Zhi Xuan closed his eyes for a moment, letting the desert wind he had carried from the Ancient Wasteland touch his face. He could feel the fluctuations of his remaining spiritual essence, the Divine Cauldron vibrating faintly in his Sea of Consciousness, and the muffled pulse of the sealed Kun Peng Fetus. He had returned.

  "Of course Zhi will go, Holy Fairy," Zhi Xuan replied, his voice calm and cold, a return of the arrogance he used as a shield. He did not turn around, merely letting Zhu Qinglan hold his robe. "The Great Path is vast, and the promise of stepping onto the Emperor’s Road with the Holy Fairy is something I will always remember."

  It was a delicately wrapped admission that Zhi Xuan would not be with Zhu Qinglan forever at every moment. But the statement also hinted that at the Final Road or at every opportunity, Zhi Xuan would still walk the Emperor’s Path bringing Zhu Qinglan with him.

  Zhi Xuan felt Zhu Qinglan’s grip on his back tighten for a moment before loosening and finally letting go. The contradictory warmth vanished, replaced by the chill of the rushing wind. Zhi Xuan knew he had just tested the limits of Zhu Qinglan’s patience and trust. That answer—an admission wrapped in arrogance—was the only way to allow Zhu Qinglan to maintain her dignity as a Holy Princess.

  However, just as he thought Zhu Qinglan would say something to distance this intimacy and reduce the creeping awkwardness, she stepped forward and stood in front of him. Without saying a word, she pressed her body against Zhi Xuan’s tattered robe and wrapped her arms tightly around his waist. Zhi Xuan froze, letting the cold wind pierce his skin. That embrace, coming without words and without warning, was the collision of two most contradictory Daos: Cold Gentleness and Hot Arrogance.

  Zhu Qinglan’s ice-cold body, which radiated the majesty of a pure lotus flower, was now pressed against Zhi Xuan’s robe that smelled of dust and Primordial blood. Zhu Qinglan’s arms, which had only ever been used to wield Pure Water Laws and slap silks, now encircled Zhi Xuan’s waist with a surprising grip. Between them, they were separated only by a thin layer of torn fabric.

  Zhi Xuan felt Zhu Qinglan’s hair, as soft as silk, touch his exposed collarbone. That contradictory warmth—coming from the core of frigidity—was a lethal betrayal of every principle held by the Holy Princess of the Thousand Skies Sect. Zhi Xuan, who had prepared himself for every form of slap and rejection, was now faced with the most brutal vulnerability.

  Zhu Qinglan hid her face in Zhi Xuan’s chest, her slender body trembling. She did not cry, but the cold aura that always enveloped her now felt like frozen dew. The majesty of the Holy Princess had crumbled, replaced by the weakness of a terrified woman. For the first time, Zhi Xuan realized that behind that majesty, Zhu Qinglan was a figure bound by promises and the fear of loss.

  "Do not die," Zhu Qinglan whispered, her voice muffled by the fabric of Zhi Xuan’s tattered robe. The tone was hoarse and barely audible, a voice that violated all her elegance. "Do not die before you lead me toward Immortality, and do not die before you tread upon the Nine Heavens."

  It was not a plea, but a command spoken with absolute truth, a Dao affirmation bound by cold worry. If Zhi Xuan died, then the Seven Lotus Yin Fruit he now held would mean nothing. Her Dao foundation, which for three months had stood on the brink of destruction, would fully collapse. They were now two lines of fate intertwined; one could not fall without bringing down the other.

  Zhi Xuan raised his hands, letting his dirty, dust-covered hands hover over Zhu Qinglan’s back. He did not dare to return the embrace; Zhu Qinglan had offered a brutal intimacy, but Zhi Xuan did not want to treat it as a weakness to be exploited. He exhaled a breath that carried the remnants of Primordial air.

  "Zhi will not die, Holy Fairy," Zhi Xuan replied, his voice now softening, his arrogance disappearing to be replaced by honest exhaustion. "Of course, not even the Great Emperor's Tomb could kill me."

