Yun Ming couldn't help but cover his face; he knew it!
Yet, he still obediently opened the wardrobe to look for clothes, and a faint, elegant fragrance wafted out.
His gaze calmly swept over various plain-colored intimate garments, picking one or two at random. Considering today's weather, he could wear something lighter.
Junior Martial Uncle isn't afraid of the cold anyway.
He took out a goose-yellow embroidered jacket and skirt, paired with a light white cloak, hesitated for a moment, then padded the chest area a little before handing it to the other person, his movements quite practiced.
The young girl pressed the quilt against her body with her hand, sitting up. Her smooth, fragrant shoulders were exposed to the air, not fearing the cold. She yawned lazily and teased,
"You actually want me, your Junior Martial Uncle, to pad something like this? You're not learning good habits at such a young age~"
"Ah, yes, yes, yes, Junior Martial Uncle, you're right!"
Yun Ming lowered his head, his gaze lingering for a moment on the playful foot peeking out from under the quilt, clean and flawless.
Junior Martial Uncle clearly enjoyed traveling, yet her feet hadn't developed calluses. They were still so fair, rosy, soft, and petite, inviting affection.
Pfft~
Junior Martial Uncle narrowed her eyes, her smile radiant.
Her foot kicked towards Yun Ming. His old face flushed, and he immediately dodged, silently reciting a calming mantra, then turned to stare at the floor.
A sin, a sin, Amitabha… "Pervert, why aren't you daring to look now?"
"It seems your cultivation is still lacking, and your Dao Heart is impure."
The conversation was a bit strange, not at all like what should happen between a Junior Martial Uncle and nephew; it somewhat overstepped the boundaries between genders.
But Yun Ming didn't refute it. Just like with the chest padding earlier, if he didn't pad, Junior Martial Uncle would say he was thoughtless. If he did, she'd say he wasn't learning good habits at such a young age.
If he looked at her feet, Junior Martial Uncle would call him a pervert. If he didn't look, Junior Martial Uncle would say all beauty is but a skeleton, and how could he temper his cultivation without looking!
Anyway, Junior Martial Uncle was always right.
He couldn't win an argument, didn't dare to fight, and moreover, it was very likely he couldn't win even if he tried.
Yun Ming had resigned himself to his fate.
From their very first meeting, when Bai Xian revealed that he was not of this world, he knew he was doomed.
He was going to be 'eaten' for a lifetime.
After all, at that time, Bai Xian had just returned to the mountain from her travels and happened to catch him and Senior Martial Sister bathing together. Her eyes instantly became playful.
The fact that he was a transmigrator absolutely could not be known by Senior Martial Sister, otherwise, he truly wouldn't be able to clear his name even if he jumped into the Yellow River.
Heaven and Earth bore witness, he was always passive! Senior Martial Sister didn't mind, and if he stubbornly refused her, it would make him seem strange... Looking back now, it was truly a sin!
As for Bai Xian's origins, Yun Ming was curious, but his Master never spoke of it.
He was only told to call her Junior Martial Uncle. It was known that Bai Xian's divination skills were unparalleled, and her cultivation was higher than Yun Ming's. She was 1m5 tall.
She was delicate and soft-bodied, easily pushed over. Of course, Yun Ming's physique at the time might not have been much better than hers, only slightly taller at about 1m6.
As for her age, Junior Martial Uncle said it was a secret.
Beautiful maidens are always eighteen, right?
However, it was widely rumored in Chenghui Flat that Master Sui of Sui Bian Temple had been here for decades, and her appearance hadn't changed at all, which everyone found astonishing.
An eighteen-year-old girl for decades, was that even possible?
The result was that everyone believed the cultivation methods of Yun Kui Mountain could grant longevity. Cultivation could naturally extend life, but very few people from Yun Kui Mountain lived to die of old age...
