Chapter 41: The Only Home
The morning after the downpour.
Every morning in the Heavenly Path Perilous Domain began with a thick fog. It seemed to linger throughout the year, obscuring the path ahead after only a few steps.
At the foot of Ten Thousand Cloud Mountain, near the edge of the Perilous Domain, several groups of cultivators were conducting a thorough search. They wore various attire, some in the robes of the Mist Spirit Sect, some from the Heavenly Net Sect, and others from the Ten Thousand Fragrance Pavilion.
Numerous cultivators braved the thick fog, slowly combing through the vast forest.
“Hey, brother, you guys from the Heavenly Net Sect are also looking for someone?”
“Of course. It’s a direct order from our Senior Sister. Who would dare disobey? You have no idea, when our Senior Sister is determined, even the Sect Master and his wife can’t stop her.”
“Sigh, you guys lost your Senior Sister’s lover, but we literally lost our Senior Sister herself. I just don’t understand, what kind of charm does that guy have that made both Senior Sisters so devoted to him?”
“I heard he’s quite handsome. Could he be some kind of male consort being fought over by the two fairies?”
“Now that you mention it… that explains why the two fairies always seem to be at odds.”
“But even so, this is the Heavenly Path Perilous Domain! Even Grand Clarity Realm experts would struggle to survive here. How could those two possibly survive after falling in?”
“And yet, here we are, risking our lives to search for them in this dangerous place…”
As the sect disciples whispered among themselves, a shadowy figure in black was hiding among the trees, silently listening to their conversation.
Once the searching disciples moved on, the figure swiftly disappeared into the depths of the Heavenly Path Perilous Domain.
Beneath the veil, Yu Xiang’s beautiful face was pale with worry and exhaustion.
…Senior Brother.
Please be safe.
***
Five days after falling off the cliff.
Having adapted to a primitive life in the cave, Chen Yin began to relax.
Thanks to his tireless efforts every night, the chaotic spiritual energy lingering in Shen Shuanglian’s meridians was gradually absorbed and transformed into nourishment, repairing her damaged pathways.
Shen Shuanglian’s complexion also improved day by day. Compared to before their fall, she seemed less cold and aloof, her face glowing with a healthy flush.
Chen Yin’s days were now filled with humming tunes as he went out to gather food, leaving no edible plant or animal behind, bringing everything back to the cave to nourish Shen Shuanglian.
The pair of Purple-Whiskered Thunder Mane Tigers, mother and cub, seemed to have lost much of their hostility towards him after he emerged from the formation. They even exchanged friendly greetings whenever they encountered each other in the ravine.
The intelligence of spirit beasts was related to their cultivation level. Spirit beasts like the Purple-Whiskered Thunder Mane Tiger were naturally intelligent. As they became more familiar with each other, Chen Yin learned a few things about the Heavenly Path Perilous Domain.
Firstly, it was probably far larger than he had imagined.
The main branch of the Ten Thousand Fragrance Pavilion was built on a mountain near the edge of the Perilous Domain. So the place where he and Shen Shuanglian had fallen wasn’t that deep within the domain.
The mother and cub tigers had never seen the true heart of the Heavenly Path Perilous Domain. They only growled fearfully when he asked, as if something terrifying resided there.
Normally, Chen Yin would have been curious about the domain’s center. But with Shen Shuanglian, a delicate flower, by his side, he wasn’t willing to take the risk.
His days were now filled with catching pheasants, fishing, and petting the tiger cub, a leisurely and carefree existence.
As the sun rose high in the sky, Chen Yin, as usual, returned to the cave, humming a tune, with a few freshly caught pheasants in hand.
“Shuangshuang~ We have chicken soup again today~”
But there was no response from inside the cave.
Chen Yin narrowed his eyes, put down the pheasants, and scanned the cave.
…There were no signs of a struggle. Senior Sister must be safe.
He just didn’t know why she would leave the cave alone in her injured state.
Chen Yin searched around the cave. After covering most of the ravine, he finally heard sounds coming from the pool beneath the waterfall.
He parted the bushes and peered down at the pool.
…As expected.
Shen Shuanglian was bathing in the clear water, her smooth back glistening with droplets like a polished jade. Her hair was gathered in a loose bun, and her slender fingers traced her delicate neck as she scooped up a handful of water and poured it over her head.
The water cascaded over her pure and ethereal beauty, her lips slightly parted, her eyelashes adorned with tiny droplets.
She seemed to blend seamlessly with the water, her moonlight-like beauty even more captivating against the backdrop of the pool.
“It’s been days, and she still smells so good.”
Chen Yin decided to stay and enjoy the view, casually chewing on a blade of grass as he admired the beautiful sight before him.
Shen Shuanglian’s hand paused mid-air as she scooped water. After a moment, she asked softly:
“Enjoying the view?”
“Of course, it’s a beautiful sight.”
Chen Yin gave her a thumbs-up.
“…I wasn’t asking for your approval.”
