Love Blossoms, Battle Begins

Deep within the cave, water vapor hung like mist, winding around the rock walls in a hazy veil that shrouded the two figures on the stone platform in and out of sight. Droplets condensed on the walls slowly slid along the twisting grooves of the stalactites, their "drip—drip—" echoing with exceptional clarity through the silence before gathering into a shallow puddle on the ground. It reflected the two intertwined soft glows on the platform—Xiao Yan sat cross-legged, pale green Dou Qi rising from his palm like a rushing mountain stream and flowing endlessly into Yun Yun's back. With every circulation of Dou Qi, the claw wound on her shoulder, deep enough to see bone, glimmered with a layer of pearly white light. It had been left when the Purple Gold Winged Lion King flew into a rage the day before yesterday. Its sharp claw tips had nearly pierced her shoulder bone, making this woman, who called herself "Yun Zhi" and concealed her identity as the Misty Cloud Sect Master, furrow her brow even in unconsciousness. Cold sweat seeped from her temples in pain, soaking the hair by her cheeks, and even her breaths carried restrained tremors.

Yun Yun leaned against the icy rock wall, her plain white dress soaked through with sweat and somewhat translucent, faintly outlining her slender yet upright back. The veins on her exposed fair wrist pulsed faintly as Spiritual Energy churned within her body. Whenever Dou Qi passed through the wound, her eyelashes trembled lightly, yet she kept biting her lip, unwilling to let out even the slightest cry of pain. Enduring the remaining stinging pain in her meridians, she turned to look at the youth focused on treating her injuries and said in a voice still hoarse from pain, "Xiao Yan, your Heavenly Flames truly are remarkable. This warmth reaches the deepest parts of my meridians. They work even better than the high-grade Healing Pills preserved in my sect. Even the Purple Gold Malevolent Qi lodged in the cracks of my bones has been gradually dispelled." Before her words fell, she saw fine Sweat Beads form on Xiao Yan's brow, slide down his cheeks, and drip onto the front of his robe, staining a small patch dark. She instinctively raised her hand, wanting to wipe away that damp warmth for him. Yet the instant her fingertips touched the youth's warm skin, she pulled them back sharply like a startled butterfly. A blush quietly spread across the tips of her ears, and she could only compose herself by gathering her disheveled hair, concealing that sudden fluster and flutter in her heart.

Xiao Yan grinned, but the Dou Qi in his palm did not falter in the slightest. His tone carried the bright confidence unique to a young man. "If Sister Yun Zhi finds it comfortable, once you've fully recovered, I'll keep you warm every day." After spending day and night together these past few days, the vigilance and distance born from their initially unknown identities had long faded into an unspoken understanding and closeness. Seeing color gradually return to Yun Yun's pale cheeks and the exhaustion in her eyes lessen somewhat, he increased the flow of Dou Qi from his palm. "You'll be better soon. At this pace, you'll be able to get out of bed and walk tomorrow. You won't have to lie around every day like this, unable even to see the scenery outside the cave. Then we can go to the nearby stream and see whether we can catch a few fish. We'll roast them with Heavenly Flames—they'll definitely taste great!"

The next morning, the first ray of sunlight filtered through a crack at the top of the cave, casting scattered patches of light across the ground and warming even the dust floating in the air. Yun Yun was already able to circulate her Spiritual Energy freely. She walked outside the cave and gazed at the distant mountains wreathed in clouds and mist. The morning breeze lifted the hem of her dress, making her seem like an immortal descended into the mortal realm. Suddenly, she turned around, her eyes shining as if they held starlight, her voice filled with excitement and urgency. "Xiao Yan, do you know that deep inside the Purple Gold Winged Lion King's lair is its accompanying treasure, the 'Purple Gold Source'? It is a rare treasure nurtured only after the Lion King has absorbed Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi and tempered itself for hundreds of years. It is liquid in form and contains incomparably pure energy. It can directly temper Dou Qi and stabilize one's realm. It would greatly benefit your breakthrough to Dou Wang—far more effective than half a year of hard cultivation and swallowing dozens of Qi Gathering Pills!"

Xiao Yan's eyes widened. He instinctively lowered his voice, his tone full of concern. "But that lion's strength rivals a Dou Huang. Its Purple Gold Malevolent Qi is incredibly tyrannical. The last time we fought it, even the two of us working together nearly fell to it. Charging in would be suicide. What if your injuries, which have only just improved, are struck again? That would be troublesome..."

