557: A warm hug

Just then, the phantom of blood in mid-air began to slowly contract, and golden-red light burst forth from within it, shooting straight into the clouds and dyeing the entire sky a brilliant golden-red.

Murong Gu's figure returned to its original state within the light, but his aura was surging crazily, and an even more majestic pressure than before swept out from his body—having devoured the flesh, Divine Soul, and power of Blood Butcher and thousands of Blood Shadow Sect Disciples, he had gained a massive energy boost, and his cultivation began a Breakthrough!

The barrier of the Early Spirit Transformation Stage shattered like thin paper under the impact of the energy, and his cultivation steadily stepped into the Middle Stage of Soul Transformation without the slightest Bottleneck or stagnation. Even as energy continued to pour in crazily, his cultivation soared further, instantly breaking through the barrier of the Middle Stage of Soul Transformation, finally resting steadily at the Spirit Transformation Late Stage!

In just a few breaths, he had risen two levels in a row; this speed of Cultivation could be called rocket-like!

Murong Gu opened his eyes, the golden-red light in them flashing and vanishing. His aura was steady and majestic, and the pressure of the Spirit Transformation Late Stage, gentle yet inviolable, enveloped the entire Falling Snow Pavilion.

He looked down at Murong Xue at the mountain gate, a faint tenderness curling the corners of his mouth. With a movement, he teleported in front of Murong Xue and bowed, saying, "Aunt Xue, I have let you and the Disciples be alarmed. The remnants of the Blood Shadow Sect have all been cleared away."

Murong Xue looked at the calm-faced, powerfully-auraed Murong Gu before her and, unable to hold back, tightly embraced him: "It is good that you have returned!"

Murong Gu's whole body stiffened, and he was completely stunned. He had been lonely since childhood and had never felt such a warm and soft embrace; no one had ever worried for him or rejoiced for him so unreservedly.

The scent of cold plum blossoms on Murong Xue was fresh and elegant, lingering at the tip of his nose, causing his long-tense nerves to instantly relax.

The warmth of her embrace passed through his brocade robe and reached his body, warming his cold frame after experiencing so much slaughter.

A moment later, a faint blush involuntarily appeared on Murong Gu's cheeks, spreading from his earlobes to his neck, gradually reddening his entire face.

His ears were burning, and his heartbeat became increasingly rapid. The "thump-thump-thump" of his heart was clearly audible, and even he himself could feel its violent beating. He was at a loss, his hands hanging stiffly at his sides, not knowing how to respond. He could only stand stiffly in place, letting Murong Xue hold him, his cheeks growing redder and redder, his gaze even becoming somewhat evasive, daring not to look into Murong Xue's eyes.

In these few years, he had been through countless slaughters, seen mountains of corpses and seas of blood, and witnessed the sinister nature of human hearts. Even when facing a powerhouse of the Soul Transformation Stage, or when trapped in a desperate situation, he had never been this flustered, never felt his cheeks flush or his heart race like this.

Only in front of Murong Xue would he lower all his defenses, shed all his sharpness, and reveal his most green and pure side.

Murong Xue held him for a long time before gradually calming the emotions in her heart. She slowly loosened her hands and looked up at Murong Gu, only to see his cheeks flushed red, his ears burning, and his gaze evasive, looking completely at a loss, and she couldn't help but "pfft" and laugh out loud.

Her smile was clear and moving, like a winter plum blossom in the mountains quietly blooming in the sunlight. Her eyebrows were curved, her eyes filled with laughter, instantly dispelling all gloom, beautiful enough to stir one's heart.

"Hahaha..." Murong Xue laughed until she was shaking, her shoulders trembling slightly, her tone carrying a hint of teasing, "I thought you had already become a real man, but I didn't expect you to still be an ungrown child. It was just a hug, why are you blushing?"

As she spoke, she reached out a finger and gently poked Murong Gu's flushed cheek; the coolness of her fingertip made Murong Gu's cheek burn even hotter.

Teased like this by Murong Xue, Murong Gu's cheeks turned even redder. He became more flustered, his gaze darting away even more intensely. His lips moved as he wanted to refute, but because of his nervousness, his speech became stuttering and incoherent: "No... not red... I... I am not blushing..." His voice grew smaller and smaller, his confidence waning, and even he himself felt that his rebuttal appeared exceptionally pale and weak.

Watching this green and flustered appearance of his, Murong Xue laughed even more happily, the laughter in her eyes growing richer. She shook her head gently, her tone becoming much gentler, no longer teasing him, but instead carrying a hint of heartache and pity: "Alright, alright, I won't tease you anymore."

She used her plain-colored sleeve to gently wipe the bloodstains from Murong Gu's brocade robe, her movements gentle and careful, as if she were wiping a rare treasure. "You have worked hard, A Gu. For the sake of our Falling Snow Pavilion, you have suffered. Tonight, let our Falling Snow Pavilion properly thank you, welcome you back, and hold a grand celebration banquet."

Feeling the gentleness of Murong Xue's fingertips and the heartache and pity in her words, Murong Gu's heart accelerated again, his cheeks still flushed red. He raised his head to look at Murong Xue's clear and beautiful face, his eyes full of shyness, yet he still nodded forcefully: "Okay... okay!"

Just at this moment, Murong Gu's expression suddenly changed slightly. His originally flushed cheeks gradually returned to calm, and the shyness in his eyes was replaced by a trace of coldness.

He slowly closed his eyes, and his Divine Sense instantly spread out like a giant web, crossing a distance of thousands of miles and extending toward the distance.

A moment later, he sensed over a hundred powerful auras coming from the direction of Black Wind Valley, a thousand miles away. Among them, several auras were particularly majestic, even a bit stronger than the Blood Butcher he had just slain.

Murong Gu opened his eyes, a cold killing intent flashing through them, and said to Murong Xue and the Disciples of the Falling Snow Pavilion beside him: "You all prepare the celebration banquet first; I still have a small matter to attend to. The remnants of the Blood Shadow Sect have not yet been completely cleared away. I will return shortly."

Hearing this, Murong Xue's expression became tense. She hurriedly grabbed Murong Gu's sleeve, full of worry: "A Gu, you are going out again? Going alone, won't it be too dangerous?"

Murong Gu nodded forcefully and said with a firm tone: "Don't worry, Aunt Xue, I will be fine. Those petty scoundrels are simply no match for me. I will be back very soon."

Having finished speaking, Murong Gu did not linger. With a flash of his figure, he turned into a stream of golden-red light and instantly vanished above the mountain gate of the Falling Snow Pavilion. His speed was as fast as lightning as he sped toward the Black Wind Valley a thousand miles away, leaving only a faint afterimage that quietly dissipated in the air.

Murong Xue stood at the mountain gate, watching the direction in which Murong Gu had disappeared, her eyes full of worry and concern, silently praying in her heart: "A Gu, you must return safely, you must be safe..."