"Xiaojing, you're finally awake! How do you feel?" Lin Feng's face lit up with relief seeing Chang Gong Xiaojing regain consciousness, his voice tight with concern.
Chang Gong Xiaojing's eyes opened slowly, still clouded with confusion. Her gaze wandered before settling on Lin Feng. "Lin Feng? I... Nghh..." she murmured weakly, instinctively trying to sit up. A sharp gasp of pain escaped her, and she slumped back down, all strength leaving her.
"Don't move!!" Lin Feng urged urgently. "The poison inside you isn't fully purged yet. Don't distract yourself! Don't worry, the danger has passed. Focus on healing; we can talk about everything else later."
"Oh..." Chang Gong Xiaojing responded dazedly. As full awareness dawned—she was alive—a flicker of joy sparked in her eyes. Then she realized half her body was nestled against Lin Feng's chest, and her left hand was gripped tightly in his, as if he feared she might vanish. Her heart fluttered strangely, and a blush threatened to warm her cheeks, though her already flushed skin from the healing process hid it. Understanding that he was channeling energy to aid her, she pushed aside the distracting thoughts, closed her eyes again, and actively began circulating her own true energy to heal.
Fearful of disturbing her concentration, Lin Feng remained frozen in place, seated on the ground with Xiaojing partially cradled in his arms. While consumed by worry earlier, he hadn't registered the intimacy. Now, knowing she was safe, a wave of relaxation washed over him, bringing with it an acute awareness of the soft, warm weight resting against him... which felt incredibly... distracting.
His gaze drifted downwards. The swell of her breasts was impossible to ignore, mere inches from his view. Soaked during their plunge into the river and drenched anew in sweat from the intense healing process, her clothes clung to her body like a second skin, rumpled and disheveled. The front of her robe had fallen slightly open, revealing skin that was naturally fair but now bore a delicate, alluring flush of pink from the exertion. As Xiaojing occasionally trembled instinctively while expelling the venom, the movement caused a subtle, mesmerizing quiver beneath the damp fabric. Lin Feng stared, transfixed for several long seconds, his throat inexplicably dry...
Gulp... The audible swallow startled him back to reality. Heat flooded his face. Mortified, he quickly glanced at Xiaojing's expression. Did she notice? She seemed undisturbed, still focused inward. He breathed an internal sigh of relief, mentally chanting 'Do not look at what is improper, do not look!' and resolutely lifted his head to stare fixedly at the churning river ahead.
For a long time afterwards, Lin Feng resisted the urge to look down. Every time he did, his eyes betrayed him, inevitably drawn to the soft curves. Eventually, his neck grew stiff from the unnatural posture. Giving up, he simply closed his eyes, silently reciting cultivation mantras. He focused on replenishing his own depleted true energy while maintaining a steady flow into Xiaojing to support her healing.
He couldn't tell how much time had passed when he felt a slight movement in the small hand he still held. A soft whisper reached his ears: "Lin Feng..."
Lin Feng snapped his eyes open and looked down immediately. Xiaojing was gazing up at him, fully awake now, her large eyes holding a curious expression.
Her complexion had normalized, and her spirit seemed much improved. "Xiaojing! Are you alright?" he asked, a surge of joy replacing his worry.
"Yes," she nodded faintly. Her voice was soft but clear. "Lin Feng, I'm fine now... you... you can let go..."
"Ah..." Only then did Lin Feng realize he was still holding her tightly. He quickly released his grip, gently helping her sit up straight, his cheeks warming with embarrassment. "Sorry, I was just... relieved. I'm glad you're okay..."
Xiaojing stretched slightly, her movements stiff from the prolonged position. As she adjusted, the collar of her robe shifted open once more. Lin Feng's gaze flickered involuntarily—a flash of pale skin caught his eye...
"Lin Feng, earlier..." Xiaojing began, intending to ask him something. She paused abruptly, noticing his fixed stare directed squarely at her chest. Bewildered, she followed his line of sight downward...
"Ahhh!!!"
The next instant, Xiaojing shrieked like a startled kitten, instantly clamping both hands over the exposed area. Crimson flooded her face from her neck to her hairline. She glared at Lin Feng, her eyes flashing with mortified fury. "What are you looking at?!!"
Lin Feng jerked his head away, stammering awkwardly, "N-nothing... I didn't see anything..."
'Didn't see anything'—the phrase itself was a damning admission he had absolutely seen something. Xiaojing felt her face might actually burst into flames. "Turn around!!" she demanded, her voice trembling with embarrassment. "I... I need to change my clothes... Don't you dare peek!!"
