Chapter Thirty-One: Harmony and Such Beauty

The Hulk-like cultivator A swung his fist, while the Jedi Jiang Lin thrust his lightsaber towards the man’s heart. Just as Jiang Lin was about to trade his life for his foe’s, a silver waterfall of moonlight cascaded from the sky above. If the moonlight Jiang Lin had summoned was as slender as a maiden’s weaving thread, then this torrent was a waterfall plunging thousands of feet—a dazzling river in the night. Even those fleeing the encroaching poison glanced back in awe.

A scream tore through the mountains as cultivator A’s form disintegrated in a single breath, vanishing without a trace.

“Sun and Moon in Harmony?” Jiang Lin, his consciousness fading, forced himself upright with his sword. The Sun and Moon Harmony was the peerless art of Twin Pearl Peak, a technique only its disciples could learn. Yet Twin Pearl Peak was newly founded by Jiang Yun Ni, and Jiang Lin was both its first and only disciple.

“Master...” As his vision blurred, he saw a woman running toward him. Though her features were indistinct, Jiang Lin knew at once who it was. Smiling, he collapsed forward.

“Little Lin... Don’t scare your master... Little Lin... Little Lin...” In the haze of unconsciousness, Jiang Lin heard once more that warm, endearingly foolish call.

"Thank goodness...he’s still breathing!” As the poisonous miasma began to spread, Jiang Yun Ni hoisted Jiang Lin onto her back and sped away toward safety.

When the toxic mist finally halted, Jiang Yun Ni placed Jiang Lin in a small mountain cave. Looking at her only and dearest disciple—one who was more than just a disciple—tears streamed silently down the young woman’s cheeks.

“Silly boy, today is your birthday—was your plan to make yourself a bundle of wounds as a birthday present?”

For days, Jiang Yun Ni had searched for Jiang Lin without success. Only just now, when the technique “Sun and Moon in Harmony” revealed his location, had she rushed over—only to find him gravely wounded.

“Wait... Master once said that the ‘Dual Cultivation of Sun and Moon’ technique can, upon first practice, restore both participants to peak condition!”

Heart pounding, Jiang Yun Ni glanced at the unconscious Jiang Lin, then nervously peeked outside the cave to make sure no one was near. She set up a protective ward at the entrance.

“Little Lin... It’s not that your master covets your body... It’s for your own good, to heal you. You must understand your master’s good intentions.” She wiped the drool from the corner of her mouth and gently stroked Jiang Lin’s cheek.

A moment later, the girl transformed. She was no longer the gathering maiden, nor the Jiang Yun Ni of Twin Pearl Peak, but the final form of the Sun and Moon Sect’s Grandmaster. Her long hair spilled over her shoulders. A delicate face with a pointed chin, exquisite features as if carved from fine jade, and her rosy lips, small and charming, lent an enchanting air to her fair complexion.

She had already been thinking of some excuse to give herself to Little Lin as a birthday present, so he might finally accept her. Now she had the perfect reason! After all, in the stories, when heroes are seriously wounded, it’s always a woman who heals them with her body. Since that’s how it’s written, she had nothing to be embarrassed about.

Giggling nervously, she took out the “Spring Breeze Leaves No Trace” elixir, uncorked the bottle, and let its contents linger in her mouth. She pressed Jiang Lin’s jaw, parted his lips, and poured the liquid in.

Soon, Jiang Lin, lying on the ground, felt as if summer had arrived...

He slowly opened his eyes, but reason had already slipped away...

The weather in the Labyrinthine Secret Realm was always pleasant. A gentle evening breeze, laced with a faint poisonous fragrance, rustled through the woods. Several blades of grass bent under the wind, struggling to resist—yet the warm breeze softly enfolded them.

Nature, harmonious and beautiful...

...

At dawn, the twittering of birds woke Jiang Lin from sleep. Groggily, he opened his eyes and pushed himself upright, his head throbbing painfully.

“Why am I in a cave again? Master... Ah, right... Master... Where is she?” He looked around the empty cavern, tried to stand, and his legs buckled beneath him.

“Huh?!”

Bracing himself against the wall, Jiang Lin felt a dull ache in his lower back... What on earth had happened?

But aside from the pain in his waist, the rest of his wounds had healed, even leaving him feeling refreshed. The “Dual Cultivation of Sun and Moon” technique within him was running smoother than ever. Even the injuries from forcibly breaking through his bottleneck the day before had vanished. Despite his cultivation being suppressed, Jiang Lin sensed he’d reached the Ocean-Gazing Realm!

“Show attribute panel,” Jiang Lin commanded in his mind.

[Attribute panel loading...]

A moment later, the system responded.

[Name: Jiang Lin]

[Realm: Mid-stage Ocean-Gazing Realm]

[Skills: Infinite Sword Formation: I Am the Sword’s Backbone (Beginner), Restore My Beauty Fist (Novice), Dual Cultivation of Sun and Moon (Proficient and Complete), Dragon Gate Swordplay (Nearly Perfect)]

[Infamy Points: 6400]

[Constitution: Always attracts villainous events and protagonists.]

“What the hell is going on?!” Jiang Lin stared, bewildered. After yesterday’s battle, not only had he broken through to the Ocean-Gazing Realm, but the Dual Cultivation of Sun and Moon technique was now complete—how had that happened? He hadn’t experienced some flashback or gained insight during the fight...

And it was Master who saved me, wasn’t it? But where was she now?

Had he imagined it all because he missed her so much? But someone must have carried him to the cave, and left a protective charm as well. Who else would care for him like that but Master?

But with Master’s foolish, adorable nature, would she really have come?

And what was wrong with his kidneys? Why did he feel utterly drained...

Questions swirled in Jiang Lin’s mind, but soon he had no time to ponder further.

[Attention... Attention... The number of cultivators in the secret realm has fallen below one hundred. In one hour, the final zone will begin to close. Please prepare yourselves and proceed to the final battle area!]

Hearing the system’s infuriating Dragon Soul voice, Jiang Lin grumbled internally and sat down to meditate.

First, I need to restore my kidney essence!

...

Outside the plaza of Black Tortoise City, a beam of light shot out from the secret realm. As it faded, a woman stepped out, moving with tiny, tentative steps, her gait rather awkward...

...

...

[Thanks to “Why is choosing an ID so annoying,” “Reader 1160891324436176896,” and “Awakened Corpse” for the 100 Qidian coins each!]