The Young Lady Only Wants to Cultivate Immortality Chapter 116

A’Ling stirred from her sleep, a faint sense of unease prickling her. It felt as if a sticky gaze was fixed upon her.
As her consciousness slowly returned, A’Ling dismissed the feeling, convinced she was merely groggy. After all, there was no one else in Qiongdian Peak but her.
Shi Qingqian must have been gone for a while, she thought. I must miss her.
How many more days until she returns? Half-asleep, A’Ling idly counted the days, realizing Shi Qingqian would be back in about two weeks.
She had expected a month to fly by, but time seemed to drag when filled with longing.
A’Ling turned over in bed, groggily reaching for the pillow beside her. She pulled it into her arms, treating it as if it were Shi Qingqian.
As she nuzzled the pillow, seeking a familiar scent to lull her back to sleep, she realized something was amiss.
A’Ling’s eyes snapped open. Before her sat a figure by the bedside, gazing at her with a gaze even deeper and more profound than the one she’d felt earlier.
As A’Ling’s eyes met hers, a flicker of undisguised panic crossed the other’s face.
“You’re back?!”
The instant her eyes opened, A’Ling recognized Shi Qingqian. Even though Shi Qingqian was only partially visible, sitting at the edge of the bed, and the room was dim, and she hadn’t made a sound, A’Ling knew it was her.
Her movements were faster than her thoughts. A’Ling tossed the pillow aside, threw off the covers, and lunged towards her.
A’Ling landed on Shi Qingqian’s back, her arms wrapping around her neck. She pressed her warm, sleep-flushed cheek against Shi Qingqian’s cool skin.
“Why didn’t you say anything when you got back?”
A’Ling’s voice was still drowsy, and the question, though framed as an accusation, was filled with tender affection.
She must have missed me too, A’Ling thought. She rushed back right after her mission to surprise me.
The warmth pressing against her had already made Shi Qingqian’s entire body rigid. Now, the warm breath tickling her ear made Shi Qingqian’s heart stutter, halting its rhythm.
Unaware of Shi Qingqian’s internal turmoil, A’Ling, as she always did after their small separations, embraced her, expressing her longing through action.
After warming Shi Qingqian’s cool cheek, she kissed her on the side of the face. Without waiting to adjust her position, she gently cupped Shi Qingqian’s jaw with her fingers, turning her face towards her.
Leaning closer, she pressed a kiss to the corner of Shi Qingqian’s lips.
“I missed you so much while you were gone.”
It took some effort for A’Ling to fully turn Shi Qingqian’s head. She couldn’t shake the feeling that Shi Qingqian was subtly resisting her, like a coy refusal.
This only fueled A’Ling’s already excited heart, making it beat even faster.
After they had become soulmates, they had spent a month without leaving Qiongdian Peak. It was then that A’Ling realized her previous misunderstandings about dual cultivation.
And her completely mistaken assumptions about Shi Qingqian.
A’Ling had always imagined that someone as cool and aloof as Shi Qingqian would exude a similar aura even during dual cultivation.
She never expected Shi Qingqian’s passion to be so overwhelming.
It was like ice melting into oil heated by a roaring fire, the resulting steam threatening to consume A’Ling’s senses and consciousness.
She had worried that her past near-death experience might cast a shadow over her intimacy with Shi Qingqian.
But she had worried for nothing. Shi Qingqian hadn’t left her any room to think, any energy to spare.
She discovered then how joyful dual cultivation could be. It was about two souls connecting, minds intertwining, bodies and spirits laid bare. Exploring each other’s physical and spiritual secrets brought a profound sense of belonging, a feeling of no longer being alone.
A’Ling’s hands, cupping Shi Qingqian’s face, grew hot, the warmth seeping into her heart, igniting sparks that burned through the accumulated longing of the past days, and stirring deep within her body.
In the dim silence, besides the soft, moist sound of their breathing, a heart-wrenching groan echoed, soft and muffled.
It sounded like a complaint, a plea, a seductive night breeze on a spring evening, urging them to cast aside everything and succumb to the gentle breeze.
Shi Qingqian felt the burning sensation on her neck where A’Ling had kissed her, her entire body frozen. She clung to the last thread of her sanity, afraid to drown in this apparent dream.
