Feng Shui Chapter 173: Dying Unfulfilled

Caught completely off guard, Chen Xiao was yanked hard, his clenched jaw loosening just enough for seawater to rush into his mouth, making him choke. Though he quickly stifled the urge to cough, his reflexes betrayed him, he accidentally spat out one of his oxygen pearls.

For a moment, panic flashed across Chen Xiao’s mind, but he soon regained his composure. The immediate danger, however, wasn’t the lost pearl, it was the thick, tightening mass coiling around his waist. Unlike Xi Yunqing’s gentle grip, this thing squeezed so hard Chen Xiao felt like his waist might snap!

Desperately, he grabbed his fish spear with both hands and stabbed at the creature wrapped around him, one jab, two, three. The beast twitched in pain but didn’t loosen its grip; instead, it tightened even more. Its body was thick and rough, covered with suction cups the size of bowls, firmly attached to his clothes.

Chen Xiao opened his mouth wide, wanting to scream, but no sound came out. A torrent of bubbles burst out from his nose and mouth, racing toward the surface. If he didn’t break free soon, he’d be strangled to death.

Suddenly, the pressure around his waist abruptly vanished. Chen Xiao barely had time to think before he knew: his brother must have struck, severing the unknown creature’s limb that was holding him.

His spear now useless, Brother Chen Xiao didn't hesitate to throw it away. The tight grip around his waist had made it impossible to even draw his dagger from his belt. Thinking quickly, he placed his hand on the strange appendage and pulled it straight into his storage box. Immediately, the pressure around his waist eased, and his body felt so light he nearly floated up.

Kicking his limbs, he swam a little farther away and looked back. The glowing fish had long fled, leaving only pitch-black darkness. Chen Xiao couldn’t see Xi Yunqing, or the nameless monster, anywhere.

A tightness settled in his chest; Chen Xiao knew his lungs were running low on oxygen. Though the struggle had lasted only a few seconds, it felt like a lifetime. Since reaching the Foundation Establishment stage, his physical strength had improved dramatically. While he couldn’t perform true internal breathing like a cultivator, he could hold his breath underwater for over ten minutes without any aid.

But the intense fight and frantic swimming had burned through most of his oxygen reserves. Now feeling suffocated, he gave up trying to tough it out and reached for an oxygen pearl.

Without light or a mirror, Chen Xiao had no idea his face had turned a strange purplish-red, as if he were about to die, which would surely panic anyone who cared about him.

The water around him stirred, making Chen Xiao’s nerves tingle. He didn’t know if it was his brother or the monster. Suddenly, a large hand grasped him. He immediately squeezed back, feeling a wave of calm wash over him.

That hand pulled him close, then another gripped his neck and shoulders. Chen Xiao suddenly felt something press against his lips. Before he could understand what was happening, a rush of oxygen, purer than any pearl, flowed into his mouth.

Instinctively, he parted his lips and sucked hard on the source of the oxygen. The near-pure gas slid coolly down his throat and filled his lungs, making them expand with relief.

When the pressure lifted, Chen Xiao’s mind cleared. He raised a hand to his lips, slowly realizing that his brother had probably given him mouth-to-mouth resuscitation in a desperate moment.

He was stunned.

Still holding Chen Xiao’s hand tightly, Xi Yunqing swam swiftly toward an unknown destination. Chen Xiao’s mind was dazed, but after a moment he understood why his brother resorted to this method. Xi Yunqing must have thought Brother Chen Xiao didn't carry spare oxygen pearls.

Before setting out, because Tong Nuonuo had volunteered, Xi Yunqing hadn’t gone shopping with Chen Xiao for diving supplies. So he had no idea Chen Xiao had bought a dozen spare pearls.

Even though Chen Xiao could have pulled an oxygen pearl from his storage box with his free hand, he just stayed quiet and motionless, letting Xi Yunqing lead him.

Xi Yunqing knew Chen Xiao well enough to understand he had no cultivation techniques and that his body was only slightly stronger than an ordinary person. Concerned that the single breath wouldn’t last long, after a few minutes Xi Yunqing gently pulled him closer.

This time Chen Xiao was mentally prepared. He carefully noticed Xi Yunqing’s soft lips, cold from the water but somehow burning with warmth against his own. Chen Xiao parted his lips slightly, as if welcoming it, greedily inhaling.

Chen Xiao’s active response shifted the moment. What had started as an emergency breath now took on a new meaning, and Xi Yunqing focused entirely on touching their lips. After giving the breath, he didn’t pull away but pressed tightly against Chen Xiao’s mouth.

It seemed like a tentative move to test him, which gave Chen Xiao a surge of confidence. He slowly tightened his grip on Xi Yunqing’s hand, firmly returning the strength pressed against his lips.

