14: Chapter 14 Mutual Affection

"In ten days, the periodic onset of the cold energy within my body will occur. I feel it will be more intense than before. You... should prepare yourself in advance."

These words seemed like a notification, yet they carried a subtle, hard-to-detect sense of reliance.

"Alright," Ye Chen agreed without any hesitation.

He knew well that this was not just helping Lin Qingxue alleviate her pain, but also an excellent opportunity for him to rapidly increase his strength, deepen their bond, and obtain feedback from the System.

The two of them were now tied together in success and failure.

The conversation seemed to end there. For a moment, neither spoke, standing side by side by the window with about half a step's distance between them.

In the courtyard, light and shadow moved slowly as the sun dipped westward. Bamboo leaves rubbed against each other, making a soft rustling sound that only highlighted the tranquility within the hall.

A subtle atmosphere, difficult to describe accurately with words, flowed quietly through the air.

It seemed that something had quietly changed between the two of them after facing that storm together.

It was no longer the initial pure, cold transactional relationship.

"I should head back." After a long while, Ye Chen was the first to speak, breaking the silence.

He thought of his younger sister, Xiaoyu, who was still waiting in the small courtyard in the south of the city.

Hearing this, Lin Qingxue turned around and naturally took out a white jade bottle, slightly larger than the previous one, from her wide sleeves and handed it over. The bottle was smooth and felt slightly cool to the touch.

"This bottle of 'clear spirit powder' is of better quality. It has a good effect on stabilizing and consolidating the Meridian Opening Fourth Level Realm and nourishing the Meridians. Take it and use it."

Ye Chen reached out to take it. The jade bottle seemed to still carry the slight coolness of her fingertips and a trace of a very faint, chilly fragrance.

"Thank you."

Lin Qingxue nodded slightly, accepting his thanks, and then instructed, "Mm. Let Scarface see you out of the manor."

Ye Chen said no more. He cupped his hands in a salute, turned, and walked toward the hall door with steady steps.

His back looked exceptionally upright amidst the dappled light and shadow.

Just as he reached out to push open the heavy hall door.

Lin Qingxue's voice came from behind him again, seemingly softer than before.

Yet it still entered his ears clearly, word for word, carrying an indescribable meaning:

"Ye Chen,"

She called his name, paused for a very brief moment, and then followed up with the rest.

"...Protect yourself."

Ye Chen's hand on the door paused slightly, and his footsteps stopped. He didn't look back; he just gave a heavy nod with his back to her.

All his response was contained within this silent gesture.

Afterward, he no longer hesitated. He pushed the hall door with force, and with a creak, he stepped outside.

The afternoon sunlight, slanting slightly from the west, instantly flooded in, bathing his entire body with a warm and pleasant feeling.

Ye Chen subconsciously tightened his grip on the cool white jade bottle in his sleeve and walked out along the path with firm steps.

Within the Meridians of his body, that wisp of pure cold energy obtained from Lin Qingxue and already initially refined.

It was now circling docilely, blending perfectly with his own True Qi, as if silently proving something.

Between him and that cold young girl, an invisible but real bond had already been added.

By the time Ye Chen left the Lin Family and returned to the small courtyard in the south of the city, the sky was nearly dusk.

Xiaoyu was sitting on the threshold, her chin resting on her hands as she looked toward the entrance of the alley.

Seeing Ye Chen appear, her eyes lit up, and she ran to meet him.

"Brother, you're back!"

"Mm."

Ye Chen patted her head and conveniently tucked the clear spirit powder given by Lin Qingxue into her hand.

"Keep this safe; it's good for nourishing your Meridians."

Xiaoyu squeezed the smooth jade bottle. Smelling the faint medicinal fragrance, she knew it was no ordinary item and carefully tucked it into her bosom.

"Brother, is the Lin Manor... okay?"

"It's fine," Ye Chen said, not wishing to say more.

"Is dinner ready?"

"It's ready! I made porridge and even fried some eggs!"

Xiaoyu happily pulled Ye Chen into the courtyard.

After dinner, Ye Chen practiced his skills in the courtyard as usual.

His Meridian Opening Fourth Level Realm had already stabilized, and his Dantian was filled with True Qi.

