200: Peace charm

Lu Yuan's figure flickered again, the Source Power glow on his fingertips quietly receding.

The several layers of warning arrays he had just set up silently dissipated into the air.

Just a second before he returned to his room via Infinite Shuttle, an extremely faint disturbance came from the outermost array.

The visitor's aura was very weak, almost without hostility.

It was her.

Lu Yuan's heart stirred, and he removed all defenses.

He had just sat down on the edge of the bed, not yet having time to smooth out the wrinkles in his clothes.

"Dong, dong."

Two soft knocks sounded, cautious, with a hint of hesitation.

"Come in," Lu Yuan's voice was steady.

The door was gently pushed open a crack, and a small head peeked in.

It was Yao Xiao.

Her cheeks were flushed with a captivating blush, like fresh snow reflecting the sunset, and her eyes were somewhat evasive, not daring to meet Lu Yuan's gaze.

Her eyes roamed around the room for a circle, finally landing on Lu Yuan's toes.

"You... you haven't gotten up yet?" Her voice was very soft, like a feather brushing against a heart.

"Hmm, I drank too much wine, so I slept in," Lu Yuan looked at her uneasy demeanor, the corner of his mouth unconsciously curving up, "Is something wrong?"

Yao Xiao bit her lower lip with her pearly teeth, seemingly making some important decision.

Her hands were clasped behind her back, tightly clutching something, her knuckles even turning a little white.

After a moment of silence, she finally gathered her courage, took out something from behind her back, walked quickly to Lu Yuan, and handed it over with her head down.

It was a palm-sized brocade pouch, sky-blue, soft to the touch, with intricate and ancient cloud patterns embroidered on it with gold thread.

"This... is for you."

Her voice was as faint as a mosquito's buzz, and her head was buried even lower; Lu Yuan could almost only see the top of her dark hair and her burning red earlobes.

Lu Yuan didn't immediately take it, his gaze fixed on the exquisite brocade pouch.

He could feel that, besides the faint Source Power fluctuations from the gold thread itself, a pure and warm aura lingered around the brocade pouch.

That was Yao Xiao's aura, sincere, pure, without a trace of impurity.

"What is this?" he asked softly.

"It's... it's a peace charm I personally wove for you."

Yao Xiao's voice carried a barely perceptible tremor.

"Inside are materials for calming the mind and warding off evil; I secretly picked them from Grandpa's herb garden..."

Yao Zhenchuan: ... "You, you must wear it close to you."

After she finished speaking, as if she had used all her strength, she pushed the brocade pouch further into Lu Yuan's hand.

Lu Yuan reached out and took the brocade pouch.

It was warm to the touch, carrying the lingering warmth from the girl's palm.

He could clearly feel the complex patterns embroidered with gold thread, the stitches dense and fine, showing the great effort the maker had put into it.

This was not just a peace charm.

It was also a concern and affection that could not be measured by words.

Lu Yuan's heart felt as if it had been gently held by a warm hand, softening completely.

He looked up, gazing earnestly at Yao Xiao, even though she still dared not look at him.

"Thank you, Nickname."

His voice was low.

"I like it very much."

Lu Yuan held the brocade pouch in his palm, and that warm aura seemed to flow along his palm lines, all the way to the bottom of his heart.

"I will always keep it close to me."

Hearing Lu Yuan's promise, Yao Xiao's tense body seemed to relax a little.

She secretly looked up, quickly glanced at Lu Yuan, and seeing his sincere expression, a joyful smile involuntarily bloomed on her face, like a rainbow after rain.

But that smile lasted only an instant, then was replaced by worry.

"You... do you have any plans next?"

She asked softly, her tone full of reluctance.

"The secret realm... is too dangerous."

Lu Yuan did not hide it from her.

"Yes, when it gets light, I still need to go in again."

He said frankly, "Some things must be resolved as soon as possible."

Hearing the affirmative reply, the light in Yao Xiao's eyes dimmed a few shades, and her small mouth pouted slightly.

Lu Yuan looked at her expression, finding it amusing, and deliberately changed the subject.

"Speaking of which, how is your Nine-Tailed Illusion Heart Fox card progressing in cultivation?"

"Have you been lazy while I was away?"

"Ah?"

Yao Xiao didn't expect him to ask this suddenly, and her small face instantly flushed even redder.

She was a bit flustered, her gaze flickering.

"I... I did look at it... but, but it's so complicated..."

The more she spoke, the softer her voice became, and finally, as if remembering something, she suddenly puffed out her cheeks, with a hint of petulance and grievance, glaring at Lu Yuan.

"Didn't someone say he would teach me hand-in-hand..."

Her naive expression was like a kitten extending its claws but posing no threat, making one's heart itch.

Lu Yuan could no longer hold back and chuckled softly.

He reached out, wanting to pat her head as he used to, but his hand stopped halfway, remembering the fleeting kiss of last night, and his movement paused again.

Finally, he withdrew his hand, made a fist, and pressed it to his lips, clearing his throat, and promised with an extremely solemn tone:

"When I return this time."

"I will personally teach you."

"I will guide you hand-in-hand to fully unleash its true power."

He deliberately emphasized the words "hand-in-hand."

Yao Xiao's heart skipped a beat instantly.

She could almost imagine the scene: his broad, warm hand covering the back of her own, guiding the flow of Source Power... the heat on her cheeks almost setting her ablaze.

But in her heart, it felt as if it were filled with honey, sweet beyond compare.

All her worries and reluctance, at this moment, were diluted by immense anticipation and joy.

"Mm!"

She nodded vigorously, and the brilliant starlight in her eyes rekindled.

"I'll wait for you to come back!"

"It's a promise!"

"It's a promise."

...After seeing off the reluctant Yao Xiao, Lu Yuan did not linger in the room.

He carefully placed the peace charm, which carried the girl's feelings, close to his body in his embrace.

With a thought, the skill of Infinite Shuttle was quietly activated.

The next moment, Lu Yuan's figure disappeared from the room.

The entire process was silent, as if he had never returned... "Greetings, My King!"

Blazing Flame had been waiting for a long time.

He knelt on one knee, his posture devout, and behind him, the Lava Troll summoned by the card was even taller and more solidified than before.

It was already at the seventh-tier strength!

"Get up."

Lu Yuan had no superfluous words.

He surveyed the temple, his gaze finally landing on the deepest part.

In Lu Yuan's perception, he could clearly sense that just now, a deep passage leading to the depths of the earth had been reopened by Blazing Flame using the Sai'an Clan's secret method.

At the entrance of the passage, hot air waves faintly rushed out.

Presumably, that was the source of the flames.

"Let's go!"

"I want to see what secrets are hidden at the core of this secret realm!"

"Or perhaps..."

"What kind of opportunity!"

"As you command! My King!"

As the group entered, the newly opened passage slowly closed again under the influence of some power, merging with the surrounding stone walls, leaving no trace whatsoever.

As if nothing had ever happened...