Chapter 543: A Second Bloom

“How is he?”

“His injuries are severe, extremely severe. I’ve never seen wounds like this before.”

The insect maiden, Cai Die, fluttered her wings as she gazed at the bloodied body of Qi Yuan, her expression heavy with concern.

Dried blood stained his tattered robes, and Qi Yuan’s eyes remained tightly shut, his breath weak and fragile, like a thread barely holding on.

Shen Lingxuan cradled the unconscious Qi Yuan in her arms, her heart full of guilt and remorse.

If it weren’t for her, perhaps Qi Yuan wouldn’t have intervened, and he wouldn’t be suffering from such grave injuries now.

“If it were anyone else, they would already be dead from such wounds,” Cai Die said, her face full of incredulity.

What had happened today had far exceeded her expectations.

A mere... ordinary divine-tier cultivator from the Blue Mountain Realm had actually managed to kill Feng Ti, the wielder of ten lives.

One had to understand, Feng Ti was no ordinary Great Venerable.

In this chaotic region of the Starry Domain, where countless powerhouses gathered, Feng Ti was virtually invincible at the level of Great Venerables.

Qi Yuan had brought far too many surprises.

“To think... Brother Qi Yuan could be this powerful.

With talent like his, if it were made known, even ordinary Realm Masters would compete to take him as their disciple.”

At this moment, a figure appeared—a striking yet seemingly unremarkable man named Xianling Yingjun.

Feng Ti had cut through the Divine Wood Abyss with a single strike of his sword, leaving behind numerous gaps in the barriers. It was through these gaps that Xianling Yingjun had entered.

As for Ji Wuyun and Chen Kangbao, they lacked the strength to follow.

“And you are?” Cai Die looked at Xianling Yingjun warily.

Despite his name containing the word “handsome,” Xianling Yingjun’s appearance was plain and unremarkable. In a crowd, no one would give him a second glance.

“Don’t worry. I’m a friend of Brother Qi Yuan. I mean no harm,” Xianling Yingjun reassured her, though his heart was filled with awe.

He had only caught glimpses of Qi Yuan’s battle with Feng Ti, yet even that had left him astonished by Qi Yuan’s exceptional talent.

At the level of a Great Venrable, cultivators formed their Divine Realms by attuning themselves to the heavens and earth.

There was a sliver of possibility that during this process, one could merge with the universe, perceive its laws, and condense a Heart of Rules.

If a Great Venerable successfully condensed a Heart of Rules, it could be said that entering the Supreme Truth Realm, the second stage of the Yang God stage, would pose no difficulty. Moreover, such a cultivator would have a significant chance of reaching the third stage of the Yang God stage.

What was even more astonishing was that during Qi Yuan’s battle, he appeared to have fused two Hearts of Rules.

One must understand that the third stage of the Yang God stage consists of the Realm of Rules, the Realm of All Things, and the Creation Realm.

Only in the Realm of All Things could rules be fused.

Even many Realm Masters in the Realm of Rules would struggle their entire lives to achieve this fusion and step into the Realm of All Things.

Qi Yuan, however, had fused rules while still in the Yin God Realm...

What did this signify?

It meant that if he ever reached the Realm of Rules, he would have a 90% chance of stepping into the Realm of All Things.

In the Realm of All Things, as long as one condensed nine first-tier rules, one could step into the Creation Realm.

Of course, nine rules were the minimum threshold; the more rules condensed, the stronger one would become.

Thus, as Xianling Yingjun stared at Qi Yuan’s blood-stained robe, it was as if he were witnessing the rise of a future Realm Master.

If Qi Yuan developed normally, he was destined to become a Realm Master—and not an ordinary one at that.

In any universe, Realm Masters were supreme beings, rulers of galaxies, heavens, and earth.

“If you wish to save him, I have a plan,” Xianling Yingjun said. “Let him join the Void Paradise. I’m certain many Realm Masters there would be willing to take him as a disciple.”

Void Realm Masters, however, were out of the question.

Such supreme beings had little interest in taking on disciples.

But other Realm Masters wouldn’t let go of a seedling with such immense potential.

“No,” Cai Die quickly interjected.

Qi Yuan was a fated one, carrying the will of destiny.

If he joined the Void Paradise and became the disciple of a powerful being from another universe, it would undoubtedly be seen as “betraying the universe.”

A fated one represented not only themselves but also the will of their world and even the universe itself.

Why did the Radiant Society constantly hunt fated ones? It was to seize control of the Divine Wood Universe’s authority.

As for the Void Paradise, while their relationship with the Human Enlightenment Association was cordial, they were still outsiders—foreigners whose hearts couldn’t be trusted.

Xianling Yingjun shook his head. “Indeed, such a plan is flawed.”

After all, he lacked the authority to meet a Realm Master.

