Chapter 49: Growing Closer

Su Qingxue sat quietly inside the cave. The surroundings were peaceful, but she couldn’t relax.

Her gaze remained fixed toward the entrance.

Not long after Long Feng left, she sensed many powerful shockwaves coming somewhere in the distance. Some of them were dangerous enough to threaten her.

She clenched her hands nervously. Remembering his warning, she had no choice but to stop, with a hint of anxiety appeared between her brows.

Although she had only known Long Feng for a short time, the two of them had spent several days together in the cave. During that time, they had gradually become familiar with each other.

She couldn’t help worrying about him.

"What if something happened to him?"

After waiting for another period, Su Qingxue finally couldn’t bear it. Just as she was about to leave the cave, footsteps suddenly came from outside.

A familiar figure stumbled in from outside the cave.

"Long Feng!"

She quickly rushed toward him.

His clothes were slightly torn, and several wounds could be seen across his body. Blood stained parts of his robe, and his breathing was somewhat heavy.

"You’re injured!"

Long Feng glanced at himself before giving her a wry smile.

"It’s only a few minor wounds."

"Minor wounds?"

Su Qingxue’s expression became slightly angry. She immediately supported his arm.

"Come inside first."

Long Feng didn’t refuse.

She helped him sit down against the stone wall. After examining his condition, Su Qingxue frowned.

"Didn’t I tell you to lure them away?"

"I did."

"Then why did you fight them?"

Her voice carried a trace of anger, but the worry in her eyes was obvious.

"You could have simply escaped after taking them away. Why did you have to fight?"

Long Feng shook his head and rubbed his still dizzy head, as said casually. "I did not want to let them go, so I killed them all."

"What?"

He said these words very calmly, but for Su Qingxue, it was no less than an explosion. Her beautiful eyes widen in shock as she stared at him in disbelief.

There had been even two Golden Core Realm cultivators among them. Yet Long Feng had killed all of them alone?

"How... how did you..."

Before she could finish, Long Feng interrupted with a faint smile.

"They hurt you, so how could I just let them go?"

His voice suddenly became softer, making Su Qingxue’s heart skipped a beat.

Long Feng continued with a faintly teasing smile.

"Besides, they made me run through the mountains around regarding you. I couldn’t let them get away so easily."

Su Qingxue’s cheeks gradually became warm.

"You..."

She quickly turned her face away. "You shouldn’t have fought them just because of me."

"Perhaps." Long Feng smiled, and didn’t say anything else.

But the faint smile on his lips made Su Qingxue’s heart beat slightly faster. She quickly changed the subject.

"Let me treat your wounds."

She took out a bottle of healing medicine and carefully helped him remove the damaged outer robe.

As the torn cloth fell aside, revealing his upper body. Long Feng’s physique had become considerably stronger after repeatedly tempering his body.

His chest was firm, his shoulders broad, and clearly defined muscles covered his abdomen.

Su Qingxue’s hand paused for a moment. Her cheeks immediately became warm. She quickly lowered her gaze.

"Don’t move."

"I won’t."

She carefully applied the healing medicine to the wound on his shoulder.

Her movements were gentle. Her fingertips occasionally brushed against his skin as she spread the medicine over the injured area.

Su Qingxue tried to remain focused on the wounds. But every time her fingers touched his warm skin, she couldn’t help feeling slightly embarrassed. She had never been this close to a man before.

Long Feng quietly watched her. He didn’t say anything. Instead, he simply allowed her to treat his wounds.

He had also noticed something else.

Whenever he got close to her, Su Qingxue would become nervous and shy. That wasn’t the reaction of someone accustomed to being close with men.

It seemed that even though she had a husband in name, she had never truly been close to another man.

After applying medicine to the wound on his shoulder, Su Qingxue moved toward another injury across his chest.

Her fingers became even more careful. She lightly spread the medicine around the wound.

The cave became unusually quiet, only their breathing could be heard.

Su Qingxue’s face grew increasingly warm. She secretly cursed herself.

’Why am I so nervous?’

She tried to concentrate. After a while, the medicine was finally applied.

"Done."

Su Qingxue withdrew her hand and prepared to stand. But just as she turned, Long Feng suddenly reached out and gently caught her wrist.

