Chapter 161 Helping Senior Sister

In the Sword Burial Abyss Secret Realm, in another central area where the Sword Qi was equally pure and biting.

Unlike the previous location where the Sword Intent was grand and unstoppable, this place felt subtle and extraordinary, as if it were the crystalized essence of some pure "thought" accumulated over endless years. The Sword Qi was formless and intangible, yet omnipresent, like countless fine silken threads with a unique rhythm, weaving an invisible web that shrouded this area of strange stones and mottled light.

In the center of a naturally formed Stone Forest that looked like condensed ice crystals, Yun Qingyao sat cross-legged on a flat slab of Cold Jade, her white robes flowing. Her eyes were closed, and her long eyelashes cast faint shadows on her jade-white cheeks. However, her exquisite brow was slightly furrowed, and fine beads of sweat were visible on her smooth forehead. The Spiritual Qi that usually flowed smoothly around her now appeared somewhat sluggish and flickering. A clear and resilient Sword Intent, yet one that seemed to carry a unique "suppleness," was rising with difficulty from within her body, attempting to resonate and fuse with the subtle and extraordinary Sword Intent Domain surrounding her.

However, just as Yun Qingyao's Sword Intent attempted to approach and understand it, it was repeatedly pushed away gently but firmly by that pure "Sword Qi Pressure Field," even causing her own Spiritual Qi to become slightly disordered, resulting in a backlash.

"Ugh..." She suddenly let out a muffled groan, her delicate body trembling slightly. A trace of bright red blood seeped from the corner of her lips, looking particularly striking against her pale skin. Forcing herself to comprehend a profound Concept that had a subtle deviation from her own Sword Dao had shaken her Meridians and caused her blood and Qi to boil.

"Is it still impossible to comprehend?" Yun Qingyao slowly opened her eyes. Beneath the clear exhaustion and confusion in her beautiful eyes, as clear as a cold pool, lay a hidden, unshakeable stubbornness. She gently wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, her fingertips cold.

Her Sword Dao was originally based on "Clarity" and "Purity," pursuing a state of mind and Sword Intent as transparent as glazed glass, untainted by dust. This was the path she had naturally chosen when she was still the jewel of her Family—elegant, ethereal, and free from worries.

But since her Family was wiped out overnight, with blood flowing like a river, and the peace and protection she once relied on were completely torn to shreds, everything had changed. Her previous state of mind, which had been somewhat leisurely and even occasionally lazy toward cultivation, was crushed by cruel reality. She had watched her closest kin fall before her and seen the former prosperity turn to scorched earth while she remained powerless. From that moment on, the thirst for power had coiled around her sword heart like a poisonous vine.

Power—only absolute power could prevent history from repeating itself, protect what she wanted to protect, and... reclaim the blood debt from those existences in the shadows!

Therefore, when she sensed an extremely pure and extraordinarily powerful Sword Intent contained here, even though she knew it subtly conflicted with her own Sword Intent and might even damage her sword path, she still came without hesitation. The sense of déjà vu in this Sword Intent, which felt almost obsessive, attracted her like the most potent poison. She craved this power, even if it required change, even if it meant enduring rejection and backlash.

"I must find a way..." She bit her lower lip lightly, suppressing the surging blood in her throat, her gaze becoming even more determined. For the sake of gaining the power to control fate and seek revenge, she was willing to endure this bit of pain and risk. Just as she prepared to focus her mind again and try to break through that "Concept Barrier" with another method—

"Senior Sister Yun, contemplating Sword Intent is like looking at your reflection in an abyss; forcing its form makes it easy to lose your own heart. Why not quietly observe its rhythm, take its spirit, and use it to shape your own form?"

That voice, carrying a hint of comforting aura amidst its wickedness, rang out at just the right time, like a gust of strange wind that actually blew away some of the anxiety and strain in her heart.

Yun Qingyao's mind shook slightly as she instantly snapped out of her internal focus. But unexpectedly, she didn't feel a strong sense of threat or alarm. The voice was too familiar, carrying a unique, lazy tone that was impossible to hate and even felt vaguely reliable. The Sword Qi she had subconsciously gathered around her quietly dissipated as she turned her head to look.

She saw Mu Changge (Xiao Ming) standing leisurely at some point beside a Green Stalagmite shaped like an ancient sword hilt about two zhang away. He was watching her with his arms crossed, that same inscrutable faint smile on his face. He had concealed his aura so well that he almost blended into the surroundings; if he hadn't spoken up, it would have been nearly impossible to detect him. What surprised her even more was that he didn't seem to be significantly suppressed by the unique Concept of this place, appearing completely at ease.

"It's you?" A flash of surprise crossed Yun Qingyao's cold eyes, followed by realization. Indeed, given the various mysterious and eerie things this fellow had shown before, it didn't seem surprising that he could reach this place. Her internal guard involuntarily lowered significantly when facing this face. "Junior Brother Mu has also come here."

