When the Beautiful, Strong, and Tragic Meets the Unbeatable Protagonist | Chapter 49

Lin Ji naturally had to grab hold of Lu Xiaobai.

From his perspective, Lu Xiaobai was about to jump in without any warning, and as a human instinct, Lin Ji was afraid he might be trying to end it all, even though he quickly realized that was absolutely impossible.

Lin Ji pulled him back, “What are you doing at this hour?”

But when he saw Lu Xiaobai's face, Lin Ji was completely stunned.

He had never seen Lu Xiaobai's cheeks so flushed, like the red clouds at dusk.

Lu Xiaobai was radiating heat; the hand he held was warm, and when Lin Ji raised his hand to touch his face—his face was also hot.

There was sweat on Lu Xiaobai's forehead, and his eyes were hazy. The usually bright and spirited gaze was now tinged with a hint of confusion, the corners of his eyes slightly reddened.

Lin Ji couldn't help but swallow hard; the flesh in his left chest seemed to ignite in an instant.

Taking advantage of Lin Ji's daze, Lu Xiaobai pushed him away and jumped into the pool, swimming towards the inner side, eventually leaning against one side, closing his eyes to rest, his chest rising and falling rhythmically.

For a long time, Lin Ji sat nearby, watching Lu Xiaobai.

As night deepened, he was naturally not dressed much, still in a white robe and undergarments, even his hair was not tied up, casually cascading down. Now, with the moisture from the water, a few strands of dark hair clung to his collarbone.

His neck was long and fair, and although his clothes were loose, they didn’t reveal the skin of his chest, just barely hinting at it, like a pipa half-covered, provoking the imagination.

When Lin Ji spoke again, his voice had turned hoarse, “...It’s late and the dew is heavy; soaking in the water like this isn’t good for your body.”

The water in the pool at night wasn’t too cold; it still had some warmth, just what Lu Xiaobai needed at the moment.

But the heat in his body didn’t seem to ease much from soaking in the water. Lu Xiaobai could only rely on his spiritual power to help cool down, regretting that he might have to soak for the rest of the night.

He kept his eyes closed, unaware of how restrained he looked at that moment. The gradually intensifying sound of his breathing was particularly noticeable in the quiet environment. When he spoke, even his tone had changed, “You still say! Count me as... owing you guys.”

He had fallen for this mother and son pair, trusting Lin Ji’s mother too much, which had led to his current predicament, and now her son was here to watch his show!

In a daze, Lu Xiaobai seemed to hear someone fall into the water.

His heart raced, but his eyes could only slowly open, straining to lift his gaze.

Lin Ji had also jumped into the pool at some point, swimming towards him under the moonlight.

The water in the middle of the pool was slightly deeper, while the edges were shallow. Lu Xiaobai leaned against the edge, and even while soaking, the water only reached his chest.

But as Lin Ji swam closer, his body transitioned from deep to shallow, almost as if he was walking out of the water. The water first covered his chest, and as he gradually emerged, by the time he reached Lu Xiaobai, the water only reached his waist.

Lu Xiaobai was mesmerized, his mind both muddled and clear, as if he thought of something, yet seemed to think of nothing at all.

This scene was simply too stunning; the young man with his long hair tied high was coming for him, the moonlight casting a glow on his face, making him look as beautiful as a deity, dazzling like a captivating ghost.

Lin Ji slowly swam to Lu Xiaobai, reaching out to wrap his arms around his waist, while his other hand rested in Lu Xiaobai's palm, hooking his little finger to transfer spiritual power.

Don’t ask him why he was doing this; he just wanted to... act in ways he wouldn’t normally dare to in front of the person from his dreams.

In the dim light, their breaths intertwined.

Lin Ji’s spiritual power was as strong and domineering as he was, and from it, Lu Xiaobai could sense a hint of restraint... a restraint that didn’t harm others and didn’t lose control.

He finally felt a bit better; Lu Xiaobai regained some clarity, turning his head away to avoid looking at Lin Ji, signaling him to let go, “I can do it myself.”

But Lin Ji tightened his grip, suddenly saying, “Senior Brother.”

Lu Xiaobai shivered all over, but it wasn’t from the cold.

Lin Ji’s lips curled into a slight smile, his long eyelashes trembling, “I have something on me that can help you feel better; you just need to hook your finger. Why not come and get it?”

His voice was low, almost seductive.

Lu Xiaobai paused for a moment, the brilliance of seeing through everything returning to his eyes.

He thought he could take advantage of this, thinking Lu Xiaobai would be timid?

