074

The next day.

Jiang Huali told Yu Tian that she wanted to go down the mountain, and Yu Tian was somewhat surprised: "Why do you suddenly want to go down the mountain?"

Jiang Huali said, "Something was left in a certain place. I'll go and retrieve it."

Yu Tian silently handed her a bag of magical artifacts and elixirs, saying, "Be careful in everything you do."

"Don't worry, senior sister, I will."

Jiang Huali then returned to her small courtyard, where she brewed tea and read the storybook Chu Yun had given her before she left Zhuxie City with great interest.

Xuanqing arrived as the moon rose.

A pair of strong arms came from behind and wrapped around her waist. The warm breath fell on her neck, making Jiang Huali flinch.

Jiang Huali pulled Xuanqing to sit down on a stone bench, and poured him a cup of tea with a smile: "Try it."

Xuan Qing picked up his teacup, took a sip, glanced at the storybook beside her, and said, "Did Chu Yun give this to you?"

Jiang Huali flipped through the storybook and nodded, "Yes, this tea was also a gift from him. He said it was an improved version of 'The Sin of the Immortals,' and it's sweet, right?"

Xuan Qing smiled slightly and asked her, "Do you know why the Divine Sin you drank was bitter?"

Jiang Huali asked, puzzled, "Why?"

"It is said that if one wants to become an immortal, one must give up the seven emotions and six desires. If an immortal has desires, it is a sin." Xuanqing finished the tea in his cup. "The sins of immortals are made with the Heart-Observing Grass, which can observe people's desires. Whatever your desires are, that is what it tastes like."

Xuan Qing stroked Jiang Huali's hair with a hint of affection and asked, "Is your desire bitter?"

Jiang Huali was stunned. The sweet taste of the modified version of "Immortal's Sin" still seemed to linger on the tip of her tongue, light and lingering, but the bitter taste belatedly rose from the back of her tongue.

"I……"

Xuanqing pushed the tea in front of her away and said, "This tea has been laced with hallucinogenic flowers. Just drink a little, don't be greedy."

Psychedelic flower, no wonder it tastes sweet.

Jiang Huali closed the storybook and asked curiously, "So what does it taste like to you?"

"It has no taste."

"No smell?" Jiang Huali was taken aback, but Xuan Qing pulled her into the house.

She heard the other person say with a smile, "Perhaps it didn't have any flavor before."

Xuanqing asked her, "What do you want me to do by calling me here tonight?"

Jiang Huali lit the candles in the room. Hearing this, she opened her storage bag, checked it, and after confirming that everything was there, said, "I want to go to the Demon Realm."

Xuan Qing's eyes darkened, and the faint scales on his body struggled to pierce his flesh. He hugged Jiang Huali's waist and whispered, "Okay."

The next second, the room was empty.

The newly lit candle was extinguished, leaving only a short, dried-up candle wax.

In a dizzying moment, Jiang Huali was pressed onto an extremely soft bed. Her fingers unconsciously tugged at the brocade quilt beneath her, but the person on top of her reached out and pried it open inch by inch, interlocking their fingers.

Their words were taken over, bringing them closer yet still not close enough, as if they wanted to meld into each other's flesh and blood. Jiang Huali slightly opened her eyes. The candlelight flickered outside the tent, which was like a river with hidden undercurrents. Her mind seemed to become a swaying boat, drifting aimlessly, unable to settle down, carried by the breeze to a deserted place, and sinking with the waves.

The tears fell and were kissed away the instant they fell, allowing for a brief respite, only to be extinguished by the next wave.

Without realizing it, the soft bedding beneath me was no longer there, but a warm hot spring.

Jiang Huali felt her clothes being carefully removed, and she was immersed in the hot spring. She couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief.

Water droplets splashed onto her bare shoulders and neck, which were then kissed away inch by inch by the person behind her.

Jiang Huali's hand was guided to touch the scales on Xuan Qing's body. She turned her head and saw the gold in his eyes.

"Is the journey from Lingxiao Sect to the Demon Realm really that short?" she asked.

Xuan Qing chuckled softly, kissed her again, and answered her between breaths, "It's not that I'm impatient, it's that I'm impatient."

"Are you feeling unwell during your period?" Jiang Huali squinted her eyes and gently stroked his cheek.

Xuan Qing's breath hitched. He rested his chin on Jiang Huali's shoulder, unable to see her expression. "Is it alright?"

Jiang Huali intertwined her fingers with his hand placed on her waist, closed her eyes again, and revealed a tacit consent.

Xuanqing paused for a moment, then gently pushed the person to the shore.

...

Jiang Huali realized that she had underestimated the intensity of Xuan Qing's passion. Although Xuan Qing had been very considerate of her feelings and tried his best to comfort her, she still felt out of control in his hot embrace.

Time seemed to have become useless. From the hot spring to the soft couch, there were countless moments of drowsiness and awakening. Fortunately, Xuanqing still kept his composure and never revealed his true form.

Apart from the scales on its body and the golden vertical pupils, there was nothing else strange about it.

After an unknown amount of time, the dampness and heat on her body were finally gently washed away. Wrapped in a soft quilt, Jiang Huali nestled into the embrace of the person beside her, and her tired consciousness sank into a dream.

Xuanqing held the sleeping Jiang Huali in his arms, fed her some spiritual dew, kissed away the moisture from her lips, extinguished the candle, and fell asleep with his beloved in a comforting atmosphere.

When Jiang Huali woke up, it was still dark.

"Awake?" A familiar scent came from beside her, and a kiss gently brushed across Jiang Huali's face.

"How long has it been?" Jiang Huali rubbed her eyes, which were still a little sore.

