Chapter 13: Searching for the Place to Form a Core

After all, when breaking through to Nascent Soul, she was already overwhelmed, and trying to forcibly protect Bai Yue was simply too much.

So, Mu Chenxi decisively paused her breakthrough.

She calmed her mind, and when her attention returned to the jade hand she was tightly holding—

Her Sword Cultivation continued to rise quietly.

The sense of heart palpitations had eased somewhat, yet still flowed slowly in her chest.

It continued to steadily push her Sword Cultivation forward, still rising.

Is this kind of hand-holding really that special?

Why is it causing such a strong reaction in me?

Mu Chenxi’s little head just couldn’t figure it out.

She lay beside Bai Yue, pondering all night, yet couldn’t make sense of it at all.

The next morning, as soon as Bai Yue opened her eyes, she met a pair of round, ice-blue eyes.

Ah…

It’s Chenxi.

“Master, I’ve broken through. The sword bottleneck is finally shattered. The Taishang Forget-Emotion Sword Art has reached the second level.”

Seeing Bai Yue awake, Mu Chenxi immediately shared the good news.

“You actually broke through!?”

Bai Yue was delighted as well—this was, of course, a great thing.

She couldn’t help but ask, “Did you truly comprehend the essence of the sword art this time?”

She thought her first kiss could finally be safe.

But apparently, that wasn’t the case.

Mu Chenxi shook her head, a hint of confusion in her eyes.

“No… This breakthrough still can’t be separated from Master.”

“It’s still related to me?”

Bai Yue was very puzzled. She had clearly been fast asleep last night.

The only intimate contact was being held by Mu Chenxi, falling asleep with their hands entwined.

The two hadn’t done anything further.

Thinking this, Bai Yue lowered her head to look at the hand Mu Chenxi was holding, only to realize their fingers were tightly interlocked.

She felt a tingling at her fingertips, as if her hand had been held like this by her precious disciple all night.

“Chenxi, can you let go of my hand? I think it’s a little numb.”

Bai Yue looked at her disciple beside her, a bit exasperated and amused.

“Ah…”

Mu Chenxi hurriedly released Bai Yue’s hand.

“I was so focused on cultivating, I didn’t notice… It seems I really did hold Master’s hand like this all night.”

“It’s fine, just a little numb, nothing serious,” Bai Yue comforted her.

Mu Chenxi felt relieved, but with some confusion, she asked,

“Master, when I held your hand like that, my heart raced so fast, even though it was just a different way of holding hands.”

“Why does it feel this way? Master, do you know why?”

Upon hearing this, Bai Yue’s pretty face flushed.

She hesitated for a moment, then finally explained with a red face.

“This is a way of holding hands that’s usually used by people in love… It’s a rather intimate gesture.”

“Maybe it’s this closeness that triggered your breakthrough.”

Mu Chenxi’s eyes widened slightly, as if realizing something, though with a hint of uncertainty.

“So… what I did just now is something only Dao Companions do?”

“This… Is this only done between Dao Companions?”

Bai Yue looked helplessly at Mu Chenxi’s inquisitive expression, feeling restless inside.

She seriously suspected her disciple was deliberately teasing her…

But seeing Mu Chenxi’s utterly sincere expression, she couldn’t find a trace of “prank” evidence.

Mu Chenxi soon noticed the helplessness in Bai Yue’s eyes and finally stopped questioning.

Seeing Bai Yue’s delayed response, she thought Master was angry.

Mu Chenxi lowered her eyes apologetically.

“Master, I’m sorry. I acted intimately with you without your permission. It was disrespectful.”

Seeing Mu Chenxi about to continue apologizing, Bai Yue smiled wryly and patted her shoulder.

“It’s all right. It’s just holding hands with interlaced fingers.”

“Actually, even between Master and disciple, this isn’t a big deal. It’s not something that requires being Dao Companions.”

So Master doesn’t think it’s a big deal…

After hearing Bai Yue’s explanation, Mu Chenxi felt a strange sense of disappointment surge inside.

She looked up at Bai Yue and couldn’t help but ask,

“Then when will Master be ready to kiss me?”

“Has Master prepared mentally?”

Mu Chenxi’s gaze fell directly on Bai Yue, and Bai Yue, meeting her disciple’s unwavering eyes, felt a headache coming on.

Her ears flushed even more, her voice wavering slightly.

“Um… I really haven’t prepared myself, so please give your Master a little more time.”

As soon as she finished, she hurriedly cut off the embarrassing thoughts, quickly changing the subject.

“By the way, Chenxi, how’s your cultivation now? Have you reached a new realm?”

Mu Chenxi responded calmly.

“I broke through last night. Now, my realm is at the peak of Golden Core and could break through to Nascent Soul at any time.”

“It’s just that, worried about attracting danger, I suppressed the momentum for now.”

Bai Yue’s eyes widened in shock.

Her own disciple went from initial Golden Core to peak Golden Core in just a few days?

What kind of “monster” speed is this? It’s simply defying the heavens!

It seems the Taishang Forget-Emotion Sword Art Chenxi practices really is extraordinary.

But the cultivation conditions of this sword art always made her, as Master, troubled…

“Unfortunately, my cultivation is weak. I can’t help you guard the breakthrough to Nascent Soul.”

Bai Yue’s fingers curled slightly, her tone a bit embarrassed.

She was just a Foundation Establishment cultivator—she could offer her obedient disciple too little help.

She truly felt she was dragging Chenxi down.

“Master, you don’t need to worry,” Mu Chenxi said gently.

“I plan to find a hidden place and set up a Concealment Formation.”

“Can the formation really hide the disturbance from forming a Nascent Soul?”

Bai Yue couldn’t help but ask.

After all, the commotion of forming a Nascent Soul is enormous, and the stronger the cultivator, the greater the Thunder Tribulation.

“I’m not certain either,” Mu Chenxi frowned.

“It’d be best if we can find a secluded valley and create a thunderstorm.”

“Using the weather and terrain as cover, breaking through would be much safer.”

Bai Yue suggested, her fear of danger giving her quite a bit of insight.

“That’s a good idea. Let’s set out as soon as possible,” Mu Chenxi’s eyes lit up, immediately nodding in agreement.

The two of them packed up simply and left the temporary Cave Dwelling. Together, they set out to find a suitable place to set up the Concealment Formation.

However, five days passed, and they still hadn’t found a satisfactory place to form a Nascent Soul.

Morning.

After another night in a temporary Cave Dwelling, the two prepared to set off again.

A hesitant look appeared on Bai Yue’s face.

“Chenxi, why don’t we stop heading toward the Ancient Battlefield and search in another direction?”

“I feel the closer we get to the Ancient Battlefield, the more dangerous it is and the harder it is to find a safe place for the breakthrough.”

“Master, are you talking about clues to a hidden valley?”

Mu Chenxi asked.

“No…”

Bai Yue shook her head helplessly.

If she had any clues, she wouldn’t have spent five days searching with Mu Chenxi.

“Then let’s keep heading toward the Ancient Battlefield. Finding Grandmaster quickly is also important.”

Mu Chenxi was serious.

She still cared about this, since it was something she’d promised her Master.