The Feelings
"Okay, you said it, let's pinky swear."
With that, Yao Xuan extended his finger and placed it beside Gu Yue's.
"Yeah, of course."
Hearing Yao Xuan's words, Gu Yue nodded with a grin, then extended her finger and hooked it with Yao Xuan's.
"Right then, we'll always be together, pinky swear, a hundred years without changing it, whoever changes is a little puppy."
Hooking Gu Yue's little finger, Yao Xuan solemnly said.
"Yeah, don't worry, I'll always be by your side, Yao Xuan."
Hearing Yao Xuan's words, Gu Yue gently leaned against him, and then the two pinky swore an oath, their small hands clasped.
"Look, you're all sweaty, let me help you clean up."
Noticing the sweat on Yao Xuan's body, Gu Yue kindly offered.
"Of course, thank you for your trouble."
Hearing Gu Yue's words, Yao Xuan nodded.
"No trouble at all. I'm happy to help you."
As she spoke, a faint blue halo appeared behind Gu Yue, and water elements surged forth, forming a thin, shimmering film around Yao Xuan. The film quickly absorbed the sweat from his body, leaving him feeling refreshed and cool.
"That feels so much better. Thank you, Gu Yue. This way, I don't even need to take a bath. It's incredibly convenient!"
Cleansed by the water elements, Yao Xuan felt revitalized. He let out a long sigh, relief washing over him, before turning to Gu Yue with a grateful smile.
As he thanked her, Yao Xuan felt a swell of pride. To have Gu Yue, one of the Silver Dragon King's powerful avatars, attend to him in such a personal way was definitely a unique privilege.
"It's nothing, just a small favor. I'm glad you feel comfortable," Gu Yue said, her expression gentle. "Now, I need to go cultivate and further understand the knowledge taught by my teacher. What about you, Yao Xuan?"
After using water elements to cleanse her own body, the blue halo behind Gu Yue disappeared once more. She turned to Yao Xuan, waiting for his answer.
"Just like you, I absolutely can't neglect my cultivation. Let's go back together."
With that, Yao Xuan took Gu Yue's soft hand in his, their fingers interlaced, and the two of them, standing close, walked back towards their respective rooms.
"See you later."
"Okay, see you later."
They exchanged farewells at the door before parting ways.
Back in his room, sitting cross-legged on the floor, Yao Xuan reflected on today's training. The session with Tianfeng Douluo had been incredibly valuable, pushing him and revealing areas for improvement. Gu Yue's support and their teamwork had been excellent, reinforcing their growing bond.
"Today's gains were truly remarkable! My future direction is now clear: on one hand, I need to refine my control over soul power; on the other hand, I need to break through to the point of multitasking."
Furthermore, the battle with his teacher had exposed many shortcomings. Tianfeng Douluo, a Super Douluo willing to personally guide him and correct his mistakes – that was truly something to treasure. Yao Xuan felt a deep sense of respect and gratitude.
"Those two manuals... my teacher's insights on multitasking and soul power refinement. They are priceless treasures. I must study them carefully and constantly experiment to achieve breakthroughs and enhance my strength."
He focused his mind, clearing his thoughts, and began to activate the Creation Soul Forging Technique. A vast amount of soul power surged towards him, which he captured, condensed, transported, and refined, steadily expanding the sea of soul power within his dantian and tempering his spiritual power.
Two hours later.
[Cultivating the "Creation Soul Forging Technique" has increased total soul power by 4.17%, current soul power: level 24 (11.87%)] [Cultivating the "Creation Soul Forging Technique" has increased mental power by 18.1%, current mental power: 362 (79.3%)] [Cultivating the "Creation Soul Forging Technique" has allowed the system to absorb soul power energy, granting +8 Gold Evolution Points and +5300 Evolution Points]
Satisfied with his progress, Yao Xuan slowly opened his eyes. The increase in his Ancestral Dragon Body meant he could refine more soul power each day, making the percentage gain still quite significant even though the absolute amount required for the next level was higher.
"Not bad. Judging from this, I only need less than a month to advance to level 25 Great Soul Master. With the rare materials from Dragon Fortress, I might even get there sooner!"
He knew his cultivation progress. Opening his eyes, he let the system notification sink in. Time was still precious; there was about an hour before mealtime. He decided to focus on studying the teacher's insights on multitasking first. That was the key to becoming a true powerhouse.
Simultaneously, in Gu Yue's room, a different kind of contemplation was taking place.
"Yao Xuan even said I smelled good! That's so wonderful! And he also said he wants to stay with me forever..."
After returning to her room, Gu Yue sat on the edge of her bed, recalling her conversation with Yao Xuan. Her pretty face flushed slightly, and her heart felt like it was skipping a beat – not with nervousness, but with warmth and happiness.
For as long as she could remember, no one had ever spoken to her with such simple, direct affection. Even Di Tian and the other three Silver Dragon Kings, while powerful and protective, had always held a respectful awe, their interactions with her being more akin to teacher-student or equal-peer. Only Yao Xuan, with his ordinary demeanor and perhaps slightly goofy personality, had ever dared to express something so personal.
He hadn't just said he wanted to protect her or befriend her; he had genuinely promised to be with her forever. The feeling of being truly loved in return was intoxicating.
What a joyful thing this was!
Gu Yue smiled softly, her eyes sparkling. Thinking about Yao Xuan, about their training, their shared goals, and that simple, heartfelt promise... her heart swelled with happiness. To be able to fall in love with the Dragon God's reincarnation and receive such a sincere promise – it was a wonderful fate.
Considering Yao Xuan's strength and potential, she also felt a faint pride. He was destined for great things, and perhaps, one day, he would achieve even more. For now, though, she was content just to be by his side, supporting him and cherishing the growing connection between them.
With a happy sigh, Gu Yue closed her eyes and began her own cultivation, ready to train alongside her beloved Yao Xuan.