"Back then, you didn't recognize me and thought I was just a commoner from Anle Village."

Heroine Yan remained silent for a moment, then nodded slightly.

"Actually..." Wang Mu paused, "at that time, by the riverbank, the moment I saw you, I recognized you."

"The horsewoman who whipped her steed that year, a stunning encounter, unforgettable for a lifetime."

Heroine Yan was startled. It was during this moment of surprise that Wang Mu took a swift step forward, his arms moving as if embracing Tai Chi. One arm encircled her slender waist, the other seized her shoulder. With lightning speed, he pulled her into his embrace and kissed her as though he had rehearsed it countless times before.

Heroine Yan's eyes widened; she seemingly hadn't expected him to dare such audacity.

She wanted to struggle. Her body clearly possessed immense strength, yet she found herself without mana and unable to exert any force. Perhaps it was due to the recent reinforcement of the seal, or maybe she was simply too weak.

Her eyes trembled slightly then slowly closed.

CLANG...

The Green Frost Sword fell to the ground, emitting a clear, crisp ring. In the ring of the sword, there seemed to be a hint of discontent from being abandoned by its master...

Upon seeing this, Wang Mu breathed a sigh of relief, released his fragrant hands, and looked at Heroine Yan, whose eyes were slightly dazed, and said, "I have now passed it on with my own lips, Heroine Yan, did you hear that name?"

"..." Heroine Yan. Is this what you call passing it on with your own lips?

Heroine Yan, her cheeks slightly flushed, gave Wang Mu a cold glare, her thin cherry lips bright and moist.

"So what?" Heroine Yan drew the Green Frost Sword and stepped a few paces away from Wang Mu. "That Dongfang Ying..."

"What Dongfang Ying?" Wang Mu said. "What does that have to do with me, Wang Mu?"

"Elder, you're getting caught up in appearances."

Even in this state, she's still on about me being Dongfang Ying?

"It seems the Elder did not hear the name I just passed on with my own lips..." Wang Mu sighed. "If you didn't hear it, Elder, it's certainly not your fault. It's mine."

"It's because my cultivation isn't sufficient. I couldn't keep that name always in my heart. Please wait for me to cultivate for a while. When the time comes, I will definitely tell you myself, Elder, making it crystal clear..."

"It was my mistake..."

Having said that, Wang Mu hung his head in dejection, his complexion dim. He summoned his Green Blood Sword and left by Sword Control...

Heroine Yan was stunned, watching the departing figure. After a while, she seemed to come back to her senses.

She gritted her teeth... and glared...

——

"Slipped away," Wang Mu said, then took a long breath.

Ah, Heroine Yan is difficult to deal with.

It's just a name, what does it signify?

Besides, it has nothing to do with me.

And what can a name prove anyway?

He touched his neck, where the edge of the Green Frost Sword seemed to linger.

Truly chilling.

In this world, how many can escape unharmed from Yan Sword Immortal's Green Frost Sword?

To achieve this with a Nascent Soul cultivation base... if word of this battle were to spread, wouldn't it astonish the Nine States?

But in the future, trying to reach this Dark Border will likely be very difficult.

Such seals, once reinforced, are nearly impossible to enter without a special Secret Technique.

Wanting to meet Dongfang Ying will be difficult, unless they permit it... Or unless Dongfang Ying herself breaks out. Of course, the likelihood of that is slim.

This is fine too...

Wang Mu nodded. At least now I can focus on cultivating... I'd better not return to the Sword Sect yet... Given Heroine Yan's temperament, she's bound to be angry for a while.

If I return now, it won't be easy to smooth things over.

If I had the strength of an Outer World Immortal, why would I need to resort to this?

Wang Mu sighed, suddenly recalling that the Moon Palace Fairy had once asked him to ascend to the Upper Realm to cultivate and become an Outer World Immortal...

Being a kept man isn't so easy either.

My next step in cultivation... I'll start with the Demon Path... Hmm... cultivating the Demon Path might affect one's disposition, especially with the Wuji Treasure Book...

Why would that Piao Miaoxu be so kind?

Giving me this Treasure Book, she clearly intends to ruin my cultivation.

But she doesn't know that I possess the Divine Demon Body, this special subsequent Body Refining Method. And I also happen to have the Prajnaparamita Holy Scripture.

But it's also risky.

First, I'll return to the Fengyue Sect and give the Unrivaled Bell to Demoness Mu...

The Unrivaled Bell is still useful.

In the Dark Border, it at least organized those Dark Alien Race to burst out of the seal... 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

Of course, on this trip, if Ying comes out and directly solves the Dark Border problem, that would be the best outcome for me.

Although, the process was somewhat harrowing.

I certainly don't want those Dark Alien Race to really break out into the Nine Provinces. Chaos in the Nine Provinces would be an absolute pain.

Piao Miaoxu alone is difficult enough to deal with. If the Dark Alien Race truly emerged, they would be devastating.

Perhaps because he was feeling more relaxed, Wang Mu realized after leaving this place by Sword Control that the Eight Desolate Netherworld was truly quite remote, hidden among countless mountains.

He flew for many days before barely reaching the territory of Xilu.

Upon arriving in Xilu, Wang Mu immediately thought of the Old Dragon King from Dongling Sea whom he'd encountered during his previous time in Xilu.

Truly a spirited dragon.

Oh, I just remembered... the armor the Old Dragon King gave me! I forgot to return it when I left...

Passing by the East Sea, Wang Mu suddenly remembered this.

The Water Repelling Dragon Scale Armor.

A Supreme Treasure of the Dragon Palace. The Old Dragon King had sincerely lent it to me to wear temporarily when I was in the Dongling Sea Abyss.

This complete set of Taoist Magical Artifacts would be considered a top-tier Treasure anywhere in the Nine Provinces.

Later, when I left, things were quite rushed because of the Moon Palace Fairy, so I forgot.

Since I'm passing by, I should return it...

Piao Miaoxu used the Shadow Hong Saber to cut open a spatial rift to get to the Eight Desolate Netherworld, and Mu Hongyuan sent me through. Without Ascension cultivation, I can't just casually traverse space.