367: Chapter 367 Bonfire Party!

In the Wugu Tribe Holy Land, the night was now thick, but the heavy atmosphere from before was gone.

Instead, a bonfire was burning brightly in the center of the Holy Land, its orange-red light reflecting on everyone's faces.

The High Priestess ordered someone to set up a grill, and a whole Spirit Beast was sizzling with oil over the fire, the aroma wafting everywhere.

The young men and women of the Wugu Tribe formed a circle, beating leather drums and playing bamboo flutes, singing and dancing, the atmosphere incredibly joyful.

Their dance steps were wild and passionate, and their silver ornaments jingled with every movement, echoing in the night sky.

Pei Shuyun and Long Yun sat to the side, eating roasted meat while keeping the beat for everyone.

Long Yun tried to mimic the gestures a few times, but she was so clumsy that it made Pei Shuyun laugh out loud.

Even so, Long Yun still loved this atmosphere very much; having so many people gathered around a bonfire singing, dancing, drinking, and eating meat was an experience she had never had before.

Ye Hangzhou, accustomed to being a loner, was rarely this relaxed. He sat cross-legged by the bonfire, holding a bowl of rice wine brewed by the Wugu Tribe, sipping it in small mouthfuls, a faint, almost imperceptible smile hanging on the corners of his lips.

Coal Ball had completely let loose, eating and drinking until its belly was round and bulging. It lay on the ground, sprawled out, occasionally flapping its wings and squawking incoherently:

"Good wine... good meat... guga... this is the life of an immortal..."

Several Elders of the Wugu Tribe also put aside their usual sternness; some clapped and hummed along, while others danced with the young people.

The High Priestess sat at the head, her aged face full of smiles, yet tears shimmered faintly in her eyes, as if she had fallen into memories once again.

How many years had it been? The Wugu Tribe Holy Land had never had such a relaxed and joyful night.

The Gu God had been suppressed, and the Saintess was about to return safely; the heavy stone that had been pressing on everyone's hearts for so long was finally temporarily lifted...

"Come! Marquis Li hasn't come out yet, so let's drink his share first, lest it be unfair to him when we all gang up on him later!" a young Wugu man shouted, holding up a wine bowl, which drew a round of laughter.

"Right, right, right! When he comes out, we'll all get him drunk!"

"..."

Amidst the laughter, Li Shengyuan and Su Wanqing walked out of the Gu God Space side by side.

Seeing the joyful scene of singing and dancing before them, the two of them were stunned for a moment.

Bonfires, fine wine, roasted meat, young people dancing, Coal Ball swaying drunkenly...

There was none of the worry and anxiety they had imagined, nor the sorrowful faces of people waiting bitterly for days.

This was clearly a victory celebration!

Li Shengyuan shook his head and laughed, turning to Su Wanqing to say, "I originally thought that because we stayed inside for so long, the people outside would be worried. Now it seems I overthought it... I'm afraid they're already high on wine by now."

Su Wanqing did not reply, just watching everything before her quietly.

Those figures leaping in the firelight, those faces glowing red, those uninhibited peals of laughter...

She suddenly felt a soreness in her nose.

This was what she was protecting, this was the peace exchanged by the sacrifices of countless generations of the Wugu Tribe.

Even if it was only for a short while, it was worth it.

The two walked closer to the bonfire, and the singing and dancing crowd finally noticed them.

Pei Shuyun was the first to rise, smiling as she greeted them. She looked Li Shengyuan up and down, and seeing that he was unscathed, the trace of worry in her eyes finally dissipated completely.

"You're out? I thought you were going to spend the night in there." Long Yun also crowded over, circling Li Shengyuan, and said with a grin, "Shengyuan, your cultivation seems to have increased again? What good things did you eat in there?"

"Just a small opportunity." Li Shengyuan smiled indifferently.

The High Priestess walked up leaning on her snake-bone staff and took Su Wanqing's hand.

Looking at Su Wanqing's slightly pale yet still beautiful face, her eyes were full of heartache and relief.

"It's good that you're back, it's good that you're back..." the High Priestess said softly, patting the back of Su Wanqing's hand, "You've worked hard!"

Su Wanqing shook her head: "It is thanks to Young Master Li, otherwise I'm afraid I wouldn't have been able to come out..."

She explained how she had been affected by the Power of the Gu God and was about to become a Puppet of the Gu God, but was saved by Li Shengyuan at that critical moment, and then the two of them joined forces to suppress the Gu God again.

Su Wanqing recounted the entire dangerous process, but she did not mention Li Shengyuan's ability to completely deal with the Gu God. She wanted to wait for the right moment to say those things.

Upon hearing this, everyone was terrified in retrospect. The Elders repeatedly said "lucky people have their own heaven," and then thanked Li Shengyuan for disregarding his own safety to save her.

