Don't be afraid, fairy, I'm blind

Chapter 501: Keep your neck close and keep your head down (5.4k)

This gentle call seemed to soak the mist in the lotus pond. You Su's steps slowed down slightly. He turned around slowly, his face still showing a respectful and distant look:
"Master's wife, do you have any other instructions?"

He Shutong's jade-white fingertips almost pinched into her palm. She looked at the boy's drooping eyelashes and suddenly remembered the way he timidly called her "Master's Wife" when she planted the lotus seeds for him.

Although the name has not changed, the feeling it gives is completely different.

"Just now...I spoke out of turn."

Her throat rolled over. She had never thought that a great Lotus Sword Master would have the day to apologize to a young boy. But if she didn't apologize, she would feel even more uneasy.

You Su clasped his fists and said, "Master's wife, your words are too kind. I don't mind."

He Shutong's throat tightened, but when the youthful spirit had not yet subsided, he continued with a soft heart, "I have seen your character. You are respectful and polite in the matter of dual cultivation, which is the upright conduct of a gentleman. I am... very pleased."

You Su secretly felt ashamed, thinking that he had coveted his master's wife. Even if she was a fake master's wife, he was afraid that he could not be regarded as a gentleman.

But despite this, he still looked very respectful: "Master's wife, you are willing to tell me this, which is a great kindness. If there is nothing else, I will take my leave first."

After saying this, the young man pretended to leave again.

He Shutong felt a chill in his heart. In the past, he was always reluctant to leave, but now he wished he could leave as soon as possible.

Is this what she wanted to see?
Yes, You Su had expressed such feelings to her, and she had also shown resistance. In this case, how could the two of them pretend that nothing had happened and go back to being the close master and apprentice they were before?

This kind of most familiar stranger is the most appropriate relationship between the two of them.

He Shutong didn't know whether she should call out to the boy who had reached the bamboo curtain. She only felt that her heart became empty as the boy left. She had experienced too many misses in her life because of her icy heart. In order to feel the real sadness, she chose to melt her icy heart, but she never thought that this sadness was so bitter, making her miss the icy heart that could not empathize with anyone.

The rain in late summer was as fine as silk, suddenly forming a hazy curtain outside the bamboo hut.

A humid and sultry wind blew in from the door, and You Su stopped at the door.

He Shutong looked at the rain outside the window and suddenly felt ecstatic. She felt that the rain came at the right time, bringing moisture to her heart before it dried up.

You Su, who has now reached the Feather Transformation Realm, is of course not afraid of the rain, but it gives her a reason to keep him.

"It's raining outside. Sit for a while. I will teach you the method of external dual cultivation."

Her voice was as light as raindrops, but it caused a subtle echo in the quiet bamboo hut.

You Su was stunned. He was really afraid that his master's wife would not ask him to stay, so he walked very slowly. Fortunately, he waited for the rain. A person who really wanted to leave would not be stopped by such a light rain. Fortunately, his master's wife was reluctant to let him leave.

"Yes."

He turned around and knelt back on the futon. He Shutong was already sitting on the lotus platform, her white silk skirt spread out like a blooming lotus, and fine raindrops swayed outside the window behind her.

The scene was so beautiful that You Su didn't dare to look at it for too long.

After a short silence, He Shutong spoke softly, "External dual cultivation focuses on the unity of mind rather than the following of form. It is necessary to use the mysterious energy as a bridge to guide the yin and yang energy to circulate throughout the body without intersecting at the spiritual platform. The key to this method is 'separation'. Only by separating without interruption can it be harmonious..."

The sound of rain outside the bamboo hut is getting heavier, and the rain curtain hanging from the eaves cuts the summer heat into fine chill.

He Shutong's voice was like pearls falling on a jade plate, breaking down the essence of external dual cultivation word by word. You Su listened carefully, his back stretched straight, but his eyes were always fixed on the gap in the floor, never raising his head.

"Any questions?" He Shutong paused, knowing that the boy had never looked at her from beginning to end, but it was clear that he had always sneaked a glance at her when she wasn't paying attention.

You Su pondered for a moment, and suddenly said: "This method requires drawing Qi out of the body, so doesn't it mean that it cannot be used below the Feather Transformation Realm?"

"That's right." Her voice softened unconsciously. "The so-called union of yin and yang, of course, the closer the better. However, this method has many restrictions - keep your necks close and keep your arms and legs together. So not only is there a requirement for the practitioner, but the effect is also not as good as a proper double cultivation. If they want to achieve their goal of purifying the demon core, I'm afraid they have to proceed step by step."

"In this case, what is the necessity for this method to exist?" You Su asked curiously.

