Immortal's Caress (3)

"Alluring?"
Jiang Xue He chuckled softly: "Your vocabulary, as barren as ever. You don't understand what words mean, so you speak nonsense."
Outside the mountain cave, the moon was dim and unknown; inside, the cave was quiet and narrow.
Di Ying, held on his lap, in a moment of shame and anger, heard him tease her with such a pleasant voice, and couldn't help but look up at him.
Her eyes were moist, her eyelashes damp, her eyes clear and bright, her cheeks like snow, her lips beautiful, and even her long, dark hair draped over his arm exuded the innocent beauty of youth.
Jiang Xue He observed her, thinking that when he wasn't paying attention, she was growing more and more beautiful, more captivating.
He truly feared she would be coveted by others.
He truly feared that after she grew up, she would consider their sibling affection insignificant.
How could he keep Xiao Ying?
As he thought this, he heard Di Ying protest indignantly: "You are alluring me."
Jiang Xue He glanced at her: "You yourself are moved, so you think it's me…"
He paused for a moment, then continued with her amusing word: "Alluring?"
Di Ying naturally denied it, not only denying it but also wanting to jump up: "When was I ever moved? I told you I hate you! I told you to stay away from me, but you refused, and you even hit me. You actually hit me, I hate you even more!"
Her two words "hate you," along with her direct, undisguised gaze, pierced Jiang Xue He's heart with a sharp pain.
He truly disliked how she could be so kind to him one moment, and then immediately turn hostile and disown him the moment he displeased her slightly.
Even cats and dogs raised for days or years develop affection; why did she turn hostile and forget him so easily?
Jiang Xue He lowered his eyes, silently looking at her.
Di Ying noticed he was a little unhappy.
She flinched slightly, but remembering he had just hit her, she puffed out her chest again, feigning a defiant and arrogant demeanor.
Even so, two tears still escaped her eyes, rolling down her cheeks.
Jiang Xue He said, "I did not allure you."
Di Ying scoffed, seeing him lean in: "But you always say I allure you—Xiao Ying, I shall have to confirm this accusation, so you can see what true allurement is."
Di Ying: Huh?
She saw him reach out, pull the veiled hat she had thrown aside back, and place it on her head. A thin silk veil fell, and Di Ying, in a daze, then saw a slender, snow-white hand slowly approach, parting the thin silk to either side.
Di Ying stared at his hand, her heart trembling slightly.
His hand paused on her cheek; she thought he wanted to caress her. She liked such intimacy, so she waited quietly, but his hand moved away.
The young girl in the veiled hat looked up, seeing Jiang Xue He lean back slightly, reaching up to his hair, untying his hair ribbon.
His long, thick black hair, like night silk, fell halfway down, its dark sheen reflecting the snow-white, dazzling beauty of his face, making Di Ying stop breathing.
He glanced at her.
Di Ying immediately put on a straight face, pretending to be unconcerned, indifferent.
She knew she was staring blankly, then saw him pull her hand around his waist.
Di Ying was startled, stammering: "What, what are you doing?"
Jiang Xue He: "What do you think?"
She wasn't a fool; in her innocence, a blossoming heart, she was led by his fingers to untie his belt. She was overly nervous.
Fearful, yet harboring a curious excitement, her fingers fumbled around his waist for a long time, unable to undo it.
Moreover, her mind was wandering, her fingers wanting to wander… Jiang Xue He glanced at her, and Di Ying put on a straight face: "Hmph."
Jiang Xue He said nothing.
Long hair brushed his face, his hair ribbon loose, his belt undone. His usual gentleness was restrained; in the small mountain cave, he sat upright, still holding her in his arms, his nose bridge straight, his lips crimson, the sharp, radiant aura he always concealed surged forth, making Di Ying's heart pound.
He even glanced back.
His eyes were so cold and indifferent, yet full of affection, like a mountain ghost or a wild forest spirit, demonic and enchanting, yet cold and dazzling. Who could withstand it?
