Chapter 335 : Love Confirmed
Chapter 335: Love Confirmed 【Requesting Monthly Votes】
The moon was like a mirror, hanging high in the nine heavens, illuminating the mountains and rivers below.
A solitary pavilion hung halfway up the mountain. Its flying eaves and upturned corners seemed to be coated with a layer of frost, reflecting a faint, cold glow beneath the moonlight.
“Brother Lin.”
No one was around in the wilds. Only the rustling sound of wind passing through the leaves could be heard.
The quiet of the two being alone together was suddenly broken by the sound of a cow’s moo, which caused Lin Chang’an to feel a burst of irritation.
“Moo!”
Inside the pond, the Azure-Horned Ox stared fixedly at its master and at the female master who had been feeding it ever since it was a calf, its eyes filled with a flattering expression.
Yun Yao, who appeared cold as frost to outsiders, suddenly broke into a smile. With a casual motion, she took out two Spirit Fruits from her Storage Pouch.
At some point, she had already formed this habit. Inside her Storage Pouch, she would always keep some Spirit Fruits prepared for the Azure-Horned Ox and the Wind-Chirp Bird.
“Alright, I’ll let you meet your companion.”
Immediately afterward, Yun Yao lightly tapped her Spirit Beast Pouch. A massive Ice Flood Dragon transformed into a streak of light and appeared in the pond.
The ox and the flood dragon had been friends for many years. Naturally, they were extremely excited upon seeing each other.
Seeing this scene, Lin Chang’an withdrew his gaze and then took out a bottle of pills from his Storage Pouch.
“I wanted to give you this bottle of pills as soon as it was refined, but I couldn’t contact you before.”
The bottle naturally contained Clear Spirit Pills.
After hearing Lin Chang’an explain the effects of the pills, Yun Yao smiled brightly. Without the slightest bit of hesitation, she directly put them away.
“Brother Lin, these pills came at just the right time. They will help me break through to the Late Core Formation stage.”
Late Core Formation!
Upon hearing this, a trace of surprise flashed through Lin Chang’an’s eyes.
He hadn’t expected Yun Yao to have reached this step already. But after thinking about it, it made sense. When Yun Yao was in Tianxuan City, she had plundered the Treasure Pavilion of the Palace of Blazing Fire.
That incident had given her a great amount of resources during the Foundation Establishment stage, greatly accelerating her cultivation speed.
After forming her core, she also competed for the position of Saintess in the Mystic Yin Divine Sect. The resources she could access were naturally far beyond those of ordinary cultivators.
With such advantages, her cultivation speed reaching this point was not surprising.
However, the person Lin Chang’an thought of at this moment was Fairy of Rainbow Skirt. That former prodigy of Yue Kingdom had already become a Core Formation prodigy when he had just reached Foundation Establishment.
Yet after reaching Core Formation, although she had the support of a sect, it still could not compare to the Mystic Yin Divine Sect. Moreover, the burdens of her sect held her back.
Now, the gap between them was gradually shrinking.
“I also have another gift.”
Under the moonlight, Yun Yao—who had previously appeared calm—suddenly showed a trace of panic in her beautiful eyes when Lin Chang’an took out the item.
For some reason, however, a sense of anticipation also rose in her heart.
“This hairpin is refined from Clear Spirit Jade. Several formations are engraved on it, allowing it to calm the mind and assist cultivation.”
After cutting materials for the Clear Spirit Jade Gourd Spirit Vessel, there had been some leftover pieces. After thinking about it for a while, he had used them to refine this jade hairpin.
Perhaps he had already come to understand his own heart.
Although it was not a Magical Artifact, it was still a rare Spirit Item that assisted cultivation.
“Brother Lin… could you help me put it on?”
Her voice was so soft it was almost inaudible, trembling slightly.
Lin Chang’an looked at Yun Yao and smiled gently before nodding.
The two had known each other since youth. Over the long years, they had supported one another and walked the path together. Both clearly understood the feelings they shared.
Yet they had been trapped in difficult circumstances, their strength insufficient, forcing them to struggle constantly.
At this moment, seeing Lin Chang’an personally take out a jade hairpin, Yun Yao’s heart became flustered—yet also deeply reassured.
A hundred years had passed. In this moment, her mind became hazy, as if she had returned to the past once more.
“Sit still.”
Lin Chang’an nodded with a faint smile. Raising his hand, he snapped off a branch from the peach tree planted outside the pavilion. As it flew into his hand, under his precise control—
Wood shavings scattered.
A wooden comb soon formed in his palm.
Her long black hair was carefully gathered into a high bun, adorned with the ice-crystal-like jade hairpin.
“Brother Lin, the last time you helped me comb my hair was also in a pavilion at night.”
