104: After surviving the ordeal, a sword was given as a token of love.

The violent sensation of falling and the agonizing, tearing pain throughout his body were the first things Lin Xuan felt upon regaining consciousness. He felt as though he had been completely disassembled; every bone and every Meridian was screaming in agony. The burning pain in his back, in particular, reminded him of the terrifying impact he had endured in the final moments.

He struggled to open his heavy eyelids, and his blurry vision slowly came into focus. What greeted his eyes was an unfamiliar, yet vibrantly green, mountain valley full of life. Sunlight filtered through the crisscrossing branches, casting mottled spots of light. The air was filled with the fresh scent of earth and flowers, completely different from the deadly silence and oppression of the Thunder Emperor Palace and the Myriad Ages Desolate Sea.

They... got out?

"Lin Xuan! You're awake!" A voice, tearful yet filled with surprise, sounded beside his ear. It was Gongsun Yu. Her small face was still streaked with tears, and her eyes were red and swollen as she looked at him anxiously.

Lin Xuan slightly turned his neck and realized he was resting on a soft lap pillow that carried a cool, faint scent of plum blossoms. He looked up, meeting Su Wanqing's icy eyes, which were slightly reddened and fixed on him without blinking. Her plain white dress was stained with the blood he had previously coughed up, like red plum blossoms on snow, striking and alarming. Seeing him wake up, her tightly pressed lips trembled slightly, as if she wanted to speak, but in the end, she only gripped his shoulder tighter, her eyes shimmering with moisture.

On the other side, Qu Feiyan immediately leaned over, her enchanting face etched with exhaustion and worry. She reached out and gently wiped the cold sweat from his brow, her voice soft and slightly hoarse: "How do you feel? Don't move around. Your injuries are very serious."

Lin Xuan's heart warmed. The relief of surviving the calamity and their unconcealed concern washed over the severe pain in his body like a warm current. He attempted to circulate his Cultivation Technique and found that although his injuries were extremely severe, his Meridians were badly damaged, and his Golden Core was dim, his Foundation was intact. Moreover, a trace of the vitality from the thunder source crystal marrow and the power of the strange Chaos Qi flow (born from the fusion of Taiyin and Blazing Yang) seemed to remain in his body, slowly repairing his injuries.

"Cough... I'm fine. I won't die yet." He managed a strained smile, his voice hoarse. "Where... are we? Are we safe?"

"We should be safe," Su Wanqing replied softly, her icy eyes vigilantly scanning the surroundings. "The Spiritual Qi here is abundant and peaceful. This should be somewhere in the Main World. After rushing out of the passage, we fell into this valley. We haven't detected any danger yet."

Lin Xuan sighed in relief, his gaze falling upon the thunder source crystal marrow (which had become dim again) and the sin-severing sword still tightly clasped in his left hand, as well as the Jade Hairpin belonging to Wangshu held in his right. The complex look Wangshu gave him before she dissipated resurfaced in his mind, causing a pang of sorrow and heaviness.

"Senior Wangshu..." Gongsun Yu began to sob softly.

Su Wanqing and Qu Feiyan also fell silent, expressions of grief appearing on their faces. Although Wangshu's motives were unclear, her final act of self-sacrifice to save them earned their sincere respect and mourning.

Lin Xuan took a deep breath, suppressing his turbulent emotions. Now was not the time to indulge in sadness. He had to recover quickly, and... make arrangements for what came next.

With a thought, the Ninth-Tier Immortal Artifact, the frost silence sword, which had been dormant deep within his Dantian and Sealed layer upon layer, trembled slightly. As his cultivation rose to the Mid-stage Golden Core and his comprehension of various powers like Taiyin and Thunder deepened, the Seal on the frost silence sword seemed to loosen a little more. Its Sword Intent, chilling to the bone and serene as the moon, faintly echoed his current weak but tenacious will.

His gaze fell upon Su Wanqing.

Su Wanqing possessed the Supreme Yin Body and Cultivated a Taiyin Cultivation Technique, making her perfectly compatible with the frost silence sword's attributes. Previously, his strength was low, making him unable to truly wield the sword, nor did he dare expose it easily. Now, having gone through the journey to the Thunder Emperor Palace and obtained the thunder source crystal marrow and the sin-severing sword, his own Dao path was clearer. Although the frost silence sword was a Sharp Weapon in his hands, it ultimately could not unleash its true power as it could in Su Wanqing's.

More importantly... after sharing life and death together, although the unspoken barrier between him and Su Wanqing had not been completely broken, their affection was already mutually understood. Gifting her this sword was not just about enhancing the team's strength, but also... a token of his heart, a promise.

"Senior Sister Su." Lin Xuan looked at Su Wanqing, his voice weak, yet exceptionally clear and solemn.

Su Wanqing was slightly startled, meeting his focused gaze.

