Chapter 30: Zi Yan Strikes!
Hearing Jiang Yun's praise, Zi Yan immediately tilted her forehead to the heavens, her nostrils pointing skyward as she declared in her most tsundere manner, "Of course! Let me tell you..."
As Jiang Yun listened to Zi Yan recount her adventures in the Demonic Beast Forest, he simultaneously controlled his flames, refining the medicinal ingredients one by one into pellets perfectly suited to Zi Yan's palate.
A profound sense of peace filled his heart. Just then, the Saint Demon Flame within his body gave an instantaneous, fleeting, barely perceptible shudder.
A strange, unreadable look flickered through the eyes of Jiang Yun, still mid-refinement. Yet he very quickly resumed quietly helping Zi Yan with her ingredients.
It had to be said—although Jiang Yun was a bit of a watered-down alchemist when it came to actual pills, knowing only a handful of types, his skill in refining medicinal ingredients, under Zi Yan's daily, cumulative 'feeding,' had been rocketing upward at breakneck speed!
The darkness of night in the east slowly spat forth pale dawn. Jiang Yun, having refined ingredients all night, finally stowed away the very last pellet.
Even though he had worked overtime for an entire night, he now looked fully alert and brimming with energy—not the slightest trace of fatigue. For him, this workload was utterly trivial.
Watching Zi Yan, clinging to his thigh like a sloth, sleeping sweetly and soundly, a soft, tender smile surfaced at the corner of Jiang Yun's mouth.
Last night, tired out from talking, Zi Yan had simply sprawled across Jiang Yun's lap and fallen asleep just like that. Jiang Yun reached out and wiped away the drool trickling from the corner of her mouth. Who knew what pleasant dream she was having?
Jiang Yun fetched a fragrant, aromatic pellet and placed it beside Zi Yan's mouth. At that moment, as if smelling a familiar scent, Zi Yan's brows furrowed in her sleep. Her nose twitched faintly. A tiny pink tongue quickly darted out and, with unerring accuracy, snatched the pellet right out of Jiang Yun's hand.
"Crunch—" A few chews later, the pellet had already been gulped down into her belly. By now, Zi Yan was also awake. She opened those bright, large eyes of hers, glittering like violet gemstones.
"Jiang Yun! You finished!"
"If I hadn't finished, my pants would be done for!" Jiang Yun replied with a smile, handing a storage ring to Zi Yan.
Zi Yan also noticed the drool stain on Jiang Yun's pant leg at that moment. Her face flushed slightly, and she loudly retorted, "Those pants of yours aren't nearly as valuable as my drool! I may not know what kind of demonic beast I am, but I'm definitely not ordinary! Perhaps... perhaps my saliva can even be used as medicine! Just consider this as a test sample for you!"
In the end, Zi Yan even nodded with an air of great seriousness, silently applauding her own quick wit.
Jiang Yun looked at the 'spouting nonsense' Zi Yan with an odd, peculiar expression. This time... she might actually have blindly stumbled onto the truth.
What was Zi Yan's true form? Zi Yan herself didn't know—but how could he not? She was the paramount sovereign of the demonic beast world—a Taixu Ancient Dragon. In that case, wasn't Zi Yan's drool precisely dragon's saliva?
He had no idea what use dragon's saliva held on the Dou Qi Continent. But if it could be developed and harnessed... wouldn't he strike it filthy rich?
Watching Zi Yan, who was 'wolfing down her meal' in great, gaping mouthfuls, Jiang Yun put away the strange thoughts in his mind. He chuckled, "You can research that yourself! I, for one, have no interest in studying other people's drool."
As he spoke, Jiang Yun retrieved a jade bottle from his storage ring. The jade bottle was somewhat warm and moist. The liquid inside shone with a faint white glow, as if swimming and shifting.
"Zi Yan, where did you find this?" Jiang Yun held the jade bottle in his hand and asked Zi Yan.
The substance inside the jade bottle was certainly no ordinary item. It was precisely the same Earth Core Body-Tempering Milk that, in the original story, Zi Yan had failed to obtain!
