Feng Shui Chapter 105: A Heart That Hopes

The cultivator's world had pushed convenience to the extreme, even when it came to their rations. While less attention had been devoted to their specialized blankets compared to those meticulously developed rations, the blankets were still crafted to be highly practical: moisture-resistant, warm, and reliable. Unless one found themselves in a truly extreme climate, a single blanket like this was more than enough for any season. In spring and autumn, it could be laid flat on the ground. In winter, one could simply wrap it around themselves and curl up in a dry, sheltered spot to sleep.

Cultivators, protected by their inner breath and true essence, didn’t have to worry about losing body heat. One blanket was just right. But that didn’t apply to Chen Xiao. While his physical body had reached the level of a high-stage Body Refining cultivator, he hadn’t practiced any proper cultivation method. That meant he had no inner breath or true essence flowing through his meridians to maintain his body temperature. At the moment, all he could rely on was his body’s natural resistance to fight off the cold and damp.

Spreading the blanket on the ground insulated him from the chill below, but then the damp air would come down from above. If he draped it over himself instead, the ground moisture would seep up from underneath. If he tried to roll himself up in it like a cocoon, the blanket’s size fell just short, barely not enough to seal him in.

He kept trying over and over, squirming around like a caterpillar, attempting to find a position that sealed off the air completely. Finally, Xi Yunqing couldn’t take it anymore. He lowered his voice and asked, “Brother Chen, what are you doing?”

Chen Xiao lifted the blanket, his hair tousled from all the wriggling. Feeling slightly embarrassed, he gave a dry laugh. “Nothing, just trying to find a more comfortable position.”

Xi Yunqing looked at him, clearly unimpressed by the answer. After a pause, he asked, “Did you find one?”

Chen Xiao nodded. “Found it. I'm going to sleep now.”

With that, he lay down and wrapped himself up in the blanket again. It was snug if wrapped horizontally, but left his chest and feet exposed. Vertical wrapping left a gap down the side, but covered more of his body overall.

Tonight, he chose the vertical method, lying on part of the blanket and covering himself with the rest. But a narrow gap remained at his side, letting damp, cold air sneak in. After several attempts to fix it with no success, Chen Xiao gave up and forced himself to ignore the chill, telling himself that once he fell asleep, it wouldn’t matter anymore.

Before long, one side of his body was burning hot while the other was freezing. He knew that even with his current physical toughness, staying like this would give him a cold. Just as he was hesitating about what to do, Xi Yunqing silently got up and walked over.

He knelt down on one knee beside him and placed a warm palm against Chen Xiao’s cheek.

Chen Xiao hadn’t even realized it, but he’d been sniffling faintly. His whole face was cold now, and the tip of his nose was freezing. The human body is honest, and the nose especially sensitive. It’s often the first to show signs when something is wrong.

Xi Yunqing’s hand was so warm that Chen Xiao didn’t want to move away. He opened his eyes and tilted his head up to look. Xi Yunqing’s expression was a mix of concern and irritation as he withdrew his hand and said, “You’re cold, why didn’t you tell me?”

In a low voice, Chen Xiao replied, “I need to learn to adapt. I can’t keep bothering you.”

Xi Yunqing frowned. “Adapting takes time. Besides, some things you can adjust to, and others you simply can’t. If your body’s already reacting like this, what’s the point of pushing through? You’ll just get sick for no reason.”

Chen Xiao sat up, holding the blanket around himself and looking rather pitifully at Xi Yunqing. “The energy I’ve cultivated from feng shui techniques isn’t a proper method. It doesn’t run through my meridians, so I can’t use it to resist the cold. That’s why I feel damp and uncomfortable.”

Of course, a big part of it was also that Chen Xiao naturally couldn’t tolerate cold.

Now that he understood the reason, Xi Yunqing furrowed his brow. It had been his oversight, not asking clearly and causing Xiao-di to be unprepared. He spoke without hesitation: “In that case, take my blanket.”

Chen Xiao shook his head. “That’s not a long-term solution. What will you use in the second half of the night? And once the weather turns cold, you’ll need it too. I think... when there’s a chance to hunt some animals, I’ll make a fur pad from their pelts.”

Xi Yunqing nodded. That was a workable plan. But Chen Xiao’s discomfort tonight was a more immediate problem, one that needed to be solved. He stood up and retrieved his own blanket, laying it over Chen Xiao and saying in a low voice, “Use mine for now. Once I switch shifts with Tong Nuonuo later, I’ll use his.”

Chen Xiao’s brain was so cold it wasn’t functioning, he hadn’t even thought of that. Hugging Xi Yunqing’s blanket like it was a treasure, he buried his face in it. This wasn’t a standard-issue blanket; it must’ve been custom-made by someone from Chongxuan Sect. It was softer, warmer, and far more comfortable.

Blanket in hand, Chen Xiao stood up to lay his own on the ground, but Xi Yunqing stopped him. With a puzzled look, Chen Xiao watched as Xi Yunqing knelt on one knee again and pressed his palm against the ground.

A few moments later, before Chen Xiao could figure out what he was doing, he felt a gentle warmth rising from beneath him.

Chen Xiao stared in shock, eyes wide. Xi Yunqing was actually using his own fire-element true energy to warm the ground!

Once the temperature felt just right, Xi Yunqing withdrew his hand. He patted the dirt off his palm, turned to look at the stunned Chen Xiao, and curved his lips into a faint smile.
He said, "Now you won't have to struggle to find a comfortable position. You should be able to sleep just fine."

