Appreciating New Tea with an Inkstone - Chapter 37

From then on, when Ye Qinming taught Gu Xiyan magic, she often sparred with her. After all, she understood that Gu Xiyan’s blindness was a major disadvantage. If she couldn’t distinguish her opponent’s moves and spiritual energy in actual combat, her training would be practically useless.

However, this concern was soon put to rest. Gu Xiyan could now move around the area almost like an ordinary person. She didn’t need to feel her way or use a cane—everything seemed to be imprinted in her mind.

Sparring with Gu Xiyan was an absolute delight. Dressed in white, every move she made was fluid, like drifting clouds and flowing water—graceful and natural, like a soaring dragon or a dancing phoenix. Ye Qinming never considered her own techniques particularly elegant, yet when executed by Gu Xiyan, they became as mesmerizing as a dance.

At first, Ye Qinming primarily guided her, correcting her form whenever she intercepted a strike.

Now, she firmly grasped Gu Xiyan’s wrist, her expression serious and focused, her words quick and precise. “Lower your right hand by an inch. Bend your left leg forward. Your right leg is a step too slow.”

With that, she swiftly raised her foot, striking the crook of Gu Xiyan’s left knee while sliding diagonally to the side. She then hooked her right leg forward with force.

Gu Xiyan grunted as her body staggered, but she quickly regained balance. She spun to the left, her right hand swiftly striking toward Ye Qinming’s underarm, while her left leg kicked backward. Using this momentum, she maneuvered around Ye Qinming, forcing her to release her left hand.

“Not bad. Keep going.” Ye Qinming’s eyes held undisguised admiration, but she showed no mercy. She struck Gu Xiyan’s waist, sticking close even as Gu Xiyan dodged, and delivered a knife-hand strike to her right wrist joint.

“You’re too slow. If I had used spiritual energy, I wouldn’t even need to get close to disable your right arm. Your stance is full of flaws!”

Gu Xiyan faltered at the reprimand, and that brief hesitation was all Ye Qinming needed. She launched into a relentless flurry of attacks—striking her shoulders, back, and legs without holding back—before finally sending her flying.

Gu Xiyan tried to steady herself, but the soreness from the previous blows was unbearable, and she fell to her knees, crashing onto the ground.

Nearby, two small creatures, secretly crouching beside the bamboo house, clamped their paws over their mouths. They exchanged terrified glances.

That demoness usually treated the mortal woman so well, yet she still went at her this ruthlessly. If she ever caught them, they wouldn’t stand a chance!

Gu Xiyan took a moment to recover before struggling to sit up. Her white clothes were stained with dirt, her face covered in sweat. The contrast of her pale complexion with the embarrassed flush on her cheeks made her look even more disheartened. “I’m too slow-witted.”

Ye Qinming saw the damp strands of hair clinging to Gu Xiyan’s temples, her pallid face tinged with disappointment, and immediately softened.

She walked over and crouched in front of her, extending a hand to help her up. “Can you stand?”

Gu Xiyan nodded, gritting her teeth as she pushed herself up. Her legs, already kicked twice and numbed from impact, gave way the moment she applied pressure. The sharp ache surged again, and she collapsed back down.

Ye Qinming caught her in time, scooping her up effortlessly in her arms and carrying her toward a bamboo chair.

Gu Xiyan gasped in surprise, instinctively clutching Ye Qinming before quickly withdrawing her hands as if burned.

Ye Qinming glanced down at her, her previously stern expression melting into a faint smile. “Well, at least your reaction speed is improving.”

After settling her onto the chair, Ye Qinming’s tone grew serious again. “You did well—far better than I expected. But because you can’t see, I have to be strict with you. Close-quarters combat is the best way to hone your perception and reflexes. Don’t take it to heart.”

Gu Xiyan quickly shook her head. “Why would I? I’m just afraid you’ll find me too dull.”

Ye Qinming lifted her right leg onto her own lap. Gu Xiyan instinctively tensed, about to pull away, but Ye Qinming gently patted her leg. “Don’t move.”

The next moment, Gu Xiyan felt a wave of warmth flow from Ye Qinming’s hands into her meridians. As she kneaded and massaged the sore muscles, the unbearable ache gradually faded.

