Chapter 17: This Generation’s Master of Penglai Island Has a Serious Problem

Gently.

The Linked Heart Spirit Flower was indeed extraordinary. After absorbing it, Lu Qing’an broke directly through the Nascent Soul Realm, surging all the way to the Late Soul Manifestation Stage.

The Heavenly Dao sent down Tribulation Lightning Punishment. The instant Cheng Huan saw the Heavenly Thunder descending, she raised her hand and waved it, directly extinguishing the Heavenly Thunder into nothingness.

Lu Qing’an was still cultivating. With nothing else to do, Cheng Huan leaned against a tree, closed her eyes, and rested.

A gentle breeze drifted by; the sunlight was bright and beautiful.

If it weren’t for all those ferociously venomous Spirit Beasts and the sinister, vicious white bones of the Demon Cultists, this Oracle Mystic Realm could actually be considered a rather nice, secluded paradise.

Once Lu Qing’an had successfully refined the Linked Heart Spirit Flower, she felt her Spiritual Power strengthen. Her realm had already broken through Nascent Soul, reaching the Late Soul Manifestation Stage.

She let out a long breath of relief, stood up, and stepped out of the Barrier Cheng Huan had set.

Seeing the scorch marks outside the Barrier, evidence of the Heavenly Thunder’s strike, understanding dawned in her heart.

Lu Qing’an scanned her surroundings and spotted Cheng Huan dozing under a tree.

She was still wearing that pristine, snow-white Plain Robe, her long hair cascading over her shoulders. The breeze stirred the strands, the movement captivating the heart.

Cheng Huan was leaning back, one hand propping up the back of her head. Her legs were positioned with one flat and one bent. Her right hand rested casually on her bent knee, fingertips hanging naturally, the tendons and knuckles extending in an elegant, graceful curve.

She just sat there so quietly, elegant and peerless, her expression leisurely. An aura of ethereal lightness emanated from within her, like an immortal capable of flying to the moon.

Cheng Huan had actually woken up the instant Lu Qing’an stepped out of the Barrier. But she was too lazy to move and kept her eyes closed, savoring this hard-won moment of beauty and peace.

Lu Qing’an was approaching her. Cheng Huan assumed she also wanted to just lean against the tree, enjoy the breeze, and savor a moment of tranquility.

But in the next second, Cheng Huan felt the tremble and softness of those fingertips, and her body instantly tensed.

She’d thought Lu Qing’an simply wanted to wake her up. But the subsequent action overturned that simple assumption.

The trembling fingertips were testing, probing to see if she was truly asleep. Seeing that she didn’t wake, the pressure of the fingertips slowly increased, beginning to trail down from the center of her brow, stroking, caressing.

Cheng Huan: “…”

Faced with this strange and somewhat ambiguously intimate gesture from Lu Qing’an, Cheng Huan didn’t act rashly. She maintained her sleeping pretense. She wanted to see what Lu Qing’an was trying to do.

Perhaps because she was too focused on Lu Qing’an’s actions, Cheng Huan concentrated all her attention on the person before her who was taking liberties.

Those trembling, yet soft fingers.

That heavy, deliberately suppressed breathing.

The faint scent of blood wafting from her, mixed with a subtle, barely noticeable fragrance.

And…

The somewhat difficult sound of swallowing…

Cheng Huan: “??”

Lu Qing’an was swallowing at the sight of her?

Was… was the child hungry?!

Did she look delicious?!

Cheng Huan was about to open her eyes but then realized the finger had stopped on her lips.

She’d thought it was just an accidental touch, but the heavy, then light strokes of the caress made her suddenly afraid to open her eyes.

Wha… what did this mean?

Wh-what the hell did this mean?!

In those brief few seconds, Cheng Huan’s mind went blank several times. It wasn’t until the finger had been gone for a long moment that she slowly came back to her senses.

Cheng Huan steadied her chaotic heart. Pretending to have just woken up, she opened her eyes.

Right before her was Lu Qing’an, sitting opposite her, her eyes brimming with a smile.

As the Child of Destiny of this world, Lu Qing’an was exceptional in both ability and appearance.

She was naturally blessed with exquisite, ethereal features: eyebrows like distant mountains, eyes like bright stars. Though her temperament was cold and she was sparing with words, when she gifted you that shallow smile, the trace of gentle tenderness could melt ice and snow.

That faint smile from Lu Qing’an made Cheng Huan’s heart skip a beat. She couldn’t help but ask, “What are you smiling at?”

The curve of Lu Qing’an’s lips became even more apparent. Her voice was clear and moist. “Am I smiling?”

Look at the corner of your mouth; it’s practically reaching the sky.

“Would you like to turn around and check your reflection in the pool?” Cheng Huan gave sincere advice.

Lu Qing’an chuckled lightly. “Alright, I’m smiling.”

The topic circled right back.

