Chapter 51

**Chapter 51: Yun Yun Recovers from Her Injury, Xiao Ning Departs**

Yun Yun clutched the strange purple crystal in her hand, her mouth slightly open in surprise. She was utterly bewildered. It took her a long moment to snap out of it. Ignoring her injuries, she stared intently at Xiao Ning, half in astonishment and half in disbelief.

"How is the Purple Spirit Crystal in your hands?!" she exclaimed.

This time, she was genuinely confused. She even suspected that she might be dreaming. To confirm reality, Yun Yun rubbed her eyes and pinched her wrist. Feeling the slight pain, she realized it was all real.

Xiao Ning casually explained, "That day when you were battling the Amethyst Winged Lion King, I happened to be near its cave. So, I thought, wouldn't its home be unguarded?"

He spread his hands as he recounted the story. Even Yun Yun couldn't help but marvel at his daring after hearing what had happened.

"This Purple Spirit Crystal should belong to you," Xiao Ning said frankly. "Because you kept the lion king occupied, I had the opportunity to steal it. It wouldn't be right for me to keep everything for myself."

Yun Yun hesitated. After all, Xiao Ning had risked his life to obtain the crystal. Even if he chose not to share it, she would still be indebted to him for saving her life. Yet, he still chose to give her the Purple Spirit Crystal!

Taking a deep breath, Yun Yun stared at Xiao Ning and said, "Then I'll accept it. If you ever need anything, just let me know."

Xiao Ning smiled but said nothing.

As the days passed, Yun Yun's condition improved steadily. Simple activities were no longer a problem, and the seal on her Dou Qi began to loosen. The day of her full recovery was approaching.

Once Yun Yun could move around more freely, she asked Xiao Ning to teach her how to grill fish. Staying in the cave all day, doing nothing while Xiao Ning took care of everything, made her feel uneasy. Xiao Ning secretly found this amusing but was happy to oblige.

However, it turned out that Yun Yun's cooking skills were far from her talent for cultivation. Despite Xiao Ning's guidance, she often ended up with charred, unrecognizable objects. This led Xiao Ning to sigh, "I never imagined that someone could have such a natural 'kitchen killer' physique!"

Finally, after much effort, when two reasonably edible grilled fish appeared in Yun Yun's hands, she felt a deep sense of relief and satisfaction. She hadn't expected such a seemingly simple task to be so challenging.

"Here, try the grilled fish I made. Don't even think about spitting it out—eat it all!" Yun Yun handed Xiao Ning one of the grilled fish like it was a precious treasure. Xiao Ning smiled helplessly as he took it, thinking to himself, "As long as it's cooked, it should be edible!"

To his surprise, the taste wasn't bad at all. At least she remembered to add salt.

"How is it?" Yun Yun eagerly asked as Xiao Ning swallowed the first bite. Xiao Ning waved the grilled fish and said with some emotion, "It's good, but why didn't you add any special seasonings?"

"Seems like I still don't have what it takes to be the protagonist!" he muttered to himself.

Yun Yun was confused by his words and didn't understand what he meant.

Happy moments always seem to be short-lived. As the days went by, Yun Yun's injuries were almost fully healed, and the seal on her Dou Qi was nearly undone.

During this time, as Xiao Ning left the cave every day to hunt monsters, returning at night covered in blood and carrying his prey, the relationship between the two grew closer. Yun Yun no longer seemed like the lofty leader of a sect but more like an ordinary woman.

This seemingly simple life left a deep mark on her, becoming an unforgettable experience in her cultivation journey of more than ten years. These ten days would be etched in her memory forever.

As for Xiao Ning, Yun Yun had concluded that he would achieve great things in the future. He possessed talent, character, and persistence—the essential qualities of a strong individual, all harmoniously balanced in Xiao Ning. If anyone claimed that Xiao Ning would not have a bright future, Yun Yun would be the first to disagree.

When Xiao Ning returned with prey once more, Yun Yun suddenly said, "Tomorrow, I should be able to break the seal."

Startled, Xiao Ning paused while handling the prey, then turned to her with a smile. "Congratulations!"

This period was also a precious memory for Xiao Ning, but he wasn't attached to it. On the Dou Qi Continent, strength was respected—might made right. Though he wasn't yet a match for a Dou Huang, with the inheritance of Emperor Huang Tian, it was only a matter of time.

Even if they parted ways tomorrow, Xiao Ning believed their paths would cross again in the near future.

Yun Yun remained calm as she added, "I've been away from the sect for too long. I should return."

Xiao Ning nodded, smiling. "Of course. Do you want to take some of the Warcraft Mountain Range's specialties back with you?" He jokingly waved a bear paw in his hand.

Yun Yun was amused by his antics and, after a moment, replied, "Sure."

Xiao Ning waved his hand. "Then I better get everything ready at the lake."

With that, he left the cave.

Yun Yun quietly watched his retreating figure until he disappeared outside the cave. A hint of sadness crossed her peaceful face, and a ripple disturbed her previously calm state of mind.

"What a pity," she murmured to herself, the words fading into the quiet of the cave.

The next morning, when the warm light of dawn fell on Xiao Ning as he slept, he suddenly opened his eyes and immediately turned his head.

Yun Yun was seated cross-legged on the stone bed, her strange green sword lying flat across her legs. Today, she had changed back into the snow-white robe she wore when they first met and had once again adorned the phoenix hair ornament she had set aside during her recovery. Her long, black hair was gathered behind her head, giving her a faint air of nobility. Her beautiful face was serene and composed, with no trace of the weakness she had shown in recent days.

"Are you awake?" she asked softly, noticing that Xiao Ning had stirred. Her voice was still as crisp and pleasant as ever.

Xiao Ning glanced at Yun Yun, smiled, and handed her a black ring. Scratching his head with one hand, he said casually, "Inside are some of the specialties of the Warcraft Mountain Range that I collected. I've cleaned and prepared everything. I know you might not like them, but they could be nice keepsakes. Consider it a gift for your journey."

Yun Yun hesitated briefly before taking the ring, then nodded and walked out of the cave with elegant, graceful steps.

Xiao Ning followed her, and Yun Yun tossed an ancient gold-plated token engraved with the word "Yun" toward him. Xiao Ning instinctively caught it and heard Yun Yun say, "This is for saving my life—your first favor—and for the gift of the Purple Spirit Crystal—the second. If you ever encounter trouble in the future, you can come to the Yunlan Sect and find me with this token."

Before she finished speaking, her figure had already vanished.

Xiao Ning tossed the token in his hand, feeling its weight, then stored it in his ring. Without further delay, he turned and left the cave.

High in the sky, Yun Yun watched the young man below as he departed. She sighed softly, then transformed into a streak of light, flying out of the Warcraft Mountain Range.