62: The dust has settled

Inside the stone hall, light filtered through the cracks in the ceiling, its angle already shifted.

It wasn't until the sun outside the hall rose for the second time from the horizon, and the golden morning glow once again illuminated this confined space, that the two finally slowly separated.

Nangong Wan felt as if all her bones had come loose, and every inch of her skin retained the memory of the past day and night of madness.

She did not look at Lin Feng beside her, and with a wave of her jade hand, a pure white gauze dress appeared out of thin air, quickly wrapping her exquisite figure, which had recovered its mature fullness.

Her fingertips formed a hand seal, and a flash of spiritual light from a Heart Cleansing Incantation flickered across her forehead.

The cool magical power circulated, dispelling the last trace of confusion in her mind and bringing complete clarity.

Her bare jade feet stood quietly, her eyes lowered as she looked at her recovered slender jade hands, her heart filled with mixed emotions.

What had happened, the most intimate relationship between her and Lin Feng… had already formed.

Escape was useless, and she could no longer deceive herself about the unusual feelings that had long since sprouted deep within her heart.

Thinking of this, Nangong Wan's eyes flickered, and she glanced at Lin Feng, who was still “unconscious” on the ground.

She raised her delicate hand, and a crystal clear water ball instantly condensed, carrying a hint of almost imperceptible annoyance, and shot towards Lin Feng's face.

“Pfft!” The water ball hit its mark precisely.

“Ouch! Are you trying to murder your husband, Senior?!”

Lin Feng jolted upright, wiped the water from his face, his tone carrying a touch of exaggerated grievance.

He wasn't intentionally pretending to sleep.

Just now, as Nangong Wan got up and dressed, a System prompt sounded in his mind.

“Ding! Congratulations to the Host for completing Main Quest One. The bond Rank with Nangong Wan has increased to ‘Infatuation’ (100/100)!”

“Quest rewards issued:”

“Chang Geng Soul Division Art: Can divide a wisp of refined soul to be entrusted to a specific Magical Artifact or living creature, forming an external Clone (shared consciousness). The Clone possesses a portion of the main body’s combat power (can be improved through Cultivation to match the main body’s cultivation).”

“Anchor Teleportation Authority Upgrade: ‘Human Realm Anchor Teleportation’ upgraded to ‘Cross-Realm Anchor Teleportation’, teleportation range covers Human Realm, Spirit Realm, and all surrounding realms, daily teleportation times increased to three.”

“Anchor Bracelet: Used to activate and locate teleportation anchors, can be bound to a bonded Dao Companion.”

These sudden and generous rewards truly stirred his heart for a moment.

Nangong Wan heard Lin Feng's words, “murder your husband,” and a faint blush instantly spread across her fair cheeks, as she chided, “Stop spouting nonsense! You… whose husband are you?”

Her voice paused slightly, then lowered a few notes: “What happened between us… the fault isn't yours, it's… it's that Ink Dragon's poisonous sac.”

She slowly turned around, her back to Lin Feng, her voice carrying a hint of complex and unclear emotion: “If you were a Core Formation Cultivator like me, this… wouldn't be entirely unacceptable.”

“But you are only at the Qi Refinement Stage now, and furthermore, you are that girl Phoenix Dance's Dao Companion. If this matter were to spread, not only would I lose all face, but the Yanyue Sect would also become a laughingstock, and how would you expect Phoenix Dance to cope?”

Nangong Wan’s voice grew softer and softer, carrying a hint of imperceptible sadness.

She took a deep breath, as if having made a certain decision: “Thus, Lin Feng. When your cultivation can honorably surpass mine in the future, if your heart… still holds the same thought as today, then I… I will grant your wish, what then?”

Speaking these words seemed to drain all her strength.

Her fair and delicate neck was flushed all the way to her earlobes, showing the extreme turmoil in her heart.

She waited for Lin Feng's reaction, perhaps disappointment, perhaps a strong argument.

