Chapter 18: A Girl’s Love, Subtle Yet Passionate

Nan Shuangxue had a dream.

In a daze, she felt as if someone was holding her.

Moreover, it seemed that she wasn’t wearing anything at all.

Although she couldn’t clearly see the person’s face in the dream, she instinctively felt that it must be someone very close to her because the deep worry in their expression couldn’t be faked.

Nan Shuangxue suddenly opened her eyes.

She found herself wearing an elegant Taoist robe, while her previously luxurious blue dress had disappeared.

She froze.

Where is my dress?

Where is this place?

Who changed my dress?

Nan Shuangxue struggled to get up but felt intense pain all over her body.

Suddenly, she realized why her body felt this way.

It seemed that she had fought with a sword sheath.

That sword sheath was surprisingly tough.

Nan Shuangxue believed that even without using a sword, she could have defeated her pre-Foundation Establishment self.

As if sensing something.

Lost in thought, Nan Shuangxue turned her head.

Bai Muchun walked over slowly, his expression calm, carrying a bowl of white porridge.

“Master?”

“I’m here.”

Bai Muchun sat beside her and began feeding Nan Shuangxue with a spoon.

“Eat some.

This porridge is made from spiritual rice and will help your body recover.”

Nan Shuangxue opened her mouth but kept her eyes fixed on Bai Muchun.

She had a strong feeling that the person in her dream was her master.

But there was no evidence.

Because she hadn’t seen the face of the person holding her clearly.

After a while.

Nan Shuangxue finished the porridge.

As she watched her master collect the bowl and prepare to leave, she asked, straining her voice:

“Master.”

Bai Muchun stopped.

“I remember being in the Dao Pavilion. Why am I suddenly here?”

“Well…” Bai Muchun seemed about to explain.

But to his surprise, Nan Shuangxue didn’t give him a chance to speak.

“Master brought me back… didn’t you?”

Bai Muchun hesitated for a moment.

After a long pause, he softly said:

“Yes.”

He hadn’t planned to lie because he believed in leading by example.

Lies only create bigger lies.

With a wave of his hand, Bai Muchun stored the bowl into the jade at his waist.

He turned around and sat beside Nan Shuangxue.

“Master saw everything?”

Nan Shuangxue tilted her head, her dark eyes bright and pure.

However, Bai Muchun felt as though there was a deeper meaning in her gaze.

He thought he could see a faint smile in her eyes.

“Yes.”

Bai Muchun felt an unusual tension in his heart.

He knew that women in the cultivation world valued their chastity immensely.

He recalled a time when he had been tricked by his teacher.

It all started when Mr. LSp took Ye Ming and a confused Bai Muchun to sneak into the Immortal Bamboo Mountain.

They were caught.

Mr. LSp frowned, retreated behind his disciples, and fled immediately.

Ye Ming seized the chance to seal Bai Muchun’s acupoint, leaving him immobilized.

That’s right.

Poor, innocent Bai Muchun was left behind to take the blame.

The senior disciple and the teacher had already run away.

What followed was Bai Muchun and a young woman staring awkwardly at each other.

Afterward…

Bai Muchun rubbed his forehead awkwardly, unwilling to recall that ridiculous memory.

Nan Shuangxue carefully observed Bai Muchun’s expression.

She tried to move her arm to sit up but felt a sharp pain that instantly made her tense up.

“Don’t move so recklessly,” Bai Muchun said, pressing his index finger against her forehead.

“You’re not fully recovered yet.

If you act rashly, you might suffer internal injuries.”

“I understand, Master.”

Nan Shuangxue obediently shrank back, inching closer until she was right beside Bai Muchun.

She adjusted her position, resting her forehead on Bai Muchun’s thigh, like an orange cat snuggling up to its favorite person.

“Master, I don’t blame you,” Nan Shuangxue murmured softly.

Bai Muchun froze.

He didn’t know how to respond.

Should he say “Oh”… or just “Hmm”?

Nan Shuangxue looked at Bai Muchun’s tense side profile and thought, Master must be feeling embarrassed… Hmph, who’s really the shy one here?

Just as Bai Muchun was about to give in and step away, Nan Shuangxue deliberately changed the topic, no longer pretending to dwell on the matter.

“Master, I’ve successfully reached the Foundation Establishment stage! And it’s the same Extreme Path Foundation as you!”

Nan Shuangxue blinked, as if seeking praise.

