When Shen Shuanglian woke up, the sky had already grown a bit dim.
She groggily opened her eyes, and in the next moment, fully opened them, her hand instinctively reaching out to where Chen Yin was lying.
Chen Yin was still lying there obediently, motionless. Only then did her heart settle slightly.
She stared at him for a while longer, her eyes slightly unfocused, lost in thought.
But before she could remain lost for long, a groan broke the silence, and Chen Yin slowly opened his eyes.
"Chen Yin!"
Shen Shuanglian immediately leaned closer, her eyes full of concern. "You're finally awake?"
"Senior... Sister..."
Chen Yin's voice was weak, his eyes half-closed. After a long while, he finally managed to speak with difficulty. "I... what happened..."
"Don't speak just yet. Your injuries are still serious. I gave you some medicine, but it will take time for the effects to fully set in."
Chen Yin dryly nodded at her while struggling to sit up. Shen Shuanglian quickly helped him into a sitting position.
"Are you thirsty? I'll go fetch some water for you."
"No need..."
Chen Yin rubbed his still aching head, as if trying to recall what had happened earlier. After a while, his expression shifted several times, and he turned to Shen Shuanglian, his eyes filled with disbelief.
"Senior Sister, could it be... are we in the Tiantu Abyss? How could you jump down here with me?"
Shen Shuanglian froze for a moment. Her long eyelashes lowered slightly, and her lips moved as though choosing her words carefully.
"I... I couldn't just leave a fellow disciple to die."
—Was it really for that reason? Chen Yin grew more astonished in his heart.
But his expression remained full of regretful sighs. "Alas! I, Chen Yin, am but a humble, wandering cultivator. How could I possibly deserve for Senior Sister to fall to such a fate alongside me?"
Before he could finish, Shen Shuanglian interrupted him.
"You're worth it," she said seriously.
Chen Yin stared at her blankly, but Shen Shuanglian said no more. She simply lowered her head gently.
Outside the cave, the sound of flowing water babbled softly, with the faint roar of a distant waterfall audible in the background.
Within the dim cave, the faint light illuminated half of Shen Shuanglian's face. Her delicate features, as flawless as a peerless jade, were now faintly dusted with dirt, but a soft blush could still be seen.
"Are you... really not hungry or thirsty?" Shen Shuanglian seemed to sense the awkwardness in the air and stammered to change the topic. "Or if you feel unwell anywhere, you must tell me."
"There's no need for Senior Sister to take such painstaking care of me. I'm not so fragile," Chen Yin said, scratching his head in embarrassment. "Besides, having Senior Sister care for me... it's a bit..."
"There's no need to feel embarrassed," Shen Shuanglian replied evenly, shaking her head as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "Your injuries haven't healed yet, and you can't care for yourself. It's only right for me to look after you."
Seeing her sincerity, Chen Yin suddenly felt a wave of curiosity.
Senior Sister's accommodating behavior was so unusual that he found himself wanting to test her limits.
He coughed lightly. "Well... if that's the case, then I might trouble you, Senior Sister. My throat feels a bit dry..."
"I'll get water right away."
Without a word of protest, Shen Shuanglian turned and left the cave. Before long, she returned, carefully carrying water in a large loquat leaf.
"Drink this first. If it's not enough, I'll get more," she said, watching Chen Yin attentively.
After gulping down the water, Chen Yin sighed lightly. "Ah, I haven't eaten anything all day. I wonder if there's anything edible nearby..."
Once again, without a word, Shen Shuanglian left. This time, she was gone a bit longer, but she returned within a quarter of an hour, holding a wild rabbit.
"Wait a moment. I'll roast it for you."
Chen Yin watched as Shen Shuanglian busied herself clumsily setting up a fire and struggling with the rabbit. She managed to skin it with great difficulty but then froze, seemingly unsure of the next step.
Moments later, her face was smeared with rabbit blood as she turned to Chen Yin, looking pitiful.
"S-sorry... I don't know how to do this..."
Chen Yin suppressed his laughter and said gently, "It's alright. Let me handle it."
"Wait! But... but you're still too weak to move—"
"It's fine. I'm not completely incapacitated. Roasting a rabbit is no problem."
Chen Yin got up and, with practiced ease, cleaned the rabbit and skewered the choicest pieces of meat before roasting them over the fire.
As he cooked, he left the cave briefly, returning a short while later with a small pouch of berries. He crushed the berries into powder and sprinkled it over the meat in Shen Shuanglian's presence.
"What is this?" she asked.
"A kind of seasoning. When crushed, it can be used directly to enhance flavor. It's very tasty," Chen Yin explained.
Shen Shuanglian quietly watched from the side, softly praising,
"Do you... often do this kind of thing?"
"Occasionally. My master back home would often secretly take my savings. When I couldn't afford to eat, I had no choice but to hunt some game in the mountains," Chen Yin replied.
Before long, the rabbit meat turned a golden brown, glistening with oil that sizzled as it dripped into the flames.
