Undo the curse? No, I choose to boost my stats!

A strange feeling arose in Lin Yuan's heart, but his fingers did not pause for a moment.

Spiritual light gathered on his fingertips, precisely tapping several of Lan Caier's Vital Points, instantly severing the flow of Magical Power within her body.

Her entire Cultivation was thus sealed.

Just then, Xue Linglong, dragging her weakened body, flashed in front of Lin Yuan.

She covered her neck with her hand.

On that patch of snow-white skin, purplish-black Poison Lines spread like living things, twisting her delicate face in pain.

"You don't need to worry too much."

Her voice carried a hint of urgency.

"As far as I know, although this love gu is overbearing, it is not without a cure. This is the unique Life-Bound Gu Worm of the Saintess of the Five Poisons Sect."

"This Gu must be nourished day and night with the Saintess's Essence Blood. Once planted inside a man's body, as time passes, the two will become telepathically linked, and their Divine Souls will merge."

"When Cultivating to the Late Stage, the two parties can even merge their Magical Power, causing their strength to surge."

"But it also has drawbacks."

Xue Linglong took a deep breath, seemingly enduring the corrosion of the potent poison.

"The effect of the love gu is mutual. The sense of closeness you feel toward her is exactly the same for her toward you!"

So that was it.

Lin Yuan's gaze swept over Lan Caier, and he instantly understood.

He figured she had been forced into a desperate situation just now, unwilling to become a fish on the chopping block, which was why she took this dangerous step, releasing the love gu to ensure mutual destruction.

Sure enough, upon hearing Xue Linglong expose the secret, Lan Caier's face instantly became so gloomy it looked like water could drip from it.

"Also..."

Xue Linglong added.

"Since the love gu was just planted, if she is willing, she can still safely recall it using a Secret Technique within twenty-four hours!"

"If you let me go, I can consider removing the love gu!"

Lan Caier's beautiful eyes stared at Lin Yuan, her tone filled with certainty; clearly, she believed Lin Yuan would accept her conditions.

Lin Yuan's response was sharp and decisive.

"Letting you go is absolutely impossible!"

"Hmph! If you don't release me, I will activate the love gu and let you taste the feeling of your Heart Meridian burning and your Divine Soul being devoured by lust!"

A hint of viciousness flashed in Lan Caier's eyes.

"Furthermore, you can't do anything to me. If I die, this Life-Bound Love Gu will also perish, and your Divine Soul will be buried alongside me!"

Xue Linglong pondered for a long time before speaking: "Perhaps you can try suppressing it. I once saw records in Ancient Texts that if the love gu can be completely confined, its effect will be greatly reduced!"

Lin Yuan's lips curved slightly upward, forming a cold, sharp arc.

His mind had already sunk inward, observing the small golden worm inside his body.

The love gu had already infiltrated the depths of his Heart Meridian, establishing a faint, almost imperceptible connection with his mind.

Forcibly removing it would be no different from destroying his own Divine Soul.

But he, Lin Yuan, would never be controlled by others.

"Whoosh..."

A wisp of ethereal blue flame rose from his Heart Meridian, cautiously encircling the golden Gu worm.

The Heart Meridian was a vital location for a Cultivator; the slightest mistake could lead to disaster.

Lin Yuan controlled the flame with extreme caution, causing the Earth Core Nether Fire's movements to appear somewhat sluggish.

Whenever the flame was about to close in, the golden love gu would flicker, skillfully slipping through the gap and continuing to linger.

After several failed attempts, Lin Yuan's gaze could only fall upon the small golden characters below his line of sight.

[Cultivation: Ninth Layer of Qi Refining: 900/900 (Perfection)]

[Sixth-Grade Alchemist: 1/400 (Can add points)]

[Level Three Fire Control Technique: 1/300 (Can add points); Illusion Transformation Art (Perfection)]

[usable attribute points: 282]

On the way to the Demon Falling Valley, he and Xue Linglong stayed together, and he hadn't been idle, farming attribute points whenever the opportunity arose.