Bai Muchun, mimicking Han Yu’s style, gave a thumbs-up and smiled:

“Impressive! Truly worthy of being my disciple.”

There were no sophisticated descriptions, nor were there any profound metaphors like those in books.

Just simple and straightforward words.

But the girl liked such words.

The feeling of being recognized was wonderful.

And being acknowledged by someone she cared about felt as sweet as eating dessert.

Nan Shuangxue smiled silently, her eyes curving with a faint trace of happiness.

She kept looking at Bai Muchun looking at her master.

Nan Shuangxue continued talking about many things, including her experiences before reaching Foundation Establishment.

Choosing her path.

However, she didn’t explain it plainly.

Instead, she vaguely mentioned that selecting the golden path would mean abandoning the mortal world, while choosing the gray-white path would mean giving up the sword path.

Bai Muchun felt a cold sweat run down his back after hearing this.

“That was dangerous… Shuangxue, let me tell you something,” Bai Muchun raised his right hand, palm open in front of him.

A spring breeze transformed into various mysterious scenes towering deities and aloof, ethereal immortals.

“If you had chosen the golden path, the higher your cultivation grew, the thinner your humanity would become.

Eventually, you would lose all emotions and turn into a machine executing the rules nothing but a puppet of the Heavenly Dao.”

A deep fear flashed in Nan Shuangxue’s eyes.

“Master, what if I had chosen the gray-white path?” she interrupted.

“You would have no hope of ever reaching the pinnacle of swordsmanship in this life.

And after reaching the Boundless Realm, you would be unable to advance even a step further.”

Beads of sweat appeared on Nan Shuangxue’s cheeks.

She was clearly frightened.

She hadn’t expected that the Extreme Path Foundation would be so dangerous.

It truly had been a narrow escape.

Had she chosen either path, she would have lived a life full of regret.

“Fortunately, you chose the right path.”

Bai Muchun reached out with his index finger and gently wiped the sweat from Nan Shuangxue’s forehead.

“It’s no easy feat for you to comprehend ‘Come, let me lead the way.’”

Nan Shuangxue could still feel the warmth from his finger.

Even after he withdrew his hand, the lingering warmth made her savor the moment.

The girl tilted her head and smiled:

“Well? Isn’t your disciple amazing?”

Bai Muchun couldn’t resist patting her small head gently.

“Yes, yes, Shuangxue is the most amazing.”

“Hmph,” Nan Shuangxue blinked proudly.

“I, Nan Shuangxue, am the disciple of the one who reigns supreme with a single sword.

How could I not be amazing?”

Bai Muchun’s lips curled into a slight smile.

Pretending to be annoyed, he flicked her forehead lightly:

“Little flatterer.”

Nan Shuangxue gazed at Bai Muchun and smiled dreamily.

After chatting for a while, Bai Muchun realized it had gone on too long.

He reminded Nan Shuangxue to get proper rest and prepared to leave.

But just as he moved, someone tugged at his sleeve.

“Master…”

Nan Shuangxue bit her lip, hesitating to speak.

“Go on.”

Bai Muchun glanced over, noticing her trembling right hand.

This girl… so silly.

She knows it hurts but still insists on moving. Isn’t she just making herself suffer?

Though he thought this, he gently held her right hand, letting her hand rest softly in his palm.

Nan Shuangxue seemed to gather all her strength and courage.

With a stammering voice, she said:

“Master, I… I want a goodnight kiss.”

“?????”

Bai Muchun immediately sensed something was off.

Just as he tried to think it through, Nan Shuangxue tightened her grip on his hand, scattering his thoughts.

Her black eyes reflected his face, like a river mirroring the beauty of the world.

“Master,” the girl’s eyes glistened with a faint mist.

“When I was a child, my mother would always kiss my forehead before I went to sleep…”

Bai Muchun froze.

A trace of bitterness welled up in his heart.

So, my disciple was feeling homesick… No wonder…

The setting sun outside bathed the figure in white.

Under the golden glow, the celestial being lowered his head.

A gentle kiss landed on the girl’s forehead.

Nan Shuangxue’s face turned crimson, her embarrassment reaching its peak.

The celestial being’s kiss felt solemn, as if bestowing a blessing.

Bai Muchun left.

Nan Shuangxue remained lost in the sweetness of that beautiful kiss.

The feeling was even sweeter than eating malt candy.

The girl stared blankly at the ceiling, then closed her eyes peacefully, falling asleep with a smile on her lips.

“Love you, Master.”

“See you tomorrow.”