Li Shengyuan waved his hand with an indifferent smile, looked around, and said with a chuckle, "I thought you would be worried because we stayed in there for so long. I didn't expect you all to be drinking already?"

Coal Ball flew over, stumbling and swaying with every step, hovering on Li Shengyuan's shoulder. Its feathers were fluffy, its eyes dazed, and it hiccuped, patting Li Shengyuan's shoulder while shouting incoherently:

"Gaa... you, you brat... you have great skills, we all know... we could sense from outside... the Power of the Gu God had weakened... you have a great life... you definitely wouldn't die... staying in there for so long... there must be... there must be... gaa, even if you two were in there having babies, it wouldn't be a problem!"

The speaker was unintentional, but the listener was intentional.

Hearing the words "having babies," the roots of Su Wanqing's ears turned red in an instant.

Uncontrollably, her mind conjured up a certain image: in the Gu God Space, with Li Shengyuan... having a baby?

Su Wanqing hurriedly lowered her eyes, not daring to look at anyone else.

Pei Shuyun's gaze lingered on Su Wanqing's face for a moment, then she looked at Li Shengyuan, the smile at the corners of her lips deepening, but she didn't say anything.

Li Shengyuan didn't pay much attention to Coal Ball's drunken words, laughing and scolding: "You little guy, stop spouting nonsense. Is that place somewhere people can stay? Having babies? Go catch a bird and try having one!"

The High Priestess and the others also just took it as a joke, laughing and brushing it off.

Then the High Priestess greeted everyone: "Since they are out, such a good thing must be celebrated properly. Let's drink and eat meat together, tonight we won't stop until we're drunk!"

The people of the Wugu Tribe cheered in agreement, drinking and dancing again.

At this time, Ye Hangzhou walked up, looked Li Shengyuan up and down, nodded slightly, and a strange look flashed in his eyes.

Li Shengyuan's First Grade Early Stage cultivation was now firmly at the First Grade Middle Stage.

This trip inside was truly quite rewarding!

Ye Hangzhou didn't speak, just raised his wine bowl toward Li Shengyuan.

Su Wanqing also walked over and bowed respectfully to Ye Hangzhou: "Second Senior Brother, thank you for coming all this way to help."

Ye Hangzhou waved his hand indifferently, smiling without speaking.

The area by the bonfire became lively again.

Li Shengyuan took the wine bowl handed to him by Pei Shuyun, drank and ate heartily, and was soon pulled into the dancing line by others.

His dance steps were very clumsy, but he danced with great enjoyment, making Long Yun laugh until she doubled over, eventually standing beside Li Shengyuan and joining in.

Pei Shuyun sat to the side, keeping the beat with her hands, her gaze following his figure gently.

Su Wanqing sat by the bonfire, holding a piece of roasted meat in her hand, chewing slowly.

She had been trapped for several days, and even though her body was weak, she didn't eat much, nor was she as indulgent as the others.

Su Wanqing quietly watched the people laughing and talking in the firelight, watched Li Shengyuan's helpless yet hearty smile when he was forced to drink, and watched the undisguised admiration and reliance in the eyes of Pei Shuyun and Long Yun.

She thought again of the method Li Shengyuan had mentioned in the Gu God Space.

Dual Cultivation...

Perhaps it sounded absurd, but what if what he said was true?

For generations, the Wugu Tribe had been trapped by the Gu God. Saints and Saintesses had followed one after another; some died in the Gu God Space, some returned with their cultivation completely destroyed and their lifespans greatly reduced. Those who could return safely were in the minority...

Su Wanqing considered herself lucky, but what about the next time?

What about the time after that?

Su Wanqing looked down at the roasted meat in her hand, then looked up at Li Shengyuan, who had finished a dance and was clinking glasses with Ye Hangzhou not far away.

The firelight reflected on his face; his smile was warm and bright, as if he were a different person from the ferocious demon with towering Devilish Qi in the Gu God Space.

Yet it was this very person who had lightly suppressed the Gu God's consciousness, unbridledly absorbed the Power of the Gu God, and then playfully said the words "Dual Cultivation."

Su Wanqing bit her lip, her gaze gradually becoming firm.

If the Gu God could be thoroughly resolved, if everyone could never have to worry again, and if the Wugu Tribe could always be this relaxed and joyful...

Su Wanqing took a deep breath and swallowed the last piece of roasted meat slowly.

She was willing!

Even if that method was absurd, she was willing to try!

Moreover, Su Wanqing felt that she did not dislike Li Shengyuan.

Su Wanqing put down the food in her hand, picked up the wine bowl, and took a sip. The spicy liquid went down her throat, staining her cheeks with a flush, but the glimmer in her eyes became even more determined!

She looked at Li Shengyuan, the corners of her lips gradually turning up...