However, what came from behind her was a soft chuckle.

“Heh heh…”

Nangong Wan’s heart tightened, just as she was about to say something.

Lin Feng’s smiling voice rang out: “Since that’s the case, Senior can be my Dao Companion right now!”

“You… what did you say?” Nangong Wan turned abruptly, her beautiful eyes filled with surprise and confusion.

Lin Feng wore a gentle smile on his face, but his eyes were incredibly serious.

He extended his hand, lightly tapping his brow, while his other hand secretly pressed an Advanced Spirit Lowering Talisman behind his back.

The next moment, a powerful Spiritual Pressure suddenly erupted from his body!

Boom!

That aura was no longer the faintness of the Qi Refinement Stage, but instantly broke through an invisible barrier, climbing all the way up!

Foundation Establishment Early Stage!

Foundation Establishment Middle Stage!

Foundation Establishment Late Stage!

Foundation Establishment Perfection!

The aura did not stop at all, surging again!

Golden Core Early Stage!

Golden Core Middle Stage!

Golden Core Late Stage!

Nangong Wan felt this continuously soaring, even terrifying Spiritual Pressure that had surpassed her peak state, and she was completely stunned, her red lips slightly parted, her beautiful eyes wide open, filled with an expression of disbelief.

The spiritual power fluctuation within Lin Feng’s body finally settled steadily at a level that was both familiar and heart-stopping to her—the False Nascent Soul Stage!

That oppressive aura was several times deeper and more solid than when she was at the peak of the late Core Formation Stage!

The air throughout the stone hall became viscous due to this immense Spiritual Pressure.

“You… you…” Nangong Wan stretched out her jade finger, pointing at Lin Feng, unable to speak a complete sentence for a moment.

“You… you were toying with me all this time, weren't you?!”

Nangong Wan's voice trembled slightly, her eyes reddening, containing a hint of slight anger at being deceived, but more so an unspeakable shock and bewilderment.

Lin Feng slowly stepped forward, the immense Spiritual Pressure around him gradually receding, once again becoming an ordinary Qi Refinement Stage Cultivator.

He walked in front of Nangong Wan, looked at her reddened eyes, and said softly, “Senior, I did not intend to toy with you.”

“On that day at the Ascension Gathering, this Junior indeed only had Qi Refinement Stage cultivation; there is absolutely no falsehood in that.”

“Later, by chance Opportunity, my cultivation was able to advance by leaps and bounds. It's just that due to some special reasons, it was inconvenient to expose it too early.”

He gazed into Nangong Wan's eyes, his tone incredibly sincere: “This Junior’s feelings for Senior are witnessed by heaven and earth, and can be shown by the sun and moon. If Senior still doesn't believe me, I, Lin Feng, am willing to swear upon my Dao Heart, if there is half a lie…”

Before he could finish his words, a soft jade hand gently pressed against his lips, stopping his subsequent vow.

The blush in Nangong Wan's eyes had not faded, but her expression was extremely complex.

She could feel that Lin Feng was speaking the truth.

“Alright…” She sighed softly, then lowered her hand, “I believe you then.”

She looked up at the man before her, much younger than herself, yet whose cultivation far surpassed her own, and her heart was filled with mixed emotions.

“To meet you two, this pair of fated adversaries… truly…”

Nangong Wan's unfinished words were interrupted once again.

This time, it was Lin Feng's warm lips.

“Mmph!”

Her eyes widened slightly, looking at the handsome face so close to her.

Nangong Wan's body stiffened slightly, but then, as if she had shed all her defenses and worries, she slowly closed her eyes.

Awkwardly yet actively, she stretched out her arms and wrapped them around Lin Feng's waist.

This time, it was her response in a conscious state.

It was also her final acknowledgment of her true feelings.

Inside the stone hall, the sunlight was just right.

The Ink Dragon's corpse remained cold, yet it seemed to bear witness to the beginning of a brand new romance.