Xiao Li held Yun Yun and moved quickly through the mountain forest. Reaching the Dou Ling level allowed for short periods of low-altitude flight, but to keep a low profile, Xiao Li still ran on his two legs, as flying would make him a larger target.
The Magical Beast Mountain Range instance was still quite difficult for the current Xiao Li.
Xiao Li, carrying Yun Yun, quickly ran to the outer reaches of the Magical Beast Mountain Range, then found a cave to rest.
On the other side,
"Old Man Yun, what are you doing? Such a big commotion will attract the encirclement of powerful cultivators from the Magical Beast Mountain Range, won't it?" Old Wang said, panting with anger.
"What's there to fear? The strongest Demonic Beasts in this Magical Beast Mountain Range are only Sixth-tier Demonic Beasts, and there are only a handful of them. Sixth-tier Demonic Beasts possess intelligence comparable to humans. With the two of us Dou Emperors here, they certainly won't act rashly!"
Yun Shan was different from Wang Ming; Yun Shan himself was a Seven-star Dou Emperor, belonging to the high-tier Dou Emperors. In the entire Jia Ma Empire, besides Jia Xingtian, he had no opponent.
Old Wang, on the other hand, had suffered too many injuries in his early years, and with his Physique stripped away, his combat power could only be exerted at about seventy to eighty percent.
"Alright, you're strong, you're right, but this old man is exhausted. However, the gains from the Magical Beast Mountain Range this time are not bad. It's time to go back." Old Wang wiped the sweat from his forehead, unfurled the azure Dou Qi wings on his back, and flew towards a certain location.
Not long after,
"Where's my apprentice?" Old Wang was dumbfounded. The cave was still the same cave, but where had his apprentice gone?
"That's right, where's my apprentice? Where did she go!" Yun Shan was also stunned; his apprentice was gone.
"There are signs of a struggle at the cave entrance. They most likely moved to another location. Let's go look for them!" Old Wang said in a deep voice.
"Good!"
Just as the two elders were about to search for their apprentices, a Fifth-tier Demonic Tiger suddenly charged out.
"Hmm? Great Wind Hand Seal!"
A terrifying Aura surged out from Yun Shan's body. He rapidly formed hand seals, waved his right hand, and an energy hand seal, several zhang huge, appeared above the head of that Fifth-tier Demonic Tiger, smashing down fiercely.
Bang—
The Demonic Tiger's head shattered like a ripe watermelon.
Yun Shan's figure flickered, arriving before the Demonic Tiger's corpse. He dug out its Demonic Core and then tossed it to Old Wang.
"Old Wang, another new Fifth-tier Demonic Core."
Old Wang took the Demonic Core and smiled: "Hmm~ not bad, quite a fruitful harvest. Don't forget, you still owe seven Fifth-tier Demonic Cores, or you can give me two Sixth-tier Demonic Cores. Only then can you afford my Elixir."
"I know, I know, you don't need to rush me!" Yun Shan's old face darkened. Hearing that price made his heart ache, but it was all for his apprentice.
Old Wang looked like a cunning merchant. No one knew what other deal these two old men had struck, but from their words, it seemed Yun Shan was just short of signing a slave contract.
Yun Shan sighed. For his apprentice, as her teacher, a little hardship was nothing. As long as he cultivated Yun Yun into a Dou Zong, he would have lived up to the expectations of the previous Sect Masters of the Cloud Mist Sect... In the outer reaches of the Magical Beast Mountain Range, in the cave where Xiao Li and Yun Yun were.
"Bear with it, your bones here are dislocated. I'll set them straight for you," Xiao Li said, holding Yun Yun's left arm.
"Come on!" Yun Yun bit her silver teeth, looking prepared.
Crack—
The crisp sound of joints.
"Phew~ All your dislocated bones have been corrected by me, and the Bone-Generating Pill has also taken effect. Half a month of rest and you'll be fine." Xiao Li helped Yun Yun lie down, resting her head on his thigh.
