Chapter 72 Doesn't Senior Brother Dislike Me? (14) (VIP Chapter)

Fu Li didn't see Chongjing Pavilion all morning.

Recalling the embarrassing experience last night, Fu Li felt somewhat conflicted.

Who would have thought that Chongjingge, who usually maintains a cool and aloof demeanor, would have such a lewd reaction? It's best not to see him.

Later, I heard from Li Weiyan that Chongjingge had gone out early in the morning to Jinyu Temple to help the townspeople collect the corpses from the tunnel.

After saying that, Li Weiyan smiled and shook his head, sighing as if he were ashamed of his own shortcomings, and said, "Even I didn't expect that. Don't let Senior Brother's serious and reserved demeanor fool you; he's actually a warm-hearted person beneath his cold exterior. Ah Li, how was it when you applied the medicine to Senior Brother yesterday? Is his injury any better?"

She winked at him, as if asking how his attempt to mend relations with Chongjing Pavilion had gone.

Thinking of the embarrassing scene last night, Fu Li could only laugh it off.

After lunch, Chongjingge returned with Zhu Mingying and her entourage.

The town mayor and others followed behind, deeply grateful, and said they would personally deliver the gifts and tributes to Longque Mountain to express their thanks.

After bidding farewell to the townspeople who came to see them off, everyone boarded the airship with their luggage.

Fu Li stood on the ship's side, gripping the handrail. Looking down from the air, he saw that the eastern side of Jin Yu Town, which had become the size of a sand table, had been filled with mud. The white mist that had enveloped it when they arrived was gone, and it seemed to reflect a layer of brilliance under the sunlight.

"The mayor said that the Golden Feather Shrine will be rebuilt. Although the Golden Feather Eagle is no longer here, its contributions to the people are real, and the people here will forever remember its achievements." Before anyone knew it, Chongjingge walked up to him with his sword.

Dressed in a grey robe without any adornments, his dark hair was tied up high, giving him the appearance of a righteous and nameless swordsman from the martial arts world.

Upon seeing him arrive, Fu Li immediately thought of the unpleasantness of the previous night. Her expression changed slightly, but she did not bring up the matter.

Instead, he said with a sigh, "I didn't expect that Senior Brother doesn't think there's anything wrong with worshipping a demon. I thought you would be the kind of person who sticks to the old rule that humans and demons can't coexist."

Chongjingge looked at him seriously and said, "I don't believe that humans and demons can't get along. It's just that the world is dangerous, and most people believe that 'those who are not of our kind are bound to have different hearts.' Jinyu Town is a small town located in the mountains, and it is not easy for the people here to get along harmoniously with the demons for a short time. Moreover, this is just an isolated case."

"Human hearts are unpredictable, and so are demons. There is good, and there is bad."

Fu Li couldn't help but ask, "Do you mean the evil demons you're referring to include the Demon Lords of the Four Seas?"

Upon hearing this name, Chongjingge's expression suddenly changed, his previously calm demeanor turning gloomy, as if he harbored deep hostility towards him.

"He spoke rudely to you and had ulterior motives. If you encounter him in the future, stay away from him!" The warning to Fu Li was tinged with deep disgust and apprehension.

Fu Li had never seen Chongjing Pavilion so serious and solemn before, and nodded subconsciously.

Then both of them fell silent. The atmosphere gradually became awkward.

At that moment, a figure leaped up and squeezed between them, then casually put his arm around Fu Li's shoulder.

"Ah Li! I've been looking for you all over the cabin. Why are you outside? Are you admiring the scenery?"

Fu Li turned her head and, as expected, saw Xiao Yue's handsome face with a touch of childlike innocence.

Fu Li smiled and replied, "Fourth Senior Brother." Her voice was gentle and soft, like a gentle breeze.

Chongjingge asked expressionlessly, "Fourth Junior Brother, are you free from your inner demons now?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yue stuck out her tongue at him and made a face, saying, "Of course not! I already said it was just an accident. If I had known earlier that the opponent was a demon that could use illusions, I wouldn't have fallen for it. Ah Li, let's go."

With that, he pushed Fu Li away by the back.