"Junior Martial Nephew Yun is still so shy. Won't you look up? I, your Junior Martial Uncle, am very generous. I won't tell your Qing Xuan Senior Martial Sister, nor will I tell that girl Yin Cha Xian~"
The lazy yet seductive voice sounded again.
Judging by the sound, she was very close, already behind Yun Ming. A slight warmth emanated from the woman, seeping through his clothes.
Bai Xian seemed to take endless delight in teasing the young man before her. After all, life was boring, and for a Void-like person like her, whose emotions had been stripped away.
Joy was the most precious thing.
She once divined that she even had a karmic entanglement with her Junior Martial Nephew—an unruly disciple challenging his Master? This was truly too much fun.
But fate was the most unpredictable thing, and Yun Ming, an outsider to fate, had entered this game, so the future could change at any time.
She wouldn't take it too seriously. If her divination truly came to pass, then at most, later on... she would be on top.
"Junior Martial Uncle, please respect yourself, or I'll report you for sexual harassment!"
Yun Ming was so aggrieved. When had he, a dignified man, ever been provoked like this? He wished he could turn his head, open his eyes wide, and stare.
But Junior Martial Uncle was definitely playing a trick on him.
Bai Xian was completely a 'fun-seeker'—this was the conclusion drawn after countless painful lessons.
Hmph, just a pair of A's, far inferior to the Senior Martial Sisters. Who cared to look?
Yun Ming scoffed, but he was quickly pinched hard from behind his waist and twisted 45 degrees, instantly causing his legs to twitch and him to jump up, crying out in pain.
Bai Xian, who was skilled in divination, also seemed to have some mind-reading abilities, which was simply terrifying.
"I, I, I was wrong, Junior Martial Uncle, I shouldn't have thought you were small in my head."
"Sigh, you... turn around."
At some point, Bai Xian had already dressed.
She still exuded a hint of lazy weariness, but a bright light shone in her eyes. Her almond-shaped eyes carefully scrutinized her Junior Martial Nephew.
"Lower your head. Never mind... sit on my bed."
From the moment Yun Ming entered the courtyard, she had sensed the aura of Qing Ming Sword, but she didn't see Yun Ming carrying a sword. That could only mean one thing.
Yun Ming blinked, immediately scurrying onto Junior Martial Uncle's bed, not caring if it was against the rules. He had slept in Wuji Hall's bed countless times.
When he didn't want to go back to the mountain, he would just stay with Bai Xian.
Junior Martial Uncle was also a night owl, always sleeping only when it was almost dawn. If Yun Ming was there, she would make him tell stories from his previous life, seemingly very curious about other worlds.
But was Blue Star interesting?
Yun Ming pondered that it wasn't as interesting as this world where one could cultivate and there were beast-eared girls. But if he were to truly tell stories... those about men in gender, women in psychology, and women in orientation.
Vegetarians who could only eat meat.
And there were many funny stories about 'Freedom America, gunfights every day, Los Santos welcomes you'.
Furthermore, the entertainment industry in his previous life was far more prosperous than Ailidu, the last city in the apocalypse. Yun Ming remembered all the novels by various big authors in his mind.
Like the young man who wielded a fire poker to dominate the cultivation world, the Nine Dragons pulling a coffin, the Desolate Heavenly Emperor who stood alone through eternity, and Xiao Huohuo who slapped faces all the way to become the Flame Emperor... these all stunned Bai Xian.
She directly stated that the other world was still too strong, but Yun Ming's phrase, "Unfortunately, later on, spiritual energy was cut off, and the immortal realm no longer existed," dispelled her desire to inquire further.
Those stories were too long; one night wasn't enough to tell them.
Yun Ming was still young then, so he directly slept in the same bed as Bai Xian. Anyway, Junior Martial Uncle didn't mind his adult soul.
Why should he be prim and proper?
But later, as he grew older, Yun Ming couldn't take it anymore.
