Bracing himself against the wall, Xi Huai slowly walked forward. His legs were slightly weak.

He had used up too much of his soul before and his spiritual energy was in disarray. The Hui Dragon Flames were running amok. He had gone berserk in the formation several times and always regained consciousness in a muddled manner. The backs of his hands were oozing blood at the moment, the veins on his arms an even more gruesome sight.

As he was about to enter the next crevice, the Cultivation Partner Knot finally reappeared on his finger. The knowledge that he was close to Chi Muyao was ecstasy. 

The Cultivation Partner Knot couldn't guide him when they were separated by the formation. Only after entering the same room would the Knot appear again. This was the power of a Grand Array. It could block any connection to the point you couldn't even tell if there was anyone in the other rooms or not. 

Before entering the crevice, Xi Huai used the Simple Washing Technique to cleanse the blood off his body so as not to scare Chi Muyao. 

Then he took out his own ointment from the Myriad Treasure Bell and applied it to the wounds on the backs of his hand. He only continued after they had healed.

Even Xi Huai was amazed by the spiritual spring inside. It was a first even for the Qing Ze Sect Young Master 

And when he saw Chi Muyao sitting in the spiritual spring cultivating, Xi Huai's heart instantly softened. 

Chi Muyao was safe, uninjured and had smoothly advanced to the Golden Core stage. 

Xi Huai's heart finally settled down, relief flooding his person. 

Since he noticed Chi Muyao's cultivation was not yet stable, he slowly walked over. He saw a group of Green Underworld Streamfires surrounding Chi Muyao when he got close. 

He was on guard but didn't make any rash moves. 

He knew that the Green Underworld Streamfires wouldn't easily attack people. Since Chi Muyao chose to enter seclusion here and nothing had happened, they obviously got along very well. 

Sure enough, the Green Underworld Streamfires didn't attack him. They just watched him. 

He didn't do anything more. Sitting down not far from Chi Muyao, Xi Huai circulated his energy to stabilise Chi Muyao's cultivation.

If only there was a Nascent Soul stage cultivator here. They might be able to help Chi Muyao up a level.

Unfortunately, that wasn't to be. As a middle Golden Core stage cultivator, Xi Huai could also help Chi Muyao out and raise his cultivation a bit. 

After two more days like this, Chi Muyao finally opened his eyes. 

His cultivation level was still at early Golden Core stage, but it had still risen a lot. If the early to middle stage was divided into ten levels, then he was at the sixth level right now. 

He opened his eyes and was shocked to see Xi Huai sitting not far from him. He hurriedly got up and pounced over. What he forgot was that he had been sitting in the spiritual spring. The sudden onslaught of wetness woke Xi Huai up. 

After their eyes met, they fell into a surprising silence. 

They had parted on not so good terms last time. Reunited now, the memories made things a little awkward.

Chi Muyao abruptly stopped moving and lowered his hand that had gone to hold Xi Huai's arm. He stiffly made hand seals to instantly evaporate the water on his body.

Xi Huai stood up and looked at him. He hesitated instead of speaking.

The always overbearing Demon Venerable was actually coming up short at the moment. He knew Chi Muyao wasn't some sensitive crybaby, but he still didn't dare to open his mouth, afraid that he would put his foot in it and offend Chi Muyao again.

How to make Chi Muyao happy?

According to Xi Huai, it would be staying by his side and keeping his mouth shut. 

Chi Muyao turned his face to not look at him. He asked nervously, "Did you meet Su You along the way?"

It was as if they were just fellow escapees that didn't have anything else to discuss.

Xi Huai could only answer truthfully, "No, but he did something. I couldn't find the marks you left."

"He should be seriously injured, I trapped one of his puppet doppelgängers in a particularly powerful death room. Every time the formation activates, as long as it does not become a safe room, Su You will suffer more damage from the aftermath of the attack. His actual body will also be damaged. I guess he's too busy trying to save that puppet doppelgänger or recuperating to find us. Anyway, we can't get out for a while, so he's not in a hurry." 

