Youthful love is always intense, as if by sheer determination alone, one could achieve anything.
Yet, some things in life aren't that simple. A lifetime is long, and one cannot have everything go as planned.
Yu Qing had once been young like her, so she didn't take Meng Shuying's resolute words too seriously.
Gazing at the sea, she noticed the dark clouds gathering overhead and quietly remarked, "It's going to rain soon."
Then, almost as if in passing, she added, "Your ten years aren't up yet. Are you ending your journey early?"
"Yes, I've reached the peak of the Golden Core stage and will soon face the Heavenly Tribulation. There's no need to remain outside any longer."
"So soon!" Yu Qing was taken aback.
She knew Meng Shuying had great talent in cultivation but hadn't expected that in just a few years away, she would be close to forming her Nascent Soul.
"I encountered some fortunate opportunities during my travels, so my progress was faster."
Having spent many years with Min Lanmeng, Yu Qing had heard whispers about the secrets of the cultivation world and was not as naïve as Su Luowei and the others.
With a grave expression, she stepped closer to Meng Shuying and lowered her voice. "Be honest with me, is your rapid advancement due to... practicing demonic techniques? You do realize that cultivating demonic arts is forbidden!"
In cultivation, spiritual energy from heaven and earth is refined and stored in a cultivator's spiritual sea, used as needed.
The higher a cultivator's level, the more spiritual energy they can store.
Where there is spiritual energy, there is also demonic energy.
Many years ago, before the seal between the human and demon realms was established, it was discovered that demonic cultivation allowed for rapid advancement, especially before reaching the Nascent Soul stage, where there were almost no bottlenecks.
Since then, some have secretly practiced demonic arts to advance their cultivation quickly.
However, demonic arts are forbidden for good reason.
If a cultivator reaches the peak of the Golden Core stage using demonic techniques and isn't transformed into a half-demon by having a demon lord's bloodline bestowed upon them, they would eventually be overwhelmed by the demonic energy within and turn into a mindless killing machine.
If they are fortunate enough to have a demon willing to bestow them with blood, they would become a loyal servant, bound to the demon for life.
There have been numerous tragic incidents in the past where demonic cultivators wreaked havoc upon the world. Thus, three hundred years ago, the cultivation world explicitly forbade the practice of demonic arts.
Meng Shuying's smile faded, and her gaze turned sharp, as if she could see through Yu Qing. "Senior Sister Yu Qing, you can eat carelessly, but you mustn't speak carelessly."
Yu Qing frowned. "If you're not practicing demonic arts, how else could your cultivation progress so quickly?"
Seeing her icy demeanor, Yu Qing sighed, "Never mind. Whether or not you're practicing demonic arts isn't my concern. I just wanted to remind you that Qingxu Sect strictly forbids its disciples from practicing demonic arts. If you return, don't let anyone find out."
Otherwise, not only would she be unable to protect others, but her own life would be in danger.
In the past, any disciples caught practicing demonic arts were personally stripped of their cultivation by the sect leader and imprisoned in the Discipline Hall's back mountain.
For a cultivator, losing one's cultivation is no different from losing one's life.
A clap of thunder sounded as rain poured down in torrents.
The sailors, who had been idling in the cabin, were now scrambling under the captain's orders, donning rain gear as they rushed into the storm to lower the sails and drop anchor.
Cultivators weren't afraid of wind and rain, but that didn't mean they enjoyed getting soaked. Yu Qing took out two umbrellas from her storage bag, handing one to Meng Shuying.
Meng Shuying opened her umbrella and began walking back with her.
They had only taken a few steps when Meng Shuying suddenly closed her umbrella and tossed it back to Yu Qing.
In the fierce wind and rain, Yu Qing was puzzled by her actions and was about to ask when she heard Meng Shuying say, "You go back first."
Yu Qing had just stepped into the cabin when she bumped into Su Luowei, who had come out with an umbrella to look for someone. Su Luowei's slender figure was faintly visible as she stood on the deck. Seeing Yu Qing, she asked from a few steps away, "Have you seen Meng Shuying?"
Even Yu Qing, usually so straightforward, understood Meng Shuying's intentions now. She pointed in the direction she had come from and whispered, "She's over there."
Meng Shuying stood in the rain, quickly becoming drenched, with water slowly trickling down her hair.
She was dressed in black today, and with her clothes soaked, they clung to her body, emphasizing her slender waist.
So slender it seemed it might snap with a single bend.
Facing away from Su Luowei, she pretended to admire the fierce storm, but her heart pounded as she sensed her senior sister approaching, hoping she would hurry.
Since leaving Dongji Island, Su Luowei had changed out of the girlish attire Zhan Xueqing had prepared for her and was once again dressed in her light gray Daoist robe.
Although she held an umbrella, the rain still dampened the hem of her skirt, making it heavy.
Only when the pale blue oil-paper umbrella covered her halfway did Meng Shuying pretend to notice her, turning around with a look of just the right amount of surprise. "Why did you come out in this heavy rain, Senior Sister?"
As she gazed at Su Luowei, Meng Shuying couldn't help but think how beautiful she looked, wishing she would wear more colorful clothes like she had on Dongji Island.
Such a senior sister would make her feel even closer.
