478: Whereabouts of Liu Rumei

The clouds dispersed and the rain ceased.

Inside the warm curtains, the smoke from the jade incense burner faded, leaving only lingering fragrance.

Luo Miaomiao lay limp like spring water, her fragrant sweat soaking her dark hair, which clung stickily to her snowy-white cheeks and neck.

Every inch of her fair, tender skin was branded with a faint peach-blossom flush, glowing with an intoxicating radiance.

She lazily lifted her misty, water-filled eyes, the corners of which still bore a pitiable, beautiful damp redness.

She reproachfully poked Yao Delong's arm. "We agreed to discuss the Dao... Hmph, my heart almost experienced Soul Emergence..."

Yao Delong felt refreshed in his heart, yet he feigned apology as he massaged her increasingly exquisite shoulders and neck, where his fingers sank into the peerless touch of her jade-like skin.

A flash of spiritual light flickered at his fingertips, and an ice-blue Flying Sword appeared, radiating a faint, misty cold aura.

The hilt was embedded with a deep-sea ice-blue jade, creating a crisp and clear Flying Sword!

"Congratulations to Junior Sister Miaomiao for officially reaching Golden Core Perfection! May your progress on the immortal path be swift!"

He solemnly held the cold, ice-blue longsword before Luo Miaomiao's eyes.

"Ah! This is... a Heaven-Grade Weapon!"

Luo Miaomiao forgot her fatigue and propped herself up in surprise!

Her dark hair cascaded down, revealing a dazzling expanse of white skin as she saw the flowing water patterns and icy filaments within the blade, crying out in shock!

This was indeed a low-grade heavenly artifact Flying Sword that one could use proficiently at the Nascent Soul Stage!

Even a low-grade heavenly artifact was not something those in the Golden Core Realm could typically use!

Luo Miaomiao joyfully touched the cold, slender blade with her small hand, but then suddenly pouted her tender lips.

"Hmph! A low-grade heavenly artifact! It's a good gift... but I've only just reached Golden Core Perfection. My head is already spinning; wouldn't I be drained into a mummy if I tried to activate it?"

"You little fool!" Yao Delong playfully scraped her nose.

"Just keep it! Nourish it with your Divine Soul day and night to build an affinity! Find a quiet place to enter seclusion for a while and thoroughly comprehend the Ice-Water Sword Intent!"

"The moment you first glimpse the Nascent Soul Dao Fruit and trigger your Heavenly Tribulation, that is when this sword will truly shine and hunt demons!"

Hearing the words "hunt demons," the joy in Luo Miaomiao's eyes grew even stronger!

It was as if she could already see her future self traveling the world, cutting through demons like snow.

She carefully took the precious treasure she held dear, and her jade-like arms suddenly wrapped around Yao Delong's neck.

Her soft, tender lips pressed firmly against his well-defined face, her scent as sweet as honey.

"Thank you! My 'Good Brother'!!"

Her rosy face wore a cunning smile.

"If I ever miss a strike when swinging this sword... I'll blame you for giving me such a heavy treasure!"

Yao Delong contentedly enjoyed the embrace of the soft, fragrant beauty.

"We are family, no need for formalities..."

His large hand gripped her waist, which was as smooth as congealed fat. Under the candlelight, her skin appeared even more lustrous, like peerless warm jade.

Inside the small, fragrant boudoir filled with warmth and scent, Luo Miaomiao's face, tinted with peach-blossom hues, still carried an un-faded charm.

She was holding the ice-blue, shimmering "Hanluo Crystal" low-grade heavenly artifact Flying Sword, unable to put it down while murmuring "Good Brother."

However, the string in Yao Delong's heart that had suddenly tightened did not fully relax!

Liu Rumei had been missing for nearly a month!

That shadow of unease was like a poisonous vine lurking in the dark, quietly spreading!

His broad palm still rested on Luo Miaomiao's silky waist as he asked seemingly casually,

"Miaomiao, you've been cultivating at Spirit Water Peak lately. Do you know where Rumei went for her Sect mission this time?"

Hearing this, Luo Miaomiao raised her moist, ignorant eyes. After a moment's thought, she replied,

"About a month ago, Sister Rumei, along with that boisterous Xiao Huohuo from Chiyan Peak and Lin Shishi, came to see me!"

