The Vast Great Wilderness
The Great Wilderness stretched endlessly, its towering mountain ranges rising one after another, their peaks piercing the heavens. Ancient trees loomed like giants, their canopies blotting out the sky, while dense foliage carpeted the earth. This was a realm of boundless danger, a paradise for powerful legacy beasts. Here, life was a relentless cycle of slaughter—no rules, no morality, only the law of the jungle: the strong devoured the weak.
In just half a month, Lin Fan and Yue Chan had transformed into wildlings. Their clothes, torn and bloodied beyond repair, had been replaced with crude beast hides, marking their return to a primal state.
Boom!
A thunderous roar shook the earth, as if a dragon writhed beneath the surface. A surge of majestic energy shot skyward, scattering the clouds above in a breathtaking display.
The source of this phenomenon was none other than Yue Chan, whose power had soared. Behind her, nine Heavenly Passages blazed open, radiating torrents of refined energy and dazzling light, accompanied by a resonant hum of the Dao.
"I've finally opened nine Heavenly Passages! Two months ahead of schedule!" Yue Chan exclaimed, her soot-streaked face alight with joy.
Clad in a yellow tiger-skin garment, she had gone from a pristine snow princess to a grimy Cinderella. The only trace of her former elegance was the gleam of her pearly white teeth, sparkling like crystal.
Over the past ten days, relentless battles had stripped away her lofty, ethereal aura, leaving only her raw, unfiltered nature.
Though she had grumbled about Lin Fan's brutal training methods at first, she had come to appreciate their effectiveness. In the end, her complaints boiled down to two words: Truly amazing!
Is this how he's been training himself all along? Yue Chan muttered, glancing at the figure by the fire, busy roasting meat and simmering soup.
"What're you daydreaming about? Come eat! Jiao dragon meat is incredibly nourishing!" Lin Fan called out, tossing a medley of spices into the pot. The aroma was intoxicating, making mouths water.
This was no ordinary meal. The meat came from a formidable beast king—a jiao dragon that had ambushed Lin Fan while he drank by a river. With a flash of its runes, it nearly overwhelmed the surroundings, almost swallowing him whole.
Killing it had been no small feat. Lin Fan had fought tooth and nail, sustaining the worst injuries of his life—bones exposed, blood flowing freely. Yet his resilient physique and Singular Heavenly Passage had prevailed. The passage not only nullified the beast's runes but unleashed a surge of black-and-white energy, forming an immortal sword that slew the dragon.
Through this battle, Lin Fan had uncovered a new function of his Singular Heavenly Passage: the ability to devour a creature's vital essence, spirit, and energy to bolster his own strength.
The white energy of his divine disc symbolized life, with healing properties, while the black represented death, capable of siphoning the life force of all living things.
Though tempting, Lin Fan chose not to rely on this devouring ability. His innate constitution and origin were already formidable; absorbing others' essence could taint his purity, leading to more harm than good.
Suddenly, Lin Fan's senses sharpened, and he looked up with a yelp. "Hey, wife, slow down! Save some roast meat for me!"
On the fire rack, the golden, glistening jiao meat shimmered with faint rays of light. Dripping fat sizzled as it hit the flames, and with a sprinkle of spices and a glaze of honey, the meat was melt-in-your-mouth perfection—fragrant enough to drive anyone wild.
Indeed, the finest ingredients needed only the simplest preparation.
At moments like these, Yue Chan shed all pretense of refinement, diving into the meal with gusto, manners be damned.
"Bliss!"
A quarter-hour later, Lin Fan lounged against a tree trunk, patting his slightly bloated belly with contentment.
"Wife, aren't I good to you? Nine meals a day, each one a delicacy. Shame there aren't any pure-blood ferocious beasts in this wilderness—they'd taste even better," he said with a lazy drawl.
Yue Chan rolled her eyes, thoroughly unimpressed. Who in their right mind brings their fiancée to a desolate, danger-filled place like this? Shouldn't it be romantic strolls and sweet nothings?
As if reading her thoughts, Lin Fan grinned. "Don't take your blessings for granted. I wouldn't bring just anyone here for training."
"Oh, thanks so much," Yue Chan retorted, her voice dripping with sarcasm. She shot him a withering look, exasperated by his utter lack of romantic sensibility. His thought process was always so… peculiar.
Still, her initial fury had faded. She'd grown accustomed to their dynamic, her resentment now tinged with reluctant acceptance.
"Heh, if you don't work hard now, you might not even get a chance to be a 'brother' in the Human Emperor's Banner in the future…" Lin Fan said cryptically.
The world had shifted subtly because of his presence, altering certain destinies. Whether Yue Chan or Qing Yi, her main or secondary body, would follow their original paths was now uncertain.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Yue Chan frowned, sensing a deeper meaning but unable to grasp it.
Lin Fan didn't elaborate. Instead, he leapt down from the tree and approached her, extending his right hand. "Give me your hand."
"What for?" Yue Chan's eyes narrowed, and she stepped back warily, suspecting some mischief.
Smack!
"Ow! That hurts!" Yue Chan clutched her forehead, where a red mark bloomed. Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears as she glared at Lin Fan, looking ready to pounce and sink her teeth into him.
"What're you thinking? I'm too worn out for that," Lin Fan said, exasperated. He firmly grasped her delicate hand. "Hold still. You've been fighting nonstop—let me check for hidden injuries."
A warm, sacred green light glowed from Lin Fan's chest. Mysterious runes materialized, enveloping them both in a radiant aura.
"So warm…" Yue Chan gasped, relaxing as she realized he was genuinely healing her.
It felt like soaking in a divine spring, soothing and invigorating. A mysterious energy coursed through her, easing every tension, lifting her spirit to the clouds.
"Mmm… ah…"
She let out a soft, involuntary moan, her cheeks flushing as waves of comfort washed over her, transporting her to a primal state of bliss.
"Hey, wife, no need to get that eager. How long are you gonna cling to me? I'm still a pure, innocent boy, you know," Lin Fan teased, nudging her shoulder.
"What?!" Yue Chan's eyes snapped open, yanked from her reverie. She froze.
To her horror, she was draped over Lin Fan like a sloth, their faces so close she could feel his warm breath. Their proximity was startlingly intimate.
"Ugh, wife, your drool's on me! Watch it!" Lin Fan wailed, feigning disgust.
Mortified, Yue Chan's skin prickled with goosebumps. Her face burned from her ears to her neck. She leapt back, swinging a furious slap at him.
"Pah! Pervert!"
Lin Fan clutched his stinging cheek, indignant. "You—you—you! This woman! I was helping you, and you—!"
"Shut up!" Yue Chan snapped, her voice trembling with embarrassment. She ducked her head, patting her scalding cheeks, which felt like furnaces.
Even so, the flush refused to fade, her heart pounding wildly. She cursed herself for losing control.
"Hmph, talk about bad luck—getting slapped for nothing!"
Lin Fan rubbed the vivid handprint on his cheek, muttering sullenly, his forehead creased with dark lines.
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