Since You're Here, Don't Leave

Long Xingye wanted desperately to keep her with him.

But he wanted even more for her not to remain here. Without water, a pure human like her couldn't survive.

She didn't need to endure the mental torment he had suffered on his way in.

Long Xingye clenched his fists. Though he had no idea whether he could do it, he still promised, "Rumeng, I'll find a way to get you out."

"Okay." Feng Rumeng yawned and got up. She took an alarm clock out of her storage space and checked it. It was already ten at night; no wonder she was so sleepy.

She popped a Cleansing Fruit into her mouth, then lay down on the animal hide once she was clean.

After Long Xingye finished the roasted meat, he switched between his beast and human forms, and his whole body was clean.

He lay quietly beside Feng Rumeng, wrapped a pale arm tightly around her, and held her in his warm embrace. Breathing in the fragrance of her hair, he fell asleep.

Feng Rumeng opened her eyes and listened to his steady breathing as she looked toward the pitch-black cave entrance.

The next day, Long Xingye returned covered in wounds.

Feng Rumeng sprang up from the animal hide, her limpid, dark tea-colored eyes fixed on him. "Where did you go?"

He took some medicinal herbs for stopping bleeding out of his storage space, chewed them into a pulp, and applied them to his wounds.

Long Xingye grasped her chin. "What are you worried about? It's not like I can die."

Feng Rumeng's lips parted slightly. "Forget I asked."

Seeing how enchanting she looked, Long Xingye covered her soft lips with his thin ones.

Feng Rumeng didn't struggle. Forget it. His emotions were unstable, and they had already done everything there was to do. There was no need to be coy. She gently wrapped her arms around his strong waist and responded.

Long Xingye's whole body burned as he deepened the kiss. While Feng Rumeng didn't pull away, he fulfilled his dream once again.

After three days of vigorous activity, Feng Rumeng finally fell into a peaceful sleep.

Long Xingye reluctantly gave her red lips a light kiss, then walked out of the cave.

When he returned, he was even more badly injured than before. He ate several Gold Crystals, and after his wounds healed, he flew up to the dome in his dragon form. He checked the white barrier back and forth several times, but still couldn't find an exit.

He lowered his eyes to the woman still sleeping soundly below. He couldn't get up to the fourth level, and he couldn't break the barrier either. What was he supposed to do...?

Long Xingye sat in a corner for a long time. He was still too weak...

Feng Rumeng rolled over and opened her eyes to see Long Xingye's beautiful, smiling face. "Did you sleep well?"

She reached out both arms coquettishly:

"Xingye~"

"Hug me."

Long Xingye leaned down and gathered her into his arms, his sexy Adam's apple bobbing. "Hungry?"

"I'm still a little sleepy. I'll sleep a bit longer," Feng Rumeng said, snuggling into his arms.

Long Xingye sat there holding her for a long time. When she woke again and opened her mouth, he held a piece of fruit to her lips.

"Crunch."

"Ah~"

"I haven't brushed my teeth yet!"

Long Xingye laughed and nibbled the tip of her nose. "My wife smells sweet all over."

She looked up and glared at him. "Let me up."

Long Xingye gently pinched the tip of her nose again and let her go. "I hunted a fierce beast, a Shadow Rabbit. It'll be ready soon."

The meat roasted quickly, and Long Xingye held Feng Rumeng in his arms as he fed her.

Feng Rumeng narrowed her eyes and noticed that after eating the fierce beast's meat, her whole body grew warm, just as it did when she absorbed Beast Crystals.

The two finished their meal all cuddled up together, and Long Xingye told Feng Rumeng to collect some Beast Crystals.

Although she couldn't absorb Gold Crystals and Purple Crystals on her own, she still took quite a few.

Long Xingye generously told her to take them and play with them. He had mountains of Beast Crystals, more than he could eat himself.

Feng Rumeng didn't stand on ceremony. She filled her storage space, but the room full of crystals had only a tiny, tiny, tiny dent in it.

Feng Rumeng shamelessly asked, "Can I give some to your brothers?"

Long Xingye gave her a roguish grin. "Would it do any good if I said no?"

"It would. I'm very obedient," Feng Rumeng said, leaning softly against his chest.

Long Xingye lowered his eyes, the faint fragrance of her hair filling his nose. "What's mine is yours. Use them however you like."