She feared that in the next moment, she would have to endure the pain of losing A’Ling again.
A’Ling, unsatisfied with the stillness of the person in her arms, who sat rigidly on the edge of the bed, looking less like a coy lover and more like an unyielding statue, decided to change tactics. She playfully, yet with a hint of annoyance, nibbled Shi Qingqian’s neck.
The next moment, the world flipped. A’Ling pulled Shi Qingqian down onto the bed, propped her head up with a pillow, and turned her face so she was looking directly at her.
“What’s wrong? Did something happen on this mission?”
This mission was no ordinary trial. A monstrous beast, never before seen, had appeared near the Great Wasteland, a creature of ferocious nature that preyed on living beings. In just over a month, it had devoured an entire town.
The demon hunters from the outer sect had all been defeated in their attempts to subdue it. They were forced to wait for the Crane Gate to open and seek help from Mystic Crane Mountain.
Mystic Crane Mountain had dispatched two groups, but neither had succeeded in eliminating the beast.
Hearing of the heavy casualties, Lan Fushang decided to lead the expedition herself, leaving Gu Jingyang to guard Mystic Crane Mountain.
A’Ling, unfortunately, had just passed her lightning tribulation and was recuperating from her injuries. Otherwise, she would have gone as well.
Although she couldn’t go, she was worried about the great demon’s destructive path. So, she entrusted her artifact to Shi Qingqian, asking her to assist Lan Fushang.
The border of the Great Wasteland was a long way from Mystic Crane Mountain. Even under normal travel conditions, excluding the time needed to defeat the demon, the journey would take about a month.
Yet, Shi Qingqian had returned in less than a month. A’Ling, caught up in the joy of her return, had forgotten this detail.
Could something have happened? A’Ling’s heart filled with worry.
“Are you injured?”
A’Ling moved to undo Shi Qingqian’s robes. Seeing Shi Qingqian’s unyielding grip on her collar, A’Ling prepared to use her spiritual energy.
Finally, Shi Qingqian, her collar still clutched tightly, spoke her first words since entering the room.
“I’m fine.”
A’Ling clearly didn’t believe her. “If you’re fine, why can’t you let me see?”
It wasn’t as if she hadn’t seen her before. Why the nervousness in her posture, clutching her collar?
Had they grown distant in just half a month away?
A’Ling frowned slightly, feigning displeasure. “After my lightning tribulation, didn’t you ‘examine’ me just like this?”
Her implication was that she had endured her shyness to allow Shi Qingqian to examine her out of concern, so why couldn’t Shi Qingqian allow her to do the same for her peace of mind?
Shi Qingqian listened, her expression a mixture of shock and bewilderment. When had she ever “examined” A’Ling?
That wasn’t the main point either. She saw the crease between A’Ling’s brows, the genuine worry in her eyes. Her heart skipped a beat. She couldn’t understand the current situation. Was she dreaming?
Shi Qingqian reached out and clasped A’Ling’s hand, intertwining their fingers and bringing them to her chest, feeling the steady beat of her heart. The touch of her palm was warm, her heartbeat strong.
She’s not dead?
A’Ling isn’t dead either?
Is divine power real? Did I return to the past?
Shi Qingqian closed her eyes, then opened them again. A’Ling was still there. The warmth in her palm became searing. She released A’Ling’s hand and pulled her into a tight embrace, feeling her breath flutter against her neck.
“A’Ling, A’Ling…”
Thank goodness, A’Ling isn’t dead!
Shi Qingqian whispered A’Ling’s name over and over, her voice choked with emotion, carrying the tentative joy of a reunion, and the overwhelming relief of someone who had lost their entire world only to embrace their beloved once more.
But soon, she began to fear that this was all an illusion, a dream before her death.
She had clearly seen A’Ling disappear before her eyes. Could the divine power have merely offered her comfort in her final moments? She refused to believe in a divine power that could revive the dead.
Yet, as she desperately uttered her wish for A’Ling to live, darkness enveloped her vision.
She didn’t know how long she searched for an escape in the darkness before finally seeing a flicker of light. Stepping out into the light, she saw A’Ling sleeping peacefully on the bed, her slumber deep and serene.