Her hair brushed against the person behind her. Looking at the moonlight tonight, Yun Yao smiled with a carefree expression, as if letting go of everything.
Lin Chang’an nodded slightly and replied softly:
“Yes. That was when we had just left the prince’s residence.”
After leaving the prince’s residence, their group had traveled through wind and hardship toward the immortal sect. Although they had not encountered many dangers, that journey had become the most unforgettable time in Yun Yao’s heart.
“If only we could remain in that time forever.”
Under the moonlight, the two leaned together in the pavilion, surrounded only by warmth.
Lin Chang’an said nothing.
Neither did Yun Yao.
It felt as though they had returned to the time when they were both still mortals.
After cultivating for more than a hundred years, it was rare for them to completely open their hearts and relax together like this.
They simply sat quietly in the pavilion, leaning against one another.
Only when the moonlight gradually faded and a golden glow appeared on the horizon did Yun Yao raise her eyes and show a tired smile.
“Brother Lin, I’m tired.”
“Alright.”
Gently wrapping an arm around her slender waist, Lin Chang’an lifted her horizontally.
Once again, she rested against the chest that had once given her a sense of safety when she was still a young girl.
Yun Yao—who possessed the peak cultivation of the Mid Core Formation stage—slowly closed her eyes in exhaustion and fell into a deep sleep, completely defenseless.
In that dream, Yun Yao released all the pressure in her heart.
In her dreams, there was no prince’s residence, no Palace of Blazing Fire, and no Mystic Yin Divine Sect pressuring her.
It felt as if she had returned to the most beautiful time of her life.
…
When she awoke again, it was already the next night.
Moonlight shone through an opening above the cave abode, forming a beam of light within the chamber.
“Brother Lin, I came this time to discuss the matter of the Secret Realm.”
Yun Yao sat upright beside the pool, occasionally glancing at her reflection in the water—or rather, at the hairpin on her head—her lips curling into a smile.
“Mm. I’ve also been preparing for the Secret Realm…”
Since the two had always been planning the Secret Realm together, there was naturally nothing to hide.
Moreover, after the previous night, their relationship had become even closer.
“Brother Lin, when I dealt with a traitor within the sect, I obtained a damaged ancient treasure and its refining manual. Although its power has been lost, if it is partially repaired, it will still be a rare protective magical artifact…”
When Yun Yao took out a heavy, dull piece of armor from her Storage Pouch, Lin Chang’an revealed a shocked expression.
“An ancient treasure!”
Ancient treasures were legendary magical artifacts. They were refined by ancient cultivators and possessed extremely specialized abilities, unlike ordinary magical artifacts.
Although some inheritance remained today, the materials required to refine them had mostly disappeared. Coupled with the difficulty of refinement, few cultivators attempted to create ancient treasures anymore.
Thus, most ancient treasures were held by Nascent Soul cultivators.
“Don’t worry, Brother Lin. This item has already lost its spiritual essence. It’s merely an empty shell now. With modern repair methods, it won’t retain the aura of an ancient treasure.”
Yun Yao smiled lightly and pointed at the pale-golden armor.
“Yun Yao, you mean to repair it partially with modern materials?”
Lin Chang’an wasn’t foolish. Taking the jade slip Yun Yao handed over, he began studying the ancient cultivator’s method for refining the treasure.
Even if he couldn’t refine it himself, the technique alone provided immense insight into Artifact Refinement.
“Four Symbols Dragon Scale Armor. Once refined, it can repel wind, fire, water, and dust. With the power of the Four Symbols, its defensive power is greatly amplified…”
Looking through the jade slip, Lin Chang’an couldn’t help but click his tongue. Many of the materials listed were ones he had never even heard of.
As a Third-rank Artifact Refinement Master, this surprised him greatly.
The armor was purely defensive, combining the power of the Four Symbols—earth, water, fire, and wind.
“To fully repair it would require a Nascent Soul cultivator. But I’ve heard that even damaged ancient treasures can recover two or three tenths of their power if repaired with similar materials. For Core Formation cultivators like us, that’s more than enough.”
If it were a complete ancient treasure, ordinary Core Formation cultivators wouldn’t even dare reveal it.
Only damaged or weakened ancient treasures would appear in the hands of Core Formation cultivators.
Because true ancient treasures were extremely difficult for them to activate with their mana.
…
Several days later.
“Moo.”
Outside the cave abode, in the pond, the Azure-Horned Ox happily played with the Ice Flood Dragon.
The flood dragon, however, greedily curled at the bottom of the pond, enjoying this excellent cultivation site.
Through the formation beneath the pond, strands of refined demonic energy were extracted. For demon beasts, this energy that strengthened and cleansed the body was the best cultivation resource.
