Dugu Qingli truly wished her injuries would heal faster so she could leave.

It wasn’t just because she wanted to investigate the truth behind her pursuers, but more importantly, she was growing increasingly afraid of being alone in such a confined space with him.

Her heart was always trembling, filled with unease.

Every time his gaze swept over, the young girl’s heart would skip a beat.

In this short time, she had grown accustomed to being held, to being kissed, and to him examining her body with his hands while she lay beneath him.

If she stayed any longer, and he held her again, and suggested speeding up her recovery with kisses, Dugu Qingli felt she wouldn’t have even the slightest thought of refusing.

But what did they even consider themselves?

A thought flashed through the little white-haired girl’s mind, recalling her past judgment of Shen Tang and him: “paramours.”

Paramours refer to a man and woman who are not married but embrace and show affection.

Suddenly, she sat up from her deathbed illness: “I am the paramour.”

Especially given his engagement to “Uncle Catcher,” she was a paramour among paramours.

The little white-haired girl didn’t want to be a paramour, so she distanced herself a bit.

In truth, the little white-haired girl herself couldn’t discern her feelings for him. To say she liked him? At least, she hadn’t felt it so strongly before, and having lived overseas for a long time, she hadn’t thought about him much. However, this time, fighting side by side, and him shielding her several times, touched her deeply, making her like him more than before.

But to say she liked him to the extent of those other girls, wanting to cling to him, wasn’t quite it.

At least for now, she didn’t want to be a paramour, didn’t want to face “Uncle Catcher’s” gaze.

Even while meditating to heal her injuries, the young girl’s mind was still plagued by these questions, feeling quite anxious, wanting to heal quickly and leave. Staying here only made her heart restless.

The more her thoughts were scattered like this, the less conducive it was to her recovery. Although it wouldn’t lead to qi deviation, her efficiency was severely hampered. The more she rushed to heal and leave, the slower her recovery became.

If her impatience reached a certain point, she truly would suffer qi deviation. Cultivation must not be rushed, and neither should healing. This was not the way to heal.

Unconsciously, an unhealthy flush appeared on the young girl’s face, and her expression was subtly pained.

Lu Xingzhou, meanwhile, was studying the newly acquired Tianyi Shenshui. It was truly his first time realizing that water, like different types of fire, also had distinct water spirits, each with unique effects. This Tianyi Shenshui was a peculiar type of heavy water; it appeared ordinary, but once ingested, one would feel increasingly heavy until it corroded the intestines and stomach. It was not a poison treatable by medicine; only those with sufficiently high cultivation might be able to resist it.

This was its use as a poison. Back in the Danxia Secret Realm, the pursuers must have ingested this type of poison, Mohe.

If absorbed for one’s own water-element cultivation, injecting it into an opponent could produce a similar effect, though injecting it into the body was not so easy.

Another use was to forge special magical artifacts that appeared light but, when handled by an opponent, would feel impossibly heavy, leading to misjudgment… much like Anuo’s small, chubby fists, whose insidious effect was unparalleled.

Lu Xingzhou deliberated for a while, still deciding to absorb and use it himself. With so many types of fire, without water, it couldn’t be called a balance of water and fire.

This should be an important step in balancing water and fire, and harmonizing yin and yang. His own cultivation was always more meaningful than any poison or magical artifact.

Like fire spirits, water spirits also resided in the Mingtang. Lu Xingzhou absorbed a little, silently observing his inner self, feeling a change in his “soul sea.”

Originally, the soul sea was just a metaphor, describing its vastness and ethereal nature; in reality, it wasn’t a sea, but rather closer to a sea of clouds.

But at this moment, he truly felt a sense of seawater: solid, calm, and profound.

And various fire spirits floated above, like burning clouds.

The sea and sky were thus divided.

His current level seemed insufficient to achieve fusion, but this could be considered a harmonious balance, and Lu Xingzhou was satisfied enough.

The only drawback was that this Tianyi Shenshui was a bit too advanced, and he couldn’t fully control it. Like the Taiyin Zhenhuo, it couldn’t be overused, otherwise he wouldn’t be able to withstand the backlash. At most, he could only use a tiny bit occasionally, like two ultimate moves.

That was fine too. He had always lacked ultimate moves in his Dao cultivation, only having the Soul Banner. And the Soul Banner’s function was very special, without much physical or Five Element effect. Now, it was finally well supplemented.

As for his injuries, they were mostly healed… mainly because the Golden Dragon’s physique had inhuman regenerative power. As long as the foundation wasn’t damaged, with elixirs and dual cultivation, he was seventy to eighty percent recovered overnight.

Lu Xingzhou opened his eyes from meditation and the first thing he saw was the little white-haired girl not far away, her face flushed, her brows tightly furrowed.

His heart skipped a beat. He quickly flashed over, embraced her with one arm, and placed a hand on her pulse.

Her qi and blood were in such disarray, almost like qi deviation.

Was she truly so stressed just from healing? Someone who didn’t know might think she was breaking through!

