His Meihua Swan | 他的大天鵝 (BL)

C H A P T E R 3 1

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Chapter 31: Sheng Jing Mine, Part 1

As Liu Xiao ventured deeper into the cave, he was drawn towards the pure spiritual qi. Guilt washed over him as he observed the souls of cultivators trapped within the crystal formations. Possessing a spiritual core is considered a rare and invaluable asset, yet here, the essence of these individuals had been diminished to mere decorations, a profoundly heartbreaking sight.

The echoes of faint pleas for help lingered in Liu Xiao's mind, leaving him unsettled yet filled with compassion. He pressed on, maintaining his sanity amidst the haunting chorus of voices as he advanced further into the cave.

Eventually, Liu Xiao noticed a soft silver glow at the cave's boundary. With spiritual qi fueling his movements, he darted towards the light in an instant. Upon arrival, his vision was momentarily overwhelmed by the shimmering silver radiance until his eyes adjusted, revealing an astonishing scene.

An elder clad in white and silver robes sat serenely atop a white jade pedestal, encircled by an array of large, twinkling silver crystals. These crystals dwarfed those at the cave's entrance, each as grand as a full-length sword and uniquely elongated, enveloping the old man. They seemed to draw out the pure spiritual qi emanating from his body.

The old man's visage was one of tranquility, as though he were in a profound slumber. His white brows lay relaxed, his eyes gently closed, and his lips sealed. His complexion appeared unnaturally pale yet fresh, devoid of any scent of decay. The pure spiritual qi within him flowed ceaselessly in an eternal cycle, suggesting it had remained untapped for an extended period, causing it to seep out.

"An old fart? What's an old fart doing here?" Liu Xiao asked himself as he stepped forward to approach it.

As he neared the object, the delicate plum blossom petal mark on his forehead began to itch once more. Despite the discomfort, he resisted the urge to scratch and continued moving toward the old man's body. Just one step away from the slumbering elder, his forehead emitted a dazzling orange glow, and Liu Xiao let out a sudden scream. His head felt as though it was splitting apart.

Liu Xiao's screams of agony were relentless as he struggled to maintain his balance, ultimately bringing him to his knees before the old man. In desperation, he raised his hand to cover the mark, attempting to erase it. However, the mark expanded within his head, causing the surrounding skin to tear. An orange jewel, shaped like a slender plum blossom petal, surfaced on his forehead. Previously, after concluding his secluded meditation, the mark had merely seemed like a birthmark or tattoo on his forehead, impossible to remove. But now, it had transformed into a tangible, slender orange jewel, turning the mark into an ornamental piece; it was both exquisite and lustrous.

Once the mark emerged from his skin, all of Liu Xiao's prior suffering vanished instantaneously, as if it had never occurred. He promptly rose to his feet, caught his reflection in the silver crystals, and used them as a mirror. He gently touched the jewel adorning his forehead, furrowing his brows in contemplation over its unexpected emergence. Fearing that removing the jewel might leave a gaping hole and result in fatal blood loss, Liu chose not to extract it. Instead, he decided to leave it undisturbed.

"WHO IS......XIAO'ER?!"

"GAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!" and was Liu Xiao unsheathed his sword out of instinct and pointed it at the old man, who had now opened his eyes and looking at him with a surprised expression.

"Xiao'er? How come you're here? You grew up beautifully."

"FUCKING GOD THE OLD FART WOKE UP! ARE YOU A GHOST COMING TO HAUNT ME?! I DIDN'T YELL BECAUSE I WANT TO! HURRY! COME BACK TO SLEEP!!! COME BACK TO SLE—MMMPPPHHHHH!!!!!!!!"