"That vixen!"

Qin Luo silently grumbled to himself, quickly calming the agitation in his heart.

At the same time, a young man appeared before them. He wore a magnificent brocade robe, embroidered with intricate patterns in gold thread, which seemed out of place in the dimly lit entrance to the abyss.

He was tall and handsome, but a hint of displeasure flashed across his face at this moment. His brows were furrowed as he stared intently at Huang Lu, who was holding Qin Luo's arm.

The young man suppressed his displeasure and forced a smile, but the smile looked somewhat strained as he spoke to Huang Lu:

"Huang Lu, what a coincidence! We actually ran into each other in this Abyss. I just broke through to the Spirit Control Realm and was thinking of coming to the Abyss to temper myself, but I didn't expect to run into you."

After saying that, his gaze swept over Qin Luo intentionally or unintentionally, a hint of contempt flashing in his eyes.

Huang Lu inwardly scoffed, but maintained a polite smile on her face as she replied, "Yes, it is quite a coincidence, Senior Li Tuo. However, I came here today with Junior Qin Luo, and we were just about to go in."

As she spoke, she tightened her grip on Qin Luo's arm slightly, as if to show Li Tuo her stance.

Seeing this, Li Tuo's brows furrowed more imperceptibly, but he maintained his fake smile and continued:

“Oh, junior? This Abyss is fraught with danger. Although the first three levels are not too dangerous, the efficiency of obtaining Abyss Crystals is too low.”

"I think it would be better if Huang Lu came with me. That way, I can protect you. We can cultivate together and maybe even obtain more Abyss Crystals."

As he spoke, his face radiated an air of unwavering confidence.

Looking at the aggressive Li Tuo, Qin Luo chuckled inwardly.

Just as Li Tuo finished speaking, Qin Luo suddenly wrapped his arms around Huang Lu's slender waist.

In that instant, Qin Luo felt an incredibly soft touch under his palm, as if he were holding a ball of the finest cloud-like cotton, delicate and slightly warm, making him reluctant to let go.

This sudden intimate gesture made Huang Lu's body stiffen slightly. She looked at Qin Luo in surprise, only to see Qin Luo staring at Li Tuo with a serious expression, his eyes silently declaring his ownership.

In that instant, Yi Ting's image flashed uncontrollably through Qin Luo's mind. Yi Ting's gentleness and shyness had once touched Qin Luo's heartstrings in the same way. Now, this similar soft touch made him feel nostalgic.

However, Qin Luo quickly came to his senses; now was not the time to dwell on the past.

She slightly raised her chin, a faint smile playing on her lips, and looked at Li Tuo, saying:

“Senior Li Tuo, thank you for your kindness. However, since I have promised to enter the Abyss Prison with Senior Sister, I will naturally protect her. Moreover, the two of us exploring together may not be less efficient than you in obtaining Abyss Crystals, and we might even gain more.”

Upon hearing this, Li Tuo's face immediately darkened, his eyes fixed on Qin Luo's hand holding Huang Lu, his anger almost bursting forth.

He immediately gritted his teeth and said:

"Junior brother, are you joking? In this Abyss, with your meager cultivation at the mid-stage of the Soul Contract Realm, I'm afraid you'll be in trouble even if you protect yourself."

Qin Luo remained unmoved, gently pulling Huang Lu closer to him, and then calmly replied:

"What you're saying, senior, is not right. Ability isn't just about words; it's about actions. Besides, senior is willing to travel with me, which means she trusts me. I will do my best, unlike some people who just force their way in. Tsk tsk."

Li Tuo was so angry at Qin Luo's words that his lips trembled and his chest heaved violently. For a moment, he was speechless. He looked like a beast that had been provoked but had no way to attack. He could only stare blankly, suppressing his anger.

Seeing him like this, Qin Luo simply shook his head slightly and stopped arguing with him. He then turned around, put his arm around Huang Lu, and walked towards the blue barrier.

Huang Lu blushed slightly as she let Qin Luo hold her. She could feel the strong masculine aura emanating from Qin Luo at that moment, and a strange feeling welled up in her heart. She quickened her pace unconsciously and stepped towards the barrier with Qin Luo.

The two figures flashed and successfully passed through the blue barrier, entering the second level of the Abyss. In the second level of the Abyss, the spiritual power was significantly denser and stronger than in the first level. As soon as they stepped in, they could feel wisps of spiritual power brushing against their bodies as if they were real, carrying a unique sense of oppression.

Upon seeing this, Li Tuo snorted coldly, a sinister glint flashing in his eyes, and thought to himself:

"Hmph, how arrogant! I'd like to see what gives you the confidence to say such things with your mid-stage Soul Contract Realm cultivation!"

Then, he flicked his sleeves and strode towards the blue barrier, his figure quickly disappearing into it as he followed.

Qin Luo sensed the power of the Spirit Abyss on this level, and it was indeed much stronger than the first level. The wisps of Spirit Abyss power, which were as solid as tangible matter, constantly impacted the spiritual energy barrier on his body.

Qin Luo secretly circulated his spiritual power to resist the attack, while also quickly adapting to the environment of this second layer of the abyss.

Huang Lu, nestled in his arms, had also recovered somewhat. She coughed lightly, cleared her throat, and began to explain to Qin Luo:

"Junior Brother Qin Luo, the reason why the spiritual energy in the second level is much stronger is because it is closer to the core area of ​​the Abyss Prison, so the spiritual energy gathered here is naturally more concentrated. Moreover, the spiritual energy in the lower the level, the more different it will be. If you are not careful to be corrupted by it, you will be in big trouble."

As Huang Lu spoke, she subconsciously shifted her body, only to suddenly remember that Qin Luo was still holding her tightly. Her face flushed slightly, and she lowered her head somewhat embarrassedly, wondering how to remind Qin Luo to let go. After all, although such an intimate posture in the Abyss Prison provided a sense of ambiguous security, it still made her feel a little shy.

Seemingly sensing Huang Lu's embarrassment, Qin Luo smiled calmly, never expecting that the previously charming Huang Lu could also appear so shy.

Finding it amusing, he lowered his head slightly, leaned close to Huang Lu's ear, and whispered:

"Senior Li Tuo is still following behind. Please bear with me a little longer, senior. Once I'm sure I've completely shaken him off, I'll let go to prevent him from bothering me again."

The soft whispers in my ear carried a unique sense of intimacy.

When the words reached Huang Lu's ears, her face instantly turned even redder, the blush spreading rapidly and even extending down to her neck, dyeing her fair skin a deep crimson.

Huang Lu felt her heart suddenly race, and unconsciously lowered her head to reply:

"Hmm~ Junior is right, well... let's leave it at that for now."

Although she verbally agreed, her face turned as red as a ripe apple, looking exquisite and alluring.