Hulk Cultivator Jia swung a punch, while Jedi Knight Jiang Lin gripped his lightsaber and thrust it toward his heart. Just as Jiang Lin was about to trade his life for his opponent's, silver moonlight poured down from the heavens.
If the moonlight Jiang Lin had drawn upon was like the fine thread a maiden used for weaving, then this moonlight was a waterfall plunging three thousand feet straight down. For a moment, even those Running from the Poison couldn't help looking back at that resplendent Moon River.
"Ah..."
Cultivator Jia's scream echoed throughout the mountains and forests. After a single breath, Hulk Cultivator Jia's body and soul had been completely annihilated.
"Sun and Moon Shine Together?"
Jiang Lin stood leaning on his sword, his consciousness gradually growing hazy.
Sun and Moon Shine Together was Twin Pearl Peak's signature technique, and only Twin Pearl Peak disciples could learn it. The problem was that Twin Pearl Peak was a peak Jiang Yuni had newly founded, while Jiang Lin was both its founding disciple and its only disciple.
"Master..."
Even though he could no longer make out her features, Jiang Lin guessed who the woman running toward him was when he saw her approaching through his daze. Smiling, he toppled forward.
"Little Linlin... Don't scare Master... Little Linlin... Little Linlin..."
While unconscious, Jiang Lin once again heard that warm, silly call...
"Thank goodness... He's still breathing!"
Just as the poisonous fog was about to spread over, Jiang Yuni carried Jiang Lin on her back and dashed toward a safe area.
The Poison Circle stopped expanding, and Jiang Yuni placed Jiang Lin inside a small mountain cave.
Looking at her only disciple—the one she loved most dearly, who was both her disciple and something more—as he lay gravely wounded, tears dripped from the girl's eyes.
"You fool, today is your birthday! Was your birthday wish to cover yourself in injuries?"
During these past few days, Jiang Yuni had been searching for Jiang Lin, but she had been unable to find him no matter what she did. Only when that move, "Sun and Moon Shine Together," revealed Jiang Lin's location did Jiang Yuni rush over. She had not expected that by the time she arrived, Little Linlin would already be seriously wounded.
"Wait... Master remembers that the Sun Moon Dual Cultivation Great Art can heal injuries during the first dual cultivation session and bring both bodies to their peak condition!"
Thinking of this, Jiang Yuni looked at the unconscious Jiang Lin lying on the ground. Her heartbeat involuntarily quickened. Feeling somewhat guilty, she hurried out of the cave and looked around. After confirming that no one was there, she cast the Isolation Array to protect the cave.
"Little Linlin... It's really not that Master is craving your body. Master is doing this for your own good, to treat your injuries. You have to understand Master's painstaking efforts."
She wiped the drool from the corner of her mouth and gently stroked Jiang Lin's cheek.
A moment later, the girl changed back to her original appearance.
It was neither Cai Xie's appearance nor Jiang Yuni's appearance from her time at Twin Pearl Peak. Rather, it was the final appearance of the leader of the Sun Moon Sect.
Her long hair spilled over her shoulders. Beneath her melon-seed-shaped face, her chin came to a slight point. Her exquisite features were like a work of art, while her small, tender lips stood out against her fair face, adding a wealth of charm to it.
The girl had originally been trying to think of an excuse to offer herself as Little Linlin's birthday present, so that Little Linlin would accept her.
Now, this reason was perfect!
Besides, weren't all those heroes in Novel Family's stories treated this way whenever they were seriously injured?
That was how the novels wrote it. There was nothing to be embarrassed about.
"Hee hee hee..." Somewhat nervously, the girl took out Spring Breeze Leaves No Trace and opened the bottle.
She gently held Jiang Lin's chin, slightly opened his mouth, and poured the liquid inside.
Soon, Jiang Lin, lying on the ground, felt as though summer had arrived...
Jiang Lin slowly opened his eyes, but he had already lost his reason...
The weather in the Bewildering Secret Realm was always wonderful. A night breeze carrying a faint poisonous fragrance swept through the mountains and forests, making a rustling sound. Several blades of grass were gently pressed down by the evening wind. The grass tried to resist, but the warm breeze softly wrapped around it.
Nature was harmonious and so beautiful...
At dawn, the chirping of birds woke Jiang Lin, who was still dreaming.
He opened his eyes groggily, propped himself up, and climbed to his feet. Jiang Lin felt as though his skull were splitting with pain...
"Why am I in a mountain cave again? Master... Right... Master... Where is Master?"
