I raised stunning young ladies, but they all wanted to possess me.

Over the next few days, Gu Yan continued his "cultivation".

He went back and forth between Pei Youyi, Lin Jinyu, Pei Yuran, and Chiyomiya Yusheng.

His mental strength is still increasing, but the rate of increase is slowing down.

He needs more power, a stronger source of spiritual energy.

His eyes grew increasingly somber, and he spoke less and less.

He was like a tireless machine, his only goal being to become stronger.

But things always come to light eventually.

The affair was exposed on a rainy night.

Gu Yan was in Pei Youyi's room that day.

The sound of rain outside the window was so loud that it drowned out all other sounds.

He held her in his arms, repeatedly drawing upon the little spiritual energy she had left.

Pei Youyi lay beneath him, her face pale, but her arms were still wrapped around his neck.

She couldn't bear to refuse him.

She could never bring herself to refuse him.

That's when the door was pushed open.

Pei Yuran stood at the door.

She was wearing a plain white dress, and her long, jet-black hair was wet from the rain, sticking to her pale cheeks.

She still held the sword in her hand, the ice crystals on the blade gleaming with a ghostly blue light in the rainy night.

She looked at the two people intertwined in the room, her icy blue pupils widening little by little until they were completely empty.

Gu Yan turned around abruptly.

When he saw Pei Yuran's face, his heart felt like it had been hit hard.

He tried to speak, but no sound came out of his throat.

Pei Youyi also saw it.

Her face turned deathly pale in an instant, paler than the rain outside.

"Yu Ran..."

Pei Youyi's voice was trembling.

Pei Yuran did not cry.

Her face was expressionless, like a frozen ice sculpture.

She just looked at them, for a very long time.

Then she turned around and walked into the rain.

Her sword slipped from her hand and fell into the mud with a very soft sound.

When Gu Yan chased after her, she was already gone.

The rain was heavy and washed away all traces.

He stood in the rain for a long time, rainwater streaming down his disheveled clothes.

He knew that Yu Ran had already vaguely guessed it.

Someone as smart as her, how could she not have guessed it?

But guessing and seeing with your own eyes are two different things.

When he returned to his room, Pei Youyi was gone.

Only one letter remained on the bed.

The edges of the letter were wet from the rain, and the writing on it was a little blurry, but it was still legible.

Xiao Yan: I'm leaving.

"Don't look for me."

"Yu Ran needs time, and so do you."

"As an elder, I did the worst thing I could have done."

"I don't regret it, but I can't stay any longer."

"You have your path to walk, and Yu Ran has her sword to sharpen."

"I'm going to a place you won't find."

"I'll come back when Yu Ran is willing to forgive me."

"It's okay if she never forgives me."

"I'm at ease as long as she's doing well."

"Take good care of yourself."

"Watch over the crabapple blossoms for me."

"There is proper etiquette."

Gu Yan folded the letter and put it into her breast pocket.

He leaned against the wall and slowly slid down to sit on the ground.

The rain outside the window is still falling, as if it will never end.

He closed his eyes and buried his face in his hands.

His shoulders were trembling slightly, but he made no sound.

It rained all night.

Gu Yan leaned against the wall, sitting on the ground, while the sound of rain outside the window seemed to never stop.

His clothes were still wet, his hair was plastered to his forehead, and he was huddled in the shadows like a piece of wood soaked by the rain.

The door was gently pushed open.

Elena stood in the doorway.

She wasn't using an umbrella; her long, wet silver hair clung to her shoulders, and raindrops slid down her cheeks.

She wore a minimalist white robe, her bare feet stepping on the threshold, the golden bell on her ankle ringing softly.

She walked up to Gu Yan, squatted down, and quietly looked at him with her golden eyes.

"You are practically the strongest in the world now."

Her voice was very soft, like raindrops falling on the surface of water.

Do you regret it?

Gu Yan raised her eyes.

His eyes were red, but there were no tears.

He remained silent for a long while before speaking, his voice hoarse as if sandpaper had been rubbing against a stone.

No regrets.

"As long as I can end this era of calamity, Sister Yi will come back."

"Yu Ran will forgive me."

"Everything will go back to the way it was before."

"So I don't regret it."

Elena looked at him.

There was no pity or mockery in her golden eyes, only a very deep gaze.

His heart must be in complete turmoil right now, but he's holding it down so it won't make a sound.

"You really work hard."

she says.

Gu Yan did not answer.

He lowered his head again and buried his face in his arms.

Elena reached out and touched his hair very, very lightly.

Her fingers were cold, but her movements were gentle, as if she were touching an injured little animal.

"Gu Yan".

Her voice suddenly sounded different, less of its usual detachment and more of something else.

"I have lived for many, many years."

"But there are many things that you humans do that I've never played with."

"I've never eaten it."

"Never seen it before."

"I've been reading books and learning, but what's in the books isn't the same as what's actually happening."

"Could you come with me to go out and have some fun just once?"

Gu Yan looked up at her.

Her expression was serious, and her golden eyes held a rare hint of expectation.

He opened his mouth, wanting to say that now was not the time to play around, that the defenses were still in place, and that Yu Ran had locked herself in her room.

But looking into her eyes, all those words got stuck in my throat.

"I... am not in a good position right now."

That's all he could say.

Elena suddenly grabbed his arm and shook it gently.

Her movements were awkward, like she'd learned how to act cute from some comic book.

Her long silver hair swayed gently with her movements, and the bells on her ankles made a soft, tinkling sound.

Just once.

"Come with me once."

"You haven't had much rest lately."

"You can rest while you're with me."

"There is no conflict."

Gu Yan looked at her.

A twelve-winged angel who had lived for countless years was squatting in front of him, shaking his arm and acting coquettishly in a way he had learned from comics.

The scene was so absurd it made him want to laugh.

Then he actually smiled.

That smile was faint, like a tiny glimmer of light suddenly appearing in the rainy night.

"it is good."

"I'll go with you."

Elena stood up and reached out her hand to him.

He took her hand and used it to stand up.

Her hands were cool, but her grip was tight.

The rain outside has lessened, turning into a fine drizzle.

The two men left the room, crossed the damp camp, and headed towards the hillside behind the camp.

Elena said she wanted to play on the swing.

She had read in a book that human children like to play on swings.

She had never played it before.

There is an abandoned small park on the hillside.

The swing's chains were rusted, and water had accumulated on the seat.

Gu Yan wiped the chair dry with her sleeve and let Elena sit down.

After she sat down, her fingers gripped the iron chain tightly, her body stiff as a board.