Chapter 300: Qingxu

A long while passed.

Yun Ci’s eyelids fluttered. The chill on her face subsided slightly as she opened her eyes, and what she saw was enough to shock her.

Golden flames encircled her, their layered embers burning brightly. Faintly, she could feel a surge of Life Force revolving around her.

It had the shape of a dragon, and yet… it also resembled a koi fish.

The Qi Mechanism was extremely subtle. She had to expend a great deal of mental energy just to see it clearly.

Chen Qingyang was right across from her, his palm still pressed tightly against hers. His eyes were closed, and his expression was one of intense concentration.

She had seen this face before. Back in the Yong Kingdom, when she was gravely injured and blocked by Demon Sect Disciples, Chen Qingyang had adamantly said that he had to get her out of there.

By now, Yun Ci could have pulled her hand away, but she didn’t. Instead, she closed her eyes again, enjoying the faint warmth.

The Conscious Fish was like another pair of eyes for Chen Qingyang and could have seen all of this. However, his mind was completely immersed in the Array at that moment, leaving him unable to pay attention to anything else.

The Array formed by the seven lamps, combined with his True Power, was gradually extinguishing the chill. He could even sense that Yun Ci was now able to control the True Qi in her body…

He opened his eyes and saw the Master’s gaze fixed upon him. There seemed to be a hint of a smile in her eyes, yet her look was intensely serious.

Their hands were still pressed together.

“Are… are you better?”

Chen Qingyang didn’t call her Master, simply addressing her as “you.”

Yun Ci swallowed, feigning perfect composure. She slowly withdrew her slender hand, then turned her back to Chen Qingyang and sat up straight. “Yes, I’m fine!”

Chen Qingyang pressed, “Did your injuries get worse?”

A voice replied from behind her, “It’s fine. Not too serious.”

‘Sigh!’ He had heard her words clearly just now. ‘She did that because she was worried the True Dragon would attack me, thinking it had already escaped.’

“How can it not be serious? It looked very dangerous just now. You really should have asked me. That dragon can’t affect me for the time being.”

“Hah!” It was that proud and petulant little scoff again. “Are you implying that I was wrong?”

There was another hint of anger in her tone.

Chen Qingyang didn’t dare provoke her to begin with, and that was even more true under the current circumstances. “That’s not what I meant at all! I just thought it wasn’t worth it if the Master’s injuries were to worsen. I’m endlessly grateful for what you did!”

Hearing this, Yun Ci’s anger finally subsided. “As long as you understand. I… was just repaying your kindness…”

As if feeling that wasn’t forceful enough, she added, “That’s all.”

Chen Qingyang quickly agreed, “Yes, yes, yes.”

After a brief pause, Yun Ci turned back around. Chen Qingyang studied her complexion carefully; it was indeed a little worse.

“What is that other thing on you? I can tell it’s not the will of that Fire Dragon. Back when I fell in the Yong Kingdom, I vaguely sensed something like it catching me!”

‘Exposing the Conscious Fish I’ve hidden for so long… I really shouldn’t have. It’s my greatest trump card.’

‘But… I’m not a heartless person. After what she just did for me, how could I have just stood by and done nothing?’

“Just think of it as a wisp of a Divine Soul Avatar… Mm, that’s all.”

Of course, Yun Ci wasn’t convinced. “Hmph, think of it as…? You’ve only just reached Dongming. Where would you get a Divine Soul Avatar? Did you make some kind of deal with that dragon?”

Chen Qingyang shook his head. “No.”

“But where did that True Dragon Fire on you come from? The first time I met you, I sensed something strange about you. It wasn’t until today that I understood…”

At this point, Yun Ci’s gaze burned intently. She paused for a moment before continuing, “So… can you let me see it again?”

‘How is that a polite request? It’s prying into my private matters.’ Seeing the look on Chen Qingyang’s face, she quickly changed her tune. “Forget it. I can’t be bothered to know anyway.”

As she spoke, Yun Ci stood still amidst the flames, leaving only her back for him to see. “In any case, after two or three more sessions, once I’ve eliminated that True Dragon Will, my debt to you will be repaid. You… you’re not my disciple, and we have no other ties. Our transaction will be over. In the future, we’ll just be strangers. It would be best if we never saw each other again!”

‘Why do I get the feeling that besides being proud, this Master is also a bit willful? Her injuries haven’t even healed, and she’s already thinking so far ahead.’

Chen Qingyang didn’t know how to respond, so he decided not to address her words at all. He used his Universe in the Sleeve technique, and in a flash, twelve Elixirs were lined up. He could now produce three from a single furnace, so this was a batch of exactly four furnaces’ worth.

“Don’t say such things for now. Just focus on healing your injuries. Besides, I still owe the Master A Hundred Years’ worth of Elixirs. We’ll have to deal with each other for the next hundred years. Are you saying you don’t want the rest of the Elixirs?”

It was unclear what she was thinking, but the Master fell silent for a moment. “Fine. You’re the one who brought it up. Be on time next time. I need to continue the Refinement for you.”

Chen Qingyang said, “Shouldn’t we wait until your injuries are fully healed? A situation like today is too risky, isn’t it?”

Yun Ci turned back, her eyes seeming to glare at him slightly. “What do you know? Doing something like this is like treating an illness; you can’t delay for too long in the middle. Besides, this was the first time, and I lost my grip. It won’t happen again. Don’t lose faith in me because of this.”

Knowing her temperament, Chen Qingyang didn’t argue. “Yes, I’ll follow the Master’s arrangements.”

And so, neither of them spoke. They looked at each other for a moment, and things seemed to get a little awkward. Chen Qingyang then excused himself and left.

As Qingfeng walked him out of the building, he asked curiously, “Senior Brother Chen, what were you doing today? How did you cause such a huge commotion? I even heard Master’s voice…”