Star Martial Soaring Cloud

Seven days later.

The three finally arrived at their temporary base.

From afar, Qingyun Bamboo Valley is hidden by layers of dense bamboo forests, with lush green bamboo providing shade, quiet and secluded. If you don't know its exact location, you would never discover this hidden paradise.

Wang Xiao's heart was beating faster than usual, and her palms were slightly sweaty.

Is she there?

With a mix of trepidation and excitement, he parted the last thicket of bamboo branches, and the sight before him stunned him instantly.

The bamboo house is still there, and even more orderly than before.

Next to the original solitary and simple bamboo house, a new bamboo house has been built.

The two bamboo houses stand side by side, one large and one small, and are built with exquisite craftsmanship and sturdiness, far more refined than the wooden house that Wang Xiao had casually built back then.

A small courtyard was enclosed in front of the house, with a neat and elegant bamboo fence. A small vegetable garden was cultivated in the yard, where tender green seedlings sprouted from the soil and stretched their branches and leaves in the sunlight, full of vitality.

There was also a simple chicken coop next to it, where several pheasants and ducks strolled leisurely, occasionally clucking and making clucking noises, creating a lively atmosphere.

Wang Xiao stood there, gazing at the scene before him, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

"Brother Lu Yang!"

A clear and familiar voice came from the direction of the bamboo house.

Wang Xiao looked up and saw a figure rush out of the bamboo house.

Lin Yueyao was still wearing that faded coarse cloth dress, with an old cloth bag tied around her waist, and her black hair was simply tied behind her head, looking clean and simple.

Her face was covered in dirt, and she held a small hoe in her hand.

The moment she saw Wang Xiao clearly, the hoe in her hand fell to the ground, she froze on the spot, and her eyes instantly reddened.

The next second, tears welled up in her eyes.

"Brother Lu Yang!"

She rushed forward and threw herself into Wang Xiao's arms, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist and refusing to let go.

The worries, fears, grievances, and loneliness of the past two weeks all erupted at this moment, turning into unstoppable tears that soaked Wang Xiao's clothes.

She cried and trembled, but she held on even tighter, as if if she let go, the person in front of her would disappear.

"You're finally back...you're finally back..." she murmured repeatedly, her voice hoarse and choked with emotion.

Wang Xiao paused for a moment, then gently patted her back, his voice soft and gentle: "It's alright, everything will be alright, Miss Yueyao."

Su Qinhe stood aside, quietly watching this heartwarming scene. Her eyes welled up with tears, but a relieved smile appeared on her lips.

Yan Zixi crossed her arms and looked at Lin Yueyao with great interest, her eyes full of curiosity.

She moved closer to Su Qinhe, lowered her voice, and teased, "Qinhe, if you don't take the initiative, your ideal man might be snatched away."

Su Qinhe's cheeks flushed instantly, a faint blush settling on her cool face. She gently scolded, "Sister Yan, don't talk nonsense."

"What, little sister doesn't want it?" Yan Zixi blinked her peach blossom eyes, her smile sly. "If little sister doesn't want it, then big sister will have to fight for it."

She looked at the two embracing and smiled meaningfully: "It seems I was right. This kid is really dishonest. He said he didn't want the Beauty Alliance, but he probably already had his plans in mind."

Su Qinhe was both embarrassed and annoyed by her teasing, but she didn't know how to refute it, so she turned her face away and ignored her teasing, but her heartbeat secretly quickened a bit.

After a long while, Lin Yueyao's crying gradually stopped, and her emotions slowly calmed down.

She released Wang Xiao, embarrassedly wiping away the tears on her face, and only then did she notice Su Qinhe and Yan Zixi standing to the side.

"Who are these two...?" She blinked her red-rimmed eyes, looking at the two people one by one, her tone timid.

Wang Xiao quickly introduced them, speaking in a gentle tone: "This is Miss Su Qinhe from Fengyuxuan, and this is Miss Yan Zixi. They are both close friends I met on the road."

Lin Yueyao was taken aback for a moment, then composed herself and said sincerely, "So it's Fairy Su and Miss Yan. I've long admired your names. I was rude just now, please forgive me."

She is simple and honest by nature, and although she lost control of her emotions just now, she is now full of remorse.

Su Qinhe stepped forward and gently took her hand, speaking in a soft and friendly tone: "Miss Lin, there's no need for such formality. Lu Yang has mentioned you frequently along the way, saying that the meat you grill is the most delicious in the world."

Lin Yueyao turned to look at Wang Xiao, her cheeks slightly flushed, and smiled shyly: "It's not that good, it's just a simple meal I made."

Yan Zixi also stepped forward, looking Lin Yueyao up and down with admiration and curiosity in her eyes. She smiled and said, "I've long heard of Miss Lin's superb cooking skills. I'm honored to have the honor of visiting today. I wonder if I can enjoy a delicious meal?"

Lin Yueyao nodded quickly, her tone warm and sincere: "Of course! You must be exhausted from your journey. You should rest first, and I'll go and prepare right away."

"I'll help you," Su Qinhe said sincerely.

Lin Yueyao was somewhat surprised, but seeing Su Qinhe's gentle gaze, she immediately smiled and nodded, "Alright, then I'll trouble Fairy Su."

The two smiled at each other, their eyes full of friendliness, and turned to walk into the bamboo house together.

Yan Zixi watched the two figures disappear into the distance, stretched, and said in a lazy and carefree tone, "I won't get involved. I'm tired and sore from the journey, so I need to get a good night's sleep to recharge."

She walked up to Wang Xiao, then suddenly stopped, leaned close to his ear, and whispered as softly as a breeze: "Young Master Lu, don't even think about peeping! Otherwise, someone will make you regret it."

