Chen Ruan’s Awakening

Chen Ruan dreamt that dream again, seeing a colossal golden sword plummet like a meteor towards her homeland.

“No!”

Playing outside, Chen Ruan cried out desperately, scrambling towards it, but the great sword descended without mercy.

After everything fell silent, she frantically clawed through the rubble, only to find one familiar corpse after another, until her eyes landed upon the ghastly pale faces of her parents.

As night fell, this solitary, helpless soul lay upon the ruins, silently awaiting the embrace of death.

Amidst the boundless darkness, however, a faint emerald glow pulsed.

Chen Ruan picked it up, and saw it was a token.

Etched upon it were the characters ‘Feibai’.

Feibai Sect? Was that not the renowned righteous sect in the Tianyun Kingdom?

The people of her homeland considered joining the Feibai Sect to be a lifelong honor.

A wave of shock washed over Chen Ruan, wondering why a Feibai Sect token would be found here.

‘Wait, Father recently told me that the Feibai Sect was hunting down a wanted demonic cult.’

‘But why, why would they investigate all the way here?’

A faint murmur from the nearby ruins suddenly snapped Chen Ruan from her reverie.

“Good child, come here.”

****

Chen Ruan jolted awake, staring at a wholly unfamiliar ceiling.

Her physical weakness and mental disorientation made her furrow her brow.

‘Right, someone must have taken her in?’

“You’re awake?”

In a haze, Chen Ruan felt someone hold her hand.

“So soft.” her subconscious offered an assessment.

“Hm? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, nothing at all.”

“I saw you collapsed by the roadside, covered in wounds, so I took the liberty of bringing you back. Can you tell me what happened?” Luochen asked with genuine concern.

‘My demonic cultivation technique is exceptionally discreet; it would be difficult for others to discern unless I expose myself.’

‘Moreover, the turmoil hasn’t subsided, and venturing out now would be perilous. It would be better to rest here for a few days.’

Her thoughts raced like lightning. Chen Ruan promptly decided to concoct a small lie.

Forcing herself upright, she cupped her hands in a respectful salute towards Luochen.

“I am a minor cultivator from the Xi Yun Sect. While pursuing a wanted demonic cultivator with my sect, I fell victim to a malicious ambush, ending up in such a plight. Might I inquire if I could stay here for a few days to recuperate? I can offer recomp—”

A sudden spurt of blood cut off her words.

“Of course, you may. Exterminating demons and defending the righteous path is inherently our duty; how could I demand recompense? Fellow Daoist, please lie down and rest. I will go brew some medicinal soup for you.”

Luochen hastily helped her lie down, her mind racing simultaneously.

‘A new Child of Destiny, indeed. She seems like someone brimming with righteous aura.’

Luochen felt like crying.

After enduring a Master who loved to sleep, shirk responsibilities, and idled away her days, and a junior sister whose emotions barely wavered, she had finally found someone who seemed like a proper, righteous protagonist.

Now, all she had to do was cultivate her favorability.

“By the way, may I inquire about your esteemed name, fellow Daoist?”

“This one is Chen Ruan.”

“I am Luochen; please look after me in the future.”

The immortal before her smiled faintly and then departed.

‘Luochen? She’s the senior sister of the Feibai Sect? I was actually saved by her?’

Chen Ruan froze, her nails unconsciously digging into her palm, yet she felt no pain.

‘Wait, does this mean I’m currently inside the Feibai Sect?’

‘This truly is a case of seeking something high and low, only to find it effortlessly . Seizing this opportune moment, she might as well exploit this seemingly naive senior sister to ascertain the truth about Feibai Sect.’

‘Father, Mother, Elder Sister, everyone, I will surely avenge you.’

Chen Ruan vowed inwardly.

As she pondered how to utilize this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, Luochen returned.

“So, Fellow Daoist is the luminary of the younger generation, the senior sister of the Feibai Sect, Luochen. Truly, it was disrespectful of me.”

‘Senior sister, you say? She doesn’t look that old, though?’ Chen Ruan mused inwardly, a hint of mischief, gazing at the haven of tenderness before her.