Lu Xiaobai noticed that Lin Ji’s hand was very cold, and the touch felt quite pleasant. He reached out to feel Lin Ji’s face and neck, touching the skin exposed outside his clothing, using the comforting temperature to cool himself down.

While he touched the coldness, he didn’t forget to draw spiritual power from Lin Ji to help himself.

Instead, Lin Ji was stirred by his actions, and the coolness from the water began to rise in temperature.

Lu Xiaobai found it comfortable to be close to him, so he boldly embraced him, the contrasting temperatures of the water and their bodies mingling, which was not a problem at all.

Suddenly, Lin Ji restrained his hand, his gaze dark and unclear, “How long do you plan to do this?”

“If you really soak here all night, your body will inevitably catch a cold. How can you have the energy to deal with important matters in a few days?”

Having hit on an unfavorable point, Lu Xiaobai’s previously confident demeanor slightly faded.

Lin Ji moved even closer, wrapping his arms around Lu Xiaobai’s waist, starting to reason with him, appealing to his emotions, “We both know there’s a better way to solve this quickly.”

He leaned Lu Xiaobai against the edge of the pool, slowly moving closer, whispering against his ear, “Do you want me to help you?”

It felt like a long time had passed before Lu Xiaobai closed his eyes and grasped Lin Ji’s hand.

Lin Ji’s breath hitched as he embraced Lu Xiaobai, burying his head in his shoulder, gently biting and licking.

Then he reached down.

“...”

This kind of thing was just you help me, I help you.

The two had lived two lifetimes, and their actual ages had long surpassed their current bodies. They had experienced a lot, so they wouldn’t be overly shocked by this. Although the path of cultivation usually made one clear-minded and indifferent, it didn’t mean that every man would be free from the reactions that come with growth, and it was inevitable to sort through their feelings.

Helping each other was a first for them.

For men, after all this, how could Lin Ji remain unscathed unless he was abnormal?

So he couldn’t just tease Lu Xiaobai; Lu Xiaobai had also turned the tables and teased him back.

Fortunately, even though it was a pool, the flowing water was fresh.

After the absurdity, there were no traces left.

The heat on Lu Xiaobai finally subsided, and both of them eventually had moments of sudden clarity.

They leaned against opposite sides, adjusting their breathing and calming their minds.

Not knowing how long had passed, Lin Ji said, “...Should I take you back?”

“...” Lu Xiaobai pouted, “I’m fine now; I don’t need anyone to take me.”

He wasn’t in any trouble; he had legs, after all.

“We can just go back separately and get a good night’s sleep.”

After a long while, it was Lin Ji who first climbed out of the water, unsure if Lu Xiaobai’s words contained any hidden meaning, “Do you want me to forget... what happened?”

Lu Xiaobai replied softly, “That’s your heart; it’s up to you. Why ask me?”

Lin Ji: “...”

After Lin Ji left, Lu Xiaobai watched him stumble away, looking quite flustered, and couldn’t help but laugh.

He had never been one to deceive himself; even though no one could have predicted what happened tonight, it had happened... so he accepted it.

Lu Xiaobai thought, even if he and Lin Ji might not walk the same path in the future, he absolutely couldn’t let Lin Ji continue the tragedy of his past life, nor could he let him go down the wrong path again.

Lu Xiaobai got up and returned to the shore.

Cultivators had decent physiques; he quickly used spiritual power to dry his body and hair, drank a bowl of hot soup, and then returned to his bed to warm up, and everything was fine.

The next day, Lu Xiaobai woke up feeling particularly refreshed.

Meng Wanqiu and Cang Wuqi had hardly met a few times and had no real connection, but since they had sent a personally written invitation, he couldn’t just ignore it.

So he planned to call his two disciples and discuss the birthday celebration.

Before receiving his master’s summons, Lin Ji actually didn’t want to go out.

Last night, he and Lu Xiaobai hadn’t acted impulsively; it was more of a back-and-forth conversation that just... happened. After returning, Lin Ji didn’t think too much about it and fell asleep, feeling quite happy and satisfied.

But after a day had passed, and his mind cleared and calmed down, he began to feel embarrassed as he recalled that scene.

He didn’t want to see anyone, especially Lu Xiaobai, but he also knew they would definitely meet, and being awkward wouldn’t help.

So Lin Ji went out to the library, and on the way, he ran into Lu Xiaobai. At that moment, his embarrassment and shame reached their peak.

Lu Xiaobai glanced at him, suppressing a laugh, returning to a calm demeanor, “A Ji, Master has summoned us; it must be about the matter of Yuqiong Island.”

