Chapter 160: Chapter 158: Even at the Cost of My Life, I Will Not Hesitate

At Jiang Chen’s speed, he could fly five to six hundred kilometers in a single double-hour.

He flew for a full five double-hours, covering over three thousand kilometers before finally landing in a hidden mountain valley.

A Tier Two Medium Demon Beast, an Iron Blood Wolf King, had made its lair in the valley. Jiang Chen slew it with a single sword strike and claimed its den.

Inside the den.

Jiang Chen laid the unconscious Xiaoo Qingyi on a pile of dry hay. He then took the Black Emperor out from his robes and asked, "Little Black, how are your injuries?"

The Black Emperor’s aura was still weak. It lazily lifted its head and said, "I’m badly hurt. I’m afraid I won’t recover without one or two months of rest."

"These are Purple Mansion Spirit Pills. They can help you recover!"

Jiang Chen took out a bottle of purple pills and handed it to the Black Emperor.

The Black Emperor didn’t stand on ceremony, swallowing the bottle whole before landing on a nearby pile of hay to quietly recuperate.

Jiang Chen also sat down cross-legged beside Xiaoo Qingyi and began to meditate and heal.

Using Talent Devouring God already came with immense side effects. This, compounded by Yun Jianshen’s attack, had left Jiang Chen severely wounded. He had to stabilize his condition as quickly as possible. Otherwise, it would turn into a latent ailment that would affect his future achievements on the Martial Dao.

This healing session lasted for a full half-day.

The sun had already set...

Both Jiang Chen and the Black Emperor had recovered some of their injuries. The man and the beast opened their eyes at the same time.

"Little Black, how’s your recovery coming along?" Jiang Chen asked.

The Black Emperor nodded. "Your pills are quite effective. I’ve already recovered ten percent of my injuries, so some light combat shouldn’t be a problem now. However, I still need a large amount of blood food to fully heal. In another two days, once I’ve recovered twenty to thirty percent of my strength, I’ll go out and hunt for blood food. That will significantly shorten my recovery time!"

"Okay."

Jiang Chen nodded. "What about Little White?"

"Don’t worry, Little White is in the Devouring Space. I’ll let him out now!" The Black Emperor flapped its fleshy wings, and a white light appeared.

Little White landed on the ground.

The moment he saw Jiang Chen, he flew into his arms and asked with a worried expression, "Boss, you’re hurt? How bad is it? Are you okay?"

"Don’t worry, it’s just a few minor injuries. I’ll be fine after some rest and recuperation!" Jiang Chen rubbed Little White’s fluffy head, then thought for a moment before saying, "Little White, go hunt a few Demon Beasts and bring them back. We need to replenish our energy!"

"You got it!"

Little White nodded and looked at the Black Emperor. "Brother Black, what do you want to eat? Tiger penis? Or bear paw?"

The Black Emperor rolled its eyes. "I have no need for that stuff. Just capture a few live Demon Beasts and bring them back for me as blood food!"

"Understood!"

With that, Little White vanished and was gone.

He had already advanced to the level of a Tier Two High-Level Demon Beast, comparable to an expert at the True Martial Realm Seventh Stage.

As long as he didn’t run into a Tier Three Beast King, ordinary Demon Beasts were truly no match for him.

The Black Emperor glanced at Xiaoo Qingyi behind Jiang Chen and noticed her eyelashes twitch slightly. Realizing she was awake, it immediately said, "It’s too stuffy in this cave. I’m going out for a walk." With that, the Black Emperor flapped its fleshy wings and flew out of the cave.

Only Jiang Chen and Xiaoo Qingyi on her pile of hay were left.

Jiang Chen’s gaze fell upon her. The young woman was curled up, her delicate brows furrowed, and tear stains still marked the corners of her eyes. She looked utterly pitiful, a heart-wrenching sight.

"Sigh..."

Jiang Chen sighed to himself and said softly, "Qingyi, I know you’re awake."