“Mere empty titles, Chen-guniang (TL Note: ‘Guniang’ is a respectful term for a young woman or maiden); you flatter me.”

Luochen smiled helplessly.

“Oh, the medicinal soup is ready; drink it while it’s hot.”

Luochen placed the medicinal soup on the table, then wrapped her arm around Chen Ruan’s shoulder, helping her sit up.

“It smells so good.” Inhaling the fragrance wafting from Luochen, Chen Ruan unconsciously offered another comment.

“Fragrant?” Luochen looked at her, a little stunned.

‘Had this girl been struck senseless? Did the medicinal soup’s aroma bear any resemblance to ‘fragrant’?’

After silently slandering her, Luochen held the soup in her hand.

“Quickly, drink your medicine.” She scooped a small spoonful, gently blowing on it before offering it to Chen Ruan’s lips.

Barely an inch separated them.

Observing her at such close proximity, Chen Ruan truly realized how beautiful Luochen was.

A face of pure, understated elegance, her features exquisitely perfect.

She was earnestly blowing on the medicinal soup, her movements gentle, her tone soft.

Even Chen Ruan, with her five-revolutions cultivation, was not deterred by ordinary heat.

She found herself gazing, utterly entranced.

“Why are you spacing out?”

Luochen waved her hand before Chen Ruan’s eyes.

“If you don’t drink it soon, it’ll get cold.”

Chen Ruan confessed to utter defeat. She, who had spent years engrossed in arduous cultivation, how could she withstand such an assault of beauty (as she perceived it)?

To mask her embarrassment, she hastily swallowed the spoonful of medicinal soup.

A warm current spread through her meridians, and her eyes brightened as she asked, “Fellow Daoist Luo, what ingredients were used to brew this medicinal soup?”

Seemingly unprepared for such a question, Luochen pondered for a moment.

“A millennium ginseng, an Earth Spirit Fruit, and a Soul-Returning Herb. Is the medicinal effect not strong enough, Chen-guniang?”

“????”

Chen Ruan’s brow furrowed with exasperation.

As a demonic rogue cultivator who often went hungry for days, had she ever witnessed such a display?

These heavenly treasures she wouldn’t bear to consume unless her life was on the line—Luochen actually brewed them all in one go?

Chen Ruan composed herself: “This bowl of medicinal soup is too precious; I am unworthy of such a gift.”

‘You extravagant fool ! Once I find an opportunity to investigate the true nature of your Feibai Sect, in the future, I will surely plunder all your treasures!’ Chen Ruan thought, seething with resentment.

‘Wait, what was that sliding down?’ Chen Ruan then realized her black Daoist robe was gone, replaced by a loose-fitting bath robe.

Seemingly noticing Chen Ruan’s gaze, Luochen explained, “Your Daoist robe was covered in blood, so I took the liberty of changing you into my bath robe.”

‘What about my undergarments?’

Chen Ruan reached a hand to her chest and squeezed, confirming there was still a layer of fabric underneath.

Luochen blinked: “Those are mine too.”

‘So she had been completely seen and touched all over?’

The innocent Chen Ruan had never encountered such a situation; her face instantly flushed crimson.

The sudden shock, coupled with her already weakened body, caused her to faint once more.

“Eh, Chen-guniang, why did you faint? Chen-guniang?”

The unwitting culprit still seemed utterly bewildered.

****

Chen Ruan woke up, staring at a ceiling that felt both strange and oddly familiar.

‘How did I faint again?’

Amidst her self-mockery, her gaze swept towards the bedside.

Luochen was sleeping peacefully on a chair beside the bed, curled up on it, covered only by a thin blanket.

Her long hair cascaded down, obscuring her face, her breath stirring a lock of hair, rising and falling rhythmically.

‘Did I sleep in her bed?’ Chen Ruan shook her head helplessly.

The next second, Luochen, sensing movement on the bed, awoke.

“Chen-guniang, are you alright now? You suddenly fainted yesterday and wouldn’t wake up no matter how I called; you worried me terribly.”

A warm current flowed through Chen Ruan’s organs. She knew this was the long-lost taste of something called ‘care’.

