Chapter 88: The Heat in the Palm

When Chen Xiao was attacked before, he only relied on his young body and quick reflexes. Otherwise, with his past life experience, which was only enough to deal with street thieves, he would have died at the hands of the Golden Core cultivator long ago.

It was only after witnessing that encounter firsthand that Chen Xiao understood that in the world of cultivation, one not only needed spiritual roots and cultivation but also good courage and skills. This realization prompted him to prioritize learning body techniques, something he had been planning to ask Du Rong about. However, after Du Rong got new equipment and immersed himself in training day and night, Chen Xiao didn’t want to interrupt his momentum. Now that Xi Yunqing had offered to teach him, it was a solution to his dilemma.

Xi Yunqing's offer to teach Chen Xiao body techniques was not only to strengthen their bond but also because he genuinely wanted to help Chen Xiao.

In this world, those with the aptitude for cultivation usually start laying the foundations as children, learning body techniques and cultivating their internal energy from a young age. Even in the secluded Chang family village, children as young as five or six began stretching, pulling muscles, doing horse stances, and standing still.

Chen Xiao, now 18, had missed the optimal learning years. His body, while still young, no longer had the same flexibility and elasticity it had when he was younger. Even if he sought someone else to teach him, they might not possess the same level of care or patience, and the techniques they taught him might not be as refined or practical.

Xi Yunqing was always serious in his actions, especially when it came to helping friends, he gave it his all, being responsible and strict. Every morning, after his own practice, he began guiding Chen Xiao through the most basic exercises. When he was young, Xi Yunqing's master, the head of Chongxuan Sect, didn’t have time to teach him the basics, so his senior brother taught him instead. The entire group, both the master and the disciples, had the same work ethic, making sure to teach with meticulous attention to detail and never letting up.

At first, Chen Xiao thought they would learn in a relaxed atmosphere, like in those military experience reality shows where, even though the training was hard, it seemed like an enjoyable process. But he hadn’t expected Xi Yunqing to be so strict, much more so than his own master, Fang Gu. There was no time to ease into it; it was straight into "hell mode."

At 18, Chen Xiao’s body was almost fully developed. Even though he had built a foundation under Hanwa’s guidance, it had deteriorated over the year or so without practice. The basic stances weren’t too difficult, but when it came to stretching and pulling muscles, opening up stiff tendons and bones, the pain was almost unbearable. Each move, each session, pushed him to his limits, and the agony was unbearable.

But the first few days were just the warm-up. Once Xi Yunqing assessed Chen Xiao’s condition and saw that his body was in better shape than expected, he ramped up the training intensity. He didn’t consider how strict the standards of Chongxuan Sect might be for someone who had never undergone formal training before. All he knew was that Chen Xiao could do it, so he pushed him to train in the fastest and most efficient way.

At this point, despite the immense pain, Chen Xiao held back his tears and bore it all in silence. He never once begged for mercy. Even though he thought Xi Yunqing’s teaching style was brutal, he never once thought about giving up. He understood that this might be one of those rare opportunities in life that could change everything, just like when he had endured intense study under Fang Gu’s strict rules.

However, no matter how strong his resolve was, his body didn’t cooperate. The pain still persisted. After finishing his daily training, Chen Xiao walked back to his room, stiff and exhausted, barely able to stand. He almost fell asleep right there from exhaustion, but he forced himself up, heading to the back bathhouse, and sank into a warm bath.

Chen Xiao let out a comfortable sigh. Grateful for the advanced techniques of the immortals, he now enjoyed the convenience and comfort of the bathtub, which worked much like a modern one. He couldn’t imagine how he would have gotten through the day without it. He could set the water temperature and level before leaving in the morning, and when he came back, everything would be ready for him to take a bath. Without this, he doubted he would have been able to get up the next day.

After soaking for about fifteen minutes, Chen Xiao resisted the urge to fall asleep in the warm water and reluctantly got out. These days, he was so tired that he could barely lift chopsticks, so he asked the people in Chang family village to help bring food to his room. In order to better train him, Xi Yunqing called him to the main courtyard every day. The people in Chang family village, grateful for Chen Xiao's connection with their beloved master, readily agreed to help.

After dinner, with the lights on, Chen Xiao read for a while. Just as he was about to sleep, Xi Yunqing came.

His arrival at this hour surprised Chen Xiao. Although they had become much closer recently, he knew that Xi Yunqing was someone who valued personal time and space. During the day, they rarely went to each other's rooms, usually staying outside or in the living room. Late at night, unless there was something important, Xi Yunqing would never come to disturb him.

"Brother, it's so late. Is there something wrong?" Chen Xiao welcomed him inside, looking at him in confusion.

Xi Yunqing frowned slightly, carefully observing Chen Xiao’s face. While his cheeks showed a healthy flush, his eyes were dim and his expression seemed somewhat worn. A weariness, deep in his bones, was hidden in the lines of his face. This made Xi Yunqing feel regretful and annoyed with himself for not noticing sooner.

