Immortal after a Hundred Reincarnations

But seeing Jingchun’s earnest expression, Xu Lei let his guard down a little.

After all, people like Zhao Xin and Hui Ming vouched for her character.

Besides, if Jingchun had designs on his Phoenix True Flame, she didn’t have to bring it up today at all.

She could have just found a way to strike when he wasn’t expecting it later on.

But she hadn’t.

Instead, she had brought it up herself.

So, for now, Xu Lei decided to trust her.

"I’m sorry, Master."

Zhao Xin stuck out her tongue playfully. "I didn’t mean to hide it from you."

"And Uncle Hui Chi doesn’t distrust you, either."

"It’s just that with something like the Phoenix True Flame, the more people who know, the more dangerous it is. It could easily bring disaster upon him."

Before Xu Lei could say anything,

"Don’t worry, of course I understand."

Jingchun continued, "But in that case, Hui Chi, it’s just as I suspected.

The reason you were able to eat meat with Jin Xin, and could perform endless Charitable Giving with her without harming her Cultivation, is because you possess the Phoenix True Flame!

I want to ask a favor of you.

Of course, don’t worry.

I will absolutely make it worth your while!"

"What is it?"

Xu Lei asked. "Sister-in-law, why don’t you tell me first?

If I can help, I will certainly do my best."

"What I’m asking is for you to use your Phoenix True Flame to clear the meridians and circulate the blood and Qi of my husband—your martial brother."

Jingchun added, "To see if you can burn away some of the toxins in his body and improve his condition.

He’s right here in a room in the Daoist Temple’s inner courtyard, so you won’t have to go far."

Xu Lei was surprised.

But he naturally agreed.

Jingchun gave Xu Lei a Little Demon Core as payment.

Although Xu Lei said it wasn’t necessary, she insisted he take it.

After some back and forth, Xu Lei accepted it.

After all, Jingchun’s Cultivation was higher than Xu Lei’s.

She might look younger than him,

but she had not been in Cultivation for any less time than he had.

In fact, she had lived even longer. This, of course, only referred to Xu Lei’s second life.

Furthermore, Jingchun’s mother, Chun Ying, had provided her with plenty of resources.

So, in the end, Xu Lei didn’t refuse her kindness.

「Half an hour later.」

Led by Jingchun, Xu Lei arrived at a room deep within the Daoist Temple.

Inside a Magical Artifact Coffin lay a bald young man with rather handsome features.

This was the man Jingchun loved, her Dao Companion from years ago.

His Buddhist name was Hui Lu.

The story went that he and Jingchun had been hunting a Demon together when they encountered a Great Demon.

He had been afflicted with Demon Poison while protecting Jingchun.

Although he didn’t die, his life force barely sustained, he had been trapped in an endless slumber ever since, becoming like one of the living dead.

He was the only Cultivator in his family.

His mortal parents and siblings had all died of old age long ago.

Several generations of his family’s descendants had come and gone.

Even his master had died after failing to achieve Nirvana.

In other words, he was utterly alone in the world. Besides Jingchun, he had no one.

But because of the Demon Poison, he had been reduced to this state.

For this reason, Jingchun had spent all these years blaming herself, wracked with guilt and unable to let him go.

Xu Lei earnestly circulated his Magical Power, channeling a wisp of Phoenix True Flame into Hui Lu’s body.

It roamed throughout his system multiple times.

When Xu Lei withdrew all the energy,

he saw that the color had indeed returned to the face of the prone Hui Lu.

However, it still wasn’t enough to wake him.

But then, the Phoenix True Flame was never meant to be enough to save him, so it had fulfilled Jingchun’s expectations.

She thanked Xu Lei again.

Then, her gaze, full of affection and sorrow, returned to the reclining Hui Lu.

After that, Xu Lei and Zhao Xin left the stone chamber.

As Xu Lei listened to Zhao Xin tell him more about Jingchun and Hui Lu, he couldn’t help but feel a little emotional.

"Now I finally understand why your master has refused to find another Dao Companion all these years,"

Xu Lei said, "even with her mother, Daoist Chun Ying, pressuring her so many times!"

’Maybe their relationship back then was just a rush of hormones.’

’A sudden flutter of the heart.’

