Wait, the Xiushe's consciousness hasn't been extinguished?
It actually signed a life-bound contract with her?
Realizing this, Yuan Shu was astonished.
She looked closely at the mangled remains of the Xiushe.
Its meridians were entirely shattered, its bones broken, and its flesh charred black. It was an incredibly miserable sight!
Judging by the state of its body, even without the siege of Qu Qing and the other two, this Xiushe probably wouldn't have lived much longer.
Being able to persist in battle long enough to abduct her was entirely due to the power of the Xuanyin flower—a final burst of dying vitality!
Yuan Shu suddenly remembered how the Xiushe had initially wanted to swallow her, but eventually gave up and brought her into its snake den instead.
Could it be that, at that time, the Xiushe had discovered the Divine Acacia Tree inside her body?
Was it planning to form a contract with the divine tree, hoping to fight for a sliver of survival in the absolute certain death of the human-transformation lightning tribulation?
That was why it had spared her!
Looking closely, the Divine Acacia Tree in her sea of consciousness emitted a faint blue fluorescence, and beneath this glow, a tiny snake shadow was enveloped.
The snake shadow was transparent, coiled into a ball, and covered from head to tail in fine, dark-blue scales.
Wasn't this just a miniature version of the Xiushe?
This guy really was after the Divine Acacia Tree!
No wonder historical divine beasts and fierce beasts were unwilling to take human form. This lightning tribulation truly wasn't something an ordinary beast could withstand.
If this Xiushe hadn't met her, even with a mature Xuanyin flower, it probably would have been reduced to ashes under the lightning tribulation!
So, that made her its savior?
Just as she was thinking this, a soft call came from the entrance of the cave ahead.
"Shushu?"
Yuan Shu looked up and saw Shu Linyuan running toward her, sword in hand.
"Shushu, don't be afraid!"
Seeing Yuan Shu, Shu Linyuan scooped her up in his arms, spun around to retreat to a safe distance, and glared fiercely at the Xiushe's body opposite them.
Yuan Shu was startled by his actions. Recovering herself, she reached out and patted his shoulder.
"It's fine, it's already dead."
Shu Linyuan turned his head to look at Yuan Shu in surprise. Confirming she wasn't joking, he gently set her back down.
He then stepped forward with his sword to inspect the condition of the Xiushe.
Poking the Xiushe's belly with his longsword, the Xiushe's body rolled over, exposing its charred underbelly.
Sure enough, it had been dead for quite some time.
Shu Linyuan raised an eyebrow. "It really is dead!"
He breathed a sigh of relief and turned to wrap his arm around Yuan Shu's shoulders.
"Shushu, you have no idea how worried I was when you were swept away by the Xiushe. Thank goodness, thank goodness you're alright!"
Yuan Shu was shaken a couple of times by his excitement, making her head spin slightly. She hurriedly grabbed his flailing hands.
The next second, she collapsed weakly into Shu Linyuan's embrace.
A peculiar fragrance, mixed with the scent of pear blossoms on Yuan Shu's body, drifted into his nose, stirring up an unusual, burning heat.
Shu Linyuan tightened his grip on Yuan Shu's hand, his Adam's apple bobbing. "Shushu, what's wrong?"
Yuan Shu couldn't quite explain what was wrong either.
It seemed that ever since she had that erotic dream, she had been feeling terribly uncomfortable.
Her entire body was weak and burning up.
This feeling... it was like she had been poisoned with an aphrodisiac!
"Shu Linyuan, I suddenly missed you a little."
Yuan Shu tilted her head up, her slightly flushed face brushing against Shu Linyuan's cheek as she gently nuzzled him.
Shu Linyuan's entire body had already frozen at Yuan Shu's words, "missed you."
"Shu... Shushu, let's... let's go back first, okay? The martial brothers from all the peaks are nearby searching for the Xiushe's remains. It would be very easy for them to find this place..."
Shu Linyuan stammered, inexplicably feeling as though his own body was also beginning to burn up.
The palms holding Yuan Shu started to sweat.
But he still had his reason.
This place was too easily discovered; it was very dangerous!
Yuan Shu also wanted to go back. Enduring the discomfort in her body, she was just about to nod.
