Fairy, you call this repaying a debt of gratitude?

Chapter 128 Thanks to him...? (4k)

Several days had passed since Shen Wei last treated his illness on a rainy day.

These days, the spiritual energy that had been dissipated for so long can finally flow through the meridians again and accumulate in the dantian. Although the efficiency is still not as good as before, Xia Qianxue is still very satisfied.

In fact, this feeling of regaining what was lost is even more intoxicating than when I first started practicing cultivation.

She has not forgotten who gave her the thing she had lost and then regained.

Xia Qianxue didn't take Shen Wei's words to heart before he left. He said that his spiritual energy was severely depleted and he needed to rest for several days before returning to continue treating her.

She thought it was just an excuse and that he might not be able to resist coming to her door the next day.

After all, after such a short time together, she was already convinced that Shen Wei had fallen for her charm.

But the truth is, he really didn't come back for several days in a row.

This made Xia Qianxue begin to doubt herself:

Could it be that my physical appearance has lost its allure?

Obviously, that's impossible.

After much thought, there is only one answer.

—He's just too shy to take any action.

Hmm—perhaps, when faced with such a cautious prey, passively waiting might allow others to get there first and cause us to miss our chance. We should take the initiative.

Having figured this out, she stopped daydreaming. She stood up, opened the wardrobe, and ran her fingers over the exquisite clothes. After several selections, she finally changed into a simple white dress.

She was naturally beautiful and didn't need much embellishment. The cleaner and simpler her clothes, the more they accentuated her elegant beauty.

After changing her clothes, she stood in front of the bronze mirror and quietly combed her hair.

For the past year, she has rarely looked in the mirror, because she is constantly afraid that the pale purple lines will continue to spread and eventually climb onto her delicate, flawless face, destroying the only thing she can be proud of.

Now, that fear has vanished.

After changing her clothes, she stood in front of the bronze mirror and quietly combed the strands of hair that fell to her side.

The person in the mirror had fair and translucent skin, and her appearance was still stunning, even more delicate and charming than before.

Xia Qianxue watched indifferently, showing no joy. She hoped to be the kind of person who intimidated others.

Her haughty demeanor and pitiful appearance were never what she wanted.

However, if this appearance happens to capture Shen Wei's heart and evoke his protective instincts, making it easier for her to take advantage of him, then maintaining this weak appearance for the time being is not necessarily a bad thing.

After tidying up, she carefully pushed open the door.

At that moment, the sun was shining brightly outside, and the sunlight fell directly on her fair and delicate skin, giving her a burning sensation. This made her subconsciously want to shrink back into the house and escape the blazing sun.

But after thinking about it, she stopped backing away.

There's no need to run away anymore.

All the torment is over. The Xia Qianxue who was once so outstanding that no one dared to look directly at her is coming back. The future her will be a more dazzling existence than the sun. What is there to be afraid of?

She hadn't left the house in a long time. For the past year, she had been afraid to face the gazes of others, which were filled with disappointment, disdain, and undisguised schadenfreude. These gazes constantly reminded her that the once high and mighty genius had fallen, and that she was now just a useless person whose cultivation had been completely destroyed.

But none of that matters anymore.

Soon, the way people look at her will change back to intense jealousy, heartfelt envy, and deep admiration.

Just imagining this scene filled Xia Qianxue with an overwhelming sense of joy.

She started walking on the mountain path, her body swaying slightly due to weakness, but that didn't stop her from feeling very light and her steps were exceptionally quick.

Xia Qianxue looked up at the surrounding scenery and suddenly realized how beautiful the world was. How come she had never noticed it before?

The mountains were filled with nameless wildflowers blooming wildly, vying for beauty. However, in Xia Qianxue's eyes, these flowers and plants were shallow and insignificant. Everything in the world paled in comparison to her and bowed down to make way for her.

She walked briskly up Yunyue Peak, imagining Shen Wei blushing and not knowing what to do when he saw her, perhaps even unable to speak properly at that moment — hehe.

The imagined scenario did not occur.

"Senior Sister Xia—?"

Chu Yaoxi, who was arguing with Shen Wei, noticed her.

Xia Qianxue was also somewhat surprised, not expecting Chu Yaoxi to be here as well.

She gave a slightly weak smile and said softly, "Chu Yaoxi, you're here too."

Chu Yaoxi was slightly stunned when she saw Xia Qianxue, whom she hadn't seen for a long time.

