Harvest

"The poisonous miasma is extremely heavy?"

Qian Renxue sneered, her gaze raking fiercely over Gu Qing's sleeves.

"It seems to me that not only did you survive that miasma just fine, but you even had a beautiful companion to keep you company—you were having quite a good time, weren't you!"

Qian Renxue finally couldn't hold it back, bringing up that pungent scent of perfume.

"Dugu Yan's fragrance is still clinging to your clothes; what else do you have to say for yourself?"

This rapid-fire barrage of questions sounded jarringly harsh in the somewhat empty room.

The more Qian Renxue spoke, the more aggrieved she felt, as the fear and wild imaginings of the entire night erupted all at once.

In her mind, Qian Renxue had already painted a picture of Gu Qing and Dugu Yan huddled together beside the hot springs.

The jealousy, unique to a woman deeply in love, caused Qian Renxue to completely lose her usual composure and sharp intellect.

Gu Qing listened to Qian Renxue's accusations in silence, his expression remaining entirely unruffled.

Rising slowly from his chair, Gu Qing walked past Qian Renxue and headed toward the round table where the immortal herb was placed.

On the tabletop, that herb radiating a strange halo lay quietly.

Before this, Qian Renxue's attention had been entirely fixed on Gu Qing, and she hadn't noticed the existence of this herb at all.

Gu Qing extended his slender fingers and carefully picked the herb up from the table.

As the herb rested in his palm, an extremely pure aura of light instantly permeated the room.

"I spent the entire night in the Sunset Forest, even going so far as to forcibly break into the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well."

Gu Qing turned around and slowly held the herb out before Qian Renxue.

"I did it just to bring this thing back to you, completely intact."

Qian Renxue's gaze followed Gu Qing's fingers and landed on the strangely shaped herb.

It was a peculiar plant, golden from top to bottom, with petals at the tip that resembled the wings of a Six-Winged Angel.

Each petal shimmered with wisps of divine radiance, illuminating the dim room as if it were broad daylight.

Pure, extreme elements of light were continuously emanating from within the herb.

As soon as these light elements touched the air, they transformed into tiny golden starlight, circling and dancing above Gu Qing's palm.

The moment Qian Renxue saw the herb clearly, she froze in place as if struck by lightning.

Guided by this aura of light, the Six-Winged Angel martial soul within Qian Renxue began to throb uncontrollably.

This craving from the depths of her martial soul was a sensation Qian Renxue had never experienced in over twenty years.

Qian Renxue could even feel that her stagnant soul power showed signs of loosening the very instant it touched this golden light.

"This... this is..."

Qian Renxue widened her eyes, her breathing becoming rapid.

Qian Renxue had once seen records of this peerless immortal herb in the most core, secret ancient texts of the Martial Soul Hall.

Legend held that it was a supreme treasure that could only be nurtured in a place where extreme light and vast energy converged.

Qian Renxue had always assumed such things existed only in ethereal myths and could never appear in the real world.

Generations of predecessors in the Martial Soul Hall had searched the high mountains and steep ridges of the entire Douluo Continent without finding even a word about this herb.

Yet now, this peerless treasure that existed only in ancient books had appeared right before Qian Renxue's eyes.

"Bright Heaven Grass."

Gu Qing's calm voice sounded by Qian Renxue's ear, completing the name she hadn't been able to utter.

Hearing the confirmed name, Qian Renxue's pupils contracted sharply.

Qian Renxue stared fixedly at the golden immortal herb in Gu Qing's palm, her eyes flashing with extreme shock.

"Is it really the Bright Heaven Grass?"

Qian Renxue's voice carried a tremor she could not conceal, her gaze unable to tear itself away from those golden petals.

Within every vein of this immortal herb, it was as if liquid sunlight were flowing.

That sacred, warm aura not only dispelled the chill Qian Renxue had felt while sitting alone in the room all night, but it also smoothed away all the agitation in her heart.

Gu Qing moved the Bright Heaven Grass a little closer, the golden halo reflecting on his slightly weary face.

"This thing has the miraculous effect of a rebirth for soul masters with the light attribute; it can not only purify your martial soul but even cause a qualitative leap in your soul power."

Gu Qing watched Qian Renxue's shocked expression and patiently explained the herb's efficacy.

"The area around the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well is covered in deadly poisonous miasma set by Dugu Bo, and inside, there is a convergence of extreme ice and fire forces."

"Finding an immortal herb in that environment that perfectly matches your attributes was no easy task."