That wisp of True Qi fused with Lin Qingxue's profound yin cold qi was like a nimble ice silkworm, moving through his Meridians.

With a thought, a sharp edge of True Qi with a faint blue glow could condense at his fingertips.

It was more concentrated and sharper than the pure True Qi from the Green Wood Art.

He knew this was closely related to Lin Qingxue. With every deepening of their bond.

The Beauty Record System not only provided cultivation feedback but also seemed to subtly make him more adaptable to, and even able to fuse with, the power from Lin Qingxue.

...

Ten days passed in the blink of an eye.

During these ten days, Ye Chen lived simply and stayed indoors. Except for necessary shopping, he almost never left the small courtyard.

By day, he tempered his True Qi and familiarized himself with the use of the cold energy. By night, he sat in meditation to refine the cold energy stored in the jade pendant, steadily pushing his cultivation toward the Peak of the Meridian Opening Fourth Level.

During this period, the Scar-faced Guard came once to deliver some rice, flour, meat, and vegetables, and secretly informed him that the Wang Family had no movement for the time being.

However, the City Lord's Manor seemed to be paying a bit more attention to Ye Chen.

Ye Chen knew in his heart that after publicly defeating Wang Teng that day, it would be hard not to attract attention.

On the evening of the tenth day, Ye Chen gave Xiaoyu some instructions and then set off for the Lin Manor.

The Scar-faced Guard was still waiting at the side gate, silently leading him to that quiet bamboo forest courtyard.

Inside the quiet room, the lamps were already lit. Lin Qingxue sat alone by the window, watching the deepening twilight outside.

Today, she wore only a plain white casual dress and no makeup. Her face appeared even paler than usual, and a trace of fatigue and hidden pain that was hard to conceal lingered between her brows.

Hearing footsteps, she turned her head. Seeing Ye Chen, she nodded slightly, her voice softer than usual.

"You've come."

"Miss Lin."

Ye Chen bowed. He could clearly feel the cold energy radiating from her, more intense than before. The temperature in the quiet room seemed to have dropped by several degrees.

"The time is about right."

Lin Qingxue did not waste time on pleasantries and went straight to the point.

"This onset of the cold affliction seems more dangerous than before. Later... I'll have to trouble you."

"It is my duty."

Ye Chen sat down on the prayer mat opposite her.

Lin Qingxue closed her eyes, her hands forming seals as she began to guide the Profound Yin Qi within her that was on the verge of going out of control.

Soon, her body began to tremble slightly. Fine white frost condensed on her long eyelashes, her lips lost their color, and every breath she took carried icy white mist.

A powerful cold energy spread out with her as the center, and a thin layer of ice quickly formed on the rim of the teacup on the table.

Ye Chen did not dare to be negligent and immediately activated the Beauty Record.

The phantom of the jade booklet appeared in his Sea of Consciousness, and the green bond chain of "like old friends" between him and Lin Qingxue brightened.

He extended his finger and lightly tapped the inner side of Lin Qingxue's cold wrist.

*Sizzle—*

Like a red-hot iron placed in ice water, Ye Chen shuddered the moment they touched.

A surge of profound yin cold qi, far more pure and vast than before, flooded into his fingertip Meridians like a bursting dam!

Intense pain!

The Meridians felt as if they were about to be instantly frozen and cracked!

Ye Chen let out a muffled groan, his face turning pale, but he was prepared.

He fully operated the True Qi that had already fused with some cold intent, guiding this external cold energy into his own circulation.

The jade pendant grew slightly hot, emitting a warm airflow to protect his heart and major Meridians.

This was an extremely painful and dangerous process.

He had to control it carefully, ensuring an absorption speed fast enough to relieve Lin Qingxue's pressure while not exceeding the endurance limit of his own Meridians.

Time passed bit by bit.

The quiet room was silent, with only the faint sound of their breathing.

And the subtle sound of the cold energy flowing as it was continuously sucked away by Ye Chen and continuously surged from Lin Qingxue's body.

Lin Qingxue's tightly furrowed brows gradually relaxed, her body stopped trembling, and the frost on her face began to recede.

She slowly opened her eyes and looked at Ye Chen, who was close at hand.

Ye Chen's eyes were tightly closed now, fine cold sweat oozed from his forehead, and his lips were tightly pursed, clearly enduring immense pain.

