Lu Xingzhou genuinely hadn’t expected the little human-machine to evolve to the point of understanding subtle implications.

Was it still a human-machine then?

Although Dugu Qingli hadn’t been as “human-machine-like” these past few days…

She was never truly a human-machine; it was just that in previous years, she had little social interaction and didn’t quite grasp the intricacies of human communication, only understanding people’s words or emotions superficially, which made her seem like one. Now that she had been out in the world for a while and had more interactions with people, it was natural for her to evolve.

But in Lu Xingzhou’s deeply ingrained stereotype, the little white-haired girl didn’t seem like someone who played with subtext; she always meant what she said.

So, he also spoke directly: “A long time ago, I only relied on the Yinyang Jiyi Gong, using methods to harmonize yin and yang, which were only effective for certain conditions and didn’t truly have a healing effect. But now that I’ve integrated the Da Huanxi Jile Jing, I genuinely have the effect of dual cultivation healing, and the results are excellent.”

Dugu Qingli’s eyes widened.

So, what you said I couldn’t use referred to dual cultivation?

Not kissing?

The little white-haired girl was so startled she raised her palm to slap his face.

Unfortunately, her slap was weak and easily caught by Lu Xingzhou, who said helplessly, “That’s why I said you couldn’t use it. Why are you hitting me?”

Dugu Qingli struggled, “I thought you just wanted to kiss, I didn’t realize you were so lewd!”

This time, it was Lu Xingzhou’s turn to widen his eyes.

So, you considered kissing?

Lu Xingzhou carefully tried, “Then how about we try the method of transferring qi through a kiss? It also has some effect.”

For the first time in her life, Dugu Qingli expressed such strong feelings contrary to her words: “Impossible, don’t even think about it!”

At that moment, the girl’s heart overwhelmed everything; the “human-machine,” the “swordswoman,” the “ice heart,” all flew to the clouds.

Just a moment ago, she was waiting for him to suggest it, but now she was too ashamed and indignant to even consider it.

Lu Xingzhou truly didn’t understand her psychology and continued to persuade gently, “Whether it’s an accident or not, it’s not like it hasn’t happened before. Doing it again is nothing, it’s just for healing.”

Dugu Qingli retorted angrily, “You’re not doing it for healing; you’re just taking advantage.”

Lu Xingzhou said, “If I really wanted to take advantage, I would have pretended not to find the mechanism in the secret chamber and gone for it.”

Dugu Qingli paused, speechless.

With the previous evidence laid out, it seemed he truly wasn’t trying to take advantage. Otherwise, at that life-and-death moment when they were about to be crushed by the wall if they didn’t kiss, he could have easily taken advantage, and she wouldn’t have any reason to refute him.

Now, it seemed she wanted to speed up her healing, and he was just making a proposal.

The little white-haired girl huffed and pulled back her hand. “Anyway, don’t even think about it.”

She then turned over, lying on her side with her back to him, her thoughts a tangled mess.

The memory of their previous French kiss stubbornly lingered in her mind, becoming clearer and clearer, even the taste from that time.

The little white-haired girl pursed her lips.

As she turned to lie on her side, she could see traces of flattened grass not far away, and some bloodstains scattered in places.

What were these flattened marks? Had Lu Xingzhou and someone else been rolling around here?

It was infuriating. He said he liked me.

“Lu Xingzhou,” the girl suddenly spoke softly.

“Huh? What is it?”

“What exactly happened between you and my martial… aunt?”

Lu Xingzhou finally sensed the resentment in the girl’s tone, a strong, overflowing “I was here first” sentiment.

Her current “don’t even think about it” probably stemmed mainly from this; he was now her Shibo, no longer Shen Tang’s lover.

Lu Xingzhou could only say, “Working together, supporting each other, a natural attraction.”

Working together, supporting each other.

Isn’t that what they were doing now?

Dugu Qingli understood what had stirred in her heart when he had desperately shielded her.

Lu Xingzhou continued, “She… was bound by her identity, unable to let go of the shackles in her heart. Only when she defined herself as Ye Zhuoyu could she remove that veil and fall into that overwhelming feeling. So, strictly speaking, it was truly Ye Zhuoyu who became close to me.”

Dugu Qingli had always struggled to understand this peculiar mindset, and now she didn’t want to. Deep down, she increasingly just wanted to define that person as Ye Zhuoyu.

If that were a martial aunt she wasn’t close to, like Yuan Muyu, how wonderful that would be.

Then he could like me.

She didn’t reply, and Lu Xingzhou also remained silent for a moment. Both quietly regulated their breathing, digesting the medicinal effects to heal their injuries.

“Thump,” a faint tremor came from under the water.

Both of them opened their eyes simultaneously, immediately grasping what was happening.

The pursuers were casting wide-area spells everywhere, and some of the spells affected the pit Dugu Qingli had sealed with ice.

The ice she had temporarily congealed in her severely injured state wasn’t very strong; it had already been shattered, and part of the spells’ power had transmitted through the space裂隙 below into the water.

This time, it wasn’t a matter of people escaping a few days later… In their current state, if someone broke in, it would truly be a dead end, and both of them would die here.

Dugu Qingli turned, her blue eyes fixed on Lu Xingzhou.

Lu Xingzhou looked at her too, asking cautiously, “Try it?”

Dugu Qingli didn’t answer.

Lu Xingzhou leaned in a bit more, getting closer, still cautiously saying, “She’s Ye Zhuoyu.”

