Just as Xiao Tian was about to speak, Xiao Meng's voice came again. "Daddy, remember to remove the head when roasting and add plenty of fragrant seasoning."
Xiao Ling and Xiao Tian were both stunned, not expecting Xiao Meng to suddenly do a complete U-turn.
Xiao Tian looked at her hesitantly and asked, "Did you not just say the bunny was cute?"
"That is right, but without its head and with lots of seasoning to cover it, it will not be cute anymore," Xiao Meng said earnestly, blinking her big eyes.
"Hahaha, alright, alright, I will make you the most delicious roasted rabbit."
Xiao Meng and Xiao Ling cheered, hugging Xiao Tian's arm. "Daddy is the best!"
---
Night, Chou Shi (1-3 AM).
Xiao Tian checked on the woman again; her tightly furrowed brows had relaxed considerably.
Her complexion had also regained some color, and her breathing had gradually become steady.
It seemed she would recover and wake up soon.
After Xiao Tian gave her another pill, he looked at the two little girls sleeping soundly, embracing each other, next to where the woman lay.
Xiao Tian gently pulled the fallen blanket over them, then used Dou Qi to shield them, just in case the other party woke up and made noise to disturb them or had ill intentions.
One should not harbor thoughts of harming others, but one must not be without a heart to guard against others.
After everything was set, Xiao Tian returned to the campfire, released several strands of soul perception to sense everything around him, and then slowly closed his eyes to cultivate.
Morning.
"Mmm~~"
A faint whimper suddenly echoed inside the mountain cave.
Xiao Tian, who was cultivating, heard this sound and instantly opened his eyes, looking towards the stone bed.
The woman's eyelashes trembled gently, and finally, her eyes opened a slit.
In a daze, she saw a soft, pearly white light.
"Where am I? Or am I already dead?" A soft murmur slowly escaped the woman's lips.
Before she fainted, the woman had just taken the eighth-grade healing pill she had brought out, but she could not be one hundred percent sure if she was still alive, as she had fainted in a mountain range teeming with demonic beasts, where she could be discovered by other demonic beasts at any moment.
Her heavy eyelids slowly lifted, and the woman gradually opened her eyes. In her gaze was a pair of eyes as deep as the night sky, but upon closer inspection, they seemed to carry a hint of melancholy.
At the same time, consciousness returned like a tide, and she finally fully woke up.
Her vision gradually cleared from blurriness, and what came into view was an uneven, rugged stone wall, like the ceiling of a mountain cave. Many places in the mountain cave were embedded with stones emitting a moon-white light.
She instantly sat up, but a feeling of soul weakness and emptiness came from her sea of consciousness. The woman's head was slightly furrowed, but she was not a weak woman. She quickly adjusted her state.
She remembered being in the forest before she fainted, but now she woke up in a place resembling a mountain cave. However, there was no panic in her eyes; instead, she intended to start observing her surroundings.
Before her gaze could even begin to move, a gentle male voice sounded in her ear. "You are awake?"
The woman did not respond immediately. She slowly lifted her eyelids, her gaze shifting from the uneven stone wall to the direction of the voice.
She saw a man sitting by the campfire in the center of the mountain cave, wearing a long robe woven with blue. His face was as handsome as a painting, alluring yet not lacking in masculinity, and his aura was refined and noble.
When his gaze fell on her, there was no hint of aggression, but rather a gentle curiosity, as if he had long expected her to wake up.
The woman could not help but be drawn to the handsome man in front of her. She had lived for so long, but the man in front of her was the most handsome man she had ever seen, without exception.
Her gaze lingered on him for a moment, then she withdrew it, her voice low and hoarse yet calm. "...Who are you, Your Excellency? Did you save me?"
Xiao Tian was slightly surprised by her directness and then chuckled lightly. "As for saving you, you could say so, but before asking someone's name, should you not at least introduce yourself first?"
Hearing Xiao Tian's words, the woman's eyes flickered. Realizing her earlier impropriety, she lowered her eyelashes, her voice even softer than before, yet still clear. "It was presumptuous of me."
The woman looked up at Xiao Tian. The feeling of weakness deep in her soul had not yet dissipated, but she still straightened her back. She raised her hand and cupped it towards Xiao Tian. Seeing the blue robe sleeves, her pupils constricted violently, but she quickly composed herself.
"I am Xuan Yi. Thank you, Your Excellency, for saving my life."
Upon hearing her name, Xiao Tian instantly looked up at her, quickly scanning her. No wonder she felt familiar; that was the reason.
He quickly withdrew his gaze. Xiao Tian had also seen the woman's eyes earlier. He stated his name, then pointed to the area next to the woman, speaking softly:
"Xiao Tian. Do not worry, I did not change your clothes; these two little girls helped you change. And they were the ones who saved you."
Following Xiao Tian's finger, the woman saw two exquisitely beautiful little girls, like porcelain dolls, sleeping by the wall of the stone bed where she sat. The two little girls looked very similar.
They were sleeping soundly, their delicate little faces showing sweet smiles, and their long eyelashes trembling slightly, as if they were immersed in beautiful dreams.
Seeing these two adorable little girls, the woman's eyes instantly softened, and a glow of maternal love involuntarily arose.
"Your daughters?" Xuan Yi looked back and forth between Xiao Tian and the two little girls, noticing many similarities between them.
Xiao Tian nodded gently.
Xuan Yi wanted to reach out and touch them, but ultimately stopped. Perhaps she was afraid of disturbing their sweet dreams, or perhaps she saw the Dou Qi shield around the little girls.
No wonder her previous conversation had not woken them. Although she was very weak now, she could still feel a powerful aura on the shield, indicating that the man by the campfire was not weak.
Xuan Yi looked at them with soft eyes, then slowly stood up, dragging her weak body towards Xiao Tian. Perhaps she was afraid of waking the girls, or perhaps it was due to her physical weakness, wanting to get closer to the campfire for some warmth.
Xiao Tian looked up, watching her approach quietly, choosing not to help her, simply because the woman in front of him was also a self-reliant person and did not need such a gesture that would make one appear weak and helpless.
He pointed to a large stone nearby, and Xuan Yi nodded in understanding, then walked towards the stone.
Arriving in front of Xiao Tian, Xuan Yi, bracing her weak body, bowed to Xiao Tian. "Thank you, Xiao Tian, Your Excellency, for saving my life. I will surely repay you with a heavy gift in the future."
Xiao Tian, who was poking the campfire in front of him, heard the woman's words, looked up slightly, and when he looked at Xuan Yi, his gaze also paused slightly.