Mortal: Li Feiyu, who came from the realm of a supreme being

Beside the stone platform deep inside the cave, the night lamp with its core of glowing moss was mostly covered by Han Yunshu's sleeve, which she had inadvertently brushed aside.

The light suddenly dimmed, leaving only specks of phosphorescence seeping from the cracks in the stone wall, like stars falling into a deep pool, floating and sinking quietly in the damp air.

The wisp of primordial true energy released from the inner world of the two was circulating in accordance with the "Cantongqi" mental technique. Instead of dissipating, it seemed to come alive, transforming into a few wisps of extremely faint silver mist, lingering between their intertwined breaths.

They trembled slightly with her breath, sometimes disappearing into her loose black hair, sometimes brushing against his taut arms, as if silently outlining and connecting some invisible veins.

Han Yunshu's back pressed against the cold stone wall, the chill clashing fiercely with the unfamiliar, burning heat surging within her.

Her gaze had nowhere to settle, but it finally fell on the narrow, naturally formed crevice on one side of the cave—the outlet of an underground spring brought in by Li Feiyu. Normally, only the sound of gurgling water could be heard, but now, in the dim light, a faint ray of light could be seen, reflecting the smooth, mirror-like stone depression that had been polished by the water flow over the years.

The puddle was small, but it was filled with shimmering, rippling waves.

A drop of stalactite water, frozen for who knows how many years, falls from the cave ceiling with a stubborn and slow rhythm, "tap...tap..." Each drop creates expanding ripples on the small surface of the water, shattering the pool of silvery light, in an endless cycle.

The spread of those ripples inexplicably overlapped with the thunderous heartbeat in her ears, and with some deeper, indescribable rhythm.

She abruptly closed her eyes, only to open them again in the next instant, as another, clearer sound invaded her senses.

It was the faint yet jarring "sizzle" sound of her unconsciously clenched palm as her nails scratched across the flat stone platform beneath her.

The sound instantly snapped her back to reality, and a wave of shame washed over her.

She tried to curl up, but was held up by a firm yet gentle force.

"Don't be afraid." Li Feiyu's voice rang in her ears, deeper and hoarser than usual, yet strangely it stabilized her collapsing consciousness. "Our true energy has just merged, and these external manifestations are all natural."

His words seemed to guide her scattered attention back to the spring.

Looking at it now, the turbulence on the water surface has become even more intense. It is no longer a regular ripple, but rather, as if it has been swept by an invisible wind, it has rippled layer upon layer of fine, jubilant waves, and the phosphorescent fragments reflected are dancing wildly, almost overflowing the small stone hollow.

The rhythm of the dripping water, however, had somehow become disordered, turning rapid and dense, striking out a chaotic and unsettling melody.

A strange aura, neither like musk nor like orchid, permeated the cave, originating from the spontaneously circulating true energy within her body, mixed with his powerful yet restrained martial will.

The fluorescent moss on the stone wall seemed to be infected as well, its flashing frequency increasing, as if the entire cave was breathing and trembling gently in response.

Just as Han Yunshu felt she was about to be completely swallowed by this vortex of light, the clamor of water, and the fusion of air, her consciousness drifted towards a blank yet dazzling realm—

At the entrance to the cave, the simple barrier used for soundproofing and protection rippled slightly, like water.

There was no cracking, no loud noise, just an extremely subtle disturbance of spiritual energy.

But Li Feiyu's arms, which were wrapped around her, tightened almost imperceptibly.

Han Yunshu's hazy gaze passed over his sweat-dampened shoulders and happened to catch a glimpse of the source of the shimmering barrier—outside the stone gate, a corner of a pale blue skirt flashed by, so fast it was like an illusion.

Immediately following was a short, almost inaudible inhale, which then abruptly stopped.

Everything returned to silence.

The two finished their practice at the same time and silently adjusted their breathing.

