Chapter 58: Relationship Rapidly Warming
“It was nothing but a small favor.” Shen Yanzhou shook his head.
“……”
Wu Ruyue rarely spent time with others like this.
After eating her fill, she felt that sitting together in such a way was somewhat awkward.
After thinking for a moment, she took the initiative to find a topic and couldn’t help asking, “Young Master Shen, how did you find this cave?”
“If I told you that, like you, I first fell into the underground river and then found this place, would you believe it?”
Shen Yanzhou picked up a branch and stirred the campfire.
Wu Ruyue blinked her eyes and nodded.
“I’d believe it.”
Shen Yanzhou chuckled.
“I’m lying to you. Actually, I came here looking for something.”
Wu Ruyue pursed her lips, wanting to glare at him.
She had trusted him so readily.
“What is it?”
Still, her curiosity got the better of her.
“Not telling you.”
Shen Yanzhou shook his head with a smile.
“……”
Wu Ruyue’s curiosity was hooked.
The more Shen Yanzhou refused to tell her, the more she wanted to know.
She bit lightly on her silver teeth and, seeing him smiling to himself, couldn’t help letting out a soft snort from her nose.
Just a moment ago, she had thought him to be a considerate person—despite being the heir to the Demon Suppression King, he was unexpectedly gentle.
But now, he had become utterly annoying again…
“Do you really want to know?”
Shen Yanzhou was still smiling.
Wu Ruyue’s bright eyes fixed on him.
How could such a handsome face look so hateful when he smiled?
“I don’t want to anymore.”
She lowered her head in mock anger, gripping the hem of her robe tightly with both hands, as if she were kneading it into Shen Yanzhou himself, trying to squeeze him flat.
“It’s not really something I can’t talk about,” Shen Yanzhou said, “but it is quite an important matter.”
“I can tell you—but in exchange, you’ll have to tell me a secret that belongs only to you.”
He didn’t think Wu Ruyue was truly angry.
On the contrary, her petulant behavior suggested that the distance between them had grown smaller.
Otherwise, with her temperament, she would never show such emotions before others.
“A secret that belongs only to me?”
Wu Ruyue raised her eyes, puzzled.
What secret could she possibly have?
Only that, when she was younger, she had nearly gotten lost playing in the back mountain and had fallen into a pool where she had accidentally obtained a strand of seven-colored light.
Could that be the secret she’d have to trade?
Shen Yanzhou seemed to notice her hesitation.
Smiling faintly, he said, “If it’s inconvenient, we can change the condition. You could just agree to one request of mine instead.”
Wu Ruyue’s moist lips pressed together.
Shen Yanzhou’s smile seemed like that of a big bad wolf tempting a little white rabbit.
If she agreed to his terms, what if his request turned out to be something she couldn’t accept?
“You can’t ask me to do anything impossible.”
Still, after a moment’s thought, she agreed—she didn’t believe Shen Yanzhou was the kind of person who would take advantage of her.
“Don’t worry, I won’t make things difficult for you,” he replied cheerfully.
Only then did Wu Ruyue nod, her curiosity rekindled.
What could possibly be so important that he would treat it with such seriousness?
“Did you know that Hidden Moon Mountain may be hiding a Martial God’s legacy?”
The words that Shen Yanzhou spoke next stunned her completely.
Her mind went blank, and for a moment, she could hardly think.
A Martial God’s legacy?
Wasn’t the strand of seven-colored divine light she had obtained also related to a Martial God?
“I came to Hidden Moon Mountain not only to lure out those who wish me harm,” Shen Yanzhou continued, “but more importantly, to search for the Martial God’s Trial Hall. If I can pass the trials within, perhaps I can obtain his legacy.”
“A Martial God… someone who, according to legend, transcended even the First Rank. In this age, even a First Rank expert can’t be found—let alone one beyond it.”
“I confirmed this only after consulting numerous ancient records.” Shen Yanzhou spoke casually, seemingly unaware of Wu Ruyue’s shifting expression.
“Martial God’s legacy…” Wu Ruyue murmured softly, her heart still trembling.
This was indeed no trivial matter.
If this information were leaked, it would throw the entire continent into chaos.
Not just the major sects and orthodoxy forces—even the Great Qian Dynasty and Beiyu would send people to investigate.
A legacy from one who had transcended the peak of the mortal realm—such a thing would shake even the greatest powers.
How could Shen Yanzhou casually reveal something so monumental to her?