Especially Di Ying, whose temperament was already unsteady.
She was mesmerized by his beauty, staring unblinkingly, forgetting to sob and hit him.
And he leaned in again, pulling her fingers, drawing them towards him.
Di Ying tried to suppress the joyous expression on her face, murmuring to herself: "Does he want me to touch him?"
Her round eyes sparkled, and she slyly said, "You forced me."
He lowered his eyes, took her fingers, and bent her hand towards her. Di Ying didn't understand, held by his fingers, he gently dabbed them on his own lips. Then, he placed that finger on his face.
Jiang Xue He lowered his eyes: "Draw."
Di Ying's mischievousness was provoked; she immediately followed her impulse, pressing her finger down, drawing a forceful line across his face.
Her fingernails weren't long, so they didn't leave any misleading marks on his face. But her finger, stained with the vermilion from her lips, now left a bright, eye-catching red streak across his face, all the way to his chin, rich and vibrant, with a kind of exhilarating pleasure after "committing violence."
This feeling of "committing violence" manifested on Jiang Xue He, like countless cold plum blossoms falling on pristine white snow.
That kind of feeling…
Di Ying watched, her heart in a daze, a tingling sensation aroused.
His hand fell to his collar.
Before acting, he looked up and glanced at her.
Di Ying was already a little lost, almost unable to sit steadily on his lap, leaning in to urge him: "Hurry up."
The corner of Jiang Xue He's lips curved slightly.
His collar was disheveled, his clothes half-open, but his sitting posture remained unchanged from beginning to end.
Such a blend of chaos and uprightness, how could a fifteen-year-old girl like Di Ying withstand such a test?
Jiang Xue He's eyelashes fluttered like silver fish tails, and in his captivating eyes, a hint of cool breeze light was revealed.
He looked at Di Ying.
Di Ying stared unblinkingly.
Jiang Xue He lowered his face towards her.
He then lowered those beautiful eyes even further, not looking at her.
His hand hooked the back of her neck, pulling her towards him. The warm fingers of her senior brother touched the back of Di Ying's neck, stimulating Di Ying to break out in a light sweat, goosebumps slowly rising.
She succumbed to his allure, leaning towards him, her eyes fixed on his lips, wanting to kiss him.
She knew her senior brother's lips—especially soft, never so soft.
As their lips were about to meet, a finger was placed there, blocking Di Ying's lips.
Di Ying was startled.
Her senior brother pulled the back of her neck with one hand, pulling her back;
With the other hand, he blocked her lips, pushing her back.
Di Ying grew impatient, wrapping her arms around his waist, wanting to lunge back: "Senior Brother, Senior Brother…"
Jiang Xue He firmly stopped her.
Jiang Xue He's finger rested on her lips, gently wiping her bright red lips: "This is truly alluring you."
Di Ying was stunned.
She looked at him, and Jiang Xue He said, "Why do you think I didn't do this?"
Di Ying looked up blankly.
His finger left her lips, falling onto her face. Seeing her so innocent, his heart was filled with both love and tenderness, and he softly said, "Because momentary pleasure is not what I desire.
"I want to cherish you—do you understand?"
Di Ying said cheerfully, "No."
Jiang Xue He choked.
His pupils momentarily stiffened in bewilderment, and Di Ying took advantage of his momentary distraction and silence, pouncing, catching him off guard. In her eyes, a hint of playful cruelty was extremely clear.
Jiang Xue He saw it clearly.
But he was puzzled.
And in the instant of his confusion, Di Ying had already entered his embrace. She raised her hand, and with a crisp "slap," it landed on his lower back.
His butt was forcefully slapped by her.
Jiang Xue He stiffened.
He had never imagined she would do such a thing; his firm muscles twitched from the impact, a kind of embarrassing bewilderment, and Di Ying slapped him again.
Jiang Xue He's pupils contracted; he instantly hugged her tightly.
