641: Black Stone Pass

In a flash of lightning, Yao Delong instantly understood!

He retracted his gaze, looking at Yun Ruoning, who was smiling but also scrutinizing him, and understood what she was implying.

He took a deep breath, and his face immediately broke into a smile that was almost fawning but still sincere,

He bowed deeply to Fairy Yun Ruoning and said loudly, "Fairy Yun! Thank you, Fairy Sister, for your great kindness in saving my life!

Fairy Sister, your Wisdom Eye sees through everything, and your benevolent heart and skillful hands are truly a model for us all. This Yao Delong, is incredibly grateful and has no way to repay you!"

"Pfft—hahahahahaha!" Yun Ruoning was completely amused by his sudden, flowery, and exaggerated address of "Fairy Sister" and his performance.

She laughed so hard that her body trembled, and tears welled up in the corners of her eyes.

"Benefactor Yao! I didn't realize! You... you're not stupid at all! And you have quite the thick skin! Hahaha!"

After she had laughed enough, she wiped the corners of her eyes and said seriously, "Alright, alright, I'm not teasing you anymore. Let's talk business."

Her eyes became serious, and her gaze swept over Yao Delong's body again, which had recovered completely but still couldn't hide its past tragic state.

"The 'Mad Extreme Old Devil' and 'Severely Injured Evil Cultivator' on those two wanted posters... they're related to you, aren't they?" Her tone was affirmative, not inquisitive.

Yao Delong scratched the back of his head awkwardly and chuckled, "Well... Fairy Sister's Wisdom Eye is like a torch..."

He didn't directly admit it, but his expression and tone were already an implicit acknowledgment.

Immediately, he changed the subject and asked, "By the way, Fairy Yun, how did your esteemed White Cloud Merchant Guild end up in the Xuan Ye Dynasty, on the edge of the Demon Domain?"

Yun Ruoning seemed to have anticipated that he wouldn't answer directly, so she didn't press the matter.

She casually sat on the soft couch beside him, her posture relaxed yet still retaining that spirited and heroic air:

"What else could we be doing? Business, of course. The Nine Nether Sect struck a big deal with our merchant guild this time, involving several rare minerals and Spirit Medicine unique to the Demon Domain.

As the Young Guild Master, I personally came to oversee the delivery and inspection. I had just finished and was preparing to return to the Yunzhou headquarters.

Who knew that on the way back, I would 'pick up' a certain someone..."

She drew out the end of her sentence, her eyes sparkling, and she glanced at Yao Delong with a mischievous smile.

"He fell from the sky, and he was so badly injured he almost lost his life!"

Yao Delong's old face flushed, and he rubbed his nose, "Cough, cough... I really had no choice at the time.

My Primordial Spirit was depleted, my spiritual power exhausted, and I was almost Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering by a palm strike from that old Devil Head, Ye Wushang.

Being able to tear space and escape a thousand li was truly the limit of the limits..." His tone carried a hint of relief and lingering fear after surviving a catastrophe.

Immediately, he put away his smile and solemnly cupped his fists towards Yun Ruoning:

"In any case, This Yao will never forget this life-saving kindness!

In the future, if Fairy Ruoning has any requests, just say the word. As long as This Yao is capable, I will never refuse!"

This promise was born from his heartfelt gratitude.

When Yun Ruoning heard him personally utter "Ye Wushang" and "Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering," her eyes narrowed slightly, and she re-evaluated the extent to which Yao Delong had stirred up trouble.

Hearing Yao Delong's promise, she immediately brightened, a radiant smile blooming on her face:

"Haha, Benefactor Yao, you're too polite! With your words, Ruoning's investment this time wasn't in vain!"

She also didn't shy away from using the word "investment," appearing candid and shrewd.

"To be honest, there might indeed be matters in the future that require your assistance, Benefactor. Don't find it troublesome then!"

Seeing her so straightforward and frank, Yao Delong was not offended; instead, he felt at ease.

He knew that in this cultivation world where the strong prey on the weak, openly discussing "benefits" was more reassuring than hidden "friendship."

He laughed heartily, "Fairy Sister, feel free to give your orders. This Yao will do my best!"

"Good! It's a deal!" Yun Ruoning extended her fair hand.

