Chapter 54: New Links

I could never just stand by and watch something happen to Cluru right in front of me, so…there’s no need to hesitate any longer.

The sensation of a girl’s skin is exquisite beyond words, but my mind didn’t wander.

I completely opened up my own meridian pathways, linking them with the runaway meridians inside Cluru.

The two girls’ bodies intertwined.

The channels of spiritual energy were also activated, faint bands of light appearing on the skin.

In this state, any hidden injuries or secrets within the body that were once hard to detect would clearly surface on the skin.

[Cluru, can you hear my voice?]

“Lo…Luo Xian…?”

[Yes, you’ve had a qi deviation while cultivating. I’m helping you sort it out now…just relax your body and let me guide the chaotic spiritual energy out of you.]

“Mm—okay…”

During cultivation, a little divine sense clings to the spiritual energy inside the body.

So, as my spiritual energy entered Cluru’s body, and hers entered mine…we became, in a sense, part of each other.

The distance between us shrank to an unprecedented degree, to the point that we could even control each other’s bodies to a certain extent.

We had to trust each other one hundred percent for this to proceed smoothly.

[Don’t be afraid, calm your mind, I’m right here.]

Silky skin pressed tightly together.

The chaotic spiritual energy was gradually returning to its proper course.

Cluru’s flushed skin slowly regained its fair, creamy color. She kept her eyes shut, her long lashes quivering gently, breathing evening out.

All right, the crisis was over.

[Next, follow the guidance of my spiritual energy, follow its path, and remember the route I’m taking…]

Time for the teaching phase.

Cluru had a great memory and learned quickly.

Everything was progressing steadily and well.

No accidents.

At least, there were no accidents inside Cluru’s body.

[Good, then our lesson is complete. From now on, let these little light dots inside you follow the route we practiced today. They’ll grow stronger and stronger. The stronger they are, the safer you’ll be. Got it?]

[Yes~]

Cluru’s answer was obedient and sweet.

It made me feel a bit unreal—she didn’t even take advantage of my defenseless state to do anything.

Cluru, being so well-behaved?

No…!

Suddenly, I felt a weakness in my lower abdomen.

My divine sense swept over immediately.

—A beautiful, intricate pattern had appeared at some point, covering my entire lower abdomen and shimmering with a seductive pink light, like a Cupid’s heart.

It was like a secret garden sealed by vines. Those lines spoke of the enslavement and submission, the coercion and twisted love about to unfold within the garden.

Even if I lacked common sense, I immediately recognized what this was.

Yin Mark.

In those indecent comics, it’s a method evil gods use to enslave beautiful girls.

Once branded with this, the girl would obey the evil god’s every word, and her mind would be filled with all sorts of indecent thoughts, gradually developing a strong attachment to her evil god master.

As long as it was there, the evil god held absolute control, able at any moment to put the marked one into a kittenish, lovestruck state.

.

My head buzzed.

Scenes from a dream I’d had just a few days ago flashed before my eyes.

This pattern seemed to overlap with the Divine Mark that had once been engraved on my forehead…though the lines were different, the meaning was much the same.

Because of the psychological shadow left by that experience, I couldn’t help but recall the feeling of helpless despair.

That sense of complete loss of freedom, mind and body entirely at someone else’s mercy.

The kind of thing I never wanted to experience again in my life.

My small body began to tremble…I was a little scared.

And then, came uncontrollable anger.

By instinct, I was willing to risk internal injury to forcibly cut off the link with Cluru.

Cluru was safe, but the spiritual energy I hadn’t had time to regulate was still rampaging inside me.

My capillaries swelled and burst, making my eyes look unnaturally red.

But I couldn’t care about that. Instead, I decisively pulled away.

“Heh…

So in the end, I fell for your trick.”

Leaning against the wall, I held my forehead and let out a self-deprecating laugh.

I was stupid enough to trust this girl, stupid enough to believe this octopus monster wouldn’t take advantage of me.

I actually let down all my defenses without hesitation to help her sort out her spiritual energy.

And what did I get in return?!

This…this…this utterly embarrassing thing—Cluru, what on earth are you trying to do?!

Yun Xianzun, oh Yun Xianzun, you’ve seen every kind of hardship and scheme…so why did you let your guard down in front of this one?!

