Chapter 1292: You'd Better Not Think of It as Anything Else

“What’s wrong?” Yan Xuehen exclaimed, jumping in fright. However, she quickly thought of something and said with a scowl, “I’m not falling for your tricks again this time.”

However, Zu An didn’t reply. His body even began to slide powerlessly into the water. Yan Xuehen thought that he was taking advantage of her and instinctively moved backward in alarm. She covered her chest with a hand to prevent him from touching them with his head. And yet, Zu An didn’t react at all and instead fell straight into the water.

Only then did Yan Xuehen realize that he really had fainted. She jumped in fright and quickly supported him, calling out, “Ah Zu, what’s wrong? Don’t scare me like this!”

She reached out and checked his condition. She immediately found that his ki was a mess, and the surface of his body was beginning to crack again. Wispy strands of blood began to seep out of his skin.

“Why is this happening?” Yan Xuehen exclaimed in alarm.

These were clearly the symptoms of his skill’s rebound! Hadn’t the Prime Souldew temporarily sealed up his injuries, though? Shouldn’t he still have had two hours according to what they had concluded?

Her gaze shifted toward the steaming hot spring, and she suddenly realized something. The hot spring was quite miraculous, and was able to melt even the terrifying snow lady’s cold poison. Could it be that when Zu An began to transfer his own ki, the heat and medicinal strength of the hot spring had entered his body, thus melting the Prime Souldew’s preservative effects?

She was still a grandmaster, after all. In such a short amount of time, she had already deduced the most likely reason.

Her expression changed several times. She had been planning to discuss how Zu An could treat his rebound after he regained consciousness, but how could she have expected that it would instead become her problem to solve?

As a grandmaster and the White Jade Sect’s master, there weren’t many whose knowledge of cultivation exceeded hers. Even with so much knowledge, however, she couldn't think of a single way to treat Zu An.

Unless…

And yet, if they did that, how would they face each other in the future? How would she face Chuyan? How would she face the others?

Yan Xuehen bit her lip so hard that it looked as if blood might come out. She glanced over towards Zu An’s face. She saw that even while unconscious, his expression was one of pain. Memories of how he had saved her multiple times over the past few days appeared in her mind one after another.

Yan Xuehen, Yan Xuehen, he already saved your life several times, and yet you’re still worried about such a small thing?

If you reach the supreme unshakable state, even if that kind of thing happens, it’ll merely be a passing event of the past. Right, nothing will change.

She continued to console herself for a while. In the end, a resolute look appeared on her face. Then, her entire body seemed to radiate holy light. She lowered her head and kissed Zu An’s lips, sending her ki into his body.

Previously, when they held each other, that could indeed be considered dual cultivation. However, it was only that in a very broad sense. Dual cultivation in the truest sense required the two cultivators to be in their most intimate state, and only then could they truly intersect, their yin and yang energies harmonizing completely. Between that and the healing abilities of Zu An’s Primordial Origin Sutra, it was likely enough to neutralize the near-collapse produced by the rebound.

Yan Xuehen came from the orthodox sects, so she naturally knew those methods. When she was young, there had been fellow male students who were interested in her. However, her nature was cold and she hadn’t found them interesting at all. Between her naturally aloof temperament and the rapid growth of her strength, in time, no one dared to have such thoughts again.

When they had been in the Yu clan’s mines, she had even made mental preparations to save Zu An and repay his kindness that way. In the end, however, because of his special technique, his wounds had been cured by doing ‘that’ with Yu Yanluo. Back then, she had been mocked by Yun Jianyue and embarrassed badly. Who would have thought that in the end, they would still have to circle back to such a method to save him?

Still, Yan Xuehen wasn’t an ordinary person. She might have felt conflicted before making up her mind, but once she set her resolve, it wouldn’t be that easy to change her mind anymore. She knew she couldn't waste any time at the moment. As such, she took the initiative to guide Zu An along. She was glad that she had taught him the Unshakable Daoist Manual previously, which made it much easier to guide the energies within his body.