Only then did Di Ying feel satisfied—she looked up at him from his embrace, a half-smile on her face, her expression demure, her eyes mischievous: "What does it feel like to be spanked, Senior Brother?"
A blush spread from his neck upwards.
Di Ying: "Do you still dare to hit me, Senior Brother?"
Jiang Xue He looked down at her, his emotions complex: She wouldn't tolerate even a little loss.
He teased her, and she teased him back. It was just that he used his charm, and she used her "innocence."
Alright, this personality, at least outwardly, wouldn't cause harm. But between the two of them, he truly…
Jiang Xue He whispered, "Am I bullying you?"
She slyly retorted, "Am I bullying you?"
Jiang Xue He said nothing.
Di Ying nervously looked at him—there were no men being spanked in storybooks. She felt strange even as she did it, and she still wanted to secretly peek…
Di Ying's eyes looked down. Jiang Xue He noticed, stretched out a finger, pinched her chin, and turned her face back, not allowing her to look around.
Jiang Xue He held her, silent for a long time.
A moment later, he let out a helpless chuckle.
Di Ying tilted her face, seeing him lower his face and gently smile: "Is your temper fierce?"
Di Ying: "Hmm?"
Jiang Xue He: "Stubborn? Unwilling to let me touch you even a little, unwilling to be a little intimate, otherwise you'll cry and throw a tantrum again, wanting to make me feel heartbroken?"
Di Ying's face flushed at his words.
Her eyes sparkled. Jiang Xue He's tone softened, no longer teasing her: "Xiao Ying."
Di Ying softly said, "What?"
Jiang Xue He looked at her: "You play with me like this and I don't get angry, which proves you don't hate me—but do you still want to become estranged from me because of a nightmare?
"Because of a dream, real or fake, do you have to separate from me, disown me?
"Is the affection between you and me,
So shallow?"
Di Ying was startled for a long time,
Slowly lowered her eyes,
Relaxed her shoulders.
Had her senior brother, who had accompanied her, indulged her, coaxed her, loved her, and protected her, become inferior to the immortal in that dream?
Outside, the wind and frost.
Jiang Xue He patiently awaited her verdict.
After a very long time, he heard Di Ying's very soft voice: "I'm sorry."
Di Ying was obedient, truly making his heart fill with tenderness.
Before he could say "it's alright," Di Ying opened her arms and hugged him, rubbing against him. She hummed, slowly and silently acting spoiled, rubbing until his heart felt warm and hot, and gradually a strange sensation arose.
Jiang Xue He, fearing he might do something, gently pulled her away a little, then lowered his head and smiled: "Alright, I'm not angry."
He said, "I cherish you in my heart, you know that, right?"
Di Ying nodded.
This time, Di Ying hesitated for a moment, then made up her mind, hugging Jiang Xue He's arm: "Senior Brother, let me tell you a story—I dreamed of our past life again."
Jiang Xue He held Di Ying, sitting with her in the cave.
As she spoke, he took out snacks and water to feed her. He judged the rhythm of her speech; she would say a few sentences, and he would feed her a little. The moment she frowned, he would bring water to her lips.
Di Ying quickly relaxed her brows, pampered until she nestled against him.
She turned her face, gently kissed his clothes, then looked up at him, expressing her satisfaction.
Her eyes sparkled: Very well served, continue!
Jiang Xue He chuckled softly, naturally continuing.
In such a bumpy manner, Di Ying finished telling the tragic story of the demoness and the immortal.
She observed Jiang Xue He's reaction.
Jiang Xue He was calm—without any reaction.
Di Ying was displeased: "Don't you believe in my Great Dream Art's abilities?"
Jiang Xue He said, "You were very resistant to the Great Dream Art before; your previous master told me to supervise your practice, but you always wanted to shirk it. Why aren't you resistant now?"
Di Ying was startled, then said, "Because… I found that ghosts aren't that scary."
