A god-level alchemist, starting by manually crafting forbidden pills.

Luo Fan stopped talking and carefully adjusted his position to make her more comfortable.

The sunlight shone on the two of them, making them feel warm and cozy.

for a long time.

Bai Jie's breathing calmed down.

"Xiao Fan".

She suddenly spoke, her voice very soft.

"Um?"

Luo Fan looked at her.

Bai Jie lowered her head, her long hair falling down and covering half of her face.

"Actually, I am a being of the cycle of reincarnation, born to bear the karma of reincarnation."

"All those who are close to me will be tainted by karma and will not have a good end."

"My father, my mother, and all 327 members of my clan died because of me."

Her voice was so calm it was heartbreaking.

"From then on, I told myself that I couldn't care about anyone and I couldn't have any feelings."

"I practice ice-based techniques to disguise myself with coldness, thinking that this would protect the people I care about."

She looked up at Luo Fan, "But I still care."

"I care about you, you little rascal who always makes me angry and always concocts unorthodox pills, but who always makes me feel at ease."

Two glistening tears slid down her cheeks, but she was smiling.

"I'm going to care about someone again, and I'm going to kill someone again. I'm a jinx."

Luo Fan reached out and pulled her into his arms.

"Senior sister, listen to me."

Luo Fan tightened his grip on her arm, each word striking a chord deep within her heart.

"You are not a bad person, and you will not kill anyone."

"Your reincarnation body is not a curse, but a talent, a gift bestowed upon you by heaven and earth, allowing you to go further."

What you need to do is not freeze yourself, but become stronger.

"Powerful enough to eradicate all evil causes, powerful enough to protect everyone you care about."

He cupped her face in his hands and looked into her eyes.

"And I will be with you, growing stronger together."

"Your ice can freeze all damage."

"My fire can purify all evil spirits."

"When we're together, we're not a weakness, but the strongest armor in the world."

Bai Jie stared at him blankly for a long, long time.

Then, she stopped crying and started laughing.

"You little rascal, when did you become so good at sweet-talking people?"

"I wouldn't do that to others, but I always would with my senior sister. It's just that she used to seem to smile gently, but she was actually very aloof, so I didn't dare to coax her."

"And now?"

"Now I know."

Luo Fan grinned, "Senior Sister's coldness is all an act; she's actually very warm-hearted inside."

"You're asking for it!"

Bai Jie pretended to hit him, raising her hand but only lightly landing it on his shoulder.

The two smiled at each other.

The setting sun cast long shadows of them, which nestled together, indistinguishable from one another.

"I used to be very afraid of warmth."

Bai Jie leaned on his shoulder, "Because warmth will always disappear, leaving behind an even colder winter."

"So I'd rather stay in winter, that way I won't be disappointed."

Luo Fan took her hand.

Her hands were cold, but his palms were warm.

"This time, I will make sure winter never comes."

He turned his head and looked at her profile, which was bathed in the warm glow of the sunset.

Bai Jie's body trembled slightly as she looked up and met his earnest eyes.

In those eyes, there was a light she had never seen in anyone else's eyes before.

— Gentle, firm, and with an undisguised favoritism.

"Do you keep your word?"

"Keep your word."

"Then... pinky promise."

She extended her little finger, her eyes filled with a girlish slyness and anticipation.

Luo Fan paused for a moment, then smiled, extending his little finger and hooking it tightly with hers.

"Pinky promise, a hundred years from now."

"Whoever turns into a puppy is the one who gets it."

The setting sun sinks into the mountains.

The last rays of sunlight gently enveloped the valley, and also the two people nestled together.

The wind rustled through the grass and trees.

It seems to be telling a story in silence.

Some ice and snow, once they begin to melt, herald the arrival of spring and the blooming of flowers.

Some vows, once made, are witnessed by mountains and rivers.

The night is getting darker.

Luo Fan found a dry, flat spot by the pool and started a campfire.

The flickering firelight dispelled the lingering chill.

He helped Bai Jie sit down by the fire, his brows furrowing slightly as he looked at her pale face.

"Senior Sister's injuries cannot be treated with the Nether Spring Cold Fire alone; we need the Heart-Clearing Lotus."

He took out the palm-sized, crystal-clear seven-colored lotus flower from his storage bag.

Qingxinlian (清心莲), when taken directly, can also clear the mind and spirit, and accelerate the healing of injuries.

"Taking it directly would be too wasteful."

Bai Jie said softly.

"It's fine if you can use it, then it won't be a waste."

Luo Fan's fingertips ignited a cool spring fire, not a scorching heat, but a perfectly gentle flame.

He suspended the Pure Heart Lotus above the flames and manipulated it with his divine sense.

The petals unfurled in the flames, exuding three crystal-clear drops of seven-colored lotus dew.

Open your mouth.

Luo Fan used his spiritual power to lift a drop of lotus dew and brought it to Bai Jie's lips.

