Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Due to a mysterious senior who suddenly appeared in the secret realm, the Chongyao Sect Master discussed with several elders and decided to open the Foundation Establishment realm overnight. They respectfully waited outside the entrance, preparing to see which great cultivator had arrived.

However, after waiting for most of the day, they only saw young disciples leaving the secret realm with bewildered expressions, but there was no trace of that senior.

On the contrary, the crumbling secret realm, which seemed ready to collapse at any moment, slowly returned to its previous tranquil state—ancient, heavy, and gentle, embracing the sect's younger disciples.

The Chongyao Sect Master's expression was somewhat peculiar. He kept calculating, but this matter itself seemed to have been deliberately erased; no matter what he did, he could not divine any more details. He stroked his white beard, thought for a long time, and then said in a low voice, "Let's wait a little longer. If that senior doesn't show up tonight, then let this matter rest."

Perhaps that senior did not wish to reveal himself or have others know. If so, there was no need to continue, lest they incur his displeasure.

More than half of the disciples in the secret realm had already left.

Below the cliff, however, a few figures lingered, reluctant to leave, almost turning the entire area upside down.

Ripples like water rippled through the void. The sky was dark, and murky drops occasionally fell from the sky, as if the entire heavens were about to collapse. Seeing that the secret realm's entrance had been open for most of the day, and the elders repeatedly urged them via jade tokens to leave quickly due to the risk of collapse, the disciples grew increasingly anxious.

The male cultivator holding Lu Sisi hesitated for a moment, then stepped forward to block Gu Lingqiu. He said in a deep voice, "Senior Brother Gu, let's go quickly. The secret realm is in trouble; if you don't leave now, you might get trapped here forever!"

Gu Lingqiu seemed not to hear him. His eyes were bloodshot, and he silently rummaged through the wreckage, pulling apart the charred, lifeless vines. Beneath them, he found countless weathered bones and shredded flesh, but still no trace of Lu Yuanyin.

It was as if she had vanished into thin air, leaving behind nothing but that fish-shaped jade pendant.

The male cultivator received no response for a long time and grew angry. However, seeing Gu Lingqiu's bloodshot eyes, his dazed and terrifying expression, he didn't dare provoke him further. Suppressing his rage, he said in a deep voice, "Senior Brother Gu, Lu Yuanyin might have left long ago. If you get yourself trapped here, it'll be useless. Instead, go out and find Immortal Lord Changye—he surely has more ideas than we do."

Gu Lingqiu stubbornly continued his search. The broken vines cut his skin, and his hands were already a bloody mess.

Unconscious Lu Sisi seemed to sense something. As Gu Lingqiu brushed past her, her blood-stained fingers clutched tightly at his robe. Her brows were furrowed, fear written all over her face. Her pale lips moved, and she murmured, "Brother Gu..."

Seeing Lu Sisi like this, the male cultivator felt a pang of pain. Ignoring all else, he grabbed Gu Lingqiu's robe and shouted harshly, "Now that Lu Yuanyin is missing, what use is it for you to stay here? Staying will only make Junior Sister Lu's condition worse! You can afford to wait, but Little Junior Sister cannot!"

"Lu Yuanyin's life matters, but Junior Sister Lu's life doesn't? Gu Lingqiu, get a grip! How can you face Little Junior Sister's feelings for you like this?!"

Feeling the tug on his clothes, Gu Lingqiu paused. He looked dazedly at the person before him, seeing Lu Sisi covered in blood, her face pale, murmuring unconsciously, "Brother Gu..."

His thin lips moved, a faint ripple stirring in his eyes.

After a long moment, he sliced off his sleeve with his sword.

Lu Yuanyin might have already met with misfortune; he could not let Lu Sisi suffer because of him. His voice was hoarse. "Let's go."

His mind was a mess. Gu Lingqiu silently surveyed the mess around him. *Lu Yuanyin, wait for me. I will come back to save you...*

He took one last deep look at the scene behind him, then without further hesitation, followed the others toward the exit of the secret realm.

The mountain wind howled. Gu Lingqiu gripped the fish-shaped jade pendant tightly, only to find it had snapped in two. The sharp edge cut into his palm, embedding deep into his flesh as blood dripped slowly from his fingertips.

His palm was already a bloody mess, but he seemed to feel no pain. His expression was dark as he stared in the direction of the Cloud-Receiving Platform.

Gu Lingqiu suddenly recalled the night before they entered the secret realm. After months of training outside, he had returned to the Chongyao Sect and immediately gone to see Lu Yuanyin. But when they met, they had another argument.

At that time, he had only wanted Lu Yuanyin to soften and apologize first. He felt uneasy because recent changes in her behavior seemed to slip out of his control, and he hated that feeling.

So, he deliberately grew closer to Lu Sisi. He had no other intentions—he just wanted to curb Lu Yuanyin's sharpness...

Gu Lingqiu's eyes flashed with regret. If he had known she would meet with danger here, he would never have stormed off in anger, even if it meant death!

He gripped the broken jade pendant tightly, feeling a hollow ache in his chest—an empty, bitter feeling.

When Qing Nong received an urgent summons from the Dragon Lord, he was confused but dared not delay. He immediately set aside his tasks and rushed to the Chongyao Sect.

After all, this was the first time in so many years that Huo Wuyan had actively sought him out.