Only when he was busy or it was not the time to fight would Su You use this method to prevent the two of them from reuniting. 

Xi Huai kept staring at Chi Muyao. "Did you get hurt? Did he...hurt you?" 

"I'm fine." Chi Muyao was reluctant to say that his life was once hanging by a thread. What purpose would that serve, to illustrate how great he was?

Xi Huai also knew his question was a waste of words. 

Of course Chi Muyao had a bad time being locked up with someone like Su You. He might have even been tortured. 

He could only apologise, "I'm sorry for saying things that upset you earlier and for leaving you alone for so long." 

"Everything you say upsets me, but I don't see you ever shutting up." 

"..." Xi Huai was a little embarrassed, but he still tentatively brought it up, "The me in the illusionary realm said that...you..." 

Suddenly annoyed, Chi Muyao turned to glare at him. "If you don't believe me, why do you bother asking? My answer hasn't changed from the last few times you asked. Are you trying to mock me again?" 

"No, but the Cultivation Partner Knot..." Xi Huai raised his hand and showed the Knot to Chi Muyao. "Your end is white." 

This was Chi Muyao's first time seeing this Cultivation Partner Knot connecting them. He was shocked. "When did you cast the spell?" 

"The night before you left the Qing Ze Sect."

Chi Muyao raised his hand to look at the white Cultivation Partner Knot attached to his finger. He was so angry that he gritted his teeth. "You said you like me and looked for me for years. Why couldn't you have done some research into the He Huan Sect's path?"

"Path? What does this have to do with path?"

"The Cultivation Partner Knot is useless for practitioners of three special paths. The Buddhist path, the emotionless path, and the He Huan Sect's path!"

Xi Huai naturally didn't know this, or else he wouldn't have misunderstood for so long. He was so shocked he was frozen in place for a long time.

Chi Muyao shook the Cultivation Partner Knot on his finger and said, "But we of the He Huan Sect are very special. If we want to fish for a furnace, we can make preparations in advance so that you will see a red Cultivation Partner Knot after you cast the spell."

After saying that, Xi Huai saw how the Knot instantly turned red before his eyes. 

His breath trembled. 

Not done venting yet, Chi Muyao continued, "If I wanted to, I could even make it green."

With that, his end of the Knot turned green. 

Chi Muyao added again, "I can also make it rainbow-coloured!" 

At the same time, Xi Huai saw how he and Chi Muyao's Cultivation Partner Knot turned into a multi-coloured rope. The bright colours oozed with joy and mockery. 

Chi Muyao was actually so angry that he started crying. "You don't believe me just because of this thing? I've said it so many times but you never believe me. You even accused me of pretending to be pure? Do you know how hurtful that is? Yes, I didn't like you at first. But did I even bother pretending then? I wanted nothing more than for you to leave me alone! Why would you use the Cultivation Partner Knot when you could've just asked me, ah. How should I know you used it in secret!"

Xi Huai could only explain in a panic, "I really didn't know that the Cultivation Partner Knot didn't work on you."

"Our Cultivation Partner Knot can connect several men! If I wanted to, I could pretend to be pure and hook a few more to knit you a scarf! I can connect a dozen more if I want. That limit of once in a lifetime is a joke!"

Xi Huai could only go over and cup Chi Muyao's cheeks and help him wipe his tears. He apologised, "Don't be angry anymore, okay? I don't want to say anything to make you angry, but you'll still be angry even if I shut up. What do you think I should do?"

Chi Muyao looked up at Xi Huai with tears in his eyes. He finally said with some resignation, "Forget it. I didn't expect you to do this kind of thing secretly. If I had known I would've just told you."

"You're right. I didn't believe you so it's all my fault." In a rare moment, Xi Huai good-naturedly apologised. Yet Chi Muyao's tears kept flowing. 

