Chapter 255
Refining the Mountains and Rivers
Chapter 255
Chapter 255 – Feelings as Clear as the Bright Moon
Qin Yu sat in the wooden barrel, the strong smell of medicine wafting into his nose along with the steam . His skin was hot but he didn’t care for this at all . Right now, he was holding onto the edge of the barrel with both hands . The sharp lines of his back were exposed to the air, and Ning Ling was earnestly drawing the image of a demonic figure on his back, its eyes closed as it gradually took shape .
When the last stroke of the pen fell, Qin Yu seemed to hear a faint roar in the distance, resounding directly in his soul . Ning Ling put away the pen and said in a soft voice, “It’s done . ”
Drawing the demonic figure clearly sucked away a great deal of her energy . Her long skirt was drenched in sweat, sticking close to her body . Although she tried to maintain a calm and steady expression, she still shivered beneath Qin Yu’s gaze . After waiting a moment and receiving no response from him, she clenched her teeth and said, “Have you seen enough yet? You…hurry and turn around!”
“Ah…alright!” Qin Yu spun back around .
The sound of splashing water entered his ears . After a moment Ning Ling finally said, “Turn back around . ”
Her black hair fell down, covering her exposed snow-white shoulders . Qin Yu glanced at her dress that was folded and hung to the side as well as the silk undergarments, and he gulped, his mouth dry .
Ning Ling suppressed her embarrassment and solemnly said, “Junior-apprentice brother Qin, it is in your best interests to remember not to…think too much . Extracting one’s bloodline is not a common event . If an accident occurs, there are bound to be extremely dangerous risks!” As she spoke to here, her voice and expression were incredibly serious .
Qin Yu’s heart chilled and his thoughts were restored to clarity . He cupped his hands together . “Senior-apprentice sister Ning, don’t worry, I know what to do . ” He closed his eyes and took a deep breath . When he opened them again, they were as clear and stable as a well .
Ning Ling’s eyes brightened, a bit of appreciation in her gaze . All great people had a strong sense of self-control; Qin Yu had done very well . Her heart calmed a little . “In a moment, I will begin the ‘process’ of extracting my bloodline . After it is done, junior-apprentice brother Qin needs to instantly swallow it . Remember to grasp the opportunity as soon as possible . ”
She closed her eyes . Then, on her exposed shoulders, the nape of her neck, and her face, lines began to appear . The left shined golden and the right glowed black . She furrowed her eyebrows, a bit pained . She then lifted her hand and tapped between her eyebrows .
As her finger fell, the medicinal liquid within the wooden barrel she was in began to boil . Giant air bubbles rose up, covering her in white mist .
The mist became increasingly thick, until one couldn’t even see Ning Ling’s form . One could only hear slight cracking sounds . Qin Yu wasn’t a stranger to such a noise; it was the sound of cracking flesh, blood and bone . This degree of pain was hard to withstand, but Ning Ling didn’t make a single sound in response .
Qin Yu frowned, worry in his eyes . Just as his complexion grew increasingly gloomy, that incredibly thick mist began to rapidly split apart . Every piece collapsed inwards, condensing into sharp needles that shined with a dazzling silver-white color!
Puff –
Puff –
Countless tiny sounds rose up and Qin Yu’s complexion changed . Ning Ling smiled, her face pale, and shook her head to stop him . The mist-condensed needles fell down and pierced the black lines that covered half her body . Each one fell where the lines intersected, and the black lines began to twist like a living creature .
On the other half of her body, the golden lines grew brighter . As if sensing the difficult situation its enemy faced, it launched an immediate attack . The rich golden light flowed out like blazing lava from the earth, driving away all the black lines .
But the demonic bloodline wasn’t resigned to defeat . Ning Ling coughed and bit down on the corners of her lips . Faint traces of black energy gathered above her head, forming into a demonic visage that howled continuously, as if asking why she was giving up the power of the demonic path .
Ning Ling closed her eyes, ignoring the howling . She used all her strength to galvanize the divine bloodline in her body . The golden light grew increasingly strong, until it was so bright that it seemed a sun had risen in the cabin .
