Qiu Huan, lying on the bed, looked as if she were asleep.

Yuan Mo sat down by her bedside and gently touched her hands—bone-chillingly cold, then instantly scorching hot.

“A-Huan, you still owe Cheng Jingtian a favor. If you don’t repay it, he’ll come to harass me.”

She was strikingly beautiful, with a pair of lustrous, phoenix-like eyes that were especially captivating. Though her features were naturally enchanting and alluring, the aura of her master gave her an air of dignified composure rather than an ever-present seductive charm.

Yet now her eyes were tightly shut—no longer the languid, free-spirited Qiu Huan he knew.

“A-Huan, if Ming Zhen suddenly takes over Tonglou, the people there won’t be used to it.”

“—After all, it was you, A-Mo, who used to handle everything. Even if I’m gone, it shouldn’t matter, right?”

The faint smile on Qiu Huan’s face lingered before his eyes.

“A-Huan, Duan Yunhe will cry… A-Huan, we promised to travel overseas together—how could you go back on your word? You’ve always kept your promises; why can’t you honor yours to me… A-Huan…”

Yuan Mo couldn’t stop rambling, for if he didn’t, he’d be utterly helpless.

“…Xiao Mo, that look on your face isn’t pretty…” A weak voice rang out. She wore a smile and tried to reach up to touch his cheek, but after several attempts, she gave up, self-deprecatingly admitting, “All this internal energy doesn’t seem to do much; instead, it’s only made you worry time and again. It would have been better if I hadn’t had any at all… But this time really is the last, isn’t it?”

“No way!” Yuan Mo interrupted her in a panic. “You’ll be fine. Cheng Jingtian still needs you—he’ll definitely cure you, just like before. Didn’t you always manage to turn danger into safety every single time?”

“I’m already lucky to have lived this long. Back when I was young, cultivation was truly grueling, but with Ming Zhen, Yuan Qian, and you by my side, looking back now, those days feel so wonderful. After Father passed away, I was even more fortunate to travel the world with the one I loved. Though there are still some regrets, this life has been more than enough.” Qiu Huan spoke with remarkable equanimity, her expression relaxed. “A-Mo, give me your hand.”

Yuan Mo didn’t know what she was planning, but he obediently clasped her hands tightly.

“We’ve known each other for thirteen years. Usually, it’s always been you taking care of me, yet in the end, I’m the one who’s causing you heartache. I really don’t know what to do. Anyway, my true qi is no longer useful, so I might as well pass some of it on to you—otherwise, I’d never feel at ease seeing you so weak in internal energy.”

As she spoke, she began channeling her own true qi into Yuan Mo.

Yuan Mo was shocked—wasn’t this only speeding up Qiu Huan’s death?! He tried to pull his hands away, but she was faster; she had already started transferring her internal energy, and forcibly stopping now would only cause her even greater harm. So he had no choice but to join her in circulating the qi together.

Small Circulation, Large Circulation—their true qi mingled and circulated round and round within their bodies. Yet far from the dire outcome Yuan Mo feared, their bodies seemed to lose all boundaries, gradually merging into one.

In this immense cycle, their internal energies slowly assimilated and absorbed one another. Qiu Huan’s heart meridians expanded imperceptibly, while Yuan Mo’s channels were constantly being repaired. If this continued, perhaps Qiu Huan could withstand that powerful internal energy, and Yuan Mo would no longer have to worry about his inability to cultivate more.

Soon after, Ming Zhen entered the room and watched, both astonished and puzzled, as Qiu Huan and Yuan Mo sank into deep cultivation.

Cheng Jingtian examined them carefully and said with a pleased expression, “Perhaps it was a happy accident. As long as nothing goes wrong, not only will Xiao Huan’s life be saved, but her internal energy will never cause any problems again.”

“…How on earth did they do this?” It wasn’t that Ming Zhen was unhappy to see Qiu Huan safe—it was simply that what had happened between the two was utterly baffling.

Cheng Jingtian pondered for a moment and offered a half-guess: “Maybe it’s because the Spring Breeze and Rain Technique was originally designed for mutual cultivation, and Xiao Huan and Xiao Mo often helped each other refine their qi, so they’re both very familiar with how the other’s qi flows—and that’s why it worked?”

“That can’t be right,” Ming Zhen countered. The Spring Breeze and Rain Techniques share the same origin, but they’re two separate sets of methods. Qiu Huan and Yuan Mo both practice the Rain Technique, while Ming Zhen practices the Spring Breeze Technique. Having mastered the Spring Breeze Technique, Ming Zhen naturally assumed the Rain Technique wouldn’t have the same effect.

End of Chapter 37: Returning Home