In the original tale, Zi Yan had returned empty-handed because she couldn't defeat the guardian demonic beast of the Earth Core Body-Tempering Milk. But the current Zi Yan? Beating a Snow Demon Sky Ape—one that could temporarily erupt with the strength of a 5-star Dou Wang—was, for her, a simple and effortless matter.
"You mean this? This stuff tastes pretty good!" Zi Yan halted her meal-fueling operations and, looking at the jade bottle in Jiang Yun's hand, first nodded in praise.
"As for where I got it, let me think..."
This was one of the very few things that had left a deep impression on Zi Yan. Not because that Snow Demon Sky Ape had made a lasting impact on her—but because of its taste.
This was one of the rare beverages Zi Yan could rave about without needing to undergo refinement first. Which was precisely why she had thought to bring some back to share with Jiang Yun.
"Ah— I remember now! It's from that big gorilla!" Moments later, Zi Yan clapped her hands together and declared excitedly.
Earth Core Body-Tempering Milk: Pure, concentrated power of the earth, compressed and refined through the passage of countless eons. After a hundred years, it forms a mist; after a thousand, it turns liquid. The highest quality among these is known as Earth Core Body-Tempering Milk, possessing the divine effect of marrow-cleansing and bone-tempering.
It was a treasure countless Dou Ling dreamed of, capable of increasing the success rate of breaking through to Dou Wang. Even for a Dou Wang seeking to break through to Dou Huang, it was of tremendous benefit.
"Then let's go back for another visit!" Seeing Zi Yan had remembered, Jiang Yun smiled. A very happy smile. The Earth Core Body-Tempering Milk could help him rapidly cross beyond the Da Dou Shi stage and reach the Dou Ling level. He absolutely could not miss this opportunity.
"This stuff indeed tastes pretty good... but I already finished it all!" At this moment, Zi Yan instead became somewhat awkward and sheepish. She spoke with a touch of embarrassment.
"Just trust me!" Jiang Yun didn't explain further. He simply took Zi Yan's hand and walked slowly toward the outside.
Trusting Jiang Yun, Zi Yan allowed herself to be led by the hand.
However, as they were leaving, they encountered a slight spot of trouble.
Looking at the tall, imposing man before them whose face was as dark and brooding as deep water, Jiang Yun felt a bit helpless. Was this truly a case of beating the small fry only to draw out the 'old monster'?
"Who might this senior be?"
"Feng Wuhen!" the man replied flatly. It was none other than the number two on the Strong Ranking, half-step Dou Wang—Feng Wuhen.
"Is Senior Feng here to avenge Xue Zhen?" Knowing the newcomer's identity and recalling what he'd heard yesterday about the relationship between the two, Jiang Yun asked with some curiosity.
"No!" To Jiang Yun's surprise, Feng Wuhen denied his speculation. "He lost because his own skill was inferior. I would not stoop to such a thing. I merely wished to see for myself what the monster who has shaken the entire Inner Academy looks like."
"And now?"
"His reputation is well-deserved!" Feng Wuhen was silent for a moment, then said in a low, deep voice. "I will wait for you at the Strong Ranking Tournament."
As he spoke, the fierce, sharp, domineering aura about his entire person—like a hibernating snake suddenly awakening—erupted violently forth!
That domineering, oppressive aura locked squarely onto Jiang Yun!
"Hey— big dumb oaf! Are you done yet or not?! Jiang Yun and I still have to go find tasty things! If you don't get out of the way, I'll hit you!"
Before Jiang Yun could even react, Zi Yan had already spoken up impatiently. She and Jiang Yun were perfectly fine, on their way to find food together. This big dumb oaf not only blocked their path, but actually dared to threaten the person she covered and protected. He simply did not place her, Zi Yan, in his eyes at all!
"Hm?" Feng Wuhen's aura faltered. He furrowed his brows, looking at Zi Yan. So this was that widely rumored little girl who dared to shout at the First Elder? Aside from being somewhat cute, she seemed... rather plain and unremarkable!
"I don't like that look in your eyes." Zi Yan frowned, staring at Feng Wuhen. She spoke coldly, her fists cracking and popping as she clenched them. "If you want to challenge Little Yun, first take a punch from me."
