I gain ten years' worth of cultivation every day, and even geniuses will only see my doorstep!

"No need to rush," Qin Yuan said, looking at her. "I only have one hour."

Lin Qing'er paused.

She slowly turned around, her eyes reddening again, but she didn't shed any more tears.

"An hour... is enough." She forced a smile. "Being able to see Brother Qin Yuan for an hour is already very good."

Qin Yuan looked at her.

"Aren't you going to ask me why I came?"

Lin Qing'er shook her head.

"I won't ask."

She paused, then said softly, "I knew you would come. I knew it when you saw me off three years ago."

She raised her head and finally dared to look Qin Yuan in the eye.

"You said, farewell, Shangzong. You never say you can't do something."

Qin Yuan remained silent for a moment.

"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting so long."

Lin Qing'er shook her head.

"Not long," she said earnestly. "Only three years. I can wait."

She smiled again, this time without the previous forced smile, but a genuine, bright one.

"And my wait wasn't in vain. Look, Brother Qin Yuan has become a disciple of the Taiyi Sect and even survived the Nine Heavens Tribulation. When I heard about it, I was so happy that I couldn't sleep all night."

She paused, her voice softening slightly.

"I'm just... a little worried."

Qin Yuan looked at her.

"What are you worried about?"

Lin Qing'er lowered her head.

"I'm worried that you're becoming too amazing, that you'll get further and further away, until I can't catch up with you."

She looked up, her eyes reddening again, but her gaze was earnest.

"So I've been cultivating diligently. I haven't been lazy, really. Although... although resources are a bit scarce, I get up before dawn every day to meditate, and when others are resting at night, I'm still practicing in the courtyard. I've already reached the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm, and in a few more years, I might even reach the Nascent Soul realm..."

She couldn't continue.

Because Qin Yuan gently took her hand again.

"No need to chase," he said.

Lin Qing'er was stunned.

"I'm not walking fast," Qin Yuan said, looking at her, each word distinct. "Take your time, I'll wait for you."

Lin Qing'er stared blankly at him, tears rolling down her cheeks, but the corners of her mouth slowly turned up.

That smile was exactly the same as the one he had shown when he saw him off outside the Xuan Yuan Sect's mountain gate three years ago.

"it is good."

she says.

"Then it's settled."

Qin Yuan nodded.

"It's settled."

The two sat down on a stone bench in the courtyard.

Lin Qing'er boiled water again and brewed a pot of tea. The tea was ordinary Qingmu Spirit Tea, far inferior to the Cloud Mist Spirit Tea of ​​the Taiyi Immortal Sect, but Qin Yuan drank it slowly and savored it carefully.

Lin Qing'er sat opposite him, holding the teacup in both hands, taking small sips.

She finally asked about Qin Yuan's experiences over the past three years.

Qin Yuan didn't hide anything and told her everything. From Lava City to the Gathering of Prodigies, from the Temple of War God to the Nine Heavens Tribulation. He spoke calmly, as if he were telling someone else's story.

But Lin Qing'er listened very attentively.

When she heard about thrilling parts, she would unconsciously tighten her grip on her teacup; when she heard about exhilarating parts, her eyes would crinkle into a smile; when Qin Yuan talked about the battle of the War Soul Commander, her eyes sparkled with admiration.

"Brother Qin Yuan is really amazing."

She praised it sincerely.

Qin Yuan shook his head: "You're not bad either. With an innate wood spirit body, three years is enough time to reach the Nascent Soul stage if resources are plentiful."

Lin Qing'er's smile faded slightly, and she lowered her head.

"...Regarding the resources, it's not the sect's fault. It's my fault for not being good enough; I didn't choose the right master when I joined the sect, and later..."

It's not that you're not ambitious enough.

Qin Yuan interrupted her.

"Someone is deliberately making things difficult for us."

Lin Qing'er remained silent.

She knew, of course, who was making things difficult for her, and she knew why. But she never complained about it in front of Qin Yuan.

She didn't want Qin Yuan to worry about her, and even more so, she didn't want Qin Yuan to become enemies with the Qingmu Sect because of her.

