As she spoke,

she turned back to look at him, exhaling softly like an orchid: 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

"Changtian, I’ve been so worried about you, you would forgive me, wouldn’t you?"

"Hm... I’ll have to think about that," Xu Yuan said with a smile.

Li Qingyan gave him a look, then without another glance at Bai Muxi, her gaze swept across the ground:

"Let’s leave this place first, don’t you find it disgusting here?"

Xu Yuan took a quick look at the thick layer of flesh and blood mud at the bottom of the spherical cave, retracting the four Source Crystal Bombs:

"You’ve been fighting wars for so many years, does the sight of flesh and blood make you feel sick?"

Li Qingyan’s eyes conveyed a trace of displeasure as she said:

"Being accustomed to it doesn’t mean I don’t detest it."

"If that’s the case, let’s burn it," he replied.

A blood-colored fireball suddenly rose in Xu Yuan’s palm, the heat wave seeming to tear the air around it: "I can sense that some ’Life Origin’ remains within this flesh and blood."

Upon hearing this, Li Qingyan instinctively looked toward the cave entrance, only to find that the originally empty inner walls were now covered with Black Death Mycelial Mats:

"Mycelial mats? Are you controlling these?"

"No."

Blood-colored Origin Qi swirled around Xu Yuan, who, along with the two women, flew to the entrance of the tunnel they had come through, and he whispered:

"I haven’t yet adapted to and mastered all of the high-level ghost’s abilities. However, if we don’t burn this flesh, they will become hosts for the Blood Nest again."

With that said,

the blood-colored fireball fell from Xu Yuan’s palm.

The fireball illuminated the surroundings as it fell, and the moment it hit the surface of the Blood Pool, it spread rapidly like on oil, lighting up the entire spherical cave.

The flames burning the flesh pool cast a bloody glow on the walls and sword marks, turning the entire cave crimson as if it was hell.

In silence,

a strange scent of flesh rose to their nostrils from below.

Xu Yuan pinched his nose at the sight, felt uncomfortable, almost retching, and turned his head to say:

"Let’s go, it’s bizarre that the roasting flesh pools even have a hint of fragrance."

"Fragrance?"

Li Qingyan’s pupils contracted upon hearing this, she turned her face to look into Xu Yuan’s eyes with a hint of astonishment: "What fragrance?"

"Young master..."

Bai Muxi tentatively probed: "Doesn’t this smell stink?"

"..." Xu Yuan.

The air seemed to freeze between the three of them.

In an instant,

Li Qingyan clenched her fist, turned swiftly, her red robe fluttering, and tossed the Blood Divine Stone Jade Pendant to Bai Muxi, saying coldly:

"No dawdling, we’re going straight to find the Blood Nest right now."

Having said that, she turned and walked away.

Bai Muxi stole a glance at Xu Yuan who was still standing in place:

"Young master?"

Xu Yuan suppressed the unease in his heart, turned back with a smile and said:

"What is it?"

Bai Muxi’s clear eyes flickered twice:

"Are you... all right?"

"What could possibly be wrong with me?"

Xu Yuan also turned around, his tone as casual as always: "Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing."

"Instead of comforting her, you’d better focus on finding the Blood Nest,"

Li Qingyan’s voice, cold as ice, came from deep within the tunnel: "My ghost commander, come and lead the way!"

Upon hearing this, Xu Yuan patted Xiao Bai’s head and with a step, he sped towards Li Qingyan’s direction...

...

...

...

The three of them rushed through the tunnel.

This time it wasn’t Bai Muxi leading the way, and it wasn’t Xu Yuan who slowed them down.

The pitch-black walls of the tunnel receded swiftly on both sides,

As they made their way, Xu Yuan watched Li Qingyan’s flawless profile.

Ever since they emerged from that cave, the Wrapped Chest Princess had kept a cold expression, without uttering a single word.

On the way, she cut any low-level ghosts, which they’d normally ignore, to ashes – as if venting.

Was she doing this out of concern for him?

The suspension bridge effect never lies, women all fall for this trick.

And having spent half a year together day and night, even if it were a dog, there should be some feelings developed, let alone between a handsome man and a beautiful woman.

Heh... Women.

While thinking about these trivial matters, Xu Yuan suddenly felt there was indeed a problem with his easy-going nature.

About to die, no, about to turn into a ghost, and he still had the mind to think about these things.

Could this be considered romantically unrestrained even as a ghost? Physically speaking, that is.

"Does my face have flowers on it that you keep staring at me?"

"..."