After saying that, she swayed her slender waist and slowly walked into the bamboo house.

The crimson gauze dress swayed gently in the wind, outlining her graceful figure. Her slender waist was so delicate that it could be encircled by a single hand, and her movements were elegant and graceful. Her long, jade-like legs were faintly visible beneath the hem of the dress, arousing endless fantasies.

Wang Xiao stood there, shaking his head helplessly.

This woman...

She truly exudes an alluring charm at all times.

He turned around and strolled slowly in the courtyard.

Although the vegetable garden in the yard was small, it was well-maintained, with the seedlings arranged in neat rows. The poultry in the chicken coop were docile and unafraid of people. When they saw him, they would just tilt their heads to look at him, and then lower their heads to peck at their food. The yard was full of warmth and coziness.

Wang Xiao walked to the back of the bamboo house, wanting to see what other changes had occurred, when he suddenly stopped.

A green figure stood quietly at the edge of the bamboo forest, exuding an ethereal aura.

It is a deer-like creature.

It remains extraordinary, with the wood grain gleaming with a faint green light in the sunlight, warm and translucent, and the antlers on its head entwined with emerald green branches and leaves, exuding a captivating spiritual aura.

Its gaze toward Wang Xiao remained clear and bright, carrying a hint of scrutiny and a touch of surprise, as if asking, "Why is it you again?"

Wang Xiao was overjoyed and quickly took out the spiritual herbs he had carefully picked along the way from his bosom, offering them to Wang Xiao with a beaming face: "You're here! Quickly try these spiritual herbs, they taste very sweet."

Lu Shu glanced at the spiritual herbs in his hand, then looked at Wang Xiao indifferently, before turning around without hesitation, flashing into the depths of the bamboo forest, and disappearing from sight.

Wang Xiao, holding the spirit herb, froze on the spot, utterly helpless: "They've left again..."

He sighed, put away the medicinal herbs, and turned back to the courtyard.

Night falls, and the sky is filled with stars.

The four sat around the campfire, with a table full of steaming dishes in front of them. The roasted pheasant had a golden and crispy skin, dripping with oil, and the wild vegetable soup smelled delicious. There were also several refreshing side dishes. The food was colorful, fragrant, and delicious, making everyone's appetite soar.

Yan Zixi picked up a piece of grilled meat and put it in her mouth. Her eyes lit up instantly, and she couldn't help but praise it repeatedly: "It's so delicious! Miss Lin, your cooking skills are superb. I've never eaten such fragrant grilled meat in my life!"

Su Qinhe savored the food carefully, nodding slowly and sincerely, "It's truly delicious! Miss Lin, how can your cooking be so good!"

Lin Yueyao blushed deeply at the compliments from the two women, and quickly picked up her chopsticks to serve them food: "Please eat more if you ladies like, don't be shy."

Wang Xiao buried himself in his food and ate several bowls of rice before finally putting down his chopsticks with a satisfied look on his face.

"Oh, right." He suddenly remembered something, looked at Lin Yueyao, and asked, "When did Lu Shu arrive here?"

Lin Yueyao thought for a moment and slowly said, "About ten days ago. It would come every day, sniff around the vegetable garden in the yard, but wouldn't eat anything. After a while, it would leave on its own."

"A vegetable garden?" Wang Xiao frowned slightly, full of doubt. "Is something special growing in the vegetable garden? Why would it be interested in a vegetable garden?"

Lin Yueyao shook her head: "Nothing special, just some common crops in Kyushu. I happened to have some seeds on me, so I just planted some."

Wang Xiao seemed lost in thought, muttering to himself, "The Deer-like creature disdains spiritual herbs and fruits, yet it cares about ordinary crops. Could it be that it has some connection with the Nine Provinces?"

Su Qinhe said thoughtfully, "Auspicious beasts are born with spiritual intelligence and can sense emotions that ordinary people cannot perceive. Perhaps it really misses its homeland."

Yan Zixi abandoned her languid demeanor and became unusually serious, saying, "Ancient texts record that the Deer-Shu was originally an auspicious beast that coexisted with the Nine Provinces, protecting all living beings. Later, due to the changes in the world, the Nine Provinces were divided, and the Deer-Shu clan gradually disappeared. Perhaps seeing those seedlings reminded it of its homeland."

Wang Xiao fell silent.

What untold secrets does this dangerous place, Demon Island, hold?

Could it have truly been part of Kyushu?

"Let's not think about that anymore." He shook his head, pulling himself out of his thoughts. "Let's discuss the next steps."

Everyone put down their bowls and chopsticks and stared intently at him.

"We must get to the eastern teleportation array area as soon as possible and reunite with everyone," Wang Xiao said in a deep voice, his tone firm. "The Tianyi Sect is full of tricks and must have other tricks up its sleeve. Only by uniting all our forces can we have a chance of survival."

"We'll head south first, then detour eastward from the south. This route is a bit longer, but it will avoid the Northern Plains Alliance's sphere of influence, saving us a lot of trouble."

Wang Xiao didn't say it explicitly, but Su Qinhe knew in her heart that this was to avoid Lin Shisan and prevent any further trouble.

After careful discussion and weighing of the pros and cons, the group finally decided on their route.

"Then it's settled." Wang Xiao stood up, looked into the dark night, his gaze firm. "We'll set off on time first thing tomorrow morning."

Gazing into the darkness in the distance, Wang Xiao felt an unusual calm.

No matter what tricks the Tianyi Sect has up its sleeve, no matter how many difficulties and obstacles lie ahead.

He will continue on this path and never back down.