Shi Qingqian tightened her embrace, feeling their hearts beat in unison, strong and steady.
“A’Ling, I… I dreamt you died…” She had intended to say “saw,” but now she wasn’t entirely sure what was real.
A’Ling, finding herself almost unable to breathe from the tight embrace, felt her tense heart suddenly relax at Shi Qingqian’s words.
No wonder Shi Qingqian returned so suddenly, and acted so strangely silent and timid, she thought. And her gaze was so unfocused and lost.
So, she had a dream.
This person… is she still a child? Scared by a dream?
A’Ling gently patted Shi Qingqian’s back. “It was just a dream, don’t worry.”
“You must be exhausted from this mission, not getting enough rest on the way. Sleep a little longer. When you wake up and see I’m still here, you’ll know it was just a dream.”
A’Ling managed to create a small gap in Shi Qingqian’s tight hold. She shifted forward, pressing a kiss to Shi Qingqian’s eyelids. “Sleep, I’ll stay with you.”
Shi Qingqian’s eyelids fluttered shut as A’Ling kissed them. She had been afraid to sleep, fearing that if she did, she would realize this was all a dream, and lose A’Ling again.
But whether it was some technique A’Ling had used, after the kiss, her eyelids grew heavy.
She felt an overwhelming fatigue and pain. As she fell into darkness, she saw herself violently tearing apart her own body and soul. She saw Dao Rong say she was mad. She heard him say that reviving the dead defied the natural order.
Yes, a dead person, how could they possibly come back to life?
A single tear traced a path down her cheek, silently disappearing into the night.
The next morning, as a beam of light fell upon her face, the tear tracks were nowhere to be seen.
Shi Qingqian’s eyes snapped open. She looked at the empty space beside her, and the fear that had been gripping her heart finally plummeted.
It was just a dream. After the dream, she’s gone.
“You’re awake. Did you sleep well?”
Shi Qingqian’s ears twitched. Startled, she turned her head. A’Ling, smiling, entered the room with the sunlight.
Her smile caught Shi Qingqian’s falling heart before it hit the ground, pulling it back from the brink.
Shi Qingqian shot up from the bed, looking at the smiling figure bathed in sunlight.
A’Ling… she didn’t disappear…
A’Ling sat down on the edge of the bed and leaned forward. Under Shi Qingqian’s astonished gaze, she gently kissed her nose. “You really were tired. It’s rare to see you sleep longer than me.”
Her love for sleep and food remained unchanged, even after becoming Saint Venerable.
Shi Qingqian, on the other hand, maintained her usual disciplined habit of waking early. It had always been her who woke first. But today, when A’Ling woke up, Shi Qingqian was still fast asleep, showing no signs of waking.
A’Ling quietly got out of bed, intending to contact Gu Jingyang to find out why Shi Qingqian had returned early.
Unfortunately, Gu Jingyang seemed busy and didn’t respond to her stone mirror communication.
She had no choice but to leave Qiongdian Peak to find Gu Jingyang. Learning that the last message from the mission had arrived three days ago and all was proceeding smoothly, A’Ling was also surprised by Shi Qingqian’s early return.
Gu Jingyang had even teased that Shi Qingqian couldn’t bear to be apart from A’Ling for even a moment, calling them too clingy.
As long as it’s going well, A’Ling thought. Shi Qingqian probably missed me, which is why she rushed back before everyone else.
With this thought, A’Ling’s mood lifted, and she kissed Shi Qingqian’s slightly bewildered eyes.
As A’Ling kissed her and prepared to move away, Shi Qingqian seemed to snap back to reality. She grasped A’Ling’s hand tightly, looking at her rosy palm and the shadow cast on the bed. “You’re not dead?” she exclaimed in shock.
A’Ling blinked at her words, surprised by Shi Qingqian’s continued focus on the dream. A playful smile flickered across her face.
“You dreamt something happened to me, so you rushed back, right?”
Shi Qingqian wanted to shake her head. It wasn’t a dream, it was a vision. But now, with A’Ling alive and well before her…
She didn’t know how to explain. Hesitantly, she nodded. She needed time to process all of this.
Seeing her nod, A’Ling laughed. This person… Gu Jingyang will tease them endlessly about this.