Only the spring water in the crevices of the rocks continues to flow, frolic, and overflow tirelessly; only the water in the stalactites continues to drip, knock, and soak persistently.

Li Feiyu slowly raised his head and looked in the direction of the restriction. A sharp glint flashed in his deep eyes, which then turned into a deep calm.

He said nothing, but simply withdrew his gaze and pulled Han Yunshu into a tighter embrace, using his broad shoulders to completely block out any possible gaze and all the storms of the outside world.

Han Yunshu buried her burning face in the crook of his neck, savoring the experience of cultivation amidst the lingering echo of her pounding heart.

Outside the cave, Xin Ruyin leaned against the cold stone wall, the jade talisman in her hand, which she had prepared to knock on the door to warn others, still in her hand, but a blush of embarrassment had already spread across her face.

She turned around quickly, her steps lighter and faster than when she came, like a startled deer, disappearing silently into the deep darkness of the passageway, leaving only a faint scent in the air, a mixture of stone marrow and a strange, warm fragrance, that lingered for a long time.

"It seems to be Miss Xin," Han Yunshu said in a low voice.

"It was my oversight... Let's end our cultivation here for today." Li Feiyu released her, and the two of them instantly dressed using magic, withdrawing their surging true energy and allowing their inner worlds to return to calm.

"Well, this may not necessarily be a bad thing." Han Yunshu looked at the cave entrance and said, "Miss Xin has such talent in array formations, there is no reason not to use her. However, whether it is the transmission of martial arts techniques or the subsequent improvement of the Eight Paths of Planning for Core Formation cultivators, it is an extremely risky matter. Without reliable connections to hold her back, it is like walking on thin ice."

"You mean..." Li Feiyu frowned slightly.

"Either she's truly one of us, or she's planted a forbidden spell... but restrictions and array formations have many similarities, so it's not easy to handle." Han Yunshu thought carefully for a moment, then continued, "I'll go talk to her first."

Li Feiyu gazed at her for a moment, then nodded. It seemed she indeed possessed the qualities of a leader.

Li Feiyu did recruit Xin Ruyin because of her unparalleled talent in array formations, but he also knew that their actions involved many secrets, and a simple promise could not fully guarantee anything.

However, he is a very sentimental person and doesn't like to force things.

Especially when faced with exceptionally talented individuals, he would rather impose restrictions and imprint slave marks on them than force them to do so.

……

Xin Ruyin hurriedly returned to her simply furnished room, slamming the stone door shut behind her. Leaning against the door, she breathed heavily. Although she spent most of her time cultivating, she had not yet reached the Foundation Establishment stage and, like Xiao Mei, still needed to maintain some of the routines of a mortal. The soft light from the pearl in the room shone on her face, making the lingering blush on her skin impossible to hide.

Upon seeing this, Xiaomei, who was holding a tea set, immediately put it down and approached with concern: "Miss, your face is so red, are you feeling unwell? I'll go find some right away..."

"No need!" Xin Ruyin interrupted, her voice a little more urgent than usual, but she forced herself to calm down and waved her hand. "I'm fine, it's just that... I circulated my qi a little too quickly during my cultivation. You go ahead and do your thing."

Xiao Mei was still somewhat skeptical and was about to ask again when a soft knock sounded at the door, followed by Han Yunshu's calm voice: "Is Fellow Daoist Xin here?"

Xiao Mei hurriedly stepped forward to open the door, and after bowing, she couldn't help but say, "Senior Han, you've come at the right time. My young lady just returned, and her face is flushed. I'm afraid there's something wrong with her Dragon Roar Physique. I was just about to go find someone to take a look."

"Xiaomei! Stop talking nonsense and get out of here." Xin Ruyin felt her cheeks burning even more, and her scolding voice was unusually trembling with embarrassment.

Xiao Mei was puzzled. Seeing that her young mistress and Senior Han both looked a little different than usual, she could only retreat awkwardly and close the door behind her.