Volume One Mutation Chapter Thirty-Nine The Change in Mexico

After cleansing herself, Qingqing Liu slipped into a light blouse and opened the door, letting Cong Liu, who had been waiting outside, enter. The moment he stepped in, Cong Liu was stunned—her fresh-from-the-bath face was tender and sweet, her long, loose hair cascaded beautifully, and her figure had grown lusher, radiant beneath the thin fabric. The curves of her delicate body were revealed perfectly, neither understated nor excessive. At this moment, Qingqing Liu truly seemed ethereal, breathtakingly elegant.

Noticing the usually composed Cong Liu displaying a rare look of awe, she burst into laughter, “If you keep staring, your eyes are going to pop out!”

Cong Liu’s face reddened with embarrassment. “Qingqing, you can’t blame me for this. It’s just that you’re so stunning now—this is a normal reaction for any man when he sees a beauty.” Indeed, Qingqing Liu resembled a lotus emerging from water: bright and enchanting. She wore only a thin blouse; the long hem barely covered her thighs, exposing a pair of slender, snowy legs that were irresistibly alluring.

“Oh—” Qingqing Liu drew out the word, “So I wasn’t beautiful before, is that it, Brother Liu?”

“No, no, you were always beautiful, just not as much as now!” Cong Liu quickly shifted the topic, “I didn’t expect your cultivation to have such remarkable effects. Looks like you won’t need any skincare products in the future.”

Qingqing Liu touched her face, marveling, “Yes, it feels as if I’ve changed bodies after cultivating—not only is my skin better, but my whole body feels lighter.” She shot Cong Liu a glance. “Now I understand why your skin is so good.”

“The lightness comes from the impurities being purged from your body, and your constitution has been strengthened. If I’m not mistaken, your strength should have increased as well?” Cong Liu explained.

It was an ordinary question, but Qingqing Liu blushed, turned, and placed a pile of torn cloth before him, complaining, “You have some nerve! It’s all your fault for not mentioning the increase in strength sooner. I wasn’t careful and ripped all my clothes. Now I don’t have a single outfit fit to wear outside.”

Cong Liu slapped his forehead. “Ah, you’re right—I really forgot to remind you. So that’s why you’re only wearing a thin blouse. You’ve run out of clothes.”

Qingqing Liu said nothing, pouting in silent frustration. How could she go out and meet people without proper clothing?

“Alright, don’t be upset. For tonight, just make do. Tomorrow, I’ll ask the other women if they have any spare clothes. If not, I’ll go into town and find some for you,” Cong Liu coaxed her. Hearing this, Qingqing Liu finally relaxed her pout and smiled bashfully.

Seeing her smile return, Cong Liu took her hands, feeling the changes within her body as he asked, “Did you sense any residual energy within when you were cultivating?”

Qingqing Liu looked puzzled, not quite grasping his meaning.

Cong Liu infused energy into her body again, saying, “When I stop channeling energy to you, try to see if you can control the energy within yourself—guide it as you cultivate and see if you can retain it.”

This time, Qingqing Liu understood, nodded, steadied her mind, and began directing the energy within her. Seeing her enter the proper state, Cong Liu slowly ceased his output and released her hands.

After a while, Qingqing Liu opened her eyes under Cong Liu’s hopeful gaze, looking a little disappointed. “No, without your continued input, I can only guide the energy a few cycles before it’s absorbed by my body.”

---

The outcome was not as hoped, and Cong Liu felt a pang of disappointment. He comforted her, “It’s alright—I was being a bit too optimistic. My body has a source of this energy, so I can keep it circulating within me. I guess, for you to cultivate independently, you’d need a similar source inside.”

“It’s fine! Worst case, we just don’t separate. We can cultivate together. I’ll be sticking with you from now on,” Qingqing Liu replied softly. Strangely, upon hearing she couldn’t cultivate on her own, she felt a sense of relief and a hint of joy.

Cong Liu was taken aback, then grinned mischievously, “A beauty like you wanting to cling to me? I’m more than happy to oblige—why pass up such good fortune?”

Qingqing Liu reached out in mock annoyance to pinch him, but Cong Liu caught her hands and pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly. After a bout of playful banter, their conversation drifted to sleeping arrangements. The room had only a modest double bed and no sofa suitable for sleeping.