If he revealed Qi Yuan’s terrifying talent, it might not attract a Realm Master at all. Instead, it could draw the attention of some ancient monsters.

In the Zhou Universe, there were many Yang God cultivators who had stagnated and failed to advance. Upon discovering Qi Yuan’s extraordinary gifts, they might abduct him.

What they would do with him then was anyone’s guess.

“Other than that, I have no better ideas,” Xianling Yingjun said before vanishing into thin air.

This left only Cai Die, Shen Lingxuan, and the unconscious Qi Yuan.

Cai Die’s gaze shifted repeatedly before finally settling on Shen Lingxuan. Her expression was complex. “I know of a method that might awaken him, but... it could damage your foundation.”

“What is it?” Shen Lingxuan’s delicate body trembled as she guessed what it might entail.

“The Profound Yin...”

“I understand,” Shen Lingxuan bit her lip, her cheeks flushing red like blooming flowers.

Roughly half an hour later, within an icy chamber, Qi Yuan lay on an ice bed. The blood on his body had been carefully cleaned away.

Shen Lingxuan stared at his handsome face, worry etched into her features, unsure of how to proceed.

What if she failed?

After all, he was still a patient.

She gazed at him for a long time, hesitating before slowly reaching into her gown. She removed her bindings—her chest wrap and undergarments—blushing furiously even though Qi Yuan remained unconscious. She was still too shy to reveal her bare form so easily.

“...Husband...”

Her usually cold, snow-like complexion was tinged with a blush, like a plum blossom blooming amidst winter snow. Shen Lingxuan lifted her skirt, revealing her long, snowy legs.

Her legs were slender, graceful, and perfectly proportioned, like polished porcelain, gleaming with a soft luster and entirely devoid of excess flesh.

With furrowed brows, Shen Lingxuan didn’t know where to start. Bending her knees slightly, she lifted her skirt higher and carefully straddled Qi Yuan.

She wanted to move but couldn’t summon the courage and had no idea what to do.

The cold, jade-like celestial maiden found herself utterly helpless in this situation for the first time.

Recalling the instructions Zhi Shuang had once given her, she hesitantly moved her hands, awkwardly and clumsily mimicking what she had been taught.

Perhaps the sheer embarrassment heightened her senses, for at that moment, Qi Yuan, who had been in a deep sleep, suddenly opened his eyes.

“Hey, how could I possibly sleep through something like this? What am I, a dead fish?”

In television dramas, the male protagonist is often unconscious while the female protagonist takes the lead, unaware of what transpired when he finally awakens. Not only would such a scenario leave the male protagonist oblivious, but it would also make his experience amount to nothing.

Qi Yuan had no intention of letting such a thing happen to him.

His gaze, though weak, was firm as he looked at Shen Lingxuan, who was sitting on top of him.

“Even if you’re on top now, by the end, it will be me... riding...”

Being a man of his word, he naturally intended to deliver on what he said.

“Y-You’re awake?”

Shen Lingxuan’s face lit up with joy, but it was quickly replaced by deep shyness. Sitting astride Qi Yuan while holding her gown, she could feel his reaction beneath her.

With a resolute attitude, Cai Die leapt toward the entrance of the Divine Wood Abyss.

Thud! Her body collided with the barrier and fell through, plummeting downward.

The excruciating pain overwhelmed her, and she fainted on the spot.

Shen Lingxuan watched this unfold and turned to Qi Yuan with an even deeper look of pity in her eyes.

After all, Qi Yuan had endured this same torment without showing any signs of weakness, traversing the Divine Wood Abyss to slay Feng Ti and save her.

“Alright, I’ll head down for now. If you face any danger, I’ll come back up immediately,” Qi Yuan said, showing no hesitation as he reentered the depths of the Divine Wood Abyss.

“The restrictions in the Divine Wood Abyss are truly terrifying,” Qi Yuan murmured to himself.

“No matter how strong a man is, coming here would make him admit defeat.”

Back in the Divine Wood Abyss, when facing Shen Lingxuan, Qi Yuan had felt like an unstoppable war god, capable of triumphing over any challenge, no matter how many times it came his way.

But here in the depths of the abyss, if Shen Lingxuan came looking for him every day, he’d probably end up clutching his waist and fleeing in exhaustion.

“Huh? Where is she?” Qi Yuan roamed the abyss, searching for the blind maiden but found no trace of her.

He frowned, puzzled.

“Well, no matter. I’ll focus on forging for now.”

Since awakening his heart sight, Qi Yuan had felt an incredible surge in his abilities.

The speed at which he forged artifacts had dramatically increased, as if guided by divine inspiration.

“Turns out, being blind really held me back. Heart sight is so much better. What used to take me half an hour now only takes a quarter of the time,” Qi Yuan mused.

A man needs eyes to see.

If he doesn’t have eyes, then he needs heart sight.

