"What should we do?" Fear appeared on Bai Qingyue's face.
She looked at Lestes with a faint trace of hope.
Lestes shook his head slightly.
"We need to find the wolf's cave. There should be a Moonshade Detox Flower nearby," Lestes said calmly.
The Moonshade Detox Flower, a rare medicinal herb that grew near Nether Poison Wolf habitats, was commonly used to refine detoxification pills specifically effective against wolf poison.
"Yes…" Hope briefly appeared on her face, but it quickly faded. "But how do we find their habitat?"
"The wolf I injured carries traces of my sword aura. I can follow it," Lestes replied.
Her eyes lit up.
"Yes, we can do that." A small smile formed on her lips. "Thank you… I truly don't know how to repay you."
"It's fine," Lestes said calmly. "Let's go."
—
Bai Qingyue looked at Lestes with quiet admiration, her gaze lingering longer than she intended.
'He is powerful… probably a peak genius,' she thought.
She remembered him clearly now—the last to arrive from the Thousand Sword Sect camp. At that time, she had not paid much attention to him, and because of Li Xiaoqi, she had even felt a trace of dislike.
But now—
That impression had completely changed.
What remained was admiration that rose from the depths of her heart.
In this perilous cultivation world, strength dictated everything, and the strong preyed on the weak without hesitation. Nowhere was this more evident than in a secret realm, where cultivators fought over resources, often choosing to seize treasures from others rather than offer help.
Yet Lestes was different.
He had not only saved their lives, but he had also chosen to delay his own path, spending time and effort to find a cure for Bai Lianhua.
For someone like him—
That was not something he needed to do.
And because of that
'Such people are rare,' her admiration grew even more.
The Bai sisters were orphans raised by an elder of Heavenly Fort. Their cultivation talent was decent, but their true strength lay in talisman crafting.
Earlier, during the battle, they had relied heavily on talismans to survive. Without them, they would not have lasted until Lestes arrived.
—
Lestes carried Bai Lianhua without hesitation, and the three of them followed the lingering trace of sword aura until they reached a small valley.
A short distance inside, a quiet lake reflected dim light, and at the far end stood a cave.
"The wolf should be inside," Lestes said in a low voice.
He handed Bai Lianhua to Bai Qingyue.
"Hold her. I will return shortly."
Without waiting, Lestes stepped into the cave.
—
Inside, the injured wolf slowly opened its eyes.
It sensed him.
It turned and let out a low growl, baring its fangs before lunging forward.
Its movement was fast.
But Lestes was faster.
Lightning flashed.
His figure blurred.
His sword fell in a single, precise motion.
The strike was clean.
The wolf collapsed instantly.
—
Lestes walked deeper into the cave and soon found what he was looking for.
A small plant rooted in yin-rich soil.
Moonshade Detox Flower.
He carefully plucked it and turned back.
—
When Bai Qingyue saw him returning safely, her tense expression softened, and relief flickered across her face.
"I think we should move into the wolf's cave," Lestes said.
She hesitated briefly, then nodded.
"Alright."
Lestes carried Bai Lianhua again as they entered the cave.
Inside, he used his blade to carve a flat stone surface into a makeshift bed and gently laid Bai Lianhua down.
"Watch over her. I will refine the Moonshade Detox Flower," he said.
"You know pill refining?" Bai Qingyue asked, surprised.
"It has been a long time," Lestes replied calmly.
In his previous life, he had mastered pill refining, and although he had not practised since awakening, his understanding remained intact.
He sat down and took out a worn, slightly damaged cauldron.
Closing his eyes briefly, he recalled the process.
Then he opened them.
With a wave of his hand, a controlled flame ignited within the cauldron, and the temperature in the cave rose.
This was one of Lestes' natal flames, stable and refined.
He placed the Moonshade Detox Flower into the cauldron along with several supporting medicinal herbs he had gathered earlier.
The flame adjusted instantly.
The refining began.
His control was precise.
The temperature shifted in perfect intervals.
The impurities were separated cleanly.
Essence condensed.
Everything flowed smoothly, as if he had never stopped practising.
Bai Qingyue watched him silently.
'He is strong… and he knows pill refining…' she thought.
Her gaze lingered on him unconsciously.
'And… he is handsome.'
Lestes was not overwhelmingly handsome, but his calm demeanour, sharp features, and steady presence gave him a natural charm.
Her cheeks grew slightly warm.
