Burial Furnace

Zhang Yuan was slightly taken aback.

That voice... sounds familiar.

He stood up and went to the front hall.

There stood a young girl at the door.

It was none other than Mu Qingqing.

The girl who traded her first kiss for two low-grade spirit stones.

"Miss Mu? What brings you here?" Zhang Yuan greeted her with a smile, his tone carrying a hint of surprise and delight.

A faint smile appeared on Mu Qingqing's lips, carrying a touch of girlish shyness and liveliness.

"What, you don't welcome me?" She tilted her head.

"Welcome, of course you're welcome." Zhang Yuan smiled and invited her in, closing the door behind him. "It's an honor for my humble shop to have Miss Mu here."

Mu Qingqing walked into the store, her gaze lingering on Zhang Yuan for a moment, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes.

"Huh? Boss Zhang, you...you've broken through to the first level of Qi Refining?" she asked in disbelief.

"Yes." Zhang Yuan nodded, his tone tinged with emotion, "After a lifetime of cultivation, I finally managed to break through a barrier a few days ago."

"Then your talent must be terrible, right?" Mu Qingqing looked up at him, her clear eyes filled with curiosity.

"A mixed spiritual root of the five elements".

Zhang Yuan said softly.

"I'm a little better than you, with four spiritual roots. Those major cultivation sects all looked down on me, so I became a rogue cultivator, wandering around in search of opportunities." Mu Qingqing smiled, revealing a row of clean, white teeth.

He paused, then added proudly, "I've already reached the eighth level of Qi Refining."

"Eighth level of Qi Refining?" Zhang Yuan's face showed surprise. "Your cultivation speed is very fast. Is there some secret?"

"There's no secret." Mu Qingqing shook her head, a complicated look flashing in her eyes. "It's just that I've been a bit lucky, plus... I've worked really hard."

She didn't linger on the topic, instead saying, "Let's deal with the body first."

Zhang Yuan nodded and led her to the backyard.

Mu Qingqing took out two bulging body bags and put them into the furnace one after the other.

"boom--"

Dark golden flames instantly ignited, engulfing the body bag.

After about seven or eight breaths, the flames gradually died down, and the two corpses turned to ashes.

At the same time, two strands of primordial power surged out from the Immortal Transformation Furnace and flowed into Zhang Yuan's body.

Although it was very faint, he could still clearly feel it—his lifespan had increased by about two months.

"Two Qi Refining stage corpses, four low-grade spirit stones," Zhang Yuan said softly, looking at her.

Mu Qingqing's cheeks flushed slightly, and she said softly, "I don't have any spirit stones, just like last time... okay?"

Looking at her shy and bashful appearance, Zhang Yuan's heart fluttered.

Last time, she traded her first kiss for two low-grade spirit stones.

This time, she wanted to use the same trick again.

"That was my first kiss, but it's not anymore," Zhang Yuan teased her deliberately, his tone laced with a hint of mockery.

Mu Qingqing's face turned even redder, the blush spreading all the way to her ears.

She bit her lip, looked up at Zhang Yuan with her big, watery eyes, and whispered, "Then... shall we go inside and talk?"

After saying that, she took his hand and walked towards the bedroom.

Zhang Yuan was pulled by her soft hand, and he felt a warm touch coming from his palm, which made his heart beat faster.

Entering the bedroom, Mu Qingqing closed the door behind her and bolted it.

The room fell silent, with only the sound of their breathing remaining.

Mu Qingqing lowered her head: "I'll let you kiss me a few more times, okay?"

A feeling of pity welled up in Zhang Yuan's heart.

He knew that as a rogue cultivator with four spiritual roots, Mu Qingqing must be having a very difficult time.

Without the protection of a sect, all cultivation resources must be earned bit by bit by oneself, and one must even risk one's life.

The fact that she can save a low-grade spirit stone means that she can become a little stronger and have a little more hope of surviving.

"Alright," Zhang Yuan nodded, agreeing.

A flicker of joy flashed in Mu Qingqing's eyes, but it was quickly replaced by shyness. "May I take a bath here?"

"Can."

Zhang Yuan laughed.

She finished her bath very quickly.

She changed into a light blue ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress). Although the quality wasn't particularly good, it was much newer and fit her better than her previous one.

Her skirt swayed gently, outlining her slender waist and graceful curves.

Her hair was still a little damp, draped over her shoulders, with a few strands clinging to her fair cheeks, adding a touch of languidness and charm.

Like a lotus bud about to bloom, she is pure with a touch of shyness, and shyness with a touch of the unique liveliness of a young girl.

Zhang Yuan walked up to her and gently put his arm around her waist.

Mu Qingqing nestled obediently into his arms. She raised her head, her clear eyes filled with a hint of nervousness, shyness, and an indescribable emotion.

Then, she slowly closed her eyes.

Long eyelashes trembled slightly, like two startled butterflies casting faint shadows in the moonlight.

Zhang Yuan lowered his head and kissed her five times.

Mu Qingqing's breathing became rapid, her cheeks flushed red like ripe shrimp, and she said coquettishly, "No...don't continue."

She straightened her somewhat disheveled clothes.

I have to go.

"Where do you live?" Zhang Yuan asked.

"I wander the world, I have no fixed place." Mu Qingqing raised her head, a trace of loneliness flashing in her eyes. "That's how it is for rogue cultivators, wandering around, looking for opportunities, looking for treasures. Wherever there are spirit stones to earn, that's where I go."

"Then don't leave tonight," he said softly. "It's very safe here; you'll definitely sleep soundly."

"You only have one bed, how are you going to sleep?" Mu Qingqing said coquettishly, but there was not much refusal in her tone.

As a wandering cultivator who spends most of her time traveling, she desperately needs a safe place to stay.

She endured wind and rain every day, constantly on guard against attacks from demonic beasts and other cultivators; she rarely had a moment to relax.

Although Zhang Yuan's place was simple, it gave her an unprecedented sense of security.

"Let's just squeeze into one bed," Zhang Yuan said sincerely. "I promise, I'll just hold you while we sleep, and we won't do anything else. Plus, I can pay you off next time."

"it is good."

Upon hearing that it could be used to offset the debt, Mu Qingqing didn't hesitate and blew out the oil lamp.

The room was plunged into darkness.

She quickly slipped into bed, shifting closer to make room for Zhang Yuan.

Zhang Yuan lay down and embraced her slender waist. The touch was incredibly wonderful, and the rich fragrance filled the room, lingering around his nose.

The next morning, as the first rays of sunlight streamed into the room through the paper windows, the two woke up almost simultaneously.

Mu Qingqing opened her eyes and found herself lying in Zhang Yuan's arms, her cheeks flushing slightly.

She gently broke free from his embrace, got dressed, and washed up.

"Old man," Mu Qingqing said to Zhang Yuan, her voice unusually gentle, "I'm leaving now. See you next time."