Su Luowei was taken aback by the question, momentarily unsure which type of Daoist couple Meng Shuying was referring to.
In this world, there are two ways to form a Daoist couple.
The first is ceremonial: two cultivators decide to be together, notify their respective sects and families, and have the sect conduct a binding ceremony. If one day they regret it, they can dissolve the relationship. This method is the most popular in the cultivation world.
The second is through a spiritual bond: combining their spiritual seas and merging yin and yang, they draw up a Daoist couple contract with their spiritual energy. Once the contract is formed, they can never be separated. In life, they share the same bed; in death, they share the same grave. If either party regrets it and wishes to break the contract, they will suffer a severe backlash from the contract itself.
The life of a cultivator is long, spanning centuries. Spending eternity with one person is a daunting prospect.
Love often starts passionately but easily fades into routine, eroding over time.
How many can truly guarantee a lifelong, unwavering love for just one person?
Meng Shuying held Su Luowei's hand, gently rubbing it. She then hooked her pinky around Su Luowei's, swinging it playfully like a child.
Su Luowei's thoughts were pulled back to the present as she suddenly understood Meng Shuying's intentions. She lowered her head, avoiding her affectionate gaze, and said, "We're both still at the Golden Core stage. It's too early to talk about such things."
Meng Shuying's gaze shifted from her face to their intertwined pinkies. "I'll soon reach the Nascent Soul stage, and…"
She pressed her lips together, a faint blush rising on her cheeks. "I know a few dual cultivation techniques... If Senior Sister is willing, I can help you cultivate."
It was clear she had been thinking about this, as she rested her chin on Su Luowei's shoulder, discussing the matter in detail.
"The higher my cultivation, the more I can help you during dual cultivation. Perhaps we should wait until I reach the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul? It shouldn't take too long."
Su Luowei wasn't well-versed in dual cultivation, but she knew that only Daoist couples could increase each other's cultivation through dual cultivation.
But as far as she knew, two women couldn't form a Daoist couple.
This was also why she didn't dare let her parents know about her relationship with Meng Shuying.
"We're both women. How can we dual cultivate?"
Meng Shuying was momentarily stunned but quickly smiled. "Senior Sister doesn't need to worry about that. From what I've heard, the Joyful Sect has techniques that allow women to form a Daoist couple."
She had already looked into it and was only waiting for Su Luowei to agree to become her Daoist partner before seeking out the Joyful Sect's technique.
Su Luowei had never considered such long-term plans and hadn't expected Meng Shuying to have already made arrangements and thought everything through.
"Don't worry about Uncle Su and Aunt Zhan. I'll convince them when the time comes. They love you so much; they'll be moved by my sincerity and will trust you to me."
Listening to Meng Shuying speak with such confidence, Su Luowei's face grew hot. She quickly pinched her waist and feigned anger, "Why are you telling me all this? I haven't agreed to anything."
Meng Shuying replied, "These are my true feelings. I want you to know my intentions."
She brushed Su Luowei's loose hair behind her ear, her voice soft and gentle.
"I don't want you to think I'm someone who takes things lightly."
Her thoughts were simple. Even if Su Luowei didn't immediately reciprocate her feelings, it was clear that she had some affection for her.
That made it even more important to plan ahead and secure her place by Su Luowei's side, preventing anyone else from getting any ideas.
Declaring her intentions was the first step.
Not to assert her own dominance, but to establish Su Luowei's place in her life.
Meng Shuying didn't consider herself a purely kind person. She hadn't strayed onto a dark path, and she intended to continue restraining herself—all because of Su Luowei.
Since her senior sister didn't want her to become a villain, she willingly bound her darker desires and handed the reins to Su Luowei.
"I know you never thought of me in that way before, and after being apart for seven years, it's hard to agree to something so suddenly. But that's okay. I can wait. I just hope that whenever it happens, you'll keep me in your heart."
Her finger lightly tapped Su Luowei's chest, the gesture playful, but her expression was sincere. "As long as I'm in your heart, I can wait as long as it takes."
Though she said this, the deep melancholy in Meng Shuying's eyes made Su Luowei feel that her words weren't entirely truthful.
She said she could wait, but every word was actually urging her.
Su Luowei noticed her grievance but didn't know how to respond. She pursed her lips and finally managed a dry, "Alright."
After disembarking, the four of them changed into the clothes of ordinary people and rented a carriage and driver, heading north toward Qingxu Sect.
They didn't reveal their identities as cultivators, so the helpful driver suggested that it might be safer if one of them dressed as a man since traveling with four women could attract unwanted attention.
Among the four, Meng Shuying was the tallest and had experience in such disguises, so she dressed as a scholar, wearing a robe and a cap and carrying a folding fan, perfectly resembling a graceful young gentleman.
Su Luowei changed into a skirt and styled her hair like a married woman, posing as Meng Shuying's wife.
Xie Hanzhu and Wen Miaomiao dressed as servants, pretending to be their maids.
