Confession

Gu He did not want Yun Yun to overthink things, so while she was silent, he added, "I'm only stepping down from my position as the Misty Cloud Sect's chief alchemist. But the years of feelings I have for the Misty Cloud Sect, my friendships with everyone here, and the kindness the sect showed in nurturing me are beyond comparison. In the future, whenever anyone at the Dou King level or above in the Misty Cloud Sect needs pills refined, I will only charge for the materials and nothing else." At the same time, he took two steps forward and gestured for Yun Yun to walk and talk with him.

Hearing Gu He say this, Yun Yun's expression improved considerably. After all, she bore the responsibility of an entire sect.

"Big Brother Gu He, why must you do this?" A soft sigh escaped her lovely lips as she walked aimlessly beside Gu He. Yun Yun knew that Gu He had always disliked idle affairs and preferred quietly refining pills. Yet now, he had taken the trouble upon himself. It was obvious who he was doing it for.

"No one can remain in the place they know forever. There will always come a time when one must step out of their comfort zone. When that time comes, all sorts of troublesome matters must be faced. This simply gave me an opportunity." Gu He smiled unconcernedly.

"Since that is the case, you have helped the Misty Cloud Sect greatly over the years. You need not feel guilty about leaving. Just go and do what you want. After you leave tomorrow, I will announce that you are no longer a member of the Misty Cloud Sect." As Yun Yun spoke, she turned sideways, her back facing Gu He.

"Yun'er, why say such things?" Gu He walked over and embraced Yun Yun from behind. Her body stiffened, but she did not struggle free. She only said mournfully, "Since it was my fault that made you leave, why keep entangling yourself with me?"

Gu He tightened his hold around the woman in his arms. "Don't you understand my feelings yet? I want you to truly fall in love with me. If I remained in the Misty Cloud Sect, sooner or later, out of consideration for all sorts of matters, you would marry me." Gu He paused before silently telling himself, That is, provided someone else does not steal your heart first. Otherwise, with that cold exterior and warm heart of yours, you would probably cast the entire sect aside.

Yun Yun did not refute him. After carefully examining her own heart, she nodded.

"But what I want is not for you to force yourself to marry me. I hope to truly enter your heart. I thought that perhaps, because I had always remained under your command, you never noticed my strengths. If there were some distance between us and I personally stepped into the spotlight, perhaps you would discover my merits and see whether I am worthy of you. Perhaps then, your heart would be moved." Gu He rested his head against Yun Yun's shoulder, his words carrying a hint of stubbornness.

"Big Brother Gu He, let me go. I need to return." Yun Yun was silent for a while before deciding to leave. She would leave the rights and wrongs of these matters to time. Reluctantly, Gu He released her.

"Since Big Brother Gu He is leaving the Misty Cloud Sect, we will exchange these medicinal ingredients for pills according to the prices you negotiated with those families in the Imperial Capital." Yun Yun took out a Ring as she spoke. Gu He gave it a rough scan and found it filled with precious medicinal ingredients.

"There is no need. I said that for refining these high-grade pills, I would only charge you the cost of the ingredients. Three sets of ingredients are roughly enough to refine one pill. There are three sets of ingredients for Imperial Pills inside, five sets for Spirit Dou Pills, two sets for Spirit Melting Pills, and two sets for Soul Clearing Pills. The rest are ingredients that cannot make up a complete pill formula, but since there is quite a large amount, I will count them as three sets." Gu He took a breath before continuing.

"In about one or two months, send someone to Qingshan Town. Once I finish refining them, I will deliver them there. There will be five Sixth-grade pills in total. I will not return any excess ingredients used in the refinement, and if there are not enough ingredients, I will make up the difference myself. It will depend on which pills are successfully refined by then."

"If Big Brother Gu He continues talking like that, I really will get angry. Even in the Misty Cloud Sect, asking the sect's own alchemist to refine pills has always required a price to be paid. It is simply much cheaper than asking an outside alchemist. But there has never been any arrangement where paying only for the ingredients earns one pill refinement. Does Big Brother Gu He want to quickly sever his ties with the Misty Cloud Sect by doing this?" Yun Yun's delicate brows furrowed, and her voice became somewhat hurried.

"I do not mean that at all. I simply feel guilty about leaving the Misty Cloud Sect and want to offer some compensation." Gu He hurriedly waved his hands.

"Then we will have you refine pills according to the rates you set in the Imperial Capital. Those fees are already very low. Once the sect gathers enough ingredients for five pill formulas in a few days, it will be enough for you to refine two pills for the sect." Seeing Gu He's agitated reaction, Yun Yun's expression relaxed considerably as she added this.

"Yun'er, saying that makes me too ashamed to show my face. The sect spent a great price nurturing me, allowing me to rise from a Fourth-grade Alchemist to a Sixth-grade Alchemist in only eleven years. Yet I am leaving the sect now without offering it even the slightest care. How would the outside world see me?"

"Then what does Big Brother Gu He think would be fair?"

"Do not bother with those remaining sets of ingredients. Out of these fifteen sets, I will refine two pills for you."

Yun Yun considered it for a moment, then nodded. "We will do as Big Brother Gu He says."

"That's more like it!" Gu He's expression relaxed when he heard Yun Yun agree.

"Big Brother Gu He, your cultivation has improved greatly during this trip. I remember that when you first left Misty Cloud Mountain, you were only a Dou King Two Stars. Yet in just eight months, you have already reached Dou King Five Stars. You also became a Sixth-grade Alchemist during that time. Making such tremendous progress in such a short period is truly astonishing." With the formal matter concluded, Yun Yun began discussing more personal topics.

Gu He pondered for a while. He did not wish to lie to Yun Yun, but he could not reveal that he was a transmigrator either. He could only keep it as brief as possible. "I was simply lucky. When I went to the Monster Mountain Range, I happened upon a Small Valley where the energy was exceptionally dense and many medicinal herbs grew. It was a place well suited for both cultivation and pill refinement, so I settled there. Xiao Yi Xian later rode her Blue Eagle into the valley. Seeing that she had decent talent, I accepted her as my disciple."

"What about you? What have you been busy with these past few months?"

"Me? I have not been especially busy. Usually, I merely teach Yan Ran a little, but she has not yet reached the Dou Zhe level, so there is not much I can teach her for now. I have mainly focused on cultivation, drawing closer to the Dou Emperor realm. However, the barrier separating a Dou King from a Dou Emperor is difficult to cross. I do not know when my opportunity for advancement will arrive." After speaking, Yun Yun's delicate brows furrowed. A faint anxiety appeared on her exquisite face, and she let out a quiet sigh.

"Why must you be in such a hurry? Your cultivation is already the highest in the Misty Cloud Sect apart from the old sect leader, who is in seclusion attempting to break through to Dou Zong. You are also the youngest among the Jia Ma Empire's ten strongest experts. Your cultivation is formidable and your potential limitless. Otherwise, I would not be so hopelessly captivated by your charm."

"Go on. Big Brother Gu He has become more and more improper after going out for a trip." Yun Yun complained with a faint blush on her face. At the same time, she hurried two steps ahead to put some distance between herself and Gu He. Gu He did not mind.

Being too honest when pursuing a woman made it difficult to touch her heart. Feelings were a matter between two people. Rather than relying on time to leave behind friendship in Yun Yun's heart, he might as well be a little more roguish and leave a deeper impression on her in less time.