Tenderness Beneath the Moon and the Eve of Parting

The first faint rays of dawn filtered through the crude window lattice of the thatched hut, falling gently upon the two people sleeping in each other's arms.

Xian'er slowly awoke. Her long lashes fluttered a few times before her eyes opened.

The first thing she saw was Mo Lin's peacefully sleeping profile, close at hand.

The boy's brows and eyes, usually carrying a hint of unruliness and a roguish smile, appeared exceptionally gentle and serene in sleep. His breathing was even and deep.

She shifted slightly and discovered that Mo Lin was holding her tightly in an embrace that was possessive yet incomparably tender.

His arm lay securely around her waist, his cheek buried in the hollow of her neck. His warm breath brushed her skin, bringing a tingling itch.

Recalling last night's lingering intimacy amid the moonlit sea of flowers, and then the several bouts of passionate entanglement after they returned to this humble yet warm hut, two lovely flushes instantly rose on Xian'er's pretty face, spreading all the way to her ears. Even her fair neck was tinged with pink.

Amid her shyness, however, an unprecedented current of steady, brimming happiness quietly filled her heart.

She secretly adjusted her position, allowing herself to nestle more comfortably in his arms. A sweet curve unconsciously touched her lips as she gazed quietly and greedily at the face already carved into her heart.

Time flowed like water, tranquil and unhurried. Since that night when they had confessed their feelings and joined body and soul, the two had spent nearly a month in this secluded valley like an immortal couple.

This month had been the most relaxed and pleasant period Mo Lin had experienced since transmigrating.

During the day, he either devoted himself to cultivation, consolidating the rapidly growing strength brought by his insights into yin and yang and the valley's abundant spiritual energy—a cultivation already at the peak of a Nine-Star Fighter—or he identified herbs with Xian'er, discussed medicinal principles, and occasionally, when the mood struck, helped her grind medicinal ingredients. At night... it was often another kind of "busyness."

Mo Lin had to admit that deep down, he truly possessed something of a "lustful" nature.

Especially when faced with Xian'er—with her ethereal beauty, her slender yet supple and powerful willow waist, and that unique temperament that was gentle on the outside yet strong within, pure yet carrying a faintly distant scent of medicine—he was utterly infatuated, unable to restrain himself.

Almost every night, he would find all manner of excuses to pull the beauty into his arms and indulge to the fullest in their lingering passion.

Xian'er had been shy at first, but gradually she too opened her heart, offering awkward yet fervent responses.

This profound union of spirit and desire not only did not hinder cultivation; instead, it made Mo Lin's state of mind increasingly complete and lucid. His battle qi circulated more smoothly and freely, and his cultivation advanced far faster than through ordinary bitter training.

That night, moonlight flowed like water, bathing the valley in a hazy glow.

Mo Lin had just finished a cycle of cultivation. Feeling the surging battle qi within him, ready to burst forth, he knew he needed only one opportunity to break through into the Great Fighter realm.

He rose to his full height and strolled toward the thatched hut.

Before the hut, Xian'er sat on a smooth bluestone, intently reading the ancient Seven-Colored Poison Scripture by the clear moonlight.

Moonlight fell upon her as though draping her in a veil of silver. The lines of her profile were soft and beautiful, her expression focused; she resembled a fairy beneath the moon.

As though she had heard the familiar footsteps drawing nearer, Xian'er's lightly furrowed brows relaxed. She lifted her gaze from the scroll and looked toward the boy slowly approaching through the moonlight.

A gentle smile naturally rippled across her lips. Her voice was as soft as a night breeze brushing the surface of a lake. "Finished cultivating? There's still some hot congee and side dishes inside. I'll bring them out for you."

Hearing those soft words, spoken so naturally, Mo Lin's heart stirred faintly, warmth spreading through it.

This scene, these words, were so like a young wife who had long waited at home for her husband's return. Her words were plain, yet they held the deepest waiting and concern.

The feeling of being remembered, of having someone wait warmly for him, was something precious he had rarely experienced across both his lives.

The lines of Mo Lin's face unconsciously softened further. He walked over and, without ceremony, dropped down beside Xian'er on the bluestone, pressing close to her intimately.

He tilted his head to look at the scripture in her hands, which recorded strange poison arts, before his gaze fell upon the lovely face so close to his own, lingering over it.

After a moment, he seemed to keenly notice something. His brows creased almost imperceptibly, and he let out a helpless sigh.

He reached out, his fingertips carrying a trace of coolness, and extremely gently wiped beside Xian'er's rosy, healthy lips.

There was a tiny speck of black powder there, so minuscule it nearly blended into her skin tone.

"Ah..." Mo Lin looked at the black speck on his fingertip and shook his head with a bitter smile, his voice carrying heartache and a trace of reproach. "You took poison again?"

Judging by Xian'er's current condition, her aura was steady and her complexion rosy. Clearly, the poison had been temporarily suppressed or transformed by her.

But it was obvious that while he had been focused on cultivating, she had once again consumed some deadly poison to cultivate the Seven-Colored Poison Scripture.