"I have a way." Yun Yun interrupted him and took a jade flute from her Storage Ring. A lifelike luan bird was carved onto the flute's body, its wing patterns clearly visible, each feather etched in exquisite detail. The entire flute gleamed with a gentle jade luster. "This is the Beast Luring Flute. I obtained it from an ancient ruin while traveling and training in my early years. It can imitate the cry of the Purple Gold Winged Lion King's natural enemy—the Green-eyed Golden-eyed Eagle. The Green-eyed Golden-eyed Eagle specifically counters beasts of this scale-and-feathered kind. When the Lion King hears it, it will surely believe its natural enemy has invaded and pursue it to drive it away. I'll use this to lure that lion to the western canyon. Take the chance to enter its lair and retrieve the Purple Gold Source. Remember, go quickly and return quickly—no more than half an hour. If you take any longer, I fear the lion will sense something wrong and return. Then we'll be attacked from both front and back." As she spoke, she brought the jade flute to her lips and tested a brief note. The clear flute sound pierced through the forest with a sharp, intimidating edge. Alarmed bird cries immediately rang out from the woods, and several birds perched in the branches scattered in panic at this "sound of a natural enemy," flapping into the depths of the forest.

Seeing the resolve in her eyes, Xiao Yan remembered how she had endured her pain these past days rather than let him worry. Warmth filled his heart, and he nodded heavily. "Sister Yun Zhi, you must be careful. If anything goes wrong, don't force yourself. It doesn't matter if we fail to get the Purple Gold Source. Your safety is more important." With that, he shot off like an arrow toward the massive cave nearby, covered in vines and moss. Several feathers shed by the Purple Gold Winged Lion King lay scattered at its Cave Entrance. Each was the size of a palm, gleaming with a metallic luster and sharp as a blade—light contact could cut the skin—displaying their owner's strength and ferocity. The Lion King's aura still lingered at the entrance, its dense malevolent qi leaving the surrounding plants seemingly withered.

The lair was filled with dense Purple Gold Malevolent Qi. Taking a single breath made Xiao Yan's throat tighten and his chest feel stuffy, as though countless tiny needles were pricking him. Countless glowing purple crystals were embedded in the rock walls, illuminating the cave as brightly as day and leaving even the shadows in the corners nowhere to hide. Xiao Yan held his breath and carefully made his way inward. Even the faint crunch of gravel beneath his feet kept his nerves taut. His Right Hand gripped the Black Heavy Ruler on his back tightly, ready for any sudden danger. Before long, he saw the scene in the depths: on the central stone platform, a fist-sized pool of liquid with a Purple-Gold Radiance slowly swirled. A faint mist wreathed around its surface, and Where it passed, the surrounding purple crystals shone brighter, releasing denser Energy Fluctuation. It was the Purple Gold Source. Hidden in the stone crevices beside it were seven or eight Purple Gold Crystal Cores the size of pigeon eggs. Each contained enormous energy, enough to allow an ordinary Dou Shi Realm cultivator to directly break through a minor realm, perhaps even challenge the Dou Ling realm. What delighted Xiao Yan even more was that a flickering cluster of Purple flames burned at the edge of the platform. Its edges gleamed like metal. Although it was not as scorching as his Green Lotus Core Flame, it possessed tremendous destructive force, melting tiny pits into the rock wall the instant it touched it. It was Beast Fire, nurtured by the Purple Gold Winged Lion King over centuries of cultivation, containing the Lion King's innate malevolent qi. Its power was not to be underestimated!

"Jackpot!" Xiao Yan suppressed the wild joy in his heart and swiftly removed a specially crafted Jade Bottle from his Storage Ring. Made from cold jade, it could prevent energy from leaking out. He carefully poured the Purple Gold Source into the bottle, afraid of spilling even a single drop. Then he stored the crystal cores and Beast Fire in his Storage Ring one by one. The moment the Beast Fire entered the ring, it resonated faintly with the Green Lotus Core Flame. The two flames intertwined, causing even the space within the Storage Ring to grow warm. The previously restless Beast Fire gradually became docile as well. Once he had finished, he dared not delay and turned to rush outside. But just as he reached the Cave Entrance, a furious roar that made the mountain walls tremble suddenly erupted, like thunder exploding beside his ears. It made Xiao Yan's eardrums ache as his blood and qi surged. Immediately afterward, a massive purple-gold figure, covering the sky and sun, dove down from above—it was the Purple Gold Winged Lion King! It had clearly seen through the Beast Luring Flute's trick. Its lantern-sized eyes were filled with fury, bloodthirsty light flickering in its Pupils. With a flap of its wings, countless blade-sharp purple-gold feather arrows shot toward the cave. Wreathed around with dense malevolent qi and accompanied by Howling wind, they seemed determined to seal off the entrance completely, leaving not even the smallest gap for escape.