Since Xiao Yue woke up, Fu Li noticed that his possessiveness seemed to have become stronger. Usually, he would just complain that Fu Li didn't play with him but played with others. Now, he was even unwilling to let Xiao Yue talk to others for a little longer. Of course, he wouldn't tell Fu Li this dissatisfaction directly. His way of expressing it was to take Fu Li away.

Fu Li was initially a little troubled by this, but he was quite willing to cooperate if it could help him stay away from Chongjing Pavilion.

Xiao Yue mentioned again that they would pass through a hot spring town on the way, and then the two found Li Weiyan and told him about it.

After some thought, the latter decided that stopping to rest would be a good idea, allowing everyone to wash away the fatigue of the past few days and serving as a good ending to the training mission.

After obtaining everyone's opinions, the flying boat flew for several more hours before finally landing slowly in a mountain forest.

It was getting late, and after dinner, the disciples took off their outer garments and prepared to go into the hot springs to play.

The stop was perfectly chosen, surrounded by hot springs, with natural pools of all sizes extending deep into the forest, creating a paradise for animals and humans to play and bathe.

Given their naturally lively and active age, the group of disciples quickly started splashing water on each other and having fun. Fu Li joined them as well.

He was born with fair skin like jade, a slender figure, and wearing only an undergarment that accentuated his slim waist and long legs, revealing his natural beauty. No wonder everyone liked being with him.

However, Xiao Yue soon became unhappy and led Fu Li deeper into the hot spring.

Finally arriving at a relatively quiet place, the mist and heat caused a thin blush to settle on their cheeks.

Gazing at Fu Li's flawless, jade-like face, Xiao Yue sank her body deeper into the water, her Adam's apple bobbing slightly, and couldn't help but plead:

"Ah Li, something's wrong with me again. Can you help me? Like last time."

His tone was earnest yet playful, as if he were pleading.

However, Fu Li immediately flew into a rage upon hearing this. Thinking back to the time he nearly lost control in the spirit spring pool, he had no intention of doing it again!

Therefore, he sternly rejected Xiao Yue's request.

Just then, Li Weiyan brought out chilled fruit and called everyone to eat, and Fu Li immediately walked over there.

The tray was laden with a large pile of sliced ​​pears, apples, and crystal grapes, making one's mouth water. Fu Li tasted some; it was quite delicious.

Suddenly someone exclaimed "Huh?" and pointed to a round, red fruit growing by the pond, asking, "What's this? It looks like a berry. I ate a few, and they tasted so sour." As they spoke, they smacked their lips, as if they had been a little bit annoyed by the astringency.

Li Weiyan looked over and laughed, "This is a kind of snake fruit, which usually grows near hot springs. It does taste really bad. You don't even know what it is and you still dare to eat it. Aren't you afraid of getting poisoned?"

Everyone burst into laughter, and a joyful atmosphere filled the waterside.

At this moment, Li Weiyan looked around but did not see Chongjingge. So he said to Fu Li, "Ali, I left some grapes for Senior Brother. He seems to have gone into the hot spring pool in the depths. Can you go and give them to him for me?" As he spoke, he winked at him, implying that this was another opportunity to get closer to Senior Brother.

Fu Li couldn't help but smile bitterly.

He and Chongjingge have been at odds for a long time. If showing goodwill were effective, it would have worked long ago. It's not something that can be reconciled with just one or two attempts.

Rather, it's more accurate to say that from the very first day he arrived at Xiaoyao Peak, the other party disliked him—a subconscious dislike. First impressions are hard to erase, especially since he had no intention of trying to please her anymore.

But Li Weiyan was unaware of these things and was still focused on creating an atmosphere of "harmonious coexistence among fellow disciples".

At this moment, Xiao Yue suddenly climbed up from behind Fu Li and looked at Li Weiyan with a resentful expression: "Senior Brother is such a bad person. He has always disliked Junior Brother. Why did Second Senior Brother send Ah Li to deliver fruit?"

He moved like a python, silently creeping up behind Fu Li. The damp, eerie feeling startled Fu Li so much that he jumped up and shouted, "I want to send it to Senior Brother right now!"