  In the distance, twilight began to creep in. Zhi Xuan chose to steer the boat to fly low toward a mountain range. The desert land began to fade, replaced by a lush and beautiful mountain area beneath the rising moonlight. He allowed Zhu Qinglan to remain leaning against him, searching for a mountain crevice that could be used for the night and for his recovery.

  Zhi Xuan channeled his remaining essence into the Seven Star Boat, forcing it to slow down and dive gently. He ignored the searing pain in his Sea of Consciousness, focusing his mind on finding a hidden resting place. The mountains below them were shrouded in cold moon mist, their peaks covered in dense forests untouched by mortal cultivators.

  The Divine Cauldron in Zhi Xuan’s Sea of Consciousness spun faintly, radiating a Spring resonance that slowly calmed the Yin and Yang fluctuations in his foundation. He found a hidden valley surrounded by steep cliffs, perfectly shielded from the wind and drifting spiritual gazes.

  The Seven Star Boat landed softly on a bed of spiritual moss. Upon landing, Zhi Xuan felt his exhausted body reach its limit. He almost collapsed, but Zhu Qinglan’s embrace, which still circled his waist, provided the support he needed.

  Zhu Qinglan, feeling Zhi Xuan’s body stiffen and slump, immediately released the embrace. The contradictory warmth vanished, and Zhu Qinglan returned to her cold and elegant nature. She took one step back, her face expressionless, but her light grey eyes radiated the worry she carefully hid.

  "Follow me," Zhu Qinglan commanded, her voice cold again but not challenging. She did not use cultivator titles; she simply used an absolute tone indicating that in this hidden place, she was the authority to be obeyed.

  Zhi Xuan merely smirked, then waved his hand to return the Seven Star Boat to his storage bag. He stepped into the valley crevice guided by Zhu Qinglan. The hidden valley was a small paradise. In its center flowed a clear spring radiating the aura of pure spiritual water essence.

  All around it grew various Heavenly herbs that emitted a soft glow under the moonlight. Zhu Qinglan stepped toward the spring, her movements graceful and flawless. Zhi Xuan waved his hand to levitate the Cauldron to the mouth of the valley crevice, carving formation runes that masked them both from divine sense.

  The Divine Cauldron floated back and vanished into Zhi Xuan’s body. He immediately fell into a cross-legged position on the soft, damp grass beneath him. He ignored his tattered robes and immediately brought out the Divine Black Jade Stone. Zhi Xuan was just about to break the stone to absorb the last of its spiritual essence, but the movement stopped as Zhu Qinglan turned around.

  The Holy Princess stood before him, her cold majesty like a jade carving radiating moonlight. In her hand, the sealed Seven Lotus Yin Fruit still emitted a soothing Yin aura.

  "Do not absorb mortal spiritual essence," Zhu Qinglan said, her voice cold but containing a firm command. "Your Dao foundation has been contaminated by Primordial pressure and the Emperor's Law. Your body needs pure recovery, not the essence of a Divine Stone that will leave residue."

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  Zhu Qinglan stepped closer. She knelt before Zhi Xuan, her movements slow and full of dignity. This was an act that violated all the pride of a Holy Princess. She took the Seven Lotus Yin Fruit from its seal, letting the seven pitch-black petals open slowly, releasing a pure Yin aura that was cold and lethal.

  Under the moonlight, the Seven Lotus Yin Fruit looked like an ice flower enveloped by the night. Its Extreme Yin aura felt incredibly pure, capable of freezing the spirit of an Organ Transformation cultivator in an instant.

  However, what choked Zhi Xuan the most was how Zhu Qinglan brought out a black robe with red silk accents. The robe he had left at the Heavenly Sword Peak was now in Zhu Qinglan’s hands, along with silk that seemed intended for bandages.

  "My robe," Zhi Xuan murmured. He felt both horrified and bewildered. How could Zhu Qinglan break into the Heavenly Sword Peak and take the robe that was his identity? "Holy Fairy, how..."

