Chapter 19: Keeping Watch and Protecting the Law

Chapter 19: Watching the Wind and Guarding the Dharma

Nightfall, the mountain pool behind the ridge.

The waterfall roared, splashing droplets of water, exceptionally cold and clear.

In the water, a crescent moon was reflected, gently rippling in the ripples.

There was no snow tonight; the sky was clear, the moon bright, the air fresh, and the pines and cypresses carried their fragrance. Say nothing at all—just stand here, and it was already a scene of flowers beneath the moon.

Zhao Changhe and Luo Qi stood by the pool, treading on the accumulated snow, and for a long while, neither spoke. They always felt that opening their mouths would shatter such tranquility.

Before long, they both grew a little uneasy at the same time.

Why enjoy this stillness with him?

It wasn’t as if they were here for a romantic tryst.

Luo Qi, arms crossed, cast a sidelong glance at Zhao Changhe beside her and finally broke the silence: “Wash first, or break through first?”

Zhao Changhe felt that even the word “breakthrough” now carried some double meaning... He said gloomily, “You wash first. I’ll practice a bit in the distance, warm up.”

With that, he fled like he was escaping, running behind a distant tree, and soon vanished from sight under the cover of snow and trees.

Luo Qi curled her lip. “Zhao the Boss,” “Little Tyrant”—he was nothing but an inexperienced youth.

And it was infuriating. Usually, when she came to bathe secretly, she’d strip off her clothes in a flash, jump in, and be done. Now, knowing he was nearby, she found herself with her hand on her belt, unable to move for ages.

It felt like she was undressing right in front of him, even though she knew he was honestly not looking.

So why did you have to stand guard? What a burden.

After agonizing for a long time, Luo Qi finally shouted in frustration: “Don’t hide so far away that I can’t see you—who knows if you’re sneaking a peek somewhere? Find a spot, turn your back, and let me see the back of your head. That’ll put my mind at ease!”

Zhao Changhe: “...”

Well, the back of the head.

Are you asking me to look at you?

He was still hesitating, not knowing what to say, when Luo Qi called out again: “Hurry up! Are you really hiding and peeping?”

Zhao Changhe sighed. “I’ve never heard such a request before.”

If you don’t look, she insists you’re looking—so you might as well reluctantly take a glance.

He slowly emerged from behind a pine tree, crouched behind a clump of snow-covered bushes, and just happened to show the back of his head toward the pool.

Luo Qi felt somewhat reassured and nodded with satisfaction. Finally, she began to undress.

Zhao Changhe crouched there with his hands tucked in, and his eyes behind him clearly saw a jade-white figure gradually appear under the moon and snow—as bright as the moon, as pale as the snow.

Layer after layer of thick chest bindings concealed the crucial parts. Luo Qi watched the back of Zhao Changhe’s head warily as she slowly untied them.

It wasn’t flat after all. Though not large, it truly wasn’t flat.

Zhao Changhe’s hand unconsciously made a gesture, but he gave up—a virgin wouldn’t know what cup size that corresponded to anyway. He guessed it was either A+ or B.

She could pass as a man because she had no chest—but it turned out she did. She bound it so tightly—wasn’t that exhausting?

Then he saw Luo Qi rub her throat, and the somewhat prominent Adam’s apple receded a lot. She rubbed her face, and the angular features that had still looked somewhat masculine disappeared. A classic oval face, cherry lips, phoenix eyes, and willow brows—if she walked out looking like this, no one would ever believe she was a man again.

So she had been able to fool people all along because of disguise techniques. Zhao Changhe shamefully realized that, faced with such a beautiful sight, his mind was actually thinking about whether he could learn some disguise techniques to make it easier to go out in the future...

The moment this thought crossed his mind, he wanted to slap himself. Useless.

But what else could he do if he wasn’t useless? Could he really turn around and pounce on her?

Luo Qi was at the first level of the Mystic Gate—one slap and she’d kill you. And besides, how would they get along after that?

Zhao Changhe sniffled, hands tucked in, and suddenly regretted looking at all.

Forget it. Someone had to be the useless one—why couldn’t it be him?