Looking at the empty cave, Jiang Lin forced himself to stand. But the moment his legs straightened, his knees gave way, and he collapsed to the ground.
"Hmm?!"
He leaned against the wall and stood up again. Jiang Lin felt a faint pain in his kidneys... What was going on?
Aside from the pain in his lower back, the injuries elsewhere had basically healed. He even felt refreshed, and the Sun Moon Dual Cultivation Great Art he cultivated seemed to be circulating far more smoothly within his body.
Moreover, the injuries he had suffered yesterday from forcibly interrupting his breakthrough had vanished without a trace. Not only that, even though his cultivation was currently suppressed, Jiang Lin felt that he had seemingly reached the Sea Gazing Realm!
"Display the status panel," Jiang Lin said in his mind.
[Status panel loading...]
A moment later, the system responded.
[Name: Jiang Lin]
[Realm: Mid Sea Gazing Realm]
[Skills: Unlimited Blade Works: I am the Bone of My Sword (Beginner), Return My Beauty Fist (Half-Beginner), Sun Moon Dual Cultivation Great Art (Proficient and Complete), Dragon Gate Swordplay (Half-Perfect)]
[Notoriety Points: 6,400.]
[Constitution: Always able to attract villain events and protagonists.]
"What the hell? What's going on?!"
Looking at his attributes, Jiang Lin was utterly bewildered.
After yesterday's battle, not only had he directly entered the Sea Gazing Realm, but the Sun Moon Dual Cultivation Great Art had also been completed? How had he completed it? He had not entered some flashback during the battle or comprehended any battle essence...
And Master had saved me yesterday, right? But where is she?
Could I have remembered wrong? Maybe Master never came at all. Perhaps I missed her so much that I only imagined it?
But someone must have carried me back to the cave, right? Who was that person? And that person had even left me a Life-Saving Talisman. Who else besides Master would treat me so well?
But with Master's silly personality, she shouldn't have come either.
And what was wrong with my kidneys? Why did I feel completely drained...
Countless questions filled Jiang Lin's mind. However, very soon, Jiang Lin could no longer continue thinking.
[Notice... Notice... As fewer than one hundred cultivators remain in the Secret Realm, the final Shrinking Circle will begin in one hour. Cultivators, please prepare yourselves. Everyone, head for the final circle!]
Hearing the voice of that damn Dragon Soul, Jiang Lin complained inwardly and quickly sat down to meditate.
First, he had to replenish his kidney essence!
Outside Black Tortoise City Square, a streak of light shot out from the Bewildering Secret Realm. When the light faded, a woman slowly walked out. However, she took tiny steps as she walked, and her posture seemed somewhat inconvenient...
[Some readers have asked about extra chapters for rewards.
To be honest, this salted fish doesn't really understand the rules for adding chapters in exchange for rewards, so I asked Xiao Xing... Last night, that guy dragged this salted fish into playing Contra for half the night...
As for extra chapters, this salted fish will use Xiao Xing's system.
1. On Qidian, any reader who rewards 10,000 Qidian coins in one payment will receive one extra chapter.
On Penguin Reading, any reader who rewards 20,000 book coins in one payment will receive one extra chapter. (Because the first publication is on Qidian, and Penguin Reading's share is half of Qidian's, please forgive the friends on Penguin Reading.)
Rewards from the iOS client and other platforms will not be counted, because this salted fish cannot receive those statistics...
2. To avoid wasting the kindness and support behind everyone's smaller rewards:
On Qidian, [for every accumulated 10,000 book coins in rewards], one extra chapter will be added. (For example, if 100 readers each reward 100 Qidian coins, that adds up to 10,000 Qidian coins, so one extra chapter will be added.)
On Penguin Reading, [for every accumulated 20,000 book coins in rewards], one extra chapter will be added.
All extra chapters will be repaid as quickly as this salted fish can manage after the book goes on sale. (The Editor-in-Chief said that during a new book's free period, the word count needs to be maintained and it would be best not to add extra chapters, otherwise the book might miss out on recommendations. Please forgive me, everyone.)]
[PS: If all you handsome and talented rich young masters want to reward me, you can choose character rewards. The share this salted fish receives is the same as with ordinary rewards,
and character rewards also come with many hidden benefits, such as custom nickname badges~~~ character birthday gifts~~~ avatars~~~ and so on~~~
With character rewards, you can not only support this salted fish in the same way, but also support the character you like.
Character rewards will also count toward extra chapters for rewards!]
Before you continue