Sensing the fluctuation from behind, Xia Xishuang subconsciously turned around.

However, as soon as she did, Chen Chen hugged her tightly.

"I couldn't hug Master or Zhang Ji, but I can hug you, right?"

Hugging Xia Xishuang tightly in his most emotional predicament, Chen Chen felt extremely delighted and warm.

"Xishuang, since you are here, please allow me to coddle you before leaving?"

"I'm sorry... Chen Chen, I couldn't help you."

Xia Xishuang whispered.

Chen Chen looked at the woman in his arms, whose beautiful face was stained with a wisp of blood. He was full of complicated emotions.

His thoughtful hand gently wiped away the bloodstains on Xia Xishuang's face before hugging her even more tightly.

"It's my fault, I promised to weather all storms and protect you, but I've even caused you more pain."

Xia Xishuang shook her head sparing self-reproach in her eyes. "If you hadn't saved me that day, you wouldn't have exposed your innate spirit body... You wouldn't be targeted by so many demons today either."

Chen Chen kept quiet and merely smiled at Xia Xishuang while holding her in his embrace.

'If we continue exploring in detail, who can be sure about it?'

'Well, blame it on fate.'

Ever since Chen Chen embarked on the path of cultivation a year ago, he had gained a comrade who was willing to die on his behalf, as well as a Dao partner who had traveled miles just to see if he was safe.

There was nothing more he could ask for.

Compared to those heavenly treasures in the storage ring, these are treasures far more valuable to him.

At this moment, Chen Chen yearned, even more, to become stronger.

Only by becoming stronger could he protect these people whom he cared about.

"Chen Chen, look, this is Chen Shuang."

After a long hug, Xia Xishuang suddenly thought of something. She smiled and summoned a longsword afterward.

This longsword was translucent and shrouded in spiritual energy that vaguely contained some ethereality. However, as soon as it appeared, Chen Chen's Omni Divine Blade protruded a soft cry of pleasure.

Nowadays, he would usually keep his Omni Divine Blade in the Divine Sheath to be nurtured.

The sheath contained Xia Xishuang's aura, and now that it had suddenly sensed the source, it felt a sense of intimacy.

"Whenever I see Chen Shuang, I feel as if I'm looking at you, and it gives me a sense of salvation," Xia Xishuang said, gazing at the Chen Shuang sword with a genuine smile.

At this moment, a stroke of frail coughing sound streamed from afar.

Seeing that outsiders had arrived, Xia Xishuang depressingly tried to break free from Chen Chen's embrace but to no avail.

Yu Qiong's face turned sullen, displeased that Chen Chen ignored her despite having heard of her frail hem.

'Are youngsters nowadays so liberal and rude?'

'Or is Chen Chen deliberately pretending not to notice my presence?'

Before she continued to think about it further, Chen Chen spoke up with his back facing her.

"Master, I have to send Xishuang back to the Western Border, please return to the Jade Tripod Alchemy Clan first!"

'This kid is pragmatic... Now that he has his Dao partner with him, he just wants to shoo me away.'

Slightly angered, Yu Qiong humphed coldly and exclaimed, "I'm giving you three days. If you don't return to the Jade Tripod Alchemy Clan within three days, be prepared to face the music! As for your incompetent Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters, I'll take them with me now."

After saying that, Yu Qiong flew directly towards the direction of Mount Wufeng.

Chen Chen glanced at Yu Qiong's back and concluded in his heart that she must be intending to take him with her to gamble. Otherwise, she wouldn't have been so eager and pushy.

'Hmph! A mercenary woman who only cares about benefits! She's inferior to my Dao partner!'

After secretly criticizing Yu Qiong in his heart, Chen Chen looked at Zhang Ji and Yuan Qingtian.

Zhang Ji has become much smarter lately. When he saw Xia Xishuang, he immediately bowed and greeted, "Greetings, Sister-in-law!"

Yuan Qingtian, who was beside him, seemed to be slightly astounded, but he hurriedly followed suit.

"Greetings, Sister-in-law!"

He then glared at Zhang Ji like a sore loser.

Zhang Ji ignored this and said to Chen Chen with a grave expression, "Big Brother, my master is fighting against the demons now, and I have to leave. I'll come to see you again after I destroy the Crimson Fox Demon Emperor and Berserk Lion Demon Emperor."

"Okay, but you don't necessarily need to wait until then. I'll go and help you once I've taken care of some matters."

Chen Chen smiled and answered.

He couldn't stay in the Jade Tripod Alchemy Clan forever. If he wanted to become stronger, he had to rely on constant fighting besides having good luck and opportunities.

Apart from the State of Jin, the States of Qi and Wei were the best places for him to hone and sharpen his skills.

Deep down, he wanted to go to the battlefield of the Western Border, but he reckoned that Xishuang's master loathed the mere sight of him.

Besides, since he had promised her that he would officially get into a relationship with Xia Xishuang only after he reached the Essence Soul realm, he couldn't retract his word now.

That wasn't something that he would do.

Zhang Ji's eyes lit up when he heard that, he exclaimed with a delightful expression, "Big Brother! I'll wait for you in the States of Qi and Wei!"