The Divine Acacia Tree in her sea of consciousness suddenly emitted a bright light, and an unprecedented throbbing rippled through her blood!
"Sss."
Yuan Shu drew in a sharp breath.
Was this... a signal from the Divine Acacia Tree urging her to dual cultivate?
Under these circumstances, she couldn't refuse.
Otherwise, her compatibility with the Divine Acacia Tree would decrease!
Conversely, dual cultivating in this situation would yield the greatest power feedback!
Therefore, Yuan Shu tilted her head up, looked at Shu Linyuan's nervous expression, and suddenly curled her lips into a smile.
"Shu Linyuan... are you scared?"
As she spoke, she suddenly lifted her head, her lips brushing against the corner of his mouth.
The alluring scent of pear blossoms, mixed with an aroma like an aphrodisiac, drifted into his nose, immediately making Shu Linyuan's heart flutter.
He had been a little afraid initially, but provoked by Yuan Shu's words, Shu Linyuan's Adam's apple bobbed. His arm tightened around her waist, and his voice dropped two pitches hoarser.
"Scared? If you aren't scared, what do I have to fear?"
With that, he lowered his head and kissed her lips!
Yuan Shu's beautiful fox-like eyes curved into crescents. Her small hands familiarly peeled open his outer robe, gently rubbing against him through his inner garments.
Those delicate and enchanting eyes, like a captivating fox, made Shu Linyuan's heart tremble.
Shu Linyuan grabbed Yuan Shu's hand, pressed it against his abdominal muscles, and spoke in a begging, hoarse voice.
"Shushu, touch..."
"Mhm..."
Yuan Shu smiled, responding casually as her consciousness wrapped around the Divine Acacia Tree.
The Divine Acacia Tree immediately emitted a faint blue light, enveloping the two of them.
...
"Eldest Senior Brother, the Xiushe's remains are over here!"
A cry of surprise came from outside the cave. The first to walk into the cave was a sharp-eyed junior disciple from Qingyun Peak.
Following him were Shen Qi and the other Qingyun Peak disciples.
Seeing the remains of the Xiushe, everyone stopped to look, their expressions filled with pleasant surprise.
"The Sect Master said the Xiushe would definitely die, but I didn't expect it to actually be dead! It's just a pity; such a massive Xiushe was blasted into this state by the heavenly lightning."
"A perfectly good snakeskin is ruined, and the perfectly good snake meat can't be eaten either."
The crowd murmured among themselves.
Shen Qi walked over quickly. He only took a few hasty glances to confirm the Xiushe was dead before shifting his gaze, looking around the cave.
The Xiushe was dead, but where was Yuan Shu?
She had been taken away by the Xiushe, and now the Xiushe was here, but where had she gone?
Shen Qi's heart suddenly panicked.
He even regretted why he had allowed himself to be separated by the surging crowd back then, letting Yuan Shu get so far away from him!
Was that how the Xiushe managed to sweep her away?
If anything happened to Yuan Shu, he would never forgive himself!
Shen Qi gripped the longsword in his hand, his knuckles turning white, completely unaware that the moment the tip of his sword dropped, it brushed past a faint blue spiritual glow.
Inside the pale blue protective barrier cast by the Divine Acacia Tree.
Yuan Shu was still clinging to Shu Linyuan's body.
Just four or five steps away from them stood Shen Qi, gripping his sword, his eyes and brows filled with anxiety.
"Shu Linyuan, what do you think Eldest Senior Brother would think if he saw us like this?"
Yuan Shu leaned close to Shu Linyuan's ear and spoke with a coquettish giggle.
That soft, alluring voice carried a natural charm that made Shu Linyuan's heart tremble.
"Shushu, at a time like this, shouldn't I be the only one in your eyes?"
His voice hoarse, he pressed his forehead against hers, lowered his head, and gave her a fierce, punishing kiss.
This made Yuan Shu burst into a string of giggles.
"Are you jealous?" Yuan Shu smiled brightly, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"Shushu, at a time like this, you're only allowed to think of me, to look at me! You're not allowed to mention other men's names!"
He lowered his head, gently biting the tender skin of her shoulder, as if venting his dissatisfaction.