"No... I’m not awake. I’m still dreaming. This is all a dream. Aunt Yun isn’t dead, Taoyuan Town hasn’t been destroyed, Yaya and the others are still alive... This is all a dream. I can’t open my eyes... I-I don’t dare to open my eyes. I’m afraid if I open them, I’ll find out this is all real..." Xiaoo Qingyi’s body trembled slightly.

She curled up even tighter.

An inexplicable pain stabbed at Jiang Chen’s heart, and he pulled Xiaoo Qingyi into a tight embrace.

Holding her soft, warm body, he felt her trembling slowly subside. Jiang Chen gently patted her shoulder and said, "Qingyi, be brave. Open your eyes. Aunt Yun and the others are gone. We have to accept reality."

"No... They’re not dead! You’re lying to me! They’re not dead! Aunt Yun was my only family. If she’s dead, what am I supposed to do? I..." Xiaoo Qingyi’s eyes were squeezed shut as she spoke hysterically.

"Listen to me. They’re really gone. Can you please stop deceiving yourself?"

Jiang Chen placed his hands on Xiaoo Qingyi’s shoulders. "Qingyi, you have to pull yourself together. Don’t forget why Aunt Yun died. She died to protect us. If she knew you were like this, she wouldn’t be able to rest in peace."

Xiaoo Qingyi’s whole body shuddered.

Her long eyelashes trembled as she opened her eyes. They were filled with a lost, vacant look. Staring at Jiang Chen, she murmured, "Brother Chen, what should I do then?"

"Get stronger!"

Jiang Chen thought for a moment before finally speaking. "Only by getting stronger, by living a better life, can we honor Aunt Yun’s memory. Only by becoming strong enough can we protect the people we cherish from harm!"

’Get stronger? Protect the people I cherish from harm?’

Xiaoo Qingyi repeated Jiang Chen’s words over and over.

In her mind, she saw the scene in Taoyuan Town when Aunt Yun had transformed into a demon to protect her.

She saw the scene in Yunxian Valley when Aunt Yun had given her life to save her.

All of it was because she was too weak.

She had needed her protection!

If she had been strong enough, she could have protected Aunt Yun, protected Yaya, protected the people she loved.

Xiaoo Qingyi had always been calm and aloof by nature, one who avoided conflict. She had no desire for fighting and killing. Because of this, the old Xiaoo Qingyi had only ever practiced the Cultivation Secret Technique to keep the residents of Taoyuan Town alive within "Reincarnation," and had never trained in any other Cultivation Technique.

But now...

Xiaoo Qingyi’s heart had undergone an earth-shattering change!

The confusion in her eyes was gone, replaced by an unwavering resolve. "That’s right. I will get stronger." Xiaoo Qingyi looked at Jiang Chen. "Brother Chen, from today onward, will you guide my cultivation? I want to become very strong. I don’t want the people who love me to die for me ever again. I want to protect the people I love!"

In that moment, Xiaoo Qingyi’s disposition changed completely. She now possessed the resolve to become strong!

The heart of a true expert!

Looking at the determined gaze in the stunningly beautiful young woman’s eyes, Jiang Chen felt a mix of complicated emotions. He didn’t know if changing Xiaoo Qingyi’s mindset like this was a good thing or a bad thing.

However, at least she had found her resolve again.

At this thought, the corners of Jiang Chen’s mouth lifted into a gentle smile. "Alright. From today on, we’ll train together and get stronger together." After a pause, Jiang Chen tightened his arms slightly.

Xiaoo Qingyi’s body tensed for a moment before she relaxed, leaning into Jiang Chen’s embrace.

Jiang Chen’s gentle voice sounded by her ear, "Qingyi, from now on, I will never let you be harmed again!"

"Mm, Brother Chen, I believe you!"

Xiaoo Qingyi nodded earnestly, resting in Jiang Chen’s arms. She murmured to herself in a voice only she could hear, ’Brother Chen, I’ll keep getting stronger, too. Because... I want to protect you, to keep you from any harm! Even if the price is my own life, I won’t hesitate!’

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