She quickly looked away.
—
Soon, a rich medicinal fragrance filled the cave.
The pill was complete.
Lestes picked it up and handed it to her.
"Feed it to her."
"Alright," Bai Qingyue replied quickly.
She carefully fed the pill to Bai Lianhua.
Within moments, the dark bluish tint on her face faded, replaced by a healthier colour.
Bai Qingyue let out a deep breath.
"Thank you… truly," she said, standing and facing Lestes. "I don't know how to repay you. In the future, if you need anything, we will do everything we can…"
She hesitated.
"…even if it is something more personal."
Her ears turned red.
Lestes looked at her calmly.
Then his gaze sharpened slightly.
"You are also poisoned," he said.
"What?" she froze.
Her face flushed with embarrassment.
'He was checking my condition… not… that…' she thought.
"Yes… I might have been affected," she said, trying to stay composed.
"Possible," Lestes replied. "We need to treat it now."
Her expression turned serious.
'There was only one pill…'
Fear crept in.
"There is another way," Lestes said.
"What is it?" she asked immediately.
"I can use my flame to refine the corrosive qi inside your body."
She nodded without hesitation.
"Do it."
She sat down.
Lestes moved behind her and placed his hand gently on her back.
Her body trembled slightly.
"Stay calm. I will send my flame inside. Do not resist, and guide it through your body. It will be painful," he said.
"I understand," she replied firmly.
The flame entered her body.
"Ah—"
Pain spread instantly, but she endured it and guided the flame as instructed.
The flame moved gently yet thoroughly, burning away the poison and refining her meridians.
Impurities were expelled.
Her breathing became uneven.
Her body trembled.
Her clothes were gradually burned away in the process.
Still—
She endured.
After some time, the flame completed its path.
"Done," Lestes said as he withdrew his hand.
Bai Qingyue exhaled deeply, her body relaxing as exhaustion overtook her, and she leaned back.
Lestes caught her naturally.
She regained awareness a moment later.
Then—
She realised.
Her body stiffened.
Her face turned completely red.
She quickly tried to move away, but her eyes lifted toward him.
Her gaze lingered.
'He saved me… again…'
Her heartbeat quickened.
Attraction.
Gratitude.
Emotion.
All mixed.
She hesitated only for a moment—
Then leaned forward.
She kissed him.
"I want to repay you," she whispered.
For a brief moment, Lestes paused.
Then—
Something stirred within him.
A primal response.
He did not pull away.
Instead—
He returned the kiss.
"Mmmm…"
Her voice softened.
Her lips were warm and soft and alive, moving against Lestes's with rough skills; this was her first time.
Lestes' steady composure broke as the sinister influence of the nine-headed serpent spread through his mind, distorting his thoughts.
He kissed Bai Qingyue more passinately. He sucked her lips with hunger
A rising heat enveloped them both, their body temperatures climbing as the atmosphere between them grew more intense.
Then he started sticking his tongue into Qingyue's mouth, and it was greeted right away by hers. Their tongues continued to dance and intertwine with each other, and they kissed for a long time, until Qingyue began to find it difficult to breathe.
They parted. Her breaths came fast and heavy, her chest rising and falling uncontrollably.
Lestes looked at her rising and falling breasts.
He is looking at my breast.' he felt embarrassed.
His gaze lingered, and her breath faltered.
'Kiss him, again,' she thought.
She pressed her lips to his once more. Lestes responded calmly yet deeply, as though savouring every second, and Qingyue followed, her emotions fully drawn into the moment.
The confusion in her heart faded, replaced by a swelling excitement that grew stronger with each passing moment.
As their lips met, Lestes held her close, and Qingyue, carried by the moment, began to remove his garments. Soon, his upper body was laid bare, his presence steady and unmoving.
Lestes' hand moved slowly, tracing along her back as he held her close.'His hand…' she thought, her heart racing. A mix of embarrassment and excitement filled her at the same time.
'His touch…' her thoughts.
The yang qi surrounding Lestes' hand seeped into her with every touch, igniting a subtle warmth that spread through her body, amplifying her emotions and drawing her further into the moment.
'Something is happening to me,' she realised, her thoughts wavering as an unfamiliar sensation grew stronger with each passing moment.
'This feeling…'
It was her first time being intimate with someone, and although she did not fully understand the changes within her, the pleasure she felt was enough for her to realise what was happening.