"I only came to take a look after sensing the intense fluctuations in Sword Intent from Senior Sister's side." Mu Changge walked a few steps closer with a smile, his gaze sweeping over the blood on her lips and her pale face. Deep within those eyes that always held a hint of playfulness, a trace of undetectable concern flashed by (after all, she was a woman he had his eye on), yet his tone remained relaxed. "It seems Senior Sister isn't getting along very well with the Sword Intent here?"

Yun Qingyao pursed her lips slightly. She did indeed feel a strong "sense of rejection," but having Mu Changge point it out so bluntly still made her feel somewhat uncomfortable, even giving rise to a rare bit of self-mockery regarding her own Comprehension Ability of the Sword Dao. However, this self-mockery and solemnity were strangely dispelled quite a bit when Mu Changge spoke in that slightly teasing tone. She didn't answer immediately, only raising her eyes, which were as clear as autumn water, to look at him quietly, with doubt and a trace of undetectable reliance and expectation that even she herself didn't fully understand.

"Ahem!" Mu Changge's heart skipped a beat for some reason under her gaze. He coughed lightly to hide the momentary abnormality, cleared his throat, and said seriously, "The Sword Intent here..."

He slowly extended a finger and pointed into the air, as if sketching invisible lines. "Your Sword Intent is transparent and clear, which is inherently excellent. But here..."

Hearing this, a light flashed in Yun Qingyao's beautiful eyes as she fell into thought. Mu Changge's words were like a key, opening a tightly closed door in her heart. Indeed, she had been trying to "understand" and "resonate" by force, but she always felt as if there were a layer of something in between that she could never see through.

"Then what should I do?" Yun Qingyao asked subconsciously, leaning forward slightly. Her cold tone carried a hint of urgency she hadn't even noticed herself. At this moment, she was no longer the high-and-mighty, cold and self-contained Saintess, but more like a little Junior Sister in need of guidance while lost on the path of the sword.

"It's simple," Mu Changge smiled, and his smile appeared exceptionally clear and wicked under the subtle light.

He took a step forward, getting closer to Yun Qingyao—close enough to smell the faint feminine fragrance emanating from her body, mixed with the faint scent of jade and ancient dust.

"Close your eyes, withdraw all your Sword Intent and spiritual senses, and empty your mind. Don't think about what a sword is or what the Dao is; just feel the 'Intent' itself around you, and then..."

His voice was low and clear, carrying a unique rhythm that guided Yun Qingyao's mind. Yun Qingyao closed her eyes as instructed, her long eyelashes fluttering beautifully. She tried to relax, withdrawing her Sword Intent and slowly spreading her mind out, brushing over the surroundings as gently as moonlight.

Initially, she only felt a sense of haziness and strong rejection. But gradually, under the guidance of Mu Changge's words, she began to capture some blurred "thoughts."

"Can you feel it?" Mu Changge's voice seemed to be right by her ear, his warm breath seemingly brushing past the stray hairs near her ear. "Don't reject it; just feel it slowly. Then, try... making slight adjustments to resonate and vibrate with it."

Yun Qingyao's brow furrowed and relaxed alternately, her mind clearly undergoing intense adjustment and experimentation. Fine beads of sweat broke out on her forehead again, but this time it wasn't from backlash, but from high-intensity mental concentration. Her clear Sword Intent began to undergo subtle changes; Yun Qingyao no longer tried to grasp it by force but began to slowly fuse it inward.

Mu Changge carefully sensed her changes, a flash of admiration appearing in his eyes. 'As expected of the Wandao Sword Sect Saintess, her Comprehension Ability is indeed extremely high; she understands with just a hint.' After watching for a while, Mu Changge couldn't help but raise an eyebrow and added:

'It seems she's still missing a crucial bit of guidance to truly "touch" the core of that Concept Domain.'

"It seems that just describing it is still a bit lacking." Mu Changge suddenly let out a light laugh and took a step forward, coming so close that he could hear Yun Qingyao's breathing.

Yun Qingyao was immersed in her perception of the thoughts when she suddenly felt an exceptionally familiar and strong masculine aura approaching. Startled, she subconsciously wanted to open her eyes.

"Don't move, relax." Mu Changge's voice carried an unquestionable gentleness, and a warm palm was lightly pressed onto her shoulder.

Yun Qingyao's delicate body trembled. The palm on her shoulder wasn't forceful, yet it carried a strange and exceptionally reassuring sense of comfort, causing her tense heartstrings to relax for some reason. Immediately after, she felt a slightly cool finger lightly touch her brow.

"This is where thoughts converge..." Mu Changge's voice was low and slow, and a trace of extremely gentle thought fluctuations came from his fingertip.

The touch of the fingertip was slightly cool, but the trickling warm current it transmitted caused Yun Qingyao's mind to sway involuntarily. A strange, tingling sensation spread from the points of contact on her brow and shoulder, causing a faint blush to uncontrollably rise on her pale cheeks. But strangely, she didn't feel any disgust or resistance; instead, under that guidance, her mind became more focused, and her perception of the surrounding Sword Intent suddenly became several times clearer!

