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"Speaking of which, you haven't answered me yet, how did you defeat that giant worm so effortlessly..."

"Not to mention a novice junior brother like you, even a disciple at the Core Formation stage would probably find it difficult to face that giant monster alone!"

"Yino, what exactly is your background?"

After a moment of healing and gratitude, Jinyue couldn't help but curiously bring the topic back around.

She pursed her rose-colored lips, her gaze filled with honesty rather than suspicion and scheming.

This was already worlds apart from her previous playful and teasing attitude.

Now, even if Yino was unwilling to answer, Jinyue would no longer use illusions to extract information.

She might be a bit mischievous, but she wasn't foolish.

"The reason is simple to explain."

Yino knew that the recent battle had already exposed his identity, so he shrugged nonchalantly.

The fox girl sat up straight, cupping her face and listening attentively.

But then, Yino mysteriously smiled and said—

"Jinyue, do you really believe that the seventh young master from the Grand Tutor's Mansion would actually be an incompetent good-for-nothing?"

Just like Jinyue's previous false confession, Yino didn't mind returning the favor with a well-intentioned lie.

After all, they both still had hidden cards, so neither could blame the other for being deceitful later.

"Hmm, make sense."

Jinyue nodded, "The Grand Tutor's Mansion is the highest noble power in the Great Dragon Dynasty apart from the royal family, controlling politics, finance, and military..."

"Your He family has produced talented individuals year after year, known for strict family rules. It wouldn't make sense to spoil a young master into becoming a wastrel."

Yino just raised a suspenseful point, and Jinyue quickly extrapolated, pondering thoughtfully.

However, as Yino's true strength surfaced, Jinyue couldn't help but recall the sins she had committed at the Grand Tutor's Mansion.

A flash of unease passed through the girl's enchanting eyes. She carefully looked up at Yino, even her three fox tails behind her curled up guiltily.

But after a long gaze, Yino still showed no reaction.

"What's wrong?"

Yino feigned confusion. He certainly knew what Jinyue was uneasy about. She was worried that her illusions had never truly hypnotized Yino all along, which would make her the real fool.

But as long as Yino kept his lips sealed, this doubt would soon dissipate on its own.

After all, if Yino really knew that Jinyue had used illusions to send him to his death, then in Jinyue's understanding, Yino wouldn't possibly risk his life to save his enemy now.

Jinyue believed that true saints existed in this world, but she didn't believe Yino would be such a fool.

And this was precisely the logical loophole that Yino had been relying on.

Jinyue could never guess Yino's identity as a reincarnator. Therefore, Yino's various behaviors could only be interpreted by Jinyue at face value, while Yino always stood at the fifth level with a player's point of view.

"Ahahah, nothing! Just feeling that encountering Young Master Yino tonight is a rare blessing in my life..."

Jinyue blinked, hiding the guilt in her heart and expressing gratitude to Yino in a different way.

Noticing the guilt reflected in her gaze, Yino couldn't suppress a smile as he spoke gently:

"Since we now have a life-and-death bond. At this point, I should be honest with Miss Jinyue — I did indeed hide my strength, and as someone from the Grand Tutor's Mansion, I do have some ulterior motives for coming to the Wuji Sect."

"However, just like your previous demon fox identity, my hidden identity is also a well-intentioned lie. My goal has never been about you, and I've never had any ill intentions towards the demon race..."

"Miss Jinyue, we can still be friends like before, because our interests don't conflict, so there's no need for us to be overly suspicious of each other."

"When we leave this Mountain Temple tonight, I'll still be your Junior Brother, and Miss Jinyue will still be my Senior Sister who has shared a life-and-death experience with me."

As he finished speaking, Yino's cold gaze also turned into a gentle smile, facing the nervous fox girl not far away.

Jinyue listened silently.

As a demon from the Western Regions who had been in the jianghu for years, she naturally understood the rules of this "way."

Gentlemen judge by deeds, not by thoughts.

As long as there's no conflict of interest, the best way to get along is to coexist in the same room, not questioning the past and living in the present.

Moreover... Yino had exposed his identity to save Jinyue.

Given the strength he had just demonstrated, his willingness to take a step back was already very humble.

Jinyue could sense an air of unpretentious refinement from a scholarly family in Yino, as well as a mature wisdom that completely belied his age. The combination of these two qualities in a handsome sixteen-year-old boy was truly exceptional.

"Young Master is right."

The fox girl tucked her tails, reining in her charm, and spoke seriously.

As if basking in Yino's gaze, Jinyue felt she should act more mature and sensible.

Although she had no intention of using her acting skills to get close to Yino again, a sweet smile still involuntarily appeared at the corners of her lips.

Even when she met Yino's eyes, her peach blossom eyes still habitually narrowed into charming crescent moons.

She thought this must be the most genuine feeling between friends.

[Friends], [Feelings]...

For Jinyue, these were already such unfamiliar words.

It was also ironic. She had just boasted to Yino about being the chosen one of the fox clan.

But in fact, all her close relatives and friends who had once been close to her were now nothing but white bones, buried under the ruins of the abyss in the Western Regions.

Since then, Jinyue had always been alone. After many years, it seemed she had made a new friend.

And what was more ironic was— This new friend of hers was still destined to die according to the [Prophecy].

Thinking of this, Jinyue suddenly lost her previous happiness. She looked at Yino, biting her red lips lightly, as if the budding feelings in her heart had been doused with cold water.

After all, she didn't know how many more years the boy destined to die in the prophecy could live.

"By the way, Young Master has been holding and playing with my foot for such a long time..."

Jinyue suddenly spoke up.

She came back to her senses from her past memories, her cute face inevitably tinged with a blush of shyness as she asked softly, "Um, is the ointment not fully applied yet? I feel my sole is tingling again, it's so strange..."

Although the treatment had ended, Yino hadn't let go of Jinyue's foot.

During this long conversation, Jinyue's foot had become very sensitive under his touch, her jade toes involuntarily curling up, and even her breathing had become somewhat shy and rapid.

Upon hearing this, Yino suddenly realized something.

He put down Jinyue's beautiful foot, which had already been played with until it was flushed and warm, cleared his throat nonchalantly, and then said seriously:

"This isn't playing with your foot, it's a method of infusing spiritual energy to help your skin absorb the nutrients from the ointment more effectively. This way, not only can it heal your previous injuries, but it can also help catalyze the rooting of the seal."

"Is, is that so... I didn't know there was such a medical technique, no wonder I felt a tingling in my sole..."

Jinyue held back her blush and let out a long breath.

She curled her feet back, hugging her knees as she crouched by the wall, but her soles were so sensitive that even touching the ground seemed to make her heart tingle, causing Jinyue to involuntarily let out a soft "Mmm~".

She lowered her gaze and found that apart from her skin being flushed and warm, even the red markings on her ankles and soles seemed to have become more lustrous and noticeable.

And also... After Yino's doing, it seemed that in the totems on the sole of her right foot, a small pink petal mark had appeared right in the center of her foot.