However, seeing the genuine worry in Shi Qingqian’s eyes, A’Ling felt a warmth spread through her heart. After all, she was worried about her.
She pulled Shi Qingqian’s hand to her face. “Touch me. I’m fine, not hurt at all.”
Seeing Shi Qingqian still looked unconvinced, A’Ling chuckled. She blinked, then guided Shi Qingqian’s hand to her neck, smiling. “How about I take off my clothes so you can examine me properly?”
With that, she started to lead Shi Qingqian’s hand to her waist sash.
Shi Qingqian snatched her hand back as if she had been burned by a spark. Her face turned a deep crimson, her neck flushing pink. Before A’Ling could say anything further, she fled the room in a panic.
This time, A’Ling could no longer contain herself and burst into laughter. What happened on this trip to make Shi Qingqian so shy?
They had experienced such playful teasing before. She remembered how worried Shi Qingqian had been when she returned from her lightning tribulation.
A’Ling had playfully threatened to undress for an examination then too. It was the same time of day. She had seen Shi Qingqian’s face flush red, yet she had maintained a stern expression and said, ‘A proper examination is indeed in order.’ She had been incredibly cute.
That examination had lasted from dawn till dusk.
It was then she truly understood the depth of her own misunderstandings about Shi Qingqian.
If she hadn’t said anything, who would have believed that someone so aloof could utter such shameless words in certain situations, like, ‘I am a medical cultivator, let this medical cultivator have a good look’?
Thinking of those whispered words, spoken with unrestrained passion, A’Ling’s cheeks flushed. Images suddenly flooded her mind, refusing to be banished.
A’Ling quickly settled herself into meditation. Her injuries had not fully healed, and the disturbance in her breathing caused her spiritual energy to become restless.
Shi Qingqian left the room, letting out a sigh of relief when A’Ling didn’t follow. But then, as she looked around at her surroundings, her breath hitched.
Where is this?
She looked around in surprise, realizing she was on Qiongdian Peak, in Dao Rong’s territory.
In the following days, everything she knew was turned upside down. Everything was different from her memories!
A’Ling was indeed A’Ling, but the events that had transpired between her and A’Ling were completely different from what she remembered.
No, some things were the same, but she didn’t know from where the divergence began.
She couldn’t understand what was happening.
Gu Jingyang had become A’Ling’s close friend, their relationship intimate. A’Ling hadn’t fallen into demonic ways and had become the Saint Venerable of Mystic Crane Mountain.
She even saw Gu Jingyang. The other woman was incredibly familiar with A’Ling, their closeness almost excessive in Shi Qingqian’s eyes.
A’Ling had never spoken to her so closely before, as if sharing secrets.
As A’Ling chatted with Gu Jingyang, she noticed Shi Qingqian watching them from not too far away.
Gu Jingyang had originally come to inquire about Shi Qingqian’s mission. But after asking a few questions, Shi Qingqian had replied that she didn’t know, seeming reluctant to talk.
“What’s wrong with Qingqian? She’s acting so strange. Look at the way she’s looking at me, I feel like she’s jealous.”
This was truly bizarre. How long had it been since she had seen her look at her like that?
A’Ling also noticed. She wondered what was wrong with Shi Qingqian. “She’s been acting a bit strange since she returned from this trip.”
Gu Jingyang looked concerned. “Is she injured?”
However, she had already contacted Lan Fushang. She had said the mission was successful and that Shi Qingqian had returned early to see A’Ling sooner.
A’Ling was also a bit worried, mainly because Shi Qingqian was acting so out of character. But there were some things she couldn’t easily discuss with Gu Jingyang.
Could she say that Shi Qingqian, who had previously been most enthusiastic about dual cultivation, had been avoiding her for the past two days?
Last night, as soon as she reached out to pull at her clothes, Shi Qingqian had grabbed her hand. They had simply talked under the covers, discussing old events from centuries ago.
Seeing A’Ling’s expression, Gu Jingyang knew she was holding something back. “What is it? Is something really wrong?”
Facing Gu Jingyang’s concern, A’Ling indeed wanted to ask for her opinion. So, she selectively shared some details, then asked Gu Jingyang, “What do you think is wrong with her? Could her feelings have faded?”