As Fu Li carried the crystal tray and walked along the raised stone path by the pool, he was still a little depressed. He was not very willing to stay with either Chongjing Pavilion or Xiao Yue.

What's wrong with Xiao Yue? What happened to the sunny and cheerful young man? Why is he acting even stranger after suppressing his inner demons?

Fu Li kept thinking as she hurried on her way. Suddenly, a string of red fruits came into view, their roots firmly planted by the pond, their bright red color catching the eye.

Then he remembered what his second senior brother had said: this was a wild snake fruit, and it tasted sour and astringent.

Thinking of this, a mischievous idea flashed through Fu Li's mind. If she picked some snake fruits and disguised them as crystal grapes to trick Chongjing Pavilion into eating them, even if they tasted terribly sour, given their personality, they would probably grimace and swallow them.

Fu Li immediately became interested, picked a bunch of snake fruit and used a trick to disguise it as smaller grapes, then ate the rest of the grapes herself, and carried the bowl of "sour grapes" inside.

Soon, he spotted Chongjing Pavilion in a deep hot spring pool.

Although the hot spring was shrouded in mist, appearing as if veiled by a thin gauze when viewed from across the shore, Fu Li still recognized Chongjing Pavilion's broad and tall figure at a glance.

So I went over there.

Chongjing Pavilion's face was serene, his eyes slightly closed. His overly sharp features were softened considerably by the mist. Although his eyes were not visible, his face was undeniably handsome and otherworldly. His eyebrows were like clouds, his nose like a mountain, his black hair was tied up, and his skin was fair. Compared to his usual aloof and solemn demeanor, he now resembled a mountain spirit encountered in the wilderness, who disguised himself as a handsome young man to lure passersby.

Hearing the noise, the young man opened his eyes, but after seeing who it was, he was no longer wary.

Fu Li held the tray to his ear and said in as normal a tone as possible, "Senior Brother, these are grapes that have just been chilled. Everyone has already tasted them, so these are for you. Please finish them."

Upon hearing this, Chongjingge did not suspect anything, and reached out to pick up the fruit from the plate one by one and put it into his mouth.

The initial sour taste made him frown. But his habit of saving food meant he wouldn't refuse, and he finished it all.

Fu Li watched from the side, plate in hand, and saw the young man's handsome face contorted with the astringency of the snake fruit, looking almost ferocious. Only after he finished eating did Fu Li put down the plate, suppressing a laugh, and ask:

"Senior brother, what do you think of the taste?"

Chong Jingge still frowned, the lingering taste in his mouth not yet gone, and said in a flat tone, "It's a little sour."

No sooner had he finished speaking than Fu Li burst into a fit of loud laughter, laughing so hard that he collapsed on the shore, clutching his stomach and unable to get up.

"Hahahaha! Senior brother, have you never eaten grapes before?! How could you mistake this for a grape?! I'm dying of laughter! Hahahahaha~"

Upon hearing Fu Li's words, Chong Jingge understood what was going on. A calm yet helpless expression appeared on his face.

Just as he was about to say something, he suddenly felt an extreme heat rising in his lower abdomen, even stronger than the previous night.

Ever since he realized he had been poisoned by dragon blood, he had tried every means to suppress it with his spiritual power until he successfully contained the poison within his dantian. The dantian, where spiritual power gathers and flows, is an excellent place for sealing.

I had just soaked myself in the hot spring, hoping to use the external heat to force out the dragon blood. However, I didn't expect the dragon blood poison to take effect at this moment.

The man, who had been cold and indifferent just a moment ago, suddenly frowned deeply, and two strange flushes of blood rose on his fair cheeks. A crimson light appeared in his clear eyes, revealing an unbearable feeling.

Realizing what had happened, he looked up at Fu Li.

What did you give me to eat?

Hearing his obviously suppressed tone, Fu Li was taken aback for a moment, then said, "It's...it's just a snake fruit that grows by hot springs, it's not poisonous..."

He thought to himself, "Chongjing Pavilion is too petty. I just teased him with sour fruit, and he's already so angry..."

