8: A seed named "worthless"

At noon the next day, Lin Qingxuan slowly woke up in a warmth.

Feeling the soft bed beneath her, a faint, lingering trace of ambiguous atmosphere remained in the air.

Everything here made her feel both familiar and strange, and for a moment, she was dazed and lost.

Then, she subconsciously turned over and saw Lu Yi half-lying by her side.

He was propping his head up with one hand, watching her quietly with a somewhat mischievous smile.

Being watched by him like this, Lin Qingxuan was completely awake, and the memories of last night rushed back like a tidal wave.

From the side of the Spirit Spring, the initially clumsy and careful serving; to being suddenly pulled into the Spirit Spring by Lu Yi; and then the blush-inducing entanglement in the Spirit Spring later on.

And finally, how she lost consciousness in her exhaustion...

Scene after scene of shameful images flashed back in her mind, causing Lin Qingxuan's cheeks to instantly burn hot.

She let out a cry of surprise and hurriedly covered her face with her hands to avoid Lu Yi's gaze.

At the same time, she subconsciously wanted to sit up and grab the quilt to cover herself.

However, the soreness and weakness from deep within her body made her arms completely unresponsive.

Despite trying her best, she could only barely prop up half her body.

The next moment, her arms went limp, and she fell forward uncontrollably.

She landed right on Lu Yi's firm and warm chest.

She could even clearly feel Lu Yi's steady and powerful heartbeat.

This sudden intimate contact made Lin Qingxuan's body freeze instantly.

With a flushed face, she slowly raised her head, meeting Lu Yi's smiling gaze.

Lu Yi spoke in a teasing tone:

"Just woke up and you're already so eager to lean in? It seems last night wasn't enough, shall we continue..."

"No! Don't! No more!"

Lin Qingxuan was scared to the point of Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering by his words.

Ignoring the soreness of her body, she shook her head vigorously, her eyes filled with a hint of pleading:

"I... I can't... I really can't anymore..."

Seeing her looking like a frightened little animal, Lu Yi chuckled, reached out, and soothingly patted her head:

"Alright, I was just joking with you."

His actions were unexpectedly gentle, allowing Lin Qingxuan's tense emotions to calm down a little.

However, before she could fully relax, Lu Yi suddenly changed the subject.

He restrained his smile, showing a perfectly timed look of confusion on his face, and asked as if he didn't understand:

"Come to think of it, I'm a bit curious..."

"I clearly gave you a top-tier Medicinal Pill to replenish Qi and blood earlier. Logically speaking, your body shouldn't be this weak, right?"

"Why were you so deficient in Qi and blood last night that you even fainted?"

Hearing his question, Lin Qingxuan's heart skipped a beat, and her eyes began to dart away.

Under Lu Yi's pressing, she eventually stammered out the truth:

"I... I gave that Medicinal Pill to my brother..."

"Hmm? You gave it to Lin Tian?!"

Lu Yi raised his eyebrows in feigned slight anger, but soon, as if thinking of something, asked casually:

"Speaking of which, are you two really biological siblings? Why are your temperaments, personalities, and innate talents so vastly different?"

"Yes, we are biological siblings."

Lin Qingxuan nodded in confirmation without hesitation.

Lu Yi looked at her certain expression, but sneered inwardly.

Then they definitely weren't biological siblings.

Based on his experience reading novels, this was definitely the classic trope of "pseudo-siblings."

One is a "younger sister" with extraordinary talent and a special Physique; the other is a so-called "older brother" with average talent who is a late bloomer.

In this combination, nine times out of ten, there is no blood relation.

Usually, the sibling affection slowly warps in the early to Middle Stages, leading to a struggle because of the blood relation.

When necessary, the truth is revealed, followed by an emotional outburst, and finally, she is taken into the harem.

Fortunately, he intervened early; right now, these two still only have a pure sibling relationship.

If it were any later, once their feelings fermented and warped, it would be troublesome.

He had to strike while the iron was hot and loosen the soil of their relationship.

"Since you are biological siblings, why is his cultivation so low?"

Lu Yi continued to press.

Lin Qingxuan had nothing to hide and softly stated the reason:

"Because... because my brother has the 'Savage Desolate Sacred Body'."

"Savage Desolate Sacred Body?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Yi understood instantly.

