Chương 36: Mental Barrier

Cultivation World - Escort to Bridgetown The Golden Lion Sect's rescue formation guided the damaged passenger vessel through the darkening sky, their golden robes billowing as they maintained a protective perimeter around the limping ship. Captain Liu, sweat beading on his forehead from the strain of keeping the vessel aloft with damaged propulsion formations, gratefully accepted their escort toward the sprawling city that dominated the horizon.

Bridgetown stretched across the narrow land bridge connecting the Eastern Reach continent to the vast Celestial Mainland. It was a massive urban sprawl that had grown from a simple trading post into one of the most important cities in this part of the world. The city's unique position made it the sole gateway between these two continents, and its wealth showed in the gleaming spires that reached toward the sky like crystalline fingers.

Unlike the purely technological marvels of Ironhold or Azure Sky City, Bridgetown was a fascinating blend of old Chinese style and new futuristic. Ancient stone foundations supported towers of spirit-forged metal, while traditional pagodas sat alongside modern crystal spires. The city had grown organically over millennium, each generation of rulers adding their own architectural vision to the sprawling metropolis.

The land Bridge had full length Spirit steel walls either side protecting the trade route from the Oceans qi Beasts. Trade goods from across the known world flowed through Bridgetown's markets, making it a nexus of commerce, information, and political intrigue. As their damaged vessel settled onto one of the emergency landing platforms, Lia found herself being helped to her feet by concerned medical cultivators.

Her qi reserves were still dangerously low from feeding the shadow leech's hybrid technique, and the cut on her shoulder throbbed with each movement.

"Easy there, miss," said a middle-aged woman in the green robes of a healing specialist.

"You've suffered significant qi depletion and some poisoning. We need to get you to the medical pavilion for proper treatment." Nearby, Varek was receiving similar attention, though his injuries were more straightforward—cuts and bruises from his battle with Zhao Venom, along with the qi exhaustion that came from fighting above his cultivation level. He caught Lia's eye across the crowded landing platform and managed a weak smile.

"See?" he said, his voice hoarse but still carrying that confident edge.

"Told you I'd keep you safe." Lia felt her cheeks warm despite her exhaustion. The memory of their kiss flooded back. The way he'd looked at her after the battle, the protective fury in his stance, the overwhelming feeling of being claimed and cherished simultaneously. Her heart fluttered traitorously, even as Tim's consciousness recoiled in the background. T his is getting out of hand, Tim thought desperately. I need to find a way to separate these feelings before I become a mess.

Senior Chen shuffled up beside them, his usually pristine robes torn and bloodstained but his expression relieved. The Golden Core cultivator had suffered serious injuries from his aerial duel with Zhao Venom. Some lifesaving treasures had restored him to a state where he could barely walk.

"Miss Lia, Lord Varek," he said with a Slight formal bow while wincing.

"I owe you both an apology and my gratitude. Your courage in defending the ship saved countless lives." Captain Liu approached their group, with a expression heavy with guilt.

"I must also apologize," he said, bowing deeply to all the passengers who had fought.

"Civilian transport policy requires us to flee toward the nearest safe harbor when attacked, rather than engage in combat. I should have been able to protect you all myself, but..." He gestured helplessly at his non-combat focused cultivation.

"I'm a navigator and engineer, not a warrior. My Golden Core advancement came through understanding formations and qi manipulation, not battle techniques."

"You got us to safety, Captain," Lord Marcus said firmly, his own wounds being tended by his sister Elena.

"That's what matters." As the medical cultivators guided them toward the healing pavilions, Lia found herself walking beside Varek. The silence between them was charged with unspoken questions and the memory of their kiss. She could feel Tim's consciousness struggling in the background, fighting against the feminine emotions flooding through her system. I need to build a wall, Tim Thought. Not to shut out Lia completely, but to give each body the freedom to be itself.

The idea had been stewing for some time but fully crystallized as they entered the medical pavilion. It was a series of interconnected buildings where healing specialists worked their craft. Instead of fighting the dual existence, he could embrace it. Let Lia be fully female when she needed to be, while maintaining his core identity across both forms. It was like constructing a mental partition, allowing different aspects of his personality to come forward based on which body he was inhabiting.

Not multiple personalities, but rather... different facets of the same person expressed through different forms. As this internal wall took shape in his mind he started to build it being inspired by his soul cultivation. A thin membrane of soul power formed in Tim's Mind. Lia suddenly felt more at ease with her own femininity. The confusion and resistance that had been clouding her emotions cleared slightly, allowing her natural responses to emerge without constant mental conflict.

It was tims mind controlling both bodies but he seemed to prevent the biological repulsions from flowing between both his bodies.

"Varek," she said softly as they were led to adjacent treatment rooms, "about what happened earlier..."

"I meant it," he replied immediately, his dark eyes serious despite his exhaustion.

