The environment of the Blue Silver Grass Forest was highly suitable for Su Cheng's cultivation.
This suitability didn't stem from the dense natural soul power; he didn't need to rely on absorbing soul power to improve. Instead, the key was the ancient and tranquil atmosphere of the forest, as well as its remote and rarely visited location. Compared to other places, this unique ambiance that could influence one's state of mind was more beneficial for him to further integrate his strength.
Additionally, thanks to the uniqueness of her abilities, Ah Yin's soul power, while not yet fully combat-ready, could assist Su Cheng in his cultivation. If Bibi Dong's soul power helped him strengthen his soul essence, harmonize yin and yang, and deepen his foundation, then Ah Yin's power, though not as strong as Bibi Dong's, provided a more comprehensive and supportive effect.
By enhancing the activity of Su Cheng's inner true force, Ah Yin's energy accelerated the integration of his soul into his body, making her assistance even more effective.
However, this peaceful life couldn't last forever, as he still had many other things to take care of.
Time passed, and another month went by.
In the depths of the Blue Silver Grass Forest, Su Cheng sat with his eyes closed, silently observing his internal state. With the powerful instinctual feedback of his true force, his body held no secrets from him. Whether it was his bones, meridians, or bloodline and martial soul, everything was laid bare.
Even the faint golden flames that had once been difficult to handle, which were attached to his meridians and flesh, had now almost entirely dissipated. If he wished, it wouldn't take much effort to completely rid himself of them.
His strength had now reached the upper level of a Tier 3 god, with no weaknesses.
Yet, despite this, there were still two aspects within his body that he couldn't fully comprehend.
The first was his external soul bone, the "True Vision Eye." This miraculous organ, containing the power of origins, had played a crucial role in his cultivation and research, yet it held mysteries he still couldn't fully grasp. He could vaguely sense that it wasn't complete. Though its structure was intricate, it seemed to lack some kind of core. If he could somehow fill this gap in the future, he might unlock even greater abilities beyond mere "perception."
The second was the "Simulator," which had altered his martial soul talent and had always guided him with some mysterious will, helping him grow. He had finally glimpsed its true form. Contrary to his previous belief, it wasn't attached to his spiritual sea or soul but was instead hidden deep within his bloodline. Its energy was very similar to the power of origins, but unlike the small drop of origin power he had previously acquired, this energy was vast in quantity and seamlessly self-contained.
Perhaps due to its sheer volume, this energy developed some special properties, or rather, operational rules, that constantly interacted with his body and the external environment. It was likely this unique characteristic that allowed it to have such a profound impact on Su Cheng and even those around him.
"...Then I might as well do it one last time," Su Cheng muttered, making a decision as he slowly opened his eyes and exhaled a breath of turbid air. When he next entered the simulated world, he would stimulate this energy with his true force, unleashing all its power in one go.
After all, he couldn't directly absorb this energy, so there was no possibility of skipping the simulation stage and gaining the rewards. Besides, even if he could, it wouldn't be particularly meaningful. While the power of origins was strong, for him, it only enhanced his energy circulation efficiency, acting as a catalyst.
Given the sheer volume of this origin power, its marginal utility had significantly diminished. Instead of utilizing it in a rough manner, it would be better to enter the simulation and convert this energy into other benefits by completing tasks.
However, if he were to unleash all of it, the next simulated world would likely be far more complex than before...
"What are you thinking about?"
While Su Cheng was deep in thought, a gentle voice suddenly came from behind him.
Ah Yin had quietly approached him at some point.
Seeing the slightly solemn expression on his face, she instinctively raised her hand and gently stroked his furrowed brow with her fingertips, smoothing out the crease.
"Nothing much," Su Cheng replied, snapping back to reality. A smile reappeared on his face as he wrapped an arm around her.
His hand quickly found its way to a familiar spot, gently kneading it.
In an instant, a soft sensation spread from his fingertips, sending a wave of refreshing comfort through his body.
However, in his embrace, Ah Yin seemed to be struggling to handle the stimulation or perhaps the embarrassment of the situation. She immediately turned and buried her head in his chest, hiding their intimate actions.