"O-okay... Right..." Lin Feng obeyed instantly, pivoting stiffly on the spot. He stood ramrod straight, staring resolutely at the distant river like a wooden soldier.
Only when his back was fully turned did Xiaojing exhale shakily. She could feel her heart hammering against the hand still pressed protectively to her chest. Glancing down at her ruined, clinging garments—reeking of sweat and stained with the dark, viscous residue of expelled venom, particularly on her left sleeve—a fresh wave of humiliation washed over her. How long had he been holding me like this? What else might he have seen? she thought, a confusing mix of anger and something else—perhaps a stronger dose of sheer embarrassment—churning inside her. She knew this outfit was unwearable.
Taking a deep breath to steady herself, Xiaojing cautiously peeked at Lin Feng's rigid back. Still feeling exposed, she moved behind a large, conveniently placed boulder that offered a semblance of a screen. Only then did she begin the task of reorganizing her clothes.
...
Splash... splash...
Lin Feng kept his eyes rigidly forward, but his ears couldn't ignore the soft sounds of water falling onto skin. She must be using a Cleansing Technique, he realized. The mere sounds sparked an involuntary cascade of vivid mental images—a graceful figure cleansing away the grime...
"Oh Buddha preserve me... Do not think of what is improper, do not think..."
Lin Feng mentally shook himself, inwardly scolding his wandering thoughts, and forcefully banished the alluring visions from his mind.
"Squee-squee?"
Suddenly, a small weight landed on his right shoulder. Xiao Qiu peered at him curiously, chirping as if asking what he was doing standing so strangely.
Without moving his head, Lin Feng cut his eyes towards the little creature on his shoulder and issued a stern "warning": "Be quiet... And you don't peek either!!"
"Squee?" Xiao Qiu tilted its head in utter bewilderment, completely baffled by Lin Feng's command. It clutched a half-eaten mid-grade Spirit Stone close to its chest.
Lin Feng couldn't help a silent chuckle at the creature's innocence. He gently lifted Xiao Qiu off his shoulder, holding it up in front of his face so it stood on his palm. His expression shifted to one of intense curiosity. "Speaking of which," he began, his voice filled with amazement, "I have a mountain of questions for you—what was that earlier? You were actually using Spirit Stones like grenades?! That's... that's incredible! How in the world did you do it?"
"Squee?" Xiao Qiu tilted its head again, offering Lin Feng an utterly innocent look. It shrugged its tiny shoulders and spread its little paws wide—a gesture plainly saying 'I don't know.'
Lin Feng was well accustomed to this mode of communication. He pressed on, undeterred. "So, is this a new ability you gained after your last 'advancement'? And you only just figured it out now? That's a truly bizarre power... I've never heard of anything like it..."
Xiao Qiu repeated the head tilt and shoulder shrug.
Lin Feng continued, his tone eager. "I didn't get a good look before. Can you show me again? Please don't tell me you can only do it when you're absolutely desperate."
"SQUEE!!!" This time, Xiao Qiu responded with enthusiastic confidence. It nodded vigorously, puffing out its chest proudly. It brandished the half-eaten Spirit Stone clutched in its paw, then turned towards the river ahead. With a decisive flick of its wrist, it hurled the stone fragment towards the water.
WHOOSH... BOOM!!!!
Lin Feng watched the glowing fragment arc through the air and plunge into the river. A massive column of water erupted skywards moments later, showering the cavern like sudden rain. Several fat, unlucky fish landed with wet slaps at Lin Feng's feet...
Despite having witnessed this spectacle before, Lin Feng couldn't suppress another jolt of awe, swiftly replaced by sheer delight. Xiao Qiu possesses such a formidable ability! The implications thrilled him. Judging by the blast—created by only half a mid-grade Spirit Stone—the force seemed comparable to a mid-tier Grade 3 attack talisman. A whole stone could likely unleash power rivaling a high-tier Grade 3 talisman—equivalent to a spell from a Golden Core cultivator in the seventh or eighth layer!
This transformed Xiao Qiu instantly from seemingly harmless to a mobile artillery platform. Having such potent firepower supporting him in future battles was an exhilarating prospect!
The only caveat was the sheer extravagance of the 'ammunition.' Trading a valuable mid-grade Spirit Stone for a single attack equivalent to a high-grade talisman wasn't necessarily a loss monetarily (as such talismans often cost more than the stone itself), but it was certainly a luxury few cultivators could afford.
Fortunately, Lin Feng wasn't short on Spirit Stones, so the cost wasn't a primary concern—he certainly wouldn't let Xiao Qiu waste them frivolously. This power was reserved for critical moments.
...
"Lin Feng, what are you doing?"
The voice came from directly behind him—Chang Gong Xiaojing had returned.