211: Mutual understanding

Red Silk's ear tips were still burning fiercely, and the Lightning Light's dissipated Dou Qi wings hadn't fully condensed, so the two were still falling.

The wind whistled past her ears, yet at this moment, she became eerily calm, the shame and annoyance in her eyes receding like a tide, replaced by a cunning and brilliant glint.

She suddenly grabbed Jiang Donghua's wrist, and using the momentum from him holding her waist, she sharply flipped over, somehow reversing their positions mid-fall. Now she was on top, and Jiang Donghua was below.

Her hair was blown into disarray by the strong wind. She looked down at him, a corner of her lip curling, her voice low and clear, with a hint of provocation.

"Then when are you going to marry me?"

Jiang Donghua was stunned, then a smile exploded in his eyes.

He let her press him down as they fell, even spreading his arms out lazily, looking as if he was at her mercy. But the moment she slightly narrowed her eyes, he suddenly exerted force, pulled her back into his embrace, and whispered next to her ear.

"Now!"

Before his words finished, a wisp of green light burst from his fingertips. The Dou Qi he had secretly regulated transformed into a gentle force and blasted towards the ground.

The downward momentum was cushioned, and the two lightly spun to dissipate the force just before impact. Ultimately, Jiang Donghua slid several feet across the grass on his back, while Red Silk was firmly protected in his arms, not even a corner of her clothes scuffed.

As grass blades flew, Red Silk propped herself up, her hair falling ticklishly against his neck. She raised an eyebrow.

"Long-planned?"

Jiang Donghua smiled innocently, but his fingers intertwined with a strand of her hair.

"Since Senior Sister asked so directly, I can't very well say 'another day,' can I?"

Red Silk rolled her eyes directly, pouting as she said.

"It hasn't been that long, yet the guy who couldn't even support his own waist is now so stubborn."

"Besides, your strength is too weak right now. Wait until you break through to Dou King before marrying me."

"Otherwise, with strength below Dou King, it would be as hard as ascending to heaven to get from Jia Nan Academy to the Central Plains."

Hearing this, a flicker of surprise crossed Jiang Donghua's eyes, quickly turning into a smile. He propped himself up with one hand, looking up slightly at Red Silk, his tone a mix of teasing and seriousness.

"So Senior Sister is worried about me?"

Red Silk snorted softly, flicking a bolt of Lightning Light from her fingertip, poking him lightly but firmly on his forehead.

"Less of your self-importance! I just don't want you to be beaten to death halfway and bring shame to Jia Nan Academy."

Jiang Donghua chuckled, reaching out to grasp her wrist. His thumb gently caressed her palm, causing her fingertips to tremble slightly and the Lightning Light to become unstable.

He looked up, his gaze burning.

"Then Senior Sister means, once I break through to Dou King, you'll take me to the Central Plains?"

Red Silk pulled her hand back, turning her face away, but a faint blush quietly colored her earlobes.

"Who wants to go with you? I just said that with your current strength, going would be suicide."

"However, this old lady is still willing to stay at Jia Nan Academy for a few years and wait for you to break through to Dou King! Then we'll return to the Central Plains together!"

A plan had already begun to form on the woman's face.

Hearing this, Jiang Donghua naturally shook his head. The woman's eyes looked as if they were about to shoot fire.

"What do you mean?"

Jiang Donghua began to explain.

"You go back to the Central Plains first."

Red Silk's eyebrows instantly stood on end, Lightning Light crackling at her fingertips. She grabbed Jiang Donghua's collar, almost hissing through clenched teeth.

"Jiang! Dong! Hua! Say! That! Again!?"

Jiang Donghua was pulled slightly forward by her, his nose almost touching her forehead, yet he showed no panic. Instead, he chuckled softly and gently took her wrist.

"Senior Sister, don't be so quick to get angry."

"Then why are you shaking your head?!"

