A generation of soldiers begins with Feng Yuxiu traveling through time and space with Xu Sanduo

As night fell over the old Heyimen residence, Shan Ying stood outside the treatment room door, her hand hovering over the door panel, unable to push it open for a long time.

She wore a plain white satin undergarment.

This is the most private attire; I only wear it in my own bedroom on ordinary days.

The fabric was thin and soft, clinging to the skin like a second skin. The neckline was slightly open, revealing a section of fair neck and a hint of collarbone.

This was a deliberate choice she made, and also a silent declaration.

She knew what she was doing.

Taking a deep breath, Shan Ying pushed open the door.

Feng Yuxiu was already waiting there.

Tonight, unusually, he wasn't tidying up the equipment. Instead, he stood by the window with his back to the door, gazing at the deep night outside.

Hearing the door open, he didn't turn around immediately, but simply said, "You've come."

His tone was so calm, as if he were talking about something completely ordinary.

Dan Ying closed the door and walked to the massage table. "I'm here."

Feng Yuxiu then turned around.

His gaze lingered on her for a moment, from her slightly damp temples to her tightly clenched hands, and then to her almost intimate moon-white undergarment.

His eyes held no surprise or judgment, only a deep, almost professional scrutiny.

"Lie down," he said, pointing to the massage table. "Tonight's session will be quite long."

Dan Ying did as instructed, bending down and burying her face in the soft pillow.

The posture was familiar, but my mood tonight was completely different.

She could feel her heart pounding, and her blood was surging in her ears.

Feng Yuxiu did not start immediately.

He stood by the massage table for a while, just standing there quietly, as if waiting for something, or as if brewing something.

The room was so quiet that you could hear the candlelight heating the medicinal oil and the slight crackling of the burning oil, as well as her own somewhat disordered breathing.

"Do you know what you're going to face tonight?" he finally asked, his voice low.

Shan Ying buried her face in the soft pillow and mumbled a soft "hmm".

"I want you to say it yourself." Feng Yuxiu's voice brooked no refusal.

Dan Ying remained silent for a moment before speaking with difficulty: "...The final treatment. Open...the core."

"What is the kernel?" he pressed.

“...it’s something I’ve been holding back for so long, something I use to protect myself.” She repeated his words from yesterday, her voice growing softer and softer, “deep within…it.”

Feng Yuxiu seemed satisfied.

She heard him open the porcelain bottle and smelled a fragrance that was richer and more complex than yesterday.

It had the tranquility of sandalwood, the warmth of frankincense, and a wild, herbaceous scent she had never smelled before.

“The medicated oil we’re using tonight is very special,” he explained, his voice close to my ear, “it will act directly on the intersection of nerves and energy channels. The process will be… very intense.”

Dan Ying felt a chill run down her spine, yet strangely mixed with a sense of anticipation.

Feng Yuxiu's hand fell down.

It wasn't on her shoulder or back, but directly on the back of her neck.

That location he was referring to yesterday was just a figure of speech.

The force wasn't heavy, but it was terrifyingly precise.

Dan Ying shuddered, an unprecedented sensation exploding from the back of her neck, traveling down her spine like an electric current, or a tidal wave of ice and fire. She
She couldn't help but let out a short gasp, her fingers gripping the edge of the massage table tightly.

"Relax." Feng Yuxiu's voice was right above his head, so close he could feel the warmth of his breath. "This is just the beginning."

His thumb slowly circled in that small area, gradually increasing the pressure.

Dan Ying felt her consciousness begin to blur, and the world shrank to the burning sensation on the back of her neck. Did it hurt?
Yes, but there was a strange penetrating sensation in that pain, as if some hard shell was being pried open little by little.

Sweat quickly soaked through her undergarment, turning the pale white fabric transparent and clinging tightly to her skin, outlining the clear curves of her back and the contours of her underwear.

Shan Ying knew she must look extremely disheveled, but she had no time to care.

Feng Yuxiu's hand slowly moved downwards, pressing along the spine.

At each acupoint, he would pause for a moment, press deeply with his fingertips or the heel of his palm, and rotate and knead.

Each press produces a violent reaction.

Sometimes it was a stinging pain, sometimes a tingling numbness, and sometimes an indescribable, strange sensation that made her tremble uncontrollably.

“Here,” he stopped at her back, “is the starting point of all your defenses. When you were seven, you were injured for the first time while practicing, but you didn’t dare tell your master and could only endure it yourself. From then on, this place has been taut.”

Shan Ying's eyes widened. Seven years old! How could he know about a past she herself had almost forgotten?
Feng Yuxiu offered no explanation, but simply continued pressing.

His technique became increasingly profound and slow, as if he were performing some kind of delicate carving.