Lin Ji looked at him in disbelief, while Lu Xiaobai maintained his calm gaze, “Let’s hurry; we shouldn’t keep the old man waiting.”

How could he be so nonchalant! Did he think comforting each other was normal?

Lin Ji felt frustrated.

“...”

Meng Wanqiu saw that the three of them had gathered, but Lin Ji was hanging his head with a serious expression, which was a bit strange, so he looked at him again and got straight to the point.

“I called you here to ask if you want to go to Yuqiong Island with me.”

Meng Wanqiu also knew that there were many spiritual beasts on Yuqiong Island, and perhaps they could find pure spiritual blood. No one wanted to be sick.

Lin Ji looked up, “Master plans to attend the banquet? But as far as I know, you have no connection with the owner of Yuqiong Island.”

Meng Wanqiu: “...Well, I plan to go; it’s also a chance to relax. Staying at Peifeng Sect all the time is quite dull.”

Lu Xiaobai rested his chin on his hand, “Why do you want to relax so far away? Can’t you find somewhere closer? I can see through you; you’re just embarrassed.”

Meng Wanqiu was caught off guard and pointed at Lu Xiaobai, his finger trembling for a long time, but he could only sigh and admit, “In the end, I should be responsible for my own body. You’ve already been very considerate; although my disciples are very filial, if I keep relying on you, I really...”

Lu Xiaobai interjected, “Then tell me, the island is damp and cold at night; what if you accidentally trigger the demon poison? You don’t want to trouble your disciples, but you want to trouble outsiders? They’re just trying to celebrate a birthday, and you’re making them worry; isn’t that cruel?”

Meng Wanqiu: “You...”

Lin Ji quickly supported his master, glaring at Lu Xiaobai, “Can you speak to Master more politely?”

After a pause, Lin Ji turned back, “But what Xiaobai said makes sense, Master, you can rest assured. If there’s spiritual blood, we will definitely bring it back. If not, we can still go and broaden our horizons; maybe we can even bring back a spiritual beast we like.”

Lu Xiaobai had the Yan Yu Beast, but he didn’t have one yet, so Lin Ji said this to inform Meng Wanqiu that they might benefit from going as well.

One played the role of the bad cop while the other played the good cop, and they finally managed to persuade Meng Wanqiu.

Lu Xiaobai thought for a moment, rubbing his fingers excitedly, “Let us handle the selection of the gift; we can also take some good things from your private collection.”

Meng Wanqiu’s expression turned to one of speechlessness, but he knew that Lu Xiaobai was just trying to alleviate his guilt.

Meng Wanqiu sighed, “I hope we can find something. If not, you should participate in the birthday banquet of the owner of Yuqiong Island and get to know some outstanding peers without any other burdens.” He didn’t want them to always think of him as the master who was holding back his disciples.

Lin Ji lowered his gaze; it was indeed difficult.

Most of the senior experts who received invitations this time had similar thoughts to Meng Wanqiu; either they brought their favored disciples along or simply gave the opportunity to the younger generation.

They all hoped that their junior disciples could gain experience and capture beneficial spiritual beasts on the island.

This was also why the trip to the immortal island was said to have suffered heavy losses; many young talents had perished at sea, almost leading to a break in the lineage of cultivators.

At first, no one would have thought this trip would be a dead end; they all went with hopeful hearts, and there were indeed not many who were simply there to celebrate a birthday.

With vested interests, even if the two could foresee the future, they couldn’t stop others from going to the island.

After leaving the library, the two went to the private collection to pick out gifts.

Since they didn’t know if the island owner could even use them, they chose a few precious items that were extravagant yet not lacking in etiquette, wrapping them nicely for the gift.

Meng Wanqiu found it strange; he often only took out weapons and magical artifacts, while other treasures had gathered dust, making them have to clean them several times to make them presentable. The good thing was that he wouldn’t feel bad about giving them away.

After preparing the gifts, while washing their hands, Lin Ji suddenly thought of some indescribable matters.

Lu Xiaobai shook the water off his hands and paused when their eyes met, his face starting to heat up; he knew he was about to blush again.

No, he absolutely couldn’t let Lin Ji see!

Lu Xiaobai decided to take the initiative, lowering his gaze, “Although you’re young and impulsive, I still have to advise you, Junior Brother, it’s not good to have too many fantasies in your head; you should clear your mind more often, or it won’t be beneficial for your cultivation.”

Lin Ji doubted his ears; should he listen to what he was saying?

