In the quiet bedroom, the only sound was the rhythmic thumping of heartbeats. The moonlight flirted with the thin curtains, casting its glow on the oversized doll that stood like a sentinel by the bedside, making its head shiny enough to reflect a small army of light.
“…..”
A long, awkward silence stretched out.
The cold person felt the warmth of the embrace surrounding her growing more intense.
The warm one sensed the icy softness in his arms turning chilly.
Both of them simultaneously had a thought.
This is bad.
Things seem to be…going more sideways by the minute…
Even if we get up now, it might be too late…
Ying Bing’s dazed gaze flickered like autumn water thawing. Despite her usual expressionless face, a tinge of crimson stubbornly crept in.
“I’ll be quicker,” she reassured.
What she meant was to cancel out the dual energies of Yin and Yang.
“Hmm….”
Ke Mo instinctively nodded.
And then he felt the Yang energy within him slowly begin to flow.
Among the swirling Yin and Yang energies, suddenly a formless ‘qi’ joined the party.
This energy was unlike any true essence or internal energy he had ever encountered—simple yet seemingly eternal and indestructible.
The Yin and Yang energies continued their endless dance, twisting and turning infinitely. As this ‘qi’ appeared, it felt like everything had suddenly found its center, beginning to swirl around it at a leisurely pace.
The efficiency of their dual cultivation skyrocketed all of a sudden.
“Phew…..”
Ke Mo finally eased a bit, lowering his gaze, taking in the sight of her from this angle for the first time.
The Ice Chunk lay in his embrace, as light as a feather. How is it possible for a fairy’s body to feel so delicate—like it’s made of moonlight?
His eyelids had somehow drifted shut, and her gently quivering eyelashes sparkled like stars, while her delicate hand gripped tightly onto his shoulder.
Whoever said you can’t catch the moon must be doing it wrong. What is he holding, then?
To be honest.
If not for the coolness of that touch being all too real, Ke Mo might’ve suspected this was all just a dream. And even if it was a dream, it wouldn’t dare be this beautiful.
He originally invested in the Ice Chunk primarily for the reward.
Not because the Ice Chunk wasn’t adorable.
On the contrary, the totally average little Ke Mo from his previous life found her too cute.
A red destiny—darling of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths!
Average Joe Ke thought that maintaining a pure investment relationship was quite the feat already.
But then…
“Ke….Ke Mo, stop overthinking it.”
“Hmm? Me? I’m not….”
“But something is poking me…..”
“You know, I’ve been learning weapon forging lately, so it’s totally reasonable for me to have this Hammer Treasure on me.”
Ke Mo nearly burst out laughing at his own ridiculousness. What the heck was he even saying?!
To his surprise, the usually stern Ice Chunk nodded, her expression more complicated than a full-blown puzzle.
Time ticked on.
While it felt like ages to him, Little Ke felt time slipping by rather quickly; all the Yang energy he had accumulated from forging had seemingly vanished in no time.
That breath of energy, even if it was divine, couldn’t it at least try a bit harder to linger?
A moment later, Ying Bing’s voice broke the silence:
“I’m getting up.”
“Oh oh.”
Ke Mo wasn’t quite sure if she meant she was getting up or if she wanted him to get up.
After all, the Ice Chunk was still sprawled across him.
“Ke Mo, you wait—”
The not-so-bright little Ke nearly shot up like a startled cat.
Then, seeing the Ice Chunk drifting towards the floor, he reacted quickly, reaching out just in time to catch her.
“!”
“Hmm?”
Ke Mo was stunned. How could this sensation actually be better than before?
“Let go….”
Ying Bing fixed her gaze on his neck, practically considering taking a bite out of it.
In a warm, but slightly ominous tone: “The Ice Chunk has never been so feisty, huh.”
So, Ke Mo let her go and pulled on his shirt.
By the time he donned his pure Yang robe, Ying Bing was already lounging on the bed, presenting him with a frosty back.
“I’m up.”
“…..”
The Cold Fairy remained silent, appearing as if she had fallen asleep.
Could it be she mastered a secret technique that allowed her to fall asleep in three seconds flat?
The bedroom was silent as a grave. Ke Mo figured he couldn’t just linger there, even with all the curiosity bubbling inside him. He definitely couldn’t just crawl into her bed and whisper questions in her ear.
So, he bent down, slipping quietly out of the room like a sneaky puppy.
Bang—
He could hear the door click shut behind him.
Meanwhile, the Ice Chunk, looking even colder now, seemed to shrink in on herself, gradually curling up tighter.
Suddenly, she seemed to recall something, and her snowy little foot kicked the oversized doll by the bed, sending it flying to the floor.
…
The door across the room also clicked shut.
Li Mo lay on the bed, his brain empty. He didn’t even dare to sleep on his stomach.
Hadn’t all that Yang energy been drained clean and transformed into the power of consciousness in his dantian?
Why on earth did he suddenly feel like he had two big heads?
Could it be that he was too good at showing off around others, causing Little Li to want to follow suit?
Wait a minute, Little Li, what are you trying to do here?!
Is this the sort of mindset a proper gentleman should have?
You used to be so bright and cheerful! This isn’t you at all!
“Just a little world….”
And with that thought, Li Mo’s consciousness quickly sank down.
…..
That very night.
Little Princess Jiang clutched her peach wood branch, brainstorming ways to deal with that big red dragon, all while heading toward the Yin-Yang training field.
Suddenly, she paused.
“I’m ready~ I’m ready~”
“Let’s go catch jellyfish together!”
At that moment, in front of the Yin-Yang training field, an oddly shaped yellow square and an equally peculiar pink star were having a lively conversation.
Yeah, one yellow square wearing a dress shirt and tie, and a pink star wanting to catch jellyfish—this was just too weird.
Meanwhile, the Celestial Master stood there, surveying the bizarre scene with utmost seriousness.
“Teacher… what is this?”
“They are the denizens of the ocean, just like the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, yet invisible to most.”
“Oh……”
In the past, the teacher would show her vibrant and lively scenes, like the Heavenly Court of yore.
Could this be another manifestation of beings lost in the river of time?
“Teacher, what are they doing?”
“This is my childhood memory—a glimpse back to a time I can never return to.”
The Celestial Master spoke with a touch of nostalgia, gazing up at the sky with a wistful expression:
“Seeing them brings me back to the innocent and pure version of myself… but alas, I can no longer reach that place, witnessing Sandy’s beauty only makes me long for lost days…”
“Teacher’s tone… sounds a bit deep… and a little weary too.”
Jiang Chulong tilted her head in confusion.
“Alright, let’s begin today’s lesson!”
With a flick of his sleeve, the scene faded away.
He turned around, and behind him, the projection of the red dragon circled in the air, its searing gaze fixed on the little girl clutching her sword.
“How is your dragon-slaying swordsmanship coming along?”
“I’ve… I’ve got it three-tenths down, a bit of progress.”
“Alright, let’s see how much you can use—can you actually slay that red dragon!”
…….
PS: Ugh, how could it be that I once thought I was a paragon of virtue too? Ever since I started writing, it feels like I’ve been overdoing things academically. What to do now?
At this point, what I might write in the future is too terrifying to even think about…