“Thank you.” she muttered.

“No need to thank me, no need at all. Such a small matter is nothing. Oh, I need to prepare breakfast and medicine. Chen-guniang, please continue resting for a while. I’ll bring you breakfast and medicinal soup soon.” With that, Luochen left in a flurry.

While waiting, Chen Ruan fell asleep again.

“Chen-guniang?” A soft, gentle voice echoed in her ear.

Chen Ruan woke up, staring at the now very familiar ceiling.

The next second, Luochen’s face appeared in her line of sight.

Her eyes blinked at her, and a smile blossomed on her face when she saw Chen Ruan was awake.

‘That’s too close.’ Chen Ruan grumbled inwardly.

‘But she really does smell wonderful. If only I could sleep holding her every day.’

Lord Chen Ruan, a ‘King of Verbal Prowess’ (TL Note: ‘嘴强王者’ (zuǐqiáng wángzhě) is a Chinese slang term for someone who is bold with words but timid in action, similar to a ‘keyboard warrior’ or someone who talks a big game but can’t back it up), who in reality fainted from being seen naked, resumed her fantasies.

“Chen-guniang?” Luochen’s voice broke her reverie.

“Honestly, why are you always spacing out? Quickly, drink your medicine.” Luochen smiled as she handed over a bowl of medicinal soup.

‘Is there no personal feeding session today? Wait, what am I even thinking?’

Her mind filled with unseemly thoughts, Chen Ruan drank the medicinal soup without a hint of caution.

“Cough, cough, cough, it’s so bitter.” She nearly spat it out.

“Today’s medicine isn’t like yesterday’s. Oh, try this.”

Luochen smiled as she offered a small sugar pill.

“So sweet! And it tastes like grapes!” Chen Ruan felt as though she had been saved from a sea of bitterness.

Luochen smiled faintly: “I knew you’d find it bitter. I couldn’t stand the bitterness when I used to drink this stuff, so I made these sugar pills myself to neutralize the bitterness. Doesn’t it taste less bitter the moment you eat it?”

“Fellow Daoist Luo, you drink this too? Why?” Chen Ruan put down the medicinal soup and asked curiously.

“I’ve always been afflicted with an incurable illness; I’m merely barely surviving.”

Although Luochen answered with a smile, Chen Ruan still saw a fleeting shadow of loneliness in her eyes.

“Fellow Daoist Luo.” Chen Ruan wanted to offer words of comfort, but the words caught in her throat.

“Let’s not talk about my matters; quickly finish your medicine.” Luochen interrupted her, urging her on.

After finishing it with a furrowed brow, Luochen picked up the small bowl placed beside her.

“Congratulations on clearing the difficult stage; this is your reward.”

Numerous small, snow-white spheres were bobbing in the hot soup.

“What is this?” Chen Ruan asked curiously.

“It’s a breakfast dish from my hometown, called Tangyuan (TL Note: Tangyuan are glutinous rice balls, often filled with sweet or savory ingredients, traditionally eaten during the Lantern Festival or other special occasions).”

Chen Ruan tentatively took a bite, and the rich sesame filling burst open on her taste buds.

“Delicious!” Her eyes shone brightly.

Since advancing to five-revolutions, she rarely ate. Eating would only slow down her cultivation progress, nor did she have much surplus savings to indulge her culinary desires.

As Chen Ruan devoured her meal, Luochen pulled out a few books from her storage ring and placed them beside the bed.

“These are storybooks I wrote in my spare time for my junior sister. You can’t move around or cultivate right now, so if you feel bored, you can read some storybooks to pass the time.”

‘Actually, Master has been reading them all along, but to maintain her elderly image in front of outsiders, I’ll just sacrifice you, junior sister. Anyway, junior sister, you’re so kind, you definitely won’t mind.’ Luochen silently issued a ‘good person card’ to Su Yue.

Su Yue, who was currently refining pills on Danzhu Peak, suddenly felt a chill down her spine.

“Achoo!” She violently sneezed.

And then—

“My batch of pills!”

The usually aloof immortal finally showed an expression.