Chapter Fifteen: The Means of Rescue

Rushing into the room, Xiao Ying had already helped Gu Linglong up from where she lay collapsed on the floor, seating herself cross-legged in front of her and placing a hand gently on Gu Linglong’s wrist.

A long moment passed before Xiao Ying opened her eyes, her face clouded with worry.

“What happened?” Li Chengzhu asked.

Xiao Ying’s brows were tightly knit with anxiety as she replied, “Sister is on the verge of losing control and falling into chaos.” She glanced at Li Chengzhu. “What exactly happened just now?”

Li Chengzhu briefly recounted the events. Xiao Ying lowered her head in thought, silent for a while before she spoke, “It must be this! It has to be.”

Li Chengzhu pressed, “What is it?”

A mist of tears gathered in Xiao Ying’s beautiful eyes. “The immortal spirit energy you gave her is clashing with her own. She can’t resolve it, so she’s trying to return it to you. But your body can’t take that much spirit energy!”

The immortal spirit energy within Li Chengzhu usually lay dormant in his spiritual veins, only accessible as his cultivation slowly increased, until he could wield it fully upon ascending as an immortal. But Gu Linglong had forcibly drawn out half of that hidden energy over the past month; to return it all at once was impossible. Not only could Li Chengzhu, at his current level, neither control nor soothe that vast energy—its sheer volume alone threatened to overwhelm him.

Listening to Xiao Ying’s explanation, Li Chengzhu was astonished. “Didn’t Gu Linglong say our spirit energies share the same origin? Shouldn’t it be harmless? Why is there conflict?”

Xiao Ying shook her head, tears brimming. “Sister absorbed it too quickly these days. Although your energies share one source, they belong to different masters. Forcing them to merge is inherently dangerous. This time… I fear the worst for her.” As she spoke, tears welled up in her eyes.

Li Chengzhu was at a loss. “So what do we do? Just watch her die?”

Xiao Ying shot him a tearful, reproachful glance. “I don’t know either. Our cultivation is too low; we can’t help. If only the envoy arrived a few days earlier! With his strength, he would surely have a solution.”

Li Chengzhu scoffed, “Better to rely on oneself than others!”

He thought he ought to hate Gu Linglong, after all she had terrorized him for over a month. Yet seeing her now on the brink of death, his heart was troubled. After all, it was through her that he entered the immortal realm and witnessed this vibrant world. Besides, she was so beautiful—was it not a pity to lose her so soon?

While Li Chengzhu was tangled in his thoughts, Xiao Ying suddenly looked at him in delight. “I’ve thought of a way!”

Li Chengzhu blurted out, “What way?”

“We need to soothe her nascent soul. If we can stabilize it, Sister should recover.” Xiao Ying’s gaze fixed intently on Li Chengzhu.

Li Chengzhu was puzzled. “What are you waiting for? Why are you staring at me?”

“Only you can save her! This method won’t work if I try it.” Xiao Ying’s cheeks flushed as she spoke.

Seeing her bashful expression, Li Chengzhu felt a tickle of excitement. “Why must it be me?”

Her blush deepened. She lowered her head and whispered, “Soul communion between nascent souls! Your spirit energies are of the same origin; only by using your own nascent soul to guide hers can you save her!”

“Soul communion? How does that work?” Li Chengzhu demanded.

Xiao Ying grew more restless. “It means your nascent soul must enter her core and communicate with hers!”

Watching her redden, Li Chengzhu’s heart raced, his face flushed, and his tongue stumbled. “How can my nascent soul enter her body?” Was it through his... Heavens, this was getting complicated.

But Xiao Ying suddenly lifted her head, her blush fading, muttering, “That’s right! With your current cultivation, you can’t project your nascent soul.”

Disappointment washed over Li Chengzhu. “You can’t help me project it?”

Noticing his expression, Xiao Ying teased, “No, disappointed? Hmph!”

Li Chengzhu’s face reddened. “Ahem… Saving her is more important!”

As Gu Linglong’s condition worsened, Xiao Ying grew anxious, nearly in tears, while Li Chengzhu was frustrated—so close to a sweet reward, yet unable to claim it due to lacking strength. His resolve to grow stronger deepened; perhaps there would be others like Gu Linglong needing his sacrifice in the future. As the saying goes, if I do not descend into hell, who will?

“We’ll have to settle for a lesser method. I don’t know if it’ll keep Sister safe,” Xiao Ying said, frowning.

“What method?” Li Chengzhu asked.

Xiao Ying fixed him with a solemn look. “I’ll teach you a cultivation technique, but it can only be used this once. It’s a secret of my sect—you must forget it afterwards and promise never to share it.”

Li Chengzhu snapped, “Enough! If you’re going to make demands every time you want help, maybe I should just let her die and go travel the immortal realm instead.” He made a show of heading for the door.

Xiao Ying panicked and grabbed his arm. “Fine, forget I said anything.”

Li Chengzhu grinned. “That’s more like it. By the way, what technique did you mention?”

Xiao Ying gritted her teeth. “Dual cultivation technique!” Seeing Li Chengzhu’s lecherous grin, she grew annoyed and stomped her foot.

Li Chengzhu bit back a cry, smiled, and stretched out his hand. “Where’s the secret formula?”

Xiao Ying rolled her eyes. “There’s no time to teach you now. I’ll guide you through it with my spiritual power.”

Li Chengzhu’s eyes widened, drooling. “You’re going to dual cultivate with me?”

Xiao Ying’s cheeks blazed. “Go die!”

Li Chengzhu chuckled.

“Help Sister undress! Or do you expect me to do it?” Xiao Ying snarled, seeing him frozen in place.

Li Chengzhu started, then turned to Gu Linglong, his hands trembling as he reached for the ties of her robe.

But before he could touch the hem, Gu Linglong suddenly opened her eyes, glaring at him with bloodshot fury, and struck him in the chest with her palm.