“You two…”
Lin Chang’an shook his head.
Previously, Yun Yao had taken the Clear Spirit Pill in his cave abode, allowing her divine sense to naturally break through into the Late Core Formation stage.
After all, her foundation and strength had already reached the peak of Mid Core Formation. The pill merely accelerated the process.
Inside the pavilion, the two sat across from one another at the stone table.
“Are you leaving?”
As the Saintess of the Mystic Yin Divine Sect, Yun Yao could not remain for long. Every visit had to be done secretly.
“Yes, Brother Lin. The Secret Realm will open in about seventy years. We must prepare. Cultivation itself cannot advance overnight, but powerful divine abilities and magical artifacts can greatly increase our strength…”
She then told him the location of a Thunder Flood Dragon she had discovered.
According to the repair method for the armor, the best material would be the essence soul of a fully transformed Fourth-rank metal-attribute flood dragon.
But since that was impossible for them, they had to settle for less.
“A late Third-rank Thunder Flood Dragon…”
Among demon beasts of the same rank, flood dragons were exceptionally powerful.
Lin Chang’an nodded thoughtfully.
He also glanced at Yun Yao, understanding the meaning behind her effort. She must have spent considerable effort locating that thunder flood dragon.
When the two parted, there were no complicated emotions.
Only hope and anticipation for the future.
After all, both of them were cultivators who had lived for nearly two hundred years.
Before leaving, Yun Yao reminded him:
“Brother Lin, make sure that demonic energy of yours never leaks out.”
When she recalled cultivating with that refined demonic energy in his cave abode, even she had been shocked.
Her cultivation speed with the Water Yin Demonic Art had nearly doubled.
There were even faint speculations between them.
It was rumored that the top demonic cultivation methods in the cultivation world were derived from techniques of powerful beings from the Demon Realm.
“Take care.”
Lin Chang’an nodded solemnly.
Before leaving, Yun Yao also took two bottles of purified demonic energy.
“Moo!”
“Roar!”
In the pond, the Ice Flood Dragon and the Azure-Horned Ox were reluctant to part.
Stepping out of the pavilion, beneath the peach tree—
The spring wind rustled through the blossoms, scattering petals and stirring the clothes of those about to part.
Standing side by side, they gazed at the mountain scenery.
Neither spoke.
All unspoken words lodged in their throats, turning into sighs lighter than falling petals.
In the end, they smiled at each other, understanding one another completely.
Just before leaving, Yun Yao leaned close and whispered something into Lin Chang’an’s ear.
Then she turned into a streak of light and disappeared into the horizon.
Under the peach tree, Lin Chang’an watched her departing figure.
Her lingering fragrance still remained.
After a long time, he lowered his head and raised his hand. A flame appeared in his palm, his gaze becoming firm.
“I’ve lived for more than two hundred years. I didn’t expect I would one day lose my composure in anger.”
He laughed lightly, yet there was no regret in his eyes.
Instead, his expression was extremely calm.
From the moment he placed the hairpin on Yun Yao’s head, his state of mind had suddenly become clear.
He was cautious and disliked unnecessary risks.
But some things—
Could be done.
And some things—
Could not be avoided.
“Anyway, after finishing the Sixth Elder’s task in the Secret Realm, I’ll also search for a Nascent Soul opportunity. Once I leave the Secret Realm, I’ll probably need to lay low for a while.”
Even without Yun Yao’s situation, he would not have returned to Five Dragon Island.
After all, if he survived the Secret Realm without joining Bihai Palace, he would inevitably become a target.
Even if he claimed he gained nothing—who would believe him?
Any Core Formation cultivator entering such a Secret Realm was seeking the opportunity to form the Nascent Soul.
Whether he obtained it or not, greed was human nature.
Back then, the Blood Fiend True Lord had disappeared after leaving the Secret Realm for exactly this reason.
He had secretly pursued the Nascent Soul opportunity but ultimately perished along the way.
At worst, after the Secret Realm ended, he and Yun Yao would flee to another country.
In fact, both of them were already secretly planning to betray the Mystic Yin Divine Sect after the Secret Realm.
“After the Secret Realm, I’ll prepare for Nascent Soul Formation. Once I become a Nascent Soul cultivator, there will be nowhere in the cultivation world I cannot go.”
Lin Chang’an’s eyes shone with determination.
…
Meanwhile, Yun Yao flew away as a streak of light.
Her gaze was even more resolute now.
But recalling the whisper they had shared before parting, she couldn’t help but smile.
“Perhaps… I’ve found my freedom.”
Once, she believed freedom meant breaking free from all restraints.
But when the hairpin was placed on her head—
She seemed to understand something.
Her heart suddenly felt clearer than ever.