Gu Qing's tone was very casual, as if he were speaking of a trivial matter.

Yet, these words caused a massive, turbulent wave to crash in Qian Renxue's heart.

Qian Renxue knew very well exactly what kind of place the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well was.

That is a forbidden zone of life that even Titled Douluo dare not tread upon lightly.

The core circle of the Sunset Forest is rampant with poisonous creatures, further compounded by the deliberate arrangements of that Poison Douluo, Dugu Bo.

For an ordinary soul master, let alone breaking in to search for immortal herbs, even approaching the edge of the poisonous miasma would result in them dissolving into a puddle of pus in an instant.

Gu Qing had actually risked his life to stay in such an extremely dangerous environment for an entire night.

Only now did Qian Renxue notice the subtle tears on the hem of Gu Qing's robes.

Along the edge of the neat garment, there were clear signs of being sliced by some kind of sharp plant.

Even on the back of Gu Qing's hand, one could see an extremely faint scratch; although it had already healed, a trace of weak poisonous aura still lingered.

The original intention behind all of this was actually just to find an immortal herb for Qian Renxue that could enhance her strength.

A flash of the morning dew and the scent of cosmetic powder on Gu Qing's sleeves crossed Qian Renxue's mind.

Those were not traces left behind from spending the night in tender intimacy with Dugu Yan at all.

In such a crisis-ridden environment, since Gu Qing had to detoxify Dugu Bo and Dugu Yan, unavoidable close contact was inevitable.

For a healer to be stained with the scent of a patient while administering needles to purge toxins is the most normal thing in the world.

And after Gu Qing finished all of this, he did not even take a moment to rest before immediately bringing this rare treasure back to the Crown Prince Mansion.

The resentment that had originally piled up in her chest was like a balloon pricked by a needle at this moment, instantly leaking away until nothing remained.

Replacing it was a surge of intense self-reproach that came crashing in like a tide.

Qian Renxue bit her lower lip hard; a massive sense of guilt made her unable to look Gu Qing in the eye.

Qian Renxue's hands clutched her own hem tightly, her fingernails almost digging deep into her flesh.

"You... were you specifically looking for this immortal herb at the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well just for me?"

Qian Renxue lowered her head, her voice already as faint as the buzzing of a mosquito.

"What else?"

Gu Qing asked in return, his gaze calmly fixed on the top of Qian Renxue's head.

"Apart from someone like you who possesses an Ultimate Light Martial Soul, this Bright Heaven Grass would be a waste of a heavenly treasure in anyone else's hands."

Gu Qing admitted the purpose of his trip without any avoidance, his candor devoid of any impurities.

Gu Qing's voice was like a heavy hammer, smashing fiercely into the softest part of Qian Renxue's heart.

Qian Renxue felt her cheeks burning like fire, and even her eye sockets couldn't help but sting with bitterness.

What had she just done?

Gu Qing had toiled outside all night, risking great danger to bring this peerless immortal herb back.

Yet, Qian Renxue had been here in this room letting her imagination run wild, even using the most vicious language to speculate on Gu Qing's character.

Based solely on a bit of cosmetic scent on his clothes, she had groundlessly accused Gu Qing of having an affair with another woman.

Recalling her own hysterical questioning from just moments ago, Qian Renxue wished she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

The dignified Martial Soul Hall Young Master, the Crown Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire, had actually thrown a tantrum here like a jealous shrew from the streets.

Qian Renxue felt she had been unreasonable to the extreme.

This massive sense of disparity and guilt caused Qian Renxue's defenses to collapse completely in an instant.

Qian Renxue could even feel her tears swirling in her eyes.

But the pride of Qian Renxue as the Martial Soul Hall Young Master forced her to hold back the dam-breaking tears.

"I... I'm sorry."

After a long internal struggle, Qian Renxue finally squeezed these three words out from between her teeth.

Qian Renxue's voice was very small, carrying a clear sob.

Watching this restless, even somewhat pitiful appearance of Qian Renxue, a hint of a smile appeared at the corners of Gu Qing's mouth.

Gently placing the Bright Heaven Grass on the table to the side, Gu Qing took a step forward, closing in on Qian Renxue.

Feeling Gu Qing's approach, Qian Renxue subconsciously took half a step back.

But behind her was the hard solid-wood round table; Qian Renxue had no retreat whatsoever.

Gu Qing's tall frame blocked the morning light shining in from the window, shrouding Qian Renxue entirely in his shadow.