“So why are you smiling?”

Lu Qing’an leaned closer, meeting Cheng Huan’s gaze. “Gratitude.”

“Gratitude for what?”

“Many things,” Lu Qing’an said. “All related to you.”

Cheng Huan assumed Lu Qing’an was referring to the Linked Heart Spirit Flower and the Tribulation Transcendence incident. She waved it off. “No need for thanks. As long as you cultivate diligently, attain the Dao, and ascend, I’ll be the one thanking you.”

Lu Qing’an felt that Cheng Huan was extremely fixated on making her achieve immortality.

She asked, “Why are you so determined for me to attain the Dao and ascend?”

Giving her all the Spirit Treasures and Spirit Stones, appearing timely to protect her whenever danger struck, caring for her physical well-being, monitoring her cultivation progress.

Cheng Huan’s kindness toward her already surpassed even that of You Luan, who had raised her since childhood.

Such excessive goodness was truly too much to accept without feeling indebted, and it was enough to make one develop other thoughts.

Cheng Huan definitely couldn’t confess her retirement plan to Lu Qing’an. Even if she wanted to, the Main System would automatically block it.

Cheng Huan pondered for a moment, then said, “The path to immortality is too lonely. I want you to accompany me on it.”

That was a pretty good excuse!

Lu Qing’an gazed deeply at Cheng Huan and broke into a smile, bright as a spring breeze.

She grasped the hand Cheng Huan had resting on her knee, her grip carrying a bit of strength. Her voice was tinged with nervousness and excitement. “Alright. I will work hard to catch up to you.”

Seeing the intense fighting spirit in the Female Lead’s eyes, Cheng Huan nodded with satisfaction. “Don’t worry. With me here, you can definitely do it. Let’s both work hard together.”

For retirement!

Lu Qing’an nodded firmly. “Mm.”

To be together forever!

The Little Hedgehog watched Lu Qing’an’s expression and blinked in confusion.

Why did it feel like the Female Lead and the Host weren’t on the same wavelength?

So strange.

Regarding the Primordial Pavilion’s departure, Cheng Huan briefly explained the reason to Lu Qing’an.

She’d expected Lu Qing’an to be angry. This was the kind of selfish act—driving others away to monopolize the Immortal Legacy—that should be condemned.

Instead, Lu Qing’an nodded with perfect understanding. “Okay.”

Cheng Huan asked, puzzled, “You’re not blaming me?”

Lu Qing’an: “This Oracle Mystic Realm was already fraught with crisis. The Primordial Pavilion has suffered catastrophic losses. They should cut their losses in time. Your actions were also for the Primordial Pavilion’s own good. Why would I blame you?”

That was such a good justification that Cheng Huan almost felt guilty.

Cheng Huan asked again, “Aren’t you going to ask why I kept you here alone?”

Lu Qing’an asked back, “Didn’t you want me to accompany you?”

Cheng Huan paused, then said deliberately, “You yourself said the Oracle Mystic Realm is full of deadly danger. One could lose their life here at any moment. Do you still want to accompany me?”

Lu Qing’an: “Will you let me die?”

Cheng Huan shook her head. “No.”

If the Female Lead died, this world would be finished.

Lu Qing’an’s lips curved upward. “Good.”

Cheng Huan always felt there was something in Lu Qing’an’s smile that she couldn’t quite interpret.

It wasn’t sycophantic or fawning. It wasn’t provocative or sly. But what it was specifically, Cheng Huan still couldn’t figure out even after mulling it over.

Seeing Lu Qing’an covered in blood, Cheng Huan pointed to the clear, clean pool water. “Do you want to wash up and change into some clean clothes?”

Lu Qing’an nodded. “Alright.”

She glanced at Cheng Huan’s robes; only the hem was stained with a little blood. Compared to herself, Cheng Huan looked practically spotless.

Cheng Huan carefully analyzed the look Lu Qing’an gave her as she turned around. That sweeping, up-and-down gaze seemed to carry a hint of regret and disappointment?

Regret over what? Disappointment about what?

Cheng Huan didn’t understand.

To allow Lu Qing’an to wash up properly, Cheng Huan set up another Barrier for her, protecting her privacy.

The Barrier could block others, but to Cheng Huan, it was completely transparent.

It was true that they were both women, their body structures identical.

However…

Cheng Huan still found herself averting her own slightly problematic gaze unnaturally away from Lu Qing’an’s fair roundness, slender waist, pert rear, and long, delicate legs.

The Little Hedgehog asked, puzzled, [Host, why are you blushing? Do you have a fever?]

Cheng Huan: “Huh?”

The Little Hedgehog ran a check on Cheng Huan’s physical state. [Host’s vital signs are all within standard parameters. However, the sympathetic nervous system shows some excitation, leading to a decrease in adrenaline secretion, increased blood flow velocity, and dilation of facial blood vessels, resulting in facial redness…]

Cheng Huan’s temples throbbed at the string of technical jargon. “Speak plainly?”