Weng –
There was a loud humming in the air . The array formation began to revolve, holding in all the golden light and the aura it emitted .
Qin Yu tensed . When he faced this golden light he felt an instinctual sense of loathing and disgust . His heart violently raced and his blood tumbled and roared through his body . He suppressed the vicious thoughts that started to rise in his mind and stared at Ning Ling and the pitch black lines that were beginning to retreat from her body .
Above her head, the demonic visage’s roars became increasingly sad and shrill . There wasn’t the least bit of red in Ning Ling’s face . But, between her wrinkled eyebrows, there wasn’t any hesitation .
Qin Yu’s eyes lit up with admiration .
Although it seemed that the process was incomparably painful, Ning Ling wasn’t in any great danger . If so, then all he needed to do was wait for the demonic bloodline to be drawn out and then swallow it as soon as possible .
Only by doing this could he minimize the pain Ning Ling was withstanding .
Qin Yu closed his eyes, feeling the deep desire rampaging through his body .
From the moment Ning Ling started to expel her demonic bloodline, it seemed that the Demon Body had sensed a power which could help it grow stronger!
Now, he wanted to feel this desire and integrate it into his thoughts .
Gudong –
Gudong –
In the wooden barrel Qin Yu was in, the medicinal liquid started to boil . The demon head on his back started to turn bright red . Within the mist, its closed eyes became faintly visible .
“Junior-apprentice brother Qin!”
When Ning Ling spoke up, Qin Yu instantly opened his eyes . His eyes were crimson like blood, filling with a cruel and overbearing intent that exploded from his body . On his back, the demonic face began to open its eyes .
Bang –
The demonic visage atop Ning Ling’s head blew up . It turned into roiling fog . Countless wisps of black energy flowed out from her body, fusing into the fog . The pitch black fog started to slowly become contaminated with a blood red color .
As if also suffering a similar attraction, when the demonic head on Qin Yu’s back opened its eyes, the fog began to rush over as if a dam had broken . The black bloodstained mist rapidly flowed forth, entering Qin Yu’s body through the seven orifices of his head and drilling into his body .
It felt as if he had been placed into an endless vat of burning hot coals . The pain was pushed to the extreme, but at the same time his sense of joy was also pushed to the extreme!
Every inch of his flesh and blood trembled . Crack, crack, subtle sounds rose up from his body . It was the sound of his flesh and bones breaking down and reforming, all of it occurring at an alarming rate .
The process repeated itself endlessly . Cracks appeared on Qin Yu’s skin and disappeared just as fast . His face gently shivered with pain, but his expression was steady and still .
On his naked back, the demonic face’s eyes opened more and more . It seemed as if it was becoming three-dimensional, as if it could break free from Qin Yu’s body at any moment .
Whoosh –
The last bit of fog flowed into his body . Qin Yu reared back his head and roared . The wooden barrel shattered and the medicinal liquid spilled out all over . His blood red eyes locked onto Ning Ling as tyrannical and brutal howls came out from his throat .
Bang –
Qin Yu took a step forwards and the ground of the several surrounding feet instantly collapsed . Dreadful cracks spread out like a spider web, growing faster and faster .
Ning Ling had a complex expression . She lifted a hand and tapped the air . Then, the demonic face on Qin Yu’s back closed its eyes . His blood red eyes closed and he slumped backwards .
No one caught him, so there was a human-shaped hole on the ground . A long period of time passed and Ning Ling recovered a good deal of her strength . Then, she emerged from the barrel .
A snow-white slender thigh came out, followed by another snow-white slender thigh . Then, an unbelievably tight figure followed by proud snowy peaks…after putting on her clothes, Ning Ling walked forwards . She leaned down and gently stroked Qin Yu’s face . There was no embarrassment on her face, only inexplicable sadness .
Qin Yu was asleep, and it was an incomparably comfortable sleep . He dreamt that he was in a sweet dark dream, as if floating through warm spring water . He didn’t want to wake up .
