Below the dragon's head, Bai Mulan carefully placed Chen Fan's head on her lap, summoning a layer of ice beneath him to provide a resting place. A trace of relief flickered in her heart upon hearing the man's words—Chen Fan had successfully absorbed the dragon's soul, and though his body would take time to integrate its power, he was safe for now.
Earlier, when Chen Fan had entered the dragon's Soul Realm, she had watched in growing horror as his complexion paled, his aura weakened, and blood trickled from his eyes. For a fleeting moment, the urge to wake him surged within her, but the man had warned that doing so would only place him in greater danger. Powerless, she could only stand by, heart clenched in worry, as his condition deteriorated before her eyes. A storm of worst-case scenarios filled her mind.
And then, he had finally opened his eyes.
Her heart had soared—only for it to plummet just as quickly as he collapsed once more.
As Bai Mulan sat beside him now, cradling his unconscious form, she couldn't deceive herself any longer. Somewhere along the way, she had already fallen for this man.
The mere thought of his playful nature brought a smile to her lips. The memory of his sacrifice—his missing arm, the pain he endured without hesitation—sent a dull ache through her chest. And the realization that, even in unconsciousness, his first instinct had always been to protect her filled her heart with warmth.
The disgust she once felt at hearing of their destined future had turned into curiosity. She wanted to know—what kind of future awaited them? How had they come to be together? Would they be happy?
The suffocating discomfort of feeling like a puppet, bound by the strings of fate, had vanished entirely.
I want to be with him—not because we are bound by some unseen script, but because I choose to, she thought, her gaze softening as she looked down at him. Even knowing everything… I still choose him.
Time seemed to slip away unnoticed. Bai Mulan watched as Chen Fan's complexion gradually improved, easing the weight of worry in her heart. Unbeknownst to her, her gaze had never once strayed from his face, her eyes fixed on him in silent contemplation. Her mind was consumed by an endless stream of thoughts, swirling like a current beneath the surface.
At some point, she noticed Chen Fan's eyelids twitch. A moment later, his eyes fluttered open, blinking as they adjusted to the dim light. His expression flickered with surprise at the first thing he saw—her. Bai Mulan felt her face heat up under his gaze, and the sight made Chen Fan's lips curl into a faint smile. Whatever confusion he had about his surroundings vanished in an instant, replaced by a sense of quiet amusement. However, as soon as the memories of what had led him here returned, realization dawned on him. He became aware of his current position and immediately sat up in a fluster.
Damn. Why did I get up so fast? Annoyed at himself for losing his composure, he mentally cursed.
Lifting his gaze, he found the armored man watching him with an amused smile, as if he could read his every thought.
"How long was I out?" Chen Fan asked, hoping to shift the conversation and spare himself further embarrassment.
"You've been asleep on your girlfriend's lap for two hours," the man replied, his tone dripping with mischief.
Chen Fan's eye twitched.
"We..." He hesitated, suddenly unsure of how to define their relationship. Were they friends? Comrades? Fellow disciples from the same sect? After a brief pause, he finally settled on, "We're not in that kind of relationship."
"Then husband and wife?" The man grinned wider, clearly enjoying himself.
"We're just friends," Bai Mulan responded, having regained her composure. For now, she added silently in her heart.
"I see," the man mused, nodding knowingly. His gaze flickered back to Bai Mulan, making her cheeks flush red once more.
Deciding to stop his teasing, he changed the topic. "So, how are you feeling now?"
Chen Fan closed his eyes briefly, focusing inward. He quickly assessed his condition. Foundation Building, Eighth Stage. The outcome exceeded his expectations. But what truly astonished him was his soul—it felt vast, boundless, like an entire starry sky residing within him. Compared to his previous soul realm, which only contained a dozen stars, this transformation was nothing short of extraordinary.
If he were to fight the dragon again now, he felt confident he could win effortlessly. His eyes gleamed with excitement at the thought.
"Can I fight it again now?" Chen Fan looked at the man, his eagerness apparent.
"Hahaha!" The man burst into laughter. "Most people would fear facing that dragon, yet you treat it as nothing more than a meal." Shaking his head, he continued, "Unfortunately, no. The seal still has its limitations—it can't suppress the dragon soul continuously. If you fight it now, you'd be up against a dragon at the Soul Transformation stage or higher. The seal needs time to recharge its energy."
"How long?" Chen Fan asked impatiently. The sooner he could absorb the remaining dragon soul, the better. If too much time passed, he might have to face a Nascent Soul-level dragon, which would be far trickier to handle.
"Could be a hundred years, maybe longer," the man replied, his words dousing Chen Fan's excitement like cold water.
"Is there any way to speed it up?"
"Two, actually," the man answered. "First, you could offer sacrifices—people or treasures capable of recharging this entire secret realm."