"They said news of Heaven and Earth Essence Fire appearing in the North was spreading everywhere!"

"It's in a place called the Profound Fire Ancient Realm, deep within the 'Frost-Silence Cold Plains'!"

"The three of them wanted to pull me along to join the fun and see if we could get lucky and obtain it!"

"But I was about to attempt to reach Golden Core Perfection then, so I really couldn't get away, and I declined."

"Later, I heard... several Alchemy fanatics from Pill Cloud Peak went, and a few Senior Brothers and Sisters who Cultivate fire-attribute techniques also set out."

She stuck out her pink tongue as she spoke; the temptation of the Heaven and Earth Essence Fire seemed far less appealing to her than the radiant Hanluo Crystal sword in her hands.

The Frost-Silence Cold Plains of the North? The Profound Fire Ancient Realm? A Heaven and Earth Essence Fire?!

Yao Delong's heart skipped a beat! His eyes suddenly narrowed!

Liu Rumei practiced a fire-attribute sword Dao, but her Cultivation Technique didn't have a mandatory requirement for Heaven and Earth Essence Fire.

At most, it would be the icing on the cake, far from a necessity.

As for Lin Shishi, she primarily practiced water-system sword techniques and possessed many water-system divine abilities; she had even less use for an Essence Fire!

Only Xiao Huohuo... as the Inner Sect Disciple with the most outstanding fire-attribute talent at Chiyan Peak in recent years, truly relied on fire as his foundation!

If Xiao Huohuo went for that extraordinary fire, it would be reasonable.

But what about the others? Especially Liu Rumei! She wasn't someone obsessed with external items, and with her Middle Golden Core Stage cultivation,

going to a place with Heaven and Earth Essence Fire that might attract the attention of Nascent Soul or even higher-level experts... "That place... are there Restrictions within the Sect regarding going there? How dangerous is it?"

Yao Delong pressed further, his voice calm, but as Luo Miaomiao pressed against his chest,

she could faintly feel a hint of tension beneath his firm muscles that he couldn't completely hide.

"Restrictions?" Luo Miaomiao blinked in confusion and shook her head.

"The 'Investigation and Peripheral Clearing' mission released by the Mission Hall mentioned that place, right?"

"It's said there are signs of Devilish Qi contamination in the outer areas, and they need to clear out some small demons and low-level devilish creatures that have emerged."

"The mission itself is ranked at the 'Late Foundation Establishment Stage to Middle Golden Core Stage' level. As for the true core depths of the Profound Fire Ancient Realm... I heard there are natural Restrictions protecting it that only open at certain intervals. It should be quite dangerous inside; who would dare enter without the ability?"

She shook her head. "But because the news of the Essence Fire appearing has spread so widely, many people want to try their luck."

"Especially those from Pill Cloud Peak; it seems the Sect has tacitly approved it as an Opportunity for competition and tempering!"

"With so many people going together and looking out for each other, there shouldn't... be too much danger, right?"

Many people... looking out for each other... After hearing this, the heavy stone hanging in Yao Delong's heart sank slightly.

Luo Miaomiao's explanation was logical. Firstly, it was a public mission site, so the risk shouldn't be high.

Secondly, they were traveling with fellow disciples; although the goal was attractive, the large number of participants acted as a deterrent.

Thirdly, it was normal for a major peak like Pill Cloud Peak to dispatch Disciples.

Perhaps... he really was overthinking it?

After all, Liu Rumei was also a Disciple highly valued by Heavenly Sword Peak. If something were wrong, the Sect would have sent someone to investigate long ago.

He looked at the charming and naive little beauty in his arms and suppressed the lingering worry in his heart, affectionately rubbing the top of her head.

"Yes, you're right." But the solemnity deep in his eyes did not completely vanish.

The four words 'Heaven and Earth Essence Fire' were like a curse, constantly circling in his Sea of Consciousness.

At this moment, the window frame began to reveal a hazy, faint green light.

Dawn was approaching.

Yao Delong gently settled the tired Luo Miaomiao back into the soft cloud-silk bedding and tucked her in, lightly kissing her smooth forehead.

"Stabilize your Realm well and strive to reach the threshold of the Nascent Soul Stage soon. I have some business to attend to first."

Luo Miaomiao's eyelids were heavy; she gave a vague hum of agreement and fell into a deep sleep, contentedly clutching her Flying Sword.