Refining the Mountains and Rivers

Chapter 255 – Feelings as Clear as the Bright Moon

Qin Yu sat in the wooden barrel, the strong smell of medicine wafting into his nose along with the steam. His skin was hot but he didn’t care for this at all. Right now, he was holding onto the edge of the barrel with both hands. The sharp lines of his back were exposed to the air, and Ning Ling was earnestly drawing the image of a demonic figure on his back, its eyes closed as it gradually took shape.

When the last stroke of the pen fell, Qin Yu seemed to hear a faint roar in the distance, resounding directly in his soul. Ning Ling put away the pen and said in a soft voice, “It’s done.”

Drawing the demonic figure clearly sucked away a great deal of her energy. Her long skirt was drenched in sweat, sticking close to her body. Although she tried to maintain a calm and steady expression, she still shivered beneath Qin Yu’s gaze. After waiting a moment and receiving no response from him, she clenched her teeth and said, “Have you seen enough yet? You…hurry and turn around!”

“Ah…alright!” Qin Yu spun back around.

The sound of splashing water entered his ears. After a moment Ning Ling finally said, “Turn back around.”

Her black hair fell down, covering her exposed snow-white shoulders. Qin Yu glanced at her dress that was folded and hung to the side as well as the silk undergarments, and he gulped, his mouth dry.

Ning Ling suppressed her embarrassment and solemnly said, “Junior-apprentice brother Qin, it is in your best interests to remember not to…think too much. Extracting one’s bloodline is not a common event. If an accident occurs, there are bound to be extremely dangerous risks!” As she spoke to here, her voice and expression were incredibly serious.

Qin Yu’s heart chilled and his thoughts were restored to clarity. He cupped his hands together. “Senior-apprentice sister Ning, don’t worry, I know what to do.” He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them again, they were as clear and stable as a well.

Ning Ling’s eyes brightened, a bit of appreciation in her gaze. All great people had a strong sense of self-control; Qin Yu had done very well. Her heart calmed a little. “In a moment, I will begin the ‘process’ of extracting my bloodline. After it is done, junior-apprentice brother Qin needs to instantly swallow it. Remember to grasp the opportunity as soon as possible.”

She closed her eyes. Then, on her exposed shoulders, the nape of her neck, and her face, lines began to appear. The left shined golden and the right glowed black. She furrowed her eyebrows, a bit pained. She then lifted her hand and tapped between her eyebrows.

As her finger fell, the medicinal liquid within the wooden barrel she was in began to boil. Giant air bubbles rose up, covering her in white mist.

The mist became increasingly thick, until one couldn’t even see Ning Ling’s form. One could only hear slight cracking sounds. Qin Yu wasn’t a stranger to such a noise; it was the sound of cracking flesh, blood and bone. This degree of pain was hard to withstand, but Ning Ling didn’t make a single sound in response.

Qin Yu frowned, worry in his eyes. Just as his complexion grew increasingly gloomy, that incredibly thick mist began to rapidly split apart. Every piece collapsed inwards, condensing into sharp needles that shined with a dazzling silver-white color!

Puff –

Puff –

Countless tiny sounds rose up and Qin Yu’s complexion changed. Ning Ling smiled, her face pale, and shook her head to stop him. The mist-condensed needles fell down and pierced the black lines that covered half her body. Each one fell where the lines intersected, and the black lines began to twist like a living creature.

On the other half of her body, the golden lines grew brighter. As if sensing the difficult situation its enemy faced, it launched an immediate attack. The rich golden light flowed out like blazing lava from the earth, driving away all the black lines.

But the demonic bloodline wasn’t resigned to defeat. Ning Ling coughed and bit down on the corners of her lips. Faint traces of black energy gathered above her head, forming into a demonic visage that howled continuously, as if asking why she was giving up the power of the demonic path.

Ning Ling closed her eyes, ignoring the howling. She used all her strength to galvanize the divine bloodline in her body. The golden light grew increasingly strong, until it was so bright that it seemed a sun had risen in the cabin.