  "Three months," Zhu Qinglan replied, her tone flat and emotionless, but the implication was brutal. She did not answer the specific question but rather explained the reason. "The statue crumbled. I went to the Heavenly Sword Peak, destroyed the stupid formation of your Cultivation Cave, and took this devil robe of yours."

  Zhu Qinglan spread the robe; the pitch-black fabric with blood-red silk accents looked intact, as if it had never been touched by dust. Her face remained expressionless, but her hands holding the robe trembled slightly. Zhu Qinglan did not care if her reputation was tarnished for entering the cultivation site of the Black-Haired Devil; she acted solely on hidden, cold worry.

  Zhi Xuan fell silent. This act by Zhu Qinglan was far more brutal than all the silk slaps he had ever received. A Holy Princess of an Ancient Clan, known for her untouched majesty, personally violated boundaries and destroyed the formation of a Black-Haired Devil just to take his black robe. It was a sincere declaration of concern, an admission that transcended the logic of righteous and evil.

  "You violated so many Sect Laws, Holy Fairy," Zhi Xuan replied, his tone returning to cold, but with a touch of amusement. He let Zhu Qinglan see his weakness, but he also wanted to see how far this Holy Princess dared to go.

  Zhu Qinglan ignored the remark. Her light grey eyes stared straight at Zhi Xuan’s torn robe. She set aside the Seven Lotus Yin Fruit, then reached out with a slight tremble to open the top of Zhi Xuan’s robe. Her cheeks flushed faintly, yet she was also shocked to see black veins spreading like spiderwebs.

  "Just a Seal," Zhi Xuan interrupted before Zhu Qinglan could ask. He could not tell her that he practiced the Slaughter Seals which formed his physical foundation. "A common body-tempering technique I learned during my journey to the Ancient Wasteland."

  Zhu Qinglan did not believe the explanation, but she did not press further. The black veins resembling spiderwebs on Zhi Xuan’s skin, under the moonlight, radiated an oppressive ancient aura. It was not a mere mortal body-tempering technique; it was a law that consumed essence, something born of chaos. However, her focus was now on recovery.

  The holy princess carefully removed Zhi Xuan’s torn robe, letting it fall onto the damp grass. Zhi Xuan’s exposed upper body—covered in old scars and the black veins of the slaughter seals—was now displayed under the moonlight. It looked denser and sturdier, indicating that the Seal suspected by Zhu Qinglan was truly abnormal.

  Zhi Xuan felt the cold night air pierce his bare skin, but his attention was focused on Zhu Qinglan. The Holy Princess’s face, usually flawless, was now colored with a faint redness, especially as she looked at Zhi Xuan’s exposed upper body. This was a level of intimacy he never expected would happen, a total betrayal of the majesty that had always been Zhu Qinglan’s identity.

  With trembling hands, Zhu Qinglan took the opened Seven Lotus Yin Fruit from its place. The pure, cold Yin aura immediately enveloped her hands, radiating with power that could soothe Zhi Xuan’s blood fluctuations. She held out the Fruit, pressing it slowly against Zhi Xuan’s chest, right over his heart.

  Zzzt!

  Zhi Xuan felt a wave of pure, cold Yin pierce his physical foundation. It was not pain, but a sensation of purification that pierced to the bone. The aura of chaos from the Kun Peng Fetus sealed in his Sea of Consciousness rustled, as if reacting to this extraordinary pure Yin. The Devil Tree of Life greedily absorbed the Yin essence, using it to calm the turmoil caused by the Primordial fetus.

  "Absorb," Zhu Qinglan commanded, her voice now cold and absolute again, but with a note of urgency. "This fruit will purify the Primordial Law contaminating your foundation and return your essence to its peak. Do not resist; let it flow."

  Zhi Xuan closed his eyes, surrendering control to the Holy Princess. He focused his will, allowing the Seven Lotus Yin Fruit to flow pure Yin essence into his body. Within breaths, he felt the chaotic Primordial Law inside him slowly calm down, suppressed by the pure Yin of the Heavenly Fruit. The twenty Slaughter Seals that had reached their limit now felt sturdier, their black essence becoming denser.

