Chapter 116: Bonds Beyond Consciousness
The forest clearing shimmered with the soft light of dawn,
a wide expanse encircled by trees, their branches swaying gently in the breeze,
the air thick with the earthy scent of moss, the faint metallic tang of dried blood, and a whisper of renewal,
sunlight filtering through in dappled patches, casting a mosaic of light and shadow across the trampled ground.
Lin Xuan stirred, his consciousness clawing its way back from the abyss,
his body aching from the aftermath of True Primal Instinct,
his black eyes—faintly glowing with white pupils—fluttering open to meet Anika's gaze,
the Celestial Unity Crest on his back dormant, a silent sentinel of his sealed cultivation.
She knelt beside him, her raven hair cascading like a midnight waterfall,
her presence a warm anchor as she wiped sweat from his brow with a gentle hand,
her voice soft but tinged with a playful lilt.
"You're awake, husband."
"What are you doing outside my sea of consciousness?" he rasped, his voice rough and confused,
his mind reeling as he tried to piece together the fragments of his lost control.
Anika smiled, her eyes glinting with a knowing warmth,
leaning closer as she adjusted the cloth on his forehead.
"You lost control and collapsed, Xuan'er.
I've been caring for you these past days, husband. You needed me."
He scowled, pushing himself up on shaky arms, his tone sharp with defiance.
"Stop calling me that—you're not my wife!
I don't know who you are, but this… this isn't right."
She leaned in, her voice softening but carrying a firm resolve that brooked no argument,
her breath warm against his ear as she whispered,
"No, you're wrong. I am yours, bound by a truth you've yet to remember.
You'll accept me soon—your heart already knows."
He turned away, his jaw tightening, a storm of emotions roiling within—confusion, anger, and a flicker of something he couldn't name.
Rising to his feet, he resumed his training with renewed vigor,
ignoring her presence as he dropped into Heaven-Pressing Stance,
his arms pressing the earth with a thud, the memory of Xiangzun's weight driving him forward.
The beasts watched from the clearing's edge, wary but curious,
their golden, amber, and brown eyes fixed on Anika,
her fluency in beast tongue a marvel as she exchanged quiet words with Yinlong,
her laughter a soft melody that carried on the breeze.
She observed Lin Xuan's relentless push-ups, then his Earth-Supporting Pillars—squats with legs like mountains—
and finally his Sky-Reaching Claw pull-ups on a low branch, his Celestial Glide footwork adding grace to his effort,
her presence a quiet challenge that lingered in the air, unspoken but palpable.
His mind raced, a tumult of thoughts as he trained,
her claim tugging at a thread tied to the Black Tomb tower—a memory of a pulse, a vision he couldn't grasp,
but he resisted, focusing on the burn in his muscles, the rhythm of his breath,
a silent vow to master himself before accepting any bond.
That night, he retreated to a cave shelter, the walls cool and damp against his back,
the air heavy with the scent of moss and the faint hum of the forest beyond,
sitting cross-legged as he meditated, the Celestial Unity Crest warming faintly,
the Black Tomb tower's pulse steadying his mind, a beacon amidst the chaos.
Anika followed, her silhouette framed by the cave entrance,
her voice a gentle intrusion as she sat nearby.
"You can't run from this, Xuan'er.
The tower… it's a link you'll understand in time."
He kept his eyes closed, his voice a low growl.
"I need no links I don't choose.
Leave me to my discipline—it's all I trust."
She sighed, a sound of patience rather than defeat,
settling into silence as the cave grew quiet,
the beasts' distant growls a faint lullaby,
her persistence a shadow he couldn't shake.
The night deepened, the cave shelter a cocoon of resolve,
the air lightening with the scent of earth and a budding tension.