This is wonderful!
"If Teacher knew of your progress, Little Brother, he'd surely be overjoyed!"
Yun Yun, her emotions brimming, clasped Yun Xian's hands tightly.
Gu He, standing nearby, felt a pang of jealousy. Unable to hold back, he remarked, "A Dou Shi is still far too weak. Facing the Jin Yan Sect is like an egg crashing against a rock."
"And so what?" Yun Xian shot back. "Life is about following your heart and staying true to your convictions. But you, Elder Gu He, a mighty Dou Wang, acting so timid—don't you feel stifled by your own cowardice?"
His words cut deep, referencing Gu He's arc in the original story: humiliated by Xiao Yan stealing his Heavenly Flame, shamed when Xiao Yan publicly took his betrothed, and later, willingly serving under Xiao Yan in the Yan Alliance—a perfect portrait of a fool's life.
"I…"
Gu He's face flushed with embarrassment. He wanted to shout that he was fearless, but the thought of Yan Luo Tian, a Dou Zong, made his courage falter.
Yun Yun said nothing, but a flicker of disdain passed through her eyes. To her, Gu He's rise from a mere fourth-tier alchemist to a sixth-tier one was thanks to the Yun Lan Sect's vast resources. Yet now, with the sect in crisis, he chose to cower like a turtle hiding in its shell—a shameful display.
"Sect Master, I…"
Gu He, noticing her cold gaze, tried to defend himself.
"As a sixth-tier alchemist, Elder Gu He's life is too precious to risk," Yun Yun said coolly, her tone laced with distance. Turning to Yun Xian, her expression softened instantly. "Little Brother, we'll retrieve the herb together."
Watching the two leave hand in hand, Gu He's face twisted with bitterness. He muttered to himself, "Fine. With the Sect Master's strength, she should at least escape if things go south. As for that Yun Xian kid, hmph…"
___
From the Yun Lan Sect to the Luo Yan Empire was no short journey.
"Little Brother, time is of the essence. Let's set off at once," Yun Yun said, her cyan Dou Qi wings unfurling behind her.
"Alright," Yun Xian replied, opening his arms as if for an embrace.
"???"
Yun Yun's cheeks flushed a soft pink, and she snapped, "What are you doing?"
"It's such a long way. You're not expecting me to walk, are you?" Yun Xian feigned a look of shock.
Her long lashes fluttered, and after a moment, Yun Yun took a deep breath, shooting him an exasperated glance. "Don't you always claim to be invincible? How come you can't even manifest Dou Qi wings?"
"Gege, you're thinking too small," Yun Xian teased, wagging a finger with a mysterious air. "The invincible me could easily tear open a spatial passage to the Luo Yan Empire." He paused, then added, "But that would defeat the purpose of this journey's training."
Ignoring his boast about spatial passages, Yun Yun's eyes lit up. "I see! It's rare to see you so driven, Little Brother."
"No, no. The one who needs to strive is you, gege. A mere three-star Dou Huang is too weak," Yun Xian said bluntly. In the Jia Ma Empire, Yun Yun's strength was decent, but across the vast Dou Qi Continent, it fell short. Even this trip to the Jin Yan Sect carried risks, which was why he insisted on coming along.
"…"
Yun Yun froze, then rolled her eyes dramatically. A Dou Shi lecturing a Dou Huang about striving? Is that appropriate? Used to Yun Xian's outlandish remarks, she didn't argue further. Her jade-like hand slipped from her sleeve, gently grasping his.
Yun Xian felt the cool, silky softness of her hand and couldn't resist giving it a light squeeze.
Yun Yun's body trembled slightly. Taking slow breaths to calm her racing heart, she said evenly, "I'm about to take off. Protect yourself with Dou Qi, Little Brother."
With that, her cyan wings flared, and she soared into the sky, pulling Yun Xian along. The sudden force made his body lurch.
Instinctively, Yun Xian summoned his Dou Shi's Dou Qi gauze, but the thin layer flickered like a candle in a storm, threatening to collapse.
"Your Dou Qi is far too unstable," Yun Yun noted, her brow furrowing as her tone turned stern. "You really need to train harder!"
With a resolute thought, she increased the speed of her Dou Qi wings.
Buzz!
A streak of cyan light sliced through the sky, so swift it unleashed waves of sonic booms.
"Gege, are you doing this on purpose?"
Yun Xian's Dou Qi gauze had been blown away, his once-stylish hair now a disheveled mess, leaving him looking rather pathetic.
"Of course not~"
"Who told you to neglect your cultivation, leaving your Dou Qi so frail?" Yun Yun's lips curved slightly, but her amusement faded quickly. "Little Brother, you…!"
Yun Xian had wrapped himself around her like an octopus, his lips brushing her delicate earlobe. "Don't blame me, gege. If I didn't hold on, I'd be flung off!"
"If you dare move an inch, I'll drop you right now!"
Yun Yun's ears flushed red as she turned, her eyes glaring fiercely.
"Got it," Yun Xian replied casually, though his hands tightened around her waist.
"…"
Yun Yun was both embarrassed and exasperated, helpless against his shamelessness. Gritting her teeth, she focused her Dou Qi and flew at full speed.
___
Traveling day and night, they reached the Jia Ma Empire's border in just three days, with the Luo Yan Empire lying ahead.
But an unexpected twist forced Yun Yun to halt.
"Huh? The training worked that well?"
Yun Xian's keen soul perception instantly detected the surging Dou Qi within Yun Yun, a clear sign she was on the verge of a breakthrough.
"It really did…"
Yun Yun, caught between delight and disbelief, couldn't help but laugh. She'd intended to temper Yun Xian's Dou Qi, but during their relentless high-speed flight, her own Dou Qi had unknowingly reached the cusp of advancement. Truly, as the saying goes, plant a flower with care, and it won't bloom; plant a willow by chance, and it thrives.
A Dou Huang breakthrough was no small matter, stirring the surrounding energies of heaven and earth. Normally, one would seek a secluded, safe place to cultivate. But given their circumstances, Yun Yun had no choice but to land in a border town.
"Don't worry, gege," Yun Xian said, thumping his chest confidently. "With me here, you can focus on your breakthrough."
"I'm counting on you…"
Though he was only a Dou Shi, Yun Yun found his calm words inexplicably reassuring. Feeling the swelling Dou Qi within her, she hesitated no longer. Sitting cross-legged, she began to regulate her breathing, preparing for the breakthrough.
____
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