliar yet stirring, welled up in Bai Xiaoyue’s heart. Gazing into Yan Chixia’s bright, shining eyes, she said joyously, “Brother, you’re wonderful. Sister likes you!”
“Mmm,” Yan Chixia replied, his heart filled with sweetness. “Sister, I like you too!”
The two sat side by side, speaking intimately. Suddenly, Yan Chixia remembered he had been out for quite a while and needed to return quickly. He rose and said, “Sister, stay here and rest. I must go.”
Though reluctant to see him leave, Bai Xiaoyue also stood and said, “Very well. Brother, go now, but don’t forget to visit your sister often!”
“Yes,” Yan Chixia nodded, “Sister, I’ll come see you often!”
After Bai Xiaoyue watched Yan Chixia depart with lingering affection, she felt her wound still ache faintly. She sat upright once more on the stone bed, closed her eyes, and calmly resumed her healing…
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After leaving Bai Xiaoyue, Yan Chixia hurried back to Clear Void Temple, using his “Qi Traversal Technique” to race across the undulating mountain ridges. Sword in hand, he rushed forward while recalling the joyful moments spent with Bai Xiaoyue, his heart filled with delight. “Ah! Sister, Sister… How wonderful it feels to have a sister!” Yan Chixia thought happily, joy overflowing in his chest. Unable to contain himself, he shouted toward the distant mountains, “I have a sister now! I have a sister now! I have a sister now!…”
Shouting as he ran, Yan Chixia leaped ahead. Suddenly, a thunderous explosion echoed—a powerful wave of magical force surged straight at him. Caught off guard, Yan Chixia was hurled several yards into the air by the impact…
He cried out, feeling his whole body go numb, his meridians thrown into disorder. From experience, he realized he had collided with a “barrier.” The defensive magic was formidable. Now, suspended high above, he couldn’t simply drop down, lest he be struck again by the barrier’s shield. As he considered this, he began to fall, about to land again on the barrier. Hurriedly, he used the “Qi Traversal Technique,” stepping seven or eight times through the air, finally landing lightly on a stone.
Escaping danger, Yan Chixia wiped the cold sweat from his brow, steadied his nerves, and quickly regulated his meridians. Then he turned his gaze toward the area where the barrier was set.
There, nothing seemed unusual—just a patch of lush grass, nothing out of the ordinary.
Yan Chixia felt perplexed and muttered, “Strange, it’s merely a field of grass. Why would someone set a ‘barrier’ here? Could I be mistaken, and perhaps there’s no barrier at all, but rather a hidden mechanism? I’ll test it.”
With that, Yan Chixia grabbed a stone the size of his fist and tossed it toward the spot. As the stone reached a foot above the grass, a sudden explosion erupted, and the stone was instantly shattered.
Yan Chixia’s heart tightened at the sight, certain now that a barrier was present. Changing his approach, he thought, “Master always said, ‘When something is unusual, there must be a reason.’ If a barrier is set here, there must be a purpose…”
Watching the grass intently, Yan Chixia pondered. Suddenly, his eyes brightened in realization. “Oh, I see! Why would a barrier be set here? Someone must have hidden treasure beneath this ground!”
With this conclusion, Yan Chixia grew excited. He resolved to break the barrier and unearth the treasure buried below.