---
On this day, after accepting Qi Yuan as her disciple, Hong Fu returned to her secluded chamber to begin her cultivation. She had refined the thousand-year-old elixir into a magic pill and was eager to consume it.
With the six demonic sects preparing to invade at any moment, improving her cultivation was an urgent priority.
Casually disabling the barrier, she stepped into her retreat chamber. Everything remained unchanged from when she left five years ago—her bedding, futons, and furniture were still in place, spotless and neatly arranged.
She was pleased that Qi Yuan had maintained the room's cleanliness. However, a faint, lingering scent in the air caught her attention.
A musky aroma.
Hong Fu's expression darkened—it was unmistakably the scent of intimacy.
Her new disciple…
Rage flared within her. Her fair face tightened with suppressed fury, her chest rising and falling rapidly.
She had planned to scold Qi Yuan upon his return.
In truth, before he left, Qi Yuan had cleaned the chamber thoroughly more than ten times, trying to erase any lingering traces. However, after five years with Chen Qiaoqian, the scent had embedded itself deeply into the space.
Some stubborn traces simply could not be erased.
Hong Fu wanted to punish Qi Yuan immediately, but he had already left the valley. She had no choice but to wait.
With a flick of her hand, she shattered the old cushion, replacing it with a new one. Settling down onto it, she felt the material sink deeply under her weight.
She then retrieved the pill refined from the thousand-year-old elixir, swallowed it, and closed her eyes to begin meditation.
But after just a few moments, she suddenly stopped. Her face, usually calm and composed, was tinged with an unusual flush.
She was distracted.
By an insignificant scent.
Hong Fu had endured countless trials, suffered all manner of hardships, and had even encountered lovers in the wild during her travels. Yet, nothing had ever disturbed her state of mind like this.
Just a faint trace of something, and she was inexplicably unsettled.
It was absurd.
Since she couldn't focus, she decided to take a bath and relax.
---
Meanwhile, Qi Yuan was unaware of Hong Fu's thoughts. He was on his way to the market near Huangfeng Valley.
Before heading to Yuanwu Kingdom, he had someone he needed to visit.
Soon, he arrived at a modest courtyard and knocked on the door.
A young girl answered, her face lighting up in joy when she saw him.
"Brother Qi!"
"Yunzhi, I came to see you," Qi Yuan said as he stepped inside, moving with the ease of someone who belonged there.
After the fall of Lingshou Mountain, Han Yunzhi had been living in seclusion in the market town near Huangfeng Valley, with Qi Yuan supporting her cultivation.
With his wealth of spirit stones, providing for her was effortless.
"Brother Qi, have some tea..."
Han Yunzhi personally served him a fragrant cup of tea as he settled into a chair.
Looking at the simple, unassuming girl before him, Qi Yuan knew that his words had changed the course of her life. Her fate was now tied to him, like a mistress bound to her master.
Reaching out, he gently brushed her soft hair before pulling her into his embrace.
"Yunzhi, do you regret it?"
Leaning her head against his shoulder, she answered softly, "Brother Qi, I don't regret it. You've taken such good care of me. I'm happy… I finally have someone who loves me."
Having lived a lonely childhood with no parents to show her love, Han Yunzhi had long since given her heart to Qi Yuan, the man who had saved her twice in the Blood Forbidden Land.
His presence had shaped her thoughts, making him the center of her world.
Qi Yuan caressed her smooth face, lowering his head to kiss her soft lips, savoring her sweetness.
The girl's long eyelashes fluttered shut as she wrapped her arms around his neck. A wave of heat surged through her, making her feel weak, her snow-white neck flushing red as she melted into his embrace.
Qi Yuan wasn't sure how long their kiss lasted. If not for the girl's breath faltering, he wouldn't have stopped.
After five years with Chen Qiaoqian, experiencing something new was a thrill of its own…
"Brother Qi, am I useless?" Han Yunzhi asked hesitantly, gazing up at him with misty eyes.
Qi Yuan kissed her forehead and reassured her, "I've already reached the Foundation Establishment stage, and my spiritual energy is much stronger now. It's natural that you can't keep up. Don't worry too much."
Han Yunzhi had yet to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage, possibly because of the disruption she faced five years ago.
Qi Yuan had come to deliver a Foundation Establishment Pill to her. It wasn't difficult—he had an unlimited supply and no shortage of stock.
As for the Chen family, he had already instructed Chen Qiaoqian to send one or two pills to her elder brother. They were simply extras from Hong Fu.
Chen Qiaoqian had been devoted to him for five years, blindly following his every word without question.
She was already deeply attached to him.
All his efforts hadn't been in vain.
He needed to take care of his in-laws.
If the Foundation Establishment failed again, he would simply find another excuse to send more pills.
Han Yunzhi rested her head on his shoulder, shifting slightly as she murmured, "Spirit Beast Mountain is gone… I don't know when I'll be able to reach Foundation Establishment. If I grow old one day, Brother Qi, don't come see me. I don't want you to remember me like that."
For rogue cultivators in Yue State, the Foundation Establishment Pill was an insurmountable barrier—most never obtained one in their lifetime.
Qi Yuan gently whispered in her ear, "I came here to help you reach Foundation Establishment. Silly girl, you'll never escape my grasp."
The scent of a young woman had a unique allure, intoxicating and irresistible.
Han Yunzhi trembled slightly, her expression shifting from surprise to deep emotion. She knew how precious Foundation Establishment Pills were, controlled by the six major sects of Yue State. Even inner disciples struggled to obtain one.
And yet, Qi Yuan was giving one to her…
For someone who had endured endless hardships, meeting him had been her greatest blessing.
Even if she died now, she would have no regrets.
"Brother Qi, I will be yours for the rest of my life. I will never leave you."
In a place like Yue State, where survival was ruthless and cultivation resources were everything, sacrificing one's body was sometimes necessary.
However, women still preferred men with good character and a gentle demeanor.
In Han Yunzhi's mind, Qi Yuan met both criteria.
That was what she believed.
Qi Yuan smiled and retrieved a small bottle from his storage bag, placing it in her palm. Han Yunzhi had decent talent—with proper resources, her progress would accelerate.
Moreover, her lineage was far from ordinary. She had a blood connection to a supreme elder of the Yuling Sect.
If he sent her to recognize her relatives now, she would be richly rewarded.
But Qi Yuan had no intention of doing that yet.
Instead, he would wait.
Once he had nurtured Han Yunzhi until she was entirely devoted to him—physically, mentally, and emotionally—only then would he send her to the Yuling Sect.
By then, with her talent and cultivation, she would undoubtedly rise in power within the sect.
And perhaps, one day, he could influence the Yuling Sect through her.
He always had a plan.
---
(End Of Chapter)