And if he doesn’t have heart sight? Well, at least he needs some kind of eye—if only to maintain some semblance of usefulness.

With that thought, Qi Yuan chuckled, seated on a low ladder as he hammered materials.

“Heart sight really is a huge help. In another half a month, I think I’ll be able to forge a divine-tier artifact.”

“Still, crafting an artifact like Sheng Nu’s—something on the level of Divine Descent—is far more difficult than creating ordinary divine artifacts.”

“At the very least, I’ll need to integrate all eight forging techniques,” Qi Yuan muttered. He shrugged and got up, deciding to visit the blind maiden’s home.

“I wonder if she’s back?”

Walking along paths both familiar and unfamiliar, Qi Yuan eventually arrived in front of her house.

The soft sound of water reached his ears, and his eyes brightened.

The blind maiden was home.

“Hey, I’ve awakened heart sight, but I’m running out of materials. Can you give me some?” Qi Yuan called out.

The blind maiden stepped out of her home, carrying a wooden basket filled with materials.

“You’ve awakened heart sight?”

“Yes.”

Qi Yuan looked at her, trying to see her more clearly with his newly gained ability.

Unfortunately, even with heart sight, her figure remained blurry, indistinct.

“Barely adequate,” the blind maiden remarked as she handed him the basket. Her delicate nose wrinkled slightly. “You’re covered in sweat. Go take a bath.”

In the Divine Wood Abyss, Qi Yuan’s condition wasn’t much different from an ordinary person’s. Hard work left him sweaty and tired, just like anyone else.

“Thanks.” Qi Yuan accepted the basket and returned to his quarters.

After forging for several hours, he felt exhausted and decided to wash up before resting.

“It’s a pity there are no ants in the Divine Wood Abyss. Otherwise, I could have a battle with them to pass the time.”

After bathing, Qi Yuan munched on a piece of fruit and spoke to himself idly.

“Even the fruit here is perfect—not a single bug in sight. If there were, maybe fighting with bugs would help me push past my limits.”

The Divine Wood Abyss was truly too beautiful. The fruits were sweet and flawless, untouched by pests. The water was clear and pure, with no impurities.

Everything here was magnificent, almost unreal.

With these thoughts swirling in his mind, Qi Yuan gradually drifted off to sleep.

The moon hung high, the stars sparse, and the night carried a serene, intoxicating beauty.

Suddenly, a faint fragrance wafted through the air, and a soft body slipped into Qi Yuan’s embrace.

“Lingxuan?”

Half-asleep, Qi Yuan instinctively thought it was Shen Lingxuan.

Back in the Divine Wood Chasm, she had once snuck into his quarters in the middle of the night. At the time, she had been gentle and considerate, helping him explore what he couldn’t see.

So when the familiar sensation of a warm body pressed against him, he instinctively wrapped his arms around it and leaned in for a kiss.

Soft, tender, and sweet.

But at that moment, Qi Yuan’s consciousness snapped awake.

“Wait. This is the Divine Wood Abyss. Lingxuan couldn’t have come here.”

“Who are you?” he asked sharply.

The woman didn’t answer.

Qi Yuan was taken aback, unsure of what was happening.

But his confusion quickly gave way to shock.

Because... he, Qi Yuan—master of Five-Element Refinement, Heavenly Dao’s Foundation, Stellar Golden Core, Purple Qi Netherworld Mansion, and wielder of two supreme truths—had been overpowered and... reversed.

He couldn’t see her clearly, nor could he resist. His strength was no match for hers here in the Divine Wood Abyss.

As for shouting for help?

Forget it—that would be utterly humiliating. Not to mention, his mouth was... occupied.

The night surged with waves of crimson and silver, and when Qi Yuan woke the next morning, his head throbbed as if splitting.

The events of the previous night replayed in fragments.

“Was that... a dream?”

“No. It wasn’t.”

He sniffed lightly. The faint, familiar scent of flowers still lingered on his stone bed.

A bold suspicion arose in Qi Yuan’s mind, accompanied by rising anger.

“She... took advantage of me?”

While it was true that she had saved his life, he had no intention of repaying her with his body.

If it really was the blind maiden, then beyond her act of salvation, she had now become something entirely different—a mysterious figure whose actions left Qi Yuan conflicted.

Although such an incident might have been trivialized or mocked on Earth—an occasion for people to joke about a man’s “luck”—Qi Yuan viewed it differently.

He was the victim here.

And he wouldn’t turn a blind eye to what had happened.

“Was it really her?” Qi Yuan couldn’t shake his doubts.

It felt like her. And yet, it didn’t.

But the floral fragrance... it was undeniably the same as hers.

“I need to confront her,” Qi Yuan resolved.

A man’s dignity mattered, and his virtue was no less important.

When wronged, one should stand tall and seek the truth.