He saw Hong Rong standing guard outside the door, raised an eyebrow, and silently asked with his eyes what had happened to bring him here in the dead of night.

Hong Rong kept winking at him, trying to signal something, but Qing Nong couldn't figure it out. Rolling his eyes, he tiptoed and pushed open the door.

Inside, a tall figure stood with his back to him, near the bed. His white hair fell loose, with twisted horns growing from it. He wore a black robe embroidered with coiled dragons and gold thread. Just standing there, he exuded an oppressive, overwhelming aura.

Qing Nong's eyes twitched. He rushed over, "Why'd you call me in the dead of night? Are you hurt?! Who could be powerful enough to hurt you?"

Huo Wuyan turned slightly, cutting off his rambling, and said coldly, "Heal her."

Qing Nong looked up and saw a young girl lying unconscious on the bed. Surprise flickered in his heart, but he kept a straight face. His gaze lingered on Lu Yuanyin's face, and upon seeing her features, he got more curious.

This was the first time Huo Wuyan had asked him to treat a woman, and such a pretty one at that...

"Who is this? I don't think I've seen her before," Qing Nong winked knowingly. He glanced at her wounds and checked her pulse. "Some broken bones; the rest is minor. A little medicine and she'll be fine in no time." With that, his hands formed seals, and his fingers moved swiftly. A green spiritual energy slowly enveloped Lu Yuanyin. As the energy faded, the wounds on her neck, made by the vines, gradually healed.

Qing Nong narrowed his eyes, pulled back his spiritual energy, and took several bottles of spiritual pills from his storage pouch, placing them on the table. "Take this one internally, and these two externally. In two days, she'll be fully recovered. No big deal!"

As his words ended, the room fell silent again.

Qing Nong felt uneasy; he hated awkward silences like this. He peeked at the person beside him, only to see Huo Wuyan staring intently at the girl on the bed. His brows were slightly furrowed, his pupils crimson, and his gaze had a focus Qing Nong had never seen.

Qing Nong's eyes twitched. Unlike Hong Rong, who had been chosen from outside tribes, Qing Nong had grown up by Huo Wuyan's side. He thought he knew Huo Wuyan better than even his own deadbeat dad.

Huo Wuyan had always been cold and standoffish since childhood. While others played and fooled around, he focused solely on cultivation. He was always aloof, never taking anything to heart—as if nothing could impress him.

Qing Nong had never seen Huo Wuyan look at anyone that way.

He hesitated for a moment, then asked carefully, "Is there anything else you need me to do? If not, I'll go now?"

Seeing that Huo Wuyan ignored him, Qing Nong touched his nose and slipped out of the room tactfully. Just as he was about to close the door, he seemed to remember something and stuck his head back in. "Be sure to put medicine on her later. I noticed some of her wounds are quite deep."

The door closed again.

The room was dim. The faint candlelight swayed gently in the evening breeze, casting dappled shadows of the trees on the wall.

Huo Wuyan lowered his gaze, looking down at Lu Yuanyin on the bed. After a moment, he leaned down slightly, his slender fingers hooking her torn clothes, revealing her fair, smooth waist. A still-bleeding wound ran almost across her abdomen.

Huo Wuyan uncorked the jade bottle, and his cool fingertips lightly touched her wound. A faint scent of medicinal herbs mixed with a subtle fragrance lingered around his nose.

The skin beneath his hand was like fine white jade—soft and delicate. Huo Wuyan looked away, fully aware of how soft this slender waist was.

His rough fingertips unconsciously stroked her tender flesh.

In her sleep, Lu Yuanyin seemed to sense something. Her long eyelashes fluttered, her brows slightly knitted, and her pale fingers unconsciously clutched at her clothes, leaving a faint blush on her fair skin.

Huo Wuyan's gaze lingered on her face for a moment. Her eyes were tightly shut, and her rosy lips had lost their usual luster. Perhaps due to pain, her small face was furrowed, and a few strands of black hair clung wetly to her pale cheek. She looked pitiful, a far cry from the arrogant and willful girl of a few days ago.

Thinking of those absurd days, he fell silent for a moment, an awkward expression crossing his face.

Huo Wuyan did not stay long. Seeing that Lu Yuanyin was about to wake, he left directly.

Hong Rong was puzzled and voiced his question, "My lord, since you saved Lu Yuanyin, why not reveal yourself?" Even if the lord disdained to demand gratitude for favors, saving someone was still saving them. The spirit beast clan had no tradition of doing good deeds anonymously.

Huo Wuyan glanced sideways, looking through the crack in the window at Lu Yuanyin lying on the bed. She rubbed her eyes, looking dazedly up at the ceiling.

He himself didn't know why he did it.

Sensing that she was about to wake up, he instinctively avoided her.

He simply hadn't figured out how to face her after she had scrutinized him from head to toe, cursed his dick as too ugly to look at, his skills so awful they’d piss off both gods and men, and called him a shameless monster.

He was afraid that as soon as she opened her mouth, he wouldn’t be able to stop himself from strangling her.

No man could accept being scolded like this by a woman, not even a dragon.

Huo Wuyan, who had always been flattered and coddled, and who had had sex for the first time, was even less able to take it.

Author's note:

Here we go~

Every time I write about the elder dragon's psychology here, I can't help but laugh hhh. He's emo, withdrawn, wants to cuddle with his wife, but feels like he's being too desperate and cheap, constantly questioning his life choices.