First, she cycled their energies between them a few times to establish a foundation. Afterward, only the final step was left.

Yan Xuehen’s jade-like complexion had already turned bright red. A month before, she definitely wouldn’t have thought that she could ever initiate such a thing with another man. She released a long sigh as she followed her sect’s heart cultivation method to move Zu An’s blood through his body.

However, she quickly jumped in fright upon seeing the result, thinking that there was something wrong with her technique or something. It would be absolutely terrible if he exploded from within.

Afterward, however, she quickly recalled what the spectators back in the Snake race territory had said when Zu An fought against the Golden Crow Crown Prince. She sighed. No wonder he was mistaken for someone from the Donkey race.

Even though she had already decided that she wouldn’t regret it, now that she had reached the final step, she was still frightened.

Am I really going to do this…

If I do this, there’s no going back.

She hesitated, but then she quickly calmed down. She looked at the man right before her and muttered, “I really must have owed you in my past life or something.” Then, she ceased her resistance and her body gradually entered the water.

The unconscious Zu An mumbled some unclear words. Yan Xuehen furrowed her brow tightly, an expression of pain appearing on her face. She thought, Why are there so many foolish men and women in the world doing this kind of thing if it’s so uncomfortable?

Yan Xuehen didn’t think about that any further and quickly began to use her sect’s profound chants, bringing their yin and yang energies together.

A special dao rhythm began to emerge between the two of them. The entire cave, and even the hot spring’s ki, began to surge frantically toward the two of them. The cracks on Zu An’s body visibly began to stop forming, then gradually started to heal.

At first, Yan Xuehen took the lead all the way, cycling their ki back and forth according to the method that was recorded in the sect’s texts. At some point, however, Zu An’s body suddenly began to release waves of suction force that seized the initiative.

Yan Xuehen was shocked, but she quickly realized what was happening. Back in the mines, this was the method he had used to treat Yu Yanluo! It was definitely quite an extraordinary skill. She couldn't help but feel a bit envious when she thought of that. No wonder he’s so skilled! Even when he’s unconscious, his body can activate its energies on its own.

But what she hadn’t expected was that his skill could actually seize the advantage, proving that it was of much higher quality than her sect’s secret method. How could that be, though? Her technique was already the very best her sect had!

Even though she didn’t dare to believe it, reality was right before her. At least, she thought, she could secretly observe and remember the paths the skill moved Zu An’s ki through, to see if she could gain some kind of enlightenment from it.

However, she was alarmed. No matter how calm and aloof she normally appeared, she knew nothing about such things. How could she remain completely indifferent doing ‘that’ when it was her first time?

A while later, Zu An’s entire body trembled slightly. He began gradually waking up after his dao wounds were healed. In his mind, he felt as if he had experienced a dream. He felt as if he was among cottony-soft clouds. It really was gentle and comfortable. He found that really strange. Shouldn’t he have been seriously injured and in extreme pain? Why was he having such a blissful dream instead?

He was about to slowly open his eyes when his vision darkened. He felt a warm and soft hand covering his eyes.

“You’re not allowed to open your eyes!” Yan Xuehen cried in embarrassment. Uncharacteristically for her usual cold demeanor, her voice seemed to be shaking a bit.

Zu An was stunned, but he gradually recovered his consciousness. At his cultivation rank, people didn’t even need to use their eyes to see anymore. He thought, Did Yan Xuehen lose her wits somehow? How is she making such a rudimentary mistake?

However, when he sensed the charming and gentle situation that had come about in the hot spring, he immediately realized what had happened. He didn’t dare to believe that it was real.

Yan Xuehen’s snow-white skin was still completely red. She clearly realized that she couldn't hide from him and could only say quietly, “I’m just doing this in order to save you. You’d better not think of it as anything else.”