"Every word. Every action. I know this is complicated, but I want you to know that I—""Patients need rest!" interrupted the healing specialist firmly, separating them into different rooms before Varek could finish his declaration. Lia lay back on the treatment bed, allowing the healer to examine her injuries while her mind raced.

With Tim's thin mental wall in place, she found herself thinking more clearly about her own feelings and not just Tim's confusion projected through her, but her actual responses to Varek's attention. The truth was... she liked it. The way he looked at her, the protective stance he'd taken against a superior opponent, the confidence in his declaration of ownership. It awakened something primal and feminine in her that had nothing to do with Tim's earthly sensibilities.

Maybe, she thought as the healing qi worked its way through her injuries, it's okay to let myself feel these things. Maybe I don't have to fight every feminine instinct. Tim is male and Lia is female i need to respect each bodies desires and wishes now i am a Hive mind i guess. In the room next door, Varek was having similar thoughts as Riku allowed his masculine personality more freedom.

The satisfaction of protecting what was his, the thrill of the chase, the desire to claim and cherish Lia completely—these weren't foreign emotions imposed by hormones, but genuine aspects of who he was becoming in this world. The kiss hadn't been a mistake. It had been a declaration. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. And judging by Lia's response, it might have been a welcome one.

Within hours of their arrival in Bridgetown, the cultivation world's social media networks were ablaze with leaked footage of Lia and Varek. A passenger with a discretely deployed qi-recording drone had captured the entire battle in crystal-clear detail, and the footage was spreading across every platform faster than wildfire. The video opened with Lia surrounded by Corpse Cleansing Sect assassins, her water serpent technique struggling to keep up with their attacks.

Comments began flooding in immediately: @SwordMasterWu: "Holy shit is that Lia from Flowing Water? Wasn't she supposed to be dead???" @IceQueenFan: "WAIT SHE'S ALIVE?! The reports said the entire sect was wiped out!" @BeastTamerXi: "Look at that water serpent... that's way too advanced for level 1 Foundation" The footage continued, showing Lia's desperate situation as more enemies closed in. Then came the moment that would be replayed millions of times across the cultivation world.

A shadow emerging from between her breasts and merging with the water technique. @DaoSeeker99: "WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK IS THAT THING" @VoidWalkerLin: "That's not a normal technique... is that some kind of parasitic beast??" @ShadowCultivator: "Holy ancestors, it's draining their life force while they're still alive" @DeathQiMaster: "Even Corpse Cleansing disciples are running scared... what kind of monster is she bonded with?"

The comments exploded as the hybrid shadow-water creature began systematically destroying the attackers with terrifying efficiency: @BeastBondingExpert: "I've studied parasitic cultivation partners for decades and I've NEVER seen anything like this" @SpiritBeastTamer: "Wait wait wait... is that thing INTELLIGENT? Look how it's targeting their weak points!" @CultivationNews: "BREAKING: Lia of the Flowing Water Sect confirmed alive, wielding unknown shadow beast technique" Then came Varek's dramatic entrance.

The footage captured him launching his flying sword like a missile, the weapon striking with enough force to shatter a Golden Core expert's technique: @FlamingSaberFan: "VAREK!!! My boy coming in clutch!" @WeaponMasterChen: "Did he just... sacrifice his flying sword to save her? Those things cost hundreds of spirit stones!" The battle footage that followed had cultivation experts across the world sitting up and taking notice: @GoldenCoreWatcher: "A level 4 Foundation fighting a Golden Core expert and WINNING?"

@DaoComprehension: "Look at his sword work... that's not technique, that's Dao understanding" @SaberPath: "He's seeing the cuts before he makes them... true Saber Dao comprehension" @CultivationProdigy: "The way he's redirecting attacks instead of blocking... this kid understands flow like a century-old master" @SwordSaintFan: "Zhao Venom is a legitimate Golden Core cultivator and this Foundation brat is making him look like an amateur" But it was the ending that truly broke the internet.

The footage captured their embrace, Varek's protective stance, and then... the kiss: @RomanceFan: "OMG OMG OMG THEY KISSED!!!" @LoveQueen: "I SHIP IT SO HARD! Ice Queen and Fire Warrior!" @SectPolitics: "Wait... isn't she from Flowing Water and he's from Flaming Saber? Those sects just went to war!" @GossipCultivator: "Star-crossed lovers from rival sects... this is better than any drama!"

@CultivationNews: "CONFIRMED: Romantic relationship between Lia (Flowing Water survivor) and Varek (Flaming Saber prodigy)" The comments kept pouring in as the video reached millions of views: @TechniqueMaster: "Did anyone else notice her void stepping? That's spatial manipulation!" @PowerLevelAnalyst: "Her qi reserves must be MASSIVE to feed that shadow beast technique" @FlamingSaberDisciple: "Brother Varek's going to be in so much trouble when the elders see this..."