But no matter how pleasant a dream, there was bound to be a time when he woke up . Only the dead could dream forever .
Qin Yu opened his eyes . After a moment of dizziness, he violently sat up .
Bang –
The bed frame shattered and he fell on the ground, dust and smoke rising in the air . But, he had a look of pleasant surprise on his face . Slowly, he smiled .
The Demon Body…had broken through!
He closed his eyes . He could clearly feel that his flesh and blood was much stronger, containing a formidable strength that could dig out rivers and move mountains . Within his chest, though his heartbeat was slow, every beat was like the strike of a great drum . He could even feel the reverberations coming from it .
The flow of his blood had slowed down a great deal . But, he knew that once he started to fight someone, his heartbeat would accelerate until it started galloping through his body like a roaring river .
But this wasn’t what was important . The most important thing was that after the breakthrough of his Demon Body, the great dao of Nascent Soul was right in front of him!
Hu –
Qin Yu opened his eyes . He got to his feet and walked out .
Because he couldn’t control his strength, every step he took left a deep footprint . Even the room’s door was ruined by him . But still, Qin Yu kept smiling, not embarrassed at all by this .
He wanted to tell Ning Ling that he had made a breakthrough of his Demon Body and that the little young cultivator from the past was soon to reach Nascent Soul . With that, he would be able to freely go wherever he wished in this world . He wanted to ask Ning Ling if she would accompany him forever, roaming through the world like an immortal couple, never abandoning each other .
Yes, Qin Yu didn’t want to wait any longer . He didn’t want to play any games or guess any riddles . He wanted to tell Ning Ling of his feelings because he had finally obtained the strength required to protect her and the qualifications to make her happy .
He pushed open the door in high spirits . The door shattered, meeting a cruel end . Qin Yu looked around the valley . Then, his heart skipped a beat and a bit of panic appeared .
The cabin where Ning Ling had been was broken to pieces and there wasn’t any hint of life there . Was she not there? Where did she go?
Bang –
The ground shattered . Qin Yu raced out like lightning, tearing apart the layers of mist and stepped out of the valley . He looked around and his tense body finally relaxed, happiness in his eyes . Not too far away from the mountain valley, in another valley, there were several wooden cabins . One of them opened up and someone stepped out, a smile on her face .
It was Ning Ling .
Qin Yu’s figure moved and he flew over to the valley . Ning Ling suddenly raised her hand and said, “Junior-apprentice brother Qin, your entire body is filled with brute strength right now . Do you want to destroy the dwelling I spent so much effort building?”
Qin Yu revealed an awkward expression . “…Senior-apprentice sister Ning, why did you move here?”
Ning Ling smiled . “Junior-apprentice brother Qin needs space to control your new strength . I also need a peaceful environment to familiarize myself with the bloodline changes in my body . So, I thought of moving out here temporarily . ”
Qin Yu nodded in understanding . Then, from the beginning when his emotions bubbled over, after this brief interruption, he found it hard to speak up .
He opened his mouth over and over . Ning Ling suddenly said, “I need to go into seclusion for several days . If junior-apprentice brother Qin has nothing to say, then I won’t be accompanying you . ”
Qin Yu thought about it . He indeed didn’t need to be in a hurry . He needed to wait for the perfect time and atmosphere before he could speak about this type of thing . He cupped his hands together and said, “Senior-apprentice sister Ning, please continue cultivating . I will go back and meditate for a few days, tempering the control over my strength . ” As his voice fell, he turned . But then, he stopped again . He said earnestly, “This time I must thank senior-apprentice sister . In the future, I am willing to block out the wind and rain for senior-apprentice sister!”
Whoosh –
Qin Yu flew far away .
Although he didn’t speak his true feelings, this was indicating his intent to a certain extent .
Ning Ling turned and walked back into her room . The moment she closed the door, she covered her mouth and her eyes started to redden . She suddenly felt that she was too selfish .
Qin Yu’s feelings were as clear as the bright moon . But, would she ever have the chance?