It’s awkward enough to have to strip Firework, but I have to do it with Tingxue watching by the side? Is she doing this to exact vengeance on Firework?
But the reason she gave makes perfect sense. I do need to tap into the fire’s heat lest the Cold Jade Bed’s cold energy get the better of me.
“Alright.” Zu An was reluctant to do this, but Firework was already in a critical state.
“Firework, I’m doing this to save you. Please pardon me if I offend you in any way,” he murmured in Firework’s ear.
Firework’s mouth moved, but she was too feeble to speak.
Zu An quickly stripped her robe. It was as if the dim chamber suddenly got brighter. Even the Cold Jade Bed looked dull in comparison to Firework’s fair skin.
Zu An quickly pulled himself together and treated her using the Jade Maiden Heart Sutra.
Firework, fearing the cold, instinctively snuggled up to Zu An like a koala hugging a tree.
Zu An had a hand placed above the fire and the other holding her both hands, pressing down on a key acupoint of her ‘Ren Du’ meridians and gently transferring his yang energy over.
Firework's meridians were so damaged that Zu An dared not exert any force. Her delirious condition also made it impossible for her to cooperate with him in the treatment. If he accidentally used too much force when transferring the yang energy, it could shatter her meridians and kill her.
Such precise control was much more tiring than fighting. It didn’t take long for sweat to seep down his forehead.
Tingxue looked at the duo with a bizarre look. Somehow, their posture felt strange to her. Her cheeks began to heat up.
This fire is too hot...
She was starting to regret staying here. She was averse to fire as her cultivation skills all leaned toward the ice element, but she could only quell her discomfort and focus on maintaining the fire.
Under Zu An’s patient treatment, Firework finally regained consciousness. When she realized she was naked in Zu An’s arms, she immediately fell silent.
Feeling her trembling body, Zu An quickly explained, “It was an emergency. Hold yourself together. Don’t let everything go to waste.”
Firework coldly replied, “Do you take me to be some foolish woman who would cause a huge fuss over such trivialities at this critical moment?”
Zu An was surprised by how composed Firework was, but on second thought, she was a powerful entity far surpassing the likes of him. He should never have thought of her as an immature child who had never seen the world.
He did think their current position was a little awkward, however. “Why don’t you turn over now that you’re awake?”
Neither of them was clothed, and they were hugging each other. This was grueling for Zu An. He was sweating not just because he had to be exceptionally careful treating her meridians, but also because it was exhausting having to control his lewd thoughts.
Little did he expect Firework to turn down his request. “I refuse. I’m too injured to sit directly on the Cold Jade Bed and withstand its bone-piercing chill. It’ll only worsen my condition.”
Zu An was speechless. You’re going to continue sitting on my lap? Have you considered my condition? Though there was no way he would say those words aloud. Besides, Firework was indeed in a weakened state.
“Since you’re awake, channel your inner energy based on the Jade Maiden Heart Sutra imparted to us by Tingxue. Cooperate with me in circulating my inner energy around your meridians.”
Given the severity of Firework’s injuries, it would be ideal for both parties to channel the Jade Maiden Heart Sutra together to ensure a precise flow of energy. Zu An had transferred his inner energy earlier to awaken her, so she could actively cooperate with him.
“Alright.” Firework nodded.
She had gained a good grasp of the Jade Maiden Heart Sutra from listening to Tingxue’s explanation. She began cooperating with Zu An in channeling his inner energy around her body to nourish her meridians.
It was tough at first. Firework’s meridians were so severely injured that it was difficult for her to channel her inner energy, but Zu An patiently unblocked her acupoints one by one before slowly expanding her blocked meridians.
Firework, with her deep understanding of energy and laws, was able to cooperate with him impeccably. It didn’t take long for the two of them to get into the flow of things.
Surges of warm energy flowed into Firework’s body and nourished her injured meridians before they were dispelled into the Cold Jade Bed, such that they wouldn’t hurt her brittle meridians.
Firework’s pale face regained some color.
“I've recovered some inner energy now. Put me opposite of you,” Firework suddenly said. They were in extremely close proximity, so much so that she could feel Zu An knocking at her gate, ready to enter at any time. That stirred some feelings in her.
And the greatest taboo while undergoing treatment was to get distracted. That could potentially lead to cultivation deviation.
Zu An’s face reddened. He understood the reason behind her request, so he wouldn’t turn her down. He gently put her down on the other side.
Firework closed her eyes and focused on circulating Zu An’s inner energy to heal her injuries, but her fluttering eyelids hinted that she was nowhere as calm as she appeared.
Zu An felt awkward as well, knowing Tingxue was watching off to the side. That said, he had weathered enough storms to have the mental fortitude to adjust his state of mind and focus on the task at hand.
Tingxue quietly averted her gaze. There was a red tinge to her fair skin. She deeply regretted choosing to stay in the chamber. She felt like a maid tending to the fire while the other two flirted with each other.
She had chosen to stay as vengeance for the shame she felt earlier, but she suddenly felt as if her presence here was extraneous. The thoughts in her mind alarmed her.
What’s going on? I should have lost most of my emotions after embarking on the path of Nebula. It’s rare for me to feel anything or harbor such thoughts. So why do I have so many miscellaneous thoughts in my head?
Is it because this trial world restricts my nebula power?
A bizarre silence settled upon the room. The only sounds that could be heard were the occasional crackling of the flame and the steam puffing from Zu An and Firework’s bodies.
Some time later, Firework suddenly opened her eyes and said, “The Jade Maiden Heart Sutra can be further refined.”
“You noticed it, too?” Zu An had also found the Jade Maiden Heart Sutra extremely familiar, since he had a cultivation skill similar to it.
“How can I not notice when you have?” Firework rolled her eyes at him. “Since this skill requires two people to grasp it, why not make it a dual cultivation martial art? It will come very close to the level of a cultivation skill. Its prowess should surpass the Nine Yin Manual and the Scripture of Tendon Transformation[1].”
She suddenly asked excitedly, “Shall we give it a try?”
Zu An exclaimed, “Ah?”
1. Known as Yijin Jing, it’s a real daoist text containing mental and physical exercises to cultivate one’s ‘essence’. In Jin Yong’s wuxiaverse, it is a Shaolin martial art created by Dharma. ☜