Appreciating New Tea with an Inkstone - Chapter 20

Upon hearing that familiar tone, Gu Xiyan felt a surge of joy break through the heavy weight in her heart. She quickly stood up and hurried towards the source of the voice. “Qinming, you… you’re alright.”

Ye Qinming’s eyes curved into a smile. “So what if I am alright?”

Gu Xiyan stood there, a relieved smile on her face, and softly said, “It’s so good that you’re alright.” More than just good, it was absolutely wonderful. Her appearance brought a sense of calm to Gu Xiyan’s anxious heart, inexplicably easing the pain she had been feeling.

Ye Qinming naturally heard her sigh-like words, and the phrase “It’s so good” floated into her heart like a feather, causing a slight tickle.

Ye Qinming didn’t speak. She carefully observed Gu Xiyan, noticing that her complexion had worsened, with deep fatigue evident in her eyes. Yet, strangely, those lifeless eyes now held a gentle smile, adding a touch of soft beauty to her pale face.

“Why aren’t you speaking? Are you hurt? Do you need spiritual energy?” Gu Xiyan asked, recalling how Ye Qinming had sought her spiritual energy after being injured last time. She assumed it would be the same this time.

Ye Qinming’s expression was indescribable, a mix of relief and anger. She took a deep breath and slowly said, “Gu Xiyan, are you foolish? Demons absorbing human spiritual energy causes great harm to the body. Over time, it shortens one’s lifespan. Who would willingly offer it up like you do?”

Gu Xiyan was momentarily stunned, her thin lips pressing together. “If you’re injured, wouldn’t you need my spiritual energy to recover?”

Ye Qinming watched her lips move, her words seeming naive, but her expression told she that she was fully aware of what she was doing and the cost it entailed. Ye Qinming couldn’t understand why, even if Gu Xiyan was a reincarnated deity, no one else would be so self-sacrificing, even risking their life.

Her eyes darkened, and she took a few steps towards Gu Xiyan. Standing in front of her, she lowered her voice and said, “Since you’ve offered, I’ll take some.”

Gu Xiyan felt her approach and her ears immediately warmed. No matter how much she tried to convince herself, every time Ye Qinming came close, her heart would race.

Soft, warm lips pressed against hers, carrying the rich, fragrant scent of tea that Gu Xiyan loved so much, making her unable to resist taking a deep breath.

This time, however, Ye Qinming lingered longer than usual. Gu Xiyan stood stiffly, her body tense. When Ye Qinming finally pulled away, her warm lips brushed past Gu Xiyan’s, sending a shiver down her spine, causing goosebumps to rise on her skin.

Gu Xiyan instinctively took a step back, trying to calm her racing heart. She felt embarrassed; even though they were both women, such an intimate gesture was too much for her to handle.

Previously, when Ye Qinming had forcefully taken her spiritual energy, she hadn’t felt this way. But now, in this calm moment, she found it hard to remain composed. Clearing her throat, she tried to sound composed. “Do all demons take spiritual energy so… intimately?”

Ye Qinming’s expression stiffened for a moment, but she quickly regained her usual composure. “Haven’t I told you before? Demons are adept at absorbing human spiritual energy through yin-yang practices. Ordinary demons either devour your flesh to refine your spiritual energy or use spiritual cultivation methods to directly absorb it. I’ve already chosen a more moderate approach.”

Gu Xiyan looked somewhat awkward and turned her face away. “I understand.” But after saying this, she realized something was off. In the past, after Ye Qinming absorbed her spiritual energy, she would feel weak and uncomfortable. But this time, she didn’t feel any adverse effects.

“I don’t seem to feel unwell this time,” she said hesitantly.

“Ahem, you look pale. I was afraid taking too much would be too much for you.”

“Thank you for being so considerate, Qinming,” Gu Xiyan said softly, not pressing further.

Ye Qinming, seeing that she had managed to gloss over the situation, breathed a sigh of relief. She didn’t know why she had been so bewitched. She didn’t actually need to absorb spiritual energy in such a manner; just being close would suffice. But after that first unrestrained touch of softness, she couldn’t help herself and decided to just go with it.

“You’ve fought with Nangong Pei. Since he could find you, how strong is he?” Gu Xiyan asked, her expression serious as she recalled the day’s events.

Ye Qinming’s expression turned cold. “He’s just a Daoist priest. Though he has some skill, thinking he could track me is delusional.”

“Then what do you mean?” Gu Xiyan frowned, a suspicion forming in her mind.

“He knew I was at the Gu family tea plantation.” Gu Xiyan was stunned. Ye Qinming glanced at her, continuing, “There’s someone behind him, far more powerful than he is. That person detected my presence at the plantation, which is why Nangong Pei went all out, using a demon-sealing array to lock down the entire plantation. Unfortunately, he overestimated Nangong Pei.”

“You didn’t suspect me?” Gu Xiyan asked softly.

Ye Qinming laughed. “If it were anyone else, I would have been suspicious. But a girl who foolishly asks if I need to absorb spiritual energy? I couldn’t bring myself to doubt her.”

Gu Xiyan’s face turned red, not just her ears but her entire face, her delicate features now flushed. Ye Qinming gazed at her, this time not awkwardly calling her beautiful, but genuinely admiring her beauty.

“By the way, what happened here?” Ye Qinming had noticed the difference in the Gu residence as soon as she entered. There were people patrolling constantly, and all the servants had been gathered for questioning. Clearly, something major had occurred.

