Quicklime Boiling Water

The night grew deeper. The wind at the mountain peak carried a hint of chill, making the tents flap loudly.

"Go to sleep. I'll wake you guys up when it's time," Lin Mo waved at Fang Jun, who was the last to yawn.

Fang Jun solemnly handed his backpack to Lin Mo, a tragic and heroic expression on his face.

"Brother Mo, my entire life and fortune are in here. Use them sparingly."

Lin Mo weighed it in his hand; it wasn't heavy. Opening it, he found it stuffed with potato chips, spicy strips, and cola candies.

He didn't stand on ceremony, casually tearing open a bag of chips. The crisp crunching sound was exceptionally clear on the quiet mountain peak.

He ate a chip himself, then picked up a translucent jelly cup and, without even looking, held it up to Xie Yuling's lips beside him.

Xie Yuling instinctively opened her mouth, and Lin Mo smoothly popped the jelly in.

Her cheeks grew slightly hot as she took small sips, the sweetness melting on the tip of her tongue.

"Since it's still early before sunrise, I might as well teach you the method of the Yellow Court Spirit Nourishing Scripture," Lin Mo suddenly said.

Xie Yuling paused her sipping and snapped her head up. "Ah? Here? Is it convenient?"

She nervously glanced around. In the distance, the students from Class 15 were still gathered together chatting softly. Everyone else had gone into their tents, but it still wasn't exactly a private place.

"What's inconvenient about it?" Lin Mo couldn't care less. "They won't be able to see a thing."

His certainty put Xie Yuling somewhat at ease, but she was still a bit puzzled. "Then do I need to lie down? Or strike a pose?"

"No need. Just sit like this and close your eyes."

Hearing this, Xie Yuling obediently sat cross-legged on the picnic mat, adjusted her breathing, and slowly closed her eyes.

Lin Mo appeared to just lazily shift his posture, lying on his side and propping his head up with one hand. His other hand, however, silently rose, his fingertips aimed directly at the center of Xie Yuling's back.

A trace of pure spiritual energy was extracted from the world by him. Like a docile, thin thread, it quietly flowed into Xie Yuling's body.

Immediately after, he split off a wisp of divine sense and carefully sent it inside. Like an experienced guide, it led that spiritual energy, beginning to slowly circulate through the meridians in her brain.

It wasn't that Lin Mo was stingy with his own spiritual power, but rather that his spiritual power would be too violent for Xie Yuling. Moreover, guiding the ambient spiritual energy allowed her to absorb it much better.

With her eyes closed, Xie Yuling's body trembled slightly.

She could clearly feel a warm current surging in from her back. At first, it felt a bit unfamiliar, but under the guidance of that invisible force, the warm current began to travel through her limbs and bones following a profound and mysterious trajectory.

Wherever it passed, it was as if a long-dry riverbed was welcoming its first spring rain. Every cell relaxed and opened up, greedily absorbing the nourishment.

Time quietly slipped away.

Xie Yuling slowly opened her eyes, an imperceptible gleam flashing across her pupils.

It took her a full hour to just barely and completely digest that gossamer-thin wisp of spiritual energy.

Although it was only an insignificant wisp, at this moment, she felt completely refreshed. The slight fatigue from earlier was swept away, and the entire world appeared much more vivid and clear to her eyes.

She turned her head and saw Lin Mo lying beside her, resting his head on his arm. Next to his hand was the empty chip bag, and his eyes were closed.

But she knew Lin Mo definitely wasn't asleep.

Xie Yuling's heart softened, and she also found it a bit amusing.

She quietly looked at him for a while before softly suggesting, "After we watch the sunrise, let's go down the mountain for morning tea."

Lin Mo's eyelids twitched, but he didn't open them, merely saying casually, "Sure. You're the birthday girl, you call the shots."

"I feel like 'birthday girl' sounds awful right now, shut up," Xie Yuling couldn't help but protest.

Lin Mo sat up, stretched lazily, and let out a feigned, exaggerated sigh.

"Sigh, the world is so cold and people's hearts are no longer what they used to be. You've only just learned how to cultivate, and you're already abandoning your guide."

He clutched his chest, looking heartbroken, which made Xie Yuling burst out laughing.

As her laughter faded, the expression on her face slowly grew quiet and serene.

Under Lin Mo's slightly surprised gaze, Xie Yuling suddenly leaned over and gently, yet with absolute firmness, rested her head on his shoulder.

Her warm breath brushed against his neck, bringing a slight tickle.

"I just want..." Her voice was very soft, yet exceptionally clear, "...to be able to stay by your side from now on."

Time quietly slipped away.

The eastern skyline was already showing a faint touch of pale white.

The vibration of her watch made Jiang Yunlu slightly open her eyes.

Even though she was still very sleepy, it was time to watch the sunrise.

She had to get up, and besides... deep down, she was quite eager to go outside and take a look.

She gently nudged Chu Miaomiao, who was sleeping beside her, awake.

"Miaomiao, wake up. It's almost time for the sunrise."

Yangcheng was located in the Northern Hemisphere. Around the summer solstice in July, the sunrise time would gradually shift earlier, though the exact time depended on the city's latitude.

Chu Miaomiao let out a soft murmur, rolling over and hugging Jiang Yunlu.

"Yunlu, I still want to sleep a little longer."

With a soft body suddenly in her arms, even Jiang Yunlu found it a bit hard to resist.

"Get up. Don't you want to watch the sunrise with Lin Mo?"

Hearing this, the groggy Chu Miaomiao instantly opened her eyes.

"Oh, right! We need to watch the sunrise!"

At this time, Lin Mo's voice also rang out from outside the tent.

"Get up and grab a spot to watch the sunrise."

Chu Miaomiao immediately shouted, "Okay! Coming, coming!"

Her voice startled the other girls who were sleeping huddled together, and they sat up rubbing their eyes.

For a moment, they weren't even sure where they were.

Jiang Yunlu also spoke up, "Alright, everyone hurry up and get ready. We came here to watch the sunrise, after all."

"Put your clothes on properly, it's a bit cold outside."

"Okay!"

When they were neatly dressed and unzipped the tent, a gust of cold wind blew in.

Even though they were wearing jackets, the girls still shivered.

The boys, on the other hand, were already nimbly dismantling their tents.

Meanwhile, Lin Mo, sitting on the picnic mat, was brewing tea.

Jiang Yunlu walked over, still a bit bleary-eyed. "Where did the hot water come from?"

She looked left and right. There was indeed a small shop here, but it shouldn't be open yet.

"I brought quicklime, so I can heat water without a fire," Lin Mo said seriously.

Quicklime mixed with water creates an exothermic reaction, and the temperature can even reach three hundred degrees.

Lin Mo handed her a paper cup.

"Have a sip of tea to wake yourself up."

Back in 2013, students still in school were basically clueless about makeup.

So no one felt self-conscious about being seen bare-faced.

Everyone washed their faces, drank a cup of hot tea, and started packing up their things, while the boys immediately went to claim good spots.