The so-called "Sacred Body" has an incomparably powerful Physical Body, is invincible among the same rank, and has countless benefits.

But it has a fatal problem: the growth of a Sacred Body is an absolute bottomless pit for resources.

The resources required for every Breakthrough are tens or even hundreds of times that of other Cultivators of the same rank.

Even in the Upper Realm, it is difficult for an average Sect to Cultivate a mature Sacred Body.

Let alone in a Lower Realm Sect like the Primordial Holy Land.

The Sect would never tilt resources to Cultivate such a bottomless pit with an uncertain future.

"As someone with a Sacred Body, and an Outer Sect Disciple at that, he actually managed to Cultivate to the Spirit Sea Realm?"

Lu Yi expressed his confusion about this.

"It must be that you shared your own cultivation resources with him, right?"

Lu Yi pinpointed the key to the problem.

Lin Qingxuan's body trembled slightly, her eyes darting away, but she nodded to acknowledge the fact.

She had expected Lu Yi to be like others and mock her brother as a burden.

But to her surprise, Lu Yi did not.

He just reached out, gently stroked her head again, and then said in a tone filled with pity and heartache:

"You really should think more about yourself."

This sentence, like a warm current, struck the softest, most untouched part of Lin Qingxuan's heart without warning.

At this moment, she stared blankly at Lu Yi's gentle gaze, and a strange tremor inexplicably arose in her heart.

Seeing her dazed appearance, Lu Yi knew his words had worked.

He didn't stop, but continued to ask in that gentle, coaxing tone:

"How long have you been sharing your cultivation resources with him?"

Lin Qingxuan subconsciously answered:

"From... from the time we joined the Holy Land together, it has always been like this."

"Always like this..."

Lu Yi repeated softly, as if feeling pity for her:

"Then what about your own cultivation? If not for this, with your talent, I'm afraid you would have already broken through the Purple Mansion Realm and reached the Cave Heaven Realm, right?"

"My brother... he is my only family, it is only right that I help him."

Lin Qingxuan's voice lowered, her words carrying a hint of lack of confidence that even she hadn't noticed.

"I am not accusing you of being wrong to help him."

Lu Yi shook his head and continued:

"I just feel that your sacrifice has not received the value it deserves."

"The 'Savage Desolate Sacred Body' is a bottomless pit in the Lower Realm. The meager resources you give him are just a drop in the bucket; apart from slowing down your own progress, they provide no substantial help to him."

"In fact, as time goes on, your sacrifice will become something he takes for granted."

Lu Yi's words carried no aggression, yet every word pierced her heart.

She couldn't refute it, because that was indeed the truth.

In the beginning, her brother would thank her for the resources, but as time went on, he became more and more accustomed to it.

Seeing her face gradually turn pale, Lu Yi knew the timing was about right.

"Lin Tian is impulsive and acts without thinking. Now that he has offended the Hall of Enforcement, the resources he gets in the Sect in the future will only be fewer. With his strength unable to advance an inch, given his personality, he will only blame his frustration on others and become even more extreme and irritable."

Lu Yi walked to the bedside, looking down at Lin Qingxuan, who was still lying on the bed, the last trace of warmth disappearing from his voice.

"A troublemaker whose strength is stagnant, yet who always thinks he is invincible."

"Guess what kind of trouble he will cause next? Will he injure the descendant of some Elder, or violate even stricter Sect rules?"

Lin Qingxuan's body began to tremble slightly; she dared not imagine the future Lu Yi described.

"And when that time comes, what will you be able to do?"

Lu Yi's voice sounded like a demon's whisper in her ear:

"You will still run around trying to save him. But what price do you have left to pay?"

This last sentence made Lin Qingxuan feel as if she had fallen into an ice cellar.

Seeing Lin Qingxuan not responding, Lu Yi knew he had succeeded.

He had succeeded in planting a seed in her heart, a seed named "Not Worth It."

This seed would soon take root and sprout, shaking the seemingly unbreakable sibling affection between her and Lin Tian.

"Alright, get some good rest. If you can't sleep here, you can go back to your own quarters. We'll continue when you've recovered..."

Lu Yi dropped this sentence, then turned and left the bedchamber, leaving Lin Qingxuan alone on the bed.