But... she was so beautiful. Even the disguise couldn’t fully hide her charm, and now, with it removed, in the snow and the pool, the fairy bathing in moonlight—she was truly a beauty that could topple cities.

Such a beautiful woman, hiding in disguise in a mere Luo Family Village, as the senior outer disciple?

How strange...

Zhao Changhe’s mind wandered so deeply that he even stopped looking at the beautiful scene over there... There wasn’t much to see anyway—could look but couldn’t touch, only whetted the appetite. What use was it?

Might as well practice.

So he really did squat there in a horse stance and started his training, completely giving up.

...

“Not bad.” Luo Qi had finished her bath comfortably, reapplied her disguise, and appeared beside Zhao Changhe with a smile, patting his shoulder. “I thought you might have gone wild with lust...”

Not pretending anymore, huh?

Zhao Changhe was speechless. “If I were going to go wild with lust, I could have done it back in the room. Why come here to freeze?”

“Ha...” Luo Qi raised an eyebrow. “You really think you could have run wild in the stronghold?”

Zhao Changhe then remembered that this woman was actually stronger than him... He turned to look at her, now with her disguise covering her beauty, and felt a pang of regret. The moment she had removed the disguise—like clouds parting to reveal the moon—was truly unforgettable in his heart.

He couldn’t help but grow bold and start courting death, deliberately putting his arm around her shoulder again: “Going wild with lust doesn’t necessarily mean I have to beat you. I say, Senior Brother, how about one day you dress up as a woman and let your little brother have some fun?”

“Get lost, you bastard. Why don’t you dress up and let me have some fun?” Luo Qi kicked him several feet away, dusted off her shoulder with disdain, and said, “Do your own business. Stop talking nonsense. How’s the warm-up?”

He had warmed up too much—almost ready to explode.

Luo Qi crossed her arms and studied Zhao Changhe. “I know that when your Blood Fiend Art reaches deep, your blood surges and you get irritable. But is the first layer really that serious that it drives you mad?”

Zhao Changhe said, “I don’t know. The instructor didn’t explain it thoroughly. He just said it was dangerous. I can only guess it’s something like that. That’s why I specifically came here. Originally, I wanted you to guard me—if things looked bad, splash cold water on my face, and if that didn’t work, kick me into the pool.”

Luo Qi sneered. “Sounds a lot like the effect of some kind of aphrodisiac.”

“Are you never going to let this go?” Zhao Changhe knew exactly what she was thinking, so he deliberately said, “Are you jealous that I can break through in just a month?”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” Instead, Luo Qi put her arm around Zhao Changhe’s shoulder, acting like good buddies, and said with a grin, “I’m so envious of this marvelous technique that requires someone to kick you into a pool just to break through the first layer. I’m even more amazed by this terrifying baleful energy that can be dispelled by splashing cold water. Scared me to death. Go on, go on—let me broaden my horizons.”

Unexpectedly, Zhao Changhe, who had long been used to such arm-around-the-shoulder gestures and felt nothing, actually dodged this time, avoiding her arm.

Luo Qi stared in astonishment.

Zhao Changhe gave an apologetic smile. “Suddenly I feel I don’t need your protection. You should go back and rest.”

Luo Qi’s temper was piqued. “You stood guard for me; it’s only right that I protect you. Are you a man or not? Stop being so fussy!”

Zhao Changhe: “...”

He had come to the pool to break through, and he had indeed planned to ask Luo Qi to guard him—it wasn’t purely to stand watch. Seeing her naked had not been part of the plan.

But now, in this state, he doubted whether he could calm his mind enough to break through... Then again, cultivating the Blood Fiend Art didn’t require too much calmness, unlike internal cultivation.

In a sense, this state of surging blood might even be more favorable?

Thinking of this, Zhao Changhe felt both amused and exasperated. He shook his head and began to squat in a horse stance, circulating his energy.

Matters between men and women were ultimately not the main thing. They were just a diversion and shouldn’t occupy too much of his mind... Instructor Sun’s meaningful expression from earlier in the day suddenly flashed through his mind. Zhao Changhe had a vague premonition of trouble, feeling that this breakthrough would not be too easy.