"So, every time you cultivate to the peak of each stage, you can come find me. Then I will take you over there and you can test your capabilities." The old man spoke the moment they reappeared within the hut.

"Since that is the case, I better get going old man. See you in a bit…" Min Hong stood up to leave as he called his Purple-gold nascent soul. The nascent soul floated and approach Min Hong's soul before seamlessly merging together with him.

​​

Little Wu also joined him as Little Lin darted and hovered by Min Hong's side as the trio prepared to be sent outside the realm.

[Thoughts: Min Hong] – "It is better for the great elder to send us back, this saves us the stress of walking back to the portal."

"Un… Be careful and stay safe…" The old man replied as he waved his sleeves, then a mild energy wrapped around the trio as they vanished from sight.

They appeared at the dimension which previously housed the 'Eye of Infinite Dao' and after leaving some instructions for both Little Wu and Little Lin, he shut his eyes within his Mind Palace and reopened them in the outside world.

When he opened his eyes, he was expecting to smell and see the usual, but this time, he was bound to be disappointed since his eyes were only seeing the night sky which was filled with several stars.

He stood up and looked to his side, where he saw Min Qing who was currently cultivating in silence. Then he mentally called out to Little Ming.

--------------------------------------

[Mental Transmission]:

[Min Hong] – "Oi! Little Ming! Wake up! We need to talk…"

[Little Ming] – (Yawns…) "This is better be important, because you just halted my cultivation…"

[Min Hong] – "How much progress have you made since the last time we saw?"

[Little Ming] – "Um…My bloodline has been furtherly purified to about 28 percent and my cultivation has also risen to the 5-Star Dan Formation stage…"

[Min Hong] – "If only you could add half the time you spend sleeping into your cultivation, you might most likely have reached at least, 30 percent bloodline purity and the Peak of Dan Formation stage…"

[Little Ming] – "Hmph! So narrow-minded. I was only put in a state of half-death. I have been trying to achieve a deeper comprehension of the bloodline technique I received when I broke through the Magic Beast level."

[Min Hong] – "Hmm… What type of technique is it and what is its name?"

[Little Ming] – "(Snorts)… It is called Void Blink and it simply grants me the ability to access the void and teleport from one place to another. But before I can achieve that, I need to comprehend at least Void Intent to do that."

[Little Ming] – "At the moment, I have only comprehended to the peak of the Void Concept. Moreover, I have noticed that, since I was young, I cultivate and comprehend better and faster when I am in the half-death mode or like you phrased it, 'when I am sleeping'…"

--------------------------------------------

[Thoughts: Min Hong] – "Wow that's so cool. I guess the deeper she comprehends the Void Law, the farther and faster she would be able to traverse through the void… hmm…Nice!"

--------------------------------------------

[Min Hong] – "It is nice that you have achieved such amount of progress in the little amount of time we have been on this journey. But to achieve our aim at our destination, we would need to possess significant amount of strength. so do not slack off and be diligent…"

[Little Ming] – "(Snorts)… Like I need a reminder… Furthermore, the rate of my progress has been achieved as a result of the left-over ancient aura I absorb from you. So, if you truly want me to progress as fast as you want, I would need more of that aura…"

[Min Hong] – "Since I bear a little responsibility to ensure your rise in power, I would naturally ensure that you have more of the ancient aura."

"By tomorrow, my preparations should have been completed, then you would get access to a purer and more potent ancient aura."

[Little Ming] – "(Joyfully surprised) … Since that is the case, then I will be anticipating tomorrow's cultivation then… I will be continuing my meditation now, see you tomorrow…"

-----------------------------------------

[Thoughts: Min Hong] – "If this is how it is going to be, then I guess there will be a slight change in our plans."

"After all, even though we would possess significant group strength, we must also possess high individual strength, should in case we get split up or one of us gets in trouble and the rest are not close enough to render urgent help."

----------------------------------------

Min Hong looked towards Min Qing and decided not to disturb her, so he walked forward a bit till he got to Elder Yun's neck area and then spoke.

"Elder Yun, where are we at the moment?" He asked.

"We are about half a day from the city located just outside the borders of the Dogon Empire…" Elder Yun replied as she continued to dart across the night sky with a whooshing sound.

[Thoughts: Min Hong] – "We got here very quickly, Elder Yun must have been burning late night candles just to make sure we put enough distance between us and the Royal influence of the East Wind Empire."

"Elder Yun, I think we are already a bit far from the East Wind Empire, so you should slow down a bit or find a small cave, or any safe place where we can land, so that you can rest a bit." Min Hong suggested.

"No worries little kid, I still have enough energy to at least get us to the border city, then when we get there we can rest." Elder Yun replied.

"It's alright then. With this constant flight and long journey, have you been able to cultivate at all? If you have, can I know what stage you're currently in?" Min Hong asked respectfully.

"I am still in the 1-Star Nascent Soul stage but my bloodline purity has risen to about 30 percent. The increase in my bloodline purity is completely attributed to the ancient aura I absorbed from you when you were meditating."

"But ever since I achieved 30 percent bloodline purity, even with the ancient aura, it has been very hard for me to even raise it by one percent…" Elder Yun sighed as she replied.

[Thoughts: Min Hong] – "I guess the more they absorb the ancient aura, the lesser it transforms their bloodlines. After all, their bodies would naturally grow immune to the effects of the ancient aura over time. So, purifying bloodlines with the ancient aura won't suffice for long…"

"I am currently making preparations to release a more potent and purer ancient aura for everyone to absorb, but we might already be in the border city of the Dogon Empire by then. So, we will most likely resume our cultivation when we enter the border city." Min Hong spoke.

