Cultivating Immortality, Starting from Childhood Sweethearts

Qin Qingwan held Xu Ming’s hand and led him deeper into the sea of flowers.

Before long, Xu Ming saw two small wooden cottages nestled closely together. He guessed that this was likely where Qin Qingwan and Wang Xuan lived.

As they walked, Qin Qingwan suddenly stopped, turned around with her hands behind her back, and smiled at Xu Ming. “Close your eyes.”

“Huh?” Xu Ming responded, puzzled.

Qin Qingwan pouted. “Just close your eyes!”

“Alright.” Xu Ming complied and shut his eyes.

Qin Qingwan stood on tiptoe and waved her hand in front of him. “Can you see anything?”

“No,” Xu Ming replied.

Qin Qingwan held up one finger in front of his face. “How many fingers am I holding up?”

“Fine.” Still feeling a bit cautious, Qin Qingwan thought for a moment, then tore a strip of fabric from the inner lining of her clothing and tied it around Xu Ming’s eyes.

A faint, pleasant fragrance wafted into Xu Ming’s nose, and the cloth still carried a hint of warmth. He couldn’t help but think, Could this fabric have been in direct contact with her skin?

“Alright, let’s go~”

Satisfied with her added measure of “insurance,” Qin Qingwan cheerfully continued leading Xu Ming forward.

Feeling the softness of Qin Qingwan’s delicate hands, Xu Ming unconsciously tightened his grip. Qin Qingwan adjusted her hand slightly, shifting their grip from a simple hold to fingers interlocked.

“We’re here.”

After walking for less than five breaths of time, Qin Qingwan stopped and spoke to Xu Ming.

“Can I take off the blindfold now?” Xu Ming asked with a smile, curious about what she was planning.

Her antics reminded him of their childhood. Xu Ming recalled a time when she had prepared a surprise birthday gift for him, covering his eyes just like this.

“Of course! Let me help you.”

Standing on tiptoe once more, Qin Qingwan gently removed the cloth covering Xu Ming’s eyes.

As he slowly opened them, the first thing he saw was a flower bed beneath him.

The flower bed was filled with dozens of Blood Toras flowers, blooming vibrantly. They swayed in the wind, each one full of life and vitality.

Qin Qingwan glanced at Xu Ming’s profile and spoke softly, “Do you remember what you said? You told me that when the Blood Toras blooms five times, you would come see me.

“So on my very first day at the Tianxuan Sect, I asked my master for some Blood Toras seeds and planted them in front of my house.

“I’ve been waiting for the day when you would come, so I could gift this entire field of Blood Toras to you.

“Well? Do you like it?”

“I like it,” Xu Ming nodded, his emotions complex and indescribable.

In this world, aside from his mother, there weren’t many people who treated him with such genuine care.

Turning to look at Qin Qingwan, Xu Ming spoke. “Actually, I also have something for you. Last time in the Baiwa Secret Realm, things were too chaotic, and I never got the chance.”

“What is it?” Qin Qingwan asked eagerly.

“It’s just a little something I made myself,” Xu Ming said as he retrieved a wooden box from his storage pouch.

Opening the box revealed a Deer Spirit hairpin, carved from golden-threaded Shenlong (Dragon) wood.

The hairpin was simple, without any ornaments, decorated only with delicately carved tassel patterns.

The most valuable aspect of the hairpin was the material itself, which, though rare, was only worth about ten mid-grade spirit stones.

“Did you carve this yourself?”

Qin Qingwan took the hairpin, looking at it curiously from all angles.

“Um, I carved it myself. It’s not very well-made and isn’t valuable. How about this? I’ll make you a better one next time,” Xu Ming said, feeling a bit embarrassed, as if the gift wasn’t worthy. He reached out, intending to take the hairpin back and replace it with something nicer for Qingwan.

The truth was, the piece of golden dragonwood used for this hairpin was something Xu Ming had stumbled upon during a mission for the Blood Asura Battalion. At the time, he had thought about how he had little to offer Qingwan in terms of valuable gifts. After all, as the personal disciple of the Grand Elder of Tianxuan Sect, she could have anything she wanted. So, he decided that something handcrafted by him might hold a bit more significance.