Qin Yuan is now a disciple of the Taiyi Sect, with a bright future ahead of him. He shouldn't let such a trivial matter bother him...

"Qing'er."

Qin Yuan's voice pulled her back from her chaotic thoughts.

Lin Qing'er looked up and met Qin Yuan's calm and serious gaze.

"Do you know why I'm here?"

Lin Qing'er opened her mouth, but couldn't say a word.

Qin Yuan did not wait for her reply.

"I'm not here to take you away."

Lin Qing'er was stunned.

A barely perceptible hint of disappointment flashed in her eyes, but she quickly concealed it.

"I know..." she lowered her head, "I'm too weak right now, following Brother Qin Yuan will only be a burden..."

"That's not the reason."

Qin Yuan interrupted her again.

Lin Qing'er looked up at him, puzzled.

Qin Yuan said, "You haven't paid back what you owe the Green Wood Sect yet."

Lin Qing'er was stunned.

Qin Yuan looked at her, speaking each word clearly.

"Three years ago, the Green Wood Sect accepted you as a disciple, taught you cultivation techniques, and provided you with resources. Although some people have tried to harass and make things difficult for you since then, you have not yet repaid this kindness of accepting you as a disciple."

"If you leave now, no matter the reason, you will be seen as ungrateful in the eyes of others. The Qingmu Sect can use this as a reason to punish you, or even abolish your cultivation. Even if the Taiyi Sect intervenes, they will not be able to completely wash away this stain."

Lin Qing'er lowered her head, her fingers twisting the hem of her clothes.

She knew Qin Yuan was right.

She had thought about these principles many times. It wasn't that she hadn't considered escaping the Green Wood Sect, but she couldn't. Not because she was afraid of punishment, but because she owed the Green Wood Sect a debt of gratitude.

If she doesn't repay this kindness, she will never be able to truly stand tall in her life.

"so."

Qin Yuan's voice was calm and firm.

"I'm not taking you with me."

"But I won't let you stay here and suffer any longer."

Lin Qing'er raised her head, her eyes full of confusion.

Qin Yuan took out a storage ring from his pocket and placed it on the stone table.

"Inside are three thousand high-grade spirit stones, twenty grade seven Golden Condensation Pills, five grade six Qi Cultivation Pills, and a grade eight Snow Jade Spirit Mushroom."

Lin Qing'er stared at the storage ring in shock, speechless.

Three thousand high-grade spirit stones are enough for her to cultivate to the peak of the Nascent Soul stage. Twenty seventh-grade Golden Condensation Pills are enough for her to complete all the accumulation required for the Golden Core stage. Five sixth-grade Qi Cultivation Pills can greatly improve her cultivation aptitude.

The Grade 8 Snow Jade Lingzhi is a legendary treasure that can purify impurities in wood spirit roots and enhance the potential of innate spirit bodies. It is priceless and extremely rare.

"Brother Qin Yuan, this is too precious, I can't..."

"It's not for you."

Qin Yuan interrupted her.

Lin Qing'er was stunned.

Qin Yuan looked at her.

"These are for you to return to the Aoki Sect."

Lin Qing'er was stunned for a long time.

Then she understood.

Qin Yuan did not want her to leave the Green Wood Sect.

He wanted her to stay with dignity.

With sufficient resources, repay the kindness of the Green Wood Sect in accepting our entry. Then, use the remaining resources to make up for the deficit caused by deductions over the years. Finally, use this Snow Jade Lingzhi to fully unleash the potential of our innate wood spirit body.

He wanted her to gain a foothold in the Green Wood Sect.

It wasn't because of his protection, nor because of the reputation of the Taiyi Sect.

It was through her own abilities that she succeeded.

Lin Qing'er stared at the storage ring, her eyes reddening again.

But she didn't cry.

She took a deep breath, reached out, and grasped the storage ring in her palm.

"I will pay it back."

Her voice was soft, yet firm.

"I will stand upright in the Green Wood Sect, cultivate with integrity, and—"

She looked up at Qin Yuan.

"—To catch up with you fair and square."