Just like back in the capital—he had trusted her so easily then too, exposing the secret of his self-imposed disgrace to conceal his true strength.
“Young Master Shen, aren’t you afraid that after hearing such an earth-shaking secret, I might try to silence you to keep it for myself?”
Wu Ruyue’s chest rose and fell beneath her binding wrap as she took a few deep breaths to calm herself, speaking seriously so he wouldn’t think she was joking.
She felt the need to correct him—to warn him not to trust her so easily.
What if she really did grow greedy one day?
“And how would you plan to silence me?” Shen Yanzhou smiled, his gaze amused as it roamed over her.
“With your current condition?”
Wu Ruyue’s chest trembled again.
Her lips parted as though to speak, but she swallowed her words.
A hint of defeat flickered in her eyes.
He was right.
In her current state—when she still needed his care—how could she possibly threaten him?
But wasn’t he afraid she might leak this secret?
“You trust me too much.”
Wu Ruyue turned her head slightly, her flawless porcelain profile illuminated by the campfire.
Her gaze lingered on the flames, her voice soft and laced with emotions even she couldn’t quite describe.
“Would you betray that trust?” Shen Yanzhou asked, still smiling.
Wu Ruyue lowered her gaze, clutching her robe tighter.
To be trusted like this… truth be told, it did feel warm.
“No.”
After a moment, Wu Ruyue shook her head, answering with firm resolve.
“That’s all that matters.” Shen Yanzhou rose to his feet atop a blue stone.
“Unfortunately, I’ve only managed to gather some clues so far. I still haven’t determined where exactly the Martial God’s legacy lies…” he went on, speaking mostly to himself.
“……”
Wu Ruyue pressed her lips together, listening to Shen Yanzhou ramble on about many secrets including the Martial God’s life experiences and such, of which he seemed to know quite a lot.
However, Wu Ruyue recalled the previous incidents of frenzied spirit beasts, and how many of them had kept chasing her.
Could it be because of that wisp of seven-colored divine light on her body?
If she was not mistaken, that wisp of true essence from the Martial God should have some inextricable connection with the Martial God’s inheritance here.
“Actually… I have a secret too.”
She hesitated slightly but still decided to tell Shen Yanzhou about it.
After all, he had been so open and sincere with her.
“Oh? What kind of secret?”
Shen Yanzhou seemed intrigued.
Wu Ruyue still felt conflicted deep down, for this “secret” was tied to her fortuitous encounter—the fundamental reason behind her current achievements.
Just as she finally decided to speak, a slender, pale finger suddenly pressed against her lips.
“Forget it. Since it’s inconvenient, keep it to yourself.”
“I’m not someone worth trusting.”
Shen Yanzhou smiled faintly, leaning down slightly.
He knew what Wu Ruyue wanted to say, but it wasn’t a secret he wished to know.
Rather, he preferred that Wu Ruyue owed him something.
“Mm…”
Wu Ruyue’s beautiful eyes widened abruptly, feeling the warmth of his fingertip on her soft lips.
Her cheeks flushed scarlet in an instant.
“You…”
She hurriedly turned her head away, her gaze flustered and uneasy.
“What’s wrong?”
Shen Yanzhou appeared completely unaware of how ambiguous his gesture had been, looking puzzled.
“You…” Wu Ruyue glared at him, certain that he had done it on purpose.
“Haha…”
“It’s getting late. You should rest. When dawn comes, I’ll search for clues to that Trial Palace.”
“Once the maddened beasts outside calm down, the Chilin Guards and Bureau of Immortal Inspection will likely come searching again.” Shen Yanzhou tried to shift the topic.
“……”
She had only just woken up—how could she possibly sleep again?
Wu Ruyue subconsciously pressed her lips together, but as soon as she did, she seemed to taste the warmth lingering from Shen Yanzhou’s fingertip.
She froze instantly, and soon, her fair ears turned rosy like her cheeks.
When she noticed Shen Yanzhou glancing her way, she quickly averted her gaze and lowered her head, pretending to be calm—but her flushed face betrayed her thoughts.
The night was long, and the sound of water echoed outside the cavern.
From the crack above, light rain occasionally drifted in, but the campfire drove away the damp chill.
Perhaps because of that earlier exchange of “secrets,” the atmosphere between them no longer felt as distant or restrained as before.
Instead, it grew subtly warmer.
Wu Ruyue wasn’t sleepy.