Su Qingxue froze. Her entire body stiffened. She slowly turned her head.

Long Feng was looking directly into her eyes. For a moment, neither of them spoke. Her heartbeat suddenly became much faster.

"Long Feng..."

Her voice was barely audible.

He didn’t pull her closer. He simply looked at her for a moment before slowly releasing her wrist.

"Thank you."

Su Qingxue quickly turned her face away. Her cheeks were completely red.

"It’s... it’s nothing."

She stood up and moved a short distance away.

Long Feng watched her back with a faint smile. His expression looked calm. But inside, he was quite satisfied.

Those injuries hadn’t been necessary. He could have defeated Han Tianyu and the others much faster. But deliberately allowing himself to suffer several injuries had given him an excuse to return in such a state.

And now, Su Qingxue had personally treated his wounds. The result was exactly what he wanted.

The two remained inside the cave. For the moment, there was no longer any danger outside.

Su Qingxue also continued taking healing pills, allowing her injuries to gradually recover. However, after such a fierce battle, she couldn’t completely recover in only one or two days.

Long Feng’s injuries were similar. Therefore, although they had originally planned to leave the next day, they decided to remain in the cave for several more days.

During this time, their relationship gradually became more natural. They talked occasionally, sometimes they discussed cultivation, sometimes they simply sat quietly inside the cave. There was no longer the awkwardness they had when they first met.

On the seventh day, Long Feng sat cross-legged in the deepest part of the cave. His eyes were closed. A powerful spiritual energy fluctuation slowly surrounded his body.

His Golden Core was rotating rapidly. Spiritual energy from the surroundings continuously entered his body.

For the past several days, he had been cultivating almost constantly.

After the battle with Han Tianyu and the others, he had already felt that his cultivation had reached the threshold of a breakthrough.

Now—

Boom!

A deep sound suddenly came from within his body. The spiritual energy around him violently surged. His aura began rising.

Su Qingxue, who was sitting nearby, immediately opened her eyes. She looked toward Long Feng in surprise.

"This... he’s about to break through!"

The next moment, a powerful pressure spread throughout the cave. Long Feng’s cultivation broke through the bottleneck.

Third Level of the Golden Core Realm!

His aura gradually stabilized. After several breaths, Long Feng slowly opened his eyes. A sharp glint flashed through them before disappearing.

He clenched his fist, power surged through his body.

"Finally."

A faint smile appeared on his face.

"Congratulations. We’re now at the same cultivation realm." Su Qingxue also came forward and congratulate him.

"Thank you." Long Feng turned toward her. "Then we should probably return tomorrow."

Long Feng glanced outside. The forest was peaceful. After staying here for seven days, their injuries had recovered considerably. There was no longer any reason to remain here.

"Alright."

Long Feng stood up. His injuries were almost completely healed, and his cultivation had advanced another level. It was time to return.

Su Qingxue also stood. The two exchanged a glance before walking toward the cave entrance together.

Neither of them knew that after leaving this place, their relationship would soon become much more complicated.

For now, however, they simply stepped into the sunlight together.

After leaving the cave, Long Feng and Su Qingxue spent some time finding their way back toward the city.

The journey through the vast mountain range was not easy. They had wandered deep into the wilderness during their escape, and finding the correct route back took them nearly a day.

Fortunately, they eventually reached a nearby city and found a suitable flying beast there. After boarding it, they finally began the journey back toward the Azura Heaven Sect.

After several hours of travel, the familiar mountain gates finally appeared in their sight.

Su Qingxue looked toward the towering entrance and couldn’t help letting out a quiet sigh of relief.

"Finally..."

Too many things had happened during this mission like the deaths of her companions Gu Chen and Mu Qingyan, and her near-death escape.

Thinking about everything that had happened, she couldn’t help feeling that returning to the sect was like finally waking from a nightmare.

Long Feng also looked toward the sect gate.

"Let’s go."

The two entered the sect together. However, they had only walked a short distance when Su Qingxue’s footsteps suddenly stopped.

Long Feng noticed her reaction and turned his head.

Seeing her gaze was fixed on someone standing not far away, Long Feng followed her gaze.

’Oh? What a small world.’ But looking at the person, his eyebrows rose slightly.