In the dream, He Shutong had of course told him about the method of dual cultivation outside the body, but the content of this book was not only obscure and difficult to understand, but also bland as water, which was contrary to You Su's purpose of asking his master's wife to recite the scriptures herself while enduring shame. Naturally, he just listened to it and quickly started the next method that would arouse You Su's interest, so he did not learn much about it at that time.

"The source of the method of external dual cultivation is actually the ancient art of spiritual intercourse. The art of spiritual intercourse and the art of dual cultivation go hand in hand, and the fusion of spirit and flesh is the highest realm of the combination of yin and yang. However, the art of spiritual intercourse has long been lost, and it has remained until now, and has evolved into a rule that dual cultivation requires emotional communication and this method of external dual cultivation.

"This method is indeed a bit useless for those who love each other, but in the past when the sect was at its peak, not everyone cultivated feelings from a young age. Among them, those cultivators who had finally cultivated to the Feather Transformation Realm naturally did not dare to practice the orthodox method easily, so this method is often used as a transitional method before the orthodox dual cultivation."

He Shutong spoke slowly and You Su nodded frequently. He Shutong was very satisfied that he could help You Su solve his doubts, but he suddenly met the boy's subconscious glance.

He Shutong was pleasantly surprised, thinking that it was impossible for the boy to not even look at her. However, she did not expect You Su to immediately avoid her sight, as if he was looking to see if the rain outside the window behind her had stopped.

This made her feel a little infamous again, but she could do nothing about it. She didn't want the boy to leave like this, so she asked softly:

"Do you have any other questions?"

You Su was stunned for a moment, and acted as if he was about to say something, but then he didn't say anything, just shook his head hesitantly:
"Thank you for your guidance, Master. Please take a rest. I will take my leave."

After saying this, he stepped back and saluted.

He Shutong felt even more bitter when he saw this, and couldn't help but ask himself - does he really want to leave?

I just said I wanted to calm down, and I didn't ask him to never see me again, so why did he give up so easily? Didn't he think about how I could accept the change in this relationship so quickly?
That day you placed my hand in front of your heart, wanting me to feel your extraordinary concern for me, but could that be such an excited heart so easily cool down?
What does it matter that you have stirred up these storms in my heart? Only my heart is restless, but you can just walk away as if nothing happened? If I have no intention of waiting for the flowers to bloom, why bother to plant them?
She unconsciously clenched her hands into fists, angry that You Su could adapt to the distance in their relationship so easily, and also angry at herself for being so useless that she was so sad alone because of the end of this relationship.

When she still had a heart of ice, she had too many regrets, but now that her heart has melted, how can she still have regrets?
She looked at You Su's back, and felt angry, self-blaming, resentful, and aggrieved. All these emotions turned into just one thought - she couldn't let him go like this.

"and many more!"

The teacup was put down heavily, and He Shutong himself was startled by the harsh shout.

You Su paused, this was the first time he heard his master's wife order him in such a stern tone.

However, after a brief moment of surprise, there was even greater joy, because he knew that the eternal harmony of respect and courtesy was only superficial intimacy, and it was the relationship that would become angry, distressed, and sad because of the other party that truly went beyond the scope of master and disciple.

He turned around without saying anything, still behaving impeccably.

He Shutong originally blamed himself for yelling at You Su, but seeing his appearance made him even more angry, and said angrily:

"Do you really understand everything?"

You Su entangled his folded hands, but still said: "Disciple can meditate on his own, please do not disturb Master's wife's meditation."

He Shutong breathed shortly after hearing that. She had never expected that the boy who was always sensible could be so irritating. He said at this moment that he didn't want to disturb her meditation, which was clearly a fit of anger because she had asked him to leave that day because she wanted to meditate!

However, she was helpless about the boy's childish behavior. Could it be that she, as his master's wife, had to be as childish as him?

She could only take a deep breath and said solemnly, "Nonsense!"

The young man was frightened by her and shivered, and buried his head even lower.

She was very satisfied with this, because she had never criticized You Su before, and this was the first time.

In the past, it was because Bing Xin was indifferent to him, and later it was because she tried her best to maintain this relationship. However, the relationship gained by such unlimited tolerance was a false one, and perhaps it was precisely this that fueled the boy's extraordinary covetousness.

But fortunately, the boy was still afraid of her.

"This is a matter of great truth, and it cannot tolerate any ambiguity. Do you think the dual cultivation thing is a joke?"

“Su…disciple dare not…” You Su lowered his head and could not get up.

"Is there anything in this world that you dare not do?"

He Shutong blurted out, and You Su was speechless.

