The sudden quarrel made the two of them feel suffocated, especially since they had no experience in quarreling with others. This kind of sulking feeling was too uncomfortable.
Unfortunately, the space in this small cave was so big that they could occupy one end of it. They couldn't even find something to do even if they wanted to.
Before long, Qin Xi regretted it. Why did he waste so much effort to expand the cave just now?
If it was still the same as before, he just needed to be thick-skinned and endure it, and it might be fine.
But now, he couldn't endure it, and he couldn't put down his pride.
He had never done this kind of thing, and he didn't know how to get along with women. He just felt that she was sometimes like this, sometimes like that, and didn't listen to anything he said. He really … really didn't know what to do.
But he didn't think he was wrong.
There were many Dual Cultivation partners in this world.
How could every pair of Dual Cultivation partners be equal in strength?
There was always a front and a back. What was wrong with relying on one's partner?
As he thought of this, he forgot that his self-esteem had been shattered into pieces by the word 'Human Furnace' and could not recover for dozens of years.
Mo Tiange kept her back to him and calmly tidied up the medicine bottles. He didn't know how she got so many things to tidy up, but she kept tidying up one after another.
Until devil aura floated in from outside and blocked the entrance of the light.
"I'm sorry."
Qin Xi was stunned.
Mo Tiange coughed. Relying on the darkness and her back to him, she plucked up her courage. "I know you mean well, but, but … some things aren't that simple. Maybe you don't think it's a big deal, but it's very important to me."
"…"
Even after a long time, there was no response.
She couldn't help but feel annoyed. She wasn't good at quarreling, and she felt even more unhappy.
Thus, she carried this annoyance into her words. "Of course, if you think all your ideas are right and do everything you say, then I have nothing to say."
There was the sound of wind behind her. Just as she was about to turn around, she was hugged from behind.
"I'm sorry." His voice was low, but it was very clear.
It was only three words, but she felt all her previous anger disappear.
The two of them hugged each other like this.
"I know I was too impulsive just now. I shouldn't have given you time to think," he said.
"There's no need for that."
She pulled his hand away and turned around. Looking into his eyes in the dark, she said seriously, "I apologize for my attitude just now. I was also very impulsive.
However, we still have to make things clear. Do you agree? "
"Yes."
"I …" Mo Tiange thought for a long time, but she didn't know where to start, so she might as well start from the beginning. "I was born in the secular world. Although I'm just an ordinary village girl, I inherited my mother's surname and my clan's seniority. From the very beginning, my mother raised me like a boy.
When I was little, I wanted to study like those boys, and I wanted to read better than them.
Mother always said that my father said that no matter if it was a man or a woman, his children should be brought up well. So she would give me whatever she could, and I would do my best to do what I could. "
"… Later on, Mother passed away and I set foot on the path of cultivation. I went to Kunwu and met Second Uncle.
Second Uncle said that perhaps other female cultivators can slack off, but I can't. My physique is both a capital and a life-threatening talisman. Therefore, not only do I have to be more outstanding than female cultivators, but I also have to work harder than most male cultivators … "
After talking for a long time like this, she almost forgot what she wanted to say.
There were some things she rarely recalled because every time she did, there was only one person.
But now, there was someone listening, so she couldn't help but talk about those ten-odd years, about the joys and sorrows she experienced with Second Uncle.
"… I've already become accustomed to this kind of life, and this has also become my own belief.
It's not that I don't trust you or don't want to listen to you, but … but this goes against my belief for so many years.
Second Uncle said that being sentimental and weak are the archenemies of female cultivators, so he always asked me to be independent and to not rely on anyone, even if one day I find someone who can accompany me. "
She raised her head and met his gaze. "If I really don't have to do anything in the future, it would be tantamount to denying my previous life of more than eighty years."
"…"
The devil aura floated away, illuminating the cave.
Qin Xi didn't say anything for a long time, but he also didn't let go of her.
These memories reminded him of the three years he spent in Yunwu Sect.
During those three years, he was indifferent at first, then he discovered her secret, and in the end, he was very interested.
When he first learned about her secret, he was a bit confused because she was different from those women he looked down on.
Then he thought maybe she was the kind of woman he admired, like Martial Uncle Miaoyi or Senior Martial Sister Suxin.
Later, he thought she was tenacious and hardworking. If a cultivator had such qualities, they could achieve great things if they had enough fated chances and luck.
In the next few decades, he watched her grow step by step …
In the past, he thought it was really good that she had such a strong character. These were all qualities he admired. At least she wouldn't turn into a woman he hated.
But now, now that their relationship was different, he felt that it was not the case.
So what if she relied on him?
If he couldn't bring her anything, what was the point of being with him?
He felt very confused, so he said the same thing.
Mo Tiange's eyes widened. She turned around and glared at him. "Do you think bringing me something is meaningful to me?"
Qin Xi also widened his eyes. "Isn't that the case?"