Also hidden was her blushing face, now completely flushed with redness. Despite having been through such situations many times, she still felt extremely shy. She couldn't quite understand how he could act so nonchalantly during such intimate moments.
"Have you made up your mind?"
"Made up my mind about what?" Ah Yin mumbled, her face buried in Su Cheng's chest, her voice somewhat muffled. She wanted to ask him to stop, but felt too embarrassed to say it directly, so she merely wriggled slightly.
"When will you acknowledge our relationship and stop deceiving yourself here?" Su Cheng asked.
Ah Yin raised her head, pressing her hand against his misbehaving hand, and silently observed him. She then replied softly, "If you're tired of staying with me, you can just leave. Why ask me?"
"Tired of staying? Why would you say that?"
"I can sense that you have something on your mind."
"Sigh, of course I have something on my mind. I've been counting the days." Su Cheng sighed, shaking his head.
"You're talking nonsense."
Hearing his response, Ah Yin's previously calm expression broke, and her face reddened as she averted her gaze, avoiding his eyes.
Su Cheng found her reaction amusing.
To be honest, among the women he had close relationships with, Ah Yin was the oldest and had some past experiences. By logic, she should be the most comfortable with such matters. However, she was actually the shyest of them all.
The others, whether it was Qian Renxue, Zhu Zhuqing, or Bibi Dong, rarely displayed such embarrassment. And though Ah Yin's personality was submissive and she often seemed easy to bully, she was surprisingly firm in this particular area.
"Why is it nonsense? Desire is a driving force for human progress," Su Cheng said with a grin. "Why are you still hesitating?"
"At least... not in the Blue Silver Grass Forest..."
"Why not here? I can block out any distractions; it won't be a problem."
"Still, no."
"Alright." Su Cheng sighed, "But I do have some business to attend to. It shouldn't take too long. When I'm done, I'll come back to accompany you. How about that?"
As he spoke, he raised an eyebrow at Ah Yin, "So, do you want to come with me?"
Ah Yin glanced at him, looking slightly tempted but hesitant.
"If you have any concerns, just tell me."
"I'm willing to go with you, but... it means seeing those people again..."
Ah, so she's socially anxious.
Su Cheng chuckled silently, then extended his hand. The Eternal Sword, now only holding the seventh spirit ring, appeared in his grasp.
He flicked the blade with his finger and asked, "How do you feel about this?"
Ah Yin's existence was very unique; she wasn't truly human. Although there hadn't been any identical cases like hers in the world, other similar special cases weren't completely unheard of.
For example, some spirit beasts that could take human form without needing to cultivate again, or the existence of certain elemental spirits—human bodies were merely one manifestation of such entities.
Ah Yin blushed and lightly chided, "What are you thinking? Trying to control me like before?"
"What would I control you for? Of course, I'd let you come and go as you please. Besides, without your consent, with your current energy properties, I don't have the means to control you like I did before. But speaking of which…" Su Cheng eyed her strangely, sizing her up, "Why are you blushing? Could it be that you have a kink for being controlled and hope I'll do that to you?"
"Stop saying such nonsense! I didn't mean that!" Ah Yin immediately retorted, feeling flustered.
"Alright, alright, I was just joking. Besides, even if I let you reside in the Eternal Sword, it would only be temporary. After a while, you might not even have the chance to come back in."
"What do you mean?" she asked, surprised.
"When I break through in my cultivation, this martial spirit will no longer be necessary. I will completely integrate this bloodline into my body to enhance my physical essence."
"…Is it really necessary?" Ah Yin pursed her thin lips, a ripple stirring in her heart.
This Eternal Sword held a very special significance for her.
Noticing her change in expression, Su Cheng hesitated and then reconsidered, "Keeping it is also an option. Although it might be a bit wasteful, if it's your request, I don't mind agreeing. Actually, the key lies in this seventh spirit ring. It's invaluable to me. As for the martial spirit itself, it doesn't matter that much."
Ah Yin glanced at the Eternal Sword in Su Cheng's hand, then looked at his expression, her eyes flickering.
"Then I'll stay with you," she said softly.
This decision wasn't difficult for her.
In truth, Ah Yin wasn't ready to part from Su Cheng either.
Although he had previously promised to stay with her, she wasn't someone who was overly demanding.
