Recovery

Although drawing out the detoxification would indeed have given him more time to get along with Su Fuxi, Lin Sui did not deliberately delay it. He truly could not bear to put her through unnecessary suffering.

Su Fuxi had grown accustomed to the pain. Her face merely turned pale, and her breathing grew heavier as she gritted her teeth. She never let out a single moan.

Whenever she fell into an exhausted sleep, Lin Sui massaged her limbs, taking the opportunity to kiss and touch her and openly amuse himself by kneading her.

Sometimes, when Su Fuxi was in a good mood, she would lean into his arms and let him distract her without immediately pushing him away. Lin Sui had secretly measured her slender waist with his arm and wondered how a waist so slender could have...

He suddenly touched Su Fuxi's moon-white eye veil. Lately, because she was always breaking out in cold sweat from the pain, she changed her veil often. There had been plain white with a subtle pattern, moon-white with diamond patterns, sky-blue with cloud patterns, and even a tender yellow silk one, but no purple silk.

Lin Sui withdrew his hand, lowered his head to kiss her, and only stopped after stroking her cheek.

He pretended to be well-behaved as he sat beside her, meditating and cultivating.

He waited quietly for her to wake from her sleep.

Half a month later.

For the last time, he increased the amount of cold aura he drew out, removing all the cold poison in one sustained effort.

Su Fuxi's head was covered in cold sweat. The cold poison in her lungs, internal organs, and dantian was drawn out like strands of silk and pulled needles, turning entirely into cold light that surged through her arms and their joined palms into Lin Sui. This cold aura was like poison to her, but for him, it was an excellent means of tempering his body.

"Whew..."

Pain.

Only after an incense stick's time did Lin Sui end the technique. Su Fuxi swayed, and Lin Sui quietly shifted from supporting her to holding her in his arms. "Master? Are you all right?"

"I'm fine." Su Fuxi endured the stiffness and numbness fading from her body, warmth gradually returning to her flesh, and sensation returning to her limbs. She pushed away the arm he had wrapped around her, sat cross-legged, and circulated her spiritual power on her own.

She swallowed a warming and nourishing pill, and its gentle medicinal power flowed through every meridian. She felt entirely refreshed and energetic, comfortable from head to toe.

Wonderful!

The cold poison that had tormented her for months had finally been dispelled. Right now, she felt she could take on ten peak Golden Core cultivators!

When she finished regulating her breathing and opened her eyes, a cup of water immediately appeared before her. Facing her were Lin Sui's handsome face and clear peach-blossom eyes. "Master, a whole day and night have passed."

"That long?" Su Fuxi raised her hand to take the cup, but he moved it away and brought it directly to her lips. "Master, this disciple is worried that your hand still doesn't have any strength..."

"..." Su Fuxi looked at her own hand, steady as an old dog, then at Lin Sui, whose eyes were full of concern. His gaze was crystal clear, without the slightest trace of ulterior motives.

Considering that he had helped draw out the cold poison, and that she also needed to act just as naturally as before rather than deliberately distance herself from him,

Su Fuxi gave him face. She supported the bottom of the cup with one slender index finger, lowered her head slightly, and silently drank all the sweet, warm water from his hand.

"All right." Su Fuxi calmly pushed him away, rose, and strode out of sight through the cave entrance. Standing in the sunlight, she stretched lazily.

She casually instructed, "Lin Sui, pack up. We're leaving for Black Rock Mountain."

"All right, got it."

His voice came from a distance.

A moment later.

The tall, mature young man walked out. When he saw Su Fuxi, his gaze suddenly froze.

The morning sun was bright and lovely. She still wore the same purple outfit with trousers, her hair half gathered into a bun held by two white jade hairpins. The rest was woven with a tender yellow ribbon into a thick braid that hung down to her lower back. A breeze stirred the loose strands by her temples, and her white eye veil fluttered freely behind her head.

She looked almost as charming as a young maiden, yet mature and slender. In this peaceful moment, Lin Sui's heart fluttered, and he found it hard to contain himself.

"Master, Elder Zha wanted to become your Dao companion. Would you have agreed?"

Lin Sui had held this question back for a long time. Only now, after so much had happened, did he finally dare to ask.

By now, the two of them were over a thousand li from the cave residence.

Su Fuxi sat on the Golden Cicada's broad back, with Lin Sui seated beside her. There was enough space between them to fit another person.