Fortunately, it wasn’t serious. Lu Xingzhou immediately activated Bishui Dichen to help Dugu Qingli smooth out her rampaging spiritual energy.

Dugu Qingli slowly calmed down. Opening her eyes, she saw Lu Xingzhou silently treating and comforting her, her gaze complex.

She was in turmoil because of him, and she found peace because of him.

“What’s wrong with you?” Lu Xingzhou asked, noticing she was awake, frowning, “How can healing lead to such a surge of spiritual energy? If I had noticed later, your injuries would have worsened.”

Dugu Qingli lowered her head: “I was too impatient.”

“…Isn’t your cultivation supposed to be the most serene?”

“How can I be serene with you here?”

Lu Xingzhou tilted his head, scrutinizing her until Dugu Qingli turned her head away, then he sighed: “You’re troubled because you’re conflicted, but there’s nothing to be conflicted about. Your Uncle Catcher said that cultivation is about following nature, following your true heart; do what you truly want to do.”

Dugu Qingli whispered, “What if I want you to stay away from me?”

Lu Xingzhou said, “Although I’m reluctant, if that’s what you wish, then I will do it… In fact, we’ve been doing that for the past year. In front of others and in private, I’ve never said anything I shouldn’t or done anything I shouldn’t, except for that time on the table, which was truly an accident.”

Dugu Qingli fell silent. It was true; Lu Xingzhou’s attitude had been very proper that year, so much so that Ye Tinglan hadn’t noticed any entanglement between her disciple and the man, because there truly wasn’t any.

What about that “act” at Bingyu Sect? He had also restrained himself, doing nothing substantial.

“But Qingli…” Lu Xingzhou quietly continued treating her, whispering, “Do you truly wish for that?”

Did she truly wish for that?

Dugu Qingli didn’t know.

It was precisely because she didn’t know that her heart was in turmoil.

Lu Xingzhou said, “Anyway, there’s no one here, and no need to put on a show for anyone. This is a chance for you to simply follow your true heart.”

The implication was: now you’re in my arms, you can pull away anytime if you want to keep your distance, and if you want to keep leaning, no one will see. It’s entirely up to what you truly want.

Dugu Qingli pursed her lips, realizing that being in his arms made her feel very secure, and she didn’t want to pull away at all.

Was this weakness after injury, or was it her heart’s true desire?

She didn’t know, but she knew that at this moment, she truly didn’t want to move.

Anyway, no one was around…

Dugu Qingli slowly leaned her head into his shoulder, “Don’t move, let me lean for a bit…”

Lu Xingzhou didn’t move, but his hand continued to operate Bishui Dichen, tirelessly treating her.

Dugu Qingli found that the messy thoughts she had when they were separated were completely absent at this moment. She peacefully enjoyed his treatment, comfortably leaned against his broad chest, feeling languid, not wanting to move, not wanting to think about anything.

The self-meditation that had previously had a negative effect on her healing was now rapidly restoring her in his embrace.

The contrast seemed very obvious…

Dugu Qingli closed her eyes and slowly fell asleep again.

Lu Xingzhou sat quietly, letting her use him as a cushion, closing his eyes to cultivate.

Dugu Qingli’s sleep was merely fatigue caused by the previous qi and blood turbulence and subsequent calm. This time, she woke up quickly, in just over an hour. Opening her eyes, she saw they were still in the same position, without even moving.

Dugu Qingli slightly raised her head. In the darkness, her deep blue eyes stared at his profile.

He really didn’t move at all; wasn’t he numb?

She didn’t feel like she liked him that much… so why was she so at peace in his arms?

Was it because she didn’t need to struggle with choices, or because she truly liked him but couldn’t see it herself? She wondered if she would miss him if she went overseas again and they didn’t meet.

Lu Xingzhou sensed that the young girl in his arms was awake, so he opened his eyes and met her clear gaze.

“Feeling better?” Lu Xingzhou asked softly.

“Mmm. Much better,” the young girl’s reply was somewhat soft and languid.

This stirred Lu Xingzhou’s heart slightly, and he instinctively lowered his head to seek her lips.

The young girl’s eyelashes trembled slightly, and she closed her eyes.

This was a kiss without the excuse of healing, but she found that she still offered no resistance; in fact, she even wanted it a little herself.

Anyway, no one was around.

Their lips met, and the young girl clutched his clothes a little nervously, knowing herself that this kiss was different from the previous ones.

But she was too lazy to think anymore about what they were.

If she couldn’t figure it out, then she wouldn’t. Deep thinking was too exhausting, she only knew that she felt very comfortable and at peace right now.

It was as if the loneliness she had been hesitant about since childhood, like being on a glacier, was slowly disappearing and melting away. She was no longer alone under the distant moonlight, watching her solitary shadow on the ice.

The moon reflected on the cold river, reflecting in her heart, melting the solid ice, and flowing into the image of another person.

Deep beneath the freezing river, ten thousand li away, the chains of the ice demon rattled, “How is this possible…”