Morse stared at the gargantuan mouth of the cave before him, genuinely wondering when this place had even come to exist. It felt "new," as if it were a recent addition to the landscape.
How? Simply put, there was no moss or vegetation on its jagged edges. It looked as though the cave itself had erupted from the bowels of the earth.
"Could it be the Living Moon species?" Morse muttered.
Ni Ni Layan looked at him in sheer astonishment. "How on earth do you know about that species?"
Legends and bedtime stories told to frighten children speak of a monster—a serpent that emerges from the depths of the earth, opening its maw to wait for prey to wander inside before devouring them and retreating back into the soil.
"The maids used to tell me tales about it when I was a child..."
Morse stepped forward, approaching the cave. He felt the stone edges for a single second before entering immediately. He was gauging everything through intuition. If this was a mistake—if this was merely the gullet of a beast—then either death awaited him, or an ambush. Whichever came first.
"Are you an idiot or what?"
Ni Ni Layan followed him, walking by his side as they ventured into the dark cave. Morse lit his spiritual lamp to provide clear vision amidst the oppressive gloom. He had come here specifically to test his strength; it wouldn't be a true test without a real challenge. Only then could he understand his limits, his weaknesses, and his true power.
Previously, he had relied on robot guards for combat due to their low cost compared to his cultivation level cost. But after the skirmish with his brother, he realized that robots were too limited; they lacked the flexibility of thought. They could eliminate an opponent within a specific frame, but they couldn't pivot to defense if ordered to attack. It was incredibly frustrating.
Thus, Morse decided to train himself more seriously and push his boundaries.
"You know, it's a matter of probability," Morse remarked. "Despite the aura of an Earth-grade beast, it's a bit far from here. Therefore, I believe this place is a settlement for that species."
Huanglu is a forest inhabited by creatures famous for their Yin energy. Legends say that the greatest cubs are born in the deepest soil. This is why Xuanlin Tigers prefer to raise their young in the mountains—to gain experience in hunting and territorial control.
"They are just tigers in the end. It could be a nursing mother hiding here."
From what Morse told her, he wanted to dive into the harshest challenge possible. But if her intuition was correct, a tiger's maternal instinct would make them more dangerous than ever.
"Even Soul Palace warriors would find this difficult... What makes you think you won't die?"
"Well, I have a very special secret. Do you want to know it?"
For a moment, Ni Ni Layan thought he had a trump card—perhaps one of those "robots" at the Soul Palace level.
"What is it?" she asked.
"I have a Phoenix."
Ni Ni Layan's expression soured. For the first time, she felt she really needed to reconsider her feelings of guilt toward this man.
Roar...
Roar...
Roar!
Suddenly, a thunderous roaring erupted. Dozens of Xuanlin Tigers charged ferociously, running wildly in every direction. Some even clung to the ceiling, sprinting across it in total defiance of gravity.
Terrified, Ni Ni Layan and Morse decided to flee immediately rather than face this savage horde.
Ni Ni Layan instantly transformed into her true Phoenix form. Radiant blue flames burst forth, her glowing feathers overflowing with majestic aura, igniting the very air.
Morse leaped onto her back with frantic speed, and she took flight, surging toward the exit like a streak of divine fire.
But to their horror, the exit was already sealed by a massive cluster of shifting rocks, blocking their path. Ni Ni Layan unleashed bursts of her flame breath at the stones, but her fire was still too weak, and the flight had already drained most of her remaining energy.
Without hesitation, Morse jumped down and channeled all his remaining power into a devastating strike against the rocks. Smash! Smash!
Smash!
Smash!
A hole cracked open, but it was instantly buried by layers of new, shifting earth.
Curse these Living Moon monsters! The tigers were closing in, nearer than ever. Morse lunged back, clinging to her neck as she dove toward the deepest part of the cave to avoid the initial surge.
A tiger's massive paw swiped through the air, its claws inches away from Morse's dangling body. He tried to pull himself up, but—
Slash!
