276: Chapter 276 The Sage's "Emotion"

"Rongrong, believe in me. As long as I am here, your cultivation base will soon be able to reach a Breakthrough to the Source Realm!" Cao Yang looked at Ning Rongrong with a confident expression, his eyes flashing with firm light.

However, Ning Rongrong gently furrowed her brows, her face showing worry: "But Brother Cao, during the time you were in seclusion, I have been Cultivating very diligently, but I don't know why, my cultivation base has not progressed at all..."

As she spoke, she couldn't help but sigh, her heart filled with anxiety and confusion.

Cao Yang nodded slightly, and after pondering for a moment, he began to explain: "Hmm, Rongrong, actually you don't need to worry too much about this. The reason your cultivation base is difficult to increase is because the Small Universe we are currently in has certain limitations; the highest Realm it can accommodate is only the Half-step Source Realm."

Hearing this, Ning Rongrong nodded as if suddenly enlightened, seemingly understanding something: "So that's how it is... No wonder I have been able to vaguely feel a trace of repulsive force from the Small Universe recently."

Cao Yang smiled gently and continued: "Rongrong, to tell you the truth, I still have some Dao Companions on Buzhou Mountain. In these few days, I plan to return there. And I sincerely hope you can accompany me. After we have properly handled matters there, we will leave this Small Universe. After all, if we continue to stay here, I fear your cultivation base will never be able to have another Breakthrough."

After saying this, he gazed at Ning Rongrong with anticipation, waiting for her response.

Because this trip out had taken too long, Hong Sipan had already made contact with him once, and conveyed the deep longing the other women felt for him.

"Regarding the upcoming arrangements, I wonder what your personal thoughts are? No matter what decision you make, I will respect it." Cao Yang added immediately.

Ning Rongrong turned her head slightly, casting her gaze in the direction of her room, and gently shook her head: "Brother Cao, ever since I became your person, I made up my mind to follow you for this lifetime. Moreover, for me now, there are not many things left here that I am attached to."

Hearing this, a gratified smile appeared on Cao Yang's face: "That is excellent! Then go quickly and pack your belongings; we will set off and return immediately."

"Mm." Ning Rongrong replied softly, then rose and walked quickly towards her room. Not long after, she appeared before Cao Yang again.

"Brother Cao, everything is prepared; we can set off now." Ning Rongrong smiled, walked gracefully to Cao Yang's side, and naturally took his right arm.

Cao Yang smiled and nodded, then deftly and carefully put the exquisite tea set on the table into his Storage Ring.

When everything was packed, the two walked side by side out of the quiet courtyard.

Their figures flashed, and they instantly leaped into the air above the gate.

Cao Yang waved his hand, and a uniquely shaped flying ship, shimmering with mysterious light throughout its body, appeared out of thin air.

Ning Rongrong walked slowly onto the flying ship, looking back every few steps; her beautiful eyes could not move away from the small and warm wooden cabin in the distance.

This small wooden cabin carried too many of her beautiful memories; every wooden plank and every window seemed to be telling stories of the past.

Standing to the side, Cao Yang noticed Ning Rongrong's reluctance to leave and said softly: "Rongrong, if you really cannot bear to part with this place, you can completely use your own abilities to incorporate this entire valley into your Inner Universe! That way, no matter where you go, it will always be with you."

However, Ning Rongrong just shook her head gently, then turned around resolutely, smiled slightly at Cao Yang, and said: "Thank you for your kind offer, Brother Cao, but I think it's better to leave it be. Let this valley remain where it is and become a precious memory. Let's go!"

Seeing Ning Rongrong so determined, Cao Yang did not try to persuade her further.

With a thought from him, the flying ship instantly shot out like an arrow released from a bow, and in the blink of an eye, it had left the valley.

In just a few breaths of time, the flying ship had already disappeared into the horizon, with not even a trace to be found.

In fact, the reason Cao Yang chose to take the flying ship back, rather than relying on his own powerful Realm to use a Divine Ability to reach Buzhou Mountain quickly, was for a reason.

It turned out that he still had a vital matter he wanted to discuss with Ning Rongrong. This matter was of great importance and required sufficient time and a quiet environment for them to have a proper conversation.

Otherwise, with his current unfathomable cultivation base and strength, he would only need to use a slight Divine Ability, and it wouldn't take long for him to easily return to Buzhou Mountain.

At this moment, Cao Yang and Ning Rongrong were sitting side by side at the bow of the ship, quietly watching the strange scenery in the Void Realm before them as it continuously receded.

Splendid nebulae, twinkling stars, and the mysterious Void Realm formed a dreamlike picture.

Neither of them spoke, as if both were immersed in their own thoughts.

Ning Rongrong hesitated repeatedly, but eventually couldn't help but be the first to break the oppressive silence: "Brother Cao, after we leave the Saint Source Realm... will we really be able to come back in the future?"

After saying this, she seemed to feel that her phrasing wasn't accurate enough, and hurriedly added an explanation: "No, no, that's not it. What I mean is, what about after we leave this Small Universe?"

Cao Yang, standing to the side, smiled slightly. His gentle and firm voice seemed to give Ning Rongrong a sense of reassurance: "Of course, Rongrong, you don't need to worry about this at all. As long as we continue to Cultivate diligently, once our own strength is sufficiently powerful, wanting to return here will be an easy matter."

Then, Cao Yang paused for a moment, and continued: "Besides, there should still be quite a long time before we truly leave the Small Universe—a few months at the shortest, or several years at the longest. So, we don't need to be too anxious."

After hearing Cao Yang's words, the heart that Ning Rongrong had been keeping in her throat finally settled back down, and she let out a long sigh of relief.

In the past, she had only thought about how to improve her own Realm and strength, using almost all her time for seclusion.

She only occasionally went out with other Extreme Dao Saints within the Small Universe to search for some rare cultivation resources.

Before this, she had always thought that she did not have very deep feelings for this Small Universe, for the Saint Source Realm, for the nameless valley, or for that warm little wooden cabin.

However, at this very moment, when facing the choice of leaving the Small Universe, Ning Rongrong suddenly realized that, unbeknownst to her, those seemingly plain and unremarkable past events had long since taken deep root in her heart.

The endless, drifting years were just like a murmuring stream, quietly moistening one's soul, making her become sentimental without even realizing it.