However, he hadn’t anticipated Qingwan gifting him something so meaningful—a flower garden she had tended for ten years. In terms of “significance,” his gift now felt inadequate by comparison.

“A gift, once given, cannot be taken back,” Qin Qingwan said firmly, clutching the hairpin to her chest like it was a precious treasure.

“It’s just a hairpin. I’ll give you something better later,” Xu Ming said with a smile.

“This is already the best,” Qingwan replied, pouting slightly. “Anything you give me is the best.”

Xu Ming: “…”

Seeing the slightly flustered look on Xu Ming’s face, Qingwan chuckled softly and held out her hand. “Put it on for me.”

“You really don’t mind?” Xu Ming asked.

“How could I mind something you gave me?” Qingwan’s eyes curved into crescent moons as she smiled.

Seeing her joyful expression, Xu Ming took the hairpin as she turned around, presenting her back to him.

Xu Ming carefully lifted the hairpin and slid it into Qingwan’s hair.

“How does it look?”

Qin Qingwan turned back to face him, playfully stepping back a few paces.

“It looks good,” Xu Ming nodded. “The hairpin is ordinary, but you make it look beautiful.”

Qin Qingwan covered her mouth and laughed. “When did our Xu-gege (brother) become so good at flattering girls? Did you use the same sweet words when you were with that princess?”

“No, I didn’t,” Xu Ming replied honestly. “These words… I’ve only said them to you.”

“Ugh, so cheesy.” Qingwan pretended to huff, raising her tiny fist to lightly punch Xu Ming’s chest, though her expression was one of clear delight.

As she withdrew her hand, Xu Ming caught her small fist, holding it gently.

Qingwan instinctively tugged, but his grip was firm, and eventually, she stopped resisting, letting him hold her hand.

Her head lowered slightly, and a faint blush swept across her cheeks, her shy expression utterly endearing.

Though their relationship hadn’t been explicitly confirmed, both knew in their hearts that their feelings were mutual. All that was left was to pierce through the thin layer of ambiguity between them.

The two stood close, and the atmosphere grew increasingly intimate.

As if guided by some invisible force, Xu Ming slowly leaned down.

Feeling him draw closer, Qin Qingwan froze for a moment, her gaze slightly dazed.

She hesitated, unsure whether to pull away.

If she didn’t, would she seem too forward? But if she did, would Xu Ming feel hurt?

‘Forget it… I will only ever love him in this lifetime.’

As Xu Ming drew nearer, Qingwan slowly closed her eyes, rising slightly onto her tiptoes and tilting her chin upward.

“Ahem!”

Just as their breaths mingled and they were about to kiss, a woman’s cough echoed from above, filling the entire valley.

Qin Qingwan’s face turned bright red as she hurriedly pushed Xu Ming away.

Flustered, she turned her gaze skyward, where her master, Wang Xuan, hovered among the clouds, looking down indifferently at the pair standing in the flower fields.

“Master, why are you back?” Qingwan asked shyly.

“I returned to retrieve something,” Wang Xuan’s voice reverberated through the air. A jade ruyi flew up from the wooden cabin and disappeared into the clouds.

“Mind your decorum.”

With that final remark, Wang Xuan vanished into the sky.

Though it seemed she had left, Qingwan couldn’t be sure her master wasn’t still hiding somewhere among the clouds, watching them.

Having regained her composure, Qingwan noticed that the previously intimate atmosphere had completely dissipated. Naturally, she couldn’t act as impulsively as she had earlier.

“You… you said you wanted to tell me something. Now’s the time,” she said to Xu Ming, her tone still carrying a hint of shyness.

“Here?” Xu Ming asked.

Qingwan rolled her eyes at him, thinking he was about to say something embarrassing. “There’s no one in this valley except my master and me. If she wants to eavesdrop, it won’t matter where we talk.”

“That’s not what I meant,” Xu Ming clarified. “It’s just that what I need to say is quite lengthy.”

“Then let’s go inside,” Qingwan said, pulling him toward the cabin.

Qingwan’s room was simply furnished, containing only a bed, a table, a few chairs, and a landscape painting hanging on the wall. The painting was signed “Wang Xuan.” Other than that, there were just a few potted plants on the balcony.

It was in this modest little wooden house that the girl had lived for nearly eleven years.