Yao Delong also smiled and extended his hand, lightly striking hers, thus sealing the agreement.

"By the way," Yao Delong withdrew his hand and looked at the outline of the massive pass gradually approaching outside the carriage window.

"Fairy Yun, where are we now?"

"We're almost at Black Stone Pass, in the northern territory of the Xuan Ye Dynasty," Yun Ruoning also looked out the window.

"With a large amount of goods, we can't use large-scale teleportation arrays, so we can only travel by land.

After passing Black Stone Pass, we'll leave the Xuan Ye Dynasty and enter the buffer zone. Further north is the Yunzhou territory."

Yao Delong nodded slightly, his gaze falling on the Nine Nether Sect Disciples checking at the pass, a hint of solemnity flashing in his eyes.

"Black Stone Pass... Fairy Yun, I am proficient in a transformation technique.

But with my current true appearance, I'm afraid the higher-ups of the Nine Nether Sect, especially that old Devil Head Ye Wushang, would recognize me!

To avoid bringing unnecessary trouble to your merchant guild, I'd better change my appearance first."

Yun Ruoning was about to say, "Don't worry, with the White Cloud Merchant Guild's reputation and offerings, a mere border pass wouldn't dare to make things difficult," when she saw a slight ripple in Yao Delong's aura!

Silently, without any violent fluctuations of spiritual power!

It was as if there was only an extremely subtle distortion of light and shadow!

The incomparably handsome and distinguished young man sitting opposite her instantly vanished!

In his place was a man who looked about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, dressed in ordinary blue commoner's clothes, with an extremely plain face.

His skin was slightly sallow, and his features were unremarkable; he would instantly be forgotten if thrown into a crowd.

Even more astonishing was that the vast, pure yang aura, like a blazing furnace, completely receded from his body.

In its place was a gentle, restrained, and vibrant wood-attribute Origin Qi!

Even his eyes became peaceful and slightly ordinary.

If she hadn't witnessed this transformation process with her own eyes, even if she were sitting face to face with this "stranger" at this moment,

She would absolutely not be able to connect him with Yao Delong, who had stirred up the Xuan Ye Dynasty!

"Hiss..." Yun Ruoning couldn't help but gasp, her beautiful eyes wide and round.

She carefully scrutinized the "stranger" before her, her red lips slightly parted, and it was a long while before she exclaimed:

"Yao... Benefactor Yao! This transformation technique of yours... it's simply miraculous! Heaven-Defying! Too Heaven-Defying!

If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, you could kill me, and I wouldn't believe it's the same person! Even the Origin aura has completely changed!

This... this is practically changing one's Soul! The Soul Transformation evil cultivator wanted by the Nine Nether Sect, that must be you, right?"

Yao Delong smiled faintly, and his voice also became gentle and ordinary: "It's just a minor Dao technique for self-preservation. I've made Fairy laugh."

"Minor Dao?" Yun Ruoning shook her head, looking at the "stranger" before her, her eyes complex and filled with deep emotion.

"Benefactor Yao, do you still remember our first meeting? It was at the auction of my White Cloud Merchant Guild's Eastern Region Branch, wasn't it?"

Yao Delong's memory was stirred, and he nodded, saying:

"Of course I remember. At that time, I was preparing for Foundation Establishment, and I participated in that auction to acquire a main ingredient, 'heavenly vein ganoderma,' for refining a Heavenly Soul Foundation Establishment Pill."

That was also the first time he, after activating the System, met Yun Ruoning, who was in charge of the auction, due to the remarkable Medicinal Pill he refined.

"Indeed," Yun Ruoning's gaze seemed to pierce through time, landing on that memory.

"At that time, you were still a newcomer who had just reached Foundation Establishment and had to be meticulous with your calculations at the auction.

The second time we met was outside the Secret Realm of Buried Abyss. By then, Benefactor Yao's cultivation had also reached the Late Golden Core Stage, and you were already on par with me. Now..."

Her gaze refocused on the "ordinary young man" before her, her tone filled with astonishment.

"In just a few short years, not only has your cultivation far surpassed mine, becoming unfathomable, but you have also stirred up the currents in the Evil Domain that even my White Cloud Merchant Guild must treat with caution!

This fortune and growth are truly unbelievable!"