Bai Xian still didn't mind, but sleeping in the same bed again, a young man was full of vigor after all, which was really not conducive to his health.
"Stop thinking wild thoughts! Calm your mind and guard your spirit."
Bai Xian frowned, lightly flicked Yun Ming's forehead, and gave him an annoyed look.
He wasn't serious when he should be.
"Qing Ming Sword has merged into your body? Tell me what happened then. Do you feel any discomfort in your mind?"
"Junior Martial Uncle truly predicts things like a god. I came specifically for this matter today, ahem... If Master asks, please help me explain a bit."
Yun Ming closed his eyes, regulating the flow of spiritual energy in his meridians, suppressing the many distracting thoughts in his heart.
He began to explain the events of last night.
"..."
"I tried dripping blood on the sword, after all, that's how it's written in novels, right?"
"I didn't expect it to suddenly tremble all over and then directly stab me..."
"After a period of pain, it seemed to turn into a liquid, merging into my body, which was quite comfortable..."
"Ahem, so Junior Martial Uncle, what kind of situation is this for me?"
Bai Xian was a bit speechless.
She had specifically warned Yun Ming not to mess with this sword.
Xuan Mingzi also often carried the sword with him, but despite all precautions, this destined calamity could not be avoided.
"Qing Ming Sword has chosen its master."
"Good news!?"
Yun Ming opened his eyes, a hint of joy in them.
As a transmigrator, having Qing Ming Sword choose him as its master—was that even possible? So-called Sons of Destiny, so-called protagonists, were nothing more than this.
Bai Xian smiled ambiguously, seeing through the young man's thoughts at a glance, and asked faintly,
"Everyone in the sect says Qing Ming is a demonic sword. Aren't you afraid?"
"Junior Martial Uncle, I'm super brave."
The woman's smile deepened. She also saw that Yun Ming was indeed very brave; after all, he was the little guy who dared to bathe with his Senior Martial Sister, sleep in the same bed with her, and hug her while sleeping.
Full of courage~
She changed the subject, stating directly,
"Qing Ming Sword is a medium for manipulating Aether. The sword master can use it to enhance their control over Aether. But Aether will erode one's mind..."
"The more powerful the spell, the more volatile the Aether mobilized, and the stronger the erosion of the mind. All previous sect masters lost their five senses and memories because of this, and finally their lives."
"But they merely borrowed Qing Ming Sword. From its birth until now, Qing Ming Sword has only had one master, the first sect master."
As for the reason, it naturally needed no further explanation.
The previous sect masters lacked talent, or in this world, their Aether compatibility was not strong enough, relatively requiring an absolutely strong will to compensate.
But Yun Ming was an exception. Looking back five hundred years from now, he could also be considered a genius.
Yun Ming looked expectantly at the Junior Martial Uncle, who appeared to be a young girl but had actually lived for an unknown amount of time, secretly swallowed, and waited for her next words.
He wasn't afraid of Junior Martial Uncle getting angry, only afraid of her smiling.
When Bai Xian smiled, life and death were unpredictable.
"Junior Martial Uncle, don't smile, it's scary. So what exactly is my situation?"
Bai Xian didn't keep him in suspense, stating frankly,
"Logically, Aether cannot merge with the human body; at most, it can combine with some special external objects. This situation of yours is the first I've seen."
"The benefit is, of course, that you can control Qing Ming Sword more freely, with less cost, and sword flight is not a dream. As for the downside..."
"Qing Ming has accumulated too many distracting thoughts over hundreds of years. Currently, you are suppressing it with the spiritual energy in your body, without external influence. If you enter the Void and it suddenly erupts, you could instantly become a fool, and people will die."
Bai Xian's smile vanished as she stated the cold facts. Every time Qing Ming Sword annihilated an Aetheric Undead, it would more or less seize some memories from their former lives, and all previous sect masters of Yun Kui Mountain also sacrificed themselves to this sword.