“Have a seat, make yourself comfortable,” Qin Qingwan said as she sat down on a chair. “You can speak now.”

Xu Ming nodded, organizing his thoughts before he began. “Qingwan, what’s your impression of Tianxuan Sect?”

“Tianxuan Sect?” Qin Qingwan tilted her head, puzzled by Xu Ming’s sudden question. “It’s okay, I guess. The sect is huge, and there are a lot of disciples. Some of them are nice, but others not so much. I don’t really have a strong opinion. If I had to say, the only person I feel close to is my master. After all, she’s like a second mother to me.”

“Mm,” Xu Ming nodded again. “And what about your impression of the Sect Master?”

“The Sect Master?” Qin Qingwan thought for a moment. “Nothing special, really. I’ve seen him a few times during sect meetings. I don’t have a strong impression—neither good nor bad. Most disciples respect him since he’s the Sect Master, which is normal, but… I don’t particularly like him.”

“Why not?” Xu Ming asked.

“There’s no specific reason,” Qin Qingwan replied. “It’s just a feeling.”

After a pause, she looked at Xu Ming. “Xu Ming, the thing you want to tell me… does it have something to do with the Sect Master?”

“Yes,” Xu Ming said seriously, meeting her eyes. “It has everything to do with the Sect Master.”

“Qingwan,” he continued, his tone grave, “what I’m about to tell you will sound unbelievable, but everything I’m about to say has been verified by me and should be true. The Sect Master of Tianxuan Sect, Xia He, plans to use half of the sect’s disciples and all the guests at the Zixia Grand Ceremony as a blood sacrifice.”

“Huh?” Qin Qingwan’s eyes widened in shock, disbelief written all over her face. She even wondered if she had misheard him. “Xu Ming… what did you just say?”

“When I first arrived at Tianxuan Sect, Mo Zhuer approached me…”

Xu Ming proceeded to explain everything in detail, from the very beginning to the current situation. Because he had already recounted the story to Wu Yanhan earlier, this time he was even more thorough and organized in his explanation.

When Xu Ming finished, Qin Qingwan lowered her head, her brows furrowed deeply as she earnestly processed everything he had just told her.

Xu Ming didn’t disturb Qin Qingwan as she quietly processed everything, instead standing silently to the side, waiting for her to sort through her thoughts.

“I never imagined the Sect Master would turn out to be someone like this!” Qin Qingwan finally exclaimed, lifting her head. “Back then, my master warned me that the Sect Master had strayed from the right path, that he was overly obsessed with certain things. At the time, I didn’t understand, but now it’s starting to make sense.”

She looked at Xu Ming with determination. “Xu Ming, don’t worry. I’ll help you obtain the Tianxuan Mirror. I won’t let you die!”

“That’s not what I meant.” Xu Ming smiled faintly. “I’ll handle the matter of the Tianxuan Mirror. What I’m worried about is you. That’s why I was thinking… should you consider leaving Tianxuan Sect now?”

“That’s out of the question,” Qin Qingwan replied with a gentle smile, shaking her head. “Xu Ming, if you’re here, how could I just leave you behind and go on my own? Besides, don’t underestimate me. I’m quite capable, you know.”

“It’s settled then,” she added firmly, cutting off any further persuasion from Xu Ming. “No matter what you say, I won’t leave you behind and run away by myself. And anyway, I’m a disciple of Tianxuan Sect. If the sect is in trouble, it’s only right that I stay and face it.”

Xu Ming still wanted to persuade her further, but Qin Qingwan’s attitude was resolute, leaving him no choice but to drop the matter.

“Oh, by the way,” Qin Qingwan suddenly asked, “can I tell my master about this? I know you’re worried about some things, but don’t worry—my master would never side with Xia He.”

“I trust Elder Wang Xuan,” Xu Ming nodded. “But there’s one thing I think you and Elder Wang Xuan might not agree with.”

“What’s that?” Qin Qingwan asked curiously.

Xu Ming hesitated for a moment before replying, “Mo Zhuer said she could help us sabotage Xia He’s plan. She claims to hold a key artifact Xia He needs and that only she can help us. But… she has one condition.”

“What condition?” Qin Qingwan pressed.

“She wants the Tianxuan Sect’s dragon vein,” Xu Ming said gravely.

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