Gu Qingchan was dazed, only feeling as though she was being held in someone's arms. A pair of firm, powerful arms carried a scorching masculine scent that left her somewhat dizzy.
"A man?"
Gu Qingchan's starry eyes suddenly widened as she realized something was wrong.
"Gu Qingchan."
Chen Ping'an quietly held Gu Qingchan as he entered the Stone Chamber. His eyes were tranquil, and no one knew what he was thinking.
Gu Qingchan's figure was graceful, her curves exquisite. Her flawless face rested against Chen Ping'an's chest. Her dark hair cascaded down, concealing part of her face while revealing a jade-like softness. Her delicate skin was like congealed cream, making one unable to resist reaching out to touch it.
Her snow-white chin was faintly visible, along with a full, undulating curve. One could imagine that sensation merely from hearing of it.
Her Ice Blue Dress was slightly tattered and swayed gently in Chen Ping'an's hands. Her long, rounded jade-like legs outlined the most wonderful scenery in the Human World beneath the hem of her skirt.
At this moment, Gu Qingchan appeared somewhat frail, entirely unlike her usual immortal bearing. Curled up in Chen Ping'an's arms, her graceful and elegant body rose and fell with his steps.
Like the most exquisite melody in the Human World, it played out before Chen Ping'an's eyes.
Chen Ping'an kept his gaze straight ahead, his eyes calm, preparing to set Gu Qingchan down beside the Stone Chamber wall.
Just then, he heard a soft moan. The delicate body in his arms trembled, and she fully awakened.
Before Chen Ping'an could react, the beautiful woman in his arms abruptly opened her starry eyes. Her body instantly tensed, and her gaze was full of vigilance and wariness.
But that wariness completely vanished the moment she clearly saw the person before her, turning into the most brilliant divine radiance in the world—the purest surprise.
Before her was a decayed, vicious face, like that of an old man. Yet in her eyes, it was the most beautiful surprise in the world.
"Senior!"
Gu Qingchan's eyes shone like stars, crystalline and bright.
"You're awake."
A hoarse voice sounded, like sandpaper scraping together—dry and devoid of any emotion.
That voice naturally came from Chen Ping'an.
Before entering the Stone Chamber, he had already taken on the appearance of an old monster, using the Black Mystic Iron Mask as a disguise. He had also completely changed his robes.
He truly looked exactly like Senior Night Owl.
"Senior, why are you here?" A little color returned to Gu Qingchan's snow-porcelain face, while her starry eyes brimmed with hope and radiance.
Looking at Senior Night Owl before her, a measure of understanding arose in her heart.
Her memories stopped at the moment before she fainted, but that did not affect her judgment. All her previous guesses—
Did not need much thought. Senior Night Owl before her was the finest proof.
At this moment, she did not wish to think too much. She only wanted to seize the present.
Chen Ping'an said nothing. Holding Gu Qingchan, he set her down sideways against one of the stone walls.
Seeing Senior Night Owl put her down, Gu Qingchan instinctively revealed reluctance. She subconsciously grabbed the senior's hand, a trace of pleading in her eyes.
Chen Ping'an had not expected Gu Qingchan to take action, so unconcerned with propriety as to grasp his arm.
However, he did not react much to such a scene, allowing Gu Qingchan to hold his arm. "The remaining poison in your body has yet to clear, but it can no longer harm your foundation. Given time, you will recover completely."
Gu Qingchan sat against the wall, her Ice Blue Dress trailing across the ground. Since she held his arm, he simply sat down beside her.
"Thank you for saving me, Senior. Qingchan has no way to repay you." Gu Qingchan gazed at the man before her, deep affection in her eyes as unusual feelings rippled through her starry gaze. This was a sight no outsider could ever enjoy.
"There is no need for such courtesy. I merely happened to be there." Chen Ping'an spoke in a low voice, expressionless.
Gu Qingchan held his arm. He could faintly sense the softness of her body, tender and firm yet gentle, stirring endless thoughts.
He tried to pull his arm free, but Gu Qingchan held it tightly, with no intention of letting go.
"Does Senior still remember what you said in the past?" A blush surfaced on Gu Qingchan's delicate face. Her voice was sweet and tender, yet there was a trace of determination in her tone.
Hm?
Chen Ping'an paused, not expecting Gu Qingchan to bring up this matter.
Back in Thunderous Roar Great City, when they met in the middle of the night, he had used the chance to repay Gu Qingchan's Origin Crystals to exchange the Divine Weapon Wishful Exquisite Ring for the Earth Dragon True Blood within her.
Though the Wishful Exquisite Ring was precious, its value was clearly inferior to Earth Dragon True Blood, a top-grade Earth Grade Bloodline. In that transaction, Chen Ping'an had gained an enormous advantage.
Back then, he had said, "I have roamed the world for many years and have never liked taking advantage of others." He had asked Gu Qingchan what she wanted.
He simply had not expected Gu Qingchan's answer to so greatly exceed his expectations.
