Gu Yi's dark side was terrified to find its body disappearing, gradually merging into Gu Yi's body.
"No, I don't want this! I haven't truly experienced enjoyment yet." it pleaded, but Gu Yi's hand remained steady.
As its memories and dirty thoughts merged into him, Gu Yi showed a look of satisfaction. Finally, he was complete again.
With the last trace of black mist absorbed, the illusion shattered, and Gu Yi found himself back in his spiritual sea. Seeing it still heavily corroded by evil energy, he frowned. Any slower, and it would have been disastrous. If not for a gentle force resisting the evil energy, he might have been lost, turning into an evil incarnation even if he had defeated his dark side.
Now that he was back, everything could be resolved. Gu Yi used his immense spiritual power to force the evil energy back into the Evil God Bead, quickly restoring his spiritual sea.
Outside, Tang Yuehua, unaware of what was happening, noticed the diminishing evil energy from Gu Yi and realized the crisis had passed.
Now, for the final step.
Gu Yi merged the Demon Seed with the Evil God Bead. Since the two were inherently compatible, there was no sign of rejection, much to Gu Yi's relief. He also sensed the state of the Evil God Bead, which seemed like a special treasure. The Demon Seed, condensed from his spiritual power, was essentially recognizing this treasure as its owner.
Just as he thought everything was calm, he noticed a strand of evil thought being drawn from outside into the Evil God Bead. Though it was minuscule, it confirmed his theory. The combination of the Demon Seed and the Evil God Bead could indeed attract evil thoughts from around the world. This special treasure might eventually grow into a divine artifact of immense power. However, it was too early to say.
Gu Yi didn't pay much attention to this strand of evil thought; it was just the beginning. More evil thoughts would follow until he could no longer manage. But Gu Yi wouldn't let that happen.
Opening his eyes, Gu Yi saw the pale face of Tang Yuehua. He realized it was already dark outside. He didn't know how much time had passed. Maintaining her domain was draining, especially for someone like Tang Yuehua, who was just a low-level spirit master. Even though her domain was primarily based on spiritual power, the consumption was still very high.
"You've finally awake." Tang Yuehua sighed in relief before collapsing.
She had maintained the Noble Domain for three hours, something she had never done despite her familiarity with it. Both her spirit power and spirit had reached their limits, and if not for her concern for Gu Yi, she would have fainted long ago.
The next moment, Gu Yi, who had been sitting on the ground, vanished, and Tang Yuehua fell into his warm embrace.
"It seems I can't do without you from now on," Gu Yi said, looking at the pale woman with a trace of pity in his eyes. If it weren't for her constant use of the Noble Domain, this situation could have ended disastrously.
Gu Yi helped Tang Yuehua up and channeled his spirit power into her, aiding in her recovery. He then carried her out of the cave. Since their task here was complete, it was time to leave. The forest environment was not ideal. They moved faster on the way back, as Gu Yi was flying. Soon, they reached their carriage.
However, Gu Yi decided not to travel through the night. Tang Yuehua needed rest more than a quick return to Heaven Dou City. He then found a high-end inn for them to stay in.
...
The next day.
At noon, Tang Yuehua woke up feeling refreshed in a soft bed.
"Where am I?" she wondered, looking around the luxurious room in confusion. She thought she was still dreaming. Just a moment ago, she had been in the forest; now, she was in such a fancy place.
She then heard the door opening and saw Gu Yi enter, carrying a bowl of porridge.
"You seem to have recovered well," he said.
"How did I get here?" Tang Yuehua asked, looking at Gu Yi like he was her anchor.
"Last night, you overexerted your spirit power and spirit and fell unconscious, so I brought you back," Gu Yi explained, sitting on a chair by the bed and handing her the specially made medicinal porridge. "Eat something; you haven't eaten all day."
Tang Yuehua's nose twitched, and her eyes lit up at the pleasant aroma. "How did everything go?" she asked, curious about their mission's outcome. They had almost met disaster, after all.
"Everything went well. However, I might not be able to leave you now," Gu Yi replied with a smile, then frowned. In the forest, the evil thoughts were minimal, but upon reaching the town, countless evil thoughts were drawn to the Evil God Bead, overwhelming him.
He could even extract some memories or images from these evil thoughts, making him like a machine for searching and absorbing evil thoughts, with the Evil God Bead as the container. Though the orb prevented these thoughts from overwhelming him, the constant flow was still bothersome, especially the occasional inappropriate images.
Despite all that, it was still good mental training, strengthening his spiritual power significantly faster than before.
"Eat up. Once you've rested, we'll return to Heaven Dou City."
Tang Yuehua nodded and began eating the porridge. The taste was excellent, and a warm feeling flowed through her body, even enhancing her spirit power slightly.
"This porridge?" Tang Yuehua asked in astonishment.
"I added some nourishing herbs; they're good for you," Gu Yi replied. If Tang Yuehua hadn't collapsed due to his actions, he would have been reluctant to use such precious herbs. After all, he had limited amounts and would need to ask Dugu Bo for more.
Tang Yuehua, surprised and grateful, ate the precious porridge silently. Her spirit power had stagnated for decades, so she cherished every chance to improve it.
Gu Yi was right; her martial spirit wasn't weak and it could even rival the Clear Sky Hammer.
(End of Chapter)