After being jilted by the saintess at the beginning, why is she crying?

He shook his head violently, trying to suppress these chaotic thoughts.

Enough, this matter can't be rushed. The most important thing right now is to fully heal my injuries before considering anything else. As for the Nascent Soul... there will always be a way.

Lin Fengmian withdrew his gaze, sat cross-legged again, and closed his eyes to regulate his breathing. The Qingyang Changchun Technique slowly circulated within his body, and the vitality of the King of Plants was like a gentle stream, repairing the meridians damaged by the forced formation of the Nascent Soul.

However, the vague unease in his heart could not be shaken off.

The grand competition... lasting over forty days...

Time is probably running out.

The setting sun over the Gobi Desert was like blood, the wind swirled yellow sand, and the world was a vast expanse of desolation.

Lin Peishan and Fu Yinqiu stood side by side. One was dressed in simple blue, elegant and aloof like a cold orchid under the moon; the other was dressed in a colorful skirt, charming and lovely like a peach blossom in early spring.

Both women were stunningly beautiful; their presence, whether standing or still, added a touch of allure to the desolate Gobi Desert.

Lin Fengmian's gaze swept over the two of them, and his heart couldn't help but flutter slightly.

He had just survived a life-or-death battle, his energy was still waning, and his pure yang body was most susceptible to the allure of spiritual energy and beautiful women.

Although he concealed this slight unease very well, it was still caught by the two women who had been keeping an eye on him.

Lin Peishan had just finished her meditation and opened her eyes, meeting Lin Fengmian's burning and deep gaze.

Her heart skipped a beat, her cheeks flushed instantly, and she felt incredibly flustered.

"Why is Young Master Lin looking at me like that? Is it because my clothes are disheveled?"

She quickly checked herself secretly and found nothing amiss. Her clothes were neat, and although her hair was a little disheveled, it wasn't inappropriate.

Instead, her heart beat even faster, so fast that she could almost hear the pounding of her own chest.

She felt nothing but gratitude and admiration for Lin Fengmian.

When the prefectural governor's mansion was in trouble, he appeared like a divine soldier, defeating the enemy with a single sword strike; later, when she was being hunted in the Gobi Desert, he arrived just in time to pull her back from the brink of death.

She kept this kindness in her heart and engraved it in her bones.

Perhaps there's also a hint of inexplicable affection.

But it only goes as far as liking someone.

As the Empress's husband, he, a mere prefect, could not possibly lay a finger on her.

This thought was deeply rooted in her heart, like an invisible shackle, making her feel that even looking at him for a second longer was an overstepping of boundaries.

But at this moment, she was at a loss because of Lin Fengmian's burning gaze, and even her breathing became slightly disordered.

She lowered her eyes, her long eyelashes trembling slightly, her fingertips unconsciously clenching her sleeves, repeatedly telling herself—don't overthink, you can't overthink.

Fu Yinqiu, on the other hand, saw things even more directly.

She pouted slightly, and a question arose in her mind: Why is this guy's gaze so strange?

No, his eyes are like a hungry wolf seeing a lamb... Could it be that he wants to do something to Sister Peishan?

Or... do you want to do something to me?

The image of Lin Fengmian, Gu Qingge, and Cang Yuwei locking themselves in that room for seven days and seven nights instantly came to mind.

Those seven days and seven nights... I heard even the bed collapsed.

Her pretty little face flushed bright red in an instant, even her ears felt burning hot. She quickly lowered her head, pretending to fidget with the hem of her clothes. But her fingers were clearly trembling slightly, and she couldn't even hold the hem of her clothes properly.

The atmosphere suddenly became subtle and awkward.

The sand swirled between the three people, and the setting sun cast their shadows long and thin, almost intertwined.

In the end, Lin Peishan took a deep breath, suppressed the strange feeling in her heart, stood up and gave Lin Fengmian a graceful bow.

The bow was performed with perfect precision, the waist bent just right, and the blue robe accentuated her slender waist, making her resemble a willow swaying in the wind in the twilight.

"Peishan is deeply grateful to Young Master Lin for saving her life twice. She will never forget this kindness and virtue."

She paused, then continued:

"My injuries are no longer serious, and I need to get back to Qingyang City as soon as possible. With the Prefect's Mansion in trouble, the city will inevitably be in turmoil. Moreover, the Grand Competition is just around the corner, and there are many things that need to be arranged."

Lin Pei-shan speaks clearly and logically, in a standard businesslike tone.

But her gaze never dared to meet Lin Fengmian's, it wandered aimlessly. She looked at the distant sand dunes, at the lingering clouds on the horizon, at the pebbles at her feet, but deliberately avoided looking at the face that made her heart race.

Seeing this, Lin Fengmian simply smiled and nodded, saying:

"Since I, Lin Fengmian, have agreed to participate in the competition, I will naturally attend. Prefect, there is no need for such formalities."

His voice was calm and gentle, without any extra emotion detectable.

"Alright, then I'll come to greet Young Master Lin once everything is ready."

Lin Peishan's voice was also calm.

But if you listen carefully, you can hear a faint sense of disappointment in his tone, as if his expectations have been dashed.

She felt in her heart that Lin Fengmian must have done this for Her Majesty the Empress. Their relationship seemed to be nothing more than a business-like collaboration.

He saved her, perhaps just as a matter of convenience; he helped her, perhaps only because of the Empress.

Thinking of this, a faint sense of loss lingered in her heart, making her eyes and brows dim.

She suddenly felt a pang of envy for the simple-minded girl beside her who could openly follow Lin Fengmian around.

At least, that girl can look at him without any restraint, she can act coquettishly, she can be jealous, and she can stand by his side as a matter of course.

But she cannot.

"In that case, Peishan will take her leave first. Young Master Lin, Sister Yinqiu, please take care."

She bowed again and turned to leave.

The figure appeared particularly frail in the wind, its blue robes fluttering as if it might be swept away at any moment.

Seeing this, Lin Fengmian suddenly called out to her:

"Wait a moment."

Lin Peishan paused, a surge of anticipation rising in her heart, and turned to look at Lin Fengmian.

Lin Fengmian took a storage bag, placed it in her hand, and said in a calm tone:

"There are healing pills, magical artifacts, and cultivation resources here. You need to improve your strength as soon as possible. The journey back may not be safe, so be careful."

Hearing the words "Be careful," Lin Pei-shan's heart was filled with emotion.

Her fingertips trembled slightly as she took the storage bag Lin Fengmian handed her. The bag still retained the warmth of his palm, so hot that she almost dropped it.

She finally raised her eyes and bravely looked at him.

His eyes were crystal clear, without a trace of impurity, yet deep within them lay an unspoken emotion.

Like a warm current surging beneath the surface of a lake in late autumn, calm on the surface but churning within.

"Thank you, Young Master Lin."

Her voice was slightly hoarse, as if something was stuck in her throat.

After saying that, she quickly turned around, transformed into a streak of azure light, and disappeared into the Gobi Desert horizon.

The streak of light grew smaller and fainter until it finally merged into the twilight and disappeared from sight.

Lin Fengmian withdrew his gaze and sighed softly in his heart.