When the news of Xia Qianxue's complete loss of cultivation spread throughout the sect, she was the first person to take the initiative to visit her. After all, when she had encountered misfortune, apart from her mother, only Xia Qianxue was willing to calmly chat with her and comfort her; she was one of the few people she could confide in.

But ever since she contracted that strange disease, her senior sister has become unusually gloomy. Although she still has a smile on her face, Chu Yaoxi vaguely felt that her senior sister would never be as kind as before.

Later, Chu Yaoxi gradually realized that perhaps her senior sister simply didn't want to see anyone.

She had once heard it said that it is polite to chew quietly when someone is hungry.

Therefore, from then on, Chu Yaoxi did not dare to disturb them again.

But looking at Xia Qianxue, who was full of energy, Chu Yaoxi felt that the gentle and kind senior sister from before had returned, and she was genuinely happy for her.

"Senior Sister, what brings you to Yunyue Peak today?"

"Hmm—I'm looking for Junior Brother Shen—"

"Junior Brother Shen?"

The phrase "Junior Brother Shen" clearly refers to Shen Wei, who is standing behind her.

Chu Yaoxi, who had just been genuinely happy for Xia Qianxue, frowned slightly upon hearing these words and turned her head away.

Lai looked at Shen Wei suspiciously, as if questioning him: How did you two meet?

Shen Wei could only scratch his head helplessly and said, "Senior sister came here specifically to find me. Is there something important that you need?"

'

Although he didn't know why Xia Qianxue had suddenly come to see him, he could only say that her timing was perfect.

"It's nothing serious—"

Xia Qianxue took in the interaction between the two. With her deep mind, she immediately realized that their relationship was not so simple.

"Junior Brother Shen once told me that he was having some confusion about his cultivation and that he might need some guidance."

Chu Yaoxi was filled with doubts. Putting aside how the two met, why would he need Xia Qianxue's guidance with his cultivation level?

"Are you trying to make fun of Senior Sister Xia? Her cultivation is completely ruined, and she's struggling to cultivate on her own. You want her to guide you?!"

Shen Wei felt a headache coming on. Faced with this situation, he could only helplessly explain, "Well, Senior Sister is a senior after all. Even though her cultivation level is not what it used to be, her years of accumulated cultivation experience and swordsmanship knowledge are still there. What's wrong with me seeking guidance from Senior Sister?"

"Is that really what you think?" Chu Yaoxi pressed on relentlessly.

Before Shen Wei could say anything, Xia Qianxue walked over and placed her hand on Chu Yaoxi's shoulder, gently comforting him, "In my opinion, Junior Brother is of upright character and would not do anything to deliberately make me happy."

Chu Yaoxi curled her lip and snorted coldly in a low voice: "I don't think so."

However, despite saying that, she didn't continue the conversation. She sighed, turned to look at Xia Qianxue, and asked, "Senior Sister, you haven't left the house in a long time. Are you finally willing to come out of the courtyard today because your illness has improved a lot?"

"Yes, it has indeed improved a lot, and that's all thanks to Junior Brother Shen."

Chu Yaoxi turned back to look at Shen Wei.

"Thanks to him—?"

Shen Wei simply winked at her, indicating that he would explain later.

"Then—" Chu Yaoxi was at a loss for words. This place had always belonged only to her and Shen Wei, filled with their unique memories of being alone together. She couldn't accept anyone else intruding.

Xia Qianxue took in the rejection in the girl's eyes and immediately pretended to be understanding, taking the initiative to back down: "It's my bad timing. Since the young master and junior brother are practicing their swordsmanship in the courtyard, I won't disturb them any longer and will take my leave first."

"Senior Sister Xia, I didn't mean to send you away—"

Chu Yaoxi quickly spoke up to defend herself.

Xia Qianxue simply nodded slightly, said nothing more, and turned to leave.

It had only been a short while, and it was still the same road, but Xia Qianxue's state of mind had completely changed.

The roadside flowers have lost their color, the grass in the forest has become dull and lifeless, and the green of the whole mountain has become so dazzling!

A strong sense of humiliation swept over her. She suddenly felt like a defeated and fleeing stray dog, forced to slink away from this place that did not belong to her.

Damn.

Chu Yaoxi — You are the young master of the sect, born with everything that others can't obtain even in their entire lives. I have tried my best to be on par with you.

But in the end, I got that damned disease and fell to the bottom, while you remained dazzling from beginning to end.

Your life is already so smooth, why do you still want to compete for the prey I've set my sights on?

