Chapter 737: If I can successfully come out of seclusion, can I be your concubine?

「Ten years passed.」

Xiao Mo’s injuries had fully healed, and his Realm had even advanced to the Late-stage Jade Realm.

Meanwhile, the great war between the Human Alliance and the Demon Alliance had flared up with new intensity, raging more fiercely than ever before.

Xiao Mo and Tushan Jing Ci once again stepped onto the battlefield to fend off the Demon Alliance’s assault.

He recalled how in the past, Tushan Meng and Tushan Jing Ci had often appeared at the very forefront of the battle lines.

But now, the two of them were nowhere to be found on the battlefield.

Rumor had it that Tushan Jing Ci had now reached the Mid-stage Immortal Realm and was in arduous, secluded cultivation, attempting a Realm Breakthrough into the Late-stage Immortal Realm in one go.

If the rumors were true, once a Cultivator of the Upper Three Realms entered seclusion, it could easily last a hundred years. They would not be able to see Tushan Jing Ci for many years to come.

As for Tushan Meng, she was rumored to be completely tied down by that immense Grand Array.

Regardless, after another fifty years of being tempered by the slaughter on the battlefield, coupled with his nightly dual cultivation with Gui Junmeng, the bottleneck of Xiao Mo’s Late-stage Jade Realm was gradually loosening.

Gui Junmeng was also making steady progress toward the Late-stage Immortal Realm.

By now, Gui Junmeng’s cultivation progress had completely caught up to Tushan Jing Ci’s.

Meanwhile, Liu Shui, who was always by Xiao Mo’s side, also cultivated with extreme diligence and had reached the Late-stage Golden Core Realm.

Decades ago, after Liu Shui had pressed Xiao Mo’s palm to her heart and been discovered by Gui Junmeng, she had run out in embarrassment and indeed locked herself in her room for some time.

But Liu Shui knew that she couldn’t keep running away forever.

Eventually, Liu Shui emerged from her courtyard.

A few days later, when they met again, it was somewhat awkward, but Xiao Mo and Gui Junmeng never brought up the incident.

After that, the three of them seemed to reach a tacit understanding, and things went back to how they were before.

Although Xiao Mo had not taken Liu Shui as a concubine, in practice, the way she took care of his daily life was virtually no different from that of a concubine.

「Another twenty years passed.」

Liu Shui’s Realm showed no signs of progress.

Just as Xiao Mo had predicted, Liu Shui’s talent was ultimately limited. The Golden Core Realm was likely her limit, and it would be difficult for her to make any further breakthroughs.

And yet, Sister Liu Shui desperately wanted to break through to the Nascent Soul Realm.

Xiao Mo had a faint feeling that Sister Liu Shui’s impatience was perhaps spurred on by the progress he and Jun Meng were making.

‘It’s true that my Realm and Gui Junmeng’s have been advancing extremely quickly.’

‘But the problem is, in the entire world, how many people could possibly cultivate as fast as I can?’

Gui Junmeng noticed that Liu Shui’s Dao Heart was becoming unstable and wanted Xiao Mo to go and talk to her.

In truth, even without Gui Junmeng saying anything, Xiao Mo had already planned to do so.

In the days that followed, Xiao Mo specifically sought a few opportunities to have a heart-to-heart with Liu Shui, tactfully telling her that the Golden Core Realm was already quite impressive.

Xiao Mo was telling the truth. A Golden Core Realm Cultivator, regardless of which Sect they were in, was already at the level of an Elder, with a lifespan that could reach a thousand years.

The vast majority of Cultivators never reached Sister Liu Shui’s Realm.

“Sister Liu Shui, you’re only just over two hundred years old. You still have a long road ahead. Just keep moving forward steadily, and you might encounter an opportunity to step into the Nascent Soul Realm in the future.”

Hearing Xiao Mo’s words, Liu Shui lowered her head, a flicker of disappointment quietly passing through her eyes…

“Young Master… I know…”

Liu Shui raised her head and looked at Xiao Mo earnestly, her voice tinged with a complex mix of emotions.

“But, Young Master, I’m well aware of the depths of my own cultivation talent.”

“Although I reached the Late-stage Golden Core Realm in just over two hundred years, which at first glance seems extremely fast, it’s only because I happened to find a Cultivation Technique that suited my constitution.”

“Daoist Yun Xi knew long ago that my talent was limited and that breaking into the Nascent Soul Realm would be nearly impossible for me. My Spirit Root was always best suited for the early stages of cultivation.”

“That’s why the Dao-Cloud Art that Daoist Yun Xi passed on to me allowed my cultivation to be smooth sailing from the start. I reached the Golden Core Realm in only two hundred years. But as my age and Realm increase, my cultivation will only become more and more difficult…”

“Of course, Young Master, I’m not saying this to blame Daoist Yun Xi. She explained the advantages and disadvantages to me before she taught me the Dao-Cloud Art.”

“But… I still want to take one more step forward… I want to try, while the gate to the Nascent Soul Realm has not yet closed completely.”

“Otherwise, if another hundred years pass… I’ll truly have no hope left…”

She took a deep breath, a stubborn light shining in her eyes. “Young Master, next month, I want to go temper myself in another legion of the Human Alliance. I can’t let you protect me anymore.”

Xiao Mo wanted to refuse.

But looking into her obstinate eyes…

Xiao Mo knew, ‘what right do I have to stop Sister Liu Shui from pursuing the Great Dao?’

In the end, Xiao Mo nodded and agreed.

For the next forty years, Liu Shui fought on a different front, always charging at the forefront of every major battle.

On the battlefield, being tempered between life and death and quenched in the blood of Demons finally allowed her Realm to break through to the Golden Core Realm of Perfection.

However, while carrying out a surprise attack mission, Liu Shui was ambushed by the Demon Alliance.

She only managed to fight her way out of the encirclement by desperately burning her Essence Blood.

When Xiao Mo heard the news, he immediately used the Talisman he had left on Liu Shui to find her.

When Xiao Mo found her, Liu Shui was drenched in blood, her breathing faint and shallow.

Because Liu Shui’s injuries were too severe for her to remain on the front lines, Xiao Mo and Gui Junmeng brought her back to the Seeking Immortal Temple.

Xiao Mo saved Liu Shui’s life.

However, the loss of her Essence Blood was so great that not only was the foundation of her Realm damaged, but even her lifespan was affected.