But his fingers were pressed steadily against her wrist. That warm touch formed a sharp contrast with the bone-chilling cold within her.

It became the only source of warmth in this boundless icy hell.

She had never felt another person's presence so clearly during a cold affliction onset.

In the past, she either endured it alone or had the Family Elders forcibly suppress it with thick True Yuan, both accompanied by endless cold and loneliness.

But at this moment, although the pain remained, there was a strange feeling of it being shared by someone.

After an unknown amount of time, Ye Chen felt the incoming cold energy gradually weaken and become steady.

He slowly withdrew his fingers and let out a long breath, which condensed into white mist in the air.

The True Qi within his body surged. Not only had it completely made up for the consumption, but his cultivation had also progressed by a large margin, directly reaching the Peak of the Meridian Opening Fourth Level.

He was only one opportunity away from breaking through to the Fifth Level.

At the same time, the jade booklet in his Sea of Consciousness flashed with light:

【Bond Target: Lin Qingxue】

【Bond Level Upgraded: Like-Minded Souls (Blue)】

【Cultivation Feedback: Wheel Sea Realm Third Level (Partial) converted and absorbed】

【Ability Feedback Obtained: Profound Yin Body affinity slightly increased, cold energy resistance enhanced】

Ye Chen's heart stirred. The bond had upgraded! From "like old friends" to "Like-Minded Souls."

This meant the connection between him and Lin Qingxue was even tighter.

He opened his eyes and met Lin Qingxue's gaze.

Her complexion was much better. Though still cold, the frost in those eyes seemed to have melted slightly.

They carried a trace of indescribable complex emotion, including concern.

There was gratitude, and perhaps a subtle, hard-to-detect softness.

"How do you feel?"

Ye Chen's voice was somewhat raspy, a result of his full-effort cultivation just now.

"Much better."

Lin Qingxue looked away, her voice returning to its usual coldness, but upon careful listening, there was a bit less distance.

"This time... thank you. The cold energy you absorbed seems to be more than last time. The burden on you..."

"I'm fine; in fact, I benefited greatly." Ye Chen moved his somewhat stiff shoulders, feeling the surging power within his body.

"It seems this method is indeed beneficial to both of us."

Lin Qingxue gave a soft "Mm," paused, and then said.

"Your cultivation is progressing very quickly. But after the Meridian Opening Realm, every level's Breakthrough is not easy, especially from the Fourth to the Fifth Level. It involves the initial comprehension of 'Connecting the Four Extremities,' requiring you to guide True Qi to impact the hidden acupoints at the ends of your limbs to communicate with the Heavenly Spiritual Bridge. You must not be impatient."

This was her pointing out his next steps in cultivation. Ye Chen nodded seriously.

"I've noted it down."

At this time, Lin Qingxue took out a thin, yellowed ancient book from her sleeve and handed it over.

"This 'Cold Water Arts' is only a Yellow Rank Medium Grade technique, but the techniques for using water (cold) attribute True Qi within it—especially some methods for condensing water into ice and transforming Qi into blades—might give you some inspiration for using that cold energy in your body. Use it as a reference only; do not make it your primary cultivation, to avoid conflict with your own Foundation."

Ye Chen was slightly stunned as he took the Secret Manual. This was not a simple transactional reward, but genuine guidance and a gift.

He looked up at Lin Qingxue. Under the lamplight, the lines of her profile were soft as she focused on the flickering lamp flame.

"Thank you, Miss Lin."

Ye Chen thanked her solemnly and put away the Secret Manual.

"It's late; you should head back."

Lin Qingxue issued the order for him to leave, yet her tone was not cold.

Ye Chen rose to take his leave.

Walking to the door, his footsteps paused, and he turned back to say.

"Before the next onset, you can call me half a day in advance. Perhaps... it can be handled more calmly."

Lin Qingxue's back seemed to stiffen for a moment. She didn't look back, only nodded gently.

Ye Chen turned and left, merging into the night.

Inside the quiet room, Lin Qingxue sat alone for a long time before slowly raising the wrist Ye Chen had just held. A trace of warmth seemed to still linger there.

She looked at the pitch-black bamboo forest outside the window, her gaze somewhat vacant, her thoughts unknown.