Chen Fan frowned. That option wasn't ideal. Using the Devil Sect as fuel was a possibility, but he'd need far more strength to pull it off, making it a difficult choice. He patiently waited for the second option.
"Or… you could simply wait until you reach the Soul Transformation stage."
Chen Fan's brows furrowed. "Is it because my soul has already started inheriting dragon attributes?" he speculated.
"Exactly." The man nodded. "By then, when you face the dragon soul in its completed form, you won't need to merge with it. You can absorb it directly to strengthen your own soul because, in essence, a part of your soul is already the same as the dragon's."
Understanding dawned on Chen Fan. He lifted his hand, and a shadowy form manifested in his palm. His excitement soared at this discovery—he hadn't expected to gain such an ability.
"Yes, it's part of this seal's power," the man explained. "Normally, without a special physique or technique, absorbing a soul would only strengthen one's own without inheriting its abilities. But this seal is powered by an artifact capable of devouring not just a soul, but the power contained within it as well."
He smirked slightly. "However, you already experienced fighting the dragon firsthand. Without a special case like yours, achieving this would be nearly impossible."
"Are there any side effects?" Bai Mulan's voice broke through their conversation, drawing both men's attention to her.
Chen Fan blinked, slightly taken aback. He had been so focused on the increase in power that he'd completely overlooked potential risks. The concern in Bai Mulan's eyes warmed his heart.
I was too reckless, he admitted to himself.
The man, sensing their concern, reassured her. "Don't worry. The seal's power purifies the absorbed soul completely. Even if someone stronger than the dragon attempted this, their cultivation level would remain at the same realm as the dragon's, but in exchange, they would inherit its abilities. There is no danger of their will being eroded."
His gaze softened slightly as he looked at Bai Mulan. From the moment Chen Fan had begun fighting until now, all she had cared about was his safety. The more he observed her, the more he admired her character. Then, his expression shifted into a teasing smirk as he turned back to Chen Fan.
"Look at you, only thinking about power. If not for this sealing technique, you'd probably be a demonic cultivator by now."
Chen Fan could only let out an awkward laugh. Of course, he had considered this before—he trusted his master's methods and had faith in his own willpower should anything go wrong. But now, he realized he had been too optimistic, failing to take Bai Mulan's feelings into account.
"I'll be more mindful in the future," he said with a small nod.
"Thank you," Chen Fan turned to look at her, only to see a trace of bitterness in her expression.
"No... I haven't done anything worth thanking. From the beginning until now, all I've done is rely on you," she said, her voice laced with frustration.
Chen Fan wanted to tell her that it had been his choice, that she shouldn't feel guilty about it. But before he could speak, an image of a golden-haired woman surfaced in his mind.
Some people simply couldn't be at ease when they were always on the receiving end. If he insisted that Bai Mulan didn't owe him anything, she might accept his words—but deep down, it wouldn't bring her peace, only himself.
A chuckle escaped him as he thought of this realization.
"Then I suppose we're both indebted to each other," he mused.
A familiar situation with the same inevitable conclusion. The irony wasn't lost on him.
"Well then, I suppose it's time for us to part ways," the man said, halting just as Chen Fan and Bai Mulan seemed to slip into their own world. "I know you still have many questions, but I'll answer them when we meet again."
Chen Fan indeed had countless questions about the man's identity and the origins of the dragon, but hearing his words, he understood that pressing for answers now would be futile. His current level was still too low to interfere in such matters. For now, his priority was clear—he had to grow stronger.
"Here—your tokens." The man handed them each a red token. "I've adjusted them so both of you can enter this space twice."
Chen Fan accepted his token with gratitude, his gaze lingering on it. At first glance, it didn't seem much different, but he know its value had increased tremendously. Not only was it a key to this place, but it also now served as a life-saving item.
"What about the other two doors?" Bai Mulan asked, recalling the other entrances. If they were similar to this one, perhaps they held more opportunities. Seeing Chen Fan's eagerness to grow stronger, she wanted to support him.
The man nodded knowingly. "Yes, those doors lead to similar trials. However, I can't transport you to them directly. Like this place, you'll need to find the corresponding tokens to enter."
Chen Fan hadn't even realized there were other doors like this. His eyes gleamed with excitement—another opportunity. If those doors contained trials like this one, then their tokens must be in the hands of someone. The Devil Sect members... He had a feeling they might possess them.
"Oh, right," the man suddenly added as if remembering something. "Now that you've absorbed the dragon's soul, it shouldn't be impossible for you to absorb its body as well."
Chen Fan and Bai Mulan both turned sharply toward the dragon, their eyes widening in understanding. If what the man said was true… then perhaps…
Bai Mulan's heart pounded as she glanced at Chen Fan's missing arm. Could it be? Could he actually restore it?
Excitement filled her gaze as she watched Chen Fan step forward, determination shining in his eyes as he approached the dragon's colossal form.