Small Valley

As night deepened, inside Xiao Yi Xian's chambers at the Myriad Medicine Zhai.

The suggestive atmosphere, amid Mo Lin's "frank" confession and Xiao Yi Xian's half-heartedly resistant, coquettish protests, seemed to be heading in an indescribable direction.

Feeling the softness of the delicate body in his arms and her increasingly hurried breathing, Mo Lin could not help letting his thoughts wander.

Lowering his head, he wanted to kiss those alluring red lips so close before him, while his wandering hands began to roam improperly over her body.

However, just as his lips were about to touch that softness, Xiao Yi Xian suddenly turned her head aside like a startled deer and pushed him away with all her strength!

"No!" Xiao Yi Xian's pretty face was flushed, her breathing slightly ragged. There was a trace of panic and resolve in her beautiful eyes as she quickly sat up on the bed and straightened her somewhat rumpled dress. "You... you should go back tonight! I... I'm not ready yet! And... you still smell like someone else!"

By the end, a touch of jealousy and petulance had inevitably entered her voice.

Mo Lin was caught off guard by the push. Seeing the resolute look beneath Xiao Yi Xian's embarrassed anger, he knew that tonight's "good thing" was probably not happening.

He rubbed his nose and gave a helpless, bitter smile. "Alright, alright, I'll listen to you. I'm leaving now."

He was straightforward about it. Knowing he could not force the matter, he nimbly rolled off the bed.

Seeing him agree so readily, Xiao Yi Xian was instead somewhat surprised. She gave him a complicated look and said softly, "You... go back to the guest room arranged for you earlier. Tomorrow... I'll come find you tomorrow."

"Alright. Get some rest early." Mo Lin smiled, said no more, and lightly leaped out through the window, vanishing into the night.

Only after watching Mo Lin's figure disappear did Xiao Yi Xian let out a long breath. Her whole body went limp as she leaned against the bed, her heart still racing.

She touched her burning cheeks, feeling both shy and annoyed, with a faint, inexplicable sense of disappointment mixed in.

That bastard really made her love and hate him at the same time!

As for Mo Lin, after being "kicked out" of the fragrant chambers, he walked alone through the silent corridor. The night breeze blew away those lingering thoughts, leaving him feeling somewhat bored instead.

Returning to the guest room, which was neat but nowhere near as warm as Xiao Yi Xian's chambers, he found himself wide awake and simply went out into the courtyard.

Moonlight flowed like water across the flagstones. With a thought from Mo Lin, an ice-crystal longsword entirely condensed from extremely frigid Dou Qi appeared in his hand.

Since he had nothing else to do, he might as well practice his swordsmanship!

He recalled Yun Yun's peerless sword strike, as well as the Snow Empress's Imperial Sword from her memories, capable of freezing all things. A realization arose within him, and he began to practice.

Under the moonlight, the ice sword traced mysterious paths through the air. Frost energy spread in every direction, and as his figure darted and shifted, some of the frustration in his heart was dispersed.

What he did not know was that this scene of him practicing swordsmanship in the dead of night happened to be witnessed by the master of the Myriad Medicine Zhai, who had gotten up during the night.

Seeing Mo Lin's exquisite swordsmanship and imposing aura, the master recalled the terrifying rumors he had vaguely heard during the day about this young man and the destruction of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group. Combined with Xiao Yi Xian's unusual attitude toward him, he immediately broke into a cold sweat, terrified that any lapse in hospitality might bring disaster upon him.

Thus, once Mo Lin finished practicing, the master of the Myriad Medicine Zhai hurried over personally, his face piled with respectful smiles. He insisted on moving Mo Lin into the finest, most spacious, and most luxurious private courtyard in the Myriad Medicine Zhai, speaking earnestly, almost pleading.

Mo Lin was left with no choice by the commotion, and since the original guest room truly was rather ordinary, he went along with it and moved over.

His new residence was indeed luxurious and comfortable, and Mo Lin was happy enough to enjoy it.

He had thought Xiao Yi Xian would be angry over what happened the previous night and ignore him for several days. Yet early the next morning, just as dawn broke, Xiao Yi Xian arrived at his new courtyard.

"Hey, sleepyhead, get up!" Xiao Yi Xian pushed open the door and called out irritably when she saw Mo Lin still sprawled on the soft bed, sleeping soundly.

Today, she wore a neat light-purple martial outfit that outlined her slender figure and made her look valiant and spirited.

