Master and Disciple Part Ways, Setting Out for the Tagor Desert

Three days later.

The last glow of dusk sank completely behind the western mountains.

The outlines of the vegetation outside the cave blurred in the deepening night, and a mountain breeze swept a crisp chill into the entrance.

Xiao Chen stood at the cave entrance, his gaze piercing the hazy darkness to rest on the distant, indistinct silhouettes of the mountains.

After a moment of contemplation, he turned around. His voice was quiet, yet like a pebble cast into a still lake: "Xian'er, we... should part ways."

The sudden words made Xiao Yi Xian stiffen.

She spun around almost uncontrollably, her beautiful eyes fixed on Xiao Chen.

"You don't want to part?" Xiao Chen softened his voice, his tone gentle.

Xiao Yi Xian stubbornly bit her lower lip, forcibly swallowing the "I don't" that had nearly escaped her lips, and merely shook her head hard.

Xiao Chen gazed at her face as she struggled to hold back her emotions, understanding dawning in his heart.

He smiled gently. "With your current strength, you already count as a formidable figure in your own right. As your master, I have a task for you, and it will also be a trial to temper you."

Xiao Yi Xian fell silent.

She could feel Xiao Chen's gaze still resting on her, patiently waiting.

She understood her teacher's temperament. Since he had brought it up, his mind was already made up and could not be changed.

She suddenly raised her head. At some point, the rims of her eyes had turned faintly red. Her pearly teeth clenched her lower lip, even leaving shallow marks. Those eyes brimming with beauty looked straight at Xiao Chen, and her voice, though quiet, echoed through the silent cave with exceptional clarity and resolve: "Xian'er doesn't want to part with Teacher."

The glimmer of tears in Xiao Yi Xian's eyes sent a violent tremor through Xiao Chen's heart.

He took a small step forward and came before her. Faint moonlight flowed between them, tinting the silence with feelings that were difficult to put into words.

"Silly girl, why are you crying? This isn't a final farewell, just a brief parting."

Xiao Yi Xian looked at him as a fierce, aching sting rose to her nose. Tears nearly spilled from her eyes, but she stubbornly held them back, letting them swirl there.

She suddenly reached out and, somewhat losing her composure, clutched a corner of Xiao Chen's sleeve as though it were the only piece of driftwood.

Xiao Chen's heart trembled violently once more. He had never expected to hold such weight in Xiao Yi Xian's heart.

Was it because he had rescued her from the Wolf Head Mercenary Group, because he had resolved the problem of her woeful poison body, or because of the time they had spent together day and night?

As Xiao Chen wondered, Little Gold, who had long since moved far from the spot, watched the two before the cave and transmitted to Xiao Chen, "Could it be because you saw that little girl naked?"

Xiao Chen's face instantly reddened.

"Teacher..."

"Couldn't we... stay a few more days? Or could I go to the Tagor Desert with you first?"

Xiao Chen looked at the slender fingers clutching his sleeve so hard they had turned white. Feeling the reluctance in that tug, his heart nearly melted.

He slowly raised his hand and covered the back of hers with an exceptionally gentle, reassuring touch. The warmth of his palm made Xiao Yi Xian tremble slightly.

"I promise you, just this once. From now on, I'll take you with me whatever I do."

Xiao Chen's voice was incomparably tender.

Their eyes met, and time seemed to freeze at that moment.

Xiao Yi Xian looked into Xiao Chen's eyes as though she wanted to engrave his likeness deep into her soul.

Only after a long while did she gently push his hand away, moving extremely slowly and reluctantly, then take a step back and break into a smile. "Teacher, you must keep your word."

Her voice was clear, carrying a deliberately maintained trace of lightheartedness, but a thin mist quietly veiled the depths of her eyes.

Her smile and the emotions she struggled to conceal tightened the grip on Xiao Chen's heart, and his throat grew slightly dry.

With a soft chuckle and a nod, he hesitated no longer. He extended his hand, and with a faint flash, a seemingly ordinary ring appeared in his palm, its entire surface flowing with a subdued jade-green luster.

He carefully lifted the hand she had just released and gently slipped the ring onto her ring finger.

The instant the ring slid into place, it gave an exceedingly faint hum, as though it had found its owner, and a gentle warmth spread from it.

The ring's design was simple and elegant. Extremely fine, profound runes could faintly be seen flowing across it before vanishing completely into its subdued jade-green luster.

"This Azure Origin Spirit Ring is a gift I prepared for you. If you encounter trouble you can't resolve, pour Dou Qi into it. It can send out a warning and your location, and it can also shield you from multiple fatal attacks. There's storage space inside, too, so you can normally use it as a Storage Ring."

Xiao Chen gently brushed his fingers over the ring's smooth surface. "While I'm away, let it protect you in my place."

Xiao Yi Xian lowered her head and gazed at the warm luster on her finger, feeling its reassuring power and the heart-lifting affection within it.

Her slender fingers curled, pressing tightly against the ring, as though she wanted to hold fast to this tangible promise.

The task Xiao Chen had given Xiao Yi Xian was actually not complicated.

Rule the Chu Yun Empire.

That was all.

Early the next morning.

Xiao Yi Xian set out with Kong Ruonan.

Xiao Chen gazed deeply at her retreating figure, his eyes almost piercing through the thin mist and mountain wind.

Until the two figures disappeared completely.

"Trials are necessary. Only through them can one grow."

Xiao Chen sighed.

Having said that, he hesitated no longer, turning and striding away.

He quickly vanished into the depths of the hazy mist rising through the dense mountain forest.

Elsewhere, only after she had gone far away did Xiao Yi Xian suddenly let herself relax.

At last, she failed to hold back a scalding teardrop. It fell silently from high above, striking a withered yellow leaf on the ground and spreading into a small, dark patch of moisture.

She lowered her head and reached out with her other hand, stroking the warm ring on her ring finger extremely slowly and gently.

Her cold fingertips touched the warm jade, bringing a strange sense of calm.

As her fingertips gently brushed the ring's smooth surface, the corners of her lips finally curved slowly into an exceedingly faint, sweet smile.

"What's... happening to me?"

That barely audible murmur was almost shredded by the wind.

Half a day later, Qingyuan City.

On an enormous plaza.

A striking woman in uniform let her gaze settle on the Alchemist Badge on Xiao Chen's chest. A sweet smile spread across her face as she cautiously asked, "Sir, are you a Second-Rank Alchemist?"

"Mm... is there a problem?" Xiao Chen asked with a frown.

"Very well. Under imperial regulations, alchemists may enjoy the Flying Transport Company's services free of charge. Please follow me. We have flying mounts specially prepared for alchemists." Seeing Xiao Chen nod, the woman hurriedly shook her head and smiled respectfully.

Hearing this, Xiao Chen nodded slightly.

After leaving Poison Cloud Mountain, he had gone to a nearby large city to take the assessment and obtained his Second-Rank Alchemist Badge.

Today was his first time using it.

Under the envious and awed gazes of those around him, Xiao Chen followed the woman, who had stepped out from behind the counter, off to one side.

Along the way, whether intentionally or not, the somewhat attractive uniformed woman walked ahead, her full hips and slender waist continually swaying in sizzling, seductive curves.

But what sort of man was Xiao Chen? Of course he had no interest in getting up to anything else with this rather wanton woman.

He had only come to try out this means of transportation.