Su Luowei adjusted the angle of her umbrella to stand directly between the two of them. Her misty almond-shaped eyes carried a mix of reproach and concern as she looked at Meng Shuying.
The world was silent except for the raindrops hitting the oil-paper umbrella with a pitter-patter.
Rainwater trickled down in streams, pooling on the wooden deck and splashing as it fell.
Su Luowei had been helping Xie Hanzhu solve the Nine Rings puzzle when she heard someone mention that it was raining. Remembering that she had seen Yu Qing and Meng Shuying heading to the deck earlier, she thought they might have been caught in the rain.
Worried, she went out to look for them.
But as soon as she stepped out, she realized how foolish she was being. Even if it was raining, Meng Shuying could easily return to the cabin; there was no need for her to bring an umbrella.
Yet she had still gone out and happened to see Meng Shuying standing alone in the rain.
In such a heavy downpour, the deck was deserted, and she stood there alone, looking particularly lonely.
"I was going to ask you the same thing. Why didn't you come back when it started raining?"
Meng Shuying took the umbrella from her hand, tilting it to cover most of Su Luowei's body, leaving only a small corner for herself.
"It's rare to see a storm at sea, so I got a little carried away."
They walked side by side under the umbrella, their shoulders almost touching. Su Luowei noticed the pitifully small section of the umbrella that covered Meng Shuying and pushed the handle closer to her.
Meng Shuying smiled. "I'm already soaked. Don't worry about me."
If it weren't for the fear of wetting her senior sister's clothes, she would have long since sidled up to her, playing the part of the pitiful, soaking wet girl.
When they returned to the cabin, Su Luowei's skirt was only slightly wet at the hem, while Meng Shuying was drenched from head to toe, water dripping from her entire body.
Droplets rolled from her hair, down her forehead, cheeks, and chin, before finally disappearing into her collar.
Su Luowei told her to change her clothes first and then called a passing sailor to fetch a cup of ginger tea from the kitchen.
The ginger tea was brought up shortly, still steaming hot. Meng Shuying had also changed into dry clothes. Su Luowei handed her the ginger tea. "Drink this while it's hot to warm up."
"It's just a little rain; there's no need to worry, Senior Sister." Meng Shuying said this, but obediently took the cup, blowing gently on the tea.
Su Luowei bent down to wring out a cotton towel in a basin of hot water and handed it to her to wipe her face. Then she picked up a clean towel and moved to dry Meng Shuying's hair.
But Meng Shuying didn't cooperate. She draped the drier towel over her head, then leaned in slightly, tilting her head towards Su Luowei.
"Since you braved the rain to come get me, you might as well go all the way and show some pity for me."
Su Luowei smiled and spread the towel wide, covering Meng Shuying's entire face. But as soon as she did, she realized it might be a bit inauspicious and quickly pulled the towel away, balling it up and tossing it into Meng Shuying's lap.
Meng Shuying, quick on her feet, caught the towel, carefully folded it into thirds, and slowly wiped the water from her face. Though Su Luowei hadn't met her expectations, a smile still spread across her face. "Senior Sister, how could you be so heartless?"
"You saw how heavy the rain was, yet you didn't think to return to the cabin with Yu Qing. Now you want my pity? What kind of logic is that?"
Meng Shuying finished wiping her face and removed the hairpin from her hair, letting the wet strands fall freely. "I'm used to being alone and don't like being with others."
Seeing that Su Luowei's smile hadn't faded, she half-jokingly added, "Besides, since that night, you've been avoiding me for several days. If it weren't for this rain, you wouldn't have come looking for me."
Su Luowei didn't want to respond, but after holding back for a while, she couldn't help but say, "I haven't been avoiding you."
Meng Shuying smiled, her eyes narrowing with amusement. "Yes, you haven't been avoiding me; you've just been feeling shy."
There was no reasoning with her, none at all.
Su Luowei deeply regretted going to look for Meng Shuying. What harm was a little rain? As a Golden Core cultivator, could she really fall ill from getting wet?
She silently grumbled, but Meng Shuying continued her nonsense. "I know you're very shy, so I didn't dare rush you. I only hope that one day, you'll take pity on me and see the feelings I have for you."
Su Luowei had never encountered such directness before, especially not from someone like Meng Shuying.
Faced with this nearly shameless persistence, Su Luowei was at a loss, even starting to reflect on when exactly things had gone wrong—when Meng Shuying had transformed from a frail, pitiable figure into her current self.
As she was thinking this, a hand suddenly reached out from the side to grab her.
Her sleeves were rolled up, and because of the rain, her skin was still damp, and her fingers were cold.
With a slight pull, Su Luowei, as if intoxicated, lost her balance and fell into Meng Shuying's embrace.
Meng Shuying's unique, clean, and cool scent surrounded her, lingering and elusive.
Su Luowei shyly turned her face away, sighing inwardly: If things were like this before anything was confessed, what would happen if they really did?
How could she complete the rest of her tasks?
Not to mention, Xiao Ba had once said that after completing all the tasks, the system would send her home.
If she responded to Meng Shuying's feelings but couldn't stay afterward...
Given Meng Shuying's temperament, who knows what she might do?
With her head turned to the side, she remained silent, while Meng Shuying patiently played with her fingers. After a long while, Meng Shuying suddenly said, "I hope that one day, I can form a Daoist couple with you, Senior Sister."