Chapter Twenty-Four: Tempering Beneath the Sea! (Part One)
Yang Ye glanced at his own hand, which had just struck Long Xiaoqing, and thought to himself, the sensation was exactly like human skin! This body made of living wood was simply miraculous!
A single statue would not have stirred much in him, but facing a living, naked female form brought a strange feeling to his heart.
Yang Ye was eighteen, at the age when blood runs hot.
Smack—
Yang Ye slapped himself across the face, banishing the distracting thoughts from his mind, then turned and left the room.
The wooden steward was waiting outside, holding a set of clothes in his hands. Seeing Yang Ye emerge, he said, “Young master, these clothes were made to your specifications, using special materials.”
Yang Ye took the clothes and returned to the room.
Long Xiaoqing was practicing walking on two legs, arms outstretched, body wobbling—she looked as though she might topple over at any moment.
“Xiaoqing, come, let’s get you dressed first.”
Yang Ye glanced at Long Xiaoqing’s body, quickly averted his gaze, and spoke quietly.
He found himself regretting having sculpted Long Xiaoqing’s form to be so ‘mature.’
Sleeping together in the future would be a torment.
Long Xiaoqing knew people wore clothes.
With Yang Ye’s help, she first put on underwear, then a black princess dress, white stockings over her legs, and black round-toed leather shoes on her feet.
As for her hair, Yang Ye tied it into a simple ponytail, leaving two strands to frame her ears.
Once dressed, Long Xiaoqing became even more beautiful, her noble bearing impossible to conceal.
Especially those large, sparkling eyes she’d insisted upon; they seemed to glisten with life.
“If I take her out, she’ll definitely turn every head!”
Looking at Long Xiaoqing, who seemed as though she’d stepped right out of an anime, Yang Ye couldn’t help but marvel inwardly.
He began to wonder whether Long Xiaoqing had ever read manga or watched anime on television.
…
Long Xiaoqing adapted quickly; within less than a day, she had grown accustomed to walking on two legs and using her hands.
Living wood was originally just a block of timber, but once fused with a real body, it took on the traits of a living being.
Moreover, when attacked, it could diminish the force of a blow—serving as armor.
After getting used to a human body, Long Xiaoqing began to practice living and fighting as a human.
Eating with her hands, using chopsticks, bathing, visiting the restroom, dressing herself…
In just a few days, Long Xiaoqing was no different from any other girl.
In front of the palace, Yang Ye watched Long Xiaoqing calling out as she sparred with the wooden steward, and a thought popped into his mind.
Returning to the sculpting room, Yang Ye took out the wooden box from his storage ring and retrieved the third piece of living wood.
He cut a section more than two meters long from the piece and began carving.
“Husband, what are you sculpting?” Long Xiaoqing bounced into the room after finishing her sparring with the wooden steward, curiosity sparkling in her eyes as she saw Yang Ye working.
Yang Ye smiled, “I want to carve myself a new body.”
“You’re not satisfied with how you look now?” Long Xiaoqing asked.
Yang Ye shook his head, “I’m wanted by the Star Martial Administration. When I return to the mainland, I can assume a new identity. It’ll save me a lot of trouble.”
“Oh~” Long Xiaoqing nodded, half understanding.
The day was too short, so Yang Ye only managed to carve a rough outline of a male figure before darkness fell.
After dinner, Yang Ye went to bed.
Just as he was drifting off, a warm body snuggled into the covers and wrapped its arms around him.
Hm?
Yang Ye woke instantly.
He lifted the blanket and couldn’t help but smile wryly.
Long Xiaoqing had stripped naked and crawled into his bed.
How could this go on?
Yang Ye was at the age of youthful ardor.
“Xiaoqing!” Yang Ye called.
“Husband, you’re not asleep yet?” Long Xiaoqing yawned.
Yang Ye said, “Didn’t I tell you before? You need to sleep by yourself now.”
“No!” Long Xiaoqing hugged Yang Ye tighter, wriggling as she spoke, “I’m used to sleeping with you, husband. I can’t fall asleep alone.”
“But you’re a girl now, you can’t just sleep with me like this,” Yang Ye shook his head.
Long Xiaoqing frowned, “Husband, do you want to divorce me?”
Yang Ye saw a great hat poised above his head.
“Why would you say that?” Yang Ye asked.
Long Xiaoqing replied, “We’re married, remember? Husband and wife are meant to sleep together. If you don’t want me in your bed, you don’t like me anymore—you want a divorce.”
What nonsense!
Yang Ye sighed helplessly, “Alright, but you must wear pajamas from now on. It’s not proper to sleep naked.”
“Husband, you’re so good!”
Long Xiaoqing kissed Yang Ye on the cheek, then slipped out of bed.
She went to the next room, put on silk pajamas, and returned to crawl back under the covers with him.
Whew—
Yang Ye held Long Xiaoqing and exhaled deeply.
To clear his mind, Yang Ye began silently reciting the mantra his master had taught him. Before long, drowsiness overtook him, and Yang Ye finally fell asleep.
In the morning, Yang Ye woke to find Long Xiaoqing sprawled across him like an octopus.
Carefully, he disentangled her limbs, got up, and dressed.
After washing up, Yang Ye entered the sculpting room and continued his work.
Wood shavings drifted like snow, and at last, a male statue was completed in Yang Ye’s hands!
It looked to be a man in his thirties, tall and broad, with a square face exuding masculine vigor.
“This statue is ugly!” Long Xiaoqing, dressed in her black dress, entered and wrinkled her nose at Yang Ye’s creation.
Yang Ye smiled, “Cultivators aren’t judged by age, but an older appearance gives an impression of steadiness. That’s the image I need right now.”
With that, Yang Ye sliced open his finger and dripped a few drops of fresh blood onto the statue.
When the statue absorbed the blood and softened, Yang Ye stripped off his clothes, removed his storage ring, and stood with his back to the statue, allowing his body to slowly ‘sink’ into it.
The fusion process was strange, making Yang Ye feel as if he were submerged in warm water, which soon rushed swiftly into his body.
Once the fusion was complete, Yang Ye’s eyes opened, fully alert within the living wood.
“Amazing!”
He looked at his hands, wonder filling his gaze.
Yang Ye didn’t need to adjust to a human body; after testing the disguise function of the living wood, he willed his form to shift.
A moment later, Yang Ye stepped forward, emerging from the living wood statue in his true body.
…
“Wooden steward, starting tomorrow, you can teach me your combat techniques, right?” After dinner, Yang Ye wiped his mouth, his face alight with anticipation.
The wooden steward replied calmly, “Of course. Master instructed me to do so before departing. Even if you hadn’t asked, I would have brought it up at the proper time. However, young master, before learning my techniques, you must strengthen your body further.”