Though it was necessary for her constitution and cultivation method, Mo Lin's heart always tightened whenever he saw her test poison upon herself.

Seeing Mo Lin's action, Xian'er's pretty face first reddened, like a child caught after doing something wrong.

Then, seeing the conspicuous black powder on his fingertip, her eyes flickered. Somewhat timidly, she turned her gaze away, not daring to meet his eyes.

After looking away for a moment, she seemed to remember something. She hurriedly took a clean white silk handkerchief from her robes and carefully wiped away, bit by bit, all the black powder from Mo Lin's finger—the kind that would be fatal to an ordinary fighter. Her movements were as gentle as if she were handling a fragile treasure.

"...Xian'er," Mo Lin said suddenly after a moment of silence, watching her carefully wipe his finger. His voice seemed especially clear in the quiet night. "Tomorrow... I may have to leave this place."

The jade-like hand wiping his finger abruptly stiffened, stopping in midair.

Her fingertips trembled slightly. After a moment, that hand seemed to regain its softness and continued its unfinished task, only much more slowly.

Xian'er lowered her head slightly, her long lashes concealing the emotions in her eyes. She nodded gently, her voice still soft but touched by an almost imperceptible tremor. "Mm... We've stayed here for so long. It has been peaceful and beautiful, like a dream. But... it really is time to go. You still have your own road to walk."

She tried to make her tone sound calm and natural, but her slightly tightening fingertips betrayed the reluctance in her heart.

A silent atmosphere spread between them, carrying the faint chill of the moonlit night.

After quite some time, Mo Lin finally smiled and took the initiative to break the silence. "What about you? What are you planning to do after leaving here?"

Xian'er raised her head and forced out a smile. Beneath the moonlight, her smile looked somewhat fragile. "I think... I'll leave the Jia Ma Empire first.

"Perhaps I'll go to the Chuyun Empire and take a look. I hear Poison Masters flourish there, so perhaps I can find some clues about controlling my constitution... Then, I'll probably travel across the continent, broaden my horizons, and search... search for an opportunity to completely master this Calamity Poison Body."

She spoke lightly, but the road ahead was vast and uncertain. Alone, the dangers she would face were easy enough to imagine.

"Chuyun Empire..." Mo Lin murmured under his breath, his gaze fixed on the pitch-black night sky in the distance, lost in thought.

He knew that parting was already inevitable.

Wutan City. The name sent ripples through the lake of his heart. The Xiao Family... in this parallel world that was both familiar and strange, what would it look like now?

Would that mysterious black ring, which had accompanied "Xiao Yan" for years and once housed Old Yao's soul, still be lying quietly in some corner of the Xiao Family estate? Or had it long since found its way onto the finger of some clan member?

All these unknowns drew him in like a magnet, compelling him to investigate.

More importantly, there was the girl who, in the original course of fate, had shared the deepest bond with "Xiao Yan"—the girl whose identity was also the most unfathomable: Xiao Xun'er.

In this time and space, was she still concealed within the Xiao Family?

Her unfathomable strength and status as a young lady of the Ancient Clan were undoubtedly a huge variable that Mo Lin, who craved power and intended to gather support from every side, had to observe cautiously—and perhaps even attempt to approach.

A trip to Wutan City was imperative!

Yet the purpose of this journey went far beyond that.

Mo Lin knew well that if he wanted to gain a foothold on the Dou Qi Continent, or even ascend to its summit, a vast intelligence network and abundant financial backing were both indispensable.

And Wutan City, this seemingly inconspicuous border town, happened to conceal an extraordinary woman who would one day be capable of stirring the empire's very foundations—Ya Fei.

The future helm of the Miter Clan might now be nothing more than a pawn dispatched here by her family to gain experience.

Yet her innate instinct for business, her deft social skills, and the boldness to turn the tide amid adversity had already begun to show their edge.

If he could subdue her now, before she truly spread her wings and soared, and bring her into his service, it would undoubtedly lay a crucial cornerstone for his future grand ambitions.

She would become his sharpest eyes, his keenest ears, and his most dependable purse.

He was determined to seize this opportunity!

His gaze returned, falling upon Little Fairy Doctor beside him. Under the moonlight, her figure looked slender and frail, while faint sorrow at parting and confusion over the road ahead lingered between her brows.

A trace of pity and resolve rose in Mo Lin's heart.

She had to embark upon her own journey, heading to the Chuyun Empire, renowned for its Poison Masters. On that land, perhaps fraught with danger yet also brimming with opportunity, she had to seek that sliver of hope to control the Calamity Poison Body and escape the curse of her fate.

This was a road she could not avoid. And he could only grow stronger, so that in the future, he could become her firmest support.

Of course, he also knew the tragic plot that lay ahead, so he would definitely have to head to the Chuyun Empire in time to bring Little Fairy Doctor back.

Beneath the moonlight, two utterly different yet faintly intertwined paths of fate were about to stretch toward unknown horizons.

And Wutan City would become Mo Lin's first true fulcrum in this world—his first move in laying out his plans and prying fate itself loose.