’If that incident had never happened, their feelings might have changed over time anyway.’

’But because of what happened, Jingchun could surely never let it go.’

Just then, in the distance, they saw the stooped, white-haired figure of Chun Ying, leaning on a cane as she walked toward the inner courtyard of the Daoist Temple.

Xu Lei’s expression changed slightly.

He couldn’t help but worry for Jingchun.

’Jingchun has someone in her heart she can’t let go of,’

’but her mother is so old now. It’s only human nature for her to hope her only daughter can find a good partner and have children.’

’Torn between love and family... Jingchun must be in a terrible position.’

"But I guess there’s a silver lining. At least Master knows about it now, so the two of us don’t have to be so secretive anymore,"

Zhao Xin said. "We can have a baby now, Uncle Hui Chi."

"And maybe we could do this?"

"Tell me what you think."

"What if you and I have a baby in secret?"

"And then we could say the baby is Master’s?"

"And you would become Master’s Dao Companion on the surface."

"That way, Grand-master’s worries would be solved too."

"When she sees Master has a Dao Companion like you by her side,"

"she’ll definitely be relieved."

"And when she sees Master has a child with you,"

"she’ll have no more regrets."

"After all, if we have a child now, we can’t raise it under our own names anyway."

"If we did, the matter of the Phoenix True Flame would be exposed."

"Logically speaking, that seems sound,"

Xu Lei said. "But your master would have to agree."

"And the whole process—my Dao Companion relationship with her, you having my child."

"Her faking a pregnancy while you’re actually pregnant."

"All of that would have to be hidden from Daoist Chun Ying."

"Of course, that doesn’t seem too difficult. So the key is whether your master agrees or not."

"Uncle Hui Chi, let’s go."

Zhao Xin pulled Xu Lei along. "Let’s go find Master right now."

「Another half an hour later.」

"You two have become Dao Companions?"

Chun Ying exclaimed in pleasant surprise. "Really? Is it true, Hui Chi? Did you really win Jingchun over?"

"Good, good. Very good."

"Now that you’re together, I can rest easy."

"Wait a minute. You two aren’t ganging up to trick an old woman like me, are you?"

"Since when do Dao Companions act so polite and distant with each other?"

"Never mind not kissing!"

"You’re not even holding hands?"

Earlier, Xu Lei and Zhao Xin had gone back and told Jingchun about Zhao Xin’s idea.

After a moment’s thought, Jingchun had immediately agreed.

In truth, when she heard Chun Ying had come again, she’d felt an almost overwhelming urge to flee.

It was a stress response developed from countless uncomfortable encounters.

Now, Zhao Xin and Xu Lei’s proposal offered her a way out of this entanglement.

Naturally, she was happy to go along with it.

She just hadn’t expected Chun Ying to be so difficult to fool. The old woman was sharp as a tack.

She had seen at a glance that Xu Lei and Jingchun weren’t very intimate.

"Senior, Jingchun and I just verbally agreed to become Dao Companions,"

Xu Lei took the initiative to explain. "As for physical contact, like holding hands and kissing..."

"I believe that will all fall into place naturally in time."

Hearing Xu Lei take the lead, Jingchun secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

But Chun Ying still looked at them with suspicion.

Seeing this, Jingchun’s expression flickered, and she pursed her lips.

She was an intelligent woman; of course she knew what Chun Ying was thinking.

But Xu Lei was her own apprentice Zhao Xin’s Dao Companion. How could she bring herself to hold his hand?

Xu Lei also understood that Chun Ying wasn’t convinced.

But he couldn’t very well hold Jingchun’s hand in front of Zhao Xin.

Just as he was trying to think of a new excuse to placate Chun Ying, something unexpected happened.

Zhao Xin walked over.

"Oh, honestly, Master, Uncle Hui Chi!"

She grabbed Xu Lei’s hand and Jingchun’s hand, pressing them together so their palms were clasped. "Mortals your age already have grandchildren, or even great-grandchildren," she said at the same time.

"Why are you two still so chaste?"

"So shy and awkward?"

"You’ve already agreed to be Dao Companions."

"What’s the big deal about holding hands?"

"See? Now you’re holding hands, aren’t you?"