Before he could finish his internal monologue, the person in the water swung a long arm and pulled him into the water. The water temperature here was much higher than outside, and the steam carrying heat rushed towards him, making Fu Li momentarily dizzy. Before he could recover, his body was already encircled in the pool, and then he heard a deep, hoarse voice say:

"Do you know that I was poisoned by dragon blood when I was fighting that black dragon? I had already suppressed it, but then I ate this bunch of snake fruits, which directly triggered the poison to take effect!"

Fu Li stared at him in disbelief.

He was unaware that Chongjingge possessed dragon blood poison, and even less aware of the consequences of consuming the snake fruit, but judging from his anxious and agitated tone, it was clear that the situation would be quite serious.

He stammered, "Then...then I'll go find my second senior brother and the others..."

"No!" Chong Jingge firmly restrained his arms with both hands.

His eyes were now slightly red, gleaming with a wild, beast-like light. His usually aloof and cold face was no longer like an iceberg, but instead revealed an expression of being pushed to the brink of rage, as if he would lose control at any moment.

The oppressive aura made Fu Li's body tremble slightly, but he also saw ripples appear on the originally calm water surface, just like his.

Ultimately, Chongjing Pavilion provided a solution:

"This is your fault, so you have to take responsibility."

Dragon's blood catalyzes desire, and snake fruit enhances libido; when the two are combined, the only way to alleviate them is through relief.

After speaking decisively, he reached out and tore open Fu Li's front to reveal her flat, fair chest and shapely collarbone. Then, he moved his large hand down and ripped off the trousers covering her legs.

Fu Li was truly terrified. The Chongjing Pavilion before him felt both unfamiliar and terrifying. Its bloodshot eyes seemed to represent bloody slaughter, and when it scanned his body inch by inch with its gaze, it was as if it were appraising a delicious meal.

"Wait...wait a minute! Senior Brother, what are you doing? I'll go find someone for you, I'll get Senior Sister Zhu to come and help you, she can definitely cure you!"

Fu Li thought that since her third senior sister was so skilled in medicine and elixirs, she must also know how to cure the dragon blood poison in Chongjing Pavilion.

But to Chongjingge, it sounded like Fu Li wanted to push him to someone else so that someone else could detoxify him.

A dark and violent emotion surged through him. He grabbed the boy who was trying to escape and pinned him against his body. His eyes were more sinister and terrifying than ever before, which made Fu Li freeze in place, not daring to move.

"Listen to me, this is the Dragon Blood Poison taking full effect. I had originally suppressed it in my dantian, but because of that bunch of snake fruits, it erupted uncontrollably. It will soon spread throughout my body along with the spiritual energy. If it's not dealt with quickly, it could very well lead to demonic possession. So, you're responsible for what you've done!"

His tone was firm and forceful, and he clearly explained the reasoning behind it:

In short, Fu Li has to bear the consequences of his evil deeds.

Fu Li trembled with fear, her back pressed against the hard edge of the pool, her delicate skin aching from the pressure.

His eyes were already brimming with tears, and he kept shaking his head, trying to struggle and escape. However, how could a Golden Core cultivator compare to a Nascent Soul cultivator? He was easily suppressed in the pool like a lamb.

Seeing his pitiful and frightened appearance, Chongjingge felt a pang of pity in his heart, which had become dark and irritable due to the influence of the dragon blood poison.

He lowered his eyes and gently placed a comforting kiss on the corner of the boy's eye, his voice low and husky yet filled with eagerness: "It's okay, I just need you here, it'll be over in a little while."

After saying that, a pair of large hands submerged underwater and brought the boy's slender, delicate legs together.

As the man's breathing became increasingly rapid and heavy, Fu Li sensed what was about to happen. She shook her head even more vigorously, making sounds of resistance in her throat, but ultimately could not resist the man's surging desire.

The moment Chongjing Pavilion came to life, Fu Li felt completely numb.

At this moment, the man had lost all reason; his bloodshot eyes and focused, violent expression made him look like a wild beast that only knew how to vent its anger.

Just a quarter of an hour ago, he was that cold and aloof senior brother who was indifferent to him, the person who hated him the most in the world. It's hard to imagine that he would force his most hated junior brother to do such an intimate thing.