This time, she saw many more ghosts than she had years ago… A chaotic mass wasn't that scary. What was scary, perhaps, was a close person turning into a chaotic mass; what was scary, perhaps, was watching a once intimate person being forced to turn into a rampaging evil spirit, showing hatred towards her.
When her eyes showed a hint of bewilderment, Jiang Xue He immediately leaned in: "Xiao Ying? Don't be afraid, Senior Brother is here."
Di Ying regained her senses, snuggling beside him, stubbornly saying, "I'm not afraid—you still haven't answered my question."
Jiang Xue He was silent, saying, "Answer what?"
Di Ying was stunned.
Jiang Xue He said, "I am your senior brother. Besides that, what do those things have to do with me?"
He then said, "Past life matters, the Meng Mo Pearl's pursuit, the question of true and false immortals… Those are not me. I only peacefully act as your senior brother—do you perhaps hope I bear those things, becoming the immortal in your dream?
"Do you feel that only an immortal is worthy of being with you?"
Di Ying was dumbfounded.
She said, "That's naturally not it. I just feel… Oh, alright, you're right."
Jiang Xue He had come to capture the Meng Mo Pearl to understand the truth about Qing Mu Jun; as for superfluous matters, he knew them, but seemed to have no emotion about them.
She had so many emotions, yet he felt none… Looking at it this way, he truly resembled that immortal, truly unconcerned with all things mortal, with only the Great Dao in his eyes.
Jiang Xue He lowered his eyes: "What are you plotting against me again?"
Di Ying: "Nothing!"
Di Ying climbed out of his embrace, discarding his veiled hat, discarding the male robe draped over her shoulders. She knelt on his lap, her hands cupping his face, seriously examining him.
Di Ying: "Senior Brother, are you truly the Heavenly Dao?"
Jiang Xue He gently said, "Didn't you say no?"
Di Ying: "The Great Dream Art won't lie to me… It just feels so magical. Can you summon wind and rain, can you instantly level a mountain, can you instantly fly several miles with me?"
Jiang Xue He calmly said, "I can."
Di Ying's eyes widened.
Jiang Xue He was elegant and refined: "It's just that using these spells would waste too much spiritual power… Are you sure you want to experience these things, and wasting spiritual power is fine?"
Di Ying immediately deflated: "What is this. So it's using spells… Then I can too."
She was not giving up: "Then can you instantly divine what will happen in ten days or ten years? Can you look at me once and know what's on my mind?"
Jiang Xue He patiently said, "I cannot instantly divine what will happen in ten days or ten years; the Divine Maiden of the Wu Shen Palace has that ability, you can go ask Young Miss Nan if you're curious.
"But I can look at you once and know what you're thinking—let me see."
He hooked her chin.
Di Ying was nervous, adopting a proper posture.
In her dark eyes, Jiang Xue He's faintly smiling face was reflected: "You are thinking—why is Senior Brother so foolish, why doesn't he have such abilities, he must not be like the legendary Heavenly Dao, perhaps there's some mistake, why can't he instantly conjure whatever I want?
"Why can't he, if I want to pluck the moonlight, immediately throw the moonlight into my arms?"
Jiang Xue He slowly said, "This humble one has seriously reflected, indeed my abilities are insufficient, disappointing my junior sister."
Di Ying's face immediately flushed red.
When he slowly, gently, and softly finished speaking, she had nowhere to hide, and loudly snorted at him. Di Ying refused to let him see her blushing face, burrowing into his arms, hugging his neck tightly.
She seemed to really like this kind of human intimacy.
She then acted spoiled in his ear: "Senior Brother, Senior Brother…"
Without any special meaning, she just wanted to be like that with him.
Jiang Xue He liked her close proximity, her unreserved closeness.
This was an intimacy that belonged only to his little girl.
One day, he would be able to have her.
She liked beauty, gentleness, and being pampered. He could do all of that; he truly wanted her to like him.
