Chapter 59: An Accidental Kiss

The first ray of morning light pierced through the peach forest, where mist gradually rose, making clusters of pink peach blossoms appear and disappear amidst the vapor, lending the forest a dreamy, fairyland-like mystery and beauty.

Feng Qingcheng stood beneath a peach tree with his hands behind his back, his eyes carrying a warm smile as he watched the just-woken, endearingly innocent and charming young girl.

A gentle breeze swept by, stirring the lapels of his robes. The youth was as white as snow, as flawless as jade, looking as though he had stepped right out of a painting.

Mingyue had slept soundly through the night, and her internal and external injuries had completely healed. Her previously pale and frail appearance had transformed into one of lively, spirited, and captivating charm.

Catching a whiff of medicinal fragrance, Mingyue turned her head and noticed the medicine pot simmering nearby. She asked quizzically, "Elder, is this medicine for me?"

Feng Qingcheng replied, "No, it is for me."

Mingyue walked over, and seeing that the decoction was ready, she poured out a bowl. She carefully blew on it to cool it down and instinctively handed it to him, saying, "Elder, time for your medicine!"

Accepting the bowl, Feng Qingcheng frowned and remarked, "Pity there are no preserved plums."

Mingyue covered her mouth and chuckled. "Even if there are no preserved plums here, Elder, you must still be a good boy and drink your medicine."

Hearing her tone, as if she were speaking to a child, Feng Qingcheng's expression turned rather peculiar. He took the bowl and drained it in a single gulp, feeling an inexplicable and profound warmth flood his heart.

Pointing to the ground beneath the peach tree, Feng Qingcheng said, "I picked some fruits. Have some." On a bed of broad leaves beneath the peach tree lay a generous pile of thoroughly washed fruits. Remembering that she preferred red fruits, he had gathered mostly red ones with only a few yellow ones.

Happily, Mingyue ran to the spring to wash her face and hands, then bounded back just as cheerfully. She picked up a yellow fruit first, handed it to him, and then chose a red one for herself, biting into it with sweet delight.

The fruit seemed even more delicious than yesterday's. Sharing them one by one, they teased each other about their eating habits, turning their fruit breakfast into a lively and joyous affair. As she ate, the young girl gazed at the man sitting opposite her, occasionally flashing him a happy smile.

Her brilliant, luminous eyes reflected the morning sun, as though stars were twinkling within them. Against the backdrop of the peach blossoms, her face and the flowers enhanced one another's beauty. Taking this in, the corners of his lips curved upward involuntarily, and a sweet sensation welled up in his heart.

Following their heart-to-heart talk yesterday, the distance between them had unconsciously closed.

The morning light fell upon their faces and figures, making them look like a pair of peerless lovers who had walked off a canvas. Even the peach grove itself seemed to come alive, intensely brilliant and breathtakingly vibrant.

Having eaten her fill, the young girl stood up, stretched lazily, and asked with a playful and charming smile, "Elder, what shall we do after breakfast?"

"Gather herbs," he answered briefly.

Mingyue asked with a puzzled look, "Could it be the Immortal-Slaying Divine Grass?"

He nodded. "This time, we need to gather one hundred stalks of the Immortal-Slaying Divine Grass. Afterward, I must go to the Medicinal Spring to heal my wounds; you may stay here and harvest them." With that, he began to explain while meticulously demonstrating the technique to Mingyue: "The Immortal-Slaying Divine Grass is a high-grade herb over a millennium old. It has already awakened its consciousness and carries the spiritual energy of an immortal herb itself. A deep crimson color at the tip of the herb indicates a premium-grade specimen aged over a thousand years. Such herbs have extremely stringent harvesting requirements. When gathering them, one must first channel a wisp of immortal qi to shield its spiritual energy, preventing it from escaping or harming people. Then, one must grasp the critical junction of its branches, use a medicinal trowel to swiftly scoop it up along with the soil, taking care not to damage the roots, stems, or leaves. The harvested Immortal-Slaying Divine Grass must be placed into a designated jade basin within ten breaths. Do you understand?"

It was the first time Mingyue had ever heard of a medicinal herb being able to harm people with its spiritual energy. Surprised, she asked, "How can the spiritual energy of a herb hurt someone?"