Upon seeing this, the fairy's face immediately flushed, but she suppressed her embarrassment and said coldly, "You said it yourself, this method is related to the advancement of the snake clan and the truth you are pursuing. If so, you should take it seriously. How can you just ignore it because you are angry with me?"

"I... I'm not angry with Master's wife..."

The boy was evasive and had no confidence, and finally lost the aloofness he had pretended to be. He Shutong was immediately pleasantly surprised, thinking that the boy was just a boy, so he pretended to be serious and said, "It doesn't matter whether you are angry or not. Since you want to use this method, you have to learn it clearly. Otherwise, if you don't know the key points, you will only hurt others and yourself. So if you have any questions, just speak up."

But despite her encouragement, You Su still hesitated to speak, and she couldn't help but said angrily:

"You Su, do you really want to keep your temper to the end?"

You Su suddenly raised his head, and when he did, he met the concern in He Shutong's eyes. The tenderness in his eyes almost drowned him.

"I'm not angry, I just have too many questions and I don't dare to ask more..."

"I won't be meditating today. Just ask whatever you want to ask." He Shutong frowned, secretly annoyed that the child had the nerve to say that he was not angry, so he simply blocked his excuse.

"The techniques that Master's Wife recited were all ancient sayings. I could understand them after just one listen, but I couldn't get the gist of it. Just like this, 'separated but not disconnected, only then can we achieve fusion', I know the meaning, but I don't know what it means to be separated but not disconnected. What I learned from books is always shallow. I was afraid of causing trouble to Master's Wife, so I thought of going back to figure it out myself..." You Su's voice calmed down, and at the end he muttered softly, "I'm not angry at all..."

He Shutong was both angry and happy at the stubbornness of the little boy, and couldn't help but soften his voice: "As a teacher, I answer questions and resolve doubts, why would I feel troubled? Pretending to know when you don't is what makes me feel troubled. You are right, knowledge gained from books is always shallow, let's practice it here today, if there is any mistake, I can correct it on the spot."

The sound of rain outside the bamboo hut suddenly stopped, and You Su only felt that his heartbeat was making his eardrums hurt.

After a few breaths, He Shutong realized what she had said and immediately regretted it. She was so excited that she was so generous.

"This..." You Su lowered his eyelids, only daring to sneak a glance at He Shutong from the corner of his eyes, "Is Senior Sister's retreat over?"

He Shutong bit her lower lip. She saw the boy's timidity and suspicion. He obviously thought she couldn't say that. However, He Shutong also knew that the boy's timidity and suspicion were because he was expecting her. This made He Shutong understand that he still coveted her, but he was afraid to show it, so he protected himself with a distant shell.

He Shutong suddenly became determined. She wanted to tear off this shell. She wanted to let You Su know the consequences of provoking her. She would not let him give up so easily. So, she decided to take a step forward.

"No." He Shutong sat upright, "Besides, she is not a disciple of the Mandarin Duck Sword Sect. I will practice with you personally so that you can master it as soon as possible."

You Su swallowed hard and didn't dare to look up, for fear that his master's wife would take back her decision.

Even though it was dual cultivation outside the body, it was still dual cultivation, wasn’t it… This wasn’t a dream that could be indulged in, this was reality…

There was no need for his wife to do this, but she was willing to condescend to teach him in person, which meant that she loved him, so she might be willing to do this...

The copper bells on the eaves rang softly, and You Su, who was suppressing his ecstasy, suddenly felt a burning dryness in his throat.

"What should I do?" he asked tremblingly.

He Shutong's fingertips unconsciously twirled the hem of her skirt. You Su's confused look made her feel both embarrassed and happy.

What made her feel ashamed was that she had to practice dual cultivation with her own disciple, even if it was external cultivation, which was something she had never done with You Su either in dreams or in reality; and what made her happy was that he was nervous, expectant, and afraid, all of which showed that You Su still had feelings for her, and his alienation was just pretend.

"Come and sit down." There was an inaudible tremor in her voice as she pointed to the empty space in front of her.

You Su's heart was beating like a drum, but he forced himself to remain calm and stepped onto the lotus platform, a position he had never dared to even think about.

The lotus platform was only three feet square. When their knees touched each other, he could clearly hear them both holding their breath.

He Shutong's knee touched his shin through the gauze, and the soft touch made his fingertips tremble.

"Don't panic." Her fingertips gently covered the back of his hand, and the coolness spread across his palm. "You need to calm down first to concentrate your Qi."

You Su's Adam's apple rolled, and he felt that the master's wife's hand was trembling slightly, but she was still gently comforting him. Although he had been accustomed to the intimacy with the master's wife in his dreams, he was still panicked in reality. The lotus fragrance from her hair mixed with the breath of sweat penetrated into his nose, which made him more obsessed than in his dreams.

