My Enemy Became My Cultivation Companion-Chapter 740 - 471: Be Gentler (Parts Combined)_2

Chen Yi held her gently and asked softly, "Are you tired?"

"Tired…" Yin Tingxue responded feebly, then said lightly, "Next time, don't take so long."

Chen Yi, feeling pity for her, found himself struck by her words and quickly agreed, "Alright, I'll listen to you this time."

Yin Tingxue broke into a radiant smile, her girlish shyness lingering in the aftermath of their intimacy—a tenderness that was only visible within the warmth of these sheets.

Chen Yi couldn't help but feel a tremor in his heart.

Without realizing it, the two had drawn closer, their bodies pressed tightly together, sharing each other's warmth. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

Outside, the air was chilly, and a casual glance through the window revealed the nightscape seemingly fractured into cold, disjointed segments. This only made the comfort of their bed more pronounced. Chen Yi held Yin Tingxue in his arms as she nestled against him, saying nothing, simply enjoying the quiet warmth.

After a while, Yin Tingxue shifted slightly, as though rubbing against his chest.

"What's wrong?" Chen Yi asked.

"…The New Year is almost here," Yin Tingxue murmured after a brief moment of contemplation. "Less than thirty days away now."

"Mm… another year has passed." Chen Yi knew all too well.

Turning to the matter at hand, infiltrating Yin Sword Mountain was best timed for the period around the New Year and the Lantern Festival. During that time, many disciples of Yin Sword Mountain either descended the mountain to visit friends and relatives or welcomed visitors up the mountain for a tour. In his previous life, Chen Yi had disguised himself as Lu Ying's elder sister during that season, which allowed him to reside long-term on Yin Sword Mountain. Fortunately, he had been placed on the sparsely populated Cangwu Peak; had it been anywhere else, his cover would have undoubtedly been blown.

Yin Tingxue lifted her face to look at Chen Yi and softly asked, "How will we celebrate the Little New Year?"

Chen Yi chuckled and replied, "What else can we do? A little cleaning, some offerings to the kitchen god, and eating rice dumplings."

"Mm, it's so nice when everyone gathers together."

Chen Yi raised an eyebrow; he couldn't shake the feeling that Yin Tingxue had something more to say, so he fixed his gaze on her.

Yin Tingxue shrank back a little, but since he had already caught on, she decided to speak plainly: "Are you really going to stay estranged like this with Master Zhou?"

At the mention of Zhou Yitang, Chen Yi's brow furrowed slightly.

His discord with Zhou Yitang wasn't a new issue—it was something that had persisted for a long time, like two inherently mismatched personalities forced to coexist. The irony, however, lay in how similar they actually were.

Back in the Capital City, things had been simpler. Chen Yi could tease her with words and gain the upper hand, but he was ultimately in a weaker position, so she didn't mind indulging him. Now, however, they had reached a point where they stood as equals, and their interactions had become increasingly antagonistic.

What's more, Zhou Yitang had many things she kept hidden from him. Chen Yi couldn't understand why she was still keeping secrets from him, but with some thought, he could somewhat guess. The things she was concealing weren't necessarily harmful to him, but they were definitely things she didn't want him interfering with.

As Chen Yi's thoughts wandered, Yin Tingxue leaned in closer and said, "It's not like you two share a deep-seated hatred."

Chen Yi paused for a moment before snapping back to reality and replying, "I suppose."

If there truly was someone he held a deep grudge against, it would be the one from Jingren Palace—the one who gifted him that pendant.

As for Zhou Yitang, their relationship was more about irreconcilable differences.

Even so, those differences were tough to smooth over.

Yin Tingxue said quietly, "Just let it go—for now, anyway. It's fine not to worry about it."

Chen Yi frowned slightly and retorted, "Why are you always poking around in my thoughts?"

The little fox blinked innocently. She had the Heavenly Ear Technique and could always hear his inner voice—he was well aware of this. Seeing Chen Yi's reaction, as if she had struck a nerve, she followed up innocently, "It's not on purpose."

"I know you want to play peacemaker, but this isn't something you can decide."

"You're the one who decides, I know," Yin Tingxue paused for a moment before continuing, "Then I won't say anything more. I was going to tell you one of Master Zhou's secrets, though."

A secret?

Understanding that she was deliberately teasing him, Chen Yi still raised an eyebrow.

"Say it," he demanded.

"Master Zhou came to ask me how to get you to be more… considerate of her."

In truth, Zhou Yitang had asked about how to "control" him, but Yin Tingxue chose to subtly twist the phrasing.

"More… considerate of her?" Chen Yi couldn't help but feel a bit surprised.