Dan Ying felt as if she was being peeled away layer by layer, not physically, but deeper, to places she had never been touched before.

When his hand reached her waist, Shan Ying almost collapsed onto the massage table.

Her consciousness floated in mid-air, but her body was unusually sensitive, able to clearly feel every inch of his movement and every bit of his force.

“Turn it over,” Feng Yuxiu suddenly said.

Dan Ying was stunned for a moment and did not react.

"Turn it over," he repeated, his voice carrying an undeniable air of command. "Face up."

This is a completely new and more revealing pose.

Dan Ying hesitated, struggling with her last shred of self-respect.

But her body moved before her mind could react; she slowly and laboriously turned over and lay on her back on the massage table.

The light shone directly on her face, forcing her to close her eyes.

She could feel Feng Yuxiu's gaze on her, from her damp cheeks to her heaving chest, then to her taut abdomen and her legs pressed together.

That gaze felt tangible, making her tremble more than any physical touch.

Feng Yuxiu did not continue immediately.

He walked to the head of the massage table and looked down at her.

Dan Ying could feel his breath brushing against her forehead and smell the scent of medicinal oil mixed with a unique masculine aroma emanating from him.

"Open your eyes," he said.

After struggling for a moment, Shan Ying slowly opened her eyes.

Feng Yuxiu's face was above, backlit, so his expression was obscured; only his eyes gleamed with a deep light in the shadows.

"Look at me." His voice was deep and steady. "From now on, I want you to look at me the whole time. Don't look away, and don't close your eyes."

Dan Ying's throat moved as if she wanted to say something, but no sound came out.

She could only nod, her eyes fixed on him.

Feng Yuxiu's hand fell again, this time above her heart, not touching her directly, but hovering about an inch away, moving slowly.

Dan Ying felt a strange warmth spreading from there, not from his hand, but from inside his own body.

“Breathe,” he commanded. “Breathe deeply and slowly.”

Dan Ying did as instructed.

Breathe in, breathe out.

With each breath, I felt that warmth spreading deeper into my body.

Her consciousness grew increasingly blurred, but her body felt lighter and lighter, as if she were floating on a cloud.

Feng Yuxiu's hand finally fell and gently pressed against her heart.

Through the thin undergarment, she could clearly feel the warmth and lines of his palm.

This spot was too private and too dangerous, and Shan Ying's body tensed up instinctively.

"Relax." He repeated the word he had said countless times, but this time, there was an unusual gentleness in his voice. "Here are locked away all your fears, all your persistence, all... your vulnerability that you don't let anyone see."

His palm rested firmly there, without applying any force, just quietly. Yet Shan Ying felt a powerful force surging in from there, not oppressive, but rather...permeating.

Like warm water seeping into parched land, like light piercing through thick clouds.

Tears welled up unexpectedly.

Shan Ying didn't know why she was crying.

There was no sadness, no pain, just a huge, uncontrollable sense of release.

Tears streamed down her cheeks and soaked into her hair, but she didn't raise her hand to wipe them away; she simply let them flow.

Feng Yuxiu moved his hand away and instead cupped her face in his hands.

The action was too intimate, and Shan Ying shuddered, only to find that she didn't even have the strength to struggle.

His thumb gently brushed across the corner of her eye, wiping away a tear.

“Very good.” His voice was so low it was almost inaudible. “Let it flow. All that you’ve been holding back for too long, all that you shouldn’t have to bear alone.”

Dan Ying's defenses completely collapsed at this moment.

She no longer suppressed or controlled herself, letting her tears flow like a burst dam.

The exhaustion of supporting the martial arts school alone over the years, the strength that must be maintained in the face of various challenges, and the responsibility that must be shouldered alone when the senior disciples are absent.

All of this turned into silent tears under the palm of this stranger.

She cried and trembled like a child.

Feng Yuxiu neither stopped him nor offered any comfort.

He simply stood there quietly, cupping her face in his hands, letting her cry.

His gaze was deep and focused, as if he were witnessing some important ceremony.

After an unknown amount of time, Shan Ying's tears finally stopped.

She felt an unprecedented emptiness, yet also a strange sense of ease, as if a heavy burden had been lifted.

Feng Yuxiu released his grip, took a step back, and resumed his professional yet aloof demeanor.

“Sit up,” he said.

Dan Ying slowly sat up as instructed, her legs still a little weak, but Feng Yuxiu reached out and supported her arm.

His hand was steady, and his strength was just right, providing support without being too intimate.

He handed her a glass of warm water.

Dan Ying took it, sipped it slowly, and the warm water flowed into her parched throat, bringing a real sense of comfort.

"How are you feeling?" Feng Yuxiu asked, his tone returning to its almost indifferent calm.

