I’ve discovered something tragic, friends. Even though I, Xiao Mo, work hard to post four chapters every day, some readers still ask why there are only two or three. I’m adding tags to the chapters now, so you should be able to tell clearly how many go up each day.
A new week is here, so I’m asking for some recommendation votes.
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Yang Kai lowered his gaze to look. The pendant was just a square piece of jade, but it felt cool to the touch and seemed to have a calming effect on the mind.
“This is a Cold Ice Jade Marrow. I’ve worn it since I was a child. Over the years, it has absorbed quite a bit of my true essence. Keep it close to you. At a critical moment, it can help suppress fluctuations in your energy.”
“Does this count as a token of love or something?” Yang Kai asked Su Yan with a smile.
Su Yan’s cheeks flushed pink, and she gave a slight nod.
Hearing this, Yang Kai immediately started patting himself down, but after searching for a while, he couldn’t find anything worthy of giving in return.
The most valuable things on him were the Soul-Shattering Awl and the Yin-Yang Demon Ginseng.
He couldn’t give the Soul-Shattering Awl; it was too evil, and it contained the Earth Demon’s soul. Giving it to Su Yan would only harm her. The Yin-Yang Demon Ginseng could be given, but it was merely a spiritual treasure of heaven and earth, carrying no sentimental significance as a token.
He sniffled awkwardly. “Wait until later, I’ll give you something too.”
Su Yan smiled. “The Nine Yin Essence Condensation Dew you gave me is enough.”
“You’re too good!” Yang Kai said sincerely.
“Don’t praise me. When you praise me, my heart beats too fast!” Su Yan gasped softly, placing a hand over her chest. After cultivating the Harmony Art, her Ice Heart Art was completely ineffective against Yang Kai. He was like her natural bane; every word and action he took tugged at her thoughts and feelings.
“Hehe!” Yang Kai laughed with unparalleled joy. In all the world, who could make a woman like Su Yan flustered and overwhelmed? Only him!
With a life like this, what more could one ask for?
He could say that, without the fortune found within the Inheritance Grotto-heaven, he and Su Yan likely would never have crossed paths in any meaningful way during their entire lives. Moreover, in all the Han Dynasty, there probably wasn’t a single man worthy of her. Even he felt he didn’t quite match up. This wasn’t false modesty; it was because Su Yan was simply too cold, proud, and noble.
“Once we leave here, what do you plan to do?” Su Yan calmed down and posed another question.
“Plan to do what?”
“Your future path! And our relationship.” Su Yan was like a conscientious parent, considering things for Yang Kai that he would never think about himself.
“I don’t understand.” Yang Kai frowned slightly. “Be more specific.”
Su Yan smiled gently. “Let me put it this way. I’ve thought of two paths for you. The first is to make our relationship public. With my status and standing in the sect, once it’s out in the open, you’ll definitely receive strong support and cultivation resources. You won’t have to worry about Contribution Points anymore. Techniques, pills, artifacts—all will be easy to obtain.”
“Are you testing me?” Yang Kai asked, looking at her with a smile.
She slowly shook her head. “I’m serious.”
Yang Kai was visibly moved. He could imagine the sensation it would cause if their relationship were revealed within the sect.
He and Su Yan—one low, one high—were a pair that should never have been able to come together. If they appeared openly before the world, Yang Kai would certainly be envied by all, and Su Yan’s situation wouldn’t be much better. Setting aside opposition from their elders, even the fellow disciples would surely condemn Su Yan’s choice.
Yang Kai hadn’t expected Su Yan to face the world’s gossip so calmly.
“You don’t need to feel burdened. I’m simply creating better cultivation conditions for my man!”
Yang Kai returned to his senses and spoke solemnly. “This proposal is very tempting. But it’s not right for me.”
Su Yan seemed to know he would say this, her expression calm, a smile still on her lips as she watched him.
Yang Kai clenched his fists, staring at his own hands. “Everything I have, I will win with my own strength. Relying on you… that’s not what I want.”
Su Yan’s smile brightened. “Although I’m a little sad to hear you say that, I’m also very happy. Then you’ll have to take the second path.”
Yang Kai grinned. “Yes. I’ll grow stronger as quickly as possible!”
The second path was to rely on himself!
“I’ll be waiting for you to protect me,” Su Yan said softly.
“It won’t be long.” Yang Kai picked up Su Yan’s hand and brought it to his lips for a kiss. He paused, then suddenly remembered something and looked up. “By the way, Su Yan, once we leave here, you might be in trouble.”
“Hm?” Su Yan looked confused.
Yang Kai analyzed seriously. “The disciples from our three sects came here specifically for the inheritance of this place. We had to kill nine demon beasts and activate the formation to make the inheritance appear. Seven or eight hundred disciples from the three sects all climbed those endless stairs and experienced the trials of cold and heat. Your strength is the greatest among all the disciples, and you cultivate a cold-attributed technique. What do you think those people are thinking right now?”
Su Yan froze. She had been focused solely on considering Yang Kai’s situation and hadn’t thought about herself at all. But hearing Yang Kai put it this way, she suddenly realized. “They’ll think… that the inheritance of this place has already been obtained by me!”
“Exactly. I reckon many of them are thinking just that.” Yang Kai nodded slightly.