Red Silk gritted her teeth, Lightning Attribute Dou Qi uncontrollably overflowing, causing the surrounding air to subtly tremble.

Jiang Donghua sighed, but his eyes were unusually serious.

"I just think Senior Sister doesn't need to delay her own cultivation for me."

Red Silk froze, her grip loosening slightly, but she quickly widened her eyes again.

"Who, who said it was for you?! I, I just think Jia Nan Academy has a nice environment! What's wrong with staying a few more years?!"

The smile in Jiang Donghua's eyes deepened. His fingertip gently caressed her wrist.

"But Senior Sister clearly said before!"

"Shut up!"

Red Silk's ear tips instantly turned crimson. She abruptly released his collar and turned her face away.

"Less of your self-importance! I just, I just think you'll die very quickly if you go to the Central Plains alone! Then who will be my punching bag? Where will I find such a durable Junior Brother?!"

"What are you laughing at?!"

Red Silk was enraged and embarrassed, her fists clenching with a cracking sound.

"If you laugh again, do you believe I'll beat you until you break through to Dou King right now?!"

Jiang Donghua quickly raised his hands in surrender, but the corners of his mouth still couldn't help but turn up.

"Alright, alright, I won't laugh. But Senior Sister, if staying at Jia Nan Academy really affects your cultivation, then I'd rather you go on ahead."

He paused, his voice softening.

Red Silk was stunned for a moment, then let out a cold snort.

"Less nonsense! Who do you think I am? Even at Jia Nan Academy, I can cultivate to Dou Emperor!"

She lifted her chin, a look of arrogance on her face.

"It's you, don't get left too far behind by me then, or you won't even have time to cry!"

"There are too many dangers on the way from Jia Nan Academy to the Central Plains. If you die, I won't even know who to get revenge on!"

Jiang Donghua couldn't very well say that he had a cheat, and as long as he had time, he would eventually break through by idling.

Wouldn't her staying with him here just be a waste of time?

Jiang Donghua looked at Red Silk's slightly flushed profile, and his heart suddenly skipped a beat.

He opened his mouth, intending to tease her a bit more, but when the words came, they became unexpectedly serious.

"Okay."

A simple word, yet it felt like a promise.

Red Silk turned her head, staring at him with burning eyes, seemingly trying to find any trace of a joke on his face. But Jiang Donghua just looked at her quietly, the smile in his eyes gentle and firm.

After a long moment, she gave a soft hum, turned her face away, but her voice was a few shades softer than usual.

"If you dare to lie to me..."

"Then let me be struck dead by lightning?"

Jiang Donghua laughed, finishing her sentence.

"Bah!"

Red Silk suddenly turned back, a bolt of Lightning Light striking directly at his feet, kicking up dust.

"Who allowed you to say such unlucky things?!"

Jiang Donghua laughed heartily, reaching out to brush away the dust that had splattered onto his clothes, but a hint of tenderness flashed in his eyes.

He knew that although Red Silk spoke fiercely, what was hidden behind her words was a concern that even she hadn't noticed.

She was afraid something would really happen to him.

"Don't worry, Senior Sister."

He said softly, his fingertips secretly hooking her sleeve.

"When I break through to Dou King, the first thing I'll do is write to you."

Red Silk looked down at his hand secretly tugging her sleeve, the corner of her mouth subtly curving upwards, but she quickly straightened her face again.

"Hmph, consider yourself sensible!"

She shook off his hand and strode forward, but after a few steps, she suddenly stopped, dropping a sentence without looking back.

"Remember to write more, don't just write 'I've broken through' and be perfunctory!"

Jiang Donghua was stunned, then chuckled.

This woman was so adorably awkward even in her awkwardness.

He quickly caught up, deliberately leaning close to her ear, and whispered.

"Then what does Senior Sister want to hear? 'I miss you'? Or 'Come pick me up'?"

type_of_response_expected_from_model_is_valid_json_string_only