As Ye Qinming carefully worked on her legs, she chuckled lightly. “Gu Xiyan, if you were considered slow-witted, then every cultivator in the Three Realms would be worthless.”

Gu Xiyan could sense that Ye Qinming was kneeling before her. Listening to her words, feeling the meticulous care in her touch, her heart pounded uncontrollably—something she had never experienced in her eighteen years of life.

She couldn’t fathom it. How could a demon lord, who had lived for millennia, lower herself like this—teaching her magic, tending to her pain?

Ye Qinming wasn’t thinking about anything else at the moment. During her spar with Gu Xiyan earlier, she had infused spiritual energy into her body with every touch. The aftereffects weren’t exactly pleasant, but as long as the energy was dissolved in time and used to nourish her meridians, her body’s internal pathways would only become more refined.

At first, Gu Xiyan’s mind wandered, but after an entire day of training, her body was utterly exhausted. With Ye Qinming helping her relax and guiding her spiritual energy, warmth spread throughout her body. Eventually, she leaned back against the bamboo chair and drifted into sleep.

Ye Qinming was still massaging her shoulders when she noticed her steady, even breathing—she had actually fallen asleep. She let out a quiet laugh. Smoothing out her meridians while channeling spiritual energy was mentally taxing, and Ye Qinming exhaled deeply before playfully flicking the tip of Gu Xiyan’s nose.

“You sure have it easy, dozing off while I do all the work.”

Everything about her tone, expression, and actions overflowed with indulgence. It seemed that whenever Gu Xiyan was unaware, these emotions surfaced without restraint.

Her gaze fell on Gu Xiyan’s slightly parted lips, tinged with a soft pink. She was sleeping so peacefully that her lips were fully relaxed, revealing a delicate, enticing shape. Ye Qinming stared at them for a long while before murmuring, “It took a lot of spiritual energy to smooth out your meridians… Taking a little in return doesn’t seem unfair.”

She casually flicked her hand, sending a pulse of energy that blasted away the two little creatures spying from the back of the mountain. Then, she leaned down and pressed her lips gently against Gu Xiyan’s.

The warmth of her breath fell against Gu Xiyan’s face, tickling slightly.

Ye Qinming’s gaze darkened. She brushed her lips lightly against Gu Xiyan’s, and in that moment, the memory of being poisoned surged back into her mind. Her breath hitched, and with a little more force, she pried open Gu Xiyan’s lips.

On the bamboo chair, Gu Xiyan’s fingers, which had been resting at her sides, curled tightly into her sleeves. But Ye Qinming, lost in the moment, failed to notice. She felt like a child who had found candy—carefully savoring it, tasting its sweetness.

Yet what truly unsettled her was the eerie familiarity beneath it all. That sweetness felt deeply ingrained in her very soul, and now, in full awareness, it crashed over her like a tidal wave.

Her initial restraint crumbled into fervor. She had long since abandoned all pretense, closing her eyes and indulging in the intoxicating taste. Deep within her mind, a fragmented image flashed—a memory of being entwined just like this with someone else.

No matter how much she tried to suppress it, Gu Xiyan was already completely swept away. She dared not reach out, but emotions could not be deceived. No matter how she tried to maintain composure, once someone took the lead in tearing down the facade, she had no defenses left.

Her fingers clutched the hem of Ye Qinming’s robe, her head tilting slightly to let her take whatever she wanted. She could only endure and remind herself—she couldn’t respond, nor should she entertain any illusions. This was likely just another moment of indulgence for Ye Qinming, just like that day when she was poisoned. Once she sobered up, it would all be over.

She didn’t know how much time had passed before Ye Qinming finally pulled away. Her eyes were tinted with an unusual shade of red, laced with something almost ruthless. Yet the glistening thread of warmth between her lips spoke of undeniable intimacy, and no matter how much she tried to mask it, she was drenched in undeniable desire.

Gu Xiyan kept her eyes shut, her chest rising and falling rapidly. Her once pale pink lips were now a deep, rich red, and the restrained turmoil on her usually composed and elegant face stood in stark contrast to her.

Ye Qinming gazed at the breathtaking sight before her. But then, without warning, a long-buried surge of resentment and pain struck her heart like a hammer blow.

Clutching her chest, she forcefully suppressed the killing intent surging within her and fled.