"Xiao Yan, go quickly!" Yun Yun's voice came from midair. She held a long sword, her robes fluttering as though she were an immortal descending into the world, yet she radiated a fierce battle intent. With a flick of her wrist, she swung out a pale blue Sword Qi. It rapidly expanded in the air and transformed into a translucent barrier before the entrance, blocking most of the feather arrows. The arrows shattered into powder the instant they struck the Sword Qi barrier, dissolving into specks of purple light. But several of the remaining arrows were incredibly fast. They broke through the Sword Qi's obstruction and grazed her shoulder, instantly leaving several wounds deep enough to expose flesh on her fair skin. Her white dress was dyed red with blood, like crimson plum blossoms blooming upon snow, a shocking sight. Yun Yun gritted her teeth and circulated her Spiritual Energy, intending to strike again and delay time so Xiao Yan could escape. Yet she had not expected the Purple Gold Winged Lion King to be so fast. Its enormous claw came whistling through the air, its claw tips wreathed around with dense Purple Gold Malevolent Qi, as though they contained world-destroying power, and fiercely smashed onto her chest. Yun Yun gave a muffled groan and Flew Backwards like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily into the rock wall behind her with a booming Muffled Sound. Several chunks of stone fell from the trembling wall. She spat out a mouthful of blood, staining the ground before her red. Her aura instantly weakened, and even the hand holding her sword began to tremble.

"Sister Yun Zhi!" Xiao Yan's eyes split with fury. It felt as though an invisible hand had gripped his heart tightly, the pain nearly suffocating him. He Pulled out the Black Heavy Ruler from his back and was about to charge forward, but the Purple Gold Winged Lion King had already turned around. Its fanged maw suddenly opened wide, gathering dense Purple-Gold Radiance within. The radiance grew brighter and brighter until it became a purple-gold beam containing an Aura of destruction, shooting straight toward him. The strike was so powerful that the air itself sizzled from the heat. The surrounding rocks instantly charred black and cracked, while a shallow trench was scorched into the ground. Every hair on Xiao Yan's body stood on end as the aura of death rushed toward him. His body seemed locked in place by the malevolent qi, leaving him no time to dodge. He could only watch helplessly as the beam closed in, with nothing but despair left in his heart.

At the critical moment, an utterly different aura suddenly erupted from within Xiao Yan's body. The youthfulness that had originally belonged to the boy vanished, replaced by an unfathomable pressure, like an ancient mountain that had lain silent for a thousand years, carrying a terrifying weight. His gaze instantly became as deep as an abyss, as though it could contain all things between heaven and earth. Pale golden Soul Flame began to wreathe around his body, sacred and majestic in aura, even lifting his hair slightly without any wind. Elder Yao's voice sounded in his mind, carrying Undeniable majesty and anger. "Kid, lend me your body. This beast dared to harm someone you care about? Today, I'll make it suffer and teach it a proper lesson!"

The next second, Xiao Yan vanished from where he stood, moving so fast that he left behind a trail of afterimages, his path nearly impossible to follow. When he reappeared, he stood steadily before the Purple Gold Winged Lion King, only several feet from its enormous head. He raised a hand and gripped the Black Heavy Ruler. The massive ruler, weighing a thousand jin and difficult for an ordinary person to lift even with both hands, was as light as a feather in his grasp, as if it were merely an ordinary wooden staff. Before the Purple Gold Winged Lion King could react, he flicked his wrist, and the Black Heavy Ruler howled through the air before smashing down on the Lion King's head like thunder!

"Bang!" A deafening explosion shook the forest, making the surrounding trees sway violently as fallen leaves filled the air. Birds in the distance scattered in alarm. The Purple Gold Winged Lion King's enormous body staggered from the blow, and every strand of mane on its head stood upright like exploding steel needles. The rocks beneath its feet shattered into powder, raising a cloud of dust. It stared at the youth before it in disbelief. He was clearly still that human with only the Dou Shi Realm cultivation, yet the aura radiating from him filled it with fear from the depths of the soul—it was the pressure of a Dou Zun expert, an uncrossable chasm that left it unable even to form the thought of resistance! It shook its muddled head, its eyes full of confusion and horror. Clearly, it had never expected the situation to reverse so suddenly.