Gu Qingchan wanted neither spiritual treasures nor Origin Crystals. She only wished to borrow his body to fulfill a wish she had carried for many years.
"Qingchan asks for nothing else. I only hope Senior can grant Qingchan one wish. Senior's great name is known far and wide; you roam freely between Heaven and Earth, and Qingchan has long admired you. Now that I have finally met Senior, what Qingchan wishes for is not some precious treasure, but to borrow Senior's body and settle a wish I have held for many years."
That single sentence from the past had been like heavenly thunder stirring earthly fire. The warm fragrant soft jade, the faint fragrance like cassia and orchids, that posture of yielding herself entirely—it all seemed to remain before his eyes.
Chen Ping'an gradually returned to himself. Looking at the bright and lively woman before him, he had not expected her to still remember those words.
Back then, due to certain concerns, he had forcibly stopped that situation from becoming utterly uncontrollable.
With a sentence of merely tasting and stopping there, he had extricated himself and left, leaving the beautiful woman alone to guard her chamber.
"Could Senior's heart truly be made of iron and stone?" Chen Ping'an still remembered that sorrowful, plaintive question.
Before parting, Chen Ping'an had left her with these words: "Fate begins and fate ends, flowers bloom and flowers wither. If there is fate between us, we will meet again. If we meet again someday, then we shall continue the fate of today!"
If they met again, they would continue the bond of that day. And now, they had met again!
What Gu Qingchan meant by bringing this matter up now went without saying.
Chen Ping'an's expression was calm, his gaze placid as water. What fell before Gu Qingchan's eyes was a decayed old face without the slightest ripple.
"I cannot give you the position of Dao companion! I am not your suitable match!"
After saying that, Chen Ping'an pulled himself away and stood up from the side. "With matters here concluded, it is time for me to leave!"
Gu Qingchan was momentarily dazed. The senior's hand slipped from her embrace. By the time she recovered, only his words remained—I should leave as well.
Gu Qingchan's heart trembled, as though she had returned to that night in Thunderclap City.
"Senior. Why not stay here tonight?" She wrapped her arms around his waist and gently leaned against his back. Beneath the dim yellow lamplight was that heartbreakingly lovely face.
What answered her was endless silence. Her voice trembled as she cast aside her restraint and pride. Carrying hope and longing, she spoke again.
"Senior, stay, alright?"
A single sentence—"I still have important matters to attend to and cannot remain long. It is time for me to leave as well."—had shattered all her hopes.
The Chen Ping'an of the past had been just like the Chen Ping'an of today, breaking free from her embrace and leaving just like that.
Her body trembled like a flower swaying on the verge of falling in the autumn wind as she asked him when they could meet again.
All he left her was silence.
She wanted to keep him, yet could not say a word. Her jade-like hand, white as lustrous jade, fell weakly to her side as she gazed into the distance at that cold, unyielding figure.
Watching the figure before her rise and prepare to leave, extremely complicated emotions surged within Gu Qingchan's heart. Her expression trembled, and her long skirt spread like an ice lotus as she grabbed his sleeve.
"Senior, Qingchan bears no resentment."
"Qingchan's heart belongs to Senior. In this life, there will only be Senior. Whether or not I become Senior's Dao companion, Qingchan's wish is only to be with Senior. Qingchan does not need any title from Senior. If Senior still has concerns, then simply regard it as Qingchan repaying a debt of gratitude. Qingchan's family, life, and fate were all saved by Senior. Please cast aside your concerns, Senior. There is no need to pity Qingchan!"
Gu Qingchan's voice was delicate, and those near-confessional words shattered the last trace of concern in Chen Ping'an's heart.
A pair of rough, large hands caressed Gu Qingchan's jade-like face.
Feeling the scorching brush of his rough fingers over her face, a crystalline blush appeared at Gu Qingchan's earlobes. Mist gradually rose in her clear, cold eyes.
Chen Ping'an took Gu Qingchan's ice-jade hand and gave it a light tug. Her graceful figure, like an ice lotus, fell into his embrace.
Buzz—
Spiritual Light trembled and azure light flowed. Four command flags flew out and circled through the air, fluttering fiercely as they transformed into a barrier of light that isolated the inside from the outside.
"Senior." Gu Qingchan's voice was tender, like a fresh bud on a branch—clear and sweet.
The command flags fluttered as azure light flowed. Amid the haze, their figures were outlined. The dress like an ice lotus gradually fell away, revealing ice-like skin and jade-like bones, each with their own charm. For a time, a faint fragrance filled the air.
Her dark hair scattered, hazy as a dream.
The foundation of a Female Great Grandmaster was not something an ordinary person could compare to.
For people of the world, becoming a Grandmaster was already a path of a thousand hardships and ten thousand dangers. How much more so for a Great Grandmaster!?
Achieving Great Grandmaster as a woman already meant standing above the crowd, dazzling beyond compare.
At this moment, changes occurred within Chen Ping'an's Mind and Spirit Platform.
