Agreement

Xiao Li carried Yun Yun as he moved swiftly through the forest. Upon reaching the Dou Ling realm, one could fly at low altitude for a short time, but in order to keep a low profile, Xiao Li still ran on his own two legs. After all, flying made for too conspicuous a target.

This Magical Beast Mountain Range instance was still quite difficult for the current Xiao Li.

Carrying Yun Yun like this, Xiao Li dashed all the way to the outskirts of the Magical Beast Mountain Range, then found a cave to rest in.

Elsewhere,

"Old Yun, what are you doing? Making such a huge commotion—are you trying to draw the experts of the Magical Beast Mountain Range into besieging us?" Old Wang said angrily.

"What's there to fear? The strongest creatures in this Magical Beast Mountain Range are merely Rank 6 Magical Beasts, and there are only a handful of them. Rank 6 Magical Beasts possess intelligence equal to humans'. With two Dou Emperors like us here, they certainly won't act rashly!"

Yun Shan differed from Wang Ming. Yun Shan himself was a Seven Star Dou Emperor, a high-level Dou Emperor. Throughout the Jia Ma Empire, aside from Jia Xingtian, he had no rival.

Old Wang, on the other hand, had suffered too many injuries in his early years. Combined with his constitution having been stripped away, he could only wield seventy to eighty percent of his full combat strength.

"Fine, you're strong, so you're right. But this old man is exhausted. Still, our gains in the Magical Beast Mountain Range this time weren't bad. It's time to head back." Old Wang wiped the sweat from his forehead, spread his azure-blue Dou Qi Wings, and flew toward a certain place.

Not long after,

"Where's my disciple?" Old Wang was dumbfounded. The cave was still the same cave, but where had his disciple gone?

"That's right, where's my disciple? Where did she go?" Yun Shan was stunned as well. His disciple had vanished.

"There are traces of fighting at the cave entrance. They most likely relocated somewhere else. Let's go look for them!" Old Wang said gravely.

"Alright!"

Just as the two elders were preparing to search for their disciples, a Rank 5 demonic tiger suddenly charged out.

"Hm? Great Wind Hand Seal!"

A terrifying aura surged from Yun Shan's body. His hands rapidly formed seals, and with a wave of his right hand, an enormous energy hand seal nearly several zhang wide appeared above the Rank 5 demonic tiger's head and smashed down fiercely.

Bang—

The demonic tiger's head burst apart like an overripe watermelon.

Yun Shan flashed over to the demonic tiger's corpse, dug out its Magical Core, and tossed it to Old Wang.

"Old Wang, that's another Rank 5 Magical Core added to the pile."

Old Wang accepted the Magical Core with a smile. "Mm, not bad. Quite a harvest. Don't forget that you still owe seven Rank 5 Magical Cores, or two Rank 6 Magical Cores. Only then will you be able to pay for this old man's pills."

"I know, I know! You don't need to keep reminding me!" Yun Shan's old face darkened. His heart ached whenever he heard that price, but it was all for his disciple.

Old Wang wore the look of a sly merchant. No one knew what deal the two old men had struck, but judging by their words, Yun Shan seemed only one step away from signing a contract to sell himself.

Yun Shan sighed. As her teacher, suffering a little for his disciple was nothing. As long as he could raise Yun Yun to Dou Zong, he would have done right by the successive Sect Leaders of the Misty Cloud Sect.

At the outskirts of the Magical Beast Mountain Range, inside the cave where Xiao Li and Yun Yun were staying.

"Bear with it. The bones here are misaligned, so I'm going to set them straight." Xiao Li held Yun Yun's left arm as he spoke.

"Go ahead!" Yun Yun clenched her pearly teeth, looking fully prepared.

Crack—

A crisp sound of joints popping rang out.

"Whew... I've corrected all the misaligned bones in your body, and the Bone Regrowth Pill has taken effect as well. Rest quietly for half a month, and you'll be fine." Xiao Li helped Yun Yun lie down, resting her head against his thigh.