  Zhu Qinglan continued to hold the Seven Lotus Yin Fruit against Zhi Xuan’s chest, her light grey eyes radiating a sharp light of focus. After ensuring Zhi Xuan began to absorb it, she took the black robe with red silk accents she had brought and spread it on her lap. From her storage bag, she brought out several rolls of fine white silk, which turned out to be medical silk infused with healing runes.

  With precise movements, Zhu Qinglan tore the silk into small pieces. She then channeled a bit of Pure Water Law from her palm into one of the silk pieces, letting it become wet and cold. Without hesitation, she began to clean the dried blood and dust clinging to Zhi Xuan’s forehead.

  Zhi Xuan, feeling the soft and cold touch on his brow, started slightly. This was an intimacy far beyond the momentary embrace on the Seven Star Boat. A Holy Princess, cleaning the wounds of a Black-Haired Devil. It was a sight that would shake the entire Xing Luo Plains if anyone saw it.

  Zhu Qinglan continued to clean, her movements slow and careful, as if afraid of hurting Zhi Xuan. She cleaned his forehead, then moved to his cheeks, chin, and neck. Each touch felt like caressing ice but left a soothing trail of purification. The black veins of the Slaughter Seals spreading across Zhi Xuan’s skin appeared clearer under that touch, as if the pure Yin from the Fruit was also slowly calming them.

  After ensuring Zhi Xuan’s face and neck were clean of blood and dust, Zhu Qinglan shifted her hand, pressing the Seven Lotus Yin Fruit against Zhi Xuan’s left shoulder, then cleaning his right shoulder. She said nothing, focusing only on her work; the silence enveloping them was filled with the sound of the night wind and the soft rustle of the Yin essence from the Fruit.

  Zhi Xuan felt a deep drowsiness creep in. His weary body, after passing through the Great Emperor's Tomb and the Kun Peng sealing, finally received true recovery. The pure Yin essence from the Fruit calmed his spiritual fluctuations, and Zhu Qinglan’s touch provided a tranquility he never expected to obtain. He let his eyes close, surrendering to the sensation of purification and that brutal intimacy.

  Zhu Qinglan continued cleaning Zhi Xuan’s upper body, from shoulders to arms, then to his broad chest. Each touch of her cold hand passed over the black veins of the Slaughter Seals, leaving a strange tingling sensation.

  Her faintly flushed cheeks were now clearer under the moonlight. This act—caring for a Black-Haired Devil—was a sacrifice that surpassed everything, a sign that their promise and karmic bond were much deeper than she admitted.

  Once finished cleaning, Zhu Qinglan carefully removed the Seven Lotus Yin Fruit from Zhi Xuan’s chest. The pure Yin aura from the Fruit now felt weaker, indicating that Zhi Xuan had absorbed most of its essence. She then took the black robe with red silk accents, spread it out, and with a gentle motion, draped the robe over Zhi Xuan’s body.

  "You should sleep," Zhu Qinglan whispered, her voice once again cold and flat, as if trying to cover the emotions she had just shown. "Three months in the Tomb have made your foundation unstable. Sleep and let the Fruit restore you."

  She then rose, returning to the figure of the graceful and untouched Holy Princess. Zhu Qinglan walked toward the clear spring, channeled Pure Water Law, and began to clean the medical silks she had used. Her movements were calm and full of dignity, as if nothing had happened.

  Zhi Xuan, now wrapped in his clean black robe, felt a contradictory warmth. He opened his eyes slowly, seeing Zhu Qinglan’s back turned to him, radiating a cold majesty. He knew that behind that wall of ice, something had cracked, something that would never be the same.

  "Ha, look at who is like a youth intoxicated by the love of a Great Goddess," Ruo Xianxue hissed from the Sea of Consciousness, her tone disgusted and blunt. "Just finished arrogantly carving his name on the walls of the Great Emperor's Tomb, now behaving like a tame lamb."

  Xiao Die on the other side hummed, giving her approval to Ruo Xianxue’s remark. "Master, you truly look different. Do you... actually want a child now?"