If it entered a cultivator's sea of consciousness, it would inevitably disturb their spirit.
This was still when the sword and person were not united. Given Yun Ming's situation, in a hospital, it would at least be considered a terminal illness.
"There, there must be a way to save me, right, good Junior Martial Uncle?"
Yun Ming was now regretting his impulsive act of dripping blood to recognize the master. He hadn't even waited for the great disaster ten years later, and he was going to die before achieving success?
"There is a way, of course, but is there anything in this world that comes without effort?"
Bai Xian once again extended her foot to Yun Ming's hand. Yun Ming was very sensible, diligently massaging and unblocking various meridians.
He secretly exerted force, making Bai Xian let out a slight whimper of pain, but pain didn't mean discomfort.
Bai Xian enjoyed it immensely, eating snacks from her bedside while contemplating a solution.
Before long, as Yun Ming was carefully playing with her foot, Bai Xian suddenly said,
"Is Junior Martial Uncle's foot nice to massage? I heard you men all like this."
Cough cough... Yun Ming's just-calm heart instantly rippled again. Being with Bai Xian was not good for his heart.
He looked up, about to complain.
But he saw Bai Xian had stopped eating her snack, looking as if she were facing a great enemy, staring intently at the spiritual platform on his forehead, her hand forming a spell.
"Are you ready?"
Yun Ming blinked. Was it starting already?
"Come on."
"It might hurt a bit, don't resist."
Bai Xian bit the center of her right index finger. A drop of blood, perfectly round, flowed like a spirit, forming a thin stream that smeared onto Yun Ming's brow.
Yun Ming only felt his mind go blank, then a sudden sharp pain, as if something had burst out.
A flash of green light, and then, a long sword emanating a mysterious aura appeared.
The blade was slender, the hilt like an earlobe.
Its overall color was dark black, carved with ancient and intricate patterns, like gold but not gold.
"It, it came out."
"Don't move."
Bai Xian's blood glowed with a shattered golden light, connecting to the sword body like silk threads, flowing in the air.
Throughout Wuji Hall, a faint light began to rise from the ground. It was Aether gradually solidifying. Xu Zhimo, who had just walked out of the hall, suddenly froze.
He wanted to rush into the room but stopped abruptly.
Junior Martial Uncle would not harm Junior Brother.
But he still paced back and forth outside the door like an ant on a hot pan, while also reassuring the other Junior Brothers who came to check on the situation.
Inside the room, the Aether emanating from Qing Ming Sword twisted like a woman's long hair. The vast distracting thoughts were gradually stripped away, divided into two parts.
Approximately nine-tenths merged into Bai Xian's body, and one-tenth merged into Yun Ming's body.
After a long while, the light dissipated.
The long sword floating in the air clanged down. Yun Ming ignored it, instead supporting the pale Junior Martial Uncle, no longer in a playful mood. His tightly pressed lips parted with difficulty.
"Is this Junior Martial Uncle's method?"
"I originally wanted to strip Qing Ming Sword out of your body, but I didn't expect to still be willing but unable."
"Don't worry, ordinarily I, your Junior Martial Uncle, won't wander aimlessly into the Void. Preaching and defending the land, that's for you young people."
She laughed softly, just lying in Yun Ming's arms.
She didn't forget to grab another snack to eat and replenish her body. The blood she just lost was at least 200ml; it was a huge loss.
"Mm, then Junior Martial Uncle should honestly stay in the temple."
"What do you mean?"
"Traveling, let's put that on hold for now."
"Little Yun Ming is even managing me, your Junior Martial Uncle, now?"
"Don't worry, I'll often bring you delicious food from various places and tell you stories."
Bai Xian softly raised her hand and flicked his forehead.
But Yun Ming just smiled, lowering his eyes without a word, not dodging.
He raised his hand, and a sudden gust of wind blew open the door.
"Senior Brother, if you don't come in, Junior Martial Uncle will get impatient."