Xiao Li continued, "I'm sorry, Yun'er. My breakthrough put you through so much suffering this time. I nearly got you..."

Xiao Li himself had not expected a breakthrough to Dou Ling to cause such a massive disturbance. He had nearly gotten Yun Yun killed.

"It's nothing," Yun Yun said softly.

"You nearly lost your life for me. How could that possibly be nothing?" Xiao Li grew anxious. He did not like owing anyone anything.

Yun Yun smiled faintly. "As long as Elder Xiao does not find me troublesome in the future."

Looking at Yun Yun's sly smile, Xiao Li felt as if he had fallen into a trap.

"Tsk, Young Sect Master Yun is certainly thinking far ahead. So, are you interested in me, or in my Alchemy?" A shadow clouded Xiao Li's brow.

Xiao Li felt as though he was about to become Gu He—licking and licking, only to end up with nothing.

Yun Yun was stunned as well. She had not expected Xiao Li to ask such a question, and she did not know how to answer. If she were being honest, she had initially been interested in Xiao Li's Alchemy—but there had been a premise: she did not dislike Xiao Li himself.

When Yun Yun had just fallen into a life-or-death crisis, Xiao Li had been the first person she thought of. She had hoped he would emerge from seclusion in time to save her.

Every young girl harbored a story of a hero saving a beauty, and Yun Yun was no exception.

Facing Xiao Li's question, Yun Yun answered earnestly, "I think Brother Xiao Li is a very good person."

Xiao Li, the Good Guy darkened. He had been given the good guy card again.

"If Brother Xiao Li is willing, Yun'er is willing to spend her years with you." A sweet smile bloomed on Yun Yun's face, like a blossoming rose—exceptionally enchanting.

Xiao Li's heartbeat seemed to skip a beat, and the gloom in his heart instantly turned into clear skies.

(A young virgin being won over by a beautiful girl was perfectly normal.)

Spend her years with Yun Yun... What filled Xiao Li's mind now were moonlit flowers, racing hearts, mutual affection, bridal candles in the wedding chamber, inseparable devotion, supporting one another through hardship, and love until the seas ran dry and the rocks crumbled.

By the time his thoughts reached the end, Xiao Li's face had turned red, and his gaze was especially vacant.

Seeing this, Yun Yun had no intention of disturbing Xiao Li. The corners of her lips curled upward as she thought, So he can look like this too. He isn't so unreachable after all.

After imagining a lifetime of happiness with Yun Yun, Xiao Li's gaze became firm. He walked to Yun Yun's side, slowly crouched down, and stroked her head.

"Well, Yun'er, I'm not good with words, and I can't really say sweet nothings. Flirting comes easily enough, but I promise I will never betray you."

Yun Yun chuckled. "If you betray me, then even if my cultivation is inferior to yours, I'll still slash you a few times."

"Haha, then I definitely won't resist. I'll let you slash away."

Yun Yun said, "You've broken through to Dou Ling now. You're leaving, right?"

Xiao Li nodded. "Yes. According to my teacher's plans, I'm to go train in the Black Horn Region next. First, I'll go to Jia Nan Academy and see the outstanding talents from across the continent, then I'll make a name for myself alone in the Black Horn Region.

This is the graduation assignment my teacher left for me. In terms of Alchemy, reaching Grade 5 is enough to graduate, and I've barely managed that. As for cultivation, I must reach Dou Wang and kill five Dou Wangs to pass."

Yun Yun frowned. "That really is difficult. Is Old Wang that strict?"

Xiao Li chuckled. "Who knows? But being stricter is good. Pressure gives rise to motivation."

Yun Yun smiled as well. "Indeed. Don't let me catch up to you. Though my Misty Cloud Sect has declined, its inheritance remains. Be careful—I may surpass you in cultivation someday."

"Then let's wait and see."

"Old Yun, I found them! They're here!" An aged voice filled with excitement rang out.

In the next instant, two old men flew into the cave. Who else could they be but Yun Shan and Wang Ming?

"Teacher! ×2"