22: change

On the Ice Soul Flying Sword, Lin Qingxue rode the sword through the air. The evening breeze brushed against the stray hairs at her temples, and her cool, aloof profile appeared exceptionally soft under the setting sun.

She recalled today at Spirit Forging Peak, Yao Delong's boldness in the face of Wu Feng's Golden Core coercion without changing his expression, casually producing forty Mid-Grade Spirit Stones while chatting, and that attitude of completely ignoring a powerful enemy... A strange ripple unexpectedly stirred in her heart.

"Senior Brother, today you treated Junior Sister Qingxue as a 'mount' for the entire day."

Returning to Luoxia Peak and landing in front of Yao Delong's dilapidated thatched cottage, Lin Qingxue turned around. A rare, sly arc curled at the corner of her lips, her beautiful eyes darting about with a hint of girlish coquettishness, "Senior Brother, shouldn't you... show some appreciation?"

Watching his Junior Sister's peerlessly beautiful and slightly playful appearance under the setting sun, Yao Delong couldn't help but be slightly stunned, then smiled with realization; "Haha, you should! You should! Junior Sister Qingxue has worked hard!" He naturally understood what his Junior Sister wanted.

The two sat on the large rock in front of the thatched cottage, watching the sea of clouds churning in the distance as the golden sun set.

"Today, I will tell Junior Sister the most thrilling and dramatic chapter from 'Journey to the West'..."

Yao Delong cleared his throat, his voice carrying a unique magnetism, and recounted the story of Sun Wukong wreaking havoc in the Heavenly Palace, stealing the flat peaches, pilfering the imperial wine, purloining the Immortal Pill, battling the heavenly soldiers, and fighting Yang Jian.

Lin Qingxue rested her chin on her hands, listening with rapt attention. The afterglow of the setting sun gilded her long eyelashes, and her clear eyes reflected Yao Delong's withered yet vibrant face.

Thinking back to how he used to be lifeless and completely indifferent to Cultivation, he seemed to have changed so much recently. He seemed to have become younger, his attitude towards Cultivation had taken a complete 180-degree turn, and he even seemed to have learned how to please girls! Having known Senior Brother for so many years, this was the first time she had received a gift today!

When he recounted how Sun Wukong kicked over the Eight-Trigrams Furnace, forged his Fiery Eyes of Truth, and charged back up to the Lingxiao Palace, Lin Qingxue couldn't help but clap in excitement; "Good! Well fought! Those gods bound by rules should see this! We Cultivators should possess such spirit that refuses to submit to Heaven and Earth!"

The look she gave Yao Delong was filled with admiration and a sparkling luster.

Watching his Junior Sister's excited appearance, Yao Delong stopped his storytelling and smiled; "What does Junior Sister think... of this monkey?"

"Upright and indomitable! Free and unfettered! Gratifying in love and hate!" Lin Qingxue said without hesitation, a blush of longing on her face.

Yao Delong nodded, looking deeply at the setting sun about to sink into the sea of clouds in the distance, and said slowly; "Yes... even if there are thousands, I will go... This courage and persistence is truly heart-captivating."

He appeared to be talking about Sun Wukong, yet it was as if he were talking about his own path of seeking to change his fate against the Heavens.

Lin Qingxue tilted her head to look at Yao Delong's well-defined profile under the sunset. In the depths of his cloudy eyes, there seemed to be some indescribable light flickering—tenacious, unyielding, and even carrying a trace of... tragic heroism?

Her heart trembled inexplicably, and a complex emotion she had never felt before quietly sprouted.

【Ding! Target Lin Qingxue Favorability +5, Current Favorability: 65 (Close and Trusting)】

The sun sank completely, and twilight gathered.

"Thank you for today, Junior Sister." Yao Delong stood up, his eyes returning to calmness.

"Senior Brother is too polite." Lin Qingxue also stood up, her voice much softer, "I look forward to Senior Brother... shocking Spirit Plant Peak in two days."

She gave Yao Delong a deep look, and with a hint of anticipation and curiosity, transformed into an icy blue sword light and fluttered away.

After seeing Lin Qingxue off, Yao Delong sat cross-legged on the cold meditation cushion.

"eight revolutions foundation establishment pill... heavenly vein ganoderma... there are only two days left..."

His withered fingers tapped his knees unconsciously, his gaze landing on the newly acquired "Earth Fire Spirit Accumulating Furnace." Although the top-grade Spiritual Artifact Pill Furnace was good, refining the eight revolutions foundation establishment pill, given his current Realm, even with the second volume of the "Pill Canon" at Perfection, was by no means an easy task.

"I must first refine a batch of violent spirit pills to exchange for enough Spirit Stones to purchase the Materials for the nine revolutions heavenly soul foundation establishment pill!" A sharp light flashed in Yao Delong's eyes, and he immediately made a decision. yin yang points were his greatest reliance!

A sleepless night. The candlelight inside the thatched cottage on Luoxia Peak did not extinguish all night. Yao Delong sat upright before the Earth Fire Spirit Accumulating Furnace, his Divine Sense highly concentrated. The spiritual power of the Primal Yang Locking Art at the Perfection Realm within his body surged violently, precisely controlling the wisp of Earth Fire essence inside the furnace.