Gu Xiyan’s expression darkened as she explained about the four jars found in the Gu residence and how Gu Ye had been taken away.

Ye Qinming’s eyes narrowed. It seemed the enemy was targeting the Gu family, framing them and pinning the blame on her. Very well, they had dared to set their sights on her. She wasn’t sure whether to call them ignorant or audacious.

She didn’t speak, but a dangerous glint flickered in her eyes as she slowly paced the room. There was no one in Danyang City capable of detecting her presence, so the person behind Nangong Pei must be a demon. But framing the Gu family and taking Gu Ye away was clearly for profit.

From her understanding of demons, they would only be interested in Gu Xiyan, not go to such lengths to target the Gu family. So, besides the demon, there was also human scheming involved.

Listening to Ye Qinming pacing back and forth, Gu Xiyan spoke, “I think the person framing us is targeting the Gu family. If it were a demon, they would be more interested in me than the Gu family. So, the framer is human, and their goal is profit. But you just said Nangong Pei couldn’t have found you on his own, that someone must have guided him. That person is likely a powerful demon. But Nangong Pei isn’t just trying to capture you; today’s events couldn’t have happened without him. Does that mean he’s colluding not just with humans but also with demons, and they’re working together?”

Ye Qinming couldn’t help but clap her hands and said, “Gu Xiyan, not only are your senses sharp, but your mind is also incredibly astute. Now that we understand this, can you guess who this person is?”

“Someone who is both human and colludes with demons, and who has suddenly become so contrasting… I can only think of the Yang family.”

Ye Qinming’s eyes sparkled. “Exactly.”

“But…” Gu Xiyan hesitated, frowning slightly.

“But what?”

“But you didn’t take that fox spirit seriously. He shouldn’t be a match for you, and he didn’t react when you destroyed the curse he placed on me. Could he have detected your presence at my family’s tea plantation?”

Ye Qinming leaned in closer to Gu Xiyan. “How can you be so clever?”

Gu Xiyan, despite her usual composure, couldn’t help but feel embarrassed after being praised so much. She softly said, “You clearly understand this much better than I do, Miss Ye. You can just praise yourself directly.”

Ye Qinming was amused by her reaction and laughed out loud. “Gu Xiyan, you’re really adorable.”

Gu Xiyan kept a straight face, remaining silent and serious.

“So, there might be some things I’m not aware of,” Ye Qinming said, a hint of worry in her eyes. She had escaped from the Abyssal Prison to the human world, which indicated that the barriers between the Three Realms, which had held for thousands of years, were about to break. “But now that we have a clear target, the problem is much easier to solve. To save your father, we need to start with the Yang family. And that schemer behind the scenes must be connected to both the Yang family and that damned fox.”

Gu Xiyan nodded. To save Gu Ye, they just needed to prove that the four jars had nothing to do with the Gu family. The jars had been taken by the authorities, but the array was still in place. Gu Xiyan had ordered tight security, so no one should be able to tamper with it.

“You look exhausted. After you’ve rested, take me to see what that array is for,” Ye Qinming said, not giving Gu Xiyan a choice as she vanished into thin air.

After calling out a couple of times with no answer, Gu Xiyan smiled faintly and shook her head. She was indeed very tired, and there were still many things she needed to handle. She closed her eyes, forcing herself to rest.

***

Gu Xiyan’s sleep was restless. In her dream, she found herself in a vast, chaotic void, yet she could see. She was trapped in the chaos, unable to move, only able to observe the small space in front of her. Time seemed to stretch endlessly in the silence, making her feel lonely.

She felt lost, unsure of how much time had passed, but eventually, she calmed down. In the chaos, she noticed a small plant just an inch away from her. Though she could only see its outline, it had color.

That single splash of color in the chaos brought Gu Xiyan an inexplicable sense of joy, and from then on, she spent her time staring at the little sprout, finding great happiness in it.

But one day, a loud noise erupted in the chaos, and the endless void trembled violently, stirring up countless storms.

She felt herself swaying uncontrollably and instinctively looked at the little sprout, desperately trying to hold onto it to keep it from panicking. But in the next moment, a bright light emerged from the chaos, growing brighter and broader, swiftly splitting the space between her and the sprout. In the light, she finally saw the sprout clearly—it was a tea tree!

The next moment, she was swept into the light, startling her awake. She gasped for breath, an indescribable sense of loss and discomfort in her heart.

“Did you have a nightmare?” A gentle female voice reached her ears. Coming to her senses, Gu Xiyan realized she was holding onto a warm, soft arm, and a faint tea fragrance accompanied by soft fabric brushed against her forehead. “You only slept for a short while, yet you’re already drenched in sweat. What did you dream about?” Ye Qinming didn’t seem to find anything unusual. Her gaze still carried the tenderness from watching Gu Xiyan sleep, and her movements and voice were gentle and soothing.

Gu Xiyan’s throat moved slightly. “Qinming?”

Ye Qinming, snapped back to her usual aloof and proud demeanor, stiffened slightly and quickly let go of Gu Xiyan.

“Since you’re awake, let’s get up. Take me to see that array,” she said, disappearing once again without waiting for a response.

Author’s Note:

White Lotus: Does a demon have to kiss to take spiritual power?

Green Tea: No, we can also do dual cultivation. Do you prefer the latter?

White Lotus: …