@SectWarExpert: "A Flaming Saber disciple saving a Flowing Water survivor... the political implications are huge" Within six hours, the hashtag #IceQueenAndFireWarrior was trending across every cultivation social platform, with fan art, analysis videos, and content flooding the feeds. Their faces were plastered across news sites, cultivation blogs, and gossip channels. The cultivation world had its newest power couple, and neither Lia nor Varek had any idea of the storm their leaked battle footage had unleashed.

@CultivationPaparazzi: "BREAKING: Bridgetown sources confirm both cultivators are currently receiving medical treatment. Exclusive interview requests flooding in!" @SectPoliticsNews: "Emergency session called by Flaming Saber Sect elders regarding Varek's 'unauthorized romantic entanglement'" @FlowingWaterSurvivor: "If Senior Sister Lia is alive, maybe others survived too... there might be hope for rebuilding our sect" The video had officially made them celebrities, whether they wanted it or not.

Cultivation World - Bridgetown Medical Pavilion As the healing specialists finished their work on Lia and Varek's injuries, Lord Marcus and Lady Elena approached their recovery room with serious expressions. The siblings had been in deep discussion with Senior Chen about the implications of the leaked footage, and it was clear they had reached some kind of decision.

"Miss Lia, Lord Varek," Marcus began formally, though his usual flirtatious demeanor had been replaced by genuine concern.

"We need to discuss your immediate safety." Elena stepped forward, her expression grave.

"The leaked footage has made you both targets. Not just from the Corpse Cleansing Sect, but from every political faction that might want to exploit your... unique situation." Through the window, they could already see crowds gathering in the distance—cultivation paparazzi, representatives from various sects, and curious onlookers drawn by the viral video. The medical pavilion's security formations were holding them back for now, but it was clear the situation was escalating rapidly.

"The Flaming Saber Sect will demand Varek's immediate return," Chen observed grimly.

"And there are already bounty hunters posting contracts for Lia's capture. Her shadow beast technique has made her incredibly valuable to the wrong people." Marcus nodded.

"Which is why Elena and I would like to extend an invitation. Come with us to the Crimson Crater Kingdom. As our honored guests, you'd be under the protection of the Imperial Palace."

"It's not just sanctuary," Elena added quickly.

"Our kingdom sits at the crossroads of three major trade routes on the main continent. You'd have access to cultivation resources, libraries, and training facilities that could help you both advance safely." Varek's eyes narrowed slightly.

"And what do you want in return? Protection always comes with a price." Marcus smiled approvingly at the direct question.

"Honestly? Your presence would be beneficial to our kingdom's reputation. Having the famous 'Ice Queen and Fire Warrior' as honored guests would elevate our standing considerably."

"Plus," Elena added with a more practical tone, "your combat abilities would be valuable. The kingdom always needs skilled cultivators for various... projects. Nothing dangerous or politically compromising, but opportunities to earn resources and gain experience."

"How long would this arrangement last?" Lia asked carefully.

"As long as you need," Marcus replied.

"Until you're strong enough to handle the attention on your own, or until the political situation stabilizes. The Crimson Crater Kingdom doesn't abandon its friends." Through their connection, Lia could sense Varek's thoughts. He was weighing the benefits of advanced training resources against the risk of being separated from his sect permanently. But the leaked footage had already made that separation inevitable.

The Flaming Saber Sect's elders would never allow a disciple to openly romance a member of their former enemy.

"There's another consideration," Chen interjected quietly.

"The Shade Sect has taken contracts on both of you. The Crimson Crater Kingdom's security is among the best on the main continent and you'd be much safer there than wandering alone." The mention of professional assassins made the decision easier. Lia and Varek exchanged a look, the unspoken communication that was becoming natural between them.

"We accept," Varek said finally.

"With gratitude."

"Excellent!" Marcus beamed, his charm returning full force.

"We'll arrange transport within the hour. Our family's private vessel is much more comfortable than civilian ships, and significantly better defended." Elena smiled warmly.

"Welcome to the Crimson Crater Kingdom, honored guests. I think you'll find our hospitality quite... accommodating." As the siblings departed to make arrangements, Lia and Varek found themselves alone for the first time since the battle. The weight of their new celebrity status, their uncertain future, and the memory of their kiss hung heavy in the air between them.

"Well," Varek said finally, "that's one way to make our relationship official." Lia felt heat rise in her cheeks, Tim's mental wall wavered but was allowing her to experience the full feminine flutter of emotions without resistance.

"The whole cultivation world saw us kiss. There's no taking that back now."

"Good," Varek replied firmly, moving closer to her.

"I wasn't planning on taking it back anyway." The confidence in his voice, the possessive way he looked at her, the protective stance he'd maintained throughout their conversation with the nobles—it all combined to make Lia's heart race. Tim's mental barrier was holding for now.