A Promise Made

Inside the cave residence on Emerald Mist Peak, the spiritual tea had gone cold, but the air between them was warm and peaceful.

Now that their feelings were clear, much no longer needed saying. Neither Xu Yuan nor Bi Qiong was the sort to lose themselves in love and forget cultivation. Their attraction had grown from their shared pursuit of the great Dao, and from their regard for each other's character and Dao Path.

"What do you plan to do next?" Xu Yuan set down his teacup. "Stay in Jade Dragon City to enter seclusion for Foundation Establishment, or come with me to Clear Sand River?"

Bi Qiong pondered briefly, then looked up at him, her eyes bright. "Clear Sand River is newly established, with a hundred things waiting to be done. You also intend to hold a Dao lecture and a Dharma Assembly, Senior Brother Xu, so you need people. My cultivation may be modest, but I have some knowledge of talismans. Perhaps I can lend a little strength. Besides—"

She paused, the tips of her ears reddening, though her voice remained clear. "If we're to walk the Dao Path together, how could we live apart? Wherever you go, I'll go. But I still need to prepare for Foundation Establishment and find a secure place rich in spiritual energy."

Her answer was both practical and candid. She had considered Xu Yuan's needs while making her own path and choice clear. The smile in his eyes deepened.

"Good. Clear Sand River Water Manor can't compare with the heart of Jade Dragon City, but our work on the spiritual veins has begun to bear fruit. The spiritual energy in Listening Wave Garden, where I enter seclusion, is decent, and a formation protects it. It should suit you for Foundation Establishment. Once