In the center of the valley, there was a wooden house, where Hua Ci lived. However, the dense corpse clouds in the valley had hidden it from Lu Ye earlier. Many of the disturbed members of the Corpse Race had gone back into hibernation underground. Hua Ci, with the special methods of those mushrooms, could very easily control their actions. Following Hua Ci, Lu Ye came to the wooden house and immediately noticed a pitch-black coffin placed at the center. Clicking his tongue in amazement, he went up to examine it closely for a while: "Who did you prepare this for?" Without any explanation, Hua Ci simply leapt and lay down in the coffin, closed her eyes, her breath still and body motionless. At first glance, she resembled a Sleeping Beauty who had been asleep for countless years... Lu Ye's eye twitched slightly. How peculiar this woman had become. She used to just delight in some venomous insects, scorpions, and little creatures like toads. Now she not only kept a bunch of corpses in this valley but also played the part of a corpse herself. No wonder he didn't sense her presence before; once she lay here, it was indeed as if her presence disappeared entirely. I have to admit, though, in such a setting, seeing such a graceful Sleeping Beauty seemed to hold a certain... unique allure? Lu Ye propped himself up with his hands and also turned into the coffin to lie down next to Hua Ci. The coffin was crafted very spacious by Hua Ci, accommodating two people without it feeling cramped. Hua Ci's body tensed slightly. Lu Ye's nose was filled with intoxicating fragrance and he couldn't understand how, living daily in such an environment surrounded by corpses, she could still smell so pleasant... Women, indeed, are strange creatures. He couldn't help but take a few more deep breaths. Hua Ci turned to look at him, coldly snorted, "And you're not talking about corpse Qi now?" Lu Ye put on a serious face, "Shh, don't speak!" Closing his eyes, he savored this rare tranquility. It seemed ever since embarking on the path of cultivation, he had been constantly on the move, even rare visits back to the sect headquarters did not afford him rest. Over these years, he continuously devised ways to improve his cultivation, once naively believing that ascending to the Divine Sea would mean freedom and no constraints. However, reaching this point, he realized the Divine Sea was just the starting line. There were many more distant journeys waiting for him in the future. Lu Ye wondered when such days would end; perhaps they never would. However, for this moment, in this confined, narrow space, he unexpectedly felt a kind of warmth. Of course, this might have something to do with the softness and sweetness of the woman beside him. Had Lu Ye been alone, he might have been swept by poignant melancholy. Sensing Lu Ye's mood, Hua Ci no longer bantered but quietly lay beside him. Gradually, she noticed that Lu Ye had fallen asleep next to her and couldn't help but laugh silently. Slowly, she turned to face him, with her hands tucked under her cheeks, quietly gazing at him without making a sound. In her bright eyes reflected an entire world. Lu Ye slept deeply. In fact, given his current cultivation level, he no longer required sleep to maintain his energy. Even if exhausted, he just needed a short meditation to rest. Maybe his heart was utterly at peace, or perhaps there was no sense of threat here. Either way, this experience was extremely rare given his current cultivation level. He didn't know how long he slept, but eventually, he leisurely awoke, feeling refreshed and in great spirit, unable to resist a stretch. Mid-stretch, he suddenly realized his current surroundings and felt a pair of bright eyes watching him. Turning his head, making eye contact with Hua Ci, Lu Ye's face turned slightly red. It wasn't the situation of being here with Hua Ci that made him embarrassed. Since their humble beginnings, she was one of the few dear companions he had in the Nine Provinces. This visit was initially to say farewell to Hua Ci because once he ascended to the Constellation Realm, he would leave the Nine Provinces and venture into the stellar space. He didn't know how long it would be until they met again. Unexpectedly, before discussing business, he took a nap here, which seemed a bit improper. He shifted his body and turned sideways, imitating Hua Ci's position. Now, it was Hua Ci's turn to feel slightly awkward, as they were so close they could easily feel each other's breath. And that wasn't the end; acting as if oblivious, Lu Ye extended a hand to play with a strand of her hair, twirling it around his fingers. In the silence, Hua Ci spoke first, "Are you planning to leave?" ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵•𝑓𝑖𝑟𝑒•𝙣𝙚𝙩 When Lu Ye arrived, she had already had an inkling, for Lu Ye's cultivation had unexpectedly reached the Divine Sea Level 9. For Lu Ye, the Unparalleled Continent had lost its allure, yet he still traveled great distances to find her, which could mean only one thing. He was about to leave the Nine Provinces! How could a keen woman like Hua Ci not realize this? "Yes, once I return, it will be time for my advancement." "Any plans after ascending?" Hua Ci asked casually. "Travel and explore. The stellar space is vast, while the Nine Provinces is quite small. The Nine Provinces has changed since merging into the stars. Sooner or later, cultivators from other domains will discover the Nine Provinces, possibly leading to conflicts breaking out, so I have to enhance myself as much as possible, to protect our home. Besides, the Constellation cultivator's stage lies beyond the domains." Hua Ci advised, "Then be careful. I've heard there are many formidable beings out there. If confronted with unbeatable foes, don't be stubborn; even if it means kneeling and begging for mercy, save your life first. Only with life can anything else be possible, without it, nothing exists." She was rarely serious in front of Lu Ye, and it made Lu Ye a bit uncomfortable, but he still nodded earnestly, "Don't worry, if I really encounter a situation where I can't win or escape, I'll definitely kneel down and beg for my life first thing, what does integrity even matter." Hua Ci was helpless. The more Lu Ye spoke , the more she knew that if such a situation truly arose, Lu Ye would definitely not do anything disgraceful. What cultivator doesn't have some dignity? Especially a cultivator like Lu Ye. Sensing her concern, Lu Ye smiled again, "But don't worry, the stellar space is vast. Meeting those strong folks out there isn't actually that easy, and most large domains just have Constellation cultivators, so even if I truly encounter some outside cultivators, they're likely at the Constellation level. Same tier, who do I fear?" This was indeed true. Since beginning cultivation, in the same tier condition, Lu Ye really hasn't lost to anyone; he typically kills enemies across tiers. Next was some idle chat, reminiscing about the scene when they first met, talking about when Lu Ye went to the Independent Wanderers Society specially to find her, and recalling the intriguing experience of fighting side by side for the first time in the Chess Sea. It seemed like a cycle of time, savoring past warmth, and carrying expectations of a beautiful future. Topics eventually reach their end, as does time to part. Over the years, they didn't actually spend much time together, so naturally, there wasn't too much to talk about. Thus followed a prolonged silence. Until one moment, Lu Ye suddenly stood up, took a deep breath, "Time to go!" "Mm." Hua Ci gently responded, her voice faint like a mosquito's buzz. "Then I'll be going, cultivate well," Lu Ye said as he was about to stand up. A tight grasp on his wrist suddenly held him back, Lu Ye turned to look at Hua Ci, seeing her stare at him with some annoyance, her silver teeth lightly biting her red lips. Hua Ci remained silent for a while before finally getting upset, "Can't you show some responsibility?" "What?" Lu Ye looked at her, puzzled. "Are you even a man?" Hua Ci's expression seemed even angrier. How could he take this? Lu Ye angrily retorted, "How am I not a man?" Hua Ci's face obviously turned a bit redder, slowly averting her gaze. Lu Ye was about to argue further when the force on his wrist suddenly increased. He tilted and directly fell down. The words on his lips immediately vanished into thin air, the alluring scent overwhelmed him, making his mouth dry and tongue numb. Feeling the softness beneath him, Lu Ye dryly said, "So should I... do what a man should do?" Hua Ci closed her eyes, merely waved a hand, and the coffin lid beside them flew up, immediately plunging the narrow space into darkness. Indeed, Lu Yiye with responsibility, a hero charging forward. It was definitely an unforgettable and endlessly relishable experience. Before this, Lu Ye always thought the feeling at the upper realm was the most wonderful in the world, but now he realized he was wrong. Something even more marvelous than the upper realm existed in this world. And so, three days later. From within the dark coffin, a weary voice drifted out, "You should go now." "My legs are weak, can't move," "Then rest a bit before leaving." Three more days passed. The tiredness in the voice grew thicker, "Aren't you leaving yet?" "My back hurts, let me rest some more." "You're lying to me!" Another three days, Hua Ci's voice sounded like it might be crying, "What exactly do you want?" "Shh, don't say a word!" A half month's time slipped by. On this day, the long-sealed coffin suddenly opened, long-lost light poured in, catching Lu Ye excited when he suddenly sensed something amiss. Looking up, he met a ghastly pale face staring at him straight with lifeless eyes and a large, colorful mushroom atop its head. Turning to look around, several female Corpse Race members unbeknownst had gathered around the coffin, each staring with their dead eyes, from every angle, not letting Lu Ye escape their gaze! It seemed they were determined to keep watching him until eternity. "Hmm?" Lu Ye felt like he had been poured over with a basin of cold water, chilled from head to toe. Unable to laugh or cry, he looked down at Hua Ci, "This is too far." Clearly, Hua Ci was controlling these Corpse Race females to come and watch. She couldn't handle this man, couldn't scold him nor send him away, so she could only employ such unusual and sinister methods to make him leave voluntarily. Regretting greatly, why did she open a new world door for him...