Bai Jie looked at his serious profile, the firelight reflecting in his eyes, dancing with a gentle light.

She didn't refuse again, and slightly parted her lips, the lotus dew melting instantly in her mouth.

A cool sensation spread throughout his body, the dull pain in his wounds subsided, and his mind became clearer.

"There are two drops left, drink them both."

Luo Fan then fed the remaining two drops into her mouth.

After drinking three drops of lotus dew, Bai Jie regained some color in her face, and her breathing became much more stable.

"Your alchemy skills have improved again."

Her eyes held admiration; the technique Luo Fan had just demonstrated seemed simple.

In reality, it requires extremely high levels of skill in controlling flames, spiritual power, and divine sense.

Ordinary alchemists would need to be at least at the Foundation Establishment stage to achieve such effortless skill.

Luo Fan sat down beside her, resting his shoulder against hers. "It's not enough."

Looking at her questioning eyes, Luo Fan smiled brightly.

"I want to be able to refine the best elixir in the world, to protect you, and to prevent anyone from harming you again."

Upon hearing this, Bai Jie turned her head and looked at Luo Fan's profile, which was particularly serious in the firelight.

His face still carried the immaturity of youth, but the look in his eyes was so intense it made her heart burn.

"Why are you so good to me?"

Her red lips moved slightly. "My constitution might kill you."

"Then let's die together."

Luo Fan held her hand tightly.

"Before that, I will do everything in my power to keep us alive, to live longer than anyone else."

Bai Jie stared at him blankly for a long time.

Then she slowly closed her eyes and rested her head on his shoulder.

This time, she didn't say anything.

I could only hear the crackling of the campfire.

Listening to his steady and powerful heartbeat.

Listen to the night wind howling through the valley.

for a long time.

Bai Jie finally spoke, "Take that bead out and let me see it."

Luo Fan knew she was referring to the Myriad Poison Pearl, so he took it out of his storage bag and handed it to her.

The beads feel cool to the touch.

In the firelight, black energy swirled within, vaguely forming a hideous ghost face pattern.

Bai Jie stared at the pattern on it, her beautiful eyes gradually becoming serious. "This is the Seal of Ten Thousand Ghosts Devouring the Heart."

"Do you know her, Senior Sister?" Luo Fan asked.

"Yes, I've seen it in the sect's ancient books. It's one of the core marks of the Soul Killing Hall, and only the higher-ups in the hall are qualified to have it imprinted on them."

Her voice was slightly deep, "A hundred years ago, the Soul Killing Hall, which had been lying dormant for a long time, reappeared."

They massacred three cities in the Eastern Spirit Realm and refined millions of souls to cultivate evil arts.

Later, it was besieged and attacked by the righteous alliance, its mountain gate was destroyed, and it disappeared once again.

She looked at the beads with a solemn expression. "I never expected to find their belongings here."

Luo Fan pondered, "This bead is severely damaged. It must have been nurtured here for at least several decades to coexist with the Demon Lotus and become the source of the Seven Emotions Miasma. This indicates that the people of the Soul Killing Hall were active here for a long time."

He paused, then looked at Bai Jie: "Senior Sister, do you think this secret realm is related to the Soul Killing Hall?"

"Uncertain, but highly likely."

Bai Jie returned the bead to him, saying, "The Soul Killing Hall is best at manipulating souls and refining poisons."

These Seven Emotions Miasma and Bewitching Lotus are very much in line with their methods, and I've even heard my master mention them before!

She hesitated for a moment before saying, "When the Soul Killing Hall was wiped out, a remnant of one of its branches escaped into the Fallen Dragon Gorge with a valuable treasure, and their whereabouts have been unknown ever since."

Zhuilongjian is the mountain range where they are located.

Luo Fan frowned slightly. "Senior Sister, do you mean that this secret realm might be the ruins of that branch sect?"

So, perhaps the Myriad Poison Pearl is the so-called treasure?

"It's possible. The Soul Killing Hall was able to turn the Eastern Spirit Region upside down back then, so they are definitely not easy to deal with."

Bai Jie frowned slightly. "Even if it's just the ruins of a branch sect, it's definitely not something that Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment cultivators like us can easily set foot in."

Luo Fan toyed with the Myriad Poison Pearl in his hand, a thoughtful look flashing in his eyes.

"We've already gotten this far and destroyed their plans; it's too late to retreat now."

Luo Fan looked at Bai Jie, "Besides, the Xuan Yin You Ming Grass is inside, we have no choice but to go in."

Looking at the fearless light in his eyes, Bai Jie's worries suddenly dissipated.

Yes, with him by my side, what is there to be afraid of?

"Um."

She responded and pressed her face against his chest, listening to his steady and strong heartbeat.

"By the way, Senior Sister, does anyone else in the sect know about your Reincarnation Body?"

Luo Fan asked.