Beneath the Peony

[Lost in thought, you made your way back to the cave. This time, the rescued woman was not propping up her cheek and waiting to be fed. She was actually grilling fish herself, clearly starving.]

Because the plain dress on the woman's body had been ruined, she was now wearing Xiao Yan's black robe.

Black usually looked somewhat heavy on others, but on her curvaceous, exquisite figure, it gained an added air of mysterious charm. As she took light steps, a stretch of jade-like, snowy-white calf flickered in and out of view, utterly alluring.

"You know how to grill fish?" Xiao Yan looked at the beautiful woman of evidently noble status in surprise.

"I watched you do it several times and learned a little." Squatting beside the fire, the woman turned the fish with fragrant sweat beading on her brow.

[Medicine Elder's medicinal liquid would certainly be more potent than Burning Blood. You planned to eat something and begin cultivating immediately, so you could increase your strength and lessen the pain.]

[You closed your eyes to rest for a while. The woman soon finished grilling the fish. However, parts of it were as black as charcoal.]

"This is the first food I've ever grilled. Even if it tastes bad, you have to finish it. Otherwise, once I recover..."

Seeing Xiao Yan's expression, the woman curled her red lips slightly and raised a grilled fish in her hand. The threat in her calm words was impossible to miss.

[You did not argue with this woman whose strength had been sealed, taking the fish and eating it.]

[Not long after, prompted by the woman, you noticed that something was wrong with your body.]

[This made you inspect the seasonings the woman had used, only to discover with tearless despair that she had used the aphrodisiac you had refined.]

[You chose...]

[A: Hold the woman and search for Medicine Elder, asking him to solve it.]

[B: Let the woman leave the cave, or leave the cave yourself.]

[C: Help each other.]

Xiao Yan had a headache. Had he known this would happen, he would have answered Medicine Elder later.

Trying to find Medicine Elder now would be harder than ascending to heaven.

Who knew where Medicine Elder had gone to look for medicinal herbs? Even if Xiao Yan knew, it would be difficult for him to catch up.

The second option seemed reasonable, but among magical beasts, there were not only those who liked human women. There were also plenty who liked human men.

If he went out like that, the woman would be safe, but he would be in danger.

He could only help each other.

[You grabbed the woman who wanted to flee the cave and pulled her into your arms, warning her about magical beasts that liked human women.]

[With such close contact, the woman's medicinal effects erupted.]

[You instinctively clenched the soft, slender waist in your arms. In your daze, your lips parted slightly and your pupils abruptly widened, as though struck by heavenly lightning.]

[Your body suddenly stiffened as a single sentence circled through your mind—your first kiss was gone.]

[Her soft, pert chest was pressed close, and the woman regained a little clarity.]

[Amid countless threats such as, "You dare do that to me? Once I recover, I will definitely kill you!" and "If I lose my chastity, I will kill you first, then kill myself!"... you could no longer control yourself.]

[The woman was only putting on a tough front. You were completely passive, and before long, you were pushed down.]

Xiao Yan covered his eyes, not daring to look too closely at the extremely realistic simulation.

Within the image conjured from words, the woman's skin appeared even smoother and more delicate than warm jade against the black robe.

And this elegant, noble woman was looking down at him as though she were watching prey.

[After an unknown amount of time, you woke from an unimaginable sweet dream.]

[Opening your eyes, you saw a familiar yet unfamiliar lovely face. That peerlessly beautiful face was now suffused with an incomparable crimson blush.]

[Heat stirred in your heart, causing the person before you to knit her dark brows and open her eyes.]

[The two of you looked into each other's eyes. The woman quickly remembered what had happened, the blush on her face deepening as her cold voice carried a coquettish rebuke. "Let me go at once!"]

[Noticing that her strength had not recovered, you did not let the matter rest.]

[When the sun was high in the sky, you woke once more to find that the beauty beside you had already vanished.]

[You put on your robes and sat up, still not fully satisfied.]

[No matter what happened in the future, a being once as noble as a goddess had revealed such seductive charms before you. She had already left an indelible mark upon your heart.]

[Just as you stood up, the woman in the black robe entered the cave, holding her strangely shaped longsword.]

The woman said flatly, "You must know very well who I am. This matter was only a mistake. You had best pretend nothing happened. Otherwise, if word gets out, it will do you no good."

Looking at that gracefully curved figure, Xiao Yan felt somewhat helpless, but he did not argue with her.

[Just as you were preparing to cultivate, the roar of magical beasts sounded outside the cave.]

[You frowned at the woman and demanded to know where she had gone.]

[Startled by the sudden harsh shout, the woman froze in place. An apologetic flush rose to her lovely face as she said that she had gone to bathe.]

[You sighed and had the woman, whose strength remained unsealed, stay in the cave while you went out to deal with the magical beasts.]

[The woman had clearly been bathing for quite some time. The magical beasts came in endless waves, including many third- and fourth-tier beasts. Though you possessed numerous Dou Techniques and even a flying Dou Technique, before such a massive horde, you did not even have a chance to flee.]

[Simulation ended.]

[Simulation evaluation: Beneath the Peony.]

[To die beneath a peony flower—one would still be a dashing ghost.]

Xiao Yan sighed helplessly. On the Dou Qi Continent, without any strength, it was best to remain alone.

Without strength, Nalan Yanran could publicly break off their engagement; Xiao Xun'er's background was extraordinarily powerful, and desperately cultivating the Flame Mantra was his only chance to be with her.

After becoming intimate with this mysterious woman, lacking strength led directly to a miserable end.

[Simulation rewards: Three-Origin Circulation Method, Heaven Tier flying Dou Technique, Asura World-Annihilating Blade.]

After seeing the three rewards, Xiao Yan immediately pulled himself out of the heavy simulation.

Life might be miserable, but the rewards were extraordinarily tempting.

The Asura World-Annihilating Blade was a divine weapon. Its blade was dark black and radiated dense baleful aura and destructive intent, as if it could devour every living creature around it.

The divine weapon came with four different blade techniques, each no weaker than a Heaven Tier Dou Technique. One could be unlocked whenever he broke through to a certain realm.

The Heaven Tier flying Dou Technique was a terrifying flying technique refined from the wings of an Ancient Dragon-Phoenix. Not only was it incomparably fast, it also possessed the ability to freely traverse space.

Once this Dou Technique was mastered, one could practically ignore all spatial restrictions.

By comparison, the Three-Origin Circulation Method was somewhat more ordinary. It was a cultivation method suited for the initial stages of training.

After cultivating it, one could not only condense higher-quality energy to nourish the meridians and temper the veins, but also use it to strengthen physical constitution and soul power. It was a cultivation method that laid a comprehensive foundation for the body.