Chapter Eighty-Five: Long-Buried Memories

Facing the legendary kick coming his way, Chen Qi neither dodged nor parried. Instead, he simply lay flat and squinted, pretending that the goddess was merely massaging his waist. In reality, given Chen Qi’s extraordinary physique and Yun Tianxin’s current state, calling it a massage was not far from the truth.

Noticing that Chen Qi looked indifferent—or perhaps even as if he were enjoying it—Yun Tianxin pouted her delicate lips. She looked as wronged as could be, her large, glowing eyes misting over as if she were on the verge of tears.

How could Chen Qi withstand this? Seeing Yun Tianxin on the brink of weeping, his heart nearly shattered. He decided to play along, forcing an expression of agony to satisfy her childish vanity. The irrational Yun Tianxin, however, fell for it perfectly. A triumphant look appeared on her lovely face, and her breathing grew heavy from the exertion, as if they had just finished an intimate encounter.

Chen Qi played along for a while, but he knew this could not go on. Putting aside the fact that the increasingly intimate physical contact might eventually cause him to lose control, they would get no rest if they continued like this all night. This would inevitably hinder their plans to traverse the mountains tomorrow, a consequence his remaining rationality could not permit. They were surrounded by ferocious beasts; any creature above the sixth grade could wipe them both out.

Even if he had one final card to play—releasing the seal on Yun Tianxin—he would likely be slapped to death by her in her irrational state. She was still kicking him, after all, and in her prime, none of his blows could withstand her strength. *Hmm, although this kicking is actually quite comfortable.*

He let out a satisfied breath, followed by a flicker of self-reproach. If Yun Tianxin ever learned how he had taken advantage of her when she was irrational, who knew what his senior sister would think? He, Chen Qi, was a gentleman!

After enjoying himself for a few more minutes, as Yun Tianxin’s kicks grew slower, Chen Qi suddenly felt his face tighten. A sharp pain shot through his brain, and faint memories of his childhood surfaced. "Why have I never looked back on my childhood?" he wondered, struggling to recall. It seemed, perhaps, that his mother used to tuck him into bed like this, gently patting him while singing soft, warm lullabies that could soothe even the naughtiest child to sleep.

At this thought, a long-buried sorrow suddenly welled up from the depths of his heart. It was as if this grief were carved into his bones—even if he could hide from it for a moment, it would inevitably surface, needing only a catalyst. Yun Tianxin’s childlike behavior was that very catalyst.

He had almost forgotten his parents entirely. After that accident, he had struggled to crush the memories of their voices and smiles, the joy of his childhood, and the happiness of his family into a single mass, burying it deep within his mind and securing it with lock after lock that he believed were unbreakable. But why were these locks so fragile? Unbeknownst to him, tears welled up in his eyes. He realized he was still the same child, yearning for his parents' love.

Even though he appeared mature and decadent, no one knew this was merely a disguise. The heart of a child deprived of parental love is destined to be incomplete; a piece is forever missing, aching inexplicably in the dead of night until the child’s body turns to ashes.

His brain seemed flooded with memories, some familiar, some strange, playing like a slideshow. As he struggled to recall them, Chen Qi gently patted Yun Tianxin’s back with his left hand, humming in the manner he remembered his mother doing: "Little one, go to sleep, wake up healthy and sound. Rock-a-bye, rock-a-bye..."

Under his patting, Yun Tianxin stiffened, then grew quiet, her breathing evening out. Watching this, Chen Qi wore a smile as tender as a father's. Ignoring the two trails of tears on his face, he continued to piece together the scenes from his memory.

After an indeterminate amount of time, when his tears seemed spent, Chen Qi closed his eyes, ready to rest. He had been powerless before, but now that he possessed this unique opportunity, he would surely seek justice for his parents. For him now, that was not difficult.

With his resolve set, he felt a sense of lightness from the depths of his soul, as if his entire being had been emptied. It had been a long time since he felt this relaxed. Soon, his left hand patting Yun Tianxin’s back slowed, and he drifted into a light sleep. It was light because his rationality kept a third of his martial senses alert to guard against any unexpected dangers outside the tent.

In his dream, Chen Qi seemed to see his parents. As a child, he shouted to two giant faces in the sky: "Dad, Mom! Just you wait, your son is currently finding a good daughter-in-law for the Chen family!" With a pure and peaceful smile, Chen Qi fell into a deep sleep.

Minutes later, Yun Tianxin, who had seemed to be asleep, suddenly opened her eyes and looked at the snoring Chen Qi. Her eyes were clear, with no trace of the confusion from before. Looking closely at the still-damp tear tracks on his face, she felt a pang of heartache. She did not know what burdens the youth carried, just as he did not know what she would soon face.

Yun Tianxin did not speak or move unnecessarily. She chose to close her eyes again, her body instinctively leaning closer to Chen Qi’s embrace. Sensing something in his arms, Chen Qi lowered his head reflexively; his mouth parted naturally, catching a lock of Yun Tianxin’s fragrant hair. This gesture made her body tremble, but she did not react further. The girl’s thoughts dissolved into a soft, long sigh in the depths of her heart.

Early in the morning, the first rays of sunlight pierced the mountain crevices and shone through the light blue tent. Yun Tianxin let out a soft groan and stirred, opening her bright eyes and turning her gaze toward Chen Qi. Her movement transmitted to him, and Chen Qi’s eyebrows twitched; his mind was already clear. His hand was still wrapped around her slender waist, and during the night, his fingers had unconsciously slipped into her belt, touching skin that felt smooth and soft.

"Hmm? What is this in my mouth?" Noticing the foreign object in his mouth, Chen Qi felt dizzy, wishing he could just pass out again. How could he dare to wake up like this? Sensing the awkwardness, Yun Tianxin frowned, feeling the discomfort, and twisted her body to break free from his embrace.

Chen Qi, still pretending to sleep, twitched his nose. Sensing the fragrance fading away, he felt a wave of regret. Then, he heard Yun Tianxin’s indignant voice: "Junior! Brother! How long are you going to keep pretending to be asleep?"

"Ah, this..." Chen Qi’s face turned red. Seeing that he couldn't keep up the ruse, he turned a somersault and darted out of the tent.

From outside, Chen Qi’s voice came, sounding a bit shifty: "Senior Sister, rest a while longer. I’ll go check the surrounding terrain for you."

His words sounded casual, but they were actually quite meaningful. Based on his experience, this was the time to give the woman some space to cool down. Well, even though he hadn't really done anything.

Taking a deep breath of the misty mountain air, Chen Qi climbed up a tall tree and began to observe his surroundings. It was still a land of towering mountains and ridges, but after his desperate trek last night, the Mountain of Miasma was no longer in sight, which gave him a great sense of security. The distant mountains were still shrouded in clouds and mist; it was another foggy day.

Chen Qi was very satisfied and began to ponder the next leg of their journey. According to his plan, he needed to head due north, only changing direction once he was directly east of the Cloud Sea Sect. The advantage of this was that it took a long, roundabout path that no potential enemy would anticipate. After all, everyone knew that a straight line was the shortest distance between two points.

"Eh? A disciple of the Cloud Sea Sect?"

Just as Chen Qi was lost in thought, an old, puzzled voice suddenly rang out. It originated from afar, yet it echoed as if right beside his ear. Before Chen Qi could grasp what was happening, a figure in purple robes appeared in the distance. The man seemed completely unaffected by gravity, taking two or three steps through the air before flashing right in front of Chen Qi. The gust of wind he brought blew against Chen Qi’s clothes, sending a shiver of awe through him.