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“We’ll rest here for the night,” Shen Yuan softly said, bringing the Northern Wind Horse to a halt.
He dismounted the horse and then extended a hand to help Han Qingyu down. She took the hand gracefully before slowly descending down the horse.
Han Qingyu looked around, her silver eyes softening as she took in the tranquil beauty of the place. “It’s… nice.”
Shen Yuan smirked as he led the Northern Wind Horse to a nearby tree, tying its reins securely. “I thought so too. You can set up the campsite. I’m going to check the water.”
“Check the water?” Han Qingyu turned, only to see Shen Yuan already walking toward the lake, his robe fluttering slightly in the breeze.
Her eyes widened as she realized what he was about to do. “Wait, are you—”
“Yes,” Shen Yuan said while turning his head back, a playful grin playing on his lips. “I’m taking a bath. The volcanic region was too harsh for my skin, I need to clean myself now.”
Shen Yuan approached the lake with a mischievous smirk, his grin only growing wider as he felt Han Qingyu’s gaze follow him.
Turning his head slightly, he called out, “You’re welcome to join me, you know. The water’s likely quite refreshing.”
Han Qingyu’s face flushed instantly. “Who would want to join you? Hmph!” she huffed, crossing her arms tightly over her chest. Her silver eyes moved to the side, refusing to meet his gaze.
Shen Yuan chuckled, slipping off his outer robe and neatly folding it before setting it on a nearby rock. “Suit yourself,” he replied, his tone filled with amusement. “But don’t blame me if you regret missing out on such a perfect spot.”
He jumped in the river, feeling the cold water wash away the residual heat and fatigue from their journey.
Sighing in contentment, Shen Yuan leaned back, letting the water ripple gently around him.
From the shore, Han Qingyu stole a glance, her cheeks burning as she saw his toned back and relaxed posture. She quickly turned away, muttering to herself. “Why does he have to be so… so shameless?”
As if reading her thoughts, Shen Yuan’s voice floated over, teasing and light. “You know, Qingyu, it’s not polite to peek. If you’re curious, just come closer.”
“I’m not peeking!” Han Qingyu loudly, her voice cracking slightly. She glared at him, though her face was still bright red. “Stop talking nonsense and finish up already!”
Shen Yuan laughed, the sound echoing across the calm lake. “Alright, alright. I’ll stop teasing you… probably.”
‘Hmm, don’t you think Qingyu has changed too much from the time I first met her, Lan’er?’ He softly asked while floating on the lake.
[Nothing surprising, this must be her true nature, but due to the pressure from her clan as well as facing her brother’s death, she was looking for a shoulder to lean on, and you happened to meet her at the perfect time.]
Yue Lan calmly analyzed Han Qingyu’s situation.
‘Hmm… what you say is indeed the truth, and now I feel as if I took advantage of her vulnerability at that time.’
[Nah, don’t think too much about it, if you hadn’t entered her life then she would probably have been married off to some clan as a political move. And her personality is slowly reverting back to what a person from a high-ranking clan should be like. Haha, what do you call them in your last life? Tsundere?]
Shen Yuan shook his head, ‘Don’t need to remind me about them, and she is nothing like those annoying tsunderes from anime that I used to watch, they would hit the mc for no reason and the dense bastard wouldn’t have a clue… sigh it’s frustrating just to think about it.’
[Haha, looks like you were quite invested in anime in your last life.]
He closed his eyes and said with a smile, ‘Of course, me and Yuechan used to watch them all the time together, and sometimes Mom would join us as well…’
He got silent as the memories of the past surfaced in his mind once again.
[…You will meet up with them once again, as long as you master Space and another Law to a high enough degree.]
Shen Yuan slowly opened his eyes, his eyes shining with extreme focus and determination as he asked, ‘What is the other Law?’
[#@$@#$]
‘Hmm? Why can’t I hear it?’ Shen Yuan asked in confusion.
[Oh never mind then, you will probably be able to once you are at a high enough level, since this Law doesn’t have a lesser level like Intent. You need to learn it when reaching a suitable level.]
He raised an eyebrow in surprise, ‘Is it even higher than space?’
[No, not really. But it is far more elusive than Space, you should be able to guess which it is. But it is for another time, you need to increase your cultivation base first.]
‘I know, but the energy from the Primordial Yins is not suitable for refining the cores, it’s far too gentle for such a task. I need to head back and invest some time learning Alchemy to make a pill for Origin Core Refinement Realm,’ he said back while finishing up.
[Oh that’s a nice plan, you should try to reach the peak as soon as possible, but even then I doubt your strength can match those who are at the peak of Dao Core Forming Realm since they will also have intents as well as decent techniques from Divine Tier Sects.]
Shen Yuan gazed towards the sky, ‘Then I will surpass my limits, and achieve that strength.’
…
After a while, he emerged from the water, droplets glistening on his skin as he shook out his wet hair.
His mood had refreshed from the long bath after talking with Yue Lan, he picked up his robe and tied it loosely around himself, his relaxed demeanor only adding to his teasing charm.
“All yours,” he said casually as he walked past Han Qingyu, who quickly looked away to avoid his gaze. “The water’s perfect. You’ll feel much better after a soak.”
Han Qingyu hesitated, fidgeting with her sleeves. She glanced toward the lake, the tranquil shimmer of the water tempting her. Finally, she huffed and stood up, brushing past Shen Yuan. “Don’t you dare look!” she said firmly.
Shen Yuan raised his hands in mock surrender, a mischievous smile tugging at his lips. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”
She shot him one last glare before heading toward the lake, her steps hurried.
Shen Yuan, true to his word, turned his back and began setting up the campfire. The crackle of flames soon filled the air, and the faint scent of roasting herbs drifted through the clearing.
By the time Han Qingyu returned, her silver hair damp and her cheeks slightly flushed from the cool water, the campfire was burning brightly.
Shen Yuan sat cross-legged beside it, a pot of steaming tea resting on a flat stone nearby.
“Feeling better?” he asked without looking up, his tone softer than before.
Han Qingyu nodded, settling down across from him. “Yes. The lake was… refreshing.”
Shen Yuan poured her a cup of tea, handing it over with a small smile. “Good. You looked like you needed it.”