A rich aroma filled the air. Shen Shuanglian stared at the roasting meat for a moment, her cheeks suddenly flushing.
Because the cave was quiet, Chen Yin also clearly heard a crisp rumbling sound.
Shen Shuanglian: "..."
Chen Yin: "..."
"It's ready now. Go ahead and eat," Chen Yin said.
Shen Shuanglian nodded, picking up a roasted rabbit leg delicately and taking a small bite.
The next moment, she wrinkled her little nose and stuck out her tongue in quick breaths.
"It's hot..." she said pitifully, looking at Chen Yin with watery eyes.
Chen Yin couldn't hold back his laughter.
Was this really the same cold and aloof Frost Moon Sword Immortal, who usually kept everyone at a distance?
"Just wait for it to cool before eating. Why the rush?"
Shen Shuanglian pursed her lips and nodded, gently puffing on the rabbit meat to cool it.
The flickering firelight reflected on her delicate features, the flames dancing in her bright eyes.
Chen Yin propped his head on his hand, watching her silently.
After a few bites, a surprised and blissful expression appeared on Shen Shuanglian's face. But realizing Chen Yin was looking at her, she immediately lowered her head in shyness.
"Why... Why are you looking at me?"
"People always say that the Frost Moon Sword Immortal is elegant, breathtaking, and as beautiful as a goddess."
Chen Yin looked at her with a teasing smile. "I think Senior Sister is not only beautiful but also very cute."
Shen Shuanglian seemed to choke, coughing suddenly as her face turned bright red.
Seeing the usually cold and composed Senior Sister flustered so easily, her face flushed from a single tease, Chen Yin almost felt guilty for teasing her.
Shen Shuanglian quickly realized he was joking and pouted slightly, turning her back to him to quietly nibble on her rabbit leg.
The firelight flickered and dimmed as night fell.
After washing away the rabbit blood by the water, Shen Shuanglian returned to the cave, her clothes and face still glistening with droplets of water.
Chen Yin glanced at the scenery revealed by the damp fabric and gulped slightly, forcing himself to look away.
"Are you... tired? If so, you should get some rest."
"Senior Sister, are you not tired?"
"I just woke up this afternoon, and someone needs to keep watch. This is the Tiantu Abyss, after all. You never know what might happen."
Chen Yin was momentarily speechless. Senior Sister really was considerate.
Adding a few more logs to the fire, Shen Shuanglian crouched down again, sitting with her arms wrapped around her knees, leaving a space between them. She didn't dare sit too close, but her gaze occasionally drifted toward him.
Chen Yin also felt the silence between them was a bit awkward, but he couldn't think of anything to say. So he casually asked,
"Senior Sister, are you afraid?"
"Afraid of what?"
"Of dying. This is the Tiantu Abyss. Even experts of the Great Purity Realm dare not enter lightly. Aren't you afraid we might not make it back?"
Shen Shuanglian thought for a moment and shook her head. "It's fine. If we can't go back, then so be it."
That... might not be so bad. Shen Shuanglian silently thought to herself.
In the firelight, her delicate face looked even sweeter and more enchanting. Chen Yin couldn't help but steal a few more glances, before suddenly shivering.
"It's so cold..."
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing, probably just feeling weak and less resistant to the cold."
"Then... then what should we do?"
Chen Yin looked at her with a half-joking smile and said, "Maybe if Senior Sister hugs me, I'd warm up."
Shen Shuanglian's cheeks turned red, and she lowered her head slightly.
Chen Yin thought to himself that there was no way she would agree. But then Shen Shuanglian raised her head and softly said,
"Okay."
Now it was Chen Yin's turn to be stunned.
Blushing fiercely and avoiding his gaze, Shen Shuanglian walked over to him, hesitantly removing her outer robe. Then, sitting down beside him, she reached out and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.
Chen Yin's playful remark of "Senior Sister, I was joking, don't take it seriously" got stuck in his throat.
Shen Shuanglian's figure was truly stunning. Her white inner garment clung tightly to her curves, and the neckline revealed glimpses of her fair skin and enticing collarbone.
She seemed nervous as well, sitting beside him for a long time before slowly extending her arms to hug him.
A faint fragrance and a soft warmth surrounded him, leaving Chen Yin momentarily stunned. His mind went blank, forgetting whatever he had been planning.
After a long while, a barely audible, trembling voice reached his ear:
"Does this... feel better?"
Chen Yin didn't even know how to respond.
Her body pressed close to his, and he suddenly realized Shen Shuanglian's body was also cold.
Even sitting by the fire didn't seem to warm her up much.
So he asked back, "What about you, Senior Sister?"
"If we stay close like this, does it help you feel better?"
Shen Shuanglian paused, biting her lip gently before nodding slowly.
"Mm... it feels nice."
There was... a strange sense of peace.
<+>
Tn: If you want to see more chapter of this story, please join my Patreon, for $5 each month, you can read all of the available chapter.
Patreon Account:
Latest Chapter In Patreon:
Link to the latest chapter: