Xun Er's Strange Behavior

After breaking through to Dou Master, Xiao Se no longer had any desire to remain here and prepared to head for his next destination.

Early the next morning, after resting for the night, Xiao Se packed his belongings, shut the doors and windows, strapped the Demon Sword to his back, and left the small valley where he had lived for nearly two months.

Time passed slowly, and in the blink of an eye, seven days had gone by.

Over those seven days, Xiao Se traveled while nurturing the Purple Flame seed within him. With the Amethyst Accompanying Source stimulating its growth—

Finally, on the day before he left the Demon Beast Mountain Range, Xiao Se had nurtured the Purple Flame seed in his body to the limit of what his body could withstand. After devouring the Purple Flame, he successfully raised the Burning Art to the High Huang Class, and his cultivation rose by one star as well, advancing him to a two-star Dou Master.

On a mountain ridge in an outer region of the eastern Demon Beast Mountain Range, Xiao Se held a map in his hand and studied it carefully.

He had bought this map from the Mite Auction House back then. It depicted most of the eastern Demon Beast Mountain Range and information about the surrounding towns.

"Brother, are we about to leave the Demon Beast Mountain Range?" Long Kui's graceful figure slowly drifted out from the Demon Sword and landed beside Xiao Se, affectionately wrapping her arms around his arm.

"Mm. If we travel on foot, it will probably still take a few days. But with the Purple Cloud Wings, as long as we cross the abyss ahead, we can leave the Demon Beast Mountain Range before nightfall." Xiao Se smiled faintly, slowly rolled up the map, and said with a grin.

Just as Xiao Se was about to store the map in his Ring, the System's notification suddenly rang out in his mind:

Ding. The one-month period has arrived. Congratulations, Host, you have obtained one exchange opportunity.

"System, exchange the map in my hand." Holding up the map, Xiao Se called out in his mind.

Student Xiao Se had always been a disciplined man. Once he left the Demon Beast Mountain Range, Black Rock City would not be far away. Then, after taking a Flying Magical Beast, he could reach the Tagor Desert. This map was no longer of much use, so in the spirit of making use of waste, he simply exchanged it.

Ding. Congratulations, Host. You have exchanged for Gu Xun'er's Little Moon Underwear from the world of 'Battle Through the Heavens.'

Xiao Clan, Wutan City.

Near dusk, the sun was setting, and the evening clouds in the west resembled the pale lavender hem of a young girl's skirt, swaying gently in the wind.

On the roof of a quiet rear courtyard stood a peerlessly beautiful, graceful figure. The breeze blowing toward her sent her long black hair drifting slowly, while her swaying skirt clung tightly to her alluring curves, accentuating her shapely figure in an exceptionally captivating manner.

The young girl wore a light purple gown and gazed calmly at the western sunset. Her temperament was cool and elegant, like a green lotus blooming amid the mortal world—noble and untouched by dust.

At that moment, her delicate brows were slightly furrowed, and traces of sorrow flashed through her exquisite, autumn-water eyes, as though something weighed on her mind.

After a moment of silence, Xun Er suddenly spoke. Her clear, ethereal voice gave those who heard it the feeling that their souls had been cleansed.

"Old Ling, come out!"

As the young girl's words fell, a mass of black mist eerily rose from the ground in the courtyard, eventually condensing into a dark figure. This figure was none other than Ling Ying, who was secretly responsible for protecting Xun Er.

"Miss!" Looking at the graceful figure atop the roof, Ling Ying dropped to one knee and spoke in a cold yet respectful tone.

"Old Ling, how is Brother Xiao Yan doing?" Xun Er cast Ling Ying an icy glance and asked indifferently.

"Please forgive this old servant's incompetence. I have not found the cause. No matter how Young Master Xiao Yan has cultivated over the past half year, he has remained at Three Stages of Dou Qi and has been unable to advance even the slightest." Hearing Xun Er ask about Xiao Yan again, Ling Ying could not help but reveal a bitter smile.

"Is that so? Then you may leave." To Ling Ying's surprise, Xun Er did not reprimand him this time.

"This old servant takes his leave." Ling Ying nodded slightly.

Just as Ling Ying rose to retreat into the shadows, Xun Er's ethereal voice rang out once more. "Wait..."

"What are Miss's orders?" Returning to a one-knee kneel, Ling Ying respectfully asked.

After hesitating for a moment, Xun Er slowly said, "How is Cousin Xiao Se doing?"

Ever since more than half a year ago, when Xiao Se had sat beside her at the Xiao Clan Meeting and hummed an inexplicable nursery rhyme, Xun Er's heart had been in complete turmoil. She clearly found the tune unfamiliar, yet it made her feel incomparably at ease, as if she had heard it before.

"Xiao Se?" Ling Ying frowned upon hearing this. When had his Miss become interested in someone other than Xiao Yan? After hesitating briefly, he truthfully reported, "Xiao Se seems to have left Wutan City."

"He left Wutan City? When did he leave? Where did he go?" Hearing that Xiao Se had already departed, Xun Er turned, lightly leaped down, and landed before Ling Ying. She asked somewhat urgently.

"This old servant only learned of it several months after he left, so I do not know where he went. However, the guards at Wutan City's eastern gate said that around half a year ago, a young man in a black robe and Half-face Mask left through that gate. His build was extremely similar to Xiao Se's. This old servant guesses that he most likely went to the eastern Demon Beast Mountain Range." Ling Ying shook his head and patiently explained.

"The Demon Beast Mountain Range... Half a year ago... Has he already been gone for so long?" Xun Er's expression dimmed, and for some reason, she felt an inexplicable sadness in her heart. It was as if she had lost something precious.

"There is nothing else. You may leave." Xun Er waved her hand lightly, turned around, and walked into the room in a daze.

Seeing Xun Er's sudden change, Ling Ying let out a sigh. His body transformed into black mist and vanished from the spot.

Inside her chamber, Xun Er covered the slightly stifled buds on her chest with her jade-like hand and slowly walked to the bed. Just as she was about to lie down and rest, she felt something cold and hard against her chest, making her extremely uncomfortable.

Xun Er was immediately shocked. She then reached down to untie the sash at her waist and removed her upper garment. Her pretty face instantly turned pink. At some point, her cute Little Moon Underwear had turned into a piece of parchment.

Ding. Congratulations, Host. You have exchanged for Xun Er's Little Moon Underwear.

"Fuck." Hearing the System's notification, Xiao Se cursed under his breath. He did not take it out of the System Warehouse to throw it away. Long Kui was still by his side, and he did not want her to mistake him for a pervert.

Before nightfall, Xiao Se successfully left the eastern Demon Beast Mountain Range. After resting for the night, he finally arrived at Black Rock City the following morning.

After paying the entrance fee and passing through the somewhat dark passage in the city wall, his vision suddenly opened up. Several months later, Xiao Se had returned to human society once again. The deafening clamor of voices made the quiet-loving Xiao Se's head swell slightly.

"Brother, are we going to take a Flying Magical Beast straight to the Tagor Desert now?" Long Kui's soft voice suddenly sounded in his heart.

Xiao Se shook his head and replied mentally, "First, we'll go to the Alchemist Guild and take the test for Second-Rank Alchemist. Devouring a Heavenly Flame requires three things: Na Ling, a fifth-rank Blood Lotus Pill, and an Ice Cold Spring. I have basically gathered the ingredients for the Blood Lotus Pill in the Demon Beast Mountain Range already, except for a third-tier magic core. As for Na Ling and the Ice Cold Spring, I have no leads at all. With an alchemist's status, gathering these things should be much easier."

P.S. Second update. Asking for monthly votes and recommendation votes.

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