Weng –

There was a loud humming in the air. The array formation began to revolve, holding in all the golden light and the aura it emitted.

Qin Yu tensed. When he faced this golden light he felt an instinctual sense of loathing and disgust. His heart violently raced and his blood tumbled and roared through his body. He suppressed the vicious thoughts that started to rise in his mind and stared at Ning Ling and the pitch black lines that were beginning to retreat from her body.

Above her head, the demonic visage’s roars became increasingly sad and shrill. There wasn’t the least bit of red in Ning Ling’s face. But, between her wrinkled eyebrows, there wasn’t any hesitation.

Qin Yu’s eyes lit up with admiration.

Although it seemed that the process was incomparably painful, Ning Ling wasn’t in any great danger. If so, then all he needed to do was wait for the demonic bloodline to be drawn out and then swallow it as soon as possible.

Only by doing this could he minimize the pain Ning Ling was withstanding.

Qin Yu closed his eyes, feeling the deep desire rampaging through his body.

From the moment Ning Ling started to expel her demonic bloodline, it seemed that the Demon Body had sensed a power which could help it grow stronger!

Now, he wanted to feel this desire and integrate it into his thoughts.

Gudong –

Gudong –

In the wooden barrel Qin Yu was in, the medicinal liquid started to boil. The demon head on his back started to turn bright red. Within the mist, its closed eyes became faintly visible.

“Junior-apprentice brother Qin!”

When Ning Ling spoke up, Qin Yu instantly opened his eyes. His eyes were crimson like blood, filling with a cruel and overbearing intent that exploded from his body. On his back, the demonic face began to open its eyes.

Bang –

The demonic visage atop Ning Ling’s head blew up. It turned into roiling fog. Countless wisps of black energy flowed out from her body, fusing into the fog. The pitch black fog started to slowly become contaminated with a blood red color.

As if also suffering a similar attraction, when the demonic head on Qin Yu’s back opened its eyes, the fog began to rush over as if a dam had broken. The black bloodstained mist rapidly flowed forth, entering Qin Yu’s body through the seven orifices of his head and drilling into his body.

It felt as if he had been placed into an endless vat of burning hot coals. The pain was pushed to the extreme, but at the same time his sense of joy was also pushed to the extreme!

Every inch of his flesh and blood trembled. Crack, crack, subtle sounds rose up from his body. It was the sound of his flesh and bones breaking down and reforming, all of it occurring at an alarming rate.

The process repeated itself endlessly. Cracks appeared on Qin Yu’s skin and disappeared just as fast. His face gently shivered with pain, but his expression was steady and still.

On his naked back, the demonic face’s eyes opened more and more. It seemed as if it was becoming three-dimensional, as if it could break free from Qin Yu’s body at any moment.

Whoosh –

The last bit of fog flowed into his body. Qin Yu reared back his head and roared. The wooden barrel shattered and the medicinal liquid spilled out all over. His blood red eyes locked onto Ning Ling as tyrannical and brutal howls came out from his throat.

Bang –

Qin Yu took a step forwards and the ground of the several surrounding feet instantly collapsed. Dreadful cracks spread out like a spider web, growing faster and faster.

Ning Ling had a complex expression. She lifted a hand and tapped the air. Then, the demonic face on Qin Yu’s back closed its eyes. His blood red eyes closed and he slumped backwards.

No one caught him, so there was a human-shaped hole on the ground. A long period of time passed and Ning Ling recovered a good deal of her strength. Then, she emerged from the barrel.

A snow-white slender thigh came out, followed by another snow-white slender thigh. Then, an unbelievably tight figure followed by proud snowy peaks…after putting on her clothes, Ning Ling walked forwards. She leaned down and gently stroked Qin Yu’s face. There was no embarrassment on her face, only inexplicable sadness.

Qin Yu was asleep, and it was an incomparably comfortable sleep. He dreamt that he was in a sweet dark dream, as if floating through warm spring water. He didn’t want to wake up.