Chen Xiao usually went to the dining hall to check the dishes before deciding what to eat. It was only when someone delivering his meal mentioned that he hadn't been to the hall lately that Xi Yunqing realized the intensity of the training had drained Chen Xiao to the point where he didn’t even have the strength to go to the dining hall. This shouldn't have happened.

He thought for a moment and finally understood why things were like this. The training regimen he had tailored for Chen Xiao was designed to push him to his physical limits, maximizing the potential of his body and promoting progress in his cultivation. However, although Chen Xiao's body contained energy, he couldn't use cultivation techniques to channel it the way practitioners did to aid recovery. This was likely because the energy in his body was the result of practicing Feng Shui techniques, not from meditative cultivation. Without the corresponding techniques to channel the energy, it couldn't be applied properly. As a result, Chen Xiao had to rely on sleep for his body to recover on its own.

Although reducing the training intensity would help him feel less fatigued each day, it would also lose the effect of activating his potential, causing his progress to slow. Given how meticulous Xi Yunqing was, he wouldn't choose such a path. There was another way: to achieve the best training results while ensuring Chen Xiao’s mental state remained stable. That was to use medicinal oil for daily massages, promoting muscle and joint recovery.

If it were anyone else, Xi Yunqing would have arranged for someone else to help with the massages. But for a friend like Chen Xiao, he thought it was only natural to do it himself.

Without fully articulating this thought, Xi Yunqing pressed his lips together and said with a slight tension in his voice, “I brought some medicinal oil from Hanshan City. It can relieve muscle soreness. You just need to use it after your daily training, and you'll feel much better the next day.” He raised his hand and showed Chen Xiao the medicinal oil he had brought.

This was exactly what Chen Xiao needed. He reached out gratefully. “Thank you. I’m the one being unproductive. Sorry for troubling you.”

Xi Yunqing lightly raised his hand to brush it off. Seeing the confusion in Chen Xiao’s eyes, he quickly explained, “I’m here to help. The medicinal oil needs to be massaged in to absorb fully, and you won’t be able to do it yourself.”

“Huh?” Chen Xiao’s eyes widened in surprise.

Xi Yunqing’s serious expression made it clear he was not joking. Realizing this, Chen Xiao resigned himself to accepting his older brother’s kindness. He undressed his outer robes, climbed into bed, and laid flat.

Xi Yunqing seemed to be performing a sacred task. He carefully washed his hands before pouring the oil into his palm. He rubbed his hands together to ensure the oil was evenly spread.

The night was quiet, with only the sound of Xi Yunqing’s movements, the rustle of his clothes, and the subtle friction of his hands. Chen Xiao, lying on the bed with his soft pillow under his head, couldn’t help but feel a bit tense from the strangely intimate atmosphere.

Xi Yunqing’s heartbeat quickened slightly. He sat by the bed, bent slightly forward, and reached out his hands. Just as his hands were about to touch Chen Xiao's back, covered with a thin layer of muscle, his movements paused under the soft, dim light.

Clearing his throat to make his voice sound as composed as usual, without revealing any trace of nervousness, Xi Yunqing said in a low tone, “I’m starting now.”

Chen Xiao’s body tensed, the muscles along his back tightening at the sound of his words. He buried his face in the pillow, trying to suppress the heat that was creeping up his face. His voice muffled, he replied, “Mm.”

Only then did Xi Yunqing’s hands gently fall onto Chen Xiao's back, as if he were handling something fragile. The instant his warm hands made contact with Chen Xiao’s skin, the sensation caused Chen Xiao to involuntarily shudder, his muscles tensing to the point of almost cramping. He quickly turned his head, startled, looking at Xi Yunqing.

Xi Yunqing was sitting very close. His long, dark hair hung loosely by his face, almost brushing against Chen Xiao's back. He lowered his head, his eyes glancing downward. When Chen Xiao turned to look at him, Xi Yunqing’s gaze met his. At this close distance, even though they were both men, Chen Xiao couldn't help but be momentarily captivated by the handsome face of Xi Yunqing, even more striking in the dim light.

“Is something wrong?” Xi Yunqing’s voice broke Chen Xiao’s daze. He quickly shook off the unexpected feeling and asked with confusion, “No... it's just the medicinal oil... why is it warm?”

He could definitely feel the warmth of Xi Yunqing’s hands, not an illusion. Even now, as Xi Yunqing’s hands rested on his back, they radiate warmth, like two little heaters, continuously soothing his tense muscles and helping them relax.

Xi Yunqing responded softly, “I have both Fire and Metal attributes in my spiritual roots. I applied some fire-element essence to my hands to enhance the effect of the oil.”

Chen Xiao’s eyes widened in surprise. He stared at Xi Yunqing in awe.