Lan Yan’s right arm hung by her side, moving stiffly behind her as a smile graced her face. “Jun Yelan, why are you stunned? Haven’t you seen me in so long that you miss me?”
She leaned forward slightly, approaching Jun Yelan.
Jun Yelan’s ear tips turned red, his eyes involuntarily darting away. He said, “What are you talking about? How could I… miss you.” His voice grew softer as he spoke.
Lan Yan smiled, “Fine, then I can miss you, can’t I?”
Jun Yelan was stunned, staring at Lan Yan. For a moment, he felt that what the person in front of him said was true. But how could it be? She was a cultivator, and he was a demonic beast.
Seeing Jun Yelan’s silence, Lan Yan mumbled, “At least save me some face. Forget it, I won’t bicker with you. I’m here today for something important.”
A hint of seriousness appeared on Jun Yelan’s face as he looked directly at Lan Yan.
This demeanor made Lan Yan laugh. She pinched his cheek, “Jun Yelan, you don’t have to be like this. I’m not saying anything bad.” She noticed the confusion in Jun Yelan’s eyes and felt he was somewhat cute for the first time.
It was a man’s cuteness.
Jun Yelan felt warmth on his face, a warmth that belonged solely to Lan Yan, leaving him unsure of how to react. He could only stare at Lan Yan, feeling a strange sensation of letting her have her way.
Lan Yan released her hand and said with a smile, “I’ve found some clues about this formation, but I’m still researching. So, I wanted to ask you first, if you were to leave here one day, what would you want to do?”
“Leave?” Jun Yelan’s eyes flickered slightly as he looked at his bound hands and feet. From the first day he arrived, he had constantly thought of leaving, but he lacked the opportunity.
But now, looking at Lan Yan’s smiling face, a hint of hesitation arose in his heart. “To leave, how can it be easy?”
Lan Yan smiled, “If I say you can, you can. Don’t think about anything else, just tell me, what do you want to do after you leave?”
Jun Yelan looked into Lan Yan’s determined eyes and instantly wanted to believe her. He recalled his past life and murmured, “I want to return to the demonic realm, to my mountain. There’s a cave there, and a hot spring.”
“I’m used to living there and don’t want to find a new place.”
Lan Yan nodded. That place must have made Jun Yelan feel comfortable, for him to be so unforgettable. She asked again, “So, if you have a place to go, is there anything else you want to do?”
Jun Yelan’s gaze fell upon Lan Yan, and in his heart, he thought, ‘I want to continue to see someone’s smile.’ He shook his head.
Lan Yan showed a hint of disappointment. She had spent so much time with Jun Yelan, yet he had no plans that included her.
“Jun Yelan, don’t forget, you owe me a promise. When I can’t stay here anymore, you have to take care of me, just like I’m taking care of you now.”
Upon hearing this, a deeper look entered Jun Yelan’s eyes, and he nodded unconsciously.
“Then it’s settled,” Lan Yan smiled at Jun Yelan and hooked his little finger, her eyes filled with amusement.
A slight curve appeared on Jun Yelan’s lips. Then he saw blood seeping through the sleeve of Lan Yan’s right arm and was slightly startled. “Lan Yan, your hand?”
Lan Yan’s face was pale now. She looked at her right arm, realizing the wound had split open at some point. She shook her head, “It’s nothing, I just need to rest.”
As she spoke, she swayed and fell towards the ground.
“Lan Yan!” Jun Yelan’s heart clenched. He yanked hard at the chains on the wall. With a cry, his hands were freed, and he caught the fragile person.
He gently held Lan Yan’s shoulder, looked at her right arm, and asked, “Are you injured?”
Lan Yan nodded, wanting to say it was a minor injury, but Jun Yelan had already lifted her arm.
She looked at the person in front of her with confusion.
Jun Yelan activated his palm, moving it from above her arm to below. The scar instantly disappeared. He said, “You rest, I’ll stay with you.”
With that, Lan Yan gently closed her eyes, leaning back into Jun Yelan’s embrace with peace. In truth, like Jun Yelan, she was alone in this foreign land.
But now, with Jun Yelan by her side, she no longer felt that way; instead, she felt a sense of relief.
Jun Yelan looked at the slender figure in his arms, afraid to move rashly, holding her in the same posture. He could tell the injury was caused by the fire bird, and wondered why Lan Yan had been hurt.
He suddenly wished to understand the person before him. Only now did he realize that all the memories in his mind were about her; she had unknowingly influenced him.
He stared at Lan Yan’s sleeping face and thought what a strange cultivator she was.
Lan Yan didn’t know how long she slept. When she woke up, she found herself still in Jun Yelan’s arms. She didn’t get up but looked up at the sky above, where a few stars were twinkling.
She murmured, “Looking at the night sky from this angle is so beautiful.”
“Mm,” Jun Yelan glanced up and responded softly.
Lan Yan’s lips curved upwards, surprised that Jun Yelan had replied. She raised her hand, pointed to the nearest star, and murmured, “One, two, three…”
“What are you doing?” Jun Yelan asked, confused.
Lan Yan smiled, “Counting stars. I want to know how many stars there are here. I’ll count the left side, you count the right side.”
Jun Yelan had never imagined doing something like this, lying down with someone and counting stars.
Seeing Jun Yelan actually counting, the smile on Lan Yan’s lips deepened. If she didn’t do this, Jun Yelan would surely have driven her away. But she didn’t want to leave yet; this pillow was truly too comfortable.
She mumbled the count of stars, then closed her eyes again, eventually murmuring, “Roast chicken, crispy pastry.”
Jun Yelan stopped counting stars, momentarily amused. He was utterly helpless against Lan Yan. He continued to hold her, looking up at the stars.
These were the most beautiful stars he had ever seen in his life.
Lan Yan slept soundly in her dreams.
The next morning, Lan Yan left. She took a blanket from under the covers and draped it over Jun Yelan. Noticing that Jun Yelan’s chains were broken, she felt happy for him.
At the same time, she realized she had to research the formation as soon as possible. Otherwise, if they were discovered, she didn’t know what would happen to Jun Yelan. She murmured, “Jun Yelan, you have to wait for me.”
With that, she left, returning to her room to research how to break the formation.
Meanwhile, Jun Yelan had also woken up. Looking in the direction Lan Yan had left, his heart trembled slightly. He began to meditate, clearing the meridians and circulating energy throughout his body.
He thought of what Lan Yan had said, and a sliver of hope grew in his heart. He wanted to leave this place as soon as possible and fulfill his promise to that person. He accelerated his cultivation, and a ray of light suddenly appeared above the cave entrance, catching the attention of the Spirit Mountain Sect Leader.