Night fell. Lu Li and Qing Luo arrived together at the hot spring, soaking in the warm water and feeling the surging currents.
“The hot spring is really wonderful.” Only now did Lu Li understand the purpose of this pool.
For ordinary disciples, the daily schedule was extremely busy.
In the early morning, they would absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.
After a simple meal, they began studying all kinds of knowledge.
Only in the afternoon did they start sparring.
Even the evenings were packed.
The world of immortal cultivation did indeed include the study of astrology divination.
So the girls would yawn, climb to the mountaintop to observe the stars, and try to divine the future.
“And you also have to learn all sorts of other knowledge.” Fortunately, Lu Li was already a cultivator at the eighth level of Qi Refining; doing these things all day wouldn’t tire him out.
Otherwise, such a hectic schedule would have completely exhausted any mortal.
“That’s why the hot spring here has many rare herbs added to it, allowing us to recover our condition.” Qing Luo swayed her body in the water. “And at night, some senior and junior sisters will dual cultivate together.”
“Pfft!” Lu Li turned his head to look at Qing Luo, who now had a calm expression. “What did you say?”
“Cultivation pressure is so high every day. Dual cultivation not only boosts your cultivation, but also strengthens the bond between sisters.” Qing Luo slowly swam over to Lu Li and wrapped her arms around his waist.
“Anyway, you’re a girl now too. Why don’t we seize the day…”
“This is…” Lu Li quickly grabbed Qing Luo’s hand and retreated to the edge of the pool.
“What about the other junior brothers you mentioned earlier?”
“Already finished, of course. The two girls who clean our small courtyard were former junior brothers.” Qing Luo swam closer again.
“Senior Sister Lu, are you really not coming? The feeling is indescribably wonderful, you know?”
“No, no, no…” Lu Li looked at Qing Luo, whose cheeks were flushed and eyes brimmed with spring.
“Qing Luo, I think this kind of thing…”
“Hmph, forget it if you don’t want to.” Seeing Lu Li refuse again, Qing Luo folded her arms, pouted, and looked toward the empty woods. “Lu Li, you definitely never had any girls approach you before.”
“That’s actually true.” Lu Li stared at his reflection in the water.
“Ever since my family died when I was twelve, I’ve been living at the escort agency. I was always busy. I only ever heard the other escort guards talk about matters between men and women; I never experienced it myself.”
“Oh? Then why were you so excited earlier when you heard about the women dual cultivating in the Yin Yang Sect?” Qing Luo turned around, looked at Lu Li’s chest, then glanced dissatisfiedly at her own and pouted again.
“I thought you’d been looking forward to it.”
“I was indeed looking forward to it, but definitely not in this form.” Lu Li shook his head.
“That’s because you don’t know, Senior Sister Lu. There are many ways to dual cultivate.” Qing Luo became interested.
“Should I tell you about them?”
“Even though this place isn’t really suitable, how about we go back…” Lu Li looked at the other female disciples playing in the distance.
“Going back doesn’t seem suitable either.”
“Then I’ll tell you. After all, you’ll have to learn it sooner or later anyway.” Qing Luo held up a finger.
“The first type is the most conventional dual cultivation—a man and a woman together, ascending to the clouds.”
“I absolutely refuse that one.” Lu Li crossed his arms over his chest.
“But it’s the most comfortable.” Qing Luo’s brows drooped.
“Speaking of which, I’m really curious.” Lu Li looked at Qing Luo.
“Did you and those two junior brothers do that kind of…”
“No way. How could I do something like that with someone I’ve only known for a few days?!” Qing Luo blushed.
At that sight, a mischievous thought flickered through Lu Li’s mind.
‘So this is what it feels like to want to tease someone.’ Lu Li smiled, then recalled the techniques the senior sisters had explained in class.
He reached out and gently lifted Qing Luo’s chin.
“Yet you keep talking about such things even though you’re inexperienced. What if someone misunderstands, Junior Sister Qing Luo?”
“I…” Qing Luo’s cheeks and earlobes were bright red, her face practically dripping with shame.
“I was just… speaking casually.”
“You need to be more careful from now on.” Lu Li withdrew his hand and patted Qing Luo on the shoulder.
“So, Junior Sister Qing Luo, please continue with the second type.”
“Mm-hmm. The second type… Wait, Lu Li, you tricked me!” Qing Luo blushed, trying to organize her thoughts, then suddenly realized.
“You really acted the part of a senior sister just now. It seems you’ve learned quite a bit.”
“I’m just putting what I’ve learned into practice… but it really gave me goosebumps.” Just thinking about his own words and actions made Lu Li feel like his past self would never have used them.
Now he was saying them quite fluently.
“Ahem… The second type of dual cultivation involves transferring true qi through the mouth and lips.” Qing Luo cleared her throat and continued.
“But the effect, of course, isn’t as good as the first type.”
“Understandable.” Hearing this, Lu Li also ruled out that method.
“The last type is dual cultivation by joining palms together.” Qing Luo reached out and demonstrated simply.
“So you and those two junior brothers dual cultivated using this method, right?” Seeing how easily embarrassed Qing Luo was, Lu Li figured as much.
That made sense.
Earlier, when his Charm Spiritual Root had been uncontrollable and Qing Luo had felt attracted to him, she hadn’t done anything.
Now it was clear—she simply didn’t know what to do.
“But I have a doubt.” Lu Li stepped out of the hot spring and entered the changing room.
Looking at the various fruits swaying in the early spring breeze, a trace of sadness flickered in his heart.
Everything he had once dreamed of was now presented so openly, and yet he had temporarily lost the key part.
“What is it?” Qing Luo had also dressed. “Could it be that Lu Li wants to give it a try?”
“I’m just curious why you like it so much, Qing Luo.” Lu Li watched the girls walking hand in hand in the distance.
“I can understand the first two types of dual cultivation. But you’ve only ever done the third one. How can you have such a strong reaction?”
“Isn’t that normal?” This time it was Qing Luo who looked at Lu Li with a puzzled expression.
“Absolutely not.” Although Lu Li hadn’t had much contact with women, when escorting goods, he often had to tug and pull with the other guards.
When heavy rain made the roads muddy, they’d pull each other along while moving cargo.
Also, when delivering letters and packages to various households, he had been instructed on such matters.
At least, according to common sense, it shouldn’t be like this.
“Either the dual cultivation technique has been modified, or when two people with Charm Spiritual Roots cultivate together, it produces a different result.” Lu Li looked at Qing Luo, who was clearly sulking in the evening breeze.
“I’m sorry.”
“Why are you suddenly apologizing?” Qing Luo looked up.
“Junior Sister Qing Luo has invited me to dual cultivate many times, but I’ve refused.” Lu Li shook his head.
“Maybe I’m still stuck in the emotions of a mortal. For me, at the very least, it has to be someone I’ve given my heart to before I can do something like that.”
“Then I’m different from you, Lu Li.” Hearing this, Qing Luo clasped her hands behind her back and gazed at the moonlight.
“Different how?”
“I want to become strong.” Qing Luo turned around, showing Lu Li a smile even brighter than usual.
“And then, revive my father and mother.”
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