At first, Xie Hanzhu was reluctant, thinking that as cultivators, they could handle any problems they encountered along the way.
But Wen Miaomiao persuaded her, pointing out that the journey back to Qingxu Sect was dangerous. Four women traveling alone would draw suspicion.
Dressing as ordinary people, they could avoid trouble or, if they encountered bandits, take the opportunity to eliminate them.
The journey back to Qingxu Sect was long, taking over half a month by carriage. Moreover, they stopped at every town to rest for two days, so a month had already passed, and they were only halfway there.
The weather was getting hotter, with summer approaching, and there were fewer travelers on the road.
At the start, they had seen many merchant caravans and travelers, but as they neared the border between Dongji Sect and Qingxu Sect's territories, the roads became noticeably deserted. Those who did pass by on horseback were in a hurry.
The driver, who had traveled even farther in his younger days, had been diligent throughout the journey, never complaining. In fact, he thought the young ladies were a bit too delicate, except for the one dressed as a man, who not only didn't complain but occasionally took turns driving.
Though they were cultivators, they hadn't endured such hardships. After four or five days without seeing a single town, spending day and night in the carriage, Xie Hanzhu was the first to protest.
"Eating dry food every day is going to wear out my mouth. No, I need to change my diet today!"
Meng Shuying glanced at her and placed a piece on the chessboard, whispering, "Has Senior Sister Xie forgotten that we are cultivators and don't need to eat?"
She paused, then added, "Besides, weren't those biscuits the ones you insisted were delicious and had to buy?"
"They're tasty, but not every day!" Xie Hanzhu was nearly in tears. Since coming down the mountain, she had developed a craving for food. If she didn't eat something every day, she felt uncomfortable.
But the other three didn't have this problem, and Xiao Hongdou had been kept away by Meng Shuying.
As a result, she had to eat cold, dry food and drink cold water along with the driver every day.
After holding it in for several days, she finally couldn't take it anymore. She lifted the curtain and told the driver, "Let's stop here for the night and find a suitable place to park up ahead."
Seeing no objections from the others, the driver found a clearing to stop.
He had just unloaded the pots and started a fire when Meng Shuying quietly said, "Someone's coming."
Su Luowei: "They've been following us for days. Are they finally making their move?"
Xie Hanzhu stood up, brushing off the leaves from her hands. "Looks like we'll have something fresh to eat tonight."
As soon as she spoke, a group of twenty or so burly men with large knives suddenly burst out of the bushes, shouting as they surrounded them.
Meng Shuying scanned the group and used her spiritual sense to speak to Su Luowei, "They're all ordinary people, no cultivators among them."
The leader, a one-eyed man, had already placed his blade against the driver's neck, grinning as he addressed Meng Shuying, who appeared to be the head of the group. "You've finally decided to stop after all this time on the road."
Meng Shuying's face turned pale, and her voice trembled, making her seem like a scholar without the strength to even truss a chicken. "Who… who are you?"
The one-eyed man's gaze roved over the faces and bodies of the three women behind Meng Shuying, rubbing his chin. "Well, well, I only knew there were three women in your carriage, but I didn't expect them all to be so beautiful. What a waste! If I'd known they were this pretty, I would've snatched you all up on the first day you entered the mountains!"
Seeing their leader in a good mood, the others started jeering as well.
"Yeah! It's been a long time since we've seen such a fine lady! The boss is in for a treat this time!"
"They're all so tender, like flowers. You can tell they haven't been properly cared for."
"And that man looks as delicate as a woman. Just a pretty face, what can he do?"
"Exactly! When it comes to being strong and mighty, nothing beats us!"
The more they spoke, the more outrageous their comments became, with lewd remarks thrown in. Xie Hanzhu's face turned livid with anger, and she was about to teach them a lesson when she felt someone tug at her sleeve.
"The ones following us into the mountains aren't the only ones here." Wen Miaomiao appeared frightened on the outside but remained calm in her spiritual voice. "Don't be impulsive. We need to catch all the bandits in one go."
Half of Su Luowei's body was hidden behind Meng Shuying, her face tear-stained and pitiful. "We're just passing through. Please, sirs, show some mercy. We… we have some money here. Ah Ying, hurry and give it to them."
"Heh heh, we're not just after your money; we want the ladies too." The one-eyed man's eyes gleamed with lust. "Our Tiger's Den is in need of a chief's wife, and this little lady seems just right for the job."
As he spoke, he reached out with his filthy fingers to tug at Su Luowei's clothes.
But the delicate-looking man in front of her grabbed his arm and, with lightning speed, twisted it until it broke, shoving him back several steps. His expression darkened as he coldly said, "Stay away from my wife."
"Ow! Ow! Ow!" The one-eyed man broke out in a cold sweat from the pain, and seeing his men still standing around dumbfounded, he roared in a twisted fury, "What are you standing there for? He's just a little pretty boy with some moves. We have so many brothers here. Are we really afraid of just one man? Get him!"