Xu Yuan snapped back to reality, the blood-colored Origin Qi enveloping him allowing him to tread through the air as he smiled in response, "No flowers, but it’s beautiful, so this young master wanted to take a few more looks before the ghostification."

"..."

Li Qingyan was silent for a moment, then sighed softly and spoke in a low voice, "You really are... huh, I don’t want to talk about these things with you now. Have you found the Blood Nest?"

"We haven’t even made it out of the mycelial mat-covered corridor yet, it’s too early to think about finding that Blood Nest."

Xu Yuan shook his head, chuckled softly, and said, "Qingyan, since my body has become a ghost, it’s natural that there will be certain differences in physical sensation from humans. We should have plenty of time right now, so don’t be too anxious."

Li Qingyan replied with a chilly voice:

"With such indolence, if you were a soldier under me, I’d show you what hell is like."

"Too bad, I’m now your commander."

"Once we return to the barracks, I’ll train that lazy disposition out of you."

"Then you’re just forcing us to separate."

Saying this,

Xu Yuan looked down at his body, now brimming with power, and changed the subject with a smile, "Now I finally understand why the ghosts could wreak havoc back in the ancient times. The Demon Crystals can pass on most of a high-ranking ghost’s strength to other ghosts, coupled with the body’s immortality. It’s amazing that the forebearers of that era could withstand the invasion of ghosts, and even turn the tables and wipe them out... Truly, it was a remarkable and dazzling epoch for humanity."

"....." Li Qingyan ignored him and quickened her pace.

Xu Yuan sped up to keep up, continuing with a smile:

"Don’t you think it’s interesting, Qingyan? A mere Soul Condensation cultivator like me took a Transcendent Demon Crystal and obtained a transcendent body. Most of the traitors back then probably came for this reason."

"Yours is a special case."

Li Qingyan’s voice was still cold but she responded, "An ordinary person who turned into a ghost wouldn’t be granted a high-ranking Demon Crystal, and even if they were, they wouldn’t be able to use the power. A low-ranking cultivator, only having the body and Origin Qi, can be easily slain by a superior adversary."

At this point, Li Qingyan paused briefly and added, "Besides, when a high-ranking ghost is slain, its Demon Crystal is very likely to end up in the hands of our clan’s strong, leaving no chance for power inheritance."

Xu Yuan’s eyes flickered, and he said with a smile:

"Qingyan, you’re as clever as ever."

Li Qingyan ignored him and simply urged him on:

"Stop talking nonsense, have you found it yet?"

"I’ve already said it’s too early, being anxious about this won’t help."

Hearing her urgent words hidden beneath a stern facade, Xu Yuan laughed, "Life is full of disappointments; can everything really be under our control? The more anxious we get, the more it will disrupt our plans. You should understand this, right, my dear Qingyan?"

"..."

Li Qingyan bit her lip slightly and exhaled long, her voice becoming somewhat gentler as she suddenly said:

"Alright... let’s do it your way. If it comes to it, I’ll just die here with you."

"....."

Bai Muxi, who was following behind the two, was taken aback when she heard this. She blinked and instinctively wanted to say something.

But if you two die, what will become of the Underground City?

But in the end, Bai Muxi lowered her gaze and closed her mouth.

If it weren’t for them, her Underground City would also face an inevitable doom.

Now, at least she had found a slim chance of survival amidst certain death.

Do your best and leave the rest to fate.

However, after Xu Yuan’s verbal therapy, Li Qingyan really didn’t seem anxious anymore, at least not outwardly.

After flying swiftly and silently for dozens of miles,

she suddenly glanced sideways at the massive Origin Qi around Xu Yuan that he wielded with precise control:

"Changtian, as a Soul Condensation, why can you adapt so quickly..."

"Adapt to the power of Mortal Transcendence?"

Xu Yuan interrupted, raised his thumb pointing at himself, and said with a smile, "Because I’m a genius, the kind that’s even more genius than Xu Changge."

"You? Xu Changge?"

A hint of bemusement flashed through Li Qingyan’s phoenix eyes, and she couldn’t help laughing out loud, "Pfft..."

Xu Yuan smacked his lips, ready to speak and refute, when he suddenly sensed a hulking figure, fast as lightning and invisible to the naked eye, speeding toward Li Qingyan.

Time seemed to freeze,

and within the sparkle of Li Qingyan’s laughter, the Qingyu Sword was swiftly unsheathed.

Step Void Slash instantly unleashed.

Xu Yuan’s figure appeared in front of Li Qingyan in a flash, pushing her away and barely managing to raise his sword in defense...

And the next instant,

the hulking figure had already closed the gap, a fist filled with immense power raised high and swiftly brought down with a crush!

"Boom!!!!"