Dan Ying was silent for a moment before answering softly, "...It feels lighter. It's like...letting go of a lot of things."

Feng Yuxiu nodded. "That's natural. What you've given up tonight isn't just your body."

Shan Ying raised her head and looked into his eyes.

In the candlelight, a flicker of emotion she couldn't decipher seemed to cross those unfathomable eyes—was it satisfaction? Pity? Or something else entirely?
"The treatment is over," Feng Yuxiu suddenly announced.

Shan Ying was stunned. "...It's over?"

“The main treatment is over,” he corrected. “Your old wounds have been opened, and your core has loosened. In the days to come, you will need to practice the breathing techniques I taught you, along with appropriate exercises, to allow your body to gradually adapt to the new state.”

He turned around and began packing up his equipment, his movements swift and focused, as if everything that had just happened was just an ordinary treatment process.

Sitting on the massage table, watching his busy figure, Shan Ying felt a strong sense of loss welling up inside her.

Is that... the end? The process that filled her with both fear and anticipation, the night that brought her to the brink of collapse and yet also gave her a new lease on life, just came to an abrupt end like that?

"Then..." she heard herself ask, her voice tinged with a panic she didn't want to admit, "Will I... still need treatment in the future?"

Feng Yuxiu stopped what he was doing, but did not turn around.

“Regular maintenance is necessary,” he said, “but not so frequently. I’ll come back to you next time.”

"When...is the next time?" Shan Ying pressed, regretting it as soon as the words left her mouth. Her tone sounded too urgent, too...needful.

Feng Yuxiu finally turned around and his gaze fell on her.

His gaze was deep and unfathomable, as if he were assessing something or weighing a options.

“Not sure,” he finally said. “Maybe a month, maybe three months. It depends on when I’m free.”

His tone was so casual, as if it were just a trivial matter.

For Shan Ying, this was tantamount to a suspended sentence.

She had just learned to give and tasted the joy of liberation, only to be thrown back into her old life, waiting for an uncertain date.

"I..." She wanted to say something, but didn't know what to say.

Feng Yuxiu had already packed his things, picked up the familiar wooden box, and walked towards the door.

He stopped at the door and glanced back at her.

“Remember how you felt tonight, Shan Ying.” His voice was calm and even. “Remember how to breathe when you’re defenseless, how to find power in giving. This will help you in your future practice…”

He paused, then added, "Your injuries are healed. You can hold your sword again, unleash your full power, and return to being the awe-inspiring Deputy Sect Leader."

“But,” his gaze lingered for a moment on her flushed face, “you know you’re different now.”

After saying that, he pushed open the door, his figure disappearing into the night as if he had never been there.

Dan Ying sat alone on the massage table, remaining motionless for a long time.

The room still held the scent of medicinal oil, the salty taste of tears, and some deeper, indescribable aroma.

She slowly raised her hand and touched her heart, a place that had once held so many things, but now felt empty and so light that it felt foreign to her.

She stood up and walked to the mirror.

The woman in the mirror had red and swollen eyes, flushed cheeks, and her pale undergarment clung messily to her sweat-dampened body, exuding an aura of fragility and... docility.

That wasn't how a deputy sect leader should be; she was a woman who had just gone through a complete handover and was waiting for something.

Looking at herself in the mirror, Shan Ying slowly raised her hand and untied the sash of her inner garment.

The fabric slipped down, revealing a body covered in red marks underneath.

Those are the marks of treatment, and also some kind of hidden brand.

She turned around and looked behind her. The mirror reflected the clear pressure marks on her back, extending from the back of her neck to her waist, like a silent declaration.

She knew that these marks would slowly fade away, just as her tears would dry and her breathing would return to normal.

But some things have changed forever.

She is no longer the single deputy leader who hides everything in a hard shell.

She is a woman who has been opened up and has learned to give.

One had tasted the pleasure of release and began to crave more women.

A woman... waiting.

Dan Ying dressed, tidied her hair, and walked out of the treatment room.

The jasmine in the courtyard was in full bloom, its fragrance so strong it was almost suffocating.

She stood under the eaves, gazing in the direction where Feng Yuxiu had disappeared, remaining motionless for a long time.

She knew he would come back.

I'm not sure when, but it will happen.

And she will wait.

In this old house, in the daily life of the He Yi Sect, under the responsibility of the single deputy sect leader, they wait for that night to fall again, for those large hands to touch them again, and for that feeling of giving and releasing.

But only she knows that beneath that resolute exterior lies a core that has been thoroughly polished and is quietly waiting to be harvested.

Only when she is alone will she occasionally raise her hand to touch the back of her neck where it was once deeply pressed, her eyes showing a moment of daze and... expectation.

The treatment is over.

The domestication has only just begun. (End of Chapter)