An unprecedented feeling slowly spread from where Xu Lin’s fingertips had landed, and Jiang Luo’s tense heartstrings relaxed along with it.
She let out a light sigh, and her panic gradually subsided.
“I will guide the spiritual energy within your body. Just circulate it as you normally would during cultivation, and leave the rest to me.”
Xu Lin’s voice came from beside her ear. Jiang Luo subconsciously wanted to open her eyes.
“Focus. Don’t let your mind wander.”
“Yes…”
Jiang Luo quickly pressed down her eyelids, suppressing the urge to open her eyes.
Even with her eyes closed, most of her mind was still on Xu Lin. Her subconscious sketched his figure, and the feeling was indescribable.
She had heard from other sect members that dual cultivation could quickly improve one’s cultivation base.
Jiang Luo’s heart was slightly disturbed.
‘Is what I’m doing considered dual cultivation as they said?’
Xu Lin carefully observed Jiang Luo’s condition. His fingers left their previous position and moved to other meridian points on her body, helping her stabilize the spiritual energy converging from various meridians.
After Jiang Luo had completely calmed down and no longer needed much guidance, Xu Lin remarked,
“The Sunset Sect’s cultivation technique is truly domineering.”
This was completely different from the cultivation technique the Vast Dao Sect gave its disciples to practice. No wonder it caused this situation with the Pure Spirit Jade Body.
If Jiang Luo continued cultivating like this, she might be able to enter the True Mystery Realm, but the Pure Spirit Jade Body would be destroyed—putting the cart before the horse.
“I have a Spirit Water Heart Sutra here. It won’t affect the Sunset Sect’s technique and should allow you to pass through this realm smoothly without much issue.”
Xu Lin continued. This was the heart technique of Jade Condensing Peak of the Vast Dao Sect, used to stabilize the minds of newly initiated disciples. It wasn’t anything rare.
A sect like the Sunset Sect probably rarely spoke of stabilizing the mind, but this section of the technique wouldn’t affect the Sunset Sect’s technique.
The purpose of the heart technique was to stabilize the Pure Spirit Jade Body and prevent it from being overly affected by the Sunset Sect’s technique.
As for what would happen later, that wasn’t something Xu Lin needed to consider.
After Xu Lin simply passed the heart technique to Jiang Luo and had her circulate it through her qi cycle, Jiang Luo was able to stabilize herself even without Xu Lin’s guidance during the latter half of the night.
Seeing this, Xu Lin stopped disturbing her and began to cultivate as well.
However, in the latter half of the night, a nameless aura seemed to be attracted by Xu Lin’s cultivation and seeped into his body intentionally or unintentionally, filling the spiritual energy in his body that had always been insufficient.
Xu Lin suddenly opened his eyes, and his sharp gaze fell on Jiang Luo.
Jiang Luo was simultaneously circulating the Sunset Sect technique and the Spirit Water Heart Sutra, and a faint demonic aura was emanating from her body. This was a sign that the Pure Spirit Jade Body was no longer being suppressed or affected.
On the contrary, this demonic aura intertwined with the spiritual energy on Xu Lin’s body, further compensating for the condition he had been worried about.
“What’s going on? The Sunset Sect’s technique can compensate for the inability to fill my spiritual energy?”
Xu Lin was puzzled. This was something he had never known.
Xu Lin’s identity before he transmigrated into the book had always been as the background of the protagonist. There wasn’t much description of him, so even Xu Lin himself only had a vague understanding.
After pondering for a moment, Xu Lin tried to draw in the demonic aura from Jiang Luo’s circulating technique into his own body. He found that it was indeed useful, which delighted him greatly.
When he looked at Jiang Luo again, Xu Lin couldn’t help but narrow his eyes.
Was it because of the Pure Spirit Jade Body, or was it caused by the technique? This truly piqued Xu Lin’s curiosity.
The night passed without words. The two of them cultivated facing each other like that.
Around noon, a sound came from the courtyard outside. Xu Lin and Jiang Luo opened their eyes at the same time.
As soon as Jiang Luo’s vision cleared, she met Xu Lin’s downward gaze.
In these two hurried encounters, she had never taken a careful look at Xu Lin from start to finish.
Now that they were this close, she couldn’t help but take a longer look at him.
The Xu Lin before her sat upright like a green bamboo, his face gentle and warm. Because he had just withdrawn from his cultivation state, a faint spiritual light lingered around him, elegant and calm, nothing like the appearance of a Sunset Sect disciple.
His pair of ink-black eyes were calm. At first, they met Jiang Luo’s gaze, but he only glanced faintly before withdrawing his eyes without lingering.
“Don’t make a sound.”
Xu Lin looked warily at the wooden door, his words a warning to Jiang Luo.
Jiang Luo’s heart tightened. Even her breathing unconsciously became lighter, but her gaze remained on Xu Lin.
“Who is it!”
Xu Lin’s tone was harsh, not hiding his wariness.
Startled by Xu Lin’s sudden question, the person outside the door paused and said respectfully,
“Young Master Xu, the Saintess requests your presence.”
Xu Lin frowned.
“Is there something going on?”
Now, whenever he heard either Yang Yao or Xi Ranchen, he felt irritated.
‘These two really have too many matters. I really shouldn’t have saved Yang Yao back then.’
“This subordinate does not know. Young Master Xu will find out when he goes.”
The figure outside had remained in place the whole time, showing utmost politeness.
Who exactly the Saint was, no one else knew except Xi Ranchen and Yang Yao.
But there were always some rumors pointing to this person brought back by the Sect Master. It was better to believe it than to doubt.
“Fine, I’ll go with you.”
Xu Lin was helpless.
‘If it weren’t for the restriction Xi Ranchen placed on me, I wouldn’t want to see Yang Yao either, to avoid incurring too much karma.’
Xu Lin got off the bed, glanced at Jiang Luo who was still dazed there, and transmitted his voice through the air,
“After I leave, wait until there’s no one around, then you go.”
Whether Jiang Luo would be useful or not was one thing, but for now, it was better not to let others know, to prevent her from becoming an unstable factor.
Jiang Luo nodded, her heart full of surprise. She had guessed earlier that Xu Lin’s identity was not simple, but now it turned out that Senior Sister Yang Yao had sent someone to personally invite him.
Jiang Luo kept her posture still, afraid to move and make a sound. She watched Xu Lin push the door open and leave with the person outside. After a long while, she crept out of bed.
After confirming no one was outside, Jiang Luo prepared to leave. Suddenly, a thought occurred to her, and she turned to look at the cabinet behind her.
After a moment, Jiang Luo’s cheeks flushed slightly. She took the blanket that Xu Lin had changed earlier and left.
On the other side, Xu Lin arrived at Yang Yao’s residence.
This was the very center of the Sunset Sect, also the place with the richest spiritual energy. Yang Yao’s status in the sect was evident.
The guide did not follow him into the courtyard, only stopping at a distance.
Since Yang Yao only wanted to see Xu Lin, he didn’t dare to follow further.
As soon as Xu Lin steadied himself, he saw Yang Yao standing on the stone steps opposite.
“The Saintess is truly impressive. In just one day, there’s no trace of your previous dejection and near-death look.”
Xu Lin teased. Yang Yao frowned slightly, her aura not receding.
Xu Lin felt annoyed seeing her, and she felt the same way. She didn’t have any goodwill toward him just because he had saved her.
‘In my previous life, it was this guy who helped that person, causing my own downfall.’
If it weren’t for her master’s wishes and the fact that Xu Lin truly had ability, she wouldn’t want to see him at all.