Shen Shuanglian sighed softly. With a wave of her hand, water enveloped her body, and her clothes flew towards her from the shore. In a blink of an eye, before Chen Yin could see anything, she was already dressed and standing on the bank.
Her eyes, as clear as the freshly washed water, stared at Chen Yin intently.
Chen Yin scratched his nose awkwardly. “Uh… It’s not a big deal. I just saw you taking a bath.”
“It’s not like we haven’t seen everything there is to see. Why be so shy—”
Before he could finish, Shen Shuanglian kicked him into the pool.
Chen Yin flailed around in the water before resurfacing, sputtering indignantly, “Hey! That was unnecessary!”
“You deserved it.” Shen Shuanglian’s tone remained unchanged, but a hint of amusement flickered in her eyes.
“We shared a night of passion, show some mercy! You’re practically trying to kill your husband!”
“If you can drown in this shallow pool, then you deserve to stay there.”
“Hey, what if I really can’t swim?”
“I didn’t tell you to go swimming.” She frowned slightly. “Hurry up and wash yourself. You stink.”
“…”
Chen Yin sniffed himself, puzzled. Did he really stink?
But you could have at least let me take my clothes off before kicking me in!
He coughed lightly and said seriously, “Since I’m already here, I noticed that you seemed to be in a hurry earlier. You probably didn’t finish washing up before rushing out.”
“How about we take our time and enjoy a nice bath together? I can even scrub your back for you—”
Splash! The water in front of him exploded, showering him with droplets.
Shen Shuanglian expertly hid the blush on her cheeks and said softly, “Wash yourself properly. If you still stink, you’re not allowed in my bed tonight.”
Without another word, Chen Yin plunged into the water.
Shen Shuanglian sat on a rock by the shore, her gaze lost in the shimmering water.
After a while, Chen Yin emerged from the pool, drying himself with a flick of his wrist. He turned to Shen Shuanglian, who was still lost in thought.
“What are you thinking about? You seem so deep in thought.”
“…Nothing.”
Shen Shuanglian concealed the sadness in her eyes and stood up, saying softly, “Let’s go back.”
“After today, we should start thinking about how to get out of here.”
Chen Yin’s face fell.
“Ah, happiness is always so fleeting.”
Shen Shuanglian didn’t answer, just bit her lip.
Back in the cave, Chen Yin prepared the pheasant and made chicken soup, enjoying a large bowl himself. Shen Shuanglian, however, seemed preoccupied, picking at her food absentmindedly.
Chen Yin wiped his mouth and asked, “What’s wrong?”
“…I’m thinking about how to explain your situation to the sect elders after we get out.”
Chen Yin fell silent for a moment, then shrugged nonchalantly. “What’s there to explain?”
“I’ll just say that I’m a sucker for beautiful women and couldn’t stand seeing someone bully a pretty girl, so I had to save that so-called demonic witch.”
“What can they do to me? Punish me? I’ll just hide behind Master’s skirt, let’s see who dares to touch me.”
Shen Shuanglian hesitated for a moment and asked tentatively, “What about your… Junior Sister…?”
“Hmm? What about her?”
“…”
Shen Shuanglian opened her mouth but didn’t say what she wanted to say. Instead, she asked, “What… kind of person is she?”
Chen Yin tilted his head and thought for a moment, then said seriously:
“She’s a child who’s even more troublesome than you and never seems to grow up.”
Shen Shuanglian pouted unhappily. “How am I troublesome?”
“When your parents first passed away, didn’t you want to die?”
Under Chen Yin’s calm gaze, Shen Shuanglian slowly lowered her head and shrank back, remaining silent.
“I heard about you from our neighbors. Although we hadn’t seen each other for many years, knowing your temper as a child, I was worried you might do something foolish.”
Chen Yin looked up. “I don’t know if the money I sent you was helpful, but it was all the manuscript fees I had earned in those few months.”
“I could only ask the neighbors to keep an eye on you, you silly girl.”
Shen Shuanglian pursed her lips, her eyes darting towards Chen Yin’s profile as she mumbled, “I’m… not that fragile.”
“That’s good to hear.”
Chen Yin fell silent and lay down on the ground.
After hesitating for a moment, Shen Shuanglian asked softly, “You told me to be strong, but why did you choose to end everything yourself?”
Chen Yin remained silent for a long time before chuckling wryly. “Because you were still young. And I was already an adult.”
“The adult world is fragile. Sometimes, we break down without warning. There’s nothing we can do about it.”
Shen Shuanglian puffed out her chest and retorted, “In this life, we’re the same age.”
“It’s all the same.”
Chen Yin said with a soft smile, his gaze fixed on the ceiling.
A small hand reached out and held his. Shen Shuanglian whispered, “Were you… unhappy when you first came to this world?”
“More than just unhappy.”
Chen Yin didn’t want to go into details and simply brushed it off. “But fortunately, I met Master and my Junior Sister Xiang’er.”
“And finally… I had a home.”
Both in this life and his previous life…
…The only home he had ever known.
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