With a sharp shout, Zi Yan charged directly forward. Her speed was extremely fast, her explosive power even greater. She punched out. The force of her fist whipped up surging ripples. Feng Wuhen's pupils abruptly constricted.
"Boom—"
Feng Wuhen suddenly surged a step forward. Pale golden Dou Qi erupted from him, and his entire person gleamed with golden light—as if a god of war had descended. He raised a fist and threw a punch toward Zi Yan.
Feng Wuhen's Dou Qi was actually of the metal attribute—a relatively rare type of Dou Qi, extraordinarily adept at attack and defense, only somewhat inferior in speed.
Yet, in this short-distance explosive burst, Feng Wuhen's speed was anything but slow. With a single punch, golden light blazed brilliantly, erupting instantaneously like a torrential flood.
Feng Wuhen truly lived up to being the Inner Academy's number two on the Strong Ranking. He was already extremely close to Dou Wang. Perhaps after this session of Heart Flame body tempering, he could break through. Pity. Right now, he had run straight into Zi Yan.
"Boom—"
One large fist and one small fist collided. A thunderclap-like explosive roar. The entirety of the hundred-meter area shuddered violently. The result of this collision was, naturally, Feng Wuhen being sent flying directly backward.
Fortunately, they were already near the outer perimeter of the Inner Academy. There weren't many people around. Otherwise, who knows what sort of psychological devastation they would have suffered once again.
"Ugh—" Feng Wuhen stared at Zi Yan in utter disbelief. That arm of his was still trembling violently. Bright crimson blood slowly trickled down along his arm. Yet he felt not the slightest trace of pain. His entire arm had gone completely numb.
"Dou Wang—"
Feng Wuhen looked at Zi Yan, his teeth clenched tight as he tremblingly uttered Zi Yan's true strength.
At this moment, the look in his eyes as he gazed at Zi Yan held not the slightest trace of the disregard from moments earlier. Who could possibly have imagined that this utterly harmless, innocent little girl actually possessed such terrifying power—and was, furthermore, a Dou Wang expert?!
The very goal that all of them in the top ten of the Strong Ranking were chasing.
"Well? Am I not allowed to be a Dou Wang?" Zi Yan raised her little fist with a self-satisfied, gleeful air, causing the corner of Feng Wuhen's eye to twitch uncontrollably.
Only now did he fully register—just moments ago, Zi Yan hadn't even released her Dou Qi! Purely with the power of her physical body, she had beaten him utterly without any ability to resist. Feng Wuhen was absolutely certain that Zi Yan was no ordinary Dou Wang.
"No wonder the First Elder values the two of you so highly. Indeed... compared to you two, what right do people like us have to call ourselves geniuses?"
The very instant Zi Yan's true strength was revealed, Feng Wuhen instantly connected the dots on so many things. Why Zi Yan didn't need to participate in the Fire Energy Hunt. Why the First Elder treated Zi Yan the way he did. So talent truly did allow one to do as they pleased.
At this moment, Feng Wuhen appeared utterly dejected. One could say Zi Yan's single punch had nearly shattered his confidence to pieces. Like a lost, wandering soul, he trudged off into the distance.
"What's wrong with him?"
Watching Feng Wuhen leave, Zi Yan raised her head and looked at Jiang Yun, puzzled. Big eyes, small question marks.
"Probably got a bit crushed by you," Jiang Yun chuckled lightly and ruffled the top of Zi Yan's head.
"Tch— I only used ten percent of my strength! And he's already crushed? Then he's not so great after all, is he? Back in the day, I used to get beaten up by demonic beasts all the time when fighting for food. But I never got discouraged! And later on, I beat every single one of them back, good and proper."
Zi Yan animatedly recounted her previous experiences with great enthusiasm. Within her light, casual tone were the life-and-death crises of her weaker days.
Jiang Yun felt a pang of ache in his heart. Looking at this lively, cheerful girl before him, it was truly hard to imagine that, as the princess of the Ancient Dragon Clan, she had endured such a childhood.
And yet she could still maintain such a positive attitude. Zi Yan was truly 'strong'!