Now, he was less than twenty points away from upgrading his Fire Control Technique.

As long as he raised the Fire Control Technique to the Fourth-Level, confining the little worm with the Earth Core Nether Fire, even if he couldn't kill it, it would be enough to make it lethargic and ineffective.

"Fine, fine. Since you treat this thing as a protective talisman, don't blame me!"

A cold intent flashed through Lin Yuan's heart.

He flashed over and directly lifted her up by the waist.

Lan Caier let out a short shriek.

But under the influence of the Life-Bound Love Gu, being held so roughly by Lin Yuan, a strange sense of heat and security arose deep within her heart.

This feeling made her fearful and ashamed, yet she was unable to resist.

A moment later, Lin Yuan had skillfully carved out a simple Immortal Cave in the forest below.

"Take this. It can cure the Bee Venom. Guard the entrance."

Lin Yuan handed a supreme grade ten thousand poisons calamity dispelling pill to Xue Linglong, his tone icy and devoid of emotion.

"Mhm!"

Xue Linglong nodded, watching with complex emotions as Lin Yuan carried Lan Caier into the depths of the Immortal Cave, and the stone door slammed shut, cutting off her view.

For some reason, a strong wave of bitterness arose in her heart.

She took a deep breath, forcibly suppressed the unfamiliar emotion in her heart, and swallowed the Medicinal Pill.

As the medicinal power dissolved, the purplish-black Poison Lines on her body slowly faded, and power refilled her limbs and bones, but her heart felt empty.

Inside the Immortal Cave, Lan Caier's muffled cries and struggles could faintly be heard at first, but they quickly subsided into silence.

In Xue Linglong's mind, she involuntarily recalled the days and nights spent on the road to the Demon Falling Valley.

She had been the same way, going from initial unwillingness to complete surrender in the end.

A strong sense of jealousy was frantically growing in her heart, almost swallowing her rationality.

"This must be the backlash from the Cultivation Technique. How could I feel bitterness over this man? Yes, it must be this way. It's absolutely impossible for me... to be falling for him."

Xue Linglong consoled herself repeatedly, but the bitterness only grew clearer.

Time passed.

Half an hour flew by in the blink of an eye.

Inside the Immortal Cave, the chaotic aura gradually stabilized.

Lin Yuan sat cross-legged, his expression indifferent.

Lan Caier, meanwhile, was curled up on the stone bed nearby, wrapping her body with torn clothes, her delicate frame trembling slightly.

She regretted it immensely.

She regretted planting the love gu in Lin Yuan.

She had originally intended to use this Gu as a threat to gain a chance at survival.

Who would have thought that this man was so crazy as to directly... take her virginity!

At this moment, the small golden characters beneath Lin Yuan's eyes quietly refreshed.

[Cultivation: Ninth Layer of Qi Refining: 900/900 (Perfection)]

[Sixth-Grade Alchemist: 1/400 (Can add points)]

[Fourth-Level Fire Control Art: 0/400; Illusion Transformation Art (Perfection)]

[usable attribute points: 42]

His arduous Cultivation with Lan Caier had actually earned him thirty attribute points in one go.

In two sessions, he had extracted a full sixty points from the Saintess of the Five Poisons Sect!

"Sure enough, the Saintess of the Five Poisons Sect's Cultivation is extraordinary; she should be at the Foundation Establishment Mid Stage," Lin Yuan thought inwardly.

Following this, without any hesitation, he immersed his mind within his body.

The Earth Core Nether Fire once again surged into his Heart Meridian.

This time, it was completely different.

The Fire Control Technique, having advanced to the Fourth-Level, prevented the Earth Core Nether Fire from remaining scattered flames.

It seemed to possess life, condensing under his mental control into an ethereal blue large hand covered in fine patterns. The large hand's five fingers were nimble, just like a living creature.

In just an instant, the golden love gu still residing in the Heart Meridian was grasped tightly by this Spiritual Fire Large Hand!