"Herbs imbued with spiritual energy possess a nascent awareness and will release toxic spiritual power in self-defense when threatened," Feng Qingcheng patiently explained. "Legend has it that this is precisely how spirits gradually cultivate and transform into human form."

"I don't have a jade basin," Mingyue pouted, scratching her head in bewilderment.

Feng Qingcheng produced a jade basin the size of a wine cup and placed it on the ground. With a casual hand gesture, the basin grew rapidly at a visible rate, ultimately expanding to half the height of a person.

"Whoa, Elder, what kind of treasure is this? It must be worth a fortune!" Mingyue stared wide-eyed at the magical object. A treasure of inestimable value was right before her; unable to resist, she reached out and touched it, finding the surface icy cold.

Seeing the way her eyes shone as if she had struck gold, Feng Qingcheng looked at her in speechless amusement.

Mingyue smiled sheepishly, then another question struck her. Perplexed, she asked, "How will we transport the herbs once the basin is full? Surely it can't shrink again, can it?"

Feng Qingcheng nodded. "This jade basin is an item in the immortal cultivation world akin to a storage ring; its size can be controlled by thought. Now, harvest a herb for me to see."

Obeying, Mingyue picked up the medicinal trowel and crouched beside a stalk of the Immortal-Slaying Divine Grass whose tip glowed deep red. Sensing that someone intended to harm it, the herb began to struggle frantically, emitting a shrill squeaking sound. An invisible blast of spiritual power whizzed past Mingyue's hands like an arrow, narrowly missing and almost injuring her.

Frightened into a pale face, Mingyue tumbled backward onto the ground. If she hadn't reacted quickly just then, her hands would likely have been dripping with blood.

She muttered to herself inwardly: Was this really a divine grass? With such a fierce demeanor, it was clearly a divine beast.

"Don't be afraid. Quickly channel your immortal qi to wrap around it." Someone crouched down behind her to help her up, while a pair of warm, strong hands reached around from behind, cupping her hands from left to right to slowly guide her movements.

A wave of comforting warmth radiated from Feng Qingcheng, a presence that instantly put Mingyue at ease.

Mingyue hurriedly summoned a thread of immortal qi, slowly guiding it to gradually envelop the Immortal-Slaying Divine Grass. The struggling stems and leaves of the herb slowly grew still. The person behind her used his left hand to clasp her left hand at the crucial branching point, while his right hand covered her right hand holding the trowel, steering it just beneath the roots of the herb and thrusting it downward with force.

The Immortal-Slaying Divine Grass was scooped up complete with its roots and soil, then swiftly deposited into the jade basin beside them.

"Elder, I did it..." Mingyue turned her head, eager to tell Feng Qingcheng that she had mastered the technique.

Feng Qingcheng was half-crouched, and his face happened to be right beside Mingyue's left ear. As she turned her head around, her lips brushed against his.

Mingyue froze entirely, her mind buzzing with a roar, and she was instantly struck dumb with shock.

The contact between their lips was delicate and soft, with warm breath exhaling between their teeth. It felt as though an electric current had swept across her lips and surged through her entire body, leaving her tingling, numb, and weak all over.

Their eyes locked. Their lips remained pressed together like magnets, both of them paralyzed in a daze, a flash of panic simultaneously crossing their eyes.

Mingyue's mind went blank, her heart pounding frantically. She felt as though all the blood in her body had rushed straight to her head, which hummed relentlessly while stars twinkled before her eyes.

Time seemed to freeze instantly. The brilliant peach blossoms bloomed in clusters, and the air grew thick with a sweet, intoxicating floral fragrance.

Feng Qingcheng's heart hammered violently. Recovering his senses first, he jerked backward by a step, his handsome face turning scarlet in an instant.

Mingyue's cheeks burned crimson as she stared at him blankly, seemingly unable to snap out of her shock just yet.

Flustered, Feng Qingcheng blurted out, "I—I'm heading to the Medicinal Spring." With those words, he turned and hurried away, his face still red, stumbling slightly against the trowel on the ground because of his haste.

Mingyue raised her head and watched in a daze as his flustered figure retreated. Suddenly, she covered her face and crouched down, laughing secretly.

So even someone as powerful as the great God Feng could have moments of shyness?

