Suddenly hearing such a question from Xiu Popo left Lu Li confused.
Earlier, when he was still a man in Hundred Immortals Town, he had never considered this issue.
After entering the Yin Yang Sect, he had learned quite a bit about the Union Joy Technique, but he had never experienced it himself.
“Daoist Lu is still young, so naturally you don’t know what love is.”
Xiu Popo looked at the bewildered Lu Li and began to explain slowly.
“The first few techniques of the Nine Forms of the Heavenly Fox were cultivated by the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox before it transformed.”
“As for the Bewitch Heart path, once mastered, it can make others see the beauty they desire.”
As Xiu Popo spoke, she traced patterns with True Yuan in her hand.
“As for the Enchanting Sound path, when mastered, it lets others hear the music they long for.”
“And after the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox transformed and exchanged knowledge with the Human race’s Yin Yang Sect, the next form, Fragrance Holds, if mastered, reaches the realm of a single scent.”
“Daoist Lu, I think the confusion in your heart boils down to a few points.”
Xiu Popo condensed two faint figures in the air.
“This cultivation technique seems to unconsciously bring us some changes, such as the ability to charm hearts and stir up fantasies, isn’t that so?”
“Yes.”
Lu Li pondered for a moment but still didn’t mention Liu Qingxi.
“That’s actually a good thing. Daoist Lu, no need to worry.” Xiu Popo comforted him. “It’s like a Sword Cultivator. Once Sword Intent is perfected, ordinary people naturally find it hard to approach. And when the Buddhist path is perfected, demons and monsters cannot come near. Is that a bad thing?”
“Even so, this path…”
“The path of lust and desire.” Xiu Popo added. “When you, Daoist Lu, do not control it, what others think of are nothing but their own desires.”
“For example, what Daoist Liu thinks of is time spent in the sect or practicing the sword alone. Sword Zen requires absolute stillness, and also a place where one feels at ease.” The mist before Xiu Popo kept shifting. “As for that young monk, what he smelled was the scent of the green lamp and ancient Buddha.”
“And as for me, what I smelled was the past.” Xiu Popo closed her eyes again, her nose twitching slightly. “That was the happiest time of my life. The Celestial Fox Clan had not weakened, the Saintess’s cultivation was flourishing, and everything looked bright.”
“So, Daoist Lu, you don’t need to mind Fragrance Holds. Because people only see the emotions within their own hearts through your technique. And the word ‘emotion’ itself is nothing but their own fantasies.” Xiu Popo waved her hand, dispersing the mist before her. “Even the Soul Searching of the Demon Path merely reviews others’ pasts. The sufferings and sweetness experienced each time are ultimately not real.”
“If it’s an enemy, Daoist Lu, you shouldn’t be confused.” Xiu Popo stood up, her aged fingers brushing the glass on the window. “If it’s a friend, then a good talk should be better.”
“Thank you, Xiu Popo, for relieving my worries.”
“I am old. My cultivation is not as outstanding as the various Holy Sons and Holy Daughters. The only thing I can offer are these trivial experiences.” Before entering the door, Xiu Popo gave Lu Li a kind smile. “Besides, Xiao Li likes you very much. If Daoist Lu is happier, Xiao Li will be happy too.”
“Yes…” Looking at the closed door, Lu Li could only shake his head silently.
After thinking for a moment, he took out a Fasting Pill from his storage bracelet, placed it in his mouth, and slowly dissolved it with True Yuan.
But in an instant, a faint fragrance of Flower and Grass Dew spread on his tongue and teeth.
“Heh… Shen Zhaoxue really does have a merchant’s talent.” The familiar scent made Lu Li laugh involuntarily.
As a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, unlike Qi Refining Cultivators or mortals who need to eat frequently, most of the time, he could sustain a day’s activity by absorbing the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi.
But the body’s stomach and intestines still existed, so he still needed to supplement food periodically.
However, on journeys like this to the Yao Kingdom, or extended missions, the Fasting Pill came in handy.
Ordinary Fasting Pills have an extremely bitter taste.
But the Fasting Pill in Lu Li’s hand now was specially made by Shen Zhaoxue’s family under the mountain gate of the Yin Yang Sect. Chewing it gave a unique fragrance.
“…I still need to make things clear with Liu Qingxi.” While slowly chewing the pill, Lu Li pulled the door open again and saw Liu Qingxi still sitting cross-legged.
On her forehead, fine beads of sweat had appeared. She was tightly biting her lips, her face pale.
“Liu Qingxi.” Lu Li came softly to her bed. “I just asked Xiu Popo about the situation.”
“Mhm… go on.” Liu Qingxi let out a long breath. When she looked into Lu Li’s eyes again, her gaze lost focus again, forcing her to collect herself. “…I don’t know why, but your charm technique seems especially effective on me.”