With that, his lips slid toward hers. "Rumeng, will you forget me after you get out?"

"You're so capable. How could I bear to forget you?" Feng Rumeng blushed as soon as she said it.

Long Xingye bit the corner of her lip. "If you bait me, I'll take the hook."

"Who's baiting you? Aren't we leaving together?" Feng Rumeng met his gaze and looked into his eyes.

Long Xingye's purple eyes softened. "I'll send you out first. Once I've cleared all the levels and reached the highest rank, I'll come find you."

"You're not lying to me, are you? Oh, right, where are our Mate Marks? I looked for mine today, but I couldn't find it."

Feng Rumeng looked at his springy chest. There was nothing there except his grandfather's lover.

"Between your brows." Long Xingye touched the spot between her brows, and a lifelike purple dragon appeared there, its head and tail joined.

"It might be because of the difference between our races, or because we're both special existences." After saying that, he touched his own chest, and a crescent moon flashed into view.

"Got it~" Feng Rumeng smiled faintly.

Long Xingye scooped her into his arms and rose to the highest point of the dome in an instant.

He closed his purple eyes. If his Mental Ability could bring her in, it could surely send her out. When he opened his eyes again, his pupils had turned vertical, and ripples spread through the air around them.

Feng Rumeng's head buzzed, as if something had run out of it.

Drip, drip. Blood ran from Long Xingye's nose and fell onto Feng Rumeng.

"Xingye, your nose is bleeding." Feng Rumeng took a tissue out of her storage space to wipe it away.

Veins bulged on Long Xingye's forehead, and his eyes reddened. He had spread his mental power out like a net. What was going on? Why couldn't it penetrate the barrier?

"Xingye, Xingye." Feng Rumeng patted his face.

Long Ruye withdrew his mental power, his forehead covered in cold sweat. "Rumeng, wait a little longer. Let me catch my breath. I can do it."

Feng Rumeng took out a few Gold Crystals and stuffed them into his mouth. "Okay."

She reached up to touch the white barrier above them, and her hand miraculously passed through it.

They were both startled.

Feng Rumeng waved her hand freely inside the barrier without meeting any resistance. The barrier seemed to be nothing more than a projection.

Long Xingye's eyes were full of disbelief too. He reached toward the spot where her hand had passed through, but couldn't move his hand up even half a hair's breadth.

Feng Rumeng grasped his hand and tried with him, but only his hand was blocked.

Long Xingye charged upward with Feng Rumeng in his arms. Nothing happened; he was still blocked.

He gathered flames in one hand, but even the flames were blocked.

Long Xingye's expression dimmed for a moment, then brightened again:

"Ahem! I, this dragon, don't like sneaking away. Once I've cleared all the levels, I'll walk out the front gate openly and honorably. After I pay my so-called dragon father and mother a visit, I'll come find you."

Feng Rumeng gently smoothed his brow. His clear voice carried a note of comfort. "Mengmeng, go on up. Go save your friends."

His words were light, but he couldn't bear to let her go. She was the first living person he had seen in the hundred years since he came to the beast world. "Let me hold you a little longer, wife."

Feng Rumeng closed her eyes. "You'd better keep your word. Do you remember where I told you to find me?"

"I remember," he said lightly. "Giant Fang Continent, Sunset Forest, Fierce Tiger Tribe. If I can't find you there, I'll go to Beast City, where it's spring all year round..."

Feng Rumeng kissed the corner of his mouth. "I'll wait for you..."

With that, she pushed off with her feet, used his arm for leverage, and leaped up, disappearing from sight.

Long Xingye stared blankly at the place where she had vanished. He gave a bitter laugh, and clear tears rolled down his face. Freedom in this lifetime was a long shot. He hoped they could still meet again in his dreams.

The ground suddenly trembled. He lowered his eyes listlessly, his scarlet gaze falling on the Giant Armored Beast Emperor that had suddenly appeared below.

"Well, well, old fellow, you got here pretty fast. Couldn't stay on the fifth level anymore? Come to my ninth level for some amusement?"

The Giant Armored Beast Emperor raised its head and roared at Long Xingye. The blast shook the Beast Crystals throughout the room, sending them floating into the air.

Long Xingye rolled his neck. "Since you're here, don't leave."

With that, he transformed into a five-clawed purple dragon and pounced.