But in his heart, along with his affection, a hint of unease arose.
He didn't know how long he could live after removing the curse. Nor did he know how deep his affection was, where those "few parts" would land to be just right.
If he truly was the Heavenly Dao Di Ying spoke of—Jiang Xue He looked up at the sky outside the cave, wondering if the "Heavenly Dao," omniscient and omnipotent, in a love affair,
Had any advantages?
…He didn't ask for much,
Only to accompany her as she grew up.
Di Ying no longer bothered with the troubles brought by immortals and demonesses,
She was willing to reconcile with her senior brother, and tell him what she had been doing before.
She led Jiang Xue He out of the mountain cave, going to the ancient battlefield to find Wei Bu Ying's tombstone, pointing at the tombstone and telling Jiang Xue He: "I personally tied a red thread for him and Liu Qing Mi before… Huh, where's my red thread?"
Her eyes widened.
Beside her, Jiang Xue He stiffened slightly.
Di Ying let go of his hand, running around the tombstone, searching for her "red thread." She turned back to look at her calm and serene senior brother, then urged him to help her find it.
Di Ying gestured wildly: "It's a pink hair tie, I worked so hard to find it, I only have one like that, it won't be blown away by the wind, will it? That won't do, heaven and earth also speak of contracts, I said it couldn't be without any consideration."
She was both bewildered and angry, beginning to suspect that a nearby monster, seeing her beautiful hair tie, had stolen it.
Just as Di Ying was about to scold the air, Jiang Xue He slowly extended his hand, holding out a reddish hair tie: "…Is it this one?"
Di Ying blinked.
Jiang Xue He turned his face away, softly explaining, "I accidentally picked it up."
Di Ying glanced at him suspiciously, thinking why it just happened to fall into his hands, but he wouldn't be so greedy as to covet her hair tie, so it was probably a coincidence.
Di Ying then didn't dwell on it, took back the hair tie, and tied it again.
Next, Jiang Xue He went with her to find Liu Qing Mi's bones, using spells to collect and bury them here.
The two stood on the ancient battlefield, the cold wind desolate, yellow sand shifting, lonely and solitary.
As Di Ying cast her spell, she softly sighed: "There are no bones in Wei Bu Ying's tomb, and Young Miss Liu's bones have no resting place. Let them be placed here… Consider it a path of leniency granted by the Heavenly Dao to you."
As she spoke, mentioning the Heavenly Dao, she unconsciously turned to look at Jiang Xue He.
Night fell, and the two spent the night in the mountains, accompanying the tombstone.
Di Ying slept in Jiang Xue He's arms, and in her hazy, muddled sleep, she had a dream—
In the dream, two boundless red threads, without beginning or end, floated in the wind. She stood in a patch of darkness, her heart utterly calm, as if recognizing those two red threads.
The two red threads fluttered towards her, gently brushing her, like a gesture of clasped hands in greeting.
Di Ying was startled awake by this action.
She fell out of the dream, and in her daze, Jiang Xue He had actually been watching her the whole time.
His brows moved slightly.
He suddenly raised his hand, casting a spell on her. Then Di Ying heard Jiang Xue He's soft voice in the night:
"Xiao Ying, congratulations, you have resolved your tribulation. What did you dream of?"
Di Ying let out an "Ah," and sighed mournfully.
…It seemed this story had completely ended here.
Di Ying said, "Senior Brother, growing up seems to bring a lot of troubles."
Jiang Xue He stroked her hair.
She pouted at him: "I don't want to grow up."
Jiang Xue He smiled: "Want to be a child forever? I understand."
Di Ying glanced at him, wanting to ask what he understood. But she was sleepy, didn't want to talk, so she climbed
Into his arms,
And continued to drift off to sleep.
The next day, the two sealed the ancient battlefield in the mountains.