The vast knowledge from the second volume of the "Pill Canon" flowed in his mind. Dozens of Spirit Medicine were cast into the furnace, and under his exquisite fire-control technique, the medicinal power was perfectly extracted and underwent Fusion.

Rosy clouds swirled within the furnace, and the fragrance of the Medicinal Pill gradually grew rich, purer than any time before!

The furnace lid opened slightly, and nine dragon-eye-sized Medicinal Pills, completely crimson and with faint cloud patterns flowing on the surface, lay quietly at the bottom of the furnace.

【Perfect Quality violent spirit pill: 9 pills】 【Superior Quality violent spirit pill: 2 pills】 The yield and quality had once again leaped forward due to the improvement in the Pill Furnace and his level of Pill Dao!

Early in the morning, just as the doors of the Myriad Medicine Pavilion opened, Yao Delong's figure appeared at the entrance.

"Brother Yao!" A sweet cry filled with surprise, eagerness, and even... desire rang out.

A fragrant breeze hit his face, and a curvaceous figure, like a fledgling bird returning to the forest, threw herself directly into Yao Delong's arms!

Luo Yan seemed to have dressed up carefully today; her hair was slightly tilted, her face was like peach blossoms, and her pair of charming eyes were brimming with water, almost ready to drip.

She wrapped her arms tightly around Yao Delong's waist, her full chest pressed close to his withered chest, her voice carrying a hint of coquettish panting; "You heartless man! You finally came! I've missed you to death!"

The few new shop assistants nearby watched in astonishment, their eyeballs almost popping out. Since when had their beautiful, shrewd, and business-minded manager been so... impatient with a man? And such an old man at that?

Yao Delong was also slightly stunned by this enthusiasm, but then, feeling the astonishing heat radiating from Luo Yan's body and her undisguised longing and desire, he understood. It seemed that she had also benefited greatly from their previous union of rain and clouds!

"Manager Luo, this old man is here to..." Before Yao Delong could finish his sentence, his wrist was tightly grabbed by a smooth and warm delicate hand.

"Shh!" Luo Yan extended her slender finger, pointing it at his lips, her charming eyes like silk, her breath like orchids, "Business matters can wait until later... accompany me for a chat first..."

Without allowing any argument, she almost half-dragged and half-pulled Yao Delong toward the Secret Chamber in the back hall, not forgetting to throw a sentence to the assistants before leaving; "No one is allowed to disturb us!"

Once the door of the Secret Chamber closed, it was as if Luo Yan had released all restraints, and she violently pushed Yao Delong onto the brocade couch!

At this moment, the spiritual energy circulating around Luo Yan suddenly became violent and disordered! The Spirit Seed Dharma Image condensed from pure Wood-attribute spiritual power within her body was currently swaying wildly as if encountering sweet dew, sprouting branches, and emitting a spiritual rhyme that was almost like a shriek!

On her cheeks, it was no longer the crimson flushed by desire, but a mysterious crystalline luster that appeared when spiritual energy was overloaded and the Meridians were stretched by surging vitality! Those eyes that were originally clear were now filled with a pure, scorching desire that seemed to want to devour all the essence of life—that was a desire originating from the most fundamental evolution of life!

"Quick! The Origin... guide it over!" Her voice was no longer a vague, seductive whisper, but a near-delirious shriek mixed with the roar of spiritual power!

A powerful and peerless suction force instantly erupted from the Dharma seal formed by her hands. The temptation of the huge benefits brought about by Yin-Yang Harmony and the replenishment of Primal Yang—which could intuitively promote the leap in life level—had long since caused her to lose herself completely in the tidal wave of power!

However, this was exactly what he wanted! He also craved the yin yang points! Without further ado, he backhanded his withered arm to wrap around that slender, supple waist that could be held in one hand, and met her embrace.

The candlelight flickered, and the spiritual power in the room surged like a tide. Another round of mysterious spiritual power resonance was completed in this space.

【Ding! Completed one dao rhyme resonance with the target!】 【Target's Cultivation Technique: Profound Rank Medium Grade "Hundred Herbs Art" (Wood-attribute technique)】 【Obtained dao rhyme value: 15 points!】 【Current total dao rhyme value: 17 (Previous balance: 2 points)】 【Target: Luo Yan】 【Favorability: 80 (Obsessed and Dependent)】 【Cultivation Breakthrough: Late Foundation Establishment Stage → Foundation Establishment Perfection!】

The spiritual power gradually returned to stability. Luo Yan sat cross-legged in front of Yao Delong to regulate her breath. Her peerlessly beautiful face was now overflowing with the luster of abundant spiritual power and an indescribable shock! She clearly felt that the Bottleneck of the Late Foundation Establishment Stage that had plagued her for many years had actually been broken through as naturally as water flowing into a channel during the extreme integration of spirit and desire just now! Reaching directly to Foundation Establishment Perfection!