23: Chapter 23 Let's cultivate together...

The streets seemed calm, but many suspicious people were looking around with vigilant eyes.

They secretly observed the passing pedestrians, faintly forming a large search net.

Ye Yun's heart stirred. He calmly walked to a tea stall, sat down, ordered a pot of tea, and pretended to chat with the tea stall owner to gather information.

"Boss, why are there so many strangers on the street today? Has something happened?"

The tea stall owner lowered his voice and said mysteriously.

"The guest doesn't know. I heard that Young Master Zhao from the City Lord's Manor lost something important and is searching the whole city for a youth. I heard that youth carries a heavy treasure, and Young Master Zhao has offered a reward of ten low-grade mysterious stones!"

Ye Yun understood clearly, a cold sharpness flashing in his eyes.

As expected, they were Zhao Tianheng's people. Before he could go looking for him, Zhao Tianheng had already impatiently started searching for him.

"Truly seeking death."

Ye Yun sneered in his heart. After finishing his tea, he calmly returned to the annex.

Back in the courtyard, Liu Ruyan was tidying the room. Seeing Ye Yun return, she hurried to meet him.

"Yun'er, why are you back so soon? Did something happen?"

Ye Yun pulled her to his side, his tone solemn.

"Ruyan, Zhao Tianheng is searching the whole city for me, and many of his people are on the streets. Try not to go out lately; stay in the courtyard and Cultivate with peace of mind. Be careful in everything."

Liu Ruyan was startled and quickly nodded.

"I understand, you must be careful too. Zhao Tianheng has great power; you must not go head-to-head with him."

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing." Ye Yun smiled and gently patted her hand.

"I have some matters to attend to at the Su Family. Stay home; I'll be back after I handle things."

"Mhm, be careful on the road."

Liu Ruyan urged.

Ye Yun responded and turned to leave the annex, heading towards the Su Family.

His trip to the Su Family was, for one, to see Su Wanqing.

Secondly, he wanted to take advantage of the remaining compatibility with Su Wanqing to continue Dual Cultivation and increase his strength as quickly as possible.

The System's Dual Cultivation opportunities were hard to come by, so they naturally couldn't be wasted.

Arriving at the Su Manor, Ye Yun walked straight to Su Wanqing's courtyard.

Just as he reached the courtyard gate, he saw Su Wanqing sitting in the yard trimming flowers and plants.

She wore a light pink dress, her long hair draped over her shoulders. The sunlight fell on her, making her look like a Fairy stepped out of a painting, tranquil and beautiful.

Hearing footsteps, Su Wanqing looked up and saw Ye Yun, a flash of surprise instantly appearing in her eyes.

A faint blush appeared on her cheeks. She put down the scissors in her hand and stood up to greet him.

"Ye Yun, you're here."

"Mhm, came to see you."

Ye Yun looked at her shy appearance, his heart warming. He walked to her side, his gaze falling on the neatly trimmed plants in the yard, and smiled.

"I didn't expect you to know how to trim flowers; you're truly skilled and ingenious."

Su Wanqing's cheeks grew redder. She lowered her head and said softly.

"I had nothing to do, so I tended to them to make the courtyard more lively."

The two sat side by side on the stone stools in the courtyard, chatting about domestic matters. The atmosphere was warm and ambiguous.

Ye Yun looked at her clear eyes and shy appearance, and his feelings gradually surged.

Su Wanqing felt his burning gaze. Her heart raced like a deer, and she subconsciously lowered her head, her fingers gently twisting the corner of her clothes.

"Wanqing."

Ye Yun called softly.

"Mhm?"

Su Wanqing looked up, meeting his burning gaze, her cheeks becoming even more crimson.

Ye Yun reached out and gently held her hand, feeling the slight coolness and trembling of her fingertips. His tone was serious.

"Let's Dual Cultivation... no, Cultivate."

Su Wanqing trembled all over. A trace of shyness and panic flashed in her eyes, but she did not pull her hand back.

She just nodded gently and responded with a voice as soft as a mosquito.

"Okay."

Ye Yun was overjoyed. He picked up Su Wanqing, walked into the room, and gently closed the door.

Inside the room, the candlelight flickered, reflecting their intertwined figures.