Ever since they shared that strange dream on the snowy mountain, both of them knew their relationship was no longer simple. Yet, a dream was still just a dream, no matter how bizarre, it could never be taken as reality. So without fully confirming each other’s feelings, neither dared to cross the line recklessly.

But this unexpected moment just happened to break through that thin veil, allowing both to clearly sense each other’s true attitude.

Xi Yunqing struggled to keep calm as he pressed Chen Xiao’s body firmly against his chest. Their lips met with equal force, twisting and grinding against each other.

Chen Xiao closed his eyes and raised his free hand to wrap around Xi Yunqing’s broad shoulders. The buoyancy of the seawater made it easy for him to float up to the same height as Xi Yunqing. At once, Xi Yunqing loosened his grip and wrapped his arms around Chen Xiao’s waist and back.

As their kiss grew more passionate, their hearts raced and oxygen was rapidly consumed. Chen Xiao soon felt suffocated, his head dizzy. He wanted to open his mouth wide for a deep breath, or perhaps draw air from Xi Yunqing’s own mouth. Unexpectedly, this eager gesture only stirred Xi Yunqing further, who bit down harder on Chen Xiao’s lips.

Even in the cold seawater, Chen Xiao could feel his lips burning hot. But he was truly on the verge of suffocation; he couldn’t keep risking his life with such reckless kissing. He raised a hand, clenched it into a fist, and tapped Xi Yunqing’s shoulder.

This brought Xi Yunqing back to reason in an instant. He opened his eyes with a flash of regret, but moments later, he bent down again and breathed into Chen Xiao’s mouth. This time, he didn’t linger, he pulled away right after, leaving Chen Xiao a little disappointed.

Xi Yunqing released one hand and wrapped it around Chen Xiao’s waist, swimming on toward an unknown direction. Soon enough, Chen Xiao’s fingers brushed against the edge of a passage. Here, he knew, was the end.

Still unsure where Xi Yunqing was taking him, Chen Xiao suddenly felt a chill on his face as his upper body broke the water’s surface. At the same time, his feet touched the ground beneath.

Stumbling slightly, he was guided by Xi Yunqing through the water a few steps until his back pressed against a rock wall. A gentle breeze brushed his face, and his lips were lightly touched.

That touch was like a feather brushing his heart. Chen Xiao reached out blindly, wrapping both hands around Xi Yunqing, lifted his chin, stood on tiptoe, and bit down.

“Mm...” His breath hadn’t even settled, but now free to breathe, he couldn’t help but hum softly through his nose.

Xi Yunqing held him by the waist with one hand while bracing the rock wall with the other, leaning in to press down. No longer worried about suffocating, they finally released the emotions they had kept bottled inside for so long. Their lips no longer satisfied, someone, neither knew who first, slid a wet tongue deep inside. The sticky, wet sounds of sucking echoed clearly through the cave with no other exit.

Chen Xiao’s chest heaved rapidly, short breaths escaping his nose as he tilted his head back to receive Xi Yunqing’s fierce passion, a stark contrast to his usual calm demeanor. Soon his whole body burned with heat, his legs weak and barely able to stand. Feeling him begin to slump, Xi Yunqing adjusted in the water, spreading his legs to stand on either side of Chen Xiao, letting him lean all his weight against the rock wall and Xi Yunqing’s arms.

“Huff, ” Chen Xiao gasped deeply, but Xi Yunqing’s lips covered his again, his tongue irresistibly pressing inside. His trembling hands gripped Xi Yunqing’s back tightly, fingers clutching at his clothes.

“Mmm~” Chen Xiao let out a sweet, helpless hum. Xi Yunqing was ready to press him deep into his bones when a sudden splash broke through.

Chen Xiao’s lashes fluttered, a frown knitting his brows. The supporting arm suddenly pulled away, and with his eyes closed, he saw a flash of light. Just as his body began to fall, the arm quickly returned, scooping him back to his original position. After a loud splash, Chen Xiao opened his eyes in a daze, and through the lingering golden-red glow of magic, he saw a massive creature swinging its long tentacles before collapsing.

That... seemed to be the monster that had attacked him earlier, probably a squid or an octopus. It hadn’t given up yet, daring to follow them and try a surprise attack.

Just as this thought crossed Chen Xiao’s sluggish mind, Xi Yunqing bit his tongue, not too hard, but enough to scold him for being distracted.

“Mmph!” Chen Xiao cried out in pain, and Xi Yunqing instantly softened again. They resumed their tender, lingering kisses, as if neither cold nor darkness could suppress their burning heat.

The air was filled only with faint lingering smoke and the splashing, twitching tentacles of the creature’s corpse that refused to die...