“I think I know the reason.” Lu Li looked at Liu Qingxi’s pained expression and, with a sigh, slowly conveyed Xiu Popo’s words.
As he spoke, Liu Qingxi’s tightly furrowed brow gradually relaxed, eventually turning into a thoughtful expression.
That state of being trapped by lust and desire had clearly lessened.
“Mhm, now that you put it that way…” Liu Qingxi nodded, then raised her head again to gaze at Lu Li. “I basically understand everything.”
“Good that you understand. Next is just gradual adjustment.” Lu Li nodded.
“So I need your help with something.”
“Just say it.”
“Come closer.”
“Mhm, and then?” Lu Li took a few steps forward to the edge of Liu Qingxi’s bed. “Our sect doesn’t seem to have a heart-calming technique, but I have already—Hey!”
Before Lu Li could react, Liu Qingxi’s hand gently fell on his shoulder.
Then, Liu Qingxi pushed with her palm, pressing Lu Li onto the bed, and pressed her whole body against him.
Soft jade in embrace, touching with warmth.
But the arms encircling him were slightly tense.
At that moment, Lu Li’s mind went blank.
He had never been this intimate with a woman before.
Even in the Yin Yang Sect, though he had turned into a female form, he had only seen others’ naked bodies in the hot spring.
Never this close.
“Liu Qingxi…?”
“…Mhm.” In a faint voice, Lu Li felt moist vapor flowing at his neck.
Then came the sound of sobbing.
“Mhm, I’m here.” The crying beside his ears made Lu Li immediately understand the key point.
Like when facing Xiao Li earlier, he gently stroked Liu Qingxi’s hair and patted her back.
His Fragrance Holds, if it could evoke people’s desires and thoughts…
Then in Liu Qingxi’s heart, it must be contact with others.
“I feel very happy right now.” Liu Qingxi’s weak voice sounded in Lu Li’s ear. “Finally I can touch someone else.”
“…Because of your divination and your eyes?” Lu Li patted Liu Qingxi’s back, like he had comforted Xiao Li earlier, staring at the ceiling of the room.
“Yes. Though my father and mother are still alive, they have never treated me like this.” Liu Qingxi slowly narrated. “Because I can see the future, I told them many futures they didn’t want.”
“My father is a traveling merchant. I could clearly see when he would profit and when he would lose.”
“My mother is an alchemist. I could see which batch of pills would succeed and which would fail.”
“At first they were very happy, but later…”
“I told them, there is one batch of pills they absolutely must not refine—it would bring disaster.”
“They listened and tried everything to change it.”
“But the more they tried to change, the deeper they fell into failure.”
“Once during alchemy, my mother’s pill furnace exploded, and both of them were injured…”
Lu Li felt Liu Qingxi’s nails dig deep into his back.
“My mother could no longer refine pills, and naturally my father couldn’t either…”
“After that incident, I was sent to the Heavenly Deduction Sect.”
“I could see everyone’s future, could divine everything that would happen after.”
“At first my fellow disciples admired me, but then they began to fear me.”
“So…”
“I understand.” Lu Li patted her again lightly. “It just so happens that you can’t see my future, so I won’t be afraid of you.”
“Mhm…” Liu Qingxi’s heavy breathing by his ear gradually steadied.
“It’s good that you can feel at ease.” Lu Li continued to stroke her back.
The moonlight was like water, slanting into the room.
But as Liu Qingxi’s breath calmed, Lu Li sensed something amiss.
As a man… though now not in a male form.
A lone man and woman in the same room seemed a bit ambiguous.
In all his previous days, he had never been this intimate with a woman.
Thinking of this, the Fragrance Holds technique was unconsciously released along with his heart.
The entire room filled with a faint scent of musk.
‘This is bad…’ The more Lu Li tried to control it, the more his body moved, and instead he felt his chest colliding with Liu Qingxi’s.
The strange friction made his cheeks flush.
Earlier, when he was in female form, the most he had done was functional washing, trying to ignore it.
But now, he truly felt the difference.
Under the Fragrance Holds technique, Liu Qingxi’s breathing also grew heavy.
“Sorry, I just…” Lu Li struggled to control the effect of Fragrance Holds, looking at Liu Qingxi whose face was also flushed.
“Lu Li, you don’t have a Dao companion, do you?”
Unexpectedly, those were Liu Qingxi’s first words.
“Huh?”
The strange question made Lu Li’s thoughts momentarily chaotic, and the Fragrance Holds he had intended to control instead became even more disordered.
“You really are something, not even knowing if you have a Dao companion yourself.” Liu Qingxi’s words gradually carried a hint of tenderness. “If not, could I be?”
“I know the Yin Yang Sect doesn’t reject relationships between women.” Liu Qingxi’s moist breath began to approach Lu Li’s ear, carrying a bit of heat. “What if I said I want to choose to go… a step further with you, Lu Li?”
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