Unlike the first time's awkwardness and panic, although Su Wanqing was still shy this time, she was a bit more proactive and accommodating.

She hugged Ye Yun's neck tightly, burying her cheek in his chest, feeling his powerful heartbeat and burning body temperature.

Her heart was full of dependence and adoration.

Ye Yun felt her tenderness and innocence. The Mystic Power in his body circulated quietly, merging with Su Wanqing's Mystic Power.

The Yellow Grade High Grade Qingfeng Step flowed within his body. The footwork was mysterious, and the Mystic Power circulation became increasingly smooth.

[Dual Cultivation ended! Triggered Critical Hit Multiplier: 3x (Normal Critical Hit)!]

[Plundering the target's Origin power, host's cultivation Breakthrough to Martial Master Realm Seventh Level Peak!]

[Su Wanqing's cultivation Breakthrough to paginate an Eighth Stage Martial Artist!]

The System's notification sounded in his mind, and Ye Yun was satisfied.

Although an Advanced Critical Hit wasn't triggered this time, he still successfully reached the Martial Master Realm Seventh Level Peak, only one step away from the Martial Master Realm Eighth Level.

The total amount of Mystic Power surged again, his surrounding aura became more condensed, and his strength improved by another level.

Ye Yun looked down at Su Wanqing in his arms. The girl's cheeks were flushed with an alluring red, and her eyes held a trace of laziness and satisfaction.

Like a sleeping kitten, she snuggled obediently in his arms.

Su Wanqing also felt the changes in her body. Her Mystic Power was several times thicker than before, and her aura was stable; she had clearly Breakthrough to paginate an Eighth Stage Martial Artist.

Her eyes were full of surprise as she looked up at Ye Yun.

"Ye Yun, I broke through! I've reached the paginate an Eighth Stage Martial Artist!"

"Congratulations, Wanqing."

Ye Yun smiled and kissed her forehead, his tone gentle.

"Your talent was already good. If you Cultivate diligently in the future, you will surely achieve even higher accomplishments."

Su Wanqing's face was full of joy and admiration. She hugged Ye Yun's waist tightly, her heart full of sweetness.

The atmosphere in the room was warm and sweet as the two held each other.

Feeling each other's body temperature and heartbeat, their hearts were filled with longing for the future.

...

On the other side, outside Qingyun City, the dense forest of Black Wind Ridge was still lush, but it had long lost its former tranquility.

For days, the Disciples of the Three Great Families—the Zhao Family, Lin Family, and Sun Family—had searched this mountain range several times like madmen, from the foot of the mountain to the peak, from caves to streams.

They hadn't missed any corner where a person could hide, yet they ultimately found nothing.

Inside the meeting hall of the Lin Family residence, the atmosphere was so oppressive it was suffocating.

The Lin Family Family Head Lin Yue slammed his hand on the table, causing a fine crack to instantly appear on the high-quality mahogany surface.

His eyes were wide with anger, his tone full of unwillingness and rage.

"Useless! All useless! After searching for so many days, we haven't even found a shadow! Did that kid Ye Yun grow wings and fly away?!"

Beside him, the Zhao Family Family Head Zhao Lie also looked unpleasant. His fingertips tapped on the table as he said in a deep voice.

"We've searched Black Wind Ridge no less than three times. Let alone Ye Yun, we haven't even found a trace of him. This kid is very cunning; he's probably not in Black Wind Ridge anymore."

"Not in Black Wind Ridge? Then where could he go?"

The Sun Family Family Head Sun Tao frowned deeply, his eyes full of doubt.

"Qingyun City is our territory; he certainly wouldn't dare return. We've also sent people to check the surrounding towns, but there's no news of him."

Lin Yue took a deep breath, suppressing the anger in his heart, and said slowly.

"Could he have found a secret place to hide? After all, that Mysterious Grade Technique is crucial to him; he will definitely find a safe place to concentrate on his Cultivate and digest the technique."

Zhao Lie shook his head.

"Unlikely. Cultivating a Mysterious Grade Technique requires a large amount of resources for support. He's a lone wolf; where would he get the resources? Moreover, he killed so many Disciples of our Three Great Families; we certainly won't let him off. He couldn't possibly hide and Cultivate in peace."

"Then in your opinion, where did he go?"