"Don't worry! From now on, I'll be with you. Whoever dares to bully you—I'll beat them up for you! Let's start... with the Demonic Beast Forest outside the Inner Academy!" Jiang Yun took Zi Yan's hand and slowly walked toward the Demonic Beast Forest.
"Hmph— you're not even as strong as me yet! I should be the one protecting you! In the demonic beast world, the boss has to protect their underlings. And as for those few crooked, gnarled freaks outside? There's no opponent for me among them."
Jiang Yun's words warmed Zi Yan's heart, but she still tilted her head up with an expression of supreme tsundere pride.
The morning sun spilled down, stretching the silhouettes of the two walking side by side very long. Gradually, the two shadows merged into one.
An endless, boundless, vast forest sea. A light breeze blew, swaying the tree branches and carrying wave after wave of green undulations through the forest sea, resembling roaring, surging billows.
This place was located in the depths of the boundless forest outside the Inner Academy of Jia Nan Academy. Within this vast, hazy, misty forest sea dwelled countless powerful demonic beasts. Even a Dou Ling adventuring here could easily encounter mortal danger.
A silhouette, wreathed in a pair of purple Dou Qi wings, descended upon a small hillock, carrying another figure just slightly larger in size.
Without the slightest trace of shame, Jiang Yun climbed down from Zi Yan's embrace. He scrutinized the terrain before them and asked, "Are you sure you didn't mistake the place?"
"I would absolutely never mistake something delicious!" Zi Yan was somewhat displeased by Jiang Yun's doubt. You could doubt her in other aspects, but you absolutely could not doubt her obsessive dedication to delicious ingredients.
Jiang Yun nodded. He carefully studied the valley before them. It was a small valley tucked against the mountainside, the valley entrance shaped just like a bottle gourd.
"Let's go. Time to visit your old friend!" Spreading his soul power outward, Jiang Yun very quickly revealed a smile and took the lead, heading deeper inside.
Zi Yan followed closely behind, step for step, one small hand naturally clutching a section of Jiang Yun's sleeve.
Very soon, the two reached the very end of the valley. In a cave over a dozen meters high, they saw a snow-white figure sprawled in slumber.
Judging by its size, this Snow Demon Sky Ape was a full three to four zhang in length. The white ape's entire body faintly radiated threads of icy, chilling energy. It lay sprawled on the ground, snoring away in deep slumber. Heavy, coarse breaths gusted out from its enormous nostrils, like twin plumes of white smoke.
Its arms were rather long and lanky. Its hand claws, resembling forged black iron, were each the size of two adult human heads. Even in its slumbering dreams, unconscious, casual swipes of its paws would send several fierce blasts of force shooting out, blasting nearby boulders into splintered, shattered fragments.
"Should we go say hello?" Spotting the main target, Jiang Yun chuckled lightly toward Zi Yan.
"That big gorilla's a bit dumb, but it still has some tricks up its sleeve!" Zi Yan's expression now also grew serious. Although the other was not her match, even a lion uses its full strength when hunting a rabbit—and what's more, Jiang Yun was here too. She didn't dare to be careless.
Just at that moment, the demonic beast seemed to sense something. Its heavily breathing nose faintly twitched as it inhaled deeply twice. Immediately after, a pair of blood-red eyes locked directly onto Zi Yan's position.
"You again!" Looking at Zi Yan, the Snow Demon Sky Ape's pupils first contracted. Its body quivered involuntarily. Then it very quickly turned its gaze toward Jiang Yun.
"A human?!"
"You actually brought a human into my territory! You traitor to the entire demonic beast race!"
The Snow Demon Sky Ape's body shifted, rising directly to its full height. Fierce, violent energy erupted from its towering frame. Its blood-red eyes brimmed over with savagery and loathing as it glared viciously at Jiang Yun and Zi Yan.
Were it not for Zi Yan's strength having left a 'deep and lasting impression' upon it, it would already have charged forward and torn the two of them in half.
"You actually dare to curse me?!" Zi Yan was so infuriated that her ponytail practically stood on end. Raging flames blazed in both eyes. "It seems the lesson I gave you last time wasn't enough! Watch how this great aunt teaches you a lesson!"
(End of Chapter)