Cave

Within the dense forest, two young figures were making their way one after the other toward its depths.

The girl walking ahead occasionally pushed aside the branches and leaves around her. Only after confirming the Ten Thousand Medicine Hall's distinctive markings on the trees did she relax slightly and continue onward.

Though the young man following behind appeared at ease, his eyes remained constantly vigilant of the surrounding woods. The vortex of Dou Qi in his palm kept spinning and gathering without pause, ready to respond the instant danger arose.

Although there were not many powerful magical beasts in the outer region of the Magical Beast Mountain Range, and countless people had already traveled the path beneath their feet, both Little Fairy Doctor, who had entered the range many times, and Xiao Yan, who had nearly suffered a setback, understood that caution was the key to lasting safety. Neither let down their guard.

Before long, the two reached the destination of their journey: the Ten Thousand Medicine Hall's herb-gathering area.

"This is it. This place is behind the Ten Thousand Medicine Hall's herb-gathering area. People from other mercenary groups won't come here, and the people from the Ten Thousand Medicine Hall generally only go as far as this." After walking a little farther and reaching the edge of a cliff, Little Fairy Doctor's ethereal, gentle voice sounded beside Xiao Yan's ear. "If we go down from here, we basically won't run into anyone from Green Mountain Town again."

"Go down from here?" Xiao Yan looked over the cliff. Beneath it, a lush and verdant forest stretched into view.

There was clearly no shortage of magical beasts in such a dense forest. However, if they could carve out a cave in the cliff face, they could avoid most disturbances from magical beasts. That was also why Xiao Yan had chosen to live in a cave in the original story. After all, compared to a treehouse where he had to watch out in every direction, a cave where he only needed to guard one side was far superior. Moreover, the Ten Thousand Medicine Hall's herb-gathering area lay above this place. If they were injured, they could come up at any time to gather medicinal herbs, or simply flee back to Green Mountain Town along the original route.

Yet for some reason, the more Xiao Yan looked at this place, the more familiar it seemed. On closer thought, wasn't this the cliff where Little Fairy Doctor discovered the cave residence in the original story? Xiao Yan did not reveal his thoughts, though. If nothing unexpected had happened, Little Fairy Doctor should not have discovered that cave yet, or she would not have waited three years to explore it.

"What do you think? After going down from here, we can find a cave to live in. That way, we won't have to worry about magical beasts. Even if there isn't one, we can carve one out ourselves. You should be able to do that, right?" Little Fairy Doctor looked over with her beautiful eyes.

"Of course." Xiao Yan smiled and gave an affirmative answer. Then he turned his back to the girl beside him, crouched down, and brought his hands together behind his back in the shape of a stirrup. "Get on."

Little Fairy Doctor's face flushed faintly as she pressed her lips together. "There's no need. I can weave a vine and climb down myself."

Although Little Fairy Doctor said so, Xiao Yan had no intention of letting her off that easily. He continued, "No. That would take too much time, and it would leave traces behind."

Little Fairy Doctor truly wanted to say that, with his strength, leaving traces should not be a big deal. But when she considered that it was indeed getting late, delaying any longer was not a good idea.

In the end, Little Fairy Doctor persuaded herself. Her lotus steps shifted as she gently leaned against Xiao Yan's back. As Xiao Yan rose, her jade-like hands swiftly wrapped around his neck, while her legs tightly hooked around his sturdy waist.

He's only twelve. He's only twelve. He's only twelve. Little Fairy Doctor numbed herself over and over in her heart, doing everything she could not to think about the contact between them.

As the girl's and boy's bodies pressed tightly together, the unique fragrance of the girl, carrying the scent of medicinal herbs, drifted into Xiao Yan's nose. "Little Fairy Doctor, you smell so good!"

"Shut up! Don't smell me!" Little Fairy Doctor's face instantly turned crimson.

"Little Fairy Doctor, you..."

"Shut up!" Little Fairy Doctor's jade-like hands around Xiao Yan's neck tightened fiercely, nearly leaving him unable to breathe. Only then did Xiao Yan stop teasing her. He walked to the edge of the cliff and leaped forward. The next instant, he grabbed onto a protrusion on the cliff face. Repeating the motion, the two quickly descended the cliff.

Soon, Xiao Yan reached a section of cliff face covered in tangled trees. Since he had been prepared, he narrowed his eyes and, using the fading sunlight, spotted a pitch-black hollow through the gaps in the tangled branches.

"Why did we stop?" Feeling that they were no longer descending yet still hanging on the cliff face, Little Fairy Doctor asked curiously.

"Little Fairy Doctor, look. Is there a hollow beneath those tangled branches over there?" As he spoke, Xiao Yan leaned his upper body forward so Little Fairy Doctor could adjust her angle and look.

"It seems... there really is one!" Little Fairy Doctor said in surprise. It was like being handed a pillow just as she had grown sleepy. "Why don't we go in and take a look?"

Xiao Yan had been waiting for Little Fairy Doctor to say exactly that, so naturally he did not refuse.

"Hold on tight. It might get a little shaky next," Xiao Yan warned.

Little Fairy Doctor obediently clung even tighter to Xiao Yan. The girl's soft, youthful body made his thoughts wander, but he clearly still knew what mattered most at the moment. He took a deep breath and suppressed the desire in his heart.

One hand gripped the cliff face tightly, while the other was freed to condense a crimson fireball. With a swing of his arm, the fireball flew toward the tangled trees. Before long, the crisscrossing branches had been burned clean by Xiao Yan's flames.

Then Xiao Yan gradually moved toward the cave.

Just as he was about to reach the entrance, a sharp sound split the air. A black shadow shot out from the darkness inside the cave, pouncing directly at Xiao Yan and Little Fairy Doctor.

Xiao Yan naturally had not forgotten about the Rock Snake at the entrance. The moment the black shadow emerged, he swiftly threw the Volcanic Rock Flame fireball he had long prepared.

In midair beside the cave, the brown Rock Snake, its flattened, elongated body resembling wings, collided with the crimson Volcanic Rock Flame Xiao Yan had thrown. Though the Rock Snake's body was as hard as stone, it was ultimately only a first-tier magical beast. Before the Volcanic Rock Flame, which could injure second-tier magical beasts, it naturally could not withstand the attack.

As a violent explosion echoed through the cliff, scorching air swept across Xiao Yan's and Little Fairy Doctor's faces. The Rock Snake lost its ability to move and fell from the towering cliff with its mangled body.

Watching the Rock Snake vanish into the forest below, Xiao Yan felt that it had most likely been smashed into pulp.

He did not dwell on it. He threw another fireball into the cave, and only after confirming that there were no other threats did he continue moving, carrying Little Fairy Doctor to the cave entrance.

The instant they stopped, Little Fairy Doctor impatiently slipped down from Xiao Yan's back. Then the two carefully examined the cave before them.

Unfortunately, because of the lack of light, they could see nothing but darkness.

"Let's go. Let's see what's inside." Xiao Yan smiled faintly at Little Fairy Doctor and rubbed three fingers of his right hand together. A small flame appeared in his palm, illuminating several meters around them.

Looking at the deep, secluded cave, Xiao Yan walked in first. Little Fairy Doctor did not hesitate and quickly followed after him. She was also very curious about what fortuitous encounter might await within this cave.