A deep-seated resentment and unwillingness lingered in Xia Qianxue's heart, making it difficult for her to breathe.

She pursed her thin lips, her fingers digging into the soft flesh of her palms, and after a long while, she uttered a cold sentence:

"What belongs to me will always be mine, and no one can take it away, not even you, Chu Yaoxi!"

Xia Qianxue was gone, but the cool, lingering fragrance of her clothes still remained in the courtyard, lingering at Chu Yaoxi's nose, making her feel uneasy.

Chu Yaoxi stared intently at Shen Wei, then walked towards him step by step.

"What exactly is going on between you and Senior Sister Xia?" she repeated, her voice slightly tense at the end. "When did you two meet in private? And you were the one who helped cure her illness?"

A series of questions followed. Xia Qianxue's words earlier, "Thanks to Junior Brother Shen's help," and the unspoken understanding between the two, made her—unable to help but think more.

Shen Wei sighed. He didn't want to tell her the truth yet, as he wasn't entirely sure. After much thought, he finally came up with a good answer: "I did intend to ask Senior Sister Xia for advice before, so I visited her once. I happened to see her suffering from a relapse of her old ailment, and I happened to have a corresponding treatment method on hand. We are all fellow disciples of the Jade Balance Sect, so it is only right that I lend a helping hand."

"We've only met this once from beginning to end."

"That's all?" Chu Yaoxi clearly didn't believe him, frowning as she stared at him, unwilling to give up so easily. "Then why did she make a special trip to Yunyue Peak to find you, saying she needed you to follow her cultivation guidance? Are you two that close?"

The young girl was sensitive and perceptive. The way Xia Qianxue looked at Shen Wei just now was not like how she would treat a junior brother she had only met once. Although she couldn't quite put her finger on it, she knew that their relationship was definitely not that simple.

Shen Wei sighed softly, took half a step forward, and slightly closed the distance between them. He softened his tone and deliberately slowed his voice to comfort her: "Senior Sister Xia was seriously ill, and her state of mind was already sensitive and fragile. Now that her cultivation has improved slightly, she just wants to find someone to talk to."

I only helped her out of convenience once, and she remembered it, so she came to thank me. Don't overthink it."

Looking into Shen Wei's eyes, Chu Yaoxi's unease gradually subsided. She pursed her lips and ultimately decided not to press the matter further.

She could tell that Shen Wei didn't seem to want to talk about it anymore, and pressing him further would only make her seem petty and nagging.

After a moment of silence, Chu Yaoxi suppressed the emotions in her eyes, remembered the real purpose of her trip, straightened her expression slightly, and changed the subject: "Fine, I'll trust you this once."

She paused, looked up at Shen Wei, and said seriously, "By the way, besides wanting to see you, I also have something important to tell you today."

"My mother has assigned a field mission to both of us."

Shen Wei's eyebrows twitched slightly, and he asked casually, "Oh? What kind of mission is it?"

"Recently, the demonic energy in Luoxia Valley to the west of the sect has surged, as if a very high-ranking demonic beast has appeared. Mother is worried that this might harm the spirits of the spirits."

The local people investigated the situation thoroughly before it took any dangerous actions.

"This mission was specifically requested by my mother, who wanted the two of us to go together."

Chu Yaoxi emphasized this point, meaning that it was arranged by her mother herself and had nothing to do with her.

"I'm tired, it's too much trouble, I don't want to go—"

Seeing his lack of interest, Chu Yaoxi quickly offered a lure: "There will be a reward after it's done."

"Is it the same reward as last time?"

Chu Yaoxi's cheeks flushed, and she quickly looked away, explaining in a embarrassed and annoyed tone, "What nonsense are you thinking? I was talking about the rewards distributed by the sect."

"Oh," Shen Wei replied indifferently, his expression returning to its usual calm, seemingly devoid of interest.

Seeing his indifferent expression, Chu Yaoxi felt a slight panic and whispered, "Will there be a reward like the one last time—?"

"When do we set off?"

Chu Yaoxi was both angry and embarrassed by him, and glared at him reproachfully: "You are really annoying."

Though she said that, the girl's awkwardness had lessened considerably, and her tone softened: "We can set off tomorrow morning. I'll go back and prepare the necessary pills and talismans for the journey, and I'll personally come to Yunyue Peak to find you first thing tomorrow morning."

"Alright, I'll wash myself clean and wait for you, young master."

"boring."