Why...did it turn out like this...?

Gradually, the sobbing turned into loud crying. He glared at the man's gloomy face as he worked diligently, and let out a desperate cry:

"Waaah... Big...Senior Brother, look who I am! Didn't you hate me the most?!"

The sobbing and shouting brought Chongjingge back to his senses.

In my sight, my junior brother's hair was disheveled, and he leaned back against the edge of the pool. His fair face was full of tears, especially his crystal-clear eyes, which were shimmering with water under the moonlight and the glow of the night-shining pearl. His expression was one of despair and resolute determination. His naked body was as white as jade, more beautiful than I had imagined in my dreams. Half of his body was underwater, and his soft thighs were being held in my hands.

This scene is truly breathtaking; the woman is as beautiful as jade, and I feel a deep sense of pity for her.

Even so, he did not slow down and pulled the person back into his arms.

He heard what Fu Li had just shouted and replied to his question in a deep, resonant voice:

"I've never disliked my junior brother for a single moment, so how can you say I hate him the most? My junior brother will always be the one I cherish the most..."

Fu Li didn't hear what he said next, but she clearly saw his eyes.

That gaze held a deep, seemingly endless love, hotter than flames, more scorching than lava. No vessel could contain it; a single glance was enough to overwhelm.

Fu Li couldn't tell whether it was a misjudgment due to the thick fog or a hallucination caused by overwhelming fear. In short, he felt that everything happening was utterly absurd.

Chongjingge was poisoned by dragon blood and went into heat, and he actually used his legs...

However, he could only endure it, as his strength was far inferior to his opponent's and he was unable to resist.

It's unclear how much time passed—periods or hours—but the man's movements finally slowed. His nearly bloodshot eyes regained their clear, cold black and white. In the end, he embraced the dazed boy before him and growled like a wild beast...

When Fu Li got ashore, her legs were already immobile.

Even though Chong Jingge exerted all the effort, he didn't use a single ounce of strength, yet he was the most exhausted. By the time it was all over, he couldn't even open his eyelids, his legs felt like two limp sticks, and even his sobs while leaning against Chong Jingge were very small. He looked completely broken.

Chongjingge put on the clothes folded by the pool, covered the person in his arms with the outer garment, and gazed at the dappled light and shadow under the other's eyelashes, lost in thought.

After a long while, he finally came to his senses. He picked up the young man and transformed into a gust of wind, heading towards the direction of the flying boat.

When Fu Li opened his eyes and woke up the next day, the sun was already high in the sky, and the shadow of Dragon Gate Mountain could be seen from the deck.

He suddenly sat up, pulled back the blanket covering him, and saw that his clothes were intact and undamaged, but they were not the same as yesterday's. With the slightest movement, he felt a burning pain in the area near his groin.

He gritted his teeth and slowly pulled his pants down, revealing a blush of pink on the inside of his thighs, emitting a faint fragrance of ointment.

A loud crash suddenly came from one of the cabin compartments, as if something had been smashed to the ground.

Inside the room, Fu Li sat on the bed, gritting his teeth, his legs spread wide open, unable to close. Although cultivators were generally much stronger than mortals, even so, his body hadn't recovered after a whole night, demonstrating just how much force that beast from Chongjing Pavilion had exerted!

This is absolutely outrageous!

After venting her anger, Fu Li took a few breaths. Her eyes gradually regained their rationality, and after a moment of deep thought, she came to a conclusion—

This matter should be treated as if it never happened!

There's no way around it. Chongjing Pavilion was poisoned by dragon blood, and the snake fruit he pranked her with triggered the poison, causing her to go berserk and then use his leg to alleviate the symptoms. Even if people were to judge, they would only say that Fu Li deserved it. Moreover, from now on, he will be associated with Chongjing Pavilion. Just thinking about it makes me uncomfortable!

Therefore, Fu Li finally concluded that no matter what, she must not, absolutely must not, let anyone else know about this; she should just pretend it never happened.

When he dressed and walked out of the room with trembling legs, no one noticed anything unusual.

Only Xiao Yue still came over to pester him as usual, questioning him with a resentful look about where he went last night and why he didn't come back after delivering the fruit.