Xuanqing placed his hand over her eyes and used his spiritual power to relieve her discomfort. He said somewhat hesitantly, "You've been in the Demon Realm for five days."

"..." Jiang Huali asked in disbelief, "What did you say?"

Xuan Qing guiltily covered her eyes, but Jiang Huali yanked them off.

Jiang Huali's memory was still that of being carried into the hot spring by Xuan Qing to be washed. As for how many times she was woken up during her unconsciousness... she couldn't remember anymore.

She felt very dry and had no discomfort, which meant that Xuanqing had used his spiritual power to relieve her discomfort.

"I have important things to do." Jiang Huali was a little annoyed. Although she had planned to help Xuanqing get through his period first, she did not expect that he would sleep for five days.

Xuanqing was still kissing her affectionately when he heard this and asked, "Is there anything else to do? Didn't you come here just to pity me?"

"What are you saying..." Jiang Huali sighed and rubbed her forehead in exasperation.

"Isn't that right? Have pity on me again..."

After spending an unknown amount of time with Xuan Qing, Jiang Huali finally pushed him away, calmed her breathing, and said, "I want to enter the Xuanlong Secret Realm again. Do you have any way to do that?"

Xuanqing's hair was slightly disheveled. He released Jiang Huali's ankle, licked the glistening liquid from the corner of his mouth with lingering satisfaction, and nodded.

-

"Oh, a rare guest, what brings you here again?"

Chu Yun glanced at Jiang Huali behind Xuan Qing and teased, "You didn't come here for that 'Immortal Sin,' did you? I didn't add too much hallucinogenic flower; it won't make anyone sick."

Seeing that the two didn't seem to be there for this reason, Chu Yun changed the subject: "The stories I gave Miss Jiang were all respectable, without any immoral or scandalous content..."

Xuan Qing sneered: "You certainly have a lot of stuff."

Chu Yun put away his folding fan and said with a smile, "Not at all."

"No matter what, I can't compare to you, Demon Lord."

As soon as Chu Yun finished speaking, he saw that Jiang Huali did not show any surprise or anger on her face, and he immediately lost interest: "Speak, what brings you here from so far away?"

He poured a cup of tea for each of them, and smiled at Jiang Huali: "This one has some psychedelic flowers added."

Jiang Huali held her teacup, hesitated for a moment, and then took a sip.

Xuanqing didn't say anything.

The hallucinogenic flower, as its name suggests, can induce hallucinations. The reason Jiang Huali thought the modified version of "Immortal's Sin" was sweet was because the hallucinogenic flower had bewitched her sense of taste.

Xuan Qing went straight to the point: "I need to borrow the Xuanlong Key."

"You want to enter the Xuanlong Secret Realm?" Chu Yun asked, raising an eyebrow.

Ordinary secret realms only appear at fixed times, but the Xuanlong Secret Realm is different. After the Xuanlong Key was combined into one, it was put into Chu Yun's possession. As long as he wants to open the secret realm, he only needs to sacrifice something.

Although Xuanqing absorbed the Xuanlong inheritance and can control the secret realm, he still needs the Xuanlong Key to enter the secret realm.

This was a deal he made with Chu Yun.

Chu Yun will help him find the Xuanlong Key. After he absorbs the Xuanlong inheritance, he will give him half of the resources in the secret realm and will not compete for the ownership of the Xuanlong Key.

Chu Yun readily gave the Xuanlong Key to Xuan Qing.

After entering the Xuanlong Secret Realm, the two headed straight for the place of inheritance.

The giant dragon statue in the Land of Inheritance has long since disappeared, and the surrounding area looks just like an ordinary cave.

Jiang Huali untied the jade pendant from her waist; she hadn't forgotten what Chen Jing had said before she entered this mission world.

The vessel... In the part of her memory that she recalled, there was this jade pendant in her hand.

The jade pendant was not from this world, and it was related to the Xuanlong Secret Realm, which is why Jiang Huali wanted to come and find out.

With Xuanqing around, Jiang Huali saved some trouble, but they still searched for a long time without finding anything.

Jiang Huali sat on the central stone platform to rest, holding a jade pendant in her hand and examining it. The small snake carved on it was lifelike.

After looking for a long time without finding anything, Jiang Huali put down the jade pendant and placed her hand on the stone platform, but something cut her palm.

A sharp pain shot through Jiang Huali, who looked down and dripped blood from her hand onto the stone platform. Instantly, the entire platform emitted a tremendous light.

When the light faded, a jade pendant lay quietly in the center of the stone platform.

Jiang Huali stood up and walked towards the center.

She bent down and picked up the jade pendant from the ground, comparing it with the jade pendant at her waist. Both pendants were identical in material and size.

The only difference is that this jade pendant is not engraved with a small snake, but with an unknown flower.

While Jiang Huali was stunned, the jade pendant in her hand was taken away, and her injured hand was gently lifted and spiritual energy was sprinkled on it, and the wound healed quickly.

"How could you be so careless?" Xuan Qing frowned slightly.

“No…” Jiang Huali turned around, only to find that the spot where she had just been sitting was smooth and flat, with no sharp objects.

Jiang Huali raised her palm and fell into deep thought.

Xuan Qing pulled her to sit down, took the jade pendant from her waist, held the two pendants in his hands, and asked, "Is this why you came?"

"Hmm." Jiang Huali nodded. "I guess so."

She never expected that the jade pendants were actually a pair.

“I don’t know why this jade pendant is here, but… it must belong to an old friend of mine,” Jiang Huali said.

Upon hearing this, Xuan Qing slowly put down the pair of jade pendants in his hands, his eyes darkening as he repeated, his expression enigmatic:

"Something belonging to an old friend?"