In the end, I’d stepped right into the trap.

Like a complete fool!

.

Cluru was staring blankly at the pattern as well.

Flustered, she stammered, “I didn’t…that’s not…I…I don’t know!”

You don’t know?

Just now, only your divine sense entered my body, and then it appeared…now you say you don’t know?

Cluru, which of your words are true, and which are lies?

I lowered my brows in disappointment.

My gaze had already grown distant.

She had plenty of motive, and in my understanding, she was the kind of person who would do something like this—the only person who would.

“Seal.”

I pressed my palm to my lower abdomen, quickly inscribing a rune.

Luckily, this wasn’t a dream, so I wouldn’t be easily controlled by this kind of trick…with a sealing technique, I could temporarily suppress this unknown, beautiful pattern.

No matter what it’s for or how it got there, I’d seal it first and study it later.

Immediately, I summoned the Qilin and got dressed properly.

I stood up coldly, my tone frosty.

“Miss Cluru.”

Even though I was furious enough to want to kill, I still held myself back and didn’t vent my anger on Cluru.

The current situation was unclear. On the surface, it seemed obvious that Cluru had left this mark while I was defenseless…

But I had no conclusive evidence.

Without evidence, I wouldn’t jump to conclusions.

A Cultivator must always keep a measure of doubt, must always remain clear-headed.

“I hate misunderstandings, and I know how awful it feels to be falsely accused.”

I tried to control my tone and continued:

“So, if you didn’t do this, I won’t wrong you.

But please, let me calm down first.

Let me calm down…don’t worry, I’ll be back soon, and then I’ll get to the bottom of this.”

Leaving those words behind, I walked straight out.

.

The afternoon sunlight was damn blinding.

I tried to distract myself, to calm the anger in my heart.

It wasn’t that I was angry at Cluru.

I was angry at myself.

How could I be so stupid, knowing how dangerous she was, and still let down my guard…

If Cluru really did take advantage of me while I was vulnerable,

Then this kind of betrayal…was just too painful to bear.

“Vroom—”

I was sitting by the roadside, stewing in my own frustration, when suddenly an engine roared past right in front of me.

A car, speeding by, splashed a wave of dirty water.

Splash!

I was drenched from head to toe.

“Looking for trouble, huh.”

I’d just been looking for a punching bag, and someone delivered themselves right to my door.

Perfect!

[Yufeng Jue.]

Chase!

My body turned as light as a cloud, and my feet erupted with tsunami-like power.

My figure blurred, darting after the car.

Once I caught up and passed it, I finally got a good look at the driver.

Huh…looks familiar…

Wait, Yang Peng? It really is him? My old high school classmate?

“Peng-ge, slow down~” A coquettish girl leaned against the driver, Yang Peng. “Let those country bumpkins wait a little, what’s the big deal?”

“Country bumpkins? They’re classmates.”

“But you always call them that~” The girl pouted.

“That’s just between us.” Yang Peng laughed. “We’re here, don’t say anything weird inside.”

“Mm-hmm~”

Yang Peng’s car stopped at a hotel entrance.

He got out in style, tossed a tip to the bellboy, and strode into the hotel.

The others had already arrived inside.

“A class reunion?”

Hearing Yang Peng’s words, I was a bit stunned.

What a coincidence.

Come to think of it, I really was a little curious.

Seventeen years had passed—how were those old classmates doing now?

Might as well go take a look, distract myself for a bit.

“Everyone’s here, Peng-ge, why are you so late?!”

“Something held me up, got a problem with that?” Yang Peng raised his brows.

“Of course not, please sit, please sit.”

“……”

Class reunions for adults are no longer about rekindling old friendships.

Amidst the toasts and pleasantries, everyone is sizing each other up, looking to build valuable connections and curry favor with the successful.

Those who’ve made it take every chance to show off their feathers.

Since I’d died early on, this was actually my first time at something like this.

I felt a little out of place.

My memories of them were still stuck on those bright, innocent faces from school.

“By the way, do you all still remember Yun Xian?” After a few rounds of drinks, Yang Peng suddenly spoke up.

“Yun Xian? Which Yun Xian?”

“You know…the weakling who got into a car accident before the college entrance exam and ended up a vegetable.”