"…" Mo Tiange was speechless.
Only now did she realize there was a problem with their communication.
"What's wrong?
Tell me! "
She thought for a moment then asked, "What if we switched places?"
"En?" He didn't understand what she meant.
She said again, "What if … our genders were switched, and you were a woman?"
"…" This assumption made Qin Xi's face darken. "Do I look like a woman?"
Mo Tiange slapped his hand away, leaned against the rock wall, and looked at him with her arms crossed. "In fact, you don't think highly of women, do you?"
"… Yes." Although he knew it was better to deny it, he still chose to admit it.
"Then do you look down on me?"
"Of course not!"
He hurriedly explained, "If I looked down on you, I wouldn't have contacted you in Yunwu Sect. I already knew you were a woman, but …"
Seeing his expression, Mo Tiange smiled. "Why are you so anxious?
I didn't say anything about you. "
He sighed, feeling like he couldn't explain himself.
Mo Tiange looked at him and said, "You see, you actually have a certain degree of prejudice against women because some people don't want to make progress. If I were like those women who don't want to make progress, would you still look at me differently?"
"… No."
"Then that's it," she said briskly, "Isn't the reason why you look at me differently because of my personality?
If … if we get together and I rely on you in the future, after a long time, maybe you'll think I'm very annoying. "
"… How could that be possible?!" He denied instinctively, but he couldn't give a reason. "This …"
"No need for this and that. I'm not making things difficult for you."
Mo Tiange pressed his hand and said earnestly, "In fact, I only discovered another side of you after coming out this time."
"What?" He was a bit nervous.
"Let's assume …" She carefully chose her words. "If I get together with you, you'll take care of everything, right?"
"… What's wrong with that?"
She didn't answer and continued to say, "You'll do everything, you'll shoulder all the responsibilities, and you'll solve all the problems.
Will that be the case? "
"…" He couldn't answer.
She didn't need to hear his answer. Just by looking at his guilty expression, Mo Tiange already knew his answer.
"I'm not saying it's bad for you to be like this."
She said, "From a mortal's point of view, you're a responsible person. You'll do things for the person you like rather than instructing others to do things." Just like those villagers in Mo Family's Village who always let their wives run circles around them, Mo Tiange was just like those villagers in Mo Family's Village.
"But we're cultivators.
I'm not a mortal woman. If I follow you like this, I won't have a sense of existence. "After saying that, she didn't know what to say, so she asked," Do you understand? "
"…" Qin Xi was still silent. No one knew what he was thinking.
It wasn't until a long time later that he said, "I think … I probably understand what you mean.
You want to say that me being like this will turn you into the kind of woman who does nothing but rely on others? "
Just like Martial Uncle Miaoyi and Senior Martial Sister Suxin, he couldn't imagine that they would stand behind a man. Presumably … Tiange also couldn't do that.
"More or less …" In fact, she wanted to say that his personality was too strong, but her personality was also very tough. If they stayed together like this, there would definitely be conflicts.
But if she said that, he would be nervous again, wouldn't he?
"Alright …" he said seriously, "I'll try to change as much as I can. I won't take care of everything and I'll give you a chance to grow. I'll let you rely on your own strength to move forward.
Is this enough? "
She smiled but didn't say anything. Instead, she slowly leaned on him, opened her arms, and for the first time, took the initiative to hug him.
He also smiled, but he also said seriously, "But I also have a request for you."
"En?"
"First …"
She interrupted him. "How many more do you have?"
"I've just started!" He was dissatisfied.
"Alright, you go first."
"First, no matter what happens in the future, don't try to solve it by leaving."
"…"
"Do you agree or not?" he urged.
"Yes." Mo Tiange didn't hesitate for too long.
This request wasn't excessive at all. If they could be together honestly, there was naturally nothing that couldn't be solved.
"Second, you can try to have a request for me."
"Huh?" What kind of request is this?
Seeing her doubt, Qin Xi smiled. "Although I appreciate self-reliant women, if you're too strong, I won't have a sense of existence. So, if you can rely on me for something, just rely on me."
"…"
She didn't answer for a long time, so he was a bit nervous. "Not good?"
"Alright, we'll both take a step back." She couldn't ask him to take a step back for everything. If she did that, wouldn't it be no different from asking for everything?
She was a very fair person. "But there's no third request, right?"
Qin Xi smiled and hugged her tightly. "No."
"En." Mo Tiange counted her fingers and said, "You have two requests, and I can also change them.
Let's make a two-point agreement. "
"Huh?" This … also wants the same?
Isn't it too fair?
She ignored him and continued to say, "First, you have to trust me. No matter what the situation is, you have to believe what I say.
As long as you can do it, I'll also trust you completely. "
"Okay." He didn't hesitate at all.
"Second, give me a chance to grow on my own until I can stand side by side with you."
"No problem."
"Third …"
"Didn't you say there's a two-point agreement?"
"I was just saying …"