He cultivated the True Scroll of Divine Skill. Previously, he had reached the entry level and undergone the first stage of technique purification!
For so many days, this technique had remained at a standstill, trapped in stagnation. To continue cultivating it, he needed to fulfill certain cultivation requirements in order to activate the second stage.
At this moment, some changes appeared on the Golden Finger Panel. The technique that had previously been unavailable for cultivation had changed from gray-white to activated. On the road of cultivation, he had taken a step forward.
As Chen Ping'an's gaze trembled, a point of Cultivation Experience flashed before his eyes.
+1!
"There's actually Cultivation Experience as well!?"
Chen Ping'an's mind stirred, and he understood in an instant.
He held the jade-like figure before him, his eyes falling upon Gu Qingchan's face. Her delicate features were flushed, her charm vivid and alive, and a dazed look faintly lingered in her expression.
Without question, only he could see Gu Qingchan like this. Only he could enjoy such a scene of beauty.
Looking at that tender, peerlessly beautiful face, a trace of guilt arose in Chen Ping'an's heart.
But that trace of guilt was swiftly erased by a cry of "Senior" and the stirring of his heart.
Buzz, buzz, buzz—
Spiritual Light trembled at Chen Ping'an's brow, and his Spirit Platform shone bright as day.
Though he had not yet formally begun cultivating the second stage of the Dual Cultivation Method, subtle changes still took place within his body. They were not obvious, but they played a crucial role.
True Essence circulated and spirituality flickered. Strands of Soul Power were nourished and gradually strengthened.
At this moment, though his realm had not risen, his foundation underwent an extraordinary transformation.
It was not only Chen Ping'an who benefited. Strange changes also occurred within Gu Qingchan's body. As though nourished by the purest life energy, her face became vivid and radiant, beautiful beyond description. Her star-like eyes glimmered with unprecedented strange colors—joy and satisfaction born from the depths of her heart.
She entered the Dao through emotion, entrusting her feelings to it. With the Mystic Maiden Conception, she outlined the image of destiny and cultivated a grand path of dual cultivation of life and fate.
If she could use the image of destiny as a guide, she might one day ascend to the realm of Martial Dao Celestial.
And now, her wish had been fulfilled!
The phrase that her thoughts flowed freely and her charm formed naturally was enough to describe Gu Qingchan's mood.
Buzz—buzz—buzz—
Spiritual Light flickered, and True Essence circulated.
+1!
+1!
+1!
As time passed, points of Cultivation Experience flashed by one after another.
On the Golden Finger Panel, the experience behind the technique continued accumulating and stacking. The progress was not fast, but it rose steadily.
At this moment, Chen Ping'an felt the wonders of cultivation.
At an unimaginably distant place from the cave estate at the bottom of the pool and that secret land of opportunity, there was a Waterfall Curtain Cave. A mountain spring fed a cold pool, clear and frigid, deep beyond sight.
Within the Stone Chamber, purple qi pervaded the air and Spiritual Light flowed. Amid the haze, an incomparably beautiful figure was reflected.
Like an orchid blooming in an empty valley, like dreamlike stars—ethereal and peerlessly beautiful.
Those dreamlike, star-like eyes were shut tight. Her slender lashes trembled like butterfly wings, while her expression shifted uncertainly.
The past was like dust and smoke. Countless scenes intertwined, leaving her emotions impossible to describe.
A Celestial sensed Heaven and Earth, attaining Unity of Heaven and Man. To ascend to this realm, one had to understand one's heart and see one's nature, with a Dao heart clear and pure.
At the most intense moment within the Inner Demon Illusion Realm, a faint prick of pain appeared between the full curves wrapped in black robes.
"Husband."
A soft murmur sounded out loud, and the scene within the Inner Demon Illusion Realm froze.
Beneath the starry sky, a man and a woman embraced and leaned against one another. Their hands were tightly clasped, fingers interlocked, inseparable.
That year beneath the starry sky, the girl had made a wish.
I wish to grow old with you, to remain together in mutual understanding, morning after morning and evening after evening.
Fate bound across three lives; may this dream endure, never to wake again.
At this moment, purple light greatly flourished. Countless strands of Spiritual Energy churned, and a Celestial Artistic Conception descended with a thunderous roar.
At twenty-seven years old, the Heavenly Luo Saintess ascended to the realm of Martial Dao Celestial!
Name: Chen Ping'an Realm: Jade Balance Late Stage - Third Stage of Breakthrough (Break the Shell Stage) Martial Arts: Azure Sun Blood Refinement Method Entry Level (615/5760) Turbulent Phoenix Dance - Yin-Yang Pivot Entry Level (35/8640), Guanghan Sword Skill (Incomplete Volume) Small Accomplishment (0/7680) Grand Void Wind Riding Step Small Accomplishment (815/5760) Seven Kill Heavenly Dipper Fist Great Accomplishment (0/9600), Tyrant Saber Perfection, Seven Absolute Divine Skill Perfection, Ten Thousand Demons Body Forging Art Perfection
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