"All of you, assume human form."
Gu He glanced at the beasts before him and spoke calmly.
Upon reaching the Dou Ancestor realm, a magical beast could freely transform into human shape. Previously, it hadn't been necessary—most of the beasts preferred their natural forms, so Gu He had never enforced it.
But now, the task he was about to assign required them to take human form.
Hearing his command, the beasts were momentarily stunned but quickly obeyed, shifting into human figures one after another.
In the blink of an eye, the four monstrous forms vanished, replaced by four human figures:
A red-haired middle-aged man—the Scarlet Flame Demon Python.
A blond-haired little boy—the Golden Feather Giant Eagle.
A silver-haired little girl—the Void Beast.
A burly black-haired man, his entire body exuding a chilling aura—the Black-Scaled Cold Python].
"We greet the Master!" they chorused in unison after transforming.
Gu He's gaze swept over them before settling on the red-haired man, the blond boy, and the silver-haired girl. His expression turned solemn.
"Chi Jiao, Xiao Jin, Xiao Yin —I have an important mission for the three of you."
The three beasts exchanged glances before responding firmly, "Master, we await your orders!"
"Good." Gu He nodded. "Three of my disciples are about to embark on their training journeys. From now on, you will follow them in secret and ensure their safety."
He turned to the red-haired man. "Chi Jiao, you will guard my first disciple, Liu Ling, as he heads to the Tagore Desert."
Next, he addressed the blond boy. "Xiao Jin, you will protect my another disciple, Nalan Yanran, in the Magic Beast Mountain Range."
Finally, his eyes fell on the silver-haired girl. "Xiao Yin, you will accompany my third disciple to the Chu Yun Empire."
The three beasts bowed without hesitation. "As you command, Master!"
"Master, what about me?"
The black-haired man, Hei Lin—the strongest among them at the eighth rank—stepped forward, his voice tinged with discontent.
"They all have missions. Why was I excluded?"
As the most powerful of the four, he had expected to be entrusted with the most critical task. Yet, the others had been chosen instead. The injustice of it gnawed at him.
Gu He regarded him calmly. "Hei Lin, I have other plans for you."
The black-haired man fell silent at that.
Gu He turned back to the other three. "Remember—this is a covert operation. Unless their lives are in immediate danger, you must not intervene."
"Understood!" they affirmed.
With a wave of his hand, Gu He opened a spatial passage with Caier's assistance. The three beasts swiftly departed through it, vanishing from the Nine Colored Valley.
After they left, Gu He observed Qing Lin briefly, ensuring the girl's emotional stability, before taking Hei Lin and exiting the valley.
"Before I go… I should see her."
Yun Yun's exquisite face flashed through his mind as he murmured to himself.
…
Misty Cloud Sect – Main Peak
"What?! Elder Gu He ordered you to train in the Magic Beast Mountain Range?!"
In the grand hall, Yun Yun's expression twisted in shock as she processed Nalan Yanran's words.
"Not just me," Nalan Yanran explained. "Junior Sister Xian'er and Senior Brother Liu Ling have also been assigned to different locations—the Chu Yun Empire and the Tagore Desert."
"The Chu Yun Empire?! The Tagore Desert?!" Yun Yun's face paled. "Is Gu He out of his mind?!"
She immediately turned to leave. "I'll speak to him—this training must be canceled—"
"No!"
Nalan Yanran's sharp call halted her. When Yun Yun turned back, she was met with her disciple's unyielding gaze.
"Why, Yanran? Do you have any idea how perilous the Magic Beast Mountain Range are? Even I can't guarantee my safety there!"
The memory of her own near-fatal experience in those mountains sent a chill down her spine. Nalan Yanran was her only disciple—she couldn't bear the thought of her facing such danger.
"I understand the risks," Nalan Yanran replied firmly. "But I am willing to go."
"Teacher Gu He is right. I've never experienced a true life-or-death battle. Without that pressure, my potential will remain dormant. If I continue like this, I'll never become a true powerhouse."
Her eyes burned with resolve as she met Yun Yun's gaze. "I came here to bid farewell, not to ask for your intervention. I don't want Teacher Gu He to look down on me."
Yun Yun stared at her, as if seeing her for the first time.
After a long silence, she sighed, her voice softening. "Yanran… you've truly grown up."
Nalan Yanran smiled faintly. "A disciple must grow eventually."
"Very well. Since your mind is made up, I won't stop you." Yun Yun's expression was conflicted but resigned. "But promise me you'll return safely. You are my only disciple—the future of this sect rests on you."
Nalan Yanran nodded solemnly. "Don't worry, Master. I won't die in the Magic Beast Mountain Range. I still have to defeat Xiao Yan in front of the world—I won't give him the satisfaction of seeing me fail."
Yun Yun chuckled softly before hesitating. With a flick of her wrist, she removed the Black Ice Sacred Armor she wore and handed it to Nalan Yanran.
"Take this. It's my personal soft armor—it will protect you."
Nalan Yanran accepted it without refusal, then bowed deeply before turning to leave.
Yun Yun watched her go, worry lingering in her eyes.
Just then, a clear voice echoed through the hall.
"Who gave you permission to casually hand out my gifts?"
Hearing that familiar tone, Yun Yun stiffened for a moment before turning around.
