Shen Mizi left Duan Rong and slid down the cable path to the mountain top of the Lower Courtyard. She walked along the edge of the cliff, stopping suddenly at the iron chains near the Imperial Stable Hall.
She looked at one of the iron chains, her eyes flickering.
That iron chain led to the mountain top of the Stone Workshop.
Shen Mizi didn’t hesitate for long. She tied the beast skin blanket around her waist and entered the chain path. Duan Rong asked her to inquire about Lv Qingzhu, and she felt she had to tell Xiao Yu.
The two of them were like sisters; no matter what, she shouldn’t hide this from Xiao Yu.
Shen Mizi arrived at the Stone Workshop, and Xiao Yu was about to start her shift in the cave.
Xiao Yu was very happy to see Shen Mizi arrive unexpectedly, but seeing Shen Mizi’s expression seemed off, Shen Mizi pulled her into a corner and told Xiao Yu everything Duan Rong asked her to find out about Lv Qingzhu, including some details about Lv Qingzhu.
Xiao Yu’s eyebrows slightly furrowed, and her eyes flashed with a thoughtful cold glint.
She recalled the night Lv Qingzhu left on the Cloud Feather Fierce Eagle, the look in Duan Rong’s eyes as he gazed longingly towards the sky.
"Could it be they really have something going on?"
But Xiao Yu was certain that when Lv Qingzhu left, he didn’t even glance at Duan Rong.
Yet, if there was nothing between them, why did Duan Rong react like that? And why, once back in the sect, did he ask Shen Mizi to inquire about Lv Qingzhu in the Elder Hall?
No, something’s definitely wrong!
Xiao Yu suddenly became very alert!
Shen Mizi said, "Sister Xiao, I must go now, or I’ll get scolded by the matron if I’m late!"
Xiao Yu said, "Good sister, thank you for coming to tell me."
Shen Mizi said, "Sister Xiao, I am not spreading rumors. I’ve thought this through thoroughly, and I don’t feel right hiding it from you."
Xiao Yu said, "Don’t overthink this, sister. I am grateful for you telling me. You did the right thing!"
Shen Mizi said, "As long as sister can understand my intentions, it’s all good."
Xiao Yu held Shen Mizi’s hand and escorted her to the gate of the Stone Workshop. Shen Mizi hurried away.
Xiao Yu returned to her work in the cave, but all day she was a bit distracted. After finishing her shift, she cleaned herself up and went to Duan Rong’s mountain.
Xiao Yu arrived at Duan Rong’s mountain around 3 p.m., but after wandering around, she didn’t see any sign of Duan Rong.
Xiao Yu didn’t know where Duan Rong had gone, so she simply waited for him in his cave.
Duan Rong didn’t come out of the alchemy cave until midnight.
The sky was full of bright moon and stars, the clouds were thin, and distant dense forests echoed with faint insect and cicada calls.
Feeling jubilant, Duan Rong walked along the cliff, the moonlight illuminating the bare cliff brightly.
Duan Rong held a porcelain bottle in his hand, occasionally sniffing it.
Tonight’s alchemy session seemed guided by the gods; all three batches of materials were successfully refined, totaling more than thirty Yang Pills.
That’s thirty-plus contribution points!
This successful refining recuperated all the costs of the previous two failed attempts!
It’s more cost-effective to do the alchemy himself!
Duan Rong happily walked to the entrance of his cave, seeing the bright moonlight diagonally shining into the cave, making the entrance brightly lit.
Duan Rong was about to enter the cave when his eyebrows suddenly jumped.
"Who’s there? Come out!"
Duan Rong was certain there was breathing sound inside the cave. He grasped the pill bottle with his left hand and was already holding the hilt of the Minghong Saber with his right.
Then, from within the cave came a delicate cough.
Although it was just a single cough, Duan Rong recognized it as Xiao Yu.
Duan Rong originally thought Xiao Yu had come for some matter, but as he was about to speak, he heard rustling from the depths of the cave.
He saw Xiao Yu, wrapped in a beast skin blanket, coming out from the depths of the cave to stand in the entrance where the bright moonlight shone.
Xiao Yu was barefoot, her skin like white jade with a faint cold glow under the moonlight.
Duan Rong gazed at Xiao Yu in a daze.
Xiao Yu crossed her arms, holding the blanket in front of her chest, suddenly loosening her grip and gently flipping the corners of the blanket behind her.
The beast skin blanket smoothly slid off Xiao Yu’s body, falling behind her.
Underneath the blanket, Xiao Yu was not wearing any cloth, standing completely naked.
A nearly perfect body, under the cold moonlight, seemed to radiate a divine glow.
Duan Rong became mesmerized in an instant.
The porcelain bottle in his hand clattered and shattered, the freshly crafted pills rolling across the ground.
Yet Duan Rong continued to stare dazedly at Xiao Yu in the moonlight; he felt reluctant to touch her. Maybe because the moonlight was too beautiful, or perhaps beauty itself seems fragile enough to vanish upon mere touch...
Just then, a gust of night wind blew.
Xiao Yu suddenly felt a chill, hugging herself and huddling her shoulders.
Seeing Xiao Yu looking so weak in the cold wind, Duan Rong immediately walked over, picked up the blanket from the ground, and covered Xiao Yu with it.
Then he cradled Xiao Yu in his arms.
Duan Rong stood against the moonlight, casting shadows behind him, and Xiao Yu watched Duan Rong in the dark shadow of the moon.
The two gazed at each other for a long time, Duan Rong bowed his head, while Xiao Yu’s arms wrapped around Duan Rong’s neck, their lips meeting.
Perhaps because Xiao Yu had stood in the night breeze for too long, Duan Rong felt her lips were slightly cold.
After a long kiss, Duan Rong carried Xiao Yu into the depths of the cave...
Outside the cave, the celestial canopy was dreamily star-lit.
After a moment of entwined passion, Xiao Yu lay on Duan Rong’s chest.
Duan Rong’s hand slid over Xiao Yu’s shoulder.
Both of them were covered in a thin layer of sweat, breathing lightly.