Mo Lin opened his eyes groggily. Seeing Xiao Yi Xian, he rubbed his eyes, sat up, and smiled. "So early? You're not mad at me anymore?"

Xiao Yi Xian rolled her eyes at him. A trace of red crossed her face, but she did not answer. Instead, she said directly, "Stop talking nonsense! Get up. I'm taking you somewhere."

Seeing the seriousness in her expression, Mo Lin stopped joking and quickly got up to wash and dress.

The two came into the courtyard, where Xiao Yi Xian took a bamboo whistle from her robes and gently blew out a strand of sound.

Before long, a clear eagle cry rang out from the sky. A majestic blue giant eagle burst through the clouds and swooped down, landing steadily in the courtyard. It affectionately rubbed its head against Xiao Yi Xian's hand. It was her companion, the first-tier magical beast, the Blue Eagle.

"Let's go." Xiao Yi Xian leaped onto the eagle's back first and extended a hand to Mo Lin.

Mo Lin took her soft hand and used her support to leap onto the eagle's back. He naturally sat behind her, wrapping his arms around her slender, supple waist.

Xiao Yi Xian's body stiffened slightly, but this time she did not push him away. She merely said softly, "Hold on tight."

With a flap of its wings, the Blue Eagle carried them into the sky and flew toward the depths of the Magical Beast Mountain Range.

After flying for about half an hour, the Blue Eagle began to descend. It passed through a dense layer of mist, and the view before them suddenly opened up.

Below lay a tranquil valley enclosed by steep mountain walls. Lush greenery filled it, and mist drifted through the air, making it seem like a paradise cut off from the world.

The Blue Eagle slowly landed in the valley.

The instant his feet touched the soft ground, Mo Lin could not help taking a deep breath!

Immediately, an incomparably rich concentration of natural energy, mixed with the refreshing fragrance of medicinal herbs, rushed into his lungs. His spirits rose, and every pore on his body seemed to open!

"What dense energy! This place..." Ecstasy appeared on Mo Lin's face as his burning gaze swept across this isolated little world.

"What do you think? Isn't this place great?" Xiao Yi Xian looked at Mo Lin's astonished expression and gave a slightly proud, charming smile. "This little valley is completely cut off from the outside world. There's naturally thick mist overhead to conceal it, making it extremely hidden.

"If Little Lan hadn't accidentally flown in here once, I probably wouldn't have discovered this extraordinary place either."

"It's more than great! It's practically a holy land for cultivation!" Mo Lin praised it lavishly. As his gaze swept through the valley, he discovered with delight that not only was the energy abundant, but all kinds of rare medicinal herbs rarely seen outside also grew here. They were vibrant and colorful, and strange medicinal fragrances filled the air, refreshing the mind and heart.

"Shall we stay here for a while?" Xiao Yi Xian turned to look at Mo Lin, her tone seeking his opinion. "Some of the herbs I need to prepare according to the Seven-Colored Poison Scripture happen to be here... and this place is very safe too, suitable for quiet cultivation."

"No problem!" Mo Lin agreed without the slightest hesitation.

Such an exceptional cultivation ground was something one could only encounter by chance. He was even considering whether he could use this opportunity to once again study the experiment of reversing ice and fire to invert yin and yang!

Although the valley was isolated from the outside world and entering or leaving required the Blue Eagle, Mo Lin was not worried. He had his own trump cards.

Seeing Mo Lin agree, Xiao Yi Xian nodded with a smile. She blew the bamboo whistle at the Blue Eagle and let it fly off freely to forage.

Then she led Mo Lin on foot to a secluded corner of the little valley. Pointing with a slender finger at a crude but sturdy grass hut there, she smiled. "I built this casually when I came here to gather herbs before. We'll stay here for the time being."

Mo Lin glanced over the simple but clean and tidy grass hut, then looked at Xiao Yi Xian beside him, who was lovelier than any flower. A mischievous smile curled across his lips as he teased, "Heh, though it's only a humble grass hut, with a beauty living alongside me, it becomes a fairyland. These next few days should be blissful as a god's life!"

At those words, Xiao Yi Xian's pretty face was once again dyed with a captivating blush. She shot him an embarrassed, irritated glare, but did not refute him. She merely turned and walked toward the grass hut, beginning to tidy it up.

Sunlight filtered through the mist above the valley and fell across her graceful back, painting a tranquil and beautiful scene.

Watching her figure and feeling the abundant energy within the valley, Mo Lin's heart filled with anticipation.