Xiao Yan bent down, hooked his arm under Yun Yun's legs, and lifted her in a bridal carry.
After quickly scanning the waterfall, he planted one foot and shot toward it like a cannonball.
Passing through the water curtain, he entered the cave he had once used for cultivation.
His entire body was burning with heat, and being drenched by the water made him feel as if he were being steamed alive.
In a few strides, he reached the stone bed and unceremoniously tossed Yun Yun onto it, then yanked off his own soaked black robe and flung it aside.
Yun Yun wasn't faring much better—her drenched robes had become nearly transparent.
Though unharmed by Xiao Yan's rough handling, she let out a soft, pained whimper—a sound so delicate and sweet it could intoxicate the soul.
Discomforted by the sticky dampness clinging to her skin, Yun Yun couldn't bear it any longer. With a tug at the silk sash around her waist, she shed her robes.
Amidst the rustling fabric, she was soon left in nothing but a light-blue inner armor. Her normally fair skin, now flushed under the influence of the medicinal energy, looked irresistibly alluring.
Her jade-like cheeks were tinged with a rosy hue, her sensual lips slightly parted as she exhaled heavy, enchanting breaths. Her slender waist writhed unconsciously, her expression brimming with a seductive allure that was impossible to resist.
Most captivating of all were her legs—smooth as silk, plump yet shapely, with thighs full and gleaming, calves slender yet firm. One leg was slightly bent, accentuating their flawless curves.
The muscles of her thighs and calves were perfectly balanced—neither too plump nor too lean—inviting endless fantasies.
Xiao Yan retrieved a jade vial emitting a chilling aura from his storage ring, uncorked it, and poured out some of its contents. Seeing Yun Yun about to remove even more clothing, he quickly interjected, "You can't take anything else off."
As soon as the medicinal liquid appeared, a biting cold spread through the air. In moments, the area around the stone bed became refreshingly cool.
Though this chill was nowhere near as piercing as the Ice Spirit Cold Spring's, for Yun Yun and Xiao Yan in their current state, it was like sweet rain after a drought—what should have been a mild cooling effect now felt several times stronger.
Xiao Yan casually splashed the liquid onto the stone bed, instantly coating its dark surface and the nearby walls with a layer of frost.
However, only half the area was covered—enough for just one person to enjoy the cooling relief.
Yun Yun shifted her body onto the frosted section, and her temperature immediately dropped. Only her face, neck, and chest remained feverishly hot.
Relieved by the improvement, she let out a sigh and asked in pleasant surprise, "What is this?"
"Ice Spirit Liquid. Not that you'd know it," Xiao Yan replied as he carefully stored the vial away and climbed onto the inner side of the stone bed.
He had initially hoped that with resources supplied by two great empires, he might gather more of the Ice Spirit Cold Spring. But after over a year, he hadn't even obtained a single drop.
Queen Medusa clearly hadn't just recently begun preparing to use a Heavenly Flame for her breakthrough. Years ago, when she fought Hai Bodong for that fragmentary map, she had already been scheming to find one.
Thus, she had likely stockpiled items like the Ice Spirit Cold Spring—materials that countered Heavenly Flames—long ago.
Not only were they scarce in the Jia Ma Empire and the Chu Yun Empire, but even neighboring nations seemed to have none left.
Private collections like Gu Te's were as rare as phoenix feathers.
Failing to find a natural source, Xiao Yan refused to give up. Instead, he created a synthetic version. Though it couldn't compare to the real Ice Spirit Cold Spring, it was about 70-80% as effective. He just hadn't expected to use it in this situation.
Yun Yun's delicate face flashed with disbelief at Xiao Yan's dismissive reply.
At this moment, she had the impulsive urge to snap, Do you even know who I am? What treasure haven't I heard of?!
Seeing Xiao Yan climb onto the bed, she instinctively crossed her arms over her chest and bent her legs slightly, like a startled kitten. "W-What are you doing?"
Xiao Yan took in her flushed cheeks, glistening eyes, and the way she was barely restraining herself from throwing herself at him. Suppressing his own urges, he muttered, "Cultivating."
Sitting cross-legged, he channeled his soul power to gather the medicinal energy scattered throughout his body.
Once the invisible flame in his heart stabilized, he endured the stinging pain it inflicted on his meridians and bones. With a thought, he guided a stream of black-and-white Dou Qi through several meridians, directing it toward his heart.
Under his mental scrutiny, this Dou Qi surged straight into the invisible flame.
The flame's area was minuscule, so in less than a second, the Dou Qi emerged from the other side.
Xiao Yan tightly controlled the energy that had passed through the flame. Upon closer inspection, he realized it had shrunk by about 10%.
Though it was only a tenth, this discovery thrilled him.
His Dou Qi was already extraordinarily refined—forged from the fusion of four Heavenly Flames. Further purification was no easy feat.
Elated, his gaze drifted back to Yun Yun—her face as enchanting as a blooming flower, her body like a lotus unfurling. His heart pounded so violently he could hear it, his mind growing hazy.
Even the Fallen Heart Flame at the Jia Nan Academy, formidable as it was, only reached the Dou Zong level at best.
If he cultivated for another year or two, condensing the Bone Chilling Flame and the Life Devouring Flame, subduing the Fallen Heart Flame would be challenging but not impossible.
But this beauty was right before him, ripe for the taking. As the saying went, "Pluck the flower when it blooms, lest you mourn its wilted state." His throat bobbed at the thought.
Just then, Yun Yun let out a soft moan, her brows furrowing slightly.
As time passed, the frost formed by the Ice Spirit Liquid had weakened, and the heat within her was rising once more.
Watching the steam rising from beneath her, Xiao Yan's resolve wavered. His cultivation wasn't enough yet. With a sudden shout, he said, "Yun Zhi, let me tell you a story."
Yun Yun, lost in her daze, murmured, "What kind of story at a time like this?"
"It's about something truly extraordinary—I guarantee you've never heard it before," Xiao Yan said.
He had initially used the Ice Spirit Liquid just to help Yun Yun cool down long enough for him to stabilize the invisible flame and test its effects.
But faced with her intoxicating allure, he found it unbearably difficult to resist. The line between man and beast was paper-thin.
So, he turned to the calming teachings of Buddhist philosophy, hoping to distract both their minds. If they could just hold out like this for now, he could reduce the dosage later and still have Yun Yun assist in his cultivation.
Yun Yun tilted her head slightly. As the sect leader of the Yunlan Sect, she was far from ignorant—she had read countless ancient texts and rare accounts. She was curious to hear what tale Xiao Yan could possibly spin that she didn't already know.
(End of Chapter)
────────────────────────────────────
"If you're interested, please support me in my other novel [One Piece: General Blue]."
"If you're interested, please support me in my other novel [Naruto: Starting with Tsunade-san]."
"If you're interested, please support me in my other novel [Soul Land 2: Golden Dragon King]."
"If you want early access to nearly 35+ chapters, join my patreon:- patreon.com/BaDwYGaMeR"