Recalling that accidental moment of intimacy, she covered her face again and giggled softly, feeling as though flowers were blooming in her heart. She caught the fragrance and sweetness of it all, experiencing a mix of sweetness, joy, and a peculiar sentiment welling up inside her.

So tasting the vulnerability of a handsome man turned out to be quite a pleasant experience after all—especially when it was the Elder, Mingyue thought mischievously.

Then she thought with blushing shyness: "I wonder what he's thinking? Oh well, it was just an accident; I'll just pretend nothing happened. But... how could nothing have happened? It clearly did..."

For the remainder of the herb-gathering task, Mingyue acted as though she had consumed a miraculous panacea infused with divine strength. Filled with boundless energy and immortal qi, she leaped about with immense enthusiasm and bustling productivity.

Meanwhile, Feng Qingcheng stood in the hot spring water, bathing amidst the herbs floating on the surface. His robust and tall physique was partially visible against the dark brown water. Though he had already remained in the pool for half an hour, his pounding heart refused to calm down. An indescribable, unusual sensation lingered throughout his body, as though he had drunk fine wine or consumed something intensely sweet.

Recalling the sweet moment from earlier and the young girl's flustered expression, the corners of his lips curved upward uncontrollably.

Deep within Mount Shushan lay a mystical, mist-shrouded location. Piercing through layers of thick fog revealed a brilliant, sunny daytime below, with a bright blue sky completely devoid of clouds. Looking down from above, nothing could be seen at all.

Yet standing inside the Peach Blossom Spring, one found the place wreathed in mist, with pink peach blossoms blooming enchantingly and exhaling their full splendor across the trees. An exquisitely beautiful young girl, her skin as crystal-clear and translucent as snow, with a slender waist and an alluring figure, flitted about busily beneath the peach trees like a flower sprite.

At this moment, she was crouched beneath a peach tree, head lowered as she carefully harvested herbs. The half-person-high jade vat behind her was already filled to the brim with lush green Immortal-Slaying Divine Grass.

Every now and then, the young girl would raise her spirited, pure, and radiantly pretty face, glancing toward the direction of the Medicinal Spring pool while covering her mouth with a shy giggle. Pink petals drifted down in the breeze, landing upon her slender, graceful form, making her look as lively and charming as a fairy in a realm of immortals.

Inside the Peach Blossom Spring, within the Medicinal Spring pool, a youth of exceptionally handsome appearance sat with his eyes closed, concentrating his mind and channeling his vital energy.

He stood in the very center of the pool, the water resting just slightly below his chest, exposing his broad shoulders and well-defined pectoral muscles, which testified to his rigorous, lifelong cultivation and formidable physical conditioning.

As the youth breathed in and out, the pool water turned dark green. Wisps of medicinal potency were guided from every pore of his body to cleanse his internal system, and then channeled back out through his pores.

A closer observation would reveal that the green medicinal juices emerging from the youth's pores carried an extremely faint trace of black venomous Qi, though the dark Qi was already nearly imperceptible.

As swirling mists drifted and curled, a wave of hot steam rose from the youth's body. Gradually, the steam dissipated, and the youth opened a pair of slender, phoenix-like eyes, his gaze deep and cold.

For more than ten years, this would be his final closed-door session for detoxification. Thinking back on all he had experienced over the years, his deep eyes held a mixture of sorrow and joy, as countless past events surged into his mind.

The joyful singing of a young girl drifted into his ears. He tilted his head to listen, and upon catching the lyrics, could not help but laugh out loud.

The girl's lyrics went: "Two little piggies love to sleep, one little piggie is naughty! Mommy tells it to sleep tight, it says it wants to roll in the mud puddle." The lyrics sounded like a lullaby meant for a small child, cheerful and utterly comical.

The youth could not help recalling the moment of accidental intimacy with the young girl that morning. Remembering her shy, endearingly naive, and sweet expression, along with the tingling, sweet sensation of their contact, he found the memory endlessly lingering. The corners of the youth's lips, resembling pink flower petals, curved into a delighted smile. "Well, this little alchemy apprentice of mine is truly a rare gem."

Busy with her work, the young girl continued to sing her cheerful tune: "Two little piggies love to sleep, one little piggie is naughty! Mommy tells it to sleep tight, it says it wants to roll in the mud puddle."

Having dressed himself, Feng Qingcheng walked gently toward the depths of the peach forest.