The Golden Cicada at its peak was not slow. A single beat of its wings carried it dozens of zhang.

If she had not intimidated it first that day, she might not have escaped so smoothly.

Hearing this, Su Fuxi deliberately glanced sideways at Lin Sui. Oh, he apparently did not know that she had already dealt with that scumbag.

"Of course not." She shook her head casually and continued forming hand seals, simply practicing the movements. Her slender jade hands moved as if picking flowers, so quickly that they left afterimages.

Even without the glow of spiritual power, it was beautiful to watch, a sight that delighted Lin Sui.

"I, Su Fuxi, would never become anyone's Dao companion, even if I could not form a Nascent Soul."

Her voice was casual, yet carried a faint edge.

Lin Sui was somewhat worried. "Then, if the grand elder keeps pestering you..."

"He-" Su Fuxi did not pause in her practice. "He can't."

Lin Sui was secretly delighted. "Why?"

"Because..." Su Fuxi stopped practicing and shifted her position, bending one leg and resting her chin on her fingers. "He's already dead."

She gazed unhurriedly into the distant void, her long, raven-feather lashes blinking once.

When she later returned to the place where they had fought, she had seen only Zha Wuren's bones and the broken wings of the Spirit-Corroding Insects left behind. That man had already reported to the Yellow Springs.

Lin Sui adored this proud, disdainful, and slightly wicked look of hers.

"Master, you're decisive, and you dare to love and hate."

Su Fuxi raised a brow and glanced at him without saying anything. He thought too highly of her.

There was no love, and even less hatred.

She turned and took out the teleportation artifact. After a casual glance, she saw that it consisted of three concentric jade rings joined end to end like willow branches. She idly tossed it and thought with a click of her tongue:

I need to return this artifact to the sect master. Whatever else, the sect master has shown me kindness, and his sword intent was a great help. As for questions about Zha Wuren and that sixth brother, I believe Junior Sister Fang Yun will have something to say.

In any case, the destruction restriction erupted, and I barely escaped. Mindful of the bonds of our sect, Eldest Senior Brother threw this artifact to me as he was dying... Hmm, that could work.

Quite reasonable.

However.

The sect had lost another two Golden Core cultivators on this trip. The sect master was surely quite troubled.

Su Fuxi put away the teleportation artifact and lowered her head in thought. The Azure Cloud Sect was where she had entered the Dao, and it could also be considered her home in this world. Naturally, she could not stand by and watch it decline.

Cultivation resources were scarce in the Human Realm. It seemed she would have to dig up a few more spirit veins to take back and shut the sect master's mouth, so that the old man would completely forget about Zha Wuren and sixth brother...

Three hundred li away.

A streak of rainbow light flew through the air. The person within the sword light was none other than Elder Sun, a thin-faced old man with a panicked expression.

His flying sword wavered slightly. Ten li behind him, another streak of purple sword light gave chase, its aura fierce as it whistled through the air at great speed.

"Stop! You old bastard, hand over the Scarlet Serpent Gold! A mere mid Golden Core cultivator like you dares steal my opportunity!"

Within the purple sword light stood a young man in his twenties. He was rather handsome, with a sharp edge apparent all over him. An imposing treasured sword hung on his back; clearly, he was a sword cultivator.

Elder Sun gritted his teeth and continued fleeing, his voice carrying behind him. "Hmph! I clearly obtained the treasure first. Even if you're a disciple of the Divine Sword Sect, don't think you can seize it by force. Even if I die, I absolutely won't give it to a shameless wretch like you!"

"Hmph, old bastard, then I'll just kill you and take it!" the blue-robed young man said arrogantly.

Sun Fu swallowed a spirit-replenishing pill and continued fleeing for his life. He knew this secret realm was no place for reason. Even if he gave the treasure to the other man, the latter would not let him leave.

One ahead and one behind, neither of them was slow.

In less than half a quarter of an hour, they were heading straight for the Golden Cicada's path.

"Stop!"

The one behind gave chase, while the one in front cried out, "Help! Fellow Daoists ahead, please save me-"

Su Fuxi spread out her spiritual sense and saw two streaks of rainbow light thirty li away, racing toward her position.

Recognizing that the one being chased was actually Elder Sun, Sun Fu, she frowned slightly and abandoned the idea of having the Golden Cicada change direction.