What was happening to her?

***

It was a long time after Ye Qinming left before Gu Xiyan finally moved. She opened her eyes, but those already lightless eyes seemed even more dim and lifeless now. She sat there in a daze, motionless.

She had no idea where Ye Qinming had gone. Her heart was in turmoil, but her thoughts remained disturbingly clear. She liked Ye Qinming—she must have liked her for a long time. But this kind of affection was destined to be hopeless; it never should have existed in the first place.

That was why she had always restrained herself so well, pretending as if nothing was wrong. She was afraid of holding Ye Qinming back, yet she couldn’t help but indulge in her presence. She told her not to worry about her, yet deep down, she felt desolate at the thought of her leaving.

That day, Ye Qinming had kissed her because she was under the effects of Ji Wuyan’s poison. But today, what was the reason? Was it just playful teasing, or was it something she couldn’t suppress?

At the thought of this, Gu Xiyan’s face flickered between sorrow and joy, but in the end, all emotions faded into calm. It didn’t matter whether Ye Qinming had other feelings for her or not—there was no future for them.

Ye Qinming was the Demon Emperor, fully determined to return to the Demon Realm, while she was just a mortal entangled in trouble—or perhaps even the reincarnation of some celestial being, making her inherently opposed to Ye Qinming. Given their circumstances, why ruin the peaceful understanding between them? These past few months were already enough to bring her solace for a lifetime.

Besides… Gu Xiyan raised a hand to touch her lips. To have shared such intimacy with Ye Qinming twice was already something she could be satisfied with.

What unsettled her the most, however, was that she had once again felt a killing intent from Ye Qinming—just like the very first time they met. Back then, she could at least understand the reason, but what about this time? Did Ye Qinming think she had disrupted her heart?

***

On the other side, Ye Qinming had fled in a state of complete disarray.

She was a demon. Demons and spirits were naturally uninhibited, acting on their desires without restraint. The kind of deep, entangled emotions humans experienced were rare among demons. Except for a few species that only ever took one mate in their lifetime, most demons simply lived for the pleasure of the moment.

Most relationships were merely for the sake of spiritual cultivation, sometimes extending to reproduction when necessary. It was all very chaotic. Though Ye Qinming had always been arrogant, with countless Demon Realm elites willing to throw themselves at her, she had never taken interest in any of them. But she had seen plenty of such relationships.

She liked beautiful things. When she first met Gu Xiyan, she had been momentarily stunned by her beauty. Then, discovering her unique physique, she had taken her spiritual energy. Though there had been a bit of scheming involved—intentionally taking advantage of the situation while absorbing her energy—Ye Qinming had enjoyed that closeness. But to her, it was nothing out of the ordinary.

It was only when she had been poisoned that things changed. That time, for the first time, she kissed Gu Xiyan with actual desire. It was then that she had faintly sensed something was wrong. But she had deliberately ignored it. There was no way she would fall for a mere mortal.

And yet, just now, she had been completely sober. But the moment she tasted Gu Xiyan again, she lost control.

Ye Qinming was a tea spirit transformed into human form—not like birds or beasts, which were driven by primal urges. Feelings of lust or passion were foreign to her, an unnecessary burden she had never considered.

She rubbed her aching forehead. What troubled her even more was that inexplicable sense of familiarity and the surge of rage.

Why had she suddenly felt the urge to kill Gu Xiyan?

Her emotions had fluctuated wildly at that moment, but now that she had calmed down, she realized that the killing intent had not come from her—not entirely. Nor had it been directed at Gu Xiyan herself. It was more like a deep-seated grief and resentment imprinted on her very soul, something that had erupted uncontrollably in that instant.

Ye Qinming stared blankly at her shadow on the ground. That lost memory—it must be crucial.

But for now, her biggest headache was… how was she supposed to face Gu Xiyan?

Gu Xiyan was so perceptive—she had probably sensed that fleeting killing intent.

And as for her shameless actions just now… how would Gu Xiyan react?

Author’s Note:

For those who insisted that only a kiss between the green tea and the white lotus could make things right—satisfied now?

Green Tea: I’ll just take a little spiritual power—just brush my lips—just a small kiss—just a little touch—just sleep together—might as well get married.

This is the journey of Green Tea picking the Lotus.