At that moment, Chen Xiao hugged the blanket close, feeling both touched and a little embarrassed. Xi Yunqing softly added, "Alright, get some rest." As he spoke, he picked up Chen Xiao’s blanket from the ground, shook it open, and spread it out carefully so Chen Xiao could lie down.

Chen Xiao obediently lay down, and Xi Yunqing pulled over his own blanket to cover him. Then, in a low voice, he murmured, “Goodnight,” before rising and returning to his original spot.

Even through the blanket, Chen Xiao could feel the pleasant warmth of the ground. Before long, the heat spread through his entire body. He tucked his nose into the blanket, where a faint, clean scent lingered, subtly fragrant and comforting. The next instant, Chen Xiao's face grew hot, and a light sweat broke out on his forehead. He quickly pulled his face out of the blanket and snuck a glance at Xi Yunqing. Seeing that the other man hadn’t noticed anything, he finally relaxed.

It was already well past his usual bedtime. Wrapped in the warm blanket, Chen Xiao felt an unfamiliar sense of peace. Sleepiness soon overtook him, and he drifted off into slumber.

Only when his breathing turned steady did Xi Yunqing turn to look at him.

Since they were in a region teeming with fierce and savage beasts, cultivators on nighttime excursions didn’t dare light fires. In this world, some of the more dangerous beasts weren’t just unafraid of light, they were actually drawn to it. If they saw a flicker in the darkness, they'd rush toward it. Otherwise, like in the safety zones, a campfire at night could help drive away dampness. Without one, Chen Xiao had often shivered through the night.

Even without a light source, Xi Yunqing’s heightened senses allowed him to see Chen Xiao clearly. Half of Chen Xiao’s face was tucked beneath the blanket, a few loose strands of hair falling across his cheek. His eyes were shut, expression relaxed. His young features hadn’t yet matured, still carrying a trace of youthful innocence, which made his sleeping face seem especially pure.

Xi Yunqing etched that peaceful expression into his memory, then lowered his gaze to his palm. It was this hand that had touched Chen Xiao’s cheek just now. The sensation of touching another person, it was cool, smooth, soft. It was his first time ever touching someone’s face, and he hadn’t realized such a simple gesture could stir such softness in the heart.

He curled his fingers into a fist and tilted his head back, peering through the sparse canopy at the faint stars above. A vague feeling crept over him, his emotions toward Chen Xiao seemed to be changing. It was unfamiliar, uncontrollable. He knew he should keep his distance, but he couldn’t bear to. Only by clinging to reason could he avoid falling into a future as frightening and uncertain as a bottomless abyss… and dragging down the only friend he had ever known.

With a soft sigh, Xi Yunqing buried those tangled thoughts deep in his heart. His expression returned to calm, and he sat still, gazing silently into the darkness like a stone statue, cold and unyielding.

Chen Xiao slept deeply and comfortably that night. When he woke the next morning, the discomfort from the night before had vanished completely. Refreshed and energetic, he got up and folded the blankets. Hugging Xi Yunqing’s, he walked over and handed it to him.

But Xi Yunqing said, “Keep it for now. Once we’ve hunted down a suitable animal and made a fur mat, then you can return it.”

Chen Xiao was caught off guard. “That wouldn’t be right…”

Xi Yunqing gave a faint smile. “It’s fine. It’s still summer, and with my cultivation at the Golden Core stage, I’m not affected much.” Though he smiled, there was an air of finality in his tone that left Chen Xiao no room to argue.

Unwilling to reject the gesture outright, Chen Xiao silently vowed to find a suitable animal as soon as possible.

So, on the journey that followed, Chen Xiao kept a close eye out for all kinds of creatures, hoping to find one that could be used to make a fur mat. Unfortunately, his timing couldn’t have been worse. They had just left the area where wild beasts roamed and entered territory inhabited by fiercer, more dangerous creatures. Most large animals had migrated elsewhere to avoid being hunted, leaving only smaller and mid-sized species behind. After searching for several days without success, Chen Xiao had no choice but to temporarily give up.

Still feeling guilty about using Xi Yunqing’s blanket, and the nightly ground-warming help, Chen Xiao wanted to do something in return. From his storage box, he pulled out some dishes he’d packed from an inn. Though the food had cooled, it still tasted fresh and flavorful.

Tong Nuonuo was quite impressed by Chen Xiao’s idea of using a storage box to carry ready-made meals. Since they couldn’t cook at night, they took to heating food during the day, either in the morning or at midday, using the portable stove Tong Nuonuo carried.

After a day or two, Chen Xiao noticed that Xi Yunqing didn’t seem to enjoy the reheated meals from the storage box. Compared to pre-cooked food, he clearly preferred dishes made from fresh ingredients.

Feeling like he had finally found a way to repay Xi Yunqing, Chen Xiao completely forgot that he had only ever cooked once in his life. Brimming with enthusiasm, he dragged Tong Nuonuo off to gather ingredients. Right then and there, Tong Nuonuo crafted traps from forest materials and caught some fish and a rabbit.

Chen Xiao, spirits high, had Tong Nuonuo bring out his cooking equipment. With full confidence and zero self-awareness, he prepared to showcase his nonexistent culinary skills, unaware that Xi Yunqing, who had never tasted his cooking before, was now quietly full of anticipation.