After all, there was a lot of corrupted qi here;
If outsiders intruded and utilized this corrupted qi, perhaps some Wu Zhi Wei would be born after ten or several decades.
Jiang Xue He discovered that Di Ying's cultivation had reached a limit; the spiritual power in her body was agitated, but her spiritual pool was cramped and truly could not contain any more. She had tried hard for a long time but could not break through her realm, nor could she sort out her own problems.
Di Ying was annoyed: "Cultivating a Primordial Spirit is so troublesome. I won't cultivate!"
Jiang Xue He accompanied her in practice for a day, not knowing how to deal with her problem, and could only coax her to wait a little.
He pondered in his heart that her spiritual root problem must be resolved before she condensed her Primordial Spirit. Otherwise, once the Primordial Spirit was condensed, it would be too late to remedy anything…
Therefore, Jiang Xue He suggested that she not be anxious, but first consolidate her current realm, gradually expand her spiritual pool, and first absorb all that spiritual power.
Di Ying responded unhappily.
After the two dealt with these matters, there was nothing else in the mountains, so they descended the mountain and returned to the Liu Clan, facing those old acquaintances.
They returned to the Liu Clan after dark.
Di Ying unconsciously followed Jiang Xue He; wherever he went, she went. And Jiang Xue He, pondering how to solve her spiritual root problem, momentarily didn't notice the little follower who followed him into the courtyard, and even into his room.
After closing the door, Jiang Xue He turned around and saw Di Ying, startled.
Di Ying, however, was oblivious.
She moved around his room once, finding it utterly distasteful: "Cold, without human warmth."
Jiang Xue He: "Then you go back to your own home, where there's human warmth?"
Di Ying hesitated in her heart.
She secretly glanced at her senior brother's elegant figure, feeling a slight itch in her heart, and couldn't help but harbor some wicked thoughts.
Jiang Xue He heard no movement for a long time, then turned around to see her lively eyes.
Jiang Xue He reminded: "Xiao Ying?"
Di Ying: "Oh."
She was about to conceal her wild thoughts when she suddenly heard an approaching aura outside.
Someone knocked "knock knock" on the door.
Then, Nan Yan's cool voice, like ice and snow, sounded: "Is Senior Brother Jiang there? Young Master Bai just said he sensed Senior Brother Jiang had returned, so I came to find Senior Brother—Senior Brother had agreed to my matter before, I wonder how you have considered it?"
Di Ying stared at Jiang Xue He.
Jiang Xue He paused, remembering the matter he had been entrusted with before: Nan Yan wanted the Meng Mo Pearl, and asked him to convey a message, to clarify things with Di Ying.
But… although Jiang Xue He had spent two days and one night with Di Ying, he had forgotten about this matter.
That he had forgotten this matter was already out of character for him, and now there was also a glaring Di Ying in the room, making Jiang Xue He not know whether to laugh or cry.
He opened his mouth, about to explain.
Di Ying didn't listen.
Having experienced Young Miss Liu's existence, Di Ying already knew her senior brother was very popular with women.
Nan Yan was someone she liked, and her senior brother was also someone she liked, but if her senior brother and Nan Yan secretly had a better relationship than with her, she wouldn't like it.
There were no torches or fires lit in the room. Di Ying pulled Jiang Xue He, relying only on a little moonlight, pushing him backwards.
She pushed her senior brother onto the wooden bed to sit. She leaned over, straddling his lap, and covered his mouth with her hand.
Jiang Xue He's clear eyes said nothing.
And Di Ying glared at him, her meaning very simple: Speak, I want to hear what you agreed to with Nan Yan, what secret games you two are playing.
Jiang Xue He looked at her posture, sitting face-to-face on his lap.
He was a little flustered by this posture, paused for a moment, coughed twice, signaling her to remove her hand from his mouth.
Outside the door, Nan Yan heard Jiang Xue He's hoarse voice: "What is it?"
Nan Yan paused: …Is Senior Brother Jiang's amnesia so severe?!