"Yes, yes. You're her disciple and a man to boot, yet you're constantly butting heads with her." Yin Tingxue cleverly paused for effect. "Master Zhou… she actually gets secretly jealous of me. She really misses the days when you used to plant peonies for her."

She embellished their relationship, painting the picture of a lonely and fragile woman.

Yet, for all her dramatics, every word was true. Chen Yi couldn't help but be moved.

"She's always understood you deeply, but she doesn't know how to make you care for her. That's what she told me, and she only shared it with me." Yin Tingxue paused.

Chen Yi took a deep breath, his gaze lowering as a mix of emotions stirred within him, leaving an inexplicable aftertaste.

Even so, he finally said, "You little fox, you really know how to string people along."

Yin Tingxue quickly denied, "I didn't! I didn't say anything like that—she understands you best, while I don't understand you at all."

"You don't understand me?" Chen Yi's tone grew heavier. This little fox was growing bolder, whispering her schemes ever closer to him.

He smacked her behind with his palm, eliciting a sharp sound.

Yin Tingxue flinched from the pain, shrinking away in fear.

"After being with me for so long, don't you understand even a little? Ha, I think you understand plenty." Chen Yi let out a cold laugh.

Under this pressing tone, Yin Tingxue curled up and admitted honestly, "I do understand you… you're a tsundere."

Chen Yi froze. Suddenly, his chest tensed as a wave of energy rose, trembling inside him, dissipating yet impossible to dispel.

After a long moment, he exhaled and said, "I'm not."

He regretted teaching Yin Tingxue that word.

Yin Tingxue intended to follow up with agreement, but just as the words were about to leave her mouth, she changed tack and said mischievously:

"Why don't you show her some kindness? Prove you're not…"

...…

The thirty-six peaks of Yin Sword Mountain were each overseen by a Peak Master. Among them, six Peak Masters also held the position of presiding elder, responsible for deliberating and resolving mountain affairs.

The doors to the Council Hall stood wide open, cold winds roaring inside. Yet, the assembled individuals showed no change in expression, as though impervious to the chill. Today, the presiding elders had all gathered, seated on the upper meditation cushions, led by the current Sect Leader, Master Bai Yu.

On the left, the Peak Master of Liyang Peak spoke up, "Another letter from the south has arrived—Dragon and Tiger Mountain is seeking help from Taoist sects across the land."

"About the White Lotus Sect's troubles?"

"Yes, it's becoming quite chaotic. Cities are under martial law, and Dragon and Tiger Mountain has even closed its gates. Divination signs are a mess—no clue whether fortune or disaster awaits."

Master Bai Yu, seated at the head, said promptly, "From the looks of it, Lu Ying can't head out to retrieve the auspicious fate, can she?"

The Peak Master of Chensi Peak, adept in divination, replied, "Fortune and misfortune are intertwined, shaped by individual actions. If Lu Ying goes, whether it turns into fortune or disaster will entirely depend on her, an unpredictable outcome indeed."

"In that case, she seems to share some similarities with Master Tongxuan," remarked the aging Discipline Elder wistfully.

These words briefly brought silence to the Council Hall. Much of the previous hesitation and concern seemed to dissipate, leaving only traces of worry. When Zhou Yitang had led a team southward in earlier years—from the Land of Swords to the Tomb of Swords—a similar divination had revealed great uncertainty. Many presiding elders had personally overseen the matter back then, and opinions had been split between support and opposition, unable to decide. Their concern had been that they might lose the precious swordsmanship talent they had nurtured. Ultimately, it was the reclusive Grandmaster of the sect who had emerged to overrule everyone, leading to the formation of Yin Sword Mountain's Sword Armor.

The Discipline Elder continued, "It's rare for a student to surpass the master, but it's not uncommon for them to match the master's skills. The heavens leave one of four fates to humanity—the greater the variable, the greater the proof that success depends on individual effort."

After this statement, there was little dissent among those present.

Master Bai Yu nodded slightly. The Discipline Elder's remarks had been planned in advance and weren't spoken idly. She said, "Since that's the case, we should select protectors accordingly. Besides, with Dragon and Tiger Mountain calling for help from Taoist sects, we can't refuse to assist. The choice of protectors, however, will need to be determined by divination."

At this point, the Peak Master of Liyang Peak asked, "Who were Lu Ying's protectors last time?"

"It seems there was someone named Zhou Yi."

"Zhou Yi… who's that?" The Peak Master of Liyang Peak hesitated before asking further, "Are they male or female?"

"I asked Tongxuan," Master Bai Yun replied. "She's his niece."