She had heard that after being together for a long time, feelings always became less intense than in the beginning.
Gu Jingyang’s forehead twitched. “Look at the way she’s looking at you, that undisguised affection. You call that fading feelings?!”
A’Ling glanced at Shi Qingqian as Gu Jingyang suggested and nodded. That was true. Although Shi Qingqian’s gaze was a little different, the love within it was evident.
Gu Jingyang pondered for a moment, unsure how to express it. She gave a subtle reminder, “She’s probably just really tired. You shouldn’t…”
A’Ling heard this and playfully hit Gu Jingyang’s arm, her face flushing. She shouldn’t have told her this. “What nonsense are you talking about?!”
As if she were some desperate, longing maiden!
Enraged and flustered, A’Ling chased Gu Jingyang off Qiongdian Peak.
Two days later, Shi Qingqian felt she had a rough understanding of the current situation.
This world was different from hers. Here, she and A’Ling had not experienced the regrets they had in her own world.
She was so jealous of this world’s Shi Qingqian. She had actually become A’Ling’s soulmate.
She had seen her soul. There was no soul contract…
She didn’t know how long it would take for A’Ling to notice this. She greedily gazed at A’Ling before her.
She didn’t know why she had appeared here, or how long she could stay. She only knew she wanted to stay forever, to become the ‘Shi Qingqian’ whom A’Ling loved.
A’Ling’s gaze, so fervent, caused a slight stir within her. Is she starting to recover her senses?
She stepped forward, weaving through the space between Shi Qingqian’s hands and her waist, and embraced her. Smiling, she asked, “Why are you staring at me like that?”
Shi Qingqian leaned into the embrace, tightening her grip. “It’s good enough to see you alive and well…”
A’Ling smiled, as brilliant as the sunset. “You’re getting better at sweet talk, but I still prefer actions.”
She pulled back slightly, looking at Shi Qingqian, her smile speaking volumes.
Shi Qingqian had learned of the deep affection between A’Ling and ‘Shi Qingqian’ these past two days. She understood the meaning behind A’Ling’s smile.
She suppressed the surge of sour jealousy bubbling in her heart and leaned forward, controlling herself. She had missed kissing this A’Ling, who loved her so completely, these past few days.
Suddenly, her heart gave a violent twinge.
With a loud crash, the door swung open.
Hearing the door open, A’Ling was stunned. Who would enter Qiongdian Peak without her permission?
She turned to look and was even more shocked!
Shi Qingqian at the door had a frozen smile, while the Shi Qingqian inside clutched her chest in pain.
A’Ling looked back and forth between the two figures, stunned by everything she was seeing.
How could there be two Shi Qingqians?
The Shi Qingqian at the door reacted instantly, rushing towards A’Ling and shielding her. She drew her sword and pointed it at the person inside.
“Who are you?”
The Shi Qingqian clutching her chest looked at the newcomer with a contorted expression. The intense pain rendered her completely speechless for a moment.
She looked down. Since this person had appeared, her body was rapidly dissipating, like a crumbling statue.
In her chest, her heartbeat grew weaker and weaker.
A’Ling watched all of this in astonishment, her brow furrowing deeply. A guess formed in her mind.
She wanted to step forward to protect the already half-dissipated Shi Qingqian, but the person blocking her moved first, channeling spiritual energy to stop her from fading.
Shi Qingqian didn’t know if she was trying to escape or something else. She hadn’t answered her question yet, she couldn’t let her disappear like this!
Yet, even as she used her spiritual energy to protect the fading figure, when she reached the person, their form became almost transparent, beyond her control.
The person saw her, offered a bitter smile, and before their form vanished completely, they uttered one last sentence.
“I was so jealous of you… Love her well…”
A’Ling stood there, frozen, her mouth agape, silent for a long time.
Everything that had just happened had occurred in the blink of an eye. Before she could even react with surprise, two Shi Qingqians were reduced to one.
These past few days… I must have mistaken her for someone else…
A’Ling looked at the Shi Qingqian who turned to face her, seeing the jealousy and pain in her eyes. This is troublesome, she thought.
Mistaking her soulmate… How am I going to appease her?