But no matter how pleasant a dream, there was bound to be a time when he woke up. Only the dead could dream forever.

Qin Yu opened his eyes. After a moment of dizziness, he violently sat up.

Bang –

The bed frame shattered and he fell on the ground, dust and smoke rising in the air. But, he had a look of pleasant surprise on his face. Slowly, he smiled.

The Demon Body…had broken through!

He closed his eyes. He could clearly feel that his flesh and blood was much stronger, containing a formidable strength that could dig out rivers and move mountains. Within his chest, though his heartbeat was slow, every beat was like the strike of a great drum. He could even feel the reverberations coming from it.

The flow of his blood had slowed down a great deal. But, he knew that once he started to fight someone, his heartbeat would accelerate until it started galloping through his body like a roaring river.

But this wasn’t what was important. The most important thing was that after the breakthrough of his Demon Body, the great dao of Nascent Soul was right in front of him!

Hu –

Qin Yu opened his eyes. He got to his feet and walked out.

Because he couldn’t control his strength, every step he took left a deep footprint. Even the room’s door was ruined by him. But still, Qin Yu kept smiling, not embarrassed at all by this.

He wanted to tell Ning Ling that he had made a breakthrough of his Demon Body and that the little young cultivator from the past was soon to reach Nascent Soul. With that, he would be able to freely go wherever he wished in this world. He wanted to ask Ning Ling if she would accompany him forever, roaming through the world like an immortal couple, never abandoning each other.

Yes, Qin Yu didn’t want to wait any longer. He didn’t want to play any games or guess any riddles. He wanted to tell Ning Ling of his feelings because he had finally obtained the strength required to protect her and the qualifications to make her happy.

He pushed open the door in high spirits. The door shattered, meeting a cruel end. Qin Yu looked around the valley. Then, his heart skipped a beat and a bit of panic appeared.

The cabin where Ning Ling had been was broken to pieces and there wasn’t any hint of life there. Was she not there? Where did she go?

Bang –

The ground shattered. Qin Yu raced out like lightning, tearing apart the layers of mist and stepped out of the valley. He looked around and his tense body finally relaxed, happiness in his eyes. Not too far away from the mountain valley, in another valley, there were several wooden cabins. One of them opened up and someone stepped out, a smile on her face.

It was Ning Ling.

Qin Yu’s figure moved and he flew over to the valley. Ning Ling suddenly raised her hand and said, “Junior-apprentice brother Qin, your entire body is filled with brute strength right now. Do you want to destroy the dwelling I spent so much effort building?”

Qin Yu revealed an awkward expression. “…Senior-apprentice sister Ning, why did you move here?”

Ning Ling smiled. “Junior-apprentice brother Qin needs space to control your new strength. I also need a peaceful environment to familiarize myself with the bloodline changes in my body. So, I thought of moving out here temporarily.”

Qin Yu nodded in understanding. Then, from the beginning when his emotions bubbled over, after this brief interruption, he found it hard to speak up.

He opened his mouth over and over. Ning Ling suddenly said, “I need to go into seclusion for several days. If junior-apprentice brother Qin has nothing to say, then I won’t be accompanying you.”

Qin Yu thought about it. He indeed didn’t need to be in a hurry. He needed to wait for the perfect time and atmosphere before he could speak about this type of thing. He cupped his hands together and said, “Senior-apprentice sister Ning, please continue cultivating. I will go back and meditate for a few days, tempering the control over my strength.” As his voice fell, he turned. But then, he stopped again. He said earnestly, “This time I must thank senior-apprentice sister. In the future, I am willing to block out the wind and rain for senior-apprentice sister!”

Whoosh –

Qin Yu flew far away.

Although he didn’t speak his true feelings, this was indicating his intent to a certain extent.

Ning Ling turned and walked back into her room. The moment she closed the door, she covered her mouth and her eyes started to redden. She suddenly felt that she was too selfish.

Qin Yu’s feelings were as clear as the bright moon. But, would she ever have the chance?