After a long time, Lin Ji’s voice was muffled as he gritted his teeth, “You’re not as unfazed as Senior Brother, no matter what you do, you act as if nothing happened, maintaining your composure!”

Lu Xiaobai stepped forward, wrapping his arms around him, resting his chin on Lin Ji’s shoulder, smiling as he explained, “Don’t wrong me; I’m not acting as if nothing happened.”

He leaned in closer, his breath brushing against Lin Ji’s ear, whispering, “Don’t worry, A Ji, I won’t do this with anyone else.”

Lu Xiaobai let go of him, successfully seeing Lin Ji’s face turn as red as a boiling teapot.

“...”

Wen Ling finally turned up in front of them. After hearing Lin Ji’s question, he stammered, “No spoilers, okay~”

Lin Ji pondered; this meant it was indeed useful for the plot, at least it had to be a setup or a foreshadowing.

Wen Ling sensed Lin Ji’s intention, “Lord Lin Ji, I advise you to be cautious.”

“Although you have awakened the ability to break free from the plot, you don’t have an immortality halo, so there’s no need to get involved in disputes that have nothing to do with you.”

“Yuqiong Island is very dangerous, and the situation is quite complex.”

Lin Ji waved his hand, and Wen Ling left.

However, Lin Ji was indeed not the type to seek to prove himself. He prepared the Eight Trigrams Seal and drew a stack of Instant Travel Talismans.

If he couldn’t save others, at least he had to ensure he could safely pull Lu Xiaobai and the people from Peifeng Sect out.

He believed that saving others was something to do his best at; he didn’t think it was wise to put himself in danger to save someone else.

So, before setting off, Lin Ji subtly asked Lu Xiaobai, “If someone is in danger, would you go to save them if you saw it?”

Lu Xiaobai rested his chin on his hand, “If I didn’t see it, then it’s fine. If I did see it... I can’t just turn a blind eye and walk away.”

That meant he had to help. Lin Ji asked again, “If the situation is very dangerous, and when you pull someone out, you might end up getting pulled down yourself?”

Lu Xiaobai sighed, “Who knows the outcome before pulling? But don’t worry, having the will also requires the ability; I won’t do anything beyond my capabilities and will act within my limits.”

Lu Xiaobai’s principle was to help others when he had the surplus: “If I have four buns and eating three fills me up, then I can give one or two to someone who is starving, and we can all live together. I won’t give them all away and starve myself.”

“When one is weak, not taking advantage of others’ suffering and sincerely feeling sorrow for them is already a good person in the mundane world. If one day they become strong and think to help the weak, then they are an even better person.”

Lin Ji scoffed, “You think being a Senior Brother is addictive; even Master doesn’t nag as much as you do.” He said this specifically for Lu Xiaobai to hear.

Lu Xiaobai sighed lightly, “Master is different.”

Meng Wanqiu was someone who could cut flesh to feed an eagle. He believed he couldn’t reach that level, and Lu Xiaobai didn’t want anyone in this world to be as foolish as his master.

He hoped to find pure spiritual blood that had never caused any killings to cure the demon poison that had plagued the old man for years.

The two exchanged smiles.

On the day they headed to Yuqiong Island, besides the two direct disciples of Ling Yun Zunzhe, the other elders from Peifeng Sect who were invited also sent representatives, totaling eight.

The leader of Zhu Jian Peak walked over, glancing at the eight representatives from Peifeng Sect, “Let’s go.”

Lu Xiaobai asked proactively, “The leader is personally taking us?”

After returning from the ruins in his previous life, he had seen the list of casualties from Peifeng Sect, and the leader hadn’t gone.

It seemed the leader had suddenly decided to go, probably for the spiritual blood; it was said he had some connections with the island owner, so perhaps he could directly ask for it privately.

The leader laughed heartily, “It’s just a birthday celebration; I’m also bringing my sword to show off. You better carry it well!”

Su Qinghe, carrying the heavy sword, was panting and could hardly speak.

Lin Ji couldn’t help but feel emotional; Elder Su Ling really favored his nephew, or perhaps Su Qinghe wanted the spiritual beast so badly that he had to pester his elder for a long time to be included among the eight disciples.

The disciple sent by the Sect Leader was Shen Che. Although the two had had some conflicts in the past, now, seeing each other’s curious and expectant expressions, Lin Ji felt complicated and secretly touched his storage jade pendant, thinking about the defensive items he had prepared.

Lu Xiaobai looked up into the distance, as if he could already see the immortal island a thousand miles away.