In truth, for Ye Liuyun and Lin Aoxue, life in the Yunxia Sect was dull, tedious, and restrictive.
Furthermore, given their relationship, to those unaware of Ye Liuyun's true background, it appeared to be a forbidden love between two women, something impossible for the world to accept.
If Ye Liuyun were still a man, they could have unreservedly displayed their loving relationship without worrying about being gossiped about.
To break the rules, one needs absolute power, and at present, neither of them clearly possessed such strength.
And don't even talk about how they might be free if they didn't Cultivate; if they didn't Cultivate, it would be even more impossible for two women to be together.
In this world, a woman who lacks ability but is very beautiful usually does not meet a good end.
Living in the Mortal World, it is basically impossible to break the constraints of secular rules, but once a Cultivator becomes strong enough, those rules lose all meaning, and one might even be able to rebuild them.
Ye Liuyun and Lin Aoxue both believed that such a day would come, but it certainly wasn't now.
In fact, Lin Aoxue herself had a feeling that if Ye Liuyun continued to live as a woman, the eventual outcome would be that she would inevitably become like a normal woman, at least in appearance. Therefore, she did not harbor extravagant hopes that Ye Liuyun could maintain her original self; that was unrealistic.
Ye Liuyun understood this principle as well. Fortunately, her heart had never wavered, and her love for Lin Aoxue remained constant, though as time passed, their relationship would inevitably undergo some changes.
For instance, the romantic passion might fade slightly, replaced by a kind of affection similar to that between sisters or close friends—an emotion that existed somewhere between romantic love and sisterly bond.
Half an hour later, Lin Aoxue tidied her clothes slightly and walked out of Ye Liuyun's residence with a satisfied look on her face, leaving the area where Outer Sect Disciples lived.
As for Ye Liuyun, she walked over to the vanity mirror in her room and took another careful, detailed look at herself.
"Sigh! What a beautiful, pure, and moving face. Is this really me? Can a change in one's gender really cause one's self-perception to gradually change as well? When will I be able to refine a Medicinal Pill that can turn me back into a man? Ten years from now, a hundred years, or perhaps a thousand?"
"But even when that time comes, if I refine the antidote, will I still be able to be a man again?"
Ye Liuyun looked at herself in the mirror, filled with questions.
It was right for her to have these questions; it showed that she wasn't just living her days in a daze, but was contemplating her life.
After thinking for a while, Ye Liuyun put on her clothes and immediately headed to the back mountain. Sure enough, upon arriving, she saw that the soil where she had buried the small animals had been dug up, and the animal carcasses buried inside were all gone.
"As expected, it seems the Medicinal Pill has taken effect. Master, can you find where these little guys are?" Ye Liuyun asked.
Upon hearing this, Lin Qingyou immediately scanned with her Divine Sense and quickly discovered those extraordinary animals.
They were scattered throughout the back mountain. How should she put it? They didn't seem to have anything wrong with them.
It was just that a few of the animals were acting strangely. For example, the fox, the rabbit, and the monkey were crouching by a pond in the back mountain, sitting by the water as if contemplating life, staring blankly at the sky.
These three little creatures gave off a feeling of being remarkably human.
"Interesting? They have actually developed intelligence, and it doesn't seem to be ordinary intelligence at that." Lin Qingyou felt that these three small animals were the most special.
After observing them, Lin Qingyou said to Ye Liuyun.