Fu Li calmly brushed him off with a few words, then, fearing her secret would be exposed, she quickly fled. On the way, she happened to bump into Chongjingge, who was coming out of a side room.

Their eyes met, and it was quite awkward.

Fu Li was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and greeted him calmly, "Good morning, Senior Brother."

Chongjingge's eyes were deep and unfathomable, showing no difference from usual. He nodded, gave a soft "hmm," his attitude extremely cold, and withdrew his body, closing the door behind him.

Just then, Xiao Yue's voice rang out behind her: "Ah Li, it's already noon."

Fu Li: ......

[Host, don't you think the male lead...]

"You seem like a scumbag who'd just pull out his penis and run away, right? I think so too."

【No, aren't you the same?】The system was speechless at Fu Li's behavior of not only shifting the blame but also turning the tables.

I mean, something's off about his behavior. Could he be like the male protagonists of the previous two worlds...?

Fu Li understood: "But I completed the task just the same."

system:【......】

[Does this mean that although you successfully died as the "dark moonlight," you also took the male lead's life in the process and didn't receive a six-month reduced sentence?]

Fu Li: "Is this my fault? Isn't it because the male leads you chose are all too perverted?!"

"Don't worry, the male lead in this world hates me the most, how could he change his mind so quickly? Just think of it as a minor flaw in the plot, relax, relax." Fu Li expressed an optimistic attitude.

After returning to Longque Mountain, Chongjingge locked himself in his bamboo house, refusing visitors and seemingly intending to retreat into seclusion.

Fu Li assumed the other person was in the same boat as her, intending to pretend that night had never happened and move on. Her anxiety subsided.

Li Weiyan reported all the events that occurred in Jinyu Town, including his encounter with the Four Seas Demon Lord, to the sect. Upon hearing that the Four Seas Demon Lord Zhongli Qianye was using the Illusionless Flower to refine pills, Elder Yaofeng sighed and said, "Zhongli Qianye is collecting materials for the Xukun Pill. Is he preparing to break through to the Nascent Soul stage?"

His words implied a deep concern that a new, powerful enemy might emerge in the cultivation world.

As for Xiao Yue, ever since he returned, his father dragged him into the Spirit Spring Pool, saying that the remaining demonic energy must be removed to prevent the resurgence of his inner demons.

Therefore, Fu Li found himself in a much quieter environment. No one was forcing him to cultivate every day anymore.

However, after this experience, especially being suppressed in the pool and subjected to all sorts of wanton acts by a Nascent Soul cultivator, he resolved to work hard in his cultivation so that he would not be powerless to resist again if such a thing happened next time.

This change was within the character's established boundaries, and the system did not obstruct it.

A few days later, Xiao Yue was released. He had been soaking in the spiritual energy pool for seven days, and after the elders confirmed that there was no more demonic energy in his body, he finally regained his freedom.

The first thing I did was run to Fu Li's cave to find him.

Fu Li noticed that Xiao Yue's pupils, like before, appeared much darker, resembling a pair of obsidian. Her personality remained the same: clingy and possessive.

Although it felt a bit strange, even the sect leader and elders didn't notice anything, so it shouldn't be a problem, right?

After this trip, Xiao Yue seemed to have gained real insights from the experience. It was as if he had opened up his Ren and Du meridians. He could use all kinds of unique mental techniques, sword techniques and talismans passed down by Longque Mountain with ease, as if he had used them a thousand times. People were amazed and exclaimed that he was a genius.

Even after seeing him establish the Heaven and Earth Returning Formation in just two breaths, a formation that ordinary cultivators might not be able to master even after fifty years, an elder asserted: "If A-Yue's cultivation level hadn't been too low, his strength would definitely be no less than that of Jingge, and might even be far superior to him."

After the performance, Xiao Yue simply bowed to the elders without showing any excessive pride. Then, she skipped over to Fu Li and asked him for credit, "Li, you saw it too, right? Wasn't I amazing, senior brother?"

To be honest, Xiao Yue's meteoric progress in all aspects was astonishing, and Fu Li was also very surprised.