Lin Xuan struggled to lift his right hand, communicating with his Dantian through thought. The frost silence sword, carved entirely like ice crystal and radiating a hazy moonlight and extreme cold, slowly appeared in his palm. Though the Immortal Artifact was Sealed, its inherent grade and Dao charm still caused the surrounding air to solidify, and plants instantly became covered in frost.

Su Wanqing's icy eyes instantly widened as she stared at the sword in disbelief. The Taiyin Power within her body became uncontrollably active and surged the moment the sword appeared, conveying an intense desire and sense of intimacy! This was an attraction stemming from her Origin!

Qu Feiyan and Gongsun Yu were also stunned. They could sense the extraordinary nature of this sword—a power and beauty far exceeding their comprehension.

"This sword is named 'frost silence,' and it is a perfect match for Senior Sister's Supreme Yin Body," Lin Xuan said to Su Wanqing, his tone sincere and gentle. "My Dao path now lies in a different direction. In my hands, this sword is a pearl hidden by dust. Only in Senior Sister's hands can it unleash its proper brilliance."

He gently pushed the frost silence sword toward Su Wanqing: "Senior Sister, please... accept this sword."

Su Wanqing stared blankly at the frost silence sword floating before her, then looked at Lin Xuan's pale face, which held a gentle smile. Her frozen heart felt as if a giant rock had been thrown into it, stirring up monstrous waves. How could she not know the value of this sword? This was definitely not an ordinary Magic Treasure; the contained Dao charm and power made her heart palpitate! And he was gifting such a treasure to her so easily?

Was it because their attributes matched? Was it to enhance their strength? Or... was it for something else?

Thinking of him blocking the attack for her, thinking of him tightly holding her hand, thinking of his previous words, "If we fight, we fight together; if we die, we die together"... The ice in Su Wanqing's icy eyes completely melted, transforming into a pool of clear spring water, rippling with unspeakable emotion and affection.

She did not decline, nor did she speak any polite formalities. Because she knew this was a piece of his heart, a heavy weight of trust and... affection.

She extended her slightly trembling jade hand and solemnly grasped the hilt of the frost silence sword.

"Buzz—!"

The moment Su Wanqing grasped the hilt, the frost silence sword let out a clear, joyful sword cry, as if it had met its true master! Pure and vast Taiyin Moon Essence erupted from the blade, blending perfectly with Su Wanqing's Taiyin Power, making her appear like a Fairy from the Moon Palace descending to the mortal world, peerlessly cool and radiant! Her long-stagnant Bottleneck, at this very moment, showed faint signs of loosening!

[Ding! Investment target Su Wanqing successful! Granted Ninth-Tier Immortal Artifact 'frost silence sword' (Sealed State)!]

[Triggered Special Affection Bond Return! Congratulations to the Host for receiving: Significant increase in Grand Yin Origin Affinity! Bond with target Su Wanqing upgraded to 'Devotion'! Obtained special status 'Moon Essence Protection' (Passive: Cultivation and recovery speed under moonlight increased by 50%)!]

The System prompt made Lin Xuan pause slightly, and a strange feeling immediately surged in his heart, as if he had become slightly closer to the bright moon in the sky.

Su Wanqing felt the surging power within her body and the sense of Bloodline connection transmitted by the divine sword in her hand. She looked up at Lin Xuan, the affection in her eyes no longer concealed in the slightest. Her red lips parted, and her voice, though soft, was incredibly firm: "Lin Xuan, this sword... I accept it. In this life, I will certainly live up to the intent of your gift."

These words were no different from the most direct confession.

Qu Feiyan watched this scene, a complex flash in her enchanting eyes—envy, a touch of sourness, but more than that, happiness for Su Wanqing, and... a clearer understanding of her own feelings. She lightly hmphed, turning her face away, yet a faint, almost imperceptible smile curled the corners of her lips.

Gongsun Yu, meanwhile, widened her eyes, looking at Big Brother Lin, then at Senior Sister Su, who seemed to be glowing. Her small face blushed slightly, as if she finally understood something.

Lin Xuan looked at Su Wanqing's increasingly beautiful face, illuminated by the Moon Essence and the sword's radiance, and listened to her resolute words. His heart was filled with immense satisfaction and warmth. He smiled slightly, just about to speak, when his face suddenly turned pale, and he coughed violently. The movement aggravated his injuries, and cold sweat streamed down.

"Stop talking! Focus on healing!" Su Wanqing immediately put away the frost silence sword (Immortal Artifacts can be stored inside the body at will), supporting him with an undeniable tone of concern.

Qu Feiyan also immediately moved closer, positioning herself on the left while Su Wanqing was on the right, helping Lin Xuan sit properly, preparing to circulate their Cultivation Techniques to heal his injuries.

Sunlight filtered through the foliage, bathing the four survivors in warmth and tranquility. A new chapter seemed set to begin in this nameless valley. And the increasingly intertwined romantic fate between Lin Xuan and the Three women, like vines, grew robustly amidst the trials of life and death and the sincere giving of their hearts.