He Loves Me

He deftly put away Ye Guxiao's Water-Severing Sword. Although the blade was slightly corroded, it would still be a good sword if reforged.

As for that storage bag...

Gu Yang's divine sense forcefully broke through the residual restrictions left by Ye Guxiao.

Clatter.

Among a pile of spirit stones and miscellaneous items, a yellowed animal-skin manuscript stood out.

Insights into the Sword Intent of Wither and Flourish.

"This Wither and Flourish Sword Intent, one wither and one flourish, one life and one death. It is quite interesting."

In Hua Nongying's storage bag, however, there was nothing good.

Gu Yang collected his spoils of war and took one last look at the pile of mangled flesh.

Just to be safe.

He flicked his fingertips, and a wisp of pure, overbearing Great Sun True Fire flew out.

Whoosh—

The golden flames instantly enveloped the remains of the two corpses.

In just a few breaths of time, all traces of Hua Nongying and Ye Guxiao were erased from this world. Even the pervasive poisonous gas and the stench of blood were completely purified by this fire of extreme Yang.

...

The rain stopped and the wind died down. The waning moon hung like a hook.

Deep within the Misty Swamp, miasma lingered. A few saprophytic demonic flowers unfurled their vibrant petals in the night, emitting a sweet yet deadly fragrance.

Two figures, one in front and one behind, sped through the mud.

Gu Yang still maintained the unremarkable appearance of Li Feiyu. He wore a washed-out gray robe and kept his bamboo hat pressed low, as if nothing in this world was worthy of his attention.

Following behind him, Su Wanyin still looked pale, but with the Black Turtle Shield for protection and the pills she had taken, her complexion was much better than before.

The journey was not peaceful.

But for Su Wanyin, these had been the most secure three days she had experienced since stepping into the cultivation world.

Whenever blind demonic beasts attacked, the man walking ahead would casually throw a punch or precisely kick up a stone.

There were no flashy techniques, no earth-shattering spiritual pressure.

It was usually a one-strike kill, so clean and efficient it was terrifying.

What made Su Wanyin's heart tremble the most was the care he inadvertently revealed along the way.

"Catch."

Gu Yang's indifferent voice came from ahead.

A streak of light was tossed over.

Su Wanyin caught it subconsciously. Looking closely, she saw it was a translucent green jade hairpin with slight cracks at the end.

This was a mid-grade defensive artifact. Although damaged, it was more than enough to block an attack from someone at the peak of Qi Condensation.

In reality, this was just some garbage Gu Yang had dug out of the storage bag of a blind bandit cultivator he had casually killed.

It would be a hassle to repair, wouldn't sell for many spirit stones, and it was a pity to throw it away. Seeing Su Wanyin's disheveled hair, he just tossed it to her in passing.

But in Su Wanyin's eyes, the meaning was completely different.

Holding the jade hairpin that still carried his body heat, her fingertips gently stroked the crack, and her peach blossom eyes rippled with emotion.

"He dislikes my messy hair..."

"True, as the Holy Maiden of the Joyous Union Sect, how improper is it to travel with my hair disheveled like this?"

"Although this jade hairpin is cracked, it is just like me right now, trapped in a desperate situation, broken and shattered... Is he hinting that even if I am flawed, I am still worth protecting?"

Biting her lower lip, an unnatural blush spread across Su Wanyin's cheeks.

She carefully inserted the jade hairpin into her hair, putting up her waterfall-like black tresses. Then, she took two quick steps forward and bowed gracefully to that cold back:

"Thank you for the treasure, Daoist Li. Wanyin... likes it very much."

Gu Yang didn't stop walking, not even turning his head for a glance, merely muttering in his heart:

What is wrong with this woman?

So happy over a piece of junk? Is the demonic faction this poor nowadays?

They traveled for another half day.

Gu Yang stopped and casually tossed over half a bottle of uneaten Fasting Pills and a piece of somewhat moldy Incense Wood he had dug out from the corner of Ye Guxiao's storage bag.

"Take this. Mask the scent of blood on your body so you don't attract demonic beasts."

Gu Yang was actually disgusted that the heavy scent of blood on her was interfering with his sense of smell.

Su Wanyin took the inexpensive Incense Wood and sniffed it lightly.

It carried a faint sandalwood scent. Though old, it had the miraculous effect of calming the mind and soothing the soul.

"He knows I've been tense these past few days, unable to sleep at night..."

"He is even considerate enough to think of the scent of blood that I myself hadn't even noticed."

Su Wanyin tucked the Incense Wood close to her body, placing it right next to her heart.

Looking at Gu Yang's broad yet slightly thin back, the wariness in her eyes had long melted away, replaced by a borderline obsessive trust and dependence.

In this treacherous, man-eating cultivation world, the so-called righteous geniuses wanted to bed her, and her fellow sect sisters wanted to kill her.

Only this man.

This mysterious rogue cultivator she met by chance.

Not only did he save her life, but he also gave her a respect and consideration she had never experienced before.

Although he had a sharp tongue, although he was cold.

Su Wanyin firmly believed that this was simply the unique pride and disguise of a strong expert.

...

Three days later.

Night fell, and a blood moon hung high in the sky.

Ahead, the undulating silhouette of the mountain range looked like a slumbering giant demon, and a faint pink mist permeated the air.

That was the spiritual aura emitted by the Joyous Union Sect's mountain-protecting formation—the Red Dust Heart-Refining Formation.

"We're almost there."

Gu Yang stopped and stood at the top of a dead tree, gazing at the distant mountain gate.

Standing beside him, Su Wanyin looked at the familiar mountain gate, and her tense nerves finally relaxed completely.

Survived.

She had really come back alive.

"Daoist Li."

Su Wanyin turned around, her beautiful eyes staring intently at the side of Gu Yang's face.

The night breeze blew her red dress, outlining her breathtaking curves. The jade hairpin in her hair emitted a gentle luster under the moonlight.

"Ahead is the territory of the Joyous Union Sect."

Her voice was soft, carrying a hint of imperceptible anticipation and trembling:

"I have already contacted Elder Mo Yuan within the sect. Elder Mo watched me grow up and treats me like his own granddaughter. He is the backing I trust the most in the sect."

"If the old man knew you saved me, he would definitely treat you as an honored guest."

Speaking up to this point, Su Wanyin stepped forward, and the unique fragrance of a demonic enchantress mixed with the scent of sandalwood wafted over.

"Daoist Li, although you are a rogue cultivator, your skills far surpass those sect geniuses."

"If you don't mind... Wanyin is willing to recommend you to the Joyous Union Sect's Guest Elder Hall. With your strength, plus Wanyin's maneuvering, resources, cultivation techniques, and even... a dual cultivation partner, will all be at your fingertips."

Her words carried a blatant recruitment, and even an extremely subtle hint.

Those peach blossom eyes were watery.

Gu Yang pressed down his bamboo hat and took a half step back, avoiding that overwhelming fragrance.

He had no interest in joining the Joyous Union Sect.

That kind of place was easy to enter, but hard to come out of clean.

He was here to collect his reward, not to sell his body.

Just give me the Foundation Establishment spiritual item, the Exquisite Heart of the Pure Maiden.

I'll take it and leave.