Leaving aside the two women secretly competing back on the Qingyuan Sect's mountain, Fang Qingyuan had been cultivating peacefully in the Earth Cave Fire Domain. He had benefited greatly from a nearby active volcano on the verge of eruption, as the deep magma surging in its undercurrents brought him many treasures.
Three months later, when Situ Jingyu found Fang Qingyuan again, she saw that for once, he was not cultivating but was instead stroking Nanli.
Seeing this, Situ Jingyu understood that Fang Qingyuan was preparing to leave.
So, she tucked her reluctance away and asked with a casual expression:
"Are you preparing to leave?"
Fang Qingyuan nodded, stroking Nanli, who had gotten a bit chubbier.
"I've been away for three months, and a lot of sect business has piled up. I've also had something of a breakthrough in my Fire Element Techniques, so I'm getting ready to head back."
"It's good for you to go back. It's just... once you leave, I don't know when we'll meet again."