Qingqing Liu, feeling shy, didn’t quite want her Brother Liu to sleep on the floor, so she bit her lip and remained silent. Cong Liu saw her dilemma and made the decision for her, grinning, “We’ll sleep together tonight. We still need to cultivate, after all—can’t be apart.”

“What? We have to cultivate tonight as well?”

“Of course. A night of cultivation is far more restorative than a night’s sleep—you’ll wake up feeling refreshed.”

“Really? Is it that miraculous?” Qingqing Liu was doubtful.

Cong Liu said nothing, simply picked her up and placed her on the bed, removing his jacket in preparation to lie down.

“Aren’t you going to bathe?”

“No need. The energy during cultivation cleanses the body better than any bath. You could be a fairy without ever needing to bathe again,” Cong Liu replied, lying beside her, shoulder to shoulder, and ignoring her embarrassment as he pulled her into his embrace.

“But aren’t we supposed to be cultivating? How can we do that while you’re holding me…” Qingqing Liu blushed, trying to push him away, but before she could finish, she felt a steady stream of energy flowing from Cong Liu, and she relaxed into his arms, beginning their cultivation.

White moonlight streamed through the window, spilling over their entwined bodies, shimmering as if reflected on a spring, casting a halo and making them seem full of otherworldly grace. Cong Liu spent the night in utter contentment, holding Qingqing Liu as they cultivated—though whether he enjoyed the act of cultivation or simply the warmth of her in his arms, only he knew for certain.

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Late at night, somewhere above the Black Sea in the Pacific Ocean, a massive fish tail emerged from the water. It resembled the tail of a whale, yet was countless times larger. Rising from the sea, the tail stood tall like a mountain, blotting out the sky, then suddenly crashed down upon the surface, unleashing monstrous waves. A tsunami over a hundred meters high, born from the Black Sea, surged forward, spilling out of the region and sweeping ordinary seawater along with it in a relentless advance.

In a secret underground base in Mexico, a shrill alarm shattered the silence.

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A middle-aged man in crisp military uniform strode into the conference room, flanked by two armed guards. His rank was unmistakable—a general.

“What’s happening?” The general, stern-faced in his prime, demanded.

“General, satellite sensors have detected a red-alert tsunami headed for our northern coastline,” a young officer replied, his expression grim as he added, “The waves may reach heights of over a hundred meters. If it makes landfall, our northern coastal cities—and the fourteen safety zones there—will suffer catastrophic damage. Most importantly, it’s composed of Black Sea water.”

The general, initially calm, could not help but cry out in shock, “What? A tsunami made of Black Sea water?”

Everyone in the conference room was stunned. After all, even minor amounts of Black Sea water vapor mixed into rain had caused worldwide disasters—yet those were only traces. A tsunami, towering over a hundred meters, was a threat everyone understood, but none could fathom the devastation so much Black Sea water could bring ashore.

“Evacuate all residents along the northern coastline immediately—including all safety zones. Get them out, now!” The general’s mouth tasted bitter, hoping only to minimize the losses.

“Oh Lord, through the Virgin’s hand I offer all the toil and joy of my life to you. Jesus, come, help your people through this trial!” he murmured.

The next day, the sun rose, taking over from the moon, faithfully casting its brilliance across the earth. Plants stretched their branches greedily, eager to absorb more light.

Qingqing Liu experienced her first night of cultivation instead of sleep, feeling exhilarated. She sensed that in this night, she existed in a state between dreams and wakefulness—her consciousness clear, yet as if sinking into slumber. Opening her eyes, she gazed at the face just inches away, bathed in sunlight, sighing softly at fate’s unfairness: such beauty, given to a man.

Cong Liu’s mastery over his cultivation state was flawless; he sensed when Qingqing Liu awoke but kept his eyes shut, letting her observe him. Pretending to still be asleep, he pulled her closer, their bodies pressed even tighter together.

“Time to get up!” Qingqing Liu called softly. Seeing no response, she assumed he was still asleep. Mischief sparked in her eyes as she traced circles on his face with her finger.

Cong Liu opened his eyes and looked at the lovely girl in his arms, a sense of fulfillment flooding him. “Brother Liu, you’re awake! Let me go, we need to get up,” Qingqing Liu said, blushing slightly as she saw him awake.

Their faces so close, Cong Liu felt the sweet breath of her words upon him. He gazed at her beautiful face, unable to resist his impulse, and leaned in to kiss her.