The Hehuan Sect cultivates alchemy; my senior sister helps me refine alchemy throughout the world.

Just as Shen Yifei was lost in fantasies due to Liu'er's torment, Liu'er suddenly spoke up: "Senior brother, you smell of medicine." She put her nose close to the back of his neck and sniffed, "A faint medicinal fragrance, it smells quite nice."

Shen Yifei felt strange; where did the medicinal scent come from on him? After three years of tending the fire, he should smell of smoke and fire.

Qin Wan had also said that he smelled of medicine. At the time, he thought it was because Qin Wan was practicing the Medicine Maiden's Heart Sutra and was sensitive to medicinal herbs.

But how could Liu'er, an outer disciple at the third level of Qi Refining, possibly smell it?

"Really? Maybe it's from spending too much time in the alchemy room and getting the smell."

"It's not that taste, it's something else, like...like..."

Liu'er thought for a long time but still couldn't figure out how to describe the taste.

She nestled on Shen Yifei's shoulder, inhaling his scent, and her heart began to pound wildly.

"Senior brother..."

Shen Yifei slowed his pace: "What's wrong?"

"No...it's nothing." Liu'er didn't dare to look up.

She felt incredibly ashamed. Just smelling someone's scent made her start having all sorts of wild thoughts. What would her senior brother think of her if he found out?

However, she couldn't resist and took two more deep sniffs.

The faint scent of medicine wafted into her nose, and Liu'er shuddered.

Shen Yifei sensed it and turned to look at her: "Cold?"

"No...it's not cold."

"Then why are you shaking?"

"I..." Liu'er stammered, "I'm fine, Senior Brother, you should go now."

Shen Yifei didn't think much of it and continued running forward.

Soon after, the two left the Hengduan Mountains.

Wangjiang Town was just ahead, with scattered lights shining from each household. Shen Yifei carried Liu'er into the town, his legs already trembling.

Carrying someone on his back and running this far, he was exhausted.

"Senior brother," Liu'er whispered, leaning on his shoulder, "It's getting dark, should we continue our journey?"

Shen Yifei looked up at the sky. It was three hundred miles away, and running back in the dark was not worth it if he ran into any more trouble.

"Let's stay in town for the night and leave tomorrow morning."

He found an inn in town and booked two rooms.

The shopkeeper glanced at him, then at Liu'er, who was wearing an outer robe on his back, and his eyes conveyed an "I understand" meaning.

"Only one superior room left, worth five spirit stones."

As soon as the shopkeeper finished speaking, Liu'er, who was lying on Shen Yifei's back, visibly stiffened.

Shen Yifei was also stunned for a moment. He looked back at Liu'er, then at the shopkeeper's forced smile, and thought to himself that the old man was probably doing it on purpose.

"Then one room it is." He didn't bother to explain and took out five spirit stones from his pocket and placed them on the counter.

The shopkeeper accepted the spirit stones and handed over a key: "The second room in the backyard, there's hot water tonight, so get some rest."

Shen Yifei took the key and carried Liu'er to the backyard.

Passing through a moon gate, you enter a courtyard of moderate size, paved with blue bricks, with a few bamboo stalks. Directly opposite are two guest rooms, one with its lights on and the other with its lights off.

Shen Yifei opened the door to the room where the light was off. The room was simply furnished, with a small bed.

A wooden shelf stood in the corner, holding a copper basin. An indigo mattress was laid on the bed, with two quilts folded up.

He put Liu'er down and helped her sit down on the edge of the bed.

"You lie down, I'll go get some hot water."

Liu'er nodded, keeping her head down and not daring to look at him.

Shen Yifei went out for a walk, found the kitchen, and brought back a basin of hot water. Liu'er was still sitting on the edge of the bed, in the same position as before, without moving at all.

"Wash your face and go to bed early." He put the copper basin on the ground and found a clean cloth to drape over the rim of the basin.

"Senior brother, where...where do you sleep?"

Shen Yifei looked around the room; there was only one bed.

"I meditate, I don't sleep."

Liu'er looked up at him, then quickly lowered her head again, her face flushed red.

Shen Yifei didn't think much of it, turned around and sat down at the table, crossed his legs and closed his eyes.

He was indeed a bit tired after a long day.

After fighting the Ironback Wolf in the Black Pine Forest, saving Liu'er, and carrying her this far, his spiritual energy was greatly depleted. He activated the first level of the Yin-Yang Absorption Technique and began to regulate his breathing.

Not long after I entered a meditative state, I heard a rustling sound behind me.

It was Liu'er taking off her clothes.

Shen Yifei's eyelids twitched, but he didn't dare to open his eyes.

The noise stopped, then came the sound of water; it was Liu'er wiping herself.

The sound of rushing water filled Shen Yifei's mind, and images uncontrollably flashed through his mind...

He quickly stopped thinking and continued to regulate his breathing.

But the sound of the water seemed to have legs, drilling straight into his ears. Sometimes far, sometimes near, sometimes rapid, sometimes slow…

"Senior brother..."

Liu'er's sweet voice suddenly rang out from behind, and Shen Yifei almost lost his composure.

"What's wrong?"

"You...you turn around."

Shen Yifei hesitated for a moment, then turned around.

Liu'er stood in front of him, wearing only a close-fitting undergarment, a light red color, a thin layer of fabric, the wet parts clinging to her skin, revealing the fair skin underneath.

Her hair was wet and hanging down, with a few strands clinging to her cheeks, and she looked at him with watery eyes.

"Senior brother," she whispered, "let me rub your back for you."

Shen Yifei's throat moved: "No need, I don't need to wash."

"You saved me, I... I have nothing to repay you with." Liu'er walked over, squatted down in front of him, and looked up at him. "Just let me rub your back, okay?"

She was squatting so that her chest was directly facing him. The low neckline of her dress revealed a radiant, spring-like glow that warmed Shen Yifei's heart.

Seeing that he didn't say anything, Liu'er took it as tacit consent. She stood up, went around behind him, took a cloth, soaked it in hot water, wrung it out, and then lifted his clothes.

The warm cloth pressed against his back, and Shen Yifei felt a shiver run through his body.

Liu'er wiped very lightly and slowly, from her shoulders to her waist, and then back from her waist to her shoulders.

"Senior brother," she asked as she wiped, "what realm are you in?"

"Early stage of foundation building."

"Wow!" she exclaimed in surprise, "I heard you used to be a handyman, and you reached the Foundation Establishment stage after eating medicinal dregs for three years. Is that true?"

Shen Yifei was speechless; it was just more medicine residue.

"real."

"You're really amazing," Liu'er paused, "I've been in the sect for two years and I'm only at the third level of Qi Refining. Those inner disciples all look down on us, they don't even glance at us outer disciples. If it weren't for you today, I would have..."

As she spoke, her voice choked with emotion.

Shen Yifei wanted to say something to comfort her, but he didn't know what to say.

Liu'er wiped for a while longer, then suddenly put down the cloth, wrapped her arms around his waist, and pressed her face against his back.

"Senior brother," her muffled voice came from behind, "let me hug you for a little while, just a little while."

Liu'er's body was soft and warm, pressed against his back.

"Senior brother, you smell so good," Liu'er sniffed, "I've never smelled anything like this before, it's so wonderful..."

"What?"

Liu'er fell silent; sometimes silence speaks volumes.

Shen Yifei is no gentleman; if something is offered to him, why would he let it go?

Silent all night.