She was always considerate of others, so naturally, she didn't want to tie Su Cheng down and waste his time or hinder other matters.
To Ah Yin, his willingness to stay with her was enough.
"Since you've agreed to leave with me, no longer staying in the Blue Silver Grass Forest, does that mean you're willing to take our relationship a step further?" Su Cheng asked.
"Don't say that right now." Ah Yin blushed again, quickly changing the subject, "Where do you plan to go next?"
Seeing her reaction, Su Cheng didn't press the matter. Instead, he observed her expression and slowly said, "I plan to find Xiaoxue, to see if I can discover her whereabouts. With my current concealment abilities, as long as I don't get too close, she shouldn't notice my presence."
No matter what, it had been a long time since things happened. Even if Xiaoxue was still furious, her emotions should have calmed down somewhat by now.
Even if she didn't plan to return to Spirit Hall anytime soon, he couldn't just sit idly by and wait. He had to be proactive.
However, regarding this matter, Su Cheng wasn't very confident.
Whatever the outcome, whether or not he could find her was still uncertain.
This world wasn't limited to the Douluo Continent alone. There were the Extreme North, vast oceans, and even other continents…
If Qian Renxue wasn't within the borders of the two major empires, then where could he possibly find her in this vast world?
Right now, all he could do was try his best.
But in reality, there was a high probability that she was no longer within the territories of the two empires.
Because this place no longer provided any meaningful challenge for Qian Renxue.
She and Su Cheng were in similar situations.
For her, comprehending the Divine Sun Intent at this stage and further harmonizing the will within her body to control that higher-level energy was far more important than absorbing spirit power or adding spirit rings.
Moreover, the main reason Qian Renxue chose to leave Spirit Hall in the first place was to avoid him.
Given that, how could she still linger on this continent?
However, Ah Yin didn't show any displeasure towards his plan. Instead, she nodded in agreement, saying, "You've indeed wronged her. You should find her and sincerely apologize."
"You don't mind?" Su Cheng was a bit surprised.
Her reaction caught him off guard.
"…" Ah Yin lowered her head in silence for a moment before softly speaking, "What right do I have to mind? I've been married before; I've had a child—"
"I've told you many times not to bring that up again."
Before she could finish her sentence, Su Cheng impatiently interrupted.
He frowned and said sternly, "I've never cared about your past. The fact that we've come this far is because I pursued it. You don't need to take all the blame onto yourself."
Ah Yin looked at him, her lips moved, but eventually, she let out a sigh and said, "Alright, even if that's the case, what about Qian Renxue? Can she not mind either? She cares about you so much, values you so deeply, she even risked her life to force you to choose between her and Zhu Zhuqing. My presence only makes things more difficult for you both."
As she spoke, she gently stroked Su Cheng's cheek, "Don't worry. I won't place any restrictions on you. I've already said before that no matter what you do, I will support you."
"Is that so…"
Su Cheng gazed at her, and after some thought, he said, "Then let me make it clear in advance—if you regret this later, I won't accept it. If you try to find someone else, no matter who it is, I'll find that person and kill them."
"Pfft~" Ah Yin couldn't help but laugh softly, "Don't worry. As long as you don't abandon me like before, I won't leave you. Even if you did, I wouldn't go looking for someone else."
Although her declaration might seem shameless, it brightened her mood considerably.
"I'm not as smart as you or the others. I just long for the warmth of the human world. As for those complicated emotions, I never truly understood them. Maybe… I'm not really human after all."
As she said this, she couldn't help but feel a bit melancholy.
What were the many emotions of humans like?
Even excluding the time she spent just after her transformation and the period when her soul slumbered after sacrificing herself, she had spent nearly twenty years in the human world.
Yet when it came to understanding human emotions, it still felt like she was looking through frosted glass—everything remained blurry and unclear.
"Humans are complex beings by nature. No two people in the world are exactly the same. In that regard, you're already purer than most."
"Mm." Ah Yin nodded, her water-colored eyes gazing into Su Cheng's. "From now on, tell fewer lies, okay?"
"Uh, why bring that up all of a sudden?" Faced with her gaze, Su Cheng suddenly felt a bit embarrassed.