Chapter 118: Emerging from seclusion! Master, your gaze is a bit dangerous!

Inside the secret room, Gu Lan slowly reined in his technique.

Feeling the True Essence surging like an ocean inside his body, he clenched his fist with satisfaction.

The air was crushed in his palm, emitting a muffled explosion.

"Half-step Golden Core, it is done."

"Although I haven't truly achieved Core Formation yet, this power… I'm afraid ordinary Golden Core Stage cultivators aren't enough for me to fight."

He lowered his head to glance at his disheveled appearance, frowning with disgust.

"Dust-Washing Spell!"

With a flick of his finger, a breeze swept past, and the grime on his body vanished instantly. Along with it, his tattered clothes were replaced, and he put on a fresh set of snow-white robes once more.

His entire person was striking and handsome, his demeanor even more restrained and profound than before his seclusion. His peach-blossom eyes seemed to conceal two burning flames, capable of making anyone sink into them at a single glance.

"It is time to go out."

Gu Lan pushed open the doors of the secret room.

By this time, it was already late into the night, and Nuanxiang Pavilion was completely silent.

He walked to the outer hall, his footsteps suddenly halting as his gaze instantly softened.

He saw that beside the large rosewood round table, three figures were slumped over, fast asleep in disarray.

"These three silly women…"

A warmth arose in Gu Lan's heart as he sighed.

He had clearly told them to go rest, yet they ended up guarding him here for the entire night.

He walked over on tiptoe to settle the three Senior Sisters comfortably, and only then did Gu Lan turn around and leave with lingering reluctance.

"Next… I must go face the most troublesome one."

Yunjin Palace.

At this moment, the horizon was just beginning to turn pale, with seas of clouds churning and countless rays of rosy light filling the sky.

Gu Lan rode his sword down onto the plaza before the hall, straightened his attire, and then respectfully said in a clear voice:

"Disciple Gu Lan has returned from the mission and specially reports back to Master!"

"Come in."

A lazy and magnetic voice drifted out from within the hall.

The hall doors opened on their own without any wind.

Gu Lan took a deep breath and stepped inside.

The main hall remained as luxurious and cold as ever, the air permeated with a faint scent of ambergris.

Master Su Yunjin was wearing a purple-golden flowing-cloud long dress today, her hair unbunned, cascading like a waterfall loosely behind her back.

She was reclining sideways on the cold jade couch, holding a volume of ancient texts in her hand. A section of her jade-like calf was exposed outside the hem of her skirt, swinging gently and making one's heart flutter.

"Master."

Gu Lan walked forward, knelt on one knee, and performed a deep bow.

"Disciple has not failed the mission; the demonic cultivators of Kugu Forest have been eliminated, and the Yinsha Sect Master has been executed."

As he spoke, he respectfully offered the mission token with both hands.

Master Su Yunjin did not take the token, nor did she even lift her eyelids, continuing to stare at the book in her hands.

"Mhm, well done."

Her tone was flat, revealing neither joy nor anger.

"I heard… you not only killed the Yinsha Sect Master this time, but you also got quite cozy with the Saintess of the Demonic Cult?"

It's here! The death-trap question may be late, but it always arrives!

Gu Lan's heart skipped a beat, but he maintained a perfect smile on his face.

"Master, please be wise, those are rumors!"

"This Disciple and that demonic sect demoness are irreconcilable enemies! At the time, the situation was critical, and this Disciple had to put on a facade to paralyze the enemy…"

"Put on a facade?"

Master Su Yunjin finally put down the book in her hand, slowly sitting up as her ambiguous peach-blossom eyes fell on Gu Lan.

"Put on a facade to the point… that you even kissed lips?"

Gu Lan: "…"

Who the hell passed back this intelligence?!

This is way too detailed!

"Master, please listen to my explanation…"

"No need to explain."

Master Su Yunjin waved her hand and stepped down from the couch.

She was barefoot, stepping on the chilling jade-stone floor as she walked step by step toward Gu Lan.

As she drew closer, a powerful oppressive aura mixed with a faint lingering fragrance enveloped Gu Lan.

"You being suave and having fun is your ability, and this Master won't interfere."

"However…"

She extended a slender finger, lifting Gu Lan's chin and forcing him to raise his head.

"The Qi on your body… why is it in such a chaotic mess?"

"Swallowing a Golden Core Stage corpse pill by force, aren't you afraid of blowing yourself up?"

Gu Lan was slightly stunned, and then a warmth rose in his heart.

So Master was concerned about his cultivation.

"Disciple has strange flames protecting my body; although it was somewhat risky, I have refined it almost completely."

"Almost?"

Master Su Yunjin sneered, her finger sliding from his chin down to his chest, and then pressing down heavily.

"Pfft!"

Gu Lan let out a muffled grunt as he felt the blood and Qi churn within his chest, and two strands of mottled black Qi were forcefully driven out.

"Is this what you call almost?"

"Although the dark poison within the corpse pill has been suppressed by your strange flames, it has not been completely eradicated, instead lurking deep within your Meridians."

"It looks fine now, but when you truly undergo Core Formation, this will be the Heart Demon that takes your life!"

A layer of cold sweat seeped from Gu Lan's forehead.

He had indeed been somewhat eager for quick success earlier, only focusing on raising his cultivation while ignoring these hidden dangers.

"Many thanks to Master for saving me!"

"Save it."

Master Su Yunjin withdrew her hand, turned around, walked back to the cold jade couch, and lay down once more.

"Since you call me Master, I cannot just watch you fall into Qi Deviation."

"Come here."

She patted the spot beside her, her gaze turning somewhat meaningful.

"Master… what are you doing?" Gu Lan hesitated slightly.

"Helping you 'detoxify'."

Master Su Yunjin lightly parted her red lips, spitting out two words that made one's imagination run wild.

"The fire Qi in your body is too exuberant, and it's mixed with corpse poison. We must use this Master's Xuanin Spiritual Qi to neutralize it for you and reorganize your Meridians."

"Of course, the process might be a little… painful."

"And it might also be a little… comfortable."

She looked at Gu Lan, the corners of her mouth curling into a mischievous smile that looked just like a fox.

"What? Outside you even dared to kiss the demonic sect demoness, yet when you arrive at this Master's place, you've turned cowardly instead?"

Gu Lan looked at the Master before him, who was full of charm yet extremely dangerous.

He swallowed a mouthful of saliva.

Detoxify? Neutralize? Why did these words sound so improper when he heard them?

But looking into Master's unrefusable gaze, Gu Lan knew this tribulation could not be avoided.

"Disciple… obeys."

He braced himself as he walked over and sat down by the edge of the cold jade couch.

"Lie down."

Master Su Yunjin commanded.

Gu Lan obediently lay down, like a lamb awaiting slaughter.

"Relax a bit, don't tense up like a rock."

Master Su Yunjin pressed one hand on his Dantian, while her other hand… gently stroked his face.

"Tsk tsk, this face truly is a curse."

"No wonder it infatuated that demonic sect demoness so much."

"Master, can we begin now?" Gu Lan's voice trembled slightly.

"What's the rush."

Master Su Yunjin leaned down, her stunning face growing closer and closer to his, her warm breath spraying across his face.

"This Master must properly check…"

"Whether your Half-step Golden Core physique can truly withstand this Master's tossing about."

Just as her voice fell,

an extremely overbearing and bone-chilling Spiritual Qi suddenly surged from her palm into Gu Lan's Dantian!

"Mm—!"

Gu Lan's body suddenly arched, emitting a muffled groan that was both painful and tinged with a strange undertone.

This wasn't detoxifying at all.

This was clearly… the dual heavens of ice and fire!