After a long moment of stunned silence, a look of surprise slowly appeared on his face: "Fourth Senior Brother, you're amazing! How did you do that?"

A joyful expression immediately appeared on the boy's handsome face. He was beaming with pride, like a puppy that had been praised. If he had a tail, it would probably be wagging it around.

What Fu Li didn't know was that Xiao Yue had learned all these spells and formations in the illusion. Over those hundred years, he had used them at least tens of thousands of times, so he was naturally able to master them.

He didn't even tell his father or the sect elders about these things.

----

Meanwhile, Chongjingge had been staying in the bamboo house for over a month.

These days, he sits cross-legged on the bamboo bed almost every moment, meditating and cultivating. But it's not to improve his state of mind.

Even when doing anything else, like just taking a nap, the half-erotic, half-unpleasant scene in the hot spring would resurface in her mind. She couldn't forget the warm, soft touch of the boy lying in her hands, nor could she forget his nonchalant figure as he passed by the next day, never mentioning what had happened again.

Chongjing Pavilion initially did not want to let the matter go. He wanted to have a proper talk with Fu Li, and he was willing to take responsibility.

But Fu Li acted as if she was ready to let it go, as if nothing had happened that night.

Chongjingge knew that he was a selfish coward.

Fu Li was completely unaware of the dragon blood poison; he had inadvertently triggered its effects with the snake fruit and shouldn't have been held responsible. However, at the time, the dark and violent emotions lurking within him were dominated by the dragon blood, causing him to abandon morality and principles, forcibly keeping the boy and forcing him to endure those...

Afterwards, he even wanted to take responsibility for Fu Li. Whenever he thought of that person, the scenes in the water that night would reappear before his eyes. If he wasn't a shameless and despicable beast, who would be so hypocritical?

He knew all of this... Fu Li had clearly shown through her actions that she didn't want to be involved with him, it was all his fault...

But he couldn't help but wonder why Fu Li was so resistant to him, why he pretended to be indifferent even after they had been so intimate, why, why, why couldn't he be with his senior brother---

"Pfft!" The young man on the bamboo bed stretched out a finger and slashed his left forearm, blood gushing out. The wound healed quickly, leaving only a shallow scar.

There are already many similar scars clearly visible around the wound, and it's unknown how long he has been self-harming like this.

Qintian, lying on his side beside the couch, sensed his master's blood energy trembling in the sword sheath before quickly returning to calm.

The man lowered his head, closed his eyes, and slightly parted his pale pink lips, murmuring, "These thoughts are all caused by the dragon blood poison. I can't force Fu Li anymore, I can't want to hurt him... I absolutely can't..."

A gentle breeze rustled through the bamboo window, carrying away the last trace of the stench of blood.

----

Six months later.

Fu Li had grown a little taller, but her face looked no different from half a year ago. She still had the same long eyebrows and bright eyes, an otherworldly temperament, a body like jade and a face like an ice sculpture, truly possessing the beauty of ice and jade.

However, Xiao Yue's changes were considerable. While his appearance and physique remained the same, he possessed a more sharp and serious demeanor. In the past six months, his cultivation had advanced by leaps and bounds, almost reaching the Nascent Soul stage and the Chongjing Pavilion realm. This rapid pace of cultivation even surpassed that of Li Weiyan and Zhu Mingying, who had joined his sect earlier.

His breakthroughs in other areas were equally astonishing; his formations, talisman-drawing, and sword-wielding were performed with the skill of a seasoned practitioner who had practiced tens of thousands of times. This left everyone in awe.

Moreover, he also has unique insights into handling sect affairs. He is mature and quick-witted.

Gradually, the inner disciples all followed his lead, and Xiao Yue undoubtedly became the new leader.

Only in front of Yue Fuli would he show his naive and youthful side.

A few days ago, he specially demonstrated a spell to Fu Li that could release fireworks from his fingertips, which amazed the latter.

The dazzling firelight illuminated Fu Li's fair and flawless face, causing Xiao Yue to momentarily lose her composure.

Just as news broke that the Central Continent Secret Realm was about to open, Fu Li and his companions decided to venture into it.

