Before she could say more, he moved closer and gently took her hand.
Her slender fingers trembled in his palm, soft and cold from the mountain air.
"Xian'er," he murmured, "I don't know how the future will turn out.
But as long as you're willing, I'll bear whatever comes."
Her eyes shimmered with emotion, and for a moment, her resolve seemed to waver.
But then she shook her head lightly, pulling her hand free.
"No… I can't. If I stay, I'll only bring you trouble.
The Poison Body within me.....once it erupts, I won't be able to control it. You could die because of me."
Ye Chen's expression grew solemn. "You're not facing this alone anymore.
The Heavenly Poison Body can be suppressed. I'll find a way."
Xiao Yixian looked at him in disbelief, her lips trembling slightly. "You're serious?"
He nodded firmly. "When I said I'd protect you, I meant it. Even if I have to fight the heavens themselves, I'll do it."
Her breath caught. The mist around them seemed to fade as warmth spread through her chest.
For a moment, she forgot the danger, the fear ....everything except the man standing before her.
After a long silence, she smiled faintly. "You really are too stubborn, Ye Chen."
He smiled back. "You knew that long ago."
The tension finally melted away, replaced by quiet warmth.
The misty valley, filled with the fragrance of herbs, seemed to hold its breath as the two stood side by side ..... no longer master and healer, nor sinner and saint, but two souls bound by fate.
Somewhere above, the Purple Lightning Mink let out a cheerful cry, as if blessing their reunion.
Ye Chen turned toward the sound, a faint chuckle escaping his lips. "Even Little Zi missed you."
Xiao Yixian's gaze softened. "Then… will you stay for a while? At least until I've prepared myself."
Ye Chen nodded. "As long as you don't run away again."
Her cheeks flushed softly. "Then… I'll try not to."
He looked at her deeply, memorizing that gentle smile ... one that could soothe any wound in his heart.
For now, the world outside could wait. In this hidden valley wrapped in mist, Ye Chen and Xiao Yixian had found a fragile moment of peace ... a promise whispered beneath the veil of silence.
Borrow my Heavenly Flame?"
Ye Chen's lips curved into a faint, mocking smile the moment he heard Yun Yun's words.
"Gu He really dares to dream, doesn't he?"
He couldn't help but scoff inwardly.
The Heavenly Flame...though widely known across the continent...was a treasure few had ever actually seen, and even fewer could control.
Not to mention Gu He, a mere sixth-tier alchemist...there were even seventh and eighth-tier alchemists who would give everything just to obtain a single Heavenly Flame.
For such men, acquiring one was often the pursuit of a lifetime.
And yet, Gu He thought he could borrow Ye Chen's Heavenly Flame in exchange for refining one mere sixth-grade pill?
He must have lost his mind.
What's more, once a Heavenly Flame had been refined and merged with its master's soul, it could not simply be handed over.
Such power could only be taken by force....by killing the original wielder and then re-refining it.
If the original master tried to willingly release it, their body and soul would both suffer immense damage.
Gu He probably didn't even know that much. To Ye Chen, that kind of greedy ignorance was nothing short of laughable.....and infuriating.
Besides, the Heavenly Flame he possessed was none other than the Bone Spirit Cold Flame.....something even Master Yao Chen had nearly died refining back in his prime.
And Gu He dared to covet that?
That was no different from courting death.
Still, with Yun Yun standing beside him, Ye Chen kept those thoughts to himself.
He merely frowned slightly and asked in a calm tone, "Teacher, did Elder Gu He say how long he intends to borrow it for?"
Yun Yun's red lips parted softly. "He didn't specify."
The fact that he hadn't said anything made her expression subtly change.
If Gu He truly intended to borrow it for legitimate purposes, he would've mentioned a duration or condition.
His silence made his intentions far too obvious.
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