The distance between the two was infinitely shortened at this moment, to the point where they could hear each other's breathing clearly.

Qian Renxue's heart hammered like thunder, her hands clutching her hem tightly, not daring to look up.

The masculine scent belonging to a mature man on Gu Qing's body, mixed with the lingering sacred aroma of the Bright Heaven Grass, completely surrounded Qian Renxue.

"The Martial Soul Hall Young Master, actually capable of apologizing to someone?"

Gu Qing looked down at Qian Renxue, his tone carrying a hint of obvious playfulness.

Gu Qing's gaze swept over Qian Renxue's crimson earlobes, the interest in his eyes growing ever more intense.

Hearing Gu Qing's teasing tone, the temperature on Qian Renxue's face soared by several degrees once again.

Qian Renxue felt as if her entire being were about to be ignited by this scorching atmosphere.

"I... I was just speaking based on the facts. My attitude earlier was poor, and I shouldn't have speculated about you so recklessly."

Qian Renxue stammered in her defense, struggling to maintain her final shred of stubbornness.

Qian Renxue lowered her gaze, her long, slender eyelashes trembling incessantly due to extreme nervousness.

"Is that all? Just a poor attitude?"

Gu Qing had no intention of letting Qian Renxue off so easily, and he pressed forward by another half-step.

This intensely oppressive distance caused Qian Renxue's breath to hitch abruptly.

Gu Qing extended his right hand, his long, slender fingers gently pinching Qian Renxue's delicate chin.

The cool sensation of his fingertips against her burning skin instantly triggered a fine tremor throughout her body.

Gu Qing applied a slight amount of pressure, forcing Qian Renxue to lift her head and look directly into his eyes.

Qian Renxue's beautiful eyes were filled with panic and helplessness, with a lingering mist of moisture at their depths born from self-reproach.

This pitiful appearance was a far cry from the aggressive, questioning Qian Renxue of just a moment ago.

Gu Qing lowered his head slightly, his hot breath washing directly over Qian Renxue's sensitive nose.

"You waited in this room all night, not even daring to close your eyes for a second."

Gu Qing deliberately drew out his tone, his gaze locked tightly onto her constantly darting eyes.

"The moment you saw me, you flew into a rage and started nitpicking about the scent of powder on my clothes."

A playful smirk tugged at the corners of Gu Qing's mouth, his voice dropping to a low murmur.

"Qian Renxue, are you jealous?"

Qian Renxue swatted away the hand Gu Qing had resting on her chin, the scorching heat on her cheeks spreading all the way down to her slender neck.

"Don't flatter yourself. As the Martial Soul Hall Young Master, how could I possibly be jealous of you?"

Although she said this with her mouth, her eyes, which were darting around in extreme nervousness, had already betrayed her true inner thoughts.

Having his hand swatted away, Gu Qing showed no signs of anger; instead, he took two steps back, voluntarily widening the distance that had been so suffocatingly close.

Watching Qian Renxue's stubborn, "die-hard" expression, Gu Qing simply chuckled softly, choosing not to press further on the topic.

Gu Qing turned around, shifting his focus back to the immortal herb that radiated a brilliant golden glow.

"Hurry and absorb this immortal herb. If the Bright Heaven Grass stays away from the soil for too long, its medicinal efficacy will gradually dissipate over time."

Handing the uniquely shaped herb to Qian Renxue, Gu Qing pointed to the increasingly dense golden light particles surrounding them, steering the conversation back on track.

Hearing this solemn reminder, Qian Renxue took two deep breaths, forcing herself to suppress the chaotic thoughts swirling in her mind.

Carefully taking the Bright Heaven Grass—whose petals resembled an angel's wings—from Gu Qing's hand, Qian Renxue felt as if she were cradling a ball of warm sunlight in her palms.

"Absorb it right here in this room. I will stand guard for you; I will ensure no one comes in to disturb you."

As he spoke, Gu Qing walked over to the large armchair in the corner of the room and sat down, settling into a posture that suggested he was prepared for a long vigil.

These resolute words reached Qian Renxue's ears, instantly providing her with a profound sense of security.

Without a moment's hesitation, Qian Renxue walked to the side of the spacious bed, kicked off her shoes, and sat cross-legged on the soft quilt.

Bringing the Bright Heaven Grass to her lips, Qian Renxue parted them and gently bit off a single, brilliant golden petal that radiated a sacred aura.