"So just because of this...we actually separated under those circumstances for more than a year like two idiots..." Chi Muyao was still upset at how long this misunderstanding actually lasted. Xi Huai was all alone with this burden for so long, so angry and heartbroken. He must have been quite aggrieved. 

When he looked up again, he saw that Xi Huai came to kiss his tears away.

He hurriedly pushed Xi Huai away. "Don't! The seniors are watching." 

"Seniors?!" Xi Huai was shocked. He quickly looked around. Were there more spirits here?

Chi Muyao hurriedly explained about the Green Underworld Streamfires and this spiritual spring.

Xi Huai looked at the Green Underworld Streamfires around them, completely unable to understand what they were saying. He asked, "Are they looking at me?" 

Chi Muyao wasn't sure what to say. 

Kong Qing was surprised from the moment she saw Xi Huai, "So the little cultivator friend's friend is a boy. You two are...since you've already used a Cultivation Partner Knot, I assume you're cultivation partners?" 

Fu Ru's focus was elsewhere, "How come he has a dragon horn? Did he spirit contract with the Hui? The Hui was just a long worm in our time, a poisonous snake. Did the long worm he spirit contracted with mutate? I remember these long worms having green scales and stay in the water. How come this one's attribute is fire?" 

Kong Qing was obviously more knowledgeable, "It must be a Hui with a mutated spiritual root that lives in magma. The fire attribute is very suitable for this kid's mutated spiritual root."

Fu Ru sighed, "So it's a pretty powerful long worm." 

The other seniors followed suit and said to Chi Muyao, "Don't mind us. We're not exactly prudes." 

"Your cultivation partner is quite handsome, albeit vicious looking. At least he treats you well."

"This child has an excellent foundation, rare even in our time. He's probably going to surpass Fu Ru." 

Fu Ru finally stopped dwelling on the long worm issue and cursed, "Fucking bullshit! I had better aptitude than him! I had a wind element mutated spiritual root!"

Kong Qing took a closer look, "He also has a mutated spiritual root. If he uses the Hui Dragon Flames well, he could burn down heaven and earth." 

Fu Ru yelled, "I can also sweep heaven and earth!"

Chi Muyao ignored them and began to check over Xi Huai's body. His expression sank like a rock after probing with spiritual energy. 

He held Xi Huai's hand and lifted his sleeve to look at Xi Huai's arm. He immediately cursed, "You bastard!"

"Were you being a bastard when you trapped Su You all by yourself and made me worried sick then?"

Chi Muyao continuously input healing spiritual energy into Xi Huai's body. He cried even more. 

Xi Huai was uneasy, so he apologised again, "Fine. I won't do that again in the future, okay?" 

This was definitely the most apologetic day of his life.

Chi Muyao forcefully held back tears and asked, "How many times did you go berserk?"

"Don't remember."

"How many stone walls did you destroy?"

"More than a thousand."

Chi Muyao's eyes immediately went dark. He swayed, but luckily Xi Huai caught him.

Xi Huai was still not taking this seriously. "Now I'm about your age, so can we pass away in the same year on the same day and month?" 

"No, you'll go ahead of me. I can use the Cultivation Partner Knot to connect even a dozen men. I'll take them to your funeral and make sure you can't die in peace!"

Xi Huai actually laughed. "En. It would be good if there were a dozen people to take care of you once I'm gone. I can rest easy then." 

"Do you even have a heart?" 

"Of course I do. It hurt so bad when I saw your end of the Cultivation Partner Knot was white, so how could I not? But now it's happy, really. I'd be even happier if you could give me a definitive answer." 

"I've already told you. Why are you asking again?"

"I mean, do you want to be my cultivation partner?"

Chi Muyao was still a little angry, so he huffed, "Actually, I would prefer to find someone who'd live longer." 

"Then I will try to live on for you."

Chi Muyao suddenly couldn't meet Xi Huai's eyes. A crystal teardrop still hung on his eyelashes. It shattered as he blinked.

The tips of his ears and nose were red.

He nodded.