At some point, Gu He's figure had quietly appeared in the hall.
Seeing him, a flicker of joy flashed across Yun Yun's face before she quickly schooled her expression back into cold indifference. "What you give me is mine to do with as I please. If I want to give it to someone, I will."
Gu He's lips curled into a faint smile as he observed her stern pretense. "What's wrong? Are you angry?"
Yun Yun huffed coldly. "Why did you send Yanran to the Magic Beast Mountain Range? Do you have any idea how dangerous that place is? If anything happens to her, I'll never forgive you!"
Gu He remained unperturbed. "Did you not hear what Yanran just said?"
"I know you're worried about your precious disciple," he continued, his expression confident. "But Yanran is my disciple as well. Do you really think I'd let her take unnecessary risks?"
With the three magical beasts secretly guarding her, Gu He was certain Nalan Yanran wouldn't face life-threatening danger.
Even in the worst-case scenario, there was still the Void Jade Talisman.
If that failed, he could always intervene personally.
Not to mention, he had also left her with life-saving treasures like the Longevity Pearls.
With so many safeguards in place, if anything did happen to these youngsters, it could only be called fate.
Seeing his unwavering confidence, Yun Yun narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "You've arranged something in the background, haven't you?"
Gu He merely smiled, offering no explanation. "Don't worry. When the time comes, I'll return your precious apprentice to you in one piece."
His evasive answer only confirmed Yun Yun's suspicions.
Yet, this man still insisted on keeping her in the dark!
'Hmph!'
She shot him a glare, her displeasure clear.
Unfazed, Gu He chuckled. "Yun'er, do you still remember the bet we made in the Magic Beast Mountain Range?"
The sudden mention of their past agreement caught Yun Yun off guard. A faint blush crept onto her cheeks as she glared at him indignantly. "You've already claimed your prize in advance. Is there even a point to continuing this bet?"
For a moment, Gu He was puzzled. But after a brief recollection, realization dawned on him. His eyes gleamed with amusement.
"Ah… right."
The original bet had been that if Yun Yun lost, Nalan Yanran would address her as Master's Wife.
But now, given that the two of them had already fu… ahem… slept together twice, wouldn't that make Yun Yun the teacher's wife regardless?
Hadn't he technically won the bet long ago?
Noticing her flustered expression, Gu He's teasing instincts kicked in. "Then how about we modify the terms?"
"Modify them?" Yun Yun frowned. "How?"
Gu He grinned. "If you lose this time… you become the mother of my child."
"Mother of your—? What child? Where would—?"
Her confusion lasted only a second before comprehension struck.
Her face burned crimson.
"You—! In your dreams!" she snapped.
Gu He burst into laughter, thoroughly pleased with himself.
"Stop laughing!" Yun Yun fumed.
Obliging, he composed himself, his smile fading into solemnity. "Yun'er, I came this time to bid you farewell."
"You're leaving?" she asked, her earlier embarrassment forgotten in an instant.
"Yes." He nodded. "I'll be departing soon. I wanted to see you before I go."
As he spoke, he stepped closer, closing the distance between them.
Yun Yun fell silent for a moment before murmuring, "How long will you be gone?"
"About a year." He gave her a reassuring smile. "I'll definitely return by the day of Nalan Yanran and Xiao Yan's duel."
Her lips parted slightly, but in the end, all she said was, "Take care of yourself. Come back safely."
Warmth spread through Gu He's chest at the concern in her eyes. "Don't worry. I still have to marry you—I'm not dying before then."
"Who said I'd marry you? Shameless!" she retorted, though her voice lacked its usual bite.
With a soft chuckle, Gu He retrieved a Void Jade Talisman from his spatial ring and pressed it into her hand. "Yun'er, if the sect faces any danger while I'm gone, don't hesitate—crush this talisman immediately. I'll come to your aid at once."
Yun Yun stared at the jade talisman in surprise. "Just by crushing this… you'll appear?"
Gu He nodded seriously. Then, his tone lightened. "Yun'er, since I'm leaving… don't you have any encouragement for me?"
"Encouragement?" She blinked. "What kind of encouragement?"
His gaze locked onto hers. In one swift motion, he pulled her into his arms, his grip firm around her slender waist.
"Y-You—!"
Her face flushed crimson as she tried to struggle, but his hold was unyielding. "W-What are you doing?!"
One hand still wrapped around her waist, Gu He leaned close to her ear, his voice dropping into a low, commanding tone. "Since you don't know how to encourage me… I'll just have to teach you myself."
Before she could react, he captured her lips in a searing kiss, his arms tightening possessively around her.
Caught off guard, Yun Yun froze. But after a moment's hesitation, she stopped resisting—not that it would have made a difference anyway.
Slowly, her eyes fluttered shut as she surrendered to the kiss.
Gu He held her fiercely, as if trying to imprint her very essence into his soul. He savored the taste of her, memorizing every sensation, as though this moment needed to last an eternity.
A long while later, Yun Yun finally stirred, her lashes lifting—only to find the hall empty.
"He's… gone."
A pang of loneliness struck her.
Her fingers tightened around the still-warm jade talisman in her hand, her gaze softening with unspoken emotion.
"You must come back…" she whispered to the silence.
…
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