"Okay, take care!"

"Take care!"

Zhang Ji cupped his fists and flew directly towards the distance. Soon, four Nascent Soul realm experts emerged from nowhere and tailgated him.

After Zhang Ji left, Chen Chen looked at Yuan Qingtian again.

"Qingtian, return to Mount Wufeng and tell the cultivators of the State of Jin to cultivate hard. If I don't see twenty Nascent Soul realm cultivators the next time I return, I'll slap them to death!"

"Uh, don't you need me to escort you?" Yuan Qingtian asked, scratching his head in confusion.

"No, hurry up and get lost!" Chen Chen was irritated and angered.

Hearing this, Yuan Qingtian hurriedly flew towards Mount Wufeng together with the Dark Guards.

Seeing that the surrounding area was clear, Chen Chen finally breathed a sigh of relief.

It would take at least a day and a night to send Xia Xishuang back to the Western Border. It was really difficult for him to spot a chance of spending so much time alone with Xishuang.

...

Xia Xishuang didn't turn down Chen Chen's offer of sending her back. If she had seen Chen Chen rushing over from a faraway place, battered with wounds, she would also be worried and wouldn't let him return alone.

The Western Border was quite far from the State of Jin. After passing the flame mountain range, they would still have to travel more than 50,000 kilometers to the West.

During the journey, their feelings developed further and they got even closer.

Except for doing the deed, Chen Chen had already shared a lot of physical intimacy with Xia Xishuang. Although the affection seemed tumultuous at first, she couldn't get used to it until gradually felt mutually cherished.

After all, they only had one day to spend together.

By the time they arrived at the Western Border, Xia Xishuang looked less ethereal, and instead, she looked more like a meek woman who was blushing coyly.

"Chen Chen, we've arrived."

Xia Xishuang looked at a huge city in the distance, her eyes filled with some reluctance.

Chen Chen also saw the city, and judging from the fluctuations emanating from that city, he was certain that it was a massive treasure.

"The warfare at the Western Border is far beyond what the small vassal states can compare to."

As the first frontier to be invaded by the demons, the battle at the Western Border was the most intense. Many Void Refinement realm powerhouses took part in the battle, so even the Essence Soul realm experts didn't dare to act rashly because of the risk of falling at every turn.

The four great clans had deployed a lot of manpower to the Western Border, making it the place with the most number of human elites at the moment.

Before the two of them reached the city, Xia Xishuang's master, the Saintess of the Haoran Sword Clan, appeared to receive them.

Seeing that her disciple was unharmed and intact, she finally heaved a sigh of relief before glaring at Chen Chen who was beside her.

"I'm surprised that you know how to hand Xishuang back. You still have a conscience after all."

"Nah, Master, it's what I should do," Chen Chen said embarrassedly.

"Who are you to call me Master!?!" the Saintess of the Haoran Sword Clan exclaimed with a dumbfounded look.

"Since you are Xishuang's master, you're naturally my master too," Chen Chen said righteously.

The Saintess of the Haoran Sword Clan was speechless. 'Why haven't I discovered how shameless this kid is in the past?'

"Senior Sister Xishuang is back!"

Several cries came out from that city, and soon, a bunch of disciples of the Haoran Sword Clan rushed out.

Xia Xishuang was prestigious and held with great respect in the Haoran Sword Clan.

Apart from the disciples of the Haoran Sword Sect, there was also a group of disciples from other sects, including many of the elites of the other three major clans.

However, many of them glared at Chen Chen hostilely after they saw him, especially some male disciples.

Noticing their gazes, Chen Chen subconsciously moved a little closer to Xia Xishuang.

Their animosity immediately turned worse, and some of them even emitted powerful cultivation fluctuations, like they were showing their prowess to Chen Chen without restraint.

'Tsk, there are truly few people who are envious and jealous of me.'

Chen Chen secretly thought in his heart.

He had long expected this situation to happen. Xia Xishuang was a famous elite of the human race, and she was pretty too. Now that she had become his Dao partner, there would naturally be many envious people.

Likewise, in the State of Jin, many young female cultivators detested Xia Xishuang because they were jealous of her.

All outstanding people with stellar achievements would have many admirers.

It was the case for both him and Xia Xishuang, and it was inevitable.

'No, we have to make my status as her Dao partner known and make them give up!'

With that thought in mind, Chen Chen ignored the look of astonishment in the eyes of the Saintess of the Haoran Sword Clan and kissed Xia Xishuang on her lips.

Although he had kissed her during their journey to this place too, it was the first time he had ever kissed her in public. Xia Xishuang was so shy that she blushed, her face as red as a tomato. Even her neck was flushed.

Chen Chen pulled away only after a long kiss.

Chen Chen looked at Xia Xishuang, who was still dazed and confused. Then he took out three or four storage rings. He placed them in her hand and said loudly, "Xishuang, here are some treasures that might be of use to you. As for those 700,000 to 800,000 Spirit Stones, just take them as a meeting gift from me to the Junior Sisters and Junior Brothers of the Haoran Sword Clan."

After saying that, he cocked his head slightly to the side.

All he could see was a bunch of elites storming away indignantly with loud footsteps.