Purple Qi Rises in the East, Five Qi Return to Origin!

The candles in the room had gone out, but it was not completely dark. The moon was beautiful tonight, its light spilling into the room like a layer of soft, downy snow.

In the silence, Ah Yin heard his voice and answered softly:

"Okay, then... I'll call you Xiao Chen from now on!"

"Sounds good. I never expected that I'd meet such a gentle and kind sister on this trip. It seems our meeting really was arranged by fate!"

Dugu Chen lay back down on the bed, beaming with joy.

As time slowly passed, the room fell completely silent.

Although Ah Yin had closed her eyes, she could not fall asleep for a long while. Her heartbeat raced uncontrollably, and her breathing lost its rhythm, sometimes fast, sometimes slow, sometimes deep, sometimes shallow, like a melody that could not find its beat.

Thinking back to her first meeting with Dugu Chen today, the young man had already left an indelible mark on her heart.

She could not deny that she had indeed been drawn to his temperament and appearance all along. Whenever she saw that handsome face of his, her gaze would unconsciously dart away.

What am I so nervous about?!

Ah Yin silently spat at herself, her cheeks flushed red.

She felt both nervous and expectant.

Perhaps even she herself could not see clearly what exactly she was looking forward to...

Just as Ah Yin's thoughts became a mess, Dugu Chen's steady, distinctive breathing reached her ears. He had clearly already fallen fast asleep.

A trace of disappointment flashed through Ah Yin's heart, but she soon blushed and bit her lip. It felt as though a jar of honey had been overturned inside her heart, yet also as though a vat of vinegar had been knocked over.

Her heart truly felt sweet, but beneath that sweetness lurked a sour, embarrassing feeling.

She covered her face, and it felt as though steam might rise from her head. She thought to herself, How did I end up like this? If Xiao Chen saw me, he'd think...

That night, Dugu Chen slept exceptionally soundly.

Perhaps this was the most peaceful sleep he had had since beginning his journey across the continent.

In his dream, something warm and soft seemed to press against his chest. That warmth felt like a mother's embrace—warm and safe—making him drunkenly hug it.

He wanted to claim that warmth entirely for himself...

The next day.

When Dugu Chen slowly woke from his dreams, the first thing he saw was Ah Yin right in front of him. Her arms were tightly wrapped around his body.

A faint fragrance of grass and trees filled his nose, mingled with Ah Yin's unique maidenly scent.

Dugu Chen was very familiar with that grassy fragrance. It was the fresh scent of Blue Silver Grass, which grew all across Douluo Continent. A faint blush rose to his face.

Should he wake Ah Yin now... or keep pretending to sleep?

After a storm of thoughts, Dugu Chen silently closed his eyes and pretended not to know anything.

I don't know anything...

After a while, Dugu Chen's movement seemed to wake Ah Yin. Her lovely eyelashes fluttered, her eyelids slowly lifted, and her sapphire-blue eyes opened.

"Mmm..."

A soft moan escaped Ah Yin's cherry lips. As her blurry vision gradually cleared, her gaze slowly lowered, and she immediately saw Dugu Chen sleeping peacefully with his head buried against her chest.

Her expression froze instantly. Her cheeks flushed from her neck to her ears in an instant, like a steam engine burned red-hot, with even a wisp of pale steam seeming to rise from her.

Ah Yin instinctively released her hands.

Dugu Chen, who had long since awakened and felt that the moment was right, slowly opened his eyes as well. Propping himself up on the bed with both hands, he said, "Good morning, Sister Ah Yin!"

"Good... morning..."

Ah Yin's body jolted as though struck by lightning, and she sprang away from him. In a panic, she smoothed the slightly rumpled hem of her clothes. Her long legs slowly curled together, her toes round and neat like exquisite unpolished jade.

Dugu Chen could not help staring. The light had been too dim last night for him to see clearly.

Only in the bright morning light could he truly understand what delicate jade feet looked like.

Seeming to notice his gaze, Ah Yin hurriedly pulled the blanket over to cover her feet. Her face was flushed like sunset clouds, like a ripe peach that made one want to take a bite.

Dugu Chen slowly sat up and stretched out his arms. A series of crisp crackling sounds came from his bones, and his voice carried a hint of magnetic laziness:

"I haven't slept this peacefully in a long time. In my dream, it felt as though I had returned to my mother's embrace. It was so warm and comfortable."

At those words, Ah Yin's face turned even redder!

A mother's embrace?

Ah Yin's ears looked as though they had been scorched by fire, red enough to seem ready to drip blood.

After fumbling about for a while, the two finally got out of bed.

After a simple breakfast, Dugu Chen was the first to leave the little house and head toward the mountain forest behind the village entrance.

Before long, he arrived atop a huge boulder in the forest. The sunlight was like sharp swords piercing through the clouds and shining upon the earth.

Facing the rising sun, he sat with his five centers toward the heavens and began cultivating beneath the morning light.

As a transmigrator, he naturally had his own cultivation technique. He had found it in his grandfather's study in his previous life, and it was called the Five Qi Returning to Origin Technique.

Its cultivation requirements were rather harsh. Only during the period of early morning mist, sunrise, and rising purple qi could its cultivation speed increase severalfold.

After that period passed, the cultivation speed would slow.

Therefore, he cultivated diligently during that hour each day when purple qi rose in the east.

As the sun gradually rose, Dugu Chen slowly withdrew his hand seals. He took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled.

A mouthful of thick white turbid air shot into the soil ahead like an arrow, instantly leaving behind a thumb-sized hole.

Dugu Chen rose to his feet, standing atop the boulder as his fists slowly clenched.

A series of crisp pops, like bursting beans, rang out instantly. As he threw a punch, his fist wind roared, and a faint power of light blasted into a tree trunk not far away.

Boom!

The tree trunk rustled as large patches of leaves drifted down, like a rain of green.

Dugu Chen moved, swiftly arriving beneath the tree. As he assumed a fighting stance, he fixed his sights on the falling leaves.

As his fists flew rapidly, every falling leaf in the air was caught in his large hands.

His fist wind roared, and his speed was so fast that afterimages appeared.

When the tree trunk finally settled, Dugu Chen's hands were already filled with two large handfuls of leaves.

"Not bad, not bad. It seems my jab has reached perfection. Combined with my Light Dragon Claw, I'm afraid very few people could block it."

Dugu Chen smiled faintly, casually tossed away the leaves, and slowly headed back toward the village entrance.