The claw sank deep into his back, tearing through his clothes and flesh. Blood splattered violently. His grip faltered, his eyes began to dim, and his strength ebbed away.
"No... Morse... No!"
He was on the brink of falling, but the Phoenix swiftly rolled mid-air so he could collapse onto her belly instead. She flew with desperate agility, weaving through the tigers. Her brilliant light made her an easy target, so she ducked into a pitch-black corner and reverted to her human form. Panting and exhausted, she extinguished her flames and held her breath, hoping the tigers wouldn't sense them in the void.
They were both on the verge of death. A Heavenly Phoenix, cornered by such lowly beasts—it was unthinkable. But her will to live was indomitable.
If only she weren't shackled by this Heart Demon... she would have been at the Soul Palace realm by now.
Looking at her accumulated system points, she could easily breakthrough to the Middle Stage of the Soul Palace and annihilate these tigers. But she still hadn't made Morse fall in love with her to break the curse.
If he died, she would be stuck in this cultivation level forever. She used the last of her strength to revive his senses. He wasn't dead, his heart was beating, but he was unconscious.
In the darkness, she felt his hand move. "Are you awake? Morse... are you awake?"
No response. But his hand, acting on raw instinct, brushed against her breast. It twitched strangely. He was unconscious, his mind was gone, but his body... his body was reacting to her. Free from the cold restraints of his calculating mind, his physical self was acting on pure, suppressed desire.
{First True Intimate Contact... Reward: 1000 Points}
There are rewards for this?! Ni Ni Layan leaned closer, testing his reaction. Her tongue touched his, and to her shock, his tongue responded, seeking hers out.
{New Intimate Affinity Unlocked... Reward: 2000 Points}
His tongue pulled at hers as if he were starving for a kiss. As their lips finally locked—
{Congratulations! First True Kiss between Hosts... 3000 Points}
Ni Ni Layan made a startling discovery: Morse loved her. Not the "Mind" of Morse, but the "Body" of Morse. His physical self was obsessed with her, craving her constantly, but his superior intellect had been suppressing it all this time. While Morse the man would never admit it, Morse the flesh was shouting it.
She whispered, "Do you love me?"
In response, his tongue pressed deeper into hers, continuing the kiss with a desperate fervor. Was this his "Yes"?
{Cultivation Feature Reactivated Heart Demon Overcome}
{Host possesses sufficient points to breakthrough to the Peak of Soul Palace Realm}
{Do you wish to Breakthrough?}
Ni Ni Layan accepted the breakthrough immediately, her eyes fixed on the screen while Morse's unconscious body refused to let go of her lips.
Outside, the Xuanlin tigers were still roaring, prowling the darkness in search of their prey. But suddenly, they all felt a strange, blinding glow. They didn't have time to process it before they were completely vaporized by a relentless, surging inferno.
Deep, cascading flames overflowed, erasing them from existence. There was no time for a reaction; there was only ash.
Ni Ni Layan could have easily pierced through the "Living Moon" cave and escaped, but it hadn't even moved yet. She refused to simply flee. She wanted to annihilate every single one of these tigers—to make the world remember exactly who the Phoenix was this day.
She would burn them all without a shred of mercy.
With a surge of power, she advanced deeper, slaughtering every tiger in her path. Amidst the carnage, she found one tiger larger than the rest, still clinging to life. It was the Mother Tiger, the Earth-grade beast. She stood before Ni Ni Layan, roaring with a primal fury, desperately trying to block her path.
But Ni Ni Layan didn't hesitate. She tore through the beast completely with a high-pressure blast of blue divine flame.
She looked around. The aura of the Earth-grade beast had vanished. The Mother Tiger, once a terrifying threat, had died with such pathetic ease.
Yet, a deeper Yin aura still lingered... deeper, further into the crushing darkness. Something far more dangerous than any tiger was waiting.