"You beast, you dare harm someone my disciple cares about? You have quite the nerve!" Xiao Yan's voice, with Elder Yao possessing him, had become ancient and majestic, completely unlike the youth's original voice. It carried the heavy weight of countless years, as though it could pierce straight into one's heart. He stepped forward, making the ground tremble faintly, then swung the Black Heavy Ruler again. This time, dense Soul Power coiled around the ruler, glowing with faint golden light. Like a bolt of golden lightning, it carried a world-destroying aura as it struck fiercely across the Purple Gold Winged Lion King's wing. With a crisp "crack," the wing that could easily smash boulders and carry the Lion King's massive body through the air bent and warped under the strike. The sound of bones breaking was clearly audible. Blood instantly dyed the purple wing red, dripping down along the feathers and hissing as it struck the ground, mingling with shattered stones and giving off a pungent smell of blood.

The Purple Gold Winged Lion King let out a miserable wail, its voice full of pain and terror. Its huge body staggered back several steps and nearly fell down. The fury in its eyes was gradually replaced by fear. In its once bloodthirsty Pupils, nothing remained but reverence for the person before it. It finally realized that this being was far beyond its ability to contend with. Slowly, it lowered itself to the ground and bowed its enormous head. A whimpering sound came from its throat, as though it were begging for mercy. Its originally vicious gaze was now full of awe and submission, and even its tail was tucked tightly between its legs. It dared not make the slightest unusual movement, afraid of angering the "expert" before it again. Then its body began to shrink rapidly. The Purple Gold Malevolent Qi around it gradually faded, and its savage appearance softened. A moment later, it had turned into a palm-sized, fluffy purple lion cub. Its fur was soft and plush as it timidly rubbed against Xiao Yan's trouser leg, like a puppy awaiting punishment after making a mistake. It looked incomparably obedient, utterly unlike the vicious giant beast from before.

The aura within Xiao Yan gradually settled. Elder Yao's voice sounded again, carrying some exhaustion but unable to conceal his satisfaction. "This beast possesses no small amount of intelligence. It knows how to recognize a master to preserve its life. Keep it. It may be of use in the future. Its Purple Gold Malevolent Qi and Beast Fire will also be somewhat useful to you. Refine them a little, and they can become your aid. Kid, make sure you protect that girl well. Don't let her suffer such injuries again. You may not have such good fortune next time." With that, the Soul Power withdrew back into Xiao Yan's body. The depth in the youth's eyes faded, returning to their familiar clarity. However, his face had turned somewhat pale from Elder Yao's expenditure of Soul Power, and his body swayed faintly, showing that he was clearly exhausted.

Xiao Yan shook his heavy head. He felt weak all over, and every breath carried exhaustion, yet he still forced himself onward. In a few steps, he rushed to Yun Yun's side and carefully helped her up, his movements so gentle as though he feared breaking her. His voice was filled with anxiety and heartache. "Sister Yun Zhi, how are you? Are you feeling unwell anywhere? Does your chest hurt? I'll treat your injuries right away. With my Heavenly Flames, you'll definitely recover quickly!" As he spoke, he prepared to circulate his Heavenly Flames, but Yun Yun gently pressed down his hand.

Yun Yun leaned in his arms, feeling the warmth of his palm. Looking at the obedient little lion rubbing against his leg, then at the worried, pale-faced youth before her, she could not help laughing. Yet tears appeared in her eyes and slid down her cheeks, carrying both grievance and Peace of Mind. "I'm fine. They're only superficial wounds. A few days of rest will be enough. But you... that just now... truly frightened me. The aura that suddenly erupted from you was so powerful that no one would dare approach you, but I know it was to protect me." She raised her hand and gently wiped the Sweat Beads from Xiao Yan's brow. This time, she did not hesitate at all.

Xiao Yan scratched his head and chuckled. He reached out and picked up the lion cub. The little creature docilely rubbed against his palm, its eyes full of dependence, then licked his fingers with its tiny tongue, making them tickle. Sunlight filtered through the leaves and fell upon the two of them, warm and bright. The grass beside the cave still bore the marks of the battle—shattered rocks, bloodstained feathers, and earth scorched by malevolent qi—yet they had already been eclipsed by the warmth of the moment. The lion cub yawned in Xiao Yan's palm and Curled Up into a ball, like a fluffy purple orb. Yun Yun leaned against the youth's shoulder, breathing lightly, a faint smile at the corner of her lips. Xiao Yan lowered his head to look at the lion cub in his arms, then at the woman beside him, his heart full of warmth. A faint smell of blood lingered in the air, yet it also held an indescribable closeness and bond, quietly flowing through the silent mountain forest and becoming an unforgettable memory in both their hearts.