Xiao Li continued, "I'm sorry, Yun'er. My Breakthrough this time caused you so much suffering, and almost..."
Xiao Li himself hadn't expected his Breakthrough to Dou Ling to cause such a huge commotion, almost causing Yun Yun's death.
"It's alright," Yun Yun said softly.
"You almost lost your life because of me, how can it be alright?" Xiao Li became anxious; he didn't like owing anyone anything.
Yun Yun smiled slightly: "As long as Elder Xiao doesn't find me troublesome in the future, that would be good."
Xiao Li looked at Yun Yun's sly smile and felt as if he had fallen into a trap.
"Tsk, Young Sect Master Yun thinks quite far ahead, doesn't she? So, are you interested in me as a person, or in my Alchemy?" There was a hint of gloom between Xiao Li's brows.
Xiao Li felt like he was about to become Gu He? A simp who ends up with nothing.
Yun Yun was also stunned. She hadn't expected Xiao Li to ask this question. She didn't know how to answer. If she said that at first she was indeed interested in Xiao Li's Alchemy, there was a prerequisite: she didn't dislike Xiao Li as a person.
It wasn't until Yun Yun herself was in a life-or-death crisis just now that her first thought was of Xiao Li, hoping he could come out of seclusion in time to save her.
Every young girl harbors a story of a hero saving the beauty, and Yun Yun was no exception.
Facing Xiao Li's question, Yun Yun said earnestly: "I think Big Brother Xiao Li is a very good person."
"Xiao, Good Person, Li" his expression darkened. He had been friend-zoned again.
"If Big Brother Xiao Li is willing, Yun'er is willing to spend her years with you." Yun Yun's face revealed a sweet smile, like a blooming rose, extraordinarily enchanting.
Xiao Li's heart seemed to skip a beat. His mood also changed from gloom to a clear sky.
(He's a young man experiencing love for the first time, so it's normal for him to be captivated by a beautiful girl.)
Spending his years with Yun Yun, what Xiao Li was thinking about now was: moonlight dates, heart-pounding moments, mutual affection, wedding night, inseparable intimacy, mutual support, and eternal love.
Thinking of the latter, Xiao Li's face turned red, and his eyes were particularly dazed.
Yun Yun watched this scene without intending to disturb Xiao Li, her lips curving upwards as she thought:'So he also has this side to him, he's not unattainable after all.'
Xiao Li's mind replayed his happy life with Yun Yun, then his gaze became firm. He came to Yun Yun's side, slowly squatted down, and stroked Yun Yun's head.
"Well, Yun'er, I'm not good with words, and I can't say sweet nothings. Flowery language comes easily to me, but I promise I will never let you down."
Yun Yun chuckled: "If you ever let me down, even if my cultivation is not as good as yours, I will definitely stab you a few times."
"Haha, then I absolutely won't resist and let you stab me."
Yun Yun: "You've already had a Breakthrough to Dou Ling, so you're leaving now, right?"
Xiao Li nodded: "Yes, according to Master's plan, I'm going to train in the Black-Corner Region next. First, I'll go to Canaan Academy to meet some Prodigies from the continent, and then establish a name for myself in the Black-Corner Region alone.
This is the graduation assignment Master left for me. In Alchemy, reaching Fifth-grade is enough to graduate, which I've barely achieved. For cultivation, reaching Dou King and slaying five Dou Kings is required to pass."
Yun Yun frowned: "That's really difficult. Is Old Wang that strict?"
Xiao Li chuckled: "Who knows? But being strict is good; pressure creates motivation."
Yun Yun also smiled: "Indeed. Don't let me catch up, though. Although my Cloud Mist Sect has declined, the Legacy still remains. Be careful, I might surpass your cultivation one day."
"Then let's wait and see."
"Old Man Yun, found them! They're here!" An old voice, mixed with excitement, came.
The next moment, two old men flew in, none other than Yun Shan and Old Wang Ming.
"Master!" × 2