"Yes, just like that... relax, follow it..." Mu Changge's voice seemed to possess magic as his finger slowly moved from her brow, sliding gently down her delicate nose, his fingertip carrying that guiding thought as it passed over the tip of her nose, her jade-like hands, her collarbone, and finally lightly touched her soft lower abdomen—this process was incredibly slow, but the sensation of the fingertip sliding over her skin was transmitted clearly into Yun Qingyao's mind, carrying an indescribable ambiguity and palpitation.

Yun Qingyao's breath hitched involuntarily, her long eyelashes trembling violently, her red lips pursed tighter, and her cheeks burning intensely. She could clearly feel the temperature of Mu Changge's fingertip and smell that familiar, pleasant scent on him. A sense of panic and strangeness once again surged into her heart, like a stone thrown into a heart-lake, rippling in layers.

"Focus." Mu Changge seemed to notice her distraction, his voice deepening slightly. His other hand, which was originally on her shoulder, suddenly moved down, and quite naturally, lightly pressed above her heart—near the Shanzhong Acupoint. Although there was thin clothing in between, the violent pulsing of the heart beneath it couldn't be ignored.

"Here is the root of the Myriad Daos... and then you... try to 'purify' it, like this..." His other fingers also spread slightly, and then a clearer, gentler, yet incredibly firm warm current of thought was transmitted through his palm, acting directly upon her heart pulse. This wasn't an infusion of Spiritual Qi, but a kind of thought guidance that seemed to be on a higher level.

"Mm..." Yun Qingyao couldn't help but let out an extremely soft, low moan. The feeling of her chest being pressed, combined with the guidance acting directly on the depths of her mind, made her whole body tremble slightly.

One must remember she was still in a cross-legged position for comprehension; with this move of Mu Changge's, she almost stumbled—

Yun Qingyao's body actually felt a bit weak. Subconsciously, she raised a slender hand, seemingly wanting to push away that burning palm, but it fell weakly halfway, instead appearing as if she were lightly resting it on his wrist, as if she were surrendering herself to him.

The posture of the two was currently extremely intimate. Mu Changge was almost half-embracing her from behind, one hand lightly touching the Philtrum above her lips, the other pressed against her chest, his chin almost touching her reddened earlobe. Yun Qingyao leaned back slightly, losing her strength, resting against him, her eyes tightly closed, her long eyelashes fluttering wildly, and her cheeks flushed crimson.

Under the subtle light, the man's tall and upright figure and the woman's slender and graceful silhouette were nestled together. The air was filled with an ambiguous and tense atmosphere, along with the slightly rising body temperatures from leaning against each other and the sound of slightly hurried breathing.

"Don't get distracted, quick, feel it..." Mu Changge's voice became even lower and huskier, his warm breath fanning against the back of her crystalline ear, carrying a hint of undetectable flirtation.

How could Yun Qingyao have ever experienced this? Her small face was so red it looked like it could drip blood, and her heart was thumping wildly and restlessly: 'Junior Brother Mu... how can he press there... that's...!'

A feeling of mixed shame and anger rushed into her mind, along with the panic of being offended. She continued to murmur in her heart: 'Could it be that Junior Brother Mu... he is also like those other men, only... only craving my body...'

As soon as this thought arose, she forcibly suppressed it. 'No, he wouldn't!'

Yun Qingyao subconsciously turned her head slightly, her peripheral vision just happening to catch the profile of the person behind her, who was within reach. Mu Changge was currently guiding her thoughts with extreme focus, helping her comprehend. His handsome brow was slightly furrowed, his nose was straight, and his jawline was clear and smooth, making for a pleasing sight. The corners of his lips, which she usually felt carried a hint of lazy smile, were now tightly pursed, actually showing a rare, heart-stirring seriousness and reliability.

'Yun Qingyao, what on earth are you thinking!' She scolded herself in her heart. 'If Junior Brother Mu were truly such a frivolous person, he would have exposed himself long ago, let alone going to such trouble to guide your comprehension of Sword Intent now? He is clearly focused solely on helping you, and nothing more!'

Thinking this, that bit of shame and anger was instantly replaced by a greater panic—shame for actually suspecting him like that, and slight embarrassment for her body being out of control. A deeper blush spread from her cheeks to behind her ears and quietly crept toward her jade-like neck.

'Focus! Yun Qingyao, focus on comprehending! Do not let Junior Brother Mu's painstaking efforts go to waste!' She almost roared at herself in her heart, forcing those chaotic thoughts and her restless heartbeat to calm down. Taking a deep breath and then slowly exhaling, she tried her best to refocus her entire mind, casting it toward that strange Sword Intent frequency that was being skillfully guided by Mu Changge and gradually becoming clear and perceptible.

However, the sensation pressing against her back and the palm rooted to her chest caused her hard-won mental focus to always involuntarily scatter a bit, only to be quickly and forcibly pulled back by her.

The process of comprehension thus became exceptionally long and agonizing, yet it also seemed... to be mixed with an indescribable, secret palpitation.