Chapter 169 Farewell to Cao Ying

“Dou Sheng... Dou Sheng...” Cao Ying murmured a few times, still not having come to her senses.

This was a living, breathing Dou Sheng! It was the first time in her life that Cao Ying had encountered a Dou Sheng Expert, and this expert was... the person she admired.

Gu He gently embraced her; the scent of pills wafted through the air. The embrace lasted only a moment, but Cao Ying felt as if she could still feel the warmth of Gu He's body from that instant.

“Hmm...” Cao Ying didn't actually know what to say.

Say that she admired him!? But Gu He should have already realized that.

Say that she liked him? But he already had others by his side... But,

Gu He seemed to perceive Cao Ying's complicated emotions and patted her back, his touch very gentle.

And Cao Ying instantly fell for it.

[Ding!]

[Target Cao Ying's favorability towards the host has increased by 21%. Reward obtained: "Exotic Fire - Heart-Devouring Soul Fire"!]

[Heart-Devouring Soul Fire: An Exotic Fire from an ancient plane, unknown to anyone on the Fighting Qi Continent. This fire has absorbed countless people's negative emotions such as greed and desire. It is extremely powerful; if the person attempting to tame it does not possess a powerful Soul, they will be devoured by the Exotic Fire.]

[strategy target Cao Ying's favorability is now: 71%]

[Congratulations to the host, strategy successful! Target Cao Ying has been unbound!]

[The strategy targets currently bound to the host are: Medusa, Zi Yan.]

After receiving the reward, Gu He was a little surprised. He keenly noticed that Cao Ying was a bit different today; it seemed as if... a flower was pinned to her hair bun.

That silk flower didn't really match her thick, slightly reddish hair.

But this silk flower, with its gradient of red and pink, was clearly... made based on the flower that Gu He had given Cao Ying.

Cao Ying noticed Gu He's gaze. She reined in the hint of laziness in her eyes, her cheeks flushed slightly, and she said:

“I made this silk flower hair accessory based on the flower you gave me. Does it look good?”

Gu He nodded: “Of course it looks good.”

The two walked shoulder to shoulder along the corridor.

Their tacit understanding seemed unchanged, but five months had truly passed.

There were many banana trees planted in the courtyard, along with a large lotus pond.

The lotus pond showed signs of withering. There was not a single lotus flower, only lotus leaves covering half the pond. The withered lotus leaves were yellow, with little dotted holes, as if they would turn to powder and shatter in the wind if one were to stretch out a finger and touch them.

It was very desolate, making Gu He frown. He did not like this scene, as if everything vanished into thin air after the prosperity, leaving nothing behind.

Clearly, when he first arrived, this lotus pond had been in full bloom.

Red and purple lotus flowers had stretched out their forms, clean and unsullied by the mud.

Gu He's heart stirred, and he dug out a secret technique for restoring plant vitality from his memories. He mobilized the thick wood-attribute Qi in his body and infused the secret technique into it—

The green Qi was like a large fishing net, covering the entire large pond in one go.

The secret technique took effect!

All the withered lotus leaves suddenly radiated vitality, and the withered buds on the silt also straightened their heads toward the sky, the lotus flowers blooming instantly.

“Wow!!”

Cao Ying's eyes lit up, filled with stars.

She saw a beautiful scene that shouldn't have appeared.

This was the lotus pond and sea of flowers that Gu He had given her. It shouldn't have appeared in this season, yet it appeared in her heart at exactly the right moment.

“So beautiful!” Cao Ying's lazy brows revealed joy; clearly, she liked it very much.

“How did you know that I like lotus flowers the most? Did you secretly ask someone else?!” Cao Ying asked.

Gu He said: “I observed that out of so many cultivation rooms, you specifically only went to this one. It's neither too big nor too small, and it's not the most comfortable or luxurious. I presumed it was because there was a beautiful lotus pond on the way to it...”

“So I guessed you liked lotus flowers!” Gu He felt Cao Ying's fingers gently rubbing against the back of his hand, smiled slightly, and returned the hold.

The two walked for a long time, as if hoping time would stop at this moment, but in the end, they arrived at the back door of the Cao Family residence.

The reason they took the back door was that when Gu He had his Breakthrough, he still leaked some of his aura. People had already tracked it down, and the main entrance was now packed tight.

At the back entrance, the vermilion gate was a bit old, as if it had witnessed many partings.

Cao Ying blinked, holding back the tears that welled up: “I know you don't like interpersonal communication, and those old men in my Family are annoying to talk to. If you stayed for a few days, you would definitely be subjected to flattery several times over.”

Cao Ying knew that Gu He had only come to borrow a cultivation room, and he would leave after his promotion was successful.

In some people's eyes, this kind of thing might be considered the behavior of a scumbag—'use and discard'.

But Gu He was open and aboveboard, a true gentleman. Cao Ying did not think of it in a base way; instead, she felt happy that Gu He had thought of her.

“So soon, we have to say goodbye again...” Cao Ying murmured, her jade-like hand letting go of Gu He's fingers. She smoothed the bangs by her ears, feeling a somewhat uncomfortable sadness.

Gu He looked at Cao Ying with a very serious expression, “If you don't mind, I am willing to protect the Cao Family.”

“When I had my Breakthrough to Dou Sheng, even though there were Seals set up by you in the sealing room, some of the Dou Sheng aura still leaked out. Presumably, people have already rushed over. Your reception hall must be very lively right now, inquiring whether the Cao Family has produced a... Dou Sheng!”

It was rare for Gu He to say so much at once.

Cao Ying's small mouth opened slightly, revealing some surprise: “You... you are willing to protect the Cao Family?”

Although the Cao Family was one of the major families and Cao Ying was a strong prospect of the Pill Tower, who would complain about having the protection of an extra Dou Sheng Expert?

Cao Ying looked at Gu He's nodding posture; his face was mature and handsome, graceful, a gentleman as noble as jade.

She also knew from Gu He's rock-solid, determined gaze that once he made a decision, he would absolutely not waver. If he said he would protect, he would definitely protect, and he would not allow Cao Ying to refuse or refute it.

“...Okay.” Cao Ying nodded gently, revealing a charming smile with a hint of seductiveness.

Her beauty bloomed only for him.

“Then... see you next time.” Gu He suddenly grabbed Cao Ying's hand, then brought his body close to her, giving her a light embrace.

This embrace did not contain romantic affection, but was filled with the melancholy of parting.

“Brother Gu He, see you next time.” Cao Ying said softly.

The two parted ways completely.

Cao Ying took off the small pink azalea flower from her hair bun, held it in her hands, and stroked it carefully.

“Goodbye... Brother Gu He.”

...

Gu He returned to his own residence.

Before he went into seclusion, this residence had already been bought by him in full.

He thought that everyone would be living there for quite a long time, and he was not short on money, so he conveniently purchased a large area of real estate. The continuous row of residential houses around this residence had all been acquired by him at a high price.

Before going into seclusion, he had also instructed the craftsmen to open up this continuous row of residences.

As soon as he returned home, he saw a very imposing plaque hanging at the entrance of the huge residence, with the words written on it—'Gu Residence'.