Deng Tianyu gave a slight smile and said, “Aunt Rong, you go ahead and bathe first. I’ll step out!”
With that, he scooped up the little fox Yingying and the fish basket, leaving the room to stand guard outside in the corridor.
He had spent the entire day accompanying Aunt Rong around town, and evening had crept up on them before they knew it. With Aunt Rong’s love for cleanliness, even if she hadn’t shed a single drop of sweat during the day, she would still want to bathe thoroughly and wash away the dust clinging to her from outside.
The superior guest room was quite spacious and even had two beds. However, when it came to bathing, although there was a dedicated bathroom, Deng Tianyu, as a man, still needed to excuse himself.
Under the glow of candlelight, the silhouette of the figure standing guard outside the door was clearly visible.
“Tianyu really is so considerate!”
Qu Qirong felt a warmth in her heart. She entered the bathroom and slowly shed her clothing, along with her embroidered shoes and thin stockings, gradually sinking into the bathtub filled with fresh flowers.
She knew very well why her Tianyu was standing guard outside.
It was because her cultivation wasn’t high, and they were in an unfamiliar place. Deng Tianyu’s measure was clearly to prevent any unforeseen accidents.
Splash!
As her jade-like arm, with skin as smooth as congealed fat, moved through the water, ripples spread, and the flower petals floating in the water looked exceptionally beautiful.
Amidst the swirling steam, a layer of rosy blush coloured Qu Qirong’s gorgeous face. Her beautiful eyes seemed veiled with moisture, and her slightly pouting, full, and alluring red lips betrayed her current mood.
Feeling the warmth of the water, she slowly leaned against the edge of the tub. Her damp, long hair cascaded naturally down, fully displaying the languid, fragrant allure of a mature noblewoman.
Thinking about the events of this period, Qu Qirong’s mood gradually became complex.
Initially, because of the Zhenbei Princess Consort, she had wanted to meet Deng Tianyu just to look after him more and give him someone to rely on.
But as time passed, she discovered that her Tianyu could manage perfectly well even without her care.
On the contrary, she, the elder, had troubled this filial junior many times.
From the initial cooperation between the two sects, to the trade route dispute, and later the Heart-Controlling Gu and the Sleep-Sealing Curse Mark… if not for Deng Tianyu, even if she could have resolved those issues, she would have had to pay an extremely heavy price.
And so, almost without her noticing, Qu Qirong found herself growing increasingly reliant on this junior, and her feelings for him gradually began to change.
Scenes flashed through her mind.
He had embraced her from behind, learning to sketch, teaching her the [Cloud Carved Stone Carving]. Every page was lifelike, all filled with figures of her in Cloud Carved form.
And then there was the intimate and ambiguous affair of removing the Heart-Controlling Gu and refining the Baleful Yang Energy. Whether by accident or coincidence, Qu Qirong could feel the shift in her affection for Deng Tianyu.
From a slow budding, to the current deepening intensity, she had personally experienced that feeling.
“Is this what they call love?”
Qu Qirong’s expression was a mix of joy and shyness as she gently stroked her chest, murmuring to herself.
Although she had no experience with romance, she wasn’t ignorant of it—at least, she had read explanations in books.
It was just that from beginning to end, she had assumed it was merely the affection an elder holds for a junior.
Qu Qirong didn’t know if the feeling she had for her Tianyu was truly love.
In terms of seniority, she was Deng Tianyu’s aunt.
In terms of age, she was of the same generation as the Zhenbei Princess Consort, with only a year or two’s difference.
In other words, speaking in terms of age, she was at least twelve years older than Deng Tianyu. One could even say she was old enough to be his mother consort.
Of course, in this world of immortal cultivation, there were many such examples. After all, cultivators have long lifespans.
The most crucial point was that her relationship with the Zhenbei Princess Consort was as close as sisters, and she was Deng Tianyu’s elder.
Having developed such subtle feelings, Qu Qirong couldn’t help but feel a sense of guilt towards the Zhenbei Princess Consort.
“Let everything take its natural course!”
Qu Qirong sighed faintly and decided not to dwell on it anymore.
After experiencing so much with Deng Tianyu, she had already come to terms with things.
Living in this world, squandering time, as long as one can live happily, why care about the opinions of others?
Images surfaced in her mind again: embracing and kissing Deng Tianyu, having her breasts held by him, and even that accidental indulgence where she had helped him release his desires.
The things that had happened between them had long since crossed the boundary between elder and junior.
Her thoughts paused here. Qu Qirong’s heart trembled, her jade-like face burned, and the rims of her ears turned red.
Inexplicably, her slender hand stirred up a splash of water over her voluptuous body as she murmured in a voice only she could hear: “Would Tianyu like it?”
She already had the answer to that question.
If he didn’t like it, how could her Tianyu have developed such lustful thoughts? That wicked thing always became so large every time.
Qu Qirong bit her pearly teeth, her expression dazed, and spat lightly, “Wicked Tianyu, always taking liberties with Aunt Rong!”
But at that moment, Deng Tianyu, outside, naturally had no idea of Aunt Rong’s thoughts.
He was amusing the little fox Yingying in his arms while listening to the conversations of the cultivators downstairs.
From their discussions, the most talked-about topics were the upcoming spectacle of the Flying Cod Dancing and the legend of the Spirit Cod King.
“Who knows if it’s true or not!”
Deng Tianyu rubbed the little fox’s tail and whispered.
“Tianyu, you can come in now!”
After a long while, a gentle and delicate voice came from the room.
Deng Tianyu casually set up a Yin-Yang Dao Art, enveloping the entire guest room, before opening the door and entering.
When traveling away from home, one must always guard against others. He was still very cautious.
With this Yin-Yang Dao Art isolating them, without his consent, no one outside could enter, nor could their Spiritual Sense penetrate.
As soon as he entered, because the screen in the inner room wasn’t blocking the view, Deng Tianyu immediately saw Aunt Rong in front of the bronze mirror, using a fine-toothed comb to arrange her long hair, which was still dotted with crystalline drops of water.
From his angle, he could perfectly see Aunt Rong’s graceful figure from behind.
Deng Tianyu approached and softly asked, “Aunt Rong, how about I help you with that?”
Previously, to show filial piety to his Shizun and conveniently earn some Filial Piety Points, he would often help Shizun comb her long hair after her bath.
“Then I’ll trouble Tianyu,” Qu Qirong said with a sweet smile, responding gently as she handed him the comb.
“Aunt Rong, is this alright?”
Deng Tianyu used his True Essence to evaporate the glistening water droplets from her hair. Then, holding the comb in one hand and lifting the long hair below her swan-like neck with the other, he slowly combed from the roots down to the ends.
His movements were so gentle and practiced that Qu Qirong felt a bit puzzled. She couldn’t help asking, “How did Tianyu become so skilled at this?”
“Because I’ve helped Shizun comb her hair before, too,” Deng Tianyu didn’t hide it; he told the truth honestly.
“I see!” Qu Qirong nodded, her pearly teeth gently biting her lip. Feeling a bit concerned, she asked, “Sect Master Ning’s relationship with you seems to be more than just that of master and disciple!”
For some reason, hearing that Deng Tianyu had combed Ning Wan’s hair made a sour feeling surge within her, as if something most important to her had been snatched away.
“Shizun not only guided me into cultivation but also took meticulous care of me for sixteen years.”
“To me, she is both a teacher and a mother,” Deng Tianyu smiled, his hands never pausing in their task of combing her hair.