You Su lowered her eyes to avoid his burning gaze, raised her bare hands and untied his outer robe for him.

You Su's whole body was as tense as a string, but she touched his forehead with her fingertips and said in a clear voice: "Close your eyes and concentrate, clear your mind and desire."

You Su did as she was told, but her eyelashes couldn't stop trembling.

When He Shutong untied his belt, he recalled the plot in the book The Return of the Condor Heroes: the hero and heroine practiced the Jade Girl Heart Sutra together, and later on, their whole bodies were steaming with heat, so they had to choose an open and deserted place, take off their clothes and practice so that the heat would dissipate immediately.

And what she and You Su did at this time, although different from the Jade Girl Heart Sutra, was also a trick of fate and had the same effect.

At this point, she no longer hesitated. She took You Su's hand and pressed it on her uncovered belly, and she also pressed on You Su's belly.

The method of external dual cultivation does not require actual dual cultivation, but instead requires direct contact with the spiritual platform in order to form a circulation of the Qi.

You Su couldn't believe the delicate touch of his fingertips, but he knew this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

He worked so hard, of course it was not just to make He Shutong take the initiative, but he finally found an opportunity to use his Tai Sui power to heal his mother's injuries.

The master's wife refused his help, and Xueruo did not get any results in the sacred mountain, but he could not just sit there and wait for death. So even if he angered the master's wife and felt extremely guilty, he had to persist.

"You and I need to connect our energy, learn from me and do the same..."

The mysterious Qi overflowed from his fingertips, entwining his inky black mysterious Qi like pale pink lotus petals.

You Su only felt ripples stirring deep in his mind. The two forces should have collided, but when they came into contact, it was like winter snow melting into spring fire, turning into warm mist and evaporating.

You Su's brain was instantly blank, and he could hardly control the urge to embrace the woman in his arms. However, all his thoughts were clearly perceived by He Shutong.

"To condense Qi and leave the body, you need to...unify your mind and body." She forced herself to remain calm, "Don't be distracted."

You Su's heart sank when he heard that, but he couldn't help but care about the touch of his fingertips.

They embrace each other but keep their distance, and snuggle up to each other with courtesy, so could they be a little closer... ?
This thought made him feel extremely guilty, and he subconsciously wanted to withdraw his hand and interrupt the attempt so as not to let He Shutong see that he was restless.

But unexpectedly, his wrist was suddenly grabbed and He Shutong didn't intend to let him go.

The fairy's eyelashes trembled violently, and a low sigh suddenly escaped from her throat. The next moment, You Su felt the warmth approaching, close to his body.

"If you want to be greedy, you have to show your ability..."

He Shutong and You Su embraced each other and whispered helplessly in the boy's ear.

She finally satisfied the boy's desire for a more intimate relationship, but she also hoped that he would learn well from it.

You Su suddenly came to his senses. The real hug made him clearly feel the love of his master's wife. It was the first time that their hearts were so close.

His mind suddenly became clear. There is no greater joy in this world than knowing that the person you like also likes you, so he must never let the woman in his arms underestimate him.

Xuanqi is the bridge that draws the two energies of Yin and Yang, circulating throughout the body without intersecting at the spiritual platform. Only by separating but not disconnecting can we achieve harmony...

Everything seemed to be coming naturally. He Shutong felt the hidden heat in his mysterious energy. It was a heat that only she could sense, a heat that belonged to the young man.

He Shutong closed his eyes, feeling his heartbeat in his chest, and suddenly felt that the blind child kneeling in the snow in his memory had disappeared, and was replaced by You Su with an upright posture and a solid chest.

Amid the falling rain, the two people's Xuan Qi finally separated reluctantly.

When she opened her eyes again, He Shutong had already put on her clothes. Except for her hair being a little disheveled, she had turned into the dignified and holy Lotus Sword Fairy again.

Of course You Su also changed back. He Shutong looked up and saw a satisfied smile in his eyes, like the cunning of a young man after success, and like the mischief after seeing through her deepest thoughts.

She turned her face away in shame and annoyance, and asked with red ears:

"If you can't even be pure-hearted and free from desire, why bother using this method of external dual cultivation to deceive yourself and others?"

"They are different from Master's Wife." You Su said softly, "It is only when facing Master's Wife that I cannot be pure and free from desires."

He Shutong clearly felt that these words were so unbearable to hear, but he still felt a little secretly happy as if he was favored by someone.

"The rain has stopped, I'm going to do some cleansing."

She looked at the sunny sky reappearing outside the window and couldn't wait to see the ending of "The Return of the Condor Heroes".

(End of this chapter)