Dugu Qingli suddenly felt a little like smiling. He was still carefully trying to trick her into a kiss… Such a clever person, yet he couldn’t see that the one who had always wanted the kiss was herself.

Who was tricking whom?

What grand strategist Marquis Lu? He was an idiot.

Her face remained expressionless, calmly watching him approach.

Calmness instead of avoidance, she seemed to have agreed. Lu Xingzhou felt a long-lost thumping in his heart and quickly leaned in.

As their lips met, Dugu Qingli’s blue eyes remained open, unmoving; she truly didn’t refuse.

Lu Xingzhou felt a little excited. After more than a year, he finally kissed the little white-haired girl’s lips again.

He truly liked white hair and blue eyes; it was love at first sight, pure lust.

Unfortunately, they had too little time together afterward, and the little white-haired girl had a reserved personality, making emotional progress difficult. Later, he got together with Ye Tinglan, and with the mentor-disciple relationship, the little white-haired girl’s possibilities were basically cut off, and he couldn’t even dwell on the thought.

Did he not want to in the secret chamber? It truly wasn’t appropriate.

Unexpectedly, with the pursuers closing in, he finally tasted that familiar sweetness again, cold and sweet like a milkshake.

The tremors from the water grew stronger, and the situation became more urgent. Lu Xingzhou tried to “force the gate.”

Dugu Qingli calmly opened her mouth, letting him extend his tongue, and also letting his arms embrace her tightly.

He missed it, and how could she not?

Her blue eyes trembled slightly, then slowly closed, purely experiencing it.

It was still capable of sending electric shocks and dizziness, inexplicable. It was still the familiar circulation of yin and yang qi, but with a few more special effects than before. The yin and yang qi entered her meridians and dantian, nourishing them back and forth. Her meridians and qi and blood, twisted like braids from injury, were like dry land receiving timely rain. Even the efficacy of the pills she had swallowed earlier was further activated, and her recovery began to accelerate.

It was for healing anyway, mm.

It wasn’t like they hadn’t kissed before, and that person was Ye Zhuoyu anyway.

The little white-haired girl cast away all thoughts, feeling muddled.

Lu Xingzhou was astonished to find that her hands actually responded, embracing him back.

Lu Xingzhou: “?”

What was with this reaction? Could it be that I was the one tricked into kissing?

Regardless of who tricked whom, this experience was like ascending to a celestial realm. Lu Xingzhou greedily savored the girl’s sweetness, gently caressing her white hair in his hands, completely enthralled, almost forgetting about the pursuers outside.

The tremors disappeared, and the ripples in the water gradually calmed.

Lost in their passion, neither of them noticed.

The pursuers hadn’t even discovered them here. After a long time of indiscriminate bombardment with no results, they had retreated…

After an unknown period, Dugu Qingli vaguely felt something was off and opened her eyes.

Lu Xingzhou also pulled back slightly, looking at her with a slight gasp.

Dugu Qingli: “…No one.”

Lu Xingzhou: “…They seem to have left.”

So, what were we just doing?

Dugu Qingli’s face was expressionless, her richly moisturized red lips parting slightly, “Beast.”

Regardless of anything else, Lu Xingzhou kissed her again.

This time, Dugu Qingli began to resist a little, but only a little.

She struggled weakly for a short while, then finally closed her eyes again.

Shen Tang’s three questions from back then could now be answered.

He was handsome, and this was something all humans did, not disgusting.

Not only was it not disgusting, but it felt very comfortable…

Unfortunately, her heart remained unsettled. No matter how much she tried to convince herself it was Ye Zhuoyu, in reality, everyone knew who it was.

Dugu Qingli’s breathing quickened, and her hands finally exerted force, pushing him away. “Enough.”

Lu Xingzhou pursed his lips.

Dugu Qingli breathed slightly for a moment, then turned her head. “A temporary measure in an urgent situation, not to be repeated.”

Lu Xingzhou said, “Although the pursuers are gone, don’t you want to recover from your injuries quickly?”

“A few minutes faster or slower makes no difference now; no one can find us anyway.” Dugu Qingli turned on her side again, her large eyes staring at the flattened grass nearby. “Let’s rest.”

Lu Xingzhou hesitated, then reached out and embraced her waist from behind, pressing his body against her back.

Dugu Qingli trembled slightly. “What are you doing?”

“I need to be like this to rest peacefully.”

“Do you think I’m easily fooled?”

“Really, with you by my side, my heart isn’t calm. Only by holding you like this do I feel at ease.”

Liar.

Clearly, holding me like this will make my heart even more restless, and I don’t believe you’re not.

But for some reason, Dugu Qingli didn’t argue or break free. Like a “human-machine” who had been persuaded, she quietly closed her eyes.

Lu Xingzhou let out a long sigh.

The water that had previously soaked them had long since dissipated. The little white-haired girl in his arms now felt cool and refreshing, like a cool jade pillow, very comfortable.

Not far away, the Xuan Snake’s blood previously spilled on the grass still exuded an aphrodisiac scent, indicating that everything that had just happened had some reason… But that aphrodisiac scent was ultimately very faint, so faint that at this moment it became a calming aroma, pleasant and comforting.

It was never the Xuan Snake’s blood that stirred the heart.

It was themselves.

Whether it was Ye Tinglan back then, or Dugu Qingli now. The master and disciple, in the same place, nestled in the arms of the same man, both told themselves that it was Ye Zhuoyu.