The Little Hedgehog succinctly summarized: [Host, are you feeling shy?]

Cheng Huan: “…”

This gut-punching plain speech was worse than the technical jargon!

The Little Hedgehog didn’t get a response from Cheng Huan, only observed that the pink flush had spread from Cheng Huan’s face all the way to her ears.

Cheng Huan wiped her somewhat heated cheeks and let out a long breath.

She thought to herself: They were both women. Everything Lu Qing’an had, she had too. What was there for her to be shy or blush about?

Cheng Huan’s brows furrowed deeply, as if she were facing a massive, unsolvable problem.

Suddenly, Cheng Huan’s expression changed drastically. She stood up and looked toward the Barrier.

The previously calm, ripple-free stream was now surging backward, forming a massive whirlpool.

Lu Qing’an had already been dragged into the center of the vortex. Her whole body was being pulled down by an irresistible suction force, plunging deep underwater, unable to escape.

Cheng Huan saw this and immediately flew into the air. “Lu Qing’an!”

By now, Lu Qing’an was already submerged by the rushing current and couldn’t respond to Cheng Huan’s call.

The whirlpool had appeared far too suddenly. The pool water, originally only waist-deep, abruptly became bottomless. Before Lu Qing’an could even react, the vortex surging from the depths had pulled her under.

The intense, sudden feeling of suffocation prevented Lu Qing’an from immediately dealing with this sudden crisis. She could only be helplessly churned by the vortex.

Cheng Huan dove into the whirlpool. Seeing Lu Qing’an trapped at its center, she struggled to swim closer. But the suction of the vortex was too powerful, feeling like it wanted to rip her very soul out.

Cheng Huan circulated her Spiritual Power to stabilize her body in the raging current. She released her Spiritual Power outward, attacking the center of the vortex, attempting to pull Lu Qing’an to her side.

The bottom of the pool was pitch black and seemed endless.

Cheng Huan didn’t sense any terrifying Spirit Beasts lurking in the abyss.

The Little Hedgehog suddenly spoke up. [Host, follow the whirlpool. The bottom of this pool is the entrance to the secret realm’s Burial Ground.]

Cheng Huan’s eyes widened in astonishment. “How do you know?”

The Little Hedgehog: [I’ve been continuously collecting overall data on the Oracle Mystic Realm. As we entered this pool, data from the bottom was automatically gathered and compiled into the database. That’s how I learned the pool bottom is a direct shortcut to the Burial Ground.]

Cheng Huan’s eyes lit up. “Such a lucky break?!”

She’d originally thought they’d have to pass through the Inner Nether Domain first to reach the Burial Ground. She hadn’t expected a shortcut at the bottom of this pool.

The heavens were helping her!

Cheng Huan finally caught hold of Lu Qing’an’s wrist within the racing current. Lu Qing’an had already lost consciousness and was completely unresponsive.

The Little Hedgehog said urgently, [Host, the Female Lead is suffocating.]

Cheng Huan’s pupils constricted. She immediately pulled Lu Qing’an tightly into her arms and sealed her lips over Lu Qing’an’s, breathing air into her.

Lu Qing’an felt a stream of fresh air rush from her throat into her internal organs, dispelling the agonizing sensation of suffocation.

Lu Qing’an struggled to open her eyes. Seeing Cheng Huan’s face so close, the vivid, distinct sensation on her lips made her mind go completely blank.

Cheng Huan saw Lu Qing’an wake up and signaled with her eyes for her not to be afraid.

Lu Qing’an received the message, also realizing Cheng Huan’s kiss was just to share air with her.

The two held each other tightly, sinking along with the whirlpool’s raging current to the bottom of the pool.

An indeterminate amount of time passed. The darkness before them finally receded. Cheng Huan laboriously opened her eyes. There was no painful impact against the ground; instead, the landing was surprisingly soft.

Cheng Huan tried to stand up but heard an unusual sound from below.

She froze abruptly and looked down.

There lay Lu Qing’an, having fallen onto the ground. And the place Cheng Huan had just gripped was an unspeakable area that would never see the light of day on Jinjiang.

Cheng Huan: “…”

Oh, crap!

She was definitely doing something bad!

She could explain! She really could explain!

Inside, Cheng Huan was utterly horrified, wishing she could find a hole in the ground to bury herself in.

She was frozen in place, paralyzed with awkwardness.

Lu Qing’an’s cheeks were bright red. Her eyes darted everywhere, anywhere but toward Cheng Huan.

All she could do was raise a hand to cover her eyes. It sounded like a question, but her tone was far too flustered. “That… you really do like it, don’t you?”

Cheng Huan’s brain crashed completely.

Little Hedgehog: Connection Lost?!