Upon arriving at the Disciplinary Hall, the Elder in charge of the seal was discussing something with the Sect Leader, Xiao Qinghe. Seeing Fu Li and Xiao Yue arrive, he waved to them with a friendly smile.

"Ah Yue, Ah Li, you came together again?"

The two bowed respectfully.

Xiao Yue wore a humble and gentle smile, her demeanor neither arrogant nor humble, already displaying the air of someone in a superior position.

He spoke frankly, "I heard that the secret realm is about to open, and my junior brother and I would like to reserve two spots."

Upon hearing this, the two elders had no objections, and Xiao Qinghe even looked at Xiao Yue with a slightly gratified gaze.

“You’re not young anymore, and your cultivation is sufficient. You should go and explore the secret realm. You kid, no matter what I said or scolded you before, you just didn’t improve. Now you’ve finally come to your senses. It’s fortunate that you went out to train last time. Be careful not to get ambushed by monsters again this time, or you might develop another inner demon.”

The latter half of his speech was directed at Xiao Yue.

The latter smiled faintly and accepted the teleportation tokens belonging to the two of them.

Just as Fu Li was about to thank them and leave, he heard the Elder in charge of the seal continue, "This time, among the major cultivation sects in the Central Continent, our Dragon Gate Mountain received more than thirty tokens. The list had already been prepared, and you were originally on it. There are also other people from the Free and Unfettered Peak."

Fu Li was taken aback: "Will Senior Brother go too? Isn't he in seclusion?"

The elder shook his head and said, "I've already asked him, and he said he'll be going with you this time."

Xiao Qinghe also said, "Among the disciples who went this time, Jingge has the highest cultivation level. If any of you are teleported together with him, remember to stick close to him no matter what happens."

Xiao Yue pouted after hearing this: "What's so great about the Nascent Soul stage? I don't think Senior Brother's strength is necessarily higher than mine. Ali only needs me to protect her."

He and Chongjingge have never gotten along, so when he said similar things, everyone just smiled helplessly.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Xiao Yue put her arm around Fu Li's waist, placed her arm under his armpit, and asked him with a grin whether he thought the senior brother was more powerful or he was more powerful.

He was tall and had broad shoulders, and Fu Li felt as if she were being held in his arms.

Even Xiao Qinghe couldn't help but frown and scold, "A-Yue, what kind of behavior is this? Although you are both men, it's outrageous for you to pester your junior brother like this in public!"

Xiao Yue shrugged and casually let go of his hand.

But Fu Li knew he would do the same thing again, and wouldn't listen even if she told him.

After leaving the disciplinary hall, Xiao Yue took Fu Li's token and started fiddling with it. He added a gold seal to both of their tokens, then happily returned them to Fu Li, winking at him.

He said, "With this, we can be teleported together when we enter the secret realm."

Fu Li had never heard of such a curse mark before, but Xiao Yue said it was a kind of formation, revealing a carefree expression.

That evening, Fu Li finished meditating cross-legged as usual before lying down to rest.

Late at night, a figure suddenly appeared outside the room, easily bypassing the defensive traps and barriers set up at the door before silently entering the room.

So, the system, which was in standby mode, saw the male protagonist enter the room, stand silently by Fu Li's bedside for a long time, gazing at his face, just like it had been more than half a year ago.

After an unknown amount of time, he finally withdrew his gaze and scanned the room with his divine sense. He eventually discovered the token placed beside his pillow.

After carefully picking it up from beside Fu Li's head, Chong Jingge extended a finger, seemingly wanting to add something to it. But suddenly he noticed that in the dim light, a faint golden seal appeared on the surface of the token—someone had already added an array to it.

Chongjingge calmly removed the original mark and then added another formation.

Then, the altered token was placed back in its original location. It vanished like a gust of wind from Fu Li's room; if the system hadn't witnessed the entire process, there wouldn't have been a single trace to prove anyone had been there.

However, the system is currently in a dilemma.

Should it tell Fu Li what happened that night, or should it keep it a secret like it did before to avoid complications?

Author's Note: A moment of great celebration! It's finally a paid chapter! Hooray! Thank you all for your support!