She curled up on the massive green stone, wrapped in Shen Yanzhou’s outer robe.
The faint woody scent that lingered on it soothed her heart, and before she knew it, she began to speak.
She started talking to Shen Yanzhou about many things—
her childhood, the poverty of her family, her parents’ favoritism and harshness, her mischievous younger brother’s troubles and fights…
Her experience joining the martial examinations, training on Mount Wudang, enlisting in the Southern Frontier army to temper herself—her joys and sorrows, her laughter and tears.
At first, Wu Ruyue worried that Shen Yanzhou might find her chatter tedious and lose patience, but soon realized she had overthought it.
No matter what she said, Shen Yanzhou listened earnestly and responded sincerely—never perfunctory.
It made her feel that she was being genuinely regarded.
The more she spoke, the more her emotions were drawn out by old memories, and Shen Yanzhou gently comforted her when her tone wavered.
In the end, she could barely remember what she had said—only that Shen Yanzhou had added more firewood to the flames, that she grew drowsy… and fell asleep.
……
When Wu Ruyue awoke again, faint morning light was streaming through the cracks above, spilling into the underground cavern.
She felt much better; her wounds had mended somewhat, and strength was returning to her limbs.
But soon, she sensed something wrong—her long, slender legs suddenly pressed tightly together.
Shen Yanzhou had been awake long before her.
At his current martial realm, he could already go sleepless through the night, his spirit still vigorous.
At the moment, he was crouched beside the campfire, poking at something with a stick—several wild sweet potatoes turning over the glowing coals.
“Awake?”
Hearing movement, he looked back at her.
“Mm…”
Wu Ruyue nodded, not knowing where Shen Yanzhou had found those sweet potatoes so early, nor how he had roasted them to such a fragrant aroma.
She propped herself up on the stone, but as soon as she exerted force, that urgent pressure inside became unbearable.
Her calves tensed unconsciously.
“What’s wrong?” Shen Yanzhou looked at her awkward posture, feigning confusion.
“You… could you…”
Wu Ruyue bit her lip, her legs pressed even tighter, her voice barely a whisper, her face steadily reddening.
“Could I what?”
Shen Yanzhou’s expression remained innocent, though the corners of his lips faintly curved upward.
Wu Ruyue knew he was doing it on purpose—how could he not understand after seeing her like this?
Her eyes shimmered with moisture, and she bit down gently, voice trembling with a hint of stubbornness.
“You’re… insufferable.”
She had been woken by the pressure of her own need.
Shen Yanzhou laughed heartily.
Seeing her flustered like that, he found it amusing, but didn’t tease her further.
“Go on then. I’ll turn around, face the other way, and promise not to look.”
“No. You go outside.”
“Can you even stand on your own? Need me to help you?”
“I can. I don’t need you.”
“Really?” he asked again.
Wu Ruyue’s eyes glistened, her teeth clenched tight.
“You… hurry up and leave…”
“Go farther from the cave.”
“All right, all right…”
Shen Yanzhou stopped teasing, sensing that another moment might make her snap and bite him out of spite.
He turned the sweet potatoes in the coals so they wouldn’t burn, then rose and walked toward the cave’s entrance.
Only when she was certain he had gone far did Wu Ruyue let out a long breath.
Her face burned crimson.
Enduring the pain of her wounds, she tried to stand from the stone—only to feel a sharp, searing pain in her leg, as though the bone itself were cracking.
Even so, she didn’t utter a sound, merely grimacing as sweat dripped from her forehead.
Limping, she made her way to a distant corner—but then worried that Shen Yanzhou might come back and notice any traces.
Forcing herself on, she reached the edge of the dark river, and began fumbling to undo her inner garments.
In truth, Shen Yanzhou’s current hearing far surpassed that of ordinary Seventh-Rank martial artists.
Even though he had stepped outside the cavern, by the river beneath the falling waterfall, he could still faintly hear the sound of trickling water from within.
“No wonder she was so anxious… how long has she been holding it in…”
Shen Yanzhou’s expression turned a bit strange, but he maintained his decency and didn’t extend his spiritual sense to peek.
As a Sixth-Rank martial artist, Wu Ruyue—had she been fully healed and her true qi restored—wouldn’t have been in such a rush.
He understood.
Still, to have witnessed such an awkward and embarrassing moment if this had been before, Wu Ruyue would probably have wanted to kill him.
Shen Yanzhou waited outside for half a stick of incense before finally hearing Wu Ruyue’s voice.