As Min Hong and Elder Yun were discussing, Min Qing who had just ended her cultivation approached Min Hong from behind as she spoke. "Hong-ge, you are already up…"

Min Hong turned around and replied. "Yeah, I have been up for about half an hour now. I didn't want to disturb your cultivation, so I came to discuss our plans with Elder Yun."

"Have you been cultivating diligently and what stage are you in at the moment." Min Hong walked towards her as he inquired.

---------------------------------------

[Thoughts: Min Qing] – "Hong-ge is that the only thing you're interested in?" Min Qing's expression dimmed a little as she thought this.

[Thoughts: Min Hong] – "Oh, burn me. I am supposed to ask about her welfare first before cultivation. I am really very poor in understanding and replicating emotions." Min Hong also noticed the slight change in Min Qing's expression as he quickly corrected himself.

---------------------------------------

"Hope you haven't been too lonely, all this time I was meditating?" He neared her as he asked.

"A little… How long till you have to meditate again?" Her face gradually took a reddish hue as Min Hong approached her.

Min Hong then hugged her tightly and caressed her long, flowing, silky hair as he murmured to her. "I should meditate tomorrow at mid-day. But afterwards, we would be cultivating together, with some alone meditation occasionally."

As Min Hong hugged her, she shook slightly before melting in his embrace, basking in the warmth and scent she has been longing for, for a while now. She then replied to him.

"About my strength, I am currently in the 5-Star Dan Formation stage. Furthermore, I have been able to comprehend the Yin Law to the Peak of Concept Plane, I should be able to breakthrough to the Intent Plane very soon." She responded.

Min Hong clearly noticed her body languages, after all, he had previously been an assassin and sensing people's body language is a reflex ability he had developed for a long while.

[Thoughts: Min Hong] – "I have been a really shitty brother. I am all she's got and though we are both still grieving our losses, she is still a young girl after all. I was only able to handle my emotions because I have been rigorously trained to do that in my first life, but she hasn't."

"This is when I am supposed to be here for her the most, but I have been selfishly caught up with getting my strength back that I have forgotten she is the only family I have left." Min Hong self-mocked as he hugged her tighter.

Min Qing naturally felt that, and her rosy cheeks was a glaring testament to that. As they both hugged themselves, Min Hong's sleeves slightly wriggled as a voice rang out within his mind.

[Mental Transmission]:

[Little Ming] – "(In fury) … Oi! Are you looking to suffocate me to death or what?"

[Min Hong] – "(Flustered) … Oh…uh…um… I'm very sorry, you can go back to meditating now."

[Little Ming] – "(Still Furious) … Hmph! Like cuddling and snuggling isn't a better way…"

Hearing that last statement Min Hong smiled faintly as he released Min Qing and laid on his back facing the bright stars that decorated the night.

Min Qing also joined him as she drew close to Min Hong as she placed her head on his chest.

After about some few minutes she drew in closer again, this time completely snuggling with him.

She had initially thought Min Hong was going to space out a bit, but he didn't.

Instead, Min Hong began to caress her hair as she placed her head on his sturdy chest.

As they were both snuggling under the star lights, Elder Yun reduced her speed as she went into cruise control mode.

The gentle breeze and serene atmosphere made their emotions begin to surge rapidly.

For Min Hong, it was one of familial love, brotherly love and high sense of hoarding and protection towards Min Qing.

But for Min Qing, it was only romantic love that was washing through her entire body at the moment, and her blushing cheeks bore witness to that.

If one were to look at them from above, they would think they were a lovely couples, having a blissful time on a cruising flying beast, with a beautiful clear view of the night stars and auroras.

Min Hong then looked at Min Qing as their eyes met each other, with their faces in very close proximity.

His face blushed slightly, but Min Qing's face went beet red as she became flustered.

She tried to avert her gaze from his eyes, only for them to land on his sexy lips.

Getting more and more flustered, she looked away from his lips and her eyes landed on his broad sturdy chest.

This time she had begun to sweat from being too flustered. It was only now, that she realized how pleasing and sexually appealing Min Hong was to the eyes.

-----------------------------------------------

[Thoughts: Min Qing] – "(Heaves a deep sigh) … What a serious temptation. I am only holding myself back from kissing him right now, out of with sheer will. This seems to be a perfect moment, so should I?"

"A light one on the cheek shouldn't change how he looks at me, no? Urgh… Perhaps, if I hadn't been portrayed to you as a sister, we might already be lovers by now… Having what you want in such close proximity but being unable to take it, really sucks… urgh…"

----------------------------------------------

Min Qing was having every possible kinds of thoughts. Perhaps, the atmosphere has triggered something within her.

Her eyes kept darting from Min Hong's mysterious golden-green eyes, to his tender soft and immature lips and manly build.

Every part of him was currently appealing to Min Qing, who was slightly sweating even in the cool night as her lips trembled.

She kept swallowing as her heart began to race.

She was seriously holding herself back from exploding with harem and eloping with Min Hong.

Probably because Min Qing was fully concentrated on hiding these emotions, or maybe Min Hong was just carried away from stargazing, he happened not to notice the sweating Min Qing whose eyes was currently reflecting the intensely chaotic state of her mind.

"Let me tell you a story about a legendary assassin who was betrayed by his closest friend, killed by those who were meant to be his kin and subjects and then stabbed in the back by people who he shared the same blood with…" Min Hong whispered to Min Qing.

She then moved her hand across his broad chest and hugged him tightly as she listened to the sweet musical instrumentals his heartbeats were making.

Then as his voices vibrated within his chest, it was sort of forming a melody that was in some way blissful to Min Qing.

She began to listen to the story Min Hong was currently narrating, and as Elder Yun glide seamlessly with the gentle wind, the environment gradually became silent until only the voice of Min Hong who was narrating the story could be heard…