Dao Companion Crippled, Coveters Move

Chapter 62: Yu Xiaoyan Held Over the Fire

"Master... you truly are attentive to Xiaoxiao's affairs."

Yu Xiaoyan looked at the two supreme treasures floating before her, her expression complicated.

They might be treasures, but she didn't want them. After all, the idea of her body no longer belonging solely to her was just too awful to contemplate.

'And... if I successfully marry Master someday, wouldn't that wretched wench get to benefit too?'

'Would I have to share my own Master with the other personality inside my body?!'

'If that wretched wench took control of my body and... did something with Master, would that count as Master betraying me? Or would it be my body betraying my soul?'

'And what about the fruit of my love with Master? Would our child recognize me as its mother, or that wretched wench...?'

'It's a mess. It's all a fucking mess!'

Although Yu Xiaoyan had long been mentally prepared, she still fell into an unavoidable panic as these dreadful possibilities—the kind that grew more terrifying the more she thought about them—drew closer than ever, on the verge of becoming reality.

At this moment, Pei Yuhang had no idea that the girl in his arms had already come up with names for their future children—children who might never even exist.

Feeling his young disciple's delicate body trembling nervously in his arms, he reached out, stroked her head, and said comfortingly,

"Xiaoxiao, Divine Soul Fusion is completely new to you. It's perfectly normal to feel pain in your body and soul, and even panic, the first time you experience it."

"When the time comes, Master can stand watch and help you transition through this phase as gently as possible."

"..."

Listening to her master's warm whispers, Yu Xiaoyan didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

However, Yu Xiaoyan's terror and unease were merely the prelude to her own sister Yu Gu Nan's wild celebration.

Ripples spread across the Heart Lake, denser than ever, until the entire lake churned with undercurrents, heralding Yu Gu Nan's suppressed yet surging tide of emotions.

She had been imprisoned in this body for over twenty years, able to perceive the world only by chewing on her younger sister's memories.

Ordinarily, she was like a cloud of ethereal gas, floating in a Sea of Consciousness devoid of time and space. Pain, joy, sorrow... she could feel nothing. There was only emptiness!

The only time she had ever controlled her own body was for a brief moment during her sister's birthday banquet all those years ago.

For the first time, she felt the wind, saw the light, and heard sound.

And for the first time, she had human emotions, no longer just a void.

There was no joy at escaping her cage, only an ultimate grief and rage, like a furious wave on a stormy night, wanting to smash everything in its path!

She had raised a dinner knife and recklessly stabbed at her own parents.

She hated them for giving birth to her and her sister in such a malformed state, for unilaterally abandoning her while keeping her sister, and for forcing her to endure a cruel imprisonment unlike any other in this world.

Unfortunately... before she could stab those two bastards to death, she was locked back inside this shell of a body.

But no matter. That was all in the past.

Everything from the past would be reduced to ash.

The moment she possessed a body of her own, Yu Gu Nan would be reborn.

At this thought, Yu Gu Nan spoke to her sister, her voice dry and raspy in her mind.

"Xiaoxiao, don't you dare forget our agreement. Don't forget that your current title as a genius... was a gift from your dear older sister."

"Besides, you haven't even brought out the full potential of the Seven-Aperture Exquisite Heart. Once our Divine Souls begin to fuse, I will help you utterly surpass that dumb cow of a senior sister, become the number one genius of the Xuanyuan Dao Sect, and be Master's one and only pride!"

"And don't be scared. You're the one who always listens to Master, right? Don't be a bad girl who disobeys him now, hmm? Hurry and thank Master for his kindness. Take the gifts!"

"..."

Countless violent thoughts flooded Yu Xiaoyan's mind. She wanted nothing more than to curse that wretched wench out right then and there. But when she remembered that they would soon have to share this body, and that antagonizing her would only put herself at a disadvantage, she could only grit her teeth and suppress her fury.

Relying on her astonishing acting skills, she looked up and broke into a sweet smile.

"Oh, Xiaoxiao thanks you, Master! You're too good to me. To give away such supreme treasures so freely... I don't know how I could ever repay you."

Seeing Yu Xiaoyan adjust her emotions so quickly, Pei Yuhang nodded in relief.

"Xiaoxiao, ever since what happened to your master's wife, I have neglected your cultivation. Your talent is among the best in the entire Dao Sect, yet I haven't been able to provide you with the resources to match. I can hardly call myself a responsible master."

"I'm just glad you don't resent me for it. There's no need to talk about repayment."

As he finished speaking, Pei Yuhang also glanced at his first disciple, Qing Yueqiu.

Just yesterday, he had told Qing Yueqiu that Elder Liu had agreed to let her go to the Divine Sword Pavilion to choose a Spirit Sword.

Qing Yueqiu had been overwhelmed by the unexpected favor, even assuming Pei Yuhang had spent a massive amount of Spirit Stones to buy her this chance to enter the Divine Sword Pavilion.

Feeling she was unworthy of such a great effort from Pei Yuhang, she had even foolishly suggested asking Elder Liu to rescind the spot and return all the Spirit Stones used to bribe him.

Pei Yuhang hadn't known whether to laugh or cry and could only explain that he hadn't spent any money this time (he had just drunk a bit of a certain Saintess's... "foot-washing wine," which had even increased his Cultivation by a fair amount).

Ahem. The Saintess's foot-washing wine was not important.

In any case, Pei Yuhang's words were meant not only for Yu Xiaoyan, but also for Qing Yueqiu.

'You shouldn't feel any burden using the things your master gives you!'

'I am your master. I am responsible for your journey on the path of the Dao!'

"Master..."

Qing Yueqiu understood the look in Pei Yuhang's eyes, and her own eyes welled up, red with emotion.

And Yu Xiaoyan, standing right in front of him, could naturally only follow suit and start crying as well.

In fact, her tears were even more emotional than Qing Yueqiu's!

After all, from this day forward, her body would no longer be hers alone. There was even a question mark over who her future children would belong to... How could Yu Xiaoyan not be heartbroken?

"Now, now, don't cry. You're both grown-ups..."

Pei Yuhang wiped the tears from his two disciples' eyes, a sense of accomplishment welling up in his heart.

'My disciples are so moved. This must mean they really love the gifts I gave them. I've finally fulfilled my responsibility as their master.'

'Totally worth it!'