493: Chapter 493 Things Take Their Course: Xiao Nianyin Finally Understands Madam Qingli's Words

Xiao Nianyin lay there like that, resting in his arms, listening to his heartbeat, the gurgling of the stream, and the singing of the birds.

Xu Ruyu had also woken up.

He did not move, just held her, gently stroking her hair.

"What time is it?"

Xu Ruyu asked, his voice slightly hoarse from last night's intense entanglement.

Xiao Nianyin shook her head: "I don't know."

"We should get up."

"Mm."

Neither of them moved.

After a while, Xu Ruyu sighed and gently patted her shoulder: "We really should get up. We still need to continue our journey."

Only then did Xiao Nianyin reluctantly loosen her grip and climb out of his arms.

Her clothes were scattered on the grass; she picked them up one by one and slowly put them on.

Her movements were slow because her body was in pain; every movement tugged at the muscles throughout her body.

Xu Ruyu also got up and dressed, then walked to the stream, crouched down, and cupped some water to wash his face.

The stream water was icy, making him shiver.

He shook the water off his hands and looked back at Xiao Nianyin.

Xiao Nianyin was sitting on the grass, head bowed, tying her sash.

Her hands were trembling slightly, and she couldn't tie it after several attempts.

Xu Ruyu walked over, crouched down, and helped her tie the sash.

Xiao Nianyin looked at him without speaking, her eyes filled with tenderness.

Xu Ruyu stood up, walked to a large tree nearby, sat cross-legged, closed his eyes, and began to meditate.

He needed to restore his energy and also consolidate his newly achieved Cultivation.

Xiao Nianyin sat on the grass, watching him, a complex surge of emotions rising in her heart.

She thought of those nights, those tender moments, and those instances that nearly made her lose control.

She remembered what he had said to her— "You are Xu Ruyu's person."

At the time, she thought it was just a joke, just something said in passing.

But now she knew he was serious. From beginning to end, he was serious.

Xiao Nianyin took a deep breath and also began to meditate.

She circulated her spiritual energy through her body for one cycle to eliminate the pain and fatigue.

Wherever the spiritual energy flowed, her sore muscles gradually relaxed, and her exhausted body gradually recovered.

However, when the spiritual energy reached her Dantian, she froze.

In her Dantian, a power she had never seen before was surging.

That power was vast and immense, many times stronger than the spiritual energy she had cultivated for hundreds of years.

It was as deep as the ocean, as vast as the starry sky, carrying an indescribable fluctuation of the Laws of Heaven and Earth.

Xiao Nianyin's pupils constricted sharply.

She couldn't believe her own perception. She circulated her spiritual energy again, running it through her body for a cycle, carefully sensing every tiny change in her Dantian.

Then, she confirmed it.

She had achieved a Breakthrough.

It was not the Saint Realm, not the Late Stage Saint Realm, not the Peak Saint Realm—it was the True Immortal Realm.

And it was the Mid-stage True Immortal.

Xiao Nianyin's mind went blank.

She had cultivated for hundreds of years just to reach the Saint Realm.

She had thought that reaching the Saint Realm in this lifetime was already her limit.

She had never imagined that one day she would be able to touch the threshold of a True Immortal.

But now, not only had she touched it, she was already firmly standing at the Mid-stage True Immortal Realm.

How could this be?

When did she have this Breakthrough?

Xiao Nianyin closed her eyes and recalled carefully.

Last night. When she was with Xu Ruyu.

During those moments of union, she had only focused on taking and enjoying, completely failing to notice the changes in her Cultivation.

Now that she thought about it, the pleasure that had nearly made her lose control wasn't just physical; it was also related to her Cultivation.

In those moments of spiritual and physical union, her Bottleneck had loosened, her Realm had elevated, and her Cultivation had soared.

And she had been completely unaware.

Xiao Nianyin opened her eyes and looked at Xu Ruyu. He was still meditating, eyes closed, breathing steadily, with no expression on his face.

Sunlight spilled onto him, gilding his entire body with a layer of gold.

She remembered Lady Qingli's words.

"He hides great secrets. You must think carefully about how you treat him. One step to heaven, one step to hell; the choice is yours."

One step to heaven, one step to hell.

She had chosen to be good to him, and then, from a Half-step Saint Realm, she had achieved a Breakthrough to the Mid-stage True Immortal in a single night.

This wasn't just one step to heaven; it was a direct Ascension.

Xiao Nianyin's eyes welled up with tears.

She finally understood why Lady Qingli had said those things to her back then.

Lady Qingli wasn't reminding her, nor was she warning her; she was telling her—this man is worth you letting go of everything to love.

She stood up and walked toward Xu Ruyu.

Xu Ruyu was still meditating and had not opened his eyes.

Xiao Nianyin walked up to him, crouched down, and looked at him.

Sunlight shone on his face; his eyelashes were long, casting faint shadows on his face.

His lips were slightly pursed, and a faint, almost imperceptible smile hung at the corners of his mouth.

She reached out and gently stroked his face.

Xu Ruyu opened his eyes and looked at her.

"What's wrong?"

Xu Ruyu asked.

Xiao Nianyin did not speak.

She just looked at him, her eyes filled with tears.

Xu Ruyu was startled: "What's wrong? Why are you crying?"

Xiao Nianyin shook her head, wiped away her tears, and smiled.

"It's nothing," she said, "I just wanted to look at you."

Xu Ruyu was taken aback for a moment, then smiled.

He reached out and pulled her into his arms.

"Look then, look to your heart's content."

Xiao Nianyin leaned in his arms and closed her eyes.

Sunlight spilled onto the two of them, warm and gentle.

In the distance, the stream kept gurgling, and the birdsong rose and fell.

A new day had begun.

Xiao Nianyin suddenly opened her eyes and climbed out of Xu Ruyu's arms.

Xu Ruyu looked at her: "What is it again?"

Xiao Nianyin did not answer.

She just looked at him, her eyes flashing with a light he had never seen before.

Then, she lunged at him.

Xu Ruyu was caught off guard by the lunge, and the two of them fell back onto the grass together.

Xiao Nianyin lay on top of him, cupping his face with both hands, looking down at him.

"Again?"

Xu Ruyu was somewhat surprised.

Xiao Nianyin did not speak.

She just lowered her head and kissed his lips.

Sunlight filtered through the treetops, spilling onto them.

From the distant mountain forest came Xu Ruyu's somewhat surprised voice:

"You're really doing it again..."